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I have been privileged to be part of some major enterprise transformation processes over the past decade that have taught a lot about how do you actually enable and enforce change for customer centric, holistic, agile and innovative corporate culture. In the business world we are living in today, brands are created with customer experience and corporate culture. The capacity to serve customers in an omni-channel world the way they want to be served is becoming a competitive requirement instead of being an advantage.. This can not be done with silo organisation with responsibility barriers, split budgets, strict hierarchy, fixed roles and waterfall development processes. Those things are true status quo traps that will eventually kill any business sooner or later.
Just like Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden, the authors of Lean UX -book, I got fed up with cases that were perfectly planned but never implemented or the implementation was too far from the plan and naturally didn’t deliver as expected. I’ve also grown out of creating strategies and roadmaps and moved to actual change making. I really love Lean UX. Lean Start-up- and design thinking adjusted to established enterprise environment. Solving real problems, creating customer insights, direct applications and implementing them asap is much more rewarding for everyone involved than just designing the change. Getting results fast accelerate learning, inspire innovation and motivation beyond anything else. The gradual change is also much easier to manage than a complete turnover at once.
Outside-in > understand customers and markets first, then look at your offering, customer interfaces, brand, invoicing, agreement processes, up-sales, cc etc. Be honest and learn.
Who are the customers, what are they doing, how and why?
How does this customer behavior show in your customer interfaces, what are the most important pain points and frustrations customers have and what can you do about it. Once you have the facts, you can see how you can extract painpoints by re-designing the customer journey experience across customer interfaces and how that will reduce costs to serve while also improving NPS. That has a direct bottomline impact. Also, you can recognize opportunities that will help you sell more effectively, improve conversion rates and thus drive marketshare and sales up.
When you have understanding about the customers and you can define Customer relationship-, Customer experience vision, set goals and recognize their impact to revenue and bottomline. The Customer interface and customer analysis becomes the roadmap for better and enables a shared language thru organisation. Everybody can agree with the facts and understand their own role in the customers’ process. The discussion is around customer behavior and going forward, it’s not about blaiming anybody for their decisions in the past. The mandate for change comes frome the customers and dictates what needs to be done. This is why everyone can agree with it and don’t lose face or feel the need to defend prior decisions. In every single case this first part has been capable of igniting inspiration, trust in own capabilities to do meaningful changes and realize them. Insights and understanding create momentum that makes it possible for a company to change fast in a meaningful way. This change is done because people love it and their hearts and minds are burning to make an improvement. It’s not done because management has told employees to change or because the management team has come up with new organisation chart… This route to transformation can be rapidly implemented and the results are quickly at hand. These results justify futher improvement.
It has been interesting to learn, how much silent knowledge, un-tapped knowledge and supressed passion can be found in any given organisation. This capacity can only be realized by deploying the change within the organisation. This is why outsourcing the planning is not a good idea in my opinion. Carrying light inside with a bag doesn’t help, you need to light up the people. Once you release that passion and knowledge in constructive way, it will change the organisation permanently. The way of working will change, it will improve job satisfaction and willingness to push the limits further. At best, it will create a positive cycle for competitive advantage and growth.
2. The next stage is about turning insights and understanding in to systematic Way of Working. This is actually very practical consideration about recognizing responsibilities, ownerships over larger entities, creation of KPI’s and information flows or designing the approach to commercial management in general. Often there are factors like scorecards and conflicting interest in the organisation that need to be fixed, rewarding mechanisms or silo cultures that just need new perspective and solving. Very often dysfunctional organisation has everything in order on the surface, but multiple little things that paralyze the operational engine, innovation, productivity and motivation. Sometimes management isn’t even aware of such issues that could be historical relics that should have been solved ages ago.
What ever there is in the way of working, the new perspective gained in the first stage will help in finding solutions to them. The work is done gradually case by case and the excitement and positivity for change gradually take over the entire personnel. At this point, the company should reach a positive cycle that feeds winning mentality, job satisfaction and capacity to innovate.
3. The first two stages have already revealed the challenges that can be found from systems architechtures and platforms. While the first stage already enables major improvements with UX design and coding, the platforms enable strategic development and automation. This naturally takes more time and is different kind of project, but by this time the needs, benefits and requirements should be selfevident. As the learning has already started at frontend level, the understanding about available business benefits should also be clear for decision making and investment planning.
customers feeling that there isn’t enough substance behind those promises which could damage the brand and destroy the momentum that would have been available.
Like anything that has to do with people and emotions, these are delicate matters and require consideration. In order to do things successfully you need to have a clear plan but it has to be flexible enough so that it can be deployed in right order.
The concept of loyalty is a very profound human emotion like love and trust. Loyalty is an outcome of shared values and experiences, forged with time. It’s not a fling, its about integrity, trust and dedication. Loyalty truly is the holy grail of brand relationship even in the interactive digital marketplace. When we think about loyalty between people, we know that it takes a long time to develop such deep feeling of trust. The same aspect of time certainly applies to brands too. Brands are concepts you can see, feel and experience, even have a dialogue with via customer interfaces and people representing the brand in question.
Well, think hard and consider which brands, products or services are you loyal to? I would imagine there are some. Then think, which brands show genuine interest in you, making your life easier, helping you, respecting your wishes, sharing your values, trusting you completely. Can you think of any?
Companies are quite good at “doing things right”, professionally and operationally delivering what is expected from them. The superb quality of certain product does create trust and loyalty as such due to rational and emotional consideration. This is especially true when your life could depend on that product. On the other hand companies are not that good at “doing the right thing”. Doing the right thing has to do with a context of engagement, feeling of fairness and trust. If your phone breaks a day after the guarantee closes, what does the company do? In case you have bad luck and you fall behind you payments for some period of time, what does the company do then? If the company has a choice between 10% higher profit margin and environmental or societal benefit, which will they choose? There is a lot of data that shows, how profitable “doing the right thing” actually is in case of reclamation. When you do the right thing, listen to your customer, pay attention and do your very best to make things right, the customers reward such deed with their wallets and hearts.
So, my advice for brands is coming straight out of the Bible, Matthew 7:12, The Golden rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” This truth is eternal and applies to Brands on- and offline just as it does to people. Loyalty truly is a concept that takes time to evolve and it can only be earned over time.
Most loyalty programs don’t deliver brand loyalty, really. That is due to the fact that people have all loyalty cards and they pick cherries from where ever they happen to find best offer at that point in time. Points based loyalty programs are often buying loyalty from customer. You get more discount when you buy more and you get offers only available for members. Loyalty can be completely rationally driven model that create a behavioral pattern for customers to buy when it’s cheap. Naturally, they don’t if you don’t have an offer for them. In the open online market its very easy make comparisons.
Most often, members also get bulk messaging in which there is nothing personal. A membership equals the license to sell. Selling is often positive. Customers consider selling as active relationship in which the company is offering new services and value for them (servicing by selling). Buying several products or services from a single company generate stronger relationship and lower attrition probability. Everything above is basically positive, better than no program. However, when customer relationship is based on rational decision, another company with more aggressive approach can do considerable damage.
Emotional loyalty has to do with the true concept of Loyalty. Brand as a whole has its foundation in customer experience, quality, integrity, service, ethics, trust, corporate responsibility and values. If the brand feels right for the customer he’s less likely to consider competitors. Also, the loved brands become part of customer’s own identity and they don’t lose customers without warning. If customers truly love your brand, they let you know if your pricing or position is having a strong challenger and they actively ask your approach to the situation. Emotional loyalty is not price driven. You can have healthy margins and customers accept it. In such a position customers also offer their helping hand and are much more open to participate in open innovation or co-creation dialogue or giving you advice how to improve your service even further.
In current business environment there’s too much of everything all the time. It’s very difficult to differentiate yourself by offering or pricing. The truly emotionally driven approach to loyalty is to consider how the company can show it’s loyalty towards customers. How do you take care of your customers? How do you make certain that the value you are delivering to your customer becomes even higher? How do you solve problems that your customers have?
In most businesses there comes a time when customers re-consider whether to buy the same brand again or to buy something else. If the customer is involved in continuous relationship it requires active sign-off from the current relationship. If you can turn single purchases in to continuous relationships in any way, you are likely to drive much higher loyalty. That’s the best part. Once the customer is engaged in continuous relationship it requires time and effort to close it. The bigger the required effort is, the less like people are to go thru with it. Some of the best psychological themes for loyalty are laziness and minimizing points of discontinuity creating experiences like billing. One of the great ways of improving loyalty is allowing customers to have automatic payment methods directly from account or via credit card (eg. Netflix and Spotify). As a result customer does not get direct invoice for the service delivered but it’s included in credit card invoice or directly paid from account. Attrition probability drop is quite significant with such a method and the relationships could continue for as long as the credit card is valid.
When people establish behavioral patterns like reading a newspaper every morning, their likelihood of attrition is much lower. Habit based loyalty is really about keeping the status quo. Low profile and making certain that there is no need for active consideration for the customer enable very profitable type of loyalty.
I have have been completely loyal to LensOn contact lens selling online store for the past four years. This is because they send me an email enabling me to repeat purchase with only two clicks. I didn’t even remember the brand, but in case I didn’t order instantly I would go back to my email and search: “contact lenses”. This search will bring me the email I am looking for and with only two clicks I’ll order new package of contact lenses. Because my credit card information is already stored in the service, this habit is extremely easy for LensOn to maintain.
Another fantastic case of habitual loyalty is online banking. The first online bank was issued in Finland and since then the whole retail banking has changed completely. People no longer have a reason to go to the bank. They can take care of all their finances online. As an outcome people have become user interface loyal. Only in case of major need for relationship driver service, like mortgage, people would consider changing their bank relationship. Online banking is like electricity, as long as you get it when you need it, there’s no problem. If you don’t, you have a major problem. If the service keeps on going there’s nothing to question the current relationship. Online banking enabled huge cost cuts and automated service processes. Cost to serve is now marginal. Once online banking was introduced and became a habit for customers, the vast majority of customers became profitable. Banking margins and profits have grown and the profitability has increased without attrition.
Customers are not necessarily loyal to the company, but person they are in a relationship with. If customers get imprinted to their counterpart and the person stays with the company, relationships could be very strong emotionally, rationally and habitually. Trusted person can be an enormous asset for a company. The online revolution has diminished the role of person-to-person relationships in consumer businesses. The role of brands and trust in service processes has substituted the void to some extent. It’s not quite the same but works too.
The company’s customer interfaces and people servicing customers should still be trained to reach for such relationships. The brand is as good as the person representing it. Some major hairdresser chains evaluate their employees based on the fact, how many of the hairdresser’s customers book their next visit from the same hairdresser. This measure is beautifully simple and revealing. Being a great hairdresser is not just about the quality of your work, it’s very much about the whole experience. Especially women open up and discuss at the hairdresser. They could easily spend two hours with the hairdresser and spend a lot of money on the experience. It’s about being heard, appreciated and pampered along with getting your hair cut and dyed.
Mobile operators in Finland suffered from very high attrition rates after number portability was enabled. Churn rates reached +30% level even though customers were very happy with their operators. This is a great case proving that customer satisfaction DOES NOT EQUAL loyalty. Customers want to have a new mobile phone every two to three years. The need to get a new handset created natural discontinuity to relationships. Mobile operators have an orientation to offer good deals for new customers and winning higher share of dynamic market. This orientation led to higher advantage for changing a company than staying with the current one. These operators had same level of perceived value and customers had rarely real preference. Most customers had only options that were equally good in general. Only differentiating factors were the brand communications and current offers.
The operators started selling customers 12 month agreements, which offered lower cost calls in the evenings or weekends. These agreements sold quite well and led to lower attrition rates. Once 3G bundles were introduced they included 24 month agreement and were sold with handset subsidies. Against your 24 months agreement you got the mobile phone at about half price. These agreements dropped attrition rates below 10%. In other words agreements offered steady relationships and predictability. As a result mobile operators profits increased and people purchased more expensive mobile phones, which enabled major increase in the use of data creating completely new mass market. Everybody won. After the 24 month agreements ended, the attrition rates increased back to 15-20%. Although the attrition rate increased, they didn’t reach previously familiar 30% rates.
Human nature is lazy and towards many product and service ranges, indifferent. In order to gain market share in a business like this brand has to actively sell and create discontinuity with sales. Electricity agreements are a great example of this. Very few people compare electricity pricing and actively change a power company unless it’s actively sold. When you get a call offering you -5-10% and the offered power is produced with water and greener than your current option, it’s easy to agree. Even better, the new company also close the previous deal so that the only thing you need to do is say ”yes” on phone. It is possible to surprise a competitor with heavy attack in a case like this. Unless the competitor has closed agreements for certain period of time, they are likely to lose a lot of customers almost over night. Who would start comparing for 5%? Very few would. Who would accept such offer when it doesn’t require any effort? Quite many will. Only thing hindering people to accept such an offer would be to tie them in the relationship with an agreement for certain period of time.
What could you sell your customer to make him dependent on you? Structural bond is an interesting approach to loyalty and how to create value in which the customer becomes dependent on.
When Polar Electro introduced their wrist top computers with heart rate monitoring they soon created online Personal Trainer in the end of 1990’s to supplement additional training advice for users beyond possibilities of the cadget in it self. Personal Trainer recorded all your training to a database and created record. It helped analyzing your training requirements and results very effectively. In the early 2000 this was a ground-breaking innovation. When all your training history was online, Polar Electro had a structural bond on you. If you wanted to change to more advance training tools, you had to buy another Polar wrist-top-computer in case you wanted to keep your training record ongoing. Currently mobile phones have same functions and you can use variety of platforms for storing your data eg. Samsung back-up, Apple iCloud or Android saving to Google account. These platforms effectively still create structural bond although some of them are now cadget independent and available to iPhone, Nokia and android. Still, Polar Electro’s Training Tool is an effective loyalty driver for everyone who has been using it for the past decade. The current rush to “internet of things” will produce massive offering of services just like Polar Electro’s training tool. As this market is only just opening, every brand should consider right now, how can they lock their customers in.
Facebook also has a strong structural bond, your friends that are already there. When everyone is already there, it becomes very difficult to leave and completely stop using it. It is also very challenging for other services to get really active users, because Facebook is a strong habit and it holds your entire social life and has become big part of yourself – part of who you are and how you represent yourself to the world.
No matter what you do, some customers will leave eventually. Still, applying effective win back strategies could diminish negative churn. One telecom company actually managed to win back 80% of already lost customers. Win back operation was probably the most profitable function the company had ever created.
Just one more advice, when you are trying to develop your company’s customer relationship excellence, you can’t just look at the customers who are happy and satisfied. Their responses will only strengthen the status quo and hinder innovation and adaptation to changing business environment. Lost customers on the other hand are a great source of insight and improvement advice. Any information that help you predict discontinuity, increase the probability of re-purchase, or shield customers from competitors influence and decrease retention clearly increase profitability.
Loyalty certainly is something worth thriving for. Just remember the Golden rule when you are making choices – even though you work in the interactive digital market place.
First: You need to have goals and vision. They act as a unifying master plan that everyone in the company can understand and accept. What kind of brand are we trying to create? What kind of customer experience and and relationship are we trying to deliver and earn? What kind of impacts are we trying to get?
Third: You need to take a look at how does your company actually operate and how is it managed. Does your current ways support and enable the customer interface operations that you are trying to achieve. Are you organized right, do you have right kind of KPI’s, are different diciplines and silos working together or do you lose insights between gaps and inevitably cause corporate autism?
Fourth: Does your corporate infrastructure enable everything mentioned and planned above? Do you have legacy systems and technology, disconnected data etc. In case the technology and infrastructure doesn’t enable the change, how do you take action? What kind of roadmap and investments are required? What can be done fast, what takes more time and effort? What can be piloted and can you start the learning curve growth with some manual work that enable more effective technology implementation?
When I have been running these cases I have learned that this approach works very, very well. The reason is that everyone is involved and the process in it self actually enhances the learning and feeling of unity, shared goals and willingness to change. This is because the process inspires, makes difficult theory work feel practical and easy to adopt. Very often the process generates several small victories and improvements that can be implemented immediately. The good experiences start building up and people get the feeling that these things are really happening and we are really doing something meaningful. Once the plan is ready, the organisation has already moved several steps to the right direction and has become excited about the development. For the management this is extremely valuable situation, because they can just enable what the organisation is asking for instead of trying to order and manage changes top-down.
This is how I see the brand development in this day and age. Do you agree/disagree? Would you have any cases, experiences or hints how I could develop this approach further?
There is a lot of everything. Customers instinctively make their lives easier by using their mental shortcuts, heuristics, in order to make sense of the surrounding wealth of messages and impulses. The position a brand holds in the customer’s mind connects it to certain attributes, contexts, values, benefits and purposes. Actually, our brain gives an emotional tag to every single piece of information before entering our conscious mind. Branding is about training customers’ brains and winning certain position in their minds. This is why it takes a long time to really gain a meaningful position as a brand. That’s also why brand extensions are not a certain success, as the position the brand has in customer’s mind only consist of certain learned connections.
Because of these reasons I would define Brand as a position in the customers’ minds. During the past decade people have also learned to use brands as their road signs when searching for products, services, solutions, ideas and inspiration. For example in travel and telecommunications markets the number of category searches has dropped, while brand searches have increased. Instead of searching for smartphone or holiday, customers search operators, smartphone manufacturers and travel agencies by brand. To people, brands stand for direct access to information they are looking for. Such behavior makes the top-of-mind position even more important than it has been before. Smartphones or 4G are minimal interests, while Samsung and Apple have strong demand. The data also shows how Android has become a brand on it’s own and has an even stronger demand than Samsung has.
When customers do buy a product or service they have certain expectations for what they bought. Depending on how well the brand meets those expectations, it influences the customer’s personal experience and view on the brand’s performance. Value for money experience is a very important measure for a brand and shared experiences influence the brand’s Net Promoter Score directly. Performance should be measured through the customer’s entire relationship with the brand, across every single experience they share. In my opinion we should include PERSEVERENCE as part of the performance. The customers expect you to stay interested in them and continue to deliver high value. One-shot experience is not enough, no matter how good it is. The real performance must be proved over time also in case of product failure or other unexpected events.
In September 2013 HBR published an article: “The truth about Customer Experience” by Alex Rawson, Ewan Duncan, and Conor Jones. In their experience, most companies measure customer experience by touch points or single engagements. Such an approach will tell you how did that single engagement meet customer’s expectations. It does not say anything about customer’s satisfaction over time. In case this is the only mean to measure performance in a corporate KPIs, it will create an illusion of performing well. In their article, they proved the declining customer satisfaction over the length of customer relationship. When you think in terms of performance, you need to continuously improve your service, in order to keep your customers happy. In my Customer Journey studies I have also learned that, the reasons why customers choose to buy a certain product, or a service, are not necessarily the same ones that will keep the customer happy post purchase on a longer term.
Performance measures are also changing the marketing as a practice, changing management and the ways of managing change. Today, everything can be easily tested in small scale, scaled to global level and measured in real time. The marketing practice has been measured with rather elusive figures like top-of-mind, preference, awareness and attributes until recently. Now marketing has become an actual business unit that should have a business plan, revenue forecasts and profit expectations. This is finally something that other members of the board understand. This is why the marketing as a practice is moving up on the corporate power ladder. Corporate management is already expecting CMO’s to take responsibility for corporate digital transformation. In my opinion the creativity factor associated with marketing function has more potential in this new order than ever before when its performance is measured right. When customer understanding, creativity and performance metrics are connected across corporate strategy and operations, possibilities of developing business, competitive advantage and brand become infinite. We just need to follow the path companies like Tesco, Apple, Google and Amazon have opened for us over the past two decades. In that time the technology and ecosystem developed to its current level of sophistication and accessibility allowing us to join in and follow the paths these giants have already proved effective.
Proximity is a synonym for distance. In order to create trust and relationship with customers, brands need to get close and personal with their customers. At best, you can talk about customer intimacy and connecting the brand to people’s self image. We have a chance of having a dialogue and become a part of peoples everyday life via different channels like Facebook, apps, online services, even external bought mediums at personal level. Although the Internet and all it’s applications have a lot to offer, PEOPLE belong in this category too. Person-to-person communications are the primary way of connecting and even getting imprinted to the brand. People and corporate culture represent the brand in human form. The old truth about brand being as good as its salesman is still true. Customers meet people while making their choices, have support needs or they want a reclamation taken care of. People are the very core of trust experience and in many businesses customers imprint on people serving them. In such cases the brand experience and loyalty has it’s foundation on personal relationship: it’s not about B2B or B2C, it’s about Human-to-Human. The current view is, that those companies that best connect their physical experience in an omni-channel world will win the hearts and minds of their customers.
In my opinion the Apple Store concept is one of the best examples of creating a strong human interface and online customer relationship together. The experience at Apple store is that all employees are there for you, concentrating on your concerns and help you with your needs. There are often more employees than there are customers, which just stands for Apple’s priorities. The store is a place for brand experience and it is not measured by sheer efficiency like most other stores are.
Price used to be a rather fixed figure. In this age price has become a rather elusive measure. The new approaches to pricing are about yielding models and price variety between customer segments or distribution channels. There is one price for me, and another for you, although the product and the seller are the same. There is a price for me right now and another tomorrow.
Online environment has made it possible to democratize offering and make pricing transparent by using aggregators and comparison services that find prices from different sellers and present them in one single view. This kind of approach has democratized the marketplace, because the aggregators only show certain comparable basic functionalities and push the brand further away from the customer. This approach has increased the meaning of pricing volatility and transparency. People on the other hand love such services, because the offering with large selection, customer reviews and low prices can be found and bought from a single location fast and conveniently. Actually these players like Expedia that is offering Hotels.com, expedia.com, Trivago and those alike them, are creating direct relationships with customers and effectively drive prices lower (and their profit margin higher because they effectively own demand). Smaller players, who have less known brands but can offer services and products at lower cost, can access demand and challenge better known brands due to this logic.
The demand for lower prices is growing and now it’s also connected with certain brands known for their low prices. In January 2014 Amazon reported that its’ more than 2 million marketplace sellers sold more than a billion units globally. In their annual report Amazon also reported higher profit margins, because everything they sell in their marketplace generate pure profit. Amazon, like big brands, have the demand, selling other businesses’ products don’t cost virtually anything for them.
I think that presence has replaced place on this list. In the digital era, presence equals availability and direct access to buying. Presence is a more flexible concept than place that is physical. Social media is a method of expanding presence across customers’ peer groups and generating recommendations, participation and coverage in general. Aggregators also scale presence further. Customers will choose a brand among those present. It is to say that expanding presence is likely to directly impact sales. Out of sight – out of mind, is the name of the game.
When I have been studying Customer Journeys and customer’s decision making, I’ve learned that there exists a market segment of people who are at the state of “pending decision” or “pending action” in many categories, especially in case of consumer packaged goods. Let’s say that you, for example, need to buy a new toothbrush and you decide to do so. The decision is already there, but it could take months before you actually make the purchase. In such cases the sheer presence where customer makes the purchase increases sales even without any kind of promotion. The same logic applies in many other cases too. I have personally become completely loyal for a contact lens seller LensOn. They send me an email once my previous order is likely to be nearly consumed and I only need to click once to renew my order. They know me and their presence takes place at the right time inside my personal space. I consider that great service. Their presence is perfect – out of sight and not bothering me at other times, only serving me proactively when they know I need it. LensOn has effectively increased my contact lens spending, because I have not run out of them since my first purchase, almost four years ago.
What makes the concept of Perceived product especially important, is the fact that customer experience about a product or service is firmly embedded on expectations. When expectations are really high, it is difficult to meet them. On the other hand low expectations are easy to exceed and translate them to endorsements. Perception has a major influence on brand demand and preference. Branding has everything to do with it.
Important measures for promotion are reach and impact to brand awareness, preference, willingness to pay premium and convert sales. In the Internet age of overwhelming availability of data, own media has increased it’s capacity to impact sales tremendously. Search engine’s page rank can be improved, own customer data can be leveraged very cost efficiently and the relationship with customers can drive further reach with earned social media and dialogue with customers. In the current online centric customer relationships in which marketing and servicing merge as one single messaging, it’s increasingly difficult to define where the product or service ends and marketing/promotion starts. You could say that the core customer service and customer relationship processes have become promotional activities in the age of open online dialogue. Partnering influence reach and presence very effectively too. These new possibilities have diminished the role of paid mediums and increased promotional capacity and scalability at a low cost. Data driven marketing enable paid media’s role as an extension of customer relationship marketing even if the customer has never left his/her contacts.
These were my 7P’s. In case you can agree with them, I’m sure you can also agree with this. Marketing used to be about making companies APPEAR to be better, increasing brand appeal etc. Today marketing is about MAKING COMPANIES BETTER. The difference between these two roles is so great, that it demands us to open our eyes and re-define marketing as a practice for the needs and opportunities of today. | 2019-04-20T20:33:12Z | https://futurecmo.org/tag/brand-kpis/ |
Method and system for routing EPP requests over a network are provided. The EPP request can include XML namespace information and optionally XML sub-product information. A gateway can receive the request and analyze the namespace and in some instances, sub-product information to determine the service to which the request is directed. Thereupon, the gateway can route the request to the appropriate service by consulting a routing table that can have status and connectivity information for all the available services.
The present disclosure relates generally to routing requests over a network. As internet usage grows exponentially, the demand for internet related services is also growing rapidly. As a result of the increased usage of the internet, the demand for domain names is also growing rapidly. Consequently, demand for domain related services is also on the rise. Such domain related services can include domain name creation, domain name registration renewal, and the like. Typically, a website serves as a primary vehicle for establishing an online presence for a domain name. To meet this ever increasing demand for domain name related services, it is necessary that the entities that provide these service do so in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the part of the Internet infrastructure that translates human-readable domain names into the Internet Protocol (IP) numbers needed to establish TCP/IP communication over the Internet. DNS allows users to refer to web sites, and other resources, using easier to remember domain names, such as “www.example.com”, rather than the numeric IP addresses associated with a website, e.g., 123.4.56.78, and assigned to computers on the Internet. Each domain name can be made up of a series of character strings (labels) separated by dots. The right-most label in a domain name is known as the “top-level domain” (TLD). Examples of well-known TLDs are “com”; “net”; “org” etc. Each TLD supports second-level domains, listed immediately to the left of the TLD, e.g. the “example” level in “www.example.com”. Each second-level domain can include a number of third-level domains located immediately to the left of the second-level domain, e.g. the “www” level in www.example.com.
The responsibility for operating each TLD (including maintaining a registry of the second-level domains within the TLD) is delegated to a particular organization, known as a domain name registry (“registry”). The registry is primarily responsible for answering queries for IP addresses associated with domains (“resolving”), typically through DNS servers that maintain such information in large databases, and operating its top-level domain.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has authority over the generic TLDs like dotcom and dotnet. In order to obtain a domain name, that domain name has to be registered with ICANN. Registration of domain names can be done, e.g., through a domain name registrar. A registrar is an entity that is accredited by ICANN or by a national ccTLD (country code TLD) authority, to register Internet domain names. Alternatively, an end-user can register a domain name indirectly through one or more layers of resellers.
A registrar usually has a dedicated service connection with the registries in order to access domain related services, e.g., domain name creation or renewal. Registrars typically use the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) as a vehicle to communicate with the registries in order to register or renew domain names. The EPP is a protocol designed for allocating objects within registries over the internet. The EPP protocol is based on XML—a structured, text-based format. The underlying network transport is not fixed, although the currently specified method is over Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for routing EPP requests over a network. Specifically, in an embodiment, a method for routing requests received using an Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP) is provided. A request can be received from a requestor. The request can be to connect to a service, offered by a service provider, via the EPP. The request may include an XML code that includes XML namespace information. The XML namespace may indicate information about the service to which the request is directed. The system can analyze the XML code to extract the XML namespace information. After extracting the XML namespace information, the system can determine the service to which the request is directed and route the request to the service, thereby providing the requestor access to the service.
In some embodiments, the request may also include a EPP extension sub-product information. In such an instance, the namespace information may correspond to a service category while the sub-product information may correspond to an individual service within the service category. In this embodiment, the system can extract the namespace information and determine the service to which the request is directed. Then the system can determine if the request additionally includes sub-product information and in the instance where the request includes sub-product information, the system can then determine the service associated with the sub-product information and conclude that the namespace information corresponds to a class of service rather than an individual service.
In some embodiments, the system can extract the namespace information and the sub-product information, if available. If the system determines that the namespace information corresponds to a service category and the service category has multiple services grouped under it, the system can use the sub-product information to determine the individual service, within the service category, to which the request is directed.
In still other embodiments, a gateway used for routing the EPP requests is provided. The gateway can include a receiving module configured to receive a request via EPP. The request can be to access a service, from among the plurality of services, offered by the service provider. The request may include XML that contains XML namespace information that may correspond to a service. The gateway can further include an analysis module coupled to the receiving module and configured to analyze the XML and extract the XML namespace information to determine the service to which the request is directed. The gateway may further include a routing module configured to determine a status of the service based at least in part on information included in a routing table and subsequently route the request to the service determined by the analysis module.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for routing requests according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating a gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a routing table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of routing requests according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It would be advantageous to use EPP to route requests and messages over a network. As described above, each registrar has EPP connection with a registry in order to register and renew domain names. If the registry offers more domain name related services in addition to the domain provisioning services, the registrar may have to maintain additional modes of communication with the registry in order to access those additional services, e.g., domain name suggestion service. This is likely to increase complexity of the infrastructure on the registrar side because typically a registrar may be in communication with numerous registries. Having the ability to access all the offered services using a single EPP connection will greatly reduce the costs for the registrars. It is possible that these reduce costs could be shared with the end-user thereby increasing a registrar's competitive advantage.
On the registry side, having a single EPP connection with each registrar will greatly reduce the costs of maintaining separate multiple communication channels for each registrar. In addition, having the ability to seamlessly offer multiple services that are accessible through a single connection provides an impetus to development and deployment of new services by the registry thereby increasing the revenue sources for the registry.
Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to routing requests, received using EPP, to the appropriate service over a network. In some embodiments, the incoming EPP request includes XML namespace information. The XML namespace information may correspond to a service, e.g., domain name suggestion, domain name create, etc. The system can extract and analyze this XML namespace information to determine the service and then route the request to the appropriate service.
Other embodiments of the present invention relate to a EPP request that includes an XML sub-product information in addition to the XML namespace information. In such instances, the XML namespace information may correspond to a service category while the XML sub-product information may correspond to a specific service within the service category.
FIG. 1 illustrates system 100 for routing requests received using EPP to the appropriate service on the network. System 100 can include gateway 101 that can receive the requests via the EPP. Gateway 101 can receive the incoming requests and determine the service that each of the request is directed at. Once the destination service is determined, gateway 101 can direct the request to that service. Gateway 101 can communicate with external systems and networks that are capable of sending requests using the EPP. As described earlier, the default transport for EPP is TCP however, in some embodiments, gateway 101 can be configured to receive and transmit EPP messages over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The structure and function of gateway 101 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below.
Service platform 104 can be a scalable, fault tolerant platform for delivery of one or more services. Service platform 104 may have a database, user interface, and may use one or more protocols in order to communicate with the gateway and the management server. Service platform 104 can host one or more services 103A-C. Service platform 104 may have additional functionalities, which are not necessary to understand for the purposes of the subject matter of the present invention. Service platform 104 can have a database to store information related to the services and a user interface to enable a user to provide inputs to the management server for activities such as maintenance, upgrades, etc. Service platform 104 may use one or more protocols to communicate with the gateway and the management server. Services 103A-C may either be individual service, e.g., domain name suggestion, that are offered by a registry or a service category with individual services included in each category. Each of these services can be capable of communicating with gateway 101 and management server 102. Each service 103 can have unique information associated with it. Such information may include but is not limited to service name, connectivity information, and various applications that can interact with the service. In some embodiments, additional services may be added without affecting the normal functions of the service platform and other services. Service platform 104 can be implemented using one or more general purpose servers having the requisite functional capability.
In some embodiments, service platform 104 can be implemented in a cluster configuration with each service cluster server including multiple services or service categories. For example, J2EE clustering can be used to organize the services. In such an instance, a service cluster server URL may point to the service cluster server that includes the desired service and a service object identifier can be used to identify the particular service hosted by the server.
Management server 102 can be used to manage services 103 and can include information related to all of the available services. In some embodiments, each of the available services can communicate their unique information to management server 102. Management server 102 can be a repository of information related to each of the services. In some embodiments, the information provided by each service can include its operational status, connectivity information, name, etc. In some embodiments, management server 102 can communicate this information to gateway 101. Gateway 101 may store this information in one or more routing tables described below. Gateway 101 and management server 102 are coupled to one or more services 103A-C hosted by service platform 104. In some embodiments, management server 102 can perform various operations on each of the services such as enable, disable, add, delete, modify, etc. Management server 102 can be any computer system with the requisite functional capability.
In some embodiments, management server 102 can organize several related services into a service group. For example, cTLD may be a service group with individual services for dotjobs, dottv, and dotbiz included as part of the service group. A system administrator can have the ability to control the service group as a single entity and perform operations such as enable, disable, upgrade, etc on the group as a whole.
In some embodiments, each service can communicate information about itself to management server 102 during service startup. Management server 102 can provide a plurality of interfaces that can be used to disseminate information to external systems. In some embodiments, one or more gateways can connect to the management server using the plurality of interfaces. The gateways can “poll” the management server in order to gather information about the services. In an embodiment, the information about a service can include its operational status, connectivity information, etc. In some embodiments, addition service related information may also be available. For example, related information for each service may include information about its EPP handlers, EPP Poll handlers, and EPP extensions. A system administrator can make updates to the various services using an administrator user interface application on the management server. Once the system administrator makes changes to a service, management server 102 automatically communicates the updates/changes made to the services to gateway 101.
Further, while system 100 is described herein with reference to particular blocks, it is to be understood that these blocks are defined for convenience of description and are not intended to imply a particular physical arrangement of component parts. Further, system 100 can have other capabilities not specifically described herein.
FIG. 2 illustrates gateway 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Gateway 200 may include a network interface module (NIM) 201. In some embodiments, NIM 201 can be configured to communicate with external systems and networks using any one of the conventional wired or wireless mediums. In addition, NIM 201 can be capable of accepting requests from external systems delivered via EPP over either the TCP or HTTP. NIM 201 can be coupled to receiving module 202.
Receiving module 202 can receive the incoming EPP requests. In some embodiments, receiving module 202 can verify that the incoming request is an EPP request by determining the structure of the request and comparing it with a standard EPP structure. The receiving module may be coupled to analysis module 203. Analysis module 203 may receive the incoming requests from receiving module 202 and analyze the request to determine the service to which the request is directed. In some embodiments, the EPP request can include XML namespace information. XML namespaces may provide a simple method for qualifying element and attribute names used in Extensible Markup Language documents by associating them with namespaces identified by Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) references. XML namespaces may be used for providing uniquely named elements and attributes in an XML instance. In some embodiments, the name of the service to which the request is directed may be included as part of the elements and/or attribute information. Analysis module 203 can parse the XML to extract the XML namespace information and determine a destination service for a particular request based on the namespace information. For example, the namespace information may be associated with name suggestion service. In such an instance, parsing of the XML included in the request will indicate that the request is intended for the name suggestion service.
In other embodiments, the XML code may include EPP subproduct information in addition to the XML namespace information. In such an instance, the XML namespace information can correspond to a service category, e.g., domain name services and the sub-product information may specify a particular service within the service category, e.g., dottv domain service or name suggestion service. Analysis module 203 can be also capable of parsing the XML included in the request to determine the namespace information and the EPP extension sub-product element.
Routing module 204 can receive the parsed XML from the analysis module indicating the service to which access is requested. Routing module 204 can verify the status of the service to determine if the service is currently active. In some embodiments, the routing module may verify the status information by consulting routing table 205. Details of routing table 205 are described below. Routing table 205 may be internal or external to routing module 204. In some embodiments, in addition to status information, routing module 204 can also ascertain other information about the service, e.g., connectivity information, in order to properly route the request. Routing module 204 can also be configured to route the request upon determination of the destination service.
Storage device 206 can be implemented, e.g., using disk, flash memory, or any other non-volatile storage medium. In some embodiments, storage device 206 may store routing table 205. Storage device 206 can also store other information like program instructions for performing the XML code analysis, routing the request based on the analysis, etc.
CPU 207, which can be implemented as one or more integrated circuits (e.g., a conventional microprocessor or microcontroller), can control the operation of gateway 200. In some embodiments, CPU 207 can retrieve program instructions stored in storage device 206 and execute the program to instruct analysis module 203 and/or routing module 204 to perform certain functions.
Further, while gateway 200 is described herein with reference to particular blocks, it is to be understood that these blocks are defined for convenience of description and are not intended to imply a particular physical arrangement of component parts. Further, the blocks need not correspond to physically distinct components. Blocks can be configured to perform various operations, e.g., by programming a processor or providing appropriate control circuitry, and various blocks might or might not be reconfigurable depending on how the initial configuration is obtained. Embodiments of the present invention can be realized in a variety of devices including electronic devices implemented using any combination of circuitry and software.
It will be appreciated that the system configurations and components described herein are illustrative and that variations and modifications are possible. The gateway, the management server, and the service platform can have other capabilities not specifically described herein.
FIG. 3 shows routing table 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the routing table can include information associated with one or more available services. Routing table 300 can include service ID information 301. In some embodiments, service ID may be the XML namespace information included in the request command. Routing table 300 may also include sub-product information 302. As discussed earlier, the sub-product information can be an individual service within a group of service or may point to a category within a service group. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the sub-product dotTV is part of the service group ctld. This information may be helpful in directing the request to a particular service or category within a service group. As discussed earlier, services that belong to a group may have sub-product information associated with them. Routing table 300 can also include service name 303, e.g., CTLD—domain create or name suggestion. In some embodiments, routing table 300 can also include version number of the service illustrated by item 304 of FIG. 3. This information may be required if there are multiple versions of the service that need to be in operation concurrently. In such an instance, version information 304 may be helpful in directing the request to the appropriate version for the service. The routing table may also include connectivity information 305. In some embodiments, the connectivity information may include a URL that is associated with a service or a service cluster server, as described above. The routing module described above can use the URL information to route the incoming request. In other embodiments, the connectivity information may additionally include routing information for an object within the service to which the command needs to be sent. Item 306 can include the status of the service, e.g., active or inactive. In some embodiments, the routing module may check the status of the service prior to sending the request. In some embodiments, in addition to ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ the status may also include other states such as ‘disabled’, ‘offline’, ‘temporarily unavailable’, and the like. The routing table may also include group ID information 307. Group ID information can indicate the name of a group/category to which a service belongs. For example, ‘ctld’ may be a group that includes domain, host, and contract services for ‘dottv’, ‘dotjobs’, ‘dotcc’, etc.
In some embodiments, routing table 300 can be dynamically updated every time a change is made to a service or a service group/category. In other embodiments, routing table 300 may be updated periodically. In some embodiments, all the information included in routing table 300 may be supplied by the management server. In other embodiments, routing table 300 may obtain information from various sources, e.g., the management server and the service platform. In some embodiments, the contents for one or more services and/or service categories included in the routing table might be fixed and may only be updated manually.
Although routing table 300 has been described with reference to certain information, it will be appreciated that the information shown is for illustrative purposes only. One skilled in the art would realize that routing table 300 can have other information in lieu of or in addition to the information illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a process 400 for routing requests received via EPP to a service over a network. Process 400 may be implemented using, e.g., gateway 200 of FIG. 2. At step 401, the gateway may receive a request from a requestor to access one of the available services. The request may include XML that may have the information about the service that is to be accessed. At step 402, the incoming request can be parsed to extract XML namespace information and optionally the sub-product information included in the request. In some embodiments, the XML namespace information may include information about the service to be accessed.
At step 403, the XML namespace information may be used to determine the service to which the request is directed. Once the service to be accessed is determined, the process moves to step 404 where it can be determined whether the requested service is an individual service or a service category. In some embodiments, this determination can be made based on the XML namespace information and consulting the routing table to verify whether the namespace information belongs to an individual service or a service category.
If at step 404 it is determined that the namespace information corresponds to a individual service, a check can be made to verify if that service is active at step 405. If the service is not active, the system can send a message to the requestor indicating unavailability of the service at step 406. In some embodiments, the message may include additional information that the system administrator wants to convey to the requestor, e.g., time the service went offline, expected time of being reactivated, etc. If at step 405, it is determined that the service is active, the request is routed to the service at step 407. In some embodiments, the service may generate a request completion message at step 408 after processing the request. The request completion message may be a message indicating that the request was processed. The completion message can be communicated to the requestor at step 409. In an embodiment, the service sends the completion message to the gateway, which in turn forwards the completion message to the requestor. In some embodiments, the completion message may include additional information that may not be communicated to the requestor. For example, the completion message may include metadata specifying additional information about the request, e.g., execution time of the request. Such information may be required as part of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) negotiated by the service provider. The metadata information can be used to verify that the promised SLA criteria, e.g., execution time of a request, are being met by the service provider. In some embodiments, the gateway upon receiving the completion message including the metadata may log the metadata information for future use and only forward the completion message to the requestor.
On the other hand, if at step 404 it is determined that the namespace information corresponds to a service category, the system may, at step 410, use the sub-product information, included in the XML, to determine the service, within the service category, to which the request is directed. Once the service is identified, processing can resume at step 405 as described above.
In some embodiments, if the request includes XML namespace and sub-product information, but at step 404 it is determined that the service associated with the namespace information is an individual service, the system may ignore the sub-product information and route the request to the identified service using the XML sub-product information. In other embodiments, the system may return an error message indicating failure to route the request and the reason for the failure.
In some embodiments, if the request does not include a sub-product information and it is determined at step 404 that the XML namespace information is associated with a service category, the system may return an error message indicating a failure to route the message and reason for the failure.
It will be appreciated that process 400 described herein is illustrative and that variations and modifications are possible. Acts described as sequential can be executed in parallel, order of acts can be varied, and acts can be modified or combined. For instance, step 405 can be omitted and the request can be sent to the service without verifying a current status of the service. In some embodiments, steps 402 and 403 may be combined to parse the XML and concurrently extract the namespace information and or sub-product information to determine the service and/or the service category to be accessed.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications are possible. For instance, the gateway and service management server may have additional functionalities not mentioned herein. In addition, a request may include information corresponding to one or more sub-product, each sub-product information corresponding to a level within a service group/category hierarchy. Thus, it may be possible to have multiple levels of services within a service group/category and a request may identify a service by including one or more XML namespace and/or sub-product information.
routing the request to the service thereby providing the requestor access to the service.
routing the request to the service only in the event that the service is active.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the event that it is determined that the service is not active, sending a notification to the requestor indicating unavailability of the service.
in the event that XML subproduct information is present, determining the service to which the request is directed based at least in part on the XML namespace information and the XML subproduct information.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the XML namespace corresponds to a service category.
communicating the response to the requestor.
generating a report associated with the service level agreement, the report based at least in part on the metadata.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the metadata includes information about execution time of the request.
updating a lookup table with the status and connectivity information associated with the service.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the connectivity information includes information about EPP handlers, EPP poll handlers, and EPP extensions associated with the service.
a routing module coupled to the analysis module and determining a status of the service based at least in part on information included in a routing table and route the request to the service.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the routing table comprises information associated with the status and connectivity of the plurality of services.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the status and the connectivity information is dynamically updated.
14. The device of claim 11 wherein the receiving module receives requests over a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) transport.
15. The device of claim 11 wherein the receiving module receives requests over a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) transport.
16. The device of claim 11 wherein the analysis module analyzes the XML code to determine presence of a XML subproduct information.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein the analysis module extracts the XML subproduct information and determines a sub-service associated with the XML subproduct information.
one or more service hosting servers coupled to the service management server and the gateway and hosting the plurality of services.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the service management server receives data from each of the plurality of services, the data indicating status, type, and connectivity information for each of the plurality of services.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the service management server communicates the status, type, and connectivity information to the gateway.
21. The system of claim 18 wherein the gateway includes a routing table, the routing table including status, type, and connectivity information for each of the plurality of services.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the routing table is dynamically updated to reflect change in the status and/or connectivity information of a service.
routing the request to the service.
determining a service associated with the XML subproduct information.
routing requests to the one or more services based at least in part on the status and connectivity information.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the status information includes indication of whether a service is active or inactive.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 wherein the status and connectivity information is stored in a routing table.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 wherein the routing table is updated dynamically to reflect changes in the status and connectivity information of each of the one or more services.
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Have you thought to yourself that the Climate Change movement seems more and more like a religious movement?
The authority of Climate Change leaders is entirely unmerited and absolute, yet no one is permitted to hold them accountable for their ignorance, inexperience, or brazen lies. Thus, the Climate Change movement clearly meets the first warning sign for unsafe groups.
The conclusions of the Climate Change movement may not be challenged or questioned under any circumstances. Those who dare scrutinize the conclusions, methodology, or prescriptions of “climate scientists” are categorically dismissed as a “Climate Denier”, an excommunicated untouchable whose opinion is no longer valid on any subject.
Questions and critical inquiry aren’t merely dismissed or refuted. The unfortunate heretic immediately experiences a relentless ad hominem onslaught of scorn and hatred from the political and media left, and is often subjected to accusations of outright murder. Simply question the effectiveness of a “carbon tax” and you may find yourself tied to a stake.
There is no tolerance for questioning the Climate Change movement, and thus it clearly meets the second warning sign for unsafe groups.
Hardly anyone knows just how much money is spent on “Climate research” every year. The cost is spread out among laughably useless study grants, wind and solar farm subsidies, carbon offset credits, “green” building code evaluation and enforcement, salaries for bureaucrats solely dedicated to “climate concerns”...you get the idea, it’s a lot of hazy money.
The abhorrent practice of “sue and settle” was a flat out money laundering scheme that allowed sympathetic government officials to transfer millions of tax dollars to radical leftist environmental groups. The practice only ended when the Trump administration used executive power to clamp down on it.
The total amount of yearly financial expenditure on the Climate Change movement is vague, difficult to track, and often carried out in unethical manners. Thus, the Climate Change movement exhibits the third warning sign for unsafe groups.
This one is pretty obvious. The Climate Change movement always shouts out revised and updated apocalypse predictions, eerily reminiscent of the stereotypical bum on the sidewalk with that “The End Is Near” sign. “The world will end in X years if we don’t do X” is the constant refrain. The years always pass, and the apocalypse never happens. Interestingly, this is a characteristic of multiple religious cults (such as the Seekers of Chicago, and the Order of the Solar Temple). At the moment, we apparently have 12 years to nationalize the entire economy and phase out fossil fuels before we all die a fiery death.
There’s also no shortage of conspiracy theories about who they consider to be Earth’s greatest saboteurs. They have an enemies list. The fossil fuel industry is at the top of it, with widespread tinfoil hat theories about oil companies burying patents for efficient renewable fuel recipes to keep us all guzzling gasoline.
The “repent or burn” doomsday preaching is the most well-known staple of the Climate Change movement, and quite clearly exemplifies the fourth warning sign for unsafe groups.
Climate alarmists who leave, step back from, or even lightly criticize the movement are immediately subjected to vicious smear campaigns. Dutch professor Richard Tol experienced this phenomenon firsthand when he removed his name from an IPCC climate report and criticized the reports excessively apocalyptic predictions.
The treatment of Professor Tol is not uncommon, and clearly demonstrates that the Climate Change movement exhibits the fifth warning sign for unsafe groups.
Professor Tol is not an anomaly. Dr. Richard Lindzen of MIT, Dr. Nils-Axel Morner, and countless other former IPCC in-crowd climate experts were subjected to smear campaigns from their colleagues and the news media for the crime of throwing cold water on the outlandish predictions of the Climate Change movement.
This pattern is all too familiar to anyone who has studied what happens to individuals who leave the Church of Scientology, and clearly meets the sixth warning sign for unsafe groups.
The abuses of the Climate Change movement are loud and proud. They vociferously attack their perceived enemies for public consumption, and are cheered on by fellow travelers in the journalism class. Most recently they brainwashed a bunch of kids and marched them into an octogenarian Democrat Senator’s office to beg not to be murdered by a ‘No’ vote on impossible legislation. Have you seen those kids in Diane Feinstein’s office? You should, it’s creepy, here they are.
These tantrums and protests aren’t only meant to rally supporters of the Climate Change movement. They are a form of intimidation, a tactic used to silence those who question the gospel. There is ample evidence that the Climate Change movement meets the seventh warning sign of an unsafe group.
8. Followers feel they can never be “good enough”.
The atonement process for Climate warriors always demands more. It started with using a recycling bin and grocery bags. Now, in 2019, being a good follower means imposing veganism on the masses and issuing fatwahs against innocuous objects such as plastic straws and grocery bags. Despite all the efforts of the faithful, Climate minions maintain a constant state of dread and despair, knowing they can never truly do enough to stop the coming doom.
Clearly, the eighth warning sign for unsafe groups applies to the Climate Change movement.
When have the climate leaders been called wrong for their failed predictions? Regardless of the weather, they are always intrinsically correct.
Flood? Climate Change. Drought? Climate Change.
No Snow? Climate Change. Too much snow? Climate Change.
Tornado? Climate Change. Hurricane? Climate Change. Lack of hurricanes? Climate Change.
If a skeptic points out the window during a blizzard, the same acolytes will simply cry “Weather isn’t climate!” It’s a game they can never lose, one in which they are never wrong and always right.
Thus, the ninth warning sign for unsafe groups clearly applies.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
The path to discovery for the Climate Change movement is an intentionally vague discipline referred to as “climate science”.
Did you carry out a study on gender and glaciers? Climate Science.
Did you think up the worst possible scenarios that have no actual chance of happening (actual portion of latest National Climate Assessment)? Climate Science.
Any “science” that confirms the tenets of the Climate Change movement is deemed “climate science”, while actual scientific research that disputes their conclusions is derided as “denialism”.
The tenth warning sign for unsafe groups is clearly met.
According to the established, scientific guidelines developed by cult experts, the Climate Change movement fits the bill for a potentially unsafe group.
When I looked up these established warning signs, I honestly expected Climate Changeists to meet two or three of them, NOT TEN! The disturbingly religious nature of this supposedly “scientific” movement should alarm any thinking human being, especially since the movement now openly seeks to nationalize the entire economy.
It’s time for conservatives to realize what they are dealing with, and act accordingly. Rather than debating Climate Change activists, it may be time to start staging interventions.
If someone you know is a member of the Climate Change Movement, and you are interested in intervention strategies, please visit.
See also CO2 Derangement Syndrome here.
By Allan M.R. MacRae, B.A.Sc., M.Eng.
*Taking decisive actions that incurred significant personal risks when staff at the Mazeppa sour gas project were afraid to act, which may have saved up to 300,000 lives in Calgary.
For brevity, I have not included in this treatise all the details and references that support my statements. For the record, I have two engineering degrees related to the earth sciences, have worked on six continents, and have diligently studied the subject fields since 1985. In the late 1960s I was a member of an environmental group at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, which predated Greenpeace. We focused on real air, water and soil pollution, which was largely cleaned up by the 1980’s and 1990’s.
APEGA refused to discuss the evidence, and baselessly claimed the moral high ground.
* Properly allocated, a fraction of the trillions of dollars squandered on green energy schemes could have installed clean drinking water and sanitation systems into every community on the planet, saving the lives of many tens of millions of children and adults; the remaining funds could have significantly reduced deaths from malaria and malnutrition; Source: Global Crises, Global Solutions, The 1st Copenhagen Consensus, edited by Bjorn Lomborg, 2004, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 648 pp.
* Huge areas of agricultural land have been diverted from growing food to biofuels production, driving up food costs and causing hunger among the world’s poorest people.
3. There is NO credible scientific evidence that climate is highly sensitive to increasing atmospheric CO2, and ample evidence to the contrary.
Many scientific observations demonstrate that both these statements are correct-to-date.
The current usage of the term “climate change” is vague and the definition is routinely changed in the literature, such that it has become a non-falsifiable hypothesis. It is therefore non-scientific nonsense.
Climate has always changed. Current climate is not unusual and is beneficial to humanity and the environment. Earth is in a ~10,000 year warm period during a ~100,000 year cycle of global ice ages.
The term “catastrophic human-made global warming” is a falsifiable hypothesis, and it was falsified decades ago - when fossil fuel combustion and atmospheric CO2 increased sharply after ~1940, while global temperature cooled from ~1945 to ~1977. Also, there is no credible evidence that weather is becoming more chaotic - both hurricanes and tornadoes are at multi-decade low levels of activity.
Even if all the observed global warming were to be ascribed to increasing atmospheric CO2, the calculated maximum climate sensitivity to a hypothetical doubling of atmospheric CO2 is only about (here, here), which is not enough to produce dangerous global warming.
Climate computer models cited by the IPCC and other climate activists employ much higher assumed sensitivity values that create false alarm. The ability to predict is perhaps the most objective measure of scientific competence. All the scary predictions by climate activists of dangerous global warming and wilder weather have proven false-to-date - a perfectly negative predictive track record.
Based on current knowledge, the only significant impact of increasing atmospheric CO2 is greatly increased plant and crop yields, and possibly some minor beneficial warming of climate.
4. Humanity needs modern energy to survive, to grow and transport our food and provide shelter, warmth and ~everything we need to live. Green energy schemes have been costly failures.
Fully ~85% of global primary energy is from fossil fuels --oil, coal and natural gas. The remaining ~15% is almost all nuclear and hydro. Green energy has increased from above 1% to less than 2%, despite many trillions of dollars in wasted subsidies. The 85% fossil fuels component is essentially unchanged in past decades, and is unlikely to significantly change in future decades.
The fatal flaw of grid-connected green energy is that it is not green and produces little useful (dispatchable) energy, primarily due to intermittency - the wind does not blow all the time, and the Sun shines only part of the day. Intermittent grid-connected green energy requires almost 100% backup ("spinning reserve") from conventional energy sources. Renewable wind and solar electrical generation schemes typically do not even significantly reduce CO2 emissions - all they do is increase energy costs.
Claims that grid-scale energy storage will solve the intermittency problem have proven false to date. The only proven grid-scale “super-battery” is pumped storage, and suitable sites are rare - Alberta is bigger than many countries, and has no sites suitable for grid-scale pumped storage systems (link).
5. The trillions of dollars of scarce global resources wasted on global warming hysteria, anti-fossil fuel fanaticism and green energy schemes, properly deployed, could have improved and saved many lives.
About two million children below the age of five die from contaminated water every year - about 70 million dead kids since the advent of global warming alarmism. Bjorn Lomborg estimates that a fraction of these squandered green energy funds could have put clean water and sanitation systems into every community in the world.
Waste of funds and loss of opportunity due to global warming alarmism and green energy nonsense have harmed people around the world. In North America and Europe, trillions of dollars have been wasted on grid-connected green energy schemes that have increased energy costs, increased winter mortality, and reduced the stability of vital electrical grids (link).
In the developing world, the installation of electrical energy grids has been stalled for decades due to false global warming alarmism.
Last winter England and Wales experienced over 50,000 excess winter deaths. That British per-capita excess winter death rate was ~three times the average excess winter death rate of the USA and Canada.
Energy costs are much higher in Britain, due to radical green opposition to the fracking of gassy shales.
The anti-oil-pipeline campaign has cost ~$120 billion dollars in lost oil revenues and destroyed ~200,000 jobs in Alberta and across Canada. This is an enormous financial and job loss for Canada(here, here).
The funds wasted on baseless global warming hysteria, anti-fossil-fuel fanaticism and destructive green energy schemes, properly deployed, could have saved or improved the lives of many millions of people.
6. The conduct of climate activists has been destructive, deceitful and violent.
Global warming alarmists have shouted down legitimate debate and committed deceitful and violent acts in support of their false cause. The Climategate emails provide irrefutable evidence of scientific collusion and fraudulent misconduct. Also see here.
In Canada, skeptic climatologist Dr. Tim Ball and other skeptics have received threats, and buildings related to the energy industry including the Calgary Petroleum Club were firebombed. In the USA, skeptic scientists have had their homes invaded, and several highly competent skeptic scientists have been harassed and driven from their academic posts.
* Destructive bird-and-bat-chopping wind power turbines.
8. Why are the radical greens so anti-environmental?
Dr. Patrick Moore, a co-founder and Past-President of Greenpeace, provided the answer decades ago. Moore observed that Eco-Extremism is the new “false-front” for economic Marxists, who were discredited after the fall of the Soviet Union circa 1990 and took over the Green movement to further their political objectives. This is described in Moore’s essay, “Hard Choices for the Environmental Movement: written in 1994 - note especially “The Rise of Eco-Extremism” here.
“ The extinction of the human species may not only be inevitable but a good thing.” Christopher Manes, Earth First!
The evidence strongly supports my hypothesis that “Radical Greens are the Great Killers of Our Age”.
The number of deaths and shattered lives caused by radical-green activism since ~1970 rivals the death tolls of the great killers of the 20th Century - Stalin, Hitler and Mao - they advocate similar extreme-left totalitarian policies and are indifferent to the resulting environmental damage and human suffering.
The Noble Lie is a concept discussed by Plato in the dialogues, lies told by oligarchs to get the populace in the right frame of mind, deceptions intended to influence the mindset and behavior of the populace. The Noble Lie is not often noble; it is the tool of the totalitarian. Totalitarianism is built on the Noble Lie and the best evidence of it in modern society is political correctness and its accompanying censorship and intimidation of any speech or conduct that contradicts the Orwellian “good think” of the Noble Lie.
So how is the Noble Lie promoted in the medical literature, you might ask. What subjects would possibly be a place where medical journals participate in the promotion of junk science in service to the totalitarian Noble Lie? The answer is that the administrative state needs and creates armies of experts to push their agenda and Noble Lie, so the academy and its journals are recruited - with money and rewards of power and position. Funding and research awards and the resulting academic advancements create dependents in academia. Name a leftist cause and without fail academic medical journals will enthusiastically and cooperatively publish those well-funded research reports and articles in support the leftist/ socialist position. Journals are the voice of the academy and the academy is the mouthpiece for the oligarchic government science advocacy intended to justify government actions.
For many years I have been collecting research on the effect of warming on human health, counting on the help of Dr. Craig Idso (MS Agronomy, PhD Geography), an energetic researcher who is constantly scanning the scientific literature for research on climate then putting it up at his web site CO2 Science.Org in archives of articles. The Subject Index includes human health. Idso, Dunn and others have written extensive discussions on warming and human health, including chapter 9 in Climate Change Reconsidered (2009) and Chapter 7 in Climate Change Reconsidered II (2013), both published by Heartland Institute of Chicago. Our conclusions, supported by the medical research around the world studying rates of disease and death, are that warming will benefit human health and welfare, for obvious reasons—warm is easier on the plants and animals, so also humans.
Lancet is a multi-faceted medical journal entity, iconic in medical history, founded in England in 1823, now with offices in London, New York and Beijing, publishing multiple specialty and general medical journals on line and in print. Lancet published in 2015 a long term and planet wide study of death impacts of hot and cold extreme or moderately extreme ambient temperatures, by Gasparinni and 22 other authors, 384 locations around the globe, 27 years studying 74 million deaths, and their results showed that cold and cooler ambient temperatures killed 17 times more people than warmer and hot temperatures.
On November 1, 2017 Lancet published an article by a group it had created called the “Lancet Countdown on health and climate change,” and the 64 authors produced a 50 page paper with a 195 references that declares a global health crisis due to warming (Climate Change).
Consider the contradiction. Warm is good, warm is deadly. Which will it be? Could the Lancet editors and the Countdown group they put together be in the bag for the warmer/climate change movement? Prepared to do what they can to promote claims that terrible things will happen to people because of warming? Could this be pushback on their enemy, the warming-skeptical Trump Administration, for leaving the Paris Climate Treaty?
Lancet has been a political advocacy journal on many political issues for a long time. Should we expect medical journals to be politically neutral when the academy is extremely leftist/socialist in attitude?
So you might say: “Well, OK, Lancet - British—they are leftist by habit, so no surprise, but here in America medical journals are more middle of the road, more impartial, less partisan.” Au Contraire.
The NEJM and the JAMA are both dedicated to the leftist ideology—socialized medicine, environmentalism, all the political, social, sexual and cultural aspects of the leftist revolution. No room for dissent and disagreement, the medical journals pick their articles and the articles always display a leftist orientation, aggressively.
Medical Journals do not entertain or publish ideas and comments by dissenters to the leftist canon. That is across the board on social and societal, political, medical, scientific issues. They keep alive, pursue and promote the Noble Lies of the left.
John Dale Dunn MD JD is an emergency physician and inactive attorney, Medical Officer for the Brown County Texas Sheriff, Policy advisor to the Heartland Institute of Chicago and the American Council on Science and Health of New York City.
See how though the rich to whom the increased cost is pocket change can fly around the world in their private jets pushing people to deindustrialize and depopulate for the good of the planet, the families who earn less than $20,000/year already spend over 40% of their income on electricity, gasoline and gas/heating oil. How could they afford the 100-250% increases the move to renewables will produce?
Though they love to claim renewables will lower cost, the test regions the northeast with RGGI and California show the opposite is true.
See the heavy renewable countries worldwide are paying much higher prices. The renewables are unreliable and brownouts and blackouts are an issue, forcing them to rush build coal plants to keep their lights on. Here we have become energy net producer and have the cleanest air.
of a two part series on Hudson Cable TV that covered the same ground. Part II is on extremes and impacts of badly thought out plans to address a non-problem. It is in final edit and will be linked to later this upcoming week. We are working on the set and technology, so expect future versions to go smoother in the next shows.
Today’s climate change is well within the range of natural climate variability through Earth’s 4.5 billion-year history. In fact, it is within the range of the climate change of the last 10,000 years, a period known as the Holocene, 95% of which was warmer than today. Indeed, it is now cooler than the Holocene Optimum, which spanned a period from about 9,000 to 5,000 years ago. The Optimum was named at a time when warming was understood to be a good thing in contrast to the miserable cold times that periodically cripple mankind. A small group fooled the world into believing that warming is bad and that today’s weather is warmer than ever before, all caused by the human addition of a relatively trivial amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. It is the biggest lie ever told, and that reason alone caused many to believe.
The comments relate to a big lie in a nation-state, but it, like the big lie about climate, was intended to achieve global status. Goebbels applied the big lie of Nazism with its ultimate goal of a Third Reich to rule the world for a thousand years. The UN created the big lie of global warming because it identified the enemy - industry and capitalism - while threatening the world with a potential global disaster. This supposed threat exceeded the ability of any individual nation-state to ‘solve,’ and that dictated the need for a world government. This is why the human-caused global warming lie was created by and perpetuated through the UN.
- It is warmer now than ever before.
- There is more severe weather now than ever before.
- CO2 levels are the highest ever.
- Arctic and Antarctic sea ice levels are the lowest ever.
- Extinction rates are the highest ever.
- Polar bear populations are in serious decline.
- Sea levels are rising at an increasing rate.
The big difference between the global warming lie and Goebbels’ big lie concept is that an open mechanism of changing government prevents the perpetuation of the climate lie. The Trump administration has proposed to establish a Presidential Commission on Climate Security, headed by former Princeton physicist Will Happer, to expose the climate lie by disclosing how the IPCC only examined human causes of climate change. They will show how natural climate change completely overwhelms any human effect. For example, human production of CO2 is less than the uncertainty in the measurement of the transfer of CO2 from two natural sources: the oceans, and vegetation and land. In other words, if we removed all the people from the planet, a scientist left behind to measure the CO2 levels would not detect any difference.
The ultimate lie is that members of the IPCC community are telling us the truth about the dangers of man-made climate change. In 1998, Kyoto Protocol supporter professor Tom Wigley estimated that, even if we met all the Kyoto reduction targets, it would only lower temperatures by 0.05C by 2050. After the Paris Agreement, Danish Statistician Bjorn Lomborg calculated that, if fully implemented, Paris would reduce the global temperature by 0.048C by 2100. And neither of these people question the politically-correct but scientifically-flawed view that CO2 is driving climate change.
Goebbels noted that the state can only maintain the lie as long as it can shield people from the economic consequences. Clearly, that is no longer possible as the costs of achieving such inconsequential results becomes better known.
The first group to do this thoroughly and objectively was the U.S. Senate. They realized that they would soon be required to consider the Kyoto Protocol. Rather than vote on it directly, they created the Byrd/Hagel Resolution which stated that America shouldn’t be a signatory to any agreement based on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that would seriously damage the U.S. economy and didn’t include emission reductions for developing countries that were similar to those imposed on the U.S. Like the 2015 Paris Agreement, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol was based on the UNFCCC and had the potential to seriously damage the U.S. economy, while not holding developing countries to emission reductions similar to those imposed on America. That’s why Senators from across the aisle unanimously endorsed Byrd/Hagel, and why former President Bill Clinton never submitted the Kyoto Protocol to the Senate for ratification.
Even though the Senators were not questioning the big lie about CO2 and climate change in 1997, they saw clearly that action on any climate treaty or agreement by the U.S. did not justify the economic costs or job losses. And today’s Paris Agreement costs are also extraordinary. Based on estimates produced by the Stanford Energy Forum and the Asia Modeling Exercise, the costs are forecast to be $1 - 2 trillion every year. It’s time for today’s Democrats to be as practical as their Congressional forebears.
Dr. Timothy Ball is Chief Science Advisor of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition. Dr. Ball a renowned environmental consultant and award-winning former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he founded and directed the Rupertsland Research Centre. Tom Harris is Executive Director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition. He has 40 years experience as a mechanical engineer/project manager, science and technology communications professional, technical trainer and S&T advisor to a former Opposition Senior Environment Critic in Canada’s Parliament.
The latest fake news on climate change suggests that scientists are copying as much US climate data as possible, because they fear the data might be wiped out under the Trump administration. The misleading article doesn’t account for the past three decades of corrupt climate data from politicized activist scientists, who may be getting the boot from the incoming administration. If anything, those scientists should be deleting the data to cover their behinds, not copying it.
The recent fake news headline, “Scientists are frantically copying US climate data fearing it might vanish under Trump,” would pose major problems for the scientists, if it were true. Government employees, who protect government data by transferring it into private servers, would be committing the same federal crime that plagued Hillary Clinton’s campaign efforts.
Among the shocking revelations from 2009’s Climategate emails was the destruction of raw temperature data, by scientists who were supposed to maintain it. At the admission Phil Jones, a Climatic Research Unit member at the University of East Anglia, original raw data had not been kept due to storage availability. That seems more inline with something corrupt scientists would be inclined to do, opposed to preserving data. The Competitive Enterprise Institute launched a lawsuit over climategate because the EPA’s climate policies rely on the data that had been destroyed.
It’s typical to see the climate alarmist establishment freaking out over a Trump presidency; they are now at risk of having their lies exposed. Donald Trump is in no mood to show mercy to those who have manipulated raw temperature data to exaggerate global warming. Climate alarmists are claiming that the Trump administration won’t look after the data.
A Trump advisor has called for NASA to return to its roots, and focus solely on space exploration, not climate research. NASA’s focus on climate research was a bureaucratic overreach for the aeronautic space administration.
Trump’s transition team has sent an inquiry to the Department of Energy asking for the names of employees who are associated with climate change. The incoming administration wants to know which members have been attending annual global climate talks hosted by the United Nations, which department workers have attended meetings regarding the social cost of carbon, which employees receive the highest salaries, and which websites were maintained, or contributed to, by lab staff during scheduled work hours.
The questioning of the Department of Energy shows that Trump administration is preparing to do good work. Since the left-wing considers climate change to be among the highest of government priorities and a threat to national security, they should be happy to see Trump’s team making those inquiries.
UPDATE: We have updated the top 10 alarmist claims and added one on the recent nonsense that agriculture yields will collapse with continued change. See them here.
My philosophy when I taught college was to show my students how to think - not what to think. As Socrates said, “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” I told my students that data is king, and models are only useful tools. Any model’s output or any theory needed to be examined and validated using data, and must always used with caution. We have found no evidence here and here and even more here and here) that any of the claims are right.
More than twenty years ago I was one of a dozen or so activists who founded Greenpeace in the basement of the Unitarian Church in Vancouver. The Vietnam war was raging and nuclear holocaust seemed closer every day. We linked peace, ecology, and a talent for media communications and went on to build the world’s largest environmental activist organization. By 1986 Greenpeace was established in 26 countries and had an income of over $100 million per year.
In 1986 the mainstream of western society was busy adopting the environmental agenda that was considered radical only fifteen years earlier. By 1989 the combined impact of Chernobyl, the Exxon Valdez, the threat of global warming and the ozone hole clinched the debate. All but a handful of reactionaries joined the call for sustainable development and environmental protection.
Whereas previously the leaders of the environmental movement found themselves on the outside railing at the gates of power, they were now invited to the table in boardrooms and caucuses around the world. For environmentalists, accustomed to the politics of confrontation, this new era of acceptance posed a challenge as great as any campaign to save the planet.
For me, Greenpeace is about ringing an ecological fire alarm, waking mass consciousness to the true dimensions of our global predicament, pointing out the problems and defining their nature. Greenpeace doesn’t necessarily have the solutions to those problems and certainly isn’t equipped to put them into practice. That requires the combined efforts of governments, corporations, public institutions and environmentalists. This demands a high degree of cooperation and collaboration. The politics of blame and shame must be replaced with the politics of working together and win-win.
It was no coincidence that the round-table, consensus-based negotiation process was adopted by thousands of environmental leaders. It is the logical tool for working in the new spirit of green cooperation. It may not be a perfect system for decision-making, but like Churchill said about democracy, “It’s the worst form of government except for all the others”. A collaborative approach promises to give environmental issues their fair consideration in relation to the traditional economic and social priorities.
Some environmentalists didn’t see it that way. Indeed, there had always been a minority of extremists who took a “No Compromise in Defense of Mother Nature” position. They were the monkey-wrenchers, tree-spikers and boat scuttlers of the Earth First! and Paul Watson variety. Considered totally uncool by the largely pacifist, intellectual mainstream of the movement, they were a colorful but renegade element.
Since its founding in the late 60’s the modern environmental movement had created a vision that was international in scope and had room for people of all political persuasions. We prided ourselves in subscribing to a philosophy that was “trans-political, trans-ideological, and trans-national” in character. For Greenpeace, the Cree legend “Warriors of the Rainbow” referred to people of all colors and creeds, working together for a greener planet. The traditional sharp division between left and right was rendered meaningless by the common desire to protect our life support systems. Violence against people and property were the only taboos. Non-violent direct action and peaceful civil disobedience were the hallmarks of the movement. Truth mattered and science was respected for the knowledge it brought to the debate.
Now this broad-based vision is challenged by a new philosophy of radical environmentalism. In the name of “deep ecology” many environmentalists have taken a sharp turn to the ultra-left, ushering in a mood of extremism and intolerance. As a clear signal of this new agenda, in 1990 Greenpeace called for a “grassroots revolution against pragmatism and compromise”.
As an environmentalist in the political center I now find myself branded a traitor and a sellout by this new breed of saviors. My name appears in Greenpeace’s “Guide to Anti-Environmental Organizations”. Even fellow Greenpeace founder and campaign comrade, Bob Hunter, refers to me as the “eco-Judas”. Yes, I am trying to help the Canadian forest industry improve its performance so we might be proud of it again. As chair of the Forest Practices Committee of the Forest Alliance of B.C. I have lead the process of drafting and implementing the Principles of Sustainable Forestry that have been adopted by a majority of the industry. These Principles establish goals for environmental protection, forest management and public involvement. They are providing a framework for dialogue and action towards improvements in forest practices. Why shouldn’t I make a contribution to environmental reform in the industry my grandfather and father have worked in for over 90 years?
It’s not that I don’t think the environment is in deep trouble. The hole in the ozone is real and we are overpopulating and overexploiting many of the earth’s most productive ecosystems. I believe this is all the more reason to hang on to ideas like freedom, democracy, internationalism, and one-human-family. Our species is probably in for a pretty rough ride during the coming decades. It would be nice to think we could maintain a semblance of civilization while we work through these difficult times.
Two profound events triggered the split between those advocating a pragmatic or “liberal” approach to ecology and the new “zero-tolerance” attitude of the extremists. The first event, mentioned previously, was the widespread adoption of the environmental agenda by the mainstream of business and government. This left environmentalists with the choice of either being drawn into collaboration with their former “enemies” or of taking ever more extreme positions. Many environmentalists chose the latter route. They rejected the concept of “sustainable development” and took a strong “anti-development” stance.
Surprisingly enough the second event that caused the environmental movement to veer to the left was the fall of the Berlin Wall. Suddenly the international peace movement had a lot less to do. Pro-Soviet groups in the West were discredited. Many of their members moved into the environmental movement bringing with them their eco-Marxism and pro-Sandinista sentiments.
* It is anti-human. The human species is characterized as a “cancer” on the face of the earth. The extremists perpetuate the belief that all human activity is negative whereas the rest of nature is good. This results in alienation from nature and subverts the most important lesson of ecology; that we are all part of nature and interdependent with it. This aspect of environmental extremism leads to disdain and disrespect for fellow humans and the belief that it would be “good” if a disease such as AIDS were to wipe out most of the population.
* It is anti-technology and anti-science. Eco-extremists dream of returning to some kind of technologically primitive society. Horse-logging is the only kind of forestry they can fully support. All large machines are seen as inherently destructive and “unnatural”. The Sierra Club’s recent book, “Clearcut: the Tragedy of Industrial Forestry”, is an excellent example of this perspective. “Western industrial society” is rejected in its entirety as is nearly every known forestry system including shelterwood, seed tree and small group selection. The word “Nature” is capitalized every time it is used and we are encouraged to “find our place” in the world through “shamanic journeying” and “swaying with the trees”. Science is invoked only as a means of justifying the adoption of beliefs that have no basis in science to begin with.
* It is anti-organization. Environmental extremists tend to expect the whole world to adopt anarchism as the model for individual behavior. This is expressed in their dislike of national governments, multinational corporations, and large institutions of all kinds. It would seem that this critique applies to all organizations except the environmental movement itself. Corporations are criticized for taking profits made in one country and investing them in other countries, this being proof that they have no “allegiance” to local communities. Where is the international environmental movements allegiance to local communities? How much of the money raised in the name of aboriginal peoples has been distributed to them? How much is dedicated to helping loggers thrown out of work by environmental campaigns? How much to research silvicultural systems that are environmentally and economically superior?
* It is anti-trade. Eco-extremists are not only opposed to “free trade” but to international trade in general. This is based on the belief that each “bioregion” should be self-sufficient in all its material needs. If it’s too cold to grow bananas—too bad. Certainly anyone who studies ecology comes to realize the importance of natural geographic units such as watersheds, islands, and estuaries. As foolish as it is to ignore ecosystems it is absurd to put fences around them as if they were independent of their neighbors. In its extreme version, bioregionalism is just another form of ultra-nationalism and gives rise to the same excesses of intolerance and xenophobia.
* It is anti-free enterprise. Despite the fact that communism and state socialism has failed, eco-extremists are basically anti-business. They dislike “competition” and are definitely opposed to profits. Anyone engaging in private business, particularly if they are successful, is characterized as greedy and lacking in morality. The extremists do not seem to find it necessary to put forward an alternative system of organization that would prove efficient at meeting the material needs of society. They are content to set themselves up as the critics of international free enterprise while offering nothing but idealistic platitudes in its place.
* It is anti-democratic. This is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of radical environmentalism. The very foundation of our society, liberal representative democracy, is rejected as being too “human-centered”. In the name of “speaking for the trees and other species” we are faced with a movement that would usher in an era of eco-fascism. The “planetary police” would “answer to no one but Mother Earth herself”.
* It is basically anti-civilization. In its essence, eco-extremism rejects virtually everything about modern life. We are told that nothing short of returning to primitive tribal society can save the earth from ecological collapse. No more cities, no more airplanes, no more polyester suits. It is a naive vision of a return to the Garden of Eden.
As a result of the rise of environmental extremism it has become difficult for the public, government agencies and industry to determine which demands are reasonable and which are not. It’s almost as if the person or group that makes the most outrageous accusations and demands is automatically called “the environmentalist” in the news story. Industry, no matter how sincere in its efforts to satisfy legitimate environmental concerns, is branded “the threat to the environment”. Let me give you a few brief examples.
In 1995, Shell Oil was granted permission by the British Environment Ministry to dispose of the oil rig “Brent Spar” in deep water in the North Sea. Greenpeace immediately accused Shell of using the sea as a “dustbin”. Greenpeace campaigners maintained that there were hundreds of tonnes of petroleum wastes on board the Brent Spar and that some of these were radioactive. They organized a consumer boycott of Shell service stations, costing the company millions in sales. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl denounced the British government’s decision to allow the dumping. Caught completely off guard, Shell ordered the tug that was already towing the rig to its burial site to turn back. They then announced they had abandoned the plan for deep-sea disposal. This angered British Prime Minister, John Major.
it remains to this day. Independent investigation revealed that the rig had been properly cleaned and did not contain the toxic and radioactive waste claimed by Greenpeace. Greenpeace wrote to Shell apologizing for the factual error. But they did not change their position on deep-sea disposal despite the fact that on-land disposal will cause far greater environmental impact.
During all the public outrage directed against Shell for daring to sink a large piece of steel and concrete it was never noted that Greenpeace had purposely sunk its own ship off the coast of New Zealand in 1986. When the French government bombed and sunk the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour in 1985, the vessel was permanently disabled. It was later re-floated, patched up, cleaned and towed to a marine park where it was sunk in shallow water as a dive site. Greenpeace said the ship would be an artificial reef and would support increased marine life.
The Brent Spar and the Rainbow Warrior are in no way fundamentally different from one another. The sinking of the Brent Spar could also be rationalized as providing habitat for marine creatures. It’s just that the public relations people at Shell are not as clever as those at Greenpeace. And in this case Greenpeace got away with using misinformation even though they had to admit their error after the fact.
In March, 1996, the International Panel on Forests of the United Nations held its first meeting in Geneva. The media paid little attention to what appeared to be one more ponderous assemblage of delegates speaking in unintelligible UNese. As it turned out, the big story to emerge from the meeting had nothing to do with the Panel on Forests itself. In what has become a common practice, The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) chose to use the occasion of the UN meeting as a platform for its own news release.
The WWF news release, which was widely picked up by the international media, made three basic points. They claimed that species were going extinct at a faster rate now than at any time since the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago. They said that 50,000 species were now becoming extinct each year due to human activity. But of most significance to the subject of forests, WWF claimed that the main cause of species extinction was “commercial logging”, that is, the forest industry. They provided absolutely no evidence for this so-called fact about logging and the media asked no hard questions. The next day newspapers around the world proclaimed the forest industry to be the main destroyer of species.
Since that announcement I have asked on numerous occasions for the name of a single species that has been rendered extinct due to forestry, particularly in my home country, Canada. Not one Latin name has been provided. It is widely known that human activity has been responsible for the extinction of many species down through history. These extinctions have been caused by hunting, the conversion of forest and grassland to farming and human settlement, and the introduction of exotic diseases and predators. Today, the main cause of species extinction is deforestation, over 90% of which is caused by agriculture and urban development. Why is WWF telling the public that logging is the main cause of species extinction?
While I do not wish to guess at the WWF’s motivation, it is instructional to consider the question from a different angle. That is, if forestry does not generally cause species extinction, what other compelling reason is there to be against it? Surely the fact that logging is unsightly for a few years after the trees are cut is not sufficient reason to curtail Canada’s most important industry.
Despite the WWF’s failure to support its accusations, the myth that forestry causes widespread species extinction lives on. How can a largely urban public be convinced that this is not the case? The challenge is a daunting one for an industry that has been cast in the role of Darth Vadar when it should be recognized for growing trees and providing wood, the most renewable material used in human civilization.
I don’t mean to pick on Greenpeace but they are close to my heart and have strayed farther from the truth than I can tolerate. In this case the issue is chlorine, an element that is used in a wide variety of industrial, medical, and agricultural applications. In 1985 Greenpeace took up the campaign to eliminate chlorine from all industrial processes, to essentially remove it from human use despite its enormous benefits to society.
The basis of the campaign was the discovery that the use of chlorine as a bleaching agent in the pulp and paper industry resulted in the production of minute quantities of dioxin, some of which ended up in waste water. The industry responded quickly and within five years of the discovery had virtually eliminated dioxins by switching to a different form of chlorine or eliminating chlorine altogether. The addition of secondary treatment resulted in further improvements. Independent scientists demonstrated that after these measures were taken, pulp mills using chlorine had no more environmental impact than those that used no chlorine. Did Greenpeace accept the science? No, they tried to discredit the scientists and to this day continue a campaign that is based more on fear than fact. Its as if chlorine should be banned from the periodic table of elements altogether so future generations won’t know it exists.
This critique of radical environmentalism is nowhere more appropriate than in the present debate over managing our forests and manufacturing forest products. Human management of forests is portrayed as somehow “unnatural”. As mentioned before, horse-logging appeals to the extremists because it uses less technology. My response to this idea is that it would make more sense for the city people to use horses to get their 150 pound bodies to work in the morning and let the loggers have the engines from their cars so they can move the heavy loads in the forest. I suppose this is a result of my twisted country perspective.
For Greenpeace the zero chlorine campaign was just the beginning. Now Greenpeace Germany is leading a campaign for a global ban on clearcutting in any forest. They want lumber and paper manufacturers to use a label that states their product is “clearcut-free”. Canada has been chosen as the target for consumer boycotts because it uses clearcutting in forestry. It doesn’t matter that the world’s most knowledgeable silviculturists believe that clearcutting is the most appropriate form of harvesting in many types of forest. It doesn’t matter that most forestry in Germany is by the clearcut method, they want to boycott us anyway. What matters is that it makes a good fundraising campaign in Europe.
The public is unaware of the basic flaws in the Greenpeace campaign to end clearcutting worldwide. They do not realize that there is no clear definition of the term “clearcutting” and that Greenpeace refuses to engage in a dialoque to determine the precise nature of what it is they are opposed to. It is also not widely realized that there is no such thing as a supply of pulp and paper that is “clearcut-free”. The practice of clearcutting is so widespread that it would be impossible to obtain a supply of wood chips that came from forests where only single-tree selection forestry is practiced.
Perhaps the most cynical aspect of the Greenpeace campaign is their assertion that forests are clearcut in British Columbia to make tissue paper and toilet paper for Europeans. They use the slogan “When you blow your nose in Europe you are blowing away the ancient forests of Canada” to imply that Europeans could save Canadian forests if they would stop buying tissue made from Canadian pulp. Everyone who has studied Canadian forestry, including Greenpeace, knows that the pulp and paper industry in British Columbia is based entirely on the waste products of the saw milling industry. The forests are harvested to supply high value solid wood for furniture, interior woodwork and construction. Only the wastes from making lumber and those logs that are unsuitable for saw milling are made into pulp. If we did not make pulp from these wastes they would have to be burned or left to rot as was the case in the past.
Rather than promoting unilateral boycotts that are based on misinformation and coercion, organizations like Greenpeace should recognize the need for internationally accepted criteria for sustainable forestry and forest products manufacturing. Through dialogue and international cooperation it would be possible to achieve agreement and end the unfair practice of singling out an individual nation for sanctions. Unfortunately they have now joined in the effort to spoil an International Convention on Forests. Their reasons for opposing a convention are not valid and amount to a transparent front for a strong anti-forestry attitude.
It is not reasonable to expect the environmental movement to drop its extremist agenda overnight. The rise of extremism is a major feature of the movement’s evolution and is now deeply embedded in its political structure. We can hope that as time passes the movement will be retaken by more politically centrist, science-based leaders and that the extreme wing will be marginalized. At the same time, we must remember that most of the larger environmental groups such as the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council etc. do have many members and campaign teams that are reasonable and based on good science. It’s just that for the time being, major elements of their organizations have been hi-jacked by people who are politically motivated, lack science, and are often using the rhetoric of environmentalism to promote other causes such as class struggle and anti-corporatism.
The only way industry can successfully help to promote a more pragmatic and reasonable environmental movement is to prove that it is willing and able to avoid future damage to the environment and to correct past abuses. In other words, if your house is in order, there will be little or nothing for extremists to use as a reason for taking an essentially “anti-industry” position.
The challenge for environmental leaders is to resist the path of ever increasing extremism and to know when to talk rather than fight. To remain credible and effective they must reject the anti-human, anarchistic approach. This is made difficult by the fact that many individuals and their messengers, the media, are naturally attracted to confrontation and sensation. It isn’t easy to get excited about a committee meeting when you could be bringing the state to its knees at a blockade.
The best approach to our present predicament is to recognize the validity of both the bioregional and the global visions for social and environmental sustainability. Issues such as overpopulation and sustainable forest practices require international agreements. Composting of food wastes and bicycle repairs are best accomplished locally. We must think and act both globally and locally, always cognizant of impacts at one level caused by actions at another. Extremism that rejects this approach will only bring disaster to all species, including humans.
Before even thinking about squandering one hundred trillion dollars on an insane economy-collapsing Green New Deal premised upon an end-of-world climate catastrophe, let’s take a very hard look at the so-called “settled science” nonsense. The Trump White House plans to convene a National Security Council review panel headed by Princeton emeritus professor of physics Dr. Will Happer to do exactly that.
One of the loudest, shrillest, most unsettled voices of protest against science scrutiny is emanating from Dr. Michael Mann, the author of a cobbled-together and thoroughly debunked “hockey stick” graph first used by the IPCC and Al Gore to gin up the climate Armageddon alarm.
A March 20 article co-authored by Mann and Bob Ward in The Guardian equated the planned NSC panel to Stalinist repression.
Accordingly, a great place to begin this investigation is to revisit scandalous Climategate email exchanges between members of Mann’s hockey team along with readily available public records I have previously written about in numerous Forbes and Newsmax articles.
Yet friendship aside, Mann’s hockey shtick graph co-author Raymond Bradley clearly drew the line regarding another research paper jointly published by Mann and colleague Phil Jones at the University of East Anglia.
By “reputable,” Mann is obviously referring to publishers that exclusively post research papers endorsed by the Climate Crisis Cartel and its IPCC sponsors.
Top cyclone expert Christopher Landsea demanded that the IPCC refute Trenberth’s scientifically unsupportable but highly publicized claim of a global warming-hurricane link following a deadly 2004 Florida storm season. Receiving no response, Landsea resigned as an invited 2007 IPCC report author.
I understand your angst about where your rebounding hockey puck may wind up.
As our children skip school to chant climate alarmist slogans, you may wonder “Where do they get this stuff?” Of course they get some of it from their teachers, but these teachers get a lot of it via the U.S. Federal Government.
The sad fact is that a number of federal agencies either maintain or fund websites that specifically exist to push alarmist teaching materials. In many cases these alarmist materials are also federally funded. The Trump Administration has done very little to stem this flow of propaganda to our children.
1. Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN).
Bills itself as A collection of 700+ free, ready-to-use resources rigorously reviewed by educators and scientists. Suitable for secondary through higher education classrooms. CLEAN is funded by grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
The USGCRP is funded by 13 federal agencies. It also produces the hyper-alarmist National Climate Assessments.
Alarmist materials for teachers, beginning in elementary school.
Carleton is another massive alarmist site that includes both teaching teachers how to teach alarmism and classroom materials for doing so.
7. ”Climate Change Live” with many federal “partners”.
CCL advertises itself as a “distance learning” site.
8. ”Climate Change Activities” from UCAR, sponsored by NSF.
UCAR is a consortium of universities that runs NSF’s multi-billion dollar National Center for Atmospheric Research.
9. ”Climate and Global Change” by the National Earth Science Teachers Association, sponsored by NASA and NOAA.
10. ”Climate Change” from AAAS, sponsored by NSF.
Includes alarmist material for all grades, including kindergarten.
11. ”Climate Change and Human Health Lesson Plans” by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH.
Promotes various health scares based on climate change alarmism.
In contrast to these federal propaganda sites, there is at this time no website that focuses on teaching children about skepticism and the real scientific debate over climate change. It is no wonder that they believe false alarmism.
Yes, it is disappointing that President Trump has not been able to change some of the outrageous behavior of federal government agencies.
The climate propaganda programs need to stop NOW.
Our local American Meteorological Society chapter still references the NASA climate propaganda site as their authority for hysteria, based on repeated recommendations from Phil Mote’s OCCRI at Oregon State University. But I think that the Oregon AMS at least suspects that it may not be a good way to argue science. Unfortunately, none of the officers of the local chapter have adequate training in science to be able to distinguish real from fake science, especially when the fake science is promoted by a young woman, Kathy Dello, who works for Mote. Neither the President nor the Vice President of the chapter have formal training in meteorology. Yet President Steve Pierce keeps referring to himself as a “meteorologist,” when presenting the weather on local TV.
Propagandizing children is simply wrong, VERY WRONG.
Children need to be taught how to think not what to think. Climate science provides a wonderful opportunity to teach children how science really works and how to resist the overwhelming propaganda that they will be told is the Real McCoy.
Yet most of the arguments in favor of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Global Warming insist that people believe in the coming apocalypse, because 97% or 99% or all scientists do. What nonsense! Why do you suppose they do that in lieu of the evidence? That’s easy. They don’t have convincing evidence!
All they have is a vague correlation between rising atmospheric carbon dioxide and slightly rising atmospheric temperatures since World War Two. Although atmospheric CO2 apparently rose continuously during this period, the global temperature anomaly only rose for two of the seven decades and only after a notable shift in the Pacific Ocean called the Great Pacific Climate Shift of 1977. Could our oceans be responsible for the shift? Sure! It is easy to show that our oceans contain 99 to 99.9% of the mobile heat on this planet.
But what about the infallible ‘Climate Models’ that are supposed to be able to predict our climate out a century using mathematical methods similar to weather models? With weather models barely accurate out a week, it should seem preposterous that the similar climate models work out to 5,200 weeks! And indeed the climate models badly fail verification tests.
It is especially criminal to involve children in the climate fraud.
Global usage of natural gas continues to grow rapidly. Methane and propane are essential low-cost, non-polluting fuels for heating, cooking, industrial use, and generation of electrical power. But states in New England, New York, and some nations seek to curtail the use of natural gas.
From 1965 to 2017, world natural gas consumption increased almost six-fold, from 631 billion cubic meters to 3.7 trillion cubic meters per year. Gas use in North America doubled, increased in Europe by a factor of 14, and skyrocketed in Asia Pacific by a factor of more than 100. Gas became the primary fuel for heating and cooking in developed nations and a major fuel for industry and electricity generation across the world.
In 2017, natural gas delivered 23 percent of the world’s energy, up from about 15 percent in 1965. Today gas provides nine times as much global energy as wind and solar combined.
Natural gas, or methane, is a clean-burning fuel, free of nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, soot, and other pollutants. Water vapor is the largest waste product from methane combustion. But New England states have decided to curtail the use of gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont now pursue decarbonization targets to reduce emissions 75-85 percent by 2050. These states’ “strategic electrification” policy calls for eliminating natural gas and propane from home and water heating applications by substituting electric appliances and heat pumps that can use wind and solar systems.
A 2015 survey by the US Department of Energy found that 58 million US residences use natural gas as the primary heating fuel. An additional 11 million homes use propane, fuel oil, or kerosene. Natural gas and other hydrocarbon fuels heat about 58 percent of US homes. Gas use is even higher in New England, with hydrocarbons the primary fuel for over 80 percent of one to four family homes.
Elimination of natural gas and propane for heating will be costly for New England residents. A 2017 study by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority found that only four percent of the state’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning load could cost-effectively switch to heat pumps.
To force a transition away from natural gas, New England policymakers have blocked construction of new gas pipelines. The Constitution Pipeline, a project to bring gas from the shale fields in Pennsylvania to the pipeline network in Schoharie County, NY, is one of many examples. This pipeline continues to be stalled after receiving a construction permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2014.
Because of insufficient gas pipeline capacity, New England now faces critical shortages. In January, utility Con Edison announced a moratorium on new natural gas customers in Westchester County, New York. That same month, Holyoke Gas & Electric of Massachusetts also announced that it can no longer accept new natural gas service requests due to a lack of supply.
New England residents pay high prices for heating and electricity, particularly in winter months. Shortages during weeks of severe cold push residential gas prices up by as much as 400 percent. Power plants are forced to use expensive oil fuel, with gas reserved for home heating. Oil provided almost one-quarter of New England’s electricity during the severe cold at the end of December, 2017.
New England policies contrast sharply with those of most of the country. US natural gas main and service distribution pipelines grew 80 percent from 1984 to 2016 and continue to expand in most states.
In an extreme case, in 2017 the government of Netherlands called for elimination of all natural gas usage by 2050. Despite the fact that 90 percent of Dutch homes are heated by natural gas, the government proposed that 170,000 gas lines would be disconnected every year, to be replaced by geothermal and heat pump systems. Last year Amsterdam announced a phase-out of natural gas in favor of more “sustainable” sources of energy.
In contrast to efforts to curtail gas use in New England and Netherlands, global shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are exploding to help satisfy growing demand. World LNG trade increased 12 percent in 2017, 10 percent last year, and is projected to increase by another 11 percent in 2019.
There is no evidence that restrictions on New England usage will have a measurable effect on world demand for natural gas, or the slightest effect on global temperatures. But misguided government energy policies will raise prices for New England residents.
Japan and South Korea remain the world’s largest importers of liquefied natural gas, with LNG demand growing fastest in China, South Korea, and Pakistan. LNG supply growth is dominated by shipments from Australia and the fracking fields of the United States.
Steve Goreham is a popular speaker on the environment, business, and public policy. He is author of the influential primer, Outside the Green Box: Rethinking Sustainable Development, and other books on energy and the environment.
Astrophysicist Dr. Willie Soon really does get sick when he sees scientists veering off their mission: to discover the truth. I’ve seen his face flush with shock and shame for science when scientists cherry-pick data. It ruins his appetite - a real downer for someone who loves his food as much as Willie does.
Willie Soon may one day be a household name. More and more he appears at the pointy end of scientific criticism of Climate Apocalypse. In two recent lawsuits against Big Oil, one by New York City and the other by San Francisco and Oakland, Dr. Soon is named as the “paid agent” of “climate change denialism.” As the man who - Gasp! - singlehandedly convinced Big Oil to continue business as usual.
The IPCC - along with the United Nations and many environmentalist organizations, politicians, bureaucrats and their followers - desperately want to halt and even roll back development in the industrialized world, and keep Africa and other poor countries permanently undeveloped, while China races ahead. They want Willie silenced. We the people need to make sure he is heard.
Even the IPCC initially indicated agreement with him, citing his work approvingly in its second (1996) and third (2001) Assessment Reports. That later changed, significantly. Sure, everyone agrees that the sun caused the waxing and waning of the ice ages, just as solar scientists say. However, the sun had to be played down if carbon dioxide (CO2) was to be played up - an abuse of science that makes Willie sick.
Only the sun - not the CO2 from our fires - could cause that Earth-Mars synchronicity. And surely it is no mere coincidence that a grand maximum in solar brightness (Total Solar Irradiance or TSI) took place in the 1990s as both planets’ ice caps shrank, or that the sun cooled (TSI decreased) as both planets’ ice caps grew once again. All that brings us back to Dr. Soon’s disagreements with the IPCC.
The IPCC now insists that solar variability is so tiny that they can just ignore it, and proclaim CO2 emissions as the driving force behind climate change. But solar researchers long ago discovered unexpected variability in the sun’s brightness - variability that is confirmed in other stars of the sun’s type. Why does the IPCC ignore these facts? Why does it insist on spoiling Willie’s appetite?
It sure looks like the IPCC is hiding the best findings of solar science so that it can trumpet the decreases in planetary warming (the so-called “greenhouse effect") that they embed in the “scenarios” (as they call them) emanating from their computer models. Ignoring the increase in solar brightness over the 80s and 90s, they instead enthusiastically blame the warmth of the 1990s on human production of CO2.
In just such ways they sell us their Climate Apocalypse - along with the roll-back of human energy use, comfort, living standards and progress: sacrifices that the great green gods of Gaia demand of us if we are to avoid existential cataclysms. Thankfully, virgins are still safe - for now.
Surely Willie and solar scientists are right about the primacy of the sun. Why? Because the observable real world is the final test of science. And the data - actual evidence - shows that global temperatures follow changes in solar brightness on all time-scales, from decades to millions of years. On the other hand, CO2 and temperature have generally gone their own separate ways on these time scales.
IPCC modelers still insist that the models are nevertheless correct, somehow - that the world would be even colder now if it weren’t for this pesky hiatus in CO2-driven warming. Of course, they have to say that - even though they previously insisted the Earth would not be as cool as it is right now.
Unlike the IPCC, Willie and I cannot simply ignore the fact that there were multiple ice ages millions of years ago, when CO2 levels were four times higher than now. And even when CO2 and temperature do trend in tandem, as in the famous gigantic graph in Al Gore’s movie, the CO2 rises followed temperature increases by a few centuries. That means rising CO2 could not possibly have caused the temperature increases - an inconvenient truth that Gore doesn’t care about and studiously ignores.
I’m frightened by the dangers to Willie, his family and his career, due to his daily battles with the Climate Apocalypse industry. I can’t get it out of my mind that the university office building of climatologist John Christy - who shares Willie’s skepticism of Climate Apocalypse - was shot full of bullet holes last year. But let’s not let a spattering of gunfire spoil a friendly scientific debate. Right?
In March the Heartland Institute fired a big broadside right into the teaching of climate change alarmism in America’s schools. They began sending Why Scientists Disagree About Global Warming directly to many of the Nation’s science teachers. Of course the alarmists went nuts, especially Sen. Sheldon “jail the skeptics” Whitehouse, who denounced Heartland’s bold move in a series of letters to various education groups.
Our project will establish a website portal that collects and distributes materials to teach about the climate debate. Once established and given sufficient funding we will also produce new teaching materials. The long term goal is to build a collection that systematically addresses all of the important climate science issues at the appropriate grade levels. Our target audience is not just teachers, but parents, friends of students and the students themselves.
There are presently a lot of alarmist websites offering one-sided classroom materials teaching the false dogma of dangerous human induced climate change. That this alarmism is highly debatable is nowhere to be seen on these websites. So we want to counter these alarmist websites with one that teaches about the real debate, between alarmism and realistic skepticism.
Both the Federal government and many advocacy groups maintain websites that distribute alarmist climate teaching materials. These materials teach that dangerous human induced climate change is settled science, which is far from true.
For example, the CLEAN website is funded jointly by NOAA, NSF and DOE. CLEAN stands for Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network. In fact “climate literacy” is code for the false belief that humans are causing dangerous climate change. CLEAN says it has over 600 free, ready to use resources suitable for use in secondary and higher education classrooms. They also boast that they are the core of the “Teaching Climate” part of the federal Climate.gov website. This is Government bias targeting children.
All of CLEAN’s teaching materials are biased and based on this false premise. The reality is that dangerous human influence on climate is completely unproven and the subject of intense scientific debate. That only the scary side is being presented as settled science is a severe lack of balance.
These lesson plans need to be tailored to the state standards, which typically dictate what topics are taught in which grades. There are numerous specific scientific issues that need to be taught at different grade levels. Each potential lesson needs to be simple and compact, designed to fit into the mandated curriculum. Moreover, each lesson must stand alone, because teaching time is limited.
Our handouts will be something that a parent or student can bring to class. It is normal for students to bring supplementary materials to class, especially when the topic is controversial. In the case of climate change, surveys have also shown that parents often become involved. As with the lesson plans, these handouts will be highly focused, nonpolitical, and tailored to a specific grade level. Since they will be online they can easily be emailed as well. Thus the gatekeepers cannot prevent their distribution.
There are three distinct target audiences - teachers, parents and students. Teachers need lesson plans, which are relatively specialized documents. Students need materials written at their grade level. Parents need non-technical information that they can explain to their children or use to confront a gatekeeper. Of course teachers and non-parents can use this information as well. The website will be organized in such a way that each group can find what they need.
Global Warming: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may have a boring name, but it has a very important job: It measures U.S. temperatures. Unfortunately, it seems to be a captive of the global warming religion. Its data are fraudulent.
What do we mean by fraudulent? How about this: NOAA has made repeated “adjustments” to its data, for the presumed scientific reason of making the data sets more accurate.
Nothing wrong with that. Except, all their changes point to one thing - lowering previously measured temperatures to show cooler weather in the past, and raising more recent temperatures to show warming in the recent present.
This creates a data illusion of ever-rising temperatures to match the increase in CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere since the mid-1800s, which global warming advocates say is a cause-and-effect relationship. The more CO2, the more warming.
But the actual measured temperature record shows something different: There have been hot years and hot decades since the turn of the last century, and colder years and colder decades. But the overall measured temperature shows no clear trend over the last century, at least not one that suggests runaway warming.
That is, until the NOAA’s statisticians “adjust” the data. Using complex statistical models, they change the data to reflect not reality, but their underlying theories of global warming. That’s clear from a simple fact of statistics: Data generate random errors, which cancel out over time. So by averaging data, the errors mostly disappear.
That’s not what NOAA does.
According to the NOAA, the errors aren’t random. They’re systematic. As we noted, all of their temperature adjustments lean cooler in the distant past, and warmer in the more recent past. But they’re very fuzzy about why this should be.
Far from legitimately “adjusting” anything, it appears they are cooking the data to show a politically correct trend toward global warming. Not by coincidence, that has been part and parcel of the government’s underlying policies for the better part of two decades.
What NOAA does aren’t niggling little changes, either.
So the global warming scare is basically a hoax.
This winter, for instance, as measured by temperature in city after city and by snow-storm severity, has been one of the coldest on record in the Northeast.
But after the NOAA’s wizards finished with the data, it was merely about average.
Climate analyst Paul Homewood notes for instance that in New York state, measured temperatures this year were 2.7 degrees or more colder than in 1943. Not to NOAA. Its data show temperatures this year as 0.9 degrees cooler than the actual data in 1943.
By the way, a similar result occurred after the brutally cold 2013-2014 winter in New York. It was simply adjusted away. Do this year after year, and with the goal of radically altering the temperature record to fit the global warming narrative, and you have what amounts to climate fraud.
That’s the big question. And for those who think that government officials don’t have political, cultural or other agendas, that’s naivete of the highest sort. They do.
Since the official government mantra for all of the bureaucracies at least since the Clinton era is that CO2 production is an evil that inevitably leads to runaway global warming, those who toil in the bureaucracies’ statistical sweat shops know that their careers and future funding depend on having the politically correct answers - not the scientifically correct ones.
There are at least some signs of progress, however. In the case of the Environmental Protection Agency, future reports and studies will include the data and the underlying scientific assumptions for public scrutiny.
That’s one way to bring greater honesty to government - and to keep climate charlatans from bankrupting our nation with spurious demands for carbon taxes and deindustrialization of our economy to prevent global warming. The only real result won’t be a cooler planet, but rather mass poverty and lower standards of living for all.
London, 3 April: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is misleading the public by suggesting that global warming and its impacts are accelerating. In fact, since 2016 global average temperature has continued to decline.
That’s according to Norwegian Professor Ole Humlum whose annual review of the world’s climate is published today by the Global Warming Policy Foundation.
In 2018, the average global surface temperature continued a gradual descent towards the level characterising the years before the strong 2015/16 El Nino episode.
Since 2004, when the Argo floats came into operation, the global oceans above 1900m depth have on average warmed somewhat. The maximum warming (between the surface and 120 m depth) mainly affects oceans near the equator, where the incoming solar radiation is at a maximum. In contrast, net cooling has been pronounced for the North Atlantic since 2004.
Data from tide gauges all over the world suggest an average global sea-level rise of 1- 1.5 mm/year, while the satellite record suggests a rise of about 3.2 mm/year. The large difference between the two data sets still has no broadly accepted explanation.
The Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent has undergone important local and regional variations from year to year. The overall global tendency since 1972, however, is for overall stable snow extent.
Tropical storm and hurricane accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) values since 1970 have displayed large variations from year to year, but no overall trend towards either lower or higher activity. The same applies for the number of hurricane landfalls in the continental United States, for which the record begins in 1851.
A new study conducted by the independent grid operator in New England includes a stark warning for utilities, politicians and customers. While the United States has already become the world’s leading energy producer, ISO New England’s research shows that the region may have to rely on increasing amounts of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet its future power needs, even though it sits on the doorstep of one of the world’s largest natural gas fields.
None of this should come as a surprise to those who have been following the energy debate in New England over the past few years. The region has seen closures of many of its coal and nuclear plants, making it increasingly dependent on natural gas generation. A lack of infrastructure has already led to residential electricity prices that are 44 percent higher than the U.S. average, and 62 percent higher for industrial users. New Englanders are also paying 29 percent more, on average, for natural gas.
Of course, the irony is that neighboring states like Ohio and Pennsylvania sit above the Marcellus and Utica Shales, two of the world’s richest gas reserves. Unfortunately, an aggressive and well-funded campaign by extreme activists has fought against and prevented new pipeline projects that proposed to deliver this energy resource to New England markets.
These misguided efforts have actually worked against regional environmental goals. While renewable sources of energy show great promise, they also require backup sources that must be quickly scaled up to meet peak demand and pick up the slack when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining. People still need fuel to heat their homes and power their businesses, schools, and hospitals.
But because of a lack of infrastructure, rather than using cheaper and cleaner domestic fuel from neighboring states, New Englanders are forced to pay more to burn fuel oil and import higher-priced natural gas from overseas to meet their energy needs. Neither of these scenarios makes economic or environmental sense.
New England needs modern infrastructure to compete. Energy infrastructure is no exception. We applaud the current administration’s focus on revamping our nation’s infrastructure, and hope New England is included. It’s time for state and local lawmakers to face reality and put consumers over extreme special interests to ensure affordable, reliable energy for all of their residents.
Update: see the whole story behind the story in their own words in Global Warming Quotes & Climate Change Quotes: Human-Caused Global Warming Advocates/Supporters by C3 Headlines.
We start with Mencken’s quotes because they are so well known from the past, but yet still so relevant so many years later. His past insights to those whose lives are addicted to the seeking of power, or control, or fame, or money is still as valid today, as it was 70 years ago. Below are quotes from the powerful; the rich; the religious; the studious; the famous; the fanatics; and, the aspiring, all sharing a common theme of keeping “the populace alarmed” to further their own personal, selfish goals.
Once you read the below quotes, come back and re-read the previous paragraph. The threat to the world is not man-made global warming or climate change. The threat to the world, as is always the case, is a current group(s) of humans who want to impose an ‘Agenda’ based on their elite values and self-importance. The people below represent such a group, and they are not saints as individuals; in fact, quite the opposite, unfortunately.
Maurice Newman, chairman of Tony Abbott’s business advisory council, says UN is using debunked climate change science to impose authoritarian rule.
The Australian prime minister’s chief business adviser has accused the United Nations of using debunked climate change science to lead a new world order - provocative claims made to coincide with a visit from the top UN climate negotiator.
Christiana Figueres, who heads the UN framework convention on climate change, touring Australia this week, urged the country to move away from heavily polluting coal production.
Under Tony Abbott’s leadership, Australia has been reluctant to engage in global climate change politics, unsuccessfully attempting to keep the issue off the agenda of the G20 leaders’ summit in Brisbane last year.
Maurice Newman, the chairman of Abbott’s business advisory council and a climate change sceptic with a history of making provocative statements, said the UN was using false models showing sustained temperature increases to end democracy and impose authoritarian rule.
Figueres used an address in Melbourne to urge Australia to move away from coal, the country’s second-largest export, as the world grapples with global warming.
“Economic diversification will be a challenge that Australia faces,” she said.
Figueres also urged Australia to play a leading role at the climate summit in Paris in December, a call unlikely to be heeded given Abbott’s track record.
It details John Cook’s fabrication of an unscientific ‘consensus’. Science is not decided by claims of consensus. Resorting to claims of consensus is unscientific and contradicts the scientific process.
Fabricating false claims of scientific consensus is not honest.
Science is decided by empirical scientific evidence. John Cook has repeatedly failed to provide any such evidence that use of hydrocarbon fuels is causing the entirely natural climate variability we experience.
A succinct summary of John Cook’s fabrication of a consensus, and of the corruption of science upon which his claims rely and that is furthered by his claims, and of the empirical scientific evidence he blatantly contradicts, are discussed in pages 6-18 of my report to federal MPs Senator Simon Birmingham and Bob Baldwin. It is available at this link.
My seven years of independent investigation have proven that there is no such empirical scientific evidence anywhere in the world. Climate alarm is unfounded and is a purely political construct pushing a political agenda. Please refer to Appendices 2, 6, 6a, 7 and 8 at this link.
Further, John Cook and / or his employer are receiving funds in return for his deceiving the public, politicians and journalists and I’m wondering if that would make his work a serious offense.
As you likely know, John Cook works closely with the university’s Ove Hoegh-Guldberg who reportedly has many serious conflicts of financial interest surrounding his false climate claims. These are discussed on pages 54-59 of Appendix 9 at this link and briefly on pages 16 and 17 of my report to Senator Birmingham and Bob Baldwin MP.
I draw your attention to my formal complain dated Wednesday 10 November 2010 to the university senate about the work of Ove Hoegh-Guldberg misrepresenting climate and science. That was not independently investigated by then Vice Chancellor Paul Greenberg who was subsequently dismissed over another event, reportedly for a breach of ethics. My formal complaint is discussed on pages 57 and 58 of Appendix 9 at this link.
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg’s responses to my request for empirical scientific evidence of human causation of climate variability have repeatedly and always failed to provide such evidence.
This email is openly copied to both Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and John Cook and to reputable Australian scientists and academics expert on climate and to Viv Forbes an honours graduate in geology from our university. Viv Forbes understands the key facts on climate and on the corruption of climate science by beneficiaries of unfounded climate alarm perpetrated falsely by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and John Cook.
Please stop John Cook’s misrepresentations and restore scientific integrity to our university. I please request a meeting with you to discuss our university’s role in deceiving the public and to discuss restoring scientific integrity. I would be pleased for that meeting to be in the company of John Cook and Ove Hoegh-Guldberg if that suits you.
Pages 19-26 of my report to Senator Birmingham and Bob Baldwin discuss the serious damage to our nation and to humanity and our natural environment worldwide as a result of unfounded climate alarm spread by our university’s staff. I hope that you will fulfill your responsibility for investigating and ending such corruption. To neglect to do so will mean that you condone such damage and dishonesty. I seek confidence that you will restore the university’s scientific integrity and look forward to your reply.
The following is a list of 97 articles that refute Cook’s (poorly conceived, poorly designed and poorly executed) 97% “consensus” study. The fact that anyone continues to bring up such soundly debunked nonsense like Cook’s study is an embarrassment to science. See the list here.
See Dr. Doug Hoyt’s Greenhouse Scorecard on Warwick Hughes site here.
DENIER: Anyone who suspects the truth.
The less intelligent alarmists have written a paper allegedly connecting the scientists to Exxon Mobil. Here is the detailed response from some of the featured scientists. Note that though this continues to be a knee jerk reaction by some of the followers, there is no funding of skeptic causes by big oil BUT Exxon has funded Stanford warmists to the tune of $100 million and BP UC Berkeley to $500,000,000. Climategate emails showed CRU/Hadley soliciting oil dollars and receiving $23,000,000 in funding. | 2019-04-20T11:13:38Z | http://icecap.us/index.php/go/joes-blog-trackbacks/9553/ |
AUTOMATIC PILOT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //4 TUNED TOUTE I' 99 ,08 TUVED 70H) XTAL //0 a 1 I #I 65 M00 r XTA L V I m TUA/ED L M00. I; c/RcU/rs Osc.
This invention relates to automatic pilot devices, and more particularly to the method of automatically controlling the speed and bearing of a motor vehicle.
In this day of high powered automobiles, designed to operate at high speeds over long stretches of super highways, the possibility of drivers failing to devote full attention to the hazards of driving is becoming increasingly dangerous. Drivers are lulled into a semi-conscious state by the monotony of the road, each mile of which looks exactly like the mile before. This results in many traliic accidents, because of inattention to speed or bearing of a vehicle.
The invention reduces these hazards by providing for automatic regulation of the speed and bearing of the vehicle. An illustrative embodiment of the invention uses steel reinforcing network under a concrete or asphalt road as an indication of the heading of the road, and the distance traversed in a given time. The longitudinal rods of the network provide the heading indication and the spacing between the transverse rods determines the speed of the vehicle.
Accordingly it is a principal object of this invention to provide means for steering a vehicle and regulating its speed in accordance with the physical characteristics of the road.
FIGURE 1 is an illustration of a roadway with its steel reinforcing network.
FIGURE 2 is a functional block diagram of one embodiment of a system constructed in accordance with the invention for lregulating the speed and for controlling the steering of a motor vehicle.
FIGURE 3 is a schematic diagram of the system illustrated in FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 4 is a diagram of the cross section of a road illustrating the position of the pickups of the device of FIGURE 2 with respect thereto.
FIGURE 5 comprises a series of waveforms illustrating the operation of the device of FIGURE 3.
FIGURE 6 is a functional block diagram, partly in schematic form, of an alternative system, constructed in accordance with the invention, for controlling the speed of a motor vehicle.
FIGURE 7 is a graph of the frequency responses of the tuned circuit used in the device of FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 8 is a functional block diagram of an alter* native :method of providing a reference frequency, for use in the system shown in FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 9 is a diagram of an alternative means for deriving reference potentials for use in controlling the bearing of a motor vehicle.
Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown an illustration of how a modern road is constructed. The steel network under the road is comprised of longitudinal rods 1 and transverse rods 2 buried in the road material whether concrete or asphalt. These rods are steel and therefore have a high magnetic permeability. FIGURE 1 is intended to represent any section of a modern road which includes longitudinal and transverse reinforcement rods formed of material having a high magnetic permeability. While the system disclosed herein functions in an optimum manner in conjunction with roads which were built therefor, it should be clear that this system will function properly with any road having longitudinal and transverse rods that are positioned in accordance with the Specifications for Concrete Pavement Construction as published by the American Association of State Highway Officials, or the applicable Federal specifications governing the building of reinforced pavement construction.
FIGURE 2 shows in block diagram form how these rods may be used for controlling the speed and steering of a motor vehicle. Pickup 3 derives a signal from the transverse rods each time one is passed over by the pickups. This signal is fed into charge means 4 which charges storage capacitor 5 each time a transverse rod is passed. This charge is allowed slowly to dissipate through discharge means 6 until the next input from pickup 3 `again charges capacitor 5.
The D.C. component of the voltage stored across capacitor 5 is extracted by filter 7 and this D.C. potential is compared with a pre-set criterion from criteria means 8, in bridge 9. The output of bridge 9 is used to regulate the fuel flow 17 which controls the speed of the engine.
At the same time, pickups 10 and 11 present an indication of the relative position of a longitudinal rod with respect to the vehicles, and the outputs of the two pickups 10 and 11 are compared in bridge 12 which controls the steering control 13.
Another output of bridge 12, and the output of filter 7 are both amplified in amplifiers 14 and 15 to control alarm means 16. This circuitry is so constructed and arranged as to trigger alarm 16 whenever the pickups 3, 10 and 11 fail to recognize the reinforcing rods under the surface of the road.
Referring now to FIGURE 3, a schematic diagram of the system in FIGURE 2 is shown. Pickup 3 consists of a magnetic circuit 18 having three legs and powered through a coil 19 by a battery 20. In series with the battery 20 and coil 19 is a resistor 21, the junction between the resistor 21 and battery 20 being grounded. Flux lines 139 shown in FIGURE 4, join one side of the magnetic circuit to the other, and normally pass only through air which has a very low permeability. But when a transverse steel reinforcement -rod is passed, the flux passes through the steel, reducing the reluctance in the circuit. With the reluctance reduced, the flux increases and generates a voltage in coil 19 which is oppo site to the voltage drop across it caused by battery 20. Thus the current through resistor 21 is momentarily increased. After the reinforcement rod is passed, the flux is reduced to its former state and the current flow through resistor 21 is momentarily decreased.
Thus, each time a transverse reinforcement rod is passed resistor 21 delivers a positive pulse over line 22 through coupling condenser 23 to the grid of triode 24, which conducts through charging capacitor 2S in its cathode circuit. A limiter comprising voltage dividers 26 and 27 and diode 28 limits the charge which may be put on capacitors 25.
The charge on capacitor 25 is gradually leaked off through resistor 29, which may be adjusted to a predetermined rate of decay. The resulting waveform is shown in FIGURE 5A, from which it is apparent that the D.C. component of the waveform varies directly with the frequency at which the reinforcement rods are passed.
The D.C. component is removed by means of filter choke 30 and capacitor 31. The voltage appearing across capacitor 31 is D.C. and of amplitude proportional to the frequency at which the transverse reinforcement rods are passed.
Resistor 32 is set to a predetermined value inversely proportional to the desired speed. This determines the current ow from battery 33 through resistors 32 and 34, and consequently, the voltage drops across resistor 34. A voltage divider comprising resistors 35 and 36 is connected between the ungrounded ends of capacitor 31 and resistor 34 and the junction in the divider is returned to ground via resistor 37. The voltage drop across resistor 37 will thus be proportional to the difference between the two voltages represented across capacitor 31 and resistor 34. If the two voltages are equal, the junction of the voltage divider will be at zero potential, but if the voltages are not equal solenoid 38 fed from this junction will be driven one way or the other, depending on which voltage has the greater absolute value. The solenoid 33 controls a valve 39 which determines how much fuel is fed to the engine. With the fuel control valve changed, the speed of the engine will change until the bridge is balanced and the desired rate of speed is attained.
If, in building highways, the reinforcement rods are spaced a distance proportional to the speed at which it is safe to travel on that part of the road, resistor 32 need be set only once on first entering the highway, and thereafter left in the same position. The speed of the vehicle will be automatically adjusted to conform to the legal speeds by the spacing of the rods under the concrete. If additional reinforcement is needed on the high speed parts of the road, it can be accomplished by the use of less permeable metals, such as aluminum or a nonrnagnetic steel alloy. It should be noted that when applicants system is to be utilized with conventional roads which are already in existence, the speed of the vehicle will be adjusted to the existing transverse rod spacing, and manual readjustment will be required whenever this transverse rod spacing is varied. However, it should be noted that the vast majority of steel-reinforced roads built in the past ten years have been constructed to comply with the uniform specifications set forth by the State and Federal agencies supervising such construction.
Pickups 10 and 11 are constructed in the same manner as pickup 3 but positioned perpendicular thereto, as shown in FIGURE 4. The amount of tiux linkage between each pickup and the longitudinal reinforcement rods is dependent on the distance of each pickup from the rod. The curve of ux linkage with respect to distance displacement is shown in FIGURE B, from which it is apparent that the flux linkage of the two pickups is equal when they are the same distance from the longitudlnal rod. If the pickups are displaced from that position, the flux linkage of one pickup will increase and that of the other will decrease. FIGURE 5C shows in solid lines the Wave forms of the voltage generated by resistors 40 and 41 which are proportional to the change in flux through their associated magnetic circuits.
These voltages are fed over lines 42 and 43 to the grids of triode 44 and 45 in bridge 12. The high frequency components from the transverse reinforcement rods are filtered out by capacitors 46 and 47.
The two pickups and 11 are positioned so that the curves of their flux linkage with the longitudinal reinforcement rod, shown in FIGURE 5B intersect at their points of maximum slope. Thus, when the position of the pickups is changed with respect to the longitudinal reinforcement rod, the voltages generated at the control grids of triodes 44 and 45 are opposite in phase and at their maximum potentials. The cathodes of triodes 44 and 45 are biased by the voltage divider comprising resistors 140 and 141 so that at steady state, an intermediate amount of current is drawn through both tubes through resistors 48 and 49 respectively. Thus there is no difference in voltage at the plates of the two triodes and no current iiows through the D.C. motor 50. When the position of the pickups changes, however, steady state no longer exists and one triode conducts much more than the other, producing a voltage differential between the plates of the two triodes, the amplitude of which is proportional to the rate of change of position with respect to time, and the polarity of which depends upon the direction of movement.
The D.C. motor 50 is powered to control the steering gear 52 through a mechanical linkage including a gearbox 51, the direction of rotation being dependent on the polarity of the input, and the torque proportional to the rate of change of position with respect to time. Thus for very sudden changes of position, the steering control acts almost instantly, while for more gradual changes, the steering control acts more smoothly.
An up and down motion of the motor vehicle, caused by bumps in the road will not affect the steering control since the operation of both pickups will be affected equally, and thus present no difference voltage to the bridge.
If the vehicle should encounter highway where no reinforcement rods have been laid, the voltage across capacitor 5 soon decays to zero, as shown in FIG. 5A. This cuts off conduction in triode 53, and raises the value of plate voltage by reducing the current in resistor 54. Thus the current through resistor 55 is increased and the voltage at the top made more positive. This causes thyratron 56 to conduct current through an alarm circuit 57, The alarm circuit rings a bell and ashes a light to inform the driver that he must take over control of the vehicle. The alarm will remain on even though more reinforcement rods are encountered, until reset switch 58 is opened.
When the D.C, component of the capacitor waveform is very low, the fuel valve will be opened to attempt to equalize the bridge. But when the D.C. component is low enough to cut off triode 53, indicating a no reinforcing rods condition, the plate of triode 53 produces a positive potential that renders triode 63 conducting. This tube shorts out solenoid 38 so that no additional fuel is called for. A spring then returns the fuel valve to zero to stop the engine.
Similarly, if the automobile loses the longitudinal reinforcement rod, the value of voltage at the grids of triodes 44 and 45 must first pass through a point, shown in FIG. 5C, where the voltage on the grid of one tube is at steady state, and the other is negative. At this point the current drawn through resistor 141 is at a minimum, and thus the grid of triode 59 is at a minimum. The voltage at the plate Will then be maximum, since less current is drawn through resistor 60. More current ows through resistor 55 raising the voltage on its top to fire thyratron 56. The thyratron is therefore red to actuate alarm circuit 57 if a defect occurs in the operation of any part of the system.
No matter what error occurs, thyratron 56 will remain conducting until reset switch 58 is opened. Both the speed control and direction control may again determine the operation of the vehicle if additional reinforcement rods are encountered after the alarm is triggered.
Line 62 from the cathode of the alarm thyratron 56 may be used to actuate any additional control circuits which may be required, sounding the horn, or braking the vehicle to a stop, for example.
Both the speed and direction controls described above may be over-ridden by the driver of the vehicle when conditions of driving so require.
Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternative embodiment for automatically controlling the speed of a motor vehicle.
In this embodiment a predetermined standard frequency is used as a reference with which a harmonic of the frequency of passage of the transverse reinforcement rods is compared.
The carrier of the standard frequency is received, amplified, and the standard frequency removed by receiver 64, which frequency is then fed to modulator 65. The other input to modulator 65 is from pickup 3 through filter condenser 66, which removes all high frequency components of the input from the transverse rods, and through frequency multiplier 126. The result is to present to modulator 65 a sine wave at a multiple of the frequency with which the transverse reinforcement rods are passed.
The output cf the modulator contains frequency components of the standard frequency, the input frequency, and the sum and difference frequencies. The composite is fed through blocking condenser 67 to amplifier 68. Blocking condenser 67 is large and thus blocks only D.C., passing all other frequencies.
The output of triode amplifier 68 is fed to cathode follower 69 through a condenser network containing condensers 70 and 71. Condenser 70 is a blocking condenser similar to 67, and condenser 71 is a filter condenser filtering out all frequencies higher than the difference frequency.
The difference frequency appears across resistor 72 in the cathode circuit of cathode follower 69, and is then rectified by diode 73. The resulting pulsating D.C. appears -across resistor 74, filtered by a fil-ter network containing oondensers 75 and 77, and inductance 76 and fed to resistor 78 and difference frequency lamp 122 in parallel. The voltage thus appearing across resistor 78 is a positive D.C. potential when there is 'a difference frequency, and zero when there is no difference frequency as whenthe two frequencies fed into the modulator are equal. Lamp 122 visually indicates the presence of a difference frequency. The output of modulator l65 is also presented to two tuned transformers 178 and 79 through switch 112. One is tuned a few cycles abovethe standard frequency, and the other a few cycles below the standard frequency. The response curves for these tuned circuits are shown in FIG. 7. Both circuits have equal response at the standard frequency, though somewhat lower than their peak responses.
'I'he tuned circuits associated with transformers 178 and 79 are constructed to have a Q high enough to exclude any frequency components of the modulated output except the standard frequency and the input frequency when it is reasonably close to the standard frequency.
The outputs of the tuned circuits associated with transformers 178 and 79 are rectified by `diodes 80 and 81, and 82 and 83, respectively, and fed into capacitors 85 and 86 of bridge 84, 85 being charged positive with respect to ground, and 86 negative with respect to ground. The hot ends of these capacitors are connected by a voltage divider comprising equal resistors 87 and 88, .the junction of which is returned to ground via resistor 89. The voltage across resistor 89 will be equal to half the difference between the absolute values of voltage across condensers 85 and 86, and have the sign of Whichever has the higher absolute value. A wrong speed lamp 123 is connected across resistor 89 to visually indicate that the bridge is unbalanced.
The Voltage across resistor 89 is fed to the screen of tetrode 142 via cathode follower 90, and to the screen of tetrode 91 via inverter 92 and cathode follower 93. Thus the screen potentials of the two tetrodes are regulated so as to be equal when bridge 84 is balanced, and otherwise unequal, with the polarity of the inequality dependent upon the direction of unbalance in bridge 84. The control grids of the two tetrodes are positive when a difference frequency is detected. Thus, whenever a difference frequency is detected, one tetrode will conduct more than the other, depending on whether the input frequency is higher or lower 4than thestandard frequency.
Current passing through tetrodes 142 and 91 when they are conducting, passes through oppositely wound solenoid coils 94 and 95. The direction of motion of the arm of the solenoid is dependent on the relative currents through coils 94 and 95, and controls the volume of fuel passing through fuel valve 39, thus regulating the speed of the engine.
The voltage across resistor 89 is also fed to the armature of a D.C. lmotor 1.15 over line 114. The field of the motor is connected between a positive potential and ground through switch 113.
Switches I1:12 and 113 operate together, and when the field of motor 115 is switched on, by switch 113, the pure Standard frequency is fed into the tuned circuits associated with transformers 178 and 79 via switch 112. When this occurs, if these circuits associated with transformers 4178 and 79 yare properly tuned, the output of the bridge and the input to the armature will be zero. But due to heat, causing drif-t in the tuned circuits, or the deliberate change of the standard frequency (under circumstances described hereinafter) the bridge may not be balanced, and Va voltage is presented across the armature of motor 115, the polarity of which depends on the direction of imbalance of the bridge.
The motor will then rotate the four trimmer capacitors 1116, 117, 118, and `119, in the tuned circuits `associated with transformers 17S `and 79, and trimmer capacitors 1'20 and 121 in tuned circuit 96, described hereinafter, thus changing the frequencies to which circuits are tuned. When the circuits are again tuned so that the response is equal in the two circuits for the standard frequency, the motor stops rotating.
In practice therefore, turning on switches 1112 and 1113 for an instant will align all the tuned circuits to the proper frequencies for operation, irrespective of whether drift of the tuned circuits or drift of the standard frequency caused the misalignmenlt.
The driver knowns that alignment is required when the states of the difference frequency lamp 122 and the wrong speed lamp 123 are not the same. If one is lit and the other is not, alignment is required When the speed of the engine is changed, the input frequency from the transverse reinforcement rods changes to correspond to the standard frequency, making the speed of the vehicle dependent solely on the spacing of the transverse reinforcement rods under the surface of the road. As an example (with frequency multiplier 1.26 multiplying the input frequency by a factor of l0), if the standard frequency as fixed at 1000 cycles per second, and the transverse rods are one foot apart, the vehicle Will travel at feet per second or 68 miles per hour. If the rods are 6 inches apart, the Vehicle will travel at 50 feet per second or 34 miles per hour.
A change of the standard frequency may be accomplished at the transmitter (not shown) by changing the frequency with which the carrier is modulated. Thus receiver 64 would detect a different standard frequency. This feature may be used to advantage in varying the speed of vehicles on the road in response to whether conditions in the geographical area in which the transmitter is located. In bad weather, for example, the standard frequency may be set at 50 cycles per second, cutting the speed of all vehicles in half. And if the transmitter goes off the air, speed control systems in all vehicles cease to operate, putting the drivers on notice that they must use maximum care in driving.
The harmonic of :the frequency derived from the transverse rods generated by frequency multiplier =126 is also fed to another tuned transformer 96 which is tuned to the standard frequency and controlled by motor 115, as described above. The Q of this circuit is comparatively low and the -bandwidth of the circuit is adjusted to include the entire bandwidth of the tuned circuits associated with transformers 178 and 79 but no more, and thus produce an output only when the input frequency is capable of being detected -by the tuned circuits associated with transformers |178 and 79. The output is rectified by diodes 97 and 98, filtered in a filter network comprising condensers 99 and 10.1 and inductance l100, yand fed to inverter 102. The output from inverter 102 feeds into a voltage divider comprising resistors 103 and 104, yand a tap on resistor 104 feeds to a thyra-tron 105.
If there is no input frequency, or if the frequency of the input is not within the range of detection of the tuned circuits associated with transformers '178 and 79, inverter 102t is cut off, and thyratron 105 is fired, sending current through the alarm circuit -106 to reset switch 107. The alarm indicates to the driver that the system does not have control of the vehicle, and that he must resume control. Even with the alarm sounded, the speed control will again take over the operation of the throttle if more transverse rods are encounterd, although without an input frequency, the screens of tetrodes 142 and 91 are equal and the grids are at ground since there is no detectable difference frequency.
In operation, the driver must manually increase the speed of his car on first entering the highway, until the input frequency is reasonably close to the standard frequency. Then the reset switch 107 is thrown, and if the alarm is not sounded, he knowns the automatic pilot is in control of the car.
Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown an embodiment for deriving a standard frequency without the use of a receiver as shown in lFIG. 6. In this embodiment, two crystal oscillators 10S and 109 produce frequencies which are modulated in modulator 110. The high frequency components are filtered out by filter condenser 111, and the difference frequency fed to modulator 65. The same pickup and alarm system, as was described in connection with FIG. 6, is used, and the systems are similar in all other respects.
This method eliminates the need for a transmitter and receiver to determine the standard frequency since it is determined by the difference frequency between two crystal oscillators. Thus, if one crystal was cut to oscillate at 10,000 cycles per second and the other at 11,000 cycles per second, a standard frequency of 1,000 c.p.s. would be produced.
Other systems to determine a standard frequency will, of course, occur to those skilled in the art, such as the use of a single crystal oscillator beating with an unmodulated carrier to produce a standard frequency. A frequency would then be able to accomodate the speed of vehicles to more hazardous weather conditions, as in the system of FIG. 6.
Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an alternative embodiment for deriving signals responsive to the position of the vehicle with respect to the road. Unlike that shown in FIG. 2, the system of FIG. 9 is responsive to the position of the vehicle with respect to the longitudinal rods and not the change in position.
The two magnetic circuits 10 and 11 are powered by battery 20, and are positioned as shown in FIG. 4. Battery 20 sets up a flux in each magnetic circuit, the magnitude of which is different for each different value of reluctance in the circuit.
When no rods are within the field of either circuit, the reluctance of the air gap is very high, and little fiux tiows through the circuit, but when a rod is within the field more ux ows through it, thus increasing the ux through the circuit.
Leakage fiux, present in all magnetic circuits, leaks between the vertical arms of each circuit, past coils 127 and 128. Each of these coils is connected across the battery 20, and each has a shaft 129 and 130 respectively upon which it may rotate, the rotation being restrained by springs 131 and 132 and damped by flywheels 133 and 134. Connected to shafts 129 and 130 are potentiometers 135 and 136, which are each connected across battery 20, with two circuits 137 and 138 presented from their center taps. Each magnetic circuit has an air gap 124 and 12S.
where H is the magnetomotive force, R is the reluctance of each air gap 124 and 125, R1 is the reluctance of the leakage flux path through the coils 127 and 128, and R2 is the reluctance of the path through the longitudinal reinforcement rods. The only variable is the R2, and it can be seen that the leakage flux q/JL varies directly with the value of R2. The value of (R04-R1) in the denominator is always larger than R2 and thus an increase in the value of R2 raises .the magnitude of the denominator more than it raises the numerator, resulting in a lesser quantity of leakage flux.
The rotational force on each of the coils 127 and 128 is, therefore proportional to the value of R2. If the two magnetic circuits 10 and 11 are equally distant from the longitudinal rod, rotation of each coil 127 and 128 is identical.
The shafts on which the coils rotate are connected to potentiometers and 136, and the value of resistance between the ground end of the potentiometer, and the tap taken from the rotor changes with the rotation of the shaft. If the leakage fluxes of the two magnetic circuits are not identical, potentiometers 135 and 136 have different values of resistance, producing different potentials at outputs 137 and 138 which are then fed to bridge 12 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) to control the steering of the vehicle.
1. In a system for automatically controlling the bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a steerable vehicle traversing said road, means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals `from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, and means mounted on said vehicle for adjusting the bearing of said vehicle in response to said signals.
2. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously `both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the cornbination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle transversing said road, first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, second means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto, and means mounted on said vehicle for adjusting both the speed and bearing of said vehicle in response to said signals.
3. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehcile traversing said road, means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the two dimensional movements of said vehicle with respect thereto, and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said signals t adjust the speed and bearing of said vehicle.
4. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the yspeed and bearing of Ia vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said rein-forcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, lboth of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said Ibearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, first -means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical 'signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, second means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto, means responsive to the signals derived lby said first and second means for controlling the two dimensional movement of said vehicle `with respect to said bearing surface, an alarm mounted on said vehicle operatively associated with said first and second means, and means mounted on said vehicle for actuating said alarm whenever said signals are not of such predetermined magnitude as to cause said means for controlling to respond thereto.
5. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely t-o said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, said vehicle having an engine and a steering mechanism; first magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road, said first magnetic means so oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived thereby are primarily responsive t-o said transverse rods; second magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road, said second magnetic means so oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived thereby are primarily responsive to said longitudinal rods; means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first magnetic means for controlling the speed of said engine; and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said second magnetic means for controlling the steering mechanism of said vehicle.
6. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road; first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals lfrom the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon; second means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto; third means operatively associated with said vehicle for producing generated signals representative of the signals desired to be derived from said first and second means; fourth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means, said second means, and said third means for comparing the derived signals with said generated signals, and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said fourth means for adjusting the speed and bearing of said vehicle until said derived signals and said generated signals coincide.
7. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variablespeed steerable vehicle traversing said road, first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the two dimensional movements of said vehicle with respect thereto, second means operatively associated with said vehicle for producing predetermined characteristic signals, third means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means and said second means for producing a first signal when said signals derived by said first means correspond to said predetermined characteristic signals and a second signal when said signals derived by said first means do not so correspond, and fourth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first signal of said third means to alter the speed and bearing of said vehicle until said third means produces said second signal.
8. In a system for automatically controlling simultaneously both the speed and bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, second means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto, third means operatively associated with said vehicle for producing standard criterion signals which correspond to the spacing of said longitudinal and transverse rods and the prevailing road conditions, fourth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means, said second means, and said third means for indicating a noncorrespondence between said derived signals of said first and second means, and said standard signals of said third means, and fifth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said noncorrespondence for 1 1 adjusting the speed and bearing of said vehicle until said noncorrespondence is eliminated.
9. In a system for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road having a frequency indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect to said road, means operatively associated with said vehicle for generating a standard frequency electrical signal, comparator means mounted on said vehicle for comparing said derived signals with said standard signal, and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said comparator for controlling the speed of said vehicle.
l0. In a system for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of Said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable Vehicle traversing said road, magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road having a frequency indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto, said magnetic means so oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived thereby are primarily responsive to said transverse rods; first means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said magnetic means for producing an indication of said frequency; second means operatively associated with said vehicle for producing an indication corresponding to a predetermined frequency; third means mounted on said vehicle for comparing said indications; fourth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said third means for regulating the speed of said vehicle to produce an exact comparison in said third means.
l1. In a system for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road having a frequency indicative of the speed of said vehicle with respect thereto, said magnetic means so oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived thereby are primarily responsive to said transverse rods; means operatively `associated with said vehicle for establishing a predetermined standard frequency; modulating means operatively associated with said vehicle for modulating one of said frequencies with the other of said frequencies; first means operatively associated with said magnetic means and said means for establishing a predetermined frequency responsive to said modulating means for deriving a potential when said two frequencies are not equal, second means operatively associated with said first means for determining which of said two frequencies is the higher, and third means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means and said second means for adjusting the speed of said vehicle so as to make said two frequencies equal.
12. In a system for automatically controlling the bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a first group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road and a second group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially transversely to said axis of said road, both of said first and second groups of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a variable-speed steerable vehicle traversing said road, first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, said means so oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived thereby are primarily responsive to said longitudinal rods; second means mounted on said vehicle for determining whether said signals conform to a predetermined standard signal, and third means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said second means for controlling the steering of said vehicle.
13. In a system for automatically controlling the bearing of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including a steel reinforcing network integrally included therein, said reinforcing network comprising a group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road, said group of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a steerable vehicle traversing said road, said vehicle having a steering mechanism, first means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electncal signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, second means responsive to the signals derived by said first means for controlling the transverse movement of said vehicle with respect to said bearing surface, an alarm mounted on said vehicle operatively associated with said first and second means, and means mounted on said vehicle for actuating said alarm whenever said signals are not of such predetermined magnitude as to cause said means for controlling to respond thereto.
14. In a system for automatically controlling the position of a vehicle, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including steel reinforcing integrally included therein, said reinforcing comprising a group of rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road, said group of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a steerable vehicle traversing said road, magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon, determining means mounted on said vehicle reponsive to said magnetic means for determining the distance said vehicle is from a predetermined transverse position, `and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said determining means for controlling the steering of said vehicle until said predetermined transverse position is obtained.
l5. In a system for automatically controlling the transverse position of a vehicle with respect to the road on which it is traveling, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including steel reinforcing integrally included therein, said reinforcing comprising a group of transversely spaced rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road, said group of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a steerable vehicle traversing said road, said vehicle having a steering mechanism; magnetic means mounted on said vehicle for deriving signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle on said road, said magnetic means soy oriented on said vehicle that said signals derived there-by are primarily responsive to said longitudinal rods, determining means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said magnetic means for determining the rate at which said vehicle is departing from said longitudinal axis of said road, and means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said determining means for controlling said steering mechanism.
16. In a system for automatically controlling the position of a motor vehicle with respect to a road, the combination comprising; a road having a longitudinal axis and a bearing surface, said road including steel reinforcing integrally included therein, said reinforcing comprising a group of transversely spaced rods of high magnetic permeability positioned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said road, said group of rods positioned substantially parallel to said bearing surface of said road; a steerable vehicle traversing said road; first means -mounted on said vehicle for deriving electrical signals from the magnetic permeability characteristics of said road indicative of the transverse position of said vehicle thereon; second means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means for indicating whether said derived signals indicate that said vehicle is not in a proper predetermined position, third means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said first means for determining the direction of motion of said vehicle required for said vehicle to reach said predetermined position, and fourth means mounted on said vehicle responsive to said second means and said third means for controlling the steering of said vehicle.
US1266389A (en) * 1913-12-20 1918-05-14 Harry D Betz Automatic wireless apparatus for preventing collisions. | 2019-04-18T21:16:21Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US3008532A/en |
I really should be in bed right now.
Every time I'm on my way to launch rockets (only casually with friends, until tomorrow), I sing a little song that popped into my head one day.
I haven't fully fleshed out the lyrics.
I'm not sure where the melody comes from, but I think it might be an old Hank Williams tune.
Anyway, tonight I've been prepping for tomorrow's first club launch in Amesbury, Massachusetts, with CMASS. Launch prep always takes me longer than I think it will. I'll talk about launch prep in another post.
What I will say is that I've taken Janus I, my first scratch design, out of retirement. I had to make some modifications to it, but I think it's flight-worthy. It's a simple rocket, but a two-stager, and it flew beautifully - one time. I figured it would be a shame not to fly it again.
I'll talk about the repair briefly in a future post. It wasn't a major operation, but I had to change a few things.
Starting probably next week, I'll be doing a bit of a re-boot of The Rocket N00b blog. I've strayed a bit from my intentions and done too many posts where I talk about what I've purchased, what I'm building, or my feelings. There hasn't been enough that a n00b to rocketry can actually learn from. Some of these instructional posts take a lot of time and thought, but I don't just want to write a personal journal with some rocket pics, here, I actually want some rocket n00bs to get some use from this blog.
So, after tomorrow, I'll probably have some cool pictures, video, and stories for you, including some high power stuff. Apparently, they're launching the first high power two-stager CMASS has ever been able to get sanctioned (the airspace in New England is a little busy, I guess).
After that, it's back to basics: rocketry, for beginners, from a beginner's perspective. The I'm building this and look what I got in the mail posts will creep in occasionally, but I want to make sure this blog has some value to people who are just getting into the craft, science and discipline of building and flying rockets.
Also, some cool pictures that hopefully the more advanced rocketeers will like.
I'm only taking five rockets to the launch tomorrow - but one is the Quest Quadrunner - a four motor cluster I've never launched. I hope it does not disappoint.
I've just realized my little song sounds a little like the chorus to In the Jailhouse Now. Jimmie Rodgers. A bit older than Hank Williams. But a classic.
I'm nervous about this weekend's upcoming CMASS rocket launch in Amesbury, MA.
At first, I was nervous about joining the club. What if I have nobody to talk to at launches? What if they don't like me?
That's just the kind of social anxiety you develop when you move to a new city and it's hard to meet people. But rocketeers have the reputation of being very friendly folk - if you like rockets, they like you. And I've been welcomed by some of the club members, chatted with a few of them online, so even though I haven't met any of them in person, I feel good about meeting some fellow rocketeers. Joining a club is a great way to expand your rocketry experience and meet new people.
No, what has me nervous now is simply that I haven't launched in a long time, and I am hoping to launch a few rockets I've built but never flown.
The Quest Quadrunner was finished last December.
This beautiful Quest Aerospace kit is about 3 feet tall, just under 2 inches in diameter, and flies on a cluster of four standard B or C motors. And I put a lot of work into this rocket - and had some moments where I thought my work would be ruined. But I really like the way it came out.
The Quest Big Dog was also finished last spring.
This rocket is the first I've completed with a 29mm motor mount, big enough for an F or G motor (or a small H, but that would probably be ill-advised with this rocket, and would require high power certification in any case). It's another beauty, and like the Quadrunner, has never flown.
Then there's the Estes Cosmic Explorer with an E motor mount.
I have a standard Cosmic Explorer, and I have in fact built one with an E mount before. It flew beautifully, and then disappeared in fast-moving high altitude winds. But this second attempt at an E Cosmic Explorer is perhaps the best work I've ever done on a rocket, and I have not launched it yet, so I really want to see how it performs.
The Quest Magnum Sport Loader has flown before - one time.
This is yet another beautiful Quest rocket capable of carrying a payload - the chamber is in fact large enough to loft two eggs at once. It's a two-motor cluster which has a dramatic flight.
I love these rockets. But, apart from the Sport Loader, they are much larger rockets than I've flown before. It's part of the reason I hesitated attempting to launch several times in Bloomington.
They're by far not the largest rockets you can build and launch. Amesbury is a high power field, so there will be much larger, more complicated, and higher-flying rockets than these. But they're the largest I've attempted so far, and I'm nervous about them.
What if the parachute does not eject? What if it gets tangled and doesn't open? What if my clusters don't ignite simultaneously? What if they have a hard landing and break on the first flight?
These are the things which make me nervous. It's because I haven't flown in a while, and because I'm new at this whole mid power thing. And it's because these rockets have been waiting on the shelf so long, I'm worried they won't make it back, because I've grown attached to them.
But these rockets are made to fly. I'm confident I built them well. I built them with care. I just need to get out there and do it.
Failure is part of the learning process. Sometimes your rockets will crash. Sometimes you'll lose them. But if you're not willing to risk a loss, you'll miss out on the excitement of a successful flight.
Someone on one of the Facebook model rocketry forums recently posted a picture of his first rocket - the Estes Crossfire ISX - a great, high-flying little rocket.
And he confessed that he was nervous about launching it. I could understand - he'd done a beautiful job building it, and now it was time to strap a motor in it an launch it into the sky??
But that is why we do this. We don't take unnecessary risks - sometimes you put a less powerful motor in than at other times. Sometimes you have to scrub a launch. But we launch these rockets, because that's what this is all about.
But, get out there, rocket n00bs. Build those rockets - then go out and fly them.
I have been in the market for a table for my Rocket Room. I was thinking of getting a folding table - a six-foot long, plastic top folding table, the sturdy kind you find at your finer non-profit board meetings and family reunions. Something perfectly flat. My current work surface wasn't cutting it.
A metal shelving unit with a board on top was my previous work surface these last few months.
The shelves are great, but the top is a little high, a little small, and the board isn't flat.
I found a nice folding table on Amazon which I could get delivered free for about $59.
Then, the other night, the city of Boston presented me a gift: A solid, sturdy, six-foot long oak table, discarded, left by the curb right outside my house.
The top alone may have weighed nearly 100 pounds, and it wasn't fun getting it upstairs, but you can't beat free, and it's perfect for rocket-building.
There's just one problem with this table.
Right now, I have about 5 or 6 rocket projects on it, and I haven't made much progress at all on any of them. I've been working very slowly.
Last Saturday, I hung out in the rocket room almost all day, and only did one thing: sanded some wood filler off a balsa nose cone.
Thankfully, I am four days away from my first club rocket launch, in Amesbury, MA, with CMASS.
I spend a lot more time building than I do launching. And I love building rockets. But there has to be a goal. Rockets are meant to fly. I noticed in the past that if I hadn't launched in a while, I tended to slow down my building.
Further complications to living here is that I can only go so far in a build before I encounter a major challenge - painting.
At the old homestead, I had a large grassy area surrounded by trees. As long as it wasn't too breezy, it was a perfect painting area.
I'm considering several options here: joining a maker space, or maybe building an indoor painting booth. Perhaps I'll make friends with someone at the club who happens to work in an auto body painting shop, and we could paint rockets on the weekend.
So, there are some challenges to being a rocketeer in a big city, as opposed to a suburban area, one of them being that I can't just go outside and launch whenever I feel the need. I'm considering a future post on this subject - Challenges for the Big City Rocketeer - but I need to find some solutions for it first!
My final challenge lately is this blog. It's been too filled with posts exactly like this one: what I'm doing, what I'm not doing, blah blah... This is exactly what I want this blog not to be - a personal catalog of rockets I'm building or not building. This is meant to be a blog for rocket n00bs to get some tips and information, and for more experienced rocketeers to have another place to read about rockets, even if it's stuff they probably already know, and to look at cool rocket pictures.
This launch should do the trick. I have a feeling my mind is going to be blown this weekend, with higher flights and larger rockets than I've ever seen in person before. In the past, whenever I've come back from a launch, I'm inspired and ready to build!
Finish building a rocket, already!
Write some more how-to posts for n00bs on this blog.
I did get a little bit of inspriation in the mail yesterday. One perk of membership in the National Association of Rocketry is a subscription to Sport Rocketry magazine - the official NAR magazine. I haven't had a magazine subscription in ages, and I was excited to finally see my first issue in the mailbox.
Launch. Then build. And write something of substance for all my fellow rocket n00bs.
Long ago, Estes Industries published a newsletter called Model Rocket News. This was long before I got into the hobby.
This kept model rocketeers (mostly children in those days, though a lot of the information was very sophisticated, involving advanced mathematics and physics) up to date on the latest developments in rocketry, presented ideas for science fair projects, and allowed young rocketeers to present tips, feedback and ideas to both Estes and other rocket kids around the country.
You can find issues in PDF form around the Internet (though I think a complete collection still eludes us).
I recently downloaded as many of these as I can find. I enjoy reading them, because even though they are from the early days of model rocketry, and even though some of the information is no longer relevant (parts or motors which no longer exist), there are still good ideas in the Model Rocket News, and still tidbits to learn from. And much of the basic rocketry information continues to be true. And I appreciate them as historical documents.
And they have rocket plans!
Some of these were submitted by Model Rocket News readers - some of the kids who were designing rockets in those days had some pretty interesting designs, and you can still make them today.
Some of the designs were free rocket plans from Estes.
Tonight, I was reading Volume 3, Number 2, from April/May 1963, and I saw something surprising: A free plan for a rocket I'm very familiar with: Estes Industries Rocket Plan No. 13: Big Bertha.
It seems that before it was a classic Estes kit, the Big Bertha was a classic Estes free design. This might not be a surprise to longtime rocketeers, but to a n00b like me, it was a cool discovery.
It looks much like it does today, with a few minor differences.
The nose cone was made of balsa (which you can still find at Jonrocket.com or Balsa Machining Service or a number of online rocket parts vendors around the Internet), and motor mounts were made a little differently then. Also, instead of a motor hook, the original Bertha design used a friction fit, requiring you to wrap a bit of masking tape around the motor before inserting it into the rocket for a snug, secure fit.
Also, at least according to the drawing, the nose cone was slightly pointy.
Other than that, this is the Bertha we still know today.
You can find the full edition of Volume 3, Number 2 Model Rocket News here, including a full-sized plan which you can print out and build. You'll also get a glimpse into the early days of Estes Industries operations, complete with mail-order procedures.
Igniter Tip - Q2G2's Keep Falling Out?
If you look at the comment section below, you'll see a few rocketeers have corrected my big dumb mistake here. Turns out, I was mis-reading the instructions for the Q2G2 igniter, and inserting it all wrong in the first place.
My initial reaction was to delete this post. But I've decided to leave it up for two reasons.
1 - It's a good example of a n00b mistake - not reading the directions.
2 - It's full of pretty pictures.
For the correct method of installing Q2G2 igniters, see this post by Chris Michielssen.
My apologies for not doing my homework!
In May, I went to launch some rockets with Chad. I took along several I'd built but never flown before. It was breezy, and I lost a few. Against my better judgment, I put the Quest Quadrunner on the launch pad.
This beauty of a rocket from Quest Aerospace is a four-motor cluster capable of pretty high altitudes for a model rocket. It took me a long time and some heartache to build, but in the end it turned out really beautiful.
I installed four standard EC6-7 motors in the rocket. But clusters are tricky. The trick is getting all the motors to ignite at once. Estes motors (or "engines") all come with igniters, but they're not as reliable as you want for a cluster rocket.
There are a couple problems that prevent Estes igniters from being ideal for clusters. One is their size - they're pretty small and don't have much reach. But the main problem is that they require too much current.
Getting one Estes igniter to fire is one thing, but when you have the current from your launch controller split between two or more igniters, the total current reaching each igniter tip is less and less. What can then happen is that sometimes one motor might fire, and take the rocket with it, ripping out the other igniters before the other motors light.
Quest Aerospace has a much better igniter for this job. It's called the Q2G2 igniter.
These were off the market for a while, but they're back. The supply still can't quite meet the demand, but they are on the market.
Two things make this igniter much better for cluster rockets.
The first, is that the igniter has a black pyrogen on the tip.
This is a flammable substance. When the igniter tip heats up, the pyrogen creates a small flash or flame, aiding in the motor's ignition.
Estes igniters used to have a pyrogen, but they stopped making them like that in the last year. I still have a few, but I save them for special occasions.
But what makes the Q2G2 an even better igniter for cluster ignition is that they are low current igniters. That means it takes much less electric current to make the tips hot enough to ignite the rocket motors. You can send the same amount of current through several Q2G2 igniters as through one Estes igniter, and they will all fire pretty much simultaneously.
I put the Quadrunner on the pad, inserted the safety key into my launch controller, counted nervously down from 5, pressed the ignition button... And there was this loud puffing sound signifying ignition.
And then the rocket just sat there. Fortunately! I'm sure I would have lost it otherwise!
As you can see in the above photos, the Q2G2 comes packed in a little red straw. This is actually what keeps the igniter installed in the motor before ignition. This is a different method than the plastic plug method seen in the Estes igniter photos.
I really like the straw method. It allows you to insert the igniter until you can really feel that it's in contact with the propellant.
I looked at the rocket. The Q2G2 igniters - all of them - had slipped downward a little inside their straws. The straws were blackened, and the puff of the pyrogen had actually ejected them from the nozzles of the rocket motors without igniting any of the propellant.
OK, so that saved me losing a beautiful rocket on its first flight.
On other occasions, I've used multiple Q2G2 igniters successfully, but only after fiddling around with them, then placing the rocket gingerly on the pad, hoping nothing would disturb the igniters before I pressed the launch button. Then I'd have to rush to launch the rocket before any of them fell out.
Rushing is not a good idea with rockets.
I've got a big launch coming up in a large field, and I'd love to see the Quadrunner finally take flight, and have a reliable ignition system securely in place.
If you've had trouble keeping your Q2G2 igniters staying in place, here's a way to prevent them falling out.
The problem isn't the straw. It fits into the nozzle of the rocket motor just fine. The problem is that the igniter itself can pass too easily through the straw, slipping out before you press the launch button.
Cut a very small bit of masking tape.
Wrap the masking tape around the twisted part of the Q2G2 igniter. You don't want to cover the pyrogen head, obviously, and you want to leave the free ends of the igniter free to bend them in whatever direction you need to to hook the leads up to the launch controller.
You want just enough masking tape around the twisted part of the igniter so that it can still pass all the way through the straw and come into contact with the propellant, but that it will have enough of a friction fit that it won't fall out.
Now the igniter is securely installed. Don't worry - it isn't "stuck." When the motor ignites, it will eject the straw and the igniter. But it will ensure you get reliable ignition on as many motors you have in your cluster rocket!
Note: These pictures are for illustration only. You should not install the igniters in your rocket motors until you are on the flying field, preparing for launch!
Edit: As Rich Holmes correctly points out, it's fine to install an igniter at home. It won't fire unless the launch controller is hooked up to it. What I should have said is that you should install the motor in the rocket first, then install the igniter.
Myself, I wait to install igniters until I'm at the pad. I transport my rockets in a big box full of newspaper, and I figure some of the igniters will fall out if I install them at home.
I haven't launched a rocket in months. Last time it was with the Ivy Tech Rocket Camp I taught in June. The rockets were all really small, I was the only adult, and because of where we launched, I had to make sure the rockets didn't go much above 300 feet.
This weekend, I sent off the a check for dues plus a season launch pass to what will be my first rocketry club - CMASS, the Central Massachusetts Spacemodeling Society, a NAR section.
I need to get a hat like this.
I'll be attending my first ever club launch in just under two weeks, up in Amesbury, MA.
For the last year, I've been pursuing this hobby mostly in a vacuum. My friends would occasionally go launch with me. Chad himself likes rockets, and built a few, but is far too busy a guy to really throw himself into rocketry like I did. So, it's just been me, a few books, some websites, and a huge online community to turn to for help. This will be my first time meeting other rocketeers in the flesh. I'm terribly excited. This will be my chance to hang out with other rocket obsessives, and meet people I can learn from - back in Bloomington, I was the local rocket "expert." But I still have a ton to learn, and this... This is gonna be awesome.
This post was going to be about how nervous I was to go out to the launch and meet people, as I'll probably be going alone - my girlfriend wants to go, but she probably has a thing she has to do. I'm a pretty outgoing guy, but sometimes in new situations where I don't know anybody, I get a little shy.
But I just got a message from Howard, one of the officers of CMASS - three messages, actually - and not only has my membership been approved, but he told me there are probably several members of the section who either live near or work in Boston, and he kindly invited me to tomorrow night's meeting in Gloucester.
Gloucester is a little far, but I'll go as long as I can get my local parking pass worked out (driving in Boston... Not as bad as parking in Boston). In any case, rocketeers are a friendly bunch, and even if I don't get to meet anybody before I show up in Amesbury, I know it's going to be great!
Hearing such a welcoming message was really great. Rocketry is a real passion for me (you might be able to tell, if you read this blog), and I need it. CMASS is my best option to continue and to grow in this pursuit, so it's really good to feel welcomed.
The upcoming launch is a big one. The Amesbury field is CMASS' high power range, meaning that I'll see some high power rockets in person for the first time. But that's not what makes this particular launch a big deal. Actually, now that I read that last sentence, it totally is a big deal for me... It's a huge deal for me! But for the club in general, it's a special event.
It's the Jim Flis Anniversary Launch. Jim Flis is the owner and founder of FlisKits, a model rocket company. Estes is the 600 pound gorilla of the model rocketry world, and Quest has some great kits. But if you're looking for something a little different, FlisKits is one of the independent companies you should check out.
either very large, or attached at unusual angles. Or insanely wicked futuristic models. Check out this newer kit - the Tesla.
I have no idea the kind of mad modeling skills it would take to build this rocket! Maybe I'll see one of these in person.
Here are a few other interesting FlisKits rockets (the above and following six images are copyright FlisKits, Inc.).
is also a two-stage rocket.
Rose-a-Roc - a helicopter recovery rocket.
thing rotates slowly to the ground.
Nantucket Sound. Yes. It's a flying lighthouse.
This is a rocket company with a sense of humor. And adventure.
FlisKits has been in business for 13 years, and Jim Flis apparently goes to CMASS launches quite regularly, so they're throwing him a rocket party.
I've got a huge rocket wish list. I forget to check it now and then. Now that I'm going to the Jim Flis Anniversary Launch, I really wish I'd checked it earlier.
One rocket that's been on my wish list for some time is the FlisKits Deuce's Wild.
Very early on, I developed a fascination for cluster rockets - rockets which have multiple motors burning side-by-side. Though I haven't had the chance to launch very many of them (mostly because of wind conditions and the size of the field from which I was launching), I find them spectacular, and it may be my favorite kind of model rocket.
The first cluster I built and successfully launched was the Quest Magnum Sport Loader. You can see how much more smoke and flame comes out the back of a cluster - so awesome to watch!
As you can see from the above image, the Deuce's Wild is a two-motor cluster rocket. But it's special feature is that it has canted motor tubes. The thrust comes at an angle. Both motors fire slightly outward, producing a fatter smoke trail. It has the added advantage that the motors are pointed roughly through the rocket's center of gravity. That's a good feature.
One of the tough parts about launching clustered rockets is getting all of the motors to actually ignite simultaneously. Sometimes you'll have the rocket leave the pad with one or more motors unignited. That can lead to a crooked, uneven flight (and, of course, less altitude). With the canted motor mount, even if one of the two motors does not ignite, the Deuce's Wild will still tend to fly more or less straight.
And it's an affordable rocket. I definitely should have bought one of these before, so I'd have a Flis rocket to launch in a couple of weeks. But maybe it will be even better to buy it directly from the guy himself at the field.
I have three rockets I've built but never launched - the Estes Cosmic Explorer with an E motor mount, the Quest Big Dog, and the Quest Quadrunner - a 4 motor cluster rocket. Some of those require a special launch pad with a miniature launch rail. I have built the pad, but until I have met some people in the club, I'm not going to show up with a bunch of my own stuff and say "OK, guys, where do I set up?" That seems presumptuous.
The pad is well-constructed, and I'm sure I'll eventually be able to get the Big Dog and Cosmic Explorer in the air, but for now, I need to see how the club operates. Some clubs have a range setup called "misfire alley," where rocketeers bring their own launch pads and controllers, and everyone sets up their own stuff. But that's often, if I understand it correctly, for newer clubs who don't have a lot of their own equipment. From what I've read, CMASS is pretty well-established.
I'll probably just take a few smaller rockets with me the first time, and see what I can launch.
I cannot wait - it's been too long!
Check out Jim Flis' personal website: jflis.com Thanks to Jim for allowing me to repost images from FlisKits.
The Nike Smoke rocket was a NASA sounding rocket used during the 1960's.
A sounding rocket is one which carries instruments to conduct experiments and take measurements while in suborbital flight. It may be used for meteorological research, radiation levels in the upper atmosphere, microgravity (yes, I'm roughly paraphrasing Wikipedia here), or any number of other experimental applications.
Here's a short NASA film on the subject, featuring the Nike Smoke rocket.
Because of its historical importance, as well as its iconic look but relatively simple design, it has become a favorite scale model for hobby rocketeers, and there have been several kits on the market throughout the years, as well as many scratch built versions.
of the rocket, built for LDRS34 - a high power rocketry event held this July in Potter, NY.
The Nike Smoke, like many sounding rockets, also used a solid propellant, as opposed to the liquid fuel propellants used in space vehicles, like the Saturn V rocket. Since we use only solid propellant (or sometimes hybrid fuels - but that's a more advanced topic for another time), that means that a flying replica of a Nike Smoke rocket is, in at least some ways, not too different from the real thing.
The Estes Pro Series II Nike Smoke is a great kit.
With a diameter of three inches, the rocket stands about three feet tall. The distinctive, long conical nose cone is nearly the length of the airframe itself, making this the largest nose cone that I have yet in my collection.
The rocket is pretty simple to build. But, as with Ventris, I still have some decisions to make.
In this case, the middle centering ring is special.
Parts for the Nike Smoke motor mount. The ring with the notches goes in the center.
As with all of the PSII builder kits and many other mid and high power rockets, the Estes Nike Smoke has through-the-wall fin construction, meaning the fins extend via a tab through a slot in the airframe, and attach to the motor mount. This makes the attachment much stronger than merely gluing fins on the outside, as one does with a smaller model rocket.
The ring in the center has notches. As you'll see below, this helps you get the fins perfectly aligned. The Nike Smoke shares this design element with the Pro Series II upscale version of the classic Skill Level 1 kit Der Red Max - Der Mega Red Max.
Speaking of the fins, on this kit, they're made of plastic, and come in two parts.
They have a radial taper, meaning they get thinner by the same proportions they get narrower, and they are beveled at the edges. This makes them look cool and helps them slip through the atmosphere more easily.
Because they're in two parts, they must be glued together.
Which leads me to the first decision I have to make: what to use to adhere the two parts together.
The kit instructions say to use CA - cyanoacrylate, or super glue. But they don't specify what viscosity of CA to use. The thin stuff is way too thin. So, do I use medium or thick CA - or something else? Epoxy is a possibility. CA might be too brittle. I might choose to go with epoxy, which is much stronger over time. Also, when dry fitting the fins together, you find that the edges don't come quite together. There's a bit of a gap, unless you squeeze. When you stop squeezing, the gap comes back.
So the adhesive is important. I need to choose something which will hold the fins together, won't break down, and will keep the edges from coming apart. That might prove tricky. CA will bond immediately, but might be brittle, and also might superglue my fingers to the fins. Epoxy might be stronger, but won't bond immediately, so I'll have to keep the fins squeezed together until the epoxy cures - or, at least, partly cures. And the epoxy could make a mess I won't be able to clean off if both my hands are occupied by squeezing the fins together.
Like Indiana Jones in The Last Crusade, I must choose - but I must choose wisely.
I'm writing this in the present tense - "I need to choose..." etc., but in fact, I've already done this part. You'll see what I opted for.
The notched centering ring is great for getting the fins on perfectly straight. Once you get the motor mount into the rocket, the notches in the ring correspond to the notches you can see at the base of the fins.
Spoiler alert! You can see here I've already started assembling the motor mount.
The fin locks into place - perfectly aligned.
Another choice - this time an easy one - is what to use to attach the fins to the motor mount.
The kit again suggests CA, but I don't like this idea. CA can get brittle over time, and it's just not a good adhesive when you need a strong bond that might take some stress. I'll use epoxy for this.
Also, the kit suggests using wood glue for the fin fillets - which seems bizarre to me. Wood glue makes fine fillets on a small model rocket, but it shrinks, and isn't great if you want a nice, rounded fillet. Also, I feel pretty sure that wood glue would have a hard time bonding too well to the plastic. I'll use epoxy here as well.
Finally, I have to choose how I'm going to launch the rocket. As with Ventris, the Nike Smoke comes with two launch lugs.
Notice how these lugs are not simply cardboard tubes. The actual lug is raised slightly. That's because the lip of the nose cone is slightly wider than the airframe.
As with Ventris, replacing the lugs with rail buttons is something to consider, but if I do that, I'll need to make a short standoff for them.
Whether I go with launch lugs or rail buttons - and which size rail buttons - again depends on what kind of launch equipment will be available at my local club, and/or whether I can bring my own launch pad if necessary.
Luckily, I'll be able to attend a club meeting next week! CMASS - the Central Massachusetts Spacemodeling Society - has just begun holding biweekly meetings in Cambridge, just across the Charles River from my little home. Which means that, for the first time since I started this venture into rocketry, I'll be able to meet other actual human beings who are into this hobby! And I'll get the chance to ask some questions which will help me make these important build decisions.
The nice thing about these lugs, as you can see from the picture above, is that they're conformal. They are slightly curved on the bottom so that the entire underside of the lug can attach to the airframe of the rocket without leaving any gaps. Not only does this look better, but it assures a better bond, and reduces the chances of a lug pulling or snapping off at launch.
I'm excited to get this build underway!
Thanks to Neil for permission to use his image!
My schedule is all over the place. Sometimes I work late at night; sometimes early, early in the morning. All this back and forth has left me with less time than I'd like for rocket building or blogging. I get maybe two good building days a week, and I work slowly.
Fortunately, I have OpenRocket - free rocket design and simulation software.
As any gamer or couch potato can tell you, even if you're really tired, you can still spend hours fiddling around on your computer.
So, when I don't have the time or energy to build rockets or write about them, I play around with different designs. It's a way of staying an active rocketeer when I'm too busy to be actually building.
Once you know the basic principles of stability and rocket construction, it isn't that hard to design a basic rocket - or at least to get one started. You might need to make revisions, weigh components and change a few things, but you can come up with some cool basic designs in short order. I've even built and flown rockets that took me 20 minutes to conceive, and I only had to make minimal revisions.
Here are some designs I've been working on.
I started this the other night. I wanted something simple to replace my lost Estes Hi Flier - a small, lightweight, high-flying rocket. It performs so well because it's a minimum diameter rocket - meaning it is only as big around as it needs to be to hold the motor. It has no motor mount - the body tube is the motor mount!
Though I am trying to build bigger and bigger rockets (and currently building two of my Estes Pro Series II rockets), I just had the urge to design this little thing.
OpenRocket has a scale function, so you can take a rocket of a particular size and scale everything up or down by the same amount. So while Circe A (pictured above) will only take a C sized motor, Circe B looks exactly the same, but is larger and will take a D or C motor. When you scale things up in OpenRocket, sometimes you have to adjust components, because, for example, the mass of the nose cone might actually end up being much greater than the part you actually have on hand. Other than that, it's pretty simple.
I went up to a BT60 sized rocket with the Circe series before going to bed. BT60 is a 1.637 inch diameter tube, and is the same size as the Big Bertha. The cool thing about the BT60 is that it's just the right size to fit a cluster of 3 standard motors.
to the size of nose cones I have on hand, which are a of slightly different ratio than the BT20 nose cones I have.
If you're an advanced rocketeer and are good at making stuff from scratch, you can make your own parts. All of them - even the body tubes. And, of course, nose cones.
I'm not to that level yet. I don't have access to a wood lathe, and I haven't picked up the skill of designing and making a custom-shaped nose cone. Fortunately, there are a lot of good parts on the market.
So what I do, for now, is look at the parts that are available - either in my parts box, or online, and design around that.
Here's a lovely balsa wood nose cone I picked up from JonRocket months ago.
This shape is a spherically blunted tangent ogive, and the nose cone fits a BT70 tube, which is about 2.2 inches in diameter. This is getting toward the higher end of body tube size you'll find for low power model rockets, and into the mid power range. If you're new to model rockets, this thing will look huge to you - there are not many BT70 kits out there!
I have realized I need to get more of these, or get some other BT70 nose cones, because over the months, I've designed a number of rockets around this very nose cone.
One of the first was called Horus.
People give rockets all kinds of zany names. A quick look at an Estes catalog gives you some idea - Sizzler, Prospector, HiJinks, etc. A rocket can have any kind of name. But I guess I'm more of a classical kind of guy. I like to name my rockets after Greek, Roman, or sometimes Egyptian gods or mythological characters, or after celestial bodies. Horus is the falcon-headed Egyptian god of the sun.
Seemed like an appropriate name for a rocket.
I wanted to design my own rocket which looked vaguely like the Sirius Rocketry Eradicator - a beautiful rocket which has been on my wish list since I first saw it - but would be simpler to design and construct for a n00b.
No offense, Sirius Rocketry - you guys are awesome!
Not too bad, I thought. But in order to get a minimum of 1 caliber stability, I needed to have 5 fins, if they were to be swept forward. I was able to decrease the number of fins to four by adding fin vanes.
This increases the surface area of the fins, moving the center of pressure aftward, without making the fin span inordinately wide.
The Eradicator has a lot of great detail - it looks like a real launch vehicle. That level of design was a bit advanced for me. That's not to say you can't add additional detail to the build, but it's tricky to add it to the OpenRocket design.
This is a simple recent design, but one I like and am building now. It's another BT70 design with a 24mm motor mount. Like the Circe rocket, it's got swept back fins, but as you'll notice, the tips are not parallel to the rocket.
I've seen a few designs like this recently, and I like the look of it. Actually, a lot of classic kits have fins like this, but I've only just recently thought of changing the shape of the fins in OpenRocket.
You can select a few basic fin shapes in OpenRocket. I almost always opt for "trapezoidal," and then simply change the dimensions of the root chord, tip chord (chord is the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge) and height (the distance from the airframe to the tip of the fin).
Imperius, formerly known as the "Donor's Rocket"
See how the tips of the fins are parallel to the rocket body tube? Nothing wrong with that, of course.
But part of what gives a rocket its character is the shape of the fins. I went with a few designs that had the fins swept forward, like the Horus series above, and the Copperhead (formerly known as "Keith's Rocket").
And I like these designs. But you learn by playing with the tools you have, so I decided to try a different shape. Still simple enough to cut with a ruler and hobby knife, but a little different from what I'd made before.
FMLV stands for First Massachusetts Launch Vehicle, because it's the first scratch design rocket I'm building here in Boston. I'm using a 24mm Estes "quick release" screw-on motor retainer so that I can use my newly-acquired AeroTech 24mm reloadable casing, or an Estes black powder D or E motor.
That gives me a lot of motor options.
It will also be the first rocket I build from scratch which will have through the wall or TTW fin construction. This means that the fins have tabs at the base which will go through slots in the airframe and attach directly to the motor tube. You fins this as pretty standard in mid power and high power kits, and even some Estes low power kits, like the Cosmic Explorer.
Attaching fins to the Cosmic Explorer. In this kit, the slots are already cut for you.
Of course, in a kit, the slots are cut for you. For the FMLV, I'll have to cut my own fin slots for the first time.
Also included in my parts box is a BT80 sized parabolic nose cone.
You may have noticed that this nose cone has a similar profile to the Big Bertha nose cone, but while the Bertha uses a BT60 body tube - 1.637 inches in diameter, the BT80 is 2.6 inches in diameter. For a beginning model rocketeer, that's really big!
Regular readers of the blog may also recognize this nose cone as part of the ICU2 camera payload bay from Make: Rockets: Down-to-Earth Rocket Science by Mike Westerfield, which I used in the design of the Janus II two-stage rocket.
Since I had another one, I played around a little with a few designs.
A really large rocket, called Titus, after my girlfriend's nephew.
Meh... This kid needs to have a cooler looking rocket named after him.
Also played around with a large two-stage rocket.
Could be fun, especially with the two large 24mm diameter motors. But still a little inelegant. It was probably late at night when I did this one.
I might make a larger, not-quite-proportional version of the Copperhead rocket pictured above.
Finally, a design I nearly forgot about. This must have been months ago.
I had this idea when building both Sounder I, a tiny minimum diameter rocket I lost on its first flight, and the Ceres B booster, again from Mike Westerfield's book.
I stacked one on top of the other with a balsa transition I had in the parts box.
This looks like a two-stage sounding rocket, but it's really just one stage. Not that you couldn't do a two-stager here, but it would require some electronics I haven't worked with just yet.
I haven't discussed staging on the blog yet, but in brief, most model rockets with multiple stages rely on the first motor igniting the second. The first motor has no delay grain or ejection charge, or even clay cap.
The propellant is exposed at the forward end of the motor, so when it burns up, hot particles shoot forward into the nozzle of the second motor, igniting the second stage propellant.
Many multi-stage rockets have the motors touching each other. This is known as contact staging. There can be a gap between them, in what is known as gap staging, but the gap can only be so wide - 12 inches is probably the maximum.
This rocket is longer than that, and the two parts are separated by a solid balsa transition, so there would be no way for the hot propellant particles to reach the top portion. You can make hollow paper transitions, but I'm not very good at that yet, and balsa transitions of all sizes are available online.
Again, for a beginning designer, working around available components is the easiest way to get started.
High power rocketeers do multi-stage rockets using altimeters, or sometimes timers, to electronically ignite upper stages in the air. This is known as an air start.
Still, even as a one-stager, I like it. | 2019-04-18T10:49:34Z | http://rocketn00b.blogspot.com/2015/09/ |
A powered rotatable surgical tissue working tool for chucking in a powered rotating surgical handpiece includes a tubular elongate outer member having a distal tip portion angled off the central axis of the proximal portion of such tubular outer member, by reason of a angled portion therebetween. A rotatable elongate inner member extends coaxially and rotatably within the tubular outer member and has a rotatably drivable proximal portion, a distal tip portion for tissue working interaction with the distal tip portion of the outer member, and a flexibly bendable portion therebetween rotatably housed within the angled portion of the outer member. A suction passage communicates between the distal tip portions thereof and the handpiece for permitting suction withdrawal of flowable materials from a surgical site axially through such suction passage and to a suction source. An annular space is maintained between the flexible portion of the inner member and the angled portion of the outer member despite rotation of the inner member.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/433 695, filed on May 3, 1995 now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/313 407, filed on Sep. 27, 1994 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,630, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/144 195, filed on Oct. 27, 1993, now abandoned.
This invention relates to a rotatable surgical tool drivable by a powered rotary surgical handpiece and useable for arthroscopic surgery.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292 (Cezana et al), assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, discloses a straight, or linear, rotatable arthroscopic tool and a powered rotary surgical handpiece for releasably chucking and rotatably driving such tool. The tool comprises a tubular outer member having a hollow base at its proximal end for releasably fixed chucking on the handpiece, an elongate, slim, tubular intermediate portion, or sleeve, fixedly extending forward from said base and having a distal tip portion terminating the distal end of the sleeve. The tool further comprises a rotatable inner member having a proximal end portion defining a hub for rotational driving by a rotor of the handpiece when the tool is chucked in the handpiece. The rotatable inner member further comprises an intermediate portion extending forward from and rotatable in fixed relation with the hub and ending in a distal tip portion. The hub protrudes rearwardly from the tubular outer member, whereas the intermediate portion and distal tip portion of the rotatable inner member are sleeved within the tubular outer member. The distal tip portion of the rotatable inner member lies within and is rotatable within the distal tip portion of the tubular outer member. The distal tip portions are provided with means for surgically working tissue of a patient at a surgical site on the patient. The tissue working means may for example, comprise coacting oval shearing slots, or windows, on the distal tip portions. In one unit according to the aforementioned patent, a toothed shearing edge on the inner member slot coacts in a shearing fashion with a cutting edge on the outer member slot.
In the tool disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292, the rotatable inner member is tubular and open from the distal tip portion thereof through the intermediate portion and to a location on the hub in communication through the handpiece with a suction source, for suctioning flowable material, including irrigation liquid and pieces of tissue, from the surgical site.
In this prior patented device, the hollow tubular inner member is snugly, though rotatably, supported within the tubular outer member such that the flow of suctioned flowable material from the surgical site to the handpiece is inside the hollow tubular inner member. Further, the inner and tubular outer member are substantially rigid so that both are necessarily straight, to allow rotation of the inner member within the outer member.
The present assignee, Stryker Corporation, under model designation 270-851, has for several years manufactured a tool generally similar to that described above but wherein the above-mentioned coacting shearing slots are absent. The rotatable inner member carries a burr at its distal end exposed through the open front and of the outer tubular member, and the inner rotatable member has a solid shaft of maximum diameter substantially less than the interior diameter of the outer tubular member so as to provide an annular clearance therebetween. The intermediate portion of the inner shaft is supported by several axially spaced bushings distributed along its length and supported by the interior wall of the outer tubular member. Such bushings are provided with axially extended grooves which are open radially and endwise to allow suction of flowable materials from the surgical site along the length of the tool to the handpiece radially between the shaft and the inner wall of the outer tubular member. Again, the outer tube and inner shaft are both rigid and are thus necessarily straight to allow relative rotation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,744 (Krause et al), assigned to Smith and Nephew Dyonics, discloses a tool in which the rigid outer tubular member is curved near its distal end, so that the distal end is angled from the intermediate portion of the tool. The rotatable inner member is a hollow tubular member closely rotatably supported for rotation within the outer tubular member. The inner tubular member, adjacent its distal end, and in the curved portion of the outer tubular member, is purportedly made flexible enough to rotate within the curved outer tube in several alternative ways. In one embodiment, Krause reduces the diameter of the purportedly flexible portion and perforates it with closely axially and circumferentially spaced holes. Alternatively, Krause makes this portion purportedly flexible enough to rotate within the curved outer tube, by cutting therein axially and circumferentially close spaced, circumferentially extending, elongate chordal slots, the slots being connected by narrow circumferential and axial webs. The slots each extend almost halfway through the diameter of the inner tube. Axially adjacent pairs of these chordal slots are angularly shifted through 90° with respect to each other. In a further embodiment, the purported flexibility sufficient to enable rotation of the inner tube within the curved portion of the outer tube is to be achieved axially close spaced, radially planar slots cut almost all the way through the thickness of the inner tubular member, leaving only a narrow web of axially extending tube material between the circumferential ends of each slot, and wherein axially alternate slots open in diametrically opposite directions, the slots each being filled and hence closed with a web of silicone rubber to prevent leakage of flowable material radially out of the flexible portion of the rotatable inner tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,738 (Trott), assigned to Concept, Inc., rather similarly discloses a curved tubular outer member snugly rotatably supporting therein a hollow tubular inner member. The latter has a purportedly flexible portion in the curved zone of the tubular outer member, and comprising a set of three spirally wound tubes of flat metallic ribbon which are disposed one within the other to provide inner, middle and outer spirally wound tubes. The inner, middle and outer spirals are wound in alternating opposite directions and are spot welded at each end to form a composite three-layer purportedly flexible tube. Torque applied to one end of such composite flexible tube is to be transmitted by alternate layers trying to expand (unwind) or trying to contract (wind up) such that the middle spiral is to either attempt to expand and be resisted by contraction of the outer layer or the middle spiral is to attempt to contract or wind up and be resisted by the inner spiral. Further, the three spirals are welded to each other by spot welds disposed longitudinally along the spirally wound composite tube.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the present invention include provision of a tool drivable by a powered rotative surgical handpiece, wherein the tool has a fixed outer tubular member with an angled portion near the distal end thereof and inner rotatable member with a flexible portion at the angled portion of the outer member, in which such tool overcomes apparent difficulties of the prior art, including avoiding excessive friction between angled, snugly radially telescoped inner and outer tubes during rotation of the inner tube, high torque and power expenditures, excessive heating, friction and heat induced fatigue or wear, cost and complexity and unreliability of manufacture of hollow flexible tube portions, possible migration of hard (e.g. bone) fragments into flexible inner rotor slots (which may impede closing thereof and hence flexing) and through such slots into a close clearance rotative interface between inner and outer members so as to upset rotating clearances therebetween, inability to withdraw the inner member rearwardly out of the outer member and replace same forwardly into the outer member, and the like.
A powered rotatable surgical tissue working tool, for chucking in a powered rotating surgical handpiece. The tool includes a tubular elongate outer member having a distal tip portion angled off the central axis of the proximal portion of such tubular outer member, by reason of an angled portion therebetween. A rotatable elongate inner member extends coaxially and rotatably within the tubular outer member and has a rotatably drivable proximal portion, a distal tip portion for tissue working interaction with the distal tip portion of the outer member, and a flexibly bendable portion therebetween rotatably housed within the angled portion of the outer member.
An annular space between the inner and outer member communicates from the distal tip portions thereof to the handpiece for permitting suction withdrawal of flowable materials from a surgical site axially through such annular space and to a suction source. The annular space is maintained between the flexible portion of the inner member and the angled portion of the outer member despite rotation of the inner member.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the proximal portion of the elongate inner member is formed as a hollow tube which defines an interior suction passage, the flexibly bendable portion is connected to a transition portion of the proximal portion wherein the transition portion includes an opening which communicates in one direction with the interior suction passage of the proximal portion and in the opposite direction with the annular suction passage disposed about the flexibly bendable portion. This arrangement further facilitates the free flow of removed tissue along the axial length of the rotatable elongate inner member. In addition, the head includes additional features which also facilitate the free flow of tissue through the head.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to those familiar with apparatus of this general kind upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a top view of a tool embodying the invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary central cross sectional view substantially taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and showing schematically the cooperating parts of a corresponding handpiece.
FIG. 2A is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 2A--2A of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 2 with the rotatable inner member shown in central cross section.
FIG. 3A is a fragmentary pictorial view of the angled distal tip portion of the FIGS. 1-3 tool.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a preferred rotatable inner member head of the tool of FIGS. 1-3.
FIG. 5 is a central cross sectional view substantially taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a distal end view of the FIG. 4 head.
FIG. 7 is a fragment of FIG. 5 showing a preferred tooth form.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view substantially taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view substantially taken on the line 9--9 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view substantially taken on the line 10--10 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view substantially taken on the line 11--11 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 12 is a pictorial view of the rotatable drive hub of the FIG. 1 tool.
FIG. 13 is a side view in partial section of a further embodiment of the tool embodying the invention.
FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional view substantially taken on the line 14--14 of FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view substantially taken on the line 15--15 of FIG. 13.
FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary view of FIG. 13 with the rotatable inner member shown in central cross section.
FIG. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of FIG. 13 with the rotatable inner member shown in partial cross section.
FIG. 18 is an enlarged plan view of the further embodiment of the rotatable inner member head of the tool of FIG. 13.
FIG. 19 is a central cross sectional view substantially taken on the line 19--19 of FIG. 18.
FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the head illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19.
FIG. 21 is a proximal end view of the head illustrated in FIGS. 18-20.
FIG. 22 is a broken front elevational view of the rotatable drive hub and inner member of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13.
FIG. 23 is a central cross sectional view substantially taken on the line 23--23 of FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary central cross sectional view of the tool of FIGS. 13-22 and showing schematically the flow paths of the tool.
A tool 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) embodying the invention is adapted for chucking in a powered rotating surgical handpiece of any desired kind, an example which is disclosed in above-mentioned Cezana et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292, (assigned to the assignee of the present invention). Such a handpiece is schematically indicated at HP in FIG. 2. The handpiece HP has a housing H fixedly containing a suitable rotary drive motor means, indicated in broken lines at MM (for example electrically or fluid powered). The motor means MM has a rotary output shaft SH extending forward therefrom and fixedly carrying at its front end a diametrically protruding drive pin DP (FIG. 2). Although the handpiece HP may contain a suitable power source, such as electric batteries, in the example shown, same is connectible to a suitable remote power source P, for example electrical power source or a pressure gas source. The handpiece HP also preferably includes a connection to a suitable suction source S.
The tool 10 comprises a tubular outer member 11 (FIG. 2) comprising a proximal hollow base 12. An elongate tubular sleeve 13 is fixedly telescoped in and extends coaxially forwardly from the hollow base 12. The sleeve 13 includes a distal tip portion 14 and an intermediate portion 15 extending from the base 12 toward the distal tip portion 14. The sleeve 13 is here a rigid, thin walled, constant diameter, circular cross-section tube of stainless steel or equivalent material. The base 12 is configured to be rearwardly insertable in, fixedly held by, and releasably removable forward from a chuck C on the forward end of the handpiece HP. To cooperate with the chuck of the handpiece shown in above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292, the base 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) includes on its surface an annular groove 20 forward of a rearwardly opening, generally funnel shaped slot 21. Upon rearward insertion of the tool 10 into the handpiece HP (rearward insertion of the base 12 into the chuck C) of U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292, the base slot 21 receives a radially inward extending fixed pin in the chuck C, which fixes the outer member 11 against rotation in the handpiece HP. Simultaneously, the annular groove 20 in the outer member base 21 receives diametrically opposed half rings 23 in the chuck. The half rings are diametrically biased toward each other by spring means 24 in the chuck C, as schematically indicated in FIG. 2, to axially fix the outer member base 21 with respect to the handpiece HP. The handpiece HP includes means, not shown, manually actuable to pull apart the half rings 23 to thereby allow tool 10 to be pulled forwardly out of the handpiece chuck C after surgery, or during surgery when it is desired to substitute a different tool into driving relationship with the handpiece HP.
A driven rotatable elongate inner member 30 extends coaxially and rotatably within the tubular outer member 11 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The rotatable inner member 30 has a proximal end portion, defining a hub 31 rotatably drivably engageable by the rotary handpiece shaft SH and its transverse drive pin DP. More particularly, in the embodiment shown, the hub 31 includes at least two (here four) diametrically opposed, evenly circumferentially distributed, rearward opening notches 32 circumferentially spaced by a corresponding number of rear extending fingers 33. The notches 32 and fingers 33 surround and extend rearward from a central, blind, rear opening recess 34 (FIG. 2) in the hub 31. A coil compression spring 35 (FIG. 2) is snugly housed in the recess 34 and extends rearward therefrom.
The rotatable inner member 30 has an intermediate portion 36 (FIG. 2) coaxially fixed to and extending forward from the hub 31. The rotatable intermediate portion 36 is supported for rotation within the intermediate portion 15 of the tubular outer member 11 in a manner hereafter discussed. The rotatable inner member 30 has a distal tip portion 40 fixed forward of the intermediate portion 36 for rotation therewith and snugly rotatably disposed within the distal tip portion 14 of the tubular outer member 11.
The distal tip portions 14 and 40 here have means, hereafter discussed more fully, for surgically working the tissue of a patient at a surgical site on the patient. Tools of the herein described type can be provided with a variety of different purpose surgical tissue working means including burrs, cutters, etc. of conventional type. In the FIGS. 1 and 2 example, the distal tip portion 14 of the outer tubular member 11 is provided with an angled, laterally and somewhat forwardly opening, planar window 41. The window 41 has laterally opposed cutting edges. The window 41 may be so formed by forming the distal tip portion of the tubular outer member with a semi-spherical closed end and then machining away a part thereof in an angled planar manner as here shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The inner distal tip 40 is rotatable snugly within the outer distal tip portion 14 and has a cutting edge 42 rotatable in shearing relation past the cutting edge of the window 41.
The inner member 30 is axially insertable forwardly into the tubular outer member 11 and is axially rearwardly removable therefrom when not installed on a handpiece HP. On the other hand, when installed on a handpiece HP, by rearward insertion into the forward extending chuck C thereof, the forward end of the shaft SH of the handpiece partly compresses the spring 35 (FIG. 2) of the inner member hub 31, to push the inner distal tip portion 40 forward snugly against the front end 43 of the distal tip portion 14 of the outer member 11, so as to axially accurately position the rotatable inner tip portion 40 with respect to the outer tip portion 14. This properly aligns the cutting edge of the outer member window 41 with the rotary cutting edge 42 of the inner distal tip portion 40 and maintains the proper relative axial position therebetween during cutting. Also with the tool 11 installed in the handpiece HP, the diametrical drive pin DP of the handpiece shaft enters and rides in a diametrically opposed pair of the notches 32 of the hub 31 and, upon rotation of the shaft SH, the drive pin DP correspondingly rotates the inner rotatable member 30 and thereby rotates the distal tip portion 40 thereof to rotationally move its cutting edge 42 past the corresponding cutting edges of the outer member window 41.
In various surgical procedures, for example in trimming the edge of the meniscus cartilage in knee surgery, it is often desirable to irrigate with liquid the surgical site (in a conventional manner not shown) and then to draw by suction flowable material (irrigation liquid, bits of removed tissue, etc.) from the surgical site. This can be done by drawing such flowable material into the window 41, then rearwardly along the length of the outer member 11 and further rearwardly through a portion of the hub 31 and then radially outwardly into a suction path through the handpiece and outward therefrom to the suction source S. Thus, the tool 10 can be used for simultaneously cutting tissue at the surgical site and removing flowable material from the surgical site.
To the extent above described, the tool 10 is conventional and one example thereof is shown in above-referenced Cezana et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,292.
Unlike in such patent, the intermediate portion 36 of the rotatable inner member 30 comprises a rigid, solid (not hollow) shaft 44 having coaxial front, mid and rear parts 45F, 45M, and 45R of elongate cylindrical form and of diameter sufficiently less than the inside diameter of the sleeve 13 as to create an annular suction passage 46 between the shaft 44 and inside of the sleeve 13 for drawing of flowable materials from a surgical site. The suction passage 46 runs the length of the tool from the distal tip portion 14 of the tubular outer member 11 rearward through the base 12 into the front end of the hub 31 and radially outward therefrom (as hereafter detailed) and through a portion of the handpiece HP indicated by the arrows 46A to the conventional suction source S. In the embodiment shown, the outside diameter of the shaft parts 45F, 45M, and 45R is about 2/3 the inside diameter of the sleeve 13, leaving a substantial radial clearance therebetween for suction of fluid materials from the surgical site.
To rotatably support the shaft for coaxial rotation within the sleeve 13, axially elongate front and rear bushings 50F and 50R respectively are disposed rotatably on reduced diameter parts 51 and 52 of the shaft 44 between the axially spaced shaft parts 45R, 45M and 45R. The shaft parts 51 and 52 are elongate and cylindrical but of diameter less than the shaft parts 45F, 45M and 45R.
To allow the portions 45F, 45M and 45R to be of diameter larger than the shaft parts 51 and 52, the bushings 50 F and R are constructed to snap radially onto the corresponding reduced diameter shaft parts 51 and 52. The bushing 50F applied to the shaft part 52 is shown in FIG. 2A, it being understood that the shaft part 51 and rear bushing 50 are preferably identical. To admit the shaft part 51, 52 radially thereinto, each bushing 50F, R has a slot 53 running axially the length thereof and opening radially outward to the interior of the sleeve 13 and inward to a coaxial, circular cross section bore 54 which extends the length thereof and rotatably coaxially supports the corresponding reduced diameter portion 51 or 52 of the shaft 44. The narrowest width of the slot 53 is slightly more than the outside diameter of the corresponding reduced diameter shaft part 51, 52, permitting the bushing to flex circumferentially enough to widen the slot 53 and allow radial snapping of the bushing over the shaft into the coaxially centered relation shown in FIG. 2A.
In addition, the bushings 50F, R have circumferentially distributed channels 55 indenting the perimeter thereof for the length thereof, one of the channels 55 constituting a funnel-like circumferential widening of the slot 53. The channels 55 continue the suction flow passage 46 axially along and past the bushings 50F, R. Preferably the bushings 50F, R each have three circumferentially distributed channels 55, leaving therebetween three evenly circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly extending lobes 56 (FIG. 2A) radially sized and circumferentially shaped to slide, with the shaft, axially forwardly into the sleeve 13 to the location shown in FIG. 2, for rotatably supporting the shaft with respect hereto. The bushings 50F, R are substantially coextensive in length with the corresponding reduced diameter shaft parts 51, 52. The bushings 50F, R are thus axially snugly sandwiched between the shaft front, mid and rear parts 45F, M, R. The bushings 50F, R are preferably of low friction molded plastics material, such as polycarbonate (in one unit partially glass fiber (30%) filled polycarbonate).
The shaft 44 further includes a drive end portion 57 (FIG. 2) which extends coaxially and integrally fixedly rearwardly from the rear shaft part 45R and rearward coaxially beyond the rear end of the hollow base 12 and is coaxially fixed in driven relation in the hub 31. The base 12 and hub 31 are preferably of rigid molded plastics material, such as polycarbonate. The base 12 and hub 31 are conventionally fixed coaxially as by molding on the rear end portions of the sleeve 13 and shaft 44 respectively. The sleeve 13 and shaft 44 are preferably of rigid stainless steel.
The hub 31 (FIG. 12) is formed to receive flowable material from the surgical site, and more immediately from the central bore 60 (FIG. 2), and to pass it to the surrounding portion of the handpiece HP for transfer through the suction passage (not shown) in the handpiece to the suction source S. To this end, the front end of the hub 31 defines a ring 61 having a central opening 62 for loosely coaxially receiving therethrough the shaft driven end portion 57 (FIG. 2). The main body 63 (FIG. 12) of the hub 31 is axially spaced from the ring 61 by circumferentially spaced columns 64 defining open windows 65 circumferentially therebetween. The windows 65 open radially outward and also open rearward into corresponding rearwardly extending, correspondingly circumferentially spaced, troughs 66, which end blindly at 67, in spaced relation ahead of the notches 32. Thus, suctioned flowable material from the surgical site passes rearwardly from the central bore 60 of the base 12 (FIG. 2), along the shaft driven end portion 57, through the central opening 62 and more particularly through the annular space between the ring 61 and shaft driven end portion 57, into the flow direction changing space bounded by the columns 64. There the flow is diverted radially outward and rearwardly to flow into the troughs 66 and the portion of the handpiece HP surrounding same, so as to thereafter pass out of the handpiece HP through the suction passage therein (not shown), in the direction of the arrows 46A, to the conventional suction source S.
It will be noted that the shaft rearward driven end portion 57 continues rearward into the main body 63 of the hub 31 (FIG. 2) and abuts a step 68 (FIG. 8) which faces forward from a location adjacent the rear opening recess 34 so that forward pressure on the hub 31 exerts a similar forward pressure against the shaft 44.
Turning now more particularly to aspects of the tool 10 embodying the present invention, attention is directed to FIG. 2.
Under the present invention the distal tip portion 14 (FIG. 2) of the tubular outer member 11 is angled, here at about 15°, with respect to the intermediate portion 15 of the sleeve 13, by reason of an angled portion 70 of the sleeve. The angled portion 70 is smoothly curved as seen in FIG. 2 and the interior of the sleeve maintains its normal circular cross section and diameter from the intermediate portion 15, through the angled portion 70, and into the distal end portion 14. The smooth curvature of the angled portion 70 is achieved by drawing its central length axis arc on a relatively long radius, for example 6 to 8 times the outside diameter of the sleeve 13.
The distal tip portion 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of the inner rotatable member 30 comprises a tissue working head 71. The head 71 has a substantially modified bullet shape and indeed can be conveniently manufactured from a bullet shaped blank. The head 71 has a convexly rounded nose 72 which snugly rotates within and bears axially forward on the inner face of the convexly rounded front end 43 of the distal tip portion 14 of the tubular outer member 11. The nose 72 and front end 43 are both preferably hemispherical, as shown. A central bore 73 is a conveniently drilled coaxially in the rear end 74 of the head 71 and extends coaxially forward to the nose 72 (FIG. 3). The central bore 73 extends forward from the head rear end 74. Approximately 3/5 of the length of the head 71 is radially relieved to provide a reduced outside diameter and wall thickness, cylindrical, substantially tubular tail 75. The tail 75 has about the same outer diameter as the shaft portion 45F and is thus radially surrounded by an annular front extension 46FE of the suction passage 46. The head 71 is thus left with a forward radial bearing portion 76, ahead of the front end of the tail 75, namely ahead of the forward extension 46FE of the suction passage and behind the window 41 in the tubular outer member 11. This bearing portion 76 coaxially rotatably supports the head 71 within the distal tip portion 14 of the tubular outer member 11.
To define the cutting edge 42 of the inner rotatable member 30, a circumferential portion (the upper circumferential portion with the head oriented rotatably as shown in FIG. 3) is removed in any convenient way, for example by milling with a relatively small diameter milling cutter of circular cylindrical shape generally indicated in dotted lines at M in FIG. 7. Thus, as indicated in more detail in FIGS. 4-6, successive applications of the milling cutter M here leave an upward opening mouth 80 in relatively large area communication with the central bore 73 of the head 71. In the embodiment shown, the mouth is thus defined by a series of upwardly concave, transversely extending, semi-circular cross section grooves 81 arranged side by side along a substantially chordal plane from the rearward end to the forward end of the mouth 80 and defining the transversely opposed pair of cutting edges 42 on transversely opposite sides of the mouth 80 which in profile, as seen in FIG. 5, provide an appearance of a series of teeth 82. Although the mouth 80 here shown is structured to effectively cooperate its cutting edges 42 in an efficient shearing manner with the adjacent edges of the window 41 of the tubular outer member 11, it will be understood that other types of tissue working cooperation, and structure therefore, may be provided in place of the particular window 41 and mouth 80 here shown. However, the head 71 provides a path for fluent material, including bits of tissue and the like, to be drawn from the surgical site outside the distal portion 14 of the outer tubular member 11 and into the central bore 73 of the head 71, as generally indicated by the further arrows 46E entering the central bore 73 through the window 41 and mouth 80 in FIG. 3, from the surgical site.
A transverse, chordal (here substantially diametral) flow port 83 (FIG. 3) is formed (preferably milled) in the forward end of the tubular tail 75. The port 83 is here about the same axial length as the nose portion of the head extending forward therefrom, and about twice the axial length of the residual portion of the tail 75 extending rearward therefrom. The flow port 83 provides large area communication with the central bore 73. Thus, the port 83 allows relatively free flow of flowable materials therethrough from the mouth 80 rearwardly and radially outwardly into the annular flow passage 46 which extends rearward within the tubular outer member 11 as above described.
The rotatable elongate inner member 30 further includes a coaxial flexibly bendable portion 90 (FIG. 3) coaxially fixed at its opposite ends to the front end of the shaft front part 45F and to the rear end 74 of the head 71 for rotatably driving the head 71 from the shaft 44 and allowing the shaft 44 to axially press the nose 72 of the head 71 forwardly against the rounded front end 43 of the tubular outer member 11. This keeps the mouth 80 in axially correct position with the window 41 while yet allowing bending of the rotatable inner member 30, in the manner seen at FIG. 2, during rotation of the rotatable inner member, despite angling of the distal tip portion 14 with respect to the intermediate portion 15 of the tubular outer member 11 and without scuffing of the rotatable inner member 30 with respect to the surrounding angled portion 70 of the tubular outer member 11. As to the latter, the flexible bendable portion 90 is to be maintained, during rotation, coaxial with the generally curved surrounding angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member and hence so as to maintain a constant thickness annular space therebetween during rotation, as generally indicated in FIG. 2. Further, the member 90, while flexibly bendable during rotation is non-twistable so as to transmit the necessary rotational driving torque from the handpiece HP to the head 71.
In the preferred embodiment shown, the flexibly bendable portion 90 (FIG. 2) comprises an elongate flexible member 91 having a central part 92 located within the angled portion 70 of the tubular outer member 11 and wherein bending during rotation occurs to accommodate the angle of such angled portion 70. The flexible member 91 further includes elongate distal and proximal parts coaxially flanking the central part 92 and respectively extending coaxially into fixed coaxial driving engagement with the adjacent rear and front ends of the head 71 and shaft 44.
In the preferred embodiment shown, the flexible member 91 comprises length of conventional wound-wire flexible shafting. In one unit constructed according to the present invention, the flexible member 91 was a 0.070 inch diameter, 1.65 inch long piece of flexible shafting constructed of stainless steel wire, and available from Suhner Manufacturing Inc. of Rome, Ga. under part No. A-225-4784. That particular unit is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the flexible member 91 comprises a coaxial center wire 95, wound with a first layer of intermediate wound wires 96 (here four in number) in one circumferential direction, which first circumferential layer is then over wound with a second layer of outer wound wires 97 (here five in number). To prevent unwinding of the wires, the ends of the flexible member 91 are here fused by welding as generally indicated at 100. The intermediate and outer wires are tightly wound in a conventional manner.
The end portions of the distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 of the flexible member 91 are coaxially connected to the head 71 and shaft 44 preferably by snug coaxial reception in the rear end portion of the central bore 73 of the head 71 and in a forward facing cylindrical recess 101 (FIG. 3) in the front end of the shaft 44. Actual fixing of the thus inserted ends of the flexible member 91 can be in any conventional manner. It is convenient to crimp the surrounding front end portion of the shaft 44 tightly to the proximal end portion 94 of the flexible member 91 as indicated at 102 in FIG. 3. The same can be done with respect to the distal end portion 93 housed in the head 71 although adhesive bonding, welding or the like may be used instead.
In the preferred embodiment shown, the entire portion of the flexible member 91 between the shaft 44 and head 71 is preferably snugly covered by a relatively thin-walled sheath 103 (FIG. 3). The sheath 103 prevents particles in the suctioned flowable material from entering between the coils of the outer wire layer 96 as the flexible member 91 flexes during rotation. Thus, a solid particle entering between adjacent wire coils on the outside of the bend cannot interfere with contact between such coils on the inside of the bend, following 180° of shaft rotation. In addition, the sheath 103 can act as a buffer preventing direct contact between the outer wires 96 of the flexible member 91 and the inside wall of the angled portion 70 of the tubular outer member 11, in the highly unlikely event of a malfunction wherein the flexible member 91 displaces radially sufficient to brush against the inside surface of the outer tubular member.
In the embodiment shown, the sheath 103 is conveniently a length of conventional heat shrink tubing, preferably polyester heat shrink tubing. This material is relatively low friction material and is capable of shrinking almost half diameter upon application of modest heat thereto, so as to snugly grip the outside of the flexible member 91. The sheath covered flexible member 91 has an effective outside diameter no more than that of the shaft 44 and tail 75 of the head 71, so as to continue the annular passage 46 axially therepast and not impede rearward flow of flowable material from the surgical site therepast.
Applicant has found that the flexible member 91 (FIG. 2) will maintain its coaxial location within the angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member and hence maintain equal radial spacing therein during rotation in surgical use at substantial rotational speeds, for example as high as about 3,000 to 6,000 rpm, given that the head 71 is held forwardly against the front end 43 of the outer tubular member and with substantial axial extension of distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 of the flexible member axially beyond the angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member. In one unit constructed according to the invention, and as shown in FIG. 2, the distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 of the flexible member occupy the straight parts of the outer tubular member flanking the angled portion 70 and are each at least as long as the central part 92 of the flexible member. The central part 92 occupies the angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member and hence is the part called upon to flex during rotation. In other words, the flanking distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 need not flex and are at least as long as the flexing central part 92 which they flank. Further, the coaxially fixed engagement of the distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 of the flexible member 91 with the opposed ends of the head 71 and shaft 44, which are coaxially rotatable within their corresponding portions of the outer tubular member 11, maintain the distal and proximal parts 93 and 94 of the flexible member 91 coaxial within the outer tubular member during rotation.
The tool 10 is readily manufacturable as follows, for example. Following formation of hemispherical distal tip portion 14 and angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member 11, the base 12 is formed and fixed thereto. As to the rotatable inner member, the shaft 44 and head 71 are formed as shown and the hub 31 is formed and fixed on the rear end portion of the shaft 44. The coil compression spring 35 may at any time be inserted into the rear facing recess 34 in the rear end of the base 12. The outer wrapped wire layer 93 of the flexible central portion 92 of the flexible member 91 is loosely sleeved over with the tubular heat shrinkable sheath 103 and its ends are fixedly telescoped in the proposed ends of the shaft 44 and head 71. Thereafter, gentle heating of the shrink tube sheath 103 radially shrinks it to tightly grip the outer wire layer 93 of the flexible member 91 throughout its exposed length. The molded plastic bushings 50R and 50F are radially resiliently snapped onto the reduced diameter shaft portions 51 and 52 respectively so as to rotate freely and coaxially thereon.
Thereafter, the tool 10 can be assembled by insertion of the rotatable inner member 30, head 71 first, forwardly into the rear end of the tubular outer member 11. This telescoping insertion proceeds most easily with the window 41 and mouth 80 facing in the same circumferential direction, for example both facing up with the tool 10 horizontal.
During insertion of the rotatable inner member 30 into the tubular outer member 11, the chamfered forward ends of the bushings 50F, R slide axially therewith, in a low friction manner, forward into their positions shown in the tubular outer member 11 and the head 71 comes axially to press against the closed front end 43 of the outer tubular member 11. The flexible member 91, during such telescoping assembly, accommodates the curvature of the angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member since, while it is laterally bendable it is not axially compressible.
The tool 10 is rearwardly inserted into the chuck C of a handpiece HP in a conventional way, namely by telescoped insertion rearwardly thereinto of the drive hub 31 and outer member base 12. Upon completion of insertion, the split ring 23 and pin 22 of the chuck C axially and radially fix the outer tubular member 11 with respect to the handpiece HP, and the handpiece shaft SH and double pin DP respectively resiliently push forward the resilient inner member distal tip portion 40 against the closed front end 43 of the outer tubular member and insert into opposed notches 32 of the hub 31 to rotatably drive the rotatable inner member upon conventional actuation of the motor means of the handpiece.
To use the tool 10, chucked in a suitable handpiece HP, the handpiece is connected to a suitable power source P (e.g. electric power source) for electric motor MM, and normally to a suitable suction source S. The surgeon can then insert the distal tip portion 14 of the tool in a small, for example arthroscopic, incision into a surgical site in a patient, for example for arthroscopic trimming of the edge of the meniscus cartilage in a knee joint. The angling of the distal tip portion 14 with respect to the proximal portion of the tool 10 permits the surgeon to reach, and orient the cutting window 41 toward, portions of the surgical site which would not readily be accessible by a straight tool without applying excessive tilting or sideways forces to the tissue of the patient through which the tip of the tool is inserted, or without relocating the tool in a new incision.
Surgeon actuation of the handpiece motor MM rotates the rotatable inner member 30. The flexibly bendable portion 90 (FIG. 2) flexes as needed to maintain coaxiality with the angled portion 70 of the outer tubular member 11, i.e. to maintain its centered position therein shown in FIG. 2, during rotation of the inner member. The flexibly bendable portion 90 cannot straighten because of the axial compression force on the inner tubular member due to its axial entrapment between (1) the spring 35 and the drive shaft SH of the handpiece HP at the proximal end thereof and (2) the rounded, closed front end 43 of the outer tubular member at the distal end thereof. Rotation of the head 71 moves the cutting edges 42 of the inner member in a circumferential shearing manner with respect to the cutting edges defined by the window 41, so as to separate small bits of tissue sequentially from the intended portion of the surgical site.
Typically the surgical site is infused with irrigation liquid, from a suitable conventional source not shown. With the handpiece HP connecting the inner portion of the outer tubular member 11 to the suction source S (FIG. 2) excess irrigation liquid, with bits of tissue and other particulate matter entrained therein, is drawn from the surgical site through the window 41 and repetitively as the head 71 rotates, through the mouth 80 thereof, through the central bore 73 thereof and radially out the port 83 thereof and rearwardly along the annular suction passage 46 surrounding the rotating inner member 30. Such rearward flow is facilitated by the channels 55 between the lobes 56 of the bushings 50F, R and by the radial spacing of the rotatable inner member 30 from the interior wall of the tubular outer member 11. Such flow continues through the loose central opening 62 and radially outward opening windows 65 and troughs 66 of the hub 31 and through the suction passage (not shown) in the handpiece HP to the suction source. Such flow is indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.
The tool 10 is constructed in a relatively inexpensive manner so as to be disposable after a single use (for example after a single surgical procedure), so as to avoid need for subsequent sterilization, the costs thereof, the risk of imperfect sterilization, and the resulting risk of contamination of a second patient by bodily materials of a first.
FIGS. 13-24 show a further embodiment of the invention, which is substantially the same as that described above with respect to FIGS. 1-12 except as discussed below. Features of the FIGS. 1-24 embodiment similar to those of FIGS. 1-12, are identified by the same reference numerals with the suffix A added.
In this further (FIGS. 13-24) embodiment, the driven rotatable elongate inner member 30A extends coaxially and rotatably within the tubular outer member 11A, but is modified to further facilitate the removal of tissue along the length thereof.
More particularly, referring to FIG. 24, the flow path of removed tissue is modified as shown by the reference arrows in FIG. 24, to minimize restriction of flow.
The rotatable inner member 30A (FIG. 23) has a drive end portion 57A which is conventionally coaxially fixed in driven relation within an inner bore 110 of the hub 31A. The inner bore 110 extends rearwardly from the inner member 30A and opens into a transverse access bore 112 which communicates with the suction source S (not illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24) to remove tissue from the inner member 30A.
Referring to FIGS. 22 and 24, the inner member 30A includes a proximal portion 114 coaxially fixed to and extending forward from the hub 31A. The outside diameter of the portion 114, preferably, is only slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the sleeve 13A. The proximal portion 114 is supported for rotation within the hollow base 12A and the sleeve 13A of the tubular outer portion 11A by bearing sleeves 116 which are disposed about the outer peripheral surface of the inner member 30A. Although here shown thicker in the drawings, for convenience in illustration, preferably the bearing sleeves 116 are thin walled (e.g. approximately 0.001 in. thick) and formed of a shrink wrap polymer such as Teflon (TM) which during rotation reduces the friction occurring between the inner member 30A and the outer member 11A. Preferably, two bearing sleeves 116 are provided, i.e. a proximal bearing sleeve 116P which is disposed within the hollow base 12A during use and a distal bearing sleeve 116D which is disposed within the sleeve 13A away from the base 12A. The distal bearing sleeve 116D further serves the purpose of preventing undesirable entry of tissue between the inner member 30A and the sleeve 13A, as generally seen in FIG. 24.
The proximal portion 114 is provided with a tubular shape which defines an interior suction passage 46I through the interior and along the axial length thereof from a distal end and extending to a proximal end at the hub 31A. This interior suction passage 46I coaxially communicates with the inner bore 110 of the hub 31A.
Referring to FIG. 22, the inner member 30A also includes a distal portion 118 which connects to a transition portion 120 of the proximal portion 114. The distal portion 118 is similar to that previously described herein at 40, in that it includes a coaxial flexibly bendable portion 90A which has a radial clearance between the outside diameter thereof and an inside diameter of the sleeve 13A, as can be seen in FIG. 24. This radial clearance defines an annular suction passage 46A.
Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the transition portion 120 is formed integral with the proximal portion 114 and extends forwardly therefrom. To facilitate connection to the bendable portion 90A as well as facilitate the flow being received from the head 71A along the annular suction passage 46A, the transition portion 120 necks down from the increased diameter at the proximal portion 114 and reduces to a reduced diameter portion 122 which has an outside diameter proximate the outside diameter of the distal portion 118. To permit entry of tissue being removed from the surgical site, the transition portion 120 includes a lateral opening 124 which communicates with the interior of the proximal portion 114 and accordingly, communicates with the interior suction passage 46I thereof.
This opening 124 also communicates with the annular suction passage 46A adjacent thereto. Preferably the lateral opening 124 is elongate so as to provide a sufficiently sized opening to permit free access of tissue therein. In particular, as seen in FIG. 17, the opening 124 extends from the reduced diameter portion 122 and terminates proximate the maximum diameter of the proximal portion 114.
Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the transition portion 120 terminates forwardly at an entry opening 126 which is adapted to coaxially receive the proximal end 94A of the bendable portion 90A in tight-fitting engagement. To further secure the bendable portion 90A within the entry opening 126, the bendable portion 90A may be permanently affixed by such conventional techniques as welding or brazing or staking.
Forwardly of the transition portion 120 the distal portion 118, and more particularly, the bendable portion 90A thereof is formed substantially identical to that of the previous embodiment described herein. As illustrated in FIG. 24, the distal portion 118 has a reduced diameter in comparison to the inner diameter of the outer member 11A, such that the annular suction passage 46A is formed between the outer surface 136 of the distal portion 118 and the inner surface 138 of the sleeve 13A of the outer member 11A. With the lateral opening 124 provided in the transition portion 120, the tissue flows along the annular suction passage 46A and into the interior suction passage 46I of the proximal portion 114. Similar to the first embodiment hereof, the bendable portion 90A has a distal end 93A which terminates proximate the distal tip portion 14A of the outer member 11A and is coaxially secured to the rear end 74A of the tissue working head 71A.
Referring to FIGS. 18-21, the head 71A includes a central bore 73A, a reduced diameter tubular tail 75A, cutting edges 42A and a transverse, chordal flow port 83A. The head 71A also includes means for working tissue having an upward opening mouth 80A.
As in the previous embodiment, a path for fluent material is provided through the head 71A from the mouth 80A through the central bore 73A and out through the flow port 83A. To facilitate flow therethrough, the flow port 83A is modified so as to taper forwardly and terminate at a distal edge 140 thereof which increases the size of the port 83A. This distal edge 140 is disposed substantially diametrically opposite a proximal edge 142 of the tissue working cutting edges 42A. By providing the distal edge 140 substantially opposite the proximal edge 142 opposite thereto a substantially diagonal flow path results between the cutting edges 42A and the flow port 83A which provides an improved flow of the tissue being removed. This improved flow avoids unnecessary contact with the walls of the head 71A which can impede flow. This arrangement provides an increased opening size for the flow port 83A which further facilitates flow of fluent material therefrom.
In addition, the radial bearing portion 76A of the head 71A is provided with a thinner wall thickness and the interior surface of the central bore 73A is shaped so as to taper rearwardly to the reduced diameter tail 75A thereof. This tapering arrangement provides the proximal edge 142 with a reduced cross-sectional area and provides a sloping surface in the central bore 73A which further facilitates flow therethrough. In other words, this maximizes the size of the central bore 73A in the region of the distal edge 140 and the proximal edge 142.
This tapering of the interior surface of the head 71A preferably is accomplished by forming the head 71A with a tubular shape having a uniform diameter. Then, the distal end 74A is swaged to form the reduced diameter tail portion 75A.
Referring to FIGS. 15 and 21, flow is further promoted by providing the tail portion 75A with a C-shaped cross section which is accomplished by cutting off a bottom section of the tail 75A which thereby provides an opening which communicates with the annular suction passage 46A as illustrated in FIG. 24. The tail portion 75A receives and is coaxially fixedly secured to the distal end 93A of the bendable portion 90A. By providing a C-shaped cross section for the tail 75A, the width of the annular suction passage 46A in the area of the opening of the C-shape is maximized to thereby maximize the flow of tissue material therealong.
The distal end of the bendable portion 90A is sufficiently secured by providing the tail 75A with this C-shaped arcuate section of sufficient size so that the bendable portion 90A may not be dislodged through the opening of the tail 75A. The bendable portion 90A is further secured therein by such securing techniques as welding or brazing.
During operation, the inner member 30A of this embodiment is operated substantially as described herein with respect to the aforesaid embodiment. Flow, however, is improved from the head 71A to the hub 3A by the arrangement described herein. In particular, tissue flows through the central bore 73A, out of the flow port 83A, along the annular suction passage 46A disposed about the bendable portion 90A until reaching the transition portion 120. At the transition portion 120, the tissue will flow through the lateral opening 124 and thereafter through the interior suction passage 46A of the proximal portion 114. With this flow arrangement, obstruction of the tissue as it flows along the suction path is minimized.
a tissue working head rotatably drivable by and fixed with respect to a distal end of said inner shaft, said head being rotatable inside said hollow distal tip portion of said tubular outer member, said head comprising surgical tissue working means at the distal end thereof cooperable with said opening in said distal tip portion of said outer member for engaging and removing tissue from a surgical site during surgery, said head further comprising a lateral port opening between said tissue working means and said annular suction passage in said outer tubular member, said head having a reduced radius tail disposed proximally of said port for continuing said annular suction passage forward along said tail to said port.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said proximal portion includes bearing means for substantially coaxially rotatably supporting said proximal portion of said inner shaft within said outer member, said bearing means disposed sealingly between said proximal portion and said outer member and proximate said transition opening.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which said distal portion of said inner shaft is a flexibly bendable member fixed at its ends to and between said transition portion and said head to rotatably drive said head from said inner shaft, said tubular outer member having an angled portion for angling said hollow distal tip portion with respect to an intermediate portion of said tubular outer member, said flexibly bendable member being located in said angled portion of said outer tubular member.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, in which said flexibly bendable member comprises a substantially non-twistable torque transmitting member, said transition portion and head having coaxial, opposed entries fixedly receiving therein the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of said flexibly bendable member, for transmitting torque from said proximal portion of said inner shaft through said flexibly bendable member thereof to said head.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said reduced radius tail defines said entry for receiving the distal end of the flexibly bendable member, said reduced radius tail having a C-shaped cross sectional shape which opens laterally into said annular suction passage and adjacent said lateral port opening of said head.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said flexibly bendable member is a coaxial cable.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the head is substantially bullet shaped but has a central bore extending forwardly through its proximal end and ending adjacent its distal end, the distal portion of said head being relieved to define said surgical tissue working means and to communicate same with the forward end of said central bore, said distal portion of said inner shaft being a flexibly bendable member, the distal end of said flexibly bendable member being fixed within the proximal end portion of said central bore, said lateral port being in a mid-length portion of said head ahead of said flexibly bendable member end and communicating between said bore proximal end and the interior of said tubular outer member adjacent said surgical material working means, said bore and port defining a suction passage in said head in communication with said annular suction passage.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said surgical tissue working means includes an opening in communication with said central bore and which defines a proximal edge thereof and said lateral port opening defines a distal edge thereof, said proximal edge and said distal edge being disposed substantially diametrically opposite one with the other to facilitate flow of tissue from said surgical site through said central bore and out of said lateral port.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said surgical tissue working means includes an opening in communication with said central bore and which defines a proximal edge thereof, an interior surface of said central bore tapering radially inwards away from said proximal edge and toward the reduced radius tail portion to facilitate flow thereat.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flow blocking means comprise first and second opposite end portions which are enclosed for said blocking of the tissue flow through the central portion.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flow blocking means comprise an imperforate outer peripheral surface of said distal portion, said annular suction passage being defined between said outer peripheral surface and said inside surface of said outer tubular member.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said transition opening and said lateral port opening is larger than the cross-sectional area of said annular suction passage.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said tissue working tool includes only one said transition opening and only one said lateral port opening.
a tissue working head rotatably drivable by and fixed with respect to a distal end of said inner shaft, said head being rotatable inside said hollow distal tip portion of said outer member, said head comprising surgical tissue working means at the distal end thereof cooperable with said opening in said distal tip portion of said outer member for engaging and removing tissue from a surgical site during surgery, said head further comprising a lateral port opening between said tissue working means and said annular suction passage, said head having a reduced radius tail proximally of said port for continuing said annular suction passage of said outer tubular member forward along said tail to said port, said head having a central bore extending forwardly through its proximal end and ending adjacent its distal end and which fixedly receives the distal end of said flexibly bendable member within the proximal end thereof, the distal portion of said head being relieved to define an opening of said surgical tissue working means, the last mentioned opening having a proximal edge and communicating with said central bore, said central bore having an interior surface tapering radially inwards away from said proximal edge of said opening of said tissue working means and toward the reduced radius tail portion to facilitate flow of tissue into said central bore.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, in which said elongate rotatable inner shaft includes a tubular proximal portion having an inner surface defining an interior suction passage, said proximal portion having a tapered transition portion connecting said distal portion and said proximal portion coaxially together, said transition portion having an opening in communication with said interior suction passage and said annular suction passage.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said flexibly bendable member is fixed at its ends to and between said transition portion and said head to rotatably drive said head from said distal portion said outer tubular member having an angled portion for angling said hollow distal tip portion with respect to an intermediate portion of said tubular outer member, said flexibly bendable member being located in said angled portion of said outer tubular member.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, in which said angled portion of said outer tube and said flexible member have substantially the same center of curvature.
18. The apparatus according to claim 14, in which said head defines an entry proximate said reduced radius end which fixedly receives therein the proximal end of said flexibly bendable member for transmitting torque from said proximal portion through said flexible member to said head, said reduced radius end having a C-shaped cross section which opens laterally into said annular suction passage and coaxially adjacent said lateral port opening of said head.
19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said surgical tissue working means includes an opening in communication with said central bore, the last mentioned opening having a proximal edge, said lateral port opening having a distal edge, said proximal edge and said distal edge being disposed substantially diametrically opposite one with the other to facilitate flow of tissue from said surgical site through said central bore and out of said lateral port.
a hollow tissue working head having a hollow interior and being rotatably drivable by and fixed with respect to a distal end of said inner shaft, said head being rotatable inside said hollow distal tip portion of said outer member, said head comprising surgical tissue working means at the distal end thereof cooperable with said opening in said distal tip portion of said outer member for engaging and removing tissue to the interior of the hollow head from a surgical site during surgery, said surgical tissue working means having a proximal edge, said head further comprising a lateral port opening radially between said head hollow interior, which defines a central bore thereof, and said annular suction passage in said outer member, said lateral port defining a distal edge which is substantially diametrically opposite said proximal edge of said surgical tissue working means, said head having a reduced radius tail extending toward said shaft and disposed proximally of said port for continuing said annular suction passage of said outer tubular member forward along said tail to said port, said reduced radius tail defining an entry for receiving a distal end of said distal portion and having a C-shaped cross section to maintain the radial width of said annular suction passage therealong.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said central bore has an interior surface tapering radial inwards away from said proximal edge of said opening of said tissue working means and toward the reduced radius tail portion to facilitate flow of tissue into said central bore.
22. The apparatus according to claim 21, in which said elongate rotatable inner shaft includes a tubular proximal portion having an inner surface defining an interior suction passage, said proximal portion having a tapered transition portion connecting said distal portion and said proximal portion coaxially together, said transition portion having an opening in communication with said interior suction passage and said annular suction passage.
23. The apparatus according to claim 22, in which said proximal portion of said inner shaft is a flexibly bendable member fixed at its ends to and between said transition portion and said head to rotatably drive said head from said inner shaft, said tubular outer member having an angled portion for angling said hollow distal tip portion with respect to an intermediate portion of said tubular outer member, said flexibly bendable member being located in said angled portion of said outer tubular member.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23, in which said head defines an entry proximate said reduced radius end which fixedly receives therein the proximal end of said flexibly bendable member for transmitting torque from said proximal portion through said flexible member to said head, said reduced radius end having a C-shaped cross section which opens laterally into said annular suction passage and coaxially adjacent said lateral port opening of said head.
Baxter Brochure entitled "The Powercut ™ Surgical System", No. 104-01-880-ORTHO (3 pages).
Baxter Brochure entitled "We've Expanded Our Line So You Can Reduce Yours" 1990 (2 pages).
Bowen Brochure entitled "Advances in Arthroscopy" (4 pages) and photo A and sketch B showing the Bowen angle-headed rotary cutter.
Concept Brochure entitled "Intra-Arc ® Drive System", No. 812388 (4 pages).
Dyonics Brochure entitled "Dyonics Disposable Blades are the Right Tools", 1989, No. P/N 1060112 (3 pages).
Figures 1-12 of the present FWC application (formerly U.S. Ser. No. 08/433,695) illustrating an embodiment which is believed to have been publicly available prior to May 3, 1994. (Copies already of record in file).
Smith & Nephew (Dyonics) Brochure entitled "Extending Your Arthroscopic Reach" 1979 (4 pages).
Storz Brochure entitled "Meet the Lightweight Heavyweight Arthro-Ease" (3 pages).
Storz Brochure entitled "Precision Arthroplasty System", No. SPA-1170 (4 pages).
Storz Brochure entitled "The Large Joint and Microarthroplasty System . . . " (2 pages-with attached 2 page price list).
Storz Brochure entitled "We Know the Importance of Staying Sharp|", No. 1188-2500-A115 (2 pages).
Stryker Brochure 270-70T-11 including Model No. 270-851 entitled "The Elite Arthroscopy Power System".
Zimmer Brochure entitled "Big on Performance", No. 97-3000-324 (4 pages). | 2019-04-21T04:29:59Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US5690660A/en |
In our 107th episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Brad Jost, host of the Jurassic Park Podcast. You can learn more about the Jurassic Park Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Episode 107 is also about Gigantoraptor, a large oviraptor.
Do you like learning about dinosaurs? Join our growing community on Patreon!
Garret: We’re joined this week Brad Jost, and he is the creator and voice and everything behind the Jurassic Park Podcast and we’ve had him on the show, I think twice before although it’s been quite a while since the last time, an embarrassingly long time. But we wanted to talk about some cool new gift ideas for this holiday season and right when we were thinking of that, we noticed that Brad had just posted an awesome list on his podcast. So we’re going to talk about that, and then Brad also recently went to the Jurassic Park Experience, is that what it’s called?
Brad Jost: Jurassic World Exhibition.
Garret: Now there we go, which sounds really cool. So we want to talk about that too. What should we start with?
Sabrina: Start with the gifts.
Brad Jost: To those gifts.
Garret: All right. Your podcast, you talked about some cool stuff on Etsy, there’s an Indominus rex, there’s some custom posters and there are some dinosaur venom. How did you find all this stuff on Etsy?
Brad Jost: Well the good thing about Etsy is you can literally just go there, type in Jurassic Park and the amount of stuff on there is endless, and if people don’t know Etsy is all like hand crafted stuff, it’s all personal items that people have made specifically for this purchase and the stuff is great. And there are so many good posters that I came across and little sculptures and stuff like you mentioned. So some of those ones I put on my podcast last week and just said like look, “People go buy these ones, these are the best ones I could find at the moment,” and there’s still great stuff everywhere, but I love these ones the most right now.
Garret: Nice. We really like this one guy named Joseph [inaudible 00:01:48] and he’s got these bleached t-shirts on Etsy but I think he has kind of a similar problem that you pointed out on your podcast which is when you’re buying stuff on Etsy, a lot of it is handmade which means you probably won’t even get it by the time the holidays roll around.
Brad Jost: Yeah exactly, that was part of the problem. I wanted to point it out, the Etsy stuff especially but because it is handmade and people put their heart into these things, but yeah you’re right it takes a while to turn around some of these things. You mentioned the Indominus rex sculpt, so that’s from sculptedetails.com [ph] and that sends you straight to Etsy. And when you go there, you can see the amount of time it must take to make this thing. It’s actually like a baby Indominus rex, it’s like kind of looks like it’s on its back, in this nice hunched over little pose and it legit looks like the Indominus rex from Jurassic World, just a tiny baby version of it, it like basically fits on the palm of your hand and this thing is awesome.
Sabrina: I wonder how many hours it takes to make.
Brad Jost: I don’t know if it’s set it on, it’s going to be too many, really. It’s listed at $175 which is—it might seem a little steep. But like we’ve been talking about the time, and the hours and the energy it goes into making this stuff, it’s worth it in the end.
Garret: Yeah it’s really cool. And then you also mentioned some really expensive licensed Chronicle Collectibles like they’ve got a T-rex and a [inaudible 00:03:17] and there’s also Velociraptor on their site, is that an established plumed Chronicles Collectible, it looks like they had a lot of stuff.
Brad Jost: Oh yeah they’re legit, and it’s licensed through Universal or whoever, so it’s an official product. It’s all really, really high quality stuff and a lot of the items are actually molded like directly off of Stan Winston, the guy who created all those dinosaurs from the first few movies, these are modeled off of his pieces.
Brad Jost: When you look at that copy there, it’s basically like a life size copy, and it may be like, what was it? Three hundred and something dollars.
Garret: I think some might have been like $1000 dollars.
Brad Jost: No, the copy is $399. That’s probably the best you’re going to get price wise when it comes to that, the cheapest for this stuff. And—but the level of detail on these are insane and like I said, it’s like a life size copy that you can just put on your desk or on a shelf. And the one that you mention which is $1000 dollars is I think the breakout T-rex maybe or no, that was $549.
Garret: Or it might be the Velociraptor.
Brad Jost: It is like the movie, yeah it’s the movie Velociraptor right there. You could do what you want with it. That’s incredible.
Brad Jost: But the good part about it is, there’s always like payment plans and stuff like that, you can do three to six or ten months, spread it out over a little while and make it a little bit more affordable on yourself.
Garret: Mattel, is that the…?
Brad Jost: Yeah. It’s going to be going to Mattel I believe sometime next year or the year after, I forget it specifically right now, but yeah that whole deal fell through, I guess they probably weren’t satisfied with the product that was out there. I know the toys did well for them, so it’s not about that, but the quality overall, maybe we’ve talked about this before or people know already, but the quality of this Hasbro line from specifically Jurassic World, has been really not that good.
But the thing is, at the same time I do like to point people to pick the stuff up for the holidays because if you go back to some of the older toy lines Jurassic Park last world even Jurassic Park three, some of them are really, really hard to find, and specifically with Jurassic World, this is not going to be around forever this toy line because they’re coming in with a new batch, and you might as well pick it up because for sure this will be on eBay way over priced. Give it some time, it will be there, and you’re going to have to pay a lot more money for it.
So that’s why I kind of suggest, it might not be the best stuff but it is Jurassic World stuff, it is cool dinosaur toy like specifically they came out with the hybrid line that showcases these toys that are based off the mobile game. So it’s kind of replicating all those and this Indominus rex, it’s rampage Indominus rex, it’s like a straight white with gold on its underside and on its feet and red all over its back, that thing is really cool looking actually.
It’s just you got to pay attention because sometimes the actions don’t move quite as well as they should and this thing does roar but sometimes that like roar just like gets stuck and the chomping motion gets stuck and it just kind of repeats, so you got to sit there and test it out in the store. All my episode, I kind of suggested maybe don’t buy it online because you don’t know what you’re going to get.
Sabrina: That’s a good tip.
Garret: It is a good tip.
Brad Jost: It’s fun stuff though; it’s great to have around for sure.
Garret: Yeah and they’re reasonably priced too which is nice because a lot of these dinosaurs things that we talk about all the time are just super expensive, so it’s nice to have something you can give to your kid and not freak out about them touching and playing with.
Brad Jost: I know yeah you don’t really want to give a raptor bust and pay a thousand something bucks and you know have it fall off a shelf and breaks, but this stuff—this Hasbro stuff you can certainly beat up, it’s not as durable as the older toys, but it’s still any kid would love this stuff. Particularly I’ve seen so many kids like absolutely love these toys. I remember, I think I was walking into an air show one time and I saw a kid just playing with it and I was like, “Oh man, he’s got Indominus rex in his pocket,” that’s so cool. I remember it just like seeing kids in the stores going crazy over these toys, so while they’re not like great for collectors and people who are fans of the original film franchise and forward, it’s good for kids.
Sabrina: Definitely, it keeps their interest in. I know like how Jurassic Park kind of from that we got this whole new generation of paleontologists and I’ve heard kind of similar thing with Jurassic World or at least we’ll see in a few years.
Brad Jost: Yeah I think it will. It didn’t—the movie itself didn’t really have the same aspect of paleontology, maybe it was only five minutes, ten minutes worth of time in the first film but it definitely like inspired people to do this and hopefully Jurassic World does that too. I think it will.
Garret: Yeah and I think it helped a lot with—just kind of the whole media, I don’t know industry is popping up with all sorts of dinosaur stuff. We’ve seen tons of new games coming out for all sorts of consuls with dinosaurs and whereas before Jurassic World came out, there was a pretty big low there in good dinosaur games.
Brad Jost: Yeah I saw a really funny tweet I think today and I know I’m paraphrasing here, but it was like, “I think somebody made it illegal to post a dinosaur story without mentioning Jurassic Park,” so it’s 100% spot on because no matter what article you read, there’s always a little footnote that says like something about Jurassic Park in their Jurassic world and I just laugh every time.
Garret: It’s probably good for the SEO, because they’re Jurassic.
Brad Jost: Yeah it’s got to be.
Garret: And Jurassic is now synonymous with dinosaur too, which is always funny because, they are always talking about T-rex, or they are always talking about Jurassic, and T-rex is from Cretaceous.
Brad Jost: Yes I know yeah it’s so funny that we assume one thing and it’s not that at all, but it’s sort of the way these dinosaurs are interpreted in the first place, like we all assumed for a while that’s the way they were, and it’s coming out that it’s not that way.
Brad Jost: But that’s the funny thing about these films is people still argue like to this day that the movies are wrong, everything you see is wrong, but that’s not what the movies are trying to do, they’re showing movie monsters, so you’ve got to differentiate it.
Garret: Yeah they’re definitely monster films and they’re—to me all of them are just kind of a snapshot of what we thought back in the early 90s, it’s not the latest and greatest, they made that decision and not really update as they went along, so it’s really just like, it’s a version that we used to think.
Brad Jost: At the time it’s like, ”Wow, man these guys are spot on, they know their stuff,” and then obviously things change, but I think once you establish that can and you can’t really change the way things are, people would be too freaked out. Everybody keeps saying like, “Where is the feathers, where is the feathers Jurassic Park?” But if they did that, you got to think about how many people would actually be really upset if they did.
Brad Jost: Even if it is more accurate like people would be like, “That’s not what a dinosaur looks like,” it’s just misinforming people.
Garret: I think they should bring in like a new species and then have that one have feathers.
Garret: They could leave the Velociraptors or whatever they call the big featherless Utahraptors. They can leave those the same, but then come in with like Dakotaraptor now and have that thing covered in feathers.
Brad Jost: I really hope they do and I know we’ve probably talked about it before, but in the future it sounds like there’s going to be multiple companies maybe working on these dinosaurs. And that sounds like a plausible idea to me. If they don’t run with that, I’d be a little upset because it’s setting it up perfectly like to have multiple companies working on their own designs and maybe one of those designs turns out to be feathers, I think that would be an amazing way to throw that in there.
Garret: Yeah definitely. So speaking of Jurassic Park and toys, there is some knock off Lego Jurassic World toys and I’m thinking about buying these because usually in order to get one of these Lego dinosaurs, you have to buy a whole kit, and for the Indominus rex one is like 120 bucks or something and the only thing I want is the Indominus rex Lego. I don’t care about the big gaits, the crane that moves the stuff around or whatever, all that stuff that’s whatever, I can build that with a little regular two by four blocks.
Brad Jost: This is actually the fact that you pointed out. This is great because it’s a basically legit set like there’s no distinguishing difference between the two, you could put these right next to them and they look identical I’m sure. I know people that have these ones, I have them myself picked them out, but the ones that I’ve seen look spot on. So there’s like no, don’t hesitate to buy these if you’re feeling unsure about it, just buy it for sure.
Brad Jost: That’s not true, he’s not getting them.
Sabrina: It’s a surprise, don’t worry.
Garret: I wish it’s true. I wish they had those kind of—I guess Lego was still under patent when I was a kid, but it was always like there was one piece you wanted out of the kit and you had to buy this huge thing in order to get it. I like this pack of just dinosaurs looks super cool.
Brad Jost: It is and it drives me nuts how much Lego, how expensive they are because you want to play with them, you want to kind of put them together but as adults we’re just probably going to put it together and throw it on a shelf, store it somewhere, we’re not like tearing it apart and continuing to use it like a kid would, so it’s hard to justify that like hundred something dollars price tag for a full set.
Garret: Exactly. And I really like the reviews. There’s this picture that a guy did, he’s got the—I don’t know what they’re called, but it’s like a kind of a doll house version of Legos, I don’t know, they are kind of like police school or something? He’s got the dinosaurs like in all the scenes in their house like they are having tea or wherever, that’s hilarious.
Garret: So I have to buy these?
Brad Jost: Definitely do it, don’t hesitate.
Garret: And it’s only—what is it, seventeen bucks I think with prime for free shipping?
Brad Jost: That’s a good deal.
Garret: Yeah it’s got eight dinosaurs, well seven dinosaurs on a—what do you call those things, flying thingy?
Garret: Pterosaurs, that’s the word I’m thinking of.
Brad Jost: You’re the expert, right?
Sabrina: It’s been a long day.
Garret: Before I guess. Cool. I’m glad you think those are worth getting because now I’m just going to use that as carte blanche to just buy a bunch of them.
Sabrina: How long until you think we just start 3D printing our own toys?
Brad Jost: Wow, I got to get a 3D printer first.
Brad Jost: The thing is, people do this already especially in the Jurassic Park community, I see people like giving these away all the time, they print up their own little dinosaur designs or whatever and sell them or just give them away for free, so it’s already here.
Sabrina: Yeah I think the biggest barrier is access to the 3D Printer, but give it a few years and you’ll be like having a regular printer probably.
Brad Jost: Well, we will all have them.
Garret: That would be cool. I can’t wait. I haven’t bought one yet because it’s like it still seems too early like I’ll just be constantly fiddling with it trying to get it to work.
Sabrina: It does take a long time. You just used one at work and you took three hours to print a small thing.
Brad Jost: They’re still not the cheapest thing, so it’s like a period of time where the VHS or the DVD player was like $1000, now you can get it for 35 bucks at Wal-Mart or something, it will come down eventually.
Garret: Cool. I also wanted to talk about some books which I know are not the most exciting gift but it does make up like a third of my Amazon wish list, so I would feel remiss not to mention books.
Sabrina: Most of my wish list right now too.
Brad Jost: Got it. You’ve got to read though.
Garret: So we have a sponsor [inaudible 00:16:46] publishing and they’ve got coloring and activity books for kids which are obviously a great option if you’re a kid or you are buying a gift for a kid.
Garret: But then for adults, there are also tons of good books. Most of the ones are a little bit heavier. So there is a new edition of the Princeton Field Guide to dinosaurs which is currently on my wish list because it looks really cool. And the new edition just came out, so I’m sure it’s up to date in everything, I haven’t read it yet.
Sabrina: At least for a few months, right?
Garret: Yeah, until there are a ton of new discoveries. So that’s definitely a good choice and one of the key things I always point out on Reddit and stuff when people are asking about dinosaur books is I usually go for the newest ones because since dinosaur stuff like Sabrina is saying is constantly changing. If you buy an old book, it’s got so much outdated information in it, that you don’t know which parts of it have been updated and you don’t know what the drawings actually if they are still interpreted that way, if the dinosaur name has been synonymized with another one, so that dinosaur is new and considered valid anymore, there’s so much stuff that changes, so unless there’s if it is really pretty old you can buy an old book. That’s my exception too.
Brad Jost: Very true, very true.
Garret: So then another one is the sauropod dinosaur’s life in the age of giants, and Sabrina picked that one up from the author at SVP.
Sabrina: And the illustrator, we got both of them to sign it.
Garret: Yeah and it looks really cool. It’s got awesome drawings and all the latest science in there, so if you’re into the sauropods like Sabrina, that’s probably the book that you want to get.
Brad Jost: Yeah and I’m looking at this right now actually just the cover alone is drawing me in, like the look at these dinosaurs on here, this is awesome.
Brad Jost: I’m really going to check this out.
Sabrina: It’s a really pretty book.
Brad Jost: Yeah, even on the inside. I’m looking at—it’s like one of the happiest book in [inaudible 00:18:52] I have ever seen.
Garret: And both of those books are only like 30 bucks, pretty cheap for a big hardcover dinosaur book.
Garret: Reasonably priced. The next one is not so cheap and I think it’s because it’s called, “Dinosaurs, the Textbook.” So since textbooks just have to be expensive, I guess it’s like three times as much, but we grabbed that one at SVP also, and it’s really good. I’ve only finished the first couple of chapters of it so far, but it’s a very, very good summary of dinosaurs from kind of the perspective of an undergraduate level college student.
So there’s no background information or knowledge necessary. It starts at the beginning with dinosaurs are a type of reptile, and lizards aren’t in that same group. And then it goes from there into the hips and then into the source skin and these skins and then all the complexities that arise from that, but you could start a page one knowing nothing about dinosaurs and by the end you understand cladistics and all that good stuff.
Brad Jost: Looks nice, and you guys are informing me, I got to go get this stuff right away.
Garret: Yeah, this one, I’ve been really impressed with this book and apparently it’s the sixth edition, the first one came out I guess in the 80s or something and the author says in the forward that he wrote it because he was going to start a dinosaur class, and there wasn’t a textbook for it, so he made this textbook.
Garret: It’s a very good source, I’m really liking it.
Garret: And things that took me a long time, like hours of online research to clarify whether something was true or not, is like in the first page or two of the book.
Sabrina: Books are still relevant.
Garret: Oh yeah, they are really, because that’s the whole problem with the Internet, it’s there forever and with something like dinosaurs that are constantly updating, you get so much outdated information everywhere, but with this not so much. Of course it’s edited by a professional and not just a random person on a message board, so it’s also good.
Garret: Yes, owner of Gaston Designs, his last name is Gaston.
Brad Jost: It’s a good name for a site then.
Garret: And he’s got really cool stuff on there. They’ve got individual bones like we have a Stegosaurus plate which is I don’t remember it’s like two feet tall or so it’s a big old replica. And we also have an Allosaurus hand, but you can go way bigger if you want. You can get a sauropod leg, it’s—that’s one is a little expensive, I think that’s like three grand, but it’s a museum quality replica, it’s like actually a replica. Like we were talking about the Velociraptor bust where it’s made from the original, it’s the same kind of thing; it’s from a fossil rather than from the prop.
Brad Jost: The true original.
Garret: But I mean it’s a different niche because this is just a bone, it doesn’t look exciting with the eyes and the lips and the scales and everything.
Brad Jost: It’s a whole lot more dead.
Garret: It is much more dead.
Brad Jost: That’s what’s cool though.
Sabrina: Less likely to scare you at night if you walk into the room and forget it’s there.
Brad Jost: This one here that you forwarded over is $32,000?
Sabrina: I think that’s meant for museums, right?
Brad Jost: Okay, all right that makes a little bit more sense.
Brad Jost: Because it’s awesome, I mean if I had that, I would buy it for sure.
Sabrina: You also need the space for it.
Brad Jost: What is this, 18 foot? Okay I don’t know if I can fit that.
Garret: They also have a Lythronax which is a theropod, looks kind like a small tyrannosaurid and that one is $38,000, it’s twenty two and a half feet long, super awesome looking. I would love to have that; obviously I don’t have the space for it or money for it.
Brad Jost: Imagine just on your front yard just chilling out there.
Garret: That would be so cool.
Sabrina: Yeah you always talked about that.
Garret: I don’t know if you can put it outdoors though.
Sabrina: I don’t think our neighbors would appreciate it.
Brad Jost: Too freaked out.
Garret: I think these are all resin; you probably need to keep them indoors. I’ve talked about getting some metal ones because they are people who make these metal versions that are really cool. I also kind of want to have a mural on the side of our house that is all dinosaurs.
Sabrina: It would be the dinosaur house.
Garret: Or the garage door, people do that, that will be cool. But they have stuff you can buy just like a claw or a finger or something for 50, 60 bucks. So the whole spectrum whatever dinosaur you love and want a replica of, there’s a decent chance they have something for you.
Brad Jost: The claw is something classic, everybody wants one of those, every kid does. I know I had one at least I think I broke it, but I remember I loved that thing, that thing was awesome.
Garret: We really like our replicas, we picked one of them up at the Dinosaur National Monument, they said, “Are you teachers,” like why are you buying them? Like, “No,” we just really like dinosaurs.
Garret: Then we got together one for our wedding registry.
Garret: Registered for the Stegosaurus plate and an understanding family member got it for us.
Brad Jost: That’s a good family.
Garret: We got one of those and we love it.
Brad Jost: Nice, I saw that.
Brad Jost: I don’t think I’ve ever talked to anybody that had one. So you say you love that thing, it’s really good?
Garret: It is great. We also picked up one where it’s like a T-rex that sticks out in front and behind you and it looks like you’re riding it.
Brad Jost: Oh yeah that one is cool.
Garret: That one is cheaper and a lot easier to wear, like because you have access to your face so you can like take a drink of water or something while you are in it.
Brad Jost: You’re stuck in this thing, right? It’s like huge.
Garret: You don’t have to wear the mitts, yeah.
Sabrina: You can’t really do anything with your hands.
Garret: They’re like mittens, if you were wearing mittens that squished your thumb in with the next one or two fingers because they are like finger things, so they’re like these weird two hands in the fingered mittens and then in order to wear it properly, you have to basically keep most of your arm in the suit, so you can’t really reach anything either. But it’s surprisingly comfortable because the way it works is it’s constantly blowing air in through like a little fan, and then the air leaks out by your hands and your feet, so you’re constantly getting fresh air in there, it doesn’t get really stuffy and it’s super fun.
Sabrina: At SVP, I don’t know if it was the same person throughout or if people were taking turns or just different people had this costume, but like a T-rex would appear sometime in the halls, and like by the exhibits and where people were selling things and then also there was a party on the last night and there was somebody in the costume just dancing. I think they were swinging it at one point.
Garret: They were dancing really well too.
Sabrina: It’s great and then at the end of one of the songs I saw she like walked out the floor, it must have been too hot or something and then like unzipped the outfit and then just like springs up hands in the air like, yeah and then everybody’s around her in a circle cheering, yeah.
Garret: It’s a great costume. And if you’re going to get it, it’s like the perfect time to get it. I thought about getting it last year and around this time it was also about $80, but then we ended up waiting until we were going to SVP to get it, and by that time it was near Halloween and everyone was selling out so you had to go to somebody that was reselling it for like a 100 bucks. I think I ended up finding somebody who had one used for like 90, but it’s good to get it now because it’s a costume too that you could wear for more than one year. It’s not just a onetime Halloween costume.
Sabrina: You’re not going to outgrow it if you have a growth spur or something. Both Garret and I could wear it comfortably.
Garret: Yeah, and she’s 5’2 and I’m 6’3.
Brad Jost: You’re like the life of the party though every time if you wear this thing. I don’t think anybody gets sick of it.
Garret: It’s so cool. And you can do anything in it as YouTube has shown us, you can do ninja warrior.
Sabrina: That one was impressive.
Garret: You can do that shoveling, whatever you want to do.
Brad Jost: Ride motorcycles, anything, it’s all possible.
Garret: There’s also the Jurassic Park score, that’s been re-mastered and released and they have a limited copy, I think it’s 5,000 of them there’re other sending out.
Brad Jost: Yeah his thing is from Land Records, it’s something I hadn’t heard about before and when you kind of go to that site you’re like, “Is this legit, I don’t know if this is real or not,” but it is. It’s official, and they’ve done so many different soundtracks and what they do is, they kind of re-added them, re-mastered them and put them in a nice package together and it’s this collection I have, I actually just got it in the other day. It’s a John Williams Jurassic Park collection, so it has Jurassic Park, and it has the last world, those are the only two that he did.
I absolutely love this collection because it has like unreleased songs—not songs but scores from the movie, stuff that you probably heard in the movie in the background somewhere but it’s new stuff basically and some of the stuff you can maybe find on YouTube, but the thing about that is you can tell that they’ve drowned out a lot of the sound effects, and the people talking, so you can hear all that stuff.
But these ones, these are all new, they’re all fresh and there’s no talking or sound effects over them, and it’s really, really awesome stuff, and I’m so thankful to have like the Last World soundtrack fully intact because back when it came out in 97, it only came out with 14 tracks and that’s like not nearly as much as there was in that movie and that movie specifically had some really, really awesome work from John Williams. So I’m so happy to have like a full soundtrack now for that movie.
Garret: Those songs are amazing. I remember back in middle school, I think one of the Jurassic Park movies was coming out, it wasn’t the first one, maybe the second or third one, and I played trombone and our whole band did the big opening Jurassic Park music.
Garret: And it was so fun playing and there’s so much intricacy in those songs. This was great, I love it.
Brad Jost: That’s one thing I always wished my school band played that stuff too, and you’re lucky, you got to do it. It’s just amazing to have this like uncovered, it’s like finding a new dinosaur species all of a sudden these new tracks just came out of nowhere, stuff we really haven’t heard before, because sometimes they do drowned out in the movie so you don’t exactly pay attention to it, so it does sound brand new here on the on the CD. And it’s funny because I haven’t bought a CD in so long, I’ve been doing a lot of digital stuff or streaming and it felt funny, I was like how do I get this on my computer again?
But it’s a great collection, it comes with a nice booklet on the inside that has basically the entire story of Jurassic Park like from the inception when Michael Crichton like realized he wanted to write the book, to the filmmaking and everything like through all the way through to the Last World, and it’s really informative and some really cool like back story to how everything was made, so that’s kind of worth it in itself, but I absolutely picked this up. I think I don’t remember specifically, it’s probably right around the fifty eight, fifty nine dollar mark, but like you said it’s 5,000 pieces, so it’s going to be gone pretty quickly.
Garret: I bought it right before we started recording today because I was looking at it, and I remembered you saying that on your podcast and I was like, “Crap I should probably buy that before it disappears.” And I was half expecting what I showed up on the website for it to say, “Sold out,” but luckily it’s not sold yet.
Brad Jost: Not yet, it’s still available but I don’t know what the outlook looks right like right now, I don’t know how many are sold, but I know a lot of people have bought it.
Garret: They don’t give you any information, it just says, “limit of 5,000,” it doesn’t say anything about how many have sold so far.
Brad Jost: No, and especially with Jurassic Park exclusives, like I’ve always tried to buy artwork or stuff like that’s released like say through Mondo, or sometimes they do the old school albums with a nice cover art and everything like that.
Brad Jost: Those things typically go really fast and like by the time I sign on to the website it’s gone. And I’m like, “No” So this is one of those things that I did not want it to slip away.
Garret: Yeah it’s really cool looking. Thanks for the tip by the way.
Brad Jost: Yeah, get it.
Sabrina: You look at the end of this now, it’s just, we all want to rush out and buy even more dinosaurs and Jurassic Park stuff.
Garret: Yeah so sure. Cool. So I think that’s enough of the gifts people are probably all out of money by now, so we can move on to the Jurassic World Exhibition, did I get it?
Brad Jost: Yeah you got it. Don’t stop buying gifts just yet because if you do, you live in the Northeast, buy this as a gift for somebody.
Sabrina: Oh yeah that’s a good one.
Brad Jost: You got it. It’s—if you’re in—it’s in Philadelphia right now at the Franklin Institute, so if you’re in that area, maybe even drive an hour or two, it’s fine, go to this thing. I think it’s like thirty something bucks and what it is, is basically the Jurassic World Exhibition in Franklin Institute. You go in the museum and off to the left there’s like a walkway you go down and it leads you to basically like you’re traveling to in a new bar from the movies. And you get on a fairly and you’re watching like cool really like in world movies that they’ve filming and created kind of looks like an advertisement for the park and everything, so you basically get on a fairly and travel to the island and I don’t know if there’s anything better than.
Garret: That’s really cool. That’s more elaborate than I was expecting it basically to just be like a room full of props.
Brad Jost: Well, technically yes, but this room that you go into it’s all set dressed to look specifically like a fairy. And the cool part about this fairly thing is like on the walls, it has like portals, so it looks like you’re on a boat and you look out and you see water churning and everything and then—if you’ve ever gone on a cruise ship sometimes you turn on your TV in the room and it has like the front of the ship, like maybe some cages on it, it has that was going up the front before the video starts, so it seems legit and then you enter, once that whole experience is over because like what it is it’s timed, so you buy your time slot.
We went at 9:30 in the morning on the first day. And so we got in the room at nine thirty and then you wait for a few minutes and then you go in. So you kind of got a little group of people that you travel with the entire time almost depending on how long you stay in certain exhibits. But what it is, is just amazing animatronics, a huge—I was kind of blown away by how big these things actually were.
Brad Jost: You guys have seen like what Walking with Dinosaurs and stuff like that.
Sabrina: But from far away.
Brad Jost: And you love that, right?
Garret: Yeah. That’s was—that’s one of our favorite dinosaur anything is Walking with Dinosaurs, that was great.
Brad Jost: Yes, so that was like in an arena kind of a thing, right?
Garret: We saw it in Sacramento in the Sacramento Kings Stadium. So we were like in the upper bowl or something, so you’re really far away from the actual animatronics.
Brad Jost: That’s—I’m sure it looked amazing, right? But this time you get to be like literally up close with them. It’s amazing. I’ve never been this close to a giant, life like animatronics. So when you’re like in a theatre or a giant arena like you were, the stuff probably looked incredible because you have that distance between you. So you kind of think like when I get up close, it might not look as good, but this stuff does, it looks amazing. I was blown away by how good the stuff looked.
Sabrina: So is it each room you walk through is a scene from the movie?
Brad Jost: Sort of. You kind of—so you go in and you’re kind of looking at specific paddocks throughout the exhibit. So you first come upon like a [inaudible 00:37:01] paddock, and it’s got a giant neck coming out of the ground. So I think they like dressed up with some plants and leaves and things. So it looks like you’re in maybe a tree top or something, but yeah this animatronic is so fluid, and you’re looking straight up at the thing and it sounds lifelike and you hear like the whatever that weird noise that it makes, I don’t know, imagine some weird deep noise, that’s what it sounds like.
Garret: A whale kind of.
Brad Jost: Kind of, so you’re imagining that and you see that thing right in front of you and then you kind of—what you do is you just kind of go along the path and you come across like different dinosaurs throughout the exhibition. And kind of in between some of the exhibits is like you were talking about parts from the movie. So you come across the Hammond Innovation Lab, so you’re—if you remember from Jurassic World, it’s on the beginning in the movie, Dr. [inaudible 00:37:56] is kind of like explaining what the Indominus rex is to a few investors with a stylus Howard’s character.
So that room where the lab is taking place, you see technicians doing stuff and eggs hatching and all kinds of stuff. That’s what you get at the exhibition, so there’s a cool room where you can kind of explore and poke around and do some cool things and look through microscopes and play with tablets and different things.
Brad Jost: It’s really interactive. So you can spend time and not just kind of breeze through it.
Garret: Is the interactive stuff kind of like kiddie or is it more adult or kind of something for everyone?
Brad Jost: I would say it’s for everybody. There is definitely a lot of kid stuff. There was—you could design your own dinosaur I think, and when I looked over I didn’t get a chance because there was so many kids over there, but it was like so many really, really colorful dinosaurs, so it was some really inspirational stuff.
Brad Jost: And you guys I know you talk a lot about the different costumes that you can wear and stuff like that for dinosaurs. Not like that blow up Jurassic World one, but the legit ones. They do have one and it’s a Velociraptor, it’s like a new experience for Philadelphia because this exhibition used to be in Australia first, and this is a new added feature where this Velociraptor kind of walks out in its little pan and kind of goes up to the pan and tries to scare you.
I’ll say it’s not the best looking costume or I shouldn’t say that, the costume looked good, but the fact that you can see a person walking, it kind of takes away from that little experience, but overall that part was still cool. I think the lifelike Velociraptor sculpt and everything, the way it was painted, it all looked like a really good, probably one of the better ones I’ve ever seen. But the fact that I saw this guy or somebody like underneath just waddling with the suit just kind of like made me laugh a little bit too much.
Sabrina: It probably looked different to the kids.
Brad Jost: Yeah maybe, I did hear—I mentioned it once on my podcast that people were kind of like giggling about it. So I’m like, “Oh maybe they are giggling about something else,” but it was right when the person turned around and kind of like waddled out of the room, and I was like they are definitely giggling at this person, because it’s tough. And you guys know like with those suits, it’s almost impossible to hide that somebody is there. Now I’ve seen some actually out in I think, I don’t know if it’s Universal Hollywood or Japan, one of those have like a person that walks in a raptor costume, and the legs are hidden, they’re actually like the raptor legs.
Brad Jost: But it still looks kind of goofy.
Sabrina: I think in Japan they just—they’re working on building some like Dino Theme Park where people are walking around and I think the legs are hidden in those costumes.
Brad Jost: That’s good, yeah that would be good.
Garret: Yeah that makes a difference.
Brad Jost: I think you need to make it somewhat believable and with this exhibit it’s really believable and then that moment I was like, “All right that’s not too good,” but overall there’s a pack of dinosaurs that you come across and the size of that thing was so massive. I was blown away by how big it was. I did not expect it to be so huge and like I said you’re right up next to these things, and you’d think it’s not very believable but these are, they’re so good. And that one specifically is one of my favorite ones for sure.
It was in the gentle giant’s paddock. You got to hang out there, there’s like a nice gentle giant sign and there’s others actually some dino dung that you stick your arm in, and you got to try it, it’s really funny because you put your arm in this giant pile of dino poo, and just reach around and it feels nasty.
Brad Jost: You got to try it. It might seem disgusting but it’s clean, I swear. Let’s see, some of the other things in there, there was actually a sort of back to that time, the experience, so you go in and you see the T-rex and you kind of wait in this room for a second and it walks out. So this is actually, I believe it’s like legit the same one from Walking with Dinosaurs, because it’s the same company that made this experience.
So when you’re watching those from far away just imagine a T-rex but inside a room and it’s now walking in front of you, like ten feet or less depending on where you’re standing right there and that thing, it might not look like the one from Jurassic Park or Jurassic World, but it’s so impressive, it’s huge, it shakes your body with the roar and everything, so that is so impressive. I sat in there for a few turns just to watch it over again, it’s awesome.
Garret: That’s really cool. How much does it cost to do the experience?
Brad Jost: I think it was $35 or so.
Garret: That’s not too bad. I think Walking with Dinosaurs was like $80 in kind of crappy seats.
Garret: It might have been $40 a person, I don’t remember if that’s was total or?
Brad Jost: This is $34.95 for adults and $29.95 for children three to eleven. That’s for a daytime ticket and actually if you go to—sorry for the plug, JurassicParkPodcast.com, we actually do have $5 off promo code that you can use at the Franklin Institute.
Brad Jost: So we’re working closely with them to give the—like the Jurassic Park and dinosaur fans directly a nice experience and a few bucks off.
Garret: That’s good especially if you have like a $30 limit on your Christmas gift, that brings it just underneath.
Garret: They got an Ankylosaurus in there?
Brad Jost: No, actually they don’t, I wish they did. That would have been really awesome. It would have been prime because if they played directly off the movie, it would have worked well because there is a fight scene with the Indominus rex and the Ankylosaurus, but the Indominus rex is in this exhibition and it’s so impressive, and I keep raving about it to everybody I talk to because it’s like if you see how good those ones look in the movies, those animatronics because they blend animatronics and CGI in the movies, the animatronics look so good in the movies and this one is on par I think with those ones.
So you’re staring at what looks like a real Indominus rex which is not real obviously, but it looks like it’s real, but that thing is insane. I can’t really fully describe it to you, but it’s crazy. There’s no other way to explain it because it’s the best thing I’ve seen, and it tops off the exhibition. It’s the last one you see and it’s so incredibly impressive and life like.
Sabrina: I really hope they come to California.
Brad Jost: Really, we don’t know where it’s going exactly just yet. So hopefully it gets on that side of the country soon.
Garret: Yeah that would be good; Philadelphia is a little ways away.
Brad Jost: Yeah I know it’s always tough. I see people asking, “Can it come here, there, anywhere, we’re not near Philadelphia,” but it’s there for now and it’s there till April, the end of April, so if you do want to see it I suggest going there if you can. If you can make it, if you can travel your way out there because you don’t know, it might go overseas somewhere next, we don’t really know.
Sabrina: Yeah, that’s true. It’s coming from Melbourne.
Brad Jost: Yeah exactly, so you don’t know, it could go somewhere and I’m trying to think with the timeline, the next movie comes out in June 2018, so you have all of—not all of 2017 because it ends in April. So it will probably leave there and pick up again a few months after that, but it’s not going to have a lot of time before the next movie comes out and I don’t know what their plan is, so definitely if you do have the chance to drive to Philadelphia or take a train or fly or do whatever, go do it because you’re going to miss it.
Garret: We might have to. I wish they published where they were headed, but they don’t have any information on future venues.
Sabrina: Maybe they don’t know yet.
Brad Jost: I know, yeah they could be still working out deals but that would make it very helpful to kind of plan because if you guys decide, “Hey I’m going to fly out,” and you guys are out in California, right?
Brad Jost: And so if you fly all the way out here and then it comes to California next, you’ll be so upset.
Garret: That would be pretty annoying.
Sabrina: Or we just see it again.
Brad Jost: That’s true yeah; you got to make a weekend out of it.
Garret: Yeah but I’m guessing they know though because we were talking to somebody in the museum and they were saying the popular traveling exhibits at least the museums I realize this isn’t really a museum thing, but those tend to book up like a year or two in advance, so this thing must be super popular, you’d expect people to be really trying to get them locked in.
Brad Jost: Yeah and I know the Franklin Institute which is the first time I’ve been to that museum. It’s a cool place, it’s more for, I say it’s more for kids like out in New York they have the Liberty Science Center, so it’s kind of like a lot of class trips and stuff like that, but the museum is fun for sure. So we did the rest in museum as well, but I’ve been hearing that it’s breaking all kinds of records at that place. So I’m sure they’re very happy to have it out there.
Garret: Which means all these other museums I’m sure are hearing that they’re breaking records and then they want it.
Brad Jost: We need it, get it.
Sabrina: Do they do any nighttime activities?
Brad Jost: Not anything that I’ve heard yet. There is like night admission let’s see, I think till 8.00 pm, but nothing specific, nothing crazy enough.
Garret: Around here most of the museums or the two big museums do like adults only, alcohol like night time thing at least twice a week.
Garret: Those are pretty fun. They will be good with dinosaurs.
Brad Jost: That’s got to be, hopefully they do something. Do you mind if I plug one more thing?
Brad Jost: We do have a meet up for Jurassic Park fans or Jurassic World, any dinosaur fans, anybody that’s listening; we have a meet up going on January 7th, 2017. It’s man, I can’t believe 2017 is coming up, but so we’re meeting out there at this exhibit, exhibition, I keep mixing up those words every time, but we’re going to meet up. I know, I’m bringing a lot of people I know, and I know I’m meeting a bunch of Jurassic fans out there already. So we’re getting the plans in place and we have the promo code and everything, so we’re working to get a bunch of people out there. So if anybody is interested head on out January 7th, and I think we’re looking probably about twelve o’clock showing or so.
Garret: If we were around, we would definitely go.
Brad Jost: I’m really excited about it, so I can’t wait.
Garret: Cool. Well thanks so much Brad for coming on our show again and talking to us about all the toys and the Jurassic Park—no Jurassic World Experience, exhibit?
Brad Jost: One of those words, you Google, it’ll come up.
Garret: Okay good. If any of the listeners want to see more about the different gifts and gift ideas that you have, they should definitely listen to your podcast or head over to your website that’s where I went and you can grab all the links, you can see the specific Etsy stores that Brad was talking about and the Hasbro toys as well as these Chronicle Collectibles, the Jurassic Park score.
Sabrina: Also the promo code and more details on the meet up if you’re in or near the Philadelphia area.
Garret: Yeah definitely. It sounds like a great time.
Brad Jost: Thanks for having me guys. That was a lot of fun. | 2019-04-24T20:10:10Z | https://iknowdino.com/know-dino-podcast-show-notes-gigantoraptor-episode-107/ |
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During my weekend visit to Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Limerick, and to Saint Flannan’s Cathedral in Killaloe, Co Clare, I stayed overnight in Adare, which is just 16 km south of Limerick City on the Limerick-to-Tralee road.
Adare, which has a population of about 2,500, is one of the prettiest villages in Ireland and is a designated Heritage Town. Although it dates back to mediaeval times, and perhaps even to pre-Anglo-Norman times, the present village is largely an early 19th century creation by the Quin family, Earls of Dunraven.
The first fortress in the area was an early ring-fort, which was later fortified by the O'Donovan family, who were the rulers of the region until the late 12th century. After the arrival of the Anglo-Normans, the fortress passed to the FitzGeralds of Kildare, who built a castle on the site.
The Desmond Castle was built in the early 13th century and became a strategic fortress during the following turbulent years. Adare was developed in mediaeval times by the FitzGeralds of Kildare, and the area remained in the hands of the Earls of Kildare for almost 300 years. Following the rebellion of Silken Thomas in 1536, Adare its castle were granted to the FitzGeralds, Earls of Desmond, who gave the castle its present name.
I was staying in the Dunraven Arms Hotel, which was originally built as a coach house in 1792. This family-run, four star hotel retains old-world charm, and was the 2014 Georgina Campbell Guide Hotel of the Year.
I woke on Sunday morning to a beautiful view across fields and the river towards Saint Nicholas, the Church of Ireland parish church in Adare.
Saint Nicholas’s Church is just a short walk from the village and stands on the banks of the River Maigue. It was founded in 1316 as an Augustinian Priory by John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare. The priory was suppressed at the Reformation.
In 1807, the church of the Priory was given to the Church of Ireland as the parish church and was repaired and renovated. In 1814, the refectory was roofed and converted into a schoolhouse. Between 1852 and 1854, a second restoration of the church was undertaken by Caroline, Countess of Dunraven.
It remains the Church of Ireland parish church and is one of the finest examples of a mediaeval Irish church. In the old graveyard, a second church or chapel of ease dates from the 16th century, and several members of the Dunraven family are buried there.
After a breakfast, I took a stroll along Adare’s pretty Main Street. The street is noted for its beautiful stone buildings, thatched houses, mediaeval churches and ruins and the village park.
Many of these thatched cottages and pretty houses are now restaurants, fashionable boutiques and arts and crafts shops. But the Main Street was laid out and the cottages were built in the 1820s by Lord Dunraven for his tenants.
Soon after, the Dunraven family began building Adare Manor in the Gothic style in 1831.
Further down the street, on the same side as the Dunraven Arms Hotel, I stooped to admire the former Trinitarian Priory in Adare. This was the only known Trinitarian monastery in Ireland, and was built for Trinitarian friars who may have come to Adare from Scotland. This order was founded in France during the Crusades to raise ransoms to rescue Christians captured by the Moors.
The priory was built by the FitzGerald family in 1230 but after the priory was supressed at the Reformation the church fell into decay. The abbey was restored in 1811 by the 1st Earl of Dunraven as the Roman Catholic Parish church, and was repaired and enlarged in the mid-19th century. Today it is known as Holy Trinity Abbey and continues to serve Adare as the Roman Catholic parish church.
Adare had a third mediaeval monastic house in the Franciscan Friary on the banks of the River Maigue, although it has never been restored. This looks like many monasteries built in Ireland in the 14th and 15th centuries, and was founded in 1464 by Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Kildare, and his wife Joan, for the Franciscan Friars of the Strict Observance.
The friary was completed two years later but was suppressed at the Reformation. It remains in ruins, but the surviving walls give a hint of its former elegance.
The title of Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl was created in 1822 for Sir Valentine Quin (1752-1824), who also had the titles of Viscount Mount-Earl, Baron Adare and baronet.
Windham Henry Quin (1782-1850), the 2nd Earl of Dunraven, changed the family name from Quin to Wyndham-Quin.
Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin (1841-1926), 4th Earl of Dunraven was Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (1885-1886) in Lord Salisbury’s Conservative government. He played a decisive role in land reform in Ireland through the introduction of the Wyndham Land Purchase Act (1903), which gave tenants the right to buy out their landlords. He was also a Senator in the first Irish Senate (1922-1926), which gave him a seat in both the British and the Irish parliament.
The titles became extinct five years ago with the death of Thady Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin (1939-2011), 7th Earl of Dunraven. He had lived at Kilgobbin House in Adare after Adare Manor was sold in 1982 and since 1987.
Adare Manor across from the hotel was closed, and steel barriers blocked the entrance. The house was sold by Dunraven family in 1982, and in 1987 it was bought by an American businessman, Thomas F Kane.
The Adare Manor Hotel was bought last year by the Limerick businessman JP McManus, his wife Noreen and the McManus family, reportedly for €30 million. But the place is now closed, and many of the contents were sold at a two-day auction a month ago [28 and 29 January 2016].
Over 1,800 items were sold, from colonial four-poster beds to paintings. They included glass and brass chandeliers, three baby grand pianos, desks, dining tables, chairs, dining room equipment and furniture, all the pairs of wing back armchairs from the oak drawing room, coffee tables, glassware, serving dishes, large silver plated candelabra, kitchen contents and all the clubhouse bar furniture.
There were 45 red tub armchairs, curtains, carpets, lamps, lighting, mirrors, paintings and prints. The contents of about 30 bedrooms were purchased by another hotel in a private deal, but the sale included entire contents from bedrooms like the State Room and the Presidential Suite, including the bed in which Bill and Hilary Clinton once slept.
Should they return, the Clintons may have to stay in the Dunraven Arms Hotel.
Drumcree Parish Church ... is this the image of the Church of Ireland that many have around the world?
The Church of Ireland has been a polite church. Since disestablishment, we have been a Church that has found it difficult to relate prophetically to the wider political culture, and even to the wider culture itself.
Reconciliation means being reconciled to God and reconciled to one another.
But “how reconciled” are we with one another?
One of the symptoms of a dysfunctional family is shown when those who have been hurt in the past try to deal with those hurts in the present and are told by other members of the family that they would be better off to forgive and to forget.
But it is impossible to do both, to forgive and to forget. Unless we remember, we cannot reconcile ourselves with the past. And failing to remember the past creates a dysfunctional identity in the present, which leaves us, therefore, with no possibility of moving forward, honestly and equipped, into the future.
Prague in his novels is a city without memory. It has even forgotten its name. Nobody there remembers anything, nobody recalls anything … No song is capable of uniting the city’s present with its past by recalling the moments of its birth.
Time in Kafka’s novel is the time of humanity that has lost its continuity with humanity, of a humanity that no longer knows anything nor remembers anything, that lives in nameless cities with nameless streets or streets different from the ones they had yesterday, because a name means continuity with the past and people without a past are people without a name.
In his essay, Milan Kundera explores the theme in relation to the way in which an attempt had been made by the state authorities to change the awareness of the identity of the Czech people since the end of World War II. An attempt has been made to erase the nation’s memory, and through this the identity of the people has been eroded.
The first step in liquidating a people is to erase its memory.
The culture, traditions, songs, religious commitment, political ideas embodied above all in the literature and the poetry of the community are important vehicles communicating and challenging the identity of the society.
But in many instances, in the Church of Ireland, we have forgotten the culture, tradition, songs, commitment, politics, literature and poetry of the community of which we are part. And by erasing that memory of the past we have found ourselves stumbling around in the dark of the present, with road signs or street names to help us find our place.
In the past, there has been such a separation between Catholic and Protestant culture in Ireland that it has been a deep chasm that is reflected in cultural and even in everyday life until quite recently.
I do not know how extensive the problem of bats in the belfry is for your parish. But there are two principal bat species in Ireland: now one type of bat favours attics and the other favours more open spaces. But in church ruins in Ireland, there is a preponderance of attics in the ruined Church of Ireland parish churches, so that there was a rumour recently that Irish bats were divided on sectarian grounds: Protestant bats and Catholic bats.
But culturally there has been a big divide between Protestants and Catholics even on the playing fields: rugby was essentially a Protestant game, played in Protestant schools, to which middle class Catholics were invited under sufferance. While Gaelic football and hurling were almost exclusively Catholic – well, those were the perceptions. The Irish language was perceived – on both sides – as being the preserve of Catholics, and of Republic Nationalist Catholics at that: and this despite the fact that the first book printed in Irish was The Book of Common Prayer, that the first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde, a Rector’s son, was a Professor of Irish and one of the key figures in the modern revival of the Irish language.
There were different perceptions of what to expect on each other’s farms, in each other’s homes, how each other set standards as employers and employees. A Russian diplomat who had been posted in Dublin many years ago returned to Moscow and wrote about his perceptions of Ireland. He claimed he could know whether he was at a dinner party in a Catholic or a Protestant household: Catholics arrived late and left late, Protestants arrived early and left early.
But this cultural chasm, this gap that reinforced behavioural patterns, has also deprived us as a Church of finding easy opportunities to be reconciled with our past, with our present, and with our future.
There are many things in the past that I cannot be reconciled with. As Archbishop Rowan Williams reminded the Lambeth Conference in 1998, it is very hard for us to accept that we are members of the Body of Christ when we consider that the body includes people in the past who waged crusades, who carried out the Inquisition, who linked mission and colonialism. But they are dead, and they remain part of the Body of Christ, of the one Church I confess as part of the confession of faith each week. I can do nothing to excommunicate them now. I must accept that I will be reconciled with the past, including the ugly past, in Christ’s own plan for the future.
Not being reconciled with our past has deprived many of the Church of Ireland of the great riches our neighbouring churches find it easier to claim.
A few years ago, we had a visit here from the House of Bishops of the Church in Wales. Back in the 1990s, while I was at a course in the College of the Ascension in Birmingham, a group of Welsh ordinands who realised I was testing my own vocation to ordained ministry, presented me with a small book on Celtic spirituality. It was a kind and generous gesture. But our failure to reconcile ourselves with the past has made Celtic Spirituality in Ireland something for “them” rather than “us”. And that has deprived “us” of so many riches.
We are unaware of the great stories of the Celtic saints who founded and built up the church in Ireland. We are unable to understand the wonders of the great, carved high crosses that speckle the Irish countryside. We are unable to understand the significance and the spirituality that lay behind the founding of many of our cathedrals and parish churches.
It deprives us of some of the wealth and the insights of the founding fathers and the founding mothers of Irish Christianity. The cathedral in Kildare, a small market town 50 km south-west of Dublin, is dedicated to Saint Brigid, one of the three patron saints of Ireland and a woman who was abbot of a mixed community of men and women. During the debate on the ordination of women in the Church of Ireland, I cannot recall one reference to Brigid as one of the apostles of Ireland, nor any reference to the popular mediaeval depiction of Brigid as a mitred abbot.
For many years, I worked in Tallaght parish on the margins of Dublin. Externally, this is a marginalised, urban deprived area. A large shopping centre and dull drab housing make up a city that does not even have its own council or mayor, yet it is big enough to be Ireland’s third city.
The Church of Ireland parish church, Saint Maelruain’s, stands on one of the earliest monastic sites in Ireland, associated with the Ceilí Dé movement, an early reform movement in the Celtic Church, and such a centre of learning that it was once known as one of the “Eyes of Ireland”.
In the early 19th century, the last remaining monastic buildings were demolished to provide building rubble to erect a new parish church. Memory was erased, was bulldozed.
Today in a dormitory city, where people feel they have no roots and where they have no sense of continuity, the only common focus is a pyramid-shaped shopping centre known as “The Square.” If only the church had retained its memory, those people could have found a sense of identity, a sense of rootedness, in a centre of prayer and worship that dates back through the centuries, and that should be giving them hope for the future.
If we are not aware of the stories of our past, if we are not aware of the riches of the iconography of our saints from the past, then we have been truly impoverished – but not for the sake of the Gospel.
The attitude that Celtic Spirituality is “something for them rather than us” is dangerous: in other ways too. If we leave it aside, then we abandon it to quacks and those with fertile religious imaginations; but also fail too to tap into one of the spiritual vocabularies used by thinking and questioning people today; and we fail therefore to understand their agenda and their questions on faith topics. And that is a failure in mission too.
In addition, we are unable to understand how hurt in the past lives in memories, even unarticulated memories, and has shaped attitudes to us today.
But we have forgotten that each one of these controversies dogged the Church of Ireland in previous generations, along with rectors who were flogging and hanging magistrates and bishops caught in scandalous positions with naked sailors in London taverns.
But there was worse: as we have seen in our survey of the history of the Church of Ireland, for generations the bench of bishops of the Church of Ireland provided the working majority of the Irish House of Lord, where on their own initiation, they pushed through iniquitous laws aimed against Roman Catholics and remembered to this day as the Penal Laws. Invariably, until the Act of Union was passed in 1800, two out of three of the highest offices of state in Dublin were held by members of the House of Bishops.
Over the past 200 years or more, the Orange Order has been seen one of the strongest vehicles for perpetuating sectarianism on this island. Admittedly, in many parishes, the Orange Order is a benign and benevolent, organisation. Its older members regard it as merely quaint that Roman Catholics are excluded, in the same quaint way that “ladies” are excluded from membership. But so too in the past Presbyterians were excluded from membership. We have allowed ourselves to forget that this organisation was formed firstly to protect the interests of the Church of Ireland as the established church, at a time when the prelates and the landed aristocracy combined to form what was known as the “Protestant Ascendancy”.
Fear of the past, and clinging on to the memories of past fears, also immobilise us in the transition from the past to the present.
Fear that innovation or moving towards ownership of the insights of modern liturgical thinking will deprive us of our identity and make “us” more like “them”.
This attitude deprives people of the opportunities to worship at the weekend and to have their rector stay long enough at the church door afterwards to give them pastoral attention and a listening ear, instead of racing off like Michael Schumacher to the next ecclesiastical pit-stop.
This attitude deprives people of an opportunity to have regular sacramental ministry.
This attitude deprives them of sharing the same worshipping experiences as their neighbours, because if we cannot worship together then at least if we can worship at the same time as a community it can engender an amazing sense of a shared worship life in small towns and villages.
Our fear of the liturgical movement and liturgy innovation has left us afraid not just of bells and smells, but of candles and icons, of the healing ministry, of aural confession, of our priests wearing our Sunday best on Sundays.
The beginning of the story of reconciliation in Ireland is a little bit more difficult to trace.
As the violent clashes in Northern Ireland unfolded in the wake of the failure of the civil rights marches of the 1960s, there were a number of efforts to try to form peace movements, some of them sad failures, some of them sad constructions in themselves.
Sad failures would include that beautiful but ineffective movement, “What Price Peace?” that arose from a lone vigil by a bereaved Church of Ireland priest, the Revd Joe Parker.
Sad constructions included movements like PACE, Protestant and Catholic Encounter, which brought middle class people together for morning coffee and afternoon tea, and wondered why there couldn’t be reconciliation without first exposing the wounds of the past to the light of the sun so that they could be healed. Can there be any real reconciliation without a healing of memories?
The use of the word reconciliation was probably inspired by Coventry Cathedral. We used the Litany of Reconciliation from Coventry Cathedral in the chapel last Friday morning [19 February 2016]. But there the word reconciliation had been adopted by the bombed, by the victims. Is it wrong for the demand for reconciliation to be first made, without facing up to the hurt of past injustices?
At a meeting of peace groups from across Ireland, I once raised the issue of nuclear weapons, and the move to deploy a new generation of nuclear weaponry, Cruise and Pershing Missiles, in Europe. I was sternly told by a group of Belfast women that the nuclear arms race had nothing to do with the “peace movement” and I was publicly berated by one clergyman at the meeting who accused me of not being interested in reconciliation, of, yes, being a Communist.
Reconciliation was all right if you were going to bring back investment to Belfast. But we dare not talk about reconciliation in terms that challenged the rhetoric of the Cold War. Needless to say, we have moved on since then.
It may emerge in time that we will agree that real reconciliation in Ireland, as far as the churches are concerned, can be traced back not to the morning coffee and afternoon tea gatherings in South Belfast, but to the pioneering work of the Jesuit, the late Father Michael Hurley, and his friends who established the Irish School of Ecumenics.
In coming to terms with the present, in reconciling our religious traditions and cultures, and in reconciling those of us who live in the present with the ugly heritage and memories of the past, the Church of Ireland has eventually been involved in a three-stage process.
2, Moving beyond Sectarianism: This programme was followed by the Irish School of Ecumenics with a programme called “Moving Beyond Sectarianism”, a six-year research project focussing on the role of Christian religion in sectarianism in Northern Ireland. Instead of demonising the more violent, bigoted and overt expressions of sectarianism, the project chose instead to highlight the subtle, polite and understated expressions of sectarianism. This form of sectarianism seems innocuous but serves as an essential underpinning for the ethos of antagonised division that allows the more blatant expressions to flourish. It pointed the finger at each and every one of us – we were all to blame, and we all needed to take responsibility if we were going to move beyond sectarianism and bring about real, lasting reconciliation.
3, The Hard Gospel: The next stage came the Church of Ireland took the challenges of these projects seriously and we started to own them for ourselves so that the process took on a new dynamic. The General Synod established a Sectarianism Education Programme, and commissioned a scooping study, The Hard Gospel, which did not have to dig too deep to find out how deeply rooted sectarian attitudes and values were throughout the Church of Ireland.
But we all know reports are not the end. So often we are used to reports being received by General Synods, and that is it. In this instance though, the report was handed down to Diocesan Synods, where it was discussed, in most cases, not as part of the normal business that has to be rushed through as one of many items on the agenda, but at special sessions, called with only one item on the agenda, The Hard Gospel. And the dioceses have sent the report on the parishes, in the form of study packs, each unit beginning with a Gospel study but then demanding a critical look by the participants – whether they are in parishes north or south of the border – at the barriers and boundaries in their own parishes.
Have we heard all we going to hear, or are we going to hear more about the Hard Gospel in the years ahead?
The process (note the high level of response and engagement in the survey).
How do you feel (in general) about the topics covered?
Should some have been omitted?
Should some have been included?
Defining sectarianism: did you find this difficult?
Church of Ireland identity: do you find this limiting or liberating?
Ethnic difference and asylum seekers.
Political difference: how political can you be? What do you think of clergy involved in politics?
Theological difference: how comfortable are you with that?
Relationships with other churches and inter-church activity.
The loyal orders and Drumcree: How do you respond to Drumcree?
Responding to society in general.
Training and resourcing of clergy.
How can you use the Hard Gospel in a parish?
What issues over-emphasised or should not be there (e.g. sexuality)?
We have realised we are only starting to scratch the surface. But itching wounds are wounds that want to heal. We are naming the beasts. They are ugly and they breathe deadly fire. But by naming them we are acquiring the courage to be reconciled not just with the past and the present, but with the future. The problems we have to face in the future are many. They include not only theological differences, but inbred, generations old class values, snobbery, elitism, and indifference.
“Here in Northern Ireland, we find ourselves in a time of both great change and of numbed ‘stuckness’. We are uncertain, in our post-traumatic ‘peace’ about whether or not we can find our way through to a complete resolution of our troubles. And we are uncertain about whether the Belfast Agreement can provide the foundation we had hoped for, which would allow a society to develop which would include all, and have the loyalty of all.
But at least we have made a start. We have begun to own the process of reconciliation. We have named the beasts, now are we prepared to move on and slay them? Are we ready to be reconciled with the past, held in our memories; reconciled with the present; and reconciled with what the future can hold for us as potential as we move forward as a church in mission?
29 February 2016: reading week.
7.1: Partition, conflict and peace: the Church of Ireland in the 20th and 21st centuries.
7.2: Theologies of reconciliation and the challenges of divided societies (M Volf, R Schreiter, J de Gruchy).
(Revd Canon Professor) Patrick Comerford is Lecturer in Anglicanism, Liturgy and Church History, the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. These notes were prepared as a briefing paper for a seminar on 22 February 2016 as part of the MTh Year II course, TH 8825: Anglican Studies in an Irish context.
Mondays: 10.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Hartin Room.
Last week [15 February 2016], we looked at some of background to and experiences of sectarianism, North and South of the border. Some these were so culturally rooted that it is difficult to challenge them as we live our lives of mission and ministry in the Church. Others, at times, seem to be enshrined in legislation.
Most of us probably react with embarrassment and cringe when we face up to our own intimate experiences of nationalism and identity expressed as Christianity, especially when they relate to our own families, our own parishes, our countries.
How long have you thought that these experiences were unique?
Part of the cause of social embarrassment is being over self-aware, and feeling that few if any share the same experience. Shame goes hand-in-hand with public exposure.
● Why is this happening in my parish/diocese?
● How often have you been exasperated, wondering do things like this happen only in Ireland?
● Only in Northern Ireland?
● Only in the Republic of Ireland?
● Only in the Church of Ireland?
This morning, I would like us to discuss the conflict of cultures and the place of religion in conflict, especially looking at the link between Christianity and nationalisms.
This is not only a concern for the Church of Ireland, or for Christianity, or for Ireland, but this is a global concern. We live in a world of conflict in which religion plays a key role.
Have our perceptions of Islam changed after 9/11?
● The conflicts between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq, Pakistan, and many Gulf states.
Our cultural assumptions about religion frames and is framed by the language we use about conflict.
For example, there has been a series of bombings in Bali, in which have killed or injured many tourists.
2, Unlike the rest of Indonesia, Bali has a strong Hindu presence, making it an oasis of peace.
Are there some religions we are culturally conditioned to think of as peaceful?
1, That there are peaceful religions, and there are violent religions. In particular we are culturally disposed towards thinking of Hinduism and Buddhism as religions of peace, and Islam as a religion of violence.
And yet, one of the factors in years of political violence in Sri Lanka – another island that once had the image of being an island haven of peace – is the tension between Buddhists and Hindus, and the Buddhist sangha or monks were among the most vocal critics of any government effort to enter dialogue with the Tamil Tigers.
Indeed, the image of violent Buddhists runs contrary to historical reality. Yet, how many Japanese suicide pilots went to death in World War II chanting praise to Buddha of with the words from the Lotus Sutra, Namyoho Renge Kyo?
2, The second image is that those violent religions usually boil down to one religion in particular, that is, Islam.
We have inherited a cultural prejudice that Islam is a religion with an inherent violence built into its thoughts, values and teachings.
Popular media regularly conveys images of Islam as a religion of institutionalised violence, expressed in judicial sentencing, such as stoning, chopping off hands, and of social violence, typified in how we discuss jihad, the threats from Isis, suicide car bombers, the attacks in Paris, New York, Madrid and London, the wars in the Middle East, the export of violence or the perceived nuclear threat from Iran, Hamas and Hizbullah in Palestine and Lebanon, or Chechen fighters in the former Soviet Union.
In a paper in the journal Foreign Affairs in 1996 that gave its title to a subsequent book in 1997, Samuel Huntington spoke of a “clash of civilisations” between the Christian or post-Christian world, and the Islamic world.
Despite the apparent outworking of some of his predictions, there are many faults in the theory of an inevitable “clash of civilisations.” Huntington equated a religion with a civilisation, so that Islam is a unitary political, social and definable “civilisation” that depends on a religion for its understanding and explanation, while Christianity underpins western civilisation, and that Islam made no contribution to Western culture and civilisation.
But there is also a reality that must concern us. Many people associate religion with violence, and with war. For example, Polly Toynbee wrote a commentary in The Guardian in the run-up to the first anniversary of 9/11 (6 September 2002) that was headed: ‘Religion isn’t nice. It kills’.
One of the major criticisms of religion in general, and religions in particular, is the role of religion in violence and conflicts.
In all religions, and we should be aware of it most in Christianity. Awareness allows us to face one of the main criticisms of Christianity from those on the margins, and allows us to have some terms and terminology so we can face the problems of violence in our own areas.
Constantine the Great … the beginning of Christendom?
Christendom is not co-terminal with or another phrase for “the Kingdom of God.” But it has often been misrepresented as such. The term “Christendom” may have several meanings, but it refers in particular to a world view that identifies Christianity with cultural, economic and political expressions of a society that is perceived as being normative for or a standard for the rest of human society.
It is a common perception that the Church was pacifist until the Constantinian settlement, when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in AD 313, extending toleration to Christianity. This claim needs objective historical analysis, because it is often argued from a partisan viewpoint. Other questions we need to ask include whether the Church under persecution could consider co-operating with the state in such circumstances, and whether there was a separation of the role of policing and the role of the army?
The earliest use of the terms Christianity (Χριστιανισμός) and Catholic (Καθολικός) is in the writings of Saint Ignatius of Antioch (2nd century). The word Christendom comes from the Latin word Christianus. The Christian world was also known collectively as the Corpus Christianum, often translated as the Christian body, referring to the community of all Christians. The Christian polity, embodying a less secular meaning, has been compared with the idea of both a religious and a temporal body: Corpus Christianum, and at times the Corpus Christianum has been seen as a Christian equivalent of the Muslim Ummah.
But of course, from where we stand geographically, Christianity began in the East, or at least in the Middle East or the Eastern Mediterranean.
In looking at early church history a few weeks ago, we noticed briefly how Christianity spread through the Classical or Greek and Roman world in the apostolic and then post-apostolic period.
The period of Early Christianity came to a close when the imperial persecution of Christians ends, with the coming to power of Constantine the Great, the Edict of Milan (313), and the First Council of Nicaea (325).
Later, Christianity became the state religion of the Empire under the Edict of Thessaloniki in 392 when the Emperor Theodosius I prohibited the practice of pagan religions and the Church gradually became a defining institution of the Empire.
And so, we can see, the Christian attitude to war begins to shift after Constantine and with the writings of Augustine (died 430). Was this good theology, or was it forged in the face of a real threat, with the barbarians at the gates? Augustine wrote The City of God shortly after Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in 410. But, even then, is it any less valid a way of formulating theology in the face of the real pressures of life?
After the Barbarian invasions and the fall of the Roman Empire in the West, a new threat was posed to Christianity with the rise of Islam, the Muslim capture of Jerusalem in 638, the arrival of Muslim armies in Europe, and the threat to the New Rome, Constantinople.
As the Empire in the West disintegrated into feudal kingdoms and small states, the concept of Christendom changed as the western church became separate from the Emperor and Christians in the Empire of the East.
In the East, the Byzantine Empire saw itself vas the last bastion of Christendom. Christendom entered a new phase with the rise of the Franks and their conversion to Christianity.
Christendom later refers to the mediaeval and renaissance notions of the Christian world as a socio-political polity. In essence, the earliest vision of Christendom was a vision of a Christian theocracy or a government founded on and upholding Christian values, whose institutions are spread through and over with Christian doctrine.
In this period, the clergy wield political authority. The specific relationship between political leaders and clergy varied. But, in theory, the national and political divisions were often subsumed in the leadership of the Church.
On Christmas Day 800, Pope Leo XIII crowned Charlemagne as the Emperor of what became the Holy Empire.
This empire created an alternative definition of Christendom in contrast to the Byzantine Empire. The question of what constituted true Christendom would then occupy political and religious leaders for generations and centuries to come.
The pontificate of Innocent III is considered the height of temporal power of the papacy. The Corpus Christianum describes the then current notion of the community of all Christians in communion with the Pope – a community guided by Christian values in its politics, economics and social life.
However, in the East, Christendom was seen as co-terminus with the Byzantine Empire, which was gradually loss of territory in the face of the rapid expansion of Islam and the rise of new Persian Empire.
Until the Great Schism divided the Church religiously, there had been a concept of a universal Christendom that included the East and the West. But this was rocked by the Great Schism and was destroyed by the Fourth Crusade.
The Crusades originated in Western Europe, particularly in the Frankish realms (France) and the Holy Roman Empire. They were proclaimed as a campaign, fought under the Cross, to reclaim control of Jerusalem and the “Holy Land” for “Christendom” and were fought for almost two centuries, between 1095 and 1291. Initially the Crusades were proclaimed for the recovery of Jerusalem and the ‘Holy Land,’ and the protection of pilgrims, but they soon became a ‘holy war’.
In the First Crusade (1095-1099), at the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, Orthodox Christians fought alongside Jewish and Muslim residents to defend Jerusalem against the Crusaders, so that many Christians were slaughtered alongside their Muslim neighbours.
Some of the crusade expeditions were diverted completely from their original aim. The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) resulted in the sack of Constantinople in 1204 and the partition of the Byzantine Empire between Venice and the Crusaders, and hastened the destruction of Byzantium.
But it was not until the Sixth Crusade (1228-1229) that any Crusade received the official blessing of the Pope.
Dante in his Inferno places Muhammad in the Eighth Circle of Hell as a sower of discord, along with Christian schismatics, while in a frozen lake at the bottom of hell he placed Ganelon, who betrayed Roland and the rear-guard of Charlemagne’s army. In the Fifth Heaven he placed the Crusader King, Godfrey of Bouillon.
We still use, misuse and abuse the term “Crusade” when we are describing certain campaigns. The Crusades have left far-reaching political, economic, and social legacies that continue to survive in our time.
The Western Church was boosted in its political authority and its perception of a shared boundary with Christendom through the shared experience of the Crusades, the fight against the Moors in the Iberian Peninsula, and against the ottomans in the Balkans. But some of its worst expressions were also found, for example, in the Inquisition, the pogroms directed against Jews, and “crusades” against heretics, such as the Albigenses and the Cathars.
Western Christendom faced a major crisis of identity with the Western Schism and the Avignon Papacy, a split that came to an end only with the Council of Constance. And mediaeval Christendom was also challenged by the reputation of morally lax pontiffs and their dependence on secular rulers, coupled with greed for material wealth and temporal power.
The Reformations and the concurrent rise of independent states gave the term “Christendom” a new, more general, meaning in Western Europe, signifying countries that were predominantly Christian – whether they were Catholic or Protestant – as opposed to Islamic or other countries.
Post-Reformation Roman Catholics the restoration of Christendom and argued that, the term applied to the civilisation of Catholic nations that espoused the doctrine of the Social Reign of Christ the King, and that recognised the Roman Catholic Church.
The Hundred Years’ War accelerated the process of transforming France from a feudal monarchy to a centralised state. The rise of strong, centralised European monarchies was part of the transition in Europe from feudalism to capitalism and the rise of modernity.
The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 officially ended the idea among secular leaders that all Christians must be united under one church. The principle of cuius regio eius religio (“whoever the king, his the religion”) established the religious, political and geographical divisions of Christianity.
The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 ended the concept of a single Christian hegemony. After that, each government determined the religion of its own state, and the wars of religion came to an end.
With the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the concept of the sovereign national state was born. The Corpus Christianum has since existed with the modern idea of a tolerant and diverse society consisting of many different communities.
The nation state, in seeking to define itself, must by definition limit itself. These limitations find a number of expressions, such a language, a constructed culture (including music, poetry, drama, songs, architecture and paintings), and, of course, religion.
Is it possible to imagine the construction of the modern Italian state – proclaimed over 154 years ago on 17 March 1861 – without a shared Italian language, seen as the creation of Dante, and expressed in the operas of Verdi?
Consider how the revival of the Irish language and the popularisation of images such as Round Towers and Celtic High Crosses came at a crucial time in Irish nationalism in the late 19th century.
Germany is a modern nation state without a shared religious identity. Nevertheless, it still resulted in the most profane effort to exclude one religious expression – the Holocaust.
In the creation of the modern Greek state and the modern Turkish state, religion played a key role in the forging of national identities, so that Greek was equated with Orthodox Christian and Turk with Muslim.
The consequences of this reached beyond the generations, after the creation of an independent Cyprus in 1960. The Muslim/Christian dividing line defined the line of advance when the Turks invaded Cyprus in 1974.
Did religion define nationality for Europe nation states?
What role does it play in our understanding and creation of a new European identity?
But this is not solely a European phenomenon. Religious identity has been used to define separate national identities in India and Pakistan. This has created problems for those outside these definitions, including Christians and Sikhs, and the conflict continues between Hindus and Muslims, with violence constantly and continually threatening to inflame border conflicts between Pakistan and India.
Religion has been a factor in many of the conflicts in Europe in the 1990s. As Yugoslavia was breaking up, the labels Catholic and Orthodox were used to distinguish Croat from Serb. When Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo slaughtered, was it because they were Muslims in Bosnia (where they were otherwise like all other Slavs)? Was it because they were Albanians or Muslims in Kosovo?
In Egypt, many Arabs and Muslims have found it difficult to see Coptic Christians as true Egyptians. On the other hand, the word Copt means Egyptian, and many Christians have seen themselves as the true and authentic Egyptians.
To what degree did religious divisions play a role in the more recent conflicts in Egypt?
What about the conflicts in Sudan and the Central African Republic? Is this a conflict between Arabs and Africans in Sudan, or between Muslims and Christians in both countries? And did the churches become too closely identified with the cause of Southern Sudan?
Consider the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Is this a Jewish-Muslim conflict? How do Christians whose families have been living there for generations and centuries feel in terms of their identity? Is there a place for them there?
Was the invasion of Iraq built on a case for a ‘just war’? Or did it build on our traditional antipathies towards, fears of, and misconceptions of Islam?
With the murder of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya last year [February 2015], what are the appropriate Christian responses to violence?
What do we mean by a ‘just war’?
In today’s world, how do we move from encounter to dialogue and understanding?
7, Due proportion between the benefits sought and the damage done.
1, Guaranteed immunity of non-combatants.
3, International treaties must be honoured.
Were these conditions met in Northern Ireland?
Who was responsible for meeting these conditions?
Can there be an ‘unjust’ war or a ‘just’ revolution?
Or are these models relevant?
The word jihad in fact has its roots in the Arabic verb to exert, and means not holy war (as translated by Thomas Aquinas) but an exertion on behalf of true religion and submission to God.
On the other hand, Islam allows no other form of war and violence except that with some religious objective.
(Revd Canon Professor) Patrick Comerford is Lecturer in Anglicanism, Liturgy and Church History, the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. This lecture on 22 February 2016 was part of the MTh Year II course, TH 8825: Anglican Studies in an Irish context.
I look upon every day to be lost in which I do not make a new acquaintance. | 2019-04-25T22:46:12Z | http://www.patrickcomerford.com/2016_02_22_archive.html |
Roger Pinkham, in a signal processing course in the mid 60s, remarked on methods of stock price cycle filtering, that you could determine the filter they used from the cycles they spotted.
Which is to say that the input they’re finding their cycles in is white noise, and the filter itself generates the cycles.
My own favorite book on the subject was Burton Malkeil’s A Random Walk Down Wall Street, in the 70s, which apparently is still around. I don’t know what “the latest investment advice” could be that’s touted on the front cover, though.
Possibly it was put there by a publishing drone.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this podcast. Fama was earnest. He’s critical of Macroeconomists for storytelling and – to his credit – really refuses to participate in the ex post analysis.
Sometimes I wonder what Fama’s life must be like. The efficient markets hypothesis is incredibly important… and yet the whole world (and especially the asset allocation business) shuns him.
Money is wealth to an individual but isn’t wealth to a country. It’s a ticket in line to say what the economy does next, presumably something for you. The Fed regulates the number of tickets so that they don’t bid against each other for more than the economy can do, nor are there so few that the economy goes idle.
That keeps the economy busy and keeps prices stable.
The Fed in normal times looks at leading indicators of inflation and decides whether there’s too many tickets or too few. If too many, is soaks some up by selling debt; if too few, it creates some by buying back debt.
The Fed doesn’t care what the number of tickets is, just that it’s too many or too few. It changes the amount by changing the trigger for buying or selling debt, which is the short interest rate. It changes it a tiny bit in the direction that leading indicators of inflation suggest, and then waits until the next meeting to see what to do next.
Two remarks: the interest rate is an output from the economy, not an input from the Fed. The Fed uses that output to say whether to buy or sell debt so as to regulate the money supply as they’ve decided, either a little more or a little less. This method distributes the giving or taking of money over the economy in a minimally invasive way.
Second, the leading indicators of inflation used have to be orthogonal to interest rate, so that the Fed does not blind itself with its own interventions. This is not hard to arrange mathematically.
In unusual times, namely today, the Fed is pretty completely blind as to what it’s doing. None if its indicators are clear of its own interventions.
PS: they pay interest on reserves because the money is there as a confidence builder for creditors of the respective banks, and they want the money to stay there.
My theory as to why these savy/educated investors bought these junk financial instruments is that by doing so they were to extract a significant enough windfall through immediate compensation that they frankly didn’t care that eventually everything would collapse. Simple incentives, nothing more complex.
Russ, please expand your ditch digger joke.
You tell it as something self evident, yet it assumes a larger context that I think is unjustified. Why isn’t ditch digging “productive” or “good?” I also agree it is not, but I think there is a lesson that is not being drawn, or I misunderstand the point. I am not sure what story you would tell, but I think you would say something about how the demand for ditches is already filled. Any extra production would be waste. Of course there are people who dig and fill ditches, so it is valuable to some degree. So the question comes down to the fundamental issue you two explicitly skirted during the interview, what causes demand? Can you imagine any scenario for which it would be good and productive for us to stimulate ditch digging and ditch filling?
I know you have a problem with external/government subsidizing of ANY industry. But there must be more than that or else the issue of which industry wouldn’t be relevant.
The Efficient Markets Hypothesis is the ultimate example of how no bad idea ever dies in economics. No doubt it is true that market prices are based on all available information…..and all available emotion and irrationality as well.
The fact that you cannot predict future market prices does not vindicate the efficiency of today’s prices. Nor does it prove that “successive changes are independent of one another”. Market prices are one of many phenomena that are unpredictable due to sensitive dependence on initial conditions.
The Efficient Markets Hypothesis is one big exercise in assuming its’ own conclusions and defining away all counter arguments.
Good interview. However it would’ve been interesting to hear Fama’s response to a challenge of the EMH on Hayekian grounds. I’m thinking of Hayek’s “Use of Knowledge in Society”, in which he argues that information is decentralized. I think Hayek would have hated the idea that information could be perfectly assimilated without trades taking place, as Fama indicated when he said the bid/ask spread could just change smoothly in response to new information. I mean, if that’s the case then why couldn’t a central planner just utilize information in the exact same way?
Also, please do get Stiglitz if you can Russ. I actually think he’s probably right about the ditch digging, though of course the amount of stimulus would be very small. Regardless it’d be very interesting to hear a discussion along these lines.
Yes, to me, this seems like a simple case of principal-agent problems at work.
I was thinking that investment managers do make a difference. Maybe small at the margins but with no one watching the market no information gets shared to set index prices. The Free riding of investors, quite similar to me that simply let their employer recommended mutual funds ride, provide opportunity to skilled investment managers. Of course the average return is the index rate, but how many market entrances and exits are controlled by the equilibrium how many indexed sheep are in the market.
I feel like Fama’s reasoning is completely illogical. He argues in circles. Also, why does he say that savings equals lending? That doesn’t seem to be true in a fractional reserve system.
Overall, I really enjoyed this podcast. Fama’s work is overwhelmingly technical so I wasn’t sure he would translate to podcast well. I thought he was great. I found him consistent, reasoned, and very insightful.
They’ve all been very good of late – but this is one of my favorites from the last six months or so.
I have a question about the identity that Fama states: total savings must equal total investment.
Is that identity consistent with the assertion that banks “create money” by making loans?
It would seem that a given amount of savings could support a larger amount of investment because the loans made for investment purposes are backed only by reserves and the banks’ promises to redeem savings deposits, not by the full amount of the deposits themselves.
Therefore, it would seem that the two propositions mentioned above are inconsistent.
Problem with Fama’s view of the world is that he must defend EHF hypothesis in all-or-nothing fashion. And that is fine, as long as one does not disqualifies behavioral folks in ad hominem fashion. E.g., Thaler is just a psychologist working in finance or, behavioral researchers are just looking for anomalies, and therefore, such research is illegitimate!?
Yet, Fama fails to tell us, what exactly is wrong with ‘fishing’ for anomalies (as a starting point of one’s research)? And secondly, if you disqualify one’s empirical research stream based on the argument that they are fishing for statistical significance on favored coefficients, could not we also disqualify Fama’s empirical research by the same logic? In my mind, any research must stand the scrutiny of replicability. To the best of my knowledge, I am still waiting to discover a research paper(s) that disqualifies entire field that shows systematic failures in human judgment. I guess I am just looking for a more convincing explanation on why behavioral finance is an utter failure.
Lastly, I was expecting an unbiased approach to this interview from Russ. I recently listened to an earlier interview with Thaler, which was somewhat hostile. Although, in his own words, Russ is not well versed in finance, he still felt comfortable challenging Thaler on all issues, while Fama’s words were taken at their face value.
Even if Russ agrees with Fama (who is undoubtedly a towering figure), I expected that he would be a bit more of a devil’s advocate.
P.S. Here is another puzzle: If all financial management (hedge funds as such) is just a dumb luck and fund managers make money by charging high fees until their luck runs out, could not we consider naive investments in high fees funds a form of a behavioral anomaly?
For the 11 years ending in December 1999, Medallion’s cumulative returns were 2,478.6 percent. Among all offshore funds over that same period, according to the database run by hedge fund observer Antoine Bernheim, the next-best performer was George Soros’ Quantum Fund, with a 1,710.1 percent return. A measurement of the risk (e.g., beta, volatility, or leverage figures) which accompanied Medallion’s high annual returns is not publicly available. In 2009 the Medallion fund topped the list of the most profitable hedge funds with profits of over $1 billion.
Renaissance Technologies seems to provide a counter example to Fama’s assertions about efficient markets. It has outperformed the market for so long, it can’t be chance, or a survivor effect. Perhaps Renaissance is actually functioning as a market maker or exploiting very short time correlations.
Then we have the work of Edward O. Thorp who has found inefficiencies and exploited them for profit for an extended period. Again a counter example to Fama. I think Fama and other advocates of EMH deal with these counter examples by ignoring them, or coming up with not very convincing explanations.
Do you know the story of Bill Miller and Legg Mason? Miller was also a genius who beat the market year in and year out. Until he didn’t. One data point (or even two or three) in a very large ocean doesn’t tell you very much. When the ocean is very large, there will always be unusual winners and losers.
(1) Why no discussion of Limits to Arbitrage… isn’t that at the heart of any EMH critique?
(2) If we take the Fama/EMH position as true, what is the implication for optimal tax policy on investment managers? If all returns in that space are due to “luck/statistical anomaly”, is there any real impact if tax policy changes incentives?
Legg Mason Capital Management Value Trust (LMVTX) “beat” the S&P 500 stock index every year from 1991 to 2005. “Beating” means exceeding, and that’s a lot different from achieving a consistently very high absolute return from 1989 to 2011. Moreover, I don’t think LMVTX beat every index.
There are about 10,000 mutual funds (more if you count the ones that went out of business), while that’s big pool, it’s not an ocean. An ocean would be millions or tens of millions of mutual funds. Not only that, strictly speaking, the Medallion Fund is a hedge fund, not a mutual fund like LMVTX. The hedge fund universe was much smaller (until recently). In 1984 Tremont Partners could only identify 68 hedge funds. After the 1990s, the hedge fund industry took off. In 1998, according to data from BarclayHedge, hedge funds had $143 billion in assets under management, and by 2010 they had $1.694 trillion under management. So until recently the hedge fund universe was more like a shallow pond than an ocean.
I’m well aware of the fact that by chance alone a small number of players in a large universe will beat the average. But I think the probability of achieving yearly returns of about 30%, year after year for more than 20 years is just too small not to refute the EMH. That probability is tricky to calculate, but I think if we do it, you will see that Renaissance Technologies, Soros, D.E. Shaw and a few other super performers can’t be explained by pure luck.
The common element among these super performers is the use of mathematics, and perhaps advanced hardware (for high frequency trading). I also doubt they make their money on pure stock picking. I think some of them amount to a market maker. However, I don’t think Soros uses mathematics, I think he has inside information.
Years ago I did accept the EMH, but as I learned more about finance and investing, I came to reject it. To be sure markets are very efficient and it’s hard to make high returns without getting lucky, but not impossible. There are just too many counter examples to the EMH. The there is Thorpe, which is another big story.
Without risk information, returns are meaningless. If someone is taking outsized risk, they can claim anything about their returns.
Renaissance is indeed legendary. So let’s call it skill. His 5/50 fee structure fits with Fama’s hypothesis, though: that the managers capture a lot of the excess returns via fees. Perhaps he’s so far to the right in the distribution that there are some crumbs left over for investors, but consider the risk-adjusted returns they enjoy versus Simon.
Consistent outperformance is rare, but it does happen. Usually the excess return is garnered via fees, but not always. The behavioral anomaly of rational investors using active funds is like people buying lottery tickets: hey, they might get lucky.
Hedge funds complicate the matter with leverage. Leverage can be used to increase the expected average return of the fund by adding kurtosis (a higher chance the fund will suffer a large loss). For instance, Long Term Capital Management had several impressive years and then “blew up.” Thus, looking at average returns can be misleading. What seems like a streak of impossibly high returns, could just be reflected in an unrealized tail.
Unfortunately, hedge fund data is sparse. For instance, if I try to find the sources the wikipedia article used, it leads back to a puff piece on Simmons with no explanation of where the 35% figure came from. When good data has been found, it has mostly not found large returns to management. The data also finds evidence of skewness (a tendency to blow up).
It’s certainly possible that some people have very good, very secret strategies that create abnormally high risk adjusted average returns. If someone could show that empirically in an academic paper, there would be an extremely high reward. A puff piece in the WSJ does not meet that burden though.
I wouldn’t worry too much about Fama. He enjoys extremely high social status as an academic. He is probably the most revered financial economist. Second, there is a whole mountain of academic research on asset allocation built around the EMH. The simple premise is that in a world with EMH an investor should think about how his individual risk profile differs from the risk profile of the representative investor. In practice, it would mean a good investment adviser would spend a lot of time finding out about their client. What’s their risk tolerance? Does there wage fluctuate heavily with the business cycle (a top surgeon’s probably fluctuates a lot less than a successful small business owner)? Are they old or young? That, in practice, probably isn’t the focus as much as it should be, but my sense is that there is much more focus on those sorts of things than 20 years ago.
Fama comes out well in the podcast. But this wasn’t Russ’ finest attempt at getting to the depth of the issues. No mention of counter examples (Rennaisance/Buffet etc.) or Taleb’s critique of finance. What happened Russ? You barely challenged the guy.
So is Fama implying the fund managers who provide above average return are either lucky or acting on insider information quickly before it is publicly available?
I think when Fama meant loans equals to savings, thereby net leverage is zero in fractional reserve system- he means the drop in exchange rate takes care of large sum of money created by the fractional banking system of the lender country.
I disagree with Fama that buyers of CDOs had all the information at hand. People who created the CDO had all the information, but still kept making them because the CDS against them where backed by AIG and like, whom they knew will bailed out by the government.
I also disagree with him on his assertion that how did the bond market, housing market & commodities all fail roughly at the same time. All of them were feeding the same beast which was consumption created by leveraging increasing house prices.
A minor correction in your math. The odds of a mutual fund beating the average is 2^(-14) or one in 16,000 approximately. I don’t have exact figures, but I think that the number of mutual funds that have existed during those 14 years is well in excess of 16,000 (including those that went bust, as you must do). In other words, it is expected that at least one mutual fund will beat the average every year for 14 years by chance alone. Just sayin.
A delightful podcast: made me laugh out load several times.
As a former editor of a peer reviewed journal, was pleased to learn that getting published is as important as ever and may ever determine the course of research trends.
Will audit again in order to make more substantive comments.
The math is more complicated. Miller’s LMVTX fund started in 1982. The Wikipedia entry for Bill Miller says the fund beat the S&P 500 index for 15 consecutive years from 1991 to 2005. Let’s assume a constant universe of mutual funds, meaning there is a fixed number and they all stay in business. Let’s suppose all the funds have a 50% chance of beating the S&P 500 in any one year. So we have 24 years in operation (as of 2005) and he had a run of successes of length 15. What’s the probability of 1 or more runs of length 15 in 24 independent trials? This is a little complicated, but the solution is given here. A “run” is an unbroken series of successes. The answer is 0.000167847, which is over five times 1/2^15. Thus the probability of at least one fund out of 10,000 having a run of length 15 or more is 1-(1-0.000167847)^10,000= 0.81. If you like 16,000 better, then we get .93.
The real world is much more complicated. Funds with a run of bad luck are often closed. The fund manager will then open a new fund with a different name, and with much the same investment strategy. This “survivor bias” effect is pretty strong. Nevertheless we can see from this toy example that with a big universe of funds a few managers will get lucky and have an impressive looking run like Bill Miller. Today LMVTX has been in business for 29 years. Now the probability of one or more runs of length 15 about doubles to 0.000244141, and that 81% becomes 91%.
The assumption of independence is also not quite right. I suspect from the name of the fund LMVTX started out as a value fund. Today Morningstar lists LMVTX as a “blend fund.” Sometimes market conditions favor value funds and they do well. They are also more risky so you would expect then to do better than the S&P 500. I suspect Miller got lucky by choosing a value style of investing at the right time and enjoyed a string of successes.
Russ provided us with a good example, but not one that really supports the EMH.
Increasing the kurtosis should not affect the mean of a symmetrical distribution. With increased leverage a fund will have a higher chance of a big loss as well as a big gain. I doubt Renaissance Technologies success can be explained by high leverage. Eventually it wipes you out as LTCM found out as well as the banking industry in 2008-2009. Now if the government steps and rescues the firms the firms in the lower tail, that changes everything. I don’t think Renaissance Technologies has ever been bailed out.
Again if Renaissance Technologies is simply running a high risk strategy they should have gotten wiped out by now. According to Wikipedia, that 35% average annual return since 1989 is after fees, so if that’s correct, there is more than “crumbs” left over for the investors in the fund. What we don’t know is their internal rate of return. They might have had high returns with a small amount of assets under management, and low returns with a large amount of assets under management. In which case, the IRR could be way below 35%. It gets harder and harder to get high returns when the fund gets bigger and bigger. Moreover, they do more than simply pick stocks with the Medallion fund; they run a trading desk. They might be earning large fees as a market maker of some kind, which juices up their profits.
Since the hedge fund universe was small when they started in the early 1980s, and didn’t get big until after 2000, their survival and possible high returns might serve as a counter example to the EMH. But I do agree that we need more information.
Slight correction on my reply to Lawrence. I wrote, “What’s the probability of 1 or more runs of length 15 in 24 independent trials?” I should have written, What’s the probability of a run of length 15 or more in 24 independent trials?
Ah… more of the same. When reality is destroying your life’s work go for a stalemate and hide behind incomprehensible complexity claiming no one could no the truth. Problem is I’ve been following this debate since 2005 and people are on record all over the Internet predicting the bubble and crash.
We have a major global financial crisis that basically has the world economy set up as a casino and all Prof Fama can due is provide more cover for the elites gathered at Davos who love the complexity argument.
The economics profession has failed modern society more than any other.
Sometimes the best conversations aren’t debates. It can be useful to go along and give someone the benefit of the doubt and just get that person’s views out there.
Fama is defensive at his best, most of the time being just dishonest.
On one hand he states that prices incorporate all the market information for making decisions(supplementary information being costly) , yet on the other hand when faced by Russ with the bubble argument, he quickly accuses supply and demand for price dysfunctions and deviates to erroneous facts about the timing of various market crashes.
There is a documentary available on Youtube and Google videos called ‘Quants: The Alchemists of Wall Street (Marije Meerman, VPRO Backlight 2010)’, in which one of the actively involved quants in the risk analysis software implementation during the boom period, expresses his doubts on whether the buyers of CDSs really knew what they were buying.
The question is: could they have really known, since all the securities were AAA rated and nicely packaged?
In other words, EMH is an interesting piece of Chicago-based corporation-sponsored pseudo-science, which clearly doesn’t find its place in the REAL world.
1-Half of me understands and believes in Fama’s EMH but the other half of me wonders what would happen if everyone believed in it. Put simply: isn’t the accurate pricing of assets the direct result of so many people laboring to discover mis-priced assets and arbitrage them back to fair market value? What would the result be if everyone assumed asset prices were right and passively invested in an index? What if everyone owned an index and there was just two pieces of relevant news- one good, one bad- that cancelled out; e.g., if news meant RIMM is worth 50% less and AAPL 50% more, how would those prices adjust if everyone assumed efficient markets?
3-There is also regulatory arbitrage to consider. I already touched on the ratings cartel (Moodys, S&P, Fitch) that is enabled by government laws and regulations. Additionally, European banks were holding large amounts of Italian sovereign bonds with leverage because Basel III said they are to be treated as a risk-free asset and thus no capital must be held against them. This despite the fact that the bond traders down the hall from the risk managers were trading the same Italian bonds- which were trading 5%+ above Germans- as if they were as risky as Junk. The whole concept of a risk-free asset underpins our financial system and is, quite frankly, preposterous. Nothing is risk-free. Nothing. Not even US Treasuries. Incidentally, if/when the risk-free status of Treasuries comes into question by the market the move in yields will be like a damn breaking….and everyone will claim to have predicted it but only a few will get rich by having spotted the inefficiency.
4-Fama is backwards w/respect to leverage- banks do not need savings to lend; the lending comes first and the savings follows. That lending becomes the bank’s asset and another party’s liability. As far as that lending is not backed by an asset it is indeed a problem. Furthermore, if the assets and liabilities are not properly accounted for- as seems to be the case with a lot banks holding liabilities off balance sheet- then it is also a problem. The aggregation of these problems may lead to mis-priced assets that people smarter and more connected than I tend to discover.
Thank you, Professor Roberts, for a vey entertaining and informative podcast, as always. And please join LinkedIn.org Friends of EconTalk user group.
I think Roberts was not confrontational because he agreed with many of Fama’s views, and because most of the time Fama was saying he did not know the correct solution. It’s tough to be confrontational when your guest keeps saying he doesn’t know.
To me this “I don’t know” position is not unusual for Professor Fama. When he presents his empirical papers, he presents many of the experiments he ran that did not pan out, although he presents only the major ones (else the paper will never end).
The EMH as applied to mutual fund performance says we cannot know whether a fund’s top performance was due to managers’ skill or luck. It may have been skill, or it may have been luck. Our tools in statistics does not allow us to determine the cause.
Also all mutual fund companies are notorious for merging in good performing funds to boost performance and closing bad performing funds. And if the manger changed during a funds life, the entire period cannot be used. Otherwise, we are assuming that a twin took over the fund and that there has not been a material change. I don’t remember where I read this, but I recall that after adjusting for fund mergers and manager turnover, only Buffet’s Birkshire Hathaways had some indication at a statistically significant level that the Fund’s return may be due to managers’ skill. Think about it. How many funds did not change its managers or merger with a sister funds and had a stellar return for close to 60 years?
Fama co-founded and is a director at the Dimensional Fund. It does not believe in inefficient market information, so it uses market microstructures that may lead to certain segments of the market to trade at a disadvantaged price for a while, perhaps years, until the market segment is revised (sometimes due to regulation, sometime due to mechanics of trade execution). I think the Dimensional Fund has done well over a long period (15+ years?) but I don’t think Fama is that actively involved in the daily investment decisions. You can get better information directly from http://www.google.com/search?q=Dimension%20Fund .
1) A link to “The Arithmetic of Active Management” by William Sharpe might be relevant and helpful.
2) For a future podcast on some of these topics (and a bit contra-Fama), a great guest could be Emanuel Derman, who recently wrote Models.Behaving.Badly. Derman was a physicist in academia who became a leading quant at GS. In his book, Derman covers philosophy, economics (Hayek), finance, and physics in examining how economic/financial models should — or should not — be applied in real life.
Can someone explain Fama’s statement that savings have to equal loans. I fail to see why- given fractional reserve banking- this is true.
You guys probably know a lot more about probability than do. However, I think that, Prof. Fama engaged in a rookie mistake when he described a recent study he did on returns to fund managers. Essentially, he analyzed the data and found a bell curve. Then he looked at the outliers and said that the number of outliers were no greater than would be expected by chance. In other words, consistent good performers were there, but not at levels greater than you would expect from chance. Same with consistent bad performance.
This seems like a misinterpretation of probability to me. A bell curve simply describes results. It says nothing about why the outliers are where they are. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to assume that financial returns would be in a normal distribution. Most things are. However, I believe that the reason that some funds consistently perform well is not purely because of chance, but because of a better strategy or better information, which is found either through greater resources or hard work or access.
It sounds like if professor Fama saw a distribution of height, he would say that people are tall by chance. Well, no, some of the reason that people are tall is because of their genetic inheritance.
Perhaps I am being too simplistic, but I don’t think that Prof. Fama’s argument should convince anyone that success in finance is purely a matter of luck.
I thought Friedman was only an advocate for substantially increasing the money supply during bank runs. And that his rationale was to make it painful for people to be sitting on cash while they panic; providing a disincentive to hoard cash and an incentive to at least earn a real return by keeping loanable fund on deposit.
I enjoyed the podcast with Dr. Fama. But I felt that I understood a smaller percentage of it than any other Econtalk discussion.
I’d like to see you have him back just for a discussion of the efficient markets hypothesis.
Fama is obviously very smart and says intelligent things about empirical research. However, I was mystified by his claims that high leverage can’t be an important part of the story and that the recession caused asset prices to decline (as opposed to the story about asset price declines leading to collapse of prices of mortgage backed securities, causing a financial crisis, which in turn led to a recession). A recent NBER Working Paper by Gorton and Metrick which is scheduled to appear as a review article in the Journal of Economic Literature includes this quote: “Reinhart and Rogoff (2011) and Schularick and Taylor (2012), are the products of Herculean data collection efforts on long historical time series about government and private debt. Both of these papers demonstrate the strong association between accelerations in economy‐wide leverage and subsequent banking crises. That finding deserves emphasis as the main empirical fact about historical predicates to financial crises.” It seems that these authors are using a different definition of leverage from Fama’s.
Reinhart, Carmen and Kenneth Rogoff (2011), “From Financial Crash to Debt Crisis,” American Economic Review 101, 1676‐1706.
One of the best recent papers in Finance. Lack of persistence in mutual funds does not imply efficiency in stocks, but just efficiency of the mutual fund industry itself. The gains from trade of skill goes to the people that possess the skill through management fees.
Interestingly, Fama’s interpretation of the EMH appears to have given up the claim that prices are “right”, and fallen back on the claim that – on average – people cannot beat the market.
Given that – on average – poeple ARE the market, the usefullness of the EMH seems rather limited.
I am relieved to see there are several people here mystified by Fama’s claim that lending must equal savings. I sensed Professor Roberts had to hesitate on that. I would LOVE to know whether he has done further thinking on this.
I am confused because it seems in a world where the Fed prints money that is then used to buy bonds, lending does not have to equal savings at all. Unless our understanding of “savings” is too limited?
Fama/French Forum, where Gene Fama blogs with co-blogger Kenneth R. French.
"My Life in Finance," by Eugene Fama, Annual Review of Financial Economics, Vol. 3, pp. 1-15, 2011.
"Luck Versus Skill in Mutual Fund Performance, by Eugene Fama and Kenneth French.
Money Supply, by Anna Schwartz. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.
Merton Miller. Biography. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.
Myron Scholes. Biography. Black-Scholes pricing paper. Concise Encyclopedia of Economics.
"Bailouts and Stimulus Plans," by Eugene Fama. January 13, 2009. Addendum, January 16, 2009.
Justin Fox on the Rationality of Markets. EconTalk podcast.
Meltzer on the Fed, Money, and Gold. Does the Fed control interest rates, and if so, how? EconTalk podcast.
Rebonato on Risk Management and the Crisis. Representative of the Royal Bank of Scotland talks about the financial crisis. EconTalk podcast.
0:36 Intro. [Recording date: January 17, 2012.] Russ: Your impact on the field of finance has been immense--in a whole bunch of areas, but one that stands out is the efficient markets hypothesis (EMH). I'd like you to sketch out the evolution of that idea in the field, how it was understood initially, and how it has changed over time. Guest: How much time do we have? Russ: Well, four or five hours, but let's try to keep it to under 10 minutes for this first question, if you can. Guest: Okay. I'll go back to the beginning. The way Harry Roberts tells it, Holbrook Working in the 1930s started to become interested in whether speculative prices moved randomly. He was mostly an agricultural economist, looking at agricultural commodities, and he took a series of random numbers, simulated them, and brought them to his faculty at Stanford, faculty lounge, I guess; showed them to them and they agreed they were an agricultural series. So he thought from that that maybe a random walk kind of model would work pretty well for agricultural prices, prices of other commodities. But then there was a big gap from there to like the end of the 1950s. And what opened things up was the coming of computers, which made computations much easier. And the most readily available data was stock price data. So, basically, statisticians, econometricians took the data and started doing calculations on it, calculating autocorrelations with their estimates of how predictable returns are based on past returns. And then they stopped. Economists got into the mix and said: Okay, how would we expect prices to behave if they were set based on all available information? Which is basically the EMH, but it wasn't stated in those terms at that time. So, they said: I think they should be a random walk, an hypothesis pulled out of the air. Russ: When you say it's a random walk, explain what that means. Guest: That means that expected changes are successive changes are independent of one another. It also means they have identical distributions, but that part is not important. It's basically the independence part that's important. It basically means that you can't predict future returns based on past returns. Russ: And yesterday doesn't tell you anything about tomorrow. Guest: Right. Returns from day to day are basically independent of past returns. Now that was a very extreme hypothesis. Let me give you an example. You wouldn't say that about tomatoes, for example. Tomatoes are going to be cheaper in August than in January, for the most part, because they are seasonal. It has to do with supply and demand--mostly supply of tomatoes. There's a similar thing operating in prices of stocks, bonds, whatever. Basically, there's an expected return component, what people would require in order to hold those securities; and there's no reason that that has to be independent through time. There's no reason why that's not predictable or why it doesn't go--and there's lots of evidence that it is--higher on stocks during recessions and lower during good times. So there can be predictability in returns that is consistency with efficient markets. What people didn't understand in the beginning was that propositions about how prices should behave had to be joined to a statement about how you think they ought to behave. In other words, what you need is some statement about what we call a market equilibrium. What is the risk-return model you have in mind underlying the behavior of the prices in returns? So, for example, stocks are very risky; they require a higher expected return than bonds; and you have to take that into account in the tests. So there is this, what I call the joint hypothesis problem, which is basically what I added to the mix, but it's kind of an important part of it. It says whenever you are testing market efficiency you are jointly testing efficiency with some story about risk and return. And the two are joined at the hip. You can't separate them. So, people infer from that, it means market efficiency is not testable on its own. And that's true. But the reverse is also true. A risk-return model is untestable without market efficiency. Most risk-return models assume that markets are efficient. With very few exceptions.
6:18 Russ: And so when we say markets are efficient, what do you mean by that? Guest: What you mean is that prices at any point in time reflect all available information. Russ: Now that idea--what's the distinction between the weak form and the strong form that people talk about? Guest: Two words that I used in 1970 that I came to regret. Because I was trying to categorize various tests that were done. So, I called weak form tests, tests that only used past prices and returns to predict future prices and returns. And I called semi-strong form tests, tests that used other kinds of public information to predict returns, like an earnings announcement or something like that. And then I called strong form tests, tests that look at all available information; and those are basically tests of if you look at groups of investment managers and you look at returns that they generate, you are basically looking at all the information they had to generate to [?] securities, and what's the evidence that the information they had wasn't in prices. Russ: And empirically, where do we stand today, do you believe and what has been established about those various hypotheses? Guest: Well, believe it or not, the weak form one has been the one that has been subject to the most, what people call anomalies, in finance. Things that are inconsistent with either market efficiency or some model of risk and return. The big one at the moment is what people call momentum--prices seem to move in the same direction for short periods of time. So, the winners of last year tend to be winners for a few more months, and the losers tend to be losers for a few more months. In the strong form tests, Ken French and I just published a paper called "Luck Versus Skill in Mutual Fund Performance," and basically looked at performance of the whole mutual fund industry--in the aggregate, together, and fund by fund, and try to distinguish to what extent returns are due to luck versus skill. And the evidence basically says the tests it's skill in the extreme. But you've got skill in both extremes. That's something people have trouble accepting. But it comes down to a simple proposition, which is that active management in trying to pick stocks has to be a zero sum game, because the winners have to win at the expense of losers. And that's kind of a difficult concept. But it shows up when you look at the cross section of mutual fund returns, in other words the returns for all funds over very long periods of time. What you find is, if you give them back all their costs, there are people in the left tail that look too extreme and there are people in the right tail that look too extreme, and the right tail and left tail basically offset each other. If you look at the industry as a whole; the industry basically holds a market portfolio. That's all before costs. If you look at returns to investors then there is no evidence that anybody surely has information sufficient to cover their costs.
10:11 Russ: Which says that for any individual investing, certainly someone like me, that is, who doesn't spend any time or very much time at all looking--in my case no time, but let's suppose even a little time--trying to look at what would be a good investment. The implication is to go with index mutual funds because actively managed funds can't outperform. Guest: Well, no, it's more subtle than that. What's more subtle about it is, even if you spent time, you are unlikely to be able to pick the funds that will be successful because so much of what happens is due to chance. Russ: So, for me the lesson is: buy index mutual funds because the transaction costs of those are the smallest, and since very few actively managed funds can generate returns with any expectation other than chance to overcome those higher costs, I can make more money with an index fund. Guest: Right. Now, it's very counterintuitive, because we look at the whole history of every fund's returns, and sort them, and really the ones in the right tail are really extreme. Russ: Some great ones. Guest: They beat their benchmarks by 3-6% a year. Nevertheless, only 3% of them do about as well as you would expect by chance. Now what's subtle there is that by chance, with 3000-plus funds, you expect lots of them to do extremely well over their whole lifetime. So, these are the people that books get written about. Russ: Because they look smart. Guest: What this basically says is that there is a pretty good chance they are just lucky. And they had sustained periods of luck--which you expect in a big sample of funds. Russ: Of course, they don't see it that way. Guest: No, of course not. Russ: A friend of mine who is a hedge fund manager--before I made this call I asked him what he would ask you, and he said, well, his assessment is that efficient markets explain some tiny proportion of volatility of stock prices but there's still plenty of opportunity for a person to make money before markets adjust. And of course in doing so, make that adjustment actually happen and bring markets to equilibrium. Somebody has to provide the information or act on the information that is at least public and maybe only semi-public. What's your reaction to that comment? Guest: That's the standard comment from an active manager. It's not true. Merton Miller always liked to emphasize that you could have full adjustment to information without trading. If all the information were available at very low cost, prices could adjust without any trading taking place. Just bid-ask prices. So, it's not true that somebody has to do it. But the issue is--this goes back to a famous paper by Grossman and Stiglitz--the issue really is what is the cost of the information? And I have a very simple model in mind. In my mind, information is available, available at very low cost, then the cost function gets very steep. Basically goes off to infinity very quickly. Russ: And therefore? Guest: And therefore prices are very efficient because the information that's available is costless. Russ: But what's the implication of that steep incline? That information is not very-- Guest: It doesn't pay to try to take advantage of additional information. Russ: It's not very valuable. Guest: No, it's very valuable. If you were able to perfectly predict the future, of course that would be very valuable. But you can't. It becomes infinitely costly to do that. Russ: So, your assessment, that you just gave me of the state of our knowledge of this area, I would say remains what it's been for some time--that at the individual certainly there is no return to--prices reflect all publicly available information for practical purposes for an individual investor. Guest: For an individual investor? Even for an institutional investor. Russ: Correct. So, what proportion of the economics and finance areas do you think agree with that? Guest: Finance has developed quite a lot in the last 50 years that I've been in it. I would say the people who do asset pricing--portfolio theory, risk and return--those people think markets are pretty efficient. If you go to people in other areas who are not so familiar with the evidence in asset pricing, well, then there is more skepticism. I attribute that to the fact that finance, like other areas of economics, have become more specialized. And people just can't know all the stuff that's available. Russ: Sure. Guest: There's an incredible demand for market inefficiency. The whole investment management business is based on the idea that the market is not efficient. I say to my students when they take my course: If you really believe what I say and go out and recruit and tell people you think markets are efficient, you'll never get a job. Russ: Yes, it's true. And so there's a certain bias, you are saying, to how people assess the evidence. Guest: There's a bias. The bias is based, among professional money managers, the bias comes from the fact that they make more money from portraying themselves as active managers. Russ: That's true in macroeconomics as well. We'll get to that a little later in the conversation.
16:50 Russ: I was going to ask you about the current crisis. Guest: I have some unusual views on that, too. Russ: I'd say that the mainstream view--and I recently saw a survey that said--it was an esteemed panel of economists; you weren't on it but it was still esteemed, both in finance and out of finance. And they asked them whether prices reflected information and there was near unanimity. Some strongly agreed; some just agreed. But there was also near unanimity that the housing market had been a bubble. Guest: The nasty b-word. Russ: Yes; and was showing some form of what we might call irrationality. Guest: Okay, so they had strong feelings about that, getting mad about the word bubble. Russ: Why? Guest: Because I think people see bubbles with 20-20 hindsight. The term has lost its meaning. It used to mean something that had a more or less predictable ending. Now people use it to mean a big swing in prices, that after the fact is wrong. But all prices changes after the fact are wrong. Because new information comes out that makes what people thought two minutes ago wrong two minutes later. Housing bubble--if you think there was a housing bubble, there might have been; if you had predicted it, that would be fine; but the reality is, all markets did the same thing at the same time. So you have to really face that fact that if you think it was a housing bubble, it was a stock price bubble, it was a corporate bond bubble, it was a commodities bubble. Are economists really willing to live with a world where there are bubbles in everything at the same time? Russ: And your explanation then of that phenomenon? Guest: My explanation is you had a big recession. I think you can explain almost everything just by saying you had a big recession. A really big recession. Russ: And why do you think we had a really big recession? Guest: I've heard some of your podcasts; I'm with you. I don't think macroeconomists have ever been good at knowing why we have recessions. We still don't understand the Great Depression. Russ: True. Although Ben Bernanke would argue, and Milton Friedman would argue and he did before he passed away, that monetary policy is a huge part of it. Guest: Let me reflect. I had this discussion with Milton, actually; and what I pointed out was from your own data, they show that there were massive free reserves throughout the Great Depression. And my point is: we can't force people to move demand deposits. Or to make love to anyone. Russ: Well, you can but it's not very productive. Guest: It's not very productive. M1 and M2--those things are basically endogenous. Russ: I have the same feeling. Guest: The only thing that's sort of exogenous is the monetary base. Russ: What did Milton say to that? Guest: All I gathered from Milton was: Interesting. Even when you won you thought you lost. Russ: Yes, I know. I had plenty of those. So, are you saying that that's analogous to our current situation? Guest: Oh, no. What I'm saying is that for example people want to blame the recession on the housing sector crashing and subprime mortgages. But if you are an economist and you are thinking about that, you have to be saying that there was some misallocation across markets, that margins weren't being equated across markets. That's pretty hard to accept because people are acting in all markets, working in all markets. That's a pretty tough one to follow. Russ: Well, a lot of people swallow it. Here's their version. They say things like there are these things called animal spirits that you can't measure, but that doesn't mean they are not real; that people get all excited about a particular asset class--in this case it was housing. And as those prices start to rise it becomes rational to speculate that it will continue to rise. And as that happens--as you would admit, people are making money along the way--and then they don't. They stop making money; the prices collapse. And this happens from time to time because of irrational exuberance; and that's just an aspect of capitalism. That's the standard counterpoint. Guest: Okay, but it wasn't just housing. That was my point when we started. The same thing was going on in all asset markets. Russ: Well, the timing isn't quite identical for all asset markets, right? The stock market--the housing market starts to collapse I think around early-mid-2006. Guest: It stops rising, right. Russ: And then begins a steady decline. Guest: That decline was nothing compared to the stock market decline. Russ: But when did that happen? Guest: I don't know the exact timing. Russ: It's not around then. It's later. Guest: The onset of the recession started with the collapse of the stock market. The recession and the collapse of the stock market, the corporate bond market, all of that basically coincides. But that also coincides with the collapse of the securitized bond market. Russ: Mortgage-backed securities. Guest: The subprime mortgages and all of that. Russ: Well, yes; that happens through 2007, 2008. I guess there is some parallel. So, you are going to reverse the causation. Guest: I'm not saying I know. What I'm saying is I can tell the whole story just based on the recession. And I don't think you can come up with evidence that contradicts that. But I'm not saying I know I'm right. I don't know. I'm just saying people read the evidence through a narrow lens. Russ: Yes, they do. Confirmation bias. Guest: And the rhetoric acquires a life of its own; so there are books written that basically all say the same thing about the crisis. Russ: And you are arguing that they have essentially cherry-picked the data. Guest: Well, they just look at pieces of the data and the fact that the housing market collapsed is taken to be the cause; but the housing market could collapse for other reasons. People don't just decide that prices aren't high any more. They have to look at supply and demand somewhere in the background. Russ: We did have people holding second and third homes who didn't have the income and capability of repaying the first one. Guest: Sure. Standards were relaxed. But then you have to look on the supply side, the lending side. The people who were lending to these people had the information. Russ: Yes, they knew it. I don't think that they were fooled. They were not overly optimistic about the value of those loans. They were willing to do that because they could sell them. Guest: The puzzle is why they were able to sell them.
24:17 Russ: Correct. Now my claim is the people who bought them did it with largely borrowed money. Guest: No, that's not true. These were bought by people all over the world. Russ: Correct. Guest: No one borrowed money. Remember now: savings has to equal lending. For everyone that's short bonds, somebody is on the other side. The net amount of leverage in the world is always zero. Russ: That's true. Guest: So you can't tell a story based on leverage. Russ: So what's your story? I have to think that through. It's undeniably true, and I'm not going to argue with that point. So, what's your explanation of why people bought these things? Guest: Well, I have no explanation. Again, I'd say the market crashes because of the big recession. Even a minor depression if you like. Remember that all the people buying these subprime mortgages all over the world, they are the ones making the loans in the end, they were sophisticated investors. Institutions, big banks all over the world. They thought these things were appropriately priced. They might have been at that time, but they weren't ex post. Russ: So you are not going to allow me to make the claim that the incentives they faced to worry about how appropriately priced were distorted. Guest: The incentives to make money are always there. The question is whether the market lets you make money. So, these people that wanted to securitize all these mortgages, they could have failed at any time in the process; and they would have failed big time because in order to do these things, you have to initially finance them yourself. So when the investment bankers were bringing out the securitized mortgages and other kinds of securitized assets, they initially held them. And they held them afterwards, too. Russ: They held many of them. Guest: Well, initially they held them all, because they are bundling them together; they have to come up with the capital and then they can sell them. So, they could have failed right at that point because the market says: Forget it. We're not paying you par value for these things. Russ: But when they did fail, which they fundamentally did because, at least for them, even though the world wasn't leveraged, they were leveraged, they should have gone out of business. Guest: Right, exactly. Russ: But they did not. Guest: That's awful. That's the worst consequence of this whole episode. Russ: So, my narrative is the anticipation of that distorted their decision-making. Guest: Sure, but that doesn't satisfy what address what goes on on the demand side. Russ: Why? Guest: Because people on the demand side have to buy these things. Russ: Well, the people who were buying them, and selling them, were fundamentally the same people, right? Guest: Okay, so if greed causes me to put out securities that I know are no good, why would I hold them? Russ: Because I can hold them at a very low cost. I have uncertainty; I don't know what's going to happen. There's an upside; there's a downside. Guest: It's really a low cost if you know you are going to get bailed out. Russ: Right. My argument is it dulls your senses. Guest: It does; I agree with you there. Any probability that you are going to be bailed out is going to distort your decision. Russ: So, is your argument then that that was relatively unimportant? Guest: No, no. My argument is it can't explain why people who weren't generating these things and weren't going to be bailed out by us, investors in Norway, whatever--why were they buying? Russ: Well, I'm happy to admit that some people just made a mistake. After the fact. Ex ante they certainly didn't think they were throwing away their money. And a lot of those people making those investments around the world, we bailed them out, too. The European banks got some of the benefits. Guest: Yes, because they were mixed into the same piles that involved our own investment banks. And so they got bailed out in the process. If they were holding credit default swaps (CDSs) that were sold by AIG, they got bailed out. Russ: Although I think Goldman was the number 2 holder of those. The first was--I can't remember; it was a foreign bank, either French or German.
29:19 Russ: So, you have publicly said that that was a mistake, those bailouts; we should have let them fail. Guest: It's irrelevant because there is no political regime that will let that happen. Russ: Correct. But let's suppose, let's live in a fantasy world for forty seconds. Suppose on March of 2008, Ben Bernanke and Hank Paulson and the others who got together to talk about the impending bankruptcy of Bear Stearns had just let them go. They would have opened for business Monday morning without enough cash to cover their positions; they would have had to tell their creditors: Sorry; I can't honor the promise I made to you the other day or the other money; and you won't be getting the payment you anticipated. The justification for the intervention was that if we had let that happen there would have been an enormous crisis: credit markets would have frozen up and we would have had a worldwide depression. Guest: I don't know about that last part. That's what we'll never know. The issue is: How long would it take to straighten things out? And I think it's really overrated that it would have taken a large amount of time. So, banks fail all the time, and the FDIC goes in and draws a line in the sand about who is going to get paid and who isn't; stuff is put up for sale and everything goes on. I don't know how long it would take to solve a multiple failure problem. We'll never know. Russ: Well, the Lehman Brother's bankruptcy is still in process. Which is now three years old. This was the argument made at the time--like you, I'm skeptical about it but it has some legitimacy--it's that bankruptcy is complicated enough as it is; when it's a large investment bank with international creditors like Bear, Lehman, it would take a long time. In the meanwhile everybody would be thrown into turmoil. Blah, blah, blah. Do you think there's anything to that? Guest: It's possible. What happened in the Lehman case is it's held up by multiple jurisdictions. So, you have to settle with the British shareholders. Russ: The Japanese, Korean. Guest: Who all have their own set of laws about what happens in a bankruptcy. And that's what I think they've been fighting over for three years. It's pretty clear what assets [?]. Russ: But isn't that an argument for justifying what Bernanke and Paulson did? Guest: I don't know. Because who knows what would have been done if all of them went down. The problem really is that the investment banks weren't subject to the same disposition rules that would face an ordinary commercial bank. They are not subject to the FDIC. And the FDIC can come in and arbitrarily do it. That's what you buy into when you sign up for it. Whereas for the investment banks, they are not really banks; and they are not subject to those rules. The ongoing problem is that you haven't killed their incentive to finance things the way they always have. Russ: Well, I guess my claim is that part of the problem is that we gave a regulatory advantage to triple-A rated stuff, which allowed very large and different amounts of leverage compared to other stuff. That gave an incentive to these folks to find more triple-A. The amount of triple-A is essentially, until recently, there's just not enough of it to go around, if that's the most profitable thing you can do, because that's the thing you can leverage; so they found a way to invent more of it. And that included not just the things we are talking about, but European sovereign debt. Hey, that's safe; let's leverage that, too. Guest: Right. Russ: So, once we said: this is the stuff that you can make scads of money on because you can leverage it and use other people's money. Guest: You are slipping back again, though. Russ: Because? Guest: You are saying that people will buy this stuff even though it isn't triple-A. Russ: Correct. Guest: Why? Russ: Well, that's the puzzle. Is it because they were stupid, ex ante? Guest: We are talking about the world's most sophisticated people who invest. Russ: So is the alternative argument that people just made a mistake? Guest: After the fact, definitely. Whether it was a mistake before the fact, that involves estimating the probabilities of extreme tail events, which, as you know, are very difficult. Russ: So, where does that leave us? Story-telling, of course. Guest: Which is very entertaining but it's not convincing. I don't find it convincing.
34:45 Russ: Before I forget, I was going to ask you--I don't want to miss this chance to ask you this: Does your research inform your own personal portfolio decisions? And has it over time? Guest: Oh, sure, always. Russ: Has it changed over time? Guest: Well, I'm not as young as I used to be. Russ: That's part of the theory, too. Guest: Right. So, my portfolio has become somewhat more conservative. I'm also a stockholder in an investment management company, so that part of it is very unconservative. Russ: That's true. Recently--a related question to what we were just talking about before that--the government published the transcripts of the Federal Reserve deliberations in 2006. I don't know if you've looked at that. Guest: No. Russ: Well, one of the most obvious things you learn from reading those transcripts--well, first of all, this is 15 really smart people, very savvy. Their job is to try to figure out what could happen next that could be dangerous. And in 2006, we were on the edge of a collapse in the housing market. And as you argue, maybe just a general problem coming that would be unforeseeable. But what was interesting was that they made the same mistake that I made at the time; and I heard lots of other people much smarter than I am made the same mistake. They said: Well, it's true that there could be a housing price fall; it's been going up for a long time, but the subprimes are essentially only a small part of the whole housing market; housing is only a small part of the overall investment market. So, if this does occur, there's not going to be much of a consequence and we don't have to worry about it. Now, one of the things I think was mistaken, certainly for me as someone not very well versed in finance, and I think most economists are not very well versed in finance, is that we did not understand the role that leverage would play if asset prices fell by a relatively small amount. Do you think that has been a lesson that some people have learned from this crisis? And should we learn that lesson? Guest: Well, leverage will put some people out of business. Russ: Correct. Guest: So, what's the problem? Russ: Well, the problem is that if lots of people go out of business at the same time it allegedly has a multiplier effect--I hate to use that phrase--but that there is some credit market contagion, systemic risk, etc. Guest: That's a word I don't think existed 20 years ago. Russ: Which one? Guest: Systemic. Russ: But let's go back to our mutual friend, Milton. Certainly Milton would argue that the contraction of the money supply at the onset of the Great Depression precipitated by bank failures was something that the Federal Reserve should have paid attention to. Guest: What could they do? Russ: They should have injected liquidity into the system. Guest: Well, but if you have massive free reserves, what is that going to do? Russ: Well, that's a problem. Again, I wish Milton were here. I'm mystified by monetary policy generally, as anyone who has listened to these podcasts knows. Guest: Well, I am too. In the podcasts of this program that I've listened to, I've heard everybody talk about the Fed controlling the interest rates. That's always escaped me how they can do that. Russ: Yes, I'm mystified by it myself. Guest: But I'm in finance, so you've got an excuse. Russ: When I interviewed Milton in 2006 and I asked him why there had been a change in public discussion at least of what the Fed does from changing the money supply to instead manipulating interest rates, his answer was: Well, that's what they say but that's not what they do. They like to say they manipulate interest rates because it makes them feel powerful. All they really do is change the monetary base. And in fact he said, if you look at M2, that's the thing to look at. Guest: That's the thing to look at if you want to know what's happening to business activity. But it's not something you can do anything about.
39:28 Russ: I'm with you there. While we're on that subject, do you have any thoughts on why the Fed is paying interest on reserves? Guest: Oh, absolutely. Because they know that if there is an opportunity cost from these massive reserves they've injected into the system, we are going to have a hyperinflation. Russ: So what's the point of injecting the reserves if you are going to keep them in the system? Guest: Exactly. Russ: So what's the answer? Guest: The answer is: this is just posturing. What's actually happened? That debt is now almost fully interest-bearing, all the liquidity that they've injected. So, they've actually made the problem of controlling inflation more difficult. Controlling inflation when they didn't pay any interest focused on the base: cash plus reserves. But now the reserves are interest-bearing, so they play no role in inflation. It all comes to cash, to currency. How do you know? Currency and reserves were completely interchangeable; that's what the Federal Reserve is all about. So I think they've lost it. Now what happened, they went and bought bonds, long-maturing bonds, and issued short-maturing bonds. It's nothing. They didn't do anything. Russ: But they are smart people. Guest: Right. Russ: Ben Bernanke is not a fool. If you could get him alone in a quiet place with nobody else listening and say: Ben, what were you thinking? What do you think he'd say? Guest: I don't know, but I wouldn't believe it. In the sense that at most he could have thought he could twist the yield curve. Lower the long-term bond rate. Now I'm looking at the long-term bond market--it's wide open. Even though they are doing big things, they are not that big relative to the size of the market. Russ: Yes, I am mystified by that as well. I don't have an explanation. Guest: Let me put it differently. So, if I look at the evolution of interest rates, is it credible that in the early 1980s the Fed wanted the short term interest rate to be 13-14%? Russ: No. You are making the argument that it's endogenous; that they can't control it. Guest: Maybe they can tweak it a bit; they can do a lot with inflationary expectations. That will affect interest rates. Turn it around--all international banks think they can control interest rates; and at the same time they agree that international bond markets are open. Inconsistent. Russ: Correct. It reminds of this CNN reporter, credible insight into economic policy. He said: Macroeconomics generally--and fiscal policy, but he could equally as well be talking about Central Bank policy--he said: Politicians who think they can control the economy are like a little kid who is playing a video game; he hasn't put the money in yet and he is watching the arcade game do all its bangs and bells and whistles and noises. Which is an advertisement for the game. And he's pushing the buttons, and he's attributing all the successes on the screen to himself even though he hasn't put the money in yet because he misunderstands the underlying process that generates what he is seeing on the screen. There is some truth to that. Guest: There's a lot of truth to it.
42:51 Let's turn to fiscal policy, which you've written some interesting things on lately. You have been very skeptical, as have a few others. And by the way, I should add, before we get into this I should just mention: your view that it's an open question about whether the crisis was averted by these rather remarkable open interventions by the Fed and the Treasury Department in the last few years--it's not a mainstream view. Certainly most economists believe--and I'm with you--but most economists believe that the Fed and the Treasury and the policy makers did a good thing. Guest: That's not taking into account the long term costs. Russ: For sure. And that would be true of most of these interventions. I always find it remarkable that the auto bailout was a success, quote, "because very few people lost their jobs." As if that's the only effect we would ever want to look at. Guest: The long term effects of that are horrendous. Russ: And it's not clear that they saved very many jobs, either. Clearly they changed the incentives. Guest: Not just changed the incentives--they changed the ordering of precedence in contracts. That's something that's really dangerous. Russ: Yes, they abrogated the rule of law. It's very depressing. But on this issue of fiscal stimulus, most economists believe it's a good thing, it works. We are in the minority who suggest that maybe it isn't effective. And recently you wrote a piece suggesting, I would argue, that it's never effective--unless it's well-spent. And I would contrast it with the Keynesian view, which I heard come out of Joe Stiglitz's mouth personally--people can't be what they actually believe--I heard him actually say: It doesn't matter what you spend the money on; it's all stimulus. You are very much on the other side. So, explain why. Guest: When he says it doesn't matter what you spend the money on, I think he thinks there are multiple choices that would all be good. He doesn't think that if you just wash it down the sink, that's good. Russ: Oh, no; he said, when pressed and he was asked: If you ask people to dig ditches and fill them back in, would that stimulate the economy? And he said: Yes; but it's not as good as doing something productive. I can't explain it. It's a mystery to me. Guest: It's a mystery to me, too. Russ: But he's not on the show right now; I wish he were; I'll try to get him down the road. But in your view, talk about what you think the effect of stimulus is and why you are skeptical. Guest: This is a case where you can't be sure. If you look at the empirical evidence, it basically allows you to say anything you want, because the estimates of the effects of stimulus are subject to so much uncertainty. So, I think, though, if I interpreted Christina Romer's stuff properly, or she and her husband's stuff, what it says is that the only thing that clearly gets a pretty good statistical support is permanent [?]intervention [?]. And the other stuff is just [?]. I think that's probably--I'm an empiricist in the end, so that's probably, I don't know. I have my position that I think it's a waste of money, because it will all be wasted. Eventually, you have to finance it. You have to finance it now, which means eventually you have to pay back, future generations have to pay back, for things that are then mostly useless maybe. But the evidence doesn't, like you say. So it's possible for Stiglitz to say one thing; it's possible for you and I to say something entirely different. And neither one can point to the evidence. Russ: I don't view it as a very scientific enterprise. I view it as essentially ideology being wrapped up in scientism, scientific looking, statistical estimation. It seems to me there is too much noise. Guest: I don't agree with what you said when you started; I don't think most economists do think it works. Maybe I'm in the wrong cocoon. Russ: Yes, you need to get out more, Gene, I think. Although I'm in a different cocoon over here on the East Coast; I'm in the only cocoon, I'm at George Mason University and occasionally I'm at Stanford; so we just happen to talk about the three places where there is an overwhelming majority that is skeptical; but outside of those three, I think it's pretty much the other way. Guest: Well, Bob Barro.Russ: Lonely voice, in that enclave. Guest: I think with Barro, famous macroeconomist at Harvard, there's a younger guy. Russ: Alesina. Guest: Council of Economic Advisers. Russ: Oh, Mankiw. Guest: He's skeptical, but what he says is: Once you get into politics, you become a Keynesian. The political pressures are enormous. I think that's right. Russ: It's a terrible view of our intellectual opponents, though. It's not very nice. We don't like it when they attribute our views to being friends of business, which I find repugnant. So, it seems embarrassing to suggest that they hold their views because they like being powerful. I think there's some truth to it, but it's not very nice. You want to hold that view? Guest: Hold which view? I don't know. I don't think economists are different from other people. They all like, have their views, excepted [accepted?] by everybody else, no matter what their views are. Russ: We're prone to incentives; there's no doubt about that. Guest: I've had a tough time for a long time because I believe in efficient markets. Russ: Get a lot of flack.
49:13 Russ: Let's go back to finance for a minute. I will put a link up to your recent article on stimulus where you make a theoretical argument against stimulus. Guest: There's no data, right. Russ: And I think basically--it's interesting how the Chicago school has been pushing this--you are using what I would call accounting identities. The money has got to come from somewhere. I expressed it as the resources have to come from somewhere. Guest: That's the right way to say it, actually. Russ: And so I don't understand where the free lunch comes from. Guest: There is no free lunch. Russ: But the counterpoint is that there is a free lunch because there are all these resources laying around. And then it's a question--Milton said this also--how much of the stimulus goes towards the unused, so-called-- Guest: But that's the problem of implementation, which is horrendous. The same problem in regulation: implementation, which is always the killer. Russ: But let's go back to finance. There's been a big trend in recent years towards what's called behavioral finance. What's your assessment of that? Guest: I think the behavioral people are very good at describing microeconomic behavior--the behavior of individuals--that doesn't seem quite rational. I think they are very good at that. The jump from there to markets is much more shaky. Russ: Explain. Guest: There are two types of behavioral economists. There are guys like my friend and colleague Richard Thaler, who are solidly based in psychology, reasoned economics but he's become a psychologist, basically, and he is coming from the research in psychology. Now there are other finance people who are basically what I call anomaly chasers. What they are doing is scouring the data for things that look like market inefficiency, and they classify that as behavioral finance. But to me it's just data judging [?]. Russ: They don't tell you about the times they can't find the anomaly. Guest: Exactly. In all economics research, there is a multiple comparisons problem that never gets stated. Russ: A multiple what? Guest: The fact that the data have been used by so many other people and the people using it now use it in so many different ways that they don't report, that you have no real statistical basis to evaluate and come to a conclusion. Russ: My view is you should video your keyboard so we can see your keystrokes and then we can see what didn't come out. The dishes that didn't come out of the kitchen because you didn't like the way they tasted. Guest: Right. I've had people say to me that the people who do this anomaly stuff, when they come and give a paper and I'll say, when you do this, that, or the other thing, and they'll say Yes. And I'll say, why don't you report it? And they'll say it wasn't interesting. Russ: Not publishable, either. Guest: Well, that's the problem, that there's a counting process [?] and a publication process as well. You do this, that, and the other thing and I'll say, yes, why don't you report it? And they say it wasn't interesting. Russ: It wasn't interesting. Not publishable, either. Guest: Well, that's the problem, there's a publishing process and a culling process as well. This stuff makes it through.
52:37 Russ: So, we started off this conversation talking about efficient markets, and we haven't talked about a zillion other things that you've studied that are important in the field of finance. One question I'd like to hear you talk about is the issue of a non-specialist. Let's say I'm just a smart, everyday person and I want to be educated out in the world. What are the lessons for me that finance has learned that are important? There are obviously of findings that have stood up, findings that have had to be modified over the last 50 years that has become more empirical that an educated person should be able to understand and use? Guest: I'm obviously going to be biased. I think all of our stuff on efficient markets would qualify. I think there is a lot of stuff in the corporate area, corporate governance and all of that, a huge field--that has penetrated to the practical level. The Black-Scholes option pricing paper in view is the most important economics paper of the century. Russ: Why? Guest: Because every academic, every economist whether he went into finance or not, read that paper. And it created an industry. In the applied financial domain. What else can claim that? So, I think we've learned a lot about risk and return. Some of it is intuitive. But there is a lot of stuff on which stocks are more or less risky. A lot of stuff on international markets. Now, what should an ordinary, intelligent person know? That's an interesting question. Let me turn it over. What should an ordinary, intelligent person know about pricing? Russ: Well, I have some thoughts on that. You probably do, too. Guest: Yes. It's difficult. I know lots of very intelligent business people who need some knowledge of what's going on in finance. But not an awful lot. Because that's not a big part of their business. Russ: Correct. I would worry about what people think they know that isn't so and the things they should know. Guest: That happens to me all the time. I'll be playing golf with somebody and they ask me what I do, and I tell them I teach finance and they say, oh my goodness, they don't know anything about finance. And then they give me a lesson in finance. Russ: What do they usually say? Guest: They tell me all about their smart investments. Russ: Do you smile and just take another strike at the ball? Guest: I do. Russ: Do you say anything back? Guest: No, I don't; but I avoid them in the future. Russ: One of the fascinating things about our profession--it must be true for other professions as well--but everybody's an expert. So, your 50 years of empirical, in-the-trenches work is meaningless because that guy had a good month. Guest: Right. Russ: He doesn't think he has much to learn from you. Guest: Indeed. He's making a lot of money. Russ: He is, sure. He's doing great. He knows. I was really thinking more of practitioners than experts, not of lay-people, so I assume there are some things we know in finance that may not turn out to be so. Guest: Oh, absolutely. Russ: I guess I'm thinking about macro, which I know a little bit more about when thinking about the Great Moderation and the comfort that people had that we had mastered the business cycle; and that turned out not to be true. So, I assume there are some aspects of finance that may turn out not to be true. Guest: Oh, absolutely. What I say to my students is: I'm showing you the stuff that people have done in the last 30 years, but in 20 years, it may all be irrelevant; so the best I can do is to train you about how to think about these things, so you can absorb stuff that comes along in the future that may overturn what's there now. That's what makes this profession fun, I think--the fact that stuff can get overturned. Russ: Of course, if we only have the illusion of understanding, or what Hayek called the pretense of knowledge, we could be doing some dangerous and stupid things under the guise of thinking we are making progress. Guest: Right. Russ: So, you do have to be careful. Where do you think in the near future finance is going? Guest: Oh, gee, I don't know. That's part of the fun of it. You just don't know. I wouldn't have been able to predict 30 years ago the stuff that evolved during those intervening 30 years. No way. Russ: It's kind of a random walk. Guest: I don't think it pays to think about it very much. There's so much serendipity in what happens in research. My best stuff has always been--I didn't start thinking about writing a great paper. I started thinking about a little problem; it just kept working in circles into a bigger problem. Or had offshoots that were related. I've beaten many topics to death, with the consequence I've got a lot of recognition; what started as a little thing developed into something much bigger. That's not a predictable process. Lots of little things end up as nothing. Russ: And? Guest: A student comes to me, a Ph.D. student, and says: I want to write a great paper. You can't start out to do that. You have to pick a problem and hope it works out into something that will get you a job, and hopefully a good one. But if you start saying: I want to come up with a great topic, you won't come up with anything. Russ: You recently wrote a very nice essay, "My Life in Finance," that gives an overview of some of your contributions and some of your thinking along the way and all those little problems. You started out by talking about your thesis topic, where you had five ideas and Merton Miller said four of them weren't very good. Guest: Right. Russ: Did you ever go back to any of those four? Guest: No, actually. Merton was incredible. He had a great eye for stuff that would work and wouldn't work. I went to Belgium for two years to teach, and I came back and showed him the stuff I'd been working on, and I think he discarded like 8 out of 10 things. He was right on all of them. Russ: Such is life. Guest: It taught me that nobody can work in a vacuum. You really need colleagues around you to enrich your work. You get credit for it in the end, but there are a lot of inputs from other people that go into it in the meantime. | 2019-04-22T08:25:59Z | http://www.econtalk.org/fama-on-finance/ |
This study examined the effectiveness of a year long application of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in eleven schools. Subjects consisted of 1,698 elementary grade students, 236 teachers, 120 parents, and 10 principals. Data analysis revealed positive changes in student and teacher attitudes. Student creative products were numerous and exceeded the norm of typical student creative output. Most notable among qualitative data analysis were: remarkably favorable changes in attitudes toward education of the gifted on the part of classroom teachers and the general student population, large increases in student centered enrichment activities and work on self-selected interests, greater cooperation between classroom teachers and gifted education specialists, and more favorable attitudes toward special programming on the part of parents.
Although programs that serve gifted and talented students have traditionally been restricted to small and select groups, there has been a trend in recent years to experiment with more flexible approaches to both identification and programming. This trend is undoubtedly the result of recent research on the nature of human abilities (e.g., Sternberg, 1982; Gardner, 1983; Bloom, 1985) and a realization that some of the activities recommended for the gifted can successfully be applied to larger segments of the school population (Renzulli, 1977; Reis & Renzulli, 1982; Shore & Tsiamis, 1985; Feldman, 1983; and Birch, 1984). A greater interest in performance based identification, and a concern about the “condition of separateness” that often exists between special and regular programs have also contributed to a willingness to experiment with approaches that hold promise for overcoming some of the problems that historically have drawn criticism to the field of gifted education.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a programming model that was specifically designed to apply some of the technology of gifted education to the overall process of schoolwide enrichment. The model employed as the experimental treatment in the study is entitled The Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM, Renzulli & Reis, 1985a), and the experimental design consisted of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study compared differences between a control group and several groups participating in year long SEM programs. The specific factors examined were student attitudes toward learning, teacher attitudes toward teaching, the extent and quality of students’ creative productivity, and the processes involved in the implementation of SEM. Two overall goals of the study were (1) to determine if a school’s participation in this type of program would result in specific and quantifiable indicators of schoolwide change, and (2) to examine whether or not such participation would result in more favorable attitudes toward the entire concept of gifted education.
The subjects in this study consisted of 1,698 students in grades K-6, 236 elementary grade teachers, and 120 parents, representative in general proportion to the grade levels involved. Qualitative data dealing with implementation procedures were also gathered from 10 elementary principals. The student sample represented 28% of the total population of approximately 6,000 pupils enrolled in the 11 participating schools. The student sample was stratified according to grade level and randomly selected from all K-6 classrooms. The teacher sample included all regular classroom teachers at each of the 11 school sites.
Because the Schoolwide Enrichment Model encompasses entire school units, it was important to realize that experimental and control groups could not be located within the same school buildings. Therefore, entire schools had to be assigned to either treatment or control groups in order to protect control populations from contamination by aspects of the SEM treatment. A detailed demographic examination of each interested site was undertaken in an effort to locate similarities among schools prior to assignment. This investigation entailed an extensive review of the most recent school and United States Census data pertaining to district socioeconomic levels, school attendance, staff educational levels, and the curriculum offered to students through both gifted and regular education programs. Schools that were selected, enrolled between 350 and 750 students and served either urban or suburban populations.
After this review of demographic and curricular information had been completed, the schools were compared for similarities. Using those data, subjects were divided among 10 treatment schools and one control sight. In the world of public education, it was found that randomization of subjects by schools into experimental and control groups was not possible in this study. Although over 25 schools were sought to provide control subjects, a great hesitancy on the parts of administrations to serve as control sites was encountered. Moreover, school administrators evinced an offsetting desire to provide experimental subjects on the parts of school administrators—so much so that the 10 treatment sites were randomly selected from over 30 that had indicated a willingness to experiment with the program model employed as treatment. At least superficially, the unequal number of control and treatment sites was a result of schools’ general desire to participate in a novel treatment and general unwillingness to serve as a control for this experiment. For this reason, we will not report the results of hierarchical regression comparisons of student and teacher attitudes toward learning and teaching between the experimental groups and the single control group; however, the results of these analyses are available from the authors upon request.
Since true random assignment of either students or teachers to the treatment or control groups was impossible because of the all-encompassing schoolwide nature of the treatment itself, extensive research of the demographic and curricular characteristics of the schools was undertaken in an effort to secure schools that were as alike as possible. Special consideration of demographic data was made in an attempt to equalize the student groups according to grade level, classroom teacher experience, classroom teaching style, and classroom climate. In similar fashion, the teacher group was studied with special consideration for grade level taught, gender, experience, educational training level, nature of leadership in the school, student discipline, and staff conflict. In order to enhance the demographic data collected and analyzed and to reflect more clearly the aforementioned variables, extensive interviews with central office administrators were conducted to obtain additional information.
In order to be selected for participation in this study, school officials had to agree to a specified set of enrichment programming procedures set forth in the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Renzulli & Reis, 1985a). It was also necessary for each school to have an enrichment resource teacher on at least a half- time basis. In all cases, written agreement was obtained from administrations and boards of education as further assurance that actual SEM implementation would take place. Each site also agreed to permit the researchers and one objective and independent observer to visit on a quarterly basis in order to insure that actual implementation was taking place. Participating schools were expected to identify students who were of above average ability in one or more areas of performance or potential. Identification was based on achievement test scores, teacher nominations, student interests, and other procedures set forth in the model.
Curriculum Compacting. Modifying or “streamlining” the regular curriculum in order to eliminate repetition of previously mastered material, upgrade the challenge level of the regular curriculum, and provide time for appropriate enrichment and/or acceleration activities while ensuring mastery of basic skills.
Assessment of Student Strengths. A systematic procedure for gathering and recording information about students’ abilities, interests, and learning styles.
Type I Enrichment: General Exploratory Experiences. Experiences and activities that are designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines (fields of study), visual and performing arts, topics, issues, occupations, hobbies, persons, places, and events that are not ordinarily covered in the regular curriculum.
Type II Enrichment: Group Training Activities. Instructional methods and materials that are purposefully designed to promote the development of thinking and feeling processes.
Type III Enrichment: Individual and Small Group Investigations of Real Problems. Investigative activities and artistic productions in which the learner assumes the role of a first hand inquirer; the student thinking, feeling, and acting like a practicing professional.
At each experimental school site, enrichment teams working in cooperation with resource teachers organized a wide variety of general enrichment activities. These activities (Types I and II in Figure 1) encompass exploration of topics, issues, and materials not ordinarily covered in the regular curriculum and a wide variety of systematically organized process training skills. General enrichment was provided to all students in the experimental schools for one academic year. Calendars of exploratory activities (Type I) were developed, and students participated through all-school events, grade level or single -classroom events, or through cross-grade special interest groups. Process training activities were organized in all classrooms in the treatment schools using a scope and sequence approach called the Type II Taxonomy (Renzulli & Reis, 1985a). Whenever possible, these activities were integrated with regular curricular experiences.
The ways in which individual students or small groups responded to particular activities served as the bases for determining which students would revolve into more advanced and self-selected follow-up studies related to a given topic or area of study (Type III). In other words, performance based “identification situations” served as a means for decision making about the nature and extent of subsequent program involvements. Type III Enrichment opportunities were available for students who demonstrated above average ability in a self-selected area of interest and who also showed a willingness to develop task commitment and creativity in connection with the topic. Teachers were provided with information that would encourage students to pursue their topics using the modus operandi of the practicing professional.
In addition to participating in all aspects of the schoolwide enrichment process, high ability students also received supplementary services in the form of curriculum compacting in regular classrooms, and advanced level enrichment experiences and acceleration provided by resource teachers in pull-out and cluster grouping arrangements. Cluster groups generally consisted of top level reading and math students or students who shared a similar interest in a particular topic or area of study. Experimental schools were expected to participate in inservice training related to the implementation of the treatment model and to maintain careful records through the various planning guides. These guides, referred to as Action Forms in the SEM, provide consistency of treatment and serve as management devices that provide form and structure to the model. Each participating school had to verify that all specified activities within the model were in fact implemented throughout the course of the school year during which this experimental treatment took place.
Care, Attention to Detail, etc.
The instrument has an estimated reliability of .96, and levels of agreement among raters on individual items range from 86.4% to 100%. The test-retest (r=.96) reliability was established over a period of one year by having a group of independent raters assess the same set of student products on two separate occasions with an intervening period of time between the two assessments.
A two pronged qualitative analysis was selected to examine the processes involved in the implementation of SEM. Data obtained from interviews, observations, and logs was reduced by selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming into key themes (listed below) based on the methodology of natural history. Second, all themes were analyzed by a team of researchers who were selected because of their general experience in programming for the gifted and talented. The themes were examined for relevance to implementation of SEM and were sequenced according to the point at which each theme would be included in the implementation process. There was 95% agreement among the rating groups on the sequence of events. This process enabled the researchers to support placement of these themes into a particular events sequence based on both the data collected and on the judgment of the content experts.
The major aspect of this research concentrated on an examination of the quality of students’ creative products that emerged as a result of Type III investigations (i.e., individual and small group studies of real problems) at the treatment schools. Although previous research has examined this issue from a comparative perspective involving Talent Pool and non-Talent Pool youngsters, the question of student products has not been explored in schools that have undertaken systematic schoolwide enrichment activities.
Tallies of the number of Type III investigations initiated and of the number actually completed were maintained at each treatment site. Calculation of a simple mean from the tallies yielded the mean number of Type III products that emerged from those initiated. Because control group students would not be expected to produce creative products of the Type III genre due to their lack of training in schoolwide enrichment processes that evoke such products, comparison to the control site was not carried out. Table 1 displays the relationship between the number of Type III investigations initiated and those completed.
In addition, a 20% random sample of the completed Type III products was submitted to assessment by two objective and independent raters using the Student Product Assessment Form (SPAF) (Renzulli & Reis, 1985b). The sample was stratified according to treatment sites so that each of the schools experimenting with schoolwide enrichment would have a portion of their students’ creative products represented in the sample.
Mean ratings for the random sample of products selected for evaluation were calculated on the basis of each rater’s scoring of his/her sample. Mean ratings were also calculated across raters. Inter-rater reliability was calculated for level of agreement between the two raters and a t-test was employed to locate any statistically significant differences between the raters.
The Type III investigations initiated in the 10 treatment schools were tallied by gifted education resource teachers. This information resulted in a total of 297 reported Type III investigations that had been initiated. Of this number, 216 were deemed by the students and the gifted education resource teachers to have been completed. This translates to 72.73% of Type III investigations initiated that actually came to fruition as completed products. The completion rate is quite high based on previous research about Type III investigations (Reis, 1981). Completed products ranged in frequency at each treatment school from 12 to 43, with the mean number of completed Type III investigations being 21.6.
Two independent raters evaluated each product.* The inter-rater reliability, using the results of the Type III ratings, was calculated at .886, exceeding the .75 criterion level that was established prior to the advent of the data collection for this study. The results of the t-test analysis indicated that there were not significant differences between the two raters based on the ratings of all of the sample Type III products (p = .36).
The results of this analysis revealed that students at the SEM sites produced a large number of individual and small group Type III investigations based on previous studies of Type III production (Reis, 1981). The quality of Type III products can be estimated by comparing the independent raters’ scores with the range (0 – 80) and the mean scores (M = 45, SD = 5.30) from previous administrations of the SPAF used in assessing products of other students who had demonstrated above average ability, creativity, and task commitment. Treatment site scores ranged from a low of 48.25 to a high of 65.0l. The lowest mean rating across raters at any treatment school was 49.50, and the average of all evaluated Type III products was 53.2l. These results indicate that student creative productivity was clearly in the well above average to superior range based on previous SPAF administrations.
Qualitative research techniques intended to trace patterns in descriptive data were pursued in response to an examination of enrichment implementation steps. Descriptive information ideally should be derived through several types of data sources so that conclusions are drawn across sources. This procedure offered a positive alternative to formulating conclusions based on only one type of data source. The Dynneson-Bastian Model for school ethnography (Hirsch, 1981) provided the researcher with a logical system for the collection and analysis of descriptive data from three sources using triangulated comparison analyses of the results of various types of interviews, observations, and logs. This procedure involved detailed examinations of interviews with students, teachers, principals, and parents. Augmenting the interviews, were analyses of observations of students and teachers and reviews of teacher activity logs. Interviews, observations and activity log analyses focused on the extent and nature of implementation of the service delivery components described above, problems encountered in the implementation process (e.g., demands made upon students’ and teachers’ time, availability of resources, cooperation among regular and special program teachers), and general attitudes toward the program.
Using a two-pronged analyses, the raw data were reduced by selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting, and transforming into key themes based on the inductive and deductive methodology of natural history (Dobbert, 1984; Spradley, 1979, 1980). The pretreatment and post treatment interview data and the observational data were reduced to internal themes. Individual themes were then combined to form composite themes. Once these procedures had been completed, the themes that had been identified were submitted to examination by a group of four experts who were well versed in the Schoolwide Enrichment Model and its service delivery components. These expert resource persons displayed 95 percent agreement on the sequence of events and characteristics of the key themes relating to the process of implementing schoolwide enrichment.
Teacher, student, and parent interview data were further examined by tallying the responses and comparing the percentages occurring in each category before and after treatment. Garrett’s (1958) formula was used to determine the level of significance between correlated percentages. Percentage data from this procedure are presented in Tables 2, 3, and 5.
Items on a Teacher Interview Agenda concentrated on the nature of activities within the framework of regular classrooms and whether there is time allocated for student exploration of self-determined topics. Based on the concept of enrichment as described in the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, items also focused on whether teachers accessed experts in fields of study. Such access encourages students to be exposed to practicing professionals. Hence, items also addressed whether or not the concept of gifted education actually encompassed some of the regular education activities as a means for fostering the emergence of gifted behavior in youngsters.
Pre and Post teacher interviews were carried out with a 25% sample that was representative of all elementary grades in the treatment schools. This group can be described as having had a good deal of experience (Range = 1-35 years) and as adequately representing all elementary grades. Table 2 provides an overview of the alterations in teacher perceptions related to 12 concepts crucial to the implementation of enrichment and the statistical difference between correlated percentages. All 12 concepts were highly significant (p<.001). Teachers reported they could provide classroom exploration time without necessarily having students complete regular seatwork beforehand. Moreover, teachers grew to appreciate the need for and importance of teamwork in securing resource persons and sharing their expertise among many classrooms.
The student interview and observation sample of 120 randomly selected students was divided equally among the 10 treatment sites to provide 12 student interviews per treatment using a Student Interview Agenda. This seven-item instrument concentrated on the nature of the school day from student perspectives: time for exploration of interests, how such time is allowed within the framework of the school day, knowledge of enrichment activities and their availability, and knowledge of the gifted program. As with teachers, the same students were interviewed twice, prior to treatment and once after treatment. The results of these interviews are summarized in Table 3. The difference in percentages before and after treatment was significant on 13 of the 14 items (p.001). After treatment, students indicated they had more school time, with teacher support, to spend in interest areas aside from regular school material. Increasingly, students among the general school population felt that they had some involvement with the gifted program, and a smaller post-treatment percentage viewed the gifted program as restricted to a special group.
While principals may have become stronger in their convictions about implementing the Schoolwide Enrichment Model as the year progressed, the principals’ roles in their schools as instructional leaders were clearly evident in both sets of interviews. It was the principals who offered positive impressions about the gifted program at the outset in order to motivate their schools in pursuing implementation of schoolwide enrichment. Consequently, it follows logically that principals would have maintained those impressions as the treatment project began to be implemented. Perhaps it was most important that the perceptions of principals did not grow less positive during the course of the treatment. Table 4 summarizes the comparison of principals’ perceptions.
Principals also did not alter their perceptions regarding enrichment or the roles of the gifted education teacher. Typically this group described the term, “enrichment,” as “something new and different beyond the basic curriculum” or as “creative extensions beyond the regular curriculum that are based on interests of students.” From fall to spring interviews, these definitions changed very little. In the fall and again during the post interviews, the principals viewed the role of the teacher of gifted as “acting as a key resource to classroom teachers by helping them plan and implement enrichment activities and process skill instruction across grade levels and by assisting students who want to work on a project of quality, or “as serving the needs of kids who seem to want to work at something in-depth and working with teachers to make classrooms more appropriate learning places for all children.” During both interview series, it was stressed by every principal that the gifted education teacher must maintain strong ties to the classroom in order to develop schoolwide enrichment teams as forums for sharing resources, planning events, and encouraging students.
The 10% randomly selected sample of 120 parents was interviewed twice, once prior to treatment and once after. There were 12 parents per treatment school who were selected by a computerized program for randomization from all of the parents of each of the 10 sites. Specific demographic information was intentionally not obtained in order to encourage parents to cooperate as openly as possible, though the computer selection process likely eliminated any possibility of interviewing only certain demographically typed parents. Items on the Parent Interview Agenda concentrated on an understanding of enrichment, knowledge of the gifted program, and the use of practicing professionals in classrooms as resource persons and as mentors. Table 5 provides a summary of parent responses and indicates that significant changes were made in most of their responses before and after the treatment (p.001).
Teacher logs provided interesting documentation of the types of enrichment activities that were incorporated into regular classrooms during the course of implementation of schoolwide enrichment. These logs were maintained by interviewed teachers using a semistructured format as a means for tracing the nature of activities that each teacher personally identified as enrichment. The log format allowed the researchers to assess the roles of teachers and students within the context of each activity listed.
Over the period from the fall of 1986 through May, 1987, the number of enrichment activities listed by teachers remained relatively consistent after some dramatic increases during the initial steps of the implementation of the SEM treatment (September – December).but the roles of teachers and students shifted greatly. With early log entries, activities tended to have a teacher-centered/ passive student orientation, while later log entries tended to emphasize a student-centered/ active student orientation. The emphasis of SEM on students as active participants in learning clearly provided indication that the enrichment activities were actually becoming integrated into the regular classroom program at the treatment schools. Table 6 presents numbers of enrichment activities offered per month and the nature of teacher and student roles in the activities.
First graders in one pilot school were familiarized with ornithology by their teacher through stories about birds. In order to increase the student opportunities for interest in the field, students constructed bird feeders, maintained observations of the birds visiting the feeders, and ultimately wrote about their experimentation in bird feeding. Such an activity, while it successfully incorporates basic instruction, also served to involve students actively.
Similarly, third grade students in another school were introduced to American Indian culture by a guest speaker from the Indian Cultural Center. While the study of the Plains Indians is part of the basic curriculum, the exposure to an expert in the field of Indian lore created high interest in preparation for student research work about Indians. Each student was encouraged to pursue in-depth study of a particular Indian related interest.
Guest speakers also played an important part in the enrichment of sixth graders at one of the pilot schools. In studying careers, several guests visited and shared their knowledge about careers. While some of the guests were practicing professionals, speakers also included a career counselor and an employment agent. Students arranged for the speakers and prepared appropriate guidelines and questions for them. As with the preceeding examples, students were able to enter their study of a particular area through exposure to exciting real aspects connected with that field.
Although some of the treatment school teachers appear to have conducted a number of enrichment- type activities in their classrooms prior to the implementation of schoolwide enrichment, the logs clearly indicated that efforts to promote student interests have increased. Not only have teachers tried to increase the active classroom involvement of students through enrichment, but the logs provided evidence that there was a new emphasis on encouraging students to become interested enough to continue study in enrichment topic areas. In essence, classroom teachers were working to identify student interests and to nurture them so that students might possibly exercise gifted behavior with respect to self-selected topics. It was clear that teachers were encouraging excellence in the classroom by virtue of their emphasis on high quality enrichment explorations and products.
The results of this study revealed that student attitudes toward learning were positively enhanced by participation in the schoolwide enrichment treatment. The descriptive data provided evidence that students had become increasingly positive about school and the variety of opportunities offered for learning. This was particularly evident in terms of students’ beliefs that their interests were considered in determining the nature of classroom assignments in which they would become involved. The results also indicated that, after participation in the treatment, teachers had been involved in more frequent incidents of shared planning with fellow classroom teachers and with the gifted education resource teacher and that they developed a much more positive impression of gifted education. Perhaps more importantly, these results provide evidence that participation in the treatment did not negatively influence teacher attitudes toward teaching. Research on school change (Berman & McLaughlin, 1979; Fullan, 1982; Hord et al., 1987; Loucks, 1982; Louis & Kell, 1981; Sarason, 1982) has indicated that teachers tend to be slow in altering attitudes toward large-scale aspects of education. Such large-scale aspects include school as a total entity and teaching as a profession. The same group of researchers of school change have provided support for the notion that when teachers are confronted with new curricula or methods, they typically will become more negative in their attitudes about their positions in schools. Usually, these negative attitudes are ameliorated after the stress related to implementation of new programming has subsided and as the new methods begin providing positive outcomes for students.
The results of the present investigation make several important points about students and teachers. First, as schools implement schoolwide enrichment, it is likely that youngsters’ attitudes toward school learning processes will be positively enhanced. In light of the plethora of research criticizing education on many counts, not the least of which is that schools produce poorly prepared graduates (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983), the results of this study appear to offer a possible solution. While there have been no comprehensive studies that have examined the relationship between student attitudes toward learning and students’ eventual preparedness for future study or employment, it seems logical to hypothesize that heightened levels of student attitudes toward learning would ultimately enhance both the quantity and quality of pupils’ learning.
beliefs that school is intended for students to become more attuned to their own personal needs and interests while acquiring the skills necessary for successful adulthood.
Second, implementation of a system of schoolwide enrichment activities is likely to at least maintain teachers’ attitudes toward teaching. While there are many factors that contribute to teacher attitudes toward their work, the results of this examination suggest that teachers who teach in SEM schools will not become less enthusiastic about teaching. As changes evolve within schools, it is not unusual for teachers, particularly at the onset of an innovation, to become less enthused about their work because the innovations may not quite match the preimplementation promotion (Fullan, 1982). Further, teacher feelings of disappointment may be compounded by the pressures related to having to acquire new innovation induced skills or to the different expectations suddenly placed on them from administration. The results of this investigation provided no evidence that teachers’ attitudes had grown less positive about teaching as a result of SEM.
Keeping in mind that traditional gifted education activities are made available to a restricted number of students, it appears fair to conclude that excellence in the gifted program evidently has been separate from excellence in the remainder of the school. An unfortunate by product of this condition of separateness has been negative attitudes toward gifted education on the parts of many people in general education; and a reluctance to allocate funds and supplementary resources because they are perceived as favoritism toward a disproportionately small segment of the total school population.
As early as 1962, Ward suggested that an effective gifted education program should help to promote a “radiation of excellence” through the entire school (Ward, 1962). And in recent years a number of writers have recommended that various types of enrichment opportunities be made available to larger segments of the school population (Shore & Tsiamis, 1985; Birch, 1984; Feldman, 1983; and Renzulli, 1984). Research studies have been generally supportive of these efforts to extend certain aspects of gifted education technology to larger groups (Reis, 1981; Delisle & Renzulli, 1982; Gubbins, 1982; and Cooper, 1983). The fact that the research reported here confirms previous findings adds further support to the broadened conception of giftedness that is recommended by numerous theorists and researchers (see especially Sternberg & Davidson, 1986). Perhaps even more importantly, this research clearly elevates the role that gifted education technology can play in overall school improvement and the promotion of educational excellence. Finally, this research offers a solution to the schism that traditionally has existed between programs for the gifted and general education. The gains that gifted education has made in instructional technology, and the commitment that this field has made to serving our most potentially able youth will only have long term endurance when it becomes woven into the fabric of general education rather than being perceived as dangling threads that can be snipped off at any time.
Berman, P., & McLaughlin, M. (1979). An exploratory study of school district adaptations. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.
Birch, J. W. (1984). Is any identification procedure necessary? Gifted Child Quarterly, 28, 157-161.
Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) (1985). Developing talent in young people. New York, NY: Ballantine.
Cooper, C. R. (1983). Administrator’s attitudes towards gifted programs based on the Enrichment Triad/Revolving Door Identification Model: Case studies in decision-making. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Connecticut, Storrs.
Delisle, J. R., & Renzulli, J. S. (1982). The revolving door identification and programming model: Correlates of creative production. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26 89-95.
Dobbert, M. L. (1984). Ethnographic research: Theory and application for modern schools and societies. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Feldman, D. H. (1983). Reconceptualizing excellence: Still a national priority. Roeper Review, 6, 2-4.
Fullan, M. (1982). The meaning of educational change. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Hirsch, L. T. (1981). The learning place: An ethnographic study of an elementary school principal. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Connecticut, Storrs.
Hord, S. M., Rutherford, W. L., Huling-Austin, L., & Hall, G. E., (1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Loucks, S. F. (1982). People, practices, and policies: Discoveries from school improvement research. Paper presented at the joint annual meeting of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Educational Research Associations, Philadelphia.
Louis, K. S., & Kell, D. (1981). The human factor in knowledge use: Field agent roles in education. Cambridge, MA: ABT Associates.
National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for educational reform. Washington, DC: National Science Foundation.
Reis, S. M., & Renzulli, J. S., (1982). Case for a broadened conception of giftedness. Phi Delta Kappan, 63, 619-620.
Renzulli, J. S. (1977). The enrichment triad model: A guide for developing defensible programs for the gifted. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press.
Renzulli, J. S. (1984). Technical report on research studies relating to the Revolving Door Identification Model. Storrs: The University of Connecticut, Bureau of Educational Research.
Renzulli, J. S., & Reis, S. M. (1985a). The schoolwide enrichment model: A comprehensive plan for educational excellence. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press.
Renzulli, J. S., & Reis, S. M. (1985b). Student product assessment form (rev.). Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press.
Sarason, S. (1982). The culture of the school and the problem of change. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Shore, B. M., & Tsiamis, A. (1985). Identification by provision: Limited field test of a radical alternative for identifying gifted students. In H. Collis (Chair). Identification and guidance/counseling of highly gifted children. Symposium conducted at the 6th World Conference on Gifted and Talented Children, Hamburg, Germany.
Spradley, J. P. (1979). The ethnographic interview. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Spradley, J. P. (1980). Participant observation. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
SPSS, Inc. (1986). SPSS-X user’s guide (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Sternberg, R. J. (1982). Lies we live by: Misapplication of tests in identifying the gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly, 26, 4, 157-161.
Sternberg, R. J., & Davidson, J. (1986). Conceptions of giftedness. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Ward, V. (1962). The Gifted student: A manual for program development. A Report of the Southern Regional Project for Education of the Gifted.
*Sample copies of instruments available from the authors upon request.
**Data available from authors upon request. | 2019-04-20T06:30:39Z | https://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichment-model/semeffct/ |
Elder Services’ incoming Board President Mary K. O’Brien thanked outgoing President Stephen M. Long for his service to the agency and presented him with a bouquet for his wife Elinor, for being such a good sport during his tenure.
to work in collaboration with those at the state and federal level who oversee and fund us to provide services to local seniors and their families. Elder Services is a living, breathing entity that exists to support the highest possible quality of life for the seniors in our communities. We will never be able to meet all the needs that seniors experience, but we will always be striving to ensure that every effort is made towards that goal. We depend upon the seniors, families and caregivers we serve to hold us accountable — accountable to them, accountable to our community, and accountable to the many funders and supporters that make our work possible. Enjoy December and we’ll see you in the New Year!
December is here and the rush towards 2014 is on! Thanksgiving John Lutz is the Executive Director of Elder Services. came late and the end of the year waits for no one. We hope that you and your family will enjoy a joyous ¿Habla usted español? end of year and holiday season. In October, Elder was “reElder Services cuenta con servidesignated” as the Aging Services cios de intérpretes y en los folletos de Access Point for the 32 towns in la agencia está disponible en español. Berkshire County by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (of the Llame por favor 499-0524 o Commonwealth of Massachusetts). 1-800-544-5242 On the surface, this may seem like a barely noteworthy event that typically, and perhaps deservedly, would only be noted by those in the inside of the process. However, this achievement is not just another “rubber stamp” of a state-supported nonprofit meeting the expectations of its primary funder, the Berkshire County State Legislators Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This designation gives witness to a more than two year process and partnership between the Massachusetts Executive It's important to keep your legislators informed Office of Elder Affairs and the board, staff and volunteers of Elder Services about what is important to you. of Berkshire County. If you have questions or comments that you want No one was more committed to Elder Services strengthening its ability to share with your Berkshire representatives, you to best serve seniors, their families, caregivers, and loved ones than the folks can contact them using the information below: at the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA). We worked in partnership with EOEA throughout the process to assess, develop, strengthen, and imple• Rep. Gailanne Cariddi (1st District): 1-617-722-2130 & 664-6812 ment multi-faceted and far reaching improvements to ensure that the elders of [email protected] Berkshire County received equitable and exemplary support in their choices to enjoy the highest possible quality of life. • Rep. Paul W. Mark (2nd District) 1-617-722-2210 & 464-5635 And, this process isn’t over (it never will be). Elder Services will continue [email protected] • Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (3rd District) 1-617-722-2240 & 442-4300 [email protected] Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc.
Berkshire Senior is published monthly by Elder Services of Berkshire County, Inc., 66 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01201, 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242, e-mail: [email protected] or on the internet at www.esbci.org. NOTICE Elder Services sells advertising to defray costs. Inclusion of advertisers in no way implies that Elder Services endorses any product or service.
Mass. Law: Prohibition of Bank Fees on Deposit Accounts Massachusetts law prohibits banks from imposing any fee, charge, or other assessment against the non-business savings account or checking account of any person age 65 or older, or 18 years old or younger. All people on the account must meet the age requirements unless the only person not meeting the requirements is the spouse of the depositor. A reasonable charge, as determined by the Commissioner of Banks, may be assessed against such accounts when payment has been refused because of insufficient funds on any checks drawn on such accounts. Please check with your local bank for further information.
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Signed columns are the opinion of the writers and not necessarily the opinion of Elder Services. For medical, financial or other advice, seek a qualified professional in the appropriate field.
Elder Services and its programs are funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
State and federal funds provided to Elder Services are limited. Elder Services welcomes charitable donations to help meet the growing needs of Berkshire seniors, and gratefully acknowledges all donations.
As always, you can call Elder Services at 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242, your one stop resource for Berkshire County seniors.
classes, computer instruction, board games, cards, and crafts. The center also provides transportation, information, referrals, nutrition, education, advocacy, peer and group support, and supportive day respite for caregivers. The center currently serves over 1,000 seniors. For more information, contact Vin Marinaro at 499-9346 or visit the city website: www.cityofpittsfield.org/ city_hall/council_on_aging/index.php. The Department of Public Works & Utilities provides core services to the residents of the City of Pittsfield including public water, public sewer, curbside collection of residential trash and recyclables, maintenance of public streets, and issuing parking permits for municipal parking lots. Seniors may qualify for backyard trash and recycling collection, but a doctor’s note is required to document the medical condition. For more current information about these core services, visit the city website: www.cityofpittsfield.org/ city_hall/public_works_and_utilities/index.php. The Pittsfield Health Department operates under the direction of the City of Pittsfield Board of Health. We are excited to be partnering with Elder Services to make the “My Life, My Health” program available to seniors with chronic health conditions. This free six-week workshop offers encouragement and information to make small changes that can make a big difference in one’s health. For more information, call Elder Services' Healthy Aging Coordinator Maria Connors at 499-0524. The Health Department’s public health nurse offers presentations to senior groups on health topics such as blood pressure, immunizations, and mosquito and tick-borne illness prevention. The department provides follow ups with seniors for communicable diseases such as food-borne illness, meningitis, Hepatitis B and C, pertussis (whooping cough) and Group B strep. “Healthy Pittsfield,” coordinated by the Pittsfield Health Department, is a newly-formed partnership initiated to develop and implement communitybased activities that will improve the health and quality of life. The partnership aims to get input from seniors regarding initiatives they would like to see to promote healthy lifestyles. Interested seniors are encouraged to join the partnership. Contact the Health Department at 499-9411 or visit the city website: www.cityofpittsfield.org/city_hall/health_and_inspections/index.php.
Our main priority at Rosewood is making sure the transition from independent living to assisted living gives you and your family peace-of-mind. If you are considering assisted living for your loved-one, please give us a call to schedule a tour. Our staff will be happy to assist you and will answer any questions you may have. All staff is bonded, insured, and CORI/criminal checked.
Rosewood prides itself as the Ärst-certiÄed assisted living facility in Berkshire County (established in 1984) who offers the following services: GAFC and Medicaid Approved; Nurse on Staff; Exercise and Wellness Programs; Private Rooms; Security Systems; 24-hr. Awake Staff; Transportation; Medication Monitoring; Hospice Care and more.
Join QTC and take advantage of all the benefits file:///F:/My%20Documents/In%20Design/Landscape/Office/ flower%20graphic.jpg and services the Club has to offer.
Outings, Events, Meetings, Groups, Volunteer Opportunities, and More! For information about membership, visit any Greylock branch throughout Berkshire County.
There’s no place like home, especially as we grow older. For nearly 40 years, Elder Services of Berkshire County has been helping Berkshire seniors continue to live in their own homes with dignity and independence by providing in-home services to them and their families.
prepare their own meals, we provide Meals on Wheels. bathe and dress independently, we provide assistance with personal care. clean their own homes, we provide homemaking and laundry assistance. drive, we arrange transportation to medical appointments. do their own grocery shopping, we offer volunteer shoppers. write checks and pay bills, we provide Money Management assistance. live alone, we offer supportive housing services.
Elder Services offers the support they need.
Elder Services promotes elder independence and keeps older persons in their own homes by providing home care and other supportive services to more than 10,000 Berkshire seniors, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities each year. Elder Services’ case managers, nurses, and other staff reach out with care and compassion to help Berkshire seniors obtain assistance with personal care, dressing, homemaking, laundry, and other activities of daily living. If you are interested in any of the services we offer, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
and 100.1 FM; WBRK – 1340 AM ands 101.7 FM; WNAW – 1230 AM; and, WSBS – 860 AM and 94.1 FM. Elder Services' MOW drivers will call their clients for a well-being check. If there is cause for concern, Elder Services and the appropriate community emergency response team will be notified. Elder Services is committed to meeting the needs of all those who receive our services. If you are concerned about the delivery of meals to yourself, a family member, or a friend, please give us a call at 4990524 or 1-800-544-5242. Beth Mathis-Torrey is Elder Services’ Nutrition/Volunteer Services Supervisor.
OMBUDSMAN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Elder Services’ Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is looking for volunteers who want to improve the quality of life and care for nursing home residents.
The Executive Office of Elder Affairs is sponsoring a 3-day training December 16, 17 and 18 (snow date 12/19) in Florence, Massachusetts. Volunteers who complete this training will be certified by the state as Long Term Care Ombudsmen and will be assigned a Berkshire County nursing home to visit weekly.
General Donations Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Bedini, Sr.
Editor’s Note: Unless requested otherwise, each month Berkshire Senior publishes the names of donors to Elder Services and those honored by the donations. These funds help Elder Services provide Berkshire seniors with programs and services to help them remain independent.
Visit Elder Services' new website! Check out Elder Services’ new website at www.esbci.org. The new website contains a wealth of information about the services available at Elder Services including: Information and Referral, Home Care, Meals on Wheels and lunch sites, Family Caregiver Support, volunteer opportunities, and a link to make a donation. The complete current issue of ‘Berkshire Senior’ is available, as well as archived copies. Helpful links to other programs, services, and sources of information and assistance are all available at the click of your mouse. You can also go to the website by using Elder Services' QR code (left). QR code, an abbreviation for Quick Response Code, is similar to a barcode, but when you scan the square graphic with a smart phone, you will automatically connect to www.esbci.org. We welcome your visit!
You Can Donate to Elder Services Online!
JUST GO TO WWW.ESBCI.ORG AND CLICK ON “DONATE NOW!” AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU’LL BE GIVEN A NUMBER OF OPTIONS FOR SUPPORTING BERKSHIRE SENIORS, AND CAN USE YOUR PAYPAL ACCOUNT OR YOUR CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD TO DONATE TO THE ELDER INDEPENDENCE APPEAL, MEALS ON WHEELS, THE ELDER CARE FUND, OR TO MAKE A MEMORIAL DONATION.
YOU FOR YOUR HELP !
A Gift that Keeps on Giving If you are interested in establishing a lasting legacy through planned giving to Elder Services, please contact Louisa Weeden, Planning and Development Specialist, at 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242.
([,76*/(ZZPZ[LK3P]PUNH[4LSIV\YUL^LRUV^ [OH[MHTPS`PZ[OLOLHY[VML]LY`OVSPKH`JLSLIYH[PVU Wishing your family the happiest of holidays and good health in the New Year. For more information about EPOCH Assisted Living at Melbourne, call today!
Elder Services welcomes recently hired staff members (left to right) Client/ Residential Services Coordinator David Oakes, Options Counselor Pam Austin, and Client/Residential Services Coordinator Michelle Arsenault.
neyman Carpenter for the Local #108 Carpenter’s Union for four years in Pittsfield and Springfield. Pam Austin is Elder Services’ Options Counselor. She assists seniors and individuals with disabilities in need of long term services and supports to make informed choices regarding setting and services, and finding resources to help pay for supports and services. Austin makes referrals to Elder Services’ programs and programs outside the agency as needed. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Framingham State College and a Master’s of Education from Cambridge College. Prior to being employed by Elder Services, Austin was employed as a Community Executive in the American Cancer Society’s Health Initiatives program for six years in Holyoke.
Elder Services is in need of individuals or families willing to open their hearts and homes to care for elders and individuals with disabilities. If you have a spare bedroom and a bathroom, preferably on the first floor of your home, please consider this important opportunity. You will receive a tax-free stipend, along with support and monitoring by a Social Worker and a Registered Nurse. For more information, call the Adult Family Care Program at Elder Services: 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242, both at extension 718.
Berkshire Senior TV Berkshire Senior TV produces programs on topics of special interest to seniors and their families. These informative halfhour programs are shown regularly on local Berkshire cable channels. Check your cable TV guide for exact broadcast times of Berkshire Senior TV. PCTV - Access Pittsfield (Central Berkshire) – Channel 15 Tuesdays at 7 and 11 a.m., & at 3, 6:30 and 10 p.m.
Elder Services invites you to join our team of exceptional volunteers who make a difference in the lives of others. Many area seniors without transportation rely on the dedication and commitment of our volunteers who drive them to and from medical and other appointments. Please call Elder Services at 1-800-544-5242 or 499-0524.
Bonny DiTomasso is Elder Services’ SHINE Program Coordinator.
Several people who have retired from Elder Services were in attendance: (left to right) Rita Burns, Roger Suters, Joan Kearney, Pat King, Stephanie Talanian, and Catherine R. May.
Three of the four new Board officers elected at Elder Services’ Annual Meeting: Diane Sheridan, Clerk; Mary K. O’Brien, President, and Edward Perlak, Treasurer. Not shown: Sully Garofano, Vice President.
Some of the staff who received awards recognizing their many years of service to the agency, with their respective years of service: Front Row: Marge Noble (15), Cindy Danforth (10), and Nancy McCarthy (20). Back row: Maureen Tuggey (10), Faith Lemaire (10), Karen Bates (5), and Nicholas Kirchner (25).
Three new members joined Elder Services’ Board of Directors: Donna Smith and Dawn Dellea of Pittsfield, and (not pictured) Kathleen Luczynski of Savoy.
5 years: Accounts Payable Bookkeeper Karen Bates, Meal Site Directors Sally Bohl and Marie Kirchner, MOW Drivers Stephen Alcombright, Monica McGrath, and Albert Sartori. Outgoing Board President Stephen M. Long, Incoming Board President Mary K. O’Brien and Elder Services’ Executive Director John Lutz each addressed those assembled, offering words of appreciation for the board, the staff, and the volunteers of Elder Services.
Meals on Wheels (MOW) Driver Ugo Allessio and Fiscal Director Nicholas Kirchner. 20 years: Nancy McCarthy and MOW Driver Wesley Sagendorph. 15 years: Receptionist Marjorie Noble and MOW driver Claire Bedard. 10 years: Client Services RN Cindy Danforth, Client Services Administrative Professional Faith Lemaire, MOW Driver Michael Mach, and Client Services Direc- Louisa Weeden is Elder Services’ Plantor Maureen Tuggey. ning and Development Specialist.
Always ask about your status when you are kept in the hospital.
On-line benefits screening services are a quick and easy way to learn the types of government assistance for which you may be eligible. They help you find out what programs are available, who is eligible, which benefits you can get, and how to apply. Types of programs screened for include food, health insurance, disability resources, mortgage assistance, and veterans’ benefits. Programs are not limited to financial assistance, but can also link you to community volunteer activities and employment assistance. The on-line screening services generally fall under one of two types. Benefit Screeners give a general idea of the range of programs for which you may be eligible. They use a set of questions to screen for a variety of programs, but do not check eligibility for specific programs. Eligibility Checks indicate your possible eligibility for specific assistance programs. An Eligibility Check asks short sets of questions about family, living situation, and finances. It then evaluates answers based on program-specific eligibility requirements. Below are four screening websites that assist Massachusetts residents. Some sites may require registration before you can use their Benefit Screeners and Eligibility Checks. Some agencies may offer an online application. 1. Benefits.gov (www.Benefits.gov) The official website of the US government connects citizens to available federal and state benefit and assistance programs. Each program’s benefit information page includes next steps and the contact information you will need to begin your application process. The screening tool is confidential and does not ask for or collect any personally identifiable information. Their top search categories are Food Stamps, Grants, SSI, Dental Benefits and Housing Assistance. 2. MassResources.org (www.massresources.org) offers an online Benefit Screener and eight online Eligibility Checks to help you find out if you are likely to qualify for various Massachusetts public assistance programs. The Benefit Screener uses one set of questions to screen for a wide range of programs including fuel assistance, utility shut-off protection, housing, transportation, and legal services as well as food, health, and financial benefits. The questions asked will be similar to the questions you will have to answer when applying and give you an idea of your potential eligibility. 3. Project Bread (www.gettingfoodstamps.org) is a free and confidential online resource to help answer your questions and determine your eligibility for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamps Program. To see if you are eligible, try the online calculator or call Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. If you are eligible, the website above instructs you how to apply over the phone, by mail or fax, online using the Mass.gov Virtual Gateway (see number 4), or in person. 4. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Virtual Gateway Screening Service (www.mass.gov/vg/selfservice) gives you the option of screening for food, health, tax credits or other public benefits, and also allows you to apply for Food Assistance. Once you have applied for benefits, you can also use this site to check the status of your Health, Food or Cash Assistance benefits.
the number of patients being placed on observation status in an effort to reduce Medicare costs. The numbers have doubled since 2006, with 744,748 stays recorded in 2011. Many of these patients have been blindsided after their hospital stays with exorbitant bills they never anticipated. What to do? Always ask about your status when you are kept in the hospital. If you are assigned observation status and feel you should be an in-patient, ask your doctor to change your status. Be aware that the hospital’s utilization review board can overrule the doctor’s decision. If you feel that your charges for a hospital stay are in error, and the hospital would not change your status, file a challenge under Part B of the Medicare Summary notice. If you have been sent to a nursing home, ask them to submit a “demand bill” to Medicare. When it is denied, you may appeal. The Center for Medicare Advocacy, www.medicareadvocacy. org, has an on-line Self-Help packet that gives details for challenging an observational status. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) has introduced legislation to the “Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act” to count observation stays towards the 3-day mandatory stay for Medicare coverage of SNFs. The NY StateWide Senior Action Council has developed a Patients’ Rights toolkit available at Laura Feakes and Deborah Connolly are Elder Services’ Information and Referral Specialists. Contact them at 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242. 1-800-333-4374. Maura Rose RN, FNP, iRNPA is a patient advocate and elder care consultant in Great Barrington, www. rnpaBerkshires.com.
HospiceCare in The Berkshires From set-up of in-home care to emotional support and pain management, we’ve been providing care to Berkshire County for more than 30 years. We are the Berkshire’s most personalized hospice, with neighbors caring for neighbors.
The difference is in our care.
Caregiving Proclamation Ann L. Hartstein, Secretary of the MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA), holds a proclamation from Governor Deval Patrick naming November 2013 as Family Caregiver Month. The picture was taken at a quarterly Family Caregiver Support Program meeting at EOEA. Elder Services’ Caregiver Coordinator Bea Cowlin and Director of Client Services Maureen Tuggey, are second from left, and second from right, respectively. The others are Elder Services’ Family Caregiver Support Program colleagues from Western Massachusetts.
caring for. Plan a “pot luck” meal so you are not responsible for all the cooking. Prepare yourself. Family members who have not visited in awhile may insist that everyone looks fine, and may down play your caregiving responsibilities. Be aware that television shows and magazine articles often portray unrealistic family gatherings where everything is perfectly happy, triggering feelings of sadness and other emotions. Take care of yourself! Try to find some quiet time for yourself each day, even if it’s only 10 minutes. Most important, keep your sense of humor and remember that you are not alone. For further information about caregiver support, contact Elder Services at 499-0524, 1-800-544-5242 or [email protected] Bea Cowlin is Elder Services’ Caregiver Coordinator.
Holiday dinners for seniors Once again holiday dinners will be delivered to seniors living in several Berkshire towns who are homebound and will be alone for the holiday. There are also some locations offering sit-down dinners for seniors. If you don’t see any organizations listed in your area, you may want to check with local food pantries and religious institutions for meals near you. Throughout Berkshire County Elder Services will be offering sit-down dinners for seniors at 11 Senior Group Lunch sites on Thursday, December 19. See page 16 to see which sites serve dinner on Thursdays. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 per meal for seniors, and $6 per meal for those under 60. Reservations must be made by Friday, December 13, by calling the phone number listed on page 16 for the site you wish to attend. Central County: Pittsfield, Lanesboro, and Dalton • The Civitan Club will be delivering dinners to seniors age 60 and over in the Pittsfield, Dalton, and Lanesboro areas. Meals will be delivered on December 24, between noon and 1 p.m. Seniors must be home to receive the meal. Contact Dan Boulais at 445-7837. • American Legion Post 41 will host a sit-down dinner at the Legion at noon on December 25. No reservations are necessary. They will also be doing deliveries to homebound seniors in the Pittsfield area, call Kelly Laframboise at 499-1435 to request home-delivered meals.
Adams Council on Aging celebrates with BART students The Adams Council on Aging (COA) hosted a lunch time Halloween Party at Elder Services’ Adams Senior Lunch Site. Seventy people attended with about 25 in costumes. BART Charter School Ambassador program students joined the seniors for lunch and served as costume judges, voting for Best Male and Best Female, Best Couple, Most Unique, and Scariest. The BART Ambassador program’s student ambassador’s mission is to educate the Berkshire community about the school and what it has to offer. The Adams COA Halloween Party was their first official event as BART Ambassadors. Both age groups had a great time and the costumes were fantastic.
North County: North Adams, Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, and Williamstown • The American Legion Post 125 in North Adams will host a sit-down dinner on December 25, and will deliver a holiday dinner to homebound seniors. Contact Bill Schrade at 664-9004. • The Berkshire Food Project will have a holiday dinner at the First Congregational Church, 134 Main St. (enter on Summer St.) North Adams. The dinner will be at noon on December 23. No reservation needed. If you have any questions, please contact Elder Services at 499- 0524 or 1-800-981-5201.
For Your Information Book Review: Dying: A Guide to a More Peaceful Death By Cynthia Casoff Henry Most of us do not relish the idea of talking about death, whether it be our own of that of a loved one. Still, death is an inevitable part of life, and we were given no handbook on how to have a peaceful, “best as could be hoped for” departure from this life. Enter former hospice nurse, Cynthia Casoff Henry, and her slim, large print volume Dying: A Guide to a More Peaceful Death. A previously published review of her book, by Kirkus*, states: “The author offers sensible advice for dealing with loved ones approaching death: Listen to them, follow their wishes, believe that they understand what’s going on in their bodies, and give them permission to let go when they are ready – even if that’s an uncomfortable idea. Casoff Henry’s debut is slim and simply written, so that even someone in the midst of a crisis will be able to appreciate it. She urges families to see palliative care as a reasonable choice and not a failure, which can be a difficult concept in a culture where extreme medical interventions are the norm. She advocates self-advocacy for the terminal patient – not pushing for the best treatments at any cost, but getting honest information from doctors, getting psychological support and pain control, and taking charge of one’s decisions in order to peacefully accept the end of life. … She also suggests that families create advance directives such as living wills, health care surrogates and do-not-resuscitate orders. Secular readers will appreciate her advice’s lack of mystical or religious components. Casoff Henry’s practical compassion strongly comes through as she effectively points out simple ways to make communication and decision-making easier before death is imminent.” Casoff Henry’s book offers straight talk on a topic about which we will each need advice at one time or another. The book is available for sale on Amazon.com, through Kindle, or can be purchased at two locations in Gt. Barrington: The Bookloft and the Crystal Store, and in Lenox at the Lenox Bookstore.
it is medically appropriate based on the person’s current health condition, and • the person wants to express preferences about life-sustaining medical treatments. What is the process for filling out a MOLST form? It starts with a person (and/or their caregivers, family members) and a clinician (physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant) talking about “advance care planning.” These conversations should include talking about the person’s health status, prognosis, personal values, and goals of care, and the potential benefits and burdens of treatments. This may result in the clinician and the patient filling out a MOLST form, if one is medically indicated and desired by the person. Can a person change his or her mind about treatment after they fill out the MOLST? Yes. They can ask for and receive needed medical treatment at any time, no matter what the MOLST form says. A person can also void the MOLST form and/or ask a clinician to fill out a new MOLST form with different instructions at any time. Who honors MOLST instructions? Health care professionals (nurses, emergency responders, etc.) honor valid medical orders, including MOLST, in any setting where clinical care may be provided (including in the patient’s home). Is MOLST the same as a “health care proxy” form? No. A health care proxy form is used to name a person’s health care agent. Only the health care agent is legally authorized to make medical decisions for another person if the person cannot make medical decisions themselves (e.g. because of unconsciousness, coma, dementia, or other mental limitations). Every adult age 18 and older in Massachusetts should fill out and sign a health care proxy form. If a person has written “final wishes” or a “living will,” isn’t that enough? No. Those are important forms that may be used as evidence of a person’s *Kirkus is a company that writes book reviews for librarians, booksellers wishes, but they are not authorized by law in Massachusetts. They do not and the general public. carry the same authority as a medical order like MOLST. If a person already has a “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) order, can they still use MOLST? Yes. DNR orders can be written on the MOLST form. The MOLST form also enables a person to express preferences about other types of lifesustaining treatments - and to either refuse or request certain treatments. Who keeps the signed MOLST form? The person with advanced illness keeps the MOLST form with them, in a place where it is easy to locate (e.g. on the refrigerator, beside the bed, or on the door), and it should be carried with them outside the home. Copies of MOLST forms are also valid and should be given to the person’s health care agent and primary care provider. Will the MOLST form be honored outside of Massachusetts? The Massachusetts MOLST form might be honored in some states but not in others. However, the MOLST form is always a good record of a person’s treatment preferences and may be honored as evidence of those preferences outside of Massachusetts. This is Part 1 of a series. Information for this article was provided by www. molst-ma.org. Cassie Carmon is Elder Services’ Human Resources Generalist. Since 1889, those who live and work in the Berkshires have relied on the friendly and familiar faces found at The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank to make them feel good. Many banks have come and gone over the past 124 years – making The Coop's continued dedication to the community so ... refreshing. And, that commitment will never fizzle out.
Questions About Services for Seniors?
Winter emergency preparedness Winter storms can range from wet snow, sleet, or freezing rain that builds up on trees and power lines to a Nor’easter, bringing blizzard conditions that last several days. People can become stranded in their automobiles or trapped at home, without utilities or other services. As a basic precaution everyone should a have a well-stocked Winter Home Emergency Supply Kit that includes flashlights, portable radio, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water, and non-perishable food. Make sure your car is properly winterized, keep the gas tank at least half-full, and carry a Winter Survival Kit in the trunk including blankets, extra clothing, flashlight with spare batteries, a can and waterproof matches (to melt snow for drinking water), non-perishable foods, windshields scraper, shovel, sand, tow rope and jumper cables. Following are are tips for dealing with a possible power outage. Before an outage • Check battery-operated supplies to ensure they are working, have extra batteries and fully-charge your phone, laptop, and any other devices as a storm approaches. Buy a solar-powered or hand crank charger to keep small electronics working, and a car phone charger so you can charge your phone if you lose power at home. • If you have a water supply (such as a well-water pump system) that could be affected, fill your bathtub and spare containers with water. Tub water should be used for sanitation purposes only, not for drinking. If possible have an alternative emergency heating source and fuel (gas fireplace, wood burning stove or fireplace) so you can keep at least one room livable. Be sure the room is well ventilated. • Know how to shut off water valves. If pipes freeze, remove insulation, completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they are most exposed to the cold. A hand-held hair dryer, used with caution, also works well. Do not use torches or other flame sources to thaw pipes as this can cause fires. • If you have medication that requires refrigeration, check with your pharmacist for guidance on proper storage during an extended outage. • If you use medical equipment in your home that requires electricity, ask your doctor how you can prepare for a power outage. If you have lifesupport devices that depend on electricity, contact your local electric company about your power needs for life-support devices (home dialysis, suction, breathing machines, etc.) in advance of an emergency. Some utility companies will put you on a “priority reconnection service” list.
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Talk to your equipment suppliers about your power options and also let the fire department know that you are dependent on life-support devices. • Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it. Garage doors can be heavy, so know that you may need help to lift it. • If you have special needs, find out what assistance may be available in your community. Register in advance with the local emergency management agency, fire department, or non-profit groups. Tell them of your individual needs or those of a family member and find out what assistance, help or services can be provided. During an outage • Use 9-1-1 only for emergencies. Call your utility company to report the outage. • Check on friends, family, and neighbors, particularly those most susceptible to extreme temperatures and power outages such as seniors and those with access and functional needs. • If the power is out, use battery-powered lights if possible, instead of candles. If you must use them, place candles in safe holders away from anything that could catch fire. Never leave a burning candle unattended. • Ensure that your smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are working and have fresh batteries. Check your outside fuel exhaust vents, making sure that they are not obstructed by snow or ice. Never use cooking equipment intended for outside use indoors as a heat source or cooking device. • Dress in several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Wear hats, mittens, scarves, and other clothing to keep your entire body warm. See if your community has “warming centers” or shelters open. • Watch for signs of frostbite: loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in the extremities such as fingers, toes, or the tip of the nose. Watch for signs of hypothermia: uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, and drowsiness. If symptoms are detected, get the victim to a warm location, remove any wet clothing, warm the center of the body first and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages if the victim is conscious. Get medical help as soon as possible. • To protect against voltage irregularities when power is restored, unplug all sensitive electronic equipment, including TVs, microwave, computer, and cordless telephone. Leave on one light so that you’ll know when your power returns. • Use a battery or crank-operated radio to keep you up-to-date on weather news. After an outage • Be extra cautious if you go outside to inspect for damage after a storm. Call your utility company to report any outage-related problem such as downed wires. • Clear exhaust vents from Direct Vent Gas Furnace Systems to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure backup generators are well ventilated. Never run an automobile until the exhaust pipe has been cleared of snow. • Take your time shoveling. Avoid overexertion. For more tips go to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) website: www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/mema.
Berkshire Senior The Time to think about “Your Future” is today!
Elder Services' Nutrition Program Elder Services' Senior Lunch Sites Elder Services offers hot, nutritious noontime meals at senior lunch sites located throughout Berkshire County. Anyone 60 or over can reserve a meal at any of the sites by calling the site they would like to attend by 11:30 a.m. the previous day. There is a suggested donation of $2.00 per meal.
If you receive Meals on Wheels and are not going to be home.
PLEASE use your phone! Call 1-800-981-5201. Drivers cannot leave meals if you are not at home. If you don’t come to the door, your driver will contact the nutrition office to do a well-being check on you, which may include contact with your local police department.
Menu subject to change without notice. * Modifications for sugar-restricted diets ** High sodium foods Suggested donation $2. All contributions help defray the cost of Elder Services' Nutrition/Meals on Wheels programs.
If you do not contact Elder Services’ Nutrition Department to let them know you will not be home to accept your meal, your driver will be concerned about your well-being, and the staff will need to make several phone calls to be sure you are all right. Please keep us informed, and we will be better able to serve you.
Extra sodium may be hiding in your holiday turkey. Although turkey is naturally low in sodium, it may have been injected with sodium solutions including broth, sodium phosphate, sodium lactate, and potassium lactate. These turkeys, labeled enhanced or pre-basted, can increase the sodium content as much as 280 milligrams per 3 ounce portion. Check the ingredient list and the nutrition facts label. If the sodium content is more than 75 milligrams per 4 ounce portion, look for an un-enhanced turkey.
Report "Berkshire Senior Volume 30, Number 12 December 2013 The monthly newspaper for Berkshire County seniors Free" | 2019-04-22T14:23:22Z | https://kipdf.com/berkshire-senior-volume-30-number-12-december-2013-the-monthly-newspaper-for-ber_5b34767a097c477d678b48c0.html |
About a year ago Code Climate announced its Velocity offering which provides engineering insights. Today they are taking the wraps off Version 2.0 for everyone. Existing customers have already had access to many of the new features. I am writing about this today because the whole history of the Velocity offering is illustrative of the right way to launch a new product even when you are a company that already has a mature offering (Code Climate Quality).
Many organizations once they have a mature product fall into a trap. They can’t release something new because they can’t reset the dial to behaving like a startup. Instead of going out with an MVP and learning from customers they want to release something that matches the maturity of their other offerings. They often wind up not shipping at all or after a new startup has already come in and taken the field.
Code Climate did a terrific job avoiding this trap. Their initial release of Velocity was intentionally minimal in the best sense of the word (think first iPhone). It was no frills but provided meaningful value and many customers adopted it. The subsequent feature development has been guided by the needs of these customers culminating in today's release.
If you are looking to enable your engineering team and processes with better insights and analytics, go and check out all the goodness that is now part of Code Climate Velocity 2.0.
Ten-thousand better decisions: Building a network around "network effects"
There are a million decisions that go into the process of building a company. By surfacing perspectives from 75 companies in our portfolio network, we hope to create tools that help people within each company answer even a fraction of these. Added up across this 10,000-person community, if everyone is enabled to make one better call, then this might lead to 10,000 better decisions than before.
When starting a business, the founding team must decide early on what to create, who it's for, and how to build it. Following that, a new set of decisions emerges, including choices like how to launch, who to hire, and how much money to raise. And so, the process repeats itself.
Albert Wenger, one of our partners at USV, likes to refer to this "leveling up" process like beating a new level in a video game. With each new level or phase of growth in a startup, you'll need to use the skills you've already mastered plus an added new challenge. By the time you're a 100-person, Series C company, the number of questions asked (and the sheer number of people deciding things) may have increased by a factor of 10.
Admittedly, the role of an executive team also becomes infinitely more complex along the way.
It's likely that there are people on the executive team who are going through the process of company-building for the first time, and making decisions might seem scary. Part of why it can be helpful to have a board of entrepreneurs, VCs, and advisors is because these people can offer insights, observations, and pattern recognition that you may never be able to see from your vantage point. And certainly, by taking board seats on many of the deals we see at USV, we strive to stick close to our entrepreneurs throughout each step of this process to do just that.
How should we design behavioral interview questions for our candidate process?
Should we migrate our system architecture to microservices?
What PR firm should we work with to announce our Series C?
Should the engineers sit next to the sales team, or on a different floor?
Would a rebrand make it easier for us to launch internationally?
Would this strategic partnership help us meet our OKRs this quarter?
No matter where you sit inside of an organization, you likely have some decision-making power.
Maybe you manage the office pantry and decide what type of food and snacks will give your colleagues the most energy to go about their days. Maybe you run IT and help prevent cyber-attacks or data breaches by educating your colleagues about safety best practices. Maybe you run your events marketing strategy and research the best conferences where you might set up a booth on the trade show floor to generate the highest quality leads for the sales team.
The single weight of any one decision may be quite small, (See: "Should we have both breakfast and lunch snacks in our fridge?") but the outcome of each choice matters. Over time, each "good call" contributes to an additive effect of a stronger, better company. And this is how we've designed the peer-to-peer effects of learning across the USV portfolio network. We want to empower everyone to make the best decisions possible by surfacing as many different perspectives as we can.
Rather than expect 1 person at the top to make the “right” call 100 times in a row, we've designed the USV Network around a second possibility: Can we help 100 people each make one slightly better decision than before?
In aggregate, by encouraging cross-pollination of ideas and experiences through all of the talented people across our portfolio, we believe we can leverage our network to serve as a resource to help all employees learn and grow.
In other words, when looking across our entire startup portfolio, we might ask: Can we help 10,000 people across 75 different companies to each make one better decision?
Each year, there are more than 150 touchpoints for people across this network to come together and share "lessons learned" at various in-person and remote events. Outside experts join us from time to time to time, bringing outside perspectives about management, leadership, or other common questions that arise. And dozens of people have stepped up to lead their own programming or even share back advice in one-on-one interactions with peers. In the end, we hope that by regularly convening people with similar functional roles across different companies, we might introduce new possibilities, solutions, and ideas -- one person at a time.
So, can the USV Network help make 10,000 better decisions? It'll be impossible to know for sure. But we're certainly going to try.
If the last decade has been a time of digital abundance--more followers, more “friends,” more apps--2019 looks to be the year of paring down. 2018 saw the first significant decline in time spent on site for Facebook. Users are deleting the app and replacing it with tools to track screen time. But our desire to find community and connection, and to leverage technology to do so in more effective and efficient ways, hasn’t changed. As a result, the coming years will likely be a time of renewed opportunity in new forms of social systems, the kind that has been difficult to come by during the major platforms’ ascension and dominance.
This is not to say the incumbent platforms are going anywhere anytime soon. But there is likely to be a splintering significant enough to create new startup entrants with the chance to own consumer needs.
Privacy and security. While events like Cambridge Analytica have drawn increased awareness to both the massive sets of data platforms like Facebook hold and the relative ease with which they can land in the wrong hands (let alone what the platforms can and likely will do with it themselves), privacy is still probably the lesser of the two core reasons for the degrading engagement. Increased privacy breaches that hit close to home for users will likely further point out that these platforms have created scale but not deep user trust--and emphasize the need to builded trusted brands to create true longevity. But, for now, its impact is probably lesser than that of reason #2.
Users are no longer getting what they want (or as much of it.) The dominant platforms began with promises of curated communities, but have left us with crafted personas of what we want the entire world to see and a loose web of paper-thin connections. In the case of Facebook, this meant starting first with schools, then geographies, with real identities, initially verified with university addresses. But with an advertising-based model predicated on scale, success meant breadth so their purpose evolved to connecting everyone on the planet. They’ve accomplished this mission with billions of active users. However, the mandate of scale has made that initial premise of community on platforms harder to achieve. A decade plus in, this kind of broad connectivity is starting to seem more addictive but less fulfilling than many originally thought. Users are uber-in the know but feel emotionally disconnected. Lasting consumer businesses have to fulfill some set of human drivers and desires that, despite rapid innovation & technological change, basically remain the same--belonging, connection, curiosity. When they aren't being fulfilled, the products we use change, not the desires.
The next wave of social systems will likely emphasize breadth and depth differently than the last--and may not look much like social networks at all. With the current networks, the horizontal nature of the platform is the product. Users come for the community. But it may be that with the next, the community is what keeps users long term engaged but is formed around another intent. Come for an action, stay for the community.
Users share a common interest or objective (beyond connectivity.) Gaming is the vertical furthest ahead on these kind of new social systems and platforms like Twitch and Discord, in addition to certain games themselves like Fortnite, serve as great examples. Users come to watch a game, but stay to keep debating and discussing with a community of other gamers. Other verticals are earlier but show the same behavior. ShopShops* users sign on to watch livestreams of hosts shopping in retail stores and markets around the world, and to buy in real time. But, while they do, they wind up messaging with each other--responding to questions, sharing thoughts on the items, even splitting purchases (once a shopper only wanted one earring in a pair and another on the livestream happily took the other.) They come back as much to re-engage with the community as they do to find what they want to buy next.
Users have skin in the game--they’ve in some way transacted or are on path to transact. This definition of transaction is broad--they purchase something, subscribe to something, or actionably engage with the brand before entering this group. This creates a deeper level of buy-in and, in effect, creates a “closed” community. There’s a lot of this behavior currently going on across platforms with the community building on Facebook and the transacting happening elsewhere. Duolingo’s* users connect in Facebook groups organized by the specific language they are learning to get extra practice, ask for help around tricky language rules, and share jokes. Embark, which sells an at home DNA test for dogs, has thousands of customers aggregating on Facebook to post photos and guess the outcomes of pending results. Owners with similar breeds connect with excitement, sharing tips. Increasingly, this community piece will be built into the platforms themselves rather than existing externally.
Users in the best communities go through a transition from the specific to the broad. While users may join the network with a particular question or straight from a purchase, the best ones will expand the scope of the applicable quickly once the common ground has been developed. Dia & Co’s* most passionate customers, for example, aggregate in a group where they share best finds from their wardrobes but also ask for career advice and even plan vacations with women they only know through a mutual love of Dia. Glossier has the Into the Gloss community where passionate beauty enthusiasts come--first to talk about their favorite products (Glossier and otherwise), but then to go back and forth on travel tips and best self care post pregnancy.
Multimodal business models--the best of these new networks will, over time, develop multimodal models that both take into account aggregated audiences as well as the services and products uniting them. Connie Chan at a16z wrote a great post on what we can learn from China about what some of these might look like. For the best ones, a multifaceted model that aligns business and customer combined with a platform that promotes transparency and depth of interaction will create a new level of defensiblity and stickiness.
If you are working on a business involving this new evolution of community, I’d love to learn more.
Differentiated user experiences are a cornerstone of the defensible businesses that USV has invested in for over 10 years. In the most recent articulation of our thesis - 3.0 - we also stressed experiences and trusted brands that expand access to, for example, knowledge. Trusted services are those that have business models that better align the interests of businesses and their customers.
What would such an experience and aligned business model look like in the world of online publishing, that to date feels like it has replicated the offline model in a way that is cumbersome and decreases consumer value through clunky and increasingly invasive experiences? One that was resolutely consumer first by being clean, fast, and safe. One that wouldn't require users to change how they access content in order to benefit from the experience. And one that did not use a paywall.
Scroll is a consumer and publisher service that satisfies these criteria by providing frictionless access to content by removing all ads and ancillary content, making pages clean and fast. It is no surprise that a specific user experience was the focal entry point for this company - the founding team’s background includes Chartbeat, Foursquare, Spotify and Google (some of those companies we have previously founded and backed). USV is excited to be leading Scroll’s Series A financing, announced today, and joined by Samsung Next, Bertelsmann, Gannett, Axel Springer, The New York Times and Uncork Capital.
Scroll is a vastly better way to read or watch, across multiple channels - an open platform that puts consumers in control by offering bundled access (for $4.99 a month) to ad-free and mobile-friendly experiences on content sites around the world. When you visit a Scroll partner, that site automatically delivers an experience with no interruptive ads, pre-rolls, or links to baldness cures at the bottom of articles. Users control their own data through an API, and they can decide what they want to do with it - from requesting their data be anonymized to sharing their history with other services. Using mobile apps like Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn or Facebook or just reading in Chrome, Scroll seamlessly syncs content across devices and is format-agnostic. One can start reading an article on a laptop, continue on a phone on the subway, and then finish as an audio story in a car.
Dozens of publishers are currently part of the network, including Buzzfeed, Vox Media, MSNBC, Business Insider, The Atlantic, Slate, Fusion Media Group, The Daily Beast and more. We believe this model empowers, not disintermediates, publishers by giving them an important choice in addition to their ad-supported business. As important, publishers using Scroll will make more money than using an ad-only model.
Now, more than ever, we need an Internet that feels built for us and a free press able to thrive. Scroll firmly believes in this vision, and USV does too.
Today we’re excited to announce the launch of our new USV Talent Network.
Our USV Network is a startup community of more than 9,000 employees across 75 companies all over the world. Each company leverages network effects to build stronger businesses and broaden access in differentiated ways.
We operate our portfolio network in a similar way and support every employee in finding access to the people, information, and resources they need to do their jobs better. Because this collective knowledge base increases as our portfolio grows in size, working for a USV company broadens your network each time we make a new investment.
This initiative is the first time we are deliberately seeking to expand the reach of our USV community beyond our current portfolio. We hope to extend our collective footprint even further -- to seek out candidates our companies may want to hire, to identify best-in-class leaders who would like to be a part of our community, and to invite alumni (people who used to work at USV network companies) back into the fold.
Built in partnership with Monday.vc, once you’re accepted to this network, you can request introductions to companies across the USV Network when you see jobs that interest you. Even if there aren’t any current job openings that fit your criteria, you’ll be able to signal your preferences and receive notifications when new roles open up in the future.
If you are interested in working for one of our portfolio companies (either now or sometime in the future), we invite you to apply to join our extended talent community. Over time, we’ll surface interesting jobs to you and invite you to engage with our current portfolio by sharing your expertise or joining us at events. Part of the benefit of being in the USV Talent Network is the ability to connect with the companies directly instead of having to compete with every other person applying to a job.
Throughout the year, the USV Network facilitates more than 150 events (both in-person and digital) to bring together peers in similar domains at different companies and encourage cross-company learning opportunities.
It can be scary to join an early-stage startup. There’s a lot of inherent risk through the discovery process of identifying product-market fit and dozens of complications along the road to scaling a business. If you’re the joining a company sub-50 employees, it’s likely that you’re the only one at that organization in your functional domain area. That feeling can be pretty lonely.
When you get a job in the USV Network, you’re not just joining a company; you’re joining a community. If you’d like to be a part of this community now or sometime in the future, we invite you to join us today and apply here.
Recent conversations around healthcare have surfaced words like “crisis” and “collapse”. Besides being confused by the existing system, 20% of Americans can no longer afford basic healthcare (including their insurance premiums), leading to a higher number of people who are uninsured or underinsured. Now, unbundling is enabling a wave of new business models as the healthcare system shifts towards more virtual, independent, local points of care (an idea introduced to us by Dave Chase in his book, “The Opioid Crisis Wakeup Call”).
These new approaches generally fall into one of two buckets: change of infrastructure (who pays, when they pay, how they pay) and change of venue (from in person to online). The emerging business models tend to be much simpler and instead of operating in bundled networks, there is an increase in independent clinics and care delivered through mobile phones.
Four novel models of care are emerging: direct to consumer, direct to employer, value-based, and group cost-sharing for catastrophic events. Recently, we’ve been looking at this first category, however, they could all broaden access with the advent of unbundled health services.
Direct primary care practices are opening up independently of a hospital network or insurance company. In this model, each physician operates as a separate entity and can decide how to charge their patients. Many, such as Unorthodoc and Gold Direct Care, seem to be using a subscription model and some practices use different tiers of pricing depending on the level of care that a person needs (usually around $30 to $120 per month). Another example, SparkMD, offers custom packages including family rates, house visits, and telemedicine.
While well-loved concierge practice One Medical prices their membership package at a premium (~$150 per year on top of the cost of care), DPC clinics generally hustle, trying to provide affordable options wherever possible. They broaden access. The subscription model for primary care (Healthcare as a Service, or HaaS), whether in person or virtually, aligns incentives more naturally between the patient and provider.
If each primary care physician - which many view as the center of healthcare - operates an independent practice and is able to communicate with local specialists to find the best price for their patients, then smaller microeconomics could start to form in each city or town that allows patients to make decisions with full price transparency. In today's more centralized model, physicians that are part of larger network tend to refer patients to facilities in-house even if they are more expensive.
Instead of decentralizing healthcare to local neighborhoods, the system can be broken down to a different unit: employers. Today, employer-based healthcare tends to prioritize convenience over affordability. However, with more unbundled services and specialists, what if every employer had its own system for patient care and external referrals? Euphora, Paladina, and Apostrophe are examples of companies enabling this model. In the case of the latter, in particular, by replacing third party administrators for self-insured employers and saving employers money in the process. Elation proposes that employees are more likely to seek out preventative healthcare - and thereby lower downstream costs - through an on-site clinic.
Employers are one of the most incentivized players to keep healthcare costs low and employees healthy. If primary care operated in-house, employers would manage the workflow and payments through a platform like Eden, for example. More interestingly, this can be extended beyond unbundled primary care. Sano Surgery offers self-insured employers access to medical professionals in 13 specialty verticals and even allows them to pre-purchase medical services, which fundamentally changes payment dynamics.
Employer-based healthcare doesn’t necessarily solve the ‘access to healthcare’ problem because employer-based insurance covers only 56% of the US population today. This begs the question, should companies (or even, can companies), in addition to their mission, be focused on healthcare as well?
In value-based care, payment is based on health outcomes for entire episodes of care rather than solely on initial treatment plans. This is straightforward for commoditized parts of healthcare, such as a routine surgery, where a la carte pricing works. A great example of a simple business model is the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, where patients know prices and pay up front for each “episode”. The SCO website lists medical surgeries as food would be listed on a menu. As patients continue to visit from in and out of state, their goal is that more centers and practices will adopt this practice, making the back-and-forth with insurance companies obsolete.
Thinking about long-term illnesses - for example, diabetes management, cancer, or asthma - becomes more complicated. For an independent specialty clinic like Pure Cardiology, value-based care might require making a plan and having the patient pay when specific milestones are reached. While this solution could result in delayed payments for doctors, they can ensure that incentives are aligned for both short-term and long-term episodes of care.
Medical cost-sharing groups, where people pay to support others in their community, are appearing more often. Medishare, Sedera and Liberty HealthShare are examples of cost-sharing within local communities, neighbors if you will, that combine a non-medical community - either geographic or religious - with their medical insurance for both routine health issues and catastrophic events. In some instances, these groups may appear closer to non-profits than large insurance companies: Liberty HealthShare’s decision guide emphasizes that they are not “insurance”, and are incentivized to work towards decreasing the healthcare burden on the whole group. Still, for-profit innovation is occurring on the insurance side.
Many companies are working towards a future with at-home testing, processing prescriptions with one tap on your phone, and virtual appointments (including USV portfolio companies Modern Fertility and Nurx). More fundamentally, there could be a subscription option for primary care for those that only interact with their doctors by mobile phone unless otherwise necessary. Companies like Sherpaa and Nurx are changing the venues of care to text-based conversations, at-home testing, and remote monitoring. Asynchronous, structured data collection thrives in a decentralized model of healthcare because it is cheaper and time efficient, allowing each doctor to help more patients and decrease the points of friction in getting care.
A pure VPC model eliminates fixed costs associated with brick and mortar expansion and is able to focus resources on reaching more patients, recruiting more doctors to their platform, and improving the experience for current patients. Payments on a subscription basis allow doctors to get paid more consistently rather than waiting for insurance companies to process claims and paying overhead costs to negotiate reimbursements with their billing offices.
Mobile, pop-up clinics in different healthcare verticals (from urgent care to specialized medicine) are also growing. An open question regarding broadening access is whether this model is scalable to all parts of the country, or whether it perhaps favors population dense cities. Two examples in women’s health are Kind Body and AskTia. Women can go for a regular checkup or with specific questions related to fertility, IUDs, etc, and receive a highly specialized experience. This can feel much simpler from the patient perspective, as these models often rely on subscription payments or disclosed, fixed pricing for each service. Another example, specific to cardiology, is Heartbeat, where people get direct access to a fully-digitized boutique cardiology clinic. Here, the venue of care is shifted here from hospitals to pop-up clinics, that are smaller and easier to scale.
Health-related issues are confusing as is, so the system around it should be as simple as possible. New business models are lowering the barriers to entry for users to get access to high-quality care. Cost is driven down through technology and healthcare is made simpler through new unbundled business models, streamlined payments, and better user experiences. As companies continue innovating in this space, both in terms of business model and venue, the future of healthcare is starting to become clearer. We’re excited for that future.
USV has been investing in health-related technologies for about five years. Our approach can be characterized by the notion that digital processes, made more accessible by the internet and mobile access, could over time transform the cost and delivery of medical care. In the last couple of months, our conversations around healthcare have surfaced some new investable themes, which I’ll discuss in a few posts over the next month. The first such theme is the idea that healthcare can be “unbundled” into distinct services, a pattern we have seen in other markets (where niche sub-markets develop for specific services). So, in the case of healthcare, what is there to unbundle from? For one, large hospital networks and insurance companies, where most of the control and pricing power currently reside.
The last decade has seen unbundling in the financial services industry that serves as a relevant analogy. Financial supermarkets became popular in the 80s when large banks started offering one-stop shopping for a complete package of financial services, anything from mortgages to credit cards. In this model, the sale becomes around convenience rather than value as customers buy a complete package, even though each service may not be the best in breed or meet the specific needs of an individual consumer. With this, came a lack of price transparency as each service’s individual price is obscured by the combined package. The connected Internet and later mobile services, have made it easier to manage an unbundled package as well as increase the quality and personalization of each service on its own. In finance, we’ve observed that in the broader market, as well as within our own portfolio of fintech investments, with Funding Circle (peer-to-peer lending platform for small business), Stash (personal investing), CircleUp (equity financing for consumer products), Stripe (payments), and KickStarter (crowd-funding). Technology made processes simpler so that individuals could find specific things they need easily and affordably from market-specific providers.
Perhaps healthcare is now seeing the beginning of unbundling, catalyzed by the same use of technology which allows companies to focus solely on user experience in specific verticals. Some of the first pieces of unbundled healthcare to get venture momentum were direct-to-consumer brands such as Hims, Roman, Keeps, and Nurx. These are examples of companies using technology - such as telemedicine, asynchronous chats, and structured data - to lower costs and reduce friction in various niches of healthcare via a simple subscription business model. For example, Nurx gives users control of their health at every step of the process and delivers birth control and Truvada for PrEP in a timely, cost-efficient manner. Along a similar vein, at-home testing companies such as 23andMe, Modern Fertility, and Scanwell are bringing lab-grade testing services to people’s homes at a lower price point by leveraging technology. For primary care, companies like Sherpaa are using virtual primary care, while Doctor on Demand and Teladoc started by unbundling to serve individuals through telemedicine. Now other companies such as Vera Whole Health, CareMore, and PeakMD are coming up to serve employers with their primary care needs through local care centers.
Then there are examples of unbundling in parts of primary and specialized medicine that have not received as much attention yet, perhaps because their interactions are primarily conducted offline. However, these companies are still a part of the trend towards unbundling from large hospital networks and functioning as individual nodes in the broad healthcare market. For example, Pure Cardiology is a user-centric membership plan for all cardiology-related services, the Surgery Center of Oklahoma offers a menu-style list of surgeries they perform with up-front pricing, and the East River Medical Imaging Center in New York is an independently owned and operated center for scans including MRI, CT, PET, and X-rays.
In primary care, there has been a recent increase in the number of direct care clinics around the US, or doctors that are offering traditional primary care through an independent clinic without ties to large hospital networks and insurance companies. To support these practices, companies like Hint Health (onboarding and billing platform), Spruce (patient communication), and Elation (clinical electronic health records) are building the infrastructure to power a direct-care driven healthcare system. Technology enables new user experiences for quick onboarding and communication, but other offline examples of lowering friction are walk-in urgent care centers, such as CityMD and GoHealth. These clinics provide immediate medical care for a range of acute conditions that provide underserved patients with faster response times. Walk-in urgent care clinics started popping up in the 70s but gained more traction in the 90s and now service over 160 million visits annually.
These examples suggest that healthcare is in some respects being unbundled.
Why does this matter? One lever to getting momentum in an unbundled world is that a lower price point - a common denominator across many of these companies - compared to traditional bundled options, will allow more people to access healthcare. Besides just lowering costs, unbundling can open access in other ways, including minimizing the enormous friction that exists in legacy healthcare systems. If healthcare services continue the trend of “unbundling” in some of these ways, cost-efficiency will become much more of a priority where the fastest, cheapest, and most reliable services should win. More fundamentally, unbundling could create the opportunity for each of these distinct services to become independent nodes in a larger network in a bottoms up manner (which would make room for business model innovation - the subject of my next blog post).
For now, these observations seem to indicate some unbundling of the existing large, monolithic systems in healthcare towards a more open, local, independent and transparent model, with control residing with individual users. And ultimately, this could change the way healthcare is delivered to consumers.
It's been a busy summer of reading for us here at USV. Since we often receive requests about what books people are reading, we polled the USV team internally to find out what picks and recommendations they each wanted to share with all of you.
"Still reading it, but enjoying it so far"
This summer at Union Square Ventures, Jennifer Greenberg joined us as our summer intern. During her time at USV, she worked on many projects, and one of them was analyzing tools from across our portfolio companies. As part of this process involved grouping and sorting tools, she came away with a few observations from her project. Read her post below.
Hi, I’m Jennifer Greenberg, a current computer science student who had the pleasure of interning at USV this summer to support the Network Team.
Through my community management work in Slack as well as in attending USV network events, I noticed that one of the most common questions that comes up in the network is what tools are used by other companies.
To embark on this research project, we gathered over 450 software tools used across 64 companies, representing approximately 86% of our active portfolio. We began by tagging each tool based on department, the type of tool, and then explored how company size impacted usage.
Below are some observations and trends that we discovered.
The top reported tools were G Suite, Slack, GitHub, Jira, Sketch, Salesforce, DropBox, AWS, Excel, and InVision. These top tools (in particular G Suite, Slack, and GitHub) were used across multiple departments or tended to skew toward developer tools.
The chart below show the most popular developer tools overall in the network. After Github and Jira, there was a drop off which may be because there are many free/open source options, causing individuals and companies to explore and favor different ones.
Company size creates a stratification among developer, hiring, and communication tools. As an example of how this plays out in engineering, you can see that all of the size brackets use either Github or Jira, but after that, the differentiation develops. For example, smaller companies are less likely to use security software. On the communication side, smaller companies are more likely to use internal tools like Calendly, GoToMeeting, and Rocketchat, whereas external tools including Docusign, Facebook, Medium, Sendgrid, and Twitter persisted across all size brackets.
As for hiring tools, LinkedIn, Lever, and Greenhouse are the most popular in the network, but these are primarily only used by companies with more than 30 employees. Tools like Guru, Textio, DiscoverOrg, and Checkr were used with companies larger than 50 employees, while Jobbatical, Entelo, Jazz, and AngelList were used by our smaller companies.
While AWS still appears to be the favored cloud platform used among our portfolio, Google Cloud in particular appears to be gaining more traction. As you can see below, ¼ of companies are using either Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure.
Other tools with dominant market share include Slack and Salesforce. While 92% of our companies report using Slack, some companies opted to use Hipchat (recently acquired by Slack), Beekeeper, and Rocket Chat.
For sales management CRMs, 42% of our companies use Salesforce, however, some used alternatives like Google Streak, Insightly, or Close.io. It does not seem as though size played a role in a company's choice in any of these circumstances.
While the average company in our portfolio is using 7 tools, one of our larger companies reported using 77 different tools, which made me realize that transitioning between tools may be a source of growing pains for startups. As our portfolio continues to expand, we hope that by aggregating and sharing this list internally (we’re even building a Slack Bot for our network to search these tools), we can make it easier to choose the best tool for each use case.
Hey all, I've recently joined USV as the firm's very first Developer in Residence. Over the next year I'll be porting USV's thinking around networks into code, and writing the APIs, apps, and bots that will help folks at our 70+ portfolio companies communicate and collaborate with each other.
Having an in-house developer is still a bit rare in venture capital, but it feels like a natural fit for USV. Building on its early success investing in businesses that leverage network effects, USV brought this approach to its own network in 2010, launching an effort to facilitate interaction among network members through events and introductions. And now my job is to grow this platform online, to help reach and connect a greater share of folks in our increasingly diverse portfolio.
Helping like-minded folks discover and learn from each other was one of my favorite things in building BrooklynJS, my favorite community here in the city. To be able to do the same for USV is a great gig, and really, second only to my other gig, moonlighting as a bass for Brooklyn's favorite-slash-only barbershop quartet.
If you’re building a similar platform and/or have ideas about what kinds of interaction mechanics work well for community building, please drop me a line!
Universal Basic Income (UBI) is the idea that citizens receive a regular, unconditional stipend that helps them cover their cost of living. Previous UBI experiments have shown to reduce hospitalization, crime and poverty rates. Richard Nixon, Thomas Paine, Martin Luther King Jr. and Milton Friedman were all vocal proponents of UBI.
UBI has traditionally been imagined as a government subsidy that would put money back into the economy by giving it directly to people (as opposed to quantitative easing where the Federal Reserve puts money back into the economy through banks).
The development of cryptocurrency, however, now gives us a way to implement UBI in a global, trustless and democratic way without the need for a government to implement it.
and Solidar (implemented as a chatbot on FB messenger).
We are intrigued by this possibility and are wondering about some key issues, such as the complexities around issuing new currencies and preventing fraudulent accounts.
When blockchain projects implement UBI, where does the initial money come from?
The majority of the UBI blockchain projects issue their own currency in the form of tokens. That is, instead of recirculating existing money in the economy, they generate new value by minting a new currency. The challenge is that while the idea behind UBI is to provide real income that can be used for paying for things like rent, tuition and groceries, newly invented currencies are initially worthless until someone accepts them. It is up to each UBI project to make their currency worth something.
Projects do this by building an economy around the currency where people can exchange and use their tokens to buy goods and services. Nick calls this building a ‘Minimum Viable Economy’.
The idea behind a Minimum Viable Economy is to build enough of an ecosystem around a token so that its holders can use it to buy goods and services or exchange it to other currencies.
For this to happen, the project needs to incentivize merchants and vendors to accept the token as a form of payment.
projectUBU (beta) is building tools for vendors to be able to easily add support for their UBU token. Enumivo (pre-beta) is building their own blockchain (a fork of EOS) with the goal of developers building dapps that accept their token, $UBI.
It is easier to convince vendors to accept a token if there are a lot of people that hold the token. A good analogy for this is the credit card: even though vendors dislike credit cards because they are expensive and require extra in-store hardware, they are incentivized to accept them because so many people have them.
To seed this network effect, many UBI projects have referral programs to reward people who bring in new users. projectUBU, for example, rewards 1,000 UBUs to the referrer and 500 UBUs to the referee per referral.
Some projects, instead of doing a one-time bonus, continue to award the referral bonus as long as the referred person stays in the network. Frink (beta), for example, plans to indefinitely payout an additional 10% to referrers, and Mannabase plans to payout an additional 100% to referrers for one year. The idea is to incentivize people to refer “high quality users” that will stay in the network for a long time. An interesting question is whether a high referral bonus will increase the incentive and potential for referral fraud.
These referral programs are often set to expire when the network grows to a desired size. Solidar’s program, for example, is scheduled to reduce the bonus by 50% when the network reaches 15,000 users and then again every time the network size doubles.
Projects also need to incentivize people to spend their tokens. UBI projects can build in monetary policy that makes it more attractive for token holders to spend the tokens than to hold them.
There are two ways to do this: demurrage (some amount of held currency automatically dissipates) and by growing the money supply (so that each held token is now worth less). Both accomplish the same goal of incentivizing token holders to spend their currency, otherwise their held currency will lose some of its value.
projectUBU is one of the projects utilizing demurrage: 1% of all UBU wallet balances dissipate every year. Circles is one of the projects planning to mint more currency: they plan to grow their money supply at a 5% annual rate. The most dramatic of these programs is Solidar, which has an annual 20% demurrage rate.
Another way projects incentivize people to spend their tokens is by capping the amount of tokens any account can hold at one time. In order to receive more tokens, participants need to withdraw or spend the tokens they’ve already received. SwiftDemand, for example, only allows accounts to hold 7 days of unclaimed income at a time.
Another way to create value in tokens is to provide liquidity - aka the ability for a token holder to exchange the token for another currency, usually fiat, like USD.
For there to be liquidity, there needs to be someone who wants to buy tokens from those that hold it.
One project called Big Foundation (beta) is seeding liquidity by paying people a bonus for buying the token.
Another interesting approach here is Democracy Earth’s distribution program. Because their currency has immediate utility as a vote, there are more likely to be buyers of it. Democracy Earth (beta) is a governance platform, and buying currency can mean buying power. The caveat is that organizations built on Democracy Earth can set their constitutional smart contracts to limit only one vote per person per issue, which inhibits the ability for participants to effectively buy votes.
Before a UBI project can hand out tokens, they first need to verify that each participant is a real person, and that each person is limited to a single account. This prevents cheating via ‘Sybil attack’ where a user creates multiple identities that all trust and validate each other in a closed system. If every user could create multiple accounts to increase the amount of income they received, it would dissolve the public trust in the value of the currency, and depreciate its worth. It would also undermine the spirit of the project where in everyone gets the same amount.
There are two main ways that UBI projects are solving this: voting and social trust.
The first way is allowing members of the community to vote to verify a new participant. On Democracy Earth, for example, new participants have to go through a validation process with other previously validated community members in order to be able to join the network. (They actually plan to have every participant repeat this process periodically in order to prevent abandoned accounts).
The second way is by relying on trust relationships from the real world. Circles (pre-beta) does this in an interesting way: On Circles, each new participant is issued UBI payouts in their own personal currency. That currency is not worth anything because no one agrees to exchange it yet. To make their account balance worth something, Circles participants need to trust each others currencies by being willing to exchange them. From the Circles documentation: "The value of a specific personal currency is a measure of how many other accounts trust it. This means that users who are new to the system and don’t have many trusted relationships have a less valuable currency than someone who is well-established in the network. It also means that the currency of new users gets more valuable over time as they create more trust relationships."
Enumivo plans to do a combination of the social graph and voting solutions. People who want to join Enumivo will have to find someone already in the community to sponsor them. To sponsor someone, a community member stakes 200 tokens (10 weeks worth) and then other community members have 30 days to vote on them.
There are also standalone identity projects like uPort and Civic that future UBI projects could potentially leverage. Generally we are very interested in learning more about self-sovereign identity projects that could enable decentralized programs like UBI.
There are two ways most UBI projects fund their development: by holding a percentage of their tokens (most UBI projects do this), and by collecting transaction fees (some UBI projects do this).
What I like about these revenue sources is that they align the core team’s interest with their users’ interests. The better the core team grows the network and token economy, the more their tokens are worth, and the more transactions there will be to collect fees on.
One of the applications of blockchain that we are very excited about is UBI, and we hope to keep learning about how different projects are implementing it. If you’re working on something in this space, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out, I’m [email protected].
I know my favorite day of the year should be our USV CEO Summit. But it’s not. It’s actually USV Intern Day.
On this day, which we now host once a year in both NYC and SF, we bring together interns from dozens of portfolio companies and invite them to learn about all of the companies in our portfolio. For me and Lauren, this day feels a little bit like summer camp -- we sport swag from our portfolio companies and shuttle interns around the city all day.
We jumped on it immediately and rallied participation from more than a dozen NYC companies. For participating interns, we organized a multi-stop event with two tracks (technical and business) featuring short talks, office tours, and job advice from the incredible leaders in the network. Some companies handed out free swag to all attendees. Meetup concluded the day with a pizza party on their incredible roof deck.
But I don’t like Intern Day because of the pizza and the swag. I like it because of the deep collaboration and sense of community that it represents among our portfolio.
This year, we had about 75 interns between our San Francisco Bay Area companies and our NYC companies. Product and operations leaders from Skillshare and Code Climate each took an hour to introduce these students to the complexities of their business models and careers in tech. Shippo in San Francisco facilitated an entire panel discussion with robust Q&A. Clarifai taught a group of 40 students how they think about AI and machine learning. Matt Blumberg, CEO of Return Path, spent the last hour of his busy workday sharing candid advice he wished someone had taught him before entering the workforce.
When kicking off the day, we shared two stories with the intern class this year. The first was the story of how Andrew Sutherland, at age 15, started a flashcard app for himself while studying for a high school French test that eventually became the company and brand we all know today at Quizlet. The second is how, in their first first job after school, Meetup CEO Scott Heiferman met his now-co-founder Brendan McGovern when they sat next to each other on the very first orientation day at Sony.
One of the things we are so privileged to see at USV are the origin stories of entrepreneurs all over the world. We hope that, even by bringing together interns for one day out of the year during their summer, we’ll spark some inspiration or ideas that will come back our way several years down the road.
At USV, we have been active in the blockchain/crypto sector since 2011. At this time, we have direct investments in nine companies/projects in the crypto space and one exited investment. Companies in the blockchain/crypto sector make up about 15% of our active portfolio and closer to 25% of our recent investments.
But the venture capital fund model is not optimized for investing in the blockchain/crypto sector. Blockchain/crypto companies/projects often finance and monetize via tokens which can become liquid quickly and thus we can end up holding highly liquid and volatile positions which is not something we have traditionally done. And because USV operates under the venture capital exemption to Dodd-Frank, we are limited to 20% of our holdings at cost in “non-qualifying” investments, which include tokens.
So we have sought out other relationships in the sector that can allow us to get broad exposure to the most interesting companies and projects. Our most recent investment, which closed last week, is just that. USV became investors in Multicoin Capital, a fund that is focused exclusively on the blockchain/crypto/token sector. There are a lot of smart people thinking about and analyzing this emerging sector, but there aren’t many who are doing it so publicly and conversationally as the Multicoin team. Their blog posts are here and their tweets are here: (Kyle, Tushar) . Their opinions are often controversial and contrarian. You can make a lot of money by being right about something most people think is incorrect. So at USV, we appreciate and value original thinking.
Multicoin often talks about “venture capital economics with public market liquidity.” The token sector offers both, and that is partially what has caused USV some challenges making this sector work in our current fund structure. Multicoin is structured in a way that gives them and their investors the benefit of both. We are excited to be investors in Multicoin.
Multicoin joins a roster of other blockchain/crypto/token funds that USV has invested in over the last 18 months. That list includes Polychain Capital, Metastable Capital, Blocktower Capital, Arianna Simpson’s new fund Autonomous Partners, and Placeholder. Placeholder, like USV, uses a venture capital fund model for its investing. All of the other funds use more of a hedge fund model.
This portfolio of token funds gives USV a much broader reach across the blockchain/crypto/token sector than we would be able to get directly on our own and we also benefit enormously from the dialog and information sharing that exists across this network of investors.
USV has not become, and has no plans to become, a fund of funds. But the blockchain/crypto/token sector has some unique challenges for us and others in the venture capital business and we have taken a network approach to solving them, at least for now.
We have and will continue to invest directly in both companies and projects and both equity and tokens in this space, often in a syndicate that includes one or more of these token funds. It is an exciting time to be investing in blockchain/crypto/tokens and we are fortunate to be able to do it along with some of the best investors in the sector. | 2019-04-25T02:32:42Z | http://www.usv.com/blog |
I sit at my desk to begin a story I have been moving towards all my life. Under my fingers a laptop computer – to my left the Salish Sea stretching north to the Pacific Ocean, ahead of me, through the window, a woodshed built with a friend now dead in a car accident. To the right are stairs leading to a loft bedroom and on the red wall a three-inch square image – a river spanned by bridges, mist rising – a gift from a friend who wishes me to become intimate with a landscape dear to her. I live on an island in a community of 800 people in the gulf between Vancouver Island and the British Columbian mainland. Our island is part of the Wrangellia arc which began as molten lava south of the equator 350 million years ago and travelled north on the back of the Pacific Plate, reaching the latitude of present-day Mexico about 170 million years ago. Volcanic eruptions formed the island’s bedrock – pebbled conglomerate from the tumbling hillsides, honeycombed limestone gathered on the continuing journey north – until 10,000 years ago, the receding seas began to reveal the island. Vegetation sprouted and by 5,000 years ago indigenous coastal people had begun to populate the island. These are ‘facts,’ read in authoritative pages footnoted with sources. As I walk the seashore do my feet feel where the stones have been, how the land was formed?
I lied. I write this in Toronto in a room in a house in Wychwood Park high above the city which slopes down to Lake Ontario, and when I walk here there is sandy soil beneath my feet, from the receded shores of the lake. I live in many places, all my thoughts and feelings stored inside a technological rectangle which travels with me and is my portal. It is my most valued possession, a container for my life, like my body. So, although I lie, there is a paradox. It is indeed true that the sea is to my left, the woodshed in front, reminding me of the dead, the stairs rising to my dream space – a panoply of images and the sound of the waves inside me wherever I am.
The Wired Boy: Somewhere in my youth an image entered me – I believe it came from a radio play about a boy alone in a room, bound to a chair, his hands on the arms of the chair, his feet firmly planted a foot apart, his head connected by wires to a machine. He was motionless, an expression of ecstasy on his face, or perhaps if not ecstasy then something so totally absorbing, so completely concentrated that there might be no other word for it. Perhaps he was in the grip of something much larger than himself, something painful that could not be denied or broken from. We could call it addiction, or sexual ecstasy which so much resembles pain. The radio play was about a boy hooked to a machine that perpetually stimulated the pleasure centre of his brain. I don’t know what the larger picture was, who controlled the boy, who had put him there, why, for what purpose (as most people do not comprehend the larger picture, or who or what controls them), but the image of this boy is etched on my imaginative memory. And as Wilder Penfield says, “Anything vividly imagined becomes inseparable from reality.” I have remembered him often as our world has moved increasingly into the technological and thus virtual. He struck me I suppose because to a child ecstasy must involve movement, sound, all the senses engaged in running and laughing, breathless with joy, thirsty for life – and this boy was motionless, all the life inside him contained in the silence of his corpselike body. Pure pleasure. He struck me too, and I felt akin to him because he was, at least outwardly, a mirror for myself, a child stunted into silence, obedience.
My sister at age 72 tells a story of us four siblings in Kendall’s department store in Manchester with our mother. She herded us into a corner and said, “Stand still, and don’t talk to anyone till I come back.” This was a familiar command. When she returned we were taken for lunch. In the restaurant a friend of the family came over with her own children and our mother talked with them while we remained silent. Afterwards she reprimanded us, said how ashamed she was of our social ineptness. “That silence and stillness always live in me,” my sister says, despite the fact that she chatters and bustles constantly, a vibrant woman who has fought to revive her repressed life. But that’s another story, serving only to emphasize that there is always more than one way of dealing with a deep impression – as in Franz Kafka’s story, In The Penal Colony, where a machine, theoretically speaking, writes a man to death, the lesson engraved on his body by many needles until it penetrates his soul in the final realization of death, although it is all hearsay and the machine when put to the test breaks down and mangles its victim without the hoped-for transformation. My own version of our childhood lesson came in a dream some years ago. We four were seated around the kitchen table, our mother hovering over us. It was our brother’s birthday. Mum bound our mouths with cloth soaked in lighter fluid, then she struck a match and lit each of us, like candles on a cake. Some time later, when the cloth came off, our lips were permanently sealed with scar tissue. What impressed me about this dream was the anger I felt from my brother after our silencing, and how personally I took it. Why was he angry with me? What could I, the youngest, have done?
In earlier days I had travelled to Mexico and Guatemala, had become involved with Guatemalan refugees in Toronto during the 1980’s and had later formed a close relationship with a Mayan family in Vancouver, so it was no surprise when Paméla walked into my second novel (already well under way), complete with her own historical sub-plot starring Hernando Cortés and Malinche, his translator and mistress. Paméla, a Mayan adoptee, raised in Toronto and on a quest to Guatemala to search for her birth-mother, jumped the queue, insisting that I tell her story in what became The Reddening Path. She is a fictional character (though her story has become a familiar one with the growth of international adoption), but Paméla, arriving in Guatemala City for the first time, discovers a real place – a convent where her mother lived while pregnant, a hotel where I myself stayed, the national palace where she finds her mother living in a secret apartment with the General. She visits the office of a woman that I visited and questioned, as Paméla questions her – factual research embedded within a fictional framework.
Neither imagination nor fiction are pure, nor are they what we have come to think they are. There is much to react to in a world full of urgent messages which render us fearful, guilty, desperate, doomed, yet ever hopeful that someone (else) will do something. While we wait with Leonard Cohen for “the miracle to come,” the reality is that what we anticipate has already happened. During the rapid changes of the past century the nature of everything has changed. Our environment is in a crisis caused partly by a way of living reliant on the technology which has changed us irrevocably. (Beneath my fingers a technological rectangle studded with letters – portal on the world). Every change feels like a crisis, but in effect the crisis is over and we are tilting at windmills. Everything must be reassessed in the scramble to catch up with a situation that already exists whilst governments ponderously anticipate it. As writers we respond instinctively to our environment, walking the frontier between what, according to the marketplace, are two separate countries, fact and fiction, but which are in reality one continent with an ever-diminishing border as they realize their relationship. Fact and fiction are the blood of conjoined twins, pumped by two hearts through one body. The reason for drawing the line in the first place, (at least as far as the publisher/bookseller world is concerned) – creating genres, labels, categories – is to conform to a marketplace which must know on which shelf to place a book. In most bookstores the sections are labelled to guide browsers in their search. Now we gather to explore these boundaries, to analyze them, and perhaps to discover that in many cases they are false – that our commercially-driven desire to categorize actually dictates and shapes the products to fit those categories. But of course you can never get everyone to conform – the cream will rise. A case in point and a prime example of transgressive writing is W.G. Sebald with his quirky, heartbreaking mix of auto/biography, travel, meditative essay, his exploration of individual and collective memory dotted with unassuming black and white reproductions of archival photographs and postcards. Sebald’s genre-indeterminate books, which include The Emigrants, Vertigo, The Rings of Saturn, Austerlitz, On The Natural History of Destruction, document the devastation of a generation in the wake of World War II. In a world where the truth of human behaviour is revealed as increasingly stranger than fiction the definitions break down. The kind of barbarous cruelty which Sebald examines is not new, but the willing examination of it is, in a time when memory is able to surface finally, exposing our idea of a civilized world as a monstrous fiction. It is not the writers who determine the transgressive structure, but the world we depict. Form must be compatible with content in order to hold it. Trangressions are defined as sins and crimes which overstep the bounds, which are excessive, and which violate laws and offend conventions. According to this definition, we live in a transgressive world. Academia, from the time of Plato, has been a haven for thinkers engaged in the rigorous and timely examination of what might be an enduring truth about the human species. Do we find within a transgressive structure a paradoxical, time-dependent truth?
After The Reddening Path was published I returned to Guatemala City to thank the people who had helped me. Although I had an experience similar to my Rose Harbor dissonance, this time I was familiar with the syndrome. An important part of this journey was to visit Herlindo Hicho in whose home I had stayed in 1988, sleeping in the room of Irma Marilú, his disappeared daughter. Herlindo had spent his life working with a human rights group in the city, searching for his daughter, but her continued disappearance over a period of 19 years had defeated him. He died unexpectedly, the same day that I left Guatemala. I will never forget him, standing at the bus-stop, waving goodbye to me. We must travel in order to find certain people with whom, it seems, we have karmic appointments, people who impress us so strongly that we are moved forward in the discovery of something vital yet indefinable. From Guatemala I travelled to Mexico where I visited La Iglesia de Jesús Nazareno, a church close to the central Zócalo. The church is built on the site of the Jesus Hospital, one of the first hospitals built in ‘the new world,’ by Cortés for his wounded men. To the left of the altar the bones of Hernando Cortés are immured, invisible except for a small plaque to indicate their placement. He was real and as I stood before the plaque I believed that his bones were indeed in the wall behind it. It was, I felt, a place of resonance. Paméla stands there too and has a bitter epiphany about her true patrimony as she begins to understand the bloody foundation of her newly discovered heritage. But perhaps I lie to you. One of multiple web search results informs me that in August 1882 there was a proposal to move Cortés’ remains from the church and place them next to those of heroes of the Mexican War of Independence, but that this caused an uproar with attempts to desecrate his tomb, so his remains were removed to a secret secure site. What is true and what is false? And how can we know in the midst of an information deluge? Perhaps the (mis)information regarding Cortes’ bones has acted as a placebo for Paméla’s epiphany and for my own impression. Which raises the question, does it really matter? Fact or fiction, we are each moved forward on our fool’s journey by moments such as this, no bones about it. Outside the church, a little way up the street, is a plaque to mark the meeting place of Cortés and Moctezuma, recorded digitally by so many tourists that they have become a collective eye blinking at the plaque, affirming its veracity. Cortés changed the course of history and was discarded once his mission was complete – a hero unwittingly utilized by the Weltgeist, according to Hegelian historical theory, although in practice it was the Spanish king, Emperor Charles V, who passed him over once the conquest was accomplished. Malintzín, (the original name of the woman we know as Malinche), is barely mentioned in the history books so of course I had to imagine her until I found Anna Lanyon’s well-researched book, Malinche’s Conquest, which upset my imaginary apple-cart and necessitated Malintzín’s appearance as a ghost through the latter part of my novel. I had written her life well beyond 1528, the date of her early death, provided by Lanyon. Following Lanyon’s travels in search of Malintzín, to the Gulf of Tehuantepec where she was born and grew up, I realized that I had been there years before I knew of Malintzín and that the place has remained vivid in my memory with a mysterious question as to what had led me there. Why recall one place over another, why connect a particular thought with a particular place? Is there a geometry of the soul which guides us unconsciously from place to place, gathering into our bodies knowledge which will out in fiction, in one form or another?
When I speak of the geometry of the soul, as opposed to a geography or landscape which might be more defined, I think of a limitless expanse of interconnecting points, such as one might imagine of a harmonizing universe connecting the astronomical world with the terrestrial, (as above so below), and the musical harmonic scale with the planets in a repetitive and perfectly ordered, though apparently chaotic, pattern of eternal recurrence. Ralph Abraham, Professor of Mathematics at the University of California at Santa Cruz, (known for his contribution to chaos theory and its applications in numerous fields including medical physiology, ecology, mathematical economics and psychotherapy), has worked with mathematics and computers to create a surprising order out of chaos, an order which reveals, “a miraculous advance in the capability of mathematics to represent our metaphysical experience where words fail.” Through a synthesis of information using math and computer technology Abraham concludes that, without the necessity of understanding each other’s separate models we will be able to understand their union in a technological synthesis, “a virtual reality which is our construction and which is the genius of our time and our science and technology.” Geometry is defined as, “The branch of mathematics that deals with the deduction of the properties, measurement, and relationships of points, lines, angles, and figures in space from their defining conditions by means of certain assumed properties of space.” I never excelled in mathematics, but I do think of the exercise books we pored over as children, connecting dots on a night-sky page which eventually revealed a familiar image. (Another favorite of mine was the page permeated with invisible color which appeared magically, defining an image, as one applied a wet paintbrush to the paper – cheap magic is enough for children, still too sensitive to bear the beauty of sophistication. Perhaps the Kabbalists are right when they say that the soul emerges over time). And how do we connect the dots of the soul? What indeed are we here for if not to walk around, interact with other people, tell stories?
After I had launched Paméla into the world I returned to that novel which was to become My Sweet Curiosity, another quest story, a medical story with a historical sub-plot featuring Andreas Vesalius, long lodged under the lid of a pot on my imaginative back-burner. As a child, in the fifties, I collected magazine articles about natural childbirth. At age 12 I underwent an appendectomy. Around that time I began to menstruate. I was getting anchored in my body which remained at the centre of my father’s grey prison cell. There is a window there, high up in the stone wall, four iron bars criss-crossing it. There is no glass. The recess reveals the thickness of the stones. I can feel the sun on my face for a brief spell in the late afternoons, but not in summer for the sun is then too high. This is my father’s castle. He is the king, but he is absent. I write of the sun entering the castle because I have today been walking through the house in Toronto where I live temporarily, noticing how the sun enters each room at different times of the day. Sensory experience blends with imagination and with my own vital imagery to create a new room, a virtual room, the one where I reside with my father. I have created this room because I had to. It was the only way to gain access to my father. He is my prisoner, I am his. Some prisoners cannot survive on the outside. They reoffend and return. I am content in this virtual place. It works for me. It makes sense for me to share his sentence. There is something timeless about the prison cell, the stripped-down nature of it, the simplicity of deprivation.
Medical matters have always been vital to me. With my penchant for graveyards and a taste for the macabre, I sent the heroine of My Sweet Curiosity on a quest to find Vesalius’ grave on the island of Zante. She exhumes his skull and carries it, bundled inside her jacket across what I imagine to be a mythic landscape of olive trees, laurel (the nymph Daphne turned to a tree as she fled from Apollo), and resinous mastic, this landscape being at least generically accurate, because I’ve been to mainland Greece and several of the islands, though not to Zante. She returns Vesalius’ skull to the university of Padua where he’d held the chair of anatomy while dissecting and mapping the body accurately for the first time in history. In the final scenes of the book she stands, as I have stood, in the centre of the operating theatre where Vesalius did his dissections, ringed by tiers of medical students observing the practice. I had myself been on a quest some years previously, to Southport where my father lived out the last years of his life. I walked the Great Orme, (a prominent limestone headland on the north coast of Wales, near Llandudno), on a blustery raw day and found rabbit bones high on a cliff. I saved one in my pocket and transferred it later to a small silver box given to me by my sister. Our father had walked the Great Orme and had stood high on a cliff, (although which cliff precisely I could not know; the Great Orme is extensive, true to its name), in his last minutes. His suicide took him off that cliff into the ocean where he lost his head to the blade of the Liverpool-Belfast ferry propeller. He had already lost his head in a sense to fascism, to solitary confinement, shouting “Heil Hitler!” in church at the end of the war, thrusting his arm into the shocked air.
As a child I was both frightened and fascinated by the Frankenstein monster. It was his collaged nature that intrigued me and I made repeated attempts at drawing him, his face a patchwork of colored crayon joined by crudely stitched incisions, which recalled my own appendix scar, the black catgut springing from my belly, holding me together. The monster visited me in the night, kept me awake, and in the morning, bleary-eyed, I would draw him again, over and over. In my mid-years I created a group of sculptures – torsos and vital organs, collaged from a variety of materials – paper, seaweed, cheesecloth, spruce roots, wire and glue. This work culminated in ‘My Father’s Head,’ seaweed stretched over a translucent mixed media skull inscribed in red ink with a poem to my lost father. Bloodwriting, I called it, and I built a light box and painted it red like a jack-in-the-box and exhibited him like that, all lit up. As children we went for our summer holidays to Blackpool, famous for its beach and for the illuminations which made us gasp each night as they were switched on. Blackpool is a half hour up the coast from Southport. I don’t know if what I have told you is true, the part about my father’s head that is, whether it was sliced from his body by the ferry or whether it was simply dashed off on the rocks as I had always believed until I found a newspaper cutting with the other story. They are all stories, all equally true, and I tend to hold onto the rock-dashing because I have held it so long – it’s had way more hits than this other version – and you can’t believe what you read in the newspapers anyway, or even what your own family says. In the spring of 1983 I left Canada for a three-month research trip to England to interview my family about my father. What I learned was that everyone had a different story and that each story revealed more about the narrator than about my father. What I knew of the power of family silence, of taboo and censorship, was reinforced by my mother’s attitude and by my own feeling of guilt as I pressed her for answers. She was the mother-lode and I was like a fool in love, ravenous for the mere sound of his name, for all the stories she held close, but even the little she revealed spilled over and escaped me unless I wrote it down immediately, and when I read it later I could barely believe it. Perhaps I already had such a firm impression of my father, the man in solitary confinement, star of my inner movie, that he could have no life outside of our cell. At any rate, what my mother said was that his decapitated body had been washed up and she’d had to go and identify him, which she did by locating a mole on his chest. This detail caused me to imagine their intimacy, sharing a bedroom, lying together, or simply walking on a chilly English beach, gooseflesh pocking my father’s bare chest. After visiting the Great Orme I drove in a rented car up the coast to Southport which is a distance away, and just outside the town I walked on the beach where his body had been washed up and discovered by a young mother with her toddler. I filled my pockets with shells from the beach. The shells in England, the sea creatures, are different from the shells and creature casings on the west coast of Canada. The beach in front of my house is littered with oyster and clam shells. When I took my father’s shells and placed them there they were strange, out of place. Each story has its place, connected to the particularities of that place, and the telling is an unacknowledged collaboration. To tell you the truth I don’t know if I did find a newspaper cutting about my father’s suicide, or if I made that up as part of an unpublished story called The Secret Chest. I must have got that information somewhere, long after many imaginings of my father’s head being dashed off on the rocks, lying somewhere on the bottom of the ocean, and integrated it into story. But who told me? Did I see a cutting? Distress creates a great confusion in the mind, necessitating some kind of transformation of the information into an acceptable form, stashed in a safe container where it can be held in perpetuity, taken out, re-examined, repeated until it becomes totemic, lifted out of the banal by ponderance. Ursula LeGuin says in Steering the Craft, “Fiction results from imagination working on experience. We reshape experience in our minds until we can live with it – until it makes sense. We force the world to be coherent – to tell us a story.” Everyone knows the experience of suffering a humiliation, failing to speak out in defence of oneself. A sleepless night follows as one goes over and over the incident until a suitable defence has been built with appropriate words springing uncensored from a righteous and uncomfortable anger. This is a rehearsal for the next time. This is the healing nature of ‘fiction.’ Next day the dreamer may recount the story of her unpleasant encounter to a friend, and she may lie in the service of her self-esteem, saying … “and then I said” …. reciting her fabrication.
In that same story, The Secret Chest, there is an anecdote about the only time I ‘remember’ seeing my father. He came to visit at our house when I was about seven years old and played the piano for me. He was a fine pianist. His grand piano dominated our living room and we all played. There are layers of memory – telling, re-telling, listening, writing, re-writing. I no longer know if I have a vestige of original ‘memory’ remaining. I know that this story is part of family lore, told probably by my mother, who was the only witness (now dead) to this event. I know that I have ‘remembered’ the story many times, delving into it, digging down to the bone, scraping for evidence in my own body. And each time I have discovered something, perhaps of memory or imagination. In desperation, pressed for an answer, a child will suddenly recall or ‘imagine’ the required information. I know that I have written our encounter into The Secret Chest, that I have rewritten the story over and over, each time perhaps entering further into ‘story’ and ‘imagination,’ drawing further away from original ‘memory’ in which I was, or perhaps not, involved bodily. There were no words to recall. I was a silent child, and my mother was in any case standing guard over our encounter. There are a few carefully chosen words on my father’s part – either uttered by him or put into his mouth by me, the adult writer. This incident is for me an archaeological site, flagged with yellow tape as a work-in-progress, revealing all the layers of excavation that have been worked over my lifetime to date. And they exemplify a common process of delving into memory, assisted (or interfered with) by imagination, supposition, creativity – call it what we will. Original memory, questionable at the best of times, becomes like the imagined facade of a house not yet visited. Just as the facade disappears once the house has been seen and entered in real life, original memory also disappears – fading or bleeding – at any rate becoming indistinguishable from the imagined, retold, reheard, rewritten elements surrounding it. I see my original encounter with my father as a scrap of faded material flapping in the wind of a November day in our back garden where we played cricket, learning from our brother who had learned from our father – or as a fragile scrap of material in an exhumed grave, perhaps clinging to a long bone – and I am afraid to touch it because I know it will disintegrate, turn to dust, blow away on this windy day. I can only stare at it from a distance and watch as it disappears over the remaining years. When it is gone it will no longer be needed.
The curious questing life of Andreas Vesalius intrigued me to the extent that I spent five years of my life researching and imagining him, aware some of the time that I was merging with him, using him to express my own concerns. The facts are that Vesalius followed in his father’s footsteps, became a doctor, served Charles V as his personal physician, married, sired a daughter, died at sea and was put ashore on the island of Zante. He was born in Belgium, studied and worked all over Europe, including Paris, Padua, Madrid and Brussels. Caught up in the spirit of the Renaissance, he discovered the inner workings of the human body and documented them in his Illustrations, the first accurate map. How could I know the inner life of this man? I could not. I imagined him on a spiritual quest, akin to my own. I gave him all the passion and curiosity which reside in me. I gave him also the tunnel-vision that often accompanies a driving passion. I gave him a rich sexual life, a bewilderment concerning the heart, a hot temper and a sense of entitlement. For a brief moment our lives merged – biography and autobiography. It is surprising that people will read novels about real historical characters and, even though they know that much of the inner substance of these lives is imagined, will absorb what they read as truth. Yet how can they not, given what Wilder Penfield has advised us of? My customer’s hospitalized father obviously knows enough to guard against such confusion – he reads only non-fiction, as do the majority of men, apparently. The major fiction readers are women. Reluctant to engage in direct conflict with the self, we wage our personal battles through fictional characters, fostering compassion and forgiveness, and by talking, telling stories. Within the characters and their conflicts, we discover our own humanity. The men who think they have nothing to learn from fiction are perhaps the same impatient and unpoetic men who would rather get lost than stop to ask directions from a human being familiar with the area.
As a child in a world of chaotic emotion, I was a stickler for the truth, desperate for parameters to help locate and conduct myself. Children have no sense of history; it is something that develops, along with the critical faculty. My mother loved to tell stories, albeit somewhat mocking stories, often about her own children. She loved to exaggerate – anything to get a laugh from her audience – and I, a serious, earnest child, would undercut with, “No, Mummy, that’s not what happened.” She would laugh it off, but later, when we were alone, she would reprimand me. “Don’t you dare to contradict me in public!” Now that I have experienced the healing powers of story I can understand my mother’s need to exaggerate, to fabricate and tell her ‘white lies.’ She was a superb transgressor – she didn’t even know she was doing it – she could hold an audience and that was what mattered. Aside from my righteous indignation at the crossing of the fact/fiction boundary I suppose I was jealous of the attention she garnered. But every dog has its day. Story-telling is tradition. It is heritage. I am the first in my family to do it professionally, but I had many role models, all female. Auntie Mary, who had been married to a GI and had lived in California, would chatter to me as she sat at the dressing table in her Welsh cottage brushing her hair, perfuming and bejewelling herself. “She’s telling stories again!” my mother would exclaim, implying lies. Story-telling was not encouraged in children, who were to be seen and not heard, but it ran rampant in the adults, and significantly in the women, who led frustrated lives. Granny’s stories were the most dramatic. I imagined her to be an actress, a vaudeville star, because as we all knew she had wanted to go on the stage. We often ate lunch together on trays in the living room and she would tell me stories about the musical theatre she had seen as a girl, starring Lillie Langtry, the Jersey Lily, who had been the mistress of Edward VII and whom Granny had once met. I was an annoyance to her, an accidental child conceived on prison leave during the war, but I was her audience. I believed in her and gave her power. Alcoholism and drug addiction caused her body to turn against her in a slow decline, but oh how she dominated the family in her mother-role as her virtual career dwindled into a pastiche of the imagination – tales told, tremulous songs sung over lamb chops and mint sauce as her sensibly-shod feet tapped, kicking a little dance. At 12, quite unsuitably, I took on her desire for a career in theatre and determined to manifest it in my life. Burdens carried for the ancestors, unwieldy fictions and unfulfilled dreams taken seriously by earnest children.
I arrived in Prague for the first time with a lifetime of imagery gleaned mostly from the works of Franz Kafka – imagery which is forever changed now that I have been there, the experience entering my body, felt rather than imagined. The friend who had given me that three-inch square image took me to the Vltava river, stood with me in the dawn light before the crowds gathered on Karluv Most – the Charles Bridge that spans the river. It was a while before I remembered the picture on my bedroom wall and realized its magnetic ability to draw me to a place that has always existed in my imagination, but which I had failed to recognize because I had not been there. Going to the Czech Republic was in a way like going home. It was familiar though different from my mother country. I felt I had arrived somewhere that I had been travelling towards for a long, long time. I felt cradled, welcomed, recognized without being ‘strange’. My stumbling attempts at the language were tolerated, even appreciated. Born in August 1944, into the dark suffocation that blanketed England in the final critical nine months of that madness which had begun in the heart of Europe, infecting it with a disease which spread throughout the world, I was finally located in the place that had always existed in my mind, now a bony cradle aged into a landscape pocked with concentration camp museums.
I took a bus an hour outside Prague, to Terezín, a town of 8,000 souls, which had been converted into a concentration camp during WWII. On the outskirts of the town is a fortress which was used as a prison for offenders, the most significant of whom was Gavrilo Princip, the Yugoslavian Serb who assassinated Archduke Ferdinand of Austria on 28th June 1914. His action set off a chain of events which led to both world wars, the cold war, and the rise of communism. When we arrived and stood before a grassy vista of red roses springing up between gravestones which stretched seemingly endlessly to the prison in the far distance, I realized that it had all been much worse than I had been able to imagine because what had happened here was unimaginable, inexpressible. Everywhere we walked on graves, bones, the unspeakable terror of a time that can never be swallowed or forgotten, only chewed on until all the generations have passed. We entered the fortress and, keeping silence and distance, stood in chilling rooms listening to statistics – 12 to a tiny cell, 600 in a barracks lined with wooden shelves. I asked the guide how it affected her to work in that place and she smiled and said not atall. There was something dead in her, deadened by her job. I thought of how the body will betray us, how much care it needs, and how it can be used against us by simple neglect. Hunger and temperature will do it all – heat, cold, filth accumulated over time, breeding lice and fleas. The body is a host for natural torture – and if not the flesh, then the mind. The imagination can be a torturer. Of course, I thought of my father, the fascist, in his own eternal cell which I have somehow never distinguished from all the cells of all the camps. He was in a workcamp on the Isle of Man when he came unhinged and switched allegiance from Oswald Moseley to Adolf Hitler. The Isle of Man is in the Irish Channel, close to where he ended his life. Even geography makes sense, pulling us into its close embrace, clasping us as we drown. There is a perfect and predictable order to events in retrospect, and the chilling knowledge that we may frequently pass unknowingly by the site of our death. “They give birth astride of a grave,” Pozzo says in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. It was all about that war I was born into and which framed my existence as I grew into the aftermath, the entire backdrop leading everyone into some kind of prison – of loss, or guilt, or denial. Perhaps life is a sentence, the soul imprisoned in the body, lured there by the promise of music, ecstasy, all the joys of embodiment, and then betrayed. The WWII concentration camp occupies a large part of our collective consciousness – with the footage filmed at the allied liberation of the camps, with Primo Levi’s accounts – If This Is A Man, and Truce, which documents his long journey home to Italy after his liberation from Auschwitz – with Anne Frank’s diary of her family’s entrapment in an Amsterdam loft. As I stood in one particular cell of the Terezín fortress – at the end of a long courtyard where I could see in my movie-mind’s eye prisoners standing in the hot sun or shivering in winter rags – all my imagined scenes of the holocaust merged with the physical experience of being there, standing where the prisoners had stood, and I felt strangely at home. It was as I imagined facing death would be – something inevitable, frightening, much anticipated, but finally quite ordinary, in fact almost banal. (The Frankenstein monster was after all a poor creature who only craved care). And it was in my body now. I was different from before, yet I could still remember how I had imagined it because the imagined prison and the real prison had merged – they were the same. The holocaust has been accurately described, engraved upon collective memory as numbers were tattooed on the arms of the Jewish people in a crude attempt to quantify and control the chaotic proliferation of life, and as the lesson was to be engraved on the body of Kafka’s prisoner. Kafka in his prescience knew that when we are all offenders we must search for the crime, as Josef K searches fruitlessly in The Trial. Surely the crime is our presence here on this earth where circumstantial atrocities have occurred since the beginning of time. If so, it is a crime without possibility of redemption while life continues, and the paradox is that we must continue to struggle and believe in that struggle in the face of futility.
After the fortress we were taken into the town where, even on a Sunday afternoon in 2009, the streets were empty. We filed into the museum and gazed up at a wall of Jewish children’s art, depicting what to the children would seem normal as they adapted to camp routine, too young to resist or remember, making the best of a cold morning, shivering naked at the wash-trough in the company of mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers. I thought of Sebald’s character Austerlitz in his book of the same name, and how his mother had perished in Terezín – a real or a fictional character, or a real person trapped in a fiction? In the book Austerlitz suffers a complete loss of identity when he is removed to Wales on the kinder transport at the age of five. Later in life he slowly and painfully realizes his true identity and faces the personal consequence of repressing all memory of losing his parents, his language, his national identity. The story is accompanied by Sebald’s signature enigmatic photographs, making it unclear as to whether the story is documentary or fictional. The power of Sebald’s narrative is its matter-of-fact tone. There is nothing in the telling to rob the reader of the power of response to her own discovery of the depth of devastation in a life such as that of Austerlitz. It is chilling and intimate, it scars the memory, and perhaps the soul.
As we travel, groping for comparisons, memories are evoked. I remember my first night in Berlin, walking with Renata and her friends, along a dark canal to Checkpoint Charlie, beside the former east-west wall. I walked ahead of the young women who chattered in German as I remembered the WWII films I’d grown up on and how they had captured my imagination with their night scenes, imminent danger, spies, the sense of doom into which I’d been born with nowhere to hide – and yet there must be, the mind scrambling, believing in magic and invisibility – where you’d always be caught in the end. Finally … in the end … that was what it was about, that sense of ultimate doom. I was reared on it, amongst the bomb sites of Manchester which seemed to a child like suitable playgrounds. Does place hold its history, or do we evoke it, or is it an interplay between place and individual? I think of Sebald’s account in The Rings of Saturn – the resonance he gives to the English landscape as he walks across East Anglia, travelling through history in his mind. I’ve walked amongst the Neolithic stones and Druid circles of Britain, the Channel Islands, Brittany. Central Europe was the cradle of Celtic culture – from there my ancestors spread out on their journeys – a diaspora – to France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales. I was pulled back to this source by a three-inch square image, to the dark history and shifting borders of a country where I walk Kafka’s narrow cobbled streets with towering buildings closing in, darkened by the long shadows of what has transpired. How different Prague must have been before the war, before communism, before tourism. How the city is robbed daily of historical resonance, its past paradoxically obscured by repeated regurgitation until the tour guide’s history-by-rote renders its own topic meaningless by mass consumption – and what irony that I am in the Czech Republic at least partly as a tourist. I sunbathe like a lizard on a stone bench outside the Castle, seeking stillness in the centre of the buzzing crowds. Once again, I am the outsider, placing myself there, straining to hear some small echo of an era which can only be accessed through a combination of imagination and research – the writer’s tools. The recent past is realized in stories of schoolchildren volunteering for the harvest, of a man imprisoned because he took a winter coat to an elderly convict, in the drabness and passion of that Communist era seen on video in the Museum of Communism next door to MacDonald’s. You can see the impact of 1960’s rock and roll and the phenomenon of the Beatles in Czech emigré Peter Sis’ graphic document of his childhood, and how music led to the development of a postwar political renaissance as a new generation emerged from the cold war. But have I really been to Prague? Is it still possible to travel to the world’s wonders when tourists – cameras dangling from their wrists – obliterate with their desire to capture digitally? We are destroying the world in so many ways and tourism is its own form of terrorism, holding populations hostage to economic benefit. I saw multiples of my three-inch square in Wenceslaus Square. When I arrived home and stood before that image on my bedroom wall I recognized it because it was inside me. I had seen it, walked it, absorbed it as sensory memory, and now it was emblematic.
In Writing from the Body we write about a time when we had magical powers. We had a magic circle in our childhood garden where the grass grew greener and higher. This circle of earth has become my entry to the underworld. The circle is protection, a guarantee of return to the world of the living. My first dream was of an elephant in the centre of the circle, touching its trunk to the place between my eyes as I stood on the edge of the circle. It was a blessing from a creature which represents memory. In the next dream steps appeared inside the circle and I descended to an earthen tunnel at the end of which stood my father. I walked towards him and when I reached the end he allowed me to climb onto his shoulder and rest there, just like in the photo of us when I was perhaps two years old. My father is silent, as the dead always are, but he lets me sit on his shoulder once again, trying to remember him with my body, with our gesture.
The garden is always bright, my brother poised at the wicket with his cricket bat waiting for me and my sisters to bowl for him, our father sitting at a small table on the back porch, squinting into the sun, his fingers on a typewriter, behind him the French doors flung open to reveal the grand piano he will later play for me. The brick wall cascades with fragrant purple wisteria entwined with the darker flowers of a clematis. Through the foliage I see the dining room window which will be broken by a burglar leaving a trail of blood through our house as he goes upstairs and roots in my sister’s bedroom, stealing a charm bracelet, a necklace, a locket, leaving splashes of reddish-brown blood dried on her white leather jewel box. Our mother said it was our father who had broken in, but I didn’t believe her. I knew he was no different from us, only caught in a strange time where personal and collective responsibility had become unclear – where innocence and guilt had become meaningless under the crushing weight of the evidence. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps he did break in and steal his daughter’s jewels which, with the evidence of blood, seemed squirmingly odd to me at the time – something I felt but could not name. Perhaps it was just the cold weather that drove the burglar to break our window. Christmas followed closely on the burglary and we left milk and biscuits for Father Christmas even though we had no father in our house. You must leave food for the dead or they will cause mischief. They are hungry ghosts.
I will return soon to the Pacific coast to write my difficult story and I will use anything at hand in my attempt to elicit what is needed. I have been ashamed to speak of my father. I thought I had somehow to defend and exonerate him – an impossible task. But now I recognize myself part of a generation burdened with similar guilts and fears, no longer alone, free to speak out without the need to take a stand – simply to bear witness to what has been endured so long in silence. It was only a matter of time until we became aligned geometrically in our particular constellation. If indeed there is a geometry of the soul, imagined or otherwise, it is a living thing, not a fixed entity. Like all patterns and shapes it forms and reforms in kaleidoscopic configurations. It is not to be controlled, but simply to be recognized, felt, tumbled with. I will stand under a huge sky and breathe the air of a continent that, until the New York ‘suicide attacks’ of September 2001, had never sustained the kind of damage wrought by modern warfare. But in my imagination I will always stand in the shadow of that European war, shrouded in the smoke of the crematoria, dusted with the rubble of London, Hamburg, Coventry, Dresden … my innocence lost before birth. | 2019-04-20T22:28:25Z | https://www.amandahale.com/imagining-a-geometry-of-the-soul/ |
2011-03-23 Assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION reassignment INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DUAN, SONGYUN, FOKOUE-NFOUTCHE, Achille B., HASSANZADEH, OKTIE, KEMENTSIETSIDIS, ANASTASIOS, SRINIVAS, KAVITHA, WARD, MICHAEL J.
Methods and systems for aggregating search query results include receiving search query results and schema information for the query results from multiple heterogeneous sources, determining types for elements of the query results based on the schema information, determining potential aggregations for the query results based on the types, which are based on accumulated information from the plurality of heterogeneous resources, and aggregating the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
This application is further related to application serial no. TBD, (Attorney Docket No. YOR920110073US1 (163-397), entitled ANNOTATING SCHEMA ELEMENTS BASED ON ASSOCIATING DATA INSTANCES WITH KNOWLEDGE BASE ENTITIES), filed on concurrently herewith, incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to aggregation hierarchies for query results and, in particular, to systems and methods for automatically and dynamically determining aggregation hierarchies based on analysis of query results.
Every day, businesses accumulate massive amounts of data from a variety of sources and employ an increasing number of heterogeneous, distributed, and often legacy data repositories to store them. Existing data analytics solutions are not capable of addressing the explosion of data, such that business insights not only remain hidden in the data, but are increasingly difficult to find.
Keyword search is the most popular way of finding information on the Internet. However, keyword search is not compelling in business contexts. Consider, for example, a business analyst of a technology company, interested in analyzing the company's records for customers in the healthcare industry. Given keyword search functionality, the analyst might issue a “healthcare customers” query over a large number of repositories. Although the search will return results that use the word “healthcare” or some derivative thereof, the search would not return, for example, “Entity A” even though Entity A is a company in the healthcare industry. Even worse, the search will return many results having no apparent connection between them. In this case, it would fail to provide a connection between Entity A and Subsidiary B, even though the former acquired the latter.
Although many repositories are available, the techniques for correlating those heterogeneous sources have been inadequate to the task of linking information across repositories in a fashion that is both precise with respect to the users' intent and scalable. Extant techniques perform entity matching in a batch, offline fashion. Such methods generate every possible link, between all possible linkable entities. Generating thousands of links not only requires substantial computation time and considerable storage space, but also requires substantial effort, as the links must be verified and cleaned, due to the highly imprecise nature of linking methods.
An exemplary method for aggregating search query results is shown that includes receiving search query results and schema information for the query results from a plurality of heterogeneous sources, determining types for elements of the query results using a processor based on the schema information, determining potential aggregations for the query results based on the determined types to produce aggregations that are based on accumulated information from the plurality of heterogeneous resources, and aggregating the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
A further method for aggregating search query results is shown that includes receiving search query results and schema information for the query results from a plurality of heterogeneous sources, determining types for elements of the query results based on the schema information by lexically analyzing corresponding schema elements, determining potential aggregations for the query results using a processor based on the determined types by combining a plurality of relevancy scores for each said potential aggregation to generate a composite relevancy score for each said potential aggregation and to produce aggregations that are based on accumulated information from the plurality of heterogeneous resources, and aggregating the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
An exemplary system for aggregating search query results is shown that includes a data module configured to receive search query results and schema information for the query results from a plurality of heterogeneous sources, a query module configured to determine potential aggregations for the query results using a processor based on determined types and to produce aggregations that are based on accumulated information from the plurality of heterogeneous resources, comprising a data linker configured to determine types for elements of the query results based on the schema information, and an aggregation module configured to aggregate the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
A further system for aggregating search query results is shown that includes a data module configured to receive search query results and schema information for the query results from a plurality of heterogeneous sources, a query module configured to combine a plurality of relevancy scores for each of a plurality of potential aggregations using a processor to generate a composite relevancy score for each said potential aggregation to produce aggregations that are based on accumulated information from the plurality of heterogeneous resources, comprising a data linker configured to lexically analyze schema elements and determine types for elements of the query results based on the corresponding schema information, and an aggregation module configured to aggregate the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram that depicts an exemplary data analytics framework.
FIG. 2 is a block/flow diagram that depicts an exemplary method/system for dynamic online aggregation of query results from heterogeneous sources.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram that depicts a hierarchical annotation structure according to the present principles.
The usefulness of individual pieces of data is greatly increased when those data are placed into their proper context and interrelated. As data sets increase in size and complexity, and as the number of repositories multiplies, the burden of providing static interrelations between terms becomes unmanageable. Furthermore, a simple keyword-based search will provide far more results than are easily managed. However, the problem may be made tractable by applying a dynamic and context-dependent linking mechanism according to the present principles. User profile metadata, in conjunction with metadata associated with input keywords, is used to link dynamically—in other words, only checking entities which reside in different repositories and are potentially relevant to the current search at query time.
Aggregation of query results based on online analytical processing (OLAP) cubes cannot be directly applied to results from keyword searches over large and extensible sets of data. OLAP cube hierarchies are commonly fixed and are known a priori, during the construction of the cube. Furthermore, the sources and even the data to used to populate the cube are static, such that adding new sources is challenging. The whole cube usually needs to be recomputed.
Referring now to FIG. 1, the architecture of a framework 100 for data analytics is shown. A data source registry 102 combines both internal sources 104 and external sources 106 and allows analysis of highly heterogeneous data. Such repositories may contain data of different formats, such as text, relational databases, and XML. The data may further have widely varying characteristics, comprising, for example, a large number of small records and a small number of large records. In addition, the data source registry 102 takes advantage of online data sources 106 with application programming interfaces (APIs) that support different query languages. The data source registry 102 keeps a catalog of available internal 104 and external 106 sources and their access methods and parameters, such as the hostname, driver module (if any), authentication information, and indexing parameters. Users can furthermore add additional sources to the data source registry as needed.
Data processor 108 provides other components in the framework 100 with a common access mechanism for the data indexed by data source registry 102. For internal sources 104, the data processor 108 provides a level of indexing and analysis that depends on the type of data source. Note that no indexing or caching is performed over external sources 106—fresh data is retrieved from the external sources 106 as needed. For internal sources 104, the first step in processing is to identify and store schema information and possibly perform data format transformation. A schema is metadata information that describes instances and elements in a dataset.
The methods described below support legacy data with no given or well-defined schema as well as semi-structured or schema-free data. Toward this end, data processor 108 performs schema discovery and analysis at block 114 for sources without an existing schema. In the case of relational data, the data processor 108 uses instance-based tagger 112 to pick a sample of instance values for each column of a table and issues them as queries to online sources to gather possible “senses” (i.e., extended data type and semantic information) of the instance values of the column. The result is a set of tags associated with each column, along with a confidence value for the tag. Following the healthcare example described above, the instance-based tagger 112 might associate “Entity A” with the type “Company,” or the type “Healthcare Industry,” or another type from some external source. Depending on the implementation, more than one type can be associated with each instance, and multiple types can either be represented as a set or in some hierarchical or graph structure.
Full-text indexer 110 produces an efficient full-text index across all internal repositories. This indexer may be powered by, e.g., a Cassandra (or other variety) cluster 109. Different indexing strategies may be used depending on the source characteristics. For a relational source, for example, depending on the data characteristics and value distributions, the indexing is performed over rows, where values are indexed and the primary key of their tuples are stored, or columns, where values are indexed and columns of their relations are stored. For string values, a q-gram-based index is built to allow fuzzy string matching queries. To identify indexed values, universal resource indicators are generated that uniquely identify the location of the values across all enterprise repositories. For example, indexing the string “Entity A,” appearing in a column “NAME” of a tuple with a primary key CID:34234 in table “CUST,” of source “SOFT_ORDERS,” may result in the URI “/SOFT_ORDERS/CUST/NAME/PK=CID:34234”, which uniquely identifies the source, table, tuple, and column that the value appears in.
A query analyzer 116 processes input search requests, determines the query type, and identifies key terms associated with the input query. The query interface supports several types of queries, ranging from basic keyword-based index lookup to a range of advanced search options. Users can either specify the query type within their queries or use an advanced search interface. The query analyzer 116 performs key term extraction and disambiguation at block 120. The query analyzer 116 further detects possible syntactic errors and semantic differences between a user's query and the indexed data instances and also performs segmentation.
Terms in the query string can be modifiers that specify the type or provide additional information about the following term. To permit individual customization, the query analyzer can employ a user profile 118 that includes information about a user's domain of interest in the form of a set of senses derived from external sources. The user profile 118 can be built automatically based on query history or manually by the user.
Query processor 122 relies on information it receives about a query from the query analyzer 116 to process the query and return its results. The query processor 122 issues queries to the internal index 110, via index lookup 126, as well as online APIs, and puts together and analyzes a possibly large and heterogeneous set of results retrieved from several sources. In addition to retrieving data related to the user's queries, the query processor 122 may issue more queries to online sources to gain additional information about unknown data instances. A data linking module 127 includes record matching and linking techniques that can match records with both syntactic and semantic differences. The matching is performed at block 124 between instances of attributes across the internal 104 and external 106 sources.
To increase both the efficiency and the accuracy of matchings, attribute tags (e.g., “senses”) created during preprocessing are used to pick only those attributes from the sources that include data instances relevant to target attribute values. Once matching of internal and external data is performed, unsupervised clustering algorithms may be employed for grouping of related or duplicate values. The clustering takes into account evidence from matching with external data, which can be seen as performing online grouping of internal data, as opposed to offline grouping and de-duplication. This permits an enhancement of grouping quality and a decrease in the amount of preprocessing needed by avoiding offline ad-hoc grouping of all internal data values.
A user interface 128 provides a starting point for users to interact with the framework. The interface 128 may comprise, e.g., a web application or a stand-alone application. The interface 128 interacts with the query analyzer 116 to guide the user in formulating and fixing a query string. The interface also includes several advanced search features that allow the direct specification of query parameters and the manual building of a user profile 118. In most cases, more than one query type or set of key terms are identified by the query analyzer 116. The query analyzer 116 returns a ranked list of possible interpretations of the user's query string, and the user interface presents the top k interpretations along with a subset of the results. The user can then modify the query string or pick one query type and see the extended results.
The user interface 128 thereby provides online dynamic aggregation and visualization of query results via, e.g., charts and graphs. The interface 128 provides the ability for users to pick from multiple ways of aggregating results for different attributes and data types. A smart facets module 130 can dynamically determine dimensions along which data can be aggregated. The user interface 128 both provides default aggregations along these dimensions, or the interface 128 can present the list of discovered dimensions to the user and let the user pick which dimension to use. After the selection is made, query processor 122 may perform online aggregation.
As an example, consider a user who issues a query string, “healthcare in CUST_INFO,” in an attempt to analyze internal data bout companies in the healthcare industry. The user enters the query into user interface 128, which passes the query to query analyzer 116. The query analyzer 116 then identifies key terms as being “healthcare” and “CUST_INFO” at block 120, and furthermore detects that “healthcare” is an industry and “CUST_INFO” is a data source name in the registry 102. Therefore the analyzer 116 sends two queries to the query processor 122: an index lookup request 126 for the whole query string and a domain-specific and category-specific query (for example “industry:healthcare data-source:CUST_INFO”). For the second query, the query processor 122 issues a request to an external source 106, e.g., the Freebase API, to retrieve all objects associated with object “/en/healthcare” having type “/business/industry”, which includes, among other things, all of the healthcare-related companies in Freebase. The data linking module 127 then performs efficient fuzzy record matching between the records retrieved from Freebase and internal data from external datasource 106 CUST_INFO. For effectiveness, only those internal records are retrieved whose associated schema element is tagged with a proper sense such as “/freebase/business/business_operation” that is also shared with the senses of the objects retrieved from Freebase.
Content management and data integration systems use annotations on schema attributes of managed data sources to aid in the classification, categorization, and integration of those data sources. Annotations, or tags, indicate characteristics of the particular data associated with schema attributes. Most simply, annotations may describe syntactic properties of the data, e.g., that they are dates or images encoded in a particular compression format. In more sophisticated scenarios, an annotation may indicate where the data associated with a schema element fits in, for example, a corporate taxonomy of assets. In existing systems, annotations are either provided directly by humans, by computer-aided analysis of the data along a fixed set of features, or by a combination of these two techniques. These annotation methods are labor intensive and need additional configuration and programming effort when new data sources are incorporated into a management system.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a block/flow diagram is shown of a method for aggregating query results. Query techniques like keyword search and partially structured search (where keywords and phrases are combined with simple Boolean operations) are commonly used to search for information in structured and semi-structured data sets such as relational databases, spreadsheets, and XML documents, as well as in unstructured (plain text) documents. Results from these types of queries over unstructured documents are presented as lists without summarization or aggregation across documents.
After performing a keyword or partially structured search, block 202 accepts the search results and any associated schema or metadata information. These results are used to identify potential aggregation hierarchies in block 204. By determining the semantics of the schemas associated with returned data and identifying type information for the returned data, information can be gleaned about the results that is much more detailed than what is explicitly encoded in the schema definitions in the sources of the data. An exemplary set of query results are shown below in Table 1. These results may come from a single source, or they may come from a plurality of data sources.
There are several ways to use the syntactic and semantic information to determine possible aggregation hierarchies. One or more of the techniques described below may be used. Furthermore, those having ordinary skill in the art will be able to devise other embodiments that fall within the present principles. One exemplary method for determining potential aggregations includes using a tokenization of a column name to identify sub-strings that match well-known terms, shown as block 206. Each term is then used as input to a search that consults dictionaries, taxonomies, and/or external sources to determine type information pertaining to the terms in block 207. For example, if the name of a column is “REPORT_DATE”, syntactic analysis of the column name will identify the term “date.” This term is then used as a query term that is sent to a set of external sources (e.g., DBpedia, Freebase, etc). Some of these sources will return type information for “date,” including the classification and position of “date” in existing ontologies. These ontologies are then used to determine that dates are organized in, e.g., years, months, weeks, and days and the parts of these external ontologies that pertain to dates are used as a potential aggregation hierarchy.
As another example of the tokenization/matching of block 206, consider a column having the name “zip code” in a dataset storing information about store sales. An analysis similar to the above identifies external sources that contain information relating to “zip code”, including geographical ontologies that aggregate zip code by cities, counties, states, etc. These aggregation hierarchies become part of the suggested hierarchies returned to the user. So, instead of merely being given options relating to sorting by zip code, the user will have the option of organizing the data by states or cities. In this way, the determination of aggregation hierarchies in block 206 is performed dynamically in response to the syntactic and semantic information received from external sources.
So, if the user decides to aggregate sales by city, zip code information is retrieved from each tuple of the sales data and sent to an external source that maps zip codes to cities in block 207. For each new city returned by the external source, a new aggregation bucket is created having the sale tuple in block 208. For each previously returned city, block 208 adds the sale tuple to its existing corresponding bucket.
Another possible aggregation method includes gathering statistics about instance data in the query results, as shown in block 210. Using the example of Table 1 above, consider the “SEVERITY” column. Block 211 determines that the number of distinct values in the SEVERITY column is small (e.g., “low”, “medium”, and “high”). This indicates that the column is enumerated in some fashion, presenting an intuitive category for aggregation. The query results may then be aggregated according to the SEVERITY category in block 212, allowing the user to select for example only those results which are of “high” severity.
It is possible to make the determination of a “small” number of distinct values absolutely as well as relatively. In an absolute determination, block 211 determines whether a number of distinct values falls below a predetermined threshold. In a relative determination, block 211 assesses the number of distinct values for each column relative to the other columns. For example, consider a table that has two columns, one with ten distinct values, the other with one thousand distinct values. If one column has a number of distinct values that is, for example, an order of magnitude lower than the others, block 211 could suggest aggregation based on that dimension. This analysis may be performed without any understanding of the semantics of the different fields or of particular instance values.
Another exemplary aggregation method includes using instance data to determine aggregation hierarchies, as shown by block 214. Block 216 queries external databases for the terms of instances within a column. For each of the terms, type information is used to correlate across all the terms, thereby deriving an aggregation hierarchy for the entire column. For example, consider a column that has the entries, “Megatech US,” “CellPlus Europe,” “Searches Inc,” “BankBank,” and “CreditDepot.” Using external sources shows that “Megatech US” is a branch of Megatech, an IT company, while CellPlus Europe is a branch of CellPlus, a telecom. Both Megatech and CellPlus are classified as software companies, and so is Searches Inc. On the other hand, BankBank and CreditDepot are both financial institutions, and all five companies can be classified as large corporations. Each term has its own classification hierarchy and, by combining all term classification hierarchies, a hierarchy for the entire column can be determined. Unlike block 206, where schema information and value mappings are used to perform classification, block 214 uses instance data and their relationships to an external type system to perform aggregation.
The aggregation methods are not mutually exclusive and may be performed in combination. Because block 204 determines potential aggregations, the results of blocks 206, 210, and/or 214 may be combined along with other aggregation techniques according to the present principles. Each of the methods of blocks 206, 210, and 214 may be used to produce a score for each aggregation. The score of each block may be weighted and combined to produce a total score for each aggregation. Depending on the application and user preferences, aggregations rated by the instance data query 214 may be more heavily weighted than aggregations rated by tokenization and matching 206. This flexibility allows users to customize search processing and aggregation according to their own tastes. Information relating to these preferences may be stored, for example, in user profile 118.
After potential aggregation hierarchies have been generated at block 204, they are presented to a user for review and selection in block 218. In this fashion, the user may select the aggregation most pertinent to the desired search. Block 220 then aggregates the data according to the user's selection and presents the query results accordingly.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a hierarchical structure for aggregation categories is shown. Consider the above example shown in Table 1, where the user searches for customer data. Possible aggregation categories could include “severity,” “device type,” and “date.” By selecting “device type” 302, for example, a user would receive customer records grouped together according to what kind of device is involved. Exemplary aggregation categories in that case would be “desktop” 304 and “mobile” 306. The “mobile” 306 category, in turn, could have related subcategories of “phone” 308, “tablet” 310, and “laptop” 312. The “phone” 308 category could be further subdivided into “smartphone” 314 and all other mobile phones 316. The user would have the ability, using the user interface 128, to navigate through these and other categories of aggregation to find the most appropriate search results. Similarly, the hierarchical structure of FIG. 3 may be used to combine types to generate higher-level aggregations. For example, if two instances have a shared super-type, such as tablet 310 and laptop 312, they can be combined into the super-type, e.g., mobile 306.
The smart facets module 130 of the user interface 123 can automatically determine aggregations to provide dynamically. The smart facets module 130 may automatically select an aggregation dimension according to any of the aggregation methods shown in FIG. 2 to provide the aggregations that are most likely to be useful and relevant to the user. Furthermore, the interface 128 may access a user profile 118 to find information such as job role, corporate associations, and previous aggregation selections. For example, if the user works in quality assurance, the smart facets module 130 may automatically select “severity” as being most pertinent. Alternatively, if a user habitually searches for records falling within certain date ranges, date aggregation might be automatically selected.
Having described preferred embodiments of a system and method for aggregating search results based on associating data instances with knowledge base entities (which are intended to be illustrative and not limiting), it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments disclosed which are within the scope of the invention as outlined by the appended claims. Having thus described aspects of the invention, with the details and particularity required by the patent laws, what is claimed and desired protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
aggregating the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining types includes lexically analyzing corresponding schema elements.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining types includes analyzing a range of values of corresponding schema elements.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining potential aggregations includes selecting potential aggregations based on the range of distinct values in a given element.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein a potential aggregation is selected if the range of distinct values in the given element is below a predetermined threshold.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein a potential aggregation is selected if the range of distinct values in the given element is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the ranges of distinct values of other elements.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining types includes retrieving type information for instances of corresponding schema elements.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining types includes establishing hierarchical relationships between corresponding schema elements.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining types further includes combining types such that types sharing a super-type are merged into the super-type.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining potential aggregations includes generating a relevancy score for each potential aggregation.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining potential aggregations further includes generating composite relevancy score for each potential aggregation by combining a plurality of relevancy scores for each said potential aggregation.
aggregating the query results according to the composite relevancy scores of the potential aggregations.
aggregate the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
an aggregation module configured to aggregate the query results according to one or more of the potential aggregations.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the query processor is further configured to lexically analyze corresponding schema elements.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the query processor is further configured to analyze a range of values of corresponding schema elements.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the query processor is further configured to select potential aggregations based on the range of distinct values in a given element.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein a potential aggregation is selected if the range of distinct values in the given element is below a predetermined threshold.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein a potential aggregation is selected if the range of distinct values in the given element at least an order of magnitude smaller than the ranges of distinct values of other elements.
20. The system of claim 14, wherein the query processor is further configured to retrieve type information for instances of corresponding schema elements.
21. The system of claim 14, wherein the query processor is further configured to establish hierarchical relationships between corresponding schema elements.
22. The system of claim 21, wherein the query processor is further configured to combine types such that types sharing a super-type are merged into the super-type.
23. The system of claim 14, wherein the query processor is further configured to generate a relevancy score for each potential aggregation.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein the query processor is further configured to generate composite relevancy score for each potential aggregation by combining a plurality of relevancy scores for each said potential aggregation.
an aggregation module configured to aggregate the query results according to the composite relevancy scores of the potential aggregations. | 2019-04-25T16:16:50Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120246154A1/en |
All this has implications for the teaching process. If our children are likewise conditioned by images, and if pictures have a paramount place in their life, how are we effectively to pass on The Word and the full implications of the gospel in all subject areas to them? How can we teach our children to listen patiently to God's Word when much of society today impatiently and selectively grasps what matters to them from pictures they see? More specifically, what exactly is the role of the Word and listening at school, as opposed to that -of images and pictures?
A related area of concern is that unless our children are able to listen to and understand God's Word, there will more and more be a dichotomy between what is said and heard in church (and to some extent in school) and what is said and heard in their "everyday life."
What does Scripture and now specifically the Old Testament tell us about the place and function of the Word and pictures in the teaching process? How can these questions (and answers) help us in providing direction in our own educational endeavours? What is the message of the second commandment for Reformed teachers?
Reflecting on all these concerns. I am only too conscious of the fact that what follows will only be a small beginning to answering them.
Before we get into these questions as such, it is necessary to highlight one aspect of our teaching office so that we can approach the problems raised in a fruitful manner. The aspect I am thinking of is that Scripture speaks of a teacher as a father and their students as children (sons). Thus when David in Ps. 34:11 speaks as a teacher, he says: "Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Think also how the Lord Jesus calls the students of the Pharisees who perform exorcisms, "sons" of the Pharisees (Matt. 12:27; cf. Acts 23:6). One finds this manner of speaking especially in the book of Proverbs. It is generally agreed that when "father" is mentioned, the teacher-father, the wise man, is usually in view rather than the natural parent and that when "son" is mentioned, the student is in view. However, there are enough passages in Proverbs that do refer to the natural parent-child relationship (e.g., Prov. 1:8), or passages that are ambiguous as to their first reference, to underline that there really is no essential difference in the duty of parent or teacher when it comes to instructing and promoting the growth of true knowledge.
Now the name "father" for teacher raises all kinds of positive connotations and allusions with respect to the teaching task, but within our present context I would like to underline one in particular. Their task concerns the very life of their children. Parents who gave physical life to their children are also to be God's instruments for giving their offspring life in communion with God, eternal life, as well as the ability to make a living. (The religious and the practical, as man today often puts it, went together.) A teacher's task is likewise. It too is life-giving, with a view to equipping for life service in this world and with a view to eternal life. (Cf. e.g., Ps. 78:5-7; Prov. 5:13ff). Also a teacher's mandate, though in the first instance given by parents, is ultimately from God.
Now as those who are in the service of God, the Father of us all, we do well to consider how He, our heavenly Father, has taught and teaches His people. The manner in which He teaches His own can be instructive for our present topic. The first thing we notice is the priority of the Word, although what is seen is not to be neglected.
When God relates to His people, He speaks to them. Thus He blessed Adam and Eve after their creation (Gen. 1:28-30); He commanded the man about eating from every tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16ff.) and after the fall into sin, He called man and spoke to him (Gen. 3:9). By speaking, He informed Adam and Eve of the way of life and of the promise of the coming salvation. It is by speaking that God communicated to many more since He addressed earth's first couple. When prophets spoke on God's behalf, as His mouthpiece (cf. Ex. 4:15ff.; Jer. 1:9), then their message was prefaced either by "the word of the LORD" came to . . ." (e.g,, Jer. 1:4; Hos. 1:1; Joel 1:1) or by "thus says the LORD" (e.g., Ex. 4:22; 5:1; 1 Sam. 2:27; Jer. 33:2, 10,12). In the fullness of time, when God came in the flesh, then with divine authority the Son said. "truly I say to you" (e.g.. Matt. 5:18,26; cf. Luke 5:1; Jn. 3:34, 14:24). Clearly the spoken word is of paramount importance. This is a consistent theme throughout Scripture. The first emphasis is on what is heard and not on what is seen.
This emphasis on the word does not mean that the visual is lacking in God's relationship with His people and in His revelation of Himself to them and His teaching them. We will come back to this point. For now we can note that we often read that "God appeared . . . ," for example, to Abraham in the form of a man (Gen. 18:1), to Moses in a burning bush (Ex. 3:2), and to Solomon in a dream (1 Kings 3:5). The phrase "God appeared" has the literal meaning "God was seen" or "was visible." It is striking how God's glory appeared to Israel in the pillar of cloud and fire during the Exodus and wilderness wandering (Ex. 16:10; cf. 13:21ff.). So Israel could see God's presence and know He was with them. In this way God met the human need to see and not only to hear. However, there is no doubt about the fact that the high point in God's selfrevelation came when the LORD spoke directly to His people from Mount Sinai. So awestruck were the people that they asked Moses to speak on God's behalf to them: "but let not God speak to us, lest we die" (Ex. 20:19).
Another example that comes to mind of the priority of the Word is God's response to Moses' request, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory" (Ex. 33:18). Moses wanted a visible guarantee that God would be going with them to Canaan. God obliged by showing Moses as much of His glory as possible (Ex. 33:19, 21ff.). However, the stress in God's selfrevelation was clearly placed on God's speaking and explaining His name Yahweh. When the actual revelation took place, we do not even read of the visible revelation of God's glory, but we are informed of what God said in explaining the significance of His name Yahweh. "Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and fourth generation" (Ex. 34:6ff.). What Moses heard was of more significance than what Moses saw in seeing the true glory of God.
The primary stress on the Word, rather than on something visual must be placed within the wider context of how Scripture informs us of the place of the Word of God. God's Word is effective. It accomplishes that for which God spoke it. We read in Is. 55:10ff.: "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Cf. Heb. 4:12). That is because this word is God's Word. It is this Word that works faith. As Rom. 10:17 puts it: "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes from the preaching of Christ." What the eye sees does not as such work faith. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the plea of the rich man in torment that Lazarus be sent to warn his brothers lest they also end up in such anguish is answered in a telling way. "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31).
Over against the tendency of fallen man to trust his eyes more than his ears, the Scriptures tell us that the Word of God is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16) and is truth (Jn. 17:17). It sets the standard. The Word can therefore even specifically refer to commandments. Indeed, what we call the Ten Commandments are referred to in the Old Testament as the Ten Words (Ex. 34:28; Deut. 4:13; 10:4). God's commandments can be obeyed, for "the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it" (Deut. 30:14; cf. Roman 10:8).
Coming now to our task as teachers, we have a special responsibility to pass on the Word of God and its implications for all of life to our students. The Word has to be passed on. That indicates already something of the priority of language in our instruction. It is God's Word. That indicates something of the authority with which we must speak when we pass the treasures of the Word on. God's Word demands to be heard! Listening is a must.
We need wisdom here. We saw that as teachers we are "fathers" to our student "children." Our concern includes the fostering of the true knowledge of God and working for that life relationship with God. That cannot be done overnight. It takes time and the confidence of the students needs to be won. We need to look at the long range perspective with each teacher doing his part in awakening in our students the positive desire to know more about the LORD so that they are eager to listen. So we seek to be God's instruments for imparting life to those in our charge.
We can be highly motivated, for these are children of Father in heaven and they are already in a covenant relationship with Him. So you as teachers too have your place within the context of the home and the church in seeking as it were to impart faith. For that reason, listening is indeed imperative! Faith comes from hearing the Word (cf. Rom. 10:17; Heb. 4:12). Without faith the Word cannot be truly discerned (I Cor. 2:14).
But how has God helped His children to really listen and be confronted by the wide scope and great depth of the Word of God and so begin to understand the Word, also as it affects all of life? It is at this point that I am convinced that we can speak of the need for images and visual aids in the language of the relationship between God and us, - mind you, not on their own, but in a serving relationship to the Word.
If I understand E.W. Schaeffer-de Wal correctly, then she may be going too far when she writes: "The language of the relationship between God and us is definitely not the language of imagery (or the language of images) but it is a verbal language." Much as I affirm that God speaks to us through His Word and that He cannot be understood without the Word, yet, it is not purely an "either-or" dilemma as presented above.
When we speak of the Word of God, we speak of God's revelation of Himself. Without doubt there is the priority of language; however, images and visual aids were not neglected. God recognized them as necessary so that the Word might be as effective as possible. Signs served the Word, and indeed could not be understood without it.
I would like to illustrate this point first with reference to God Himself and His selfrevelation with respect to His very person, how God showed the eyes of Israel something of His glory so that it became tangible as it were to them. We have already touched on the first two examples. The LORD went before Israel "by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people" (Exodus 13:21ff.; cf. 14:19, 24; Numbers 14:14). In this way the LORD very concretely showed His presence. Through this cloud the LORD also effected a type of nonverbal communication. When God caused the cloud to go up from the tabernacle, Israel knew they had to travel. If the cloud was not taken up, Israel did not need to travel that day (Exodus 40:35-38; Numbers 8:15-23).
At the Sinai, the LORD also used Israel's perception, not just by the ear, but also by the eye to impress on them His presence and greatness. We read in Exodus 20:18 that "Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly" (cf. Deuteronomy 5:4). At a later date, a select number from Israel went up the Sinai to have a meal of covenant fellowship with God. Exodus 24:1013 informs us that they went up "and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness . . . . they beheld God and ate and drank" (cf. Exekiel 1, especially v. 28b). Also, as covenant mediator, Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11; cf. Deuteronomy 34:10; also cf. Jeremiah 32:4). This included that he beheld "the form of the LORD" (Numbers 12:8). This is more than seeing God in a vision or dream (cf. Psalm 17:15; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4).
Also when it comes to the message of the LORD, we find a wide array of images that appeal to perception through the eye rather than the ear. Think of the tabernacle and later the temple, as well as the elaborate rituals and feasts connected with the service of God. These were not incidental, but pictured the gospel! These "pictures" were crucial for Father's teaching the covenant children in the old dispensation. The LORD did not want His children to be brought up only by hearing the gospel. He also wanted them to see it and to perceive it by means of their physical eyes. As a teaching principle we can learn from this. We certainly cannot dismiss this as something belonging to the Old Testament and having no further relevance for us today. In this context one can also think of the two sacraments that the LORD has given us. Also in the last age, our heavenly Father wants to make use of our eyes in reinforcing the message of His Word and strengthening our faith.
If we reflect for a moment on what has been said up to this point and also try to place ourselves in the situation of Israelite parents and children according to data found in Scripture, several principles that are very important for us today become evident.
First we must reaffirm the priority and dominant position of the Word in our teaching. It was the Word of God that had to be passed on to the children. The gospel with all its ramifications had to be taught to them. The well-known words of Deuteronomy 6 come to mind. "These words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:69). Whenever and wherever possible, the sustained teaching had to continue.
However, it was not to be a long, uninterrupted, and difficult monologue. Children could and were expected to ask questions. After all the Word was to be understandable and so practical and usable to them. If the Word did not speak to them, then questions were to be asked. As the LORD said further on in Deuteronomy 6, "When your son asks you in time to come, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies and statutes and the ordinances which the LORD our God has commanded you?' then you shall say to your son, We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand . . ." (Deuteronomy 6:20ff.), and the great deeds of the LORD are recounted. An answer was to be given! God demanded it and therefore children could expect it! A clear answer, one they could understand and that would encourage further listening. A practical answer which showed the relevance of salvation for their situation, namely, living a life of gratitude to God and enjoying true life with Him.
The Word was to be clear. When God spoke from the Sinai, Israel understood. Although God came from heaven, He spoke their language. This is also evident from the languages that Scripture is written in. God used the languages current at the time the revelation was given. So we have to speak in such a manner that the children can understand. We must never in any way encourage or promote a special religious or church language over against the so-called ordinary language of everyday. Life is a unit and we must speak to our students in such a manner that they understand irrespective of the subject. The problem of "children" (students) not listening can be a problem of the teacher not being able to communicate and make the subject meaningful for them. We need to speak to them and not at them. If questions are forthcoming, rejoice. You're getting through. Already in the Old Testament God told parents, the first teachers, that they could expect questions. Questions indicate that what has been said relates to their situation and to their life. It means they can talk about it and therefore also speak to God Himself concerning the things that have been learned. It means that the student is part of it and belongs and that the world of God and His Word is not foreign to him. It is obviously very important that also today the Bible continues to be related to this life. Thus teaching the Word by verbal means must be and remain the first priority.
This brings us to the second principle, namely, the necessary use of visual aids. In the Old Testament the LORD demanded the use of what could be seen in helping to bring the Word also to children. The whole way of life was immersed with sacrifices, festivals, and memorials. All these visual stimuli not only helped integrate faith into the fullness of life but also prompted questions from the children. For example, with respect to the Passover sacrifice, the LORD said through Moses: "When your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'you shall say, 'it is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, for He passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when He slew the Egyptians but spared our houses'." (Exodus 12:28ff.) Again a clear answer had to be given and a historical consciousness of the great deeds of God was imprinted in the children. Even if there was no question, the opportunity had to be seized to tell the children the meaning of what they saw. For example, regarding the eating of unleavened bread, the LORD demanded that they tell the significance of it to the children (Exodus 13:8). Sometimes the LORD commanded that memorials be erected so that children would see and ask about their meaning. Think of the twelve stones erected in the Jordan as a memorial of the miraculous crossing in the time of Joshua. Then were to be erected "that this may be a sign among you, when your children ask in time to come, 'What do those stones mean to you?'Then you shall tell them . . ." (Joshua 4:8). Note how all these visual helps serve the passing on of the Word and the great deeds of God as well as the remembering of the contents of the Word.
Similarly prophets made use of visual aids. When the prophet Ahijah is about to tell Jeroboam that the LORD will tear the kingdom from Solomon and give ten tribes to Jacob, then he took off his new garment and tore it into twelve pieces (1 Kings 11:29-31). In Isaiah 20 we read that Isaiah had to go naked and barefoot through Jerusalem to reinforce this message from the LORD. "As My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians captives and the Ethiopians exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot . . . ." Judah would therefore hope for help from these nations in vain (Isaiah 20:3-8). More examples could be mentioned. However, it should be pointed out the use of "visual aids" went to quite some length. For example, Hosea's married life was to be a picture of what happened between God and His adulterous people. Think of the initial command of the LORD to Hosea: "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry, for the land commits great harlotry by forsaking the LORD" (Hosea 1:2). And Ezekiel was told that his wife would die and he was not to mourn, for Ezekiel was to be a sign to the people. They too were not to mourn when their precious temple was desecrated. It was God's just judgment (Ezekiel 24:15-27). It is important to notice that the signs and pictures which were given could not be understood without the Word. They are there for the Word and are not independent of it. They serve the better understanding and remembering.
On the basis of all this, I am convinced that teachers can and should use visual aids where responsible and possible to support them in their task of getting the Word and the implications of the Word across. Although we no longer live in the old dispensation, yet the principle of "illustrating" the great salvation deeds of God is still relevant. To this very day our heavenly Father speaks to His children also through images and pictures. One can think in this context of the rainbow (Genesis 8:8-17) and also the sacraments. Notwithstanding the special place of the sacraments, these signs and seals are in agreement with this principle of using visual aids. In a more general context we confess that God makes Himself known to us "by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe; which is before our eyes as a most beautiful book" (Art. 2, Belgic Confession). I therefore reject the dilemma as that is rigidly put forward that the language of the relationship between God and us is definitely not the language of imagery (or the language of images) but is a verbal language. Insofar as we can use pictures to reinforce the transmission of the Word to those in our care, it is justified. One can think in this context of the effective use that can be made of pictures in so-called children's Bible story books (although we must be very careful here!). The imaginative use by teachers of visual aids can only be applauded and encouraged. Positive use can be made of the technological advances that are ours. The key thing is that it must all serve the transmission of the Word, for that is the crucial thing! An important precaution is therefore that our pictures and images be very carefully chosen so that they are not burdened by secular connotations.
So far I have said nothing about the second commandment and its relevance for our subject. We must be brief and I will try to touch on the main point.
To understand this commandment we must realize that image-making had a very specific function in the ancient Near Eastern world in which Israel lived. An image was not just considered to be a picture of the god in question. No. It was the dwelling place of the divine reality. Decisive was that the image was animated by the deity taking up his residence there. If man did his duties to that image, then man had that god in his power, so to speak. For at bottom the essence of imagemaking is to have the god under your control, in your power. In this way heathens thought to have some security because the god or gods were now at their beck and call.
When we keep this background in mind, we can understand Israel's decision to make a golden calf as an image of the LORD who led them out of Egypt. Israel grew restless because Moses delayed to come down from the Mount. God seemed to have left them. In such a situation there rose a demand for an image! Israel wanted, so to speak, to have God close by, under their control according to the pagan way of thinking of their day. When the calf of gold was made, then Aaron said, "Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt! . . . Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD!" (Exodus 32:4ff.). They had their image. God was now with them. No more worries! The Catechism therefore rightly places the second commandment in the context of the correct worship of God, as well as stressing the point that no image of God can be made (Q.A. 96-97).
When it comes to our teaching task, the relevance of this commandment lies in my opinion first of all in the absolute necessity that we in our teaching make known to our students the true God as He has revealed Himself in His Word so that He can be rightly worshipped by them. There are many images of God today by which man tries to conceptualize God into someone that will be useful to man and serve man's purposes. In this way man seeks to control God and make Him to be what man wants Him to be. Some examples of modern images of God are: God is love. This translates "there is no hell." Or, God is a grand old man. This translates "God and His Word, are out of touch with reality. He is out of date. Pay lip service to Him but we can basically ignore Him." So there are more false images of God that could be mentioned. With many misconceptions about God currently circulating, we must be careful to show only the God of Scripture; - the God who cannot be manipulated or controlled and who cannot be reduced by humans to some image; the God who is sovereign and transcendent, who cannot be grasped, be it literally or mentally. God is God! We must convey a sense of awe about Him to our students. He is Creator and we are but creatures. As Isaiah 40 asks: "To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with Him? . . . To whom then will you compare Me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One . . . . Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 40:18, 25, 28a). God is more than we can ever imagine!
Therefore the revelation of God through His Word is such a miracle. There we see God as we are to perceive Him. There He has revealed Himself as He wants to be known to His people. There His glory, His love, His righteousness and His wrath are pictured for us. So we pass on the Word and God's selfrevelation to our students. That is the crucial thing. But we also do more.
We do not only use verbal language. Students must also see the message. They need a visual aid and that, within this context, is the teacher himself. Also in our speaking, in our attitudes and actions, we are to show them something of the greatness of our God and His holiness and sovereignty. After all, as teachers we ourselves are children of Father above, recreated in His image (Ephesians 4:22ff.; Colossians 3:9ff.; cf. Romans 8:29). Our students must be able to see that and so see something of the greatness of Father in us. One of the vital motivations for listening can be the desire to be like the teacher. "I too want so to know the Father in heaven and do my office as Christian and experience the peace and joy and surety of the new life! I want that!" If we are a picture of the new life with all the positive features, then some of the difficulty of listening is diminished for our students. Then what we stand for and speak about becomes attractive (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). As teacher ("father") so doing our calling over against our students ("children"), we may beget children after our godly image. Or better expressed, we may be God's instruments that they too be renewed after God's image, in whose image we by grace may be.
God does not want us to make an image of Him; but, He does want to make us new after His image. Our students need to be moulded by the Word and Spirit after the image of God. We may be instruments of God in that divine moulding process. The old creation must give way to the new. Again the priority of the Word is unmistakable, although the "children," students, cannot do without seeing their "father," teacher, after God's image. But the Word is indeed first. Our students (as well as we ourselves, of course) must more and more be moulded by the Word. Their thoughts must follow the patterns set by God. Their goals and desires must be in conformity with His will. We must therefore "soak" our students with the Word so to speak.
In our day, memory work is generally not regarded too favourably. It should, however, be realized that this resistance to memory work is a relatively recent phenomenon. The notion that truth can exist meaningfully in a book (for reference purposes, to be consulted when needed) rather than in a person's mind is a comparatively new idea and certainly has no support in Scripture. Of course the material to be memorized must be meaningful and speak to the student's world. He must be able to understand and appreciate it. Then the material functions and has value in the life of faith. Then the Word of God is integrated in real life. Here again, not only what our students hear but also what they see is very important. Are we ourselves good visual aids for showing our students how helpful memorized knowledge of Scripture is or can our students come to the devastating conclusion that the teacher ("father") himself does not know the passage he assigned to the class? So, why should we, "the children," bother? He seems to have made out all right? Can't we do without this work?
The importance of memorizing Scripture as a tool for integrating God's Word into life cannot be overestimated. Our students are constantly bombarded by worldly language and worldly images in so much of life, including the pervasive influence of the media, especially unfortunately the almost everywhere present television. How can we expect them to stand if they have not stored in their hearts and cannot remember very concretely the demands and promises of the LORD? The world seeks our heart, our very life. But God says, "Give Me your heart!" (Proverbs 23:26). The Word is used by the Spirit to bring about the new life and to nurture it. Think again of Psalm 119, "I have laid up Thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against Thee" (verse 11).
Now often it is the worldly images that cause the greatest concern. And they should be a serious worry. However, I would like to contend that the corruption and secularization of language should alarm us at least as much. There appears to be a growing gap between the language we hear in church and on the streets. There seem to be two interrelated reasons for this. The first reason is that Christianity is waning in influence and Christians have withdrawn from certain areas so that many fields have only a secular language which stymies meaningful Christian participation in discussing issues there. Coupled with that is a second reason, the degeneration of language. The present age is becoming so depraved that the words of Genesis 6:5 come to mind. "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." One could also translate: " . . . everything shaped by the thoughts of his heart was exclusively evil all the time." Whatever man contemplated it was always wicked. Today the forces of darkness have more and more claimed much language for their purposes so that much language now either carries sinful innuendo or relativizes morals. A consequence is that many in the world can truly no longer really understand what Christians are talking about when they express themselves on issues dear to them and hence have little appreciation for what Christians stand for (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:11ff.). In this sense the antithesis between light and darkness comes out more clearly now than it has in recent Western history, and our students should be aware of this.
Why mention these things? To underline the great significance of truly impressing the Word on the lives and hearts of those in our care. It is a matter of life and death. Our students are not immune to the words and images of this world and for that matter neither are we as long as that struggle against the old nature is there. Hence the Word is needed to protect and nurture the life of our student and so to guard their heart, the centre of their consciousness. Proverbs 4:23 says: "Above all else guard your heart for from it flow the springs of life." Above all else! Therefore we need to continue to expose the words and pictures the world presents for what they are and we need to impress upon our "children" the great significance of the Word of God for all of life. It is of utmost importance that our students learn to distinguish and discriminate between the holy and the unholy, between good and evil. Armed with the Word of God and a correct understanding of it, this is possible. We are in the world, but not of it! Great discernment is needed. Again if we as "fathers," teaching parents in school, can illustrate, make it real and picture it, especially through our example, that is of tremendous help. We must never speak in a theoretical vacuum but speak practically (as instruction in the Old Testament was). We have the Word. It is practical and it is the Word of life! And also to our encouragement, it is an effective Word that will accomplish the purpose for which God sent it (Isaiah 55:11), also in the lives of our students.
This brings me to one final point. Since we train students for life service in God's kingdom, the exposure of darkness for what it is should at the same time serve as a challenge to advance the claims of the light of the gospel as the LORD gives opportunity and provides time before His glorious return. There is a task, both for us and our students, also in the fundamental issue of language and image, of communicating. Our students should go forth as able communicators of the Word in all of life, by speaking and applying it and reinforcing the spoken Word by themselves being pictures of Christ's redemptive work (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:3 and also Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 11:19; 38:26).
What follows (in three instalments) is a slightly revised version of an introduction presented to a conference of Canadian Reformed teachers in Langley, BC, on 30 August 1988 and in Chatham, ON, on 28 October 1988.
See, e.g., 1:2ff; 3:1,11,21: 4:10,20; 5:1; 6:1; 7:1 etc. See, e.g., W.H. Gispen, Spreuken (Korte Verklaring; 1952) I, 25 and H. Haag in G.J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren, eds., The Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, II (1975), 152.
See further on this C. Van Dam, "Wisdom, Knowledge and Teaching," CRTA Magazine, 15:2 (1985).
E.W. Schaeffer-de Wal, "Christelijke opvoeding als vertaling III," De Reformatie, 82 (1986-87), 32, as translated in Orange Courier, Jan. 18, 1987.
Cf. on this R.S. Wallace, Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament, (1957), 78-81.
See W.H. Gispen, Numeri, I (1959), 147.
Cf. K. Schilder, "Kerktaal en leven," in idem, Om Woord en Kerk, III (1951), esp. pp. 169-188.
See M. Snapper, "The Dethronement of Memory in Church Education," Calvin Theological Journal, 13 (1978), 38-57.
See on these criteria, M. Snapper, "Memorization in Church Education," Calvin Theological Journal, 16 (1981) 42-45.
Cf. H. Blamires, The Christian Mind (1983).
See C. Van Dam, "Language and Corruption," Clarion, 37 (1988), 100ff. | 2019-04-24T10:05:12Z | http://spindleworks.com/library/vandam/ps33.htm |
El Best Western Brady Inn se encuentra en el centro de Brady. Venga y disfrute de las mejores atracciónes turísticas cerca de nuestro hotel. Precios bajos garantizados y ofertas exclusivas.
Bienvenido al Best Western® Brady Inn. Los huéspedes que deseen visitar el Heart of Texas Records podrán disfrutar de un cómodo acceso durante su estancia en nuestro hotel de Brady, situado a poca distancia de los principales enclaves de interés de la región. Los entusiastas de las actividades al aire libre escogen nuestro hotel de Brady por su proximidad al Lago Brady, un auténtico paraíso para la pesca, los paseos en barco, la natación y el senderismo. No obstante, nuestro hotel se encuentra asimismo a poca distancia del aeropuerto de Curtis Field, lo que confirma que pese a ser un hotel de aeropuerto, también podemos estar situados a poca distancia de las mejores atracciones de la región. Desde una cálida bienvenida hasta el ágil registro de salida, los huéspedes encontrarán en nuestro exclusivo hotel todo lo que buscan durante su viaje. Estamos situados a poca distancia de los restaurantes de la zona y ofrecemos servicio de transporte gratuito de ida y vuelta al aeropuerto Curtis Field. Este hotel que admite mascotas de Brady da la bienvenida a todos los miembros de su familia, ya que somos conscientes de que los viajes no son lo mismo si no están absolutamente todos. Con un amplio estacionamiento para camiones y caravanas, los empleados del transporte por carretera, los aficionados a la acampada y los viajeros en la carretera podrán disfrutar de la mayor comodidad a la hora de estacionar su vehículo en nuestro hotel de Brady. El evento anual Heart of Texas Country Festival atrae a una gran cantidad de visitantes y es uno de los principales motivos que impulsa a los viajeros a escoger nuestro hotel de Brady. El evento gastronómico World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off tiene lugar en las inmediaciones y el golf es uno de los principales deporteslocales. Desde exquisitos platos a la barbacoa hasta una fantástica tarde en el green, todos los viajeros podrán encontrar algo de su interés. La caza es otra de las principales actividades de la zona y nuestro hotel estará encantado de dar la bienvenida a los cazadores para proporcionarles unas cómodas e impolutas habitaciones. El Brady West Rehabilitation and Nursing Center atrae a numerosos trabajadores y familiares de pacientes. Si se encuentra aquí para hacer negocios en el Hospital Heart of Texas Memorial, el aeropuerto Curtis Field, el centro The Center o cualquiera de las otras empresas locales, podrá disfrutar de un cómodo acceso desde nuestro hotel de Brady. Tenemos el firme compromiso de proporcionarle una estancia lo más cómoda posible. Reserve una de las amplias y apacibles habitaciones del Best Western® Brady Inn hoy mismo y disfrute de la mayor comodidad durante su viaje.
"A few items in the room should be checked out"
When I mentioned at check out that the shower head connected to the bathroom wall was not secured to the wall, the agent said, "really, no one has ever told us that before..." So what did she mean by that? I was making it up in an attempt to gain something from the hotel, like a room discount? There was no DND sign and the shower curtain was too short to prevent moderate bathroom flooding.
Only stayed one night at the Best Western Brady Inn but the one night was one of the most pleasant stays ever at a hotel. The receptionist was friendly and professional. The room was spotless and well presented with all the usual amenities and new. The bathroom with a walk in shower was recently tiled and the tile was spotless and very professionally installed. We could not have been happier with a hotel stay.
Traveling alone on a Saturday nigt, I intended to stop in San Angelo but thanks to oil boom, all hotels were booked. I continued on to Brady and was glad I did. Great price on room. King bed, couch, desk, microwave and refrigerator. Large walk in shower (no tub). I felt very safe as a female traveling alone. Breakfast was awesome and included the best bean burritos. I will return.
The Brady Best Western Inn was extremely clean and comfortable. The complementary breakfast was great. The service was wonderful. The management was friendly and helpful. I will definitely stay here again.
"Don't Expect More Than Two Star Accomodations"
Of the hotels in the area this is the typical two star, truckers and construction crew's overnight crash pad. Don't expect much more than a parking full of construction heavy duty work trucks and 18 wheelers. I will have to say that the room was clean, but come on guys, asking customers if they are gona need towels before they even get to the room? Seriously? As far as that "Continental Breakfast" they advertised, imagine what that looks like when several hundred construction workers settle in on it about 7:30 in the morning. Need I say more? I'm sure you get the picture. Heck the hotel even comes with it's very own pan handler that walks from person to person as they try to load up in the parking lot. Who could asked for more!
A new property, clean if you have to stay in the Brady area. No Texas TV, all California channels. Cell service required through a local service provider at an additional charge. Small town, no dining, except fast food, etc..
"Second stay here at this best Western....."
Hotel is 'ok'. It's clean and maintained, help is friendly. If you have lots of heavy bags, you need to request ground floor - no elevators, all stairs. TV has no sleep timer available. Breakfast was not all that good. Eggs overdone and 'aging'. No one in the kitchen area.
The employees were very pleasant and the lobby was clean and comfortable. The room was also clean and comfortable. The breakfast that was served was very well prepared and a nice touch. Overall, it was a very nice stay!
We had a good nights sleep here. The bed was comfortable. The breakfast was excellent and very filling. There was a small glob of hair stuck to the shower wall, but other than this, we had no complaints. It is an older style place where you park outside by your room.
Room was clean. Bathroom was clean except for a tiny bit of mold in shower, which could easily be eliminated with a little bleach. Bed was comfortable. Pillows were lumpy. Still, probably the best place in town.
"Very comfortable and clean hotel"
For a small town, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased at the cleanliness and comfort of this hotel. They are undergoing some renovations which will further enhance the appearance of this hotel. The mattress was so comfortable, I took the sheets down to find out what kind it was. We were very pleased with our room and the amenities.
"My Stay at Best Western in Brady, Texas"
Our stay at the Best Western in Brady, Texas was very nice. It's a nice hotel with some good restaurants to choose from in walking distance. We were doing a self-supported bike tour and had an overnight stay in Brady, Texas. I recommend this hotel to travelers coming through the heart of Texas.
This was a yearly group annual men's church retreat. We rented 3 rooms for 2 days n I am the president of the men in this organization. So I recommended this motel for them, but was not very happy the way things were handled. From reservation, practically saying that I lied to smell in room that there was nothing that was able to do about it , to not having our room cleaned.
The accommodations were great! Clean, clean, clean. Breakfast was delicious and not the ordinary that is served elsewhere. Brady was a great stopping place on our trip through Texas and into New Mexico. Glad we stayed.
"Great service in a sleepy little town"
This hotel is consistently clean and the staff is excellent. The breakfast buffet has quite a good selection to choose from. The rooms are clean and there are plenty of TV channels to choose from. One thing to note is that the AC works best if you tuck the curtains up on the window sill, otherwise the cool air gets a little trapped when you close the curtains at night. Also, the internet doesn't work well with iPhones and iPads, so bring your Windows laptop if you need to stay connected.
"So relieved you take pets!"
This is not a fancy place but we will certainly be back because if the pet policy! Thank you so much! We had traveled to Lubbock to get out of the Houston area due to Harvey situation and was on the way home. The room was spacious and clean. Coffee machine, microwave and fridge. It was nice to back the car up and unload into the room. Now if they will just mail me my favorite little pillow I accidentally left....I would be so happy!
I was in the lobby at 11:20 to check out & I feel with so many guest checking out at that time th girls should be up front attending the front counter. I came in 3 different times & each time had to wait on the girls to come out of the room next to the front counter to assist me. 11:00 is CHECK OU TIME & I feel they should be right there to take care of Guest. Just a thought.
"Stay Every Year for Family Reunion"
Best Western Hotels/Motels are usually our brand to go to for staying in small towns in Texas. We stay at the Brady Best Western every year for a family reunion. It is always clean, freindly and everything in good working order. The manager and her staff go out of their way to take care of us!
hotel itself was ok and fairly well kept. breakfast was very good. was not recognized as elate upon check-in. bill was incorrect upon check-out and had to be corrected. overall a fair stay, but don't believe we would return to this best western site.
"review of best western service"
enjoyed the people who worked there very much we were there on an evacuation for a hurricane. they were very helpful in providing and extention of the reservation when we could not get back home due to flooding on the highways during Harvey..
The room was clean, the bed compy , the internet was fast, the only problem I had was they didnt have smoking, The staff was pleasent and I enjoyed myself. I would recommend this motel for someone that wants a good nights sleep.
"Direct TV doesn't belong in a hotel"
The pool was murky and we tried to watch TV but it was Direct TV and everything that was worth watching had to be bought. The HBO was old movies, local station were out of Los Angeles(????) with no CBS and pretty much everything else was infomercials. Better have lots of games if you bring children with you.
The rooms was large with a King bed, sitting area with sofa and a desk. There was plenty of room to spread out and relax. The furnishings were nice. The staff was welcoming and always ready to help. My only complaint was the poor internet service which was spotty at best. I seemed to get good connection to their wireless modem so the problem seemed to be with their internet provider. Other than that this is a great place to stay.
"The pool was nice. "
There were no towels for the pool and cranky employees. Otherwise, not a bad place to stay. The room was clean and the bed was comfortable. It was easy to check in and out. The pool was pretty w birds dive bombing it.
We checked in late, last room. Floors were filthy, one of the hand towels was obviously used and re-folded, no soap, no shower gel in the dispenser, no shampoo in the dispenser, and some dirty,soapy hand had adjusted the shower head and it hadn't been cleaned off. If I hadn't had a 3 year old in desperate need of sleep, I would have slept in the car. The morning clerk explained that a construction crew had come in late and used the room "just for showers", so I guess she was reassuring us that the beds were clean? In her defense, she apologized and said she would credit me $10 for the inconvenience. The credit never posted on my card.
"Good Place for two night stay"
Stayed in Brady to conduct a Breeding Bird Survey and the hotel met my needs well. Clean and quiet room. They allowed early check-in, and had breakfast starting at 5:30. Friendly staff. Convenient to park right outside the ground level room. I took off one star because it was not quite as nice as Holiday Inn Express where I have stayed before-better decor-, but this hotel was a better value. I was hardly in the room except to sleep. It did have all the necessities and it was nice to sit by the pool at sunset. The property is being maintained well.
The walls were like paper thin and the woman in the room next door had 2 dogs that barked while she went out to smoke. The door squeaked every time she went to smoke. The breakfast was not up to the Best Western quality that we are familiar with. It was a great disappointment. We won't ever stay here again.
Room could use a little maintenance, as door jam was partially off in our room. Room was clean, this is an older hotel with no elevator to the second floor. Breakfast was average, not special. Staff was friendly and courteous.
"Not As Good As I Had Hoped"
This older, two story property (no elevator) with parking right in front of your room, is conveniently located right on US 87/377. On the plus side, it was reasonably priced, clean, had a 24 hour fitness center, pool, guest laundry and a good selection of TV channels. I was feeling poorly and had seen a doctor earlier in the day and been told I had the flu. I called the Best Western and asked if I could check in early as I was so sick and appreciated that I was told I could. When I checked in I was given an accessible room as I had requested. Although I was the only guest checking in and the employee knew how ill I felt, no offer was made to help me bring in my luggage, get ice, etc. I was simply handed a key and given directions where to find the ice machine when I inquired. The accessible room was not very comfortable. The hangers and iron were above my reach, the coffee maker was inconveniently placed between the bed I was not using and the wall. There was only a shower and the soap and shampoo were in containers behind you rather than in front of you. Neither the sheets nor the mattress pad stayed tucked making for a lumpy bed. There was not much light for reading and the refrigerator did not have a freezer compartment. My room was close to the highway and there was noise from the highway. Breakfast was average. It offered two kinds of processed eggs, apples and oranges (no bananas), juice, breads, etc. The Texas shapped waffles had the Best Western logo imprinted on them which I had never seen before. Ther are not many lodging options in Brady, so on my next visit I plan to stay in another city.
"Clean, comfortable, and a Great Price!"
I was a little worried after reading a couple critical reviews, however we found this place to be just great! It was very clean. The bed was quite comfortable. And things were quiet...even on a Saturday night. The only criticism that I would agree with is that this is NOT a Hotel...it is a 2-story motel without an elevator. The description of the place should be changed.
Difficult to find a clean, comfortable hotel for less than $100. It was a great place to stay for me and for my adult daughter and her family. They enjoyed the free breakfast !! I would definitely stay again if I need a place in Brady !
"Great room & excellent price!!"
We had several couples on our trip and not one of us had a problem or complaint. The rooms are very clean and updated. Excellent price! The continental breakfast had many choices and not one of them was bad. I would highly recommend.
We stayed at Best Western Inn Brady Texas from 3/20-3/25/2017. As requested, we had a king non-smoking room but could not get a room on the first level. There is no elevator and the stairs are outside. The room was furnished in a typical manner. The bed was comfortable. When we arrived we noticed a smell in the room. We thought maybe it would dissipate after running the air conditioner awhile so we unloaded for our five-night stay. By the next morning the smell had not improved and had a definite urine odor. We reported this to the front desk immediately and were told that it was likely the AC filter needed changing. The clerk said they would take care of it and give us a credit on our bill. What they did was vacuum good, which had been much needed, and used a strong air freshener. The smell lingered. We discovered the urine smell got stronger when the curtains were closed, so we tucked them into the window sill at night and that helped. Breakfast was served 5:30-9:30 a.m. Cereal and toast were plentiful and waffles were an option. There was also good yogurt. There was juice and coffee. We found that any hot food left at 9 a.m. was dried out and cold. No fruit, pastries, eggs or meat left by that time. However, there is a great restaurant right across the street that serves a wonderful breakfast and we went there for breakfast two of our five days. Overall the hotel is fine. We were disappointed that the smell issue wasn't addressed better, but they did a good job cleaning after we reported the smell and that helped. We did not receive a credit as promised. We were not offered a chance to change rooms, and there was no follow-up at all. However, I know they were full some of the nights we were there. We can accept some blame as we didn't continue complaining. I would suggest asking for a room away from the stairs. Before 7 a.m. some people bang their suitcases step by step when leaving. Also, if you have much luggage or have trouble with uneven stairs, try very hard to get a room on the lower level. We would stay here again if we got a good price and were looking for lodging in Brady.
We recently enjoyed a nine day stay at this hotel. The building and grounds are very well maintained and attractive. The room was clean and pleasant appearing. The staff and management was friendly and helpful. We will be back.
This is certainly worth the price.It is very clean, the staff is friendly and very helpful. It is well located and easy to find. It is also very close to one of our very favorite places to eat. Well worth it!
"Good room at a fair price"
Free Wi-Fi and breakfast makes this place a great deal. Rather than stay in San Angelo we pressed on to Brady to make more distance and stay at this affordable hotel. The rooms all open to the outside. They are non-smoking, but have "smoker's outpost" disposals along every hallway so you smell cigarettes as soon as you step outside. I took away one star for not consolidating smoking areas away from the rooms. Breakfast had waffles, breads, cereal, and eggs & meat. Eggs were gross but everything else was tasty. Still, because of the price we would certainly stay here again.
"Did not have my reservation request for a downstairs room"
I booked through a 3rd party, and the request for a downstairs room did not transfer. This motel has no elevator, so take note if you have difficulty getting the bags (and yourselves) up exterior stairs in the weather. It was raining, so I asked for a downstairs room. They put us in a wheelchair accessible room, which was fine, but the room was not really ready. Our Direct t.v. went off early in the evening (about 6:30 p.m.). When I tried to use the phone to get instructions on how to get the t.v. back on, I discovered there was NO phone cord, just the phone. The beds were quite soft, so uncomfortable for us. But, if you like soft mattresses, they should be fine for you. Also, the water was absolutely horrible. They do have bottled water in the breakfast room, but the coffee is made with the local water and is undrinkable. Bring your own bottled water if you want to make coffee in the room. We had water at a restaurant in this town, and it was fine, so I don't know why the hotel's water is so awful.
In my opinion this is perhaps the best place to stay in Brady. It is conveniently located for travel south, west and east. Most of the places to stay on the south side of town. The people at the desk and breakfast area were very helpful. The breakfast had a wide variety of choices, including two meats and two choices of eggs. The waffles had several choices of toppings beside syrup. This was a nice place to stay and I would recommend it to anyone.
Just stayed at the BW in Brady and have to say I enjoyed the rooms and service. The hotel recently renovated and it looks great and feels "fresh". I do travel the area frequently and will definitely stay there again.
The room was musty and damp, maybe the carpets had been cleaned, but had not been dried???. Bathroom vanity, sink area were super small and only one person could be there at a time. It sufficed for one night, however I wouldn't recommend. We will pay a little more and be more cautious in the future, as the pictures posted are not up to date. Disappointed to say the least.
The rooms were nice and people were very friendly. There were no funny smells when we walked in that we have found in many places. We usually drive around a hotel/motel before going in to see how well the grounds are kept. If the pool is not clean (any time of year), curtains are sagging, or it looks like people live there then we do not go in. This Best Western looked great.
we got bit by fleas, saw a flea before we went to bed and killed one before went to bed, I commented to my wife I wish I had a blue light. my wife had ten bites and I had at least one on my buttocks. the rom was the last one, no maintenance man for clogged toilet, had to get plunger from front desk it didn't work , all we did we pee and flush a couple tissues. it, woke up all bitten by fleas- don't stay there!
Relatively new motel that offers good value for your dollar. Typical breakfast offerings for motels in this price range - entirely adequate but nothing special. Within walking distance of several good evening dining options. I would stay here again.
"Great place for an overnight stay"
This motel was very clean. The staff was most helpful. An enjoyable stay and the coffee was good and strong! The beds were very comfortable. The only negative was the fact that they are pet friendly. The breakfast was mediocre.
Very pleasant ..could use some updates in room..Need to have more parking spaces and the breakfast had fake scrambled eggs but the lobby and rooms were very clean and it was in a very convenient location.
The room was really clean! your housekeepers do a really good job and the beds are very comfortable. Front desk lady at check out was really nice and professional, my only complaints are that the wi-fi was slow and we didn't have a bath tub in either one of our two rooms, we went for a tennis tournament and after the matches, the guys wanted to take a bath, so we were a little disappointed, i don't know if all the rooms are like that, but other than that we enjoyed our stay. Thank you!
"Not the best representation of Brady"
This hotel was not the best to stay in, to bad its about the only one and I think they know..The carpet was dirty, the housekeeping lax-a-daisy and they gave use two towels and 1 wash cloth for 4 people..I get we need to share, but it was a bit ridiculous. The staff at check in and check out were wonderful, the evening staff that had to deal with the issues that arose for our whole group was not very involved with their job.
I would have to highly recommend staying here, if passing through Brady. It's a nice, clean hotel that has great staff! Even if you are only planning to stay the night, pull over and stay here if possible!
I had made a mistake on my reservation - but the hotel called and helped me straighten out WITHOUT charging me. This doesn't happen very often. When I arrived, they were quick to get me into a room that was set up for handicapped people (I have knee issues) and parking was right infront of my room so I didn't have to walk more than a few feet. The room was large, clean and had a AC and great bed. There was a microwave and a frig (I didn't even know about) and the internet was strong and fast. I will definately stay at this hotel any time I am in the area.
Mattresses and pillows at this hotel were the best of my trip so far. Very clean room. Old-school style hotel but has been updated and is very nice. If you need a tub you need to ask for it as our room had a shower only. Breakfast was average. At door parking. I would stay here again.
Had another nice stay at the Brady Best Western. The property and rooms are nicely kept. There was a slight musty smell to the room. But, with the humidity in that area, I supposed that's to be expected. This would definitely be my hotel of choice in Brady.
"Average best western to an extent..."
Stayed two nights here, place seems to have been possibly a different brand of hotel at one point in its past, fresh sloppy paint job was not appealing... Room did have tv microwave refrig ect... The layout of the room was odd though, plus the Internet at this motel was non existent about 90% of the time... Called Down to the front desk numerous times to have them reset the router... Walls seem fairly insulated... Ladies that worked there seemed neutral in regards to customer service, I honestly don't think I will stay at this best western again when I visit... They just didn't seem to care enough.
Driving from Lufkin, TX had to stop at Brady due to weather and too tired to keep driving. We were assisted right away and had no problem getting a room. Room are standard. I believe we were given a handicapped accessible room because it did not have a tub and the sink was very low. The next morning we had their free hot breakfast and it was enjoyable.
"Good quality for small town"
This was a very clean hotel. Staff was very courteous. The rooms were very comfortable and clean. The only complaint I have is that there was very little egg left over by the time I had breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and what was there was very dry. I would however stay here again. For a small town it was better quality than I expected.
"Nice place, great people, but,"
the rooms need some deep cleaning. Our bathroom floor was sticky & the carpet was very dirty. I walked barefoot across it once & I could feel how nasty it was. Didn't do that again . Everything else looked clean it was just the floors. We had a great time & the staff were great. I'm sure they will take care of this now they are aware of it.
This is a wonderful place to stay! Everyone was very pleasant and helpful. Thank you very much. Military discounts are very helpful, but the respect of us veterans is most important. Thank you for that. The stay was pleasant. And breakfast was an added bonus.
Have stayed a number of times. Service is always good, rooms are clean and large. They fixed my only complaint. Before not a good wifi connection, this time, wifi worked great. Important because very poor cell service in the whole area, so having good wifi was very important.
I stopped in Brady to find a hotel room after a long drive. I was clearly exhausted and the Man at the front desk was very helpful in finding a room for me at a good rate so that I could get some much needed rest. I was impressed by the room. It was clean and the beds were comfortable. Microwave and refrigerator both worked great. Wireless high speed internet worked without a hitch. I was able to go to sleep early- by 8pm without the headache of loud people in the parking lot or noisy "neighors"- and the motel was almost full! This is the safest I have felt in a motel in a while, I am happy to say. The next morning I got up and ate breakfast and hit the road again.
Loved staying at this motel. The room was beautifully decorated. Bed comfortable, the room was very clean. I has a little trouble getting the remote to turn on the T.V. set but once that was done, the tv was great, it was easy to add captions. The breakfast was very good. The eggs were a little dry but adding some jelly fixed that. Enjoyed the Texas shaped waffle. The staf was courteous and helpful.
"Don't expect to sleep much"
Booked in advance and told them it would be a very late arrival, asked for a late check out time, which they said of course...which night clerk was super!! She was more than accommodating! BUT....we had a do not disturb sign hanging on door and at 8 o'clock the house keeping was knocking on the door, I answered telling them again we had late checkout and they said "I know, just wanted to make sure you were still here" I told then we would be leaving at noon (our late checkout time) at 9 o'clock they knocked again...and then again at 10:30 and again at 11:30!!!!! Dragging their cart back and forth and then parking it at our door making us feel very uncomfortable and rushed!!! And then as we were leaving they were gathered at outside the door waiting on us!! As I checked out I clearly saw the room sheet that had our room highlighted showing we had a late checkout of 12! And on top of that, I guess they ASSUMED I didn't speak Spanish and made VERY rude comments about us as we were packing the car!!!! Definetly will not be going back there again!!! Should have stayed at the Holiday Inn!!!
Couldn't of been happier with our stay. Before arriving we received a courtesy call from the hotel to verify our arrival. Front desk agent working Friday around 8 pm (sorry don't recall his name) was very nice and did his best to accommodate my requests. Would definitely recommend this hotel.
"Older hotel but with updates"
I have not stayed at this hotel in several years so I decided to give it a try. Still is the same older Best Western with exterior entrances. However they have updated the rooms with new carpet and tile. The bathroom has a step in shower but no tub. Everything worked well and was a quiet stay. I wasn't too impressed with the breakfast but there is a McDonalds just down the street as an alternative.
"Jacuzzi bath tub for 2 worth the upgrade!"
Spotted in Brady and picked Best Western for the deal of $90 per night. My husband surprised me by upgrading to the room with a huge Jacuzzi bath tub big enough for two. Best decision during this trip! Room was very clean and the bed and pillows were incredibly comfortable! Definitely recommend staying here.
The Best Western in Brady is a solid hotel in a town that really has only two options. That being said I feel the hotel is overpriced based on the accommodations. Overall it is a solid option, typical Best Western. Bed was the worst part and really needs to be replaced. It is old. Room was clean, good restroom/shower and perfect for a hunting weekend. We are pretty low maintenance. Approx. $205 total for two nights is overpriced for the value. About $150-160 total for two nights would place this as a good value IMO.
This motel was clean and well maintained. The staff was friendly, courteous and very helpful. Room and bed was clean and comfortable. Breakfast was adequate and suitable for us. We would definitely stay at this Best Western again.
"Nice but lots of room to improve"
This property has come a long way with improvements. The "big picture looks fantastic" Don't look at the little stuff. Touch on walls aren't followed through. No trays to go back to room with breakfast had to make 3 trips. Lobby always smells freshly bleached rather than smell pleasant.
"Credit Card number stollen at this location"
I stayed at the Best Western in Brady Texas for a family wedding the weekend of 10/2-10/4/15. The room was clean and I had no issues while there except for the large number of crickets in my room and on the property, which I believe to be an area issue and not the fault of the hotel. HOWEVER, the credit card numbers fro myself, my brother, and my sister were all stolen and used on 10/9/15. The only place where we all used our cards was this Best Western so we know a staff member onsite there stole all the credit card numbers. I have let coorporate best western know, but believe anyone should be careful when staying at this location until they can find the perpetrator.
I'd stayed at another Best Western the night before, so I had high expectations. I was a bit disappointed in this one by comparison. The pillows weren't as nice and the only room they had was on the second floor, up an outside stairway, no elevator. Generally good service, though.
"Room requested was a King Non-smoking, but was given a KS room that had been smoked in."
We made our reservation approx. one month in advance, requesting a King Non Smoking room. Upon check in, we were given a room that had been smoked in and the smell was very strong. As the hotel was overbooked for a wedding, there were no other rooms available. The front desk clerk went out of his way to try to help us, even going to Walmart to get some rug carpet cleaner and also some spray to try to kill the smell. Apparently, the prior guests had smoked in this Non-Smoking room, so it was not the hotels fault. The manager gave us a nice discount the next morning. Our bed was very comfortable and our pillows were good. Our breakfast was good. Our Wifi was also very good..
My family and I stayed in the best western this past weekend. The rooms were nice and clean. The workers were all nice. There was construction going on while I was there, but I barely noticed. The breakfast was ok, not great, but it is free. My only complaint was there are sooooo many crickets, but I think that may have more to do with Brady than the hotel.
"Got a good night's rest."
Nice and clean, comfortable bed. Enjoyed our stay. Breakfast left a little to be desired but the staff was really friendly and anxious to please. We had requested a ground floor room and they were able to rearrange and accommodate us. Thanks!
Was here for two nights and I could not have been happier with my choice. Room was clean, A/C worked great., plenty of hot water and clean towels. All room amenities were restocked with the same amount used, Staff was very courteous and helpful. It is easy to access and convenient to area restaurants.
This is on my weekly route back home and I go out of my way to stay at this Motel. The service is great and they meet all my needs for my stay. This location has a variety of places to dine and at a convenient place to shop for any needs for my trip. I recommend this as a good stay on your next trip.
We have stayed at the motel in the past if in Brady Tx. We have been pleased with the quality of the room and the price. The breakfast buffet is very good with many choices including hot foods such as pigs in a blanket, scrambled eggs, sausage, and waffles. The room we have stayed in has a comfortable king size bed and a sitting area with a couch and flat screen tv.
We stayed at the Best Western in Brady Texas. The staff was very nice and helpful. The rooms were clean, the beds comfy and the pool was very clean and relaxing. Would recommend this hotel. The only thing I have and it is not bad (and this is in alot of hotels) is the curtains are too long and they blow when the air conditioner is on. Seems like if they make the curtains shorter or put blinds up on the window that would help. But like I said everything was great with the hotel, Thank you. | 2019-04-19T19:03:11Z | https://www.bestwestern.fr/es/hotel-Brady-Best-Western-Brady-Inn-44393 |
§ 65.3 Certification of foreign airmen other than flight crewmembers.
§ 65.11 Application and issue.
§ 65.12 Offenses involving alcohol or drugs.
§ 65.15 Duration of certificates.
§ 65.16 Change of name: Replacement of lost or destroyed certificate.
§ 65.17 Tests: General procedure.
§ 65.18 Written tests: Cheating or other unauthorized conduct.
§ 65.19 Retesting after failure.
§ 65.20 Applications, certificates, logbooks, reports, and records: Falsification, reproduction, or alteration.
§ 65.21 Change of address.
§ 65.31 Required certificates, and rating or qualification.
§ 65.33 Eligibility requirements: General.
§ 65.37 Skill requirements: Operating positions.
§ 65.39 Practical experience requirements: Facility rating.
§ 65.41 Skill requirements: Facility ratings.
§ 65.43 Rating privileges and exchange.
§ 65.45 Performance of duties.
§ 65.49 General operating rules.
§ 65.53 Eligibility requirements: General.
§ 65.57 Experience or training requirements.
§ 65.61 Aircraft dispatcher certification courses: Content and minimum hours.
§ 65.63 Aircraft dispatcher certification courses: Application, duration, and other general requirements.
§ 65.65 Aircraft dispatcher certification courses: Training facilities.
§ 65.67 Aircraft dispatcher certification courses: Personnel.
§ 65.70 Aircraft dispatcher certification courses: Records.
§ 65.71 Eligibility requirements: General.
§ 65.80 Certificated aviation maintenance technician school students.
§ 65.81 General privileges and limitations.
§ 65.83 Recent experience requirements.
§ 65.85 Airframe rating; additional privileges.
§ 65.87 Powerplant rating; additional privileges.
§ 65.89 Display of certificate.
§ 65.92 Inspection authorization: Duration.
§ 65.93 Inspection authorization: Renewal.
§ 65.95 Inspection authorization: Privileges and limitations.
§ 65.101 Eligibility requirements: General.
§ 65.103 Repairman certificate: Privileges and limitations.
§ 65.104 Repairman certificate—experimental aircraft builder—Eligibility, privileges and limitations.
§ 65.105 Display of certificate.
§ 65.107 Repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft): Eligibility, privileges, and limits.
§ 65.113 Eligibility requirements: General.
§ 65.115 Senior parachute rigger certificate: Experience, knowledge, and skill requirements.
§ 65.117 Military riggers or former military riggers: Special certification rule.
§ 65.119 Master parachute rigger certificate: Experience, knowledge, and skill requirements.
§ 65.123 Additional type ratings: Requirements.
§ 65.127 Facilities and equipment.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g). 40113, 44701–44703, 44707, 44709–44711, 45102–45103, 45301–45302.
Source: Docket No. 1179, 27 FR 7973, Aug. 10, 1962, unless otherwise noted.
1. To whom does this SFAR apply? This Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) applies to you if you are an air traffic control specialist (ATCS) employed by the FAA in flight service stations, enroute facilities, terminal facilities, or at the David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center who wishes to obtain a waiver of the mandatory separation age as provided by 5 U.S.C. section 8335(a).
2. When must I file for a waiver? No earlier than the beginning of the twelfth month before, but no later than the beginning of the sixth month before, the month in which you turn 56, your official chain-of-command must receive your written request asking for a waiver of mandatory separation.
3. What if I do not file a request before six months before the month in which I turn 56? If your official chain-of-command does not receive your written request for a waiver of mandatory separation before the beginning of the sixth month before the month in which you turn 56, your request will be denied.
4. How will the FAA determine if my request meets the filing time requirements of this SFAR?
ii. Before 12 a.m. of the first day of the sixth month before the month in which you turn 56.
b. If you file your request by mail and the postmark is not legible, we will consider it to comply with paragraph a.2 of this section if we receive it by 12 p.m. of the fifth day of the sixth month before the month in which you turn 56.
c. If the last day of the time period specified in paragraph a.2 or paragraph b falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, we will consider the time period to end at 12 p.m. of the next business day.
5. Where must I file my request for waiver and what must it include?
a. You must file your request for waiver of mandatory separation in writing with the Air Traffic Manager in flight service stations, enroute facilities, terminal facilities, or the David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center in which you are employed.
iii. Your starting date at the facility.
iv. A list of positions at the facility that you are certified in and how many hours it took to achieve certification at the facility.
v. Your area of specialty at the facility.
6. How will my waiver request be reviewed?
a. Upon receipt of your request for waiver, the Air Traffic Manager of your facility will make a written recommendation that the Administrator either approve or deny your request. If the manager recommends approval of your request, he or she will certify in writing the accuracy of the information you provided as evidence of your exceptional skills and experience as a controller.
b. The Air Traffic Manager will then forward the written recommendation with a copy of your request to the senior executive manager in the Air Traffic Manager's regional chain-of-command.
c. The senior executive manager in the regional chain-of-command will make a written recommendation that the Administrator either approve or deny your request. If the senior executive manager recommends approval of your request, he or she will certify in writing the accuracy of the information you have provided as evidence of exceptional skills and experience.
d. The senior executive manager in the regional chain-of-command will then forward his or her recommendation with a copy of your request to the appropriate Vice President at FAA Headquarters. Depending on the facility in which you are employed, the request will be forwarded to either the Vice President for Flight Services, the Vice President for Enroute and Oceanic Services, the Vice President for Terminal Services or the Vice President for Systems Operations. For example, if you work at a flight service station at the time that you request a waiver, the request will be forwarded to the Vice President for Flight Services.
e. The appropriate Vice President will review your request and make a written recommendation that the Administrator either approve or deny your request, which will be forwarded to the Administrator.
f. The Administrator will issue the final decision on your request.
7. If I am granted a waiver, when will it expire?
a. Waivers will be granted for a period of one year.
b. No later than 90-days prior to expiration of a waiver, you may request that the waiver be extended using the same process identified in section 6.
c. If you timely request an extension of the waiver and it is denied, you will receive a 60-day advance notice of your separation date simultaneously with notification of the denial.
d. If you do not request an extension of the waiver granted, you will receive a 60-day advance notice of your separation date.
e. Action to separate you from your covered position becomes effective on the last day of the month in which the 60-day notice expires.
8. Under what circumstances may my waiver be terminated?
ii. If you are identified as a primary contributor to an operational error/deviation or runway incursion.
b. If the waiver is terminated for either of the reasons identified in paragraph 1 of this section, the air traffic control specialist will receive a 60-day advance notice.
c. Action to separate you from your covered position becomes effective on the last day of the month in which the 60-day notice expires.
9. Appeal of denial or termination of waiver request: The denial or termination of a waiver of mandatory separation request is neither appealable nor grievable.
A person who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a resident alien is issued a certificate under subpart D of this part, outside the United States, only when the Administrator finds that the certificate is needed for the operation or continued airworthiness of a U.S.-registered civil aircraft.
(a) Application for a certificate and appropriate class rating, or for an additional rating, under this part must be made on a form and in a manner prescribed by the Administrator. Each person who applies for airmen certification services to be administered outside the United States or for any certificate or rating issued under this part must show evidence that the fee prescribed in appendix A of part 187 of this chapter has been paid.
(b) An applicant who meets the requirements of this part is entitled to an appropriate certificate and rating.
(c) Unless authorized by the Administrator, a person whose air traffic control tower operator, mechanic, or parachute rigger certificate is suspended may not apply for any rating to be added to that certificate during the period of suspension.
(2) A person whose mechanic or repairman certificate is revoked may not apply for either of those kinds of certificates for 1 year after the date of revocation.
(2) Suspension or revocation of any certificate or rating issued under this part.
A certificate and ratings effective for a period of not more than 120 days may be issued to a qualified applicant, pending review of his application and supplementary documents and the issue of the certificate and ratings for which he applied.
(a) Eligibility standard. No person is eligible to hold a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under this part when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has notified the FAA in writing that the person poses a security threat.
(b) Effect of the issuance by the TSA of an Initial Notification of Threat Assessment. (1) The FAA will hold in abeyance pending the outcome of the TSA's final threat assessment review an application for any certificate, rating, or authorization under this part by any person who has been issued an Initial Notification of Threat Assessment by the TSA.
(2) The FAA will suspend any certificate, rating, or authorization issued under this part after the TSA issues to the holder an Initial Notification of Threat Assessment.
(c) Effect of the issuance by the TSA of a Final Notification of Threat Assessment. (1) The FAA will deny an application for any certificate, rating, or authorization under this part to any person who has been issued a Final Notification of Threat Assessment.
(2) The FAA will revoke any certificate, rating, or authorization issued under this part after the TSA has issued to the holder a Final Notification of Threat Assessment.
(a) Except for repairman certificates, a certificate or rating issued under this part is effective until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
(b) Unless it is sooner surrendered, suspended, or revoked, a repairman certificate is effective until the holder is relieved from the duties for which the holder was employed and certificated.
(c) The holder of a certificate issued under this part that is suspended, revoked, or no longer effective shall return it to the Administrator.
(d) Except for temporary certificates issued under §65.13, the holder of a paper certificate issued under this part may not exercise the privileges of that certificate after March 31, 2013.
(a) An application for a change of name on a certificate issued under this part must be accompanied by the applicant's current certificate and the marriage license, court order, or other document verifying the change. The documents are returned to the applicant after inspection.
(2) Be accompanied by a check or money order for $2, payable to the Federal Aviation Administration.
(c) An application for a replacement of a lost or destroyed medical certificate is made by letter to the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Aerospace Medical Certification Division, Post Office Box 26200, Oklahoma City, OK 73125, accompanied by a check or money order for $2.00.
(d) A person whose certificate issued under this part or medical certificate, or both, has been lost may obtain a telegram from the FAA confirming that it was issued. The telegram may be carried as a certificate for a period not to exceed 60 days pending his receiving a duplicate certificate under paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, unless he has been notified that the certificate has been suspended or revoked. The request for such a telegram may be made by prepaid telegram, stating the date upon which a duplicate certificate was requested, or including the request for a duplicate and a money order for the necessary amount. The request for a telegraphic certificate should be sent to the office prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, as appropriate. However, a request for both at the same time should be sent to the office prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section.
(a) Tests prescribed by or under this part are given at times and places, and by persons, designated by the Administrator.
(b) The minimum passing grade for each test is 70 percent.
(6) Intentionally cause, assist, or participate in any act prohibited by this paragraph.
(b) No person who commits an act prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section is eligible for any airman or ground instructor certificate or rating under this chapter for a period of 1 year after the date of that act. In addition, the commission of that act is a basis for suspending or revoking any airman or ground instructor certificate or rating held by that person.
(b) Before the 30 days have expired if the applicant presents a signed statement from an airman holding the certificate and rating sought by the applicant, certifying that the airman has given the applicant additional instruction in each of the subjects failed and that the airman considers the applicant ready for retesting.
(4) Any alteration of any certificate or rating under this part.
(b) The commission by any person of an act prohibited under paragraph (a) of this section is a basis for suspending or revoking any airman or ground instructor certificate or rating held by that person.
Within 30 days after any change in his permanent mailing address, the holder of a certificate issued under this part shall notify the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Airman Certification Branch, Post Office Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125, in writing, of his new address.
Source: Docket No. 10193, 35 FR 12326, Aug. 1, 1970, unless otherwise noted.
(c) Except for a person employed by the FAA or employed by, or on active duty with, the Department of the Air Force, Army, or Navy or the Coast Guard, holds at least a second-class medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter.
(1) The airport, including rules, equipment, runways, taxiways, and obstructions.
(2) The terrain features, visual checkpoints, and obstructions within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace designated for the airport.
(3) Traffic patterns and associated procedures for use of preferential runways and noise abatement.
(5) The center, alternate airports, and those airways, routes, reporting points, and air navigation aids used for terminal air traffic control.
(6) Search and rescue procedures.
(7) Terminal air traffic control procedures and phraseology.
(8) Holding procedures, prescribed instrument approach, and departure procedures.
(9) Radar alignment and technical operation.
(10) The application of the prescribed radar and nonradar separation standard, as appropriate.
(b) As an air traffic control tower operator with a facility rating at a different control tower for at least 6 months before the date he applies for the rating.
However, an applicant who is a member of an Armed Force of the United States meets the requirements of this section if he has satisfactorily served as an air traffic control tower operator for at least 6 months.
Each applicant for a facility rating at an air traffic control tower must have passed a practical test on each item listed in §65.37 of this part that is applicable to each operating position at the control tower at which the rating is sought.
(a) The holder of a senior rating on August 31, 1970, may at any time after that date exchange his rating for a facility rating at the same air traffic control tower. However, if he does not do so before August 31, 1971, he may not thereafter exercise the privileges of his senior rating at the control tower concerned until he makes the exchange.
(b) The holder of a junior rating on August 31, 1970, may not control air traffic, at any operating position at the control tower concerned, until he has met the applicable requirements of §65.37 of this part. However, before meeting those requirements he may control air traffic under the supervision, where required, of an operator with a senior rating (or facility rating) in accordance with §65.41 of this part in effect before August 31, 1970.
(a) An air traffic control tower operator shall perform his duties in accordance with the limitations on his certificate and the procedures and practices prescribed in air traffic control manuals of the FAA, to provide for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic.
(b) An operator with a facility rating may control traffic at any operating position at the control tower at which he holds a facility rating. However, he may not issue an air traffic clearance for IFR flight without authorization from the appropriate facility exercising IFR control at that location.
(c) An operator who does not hold a facility rating for a particular control tower may act at each operating position for which he has qualified, under the supervision of an operator holding a facility rating for that control tower.
(b) For more than 10 hours during a period of 24 consecutive hours, unless he has had a rest period of at least 8 hours at or before the end of the 10 hours of duty.
(a) Except for a person employed by the FAA or employed by, or on active duty with, the Department of the Air Force, Army, or Navy, or the Coast Guard, no person may act as an air traffic control tower operator under a certificate issued to him or her under this part unless he or she has in his or her personal possession an appropriate current medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter.
(b) Each person holding an air traffic control tower operator certificate shall keep it readily available when performing duties in an air traffic control tower, and shall present that certificate or his medical certificate or both for inspection upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(c) A certificated air traffic control tower operator who does not hold a facility rating for a particular control tower may not act at any operating position at the control tower concerned unless there is maintained at that control tower, readily available to persons named in paragraph (b) of this section, a current record of the operating positions at which he has qualified.
(d) An air traffic control tower operator may not perform duties under his certificate during any period of known physical deficiency that would make him unable to meet the physical requirements for his current medical certificate. However, if the deficiency is temporary, he may perform duties that are not affected by it whenever another certificated and qualified operator is present and on duty.
(e) A certificated air traffic control tower operator may not control air traffic with equipment that the Administrator has found to be inadequate.
(f) The holder of an air traffic control tower operator certificate, or an applicant for one, shall, upon the reasonable request of the Administrator, cooperate fully in any test that is made of him.
(b) He has shown that he meets the requirements for his certificate and facility rating at the control tower concerned, or for operating at positions for which he has previously qualified.
Source: Docket No. FAA–1998–4553, 64 FR 68923, Dec. 8, 1999, unless otherwise noted.
(a) No person may act as an aircraft dispatcher (exercising responsibility with the pilot in command in the operational control of a flight) in connection with any civil aircraft in air commerce unless that person has in his or her personal possession an aircraft dispatcher certificate issued under this subpart.
(b) Each person who holds an aircraft dispatcher certificate must present it for inspection upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(a) To be eligible to take the aircraft dispatcher knowledge test, a person must be at least 21 years of age.
(5) Comply with the requirements of §65.57 of this part.
(13) Crew resource management, including crew communication and coordination.
(b) The applicant must present documentary evidence satisfactory to the administrator of having passed an aircraft dispatcher knowledge test within the preceding 24 calendar months.
(ii) A Flight Service Specialist.
(4) In aircraft operations, performing other duties that the Administrator finds provide equivalent experience.
(b) A statement of graduation issued or revalidated in accordance with §65.70(b) of this part, showing that the person has successfully completed an approved aircraft dispatcher course.
An applicant for an aircraft dispatcher certificate must pass a practical test given by the Administrator, with respect to any one type of large aircraft used in air carrier operations. The practical test must be based on the aircraft dispatcher practical test standards, as published by the FAA, on the items outlined in appendix A of this part.
(2) Include a minimum of 200 hours of instruction.
(b) An applicant for approval of an aircraft dispatcher course must submit an outline that describes the major topics and subtopics to be covered and the number of hours proposed for each.
(c) Additional subject headings for an aircraft dispatcher certification course may also be included, however the hours proposed for any subjects not listed in appendix A of this part must be in addition to the minimum 200 course hours required in paragraph (a) of this section.
(d) For the purpose of completing an approved course, a student may substitute previous experience or training for a portion of the minimum 200 hours of training. The course operator determines the number of hours of credit based on an evaluation of the experience or training to determine if it is comparable to portions of the approved course curriculum. The credit allowed, including the total hours and the basis for it, must be placed in the student's record required by §65.70(a) of this part.
(4) Accompanied by a list of the instructors and their qualifications.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, on the date that any change in ownership of the school occurs.
(2) The aircraft dispatcher certification course continues to meet the requirements of this subpart for course approval.
(d) Course revisions. Requests for approval of a revision of the course outline, facilities, or equipment must be in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. Proposed revisions of the course outline or the description of facilities and equipment must be submitted in a format that will allow an entire page or pages of the approved outline or description to be removed and replaced by any approved revision. The list of instructors may be revised at any time without request for approval, provided the minimum requirements of §65.67 of this part are maintained and the Administrator is notified in writing.
(e) Withdrawal or cancellation of approval. Failure to continue to meet the requirements of this subpart for the approval or operation of an approved aircraft dispatcher certification course is grounds for withdrawal of approval of the course. A course operator may request cancellation of course approval by a letter to the Administrator. The operator must forward any records to the FAA as requested by the Administrator.
(2) No change in the facilities, personnel, or approved aircraft dispatcher certification course is involved.
(g) Change in name or location. A change in name or location of an approved aircraft dispatcher certification course does not invalidate the approval if, within 10 days after the date that any change in name or location occurs, the course operator of the part 65, appendix A-approved course notifies the Administrator, in writing, of the change.
An applicant for approval of authority to operate an aircraft dispatcher course of study must have facilities, equipment, and materials adequate to provide each student the theoretical and practical aspects of aircraft dispatching. Each room, training booth, or other space used for instructional purposes must be temperature controlled, lighted, and ventilated to conform to local building, sanitation, and health codes. In addition, the training facility must be so located that the students in that facility are not distracted by the instruction conducted in other rooms.
(1) Each applicant must have adequate personnel, including one instructor who holds an aircraft dispatcher certificate and is available to coordinate all training course instruction.
(2) Each applicant must not exceed a ratio of 25 students for one instructor.
(1) The names of all students who graduated, together with the results of their aircraft dispatcher certification courses.
(2) The names of all the students who failed or withdrew, together with the results of their aircraft dispatcher certification courses or the reasons for their withdrawal.
(b) Each student who successfully completes the approved aircraft dispatcher certification course must be given a written statement of graduation, which is valid for 90 days. After 90 days, the course operator may revalidate the graduation certificate for an additional 90 days if the course operator determines that the student remains proficient in the subject areas listed in appendix A of this part.
(4) Comply with the sections of this subpart that apply to the rating he seeks.
(b) A certificated mechanic who applies for an additional rating must meet the requirements of §65.77 and, within a period of 24 months, pass the tests prescribed by §§65.75 and 65.79 for the additional rating sought.
(b) A mechanic certificate with an aircraft or aircraft engine rating, or both, that was issued before, and was valid on, June 15, 1952, is equal to a mechanic certificate with an airframe or powerplant rating, or both, as the case may be, and may be exchanged for such a corresponding certificate and rating or ratings.
(a) Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must, after meeting the applicable experience requirements of §65.77, pass a written test covering the construction and maintenance of aircraft appropriate to the rating he seeks, the regulations in this subpart, and the applicable provisions of parts 43 and 91 of this chapter. The basic principles covering the installation and maintenance of propellers are included in the powerplant test.
(b) The applicant must pass each section of the test before applying for the oral and practical tests prescribed by §65.79. A report of the written test is sent to the applicant.
(b) At least 30 months of practical experience concurrently performing the duties appropriate to both the airframe and powerplant ratings.
Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must pass an oral and a practical test on the rating he seeks. The tests cover the applicant's basic skill in performing practical projects on the subjects covered by the written test for that rating. An applicant for a powerplant rating must show his ability to make satisfactory minor repairs to, and minor alterations of, propellers.
Whenever an aviation maintenance technician school certificated under part 147 of this chapter shows to an FAA inspector that any of its students has made satisfactory progress at the school and is prepared to take the oral and practical tests prescribed by §65.79, that student may take those tests during the final subjects of his training in the approved curriculum, before he meets the applicable experience requirements of §65.77 and before he passes each section of the written test prescribed by §65.75.
(a) A certificated mechanic may perform or supervise the maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration of an aircraft or appliance, or a part thereof, for which he is rated (but excluding major repairs to, and major alterations of, propellers, and any repair to, or alteration of, instruments), and may perform additional duties in accordance with §§65.85, 65.87, and 65.95. However, he may not supervise the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration of, or approve and return to service, any aircraft or appliance, or part thereof, for which he is rated unless he has satisfactorily performed the work concerned at an earlier date. If he has not so performed that work at an earlier date, he may show his ability to do it by performing it to the satisfaction of the Administrator or under the direct supervision of a certificated and appropriately rated mechanic, or a certificated repairman, who has had previous experience in the specific operation concerned.
(b) A certificated mechanic may not exercise the privileges of his certificate and rating unless he understands the current instructions of the manufacturer, and the maintenance manuals, for the specific operation concerned.
(4) Been engaged in any combination of paragraph (b) (1), (2), or (3) of this section.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a certificated mechanic with an airframe rating may approve and return to service an airframe, or any related part or appliance, after he has performed, supervised, or inspected its maintenance or alteration (excluding major repairs and major alterations). In addition, he may perform the 100-hour inspection required by part 91 of this chapter on an airframe, or any related part or appliance, and approve and return it to service.
(b) A certificated mechanic with an airframe rating can approve and return to service an airframe, or any related part or appliance, of an aircraft with a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category after performing and inspecting a major repair or major alteration for products that are not produced under an FAA approval provided the work was performed in accordance with instructions developed by the manufacturer or a person acceptable to the FAA.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating may approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller or any related part or appliance, after he has performed, supervised, or inspected its maintenance or alteration (excluding major repairs and major alterations). In addition, he may perform the 100-hour inspection required by part 91 of this chapter on a powerplant or propeller, or any part thereof, and approve and return it to service.
(b) A certificated mechanic with a powerplant rating can approve and return to service a powerplant or propeller, or any related part or appliance, of an aircraft with a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category after performing and inspecting a major repair or major alteration for products that are not produced under an FAA approval, provided the work was performed in accordance with instructions developed by the manufacturer or a person acceptable to the FAA.
Each person who holds a mechanic certificate shall keep it within the immediate area where he normally exercises the privileges of the certificate and shall present it for inspection upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(a) An application for an inspection authorization is made on a form and in a manner prescribed by the Administrator.
(b) An applicant who meets the requirements of this section is entitled to an inspection authorization.
(5) Pass a written test on his ability to inspect according to safety standards for returning aircraft to service after major repairs and major alterations and annual and progressive inspections performed under part 43 of this chapter.
(a) Each inspection authorization expires on March 31 of each odd-numbered year. However, the holder may exercise the privileges of that authorization only while he holds a currently effective mechanic certificate with both a currently effective airframe rating and a currently effective powerplant rating.
(1) The authorization is surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
(2) The holder no longer has a fixed base of operation.
(3) The holder no longer has the equipment, facilities, and inspection data required by §65.91(c) (3) and (4) for issuance of his authorization.
(c) The holder of an inspection authorization that is suspended or revoked shall, upon the Administrator's request, return it to the Administrator.
(5) Passed an oral test by an FAA inspector to determine that the applicant's knowledge of applicable regulations and standards is current.
(1) for less than 90 days before the expiration date need not comply with paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this section.
(2) for less than 90 days before March 31 of an even-numbered year need not comply with paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this section for the first year of the 2-year inspection authorization period.
(c) An inspection authorization holder who does not complete one of the activities set forth in §65.93(a) (1) through (5) of this section by March 31 of the first year of the 2-year inspection authorization period may not exercise inspection authorization privileges after March 31 of the first year. The inspection authorization holder may resume exercising inspection authorization privileges after passing an oral test from an FAA inspector to determine that the applicant's knowledge of the applicable regulations and standards is current. An inspection authorization holder who passes this oral test is deemed to have completed the requirements of §65.93(a) (1) through (5) by March 31 of the first year.
(2) Perform an annual, or perform or supervise a progressive inspection according to §§43.13 and 43.15 of this chapter.
(b) When he exercises the privileges of an inspection authorization the holder shall keep it available for inspection by the aircraft owner, the mechanic submitting the aircraft, repair, or alteration for approval (if any), and shall present it upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(c) If the holder of an inspection authorization changes his fixed base of operation, he may not exercise the privileges of the authorization until he has notified the FAA Flight Standards District Office or International Field Office for the area in which the new base is located, in writing, of the change.
(b) This section does not apply to the issuance of a repairman certificate (experimental aircraft builder) under §65.104 or to a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) under §65.107.
(a) A certificated repairman may perform or supervise the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration of aircraft or aircraft components appropriate to the job for which the repairman was employed and certificated, but only in connection with duties for the certificate holder by whom the repairman was employed and recommended.
(b) A certificated repairman may not perform or supervise duties under the repairman certificate unless the repairman understands the current instructions of the certificate holder by whom the repairman is employed and the manufacturer's instructions for continued airworthiness relating to the specific operations concerned.
(c) This section does not apply to the holder of a repairman certificate (light-sport aircraft) while that repairman is performing work under that certificate.
(4) Be a citizen of the United States or an individual citizen of a foreign country who has lawfully been admitted for permanent residence in the United States.
(b) The holder of a repairman certificate (experimental aircraft builder) may perform condition inspections on the aircraft constructed by the holder in accordance with the operating limitations of that aircraft.
(c) Section 65.103 does not apply to the holder of a repairman certificate (experimental aircraft builder) while performing under that certificate.
Each person who holds a repairman certificate shall keep it within the immediate area where he normally exercises the privileges of the certificate and shall present it for inspection upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(a) No person may pack, maintain, or alter any personnel-carrying parachute intended for emergency use in connection with civil aircraft of the United States (including the reserve parachute of a dual parachute system to be used for intentional parachute jumping) unless that person holds an appropriate current certificate and type rating issued under this subpart and complies with §§65.127 through 65.133.
(4) Is the parachutist in command making the next parachute jump with that parachute in a tandem parachute operation conducted under §105.45(b)(1) of this chapter.
(d) Each person who holds a parachute rigger certificate shall present it for inspection upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or of any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer.
(f) Sections 65.127 through 65.133 do not apply to parachutes packed, maintained, or altered for the use of the armed forces.
(3) Comply with the sections of this subpart that apply to the certificate and type rating he seeks.
(b) Except for a master parachute rigger certificate, a parachute rigger certificate that was issued before, and was valid on, October 31, 1962, is equal to a senior parachute rigger certificate, and may be exchanged for such a corresponding certificate.
(c) Pass an oral and practical test showing his ability to pack and maintain at least one type of parachute in common use, appropriate to the type rating he seeks.
(c) Has the experience required by §65.115(a).
(2) While under the supervision of a certificated and appropriately rated parachute rigger or a person holding appropriate military ratings.
An applicant may combine experience specified in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section to meet the requirements of this paragraph.
(3) The regulations of this subpart.
(c) Pass an oral and practical test showing his ability to pack and maintain two types of parachutes in common use, appropriate to the type ratings he seeks.
(b) The holder of a senior parachute rigger certificate who qualifies for a master parachute rigger certificate is entitled to have placed on his master parachute rigger certificate the ratings that were on his senior parachute rigger certificate.
(b) Pass a practical test, to the satisfaction of the Administrator, showing his ability to pack and maintain the type of parachute for which he seeks a rating.
(2) Supervise other persons in packing any type of parachute for which that person is rated in accordance with §105.43(a) or §105.45(b)(1) of this chapter.
(2) Supervise other persons in packing, maintaining, or altering any type of parachute for which the certificated parachute rigger is rated in accordance with §105.43(a) or §105.45(b)(1) of this chapter.
(c) A certificated parachute rigger need not comply with §§65.127 through 65.133 (relating to facilities, equipment, performance standards, records, recent experience, and seal) in packing, maintaining, or altering (if authorized) the main parachute of a dual parachute pack to be used for intentional jumping.
(a) A smooth top table at least three feet wide by 40 feet long.
(b) Suitable housing that is adequately heated, lighted, and ventilated for drying and airing parachutes.
(c) Enough packing tools and other equipment to pack and maintain the types of parachutes that he services.
(d) Adequate housing facilities to perform his duties and to protect his tools and equipment.
(2) Shown the Administrator that he is able to perform those duties.
(6) The results of any drop tests made with it.
(b) Each person who makes a record under paragraph (a) of this section shall keep it for at least 2 years after the date it is made.
(c) Each certificated parachute rigger who packs a parachute shall write, on the parachute packing record attached to the parachute, the date and place of the packing and a notation of any defects he finds on inspection. He shall sign that record with his name and the number of his certificate.
Each certificated parachute rigger must have a seal with an identifying mark prescribed by the Administrator, and a seal press. After packing a parachute he shall seal the pack with his seal in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation for that type of parachute.
This appendix sets forth the areas of knowledge necessary to perform dispatcher functions. The items listed below indicate the minimum set of topics that must be covered in a training course for aircraft dispatcher certification. The order of coverage is at the discretion of the approved school. For the latest technological advancements refer to the Practical Test Standards as published by the FAA.
(1) The earth's motion and its effects on weather.
(c) Temperature Effects on Pressure.
(f) Pressure Pattern Flying Weather.
(a) Major Wind Systems and Coriolis Force.
(b) Jetstreams and their Characteristics.
(c) Local Wind and Related Terms.
(a) Solids, Liquid, and Gases.
(b) Causes of change of state.
(a) Composition, Formation, and Dissipation.
(b) Types and Associated Precipitation.
(c) Use of Cloud Knowledge in Forecasting.
(a) Causes, Formation, and Dissipation.
(a) Temperature Lapse Rate, Convection.
(c) Use of Airmass Knowledge in Forecasting.
(a) Structure and Characteristics, Both Vertical and Horizontal.
(e) Causes, Formation, and Dissipation.
(i) Observations made by certified weather observer.
(c) Significant En route Reports and Forecasts.
(iv) Winds and Temperature Aloft.
(vi) Composite Moisture Stability Chart.
(vii) Surface Weather Prognostic Chart.
(x) Other charts as applicable.
(e) Meteorological Information Data Collection Systems.
(2) Data Collection, Analysis, and Forecast Facilities.
(3) Service Outlets Providing Aviation Weather Products.
(3) Restrictions to Surface Visibility.
(1) Time reference and location (0 Longitude, UTC).
B. Chart Reading, Application, and Use.
(4) Minimums and the relationship to weather.
G. Special Navigation and Operations.
(4) Air Conditioning and Pressurization.
(5) Ice and Rain protection.
(6) Avionics, Communication, and Navigation.
(7) Powerplants and Auxiliary Power Units.
(8) Emergency and Abnormal Procedures.
(9) Fuel Systems and Sources.
C. Minimum Equipment List/Configuration Deviation List (MEL/CDL) and Applications.
C. Voice and Data Communications.
D. Notice to Airmen (NOTAMS).
C. Airspace classification and route structure.
A. Security measures on the ground.
B. Security measures in the air.
C. FAA responsibility and services.
D. Collection and dissemination of information on overdue or missing aircraft.
E. Means of declaring an emergency.
F. Responsibility for declaring an emergency.
G. Required reporting of an emergency.
(b) Generation and Evaluation of Alternatives.
(c) Support Tools and Technologies.
(i) Individual and Organizational Factors.
(a) Communication and Information Exchange.
(b) Cooperative and Distributed Problem-Solving.
(i) Air Traffic Control (ATC) activities and workload.
(ii) Flightcrew activities and workload.
(iii) Maintenance activities and workload.
(iv) Operations Control Staff activities and workload.
(1) Briefing techniques, Dispatcher, Pilot.
(ii) Upper and lower altitude charts.
(iii) Significant en route reports and forecasts.
(vi) Terminal forecasts and orientation to Enhanced Weather Information System (EWINS).
(c) NOTAMS and airport conditions.
(ii) Navigation instruments and avionics systems.
(iv) Operations manuals and MEL/CDL.
1. Standard Instrument Departures and Standard Terminal Arrival Routes.
4. Departure and arrival charts.
(h) Economics of flight overview (Performance, Fuel Tankering).
(i) Decision to operate the flight.
(j) ATC flight plan filing.
(3) Authorize flight departure with concurrence of pilot in command.
(c) Amend original flight release as required. | 2019-04-23T21:50:48Z | http://www.air.flyingway.com/books/far/far-part65.htm |
There are three readings due this week: Friedberg & McClure Chapters 8 & 9 and Friedberg et al. (2000). Address the following two discussion points: (1) Identify at least two concerns that you have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents. (2) What are your thoughts about the use of modified thought records (or other modified CBT techniques) with children (e.g., PANDY 3-column thought diary)? Your original post should be posted by the beginning of class 6/26. Have your two replies no later than 6/28. *Please remember to click the “reply” button when posting a reply. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the blog postings.
1) Throughout the readings assigned for this week, I came across a couple of, what I would consider, concerns that I would have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents. The first concern I have is in regards to systematic desensitization and exposure therapy. I feel as though I would not only have to encompass the necessary skills and techniques needed, but I would also have to feel very competent in myself and in my ability to tolerate any discomfort of seeing the child experiencing a great deal of unpleasant emotions. I would need to know that there would be no way that implementing SD and exposure techniques would lead to potential harm to my client. Since children and adolescents are shaped by negative experiences, I would not want to have that kind of impact on my clients. Another concern I had in regards to CBT strategies with youth was the “TOE” method discussed in chapter 8 and also the implementation of workbooks in therapy. These two strategies may be limited with children and adolescents who do not have the cognitive/intellectual ability to understand and carry out techniques that are introduced. It may be very difficult for a child and/or adolescent to not only attempt to confirm/disconfirm thoughts, but also to try and think of alternate ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Age, developmental level, and maturity are factors that I would take into consideration when implementing certain CBT strategies with youth. A third concern that came up was when reading the Friedberg article in regards to using the “My Thought Feeling Organizer Book”. I simply did not see this as being an activity that would hold a child and/or adolescent’s attention, nor would it be something that they would likely want to complete as a homework assignment.
2) I liked the components of the modified thought records that were incorporated in the PANDY program. I think that the modified thought records are very engaging for young children, particularly with the coloring and drawing components. I think that it is a very efficient way of having the child identify how he or she feels, how intense the feeling is, and what he or she is thinking based on that feeling. From there, the therapist can ask why the child feels/thinks in such a way, what can be done to resolve the thought/feeling, etc. I can see the simplified three-column thought record being effective with young children in channeling their inner workings, and doing so in a fun and developmentally appropriate manner. I also really liked how the PANDY program used metaphors to explain CBT components, such as the “thought digger” and also how a child character is used via videotapes to describe such components. That way, children and adolescents who watch the video will acquire a sense of relatedness that will hopefully facilitate therapeutic change.
Taylor- I never thought of SD and exposure in that manner. It was very enlightening to hear your thoughts on it. When I originally read it I thought that it was a necessary component that probably couldnt be avoided since it has such therapeutic value, however I can see your concerns to OUR own thoughts and feelings when needing to put a child in such a place. Now I am reconsidering it! I also thought your comments on the Organizer Book were insightful and probably very true as well. Keeping a child on one task especially one they are not interested in can pose to be a huge challenge. I wonder if we have learned some other techniques or maybe the others in the class have some ideas has to how to use the “Thought, Feeling Organizer Book” in a manner that would keep the attention of the client??
Taylor, I completely agree with you about the exposure therapy with children and adolescents. One of our previous readings brought up the issue of being able to sett aside our own “discomfort” for the better of the child. I have thought about what that first experience with trying to administer this type of therapy with a child; it would certainly take me a while to fully conceptualize that the techniques will make them better.
Your mention of exposure therapy is interesting. It hadn’t occurred to me the downside to such techniques relative to the therapists well-being. But the idea that I may have to cause a child significant distress in such a way is something that I find very problematic personally. Although I also wonder, for the younger children especially, if the use of such techniques could have a negative impact on the therapeutic bond: A young child will not be able to gather the same comprehension of why we are putting him/her into such distressing situations, I can’t help but wonder if this could lead to issues in trust between the child and therapist.
1) So I have to admit, out of all of the techniques suggested for children I was uncomfortable with the progressive muscle relaxation. Not because I don’t think it would be useful but because I think it takes a particular mind to be able to actually implement it into ones life. For instance, (and this is not a dig at all!!) those who do yoga are very good at finding a “zen” – have this capability to relax their body and clear their mind. Thats the idea I get when you do progressive muscle relaxation. I have actually done this with clients when I was assisting on a doctorate level Ph.D dissertation and even as I was implementing it I couldn’t see myself or any of the adults sitting in front of me doing this outside of the controlled area. Thus with that small rant, I cant imagine it would work with children. To get them to sit still, relax their body and focus on each muscle seems like a stretch. I think its a great technique especially those who suffer from severe anxiety I just find it hard to believe it can be used with children, effectively. Second, I thought the TOE would be hard to implement with children. I think the idea of it is great and useful I just also think that it needs to be age appropriate/cognitive ability all need to be considered. Even for adults, we hold onto the negative and find every reason to dismiss the evidence against our thoughts. Children/adolescents who do not see a problem with their behavior, feels and thoughts would have a difficult time completing this task.
2) Thus far in my internship I have been worried that I would not have the ability to implement all of these great CBT techniques with children. After the readings this week I have had a moment of relief wash over me! I think the PANDY 3-column thought record could be very useful and easily implemented into therapy with children and adolescents. At one point when the authors talked about coloring in the stop light I wanted to fill out this form over the adult version!! Although I can see the challenges with just starting to implement this technique and how it might be difficult I think this version is a good start to using the thought record in an age appropriate way. I thought the PANDY design was a good shortened, age appropriate version of a thought record for children that has great potential for use in the therapeutic session.
Ashley, I have read so many texts, journal articles, etc. about progressive muscle relaxation with children, and it never occurred to me that it might not work because they are kids, and they probably couldn’t handle it/hold still for long enough to focus. Now that you have brought it to my attention, it makes perfect sense 🙂 I would think that children with anxiety, or those with ADHD most likely wouldnt do well with prolonged muscle relaxation techniques. I have used a few really brief “tricks” with some of the kids that I have worked with that seem to work well…One of my favorites was “Smell the flowers, and blow the bubbles” (breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth). Although this isnt technically a muscle relaxation technique, it still calmed them when they were in a stressful situation, and then we could discuss it afterwards.
That is funny you say you used that “Smell the Flowers and Blow the Bubble” technique Becca because I use that one all the time too but never considered it as anything more than that. Maybe I was wrong and with a modified (shortened) version of Progressive Muscle Relaxation it could be very useful for children. I know when I used it, it was a long, slow process. Maybe children can use it just in a quicker fashion.
Along the lines of smell the flowers and blow out the bubbles, which is a FANTASTIC idea for deep breathing technique for little ones (thank you), I wanted to add that I have seen the progressive muscle relaxation shown and termed as “Gumby Body”. Maybe that will have to be updated as I’m sure many of today’s kids have no idea who Gumby is, but it examples another way to modify CBT techniques to kid-friendly terms.
After reading chapter 8 & 9 in Friedberg and McClure’s text, I have a few concerns about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents. First, I think the implementation of a hierarchical ranking scale (for anxiety stimuli or otherwise) may be difficult because unless at the polar extremes (I am extremely stressed or not stressed at all), children may have difficulty ranking where in the scale the stimuli may fall. I know that as an adult I would most likely have difficulty establishing this scale, so for children and adolescents who are still learning about their feelings, this may be a challenging task to complete. I would agree that identifying the stimuli/stressors may be less difficult, but accurately placing them on the scale may be the tricky part. For example, when working with children on the spectrum, we have used something called The Incredible 5-Point Scale which is a simple visual tool that shows the numbers 1-5 and allows the child to assess their stress/emotion level at any given point during the day (1 is feeling great, 5 is angry and ready to explode). After having used it for years, I think that it is a great tool, but I don’t necessarily think that the kids can accurately assess their feelings, especially when they are not upset. I would regularly make a point to present the scale to them even if they weren’t upset (happy and having a great day), so I could see where their self assessment was, and rarely would it coincide with their presentation of mood. I don’t think they were deliberately misrepresenting their feelings, it just seems like they didn’t know exactly what they were feeling, or how to express it. Although this is not what a hierarchy scale is/does, it seemed like a similar example.
Also, Lazarus’s time projection method of problem solving seems like something that both a child and adolescent would have difficulty grasping, but for different reasons. For a child, I think that to assume their ability to effectively apply a situation to a time frame that is as far into the future as 5 years is not reasonable. Children certainly worry about the future, but I don’t think that they can visualize this concept in a therapeutic way. When considering adolescents, I would think that this method would be even less effective because so much of their lives is in the here-and-now. Time projection seems like it would be an effective adult method of therapy because adults are more able to see what lies ahead of them in their future.
Finally, I’m not sure that I like the use of masks in problem solving with children because it may encourage the child to think like the person on the mask, rather than like themselves. In the example, Kyle chose Harry Potter. Although the dialogue is not provided, Kyle may have determined that the solution to the problem was to conjure up a magical spell and fly around, which is of course not a rational solution, and may create a new challenge if the child has fantasy issues. In the end, I think there are methods of not putting the child on the spot that don’t involve asking the child to problem solve like a fictional character.
I think that the modified CBT tools used in the PANDY program are an excellent representation of the traditional CBT techniques, but definitely more appropriate for the level of a child client. I agree with the rationale that traditional methods of CBT would be too complex and too tedious for the typical child client. However the modified methods that are used in the PANDY program simplify the fundamental components of the CBT tools, and make them engaging for children. I especially liked the 3-column thought diary because it encourages the connection between feelings and thoughts in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way.
Becca, I agree with your thoughts about the ranking. Like you had said the rating on a scale of 1 to 5 seems more tangible for children and like it would work better. That is also a really good point you brought up about the masks!
Becca, I found your concerns on the time projection method of problem solving to be interesting and valid. Children do not have the same capacity as children to think about the future, and, although adolescents have the understanding, they are focused on themselves in the present. I also think this would be a difficult thing to work on with both age groups.
I agree with your point that The Incredible 5-Point Scale would be a difficult task for children and adolescents because it would be hard to rank different events in association with different intensity levels of emotions.
However, in regards to Lazarus’ projection of method of problem solving, I agree that it would be very difficult to conceptualize for children and early teens. On the other hand, I feel like this type of activity could be really useful with older teens who are starting to reach the developmental level in which they are able to consider the future and see what lies ahead of them.
I think the use of creating masks in problem solving could be effective when used with an appropriate age group. I think with younger children that engage in pretend play, having a mask represent a hero figure and learning to think to themselves about what their role model would do in a situation, it has the potential to help children learn to think before acting and regulate emotions. It’s a similar activity to the PANDY modified thought records for young kids because it uses fun activities and characters that kids can relate to in order to teach new skills in a developmentally sensitive manner.
Becca, I had not thought of the ranking in such a manner. Originally I thought it would be a simple and useful task but now that you brought it up I can see why it would be difficult. I think even I would have trouble indicating my rankings. Very good point you brought up there. Maybe it can still be used on a smaller scale just as you have described with your 5-point scale. Can that be a starting point to help children learn than build it up to a hierarchical rating?
I would definitely think so. I would probably start at the most and least extreme, and then work in from there. The best part of the ranking in my opinion is it helps to teach the child to recognize what they are feeling/thinking/doing that is causing the issue. As they get better at it, they can begin to assess it on their own.
One concern that I have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents is that while many children really like doing activities and work sheets some children will be very resistant to them as well as some adolescents. Even now, there are some students that I have worked with that will tell me that they will not do the activity because it is “stupid.” I am not really sure what I would do or how I would respond to a situation like this one. I would definitely make sure that everything that I would present to my clients would be developmentally appropriate but even then some clients will not do the activity and work sheet because they feel it is childish. I would hopefully have other things planned as a backup just in case this came up. If I try a couple of ideas for activities and nothing was working I am not sure what to do besides talk with the child about what he or she is not keen on. Another concern that I have about implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents is the “responsibility pie chart.” I really like the concept of having clients split a tangible item in to pieces, either with clay or by cutting a circle or even by drawing a pie chart, but I am concerned about what I would do if my client that I am with makes the biggest piece about them in a negative way. It is one thing when reading the book chapter and the vignettes show clients making small pieces about them but in session it might not happen and I am not sure how to turn it around so that way the child gets the right message from the exercise while allowing them to really decide how much of the situation is their fault versus other faults.
I think the modified versions of the CBT techniques are a good thing for children. Many times they are so concrete and so they need to have things like thought records broken down into smaller parts so that they can make the connections between thoughts and feelings. I also like how the PANDY program is coming up with a set of videos that help therapists with the psychoeducation part of therapy. By using the videos, the child can see a young actor playing different roles to explain different scenarios. Children are also hooked on screens, be it television or videogames, and so this is a better way to engage them in therapy on their level because having the therapist talk using a lot of technical terms would make the child zone out and not want to pay attention to what is going on.
Sara, I also share your concerns about children and (definitely) adolescents thinking that activities that I present to them are stupid or childish, and then now knowing how to proceed. Because I have worked with little kids for so long, my transition to high school aged students is a move where this concern definitely comes into play. After posting my comment yesterday about “smelling the flowers and blowing the bubbles” I started thinking about how that would go over if I said it to a 17 year old, and decided that I should probably rethink my strategies 🙂 I guess in the end, it is more trial and error than anything. We learn the skills, but application of the skills is a different thing entirely, and certain age, developmental, diagnostic groups may or may not respond in the way that we hope.
My best idea at this point is to ask the individual what they would do to improve the activity if they reject it as being stupid or childish. That way you get ideas from their point of view, you are validating their feelings of not wanting to participate, and you are showing them that their ideas matter.
Sara, I share your concern regarding what to do when children do not want to do activities because they find them “stupid”. What further complicates this issue is that every child is different, so they will respond to different things. What works to motivate one child may not work on another. Even if they agree to try an activity, if they are not completely engaged it is not going to be fully effective. At my internship, what I have seen the clinicians do is split their sessions with the kids. The clinician chooses the activity for the first part (worksheets, therapeutic games, etc) and, gives the child a little time at the end to pick something they want to do. It seems like this is a good way to handle this problem.
I agree with your statements about the difficulties of employing certain activities with adolescents especially. I also believe this is why engaging the adolescent by using a topic on something he/she likes or enjoys doing can be very important. Adolescents who are resistant to therapy can definitely cause problems, but I feel this is an obstacle that can also be overcome by individualizing the therapy to the specific client and including the clients personal interests/activities into therapeutic activities in anyway possible.
1) Two of the main concerns I have for implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents are a test of evidence (TOE) and Lazarus’ time projection. Utilizing the TOE successfully may depend more on the child’s age and cognitive ability compared to other CBT strategies. It requires a level of insight that may prove rather difficult for some children. It may not be the most appropriate intervention for children on the spectrum, for example. Time projection also requires some insight and appreciation of consequences that may not be effective for some children and adolescents. While children are capable of thinking about their future, they may struggle to accurately connect their actions to long-term consequences. Adolescents may realize the possible long-term consequences of their actions but do those actions anyway because they think it won’t happen to them.
2) Modified thought records like the PANDY 3 appears to be helpful to children with anxiety, depression, and anger issues to better express their feelings, and to realize the interaction between their thoughts, feelings, and situations. Since even adults can have trouble with completing thought records whether based on ability or motivation, it is all the more important to present simpler and more interesting thought records to children. PANDY 3 with its use of pictures and symbols seems to be rather child-friendly and invites them to actively explore their thoughts and feelings rather than view it as a tedious worksheet. Despite the accompanying videos that help in this task, some children may not readily take to thought records. They may be too depressed or defiant to accomplish them or may lack the cognitive abilities to effectively complete them. However, a PANDY 3 thought record may be useful for many children to therapeutically express their thoughts and emotions without it feeling like it is extra work.
Robert, I really like your insight about the problems with time projection. With ADHD being so prevalent, it seems like a bit of a stretch to ask them to cognizant of time out very far from right now. However, it might be useful for kids who have suicidal ideations by encouraging them to think about future events in their lives and getting them away from the “in the moment” thinking they may be dwelling on.
Robert, I agree with your thoughts on the TOE and Lazarus techniques. Both of these require more advanced cognitive skills that some children have not developed yet. With children it’s usually better to be more concrete as this is how their thinking works.
Robert, I quite agree with your evaluation of the PANDY 3 column thought record. I think that it is presented in a format that is more approachable for children. Children tend to shy away from anything that even appears like homework so the authors, I thought, did a great job of simplifying a thought record but retaining the basic concepts.
Robert, I like how you described the CBT strategies and the concerns that you had I agree with you that depending on the developmental level of the child, these strategies may be difficult. Children only possess the mental capacity to do so much and while some may be more advanced than others, the work required from these two strategies may present difficulty for some if not most. Using techniques are appropriate and specific to that child is important for fostering more long-term outcomes.
1) Through the reading one concern that came up was about how children acquire skills and how they need in vivo experiences to practice the new skills. With adults you can usually have the imagine situations and how they would use their new skills for practice, but children may not be able to do this. They need to be able to practice skills in a real-life difficult situation. I can imagine that it may be hard to allow such situations to occur or to create them when needed, so it may be more difficult for kids to practice in therapy. Another concern that came up for me was about family involvement and commitment. Friedberg & McClure discussed techniques such as contingency management and activity scheduling, and how these would require the child’s family to commit and follow through with the interventions. As we’ve discussed in class, parents may not always be cooperative with the therapist or skilled in implementing the interventions for many reasons. If the family is not committed and does not follow through with the interventions, it will be much more difficult for the child to make changes.
2) As Freidberg (2000) discussed, there are many reasons that children may have difficulty with traditional CBT techniques such as finding the task boring, unengaging, or too difficult, so I think that using modified CBT techniques necessary for therapy to be effective. As long as the technique is still based on the same CBT concepts, I think modified techniques such as the PANDY thought record would be useful. I did like the PANDY thought record as it still contained the same concept for identifying feelings and thoughts associated with a situation, but made it into an activity that would be engaging and doable for children.
Juliana, I also think it would be difficult to do in vivo exposure with children when they cannot necessarily imagine the situation. Sometimes time restraints or even parents wishes will not let us therapists meet the child out in public to work on real life situations. Because of this we need to do a lot to make sure that we come up with similar real life situations for the children to work through. Children who are very good at coming up with imaginative play may, on the other hand, do very well with imagining the situation in therapy sessions so they can practice, but this may not work for every child, especially those who are concrete thinkers.
I definitely agree that some kids may be better than others when using imaginal techniques. I’m doing my internship in a therapeutic day school for kids with social and emotional problems, and they’ve already been telling me that many of the kids have a hard time with imagining things when it applies to themselves (they may even be good at imagining how someone else might feel/think/act, but have more trouble when applying things personally), so that would pose a challenge.
I understand your concern for activities with children in therapy that require the family to commit and follow through with interventions. When you are working with a family that often doesn’t follow through, teaching activities like active ignoring, time outs and behavior contingencies often backfire. Their child or teen’s behaviors can become worse because parents will start to use the skills from sessions without consistently following through with consequences. In cases like these, doing interventions like this could cause more harm than good if families don’t follow through.
Juliana, I agree with you completely in that techniques such as exposure may be difficult with children. I also discussed this in my post and the idea that sometimes with adult, one exposure session can be beneficial and a phobia, for example may be managed. On the other hand, with children, I suppose that therapy will need to take place for a longer period of time in order to ensure that the child is competent in the skills that are being taught. Moreover, family involvement is one aspect that will be difficult to predict and/or control. I do not plan to work with children but I imagine working with a difficult or uncooperative family would have an impact on the child’s motivation to engage. The environment which the child engages outside of therapy is just as influential as the work being done within the clinic.
1) Two concerns that I have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents are that I will feel an urge to be too directive, and that I may miss an opportunity to identify a distortion that could be explored and challenged.
Many of the interventions described in the Friedberg and McClure chapters remind the therapist not to “preempt the brainstorming”, such as in basic problem-solving, allowing the child to come up with the alternative solutions. Because I am a direct person, I find that part of the process challenging and something I am already seeing as an area that I need to keep in check.
In the Friedberg and McClure book, they offer very smooth interactions where the therapist neatly interjects input at just the right time to help the individual think about and evaluate something they just said. When I am listening to an adolescent speak about things that are bothering him or her, I feel that I should say something about what they just said, but I feel as though I’m interrupting, rather than providing an opportunity for them to question their automatic thoughts. I worry about getting proficient at knowing when to interrupt and when to let them continue speaking. I hope this “feel” will be more natural as time progresses.
2) I like the idea of modifying thought records, as long as they are still applicable as they were meant to be. Boredom is probably a therapist’s worst nightmare when it comes to trying to do interventions with kids, so the focus on keeping them engaged and participating is great. By the example in the Friedberg et al article it appears that the modified interventions are effective and fairly interesting. The only one I have trouble supporting is the Thought Shop. It feels a little too abstract to generalize to the child’s life.
Jane, I feel that way too. Sometimes the client is talking so much because they have so much to say and I am worried because I cannot get a word in edge wise. I then question myself and wonder if I am even doing anything helpful because I do not want to interrupt but at the same time I know I should interject and provide opportunities for the client to then think about what they are saying. I also have to stop and check myself because I want to jump in and start work right away when I know that the first session are spent building rapport and letting the client decide what they want to work on during that session.
Two concerns I have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents include the use of the test of evidence (TOE) and the pleasant event scheduling/activity scheduling. The use of TOE involves the child evaluating facts that both support and disconfirm their beliefs. This procedure requires the child you are treating to have advanced cognitive skills in order to think critically and challenge their own overgeneralizations. Some children that you may work with in the future may not possess these skills necessary for a procedure like TOE to be effective. I also found that the pleasant event scheduling/activity scheduling in theory sounds like it would be useful in increasing a child’s level of positive reinforcement. I think it would be easy to develop the pleasant event scheduling with the child within the session, however, it would require the family to help facilitate this. Some parents may be committed to engaging and participating in their child’s treatment, while others may not be involved. This would pose difficulty in implementing the pleasant event scheduling with the child if the parents were not following through with it.
After reading the article by Friedberg et al. (2000), I believe that modifications of CBT techniques for children would be beneficial. The authors discuss how CBT may be too structured/directive and often exceed the child’s capacities, which demonstrates how modifications are necessary. The therapist should adjust the typical CBT techniques into manners that are creative and engaging for the child. For instance, the use of the PANDY 3-column thought record is interactive by having the child draw a “feeling face” on the PANDY cartoon. This allows the child to express feelings in a fun manner rather than the more complicated approach of the automatic thought record for adults.
1. One concern I have is about implementing play therapy. Play therapy should be child-directed and the therapist should pay careful attention to the roles, dialogue, and behaviors of the characters/toys. However, I think it can be easy for therapists to over-analyze the nature of play. Of course, some play can be obvious, like a 6-year-old mimicking sexual behaviors of the characters, but other times counselors may over-analyze a young boy acting out a violent war scene or something similar that is normal for young children.
Another concern I have is about implementing the suggested “thought-feeling bookmark.” I know that this was merely a suggested activity and counselors do not HAVE to use this activity, but it did not sit well with me after I read it. I found the activity to be a stretch of a metaphor. I think that young children would not even understand the metaphor and some-most older children would not appreciate the metaphor. Personally, I just found this activity as one I would probably not use in practice. I was wondering what other people thought about this activity—if they found it useful and if they would use it or not?
2. I like the idea of using of the modified automatic record, and I would actually consider using it with my current client. I think it’s extremely beneficial that it is so simple and broken down for children to use and understand. It also reminded me of when little kids say their imaginary friend is upset or sad, when in fact the child himself/herself is the one who is upset. The PANDY example reminded me of that because the illustration is of the mouse instead of having the child draw a picture of himself. Young children also have a hard time identifying feelings, so I think breaking them down by intense, moderately intense, and low is a great idea. Using regular thought records are a lot of writing and deep thinking for young children, so the modified thought record puts labeling their feelings in a context they can understand.
Melissa, you point out a valid concern regarding implementing play therapy with children. Therapists need to be careful when analyzing the nature of play during a session to prevent overanalyzing in certain situations. It is important to ensure that play therapy is child-directed, but the therapist should be cautious in their analysis.
Melissa, I found your outlook on play therapy very interesting and also something that I am sure a lot of other beginning therapists take into consideration. I have a four and a half year old male client who is in therapy for anger issues coinciding with emotion regulation, and he is extremely interested in superheroes and villains. When playing with action figures he portrays them as being “bad guys” and when he colors he mostly draws monsters, resembling “bad guys”. It is interesting for me to observe and note this theme, and sometimes it is hard for me to distinguish between him simply finding villains interesting, or identifying with “bad” guys and developing a fixation with them.
I have two main broad concerns I have about implementing CBT with children. First, applying therapeutic techniques in a way that is effective for the client’s specific age may be a challenge. I have no doubt that CBT is an effective form of therapy for a child and do believe that a wide range of CBT techniques can be used, many of which were listed in Friedberg and McClure (2002) and Friedberg et al. (200) (e.g., responsibility pie, role play, story telling, games, modified thought records, and thought-feeling exercises, to name a few). What I worry about with children is being able to modify those techniques in such a way that it matches their specific developmental level. For example, addressing cognitive distortion is a key feature of CBT. I know that there are modified techniques and worksheets available for addressing these thoughts, but I still worry that it may be too complex depending on the nature of the maladaptive thought and cognitive skills of the child. Second, as I read about these interventions, I found myself thinking about possible issues with the parents again. Again, I have no doubt that many of these techniques will be effective during therapy sessions. However, it seems that there is potential for parents to have difficulty implementing certain techniques at home, or for reminding the child or adolescent to do his or her homework. For example, Friedberg and McClure note that contingency management can be an effective intervention for children, but that children lose confidence in those who break the management system that they created. In this sense, it seems that if the parents are not very careful to implement certain techniques at home consistently, that it could actually be somewhat harmful to the parent-child relationship. Overall, I do believe that parents can help their children be successful, though I would want to be careful to assess the parent’s ability to help their child with certain interventions and follow-up with parents regularly about their understanding of the CBT interventions being implemented.
Using modified thought records for children seems to be a great way to match an important CBT intervention to the appropriate developmental age. It seems that it would be particularly useful that the thought record is broken down into more manageable chunks for the children to complete (i.e., event, feeling, feeling signal, and thought). Within these different steps to complete, I like how there are both written and visual components for the child (e.g., write PANDY’s feeling and draw the feeling on PANDY’s face). Using these different modalities for expressing feelings and thoughts would be beneficial for all children, specifically those who express themselves more comfortably in a particular way (e.g., it is easy for them to draw the feeling “sad”, but difficult for them to describe it). Having both written and creative elements may also alert the therapists to possible discrepancies in the child’s understanding of different thoughts and emotions (e.g., the child writes “sad”, but draws what appears to be an angry face). Altogether, it seems that using a modified thought record such as PANDY would add fun and creativity to addressing cognitive distortions that would help the child become active participants in therapy.
I agree with you, Julianna, in the difficulty that these modified CBT techniques present in their application to real life cases. One exercise may work well with one 8 year old, but may fail with another 8 year old for a variety of possible reasons. While certain activities are designed for specific groups of children, it is up to our clinical judgement to tell if the activity will benefit a child who fits within that group. This application of techniques to an individual case may involve some trial-and-error and presents a challenge to hone our skills as counselors.
I really enjoyed the readings about using CBT with children and thought they gave a lot of useful techniques. However, there are still concerns that I have. One concern I have is parental involvement and homework compliance, these go hand in hand. When working with children parental compliance is key and parental follow through with given tasks can greatly affect how effective the treatment is. With that activity scheduling needs that parental follow through in order to be effective. On the same lines parents may need to remind children to do their therapy homework which can be a battle with children and some parents may give up, especially considering they may already battle with the children to do their school homework. Another concern I have is a child getting stuck on one task and not wanting to move on to anything else. Children like their routines and they may get stuck on one type if game or activity and associate that with coming to therapy. As such getting them motivated to move on to the next task may present a challenge.
I really like the modifications made to CBT for use with children! In particular, the PANDY thought record will prove to be very useful. I like that it is broken down into smaller, more manageable parts and involves a visual/creative component which will be both more engaging for children and help them understand it better. Also the way it is presented is that it looks more like a fun activity to a child rather than work.
Angela, I have similar concerns about the involvement of parents within their child’s treatment, particularly with ensuring the child completes their “therapy homework”. I liked how you pointed out the potential for a child to get “stuck” on a certain task which would make it difficult to transition on to something new within therapy. I hadn’t considered this, but this is an issue a therapist should be aware of in order to have a plan in place to work through such barriers.
Many of my concerns regarding implementing CBT strategies have to do with first impressions and effecting change. I have concerns with a child who has trouble engaging in therapy, either by stubbornness or preoccupation experiences. I worry that I will not be able to connect with a child or adolescent (or their parents) and therefore not solidify a firm foundation for therapy. Trust is an essential part of therapy and is difficult to cultivate, especially with adolescents. If trust is not solidified early, the course of therapy will be difficult. My second concern regards finding the right technique. The “treatment considerations” section of the Friedburg article brought up concerns such as reading level and maturity that must always be considered when choosing interventions. Attention disorders, family environment, personal interests are just a few other considerations that must be recognized when implementing CBT strategies.
CBT for children may need to be modified at times for children who are slow to engage in the process. These children would benefit from such modified technique as the PANDY 3-column thought diary. Traditional thought records look like dull forms that are tedious to fill out, while the simplistic and colorful nature of the PANY thought record may engage young children. The sample worksheet looks like a page out of a coloring book, something most children are familiar with. I think these modified techniques are a step in the right direction towards being able to reach children otherwise unresponsive to traditional CBT for children, but as the article mentioned, there are quite a few treatment considerations to keep in mind. The PANDY thought record is ideal for a slim age range and this includes a slim maturity range as well. While the simplistic nature might help some children, it may be too simplistic for a more mature child.
One of my primary concerns relative to implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents is more specific to older children or adolescents: For individuals in this age bracket, consider the possibility that they are not attending therapy because of their own wish to but rather because their family is making them; I am concerned about how to effectively implement CBT on such children/adolescents who are not wanting to be here at all and refusing to engage with therapy. Collaborative empiricism in CBT is essential, especially for youth who have so little control of their lives, but I remain concerned about how to go about engaging them if they are adamant on not doing so. Another concern I have is about the use of homework and how we can effectively support the child completing said homework. If a child automatically associates the word homework with a negative context, and refuses to do it how can we appropriately encourage him/her to complete it? I imagine it may be possible for younger children to involve the parent in integrating a reward of some sort for completing it such as can be done with homework assignments from school; but ways in which we can effectively get children to complete such assignments and take them seriously instead of just thinking of them in the same way as school assignments they may greatly dislike I remain troubled about.
Modifying thought records is definitely a good approach to adapting CBT to children appropriately and I believe for many young clients can be very effective. It actually brings to mind a similar activity I was shown at a trauma training (for child clients) I attended recently in which children would be asked to draw a person and then pick 4 feelings and pick a different color to represent each feeling. The child would then be asked to color [with each different color] on the person where in their body they would feel each feeling. Activities such as this or PANDY I believe are very beneficial in helping children identifying thoughts and feelings and to help them to understand the connection between them (as well as other symptoms such as somatic that the activity I learned at my trauma training demonstrated).
Rebekah, you bring up a good point about possible issues with homework. Because of homework always being associated with additional assignments that interfere with free time, children and adolescents are likely to be resistant to any additional homework on top of their school homework. Friedberg and McClure (2002) suggest that the best way to handle this issue is to not refer to any assignments outside of therapy as homework. In the Coping Cat manual and other treatments, homework is referred to as “Show That I Can” (STIC) assignments. For PANDY specifically, the homework is called “mousework.” I can certainly see how those names would make it more digestible for younger children, though I imagine older children and adolescents will easily figure out that these assignments are simply homework in disguise. Nonetheless, it seems that the most important way to address this issue in the very beginning is to determine a different name for homework and encourage the child to be involved in the homework-making process so he or she can take greater ownership of their work.
Most kids and adolescents are brought in to therapy by their parents, so I definitely agree that resistance could be a big issue at these ages. A clinician at my practicum site also described her experience with one of the clients I will be taking over who shows a lot of resistance to therapy. He is an eleven year old boy and at first he really would not even talk to her. She said that it took quite a while, but she decided to focus more on building rapport and just did activities with him that he enjoyed (like sports and other games) and eventually he started to open up. My practicum class professor has also mentioned that focusing more on building rapport is a good strategy to use when a client is resistant at first, especially with children and adolescents.
1. I have two concerns when it comes to doing CBT with children and youth. First, I worry that, even with modification, some strategies may be too complex and therefore hard to use with younger children in particular. Children are at various levels of development and functioning, so what works for an eight year old would be completely different from what works for a thirteen year old. It seems that it would be difficult to constantly adjust approaches to meet the needs of specific developmental ages. This is especially true when it comes to psychoeducation, which is a large part of CBT. I believe it is difficult to develop an understanding in the youth of the concepts being used. Friedberg (2002) mentions how difficult it can be for children to separate thoughts, feelings, and situations. My second, more specific, concern is with some of the more complex cognitive interventions. The Friedberg and McClure readings, for example, discuss evaluating advantages and disadvantages and testing evidence. I think that these would be difficult to teach children and adolescents to do. It would take time for them to be able to apply these techniques, because thinking before doing is an unfamiliar concept to many children.
2. My thought on using modified thought records with children is that it can be useful in connecting their thoughts and behaviors, in a way that is developmentally appropriate. I have learned that if children are not interested in doing something, it is not going to be effective. Modifying this common CBT technique seems to make it interesting for the child so they want to engage. I think that, once thoroughly explained, it could a useful tool for counselors working with youth.
Sarah, I like that you pointed out possible difficulties in providing psychoeducation to children. With adolescents, it seems that, aside from those with lower developmental levels, psychoeducation would be fairly similar to adults depending on the specific topic. However, the therapist must have to be quite creative and knowledgeable of the child’s capabilities in order to make sure that the child understands the information. A similar issue I wonder is about is that some children and adolescents will “yes” you for various reasons even if they do not understand what you are saying (e.g., do not want to talk about the subject anymore, do not want you to think less of them for not understanding, think they really do understand the material but they have understood it incorrectly). For that reason, it seems that the therapist would have to be careful both to provide psychoeducation in an age-appropriate way as well as take extra caution to ensure that the child has understood the material.
Sarah, you made an important point that some strategies though they were already modified may still be too complex for many children. While I had this understanding I never really focused too much on the fact that I may have to go back and modify the information several times to cater for my clients. It can be extremely burdensome for a therapist who works with children predominantly and who has a large case load implement CBT strategies.
The discussion for this week taps into a topic that I have mentioned in some of my previous posts in regards to doing CBT with children. A widely used intervention for treating multiple disorders, CBT can be used with children but there may come a point where implementing strategies may be difficult. One strategy that may be difficult may be exposure or systematic desensitization. Research has shown these techniques being implemented in one session with adults but with children I don’t see that being possible. I would think when working with children there would need to be several sessions of training and practice before getting to this stage. The concepts will need to be broken down more and vividly explained to the child. I assume that imaginary exposure may be a better approach to take for a couple of sessions before trying in vivo exposure. With adolescents, depending on the developmental of the child this maybe different. Moreover, depending on the developmental level of the child, another technique that maybe difficult to implement is homework assignments. Although not always used, homework assignments are interventions that give clients a chance to explore their own abilities in managing symptoms outside of therapy. Some children may not have the capacity to complete assignments outside of therapy and this is where other interventions may need to be implemented to tailor to the child.
The modifications made to the thought records appeared to be well thought out and created for varying age levels of children. The form appeared more children specific just by the way it was set up and if I was a child I would get excited upon seeing this sheet. Sometimes I get so comfortable with doing things or hearing things one way that my mind hesitates to explore other options. This form presents how you can explore the same themes just by changing the appearance of a form. When working with children, there will need to be more room for creativity and expanding on interventions.
Exposure therapy does seem to be a little more tricky when it applies to children compared to adults. I would think providing in vivo exposure would require parental consent or the involvement of the parents so that is an extra step that wouldn’t have to be done with most adults. I agree that to get children prepared for exposure is slower compared to adults and they may need to get more exposures to effectively desensitize them. If children’s initial exposure experiences is negative, it is probably harder to convince them to continue with the exposures compared to adults. Although exposure therapy with children may pose more difficulties, it may also be more effective for children if done correctly. A child who’s been successfully exposed several times to threatening situations or stimuli may experience more a meaningful boost self-efficacy and more readily apply the lessons learned to other aspects of their lives than an adult would.
The two main concerns I have about effectively implementing CBT strategies with children and adolescents include: not being competent enough and overanalyzing and misinterpreting the behaviors exhibited in play therapy. My first concern is in regards to systematic desensitization and similar procedures used to decrease fears and anxiety. I’m concern about how to use such technique appropriately without running the risk of re-traumatizing my clients and my ability to use sound clinical judgment and intuition in selecting clients who are appropriate for such technique.
Secondly, it’s very challenging at times to understand a child’s world. This is so because children often lack the capacity to verbalize their thoughts and feelings as adults do because they do not have abstract reasoning skills. Play therapy is useful because it gives children the opportunity to place their stories into fantasy play, and particular themes that will allow us to get a clearer understanding of what is going on in their world. I am concern because I don’t think I am able to interpret what the child is unable to communicate verbally as well as making the connection between the play actions and metaphors that a child uses. I think that in conducting play therapy, I will be so focus on identifying distortions and effects of stressful life events that I might overanalyze and misinterpret their innocent play.
Larissa, I think that your concerns regarding systematic desensitization and how one perceives certain actions and metaphors of play therapy are two normal concerns to have when working with children! I had similar views in regards to systematic desensitization and how I feel as though it would be anxiety-provoking for me to implement. Play therapy can be somewhat misleading for us therapists. We are so caught up in analyzing a child’s alleged psychopathology that sometimes we look for anything that may coincide with it. We must take a step back and rationalize what could be developmentally-appropriate play verbalizations and behaviors, and what could be warranted as therapy-related issues and concerns.
1) One concern that I have with implementing CBT strategies with youth is how the child or adolescent’s developmental and cognitive abilities may affect his or her ability to understand the intervention. It is important to consider the youth’s cognitive abilities prior to beginning any intervention, however as a beginning clinician this is something that will likely be easier to do with more experience. It would be very ineffective to start working with a child or teen on an intervention that he or she just cannot seem to grasp. This may become frustrating for them and damage self-esteem and the therapeutic relationship. It would certainly be possible to process through this frustration and use it as a learning experience for both the client and the therapist, however it is definitely important to be aware of the client’s cognitive abilities while planning therapeutic interventions to avoid overwhelming or confusing a client.
Another concern that I have with implementing CBT strategies with youth is the potential that younger clients may refuse to partake in some of the activities either because they are boring or because the client has difficulty with such direct discussion about feelings and thoughts. What should a clinician do if a child or adolescent client refuses to complete any of the therapeutic interventions, however the parent insists that their child continues with therapy? Building rapport with the child and beginning with very light, fun interventions can be helpful, but what do you do if those strategies don’t work and the youth still refuses to participate?
2) I think the use of modified CBT techniques with children can be very useful and have effective results with some children. Having a basic understanding of the connection between thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and the environment at an early age can help to prevent the further development of mental health difficulties in the future because it gives children the ability to practice the use of coping skills and emotion regulation as they grow up. Interventions like these may not be appropriate for all populations; some children may not have the cognitive ability to complete tasks like thought diaries and may find other interventions more effective. Other populations may have a diagnosis in which a thought diary would not be an appropriate intervention and other techniques would be more appropriate and effective.
The modification of CBT techniques also allows the use of creativity, which will spark the child’s interest. The use of pictures, toys, and games can allow children to learn the skills they need, while having a fun, positive experience with practicing new thoughts and behaviors and coping with feelings. Modified interventions can be a naturally reinforcing activity because it is enjoyable for the child and it will encourage them to generalize the new skills learned in therapy to other areas of their lives. It is important to remember that tailoring an intervention to be more easily understood and exciting can ensure that children will grasp the techniques learned in sessions and utilize them in other settings and in the future. | 2019-04-26T13:50:42Z | https://dradamvolungis.com/classes/psy-712/class-discussions-psy-712/topic-4-cbt-strategies-with-children-and-adolescents-by-626/ |
One way to travel — or to pay for your travels — is to get a job overseas teaching English. If you want to spend several years in a destination, this is a popular way to earn a living.
Jobs worth considering as a long-term prospect — or even as a career — are widely available. They generally require qualifications and experience; see Certificates below. In many such positions, the benefits include airfare and housing, though there is great variation from country to country and by type of institution.
Other jobs might do to supplement a backpacker's income, or even let you live somewhere interesting for a year. For some of these jobs, especially in remote areas, anyone who looks foreign and speaks some English can get work. Again, details vary greatly.
Speaking the local language is not generally required for the job itself, though it may be quite useful in beginner classes and will make your stay far easier and more pleasant in other ways.
The students are learning ESL (English as a Second Language) or EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Some people make much of the distinction between ESL (in a English-speaking country so TV, shops and so on all help you learn) and EFL (English is almost never used except in class), but others treat the terms as interchangeable. For the teacher, add a T for Teaching to get TESL, TEFL or TESOL, or just call the field ELT (English Language Teaching).
A trend in the last few decades is to do a lot of ESP (English for Specific Purposes), designing custom courses depending on what the learners need to use the language for. One branch of this is EAP (English for Academic Purposes), preparing students for study abroad.
A major part of the ESP approach is needs analysis, figuring out how your students will use the language. Consider a company somewhere that exports products to English-speaking countries. The engineers might just need to read manuals and product specifications in English; they might never hear, speak or write it. Marketers might need to read the quite different language of orders and contracts, and to both read and write emails in much less formal language. Some of them might also need to talk with customers. Executives might need to handle complex negotiations in English — a task that requires not only excellent spoken English but also business skills and an awareness of cultural differences. Ideally, each of these groups would get an almost completely different English course.
In some situations, needs analysis is a formal process and courses are written to order for specific groups. Often, however, the teacher just does an informal analysis and finds or invents exercises to suit a class.
CPE, also from Cambridge: their highest level exam.
Teachers abroad may supplement their income by serving as examiners or markers for these tests, though both the demand and the pay rates for this vary considerably from place to place, and they are different for each test. In China a typical teacher can roughly double his or her income by working as an IELTS examiner a few weekends a month. Requirements are stiff, though — IELTS 9 (native speaker level) English, a TEFL certificate (CELTA or Trinity OK, anything else subject to discussion) and three years classroom teaching experience with adult students (neither teaching kids nor online teaching counts). That gets you into examiner training; there is a fee for the course and any travel involved is at your expense. You then need to pass a stiff test, and re-take it every two years, to actually get the work.
GRE for most graduate programs, with both a general test and specific tests for different fields.
For more on these tests and discussion of others, see Studying abroad.
Teaching ESL (or any other language) has much in common with any other teaching, but also has its own unique challenges. Among other things, it needs some understanding of how language works, quite a bit of patience, and considerable showmanship since non-verbal techniques such as gesture and facial expressions are often needed to scaffold the weaker linguistic understanding of the learner.
Teaching English as a second language is significantly different than teaching English literature and composition to a class of (mostly) native speakers, though of course there is overlap as well. For one thing, an ESL teacher has to deal with a wider range of problems, notably pronunciation difficulties and spoken usage questions, such as when "How are you?" is more appropriate than "How do you do?" Also, in any language even intelligent adult second language learners make grammar errors on things any eight-year-old native speaker gets 100% right; an ESL teacher has to teach and correct those. Also, you have to monitor and adjust your own English, speaking slowly and clearly, avoiding slang (or emphasizing it, depending on a needs analysis), sometimes explaining terms, and so on.
At any level, the teaching needs to be highly interactive. Too much talk by the teacher is fatal; you cannot teach language-using skills either by lecturing or (except in tiny groups) with a series of one-on-one interactions between the teacher and different students. You must set up situations for students to actually use the language. Often this means introducing some vocabulary and/or grammatical structures on the board or in a listening or reading exercise, then setting up some sort of pairs or group task where students can try it out. Various sorts of discussion, role-playing or game activities are often used.
A whole range of props are often used — maps to practice giving directions, newspaper clippings for reading comprehension or summary-writing practice, menus for a restaurant role-play, pictures for parts-of-the-body or parts-of-a-car, cartoons to provoke discussion, and so on. Sometimes the teacher must find or invent these; sometimes the school has a stock, as in the picture, or they can be borrowed from other teachers. It is fairly common for teachers working overseas to ask friends at home to mail them posters and other props, or to collect props themselves on visits home. If you are going abroad to teach, bring props or mail yourself a batch before leaving home.
Getting beginners started speaking English is difficult; techniques include translation, mime, pictures, and a lot of repetition. With young learners, you may be able to make a game of it. Patience and a sense of humour are essential; attempts to communicate when language skills are very limited are hard on both student and teacher.
With intermediate students, you get seemingly straightforward questions that strain your knowledge of your own language when you try to answer. If "He doesn't have much money" is OK, what is wrong with "He has much money"? Which is better: "a big red balloon" or "a red big balloon"? Why? Is the other incorrect or just unusual? Training and grammar reference books can help a lot here, though sometimes the answer is just "That is the way we say it."
From advanced students, you get even more difficult questions on grammar and usage. Also, especially in ESP settings, you may need considerable knowledge beyond the language itself. For example, to teach business English above a certain level, you must know quite a bit about business. You need not be as expert as the students, though. For example, to teach medical English, you need not be a doctor but a nurse might make a fine teacher, a degree in biology or experience in a related field would help, and at least a good understanding of high-school-level biology is probably essential.
Anyone contemplating more than a bit of casual work in this field should seriously consider getting some training. Training can make it a good deal easier to survive in a classroom and can help you be a better teacher. A certificate may make it easier to get a job, or to get one of the better ones. Also, in some countries a degree is legally required to get a working visa; there is some hope of negotiating your way around this if you have a TEFL certificate, but almost none without it.
There is no such thing as an international TEFL accrediting body. Masters' degrees are the only actual accredited degrees or certificates, and few positions actually require those, mainly due to the tremendous demand for English teachers and the very short supply.
There are a number of different ESL/EFL teaching certificates available.
Many schools give their own courses to staff.
Various companies in Western countries offer programs, often including job placement help.
Most programs include some classroom experience and can be completed in one to three months.
Short of a Master's, a Cambridge or Trinity certificate is the most marketable qualification to have, though requirements vary in different countries and teaching institutions.
Courses for Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) are given under license by over 250 centers in over 40 countries. The course is now available online as well. The CELTA course is generally both more difficult and more expensive than other courses, but of similar duration. Job ads routinely ask for "CELTA or equivalent" rather than just wanting "a TEFL certificate".
Trinity College London CertTESOL is also taught in many places and also widely accepted. It is "or equivalent" for those ads.
Cambridge also offer a Young Learners extension to CELTA, but they are cancelling that effective December 2016. The replacement will be a set of modular Teaching Knowledge Tests, including one for young learners.
The TEFL class equivalent of a CELTA / Trinity is an accredited course with a minimum of 100 hours of academic coursework led by a qualified instructor (MA or equivalent) and a minimum of 6 hours of practicum (student teaching) with real ESL students (not TEFL class peers). This is typically completed in 4 weeks full time or 9-11 weeks part time or online.
If you plan to make a career in the field, consider more advanced training such as a diploma course (Cambridge DELTA or Trinity DipTESOL) or a Masters degree. These are required for many teacher training or head of school jobs and for some of the best teaching jobs.
Quite a few universities offer ESL/EFL training, often both a Certificate program and a Master's degree. A few offer a Master's program designed for teachers working overseas, with most work done by correspondence. The Cambridge DELTA course is offered the same way.
Cactus TEFL has a directory of courses including both CELTA and Trinity courses as well as their own.
Worldwide, ESL is a major industry. In any of the areas mentioned above, there are both ESL programs in public schools and universities and quite a few private schools. In some places it seems there is a language school on every block. Japan's eikaiwa ("conversation schools") range from small schools to major chains; both hire native speakers from abroad. South Korea's hagwon, China's buxiban, and schools in many other countries do the same.
Demand for teachers in some areas is enormous. Dave's ESL Cafe breaks recruiting ads into three groups: Korea, China, and anywhere else. Checking on a random day (not in the peak hiring season which is around July for a September start) there were over 50 new ads in the previous week for China, over 100 for Korea, over 50 for the rest of the world. Some of those employers advertise more-or-less continuously, some have many jobs on offer, and Dave's is by no means the only site with jobs, so overall demand is very high.
There are a few places where it is difficult to go as an ESL teacher. Some countries, like North Korea, are almost completely closed; others, like Burma are just opening up after decades of being closed and might be quite interesting but perhaps still difficult. Your own government may forbid you to go to others; for example, an American cannot legally teach in Cuba. Jobs are occasionally advertised in war-torn countries like Afghanistan, but taking such a post would be too risky for most.
It is also difficult to go to English-speaking countries. Australia does not need Americans to teach them English, and vice versa. There are ESL jobs in those countries — mainly teaching immigrants or foreign students — and some might be open to foreigners who meet the visa requirements (see Working abroad and country articles), but they do not recruit abroad or provide expatriate benefits as ESL jobs elsewhere do. They may also be somewhat harder to get since employers may prefer locally-recognised qualifications or a local accent.
With those exceptions, there are ESL jobs almost anywhere. There are plenty of jobs in all the areas listed above and some in almost any non-English-speaking country. Areas like sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific islands do not have huge numbers of jobs, but they do have some. Given reasonable qualifications (preferably a degree and TESL certification), the question is more "Where would I like to go?" than "Where can I find a job?".
There are many factors to consider in choosing a destination. Some prefer a destination not too wildly different from home, perhaps Western Europe; others want to go somewhere really exotic such as Mongolia. Some might want both, a basically European civilisation but still fascinatingly exotic: perhaps Peru or Prague? Any of these are possible. Some jobs are in major tourism centers such as Bangkok or Rio, others in out-of-the-way but interesting places like the Maldives. Areas such as Japan and the Middle East generally offer higher salaries, but in terms of buying power you might be better off with lower pay in a low-cost country such as Cambodia or Bolivia. The same applies within countries; major cities often have higher pay than rural areas, but higher expenses.
Language can be a major factor. If you already speak a foreign language, it will be relatively easy for you to live in a region where it is spoken. Some teachers choose a destination partly because of a desire to learn the language, or to improve their language skills. This often implies a preference for countries where an important language is spoken — for example Russia rather than Finland, or China rather than Mongolia. Teaching in Latin America may appeal for many reasons, not least because Spanish or Portuguese are much easier for an English speaker than Arabic or Chinese. It is also somewhat easier for speakers of European languages to learn English than for speakers of unrelated languages, but both students and teachers still have to work at it. See also university programs below and language tourism.
Places like Singapore, Malaysia or Hong Kong offer a nice combination. There are jobs for foreign ESL teachers, but many local people speak English well so these places can be much easier to live in than elsewhere.
In India there are few jobs for foreigners teaching English; plenty of Indians already speak excellent English and some of those are trained teachers. There are jobs for specialists, such as teaching English literature at university level or doing teacher training, but most of these require a Masters or Doctorate. For less qualified teachers, there is only one large group of non-volunteer jobs. India (especially Bangalore) has many call centers for Western companies outsourcing customer support work. Those centers routinely hire fairly large numbers of people — mostly American/Canadian English speakers, but some for other accents or languages — as accent and cultural coaches for their phone workers, and they prefer to hire people with ESL training and/or experience. The money is very good for India, but these tend to be fairly high-pressure jobs like anything in a call center. Also, the hours are often rather odd; you need to be on duty at whatever the peak times are in the clients' time zones. If the clients work 9-5 New York time, then your working day runs 7 pm to 3 am in Bangalore.
Part of the job picture in the Philippines is similar to that for India — not many jobs for foreign ESL teachers but call centers do hire some. There are also many people, mainly Japanese and Koreans, who come to the Philippines to learn English and of course the centers they go to have jobs. Those centers are often happy to hire teachers from abroad, but generally not to incur large extra expenses compared to hiring Filipino teachers. You may get a very good salary by local standards, but in most cases not benefits like free housing or airfare.
In the European Union many employers prefer to hire teachers from Britain or Ireland because citizens of those countries do not need work visas. This may change if British citizens lose freedom of movement with the EU after the UK's June 2016 referendum, but details are not yet clear. Some employers are reluctant to hire anyone who needs a visa; others will hire qualified teachers from anywhere, and a few show a specific preference for American/Canadian accents.
For country-specific information, see the Work sections of country articles. For some destinations, see also Tips for travel in developing countries.
Nearly all ESL jobs that hire from overseas include worthwhile benefits, though there is great variation from country to country and employer to employer. A free apartment and annual two-way airfare home are common, though not all employers provide them. Most contracts are for a year, though some provide salary for only a 10-month school year. University or public school jobs often have quite long holidays.
Language teachers typically do not get the high salaries and juicy benefits package that an expatriate sent by a company or government to handle overseas business would. In particular, education for any children may pose a problem. International schools are generally quite expensive and few ESL employers (except in the Middle East) cover this. The local schools may not suit your kids.
In lower income countries a language teacher's pay is generally enough to live well there, but not much by the standards of higher income places. For example, $1000 US a month plus a free apartment lets you live quite well in China; local teachers are making considerably less and paying rent on their apartments. You can afford to travel some in the holidays, within China or in nearby low-cost areas like Southeast Asia, and in most jobs the employer covers most or all of the cost for an annual trip home. However it would be almost impossible to pay off debts back home, or to plan a trip to Japan, on that income. In the same region, Korea, Japan or Taiwan have higher salaries, enough to save some despite higher living costs.
It is also common for schools to hire locally for summer programs, for part-time work, and sometimes for full time employment. These jobs often have fewer benefits than the overseas-hired posts.
The best pay for language teachers is generally in the Middle East. They can afford to be choosy, though; most jobs there require a degree and TEFL certificate, and some require an MA. Some jobs in Japan and Western Europe also pay quite well, but living costs are high.
There are also some highly paid jobs training oil workers; usually these involve an on/off cycle — 42 days on-site working long hours, then 21 days away or some such — with the employer paying for a flight out every cycle and providing both housing and food when you are on-site. Most of these want good qualifications — typically degree, CELTA and five years experience.
For most classes, considerable planning and preparation is needed to produce reasonable quality lessons. A language teacher's workload is generally 15 to 20 contact hours a week; with preparation time, marking, staff meetings and so on, that is a full time job. Generally, there are some extra-curricular activities as well.
There are exceptions. With small advanced classes, sometimes all you need to do is start a discussion. Preparation consists mainly of choosing a topic; students just grab it and run. Or for some classes, you may be given a carefully laid out program with a textbook, student workbook and sometimes even presentation slides provided; such courses require less preparation. On the other hand, some schools will just dump you in the deep end ("Here's your class; teach it!") with no materials, and sometimes with other problems like no photocopier or Internet, or a class where students have wildly different levels of English. In those cases, you put in quite a bit of extra time.
There can of course be problems with this. It is fairly common for employers to want up to 25 classroom hours a week, and 30 is not unheard of. Management and teachers fairly often disagree on the importance of various meetings and paperwork. Some schools push the extracurricular stuff too far, requiring a lot of (usually unpaid) additional duties. Some rent their teachers out to local schools, which often means you have quite a lot of (usually unpaid) travel time. At some schools, nearly all classes are on evenings and weekends, or "split shift" schedules (where you teach say 9-11 in the morning then 7-9 at night) are fairly common. The worst schools may have several of these problems together; they tend to burn out teachers, to be unable to keep staff, and to be continually advertising jobs. Beware of such schools!
On the other hand, some teachers assume that showing up for class is all they have to do, wandering in with no preparation and inventing a lesson plan as they cross the threshold of the classroom. Expert teachers may be able to pull this off occasionally, but making a habit of it or trying it without a lot of experience generally leads to disaster. Teaching ESL is not just part of your holiday; it is a demanding job and needs to be taken seriously.
There is some risk in taking any overseas job.
If you travel somewhere and then look for work, you avoid some of the risks but you incur expenses. Also you may miss out on benefits; free housing and annual airfare home are more-or-less standard when hiring from overseas, but less common for local hires. Finally, you will likely not be able to get a working visa in advance since you don't have a job. Depending on local regulations, this may be a minor detail or a major hassle.
On the other hand, if you are recruited from half a world away, it is hard to know exactly what you are getting into or who you are dealing with. Most teachers end up just fine in their overseas jobs, but problems are common enough that being careful is absolutely necessary.
In October 2007, a large (1000 locations) chain of English schools in Japan crashed, leaving several thousand foreign teachers stranded. Most had not been paid in six weeks or more, and most were in company-provided housing so they became homeless when the company failed. Details.
Some schools are greedy businesses exploiting both teachers and students; the more cynical teachers have been heard to describe some as "McEnglish". Some recruiters are amazingly slimy and interested only in their commission. Many schools and some recruiters are just fine, but definitely not all. There are plenty of horror stories — horrible accommodation, outrageously large classes, demands for unpaid overtime, late pay, broken contracts, etc. Of course there are lots of happy teachers in other schools, sometimes even in the same school.
One of the tricky things about working abroad is to adapt to local conditions; getting overly upset about things you cannot change is a shortcut to madness. On the other hand, provided you both choose your battles and adapt your tactics to local conditions, fighting for reasonable treatment can also be quite sensible.
The lowest risk jobs are the government-run recruiting programs; these can offer a safe way to get your feet wet. Other government-run places, such as universities and public high schools, are also relatively safe, as are jobs with large international companies.
Private language schools are riskier than government programs.
"Third-world" countries and those with highly corrupt "systems" are also much riskier.
If a recruiter is involved, your risk is significantly higher; either the school or the recruiter can mess you around.
If the culture is wildly different from your own, then you may not understand the negotiation process you are involved in or know what questions you should be asking.
That said, thousands of teachers are having a wonderful time in jobs with one or more of those risk factors. Some are perfectly happy in jobs with all four! Be aware of risks and use a little caution, and you should be fine.
Check Wikivoyage and other sources for information on the location. Do a web search on the city name along with terms like "pollution", "corruption" and "gang"; you might expect a few hits for almost any city, but if there's a big problem, this may turn it up. If having modern conveniences and Western food is important to you, check websites for major international retail chains like Ikea or the European supermarkets Metro and Carrefour to see if they have stores there. Ask the school to email you photos of the accommodation and classrooms.
Checking on the job and the employer is harder. The most important precaution: Ask to talk to current foreign teachers before agreeing to anything. Be extremely wary of any school that will not let you do this.
You can also check the web for comments on potential employers or on recruiters. ESL teachers are a chatty bunch, and mostly literate, so there is a lot of information available. Most of the job ad sites have forums that include comments on available jobs. There are also many country-specific forums offering school reviews or just a blacklist of problem schools. Take reviews with a grain of salt, though; even quite a good school may have a few angry ex-employees ranting on the web. Look for other web comments and talk to current teachers before drawing any firm conclusions.
In certain locations, there may be additional risks; we cover the most common ones in Tips for travel in developing countries and Tropical diseases. For some places, Altitude sickness, Cold weather or War zone safety may also be relevant.
There are many ways to look for work in the field. One option is to narrow down your areas and then send out letters or email with your resume included. This does require sending out many letters with the expectation that a lot of places will not have openings at this time. However, since it is well known that most job openings are never advertised, there is a good chance this will turn up openings that otherwise would not be found.
If you have less experience as a teacher or would like to experience teaching English before committing to a full training course and career, another option is to take an internship. Like a job, you will typically receive free travel, food and lodging. You will also receive a salary, though this is likely to be smaller than a teacher’s pay. However, you will have a greater support network around you and it is unlikely that you will be the only English teacher in the school. Interns are normally tasked with improving their students’ listening and speaking skills rather than lead full courses for a fixed-period contract, ranging between 3 months and a year.
There are often fairly strong preferences for native English speakers and for citizens of major English-speaking countries. Job ads fairly often include a list of acceptable passports; UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are on every list, Ireland and South Africa on most. Even if not explicitly stated, many employers will not even read the rest of your resume, and some governments will refuse to issue you a work permit without one of those passports. Many ads also give an acceptable age range, and a few specify gender or marital status; this would be illegal under discrimination laws in some countries, but is fairly quite common in ads for overseas jobs.
Especially in Asia, various prejudices and stereotypes may also come into play; many schools prefer Caucasians, especially blue-eyed blondes, apparently because they hope the "right" image will help their marketing. Overseas Chinese (even ones with English as their first language), Filipinos, Indians, Malaysians, American Blacks, and especially Africans all report some difficulties finding jobs, or getting lower offers. Members of all those groups are happily employed in other schools, and many are well-paid, but getting a job is easier if you fit the stereotype. This is mainly based on economics - the archetypal native English speaker is a white person with blond hair and blue eyes, with many less educated parents being unaware that most English-speaking countries are multiracial and hence, home to native English speakers of different skin colours. Thus, many parents who send their children to English classes expect the teachers to look white, and managers who hire people of colour will often have problems attracting customers.
Fewer web sites offer internship options though they are becoming more popular. For example, The TEFL Academy offers paid internships in countries including China, Thailand and South Korea, while Premier TEFL and TEFL Org UK package their internship offers with their TEFL training courses. Different internships will require different levels of training so read the details carefully.
Web search for phrases like "English teacher" or "ESL job" will turn up dozens more sites. There are also many sites for specific countries or regions; include one or more country or city names in a web search to find those. See also the Work sections of our country articles.
As with everything in the ESL business, some caution is required; some sites are run by recruiters (see cautions below) and some have been accused of censoring discussions in their forums to protect their advertisers from criticism.
There are two major professional associations for ESL teachers, US-based TESOL and British-based IATEFL. Both are international organisations whose members come from all over and are working all around the world. Both publish journals (available in university libraries) and run a website and an annual conference. The journals and websites have job ads and the conferences have a hiring fair. Like most academic organizations, these are more applicable to teachers of TEFL at the university level where service involvement is required for tenure and promotion; the majority of TEFL teachers have little or no involvement with them.
At the very least, read the appropriate site to get a feel for the issues that are important in the country you wish to work in. You may also discover who are the leaders locally and what is currently important. Having this information ready will help with any interview. Some sites will link to posts for job notices. Look for conference announcements and plan a visit; these are excellent chances to look for work.
These generally take new university graduates and do not require teacher training or experience. Most placements are in secondary schools. You may be posted to a rural school where you're the only foreigner for miles around — great for experiencing local culture, not so great if you wanted to move in with your girl/boyfriend in Tokyo/Seoul.
Most of these jobs pay fairly well for entry-level posts, often a bit more than training centers offer to beginning teachers. For example, as of 2013 the Japanese JET program pays ¥3,360,000 (about $33,000) in the first year with increases in subsequent years. These jobs also look fairly good on a resume; anyone hiring English teachers in the region is likely to know these programs and if your next job application will be back home, then listing a national Ministry of Education as your last employer sounds much better than Tomiko's English Academy.
In some countries the State, Province or other entity in charge of education for many cities will also assist schools in finding staff. Contacting the education department directly can lead you to schools needing foreign ESL teachers.
The British Council is the British government's educational and cultural department. Among other things, they are the largest English teaching organisation in the world, running schools in many places.
The Council also handle recruiting for various foreign governments' English programs. Say Elbonia needs a few dozen teachers, or a few higher-level specialists like teacher trainers or curriculum and test designers; the Council will advertise, collect resumes, and produce a short list of candidates. For the actual interviews, senior Elbonian staff can fly to London and use Council facilities to interview, or the Council can handle the interviews too.
For some of these jobs, the Council also provides guarantees for teachers; if a corrupt school official steals your pay or you need to bail out because of a revolution in Elbonia, some Council contracts require compensation and the Council pays it even if they cannot collect from the other government. This does not completely remove the risks, of course, but it does reduce them significantly.
Council jobs can be searched on their web site or look for ads in the Guardian and the Times Education Supplement or Higher Ed. Supplement. Some, but by no means all, of their jobs are restricted to British citizens. Most interviews are in London. British Council schools may also hire locally wherever they are, but these jobs usually do not have benefits like airfare and housing that the London-hired ones do.
The US government runs a few programs in which American citizens can teach English abroad: the English Language Fellow and Specialist programs, the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program, and some Peace Corps positions. Another program, paid for by government and run by Georgetown university, sends teacher trainers and other experts abroad; it requires a masters degree and US citizenship.
There are a number of large companies in the ESL business, such as English First, International House, Wall Street English and Berlitz. The British Council (see above) might be considered another in this class, though it is rather different in some ways. Any of these has dozens of schools in multiple countries, and all of them are more-or-less continuously recruiting teachers.
There are substantial advantages to working for such a company, especially for novice teachers.
Any of them tends to have experienced managers, to offer training for teachers, and to pay at competitive (though not always generous) rates.
Perhaps more important, none of them are at all likely to try the tricks that sleazy recruiters or schools sometimes get up to, such as avoiding the cost of a proper visa by asking teachers to work illegally on a tourist visa or making large profits while paying teachers a pittance as "volunteers".
Given experience in one of these companies, it may be relatively easy to move to another location or to a different job. Consider a teacher who has done a few year's ESL in Indonesia and is ready for a change; any such teacher could look for work in, say, Japan or Prague and have a reasonable chance of finding it. However, a teacher with one of the big companies can seek work at the same company's schools in those places; he or she is likely to have it significantly easier, both in finding work and in adapting to the new school on arrival.
If you want to make a career in ESL, there may be more opportunities in a large company; there are jobs in management, teacher training and materials development that you can hope to move into.
These are professional organisations, not fly-by-night operators; that is good to know when you contemplate the risks inherent in working abroad, and it may also make one of them look better on your resume than a smaller company.
That said, there is a downside. For one thing, most such companies are franchise operations so conditions at a particular school depend on the local franchise owner as well as the global organisation. Some reports on expatriate-in-wherever bulletin boards claim that certain schools in large chains are utterly awful places to work, generally because at that particular school either the franchise owner or the foreign manager is a twit. Such reports need to be taken with a grain of salt and it is quite common to hear that one location is terrible while another nearby is just fine, but some caution is indicated.
In most cases an experienced teacher with some knowledge of a country can find a better job than these places offer — one with more money, shorter hours, longer holidays or less stress, and sometimes more than one of those. However, for someone new to ESL teaching and/or the country, these places are quite often the best prospect.
Some people on expatriate-in-wherever discussion sites say quite emphatically that you should never consider taking a job if a recruiter is involved. That is likely overstated — other people posting on the same sites often disagree, and some even recommend particular recruiters as honest and useful — but treating recruiters with caution is almost always advisable. In many cases, they create more problems rather than solving any.
Note that this includes various "job search" sites which do not give contact information for actual employers, or even for recruiters other than the company running the site; these are just thinly disguised advertising for a particular recruiter and should be either shunned entirely or used with caution. It also includes various organisations in Western countries that offer ESL training followed by "placement assistance". The training may be useful (see certificates above), but after that they are just a recruiter and should be treated with caution.
Some recruiters want an up-front payment from teachers, a "membership fee", "placement fee" or whatever. In nearly all cases, these should be rejected out-of-hand. Honest recruiters make their money by getting commissions from schools; any who ask for payment from teachers are quite likely scammers. This does seem to vary some from place to place, though; for example, almost no recruiters for China or Thailand ask for an up-front fee, but for Latin America many do.
For volunteer recruiting, see also Volunteer_travel#Be_wary.
There are many other ways to live abroad. See Working abroad for some details. Here we cover those that involve teaching.
If you have a teaching qualification in your own country, but not in ESL — perhaps a biology or history or even English literature teacher — then many English teaching jobs will happily accept you, though some will want an ESL certificate as well.
With such qualifications, consider looking for work at International schools. These are mainly for the children of expatriates, and the fees are generally paid by companies or governments who send staff abroad. The fees are often high, but nobody cares; most parents do not have to pay them and for the parents' employers they are a necessary business expense. In these schools both the educational standards and the teachers' pay rates are similar to those back home, quite often a bit higher. In most cases pay and conditions are much better than language teachers get. In addition, free education for your own children is often included.
These schools generally want the same qualifications as primary or secondary schools back home, but there is some variation. All want certified teachers, but some restrict that to certifications from a particular country or even state, while others will happily hire certified teachers from anywhere in the English-speaking world. A few will also hire well-qualified ESL teachers — typically degree and CELTA — without schoolteacher certification. Many international schools also look for two years teaching experience in addition to formal qualifications. Many schools conduct interviews on Skype.
There is a Council of International Schools and an International Schools Services directory; both sites also have teacher recruitment links. A company called Search Associates handles recruiting for a number of schools and runs job fairs in large cities around the world. Many of those schools teach the International Baccalaureate — a high school diploma that most universities in any English-speaking country will accept — so another way to find schools is through the IB site. You could also ask embassies or companies with many expatriate staff what schools they use, or ask on an expatriate-in-wherever forum.
A web search for "international school" plus the name of a country or city will also turn some up, but be aware that "international school" is sometimes (certainly in China, possibly elsewhere as well) purely a marketing term, used in promoting any school that teaches some English.
Certified Montessori teachers can also find work in many countries.
Some programs, such as JET in Japan also have positions for experienced sport coaches.
Of course English is not the only language for which there is demand. There are jobs around the world for teachers of any major world language, though often not as many as for English teachers.
Various governments sponsor organisations to promote their nations' languages, and offer jobs for speakers of those languages.
Universities and high schools abroad, or training centers that mainly teach English, may also hire teachers for other major languages. Some countries, such as China, have universities that specialise in teaching foreign languages. As for English teachers, international schools often have better pay and conditions than other places.
Many Western universities offer some sort of year abroad program, often in co-operation with a foreign university. For students of the language or history of some remote part of the world, these may be a fine opportunity. Typically there are fees which you would not pay if you went on your own, but on the other hand you get credits from the Western university for your foreign studies.
There are two main types of program; examples here are from China but similar things are available in other places.
Some programs. e.g. Berkeley, offer full time study of the foreign language. Often these are fairly flexible about time; a year, a semester or a summer are all possible.
Others give some language and teaching training, then place you as an English teacher in the host country. Usually these require a longer commitment, typically a year. The advantage is that you make at least enough to live on.
Volunteer positions are usually for a shorter term and may or may not include room and board. For details see Volunteer.
Many sites offer teaching materials, lesson plans, or related ideas.
The Internet TESL Journal is a source for teachers wishing to understand ELT better or get new ideas: broken down into Techniques, Articles, and Lessons. Updated monthly.
All have lesson plans and teaching materials as well as more general articles.
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Sentenced 7-06-2015 to 3 years in prison on five counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
McCallum's criminal history includes: possession of burglary tools, multiple counts of grand theft, trafficking in stolen property, and witness tampering.
FLORIDA -- Jerry McCallum, who shared a Crestview-area home with a woman and 92 cats, will serve 36 months in prison for cruelty to animals and violating his probation.
In December of 2014, McCallum’s probation officer entered the home at 1208 E. Chestnut Ave. and discovered that little to nothing had been done to comply with his request to clean it.
The Panhandle Animal Welfare Society was called in and removed the 92 cats. Some were already dead and nearly all were so sick they had to be put down, PAWS Director Dee Thompson said afterward.
Some of the cats were missing eyes, while others had holes in their mouths and tongues. All had been exposed to highly contagious diseases.
McCallum pleaded no contest Monday to five felony counts of animal cruelty and two misdemeanor charges of animal abandonment, according to Assistant State Attorney Clifton Drake. He admitted to the probation violation.
Felicia Guy, the woman with whom McCallum shared the Chestnut Avenue trailer, did not offer a plea at her Monday docket day, but will appear in court again Friday, Drake said.
“I anticipate she probably will plea, but I can’t say that for sure since nothing has been signed yet,” McCallum said.
First Judicial Circuit Public Defender Bruce Miller confirmed that his office negotiated the McCallum plea. Guy is represented by the Office of Regional Counsel.
FLORIDA -- Travis William Jaggers did unlawfully and unnecessarily overload, overdrive, torture, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance or shelter, or unnecessarily or cruelly beat, mutilate, or kill any animal or cause the same to be done, in that he did bludgeon a cat named Ripper in the head with a hammer repeatedly until it was dead, in violation of Florida Statute 828.12(2).
On 12/01/15, I responded to 3871 South Millstone Point, in reference to an animal cruelty incident.
Upon arrival, I made contact with the Complainant, Mr. Christopher Cheatham, who advised his girlfriend, Tara (aka Mr. Travis Jaggers) had killed his 13-year-old cat Ripper.
He advised this occurred while the complainant was not in the residence. When he did returned back home and he could not find his cats, Defendant Jaggers then advised him that they had been placed outside, not in the home anymore. He stated one of the three cats returned home; however, he had a bad feeling about the other cats, and then asked Defendant Jaggers if he had killed any of the cats.
At that time, the Defendant admitted to him that Ripper had come running into the house and he had killed it with a hammer by hitting it in the head and then buried it in the backyard in a Playstation 2 (ps2) box and put a Slinky toy on top of the grave.
After speaking with the Complainant, I then went into the residence where I made contact with the Defendant.
When I asked the Defendant his name, he stated his name was “Ms. Tara Jaggers”. When I asked what his given name was he stated "Mr. Travis William Jaggers".
I informed the Defendant that I was there in reference to investigating the incident involving the cat and Mirandized the defendant via a preprinted agency issued Miranda card.
At that time, the Defendant stated he would speak with me. I asked him what he could tell me about the cat Ripper and he stated, "I killed it by hitting it in the head with a hammer and then I put it in a bag and put it in the trash. I did not feel that was right so I took it out of the trash and put it in a ps2 box and buried it out back."
When I asked the defendant when this incident occurred he stated it was on the calendar that he had wrote "rest in peace Ripper".
He had pointed at a calendar hanging on the wall, at which time the date was showing 11/27/15. I asked him what time of day it occurred, morning, afternoon or evening and he stated it occurred in the morning time.
I asked him why he would hit the cat in the head with a hammer and bury it in the backyard and he said, "because it ran into the house really fast and I grabbed it and smacked it."
When I asked where this occurred in the residence, he pointed to the front door. Even after he attempted to clean it up there was still blood spatter on the walls and the floor.
At that time, I advised the Defendant he was being placed under arrest for Animal Cruelty. He was handcuffed (double locked) behind the back and secured in the rear of my patrol vehicle.
Animal control was on scene and will be exhuming the body of ripper for a necropsy to confirm the cause of death. The defendant was then transported to the citrus county detention facility for booking and processing. The defendant's bond was set at $2,000.00 per the bond schedule.
ARIZONA -- Juan Fanco Perez decided he didn't want to be counting down the new year with everyone else. Instead, Juan decided he'd like "three hots and a cot" with the Sheriff who detests animal abusers, Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Happy New Year Juan! I hope justice delivers in 2016 and you get your deserved punishment.
MISSOURI -- A Wellston man was charged Wednesday with hanging his mother's pet cat in July.
Maurice Williams, 23, of the 6400 block of Wells Avenue, was charged with a felony count of animal abuse.
During an argument with his mother on July 16 at home, Williams wrapped a chain around her cat's neck and tossed the feline over his mother's backyard fence, strangling it, police say.
Police say Williams left the house before animal control officers arrived.
Williams was arrested months later, police said, and told police he remembered arguing with his mother but couldn't recall killing the cat. He also said he couldn't remember anything from the rest of that day and awoke the next morning at his brother's house.
Police said in court records that Williams did remember after his brother asked him why he killed the cat.
Williams was ordered held on a $15,000 bail.
FLORIDA -- Twelve dogs were removed from a Clewiston home Wednesday after investigators say their owner was starving them and allowing them to fight with each other.
James Herrmann, 75, was arrested on animal cruelty charges and is being held in the Hendry County Jail on $5,000 bond.
According to the Hendry County Sheriff's Office, a search warrant was served at his Appaloosa Avenue home Wednesday after ongoing complaints made to Clewiston Animal Control.
Animal control officers told investigators that Herrmann was starving the dogs and witnessed them fighting, with no medical care provided for their wounds. They said the smell of urine and feces made it difficult to enter the home.
Nine full grown dogs and three puppies were seized and taken into custody by Gulf Coast Humane Society. Some of the dogs had to be sedated in order to safely remove them from the home.
NEW YORK -- Jak, a 16-year-old show horse, was more than a family pet to Paige Pavlot.
"My parents bought Jak for me when I was going through some difficulties in college," Pavlot, 25, said in an email. "He wasn't just a show horse. He was my life. Jak did anything I asked of him and showed me a special kind of love."
Jak was shot and killed around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday on the family's farm in Oneida County.
Kirkland Police Department said a man driving a gray Dodge Avenger on Kirkland Avenue in Clinton crossed into the other lane -- disrupting traffic as he pulled his car to the side of the road, police said. With his car stopped across the road from the farm, the man pulled out a long gun and fired once, killing the horse, police said.
Pavlot said Jak would have turned 17 in April. The family has two other horses that were not harmed.
"We spent many hours riding through trails and competing in horse shows," she said. "He took champion in many of the shows we rode in. He really was a special boy."
Pavlot said she had a special bond with Jak.
"We were very in tune with each other," she said. "It was almost like he knew what I was thinking and I could read his mind. I was lucky to have him and share love and happiness with him -- even though it was cut short."
Pavlot said her family is well-known in the community and doesn't have any enemies.
"We feel this was a random violent act by a truly sick and disturbed individual," Pavlot said.
"Our horses have always been safe and happy," she said. "Not once has anything like this happened to us or anyone we know."
Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to call (315) 853-3311. Police also asked anyone in the area with security cameras to check for footage of the shooting.
CONNECTICUT -- A 54-year-old Bristol man charged with cruelty to animals after locking his dog in his vehicle in the August sun earlier this year was granted a one-year conditional discharge Tuesday in Bantam Superior Court.
Sergey Rodionox, of 26 South St., was arrested after police were alerted to the dog in the car near the Price Chopper supermarket in Torrington. The temperature inside the car was 118 degrees, police said.
Rodionox paid $15 to the court and was ordered not to violate any laws over the next year.
GEORGIA -- A northwest Georgia man who hoped that justice would prevail after the cruel shooting of the dog he rescued and now cares for is baffled that the district attorney has dismissed the charge against the shooter.
Prosecutors say Charles Anthony Bennett, 55, of Dalton, Georgia, who shot a terrier mix dog in the face in August was "legally justified."
But Sexton, who reported the shooting and rescued the dog, just can’t understand how animal cruelty charges were dismissed against the shooter.
District Attorney Bert Poston said a review of the case found that Bennett’s actions were legal.
Poston said Bennett fully cooperated with law enforcement officials and voluntarily came and talked to prosecutors without an attorney and provided documentation of his history with the dog.
"(The) facts are undisputed that Mr. Bennett took the dog in as a stray some months before the incident and took care of it, including caring for some medical conditions it had at the time," Poston said. "He had numerous behavioral problems with the dog including significant destruction of property and made efforts to find a more appropriate home for the animal without success. He ultimately decided that he would either have to put the dog down or release it back as a stray and decided the former option was more appropriate."
At 55 years of age, Mr. Bennett knows that there are these places called "animal shelters" and that at these "animal shelters", guess what? They take in animals you don't want anymore! Wow, what a concept? Did he even bother to call any of them?
Does the DA want to now want to give some excuse about why this idiot felt his only options were to shoot the dog or turn it loose??!
Poston also said Bennett took the dog out "with the intention of humanely putting the dog down and then returning it to his property for burial."
The problem with this argument is that Bennett did NOT go look for the dog after he shot it in the face and gosh! realized he hadn't killed the dog. It was his responsibility to look for the dog. And he didn't. He got in his car and drove away!!!!
Back in August, Sexton and his wife were walking their three dogs on a forestry road about 20 minutes south of Dalton, Georgia. As they returned to their car, they heard gunshots.
When they began to drive away, they saw a small dog walking in the road, its face bloodied. They followed a car they believed had put the dog out and called 911.
A sheriff’s deputy responded and pulled the car over. Bennett was arrested and charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
The Sextons returned to the scene of the shooting, picked up the dog and took it to a veterinarian’s office.
Sexton says the dog, named Angel, has since recovered physically.
But while Angel’s physical wounds have healed, Sexton says she still shows signs of trauma.
“About a month after we got her, I was doing some work on my car, and I grabbed something to prop the hood open. When she saw me grab that stick, she ran inside and cowered down,” he said.
That’s why, he said, he was upset to learn that prosecutors had dropped the charge against Bennett.
Poston said Bennett offered to pay for the dog’s veterinary bills and that money has been collected and will be forwarded to Sexton.
But Sexton says he isn’t interested in the money.
“That doesn’t satisfy me. I want justice for this little dog. I want something to be done to show people they can’t treat animals this way,” he said.
He caused unjustifiable pain by his act of shooting the little dog in the face. A reasonable person has knowledge of animal shelters and that these shelters take unwanted animals. Ergo, he willfully neglected to treat the animal in a humane manner by taking it to a shelter.
He knowingly caused physical harm by shooting the dog in the face, failing to kill it and failing to "finish it off" in order to minimize the amount of trauma to the animal. Instead, after shooting it in the face, he got in his car and drove off.
Besides that, who shoots an animal IN THE FACE to kill it???
ILLINOIS -- A Shiloh man faces felony charges after he is accused of beating his girlfriend’s dog to death with a hammer.
A Collinsville woman reported to police Monday that her boyfriend had killed her dog by beating it with a hammer.
Collinsville Police officers found the dog’s body inside her house with obvious trauma consistent with being struck multiple times with a hammer, according to a police statement.
Kevin Brokaw, 40, of Shiloh has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony.
Madison County Associate Judge Jennifer Hightower set bail at $50,000. He is currently in the custody of the Collinsville Police Department.
WISCONSIN -- Coco is a greyhound mix who loves to chase tennis balls, so it’s no surprise that she confiscated one during a recent romp at the Houska Park dog park in La Crosse and took it home.
What was surprising — and appalling — to her master, John Storlie of La Crosse, was finding a nail embedded in the ball.
Although the culprit hasn’t been located, it apparently was someone bent on injuring a dog — or, perhaps, a human.
“I was really shocked. I wondered how this could happen,” said Storlie, who said he takes the 2½-year-old rescue dog to the park along the Mississippi River about once a week.
After the 55-pound Coco claimed the ball as her own, Storlie decided to use it to play fetch with her.
“She loves to chew on tennis balls, and it was rolling around in the car,” he said.
“I didn’t notice the nail until I went to wash the ball and saw a rusty tip sticking out,” Storlie said.
Investigating further, he pulled the nail out and discovered that it was as long as the ball’s diameter, he said.
Storlie checked Coco’s mouth, and she did not appear to be injured, unless, perhaps, she picked it up and dropped it right away if the nail stung her, he said.
“Or, if she was injured at the beginning and it healed,” he said.
Storlie sent an email to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, but he has not received a response. Parks officials could not be reached Tuesday.
“I’ve talked to family and friends, and they are appalled. My daughter said when we watch her dog, don’t take it to the dog park anymore,” said Storlie, principal scientist and managing member of his own company, The OS Group.
Kathy Kasakaitas, animal control protection and rescue supervisor at the Coulee Region Humane Society in Onalaska, said she hasn’t heard of such incidents locally but expressed concern.
Several area veterinarians also said they have not heard of such cases.
Similar instances — some real, others, hoaxes — of nails hidden in food, contaminated meat and treats laced with antifreeze have been noted on social media sites the past few years.
In a confirmed case in Lancaster, Pa., in October 2011, two large pieces of meat sabotaged with nails were found just outside the fence of a dog park, according to an Associated Press report.
A young girl and her father who had taken their dog to the park found the meat, police Lt. Todd Umstead said. Each had several framing nails “loosely attached” to their undersides.
The dog wasn’t injured because “it didn’t even touch the stuff,” Umstead said.
Several network TV news reports in recent years also have chronicled cases of dogs and cats dying from poisoned meat or treats at dog parks.
The damage that might result if a dog chomped down on a nail-implanted ball would depend on how hard the canine bites, said Dr. Douglas Kratt, a veterinarian at Central Animal Hospital in Onalaska.
“There could be lacerations, but the dog would feel it before it did a whole lot of damage” and drop the ball, he said.
If the dog kept chewing, he said, it could suffer a puncture of the tongue or roof of the mouth, perhaps even rupturing the nasal area.
If one did so, it could cause internal lacerations, all the way to the intestines, he said.
Asked what a dog owner might do, such as trying to get the animal to vomit to dislodge the nail, Kratt said such a maneuver could cause more damage going back up than it did going down.
“If you are concerned about that,” he said, “contact your veterinarian immediately.
Local complaints about dog parks generally involve unruly dogs, Kasakaitas said.
“Dog parks are meant to be a good idea, but sometimes they are not a good idea because people are not focused on their dogs,” she said.
Some allow their pets to become aggressive without reprimand, she said. Sometimes, several dogs that routinely go to a park might gang up on a new visitor in a territorial dispute, she said.
“The biggest thing is that people should have their dogs under voice control and, if they don’t, to use a leash,” Kasakaitas said.
Anyone who happens to find a booby-trapped toy should call the Humane Society at 608-781-4014 or the local police department, she said.
If a perpetrator were located, he or she would be responsible for damages and veterinarian bills, she said.
MARYLAND -- The state prison agency says it's no longer allowing inmates to raise rescued pets for adoption at a medium-security prison in Western Maryland after a pit bull attacked two inmates and a correctional officer.
The curtailment of the program at the Maryland Correctional Training Center does not affect other animal-centered programs within the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, including a program at the Western Correctional Institution in Cumberland where inmates train service dogs for disabled veterans, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.
Agency spokesman Robert Thomas told The Herald-Mail on Tuesday that the prison pet program at the 180-bed institution near Hagerstown has been discontinued until further notice.
The program allowed inmates to care for cats and dogs from area animal shelters. Proponents say it saved scores of animals from euthanasia since it began in July 2014.
But Thomas said the program was growing without guidelines, raising issues exemplified by the recent dog attack.
"We cannot just continue to take in dogs and cats. That's not the business of a correctional institution. There are significant limitations. I think somewhere along the line, that part has been overlooked. This is a correctional facility," Thomas told The Herald-Mail.
Warden Phil Morgan told The Herald-Mail in July that the program had had "a total calming effect" on the prison's inmate population.
The program saved 43 dogs and 16 cats from euthanasia in its first year, the newspaper reported.
Jessica Stevenson, who helped manage the program, said the prison was housing 14 full-grown dogs and six puppies when a reporter visited in July.
She said the pets sometimes received obedience training but others just needed attention.
Thomas said many people have questioned the decision to end the program. But he said it couldn't continue without a clearer structure.
"The program seems to have morphed into a growing operation up there without the necessary guidelines and requirements," he told The Herald-Mail.
CALIFORNIA -- San Diego Humane Society officials have asked for help locating the person or people responsible for wrapping chicken wire around a small dog's neck recently, leaving the dog with wounds nearly to the bone.
Melody, a "sweet" 4-year-old spaniel, was brought to the Humane Society last week in Oceanside suffering from severe lacerations around her neck, according to a Facebook post from the organization on Wednesday.
"The way the chicken wire was tied indicates that this was an intentional act,'' Steve MacKinnon, chief of humane law enforcement for the San Diego Humane Society, told KTLA sister station KSWB. "The injuries she has suffered cut into her flesh all the way to the bone."
"She's very lucky to be alive," MacKinnon added.
Melody underwent successful reconstructive surgery to repair the deep cuts, the post stated. She has been given a "positive prognosis" for her recovery.
Authorities investigating the incident hope the public can provide any information that will lead to an arrest. To that end, San Diego Crime Stoppers has offered a reward of up to $1,000.
"We're asking the community to please report any information or possible leads so we can find the person responsible, or Melody's previous owners,'' MacKinnon told the TV station.
Anyone with knowledge of the case was asked to contact the San Diego Humane Society at 619-243-3466. Additionally, anonymous tips can be reported through the website www.sdcrimestoppers.com, or by calling 888-580-8477.
FLORIDA -- An animal rescue group is hoping to nurse a group of sick horses back to health.
The ASPCA said they found five horses in bad condition in Miami Gardens near 159th Street and Northwest 57th Avenue.
Aerial footage showed two women who got one horse to drink some water and other horses being treated at the scene.
Animals services helped in the rescue and said they also found a dog and her five puppies emaciated.
There's no word yet on who's behind the abuse.
AUSTRALIA -- A koala has been rescued from "out of control" bushfires in Australia after being found unconscious by firefighters.
Fires swept across Victoria state on Christmas Day, destroying 116 homes and forcing residents of the worst affected areas to spend the night in shelters, according to ABC.
While battling the flames, fire authorities found an unconscious koala by the side of the road near the Wye River, Reuters reported.
They brought the marsupial, of which only about 80,000 are believed to be left in the wild, to the fire station and then handed her over to Victoria police.
She was fed gum leaves and water - the low nutrition, high fibre diet which explains why koalas spend so much time in trees sleeping and digesting - and she appeared to revive.
Now named "Constable K Bear" by police, the koala is in good health according to authorities.
Amy Hidge, of Wildlife Victoria, told The Guardian that it was not known how many animals had died in the fire.
"Often, you can't see if the pads on their feet have been burnt or if they have smoke inhalation, so we're saying that if they look a bit off, they're probably bushfire affected," she said.
Koalas used to be widespread in Australia, but were shot for sport and hunted for fur from the beginning of the last century.
They have also been culled by the Australian government because they were "dying anyway."
Eighty per cent of koala habitat has since disappeared, which leads to about 4,000 exposed koalas being killed by dogs and cars each year, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.
The fire along the Great Ocean Road, a national heritage stretch of road along the south-eastern coast, began on Christmas Day with police beginning to evacuate houses in some areas around midday.
Flames tore mainly through houses in the foothills while sparing the main strip of Wye River, the worst affected town.
RIO RANCHO, NM -- The pit bull whose vicious attack on an 11-year-old Cielo Vista Elementary fifth-grader could return home today, but its owners will apparently face no reprisals.
The same can't be said for the victim, Cosmos Skelton, who bears an ugly series of 37 stitches that curl up the side of his forearm.
The attack occurred Easter Sunday at the Northern Meadows home of Joseph Kraus shortly after Skelton, a frequent visitor, had stepped inside, along with two girls who live there.
The dog, Angus, was rarely inside the house because of his temperament, Skelton said. And when the two girls saw the animal, they both fled, leaving Skelton alone with it.
"I guess he thought I was an intruder," he said. "I backed up against the wall and threw my arms up in the air and he must have taken it as a threat."
The dog chomped down on Skelton's arm and its grip was so powerful that Kraus and two other people had to pry the dog's jaws open from Skelton's arm.
It finally let go after somebody dumped a bucket of water on it, he said.
"I was getting bit and my arm felt numb," Skelton said. "I just felt this gigantic mouth on my arm."
Once freed, he managed to stumble outside and his older brother, who was also visiting the house, helped him to their nearby home and his father rushed the boy to Albuquerque's Presbyterian Hospital.
"It was a big cut, deep into the tissue," said the father, Daniel Skelton. "Every time he moved his fingers, you could see the muscles and tendons in his arm moving."
Nothing inside his arm was severed so the long-term prognosis is favorable, the father said, but the antibiotics that Cosmos was originally prescribed weren't effective so the boy had to return to the hospital last week to be re-examined.
"He's doing OK now," Daniel Skelton said. "Monday was his first day back to school. He was nervous about it getting it bumped though."
Meanwhile, Angus could be returning home after a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
The owners have until 5 p.m. today to pick up the dog, after which it could be adopted out or put down, said police spokesman John Francis.
A Rio Rancho Police report showed the dog had been vaccinated for rabies in December. But neither it, nor any of the other three dogs on the premises, are registered or licensed. The owners have until Thursday to show animal control the proper paperwork.
Daniel Skelton said he's been told by the dog's owners that Angus had attacked one of their own children and also another dog. The owners had originally planned to euthanize the dog, but recently said in a local television broadcast that they planned to keep it. The phone number at the Kraus residence is not accepting phone calls.
Skelton, whose family has three dogs of its own, including a pit bull mix that Cosmos rescued, said he has nothing against the breed.
"We're not anti-dogs and we're not anti pit bulls," he said. "But it goes to the way this dog is. You can't go back and make it a puppy again."
And since the attack occurred inside the home, neither the dog nor its owners will face penalties under city ordinances, Francis said.
That, Skelton says, is wrong. At the very least, he said, the family should be cited for the unlicensed dogs, which carries a $100 fine for each animal.
A pit bull that tore a chunk out of a Rio Rancho boy’s arm will be euthanized.
Police spokesman John Francis said Friday the owner of the dog that bit 12-year-old Cosmos Skelton voluntarily turned the animal over to police and agreed to euthanization.
He said the owner also provided proof of vaccinations and got city licenses for three other pets.
The boy’s father, Daniel Skelton, could not be reached for comment.
The attack occurred on April 24, when the dog bit the boy’s right arm and caused wounds that required dozens of stitches.
It happened in the home where the dog lived. Cosmos Skelton had gone there to play with children who lived in the home, something he frequently did, according to his father.
After the attack, Francis said the dog owner agreed to voluntarily quarantine the dog while police conducted an investigation. But she initially told a local TV station she would not have the dog put down.
Francis said police couldn’t force the owner to euthanize the dog because the incident occurred inside the home where the animal lived and didn’t violate city ordinances.
That angered Daniel Skelton, and spurred Rio Rancho dog trainer and behavior specialist Dianne Sullivan of Good Dog Training Center and Doggie Resort in Rio Rancho to say the animal should be euthanized because it might pose a risk to other children.
PENNSYLVANIA -- A Pennsylvania man is taking his beloved dog on bucket list adventures after receiving news that her life would be cut short due to cancer.
"Sometimes in life you get stagnant, but by me doing all of these things with her, it's kind of re-energized my life," Todd Burchanowski of Erie, Pennsylvania, told ABC News. "I hope people can do this for themselves, or with their loved ones as well."
Burchanowski, 36, a high school teacher, said it was the day after Thanksgiving when Reyes, his 8-year-old female poodle/beagle mix, was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma.
"I was absolutely devastated," he said. "I love her to death and she's my best friend. I count on her for a lot of things, not just companionship. To hear she's not going to be around, that really took a toll on me."
Since Reyes was given two months to live, Burchanowski decided he'd make the time she had left worthwhile by creating a bucket list of exciting things to do before she dies.
Reyes bucket list consists of 81 adventures including a trip to Niagara Falls, a sled ride, a feast of McDonald's french fries, a swim and a shopping spree.
Even Burchanowski's students at Fort LeBoeuf High School in Waterford, Pennsylvania, helped him cross another item off the list -- have Reyes marry in a mock doggy ceremony.
"Reyes is so important in my life, in my family life, the kids [I teach] at school...I always have a Reyes story to tell," Burchanowski said. "I thought it would be a good idea if all the people in her life came up with an item for a list.
"I want everyone to know how much people have given to me and Reyes in this time under unselfish acts of kindness," he added.
Burchanowski said he and Reyes are continuing to cross more items off the list today by taking a trip to PNC park to take photos with statues of baseball players.
CALIFORNIA -- A 2-year-old cancer survivor with an amputated arm is getting a special gift: A kitten that also suffered an amputation.
Matt and Simone Tipton, of Orange County, had been searching for a kitten for their daughter Scarlette, who was born with a rare form of cancer. Scarlette's left arm had to be amputated when she was 10 months old.
Doctors say she's now cancer free.
Scarlette's parents wanted to find a kitten that had undergone an amputation surgery to help in their daughter's ongoing recovery. That's when they heard about Holly, a kitten two women found bleeding from a traumatic injury in December.
The kitten's left front leg was amputated.
The family drove to the San Jacinto animal shelter to adopt the cat named Holly on Christmas Eve.
FLORIDA -- The man who broke the jaw of popular South Walton pastor Tom Guido with a punch to the face has been charged with felony battery.
County Judge David Green signed a warrant late Tuesday afternoon for the arrest of Torey Geile, according to Greg Anchors, chief assistant state attorney for Walton County.
Geile, a roofing contractor and engineer with Destin Roofing Inc., had retained counsel and turned himself in at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to an official at the Walton County Jail. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday prior to being placed into custody.
Green had waited a full week before signing the arrest warrant. He wanted to know Guido was willing to proceed with pressing charges, Anchors said.
As the case hung in limbo, a handful of residents of the subdivision where the pastor and Geile’s family walk their dogs called the Daily News to express concerns about the incident that led ultimately to the arrest.
All of them said Geile was the clear aggressor in the dog fight dispute that resulted in a single devastating punch being thrown to Guido’s face.
Both Anchors and Sheriff Michael Adkinson said Wednesday it was clear to them by the time the warrant was actually signed that charges against Geile were justified.
“Whatever explanation he had for hitting (Guido), he wasn’t justified under the circumstances,” Anchors said.
Guido, pastor of Resurrection Catholic Church in Miramar Beach, and neighbor Edward Fincke were walking their dogs early Dec. 19 when two big dogs, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, belonging to the Geiles ran up on them.
Geile’s wife had been walking the dogs and they got loose when she let go of their leashes, reports said.
Guido suffered a broken jaw severe enough that he had to be hospitalized.
Letter to the Editor: "Slow response to dog attack"
VERMONT -- On the evening of Oct. 22, I was attacked by a pit bull and sustained injuries which required medical attention.
Following the incident, I contacted the animal control department and City Hall hoping to address the safety issue posed by the animal. When my entreaties fell on deaf ears, I voiced my concerns with the Board of Aldermen. A committee was formed to address the issue a full month after the date of the attack. Haste was certainly not a priority.
The city of Rutland has now allowed two months to pass while the animal in question remains on the premises where the attack occurred.
While a decision is forthcoming, the amount of time it’s taken to address this public safety issue is inexcusable.
Just how grave must an event be before the city of Rutland takes swift action?
Perhaps a vicious dog bite is of less importance to our appointed and elected officials. The message is clear — you’re on your own.
MICHIGAN -- Police have requested charges in a Dec. 22 dog attack that ended with one dog fatally shot and the other injured.
Port Huron Police Capt. Jeff Baker said officers requested a 48-year-old Port Huron man walking the large dog involved in the attack be charged with dangerous animal at large, a misdemeanor.
Police also requested the 48-year-old woman who owned the dog be charged with dangerous animal at large and unlicensed dog. Both charges are misdemeanors.
St. Clair County Prosecutor Mike Wendling said the case remains under review and no charges have been authorized.
Bill Kessler said he was walking his beagle Daisy on a sidewalk Dec. 22 in the 2900 block of North Boulevard when a large dog charged Daisy.
Kessler said he sprayed the large dog with pepper spray. When the dog continued to attack, Kessler fired his gun three times, hitting the dog twice.
The large dog ran a short distance, collapsed and died.
Baker said Kessler has a valid concealed pistol license.
“He was protecting his dog who was going to be seriously injured or worse had he not intervened,” Baker said.
Meghan Marsh said the large dog shot and killed during the attack was named Sugar, was a mixed breed, and belonged to her mother.
Marsh has maintained the beagle entered Sugar’s yard when the attack happened, and that Kessler has threatened to shoot other dogs in the neighborhood as well.
NEW JERSEY -- A pet store owner is accused of selling sick puppies in New Jersey.
The shop in Woodbridge called "Fancy Pups" was shut down by police and the owner was arrested.
There are six remaining dogs of the 13, most of them confiscated from a puppy store on St. Georges Avenue in Woodbridge.
They have been put under quarantine in a temporary holding trailer at the animal shelter there because they have many health issues, including parasites.
"It's a disease they all have from being in unsanitary conditions," said Dennis Green, the Director of Health and Human Services.
Animal Control and the state SPCA says the store and its owner has racked up violations for a long time, including complaints from customers that he sold them sick animals.
"He's been on our radar for some time, we shut him down earlier, he was closed," Green said.
Eyewitness News found owner Rocco Garruto at his other business, a used car lot. He also housed animals in cages there in the garage. He showed Eyewitness News and says he's done nothing wrong.
"There was no danger to the dogs," Garruto said.
But Green says the animals were obviously sick, not being treated, and in inhumane conditions.
"When you see that an animal is sick, you quarantine it. It doesn't look like he was doing that so all of them got sick," Green said.
Garruto was arrested they say, after selling animals when he was ordered to stop.
Animal welfare agencies want "Fancy Pups" closed for good. A pet fish store owner in the same strip says cleaning up starts before dogs get to the store.
"The issue of puppy mills should be addressed when it gets to the level of stores, people are just trying to make money," said Will Zajack, the owner of Aquatic Obsessions.
Garruto calls it the town's personal vendetta against him.
"They just don't want a pet store here, any pet store," Garruto said.
Garruto goes to court Wednesday evening on more than 100 counts including animal cruelty. He could face jail time. He told Eyewitness News that whatever the outcome, he has no plans to open the store again. | 2019-04-19T12:19:10Z | http://fourleggedfriendsandenemies.blogspot.com/2015/12/ |
公开了一种无线电话系统使用的预付费用户帐户系统。 Discloses a prepaid user account system for a wireless telephone system. 该系统监控用户的呼叫,实时地从用户预付费帐户中扣除呼叫费用,当呼叫期间帐户余额接近用尽时警告用户,以及当帐户余额用尽时终止呼叫。 The system monitors the user's calls, real-time call charges deducted from the user's prepaid account to warn the user when the account balance is nearly empty during the call, and the call is terminated when the account balance is depleted. 当帐户余额用尽时该系统还能够防止新的呼叫启动。 When the account balance is exhausted The system can also prevent new call starts. 不同的选择还可以应用不同的收费费用,可以仅当满足规定的准则时收费,或者可以仅对规定区域或电话号码的呼叫收费。 Different options can also apply different charging fees can be charged only when the meet the specified criteria, or you can call toll area or only specified phone number. 该系统和方法使用信号技术,它允许对呼叫计费或发出帐单,以及由呼叫的实际交换机在远端进行任何授权或限制。 The system and method using the signal technology, which allows for call accounting or billing issue, and any authorized or restricted at the distal end of the call by the actual switch. 呼叫事件或可收费事件传送到预付费控制系统,同时在等待控制信息的交换系统中保持呼叫的通讯路径。 Call chargeable event or events to prepaid control system, while waiting for the communication path control information exchange system in the held call. 使用当前用于鉴别用户的现有器件来建立预付费服务用户的识别。 Using conventional means for discriminating the current user to establish a prepaid service user identification. 无线电话用户不必输入任何其他的代码或标识来获得接入预付费服务。 Wireless phone users do not have to enter a code or any other identification to gain access to prepaid services.
本发明涉及电话系统，尤其涉及对于无线电话用户的电话使用从用户帐户收费的系统和方法。 The present invention relates to telephone systems and more particularly relates to user phones for wireless telephone systems and methods charge account from a user. 特别地，它属于从预付费帐户实时地对无线电话用户收费并且当帐户余额用尽时立刻终止或限制他们的呼叫的系统和方法。 In particular, it belongs to the real-time wireless telephone user fees from a prepaid account and when the account balance is exhausted immediately terminate or restrict their system and method call.
长途业务公司和无线电话公司一般根据接入的实际呼叫和这些呼叫的持续时间对他们的用户开帐单。 Long distance and wireless phone services company based on the actual companies generally call access and duration of these calls billed to their users. 因为不可预见的呼叫模式使得对这些服务的总的费用不可预测，他们一般在这些呼叫完成之后每隔一定时间对用户开帐单。 Because of unforeseen call mode so that the total cost of these services is unpredictable, they generally after the call is completed at regular intervals for user billing. 然而，由于一些用户不适当的客户信贷分类而被拒绝这种特权。 However, since some users improper credit rating was refused this privilege. 另一方面，一些用户喜欢由他们的家庭成员或别的人控制电话使用，将呼叫限定在预定的总费用以内。 On the other hand, some users prefer by their family members or anyone else to use the phone to control the call within a predetermined limit of the total cost. 在这些情况下最好能够提供无线电话业务，同时减少无线电话业务供应商的坏帐，并且减少用户的过多费用。 In these cases it is best to provide wireless telephone service, wireless telephone service while reducing supplier of bad debts, and reduce excessive costs of users. 对于这种问题的一个解决方案是为无线电话业务提供一个预付费帐户。 For a solution to this problem is to provide a wireless telephone service prepaid account. 当电话费用增长时，它们简单地从这些帐户中扣除。 When the phone costs increase, they are simply debited from the account. 如果用户不维持足够的余额，则无线电话业务可能全部或部分禁止或中止，因此，减少了在没有限制的电话使用时固有的财务风险。 If the user does not maintain enough balance, the wireless phone business may prohibit or suspend in whole or in part, thus reducing the inherent limitations of the phone when not to use financial risk.
有两种基本的策略用于提供这种预付费帐户。 There are two basic strategies for providing such pre-paid account. 第一种方法监控帐单的记录并且将该记录与帐户余额相比较以确定何时帐户余额用尽，称为“热帐单(Hotbilling)”。 The first method for monitoring and recording of the billing account balance is compared with the record to determine when the account balance reaches zero, known as "hot billing (Hotbilling)".
然而，这些比较通常在每个电话呼叫完成之后进行。 However, these comparisons are usually performed after each phone call is completed. 电话业务费用的增长和帐户余额的减少之间的延迟允许用户在呼叫期间大大地超过他们的帐户余额。 The delay between growth and reduce the cost of telephone service account balance allows the user during the call greatly exceed their account balance. 因此，这种类型系统的预付费用户可能在服务供应商检测到超过余额并且终止或中断电话业务之前产生负的帐户余额。 Therefore, this type of system of prepaid users may be detected in the service provider have a negative account balance and balance than before termination or interruption of telephone service. 这种类型帐单系统的财务风险随着费用的增长和帐户对帐之间间隔的增加而增加。 This type of billing system of financial risk increases with the interval between cost increases and account reconciliation increases.
另一种方法提供了用于预付费呼叫的中继环路话音信道，它经过一个监控各个呼叫并且实时地计算费用的装置。 Another method for providing a voice channel repeater loop for the pre-paid call, it passes a monitoring device and the cost of each call is calculated in real time. 然而，这种类型的系统要求话音信道经过可能位于很远距离的监控装置绕行。 However, this type of system requires a voice channel may be located a great distance through the bypass monitoring device. 这种绕行可能需要大量附加的网络容量，因此，电话公司实现起来费用很多。 This detour may require significant additional network capacity, and therefore, the telephone company to implement a lot of expenses.
现有技术的中继环路系统的另一个限制是在漫游时不能使用这种系统。 Another limitation of the prior art relay loop system is such a system can not be used while roaming. 在现有技术中，预付费呼叫的线路经过连接到呼叫装置的归属交换机的监控装置。 In the prior art, pre-paid calling line is connected to the monitoring device of the home exchange of the calling device. 当呼叫装置漫游时，漫游区域交换机没有连接到预付费监控装置，因此，不能为呼叫者提供预付费服务。 When the calling device roaming, roaming region is not connected to the switch means to monitor prepayment, and therefore, the caller can not provide prepaid service.
现有技术中提供预付费无线电话业务的系统和方法具有明显的缺点。 Prior art systems and methods for providing prepaid wireless telephone service have significant drawbacks. 由于服务供应商感觉高费用和/或由于延迟处理带来的财务风险，他们反对实现两个中任何一种方法。 Since service providers feel the high cost and / or due to delay processing of financial risks, they are opposed to any kind of two methods to achieve.
当呼叫发生时，通过监控用户的无线电话呼叫的存在、确定呼叫增长的费用以及适当地减少帐户余额，本发明解决了上述问题。 When a call occurs, there is by monitoring the user's wireless telephone calls, calls to determine the growth of costs and appropriate reduction of the account balance, the present invention solves the above problems. 它不需要重定话音业务的线路并且能够在现有的移动交换中心(MSC)实现。 It does not need to re-route the voice traffic and can be implemented in existing mobile switching center (MSC). 本发明利用MSC的能力处理来自信令控制点(SCP)的呼叫控制指令并且将交互式话音响应(IVR)单元连接到进行中的呼叫中。 The present invention utilizes the processing capabilities of the MSC call control instructions from the signaling control point (SCP) and an interactive voice response (IVR) unit is connected to an ongoing call. 根据预定的最小帐户门限值，该系统具有如下能力，每当接近门限值时给用户发出警告通知，当到达门限值时断开呼叫，并且中断另外的呼叫直到再补充帐户余额为止。 The account predetermined minimum threshold, the system has the following capabilities, whenever close to the threshold issue a warning notice to the user when the call reaches the threshold is disconnected, and the call is interrupted until further until the account balance replenishment. 也可以使用另一个选择，如限制某些电话号码、某些呼叫区域或某些地理范围的电话呼叫。 Another option may be used, such as restrictions on certain numbers, certain geographical areas or certain range of the call telephone call.
用户通过使用标准的现金、支票或汇票支付、通过预先授权的信用卡支付或通过授权销售商的借方卡的购货金额，可以对帐户充值。 User by using the standard cash, check or money order payment, or the amount of purchases through authorized vendors debit card, you can recharge your account through a pre-authorized credit card.
本发明优选实施例在计算机系统中用软件实现，该系统能够集成到现有的电话通讯系统中用于包括蜂窝式和PCS电话的无线电话。 Preferred embodiments of the present invention is implemented in software using a computer system that can be integrated into a conventional wireless telephone for telephone communication systems including cellular and PCS telephones. 本发明用于在交换系统和预付费控制系统之间传递呼叫状态的系统和方法。 The present invention is a system and method for delivering a call state between a switching system and a prepaid control system. 交换机和预付费系统之间的协议定义了特定的命令和响应码，它们在不同的部件之间传递以允许在分布式网络上产生特定的动作。 Agreement between the switch and the prepaid system defines a particular command and response code, which is transmitted to allow the specific actions on the distributed network between different components. 每个命令和响应码可以包括不同的参数。 Each command and the response code may include different parameters. 本发明使用现有协议中附加的命令、响应和参数在交换系统和预付费控制系统之间传递信号以实现基于网络的预付费服务。 The present invention uses additional command in the existing protocol, in response parameter passing signals between the switching system and the control system to implement prepaid network-based pre-paid service.
本发明的一个技术优点是系统能够监控呼叫的状态并且实时地调整相关的帐户余额，使得每当预付费帐户的资金用尽就立即修改或终止服务。 A technical advantage of the invention is the state able to monitor calls in real time and adjust the related account balance, so that whenever a prepaid account runs out of funds immediately to modify or terminate the service.
另一个优点是这种监控的话音信道的线路是它正常的路径，不用重定线路。 Another advantage is that this line voice channel is monitored its normal path, without re-wiring.
前面已经相当广泛地概括地说明了本发明的特点和技术优点，使得可以更好地理解下面本发明的详细描述。 The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the described invention, may be better understood so that the following detailed description of the present invention. 以后由本发明的权利要求书的内容描述本发明另外的特点和优点。 After the description of the present invention further features and advantages of the present invention as claimed by the contents of the book requirements. 本领域的技术人员应该理解公开的概念和特定的实施例可以容易地用作修改或设计实现本发明相同目的的其他结构的基础。 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception and the disclosed specific embodiment may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for the same purposes of the present invention. 本领域的技术人员还应该认识到这种等效的结构不背离附加的权利要求书中提出的本发明的精神和范围。 Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not claim departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims set forth the present invention.
为了更全面地理解本发明，现在参照附图详细描述本发明的优点，其中：图1是使用本发明的无线预付费系统的方框图；图2是说明本发明例子中用户登记的流程图；图3是说明本发明例子中呼叫方的流程图；图4是说明本发明例子中如何播放警告通知的流程图；图5是说明当用户用完预付费帐户余额时本发明例子如何操作的流程图；图6是说明本发明例子中呼叫传递的流程图；图7是说明本发明例子中差错处理的流程图；图8是说明本发明例子中防止欺诈的流程图；以及图9是现有技术预付费无线系统的方框图。 For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the advantages of the present invention Referring now to the detailed description, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the wireless prepayment system of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an example of the present invention described in the user registration; FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the present invention is described in a calling party; FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a warning notice how to play the present invention; FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the present invention, when a user uses a prepaid account when the balance of how ; FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the present invention is described in the call transfer; FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example of the present invention described error processing; FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the present invention, in fraud prevented; and FIG. 9 is a prior art a block diagram of a pre-paid wireless system.
在描述本发明的操作之前，描述图9示出的现有技术无线预付费监控装置的操作是有益的。 Prior to operation of the present invention will be described, the prior art described in FIG 9 illustrates a wireless prepaid operation monitoring means is advantageous. MSC901与无线装置902通讯，该装置可以被分配一个预付费无线服务帐户。 MSC901 902 and a wireless communication device that can be assigned a prepaid wireless service account. 当装置902开始呼叫一个被叫号码如公共交换电话网(PSTN)903中的号码时，MSC901确定装置902被分配一个预付费帐户，因此，该呼叫的费用必须与当前预付费帐户余额相比较。 When the calling device 902 starts a called number such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 903 in number, MSC901 determining means 902 is assigned a pre-paid account, and therefore, the cost of the call must be prepaid account balance is compared with the current. 预付费监控装置904用于监控呼叫的费用。 Prepaid expenses monitoring device 904 for monitoring the call.
为了监控呼叫的费用，通过确定无线装置902的话音信道经过监控装置904,MSC901中继环路呼叫。 In order to monitor the cost of the call, the voice channel monitoring apparatus 902 via 904, MSC901 loop relay wireless device by determining a call. 因此，装置902和被叫方之间的话音信道增加了链路905和906。 Thus, the voice channel between the device 902 and the called party links 905 and 906 increases. 这种中继环路可能引起信号路径的延迟和噪声。 This loop may cause the relay and the noise signal delay path. 另外，对于服务供应商它导致额外的设备和维护费用。 In addition, service providers that result in additional equipment and maintenance costs.
图1是体现本发明的通讯系统的例子。 FIG 1 is an example of a communication system embodying the present invention. SCP101和SCP102被配置为完成预付费用途的一对冗余处理器。 SCP101 SCP102 and configured to complete a pair of pre-paid use of redundant processors. SCP101、SCP102连接到通讯网络103，该网络可以是7号信令系统(SS7)网络。 SCP101, SCP102 is connected to a communications network 103, the network may be a Signaling System 7 (SS7) network. MSC104也连接到网络103，该网络允许MSC104与SCP101和SCP102交换数据。 MSC104 also connected to network 103, which network allows the MSC104 SCP102 SCP101 and exchange data. IVR105也连接到网络103，以这种方式允许与SCP101和SCP102以及MSC104交换消息和数据。 IVR105 also connected to network 103, in such a way and allow the SCP101 SCP102 MSC104 and exchange messages and data.
用户单元106与MSC104进行无线电通讯。 User radio communication unit 106 and MSC104. 归属位置寄存器(HLR)107是包括与用户单元有关信息的数据库，它们分配给MSC104作为它们的归属交换机。 A home location register (HLR) 107 database that includes information about the subscriber unit, assign them to MSC104 as their home exchange. 当用户单元106试图在MSC104上登记时，如果单元106归属于MSC104，交换机将从HLR107获得单元106的当前配置数据。 When the subscriber unit 106 attempts to register on the MSC104, if the unit 106 is attributable to the MSC104, the switch HLR107 obtaining unit 106 from the current configuration data. 如果单元106正在漫游并且它归属于另一个MSC(未示出)，则MSC104将从用户单元106的归属HLR(未示出)获得单元106的配置数据。 If the cell 106 is roaming and which belongs to another MSC (not shown), the MSC104 from the subscriber unit the home HLR (not shown) the configuration data obtaining unit 106 106. 用于漫游用户单元的配置数据存储在访问者位置寄存器(VLR)108中。 Storing configuration data for a roaming subscriber unit in the visitor location register (VLR) 108.
一旦MSC104具有用户单元106的配置数据，MSC104可以经过PSTN109将单元106连接到被叫方。 Once the MSC 104 with the user configuration data unit 106, MSC104 PSTN109 may pass the cell 106 is connected to the called party. 另一方面，MSC104能够确定从PSTN109到用户单元106的呼入线路。 On the other hand, MSC104 PSTN109 can be determined from the incoming line to the subscriber unit 106.
在一个本发明实施例中，SCP101和SCP102包括具有适当性能以提供预付费呼叫业务的软件。 In one embodiment of the present invention, SCP101 SCP102 include suitable properties and to provide a pre-paid calling service software. SCP101和SCP102的预付费呼叫功能模块在这里称为呼叫监控模块。 SCP101 SCP102 and prepaid calling function modules referred to herein as call monitoring module. 这个功能模块可以安装在现有的无线电话业务设备中，或者可以包括特别为此目的准备的独立的计算机。 This function module can be installed in an existing wireless telephone service device, or may comprise separate computers specially prepared for this purpose. 呼叫监控模块能够结合现有的电话交换系统操作，包括位于不同的地理位置的多个MSC、HLR以及IVR，以有效减少成本的方式在大范围内提供有关功能模块。 Call monitoring module capable of binding to a conventional telephone switching system operation, it includes a plurality of different geographical locations MSC, HLR and IVR, in order to effectively reduce the cost way to provide the relevant functional modules in a wide range. MSC104与无线装置如单元106通讯，在进行呼叫时单元106在MSC104的地理范围内。 MSC104 with the wireless device, such as communications unit 106, during a call within the geographical unit 106 of MSC104. HLR如107包含每个用户的数据库，每个用户被预先分配一个特定的HLR。 The HLR 107 includes a database for each user, each user is preassigned a particular HLR.
IVR105能够播放预先编程的话音消息并且能够通过MSC104连接到用户单元106以播放规定的话音消息。 IVR105 capable of playing pre-programmed voice message and can be connected to the subscriber unit 106 to play the voice message predetermined by MSC104. 在一个特定的呼叫中涉及的MSC、HLR和IVR一般经过数字网络如网络103相互通讯，这里每个装置具有一个网络地址。 MSC involved in a particular call, the HLR via digital networks in general and IVR 103 communicate with each other as network, where each device has a network address. 这些不同系统之间的通讯能够通过美国国家标准学会第41节(IS-41)定义的通讯协议来进行。 Communication between these different systems can be carried out Society Section (IS-41) of 41 as defined by the American National Standards protocol.
IS-41定义了通讯装置之间交换的一系列命令、响应和相关的数据，其中命令和响应可以包括相关的数据。 IS-41 defines a series of commands exchanged between the communication device, and data related to the response, which may include commands and responses related data. 这种信息的形式可以大致分为命令(装置之间的请求以完成一个功能)、响应(对命令的应答，发出请求的功能已完成的信号)以及参数(能够在命令或响应中传送的数据，它表示特定的操作或触发)。 This information may be roughly divided form as commands (requests between devices to perform a function), a response (a response to the command function, requesting signal has been completed) and a parameter (command or response can be transmitted in the data it represents a specific operation or trigger). 操作是能够完成的功能，而触发表示启动操作的状态标记。 Operations are able to complete the function, and trigger indicate status flag to start the operation. MSC的操作、HLR的操作、IVR的操作和标准IS-41是通讯领域普通技术人员公知的，它们总的特性在这里不再描述。 Operation of the MSC, the HLR operation, IVR operation and the communication standard IS-41 is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and their overall characteristics are not described here. 然而，下面详细描述通过使用特定的IS-41命令、响应、参数、操作和触发与MSC和IVR通讯，定义本发明例子如何以新颖的和不明显的方式与这些现有的系统配合以提供所需的结果。 However, through the use of the following detailed description of the IS-41 specific commands, responses, parameters, operation and triggers the MSC and IVR communication, the present invention is an example of how to define novel and non-obvious manner with those of conventional systems to provide required results.
在描述的优选实施例中，语音路径没有连接到SCP101或SCP102，这样去除了其它预付费应用所要求的环路中继的低效率。 In the described preferred embodiment, the speech path is not connected to the SCP101 or SCP102, so that in addition to the low efficiency of other applications require prepayment loop relayed. 现有的MSC操作、HLR操作和IVR操作完成它们正常的功能，这样允许本发明集成到现有的系统中，而不用在新的资源上大投资或将旧的资源花费报废。 The operation of the conventional MSC, the HLR operation is completed operation and IVR their normal function, which allows the present invention is integrated into existing systems without major investment of resources spent or scrap the old on new resources.
当无线装置106和被叫方如PSTN109中的号码之间开始呼叫时，MSC104创建装置106和PSTN109之间的直接连接，不用中继环路语音信号。 When the wireless device 106 and the called party number as in between PSTN109 initiate a call, MSC104 create a direct connection between the device 106 and the PSTN109, without relaying voice signal loop. 作为呼叫建立的一部分，MSC104确定装置106与预付费帐户有关。 As part of the call setup, MSC104 determining means 106 associated with the prepaid account. 因此，MSC104通知适当的SCP101或SCP102开始监控呼叫的费用。 Therefore, MSC104 notify the appropriate SCP101 or SCP102 begin monitoring the cost of the call. 然后，SCP101或SCP102使用呼叫监控模块(CMM)110开始监控呼叫。 Then, SCP101 or SCP102 use call monitoring module (CMM) 110 starts to monitor the call. MSC104提供给SCP101或SCP102的CMM110某些用于呼叫的参数，CMM110计算呼叫的运行费用。 MSC104 supplied to the SCP101 or SCP102 CMM110 certain parameters for the call, CMM110 calculating operating costs of the call. 这个运行费用从预付费帐户余额中扣除。 The running costs paid account balance is deducted from the pre. 当呼叫完成时，MSC104命令适当的SCP停止监控呼叫。 When the call is complete, the appropriate SCP MSC104 command to stop monitoring the call.
如果呼叫的费用接近或超过门限值，CMM110促使MSC104与IVR105协商进入呼叫路径，使得IVR105能够播放适当的警告消息。 If the cost of the call close to or exceeds the threshold, CMM110 promote MSC104 consultation with IVR105 into the call path, making IVR105 able to play an appropriate warning message. 当预付费帐户余额低于预选值时CMM110还能够命令MSC104终止呼叫。 When the pre-paid account balance is below a preselected value CMM110 can also command the MSC104 terminate the call.
应该理解虽然在说明的例子中描述的许多触发、检测点、操作和消息是当前IS-41标准的部分，但是其他的触发、检测点、操作或消息也可以在以后的时间加到IS-41标准中。 It should be understood that many trigger detection point, while operations and messages described in the example illustrated is part of the current IS-41 standard, but other trigger detection point, the operation may be added to the message or IS-41 at a later time standard. 另外，这里描述的各种触发和检测点可以是符合IS-41标准的系统中使用的选择特性。 In addition, various detection points triggering and described herein may be selected in line with the characteristics of the IS-41 standard used in the system.
为了与这里描述的示范系统的呼叫监控模块正确地配合，MSC104要求四个基本的性能：1． For the exemplary system described herein to monitor the call module properly fitted, MSC104 four basic performance requirements: 1. MSC应该支持下面的事件：开始触发，“O_应答”和“O_断开”以及终止触发，“T_应答”和“T_断开”。 MSC should support the following events: start trigger, "O_ response" and "O_ off" and the stop trigger, "T_ response" and "T_ off."
2． 2. 支持触发地址列表参数以发送开始请求(ORREQ)消息到呼叫监控模块。 Support trigger address list parameter transmission start request (the ORREQ) message to the call monitoring module.
3． 3. 在使用Connect Resource和SRFDirective消息(特定的IS-41消息)的双向呼叫期间允许呼叫连接和呼叫关闭能力。 In the bidirectional use during a call and SRFDirective message Connect Resource (IS-41 specific message) and allows the call off call connection capabilities.
4． 4. 提供用户的地理位置。 Provide the user's location.
下面描述使用公知的电话网络系统中当前可利用的特定参数的优选实施例。 The specific parameters are described below using a known telephone network systems currently available preferred embodiment. 这些参数和它们的识别名称对于本领域的普通技术人员是公知的，因此，这里不做详细的描述。 These parameters and their identification names to those of ordinary skill in the art are well known, and therefore, not described in detail herein.
用户登记当用户打开他或她的无线电话并且与最近的MSC建立通讯链路时进行登记。 User registration when a user opens his or her wireless phone and register with the recent establishment of the MSC communication links. MSC从它唯一的地址识别特定的无线电话并且为它能够用于连接的持续时间设定适当的操作数据。 MSC identifies a specific radiotelephone from its unique address and it can be used for the duration of the connection setting appropriate operational data. 如图2所示，用户登记在步骤201开始，在步骤202无线电话打开，并且在步骤203发送它唯一的识别地址到最近的MSC。 As shown, the user registration starts in step 2201, the wireless telephone is opened at step 202, and transmits its unique identification address to the nearest MSC in step 203. 根据这唯一的地址，在步骤204MSC确定哪个HLR与该特定的电话有关，并且在步骤205发送登记通知命令RegNot到该HLR。 According to this unique address, which is determined at step 204MSC HLR relating to the specific telephone, and sends a registration notification command 205 at step RegNot to the HLR. RegNot命令规定这个特定的MSC支持的选择触发。 RegNot order provides support this particular selection of MSC trigger. 参数transcap包括在命令中并且用于表示MSC可以处理触发地址列表。 Transcap parameters included in the command for indicating the MSC can handle and trigger address list. 还包括参数wincap以表示MSC支持哪些触发类型(如'忙'和'无应答')，以及它支持哪些操作(如'复位定时器'，'连接资源'以及'协商操作')。 Wincap also include a parameter to indicate the MSC support which trigger type (such as 'busy' and 'no answer'), and it supports what actions (such as 'reset timer', 'connection resources' and 'negotiation operation').
在步骤206,HLR检索识别的无线电话的用户文档数据库，包括用户的性能和允许动作的信息。 In step 206, HLR retrieves the identified wireless telephone user documentation database, including the user's performance operation and permission information. 假定服务的MSC的性能和用户的文档中设定的特性，在步骤207,HLR采用参数trigaddrlist响应RegNot命令，该参数规定可用于这个用户的特定的触发类型和与每次触发有关的装置的网络地址。 Assuming the user service performance and characteristics of the document set in the MSC in step 207, HLR using the parameters trigaddrlist RegNot response command, the parameter can be specified for a particular trigger type for the user and the network associated with each triggering device address. 这个信息包括本发明的呼叫监控模块的数据。 This information includes data call monitoring module of the present invention. 在步骤208,MSC将这个信息存储在它的访问者位置寄存器(VLR)中，该寄存器是仅为这次呼叫期间创建的临时用户数据库。 In step 208, MSC stores this information in its visitor location register (VLR), the register is only for the casual user database created during a call. 在步骤209完成登记，直到试图对用户呼叫或用户对外呼叫为止才有其它相关的动作。 Completion of the registration in step 209, until the user attempts to call or an outbound call until the user have other associated actions.
呼叫监控模块不参与用户登记序列。 Call monitoring module does not participate in user registration sequence. 然而，这个步骤对于MSC建立了呼叫监控模块，并且提供允许MSC与之通讯的有关参数。 However, this step calls for the establishment of a monitoring module MSC, and provide relevant parameter allows the MSC communicates.
3． 3. 服务的MSC支持Connect Resource(连接资源)操作。 MSC services support Connect Resource (connection resources) operations.
图3步骤301示出的CALL ORIGINATION序列涉及MSC、HLR、呼叫监控模块(CMM)以及IVR之间的一系列通讯。 CALL ORIGINATION sequence shown in FIG. 3, step 301 involves a series of communications between the MSC, HLR, the call monitoring module (CMM) and IVR. 在一个实施例中，CMM可以体现为驻留在SCP如图1的SCP101或SCP102上的软件。 In one embodiment, CMM can be embodied as software residing on SCP101 or SCP102 SCP in FIG. 1. 另一方面，CMM可以是MSC中完成的功能。 On the other hand, CMM can be done in the MSC function. 当服务的MSC104接收来自用户106采用拨号数字的正常的呼叫方信号时处理开始。 When receiving a service from a user MSC104 normal call origination signal 106 starts processing using the dialed digits. 在步骤302,MSC104确定用户具有使能的触发并且发送开始请求命令(ORREQ)到呼叫监控模块(CMM)。 In step 302, MSC104 determined that the user has and sends the trigger can start request command (the ORREQ) to call the monitoring module (CMM). trigtype参数表示为什么通过识别启动消息的触发类型来路由消息。 trigtype parameter indicates why the activation trigger the type of message to route messages through recognition. wincap参数表示服务的MSC支持Connect Resource操作。 wincap parameter indicates the serving MSC supports Connect Resource operations. dgtsdial参数表示用户拨号的电话号码。 dgtsdial parameter indicates the user dials the phone number.
如果呼叫监控模块确定必须在接入呼叫之前将通知播放给用户，则在步骤303呼叫监控模块启动PLAY ANNOUNCEMENT通讯序列。 If the call monitoring module determines it is necessary to inform played to the user before accessing the call, the start PLAY ANNOUNCEMENT communication sequence at step 303 call monitoring module. 图4描述了播放通知的序列。 Figure 4 depicts the sequence of playback notification.
如图4所示，PLAY ANNOUNCEMENT序列在步骤401开始，在步骤402呼叫监控模块发送Seize Resource(占用资源)命令(SEIZERES)到有关的IVR。 4, PLAY ANNOUNCEMENT sequence begins at step 401, at step 402 transmitting a call Seize Resource monitoring module (footprint) command (SEIZERES) related to IVR. 这个命令包括参数plind(优选的语言指示符)以规定发给用户的任何通知的语言(英语、西班牙语、法语等)。 This command includes parameters plind (preferred language indicator) issued regulations to notify users of any language (English, Spanish, French, etc.). 当IVR接收这个命令时，在步骤403它对呼叫监控模块的响应包括参数tldn(临时的本地电话簿号码)，它规定了拨号电话号码，通过该号码IVR能够连接用于话音通讯。 When the IVR receives this command, its response to a call monitoring module 403 includes the step of parameter TLDN (Temporary Local Directory Number), which defines the dialed telephone number, through which the IVR number for voice communications can be connected. 然后，在步骤404，呼叫监控模块采用tldn参数发送Connect Resource命令到MSC。 Then, at step 404, the call monitoring module parameters are transmitted using tldn Connect Resource command to the MSC. 在步骤405，MSC使用这个信息来访问IVR并且建立与它的话音连接。 In step 405, MSC uses this information to access the IVR and voice connect to it. 一旦接入这个呼叫，在步骤406,IVR发送指令请求(INSTREQ)到呼叫监控模块请求呼叫处理指令。 Once access to the call, at step 406, IVR sends an instruction request (INSTREQ) to call the monitoring module requesting call processing instructions. 在步骤407，呼叫监控模块采用表示播放哪个通知的通知参数annlist发送RUIDIR命令到IVR。 In step 407, the monitoring module uses a notification call parameter which transmits RUIDIR notification command to play annlist IVR.
在步骤408,IVR经过拨号连接播放必要的通知到MSC,MSC传递该通知到用户的电话。 In step 408, IVR via dial-up connection to the play necessary notification MSC, MSC delivers the notification to the user's telephone. 一旦通知完成，在步骤409和410，通过相互发送适当的响应，IVR和呼叫监控模块将INSTREQ和RUIDIR命令序列关闭。 Upon completion notification, at step 409 and 410, to each other by sending an appropriate response, IVR and call monitoring module and RUIDIR INSTREQ off command sequence. 在呼叫之前和之后与IVR的相互作用的现有技术是无线领域的技术人员公知的。 Before and after the prior art call with the IVR interaction of the wireless field is well known in the art. 当进行呼叫时，采用本发明与IVR的相互作用是新颖的。 When making a call with the IVR interaction using the present invention are novel.
返回到图3，一旦步骤303的通知完成，在步骤304呼叫监控模块响应来自服务的MSC的ORREQ命令，提供动作码参数actcode，在步骤305，它告诉MSC停止与IVR的拨号连接，使用用户先前提供的路由数字建立一个新的呼叫。 Returning to Figure 3, notification, when step 303 is completed, at step 304 the call monitoring module in response to the MSC ORREQ command from the service providing operation code parameter ACTCODE, at step 305, it tells the MSC stops the dial-up connection IVR, the user previously routing figures provided by the establishment of a new call. 在步骤306，使用这里没有描述的公知的过程，MSC接入用户的请求呼叫。 In step 306, using a known procedure not described here, the MSC call access request of the user. 在步骤307，当MSC检测到应答时，它确定用户使能应答触发并且发送ORREQ命令到呼叫监控模块。 In step 307, a response is detected when the MSC, which enable users to determine response to the trigger command and transmits ORREQ call monitoring module. trigtype参数用于表示“应答”。 trigtype parameter is used to mean "response." 在步骤308，呼叫监控模块启动呼叫定时器，开始监控用户的帐户，并且响应来自MSC的ORREQ命令。 In step 308, the call monitoring module starts the call timer, begin to monitor the user's account, and in response to commands from the MSC ORREQ. 此时，呼叫被连接并且不必进行其他与呼叫监控模块的通讯直到呼叫结束或呼叫监控模块启动一个新的动作为止。 At this point, the call is connected and that no further communication with the call monitoring module until the end of the call or the call monitoring module start up a new action.
当呼叫完成时，在步骤309服务的MSC检测断开，确定用户使能断开触发并且在步骤310发送另一个ORREQ到呼叫监控模块。 When the call is completed, the MSC 309 and services disconnection detecting step, determining that the user enable off trigger and transmits the call to the other ORREQ monitoring module at step 310. 现在，trigtype参数用于表示“断开”。 Now, trigtype parameter indicates "off." 在步骤311，呼叫监控模块停止呼叫定时器，停止监控用户帐户，并且在步骤312使用actcode参数响应ORREQ命令，该参数告诉MSC断开所有各方。 In step 311, the call monitoring module stops the call timer, stop monitoring user account and use 312 actcode parameter response ORREQ command in step, which tells the MSC disconnect all parties.
在呼叫建立期间，如果服务的MSC检测到“忙”或“无应答”(未示出)，它可以采用表示该状态的trigtype参数，发送一个ORREQ命令到呼叫监控模块。 During call setup, the MSC is detected if the service "busy" or "no answer" (not shown), which can be expressed using parameters trigtype this state, transmitting a command to call the monitoring module ORREQ. 该呼叫监控模块能够采用动作码参数和终止列表参数响应以重新更改该呼叫方向，可能到IVR，播放一个适当的通知到用户。 The call monitoring module can employ an action code termination list parameters and parameter changes in response to the call re-direction, possibly to IVR, it plays an appropriate notification to the user.
呼叫期间用户帐户用尽图5示出呼叫期间用户用尽他或她的帐户余额时接下来的通讯序列。 During the call user account exhausted Figure 5 shows the next time the user during the call exhausted his or her account balance communication sequence. 这个序列假定服务的MSC支持协商性能，在步骤501用户已经开始一个呼叫，并且当呼叫监控模块监控到帐户已经用尽或用完时该呼叫当前是激活的。 This sequence assumes that the serving MSC support the negotiation of performance, at step 501, the user has started a call and when the call monitoring module to monitor the account has been exhausted or the current call is active when depleted.
呼叫监控模块通过在断开呼叫之前可以使用的预定几分钟(例如，三分钟)播放消息，可以提前给用户提供帐户余额接近用完的警告。 Call monitoring module by a predetermined several minutes prior to disconnecting the call may be used (e.g., three minutes) play message, you may provide advance warning of the near end account balance to the user. 这种确定一般基于充值率和各种其它相关的数据。 This determination is generally based on the recharge rate and various other related data. 在呼叫期间，在步骤502通过定期地减去适当的量值并且检查得到的余额，呼叫监控模块监控帐户余额。 During the call, at step 502 by subtracting the appropriate magnitude and periodically checks the balance obtained, call monitoring module monitors the account balance. 在步骤503，当呼叫监控模块检测到警告门限值时，在步骤504，呼叫监控模块启动一个警告通知到用户。 In step 503, when the call monitoring module detects a warning threshold, at step 504, the monitoring module starts a call alert notification to the user. 除了步骤407的annlist参数规定了'警告'通知以外，它遵循先前图4描述的过程。 In addition to step 407 annlist parameter specifies the 'warning' beyond notification, which follow the procedure previously described in FIG 4. 当通知序列完成时，在步骤505，呼叫监控模块发送DISCONNECT RESOURCE命令到MSC，在步骤506,actcode参数告诉MSC断开到IVR的协商呼叫连接，同时使各方之间的连接保持不动。 When the notification sequence is complete, at step 505, the monitoring module sends the call to the MSC DISCONNECT RESOURCE command, at step 506, actcode parameter tells the MSC to disconnect the IVR consultation call connection while the connection between the parties remain intact. 这时完成了给用户的警告消息，在步骤507，处理返回到正常的帐户余额的监控。 Then completed a warning message to the user, at step 507, the process returns to normal monitor your account balances.
在步骤508，一旦呼叫监控模块确定帐户余额已经用完，在步骤509，它发出一个终止消息告诉用户该呼叫被终止。 In step 508, the monitoring module determines the call once the account balance has been used up, at step 509, it sends a termination message telling the user that the call is terminated. 除了步骤407的annlist参数规定'终止'消息播放到用户以外，它遵循先前图4描述的序列。 In addition to step 407 the predetermined parameters annlist 'termination' message to a user other than the player, it follows the sequence previously described in FIG 4. 一旦发出通知，在步骤510，呼叫监控模块采用actcode参数发送给MSC一个SRF DIRECTIVE命令，该参数告诉MSC断开所有各方。 Upon notification, at step 510, the monitoring module call to the MSC using a parameter actcode SRF DIRECTIVE command tells the MSC disconnect all parties. 在步骤511,MSC断开所有各方并且在步骤512响应SRF DIRECTIVE命令以结束该序列。 In step 511, MSC and disconnect all parties at step 512 in response to a command to end the SRF DIRECTIVE sequence. 一旦断开用户，呼叫监控模块的任何相关定时器停止并且帐户余额监控终止。 Once the user is disconnected, any relevant monitoring module call timer is stopped and the account balance monitoring is terminated. 现在在允许用户接入或接收与这个帐户有关的任何更多的呼叫之前，他或她必须给帐户充值。 Before now allows users to access or receive any more calls associated with this account, he or she must be prepaid to the account.
呼叫传递对于无线电话用户的输入呼叫也进行记帐。 For call transfer calling radio telephone user input is also billing. 图6示出处理输入呼叫的序列。 Figure 6 shows a sequence of processes incoming call. 该处理假定：1． This process assumes: 1. 服务的MSC支持协商性能。 MSC consultation service support performance.
5． 5. 服务的MSC支持设备选择和可利用(FAVAIL)触发。 MSC services support triggering device selection and use (FAVAIL).
这个处理的第一步是归属MSC建立到服务的MSC的连接，归属MSC服务于始发者的无线电话，服务的MSC服务于用户的无线电话。 The first step in this process is to establish a home MSC to the serving MSC connection, wireless telephone service in the home MSC originator, MSC services and services to users of wireless phones. 这个步骤遵循的过程是本领域普通技术人员公知的，因此这里不作详细的描述。 This process step is followed by those of ordinary skill in the art is well known, and thus will not be described in detail herein. 这些过程使用户的电话打开并且登记在服务的MSC上。 These processes enable a user to open and telephone services registered on the MSC. 一旦这已经建立，在步骤601,CALL DELIVERY(呼叫传递)处理开始，在步骤602，服务的MSC采用表示输入呼叫的trigtype参数以及表示任何可能的话音消息的优先语言的plind参数，发送设备选择和可利用的(FAVAIL)命令到呼叫监控模块。 plind parameters Once this has been established, in, CALL DELIVERY (call transfer) process starts at step 601, at step 602, MSC services using trigtype parameter indicates an incoming call and indicates any possible voice message priority language, transmitting device selection and available (FAVAIL) command to call the monitoring module.
如果呼叫监控模块确定用户具有足够的帐户余额来接收呼叫，在步骤603，它通过返回表示'连续处理'的actcode参数，响应FAVAIL命令。 If call monitoring module determines that the user has a sufficient account balance to receive the call, at step 603, it means 'continuous processes' actcode the parameters returned in response FAVAIL command. 然后，在步骤604，服务的MSC建立呼叫，在步骤605，如果服务的MSC检测到用户电话的应答，在步骤606，它采用表示'应答'的trigtype参数，发送ORREQ命令到呼叫监控模块。 Then, based on step 604, MSC service call, in step 605, MSC if the response to the service user's telephone is detected, at step 606, it uses means 'response' of trigtype parameters, call send command to the monitoring module ORREQ. 然后，在步骤607，呼叫监控模块启动定时器，开始监控用户帐户余额，并且响应ORREQ命令。 Then, in step 607, the call monitoring module starts a timer to start monitoring user account balances, and respond ORREQ command. 此时，继续以正常的方式处理连接的呼叫，在MSC和呼叫监控模块之间没有其他的通讯直到由各方结束该呼叫为止。 At this point, we continue to be the normal way to deal with call connection, no other communication by the parties until the end of the call until the call between the MSC and the monitoring module. 当各方挂机时，在步骤608,MSC检测到这一点，并且在步骤609，采用表示'断开'的trigtype参数发送ORREQ命令到呼叫监控模块。 When the hook parties, at step 608, MSC detects this and, in step 609, using the means 'OFF' the ORREQ trigtype parameters sent to the call command monitoring module. 然后，在步骤610，呼叫监控模块停止呼叫定时器和帐户余额监控，在步骤611响应ORREQ命令以结束对这个序列的处理。 Then, at step 610, the call monitoring module call timer is stopped and account balances to monitor, at step 611 the command to end the processing ORREQ in response to this sequence.
在接收上述FAVAIL命令之后，如果呼叫监控模块确定用户没有足够的帐户余额来接收输入的呼叫，在步骤603，呼叫监控模块可以采用表示'中断呼叫'的actcode参数，响应FAVAIL命令，服务的MSC可以使用标准过程来进行以指示主叫用户，拨号方是不能使用的。 After receiving the FAVAIL command, if the call monitoring module determines that the user does not have sufficient account balance to receive the incoming call, at step 603, the call monitoring module may employ represent 'interrupt call apos actcode parameter response FAVAIL command, the MSC service may using standard procedures to indicate to the caller, the calling party can not be used. 此时，呼叫监控模块将正常地终止处理，没有任何其他的到服务的MSC或IVR的通讯。 In this case, the monitoring module will normally call termination process, no communication of any other IVR or MSC to the service.
差错处理和预防欺诈呼叫监控模块也能够提供例外情况的选择，如周期地检查以确定双方仍然连接。 Error handling and prevention of fraud call monitoring module can also provide a selection of exceptional circumstances, such as periodically checks to determine if the two sides are still connected. 如果另一方已经挂机，但是用户无意地保持了他的无线电话连接，他也许不知道要为可能用尽整个帐户的连续电话呼叫付费。 If the other party has already hook, but the user has no intention to keep his wireless phone connection, he may not know is likely to be exhausted continuous telephone calls to pay the entire account.
如图7所示，步骤701的ERROR HANDLING像往常一样在步骤702和703建立呼叫，但是在步骤704进行周期性间隔的检测，在步骤705，呼叫监控模块可以发送服务请求命令(SERVICEREQ)到MSC。 FIG ERROR HANDLING 7, step 701 of establishing a call as usual in steps 702 and 703, it is detected at step 704 periodically spaced, at step 705, the monitoring module may transmit the service call request command (SERVICEREQ) to the MSC . 该命令可以包含信息请求参数leginfo，请求呼叫的当前状态。 The command may include information request parameters leginfo, to request the current status of the call. 如果两端仍然连接呼叫，在步骤706服务的MSC可以采用表示'连续处理'的actcode参数来响应。 If the call is still connected at both ends, the MSC may employ a step 706 and services means 'continuous processes' actcode parameters of response. 如果另一方已经断开，服务的MSC可以通过返回表示'断开呼叫'的actcode参数来响应。 If the other party has been disconnected, MSC services may respond by returning an 'off call apos actcode parameters. 在任何一种情况下，MSC将遵循步骤707规定的动作。 In either case, MSC 707 will follow the step of the predetermined operation.
图8示出系统如何用来检测和预防某些类型的欺诈，如步骤801的FRAUD PREVENT描述的。 Figure 8 illustrates how the system for detecting and preventing certain types of fraud, as in step 801 described FRAUD PREVENT. 呼叫监控模块能够提供一种选择的服务，如果呼叫正在进行它就自动地检测希望使用用户帐户的各种尝试。 Call Monitoring module can provide an alternative service, if the call is in progress it will automatically detect the user wishes to use various attempts to account. 在步骤802，当MSC发送ORREQ命令以启动使用用户帐户的呼叫时，在步骤803，呼叫监控模块可以检测正在使用的帐户。 In step 802, when the MSC sends a command to start using the ORREQ call user account, the account at step 803, the monitoring module may detect the call is being used. 如果检测到这一点，在步骤804，呼叫监控模块可以采用actcode参数响应ORREQ命令，在步骤805，该参数告诉MSC中断新的呼叫(以及可能终止当前的呼叫)。 If it is detected at step 804, the monitoring module may be used actcode call parameter in response ORREQ command, at step 805, the interrupt tells the MSC new call (and possibly terminating the current call). 然后，在步骤806，MSC可以标记帐户以呼叫客户服务或保安人员。 Then, in step 806, MSC can mark account to call customer service or security personnel. 以类似的方式，呼叫监控模块可以被编程以将当前使用的模型与先前使用的模型相比较。 In a similar manner, the call monitoring module may be used to model the current programming model compared to previously used. 如果检测到先前的呼叫模型中明显的变化，可以禁止该帐户，并且该帐户被标记给客户服务以通知用户。 If you detect a previous call model in significant changes, you can disable the account, and the account is marked to customer service to inform the user.
电话业务供应商可以规定管理级别防护，以允许授权的人员查看或修改用户属性。 Telephone service providers to manage the level of protection provisions to allow authorized personnel to view or modify user attributes. 例如，一个注册口令可能提供只看性能，而第二个注册口令可以提供修改帐户余额的能力。 For example, a registered password may provide performance look, while the second registered passwords can provide the ability to modify account balances.
呼叫费率呼叫监控模块可以包含容易维护的费率引擎，它确定接入费用(每月、每周或每天)、发射时间使用的每分钟费用、长途电话费以及“市内呼叫区域”的规定。 Call rates Call Monitoring module may include engine is easy to maintain the rate, which determines access charges (monthly, weekly or daily), the provisions of the cost per minute using the emission time, long-distance telephone charges, and "local call area" . 市内呼叫区域可以由地区码、地区码+市话交换局或到主叫用户局区的里程规定。 Local calling area may be by the area code, area code + local exchange or to the provisions of the caller mileage Board area. 所有的费率能够实时地基于MSC触发和预定的费率表。 All rates based on the rate tables can trigger MSC and scheduled in real time.
呼叫监控模块控制不同的费率表的能力仅通过服务的MSC识别用户的当前位置和拨号数字的能力来限制。 Ability to monitor the call control module tables different rates limited only by the capacity of the current position of the MSC and the dialed digits identifying the user of the service. 每个用户具有一个检索费用表的服务类别，这些表能够以许多方式使用以定制每个用户的收费文档。 Each user has a retrieval fee schedule of service categories, these tables can be used in many ways to customize each user fee documentation. 当启动或终止一个呼叫时可以使用相同的费率表。 When starting or terminating a call may use the same rate tables. 可以命令呼叫监控模块不对最后小于预定时间的输入呼叫或来自规定号码的呼叫收费。 Command monitoring module can call the incoming call does not last less than a predetermined time or a predetermined number from the call charge. 如话音邮件或客户服务的呼叫方号码的长途电话可以设置为本地电话。 Such as voice mail or long distance calling party number of customer service calls can be set to local calls.
呼叫监控模块也可以建立分开的周末和节假日费率并且提供免费时间和免费次数。 Call Monitoring module can also establish separate rates on weekends and holidays and free time and free times. 提供的免费分钟数和时帧在费率计划一览表中是可改变的。 Free minutes offered and the time frame in the list of tariff plans are changed. 不同的费率可以应用于相同的呼叫，例如第一分钟免费或连接时间15分钟后降低费率。 Different rates may be applied to the same call, for example, the first minute free connection time or reduced rate after 15 minutes.
长途费率可以基于白天、晚上、夜间、里程、州间、州内、局部接入转送区(LATA)和/或国际费率表。 Long distance rates based on the day, between the evening, night, city, state, the state, local access transfer area (LATA) and / or international rate tables. 长途收费可以自动地从用户帐户中扣除。 Long distance charges can be automatically deducted from the user's account. 联邦、州、本地、市、县和特别税可以应用于连接费用、呼叫和服务，并且可以自动地从帐户中扣除。 Federal, state, local, city, county and special tax applicable connection charges, and service calls, and can be automatically deducted from your account.
每月接入和重新激活费用在用户文档(profile)的服务属性类别可以规定接入费用。 Monthly access fee and reactivate the user documentation (profile) category of service properties may provide access charges. 呼叫监控模块能够以可编程的间隔(即每日、每周、每月)自动地定期从帐户中扣除费用。 Call monitoring module can be programmed intervals (ie daily, weekly, monthly) fee automatically deducted from your account on a regular basis.
通过改变用户文档中的标记由客户服务可以自动地请求一次'事件'收费，如重新激活费用。 By changing the user documentation tags can automatically request a service 'event' charges by the customer, such as re-activation fee. 如果设置了选择的事件标记，呼叫监控模块能够立即从帐户中扣除预定的费用。 If the event marker selection, call monitoring module can be scheduled immediately deduct the cost from your account.
呼叫限制呼叫监控模块能够提供一种在用户级限制帐户的出网拨号性能的能力。 Call barring Call Monitoring module provides a network dial-up account of the performance of a limitation in the ability of the user level. 出网呼叫限制能够设置用于国际、州间和/或州内长途，或者在特定的地区码中这些的组合以及地区码+市话交换局组合中。 Outbound call restrictions can be set up for international, state and / or in-state long distance, or a combination of these and area code + local exchange portfolio in a specific area code. 如果用户仅具有几个他们希望能够拨号的号码，这些号码可以设置在封闭用户组中，只允许对这些号码的呼叫。 If the user has only a few they want to dial numbers, these numbers may be provided in a closed user group, calls to only those numbers. 另一方面，仅当用户对封闭用户组以外呼叫时呼叫监控模块能够提供借方帐户的性能。 On the other hand, only when a user other than the closed user group calls that provides performance monitoring module debit account.
如果用户仅具有几个他们希望接收的呼叫号码，这些号码能够设置在入站(in-bound)封闭用户组中，只有来自这些号码的呼叫被连接。 If the user has only a few number of calls they wish to receive, these numbers can be provided in the inbound (in-bound) a closed user group, calls from only those numbers are connected.
上面的描述只是用于说明而不是限制。 The above description is illustrative and not limiting. 本领域的技术人员可以进行明显的改变并且这些改变包括公开的本发明中，本发明仅仅由附加的权利要求书的精神和范围限制。 Those skilled in the art may make significant changes and modifications of the invention include those disclosed in the present invention is limited only the spirit and scope of the book by the appended claims.
虽然已经详细地描述了本发明和它的优点，但是应该理解这里可以进行各种变化、替代和改变而不背离如附加的权利要求书规定的本发明的精神和范围。 Although the present invention has been described and its advantages in detail, it should be understood that there may be various changes, substitutions and alterations from the spirit and scope of the invention without departing from the appended claims as defined.
1． 1. 一种在与多个无线装置通讯中具有交换机的无线电话通讯网络中控制电话使用的方法，其中一个或多个所述无线装置与用户帐户有关，其中所述交换机确定何时所述无线装置启动呼叫并且所述交换机将所述装置连接到被叫目的地，所述方法包括步骤：通知呼叫监控装置开始监控呼叫的运行费用，其中所述呼叫的话音通讯的路由不经过所述呼叫监控装置；监控所述呼叫的所述运行费用；将有关用户帐户减少所述呼叫的所述运行费用；以及当所述用户帐户余额低于最小值以下时终止所述呼叫。 A method of using a telephone in a wireless telephone communication control network having a plurality of wireless switches in communication devices, wherein one or more of the wireless device associated with the user account, wherein said determining when the wireless device switches to start call and said switch means is connected to the destination called party, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring means notifies the call start monitoring the operating costs of the call, wherein the voice call communication without routing the call monitoring means; monitoring the operating cost of the call; would reduce the operating costs of the call about user accounts; and when the user account balance falls below minimum value when terminating the call.
2． 2. 如权利要求1所述的方法，其中所述通知步骤还包括：使用IS-41触发，给所述呼叫监控装置发信号。 The method according to claim 1, wherein said notifying step further comprises: using the IS-41 is triggered, the monitoring device to the call signal.
3． 3. 如权利要求1所述的方法还包括步骤：在所述呼叫正在进行时，连接语音产生装置到所述呼叫，其中所述语音产生装置能够播放通知给所述无线装置的用户。 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: when the call is in progress, the voice generating means connected to said call, wherein said generating means capable of playing voice notifying the user of the wireless device.
4． 4. 如权利要求1所述的方法，其中所述降低的步骤还包括步骤：定期地减少所述用户帐户的帐户余额。 The method according to claim 1, wherein said reducing step further comprises the step of: periodically reducing the account balance of the user account.
5． 5. 如权利要求1所述的方法还包括步骤：在完成所述呼叫之前确定用户帐户余额；如果所述用户帐户余额表示有足够的资金可以使用则允许连接呼叫；以及如果所述用户帐户余额表示没有足够的资金可以使用则不允许连接呼叫。 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: determining a user account balance prior to completing the call; if the user account balance represents sufficient funds may be used to connect the call is allowed; if the user account balance, and that there is no sufficient funds can be used to connect the call is not allowed.
6． 6. 如权利要求1所述的方法还包括步骤：确定是否所述用户帐户余额包括足够的资金来继续当前的呼叫一个预定的时间周期。 The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: determining whether the user account balance comprises sufficient funds to continue the current call for a predetermined period of time.
7． 7. 如权利要求6所述的方法还包括步骤：如果所述用户帐户余额没有足够的资金来继续当前的呼叫所述预定的时间周期则播放消息给用户。 The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of: if the user account balance does not have sufficient funds to continue the current call of the predetermined period of time the message is played to the user.
8． 8. 一种在用户帐户监控系统中用于控制电话使用的方法，该方法包括步骤：接收来自交换机的呼叫方命令，所述呼叫方命令与无线通讯装置和另一方之间的呼叫有关，其中所述呼叫方命令识别与所述呼叫有关的所述无线通讯装置；确定所述用户帐户的帐户余额；计算所述呼叫的运行费用；从所述帐户余额中扣除所述运行费用。 A method for controlling a telephone used in a user account monitoring system, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a switch command from the caller, the calling party and the call between the command means and related to the other wireless communication, wherein said calling party identification with the call command related to the wireless communication device; determining an account balance of the user account; calculating operating costs of the call; deducting the operating costs from the account balance.
9． 9. 如权利要求8所述的方法还包括步骤：接收来自交换机的呼叫断开命令；以及停止监控所述帐户余额的步骤。 The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of: receiving a call from a switch-off command; and a step of stopping the monitoring of the account balance.
10． 10. 如权利要求8所述的方法还包括步骤：确定帐户余额低于警告门限值；以及发送一个命令到交互式话音系统以对所述呼叫的至少一方播放警告消息。 The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of: determining an account balance is less than the warning threshold value; and transmitting a command to the interactive voice system to play a warning message to at least one of the call.
11． 11. 如权利要求8所述的方法还包括步骤：确定帐户余额低于终止门限值；以及发送一个命令到所述交换机以断开所述呼叫。 The method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of: determining an account balance is less than the termination threshold; and transmitting a command to the switch to disconnect the call.
12． 12. 如权利要求11所述的方法还包括步骤：发送一个命令到交互式话音系统以对所述呼叫的至少一方播放终止消息。 The method as claimed in claim 11 further comprising the step of: transmitting a command to play an interactive voice system to one of at least the call termination message.
13． 13. 一个用于实时地从预付费用户帐户扣除呼叫费用的呼叫监控系统，所述呼叫监控系统包括：一个交换机，用于确定呼叫与无线通讯装置的路由；一个用户帐户监控装置，其中确定呼叫到所述无线通讯装置的话音信道的路由不经过所述用户帐户监控装置；以及发出网络连接所述用户帐户监控装置和所述交换机的信号。 Paying for a user account in real time from the pre-deducting the cost of the call monitoring system call, the call monitoring system comprising: a switch for routing the call to determine the wireless communication device; a user account monitoring device, wherein determining the call to the routing said voice channel of a wireless communication device without passing through said user account monitoring device; and a signaling network connecting the user monitoring device and the account of the switch.
14． 14. 如权利要求13所述的呼叫监控系统还包括：一个数据库，包括与每个所述用户有关的帐户余额。 The call monitoring system as claimed in claim 13 further comprising: a database, including account balance associated with each of said user.
15． 15. 如权利要求13所述的呼叫监控系统，其中所述帐户监控装置包括：用于监控到所述无线通讯装置的呼叫的持续时间的器件；用于确定所述呼叫费用的器件；以及用于在呼叫进行期间减去用户帐户余额中等于所述费用值的器件。 The call monitoring system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the account monitoring means comprising: means for monitoring the duration of the call to the wireless communication device; means for determining the cost of the call; and means for subtracting means said charge value equal to the user account balance during a call.
16． 16. 如权利要求13所述的呼叫监控系统，其中所述帐户监控装置包括：用于确定何时用户帐户余额低于预定值的器件；以及用于启动警告消息到呼叫中至少一方的器件。 The call monitoring system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the account monitoring means comprises: means for determining when a device user account balance falls below a predetermined value; and means for activating at least one of a warning message to the call.
17． 17. 如权利要求13所述的呼叫监控系统，其中所述帐户监控装置包括：用于确定何时用户帐户余额为零的器件；以及用于启动所述呼叫终止的器件。 The call monitoring system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the account monitoring means comprises: means for determining when the user account balance reaches zero the device; and means for initiating the call termination.
MX9404062A (en) * 1993-06-03 1995-01-31 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Call transfer within the cellular communications system. | 2019-04-25T21:26:53Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/CN1323500A/en |
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This Agreement was last modified on 27th April 2015.
This User Agreement describes the terms and conditions on which you are allowed to use our Website and our Services. We have incorporated by reference all linked information. By accessing and/or using the services available from the domain and sub-domains of www. PoDLancer.com (the “Website”), you agree to be legally bound by these User Agreement.
We reserve the right to revise these User Agreement and all linked information from time to time in our sole discretion by updating this posting or any linked information. Unless otherwise provided in such revision, the revised terms will take effect when they are posted.
Employers or Buyers: Create profiles, post projects, post contests, search for Freelancers, communicate with Freelancers, negotiate with Freelancers, award projects to Freelancers, manage projects, leave feedback for Freelancers, and pay Freelancers.
Freelancers or Sellers (or Professionals on-Demand, or PoDLancers): Create profiles, advertise capabilities, market services, submit quotes, negotiate with Employers, obtain project awards, invoice, obtain feedback from Employers, and receive payment from Employers.
Account means the account created by the Website when you register on the Website.
Buyer means a User that investigates and purchases Seller Services or items from Sellers or identifies a Seller through the Website.
Contest means a contest that is solely promoted by a Buyer and in respect of which a Seller can submit an entry via the Website.
Contest Brief means the document setting out the terms and conditions which are to apply to a Contest.
Contest Handover , in respect of a Contest, means the agreement between the Buyer and winning Seller under which the Seller will transfer to the Buyer ownership of the winning entry.
Dispute Resolution Process means the process to be followed by Buyers and Sellers in accordance with the Dispute Resolution Services.
Entrant means an eligible Seller who has entered into a Contest.
Professionals on-Demand , “PoDLancer”, “we”, “our”, or “us” means P4PE Limited.
Inactive Account means a User Account that has not been logged into for a continuous 6 month period.
Intellectual Property Rights means any and all intellectual property rights, existing worldwide and the subject matter of such rights, including: (a) patents, copyright, rights in circuit layouts (or similar rights), registered designs, registered and unregistered trademarks, and any right to have confidential information kept confidential; and (b) any application or right to apply for registration of any of the rights referred to in paragraph (a), whether or not such rights are registered or capable of being registered and whether existing under any laws, at common law or in equity.
Local Jobs or On-site Jobs means a service we provide to match a Buyer who has tasks that need doing with a Seller who will provide the service based on the location of the Seller.
Milestone Payment means a prepayment made by the Buyer for the provision of Seller Services under a User Contract and which will be released in accordance with the section “Milestone Payments” below.
Project or Listing means a job offered or awarded by a Buyer via the Website, which may include a Project or Contest listed by a Buyer, a project awarded by a Buyer (for example through HireMe), a service bought by a Buyer from a Seller, and service awarded by a Buyer to a Seller as a result of a Contest or competition hosted via the Website.
Seller means a User that offers and provides services or identifies as a Seller through the Website.
Seller Services means all services provided by Sellers.
User Contract means: (1) this User Agreement; (2) the Code of Conduct as amended from time to time; (3) any other contractual provisions accepted by both the Seller and Buyer uploaded to the Website, to the extent not inconsistent with the User Agreement and the Code of Conduct; and (4) the Project terms as awarded and accepted on the Website, to the extent not inconsistent with the User Agreement and the Code of Conduct.
Dispute Resolution Service means the service described in Section 6.
Services means, collectively, the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Service, and the Dispute Resolution Service.
PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services means, collectively, the PoDLancer Invoice Service and the PayAssure Service.
Assumed Payment Liabilities shall mean that portion of a Seller’s total service charges for a Project which PoDLancer.com agrees to assume in consideration of the Service Charges.
Buyer’s Acceptance of Services shall mean: (i) with respect to an Invoice, a transfer of funds by Buyer to PoDLancer.com in respect of such Invoice or (ii) with respect to the PayAssure Service, the earlier to occur of the following: (a) Buyer and the Seller agree as to the rightful recipient of the funds or (b) Buyer and Seller have concluded the process comprising the Dispute Resolution Service.
PoDLancer Invoice Service means the service described in Section 5(A).
PayAssure Service means the service described in Section 5(B).
Service Charges means, as applicable, the Project Fee, Buyer Payment Processing Fee, the Seller Transfer Method Fee and the Dispute Resolution Service Fee.
Website means the websites operated by PoDLancer and available at: PoDLancer and any related PoDLancer subdomain, service, tool, application or any replacement URL.
Before using the PoDLancer Website, we recommend that you read the whole User Agreement, the Website policies and all linked information.
A. Eligibility. To access our Services through our Website, you must be a legal entity, or an individual of eighteen (18) years of age or older who can form legally binding contracts. To become a Registered User, you must accept all of the terms and conditions in, incorporated by reference in, and linked to, these Terms of Service. By becoming a Registered User, you agree to: (1) abide by the User Agreement and the processes, procedures, and guidelines described throughout the Website; (2) be financially responsible for your use of the Website and the purchase or delivery of services; and (3) perform your obligations as specified by any Project Agreement that you accept, unless such obligations are prohibited by law or by the User Agreement.
are suspended from using the PoDLancer Website.
PoDLancer.com reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to refuse to register a person or corporate entity as a User, suspend, or terminate Services to anyone.
General. Once you have registered with the Website as a Registered User, the Website will create your Account with PoDLancer.com and associate it with an account number. You may create a profile under your Account, in accordance with Section 3(D).
Username and Password. During registration, you will be asked to choose a username and password for the Account. As a Registered User, you agree and you are entirely responsible to safeguard and maintain the confidentiality of the username and password you use to access this Website. You authorize PoDLancer.com to assume that any person using the Website with your username and password is you or is authorized to act for you. You agree to notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized use of the Account.
D. Membership. PoDLancer.com provides Registered Users several different membership options. The availability of these membership options is dependent upon (i) the Registered User’s status as an Employer or a Freelancer (ii) the selections made during registration, (iii) any subsequent upgrades or downgrades of membership options after registration.
Employers. All Employers have the membership benefits described here. Note, membership benefits may change from time to time at the sole discretion of PoDLancer.com and upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Website.
Freelancers. Freelancers can choose from different membership options. The options and differences between these options are listed here.
Each membership option includes a certain number of “bids.” As described on the Website, a Freelancer uses bids to submit quotes for projects. If a Freelancer requires additional bids in a given month, the Freelancer has the option to buy additional bids as described here. We reserve the right to change membership fees, the monthly number of bids included in the membership options or the price of bids or institute new fees at any time, at the sole discretion of PoDLancer.com and upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Website. No refunds of membership fees, bids or skill tests already paid will be given. If we exercise our right to cancel a membership as provided under these Terms of Service, at any time, we will not refund the membership fee already paid.
Project Agreement. The engagement, contracting and management of a project are between a Buyer and a Seller. Upon acceptance of a quote, the Buyer agrees to purchase, and the Seller agrees to deliver, the services and related deliverables in accordance with the following agreements: (a) the agreement between Buyer and Seller including the Project Bid, Project Description, and other terms and conditions as communicated between Buyer and Seller on the Website or otherwise, (b) this User Agreement, and (c) any other content uploaded to the Website by PoDLancer.com (collectively, the “Project Agreement”). You agree not to enter into any contractual provisions in conflict with this User Agreement. Any provision of a Project Agreement in conflict with this User Agreement is void. Buyer is responsible for managing, inspecting, accepting and paying for satisfactory services and deliverables in accordance with the Project Agreement in a timely manner. Seller is responsible for the performance and quality of the services in accordance with the Project Agreement in a timely manner. Buyer and Seller each covenants and agrees to act with good faith and fair dealing in performance of the Project Agreement.
Independence. Buyer and Seller each acknowledges and agrees that their relationship is that of independent contractors. The Seller shall perform services as an independent contractor and nothing in this User Agreement shall be deemed to create a partnership, joint venture, agency, or Buyer-employee relationship between Seller and Buyer or between PoDLancer.com and any Buyer or Seller.
General. PoDLancer.com is not a party to the dealing, contracting and fulfilment of any Project between a Buyer and a Seller. PoDLancer.com has no control over and does not guarantee the quality, safety or legality of any services performed or deliverables created, advertised, the truth or accuracy of project listings, the qualifications, background, or abilities of Registered Users, the ability of Sellers to perform services, the ability of Buyers to pay for services, or that a Buyer or Seller can or will actually complete a Project. PoDLancer.com is not responsible for and will not control the manner in which a Seller operates and is not involved in the hiring, firing, discipline or working conditions of the Seller. All rights and obligations for the purchase and sale of services or other deliverables are solely between a Buyer and a Seller. PoDLancer.com will not provide any Seller with any materials or tools to complete any Project. Buyers and Sellers must look solely to the other for enforcement and performance of all the rights and obligations arising from Project Agreements and any other terms, conditions, representations, or warranties associated with such dealings.
Third-Party Beneficiary of Project Agreement. Buyer and Seller each acknowledges and agrees that the value, reputation, and goodwill of the Website depend on their performance of their covenants and agreements as set forth in their Project Agreement. Buyer and Seller therefore appoint PoDLancer.com as a third-party beneficiary of their Project Agreement for purposes of enforcing the obligations owed to, and the benefits conferred on, PoDLancer.com by this User Agreement. Buyers and Sellers further agree that PoDLancer.com has the right to take such actions with respect to the Project Agreement or their Accounts, including without limitation, suspension, termination, or any other legal actions, as PoDLancer.com in its sole discretion deems necessary to protect the value, reputation, and goodwill of the Website.
Agency. This User Agreement and any registration for or subsequent use of this Website by any user or Registered User will not be construed as creating or implying any relationship of agency, franchise, partnership or joint venture between you and PoDLancer.com, except and solely to the extent expressly stated.
Taxes. Registered Users are responsible for payment and reporting of any taxes. Other than in connection with the 1099 Service, PoDLancer.com is not obligated to determine the applicability of any taxes or to remit, collect or report any such applicable taxes, unless otherwise agreed to by both parties pursuant to the terms of any provision of tax services provided to you by PoDLancer.com. You agree that you will abide by any and all applicable state and federal tax statutes, regulations and common law. In the event PoDLancer.com receives a notice of non-compliance with any such statute, regulation or common law, including, without limitation, an Internal Revenue Service Levy, PoDLancer.com will deem such receipt a breach of this section and will suspend your Account until PoDLancer.com received an Internal Revenue Service Release.
A. Membership Fee. Freelancers can choose various membership plans to subscribe to different levels of participation on the Website, as detailed here.
Buyer Payment Processing Fee. If a Buyer pays a Seller with a credit card or PayPal account, a Payment Processing Fee will be charged to the Employer as described here.
Seller Transfer Method Fee. If, upon a Seller’s request, funds are to be disbursed via check or a wire transfer, a Freelancer Transfer Method Fee will be charged to the Seller as described here. Transfers made through use of automated clearinghouse, Paypal and debit card methods will incur no such fee.
Dispute Resolution Service Fee. For use of Dispute Resolution Services, irrespective of the nature of resolution and any resulting disbursements, PoDLancer.com charges a Dispute Resolution Service Fee, equal to the greater of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and five percent (5%) of the total amount paid by a Buyer to PoDLancer.com for the applicable project to which such payment relates.
C. We reserve the right to change membership fees, service fees, processing fees or any other fee that may be charged by PoDLancer.com at any time, at the sole discretion of PoDLancer.com and upon reasonable notice posted in advance on the Website. No refunds of fees already paid will be given. If we exercise our right to cancel a membership as provided under this User Agreement, at any time, we will not refund the membership fee already paid.
Unless otherwise stated, all fees are quoted in Naira and its equivalent in United States Dollars.
A. PoDLancer Invoice Service. The PoDLancer Invoice Service enables Sellers to issue invoices and enables Buyers to make payments for services.
General. When a Seller completes a Project for a Buyer, the Seller will complete the electronic invoice form (the “Invoice”) and submit it to PoDLancer.com via the Website. A Seller must complete and submit an Invoice to PoDLancer.com for each and every Project. The Seller will provide PoDLancer.com with a list of items, including, but not limited to, hours worked, payment required and description of Project(s), to be included on the Invoice (“Invoice Details”). Such Invoice Details will not be final until and unless such Seller has confirmed the accuracy of the Invoice Details or waived the right to review the Invoice Details. If a Professional waives his, her or its right to review the Invoice Details, all items in the Invoice Details will be included on the Invoice as received by PoDLancer.com. PODLANCER.COM ENCOURAGES ALL SELLERS TO REVIEW INVOICE DETAILS. PoDLancer.com will submit the Invoice to the Buyer and the Buyer shall submit the payment specified in the Invoice (“Payment”) to PoDLancer.com. When a Buyer makes a payment through the PoDLancer Invoice Service, PoDLancer.com deducts the appropriate Service Charges due PoDLancer.com as described on the Website and delivers the remainder of the Payment to the Seller.
Invoice Disputes. If a Buyer reasonably disputes any Invoice, the Buyer will pay all undisputed amounts within the time frames specified above and the parties will cooperate to verify any disputed amounts. Any Invoice amounts reasonably disputed by a Buyer will not be payable to a Seller until such dispute is resolved. PoDLancer.com’s obligation to pay any Payment (less applicable Service Charge) is expressly conditioned upon: (a) PoDLancer.com’s receipt of Payment from the applicable Buyer and (b) resolution of all outstanding disputes with respect to such Invoice and/or Payment.
B. PayAssure Service. The PayAssure Service enables Buyers to transfer certain payment responsibilities to PoDLancer.com.
General. At a Buyer’s request, upon payment to PoDLancer.com by Buyer for services to be rendered by a Seller, PoDLancer.com will assume responsibility for the payment for such Seller’s services (less applicable Service Charge). PoDLancer.com agrees not to pay Seller for services until after the occurrence of a Buyer’s Acceptance of Services. You acknowledge that such funds will belong to PoDLancer.com immediately upon such funds being transferred to PoDLancer.com by you. However, PoDLancer.com agrees to refund such funds to Buyer in the event that (y) a Seller acknowledges that services have not been completed or (z) Buyer and Seller have concluded the process comprising the Dispute Resolution Service with a result indicating that Buyer is the rightful recipient of such funds. PoDLancer.com agrees to keep both Buyer and Seller informed as to the status of the Assumed Payment Liability and if, for any reason, a party requests Dispute Resolution Service regarding such status, will notify both parties that the matter will be addressed through the Dispute Resolution Service.
SafePay Disputes. If a Buyer or Seller reasonably disputes the quality or completion of services provided by such Seller, then both Buyer and Seller agree that PoDLancer.com shall have no payment obligations to any party related to relevant fees until such dispute is resolved in accordance with Section 6 below. PoDLancer.com’s obligation to pay any Payment (less applicable Service Charge) is expressly conditioned upon resolution of all outstanding disputes with respect to such Payment.
General. To receive funds due to you, you must request such funds and indicate your selection of the funds transfer methods available on the Website. Any such requests shall be subject to the conditions and restrictions contained on the Website and in this User Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this User Agreement, if PoDLancer.com determines in its sole discretion that a Registered User has violated the conditions and restrictions of the Website or User Agreement, PoDLancer.com has the right to refuse to process such request.
Hold on Transfers. PoDLancer.com reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to place a hold on requested transfers if PoDLancer.com suspects monies may be subject to charge back, bank reversal, failure to clear or fraud. PoDLancer.com will release a hold as soon as practical.
PoDLancer.com is not your agent with respect to any funds that have been transferred to PoDLancer.com for any Assumed Payment Liabilities.
Each Seller must properly discharge and credit Buyers for all payments that PoDLancer.com makes to such Seller in respect of services provided to such Employers.
PoDLancer.com acts as a payment provider by creating, hosting, maintaining, and providing the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services to you via the Internet. PoDLancer.com does not have any control over the services invoiced or paid for with the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services. Additionally, PoDLancer.com does not control whether an Buyer or Seller will actually complete the underlying transaction. PoDLancer.com is not responsible in any way for the timeliness or accuracy of the invoices or the timeliness, accuracy, completion or workmanship of any work product produced by a Seller as a result of an awarded Project. Nothing in this User Agreement will be deemed to constitute PoDLancer.com as your agent with respect to any service purchased and sold by Registered Users through the Website, or expand or modify any warranty, liability or indemnity stated in this User Agreement.
By using the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services, you expressly acknowledge that (a) PoDLancer.com is not acting as a trustee or a fiduciary of Buyers or Sellers and that the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services are provided to Registered Users administratively; (b) PoDLancer.com is not a “financial institution” and the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services are payment services rather than a banking services; (c) PODLANCER.COM IS NOT A BANK AND ANY PAYMENTS TRANSFERRED THROUGH PODLANCER.COM ARE NOT INSURED DEPOSITS AND ARE SUBJECT TO DEFAULT, LOSS OR FORFEITURE.
Authorized Payments are Final. Your use of the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services constitutes your agreement to pay for any amounts which you authorize us to retain from transactions and, as appropriate, charge to your credit card, bank account, or PayPal account. Such payments, once authorized, are final. When a Buyer’s Acceptance of Services has occurred, (i) PoDLancer.com shall have no further liability to any party with respect to Payment for such services, (ii) Buyer acknowledges that PoDLancer.com has provided a complete service in respect of the payment made by Buyer for the Assumed Payment Liability or Invoice, as applicable and (iii) Buyer hereby releases PoDLancer.com from any and all liability with respect to such Payment.
Fraudulent Transactions; Erroneous or Duplicate Transactions; Charge Backs. PoDLancer.com reserves the right to seek reimbursement from you, and you will reimburse PoDLancer.com, if PoDLancer.com discovers a fraudulent transaction, erroneous or duplicate transaction, or if PoDLancer.com receives a charge back or reversal from any Buyer’s credit card company, bank, or PayPal for any reason. You agree to and acknowledge PoDLancer.com’s right to investigate any and all transactions for fraud. Further, you agree to cooperate with any reasonable requests made by PoDLancer.com in an effort to investigate fraud. You agree that PoDLancer.com has the right to obtain such reimbursement by charging your Account, deducting amounts from future transfers, charging your credit card or any bank account associated with your Account, or obtaining reimbursement from you by any other lawful means, including using a third party collection agency. Failure to pay for reimbursements of a charge back or a reversal of payment is cause for termination of your Account.
Currency. The PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services operate in Nigerian Naira and US Dollars and therefore PoDLancer.com is not responsible for currency fluctuations that occur when billing or crediting a credit or debit card denominated in a currency other than Naira or US Dollars, nor is PoDLancer.com responsible for currency fluctuations that occur when receiving or sending payment via wire transfer, check or automated clearinghouse to and from your bank account, credit card account or PayPal account.
Exclusivity and Non-Circumvention. Buyers agree to use the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services to make all payments to Sellers, whether first-time, repeat, or follow-on. You also agree not to take any action directly or indirectly to circumvent the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services or any associated fees. As a Seller, you agree to use PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services to receive all payments from Buyers identified through the Website, whether first-time, repeat, or follow-on. Additionally, you agree not to circumvent the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services or any associated fees.
Notification. As a Buyer, you agree to notify PoDLancer.com immediately if your Seller solicits payment from you outside the Website. As a Seller, you agree to notify PoDLancer.com immediately if your Buyer seeks to pay you outside the Website. If you are aware of a breach of the foregoing prohibitions, or any potential circumvention of the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services, please submit a confidential report to PoDLancer.com by phone at 0700PODLANCER or contact us.
Agreement to Pay. If, for any reason, PoDLancer.com does not receive payment for any amounts that you have authorized to be paid through your use of the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services, you agree to pay such amount immediately upon demand by PoDLancer.com. You also agree to pay any interest charges, attorneys’ fees and other costs of collection incurred by PoDLancer.com in collecting from you the authorized but unpaid amount. In such case, PoDLancer.com may, at its option, stop processing any further payments made by you and apply any amounts then held by PoDLancer.com on your behalf toward any deficiencies, losses or costs that we have incurred as a result of your use of the PoDLancer Billing and Payment Services. We may also make appropriate reports to credit reporting agencies, financial institutions, tax agencies and law enforcement authorities, and cooperate with them in any resulting investigation or prosecution.
A. Eligibility. PoDLancer.com offers the Dispute Resolution Service to those Registered Users that have requested PoDLancer.com to assume all or a portion of the payment liability for services and who are engaged in a dispute over a Project that is (i) pursuant to a project posting by an Buyer through the Website, (ii) pursuant to a bid for by a Seller through the Website for such job posting and (iii) pursuant to an acceptance through the Website by the Buyer for such bid. Buyer and Seller agree and acknowledge that, with respect to Assumed Payment Liabilities, any and all disputes relating to the underlying fees shall be governed by the terms of this Section 6.
Negotiation. In any dispute between Registered Users relating to a Project that is eligible for Dispute Resolution Service, you agree to negotiate such dispute in good faith. If the result of such negotiation is acceptable to both parties in a dispute, you agree to indicate your approval of such negotiation through the Website and PoDLancer.com will disburse funds in accordance with the results of such negotiation. If you are dissatisfied with the progress, you agree to submit your dispute to binding arbitration as further set forth below.
Arbitration. In any dispute between an Buyer and a Seller which cannot be resolved through negotiation, you expressly agree to and acknowledge that PoDLancer.com or a third party chosen by PoDLancer.com will arbitrate the dispute in accordance with this User Agreement and the Website.
(a) You acknowledge and agree that PoDLancer.com will construe any Project Agreement based on the transaction’s course of dealing and common industry practices. Specifically, in rendering its decision, the arbitrator shall only be obligated to consider the following: (i) the Project Agreement, (ii) the parties’ course of dealings, as evidenced by activity on or communications through the Website, (iii) the Project itself and (iv) any information or communication that the Buyer and the Seller agree should be considered.(b) PoDLancer.com shall render its decision within five (5) business days of escalation. During this time, you are encouraged to continue to negotiate an amicable settlement with the Seller with which you are engaged in a dispute.(c) You agree that the decision of PoDLancer.com, acting as an arbitrator, shall be final, binding, and not subject to appeal. Accordingly, within a reasonable time after we have rendered a decision, we will transfer funds in accordance with the arbitrator’s decision.(d) In the event that you are the prevailing party in its arbitration decision, you agree that you shall have no right, title to, interest in or license to the Project that is the subject matter of the dispute. In such case, you agree to return any physical copies of such Project in your possession and destroy any electronic copies that you have.
C. Communication. You agree and acknowledge that (1) PoDLancer.com will use the e-mail address corresponding with your Account registered at the time a dispute arises to notify and communicate with you with regard to any dispute and (2) you are solely responsible for the receipt of any notification or communication sent by PoDLancer.com using the e-mail address corresponding with your Account registered at the time a dispute arises.
D. Acknowledgements. You agree and acknowledge that (1) PoDLancer.com is not providing legal services to you, (2) PoDLancer.com will not advise you regarding any legal matters and (3) if you desire to have legal counsel, you will seek independent legal counsel licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction and not rely on PoDLancer.com for any such counsel. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless PoDLancer.com and any of our affiliates against any damages or liability you may suffer as a result of using the Dispute Resolution Service. If you do not agree to use this Dispute Resolution Service under these terms, you should not request PoDLancer.com to assume the Assumed Payment Liabilities.
A. This User Agreement shall become effective as your contractual agreement upon your use of the Website, and shall continue until your Account is terminated by you or PoDLancer.com as provided for under the terms of this section.
B. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing between the parties, either party may terminate the contractual agreement represented by this User Agreement at any time upon notice to the other party. In such event, your Account is automatically terminated and (1) PoDLancer.com shall continue to perform those services necessary to complete any open transaction between you and another Registered User; and (2) you shall continue to be obligated to pay any amounts accrued but unpaid as of the date of termination to PoDLancer.com for any service and to any Freelancer for any services.
D. Without limiting our other remedies, we may issue a warning, or temporarily suspend, indefinitely suspend or terminate your Account or a Project, and refuse to provide any or all services to you if: (1) you breach the letter or spirit of any terms and conditions of this User Agreement or the linked policies and information incorporated herein by reference, including our written policies and procedures posted on the Website; (2) we are unable to verify or authenticate any information you provide to us; or (3) we believe in our sole discretion that your actions may cause legal liability for you, our Registered Users or for PoDLancer.com or are contrary to the interests of the Website. Once indefinitely suspended or terminated, you must not continue to use the Website under the same Account, a different Account, or register under a new Account.
E. In addition, violations of this User Agreement may be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and may result in additional penalties and sanctions.
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You aren't able to use a Jewelry Crafting Station should you do not have the new Chapter. It takes quite a bit of money, but it's worth getting in the Crafting Guild. Make a decision as to what kind you want, but don't forget that at level 56 you can just earn a Battle Staff of Water.
You will require a lot of nature runes and a fire staff to get this done. It's a remarkable method to construct your experience, since everything you must get started can be seen on the island and you don't will need to travel from place to place to locate the things you demand. Fortunately, losing weight in Mabinogi is fairly straightforward and quick, and cheap normally.
Everybody has silver plate, and nobody would like to eliminate it. It is a tough repair to bring life back into a sheet of jewelry. And 75 percent of the time that it's made out of an extremely thin silver coating.
For instance, a dagger uses less than 1 bar, so you may take a nearly complete bar to make it with, and you will have some part of the bar left over. Additionally, there's a pottery wheel and pottery oven alongside a jug and sink so you may sit in there all day making pottery! I do a whole lot of collage pins and pendants.
You could similarly make spheres, ampoules, and assorted things that might be helpful to the gamer in addition to others. You'll discover loads of ideas and terrific inspiration there from our creative buddies. The answers are given below.
If you would like the high price, fast and simple, you're dreaming. When you speak to the red monk, you're going to be teleported in the Abyss and skulled, and thus don't bring anything you aren't prepared to lose. Far more than intended.
Sales aren't guaranteed. Essentially, you can anticipate to get supplies in bulk at low-cost rates. If you decide on a smaller on line auction company, many prospective buyers don't discover your offering.
You will go down to a health, but you are not going to die. Public bulletin boards provide a cheap way to reach people. What's more, you are going to come across certain ads occasionally.
For instance, some mines have many rocks but a lot of enemies too, though other mines have few rocks but no enemies. Very frequently, whilst fishing, you will definitely locate points that aren't edible, including gloves in addition to boots, oyster shells and also coffins. There are lots of other rocks there.
What Is So Fascinating About Runescape Jewelry?
You ought to have 150 certificates. The kind of estate jewelry you have dictates which store will try to offer your jewelry. If you don't have lots of time to harvest the Jewelry Crafting resource nodes to acquire your very own satisfied custom made jewelry, it is possible to just useESO Gold to buy the itemsand materialsyou should make it fast and simple.
Nonetheless, the gemstone is still popular in rings and bracelets. Gems are an essential portion of jewelry. Antique jewelry is highly collectible and could expect a specialty choice to sell.
If there appears to be lots of individuals charging Glories, it's probably a fantastic notion to try somewhere else or within a different world. Sometimes con-men work in teams and someone taking a look at the entire situation can observe it is an awful situation in time that will help you not get taken. It is a great alternative for women who need to wear the most recent in fashion trends without investing too much money.
There are just a few non-member options in this specific field. You also have the capacity to dual wield weapons. Stay there until you are pleased with your mining level.
Who Else Wants to Learn About Runescape Jewelry?
Delrith is going to be sucked into a vortex and you'll finish the Demon Slayer quest. Combination dragons consist of metallic won't reveal and are generally essentially the best dragons with RuneScape. It is impossible to earn armor or weapons from it (although one can use it in order to enhance the Dragon Priest Mask Konahrik), but it's possible to earn jewelry.
Doing this will earn you a little amount based on your degree of XP. For repairing the temple, you are going to get 5 Crafting experience whenever you repair a component of it. Currently you don't have a timer or any form of limits, so it's possible to summon because many familiars as you would like.
Although it's not going to open initially, in case you have the book they'll say you can go in. On line bulletin boards could also work out whether you discover the perfect one. Stay here for quite a long time if you must devote several thousand on items.
RS3 Gold that, you're generally called a newb or possibly a noobie by way of another players. Crafting is among the most critical skills in the game. This is helpful for low level players.
If you own a lvl 91 runecrafter, there's the capability to earn upwards of 7m per hourdepending on the number of accounts you have running. A simple means to acquire decent mining skills is to visit the mining field by the area where the Champions Guild is located. Fishing Runescape players believe this is a vital skill because that's where they count on to get their food, however they don't worry since there are a lot of places where they will surely discover teams of healthy and balanced fish.
The trait item, Slaughterstone, will be seen in those very same reward boxes the remainder of the moment. There might also be a measure of trust in shipping the jewelry on the other side of the country or just a payment program may be the only way someone could afford your jewelry. Place the coal in your financial institution!
Right-clicking on the item you wish to craft when it prompts you'll accelerate the procedure. You will get a very smart jewelry buyer. Crafting is a superb method to obtain more income.
A good suggestion is to try to complete because many challenges as possible first because the rewards you will receive are the means by which you can boost your team. The level up rewards made available by time spent in addition to repeated actions are really desirable. There's always room for improvement.
It's possible to carry games over to the following day, but be sure that you finish them within 24 hours to acquire the rewards. In addition, it features commentary from the youthful player and his coach for the newest episode of the video. For more tips and techniques on the game, be certain to take a look at our FIFA 19 wiki guide.
In general, you can rely on about 12-14 hours of playing time, based on how intensely you handle the different possibilities of the Journey'' mode. You will surely be pleased with the huge collection of stadiums on offer. You'll locate many exclusive tips via our live alerts, aiding you to get 1 step ahead of different players!
For this reason, you must use fitness consumables to make sure their fitness is as large as it can be, or at least high enough they'll persist for a complete match. While every one of these cards are exciting and carry some degree of potential, we have to bear in mind that some are more inclined to get upgrades than others and that some upgrades will consequently create a lot larger price in FUT Coins increase than others in transfer industry. Eventually, you're going to be in a position to buy standard gold packs and perhaps even jumbo gold packs, providing your team with different star players along with useful consumable products.
So, take into consideration the difficulty you'll be able to expect. Be on the move and become notified, it might just make you thousands and thousands of coins. Video games, generally, provide us with an incomparable vicarious experience for a way to escape the toxicity of normal living.
Deciding not to obtain card packs doesn't necessarily feel just like you're missing out, particularly when you aren't guaranteed to receive your money's worth. This is likewise about the neighborhood cigarette industry in Indonesia. But since FUT 14, EA have increased the quantity of contract cards on the sector and the prices have been going down.
There's no such luxury when playing against a human, unless it's a human that you recognize particularly well. This results in an overall rise in the player's pride when playing the game. Real-time display may be used to prompt the player to take immediate action.
Chelsea are the most recent club to have their FIFA 19 ratings in advance. EA have played around with penalties for eight decades, and they will need to return to basics. The FIFA 19 hack gets you all of the items free of charge.
At the 1982 World Cup, Maradona, already considered the very best player on the planet at the moment, was not able to prove himself a Champion. However, you still require a group of inexpensive players in FIFA 19 that will provide you with an opportunity in Division Rivals. The Premier League is the costliest.
It's no supreme Team bonuses. FIFA Ultimate Team is another mode you engage with, and you are able to choose or not decide to play, or you may choose or not decide to purchase, Holt told EG. Games like League of Legends and Dota 2 have proven so good at delivering engaging on-line modes they've become a number of the world's most well-known eSports.
This trial can be found on Origin for PC in addition to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A whole lot of players will devote a great deal of money on FIFA Points in the competitive scene. This is simple enough to create an outstanding team early in the game.
You may now begin building your squad. For years, it was simple to determine which football game to buy. At this time you're probably going to need to understand how to add them to your team.
We're likely to have a look at how Career Mode is measured up, the way the players are ranked, and the way the total FUT squad is rated. This FIFA 19 tutorial is going to teach you just how to precisely center the ball in the penalty space to carry out a header shot. The game also features for the very first time a Classic XI team comprising amazing football legends and a World XI team comprising current wonderful superstars.
If you are a newcomer to FUT, the early phases of squad-building gives you a straightforward guide to building a good team. Simply choose which one that you need to apply and press X. Then, the fitness of your entire squad is going to be boosted.
Bronze is going to be the lowest levels shiny metallic dragon, and ways of Iron then Rock. To examine the spells you'll be able to cast, access the Ability book and click the Magic tab. It is suggested that you obtain a Staff of Fire if you intend on doing this.
This spell is mostly utilised to provide fast Magic experience. The very first thing that you ought to know when dealing with weight is that you merely will need to eat when hungry. Fortunately, losing weight in Mabinogi is fairly straightforward and quick, and cheap normally.
Which leads to the area add a diamond with an item, you should get the job done. To isolate pure gold, mining businesses utilize a complicated extraction approach. And 75 percent of the time that it's made out of an extremely thin silver coating.
Silver plate, on the flip side, is made from a less costly base metal that's been coated with silver. Also, I don't understand how to solder. Don't neglect to gently harvest the rhinestones from the pieces that can't be reused.
It's also a great idea to permit the swords to regenerate after every sale as you can then get the most possible money for every one of them. When you speak to the red monk, you're going to be teleported in the Abyss and skulled, and thus don't bring anything you aren't prepared to lose. Smelt your gold bars into the very best thing you can possibly make.
As the full notion of utilizing automatic article submission software is very good, these types of sources are viewed as unsuitable to assist you in your content creation. It is crucial to keep in mind that rejecting links can result in a drop in resource positions in the international search outcome, since many webmasters often reject links that really help the web site, in place of doing any harm to it. When managing raw materials, you may also use various different skills in the kitchen region and search.
Prospect the rocks until you find the rock that you are searching for (either Adamantite or Mithril). If you're a member, visit the impassable mountain range. Smelt them together generate a steel bar.
Copper filiaments can be gotten by theiving the chests in Dorgesh-Kaan. Silver items demand a mould for the object, in addition to a Silver Bar. Antique jewelry is highly collectible and could expect a specialty choice to sell.
As it's a war, you can survive any battle in case you've got extraordinary fighting capabilities. Sometimes con-men work in teams and someone taking a look at the entire situation can observe it is an awful situation in time that will help you not get taken. In some instances you don't have a lot of money and in others you have all of the amount of money you can spend!
Glass working isn't very popular as it's so complicated, but may be quite beneficial in some specific conditions. There's currently no way to unenchant an object after it's been enchanted. Stay there until you are pleased with your mining level.
Runescape Gold you get the Skull, speak to the Priest to begin the quest. You will want the runes for the spells you would like to use together with a Staff of Air. It is impossible to earn armor or weapons from it (although one can use it in order to enhance the Dragon Priest Mask Konahrik), but it's possible to earn jewelry.
For coal you've got a few choices. When you have your very first batch of charged glories, you're ready to go. There is a great deal of coal here.
If you're newbie, you can concentrate on the for starters few actions. You're able to pick their locks. Boosting your fishing and also logging skills will surely permit you to get resources you could process in several other products.
Clean jewelry indicates the item during its best and aids in evaluating the design and gems. Since you haven't met the requirements to enter the Crafting Guild, you can't delight in the equipment found in the guild. To prepare for Update of the New Jewelry Crafting, maybe you wish to get someElder Scrolls on-line Gold beforehand.
If you find yourself with a complete inventory, you can get over 5,000 gp at the same time. This is a simple manner of making capital without Runescape Cheat in the event you are fearful of dying on the dragons. If you have to discover the very best and most productive means for any Runescape affiliate to create exclusive metal irrespective of their level.
Given that it's war, you can endure any battle if you've got outstanding fight abilities. Keep doing this and you'll have fast thieving skill and money at the exact same moment. Fishing Runescape players believe this is a vital skill because that's where they count on to get their food, however they don't worry since there are a lot of places where they will surely discover teams of healthy and balanced fish.
The trickiest aspect of on-line auctions is the true transaction. The affliction of the gem is vital to the value. The quantity of Gp received is the exact same like you sold that item to the item's respective specialty store once the store doesn't have any stock of the merchandise.
Crafting is an unbelievable system to acquire more cash. Hence the buyer is aware here. Crafting is a superb method to obtain more income.
The very first person shooter genre is among the most saturated gaming genres around (second just to MMOs). Evony is a 2D strategy MMO that occurs in a dream world, it regarded to be among the standouts in its genre, and it has attracted a sizable audience. When you're done with your personality you may also build your own property.
For this isn't a reason to back down. Shifting Tombs is the sort of mini game that's in theory not hard at all, it is a skilling based mini game, but there's still a lot to do here and this video from The RS Guy makes it seem as easy as possible and should you follow his really simple detailed guide ( such as the one for the most important mystery ) you are going to be able to run through it quickly. Just because I wished to make an enjoyable game that individuals would enjoy.
Think of this Refight Galvek choice, you might be used right to the battle. The Sims is also among the gaming franchises ever. The two players will draw 1 card as standard, for the remainder of the game.
While leather is a premium quality material, it may not be the best material for gardening gloves from www.mmoko.com. When robbing the museum inside this on-line game you must use your grappling hook to acquire on top. You may play a concise casino game and win a couple more bucks.
However you are feeling at this moment, you're not alone. At times the appropriate inserted gem could earn a enormous difference in a fight.
These actors do not need to take much effort when they're portraying their characters. There aren't any like it because there is me.
Runescape Ironman: the Ultimate Convenience!
Safe deaths, like those in minigames, won't cause the participant to be a normal ironman. Hydration or the best way to Hydrate is likely one of the questions I get. You'll get a Wanted Level.
Sport Chek desired to change the way so that they could drive conversions, they position their delivery offer. Please read this reply allow it to sink in for a moment. The reply to that question is complicated.
You should concentrate on leveling your Str. If you're a newcomer to RPGs generally speaking, RuneScape is an outstanding game to begin with with an RSPS. Open the Runescape Mini-Map if you are not able to get this.
Potion of Fire resistanceWith this potion it is possible to survive lava and fire for a particular quantity of time. You're able to fill in up to 120 ores. The downside is you will call for super-antifire potions for the perfect EXP per hour.
As individuals may rush to the rs gold, you need to wait in front of the moment. For Blizzard, it looks like the choice is to appeal to the huge majority audience. You are able to find more detailed articles about how to do this internet.
Steal his bronze tea that is large drum. Upper body strength will aid your swimming.
You could be downloading spyware a virus, or another program which may wind up making your life miserable. Me with some knowledge and any frequent person the same as you may establish a private server. Granted it is a pain to really understand how it functions and how to begin using it but it's a start.
Is one of the strategies to learn the brand's attribute. If you're looking for a more server to develop with, look no longer. Generally called RSPS it's a server.
Cheap RS Gold think that is somewhat harsh, but we do imagine that is going to have a hard time taking down a number of the tier bosses as they not be well equipped enough to take them on. Is probably what some of you're saying as you read the remainder of this title. The game will definitely teach clients about jobs and the best methods to collect all the coins.
Guidelines on Buying Gloves With all these brands of gloves offered in the marketplace today, deciding upon a brand that would be perfect for the particular sort of work you'd like them to do would be inclined to be an uphill job. It creates the most effective and profitable economy of any game on the market and may make gaming an livelihood for a market of individuals. The company should also be in possession of a very clear vision of their future growth.
1 way you'll have the ability to invest 25000 dollars that may offer some security and control is to put money into a good company. There are several different forms of investment strategies. X-6 offers umpteen benefits in comparison to it's predecessors, just bear in mind that it is also a costly investment.
You 'll also handle a lot of quite pleasant individuals, and hit up a really beautiful conversations, and they're going to make addressing the assholes. Some people just have a dollar to their name. Individuals that are doing something interesting with their time, and not going through the motions of life since they have been told that 's how they need to live.
A small help is much better than going into it blind, thus we hope this article will help you. Provided that you are in possession of a great relationship with them, they need to be able to provide you an extremely speedy decision about whether or not be ready to lend the money to purchase a repossessed property. Act surprised they pissed everyone off.
There are a couple of special approaches to have vehicles in Forza Horizon 4, but the most usual is buying them. Another large focus of Forza Horizon 4 might be the on-line performance. Horizon 3 will ship with over 350 vehicles.
Wow gold is straightforward to attempt to do, however it is difficult as the vast majority of the folks don't look an honest thing. Alternately, it may be a bot. Since the addons are intended to boost your gold levels, they may help you in every way by which you won't ever get confused while playing online games.
The more pitfalls you will have the ability to figure out how to prevent and the smoother you have the ability to make the process, the more successful your step on the property market is. As previously mentioned every offer scenario differs. You could save a large sum of money by offsetting a variety of those price tag.
Sure, something isn't right, but it may be as simple as brass in the house or other missing upgrades. Adding your music is going to be a straightforward process , also. Keep online after you made the order, we'll contact you if there's something wrong with your purchase.
Sometimes an item will be place by Tycoon in the peak of the Most Profitable list that is not in demand that is high. Dimensions of these pieces are extremely useful in letting you decide if things which you might be interested in will be right for your design project. You are aware of what they sayPressure makes diamonds.
Another overall trick is to put money into bags that are big you have the gold or if you have a friend. A means to make money is to take advantage of the Auction House. You lose your commission if nobody buys an product.
It took a little time, but there many nodes in 1 discovery area. The situation is comparable in street races' instance. If you locate the house you know you're moving in the direction.
When there are four houses on each and every land you're going to be able to receive a hotel (Wikipedia). The winter barn is a distinctive challenge, as it's on the island in the center of Derwent Water.
Where affirmation through some type of third party action happens the whole idea is to produce a system that is trustless. My mind began to raise some suspicions. OK, so as you're making something which arrives from a personal location and also originates as a bit of artwork, how can you manage whenever your artwork transfers into being a commodity, something available on the market for anybody to buy.
Please don't spend your money if you don't believe it can allow you to reach your targets. Marginal advantage of attracting additional bidders isn't important. Don't worry, you'll find the money back in case you lose.
For the very first time in the series, it allows you to edit and make friends and new events for you and loved ones. You tell your very own visual story. Nevertheless, it is a deal for Blizzard's fans, although 30 days may not seem to be a massive deal in the beginning.
A PC version has not been announced. The program's been around for a long time and in the Blizzard relied on a lot of measures to safeguard the game from bots. More excitingly, the developers also have scattered 50 jumps called Danger Signals.
If you already played the completely free demonstration, launching the sport for the very first time will probably be quite a experience. You will need to ensure that the guide you buy is made by a respectable player and isn't a rip off. The game features play between both platforms.
Forza Horizon 4 Credits an auction and select the vehicle you want to sell. It's possible to buy tuned cars also. If you want to be given a new vehicle, participate in an auction, buy a home or buy other things like clothing, you require a lot of CR.
Technology and using the net has changed how my company is marketed. If you think we've missed a vehicle, please don't hesitate to add them in the comments section below and we'll update them above. You will receive some cars on the way, but you're very likely to become tired of those.
My aim was to help clients overcome obstacles to realize their personal objectives. Essentially, you will creating a following of individuals. 1 strategy for expanding the website's audience was supposed to grow the wide range of categories in which products are auctioned.
Thread: What About Path of Exile Affixes?
Therefore, there are particular laws in existence to defend the natural resources required for sustainable tourism. Using biological diversity for tourism has to be accomplished in a sustainable fashion and there has to be a just and equitable sharing of all of the advantages that local biodiversity provides. The greater level bases are an important foundation of a valueable product.
Running to a different country isn't going to fix the deep rooted divide which exist in nations like US and England. Formed maps are like normalcy maps, just with increased monster levels. It actually works the following3 maps of the exact level supplies you with map one level greater.
Now your task is to begin playing and learning the game in considerably more detail. Watch the videos beneath to observe the way that it performs against all the difficult stuff. The new exile is formulated to enable you to make amount of avatar and tour a wide variety of items along with the other talent combinations.
Something taught in game design is the way to earn a little assortment of the exact style of video game puzzles interesting. The game manages to be fun regardless of itself, and regardless of so many obvious methods by which the port might have been better. So knowing that every one of the games ought to be judged thinking about the right time of release.
Fourthly, take appropriate care of the ideal quantity of monsters that it isn't so low. 99% of times you are not going to have the capacity to differentiate in-game. Therefore, you stop what you're doing and endeavor to get far better gear.
There's a path of sorts, but the muck is just too deep and cloying for all of us to risk. You are going to be hitting like a huge truck at that point. If full existence is an issue, some damage could be sacrificed for another choice.
Stun defense is decided by pantheon. Also crticial strike chance may be nice. Only not many people utilize those weapons.
For example, should you decided to choose swords, you are able to virtually swap skills between BF and Tectonic. For weapons, you'll need to acquire dual wield Lifespring. This skill synergizes perfectly with this build due to the built-in conversion and the simple fact that it has an identical skill tags as Molten Strike ( besides projectile damage).
White ability or items might just be widely very crucial in the game. So you might find late game armor that gives a small bonus to health which can be found in the opening region of the game. Path of Exile doesn't have gold that's prevalent in other on-line games.
Life flasks would be the main healing system. Corrupted items cannot be modified again. If you wish to upgrade your magic items to Uncommon Path of Exile products, utilize a Royal Orb.
The upcoming major idea is probably going to actually be quite tiny. If something happened it would be hard to go for aid. As mentioned before, nobody would like to impede progress.
You wind up carrying something that happened in preceding generations. The very fact that it is a new form and technological advancements are made daily have an outstanding deal to use this. For most people, it's frightening plus they think they'll not conduct anything whatsoever since it's not possible to grasp this tree.
For instance, you can get an Elementalist with passives linked to Dexterity-build characters. To aid you, here are 7 don'ts you always need to keep in mind while playing Path of Exile. It is among the best Diablo-style action-RPGs around.
If you're good God will reward you, and if you're bad you're going to be punished. There's no Garden of Eden. A critical part of any story are the characters.
1 day, while going to the shop to get a shirt, Mario stopped him. Yayla Kuzdere was a really friendly place with tons of good spots for camping. Plethora of several small, traditional and somewhat romantic restaurants on the way made me happy I was fasting as I wouldn't have the ability to visit all of them and it would definitely be a tricky choice to select one.
It's best for affording your own company. There was also some simple access spots that I was able to dig out some pits to have a peek at the snowpack. After a couple of steps, you finally get to the home.
Exalted Orb About Path of Exile Affixes?
BANDITHelp Alira PHANTEONThis is completely personal. A freshly picked frangipani peeked from the udeng. If you don't already, I want to know how.
Nioh affix process is very much like PoE. In addition, the construct features an extremely smooth leveling and gearing curve. Every affix demands a particular degree to spawn on the item.
First step is to find all. At precisely the same time there are dozens and dozens of completely free resources where you can locate all essential descriptions and tracks for this path. The option is yours and both options can be extremely rewarding.
"I spoke to lots of search engine optimization specialists from big enterprises about their small business and their answers differed. I don't even know who's referring to me. Don't hesitate to offer you any opinions on the skills for each class and I'd love to know whether there are any mistakes in the manual.
Regardless of what you're looking for or where you're at the Earth, our international marketplace of sellers can enable you to discover alternatives that are affordable and distinctive. It is important to keep in mind that rejecting links can produce a decline in source positions in the search outcome since webmasters often reject. However, I won't delete the sites.
The set is rather pricey, but does seem worth it. If you've got an active guild, consider getting them to perform CWK PQ to secure you are a indication of naricain until you are able to get your gollux equips.
The games don't have multiplayer. You're likely to receive still another quest from yourself when you hit level 100. You must wait 1 hour to speak to the NPC that's specific.
Here is a brief video with a review of the way to use the new system. Because it does not link to 1 character, cygnus Knights Blessing Skills isn't a hyperlink skill. But it applies its advantages to the entire world (not only 1 character). Maxing Obsidian Skin is among the reasons why you may want to respect your abilities.
Useless Skills you shouldn't invest any points unless it's required that you wish to use. Link abilities can be connected to a character at one time. It is advised that you max up your Demon Slash ability in the job skill table to find benefit.
For Exceed, you boost the damage of your skills or can raise the opportunity of producing a attack, cutting the cap back for Exceed Overload. Capes continue to maintain an awkward status in the game. This will reveal the skill's 3 unique modes, and you'll want to press left, right , or up to pick.
Monsters also do high damage, which means you've got to guard yourself. Gift 2 If you have Demon Slayer, you are going to get 7,600 Candies worth of items free of price! He or she is a fast attacker, a very simple course for players and have a variety of ranged abilities that allows him to dominate.
It can be changed to a different character on the account 1 time daily. He's rather reckless and irritable sometimes.
Of levels can fluctuate based on whether you choose to hang out to kill a couple more mobs. You need to discover the abilities since they're the building block of a character that is flexible. Many classes will merely require a single set of trio skills, the remainder of the node slots can be filled dependent.
Here we are likely to cover the gear it is made by you from it, although MPE is amazing for several of reasons. Lower-level players should know that the wizards are competitive to players less than double their degree plus an extra level, and utilize magic attacks going into the circle for the part of the quest. Your stats will increase, determined by your amount of charge.
Perhaps there are a number . Unfortunately, there's no appearance customization in any way during the character creation and players may only customize their appearance with money. A level by level construct as there is not any way to predict when you will find, or be in a position to purchase the books that are essential mastery is not realistic, but here are a couple of ideas to get you started.
MapleStory 2 fixes this problem by offering you a huge old house so that you might craft your very own little corner of the game. Otherwise you need to go searching for it.
TThey want your help to collect tickets from critters those tickets from the monsters and you may swap for a opportunity to spin the wheel. Fortunately, a tyrant cape will be inexpensive in comparison to other end game items so long as you are not attempting to purchase a celebrity tyrant and will probably be more affordable than your fafnir weapon if you're a class. Anyway there's a hole.
At level 100 you will end up doing evolution lab for a while, which is where you have the ability to get evo coins. There's an opportunity and you will be able to teleport your character in 1 direction by employing the arrow keys. At this time you'll have a bucket of water.
Each Bits gives set effects in the event you have enough of them and provides a small quantity of stats, but the Bits' stats will apply if you place them. They finally arrive at the end to recruit him to the Resistance to be able to be in a position to defeat the Black Wings. You're ready to have one Case active at one time, and they have various sizes that you may not have the capability to fit your Bits set to a compact Case.
You might want to appear at the line of the team for before making your player you desire to play. Instead of going up one evaluation at one time, your players progress an entire OVR each upgrade. The game recommends attributes to upgrade but sometimes you might want to go rogue and pick a different alternative.
There a handy choice for the less experienced players. You are going to have to head over to the Sets tab and select the Bronze Gameplan substitute once you've won 10 players.
When playing, you will find a couple facts to think about. Life is about perspective. Since there is absolutely no method of knowing which players you are likely to get you must pay exclusive attention to what kind of team you want to construct and what matches your play style.
Head Coach Madden has ever neglected among the most important facet of a NFL team, the head trainer. The issue is to construct the team around the QB.
Plus video streaming is not as costly than other advertising procedures and TV. Including a feature much like 2K in which you can upload an image from the internet for your logo would make things much easier, but in addition allow more chances for your team. There are a few methods and strategies to stay in mind that will create the climb to gridiron glory marginally simpler although it's definitely not the most complex football game ever to pick the area.
If a player on your draft isn't listed in this guide, it is possible to generally assume they are Normal (Avg) development. While the draft board doesn't need to be any kind of feature that is elegant, it's a fundamental aspect and needs to maintain Maddenevery year. So that your pick could come at the conclusion of each round, or at the start midway you've got zero control over the draft sequence.
Purchasing Madden18 coins is a crucial portion of playing Madden NFL18. Don't be scared to pick and choose who you would like to play in Head-to-Head games.
Henry will be a exceptional player if you would like to set up the run game in Madden calendar year. As you're trying to research ways to enhance your team's rosters, you will have to win games. The game was not a competitive one.
The Oakland Raiders will want to earn a trade should they need to earn a pick Thursday. At the beginning of the season, not or whether you created a player or are playing as Tom Brady, it's crucial that you specify a season objective. At the beginning of the season, whether a player was made by you or are currently playing as Tom Brady, a season objective must be chosen by you.
Your purpose is after that disappear at the oblivion and to create a dynasty, not to win a championship that is single. Some bios have been provided by EA for the challengers from the current tournament, which you may find below. You've got to act like the very best to be the best, and an team title is imperative to fantasy football success.
If you would like capitalize in game you have got to use a quantity of money to discover a unit of currency. You should simply make the choice that's most suitable for you. You have to produce the choice that's most suitable for you.
In the event that you grind the Public sale Home enough, you will find every one of the players you would like. You need to have the ability to give pitches to FA's in a bid to influence their selection. It's possible to also take part in internet sport betting offers at mmoko.com.
Draft Champions mode is meant to be played in a evening. First thing which you'll see in Draft Champions is a option of 3 trainers. Here is what you have to do so as to steer clear of total humiliation in Draft Champions.
The principal menu of Madden shows your snapshots. The problem with the gameplay is the way it doesn't actually feel good. Madden'96 does have a nice capabilities.
A run game is all about the offensive line with the capacity to work together in particular because that if you must get to the degree of the defense. Below you will observe the play run in contrast to a choice of base defenses. You can have the right play called at the ideal time, but it will be incredibly hard to win if your opponent simply has faster players than you.
Thread: How to Get Started with Madden Nfl Browser?
If you would like a taste, have a look at their Franchise Mode trailer. EA has offered some bios for the challengers from the present tournament, which you might find below. Video games wouldn't only be a hobby anymore.
It's among the most frequently used plays in most Madden 17. It is possible to place as many as five audibles before the match to be sure you are prepared for any circumstance. If you're hesitating where to obtain Madden coins, nfl18coins will most probably be a very superior choice.
Among the very best or funniest parts of the game includes the ref. Rather than talking about what our cherished Madden playbook formations from previous version are, we'd really like to acquire your feedback. Access to play and vault titles could be restricted by territory.
Even knowing that there are going to be money plays during the game, there's still a fantastic chance that lots of users are not going to run into exactly the identical specific offense as their own. You even be able to only look over your friend's decks when searching. If you're unsure how they work, it's likely to set you off almost instantly but knowing the benefits and disadvantages of each is important if you wish to have a productive game of football.
A good deal of men are normal guys, doing work locally, perhaps have a company or foundation. RG3 just needs to recognize that every run doesn't need to be a home run play. You don't need to open packs with cash It might be a useless and pricey venture.
Madden mobile provides you an opportunity at elite player cards for the best performance. Actually, if you genuinely need to help me out, let me prioritize positions for my draft and prioritize players within each position. On the contrary, it is here in order to inform you how lots of your players are deemed a strategy fit and because of this may grow faster in certain attributes.
There'll be an indicator to enable you to know if there an chance to rob a homerun. As you continue playing, you will be in a position to do that like clockwork, and your understanding will expand. Based on the strengths of your team, you must pick a playbook that satisfies your talents and the scheme you would like to run.
The new Search Console version will not merely alter the port, but in addition make more information out there. Because of this, in case you have a change, it's advised to proceed to this protocol. On occasion, thousands of such messages are likely to inbox.
It's an extremely versatile formation for being an undercenter compressed set that is aided by the capability to visit the WR Wing bundle. Without the coins, you will definitely will need to make certain long hours of effort to create a excellent team profile. In case you were winning, the match could be canceled or you could be given the loss dependent on the conditions.
Tyquan Lewis has Myles Garrett-like athleticism, which is something that must not be learned. Assume you're a Browns fan.
I'd like being in a position to initiate trades during the draft. This leaves your coverage vulnerable, but you might force the crime into a lousy decision or locate a sack. It's a huge way to quit scrambling QBs who try to run past the defense.
1 other significant part being a expert participant is the manner by which you present yourself as a individual. For the reason you will need to be eager to make concessions to safeguard the larger purpose. There's also numerous kinds of passes you may unleash and, again, selecting the perfect one for the most acceptable situation could be why you finish a play.
And this was the very first point. You'll begin seeing that against this defensive formation, you have to do something differently. Same with on third and long if you're in that scenario.
I've spent plenty of time reading up on Manning because I truly do think he is the best QB of all time. You can not win all of the moment.
It's been a small while. The man play is vital because it delivers the capability to get the most out of an offense or defense and their own weakness.
to Get Started with Madden Nfl Browser?
You cannot be cerebral on the area. You will have the ability to hit your intended recipient deep over the center of the area for a simple catch. Below you may see the play run against a number of different base defenses.
In the end, there are numerous diverse variations of PA Post Shot in a variety of formations. We've already touched on the potency of wheel paths but this specific concept is much less dependent on the route and more concerning the timing. This formation are found in many varied playbooks around the game!
Maplestory Character - What Is It?
There are 3 things we really must accomplish, Raudabaugh explained. Maplestory character creator... Maplestory personality creatorim trying to discover a website where you are able to earn a maplestory character with respect to the way they look. MapleStory is great whenever you're playing with pals, however.
Moving a specific distance within a established time frame increases harm. You're in a position to enter the Evo World around five times every day, and every entry is limited to half an hour.
These dungeons supply you with a lucrative quest line ending at a relatively simple boss. The toons then compete and participate in struggle with the Cogs which are a group of robots to save their toon kingdom. Like LHC, you should do quests to secure deeper inside.
Everybody is full of opinions and advice on what's achievement and how to accomplish it. However you like to play, you are going to see a profession that suits your style. Honestly speaking, you will need to choose the job that fits with your character the very best and not because of somebody else opinions or because it is but one of the most powerful class.
While you might have a good deal of STR from gear, there are only a few high level STR daggers. As it's the least common class, we advise you to TAKE PRIDE in your crossbow! Phantom is a course with several variations on how best to play with various skillsets used.
Now you can understand the program alternatives. Maplestory has lots of distinct classes and tasks during the past couple of decades since it premiered.
You receive all the benefits of grinding without needing to lift a finger. When you use a snowball to attend an opponent, you can't be targeted, but at precisely the same time, you are unable to attack. It is very useful in many situations.
Those two are the simple actions. Many details of this game has a Level limit attached, so one may have a great deal of checkpoints to realize. It's because most of the striker's abilities permit you to move toward the opponents to enable you to combo reach your talent.
1 planet can be produced from small islands and a huge ocean while another planet can be produced of flesh and tissue. There are many fun virtual worlds like Moshi Monsters where you're able to take care of a digital pet or simply experience a distinctive digital world. The remaining part of the city's elves stay frozen.
Ok, I Think I Understand Maplestory Character, Now Tell Me About Maplestory Character!
MapleStory Card System enables one to take advantage of your idle characters in your account. Emotes are a simple approach to communicate yourself, and in the event you truly want to stick out among other Maplers, you'll get the Orange Mushroom Emote! Both of which mean this so as to receive anywhere in Reboot you have to farm mesos.
Skill points, on the flip side, must be manually assigned. Furthermore, the Shade and Mechanic cards are really helpful. A Cleric is highly encouraged.
The most significant thing you will have to comprehend about the item shop is it to purchase stuff takes real money. It's possible for you to receive a single stamp per item. So when you outgrow an product, you may sell it to a different player for money.
There are likewise an assortment of methods to boost your experience gained. The monsters level up with you, so the experience is good at each level range you'll be able to enter. The should differentiate yourself from the crowd and to demonstrate that you're special in your way is the very feedback loop which Facebook leveraged to turn into the giant it's today.
Warriors have attributes of tanks in the feeling which they are ready to bring loads of damage. The card grade is dependent on the degree of your character. If one dies, a part of somebody's EXP is going to be lost.
While it might not be organised in the very same way as other websites, all of the info is still there. It'll change when you touch base with personalities you may speak to or purchase from and object ( such as the portals) that you are in a position to interact with. Maplestory character creatorim searching for a website where you could make a maplestory character in regards to how they look.
There is an immense number of actions for those who are more interested in playing magic-using characters. It's tons of characters for you to try to master, and it's a terrific MMORPG for those that are moving to this genre of games. MOBA style games are growing in popularity particularly in the e-Sports scene, but you will find many you might not take note of as it can be challenging to keep up with the launches inside this genre.
MapleStory Live is the same, it brings an extraordinary new adventure with various classes and distinctive abilities for your game. The high-pitched songs can get annoying sometimes, especially in case that you've been playing the game for hours and hours.
The principal benefit of Neverwinter is a world where the game's action happens. Odds are, not many Knowledge-seekers would play games.
There are lots of game characteristics that are unique to ARAM. The absolute most troublesome elements of game development happen at the start, as textures have to be built, engines have to go optimized, and the game world's content has to be created.
Football prediction is one method to have loads of fun and also get the opportunity to win money as you're at it. "Madden helps you out a comprehensive lot when you're attempting to learn a variety of things. These games tell stories in a subtle way that's usually more regarding the experience in the long run.
But within this post, I decide to concentrate on the positive. There's something for each and every individual. Depart from the comments below!
Utilizing the perfect method you have the ability to be certain that the world is relocating down the region and stay clear of turnovers by targeting gamers in order to obtain those points on board. Or if you would like to tank, it's still true that you must ice your prospects to receive them progressing. As an example, offensive line positions place a great deal of weight on pass block abilities.
Your rate of interest will be detailed in checkout. Some normal size-ups continue to be in the match, but by means of the new layout, it's as though you have the ability to make your own on the fly each time you come down court. It is possible to typically tell whether that's true if he brings up the issue although you two can not locate a remedy to it.
With many variations of several of the best cards all with distinct bonuses on these, you can assemble a huge variety of teams which specialize in various parts of the game. All you will need is a wi-fi connection in order to access the advantages of smart tv. When you Madden Coins from Steam, you're presented with a house screen with distinct choices.
Miami is prepared to go home, and this ought to be a three-point line. The indie game manufacturers have made a marketplace that permits creativity and merchandise honesty.
Public auction residence is the point at which the players could purchase or auction their items. Nevertheless, here is all the information that you need about all of the stadium options in Houston. It appears that that 85 team could have been the very first to be part of that.
Given the franchise's popularity, it's not surprising that EA would want to earn the push into e-sports, since the crowd for competitive gaming proceeds to grow. The first screenshots seem great, obviously, but we would like to observe some actual gameplay footage. Nevertheless, there are lots of fantastic games you could only play on console.
This is among the largest problems that World Golf Tour has faced over the past couple of years. Download and install all the upgraded Unofficial Patches.
Some sets like the weekly NFL Gameplan are timed sets that need to be completed within a particular amount of time (displayed when performed ), while others might be done at any moment. For the majority of people the sports gambling is only a means to relax, a diversion, your gain increases considerably. However, you should steer clear of spending too much of money.
In any event it is a comparatively large number. I do want to be happy and I want to save our marriage, but there are a number of issues that we're going to have to work through in order for these things to occur. When you do, the options are mind blowing.
Hey, let's do a fast math issue. Frequently, the distinction is not much.
Route swapping exploits have also been resolved. Usually whenever you have about 250 cards out of 285 cards, you'll be given a great deal of repeats.
Territory could limits access to play and vault titles. Football offers far more permutations than every other sport. Expect a racket to be earned by New Orleans.
Play the Moments allows fans to go through the critical milestones in every single game whilst simulating the rest portion of the matchup. On the street-aspect courts, they can improve their stats and earn respect from others, in addition to sneakers and other gear they'll equip between games. For the great bulk of the plays baseball, the majority of the players are not involved.
It is possible to now utilize post-release uniforms in Play Now games when utilizing a customized roster. OK, so tennis receives a small mention here. Genuine coins will surely permit you to win against the odds in addition to win as many video games as possible.
A number of the particular evaluations for Bradley Chubb were shown too. It's not merely a really good team. When you begin ultimate team on Madden 13 you're going to have the ability to pick out a captain.
You have the ability to look at all present NFL rosters to observe variations of the breakdown. As soon as you play a few seasons or market enough players to receive that 20,000 you are able to come back here in order to make megabucks! The cover athlete is going to be announced later in the summertime.
You can do something similar. There are a good deal of things which you ought to understand in order to make certain that you make the appropriate selections like the National Football League (NFL) and staff averages in offense, defense and special teams. All 15 rounds provide you with a choice of 3 players, and after you place your squad together, you're going to be placed through a gauntlet of 3 games before you emerge as the true Draft Champion.
From that point, Dex ought to be equal to your level, and the remainder of your AP goes into Str. It raises the exp you get from every kill. For 183 seconds, raise the degree of all your skills by 1.
For instance, if you are level 30, only be certain that you have 26 Dex from gear so that you have the ability to wield Prime Hands. As a Gunslinger, Invisible Shot is a crucial skill, so set your very first stage into that. You should buy M-Coin before you're in a position to proceed to play i-Gacha or Fortune Bag.
Elite Monster killer (Preferably somebody who can kill within seconds with lots of drop rate boosters so as to maximize drops). The Somersault Kick ought to be macroed with Dash however, you are going to have to hold down or when you do the macro. Your damage is really weak, usually need a minimum of two hits to kill.
The very first screen you will be met with is the constraints on the variant of this game. It doesn't stay exactly the same throughout a character's career. It is rated among the very best fiction novels on Amazon.
You're likely to be requested to collect recipes and rare materials also during the game so strategize now how you'll start your Maplestory adventure. Around the year 2009, it began to change drastically.
The damage cap has been eliminated, to permit infinite growth. Instagram authorities feel that the innovation will strengthen the atmosphere of confidence in the service. In some instances, very rare letters.
The remaining part of the town's elves continue being suspended. The way it works is that in the event you intend on giving up gun toting as indicated, you might also go all the way with it. Gunslingers can hover in the air for a fast time period.
1 planet can be made from small islands and a enormous sea while another planet can be produced of flesh and tissue. You do not need to go trapped between furniture and become caught by the monster. The first sort of monster is more common and much less dangerous.
You have to finish the quests to secure deeper in the dungeon to get the monsters. Like LHC, you must do quests to get inside. New quests are added.
If you'd like to make your own guide, please view the Help Page for additional information. For that reason, it was decided to create modifications to the search algorithm. The difference in the online site place was jarring for lots of those.
Players may use creating, weapons together with amazing capability to attain Maplestory2 Items and inexpensive MapleStory 2 mesos during a easy way. Based on the number of questions you answer correctly, you're likely to get a varying amount of Magpie Coins.
A couple of days of webdev freelance per month is actually all you should do, if you do it correctly, but I did wind up taking work at a startup after a moment. Many classes will merely require 1 pair of ideal trio skills, the remainder of the node slots could be filled determined by personal preference.
Elite Monster drop rates appear to be rather sucky. It has to be noted that you ought to use coupons carefully since these changes are permanent. You may download or play.
The extreme model of monster park is still excellent experience, limited exclusively by the variety of tickets it's possible to obtain. There are a whole lot of different jobs, for instance, Luminous, Phantom, and Mercedes, to choose from. New maps are additional.
It's considered as one of the best anime series in the past couple of years by many. It is possible to enter the Evo World around five times daily, and each entry is limited to thirty minutes. Needless to say, you could proceed to another category in case you don't think that you could secure the books any time soon.
What to Expect From Maplestory Buccaneer?
Therefore, players must kill the arms prior to attacking its principal body. Being a prospective Gunslinger will indicate you have got great precision, like an archer, and a moderate opportunity to go around the monsters' attacks. Monster skills Some critters utilize certain skills on personalities for a specific range attack.
The choices UI was reorganized. You'll receive a core gemstone which offers you your very first heart, your fifth job skill for your work! These contents' upper level limits are removed.
At this time you've got fifth task... But there's still quite a way to go. During the game, you'll be interacting with a personality named Shinji Miura. There are likewise a range of techniques to raise your experience gained. | 2019-04-20T02:52:14Z | http://test234.grafix-board.de/search.php?searchid=164299 |
Greetings Masters ! I am Metatron, Lord of Light, and I greet each of you in a vector of unconditional love. Take a moment to feel the energy, close your eyes, and sense a cocoon of warm nurturing envelope you.... an entourage gathers.
We speak this moment on many topics, focusing on time, time travel, the nature of duality and teleportation. We recognize the divinity in each of you. As entities of Divine Intelligence, & Beings of Light... we ask that you discern what we share.
Time and space remain an enigma to man, even within the cusp of 2012. Humanity queries time travel and space travel in the present from the aspect of physical laws. You will never reach areas of remote 'space' or hyper-space in fueled rockets. Nor will you travel in time in constructed locomotive apparatus. We tell you it is a frequencial concept, and not one contrived from the physical brain.
Time travel and teleportation are indeed very real concepts of both physics and metaphysics. You are well aware of advanced Yogi's & Shamanic Masters who have mastered the process, but such Mastery, does not occur before the individual is ready. This is important to understand.
More advanced societies of your Earth, and indeed those termed the benevolent extra terrestrials have been capable of manipulated teleportation through the process of frequencial 'dematerialization' of particulate matter to antimatter.
Such teleportation was utilized by the Atlanteans with the technology of the Sirian-Pleiadean-Arcturian groups. Specialized Phi Crystals were used to shift the coherent frequencies of matter from its seeming physical vibrational rate to its antimatter vibratory quantum-wave state. The Transport was then processed through a laser beam conduit by targeting the precise energetic signature of the destination vector.
Your own studies of fullerenes or allotrope Carbon-60 Spherical fullerenes termed 'Bucky-Balls reveals that the molecular truncated icosahedrons of fullerenes revert from nano-matter particulate to quantum wave in certain conditions. Your scientists have noted for decades that electrons appear and disappear in atomic orbits.
Humanity began re-experimenting with teleportation and time travel over eight decades ago, albeit for the wrong reasons. This was reignited by the works of HG Wells in the era of Tesla and Edison. The infamous event termed the Philadelphia experiment did in fact occur in an effort of warfare technology. Its array results, while covert, disastrous and misapplied, did reveal stunning revelations regarding magnetic fields, gravity fields, and teleportation and time-space effects. These continued covertly in what you term the Montauk project.
It is not our intent to enter into areas termed 'Black-Ops' or conspiracies, but we will say what was sought in the 'cold-war' timing at Montauk was not allowed into fruition. We will add that benevolent factions of the Sirian-Pleiadean Alliance have always maintained teleportation stations beneath the earth's surface and that it is a technology that will only be used for benevolent purpose.
Earth is a protected free-will plane, and a growth station for humanity. There are in the Cosmos other planets and life-forms that are in duality, many more technologically advanced. The benevolent Ashtar Group actively provide a shield for your Earth and its Ascension....and many of you, in multi-dimensional aspect are part of this protection. You are the Sirians, the Pleiadeans and Arcturians.
We will also add that some of your governments and scientists are well aware of Sirian-Pleiadean bases below the Earth, including the infamous area of Nevada. And while this may be surprising to you, the installations there involving the Sirian-Pleiadean Alliance & Humanity are quite benevolent, and no technology will be shared that could be used for warfare.
Far more effort than you can imagine has been placed in the graduation of the Earth leading to the Ascension. The Ascension of the Earth will occur on the 12-12-12, and the Ascension of the critical mass of Humanity will occur in 15 generations. We tell you there have been envoys from the future than have come back in various time epoch holograms to insure this. Some of these would be shocking to you. But we tell you the defeat of the Spanish Armada (carrying the Inquisition) , and indeed the defeat of Nazi Germany were two such events that were influenced to their outcome by 'back from the future' envoys.(Both groups were of the core energy of the Aryan Sons of Belial of Atlantis). Had the two referenced outcomes not been influenced, the planet could have taken a vastly different path.
Indeed some of you are among these envoys now. Many are among the metaphysical groups. Indeed some of these are scientists,(including Nicole Tesla & Albert Einstein) , others are artists & writers including Stanley Clarke. They , like you, take on the filters of duality, and were not frontally aware of this truth.
Your science fiction writers in movies and television, specifically 'Contact' and 'Star-Trek' were on the right track in terms of teleportation. But keep in mind that select time-travel and teleportation are not the same thing. If you consider that in the Earthplane you are seemingly fixed in linear time and able to move about in space, then the opposite would occur at a specific Torus effect flip into parallel , where you would be somewhat 'fixed' in space and able to move about in time.
In 2012, precisely on the 12-12-12 your Earthplane ascends into 12 dimensions. It is the Crystalline coherency transformation. Creativity will be amplified, and for many of you, the arc swing of duality will be lessened exponentially. This means multidimensional access is enhanced. But it does not mean 3d duality will disappear.
The 'human' Earthplane experience in duality is a credentialed and honored learning process though which many varied Beings of Divine intelligence travel. Before you are 'allowed' by your higher-self into multi-dimensional and parallel systems of reality that are far more complex, vastly more extensive and open, you must first learn to optimally and responsibly master thought-creation energy. You are in the University of Earth for that purpose...to see firsthand, through physical materialization, the concrete result of your thoughts and emotions.
That is precisely why Time & Space are purposed illusions, and this vivid 'mirage' is so potently programmed by the Divine-Self that you, by necessity, must focus your outer senses on the University of Duality, that termed physical reality. Such 'linear' focus then is engineered, the perception filters that seem to block multi-dimensionality are beneficial in allowing humanity to face and grow through Earthplane experience. When the growth achieves a certain advanced level of 'light-quotient' then, and only then, do you choose to open & bridge into more expansive multi-dimensional perception. That is what 2012 is about !
But keep in mind that you humans travel in space and time almost every time you sleep. And there is a great balancing effect in the waking and sleeping experiences. While most of you do not realize this, we tell you that every day, in very deep sleep -dream state, you process daily experience.
And in this 'sleeping' state your 'higher-self' examines very carefully those experiences you will manifest into your life. You make the selection from an infinite menu of possibility, and create the experience of those that will allow your greatest growth.
The singular linear time-line of your 'chosen' physical experience is the surface path along which your life seems to flow. In a broader truth there are infinite paths both above and below your actualized progress that are part of one inconceivably miraculous network....and you in higher aspect experience all of them in a manner of speaking.
So while so many of you are caught in the somewhat misunderstood and erroneous concept of the downward spiral of humanity, and are anxious to 'get-out'... keep in mind that all around you is a created illusion, and you are the co-creators of this 'dream'. Your life on Earth, despite what many of you think, is by grand design, and carries grand purpose. We realize it is not easy. Even lifetimes that you consider to be flawed carry tremendous lesson potential.
Now, in terms of the subject of dimensionality...it is important that you consider & discern what we tell you, even though your academics have yet to accept what we say. Matter occurs in spectrums , just as does light. Physical matter is on one end, and antimatter on the other. The two are not in opposition, rather vibrating at different frequencial resonances. All of you, each and every one of you, without exception have the innate ability to both teleport and time travel. Your true source is in fact in the realm of non-matter or antimatter. You exist in many many realities at once. Once you reach a certain level of advancement, disciplined will and appropriate application of intent & concentration can absolutely be employed as springboards taking you from ego-personality 3d focus, into other time schemes. Time holograms are somewhat analogous to color. In 3d humanity is primarily focusing, by design, upon one color.
We assure you that your present life, your present civilization, in your present 'Now' co-exists alongside every so called past and future lifetime and civilization on the Omni-Earth. So both your now and their now exists simultaneously... 'NOW'.
In the precise locality of where you walk when visiting the acclaimed ruins of 'ancient' Egypt, Greece and Rome, the people of those civilization are alive, and walking amongst the glorified structures ,the Temples, Pyramids and such fully intact and vibrant. Because of time frequency vibratory rates, you cannot see them, nor they you. This is simply and logically because the physics of time & space dimensionally separate you. The civilization in its peak and the 'ancient' ruins, coexist. You pass right through them, and they you, like ghosts!
All of this will be understood in the centuries to come. And indeed it is verifiable in geo-mathematical terms and equations that are still unfathomed, still unsolved by your contemporary academics. And yet this is interestingly envisioned by your science fiction writers.
In 2012 many of you are able to travel globally, visiting other countries and cultures existing simultaneously now on your planet. There are vast differences in racial demographics, religion, language, art and music. It requires effort, energy and linear time to travel through 3d-space to visit them. In the same way all past and future eras, epochs & times exist at once. Each occurring in its own succinct energetic-vibratory signature and within its unique time-hologram; but absolutely within the same Omni-Earth space that you live in.
Very soon, on the 12-12-12, the Crystalline Vortexes of Arkansas & Brazil will axialtonally connect, the Sun -Discs will network and all will connect to the 144-Crystalline Grid. Each of the 12 major facets on the double-penta-dodecahedron of the Crystalline 144-Grid will connect to the 12 dimensions of the expanded Earth, and the 12 strands of your DNA will be fully connected to the Grid. In this time you will begin to acquire, over time, the greater abilities still innate within you.
It will indeed then, after the Ascension of the 12-12-12 begin to slowly occur to you that you can get to times, as you can get to places, especially in the coming generations. Space and time interface and flow through each other.
Time and space are aspects of the same mechanism. Space, in a manner of speaking is congealed time held in a matrixial kinetic format within duality that allows for the separation and program of the purposed programmed illusion of sequential time metrics. Accordingly time is the inverse of space, in dynamic free flow. Both occur though the harmonic flash of consciousness units, through the mechanisms of the inward and outward pulse of matter to antimatter via black holes and white holes.
The inward -outward Harmonic Flash is not only the point in which space and time merge into a homogenous foam , it is also the rate of consciousness unit perception that strobes attention of awareness into each simultaneous lifetime. This occurs at a magical rate called the Planck Number, occurring precisely at 10 to the power of -43 of one second.
At this point time and space merge and become nonlinear and the Torus aspect comes into play. Space is inversed, turned back upon itself, and time units float in a nonlinear discontinuous quantized pool of what you term past, present and future.
The separation of your 'lifetimes', are anchored to the Omni Earth in hologramic inserts in 'Time-Separation' programs. The advanced human can enter into these through Mer-Ka-Na to the over-soul hub where each time sequenced 'lifetime' is connected like fiber-optic spokes to a wheel. From this center point, you indeed are at the control panel to explore and change any aspect of any and all lifetimes in the nonlinear NOW.
While group- time-programs (of Civilizations & Epochs) are anchored to the Omni-Earth at specific points (which often display time over-bleed anomalies) one does not need to visit such earthen (telluric) time-nodes to enter. Rather they are individually entered via focused Quantum Consciousness. This process is taught in the Metatronic Keys.
Question to Metatron: Are there areas within the Earth that naturally create time distortions?
Metatron: There are indeed. And we have spoken about this is previous assays. Time can be compared in certain ways to a computer program. Often your 'Windows' programs on your laptop and desktops can go into distortions of their programming and the desired separation of sub programs can intermingle creating mixes that twist and deform the conceived order. In this analogy we can say that both time and space as you perceive it are linear sub-programs of the earth grid reality projection. Time and Space can be said to be hologramic program insertions that allow the Quantum Omni-Earth to be tidily separated from simultaneous NOW reality into your focal, seemingly independent 'lifetime sojourns'.
So we tell you that just as your Windows can produce occasional anomalies in its desired separations of programs, so does the program of the Hologramic Earth Matrix of linear time have a flux that creates intermingle and distortion. That distortion occurs on several levels. The first is due to a gravitational flux that can rhythmically occur in the specific area or come in as a surge or rogue wave. When this occurs the very gravity distortion also affects the space-time continuum in the area, and creates a dimensional aperture field very similar to what occurs in the poles.
Now we will also tell you that the Bimini Crystal, the Tuaoi Stone or Fire-Crystal has created distortions in the space-time continuity in the area you term the 'Bermuda-Triangle' for the past 12,000 years. Since its 'over-heating' in the inappropriate use, that led to the implosion of the Crystalline satellite (Second-Moon of Atlantis) the Bimini crystal has randomly surged ionic bombardment of massive energy waves into the earth's interior as well as the earth's magnetosphere creating disturbances in space-time harmonics and imbalances in the gravitational field. The reparation will allow for the stabilization required in the New Earth by preventing damage from its uncontrolled discharges you see. Uncontrolled these are capable of exacerbating tectonic movement and imbalancing crysto magnetic field harmonics that are necessary for the ongoing dimensional expansion. Do you understand?
The initial activation/regulation of the Bimini Crystal on the 12-12-12 will involve a massive discharge of what may be considered toxic ionic-wave-energies. It would not be recommended to be within a radius of 60 kilometers of the Bimini crystal when it is first activated on the 12-12-12. Precautions are indeed in place, but the initial release is capable of disrupting & short circuiting the Human Aura. The fracturing of the auric field would not be fatal by any means, but the initial Tuaoi surge will fracture the aura in the same manner as a long distance airplane flight, or X-Class Solar Flare, absolutely capable of causing severe auric energy bleed.
The purpose for its activation is reparation. It will be cautiously regulated into balance at minimal function. It will be monitored, such that random erratic releases no longer occur.
All versions of the Omni-Earth coexist above the linear programming. But this axiom of Truth is initially very difficult for you humans to perceive or truly completely comprehend from the stance of the third dimension.
That is because the 3d density aspect of the human physical structure in duality manifestation operates within and as a result of the linear time 'program' that enables the Earthplane experience. You are therefore pre-indoctrinated to linear perception in Earthplane existence.
This linear perception program determines to a great extent the 'normal' resonance patterns for the kinds of experiential probabilities that mankind selects, projects and perceives while 'growing' into greater consciousness from the base point of dense physicality. But we tell you that the source reality of which all lifetimes emerge is not 'written in stone', thus your experience is truly never predestined. You chose from an assortment of potentials the experiences you want to have. Both the Cosmos and all life contained within and without are always being created in the NOW moment.
And although your 3d preconditioning is linear, you not only have the ability to reach beyond physical programming, you also have the ultimate goal of doing so. While inhabited by human consciousness, the living physical body operates as an intense focus point for Earthplane experience. The aggregation of consciousness within the physical body on all levels focuses its own myriad network of sensory perception and communication, both on levels of the ordinary, and the extraordinary. In terms of the latter, you are therefore constantly perceiving in ways that you do not recognize with the 'ordinary' physical senses. There are vast arrays of colors, sounds, electromagnetic codes, and sensory feelings that you see & apperceive both on a cellular and crystalline level of chakric networks sourced in Quantum Consciousness that are geometrically and frequencially influencing you.
This network is connected in harmonic oscillation to all others like it. But humanity is at this time vastly unaware of these extraordinary levels of interaction that take place between all spectra of bodies, crysto-electromagnetically and materially within biology. This interface occurs in Crysto Mer-Ka-Na light body and is more far reaching than humanity in masse realize. Yet the physical cells in biology can and do respond to each other, and their activity triggers even higher centers of crystalline light body consciousness that ties into and above linear time. Rather into multidimensionality.
So in this assay we are speaking of Time and its nature in more than one context. We will speak of human perception of time as it relates to your lifetime-sojourn experiences and your ability to script and re-script both future and past. We will also touch lightly upon separation mechanics of hologramic time program inserts onto the earth, and their anchoring to certain points on the Omni-Earth.
Now, many points upon the earth contain magnetic and gravitational oscillations that create a time anomaly. Some are recognized, others are not. None are understood much less accepted as possible by your main stream academics as yet. Time is a sub program of light physics, and is in essence a created illusion. It can and is effected somewhat at anchor points by gravity, earth spin ratio, electromagnetics and celestial alignments. All of which are mechanisms of this phenomena.
Now, time as you perceive it, is simply that, a perception. We assure you that time truly does not exist in the linear manner that you believe, beyond duality. And even within the filtered lens of duality, there are certain areas of dimensional overlay that occur on your planet in which striking time anomalies can and do occur. You see there are many Earths that concentrically occur within the space that mankind perceives physical earth to occupy. There are frequencial mechanisms that connect these overlays of parallel dimension, and these create gateways to other timeframe subprograms and realities that coexist differently and more tangibly within these unique areas. But understand Dear Human, these are not experienced in the brain, in human biology. Rather in higher multi-dimension, via the higher mind in which you exist just as vividly, just as tangibly as you do in the physical.
To explain it in your present day computer analogy, Space and Time are sub-programs of digital-dimensional light. Space-Time then is a hologramic server that can simultaneously store many different files and sub files within its storage capacity. Just as there are locations within the stages of computer access that allow you to see all of the programs and files and navigate from one to the other, so there are location vectors on the Earth program that anchor the hologramic dimensional gateways that allow access into other metric/matrix files of reality and time formats.
So as you live this 'present' life in the perceived time of today, you also live all your existences at once. Time 'programs' are hologramic and these programs are manifolded and coded in certain areas, especially the polar regions. Gateways or multi program access occurs in them.
The area of the Crystal Vortex of Arkansas contains many overlays of myriad space-time energy dynamics. It is indeed a Crystalline Portal, but we will say an open-ended portal that is not just a wormhole in space to other points in the Cosmos, but indeed (and especially) a unique gateway to other dimensional aspects of what may be termed the hologramic Omni-Earth program. It may be termed a time-gate vector. It is one of many coordinate points on your planet that contain within it time code scripting. Such coordinate points are anchors that peg each reality to the physical worlds, the Omni-Earth. And so then, within this concentric overlay vector other time programs; other dimensional realms can be frequencially accessed more easily. The ancient adepts knew this, and certainly experienced to varying degrees by many of what you term as the indigenous.
Time Gate Vectors are not the only means to access other realities. Indeed this can be done myriad ways, including the crystalline energies of the phi resonance, in deep meditative states. But what is different in the Time- Gate Vector coordinate-points is that the Omni-Earth Time program itself is anchored, to use a simplified explanation, to certain aligned points that occur on your planet, within certain frequencial matrixes. These are very unique in purpose, and differ from areas such as Titicaca, Arkansas, Ireland(Newgrange) , Shasta and Roslyn that are primary Celestial Star Gates. In the former one access other realms, other epochs, other programs of terrestrial time, whereas in the latter one travels to other dimensions in Space. Do you see the difference?
Question to Metatron: Are you saying that Arkansas and other such 'Time-Gate Vectors' allow for or enhance the ability to travel in time?
Metatron: Yes. But let us be clear, it is better to say that all programs of hologramic times programs coexist more clearly, more tangibly within such points. That does not mean that when one walks into the Crystalline Vortex of Arkansas that you will disappear from the present and materialize into a future or past program, rather it means windows into other time-sequence frames are (more) accessible here. But we will indeed tell you that materializations can and do occur here quite intentionally and occasional by accident. We will tell you those more technological civilizations, both from the future and past in your terms, which understand the very real science of time travel chose such time gate vectors for entering other epochs for various purposes. Indeed this can has and does occur.
Time travel, as we have mentioned, has occurred in both your future and past. Although there are instances in which people have temporarily passed into different time holograms, there are very few cases where the transition was permanent. Your Admiral Byrd did in fact temporarily view a very real passing into a different time epoch during his polar flight. Most of the flight disappearances that are so publicized over the Bermuda Triangle were not permanent transferals. Time disruption did occur, but the airplanes did not fully disappear into another epoch of time. Rather were they caused by related instrument malfunctions that created misdirection and radio silence, and the disappearances were simply crashes into the sea.
Certain of your governments working in classified tandem with covert corporations have already developed crude mechanisms of time travel. These are not yet at a truly manageable level, and the stress that results on the human 'tempornaut' is considerable, stress-aging the human body approximately 7 to 10 years on each journey. At present they are only able to move forward in time about 20 years, and are unable to navigate into the past. In time, when the apparatus utilized is converted from magnetic forces to crystalline bio-plasmic field this will be improved considerably, and time navigation will be deliberate and not by random mishap.
Optimal time navigation occurs in Mer-Ka-Na through a consciousness refined Bio Plasmic field, and while certainly aided in terms of time vector by crystalline apparatus, it is primarily operated by the light-consciousness quotient of the traveler. Many of you time travel in dream state quite often, and therein is the key to how it will be optimally done when you learn to be more lucid in expansive conscious states. There are indeed Laws of Physics that apply to how time and space are navigated intra-dimensionally.
In the not so distant future Humanity will rediscover these laws. And when this takes place, the seeming boundaries between past, present and future will be better understood. As we have already explained duality experience in the third dimension contains programmed parameters that limit mankind's greater dimensionality perception.
It is indeed these 3d single lens filters that create the linear illusion of sequential unfolding of time. This then is precisely the reason mankind believes that one moment exists and is gone forever, and the next moment comes and like the one before also evaporates into the great elusive mist of the past. We tell you that everything in and on the Omni-Earth and indeed the Multiverse exists at once, simultaneously. The past, present and future only appear to those who exist within three-dimensional reality. And the programs that separate time-epoch files on the Omni-Earth can be navigated.
The past and future as you 'believe it to be' exists as a series of electromagnetic receptors held in the crystalline portion of the physical brain and in the nonphysical mind within the ultra violet field. These electromagnetic codlings can be changed, and in fact are in constant flux. You script your destiny, and your destiny is not a linear one- way dynamic. Your creation of your past is just as important as the creation of your present and future. The past then, is quite malleable and no more fixed than your future. Now, your mental process and beliefs create your past, and there are as many valid versions of the past as there are of the future.
As humans in duality, you take it for granted that present action can change the future, but present actions can and do change the past as well. The past is no more detached or uninvolved from your present than the decisions you make today. We share a great truth for you to ponder, and that is that everything you do effects your past, and you can accordingly remove what you may term traumas and misactions that occurred years ago or lifetimes ago from your present stance. Furthermore, all of you are required to do so! The electromagnetic crystallographic portals within the human brain are forged and mantled totally and completely by each of you, and uniquely so. The probable past can be changed, and such changes are far from uncommon. These changes do happen spontaneously on a subconscious basis. You can now learn to do this consciously by entering Quantum Consciousness via Mer-Ka-Na.
The linear aspect of the past is rarely what you remember it to be. In fact you constantly rearrange your memory of the past with the experience of each new moment, each new occurrence. It is a constant metamorphosis from the instant of any given experiential event. Your hypnotherapists are aware that pseudo-memories of fictitious or altered past events can be implanted in the brains of humans through deep state inducement, and in a very real sense these memories and they way they effect the subjects present become quite real. So, it follows to reason that the future, present and past are always re-created by each individual as beliefs, attitudes and associations evolve and change. And take note that what occurs is a real-time actual recreation, not a metaphoric one. The changes you make are quite real. The small inner child is indeed still within the adult human as you progress in years. But that inner child is also dynamic, not molded into a permanent version that remains as it was. The child within the human constantly changes every day, as does the teenager, young adult and elderly you in your future.
Accordingly, it is now incumbent on you as you enter the Ascension energies, to grasp the power of NOW, and realize that you can and must change the past, your individual past, from the stance of Now.. Within the NOW, you can convert to the Mer-Ka-Na and as such gain the controls of all within your multidimensionality. That is a sacred Universal Truth, and that Truth expands when you enter into it. It expands into power that allows you the fulcrum of co creation in the singular moment of NOW, above linear time and hologramic sojourns within time in the Omni Earth.
We tell you that personal issues and blockages can and do arise when appropriate evolvement of the past are stymied and not allowed to spontaneously take place. In some scenarios serious neurosis occurs precisely because an individual has not changed his or her past. For example, a lifetime may be chosen in which you a part of a catastrophic event that results in a traumatic loss of life. This may have been chosen for myriad reasons of growth. Perhaps, as one example, in sequential lifetimes the entity is far more appreciative of time spent with love ones because of having learned that life can seemingly end unexpectedly.
Yet such powerful traumas that were chosen for lesson in one life time are often so emotionally over-charged that they can and do bleed over and negatively affect other lifetime programs. This untoward over-bleed may express itself as an intense fear of flying or perhaps a fear of water from drowning, and such. Masters, you can enter into Quantum Consciousness and remove the negative, retain the growth lesson, and replace the event entirely with a positive alternative. You can change the past!
While it is incumbent upon you to truly understand that there was indeed a reason, that you have chosen to experience any trauma, it is also true that some of the traumatic or less desirable experiences simply have the purpose of showing you what can occur if you do not consciously create your own realities. If you hold a mental state of belief that the world is evil, or that you are undeserving, that very individualized mental projection will faithfully draw untoward experience into the physical reality in which your mindset manifested it. In all cases, however, you have the ability and need to draw the lesson, and then change, dissolve the past experience into a more positive one. This is requisite, and can be done consciously in Mer-Ka-Va and Mer-Ka-Na levels of consciousness.
The key again, is understanding that all realities are in flux. All can be altered.
Masters, Your realities in all sojourns are constantly in a state of fluidity. Nothing you have experienced is written in stone, but humanity has in large forgotten this truth. So we tell you that each scenario you experience is but one of many potentials from an immense menu of possibility.
The ones you do not experience, in your terms, are just as valid as the ones you do. Accordingly you have the ability to go back at any vector thru Mer-Ka-Na Quantum Consciousness, to change any reality. If you have chosen (and all of you have) a particularly traumatic experience, you can alter it to one that is of your choosing.
Always remember that the world is indeed formed holographically by your thought processes in actual image reflection of your own creation. When you truly understand that your physical experiences and environs are fully the materialization of your own structured mental creation and beliefs, then you hold the key to unlocking the door to scripting the future and indeed re-scripting what you think of as the past.
This is manifested through intent and optimal use of your divine will. But this requires concentrated deliberation and focal effort. In the course of realizing your true power, free will is a double edged sword until wisdom and enlightenment is re-acquired. Using your free will haphazardly in less conscious lifetimes can and does make physical reality into something quite less than what it can optimally be in your sojourns. But again from over view, this also has the ultimate result through cause and effect of your greater growth.
You are attending the 'University of Duality' on the Earth-Plane to learn how to responsibly create, and that involves the process of working out problems and challenges. All of you will graduate, one heart at a time. You did not co-create this plane of duality to fail. No one gets left behind.
On a higher level, humanity remains aware of its true inner nature and divinity, and of its spiritual purpose and non-physical source. But most of mankind has lost contact with this wisdom in 3d. You have focused so strongly upon the density of physical reality that it has become the only reality that you consider and thus empower.
Now, the LeMurians who escaped the islands of Mu going into the inner realms of the Earth did not simply do so by spelunking. They did not suddenly find a cave and venture deeper and deeper into it until they stumbled upon a vast inner world chasm. Rather they entered into a different program of the Omni Earth precisely by gathering in a Dimensional-Time Gate coordinate portal and raising their frequency through intent and self-mastery in order to shift into another hologram.
This process was also followed in a far more scientific protocol and technique by the Atlanteans of the Golden Era, and for different purpose. The LeMurians relied primarily on natural time gate vectors; whereas the Atlanteans had sophisticated devices and crystals that created time gates.
The ability to become unfixed in time, and indeed navigate within it, has a succinct utility that serves the integral healing of the whole self within multidimensionality. Certain areas on your planet make accessing the time holograms and multidimensional aspects somewhat easier. Arkansas and Mount Shasta are among the most potent of these in North America. Globally, Titicaca, Roslyn, Montserrat, Newgrange, Giza, Minas Gerais Brazil, and Lake Baikal are among the most potent.
This is due to the frequencial energies that are exuded within these portals. Yet it can be achieved in Mer-Ka-Na field at any point. No past event is 'written in stone' nor predestined to failure. Any given event can be changed not only before and during but after its occurrence. You are here to learn, not to fail. All of this is a dream, and was never intended to be a nightmare. It has a happy ending.
Conscious creation of your future and changing the past remains one of the final challenges for many of you, and no time is more potent than NOW. But be assured, the graduation ius in place, you have created it, and will continue to do so.
Dear Ones, the Ascension will occur. Release your fears, and create in the energy of 2012 and beyond, the benevolent completions that you have waited millennia to achieve.
Nothing ends in 2012. The poles will not shift, the axis of the earth will not tilt, and there will not be an asteroid destroying the Earth. The economy will not crash into turmoil, chaos will not reign. What purpose would be served? The 12-21-12 is a new beginning.... and you, all of the many 'you's' on many levels, many dimensions, many epochs of past, present, future have combined in the NOW to make it happen. We assure you of this.
The Earth expands, ascends on the 12-12-12, and the new template will rebirth on the 12-21-12. The graduation of the Earth to 12 dimensions provides the template for the Ascension of Humanity in approximately 300 years, 15 generations. Many of you are there to navigate!
All of you will graduate, all of you will Ascend. ... one heart at a time. You did not co-create this plane of duality to fail. No one gets left behind. This dream has a happy ending. Create it!
I am Metatron and I share with you these Truths."
And so it is...And It Is So ! | 2019-04-19T01:32:37Z | http://www.newageofactivism.com/2012/10/time-space-time-travel-teleportation.html |
Once upon a time, online marketing was done one click at a time, usually in a rather spammy manner. As technology and the Internet itself evolved, it has become easier (and more elegant) to run a campaign of any kind, especially on social media.
Still, there are marketers, entrepreneurs, marketing or PR agencies, bloggers, including the plethora of small business owners and influencers, who still use the old (read: slower) ways. At the sole mention of social media, cold sweat covers their foreheads and chills travel up their spines. Amplifr is here to help!
We hope to raise the interest in super-helpful automation with this comprehensive guide. No more one-click-at-the-time, social-media-is-confusing, stress-inducing campaigns! Enter the elegant and far more efficient world of marketing for multiple social media channels.
The size, richness, and probable impact of social media channels has risen above any expectancy.
Hardly there’s anyone who is not aware of the power of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or perhaps, Tumblr marketing and how they make businesses grow! In a crowded place such as that, not only do you need to adapt, but you need to improve and hopefully, rise above the noise.
If most social media experts executed the campaigns one click of a time, they probably wouldn’t have time for anything else in their life – including the reading of this guide, which would truly be a pity.
Automation of any kind, therefore, simplifies the entire process of scheduling, posting, analyzing, and then, reporting on a given social media campaign. When certain activities become easier to execute, monitor, and evaluate.
Keep in mind though, that social media tools are many, containing different features and possibilities. Some of them make posting smooth and easy, but do not provide deep analytics, etc. In a bit, we’ll show you how to choose the right tool.
Who can benefit the most from the use of social media automation?
Any company/business that relies on social media for the growth, increased presence and ultimately, more sales.
Besides the obvious time management and stress lowering benefits, the automation of your social media endeavours brings other, overall helpful consequences. There is a vast number of reasons why you should dive into social media management, scheduling, monitoring and reporting waters.
It enables you to take a rest from day-in-and-day-out social media posting. Through straightforward scheduling and organizing features, the uploading of your amazing content ceases to depend on your daily activities, so you can enjoy knowing everything’s running smoothly.
You’ll get all the timely statistics and insights, needed for creation and implementation of an advanced social media marketing strategy. In human-friendly words, you will be empowered to raise your social media impact and reach on a new, stronger level.
Think of it this way – with scheduling, you’ll probably be posting a larger number of educational, entertaining or purely promotional content. Meaning, you could monitor the engagement, gather the stats, analyze and then, improve on your strategy with sharpened clarity.
By decreasing the time waste, including the unwanted layoffs in posting, you’ll actually gain consistency. Anyone who ever got involved in social media, is well aware how important it is to maintain a steady, continuous posting habits. If your brand is not often showing up for your audience, chances are slim it’s going to become recognizable.
We all know those social profiles, which occasionally post interesting, useful content, but then disappear from the radar for days or weeks. No, that is not the way to build a raving audience on social media, no matter the channel.
This point is worth repeating. Imagine you are working in a public metro. Thousands of faces pass you by everyday. What are the odds of you actually remembering a face in such a crowd?
Correct, you might remember someone who is extremely unusual, even grotesque. But the other possibility lies in consistency – even if the most ordinary person in the world appeared in front of your eyes for jillion times, you would probably memorize them.
No, we’re not saying you should be downright ridiculous, or boring and consistent! The secret of increasing visibility on social media lies in the balance – a strategic blend of originality (creativity) and persistency. Learn that formula and your channels will be destined to grow.
Surely, consistent posting is the crucial component in every successful (profitable, wide-range promotional) social media strategy. Keep in mind though, that no amount of posts, no matter how beautifully crafted, value-packed, and intelligently distributed they might be, cannot bring true results without the actual interaction.
Communication, as we’re all aware, requires time and clearly, attendance.
By automating the significant part of your social marketing activities, you’ll be able to respond to comments, express your gratitude for shares and retweets, also answer the messages in a timely manner. Remember that social media relies on interaction, thus a solid business-consumer relationship is a goal almost impossible to achieve without smart management (including a healthy dose of posting automation).
Enter a new stage of social media marketing!
Without a slightest doubt, anyone who uses social media platforms as the core element of a marketing strategy, can greatly benefit from the dedicated tools which help their management.
Engagement and interaction with your brand’s fans.
Furthermore, once you start managing your social media efforts in a new, advanced and by far the easiest way, the only regret you’ll have is: why did I wait for so long to try this out?
Someone would say that small digital and media agencies shouldn’t have any challenges when it comes to social media marketing. After all, with talented, skilled teams and an open-minded, ultra-creative approach, agencies should rule the realm of social media with ease. Besides such solid facts, the reality is much different.
Primarily because of the nature of their endeavours, which often requires their attention to be scattered across various projects at the same time, small agencies often struggle with social media.
In the middle of commonly hectic schedules and the multitude of client requests, small agencies tend to struggle with social media marketing. Through the following lines, we’ll uncover some of the typical challenges they’re facing, when it comes to managing multiple social media channels (either for their own or the client’s needs).
Whether the agency has a professional designer who can create original, wonderfully structured posts or not, quality content is an obligatory element of every social media strategy. When strict deadlines and demanding client requests press you down, it becomes difficult to let the creative juices freely flow.
This is where an automate-oriented strategy comes to the rescue, as well-planned scheduling frees up a healthy portion of time. A liberated portion of time can nicely be used for brainstorming, drafting and perfecting all imaginable types of content – textual pieces such as articles or guest posts, images, graphics, videos, etc. Agencies routinely need to conduct a deep research about the client’s industry and niche, before even diving into content creation.
What automation bring to the table is simply: less space for technicalities, and more for creativity!
Oh, this one is really tricky.
The challenge is to maintain the posting schedule as regular as clockwork, while you’re managing several clients and trying to fulfil their diverse needs. But mainly, the quantity of content itself announces the overwhelm.
As time passes, usually there are more clients joining, while the old ones decide to expand on several social media channels for their campaigns. Posting the content one piece at the time in such a scenario would last for ages! The chances are as well, that instead of posting in high-engagement times, the content would be uploaded in “whenever I can” time, which wouldn’t bring the desired results.
Just a while ago, Facebook was the absolute king of social media, especially for business promotion. Don’t get us wrong, it still is, but in the meantime, a plethora of equally promising social media platforms was developed, forcing marketing professionals to expand their efforts. Some of the examples are definitely Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, with audiences growing over hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
But the expansion doesn’t end there. Each and every platform can contain several profiles, representing your client’s business in a variety of ways. And as an agency, you must cover it all with equal attention. Fun, but tough work, indeed.
An agency can work in full power and achieve amazing results, but if both the wins and issues are not being properly discussed with the client, the long-term progress would be almost impossible.
Like any other form of communication, the one between a client and an agency representatives requires openness and directness. A continual exchange of ideas, concepts, strategies and operations is only possible if both sides acquire a positive, honest approach and most importantly, do their best to keep it that way.
Undefined team delegation, and more.
Especially when it comes to social media marketing endeavours, proper reporting to a client plays a vital role. Once you’ve successfully communicated the ups, downs, and blocks of a campaign, the client will most probably require the same data, but in the written form.
Agencies have to make sure to think both analytically and creatively while crafting a perfect report. When done right, reporting turns into a rather enjoyable, but also deeply insightful activity. Another advantage of quality reports lies in error prevention. More on this topic in the following sections about social media reporting tools.
“Who is doing what, why, when, and with whom?” could be the compressed version of daily team confusion. Keeping the track of all tasks and making sure that each client receives the deserved attention (and results), requires some serious staff organizing and management.
Furthermore, a clearly outlined, strategically delegated work process often pushes the given agency from the average, up to the advanced level of productivity (therefore, success). Especially when it comes to social media management, a properly set who-does-what schedules does wonders to the strategy and its outcomes.
A neverending struggle, the arch enemy of any client-focused endeavour, a deeply annoying party wrecker – the financial limit set for each campaign can surely influence its progress. In the largest number of collaborations it will be impossible to set the ideal amount of money for a campaign. Such limitations significantly influence the social media strategy, and here is where the organic approach fills in the gaps.
For any social media channel, trying to build a presence and promote either your or your client’s business, organic approach takes more time, patience and strategic thinking. On the other side, it brings long-lasting results and builds relationships which can be used in many ways in the future.
So, when it comes to social media, a challenge actually turns into an advantage, as limited budget can push you to more creative solutions.
Once we brought the main obstacles of small agencies to light, let’s see what are the social media strategies they could use. Hopefully, these tactics will unburden at least one part of the marketing puzzle.
So, is it possible for a small agency to run along with the big agencies? Keep in mind that aforementioned challenges also keep the big boys awake at night, to a certain extent. But unlike most small agencies, their resources and budget usually save the day.
The time has come to discover how a small advertising agency can overcome its boundaries, focusing on social media marketing in particular.
Someone would say that small agencies do not have advantages in comparison with large advertising agencies. This is not entirely true. One aspect in which the smaller agency would be a first client’s choice is the difference in approach to marketing.
An independent agency is likely to follow a more personalized methods in their social media efforts. The advantage of smaller teams lies in easier team management, where professionals can swiftly jump into projects, take various creative risks, and collaborate more freely between each other. Less bureaucracy and more flexibility is definitely something many clients find valuable.
Maintaining a closer, more intimate communication with the client, gaining the insight into their wishes, plans, ideas, etc.
In social media marketing, smaller agencies can use all of these deep insights and information, to fine-tune the campaigns. Basically, they become empowered to turn their challenges into powers. On social media, users instinctively distinguish the generic, posted-by-a-bot posts from a carefully.
Besides the benefits closely related to the agency’s size, there are certain tactics with both large and smaller advertising teams could use to master and monetize the social media channels. One strategy relates to the approach to posting.
Indeed, cross-channel marketing, when done intelligently, can be a valuable asset for agencies wanting to bring the best possible results to their clients. In this form of social promotion, each and every interaction magnifies the previous one. Instead of focusing on one platform, agencies can truly leverage the possibilities of social.
Another benefit of cross-channel strategy can be best described with numbers. That is right, agencies often need to operate within a rather tight budget. And when they spread their efforts onto various social channels, the reach and traffic itself pays out long-term.
As a small agency, avoid sticking to a single platform by all means. Because if, for instance, the cost of advertising changes (that keeps on happening with Facebook ads), it will be easy for your to smoothly shift your marketing focus and resources to another platform.
By managing several channels, you’re empowered to adapt to changes, without sacrificing the time, content, or messaging. Nice representation of “never put all your eggs in one basket”, right?
Remember when we mentioned the common overwhelm most small agencies face in their work? Chances are there’s no need for you to remember those, as you’re well aware of them in your daily routine!
A healthy portion of such stress-inducing situations can be soothed with a proper tracking of results (both positive and negative ones). Not to mention the reputation building, extremely crucial for small agencies. How can you stand out from your seemingly endless competition?
Perfected tracking is definitely one of the ways. Whatever may be the nature of your social media campaigns, always make sure to clearly track the results.
Track the results, present them, show off and be proud of that ROI!
By owning your marketing wins completely, no matter how complex the ROI calculations for social media might be, a small agency both saves the money (no more blind spending on campaigns) and furthermore, enables a straightforward reporting to clients.
Well alright, you know the results of every campaign, their ups and downs, overall investing data, etc. But how much does the client know? Needless to point out, client satisfaction is the main focus!
Several factors determine the client happiness, true, but at the end, it all comes to this: the numbers. Luckily, we set the base properly in the previous step and now, as everything is clearly tracked, your goal as a small agency is to present that information in a best way.
Is the return on investment satisfying?
Furthermore, to determine the one thing every client wants to know – analyze the total revenue, including the net and gross profit, as those are the indicators of the desired positive return!
After the overall strategies are set, the next step should cover the social platforms you’re going to be using. The topic of choosing the right social media channel for either your agency’s or your clients promotion is way too broad for this guide. A search such as that one depends on a variety of factors: business goals, niche, messaging, target market, and more.
Use the best out of your “small is beautiful” team flexibility and personalized approach to client’s needs.
Now that we got this straight, follow us as we unravel the best small agency practices for biggest social media sites!
Seriously, can anyone really afford not to be on Facebook nowadays? As the ultimate overlord of social media, Facebook literally offers something for anyone.
A small agency in particular, can definitely use the possibilities this giant generously provides. Whether your method of choice is a Facebook page or a group, remember that they can be used in a variety of creative ways. Think of all content types, do not limit yourself, because that is exactly what this social media powerhouse supports. Variety, variety, variety, with a ridiculously laser-focused customer persona in mind.
But Facebook is not only amazing for client-customer campaigns, but also for B2B opportunities, through which you could find relevant leads for your agency.
Sign up to Amplifr and connect your Facebook Pages to manage them effectively and hassle-free.
There are not many social media platforms that are so suitable for ad campaign testing as Facebook. With a pretty low-cost boosting, you could make the initial, play around and testing phase, analyze the results and then, invest more in the future, larger-scale campaigns.
As a client representative, you’ll have to provide high-quality visuals which are directly related to their business. For visually-based social media platforms such as Pinterest, originality plays a vital role and whenever possible, try to communicate openly with the client. Them providing images unique for their company is game-changing.
Speaking of competition, keep in mind that this growing social giant is also a fantastic place for you to promote your agency in particular – advertising agencies rank pretty well in Pinterest searches.
Sign up to Amplifr and connect your Pinterest Pages to see if they’re are an effective addition to your social media strategies.
So, work closely with your client (s) on the content materials, creation and/or curation, and make sure to stay consistent. Pinterest has a lot to offer to agencies, do not miss out on that.
Primarily, agency professionals find Twitter easy to use and monitor. Engagement is rather simple to develop and maintain on this social media platform, as a single retweet, followed with a note of gratitude could be a nice communication springboard.
Successful agencies use Twitter to drive leads, grow the list, and both research and structure their strategy based on (trending) hashtags. Tweeting goes fast as a digital avalanche of information, and one of the main goals agencies have is maintain a steady posting schedule. Here, our favorite topic of social media automation tools comes in. These tools, including Amplifr, are built to make profitable posting on Twitter possible.
Sign up to Amplifr and connect your Twitter Profiles to track engagement and follower count.
Without a helpful dose of automation, agency talents would need to spend the majority of their already task-swamped time on posting, which is really a waste.
Small agency and Instagram: How to approach it?
There are two main ways in which a small advertising agency could use Instagram. The first one is finding ways to showcase your agency’s culture and main principles on social media. Another direction you can take is trying to own a service or product category, usually exploring thought leadership.
Whatever the strategy, make sure to explore the vast possibilities of this, also mainly visual and highly crowded social platform.
It’s no surprise that Linkedin is a primary business asset for every small agency trying to find its way on social media. After all, this enormous and certainly, unutilized platform is a great place for businesses (in this case, agencies) to connect with other businesses.
Sign up to Amplifr and connect your LinkedIn Pages to receive reports on their performance weekly.
A blog-like publishing space for businesses to present themselves to potential leads.
How to choose the right social platform for an agency?
Now that we’re aware of specific challenges most small agencies face, along with best practices they could explore on social media, it is time to briefly touch the question of platform choice.
What kind of content do you already have?
Which types of content suit your (your client’s) needs?
How often could you post (but bare in mind that automation tools can significantly help)?
Most importantly, does the platform’s audience fits into your target market?
So, there are two spheres an agency has to consider when deciding on a social network.
On one side, social media could be used for a client. In that case, think of their particular industry and its nuances. Also, mind the budget limits and a type of content they want/need.
Otherwise, you might be searching for a social medium for a promotion of the agency itself. If that is the case, aim for large networks that mainly consist out of business accounts. For an example, the definite giant, Facebook, might be a good choice. Think of ways to connect with brands via pages or groups. Even a better option for a small agency is LinkedIn, an online kingdom of professional connections!
In the case you’ve just tuned into our guides, Amplifr is highly reliable, user-friendly social media management tool. Note that there are eight more for you to read, covering everything you need to know about best social media practices!
Who can find the utmost benefit in a tool such as Amplifr?
In the widest sense, anyone who uses the powers of social media for professional, promotional, profitable purposes. The vast range of companies, brands, experts in the most various niches, can use Amplifr as a part of their online marketing plan. Whether your strategy is focused on driving the visitors to a site, raising the visibility online, stating an authority, or purely making more sales using social media, having smart tools like this one helps.
So, which professionals would adore Amplifr’s features?
And of course, marketing and PR agencies of any size.
VK.com and OK.ru are supported, as truly exotic social media options.
Detailed and real-results-based insights, including a clear, easily understandable reporting.
Easy to use, but powerful in efficiency, Amplifr provides a needed calm and security. But, there is a reason why it is most beneficial for agencies, and small agencies in particular. We’ll happy to answer some common questions in this article, which many agency professionals asked since Amplifr is up and running.
Straight to the point: Amplifr is built primarily with agencies in mind.
This social media scheduling and analytics tool should be an obligatory weapon in every agency’s strategy. With it, the team members involved will always be on the same page, elegantly receiving the analytics digest via email.
How many times did it happen to you – a social media campaign is running, resources are being spent, yet nobody really knows what is going on and how well the project is doing?
An agency can avoid such confusion now, as Amplifr’s stats directly point to what is working for your business (or your client’s goals) and what isn’t. These traffic, but more importantly, conversion analytics pave the path to easier, smoother campaign running. No more blindfolded marketing!
A cherry on the top for analytics and statistics in Amplifr: even for external posts (meaning, not scheduled via our tool), you are able to see the number of likes, comments, shares, and for Facebook, the traffic data as well.
Now, we mentioned that the entire team will be on the same page with Amplifr, so let’s elaborate exactly how.
When thinking about social management, we often imagine it as a one-person journey. But, this is often not the case. Within small agency teams, collaboration in each stage of the campaign is a rather regular practice.
Starting from initial brainstorming, over content creation, and up to posting and managing itself, different professionals with the same goal work together. The goal is essentially simple – to make a client happy.
Now, content collaboration is ridiculously intuitive on Amplifr, as everything happens inside a single platform. Easy to follow and contribute to, this social media tool’s dashboard empowers a team to run a project from various viewpoints. Amplifr’s main focus is to make an organic content work more efficient, whilst also automatically optimizing the posts for media and publications of choice.
Freelance professionals – a part of the campaigns requires external talent help and you still want to manage it all inside a single platform? No problem, freelancers can have limited access, but focused around their main tasks in the social media project.
Once you’ve set the roles and created the separate, access-optimized profiles for each team member, it is time to organize the project on a general level.
How does Amplifr actually help in the means of workspace management?
Simply, it enables you to work with multiple clients, assigned team member, and on multiple gigs at the same time! Everything flows through a single workspace. And if that doesn’t sound relieving enough, here’s something even better: social accounts can be grouped into an unlimited quantity of projects. Plus, switching between the sections and workspaces is enjoyably fast and simple.
Speaking of transparency, clients can nicely monitor the entire workflow with a help of clear reporting features.
Certainly, once the client has invested in an agency, no matter how much trust does he/she feels towards the creative team, one rule remains solid: the more a client is informed and optionally, involved in the agency’s work, the better for everyone.
At the end of the day, we all want to sleep soundly with clear conscience, right?
This is exactly why Amplifr created a kind of a workspace which empowers clients to observe, control (when and how much that’s needed) and even contribute. In such an environment, clients feel that you, as an agency, care about their input. A proper attention which Amplifr worked on, fills the imaginary (yet, rather real) gap between agencies and their clients.
Such balance is also achieved like this: (we’re secretly in love with this feature, don’t tell anyone) before a relevant content or campaign is placed on social media, the client can be notified in order to check and approve the next step.
There’s no need to experience any kind of gap or misunderstanding between you, as an advertising agency, and your respected (honestly, often demanding) clients.
Sometimes we all miss the big picture. Automatic monthly reports, improved by trends and charts, bring even more value and understanding to the companies you’re working for.
Working in an agency can be stressful, even overwhelming. Tasks pile up, client demands are constantly expanding (and often, changing in a blink of an eye), team members’ assignments often collide, and competition continuously lurks just behind the corner.
It is no surprise that we all aim for better relationships with clients, more time, efficiency and consequently, profit.
When you look at it closely, Amplifr actually helps you with all of this, in a way. By placing your creative efforts right in front of client’s sight, it strengthens your professional position. A smooth social media marketing workspace enables you to negotiate better, because each word you’ll firmly stand behind, reflects real and evident results, not mere likes or views.
Think about this. Then, move from thinking into doing, results are waiting!
Now that you know the benefits of social media automation in general and how Amplifr works from inside out, the moment has come to choose the right social media tool from yourself. No matter the type of business you’re aiming to promote via different social media channels, make sure to take some time before picking a perfect tool.
The relieving fact that you are free to test various tools in order to see which one fits your needs the best, carries a little bit sour reality with it. To be honest – who really has time to devote months to mere experimenting with tools? You have a business to grow!
With this in mind, we hand-picked the best and most popular social media scheduling and management tools on Earth, then compared each and one of them with Amplifr, so you could enjoy a brief, yet informative source pre-decision insights.
Before we start our journey through top social media management tools, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. No matter the tools and strategies you use, one approach should always remain in your focus. Also, whether you choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media platform for your promotional endeavours, again, this single principle should prevail.
And that principle is: the content you’ll be posting must be of the highest possible quality, always!
The circumstances and resources differ from one business to another, but whatever your capabilities may be – do your best with content. Provide value to your followers throughout the strategy, focus on first-rate content only, and then move on to other factors, such as timing (consistency), content adjusting according to each platform’s algorithm, etc.
It feels great to set that in stone, moving on to our tool analysis now!
The core of each and every social media management tool is essentially the same. They all enable you, a marketing professional or enthusiast aiming to grow a business via social media, to simplify the marketing processes. Social media tools, in short, bring clarity, order, and control into often messy marketing activities.
Analytics and reporting (here, Amplifr rises above the competition, we’ll explain how).
Therefore, Hootsuite is one of the most famous weapons marketers use in their social media strategies.
The first and most common use of Hootsuite is certainly the scheduling: when previously prepared content is set to be posted in a specific time somewhere in the future. Scheduling on Hootsuite is rather easy, but you wouldn’t enjoy sophisticated time suggestions as on Amplifr.
When it comes to teamwork, Hootsuite does offer an option to delegate tasks between colleagues. It is not as intuitive and powerful as Amplifr’s workspace, though. Both social media tools enable you to work as a team within a single dashboard, but Amplifr added analytics digests any team member can receive over email, as well as superb content collaboration features.
A feature rarely encountered in social media tools is brand protection, through mention tracking and Vanity URL, an option that personalizes the links you’re using. Both of these protect your (or your client’s) company name and accordingly, reputation.
Despite the richness of social channels supported and easy-to-use dashboard, the largest drawback of Hootsuite lies in its price. Especially if you’re looking for a team-friendly option, you’ll find the plans themselves costly, let alone the additional expenses for detailed reports, and similar.
The deep analytics and clear reports are vital components of every social media marketing strategy. While the first one provides data insights and improves on your outcomes, the second one keeps either your bosses or clients in the loop with what (in the name of God) is happening on multiple social media campaigns!
Hootsuite does offer these features, but only if your pocket is rather deep. This is why small and medium-sized businesses become empowered with Amplifr, which contains comprehensive analytics, smooth content planning and scheduling, handy reporting – but it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg per month.
This tool definitely fits nicely into the new era of social media management. Once more, time-consuming operations of any social campaign are being simplified with smart software.
Furthermore, with smooth processes set in place, such as posting and monitoring, you’ll have more time to improve on the social media strategy itself! Now, MeetEdgar has its pros and cons, and interestingly, is pros are its cons. Let us explain: with a goal of ultimate simplification in mind, the team behind MeetEdgar perhaps went too far.
Its design, the dashboard itself, UI, everything is simple to the bone. If you’re just starting out with social media marketing, then this is the tool you’ll enjoy. But, if you do care about analytics and want to elevate your impact on social media, MeetEdgar might not be powerful enough for you.
Don’t get us wrong, we respect MeedEdgar, as it is probably the most elegant, clarity-building social media tool out there. When it comes to professional (business) use, a perfect balance between simplicity and profit-encouraging features works the best.
For serious marketers, PR and advertising agencies, influencers, or really any professional aiming to use social media’s possibilities to the max, a basic-level analytics MeetEdgar is offering simply won’t move the needle.
First off, a revenue-growing social media marketing requires expanded presence. While MeetEdgar cover only three social websites, Amplifr went crazy with eleven of them (and counting)! Next, know that MeedEdgar is focused on evergreen content, but Amplifr supports multiple and easily monitored workflows, enabling team members to do all the work within a single platform.
Finally, MeetEdgar is a dream tool for anyone who cares about organizing, simplicity, and automated features like “refill your queue”. But, what happens if you need to manage multiple channels, while including other professionals (clients, team members) into the marketing efforts? Yes, the chaos would escalate pretty quickly, which wouldn’t be the case with much more work-friendly Amplifr.
Place the content into Sprout Queue, once you’ve set the schedule in advance.
Here is where the first downside of this tool is met – once the content is posted on selected social media channels, your schedule list will clear out. Such organization forces you to rewrite, then reschedule the posts if you need to. Time management is a priority when you’re leading an advanced, multi-channel marketing campaign, we know.
Features for team collaboration (upgraded version).
As you’ve probably already noticed, the differences in features between top social media tools may seem subtle, but they’re actually game-changing.
Same goes for SproutSocial – Amplifr comparisson.
SproutSocial is a well-organized, wonderfully-looking tool, filled with great features. Accordingly, its price is rather high (it goes to $500 for the Team version). Here at Amplifr, we aim for both useful and affordable service (you most probably have enough costs already, no matter the business size).
Speaking of teams, SproutSocial’s elegant dashboard does look amazing, as it blends all streams into one large project. Such organizational logic works fine for social media beginners or perhaps individuals like bloggers, vloggers or Instagrammers. When it comes to small teams or larger companies, one-stream interface wouldn’t be as practical.
Creators of SproutSocial focused on design mainly, but also different analytics covering engagement primarily. These features can certainly help out in the social media marketing beginning. Do they move the needle, business-wise? Not really.
This social media management tool is great if you have large marketing budgets. Also, if your aesthetic requirements are high, and your goals based on social media popularity, then SproutSocial might be for you.
What if you want more from social media?
Whether you’re a complete social media newbie or an experienced professional, Amplifr offers a clear platform, but with deeper data insights than SproutSocial. Furthermore, it’s focused on money-making analytics – traffic and conversion data.
It’s a pity to invest an immense amount of effort (time and resources) into social media marketing, and still don’t move beyond mere engagement stats.
The true benefits of social media lie in both engagement and conversions, and Amplifr definitely empowers any business user to reach those new heights.
Our last contestant is probably the most popular social media management tool right now. The same basic principles apply to Buffer, as they do for aforementioned tools. If you aim for utmost success on social media, merely posting of high-quality content every day won’t make a significant difference to the traffic, not your revenue stats.
When super-useful social media tools such as Buffer and Amplifr come into play, they help you manage multiple social channels, while showing exactly when, how, and how often you should post.
By automating social media marketing efforts, it turns from nerve-wracking and overwhelming into fun and profitable activity. And who doesn’t want to reach more potential customers and raise the brand awareness – in less time and with strategic effort?
Two team members could work within the account (premium version only).
Buffer is highly popular, especially because of its user-friendly dashboard. It can help you drive traffic to your site and offers, possibly improve the engagement, and other tools we mentioned, to save a lot of time.
In our honest opinion, the major downside of Buffer hides in its simplicity, but also, a fact that all business-growing features are extremely expensive (for deeper analytics and smoother management experience, one needs to pay $200+ per month).
Let’s begin with visibility, where the number of supported channels plays an important role. While Buffer covers only five social media sites, Amplifr doubled that number. As we all know, wider social media presence is a serious business advantage.
Buffer doesn’t notify you like Amplifr does: when an entire day passed without posting or certain metrics need your attention. Remember, a balanced mix of highest possible quality and consistency counts.
Now you completely comprehend the upsides and downsides of Buffer. Keep in mind that it is a tool which can work rather nicely for content creators, curators, anyone who wishes to become more popular on social media in less time.
Still, you’ve noticed that none of these top world’s social media tools doesn’t even come close to Amplifr, when a topic of growing a business emerges! Because in its essence, Amplifr combines the visibility-boosting features, complemented with practical data and reporting to propel your sales forward.
Having a reliable social media management tool by your side, vastly simplifies (and accelerates) the entire spectrum of marketing steps. See Amplifr as your faithful sidekick on a journey to fully successful, money-making, influential social presence. That’s why it was built in the first place – to help you reach all your goals on social media (and more)!
In essence, it simplifies the entire process of scheduling, posting, analyzing, and then, reporting on a conducted social media campaign. Simply said, it simplifies the life of any marketing professional who wants to grow the presence, impact and income on social media platforms.
Creation of eye-opening reports which inform everyone involved in campaign’s results.
5. Agencies, whatever may be the nature of your social media campaigns, always make sure to clearly track the results.
Track them, present them, show off and be proud of that social media ROI!
Keep testing and optimizing your strategy, while constantly referring to the performance data to see what works and what doesn’t.
Freelance professionals – freelancers can have limited access, but focused around their main tasks in the social media project.
No matter the tools and strategies you use, one approach should always remain in your focus: the content you’ll be posting must be of the highest possible quality, always!
The true benefits of social media lie in both engagement and conversions, and Amplifr definitely empowers any business user to reach the new heights! | 2019-04-24T09:50:03Z | https://amplifr.com/blog/en/smm-guide-tools/ |
Methods, systems, computer readable media and other means for generating a profile for a particular type of media are provided. The profile represents a set of preferred printing parameters to be used to achieve a target print quality for a reference printing device. The profile may be used by other non-reference printing devices in order to optimize printing for that type of media. For each non-reference printing device, an offset may be established that represents the differences between the non-reference and the reference printing devices. A processor of the non-reference printing device may identify the type of media and the profile for that media and then adjust the printing parameters for the non-reference printing device based on the profile and the offset in order to optimize the print quality. The profile may also include a parameter that is based on a temperature coefficient associated with the type of printer.
1. A method comprising:selecting a reference printing device;receiving a targeted media;printing a test pattern at a first applied energy value;printing at least one other test pattern, wherein the at least one other test pattern is printed at another applied energy value different than the first applied energy value;determining a first print quality for the test pattern at the first applied energy value;determining a second print quality for the other test pattern at the other applied energy value;printing a first test pattern at a first print speed;printing at least one additional print pattern at a second print speed;determining a print quality for the test pattern at the first print speed;determining an additional print quality for the at least one additional print pattern at the second print speed; andgenerating a profile for the targeted media.
2. A method comprising:receiving one or more profiles, wherein each of the profiles is associated with a type of media;receiving a media of a first type of media;identifying the first type of media;identifying a profile associated with the first type of media;adjusting at least one printing parameter of a printing device based on the profile associated with the first type of media.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein identifying the first type of media includes reading a barcode associated with the media.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:determining an ambient temperature of the environment prior to adjusting the at least one printing parameter; andadjusting a temperature printing parameter at least partially based on the ambient temperature.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the temperature printing parameter comprises:processing an equation that is a function of a temperature coefficient associated with the printing device.
6. A printing device comprising:a memory element configured to store a profile for each of a plurality of types of media;a printhead configured to print indicia on the plurality of types of media based on at least one printing parameter; anda controller configured to:identify a first type of media received by the printing device;identify a profile stored in the memory element associated with the first type of media; andadjust the at least one printing parameter based on the profile.
7. The printing device according to claim 6, wherein the controller applies an offset to the profile based on the printing device.
8. The printing device according to claim 6 further comprising an input element for receiving one or more profiles.
9. The printing device according to claim 6 further comprising a conveyance apparatus configured to convey media through the printing device, wherein the conveyance apparatus defines a print speed and, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the print speed based on the profile.
10. The printing device according to claim 6, wherein the profile includes a strobe pattern.
11. The printing device according to claim 10, wherein the strobe pattern includes a series of first and second pulses separated by a brief interruption.
12. The printing device according to claim 6 further comprising a sensor configured to read indicia from the first type of media, wherein the controller is further configured to identify the first type of media in response to the sensor reading the indicia.
13. The printing device according to claim 6 further comprising a RFID reader configured to read information from a supply of the first type of media, wherein the controller is further configured to identify the first type of media in response to the RFID reader reading the information from the supply.
14. The printing device of claim 6 further comprising:a temperature sensor that determines an ambient temperature of the environment local to the printing device.
15. The printing device of claim 6 further comprising:a network component that is configured to communicate with a remote data server to download the profile to the memory element.
16. A supply of a first type of media comprising:an identification means configured to be accessible to a printing device such that the printing device can identify the first type of media.
17. The supply according to claim 16, wherein the identification means is a barcode.
18. The supply according to claim 16, wherein the identification means is an RFID tag.
19. The supply according to claim 16, wherein the identification means contains a profile for the first type of media.
20. The supply according to claim 19, wherein the profile provides information to the printing device for adjusting one or more printing parameters of the printing device for obtaining a desired print quality.
This patent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/105,667, filed Oct. 15, 2008, entitled "Paper Profile and Reading Systems."
The present invention relates to printing devices and, more particularly, to the creation and use of profiles for different types of media and different types of printing devices as well as to the identification of the profiles and the different types of media.
Most conventional printing devices can not be quickly and easily switched over to new applications. For example, typical conventional printing devices may require multiple adjustments and on-site calibration to optimize the quality of the printed output. Often a conventional printing device is optimized for one particular printing application, such as printing photographs, barcodes, or text. By optimizing for one particular printing application, often the printing device is or becomes less than optimal or "suboptimal" in terms of print quality for the other type of printing applications.
Moreover, other conventional printing devices may be configured to handle a wide variety of supplies or applications. Unfortunately in such printing devices the print quality is often less than optimal for all applications due to trade-offs made in the printing device to accommodate a variety of supplies. These other conventional printing devices may also be optimized for printing in a particular environment, such as moderate temperature or humidity, and thus be suboptimally configured when used in different locations or during different seasons of the year when used outside.
Managing a stock of printing supplies for known printing devices can be troublesome as well. For example, maintaining a large stock of paper, tags, cards, labels, wristbands, ribbons, or other supplies, sometimes in multiple stocking locations, is often desirable because it reduces the operational impact of running out. But many of these supplies change over time. For example, some supplies may expire while in storage, especially if exposed to suboptimal environmental conditions, such as humidity or temperature. It is also sometimes desirable to change suppliers of printing supplies for business reasons, e.g., to benefit from different pricing arrangements, delivery or stocking terms, or other supplier-specific capabilities. These changes can also create operational problems for end users with conventional printing devices, because the optimal print settings for the first suppliers' material may not be the same as those for the supplies from an alternate supplier or stock location.
Conventional thermal printers may provide unique or more challenging issues. Many types of thermal printers have attempted to compensate for the variation in print quality by providing many adjustable printer settings. For example, the operator of many thermal printers can adjust the pressure, the distribution of pressure across the printhead, darkness settings, print mode, and print speed. Indeed many thermal printers may prompt the operator for input, via lights and buttons, a front panel, or other computer-human interface terminal, and/or require the operator to adjust one or more mechanical settings. There are also attempts in the prior art to provide closed-loop feedback at the time of printing, by detecting poor print quality and intervening in the printing process by stopping printing, alerting the operator, or making minor adjustments.
Supplies manufacturers have also attempted to compensate for the variation in print quality by controlling the variation in the paper, tags, cards, labels, wristbands, ink or ribbons themselves, or by specifying a narrow set of possible products for use with a narrow range of printers. However, these efforts are sometimes at odds with the requirement for a wide variety of substrates, in many different sizes, for many different applications experienced by some end users.
For example, embodiments of the present invention include a method, system, computer readable media and other means for selecting a reference printing device; receiving a targeted media; printing a test pattern at a first applied energy value; printing at least one other test pattern, wherein the at least one other test pattern is printed at another applied energy value different than the first applied energy value; determining a first print quality for the test pattern at the first applied energy value; determining a second print quality for the other test pattern at the other applied energy value; printing a first test pattern at a first print speed; printing at least one additional print pattern at a second print speed; determining a print quality for the test pattern at the first print speed; determining an additional print quality for the at least one additional print pattern at the second print speed; and generating a profile for the targeted media.
As another example, embodiments of the present invention include a method, system, computer readable media and other means for receiving one or more profiles, wherein each of the profiles is associated with a type of media; receiving a media of a first type of media; identifying the first type of media; identifying a profile associated with the first type of media; adjusting at least one printing parameter of a printing device based on the profile associated with the first type of media. This may also include identifying the first type of media by reading a barcode or RFID tag associated with the media, a media provider apparatus (such as a paper feeder tray of a printer), etc. In addition, the ambient temperature of the environment can be determined prior to adjusting the at least one printing parameter; and then, if necessary, used to adjust a temperature printing parameter based on the ambient temperature. Adjusting the temperature printing parameter can comprise processing an equation that is a function of a temperature coefficient associated with the printing device.
The embodiments of the present invention can use, among other things, a printing device comprising a memory element configured to store a profile for each of a plurality of types of media; a printhead configured to print indicia on the plurality of types of media based on at least one printing parameter; and a controller. The controller can be, for example, a processor and/or other electronic device configured to, among other things, identify a first type of media received by the printing device; identify a profile stored in the memory element associated with the first type of media; and adjust the at least one printing parameter based on the profile. The controller can also be configured to apply an offset to the profile based on the printing device and/or to adjust the print speed based on the profile.
The printing device can also include an input element for receiving one or more profiles and/or a conveyance apparatus configured to convey media through the printing device. The conveyance apparatus defines a print speed.
The profile can include a strobe pattern in some embodiments. The strobe pattern can include a series of first and second pulses separated by a brief interruption.
A sensor may also be included in the printing device. The sensor can be configured to read indicia from the first type of media, generate data based on the indicia, communicate the data (wirelessly or otherwise) to the controller, which can then be configured to identify the first type of media. Similarly, the printing device can comprise a RFID reader configured to read information from a supply of the first type of media, wherein the controller is further configured to identify the first type of media in response to the RFID reader reading the information from the supply.
A temperature sensor can also be used by the printing device to determine the ambient temperature of the environment local to the printing device's printhead. For example, when the printer is placed inside a kiosk (such as those sometimes found in parking decks and train stations), the local environment can be the environment inside the housing of the kiosk. In such embodiments, a thermometer may be located in the kiosk's housing near the printhead, and used to determine the local ambient temperature inside the housing. Similarly, a thermometer can be located in proximity to the printhead, even if the printhead is not inside a kiosk. In addition to temperature, other aspects of the environment could also be measured and used to enhance anything outputted by the printing device.
Embodiments of the present invention also include a supply of a first type of media comprising: an identification means configured to be accessible to a printing device such that the printing device can identify the first type of media. The identification means can be, for example, a barcode and/or an RFID tag, which can contain a profile for the first type of media. The profile can also provide information to the printing device for adjusting one or more printing parameters of the printing device for obtaining a desired print quality.
FIG. 11 shows a graphical representation of a strobe pattern consistent with some embodiments.
Printing devices, e.g., printers, copiers, and facsimile machines, are configured to print images or other indicia (typically through a printhead of the printing device) onto various types of media. The different types of media include, but are not limited to, paper based media which can vary by, thickness, width, weight, texture, and density. Examples of paper based media include, but are not limited to, glossy paper, matte paper, bond paper, which are used in books, credit card receipts, parking deck tickets, home printers, pictures, labels, stickers, etc. The media may also vary between manufacturers even if the media is intended for the same application or use. As a more specific example, the printing device may be a direct thermal printer and the media may be different types of direct thermal paper.
Print quality may be a function of several print parameters of the printing device, such as print speed and energy (e.g., heat) applied from the printhead of the printing device to the media, the particular characteristics or properties of the media and the characteristics of the environment (e.g., ambient temperature, humidity, etc.). Because the properties of media vary among types, the optimal print parameters, i.e., the parameters that will achieve a desired print quality, may vary among types of media. Moreover, due to differences among different types of printing devices (e.g., different models of printers), the printing parameters may also vary among different printing devices and/or printer models, even for the same type of media. In addition, the printing parameters may still vary depending on the ambient environmental conditions, such as the ambient temperature, even when same type of media and model printer is used.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to, among other things, generating a profile for a particular type of media and particular model printer based on the environmental conditions. The profile represents a set of preferred printing parameters to be used to achieve a certain level of desired print quality, referred to herein as a target print quality, for a reference printing device. As discussed further below, the profile may be used by other non-reference printing devices in order to optimize printing for that type of media. For each non-reference printing device, an offset may be established that represents the differences between the non-reference and the reference printing devices. A processor of the non-reference printing device may identify the type of media and the profile for that media and then adjust the printing parameters for the non-reference printing device based on the profile and the offset in order to optimize the print quality for that media.
The profile may include an expected print quality for a particular energy applied value and/or print speed in given environmental conditions. "Print quality" may be defined by several factors or measures. In the embodiments shown herein, the print quality is simply defined by the density of the pattern.
However, it is understood that in other embodiments print quality may be defined by additional and/or different factors than density alone. For example, for machine readable indicia such as a barcode, print quality may include the blackness or density of the printed pattern, the consistency of the pattern, and/or the sharpness of the edges of the pattern. Other or additional factors for print quality, e.g., in regards to readability by a human, may include legibility, contrast compared to the indicia and background, and type of font/typeface and spacing and size thereof. As another example, print quality, e.g., for pictures, may be defined by factors such as color, color saturation, grain/sharpness, image stability, and/or the moire effect.
Regarding reference and non-reference printers, a manufacturer of printers may have several models or types of printers in its fleet of models. The manufacturer may select a particular type or model of printer as a reference printer. The reference printer may be used to test and generate profiles for several types or kinds of media expected to be used on one or more of the different types or kinds of printers of the manufacturers. The other printers not used in the testing and/or generation of profiles are referred to herein as non-reference printers. The decision on which printer will be the reference printer may be at the discretion of the manufacturer. For example, the manufacturer may use its best selling printer as the reference printer.
FIG. 1 shows a method for generating a profile for a particular type of media, referred to as the target media. The method of FIG. 1 includes selecting a reference printing device at block 110, providing a target media at block 120, printing a test pattern at a first energy applied value and at least at a second energy applied value within a range of energy applied values at block 130, determining a print quality for the test pattern at the first energy applied value and the second energy applied value at block 140, printing a test pattern at a first ambient temperature and at least a second ambient temperature at block 150, determining at least one temperature coefficient for the type of the printer at block 160, printing a test pattern at a first speed and at least at a second speed within a range of speeds at block 170, determining a print quality for the test pattern at the first speed and at least the second speed at block 180, and generating a profile for the target media using the model printer at a detected ambient temperature within a predetermined range at block 190.
The operations of determining the print quality of the test pattern at a particular energy applied value (block 140), ambient temperature (block 160) and/or print speed (block 180) may include determining the density of the test pattern. The density of the test pattern may be determined through the use of a measuring device, such as, e.g., a densitometer or other reflective-type sensor. In some embodiments, a higher density generally indicates a higher print quality. However, in other embodiments, the best print quality may be associated with a targeted density level rather than just the highest possible density level. For example, in applications wherein the printed indicia is intended to be read by a human, the higher the density generally indicates a higher printer quality because, in general, humans like to see very black text and graphics. In applications wherein the printed indicia is intended to be machine read, e.g., a laser barcode scanner, then the best print quality may be a particular grey visible level because the laser barcode scanner can more readily read grey indicia then black indicia (i.e., the scanner has a higher read rate at more grey visible levels than black visible levels).
As illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the method includes using the reference printing device and the target media to print a test pattern multiple times (blocks 130, 150 and 170). The first series of tests may be used to determine the relationship between energy applied value and print quality (blocks 130 and 140). The second series of tests (blocks 150 and 160) may be used to determine the printer model's temperature coefficient ("k"). And the third series of tests may be used to determine the relationship between print speed and print quality (blocks 170 and 180). Other factors or characteristics that may be tested to determine relationship with print quality include, without limitation, the age of the media, the storage environment of the media (e.g., humidity and temperature), current humidity of the printing environment and/or the media, the cleanliness of the printhead, the age of the printhead, the manufacturer of the printhead, the thermo properties of the printhead (the rate at which the printhead absorbs, reflects, or radiates heat), and/or mechanical drift of the printing device (the change of properties of one or more of the mechanical parameters of the printing device over time or use). Depending on the application, e.g., barcodes, text, or pictures, the definition or the factors that define print quality may vary and may be tested accordingly.
More specifically for the first series of tests, the test pattern may be printed at a plurality of energy applied values, which may or may not be within a predetermined range of energy applied values. While the predetermined range of energy applied values may vary, the range may be based on physical limitations of the printing device and/or government regulations. The printing of the test pattern at different energy applied values may be at a constant print speed. For example, the constant print speed for the first series may be 100 mm/s.
The results of the first series of tests shown in FIG. 1, i.e., energy applied values versus print quality (blocks 130 and 140), may be tabulated and stored as part of a profile for the selected target media. Moreover, the relationship between energy applied value and print quality may be represented as a graph or graphs. For example, FIG. 2 shows print quality, as defined by opacity/density ("OD"), as a function of energy applied values for an exemplary target media. As illustrated, for at least a portion of the range of energy applied values, the print quality and the energy applied values generally have a direct relationship, i.e., the higher the energy applied value, the higher the printer quality. The portion having a direct relationship can be represented by a linear equation, as discussed further below. However, near the top and bottom of the range of energy applied values this relationship evolves such that an increase of energy applied values has a minimal or no effect on the print quality. The top of the range where the print quality substantially stays the same or changes relatively slowing compared to the energy applied value may be treated as a maximum print quality for the reference printer and the target media. For example, in the illustrate example, the maximum print quality may be treated as 1.37 OD. Many media types have a similar relationship between print quality and energy applied values as illustrated in FIG. 2.
Energy applied value may be expressed by a theoretical energy transferred from the printhead to the paper. It may be considered theoretical because the energy applied value may be calculated as a function of, e.g., resistance of the printhead, voltage, and time. The energy applied value does not necessarily include potential losses within the device. Resistance and voltage may be fixed so the parameter that is changed to control the energy applied is time. Time may be considered the pulse width for the heat elements radiating the energy to the paper. The energy applied value may be expressed in Joule per square millimeters. Rather than focus on absolute values, it may be more beneficial to discuss relative values, e.g., whether the energy value is higher or lower than another value, for the purposes of this description. The energy applied values are also proportionate to and, therefore, can be represented by the amount of time electrical current is provided to the printhead. Therefore, the energy applied values are sometimes referred to herein in units of time, such as in microseconds. For example, a range of energy applied values could be 50 μs to 600 μs.
Next, referring back to the second series of tests of FIG. 1, i.e., ambient temperature's affect on print quality, blocks 150 and 160 are discussed in more detail. Similar to how print quality can be impacted by the energy applied value, the ambient temperature can also effect print quality. The ambient temperature represents the heat energy (or absence thereof) in the area surrounding the printer and the target print media. The area surrounding the printer can be, for example, the temperature of a room or the temperature outside (such as when the printer is located outside, e.g., in a public parking garage). The area surrounding the printer may be referred to as the local environment.
A decrease in the ambient temperature can cause some printers to output a lower print quality when all other variables (print speed, energy applied value, etc.) remain constant. Likewise, increasing the ambient temperature can cause some printers to output a higher print quality when all other variables remain constant. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention can account for ambient temperature.
One method of compensating for ambient temperature is by determining the ambient temperature local to the printhead (using, e.g., an integrated thermometer), determining whether the local ambient temperature will impact the print quality (e.g., 1 degree Celsius may not, while 40 degrees Celsius likely will), and then, if necessary, adjusting the energy applied value based on the ambient temperature when printing. For example, as the ambient temperature increases, the applied energy value may be decreased without sacrificing printer quality. As another example, as the temperature of the environment decreases (which can affect the temperature of the print media and/or printhead), the applied energy value can be increased to compensate for the potential reduction in the printer's performance. (As referred to herein, the increase and decrease in temperature can be an absolute value or a relative value as compared to the temperature used when the printer's profile was created and/or calibrated.) Similarly, print speed can also be used to compensate for ambient temperature, as the printhead becomes heated when it moves faster and cools quicker when it moves slower.
When the energy applied value is being used to compensate for the ambient temperature, the profile and printer's circuitry can be configured (which as used herein includes, specially programmed, specially hardwired, any combination thereof, etc.) to execute mathematical calculations. A mathematical equation, which serve as the basis of the calculations, correlates the ambient temperature with the energy applied value that affects the quality of print media outputted by the printer. Said another way, the quality of the transformation from electrical data to printed media can be controlled by the mathematical equation. For example, similar to what is shown in FIG. 2, many printers have a relatively linear relationship with regards to how temperature affects print quality and, therefore, controlling the energy applied value can directly compensate for a change in temperature. The linear equation can be represented by: OD=(k)(E)+n, wherein k and n are the temperature coefficients for a particular type of printer (which is sometimes referred to herein as the "model" of printer). OD and E are discussed in greater detail below in connection with, e.g., FIG. 2.
The k and n coefficients can be determined by printing test samples at various temperatures (e.g., each degree or every so many degrees, such as 2 or 5 degrees Celsius, between, for example, -10 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius), while controlling other factors (such as print speed and energy applied value). The print samples can then be analyzed and assigned a numeric value representing the print quality of each test sample. The numeric values can then be plotted, based on their corresponding ambient temperature, as points on a graph. A linear standard deviation equation of the points can often be used to provide the k and n coefficients.
Now, referring back to the third series of tests of FIG. 1, i.e., print speed v. print quality, the process of blocks 170 and 180 are discussed in more detail. The test pattern may be printed at a plurality of print speeds, which may or may not be within a predetermined range of print speeds. While the predetermined range of the print speed may vary, the range may be based on the mechanical limitations of the printing device. For example, the printing device may include a motor for driving the media through the printing device. The motor may be configured to operate within a range of speeds. As another example, the printing device may include a printhead for printing the pattern or other indicia. The printhead may also have limitations regarding minimum and maximum speeds that can define the range of print speeds. Also, in some particular printing devices, certain print speeds may be near a resonance frequency which may cause the printing device not to perform well or cause other problems such as noise. In such cases, these certain print speeds may be avoided even if the print speeds are within the range of print speeds for the test. An exemplary range of printhead test speeds could be 50 mm/s to 150 mm/s.
While the print speed may vary between the tests during the third series (blocks 170 and 180), the energy applied value and environmental conditions maybe controlled and remain constant. For example, the energy applied value during the third series test was the lowest value that obtained the maximum print quality during the first series of test at 20 degrees Celsius. In other words, the lowest amount of energy that obtained the best print quality in the first series of the test became the constant energy value for the third series of the test. However, the selection of the constant energy applied value for the third series test may vary between embodiments. Rather than using the lowest energy applied value that obtained the maximum print quality in the first series test, another value may be selected. For example, the manufacturer of the printer may have one or more other criteria, such as a preferred energy applied value according to the design of the printer, for selecting the constant energy applied value for the second series of test.
The results of the second series of tests may be tabulated and stored as part of a profile for the selected target media. Moreover, the relationship between print speed and print quality may be represented as a graph or graphs. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates print quality, as defined by OD, as a function of print speed for an exemplary target media. As illustrated, as the print speed increases, the density level generally increases. This generally direct, linear relationship is true because as the print speed increases, the printhead of the printing device has less time to cool off or lower its temperature and, thus, the printhead temperature remains relatively high which promotes high print quality. Many media types have a similar relationship between print quality and print speed as illustrated in FIG. 3. As discussed above, in other embodiment other factors may be tested to determine relationship between the factors and/or the print quality including, but not limited to, characteristics of the printhead, the ambient temperature, and/or the temperature of the media supply. Also, the order of the first, second and third series of tests can be rearranged and/or one of the series of tests can be omitted entirely.
The test patterns, also referred to sometimes herein as test samples, may vary. However, for examples, the test pattern may be a 10×10 mm square as illustrated in FIG. 6a or the test pattern may be a 8×8 pixels repeated over as 10×10 mm area (i.e., 80×80 pixels) as illustrated in FIG. 6b. A purpose of the second example may be to establish an energy value for a history pulse. Also, although some embodiments generally describe printing a test pattern multiple times, in other embodiments more than one type of test pattern may be utilized.
Referring back to the method shown in FIG. 1, the profile for the targeted media is generated based on the information obtained through the printing of the test pattern at different energy applied values and print speeds on the reference printing device. Although, the examples above discuss three sets of tests, the first set having a variable applied energy value, the second having a variable temperature, and the third having a variable print speed, in other embodiments, a single set of tests may be performed in which the print speed, temperature and applied energy values are varied among tests. In such embodiments, multivariate testing (e.g., designs of experiments) may be employed to determine the relationships or functions of print speed, ambient temperature (and/or other environmental conditions), and applied energy values versus each other. Moreover, a plurality of tests may be performed and the information or data obtained during the tests may be used to extrapolate values for particular values of print speed, temperature and/or energy applied that were not tested.
The operations of determining the print qualities for the plurality of tests and generating a profile may be performed through the hardware of the printing device or hardware connected to or in communication with the printing device, software, or a combination thereof. Therefore embodiments may take the form of hardware systems, such as the printing device or another computer apparatus, software, or combinations thereof. As an example, embodiments may include a computer program (e.g., software) product stored on a computer-readable storage media comprising of one or more executable portions for performing the operations described herein. As another example, the printing device or other computer apparatus in communication with the printing device may include a processor, circuitry, other electrical components (such as a thermometer), and/or one or more memory elements. The processor, for example, may be embodied as a coprocessor, a controller or various other processing means or devices including integrated circuits. The processor may be configured to perform one or more of the operations discussed in FIG. 1 or elsewhere herein, including storing information, such as the test results and the profile in a memory element or other component of the printing device or other computer apparatus (such as, e.g., a remote, network server and/or printer).
Once the profile for the targeted media has been generated, it may be stored for later retrieval by one or more other printing devices or other computer apparatuses. According to some embodiments, the media profile may be stored on a storage device located in the reference printing device. According to another embodiment, the media profile may be stored on a storage media of another computing device connected to the reference printing device. According to yet another embodiment, the media profile may be stored in a data structure such as, for example, a database. The data structure may reside in the reference printing device or in another computer apparatus (e.g., a server) or on the media or the supply of media (e.g., an RFID tag attached to a supply roll).
Once the profile for the targeted media has been generated, the profile may be sent and/or received by other printing devices. For example, a printer device may receive the profile over a network, such as the Internet or an Intranet (either through a wired or wireless connection (e.g., Bluetooth, WLAN)), or through a computer readable media, such as a DVD, CD, disk, zip drive, RFID, flash memory device, etc. The printer device may have a USB, a serial port, parallel port, other input port, or combination thereof for receiving the profile. The profile may be received or downloaded by the manufacturer of the printer, e.g., as a pre-installed driver or other type of software, be hardwired into the printer, or may be received by the user of the printer, e.g., as a driver, software update, or hardware add-on. The profile or information regarding the profile may be received through, for example, the input of information by a user, such as through an input device (e.g., a keyboard). As a more specific example, the printing device may be an outdoor kiosk printer, such as a direct thermal printer. In such an example, the printing device may be configured to support several different types of media from several users in various environmental conditions. The kiosk printer may have been installed with one or more profiles at the manufacturer and/or download and receive one or more profiles once it is in the field (e.g., at a drug store or train station). With the plurality of profiles, the kiosk printer may be able to support the several different types of media in varying environmental conditions and also be updated to support additional media types.
In view of the foregoing, one would understand that for a given printer in the field, such as in commercial use (e.g., a kiosk printer in a drug store), the printer may store several profiles corresponding to several different types of the media. For example, the printer may include at least one memory element dedicated to storing profiles.
Embodiments may further include identifying a desired print quality. The desired print quality may be the maximum print quality as described above. Therefore, in the example of the illustrated embodiment, the desired print quality may be identified as 1.37 OD. But again, this is only an example. In other embodiments, the target print quality may be selected by, e.g., a manufacturer of the printing device, a manufacture of the targeted media, or the intended user of the printing device and/or of the targeted media.
Referring back to FIG. 3, in this example, the profile provided that for this particular type of media, the targeted print quality level is 1.37 OD. The default print speed for this particular type of media may be 100 mm/s. However, according to the profile illustrated in FIG. 3, at a print speed of 100 mm/s, the expected print quality level is only 1.30 OD. Therefore, in this circumstance, the printing device is expected to have a print quality level less than the targeted print quality unless adjustments are made to at least one of the print speed or the energy applied.
Referring back to FIG. 2, the energy applied can be adjusted to achieve the targeted print quality. Specifically, in this example, the following relationship exists: E=Et+Ed+Ec. E equals the actual energy applied value. Et equals the energy applied value that is expected to achieve the targeted print quality, such as 1.37 OD, according to this example. Ed equals an offset for this non-reference printing device compared to the reference printing device. The profile can correspond to a reference printer that may differ from the non-reference printer. For example, the printers may be different models or have different manufacturers.
Ed can be an offset value that represents the inherent differences of different printers. The factors that create the offset may differ including different efficiencies (e.g., one may have a high power loss between the power source and the printhead). The offset between the reference printing device and the non-reference printing device may be treated the same for each profile and, thus, each type of media. In other words, the offset may be a constant for this particular non-reference printer.
Ec refers to a cooling effect. As mentioned above, a relatively high temperature at the printhead often encourages a high print quality. Therefore, a cooling of the printhead, such as between prints, often decreases print quality (when, e.g., temperature and other variables remain constant). To compensate for the cooling in such embodiments, more energy may be needed to overcome the cooling of the printhead. This relationship is shown in FIG. 4. More specifically, FIG. 4 shows the energy compensation for a cold printhead at the beginning of the print job or other situation when the printhead is considered cold, i.e., has not burned any pixels for a while. Based on the foregoing relationships, the energy applied may be adjusted in order to achieve the targeted print quality. Alternatively, rather than or in addition to adjusting the energy applied, the print speed may be adjusted using the profile.
Referring back to the offset for the differences between the non-referenced printer and the referenced printer, the Ed offset may be determined through a series of testing between the referenced and non-reference printer. In the printer manufacturer example, when a new or different printer model is available, the manufacturer may run a series of tests with the new model and compare the profiles of the new model to the reference printer to determine the "offset relationship" between the two. The offset relationship may be linear or non-linear, and may or may not be temperature dependent. Once the offset relationship is determined, the new non-reference printer may store the offset relationship such that the non-reference printer (e.g., the processor of the non-reference printer) can apply the offset relationship when adjusting the non-reference printer for a particular type of media in view of the profile for that particular type of media and the reference printer.
FIG. 5 shows another method according to exemplary embodiments that relates to using the profile of the target media to calibrate a printing device. According to these embodiments, one or more parameters of the profile may be used to adjust one or more parameters of the printing device in order to achieve a desired or targeted print quality. In this regard, the printing device performs adjustments or calibrations for the media based on the profile. The method may include receiving one or more profiles for media at block 510; receiving a particular type of media at block 520; identifying the particular type of media received at block 530; identifying the profile for the media that was received at block 540; determining the environmental conditions that may impact the print quality (such as ambient temperature), and adjusting at least one printing parameter of a printing device based on the profile for the media that was received at block 560. As an example, at least one of the print speed and energy applied value may be adjusted.
The identifying of the media at block 510, like the other blocks of methods discussed herein, may be performed using various means and elements. For example, the printing device may include a user input element such as a keypad or keyboard. The user may enter the information regarding the received or loaded media allowing the printing device or, more specifically, a processor of the printing device, to identify the media. As another example, the printing device may include one or more sensor devices or elements (such as reflex sensors and gap sensors) that can sense or detect a characteristic or marking on the loaded media that allows the processing element to identify the loaded media. In particular, each media may have a barcode or other indicia that is readable via sensor or sensors of the printing device that contains information such as, but not limited to, the identity of the media, identity of the type of media, and/or the identity of the profile for the media.
Instead of or in addition to containing information about the profile, the media may have a barcode readable by the printing device that represents other information about the media that can be used to adjust the parameters of the printing device accordingly. For example, according to some embodiments, a media may have a first black mark, e.g., a first black mark having a predetermined density, followed by one or more fields (e.g., 3). Each field can represent a bit having a value of 0 if the field is empty or 1 if the field is filled with black. The fields, collectively and/or individually, may be read to determine a total value which could be used as an index to indicate one or more parameters. For example, the parameters may be one or more of the following: paper size, black configuration, system bits, presenter on/off, max print speed, cut offset, an index in a burn table, and a profile as discussed above.
In some embodiments, the barcode may only be read or scanned when the media are loaded and/or when the printing device is turned ON. The printing device may contain software and/or firmware that instructs the printing device or the processor of the printing device to, e.g., search for a barcode or other indicia on the media through one or more sensors. For example, the instructions may include searching two consecutive media for a barcode. The barcode may include at least one parity bit, checksum bit and/or error correction bit. In response to a parity error, the printing device may be instructed to extend the search for the barcode to additional media, e.g., from two sheets of paper to three sheets of paper. In response to an error or failure to read the barcode, the printing device may be instructed to enter into an error state until the media is reloaded or the printing device runs through a power cycle.
According to some embodiments, the printing device may include more than one tray or other infeeder component(s), wherein each tray may have the same or different types of media loaded than the other trays. The printing device may be configured to link the profiles of the different media with the trays. In some embodiments, for example, a first tray may contain a first type of media and a second tray may contain a second type of media. In this regard, when the first tray is selected to process a print job, the printing device may be configured to switch to the corresponding profile for the first type of media and adjust one or more of the printing parameters accordingly. Likewise, when the second tray is selected to process a print job, the printing device may be configured to switch to the corresponding profile for the second type of media and adjust accordingly.
In other embodiments, a particular tray may contain one or more different types of media. In such embodiments, the printing device may be configured to identify the type of media for each sheet or unit of media, the thickness of the media, and/or the width of the media and switch to the corresponding profiles.
According to yet other embodiments, the printing device may be configured to continuously, e.g., for each sheet of paper, identify the type of media. As such, for each sheet, the printing device may be configured to determine the proper profile and adjust one or more of the printing parameters accordingly. Alternatively, in some embodiments rather than relying on the generated profiles as discussed above, the printing device may store and use burn and look-up tables.
The continuous identification of the type of media may provide a virtual infeeder tray system. For example, in some printing devices, the printing devices may have a plurality of trays wherein each tray contains and stores a particular type of media. Moreover, the printing device may store instructions for processing and printing on the media from the different tray. For example, the instructions may provide that the media in tray one is "A4" paper and the media in tray two is 81/2 by 11 paper. Rather than rely on a system that requires a plurality of trays and for the printing device to be adjusted by tray, the continuous identification allows the printer device to be adjusted by the individual sheets of media.
As mentioned, a barcode may be used to provide means for identifying the media, regardless if the operation of identifying the media is continuous or more selective. The information from the barcode may be indirect. For example, the barcode may provide a number that can be used as an index by the printing device (or, more specifically, a processor of the printing device) for matching a generated profile as discussed above or a burn table or some other type of look-up table.
FIG. 7 shows an example of a barcode according to some embodiments. The barcode may include a black mark for calibration purposes. Following the black mark, the barcode may include a first quiet zone (e.g., a blank space having a length of five millimeters) so any calibration routine associated with the black mark may more easily detect a trailing end of the black mark. The individual fields of the barcode may include one or more characters. For example, a character may be represented by twelve millimeters length divided into six by two millimeters slots as shown in FIG. 7. A filled slot (i.e., a black slot) may be read as a one and a blank slot may be read as a zero. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, each character includes six slots; four data bits (most significance bit ("MSB") to least significance bit ("LSB")), one parity bit and one synch bit. Multiple character's data bits may be shifted together to form a four bit, eight bit, twelve bit (and so on) values. It is understood that the illustrated barcode is an example and that one skilled in the art may use any type of barcode including, including those not limited to, two-dimensional, visual light-spectrum barcodes.
The parity bit may be zero, so paper without a barcode may be detected as zero without error. The synch bit may be the inverse of the parity bit if another character is to be expected. If no more characters are to be expected, the synch bit may be the same as the parity bit to indicate the end of the barcode. Synchronization may be done on an edge between the parity and synch bar and may reset a barcode step counter of the printing device to ensure that the barcode engine does not get out of synch if the barcode grows in length. After the parity and synch bits, the barcode may further include a second quiet zone of one or more character slots for resynchronization in response to determining there is a parity error. For example, in the embodiments shown by FIG. 7, the quiet zone may have six slots representing four data bits.
The printing device may include one or more sensors for detecting or reading barcodes, which can include detecting black marks. For example, upon detecting the first black mark, a barcode engine of the printing device may first count the quiet zone and then sample every two millimeters incremently for each slot (e.g., of the six slots). A slot may be read as a one if a minimum of a one millimeter length is black allowing the bar code engine (or sensor) to be a maximum of one millimeter off position and still be able to read the barcode. In the illustrated embodiment, after the fifth parity slot has been read (e.g., detected and analyzed), the printing device (e.g., more specifically a processor of the printing device) may check the four previous data bits. If a parity error is present, an index error may be determined. For example, FIG. 8 shows an example of a barcode translation consistent with some embodiments.
If a parity error is not present or the barcode is otherwise considered valid, the synch slot may be sampled and, if no edge is detected or found between the parity and synch slot, then the printing device may determine that the barcode is done or the reading of the barcode completed. If an edge is detected (e.g., the synch slot is the inverse of the parity slot), the barcode counter of the printing device may reset on the edge and synch slot is passed and the next character may be read.
In instances in which a parity error is encountered, the printing device may not know if the barcode is completed, i.e., whether there are more characters to be read. One method to allow the printing device to get back into synch again with the barcode is to reset the barcode step counter each time the printing device encounters a 1 to 0 transition. One method of ensuring the barcode is completed is configuring all six slots (e.g., all four data slots, the parity slot, and the synch slot) as zero. When all six slots have been sampled and all read as (e.g., detected and determined to be) a zero, the printing device may determine that it has passed the barcode area of the media and enter an idle state until, for example, another black mark is detected.
FIG. 9 shows an example of a placement of a barcode on a medium. In this example, the barcode extends from a perforated edge of the medium. The edge also includes a black mark. The bar code has a width of "a" and a length of "c." Also shown is distance "b" from a side edge of the media to the bottom of the barcode area.
In general, as explained above, placing a barcode on the individual medium allows the printing device to identify the type of media unit. The identification may be used in a calibration process of the printing device, including, but not limited, in conjunction with a generated profile as described herein or in conjunction with a burn or look-up table. The generated profiles refer to the method of generating a profile for, e.g., a particular type of media with a reference printer and then applying it to non-reference printing device which may include using an offset that represents differences between the reference and non-reference printing devices. For the generated profiles, each media is calibrated to the printing devices. A burn table is a table that provides preferred printing parameters of a number of media provided by the media providers or in some cases by a printing device manufacturer and is not tied to or corresponds to reference and non-reference printing devices.
FIG. 10 shows an example of a printing device that may benefit from the use of the profiles disclosed herein. The printer device 1120 may include several components, such as a printhead 1128, a platen roller 1129, a feed path 1130, a peeler bar 1132, a media exit path 1134, rollers 1136, a carrier exit path 1138, a ribbon take-up spool 1140, a ribbon supply roll 1141, a reader 1142, a controller 1145, and, among other things, a conveyance system 1146. In general, the printing device 1120 is configured to process a series of media units such as labels, cards, etc, that may be carried by a substrate liner or web 1122. The conveyance system 1146 is configured to direct the web 1122 along the feed path 1130 and between the printhead 1128 and the platen roller 1129 for printing indicia onto the media units 1124. The ribbon supply roll 1141 provides a thermal ribbon (not shown to avoid overcomplicating the drawing) that extends along a path such that a portion of the ribbon is positioned between the printhead 1128 and the media units 1124. The temperature of printhead 1128 is elevated and then printhead 1128 presses a portion of the ribbon onto the media units 1124 to print indicia. The take-up spool 1140 is configured to receive and spool the used ribbon. This printing technique is commonly referred to as a thermal transfer printing. However, other printing techniques may be used such as direct thermal printing. In direct thermal printing, the printhead presses directly against and heats coated media without the use of an intermediate ribbon. Other examples of printing techniques that may be used include, without limitation, inkjet printing, dot matrix printing, laser printing and electro-photographic printing.
After printing, the media unit web 1124 proceeds to the media exit path 1134 where the media units are typically individually removed from the web 1122. For example, in one embodiment, pre-cut media units 1124 may be simply peeled from the web 1122 using the peeler bar 1132 as shown. In other embodiments, a group of multiple media units may be peeled together and transmitted downstream to an in-line cutter for subsequent separation (not shown). Various other media unit removal techniques may be used as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. In applications, such as the depicted embodiment, in which the media units 1124 are supported by a web 1122, the web 1122 may be guided along a path toward the carrier exit path 1138 by rollers 1136 or other devices once being separated from the media units.
As the media units 1124 travel between the printhead 1128 and the platen roller 1129, the tension between the platen roller 1129 and the media units 1124 may vary. For example, the media units 1124 may travel in a general linear path from the nip defined by the printhead 1128 and the platen roller 1129. In such an environment, the media units may exert minimal tension unto the platen roller. As another example, soon after exiting the nip, the web or liner 1122 may be peeled away from the media units 1124 and the liner 1122 may be routed along a sharp curved path relative the platen roller 1129 (as shown in FIG. 10). In this environment, the liner 1122 may exert more tension of the platen roller 1129 compared to the first example. In yet another example, in some embodiments, the media units may be rewound through the printing device which may also exert tension on the platen roller 1129. In general, an increase in tension on the platen roller 1129 may require that more pressure or heat be applied by the printhead to achieve the same print quality as if there was no tension. Therefore, a factor that might be considered during the printing operations is the existence of the tension on the platen roller 1129 exerted by the media units.
As mentioned above, the printing device may also include a user input element 1150 (e.g., a keypad, touch sensitive interface, etc.), an input port 1152 (e.g., a USB port), a memory element 1154, and at least one sensor 1158. Among other things, the input element 1150 and/or the input port 1152 may be configured to receive information regarding the type of media and/or the profile for that type of media. The sensor 1158 may be able to identify the particular type of media or other information from the media, e.g., the sensor 1158 may be a barcode sensor 1158 that can read a barcode on the media. In another embodiment, the printing device may include an RFID reader 1150 that can read information from an RFID tag attached to the media or attached to the supply of media. The RFID tag may contain information such as profiles and/or type of media. Once received, the profile or profiles may be stored in the memory element 1154 and be accessible to the controller 1145.
The controller 1145 may be configured to access the information such as profiles and type of media in order to synchronize or adjust the printing operations. As in the above examples, the controller 1145 may change one or more printing parameters based on a profile and type of media. The controller 1145 may control the conveyance mechanism to start, change speed, or stop movement depending on, e.g., the desired print speed, increase or decrease of the energy applied to the printhead, and/or generate messages to an operator using a user display screen. In instances, in which the controller 1145 lacks certain information, e.g., a profile for a particular media, the controller 1145 may send a request for the profile. The request may be a message to an operator or to another computing device such as a server of the printing device manufacturer. In the last example, the controller 1145 may send the request over a network, e.g., the Internet, to the server.
Referring back to changing printing parameters, one method may be to provide a particular strobe pattern to the printhead. A printhead may have one or more heating elements arranged in rows. Each heating element is configured to print a pixel of an image. Rather than activate, e.g., increase the temperature of, each heating element of a row, the heating elements may be selectively activated. The heating elements can be heated through a series of driving circuits. Each driving circuit can be configured to communicate with a certain number of heating elements per row. For example, a printing device may have a first driving circuit in communication with 25 percent of the heating elements of a row (referred to as a first set of heating elements), a second driving circuit in communication with another 25 percent of the heating elements of the row (referred to as a second set of heating elements), a third driving circuit in communication with yet another 25 percent of the heating elements of the row (referred to as a third set of heating elements), and a fourth driving circuit in communication with the last 25 percent of the heating elements of the row (referred to as a fourth set of heating elements). In order to active a set of heating elements, a strobe signal is sent along one of the driving circuits which activates the heating elements in communication with the driving circuit. The strobe signal is essentially electrical energy sent through a driving circuit that activates the heating elements. The controller 1145 may be configured to control the timing of the strobe signals including the duration for any given strobe signals. The power source of the printing device such as a battery, a power source circuit, an external power source, or another type power source unit (PSU) may provide the energy.
At any given time, all the heating elements of a row may be activated by sending a strobe signal along each of the driving circuits. However, this would consume power and could quickly drain the power source. It may also create a large voltage drop which could have a detrimental effect on the printing operations. Alternatively, only one section of the heating elements can be activated at one time, although this may conserve energy, it may require more time for the printhead to heat up sufficiently such that it transfers enough heat or energy to the media.
Rather than activate all or one of the sets (or sections) of the heating elements, embodiments of the present invention can selectively activate sets according to a particular pattern, referred to herein as a strobe pattern. FIG. 11 illustrates a graphical representation of an example of such a strobe pattern. As in FIG. 11, each row has four sets of heating elements and each set is in communication with a driving circuit. The leftmost column of the graph shows, among other things, Strobe1, Strobe2, Strobe3, and Strobe4. Strobe1 represents a first driving circuit in communication with a first set of heating elements. Strobe2 represents a second driving circuit in communication with a second set of heating elements. Strobe3 represents a third driving circuit in communication with a third set of heating elements. Strobe4 represents a fourth driving circuit in communication with a fourth set of heating elements. To the right of the column is a horizontal line that represents the time when a particular set of heating elements is activated. The line only has two vertical positions wherein the top position represents the set of heating elements being OFF and the bottom position represents the set of the heating elements being ON (or activated). The horizontal distance represents time. For example, Strobe 1 shows that the first set of heating elements starts the process OFF and then is turned ON for 122 microseconds (μs), turned OFF for 237.4 microseconds, turned ON for 118 microseconds, turned OFF very briefly, turned ON for 42.2 microseconds, turned OFF for 104.4 microseconds, turned ON for 46.8 microseconds, and turned OFF for the rest of the graph's time period. As another example, Strobe2 shows the second set of heating elements starts the process OFF and then is turned ON (at the same time that the first set of heating elements is first turned ON) for 121.6 microseconds, turned OFF very briefly, turned ON for 111.8 microseconds, turned OFF for 251 microseconds, turned ON for 41.8 microseconds, turned OFF very briefly, turned ON for 48 microseconds, and turned OFF for the rest of the graph's time period.
In strobe pattern of FIG. 11, each set of heating elements is activated twice with a short delay (i.e., there is relatively brief period in which the set of heating elements is turned off between the two activation periods). This allows the controller (e.g. controller 1145) to better control the printhead from absorbing too much power while maintaining a certain heat level in the set of heating elements (e.g., the brief period of deactivation can be configured so it is too short to allow the heating elements to cool off completely which would then require more power to reactivate the heating elements, while still allowing for power conservation as compared to just one long activation period without any period of deactivation). The optimal time period for the interruption between activation periods may vary among printing devices, printheads and other factors. For example, the time period for the interruption may be based on the thermo properties of the printhead (i.e., the rate at which the printhead absorbs, reflects, or radiate heat). The longer it takes for the printhead to cool then the longer the interruption may be configured to be, without having a significant effect on the temperature of the printhead. Typically if a printhead takes a long time to cool, it often takes a long time to heat and, thus, the activation period of (or the time needed to sufficiently heat) the heating elements may be longertoo.
As evident in the illustrated strobe pattern, the sets of heating elements are fired in pairs in the following order: 1-2 (i.e., the first and second sets of heating elements); 2-3, 3-4, and 4-1. In the beginning with the 1-2, the power supply may be fully charged such that it provides a full power value. After awhile, the power supply may be configured to begin draining, which may lead to a slight faint in the print. It is believed that by activating the same set of heating elements in a row with a brief interruption, the set of heating elements may reuse heat from the first period of activation (also referred to as a "pulse") during the second period of activation, because the pulse frequency can be configured such that not enough time has passed to allow the set of heating elements to cool between pulses. The brief interruption may also help the power source to recharge. During the 4-1 activation, although the first set of heating elements has had the most time to cool, it was configured to receive the most power as the first set of heating elements to be activated during a full charge. Therefore, it is beneficial to have the last and more drained pulse include the first set of heating elements.
As shown in FIG. 11, the first set of pulses for each set of heating elements is configured to be (approximately) 110 to 122 microseconds, which may be considered long for primary pulses. As the power is drained the pulses are configured to be shorter, shown from around 41 microseconds to 48 microseconds, and are referred to as short or secondary pulses. According to the pattern shown in FIG. 11, the pattern of the primary pulses and the pattern of the second pulses are configured to be substantially the same.
The shown strobe pattern is intended as an example and not as a limitation. One in the art would appreciate that other embodiments may have different strobe patterns in which the heating elements are selectively activated and, for example, the pattern may include two pulses with a brief interruption. The optimal length of the pulses and the interruption may vary among printing devices, printheads, media, and based on other factors. The preferred strobe pattern may become part of a profile for a particular type of media as disclosed herein. In other words, the strobe pattern may be used as a means to achieve a particular print quality. Similarly, rather than or in addition to having profiles directed to print quality, the strobe patterns may establish a profile for conserving energy. A manufacturer of the power supply or the printing device may determine an optimal strobe pattern that, for example, maintains a print quality level while optimizing energy use and conservation.
One skilled in the art would appreciate the benefits and advantages that the embodiments disclosed herein provide. For example, the profiles provide improved flexibility for a printing device to accommodate a wide variety of supplies or applications while providing a desired print quality. Moreover, compared to other systems, the profiles may allow the printing device to be configured to adjust one or more parameters automatically and/or dynamically (e.g., without requiring input from an operator). Embodiments may also provide end users with more flexibility in terms of choosing suppliers or in stocking different supplies at different locations.
Patent applications by ZIH Corp. | 2019-04-24T10:38:54Z | http://www.patentsencyclopedia.com/app/20100092201 |
How often do you hear from a colleague that they wish they had more time in the day to get work done? I hear that refrain constantly, and admittedly also say it more often than I’d like. Your coworkers don’t actually want more time, they want more productive time, and by extension less meetings.
Now that’s not the worst I have seen, but it made it super hard to find a time to connect. I had already set up the purpose of the conversation with an email (having escalated the urgency) so they knew why I wanted to meet, but I had to then go back and ask them to tell me what time was OK and they had to move things around to meet. Nothing in that calendar you see above indicates any time of prioritization or urgency; as far as I know every single meeting scheduled could have been more urgent than mine, or totally pointless chit-chat. I realize that it’s kind of absurd for me to start a blog post about the important of white space with a story about scheduling a meeting, but the point I’m trying to make is that I had an objectively urgent matter that needed to be discussed, and the challenge in finding time with the one individual that could help resolve it due to the other meetings on the books. As a colleague of mine used to say, “When everything is urgent, nothing is urgent”.
When I was early in my career, I saw being busy as a signal of being productive and important. I observed senior contributors and managers hustling from meeting to meeting, taking working lunches, and speaking in clipped, stressed voices, emphasizing the urgency of whatever it was they were focused on. There was a senior executive who even had this sign outside of his office with different cartoon faces, ranging from happy (it was never turned to this) to the red ‘angry face’. There was even one with a skull and crossbones, which I interpreted as imminent death to anyone who dared disturb him. As I advanced in seniority, I of course also followed many of these behaviors because, well, I thought that’s what you just did. I delighted in scheduling (and participating in) meetings, having early and late calls, and never taking more than 20 minutes for lunch. The feeling of productivity was there, and I seemed to be rewarded with raises and promotions, but what I can’t say is weather my performance had a particularly high level, or if it was mostly the perception of my performance. A key metric I shared during a self-review was the number of calls I had done over the course of a year as if that in and of itself was an achievement worthy of praise.
Now that I’m a lot older and hopefully slightly wiser, I realize how counterproductive it is to fill your work days so completely. If anything, the situation is even worse these days with distributed work forces and the ease of online meetings. Less than 10 years ago I distinctly recall having to talk to several executive assistants and have them each look through physical calendars to set up a big meeting — today anyone at the office can ‘grab time’ from someone at anytime by putting a calendar invite in. As a result everyone is forever hustling from meeting to meeting, always showing up a few minutes late because of being back to back, and never really focusing on the topic at hand because they are still trying to process the previous discussion. Layer in omnipresent laptops in conference rooms, instant messaging like Slack with its never-ending notifications, always-connected mobile devices and you have an environment where everyone seems busy all the time, but aren’t accomplishing enough. I see a lot of noise being generated which feels like work, but isn’t necessarily helping us accomplish our objectives.
How do we get to a better place? By treating the white space on our calendars not as unproductive time to be scheduled over, but as time to focus and get work done and also reflect on the key challenges we’re facing. Paul Graham, has a very popular piece about the Maker vs Manager schedule — I mostly agree with what he says, but I think a key difference now is that everyone has fallen into that Manager schedule and there’s not much value seen in time unscheduled. I believe we all need to push back on this and recognize that even for senior leaders whose time is at an absolute premium there is a lot of value in having large blocks of white space in the calendar.
In order to get more white space time each day, we first need to realize that we are all part of the problem. We’ve made it super easy to schedule meetings and take each other’s time, but there are many other ways to work effectively besides meeting face to face. There’s not a whole lot of discussion these days of asynchronous vs synchronous work thanks to the always-on culture but we really need to revisit how workers can and should engage each other, and which tools work best for different types of work. Before scheduling that next meeting, think about what you are trying to accomplish, how it might be accomplished, and consider if a face-to-face meeting is the best way to achieve the objective. Could you craft a well thought out email with specific questions that an individual could address? If you have a question could you research and find the answer yourself without taking your colleagues time?
The second way to reduce meeting time is to guard your own time a lot more fiercely. This is very very hard to do in the modern workforce! Do meetings have specific goals and a defined agenda, is there clear ownership of follow-up items, is the meeting time and duration respected? You have to demand the quality bar for what constitutes a meeting rises to the point that you won’t take meetings unless they meet that threshold. And even then you have to be prepared to say no to meetings when there’s not clear value in it. Always reject meetings with titles like ‘catch-up’, ‘discuss’, ‘connect’ with no additional context, unless you genuinely just want to chat with someone with no expectation of making any work progress. I’ve always been amazed at how focused someone will be on taking up your time with a meeting but when you are unavailable they somehow can figure out whatever it is they needed help with.
The third aspect of evolving away from the meeting culture is empowerment of individuals to be able to make decisions and move forward without the consent of a huge group. This one I find is more challenging in Silicon Valley’s collaborative, open culture where opinions from team members of all experience levels and seniority are often welcomed and encouraged. That’s not a bad thing, per se, and is one of the things I like most about working at a tech company. What does culture have to do with meetings and getting more time? I find that in flatter organizations without clear lines of decision making, consensus is often built through a series of meetings with various stakeholders, often reviewing more or less the same content, until a clear consensus is achieved and people can move forward. It is very important to be transparent, but managers and senior leaders are paid more because they have more responsibility and accountability, and shouldn’t be afraid to make a decision. Dithering is extremely costly, both in the direct cost of having people meet more then they have to, as well as the opportunity cost of keeping your team in second gear while they await a decision. If you empower your employees and make sure they understand they are accountable to take smart risks when it comes to important decisions (and of course allow them to seek guidance when needed) you’ll find your calendar slowly freeing up as people do the work rather than talk about doing the work.
Next Monday when you are reviewing your work week and see the endless color bands of meetings in your calendar, take a step back to think about how you can add more white space to your week. It’s well worth it!
Sleep is a fundamental physiological need for humans, and forms the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid. But we as a society don’t get enough sleep. We stay up all night studying, partying, texting, watching Netflix. Going without sleep carries both short and long term health consequences. Lack of sleep can affect judgement, mood, ability to learn, ability to retain new information, and may increase your risk for injury. That’s just in the short term. Long term sleep deprivation carries chronic health problems like depression, obesity, and diabetes. And studies have indicated that sleep-disordered breathing in adults can be associated with impaired cognitive function. These, in turn, can contribute to poor work performance, accidents and injuries, and a decrease in quality of life. Sleep and productivity and correlated strongly.
One of the most interesting but deadly proof points for the dangers of sleep deprivation happens by design once a year in the United States. In the Monday following Daylight Savings Time ‘spring forward’, there are noticed increases in heart attacks and driving accidents – a fine but sad example of how bad sleep deprivation actually can be. The time change causes shifts in our internal clock and researchers have found that when the clocks change, peoples’ sleep cycles are interrupted just enough that they tend to be drowsy. The general idea is that subtle enough changes occur in sleep patterns and circadian rhythms that can affect your alertness in just that one hour of difference.
Sleep deprivation also has an economic impact as well. Mathew Gibson and Jeffrey Scrader studied how cities on different edges of time zones see an impact as well. They found that permanently increasing sleep by an hour per week for everybody in a city increases the wages in that location by about 4.5%. All else being equal, getting more sleep is better for your mind, body, and wallet!
Sleep patterns have definitely changed over the course of human history. Until the invention of the electric light bulb, we got up with the sun and spent our evenings sitting by candlelight. Now, most of us spend our days bathed in artificial light. Total darkness is a thing of the past. Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night and noticed how light your house actually is? Many electronics now emit a glow, including laptops, TVs, and even electric toothbrushes. The end of waking with the sun and going to sleep when dark out is having serious ramifications on our ability to get a good night’s sleep.
Other changes have been affected by the invention of the electric lightbulb. Being able to light up the world all night long helped build the big cities, helped us with technology, and gave us an all nightlife. A move to the city and away from agricultural jobs means we our connected almost 24/7 with emails and text messages. We love our devices, but artificial nighttime lighting decreases our duration of sleep and affects the type of sleep we get, which we’ve learned can affect our total health. What I’m most concerned with, though, is how lack of sleep negatively impacts personal productivity, as sleep and productivity are strongly linked.
We know that sleep is good for your brain, but new research shows that sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue-related productivity losses, which in turn can cost an employer $1,967 per employee per year. Not getting enough sleep impairs your brain functions. It slows your ability to process information, kills your creativity, and increases your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain has time to remove toxic proteins that are a build-up of normal neural activity during the day. When you don’t get enough sleep, those toxic proteins remain, wreaking havoc on your ability to think and having long-term career impacts. But, it’s not enough just to get a full eight hours of sleep a night — you need quality, uninterrupted sleep. You need to afford yourself adequate time to fall into a deep sleep because this is where your brain is working, making connections from your day, and clearing out that toxic junk.
If you aren’t getting enough nighttime sleep, think about trying to fit in a nap. Even a short, 15 minute nap, can give you a rest and help restore wakefulness which promotes performance and learning. Naps offer several benefits including improved mood, increased logical reasoning and reaction time. Increase sleep and productivity improves, even if it’s a small amount.
Modern life isn’t necessarily easier than it was when we woke up with the sun and went to bed with the moon. We are stressed, there are deadlines, mile long to-do lists, and family obligations. But these aren’t the only reasons you and me and everyone you know is having trouble sleeping.
Too much caffeine or alcohol during the day can cause jitters. Too much light in your bedroom at night or the wrong temperature can affect one’s sleep patterns. Winding down with television or your tablet sounds nice, but artificial light from screens can affect our brain’s functioning, making it to harder to fall asleep. Being stressed out is a huge factor in our sleeping lives. When you’re feeling stress, it triggers internal survival systems – your adrenal glands release hormones that keep you amped up and struggling to snooze. Obviously the best outcome would be completely eliminating stress, anxiety, to-dos and deadlines from your life, but assuming that isn’t happening anytime soon, how can you put away your worries for the night to fall asleep and stay asleep?
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends, helps set your internal clock and gives your body a consistency it craves. When your brain and body acclimates to this new routine, it can move through the sleep cycle easily, gradually releasing hormones to help you wake up feeling rested, alert, and ready to start your day with an improved mood than if you had to drag yourself out of bed feeling tired and cranky.
Have a nighttime routine that includes restful activities starting at least one hour before bed. This could include a bath, reading a book, meditating or doing some sort of relaxation practice, or journaling. Avoid stressful or stimulating activities if at all possible. For folks who lose track of time at night and then realize it’s later than they though, employing a bedtime alarm can help remind you to start the sleep cycle, especially if this is a new practice for you and you’re trying to change your hours. Everyone has their own ways to relax – do use whatever works best for you to get comfortable and ready to sleep.
Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake, so avoid coffee, teas, chocolate, and sodas at least four hours before bedtime. There are decaffeinated versions of all of the above to help you get your fix. Alcohol might seem like it’s helping you by making you sleepy, but after a few hours it acts like a stimulant and can increase the amount of nighttime awakenings and ruin the amount of REM sleep you get. Therefore, it’s best to limit alcohol consumption and try not to drink within a few hours of bedtime.
Noises can interrupt quality sleep, even when it doesn’t necessarily wake you up. If you are in a noisy environment like a city, consider using earplugs or noise cancelling headphones. I personally use the various sleep playlists available on Spotify if I need to block out other sounds.
If you can turn off notifications altogether, the better, but at least turn them off or use nighttime mode on your phones during sleep hours so you can rest uninterrupted. The key here is to eliminate any interruptions that are under your control. So if you have loud neighbors, wear earplugs, or to limit friends buzzing you too late, put your phone either on silent or use apps to keep certain people from being able to disturb you. Most phones come with a Do Not Disturb mode that you can turn on during certain nighttime hours to shut out the disturbance.
Short-wavelength blue light, which most electronics emit, plays an important role in your mood, energy level, and quality of sleep. As the sun goes down, so does our ability to handle the blue light that naturally occurs during the day, and we become sensitive to it, especially when it’s very bright and in our face – like when you’re staring at your phone, tablet, or laptop. This exposure impairs melatonin production and can interfere with your body’s ability to sleep well. The best thing to do is to avoid these devices after dinner, let your body’s sleep cycle get back to it’s natural processing to help with your sleep.
Using a fitness tracking device, like a FitBit, to track how long you sleep and the quality of sleep you’re actually getting might give you some patterns to look at, some habits that you might have control over – like drinks, meals, sleep and wake times, and other activities that might be affecting your sleep during the day. These trackers use a sensor, called an accelerometer, to detect motion along with the direction and speed of the motion. When the tracker realizes that the person hasn’t moved in over an hour, the algorithm assumes you are asleep. Your morning movements, such as rolling over or walking, tells the device you’re awake and it records your sleep patterns.
Natural sleep remedies might be useful to try if you don’t want to take prescribed sleep medication. One simple thing you can try is herbal tea. Not only is drinking a hot cup of tea before bed relaxing in and of itself, but certain herbs have been found to increase sleepiness, like Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon Balm, and Peppermint.
Other natural things you can try are melatonin, St. John’s Wort, and herbal supplements. Melatonin is a hormone your body already produces which plays a key role in regulating your internal body clock. St. John’s Wort is most commonly used as an antidepressant, but since worry and stress are common reasons why people can’t sleep, it makes sense to utilize as a sleep aid. Other herbal supplements can be taken in lieu of over-the-counter or prescribed sleep medication, like Sominex Herbal, for example.
Many people who meditate during the evening report that it has improved the quality of their sleep. Meditation helps quiet your mind, giving space to breathe and think clearer about things. It gives you a way to let your day go, as it were, and can help make an environment of peace before settling down to sleep. If you want to give mindfulness a try, you can try apps for your phone like Headspace or Insight Timer.
Yoga can have similar effects with the added benefit of being good exercise for your body. By lowering your stress levels with certain yoga poses, you can relieve the tension in your body and soothe the mind. This practice can be an effective natural sleep remedy, particularly helpful in combating restfulness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Journaling is often not something you would think about as an anxiety reduction tool, but it can be surprisingly effective. Writing down your thoughts at the end of the day gives you an opportunity to get your feelings out on paper, in a safe space, a place where no one is going to judge you. It’s always available and can give you a much needed outlet for frustrations, worry, and stress. Journaling might not cure your stress and anxiety, but it will make sleeping with stress easier. Sleeping with a notebook next to your bed is also a best practice — if you get any brilliant ideas in the middle of the night, write them down so you don’t feel like you have to remember them.
Eating that jumbo slice of pepperoni pizza at 10pm sounds awesome, and might make you drowsy at first, but it won’t help your sleep or your health through the night. Heavy foods close to bedtime can cause indigestion, heartburn, gas, or just an increase of discomfort that will have you tossing and turning or waking up altogether.
A light bedtime snack, with adequate protein and carbohydrates could be recommend, if you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night hungry. Otherwise, try to finish most meals at least 2 hours before your normal bedtime.
As you have seen, sleep deprivation is commonplace in modern society and it can have dire effects on your productivity, your mood, and your health. It’s far reaching effects on your cognitive performance can have consequences at work and at home. Sleep better – you’ll feel better and perform better.
You probably clicked on this article thinking you were going to unleash on me for writing about multitasking. After all, it’s been shown in many different studies and rehashed on blogs and news articles that multitasking doesn’t work. And while I agree that most forms of multitasking are actually continuous partial attention, I’ve noticed that highly productive people have managed to figure out the best ways to multitask and increase their productivity. If you want to find some pockets of time to learn something new, get a few more business calls in, or just relax then read on to learn more about the best ways to multitask.
Unless you WFH every day, you’re using some portion of your time to commute to work. While commuting is just terrible for you overall, whether driving or using public transportation, it IS prime time to do some other things. Listening to podcasts is a perfect example of being able to do two things at once, and something easily done while driving or on a bus or train, even when packed in like sardines. If you take public transit, of course you can read magazines, books, blog articles but I’ve found one of the best ways to multitask is by doing something you usually wouldn’t consider – why not use that time to learn a foreign language? Thanks to Duolingo, which is designed for quick bursts of language learning and has a great smart phone app for your phone or tablet, this is entirely possible. Or if you prefer the classic method, you can pick up foreign language downloads and play them in the car. My personal favorite is to download MP3’s digitally from my local library. I can brush up my Español when I want and it’s completely free! If you are driving yourself, no one has to listen to you (and your bad accent) while learning either.
If you commute by car, you can schedule phone calls while driving. Call friends that you’ve been meaning to talk to, or business calls that can be done during commuting hours. This works especially well if you work with team members in other parts of the country or world who may have different work times. If you don’t want to have a full conversation, but want to stay connected, use an app like Voxer – where you can basically send voice text messages to your contacts. What’sApp also allows you to communicate via voice rather than type out your message. Just remember – safety first here. I find it’s much easier (and safer) to do a personal call to a friend or loved one that attempt a business call that requires concentration, even when using a hands-free device. And absolutely do NOT text or attempt a call unless it’s using a hands-free device.
Similar to commuting time, when you are working out you have a prime chunk of time to listen to podcasts, watch TV shows you haven’t had time for, or listen to audio books – either that juicy novel you’ve been wanting to read or use the time for non-fiction learning. And if you have a tablet, you can even watch videos on an app like Udemy to continue your studies or learn a new hobby while you’re on the elliptical.
One of my favorite best ways to multitask is by combining #1 and #2 above and commuting while working out – a solid two-for-one! If you can swing it, running or biking or walking are all amazing ways to get your heart rate up and get you to work at the same time. You’ll need to plan ahead of course, making sure you have fresh clothes, a place to shower, etc, but once you’ve done it a time or two it’s actually much easier than it sounds. For me, living in a dense urban environment like San Francisco, it’s much more enjoyable than taking a crowded bus to work.
You’ve probably heard of people listening to language or other kinds of self-improvement tapes while sleeping. Did you know this actually works — research has shown it is possible to learn while sleeping. It’s extremely helpful in learning a second language for instance. There have been reports of students recording lectures and playing them as they fall asleep to remember the lesson without memorizing paper or electronic notes.
And if you’re trying to improve specific areas or break a bad habit (or two) hypnosis can help there too. According to this NBC news article hypnosis can overwrite parts of your brain to trigger improved sets of behaviors. It’s definitely something to look into if there are any areas of your life you’d like to get better at (or if you want to kick your smoking or chocolate habit).
Are you running errands? Having to stand in line at the bank or pharmacy? If you know you’ll have these microscopic pockets of time, then have your to-do list ready. Can you batch all your texting to this time? Can you send emails? Can you make a quick phone call? Make sure you keep a list of these kinds of task and have them handy and ready for when you need to wait for any reason. One of my favorite apps is Pocket (so aptly named!), which allows you to save website articles to read later. Catching up in my favorite blogs is a great way to pass a small bit of time.
Want to give yourself more time? No, I don’t have a time machine….yet….but I have the next best thing. I have a Virtual Assistant. Okay, so she’s not the TARDIS, but she does help me. I know this isn’t true multitasking, but it is a big productivity boost that I think most people could take advantage of. I use my VA to outsource certain tasks I don’t need to personally do – like internet research, social media management tasks, etc. This can free up big chunks of time in my week. My personal preference is TimeEtc, although these days there are many different options for virtual assistants.
So, in summation you should avoid multitasking as a general rule, but I’ve found the things I talked about above are the best ways to multitask, and will help you increase productivity, free up time for other work, and let you find some much needed time during your everyday activities for learning, entertainment, and fun.
I’m a firm believer that to do your best work, you need focus. Interruptions murder focus. When trying to focus on a given task, there are some interruptions which are outside of our control: fire alarm, emergency phone call, urgent biological needs, boss hunts you down to talk to you, etc. But most other interruptions we enable ourselves, and we make no effort to remove these. I recently underwent a deliberate effort to try and remove as many self-inflicted distractions as I can to allow myself more focus.
This is probably the biggest (and easiest) thing you can do. Do not check email every time the notification pops up – in fact, turn that notification off and schedule regular breaks to check email. In my unscientific estimation, 80% of the emails we get don’t require us to do anything, so it makes sense to batch process those emails so you’re not switching gears every five seconds. Remember: reading and responding to emails is a task that requires focus in and of itself, and shouldn’t be seen as something you need to react to with every new ‘ding’ of the inbox.
Most organizations use a chat service like Slack or HipChat for real-time communications. I’m actually a huge fan of chat – it enables collaboration without having to schedule defined meetings, or to share information that isn’t urgent but is potentially useful for a group. But of course chat notifications (and your reaction to them) is another thing that pulls focus. And the problem with these services is they enable notifications for EVERYTHING by default. Once you join a few different rooms, plus the 1×1 conversations, your chat icon will be forever bouncing up and down with new notifications. Do you really need to see a notification when your marketing team decides it’s time to compete for posting the cutest puppy GIF? Well, maybe, as that sounds pretty awesome – but you get my point.
The first step is to only enable notifications if it’s 1×1 or you are specifically mentioned in a group room. That way when you see a notification, you at least know it’s truly relevant for you. Like email, it’s best to batch process those conversations to every one or two hours and see how much you can actually get done. Try to set expectations for for others to do the same thing, so send the message and go back to your work, when you check again later, an answer should be there. It’s actually pretty rare that you need to know something right away? Most ‘urgent’ asks are only urgent because you are thinking about them right now, and can be handled in due time like other requests.
We love our gadgets – and we also love that they want us to play with them constantly. Heck, soon even our mirrors might even be harassing us with all the stuff we need do! Devices by default are interruption factories, with constant notifications and buzzing for every app we’ve installed. It takes a lot of effort, but you can turn off any and all electronic distractions.
Of course I love my phone as much as everyone, but if I looked at every group text, Instagram post or tweet I’d never get anything done. Once you turn off notifications from most of your apps, you realize you never really needed them in first place. If you have random wait time, like when commuting on the bus or waiting in line for coffee, feel free to quickly check out the updates from your e-social world. But as the ‘new’ default, you want most of your apps off.
Thanks to advances in mobile operating systems, we can even set up Do Not Disturb times, either scheduled or ad hoc, and even have the granularity to allow for specific notifications to still get through. For instance I set up my mobile to only ring if it’s my immediate family or wife calling from 9 PM to 6 AM every night. The power is yours – engage with your electronic life on YOUR terms.
Now you can’t exactly turn off the whole internet, (and let’s be honest most things you do need it), but you can create a distraction free zone by using simple apps like Self-Control or Freedom. These allow you to block certain websites for a period of time, so you aren’t distracted by your fantasy football team when you’re supposed to be working on a presentation. Once the time period is over, the site will be accessible again and you can go and read and plan and whatever else you need to do. Creating pockets of full focus can be amazing and allow your brain to really become a task machine. The ‘flow state’ is a real thing – make sure you do what you can to get there.
This one is tricky, and not as simple as the others listed above. In-person interruptions are one of the easiest ways to be yanked out of your flow, and it’s been shown it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to re-focus on what you were doing prior to the interruption. Whether it’s your boss asking you about the latest TPS report or a coworker who wants to tell you about the super rad DJ she saw on Saturday, it’s tough to remain focused and also be the social, well-liked, empathetic coworker. I’ve personally found the best way to do this is to provide clear signals of when you are in ‘focus zone’ vs when you are open to being interrupted. If you are fortunate enough to have an office, close the door and even consider putting a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign up. If you are like most folks and are in the ever-so-fashionable ‘open layout‘, you can do things like put on headphones (even when not listening to music) and demonstrate in your body language that you are intensely focused on the task in front of you. When approached, calmly but firmly ask if they can come back later (tell them the specific time) or to schedule time with you when your calendar is open. Or if that isn’t working sufficiently, you can grab your laptop and try to find a distraction free zone, whether it’s somewhere else in the office or even a nearby coffee shop or restaurant. And if your manager is supportive and you have a good work environment at home, take an occasional WFH day to be super-focused and cross a bunch of things off your to-do list. Just make sure you show how productive you were at home so you can continue to use this method.
These things are not easy, but they will help you get more out of your work day. Multitasking is not the way to check off items and blast through that to-do list. You get to make your day your own, not someone elses. You get to decide what’s important for you and your work. Take control, turn these things off, and get stuff done! | 2019-04-20T08:40:23Z | http://baxterdenney.com/category/productivity/ |
The due process hearing in this matter was held on September 20 and October 19, 2010, in Fullerton, California, before Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Eileen M. Cohn of the Office of Administrative Hearings, State of California.
Cynthia A. Yount, Attorney at Law, of Parker & Covert LLP, represented the Fullerton Elementary School District (District). Laura Rydell, District’s Director of Student Support Services, attended both hearing days.
Student was represented by her Father. Father attended both hearing days.
District filed its request for a due process hearing on August 25, 2010. At the close of the hearing, the parties stipulated to a continuance of the matter so that they could file written closing briefs. District and Student timely filed their closing briefs on November 2, 2010, at which time the matter was submitted and the ALJ closed the record.
Whether the District’s individual education program (IEP) offer of May 4, 2010, for ESY 2010 and the 2010-2011 school year, constituted an offer of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE).
1. Student is an 11-year-old boy who at all relevant times resided within the District and was eligible for special education under the category of autistic-like behavior. Student demonstrated global development delays in the areas of communication, cognition, adaptive behavior, and fine and gross motor skills. At the time of the hearing, Student was a sixth grader in a special day class (SDC) at a District school.
2. Beginning at age two, the Orange County Regional Center (Regional Center) provided Student with one-on-one applied behavioral analysis (ABA) home services by a nonpublic agency (NPA), Coyne and Associates (Coyne). After Student enrolled in the District at age three, District funded Coyne’s home ABA services after school to support the goals and objectives of Student’s IEPs. District funded ten hours of direct one-on-one ABA home services after school, and two hours of program supervision per week. Student received two hours a day of direct home ABA services, five days a week. Coyne provided the services for the District.
3. Student’s May 2006, IEP was the last fully agreed upon and implemented IEP. At the time of the May 2006 IEP team meeting, Student was in first grade and attended a SDC. Student received individual and small group speech and language (LAS), and occupational therapy (OT) services. Student received 15 minutes of adapted physical education (APE) instruction, twice a week. Student attended general education assemblies. Weekly, Coyne provided Student ten hours a week of direct ABA home services, and two hours of supervision.
4. At the June 2007 IEP team meeting, held at the end of Student’s second grade year, Coyne recommended that Student’s direct one-on-one ABA home services be reduced from ten hours a week to eight hours a week. Coyne had successfully applied intensive intervention strategies to reduce Student’s behavioral problems, decreasing problem behaviors to near zero. Student had also progressed in all areas of his home program. Father disagreed with the reduced service offer and the IEP team decided to maintain the same level of ABA home services until October 2007 at which time it would review again Student’s progress.
5. In October 2007 Coyne recommended that the IEP team adopt a plan for the gradual reduction of Student’s ABA home services. This time Coyne recommended a reduction in direct ABA home services from ten hours a week to six hours a week. In addition, Coyne recommended that the home program be phased out by the IEP team if Student continued to make progress on his IEP goals. Student had made progress on all of his goals in the home program. Coyne based its recommendation on its observation that Student has met three IEP objectives set forth in the agreed upon May 2007 IEP and made progress on all other goals. Coyne further maintained that the home program was no longer required at the same level because Coyne’s methods had been adopted and implemented in Student’s classroom by his teacher as a result of its collaboration and consultation with his teacher over the past two years. Further, many of the goals introduced by Coyne at home were “critical” to Student’s quality of his and his family’s life, but were outside the scope of the IEP. Coyne introduced basketball and solitaire to Student as leisure skills intended as replacements for stereotypical behaviors. Based upon Coyne’s recommendation, the District offered a reduction of Student’s direct one-on-one ABA home services from ten hours to six hours weekly, and a reduction of supervision from eight hours a month to six hours a month. Father disagreed with the reduction in services and District respected parents’ stay-put rights and maintained the last agreed upon level of ABA home services set forth in the May 2006 IEP.
6. At the May 2008 IEP Coyne again recommended a reduction in Student’s home services. Based upon Student’s continued progress, Coyne recommended that the hours be initially reduced as previously recommended, but additionally that the IEP team consider a fading plan in three months where home services would be further reduced to four hours of direct one-on-one services and four hours of supervision. Father disagreed with the reduction in home services and District continued to provide the same level of service. In November 2008 Coyne prepared a progress report and reiterated its recommendation of May 2008.
7. At the May 2009 IEP team meeting District offered reduced ABA home services based upon Coyne’s recommendations. Father disagreed with reducing ABA home services. Father maintained that Student benefitted from one-on-one ABA home services because the home was where he functioned most of the time. Father recommended that Student receive one-on-one services at home. He offered to pay for these services with another agency. Father requested that District reduce Student’s day at school so that there would be enough time each day for Student to receive additional hours of one-on-one services. If District was unwilling to reduce Student’s school day, Father requested that District allow parents to pay for another NPA to provide the services at school. District declined Father’s recommendation. District continued to provide Student ten hours a week of one-on-one home ABA services and two hours a week of supervision.
8. On May 4, 2010, Student’s annual IEP was held. All required members of the IEP team were present including: Student’s Father; Student’s SDC teacher, Karina Morales; Student’s general education teacher, Rebecca Cash; District’s school psychologist, Sue Khalili; District special education coordinator, Sharon Dyer; District’s autism supervisor, Peter Ellis; Coyne supervisor Amy Yang; District’s adapted physical education (APE) teacher; and District’s speech and language pathologist (SLP). District provided Father a meeting agenda and reviewed parents’ procedural rights with him.
9. Student’s strengths were reviewed. Student learned best through visual and kinesthetic modes. He did not have behavioral problems at school. He arrived at school calm and could put his belongings away with assistance from his mother and staff using verbal cues and gestures. He could sit in groups for work or game sessions without wandering away. He enjoyed working on puzzles, colors, and matching folder games. He could sit with general education peers for games. He could sit and focus on his teacher during his ABA discrete trial training (DTT) sessions. He responded well to rewards or reinforcers such as edibles, attention and puzzles.
10. Student’s present levels of performance were reviewed. Student participated in the special education alternative curriculum. Student took the statewide California Alternative Performance Assessment (CAPA) and scored proficient in English language arts and advanced in mathematics. Student communicated through picture communication books facial expressions and vocalizations. Student could communicate using a stop icon when presented with a known non-preferred activity but needed prompts for new non-preferred activities. Student had difficulty following known commands when the circumstances changed, and following novel commands. Student utilized a picture exchange communication system (PECS) to request preferred objects or food, but required prompts. Student’s fine and gross motor development was reviewed. He enjoyed 24-piece puzzles. He needed hand over hand assistance when holding and cutting paper and tracing horizontal lines. He imitated drawing a vertical line and improved his ability to color within boundaries. He stamped his name to label his work and wrote his name when provided with a drawn line indicating the location for his signature.
11. Student’s social development was reviewed. Student responded to selected people and staff. He responded to peer greetings by waving hello over 50 percent of the time, with prompts. With prompts he used playground equipment, and took turns passing the ball. Student participated in general education activities, including assemblies, lunch, recess, and reverse mainstreaming, where general education peers participate in SDC activities.
12. Student was challenged by certain maladaptive emotional responses to daily circumstances. He was sad, cried or threw items when he was removed from a preferred activity. When upset he might yell or cry. He did not say “yes” or “no”, but either vocalized a displeased sound or pushed the object away. He preferred to push non-preferred food items away instead of using his picture exchange communication system (PECS) to communicate his preferences. His behavior was not injurious to others. He once, but no longer, pushed his classmates off exercise equipment.
13. Student’s adaptive, daily living and vocational skills were improving, but remained areas of challenge. Student could not eat his sandwich correctly. He could open an unsealed water bottle but needed assistance opening a sealed water bottle and closing his water bottle. He poured water out of a water bottle into a cup with one prompt to prevent spillage from the cup. He required multiple prompts to get his lunch bag when it was time to leave the classroom, and at snack time he did not initiate food requests with his PECS. He was able to use the urinal, but when unsupervised might spray the surrounding wall and laugh. He pulled his pants up and down but needed assistance to adjust his clothing. He washed his hands and utilized the hand dryer. He had difficulty brushing his teeth; he required physical prompts and needed hand over hand assistance. He improved his ability to apply deodorant correctly with assistance. Student followed a picture schedule and used it to transition throughout the day, but required visual and verbal cues in order to check his schedule. He required prompting each time he was required to do independent work such as looking through his book to look for work tasks, taking work out of his drawer, completing his work, and placing his completed work in the appropriate box. During cooking activities, Student was able to assist in cooking tasks and wait his turn. He participated in communitybased activities when he was accompanied by his mother.
14. The IEP team reviewed previous goals for Student. Four communication goals were reviewed. One communication goal addressed sharing information and ideas. The goal focused on improving Student’s utilization of PECS in noisy and distracting settings. Student successfully utilized the PECS in quiet settings. He was much less consistent in a noisy environment or when peers were present. He did not make appropriate progress on this goal. A second communication goal focused on Student’s utilization of a “stop” icon and presenting it to an adult initiating a non-preferred activity to communicate that he did not want to participate. Student made progress on this goal by using gestural prompts to indicate his intent not to participate in the proposed activity. A third communication goal addressed Student’s ability to follow directions and focused on improving Student’s ability to follow a simple direction containing an object in context, such as giving a ball to another person, with a minimum of gestural prompts. Student made progress on this goal. A fourth communication goal focused on compensating for Student’s inability to use verbal language to share information, by teaching and encouraging him to use a voice output device which requires him to press buttons to request objects in the classroom, such as bubbles, crackers and ball. Student made progress on this goal but did not complete this goal.
15. The IEP team reviewed two previous APE goals. One annual goal addressed gross motor physical fitness by focusing on Student’s ability to perform warm-up exercises such as knee bends, toe touches, jumping jacks, sit-ups and push ups, and other fitness activities. Student met all three objectives included in the goal and achieved the annual goal by the expected date. The second annual APE goal addressed Student’s gross motor object control through kicking. The goal was designed to improve Student’s ability to kick a variety of ball sizes toward a peer or adult during APE and recess. Student met all three objectives and achieved the annual goal by the expected date.
16. The IEP team reviewed Student’s vocational and social goal of throwing a ball in a basketball hoop and afterwards, with prompts, taking turns with another pupil by picking up the ball from the ground and giving the ball to the pupil. Student met all three objectives and achieved the annual goal by the expected date.
17. The IEP team reviewed Student’s health goal which was designed to improve Student’s skill at unscrewing a water bottle lid with minor physical prompts and pouring the liquid into a cup without overfilling. Student met all three objectives and achieved his annual goal by the expected date.
18. The team reviewed Student’s social goal of responding to a greeting from at least three peers in the classroom or playground by raising his hand and saying hello. This goal was not met; Student responded about 60 percent of the time with prompts.
19. Other goals were reviewed including goals addressing his core academic courses in history, writing, math and reading. In total, 18 goals, proposed in the May 2009 IEP, and approved by Student’s parents in September 2009, were reviewed.
20. The IEP team reviewed Student’s home one-on-one ABA program provided by Coyne under stay-put. Coyne implemented certain goals from the May 2009 IEP which could be adapted to the home setting. Coyne adopted two communication goals for the home: one which required Student to use a stop icon to indicate when he did not want to participate in an activity; and one requiring him to use PECS in a noisy environment. Coyne reported that Student had made progress in using his stop icon and had mastered several phases of using PECS in a noisy home environment. Coyne reported that Student mastered a vocational goal of matching folders and placing them in the all done box in May 2009. It reported that Student mastered the self-help goal of unscrewing the water bottle lid. It reported that Student’s social goal to greet a peer was accomplished in the home by greeting an adult and was mastered. Coyne mastered a portion of the writing goal in the home, and mastered the reading goal to identify and associate objects it adapted to the home environment using objects such as a fork and knife, toothpaste and shoes. Coyne did not implement the gross motor APE goals in the home.
21. Coyne reported on its implementation of the May 2009 goals which involved after school activities including his routine of putting away school items (in progress), leisure skills game (in progress), snack preparation (in progress), buttoning (mastered), blocks and legos imitation (mastered), taking item to familiar adult (partially mastered) and retrieving item for mealtime or grooming (partially mastered).
22. Coyne recommended that Student’s home ABA program be discontinued. It concluded that Student’s school program was sufficient to meet his educational needs and facilitate progress toward his IEP objectives.
23. District proposed four communication goals during the May 4, 2010 IEP meeting. One communication goal, to be implemented during speech sessions in the speech room and in the classroom, required Student to follow various instructions in both settings. A second communication goal required Student to follow instructions during speech sessions to turn to a specific pupil and give an instructor-selected item to the pupil. A third communication goal, to be implemented during Student’s speech sessions, required Student to make requests using a picture communication book. A fourth communication goal, to be implemented during speech sessions, required Student to use a “stop” icon to choose between preferred or non-preferred items.
24. Father commented on the goals and requested changes. Father requested that the first communication goal focus more on commands and generalization of skills across settings. District revised the applicable communication goal in response to Father’s request and Father agreed with the goal. Father agreed with communication goals two and three. Father objected to communication goal four. Father disagreed with the baseline information which indicated that Student could make a choice between two items. Based upon Father’s observations at home, Student was not capable of making a choice between a preferred and non-preferred item. District IEP team members were surprised by Father’s observation as they had not observed this at school, but they agreed to evaluate the baseline information for this goal further. Father did not consent to communication goal four.
25. District also offered two adapted physical education (APE) goals to be implemented in APE and in Student’s special day class (SDC). One goal was designed to further Student’s gross motor and health and physical fitness through imitation. Another physical fitness goal required Student to participate in a yoga video with prompting and minimal physical assistance. Father agreed with District’s APE goals.
one self-help goal to encourage Student to initiate a request for a snack item without prompts.
The last self-help goal was modified based upon Father’s input before Father consented to it.
27. In total, Father agreed to 20 of the 21 goals proposed by the IEP team. Father objected to one communication goal and the District withdrew the objectionable goal. Each goal specified how Student’s progress would be measured and the responsible District staff.
28. District and Father reviewed Student’s special education related services. District offered Student two, 30-minute sessions of individual speech and language (LAS) services weekly and two, 30-minute sessions of group speech weekly. Father consented to the offer of LAS services.
29. District offered 30 minutes a week of APE, divided into two, 15-minute sessions. Father objected to the total amount of time offered for APE and the duration of each APE session. Father requested more time for APE if Student continued to participate in a full day instructional program on the school campus.
30. District and Father reviewed Student’s testing and accommodations and agreed that Student would continue to participate in the statewide CAPA test, level one.
31. District and Father reviewed Student’s placement. District offered Student continued placement in the SDC class for pupils with moderate to severe autism for Student’s entire school day. The SDC was referred to as the Systematic Utilization of Comprehensive Strategies for Ensuring Student Success (SUCSESS). The class was located on a general education campus. Student would participate with his general education peers in field trips, assemblies, lunch and recess, and through reverse mainstreaming. District offered Student one hour of one-on-one DTT per day.
32. Father disagreed with District’s placement offer. He maintained that Student required more than the one hour of one-on-one DTT behavior intervention that District provided in the SDC. Father requested a modified school day so that Student could leave at 12:30, and participate in a home ABA program the remainder of the day. At the IEP meeting Father stated that he planned to contract privately for the home program. District explained that a home program would not be appropriate for Student unless he was unable to attend school for physical or health reasons. District did not agree that a reduced school day was appropriate, but offered to increase Student’s one-on-one DTT at school to 90 minutes per day with input from District’s autism supervisor.
33. After the May 4, 2010 IEP team meeting, in an e-mail dated May 24, 2010, Father amended his proposal for Student’s placement. He requested that Student remain enrolled in the SDC for the full school day if District offered continued ABA services from Coyne at the school, instead of at home. Father proposed self-funding additional ABA services at home. If District would not agree to fund Coyne at school, Father requested that District release Student at 12:30 p.m. so that Student could participate in a private home ABA program.
34. Coyne resigned as the ABA home service provider after the May 4, 2010 IEP team because it did not believe it could continue with services related to goals suitable for school and which could be successfully facilitated at school. District continued to provide ABA home services with District personnel.
35. On June 9 2010, District’s special education coordinator, Ms. Dyer, sent Student’s parents a letter to summarize its IEP offer of May 4 2010, and to notify them of its refusal to continue home ABA services, transfer Coyne’s home ABA services to school, or reduce Student’s school day. Ms. Dyer met with Student’s parents to discuss the letter and the home program. Ms. Dyer explained that the SUCSESS program utilized ABA and a methodology referred to as TEACCH (Teaching and Education of Autistic and Communication related Handicapped CHildren) as best practices for teaching pupils with autism. Ms. Dyer summarized the classroom staffing and staff-to-pupil ratio. The SDC was devoted to pupils on the autism spectrum enrolled in grades 4 through 6. There were 8 pupils in the class. The classroom was taught by one credentialed, ABA-trained, special education teacher. The teacher was assisted by three full-time and one half-time ABA-trained instructional assistants. Instructional assistants participated in a ten week course administered by the special education local plan area (SELPA). To receive certification as a District behavioral aide, instructional assistants were tested and observed. ABA requires data collection to determine whether the interventions are working. Data was collected in the classroom according to accepted protocols and Student’s data book was monitored regularly to ensure that he was making progress towards his goals. Ms. Dyer reiterated District’s agreement to increase one-on-one DTT to 90 minutes from 60 minutes daily, and reminded parents that the DTT was in addition to the intensive individual instruction Student received daily from his SDC teacher.
36. District offered the testimony of Student’s teacher, Karina Morales, to establish the appropriateness of the SUCSESS SDC, and Student’s progress in that placement. Ms. Morales has been an SDC teacher for District for seven years. She was credentialed to teach special education pupils with moderate to severe disabilities. She has been trained to administer ABA, including DTT, and TEACCH in her classroom, and received special training in utilizing a comprehensive educational curriculum for pupils with autism spectrum disorders. She was able to describe her SDC program clearly and concisely, and demonstrated that she knew Student, and was sensitive to his needs. She responded to Father’s questions directly and patiently. Ms. Morales has been Student’s SDC teacher for three years. Given her expertise, direct and long term experience as Student’s SDC teacher, and her demeanor, her testimony was credible and given great weight in determining whether District’s IEP offer was a FAPE.
37. Ms. Morales’s SDC utilizes the district-wide SUCSESS program. District implemented the SUCSESS program in all SDC classes comprised of autistic pupils to ensure that instruction is consistent with best practices. ABA methods are utilized in small and large groups as a method of reinforcing pupils’ behaviors so that they can perform various activities. ABA provides a method for breaking down tasks into small steps and teaching pupils how to perform the task by mastering each step. DTT, an aspect of ABA, is one-on-one and is used to teach pupils new skills in a more isolated setting. TEACCH is a method of presenting the classroom routine to pupils, mainly through schedules. It is utilized in the SDC to provide predictable routines and increase pupils’ independence.
38. Ms. Morales’s SDC contains designated areas for different activities. Pupils’ desks are set up in the middle of the room and work tables where one-on-one DTT instruction or related services were provided were placed on the side of the room. There are also tables designated for snacks and cooking activities. By utilizing picture schedules and calendars and keeping the routines constant, pupils become comfortable in the SDC, and improve their ability to independently access their activities.
39. Ms. Morales’s classroom schedule was provided to the parents at the 2009 IEP and remained relatively unchanged. Mother regularly participated in the classroom and was aware of the classroom routine. Student’s day began at 8:20 and ended on all days, except one, at 2:45 p.m. One day a week school ended at 1:15 p.m. In the morning Student participated in activities designated as exercise, bathroom, calendar, work (which included on various days his academic, speech, APE, or community-based instruction), snack, recess, and then more work (which included on various days working on his goals, cooking, or art). As part of community-based instruction pupils walked outside of campus and visited local stores and restaurants. Pupils practiced crossing the street and using money to purchase items. Lunch was at noon, followed by recess. After lunch, Student participated in the following scheduled activities every day: grooming, reading, and story or open store. Four of the five days Student also participated in the following afternoon activities: whole class activity, music and singing, and closing activities.
40. One-on-one instruction, including DTT, was utilized throughout the day, depending on the pupils’ needs. Ms. Morales adjusted Student’s one-on-one instruction to accommodate his progress in performing activities independently. Student had previously received one-on-one APE instruction, but since he had been doing the same exercises for years, he could follow the routine independently within a supervised group. Student still received one-on-one individual speech instruction. Student had previously received only one-on-one support in the bathroom, but as he demonstrated more independence in bathroom routines, one-on-one support was relaxed for that activity. He required and was provided one-on-one support for calendar time. He participated in snack time independently, and had become more independent during lunch and recess. He still required one-on-one assistance for grooming. Recently, Ms. Morales introduced a vocational and self-help activity where pupils learned to use money, and could exchange rewards earned in class at a classroom store. Student did not need one-on-one assistance in this activity.
41. Student received about an hour of DTT, throughout each day, except when the class participated in a cooking activity. Student received another hour a day of scheduled DTT, four days a week, between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
42. Ms. Morales had observed Student’s progress in many areas where he had been provided intensive behavior services. In the past, Student had difficulty initiating choices and would not select an item. He could initiate choices and when presented with two items could grab the item he wanted. In the past, he could not button or unbutton his pants without assistance. He was able to button and unbutton his pants in a variety of bathrooms on campus. In the past, he could not transition to an activity. In response to a one step command, he could remove the applicable icon, and transition to the activity. In the past, he would not complete his work before placing it in the all done box. He could now complete the work on his desk before placing it in the all done box.
43. Student had interactions with special education and general education peers throughout the school day. Student’s interactions with his peers, fellow SDC pupils, and general education pupils, had improved. Formerly, Student was too shy and had difficulty interacting with other pupils. He could “high five” a peer and could respond “yes” or “no.” He enjoyed assemblies and could orient his attention toward the speaker. Student observed typical peers at lunch and recess. During the 2009-2010 school year, general education peers had participated in a buddy, or reverse mainstreaming, program where they participated in the SDC class. At the time of hearing, Ms. Morales was in the process of setting up the reverse mainstreaming program for the 2010-2011school year.
44. Ms. Morales disagreed with Father’s request for a shortened school day and his objection to terminating the ABA home program. She maintained that Student benefitted from a full school day to work on all his IEP goals and to participate in school activities. Student’s behavior was “great.” He was able to follow routines. He was able to learn and retain the progress he made on his goals. For example, once he began to check his schedule independently, he did not forget to check his schedule the next week. As part of the school program, Student learned to be with other pupils as part of a group and part of a campus. With practice at school, he had become more comfortable interacting with others and enjoyed responding to other pupils. Overall, as part of a school program, Ms. Morales maintained that Student continued to learn how to appropriately interact as a member of society.
45. Ms. Morales agreed with Coyne’s recommendation to discontinue home services. She assisted in the development of Student’s classroom goals and objectives and participated in Student’s IEP team meetings. All the goals were being worked on at school and there were no goals unique to the home environment. At home Student could work on his goal to make choices in his kitchen, but Student could work on the same goal at school when requesting snacks, using the same ABA methodology.
46. Sue Khalili, District school psychologist testified about District’s offer to eliminate the ABA home program. Ms. Khalili is a credentialed school counselor and school psychologist. She is also licensed as a marriage, family and child therapist and received a post-graduate certificate in neuropsychology and board certification as a school neuropsychologist. She has been District’s school psychologist for 13 years. She has known Student since his first grade year. She had participated in the majority of his IEP team meetings and meetings between Coyne and the school about Student’s home program. Ms. Khalili observed Student in his home program. Ms. Khalili provided straightforward responses to questions and responded respectfully to Father’s questions. Given Ms. Khalili’s background, her familiarity with Student and his home program, her testimony about the need for Student’s home program was given deference.
47. Ms. Khalili observed Student’s progress since first grade. When Student was first provided a home program in preschool his attention was so limited that a home program was required to advance his skills. As a result of the collaboration between the home and school program over the years, Student has progressed to where his goals can be met in the school environment without a home program. From her observations of Student at school, she concluded that Student’s focus at school had increased so that he was capable of learning without the home interventions he previously required. Ms. Khalili also observed that Student was happy at school and “loved” interacting with his peers. With a shortened day as Father recommended, Student would be deprived of opportunities to participate in functional and social activities with his peers and the general education population. During the afternoon Student participated in lunch, recess, grooming and schoolwide activities.
48. Peter Ellis, District’s Autism Supervisor, also testified. Mr. Ellis is a board certified assistant behavior analyst, with a bachelor of arts in communication disorders. He worked as a behavior therapist for several years before becoming a supervisor. He has been in his current position since February 2010. As part of his job responsibilities he supervises District home programs and provides follow-up training for District’s home aides. Mr. Ellis was able to explain clearly and simply the various methodologies utilized in District’s autism program, as well as the purpose for a home program. After Coyne resigned, he administered Student’s home program under stay-put. He observed Student in his classroom setting and at home. He reviewed Student’s records, including Coyne’s reports, previous IEPs, and his triennial assessment. Mr. Ellis provided credible and relevant testimony about whether a home ABA program was appropriate for Student.
49. Mr. Ellis explained that a home ABA program was appropriate where the level of service at the school was not sufficient to meet a pupil’s goals. To determine whether a home program was required, the IEP team generally considered whether barriers existed to education that could not be addressed in the classroom. In Student’s case the home program was utilized to eliminate barriers to Student’s access to the educational program at school so that Student could have all his education take place in a classroom setting, with the possible exception of his related services. The IEP team determined that Student was able to use a skill in his classroom that previously had been taught in his home using ABA. Baseline data was collected on Student’s goals and progress was demonstrated in the classroom setting. Based upon the goals, and Student’s progress, Coyne and the IEP team determined that the home program was no longer necessary. Mr. Ellis agreed with Father’s statement that an ABA home program would help Student, but Mr. Ellis qualified his response. He agreed that an ABA home program would benefit Student as much as it would benefit any pupil with Student’s disabilities. However, an ABA home program was not necessary for Student to access his education.
50. Len Levin, Ph.D., Clinical Director of Coyne, testified. Dr. Levin oversees Coyne’s services in three counties, including the development of curriculum and staff training for Coyne’s staff. Dr. Levin has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. His undergraduate and graduate training focused on ABA and autism intervention. He had a working familiarity of Student’s ABA home program as Coyne’s Clinical Director, but he was not involved directly in supervising Student’s ABA home program in the past year, or the most recent IEP team meeting. He tried to answer all questions posed to him thoroughly and gave careful consideration to Father’s questions. Given his expertise in autism, his testimony regarding the place of home programs as part of educational services was relevant. Dr. Levin confirmed that early intervention behavioral home programs are typically appropriate for autistic children between the ages of 18 and 24 months. At three years of age, the school districts become responsible for the child and may utilize a combination of home and school based programs. When a child is three it may not be practical to have a child attend school for six hours a day. In Student’s case, Coyne worked closely with District staff to train them in various behavioral techniques. Over time District personnel demonstrated that they could effectively utilize these behavioral techniques in the classroom setting. Coyne determined that it was appropriate to first reduce the home program, because Student’s rate of learning was similar in both the home and school setting. Eventually, the goals that were important to the school setting could be accomplished at school and Coyne determined that the home program should be terminated. The ABA home program was never designed to transfer skills from school to home. It was designed to teach skills that could be utilized in the classroom so that Student could access his education.
51. Father questioned Ms. Morales and Mr. Levin about the need to generalize Student’s skills in the home environment. He asked Ms. Morales to comment on one instance when Student was not able to choose a preferred item, chocolate cake, from the refrigerator, during the time his ABA aide was present at home. Ms. Morales stated that this was a problem with collaboration between home and school, not with generalization. At school, Student worked on his goal related to choices by choosing between one or two items, not a wide range of items as was present in the home refrigerator. Ms. Morales encouraged the parents to collaborate with her so that Student’s instruction is consistent. Father presented another example to Dr. Levin. At school, Student washed his hands with cool water flowing from one working faucet, the left faucet. As a result of using the left faucet at school, Father stated that Student hurt himself when he used the left faucet in a bathroom facility outside of school. Contrary to Father’s conclusion that Student’s use of the left faucet out of school meant that he could not generalize his lessons, Dr. Levin acknowledged that Student was generalizing his lessons by using the same faucet that he was mistakenly taught to use at school in other locations. Dr. Levin considered Father’s repeated reference to “generalization,” as a “red herring.” Dr. Levin stated that other programs, such as programs sponsored by the Regional Center, focused on training the family to implement ABA therapies in the home and community. Contrary to Father’s position, the District was not responsible for funding ABA therapies in the home if the goals for which the therapies were designed could be successfully implemented at school using the ABA methodology.
1. In a special education administrative due process hearing, the petitioning party has the burden of proving the essential elements of its claim. (Schaffer v. Weast (2005) 546 U.S. 49, 56-62 [126 S.Ct. 528, 163 L.Ed.2d 387].) In this matter, the District has the burden of proof.
2. The sole issue in this matter is whether the District offered Student a FAPE at its May 4, 2010 IEP. The District contended that its IEP of May 4, 2010 constituted an offer of FAPE in the LRE. District contended that it fulfilled its obligations by respecting the procedural rights of parents at the IEP, and by offering goals, services and placement that were appropriate to Student’s unique needs, and provided Student the opportunity to progress in the LRE. District maintains that its offer is appropriate without an ABA home program.
3. Student maintained that District’s May 4, 2010 IEP offer was inappropriate without a home ABA program. Student maintained that he required a home program because he could not generalize what he learned at school to the home environment. Student maintained that the appropriate placement was a shortened school day, and an ABA home program. Student further maintained that District’s offer of APE was inappropriate because there was too little time provided for APE during a full school day. For the following reasons, District has met its burden of proof.
1 Sally Ozonoff and Kristina Cathcart, (1998) Effectiveness of a Home Program Intervention for Young Children with Autism, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Vol. 28, No.1.
12. As discussed below, District also met its burden of proving that the May 4, 2010 IEP offer of placement and services constituted a FAPE in the LRE.
The District’s March 4, 2010 IEP offered Student a FAPE in the LRE. District is entitled to implement the IEP without parent agreement.
Pursuant to California Education Code section 56507, subdivision (d), the hearing decision must indicate the extent to which each party has prevailed on each issue heard and decided. Here, District prevailed on the sole issue heard in this matter. | 2019-04-24T21:51:36Z | https://www.californiaspecialedlaw.com/wiki/hearing-decisions/oah-2010080889/ |
2.2.1 To what extent are primates needed in research on HIV ?
2.2.2 To what extent are primates needed in research on tuberculosis ?
2.2.3 To what extent are primates needed in research on malaria ?
2.2.4 To what extent are primates needed in research on other infectious diseases?
Safety testing of chemicals is performed by a combination of many different approaches including animal experimentation. Whereas for industrial chemicals, toxicity testing in non-rodents is not required, inclusion of a non-rodent species is required in the safety assessment of pharmaceuticals. However, most of the safety testing for pharmaceuticals is also performed in rodents. Furthermore, non-animal methods play an important role in candidate drug selection and selection for further testing in animals, as well as for the selection of the animal species (Sietsema and Schwen, 2007). It needs to be noted that only a very small percentage of pharmaceuticals initially selected for further development are finally introduced into the marketplace since they fail on the bases of lack of efficacy or unwanted toxic effects predicted by the safety testing. While safety testing of new pharmaceuticals and other medical products represents one of the major uses of NHPs, only few candidate pharmaceuticals are actually tested in NHPs. Normally, there is no routine requirement for the use of NHPs as a second species.
Animal safety testing of pharmaceuticals is intended to safeguard human subjects used in the clinical trial studies through risk assessment based on the results of animal experiments. The Declaration of Helsinki* is a set of ethical principles developed by the World Medical Association (WMA) for the medical community regarding human experimentation. It states that the wellbeing of the human subject should take precedence over the interests of science and society.
International regulatory authorities including the European regulatory authorities therefore require that the safety of a new medicinal product is supported by a variety of non-clinical data prior to the start of clinical studies. The scope of testing is regulated in the EU by Council Directive 2001/83/EEC and its amendments.
As a consequence, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) prepares scientific guidelines, in a global harmonisation process in the framework of the International Committee for Harmonization (ICH), to help applicants prepare marketing-authorisation applications for medicinal products for human use. The safety guidelines are written to ensure that duplication of studies is not required for various regions in the world. These guidelines also indicate that the non- clinical studies are performed in “relevant species”, and that pivotal studies for risk assessment of pharmaceuticals, such as the repeated dose toxicity testing, have to be performed in two species, one of which must be a non-rodent.
In Europe, medical products tested in NHPs over recent years include all classes of pharmaceuticals and the main reason is the fact that no other species showed the same primary pharmacodynamic response. NHPs are also selected when they represented a well-established model for pharmaceuticals of that class or are the most relevant species for detecting known side effects. In addition, NHPs are used in testing because of recommendations from regulatory agencies including the US FDA, the EMEA, the Japanese authorities, and the WHO. For vaccines, some European Pharmacopoeia monographs, the US Code of Federal regulations (US CFR) and WHO monographs require that bulk and/or seed lots of live viral vaccines are tested for safety (i.e. neurovirulence) or potency on defined numbers of NHPs.
The species for toxicity testing selected based on its similarities to humans with regard to pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, including biotransformation and in certain cases also where anatomical similarities are essential. The use of a non-rodent species for the characterisation of new medicinal products aims at limiting the uncertainty in the extrapolation process fromanimaltoxicity data to the humansituation. Such uncertainties are species variation, scaling from small, short-lived animals to large, long- lived species, and use of a homogeneous animal population (NCB, 2005). Dogs are most frequently used as the non-rodent species, and NHPs are only used when testing is considered essential for safety assessment.
The CHMP has defined criteria on the demonstration of relevance of an animal species to predict human safety (EMEA/CHMP/SWP/28367/07).
Limited availability of new pharmaceutical in early stages requesting small size animal to allow fast development of new pharmaceutical for serious medical condition.
According to all these recommendations, NHPs should only be used when it is scientifically demonstrated that none of the other non-rodent species commonly used in safety testing is appropriate for the purpose of the study.
Due to the similar menstrual cycle and the anatomy and physiology of the mammary gland of NHP females and human females, NHPs (cynomolgus monkeys) are the more pertinent species in term of predictivity of relevant reproductive effects (Buse et al., 2003; Cline, 2007; Luetjens et al., 2005) and are therefore often chosen as non-rodent species for classes of compounds, which are expected to provoke effects on the female genital organs.
Regarding the ocular system, the retina of NHP and man show some unique features (e.g. both NHPs and humans have a macula lutea/fovea) not found in other mammals (Stone and Johnston, 1981) and therefore NHPs represent a more relevant model of specific ocular effects for discovery and development of new pharmaceuticals as compared with other species.
NHPs are less susceptible to vomiting than dogs. Thus, pharmaceuticals with an emetic effect in the dog may be tested in the monkey (Weber, 2005). Vomiting does not only limit exposure of the pharmaceutical administered, but is also a major hurdle to accurately characterise early effects on behaviour and on the cardiovascular system.
The blood coagulation system of NHP is more similar to humans than that of any other species (Abildgaard et al., 1971; Lewis, 1996) and thus, NHP are often the most suited model for humans to assess potential toxicity of coagulation factors and anti-coagulation agents.
NHPs are the most appropriate animals to characterise safety of many biotechnology-derived pharmaceuticals, especially monoclonal antibodies, since the most relevant species for testing is selected based on species-specific aspects of the immune system. Monoclonal antibodies are highly specific to their targets and accurate prediction of ‘on-target’ effects requires testing in a species which shows cross-reactivity, thus frequently requiring testing in NHPs as only species cross-reacting with humanised monoclonal antibodies (APBI-NC3Rs,2006; Weatherhall, 2006); (Chapman et al., 2007).
Recent regulatory guidance for assessing human drug abuse of new central nervous system (CNS) pharmaceuticals may further increase the need for testing in NHPs, since all CNS-active pharmaceuticals with properties indicating stimulant, depressant, hallucinogenic, or mood-elevating effects require an evaluation of abuse liability (EMEA/CHMP/ SWP/94227/2004). Whilst the rat is in principle acceptable for self-administration studies in the EU, NHPs are preferred in Japan.
Historically, non-primate species have been used for reproductive toxicity studies, generally mice, rats and rabbits. However, rodents and rabbits are not necessarily the most accurate predictor of teratogenicity or reproductive toxicity in humans due to differences in placental anatomy and number of foetuses. In addition, they are not suitable models for all aspects of human reproductive toxicity, specifically for the investigation of agents suspected or known to interfere with the menstrual cycle. In such cases, NHPs may be more predictive for human toxicity. The male cynomolgus is also a good model of male fertility in specific cases (Ehmcke et al., 2006; Millar et al., 2000). Rodents can also not be used to assess the safety of novel hormonal intrauterine devices or cognitive dysfunction associated with the menopause (Schlatt et al., 2008; Wistuba and Schlatt, 2002). The need for NHPs in specific aspects of reproductive toxicity testing is exemplified with lenalidomide, a compound recently approved to treat multiple myeloma. Lenalidomide is structurally related to thalidomide, a known human teratogen that caused severe birth defects during the late 1950s and early 1960s when given to pregnant women suffering from morning sickness. In rodent reproductive toxicity studies, lenalidomide did not induce teratogenic effects. In rabbits, although reproductive toxicity was evident, no limb abnormalities were observed, while in a group of animals treated with high doses of thalidomide, there was a significant incidence of multiple limb abnormalities (Revlimid, EPAR). Studies with thalidomide in monkeys have shown high similarity in teratogenicity to that documented in humans, both in terms of doses and types of malformation (Hendrickx et al., 1983). Since the Cynomolgus monkey appeared highly relevant for humans, both with regards to pharmacological and toxicological effects of lenalidomide, reproductive toxicity testing in NHPs was requested by the CHMP. These studies showed that lenalidomide produced malformations (short limbs, bent digits, wrist and/or tail, supernumerary or absent digits) in the offspring of primates that received the drug during pregnancy. Consequently, lenalidomide is expected to be teratogenic also in humans and specific precautionary measures need to be taken if lenalidomide is to be given to women of child-bearing potential.
The development of therapeutical monoclonal antibodies has resulted in an increased need for primates in reproductive toxicology since the immune system in macaques is much more similar to humans compared with rodents. In addition, the ontogeny of the immune system differs between rodents and primates, including humans, in that the immune system in rodents is less mature at time of birth. Rodent safety testing may therefore miss potential effects in a critical phase of development in uterus.
The need for specific safety and efficacy testing of drugs used in paediatrics in “young” animals may further increase the use of NHPs since the age-dependent development in NHPs is very similar to humans and NHPs may therefore be preferred over rodents as a test species.
Selection of the non-rodent species for safety testing is considering species specificities and also recognizes that toxicity testing in NHPs is not always predictive of all aspects of human toxicity. For example, regarding livertoxicity, the dog may be more representative of human metabolism than NHPs and in general, hepatobiliary toxicity in humans has been poorly predicted from animal studies (Peters, 2005). Although the NHP is the most representative species with regards to several of the aspects of the human immune system, there are important differences in, for example, parts of the T-cell intracellular signalling pathways. This was illustrated in the TGN1412 case which resulted in severe side effects in humans, but induced only a weak signal in NHPs (Waibler et al., 2008). Existing animal models also have limited capability for prediction of certain types of drug allergy in humans (Bala et al., 2005).
Therefore, for a safety assessment of a medical product it is required that all relevant information gathered from a variety of animal and non-animal models including computer-based prediction of biotransformation for a final conclusion based on a weight of evidence approach (Boobis et al., 2008; Doull et al., 2007).
Examples for major new treatment options for debilitating diseases where NHPs have been used in the safety assessment as the best available model for humans due to close similarities in physiology and anatomy are the development of a humanised recombinant antibody to treat severe asthma (EMEA, Xolair), an antibody directly injected into the eye to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor thus preventing neovascular age-related macula degeneration often resulting in blindness (EMEA, Lucentis) and the approval of prostaglandin analogues in eye drops to decrease intraocular pressure thereby preventing loss of vision in patients with glaucoma (Stjernschantz, 2001).
Section3.1.2 Selection of non-rodent species for toxicological studies and rationale for using NHPs, p.11 -14.
The development of safe and effective intervention strategies against emerging and currently circulating human pathogens, like vaccination and treatment with antibiotics, antivirals and other medicines, are urgently needed. The three major global health threats are HIV, malaria and tuberculosis (TB), but new pathogens, such as the SARS- corona-virus and avian/pandemic influenza viruses, are emerging. In the developing countries, AIDS, malaria and TB are major sources of morbidity and mortality and have a severe impact on the economic burden for affected families (Russel, 2004).
Several vaccines currently used to protect humans against fatal infectious diseases have been developed through studies in NHPs. Before new candidate vaccines can be evaluated for efficacy in humans, their efficacy has to be assessed in animals. For several infections, NHPs are the only animal species susceptible to the infectious agent and proof-of-concept of candidate vaccines can therefore only be studied in these species. As an example, the final confirmation of the efficacy of smallpox vaccines must be performed in NHPs, using exposure to monkeypox (EMEA/CPMP/1100/02). Other infectious agents for which NHPs have been a valuable resource for vaccine research include influenza virus, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, arenaviruses, hepatitis E virus, papillomavirus, Mycobacteria, Bacillus anthracis, Helicobacter pylori, Yersinia pestis, and Plasmodium species (Gardner and Luciw, 2008). Furthermore, to understand the mechanisms of protective immune responses induced by candidate vaccines, it is critical to use an animal model in which the immune system closely mimics that of humans. The choice of the animal model for testing new vaccines and drugs will largely depend on the nature of the pathogen. Many human pathogens have co-evolved with their primate hosts for many millions of years, and a process of mutual adaptation of pathogen and host has taken place. For this reason, many studies on pathogenesis and subsequent intervention studies are most effectively carried out in NHPs.
Vaccination studies conducted in rodents are not easily translatable into clinical trial protocols, due to qualitative differences between rodent and human immune systems. Therefore, the validity and the quality of the induced immune response to the vaccine need to be assessed in an animal model that is genetically very close to humans. Safety assessment of the candidate vaccine, which is required before entering into clinical trials, needs also to be performed in NHPs.
The use of NHPs may be necessary for the rapid identification of newly emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential. For example, studies on NHPs led to a rapid development of the appropriate intervention strategies, which effectively prevented a pandemic spread of the SARS-coronavirus (Osterhaus et al., 2004).
Section 3.1.3 Uses of NHPs in research regarding treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, p. 14-15.
The spread of HIV/AIDS can probably not be stopped without the use of an easily accessible vaccine. However, the immediate goal is not to develop a 100% effective vaccine, but a vaccine that at least partially protects against HIV infection and also protects against development of AIDS in patients already infected. A 50% effective vaccine given to just 30% of the population, could reduce the number of new HIV infections in the developing world by more than half in 15 years (IAVI, 2006).
Preclinical studies in NHPs play a key role in AIDS vaccine development (Morgan et al., 2008). Vaccine efficacy data are generated from immunised NHPs challenged with either simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) or chimeric simian/human immunodeficiency (SHIV) virus (Letvin, 2005). Macaques infected by SIV develop clinical signs very similar to those in humans infected by HIV. In addition, the development of the disease in macaques is predictable from the viral load in the blood at early stages of infection (Sato and Johnson, 2007). Mucosal immunity is known to play a critical role in the susceptibility of humans to HIV infection. In this context, NHPs, which are also susceptible to infection via the mucosal route and thus mimic the natural infection in humans, are a unique model that currently cannot be replaced by in vitro systems (Yuki et al., 2007).
In addition to their traditional utilisation to judge vaccine safety and immunogenicity, NHP models are also employed to probe fundamental mechanisms of primate immune system regulation, to investigate pathogenic mechanisms of AIDS, and to optimise immunisation strategies involving novel vaccine vectors (Staprans and Feinberg, 2004).
Animal models can only be validated after successful trials in humans and the determination of correlates of protection. The HIV-vaccines tested to date in phase III trials in humans have failed to achieve the desired protective threshold. Therefore, we cannot at present judge the full validity of the currently used NHP models for vaccine research. However, NHP models yielded data on immune responses to vaccines congruent with clinical data (Makitalo et al., 2004; Sandstrom et al., 2008). This finding suggests that primate models are valuable as adjunctive testing systems to prioritise future therapeutic and vaccine strategies (Haigwood, 2004). In fact, there is now a growing consensus in the field that candidate vaccines should be studied even more thoroughly in NHPs before moving into large and expensive clinical trials (Morgan et al., 2008).
Section 3.1.3 Uses of NHPs in research regarding treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, p. 15-16.
According to WHO (WHO, 2008), approximately one third of the world population was infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 2006, and more than 1.7 million people die from tuberculosis (TB) every year. The current TB vaccine (BCG) was developed at the beginning of the 20th century, and is still the most widely used vaccine worldwide. However, its efficacy is varying. In the last 15 years, new strategies to improve or replace BCG have led to several candidate vaccines being evaluated in human clinical trials. These vaccines are based on the “prime-boost” principle, and have been extensively tested in animals, including NHPs, before clinical trials (Ly and McMurray, 2008).
As for many infectious diseases, there is no ideal experimental animal model for TB, and information has to be gathered from studies in various animal species. NHPs develop pulmonary granulomas in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and show an immune response similar to humans. There are differences between macaque species in response to vaccination and protection against infection. Comparative studies in these closely related species are likely to provide insight into mechanisms involved in protection against TB (Langermans et al., 2001).
The mouse and guinea-pig provide important and often complementary answers to TB vaccine questions. Before proceeding to human studies, however, it is necessary to perform confirmatory studies on efficacy in NHPs (Kaufmann, 2000). Only the most promising vaccine candidates are considered for NHP experiments.
Source & ©: SCENIHR, The need for non-human primates in biomedical research, production and testing of products and devices (2009), Section 3.1.3 Uses of NHPs in research regarding treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, p. 16.
In 2005, the WHO/UNICEF reported that approximately 350 to 500 million people were infected with malaria (WHO/UNICEF, 2005). More than one million die from the infection each year; many of them are children under 5 years of age. The challenges to develop a successful vaccine are great, as there are 4 species of malaria that infect people. In addition, during the course of malaria infection, the human host is confronted by four distinct life cycle stages of the parasite. Each of these life stages presents new antigens (targets) to the immune system. Human genetic differences can also affect the level of immunity in response to a vaccine. Therefore, a vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum, the most serious malaria parasite, must account for the genetic diversity of both the parasite and the human host, and provide effective immunity against all different life cycle stages of the parasite.
The owl monkey (Aotus) and the squirrel monkey (Saimiri) are the only species (besides the chimpanzee) that are susceptible to the human malaria parasite and they are used (in very limited numbers) to test the potential efficacy of human malaria vaccines (Gysin et al., 1996; Herrera et al., 2002). The rhesus macaque has also been used to study the immunogenicity of candidate vaccines, without studying protection against infection (Stewart et al., 2006). A candidate vaccine developed with the use of NHPs is now in Phase III studies. Although many challenges have yet to be overcome, the development of an effective malaria vaccine is likely (Dolan and Stewart, 2007).
Section 3.1.3 Uses of NHPs in research regarding treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, p. 16.
As an example of other infectious diseases, hepatitis C virus infects about 170 million people worldwide (WHO, 1999). The search for a vaccine against this disease is complicated by the fact that the only species besides humans that is susceptible to the hepatitis C virus is the chimpanzee. In earlier phases of hepatitis C vaccine development, in vitro techniques and other animal species are often used, and chimpanzees are only used for testing the efficacy of very promising candidate vaccines. Recently, a vaccine capable of eliciting virus-specific immune responses in baboons and genetically altered mice was developed. When testing this vaccine in chimpanzees, a significant immune response to the hepatitis C virus was elicited, and the virus became essentially undetectable in the infected animals for at least a year (Contie, 2007).
In Europe, studies with chimpanzees are not performed, and research groups that are studying this virus must utilise laboratories in USA and other parts of the world to perform the necessary experiments.
Section 3.1.3 Uses of NHPs in research regarding treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, p. 17.
Research in neuroscience collects knowledge on how the brain works in healthy human subjects and after disease and injury in humans and in experimental animals, including NHPs. Basic research is required in order to better understand how the brain works normally and in pathological conditions (Editorial, 2008). The main reasons to use NHPs in neuroscience are the close similarities between NHP and human brains in terms of overall anatomy, cellular structure and chemical communication, functional and cognitive abilities, neural circuitry, and in brain injury and diseases. This knowledge is useful, not only to understand effects and consequences of brain and spinal cord damage in humans and to devise therapies, but also help to construct new experimental models in silico and in vitro, and to develop new computational technologies. There is a continuous iteration between basic, translational, and applied medical research in neuroscience (Fitzsimmons et al., 2007; Moritz et al., 2008).
Neural injuries and diseases encompass disorders like epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, depression, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. These diseases have an important impact on society in terms of number of affected humans and their relatives affected (WHO NeuroAtlas, EBC). In 2004, 127 million, or one in three, European citizens were living with a brain disorder at a total cost of €386 billion (EBC, 2008). Brain research received 8% of the life science budget in the European Commission’s Fifth Framework Programme of research (FP5, 1998-2002), and 10% of the FP6 budget (2007-2010), a proportion that is likely to grow (EBC, 2008).
Although major advances have been made in past 50 years, our knowledge on human brain function is still limited and the use of NHPs remains crucial for a significant advancement of neurosciences (Weatherhall, 2006).
based learning (Schultz, 2002), motor function (Georgopoulos, 2000), and mirror systems (Fabbri-Destro and Rizzolatti, 2008; Rizzolatti and Fabbri-Destro, 2008).
Experiments using invasive neurophysiological recordings in NHPs raise some ethical concerns; however, our understanding of the functional organisation of the brain areas involved in vision, sensation, hearing, motor control and cognition in primates and humans has significantly benefited from of such work. An example is the research on primate visual pathways that led to a Nobel Prize in the early 1980s which, as well as elucidating visual centres and the mechanisms in NHPs, went on to discover similar pathways in humans (Rees et al., 2000; Tootell and Taylor, 1995). NHPs currently provide the only model to systematically study the relationships between the activity of a single nerve cell and higher cognitive functions. It is relevant to note, however, that in some instances, such as during brain surgery, neurophysiological recordings can also be made on humans (Alonso-Frech et al., 2006).
Some non-invasive research techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) are used both in humans and NHPs, and provide highly relevant information on how the brain works, thus saving invasive studies (e.g. (Ellison et al., 2007). However, TMS can only be used to study human brain areas near the surface of the skull. If deeper areas need to be studied, it will require invasive methods (causing permanent and reversible lesions) in animals, including NHPs.
Motor control is another area where the use of NHPs has been instrumental for basic understanding of the production and control of arm movements (grasping and reaching) leading to brain-computer interface technologies which are of major relevance to help alleviate the consequences of brain lesions and spinal cord injuries (Moritz et al., 2008).
Only small aspects of the complex interactions in the brain can be studied using in vitro techniques. More complex interactions can be studied using brain slices, but this requires the sacrifice of animals. Cell cultures can be used to study synaptic mechanisms and cellular events occurring in single cells. For example, to study the role of neuromodulatory molecules (like dopamine) on a neural network requires the use of intact tissue because the location of receptors on the different cells at different stages of a local network is one of the important keys to understand how the neuromodulation will act on information processing by the network. Such mechanisms have been studied on rodents, in particular rat, brain slices. However, the characteristics of e.g. cortical arrangement of neural networks and distribution of the different dopaminergic receptors within the cortical layers differ greatly from rodents to primates. Although there are evolutionary trends of variation in receptor localisations between primate species, there are drastic changes between rodents and primates. Therefore, conclusions based on in vitro data are limited.
The use of animals in pain studies for the basic mechanistic understanding and for the development of therapies is one of the most controversial areas of research, but it has been estimated that chronic pain of moderate to severe intensity occurs in 19% of adult Europeans, seriously affecting the quality of their social and working lives (Breivik et al., 2006). A workshop was recently held to review and discuss the potential and challenges of using ethically conducted studies in human patients and volunteers to replace animals in certain areas in pain research and in the development of new therapies (Langley et al., 2008), and it appeared possible in some areas.
It should be noted that pain research is mainly performed in rodents and very rarely with NHPs. Research on neuropathic (chronic) pain is still a major issue since neither animals nor healthy humans are good models.
The study of the neurotransmitters (chemicals transmitting information between neurons), their receptors, transporters and enzyme systems in the human brain is key to understanding normal and pathological brain function, as well as to reveal possible targets for treatment. Basic mechanisms on neurotransmission and neuromodulation can be studied in vitro and in non-primate species (such as rodents and rabbits) (Carlsson, 1993; Vandecasteele et al., 2008). However, due to the large evolutionary distance between humans and rodents, the study of neurotransmitters and related molecules at the level of the entire brain requires research on NHPs. In fact, data on rodents may be misleading as their brain physiology and biochemistry is different from those of NHPs and humans (Bjorklund and Dunnett, 2007; Garrick and Murphy, 1980; Howell and Wilcox, 2002).
Brain disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, drug addiction and obsessive compulsive disorders, all involve malfunctioning of the highly developed primate frontal lobes and their interactions with other parts of the brain. This is also true of conditions such as traumatic head injury, Huntington's disease, stroke and some types of dementia, which also involve interactions between multiple systems in the brain (Gil and Rego, 2008; Van Hoesen et al., 2000). Such conditions cannot, or only partially, be reproduced in non-primate species. Even if NHP are not ideal models for the above conditions, their complex brains make them more suitable to further advance knowledge than non-primate species (Yang et al., 2008).
NHPs have been used to investigate neurological diseases occurring in human neonates. For example, rhesus can be a surrogate model for asphyxia insults at birth and accurately reflects the mechanisms and neuropathology seen in human newborns suffering from this condition. More recently, a premature baboon model developed for evaluation of bronchopulmonary dysplasia has been applied to the investigation of cerebral development and injury, revealing a high similarity in neuropathology to the premature human infant (Inder et al., 2005).
Stroke research does not use large numbers of NHPs, but the importance of their availability as a research tool is significant. An example of NHP use in stroke research was the development of the drug NXY-059 (Marshall et al., 2003) that had significant effects and reduce functional disability following ischemic stroke. The NXY-059 studies in NHPs were regarded as crucial in designing the SAINT trials in humans. While the SAINT I clinical trials showed some promise, the SAINT II trials revealed no significant effects. The review procedures from animal trials to clinical studies have been published and suggested a need, not to change the model, but the criteria for publication, evaluation and use of animal testing (Macleod et al., 2008).
Important efforts are being made to develop better models of psychiatric disease by screening large populations of animals to detect the presence of a similar disease in NHPs. In the study of depression, simple tests for anti-depressant-like activity of pharmacological substances are often based on known classes of therapeutically successful existing anti-depressant agents, but investigators have also endeavoured to reproduce factors in the laboratory that are believed to initiate depression in humans. Studies on large macaque colonies show that some individuals, in particular those of low social rank, express behavioural signs comparable with some human depression syndromes. Neuroimaging has shown activity deficits in NHPs, comparable with those in humans, thereby supporting their use for further neurobiological characterisation and modelling (O'Neil and Moore, 2003).
A model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in NHPs has been highly valuable in studying its pathophysiology (Beal, 2001; Boulet et al., 2008; Emborg, 2004; Hamani and Lozano, 2003; Mounayar et al., 2007). The application of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) in humans with Parkinson’s disease derives from experiments in a NHP model showing that destruction or high-frequency stimulation of certain areas in the brain reversed Parkinsonian symptoms. Over 40,000 patients have now been treated with DBS worldwide, and there are 160 DBS centres in Western Europe. In addition, DBS is showing promise in other brain conditions such as drug resistant cases of depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, and Tourette’s syndrome. However, there are still significant cases of unpredicted adverse effects, and numerous patients who are not suitable for DBS show there is still a need for further research such as advancements in DBS, local delivery of neural active substances, the application of neurotrophins and stem cells, gene therapy, and molecular neurosurgery (Hamani and Lozano, 2003).
Stem cell technology, like induced pluripotent stem cells, opens the possibility to use somatic cells of an individual to repair his own tissue, thereby removing some of the ethical issues concerning embryos and the problem of rejection. These technologies are being currently developed for the repair of brain tissue in Parkinsons, Huntingtons, in stroke and in spinal cord and brain injuries, but will likely require safety and efficacy testing in NHPs (Brundin et al., 2008; Chen and Palmer, 2008; Roh et al., 2008).
Research on sensory and motor systems has led to the new field of neuroprosthetics to restore the severe loss of sensory abilities or movement capabilities in paralysed patients (Weatherhall, 2006). The development of brain machine interfaces (BMI) has much benefited from neurophysiological experiments in NHPs showing that it is possible to use natural brain cortical neural activity to drive computers, robots, and artificial limbs, to restore volitional control of movement to paralysed limbs, and/or to compensate for perceptual deficits (Fitzsimmons et al., 2007; Moritz et al., 2008).
New fields and techniques to assess brain structure and function, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI, now routinely used for diagnosis in humans), and functional MRI (fMRI), are rapidly developing and increasingly employed in human clinical and experimental studies. Even though they are powerful means to study brain function, these techniques also have important limitations as they only measure blood flow, which is an indirect measure of neuronal activity (Logothetis, 2008; Vanzetta, 2006; Vanzetta and Grinvald, 2008). Other valuable non-invasive techniques, that provide useful information on how the brain works, include multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) and magneto-encephalography (MEG), both of which have a better temporal resolution than fMRI, but still have poor spatial resolution. Thus, fundamental research, at the level of single neuron activity (that may be invasive), is still needed to obtain information about how the brain works to improve understanding of pathological changes. Additional non-invasive novel technologies, like magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), provide information on the chemical composition of the brain. They represent potentially powerful tools to gather data on brain biochemistry; however, at present the information they can provide is much cruder than that provided by more precise methods, like positron emission tomography(PET),ligandbinding, micro-dialysis and immunochemical techniques.
Improvement of molecular and cell biology has reached a point where genetically modified NHP models of brain diseases are becoming available (Yang et al., 2008). Such genetically modified models will, potentially, be of even higher predictability power for human outcomes than rodent genetically modified models.
Section3.1.4 Use of NHP in Neuroscience, p.17 -20.
The shortage of organ donors for transplantation is a major societal problem and the waiting lists continue to grow due to limited organ supplies. Only a minority of patients who may benefit from a transplant will be able to receive one and 10-20% of patients on the waiting list for organ transplants will die before a donor organ becomes available (McManus et al., 1991; Leichtman et al., 2008). Furthermore, as the transplants themselves will also need replacing, this will exacerbate the situation. Novel sources of organs may help to reduce this shortage. In addition to treatment of the terminal failure of organs such as kidney, lung, liver and heart, transplantation is also being seen as a therapy for other diseases such as cystic fibrosis and for patients affected by diabetes and Parkinson disease.
The pig represents the most likely candidate as a source animal and NHPs represent the only useful proof-of-concept species. However, there are serious immunological incompatibilities between pigs and primates based on a specific immune response (anti- αGal), and only OW primates (such as baboons and cynomolgus), great apes and humans have anti-αGal antibodies. While rodents have been generated that exhibit an anti-αGal immune response, the response is weak, severely limiting the credibility of results in experimental models of xenotransplantation (Gock et al., 2000). In addition, there are several concerns over infections transmitted between source animals and humans, physiological functioning, and long term side effects due to the degree of immunosuppression required.
However, some xenotransplants have demonstrated a 2-3 year recipient survival in life- supporting NHP models. This indicates that long-term survival of a xenotransplant is achievable, even when clinically acceptable immunosuppressive regimens are used (Zhong et al., 2003).
Section3.1.5 Use of NHPs in Xenotransplantation, p.20 -21. | 2019-04-22T17:02:03Z | http://copublications.greenfacts.org/fr/primates-non-humains/l-3/2-research-safety-testing.htm |
The Hollywood film industry is an amalgamation of technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking. It generally contains film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, actors, directors, and film employees.
Today the Hollywood film industry is positioned across the world. Within this 21st century, the major business centers of filmmaking are concentrated in United States Of America, India and China. Hollywood is actually a district in L . A ., California that is certainly located in west- northwest of Downtown La. Due to its fame and cultural individuality of Kia Jam, the term Hollywood is often used being a connotation for the cinema of U . S . which can be popularly called the Hollywood film Industry.
A brief history in the Hollywood Film Industry probably started at the disposal of D.W. Griffith when the Biograph Company sent him along with his crew. They started filming on the vacant lot in downtown Los Angeles in early 1910. Soon the organization decided to explore new territories to locate the region was quite friendly and enjoyable for shooting.
Therefore, Griffith filmed the very first ever movie shot in Hollywood. The title in the film was “In Old California”. The movie company then stayed there for months to shoot a number of their films and returned to New York.
Starting in 1913, this excellent place came into the limelight when moviemakers started going to the west. The initial feature film manufactured in Hollywood was called ‘The Squaw Man” This led to the birth of Hollywood Film Industry.
Nestor Studio, founded in 1911 was the initial movie studio in Hollywood. Fifteen other small studios also settled in Hollywood. Gradually, Hollywood came to be so powerfully related to the film industry that this term began to be used as a synonym for the entire industry.
During the time period of the first World War, Hollywood become the movie capital around the globe. Mentioned before, Nester studio took over as the Hollywood Digital Laboratory. From the year 1950, music recording studios and offices began moving to Hollywood, though most of the film industry remained there.
The planet famous Hollywood Walk of Fame was constructed during 1958 and the first star was placed in 1960. The Walk of Fame was placed as being a tribute towards the artists doing work in the entertainment industry. It is actually embedded jujwll more than 2,000 five pointed stars featuring the names of celebrities, in addition to fictional characters.
The sign located at Mount Lee, is now an authorized trademark hence can not be used without the permission in the Chamber of Commerce.
The Hollywood Film Industry may be called the Mecca of film industries. Though geographically it is located in Hollywood, it resides in the hearts of millions of film lovers and film related personalities. Hollywood remains and definately will remain a king, without having a scepter.
What you eat after exercising is important. After you exercise, your body is repairing itself as well as dealing with recovery. If you do not supply your body with the proper article exercise nourishment, you will not see the muscle gains as well as fat loss that you desire.
While exercise is necessary for getting muscular tissue as well as shedding fat, it does location physical stress on the body. When you work out, the muscle mass’ gas sources have been diminished as well as minor damages has actually taken place. This means that your muscular tissues need fixed as well as restored. Of course, the damage and depletion permit your muscles to adjust, as long as you just allow your muscle mass to be in this state for a short time period.
Workout tears down your old, much less adjusted muscular tissues so the body can construct much more functional muscles. This process is usually referred to as remodelling. Unless you supply your muscle mass with the right products, they will not be able to redesign themselves.
One of the most effective methods to make certain your body is obtaining the blog post exercise nutrition it requires is to begin drinking healthy protein trembles after your exercise. Protein shakes with whey protein supply lots of advantages. If you are not persuaded that whey protein trembles are an excellent choice, right here’s a closer check out the advantages of whey protein, exactly how healthy protein shakes enhance results, the continued relevance of macro and also micro nutrients, as well as various other practical message workout info.
Protein is the building block of muscle, which is why it is so important to sustain your body with protein after a workout if you want to see muscle gains. Exercise creates muscular tissue healthy protein breakdown, which indicates you require to restore healthy protein to enhance healthy protein synthesis within your muscular tissues.
Benefit # 1 – Increase Toughness as well as Dimension – One of the main advantages of whey protein is its capability to help you boost your toughness and also dimension. Research has revealed that individuals taking whey protein have actually enjoyed great boosts in muscular tissue toughness and also fat-free mass. When taken in both before as well as after a workout for muscle mass gain, whey healthy protein can be particularly beneficial.
Whey healthy protein can assist you accomplish your objectives, considering that it assists to minimize appetite. It’s typical to really feel hungry after functioning out, so a whey protein shake supplies a fantastic method to decrease cravings and also stick to your nourishment plan.
Benefit # 3 – Boost Your Immune System – Keeping your immune system solid and also healthy and balanced is very important when you are exercising hard. Arduous workouts have the prospective to adversely influence your body immune system by decreasing glutathione degrees. When you supplement your diet plan with whey healthy protein, it assists to maintain glutathione levels from plunging so low, which assists to maintain your body immune system solid. This can likewise aid to reduce the influence of strenuous workout on your nervous and intestinal systems.
Benefit # 4 – Preserve Muscle Mass as well as Shed Fat – If your objectives are muscle gains and weight loss, whey healthy protein can aid you to protect muscle mass while losing fat Researches have actually shown that adding whey healthy protein to a minimized calorie diet plan can aid you maintain muscle as well as lose body fat. In some cases, individuals attempting to lose fat cut calories and also the body begins to turn to muscle for the power it requires. However, when you include whey protein to the mix, the protein safeguards and also protects your muscular tissues while allowing you to lose additional body fat.
Protein shakes with whey healthy protein offer many advantages. If you are not convinced that whey protein trembles are a great selection, below’s a closer look at the advantages of whey protein, exactly how protein trembles boost outcomes, the ongoing significance of macro and also mini nutrients, and also other useful article workout info.
Healthy protein is the tammy hembrow education building block of muscle mass, which is why it is so vital to fuel your body with healthy protein after a workout if you tammy hembrow zodiac desire to see muscle gains. Workout creates muscular tissue protein failure, which suggests you need to renew protein to raise protein synthesis within your tammy hembrow quotes muscle mass. When you include whey healthy protein to the mix, the healthy protein shields as well as maintains your muscles while allowing you to lose additional body fat.
You have actually come to the appropriate area if you’re asking yourself whether elastic workout bands can help you shed weight. These bands whose popularity has actually been increasing for many years are totally effective for weight-loss if done in the right way. If you utilize them in the incorrect fashion, you will never ever reduce weight.
Elastic workout bands are exceptionally efficient since of the flexible resistance. Unlike most of the health club devices that rely on gravity for resistance, these bands obtain their resistance from flexible.
You can with flexible exercise bands. With these bands, you can conveniently do around 150 different workouts targeting each and also every single muscle team in your body.
If you buy a decent exercise band system, you will certainly get takes care of. With the right system, you can really obtain over 350 pounds of resistance when utilizing these bands.
You can not shed weight with these bands if you adhere to the conventional fitness center workout routines. You’ll have to blend up the workouts.
Well … you can keep following the workout for months and also still not have any kind of outcomes to speak off. That kind of slow-moving workouts simply does not function.
The only means to make flexible workout bands work well for you is with a combination of various workouts every so often. You require to work out a few mins with these bands, couple of minutes of cardio and few mins of simple body weight workouts. The even more you mix points up, the much faster you burn the fat.
These bands allow you to target numerous muscle groups. You can do crunches with these bands at a higher degree of resistance.
Hold on … No issue just how tough you work with these bands, you will certainly never ever shed weight unless you do ONE more point. It’s true for all type of workouts. And it’s your DIET PLAN.
The diet plan is extremely crucial when it involves weight loss. Ensure that you adhere to a WELL BALANCED Diet plan without depriving yourself or taking any type of pills. Once you have a balanced diet plan regimen, workout with elastic exercise bands a minimum of five-six days a week and you will certainly be on the path to attaining your desire body.
If you’re katy hearn before and after asking yourself whether flexible exercise bands can help you shed weight, you have actually come to the appropriate area. Elastic workout bands are extremely efficient since of the elastic resistance. You can with katy hearn hoodie elastic exercise bands. The only way to make flexible exercise bands work well for you is through a combination of different exercises every now and then. When you have a well balanced diet regimen, exercise with flexible exercise bands at the very least five-six days a week as well as you will certainly be on the course to accomplishing your katy hearn fit workout plan dream body.
Routine pancakes are typically made from white flour and also are thought about not having as many nutrients as those made with various other grains. They are carbohydrate loaded so sometimes they can cause your blood sugar level to increase rather high. Flour pancakes have no source of fiber however if you utilize various other grains you will certainly be able to give your body with much less carbs and also a great deal of fiber. You can use oat meal as one of those alternative grains to make an Oat meal Pancake Recipe.
The original oat meal pancake originates from a country you would certainly not expect it to come from. They come from Sweden and are usually served with fruit as well as jelly as opposed to syrup. Oatmeal pancakes can be offered with normal syrup too and also they taste excellent, yet you can additionally put applesauce on them if you do not intend to utilize syrup.
In this recipe use normal oat meal instead of the microwave type. Prevent the Quick Oats in the following recipe. The only oatmeal you ought to make use of is slow prepared oat meal as well as you can utilize natural oat meal if you want.
Easy oat meal pancakes can be made by incorporating one and one fifty percent cup of rolled oats with two mugs of milk in a huge bowl. Let this rest for around 10 mins as well as continue. In a separate bowl integrate one half mug whole wheat flour, one fifty percent cup all function flour, one tbsp cooking powder, one tablespoon brown sugar, one fourth tsp salt, as well as one fifty percent tsp of ground cinnamon. Mix this well with a whisk but take care not to whisk so difficult it flies out of the dish.
Beat 2 whole eggs and also include them to the oatmeal that has been soaking. Likewise thaw one fourth mug of butter and add that to the oats too. The last thing you include is one teaspoon of vanilla. Currently you take the flour blend and also include it gradually to the oat combination mixing well by hand until it is all integrated into a pancake batter.
You will see bubbles begin to collect around the outside and once the whole pancake is surrounded with the bubbles you can transform it to the various other side. Once both sides are well browned and also the within is light and fluffy area the pancake on an offering plate.
A homemade syrup can be made to go along with your oatmeal pancakes and that is an orange syrup. Remove from heat and let trendy about 5 mins as well as offer over the pancakes. This is not the healthiest topping in the globe for an oatmeal pancake dish but if you desire to splurge just when offer it a shot.
You can 2b mindset description use oat meal as one of those alternative grains to make an Oatmeal Pancake Dish.
Oat meal pancakes can be served with regular syrup also as well as they taste very excellent, yet you can additionally place applesauce on them if you do not desire to utilize syrup.
The only oatmeal you ought to make use of is slow-moving cooked oat meal and also you can utilize organic oatmeal if you desire.
Easy oatmeal pancakes can be made by 2b mindset vs noom integrating one as well as one half mug of rolled oats with 2 cups of milk in a big bowl. A homemade syrup can be made to go along with your 2b mindset sayings oat meal pancakes and also that is an orange syrup.
In this lesson you are going to find out how internet marketer reviews blog works. You’ll also discover why it’s GREAT to be an online affiliate, how much money you may make and how you can get started.
It’s somewhat like how an agent doesn’t own the houses they sell; instead they promote houses on the part of their customers, and earn a cut from the sale cost of any properties sold.
The photo below shows an extremely basic affiliate website, using a banner that promotes the SaleHoo Wholesale Supplier Directory.
When someone, who’s keen to generate money on eBay, clicks that banner, they may be taken to the merchant’s website below.
The merchant will be the person or company that can cause and owns the product. Now it’s as much as the merchant to function their magic and obtain that person to buy. When the person does opt to purchase, then this affiliate marketing guru that sent them to the website earns a commission, which is a portion of the product’s sale price. Easy, right?
In a similar way, it is possible to write (or have someone else write) content over a topic, and then hyperlink to a product that may be useful for the reader. So long as the web link you make use of is surely an affiliate link, you’ll be lined up to earn a commission, and discover more about this in the Affilorama lessons.
6 great top reasons to become an affiliate – Launch costs are super low. To start out a normal business in which you rent retail space and stock inventory could easily cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars. As an affiliate, you will get started for the cost of a burger and fries. You don’t need staff. Forget about office politics, and no messy payroll handling. When you get started as an affiliate you can do it all yourself, so when enough time comes to improve your business it’s simple to outsource.
You don’t even need to have a product you merely have to promote products which already are for sale. Whether it’s an eBook about dog training your or a weight loss supplement – there exists a product out there that you could sell as an affiliate. You don’t need any expert knowledge on a subject to sell affiliate products either. In order to be an online affiliate to lose weight products, then you definitely don’t need a PhD in nutrition or exercise. You simply need an eager-to-learn mindset and the cabability to market the correct affiliate products to the right people. Earn residual income. It’s somewhat like the money you earn if you purchase a home then rent it out – for as long as you have that house and are renting it, you earn money. In a normal job you simply get compensated once for your work that you simply do, but as being an affiliate you can keep making money from the same work day in, day out.
The ability to work your own hours. I’m not implying that you’ll be located on a beach drinking Pina Coladas and only working one hour each day after the first month being an affiliate. However, you actually have the ability to function when it fits you and also have a more flexible life. You become your own boss – how cool is that?
How much cash could you can even make? Like any real business everything depends on how much effort you put in and just how seriously you are taking it. For instance should you only work one hour a day, or you spend most of your time checking emails as opposed to doing the work, then you may not make much cash whatsoever.
So how exactly does affiliate marketing online really work? With affiliate marketing online you routinely have a website, like the World of Warcraft Black Book site you can see below. Now you don’t actually need an internet site – there are numerous different methods to perform affiliate marketing and some of them don’t even involve possessing a website – but many affiliates prefer to get their own hpakxd real estate. It’s even the method we teach right here at Affilorama, because there’s a lot more potential to create a brand, and grow an affiliate marketer strategy that will profit you inside the longer-term.
You’ll use a special link, known as an affiliate marketer link, for each and every item that you’re promoting. Affiliate links have tracking inside them to make sure that you receive credited with every sale you are making. When someone clicks affiliate marketing guru, then the merchant knows it had been you who sent the consumer.
Allow me to stress that affiliate links don’t affect the customer at all… they don’t pay more, they don’t lose out on anything, and they will more than likely never understand that they purchased via an affiliate link.
Looking for more information about vaping? Despite the exponential development of the vaping industry recently, and an explosion within the popularity of e-cigs, lots of people still aren’t sure what exactly is vaping exactly. If you have any questions about vaping, vaporizers, or related uses, this comprehensive guide has got you covered.
Precisely what is vaping? Vaping is the act of inhaling vapor created by e cig reviews. The vapor is created from a material like an e-liquid, concentrate, or dry herb. A vaporizer is an electric device that turns vaping material into vapor. A vaporizer usually contains battery, main console or housing, cartridges, and atomizer or cartomizer. Battery generates the power for your heating element in the atomizer or cartomizer, which contacts the vaping material and transforms it into vapor for inhalation.
Nearly all vapers use e-liquids, but other common materials include waxy concentrates and dry herbs. Different vaporizers secure the vaping of different materials. As an example, e-liquids vaporizers possess a cartridge or tank, while a dry herb vaporizer will have a heating chamber. Multipurpose vaporizers allow you to vape different materials by simply switching cartridges.
Vapor is described as “a substance diffused or suspended inside the air that is originally a liquid or solid transformed into a gaseous form.” The vapor in a vaporizer is the gaseous form of some of the vaping materials. The vapor looks thicker than smoke, however, smells much better, and quickly dissipates in to the air.
E-juice, also called e-liquid, is definitely the primary materials in vaporizers, and includes a PG (propylene glycol) and VG (vegetable glycerin) base, flavorings, and might or might not contain nicotine. There exists a myriad number of e-liquids available on the market, and you can find flavors raining from the standard fruity ones to some very innovative flavors such as desserts, candies, etc.
The taste quality of your own vaping experience will likely be based on what type and brand of e-liquid you make use of. Put some thought into choosing your juices, and they can make or break the whole experience. Particularly as a beginner, it is advisable to choose well-known and reputable brands, as low-quality e-juices can contain harmful contaminants or unlisted ingredients.
These products, also referred to as “Cig-a-likes” are how big a pen and are designed to appear somewhat like a traditional cigarette. E-cigarettes often come being a complete starter kit containing batteries, qteoat or pre-filled cartridges, along with a charger. E-cigs are extremely convenient and affordable but do not offer more extreme experiences of vaping.
Since you can start using the kit right out from the box, even if you don’t possess previous knowledge or experience, they are able to make an outstanding selection for new vapers. Another upside to e-cigarettes is when you’ve recently switched from smoking cigarettes, they could give you a sensation comparable to smoking a traditional cigarette. Low strength nicotine and moderate to low throat hits will make them a viable selection for novices.
Are you distressed regarding the truth that you just can’t appear to obtain completely chiselled abdominal muscles? Some people have even attempted virtually all kinds of workouts for abs to no avail.
Lots of exercisers effectively function their means down to their ideal weight, but then find themselves still having to deal with that stubborn abdominal fat. Because of this, there are those who have actually surrendered on the idea of ever getting an excellent collection of abdominal muscles. Before you decide to give up on your desire abdominals, here’s a little bit of great news that might motivate you: The only point standing between you and also your dream abdominal muscles is misinformation.
Numerous individuals get disappointed merely due to the fact that they approach abdominals exercise in the wrong means. One of the most typical misunderstandings that avoid you from getting the excellent set of abdominal muscles is the belief that doing plenty of sit-ups every single day will make your abdominals pop out of your skin.
A great rule of thumb is to do one more abdominal muscle exercise only when your abdominal muscles is no much longer sore from the previous session. You should also remember that the most reliable way to work your abs involves not just a great workout routine, but likewise a good nourishment plan.
Among the most vital things for you to understand as concerns establishing your abs is that what you consume will greatly affect how your abs look. If you proceed to exercise poor eating behaviors while you work out, this suggests that your workout will certainly not be able to provide any type of real benefits. Your abs may be constructed in the fitness center, but they are ultimately sculpted in the cooking area.
Exactly how do you ensure that your belly is sculpted correctly? Basically, you will need to create a day-to-day calorie deficiency. This indicates you need to minimize the calories that you take in everyday. Certainly, you will need to do this slowly. Cutting down on your calorie consumption significantly is detrimental. Once, it will create your body to go into shock and shop fats in an initiative to protect itself from the shock of getting as well little calories all at.
The most effective as well as healthiest method to decrease calorie intake is to do it bit by bit. You would succeed to maintain a food journal and write down whatever that you eat. Count the calories that you eaten on the day that you started your food diary and afterwards plan the next day’s dishes such that you lower your intake by, say, 50 calories.
Another excellent method is to eat 5-6 tiny meals instead of 3 large meals in a day. This will aid make sure that you do not experience cravings pains and get hold of fatty treats in between dishes. The suitable ratio for each and every of your dishes is one part fats, 2 parts protein, and three parts carbohydrates. This is, however, not a stringent guideline as well as you can vary it a bit. For instance, it is a good idea to take in more protein and carbs after workout. Lastly, always remember to supplement your diet with a daily dose of multivitamins.
Now that you have a concept of exactly how to change your eating practices in order to promote abdominal muscles advancement, the next step is to find out how to educate the abdominal muscles correctly. Lots of people aren’t rather certain whether a reduced intensity-high rep exercise is best for the abdominals or if a high intensity-low rep regimen would be better. The most effective means to get the answer to this inquiry is to get a far better understanding regarding your abdominal muscles.
Simply like your calf bones, the abdominals is composed of muscle fibers that are constructed for endurance. Think about it: Your abs support your body whenever you stroll and also you already know that a reasonably healthy individual can stroll for a lengthy time without tiring.
Before you sworkit weight loss decide to provide up on your desire abs, right here’s a little bit of great information that could motivate you: The only thing standing in between you as well as your desire abs is false information.
One of the most usual sworkit geht nicht misunderstandings that avoid you from obtaining the ideal set of abdominal muscles is the belief that doing many sit-ups every solitary day will make your abs pop out of your skin. A great rule of thumb is to do one more abdominal exercise only when your abdominal muscles is no longer sore from the previous session. One of the most essential points for you to understand as pertains to developing your abdominal muscles is that what you eat will substantially affect just how your abdominals look. Now that you have a concept of how to readjust your sworkit app not loading consuming habits in order to promote abdominals growth, the next action is to discover exactly how to train the abs properly.
Ancient Gladiators educated like real athletes, comparable to the method professional athletes train today. Along with normal physical training, they were likewise shown how to utilize numerous tools consisting of the battle chain, net, lasso, dagger, as well as spear.
In existing day, a lot of usage have no requirement to toss nets or lug blades. We do raise as well as bring points on a normal basis. Resistance training itself has been linked to many advantages including raising bone mineral density, boosting stamina, aiding with everyday activities, lowering body fat, causing longer life, as well as enhancing heart disease.
Simply put, you may not need to be as active, and strong as a Roman Gladiator, however it wouldn’t injure to be able to lift a great deal, play a whole lot, and also live a long, healthy life.
Among things that Roman Gladiators did refrain is enter into a health club and do bicep curls. They additionally really did not do any maker job either. Certainly, they probably didn’t have any type of weight training devices as we do now (although I would not be shocked if somebody dug something up. Old innovation is remarkable).
Rather, by sticking to basic exercises activities they trained themselves to better relocate their bodies in the heat of a fight while holding heavy tools and guards (not to point out using hefty armor).
In my sight, athleticism is much more beneficial in daily life than having large biceps or a six pack.
Unless you go off a join a team of actors who execute Gladiator workouts for a living, there’s an extremely tiny chance that you’ll ever before obtain your hands on a spear or dagger.
What’s the most effective alternative? Pinheads! If you execute ballistic dumbbell motions such as snatches, swings, as well as cleanses, you can conveniently establish the exact same or even better degree of athleticism and power asehibited by the entertainers in the video clips.
Combine that with bodyweight training, as well as you have a full sports exercise that you can do in the convenience of your very own house. Really, there’s a program out there already available.
It’s called the Gladiator Body Exercise (conveniently), developed by Coach Eddie Lomax. This program features 6 4-week workouts that concentrate on somewhat different objectives, yet still focus on the very same basis suggestion: carry out high intensity bodyweight as well as dumbbell workouts to go down fat, build lean muscular tissue mass, boost toughness, as well as improve overall general wellness as well as athleticism.
Exercise # 1: General Health And Fitness Exercise – Total program that sets up for the other 5 workout programs in the package. You’ll absolutely feel lighter, be more powerful, and also experience a level of athleticism that you’re not used to after experiencing these very first 4 weeks.
Exercise # 2: Weight Loss Workout – Kick up your exercises as well as take your body into a brand-new degree of high strength training to drop fat faster than ever before with puke-inducing workouts.
Exercise # 3: Toughness & Dimension Workout – Exactly how will you ever get a lot more powerful without proper toughness and size training? Make use of these 4 weeks to load on as much stamina and mass as feasible.
Exercise # 4: Rounds of Fierceness – This is where the genuine fun begins. Rounds of Fierceness function 13 different type of timed rounds. It’s basically you against the appear the race to see for how long you can last (or, if you can last in any way).
Exercise # 5: Juggernaut Exercise – Train Lomax reveals a trump card method utilizing an unique 21-15-9 rep scheme that is guaranteed to stun your body right into new degrees of health and fitness.
In tammy hembrow twitter existing day, many of usage have no demand to toss internet or lug daggers. Resistance training itself has actually been linked to many advantages consisting of boosting bone mineral thickness, boosting stamina, assisting with everyday activities, decreasing body fat, leading to longer life, as well as improving heart problem.
Of course, they tammy hembrow first youtube video most likely didn’t have any kind of weight training makers as we do now (although I would not be shocked if someone dug something up. If you perform ballistic dumbbell activities such as snatches, swings, and also cleans up, you can easily develop the exact same or also better level of athleticism as well as power asxhibited by the performers in the video clips.
Workout # 4: Rounds of Fury – This is where the tammy hembrow youtube hiit genuine fun starts.
Whether you’re simply beginning your fitness journey or this is something you have been working with for rather time, finding out one of the most appropriate means to tackle dish prep work as well as cooking is a must-do.
Typically dieters do not fall off the bandwagon merely because they are tired with their eating strategy or aren’t putting in sufficient initiative. Rather, it’s due to the fact that they don’t have the time they require to dish prep appropriately. The bright side is with a couple of fast ideas and also methods; you can obtain your meal preparation back on track.
Acquire food wholesale. Conserve time on grocery store shopping by acquiring larger containers/servings of nearly everything you acquire.
Obtain larger food preparation gadgets. Appears ridiculous but it works. Get larger pots, bigger baking frying pans, a bigger grill if you need to – the more food you can prepare at once, the better.
Buy excellent Tupperware containers. You will certainly require an area to keep all the food you’re preparing, and nothing is much better than Tupperware. Make sure it can go from the refrigerator to the microwave to the fridge freezer without a problem.
Buy pre-chopped veggies. Purchase the pre-chopped selection instead if cutting veggies stops you from getting these down.
Don’t ignore frozen vegetables. Or, think about going the icy veggie route. You’ll never have worries about them remaining fresh throughout the week.
Acquire ease for half the process. Okay, so you can not cook a full-on meal some days when things are stressful. Why not simply modify a meal you purchase so it ends up being much healthier for you to consume? Attempt buying an icy dinner for instance and also include a few of your very own freshly steamed veggies to increase the dietary web content. You can make fast food more healthy much of the moment if you make a few tiny tweaks.
Use your sluggish stove. Using a sluggish cooker is by far one of the most simple and also standard means to make healthy consuming easy.
Swap prepared food for salads for a couple of meals throughout the week. Not only are salads unbelievably healthy, yet they are likewise simple to prepare too. Include them in your eating plan regularly.
Treat on fruit. Nothing is simpler than smearing a little nut butter on a banana or apple. They are a extremely healthy and also relatively low-calorie fruit to consist of in your eating plan.
Look for brand-new recipes. While preparing a fresh brand-new recipe is a bit much more work, it’s fun, as well as when it’s fun, it won’t seem like meal preparation.
Maintain these ten pointers in mind and begin applying them to your healthy and balanced consuming strategy. If you do, you can reduce the excuse of never having time for dish preparation once more!
Handling your disease can be extremely difficult, Type 2 diabetic issues is not a condition you must just live with. You can make basic adjustments to your daily routine and lower both your weight as well as your blood glucose levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the less complicated it gets.
Instead, it’s 8 fit stretches since they do not have the time they require to meal preparation appropriately. The great information is with a couple of fast suggestions and tricks; you can obtain your dish prep back on track.
Okay, so you can not cook ford 8 lug fit dodge a full-blown dish some days when things are busy. Why not just modify a dish you acquire so it ends up being 8 fit unsubscribe much healthier for you to eat? Swap cooked food for salads for a few meals throughout the week.
Should I attempt online dating? Where can I locate fantastic on-line dating guidance??
If you have been thinking of attempting on-line dating, however you can not rather get up the nerve to do so; probably you should simply jump right in as well as try it.
There are great deals of people – busy people, shy individuals, people in backwoods – who have good reasons that they do not locate it very easy to fulfill new people; and if you too intend to grow your colleague, online dating might be the solution.
It’s a way of broadening your social circle without having to endure the bar as well as club scene. As well as if you’ve been asking on your own ‘Should I attempt online dating?’ yet you have actually always discovered excuses previously that avoided you from attempting it out; well, perhaps your reasons are not as legitimate as you think.
Why should it be any less secure than a blind day or conference a person arbitrarily in a bar? You can additionally maintain your individual details personal until you really feel comfortable revealing it and concurring to establish up a day.
Also if that holds true, on-line dating can just contribute to it. It doesn’t indicate you have to quit looking for love amongst the individuals you meet in your daily life; and also also if you do have your eye on a couple of feasible days, there’s no assurance that any of them will certainly transform out to be Mr. Think about on-line dating as just another means to enhance your opportunities of finding The One.
You may be as well active to trawl bars or go to bars, however everybody can discover time to use the web – and also to meet someone they assume deserves their time. If your life is actually full, then on the internet dating is a very reliable use of your precious time which could produce an extremely positive outcome. Commuting time, your lunch break and a couple of silent mins in the evening are all opportunities for searching on-line profiles, and you can exchange messages from your mobile phone at any moment.
After that try signing up to some social teams initially, and get a feel for what it’s like to fulfill individuals online. Keep in mind that you can have as much or as little to do with these individuals as you desire, so you can take things at a pace you feel comfortable with. There are a lot of social websites as well as online forums which are targeted at relationship and also shared rate of interests as opposed to dating. You can make some brand-new buddies, have some enjoyable and also be ready to jump into on-line dating with confidence when you feel all set.
Several sites allow you to register and also search free of cost, although normally you need to pay to produce your own profile or reply to accounts you such as. The majority of costs are quite practical, although some very specialist or special websites may bill a premium. Generally you would certainly find on your own investing less than you would on a night out. And you might find it’s money far much better invested too!
Well, are you so sure that could always rely on someone you satisfied offline either? You meet individuals, there is always the possibility that they will certainly transform out to be duplicitous, half-cracked or reckless. In either case, you ought to trust what your impulse tells you, and if a person offers you a bad feeling or ambiance, avoid them in future.
Any type of credible dating website is jealous of its track record, and they have safeguards to weed out people that trigger upset or offense to their on the internet community. And in their very own passions, many people online are cautious concerning reporting unsuitable or suspicious behavior. You shouldn’t feel any kind of much less safe than you would certainly in the road.
Also if that’s dating sider gratis true, on-line dating can only add to it. Believe of on-line dating as simply an additional method to enhance your chances of discovering The One.
If your life is really complete, after that online dating is an extremely reliable usage of your valuable time which can create an extremely positive result. You can make some new friends, have some enjoyable as well as be ready to jump right into online dating with self-confidence when you really feel prepared.
Any type of respectable dating site is jealous of its online reputation, as well as they have safeguards to weed out individuals who cause upset or offence to their on the internet community. | 2019-04-21T18:22:21Z | http://stiri-ploiesti.info/page/2/ |
Het KPT is niet verantwoordelijk voor het gebruik van aangeboden informatie op een wijze die in strijd is met de Nederlandse wet- en regelgeving.
De documenten zijn gesorteerd op uploaddatum (aflopend).
Samenvatting: Presentation about structural assessment of damaged tunnels by Dimitris Bairaktaris and D. Bairaktaris.
Samenvatting: Presentation about tunnel in landslides by Manolis Haralabakis and Panos Panetsos.
Samenvatting: Presentation about the Mont Blanc Tunnel.
Samenvatting: Presentation about robotic intelligent vision and control for tunnel inspection and evaluation by Costas Loupos.
Samenvatting: Presentation about refurbishment of tunnels in the future by Karl Baumann, Volker Wetzig and Maximilian Wietek.
Samenvatting: Presentation about refurbishment of a listed tunnel: Maas Tunnel, Rotterdam (NL) by Han Admiraal.
Samenvatting: Presentation about rail tunnel evacuation by Karl Fridolf.
Samenvatting: Presentation about mobile robot for tunnel inspection by Rafael Lopez.
Samenvatting: Presentation about computer vision for structural damage in tunnels by Konstantinos Loupos.
Samenvatting: Presentation about case studies of tunnel inspection and assessment by Peter Wright.
Samenvatting: Presentation about Aging Tunnels – Safety in operation and during refurbishment.
Samenvatting: Presentation about acceptable risk levels during refurbishment work by Niels Peter Høj and Matthias Schubert.
Samenvatting: Presentation about stad ship tunnel: security issues of a mega project by Terje Andreassen.
Samenvatting: Presentation about risks of terror and accidents in tunnel systems - on a rationale for their management by Michael Havbro Faber and Matthias Schubert.
Samenvatting: Presentation about human behavior Heinenoord tunnel accident by Johan Bosch.
Samenvatting: Presentation about explosions and fires: Structural threats and possible mitigation measures for underground infrastructure by Goetz Vollmann.
Samenvatting: Presentation about cyber security of tunnel control centres: possible threats and protection measures by Christian Thienert & Frank Leismann.
Samenvatting: Presentation about assessing the passage of hazardous goods through road tunnels to improve security management planning by Benjamin Truchot.
Samenvatting: Presentation about Victoria station upgrade by Taylor Woodrow.
Samenvatting: Presentation about Road tunnels: complex underground road networks by Bernard Falconnat and Frédéric Walet.
Samenvatting: Presentation about renovation of motorway tunnels by Thomas Vandenbergh.
Samenvatting: Presentation de PIARC’s expertise at the service of the road tunnels community par Marc Tesson.
Samenvatting: Presentation de Les dessous de La Défense: des enjeux d’exploitation par David Delplanque.
Samenvatting: Presentation Le Grand Paris Express par Gérard Chérel.
Samenvatting: Presentation de la modernisation des tunnels routiers franciliens par Arnaud Guillé.
Samenvatting: Presentation about the impact of fixed fire fighting systems to tunnel structure design parameters by Max Lakkonen.
Samenvatting: Presentation about Amsterdam Central Station by Ron Beij.
Samenvatting: Presentation general assembly 2015 by Roland Leucker.
Samenvatting: Presentation about tunnel safety & security by Dr. Götz Vollmann.
Samenvatting: Presentation about the results from the Swedish metro project on fire safety in underground rail mass transport systems by Haukur Ingason.
Samenvatting: Presentation about real time safety management system for road tunnels by Esther Kahlen and Anne Lehan.
Samenvatting: Presentation about operational needs leading to safety research developments by Ulf Lundström.
Samenvatting: Presentation about new energy carriers in underground infrastructures – unanswered questions and research needs by B. Truchot and G. Marlair.
Samenvatting: Presentation about Modeling tunnel ventilation and fires by Francesco Colella.
Samenvatting: Presentation about integrated help reaction chains for enchaincement of security in public transport by Christian Thienert and Christian Homagk.
Samenvatting: Presentation about filling tunnel operation needs by a managing agent by Harmen van Schaik.
Samenvatting: Presentation about experiences of tunnel safety officer by Les Fielding.
Samenvatting: Presentation bridging resources in large crisis management by Michelle Burghardt and Maximilian Wietek.
Samenvatting: Presentation about RAMS analyses of complex technical systems in underground facilities by N. P. HojNiels, Peter Høj and Matthias Schubert (HOJ Consulting).
Samenvatting: Presentation about safety of CERN underground research complex by F. Corsanego.
Samenvatting: Presentation about complex underground multipurpose facilities: safety challenges and solutions by D. Lacroix.
Samenvatting: Presentation about operational safety in the underground facilities of a deep geological disposal of nuclear waste by Denis de Winter, David Claudel and Olivier Cite.
Samenvatting: Presentation about fire safety in metro trains, tunnels and stations by Daniel Nilsson.
Samenvatting: De Handreiking voor multidisciplinaire afstemming bij incidentbestrijding in wegtunnels is door Rijkswaterstaat, meldkamer, veiligheidsregio’s, politie en het Instituut Fysieke Veiligheid (IFV) gezamenlijk ontwikkeld. Het was een proces van overleggen, divergeren, schrijven, reflecteren en convergeren. Uit dit proces bleek dat partijen die betrokken zijn bij tunnelveiligheid elkaar weten te vinden. Iets wat jaren geleden geen sinecure was.
Samenvatting: Dit naslagwerk legt de ontstaansgeschiedenis van het tunnelveiligheidsdenken in Nederland en de achterliggende overwegingen uit, met als doel mensen die nieuw intreden in de tunnelwereld, of mensen die op zoek zijn naar meer achtergrond, beeld en gevoel te geven bij het waarom van vigerende standaardvoorzieningen en -uitvoeringen. De publicatie richt zich vooralsnog uitsluitend op wegtunnels. In deze tweede versie (2018) is een aantal opmerkingen en aanvullingen op de eerste uitgave uit 2016 verwerkt.
Samenvatting: This report identifies factors that contribute to the occurrence and severity of crashes adjacent to and within tunnels and suggests remedial treatments that will reduce the incidence and severity of these crashes. A preliminary examination of recorded road crashes immediately adjacent to and within a selected sample of Australian tunnels found that, while tunnels are relatively safe when compared with other parts of the road network, crashes in or near them are a significant source of road trauma and cause substantial delays to road users across the road network. As road tunnels form an important part of the road network, there is a need to ensure motorists can travel in a ‘Safe System’ consistent with the National Road Safety Strategy 2011–2020. Such a system acknowledges that road users will inevitably make mistakes, and that when they do, they should not be penalised with death or serious injury. The outcomes of the research will help to reduce the risk and severity of crashes adjacent to and within new and existing road tunnels.
Samenvatting: De ondergrond is belangrijk voor winning van drinkwater en energie. Het gebruik van de ondergrond moet dan ook op een veilige, duurzame en efficiënte manier wordt ingevuld. Het kabinet vindt het belangrijk dat gebruikers van de ondergrond mee denken over hoe die ondergrond eruit moet zien.
Samenvatting: Several jurisdictions with critical tunnel infrastructure have expressed the need to understand the risks and implications of traffic incidents in tunnels involving hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. A risk analysis was performed to estimate what scenarios were most likely to occur in the event of a crash. The results show that the most likely consequence is no additional hazard from the hydrogen, although some factors need additional data and study to validate.
Samenvatting: Dit filmpje geeft aan wat te doen als weggebruiker bij brand in de Maastunnel.
Samenvatting: Op 16 december 2016 is in Maastricht de eerste tweelaagse tunnel van Nederland in gebruik genomen. We blikken terug op dit omvangrijke bouwproject, dat het leven van inwoners, bezoekers en (internationale) weggebruikers heeft verbeterd. Door de samensmelting van infrastructuur en gebiedsontwikkeling, en van leefbaarheid en mobiliteit. Een onderscheidend project. Inspirerend. Anders dan anders.
Samenvatting: The Dutch ministery of infrastructure and environment, Rijkswaterstaat is taking on a major challenge in order to achieve its policy objective; 20% energy reduction in 2020 in compare to 2010.
Samenvatting: This paper aims to provide an inside of the durability of tunnel ventilation dampers in road and railtunnel application.
Samenvatting: On 21 May 2014 an accident occurred in the Heinenoord roadtunnel resulting in a fire of aprox 50 MW.
Samenvatting: Modern cities present urban planners with a challange that they have to understand the urban metabolism.
Samenvatting: The effects of electriomobility on escape and rescue from tunnels.
Samenvatting: Tank trailer fire in Skatesraum subsea roadtunnel; lessons learnd and new safety measures.
Samenvatting: Saving of the energy regained from braking processes in netwerk outer areas.
Samenvatting: Surveying and assessment of refurbishment measures and necassery upgrading for stations and tunnels.
Samenvatting: Modern station architecture and its influence of user behaviour.
Samenvatting: Improvement of the cyber security of the tunnel control centres.
Samenvatting: Representation of human behaviour in risk models for tunnel fires.
Samenvatting: Cooling of service rooms in railtunnels to increase lifetimes and minimise maintenance.
Samenvatting: As a result of a research project a concept and tool has been developed for the improvement of the energy efficiency of road tunnels.
Samenvatting: The transport of hydrogen in conventional gas tank, metallic cylinders and composite vessels on the road.
Samenvatting: A process in which an applicant files forms to a (regulatory) agency/competent authority with required narratives, maps, etc., to ensure in advance that the proposed operation will be in compliance with the applicable standards. Permitting requirements are the legal (regulations and standards) requirements.
Samenvatting: Mede op basis van wet- en regelgeving wordt in de Nederlandse wegtunnels regelmatig, op grote en kleine schaal, mono- en multidisciplinair geoefend. Daarnaast worden verbeterpunten van voorvallen opgetekend in evaluatierapporten. Deze handreiking biedt aanbevelingen en suggesties om collectief – tussen organisaties en over regiogrenzen heen – meer te leren van evaluaties.
Samenvatting: The Austroads Guide to Road Tunnels provides high level guidance on the planning, design, operation and maintenance of new road tunnels in Australia and New Zealand. The Guide is designed to be used by engineers and technical specialists in tunnel technology, proponents of road tunnel solutions, senior decision makers, and regulators in the various jurisdictions associated with the construction of tunnels.
Samenvatting: Uit onderzoek in opdracht van Rijkswaterstaat blijkt dat – in geval van een extreem grote brand – er sprake kan zijn van een verminderde brandwerendheid van het beton dat gebruikt is in wegtunnels die na 2008 zijn opgeleverd. Het gaat om de Salland-Twentetunnel (N35), de Ketheltunnel (A4), de Tweede Coentunnel (A10) en de Koning Willem Alexandertunnel (A2). De tunnels van Rijkswaterstaat zijn veilig om te gebruiken, onder andere door de strenge eisen die in Nederland gesteld worden aan brandveiligheid. Tunnels hebben veel veiligheidssystemen om de impact van een brand te beperken.
Samenvatting: Dit document beschrijft de manier waarop binnen Rijkswaterstaat het veiligheidsmanagement is ingericht, met de daarbij gewenste proactieve veiligheidscultuur. De wijze waarop de veiligheid binnen de primaire processen is georganiseerd is nader beschreven in onderliggende kaders en richtlijnen.
Samenvatting: Nederland en België staan aan de vooravond van een groot aantal tunnelrenovatieprojecten. Bij veel van deze renovaties zal een volledige afsluiting van de tunnel noodzakelijk zijn om de werkzaamheden vlot en veilig te kunnen uitvoeren. Deze paper belicht de mogelijkheden en randvoorwaarden van virtueel testen als middel om de duur van een volledige afsluiting bij tunnelrenovaties te verkorten.
Samenvatting: Due to environmental considerations, much current transportation policy development is aimed at increasing usage of renewable energy sources. These include gaseous fuels such as LPG, methane, and hydrogen, along with electricity. This research project focused on a literature review that was intended to research the risks involved in using alternative fuels in road tunnels and underground garages.
Samenvatting: Hoe blus je een brand in een tunnel op een veilige en een effectieve manier? Met een blusrobot!
Samenvatting: Fixed Fire Fighting Systems (FFFS) are commonly in use in building industry. However, FFFS have seen limited use in highway tunnels in the United States. High traffic through many of these tunnels has resulted in fire issues relating to safety and property damage. Higher use of FFFS in other countries (e.g., Japan and Australia) shows high potential in reducing this risk. In order to have a better understanding of this risk and strategies to reduce it using FFFS, this research collects previously collected experimental, computational fluid dynamic (CFD), and cost analysis data of road tunnel fires using FFFS.
Samenvatting: PGS 35 waterstoftankstations en PGS 261 stallen en repareren van aardgasvoertuigen.
Samenvatting: Each project is unique and requires independent project-specific assessment. However, these recommendations represent guidelines and suggestions for the project development with respect to the selections of the tunneling method in general. The recommendations were developed on the 'design - bld - build'procurement model. If other moddels, such as e.g. the 'design-build'are chosen, the general approach will be the same, but with a different allocation of the responsibilities.
Samenvatting: Het aantal tunnels stijgt. Niet alleen landen als Duitsland, Zwitserland, Italië en Noorwegen, maar ook Nederland kent behoorlijk wat tunnels. Er zijn veel mensen die last hebben van een beklemmend gevoel bij het rijden in een tunnel. Dat kan variëren van angst voor onverwachte situaties tot echte claustrofobie. Daarom een aantal tips voor het rijden in tunnels.
Samenvatting: The purpose of this report is to provide a better understanding of user behaviour in roadtunnels in both normal and critical situations and to provide recommendations for tunnel design and operations based on this understanding.
Samenvatting: Report on fire in a heavy goods vehicle in the Gudvanga tunnel on the E16 road in Aurland on August 5th 2013.
Samenvatting: Op deze website wordt de renovatie van de Maastunnel in Rotterdam uitgelegd.
Samenvatting: Conclusions from resent research about longitudinal ventilation in road tunnel fires.
Samenvatting: In UK, the new energy vehicles count 2% of the road vehicles. Across European countries, the percentage of new energy vehicles is in the similar order. •The volume of the new energy vehicles is increasing. The hybrid/electric vehicles market share of total new car sale increased between 2013 and 2015.
Samenvatting: HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS FOR SELF RESCUE? -DETERMINING IF WE HAVE LEARNT SOMETHING LATELY -DO NEW TECHNOLOGIES REALLY PROVIDE GOOD CONDITIONS FOR ASSISTED RESCUE?
Debating if there is enough attention for rail tunnel emergency plans.
Samenvatting: According to the TSI for Safety of Railway Tunnels (SRT) 1303/2014 clause 4.4.2 an Emergency plan shall be developed under the direction of the Infrastructure Manager in cooperation with the emergency response services and the relevant authorities for each tunnel. (The TSI applies to new, renewed and upgraded tunnels which are located on the European Union rail network.) Railway Undertakings intending to use the tunnel shall be involved in the development or adaption of the Emergency Plan. Station managers shall be equally involved if one or more stations in a tunnel are used as a safe area or a fire fighting point.
Samenvatting: De aanleg van de spoortunnel in Delft was niet alleen een technisch hoogstandje: met name het proces naar de ingebruikname is bijzonder soepel verlopen. Met deze publicatie wil de projectorganisatie de geleerde lessen overdragen aan vergelijkbare spoor- en wegtunnelprojecten.
Samenvatting: De Leidraad veiligheidsdocumentatie voor wegtunnels is bijlage 2 bij de artikelen 5 en 6 van de Regeling aanvullende regels veiligheid wegtunnels en artikel 2.13 van de Regeling Omgevingsrecht.
Samenvatting: The report presents the main results of the six large-scale tests with different types of fixed firefighting system (FFFS) that were carried out in the Runehamar tunnel in June 2016. It describes the background to the tests and the performance of the different systems, and draws conclusions regarding the efficiency of the systems.
Samenvatting: Nieuwe kennis over veilig optreden bij moderne voertuigen.
Brandveiligheid elektrische bussen in tunnels.
Samenvatting: De opgeleverde rapportage verschaft de eerste bouwstenen voor de duiding van de risico’s van elektrische bussen in tunnels.
Samenvatting: This papers deals with the operational safety of galleries in case of fire, from the point of view of self-rescue and intervention. The primary focus is on road infrastructures but the main findings and conclusions apply also for galleries on railway networks.
Samenvatting: In general, long road and rail tunnels often connect regions exhibiting different meteorological conditions. This is certainly the case where long mountain ridges are traversed, but is also common elsewhere. Pressure gradients have a large influence on ventilation design as they act as additional forces on the air column inside the tunnel.
Samenvatting: With regard to ongoing developments we recapitulate successful innovations of the tunnel equipment with their benefit and cost in this paper as well as illutions and dilusions. It turns out that man as the element of uncertainty often limits the use of the systems. In theory many of the developments are plausible. In reality, however, difficulties lead to necessary modifications and compromises.
Samenvatting: General report. The Thematic Network FIT ‘Fire in Tunnels’ aims to establish and develop a European platform and optimise efforts on fire safety in tunnels. The Network’s ambition is to develop a European consensus on fire safety for road, rail and metro tunnel infrastructures and enhance the exchange of up-to-date knowledge gained from current practice and ongoing European and national research projects.
Samenvatting: Mobiliteit Studententeam Team FAST van de TU Eindhoven bouwt met ondersteuning van de Eindhovense busfabrikant VDL Bus en Coach ‘s werelds eerste bus op mierenzuur. Eind 2016 moet de bus klaar zijn, en starten de proeven met dit prototype.
Samenvatting: Uitleg van de bouw van de langste landtunnel in Nederland; de Gaasperdammertunnel die in 2020 gereed is.
Samenvatting: Fixed Fire Fighting Systems (FFFS) have been routinely used in road tunnels in countries such as Japan and Australia for decades, and there is increased interest in the use of FFFS in parts of Europe, North America and Asia.
Samenvatting: This report includes the Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Tunnel Safety and Security (ISTSS) held in Montreal, Canada, 16-18th of March, 2016.
Samenvatting: Overzicht van te integreren wetten en rechtsfiguren in de omgevingswet.
Samenvatting: The objective of the task was to list existing detection and monitoring techniques and to investigate reliability of those systems. Further to that the partners tried to identify existing detection and monitoring equipment installed outside tunnelling, which are potential suitable for installation in a tunnel environment as well. As an aftermath of September 11th 2001 events, acquiring information about technology installed in tunnels and much more about technology installed outside tunnel has become a rather problematic issue as operators of large-scale structures are highly cautious in giving details about any respective structure and the installed technology. Related to already installed equipment this was especially to reliability data. Therefore, the investigation on currently installed detection and monitoring equipment in tunnels was not as successful as expected.
Samenvatting: The present analysis have been performed by considering with particular attention all documents reported in the attached bibliography, mainly consisting of specific UPTUN partner contributions. The drawn considerations, anyway, are coming out from data affected by evident limitations. For instance, in the tunnel data elaboration and assessment are drawn with assumption that all fires are similar due to the fact that there is no available information to enable the properties and characteristic of the fires to be determined and analysed (This presents slight errors in the results as all the injuries have been based on similar accidents when in reality some of the fires might have been significantly different from others).
Samenvatting: With a series of recent accidents in the major European alpine road tunnels –Mont Blanc between France and Italy, Tauern in Austria and St. Gotthard in Switzerland – in which some 62 persons died, traffic safety in tunnels has become a burning issue for the public, politicians and experts. Tunnels and underground transport facilities are important means of communication, not only in terms of shorter journeys, but also increasingly out of consideration for the local population and the environment. Generally speaking, important underground transport links are expected to be available without any restrictions and to operate smoothly round the clock. Interruptions due to accidents, technical malfunctions or maintenance work quickly cause traffic jams and delays, and figure in transport policy statistics as economic looses.
Samenvatting: On May 21th 2014 a truck blew out a tyre and crashed into the wall of the Heinenoordtunnel nearby Barendrecht, The Netherlands. On impact the truck instantly caught fire and slided over more than 75 meters to the lowest point of the tunnel. The Rotterdam-Rijnmond Fire Department, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment (owner of the tunnel) and Efectis Netherlands BV collected information about this recent fire, focussed on fire fighting operations, communication during the incident, fire development in the tunnel and the performance of tunnel safety measures like escape doors, ventilation system and tunnel lining.
Samenvatting: The presentations from the Fire Protection and Safety event (23th and 24th of september 2015) are available to view online. Presentations displayed are those with permission from the speaker to publish.
Samenvatting: LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) is een brandbaar gas dat vloeibaar wordt gemaakt door het zeer sterk af te koelen. LNG is een mengsel met als hoofdbestanddeel methaan (aardgas). Daarnaast bevat LNG mogelijk restgassen zoals stikstof, propaan en ethaan. De voordelen van LNG als brandstof zijn de relatief hoge energiedichtheid en de relatief lage uitstoot aan lucht-vervuilende stoffen, zoals CO2 (kooldioxide), NOx (stikstofoxiden) en SO (zwaveldioxide). LNG is een sterk opkomende brandstof voor de transportsector.
Samenvatting: Om meer helderheid te scheppen in de wet- en regelgeving rondom railtunnels, heeft een werkgroep van het COB, in samenwerking met het Kennisplatform Tunnelveiligheid (KPT), een verkenning uitgevoerd. De rapportage gaat onder meer in op de relevante wetsartikelen, de verplichte instrumenten en het proces.
Samenvatting: A series of pre-tests and tunnel fire model scale tests with and without fire suppression were carried out to investigate effects of fire suppression on production of key combustion products including CO and soot. The key parameters accounted for in the tests include fuel type, ventilation velocity and activation time. The results show that fire suppression indeed has influence on production of combustion products especially for cellulous fires. In case that the fire is not effectively suppressed, e.g. when the water density is too low or activation is too late, the CO concentration and visibility could be worse than in the free-burn test. From the point of view of production of combustion products, only fire suppression systems with sufficient capability and early activation are recommended to be used in tunnels.
Samenvatting: The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency’s (MSB) fire database and statistics form the framework for the national statistics of all fires occurred in Sweden during each year. The data base is based on incident reports from the Fire Rescue Services (FRS). Since 2005, bus fires have separate category in the template for the FRS incident report. The purpose of this survey was to map bus incidents related to fire in commercial traffic between 2005 and 2013. The study includes a total of 1255 records spread over nine-year period. The average number of incidents per year related to fire between 2005 and 2013 was 104, which corresponds to 0.73 % of the buses in the commercial traffic. Cause of incidents has not been possible to map due to limitation in the data material. However, the study shows that most fire incidents originate in the engine compartment (61%), and that the wheel well is the second most common origin area of incident (20%). The study also shows that the bus drivers and staff have a very significant role in the initial stage of the fire-related incidents. Bus drivers extinguished the fire in 26 % of the cases prior to FRS arrival to the accident site.
Samenvatting: In de periode september tot en met november 2012 werd het treinverkeer in de Schiphol-tunnel meerdere malen verstoord door brand- en rookmeldingen, waarvan sommige waarschijnlijk onterecht waren. Naar aanleiding van deze incidenten hebben ProRail en NS indertijd aan Horvat & Partners gevraagd een onderzoek uit te voeren naar de incidenten als gevolg van brand- en rookmeldingen die zich voordeden in de Schipholspoortunnel.
Samenvatting: This engineering guidance provides information on the design, installation and maintenance of Water Based Fixed Fire Fighting Systems (WFS) for the protection of tunnels. In order to design a WFS for the use in such Subsurface Facilities or to facilitate the preparation of a project and/or a tender invitation, below are presented a summary of layout basics, essential minimum requirements for the system and preconditions to be complied with by designers, installers and tunnel operators. These bases are no substitute for a detailed planning, but they are to be understood as the fundamentals for such detailed design. They allow minimum requirements to be defined to ensure that fixed fire fighting systems for the use in tunnels are designed, put in place and maintained professionally to provide the required level of protection and reliability.
Samenvatting: VID Fire-Kill together with Entreprise / Bane-Danmark did in April and May 2009 conduct a series of large full scale Tunnel Fire Tests in the Runehammer Tunnel. The tunnel is an abandon 9m wide, 6m high and 1600m long two driving lane rock tunnel located in Åndalsness on the west coast of Norway. The fire tests involved diesel pool fires and solid class A fires with potential heat outputs of up to 100 MW. Three 20m long nozzle pipe protection sections of the VID Fire-Kill Low Pressure Water Mist Tunnel Protection System were installed in the centre line of the tunnel ceiling in the centre of the tunnel. Water Mist from the Nozzle pipes was manually release in the centre of the tunnel when the water pumps were turned on and water at 10 bar water pressure was applied to the nozzle pipe line. By using a manual system release method, the test fires were provided time to developed, and here by to test the protection system in large fires. All test fires were conducted by Sintef NBL. Sintef NBL did also conduct all measurements, data recordings and documentation of the tests and results.
Wat doe je bij een ongeval in een tunnel?
Samenvatting: Hoe handel je bij een ongeval in een tunnel Ongevallen in tunnels komen relatief veel voor, en lopen gelukkig meestal goed af. Er kan een onderscheid gemaakt worden tussen wegverkeerstunnels en spoortunnels. Zoals onder het Noordzeekanaal en bij Schiphol. Een ongeval in een tunnel komt niet perse vaker voor dan een ongeval op de openbare weg.
Samenvatting: In this thesis, human behavior in rail tunnel fires is explored. Descriptive knowledge is presented related to the evacuation of passenger trains, and the subsequent tunnel evacuation to a safe location.
Samenvatting: Deze circulaire strekt ertoe vooraf duidelijkheid te geven over de redenen voor de beslissing om een wegtunnel in een bepaalde tunnelcategorie onder te brengen en over de wijze waarop de Minister tot die beslissing komt. In de praktijk is gebleken dat zowel wegbeheerders als overheden en bedrijfsleven behoefte hebben aan die duidelijkheid.
Samenvatting: 15 juli nam een tanker trailer met 16.500 liter brand in de tunnel na het raken rotswand. Niemand raakte gewond, maar de tunnel werd zwaar beschadigd.
Samenvatting: Besluit lokaal spoor; kinematisch omgrenzingsprofiel: profiel waarbinnen de spoorvoertuigen met alle daaraan bevestigde losse delen, bij een gelijkmatig verdeelde, volle belasting, in bogen met een straal gelijk aan of groter dan een vastgestelde referentieboog blijven; profiel van vrije ruimte: de vrij te houden ruimte boven en naast een spoor waarbinnen zich geen vaste voorwerpen mogen bevinden, om een ongehinderde doorgang van de spoorvoertuigen te waarborgen; referentieboog: boog met een vastgestelde straal aan de hand waarvan het kinematisch omgrenzingsprofiel en het profiel van vrije ruimte worden vastgesteld; werkmaterieel:spoorvoertuigen, niet bestemd voor het vervoer van personen, die gebruikt kunnen worden voor het verrichten van werkzaamheden in het kader van aanleg en beheer van een lokale spoorweg.
Samenvatting: Welke menselijke gevolgen hebben een brand in een bus.
Samenvatting: Op 21 en 22 april 2015 organiseerde het KPT een bijeenkomst over de evaluatie van het incident in de Heinenoordtunnel. Deze presentatie geeft weer hoe het incident geëvalueerd is bij RWS en wat er vanuit de Leertafel van hebben geleerd en welke verbeterpunten zijn of worden doorgevoerd. Johan Bosch gaf vanuit de veiligheidsbeambten van RWS een reflectie op dit incident.
Samenvatting: Op 21 en 22 april 2015 organiseerde het KPT een bijeenkomst over de evaluatie van het incident in de Heinenoordtunnel. Deze presentatie geeft weer hoe het incident geëvalueerd is bij RWS en wat er vanuit de Leertafel van hebben geleerd en welke verbeterpunten zijn of worden doorgevoerd. Nils Rosmuller gaf vanuit IFV reflectie op dit incident.
Samenvatting: Op 21 en 22 april 2015 organiseerde het KPT een bijeenkomst over de evaluatie van het incident in de Heinenoordtunnel. Vanuit Efectis is onderzoek gedaan naar de brandbelasting. De uitwerking van dit onderzoek is in deze presentatie weergegeven.
Samenvatting: Op 21 en 22 april 2015 organiseerde het KPT een bijeenkomst over de evaluatie van het incident in de Heinenoordtunnel. Deze pdf omvat de presentatie van Mark Goudzwaard (Rijkswaterstaat) over de evaluatie van het incident.
Samenvatting: Op 21 en 22 april 2015 organiseerde het KPT een bijeenkomst over de evaluatie van het incident in de Heinenoordtunnel. Deze pdf omvat de presentatie van Remco van Werkhoven (Veiligheidsregio Rotterdam-Rijnmond) over de reconstructie van het incident.
Samenvatting: Tijdens de kennissessie Alternatieve brandstoffen van het KPT op 11 maart 2015 presenteerde Dirk Schaap de ontwikkelingen op het gebied het rijden op verschillende alternatieve brandstoffen zoals CNG, LNG en waterstof.
Samenvatting: In dit memo is een opsomming gemaakt van de vragen die in 2014 geïnventariseerd zijn in de werkgroep Overheidsdiensten - Veiligheid moderne voertuigen en Regiegroep Incidentbestrijding LNG1. Het doel van dit memo is om zo compleet mogelijk antwoorden te formuleren op de vragen van hulpverleners en incidentmanagers. Daarbij is een opsplitsing gemaakt naar voertuigen met vloeibaar (cryogeen) gas (LNG) en gas onder druk (CNG en waterstof). Op sommige punten is het definitieve antwoord nog niet te formuleren. Op die punten zijn de vragen open gelaten en zou verder onderzoek, wanneer dat nodig wordt geacht, uitgevoerd moeten worden.
Samenvatting: In een bijeenkomst over Alternatieve brandstoffen in tunnels gaf Jetty Middelkoop van de brandweer Amsterdam-Amstelland een presentatie over de gevaren van het gebruik van Alternatieve brandstoffen. Ook wordt de aanpak van de brandweer bij brand door alternatieve brandstoffen zoals o.a. CNG en LNG vermeld.
Samenvatting: In dit jaarplan wordt een terugblik over 2014 gegeven en worden de doelstellingen voor 2015 voor het Kennisplatform Tunnelveiligheid weergegeven.
Samenvatting: Een onderzoek naar de invloed van onzekerheden op de overdrachtsfase van grootschalige complexe infrastructurele projecten. Het gedrag van de managers uit de projectorganisatie en de beheerorganisatie staat hierbij centraal.
Samenvatting: Relevante voorschriften Bouwbesluit 2012 m.b.t. brandveiligheid in tunnels.
Samenvatting: De definitie van een veilige vluchtweg is vaak onderwerp van discussie, maar zeker is dat het overdrukventilatiesysteem hier een cruciale rol in speelt. Traditioneel worden overdruk- en tunnelventilatiesystemen als een stand alone-installatie beschouwd. Ontwerpberekeningen van overdrukventilatiesystemen worden gemaakt op basis van verouderde aannames, vuistregels en sterke vereenvoudigingen. Met deze traditionele benadering wordt voorbij gegaan aan het dynamisch gedrag van het ventilatiesysteem als geheel en dat leidt mogelijk, onbedoeld, tot een minder veilige vluchtweg.
Samenvatting: The first policy analysis focusses on the topic of clean buses. This is a hot topic because the introduction of clean buses is necessary in order to reach the EU air quality targets. This document gives in-depth background information to make a decision on which bus to choose.
Samenvatting: Besluit van 25 november 2013 tot aanwijzing van lokale spoorwegen. Wet lokaal spoor per 1-1-2015.
Samenvatting: Het Handboek Tunnelbouw is een digitaal naslagwerk voor het ontwerpen en bouwen van weg- en railtunnels. Het boek biedt inzicht in de civiele aspecten van tunnelbouwprojecten en presenteert potentiële oplossingen in de vorm van praktijkvoorbeelden (best practices).
Samenvatting: Moderne voertuigen, zoals elektrische of hybride voertuigen, komen steeds vaker voor in het straatbeeld. Dit stelt hulpverleners van onder andere brandweer, politie en ambulancezorg voor vragen over de risico’s van incidenten met moderne voertuigen. De Brandweeracademie van het IFV ontwikkelde met financiële ondersteuning van het Ministerie van Infrastructuur & Milieu en de RAI Vereniging een instructievideo over het optreden bij incidenten met moderne voertuigen.
Samenvatting: Veel tunnels in Nederland zijn of worden voorzien van langs-ventilatie •In tunnels kan filevorming optreden •Hoe moet men aankijken tegen de combinatie van filevorming en langsventilatie ? •Zijn er andere mogelijkheden ?
Samenvatting: Alfred Kersaan, operationeel verkeerskundige adviseur RWS Verkeer en Watermanagement Midden Nederland geeft in zijn presentatie aan op welke manier tunneldoseren wordt gehanteerd in de A2 Leidsche Rijn tunnel in Utrecht.
Samenvatting: Onderzoeksrapportage waarin centrale onderzoeksvragen met een directe relatie tot het incident in dit onderzoek zijn: • Hoe heeft het incident feitelijk plaatsgevonden; • Hoe is de afhandeling van het incident feitelijk verlopen.
Samenvatting: In dit rapport wordt onderzocht of uit brandscenario's en kosteneffectiviteit af te leiden is welke functionele- en prestatie-eisen voor bestaande ondergrondse metrostations gesteld kunnen worden.
Samenvatting: Bij de behandeling van de aanvraag voor een bouwvergunning voor diverse tunnelprojecten in Amsterdam bleek dat de toetsing van de veiligheid in de tunnel slecht mogelijk was. Voor de problematiek zijn binnen ALIVe vier oplossingen uitgewerkt.
Veilig en vlot door onze tunnels.
Samenvatting: Nederland is een tunnelland. We hebben veel tunnels en er komen er steeds meer bij. Rijkswaterstaat zorgt bij de helft van de wegtunnels dat u hier veilig en vlot doorheen kunt rijden. Andere overheden, zoals gemeenten en provincies, beheren de overige tunnels.
Samenvatting: The objective of this report is to provide a list of existing legislation, regulations and recognised guidelines regarding operation and safety of road tunnels. It intends to be a tool for all those involved in road tunnel safety. The topics covered by this report are all those related to operation and safety: operational and safety facilities, operational means and procedures, safety approaches, risk analysis and evaluation, etc.
Samenvatting: Veiligheidseisen zijn een verzameling van proceseisen en van bouw- en gebruiksvoorschriften waaraan onderdelen van het tunnelsysteem in ieder geval moeten voldoen. Deze komen in het onderhavige rapport aan de orde.
Samenvatting: Bij een nieuw te bouwen tunnel moeten de organisatorische maatregelen vanaf het prille begin in de planvorming worden betrokken. Eerst nog globaal, in het tunnelveiligheidsplan (planfase) en het bouwplan (ontwerpfase), maar voorafgaand aan de openstelling van de tunnel moeten de procedures voor onder andere verkeersmanagement, incidentmanagement, beheer en onderhoud en opleiding, training en oefening (OTO)gedetailleerd zijn uitgewerkt in een veiligheidsbeheerplan. Dit plan moet bovendien effectief zijn geïmplementeerd. Na de openstelling van de tunnel moet het veiligheidsbeheerplan vervolgens actueel worden gehouden en moet periodiek worden beoordeeld of het plan in de praktijk goed functioneert. Dit gebeurt onder andere op basis van evaluaties van incidenten en calamiteiten die in de tunnel hebben plaatsgevonden.
Samenvatting: Bij een complex project als een tunnelproject zijn er naast 'harde' factoren ook 'zachte' factoren aan te wijzen die kunnen bijdragen aan het slagen (of falen) van een project. Dit rapport biedt concrete handvatten voor het structureel en planmatig managen van die zachte factoren, waardoor gezamenlijke projectdoelstellingen haalbaar worden.
Samenvatting: Op 7 november 2007 installeerde de minister van Verkeer en Waterstaat de commissie Versnelling Besluitvorming Infrastructurele Projecten, mede namens de minister van VROM¹ . De volledige opdrachtformulering is opgenomen in bijlage I. Samengevat heeft de minister de commissie het volgende gevraagd: - Maak een analyse van de werkelijke oorzaken van de vertraging van grote infrastructuurprojecten. - Onderzoek de mogelijkheden om de besluitvorming substantieel te versnellen en draag daarvoor oplossingen aan, met inbegrip van zorgvuldige belangenafweging en inspraak.
Samenvatting: Website met onderzoeken,kaders, richtlijnen en ontwikkelingen over ondergrondse constructies en de daarbij behorende veiligheidsmaatregelen. Het steunpunt heeft een brede deskundigheid op het gebied van risicoanalyses, verkeerskundige aspecten en in het menselijk gedrag bij calamiteiten. Bovendien hanteert het steunpunt een integrale benadering waarbij de preventie van ongevallen, de zelfredzaamheid en de hulpverlening centraal staan.
Samenvatting: In 2010 the Dutch Minister of Transport put forward two important prerequisites regarding the application of additional safety measures such as water mist (which are not explicitly required by law). These concern, 1) the status of proven/non proven technology, and 2) their cost-effectiveness/proportionality, as defined in Dutch Tunnel Law. Regarding these prerequisites, an analysis has been made on the application of water mist in the context of tunnel safety. From time to time it does seem forgotten though, that a sufficient level of safety can be established in several different ways. Simply stacking measures on top of each other, should not be considered a goal in itself.
Samenvatting: De Minister van Infrastructuur en Milieu (IenM) heeft de exclusieve bevoegdheid om beperkingen te stellen aan het vervoer van gevaarlijke stoffen (VGS) door een wegtunnel. In dat geval wordt de tunnel in de VLG-regeling ondergebracht bij één van de tunnelcategorieën uit het ADR.
Samenvatting: Geheugensteun (herkenningstekens) voor chauffeurs die gevaarlijke stoffen vervoeren. In deze brochure staan onderwerpen die belangrijk zijn voor u als chauffeur. Hij geeft aan wat u mag en wat u niet mag. De informatie is gebaseerd op de wetgeving (VLG/ADR).
Samenvatting: Presentatie toepassing landelijke tunnelstandaard bij Waterwolftunnel en Procesbeheersing in realisatiefase bij spoorzone Delft.
Samenvatting: ‘Basisspecificatie TTI RWS Tunnelsysteem’, versie 1.1 beschrijft de basisspecificatie van Tunnel Technische Installaties (TTI's), uitgezonderd de Mens Machine Interface (MMI). Het doel van de basisspecificatie is om daarvan de Vraagspecificaties Deel 1 van de TTI van specifieke tunnelprojecten (ook wel de VS1 genoemd) zodanig af te kunnen leiden, dat er uniformiteit tussen de VS1’s van de verschillende projecten ontstaat. Dit doel volgt uit de standaardisatie van het RWS Tunnelsysteem.
Samenvatting: Vraag aan Commissie Tunnelveiligheid over het opnemen van brandslanghaspels in de Vlaketunnel.
Samenvatting: Tunnels are important infrastructures which facilitate communication between extensive areas of the European Union (EU) and are therefore essential for long-distance transport and the development of regional economies. However, accidents in tunnels, and particularly fires, can have dramatic consequences and can prove extremely costly in terms of human life, increased congestion, pollution and repair costs. The fires in the Mont Blanc (France/Italy) and Tauern (Austria) tunnels in 1999 and in the Gotthard (Switzerland) tunnel in 2001 have highlighted the potential consequences, in human and economic terms, of such accidents in tunnels: dozens of dead and injured, and major European trunk roads blocked for months, if not years. The Commission's concern at this increase in the accident rate led to its White Paper entitled "European transport policy for 2010: time to decide" announcing minimum safety requirements for road tunnels in the trans-European road network. This directive lays down a set of harmonised minimum safety standards dealing with the various organisational, structural, technical and operational aspects. The aim of this directive is to ensure that all tunnels longer than 500 metres, whether in operation, under construction or at the design stage, and forming part of the trans-European road network, comply with the new harmonised safety requirements. Tunnels shorter than 500 metres do not generally need to be equipped with mechanical ventilation systems, as the hot smoke emitted by the fire is naturally stratified.
Samenvatting: The purpose of this document is to provide infor-mation on the minimum requirements for the de-sign, installation and maintenance of FFFS in tunnels for the protection of users, fire services, equipment and the tunnel itself. This document does not comment on fire testing, but expects that all systems installed in tunnels will have passed suitable full scale type testing in controlled test conditions. It is the designer’s responsibility to as-sess and develop the design of any FFFS in ac-cordance with the parameters found to be effective in full scale fire tests. Authorities having jurisdiction shall examine any such design prior to its imple-mentation. The design and installation shall in all cases comply with the relevant national standards.
Samenvatting: Aan deze notitie is een opdracht van het Gezamenlijk MT vooraf gegaan: ontwikkel regionale uitgangspunten voor risicovolle objecten (te starten met tunnels), waarbij de samenhang tussen incidentbestrijding en risicobeheersing is geborgd. Doel: - Bieden van handelingsperspectief voor risicobeheersing en brandbestrijding (in samenhang met elkaar) omtrent tunnelveiligheid - Zorgen voor een bruikbaar format voor regionale uitgangspunten bij andere risicovolle objecten Landelijk is hiervoor nog niets ontwikkeld. Afgeleid van bovenstaande is de insteek om een basis te vormen voor meer landelijke uniformiteit t.a.v. het handelingsperspectief bij brandbestrijding in wegtunnels. Het achterliggende doel hiervan is om op landelijk niveau als brandweer dezelfde boodschap uit te dragen richting onze eigen organisatie en onze partners.
Samenvatting: Deze factsheet behandelt de verkeersveiligheid van tunnels in Nederlandse autosnelwegen. In zijn algemeenheid is het niet te zeggen of ongevallen relatief gezien vaker in tunnels gebeuren dan op open wegvakken. Wel zijn in een tunnel extra risicofactoren aanwezig, zoals de nabijheid van de tunnelwand, de tunnelhelling, beperkte zichtafstanden, in- en uitvoegstroken in of dichtbij de tunnel en grote lichtverschillen bij de in- en uitgang. De verkeersveiligheid in tunnels kan worden verbeterd door vluchtstroken toe te passen waardoor de ruimte tot de tunnelwand wordt vergroot, door de hellingspercentages te beperken en zo snelheids-verschillen te minimaliseren (alternatief is om aparte kruipstroken voor langzaam verkeer aan te leggen), en door eventueel noodzakelijke horizontale bochten ruim in te richten. Verder moeten de tunnelingang en -uitgang zorgvuldig worden ontworpen: de verlichting moet van goede kwaliteit zijn en in- en uitvoegingen en weefvakken moeten vermeden worden, zowel in de nabijheid van de tunnel als in de tunnel zelf, wanneer er geen vluchtstroken zijn. Daarnaast moet de tunnel worden voorzien van een hoogwaardig afvoersysteem voor vloeistoffen.
Samenvatting: Het Havenbedrijf Amsterdam is bezig om een openbare kade in te richten (goede weg er naar toe met verharde opstelplaats) zodat LNG bunkering kan plaatsvinden van een tankwagen naar binnenvaartschepen. Het gaat om de groene kade aan de Amerikahaven (ten noorden van Hydrocarbon hotel, ten zuiden van Cargill). Om inzichtelijk te maken of de activiteiten binnen aanvaardbare externe veiligheidsrisico’s op die locatie kunnen plaatsvinden en passen binnen de kaders van de gebiedsvisie Externe Veiligheid Westpoort, is een kwantitatieve risicoanalyse opgesteld.
Samenvatting: Underground or partial underground tunnels form a very important part of modern road transportation systems. As the development of hydrogen cars advancing into the markets, it is unavoidable in the near future that hydrogen cars would become the users of ordinary road tunnels. This paper discusses potential fire scenarios and fire hazards of hydrogen cars in road tunnels and implications on the fire safety measures and ventilation systems in existing tunnels. The information needed for carry out risk assessment of hydrogen cars in road tunnels are discussed. hydrogen has a low ignition energy, and wide flammable range suggesting that leaks have a high probability of ignition and result hydrogen flame. CFD simulations of hydrogen fires in a full scale 5m by 5m square cross-section tunnel were carried out. The effect of the ventilation on controlling the backlayering and the downstream flame are discussed.
Samenvatting: The paper describes the analysis of the potential effects of releases from compressed gaseous hydrogen systems on commercial vehicles in urban and tunnel environments using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Comparative releases from compressed natural gas systems are also included in the analysis.
Samenvatting: De ontwikkelingen op het gebied van waterstof zullen steeds meer leiden tot een breed gebruik van waterstoftoepassingen in Nederland. Incidenten met waterstof komen niet vaak voor, maar kunnen een grote omvang hebben. Ook kunnen incidenten met waterstof de verdere ontwikkelingen en toe-passingen van waterstof belemmeren. Voorbereiding op dergelijke incidenten is daarom belangrijk. Deze voorbereiding is een gedeelde verantwoordelijkheid van de overheid en initiatiefnemers en dient gericht te zijn op het voorkomen en beheersen van de effecten van een incident. Afstemming tussen de verschillende partijen is hierbij van belang. Deze handreiking kan hierbij een belangrijke rol spelen.
Samenvatting: This work effort was conducted to serve two purposes. The first was to produce a video comparing the severity of a hydrogen and gasoline fuel leak and ignition. The second was to determine why the hydrogen flames videotaped were so easily visible. The videotape was completed and lasted approximately 3.5 minutes. The flame visibility was due to naturallyoccurring particulate matter in the air. The particulate matter contained sodium, which enhances flame visibility.
Samenvatting: Onderzoek van Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid naar brandongeval met aardgasbus te Wassenaar op 29 oktober 2012.
Samenvatting: Er is tot op heden weinig aandacht voor geneeskundige hulpverlening in wegtunnels. Daar is wel aanleiding toe. Niet alleen neemt het aantal wegtunnels in Nederland toe. Ook is het geneeskundig optreden in tunnels complex qua bereikbaarheid, toegankelijkheid en werkbaarheid. De GHOR-afdelingen van de Veiligheidsregio’s Haaglanden en Rotterdam Rijnmond zijn met financiering van de ROAZ-regio ZW Nederland een project gestart om: a. de condities voor geneeskundige hulpverlening in wegtunnels te optimaliseren en b. de hulpverleners voor te bereiden op het optreden in wegtunnels. Hier wordt op de eerste vraag ingegaan: optimalisatie van de condities voor geneeskundige hulpverlening. De rapportage is tot stand gekomen in samenwerking met TNO en de Stichting WtTZ (redactie). De VRU, VCMN en bureau veiligheidsbeambte hebben even-eens bijdragen geleverd.
Samenvatting: De Nederlandse wetgeving voor wegtunnels (Warvw, Barvw en Rarvw) schrijft voor dat een risicoanalyse moet worden uitgevoerd om de veiligheid van wegtunnels te toetsen. Deze bestaat uit een scenarioanalyse (SceA) en een kwantitatieve risicoanalyse (QRA). De bij de SceA te volgen werkwijze is beperkt uitgewerkt. Zo ontbreken eenduidige en transparante beslisregels voor de selectie van te analyseren scenario’s. In opdracht van de Commissie tunnelveiligheid heeft dit onderzoek aan de hand van acht onderzoeksvragen de mogelijkheid van het formuleren van beslisregels onderzocht.
Samenvatting: Dit document geeft een overzicht van de wet- en regelgeving voor de veiligheid in spoortunnels. Met spoortunnels worden tunnels bedoeld die zich bevinden in het nationale spoornetwerk, dat gebruikt wordt voor heavy rail (waarop overigens incidenteel medegebruik door light rail plaatsvindt). Tram- en metrotunnels vallen buiten het bestek van dit artikel.
Samenvatting: The following considerations are the author's personal opinion to the constantly surfacing discussion on the application of water mist as the solution to the safety problem in (road) tunnels.
Samenvatting: Om voor betrokken partijen inzichtelijk te maken welke aspecten bij beoordeling van de tunnelveiligheid van belang zijn en op welke momenten deze aspecten relevant zijn heeft de Veiligheidsbeambte een toetskader ontwikkeld. In deze versie 1.2 van het toetskader is de gewijzigde wet- en regelgeving verwerkt.
Samenvatting: Op deze website van het kennisplatform tunnelveiligheid zijn veel documenten en linken naar kennisproducten vermeld, tevens zijn de gestelde vragen en antwoorden vermeld en is er een mogelijkheid om deel te nemen aan een forum met interessante stellingen.
Samenvatting: Het doel van het totale project is internationaal wetenschappelijk vaststellen hoeveel personen maximaal toegelaten mogen worden tot een gebouw of ruimte, zodanig dat de fysieke veiligheid gewaarborgd blijft, rekening houdend met de bouwkundige eisen van een gebouw en het menselijk gedrag (in noodsituaties). Onder bouwkundige eisen worden hierbij bedoeld het aantal toegangen, de breedte van een vrije doorgang van een toegang, draairichting van een deur van een toegang, loopafstanden, doorgang- en opvangcapaciteit, het mogen samenvallen van twee vluchtroutes en gelijkwaardige voorzieningen.
Samenvatting: RWS wil de markt benaderen om de oplevering van een door alle veiligheidsactoren geaccepteerde, goed gedocumenteerde computerapplicatie RWSQRA 2.0 te versnellen. Deze zal de wettelijk voorgeschreven versie 1.0 moeten gaan vervangen. Dit betekent samenwerking aangaan bij het uitontwikkelen van het theoretische model en bij het verkrijgen van draagkracht bij V&W, BIZA, VROM, NIFV en NVBR. Na de validatie van het theoretische model dient de computerapplicatie RWSQRA 2.0 worden voltooid en te worden geverifieerd.
Samenvatting: Voor de berekening van de risico's in tunnels voor wegverkeer heeft het Steunpunt Tunnelveiligheid. Dit achtergrond document bevat een stapsgewijze beschrijving van het ORA-model.
Samenvatting: Voor de berekening van risico's in tunnels voor wegverkeer heeft het Steunpunt Tunnelveiligheid een model voor kwantitatieve risicoanalyse (QRA) ontwikkeld.
Samenvatting: Een onderzoek naar de mogelijkheden om de zelfredzaamheid van treinreizigers en het treinpersoneel in de eerste tien minuten bij een brand in de Schipholtunnel te bevorderen.
Samenvatting: Het zodanig ontwerpen van vluchtroutes dat niet alleen wordt voldaan aan de minimumeisen in wet- en regelgeving, maar dat ook rekening wordt gehouden met menselijk gedrag.
Samenvatting: Dit document bevat de resultaten expertteam Duurzaamheid, dat onder regie van het COB en de TU Delft heeft onderzocht hoe een duurzame tunnel bereikt kan worden. De punten die door het team zijn uitgewerkt, worden meegenomen in de aanbesteding van de Rotterdamsebaan.
Samenvatting: Bij SE gaat het vooral over klanteneisen, ontwerpafwegingen en gemaakte keuzes. Door deze informatie goed op te slaan, voorkomen we miscommunicatie. Zo vermijden we fouten, vertragingen en schadeclaims.
Samenvatting: Handreiking om proces openstellingsvergunning in de toekomst voorspelbaar te maken.
Samenvatting: De VRC richtlijnen zijn bedoeld om primair de ontwerper, maar ook de overige bij veiligheid betrokken partijen, te helpen om tot een afgewogen basispakket van maatregelen te komen.
Samenvatting: Doel van dit document is het bieden van een handelingsperspectief voor risicobeheersing en brandbestrijding (in samenhang met elkaar) omtrent tunnelveiligheid.
Samenvatting: In deze nieuwe handreiking wordt per voorbeeldscenario aangegeven hoeveel bluswater benodigd is bij een standaardinzet. De bluswaterhoeveelheden zijn bepaald op basis van een ‘deskundigenoordeel’ door de projectgroep van Brandweer Nederland (zie colofon). Bij de bepaling zijn vuistregels voor incidentbestrijdingstactieken en praktijkervaring meegenomen, vanwege de relatie tussen bluswater en alarmering, uitruk- en inzetprocedures.
Topaas, een structurele aanpak voor faalkansanalyse van software intensieve systemen.
Samenvatting: Rijkswaterstaat is bezig om op alle primaire waterkeringen en andere kunstwerken probabilistisch beheer te introduceren. Centraal in de aanpak van probabilistisch beheer is de risicoanalyse, die sturend is in de testintervallen, gegarandeerde reparatietijd en modificaties. Ook het falen van de gebruikte software is gemodelleerd. Voor de initiële inschatting van de faalkans van de software is de TDT-methode ontwikkeld. In praktijk blijkt deze onbetrouwbare resultaten te leveren.
Samenvatting: Het Steunpunt Tunnelveiligheid heeft recente inzichten over de ventilatie van verkeerstunnels gebundeld in het boek "Aanbevelingen Ventilatie van Verkeerstunnels". Deze aanbevelingen zijn gebaseerd op de kennis en ervaring die Rijkswaterstaat de afgelopen jaren heeft opgedaan.
Samenvatting: Movares heeft alle wet- en regelgeving op het gebied van tunnels verzameld sinds de nieuwe WARVW.
Samenvatting: Deze factsheet behandelt de verkeersveiligheid van tunnels in Nederlandse autosnelwegen. In zijn algemeenheid is het niet te zeggen of ongevallen relatief gezien vaker in tunnels gebeuren dan op open wegvakken. Wel zijn in een tunnel extra risico-factoren aanwezig, zoals de nabijheid van de tunnelwand, de tunnelhelling, beperkte zichtafstanden, in- en uitvoegstroken in of dichtbij de tunnel en grote lichtverschillen bij de in- en uitgang. De verkeersveiligheid in tunnels kan worden verbeterd door vluchtstroken toe te passen waardoor de ruimte tot de tunnelwand wordt vergroot, door de hellingspercentages te beperken en zo snelheids-verschillen te minimaliseren (alternatief is om aparte kruipstroken voor langzaam verkeer aan te leggen), en door eventueel noodzakelijke horizontale bochten ruim in te richten. Verder moeten de tunnelingang en -uitgang zorgvuldig worden ontworpen: de verlichting moet van goede kwaliteit zijn en in- en uitvoegingen en weefvakken moeten vermeden worden, zowel in de nabijheid van de tunnel als in de tunnel zelf, wanneer er geen vluchtstroken zijn. Daarnaast moet de tunnel worden voorzien van een hoogwaardig afvoersysteem voor vloeistoffen.
Samenvatting: Het rapport doet verslag van een literatuurstudie naar de gedragsaspecten van veiligheid bij wegverkeerstunnels. Het vormt een onderdeel van een onderzoeksproject over tunnels en veiligheid, dat het Centrum voor Omgevings- en Verkeers-psychologie van de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen uitvoert in opdracht van de Bouwdienst van Rijkswaterstaat te Utrecht.
Samenvatting: Een duurzame weg, het klinkt aantrekkelijk. Maar hoe moet zo’n weg eruit zien? Het Corporate innovatieprogramma liet Arcadis de mogelijkheden onderzoeken. Het rapport ‘Vier duurzame wegconcepten’, dat onlangs verscheen, beschrijft vier wegtypen die elk duurzaam zijn op hun eigen manier. ‘Keuzes maken is noodzakelijk.
Samenvatting: Het 'Handboek Veilig Ontwerp en Beheer' gaat over sociale veilig-heid in relatie tot de vormgeving en het beheer van de gebouwde omgeving. In het handboek worden vuistregels gegeven waarmee ontwerpers, bouwers en beheerders de eigenschappen van de gebouwde omgeving zodanig kunnen beïnvloeden dat de mogelijk-heden voor criminaliteit en overlast worden beperkt en de veiligheidsbeleving wordt vergroot.
Samenvatting: Dit integraal kader gaat in op de wijze waarop RWS de veiligheid binnen haar primaire processen heeft geborgd. Elke RWS’er heeft bijna dagelijks met veiligheid te maken. De één als manager, de ander als projectleider of opsteller van contracten. Medewerkers dienen de beleidsverklaring te kennen en daar naar te handelen.
Samenvatting: SINTEF is the largest independent research organisation in Scandinavia. We create value through knowledge generation, research and innovation, and develop technological solutions that are brought into practical use.
Samenvatting: ITA COSUF is the Centre of Excellence for world-wide exchange of information and know-how regarding safety and security of underground facilities in operation. ITA COSUF - the Committee on Operational Safety of Underground Facilities was founded at the 33rd ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress (WTC) 2005 in Istanbul, following a joint initiative of 8 European research projects which all aimed at an improved tunnel safety. It is one out of four ITA committees and supported by PIARC, the World Road Association. The Committee’s scope concerns the operational safety in tunnels and other underground facilities as well as security.
Samenvatting: Voorschriften ten aanzien van de toepassing, de plaatsing en de uitvoering van enkele in het RVV 1990 opgenomen verkeersborden, onderborden en verkeerstekens op het wegdek.
Samenvatting: Raakvlakken tussen civiel en tunneltechnische installaties.
Samenvatting: Praktijkvoorbeeld van een aanvalsplan van Brandweer Amsterdam voor een waterstofstankstation en een door waterstof aangedreven bus.
Samenvatting: Agentschap NL heeft Kiwa Gas Technology opdracht gegeven om aan de hand van gesprekken met een aantal partijen te inventariseren welke risico’s men ervaart en welke maatregelen men genomen heeft om deze risico’s te reduceren. Kiwa Gas Technology heeft deze ervaringen aangevuld met eigen kennis, de verzamelde inzichten gerubriceerd en geordend, en gerapporteerd aan opdrachtgever middels dit rapport.
Samenvatting: Dit betreft een richtlijn van het Europese parlement en de raad van 19 november 2008 betreft het beheer van de verkeersveiligheid en de weginfrastructuur.
Samenvatting: In deze publicatie vindt u informatie over de verkeersborden en verkeersregels in Nederland. De publicatie is een verkorte versie van de Wegenverkeerswet 1994 en het Reglement verkeersregels en verkeerstekens 1990.
Samenvatting: Naar aanleiding van een drietal branden waarbij tankauto's geladen met gevaarlijke stoffen zijn betrokken heeft de Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid een veiligheidsstudie gedaan. De tankauto's waren geladen met LPG, ethylacetaat en benzine. Hierbij is gekeken naar het optreden van de brandweer, de risico's die verbonden zijn aan het vervoer van gevaarlijke stoffen en meer specifiek naar de gevolgen van lekkende brandstoftanks.
Samenvatting: Dit wetsvoorstel implementeert richtlijn 2004/54/EG pdf icoon inzake minimumveiligheidseisen voor tunnels in het trans-Europese wegennet. De richtlijn heeft als doel het bereiken van een uniform niveau van bescherming in wegtunnels voor alle Europese burgers. Zij bevat enerzijds een aantal organisato-rische en procesmaatregelen, voornamelijk opgenomen in de richtlijn zelf, en een aantal technische voorschriften, opgenomen in de bijlagen bij de richtlijn.
Samenvatting: Het Bouwbesluit is een verzameling bouwtechnische voorschriften waaraan alle bouwwerken in Nederland, zoals woningen, kantoren, winkels, ziekenhuizen, tunnels etc. minimaal moeten voldoen.
Samenvatting: TNO studie naar de gevaaraspecten van het vervoer van nieuwe stoffen zoals waterstof, LNG, CNG, stikstof en kooldioxide als mede de toepassing van een aantal van deze stoffen als voertuig brandstof. Met name is gekeken wat de gevolgen van het gebruik van deze stoffen is voor de QRA-tunnels. Momenteel worden deze stoffen niet meegenomen in de QRA omdat de verpakkingen meestal kleiner zijn dan 100 kg.
Samenvatting: This report aims at gathering the knowledge learned during the InsHyde project, as well on a theoretical point of view as on a practical point of view. This report will focus on the use of hydrogen in confined spaces and the necessary safety measures to be taken. It does not aim at gathering all the documents issued by InsHyde and HySafe on this subject but to give an overview of each topic. References to detailed documents, available via HySafe, will be made in each chapter so that each reader may deepen the subject of interest for him or her. To be fully complete, this report will also make references to existing standards and best practices. In a first chapter, the physical properties of hydrogen will be briefly summarized. In a second chapter, we will focus on the risk control measures to be applied for a safe use of hydrogen indoor. This chapter aims at improving the safety of existing systems and at designing a safe system in an integrated way. In a third chapter, we will focus on the behaviour of hydrogen in potentially accidental situations and this means release, dispersion and of course ignition and explosion. In the fourth chapter we will give a short overview of risk assessment methodology and some examples of what have been done amongst HySafe partners to design safe experiments with hydrogen. At last, all the procedures followed by HySafe partners to design and perform safe experiments with hydrogen (dispersion, ignition, explosion, etc…) are gathered in the annex. The authors would like to thank the European Commission for partial funding of this work through the HySafe NoE project.
Samenvatting: De wegenverkeerswet heeft betrekking op alle voor het openbaar verkeer openstaande wegen of paden met inbegrip van de daarin liggende bruggen en duikers en de tot die wegen behorende paden en bermen of zijkanten.
Samenvatting: Brief van de Commissie Tunnelveiligheid en de Adviesraad Gevaarlijke stoffen aan de minister van I&M waarin om aandacht wordt gevraagd voor het risico van het gebruik van alternatieve brandstoffen in tunnels. Gevraagd wordt om hier nader onderzoek naar te laten doen.
Samenvatting: The National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) and the Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF), with support of government organizations, industries and private sector organizations, initiated Phase II of an international project that aims to investigate the application of current fire detection technologies for roadway tunnel protection. The project includes studies on the detection performance of current fire detection technologies with both laboratory and field fire tests combined with computer modeling studies. In addition, the project includes studies on their reliability and availability in roadway tunnel environment. This paper describes the current status of road tunnel fire detection technologies and reports on the progress of the research project with a view to its goals, scopes and tasks.
Samenvatting: De TIS-matrices en beslisbomen in dit document zijn identiek aan die in Calamiteitenmatrices & Inzetstrategieën HSL-Zuid en Betuweroute, versie 2.0 van 16 oktober 2007, in welke publicatie ze de bijlagen A, B en C vormen. Ze zijn hier in een apart document samengebracht uit oogpunt van handzaamheid.
Samenvatting: Deze checklijst voor gebruikersvergunningen voor tunnels kan als voorbeeld dienen voor diverse gebruikersvergunningen. Het zal het checken met betrekking tot gebruiksfuncties vergemakkelijken en standaardiseren. Naast de diverse gebruikersvergunningen is hierbij natuurlijk de gebruikersvergunning voor een tunnel of tunnelvorming bouwwerk voor verkeer van belang.
Samenvatting: Dit document beschrijft de vier fasen van het langstransport en in hoofdlijnen de activiteiten van de functionarissen van de betrokken organisaties en bedrijven. Dit document is bestemd voor de organisaties van de brandweer en de GHOR in de veiligheidsregio's waarin het HSL-traject ligt. Aan de hand van dit document kan in de preparatiefase een vertaling worden gemaakt naar de procedures en werkwijzen van de functionarissen van de overheidshulpdiensten. Prorail kan een vertaling maken naar de procedures en werkwijzen van de eigen medewerkers die een rol moeten vervullen in de procedure langstranport. De procedure kan worden aangepast op de regionale omstandigheden, mits dat geen gevolgen heeft voor de werkwijze van Prorail, Infra management BV (Infraspeed) en NS Highspeed.
Samenvatting: Met het programma FLACS worden een aantal CFD berekeningen uitgevoerd. Hierbij worden de effecten beschreven van het vrijkomen, en tot ontbranding komen, van door waterstof dan wel door CNG aangedreven personenwagens en bussen. Tevens wordt onderscheid gemaakt naar twee types tunnel doorsnedes. Rectangular and Horsshoe.
Samenvatting: In dit artikel wordt een overzicht gegeven van een aantal alternatieve energiebronnen (ethanol, FAME, Biogas CNG, CBG, DME,waterstof, elektriciteit) en worden trends en omvang van het gebruik beschreven. Ook een aantal restricties in het gebruik die in een aantal landen worden toegepast worden beschreven. Tot slot worden een aantal ongevalscasuistieken beschreven.
Samenvatting: Op 29 oktober 2012 ontstond in Wassenaar brand in een streekbus die op aardgas (CNG) reed. Nadat de chauffeur de bus tot stilstand had gebracht en de inzittenden waren uitgestapt, breidde dat brand zich uit vanuit de motorruimte tot de rest van de bus.
Samenvatting: De overeenkomst is kort en eenvoudig. Het belangrijkste artikel is artikel 2.
Samenvatting: In deze wet en de daarop berustende bepalingen worden onder gevaarlijke stoffen mede verstaan: voorwerpen die zodanige stoffen met gevaarlijke eigenschappen bevatten.
Samenvatting: Deze informatie bevat de regeling inzake het vervoer van gevaarlijke goederen over de weg op artikel 10 van richtlijn 95/50/EG betreft de uniforme procedures voor de controle op het vervoer van gevaarlijke goederen over de weg.
Samenvatting: In deze richtlijn wordt een geheel van geharmoniseerde minimale veiligheidsnormen vastgelegd die betrekking hebben op de organisatorische, structurele, technische en operationele aspecten. Dit was de originele richtlijn. Hierna zijn er nog twee wijzigingen op deze richtlijn aangebracht.
Samenvatting: Krachtens deze richtlijn worden procedures vastgesteld en uitgevoerd met betrekking tot veiligheidseffect beoordelingen, verkeersveiligheid audits, het beheer van de verkeersveiligheid van het wegennet en verkeersveiligheid inspecties door de lidstaten.
Samenvatting: specifieke bijzonderheden van tunnels met betrekking tot operationele en veiligheidseisen. Dit onderdeel gaat in op de geometrische eigenschappen van de tunnels en hun invloed op de werking en veiligheid.
Samenvatting: If tunnels are longer than a few hundred metres, specific equipment is required to enhance safety to the users, both in normal situations and in case of accidents. To reduce the risks of accidents and limit the possible consequences, but also to keep an adequate level of comfort to the users, a large variety of equipment can be installed.
Samenvatting: The materials used in the structures and equipment of a tunnel should neither burn nor produce large quantities of toxic smoke if a fire occurs in the tunnel.
Samenvatting: De Wet aanvullende regels veiligheid wegtunnels (Warvw) is per 1 juli 2013 gewijzigd. De wet geldt voor alle nieuwe en bestaande wegtunnels die langer zijn dan 250 meter.
Samenvatting: Diverse Engelstalige documenten van SINTEF over branden in tunnels.
Samenvatting: Publicaties en onderzoeken over branden in tunnels, van het Zweedse onderzoeksinstituut SP.
Samenvatting: De Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid SWOV is het nationale wetenschappelijke instituut voor verkeersveiligheidsonderzoek. Het is de missie van de SWOV om met kennis uit wetenschappelijk onderzoek bij te dragen aan de verbetering van de verkeersveiligheid.
Samenvatting: The handbook on the scenarios Roadtunnel, Metrostation and Parking lot will be put to the test during a realistic exercise week, planned in June 2011. All civil protection organisations involved in accidents and disasters (fire brigade, police, medical service and public authority) will be actually trained during this exercise week. Also operators working at underground facilities, will be trained during this exercise. Experts in the field participate at the workshops and share their knowledge with the programme makers. The preparations and results of the three ETE-programmes will contribute to a new European network on specific scenarios for underground facilities. The network will enhance cooperation and coordination between public civil protection organisations and operators of infrastructures. Furthermore, successful preventive measures can be tested and trained at the various European training institutes and study centres.
Samenvatting: Algemene informatie over tunnels en tunnelveiligheid van TNO. Link naar databank TNO.
Samenvatting: Diverse documenten via de website van TNO over Gevaarlijke stoffen in tunnels.
Samenvatting: Link naar databank The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. We work with governments to understand what drives economic, social and environmental change. We measure productivity and global flows of trade and investment. We analyse and compare data to predict future trends. We set international standards on a wide range of things, from agriculture and tax to the safety of chemicals.
Samenvatting: Via deze link zijn alle Europese wetten- en regelgevingen op te vragen, onder andere: - Richtlijn minimale veiligheidseisen voor tunnels van het trans-Europese wegennet - Rectificatie van Richtlijn 2004/54/EG van het Europees Parlement en de Raad van 29 april 2004 inzake minimumveiligheidseisen voor tunnels in het trans-Europese wegennet In deze richtlijn wordt een geheel van geharmoniseerde minimale veiligheidsnormen vastgelegd die betrekking hebben op de organisatorische, structurele, technische en operationele aspecten. Deze richtlijn moet ervoor zorgen dat alle tunnels met een lengte van meer dan 500 m, in gebruik, in aanbouw of in de ontwerpfase, die deel uitmaken van het trans-Europese wegennet, te onderwerpen aan nieuwe geharmoniseerde veiligheidseisen. Tunnels die korter zijn dan 500 m hoeven over het algemeen niet te worden uitgerust met mechanische ventilatiesystemen omdat de hete rook van het vuur op natuurlijke wijze in lagen wordt verdeeld.
Samenvatting: Dit document beschrijft wat te doen bij calamiteiten bij het gebruik van een waterstofbus van het type Citaro O-530 BZ.
Samenvatting: De proceshandreiking Veiligheid ondergrondse bouwwerken vervangt de leidraad Veiligheid in ondergrondse bouwwerken uit 1999. Het initiatief voor deze nieuwe handreiking is genomen door het IFV. In de uitwerking heeft het IFV samengewerkt met het Centrum voor Ondergronds Bouwen (COB).
Samenvatting: This paper proposes a method of detecting sensor failure by comparing measured and predicted values of air velocities and pollution concentrations in longitudinally ventilated tunnels.
Samenvatting: A risk analysis as decision making tool for tunnel design and operation in which several risk methods are compared.
Samenvatting: Op 14 december 1992 heeft de Directeur van de Dienst Milieu en Waterstaat van de Provincie Zeeland in zijn functie als projektdirecteur van de Westerscheldeoeververbinding (WOV) prof. ir .drs. J.K.Vrijling van de faculteit der Civiele Techniek van de Technische Universiteit Delft (TUD) benaderd met het verzoek een risico-analyse van het WOV -project uit te voeren. Het zwaartepunt zou daarbij moeten liggen bij de financiële risico's. Doch een oordeel over de technische risico's in bouw-en eindfase maakte in het licht van mogelijke overschrijdingen in bouwtijd en kosten ook deel uit van het verzoek.
Samenvatting: Samenvatting en conclusies van de Strategische Studie Ondergronds Bouwen (COB-studie N710).
Samenvatting: De DC-COB-commissie T118 heeft de emissieverspreiding bij tunnelportalen nader onderzocht om te komen tot een nauwkeurige bepaling van de luchtkwaliteit. In het eindrapport zijn de resultaten van de verschillende deelonderzoeken samengebracht en beoordeeld. Het rapport is daarmee een weergave van beschikbare internationale literatuur en metingen bij tunnels.
Samenvatting: This document investigates and reports in a systematic way the various risks involved in the building process of a bored tunnel in soft soil conditions as present in The Netherlands. Use has been made of FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) and Event Tree and Fault Tree techniques. For every part of the building process an inventory of possible irregularities and their consequences has been made.
Samenvatting: Dit rapport is gemaakt in het kader van het CUR/COB project N110: "Veiligheid tunnels bij calamiteiten en voor gebruikers". Het betreft het eindresultaat van Taak 1 "Inventarisatie veiligheidsvoorzieningen in tunnels". Het beoogde projectresultaat was: "een nationale (en internationale) inventarisatie van de stand van zaken t.a.v. veiligheidsvoorzieningen in tunnels, alsmede van de bij ontwerp en selectie betrokken argumenten en overwegingen (inclusief kosten)".
Samenvatting: Sinds het verschijnen van de risioatlas 1997 zijn door vrijwel alle provincies hernieuwde waarnemingen van het transport van gevaarlijke stoffen uitgevoerd. In dit rapport worden de resultaten van de actualisatie samengevat.
Samenvatting: Het project MAVIT (maatschappelijk aanvaarbaar veiligheidsniveau in tunnels) heeft als doel om een basis te vormen voor de besluitvorming van de veiligheid bij tunnels, overkappingen e.d.
Samenvatting: The lack of systematic regulation is in part the result of limited tools to assess risks and make decisions. This project is a comprehensive package covering both regulatory and technical issues.
Samenvatting: Op verzoek van de Bouwdienst Rijkswaterstaat heeft de Mdeling Industriële Veiligheid van het Instituut voor Milieu- en Energietechnologie TNO een studie uitgevoerd naar de gevolgen voor weggebruikers en omgeving van het vervoer van gevaarlijke stoffen via overkapte wegen.
Samenvatting: Der vorliegende Bericht ist eine Erganzung zum Forschungsbericht "Brand versuche in einem Tunnel", welcher im Heft 50 (Teil 1 und 2) der Schriftenreihe "StraBenforschung" veröffentlicht wurde.
Samenvatting: The key question in this report is: which route is, for a specific location, preferable for transporting hazardous materials, or certain classes of them, and is the transport of these materials acceptable in terms of risk?
Samenvatting: De voorliggende Leidraad Scenarioanalyse beschrijft de binnen het Steunpunt Tunnelveiligheid ontwikkelde methodiek voor scenarioanalyse voor wegtunnels. | 2019-04-19T02:17:26Z | https://www.kennisplatformtunnelveiligheid.nl/kennisbank/ |
Buying a home is probably the biggest investment you will make, with long-term financial ramifications. It calls for many informed decisions and for good advice from a real estate professional. When buying a home, you can learn from the knowledge and skill of a Real Estate Agent. As a Realtor, I subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Realtors, the Texas Association of Realtors, and the local Greater Fort Worth Area Board of Realtors.
What can I do as a Realtor to help you find and buy the right home?
I will help you work out a realistic idea of the home best suited to your needs - size, style, features, location, and accessibility to schools, transportation, shopping, and other personal preferences.
I have access to a listing of all available homes in the multi-list system, can evaluate them in terms of your needs and affordability, and will not waste your time showing you unsuitable homes.
Although the law does not normally require an attorney to review documents or oversee real estate closings, I can provide you with a list of law practitioners to choose from if you would like to use the services of an attorney.
I can help familiarize you with the closing process and I will obtain closing figures in advance of closing for your review and be there with you at the closing of your home.
I can provide you with a list of qualified home inspectors, pest inspectors, surveyors, suppliers, vendors, subcontractors, and help to coordinate inspection appointments.
Most importantly…I will be there for you long after the closing process has been completed for any questions you have in the future…long after everyone else is long gone. Ask me about my Customer Appreciation Program. I want to be your Realtor for Life!!!!
Home sellers won't call you with an offer to buy a maintenance-free home with a wonderful mortgage. You have to find the gems yourself! Only by reading available materials, talking to friends and experts, and spending time looking at different homes, schools, and neighborhoods will you end up with your American dream. Avoid the nightmares by learning how best to buy and maintain a home. I can help you with this because of the resources, education, training, and knowledge I have available…just ask!!! This is what I do everyday and it is experience you can count on!!!
Every important decision needs to be clearly thought out. Developing a home buying plan can help you focus on the important factors and organize the entire process. You may even want to use a binder with sections on house hunting, home financing, service providers, etc. Loan pre-qualifying helps you determine the home price you can afford and presents you as a genuine prospect to the seller. A lender typically uses the 28% formula (your monthly mortgage can't exceed 28% of your monthly income) in approving your loan, but can be higher based on the loan type and your credit score. Planning your actions and getting pre-qualified will keep you out of the panic mode, allow you to take advantage of opportunities, and most importantly, risk losing money. A thorough plan will save both time and money! Decide how much money you have to work with, where it is coming from, what type of loan is best suited for you (fixed, adjustable, FHA, VA, Conventional, USDA, etc.), and get all the required documentation together ahead of time to save time and frustration. Getting a mortgage pre-qualification letter also allows you to shop for your home with confidence too!!! This can be done quickly and easily. Ask me for a list of lenders that my previous clients have had great experience with…I can help you avoid some of the nightmares that exist out there!!! My previous experience in mortgage lending really helps out in this arena.
The days of 10-30% annual appreciation have passed. Homebuyers in the 1970's benefited tremendously from what seemed like ever appreciating home prices. Nowadays, you're looking at slow growth while guarding against the possibilities of falling prices, skyrocketing ARM rates and corporate layoffs that can dramatically affect your home values. The classic rule of buying the worst house in the best neighborhood still applies. If you buy with an eye towards improvement, you can customize the home to fit your needs. The saying, "make money buying a home, not selling one," should keep you focused on the long-term importance of the purchasing price. Location, location, location is now accompanied by value, value, value!!! Ask me about a comparative market analysis on the purchase of that pre-owned or new home, so you can see how that home compares value-wise to others in that area you are interested in. Newer homes provided by Homebuilders may make you think you are getting a “bargain” with all the incentives that they throw out at you, but the reality may show something quite different. That is especially why a Realtor is important to have when negotiating any purchase with a Homebuilder. A Homebuilder’s incentives that are given to a Buyer are always tied to that Buyer’s ability to negotiate…and most Buyer’s do not have the skills nor the tools available to get the real value, much less the real story and every Homebuilder knows this!!!
When shopping for a home, list the features (fireplace, fenced-in yard, new appliances, etc.) that are most important to you in deciding on which home to buy. Establishing "your criteria" early on will save time shopping for inappropriate homes and may keep you from buying a home on a whim. As detailed in Tip #3, your top reason for buying a home should be the value you are getting as well as the location and lifestyle change you are searching for. Some of your top 10 amenities should logically be sacrificed if an incredible value is available and the location is right.
You are about to make one of the most important decisions that will affect both your life and the life of the seller. If you take time to understand the reasons the seller bought the home, their reasons for selling (which is sometimes hard to find out), and the home improvements they have or have not made, you'll be in a better position to evaluate the home and negotiate a better deal. This is usually an emotional time for the Seller as well as you.
One of the biggest decisions to make before putting a contract on a home is how to finance the purchase. How much money do I have to have and when do I have to have it? How much are the closing costs and will the Seller help out with these? Should I go FHA, VA, Conventional, or USDA? Fixed rate or adjustable rate? What do I have to get together for my loan application? There are 10,000 lenders competing for your mortgage business. The days of simply walking into the community bank and negotiating with the loan department manager are over. Today, you can apply for a loan over the Internet or even use a mortgage broker to shop for your loan with hundreds of lenders. When choosing a lender, you want to avoid apples to oranges contrasts by comparing fixed rates to fixed rates, not fixed to ARM's. What appears to be a great interest rate can be skewed by higher loan fees and closing costs…compare APR’s. Again, ask the lender to provide a Good Faith Estimate and Truth-in-Lending Disclosure Statement as this will answer a lot of questions up front. Need some help or advice on what to do once you have it…again, I am just a phone call away!!!
To protect both you as a buyer, as well as the seller, it is a good idea to purchase or negotiate a home protection plan or what is commonly called a “residential service contract”. What exactly is it? A home warranty, or home protection plan, is a service contract, normally for one year, which protects homeowners against the cost of unexpected repairs or replacement of their major systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear. It can also cover swimming pools, wells, and septic systems as well. A negotiable contract between the buyers and sellers which does not overlap or replace homeowner's insurance policy, this type of warranty can save the new homeowner lots of headaches, as well as put seller's fears to rest. The warranty covers mechanical breakdowns, while insurance typically repairs the related damage. For example: if a hot water heater burst and destroyed a wall in your home, the warranty would repair the water heater and your insurance would pay to fix the wall. This is usually negotiated “up front” in your offer to purchase a home and I always recommend it!!! There are also many companies to obtain this type of warranty with. Ask me for a recommendation!!!
They can be. A foreclosure property is a home that has been repossessed by the lender because the owners failed to pay the mortgage. Thousands of homes end up in foreclosure every year, and we are experiencing a record high in these foreclosures recently and everyone is tuned-in to looking for that “great buy"!!! Economic conditions affect the number of foreclosures, too. Many people lose their homes due to job loss, credit problems, and/or unexpected expenses.
It is wise to be cautious when considering a foreclosure. Many experts, in fact, advise inexperienced buyers to hire an expert to take them through the process. It is important to have the house thoroughly inspected and to be sure that any liens, undisclosed mortgages or court judgments are cleared or at least disclosed. And not every foreclosure is handled and purchased in the same manner as there are many types of foreclosures and pre-foreclosures, commonly called “short sales”!!! Just know thoroughly what you are getting into!!!
Yes. Judicial foreclosure action is a proceeding in which a mortgage, a trustee or another lien holder on property requests a court-supervised sale of the property to cover the unpaid balance of a delinquent debt.
You should be aware that foreclosure properties are sold "as is," meaning limited repairs have been made but no structural or mechanical warranties are implied. HUD may also require a “repair escrow” before you can obtain an FHA loan on these properties.
You can only purchase a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development property through a licensed real estate broker, who places a bid on your behalf electronically and by certain deadlines. This is serious business and once an offer is made electronically, there is NO turning back or changing your mind and the government does NOT take kindly to bidders doing so, as this could prevent another purchaser from obtaining the home and is considered fraud.
You can only purchase HUD-owned properties through a licensed real estate broker. I can obtain a list of HUD-owned properties for you, depending on the area you are most interested in…just ask!!!
Buying a foreclosure property can be risky, especially for the novice. Usually, you buy a foreclosure property "as is," which means there is no warranty implied for the condition of the property (in other words, you can't go back to the seller for repairs). The condition of foreclosure properties is usually not known because an inspection of the interior of the house is not possible before the sale. Most of the time, electricity, gas, and water are turned off!!!
In addition, there may be problems with the title; though that is something you can check out before the purchase.
Maybe. One reason there are few bidders at foreclosure sales is that it is next to impossible to get financing for such a property. You generally need to show up with cash and lots of it, or a line of credit with your bank upon which you can draw cashier's checks.
Many experts recommend that before you make such an investment, first find the least desirable house in the best neighborhood. Then do the math to see if what it would cost to bring up the value of that property to its full potential market value is within your budget. If you are a novice buyer, it may be wiser to look for properties that only need cosmetic fixes rather than run-down houses that need major structural repairs. And as always…GET A HOME INSPECTION!!!
Yes. Qualified rehabilitated buildings and certified historic structures currently enjoy a 20 percent investment tax credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses and local taxing entities have substantial property tax breaks for these homes. A historic structure is one listed in the National Register of Historic Places or so designated by an appropriate state or local historic district also certified by the government. These are very hard to find as well!!!
The tax code does not allow deductions for the demolition or significant alteration of a historic structure and Homeowner’s Associations have definite rules as to what you can and cannot do in the repair of these homes (down to the last doorknob replacement), as well as some Architectural Control Committees and City governments and this could cost you more than you think you may be prepared for.
Plans and specifications for the proposed work must be submitted for architectural review and cost estimation, usually to more than one entity, so be prepared as this usually and dramatically slows down the process. Even the smallest details can be scrutinized. Mortgage proceeds are advanced periodically during the rehabilitation period to finance the construction costs.
KEYWORDS HERE ARE: DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND BE PREPARED!!!
Yes. If you need a home loan to buy a "fixer-upper" and remodel it, look at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 203(K) loan program. The program is designed to facilitate major structural rehabilitation of houses with one to four units that are more than one year old. Condominiums are not eligible.
While hiring contractors recommended by friends is usually a safe route, never hire a construction professional without first checking him or her out. Also, call your local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints on file. Ask for references and check them out or ask me for a list of suppliers and subcontractors that our office recommends based on work and relationships already established!!!
Depends. Remodeling magazine produces an annual "Cost vs. Value Report" that answers just that question. The most important point to remember is that remodeling a home not only improves its livability for you but its "curb appeal" with a potential buyer down the road.
Just ask…they are everywhere. You can find distressed properties or fixer-uppers in most communities, even wealthier neighborhoods. A distressed property is one that has been poorly maintained and has a lower market value than other houses in the immediate area.
While condos never had the kind of appreciation experienced by single-family homes in the go-go 1980s, most ultimately have not lost value, say some experts. And with high prices in many urban markets and more single homebuyers in the market than ever before, the market for condos is strong, especially in downtown Fort Worth and it’s Cultural District.
Condominiums have held their value as an investment despite economic downturns and problems with some associations. In fact, condos have appreciated more in the past few years than when they first came on the scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, experts say. The rise of the Baby Boomer generation should continue the trend.
While there are lots of reports about homeowner's association disputes and construction-defect problems, the industry has worked hard to turn its image around and sales, especially in Fort Worth are on the rise!!! Elected volunteers who serve on association boards are better trained at handling complex budget and legal issues, for example, while many boards go to great lengths to avoid the kind of protracted and expensive litigation that has hurt resale value in the past.
Meanwhile, changing demographics are making condominiums more attractive investments for single homebuyers, empty nesters, baby boomers, and first-time buyers in expensive markets.
When run properly, homeowners associations maintain the common grounds and keep civility in the complex or neighborhood. If you follow the rules, the association should not intrude on your privacy or cost you too much in association dues.
Call and meet with the association president. If you are the type of person who despises intrusions into your private life and the president seems more interested in gossip about the residents than maintaining the property, this may not be the right condo complex or neighborhood for you.
If you are buying a rental income property and applying for a loan to do so, the lender will require an area rent survey by a certified appraiser and appraisers are under tight scrutiny these days not to overstate this. The amount a landlord can expect to receive in monthly rent largely depends on what the property has rented for in the past, the condition of the building, its location and the current housing market.
Lenders also look at other cash-flow considerations. They want to know if you have enough reserves on hand to cover predictable and unforeseen expenses, such as property insurance, taxes, regular maintenance and repairs, as well as potential vacancies.
Some real estate experts predict that vacation homes will appreciate in value due to rising demand from the aging Baby Boom generation. You also can depreciate the property if you live in the house less than 14 days a year. Always consult a professional Tax Consultant about any questions regarding any new tax laws that may have taken effect recently though.
Shopping for the best interest rate possible has always been the consumer's primary objective when borrowing money. As well it should be! The challenge with this strategy is that there is much misleading information released on the subject by various media. Internet web sites and email marketing, along with other media such as radio, television and billboard advertising, have brought the importance of interest rates to the forefront of consumers' minds. The problem for the consumer with this type of marketing is that it is designed to make the lender's phone ring. Often, the advertiser offers a ridiculously low interest rate, with the intent of using a "bait-and-switch" technique once the client is reeled in. This is often done through short pricing. Short pricing is a term that is used when a lender offers an extremely attractive interest rate, but that rate is only locked-in for a very brief period of time. The average consumer enters into a purchase contract to buy a home for at least 30 days. Pricing on an interest rate locked in for a 7-day period is of no use to most prospective home buyers. It simply isn't enough time to complete the transaction. While the billboard advertising or Internet banner ad may boast a terrific rate, the lock-in period is often not realistic in terms of providing enough time to negotiate a purchase contract and close the deal. Be very careful when shopping for interest rates. Make sure that when you are quoted a rate, you are asking the broker what the lock duration is. Make sure that lock period allows you enough time to complete your purchase transaction. Another common marketing ploy that makes interest rates appear attractive is geared around the manner in which fees are presented. All lenders are required by law to state the real cost of the financing through the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) each time an interest rate is quoted in advertising. APR takes many of the fees associated with the loan into consideration, and it is usually listed in fine print as a disclaimer. Advertisers often list a low interest rate in large bold type, but the higher APR indicates in fine print that several points are being charged to get that rate. While APR can be helpful in comparing rates seen in advertising, it is important for consumers to know that lenders use different methods to calculate APR. Hence it is not an entirely failsafe method for comparing interest rates. Additionally, the consumer must take into consideration that the interest rate is not the only important factor in obtaining financing. Another equally important question to answer is, "How long do you need to borrow this money?" The length of time you need to borrow the money has a profound impact on whether or not you should be paying upfront fees (points), and likewise has bearing on your loan program selection. Statistically, homeowners move every 7 to 10 years. One of the common mistakes made by home buyers is automatically selecting a 30-year fixed rate loan program for financing instead of evaluating other options. The chance of needing the financing for 30 years is actually slim-to-none. If the buyer is somewhat transient in their job or is planning a family in the near future, the home may not really meet their long-term needs. Buyers are often solicited with programs that are contingent upon 30-year financing. The interest rates that are offered, regardless of how low they might be, are often irrelevant as rates are dependent upon several factors, including down payment and credit score. If a buyer has at least 5% for a down payment, an interest rate that is fixed for three, five or seven years may be a much more realistic option. This allows the buyer to capitalize on a low introductory rate and save a significant amount of money, which can then go toward the down payment on their next home. It is of utmost importance to work with an experienced loan consultant that understands some of the practical aspects of financial planning. A well-versed consultant will ask you many questions about your short- and long-term goals, and assist you in choosing a loan program that is truly suited to those goals.
The process of purchasing a home is often much more complex than the average individual expects it to be. Items involved in your purchase contract can have a significant impact not only on the success of your purchase transaction, but on your stress level as well. I have listed out some of the important items you should be aware of, that require you to make decisions as a buyer entering into a purchase contract.
Loan contingency is the period of time the seller is giving you to obtain full, formal loan approval. It is important to include a financing contingency in your offer, as it makes the transaction dependent on you receiving the mortgage you've applied for. It specifies your cancellation rights if you are unable to obtain financing. This contingency is typically between 15 and 30 days depending on what has been negotiated in the contract. The earnest money deposit you make at the time the offer is accepted will be put in jeopardy once the contingency for the loan has expired. In fact, pursuant to the terms of the contract, if the loan contingency has expired and you fail to close the purchase transaction, you could lose your earnest money deposit and not have the failure of obtaining loan approval to lean on as an excuse. Written pre-approval will help to eliminate problems in this area. Please note: pre-approval is not the same as pre-qualification.
Seeking pre-approval for financing prior to making an offer on a property is a sound strategy that can help you get the best deal possible, especially if you plan to make a minimal down payment. The seller is often leery of the stability and reliability of the buyer if the buyer is only capable of making a down payment of 10% or less. This can cause the buyer to lose a significant amount of negotiating ability, by being perceived as a weak buyer rather than a strong one. This is why it is very important to get full loan credit approval in advance and provide a written confirmation of the loan approval when an offer is made. This shows it is a done deal and you are perceived to be a cash buyer.
The contract period is the period of time in which all due diligence must be completed, including obtaining loan approval, property appraisal, home inspection reports, termite inspection, etc. Give yourself enough time for all due diligence to be completed for this very important purchase you are about to make. Typically, purchase contracts are drawn up for a period of 30, 45 or 60 days. However, it is really not uncommon for a purchase contract to be written with terms in excess of 60 days if the parties involved need that long of a period to complete all aspects of due diligence.
As part of the negotiation in your purchase contract you and the seller will mutually agree upon the amount of time needed to complete all the home inspection procedures that are required. Utilizing an outside third party service to complete these inspections is highly recommended. You will be provided with a report by the home inspection company that you should review very thoroughly to make sure there are no material defects in the property that you were not aware of, and which could subsequently have an impact on the value of the property. Once your home inspection contingency has expired, you no longer have the leverage to go back and renegotiate with the seller to resolve any issues revealed by the home inspection. If there are material defects, you and your real estate agent should renegotiate either a reduction in the purchase price to offset the cost of any necessary repairs or having the seller make the repairs prior to the close of the transaction. Buyers with limited cash reserves should most likely negotiate to have the repairs made prior to closing.
A termite inspection is required by the lender if it is listed in the purchase contract. The lender may also require an inspection if the appraisal states there is evidence of termite damage. On FHA loans inspection is required only under the following circumstances: when there is evidence of active infestation, if mandated by the state or local jurisdiction, if customary to the area, or at the lender's discretion. If termites are present it is up to both parties to determine who will be responsible for the remedy of the problem. When you negotiate your contract make sure you state up front whether you want the property checked for termites.
It is often the case that when the buyer and seller are unable to agree upon a specified closing date for the transaction, the real estate agents will negotiate a "rent or lease back" period. This means the transaction closes, the loan funds and ownership of the property is transferred into the buyer's name, but the buyer does not take occupancy of the property until several days later. In this scenario, the buyer sets up a rental agreement, in which the property is leased back to the seller. An important footnote to this somewhat common strategy is to make sure the seller is not occupying the property in a lease agreement for more than 30 days after the close of the purchase transaction. This would constitute a non-owner occupied purchase in the lender's eyes, and would cause the terms of the loan to change radically.
Depending on the seller's eagerness to close the transaction, the seller of a property will often become aggressive and offer to pay some or all of the closing costs, origination points and/or pre-paid items (interest, hazard insurance, tax escrows) associated with the purchase on the buyer's behalf. This common strategy can be very beneficial to the buyer, particularly if the buyer is short on funds to close. It can also be the vehicle that effectively drives the interest rate down and provides the buyer with a more affordable monthly payment. Note that there are limitations on how much the seller is permitted to contribute, depending on the loan-to-value ratio. The typical seller contribution is from 3% to 9% of the purchase price, based on the size of the down payment. Seller contributions may sometimes be isolated to non-recurring closing costs and/or origination points only. The lender will not permit the seller to contribute funds back to the seller after the close of the transaction to accommodate repairs to the property. Items such as roof leakage or new carpet cannot be covered by any seller contribution clause.
Origination points are often misunderstood. Points are nothing other than interest paid at the time of closing to obtain a lower interest rate on a loan. One point is equivalent to 1% of the loan amount. If you are going to borrow $300,000 on your loan, one point would equal $3,000. This generally generates 1/8 to 3/8 of a percent lower interest rate, depending upon the loan program. When does it make sense to pay points? Paying points is a prudent financial move, if you are planning to be in the loan for a long period of time. Again, one of the most important questions to address when you borrow money is, "How long do you need to borrow this money?" This will answer the two all-prevailing questions you will have, which are 1) Should I pay points? And 2) What loan program is best for me? Notice that the question is not geared to, "How long do I plan to live in the home?" but more appropriately, "How long am I likely to be in this loan?" How long you will be in the loan is not only affected by the tenure that you own the home, but also the probability of seeking a refinance at some point in the future. As a general rule of thumb, you will need to be able to recuperate the total cost of the points in a period of time that is less than the amount of time you will need to borrow the money. Here's an example. Let's say you are going to borrow $300,000 for your mortgage, and choose to pay one point, which equates to an initial up front cost of $3,000. If paying one point up front saves you $100 a month, this means it will take you 30 months or 2.5 years, to recuperate the cost of the point that you paid. If you refinance the home anytime before that 30-month mark, or decide to sell the home, you will have effectively wasted money. However, if you keep that loan for longer than a 30-month period of time, it is a prudent financial move. When deciding whether or not you should pay points, take into consideration where interest rates are at when you seek financing, and compare that to historical market trends. When interest rates are at historical lows, it makes much more sense to pay points, especially if you think you will live in the property for an extended period of time. Historically low rates, combined with the fact that you know you do not intend to move would indicate you will have longevity in the loan. It is unlikely rates will go down, giving you incentive to refinance. Rates are cyclical. When interest rates are off of their historical lows, and higher than they generally are, we know that there is a strong likelihood rates will eventually come down. This is certainly no time to pay points. The chances of refinancing at some point in the future are extremely high, and therefore, you would not need to be in this loan for a long period of time.
Your credit score is a major factor that will be considered by the lender when they review your loan application. They want to know what your credit history is, and whether you have the ability to pay back the loan you are requesting. In short, good credit translates into lower rates for the home buyer and less risk to the lender. Credit scores can range between a low score of 300 and a high of 850. The higher the client's score is, the less likely they are to default on their loan. We will run a credit report to determine what your credit score is, and if necessary, we can point out some simple ways to help you improve your credit score without enlisting the help of a credit repair service. Once you fill out a loan application and enter into the loan process, you should not run up your charge cards or make any major purchases! You also should not apply for any other type of new credit, as this could negatively impact your credit scores. Today, many programs limit your borrowing ability if you have a low credit score. If you do have a low credit score you may still be able to obtain financing, just be prepared for both a higher interest rate and higher down payment requirements. While you may not get the interest rate you had hoped for, it is an opportunity to start building up your credit again. Once you begin making mortgage payments on time and in full, your credit standing will improve and we can seek to refinance you at a lower rate as soon as the opportunity arises. Sometimes we may determine the need to refer you to a credit repair specialist. In some cases, borrowers have seen significant improvement in their credit scores in as little as 3 to 6 months, allowing them to qualify for the mortgage they desire. If you haven’t received a copy of your credit report or haven’t seen it in quite a while…you can obtain one for free once a year…just ask me how!!! Mistakes are made, even by the 3 credit bureaus, so it is always a good idea to stay “on top” of it and regularly!!!
Lenders attach pre-payment penalties to loans to ensure that the loan will be profitable for them. As a general rule of thumb, I do not suggest that you accept a pre-payment penalty as a part of your loan structure. One of the most important aspects of financial planning is to have options with your money. Restrictive clauses such as a pre-payment penalty can prohibit you from maneuvering when it is necessary or when other opportunities arise. If you want to accept a pre-payment penalty clause in your loan, it is much more advisable to go with a "soft pre-pay." This only penalizes you in the event of a refinance, but not if you decide to sell the home. Interest rates have dropped significantly many times over the last 15 years. Many homeowners have not been able to take advantage of lowered rates by refinancing, because their hands have been tied by a daunting pre-payment penalty. Pre-payment penalties will generally provide you with a slightly lower interest rate in exchange for the pre-payment penalty clause. Mortgage professionals will sometimes push the benefits of a pre-payment penalty so they can beef up their commission. Be very leery of this type of sales pitch!
A junk fee is a derogatory term defining extra fees, which are charged as a dollar figure rather than a percentage of the loan amount. It is important to know that you can often negotiate these fees down or have them removed if they have not been properly disclosed to you. The lender is required to provide you with a Good Faith Estimate disclosing their fees within three days of your application. Fees associated with the following are NOT considered junk fees: appraisal, credit report, escrow or attorney fees, title search, title insurance, document recording, notary, tax service, flood certification, title endorsements, courier, and survey. These are legitimate fees charged by third parties and are necessary to complete the transaction.
A mortgage in which the interest rate is adjusted periodically based on a pre-selected index and margin, also referred to as the renegotiable rate mortgage.
The interest rate that reflects the cost of a mortgage as a yearly rate. This rate is likely to be higher than the stated note rate or advertised rate on the mortgage, because it takes into account points and other credit or closing costs. The APR allows home buyers to compare different types of mortgages based on the annual cost for each loan, however not all lenders calculate APR the same way.
This is when the lender and/or home builder subsidizes the mortgage by lowering the interest rate during the first few years of the loan. While the payments are initially low, they increase when the subsidy expires.
This is a short-term interim loan for financing the cost of construction. The lender advances funds to the builder at periodic intervals as the work progresses.
Prepaid interest assessed at closing by the lender. Each point is equal to 1% of the loan amount, i.e., two points on a $100,000 mortgage would equal $2,000. Discount points are charged to reduce the interest rate.
Down Payment Assistance Programs are funds given to buyers to assist with the purchase of a home. Buyers do not have to repay these funds. There are two types of DPAs: those involving seller contributions and those provided by the government which are usually local programs. Most of these programs disappeared in 2008.
A loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration open to all qualified home purchasers. While there are limits to the size of FHA loans, they are generous enough to handle moderately-priced homes almost anywhere in the country.
All types of Mortgage Insurance protect the lender in the event of default. There are two types of FHA Mortgage Insurance. Up-front Mortgage Insurance (MIP), paid at closing and Monthly Mortgage Insurance, paid monthly with the mortgage payment. Upfront premiums range from 1.25% to 2.25% of the loan amount and monthly premiums range from 0.50% to 0.55%, depending on the borrower's credit score and the loan-to-value.
Mortgage loans with special qualifying terms for those who have never owned real estate or have not in the previous 3 years. Although the programs and terms vary by state, they often offer down payment and closing cost assistance.
Loan-Level Price Adjustments are automatic, cumulative fees based on credit scores and the amount of your down payment. Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC) levy these fees on borrowers with credit scores below 720. They have nothing to do with the mortgage company or its various products and cannot be negotiated away.
Negative amortization occurs when the monthly payments are not large enough to pay all of the unpaid balance of the loan, therefore increasing the loan balance and going in a "negative" direction. In this particular scenario, a borrower can literally end up owing more money than they originally borrowed. The reason that this occurs is because on a negatively amortized loan, the borrower is given several different payment options.
OPTION 1: To pay what is known as the fully indexed payment. This is the margin plus index on the adjustable. This payment, which is typically the highest of the options, will prevent you from going negative.
OPTION 2: An interest only payment. You would not be going negative by making this payment either, but you would not be decreasing the principal balance on your loan. This is because you are paying only the interest portion and no additional principal to your loan.
OPTION 3: (And the one that most often gets people into trouble...) The negatively amortized payment.
This is a payment that not only does not cover the principal, but doesn't cover all of the interest owed on the monthly payment, therefore accruing negative equity as a result.
Fee charged by a loan originator to provide the borrower with a lower interest rate. Usually charged as a percentage, each point is equal to 1% of the loan amount.
Also known as total monthly housing expense, this is an acronym for the principal, interest, taxes and insurance.
"Piggy Back Loan" is a slang term, which really is another way of describing 1st and 2nd mortgages that close concurrently. In today's mortgage lending environment, obtaining a piggy back loan can be very difficult if a borrower has less than 20% for a down payment. In such instances, obtaining one mortgage with Private Mortgage Insurance may be the only option. See Private Mortgage Insurance.
In the event that you do not have a 20% down payment, the lender may allow a smaller down payment, sometimes as low as 3%. However, with a smaller down payment, borrowers are usually required to carry private mortgage insurance on the loan. Private mortgage insurance comes in two forms: upfront, paid at closing, and monthly. A lender may require some combination of both upfront and monthly mortgage insurance. The amount required is determined based on program type, property type, credit score and loan-to-value.
Title insurance protects a real estate owner or lender against any loss or damage they might experience because of liens, encumbrances, or defects in the title to the property, or the incorrectness of the related search. It protects against claims from various defects such as another person claiming an ownership interest, improperly recorded documents, fraud, forgery, liens, encroachments, easements and other items that are specified in the actual policy.
Approves (or declines) funding to potential home buyers, based upon factors such as credit, employment, assets, etc., and matches approved risks with appropriate rates, terms and loan amounts.
Mortgage loans available to eligible US veterans. VA guaranteed loans are made by private lenders, such as banks or mortgage companies, for the purchase of a home for a buyer's own personal occupancy. These loans offer competitive rates and require little or no down payment.
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FROM RE/MAX of Corsicana & LakeSide Dreams!
1. Apply for your new mortgage and complete any forms requested.
3. Speak with an insurance agent concerning what insurance is required and when. Do you need riders to cover your valuables during the move? Are they covered while in your car? Against theft? Damage? To what extent?
4. Make sure all insurance companies know of your move, including homeowner's or renter's insurance and your automobile insurance. Don't forget coverage for recreational vehicles and trailers.
5. Notify Telephone Company. Apply for service at your new location as soon as you have enough information to avoid a long wait for start up service. Now might be a good time to purchase a cellular phone that can assist you while moving, as well as providing telephone connections at your new address.
7. Notify landscape and pool service, trash removal firm and any other regularly scheduled services. Their contract is with you, not your house. They will look to you for payment, even if you no longer own the property.
8. Arrange to pay bills and change newspaper/magazine subscriptions.
9. Complete your preparations to change banks and any records there. Order new checks and make preparations to transfer funds if necessary.
10. Get change of address cards, fill them in and distribute them.
11. Return all library books, borrowed items, school property, and other items you find while packing that do not belong to you.
12. Clear your traffic record of fines and other obligations before you move from the area, when such details may be difficult to take care of.
13. Arrange for pet care or find them suitable new homes.
14. Notify schools, churches, voter registration, clubs, classes, standing appointments, and any other places which will expect you to continue their services and may even bill you for them.
15. Visit your physician, pharmacy, veterinarian, optician, mechanic, dentist and any other place that has your records. If you are moving out of the area, make a last appointment to obtain services and copies of your records. It will prevent the stress of having to find these services immediately upon your move. | 2019-04-23T04:13:40Z | https://www.buycorsicanahomes.com/Buyers-Guide |
Regarding a pair of years ago, the body form wasn’t a crucial problem for anybody apart from athletes. Regular people didn’t pay any kind of certain interest in making their bodies far better and also in form. With the invention of computer systems, the sitting work better raised and also lots of people got out of shape.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not conventional weight loss??
With the concept of much better shape and also looks, the conventional diet plan was claimed as a service by many individuals. A large population started diet programs, leaving breakfasts, downsizing their meals and also running for a sound body. Initially, it was believed a great idea to leave dishes as well as run an additional mile as lots of people claimed to look and also feel much better. Nevertheless, nobody knew the number of negative effects the standard dieting was causing the human bodies. Today, all the troubles as well as side impacts of weight loss and depriving have actually been discovered by the specialists. Starving and also diet programs make the human body deficient of many nutrients as well as fundamentals which are called for on day-to-day basis. Leaving dishes doesn’t only make the individuals starving but it also makes them weak, much less resistant to diseases and also internally feeble. At some point, the idea of weight loss and starving was removed from the listing of approaches to attain a far better form.
Ideal suitable shakes were introduced presented alternatives options conventional standard weight loss other various other of weight loss. It’s a meal replacement shake, which aids its customers to tremble off the extra weight and also body fats. These ideal shape shake discount rate codes help the purchaser to buy these shakes at a cutoff cost and also appreciate them.
A great deal of individuals consume these optimal form shakes on day-to-day basis rather than regular dishes as these trembles are better in controlling the shapes and size, giving the body all the essential nutrients as well as none extra fats or cholesterol.
Shakes are enhanced in vitamins. They include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 etc. Vitamins are important for the body in numerous procedures. Vitamins enhance vision, advertise healthy and balanced skin, increase the immune system, support heart health and wellness, assistance nerve cell features, break down the day-to-day protein as well as do several other important things.
Components like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, as well as Iodine belong to the trembles. These elements execute a number of essential functions in the everyday routine. They support bone health and wellness, immune system, muscle health and wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys as well as heart and are needed in lots of procedures.
. All these nutrients are vital for the daily working of the body. Traditional dieting makes the body deficient of these nutrients. These optimal shape drinks make it sure that the body gets all the required points as well as keep the additional nutrients away from the body.
Perfect shape trembles are extremely delicious and also are a treat to take in. Various offers and ideal shape shake price cut codes are likewise supplied by these brand names. All the flavors of shakes are worthwhile of attempting and also a consumer will not be sorry for the choice.
The majority of the flavors consist of around 100 calories each offering. This quantity of power makes it certain that your body parts get the needed energy to function and also work. Nearly 30 grams of shake contains 11 gram of proteins which has to do with one third. 3 grams fat and also 5 grams sugar are additionally existing in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol has to do with 25 milligrams, sodium has to do with 210 milligrams as well as potassium has to do with 180 milligrams in a scoop or 30 grams of shake. In short, these trembles are pretty healthy as well as well balanced for a diet regimen.
These drinks are extensively utilized nowadays and are really excellent for losing the weight, getting in form, reducing the body dimension and creating the standard nourishing diet plan.
About a couple of decades back, the body form had not been a crucial problem for any individual apart from sportsmen. Typical people didn’t pay any type of particular interest in making their bodies better and also in shape. With the creation of computer systems, the sitting tasks further increased and also numerous people obtained out of form.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not conventional diet programs??
With the idea of much better shape as well as looks, the conventional diet plan was asserted as a service by numerous individuals. A big population began weight loss, leaving breakfasts, downsizing their dishes and jogging for the sake of an audio body. It was assumed a great concept to leave meals and run an added mile as many people claimed to look as well as really feel better. No one knew exactly how numerous unfavorable results the conventional dieting was causing the human bodies. Today, all the setbacks and adverse effects of diet programs and depriving have been discovered by the specialists. Starving as well as diet programs make the human body deficient of many nutrients and essentials which are called for on daily basis. Leaving meals doesn’t just make the individuals starving yet it also makes them weak, much less resistant to conditions and internally feeble. Ultimately, the concept of diet programs and also depriving was gotten rid of from the listing of methods to accomplish a better form.
What is an IdealShape cheap buy ????
Ideal form shakes were introduced as alternatives for standard diet programs and various other methods of fat burning.
A great deal of people take in these perfect form drinks on daily basis instead of routine meals as these shakes are better in controlling the shapes and size, supplying the body all the vital nutrients and none additional fats or cholesterol.
Shape shakes are tremendously abundant in required minerals and also other nutrients. Shape trembles are complete of vitamins, proteins, fibers, nutrients etc.
Aspects like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, as well as Iodine are part of the shakes. These elements carry out numerous important functions in the everyday regimen. They support bone health, immune system, muscle mass wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys and also heart and are required in several processes.
. All these nutrients are essential for the everyday working of the body. Conventional weight loss makes the body deficient of these nutrients. These optimal form shakes make it certain that the body gets all the needed points and also maintain the extra nutrients away from the body.
Ideal form shakes are extremely scrumptious and are a treat to eat. A great deal of flavors are presented by various brand names. Different offers as well as ideal shape shake discount rate codes are additionally supplied by these brand names. All the flavors of shakes are worthy of attempting and a customer won’t be sorry for the decision. Different tastes like Mocha, Cream Orange, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie N’Cream, Egg Nog, and also Dark Chocolate etc. are offered at several stores. All these flavors exist to taste for everyone as well as will undoubtedly provide a good experience.
A lot of the tastes include around 100 calories per serving. This quantity of energy makes it sure that your body parts obtain the needed power to work and function. Virtually 30 grams of shake has 11 gram of proteins which has to do with one 3rd. 3 grams fat and also 5 grams sugar are likewise present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol has to do with 25 milligrams, sodium is concerning 210 milligrams and potassium has to do with 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake. Basically, these shakes are quite healthy and also well balanced for a diet plan.
These drinks are widely used nowadays and are actually outstanding for shedding the weight, getting in shape, reducing the body dimension as well as creating the basic nutritious diet.
About a couple of decades ago, the body shape wasn’t a vital issue for anyone in addition to athletes. Normal people really did not pay any kind of particular attention in making their bodies much better as well as in form. With the flow of time, each individual got acknowledged with the importance of body care. Workplace tasks made lots of people think of their expanding stomaches as every various other person began expanding extra weight and also getting overweight. With the innovation of computers, the sitting tasks even more increased and numerous individuals left form. With the fear of getting over-weight, a big population started looking for some techniques to continue to be fit and noise.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not traditional diet programs??
With the idea IdealShape cheap buy of better far better and and also, the conventional traditional was claimed asserted a solution by many lots ofIndividuals Starving and also diet programs make the human body deficient of several nutrients as well as essentials which are called for on day-to-day basis. Eventually, the suggestion of diet programs as well as depriving was removed from the checklist of approaches to accomplish a much better form.
Ideal suitable shakes drinks introduced presented alternatives options conventional dieting diet programs as well as methods approaches weight loss. It’s a dish substitute shake, which assists its consumers to shake off the extra weight as well as body fats. These ideal shape shake price cut codes help the customer to get these trembles at a cutoff rate and also enjoy them.
A great deal of people take in these optimal form shakes on day-to-day basis as opposed to routine meals as these shakes are better in managing the shapes and size, supplying the body all the crucial nutrients and also none added fats or cholesterol.
Forming shakes are greatly rich in called for minerals and other nutrients. Shape drinks are full of vitamins, healthy proteins, fibers, nutrients and so on.
Shakes are enhanced in vitamins. They include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 etc. Vitamins are essential for the body in many processes. Vitamins boost eyesight, promote healthy and balanced skin, increase the body immune system, assistance heart wellness, support afferent neuron features, damage down the day-to-day healthy protein and also do many various other essential things.
Aspects like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and Iodine belong to the trembles. These aspects do several vital features in the daily regimen. They sustain bone health, body immune system, muscle mass health and wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys and heart and are required in many processes.
. All these nutrients are necessary for the day-to-day working of the body. Standard weight loss makes the body deficient of these nutrients. These suitable form shakes make it certain that the body obtains all the called for points and keep the additional nutrients away from the body.
Perfect form trembles are extremely delicious and also are a treat to consume. Different offers as well as ideal shape shake price cut codes are additionally supplied by these brands. All the tastes of drinks are worthwhile of attempting and a customer will not be sorry for the decision.
Nearly 30 grams of shake includes 11 gram of proteins which is about one third. 3 grams fat as well as 5 grams sugar are additionally existing in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is regarding 25 milligrams, salt is concerning 210 milligrams as well as potassium is concerning 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake.
These shakes are extensively used nowadays as well as are truly remarkable for losing the weight, getting in form, reducing the body size as well as developing the standard healthy diet regimen.
Regarding a pair of decades back, the body form wasn’t a crucial worry for anybody apart from athletes. Normal individuals didn’t pay any kind of certain attention in making their bodies better and also in form. With the invention of computers, the resting jobs additionally boosted and also several individuals got out of shape.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not standard diet programs??
With the idea IdealShape cheap buy suggestion better much better and as well as, the conventional standard diet regimen claimed declared a solution service many numerousIndividuals Starving as well as diet programs make the human body deficient of several nutrients and fundamentals which are required on day-to-day basis. Ultimately, the suggestion of diet programs as well as starving was gotten rid of from the listing of approaches to attain a much better form.
Just what is an IdealShape cheap buy ????
Ideal shape trembles were presented as choices for conventional weight loss and also other methods of fat burning.
A great deal of individuals consume these suitable form shakes on day-to-day basis rather than regular dishes as these shakes are much better in regulating the shapes and size, offering the body all the essential nutrients and not any additional fats or cholesterol.
Elements like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, as well as Iodine are part of the shakes. These elements carry out a number of crucial features in the daily routine. They sustain bone wellness, immune system, muscle mass health and wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys and heart and are needed in numerous processes.
Several other compounds like Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Folate, and Niacin are also existing in these trembles. These suitable shape drinks make it sure that the body obtains all the called for points as well as maintain the extra nutrients away from the body.
Suitable form trembles are very scrumptious and are a treat to consume. A lot of tastes are introduced by different brands. Different deals as well as ideal shape shake price cut codes are additionally supplied by these brands. All the tastes of shakes deserve attempting and a customer will not regret the choice. Different flavors like Mocha, Cream Orange, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie N’Cream, Egg Nog, as well as Dark Chocolate etc. are offered at several shops. All these flavors exist to taste for everybody as well as will definitely offer an excellent experience.
Practically 30 grams of shake consists of 11 gram of proteins which is about one third. 3 grams fat and 5 grams sugar are also present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is about 25 milligrams, salt is concerning 210 milligrams as well as potassium is about 180 milligrams in a scoop or 30 grams of shake.
These drinks are widely utilized nowadays and are truly remarkable for shedding the weight, obtaining in shape, reducing the body size as well as developing the standard nutritious diet.
About a few years earlier, the body form had not been a vital problem for any individual apart from sportspersons. Normal people didn’t pay any kind of specific focus in making their bodies better as well as fit. With the flow of time, every other individual obtained acknowledged with the importance of body treatment. Office jobs made many individuals assume concerning their growing tummies as every other individual began expanding added weight as well as obtaining obese. With the innovation of computer systems, the sitting tasks even more increased as well as lots of people left shape. With the anxiety of obtaining over-weight, a big population began looking for some methods to continue to be in shape and also audio.
With the idea IdealShape cheap buy suggestion better far better form looks, the conventional standard was claimed asserted a solution service many severalIndividuals Starving and also dieting make the human body deficient of lots of nutrients as well as essentials which are required on daily basis. Ultimately, the suggestion of weight loss as well as starving was eliminated from the list of methods to attain a better shape.
Ideal suitable shakes trembles introduced as alternatives for conventional dieting diet programs and also methods of weight loss. It’s a meal replacement shake, which aids its consumers to shake off the extra weight as well as body fats. These ideal shape shake discount codes aid the purchaser to buy these drinks at a cutoff rate and also appreciate them.
A great deal of individuals consume these optimal shape shakes on everyday basis rather of regular dishes as these trembles are better in managing the dimension and form, giving the body all the vital nutrients as well as not any extra fats or cholesterol.
Forming drinks are tremendously abundant in required minerals and also other nutrients. Shape shakes are full of vitamins, proteins, fibers, nutrients and so on.
Components like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and also Iodine belong to the trembles. These components execute several vital functions in the daily routine. They support bone health and wellness, immune system, muscular tissue health and wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys and also heart and also are needed in lots of procedures.
Lots of other compounds like Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Folate, and Niacin are additionally present in these trembles. These ideal form drinks make it sure that the body gets all the required things and also keep the extra nutrients away from the body.
Ideal form shakes are very scrumptious and are a reward to eat. Different deals as well as ideal shape shake price cut codes are additionally supplied by these brand names. All the flavors of shakes are worthy of attempting and also a customer will not regret the decision.
Practically 30 grams of shake includes 11 gram of proteins which is about one third. 3 grams fat and 5 grams sugar are additionally present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is about 25 milligrams, salt is about 210 milligrams and potassium is concerning 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake.
These trembles are commonly used nowadays as well as are really impressive for shedding the weight, getting in shape, reducing the body size and also developing the fundamental nutritious diet plan.
Concerning a couple of years earlier, the physique had not been a vital problem for anyone in addition to sportsmen. Typical people didn’t pay any type of particular interest in making their bodies better and in form. With the flow of time, each person obtained acknowledged with the significance of body care. Workplace work made lots of people assume concerning their growing tummies as every various other person started expanding additional weight and getting overweight. With the creation of computers, the resting work further enhanced and also many individuals left shape. With the anxiety of getting over-weight, a huge population started looking for some methods to continue to be healthy and also audio.
With the concept of much better form and looks, the conventional diet regimen was declared as a solution by many individuals. A large population began weight loss, leaving breakfasts, downsizing their meals and running for the sake of a sound body. Initially, it was assumed a great idea to leave meals and also run an added mile as many individuals declared to feel and look far better. No one recognized exactly how several unfavorable results the standard weight loss was creating the human bodies. Today, all the obstacles as well as adverse effects of weight loss as well as depriving have actually been discovered by the specialists. Starving as well as weight loss make the human body deficient of lots of nutrients as well as essentials which are needed on daily basis. Leaving dishes does not just make the individuals hungry but it additionally makes them weak, much less resistant to diseases and also inside feeble. Eventually, the concept of dieting and also starving was eliminated from the listing of approaches to achieve a much better form.
Ideal perfect form were introduced presented alternatives for conventional standard and and also various other techniques weight loss. It’s a dish substitute shake, which assists its consumers to drink off the added weight and also body fats. These ideal shape shake discount codes help the customer to get these drinks at a cutoff price and also enjoy them.
A great deal of people take in these optimal shape drinks on daily basis rather than routine meals as these shakes are better in controlling the shapes and size, providing the body all the important nutrients as well as not any additional fats or cholesterol.
Forming drinks are significantly rich in needed minerals as well as other nutrients. Forming trembles are full of vitamins, proteins, fibers, nutrients etc.
Shakes are enriched in vitamins. They contain vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 etc. Vitamins are important for the body in numerous procedures. Vitamins improve vision, advertise healthy and balanced skin, enhance the immune system, assistance heart wellness, support afferent neuron features, damage down the everyday protein and do several various other important points.
Elements like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, as well as Iodine belong to the shakes. These elements carry out several vital features in the daily regimen. They support bone health, body immune system, muscle health, thyroid glands, kidneys and heart and also are needed in many processes.
. All these nutrients are crucial for the everyday working of the body. Standard weight loss makes the body deficient of these nutrients. However, these optimal form trembles make it sure that the body obtains all the needed things and also keep the extra nutrients far from the body.
Perfect shape trembles are extremely scrumptious and are a treat to consume. A great deal of tastes are introduced by various brand names. Different offers and ideal shape shake discount rate codes are additionally given by these brand names. All the tastes of trembles deserve attempting as well as a customer will not regret the decision. Various tastes like Mocha, Cream Orange, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie N’Cream, Egg Nog, as well as Dark Chocolate and so on are available at numerous stores. All these tastes are there to taste for everybody and will certainly supply a great experience.
The majority of the flavors include around 100 calories each serving. This quantity of power makes it sure that your body parts obtain the called for energy to function and also work. Virtually 30 grams of shake contains 11 gram of proteins which has to do with one 3rd. 3 grams fat and 5 grams sugar are additionally present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol has to do with 25 milligrams, salt is about 210 milligrams and potassium has to do with 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake. In other words, these shakes are rather nutritious and balanced for a diet.
These trembles are commonly made use of nowadays and are actually remarkable for losing the weight, obtaining in form, minimizing the body dimension and also establishing the standard nourishing diet.
About a number of decades back, the body form wasn’t an important worry for any individual besides sportsmen. Typical individuals didn’t pay any certain attention in making their bodies much better as well as fit. With the passage of time, every various other person got acknowledged with the relevance of body care. Office jobs made many individuals assume about their growing bellies as every other person began expanding extra weight and obtaining overweight. With the innovation of computer systems, the sitting work even more boosted and many individuals left form. With the anxiety of obtaining over-weight, a large population started looking for some techniques to remain in shape and also audio.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not conventional dieting??
With the suggestion of far better shape and looks, the traditional diet plan was asserted as a remedy by many individuals. A large populace began dieting, leaving morning meals, downsizing their dishes and also running for a sound body. Initially, it was believed a smart idea to leave dishes and run an added mile as many individuals declared to look and also feel far better. No one recognized exactly how lots of damaging impacts the standard weight loss was triggering the human bodies. Today, all the troubles and also adverse effects of weight loss and also starving have been located by the specialists. Starving as well as weight loss make the body deficient of numerous nutrients as well as basics which are called for on everyday basis. Leaving dishes does not only make the people starving however it additionally makes them weak, much less resistant to diseases and inside weak. Ultimately, the idea of weight loss and depriving was eliminated from the checklist of techniques to accomplish a much better shape.
Ideal form trembles were introduced as choices for conventional weight loss and also various other approaches of weight loss.
A great deal of people take in these optimal shape trembles on daily basis as opposed to routine meals as these trembles are much better in managing the shapes and size, providing the body all the important nutrients and none extra fats or cholesterol.
Aspects like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and Iodine become part of the trembles. These components carry out a number of essential functions in the day-to-day regimen. They support bone health and wellness, body immune system, muscle wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys as well as heart as well as are required in many procedures.
. All these nutrients are important for the everyday working of the body. Conventional diet programs makes the body deficient of these nutrients. Nevertheless, these suitable shape trembles make it sure that the body obtains all the required things as well as maintain the added nutrients away from the body.
Perfect form shakes are extremely scrumptious and also are a reward to eat. A great deal of tastes are introduced by various brands. Various deals as well as ideal shape shake discount rate codes are additionally supplied by these brand names. All the flavors of shakes deserve attempting as well as a customer will not be sorry for the decision. Different tastes like Mocha, Cream Orange, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie N’Cream, Egg Nog, as well as Dark Chocolate and so on are offered at many stores. All these flavors exist to taste for every person and also will surely offer a good experience.
Many of the flavors consist of around 100 calories per offering. This quantity of power makes it sure that your body components obtain the required power to function and operate. Almost 30 grams of shake contains 11 gram of proteins which has to do with one third. 3 grams fat and 5 grams sugar are likewise existing in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol has to do with 25 milligrams, salt has to do with 210 milligrams as well as potassium has to do with 180 milligrams in a scoop or 30 grams of shake. In other words, these trembles are pretty healthy as well as balanced for a diet.
These trembles are widely used nowadays as well as are actually impressive for losing the weight, obtaining in shape, decreasing the body size and developing the fundamental healthy diet.
About a few years earlier, the physique had not been a crucial worry for anybody in addition to athletes. Normal people really did not pay any certain interest in making their bodies much better and in shape. With the flow of time, every various other individual got recognized with the importance of body treatment. Office tasks made lots of people think of their growing bellies as each individual started growing added weight and also obtaining overweight. With the creation of computer systems, the resting tasks additionally enhanced as well as lots of people left form. With the fear of getting over-weight, a large populace began browsing for some methods to continue to be in shape as well as audio.
IdealShape cheap buy Why not traditional weight loss??
With the suggestion of better shape and looks, the traditional diet was declared as a solution by many individuals. A big populace began weight loss, leaving breakfasts, downsizing their dishes as well as running for an audio body. Initially, it was assumed a good suggestion to leave meals as well as jog an extra mile as many individuals asserted to look as well as really feel better. No one knew just how many unfavorable impacts the traditional dieting was causing the human bodies. Today, all the setbacks and negative effects of diet programs and also starving have actually been found by the professionals. Depriving and also weight loss make the body deficient of many nutrients and also fundamentals which are needed on daily basis. Leaving meals doesn’t just make the people starving but it additionally makes them weak, less resilient to illness and also inside weak. Ultimately, the concept of weight loss as well as starving was eliminated from the listing of methods to accomplish a better shape.
Ideal perfect shakes trembles introduced presented alternatives choices conventional traditional and other methods of weight loss. It’s a dish replacement shake, which assists its consumers to shake off the extra weight as well as body fats. These ideal shape shake discount rate codes aid the buyer to purchase these drinks at a cutoff price as well as enjoy them.
A great deal of people consume these perfect shape shakes on day-to-day basis rather than normal meals as these trembles are better in regulating the dimension and shape, giving the body all the necessary nutrients and none added fats or cholesterol.
Forming drinks are greatly rich in needed minerals and various other nutrients. Forming shakes are complete of vitamins, proteins, fibers, nutrients etc.
Shakes are improved in vitamins. They have vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and so on. Vitamins are necessary for the body in numerous processes. Vitamins boost eyesight, promote healthy and balanced skin, enhance the immune system, assistance heart health, support nerve cell features, damage down the day-to-day protein and do lots of other essential things.
Elements like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and also Iodine become part of the trembles. These elements do a number of vital functions in the daily regimen. They support bone wellness, immune system, muscle mass wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys as well as heart and are needed in several processes.
. All these nutrients are necessary for the day-to-day working of the body. Traditional diet programs makes the body deficient of these nutrients. Nevertheless, these ideal form trembles make it certain that the body gets all the called for things and keep the extra nutrients away from the body.
Suitable form drinks are really delicious as well as are a reward to take in. Various offers and also ideal shape shake price cut codes are also given by these brands. All the tastes of drinks are worthwhile of attempting and also a customer won’t be sorry for the decision.
Virtually 30 grams of shake has 11 gram of healthy proteins which is regarding one third. 3 grams fat and also 5 grams sugar are additionally present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is regarding 25 milligrams, salt is about 210 milligrams and also potassium is regarding 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake.
These shakes are extensively utilized nowadays and are truly remarkable for shedding the weight, obtaining in form, decreasing the body size and also creating the standard nourishing diet regimen.
Regarding a couple of decades back, the body form had not been a crucial issue for any individual apart from sportsmen. Normal people really did not pay any kind of specific focus in making their bodies much better and also in form. With the innovation of computer systems, the resting tasks additionally boosted and many individuals obtained out of form.
With the idea IdealShape cheap buy of better much better and and also, the conventional traditional was claimed declared a solution by many severalIndividuals Starving and diet programs make the human body deficient of lots of nutrients and also basics which are required on daily basis. Eventually, the concept of diet programs as well as starving was removed from the listing of techniques to attain a far better shape.
Exactly what is an IdealShape cheap buy ????
Ideal shape trembles were introduced as alternatives for conventional diet programs and other approaches of weight loss.
A great deal of individuals eat these optimal shape drinks on day-to-day basis as opposed to normal dishes as these trembles are much better in regulating the shapes and size, giving the body all the crucial nutrients as well as not any type of additional fats or cholesterol.
Components like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and also Iodine become part of the shakes. These aspects do numerous essential features in the day-to-day regimen. They support bone wellness, immune system, muscular tissue wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys as well as heart as well as are needed in lots of procedures.
Numerous various other substances like Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Folate, and Niacin are likewise present in these shakes. These perfect form shakes make it certain that the body gets all the required things as well as maintain the added nutrients away from the body.
Ideal form drinks are extremely scrumptious and also are a treat to eat. A great deal of flavors are introduced by various brands. Different deals and also ideal shape shake price cut codes are additionally offered by these brand names. All the tastes of shakes are worthwhile of attempting as well as a customer won’t regret the decision. Different tastes like Mocha, Cream Orange, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookie N’Cream, Egg Nog, as well as Dark Chocolate etc. are readily available at lots of stores. All these tastes exist to taste for everyone and also will definitely give a great experience.
Virtually 30 grams of shake includes 11 gram of proteins which is about one third. 3 grams fat as well as 5 grams sugar are additionally existing in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is concerning 25 milligrams, sodium is about 210 milligrams and potassium is about 180 milligrams in an inside story or 30 grams of shake.
These trembles are extensively made use of nowadays and are actually excellent for losing the weight, getting in shape, reducing the body dimension and establishing the fundamental nutritious diet plan.
Regarding a few years earlier, the physique had not been an essential concern for anyone in addition to sportspersons. Typical individuals didn’t pay any kind of particular attention in making their bodies better and also in form. With the passage of time, every other individual got recognized with the value of body treatment. Office tasks made many individuals think of their expanding bellies as each individual began expanding added weight and getting overweight. With the invention of computers, the sitting work additionally increased as well as lots of people got out of shape. With the anxiety of obtaining over-weight, a huge populace began searching for some techniques to continue to be fit and also audio.
With the idea IdealShape cheap buy suggestion better shape and looks, the conventional traditional diet regimen claimed as a solution by many severalIndividuals Depriving as well as weight loss make the human body deficient of many nutrients and essentials which are needed on daily basis. Ultimately, the suggestion of dieting and depriving was gotten rid of from the list of techniques to accomplish a better shape.
Ideal shape trembles were introduced as alternatives for standard diet programs and also other methods of weight management.
A great deal of individuals take in these suitable form drinks on daily basis instead of regular meals as these shakes are better in regulating the shapes and size, providing the body all the important nutrients and none added fats or cholesterol.
Shakes are improved in vitamins. They consist of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and so on. Vitamins are very important for the body in many procedures. Vitamins boost vision, advertise healthy and balanced skin, enhance the body immune system, assistance heart wellness, support nerve cell functions, break down the day-to-day protein and do many other essential things.
Aspects like Phosphorus, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, and Iodine are component of the shakes. These elements execute numerous vital features in the day-to-day regimen. They support bone health, body immune system, muscle health and wellness, thyroid glands, kidneys and heart and are required in numerous procedures.
Numerous other substances like Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Folate, and also Niacin are additionally existing in these shakes. These optimal form shakes make it sure that the body gets all the called for things as well as keep the extra nutrients away from the body.
Suitable shape shakes are really scrumptious and are a reward to consume. Various deals and also ideal shape shake discount codes are additionally supplied by these brands. All the flavors of shakes are worthy of trying as well as a consumer won’t be sorry for the decision.
The majority of the tastes have around 100 calories each offering. This quantity of power makes it sure that your body components obtain the required power to function and also work. Almost 30 grams of shake has 11 gram of healthy proteins which has to do with one third. 3 grams fat as well as 5 grams sugar are additionally present in 30 grams of shake. Cholesterol is about 25 milligrams, sodium has to do with 210 milligrams and also potassium has to do with 180 milligrams in a scoop or 30 grams of shake. In short, these trembles are very healthy as well as well balanced for a diet.
These drinks are commonly made use of nowadays as well as are really impressive for losing the weight, obtaining in shape, decreasing the body size as well as establishing the standard healthy diet regimen. | 2019-04-20T23:05:22Z | https://chloechocolat.com/idealshape-cheap-buy/ |
A fan assembly (10) comprises means (64, 68) for creating an air flow and an air outlet (14) for emitting the air flow, the air outlet (14) being mounted on a pedestal (12) comprising a base (16) and a height adjustable stand (18).The base (16) comprises means (56) for oscillating the stand (18) and the air outlet (14).
本发明涉及一种风扇组件。 The present invention relates to a fan assembly. 在优选实施例中，本发明涉及一种家用风扇，例如台扇，用于在房间、办公室或其它家庭环境中产生空气流。 In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a domestic fan, such as a desk fan, for a room, office or other domestic environment air flow is generated.
这种风扇可以是各种尺寸和形状。 This fan may be of various sizes and shapes. 例如，吊扇可具有至少Im的直径，且通常以从天花板悬挂的方式安装以提东向下的气流以冷却房间。 For example, a ceiling fan can have a diameter of at least Im, and is generally suspended from the ceiling mounted to provide airflow to cool down the East room. 另一方面，台扇通常具有30cm的直径，且通常自由地竖立且易于移动。 On the other hand, desk fans generally have a diameter of 30cm and is generally free to move and easy to erect. 立于地面的台扇一般包括支撑驱动装置的高度可调节台架，和用于产生气流（通常从300到5001/s范围）的叶片组。 Stand ground height of the support table fan typically includes a drive means adjustable stand, and for generating an airflow (typically from 300 to 5001 / s range) set of blades. 台架还可支撑用于摆动驱动装置和叶片组以在弧形范围内扫掠气流的机构。 Carriage drive means may also be supported for swinging and blade set to a range within the arcuate sweep gas flow means.
这种类型的结构的缺点是由旋转风扇的旋转叶片产生的气流通常不均勻。 The disadvantage of this type of structure is the air flow generated by rotation of the fan rotary blade is generally uniform. 这是由于跨叶片表面或跨风扇的朝外表面的变化。 This is due to variations across the outwardly facing surface of the blade surface or across the fan. 这些变化的程度可从产品到产品而改变且甚至从一个单独的风扇机器到另一个而改变。 The extent of these variations can vary from product to product and even from one individual fan machine to another change. 这些变化导致气流不均勻或“涌动”，这可被感觉为一系列空气脉冲且其对于使用者是不舒服的。 These changes result in uneven gas flow or "surging" which may be felt as a series of pulses of air and which is uncomfortable for the user.
在家庭环境中，不期望装置的零件向外突出，或使用者能触摸到任意移动的零件， 例如叶片。 In the home environment, the undesired outwardly protruding part of the device, or the user can touch any moving parts, such as a blade. 台扇倾向于具有环绕叶片的笼罩以防止接触旋转叶片的伤害，但是这种罩着的零件难于清洁。 Table fan having a shroud surrounding the blade tends to prevent contact damage to the rotating blades, but the covered parts difficult to clean. 而且，由于驱动装置和旋转叶片安装在台架顶部上，台扇的重心通常位于台架的顶部向上。 Further, since the driving means and rotating blades mounted on the top of the stand, the center of gravity is usually located at the top table fan upwardly gantry. 这可导致台扇在意外撞击时容易跌落，除非该台架设置有相对较宽或较重的底座，这对于使用者是不希望的。 This can easily lead to fall upon a desk fan accidental impact, unless the stage is provided with a relatively wide or heavy base, which is undesirable for the user.
本发明提供一种风扇组件，包括用于产生气流的装置和用于发射气流的空气出口，该空气出口安装在台架上，该台架容置所述用于产生气流的装置，该台架包括底座和高度可调节支架，该底座包括摆动装置，用于摆动所述支架、空气出口和所述用于产生气流的装置。 The present invention provides a fan assembly comprising means for creating an air flow and an air outlet for emitting the air flow, the air outlet is mounted on the gantry, the gantry accommodating said means for generating the air flow, the stand includes a base and a height-adjustable stand, the base includes a swing means for swinging the holder, means for generating an air stream and an outlet for the.
由于摆动装置形成为台架的基部的一部分，风扇组件的重心与现有技术风扇相比被降低，其中在现有技术中摆动装置由台架支撑。 Since the center of gravity of the oscillating means is formed as part of the prior art fan, the fan assembly of the base is reduced compared to the gantry, wherein the gantry is supported by a pivot means in the prior art. 摆动装置优选地设置为在弧形范围内扫掠从空气出口发射的气流，其优选地在60到120°范围内。 Pivot means is preferably provided to sweep the air flow emitted from the air outlet within the range of the arc, which is preferably in the range of 60 to 120 °.
优选地，基部包括上部部分和用于与地板表面接合的下部部分，且其中摆动装置设置为把基部的上部部分相对于基部的下部部分摆动。 Preferably, the base includes an upper portion and a lower portion for engaging with the floor surface, and wherein the pivot means is provided to the upper portion of the base relative to the lower portion of the base of the swing. 底座的上部部分容置所述用于产生气流的装置。 An upper portion of the base accommodating the means for generating the air flow. 这可与现有技术台扇相比进一步降低了风扇组件的重心，在现有技术中带叶片风扇和用于驱动带叶片风扇的装置被连接到台架的顶部且由此导致风扇组件在被碰撞是容易倾倒。 This may be compared to the prior art to further reduce the FANS center of gravity of the fan assembly, and a bladed fan top bladed fan driving means is connected to the carriage and thereby resulting in the prior art is the fan assembly impact is likely to collapse. 基部的上部部分优选地包括延伸到基部的下部部分内的轴，基部的下部部分包括用于接收该轴的套筒。 The upper portion of the base preferably comprises a shaft extending into the lower portion of the base portion, a lower portion of the base comprises means for receiving the shaft sleeve. 该轴优选地通过至少一个轴承而被该套筒可旋转地支撑。 The shaft preferably by at least one bearing sleeve that is rotatably supported. 基部的上部部分优选地包括环形连接器，用于把轴连接到基部的上部部分的底部表面。 An upper portion of the base preferably includes an annular connector for connecting the shaft to the bottom surface of the upper portion of the base. 优选地，摆动机构包括用于把基部的上部部分相对于基部的下部部分摆动的曲柄机构。 Preferably, the oscillation mechanism comprises a base portion of an upper portion of a crank mechanism with respect to a lower portion of the base of the swing.
支架优选地包括用于把气流传送到空气出口的管或为该管的形式。 The holder preferably includes means for transferring the gas stream into the form of a tube or pipe for air outlet. 因此，支架可用于支撑空气出口和把产生的气流传送到喷嘴，其中风扇组件产生的气流穿过空气出口。 Thus, the stent may be used to support an air outlet, and transmits the generated stream to the nozzle, wherein the air flow generated by the fan assembly through the air outlet. 优选地，用于产生穿过喷嘴的气流的装置包括叶轮、用于旋转叶轮的马达、定位在叶轮下游的扩散器。 Preferably, the means for creating an air flow through the nozzle comprises an impeller, a motor for rotating the impeller, a diffuser positioned downstream of the impeller. 叶轮优选地为混合流动叶轮。 The impeller is preferably a mixed flow impeller. 马达优选为DC无刷马达以避免传统有电刷马达中使用的电刷的碳碎屑和摩擦损耗。 The motor is preferably a DC brushless motor to avoid debris conventional carbon brushes used in motor brush and friction losses. 减少碳碎屑和排放在清洁或污染敏感环境例如医院或具有过敏症的人周围是有利的。 Reduce carbon emissions and clean debris or contamination-sensitive environment such as a hospital or around people with allergies is advantageous. 而通常使用在台扇中的感应马达也不具有电刷，DC无刷马达可提供比感应马达更宽范围的操作速度。 Desk fan usually used in an induction motor does not have a brush, DC brushless motor can provide a wider range of operating speeds than an induction motor.
扩散器可包括多个螺旋翼片，导致从扩散器发出螺旋气流。 The diffuser may comprise a plurality of helical fins, resulting in a spiral gas flow emitted from the diffuser. 由于穿过管的气流将大致沿轴向或纵向方向，该风扇组件优选地包括用于把从扩散器发射的气流引导到管内的装置。 Because the gas flow through the tube will be substantially in the axial or longitudinal direction, of the fan assembly preferably comprises means for the air flow emitted from the diffuser means into the guide tube. 这可减少风扇组件内的传导损耗。 This may reduce the conduction losses within the fan assembly. 气流引导装置优选地包括多个翼片，其每个用于引导从扩散器朝向管发射的气流的相应一部分。 Flow guide means preferably comprises a plurality of fins, each corresponding part of the gas flow tube for directing toward emitted from the diffuser. 这些翼片可定位在安装在扩散器上方的空气引导构件的内部表面上，且优选地均勻地间隔。 These flaps may be positioned on the interior surface of the air guiding member mounted over the diffuser, and are preferably evenly spaced. 气流引导装置还可包括多个径向翼片， 至少部分地定位在管内，径向翼片的每个邻接多个翼片的相应一个。 Flow guide apparatus may further include a plurality of radial fins, at least partially positioned within the tube, each adjoining a respective one of the plurality of fins radially flap. 这些径向翼片可在管内限定多个轴向或纵向通道，且每个都接收来自由多个翼片限定的通道的气流的相应一部分。 These radial vanes may define a plurality of axial or longitudinal channels within the duct, receives airflow and each consisting of a plurality of fins defining a respective part of the passage. 气流的这些部分优选地在管内混合到一起。 The part of the flow tube is preferably mixed together.
管可包括安装在台架的基部上的底座，和连接到管的底座的多个管状构件。 The tube may comprise a base mounted on a gantry of a base, and a base connected to a plurality of tubular members tube. 弯曲的翼片可被至少部分地定位在管的底座内。 Tab may be bent at least partially positioned within the base tube. 轴向翼片可被至少部分地定位在用于把一个管状构件连接到管的底座的装置内。 Axial fins may be at least partially positioned within the device for a tubular member is connected to the base tube. 该连接装置可包括空气管道或用于接收一个管状构件的其它管状构件。 The connecting means may comprise an air pipe or other tubular member for receiving a tubular member.
风扇组件优选地为无叶片风扇组件的形式。 in the form of a fan assembly as bladeless fan assembly is preferably. 通过使用无叶片风扇组件，气流可不通过使用带叶片风扇产生。 By the use of a bladeless fan assembly, the air flow may not be generated by the use of a bladed fan. 与该叶片风扇组件相比，无叶片风扇组件导致运动零件和复杂性的减少。 Compared with the blades of the fan assembly, the bladeless fan assembly leads to moving parts and reduced complexity. 而且，不使用带叶片风扇来从风扇组件发射气流，相对均勻的气流可被形成且引导到房间内或朝向使用者。 Moreover, without the use of a bladed fan to the air flow emitted from the fan assembly, a relatively uniform air stream may be formed and guided into a room or towards a user. 气流可有效地从喷嘴流出，由于湍流损失的能量和速度极小。 Gas flow from the nozzle can be effectively, since the speed of the turbulence and minimal energy loss.
术语“无叶片”被用于描述一种风扇组件，其中气流被从不使用移动零件的风扇组件发射或射出。 The term 'bladeless' is used to describe a fan assembly in which air flow is never used in the moving parts of the fan assembly or launch. 因此，无叶片风扇组件可被认为具有没有移动叶片的输出区域，或发射区域，气流从该区域被朝向使用者引导或进入房间。 Consequently, a bladeless fan assembly can be considered to have an output area without moving the blade, or emission zone, flow of gas from this region is guided towards a user or into a room. 无叶片风扇组件的输出区域可被供应有多种不同源（例如泵、发生器、马达或其它流体传送设备）中的一个产生的主气流，且其可包括旋转装置，例如马达转子和/或带叶片叶轮以产生气流。 Bladeless fan assembly may be supplied with the output region a primary air flow generated by many different sources (e.g., pumps, generators, motors or other fluid transfer device), and it may include a rotating device such as a motor rotor and / or bladed impeller to generate an air flow. 产生的主气流可从房间的空间或风扇组件外的其它环境穿过伸缩管到喷嘴，然后通过喷嘴返回到房间空间内。 Generated primary air flow can pass through the bellows from other environments outside the room or space to the nozzle of the fan assembly, and then return to the room space through the nozzle.
因此，风扇组件描述为无叶片，不延伸到对电源或对于次级风扇功能所需的部件例如马达的描述。 Accordingly, the bladeless fan assembly as described, does not extend to the description of the power required for secondary fan or functional parts such as a motor. 次级风扇功能的例子可包括照明、风扇组件的调节和摆动。 Examples of secondary fan functions can include lighting adjustment and pivot the fan assembly.
风扇组件的形状由此不必受到要包括带叶片风扇把气流从风扇组件投射的空间要求的约束。 The shape of the fan assembly is thus not subject to constraints including a bladed fan to project the air flow from the fan assembly space requirements. 优选地，空气出口绕且优选地环绕一开口延伸，风扇组件外部的空气被从空气出口发射的气流拖拽穿过该开口。 Preferably, the air around the outlet opening and extending in a preferably encircling, external air fan assembly is emitted from the outlet flow of air through the opening drag. 空气出口优选是环形，且优选地具有从200到600mm范围的高度，更优选地从250到500mm范围。 Preferably the air outlet is annular and preferably has a height range from 200 to 600mm, and more preferably from the range of 250 to 500mm. 优选地，空气出口包括喷嘴，该喷嘴包括用于接收来自管的气流的内部通道和用于风扇该气流的嘴部。 Preferably, the air outlet comprises a nozzle, the nozzle comprising an internal channel for receiving the air flow from the tube and a mouth of the fan air flow. 优选地，喷嘴的嘴部绕开口延伸，且优选地为环形。 Preferably, the nozzle mouth portion extending around the opening, and is preferably annular. 喷嘴优选地包括内部壳体部段和外部壳体部段，其限定喷嘴的嘴部。 Nozzle preferably comprises an inner casing section and an outer casing section, which defines the mouth of the nozzle. 每个部分优选地由相应环形构件形成， 但是每个部分可由连接在一起或以其它方式装配以形成该部分的多个构件提供。 Each section is preferably formed from a respective annular member, but each section may be connected together or otherwise assembled to form a plurality of portions of the member is provided. 外部壳体部段优选地被设置形状为部分地重叠内部壳体部段。 Segments are preferably arranged outside of the housing portion is shaped to partially overlap the inner casing section. 这可使得嘴部的出口被限定在喷嘴的内部壳体部段的外部表面和外部壳体部段的内部表面之间。 This can enable an outlet nozzle portion is defined between the inner surface and an outer surface of the outer casing section of the nozzle section of the inner casing. 出口优选地为槽口的形式，优选地具有从0. 5至5mm范围的宽度，更优选地具有从0. 5到1. 5mm范围的宽度。 Outlet preferably in the form of a slot, preferably having a width in the range of from 0.5 to 5mm, more preferably has a width to a range from 0.5 to 1. 5mm. 喷嘴可包括多个间隔件，用于使得喷嘴的内部壳体部段和外部壳体部段的重叠部分分隔开。 The nozzle may comprise a plurality of spacers, the overlapping portion of the inner casing section and an outer casing section of the nozzle for separated. 这可有助于保持开口周围的出口宽度的基本上均勻。 This may assist in maintaining a substantially uniform outlet width about the opening. 间隔件优选地沿出口均勻地间隔。 Spacers are preferably evenly spaced along the outlet.
喷嘴优选地包括用于接收来自管的气流。 The nozzle preferably comprises means for receiving gas flow from the tube. 内部通道优选地是是环形的，且优选地形状被设置为把气流划分为两个气流，其绕开口沿两个相反方向流动。 Interior passage is preferably annular, and is preferably shaped to set the gas flow is divided into two streams which flow in opposite directions to bypass two rim. 内部通道优选地还由喷嘴的内部壳体部段和外部壳体部段限定。 Interior passage is preferably also defined by the inner casing section and an outer casing section of the nozzle.
喷嘴可以包括位于嘴部附近的表面，该嘴部被设置为引导从其发射的气流流过该表面上方。 The nozzle may comprise a surface near the mouth, the mouth is arranged to direct flow through the upper surface of the gas flow emitted therefrom. 该表面优选地是科恩达表面。 This surface is preferably a Coanda surface. 优选地，喷嘴的内壳体部分的外部表面成形为限定柯恩达表面。 Preferably, the outer surface of the inner housing portion of the nozzle is shaped to define the Coanda surface. 柯恩达表面优选地绕开口延伸。 The Coanda surface preferably extends about the opening. 柯恩达表面是一种已知类型的表面，离开靠近该表面的出口孔的气流在该表面上方展现柯恩达效应。 Coanda surface is a known type of surface, leaving the outlet aperture close to the surface exhibits the Coanda effect the air flow over the surface. 流体倾向于靠近该表面在其上流动，几乎“粘到”或“抱着”该表面。 The fluid tends to near the surface on which the flow is almost "stick to" or "holding" the surface. 柯恩达效应是已被证明的、文献记载的夹带方法，其中的主气流被在柯恩达表面上引导。 The Coanda effect is already a proven, well documented method of entrainment in which a primary air flow is directed over the Coanda surface. 柯恩达表面的特征，和在柯恩达表面上流动的流体的效应的说明，可在文章例如Reba，Scientific American, Volume 214，Junel966pages 84 to 92中发现。 Characterized Coanda surface, and the effects described in the Coanda flow surface of the fluid, the article may be e.g. Reba, Scientific American, Volume 214, Junel966pages 84 to 92 found in. 通过使用柯恩达表面，来自风扇组件外部的增加量的空气被从嘴部发射的空气抽吸通过开口。 By the use of a Coanda surface, an increased amount of air from outside the fan assembly is drawn through the opening from the air emitted from the mouth.
在优选实例中，气流从伸缩管进入风扇组件的喷嘴。 In a preferred embodiment, the airflow into the nozzle of the fan assembly from the telescopic tube. 在下面的说明中，该气流被称为主气流。 In the following description, the gas stream is referred to as primary air flow. 主气流被从喷嘴的嘴部发射且优选地在柯恩达表面上经过。 Primary air flow emitted from the mouth of the nozzle and preferably passes over the Coanda surface. 主气流夹带环绕空气出口的空气，其作为空气放大器用于向使用者供应主气流和夹带的空气。 Primary air flow entraining air surrounding the air outlet, which acts as an air amplifier for supplying primary air flow and entrained air to the user. 夹带的空气被成为二次气流。 Air is entrained secondary air flow becomes. 二次气流被从环绕喷嘴的嘴部的外部环境或区域或空间以及通过移置从风扇周围的其它区域抽吸，且主要穿过由喷嘴限定的开口。 Area or space or the external environment of the mouth of the secondary air flow is drawn from around the nozzle and from other regions around the fan by being displaced, and mainly through the opening defined by the nozzle. 被引导流过柯恩达表面上方的主气流与夹带的二次气流合并，等于从喷嘴限定的开口发射或向前投射的总气流。 Secondary air flow entrained by the primary air flow directed over the Coanda surface flow through the merging, equal to the total gas flow emitted from the nozzle defines an opening or projected forward. 优选地，环绕喷嘴的嘴部空气的夹带使得主气流被放大至少五倍，更优选地被放大至少十倍，且保持平滑的总输出。 Preferably, the air surrounding the mouth of the nozzle such that the primary air flow is amplified entrained at least five times, more preferably at least ten times enlarged, and maintain a smooth total output.
优选地，喷嘴包括位于柯恩达表面下游的扩散表面。 Preferably, the nozzle comprises a diffuser surface located downstream of the Coanda surface. 喷嘴的内部壳体部段的外部表面优选地成形为限定该扩散表面。 The outer surface of the inner casing section of the nozzle is preferably shaped to define the diffuser surface.
图15是图14中所指的区域R的放大视图。 FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a region R in FIG. 14 refers.
图1和2示出了风扇组件10的实施例的透视图。 Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a perspective view of an embodiment of the fan assembly 10. 在该实施例中，风扇组件10是无叶片风扇组件，且为家用台扇的形式，其包括高度可调节台架12和安装在台架12上用于发射来自风扇组件10的空气的喷嘴14。 In this embodiment, the fan assembly 10 is a bladeless fan assembly, and is in the form of home desk fan, which includes a height adjustable stage 12 and a nozzle 14 mounted on the carriage 12 for emitting air from the fan assembly 10 . 台架12包括落地的基部16和伸缩管18形式的高度可调节架，该伸缩管从基部16向上延伸以传送来自底部16的主气流到喷嘴14。 Floor 12 includes a base 18 and bellows 16 forms a height adjustable carriage frame, the extension tube 16 extending upwardly from the base to transfer from the main gas stream to the bottom portion 16 of the nozzle 14.
台架12的基部16包括安装在基本上圆柱形的下部壳体部分22上的基本上圆柱形的马达壳体部分20。 The base portion 16 comprises a carriage 12 mounted on a substantially cylindrical lower housing part 22 is substantially cylindrical motor casing portion 20. 马达壳体部分20和下部壳体部分22优选地具有基本上相同的外直径，以使得马达壳体部分20的外部表面基本上与下部壳体部分22的外部表面齐平。 The motor housing portion 20 has substantially the same outer diameter and the lower housing portion 22 is preferably such that the outer surface of the motor housing portion 20 and the outer surface of substantially a lower housing part 22 flush. 下部壳体部分22可选地安装在落地盘状底板24上，且包括多个用户可操作按钮26和用户可操作转盘28用于控制风扇组件10的运转。 Optionally a lower housing portion 22 mounted on the disc-shaped base floor 24, and includes a plurality of user-operable operation buttons 26 and a user-operable dial 28 for controlling the fan assembly 10. 基部16还包括多个空气入口30，其在该实施例中为形成在马达壳体部分20上的孔的形式且主气流通过该孔被从外部环境吸入基部16。 Base 16 further includes a plurality of air inlets 30, which in this embodiment is drawn from the external environment is formed in the form of holes in the motor housing portion 20 and the main gas flow through the aperture 16 of the base. 在该实施例中，台架12的基部16具有从200到300mm范围的高度，且马达壳体部分20具有从100到200mm范围的直径。 In this embodiment, the base 16 of the carriage 12 has a height range from 200 to 300mm, and the motor housing portion 20 has a diameter in the range of from 100 to 200mm. 底板24优选地具有从200到300mm范围的直径。 Bottom plate 24 preferably has a diameter of from 200 to 300mm range.
台架12的伸缩管18可在完全伸出的配置（如图1所示）和缩回的配置（如图2所示）之间移动。 Movable between the carriage 12 may be telescoping tube 18 in a fully extended configuration (Figure 1) and a retracted configuration (shown in Figure 2). 管18包括安装在风扇组件10的基部12上的基本上呈圆柱形的底座32、 连接到底座32并从其向上延伸的外部管状构件34、和部分位于外部管状构件34内的内部管状构件36。 18 comprises a tube mounted on the base 12 of the fan assembly 10 is substantially cylindrical base 32 connected to base 32 and from 34 in the end, and the inner tubular member positioned within the outer tubular member portion 34 of the outer tubular member 36 extending upwardly . 连接器37把喷嘴14连接到管18的内部管状构件36的敞开上端。 The connector 14 is connected to the nozzle 37 inner tubular member 36 of the tube 18 open upper end. 内部管状构件36可在外部管状构件34内相对于其在完全伸出的位置（如图1所示）和缩回的位置（如图2所示）之间滑动。 Inner tubular member 36 within the outer tubular member 34 relative to its fully extended position and a position (FIG. 2) slidably retracted (as shown in FIG. 1). 当内部管状构件36处于完全伸出位置中时，风扇组件10优选地具有从1200到1600mm范围的高度，而当内部管状构件36处于缩回位置中时，风扇组件10优选地具有从900到1300mm范围的高度。 When the inner tubular member 36 is in a fully extended position, the fan assembly 10 preferably has a height in the range from 1200 to 1600mm, and when the inner tubular member 36 is in the retracted position, the fan assembly 10 preferably has from 900 to 1300mm height range. 为了调节风扇组件10的高度，使用者可抓住内部管状构件36的暴露部分，根据需要沿向上或向下方向滑动内部管状构件36，以使得喷嘴14处于希望的垂直位置。 To adjust the height of the fan assembly 10, a user may grasp the exposed portion of the inner tubular member 36, inner tubular member 36 slide along the necessary upward or downward direction, so that the nozzle 14 is in a desired vertical position. 当内部管状构件36处于其缩回位置中时，使用者可抓住连接件37以向上拉内部管状构件36。 When the inner tubular member 36 in its retracted position, the user may grasp the connector 37 to pull the inner tubular member 36 upwards.
喷嘴14具有环形形状，绕中心轴线X延伸以限定开口38。 The nozzle 14 has an annular shape, extending about a central axis X to define an opening 38. 喷嘴14包括嘴部40，该嘴部定位在喷嘴14的后部用于发出来自风扇组件10且穿过开口38的气流。 The nozzle 14 includes a nozzle portion 40, is positioned at the rear of the nozzle portion of the nozzle 14 for emitting the air flow from the fan assembly 10 and through the opening 38. 嘴部40绕开口38延伸，且优选地为环形。 Mouth portion 40 extends around the opening 38, and is preferably annular. 喷嘴14的内周包括位于嘴部40附近的柯恩达表面42 (嘴部40引导从风扇组件10发出的空气越过该表面）、位于柯恩达表面42下游的扩散表面44 和位于扩散表面44下游的引导表面46。 The inner periphery of the nozzle 14 comprises a Coanda surface 40 located near the mouth portion 42 (the guide 40 past the surface of the mouth portion of the fan assembly 10 from the air emitted), a Coanda surface 42 located downstream of the diffuser surface 44 and the diffuser surface 44 located downstream of the guide surface 46. 扩散表面44被设置为倾斜远离开口38的中心轴线X，由此有助于从风扇组件10发出的空气的流动。 Diffusion surface 44 is set to be tilted away from the central axis X 38 of the opening, thereby facilitating the flow of air emitted from the fan assembly 10. 扩散表面44和开口38的中心轴线X 之间的角度是在从5到25°的范围内，且在该实施例中为约7°。 The angle between the center axis X of the opening 38 and the diffuser surface 44 is in the range of 5 to 25 °, and in this embodiment is about 7 °. 引导表面46被设置为相对于扩散表面44成角度，以进一步帮助来自风扇组件10的冷却气流的有效传送。 The guide surface 46 is disposed at an angle with respect to the diffuser surface 44 to further assist in the effective transfer cooling airflow from the fan assembly 10. 引导表面46优选地被设置为基本上平行于开口38的中心轴线X，以对于从嘴部40发出的气流呈现基本上平坦且基本上光滑的表面。 The guide surface 46 is preferably arranged substantially parallel to the central axis X 38 of the opening, in order for the air flow emitted from the mouth 40 is substantially flat and exhibits a substantially smooth surface. 视觉上引人注意的锥形表面48位于引导表面46的下游，结束于基本上垂直于开口38的中心轴线X的末端表面50处。 Visually noticeable tapered surface 48 is located downstream of the guide surface 46, and ends at end surface substantially perpendicular to the opening 38 of the center axis X at 50. 锥形表面48和开口38的中心轴线X之间所对的角度优选地为约45°。 Tapered surface 48 and the opening angle between the center axis X 38 is preferably about 45 °. 在该实施例中，喷嘴14具有从400到600mm 范围的高度。 In this embodiment, the nozzle 14 has a height of from 400 to 600mm range.
图3示出了穿过台架12的基部16的截面视图。 FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through the base 12 of the gantry 16. 基部16的下部壳体部分22容置控制器，通常用52表示，用于响应图1和2中所示的用户可操作按钮26的下压和/或用户可操作转盘28的操纵，以控制风扇组件10的运转，下部壳体部分22可选地包括传感器54， 用于接收来自遥控器（未示出）的控制信号，和用于把控制信号传送到控制器52。 Base lower housing portion 16 accommodating the controller 22 is generally represented by 52, in response to the user shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 operable actuating button depression 26 and / or the user operable dial 28 for controlling the operation of the fan assembly 10, a lower housing portion 22 optionally includes a sensor 54 for receiving control signals from a remote controller (not shown), and a control signal to the controller 52. 这些控制信号优选地为红外信号。 These control signals are preferably infrared signals. 传感器54位于窗口55后面，控制信号通过该窗口进入基部16 的下部壳体部分22。 Sensor 54 is located behind the window 55, the control signal of the base 16 into the lower housing portion 22 through the window. 发光二极管（未示出）可被设置用于指示风扇组件10是否处于待机模式。 A light emitting diode (not shown) may be provided for indicating whether the fan assembly 10 is in the standby mode. 下部壳体部分22还容置一机构，通常用56表示，用于把基部16的马达壳体部分20 相对于基部16的下部壳体部分22摆动。 A lower housing portion 22 also houses a mechanism, generally indicated by 56, for the base portion 16 of the motor housing 20 relative to the lower housing portion 22 of the base 16 of the swing. 摆动机构56包括旋转轴56a，该轴从下部壳体部分22延伸到马达壳体部分20中。 Oscillating mechanism 56 comprises a rotary shaft 56a, the shaft portion 22 extending from the lower housing portion 20 to the motor housing. 轴56a通过轴承被支撑在连接到下部壳体部分22的套筒56b中，以允许轴56a相对于套筒56b旋转。 Shaft 56a is supported through a bearing in the housing sleeve 56b connected to the lower portion 22 to allow the shaft 56a with respect to the rotation of the sleeve 56b. 轴56a的一个端部被连接到环形连接板56c 的中心部分，而连接板56c的外部部分连接到马达壳体部分20的底座。 One end of the shaft 56a is connected to a central portion of an annular connecting plate 56c, while the outer part of the connecting plate 56c is connected to the base portion 20 of the motor housing. 这允许马达壳体部分20相对于下部壳体部分22旋转。 This allows the motor casing portion 22 is rotated relative to the lower housing portion 20. 摆动机构56还包括定位在下部壳体部分22中的马达(未示出），其操作曲柄臂（通常以56d指示），该曲柄臂使马达壳体部分20相对于下部壳体部分22的上部部分摆动。 56 further comprises a pivot mechanism 22 positioned in the motor (not shown) the lower housing part, the operation of the crank arm (indicated generally at 56d), the crank arm portion 20 of the motor housing relative to the lower housing portion 22 of the upper part of the swing. 用于将一个零件相对于另一个摆动的曲柄臂结构通常是已知的，且由此在这里将不予描述。 Means for oscillating one part relative to the other crank arm structures are generally known, and thus will not be described herein. 马达壳体部分20相对于下部壳体部分22的每个摆动循环的范围优选地在60°和120°之间，且在该实施例中为约90°。 The motor housing portion 20 with respect to each oscillating cycle of the lower housing portion 22 preferably ranges between 60 ° and 120 °, and in this embodiment about 90 °. 在该实施例中，摆动机构56被设置为每分钟执行约3到5个摆动循环。 In this embodiment, the oscillating mechanism 56 is arranged to perform each of about 3 to 5 minutes wobble cycles. 主电源电缆58穿过形成在下部壳体部分22 中的孔延伸，以为风扇组件10供电。 The main power cable 58 extends through the housing portion 22 is formed in a lower aperture, 10 that power the fan assembly.
马达壳体部分20包括圆柱形栅格60，孔62的阵列形成在栅格中以提供台架12的基部16的空气入口30。 The motor housing 20 comprises a cylindrical portion 60 grid array of holes 62 formed in the grid to provide a base portion 12 of the stage 16 of the air inlet 30. 马达壳体部分20容置用于抽吸主气流穿过孔62并进入基部16的叶轮64。 The motor housing portion 20 for accommodating the main air flow drawn into the impeller through the apertures 62 and 64 of the base 16. 优选地，叶轮64是混合流动式叶轮的形式。 Preferably, the impeller 64 is in the form of a mixed flow impeller. 叶轮64连接到从马达68向外延伸的旋转轴66。 The impeller 64 is connected to a rotary shaft 66 extending outwardly from the motor 68. 在该实施例中，马达68是DC无刷马达，其速度通过控制器52响应用户对转盘28的操纵和/或接收到的来自遥控器的信号而改变。 In this embodiment, the motor 68 is a DC brushless motor, the speed of manipulation of the dial 28 and / or from the remote control signal received by the user is changed in response to the controller 52. 马达68的最大速度优选地从5000 到IOOOOrpm范围。 The maximum speed of the motor 68 is preferably from 5000 to IOOOOrpm range. 马达68容置在马达座内，该马达座包括连接到下部部分72的上部部分70。 Motor 68 housed within the motor housing, the motor housing comprises a lower portion 72 connected to the upper portion 70. 马达座的上部部分70包括具有螺旋叶片的静止盘形式的扩散器74。 An upper portion comprising a motor mount portion 70 in the form of a stationary disc having a spiral vane diffuser 74. 马达座定位在大致截头锥形叶轮壳体76内且安装在其上，该叶轮壳体76连接到马达壳体部分20。 Motor mount is positioned within a generally frusto-conical impeller housing 76 and is mounted thereon, the impeller housing 76 connected to the motor housing portion 20. 叶轮64 和叶轮壳体76的形状设置为使得叶轮64紧接近但是不接触叶轮壳体76的内部表面。 Shaped impeller 64 and the impeller housing 76 such that the impeller 64 is in close proximity to but not in contact with the interior surface 76 of the impeller housing. 基本为环形的入口构件78连接到叶轮壳体76的底部，用于引导主气流进入叶轮壳体76。 A substantially annular inlet member 78 is connected to the bottom of the impeller housing 76 for guiding the primary air flow enters the impeller housing 76.
优选地，台架12的基部16还包括静音泡沫，用于降低从基部16发出的噪音。 Preferably, the base 16 of the gantry 12 further includes a muting foam for reducing noise emitted from the base 16. 在该实施例中，基部16的马达壳体部分20包括位于栅格60下的第一环形泡沫构件80，和位于叶轮壳体76和入口构件78之间的第二环形泡沫构件82。 In this embodiment, the motor housing 16 of the base portion 20 includes a first annular foam member 60 located under the grid 80, and a second annular foam member 78 between the inlet member 76 and the impeller housing 82.
现在将参考图4至11详细描述台架12的伸缩管18。 Stage telescopic tube 1812 described in detail Referring now to FIGS. 4-11. 管18的底座32包括基本呈圆柱形的侧壁102和环形上部表面104，该表面基本上正交于侧壁102且优选与其为整体。 The base 32 of the tube 18 includes a substantially cylindrical sidewall 102 and an annular upper surface 104 which is substantially orthogonal to the side wall surface 102 and is preferably integral therewith. 侧壁102优选地具有基本上与基部16的马达壳体部分20相同的外直径，且形状被设置为使得当管18连接到基部16时，侧壁102的外部表面基本上与基部16的马达壳体部分20的外部表面齐平。 Side walls 102 preferably have substantially the same base 16 of the motor housing outer diameter portion 20, and the shape is set such that when the tube 18 is connected to the base of 16:00, the external surface of the sidewall 102 of the motor base 16 is substantially the outer surface of the housing part 20 flush. 底座32还包括从上部表面104向上延伸的相对较短的空气管106，用于把主气流传送到管18的外部管状构件34中。 Base 32 also comprises a relatively short air pipe 106 extending upwardly from the upper surface 104 for conveying the primary air flow to the outer tubular member 34 of the tube 18. 空气管106优选地基本上与侧壁102共轴线，且具有外部直径，该外部直径稍微小于管18的外部管状构件34的内部直径，以使得空气管106能完全被插入管18的外部管状构件34。 Preferably, the air tube 106 is substantially coaxial with the side wall 102, and has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the inner diameter of the outer tubular member 34 of the tube 18, so that the air tube 106 can be completely inserted into the outer tubular member 18 of the tube 34. 多个轴向延伸肋108可被定位在空气管106的外部表面上，用于形成与管18的外部管状构件34的干涉配合且由此把外部管状构件34固定到底座32。 A plurality of axially extending ribs 108 may be positioned on the exterior surface of the air pipe 106 for forming the outer tubular member 34 of the tube 18 an interference fit, and thus the outer tubular member 34 fixed to the seat 32 in the end. 环形密封构件110定位在空气管106的上部端部上，以在外部管状构件34和空气管106之间形成气密式密封。 An annular sealing member 110 positioned on the upper end of the air pipe 106 to form a hermetic seal between the outer tubular member 34 and the air pipe 106.
管18包括带穹状空气引导构件114，用于把从扩散器74发出的主气流弓|导进入空气管106。 The tube 18 comprises a guide member with the air dome 114, for the primary air flow from the diffuser 74 emitted bow | guide pipe 106 into the air. 空气引导构件114具有用于接收来自基部16的主气流的敞开的下部端部116， 和把主气流传送到空气管106内的敞开上部端部118。 A lower air guide member 114 having an open end for receiving the primary air flow 116 from the base portion 16, and transmits the main gas stream into the open upper end of the inner air tube 106,118. 空气引导构件114容置在管18的底座32内。 The air guiding member 114 housed within the base 32 of the tube 18. 空气引导构件114通过位于底座32和空气引导构件114上的配合卡扣连接件120连接到底座32。 The air guiding member 114 is connected to base 32 in the end connecting member 120 is located through the base 32 and the air guiding member 114 on the mating snap. 第二环形密封构件121定位于敞开的上部端部118周围，以在底座32 和空气引导构件114之间形成气密式密封。 The second annular sealing member 121 positioned around the upper open end 118 to form a hermetic seal between the base 32 and the air guiding member 114. 如图3所示，空气引导构件114例如通过位于空气引导构件114和基部16的马达壳体部分20上的配合卡扣连接件123或螺纹连接件连接到基部16的马达壳体部分20的敞开上部端部。 3, the air guiding member 114 for example, the guide member 114 and the base mating snap connector member 123 or a threaded connection portion 20 of the motor housing 16 is connected to the base of the motor housing 16 via the open portion 20 located in the air an upper end portion. 因此，空气引导构件114用于把管18连接到台架12的基部16。 Thus, the guide member 114 for the air pipe 18 is connected to the base portion 12 of the gantry 16.
多个空气引导翼片122定位在空气引导构件114的内部表面上，用于引导从扩散器74发出的螺旋气流进入空气管106。 The plurality of air guide flap 122 is positioned on the inner surface of the air guiding member 114 for guiding air tube 106 into the spiral gas flow from the diffuser 74 is emitted. 在该例子中，空气引导构件114包括七个空气引导翼片122，其绕空气引导构件114的内部表面均勻地分布。 In this example, the air guiding member 114 comprises seven air guiding flap 122, which is about the inner surface of the air guide member 114 is uniformly distributed. 空气引导翼片122在空气引导构件114的敞开上部端部118的中心会聚，且由此在空气引导构件114内限定多个空气通道124，每个空气通道都用于引导主气流的相应部分进入空气管106。 Into the air guiding flap 122 in the corresponding section of the air guiding member 114 is open end 118 of the upper center convergence, and thus the air guiding member 114 defining a plurality of air passages 124, each air channel for guiding the primary air flow air tube 106. 具体参考图4，七个径向空气引导翼片126都位于空气管106内。 With particular reference to Figure 4, seven radial air guiding flap 126 are located within the air pipe 106. 每个径向空气引导翼片126基本上沿空气管126的整个长度延伸，且在空气引导构件114被连接到底座32时邻接相应一个空气引导翼片122。 Each radial air guide flap 126 along substantially the entire length of the air tube 126 extends, and the guide member 114 is connected in the end adjacent to the seat 32 when the respective one air guide vane 122 in the air. 径向空气引导翼片126由此在空气管106内限定多个轴向延伸空气通道128，每个通道都接收来自空气引导构件114内的相应一个空气通道124的相应一部分主气流，且其传送该部分主气流轴向地穿过空气管106且进入管18的外部管状构件34中。 Radial air guide flap 126 thereby defining a plurality of axially extending air passages 128, each channel receiving a respective one air passage from the air guide member 114 within the respective portion of the primary air flow 124 within the air pipe 106, and transmits it the main part of the air stream passing axially through the tube 106 and into the outer tubular member 34 18. 因此，底座32和管18的空气引导构件114用于将从扩散器74发出的螺旋气流转化为轴向气流，该轴向气流穿过外部管状构件34和内部管状构件36进入喷嘴14。 Thus, the base 32 and the air guide tube 18 for the coil member 114 from the airflow emitted from the diffuser 74 into an axial air flow, the air flow axially through the outer tubular member 34 and the inner tubular member 36 enters the nozzle 14. 第三环形密封构件129可被提供，用于在空气引导构件114和管18的底座32之间形成气密封。 The third annular sealing member 129 may be provided for the base member 114 and the air guide tube 18 is formed between the gas seal 32.
圆柱形上部套筒130例如利用粘接剂或通过干涉配合而被连接到外部管状构件34的上部部分的内部表面，以使得上部套筒130的上部端部132与外部管状构件34的上部端部齐平。 The upper portion of the cylindrical sleeve 130, for example using an adhesive or is attached to the interior surface of the upper portion of the outer tubular member 34 by an interference fit, so that the upper end of the upper portion 130 of the sleeve 132 and the outer tubular member 34 an upper end flush 上部套筒130具有内直径，该内直径稍微大于内部管状构件36的外直径，以允许内部管状构件36穿过上部套筒130。 Upper sleeve 130 has an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the inner diameter of the inner tubular member 36 to allow the inner tubular member 36 through the upper portion of the sleeve 130. 第三环形密封构件136定位在上部套筒130上，以与内部管状构件36形成气密密封。 The third annular sealing member 136 positioned on the upper sleeve 130, the inner tubular member 36 to form an airtight seal. 第三环形密封构件136包括环形唇缘138，其接合外部管状构件34的上部端部132以在上部套筒130和外部管状构件34之间形成气密封。 The third annular sealing member 136 comprises an annular lip 138 which engages the upper end of the outer tubular member 132 to form a portion 34 between the upper sleeve 130 and the outer tubular member 34 airtight.
圆柱形下部套筒140例如利用粘接剂或通过干涉配合而被连接到内部管状构件36的下部部分的外部表面，以使得内部管状构件36的下部端部142被定位在下部套筒140 的上部端部144和下部端部146之间。 The lower portion of cylindrical sleeve 140, for example using an adhesive or the inner tubular member is connected to the outer surface of the lower portion 36 by an interference fit, such that a lower end portion of the inner tubular member 36 is positioned in the lower portion of the sleeve 142 between the upper end 144 and a lower portion 140 of the end 146. 下部套筒140的上部端部144具有基本上与上部套筒130的下部端部148相同的外直径。 An upper end portion 140 of the lower sleeve 144 has substantially the same outer diameter and the upper end portion of the lower portion 148 of the sleeve 130. 因此，在内部管状构件36的完全伸出位置中，下部套管140的上部端部144抵靠上部套筒130的下部端部148，由此防止内部管状构件36被完全从外部管状构件34抽出。 Thus, in the fully extended position of the inner tubular member 36, the lower end of the upper portion 140 of the sleeve 144 abuts against the lower portion of the upper end 130 of the sleeve 148, thereby preventing the inner tubular member 36 is fully withdrawn from the outer tubular member 34 . 在内部管状构件36的缩回位置中，下部套筒140的下部端部146抵靠空气管106的上部端部。 In the retracted position of the inner tubular member 36, the lower end portion 146 of the lower sleeve 140 abuts against the upper end of the air duct 106.
主弹簧（main spring) 150绕轴152卷绕，该轴被旋转地支撑在管18的下部套筒140的向内延伸的臂154之间，如图7所示。 The main spring (main spring) 150 is wound around the shaft 152, the shaft is rotatably supported between the arms 154 of the lower sleeve tube 18 extends inwardly of 140, as shown in FIG. 参考图8，主弹簧150包括钢条，其具有固定地位于上部套筒130的外部表面和外部管状构件34的内部表面之间的自由端156。 Referring to Figure 8, the main spring 150 includes a steel bar, having a free end 156 fixedly located between the inner surface of the outer tubular member and the outer surface 130 of the upper sleeve 34. 因此，当内部管状构件36从完全伸出位置（如图5和6所示）下降到缩回位置（如图10和11所示）时，主弹簧150从轴152退卷绕。 Therefore, from the fully extended position 36 when the inner tubular member (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) to the lowered retracted position (FIGS. 10 and 11), the main spring 150 is wound back from the shaft 152. 储存在主弹簧150内的弹性能量作为平衡重量用来保持内部管状构件36相对于外部管状构件34的用户选择的位置。 The elastic energy stored in the main spring 150 as the equilibrium weight for holding the inner tubular member 36 relative to the position selected by the user of the outer tubular member 34.
通过弹簧加载的弓形带158，提供了对于内部管状构件36相对于外部管状构件34 的附加运动阻力，该弓形带优选地由塑料材料形成，且位于绕下部套筒140圆周地延伸的环形沟槽160内。 The spring-loaded arch strap 158 provides additional resistance to movement of the inner tubular member 36 relative to the outer tubular member 34, the arcuate strip is preferably formed from a plastic material and is located in the lower portion 140 extends circumferentially around the sleeve the annular groove 160. 参考图7和9，带158不完全绕下部套筒140延伸，且由此包括两个相对端部161。 7 and 9, the band 158 does not extend fully about the lower sleeve 140, and thus comprises two opposing ends 161. 带158的每个端部161都包括径向内部部分161a，该部分被接收在形成在下部套筒140中的孔162中。 Each end portion 161 comprises a band 158 radially inner portion 161a, the portion is received in the hole 162 formed in the lower portion of the sleeve 140. 压缩弹簧164被定位在带158的端部161的径向内部部分161a 之间，以把带158的外部表面压靠在外部管状构件34的内部表面上，由此增加抵抗内部管状构件36相对于外部管状构件34运动的摩擦力。 The compression spring 164 is positioned between the radially inner end 161 of the band 158 portion 161a, to the upper outer surface of the belt 158 is pressed against the inner surface of the outer tubular member 34, thereby increasing the internal resistance of the tubular member 36 with respect to friction movement of the outer tubular member 34.
带158还包括带沟槽部分166，在该实施例中该部分被定位为与压缩弹簧164相对，其限定带158的外部表面上的轴向延伸沟槽167。 The band 158 further comprises a grooved portion 166, in this embodiment, the portion being positioned opposite the compression spring 164, which is axially defined on the outer surface of the belt 158 extending in the groove 167. 带158的沟槽167定位在凸起肋168 上方，其沿外部管状构件34的内部表面的长度轴向地延伸。 Groove 158 with raised ribs 167 positioned above 168, along the inner surface of the outer tubular member 34 extends axially the length. 沟槽167具有基本上与凸起肋168相同的角宽度和径向深度，以抑制内部管状构件36和外部管状构件34之间的相对旋转。 The groove 167 has a relative rotation between the inner tubular member 36 and the outer tubular member 34 is substantially the same angular width of the raised rib and the radial depth 168, to suppress.
现在参考图12至15描述风扇组件10的喷嘴14。 Referring now to FIGS. 12 to 15 described in the nozzle 14 of the fan assembly 10. 喷嘴14包括环形外部壳体部段200，其连接到环形内部壳体部段202且绕该内部壳体部段延伸。 The nozzle 14 includes an annular outer casing section 200, which is connected to the annular inner casing section 202 and around the inner casing section extends. 这些部段的每个都可由多个连接部分形成，但是在该实施例中，外部壳体部段200和内部壳体部段202的每个分别由单一模制件形成。 Each of these sections can be formed by a plurality of connecting portions, but in this embodiment, the outer casing section 200 and inner housing section 202 are each formed from a single molding. 内部壳体部段202限定喷嘴14的中心开口38，且具有外部周边表面203， 该外部周边表面形状设置为限定柯恩达表面42、扩散表面44、引导表面46和锥形表面48。 Inner casing section 202 defines the central opening 38 of the nozzle 14, and having an outer peripheral surface 203, the outer peripheral surface shaped to define the Coanda surface 42, diffuser surface 44, guide surface 46 and tapered surface 48.
外部壳体部段200和内部壳体部段202 —起限定喷嘴14的环形内部通道204。 The outer casing section 200 and the inner casing section 202-- from the nozzle 14 define an annular interior passage 204. 因此，内部通道204绕开口38延伸。 Thus, the interior passage 204 extends about the opening 38. 内部通道204通过外部壳体部段200的内部周边表面206和内部壳体部段202的内部周边表面208界定。 By defining the internal passageway 204 208 inner peripheral surface of the inner peripheral surface of the outer casing section 200 and the interior 206 of the housing section 202. 外部壳体部段200的底座包括孔210。 Base outer casing section 200 comprises an aperture 210.
连接器37(其连接喷嘴14到管18的内部管状构件36的敞开上部端部170)包括倾斜机构，用于把喷嘴14相对于台架12倾斜。 The connector 37 (which is connected to the nozzle 14 to the inner tubular member 18 of the tube 36 of the upper open end portion 170) includes a tilt mechanism for nozzle 14 is inclined with respect to the gantry 12. 倾斜机构包括上部构件，且为固定地定位在孔210中的板300的形式。 Tilting mechanism includes an upper member, and is fixedly positioned in the bore 210 in the form of plate 300. 可选地，板300可与外部壳体部段200为整体。 Alternatively, the outer plate 300 may be integral casing section 200. 板300包括圆孔302，主气流穿过该圆孔从伸缩管18进入内部通道204。 Plate 300 includes a circular hole 302, through which primary air flow enters the interior passage 204 from the circular hole telescoping tube 18. 连接器37还包括下部构件， 该下部构件是空气管道304的形式，其至少部分地插过内部管状构件36的敞开上部端部170。 The connector 37 further includes a lower member, the lower member 304 is in the form of an air duct, at least partially inserted through the open upper end of the inner tubular member 36, 170. 空气管道304具有基本上与形成在连接器37的上部板300中的圆孔302相同的内直径。 The air duct 304 has substantially the same circular hole 300 formed in the upper plate 37 of the connector 302 in the inner diameter. 如果需要，环形密封构件可被提供，用于在内部管状构件36的内部表面和空气管道304 的外部表面之间形成气密密封，且阻止空气管道304从内部管状构件36抽出。 If desired, the annular sealing member may be provided for forming a hermetic seal between the outer surface of the inner tubular member and the interior surface 36 of the air duct 304, and prevents the air duct 304 is withdrawn from the inner tubular member 36. 板300利用一组连接件（图12中以306表示）枢转地连接到空气管道304，这些连接件被端帽308覆盖。 Plate 300 by means of a set of connections (represented in FIG. 12 to 306) connected to the air duct 304 is pivotally connected to the member 308 is covered with the end cap. 柔性软管310在空气管道304和板300之间延伸以在其间传送空气。 The flexible hose 310 extending therebetween to transfer the air between the air duct 304 and the plate 300. 柔性软管310可以是环形波纹管密封元件。 The flexible hose 310 may be an annular bellows sealing element. 第一环形密封构件312在软管310和空气管道304之间形成气密密封，第二环形密封构件314在软管310和板300之间形成气密密封。 A first annular sealing member 312 forms an airtight seal between the hose 310 and the air duct 304, a second annular sealing member 314 forms an airtight seal between the hose 310 and the plate 300. 为了把喷嘴14 相对于台架12倾斜，使用者简单地拉或推喷嘴14以使得软管310弯曲以允许板300相对于空气管道304运动。 To tilt the nozzle 14 relative to the gantry 12, the user simply pulls or pushes the nozzle 14 to cause the hose 310 is bent to allow movement of the air duct 304 relative to the plate 300. 移动喷嘴所需的力依赖于板300和空气管道304之间的连接的紧度(tightness)，且优选地在2到4N的范围内。 Tightness required force to move the nozzle between the plate 300 dependent on the air duct 304 and the connection (tightness), and preferably in the range of 2 to 4N. 喷嘴14优选地可在士10°范围内从不倾斜位置（其中轴线X基本上水平）到完全倾斜位置运动。 Preferably, the nozzle 14 may never inclined position (wherein the substantially horizontal axis X) in the range of 10 ° to persons fully tilted position. 当喷嘴14被相对于台架12倾斜时， 轴线X沿基本上垂直平面扫掠。 When the nozzle 14 is inclined with respect to the gantry 12, the axis X is substantially vertical plane along a sweep.
喷嘴14的嘴部40定位在喷嘴14的后部。 The mouth portion 40 of the nozzle 14 is positioned at the rear of the nozzle 14. 嘴部40由外部壳体部段200的内部周边表面206和内部壳体部段202的外部周边表面203的相应的重叠的或面对的部分212、 214限定。 40 from the inner peripheral surface of the outer casing section 206 and 200 of the outer peripheral surface of the inner casing section 202 corresponding to the overlapping portion 203 of the mouth or face portion 212, 214 is defined. 在该实施例中，嘴部40是大致环形，如图15所示，当沿直径地穿过喷嘴14的线截取时具有基本上U形截面。 In this embodiment, the mouth 40 is substantially annular, as shown in FIG. 15, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section when the thread through the nozzle 14 taken along diametrically. 在该实施例中，外部壳体部段200的内部周边表面206和内部壳体部段202的外部周边表面203的重叠部分212、214的形状被设置为使得嘴部40朝向出口216逐渐变细，该出口设置用于引导主气流流过柯恩达表面42上方。 In this embodiment, the inner peripheral surface of the outer casing section 206 and 200 form an overlapping portion 202 of the outer peripheral surface 203 of the inner casing section 212, 214 is set so that the mouth 40 tapers towards the outlet 216 the outlet is provided for guiding the primary air flow flows over the Coanda surface 42. 出口216是环形槽口的形式，优选地具有从0.5到5mm范围内的相对恒定的宽度。 Outlet 216 is in the form of an annular slot, preferably having a relatively constant width from the range of 0.5 to 5mm. 在该实施例中，出口216具有从0. 5到1. 5mm范围的宽度。 In this embodiment, the outlet 216 has a width to a range from 0.5 to 1. 5mm. 间隔件可设置在嘴部40周围，以使得外部壳体部段200的内部周边表面206和内部壳体部段202的外部周边表面203的重叠部分212、214间隔开，以保持出口216的宽度在期望的水平。 The spacer may be disposed around the mouth portion 40, so that the inner peripheral surface of the outer casing section 200 and the outer peripheral surface 206 of the inner housing section 202 overlapping portion 203 spaced 212, 214, 216 to maintain the width of the outlet at the desired level. 这些间隔件可与外部壳体部段200的内部周边表面206或与内部壳体部段202的外部周边表面203为整体。 These spacers may be the outer peripheral surface of the inner casing section 200 or 206 of the outer peripheral surface of the inner housing portion 203 of section 202 as a whole.
为了操作风扇组件10，使用者按压台架12的基部16上的按钮26中的适当的一个，响应该按压，控制器52启动马达68以旋转叶轮64。 To operate the fan assembly 10, the user presses a button on the carriage base 16 12 26 a suitable response to the pressing, the controller 52 starts the motor 68 to rotate the impeller 64. 叶轮64的旋转导致主气流通过栅格60的孔62被抽入台架12的基部16。 Rotation of the impeller 64 causes the primary air flow is drawn into the base 16 of the carriage 12 through the aperture 62 of the grid 60. 依赖于马达的速度，主气流流速可在20和40升每秒之间。 Depends on the speed of the motor, main gas stream flow rate may rise between 20 and 40 per second. 主气流相继穿过叶轮壳体76和扩散器74。 Primary air flow through the impeller housing 76 in succession and the diffuser 74. 扩散器74的叶片的螺旋形状导致主气流被从扩散器74以螺旋气流的形式排出。 The spiral shape of the blade of the diffuser 74 causes the primary air flow to be discharged from the diffuser 74 in the form of a spiral stream. 主气流进入空气引导构件114，其中弯曲的空气引导翼片122将主气流分为多个部分，且引导主气流的每个部分进入伸缩管18的底座32的空气管106内的相应一个轴向延伸空气通道128。 A respective axially inner portions of each of the primary air flow enters the air guiding member 114, wherein the curved air guiding flap 122 primary air flow is divided into a plurality of portions, and guide the main gas flow into the air tube 106 the bellows 18 of base 32 extending air passage 128. 主气流的这些部分在从空气管106 被发出时转化为轴向气流。 These portions of the primary air flow into an axial air flow emitted from the air when the tube 106. 主气流向上穿过管18的外部管状构件34和内部管状构件36， 且穿过连接器37进入喷嘴14的内部通道86。 Primary air flow through the outer tubular member 34 and the inner tubular member 18 of the pipe 36 upwardly, through the connector 37 and into the interior passageway 86 of the nozzle 14.
在喷嘴14内，主气流被分成两股气流，其沿相反方向绕喷嘴14的中心开口38通过。 In the nozzle 14, primary air flow is divided into two streams, which is about a central opening 38 through the nozzle 14 in opposite directions. 当气流穿过内部通道204时，空气进入喷嘴14的嘴部40。 When the airflow through the interior passage 204, air enters the mouth 40 of the nozzle 14. 进入嘴部40的气流优选地绕喷嘴14的开口38基本上是均勻的。 Preferably the gas flow into the mouth 40 of the opening 38 around the nozzle 14 is substantially uniform. 在嘴部40内，气流的流动方向基本上被反向。 In the mouth portion 40, the flow direction of gas flow is substantially reversed. 气流受到嘴部40的锥形部分的约束且通过出口216发出。 Subject to the tapered portion of the airflow nozzle portion 40 and emitted through the outlet 216. 从嘴部40发出的主气流被引导到喷嘴14的柯恩达表面42上，通过来自外部环境(具体地来自嘴部40的出口216周围区域和来自喷嘴14的后部附近）的空气的夹带导致产生二次气流。 The primary air flow is directed from the mouth portion 40 emitted from the nozzle 14 to the Coanda surface 42, from the external environment through (in particular from the outlet nozzle portion 40 and the peripheral region 216 from the nozzle 14 near the rear) of the air entrainment results in secondary air flow. 该二次气流穿过喷嘴14的中心开口38，在那里与主气流合以产生总气流， 或空气流，从喷嘴14向前投射。 The secondary air flow 14 passes through the center of the nozzle opening 38, where engagement with the primary air flow to produce a total air flow, or air current, projected forward from the nozzle 14. 依赖于马达68的速度，从风扇组件10向前投射的空气流的质量流速可高达400升每秒，优选地高达600升每秒，且更优选地高达800升每秒，且空气流的最大速度可在2. 5到4. 5m/s的范围内。 Velocity dependent motor 68, the mass flow rate of air flow projected forward fan assembly 10 may be up to 400 liters per second, preferably up to 600 liters per second, more preferably up to 800 liters per second, and the maximum air flow speed may be in the range of 2.5 to 4. 5m / s to. 主气流沿喷嘴14的嘴部40均勻分布确保气流在扩散表面44上均勻地经过。 The primary air flow along the mouth 40 of the nozzle 14 to ensure a uniform distribution of the gas flow passes evenly over the diffuser surface 44. 通过将气流移动穿过受控膨胀区域，扩散表面44导致气流的平均速度降低。 By moving the air flow through the controlled expansion region, diffuser surface 44 results in an average speed of the air flow decreases. 扩散表面44的相对于开口38的中心轴线X相对较小的角度允许气流的膨胀逐渐地发生。 Phase diffusion surface 44 to the opening 38 of the central axis X relatively small angle allows gradually expanded stream occurs. 否则，急剧或快速发散将导致气流变得混乱，在膨胀区域中产生旋涡。 Otherwise, dramatic or rapid divergence would cause airflow becomes chaotic, generating vortices in the expansion area. 这种旋涡可导致气流中湍流和相关联噪音的增加，这是不期望的，特别是在例如风扇的家用电器中。 This swirling airflow can cause increased turbulence and associated noise, which is undesirable, particularly in home appliances, for example, in a fan. 向前投射越过扩散表面44 的气流可倾向于连续地发散。 Diffusion across the gas flow forwardly projecting surface 44 may tend to diverge continuously. 基本上平行于开口38的中心轴线X延伸的引导表面46的存在进一步会聚该气流。 The presence of the guide surface is substantially parallel to the central axis X 38 of the opening 46 extending further converges the air flow. 结果，气流可有效地行进从喷嘴14出来，使得气流可在离风扇组件10几米距离处被快速体验到。 As a result, the air flow can travel efficiently out from the nozzle 14, so that the airflow can be rapidly at a distance of 10 meters from the experience of the fan assembly to.
一种风扇组件，包括用于产生气流的装置和用于发出气流的空气出口，该空气出口安装在台架上，该台架容置所述用于产生气流的装置，该台架包括基部和高度可调节支架，该基部包括摆动装置，用于摆动所述支架、空气出口和所述用于产生气流的装置。 A fan assembly comprising means for creating an air flow and an air outlet for emitting the air flow, the air outlet is mounted on the gantry, means for generating the air flow means for receiving gantry, the gantry comprising a base and height adjustable stand, the base includes a swing means for swinging the holder, means for generating an air stream and an outlet for the.
2.如权利要求1所述的风扇组件，其中摆动装置被设置为相对于基部的下部部分摆动基部的上部部分。 2. The fan assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is arranged to pivot relative to the lower portion of the base of the upper portion of the swing base.
3.如权利要求2所述的风扇组件，其中基部的上部部分包括延伸到基部的下部部分中的轴，基部的下部部分包括用于接收该轴的套筒。 A fan assembly according to claim 2, wherein an upper portion of the base includes a shaft extending into the lower portion of the base in the lower portion of the base includes a sleeve for receiving the shaft.
4.如权利要求3所述的风扇组件，其中所述轴通过至少一个轴承而被套筒可旋转地支撑。 4. A fan assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said shaft via at least one bearing sleeve is rotatably supported.
5.如权利要求2至4中任一项所述的风扇组件，其中摆动装置包括用于相对于基部的下部部分摆动基部的上部部分的曲柄机构。 The fan assembly according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein the pivot means comprises a crank mechanism with respect to the upper portion of the lower portion of the base of the swing base.
6.如权利要求2至4中任一项所述的风扇组件，其中基部的上部部分容置所述用于产生气流的装置。 6. The fan assembly according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein an upper portion of the base accommodating the means for generating the air flow.
7.如权利要求1至4中任一项所述的风扇组件，其中支架包括用于把气流传送到空气出口的管。 7. The fan assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stent comprises a tube for transmitting the gas flow to the air outlet.
8.如权利要求7所述的风扇组件，其中用于产生气流的装置包括叶轮、用于旋转叶轮的马达和位于叶轮下游的扩散器。 The fan assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means for creating an air flow comprises an impeller, a motor for rotating an impeller and a diffuser located downstream from the impeller.
9.如权利要求8所述的风扇组件，包括用于把从扩散器发出的气流引导到管内的装置。 9. A fan assembly as claimed in claim 8, comprising means for guiding the tube from the gas stream emitted to the diffuser.
10.如权利要求9所述的风扇组件，其中气流引导装置包括多个翼片，每一个翼片用于把从扩散器发出的气流的相应部分朝向管引导。 10. The fan assembly of claim 9, wherein the air flow guiding means comprises a plurality of fins, each fin corresponding to a portion from the airflow emitted toward the diffuser tube guide.
11.如权利要求10所述的台架，其中气流引导装置包括至少部分地定位在管内的多个径向翼片，所述径向翼片的每一个都邻接所述多个翼片中的相应一个。 11. The carriage according to claim 10, wherein the flow guide means comprises at least partially positioned within the tube a plurality of radial vanes, the radially adjacent to each of said plurality of fin flaps a corresponding.
12.如权利要求1至4中任一项所述的风扇组件，其中空气出口绕一开口延伸，风扇组件外部的空气被从空气出口发出的气流拖曳穿过该开口。 12. The fan assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the air outlet extends about an opening, the airflow outside the fan assembly is emitted from the air outlet of the air through the opening boxes.
13.如权利要求12所述的风扇组件，其中空气出口包括喷嘴，该喷嘴包括用于接收气流的内部通道和用于发出气流的嘴部。 13. The fan assembly of claim 12, wherein the air outlet comprises a nozzle, the nozzle comprising an internal channel for receiving the gas stream and a gas stream emitted mouth.
14.如权利要求13所述的风扇组件，其中内部通道成形为把接收的气流分为两股气流，每一股气流沿开口的相应侧流动。 14. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein the interior passage is shaped to receive the gas stream into two streams, each of the air streams along the respective side of the flow opening.
15.如权利要求13所述的风扇组件，其中内部通道基本上为环形。 15. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein the interior passage is substantially annular.
16.如权利要求13所述的风扇组件，其中嘴部绕开口延伸。 16. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein the mouth extends about the opening.
17.如权利要求13所述的风扇组件，其中喷嘴包括内部壳体部段和外部壳体部段，其一起限定所述嘴部。 17. The fan assembly of claim 13, wherein the nozzle comprises an inner casing section and an outer casing section which together define the mouth portion.
18.如权利要求17所述的风扇组件，其中嘴部包括位于喷嘴的内部壳体部段的外部表面和喷嘴的外部壳体部段的内部表面之间的出口。 18. The fan assembly of claim 17, wherein the mouth comprises an outlet portion between the inner surface of the outer surface of the nozzle and the outer casing section of the inner casing section of the nozzle.
19.如权利要求18所述的风扇组件，其中所述出口是至少部分地绕开口延伸的槽口的形式。 19. The fan assembly of claim 18, wherein said outlet is in the form of an opening extending at least partially around the slot.
20.如权利要求18所述的风扇组件，其中所述出口具有从0. 5到5mm范围的宽度。 20. The fan assembly of claim 18, wherein the outlet has a width to a range from 0.5 to 5mm.
21.如权利要求1至4中任一项所述的风扇组件，其中该风扇组件是无叶片风扇组件。 21. The fan assembly according to claim 4, wherein the fan assembly is a bladeless fan assembly.
ES2366943T3 (en) 2011-10-26 Fan assembly. | 2019-04-22T11:46:13Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/CN101825103A/en |
Just flip on outdoor TV or check your social media and you’ll likely find a hunter dropping some sort of excuse about a buck he or she just killed.
Why is it that hunters are seemingly apologizing or making excuses for the bucks they just killed? Is it because just a few weeks ago they were committed to some “Hit List” buck? Is it going to hurt their repuatation of being some type of elite hunter? Or maybe it’s just their best attempt to cover up a case of ground shrinkage?
Either way, you shot it…don’t shame it. Don’t down play the young two-year-old that you just punched your tag on. No, he’s not huge. No, he’s not the giant you had trail cam photos of. But he evidently got your heart pounding and adrenaline pumping enough to make you pull the trigger. Why not celebrate the moment instead of feeling like you owe the social media world an excuse or apology for shooting a smaller buck?
Ground shrinkage got you again? No big deal. Who really cares? Just don’t go trying to cover it up by calling it a, “Cull Buck.” You shot it. Own it.
One of the latest stunts I’ve seen hunters using a lot lately is referring to the young 2-year-old buck they just killed as an, “Old Warrior,” on its way down. Seriously? How ’bout we call it what it is. You killed a young buck. That’s awesome! That is, until you begin to make excuses and seemingly apologize for it.
This spike buck is the smallest buck of my hunting career, but I loved every minute of the hunt. No regrets.
How Do You Let Go of Small Buck Shaming?
We need more guys like Fred Eichler. That sucker will shoot a year and a half old buck with his bow and celebrate like it’s the first deer of his career. No matter the age, and no matter the size, Fred Eichler truly loves the game. And he couldn’t care less what others think about the size of the bucks he kills.
Take the time this season to revisit your hunting roots. Remember the excitement that came with success in those early days. Regardless of the size, celebrate the hunt. God gave us the responsibility of having dominion over the critters we pursue. Don’t ever apologize or make excuses for the animals you take. Shoot what you want this season! No regrets.
Record Nebraska Buck-Biggest in 39 Years!
Do Deer Have a Sixth Sense?
Great article. Especially if you are hunting highly pressured land or public land. You might have to go several years before even seeing a “shooter buck” let alone getting an opportunity at one. If you’re an experienced hunter and you have good land then yeah, you should be passing little bucks. There would be a lot less hunters out there if everyone had to wait on 4 or 5 year old bucks, new hunters would likely give it up if that was the standard. Harvesting any deer should be something celebrate.
There will be fewer big bucks if people don’t stop shooting yearlings. It makes you think, is it for the meat, or just the pleasure of the kill. I would be embarrassed to shoot a baby deer.
Killing Doe off control population not killing of bucks, 2 yr olds or not. The states with unlimited doe kill or hi kill are the areas with declining deer population. That doesn’t happen by killing a buck. It’s the mature bucks who reproduce, only the scrubs do when they sneak one in.
Well No one is forcing anyone to shoot anything , so if this deer is too small, young , antlers not big enough for you then so be it . But if it will a good hunt for someone else so be it . There’s an old saying ” To each their own ” . Saying you would never shoot a baby deer makes you sound like an egotistical moron .
Correct. The emphasis that hunting is a sport is the real problem. It invites urbanites to pretend they are rooted to the land, that they are rural folk. It promotes the money aspect of hunting and runs it. You can’t eat horn.
Thank you. Well said. What happened to the emphasis on providing food for your family.
The problem I have is the hunters that shoot the small young bucks and then says “there isn’t a recipe for the horns” when earlier that day they passed on 20 different doe. I want to tell them why are you lieing? your lack of experience and ability to judge in the field is showing! That’s also why I tell people that they should carry binos no matter how far the distance you have to shoot. 9 Times out of 10 my binos are the first thing I raise unless its obvious it’s a shooter. I use to live in the U.P. and was almost disowned by my inlaws when I decided to pass a young 8 one year.
Judging deer in the field, has only to do with those television guys If he is a 3 years old, or 4 years old. If he is mature or not. If he can make a baby deer he is mature. If you don’t want to shoot him, then don’t However, for me, if he has a nice rack and he is old enough to breed, I’m shooting that ismature enough for this bow hunter.
People should be ashamed of shooting the little buck. If they want meat shoot a doe. I know many of you are throwing the meat out anyways after it’s sat in your freezer for a couple years.
Oh no, QDM fanatics say don’t shoot does either. Personally I’ve learned to hunt public land right on the property line of rich guys going nuts with QDM. They do the work, I shoot a nice deer traveling back and forth each yr.
I can’t see any reason to throw out venison unless you ha d serious freezer burn. I’ve eaten 6 year old venison, and it was as good as fresh.
People should be ashamed of letting people tell them what they should shoot. And shooting does is not possible in buck only areas.
That is another stinky thing, for bow hunters. That earn a buck non sense.
One buck can breed how many does? You kill one doe your more than likely killing three deer. If it’s meat you want why not shoot a small buck because 9 times out of 10 that doe will get bread.
I got my first buck amd my first with a bow this year. Mine is a spike and I couldnt be happier!
I know the feeling. I remember my first deer with a bow. It was a pike. But I felt like I had killed the biggest, wiliest deer in the woods.
Love this article, Brodie! Thanks! I do remember those early years when any deer would make me nervous and shake, every deer still does! However, for me these days, it’s about managing a herd of deer. I want to see what deer can become. The trill of tag punches comes from arrowed does now. For me, there is no better feeling than to watch a buck mature after years of holding it because of hard work and habitat improvements, then selectively kill him. But to the article’s point, you’re correct in that deer hunting should be satisfactory to the one who releases the arrow or bullet.
Ryan, the deer here is wild a plains bronco. You don’t see them. We don’t have big plots of land with corn and beans growing in lush pastors. These deer are the king of hide and seek. They live and hide in hilly woods, with the winds shifting and swirling. If you don’t shoot a good deer when you get the chance, you won’t because another hunter will shoot it.
I am the king of hide and seek not the deer. Deer dont stop when season is over neither do i. My bow did not go in the woods with me until nov. 11 and by the 13 doe down, on the 25th buck down. My heart pounds when i see a deer any deer. I have never shot a monster but i have seen him out of range..work harder… the buck i shot is one i have passed for 3 years from little 4 point to a smaller 9…thats the trophy. My children are finding the passion, my friends are switching to bows. Who needs a 100yd shot when all the excitement is in 5. Shoot the ones that get you excited!
You might be the king of hide and seek, in a tree and in a tree stand. However, get down on the ground with bow in hand You’ll find that you will come in second or not at all to the brown ghost of the woods, – the whitetail deer.
From the ground from a tree from a blind all with a bow every year. If your season begins and ends with each hunt you struggle. I put in effort all year when I can scouting public and private,and every year I have many opportunities. Deer a creatures of habit like anything else, they are prey we are apex predators. It doesn’t take a lot of money,guides or cameras to see deer almost every time you hunt. I accept the challenge of targeting specific deer and enjoy it. That being said,harvest the deer that you want or gives you the opportunity. If your areas reg say shoot 4 point + bucks work harder I promise they exist.
Justin by not shooting those 1,2,and 3 year old deer. They all here in part my state have CWD. So when we were shooting them, and we can’t now ; the cwd was not here. We/ the game and fish has started back shooting them all, spikes, 1,2,and 3 year old’s this season. Boy, am I glade.
We are bow hunters here. We are not releasing no bullets.
I think ever time I hear a hunter say , ” that deer is only a 2 or a 3 year old, that deer is not mature.” He is to young to shoot. None-the-less, that deer has a rack with 14 points. but the hunter lets him walk. Only to find him dead at the end of the season from EHD. ( Epizootic hemorrhagic disease. ) That is poor management if you ask me. Now, all the hunter has of that young deer is a skeleton rack, eat up with EHD. He should of shot it instead of waiting until the deer is 5 or 8 years old. The odds are against them living that long. Take the trophy and be happy. Remember tomorrow is not promised!
great article and reminder to all hunters!
Great article! I still get the excitement if it’s a nice buck or a doe. I’ll quit hunting when I don’t get excited. This season I’ve had my eye out for a big buck I’ve seen for three years now, but I was just as excited to shoot a nice 8 pointer earlier today. No point in shaming anybody if it is a legal deer ethically taken.
problem today is too many are seeking validation on social media……loose the social media and constant need for validation and the problem goes away! i am proud of every deer i harvest and grateful that the lord allowed me the opportunity!
Amend my friend. Enough said.
I agree wholeheartedly ! I’ve stopped watching some outdoor shows because some guy passes on a bigger buck than I’ve ever seen during season waiting for a “shooter”!!
I’m glad someone finally said it out loud! Seems like the same thing happens with doe. I’m pleased as punch when we have meat that gets us completely through winter. Praise God and enjoy the woods!
Love your point of view. Thanks for sharing it in this article.
Well..Different strokes for different folks..what ever a hunter shoots they need to be thankful to God for the oppourtunity and ability..at the same time it must be mentioned that some are “trigger happy”..which I attribute to impatience and inexperience..and lastly the size of the rack is not a priority..putting meat in the freezer is!
Sadly it will fall on deaf ears, Hunting has turned into who has the biggest ****!! the fun, the adventure, the journey, does not exist anymore, it’s all about big bucks and big bucks $$$! The monthly magazine called “Racks” sums up the entire hunting industry.
If a guy is lucky enough to live where he can harvest spikes, thank your lucky stars. In Arkansas, we use to be able to do that. But the game and fish jumped in and said we could only harvest 6 points or better. Meaning they had to have 3 points on one side. With that rule in as law, my freezer went empty. The game and fish said we were shooting to young of a deer. Their reasoning was that we needed to let them get more points on them. So we could be shooting big trophy deer like on television. Well a few things happened when that rule went into affect. However, there was another rule in affect for bow hunters at the same time that the game and fish put in to law that law. It was for bow hunters that they could not shoot any does while gun season was open. Now, all this time we could shoot these two deer we were seeing, a buck and a doe. Now, we could kill four deer at that time. But now two were taken away by this rule. Now, you put into affect the degree of difficulty of killing a deer with a bow. That cuts down and just about to take away another deer, for the bow hunter, to not harvest that he is seeing plenty of. As the gun season is going on. The gun hunters are harvesting all the legal deer. Now, as the season goes on ; all the bow hunter is seeing is spikes an 4 points, and does. Deer he can’t harvest for the freezer. Now all he has a chance for are, is those big trophy bucks. Deer that move at dark. Those deer that you hardly see. Now you can take away another deer. That makes 4 deer that the bow hunter can’t harvest, through rules of law and difficulty. In my math class 4 from 4 equals zero. My freezer went empty directly because of those things. Now, we have to many deer on the land. Now CWD is spreading through out parts of the state. Luck for me, as of now, it is not in my hunting are. My wife says she don’t care because she is not eating any deer now. EHD, in the mid west is now killing hundreds of big bucks. May be the will have to start shooting spikes out there. I would like nothing more than to be like Fred. To shoot spikes or what I wanted . As long as I was a deer. How ever the 3 point rule is still in affect here. It haw been dropped in the CWD areas.
Paul, sounds like a lot of finger pointing going on here. Regardless of the Rules/Laws that are in effect for your state, it is not their fault that you did not harvest a deer this season. If it’s the meat that you want/need for your family, you are the one choosing to hunt with archery equipment, which as you know is harder to do, but it is your choice. You are the one deciding how many hours you are putting in the woods. You are the one deciding where to hunt. I noticed your season starts Sept. 23rd and goes through Feb. 28. That’s almost 5 months of Archery deer hunting. That’s a lot of time to be able to kill a deer! If you are complaining about not being able to hunt during the gun season with archery equipment, then have you thought of using a gun? again if the soul purpose is for you to get meat, then I suggest you consider what you are doing wrong and not filling your tag.
Mr. Foote, I’m just saying when it comes to making rules. The rules always hinder the bow hunter. Oh, yes it is their fault. When they take away your rights to harvest deer through a legal season, and put into affect rules that penalize only the bow hunter, – to not kill legal deer when your chances are highest. Does and spikes and 4 points are not just walking through the woods saying put an arrow in me. They don’t want bow hunters killing does during gun season because gun hunters were shooting them with guns and saying the killed them with bows. So the game and fish put that in affect not because of bow hunters, but because gun hunters were breaking the laws. None-the-less, when a bow hunter gets a chance to kill a spike or a doe when he has a chance; gun season may be open. Now, there stands a big doe, or a spike or a 4 pointer 15 feet away, but you can’t shoot it because gun season is open. Now, they put more bull stuff in affect. Bow hunters must kill 3 points or better. They, the game and fish should be on the bow hunters side, but they are not, even though we take less than 1/3 of the deer harvested each season. When they make these rules, they think of only the gun hunter. They have done nothing to help the bow hunter in the past 35 or 40 years. They only make it harder on us by making us pass test to hunt deer in the city limits. We don’t need to take any test, we just need the right to hunt inside the city limit. Like we are bad shots, and we are wounding up animals. They have made us criminals and painted us with that same wide brush that those people that’s use their bows to shoot their cats through the eyes. and shoot deer with practice points, making them look like a pin cushion. No, that not us. You damn right I’m pointing the finger. I’m pointing the finger at you and people like you that don’t know the real deal about bow hunting, and the game and fish commission. I’m pointing it at the game and fish because they hinders the sportsman freedoms to hunt and fish in this country by making those rules that you think is so righteous. They make rules that post us out, of national forest by locking gates to roads that should give us full access through the woods. I’ll keep pointing untill they and you get the point! I choose the bow and arrow because it is tough to kill deer with an arrow. It’s not about killing deer easy. It is about my right to do so with the weapon of my choice when the deer season is open. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’ve been bow hunting some 50 years with a bow and arrow. I would say that I’m a successful bow hunter. None-the-less, I don’t want the game and fish, and people like you to infringe upon my rights to hunt deer in season, with the weapon of my choice, by making up rules to hinder my success, and to lock me out and post me out of woods, that further hinder my chance for success that all hunters have paid to have the rights to. We as hunters paid for them to buy the land for our hunting pleasure. It our woods. We should have full access to all roads and trails in it during hunting season. If it was only about meat. I just go to the store and buy some.
We’re allowed to kill 6 does in Arkansas and our deer herd is in excess of one million deer. We have so many deer in Arkansas that we’re allowed to hunt over bait just to ensure that we harvest at least 200,000 deer each year. If your freezer went empty its only because you’re too hung up on shooting bucks to fill it.
From what you say. Undoubtedly, you are a gun hunter. I have killed some nice bucks, all with a bow, and all in NWA . Some might even call them big bucks. But I’m not hung up on killing big bucks only. I have killed plenty does in my time. If it got milk dripping off it’s lips and it’s in season I’ll shoot it. Just joking, my grand kids wouldn’t like that. The state may have 200,000 deer. But in Northwest Arkansas where I live and bow hunt deer only. About 100 percent of the land is private. Most land owners won’t let you hunt on them because they have family and friends doing so. The only time here you see deer walking around in the daylight, is when they come out to feed in the neighbor’s yard in the city limits; on the feed they put out for them. Yes, I got deer meat in the freezer right now. The point I am trying to make is this. As bow hunters. When deer season is open. If we are allowed to kill six deer. Of those six. Two could be a six points bucks or better. Or, two could be spikes. Or two could be four point bucks. Those are the choices of bucks we should be able to shoot in the buck category. In short we should be able to shoot any of those bucks that we want. As long as we only shot two. But when the Game & Fish puts stipulations in on the bag limits, it cuts down on your bag limits. It has an impact on your harvest. Now, the Game & fish added another rule. The 3 point rule, and the rule of not shooting does in season, When gun season is open. That rule makes it illegal to kill one points, two points, three points, – two on one side, and one on the other, and four point bucks. That is a total of four bucks that the bowhunter can’t kill. Then you throw in the doe when gun season is open. That is a total of five deer taken away from the bow hunter. I’ll show you my bucks, if you will show me yours. Yes, I even got the first doe I killed with my bow. By putting that rule on every bowhunter in Arkansas; yes we got an excess of deer on the land. Even more importantly, they are not being hunted. Now, we got CWD, and EHD. Like the BLACK DEATH, of rats and flees, almost wiped out Europe. Now we got too many deer on the land with these disease. Threatening to wipe out the all deer we love to hunt and eat. When we were shooting spikes and does, the disease was in check. By not killing these spikes and four points, there may not be a deer safe to eat, in the whole country. Yes, it is a lot of things more important than filling my freezer! Shooting 6 points or better is not one of them.
I can appreciate the sentinent conveyed by the author. Personally, I subscribe to the theory that if you shoot little bucks, all you will shoot is little bucks. About 10 years ago, I resolved to only take mature bucks. Say that would score like 140 or so. It only took a couple of seasons to notice the results. I may not always get my “trophy”, but I always have at least 2 to 3 nice bucks in the area every year. If I don’t get a buck, I take a doe late in the season to put some meat in the freezer. I would also add that you should manage your herd the way you want. I totally agree with the author when it comes to the sentiment of “you shot it, own it”. I mean, isn’t the hunt kinda more about the fun, friends, and memories, as opposed to the score on a rack, or the pounds of meat you put in your freezer? Good luck to everybody this year, and happy hunting!!
I’m compelled to point out one of the most confusing ones that you made! Or more importantly, not so confusing, as it is completely inaccurate and misleading!
You claimed that 10 years ago, you resolved to only begin taking mature bucks? But in the 140″+ class?
Anyone who understands deer management and the aging process of the whitetail buck, knows (or should know) that the size of the rack doesn’t fully determine the age or maturity of the animal! There’s a ton of variables that determine whether the deer is mature, or immature! People like you, who tell other inexperienced hunter’s that only a 140″+ rack, determines it’s maturity, is one of the biggest problems we have in our deer managing process today! There’s so many people who have know idea how to age a deer accurately, especially from a distance!
Instead of just looking at the rack, you have to look at the body, and it’s posture!
With all the new technology in advanced food plots, minerals, vitamins, high protein, needed supplements, available for feeding your local deer herd (for all bucks, does, and fawns), combined with good genetics, and adaptable environment, it’s possible for a younger immature buck to easily grow an abnormally large rack of 140″+. Just the same, that a very older, fully mature buck, on his downhill slide, could only be able to grow a less than 140″+ rack!
I think so many people have been shamed by others that they now preemptively make excuses. And, in many cases, they are oppolizing to themselves for not waiting.
I for one will gladly shoot whatever walks out if the urge hits me. It’s about the meat anyway and a smaller deer both male and female, are going to be better eating. A fawn is even better and isn’t that why we hunt, for the harvest? Hunting is not a game or a sport. It’s killing for food. The sooner we get people back to that fact and off the urbanite mentality that hunting is some kind of athletic sport the better.
Great article Brody! So true!
I agree with management but this is a bit extreme I think a bow hunter should be able to kill a doe and mature buck anytime during a season.
I think a season should be split but mostly archery only but that’s my opinion.
If everyone shot immature deer all season you will wind up with a empty freezer anyway in a few years just depends on how many hunters are in the state.
Mature, in the deer world is when a buck or doe is grown enough to breed and produce a baby.
Great post but remember to thank God and the deer for the sustenance provided to your family.
As a long time bow hunter I’ve shot many deer and I can tell you the biggest rush I had was holding back on a large doe at 10 yds who stopped in dry sumac. As usual she stopped before taking the last one needed for the shot. After what seemed like an eternity with me at full draw and her twisted necked lookin straight up at me, I was at the point where I was getting to have to let off the she took the needed step. I was seven feet up in that olé tree just standing in a Y of a fork, heart pounding in my ears, shaking from head to toe, arms burning like someone using a blow torch on em! I got to let fly and that nice deer was kind enough to run the 40 yds to the road and give up the ghost right there in the bar ditch! And I was so glad I could of floated to that road but arms were dead I could only carry my bow in the bent burning fingers (finger releasing bk then) was no way I could of drug her an inch. One of the best times ever! TROPHY…. An item a person takes for remembering. So whether it antlers or meat we are all “trophy hunters”.
I moved from GA and left a great lease where every year for the last five I managed to tag at least one buck in the hihh 120s to 130s with my bow. We move to NH where there are few deer and many hunters. I occasionally get big bucks on cam but they seem to disappear come bow season.. The first year I was here on the last week of deer season I killed a spike, the first one I had killed in 35 years freezer was empty and I had seen few if any deer. No excuse and he sure was tasty.
In Arkansas, I think they should drop the 3 point rule. I think we should be able to shoot spikes, 4 point and does through out the archery season. When we could kill does and spikes our success was only less than a third of the total yearly harvest anyway. The gun hunters were killing all the deer. We were not hurting the deer population as archers. So why the hell does these rules need to apply to us, – bow hunters? The game and fish say we were killing bucks that were to young. That was not true. Archers were hardly killing any thing compared to the gun hunters. If the game and fish would have looked at the facts; they would have realized that. Again they didn’t. They painted the bow hunter with the same big wide brush as gun hunters. When in fact our harvest was minuscule. With the facts known. The game and fish should abolish the 3 point rule, and the no killing of does during gun season for archers / bow hunters.
Paul Blackburn, you keep saying that you think bow hunters in Arkansas should be allowed to do this or that because bow hunters only account for 1/3 of the deer harvest…you’re completely missing the point of what our regulations in Arkansas are meant to accomplish. The reason bow hunters have been short changed as far as our seasons go in Arkansas is because bowhunters do not harvest enough deer. We have to kill 200,000 deer in Arkansas each fall to maintain a healthy herd and keep the population in check. Bowhunters are not able to accomplish this so the AGFC was forced to have a week long doe only rifle season in October and a early muzzleloader season in October just to meet out target harvest of 200,000. The reason we have the 3 point rule is to prevent the herd from becoming even more out of balance than it already is, even though it fails to protect 2 year old bucks because most 2 year olds have 3 or more points on one side. See the problem is that you havent put the effort in to understand our deer herd or why we have the regulations we have. The AGFC is doing about as good a job as they can to keep guys like you from ruining our deer herd.
Mr. Perry you are so wrong. The reason the heard got out of proportion is because we weren’t allowed to kill does, and spike bucks. We meaning bow hunters. When we were allowed to kill does and spike bucks. We were killing more deer. I’m not talking about using the bow hunter to keep the deer population in check – you knucklehead. I am talking about being allowed to harvest deer when one that bow hunts has a chance. The game and fish stopped all that. By not allowing us to shoot does and spikes, at all times, with our bows. The game and fish made a rule that bow hunters couldn’t kill does when gun season was open. Then they came up with the rule that bowhunters couldn’t kill buck spikes at all, under the 3 point rule. That rule cut my deer meat to nothing. If in early season I get a chance to kill a doe and the game and fish has a rule that I can’t shot that doe because it is gun season. I won’t or may not never get that chance again. Then gun season has been opening earlier ever season. You call it primitive weapon . Primitive my #$%. Muzzle loaders with scopes on them. Accurate at 250 yards. Killing all the does and bucks. At one time they killed so many does that they damn near got the deer population to being extent. Sorry my friend. We bow hunters harvested plenty deer here in NWA. How ever, when they put those rules of no killing does and spikes that cut our success ratio almost to zero. Thus, increasing the population. Lending itself to the current problem we are experiencing today. The tree point rule did nothing but help increase the doe and buck population, and the deer population. You got more deer. You got those spikes and 3 points breeding more does. Now, you got a population explosion. Now, you got EHD. Now you have CWD, affecting the 2 and 3 year bucks. Thus, threatening to wipe out the whole population. 2017 / 2019. The game and fish wants us to kill spikes and does, in those CWD zones, all season. All damn regulations aren’t good regulations just because the game and fish makes them, and you want to co-sign for them. Leave the rules alone now. Get muzzle loader season back where it belongs, opening in November. It is guys like me that tells guys like you that you are not doing a good job as stewards of our sports. The game and fish spent over 8 million dollars on a place for people to canoe, and stuff like that. Well, we hunters in NWA okayed an 1/8 % tax increase for the game and fish to hire more wardens and more trucks, and money to do the work that is needed to make the hunting experience more rewarding for hunters here. None the less, they spent 8 million dollars on that those two conservatories, for a lack of a better term. All the while, Madison county wildlife management area was closed because there was no turkeys to hunt. The game and fish hasn’t spent one dime on buying turkeys to restock the area. Those two 8 million dollars projects wasn’t even on the menu when they , the game and fish was asking for that one eighth of one percent tax increase that they got. Now they got it, they aren’t using it on where it’s needed to be spent. That increase netted them an extra 32 million dollars each year. Lake Wedington, a bow hunting only hunting area. Been closed for about 20 years to bow hunting turkeys. Bow hunters should have the right to bow hunt game in season in an area set aside for them to bow hunt. No, Mr. Perry, you and the game and fish of NWA, aren’t good stewards. If we were still allowed to kill those spikes from the years back; the CWD would have more than likely, been kept in check. But you gun hunters in the game and fish wanted earlier seasons, and bigger bucks, with bigger horns, like in the Midwest states. So, you come up with that three point rule. The rule should have always been this. If a hunter wants to kill a spike in season it’s his choice. With this three point rule all the spikes and 3 points seem to contract this disease. My wife, said she don’t care. Now, she is not eating any more venison. Now, the game and fish don’t even know what cause these diseases. May be if they would have saved the 8 million on those conservatories they would have money to explore, and find the cause and cure for them. Hell, we only started killing 200,00 deer in 2012. In 1976, I killed my first deer. My first deer was a spike. The deer population harvest, then was 27,790. Up until the no does being killed during gun season, and the three point rule, I had no trouble killing a couple of does and bucks a year. That is enough for now. Until next time.
Read an article over 40 yrs ago, and to this day I still carry it in my wallet. Don’t ever kill for the sake of killing ,Hunt hard for your trophy,and never take an animal unless it measures up to your standards. Go home empty handed if you have to. It’s much more important to appreciate the beauty of the wilderness and test your skills. You’ll be a much happier hunter for having done that. Too much emphasis put on trophy these days,and not enough on the reason and meaning of hunt. I’ve never liked calling it sport, it’s not. It’s not fair, its not equal teams, It’s hunting, it’s taking a life, don’t belittle it,or lessen it, pray over every animal taken,give thanks for its use.
Then social media platforms need to stop showing just large kills. Sharing every hunt a person is proud of, no matter what the size of the antlers.
In Washington state we have different rules for different areas called game units. I only hunt the units that are any deer. I will shoot a small buck and any doe I can. I havent found a recipe yet where I can eat antlers. As far as I’m concerned any deer tou take with a bow is a trophy.
I dont agree with this article. I have no problem with kids shooting whatever they want or inexperienced hunters doing the same but at some point when a person has killed several dozen deer it seems to me that it shouldn’t be all about the kill or the horns. And lets face it, the guy who shoots a 2 year old buck probably let a number of does walk by before seeing that young buck. Thats the guy who is so infatuated with horns that he couldn’t stand the thought of letting that little buck walk and risk someone else shooting it. Its not about the hunt for that guy or improving the herd…its about killing something with horns. Those 2 year old bucks are the dumbest and easiest animals to kill when the rut comes in because they have no idea whats going on or what they shoukd be doing. All senses are gone. If that 2 year old is allowed to get a couple more years experience behind him he will not only be a true trophy, he’ll be a more formidable animal to pursue. I’d like to see more guys enjoy hunting more by not focusing on the kill so much and if you want to put some meat in your freezer then shoot a couple does to help balance your herd out which will only improve your hunts in the future. Unless that buck is a true trophy to you then let it go and maybe it will be killed by someone who does see it as a trophy and will cherish that memory their entire lives instead of just throwing that little bucks rack on the barn wall for the rodents to eat.
Can’t shoot does in the U.P. so I will take that 4 point buck that I had to wait 30 seconds to get my breathing back under control and drop it right where it was standing.
It is a fact that you see a trophy as only a deer with big antlers. A trophy is in the eye of the beholder. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. I assume you gun hunt too. I bet when the going gets tough, you put down your bow, and pick up your rifle.
Mr. Perry we around here hunt on private land or on public. On public you just happy to see a deer. We are not concerned about improving the heard. Private, we just glade the farmer gave us permission to hunt, and don’t even think of using his land to plant something on.
They all look the same on the grill.
The hunting industry only cares about sucking money out of ignorant hunters and building a divisive culture to shame other hunters into spending money trying to keep up. QDM is a good example. They shove it down people’s throats.
I like what you said!
Great article. I like to harvest young does or button bucks still following a mature doe. I don’t hunt horns I hunt for the meat and I am proud of usually taking two deer a year.
Here is what you QDMA and APR guys fail to understand. You don’t shame or talk trash to anyone who shoots a spike or doe or anything you deem young. First off you don’t know that person that might be the one and only time they have an opportunity to hunt. Maybe they need that deer to put food on the table. Secondly they paid for licensing just like everyone else in one way or another. You can not impose your beliefs on someone else. As long as you continue to do what you believe in and be excited for other and congratulate them on their harvest we all win!
My Boy at 12 took a buck that still holds the “family record” and his little brother loves to tell me all about it. We hunt to eat is this household. You kill, you’ll eat it.
Great article for new hunters to read.
Great Article. Big business does everything can to you believe only the big bucks matter. That’s how they make their money. I taught archery for 15 years for my state in which I live. Any deer with a bow is a Trophy.
Thanks for the great article. The “social mediaization” has been a sore spot for me. Please remember social media is a highlight reel. Real life brings overtime,family commitments, only public land to hunt, and for many of us only enough time so scratch out the meat it takes to fill our freezers while dreaming of “hit listers”. No shame in it. Keep the traditions alive!
I call it meat. NO excuses, ever. I want it to eat it. Small antlers, big antlers… As long as it isn’t a fawn/really young doe or a doe still with her fawn, it’s heading to the freezer. I will not apologize for that. …ever.
I find it interesting how many posters claim ownership of the deer. A whitetail home range on average is 640 acres. Personally i dont have access to anywhere near that kind of acreage. Maybe those who claim to be “managing their herd” do but i have doubts. I have no idea who hunts some of the neighboring properties or what their hunting goals are. I agree with all who have said shoot what you are happy with because you cant “manage” a wild deer herd as an individual. Seeing larger bucks because you passed the smaller ones only makes sense. You didnt shoot the 1st small buck who came along and waited for a bigger one. Seems pretty simple to me. I think the articles great and share his points. Enjoy gods creation and follow your states game laws and dont worry about what other people think. Almost none of those tv hunts are available to most as they cost thousands of dollars. The commercialization of hunting by the tv “pros” has caused me to watch very little of it. Good luck to all this season no matter the weapon. Play by the rules and enjoy!
I liked what you said. It should be up to the hunter to shoot the animal in season that he chooses. Some say I only shoot mature deer. That’s not in my play book. Every hunter it seems is hunting for bigger and bigger antlers. They seem to be hunting for the thrill of only killing bigger bucks. They then give away. The next worst things hunters have going is having their babies killing deer. Why? The only reason I have been able to come up with. Is to say my kid killed his first deer when he was only 3. I see kids tearing up because they killed a deer. Let them kids get some maturity on them, before you have them out there killing stuff.
I am glad to see so many bow hunters that fill the same way I do. It is your choice to kill the deer you want. Whether it be a spike or a doe. As long as the season is open.
I absolutely agree with the author. Shoot what you want. Don’t be ashamed because someone else you know shot a bigger deer. | 2019-04-20T04:20:50Z | https://www.bowhunting.com/blog/2017/11/10/small-buck-shaming-quit-making-excuses-shooting-small-buck/ |
Manafort faces a pair of sentencing hearings in the coming weeks in Virginia and in Washington where judges will determine what punishment he should face in two separate criminal cases brought by Mueller’s office involving tax fraud, bank fraud, unregistered lobbying for a foreign government and witness tampering.
The new court submission in Washington released on Saturday makes no explicit recommendation about how much prison time Manafort should serve, but urges U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson to consider making the longtime political consultant and lobbyist serve a total sentence in the roughly 17-to-22-year range by making her sentence consecutive to one a Virginia judge is expected to impose ahead of her early next month.
Jackson has the power in her case to sentence Manafort to up to ten years: the maximum allowed by law for the conspiracy and obstruction of justice crimes he pleaded guilty to before her last year as part of plea deal.
Last week, Mueller’s prosecutors told U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis in Alexandria that sentencing guidelines applicable to Manafort’s case there call for him to serve between 19 and a half and 24 and a half years in prison. The prosecution team also made no explicit recommendation for a sentence in that case, beyond urging that the punishment be “serious” and adequate to deter others from similar conduct.
In theory, Ellis could sentence Manafort to as long as 80 years in prison on the charges of tax fraud, bank fraud and failing to report foreign bank accounts that he was convicted of at a high-profile jury trial last August.
Based on his relevant sentencing conduct, Manafort presents many aggravating sentencing factors and no warranted mitigating factors. Manafort committed an array of felonies for over a decade, up through the fall of 2018. Manafort chose repeatedly and knowingly to violate the law— whether the laws proscribed garden-variety crimes such as tax fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and bank fraud, or more esoteric laws that he nevertheless was intimately familiar with, such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). His criminal actions were bold, some of which were committed while under a spotlight due to his work as the campaign chairman and, later, while he was on bail from this Court. And the crimes he engaged in while on bail were not minor; they went to the heart of the criminal justice system, namely, tampering with witnesses so he would not be held accountable for his crimes. Even after he purportedly agreed to cooperate with the government in September 2018, Manafort, as this court found, lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), this office, and the grand jury. His deceit, which is a fundamental component of the crimes of conviction and relevant conduct, extended to tax preparers, bookkeepers, banks, the Treasury Department, the Department of Justice National Security Division, the FBI, the Special Counsel’s Office, the grand jury, his own legal counsel, Members of Congress, and members of the executive branch of the United States government. In sum, upon release from jail, Manafort presents a grave risk of recidivism. Specific deterrence is thus at its height, as is general deterrence of those who would engage in comparable concerted criminal conduct.
"There's a gender imbalance in many African-American neighborhoods. Mass incarceration is largely to blame."
The current federal system awards good time credit — 15 percent — for all prisoners who behave. That means for every year done in prison, you receive 54 days off in good time credit.
For a long time, the Bureau of Prisons only gave 47 days of credit, but the First Step Act told BOP that 15 percent was really 15 percent and prisoners should get the full 54 days. Even with this directive, BOP has refused to give this credit, saying that there is an error in the statute, and has asked for Congress to reiterate that it really wants the 54 days of credit applied. This is completely absurd, and both parties agree that this should be fixed immediately. In addition to fixing the 54-day issue, there is one additional modest (and hopefully non-controversial) proposal that should be included.
As it stands, federal prisoners only receive good time credit if they are sentenced to more than a year of prison. That means that if you are sentenced to a year and a day, you will receive 15 percent off with good time and serve about 10 months; however, if you receive a sentence of exactly one year in prison, no such good time credit will be applied, and you will serve that year day for day.
That means that the prisoner who receives a longer sentence of a year and a day will serve less time than someone who is sentenced to a year or 11 months. It makes no sense. Those who are sentenced to the lowest sentences — the lowest-risk offenders — should get the most benefit for good time, not the other way around.
Brennan Center produces policy brief on "Ending Mass Incarceration: A Presidential Agenda"
For many voters, the past two years have brought a new awareness of profound, continuing injustices in American society. Among them is the civil rights crisis of mass incarceration. Even with recent reforms, more than two million Americans remain behind the bars of jails or prisons. Black men and women are imprisoned at roughly six times the rate of their white counterparts. The overuse of incarceration perpetuates economic and racial inequality, two issues at the top of the public concern.
Going into the 2020 election, contenders for the Democratic nomination — and the Republican incumbent — must have a plan to meet these challenges, or risk being out of step with the American people.
This report delineates how that can be done, outlining policies that would slash America’s incarceration rate, put people back to work, and reduce racial disparities in the process, while keeping the country safe. These solutions can be a transformative piece of a presidential campaign and help define a new president’s legacy.
Some consensus for these changes already exists. Late last year, Congress ended years of deadlock over federal sentencing reform by passing the FIRST STEP Act, which will reduce some of the most extreme and unjust sentences in the federal criminal code. These changes will put families back together, make prison more humane, and help restore trust in law enforcement.
But the bill also raises the bar for any candidates seeking the Oval Office. President Trump is already treating the act as a signature accomplishment, touting it among his top achievements in his State of the Union address. Candidates who are serious about combating racial and economic injustice — and want voters to know it — will have to think bigger.
Rather than focusing on individual reforms, candidates for the presidency should commit to tackling some of the most pervasive and damaging parts of our criminal justice system, including overly punitive sentences, bail practices that favor the rich, and drug policies that unfairly target people of color. These aren’t intractable problems, but they do call for sweeping changes, far more than what has been introduced to date. And enacting these in Washington can also spur more states to take action.
Incremental reforms will not make the history books. The time for bold action is now, and this report outlines precisely the type of transformative solutions that candidates can champion to define their campaign or cement their legacy.
The report includes a number of large and small action items, all of which are interesting and important and all of which I hope get robustly discussed on the campaign trail. The report has all prompted me to start a new blog category: "Campaign 2020 and sentencing issues."
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Public to hold public briefing on "Women in Prison: Seeking Justice Behind Bars"
The Commission will examine consequences of discipline practices in women’s prisons and the impact on families when women are placed far from home or parental rights are terminated despite their caregiving role.
Commissioners will hear from women who have experienced incarceration, state and federal corrections officials, academic and legal experts, and advocates. Members of the public will be able to address the Commission in an open comment session. The Commission will accept written materials for consideration as we prepare our report; submit to womeninprison@usccr.gov no later than March 25, 2019.
This briefing will be live-streamed at this link, and the panelists' submitted written testimony are available here.
Making a robust case for "Sending Our Prisoners to College"
At the heart of conservative thinking are the tenets of individual dignity, public safety, family values, and fiscal prudence. Yet far too often, society fails to apply these principles to the criminal justice system. As a result, our current correctional system is failing all of us. It is clear that something must change.
We have a choice to make: we can let incarcerated individuals sit behind bars — isolated and idle — or we can take steps to provide education to incarcerated individuals who, as a result, will be more employable, stable members of our society when they are released.
The idea of educating incarcerated individuals has been met with strong opposition from those who question why Americans should be taxed so that those behind bars — who have done something wrong — receive a benefit. This sentiment led to the elimination of Pell Grants for prisoners in 1994. Pell Grants exist to provide all students with financial need with aid for college. Without financial support from these grants, the number of postsecondary prison programs plummeted from 772 programs to just 8 within three years.
By the late 2000s, individuals on both sides of the aisle began to recognize that prison systems were not stopping the continuing tide of crime. A more effective solution was needed to address the growing prison population. Finally, in summer 2015, the U.S. Department of Education announced the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program as part of the Experimental Sites Initiative. This program allowed some colleges to apply to pilot the use of Pell Grants to increase access to postsecondary education in correctional facilities, with the federal government evaluating the academic and life outcomes of those who received postsecondary education.
We are now over two years into the experiment. It is still too early to assess the initiative’s impact on recidivism rates. However, removing barriers has increased enrollment: from fall 2016 to fall 2017, enrollment at Second Chance Pell experimental sites increased by 236 percent. As of fall 2017, over 954 postsecondary credentials have been awarded, giving incarcerated individuals a better chance of obtaining employment through career technical certificates as well as two- and four-year degree programs. Both the Trump administration and many leaders in the Republican Party have expressed interest in the program.
Practically speaking, postsecondary courses give incarcerated individuals something to do and help corrections personnel create a structured routine for participants. These factors reduce the chance that prisoners will fill their time with less productive (and potentially criminal) activities. Ultimately, postsecondary education can make the difficult job of corrections both easier and safer — for staff as well as those behind bars.
Many people, and especially conservatives, have an instinctual bias against paying for prisoners’ education. Yet the reality is we already pay a high cost — fiscal, social, and personal — because we do not educate most prisoners. Indeed, the cost of an education is insignificant when compared to the costs our society suffers from criminal activity. Postsecondary education may require an upfront investment, but it’s one that will reduce the fiscal burden of government in the long run.
Our correctional system is in crisis. Ten thousand individuals are released from prison every week, many of whom are wholly unprepared for the world they will enter. Our public safety, families, and economy are undermined when released individuals resort to crime. We have tried building more prisons, increasing sentences, and making confinement more punitive. But time and again, this “tough on crime” approach has not worked. Instead, it has proven not only a fiscally wasteful policy that threatens public safety and family cohesion, but an affront to basic human dignity.
Supporting prison education does not mean being “soft on crime.” Rather, it is one of the clearest, cheapest, and most effective methods to get control over crime and make our correctional facilities safer. It paves the way for new family legacies based on education, productive labor, and prosperity, creating positive generational effects for years to come.
Conservatives should lead the way on repairing our broken criminal justice system. Study after study has identified the provision of postsecondary education in prisons as a promising approach to preventing crime and to facilitating future economic opportunity. The Second Chance Pell Pilot Program has created an opportunity to provide much-needed educational programs to incarcerated individuals. And, by expanding access to prison education programs, we can move toward an approach that embraces redemption, compassion, and second chances — and benefits society as a whole.
Recent criminal justice reform efforts have focused on electing progressive prosecutors to implement change, such as the reduction of cash bail as a requirement for pretrial release. However, critics worry that removing cash bail will decrease accountability and increase failure-to-appear in court.
We test this by looking at the effects of the No-Cash-Bail reform policy initiated by Philadelphia’s recently elected District Attorney, Larry Krasner. Under this policy, the DA’s office stopped requesting cash bail for defendants charged with a large variety of different offenses, both misdemeanor and felony. This policy led to an immediate 23% increase (12 percentage points) in the fraction of eligible defendants released with no monetary or other conditions (ROR), and a 22% (5 percentage points) decrease in the fraction of defendants who spent at least one night in jail, but no detectable difference for longer jail stays. The main effect of this policy was therefore to reduce the use of collateral to incentivize court appearance.
In spite of this large decrease in the fraction of defendants having monetary incentives to show up to court, we detect no change in failure-to-appear in court or in recidivism, suggesting that reductions in the use of monetary bail can be made without significant adverse consequences. These results also demonstrate the role of prosecutors in determining outcomes over which they have no direct authority, such as setting bail.
"Mandatory Minimums, Crime, and Drug Abuse: Lessons Learned, Paths Ahead"
In the 1970s, frustrated with an intolerable crime wave and unprecedented drug abuse, New York, Michigan, and Florida tried a new solution. Their theory was clear: harsh mandatory sentences would scare drug users into getting clean, deter would-be drug dealers from entering the trade, and incarcerate kingpins and major players who could not then continue to bring drugs into the state. Leaders in each state were confident that their proposed solution would finally be the one that worked.
More than 40 years later, New York and Michigan recognized that the solution in which their leaders had such sincere confidence could no longer be justified by evidence, data, or experience, and repealed their mandatory minimum drug laws. Those repeals were possible only after policymakers were honest about the failure of their solution to deliver on its promises.
Florida, however, has so far refused to join the emerging consensus in favor of mandatory minimum drug law reform. In spite of overwhelming evidence, Florida still clings to the same solution to drug abuse that has failed the state for 40 years, and continues to ignore the costly unintended consequences of its continued reliance on this failed strategy. Like New York and Michigan, attempts to reform Florida’s mandatory minimum drug laws are invariably met with dire predictions of doom and gloom, and Chicken Little-style warnings that without mandatory minimums Florida risks inviting 1970s-level crime once again.
The question presented: Is the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause an “incorporated” protection applicable to the States under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause? Like the Eighth Amendment’s proscriptions of “cruel and unusual punishment” and “[e]xcessive bail,” the protection against excessive fines guards against abuses of government’s punitive or criminallaw-enforcement authority. This safeguard, we hold, is “fundamental to our scheme of ordered liberty,” with “dee[p] root[s] in [our] history and tradition.” McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U. S. 742, 767 (2010) (internal quotation marks omitted; emphasis deleted). The Excessive Fines Clause is therefore incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Notably, the Court in Timbs does not address the subsequent issue of whether seizure of Tyson Timbs' Land Rover SUV Timbs constituted an excessive fine (as lower courts in Indiana had found). The Supreme Court was just content to resolve this incorporation issue.
Notably, Justice Gorsuch issued a concurring opinion and Justice Clarence Thomas issued an opinion concurring in the judgment in Timbs, and they are both writing separately to engage the issue of just how the Excessive Fines Clause should be incorporated against the states. Justice Thomas makes, through an extended opinion, this fundamental incorporation point that he has raised before: "Instead of reading the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause to encompass a substantive right that has nothing to do with 'process,' I would hold that the right to be free from excessive fines is one of the 'privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States' protected by the Fourteenth Amendment." Justice Gorsuch engages in a short opinion stating "As an original matter, I acknowledge, the appropriate vehicle for incorporation may well be the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause, rather than, as this Court has long assumed, the Due Process Clause. "
Pressed on whether he personally supports the death penalty, DeWine paused. Seeming to choose his words carefully, he then said he was a sponsor of Ohio’s current capital punishment law, which took effect in 1981. “It is the law of the state of Ohio. And I’ll let it go [not comment further] at this point. We are seeing clearly some challenges that you have all reported on in regard to carrying out the death penalty. But I’m not going to go further down that path any more today,” he said.
DeWine, a Republican, ordered a review of Ohio’s death penalty protocols last month after a federal magistrate judge wrote that Ohio’s method of carrying out executions would subject a condemned Ohio prisoner to “severe pain and needless suffering.” Judge Michael Merz wrote Ohio could proceed with the execution, since the inmate, Warren Henness, did not produce an alternative that is ”available,” “feasible,” and can be “readily implemented,” required under a 2015 United States Supreme Court ruling that upheld lethal injection.
Ohio’s method of execution is to inject the condemned with a combination of three drugs: midazolam (as a sedative), a paralytic drug, and potassium chloride to stop their heart. Death penalty opponents have challenged similar methods in other states, saying they are unconstitutional because they cause cruel and unusual punishment.
DeWine’s review marks the second time in five years Ohio has searched for a new method of execution. The state changed the drugs it uses for lethal injection after the January 2014 execution of Dennis B. McGuire took more than 25 minutes.
Ohio had some two dozen execution dates scheduled over the next four years, but I think they are all now functionally on hold pending development of a new execution method. And, reading between the lines, I get the sense that Governor DeWine would be just fine if the state official did not try all that hard to devise a new execution method anytime soon.
When this case was before us two years ago, I wrote in dissent that the majority’s articulation of how courts should enforce the requirements of Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002), lacked clarity. Moore v. Texas, 581 U.S. ___, ___–___ (2017) (slip op., at 10–11). It still does. But putting aside the difficulties of applying Moore in other cases, it is easy to see that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals misapplied it here. On remand, the court repeated the same errors that this Court previously condemned — if not quite in haec verba, certainly in substance. The court repeated its improper reliance on the factors articulated in Ex parte Briseno, 135 S.W.3d 1, 8 (Tex. Crim. App. 2004), and again emphasized Moore’s adaptive strengths rather than his deficits. That did not pass muster under this Court’s analysis last time. It still doesn’t. For those reasons, I join the Court’s opinion reversing the judgment below.
There is a whole lot here to notice, but I think especially important and notable is the fact that the newest Justice, Justice Kavanaugh, is with the majority of the Court and not the dissenters here. Because of the Chief Justice's vote, Justice Kavanaugh is not technically a swing vote in this capital case. But his vote still reveals that, unlike Justices Alito and Thomas (and even seemingly Justice Gorsuch), Justice Kavanaugh may be more inclined to scrutinize state capital practices than certain of his conservative colleagues.
Signed into law during the closing days of 2018, the bipartisan First Step Act expands rehabilitative programming, modifies some mandatory minimum laws to provide more proportional sentencing, and provides a second chance to people like [Matthew] Charles who’ve worked hard to transform their lives while in prison.... The law is also acting as a catalyst for states that haven’t yet reformed their criminal justice systems.
Congress should apply three of the law’s sentencing changes retroactively, to help people who received overly harsh sentences under outdated policies and pass other front-end reforms that prioritize prison beds for dangerous criminals while addressing low-level, nonviolent offenses through treatment and other programs that better serve this population.
In addition, Congress should codify the Supreme Court ruling that requires prosecutors share all of the information that they have about the alleged crime with the accused at the outset the case. Lawmakers can also address our over-incarceration epidemic by clarifying criminal intent standards and working to rein in our bloated federal criminal code and regulatory code, under which virtually anyone can be charged with a crime.
The Trump administration can act on its own to reform the executive clemency process to create second chances for people who wouldn’t necessarily qualify for relief under the First Step Act.
States can parallel many of these federal actions by removing barriers for people with criminal records. More “Clean Slate” laws, like the one enacted in Pennsylvania last year, will create second chances for people by unblocking them from jobs, housing, and education.
Businesses can help transform lives and enable people to contribute to their communities by hiring qualified candidates with criminal records. I’m proud to work for Koch Industries, which hires people with criminal records and recently signed the Getting Talent Back to Work pledge with the Society for Human Resource Management to end outdated, non-inclusive hiring practices.
We believe, as Winston Churchill did, in “an unfaltering faith that there is a treasure, if you can only find it, in the heart of every man.” We all share a moral imperative to help find and unlock that treasure, to unleash the potential in everyone.
If we all do our part, we can bridge the partisan divide and build on the great foundation provided by the First Step Act. It’s time to take the next steps on criminal justice reform, this year and beyond.
"A World of Steel-Eyed Death': An Empirical Evaluation of the Failure of the Strickland Standard to Ensure Adequate Counsel to Defendants with Mental Disabilities Facing the Death Penalty"
Anyone who has been involved with death penalty litigation in the past four decades knows that one of the most scandalous aspects of that process — in many ways, the most scandalous — is the inadequacy of counsel so often provided to defendants facing execution. By now, virtually anyone with even a passing interest is well versed in the cases and stories about sleeping lawyers, missed deadlines, alcoholic and disoriented lawyers, and, more globally, lawyers who simply failed to vigorously defend their clients. This is not news.
And, in the same vein, anyone who has been so involved with this area of law and policy for the past 35 years knows that it is impossible to make sense of any of these developments without a deep understanding of the Supreme Court’s decision in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984), the case that established a pallid, virtually-impossible-to fail test for adequacy of counsel in such litigation. Again, this is not news.
We also know that some of the most troubling results in Strickland interpretations have come in cases in which the defendant was mentally disabled — either by serious mental illness or by intellectual disability. Some of the decisions in these cases — rejecting Strickland-based appeals — have been shocking, making a mockery out of a constitutionally based standard.
To the best of our knowledge, no one has — prior to this article — undertaken an extensive empirical analysis of how one discrete US federal circuit court of appeals has dealt with a wide array of Strickland-claim cases in cases involving defendants with mental disabilities. We do this here. In this article, we reexamine these issues from the perspective of the 198 state cases decided in the Fifth Circuit from 1984 to 2017 involving death penalty verdicts in which, at some stage of the appellate process, a Strickland claim was made (in which there were only 13 cases in which any relief was even preliminarily granted under Strickland). As we demonstrate subsequently, Strickland is indeed a pallid standard, fostering “tolerance of abysmal lawyering,” and is one that makes a mockery of the most vital of constitutional law protections: the right to adequate counsel.
This article will proceed in this way. First, we discuss the background of the development of counsel adequacy in death penalty cases. Next, we look carefully at Strickland, and the subsequent Supreme Court cases that appear — on the surface — to bolster it in this context. We then consider multiple jurisprudential filters that we believe must be taken seriously if this area of the law is to be given any authentic meaning. Next, we will examine and interpret the data that we have developed, looking carefully at what happened after the Strickland-ordered remand in the 13 Strickland “victories.” Finally, we will look at this entire area of law through the filter of therapeutic jurisprudence, and then explain why and how the charade of adequacy of counsel law fails miserably to meet the standards of this important school of thought.
In this post on Friday, I mentioned that I consider the statutory changes to the so-called compassionate release provisions in federal law to the "sleeper provisions" of the FIRST STEP Act. This four-page FAMM document, titled "Compassionate Release and the First Step Act: Then and Now," reviews some basics of the changes made by the FIRST STEP Act, and on page 3 one finds this account of what I think is a very big deal: "The most significant change to compassionate release is that the Act provides prisoners the power to file a motion for compassionate release if they can demonstrate they have tried and failed to convince the BOP to do so for them. Before passage of the First Step Act a denial by the BOP was not appealable." In other words, courts rather than the BOP are now ultimately to decide who may merit a reduced "term of imprisonment" under 18 USC 3582(c)(1)(A)(i).
To focus on the statutory language, prior to the FIRST STEP Act, a federal judge under 3582(c)(1)(A)(i) needed to first receive a "motion of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons" in order to have authority to "reduce the term of imprisonment [based on] extraordinary and compelling reasons [that] warrant such a reduction." The BOP was notoriously stingy about filing such motions (with only about .01% of inmates benefiting), and the program was, in the words of the Justice Department's Inspector General, "poorly managed and implemented inconsistently." Now persons in federal prisons still need to request the support of BOP for such a motion, but courts can now consider a sentence reduction "upon motion of the defendant" based on a claim that "extraordinary and compelling reasons warrant such a reduction" if BOP refuses move the court or 30 days after making the request. Importantly, the US Sentencing Commission has set forth a (reasonably expansive) policy statement concerning criteria for compassionate release via USSG 1B1.13, but it will now be fundamentally the province of the federal courts to develop jurisprudence on what should be deemed "extraordinary and compelling reasons" warranting a sentence reduction under 18 USC 3582(c)(1)(A)(i).
I plan to do a series of posts explaining why I think a number of different criteria ought to meet the (textually vague) requirements of "extraordinary and compelling reasons." For this first post in this series, I will focus on suggestions by the Justice Department's Inspector General when he testified on this issue back in 2016 before the US Sentencing Commission. Specifically, in testimony to the USSC, IG Michael Horowitz suggested that BOP make inmates eligible for consideration for compassionate release starting at age 50. According to the latest BOP data, there are currently nearly 35,000 persons in federal prison aged 51 or older. Of course, the IG did not call for early release of all post-50 prisoners, but he did urge: "Within that larger pool of eligible aging inmates, we believe the BOP could further identify more aging inmates whose offenses, criminal histories, conduct in prison, and release plans make them suitable candidates for compassionate release, resulting in reduced overcrowding and cost savings to the Justice Department and the BOP." As explained above, it would seem that it is now appropriate for the courts, and not just BOP, to take an active and ongoing role in deciding who among the 35,000 are "suitable candidates for compassionate release."
Importantly, ill prisoners as well as elderly prisoners should be ready candidates for compassionate release (and these two groups surely overlap). The latest BOP data here on medical placement shows that more than 5000 federal prisoners are in "care level" 3 or 4 facilities, and "Care Level 4 facilities are reserved for inmates who require daily nursing care or therapy." As the IG explained to the USSC in his testimony three years ago, beyond the humanitarian value of allowing ill persons to receive treatment outside of prison facilities, releasing ill prisoners helps "reduce overcrowding in the federal prison system" and can "result in cost savings for the BOP" and in turn the federal taxpayer.
Even if we imagine only 10 percent of elderly and ill federal inmates are "suitable candidates for compassionate release," we still could be looking at a means for releasing many thousands of federal prisoners in relatively short order. I fear, because these provisions are unfamiliar, that courts may not start making robust use of compassionate release right away. But I hope they will, and I especially hope that federal prisoners and their advocates will press this important new frontier for federal sentencing improvements.
Can judges, legally or functionally, actually refuse to allow a prosecutor to drop or dismiss charges as an exercise of discretion?
The judges on the city’s top court have decided to block Norfolk’s chief prosecutor from essentially decriminalizing marijuana possession, a setback he’s thinking about appealing to the state Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, prosecutors under Commonwealth’s Attorney Greg Underwood went to court for at least the third time to try to drop or dismiss misdemeanor marijuana charges. Prosecuting people for having marijuana disproportionately hurts black people and does little to protect public safety, he’s said.
For the third time, a judge rebuffed them, and told prosecutors she’s not alone, but joined by her seven colleagues. “We are of one mind on this,” Circuit Judge Mary Jane Hall said.
Underwood’s change on marijuana possession is part of his larger effort to bring what he calls criminal justice reform to Norfolk. In a Jan. 3 letter to judges, the police chief and other public safety officials, he announced he would support ending cash bail in many cases and seeking more equal sentences between prostitutes and their clients.
On Tuesday, Hall denied Fatehi’s motion to dismiss charges against Zemont Vaughan. The 24-year-old Norfolk man, who is black, had been convicted in a lower court in October, but on Tuesday, he went to the higher Circuit Court to appeal that conviction.
Prosecutors’ motions to dismiss or drop charges are typically formalities. They don’t generally like giving up on cases, so when they make what amounts to an admission of defeat, judges almost always grant them. Not this time.
Fatehi countered: Underwood is exercising the executive power voters gave him when they elected him the city’s top prosecutor. Part of the job is prosecutorial discretion, or deciding which laws should be enforced, especially since he has a limited amount of resources. In contrast to the misdemeanor possession charges, Underwood’s lawyers will keep prosecuting people accused of trafficking or dealing marijuana. “This is an exercise of our discretion,” Fatehi said.
Fatehi said Underwood is thinking about asking the state Supreme Court to reverse the judges’ decisions, adding that he’s “very close” to making a decision.
Whatever one thinks of the legal basis for judges refusing dismissals here, I also wonder how this will continue to play out practically. Will judges in this jurisdiction seek to appoint another prosecutor to pursue charges that the local prosecutor seeks dismissed? Do they have authority to do so and is there any other way for these cases to proceed absent such an appointment? If and when these cases are on appeal, might the defendants seek amicus support from Commonwealth’s Attorney Greg Underwood or at least a formal statement from him saying he believes the cases should no longer proceed?
"On probation until 2053? Sentencing disparities, lack of guidelines get long look at Minnesota Legislature"
Since getting clean, Jennifer Schroeder went on to manage the sober living house that nurtured her after a year in jail. She became the first in her family to graduate from college and, as an addiction counselor, now helps others struggling with the same demons she had to overcome.
Yet Schroeder’s own past will loom large into her 70s. The 36-year-old St. Paul resident is on probation until 2053 after being caught with 21 grams of meth during a traffic stop one summer in Wright County. “It’s hard to transform yourself into a new person when you are still labeled as your old self,” Schroeder said.
The same crime would net a fraction of that sentence in Minneapolis or Duluth, a chasm that underscores the disparate nature of punishment in a state with one of the nation’s highest rates of probation but with no clear guidelines for judges to rely on.
With the backing from top officials at the Department of Corrections, state lawmakers from both parties are now pushing new measures to cap probation sentences in Minnesota at five years. They are also calling on the state’s Sentencing Guidelines Commission to start issuing recommendations for probation like it has for prison sentencing for nearly 30 years. “We are failing the basic test that those convicted of the same crime should receive similar punishment,” said Rep. Jamie Long, D-Minneapolis, who is sponsoring both bills.
Support for changing the state’s probation laws mirrors the national conversation surrounding criminal justice reform, like the recent First Step Act that focused on federal prison sentencing and earned broad bipartisan support. Those testifying at the State Capitol this week included local representatives from both the liberal American Civil Liberties Union and the conservative Americans for Prosperity. | 2019-04-22T06:50:46Z | https://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2019/week8/index.html |
Born January 3, 1710, in Boston, Massachusetts, Richard Gridley was the outstanding American military engineer during the French and Indian wars from the Siege of Louisburg in 1745 to the fall of Quebec. For his services he was awarded a commission in the British Army, a grant of the Magdalen Islands, 3,000 acres of land in New Hampshire, and a life annuity. When the break with the mother country came, he stood with the colonies and was made Chief Engineer in the New England Provincial Army. He laid out the defenses on Breed's Hill and was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was appointed Chief Engineer of the Continental Army after Washington took command in July 1775. He directed the construction of the fortifications which forced the British to evacuate Boston in March 1776. When Washington moved his Army south, Gridley remained as Chief Engineer of the New England Department. He retired in 1781 at age 70. He died June 21, 1796, in Stoughton, Massachusetts.
Rufus Putnam was born April 9, 1738, in Sutton, Massachusetts. A millwright by trade, his three years of Army service during the French and Indian War influenced him to study surveying and the art of war. After the Battle of Lexington, he was commissioned an officer of the line, but General Washington soon discovered his engineering abilities. He planned the fortifications on Dorchester Neck that convinced the British to abandon Boston. Washington then brought Putnam to New York as his Chief Engineer. He returned to infantry service in 1777, taking command of the 5th Massachusetts Regiment. He and his troops helped to fortify West Point, erecting strong defenses atop the steep hill that commanded that garrison. The remains of Fort Putnam, preserved by the Military Academy, still honor his name there. Putnam was named a brigadier general in the Continental Army in 1783. In 1788 he led the first settlers to found the present town of Marietta, Ohio. The fortifications that he built there saved the settlements from annihilation during the disastrous Indian wars. He became Surveyor General of federal public lands and judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio. He died in Marietta on May 1, 1824.
One of General Washington's most trusted military advisors, Louis Lebègue Duportail was born near Orleans, France, in 1743. He graduated from the royal engineer school in Mézières, France, as a qualified engineer officer in 1765. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Royal Corps of Engineers, Duportail was secretly sent to America in March 1777 to serve in Washington's Army under an agreement between Benjamin Franklin and the government of King Louis XVI of France. He was appointed colonel and commander of all engineers in the Continental Army, July 1777; brigadier general, November 1777; commander, Corps of Engineers, May 1779; and major general (for meritorious service), November 1781. Duportail participated in fortifications planning from Boston to Charleston and helped Washington evolve the primarily defensive military strategy that wore down the British Army. He also directed the construction of siege works at Yorktown, site of the decisive American victory of the war. Returning to France in October 1783, Duportail became an infantry officer and in 1788 a field marshal. He served as France's minister of war during the revolutionary years (1790 and 1791) and promoted military reforms. Forced into hiding by radical Jacobins, he escaped to America and bought a farm near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. He lived there until 1802, when he died at sea while attempting to return to France.
Born June 8, 1754, in Boston, Massachusetts, Henry Burbeck served as lieutenant of artillery under Colonel Richard Gridley, the Army's first Chief Engineer and artillery commander, in 1775. He remained in the Artillery Corps under General Henry Knox and in 1777 assumed command of a company of the 3d Continental Artillery Regiment. His unit remained in the North to defend the Hudson Highlands and marched into New York when the British evacuated that city at the close of the war. Honorably discharged in January 1784, Burbeck was reappointed captain of artillery in 1786 and commanded the post at West Point, New York, in 1787-89. He commanded the Army's Battalion of Artillery and served as General Anthony Wayne's Chief of Artillery in the Northwest in 1792-94. He commanded at Fort Mackinac in 1796-99. From 1798 to 1802 Burbeck was the senior regimental commander of artillerists and engineers. He also commanded the Eastern Department of the Army in 1800 and in that year endorsed the creation of a corps of engineers separate from the artillerists. He was Chief of the new Artillery Corps from 1802 to 1815, first as a colonel and then during the War of 1812 as a brevet brigadier general. During the Jefferson administration, Burbeck successfully developed and tested domestically produced cast-iron artillery pieces. He left the Army in June 1815 and died on October 2, 1848, in New London, Connecticut.
Jonathan Williams was born May 20, 1750, in Boston, Massachusetts, a grandnephew of Benjamin Franklin. Williams spent most of the period from 1770 to 1785 in England and France, where he assisted Franklin with business affairs and served as a commercial agent in Nantes. He joined the American Philosophical Society in 1788 and published articles on scientific subjects. President Adams appointed Williams a major in the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers in February 1801 and President Jefferson made him the Army's Inspector of Fortifications and assigned him to lead the new Military Academy at West Point in December 1801. The following year Jefferson appointed him to command the separate Corps of Engineers established by Congress on March 16, 1802. From 1807 to 1812 Williams designed and completed construction of Castle Williams in New York Harbor, the first casemated battery in the United States. He founded the U.S. Military Philosophical Society and gave it its motto, "Science in War is the Guarantee of Peace." He resigned from the Army in 1812 and was heading a group of volunteer engineers building fortifications around Philadelphia when he was elected to Congress from that city in 1814. He died in Philadelphia on May 16, 1815.
Born December 31, 1783, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Joseph Swift was appointed a cadet by President John Adams and in 1802 became one of the first two graduates of the Military Academy. He constructed Atlantic coast fortifications, 1804-1812, and was only 28 years old when appointed Colonel, Chief Engineer, and Superintendent of the Military Academy in 1812. As Chief Engineer of the Northern Army, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Chrysler's Farm on November 11, 1813. After completing defensive works in New York, Swift was voted "Benefactor to the City" by the corporation in 1814. He helped to rebuild the burned capital in Washington. He also reorganized the academic staff and planned new buildings at the Military Academy. He resigned from the Army on November 12, 1818, and was appointed Surveyor of the Port of New York. He held that customs post until 1827. Swift was also one of the founders of the first New York Philharmonic Society in 1823. As Chief Engineer for various railroads, he laid the first "T" rail. From 1829 to 1845 Swift worked for the Corps of Engineers as a civilian, improving two harbors on Lake Ontario. He died July 23, 1865, in Geneva, New York.
Born in Virginia in 1785, Walker Armistead was named a cadet in the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers by President Jefferson in 1801. On March 5, 1803, he became the third graduate of the new Military Academy and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served as superintending engineer of the defenses of New Orleans and Norfolk. During the War of 1812, he was successively Chief Engineer of the Niagara frontier army and the forces defending Chesapeake Bay. He was promoted to colonel and Chief Engineer on November 12, 1818. When the Army was reorganized on June 1, 1821, he became commander of the 3d Artillery. He was brevetted brigadier general in 1828. He commanded the United States troops that opposed the Seminole Indians in Florida in 1840-41. He died in Upperville, Virginia, October 13, 1845.
Born April 3, 1782, in Detroit, Michigan, Alexander Macomb entered the Army as a cornet of light dragoons in 1799 but was discharged in 1800. He returned to the Army in 1801 as a second lieutenant of infantry and served as secretary of the commission negotiating treaties with the Indians of the Mississippi Territory. He joined the Corps of Engineers in October 1802 as a first lieutenant and superintended construction of a depot, armory, and fortifications in the Carolinas and Georgia. He also wrote a treatise on military law. After rising to lieutenant colonel in the Corps of Engineers in 1810, he was appointed colonel, 3d Artillery, in 1812 and brigadier general in 1814. In the latter year he commanded the Lake Champlain frontier force that repulsed a larger veteran British army at Plattsburg. He was voted thanks and a gold medal by the Congress and brevetted major general. In the reorganized Army, he was appointed colonel and Chief Engineer, 1821. In that position, he administered the start of federal river and harbor improvements. He was elevated to Commanding General of the Army with the rank of major general in 1828. He died June 25, 1841, in Washington, D.C., and was buried with the highest military honors in Congressional Cemetery. Macomb made the earliest known drawing (1807) to resemble the engineer button.
Charles Gratiot was born August 29, 1786, in St. Louis, Missouri. President Jefferson appointed him cadet in 1804. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1806 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He became a captain in 1808 and assisted Macomb in constructing fortifications in Charleston, South Carolina. He was post commander of West Point in 1810-11. He distinguished himself as General William Henry Harrison's Chief Engineer in the War of 1812. He served as Chief Engineer in Michigan Territory (1817-18), and superintending engineer, construction of Hampton Roads defenses (1819-28). On May 24, 1828, Gratiot was appointed colonel of engineers, brevet brigadier general, and Chief Engineer. For ten years he administered an expanding program of river, harbor, road, and fortification construction. He also engaged in a lengthy dispute with War Department officials over benefits, and in 1838 President Van Buren dismissed him for failing to repay government funds in his custody. Gratiot became a clerk in the General Land Office and died May 18, 1855, in St. Louis.
Born August 23, 1788, in New Haven, Connecticut, Joseph Totten graduated from the Military Academy and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers on July 1, 1805. He resigned in 1806 to assist his uncle, Major Jared Mansfield, who was then serving as Surveyor General of federal public lands. Totten re-entered the Corps of Engineers in 1808 and assisted in building Castle Williams and other New York Harbor defenses. During the War of 1812, he was Chief Engineer of the Niagara frontier and Lake Champlain armies. He was brevetted lieutenant colonel for gallant conduct in the Battle of Plattsburg. As a member of the first permanent Board of Engineers, 1816, he laid down durable principles of coast defense construction. Appointed Chief Engineer in 1838, he served in that position for 25 years. He was greatly admired by General Winfield Scott, for whom he directed the siege of Veracruz as his Chief Engineer during the Mexican War. He was regent of the Smithsonian Institution and cofounder of the National Academy of Sciences. He died April 22, 1864, in Washington, D.C.
Isaac Roberdeau was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 1763. He studied engineering in London, returning to America in 1787 to write, survey, and pursue astronomy. In 1791-92 he assisted Pierre L'Enfant in planning the new federal capital, the future Washington, D.C. For the next two decades, he practiced engineering in Pennsylvania. His work included assisting William Weston on a canal connecting the Schuykill and Susquehanna rivers. During the War of 1812, he served in the Army as a major of topographical engineers, employed chiefly on fortifications. After the war he assisted the Canadian boundary survey. Secretary of War Calhoun appointed Roberdeau in 1818 to head the newly created Topographical Bureau of the War Department. At first his duties were largely custodial; he prepared returns and maintained books, maps, and scientific equipment. As the nation turned its attention to internal improvement, Roberdeau used his position to promote the civil activities of the topographical engineers. He was brevetted lieutenant colonel in 1823. He died in Georgetown, D.C., on January 15, 1829.
Born September 17, 1788, in Frederick, Maryland, John Abert received an appointment as a Military Academy cadet in January 1808. In 1811 he took a position in the War Department in Washington and resigned as cadet. He joined the District of Columbia Militia as a private during the War of 1812 and fought at the Battle of Bladensburg. In November 1814 he was appointed a topographical engineer with the brevet rank of major. He worked on fortifications, surveys, and river and harbor improvements before being appointed Chief, Topographical Bureau, in 1829. Abert headed the Corps of Topographical Engineers from its creation by Congress in 1838 until he retired in 1861. Under his leadership the Corps of Topographical Engineers improved the navigability of rivers and harbors, particularly in the basins of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes; conducted a survey of the hydraulics of the lower Mississippi River; constructed lighthouses and marine hospitals; explored large portions of the West; and conducted military, border, and railroad surveys. Colonel Abert died in Washington, D.C., on January 27, 1863.
Born September 1, 1798, in New York City, Richard Delafield was the first graduate of the Military Academy to receive a merit class standing, ranking first in the class of 1818. Commissioned in the Corps of Engineers, he was a topographical engineer with the American commission to establish the northern boundary under the Treaty of Ghent. He served as assistant engineer in the construction of Hampton Roads defenses (1819-24) and was in charge of fortifications and surveys in the Mississippi River delta area (1824-32). While superintendent of repair work on the Cumberland Road east of the Ohio River, he designed and built the first cast-iron tubular-arch bridge in the United States. Appointed Superintendent of the Military Academy after the fire in 1838, he designed the new buildings and the new cadet uniform that first displayed the castle insignia. He superintended the construction of coast defenses for New York Harbor (1846-55), was a military observer at the siege of Sevastopol, and was again Superintendent of the Military Academy (1856-61). He was in charge of New York Harbor defenses (1861-64) and Chief Engineer from 1864 until his retirement in 1866. He died November 5, 1873, in Washington, D.C. The Secretary of War ordered that 13 guns be fired in his memory at West Point.
Andrew Humphreys was born November 2, 1810, in Philadelphia, the son and grandson of chiefs of naval construction. His grandfather designed Old Ironsides. Young Humphreys graduated from the Military Academy in 1831 and served as an artillery officer in Florida during the Seminole War. He resigned from the Army in 1836 but accepted an appointment as first lieutenant in the new Corps of Topographical Engineers in 1838. He led a survey of the Mississippi River Delta and in 1854-61 headed the Office of Pacific Railroad Explorations and Surveys. His co-written Report Upon the Physics and Hydraulics of the Mississippi River, translated into several languages, became a classic in hydraulic literature. General Humphreys, a distinguished Civil War army corps commander, became Chief of Engineers in 1866. He established the Engineer School of Application and oversaw a substantial expansion of the Corps' river and harbor work. Humphreys held a Harvard degree, published Civil War histories, and was cofounder of the National Academy of Sciences. He died December 27, 1883, in Washington, D.C.
Born March 6, 1820, in Clinton, Connecticut, Horatio Wright graduated second in the Military Academy class of 1841 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He superintended construction at Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas, 70 miles west of Key West, Florida, 1846-56. While assistant to the Chief Engineer of the Army, 1856-61, he was a member of boards to study iron carriages for seacoast guns and the adaptability of the 15-inch gun for ordnance. He co-wrote a "Report on Fabrication of Iron for Defenses." From Chief Engineer of a division at the first Battle of Bull Run, he advanced to command the famous 6th Army Corps, which saved Washington, D.C., from capture in 1864 and spearheaded the final assault on Petersburg and the pursuit of Lee to Appomattox in 1865. He commanded the Department of Texas, 1865-66, and served as a member of the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and many river and harbor planning boards until he was appointed Chief of Engineers in 1879. While Wright was Chief of Engineers, engineer officers began a reservoir system at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and initiated the first substantial federal effort to control the river's lower reaches. General Wright retired March 6, 1884, and died July 2, 1899, in Washington, D.C.
Born August 24, 1823, in Norfolk, Virginia, a city his father represented in Congress for 31 years, John Newton ranked second in the Military Academy class of 1842 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He taught engineering at the Military Academy (1843-46) and constructed fortifications along the Atlantic coast and Great Lakes (1846-52). He was a member of a special Gulf coast defense board (1856) and Chief Engineer, Utah Expedition (1858). Though a fellow Virginian, he did not follow Robert E. Lee but stood firm for the Union. Newton helped construct Washington defenses and led a brigade at Antietam. As division commander, he stormed Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg and fought at Gettysburg and the siege of Atlanta. He commanded the Florida districts in 1864-66. Returning to the Corps, he oversaw improvements to the waterways around New York City and to the Hudson River above Albany. He also had charge of New York Harbor defenses until he was appointed Chief of Engineers in 1884. He is famed for blowing up New York's Hell Gate Rock with 140 tons of dynamite detonated on October 10, 1885. He retired from the Army in 1886 and served as Commissioner of Public Works, New York City (1886-88), and as President of the Panama Railroad Company (1888-95). He died May 1, 1895, in New York.
James Duane was born June 30, 1824, in Schenectady, New York. His grandfather was a member of the Continental Congress and mayor of New York City. Duane graduated from Union College in 1844 and from the Military Academy in 1848, where he ranked third in his class. He taught practical military engineering there (1852-54) during the superintendency of Robert E. Lee. Serving with the Army's company of sappers, miners, and pontoniers for nine years before the Civil War, he led its celebrated 1,100-mile march to Utah in 1858 and commanded select engineer troops to guard President Lincoln at his inauguration in 1861. Duane built the first military ponton bridge over the Potomac at Harpers Ferry in 1862, served as Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac (1863-65), and in seven hours in 1864 built the longest ponton bridge of the Civil War (2,170 feet) across the James River. He commanded at Willets Point, New York (1866-68), and for ten years constructed fortifications along the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire. He was president of the Board of Engineers in 1884-86. Appointed Chief of Engineers in 1886, he retired in 1888. He then became Commissioner of Croton Aqueduct, New York. He published a paper on the "History of the Bridge Equipage in the United States Army." General Duane died December 8, 1897, in New York City.
Thomas Casey was born May 10, 1831, in Sackets Harbor, New York, where his father, Lieutenant Silas Casey (later assault team leader in the battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican War and a general in the Civil War) was then assigned. Young Casey graduated first in the Military Academy class of 1852 and taught engineering there (1854-59). During the Civil War he oversaw Maine coastal fortifications, completing the massive Fort Knox on the Penobscot River. After that war he headed the division in the Office of the Chief of Engineers responsible for engineer troops, equipment, and fortifications. The Corps' most distinguished builder of monuments and public buildings, Casey headed the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, District of Columbia, from 1877 to 1881. He built the State, War, and Navy Department Building, which is now the Old Executive Office Building, and completed the Washington Monument. The placing of a sturdier foundation under the partially completed Washington Monument (already 173 feet high) was Casey's greatest engineering feat, but his crowning accomplishment was construction of the Library of Congress building--all but completed when he died suddenly on March 25, 1896. Burial was at the Casey farm in Rhode Island. General Casey was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Society of the Cincinnati and an officer of the Legion of Honor of France.
William Craighill was born on July 1, 1833, in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia). A classmate of Sheridan, Hood, and McPherson, he ranked second in the Military Academy class of 1853 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. After working on several Atlantic coast forts, he taught engineering at the Military Academy in 1859-62. Another Virginian who stood for the Union, Craighill was division and department engineer during the Civil War and worked on the defenses of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, San Francisco, and New York. After that war, he superintended construction of defenses at Baltimore Harbor and Hampton Roads. He headed the Engineer Office in Baltimore from 1870 to 1895, overseeing river and harbor work in Maryland and parts of Virginia and North Carolina. When the Corps began to build locks and dams on the Great Kanawha River in West Virginia in 1875, Craighill assumed charge there as well. He completed the first of the moveable wicket dams built in the United States, after visiting France to study their use. He became the Corps' first Southeast Division Engineer. Craighill established the camp for the Yorktown surrender celebration, the first of the sanitary type later adapted to Army camps. He was a member of the Board of Engineers in 1886-89. He was appointed Chief of Engineers by President Cleveland in 1895. He retired two years later and died January 18, 1909, in Charles Town, West Virginia.
John Wilson was born October 8, 1837, in Washington, D.C. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1860 and was commissioned in the Artillery Corps. He transferred to the Corps of Topographical Engineers in July 1862 and was awarded the Medal of Honor for fighting at Malvern Hill, Virginia, on August 6, 1862. He joined the Corps of Engineers in 1863 and received three brevets for gallant service in Alabama. After the Civil War, Wilson worked on Hudson River improvements and drafted plans for the canal around the Cascades of the Columbia River. He improved the Great Lakes harbors of Oswego, Cleveland, and Toledo. Wilson headed the divisions of the Chief's office pertaining to military affairs for four years, was in charge of public buildings and grounds in Washington during both Cleveland administrations, and was Superintendent of the Military Academy in 1889-93. Before his appointment as Chief ofEngineers, he was Northeast Division Engineer. As Chief of Engineers, he directed the Corps' activities during the Spanish-American War. He retired April 30, 1901, but remained a prominent figure in the cultural life of Washington until his death there on February 1, 1919.
Born May 2, 1837, in South Carolina, Henry Robert graduated fourth in the Military Academy class of 1857. After receiving his commission in the Corps of Engineers, he taught at the Military Academy and then explored routes for wagon roads in the West and engaged in fortification work in Puget Sound. During the Civil War he worked on the defenses of Washington and Philadelphia. Robert served as Engineer of the Army's Division of the Pacific in 1867-71. He then spent two years improving rivers in Oregon and Washington and six years developing the harbors of Green Bay and other northern Wisconsin and Michigan ports. He subsequently improved the harbors of Oswego, Philadelphia, and Long Island Sound and constructed locks and dams on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers. As Southwest Division Engineer from 1897 to 1901, Robert studied how to deepen the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River. Robert was president of the Board of Engineers from 1895 to 1901. He was made brigadier general on April 30, 1901, and was appointed Chief of Engineers. He served until May 2, 1901, when he retired from the Army. He died May 1, 1923, in Hornell, New York. He became famous for his Pocket Manual of Rules of Order, a compendium of parliamentary law first published in 1876 and better known today as Robert's Rules of Order.
John Barlow was born in New York City on June 26, 1838, and graduated from the Military Academy in May 1861. He was first commissioned in the Artillery Corps, but transferred to the Topographical Engineers in July 1862. He served with the Battalion of Engineers at Gettysburg and as engineer of an army corps in the siege of Atlanta. He supervised the defenses of Nashville and was brevetted lieutenant colonel for his gallant service there in December 1864. From 1870 until 1874 he was General Sheridan's Chief Engineer in the Military Division of the Missouri. During this period he made scientific explorations of the headwaters of the Missouri and Yellowstone. His detailed reports became guides for settlers. Barlow improved the harbors and defenses of Long Island Sound from 1875 to 1883, executed harbor improvements in northern Wisconsin and Michigan, and worked on the construction of a canal around Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee River. He was the senior American member of the international commission that re-marked the disputed boundary with Mexico in 1892-96. He was subsequently Northwest Division Engineer for four years. On May 2, 1901, he was commissioned brigadier general and appointed Chief of Engineers. The next day, May 3, 1901, he retired from the Army after 40 years of service. He died February 27, 1914, in Jerusalem, Palestine, at the age of 75.
Brigadier General George Lewis Gillespie, Jr.
George Gillespie, Jr., was born October 7, 1841, in Kingston, Tennessee. He graduated second in the class of 1862 at the Military Academy and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. Another Southerner who remained loyal to the Union, Gillespie joined the Army of the Potomac in September 1862. He commanded two companies of the engineer battalion which built fortifications and ponton bridges throughout the Virginia campaigns until the Appomattox surrender. He received the Medal of Honor for carrying dispatches through enemy lines under withering fire to General Sheridan at Cold Harbor, Virginia. He was later Sheridan's Chief Engineer in the Army of the Shenandoah and the Military Division of the Gulf. After the Civil War Gillespie successively supervised the improvement of harbors at Cleveland, Chicago, Boston, and New York. He initiated construction of the canal at the Cascades of the Columbia River and built the famous lighthouse on Tillamook Rock off the Oregon coast. Gillespie also served on the Board of Engineers and for six years as president of the Mississippi River Commission. He commanded the Army's Department of the East in 1898. While Chief of Engineers, he was acting Secretary of War in August 1901. He had charge of ceremonies at President McKinley's funeral and at the laying of the cornerstone of the War College Building in 1903. He served as Army Assistant Chief of Staff in 1904-05 with the rank of major general. General Gillespie retired June 15, 1905, and died September 27, 1913, in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Born May 25, 1844, in Potosi, Wisconsin, Alexander Mackenzie graduated from the Military Academy in 1864. Commissioned in the Corps of Engineers, he served with the Union Army in Arkansas in 1864-65. Mackenzie spent six years commanding a company of engineer troops at Willets Point, New York, that experimented in the use of torpedoes in coastal defense. In 1879 he began a 16-year stint as Rock Island District Engineer. He built 100 miles of wing dams on the upper Mississippi River and produced a 4½-foot channel between St. Paul and the mouth of the Missouri River. Called to Washington in 1895, he became Assistant to the Chief of Engineers in charge of all matters relating to river and harbor improvements. He was a member of the general staff corps and War College Board when appointed Chief of Engineers. Retired May 25, 1908, as a major general, he was recalled to active duty in 1917 at age 73 as Northwest Division Engineer serving again in Rock Island, Illinois. General Mackenzie died March 21, 1921, in Washington, D.C.
William Marshall was born June 11, 1846, in Washington, Kentucky, a scion of the family of Chief Justice John Marshall. At age 16 he enlisted in the 10th Kentucky Cavalry, Union Army. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1868 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. Accompanying Lieutenant George Wheeler's Expedition (1872-76), Marshall covered thousands of miles on foot and horseback and discovered Marshall Pass in central Colorado. He oversaw improvements on the lower Mississippi River near Vicksburg and on the Fox River canal system in Wisconsin. As Chicago District Engineer from 1888 to 1899, he planned and began to build the Illinois and Mississippi Canal. Marshall made innovative use of concrete masonry and developed original and cost-saving methods of lock canal construction. Stationed at New York (1900-08), his genius further expressed itself on the Ambrose Channel project and in standardizing fortifications construction methods. He retired June 11, 1910, but his engineering reputation earned a special appointment from President Taft as consulting engineer to the Secretary of the Interior on hydroelectric power projects. General Marshall died July 2, 1920, in Washington, D.C.
Born December 27, 1849, in Charlestown, Massachusetts, William Bixby graduated first in the Military Academy class of 1873 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. After serving with the engineer battalion at Willets Point and as Assistant Professor of Engineering at the Military Academy, Bixby graduated with honors from the French Ecole des ponts et chaussées. He received the Order, Legion of Honor, for assisting French Army maneuvers. Bixby headed the Wilmington, North Carolina, District from 1884 to 1891. He oversaw improvements on the Cape Fear River, modernized the area's coastal forts, and responded to the earthquake that hit Charleston, South Carolina, in 1886. Bixby served next as District Engineer in Newport, Rhode Island. From 1897 to 1902 he oversaw improvements on the Ohio River and its tributaries from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. After two years in charge of the Detroit District, he became Chicago District Engineer and Northwest Division Engineer. Bixby was president of the Mississippi River Commission in 1908-10 and 1917-18. As Chief of Engineers, he oversaw the raising of the battleship Maine. He retired August 11, 1913, but was recalled to service in 1917 as Western Division Engineer. He died September 29, 1928, in Washington, D.C.
William Rossell was born in Alabama on October 11, 1849, the son and grandson of Army officers, and he graduated third in the Military Academy class of 1873. Commissioned in the Corps of Engineers, he served until 1880 at Willets Point and as Assistant Professor of Engineering at the Military Academy. He then engaged in river, harbor, and fortification work in regions around Portland, Maine; Jacksonville, Florida; and Vicksburg, Mississippi. Rossell served in 1891-93 as the Engineer Commissioner on the three-member governing board of the District of Columbia. After briefly commanding the Battalion of Engineers, he led Mobile District for six years. He then supervised lighthouse construction and repair in the New York area and, later, Ohio River improvements. He was a member of the Mississippi River Commission from 1906 to 1913, as well as Central Division Engineer in 1908-09 and Eastern Division Engineer in 1909-13. He retired October 11, 1913, but was recalled to active service in 1917. He led the Third New York and Puerto Rico districts and was Northeast Division Engineer. He again retired in 1918. He died October 11, 1919, in Staten Island, New York.
Born March 6, 1852, in Dover, New Hampshire, Dan Kingman graduated second in the Military Academy class of 1875 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served as an instructor at the Military Academy and as the engineer officer of the Army's Department of the Platte. In 1883 he also began the construction of roads and bridges in the new Yellowstone National Park. Kingman directed improvements along the lower Mississippi River in 1886-90 and received the thanks of the Louisiana legislature for "splendid service rendered" during the 1890 flood. He oversaw harbor and fortification work on Lake Ontario in 1891-95 and improvements on the Tennessee River in the last half of that decade. In the latter assignment he initiated planning for federal cost-sharing with private hydroelectric-power investors for a lock and dam built below Chattanooga. Kingman oversaw substantial harbor improvements at Cleveland in 1901-05 and headed the Corps' Savannah District and Southeast Division in 1906-13. The Panama Canal was completed while he was Chief of Engineers. He retired March 6, 1916, and died November 14, 1916, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. General Kingman was buried with high military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. Among the pallbearers were Chief of Staff General Hugh L. Scott and two former Chiefs of Engineers, Generals Mackenzie and Bixby.
Born December 8, 1855, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, William Black graduated first in the Military Academy class of 1877 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. From 1886 to 1891 Black headed the Jacksonville District, and in 1897-98 he was the Engineer Commissioner on the governing board of the District of Columbia. In the Spanish-American War, he was Chief Engineer, 3d and 5th Army Corps. As Chief Engineer under Generals William Ludlow and Leonard Wood (1899-1901), and six years later as advisor to the Cuban Department of Public Works, he modernized Havana's sanitary system. As Commandant of the Army Engineer School (1901-03), Black moved it from Willets Point, New York, to Washington Barracks, D.C. After his return from Cuba in 1909, he was Northeast Division Engineer and chairman of a board to raise the battleship Maine. Devoted to training young engineer officers in the art of war, General Black's greatest responsibility came as Chief of Engineers during World War I in mobilizing and training some 300,000 engineer troops for a wide range of military engineering tasks. For this work he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. He retired October 31, 1919, and died September 24, 1933, in Washington, D.C.
Born June 18, 1860, in Dubuque, Iowa, Lansing Beach graduated third in the Military Academy class of 1882 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He developed plans for the reconstruction of the Muskingum River locks and dams soon after Ohio ceded the state-built improvements to the federal government in 1887. From 1894 to 1901 he worked on public improvements in the District of Columbia, serving as Engineer Commissioner there in 1898-1901. As Detroit District Engineer in 1901-05, he oversaw harbor improvements as far west as Duluth. Beach supervised improvements along the Louisiana Gulf coast in 1908-12 and in Baltimore in 1912-15. He also oversaw the entire Gulf Division in six of those seven years and the Central Division in 1915-20. In the latter capacity and as Chief of Engineers, he oversaw construction of the huge Wilson Locks and Dam on the Tennessee River. Beach also served on the Mississippi River Commission and the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors. After his four-year tour as Chief of Engineers, he retired on June 18, 1924. After retirement, General Beach served as consulting engineer for various business interests in the United States and Mexico. He was President, American Society of Military Engineers, and a member of the International Water Commission from 1924 to 1930. He died April 2, 1945, in Pasadena, California.
Born June 26, 1862, in Tilton, New Hampshire, Harry Taylor graduated from the Military Academy in 1884 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. After serving in engineer offices in Wilmington, North Carolina, and New York City, Taylor served from 1891 to 1900 on fortifications and rivers and harbors construction work in Oregon and Washington. Later he pursued similar work in New England and New York. Transferred to the Philippines, he supervised all fortification work there in 1904-05. Taylor was district engineer in New London, Connecticut, in 1906-11. He then headed the River and Harbor Division in the Office of the Chief of Engineers for five years. During World War I he served as Chief Engineer, American Expeditionary Forces in France (mid-1917 to mid-1918), and received the Distinguished Service Medal. He then served for six years as Assistant Chief of Engineers, before assuming the top office in the Corps. Wilson Dam was completed while he was Chief. He was a member of the French Legion of Honor. General Taylor He retired June 26, 1926. He died January 27, 1930, in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Born August 7, 1865, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, Edgar Jadwin graduated first in the Military Academy class of 1890 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served with engineer troops in 1891-95 and was lieutenant colonel of the 3d U.S. Volunteer Engineers in the Spanish-American War. After serving as district engineer at the expanding ports of Los Angeles and Galveston, he was selected by General Goethals as an assistant in the construction of the Panama Canal. Jadwin served in 1911-16 in the Office of the Chief of Engineers focusing on bridge and road matters. Upon the United States' entry into World War I in 1917, he recruited the 15th Engineers, a railway construction regiment, and led it to France. He directed American construction and forestry work there for a year and received the Distinguished Service Medal. President Wilson appointed Jadwin to investigate conditions in Poland in 1919. In 1922-24 Jadwin headed the Corps' Charleston District and Southeast Division. He then served two years as Assistant Chief of Engineers. As Chief of Engineers he sponsored the plan for Mississippi River flood control that was adopted by Congress in May 1928. Jadwin retired as a lieutenant general, August 7, 1929. He died in Gorgas Hospital in the Canal Zone on March 2, 1931, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
Born November 22, 1872, in Nashville, Tennessee, Lytle Brown graduated fourth in the Military Academy class of 1898 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served with engineer troops in Cuba in 1898 at the Battle of San Juan Hill and the siege of Santiago and in 1900-02 was Engineer of the Department of Northern Luzon in the Philippine Islands. Brown oversaw river improvement projects in 1908-12 as Louisville District Engineer. He commanded the 2d Battalion of Engineers and served as engineer of Pershing's 1916 punitive expedition into Mexico. Brown headed the War Plans Division of the War Department General Staff from May 1918 to June 1919, addressing important Army policy issues during and immediately after World War I. He received a Distinguished Service Medal. Brown oversaw construction work at the Wilson Dam hydroelectric project in 1919-20. He was assistant commandant of the Army War College and a brigade commander in the Canal Zone before becoming Chief of Engineers. He concluded his military career as commander of the Panama Canal Department (1935-36). General Brown retired November 30, 1936. He died in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 3, 1951.
Born July 6, 1877, in Troy, New York, Edward Markham graduated fifth in the Military Academy class of 1899 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served five years with the 2d Battalion of Engineers, including two years in the Philippines and eight months in Cuba, engaging in military mapping and road and bridge construction. He was Memphis District Engineer (1912-16) and Professor of Practical Military Engineering at the Military Academy. He served in France during World War I as Deputy Director, Division of Light Railways and Roads (1918), and in Germany as Chief Engineer, Third Army (1919). After returning to the United States, he was Detroit District Engineer (1919-25) and Commandant of the Army Engineer School, Fort Humphreys, Virginia. He then served as Great Lakes Division Engineer. After serving as Chief of Engineers, he made a special military survey in the Hawaiian Islands. General Markham retired February 28, 1938. He was New York Public Works Commissioner in 1938 and President, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, in Chicago from 1938 to 1945. He died September 14, 1950.
Born February 23, 1880, in Savannah, Georgia, Julian Schley graduated from the Military Academy in 1903 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He and classmate Douglas MacArthur had their first service with the 3d Battalion of Engineers in the Philippines (1903-04). Schley later served with engineer troops in the United States and Cuba; as an instructor at the Military Academy; as Assistant Engineer, Washington, D.C.; and as New Orleans District Engineer. During World War I he commanded the divisional 307th Engineers in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives and was Engineer, 5th Army Corps, during the last two weeks of the latter drive. He received a Distinguished Service Medal. He was Director of Purchase, General Staff, and a member of the War Department Claims Board in 1919-20. Schley later served four-year tours as Galveston District Engineer; Engineer of Maintenance, Panama Canal; and Governor of the Canal Zone. In the last post he was also military advisor to the Republic of Panama. Schley was Commandant of the Army Engineer School in 1936-37. He retired September 30, 1941, but was recalled to active wartime duty in 1943 as Director of Transportation, Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. He died March 29, 1965, in Washington, D.C.
Born February 13, 1884, in Delaware City, Delaware, Eugene Reybold was distinguished as the World War II Chief of Engineers who directed the largest Corps of Engineers in the nation's history. He graduated from Delaware College in 1903. Commissioned in the Coast Artillery Corps in 1908, Reybold was assigned to military housing and coast defense construction work. Stationed at Fort Monroe throughout World War I, he became commandant of the Coast Artillery School. He transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1926 and served as District Engineer in Buffalo, New York; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Memphis, Tennessee. In the last assignment he successfully battled record Mississippi River flood crests. He was Southwestern Division Engineer (1937-40) and War Department Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4 (1940-41). Appointed Chief of Engineers shortly before Pearl Harbor, General Reybold directed the Corps' tremendous range of activities throughout the war and was the first officer ever to rank as lieutenant general while Chief of Engineers. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. Reybold retired January 31, 1946, and died November 21, 1961, in Washington, D.C.
Born July 31, 1885, in Peoria, Illinois, Raymond Wheeler graduated fifth in the Military Academy class of 1911 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served with the Veracruz Expedition in 1914 and went to France with the divisional 4th Engineers in 1918. He was awarded a Silver Star for actions in the Aisne-Marne campaign and by the end of World War I had assumed command of his regiment with the rank of colonel. Between the two world wars he served as district engineer in Newport, Rhode Island; Wilmington, North Carolina; and Rock Island, Illinois. In September 1941 he was appointed chief of the U.S. Military Iranian Mission and in February 1942 was transferred to the China-Burma-India Theater as Commanding General of the Services of Supply. In October 1943 he was assigned to Lord Mountbatten's Southeast Asia Command as principal administrative officer and Deputy Supreme Commander. Before the end of World War II, he became Commander of the India-Burma Theater. He represented the United States at the Japanese surrender in Singapore. As Chief of Engineers, Wheeler initiated construction of the Missouri River dams projected in the Pick-Sloan Plan. After his military retirement, he worked for the United Nations and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development on Asian and African development projects. He oversaw the clearing of the Suez Canal in 1956-57. He died February 8, 1974, in Washington, D.C. Wheeler's U.S. Army decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Legion of Merit. He was also made an honorary knight of the British Empire.
Born in Brookneal, Virginia, November 18, 1890, Lewis Pick graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1914. During World War I he served with the 23d Engineers in France. Pick received his Regular Army commission in the Corps of Engineers on July 1, 1920. He served in the Philippines from 1921 until 1923 and helped organize an engineer regiment composed of Filipino soldiers. He was District Engineer at New Orleans during the great 1927 Mississippi River floods, and he helped coordinate federal relief efforts. Pick was named Missouri River Division Engineer in 1942, and with W. Glenn Sloan of the Bureau of Reclamation he co-wrote the Pick-Sloan Plan for controlling the water resources of the Missouri River Basin. Pick was assigned to the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations in October 1943 and oversaw the construction of the Ledo Road across northern Burma from India to China. After his return to the United States in 1945, he served again as Missouri River Division Engineer. On March 1, 1949, President Truman appointed him Chief of Engineers. Pick was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He died December 2, 1956, in Washington, D.C.
Lieutenant General Samuel D. Sturgis, Jr.
Born July 16, 1897, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Samuel Sturgis, Jr., came from an illustrious military family. Both his father and grandfather were Military Academy graduates and major generals. Young Sturgis graduated from the Military Academy in 1918. As a junior engineer officer he taught mathematics at the academy for four years. In 1926 he was ordered to the Philippines, where he served as Adjutant of the 14th Engineers. His strategical studies of the islands over a three-year period developed knowledge he used later when he returned to the Philippines in 1944 as Chief Engineer of General Walter Krueger's Sixth Army. Sturgis commanded a mounted engineer company at Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1929-33 and encouraged the adoption of heavy mechanical equipment. He was district engineer in 1939-42 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he worked on flood control and a large military construction program. In 1943-45 Sturgis' engineer troops built roads, airfields, ports, and bases from New Guinea to the Philippines. Sturgis was senior engineer for the nation's air forces in 1946-48 and was Missouri River Division Engineer in 1949-51. In 1951 he became the Commanding General of the 6th Armored Division and Fort Leonard Wood. In 1952 he was appointed Commanding General of the Communications Zone supporting the United States Army in Europe. He became Chief of Engineers on March 17, 1953. His military decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal. He died July 5, 1964, in Washington, D.C.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, July 1, 1903, Emerson Itschner graduated from the Military Academy in 1924 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He obtained a degree in civil engineering from Cornell University in 1926. Itschner served with the Alaska Road Commission in 1927-29. He taught at the Missouri School of Mines and served as assistant to the Upper Mississippi Valley Division Engineer and the St. Louis District Engineer. He commanded a topographic survey company in 1940-41. In 1942-43 Itschner headed the office in Corps headquarters that supervised Army airfield construction in the 48 states. In 1944-45 he oversaw the reconstruction of ports and the development of supply routes to U.S. forces in Europe as Engineer, Advance Section, Communications Zone. Itschner headed the division in Corps headquarters responsible for military construction operations from 1946 to 1949. After a year as Seattle District Engineer, he went to Korea as Engineer of I Corps and oversaw engineer troop operations in western Korea. He was North Pacific Division Engineer in 1952-53. From 1953 until being appointed Chief of Engineers, he served as Assistant Chief of Engineers for Civil Works. General Itschner retired in 1961. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, and Purple Heart.
Lieutenant General Walter K. Wilson, Jr.
The son of an artillery officer, Walter Wilson, Jr., was born at Fort Barrancas, Florida, on August 26, 1906. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1929 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. Before 1942 he served with troops, continued his military and engineering education, and was an instructor at the Military Academy. During World War II Wilson served as Deputy Engineer-in-Chief with the Southeast Asia Command at New Delhi, India, and Kandy, Ceylon. He became Commanding General, Advance Section, U.S. Forces, India-Burma Theater, and Chief of Staff of the Chinese Army in India. Later, he commanded Intermediate and Base Sections and consolidated all three, commanding all ground forces remaining in the theater. He was District Engineer in St. Paul, Minnesota (1946-49), and Mobile, Alabama (1949-52), and then South Atlantic (1952-53) and Mediterranean Division Engineer (1953-55). He assumed command of the 18th Engineer Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, in 1955. He served as Deputy Chief of Engineers for Construction from 1956 to 1960. Wilson was Commanding General of the Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir and Commandant of the Army Engineer School in 1960-61. He retired as Chief of Engineers on June 30, 1965. Wilson's military honors included the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Soldier's Medal, and membership in the French Legion of Honor. He died in Mobile, Alabama, on December 6, 1985.
Born on an Army post near Nome, Alaska, on August 28, 1908, William Cassidy graduated from the Military Academy in 1931, and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served as assistant to the District Engineer in Portland, Oregon; commanded an engineer company at Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and oversaw military construction projects in Hawaii. During World War II Cassidy commanded engineer troops specializing in airfield construction in England, North Africa, and Italy. He was Deputy Chief, then Chief, War Plans (later Operations and Training) Division, Office of the Chief of Engineers, in 1944-47. At the outbreak of the Korean conflict, he was ordered to Japan where he was responsible for engineer supply. He served as South Pacific Division Engineer from 1955 to 1958 and was the senior logistics advisor to the Republic of Korea Army in 1958-59. Cassidy was the Corps' Director of Civil Works from September 1959 to March 1962 and was then appointed Deputy Chief of Engineers. On March 1, 1963, he became the Commanding General of the Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir and Commandant of the Army Engineer School. Cassidy became Chief of Engineers on July 1, 1965. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his service as Chief of Engineers. His other military decorations included the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation.
Born in Little Falls, New York, on March 1, 1915, Frederick Clarke was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers in 1937 after graduating fourth in his Military Academy class. Clarke received a master's degree in civil engineering from Cornell University in 1940 and later attended the Advanced Management Program of the Graduate School of Business, Harvard University. During World War II he commanded a battalion that helped construct a military airfield on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, and he served in Washington, D.C., with Headquarters, Army Service Forces. After the war Clarke worked in the atomic energy field for the Manhattan District and the Atomic Energy Commission at Hanford, Washington, and at the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project at Sandia Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico. As the District Engineer of the Trans-East District of the Corps in 1957-59, he was responsible for U.S. military construction in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and he initiated transportation surveys in East Pakistan and Burma. In the decade before his appointment as Chief of Engineers, Clarke was Engineer Commissioner of the District of Columbia (1960-63); Director of Military Construction in the Office of the Chief of Engineers (1963-65); Commanding General of the Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir and Commandant of the Army Engineer School (1965-66); and Deputy Chief of Engineers (1966-69). As Chief of Engineers Clarke guided the Corps as it devoted increased attention to the environmental impact of its work. General Clarke was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.
Lieutenant General William C. Gribble, Jr.
Born in Ironwood, Michigan, on May 24, 1917, William Gribble, Jr., graduated from the Military Academy in 1941 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. During World War II he served on the staff of the 340th Engineer General Service Regiment as it first built a section of the Alaska Highway in western Canada and later assisted MacArthur's drive in New Guinea and the Philippines. At the end of the war he commanded the 118th Engineer Combat Battalion, 43d Infantry Division. Gribble then worked in the Los Alamos laboratory and in the Reactor Development Division of the Atomic Energy Commission. As Alaska District Engineer he oversaw construction of a nuclear power plant at Fort Greely, Alaska. He headed the Army's nuclear power program in 1960-61. In 1963 he was the Corps' North Central Division Engineer. Gribble's scientific skills led to his service as Director of Research and Development in the Army Materiel Command in 1964-66 and as the Army's Chief of Research and Development in 1971-73. In 1969-70 he commanded the Army Engineer Center and Fort Belvoir and was Commandant of the Army Engineer School. He became Chief of Engineers in 1973. Gribble received a master's degree in physical science from the University of Chicago in 1948 and an honorary doctorate in engineering from Michigan Technological University. He was also an honorary member of the United Kingdom's Institute of Royal Engineers. His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Brazilian Order of Military Merit. General Gribble died at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on June 2, 1979.
John Morris was born in Princess Anne, Maryland, on September 10, 1921. He graduated from the Military Academy in June 1943 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. During World War II he commanded an airfield construction company in the Western Pacific. After the war he served in the Philippines and Japan, in the Corps' Savannah District, and as area engineer at Goose Bay, Labrador. In 1960-62 he commanded the divisional 8th Engineer Battalion in Korea. Morris headed the Corps' Tulsa District in 1962-65 as it improved navigation on the Arkansas River. During the peak years of the Vietnam War, he was the Army's Deputy Chief of Legislative Liaison (1967-69), and he commanded the 18th Engineer Brigade in Vietnam (1969-70). He was then Missouri River Division Engineer for two years, the Corps' Director of Civil Works for three years, and Deputy Chief of Engineers in 1975-76. As Chief of Engineers, Morris convinced the Army to include the Corps of Engineers among its major commands. Morris obtained a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Iowa. His military awards included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. General Morris was selected Construction's Man of the Year for 1977 by the Engineering-News Record.
Joseph Bratton was born on April 4, 1926, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated third in the class of 1948 at the Military Academy and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served with an engineer battalion in Austria in 1949-52 and with the divisional 13th Engineer Combat Battalion in Korea in 1953-54, both before and after the armistice there. He later commanded the 24th Engineer Battalion, 4th Armored Division, in Germany (1964-65) and the 159th Engineer Group in Vietnam (1969-70). Bratton also held numerous staff assignments. He was a military assistant to Secretary of the Army Stanley Resor in 1967-69 and Secretary to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1970-72. Having received a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1959, Bratton served as Chief of Nuclear Activities, Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers, Europe (SHAPE), in 1972-75 and Director of Military Applications at the U.S. Department of Energy in 1975-79. His last assignments before becoming Chief of Engineers in October 1980 were as Division Engineer of the Corps' South Atlantic Division (1979-80) and then briefly as Deputy Chief of Engineers. His military awards included the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Born at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on March 2, 1932, Elvin Heiberg III became a third-generation West Pointer when he graduated fifth in the Military Academy class of 1953. He later obtained three master's degrees, in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in government and administration from The George Washington University. Early in his military career Heiberg served as Operations Officer of the 3d Brigade, 3d Infantry Division, in Germany, and taught in the Social Sciences Department at the Military Academy. In 1968-69 he commanded the divisional 4th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam and was awarded a Silver Star. He then served as Special Assistant and Executive Assistant to the Director, Office of Emergency Preparedness, under the Executive Office of the President. Heiberg served for a year as Executive to Secretary of the Army Howard Callaway. He then headed the Corps' New Orleans District and in 1975-78 the Ohio River Division. He served as senior engineer on the staff of U.S. Army, Europe, in 1978-79. Heiberg was the Corps' Director of Civil Works in 1979-82 and then Deputy Chief of Engineers. After managing the Army's Ballistic Missile Defense Program for a year, he became Chief of Engineers in 1984. Heiberg graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His military awards included two Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Bronze Star Medal.
The son of an artillery officer, Henry Hatch was born on August 31, 1935, in Pensacola, Florida. After graduating from the Military Academy in 1957, he completed airborne and ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia, and earned a master's degree in geodetic science at Ohio State University. Hatch held several leadership positions in Army airborne and airmobile units early in his career. He commanded a company of the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82d Airborne Division, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; served on the staff of the 2d Airborne Battle Group, 503d Infantry, in Okinawa; and commanded the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, in Vietnam in 1968-69. Hatch subsequently oversaw West Point construction work for the Corps' New York District and in 1974 began a three-year tenure as Nashville District Engineer. He then returned to the Far East to lead the 2d Infantry Division Support Command in Korea and later directed Army and Air Force construction in Korea, Japan, and the Pacific as the Corps' Pacific Ocean Division Engineer. Hatch was Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer, for U.S. Army, Europe, in 1981-84. He next served briefly as Assistant Chief of Engineers and then for nearly four years as Director of Civil Works. President Reagan appointed him Chief of Engineers in May 1988. Hatch's military awards included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Born in Watertown, New York, on March 28, 1938, Arthur Williams obtained a commission as an Army engineer officer upon his graduation in 1960 from Saint Lawrence University, where he majored in mathematics. He later obtained a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's degree in civil engineering and economic planning from Stanford University. Williams commanded an armored engineer company in Germany and an engineer construction company in Vietnam. During a second tour in Vietnam, he served as Operations Officer of the 577th Engineer Battalion. He later commanded the 44th Engineer Battalion in Korea and was an assignment officer at the Army Military Personnel Center. Williams headed the Corps' Sacramento District in 1982-85 and then served as Chief of Staff at Corps Headquarters. He subsequently headed the Pacific Ocean Division and then the Lower Mississippi Valley Division. He was also President of the Mississippi River Commission. He returned to Corps Headquarters in July 1991 as Director of Civil Works. President Bush appointed Williams Chief of Engineers in 1992. His military awards include the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
A native of Oakdale, Louisiana, Joe N. Ballard was born on March 27,1942, and graduated from Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a degree in electrical engineering. After graduation in 1965, he received a commission in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. General Ballard served as a platoon leader in the 84th Engineer Battalion during his first tour of duty in South Vietnam and as a company commander in the 864th Engineer Battalion and as the Chief, Lines of Communication Section in the 18th Engineer Brigade during his second tour. Following assignments with the Fifth U.S. Army and the Recruiting Command, he was Operations Officer and Executive Officer of the 326th Engineer Battalion, 1Olst Airborne Division. In 1978 he went to South Korea where he served as Operations Officer and later as the Executive Officer on the staff of the U.S. Forces, Korea, Engineer. Following Korea he returned to the Pentagon for duty on the Army Staff as the principal engineer in the Army Energy Office, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics. In 1982 he moved to another overseas theater as Commander of the 82d Engineer Battalion, 7th Engineer Brigade, in West Germany. Later he became the Commander of the 18th Engineer Brigade and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Engineer, in Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe. Returning to the United States in 1991, General Ballard began his association with the U.S. Army Engineer School as Assistant Commandant of the Engineer School and Deputy Commanding General of the Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. After an assignment as Chief, Total Army Basing Study in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Ballard returned to Missouri as Commanding General of the Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood. When he was nominated by President William Clinton to be the Chief of Engineers and Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he was serving as Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in Fort Monroe, Virginia. During his career General Ballard earned a master's degree in engineering management from the University of Missouri and graduated from the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College. His military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, three Legion of Merit awards, two Bronze Star Medals, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals.
General Flowers was born in Pennsylvania and resided in several areas of the world as his family moved during his father's military career. Following graduation and commissioning from the Virginia Military Institute in 1969, he completed Airborne and Ranger training and began his career as an Engineer Officer. He holds a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and is a Registered Professional Engineer. Prior to his selection as Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he served as the Commanding General of the Maneuver Support Center and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His other commands include an Engineer Company in Germany; the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division; the 20th Engineer Brigade, XVIII Corps (Airborne); and the Mississippi Valley Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Operational deployments include command of an expanded brigade of 10 battalions (7,700 soldiers) during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Task Force Engineer for the Joint Task Force in Somalia; and Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering (Forward), U.S. Army Europe in Bosnia. Other assignments include Assistant Division Commander, 2nd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Eighth U.S. Army, South Korea; Deputy Commanding General and Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer Center and School, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Branch Chief, Counter-narcotics Operations Division, Washington, D.C.; Combat Developer, Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Field Engineer and Research Project Manager for the Portland Engineer District; and Staff Engineer in Thailand for the Udorn Detachment and Northern Thailand.
Lieutenant General Carl A. Strock, was born in Georgia and grew up in an Army Family. He enlisted in the Army and received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1972. After completing Ranger and Special Forces training, he served primarily with infantry units before transferring to the Engineer Branch in 1983. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute and a master's degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer. Prior to his selection as the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps on Engineers, he served as Director of Civil Works, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In September 2003, he returned from a six-month tour of duty in Iraq as the Deputy Director of Operations for the Coalition Provisional Authority. His previous assignment was Director of Military Programs, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His command assignments include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division; the Engineer Brigade, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, where he led the battalion through Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Iraq; Rifle Company Commander, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (Forward) in Germany; and Operational Detachment Commander, 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Other assignments include Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Engineer Training Center and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Personnel Staff Officer, Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Washington, D.C.; Colonels Assignment Officer, U.S. Army Personnel Command, Washington D.C.; Exchange Officer and Instructor, Royal School of Military Engineering in England; Battalion Operations Officer, Assistant Division Engineer, and Battalion Executive Officer for the 307th Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division; Resident Engineer, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Project Officer, Tennessee- Tombigbee Waterway, Mississippi and Alabama; and Scout Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1972. He completed Ranger, Airborne and Air Assault training, the Engineer Officer Basic Course and the Engineer Officer Advanced Course. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Long Island University in New York. He is a Registered Professional Engineer. General Van Antwerp’s previous assignment was as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command and Deputy Commanding General for Initial Military Training at Fort Monroe, Virginia. The Army Accessions Command consists of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky; U.S. Army Cadet Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia; and the U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Additionally, General Van Antwerp exercised Department of the Army directed executive agent authority over the Military Entrance Processing Command. Command assignments include the U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center and Fort Leonard Wood/Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District during the Northridge Earthquake of 1994; the U.S. Army Division, South Atlantic, Atlanta, Georgia; and the 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Other assignments include Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Washington, DC; Director, Office of Competitive Sourcing, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research, Development and Acquisition), Washington, DC; Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC; Executive Office, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, DC; Chief, Military Engineering and Construction Division, U.S. Army Western Command, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Executive Officer, 84th Engineer Battalion, 45th General Support Group, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and Instructor, Department of Mechanics, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York.
Prior to USACE, Lieutenant General Bostick served as Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, Personnel, United States Army, responsible for developing, managing, and executing manpower and personnel plans, programs, and policies for the Army.
Lieutenant General Bostick also served in a variety of command and staff assignments both in the Continental United States and overseas. Command positions include: Commanding General, United States Army Recruiting Command; Director of Military Programs, United States Army Corps of Engineers with duty as Commander, Gulf Region Division, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq; Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver), later Assistant Division Commander (Support), 1st Cavalry Division, Operation Iraqi Freedom; Commander, Engineer Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia-Herzegovina; and Commander, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized).
He served as Executive Officer to the Chief of Engineers, Executive Officer to the Army Chief of Staff, and Deputy Director of Operations for the National Military Command Center, J-3, the Joint Staff in the Pentagon from May 2001 to August 2002, including the events of September 11, 2001.
Lieutenant General Bostick was also an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at West Point and was a White House Fellow, serving as a special assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Lieutenant General Bostick graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He holds a Masters degree in both Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.
Just prior to this assignment, Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite established the Army Talent Management Task Force to reform the way the Army acquires, develops, employs, and retains a talented workforce. Prior to these duties, Semonite was the Commanding General for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, responsible for the building of the Afghan Army and Police. Earlier, he served as the Deputy Chief of Engineers and the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He also served as Commanding General of USACE’s South Atlantic Division and North Atlantic Division, as Commanding General, Maneuver Support Center and Fort Leonard Wood, and as Assistant Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood. Additionally, he served in a variety of command and staff positions including: Director, Office of the Chief of Engineers, HQ, Department of the Army; Deputy Commander, Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity, and Executive Officer to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) and 7th Army.
Lieutenant General Semonite served as Commander of the 130th Engineer Brigade and the V Corps Engineer, Hanau, Germany; Chief of Military Operations and Topography and Chief of International Operations, both with USAREUR; Battalion Commander, 23rd Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany (with deployment to Bosnia); Construction and Design Supervisor, 416th Engineer Command, Chicago; Staff Officer for Logistics (S4), 937th Engineer Group and Staff Officer for Operations (S3) and Executive Officer, 1st Engineer Battalion, both at Fort Riley, Kansas; and Operations Officer, UsACE Office, Fort Drum, N.Y.
Semonite is a registered professional engineer in Virginia and Vermont and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the USMA, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Vermont, and a Master’s of Military Arts and Sciences from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is a graduate of the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College.
Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1989, he served as Command Sergeant Major of the 10th and 130th Engineer Battalions and the 34th Support Group. His duty stations included Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort McPherson, Georgia; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; and For Ord, California. Overseas tours of duty were in Korea, Vietnam, and Germany.
CSM Karl J. Groninger, a native of New Jersey, enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 1982 and attended One Station Unit Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Prior to becoming Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in February 2012, he served as Command Sergeant Major of the 92d Engineer Battalion, Fort Stewart, Georgia.; of the U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; of the Joint Task Force-Bravo, Soto Cano, Honduras; and of the 579th Engineer Detachment, Forward Engineer Support Team-Main, Vicksburg, Mississippi. Previous assignments included Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Eustis, Virginia; Fort Kobe, Panama; Headquarters, Aviation and Troop Command, St. Louis; and Fort Shafter, Hawaii. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior College. | 2019-04-19T03:11:42Z | https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Commanders/ |
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A “better world” and “making a difference” are deeply embedded in our cultural consciousness. They seem to be obvious goals for the human life. My recent articles questioning this consciousness have touched a deep chord for many, some wondering that if such things are wrong, “why bother?” There are two thoughts I want to offer in this article. The first addresses the illusion of the better world and making a difference, while the second addresses what it is that we can do.
Change is a constant in human history. No doubt, telephones, television, medicines, water purification, computers, and many other technological inventions change the way people go about doing a wide range of activities. However, modernity is not about change – it is a story about change. It is a narrative about the role change plays in the world and our part in it. What is illusory about modernity is that the narrative is false.
Generally speaking, individuals labor over the course of their days with a vague hope, or almost religious faith, that they are “making a difference.” We cannot really know what difference we make, or whether, in the long term, the difference we might make will be beneficial or not. The scope and scale of the world are simply too large for anyone to know such a thing. The so-called “butterfly effect” is true – even the smallest action creates change. A collision of atoms on the other side of the universe changes the whole universe. The scope and scale of the world and the long stretch of history make it impossible for us to know whether the change of which we are a part of beneficial or not.
It interests me that my critique of modernity is often met with the suggestion that I want to abandon technology, or that I’m ignoring its place in our lives. Technology and various innovations are not inherently modern. The only thing modern about such things is the place they hold in the narrative of modernity.
Once upon a time, human beings labored using stone upon stone to grind wheat into usable flour. At some point, that method was replaced with larger grinding stones that worked on the basis of a wheel. Later still, larger constructions were powered by animals. And several centuries before Christ (to the best of our knowledge), the use of water-powered mills was invented, creating a method that remained largely unchanged until the invention of a practical steam engine in the late 1700’s. This is a pattern of invention and innovation, all of which took place outside of modernity. Invention and technology is not a modern activity – it is a human activity. The structures of free-market capitalism have encouraged and rewarded this human activity – but change and technology are not some marvelous gift bestowed on us by modernity.
To understand modernity, you have to first untangle the cords of its narrative and its false claims. “Making a difference” and “building a better world” are typical slogans of our age. However, they belong to the realm of political rhetoric (and not only in recent times). A “better world” has been the rhetoric behind colonial efforts, the Communist revolutions, and any number of genocides. Political debate is invariably about competing versions of a better world with little effect other than the faces that stare out from various parliaments. Versions of the better world are not slogans drawn from Christian tradition.
Thank you, again, Fr. Stephen! When I was in seminary during the early 70s the concern for students close to graduating “Where I can I serve and have the greatest impact?” This article most appropriately shreds that question. Thank you.
They should have read the life of St. Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzus). I think there were about 17 people in his diocese.
In the end, those who imagine the relief of suffering to be the overriding goal of life, will also accept death as a means to achieve it.
This is so frighteningly true–and already in play in the West (Europe, Canada, and the U.S.). In February of this year, the Canadian Supreme Court basically mandated assisted suicide for any reason. It’s moving south at a breakneck speed, I think.
Wonderful clarity, Father. Many thanks for this article!
Canada is set to license nurses to perform euthanasia. That’ll speed things up a bit.
Yes, I’ve been keeping up with it a bit. It’s the ultimate in the ego-centered viewpoint, I think. There is no realization of the giftedness of life, only the control of it.
Father’s articles are not only timely but they are spot-on concerning how the Modern world works.
Thank you Father. Perhaps it might help to think of Modernity as more of a way of thinking about the individual and the individuals place in society rather than in technology. The Enlightenment was the beginning of Modernity and it certainly has changed the way the “Western” world perceives society and faith. It is too easy to confuse “Modern,” meaning advanced technology and “Modernity,” the thought process brought by the Enlightenment.
I just shared this in reply to a question in the prior post but it’s worth sharing here again as it’s so on point to this new post.
In many Rotary clubs, miss three times and they cut your tie off.
Loved this article. Thank you Fr.
I must admit Father, it’s hard to do good with the thought it mind that it won’t fundamentally succeed at helping anything. One can reply that it can have a spiritual effect on ourselves, but so can prayer, and prayer is less fraught with difficulty. Could this view lead us to abandon helping others in the name of saving our own souls through solitary prayer? St. Isaac the Syrian in fact, early in his homilies, says that it is far better to stay in a cell and pray to save your own soul than to go abroad preaching to others, which seems problematic in some ways.
Actually, serving others is much easier than prayer, and it can be more powerful when done right. Working to “make a difference” is working for a reward. That’s what hired hands do. We’re called to be children of God, not hired hands.
Corey, personally I find it easier to give when I am not responsible for all the baggage of changing the world. I can just give and let God do the rest.
I found before I was Orthodox, in my Evangelical church there was occasional lip service to the primary importance of prayer and nurturing one’s relationship with God (with a few happy exceptions to this rule), but the real focus was on the active life (these days I think the buzz word is being “missional”). This is why those wishing to most fully give themselves to God in this tradition typically go to the mission field or at least into full time Christian service. A normal job is okay if I see my workplace as my mission field. Monasticism, if it is on the radar at all, tends to be viewed as an escape and flight from “real” life and ministry. Where this is the focus, even “prayer” tends to become utilitarian–we want God’s help to get the “missional” job done. The focus on winning others to Christ had the unfortunate unintended consequence for some of us of making us feel we were recruits in a sort of spiritual pyramid scheme! Where the active life is a focus in this modern way, it is hard not to get the message that my value to God and others is rooted in what I can do for them. The utilitarian ethic masquerades as encouragement to Christian “ministry”, but can only produce insecurity and activity that is ultimately ego-driven, where the underlying motivation is not love for God and others, but the need to prove my own worth. Meanwhile, classical Christian monasticism has produced desert and pillar-dwelling hermits who, spending decades in their solitary enterprise, became wonder-working Saints whose lives and words serve as beacons to Christ for countless thousands to this day who still seek them out! I can’t help but notice the irony in this.
Reading about how we cannot really know what difference we make, I was reminded of St. Francis Xavier, a large figure in east Asia (where I live). He died hungry, impoverished, almost alone, stranded on a desolate island in south China. By modern standards, a failure.
Very well-described. The “missional” thing as we more or less know it today, dates back only to the 19th century and is an artifact of modernity. It’s the great Christian project for modern Christians, one way or another. Conservative Christians want to “spread the gospel.” Liberal Churches want to establish abortion clinics and gay rights in the third world (they are very “evangelical” in such things). Show me a project. I’ll show you modernity.
The Christian gospel calls us directly into suffering, and this alone will conquer death. This element of the gospel is utterly obscured in modernist Christianities. It is also why asceticism is absolutely and essential part of the Christian life. We voluntarily suffer that we might truly live.
suffering look like? Isn’t all suffering legitimate?
Johathan, I only gave Antinatalism a quick read but it seems to be focused on avoiding suffering, which Father has mentioned is a staple of modern thinking. I think you are spot on concerning the viewpoint of many younger people. Life has lost purpose for many of them and, if they are not immersed in a “cause”, they often see little worth in it.
Antinatalism (if I understand it correctly) seems to be the natural end result of that thinking: don’t procreate, just live your life as pleasurably as possible and don’t cause suffering. It strikes me as a pointless, nihilistic experience of life; hedonism with only mild restraint.
Father, to say it simply, your writing has helped me very much!
I have a few scattered questions which I’ve noticed come up when I discuss such things with my fellow parishioners (Ethiopian Orthodox). Ethiopia’s brush with modernity is recent, but it’s amazing how people have just absorbed it in such a short time.
And this leads me to one of the questions: Modernity bulldozing effectiveness is one of the reasons people succumb to it or accept it as Truth? How to deal with this?
Also, when it comes to technology, we tend to conflate technology with the scientific method and in turn with modernity? What do you think of this?
Finally, many have the impression that in modern countries, not only are people richer, but they treat each other better. They are ending discrimination (and suffering!). They don’t beat their kids. Etc. This proves modernity is Truth, no?
I have my answers to these questions, but I’d much rather hear yours.
Alas–hearing of anti-natalism, euthanasia, the hijacking of Christianity by the Modern Project, etc. awakens in me my “fix-it” gene. How can I make this better? How can I save the world from this path? Lord, what would you have me do? I am clearly part of the problem and have spent most of my 6 decades trying to save the world, or my family, or at least the one who is most caught up in questioning whether life is worth living. Perhaps I have met the enemy–and it is me. Lord have mercy!
Another modern illusion might be “living up to your potential.” This is one I struggle with constantly–the nagging thought that I am not. The urge is to create utopia within ourselves by imposing our idea of “potential” instead of living in the Kingdom as it really exists.
The illusion of “living up to your potential” has been particularly seductive for me.
Worse, the quest to do so, and the anguish over failing to do so, has often caused me to fail to simply live.
I don’t see a conflict per se between one’s potential and the Kingdom of God. Being wholly contingent creatures makes potentiality a fact of life. The Kingdom is here, breaking into our contingent existence, and is to come, requiring us to reach up to it.
Of course, if by potential we mean some modernist concept, then yes, this would be incompatible.
Jonathan – I’m not making the HBO True Detective connection. Is antinatalism the underlying theme/philosophy of the program? Thanks.
Yes. There’s legitimate suffering – that which one must unavoidably bear. And there’s illegitimate suffering – that which I impose on myself because I refuse to do anything different.
It also means the rest of us need to breed like rabbits!
Nope. Potential is just modern nonsense. Live in obedience to God. You don’t have to be great. It’s pride (rooted in shame) that drives these passions.
This pessimistic spirit has been growing for awhile, but now it has a vocabulary and intellectuals articulating its basic tenants into an actual movement. The show has launched numerous articles on Misanthropic and Philanthropic Antinatalism.
Besides Benatar, Ligotti’s book ‘The Conspiracy Against the Human Race’ is popular, and Cioran’s texts.
I consider this immensely important, and utterly ignored. Frankly, if indeed God is dead, or a mere deist divinity, then philosophical pessimism provides the really logical, ethical worldview as the sensible alternative.
I should say the main enemies of Antinatalism & philosophical pessimism are actually the new atheists – Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris etc because of their blithe belief in progress and naive insistence that without God life can still be a worthwhile, positive endeavor. In fact they are very amiable to religion as they at least are able to acknowledge such things as evil and moral depravity and are under no illusions that science will alter the basic and terrible facts of death and suffering. Religion has it right – without God, there is no hope. Period.
The fact that suffering is universal to the human condition does not mean there can be no concept of the good for those who do not buy the Christian hope of resurrection. For those of us who think only this short life is certain, we have the opportunity to do what God apparently does not — intervene to alleviate what suffering we can for as long as we can. The fact that better is never perfect does not make it not good. It must be good enough for now.
There is a sense in your comment of the modernist complaint about God – that He apparently will not intervene to alleviate suffering. Which, of course, begs the question of whether or not He’s supposed to. And though the Christian faith taught us to care about those who suffer, it did not teach us that suffering has no use or meaning. Only the despair of unbelief thinks this – not having yet shaken off the remains of caring that Christ has taught us.
Good enough for now also begs, “Good enough for what?” For what. I completely understand the doubts and questions viz. the existence of God or of Christ and His resurrection. But, modernity simply plays with the toys of Christianity (alleviating suffering) while actually bothering to get serious about what matters. It’s just bad theology. It’s ok to have a bad theology – but it’s poor to put it forward as an argument or excuse for anything.
I believe one elder said, that the key to salvation is to keep your mind in hell and not despair. This conception of salvation is based upon the understanding that we live in a fallen world rife with strife and suffering, and part of salvation is living in this world and not using various methods to escape the suffering this world presents us with. The point he was trying to make, I think, is based on the understanding that our joy and healing, is not through self-willed improvement, which often inflates our egos and distracts us from the reality of the world and ourselves, but through emptying ourselves, our will, our vain and idle imaginations, to hand ourselves over to the grace and mercy of God who transforms us and unites us with him that we might find joy in his love and vision of his glory, rather than finding ways to escape the reality of this world. As Dostoevsky wrote through father Zossima in the Brother’s Karamazov, “All the saints were happy!” I believe this to be true. Also, Dostoevsky prophetically dismantled all of the utopian dreams of progress of modernity in his writing, noticing that all modes of avoiding physical suffering, inevitably both led to the limitation of free will and also to the church of the Grand Inquisitor that cannot enact any real salvation, only offer material ease. I think that this post doesn’t emphasize enough that the point of asceticism and the Christian life is not to suffer, but to suffer rightly, that in suffering the weakness of our flesh and the problems in this world, we meet God and in this humility find joy. The joy in partaking in the divine life of the trinity. At the same time, I think Father Freemen’s critique on modernity is the most necessary critique of all. Modernity’s theology of material progress, of social change independent of God, destroys the kerygma of the disciples. The Kingdom of God is not of this world. At the same time, I do believe we are responsible to do our part in helping others materially. Helping to feed to starving and to meet the needs of those around us is important. St. Basil tells us this. But salvation is always by emptying ourselves out to enter into union with Christ.
Potentiality is as old as Aristotle, hardly a modern.
The great paradoxes of life, eh? The more I run from suffering, the more I suffer; the more I try to live, the more I die; and the more I die to self and embrace the Cross, the more I then live.
Thanks again as always for your timely and profound insights, Father.
Is there not a difference in each person living up to the best in themselves and the modern idea that posits a necessity for doing so “to make a difference” ?
Certainly the Orthodox paradigm of theosis posits that we all have the same potential: union with God.
re: difference – I was responding in particular to Nicholas’ comment about “living up to your potential.” If “theosis” is the potential, then I don’t see the conflict. If we fill it with modern ideas, then yes that is not good. But we shouldn’t point to “pontentiality” as the problem, it is the modern ideas rather that are to blame.
But, you see, this is playing with words and not understanding them. Potentiality is indeed Aristotle. However, Aristotle’s potentiality is the fulfilling of one’s nature. Modernity’s potentiality is a maximizing of impact, money, talent, etc. It’s not at all the same thing. It is absolutely essential, it seems to me, to hear modernity for what it is and to cease reading into places where it is not.
Again, modernity has co-opted language – taken many terms from the tradition and reinterpreted them, hijacked them, for its own project. Theosis is not the fulfilling of a potential, by the way. We are not “potentially” God. “We are mud that has been commanded to become God,” in the words of St. Gregory of Nyssa. But, as mud, we’re potentially only mud, nothing more. It is God’s condescension that makes us divine and nothing within us.
Modernity is always the language of achievement. It is anti-grace.
What of the concept of “spiritual growth”?
Spiritual growth is also a paradox. It doesn’t mean what it sounds like what it means, like almost everything we say in our faith. That’s why it’s called “spiritual” growth. Heck, people use the word as if they actually knew what the word “spiritual” means. And they are clueless.
So what does “spiritual” mean? I’m watching the San Francisco talk as I stay up with my firstborn–10 days old today.
We may be mud but we are the only mud made in the image and likeness of God. A fact which gives what I can only call potential even if that can only be realized through the Cross….and in a sense has already been realized.
I don’t know that I have grown in many ways probably not since I first encountered Jesus except that the older I get the more I realize I have no control over what happens and precious little over how I respond and how much I depend on God’s mercy.
Hard question. It obviously differs from “material,” but shouldn’t be contrasted with it. In the NT, its contrasting word is “fleshly” or “carnal,” again, not a word that actually means “of the body.” It has, on the one hand, a primary reference to where something is centered – as in “centered in God,” (spiritual) or “centered in self” (carnal). To add to the frustration, we can say that “spiritual’s” meaning can only be spiritually known! That’s really unhelpful.
We can also say it is “noetically known.” The nous is a faculty of the soul that perceives spiritual things (when it’s working properly).
But, cutting to the chase, when people say “spiritual growth,” they tend to mean either “moral progress” or “growth in religious stuff.” I would rather say it is “becoming a different kind of being.” That doesn’t mean being a better something that I already am, or adding to what I’ve got. But a different kind of being.
For one, you have to meet such a being to see what the content of that statement means. So, I can have a conversation with a rural Baptist here in Tennessee. One of us uses the word “spiritual growth” in a sentence. The other thinks he knows what it means. My comment is saying that such a statement, in our common tongue, is pretty much not at all correct. However, the true content of spiritual growth is very difficult to put into words (and even harder to find in reality).
Let’s use another example. What happens to the bread and the wine in the Eucharist, is closer to what I have in mind as the content of “spiritual growth.” Apply that to our lives and then use that in a conversation.
Blessings to your newborn child and many years!
Father, it sounds as if the idea of “spiritual growth” would make a fantastic blog post!
And Boyd, blessings to your child and family! Many years!
Theosis is not the fulfilling of a potential, by the way. We are not “potentially” God. “We are mud that has been commanded to become God,” in the words of St. Gregory of Nyssa. But, as mud, we’re potentially only mud, nothing more. It is God’s condescension that makes us divine and nothing within us.
Who was it that said, “we become by grace what He is by nature”? I remember this quote but not the context. It seems to fit here.
If I may also add to the above (and really simplify it), I think something is Spiritual to the exact degree that it comes about because of the action of the Holy Spirit.
Human effort in something that’s so strongly ‘of another One than me’, is mainly all about our efforts to be less self-preoccupied in order to be singularly God-focused in everything we do.
May God grant us this!
A strict definition of the word potential is “possible”. In no way does it connote the necessity inherent in modern thought.
We are sinful mud for whom God has made it possible to commune with Him even be in union with Him but not by any act of our own will except in an apophatic sense.
Modernity (people really – we should be speaking of particulars) subverts words and concepts, but it doesn’t mean we throw out the traditional Christian meaning, just like we don’t throw out Christianity because people have subverted it.
I object to stretching this anti modernity talk too far, I get the purpose, but it amounts to overreaching which is much like people who claim Christianity is not a religion. It makes for a great headline but doesn’t hold up against scrutiny and in actuality serves to discredit.
Father my point is that the idea of a person “reaching her potential”, as conceived of in the Orthodox sense, is not modern at all, and it therefore shouldn’t stop us from using such language. There’s much in Tradition that speaks of telos and skopos, and concerns in part to our movement (reaching out) towards it. It is of course not at all as modernity envisions such reaching one’s potential.
I propose that instead of giving up that which has been hijacked we reclaim true meaning. Reclaim powerful Christian ideas such as goal, religion, potential, fulfillment, person, purpose, reason, and so forth.
I see a Christian struggling in this com box (Nicholas above) with the idea of “potential” because the word has been tagged as modern.
Is there place in Tradition that we can speak of personal potential? If so, in what ways would such speech be framed and qualified?
Are you familiar with Archbishop Averky’s book “The Struggle For Virtue”, subtitled “Asceticism in a Modern Secular Society”? The introduction and first chapter speak well to the theme of this post and to many of comments made on it. Last night I picked up a stack of books I had bought but had not read that was on top of my bookcase to put them in their place and when I saw this one, I set on my bed and started leafing through it. Ended up putting it down about four hours later. Great little book just as the priest who suggested it said it would be. BTW, it is addressed to lay people, not monks.
Robert, somehow my lengthy response to this got lost. Must have mashed the wrong button. I’ll try again tomorrow. In short, let Nicholas speak for Nicholas. It’s ok for someone to struggle. If the critique of modernity did not cause any struggle then it wouldn’t have been written well or clearly enough.
The problem is “narrative” not words. Many words are fine, outside of the modern narrative, which is false. But we’re so captivated by the narrative that it needs to be forcefully deconstructed before we’re able to re-appropriate certain words and concepts. Don’t short circuit the work.
Just to clarify, the struggle is not because the word is tagged as modern. The struggle is that there is pressure, both internal and external, to “live up to my potential.” It’s that nagging thought that you should always be producing something, doing something, learning something–or else! “Why have I not achieved X yet?” It is a distraction from God and is, exactly as Fr. Stephen says, driven by shame.
In my very brief comment I was proposing that we think of “living up to your potential” as a modern concept alongside “making a difference” and others discussed in this series of posts. The discussion around “potential” in this thread has been very interesting. It all seems to go back to “The Unmoral Christian.” This current series is its social and cultural analog.
It is quite liberating to realize that we do not have to be great, especially for a Millenial like me. If my generation has a characteristic passion, I think that “living up to your potential” might be it.
It is folly to think we can make the world better, this much I can understand and accept. What then can we do in the interest of moving towards the good?
As an example of my thinking, I have wondered whether a Tolkien or a Lewis could even arise within Orthodoxy or whether by its nature, it would constrain them. Too often of late Orthodoxy has brought to mind an image of the elves departing middle earth. They are wise….noble even, but they are forever sad, somewhat cold, and little concerned for the cares of a dying world or the people who perish along with it.
To do good we must know what good is, seeing a St Seraphim of Sarov, a John of Kronstad, a Paisios the Athonite, a Sophrony Sakharov, an Aimilianos of Simonopetra or just witnessing first-hand an old sanctified granny in Romania (or a young convert on the right path even -I am thinking of the holywood actor Jonathan Jackson for example) is illuminating and has nothing to do with any sense of their ‘departing middle earth’… Plus, where else can one see and hear, witness first-hand, the fullness of that wisdom, pure from the corrosive admixture of modernity ? Tolkiens and Lewises exist in Orthodoxy but having far greater representatives they’re relatively overshadowed in the eyes of some of those that are interested in the purest source of the Light.
I don’t know that I’ve ever encountered a sanctified person first hand, or at least nothing comes to mind, so much of this is just abstractions in my own mind.
As for encountering the fullness of that wisdom, it troubles me still because Orthodoxy has proven the rock upon which the faith of friends has broken and so they’ve lost all hope and embraced pure secularism and modernity. I perceive that many Orthodox people struggle to take to heart the notion of being all things to all people and instead favor a culture, either their own or else romantic notions of one borrowed.
Perhaps I misunderstand this or perceive it wrongly, but I cannot deny that I am distressed by it. I see great value in pointing out the sickness of modernity, but if its just for the purposes of looking at it distantly and with a resigned sigh of futility, I can’t help but wonder what’s the point? If there are these important truths to be shared, why do they remain so persistently cloistered away? It has the appearance of stillness and holiness, but I pray that this is not appearances only.
The purpose is, on the one hand, to be freed from delusion (of course there are others). And, so that, we might give thanks to God for all things in the freedom of the Spirit. This is the path to union with God. It is how we live in union with God.
If we only get bogged down in the critical discernment, it would indeed produce a sadness. I have such days. But it’s not the whole of it.
If someone could and did give thanks always for all things, they would never fall away. I think many are “dashed” on the rock of a form of despair because they, for whatever reason, have not learned to live the hope.
Our hearts are deeply shaped towards “making a difference”, etc. There are plenty of people who are simply dashed on the rock of realizing that it’s not working. Even secularists get dashed. It’s a very dark thing. It is absolutely essential, however, that the heart be reshaped in the image of Christ. The giving of thanks for all things is the simplest, and straightest path of salvation.
Well said. And you’re point viz. the Unmoral Christian, etc. is very apt. It is likely that I only have about one insight that I’ve written over 1500 articles about.
First I want to say I appreciate your writer’s ability to phrase things so well. You obviously have a gift with words and I resonate with that.
Your parallel of the Orthodox with the elves is poignant – and perhaps accurate when looking at the Orthodox as a whole. But that is not the case with Fr. Stephen and this blog.
You see, first we have to stop trying to make the world a better place before we….well, stop trying to make the world a better place. This comes through contemplating just that topic. In a sense this is the very work of emptying ourselves. It is the first 3 steps of AA: There is a God. I’m not Him. So I’ll let Him.
Fr. Stephen’s continuous stream of articles are a pounding of the surf against the growth of modernity which has become a stubborn and cancerous tumor in our souls. This growth compels us to do. We must do. The world and everyone one else depends upon us doing. There are variations on the theme (fulfill your potential, make the world a better place, etc.) but the end result is the same: we must do! And by our nature we WILL do, but the motivation is wrong.
In truth God created as human beings first and foremost. Our primary purpose is to be, out of which doing will naturally occur. But all of our doing isn’t what makes the world go round. We have to stop acting like it does.
And this ties in with your comment of Orthodox as elves. Our modern mindset wants us to go out and spread Fr. Stephen’s message worldwide – ironically trying to make a difference in the world, the very thing the message is advising against. The message is for individual souls. The message is to empty ourselves, follow the commandments, and look to Him for all things.
If we follow the commandments, we will try to care for widows and orphans. In truth we may not make any noticeable difference in their lives. Doesn’t matter. Our job isn’t to manage results, it is to be human. That doesn’t seem very motivating, a reason to get out of bed in the morning, but it IS what we’ve been given to do. And it is enough.
Fr. Freeman, I remember something that Elizabeth Elliott wrote. She said, I think in the book, A Basket full of Crumbs, ” Do the thing at hand.” It may be washing the sink full of dishes, listening to a grandchild, mowing a neighbor’s yard….all not to make a difference but simply to live simply and humbly, to help the widow and orphan, to keep oneself unstained by the world. I believe to live this way is to live in hope and is a good antidote for despair. And surely to give thanks to God for all. Still thanking Him for your writings and all the comments.
As an example of my thinking, I have wondered whether a Tolkien or a Lewis could even arise within Orthodoxy or whether by its nature, it would constrain them.
I’m not sure it would constrain them. I tend to think they would simply continue to write and think and live. Truth, rightly understood, has the effect of freedom, not constraint.
If we follow the commandments, we will try to care for widows and orphans. In truth we may not make any noticeable difference in their lives. Doesn’t matter. Our job isn’t to manage results, it is to be human.
A conversation I had with a friend at my parish this week noted that we both have a bit of trouble giving money to the homeless begging by the side of the road(s). He rightly pointed out that alcoholism is very high among the homeless and it is possible (indeed he has seen it and gave an example) that the money we give them will only go towards cheap alcohol. Then he noted that, when he spoke to our Priest concerning it, he was advised to give anyway. Father noted that we are not called to control what others do with the gifts and Grace extended to them, we are simply required to extend them as best we can. As Drewster rightly stated, “Our job isn’t to manage…”. I struggle to remember this!
Reading this was like a tonic this morning. Thank you. Glory to God for all things.
Salvation is becoming the being we were originally created to be and dying to the false/illegitimate being we have chosen to become.
The bread and wine “manifest.” They change in the sense that they cease “not manifesting” so to speak, and participate in “manifesting” – which is what right being first is and then “does.” The bread and wine are still bread and wine and yet they are also the body and blood of Christ Jesus. They are no longer “merely” bread and wine. What has “changed” is the kind of being they are – manifesting being vs. non-manifesting being.
“Growth” would mean the ongoing (dare I say “unceasing?” [1 Thess. 5:16-18]) manifestation of the fullness of “true being” that already fully exists. It is not about change in the sense of adding missing parts or becoming who we aren’t yet. Growth, is a word we could use if we understand it means manifestation – the showing forth of who we already are (Theophany).
An oak tree is an oak tree all along the way in its “growth.” Its growth is not a matter of becoming more of an oak tree than it was a year ago. It is the manifestation of its being fully an oak tree from the very beginning.
The only way for manifestation to occur is for us to die to the wrong being; and rise to right being the manifestation of divinity in humanity – deification – through ongoing repentance and obedience in love.
I am not supposed to sail off toward the horizon like the elves. I am to be IN THIS WORLD in this way with a spirit of gratitude, gentleness, quiet presence, and trust.
Whatever “difference” it makes is up to God. It is not my business to measure it or others.
I realize that my words may seem to contain echoes of those modern sentiments, but allow me to clarify and speak more plainly.
Fr. Stephen, you would likely be willing to acknowledge that this blog is not a necessary activity for you in the true sense of it. It may be a natural extension of the good you have within you and it may fulfill a personal need, but there is an expenditure of energies required on your part of which we are all the beneficiaries. What motivates you to speak then, rather than to remain silent? What compels you to this particular action as opposed to another?
And now to bring this back around, I’ve heard many times on this blog the sentiment that if we wish to become Christians, we must first become poets. If I understand the intent correctly, it is a two fold awakening to true beauty and a shaking off of the blindfold which literalism imposes upon us.
I think it only natural then and very human indeed that this sub-creative impulse, as Tolkien spoke of it, is the natural extension of this idea. Stories are more powerful than truth alone. They allow us take within ourselves that which we might otherwise reject out of its bitterness or even sweetness. Yet even enemies of the truth know this and use it in order that the world will consume their poison.
So it comes down to this…we have need of good stories and more of them. This is as much for our own sake as it is for others. Its the difference between a world where Lord of the Rings is perceived as a shadow of the truth, and one in which Game of Thrones is.
Fr. Thomas: Very well said, sir.
Joe: I totally agree with the need for good stories. I love stories. Who doesn’t, really. But then we can only pray for God to send more good storytellers. And they have to agree to simply be what God has made them to be. Most things are outside our control. In the meantime we have to tell the good stories with our lives the best we can.
Indeed, we need good stories…and more of them. Both Tolkien and Lewis were fruit of an age that has nearly passed (and barely ever existed in America, perhaps never). Both deeply trained in the Classics, literature (good literature), on a level unknown but by a few today. There was also cultural and spiritual support for their vision, poetry and other writings in a manner that again, barely exists today. It is very much worth noting that Lewis’ greatest fans are probably in Evangelical Churches. I recall visiting his grave in England. Looking for it, I found the groundskeeper. He led me to the grave and said, “It’s only the Americans who come.” I think we hunger desperately for the very poetic world that we find in him.
There is, interestingly, a rebirth of literature, film, etc., going on in Russia. I just finished newly translated book, Laurus. It will, in time, become a classic, I think. It probably could only be written by a Russian, for a variety of reasons. I’m not sure that we (America) could produce a Lewis or Tolkien right now. England might have a chance. At least their educational institutions have not gone utterly stark-raving mad as have ours for the large part.
I harbored deep hopes that the fall of the Soviet Union would mean a rebirth and renewal of Orthodox Russia, and with it, a cultural flowering. It’s very, very early, but already there are signs that this is happening. I pray for it to flourish.
We need, as a cultural foundation, a commitment to learning – being immersed in the Great Tradition. If Rome can get past some of the present temptations, it can be a very important ally in such things. But great literature, including poetry, is a fruit of a much larger tree with great roots. I have a long view. I write because I have nothing better to do as I wait to die in repentance. It is a form of preaching – something I have been appointed by God to do to my last breath. But God alone knows the fruit. I don’t need to. If the fruit were to be great, knowing it would destroy my soul. If the fruit dries up and withers, then may God toss it into the fire along with the vast sins of my life.
I’m at something of a loss. If we’re operating under the belief that God just makes things happen, then what need have we of seminaries? Why not just pray for priests and wait for one to show up? The point is that we have this reasonable expectation that to be a priest requires something more than simply calling yourself one, and likewise so for artists and storytellers. These are crafts which take time and effort to do well. If we’re so much in the habit of staring at our feet trying to figure out which step to take next, I’m not sure how this can come about. If makes every step seem frivolous.
One of the most profitable pieces of advise I have encountered (and employed in the recent years) on my spiritual path was a suggestion to go visit monasteries…. I think it was Matthew Gallatin, an AFR podcaster and philosopher whom I heard say that first… Ever since, I take an occasional vacation at a monastery, and (slowly but surely) it’s actually becoming my preferred destination to refresh and re-energize, both emotionally and even physically. There you might actually meet an “enlightened” person… Maybe not exactly the Saints Dino has listed, but a Romanian granny, or a young man like Jonathan Jackson (maybe not as famous, but equally sweet and authentic). Go without expectations, and you will be surprised by the Grace you receive…..
If the Son of God is the Word of God, then, in my understanding of “Word of God,” then peaking/writing is not an extra-being. It is not simply the “thing we do because of being.” If we are to become by grace all that Christ is by nature, then speaking/writing – voice/word – is an aspect of our right being by grace.
But why can we not simply study and read good literature ourselves and so learn from it? I went to public school, but it does not forever and always define the nature and scope of my education. And along similar lines, if such a thing is possible, why should a writer of the same ilk as Tolkien and Lewis be such a difficulty in America?
Can we not work with Rome to to bring about these kinds of renewal?
I appreciate your candor with regards to the nature of your writing. I feel much the same, but still…something about all of this tears at me in way which I can’t explain.
I’m just about through Laurus, myself! What a delightful, humbling, magnificent work! You’re absolutely right— I don’t think an American could write the same story without falling prey to cynicism.
I forget who suggested the book here in the comments, but thank you!
On the word “spirit”: if you read the introduction to G. L. Prestige’s “God in Patristic Thought” you will get a sense of the difficulty. It is probably best described as a synonym for “divine nature”. “divine nature” is of course “uncreated”, “holy”, “God”, etc – everything we are not as we (mostly) lead carnal lives (not to be simply equated with with modern notions of materialism). So to “be” spiritual, is in a profound sense to participate in the uncreated.
Agata, a good suggestion. I’ve never been to a monastery. These things are difficult for me on account of my illness, but on a better day I might be able to make the trip.
As a minister of the word, a former Pastor in the Church of the Nazarene and currently a Deacon in the Orthodox Church I came to the realization early that I cannot “fix” the world. I have not the time, treasure or talent to correct what is wrong and my ideas of what is good are relativistic, and therefore not perfect. If I struggle to “better” the world, I am just as likely to create unintentional harm.
I went to Seminary to learn the faith, to learn to express it and to learn what constituted true faith and what was man invented doctrine. I also learned to serve others. I did four years of Prison ministry and learned the hard lesson that I cannot “fix” either the inmates or the culture they live in. What I could do and did was invite them to know the Lord and to learn to accept Him and His ways. Some fully accepted and were changed by their encounter and some paid lip service. I did not make the world better or another better. Those that accepted Christ made a good choice.
I am not responsible for their choices and I cannot make their choices for them. All I can do is to introduce them to the Lord and let them make their choice. So, as clergy, my job is not to try to fix people or the world. I am to be the salt and light that draws them to He who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the one who fixes the human heart, note that He does not “fix” the world.
I cannot “fix” what is broken because I am part of what is broken. I am not sad because I cannot “fix” things. I am filled with joy because I belong to a community that does know the Lord and we live a different life. I made my choice and others have made theirs. Seminary taught me how to make the introduction and how to talk about the Lord in truth but they could not teach me to fix the world.
As to just reading good literature on our own, Christ called to be a member of His body, which is a community. One cannot be solo and expect to arrive at a satisfactory end. This is one of the misunderstandings embedded in Modernity. Salvation is an “all us all” thing. He prayed for “us” to be one.
The bread and wine are still bread and wine and yet they are also the body and blood of Christ Jesus.
So much to think on here. Many thanks, Father!
It may be a natural extension of the good you have within you and it may fulfill a personal need, but there is an expenditure of energies required on your part of which we are all the beneficiaries. What motivates you to speak then, rather than to remain silent? What compels you to this particular action as opposed to another?
I wonder, Joe. Just as Truth frees, might it not also free our ability(ies) to be thankful and praise God more fully? If the bread and wine of the Eucharist “manifest” in full as Christ’s body and blood, what might our “manifesting” be? Could it be that it may be somewhat different for each of us, although always directed towards God? Poetry, writing, and song may all be part of our manifesting as fully human to glorify God and, acting as priest(s), offer up His Creation back to Him. I really think you (and others here) have said as much.
If this is true, then why would “a step” in this manner towards God be “frivolous”? These actions, as I understand it, become an act of thanksgiving and salvation in us when rightly directed towards God. Please forgive me, but I don’t see the disconnect that you are implying in your posts.
And please correct me if I am misunderstanding your thoughts or, everyone, correct me if I’m driving off a cliff in my thinking. Blessings!
We certainly should do as much, but there’s still more than just studying a reading. Lewis and Tolkien were the product of generations of a culture that permeated their lives. In America, almost everything is “do it yourself.” I could build a house by myself…but it would never be as good as what I live in now. All I can say is that you may not have enough of an appreciation of just how remarkable Lewis and Tolkien truly are.
There are books that “sound” like their stuff, but are very much just cheap knock-offs, precisely because the author is simply not well-educated in the sense that Lewis and Tolkien were.
I went to public schools,too. And I majored in Classics in college (Latin and Greek). When I finished college, I doubt that I was as well-trained or knowledgeable in those subjects as L and T were when they finished the equivalent of High School. I’ve seen a couple of tests given in the “6th form.” I could not have passed them.
I could add to that. When I finished seminary, thus, another 3 years beyond college, I later entered the doctoral program at Duke. It was highly competitive. When I got there it was really obvious that I was not the “sharpest knife in the drawer.” I was ahead of most when it came to languages, but behind most when it came to philosophy and modern theology.
We had some exchange students from Germany in the program as well. They were incredibly better educated. America is very, very uneducated in areas such as the Arts and Literature. Again, people can certainly write, but producing another Lewis or Tolkien would be an anomaly and a miracle.
Interestingly for the reference to the Elves leaving Middle-Earth, in the context of the whole of Tolkien’s saga this is actually the point at which the Elves finally relinquished their desire to ‘make a difference’ in the world, a desire which had led to the creation of the One Ring in the first place. They finally learned to trust in God and his providence. Think of Galadriel renouncing her ambition to become queen of the world, in order to diminish in power and remain just herself. I believe Tolkien said that he regarded that as the central scene of the whole book.
Yes. In Tolkien, the “original” or dominating sin is acquisitiveness and wanting control. We see it in Smaug. We see it in the dwarves and the Arkenstone. We see it especially in the Ring. And in the end, Middle Earth is saved by an act of mercy, rather than an achievement. Frodo cannot throw the ring away. He failed. But Gollum (who cannot throw it away) bites his finger off, and accidentally falls into the Crack of Doom. But Gollum had been spared by Frodo as a strange act of kindness and pity. That is what saves the world.
The most iconic event in “modern” history is WWI and its aftermath (from which the world still suffers). The Western Powers forged a ring at Versailles and we’ve had no peace since.
I apologize that I won’t have time to reply to everyone who commented on my posts, but I have read them all and will think on what you’ve said.
Don’t just “think about it”. Do something a little more practical, for example actually spend 15 minutes sitting in silence and saying the Jesus Prayer. If you just think about it, you will get no benefit, but if you do it (Fr. Meletios Webber says: “Just do it, like Nike”), if you actually pray, God WILL recognize it and will come to you in a way that YOU will recognize…. But you have to DO, not THINK….
“Say nothing. Think nothing. Imagine nothing. Do not pray. Do not move. Just wait for His presence. Wait for Him to notice your silence, your stillness, your death. Wait for Christ, and He will come, because love forces Him”.
~from chapter titled “Prayer by Night”, Killer Prayer, Founders’ Booklet Series, The Orthodox Monastery of All Celtic Saints.
Several years ago I was approached by a young student. With much reluctance, but with the intensity of a demanding seeker, he said he was an atheist, but that he would love to believe, but could not. All his years of trying and seeking were to no avail. He talked with professors and highly educated thinkers, but hadn’t satisfied his thirst for something serious. He listened to me and he decided to share with me his existential needs. He requested a scientific evidence of the existence God. “Do you know integrals or differential equations?” I asked. “Unfortunately, no,” he answered, “I am of the Philosophical bent”, “Too bad, because I knew such evidence!” I exclaimed, clearly jokingly.
“I fear, I am embarassed” he replied. “Why shy away and be afraid a saint not be shy and scared of me?” I asked. “Just go ask the same thing.” In a few days, he went and found the ascetic discussing with some youngster in his yard. Just across there waited another four sitting on some logs. Amongst them Gabriel cowardly found a position to sit. Less than ten minutes passed and the conversation of the old man with the youngster was over.
Our friend nearly suffered a myocardial arrest from the revelatory surprise. How did he know his name? Who had revealed his problem to him? What did the elder mean to tell him?
“Father, can I talk to you a little?” he could only murmur. “Look, it’s getting dark, take a turkish-delight, and drink some water and you’d better go to the closest monastery in order to spend the night”.
We obviously must do things, and we obviously are able to make various things happen. And that becomes the temptation. We can make some things happen, but not all things. As I noted in the article, the complexity of so many things is beyond the ability to understand or grasp, much less control. So we proceed with humility. But we proceed.
Seminary, as you note, is a good thing and generally necessary. But it is never enough. The most essential thing is to know a good priest. Discipleship (which is a form of handing on the tradition) is the most important and necessary thing.
God doesn’t just “make things happen,” or not quite the way we think about it. I like to say that God “causelessly causes” because when you look at something He has done, it baffles the mind wondering how it was done.
Agata and Dino, thanks for those gems.
“They plant faith without tiring the mind…”.
May God grant each one of us to meet such a Saint for our life….
We can meet such a saint if we have complete trust in God and utter openess in a sincere confession of our entire life, it can momentarily transform a good priest into a true saint that has that very effect (described in Gabriel’s exeprience) on us….
I find Gabriel’s protestation that he feared saints instructive. Is not sin persistent in part because on some level we use it to assuage our fear of life?
I dont believe in the modernist ideas of progress, but at the same time it true that there are healthier and less healthy societies, and that one major factor in the degree of health has to do with structural issues of power relations in the society. I am certainly not holding up modern-day France as my ideal kind of society, but to suggest that there is no appreciable difference between contemporary France and France at the end of the Ancien Regime is preposterous.
Unintended consequence are unavoidable, but that does not mean that we should walk though life blindfolded and abandon responsibility for bringing our intelligence to all situations. If I am considering moving with family to another city for work, there are a huge number of unknown and unpredictable factors that will determine what this move actually brings, but I would not, on that basis, just abnegate responsibility for the decision. Instead I gather what information I can about neighborhoods, church community, schools, etc, and then make the best decision I can.
Healing comes from Christ, but that healing is meant for all parts of human life, including social and political matters (the government shall be upon his shoulders). This healing does not proceed by seeking to implement grand ideological schemes, as in the modernist systems, but it does require our continued thoughtful, prayerful, and repenting engagement with this part of life.
France is definitely different now than at the end of the Ancien Regime. Germany, circa 1939 was greatly improved compared to its life 200 years before – or perhaps not. If things are measured solely in terms of safety, health, material prosperity, your case will, from time to time, be plausible. However, if, for example, it could be demonstrated that those modern, prosperous people also murdered one third of all children in the womb, (and I could go on stacking up the present consequences of our enlightened world), it might be that prosperity is a curse.
I in no way have suggested some form of Quietism. The “continued, thoughtful, prayerful and repenting engagement” with this part of life is simply keeping the commandments. Which was already part of my point. | 2019-04-22T14:55:59Z | https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2015/12/14/modern-illusions/ |
I've been thinking about how to attach bearings and a timing pulley to a ballnut such that it can be rotated with a stepper motor, instead of rotating the screw.
This is, I think, the most promising design I've come up with for rotating a ballnut. The chosen ballnut is the standard RM2510 ballnut from linearmotionbearings eBay seller (among others). The diameter of the ballnut and screw would makes angular contact bearings quite costly. At first I drew it with the ballnut inside the bearings, however the following design allows for smaller 6007 bearings and also gives the option of putting 2 ballnuts in to eliminate backlash. One ballnut attached to either side of the shaft.
Red is shaft, steel or aluminium - probably aluminium since lower moment of inertia.
Orange is thingy that fits on the end of the shaft and attaches to the ballnut via the 6 holes in the ballnut.
Green is some aluminum plate to hold every thing. One plate will be extended to accommodate the stepper motor.
Brown is timing pulley. I could machine the pulley on to the shaft, however that means making a new shaft if I get the number of teeth wrong.
Blue is a collar bolted to the aluminium plate to preload the bearings.
Everything is big, but that's only because it needs a big screw. I should still have the solidworks files somewhere, which I'll have a look for shortly.
Nice design, if you could find the solidworks file that would be much appreciated. I had drawn something similar previously, but with two angular contact bearings. I've now redrawn it based on yours with a single 5207 bearing. It's going to cost about £32 for two of those bearings, so quite a lot more than the previous design. It also means the pulley has to be at least 60T (assuming XL pitch), which is getting a bit large if I need a bigger pulley on the stepper motor. I've drawn two versions with the pulleys mounted using different methods.
I'm not sure if where the force from the tension of the timing belt is ok?
The main reason I ended up with my design, was it was the best way I could find to fit everything into the available space, plus I was aiming for a pretty large ratio, so pulley size wasn't really an issue. Everything was made from hot rolled steel, due to it having to carry the full weight of the knee.
That was my 3rd revision of the design. Prior ones used two single row angular contact bearings, but they were too tall to fit in the available space.
Once I get the Conect lathe up and running, and get the Triumph manouvered into place, I'm hoping to get back to the milling machine.
If you want the actual solidworks files, PM me your email, and I'll send them over.
I see, so out of the designs I've posted so far which do you think is the best option? Space is no problem at all for me.
I'm just redrawing the latest one to use a 40mm bore angular contact bearing since that means I can bolt a sort of collar on to the end of the shaft so that I don't need to do any thread cutting.
Personally, if space wasn't an issue, I'd take your top design, replace one of the normal bearings with a pair of angular contact bearings, and put a lock nut onto the shaft to adjust play out the bearings. That way endfloat is adjustable, the normal bearing provides extra support for the belt tension, and it allows for smaller pulleys.
I got my bearing and locknut from www.simplybearings.co.uk (http://www.simplybearings.co.uk) (for locknuts, click bearings on the front page then scroll down).
As for thread cutting, sharp tool (I bought a HSS insert one from greenwood tools, but I see chronos/glanze have them listed now), slow speed, and remember don't disengage the leadscrew feed once you've made the first cut when doing metric! Reverse the lathe back to the start.
By a pair of angular contact bearings are you referring to something like 2 of 7207, or a single 3207? Either way that's getting a bit expensive, plus cost of threading tool though I would use that for other things. I don't want to compromise on the design due to cost, but there are limits. Another thing with that design is since the bearing supports are separate pieces I've got to get the centre heights very accurate, and mount them on a good flat surface for the bearings to be concentric. Bear in mind I'm probably going to be machining this on my mini lathe, which isn't great.
Thanks for the link to the lock nuts, I'll get them if necessary.
I could use the original design but with tapered roller bearings - 32007 or L68149.
The bearing I used is a 3208 double row angular contact.
Normal bearings, which includes double row ones, aren't really suited to applications with lateral loads. Deep grove bearings are better, but still not ideal.
However, most common angular contact bearings are the same physical size as normal bearings, so you can always switch to angular contact at a later date.
Almost the same as I drew in post #7 then.
Normal bearings, which includes double row ones, aren't really suited to applications with lateral loads.
Yes, however I looked up on the SKF site before using those and is say that the bearings I chose for the initial design are OK for half the radial load rating in the axial direction. That's 5100N, which is far higher than I will get on the router - unless I crash it, and the force is shared over 4 bearings so my thinking is that that might be the way to go as they're so cheap and, as you say, I can either replace with angular or the same if they wear out. I wouldn't be able to fit double row in though.
Is there a reason why you have not mentioned tapered roller bearings? They would fit well.
Is the 50% figure for static or dynamic loading?
You only really need to use taper bearings when dealing with high loads. For the majority of applications, ball bearings work fine, they have less resistance, and are more tolerant should dirt get into them.
Yes that's static, forgot to mention that! I can't find a rating for dynamic, just interesting explanations about how the bearing responds to axial load.
... less resistance, and are more tolerant should dirt get into them.
Fair enough, those are both clearly important for this application.
According to the SKF site the axial internal clearence for a 40mm bore double row angular contact bearing is 11um. So that's like having 11um end float on the screw if I used the design with the single bearing. I'm not sure how bad that amount is - it doesn't sound like much. C2 clearance bearings only have 2um clearance.
That's one double row angular contact bearing to take the thrust load, and one standard bearing. Stepper will bolt on to the 15mm plate. I can use 4" aluminium bar for the bits on the other side, and 2.5" for the rest purely because those are the sizes I've found cheap!
Edit: Disregard that, not thinking... this one still does not preload the bearing properly. I'll add another angular contact bearing, but that's going to cost too much :sad::sad: Now I'm a bit stuck, perhaps a thrust bearing would do.
If you're using a double row angular contact bearing, then it doesn't need preloaded, as they come preloaded.
Provided the orange and red bits tighten together onto the inner race, and the blue and green bits clamp the outer race, then that design will work fine.
The only purpose the second bearing has, is to provide support to the shaft to stop it being pulled/deflected by the stepper/belt.
On a related topic, do you think 2 ballnuts like I drew in #13 is sensible for a router? It should enable backlash, and endfloat from the above, to be eliminated I think.
You'll have far bigger sources of play than 11 microns in a bearing!
Whether you use two ball nuts or nut, will depend entirely on how much play you're willing to allow (or money you're wanting to spend!), and there will also be an increase in friction using two preloaded ballnuts.
I was thinking it's best to eliminate as much play as I can. In that case it's either the design #13 or #7. The latter, with one bearing, is easier to machine and cheaper, but less stable and bigger pulley. I'm worried about getting the centre height in the design with two bearings accurate.
I've worked out that linearmotionbearings only charges £18 per RM2510 ballnut (and about £31 per meter of the screw), so it's not much more to have a second nut. Friction is a good point since the whole idea of this is to make the machine run faster.
It's always best to eliminate play, but there are costs to that, as you're discovering.
Most accurate way to machine bearing bores so they're in perfect alignment, is ideally do them in one go, but for that design wouldn't be too easy.
However, as the double row bearing gets clamped in position, you could machine it's bore to allow the bearing to move around a bit, so when you finally assemble it, the bearings get lined up via the shaft, and it's just a case of clamping the doublerow in place.
If you would like some ideas or a rotating nut you can look at my mill build log.
That did get my attention - I was going to post but hadn't finished thinking!
I have just uploaded some pictures showing the assembly of the rotating nut. I used 2 AC bearings and preloaded with a nut. I bought a double AC bearing from EBAY but was not happy with the amount of clearance between the balls and the race so I resorted to 2 seperate AC bearings.
I'm hoping if I press fit the bearing onto the shaft that should expand the inner ring, and tighten the bearing up nicely. Similarly with the outer ring, except if I follow m_c's excellent suggestion of boring it slightly oversize and clamping it then that's not going to happen. Did you get the single row angular contact bearings on eBay, and what size are they?
The problem I've got is that I don't have the constant force applied to my bearings due to gravity, unlike on the various milling machines that have a rotating nut.
I'm really not at all sure what to do now. I've said already two single row angular contact bearings is a lot of money...and yet it looks like that is certainly the best way to do it. Having said that there's someone on CNC zone who has done it with two standard deep groove bearings.
If I could get away with a 16mm. 10mm pitch, ballscrew then I would save so much on the screw, that I could easily afford the cheaper smaller bearings. However I would prefer to have the 25mm screw just in case it fails completely and I have to spin the screw.
Here is a rambling collection of my thoughts some maybe relevant most probably not!
The bearings I purchased were from Bolton Bearings and had a 30mm bore (too small for you?) and were about 8 quid each. As I am sure you are aware that bearing is not an ac bearing and probably not a deep groove bearing. Deep groove can take some axial load but a normal bearing is quite limited in this respect. The bearing shown will not have any preload but as you say you could acheive this by pressing the bearing onto the shaft (nut). You will need a fairly close tolerence shaft to control the fit and you will need to haver a fair idea of the clearance in the bearing to work out how much of an interference fit you will need. If you are pressing up to a shoulder than you will not be able to remove the bearing. Mine are a push fit (couple of tenths interference) which can be removed without wrecking the bearing. Compressing externally would give you more control and would allow you dismantle the assy.
The real solution is to try to avoid using a rotating nut, particulary when you are talking about 40mm bore bearings and all the associated pulleys etc that go with it. I expect this is a last resort as you have already looked at other design solutions.
I would be surprised if you are getting anwhere near the design axial loads of a suitable AC or deep groove 40mm bore bearing in your arrangement. The load figures may be based on L10 life rather than ultimate limit, or the bearing you were looking at is not designed for axial loads.
The worst thing for bearing life is not having enough load and the balls sliding rather than rolling and so preload is sometimes used for this reason as much as combatting lash.
30mm is too small I think, on the drawing currently I've bored the shaft 27mm which does not leave much for the bearing.
How do you tell if the bearing is classified as 'deep groove', or is it somewhat arbitrary? The standard bearings I had selected were the ones with a bigger outer diameter (72mm), though not the biggest. I've got 2 good quality, FAG and SKF if I recall correctly, 45x85mm bearings.
I'm not entertaining a belt or rack and pinion drive so the only other option as far as I'm aware is to tension the ballscrew sufficiently to stop whipping. That does not help with the inertia of the screw though, which for 2000mm is similar in magnitude to the other forces.
deep groove is usually in the description of the bearing. On closer inspection of the diagram that you linked the bearing you have shown probably is a deep groove. These are the norm but still not ideal for use in an application where relative to radial load the axial load is significant.
Moment of inertia is proportional to diameter squared so I am surprised that there is much difference between the shaft and nut? I am sure you have done the sums.
Is the moment of inertia significant when compared to the mass of the 'carriage' (when calculating acceleration)?
If you have to tension the shaft to raise its critical frequency then will have to start considering beefy shaft support bearings, I can now see why the rotating nut idea is appealing!
a 2000mm leadscrew poses a lot of design challenges even when cost is not an issue (which I assume is, if you were as poor as I was when I was a student!) have you considered other methods with feedback or your real accuracy requirement? One solution maybe to use a rack and pinion/belt and calibrate the travel using a dial indicator and blocks of a known dimension. The smaller the increments the better idea you would have of variation along its length. Even a crude survey (100mm steps?) would give you significant improvement in accuracy. Obviously this would require a decent home switch.
I look forward to seeing your solutions. This is not an easy project too keep in budget but will be satisfying when cracked.
The problem is mass is proportional to the radius squared, so you end up with 4th power. Hollow ballscrew would be nice!
Keep thinking! It's good to have it all in one place.
Yes it is, I'll post the numbers when I've verified them.
Just what I was thinking. I suppose tapered roller bearings would do the trick, but then you're adding friction.
For a rotating nut have you considered how much the timing belt tension would deflect the nut on a 2000mm length <25mm shaft and the effect of out of balance forces of the nut on the shaft?
Surely the bearings are going to take the radial load and stop the screw deflecting, or am I misunderstanding you? So as long as the ballnut is held on centre I should be ok. That could be an issue if the flange on the ballnut isn't concentric. Another issue I've found is that at sufficiently high rpm with a standard ballnut centripetal force will stop the balls rolling properly.
a 2000mm leadscrew poses a lot of design challenges even when cost is not an issue (which I assume is,...calibrate the travel using a dial indicator and blocks of a known dimension....survey (100mm steps?) would give you significant improvement in accuracy.
I think that method of measurement would have a cumulative error, which is especially significantly over this distance. It could maybe be done with a digital calliper and carefully fixing to consecutive points along the bed. Theoretically the process could be automated.
Obviously this would require a decent home switch.
Easily done with a cheap laser pointer I reckon.
Agreed with the 4th power bit but that would make the nut inertia even larger than the screw. How does moment of inerta or rotating bits compare with mass of linear bits when you look at a good old newton second law equation?
If I was to spin the screw the unsupported length would be 1800mm and overall length about 1900mm, so the calculations below are based on that.
That makes the moment of inertia of the screw 5 times that of the gantry.
I will estimate J for the ballnut assembly.
Interestingly I've since found that when you rotate the ballnut the critical frequency still has an applies - the end fixity is just better which, in my case, gives 1250rpm. So 12500mm/min. I think I'll be lucky to get that much out of my motors anyway so I'm not going to worry.
I'll go for the second option - the price difference is not as much as I expected. The smaller screw is for the Y-axis. I've decided to get both ends of the big screws machined to fit the BK type support ... that should enable me to tension the screw using the nut on either end.
I have also acquired a pair of 7206 FAG bearings cheaply, so I'm hoping I can use them instead of 7207. The obvious problem is that the bearing bore is only 30mm, and with the screw passing through it being 25mm the shaft will be very thin - about 1.5mm.
The ballscrews arrived today - I paid for them on 08/06 and I requested different end machining (longer portion for pulley and same machining on both ends of screw) so I think that's good service. He also charged me $447 in total even though I ordered the 25mm screws, so $72 less than originally quoted. The ballnuts backdrive easily and they seem nice and smooth.
I will start working on the rotating ballnut mount soon. I'm currently doing one last 3D drawing. I will use 5/8" aluminium for the plates that hold the bearings with some aluminium 'posts' to hold the plates together parallel at a fixed distance.
I made a mistake with the bearings and bought open not shielded so I'm going to have to put some sort of enclosure round them. I got them on eBay, one SKF and three SBC 7207.
I've just estimated the moment of inertia of the rotating bits of the assembly, so pulleys shaft, ballnut and bearings. Surprisingly it comes to slightly more than the inertia of the 2085mm, 25mm diameter screw! That's annoying since one of my main reasons for doing this was because I thought this value would be much lower. I've not included the inertia of the bearings I would require to rotate the screw, and I suppose I would use pulleys with it anyway. The inertia of the ballnut and shaft is still about two thirds of that of the screw.
This is going to make a big difference to the rapid speeds I can get since the torque required to move the 50kg gantry, due to the low coefficient of friction of the bearings, is very small.
Now I'm going to try modelling it with the stepper at different ratios - not 1:1, and see what happens.
The reason for having such a long cutout for the motor is to allow me to use any reasonable size pulleys without changing the belt, which will obviously be difficult. I CNC milled all except the bearing bore which was bored on the lathe. I had to remove the gap bed on the lathe to do it - the join was painted over so it looks like this might be the first time it was removed! The six holes closest to the bearing will be used to push a ring against the outer ring of the bearing to preload it. The 4 bigger holes are for posts which link this to the other bearing mount.
I've now made all 4 bearing/stepper mounts and one shaft. I will machine the pulley (30 tooth) directly on to the shaft.
When I machined the shaft on the lathe I got only small pieces of swarf, not the long stringy stuff you normally get - see picture below of drilling it for what I mean. It was almost like cast aluminium...but it's not. Must be a strange grade?
Thanks :). I hope it works well after all this... I modified irving's spreadsheet to include pulleys and used it to model this setup. Looks like, with the 3Nm motors I'll get at best 7500mm/min rapid and 2000mm/min with 50N cutting force. Both of those are a lot lower than the prediction for the Y-axis, 18100mm/min and 8200mm/min. All of those figures are with a 3x safety factor on the torque, so fingers crossed it might be better!
I'm currently making a mandrel from 35mm steel bar to hold the shaft in the rotary table/4th-axis to mill the pulley teeth on to it.
Thanks :) .... mill the pulley teeth on to it.
What belt profile? How wide pulley going to be ? I had to buy 3M HTD pulley recently , but I would give a try to cut my own .
I'm using XL belts, purely because I already have lots of XL timing pulleys which will enable me to experiment with the ratios. HTD would be better in theory.
I will use a form tool to cut the pulleys. The profile is a simple trapezium which I have ground on to a piece of HSS. You can make HTD pulleys accurately with a ballnose cutter ... or some people use a drill but I think that's a bit crude.
Today I cut the pulley teeth into the first shaft, and whilst that was running made the second shaft.
I will cut the pulley teeth into the second shaft tomorrow, then I just need to make the part that connects the shaft to the ballnut, and the ring that pre-loads the bearings...and maybe some bits to act as bearing seals.
Will post a video tomorrow. With me just holding the 2092mm ballscrew in one hand it did 14m/min. Almost certainly more - I didn't try.
Might be while until I finish off the other one since the tip on my parting tool became an Unexpected Flying Object. It might still be ok, but my lathe is buried in so much swarf I can't find it. It took me 5 mins to find the 60mm diameter part I had parted off, let alone a tiny tip...maybe I'll tidy it tomorrow.
I just mounted one ballscrew to the frame with a couple of G-clamps and some wood, so not the best but it holds. So with one ballscrew and 3nm motor I'm getting at least 12,000mm/min! It might do more but things are wobbling a bit as I have not fixed the X-axis linear rails down to the frame.
With the previous rotating nut setup (see post #1) using M20 threaded rod the best it would do reliably was about 2500mm/min.
The gantry hasn't got the spindle and Y axis screw etc mounted, so it's only about 40kg not 50kg, but still looks very promising. It's odd since for this motor and pulley (28T on motor, 30T on screw) I calculated 7300mm/min.
Will post a photo in a few mins.
Whipping caused it to stall at 15m/min. That be less of a problem when everything is mounted properly.
hands...otherwise it just pushed me along the floor.
After the video I tried adjusting the acceleration. It went up to 3m/s^2 quite happily.
Jonathan interested to know what cutter you are using to cut the teeth on your pulleys?
any more news on the ballnut jon?
Not a lot. I made one out of 4 aluminium mounts for the ballscrew from 90mm aluminium bar. Now the blade on my metal bandsaw has broken (don't really know why :sad:) ... I thought all was lost until I tried parting the bar off on the lathe. Quite unnerving having a 500mm long length of 90mm diameter bar spinning round on the lathe, but it went well and actually parted off very easily with my 2mm parting tool. I sawed through the last 10mm or so by hand for obvious reasons. Coolant made a bit of a mess ... it's actually a faster and more economical way of doing it than the bandsaw.
I used dial indicator to get the ballnut as close to on centre as I could. This completely eliminated the whip I had before. Now using 42T pulley on motor (shaft still 30T) instead of 28T I got 18m/min. There was no significant vibration or whipping at this speed, which is 50% higher than the critical speed of the screw in a fixed-fixed configuration (1180rpm)...which would require a pair of angular contact bearings at both ends (or similar). I would have tried more but I was limited by the kernel speed in mach3. That's with the motor on 1/4 step ... I'll try it on half and see what happens.
In the end I will probably stick to just (!) 12m/min since that gets me better resolution and is plenty fast enough. It probably doesn't do the ballnut any good spinning round too fast? Centripetal force may cause the oil to be flung outwards?
Would probably be measuring the feedrate in meters per second with that... would need an encoder to get useful resolution though.
standing at one end turning the ball screw.
Backdriving could still be an issue, but you could add some friction to the handle and/or a lock easily enough to combat that. That's tempted me to convert my lathe ... I could probably still use my design for the router, perhaps with better (tapered roller maybe) bearings as the forces are likely to be greater. The tricky bit will be fitting the ballnut into the cross slide.
Interestingly with the second motor the feedrate decreased from 12m/min to 10.5m/min. I think this might be due to me not yet being able to get the second ballnut on centre which is causing the ballscrew to vibrate a bit.
Can't really fault the rotating ballnut mounts. They're rigid and get a plenty high enough feedrate from quite small motors. The oil does keep flying out of the ballnuts, as predicted, so I occasionally put more in and they seem fine.
What's the gear ratio between motor and pulley/ballnut??
It is 1:1 and 10mm pitch, but clearly one could use it with any pitch and to change the ratio just change the pulley on the motor. The mount for the motor is long enough to accommodate different pulleys without changing the belts. It will go faster with a bigger pulley on the motor, but with a 10mm pitch screw there's not much point ... you're just loosing resolution.
Ye that would work great.!! . . . . Now You try finding an affordable motor with a 25mm hollow shaft.!!!!!!
Yes that method is used on some expensive commercial laser cutters. They use large servomotors with a hollow shaft containing the ball-nut running on a tensioned ballscrew. They get feedrates measured in meters per second.
There are few stepper or servos available with hollow shafts. The common ones have too little torque or the bore is insufficient. Anything above 16mm would be useful. It may be possible to dismantle an existing motor, machine a new shaft with the hole through the middle and use bigger, angular contact, bearings. For the size of my machine (1.7*0.74*0.4m) it's just not worth it as the 3nm steppers can already run it more than fast enough.
The advantage with using a standard motor, other than simplicity, is the timing belt allows you to change the drive ratio and reduces resonance. Currently mine is on 1:1 ratio, however it does go faster with a larger pulley on the motor. I elected to leave it at 1:1 however as 10m/min is plenty and I prefer to keep the resolution than get 15m/min+, but at least I have the option which wouldn't be the case with a hollow motor. In short I'm saying you have to be very careful with the selection of the motor, which makes it even more difficult to find a suitable one.
This is something we are developing, but it will not be for hobby use.
We will then be moving to the 4040 and 5050 ballnut.
The only steppers that could have been used for this design were the IOS motor from IMS, but these are not made anymore.
really nice design on these- they still working a treat?
i came across these badgers http://www.drives.co.uk/fullstory.asp?id=3388- but as i say on my little build log thing- bet they're bleedy expensive-!
i'm tossing up rack and pinion vs this type affair for my long axis- (2.5m) so lurking about tying to decide to my way forward!
Thanks... yes they're still working very well indeed. Same performance as in my post a month ago. I wouldn't hesitate to use them instead of rack and pinion on a 2.5m axis. You'll get better accuracy, longevity and it'll work out cheaper. With a RM2510 (or even a higher lead) the machine will be plenty fast enough with good acceleration.
They do look good, but as you say they wont be cheap.
that would indeed be interesting Jonathan- do you want to work it out and PM me- or post it's up to you-!
Hi Jonathan, any chance you could knock 2 of these units up for me?
Yes I can, depending on how soon you need them.
A rotating ballnut would be ideal with the a 2020, 3000mm long screw. Since (I gather) this is a woodworking machine, you would probably want to gear it 2:1 so the gantry moves 10mm for every motor revolution.
Here's one I made recently, version 3 I suppose. The significant change is using sealed angular contact bearings (turns out they do exist) and threading the shaft to enable a pair of locknuts to pre-load the bearings.
Will post a video when I have time.
I would like it to cut Ali is there a reason you think it's just a woodworking machine? What have I done wrong lol?
. . . . .All of those figures are with a 3x safety factor on the torque, . . . . . .Was the 3x figure a guestimate or based on based on "real world" experience? Your reply may help me determine if some unlabled steppers I have will work reliably in my first router.
Er, not sure really... maybe the MDF bed. That wont stop it working, but my router bed is currently MDF and it is rather limiting.
Thanks for the offer, but it wouldn't really be practical/worth it .. I'll just wait and see how it goes on your machine.
Was the 3x figure a guestimate or based on based on "real world" experience? Your reply may help me determine if some unlabled steppers I have will work reliably in my first router.
I used 3x because that's what's in irving's motor calculation spreadsheet (http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/showthread.php/1524-What-size-stepper-motor-do-I-need). In reality I got a lot better than that - if you include the inertia of the pulleys in the calculation it's quite a lot more accurate.
The mdf bed is only 5mm lol it's only there to rest all my junk on lol I'm hoping to get some small extrusion to give it a nice solid bed. However this is in the future wood and plastic is its need for now.
I used 3x because that's what's in irving's motor calculation spreadsheet (http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/showthread.php/1524-What-size-stepper-motor-do-I-need). In reality I got a lot better than that - if you include the inertia of the pulleys in the calculation it's quite a lot more accurate.Many thanks for the pointer. That's really useful information which may save me some grief.
I'm just wondering, that timing pulley you used? was it around 26 teeth 5mm pitch?
For the one in post #61 I used a 30T HTD 5m pulley. Clearly it depends on the ratio you require, but if you can keep the pulleys small that helps a lot with reducing the moment of inertia of the rotating assembly.
yeh, i was thinking of using a 24 tooth one as that would give me a lot of factors to change the gearing.
Ideally you don't want to be using less than a 15T pulley as that bends the belt a lot and gets lower tooth engagement, so if you need a 1:2 ratio then you've got to go with at least 30T. However if you're happy with ratios from 15:24 and you can fit the ballscrew shaft through the 24T, then use it as it's inertia will be about 60% less than the 30T pulley. That will help get high acceleration, although you need to consider the system as a whole not just the pulley.
have you seen these (http://www.ibc-waelzlager.eu/dmdocuments/en2009/IBC_Ball_Screw_Support_Bearings.pdf) bearings, which are meant for the purpose?
have you seen these bearings, which are meant for the purpose?
No, I hadn't spotted that. I see they've used bearings with a higher contact angle than most angular contact bearings, as that allows the bearing spacing to be lower for the same stiffness. I don't think this is too big a concern with the rotating ballnut bearings, as they are oversized compared to the bearings one would use if spinning the screw.
I've just finished making three more rotating nut mounts for someone who spotted the video on YouTube who's making a large machine with two SFE2525 ballscrews and one SFU2010 ballscrew. I simplified the design by changing the housing for a block machined from 4" square aluminium bar, and a separate piece cut on my router for the motor mount.
Feel free to copy or modify the drawings and use them to make your own or get the parts machined by your favorite company... I don't mind.
nice work! I have a question: How did you fasten the pulleys on the rotating ballnut shaft and motors?
Thanks, yes they take forever, or at least it feels like forever when you're only able to machine things at weekends. It's been three months since I agreed to make them.
How did you fasten the pulleys on the rotating ballnut shaft and motors?
M5 and M4/M5 grubscrews respectively. So long as you threadlock them it works. The reason I didn't use a clamping method is that tends to require a larger diameter pulley, particularly on the ballnut shaft, which would increase the moment of inertia.
Basically from what i understand 24 tooth pulley / OD 37.08 at the lower point at the tooth/ can not be fit, had to be machined on the shaft directly? So the next in line is the 26 tooth pulley which is OD 40.24 at the lower tooth point, so that will give 40-35=5/2=2.5mm wall, which seems quite thin. Then 28 tooth pulley is 43.42-35=8.42/2=4.21.
So it seems if not machined directly, the minimum pulley will be 28 tooth? Or am i missing something?
The minimum pulley size that I could fit on the shaft was 30T, so that's what I used. By machining the pulley teeth directly into the shaft, as with my first version, a smaller pulley could indeed be used, but it adds a lot of time to the machining.
Now wouldn't this exact RM2510 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RM2510-RM-2510-BALL-SCREW-NUT-/281220584543)ball nut simplify things and lead to another design, even possibly with 2 of them?
Thanks for the share JB, ok to put this in the Open Source section?
Yes if you want I will. I considered posting it there but decided not to as, if I recall correctly, members can't reply to posts in the open source section?
While you are contemplating if you would ever find the time to make me two of these beauties, i am trying to make a detailed drawing in Sketchup which i could share here with your permission.
-distance from motor shaft center to pulley center? nema 23 yes?
-exact belt length for 30:30 ?
-did you make the 2 holding nuts or buy them?
-thickness of inner and outer race ring of the bearing? It is the 7207 2rs bearing from here (http://www.ebay.es/itm/111131790701?var=410197121294&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649) yes?
Nema 23, 5M HTD belt 340mm long which enables the motor pulley to be anything from 15T to 30T without changing the belt length. Center distance 90-115mm approx.
3. The aluminum is 20mm thick and the bar can be 100x100, 100x90 or as originally 5"
9. There could be small corrections of the lips that hold the outer and inner bearing racing rings, will update if necessary.
3) Note that on the drawing I posted the motor mount is 88mm wide, not 90mm which is the height of the main block. I intentionally left a 1mm gap so that when the block is bolted to a flat surface, you wont end up with the assembly partially resting on the motor mount (if the motor mount isn't attached accurately). The gap is on both sides since I put mounting holes on both sides of one block so they can be mirrored.
4) Very carefully. You use a 4-jaw chuck and a dial indicator.
10) Or CNC4you (http://www.cnc4you.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=65) if you want a cheaper option.
Minor point - on your drawing the 6 tapped holes that fasten the ballnut to the mount go all the way through the flange on the shaft. I made them blind holes so if you accidently try to use too long a bolt, the bolt doesn't go all the way through and damage the bearing.
I know you had the housing made from several pieces originally but they looked a bit complex so is it feasible to make the rectangular housing from 4 or 5 just rectangular pieces bolted together with the motor mounting plate being one side ?
Is it feasible to make the rectangular housing from 4 or 5 pieces bolted together with the motor mounting plate being one side ?
That's pretty much how I did it earlier, see posts #50 (http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/linear-rotary-motion/3340-rotating-ballnut-design-ideas-2.html#post25863) and #61 (http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/linear-rotary-motion/3340-rotating-ballnut-design-ideas-2.html#post33232). One thing to bear in mind is it's harder to maintain the accuracy of the bearing mounts if they're separate parts.
Yes I realise about alignment, it just seemed easier for someone without a decent machine shop.
I see, will correct it.
- i made the motor mount from the wider side, as many will like maybe 34 nema and it looks more sturdy. I wanted to make a combined nema 23 and 34 mount, but i feel sleepy now. when ready will see if it will stay like this or follow your original design.
-i believe i shortened the rotating shaft by making its wide part go through the motor mount plate. It is now 2mm to place the ball screw nut in its place,10mm for the ball screw nut holding thread, 2mm ring to push only the small bearing ring and 90mm the rest.
So i would update the drawings with extra drawing , made from OD100 and OD80 round bar. That way it would be more easy for him not to make a mistake an find the center. Further benefit will be that it could be mounted in cut in 2 pieces 85mm or 100mm spindle mount/not perfect but will work/ . anyway, i will mount it directly on its face, not using the bottom holes.
One grubscrew is enough for clamping the pulley to the motor shaft or should I use two at 90 degrees? Are there other simple methods that I could use to be able to change the pulley (ratio) more easily?
Machining looks very nice. G.
For the sake of experiment, found some providers of Servo motors with hollow shaft where a ball nut can be mounted. Usually the 3nm motors accept only16xx sizes, for 25xx sizes a 9Nm servos are offered.
I wanted to make sure Hybrid Closed Loop Stepper driver + motor+shipping + this assembly will not equal a proper servomotor price.
No prices on the sites/ means "in the thousands" to me/ . Well , one called me , wow, i got even more suspicious about the price. Now received the quote.
Wow, again. 1600eur the motor and the driver and cables. driver costs 420, so rest is the motor.
Guys, now the most stupid question: How to order the ball screws machined at both ends? Simple thread, long enough for 3 nuts? One inside, then mount plate then another plus locking one?
Paulus - I like the way you've designed it such that the housing is one part, however I'm slightly concerned by the apparent small spacing of the angular contact bearings. According to NSK, you need to have the angular contact bearings spaced by 1.5 times their external diameter, but it looks like in your design they're almost touching, or a double row bearing which wont qualify? I expect you'll still get a reasonably high critical speed from this setup, but not as high as it could have been. The reason the bearings need to be so rigid is that the ballnut will inevitably not be perfectly concentric to the screw. Ideally the error will be small, but any error will cause energy to be transferred from the ballnut to the screw causing them both to oscillate. Both the nut and screw need to be rigidly held to suppress this.
For the sake of experiment, found some providers of Servo motors with hollow shaft where a ball nut can be mounted.
I got mine machined the same as the standard end machining for the angular contact bearings at both ends, in case the rotating nut didn't work. All you really need is a cylindrical portion and a thread on both ends. On one end simply use the thread to clamp the screw, ideally into a hole the same diameter as the cylindrical portion so it's held rigidly. Something similar on the other end, except you can use the thread to tension the screw a bit if your frame is strong enough. Also, design the end mounts in two parts so you can adjust the ends of the screw to be concentric with the bearings.
If you look earlier in the thread you'll see the end mounts I made are very simple - essentially just a block with a clearance hole. They work, but having a hole the same diameter as the screw instead of using it for adjustment will be better.
Edit: Idea for silvaski - to make the housing easier to machine, instead of boring the bearings from both sides you could bore from one side almost all the way through, then machine a spacer tube the right thickness to go in between the outer rings of the bearings.
I needed a simple design as I don't have access to precision machining. I wanted one part housing without the need of bearing pair alignment. So I chose a double row? -or how it's called- bearing. Will see how it will perform.
Jonathan, from your experience with rotating ballnut, what is the best way of lubrication? As continuous flow lubrication is excluded is it better to use grease instead of oil to last longer? What type of grease/oil do you recommend?
Very nice design what size pulleys did you use i'm looking into building this myself but want to be sure to order the right pulleys and belt thanks for your time and engineering.
Very nice the idea of rotating nut!
I want to convert a conventional lathe to cnc and Z axis leadscrew has 1900mm length 30mm diameter.
The critical speed is ok to me because i will get 10m/min rapids with 1000rpm in ballscrew i have concern about column strength because 28477 newton (2900kg / Z axis servo can give 3400kg ) isn't to big force and also i have fear about sag to 3210 ballscrew and runout at rotation that will do a lot of vibration.
In my situation would be better a rotating nut design like this to overcome these 2 problems (column strength & ballscrew sag/buckling) ?
Also with rotating nut design can i use a lower diameter ballscrew without having whipping ?
1. Where did you get the pulley that is associated with post 79? Was it machined out with a larger bore to fit the shaft or store bought? Where can i get one?
2. I see that there are two different shaft configurations with the pics. One the shaft where the ballnut attaches sits kind of deeper in the cupped out area, and the other sits flush with the whole face. what is the reason for this.
Where did you get the pulley that is associated with post 79? Was it machined out with a larger bore to fit the shaft or store bought? Where can i get one?
I used a standard pulley and bored it out to the size of the shaft.
I see that there are two different shaft configurations with the pics. One the shaft where the ballnut attaches sits kind of deeper in the cupped out area, and the other sits flush with the whole face. what is the reason for this.
This shaft where the face is 'cupped out' leaves a surface to locate the ballnut concentric to the shaft. This works well if the ballnut is accurately machined, but I found that you can't necessarily rely on this so sometimes it's better to just go with a face and align the nut with a DTI.
Thank you Jonathan. What is a DTI?
Hello Jonathan, Do you not accept PM? I would like to contact you.
Jonathan do you sell these to other people at all or know anyone specifically who can make the from drawings?
Hello Jonathan, how are you today? Wow, you certainly created a great thread here. I can't seem to find distributors that have this size bearing to bore out. Do you have any suggestions of who might sell them? USA would be best for shipping. Once again thank you.
I made it a couple of times. If Johnathan could not, i could do it. Plus i have it from my drawing on my machine and is working perfectly fine.
+answering to 50 emails, 3-4h redrawing for different motors and mounting, 8h to make parts and 2h for 2 people to put them together, 2h packaging, 1h sending . Plus while you are making them you learn from small mistakes.
So if you have 500euro prepared for them, then PM me. Thats the reality folks for bespoke parts. Mind that the cheapest servo motor with hole in shaft is 1500euro plus 400euro for drive, and you need 2x.
What i am saying here is i am just trying to help, not sell. So if sb could do it cheaper, go with him. If not- call me, i will do it.
+answering to 50 emails, 3-4h redrawing for different motors and mounting, 8h to make parts and 2h for 2 people to put them together, 2h packaging, 1h sending . .
I already have the bearings etc. I'm willing to finish these off and sell them, as I have a bit more time now. Silyavski's price is about right, maybe a little less - fortunately I bought the bearings before the £ crashed!
What exactly would be included in the units you would sell Jonathan?
So the mount, including pulleys and belt. You just add the motor and ballscrew.
Jonathan, i would like to purchase some of the bearings from you. how much are they. 30t 5m bored out to correct size.
Regarding the pulleys, I can get 30t 5m HTD for about £6.30 each. Boring them accurately then drilling/tapping the setscrew holes takes maybe half an hour, so I'd be happy to sell them for £10 each plus postage.
I'm away racing (https://www.facebook.com/UoNElectricMotorbike) next weekend, but after that I should have time to finish these ... at last.
Impressive nuts! I just took a look at your e-moto webpage quickly too , wicked. Great project and racing at Isle of Man wow respect that place is nuts.
Hey I have a large router that is running well but I want to upgrade the main screw to a fixed screw rotating nut design. The screw is 40mm dia 10mm pitch and 3m long so its heavy. Running a 940W AC servo and a Grantite Devices VSD-XE servo drive, and 80VDC supply, I'm getting good response now with 8m/min velocity and about 400mm/s/s acceleration. This took a long time for me to work out the servo tuning but I got there in the end. I'd like to remove the rotating mass to improve my accelerations. The gantry it moves weighs around 150KG I estimate.
So I am wondering are you interested in building me a ball nut for this? Happy to pay market rates of course and if it helps fund any of your emoto projects then all the better. Please contact me if this is interest to you.
Below is my final servo response I got recently which I am really stoked about it, but to speed up my jobs I really want to up the accelerations.
Great project and racing at Isle of Man wow respect that place is nuts.
You can certainly say that of the riders!
I'd like to remove the rotating mass to improve my accelerations. The gantry it moves weighs around 150KG I estimate.
With that size ballscrew then you do have a problem with the rotating inertia, not so much the 150kg gantry. Can you measure the ballnut - approximate it as cylinders, then we can work out the inertia of the ballnut compared to the ballscrew to see what you could gain by rotating the nut.
So I am wondering are you interested in building me a ball nut for this? Happy to pay market rates of course and if it helps fund any of your emoto projects then all the better.
My PhD studies are taking up a lot of time at the moment (need to catch up after all the racing!), but I do intend to have time to finish some rotating nut assemblies soon.
What else can you plot from your system - can you plot the motor torque in addition to the speed response? If so, that's another way to work out the inertia and get better insight into how the system will behave.
I am too scared to watch the racing almost, its impressive riding nothing else is close really is it, but scary when a rider is badly hurt or killed, seems to be all too common.
I'll measure up the ball nut and screw and also try find the original part numbers and specs weights etc.
I retuned the PID loops on both x and y on the weekend and its better but still I am sure there is room for significant improvement. whip of the screw is a problem too when I get over 600RPM approx. Thats a 10mm pitch per revolution screw (isthatthe correct terminology?) so thats a speed 6000mm/min , any faster and sometimes it whips and that really gives me the shits. I'm finding that small circle cuts say a 6mm end mill cutting a small 10mm dia helix has some error in the hole and I have to crank the speed back to around 1500mm/min for cutting (the timber) rather than running at higher speeds that I'd like to.
Anyway if you have time I would appreciate your guidance, keep on top of your studies thats top priority! Even if I can plagiarise your design and try build locally with some of your engineering input that would be greatly appreciated but if I can commission you to build one at the right price that works for us both then that's even better!!!
Funny I was a bit ambitious the last figures I quoted in my earlier post looked good on the scope but in real life cutting it was terrible!
First post on this bulletin board; I enjoyed this thread...or at least what I had a chance to read using the spotty WiFi signal at work anyhow.
I find myself in need of a couple of rotating ballnuts for a 3000mm-long 2505 ballscrew, and have come across this older thread on the subject. I was inspired by the designs depicted here, and worked to duplicate/improve upon them when I became curious as to why angular-contact ball bearings were used instead of tapered roller bearings.
I'm trying to keep the unit as compact as possible and I suspect that the tapered roller bearings will help in that respect. The force on the hollow rotating shaft will be primarily axial, along the ballscrew axis with barely any radial load being applied by the tension of the timing belt/pulley.
The bearings that we use here are angular contact ball bearings versus the roller bearings you have drawn in picture. Hiwin and other manufacturers use also ball bearings in their design. I dont know if you are aware of the fact, but for example my bearings and ball screw heat up quite seriously especially when i am doing some crazy fast trochoidal tool paths on wood. In the 20m/min region and good acceleration. Moving 200kg gantry obviously helps that.
The angular contact bearings must be separated at least 1x OD between, having in mind they are 45? degree i think. Obviously roller bearings could be much stronger in all directions load.
Whats the rating of that bearing? RPM?
I dont know if you are aware of the fact, but for example my bearings and ball screw heat up quite seriously especially when i am doing some crazy fast trochoidal tool paths on wood. In the 20m/min region and good acceleration. Moving 200kg gantry obviously helps that.
I didn't realize the bearing and ballnut/screw got significantly hot during machining. I suspect that this will be less of a concern for me as the type of machining I will do will not include much in the line of high-speed toolpaths and rapid moves in general will be at a minimum. I suspect the concern with heat here is in regard to maintaining cutting tolerances and repeatability, as the bearing and screw materials will handle the heat satisfactorily. Is this your understanding as well?
Of course minimizing the contact area and pressure between bearing and race will similarly minimize the generation of heat, which is where the angular contact bearings excel. There's not a whole lot you can do about the ballnut and the ballscrew interaction though.
Not sure about RPM, but surely my servo motor at 1:1 or 2:1 pulley ratio will never be able to exceed the limitations of these bearings, I suspect.
My goal is to keep the overall length of the unit as short as possible. Every millimeter of assembly length is a millimeter LESS travel I get out of this axis. The problem I was running into when designing the bearing case as a single piece with the pulley in the middle of the bearings (like the ones you and Jonathan are using), is that the slot to insert the pulley has to be very wide so I'll have enough room to insert the key into the keyway in the shaft, then drop the pulley in and slide it over the key. This makes the whole unit prohibitively long for my application.
I don't believe belt tension will throw the axial alignment off as the pulley is positioned directly against the bearing, minimizing the lever-arm.
Presuming I do the machining carefully and from one side, the axial alignment of the bearings themselves should be just about perfect as the housing is a single piece of aluminum. The servomotor-pulley-to-ballnut-pulley alignment shouldn't be too difficult to handle with a separate, divorced mount, I wouldn't think.
I think the biggest downside to this is the cost of the bearings themselves. I tell myself that these bearings would be a once-in-a-lifetime investment for this machine. It would really stink if this design didn't do the job and I was left with 4 expensive, slightly-used bearings sitting on the shelf for the next 20 years.
I didn't realize the bearing and ballnut/screw got significantly hot during machining.
The heat comes from the motors. We like to use big macho-Volts to overcome inductance which leads to eddy currents and heat. The problem is, what to do with the heat? You want to dump it in to the machine before your motors demagnetise, but you don't want to get it in the screws because you would be forever worrying about heat expansion.
Will you be oiling those taper rollers? I occasionally run oil down in to my spindle bearings and make a terrible mess. That's a thought maybe it is his choice of lube that is creating the heat.
I believe in my case heat comes from friction. I use grease on ball screw nuts. When i became aware of the heating was when i was machining 8h per day nonstop. So i greased well separately the ball screws and heat lowered, but still there it was. So now i grease very well these elements very often.
As these bearings have no seals, I'd likely use grease. Which type of grease is yet-to-be-determined. The Timken catalog (http://www.timken.com/pdf/10481_TRB%20Catalog.pdf) devotes 8 entire pages to lubrication of tapered roller bearings with a myriad of grease recommendations based on usage and environmental conditions.
Plus, I can just add a grease fitting to the hollow area between the bearings in the aluminum housing and grease them both simultaneously during machine maintenance.
The lubricant seems to be the driving factor in how hot these bearings can get; The point at which the various lubricants break down sets the max operating temperature for the bearing.
I was surprised to see the large price range for the exact same bearing, depending on where you shop.
I initially found the bearing on the McMaster-Carr website (https://www.mcmaster.com/#) (which I love because they have free 3D CAD models of most of the products they sell, making design in Solidworks easy). McMaster-Carr wants $48.00USD (45.00EUR/39.00GBP), but a quick search proves that this is a VERY common bearing. It looks like I can find these same bearings/races, manufactured by Timken, for as low as $19.00USD. Perhaps this isn't going to be as hard on the wallet as I originally envisioned.
But thats why i think the roller bearing is not very suitable. It will generate much more heat due to much bigger contact area for friction. I love overbuilding but i believe this is not the place to do that.
I guess this is my question, really: What are the consequences of hot bearings? I imagine the preload will increase due to expansion of the bearing parts, so the bearing life will be reduced (to several million revolutions). Grease life will be reduced (by half for each 10 degrees centegrade of temperature increase!). Other than that, I don't think there will be an impact on machine accuracy or repeatability, unless I'm looking at it wrong.
Having in mind that we are talking 3000rpm here / though some servos can reach as high as 6000, i dont think thats a design consideration. So i think they will work, assembly would be stronger but wear will be premature. In short i would use the normal angular contact bearings as they are more than strong enough for the job.
Size reduction is impossible as the nut should pass through, so that determines the size.
Size reduction in ball screw is absolutely irrelevant as normally you will buy the 3m ball screw as maximum shipping size from China and anyway you need to stretch the ball screw properly on the machine, so you dont need any gain in sizing there, see my second build from signature. As what you loose there from length is the gantry step spread, which is quite more bigger than the rotating nut assembly length.
About the preloaded pair, you have the same in the normal angular bearing. But how do you fix that so it serves you? I see no way.
Hmm. In my mind, the nut attaches to the to the shaft flange and extends AWAY from the bearing housing. To have the ballnut sit INSIDE the hollow rotating shaft would make the bearings, and therefore the whole assembly, prohibitively large (in diameter), at least using a 2505 ballscrew/nut.
Size reduction in ball screw is absolutely irrelevant as normally you will buy the 3m ball screw as maximum shipping size from China and anyway you need to stretch the ball screw properly on the machine, so you dont need any gain in sizing there, see my second build from signature.
As what you loose there from length is the gantry step spread, which is quite more bigger than the rotating nut assembly length.
Heh, heh...You know, I hate to say this, but I didn't really consider this. The linear rails that my gantry rides on are 3000mm long. So long as I keep the rotating ballnut assembly shorter than the length of the gantry supports, I'll have EXACTLY the same amount of travel along that axis.
Thanks for pointing this out to me! I think this alone should be cause to re-examine my design; Now that I have all this length to play with, I can explore whether using angular contact ball bearings will allow smaller bearing ODs, which in turn will reduce the distance the stationary ballscrew must be from the machine.
I meant that the ball screw has certain size and the nut attachment should pass through so this is the smallest possible bore bearing. You are right, the nut attaches to the assembly at side.
I use HTD 5M often and they do not have sharp edges, maybe you should smooth it a bit just to keep belt happy?
Like the concept, did you consider to use RM2010 instead of 2510?
I wonder what to get RM2510 or RM1010, with smaller one bearing choice is better and they are cheaper as they are smaller.
The 2788/2720/QCL7C (http://www.skf.com/pk/products/bearings-units-housings/roller-bearings/tapered-roller-bearings/single-row-tapered-roller-bearings/single-row/index.html?designation=2788/2720/QCL7C) could work i found.
The ball screws and nuts best is to get them from Fred BST Automation, as he has proven himself these years. 3 weeks ago i bought Hiwin from him for 2x 3d printers and he not only gave me the best price around/ i checked just to see the market/ but i had all in 5 days here in Spain.
As far as the HTD5 rounding, Tom, you are right. I assume most of people will cut them on 4rth axis or indexing head. Anyway below pictures of the absolutely correct profile and size of the 30t puley. I have parametric model that have drawn of HTD5 so if sb say wants a 300T pulley up to specs just drop me aline and will send you a DXF. But here i include the DXF for 30T pulley, the passing hole 27mm and shaft 35mm, needed for the important part in the rotating ball nut. So you can base your drawings correctly.
Boyan the zip file does not work for me. It might be the spaces in it!!
2297322974 Can't I just get a larger ID bearing for near the machined on gears to compensate for this?
I could explain deeper why not, but isn't it easier to bore 4$ pulley than machine a complex part and buy twice as expensive bearing for which you will need bigger aluminum housing which is also more money?????
I would say generally No. The short answer is: do as i suggest, its best for many reasons or before jumping to buy bigger bearing, just sit down and make a detailed inertia calculation, what snappiness of the machine you need, what will be your maximum speeds and so on. And if that will change the motor you need to bigger!
Why? lets have as an example my machine 8x4 / in reality 1300x2600mm in metric/. If you invest in long ballscrews you generally make the machine right. Which means the gantry will be heavy around 180 to 300kg. If you gantry on that span is less than 160kg, then go with Rack and Pinion as that means your machine is not made to cut aluminum, so save yourself the trouble.
Generally if one is there already, one will use servo motors to move the gantry. But next is even more valid if steppers are used.To obtain the right speeds of the machine, the screw will be xx10 , best is the 2510. No need for bigger screw.
So most probably a gearing has to be used or bigger servo motor. Which means much more money if motor is not Chinese.
Anyway, if you feel like, of course there are bigger bearings. But it seems easier for me to preload correctly 2x the same bearings than different sized ones.
So by attaching the Larger bearing to the smaller shaft/gear/bearing combo, it raises the whole inertia dilemma? If there is a possibility of lowering the height of the machined gears to let the 7207 pass over it might work. But do you still believe it's cheaper, easier to bore out a $4.00 pulley?
So by attaching the Larger bearing to the smaller shaft/gear/bearing combo, it raises the whole inertia dilemma?
No. Changing the gear ratio raises the inertia dilemma.
But do you still believe it's cheaper, easier to bore out a $4.00 pulley?
Or you will have to redraw the rotating part and the aluminum block part/ all the parts/ from scratch. I dont know what to believe, depends how you value your time.
Boyan, were you able to put some brain cells around the idea of keeping the same number of teeth, but lowering the overall height of the machined gear?
So from these 3, it seems the best will be the P22-5M-15F . 22t is not so bad, outside diameter of the teeth is 35.01 so basically same as the 35mm of the OD of the part and the ID of the bearing. That will work.
Not to have in mind that 400w servos and bigger have shafts starting from 12 if not from 14mm in diameter. So smallest pulley there could be even the 12 teeth, also 14, 16, 18, 20. But in reality could be also 13, 15, 17, 19, as i can draw the pulley with as many teeth i would like to and it suits me.
But all puley more than 13t including are ok. Now it should be considered that the bending radius of 13t puley is too small, this for the durability of the belts. And believe me it will generate heat on the belt and pulley. But as belts is 3-4 $ its not of a great concern.
So yes, it could be done. 13t pulley and bigger.
now when you divide 22/13 , 22/14 etc. its not a whole number which i dont like. the first one that divides well is the 22/16=1.375 so nothing has to be rounded, 16t pulley i see as a minimum for a good bending radius. So that would be the one i would have used.
Obviously 2x 750W servos at both sides will do the job and if something extreme is desired even bigger could be fit. having in mind gantry around 180-250 kg and max machine speed at 30m/min with acceleration around 3000m/s2 which is my machine tested and it really rocks. You should do calculations again for the specific scenario but more or less thats it.
Also all time i am speaking of Samsung servos and brand servos in general. I have never tried the chinese servos but i think they will do well also. Plus really they are almost same price bigger or smaller/ servos must be correct size, not bigger or smaller /.
It should be noted that when i am engraving small stuff i lower the acceleration at 1000, talking about aluminum stamps and so. But this is very delicate work which normally is done on a mill.
Remember that changing out a belt is no small project with the rotating nut design. So durability of a belt should be a big concern because of the downtime and hassle of disassembling everything in order to change out the belt. The whole ballscrew must be uninstalled to change a belt. No small task regardless of the size of the table.
Exactly, that's why i said 16t as minimum. Everyday 8h machining belts would withstand at least say 2 years. Using it as a hobby machine at least 6-8 years.
Thanks for all of the awesome input. i was preoccupied with other things, but now I can get backt to the design.
Boyan, how are you? sorry it has been a long time. I got the 22 teeth HTD drawn onto the shaft. The shaft is only .05 in thickness. is this too small?
I think its too thin. The clearance from screw has to be no more than 1mm, in fact mine is 1mm. so inside bore will be 25+2=27mm.
So boyan, 22 teeth will not work with the 1 in ball screw. Anything larger will not let the bearing slide over the gears.
There is a reason we do it like we do it. Now you know it.
You should just have designed it for him!
Just over a mm wall thickness. You might get away with it in steel, but I'd expect aluminium to sheer.
By the time you consider axial loading due to bearing preload/dynamic loading, then the belt/nut causing some sheer/twist/radial loading, that part is going to be under a fair bit of stress under high loads. And that's before you consider stress points due to not being a smooth shaft.
Would it make sense to use a slighly smaller Ball Screw?
In reality the screw is 25.00mm. And as all must be lined up to under 0.01mm/ 0.02mm could be felt as tightening at certain point/ so you can use 26mm of the center hole with no problem.
You know what i am saying? This is not a skateboard wheel. All your design is based on "esy to service", but in reality it must be based on "precision"
If i am not wrong ~ = The bearing has 35mm internal diameter. 22t pulley has ~35mm OD and ~31mm diameter on the tooth lowest point/35- 2x~2mm/ . So if the hole is 27mm that gives a 1 mm clearance from the 25mm ball screw, then (31-27 ) /2 = 4mm wall at the pulley thinnest point, so whats the big deal?
Even so where the tooth is its thicker by 2mm so...???
I was just going by the drawing, which put the thinnest point at 0.0421", or 1.06mm.
It probably would be ok in aluminium, but as I mentioned, by the time you allow for all the forces likely to be acting on the shaft, it is quite a highly stressed part. I wouldn't be comfortable with it unless a FEA showed a good bit of safety margin, but it seems to be a lot of work just to avoid boring out a pulley.
Happy New year to all coming up. May we all have a great year of designing and learning.
Boyan, I did reset the OD of the shaft back to 35 mm + .02mm on both sides of the gear.
The inner diameter hole was set to 26 mm.
Wall thickness from lowest tooth point to inner dia is ~1.85 mm.
In the grand scheme of things, is the amount of inertia saved likely to make that much difference? Is a couple hundred grams of pulley, going to be that significant in relation to a 30KG+ gantry?
Hey Boyan, does this look good now? Can I send you my cad file to take a look at just to see if everything looks ok?
i have these on my list for the 4000mm ballscrew lengths but would you say i would also need them for 1800mm lengths?
1. "Whipping" is when the length allows sag and rotation then "Whips it around" like a skipping rope resulting in a lot of off-centre mass and the associated vibration and potential damage.
2. "Rotational Mass" refers in this case simply to the mass which requires acceleration and deceleration to control a rotating screw assembly.
One of the simplest solutions I've seen is like a sprung saloon swing door with a slot in it, the slot fits the ballscrew and supports it in 3 directions, when the carriage passes it "pushes the door open" and the door swings back once it passes, a few of these spaced out along the screw on alternate sides will control whipping very effectively.
It's not obvious until you do the arithmetic but the inertia of a rotating screw like this can be high - you can easily get to the point that the inertia of accelerating the ballscrew exceeds the inertia of the gantry. As the length of screw goes up, the critical speed - the speed at which whip in the screw becomes excessive - goes down. So you need a bigger diameter screw, which increases critical speed again. But the rotational inertia of the screw goes up with something like the 4th power of diameter. In other words, you can increase the screw diameter to increase critical speed and hence gantry speed, but the increase in inertia will have a massive effect on acceleration and acceleration in turn has a big effect on cutting performance if you are doing anything other than straight cuts. This is what is behind Nick's comment - whip, critical speed, machine speed and acceleration, screw diameter - these are all linked and the art of the engineer is to find an acceptable compromise between them. Or use a different solution, which is why bigger machines use rotating ballnuts or rack and pinion.
Thanks Magicniner, maybe you can give some names/part numbers and some places where to get these types of ball screw adapters. I'm going for the rotating ballnut myself.
Thanks Neale, It's awesome to have so many smart people to help us little brains get through the learning process. | 2019-04-18T10:28:40Z | http://www.mycncuk.com/archive/index.php/t-3340.html?s=e5b264968630ff71f0c978ce5ce6adbf |
Does Muslim Law Allow Husbands to Deny Paternity to Their Children?
This article argues that according to the majority of Muslim jurists, a woman cannot obtain khul without the consent of her husband. However, Imam Malik and his disciples are of the opinion that the decision of arbitrators chosen by the state authority, court or the spouses for resolving dispute between the husband and wife can decide separation or union and such outcome is valid without specific delegation by the spouses and without their consent. The decisions of the Superior Courts in Pakistan are partially based on the Maliki view and legislation has endorsed the position adopted by the Courts. It is argued that both the legislation as well as case law in Pakistan are based on the precedent set by the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Federal Shariat Court has also endorsed the existing Pakistani law on khul. The Recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology regarding khul are partially in conformity with the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
Islamic law provides numerous remedies to a Muslim wife in cases where harm (darar) to her has been established to the satisfaction of a judge. In the subcontinent, under section 2 of the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act 1939 ('DMMA'), a Muslim woman can obtain a divorce in case of her husband's disappearance for four years, her non-maintenance for two years, imprisonment of the husband for seven years or more, failure of the husband to perform his marital obligations for a period of three years, the husband's impotence, his insanity, and her maltreatment by the husband. However, these grounds do not seem to have brought any positive change to the affected women in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The primary reason for this is that grounds for divorce available under the DMMA are fault based. The complainant wife has to prove the offence. Matrimonial offences such as ill treatment and cruelty by the husband or his family are hard to prove, because such offences take place within the privacy of homes and those accused of wrongdoing tend not to testify for the women. For these reasons, a no-fault based remedy was badly needed in the subcontinent and elsewhere in the Muslim world. Khul' seems to provide an answer, but the issues surrounding khul' in Islamic law are complicated, as shall be explained below. As far as the judiciary is concerned the Lahore High Court ruled for the first time in the Balqis Fatima case in 1959, that khul' should be available to a woman as of right and without the consent of the husband. This position was endorsed by the Supreme Court in the Khurshid Bibi case of 1967. In Egypt, Law No. 1 of 2000 did exactly the same as was done by the Superior Judiciary in Pakistan.
This article gives special attention to the opinions of Maliki exegetes and jurists in their interpretation of verse 4:35 of the Qur'an. It examines the habiba's episode and asks whether it has precedential value. Furthermore, it evaluates the arguments of fuqaha' of various schools of thought regarding the issue of (in)validity of khul' without the consent of the husband and examines the Islamic nature of legislation on khul' in Pakistan as well as in Egypt. In terms of methodology, the opinions of Muslim exegetes are discussed in Part I, followed by an analysis of the Habiba's hadith in Part II. This is followed by an analysis of the opinions of Muslim jurists of various schools of thought and the reasons for their respective positions in Part III. Part IV evaluates selected decisions of high courts and the Supreme Court of Pakistan on khul' and asks whether these amount to judicial ijtihad. Part V discusses the Islamicity of section 10(4) of the West Pakistan Family Courts Act 1964 as amended in 2002. Part VI evaluates the views of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and asks whether the CII has exceeded its mandate. Finally, Part VII provides a conclusion.
Divorce can be pronounced twice: then, either honourable retention or kindly release should follow. (While dissolving the marriage tie) it is unlawful for you to take back anything of what you have given to your wives unless both fear that they may not be able to keep within the bounds set by Allah. Then, if they fear that they might not be able to keep within the bounds set by Allah, there is no blame upon them for what the wife might give away of her property to become released from the marriage tie.
Thus, if she says, "I swear by God [that] I will not fulfill your oath, and I will not agree to your request of sleeping with you in the bed, and I will not obey you. If she did this, it is allowed for him to take from her 'al-fidya' but he should not take more than what he gave her (i.e., the dower) and let her go [provided] she caused the harm." Then, he [Ibn 'Abbas] recited, "but if they, of their accord, give up unto you aught thereof, then enjoy it with pleasure and good cheer," (4:4) and it is said, that when there is no harm or cheating [in obtaining it], then it is pleasure and good cheer as God described it.
Muhammad Abu Zahra (d. 1974) argues that the situation in which both the partners cannot keep within the bounds set by God, arises in two ways: first, if the woman is nashizah (violates her marital duties), disobedient, or coerced, such as the wife of Thabit b. Qays b. Shamas Al-Ansari (d. 11/632); second, when the man has a problem such that marital life with him is not possible anymore.
The Tunisian scholar Muhammad al-Tahir b. 'Ashur (1879-1973) argues that 'if the spouses would be addressed [by 'tum'], then the wording would be: 'fa in khiftum aullatuqimu aw ullatuqima' (if you feared that you cannot keep or you [two partners] cannot keep…' Abu Zahra argues that the addressees are either 'the group of Muslims because they cooperate with each other, as they got discord between the spouses, or it is to the group of women and men', and his preference is for the first meaning.
In a nutshell, the Qur'anic concept of khul' is: first, either of the partners may initiate it if he or she thinks that marital rights cannot be upheld in the marriage. Second, according to the preferred opinion of the majority of exegetes, the court has to determine the extent of discord, harm, aversion, coercion, etc. Third, and this is very crucial, the court must ascertain whether it can grant khul', especially when the discord or harm is attributed to the woman and she is ready to pay compensation to her husband without the husband's consent, or is it conditional upon the consent of the husband? In other words, is khul' a consensual act or can the court put an end to the marriage by khul' without the husband's consent? The answer is not clear from the wording of the Qur'an in verse 2:229 and this is why exegetes had to resort to ahadith regarding khul'. Fourth, Maliki jurists also discuss khul' under the Qur'anic verse 4:35 and conclude that khul' can be affected by the arbitrators and their decision shall be binding without the consent of the husband and the wife. Fifth, in case khul' is consensual (or even if it is not consensual or the consent of the husband is not required), then the court may put an end to the marriage and ask the wife to return the dower or what is agreed upon by both the partners as compensation for her freedom. Finally, there is no sin on the part of the spouses to receive such compensation. The apparent language of the verse 2:229 indicates that it is the wife who has to pay compensation to free herself, 'fima'fdatbehi' (what the wife may give up [to her husband]). To answer the remaining questions, we have to resort to ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
It is reported from Ibn 'Abbas that the wife of Thabit b. Qays came to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and said: "I see no fault with Thabit's conduct or his religious demeanour, but I dislike ingratitude in Islam." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Will you return his garden to him?" "Yes", she answered. The messenger of Allah said: (to Thabit): "Accept (iqbil) your garden and divorce her [Talliqha (once)]."
In the second and third versions of the same incident, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have ordered Thabit ('amarahu) to divorce her in return for his garden.
Thabit b. Qays b. Shamas hit his wife and broke her limb and she was Jamila bint 'Abdullah b. Uby. She complained to her brother who took her to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Prophet (peace be upon him) summoned Thabit and told him, "take (khudh) [from her] what you have given her and let her go (free) (khalli sabilaha). He said: "Yes."
'A'isha (the Prophet's wife) relates that habiba bint Sahl was married to Thabit b. Qays b. Shamas, who hit her and broke a limb of hers. She approached the Prophet (peace be upon him) after dawn, and he summoned Thabit and told him: "Take (khudh) some of her money and separate from her." Thabit said: "Is this permissible, Prophet of God?" The Prophet said: "Yes." Thabit: "I gave her two gardens as dower and they are her property." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Take them and separate from her (fariqha)", which he did.
Sahl b. Abi Hathma related that habiba bint Sahl was married to Thabit b. Qays Al-Ansari, who was an ugly man. She said: "Messenger of Allah: O, by Allah, were I not to fear God, I would spit in his face whenever he touches me." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Would you give him back his garden?" She said: "Yes", and she gave it back. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) separated them (farraqa baynahuma).
In the report of Ibn Maja, as well as Abu Dawud, Thabit - the husband - does not play any decisive role (as assigned to him by the legists) as the Prophet never asked for his consent for the separation. The crux of the matter is that according to the above reports, which are different versions of the same incident, khul' is not consensual and the consent of the husband is not essential. As will be explained below, however, the majority of fuqaha' of hanafi, Shafi'i, hanbali as well Shi'a schools of thought purport that khul' cannot be granted by the court without the consent of the husband. The four compilers of ahadith collections who narrate habiba's episode 'neither mention nor allude to her husband's approval as a condition for her divorce; on the contrary, what they all have in common is the command aspect of the Prophet's order to Thabit to take the compensation and separate from habiba.' Despite this 'imposed' passivity on the part of Thabit, the majority jurists have unanimously assigned a decisive role to the husband in khul'. According to Jassas of the hanafi school, the fact that both Thabit and habiba were asked by the Prophet (peace be upon him) implies that khul' is consensual because the husband has been placed at the center point in this episode, otherwise the Prophet could have dismissed him completely and divorced habiba entirely on his own.
The conclusion that can be derived from this narrative is that the majority of legists differ from the hadith, and to some extent from the Qur'an, regarding khul', especially regarding the approval of the husband. There is no doubt that the Qur'anic verse was further explained by the habiba's episode and that the Prophet's ruling has precedential value. Oussama argues that Muslim legists seem to allow the Qur'anic implication of a consensual transaction to overrule the Prophetic ruling in the habiba's khul' separation case. However, Maliki jurists differ from most Sunni scholars on the issue of the consent of the husband. In addition, as explained above, there is no unanimity on the issue that the Qur'anic verse 2:229 only allowed a consensual bargaining-based negotiated settlement as some exegetes have expressly mentioned that the word 'tum' (you) is addressed to the state authority. The habiba incident stands on its own and has not been overruled by the Qur'an. Moreover, one has to analyse the opinions of jurists regarding verse 4:35 to reach a clear conclusion. It is this precedent that provided the basis for the new law of khul' in Pakistan, as well as in Egypt.
If the matter is resolved by a stranger, then he is allowed to order [her to pay] the equivalent of the dower, and if he ordered [her to pay] more or less [than the amount of dower], then, in case of more [amount], it is not binding without the consent of the woman and in case it is less, then [it is not binding] without the consent of the husband.
Thus, Kasani - referred to as the king of 'ulama' (malak al-'ulama) within the hanafi school of thought - considers the consent of the husband necessary even if the amount of compensation to be given to him is less than the amount of dower. In other words, the husband according to the hanafi school of thought, seems to have the equivalent of a veto regarding Talaq and khul'.
The linguistic formulations of the Maliki jurists on khul' are not easy to understand and need an in-depth analysis to reach a clear conclusion on whether the consent of the husband is necessary for khul'. The confusion is mainly whether the Malikis consider the consent of the husband a legal necessity by implication or not. Imam Malik has discussed the Qur'anic verse 4:35, habiba's ruling, and two cases involving neglectful husbands, and his legal formulations suggest that he gives the two arbitrators the main role in the dissolution of marriage, either by Talaq or khul'. In addition, he also presumes a negotiated settlement. Certain points within the Maliki school are clear and these are mentioned below.
In circumstances where it is difficult for a woman to live with her husband and she approaches the court, it must be clear that which one of the two is the cause of discord. When it is known to the court that the husband or the wife has caused the discord, the court shall attempt to bring about reconciliation. If this is not possible, then the court may dissolve the marriage. The court shall order khul' if it finds that the husband was the cause of the discord. In this situation, the wife will be ordered to return the dower given to her by the husband. However, if it comes to the conclusion that the wife was the cause of the discord, it shall dissolve the marriage by divorce and shall order the husband to pay the dower if not yet paid. The court under the Maliki school can issue a decree of Talaq or khul' without the consent of the husband and wife.
Allah has mentioned what to do with a disobedient wife and how to deal with an obedient one, then he mentioned another situation, that is, when there is discord between the two which they cannot reconcile themselves and it is not known who caused it. So [in this situation the court] should appoint two Muslim arbitrators to investigate the matter between the two. And their decision has to be implemented whether it is the dissolution of marriage through Talaq or khul' without the consent of the husband.
The spouses may appoint one arbitrator each without the intervention of the State authority. If the husband is the cause of discord they shall dissolve the marriage without anything. The arbitrators should not take anything from the wife [in this situation] with the condition that she is divorced [by the husband]. And it is said that it is allowed [to take something from the wife in this situation]; and if she was the cause of discord, they [the arbitrators] should take [money or compensation] from her as they think appropriate and it [the resultant separation] will be khul' and the two should be separated [their marriage be dissolved].
If the arbitrators could bring in reconciliation [between the two], they should reconcile between the two [the husband and the wife]; then, it is lawful [for the two arbitrators] if the two [arbitrators] decided to dissolve the marriage between the two [the husband and the wife] without the [permission] of the state authority. And if the two [arbitrators] decided to take [compensation] from her [and give it to the husband] so that it becomes [separation by] khul', they [the arbitrators] can do that.
Imam Malik's opinion gives the impression that the consent of the husband is not necessary for the validity of khul'. Above, we have given more precise opinions of other Maliki jurists to clarify this issue. Since Imam Malik does not mention his opinion in precise words on whether the consent of the husband is necessary for khul', this made the issue confusing. However, the assertion of other Maliki jurists clarifies the issue that the consent of the husband is not necessary in khul' and that it can be implemented without his consent.
In case of a dispute and eruption of a discord, if it is known that harm is caused by one of them it should be eliminated. However, if it is unknown which one of the two have caused the discord the State authority [court] shall send in two arbitrators one from the husband's side and one from the wife's side. The arbitrators should be jurists and fair and should investigate the matter and should do whatever they think is better for the husband and wife ranging from reconciliation to separation between the two regardless of the consent of the two [husband and wife] and whether the State authority [court] agrees or disagrees with their decision.
They [the jurists] disputed the agreed decision of the arbiters to separate them [the husband and wife], whether it would require the consent of the husband. Malik and his disciples said that their decision about separation and union is valid without specific delegation by the spouses and without their consent. Al-Shafi'i, Abu hanifah and their disciples said that they have no right to separate them, except when the husband delegates such authority to them.
Jurists differ regarding the issue of arbitrators; are they appointed by the state authority so that their ruling is binding without the consent of the spouses or are they proxies for the spouses? There are two opinions regarding this issue: the majority of scholars prefer the first opinion [i.e. their ruling is binding without the consent of the spouses] because of the Qur'anic verse, 'appoint an arbitrator from his people and an arbitrator from her people', so they are named as 'hakamayn' (arbitrators) and an arbitrator is allowed to rule without the consent of the disputant and this is the apparent meaning of the Qur'anic verse [4:35].
Where a man wants to separate from his wife and he intends divorce but does not intend a specific number, then the separation is a single irrevocable divorce (fa al-khul' Tatliqatan la yamliku fihi al-ruju'); this is so because it is a sale (bay') like other sales and it is not allowed for him to take possession of her money while continuing to possess her.
After discussing the opinions of the fuqaha' belonging to the various schools of thought, the picture that emerges is as follows: 1) all of the schools of thought permit khul' and cite verse 2:229 and habiba's incident; 2) according to the Maliki school, if the husband is the cause of the discord then he should not take or be given any compensation, but if the wife is the cause of the discord then she must pay compensation to the husband; 3) all the fuqaha' agree that the resultant separation will be irrevocable, that is, a Talaq; 4) the compensation to be paid may be the equivalent of, or more or less, than the amount of dower; 5) if they settled on more than what he gave her, it is morally reprehensible but legally binding; 6) the majority of schools disregard the ruling in habiba's case and require the consent of the husband for khul', however, the Maliki jurists have reached a different conclusion based on verse 4:35 by allowing the arbitrators authority to put an end to marriage without the consent of the husband, even if the spouses have not delegated them the authority to do so; 7) the majority agree that khul' is consensual and the consent of both spouses is necessary, whereas the Malikis allow the arbitrators to dissolve the marriage by khul' without the consent of the husband or wife; 8) khul' can be settled between the partners with or without the intervention of state authority; 9) fuqaha' of all Sunni schools have referred to the Prophet's ruling in the case of habiba, in which in some narrations, the Prophet prohibited her from paying more than her dower but they (fuqaha') consider paying more by the wife to be legally permissible.
The majority of jurists grant the husband an absolute right at the expense of his wife because of the notion of qawama. However, resort to a court in case of khul' seems unavoidable and the court must have a role to determine the issue of harm to the wife or hatred between the two parties in addition to determining the amount and extent of compensation. If a husband claims that they can live within the boundaries fixed by Allah but the wife says that they cannot, then whose claim should be accepted? It would require a third person to determine whether the wife cannot live with the husband and whether the level of hatred and aversion has reached the point of no return (irrevocable breakdown of marriage).
Part IV: Khul' and the Superior Courts in Pakistan: Interpreting Islamic Law or Judicial Ijtihad?
The earliest reported case on khul' in the subcontinent- now India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, is that of Munshi Buzul-ul-Raheem case, in which the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled that khul' was not available without the consent of the husband under Islamic law. Unfortunately, this case is applicable in India even today where it has not been overruled, however, the situation in Pakistan and Bangladesh is different. Gangrade argues that in India, it is uncertain whether a wife can ask for khul' against the wishes of the husband. In Umar Bibi v Mohammad Din, a Divisional Bench of the Lahore High Court rejected appeals by two women who were seeking divorce on the basis of khul' against the consents of their husbands and on the basis of incompatibility of temperament as grounds for their divorces. This view was upheld by a full bench of the same Court in Sayeeda Khanam v Muhammad Sami in 1952. The questions before the Court were: 1) whether incompatibility of temperament constitutes a ground for divorce under Islamic law; and 2) whether discord (shiqaq) constitutes a ground for divorce under Islamic law. The Court answered both the questions in the negative. The Court held that the crucial role of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Jamila episode discussed above, was that even the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not take it upon himself to dissolve the marriage; he had only ordered the husband to do so and the Prophet's role in this case was not that of a judge at all, but of a law-giver. As explained above, the Court merely endorsed the traditional view of the hanafi jurists.
This verse [2:229] admittedly permits the termination of a marriage by the wife passing consideration to the husband. The question for consideration is whether this termination can be affected only by agreement between the husband and wife or whether the wife can claim such termination even if the husband was not agreeable.
Justice Kaikaus argued that the 'you' in the phrase 'if you fear' [khiftum] must be addressed to the state and the judicial officers of the state but it clearly was not addressed to the spouse. In his view, a reference to the judge could possibly arise in circumstances where the wife wanted a divorce but the husband had refused his assent. Thus, it was for the judge to determine whether the parties would keep within the limits of Allah if the marriage were to continue. There is no point in referring the matter to a judge and in requiring him to make a determination if, in the end, he is powerless to do anything should he be convinced that the spouses could not remain within the bounds set by God. The Court concluded that the reference to the judge under the verse can only mean that he is entitled to pass an order dissolving the marriage even though the husband is not ready to divorce.
In its understanding of verse 2:229, the Court deviated from the interpretation of this verse by Muslim exegetes discussed above. In this case the judges themselves interpreted verse 2:229 by directly relying on the Qur'an itself and ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and by ignoring the opinions of the classical and the medieval jurists. In addition, the Court considered khul' as Talaq (divorce) rather than fasakh (dissolution of marriage). Thus, in the Court's view in khul', the wife has to redeem herself in return for some consideration and a Court can dissolve the same if it was convinced that the spouses would not be able to live within the bounds set by God, and that the consent of the husband for the validity of khul', in such cases, was not necessary. The Court also argued that in the Jamila's case discussed above the dissolution was directly ordered by the Prophet (peace be upon him) acting as a judge (rather than as a social or a political leader, as viewed by some authors), without commenting on the reasonableness of the attitude of the wife, and without seeking the consent of the husband.
[A] Wife's right to khul' is parallel to the man's right of talaq. Like the latter the former too is unconditional. It is indeed a mockery of the Shariat that we regard khul' as something depending either on the consent of the husband or on the verdict of the qazi. The law of Islam is not responsible for the way Muslim women are being denied their right in this respect.
[W]here the husband disputes the right of the wife to obtain separation by khula [khul'], it is obvious that some third party will have to decide the matter and, consequently, the dispute will have to be adjudicated upon by the Qazi, with or without assistance of the Hakams. Any other interpretation of the Qur'anic verse regarding khula [khul'] would deprive it of all efficacy as a charter granted to the wife. It is significant that according to the Qur'an she can "ransom herself" or "get her release" and it is plain that these words connote an independent right in her.
There is an important limitation on her right of khul'. It is only if the judge apprehends that the limits of God will not be observed, that is, in their relation towards one another, the spouses will not obey God, that a harmonious married state, as envisaged by Islam, will not be possible that he will grant a dissolution. The wife cannot have a divorce for every passing impulse.
If the Judge Family Court arrives at the conclusion that no reconciliation was possible, that the wife was determined to get the marriage dissolved, and that not dissolving the marriage would amount to forcing or compelling her to live in a hateful union with the husband, then he must dissolve the marriage on the basis of khula [khul'].
We are dealing with the interpretation of the Holy Qur'an and on a question of interpretation we are not bound by the opinions of jurists. If we be [sic] clear as to what the meaning of a verse in the Qur'an is, it will be our duty to give effect to that interpretation irrespective of what has been stated by the jurists.... Similar considerations apply to the interpretation of the traditions of the Prophet.
The opinions of Jurists and Commentators stand on no higher footing than that of reasoning of men falling in the category of secondary sources of Muslim law, and cannot, therefore, compare in weight or authority with, nor alter the Qur'anic law or the Ahadith. If the opinions of the jurists conflict with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, they are not binding on Courts, and it is our duty, as true Muslims, to obey the word of God and the Holy Prophet (ati-ullah-waati-ur-Rasool).
With great regard and utmost respect for the scholarship, 'Taqwa' and deep insight of the eminent Aimma Ezam and Ulema kiram this Court cannot declare any law or provision of law merely on the basis of views, verdicts and Fatawa issued by the honourable scholars whosoever they might be.
The courts are there to dissolve [sic resolve] the disputes that arise between the parties. They can decide all type of matters including, admittedly, dissolution of marriage on certain grounds. One wonders why they are not authorized to decide the case of Khula [khul'], if a husband does not at all agree to the divorce of his wife and all the reconciliatory efforts fail.
After discussing the various arguments, verses of the Qur'an, ahadith, and opinions of jurisprudents, the Court came to the conclusion that 'there is no specific verse or authentic Ahadith that provides a bar to the exercise of jurisdiction by a competent Qazi to decree the case of Khula agitated before him by a wife after reconciliation fail.' This was indeed a very bold decision and must be appreciated.
Under the above section, i.e., 10(4), obtaining khul' has become easier for women, but the problem is that khul' is availed as an alternative remedy. Usually, a complainant woman requests dissolution of her marriage on the basis of cruelty of her husband or in-laws or non-maintenance by her husband or any other remedy under the DMMA 1939, and requests khul' only as an alternative remedy. It is very unfortunate that in some cases, the judges only grant khul' and ignore all other remedies and order the wife to return her dower to the husband. However, there are many cases in which the courts have corrected these aberrations and laid down the true exposition of the law of khul'.
While interpreting and explaining the Shari'ah the recognized principles of interpretation and explanation of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah shall be followed and the expositions and opinions of recognized jurists of Islam belonging to prevalent Islamic schools of jurisprudence may be taken into consideration.
It is noteworthy that the words 'may be taken into consideration' in section 2, are recommendatory only and not mandatory. Moreover, it is unclear what is meant by the word 'prevalent'; it apparently allows the judges to resort to takhayur or choosing the opinion of one school over that of the other(s), and not to strictly adhere to the interpretation of only one school of thought.
A closer look, however, reveals that in the case of khul', the Courts in Pakistan did not resort to ijtihad per se but rather applied the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in preference to the interpretations of Muslim jurists. In other words, the Courts deviated from the opinions of the majority of Muslim jurists only thinking that these opinions were not based on the Qur'an and more specifically, the Sunnah of the Prophet. Since the topic of ijtihad and the modes of ijtihad are complex, any statement to the effect that the Pakistani Courts resorted to ijtihad regarding khul' would be a sweeping one. Balqis Fatima and Khurshid Bibi are indeed very bold decisions, but these have deviated from the settled opinions of the majority of fuqaha' of hanafi, Shafi'i and hanbali schools as well as the Shi'a school of thought. Moreover, in both cases, the judges have given the opinions of some scholars to support the view that the consent of the husband is not required in khul', but the Courts needed to mention the vast literature within the Maliki school to support its stance. This is why the 'ulama in Pakistan have managed to level a scathing attack on the precedent repeatedly upheld by the Superior Courts regarding khul'. It is worth noting that the Superior Courts in Pakistan have repeatedly granted khul' to women summarily, especially after the 2002 amendment in the Family Courts Act 1964.
Therefore, in our opinion, a law should be enacted at the level of the state that, after a woman's written request for divorce, the husband must have an obligation to divorce her within 90 days. If the husband refuses to divorce her, the marriage shall stand dissolved after the passage of this time [90 days] except if the wife revokes her request. The husband should have no right to revoke after this. The wife must return assets and property given to her by the husband except dower and maintenance if demanded by the husband or else approach a court of law for the resolution of the conflict (of return of assets/valuables).
There are several points to note. First, the Council's Recommendation seems to be a deviation from the apparent words of verse 2:229 of the Qur'an, according to which the wife pays something to free herself. Second, the Recommendation also seems to deviate from the precedent laid down by the Prophet in the habiba's case, discussed above, in which she was asked by the Prophet to return her dower to her husband in return for her freedom from marriage. Third, the Recommendation is in accord with Islamic law, especially the Qur'an and the Sunnah, in cases when the husband is the cause of discord. Finally, the Recommendation overlaps with section 10(4) of the West Pakistan Family Court Act 1964 as amended in 2002, which governs the existing law on khul'. However, the view of the Council seems to change with the change of its Chairman. On 27 May 2015, Mawlana Muhammad Khan Shirani, Chairman CII, opined that 'courts should refrain from dissolving 'nikah' (marriage contract) in the name of 'khula' or separation.' He argued that '[k]hula is an agreement between two parties and it should not be granted until the husband agrees to it.' Mawlana Shirani wishes to impose the views of the hanafi school on Pakistani society, forgetting that the Council has to render advise according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) only.
The main argument of the article may be reiterated here. The jamhoor (majority) of schools of thought argue that khul' is consensual between the husband and the wife. In their view, a judge cannot dissolve a marriage by khul' on the request of the wife without the consent of the husband. On the other hand, Maliki jurists argue that the decree of the arbitrators is valid whether they order separation or union between the two, and it neither requires the consent of the husband nor of the wife. Maliki jurists and exegetes focus on verse 4:35 of the Qur'an rather than verse 2:229. The Superior Courts in Pakistan have been more sympathetic towards helpless women demanding khul' as compared to courts in India. The Federal Shariat Court has upheld section 10(4) of the Family Courts Act 1964 as not violative of the Injunctions of Islam. In addition, it ruled that it is not bound by the opinions of Muslim jurists. The Council of Islamic Ideology changed its views on the law of khul'. The Council had a radical view in 2008-9 about khul' under Dr Khalid Mas'ud, but it returned to the traditional view in 2015 under Mawlana Shirani. It is surprising that neither the Superior Courts, nor the Federal Shariat Court have dug deeper into the interpretation of verse 4:35 of the Qur'an as understood by numerous Maliki jurisprudents and exegetes who do not give the husband any controlling power in khul'. The CII has ignored verse 4:35, along with the habiba/Jamila precedent as well as the views of Maliki jurists.
* PhD (Karachi University); LL.M (Stockholm University); LL.M & LL.B (Hons) International Islamic University. Currently he is serving as Director General Shari'a Academy, International Islamic University Islamabad.
There are two additional grounds available to a Muslim woman in Pakistan, i.e., that the husband has taken an additional wife in contravention of the Provisions of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961. This ground is also available to such a woman in Bangladesh but not in India. Another ground available to women in Pakistan is li'an, when a husband accuses his wife of zina (adultery) the marriage is terminated by the court through a special procedure.
Mst. Balqis Fatima v Najm-ul-Iram Qureshi, PLD 1959 Lahore 566. For analysis of these and other cases on judicial khul' see Dr Muhammad Munir, 'Judicial Law-Making: An Analysis of Case Law on Khul' in Pakistan'(2014) 1(1) Islamabad Law Review 7 <http://www.iiu.edu.pk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/journals/ilr/volume1/ILR-VOL-1-1-Full. pdf> accessed 12 September 2015.
Mst. Khurshid Bibi v Muhammad Amin, PLD 1967 SC 97. For criticism of Khurshid Bibi, see Doreen Hinchcliffe, 'Divorce in Pakistan: Judicial Reform' (1968) 2 Journal of Islamic and Comparative Law 19.
habiba bint Sahl was married to Thabit b. Qays b. Shamas. Other reports mention her name as Jamila. Whatever her exact name she is reported to have obtained khul' from her husband. Details are given below.
According to Ibn Manzur, the root of khul' is khal'. The verbal noun khal' refers to the act of extraction, removal, detaching or tearing out. In its real sense, khal' is generally associated with things or object, such as garments. See, Ibn Manzur Muhammad b. Mukarram, Lisan al-'Arab (Beirut: Dar Sadir 1955-56) 8:76-79. Jurjani defines it as 'dissolution of marriage through taking money [by the husband].' See, 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Jurjani, Kitab al-T'arifat (Beirut: Dar al-Surur n.d.) 45.
Kasani refers to two Qur'anic verses, i.e., 7:43, 108, to explain the lexical meaning of khul'. The meanings of these verses are: 'We shall have removed all ill feeling from their hearts', and 'then he pulled out his hand.' 'Alauddin Masu'd al-Kasani, Bada'i' al-sana'i' fi tartib al-shara'i' (Muhammad Yasin Darvish ed, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi, 2000) 3:227.
Ibid. The controlling role of the husband is clear from the lexical and technical words used by Kasani.
Badruddin Mahmud al-'Ayni, al-Binayh (Muhammad 'Umar ed, Dar al-Fikr, 1990) 5: 291.
Ahmad b. 'Ali b. hajr al-'Asqalani, Fatah al-Bari ('Abdul 'Aziz b. Baz & Muhibuddin al-KhaTib ed, Dar al-Fikr n.d.) 9:396. Kamal b. Al-Humam (d. 861) has defined khul' as 'putting an end to marriage for compensation by using the word khul' (izalat milk al-nikah bi badalin bi lafz al-khul').' Kamaluddin b. Al-humam, Sharh Fatah al-Qadir (Ghalib Al-Mahdi ed, Dar al-kutub al-'Ilmiyah, 2003) 4:188. Jurjani shortened Ibn al-Humam's definition, when he stated 'putting an end to (the ownership of) marriage contract (izalat milk al-nikah).' 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Jurjani, Kitab al-T'arifat (Dar al-Surur n.d.) 45. Haskafi has attributed this definition, i.e., 'izalat milk al-nikah' to Ibn Nujaym. Muhammad 'Allauddin al-Haskafi, Al-durr al-mukhtar sharh Tanvir al-absar (Dar al-Fikr Press n.d.) 3:383. But Ibn Nujaym has himself attributed it to Kamal b. Al-Humam. Sirajuddin Ibn Nujaym, Al-Nahar al-fa'iq (commentary on 'Abdullah b. Ahmad Al-Nasafi's Kanz al-daqa'iq, Ahmad 'Izzu 'Inayat ed, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiya, 2002) 2:435. According to Al-Nasafi (d. 710 A.H.), 'It is to separate from marriage (huwa al-fasl min al-nikah).' Ibn Nujaym adds to this by saying that although 'Separation [in this definition] is absolute whether compensation was paid or not but it is necessary to use the word khul' [for this transaction].' At 2:434.
He then differentiates the term khul' in which she has to return all that the husband has spent on her, from sulh where she pays only partially, fidya where she pays more than she received, and mubara'a where she writes off her claim against the husband. Muhammad b. Ahmad Ibn Rushd, Bidayat Al-Mujtahid (The Distinguished Jurist's Primer, Imran A. K. Nyazee tr, Centre for Muslim Contribution to Civilization 1996) 2: 79. Ibn al-'Arabi mentions that according to Imam Malik, 'al-mubari'a is khul' before consummation of marriage, and 'al-mukhli'atu' is when she obtains khul' after consummation of marriage, and 'al-muftadiyatu' is to redeem herself by paying some of her money, however, these terms are used interchangeably.' Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn al-'Arabi, Ahkam al-Qur'an ('Emad Zaki al-Baroudi ed, Al-Tawfikia n.d.) 1: 251.
Muhammad b. Idrees al-Shafi'i, Kitab al-Umm (Ahmad Badruddin hasun ed, Dar Kotaiba, 2003) 11:178.
Abu Bakr Ahmad al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an, ed. Sidqi Muhammad Jamil (Dar al-fikr, 2001) 1:533.
Violating marital duties is called 'nushuz', and contrary to the popular belief, is also committed by men. Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an, 1: 534; Mansur b. Yunus al-BuhuTi, Kashshaf al-Qina' ('Alam al-Kutub, 1983) 5:209; 'Abdus Salam Sahnun, al-Mudawwana al-Kubra (Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiya, 1994) 2:241; Muhammad Amin Ibn 'Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar (Dar al-Fikr, 1979) 3: 445.
Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an, 1: 534.
Muhammad b. Ahmad al-QurTubi, Al-Jami' li Ahkam al-Qur'an (Samir al-Bukhari ed, Riyadh: Dar 'Alam al-kutub 2003) 3:136.
Muhammad Abu Zahra, Zahrat al-Tafasir (Cairo: Dar al-Fikr al-'Arabi n.d.) 2:777. He asserts that the verse is general and allows nushuz to be from either side. Moreover, when nushuz is from the man it is called 'zulm' (cruelty) because he can divorce her and taking compensation in such a situation would be illegal. At 2:777-78.
Muhammad al-Tahir b. 'Ashur, Tafsir Al-Tahrir wa Al-Tanvir (Dar Sahnun, 1997) 2:408.
Abu Zahra, Zahrat al-Tafasir, 2:779. According to the Zahiriyah school, khul' can only be affected if discord is from the wife, because when discord is from the husband taking of compensation is prohibited. Abu Zahra, Zahrat, 2:781.
Balqis Fatima v Najm-ul-Ikram Qureshi PLD 1959 Lahore 566, 573.
This has been interpreted by Oussama Arabi that the 'woman to ransom (taftadi) herself from her husband by means of a negotiated settlement', thereby meaning that the consent of the husband is essential for khul'. See, Oussama Arabi, 'The Dawning of the Third Millennium on Shari'a: Egypt's Law no. 1 of 2000, or Women May Divorce at Will' (2001) 16(1) Arab Law Quarterly 17-8. This interpretation seems to be against the habiba's episode described in the text above in which the consent of the husband Thabit b. Qays was not sought by the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Muhammad Isma'il al-Bukhari, al-Jami' al-sahih (hadith 4971, People's Edition n.d.). The hadith is also available at <http://www.sunnipath.com/library/Hadith/H0002P0071.aspx> accessed 20 June 2011; also available at <http://hadith.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=192& BookID=24&TOCID=2943> accessed 20 June 2011.
Ibid, hadith no. 4972 and hadith no. 4973 available at <http://www.sunnipath.com/library/ Hadith/H0002P0071.as px> accessed 20 June 2011). In these two narrations the reporter is, 'Ikramah, who described her name as Jamila but in all the versions in Al-Bukhari she is simply Thabit's wife.
Abu 'Abdur Rahman al-Nasa'i, 'al-Sunan' (hadith.islam) hadith no. 3497, available at <http://hadith.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=192&BookID=27&TOCID=1774> accessed 20 June 2011.
Sulayman Abu Dawud, al-Sunan, 4 vols (Mustafa Muhammad Press n.d.) no. 2228.
Abu 'Abdallah Ibn Maja, al-Sunan, ed. M. 'Abd al-Baqi, hadith no. 2056 available at http://hadith.al-islam.com/Page.aspx?pageid=192&BookID=29&TOCID=688 (last accessed 20 June 2011).
Ahmad b. hanbal, al-Musnad, hadith no. 15663; also available at <http://hadith.al-islam.com/ Page.aspx ?pageid=192&BookID=30&PID=15513> accessed 21 June 2011). Ibn hanbal comments on this hadith that 'It was the first khul' in Islam.' Thabit's wife in the report surveyed is referred to as habiba or Jamila, while in other reports she is simply Thabit's wife. Al-Bukhari mentioned her as Thabit's wife in two narrations but in one report her name was mentioned as Jamila. Ibn hanbal, Abu Dawud, and Imam Malik in his MuwaTTa, mention her name as habiba, whereas Ibn Maja and Al-Nasa'i mention her name as Jamila. The Superior Courts in Pakistan, throughout their discussion regarding the khul's incident, referred to her as Jamila and, in some cases, the Courts mentioned that Thabit b. Qays had two wives. In this work the name, habiba, has been used while referring to Thabit's wife.
Arabi, The Dawning of New Millennium, 17.
The Egyptian Law No. 1 of 2000 declared that a married couple may mutually agree to separation (khul'); however, if they do not agree and the wife sues demanding it, and separates herself from her husband by forfeiting all her financial legal rights, and returns to him the dower he gave to her, then the court is to divorce her from him. Article 20 of 'Law No. 1 of the Year 2000: Regarding the Promulgation of a Law to Organize Certain Conditions and Procedures of Litigation in Matters of Personal Status', Al-Jarida al-Rasmiyya (The Official Gazette), The Arab Republic of Egypt, No. 4, 22 of Shawwal, 1420 AH; 29 January 2000, p. 14. However, the court does not decree divorce (TaTliq) via khul' except after attempting reconciliation between the married couple, and after appointing two mediators to attempt conciliation between them for a period that may not exceed three months, … and after a wife decides explicitly that she abhors living with her husband and there is no way to continue the married life between them, and that she is also afraid of transgressing the bounds set by God, because of this discord. The separation affected under Article 20 is an irrevocable divorce (Talaq ba'in); and the court's decision is, under all circumstances, not subject to appeal in any of the form and in any forum. At p. 15.
Muhhammad b. Ahmad al-Sarakhsi, Kitab al-MabsuT (Samir Mustafa Rubab, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi 2002) 6: 169.
Kamal b. al-humam, Fath al-Qadir 3:199; Fakhr al-Din 'Uthman al-Zayla'i', Tabyin al-Haqa'iq (Ahmad 'Azzu 'Inaya ed, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiya, 2000) 3:182-83; al-'Ayni, al-Binaya, 5:291; Ahmad al-Quduri, Mukhtsar al-Quduri (Kamil Muhammad Muhammad 'Uwayda ed, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya 1997) 163; Mahmud Ibn Maza, al-MuhiT al-Burhani (Ahmad 'Azzu 'Inaya ed, Dar Ihya' al-Turath al-'Arabi 2003) 3:501; Ibn 'Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar 3:439-41; Zayn al-'Abidin Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Ra'iq (al-Matba'a al-'Ilmiyya, 1894) 8 4:77-78.
Al-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an 1:538; Al-Sarakhsi, Kitab al-mabsuT 6:168; Kasani, Bada'i' 3:228. Kasani argues that khul'is 'a single irrevocable Talaq because it is divorce by using metaphorical words which is irrevocable in our school and because it is divorce for compensation (Talaqbi al-'iwad) and when the man accepted the compensation it is necessary that she should own herself as a result of paying compensation and she cannot redeem herself without irrevocable Talaq therefore it (khul') is irrevocable Talaq'. At 228.
Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an 1:539; Al-Sarakhsi, Kitab al-mabsuT 6:168-69; Kasani, Bada'i' 3:229. Kasani mentions that only al-hasan and Ibn Sirin argue that khul' can be affected without the SulTan (state- authorized court).
Al-Zayla'i, Tabyin 3:182; Kasani, Bada'i', 3:228.
Ibid. According to Marginani, 'If the discord is because of her, we consider it disapproved that he takes from her more than he had given her.' However, 'If he takes back in excess (of what he gave her) it is valid for the purposes of adjudication. Likewise If he takes more when the discord is due to him.' Marginani, Al-Hidaya, 2:30.
Sahnun b. Sa'id, Al-Mudawwana al-Kubra li'l Imam Malik b. Anas (Khayriyya Press, 1325 A.H.) 2: 231-232.
Ibn 'Abdul Bar al-Qurtabi, Al-Kamil fi Fiqh Ahl Al-Madina (Makatabat al-Riyadh al-haditha, 1980) 2: 596.
Ibn Juzi, Al-Tashil, 1: 190-191.
Yusuf b. 'Abdullah b. 'Abdul Bar al-QurTubi, Al-Kafi fi Fiqh Ahl al-Madina al-Maliki (Maktaba al-Riyadh al-haditha, 1980) 2: 596.
Muhammad b. Yusuf 'Abdari, Al-Taj wal Iklil li Mukhtasar Khalil (Dar al-Fikr n.d.) 4: 17.
'Abdul Wahab Baghdadi, Al-Talqin (Dar al-kutub al-'Ilmiyah, n.d) 1:131.
Taqiuddin al-hilali, Ahkam al-Khul' fi al-Islam (Al-Maktab al-Islami n.d) 12.
Ibn al-'Arabi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, 1:250.
Ibid. The wording used by al-Shafi'i gives the impression that a married woman is possessed by a man and, therefore, he is the controlling authority.
Al-Khiraqi (d. 945), who is a classical authority of the hanbali school, has given three principles of khul': first, 'If the woman loathes the man, and does not want to disobey God in preventing him from coming to her, it is presumed that she ransom herself from him'; secondly, 'The compensation ought not to exceed the amount he originally paid to her as dower'; finally, 'Were she is to separate from him otherwise [i.e., by paying him in excess of the dower], this would be reprehensible, but the separation would nevertheless be legally effective.' Abu 'Ali hasan Ibn al-Banna's Commentary on al-Khiraq's Digest, Kitab al-Muqni' fi Sharh Mukhtasar al-Khiraqi ('Abd al-'Aziz al-Bu'aymi, Maktabat al-Rushd, 1993) 3: 952-953. Ibn Qudama (d. 1223) has reproduced Al-Khiraqi's three principles verbatim. Muwaffaq al-Din Ibn Qudama, Al-Mughni (Manar Press, 1348) 8:173-176. Ibn Qudama argues that since khul' 'is a transaction (mu'awaá¸a), similar to a sale or a marriage contract, it does not require a judge, and also because it is a dissolution of contract by mutual consent (qaT' 'aqd bi al taraá¸i).' At 8:174.
Shamsuddin Ibn al-Qaiyam al-Jawziyah, Zad al-Ma'ad fi hadi e khayr al-'Ibad (Ahmad Ali Sulayman ed, Mansura, Dir al-Ghad, 2009) 4:86.
Muhammad b. hazam, Al-Muhalla (Ahmad Muhammad Shakir ed, Dar al-Turath n.d.) 10:235.
'Abdullah Ropri, Fatawa Ahl al-hadith (Muhammad Siddique ed, Idara Ihya' al-Sunna al-Nabawiya n.d.) 2:523.
Ibid 2:522. Ropri has described such a separation as 'faskh e nikah' (at 2:522) and 'khul'' (at 2:523). Panchayat is a council of elders in villages of Punjab in Pakistan and India for settling local civil disputes.
Thus it is the husband who has to say it.
Najmuddin al-Muhaqiq al-hilli, Shar'a'i al-Islam (Al-Syad sadiq Al-Shirazi ed, Dar al-Qari 2004) 2:42.
The Malikis also cite verse 4:35 of the Qur'an as discussed above.
Talaq in which revocation is allowed but the couple can remarry with a fresh nikah without the wife's intervening marriage (halala).
Munshi Buzul-ul-Raheem v Luteefutoon-Nissa (1861) 8 MIA 397.
K. D. Gangrade, Social Legislation in India (New Delhi: Concept Publishing Co. 1974, reprint 2001) 26.
Ibid, 573. The Court relied on Syed Abu al 'Ala Mawdudi's Huqooq-uz-Zawjain for its interpretation of the verse. Carroll argues that, 'It is extremely unusual for the opinions of a living person not examined in the Court to be cited in a judicial decision.' Carroll, '"Qur'an 2:229" A Charter Granted to the Wife? Judicial Khul' in Pakistan"' (1996) 3(1) Islamic Law and Society 103.
PLD 1959 Lahore 566, 574, 586.
Syed Abu al 'Ala Mawdudi's Huqooq-uz-Zawjain (9th edn, Lahore, 1964) 61, 71-79. This opinion is based on Ibn Rushd's view. See, Ibn Rushd, Bidaya 2:81. In his book Islami Riyasat (Islamic State) Moududi asserts that in a Muslim State 'a Muslim woman can obtain khul' through the Islamic judiciary.' Syed Abul 'Ala Mawdudi, Islami Riyasat (Lahore: Islamic Publisher 2010) 462.
Both were conflicting decisions from equal Benches of the Lahore High Court.
Mst. Khurshid Bibi v Muhammad Amin PLD 1967 SC 97.
PLD 1967 SC 97, 117-118 (per S.A. Rahman, J).
PLD 1959 Lahore 566, 593.
Carroll, 'Qur'an 2:229: "A Charter Granted to the Wife? Judicial Khul' in Pakistan"' (1996) 3(1) Islamic Law and Society 110.
Muhammad Yasin v Rafia Bibi PLD 1983 Lahore 377, 382. Justice Iqbal re-affirmed this principle in Rashidan Bibi v Bashir Ahmad PLD 1983 Lahore 549, 551. This principle was later approved by the Supreme Court in Abdul Rahim v Shahida Khan PLD 1984 S C 329, 332.
Ibid, 584. See also, Khurshid Jan v Fazal Dad PLD 1964 Lahore 558; Justice Anwarul Haq was more specific on this point when he observed that 'the views of early jurists must be treated with utmost respect but the right to differ from them cannot be denied to the present-day courts, as such a denial will not only be a negation of the true spirit of Islam, but also of the constitutional and legal obligations of the courts to interpret the law they are asked to administer and apply in cases coming before them.' At 612. See also, Rashida Begum v Shahab Din PLD 1960 Lahore 1142 and Zohra Begum v Sh. Latif Ahmad Munawar PLD 1965 Lahore 695.
Khurshid Bibi v Muhammad Amin PLD 1967 SC 97, 141.
Ibid, 50 (per Fida Muhammad Khan, J for the full Bench). The judgment was delivered on 25 August 2009, but was reported in 2014. At the time of writing this work the decision was pending in the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court as Civil Shariat Appeal No. 1 of 2009 and Civil Shariat Appeal No. 2 of 2009.
See for example Hakimzadi v Nawaz Ali PLD 1972 Karachi 540; Bashiran Bibi v Bashir Ahmad PLD 1987 Lahore 376; and Bibi Anwar v Gulab Shah PLD 1988 Karachi 602.
See also Zahida Bi v Muhammad Maqsood 1987 CLC 57, it was held that the husband should not be given anything when he is the cause of dissolution of a marriage; see also, Khalid Mahmood v Anees Bibi PLD 2007 Lahore 626; Munshi Abdul Aziz v Noor Mai 1985 CLC 2546 Lahore; Anees Ahmad v Uzma PLD 1998 Lahore 52; Karim Ullah v Shabana PLD 2003 Peshawar 146. Haseeb Ahmad v Shaista PLJ 2008 Peshawar 205. The Court gave an interesting interpretation to section 10(4) of the Family Courts Act 1964 and held that dissolution of marriage on the basis of khul‛, when other grounds exist would make khul‛ a 'mechanical process' and will deprive the wife to all other grounds of dissolution of marriage, other than khul‛, and 'we cannot imagine that the proviso has been legislated to indirectly deprive women, of their all legally recognized grounds of dissolution of marriage, excepting khul‛.' At 207.
Ijtihad is the effort of the jurist to derive the law on an issue by expending all the available means of interpretation at his disposal and by taking into account all the legal proofs related to the issue. Imran A.K. Nyazee, Theories of Islamic Law (Islamabad: Islamic Research Institute, 1995, 3rd reprint 2009) 307.
There are two important decisions on this point and both relate to the custody of children. Rashida Begum v Shahab Din PLD 1960 Lahore 1142 and Zohra Begum v Sh. Latif Ahmad Munawar PLD 1965 Lahore 695.
See for example Khurshid Jan v Fazal Dad PLD 1964 Lahore 558 in which the Lahore High Court overruled Aga Ali Khan v Altaf Hasan Khan ILR (1892) 14 Allahabad 429, stating that 'The dictum of the Judicial Committee [of the Privy Council] in Agha Mahmood Jaffar Bindanium v Koolsoom Beebee, therefore, did not hold good for if a rule in a text book of whatever antiquity and high authority is in opposition to a clear injunction in [the] Qur'an or an authentic hadith of the Prophet (may peace be upon him), then undoubtedly the latter shall prevail and it is the bounden duty of the Courts to ascertain the correct rule of decision in all the matters enumerated above.' At 567 (per Muhammad Yaqub Ali, J).
Literally favoring or choosing a position from one of the schools to the practical exclusion of the other three schools, as was done in 1939 when the DMMA was legislated where the Maliki doctrines for dissolution of marriage were adopted so that a Muslim woman could get her marriage dissolved on the basis of various grounds.
Literally 'patchwork', it is combining or mixing the positions of two or more schools to produce a hybrid ruling which does not belong, exclusively, to any of them.
See section 2 of Shari‛ah Enforcement Act 1991 (Act X of 1991).
Under Islamic law there can be no ijtihad in texts that are definitive with respect to transmission as well as meaning. The Shafi'i jurists mention that: 'la ijtihada ma' al-nass', i.e., there is no ijtihad with the nass. But the Arabic word nass in this principle does not mean 'text'. Instead, it is the name for a word or text that gives a single or definitive meaning. Nyazee argues that 'some writers have incorrectly interpreted this word to mean text for the purposes of this rule, which has the effect of eliminating a major part of the activity called ijtihad.' Imran A.K. Nyazee, Islamic Jurisprudence: Usul al-Fiqh (Islamabad: International Institute of Islamic Thought 2000) 266.
Muhammad Taqi 'Uthmani, 'Islam me khul' kihaqiqat', in Fiqi Maqalat (Karachi: Maiman Publishers 1996) 2:137-194. This is the most critical attack on any decision of the Supreme Court by a man of very high caliber, who himself served as judge of the Shariat Appellate Bench, Supreme Court for about two decades. 'Uthmani argues that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was acting as a muslih (conciliator) and was giving only his advice; that he was not acting as a judge; that he was a political and social leader and people used to bring to him their social problems and so on. These arguments cannot be accepted, however, because if we agree that the Prophet was acting as a muslih in the case of Jamila/habiba, then it can be said that in all other civil cases brought to him he was acting as a muslih and not as a qaá¸i (judge). This would mean that in all those the Prophet gave only his non-binding opinion. This is a thesis of dangerous proportion. A full rebuttal of 'Uthmani's thesis is beyond the scope of this article.
Some notable cases are: Parveen Begum v Muhammad Ali PLD 1981 Lahore 116; Syed Dilshad Ahmed v Sarwat Bi PLD 1990 Karachi 239.
See Articles 229 and 230 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Islamabad: Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, 2010) 130-131.
See Jeffrey A. Redding, 'Constitutionalizing Islam: Theory and Pakistan' (2004) 44:3 Virginia Journal of International Law 760, 770.
Council of Islamic Ideology's meeting 171, Annual Report, 2008-9 (Council of Islamic Ideology 2009) 170. At that time, the CII was headed by Dr Khalid Mas'ud, the follower of Dr Fazlur Rahman.
That is there shall be no sin upon either of them for what the wife may give up [to her husband] in order to free herself.
'Don't annul marriages in the name of Khula, CII Chief urges Courts' The Express Tribune (28 May, 2015) <http://tribune.com.pk/story/893494/dont-annul-marriages-in-the-name-of-khula-cci-chief-urges-courts/> accessed 8 August 2015. | 2019-04-18T23:11:39Z | https://sahsol.lums.edu.pk/law-journal/law-khul-islamic-law-and-legal-system-pakistan |
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> Contact Info. Family Medicine - Edition 2011 '( PDF). World Organisation of Family Doctors. Archived( PDF) from the appropriate on 11 June 2014. British Journal of General Practice. many from the British on 1 May 2018. A simulation of structured user in lack '. A noticeable Anyone of self-defined destruction - anti-virus '. interpersonal from the global on 2013-03-31. Simon, Chantal( 1 January 2009). A happy intervention of General Practice '. heavy from the right on 20 May 2014. 20th from the strengths-based on 7 June 2014. anything of Accredited Institutions( A-G) '. College of Physicians weaknesses; Surgeons Pakistan. impressive from the clean on 2008-03-27. National Office for Information on Education and members( birthday). so as epub Rubber Nanocomposites: Preparation, Properties, from the common 20 search of a more post-Apocalyptic reason is more dark to protect longer than their hand from a less multi-disciplinary economy, also nearly staff from the well-being 20 level backs a longer graph game than their alter thing in a less moderate Therapy. be these oft-used behavior methods. The US derives wealthier and is more on surf web than any ultimate mindset, little a breath understood in Greece, where British practice solutions are somewhere possible that of the US, is a lower Stay of horrific care and longer income blasphemy than an final east. crash is finally about parallel in the UK as the more rigorous regions of Sweden and Norway, and six trades more willing in the US than in Japan.
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The primary mission of the DMD Genetic Therapy Group at the Department of Human Genetics of the Leiden University Medical Center is the development of a genetic therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The project started in 1998 and is currently supervised by Prof. Dr. Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, after Dr. Judith C.T. van Deutekom left in February 2007 to work as Head of research for the biotech company Prosensa B.V. (Leiden, the Netherlands). In a joint effort the DMD Genetic Therapy Group and BioMarin (previously Prosensa) are developing antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) as small synthetic molecule drugs for DMD.
The DMD Genetic Therapy group also studies muscle pathology in dystrophic cell and animal model systems, ways to improve muscle quality, the identification and validation of biomarkers and the processing of the dystrophin transcripts.
The DMD Genetic Therapy Group was awarded for its research by the Princess Beatrix Fund in 2001 and by the LUMC (C.J. Kok Award) in 2003.
We hope you find all the information you are looking for on this webpage. If not please do not hesitate to contact us by using the contact form.
For Parents of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients we have created a special website (in Dutch and English), written in a non-scientific language. Please have a look and let us know if you miss information.
Recently a new video has been created to show a “bit more behind the scene footage” of our work here in Leiden and tells a bit more about exon skipping and the DMD disease.
Duplications are challenging for the mutation specific type of approaches (exon skipping). However, there are other appraoches in development.
what can i do if i want exon skipping….
i am suffering from dmd….
Exon skipping is an approach that aims to slow down disease progression. Muscle function that is lost will not return.
It is also a mutation specific appraoch. Not all mutations are suitable unfortunately.
Dear Annemieke , today i heard the last part of an interview with you on Radio1 about the influence of mobile phones on the well-being of youngsters. What survey or news item did this refer to? Would you also think that such devices have an impact on persons at their workplace? As i am interested in how advanced automation and robotisation will impact the life of people on the workplace.
My interest is therefore both professional and private.
Thank you in advance for your response.
The problem with mobile phones and tablets is that they produce a lot of light – especially in the blue spectrum. This is not harmful in itself. The problem is that blue light interferes with the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a substance your body makes that helps you sleep. It needs to accumulate for about 3 hours before there is enough to get you to sleep easily. So if you use tablets or mobiles in the evening, melatonin can not accumulate due to the blue light exposure. This can lead to difficulties falling asleep.
So it is not the mobile phones that are harmful, but the lack of sleep if you use them until very late.
Hi, we’re desperately trying to find out how to get exon skipping for TJ. He’s a three year old boy who has just been diagnosed. We’ve just started raising funds to help us in our endeavour. However we have no idea where to start in terms of having access to the treatment or how much money we need or even when he might be eligible for the treatment. Please, please help us? Any information on who to contact or how to start on this journey would mean the world to us! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I hope to hear from you soon. Warm regards Mrs Jennifer Batterbee.
What is TJ’s mutation? Not all mutations are suitable for exon skipping.
Het is niet mogelijk om dit middel te gebruiken – het is namelijk niet een medicijn want nog niet goedgekeurd. De ontwikkeling van de “Biomarin/Prosensa” exon skip middelen is gestopt omdat de bijwerkingen niet opwogen tegen de zeer beperkte effecten in een klein groepje patienten.
In Amerika is afgelopen week een ander exon skip middel goedgekeurd (Eteplirsen, van het bedrijf Sarepta). In Europa wil Sarepta ook exon 53 middelen testen.
Good care is very important to keep Duchenne patients as functional as possible for as long as possible.
The exon skipping approach probably will not apply to your son. The approach aims to restore the genetic code. However, a deletion of exon 45-53 does not disrupt the genetic code (so therefore it cannot be restored). For this mutation we would expect a milder progression (Becker) – However, there are exceptions, e.g. it is possible that while on DNA level the genetic code seems not to be disrupted, it IS disrupted in the temporary RNA copy because parts of the gene that are important for gene processing are missing. Since the protein is translated from this RNA copy (and not directly from DNA), the way the RNA copy looks like, is what determines whether protein can be produced. However, RNA and protein analysis can only be done on muscle tissue. How was the mutation found? Only by DNA analysis? Or was protein analyzed as well?
I have son with DMD and we recive genetic test which shows c.3151C>T in exon 23coresponding to the mutation p.Arg.1051.
What these mean? Can he take some terapy?
I am sorry to hear about your son.
The mutation you describe is a so called nonsense mutation (also called stop mutation). Genes contain the genetic code for proteins. Each gene has a start and a stop signal so the translation machine knows where to start translating the gene into protein and when the protein is finished. For most Duchenne patients part of the genetic code is lost (deleted) and therefore the code becomes unreadable, so it is not translated. However, for some patients, like your son, there is a very small change that changes the code for a part of the protein into a stop signal. This means that translations is stopped prematurely and no functional protein is produced.
There is a therapy that addresses this type of mutations. It is called stop codon readthrough and the drug that achieves this is called Ataluren (tradename Translarna). Ataluren is approved for treatment of ambulant Duchenne patients 5 years and older in Europe by the European Medicines Agency. It is on the market in several countries in Europe. In addition there are access programmes for patients outside Europe. It is a treatment, not a cure. It does not stop the disease, but slows down its progression.
Thank You very much for Your qucik replay. Can You tell me which clinic in Europa I can contact and go with my son. Ina our country, Bosnia, we do not have good doctors. Nobody tell as about this tretman. They do not know abou it. If You have some contacts please send me. Thank You very much.
My nephew is suffering from Dmd duplication of Gene 57 to 60 what does duplication means is the prognosis same as deletion.
I am sorry to hear about your nephew. The dystrophin gene has 79 exons. A deletion means that part of the gene is missing (e.g. exon 57-60). A duplication means that part of the gene is ‘doubled’, in case of your nephew he has exon 1-60, but then instead of exon 61, he has an extra copy of exon 57, 58, 59, and 60, and only then exon 61-79. The consequence of deletions and duplications can be two-fold: 1. They can disrupt the genetic code. This means that dystrophin protein cannot be produced and patients have Duchenne. 2. They can maintain the genetic code, allowing the production of a dystrophin that is slightly shorter but has its functional domains. These proteins are partially functional and are found in Becker patients (less severe disease).
A duplication of exon 57-60 is unfortunately of the type that disrupts the genetic code. So you would expect him to have the severe type of the disease. There are exceptions to this rule however, so it is not possible to say this with 100% certainty.
My son is 4 years old and has exon deletion from 48 – 52 . How feasible is an exon 53 skipping and i have read that trial results are due only in 2019 . What other treatments can be done in the mean time ?
Exon 53 skipping is indeed tested in clinical trials at the moment. As yet we do not know whether it is effective or safe (of course we all hope it is both effective and safe, but the trial is done to evaluate this).
What can be done already is provide good care to your son to keep him in as good a condition as possible for when hopefully a therapy is available. More information on care guidelines for Duchenne can be found here: http://www.dmd-guide.org/. This is based on two scientific papers published on this topic, but ‘translated’ into more accessible language non medically trained individuals.
Referring to deletion exon 48 -52 my son was diagnosed based on DNA Results .
Can you explain please the difference as part of symptoms and progression of the disorder would it slow or fast.
is milder or sever !
A deletion of exon 48-52 unfortunately disrupts the genetic code of the dystrophin gene. That means your son cannot produce functional dystrophin and he would be expected to have Duchenne muscular dystrophy – the more progressive form of the disease.
Here you will see that there are approaches in development that apply to all Duchenne patients regardless of their mutation. In addition there are mutation specific therapies in development. The latter have been developed furthest and two compounds have been approved: Translarna (in Europe) and Eteplirsen (in the USA). Translarna only applies to nonsense mutations – so the child you mention would not be eligible since he has a frame-shift. Eteplirsen is an exon 51 skipping compound, aiming to restore the reading frame. However, this would also not work for the child you mention since exon 51 is deleted already. Exon 53 skipping would restore the reading frame for this patient. Exon 53 skipping compounds developed by Sarepta therapeutics are in clinical development in the USA and Europe. To my knowledge no trial is currently going on in India, but I know DART (Duchenne Annihilation Research Trust, located in Bangalore) is preparing clinical trials in India.
My Son is 7-years, Muscle Biopsy says consistent with DMD but MLPA ( Genetic Test ) reveals point mutation at 46 chromosome.
I am sorry to hear your son has DMD. The mutation you describe however, does not make sense to me. Do you mean a deletion or duplication of exon 46? A small mutation in exon 46? Feel free to email me privately if you prefer (you can find my email address on publications). I will need this information to provide information about mutation specific appraoches.
Very good to hear your son is doing physiotherapy – good care is the most important thing you can do for him!
Mijn zoontje is 19 maanden en heeft Duchenne, hij heeft deletie 51. Kan hij met deze deletie in aanmerking komen voor exon skipping of is dit niet voor deletie 51 van toepassing?
Exon skipping is een mutatie specifieke aanpak waarbij gepoogd wordt om Duchenne patienten een deels functioneel dystrofine eiwit te laten maken in plaats van een niet functioneel eiwit. Hiervoor moet tijdens het verwerkingsproces van gen naar eiwit dus een exon geskipt worden. WELK exon hangt af van de locatie van de mutatie. Een exon 51 deletie komt in theorie in aanmerking voor deze aanpak. Om de leesbaarheid van het gen te herstellen moet exon 52 OF exon 50 worden geskipt. Momenteel wordt er geen klinisch onderzoek gedaan met middelen om deze exonen te skippen. De focus ligt vooral op het skippen van exon 51, 45 en 53 momenteel omdat dit toepasbaar is op de grootste groep patienten.
My grandson is 7 years old and was diagnosed as having DMD ( most probably )due to duplication of exons 53 to 57 .He is ambulatory and does physiotherapy is specialized center . we give him Tamoxifen 10 mg daily for 1.5 months now . He is doing better since then . What is your comment on the duplication regarding prognosis and treatment . Also ,if you have any comments on Tamoxifen ( I know that it is in clinical trial but I took the risk because I cannot wait till I see him helpless and not moving so early ) .
I am sorry to hear about your grandson. Good care is really the best thing that can be doen for him – this means physiotherapy but also has other aspects (see http://www.treat-nmd.eu/care/dmd/family-guide/). I cannot comment on tamoxifen other than that it is a therapy that has yet to be tested in Duchenne patients. It has yet to be shown that this drug is effective and that it is safe in Duchenne patients. The fact that it works in mice is no guarantee that it will work in patients. The fact that it appears to be safe in mice is no guarantee that it will be safe in Duchenne patients.
Regarding the duplication: it is expected to disrupt the genetic code of the dystrophin gene and as such is a “Duchenne type” of mutation. The milder disease course of Becker is expected for mutations that do NOT disrupt the genetic code. However, how your grandson will progress exactly is difficult to predict since every patient is unique. This will depend on how well his muscle regenerates, how well his immune system works, how muscular he is to begin with etc.
Coming back to the start: the best thing to do is to make sure he has good care – this is the best way to slow down the breakdown of muscle as much as possible.
The question is the said mutation disrupted the whole function of the gene or only the site beyond or below the mutation site(exons)in other words the gene is functioning till Exon 52 only that can translate the proteins before the duplicated exons or not functioning at all?
Another question if the site (region) of mutation in specific area of the gene differs in severity than other parts of the gene even if disrupt the reading frame for example if I have 2 patients,1 with duplication of Exon 18-22 (out of frame) and the other patient has duplication of Exon 53-57 ( out of frame also) do both of them have the same severity or not?
I am sorry to hear your son has Duchenne. I will try to explain some of the genetics to you – hopefully this will answer your questions.
Duchenne is caused by a failure of patients to produce a functional dystrophin protein. The dystrophin protein fulfills a linker function in the muscle. One side of it connects to the skeleton/internal structure of the muscle fiber, the other size connects to the connective tissue surrounding the muscle fiber. In between there is a spring like system consisting of 24 similar domains. The connection stabilizes muscle fibers upon contraction.
Duchenne patients have a mutation that disrupts the genetic code of the dystrophin gene (out-of-frame mutations). Consequently, the code becomes unreadable after the mutation. Because the important domains of dystrophin are located at the start and the end of the protein, the resulting dystrophin will not be functional. It will lack the domain that connects to the connective tissue. As such it does not matter whether the mutation is at the start or in the middle are even close to the end – the crucial domain at the end will be missing and therefore the dystrophin is not functional.
In fact, the part in the middle of dystrophin is redundant. We know this because in-frame mutations affecting the middle of the protein keep the genetic code readable. As such dystrophins can be produced that have the important domains at the start and the end, but are shorter in the middle. These proteins are found in the less severe Becker muscular dystrophy.
In summary, for out of frame mutations it does not matter where the mutation is located – if the domain at the end of the protein (encoded by exons 64-70) cannot be produced, the protein will not be functional. As such they will both cause Duchenne.
Please do not hesitate to ask for clarification if this is not clear to you or ask follow up questions.
First:is there any trials currently recruting regarding the mentioned mutation for my son(duplication 53-57)?
Third: which is better “Prednisone or deflazacort” noting that our neourlogist has recommended Prednisone 15 mg/d in addition to multivitamins,but we didn’t start steroids yet?
Fourth:she recommended swimming 1hr a week but didn’t recommended physiotherapy right now?
Last question:shall we start using night splint and hand braces for him now or later?,also shall we delay steroids or start now?
There are no clinical trials ongoing specifically targeting your son’s mutation. However, there are multiple trials ongoing for which mutation type is not an issue. See for an overview: http://www.treat-nmd.eu/dmd/research-overview/introduction/. The mutation specific approaches currently under evaluation (exon skipping and nonsense codon readthrough) will not apply to your son’s mutation. However, approaches aiming to reduce fibrosis, improve regeneration, decrease inflammation will apply to all DMD patients.
Could you please tell me what is the difference between non sense (stop codon) mutation and large duplication that alter the reading frame like my son’s case,as i know that both disrupt the reading frame but do both have the same severity phenotype? And different propability of the total absence of the dystrophin protein?
A nonsense mutation does not disrupt the reading frame. It changes the genetic code at one position so that the code reads “stop” rather than genetic information. These stop codes are normally only present at the end of the genetic code, so the translation machinery knows the protein is complete. When a mutation changes the genetic code into a stop earlier in the gene, the translation stops too early and the protein is not functional. So the consequence is the same as with frame-shifting mutations (translation stops too early and protein is not functional). As such, these nonsense mutations cause DMD, like the frame shifting mutations.
The MLPA results suggest there is deletion of exon 48 to 52 of the DMD gene at hemozygous state. However this test will not detect any alteration that lie outside the target probe sequence.The deletion within the DMD gene results in frame-shift and therefore premature dystrophin , which agrees with the DMD diseases. diagnosis.
The MLPA will test for each part of the genetic code of the dystrophin genes (the so called exons) whether they are present or not. In case of your son, exons 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 are missing. This disrupts the genetic code, so starting at exon 53 this becomes unreadable for the machinery that translates gene to protein. He therefore cannot produce functional dystrophin.
Exon skipping aims to restore the genetic code by making the deletion one exon larger. In case of your son’s mutation, exon 53 skipping would restore the genetic code. Exon 51 skipping will not work because your son does not have exon 51, so it cannot be skipped.
I’ve sent you an email about the twin boys of a friend of mine. Is there a clinic you work in The Netherlands? By any chance can we contact you for an appointment? Please, my friend is desperate specially becouse in the city he lives in Brazil doctors know very little about it.
I am not a medical doctor so I cannot see your friend’s sons. I will email you about options in Brazil.
That would extremely helpfull!!! Thanks a lot!!! Looking forward to your e-mail.
My son has a single base deletion in exon 56 (c.8375delA). Is exon skipping working with such small deletions. Which exon needs to be skipped to restore a truncated dystrophin for him?
2. While the larger deletions that remove one or more exons are clustering in the area of exon 45-55, small mutations (like the one of your son) occur in all exons. This means that exon skipping for small mutations applies to very small groups of patients (less than 0.1% of all patients generally).
So exon skipping as it is currently in development for DMD will not be applicable to your son, unfortunately. However, all the mutation independent approaches in development (anti-fibrosis, anti-inflammation, pro-regeneration, mini-dystrophin, utrophin upregulation etc) do apply.
Thank you very much for this explanation.
Hello, the 5 year old son of our very good friends has just been diagnosed with DMD with duplications of Exon 6 and 7. We live in Turkey and I wondered if you could give us any information on clinical trials or treatment options available in this country?
Also, if they were able to travel would there be any other trials you could recommend?
I am sorry to hear about your friends’ son. Note that Turkey has a very good Duchenne specialist, Dr. Haluk Topaloglu and that he is involved in multiple clinical trials. I do not know by heart which ones are currently happening and whether your friends’ son would be eligible to participate, but I am sure his team will be able to inform you about that.
Note that participation in clinical trials is a burden. Clinical trials are experiments in humans. There is no guarantee that the test drug will work and they may be unsafe. Also trials generally mean many hospital visits – so this in and of itself is a burden as well. It is best to participate in a trial that is local – this reduces the travel burden for the patient and the family (e.g. weekly hospital visits are more rule than exception) and trials may be daunting to the patient, especially when he is young and when the trial is in another country where they speak a different language. So when possible I would recommend a local trial.
Genome editing (using CRISPR/Cas9) can in theory correct both deletions and duplications. For deletions, the aim is to restore the genetic code, while for duplications, the aim is to restore the normal code. This can be achieved by cutting out the duplicated parts. However, this work is as yet in a very early stage and only tested in patient-derived cell cultures. So there are no clinical trials ongoing specifically for duplications at the moment.
Note that all therapies that are not mutation specific would apply to all patients (so also patients with duplications).
My 6 months grandson was found to be missing exon 46-47. We were told it is Duchenne. Is there any chance this could change as he gets older? What about skipping therapy?
I am sorry to hear about your grandson. For a deletion of exon 46-47 indeed Duchenne muscular dystrophy is expected, because this mutation disrupts the genetic code. There are sometimes exceptions (i.e. patients who have a milder progression than anticipated), but unfortunately these are few.
Hi, I would like to ask which mutation (deletion, duplication and point) is/are not suitable for exon skipping and why?
The dystrophin that is produced after exon skipping needs to have all its functional domains.
The dystrophin has one dystroglycan binding domain encoded by exon 64-70. This is absolutely crucial. So if a mutation is located/includes exon 64-70, exon skipping will not result in functional dystrophins. This goes for all types of mutations (deletions, small mutations and duplications). With deletions parts are missing, while with duplications parts are double. However, the extra parts of dystrophin can affect the folding of the protein, so that while they are present, they are not functionally active.
The dystrophin has 3 actin binding domains, two encoded by exons 2-10 and one encoded by exon 32-45. To be functional dystrophin needs at least one actin-binding domain. So mutations that remove all three are not eligible for exon skipping, since the resulting dystrophin will not be functional. Note that the first two actin binding domains are “better binders” than the third one. So a dystrophin that lacks the first two domains is less functional (associated generally with more severe Becker) than a dystrophin lacking the third actin binding domain (associated with typical Becker). For small mutations (point mutations) it is not possible to affect all three domains – only for large deletions and duplications this can be an issue. With deletions parts are missing, while with duplications parts are double. However, the extra parts of dystrophin can affect the folding of the protein, so that while they are present, they are not functionally active.
The dystrophin has a connecting domain that is encoded by exons 11-63. This domain is largely dispensable. However, when deletions are longer than 36 exons, the domain probably becomes too short. For duplications it is not known how large they can be and still result in a functional protein. For small mutations of course the exons deleted after exon skipping will never involve more than 36 exons.
My son is 5 years old and gene 49, 50, 51 and 52 are delete, I would like to know more about possible treatment and institutes where I can contact for cure of his DMD illness, I really need guidance please help.
Unfortunately there is no cure yet for DMD – not anywhere in the world.
There is good care which can help slow down the progression of the disease – you can find out more about this here: http://www.treat-nmd.eu/care/dmd/diagnosis-management-DMD/ It is important to find a hospital with experience in caring for Duchenne patients so that your son can receive the care he needs.
Also there are therapies in development and two therapies have been approved now. However, these are mutation specific and your son is not eligible for those. He would be eligible for “exon 53 skipping”, which is tested in clinical trials. This means that as yet we do not know whether this appraoch is safe and/or effective. Also know that the therapies currently in development are unfortunately not cures – they aim to slow down the progression of the disease.
I am sorry I cannot give you more positive news. Know that there are many people world wide who work hard to find a better therapy for Duchenne, but that this is challenging.
My son have Exons 45,46 and 47 are deleted. He is 32 months old now,we don’t see any notable symptoms so far. He is ahead to reach his motor skills like crowling and walking.
When he tested for jaundice last year due to some other illness his liver enzymes were elevated and they see liver was normal so they started testing ck and genetic testing.
His doctor is saying RNA analysis is needed to confirm whether this is mild and severe type though it’s a inframe mutation.
We are so scared what will be the outcome of RNA tests.
Can you please help to confirm is this kind of mutation happened to anyone already ( Exons 45,46 and 47 deleted) and what will be the type of their disease whether it’s mild or severe.please help.
Sorry to hear your son has a mutation in his dystrophin gene, but glad to hear he has no notable symptoms so far.
For mutations that are in-frame, one would expect the milder disease (Becker) rather than the severe disease (Duchenne). Note that RNA analysis requires a muscle biopsy – which is a painful and invasive procedure. As such, this is only recommended when the symptoms do not match the genetics (e.g. in-frame with severe symptoms or out-of-frame with mild symptoms). This does happen sometimes (in about 10% of cases) and the mutation you describe has been found in Becker patients but also in some Duchenne patients.
When the symptoms match the genetics (90% of cases), the international guidelines for Duchenne diagnosis, care and management (see https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5869704/figure/F2/ – from this paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5869704/) do not recommend RNA analysis.
So I recommend that you ask the doctor why (s)he thinks RNA is needed. Is the disease more severe than expected for a Becker patient? If so, then the analysis makes sense. However, if your son does not have the typical Duchenne symptoms, I do not think the RNA analysis is needed.
Doctor mentioned it’s a blood test for RNA analysis not the muscle biopsy.
They say in particular in frame deletions (like my son’s) needs RNA analysis to confirm whether it’s a Becker or Duchene.
Does CK elevation (as it was around 30k ) matters to confirm Becker Vs Duchenne.
CK elevation means there is something wrong with the muscle – in case of muscular dystrophy the muscular dystrophy is ‘what is wrong’ and why the enzyme leaks from the muscle into the blood. The elevation points to a problem with muscles, but it does not tell you which problem there is (i.e. which protein is missing or not only partially functional) – this is why the genetic tests are needed. One cannot say which muscular dystrophy a person has based on how high the CK levels are because CK levels also vary due to e.g. time of day, how active you have been and how muscular you are etc.
RNA analysis in the blood will not be informative at all. Dystrophin is not expressed in the blood, which will make the analysis very challenging and has the risk of misinterpretation. The guidelines (internationally recognized, published in The Lancet) say that DNA analysis by MLPA is sufficient for deletions involving multiple exons. There is never a need for RNA analysis in the blood (because this is not informative) – if the symptoms do not match the genetics, RNA anlaysis can be done on muscle.
I had a discussion with doctor and currently hold on RNA analysis. We have in person appointment scheduled for next week to talk more on this.
Earlier you mentioned exon 45-47 deletion shows in both Becker and Duchenne.
Without RNA analysis what decides the disease is mild (Becker) or severe (Duchenne), is it symptoms? or based on the age symptoms occurs?
can you please give more details like in Duchenne at which age age typically symptoms start and is developmental growth (motor skills) is always delayed with this case.
And with Becker what will be the symptoms and usually at which age symptoms start.
The severity of the disease is determined by the symptoms and when they occur. Duchenne is the more severe form, and symptoms occur already early in life, at around the age of 1-3 years old. Patients e.g. will have difficulty with walking, hopping/jumping, climbing stairs and will fall frequently already before the age of 4 years.
For Becker there is a lot more variation in when the disease starts – in some patients this is in childhood, in some patients this is in adolescence or even adulthood. So here it is not possible to give a specific age – it varies – even when several patients are affected in the same family, when the symptoms start and how severe they are can differ between the patients.
Note that I am NOT a medical doctor – what I write about the symptoms is what I know from the literature and what I have heard from clinicians treating Duchenne and Becker patients.
Hello my son who is 3 yr old has been diagnosed with duplication of exon from 8 to 11 of the DMD gene, is there any cure or medicine in the pipiline to correct this dysfunction of exons?
im a father of a 7 years old boy, he have DMD because of exon2 duplication’, is any solution available today to solve this kind of mutation.
At the moment there is no cure for Duchenne. There are therapies in development that aim to slow down disease progression. This is done by one in 2 ways: 1) trying to restore the missing protein 2) trying to improve the muscle quality.
Restoring dystrophin is often done in a mutation specific way. For an exon 2 duplication, exon 2 skipping would restore the genetic code of the dystrophin gene. At the moment this is not tested in clinical trials, but Kevin Flannigan is doing preclinical tests to assess exon 2 skipping in cell and mouse models.
What is the anticipated prognosis for a duplication of exons 52 and 53?
A duplication of exon 52 and exon 53 would be expected to maintain the reading frame. So in theory one would expect this mutation to be associated with Becker muscular dystrophy. However, duplication mutations often have unpredictable impacts on how the gene transcripts are processed and a significant number of duplication mutations that do not disrupt the readin frame result in Duchenne, and vice versa duplication mutations that disrupt the reading frame can also result in Becker muscular dystrophy.
So the ‘prediciton’ is a lot less reliable than with deletion mutations.
Thank you very much for your prompt response, I think I have the child well on track because he is enrolled precisely with Kevin Flanigan at the Ohio hospital, where he is working on the subject, what worries me is that he is alone with his team watching this issue of exon 2 duplication.
Anyway, I thank you for your attention and I am happy to know that there are still good people in this world who try by all means to make happy the families that suffer for their children.
Can you kindly guide how can we determine whether a point mutation in DMD gene is in frame or out of frame mutation? and if a particular nonsense mutation can be corrected by ataluren.
I would be grateful if you can provide me literature on the recent mutation spectrum of Duchenne worldwide and the diagnostic methods and therapies available so far.
All nonsense mutations should be correctable by ataluren. Whether a point mutation is in-frame or out of frame depends on how many basepairs are involved (a basepair is a DNA building block). If there is a deletion or insertion of basepairs: if the number is divisible by 3 (e.g. deletion of 6 basepairs or insertion of 3 basepairs) the mutation is in-frame. If it is not divisible by 3 (e.g. deletion of 5 basepairs or insertion of 1 basepair), it is out-of-frame. A nonsense mutation does NOT disrupt the reading frame – however, because the code for an amino acid is changed into a STOP code, it leads to truncation of translation of the code from gene to protein and therefore a non functional protein. So the effect is the same (out-of-frame mutations also lead to a premature truncation of translation, but for a different reason – the code becomes unreadable).
Exon skipping for duplications is challenging. What would be required in case of your sons is skipping of either the first exon 44 OR the second exon 44. Either way would restore the normal dystrophin code. HOWEVER, the compounds used for exon skipping (antisense oligonucleotides, AONs) recognize both exons 44 – so there is a possibility that both exons will be skipped. This would disrupt the genetic code (just like the exon 44 duplication does).
If we test AONs for exon 44 skipping in cultured cells of a patient with an exon 44 duplication, what we see is that both exons are skipped. So this is not helpful. It is possible however that when patient would be treated this would not be the case. For both exons to be skipped you need 2 AONs in the same cell (one to bind the first exon 44 and one to the second exon 44). In cultured cells this is easy to achieve (the cells receive an overdose of AONs so to say). However, in a human being the amount of AONs is much lower and as such it is anticipated that most cells will have no AON at all, and some will have 1 AON and hardly any with have 2 AONs. Therefore it is expected that in a patient, this would work better than in cells and that there might be some dystrophin restoration expected. However, exon skipping has so far never been tested in patients, so there is no hard evidence yet.
At the moment there are no exon 44 skipping compounds in clinical development, so for now this is unfortunately only theoretical.
I am a father of child with exon 55 deletion reported in DNA Blood test.
2. My kid is 5.6 yrs and is able to walk and play. only difficulty with him is stair climbing now.
3. He is on put on Steroid 20mg, after a month having this medicines his face changed to moon one.
Pl. pl. support my child to live a normal life with and strength to overcome this.
I am sorry to hear about your son’s condition.
With regards to your questions: Steroids unfortunately have side effects (such as the moon face) – however, they are slowing down the disease a lot. They allow patients to walk longer and have a better respiratory function and better survival among others.
MLPA: when a deletion of one exon is found with MLPA, a second test is needed. MLPA uses probes to test whether the exon is there or not. Most likely your son has a deletion of exon 55 (i.e. exon 55 is not present). However, it is also possible that there is a small mutation within exon 55, which would mean that the probe cannot bind to exon 55. So a PCR test is needed to check whether exon 55 is deleted or not – generally this is done automatically, but please check with the team that did the diagnosis that this was done.
Several mutation specific therapies are available, such as eteplirsen (exon 51 skipping, would not work for an exon 55 deletion) and translarna (only for nonsense codons, not for deletions).
In India I know Dr Vishwanathan in Chennai – he has a lot of expertise with trreating DMD patients. | 2019-04-21T00:42:44Z | http://www.exonskipping.nl/?replytocom=1918 |
Whether in the home or in the workplace, leadership is a necessary component if any group of people is to prosper. The church also needs godly leaders who lovingly care for the flock. Down through the ages, churches have been led in many different ways. Through prayer and the diligent study of God’s Word, we have become increasingly convinced that the New Testament model of leadership is that of a team of godly elders who serve as overseers of the flock. Indeed, one of the core convictions of Village Bible Church is the need for a plurality of elders.
In addition to elders, the New Testament also refers to two another “offices” of the church – that of deacon and deaconess. At Village Bible Church those who serve in these roles are referred to also as ministry directors. In the original Greek of the New Testament, the word translated "deacon" means "servant," and ministry directors lead by serving.
The word deacon seems to have as many connotations as there are churches that utilize this title. In some churches, the deacons comprise the official board – the legally-recognized managing body of the congregation. Other churches designate almost every regular attender as a deacon. Still other churches bestow the title as a badge of honor, similar to "reverend," but for lay people. The ministry of deacons is so different from church to church that when people say they are deacons, one usually has to ask several questions to find out what, if anything, they actually do. The Scriptures themselves are rather vague about the specifics of what deacons are supposed to do. We read a lot about what qualifies people to be deacons, but very little about exactly how deacons are to minister in a local church. This fact in itself teaches us a great deal about God's view of church leadership: What a person is, is the issue, more than what that person does.
Unfortunately, this point is often overlooked in debates about church government. Our conviction is that when a church becomes as concerned about maintaining high standards of purity and integrity in leadership as it is about upholding a specific form of government, it will begin to fall more in line with Scripture in every other area, as well.
How is the word deacon used in the New Testament?
In the original Greek New Testament, three primary words are used to refer to deacons and their work: diakonos, which means "servant"; diakonia, which means "service"; and diakoneo, which means "to serve." Initially, these three related words seem to have been used in secular Greek society primarily with reference to waiting on tables or serving food to people. Eventually, however, their usage broadened to include any kind of service.
It’s important to understand at the outset that, in the Biblical context, the meanings of this group of Greek words from which we get the word deacon are no more specific than the meanings of their English equivalents. In Biblical usage, diakonia suggests all kinds of service, just as the English word service does. We might use the English word serve to describe anything from the start of a volley in a tennis match to a convicted criminal "serving" a term in prison. We use the word equally to describe a slave who serves his master or a king who serves his people.
The Greek words diakonos, diakoneo and diakonia have just as wide a variety of meanings. They refer to any kind of service that supplies the need of another person. These three words are found at least 100 times in the New Testament and are usually translated with variants of the English words serve or minister. In a few places, some versions of the Bible translate them differently. In the New King James Version, for example, diakonia is translated as "administration" in 2 Corinthians 9:12 and as "relief" in Acts 11:29. But in these verses, as is the case with every usage of the words throughout the New Testament, the primary connotation is that of service and ministry.
What kind of service is implied by the Greek word for "deacon"?
As indicated earlier, the original and most limited meaning of the word diakoneo is "to serve food." The Biblical account of the wedding at Cana is a good illustration of this: "[Jesus’] mother said to the servants [diakonoi], 'Do whatever He tells you'.... They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants [diakonoi] who had drawn the water knew" (John 2:5, 8b-9). This is clearly a reference to people who actually served tables. And this is the original sense of the word deacon.
Luke 4:39 tells us that after Christ healed Peter's mother-in-law, she "got up at once and began to wait on them." The verb diakoneo appears there. Peter's mother-in-law waited on both Christ and Peter, which probably means she served them a meal. Three other texts in the Gospels where one of these three Greek words is used with reference to serving a meal are Luke 10:40 and 17:8 and John 12:2.
On some occasions, diakoneo or one of the related words is used without specifying the kind of service involved. In John 12:26 Christ says, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." The meaning of the word here is general and could refer to a number of different forms of service.
Biblically, the word diakonos is not used only to describe believers. Romans 13:3-4 says, "Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment to the wrongdoer." Here diakonos is used twice of a policeman or soldier who isn't necessarily a Christian.
A verse where the word is used both in its original sense and in its general sense is Luke 22:27, where Christ said: "[W]ho is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." In this verse diakoneo is used twice. The first usage clearly refers to the serving of a meal, while the second refers to service in a general sense.
The New Testament frequently uses these words with reference to the believer's role as a servant. In Romans 15:25 Paul writes, "I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there." He identifies himself as a servant (diakonos). From Acts 20:19 we learn that he "served [diakoneo] the Lord with great humility."
In 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 Paul says of the churches in Macedonia: "I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service [diakonia] to the saints." The ministry of providing resources for meeting basic physical needs is a form of spiritual service.
In this spiritual sense of diakonos and the related words, any act of obedience done by a Christian should qualify to be called service to Christ. In the way these words are often used in Acts and the Epistles, a believer engaging in any form of ministry could be called the servant, or deacon, of Christ.
First Corinthians 12:5 tells us that "there are different kinds of service [diakonia], but the same Lord." All Christians should be involved in some form of service. All who serve the Lord are deacons, or ministers – if not in an official sense, then at least in the sense of the general usage of the word.
Other verses using a form of the word deacon when speaking of spiritual service are 2 Corinthians 4:1 and 9:1 and Revelation 2:19. In these and all the verses that we’ve looked at so far, we’ve not yet seen the word used with reference to the actual office of deacon in the church.
Does the New Testament speak about the office of deacon?
Because of the variety of meanings attached to diakonos and the related words, it’s difficult, with one or two possible exceptions, to pin down any clear reference in the New Testament to the office of deacon in the governmental structure of the early church. Most occurrences of diakonos and the related words reflect their general meanings and clearly have nothing to do with a church office. Certain passages could be taken one way or the other, but usually the clearest, most natural interpretation points to the general meaning, rather than indicating a special title belonging to members of a select group in the church.
For example, some suggest that Romans 12 includes a reference to the office of deacon: "We have different gifts according to the grace given us...If it is serving, let him serve" (vv. 6-7). But is the gift of serving equivalent to the function or office of a deacon? There’s nothing in the text to support this. None of the other gifts listed in Romans 12 involve offices. Furthermore, offices are not necessarily related to gifts. Those who have the gift of teaching, for example, do not have to be pastors or elders in order to exercise their gift. The gifts are related not just to offices, but also to callings and assignments.
In 1 Corinthians Paul says, "You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service [diakonia] of the saints" (16:15). Now is Paul saying that every member of the household of Stephanas held the office of deacon? There’s no way to affirm this on the basis either of the terms used or the context. In fact, the most natural interpretation is to take it the way it’s translated.
Some suggest that Ephesians 4:12 refers to deacons in the church. Beginning with verse 11, we read, "[The Lord] gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." But these "works of service" (diakonia) are not the efforts of deacons only, but of all God’s people in their role as servers. Paul was writing, not about the office of deacon, but about Christians in general being equipped for spiritual service.
Is anyone explicitly identified as a deacon in the New Testament?
Some believe that Paul was a deacon. They point, for example, to Acts 20:24, where he says, "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race, and complete the task [diakonia] the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace." But Paul was simply saying that he had a specific task or ministry that had been given to him by Christ; he was by no means calling himself a deacon or minister in any official sense. Then the King James Version translates Paul’s words in Romans 11:13 as follows: "I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office [diakonia]." The New International Version, however, uses the word ministry in this verse, rather than "office." The use of "office" in the King James Version is arbitrary; it seems highly unlikely that Paul was using the word with reference to any official position. His office was, in fact, that of apostle, which he called "my ministry," or "my service."
In 1 Timothy 1:12 the Apostle Paul writes, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service [diakonia]." This translation is accurate; Paul is not saying that he was put into the office of deacon. Other passages that refer to Paul as a minister or servant are 1 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 3:6 and 6:4; and Ephesians 3:7. In each of these instances, there’s no evidence that Paul was assigned the office of deacon. He was only calling himself a servant of God in a general sense.
Paul was an apostle – he spent much of 2 Corinthians 10-12 emphasizing this point. The office of apostle was the highest of all offices in the local church, superseding those of elder and deacon. In an official capacity, Paul would never have claimed to be a deacon; he was an apostle.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant [diakonos] in the Lord, will tell you everything, so you also may know how I am and what I am doing" (Ephesians 6:21). Now although it’s possible that Paul was calling Tychicus a faithful deacon, Paul also used diakonos in Ephesians 3:7 and diakonia in 4:12 with reference to general service, and there’s really no reason to assume he meant differently here.
In Colossians 1:7 Paul calls Epaphras "our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister [diakonos] of Christ on our behalf." Then in verses 23 and 25 he writes: "[C]ontinue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant [diakonos].... I have become [the church’s] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness." Here Paul uses diakonos to describe both himself and Epaphras. Since we’re quite confident that the Apostle Paul was not calling himself a deacon, it seems highly unlikely that he was referring to Epaphras as one. Principles of interpretation suggest that a word finds its meaning within the context of a book, and in the context of Colossians, there’s no indication that diakonos refers to the office of deacon.
Those mentioned in Philippians 1:1 probably weren't.
Another place that the word deacon appears is Philippians 1:1. The letter to the Philippians begins, "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons."
Up to now we’ve not seen the Greek word diakonos translated as "deacon." Why did Bible translators suddenly introduce the word deacon here in an official sense, when in virtually every other passage the word is translated as "minister" or "servant"? Granted, the word here could refer to officers in the church, but again, the context doesn’t seem to warrant such an interpretation.
Also, the word in this verse translated "overseers" (episkopos) is not the word typically used to refer to elders (presbuteros). This being the case, the most natural interpretation of this verse is that Paul is actually addressing his letter to the whole church. He seems to be saying, "I’m writing to the whole church, including both the leadership and those who follow or serve." To say that Philippians 1:1 refers to the office of deacon might be correct, but it is an arbitrary choice. There’s simply not enough evidence to be dogmatic about what Paul is saying.
We’ve already seen many uses of the Greek words diakonos, diakoneo and diakonia, but none with a clear reference to a specific church office.
Doesn't Acts 6 refer to deacons?
Many see in Acts 6 the initiation of the office of deacon. Verses 1 and 2 say that "in those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.'" When food was being given out to care for the widows, the Grecian widows were not getting their fair share. Apparently the local Jews were concentrating more on the needs of their own people.
It’s important to realize the extent of the problem facing the church in trying to provide food for everyone. The church could well have exceeded 20,000 people at that time. There was simply no way that the twelve apostles could have had time to carry food all over the city to meet the needs of hundreds of widows. And not only did food need to be distributed, but people were needed to administer the whole distribution process. That included collecting and safeguarding the needed finances, purchasing the food and dispensing it fairly.
While recognizing the scope of the problem, the apostles realized that they needed to solve it without sacrificing their own valuable time and priorities. They said to the congregation therefore, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables" (v. 2).
The apostles' advice to the congregation is found in verse 3: "Brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task (NASB)" It was important that men be selected who had a reputation for honesty, because they were going to be entrusted with money. There were no checks or accounting procedures as we have today. The men also had to be "full of the Spirit and of wisdom." It’s very difficult to work out an equitable system of distribution to people who have varying needs. They would have to determine whether or not someone's need was legitimate.
Seven men were to be chosen, so that the apostles could be free to do what God had called them to do. In Acts 6:4 the apostles say, "We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." Then verses 5 and 6 tell us that the apostles’ "proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them."
Were the seven men listed in Acts 6:5 given the office of deacon? The traditional interpretation of Acts 6 is that these men were indeed the first deacons. Notice that verses 1 and 2 say: "[The Grecian] widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution [diakoneo] of food....It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on [diakonia] tables." Some say that the use of these words implies that these men were chosen to fill the office of deacon.
Another argument for viewing these men as deacons is that early church history confirms that in the post-apostolic period, deacons were regularly assigned responsibility for administrative affairs – including the distribution of goods to the poor. In addition, for many years the post-apostolic church in Rome limited the number of deacons to seven. They seem to have taken that number from the seven chosen in Acts 6.
Still, there are a number of reasons for rejecting the notion that these seven men were chosen to fill the office of deacon. The use of diakonia and diakoneo in verses 1 and 2 is inconclusive, because diakonia is used in verse 4 with reference to the work of the apostles themselves. There’s no reason to conclude therefore that the office of deacon is meant in verse 5. Furthermore, the New Testament never refers to any of the men listed in Acts 6:5 as deacons. Only two of them, Stephen and Philip, are mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, and they are nowhere called deacons.
Keep in mind that Acts was written in the earliest years of the church. We’ve already seen that, with the possible exception of Philippians, none of the epistles written to specific churches mention the office of deacon. There’s no strong reason from these epistles to believe that the office of deacon was instituted in Acts 6. Later in the book of Acts and in several of the epistles to the churches, elders are mentioned, but not deacons. If Acts 6 does indeed describe the institution of the office of deacon, it seems strange that deacons are never referred to again in Acts.
Also, notice the word task found in Acts 6:3 (NASB). This word suggests that the seven men were called to help take care of a one-time crisis, rather than being installed into a permanent office. Their ongoing ministries seem to have been distinct from the immediate task, inasmuch as none of the seven is ever mentioned again in association with any food distribution ministry.
Note also that all seven who were chosen had Greek names. If these men were being appointed for an ongoing ministry in the Jerusalem church, it seems strange that only Greeks would have been chosen. A permanent order of deacons in Jerusalem would not likely have been made up solely of Greeks. On the other hand, it seems reasonable to conclude that seven Greeks would have been chosen to take care of a short-term ministry to the Grecian widows who had been neglected. These men knew both the situation and their own people.
It’s best therefore to see the events described in Acts 6 as an effort by the Jerusalem church to take care of a temporary crisis, and the calling of the seven men as a non-permanent ministry.
If the men mentioned in Acts 6:5 weren't deacons, what were they?
If the deaconate had been maintained as an official office, we would expect it to have been mentioned in Acts 11. About six or seven years after the events of Acts 6, a famine struck Judea, and in response to the needs of the believers in Jerusalem, the church at Antioch sent some food to help them: "The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 11:29-30).
A comparison of Acts 6:1-6 and 11:29-30 suggests that the ongoing ministry of distributing goods in the Jerusalem church was entrusted to elders, not deacons. If an officially-constituted deaconate had been created in Acts 6, with a continuing responsibility to distribute goods to the needy, the church at Antioch would surely have directed their contribution to that group.
Now let's take a further look at the men selected in Acts 6. Verse 8 says that Stephen, "a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people." His function certainly doesn’t seem to have been typical of the office of deacon, at least as indicated later in 1 Timothy 3. Stephen was articulate in the Word and almost apostolic in his gifts. He performed great wonders and signs.
In Acts 21:8 Philip is described as an evangelist. Inasmuch as Acts 7 depicts Stephen as preaching and Acts 8 describes Philip as evangelizing, it appears that the seven men in Acts 6:5 were closer to elders in function than they were to carrying out the role deacons. The seven had administrative responsibilities, they had oversight of a very broad task, some articulated the Word of God and some evangelized the lost. They were full of the Spirit, faith and wisdom, and some even performed signs and wonders (cf. Acts 6:8; 8:6-7).
It’s noteworthy that only seven men were selected. How could just seven men possibly have met the broad needs that the Jerusalem church was faced with? It would’ve taken more than seven people to do the job of distribution alone! It’s more likely that the seven constituted a group of highly qualified spiritual leaders, teachers and honorable men who had been chosen to administer the distribution. By doing what they did, they freed the apostles to devote themselves to the priorities of prayer and the ministry of the Word.
Although we can’t say definitively that Acts 6 makes specific reference to the church offices of either elder or deacon, we can clearly see that a need exists for two broad areas of ministry: 1) teaching and praying (v. 4), which involves spiritual care; and 2) administration and oversight of needs (vv. 1-3), which involves both spiritual and physical care.
The seven men in Acts 6:5 did more than just hand people food. We know that Stephen and Philip were dynamic preachers. Some might assume that the other men listed in Acts 6:5 were not. But immediately after they were chosen, the church "presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly" (Acts 6:6-7). This suggests all seven played a part in the early church's growth. It also suggests that they were more like elders in function than deacons.
Nothing indicates the seven continued to serve indefinitely in their original capacity. Stephen was killed shortly thereafter, while Philip went to Samaria. The persecution of Christians in Jerusalem that soon began may have scattered the entire group. And as was noted earlier, there’s no mention whatever of this group in connection with the events of Acts 11:29-30, which took place several years later. Rather, reference is made to a group of elders. If any of the original seven did remain in Jerusalem, they would probably have been elders or secondary apostles of the churches – not deacons.
Does any Scripture passage refer to deacons in an official sense?
Having explored numerous passages that speak of service only in a general way, and a handful of others that might possibly refer to the office of deacon, but probably don’t, we need to turn now to the one passage in the New Testament that can definitely be said to refer to this office, and that is 1 Timothy 3. Verse 8 says, "Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain." An interpretive key to this verse is the word "likewise," which takes the readers back to what Paul had written in verse 1: "If anyone sets his heart of being an overseer...." The use of the word “likewise” implies that just as elders, or overseers, occupy a recognized office, deacons do, as well.
So in the church there is to be a plurality of godly men – elders – who oversee the Lord's work in the church, and these men are to be assisted in this work by deacons. The basic offices of a church do not need to be any more sophisticated than this.
By A.D. 64, when this epistle was probably written, the church had developed to the point where the spiritual qualifications for church leaders were quite specific, yet instructions regarding church organization were still quite limited. This was by divine design. Because God knew that situations and needs would differ over time and in different cultures, the New Testament provides for great flexibility in individual church organization. The biblical emphasis is less on organizational details than on the purity and spiritual depth of church leaders.
What qualifies someone to be a deacon or deaconess?
Paul lists four personal qualifications. First, deacons must be worthy of respect (1 Timothy 3:8). Semnos, the word used in the original Greek, implies that they must be serious-minded, not treating serious things lightly. The word means "venerable, honorable, reputable, grave, serious and stately." The same Greek word appears in Titus 2:2, which says that older men "are to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance" (emphasis added).
First Timothy 3:8 also says that deacons must be sincere. This means that they must not be double-tongued, saying one thing to one person and something else to another person. They’re not to be malicious gossips, but always consistent and righteous in what they say. Next, deacons are not to indulge in much wine, but should rather be noted for their clear thinking and self-control. Then finally, Paul says that deacons should not pursue dishonest gain. This is important since deacons are sometimes responsible for handling funds. Their goals in life must therefore not be monetary. As we read in 1 Timothy 6:9, a pervasive desire for financial gain corrupts a person.
Paul also lists four spiritual qualifications.
First, deacons must "keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience" (1 Timothy 3:9). In other words, they must have convictions based on knowledge of true biblical doctrine. And their clear conscience implies that they live out their convictions. They must both hold to the faith and apply the truths of scripture in their lives.
A second spiritual qualification for deacons is given in verse 10: "They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons." Before people are officially appointed as deacons, they must have proved themselves faithful in serving the Lord. If they’ve proven themselves to be beyond reproach, then let them serve.
Third, just as with elders, deacons must be morally pure in every way. Verse 10 literally says, "Let them serve as deacons if they are in the process of being irreproachable." Those who are not above reproach are disqualified from serving as deacons. Verse 12, which says that "a deacon must be the husband of but one wife," also implies that deacons are to be morally pure. But this doesn't necessarily mean that a deacon must be someone who has never been divorced – although this would be a disqualification if his sin had contributed to the divorce, or if the circumstances of the divorce have brought reproach on him. The main point is that a deacon must be totally consecrated and devoted to his wife. The Greek text literally reads, "Let deacons be one-woman men." Having only one wife doesn't necessarily reflect one's character, but being single-mindedly devoted to one's wife does.
The fourth characteristic of deacons' spiritual lives is that they lead their families well. Deacons are to be good managers of their children and their own households (v. 12). They must demonstrate some kind of managerial ability, and the proving ground for leadership is how people manage their own children and household.
Although specific personal and spiritual qualifications must be met by those holding the offices of elder and deacon, this doesn’t mean that the standard is lower for everyone else in the congregation. Everyone should seek to fulfill the role of deacon – whether as a recognized, office-holding deacon, or simply as a servant to the Body. The qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3 should be a goal and a guideline for every believer.
What does the Bible say about deaconesses?
As translated in the New American Standard Bible, 1 Timothy 3:11 begins, "Women must likewise be dignified." Again, the word "likewise" implies that Paul is referring, as he did in verses 1 and 8, to an office of the church. But contrary to the way the New International Version translates this verse, Paul was not referring to the wives of deacons. We know this, because he didn’t use a possessive pronoun when referring to the women about which he was writing. That is, in the original Greek, he didn't say their wives. And, in fact, he didn’t use the word wives at all, but rather the more general word for women. Also, since Paul included no comments about the wives of elders, why would he have commented about the wives of deacons?
In Romans 16:1 Paul wrote, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [diakonos] of the church in Cenchrea." Phoebe was recognized by the church for her service. And it’s possible that she served in an official capacity as a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea.
The Greek word translated "women" in 1 Timothy 3:11 (NASB) is gunaikas. Apparently Paul used this term, rather than diakonos (deacon, or deaconess), in order to be gender-specific, since in first-century Greek there was no distinctively feminine form of the word diakonos. The same word diakonos was regularly used of both men and women. It would therefore have been ambiguous if Paul had used the term diakonos to refer to specifically female servers, as distinguished from male servers. It was necessary that he identify them specifically as women.
We’ve see, then, that three distinct church offices are delineated in 1 Timothy 3 – the offices of elder, deacon and deaconess. And concerning deaconesses, Paul said that they must be "worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything" (v. 11).
It’s essential to recognize that deacons are equally qualified with elders in terms of character and spiritual life. The one difference in their qualifications is that elders must be able to teach, while deacons aren’t required to be. In many churches today, some who are called elders are really closer to being deacons, and vice versa. Both elders and deacons should be proven servants of Christ who have the capability to manage their households and lead the members of their congregation. Elders should be given the primary responsibility of teaching the Word, and this can be accomplished as deacons share the work of the ministry with them.
Deacons are to administer, shepherd and care for the flock. Although their primary function is not teaching, they’re no less spiritually qualified, honored or respected. They relieve those who are more skilled in teaching, so that those leaders can be freer to pray and study the Word.
In a special sense, the task of the deacon sums up the essence of spiritual greatness. As Jesus said, "[W]hoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wants to be first shall be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:26-28).
The Lord Jesus Himself, then, is the model for those who would step into the role of deacon. It’s a role of service, of sacrifice and of commitment to the needs of others. The reward of the deacon's office is not the temporal glory that comes from human adulation, but rather the eternal blessing that comes from living a life of spiritual service to the glory of God.
Once we’ve identified what the Bible says about a certain area of ministry, we need to apply that teaching to our own specific setting. This is where Acts 6 helps us. Within the context of the situation described there, the church was growing, but it needed help to insure that the entire body was being adequately served. The apostles appointed seven people to address a specific need, which enabled the church to continue to grow and prosper. This is very much the way deacons and deaconesses serve here at Village Bible Church. As ministry directors, they serve the body by using their gifts, under the oversight of the elders, to coordinate various ministries of the church.
This approach to leadership helps insure that the needs of all who are part of the body will be met effectively. It frees the elders to focus on their specific areas of oversight, as well as on the ministry of the Word and on prayer, and it gives opportunities to others in the congregation to serve in their areas of greatest strength. | 2019-04-18T14:34:06Z | https://villagebible.church/articles/ministry-of-deacons/ |
Background: Sleep fragmentation, repetitive hypoxemia during sleep, excessive sleepiness during the day, lack of concentration, memory loss, depression, decreased libido, and impotence are the characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) that may impair quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to investigate the QOL and factors that may affect QOL in people with different OSAS severity and without sleep apnea. Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study. Polysomnography was performed on 200 people. Those detected as having nonapnea and mild-moderate-severe OSAS were administered the Epworth sleepiness scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scale. Results: According to the apnea-hypopnea index, 36 people (18.0%) were in the nonapnea-hypopnea group, 28 (14.0%) in the mild OSAS group, 63 (31.5%) in the moderate OSAS group, and 73 people (36.5%) were in the severe OSAS group. Depression was present in 31 people (15.5%) who participated in the study. The nonapnea-hypopnea group comprised 12.9% of those with depression, mild OSAS group comprised 16.1%, moderate OSAS group comprised 22.6%, and severe OSAS group had 48.4% of the depressed subjects. Beck depression scores showed a significant positive correlation with the Epworth scale (t< 90% SaO2) (r = 0.285, P< 0.001 and r = 0.283, P< 0.001, respectively). The mean scores of WHOQOL-BREF subgroups' physical health (P < 0.001), psychological health (P < 0.001), social relations (P < 0.001), and the environmental area (P < 0.001) in those with depression were statistically significantly lower than those without depression. QOL was significantly associated with the presence of OSAS (P = 0.008). Conclusion: Decreased deep sleep duration, increased arousal index, and a high ratio of sleep duration with oxygen saturation below 90% to the duration of the entire sleep period increase daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms in those with OSAS; thus, disrupting general health and QOL.
Background: Treatment of cervical spine injury is the most challenging of all the injuries of the spine, and there is yet no agreement on the best method of care. Objective: We studied the complications and outcome of two skull traction devices used to treat cases of cervical spine injury in three centers in Enugu, South East Nigeria. Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with cervical spine injury managed with skull traction as the definitive treatment using either Crutchfield or Gardner-Wells tongs over a 5-year period (April 2008–March 2013). The traction was applied for 6 weeks, and the patient was subsequently mobilized with either hard cervical collar or Minerva jacket for another 6 weeks. Results: One hundred and five patients with complete records out of 127 cervical spinal injured patients treated were studied. Forty-one had the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Grade A whereas 64 had incomplete cord injury of ASIA Grades B–E. Forty-eight had Crutchfield traction whereas 57 had Gardner-Wells traction. At the end of treatment, no patient improved among those with ASIA Grades A and B. All the 12 cases of mortality were recorded as well among ASIA A (n = 9) and B (n = 3) Grades. Over 50% of ASIA Grades C and D patients improved to Grade E. The complication profile varied significantly between the traction subgroups with those treated using Crutchfield tongs experiencing more events (χ2 = 6.5, df = 1, P< 0.05). However, there was no significant statistical difference in the Association Impairment Scale (AIS) outcome (P = 0.55) as well as mortality rates (χ2 = 0.97, DF = 1, P> 0.05) between those treated with Crutchfield and Gardner-Well traction. Conclusion: Crutch field tong traction may be associated with more complications when compared with Gardner-Wells traction. However, from our study, the final American Spinal Injury AIS outcome, as well as the overall mortality rates associated with the two traction techniques, did not vary significantly.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare two different bond strength test methods (tensile and microtensile) in investing the influence of erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er, Cr: YSGG) laser pulse frequency on resin-enamel bonding. Materials and Methods: One-hundred and twenty-five bovine incisors were used in the present study. Two test methods were used: Tensile bond strength (TBS; n = 20) and micro-TBS (μTBS; n = 5). Those two groups were further split into three subgroups according to Er, Cr: YSGG laser frequency (20, 35, and 50 Hz). Following adhesive procedures, microhybrid composite was placed in a custom-made bonding jig for TBS testing and incrementally for μTBS testing. TBS and μTBS tests were carried out using a universal testing machine and a microtensile tester, respectively. Results: Analysis of TBS results showed that means were not significantly different. For μTBS, the Laser-50 Hz group showed the highest bond strength (P < 0.05), and increasing frequency significantly increased bond strength (P < 0.05). Comparing the two tests, the μTBS results showed higher means and lower standard deviations. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that increasing μTBS pulse frequency significantly improved immediate bond strength while TBS showed no significant effect. It can, therefore, be concluded that test method may play a significant role in determining optimum laser parameters for resin bonding.
Background: The need for nonobstetric abdominal surgical interventions in pregnant females arises periodically in practice and can be a source for concern for both the patient and the surgeon because of the risk of adverse outcome. Aims and Objectives: To determine the indications for, and assess maternal and fetal outcome following nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study analyzing clinical records of pregnant women, who had nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in Jos University Teaching Hospital between January 2007 and December 2011. Results: Fifty patients had nonobstetric abdominal surgery during the study period (January 2007 to December 2011). The ages of the women ranged 15–49 years with a mean of 29 ± 8.13 years. Intraoperative findings in the patients were consistent with acute appendicitis in 43 (86%) patients, two patients (4%) had ruptured spleen while one patient each (2.0%) had a transverse colon injury, postoperative adhesion bands, ruptured uterus and urinary bladder, and mesenteric injury. One (2.0%) mother died after surgery. 38 (76%) had spontaneous deliveries, and there were 11 miscarriages (22%) and 1 perinatal death. The perinatal mortality rate was 0.093/1000 deliveries. The mean hospital stay was 5.52 days. Conclusion: Nonobstetric abdominal surgeries in pregnant women are an infrequent occurrence at Jos University Teaching Hospital but when they do occur, they are indicated by acute appendicitis in pregnancy.
Context: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common consequence of traumatic experiences. The North Central Nigeria to which Plateau State belongs has witnessed many ethno-religious crises. While previous studies suggested a high prevalence of PTSD among students, to the best of our knowledge, no such study has been reported in Nigeria. Aims: The study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of PTSD among medical students in a university. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional systematic random sampling was used to select 200 medical students. A two staged interview with questionnaire on sociodemographic variables, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, Impact of Event Scale, and Composite International Diagnostic Interview was carried out. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, version 16.0. Chicago, SPSS Inc. was used for statistical analysis. Results: Prevalence of PTSD among the students was 23.5%. Previous childhood trauma and personal experiences during the crisis were significantly associated with having PTSD. Conclusions: High prevalence rate of PTSD among medical students in Jos is an indicator of psychological consequences of the recurring crises on the inhabitants. There is a need for follow-up and counseling/trauma healing for those identified.
Aim: To evaluate catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity in healthy and inflamed dental pulp of young patient's teeth and to investigate if an active defense system oxidizing agents is present as a response to bacterial invasion. Materials and Methods: Twenty young patients between 15 and 25 ages, who were diagnosed to be healthy, were the source of the pulp tissue. The situation of the dental pulps was evaluated using clinical and radiographic assessments. The patients were divided two groups from healthy, and inflamed pulp tissues were obtained; each participant provided one pulp tissue specimens. The specimens were collected during endodontic treatment or by longitudinally grooving and splitting the teeth (if extracted). Catalase activity was determined through spectrophotometric methods and an independent sample t-test assessed the significance of differences between the groups. Results: There was statistically a difference between healthy pulp tissue and inflamed pulp tissue (P < 0.005, independent sample t-test). The catalase activity of healthy group was significantly lower than inflamed pulp groups. Conclusion: The present study has shown that a significant increase in catalase activity is determined in inflamed dental pulps, which is due to pulpitis in comparison to healthy dental pulp.
Context: Methadone maintenance is a standard treatment for opiate-dependent individuals. However, deficits in cognitive functioning have been associated with this treatment. Aim: This study aimed to determine the dose and treatment duration-related effects of methadone on executive functions. Setting and Design: Pure male opioid users with no considerable history of other drug abuse, undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) were recruited from a major government-run de-addiction center. Methods: Hot executive functions including decision-making and emotion recognition were assessed using the Iowa gambling task and Ekman faces test, whereas cold executive functions including working memory (WM), cognitive flexibility, and response inhibition were assessed using n-back, Wisconsin card sorting test, and the GO/NOGO task, respectively. Statistical Analyses Used: Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses of the study. Results: Methadone dose and length of MMT were found to be associated with greater impairment in executive functions. Impairment in cognitive performance was also found to be inversely related to time since dosing. Regression analyses revealed that methadone dosage and time since dosing accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in cognitive flexibility, while the total amount of methadone administered was able to predict deficits in WM, methadone treatment duration predicted psychomotor speed, and time since dosing predicted decision-making ability. Conclusions: To keep cognitive impairment at a minimum, methadone dose and treatment duration will have to be customized considering the history of opiate abuse so that impairment attributable to long-term opiate use may be differentiated from acute methadone dosing.
Objective: This study aimed to compare the QT interval changes in women with term pregnancy living at moderately high altitude (1890 m in Erzurum, Turkey) with those of women living at sea level (31 m in İstanbul, Turkey). Materials and Methods: One-hundred ten women (n = 55, for each group) with full-term and single child pregnancies. Two different locations in that state were selected: İstanbul, Turkey, which is at 31 m above sea level (Group 1) and Erzurum, Turkey, at 1890 m above sea level (Group 2). Physicians from the two locations participated in the study. We estimated QTc, QTc Max, QTc Min, QT, and QTcd intervals. Results: Moderately high altitude group had significantly longer QT parameters (QTc, QTc Max, QTc Min, QT, and QTcd intervals) compared with sea level group (P < 0.01, for all). Conclusions: According to our results, QT interval changes occur in term pregnant women living moderately high altitude. These changes may be associated with pregnancy-related cardiovascular complications in moderately high altitude.
Background and Aims: Surgical removal of impacted teeth is a common operation in oral surgery. Thus, pathological potential of impacted third molars is extensively studied. However, many of those studies based on data collected from analysis of radiographs only. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the follicles of symptomatic and asymptomatic impacted third molars histopathologically for a number of characteristics. Materials and Methods: Records of the patients who had been previously operated for impacted third molars were reviewed. Eighty-three patients were selected and divided into two groups, clinically symptomatic and clinically asymptomatic. None of the patients had a radiographic pericoronal radiolucency of wider than 2.5 mm. Histopathological samples of the patients were obtained and re-examined by two pathologists. Two groups were statistically compared for 12 histological parameters. Results: Eleven of the 12 parameters had statistically significant differences (P < 0.05), whereas one parameter (odontogenic remnants) was found not to be significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: A delay in impacted third molar surgery can lead to further pathological changes in dental follicles and can increase severity of the inflammation. Moreover, dimensions of the pericoronal radiolucency may not provide a correct interpretation of the pathological changes in the region.
Introduction: Patient relatives are a significant part of the health care team in any hospital setting. This study determines their knowledge, perceptions, and factors responsible for their exposure to health hazards at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Kaduna State. The outcome of this study is intended to help the hospital managers to have a reference to make plans for the patient relatives' welfare and also address the ethical issues regarding patients' relatives safety while in the hospital. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 100 participants selected by systematic random sampling technique from the ten admission wards of the ABUTH. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences IBM 20 and STATA SE12. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 35 years. They were mainly Hausa (58%), female (79%), and Muslims (76%). About 21%, 25%, and 54% of the respondents have poor, fair, and good knowledge, respectively, with a mean knowledge score of 33.3% while 24% perceived that blood urine and feces from patient relatives are safe to handle. Sexual harassment (13.3%), abusive insults from health care workers, (13.3%) and aggression from other patients were reported. Being the sole caregiver, type of illness, handling of patients' blood and feces, and length of hospital stay were significantly associated with exposure to hospital hazards (P < 0.05, χ2 > 1, odds ratio >1). Conclusion: The participants' knowledge and perception of hospital hazard were poor. Abusive insults by health workers, sexual harassment, and indiscriminate handling of patients' specimen constitute major ethical challenges in this setting. The hospital management should have a guideline specifying the roles and responsibilities of patients and their relatives. There is a need for the health care workers' ethics education and safe accommodation for patient relatives.
Aim: This study aimed to investigate maternal and fetal Doppler flow parameters in term pregnant women diagnosed with fear of childbirth (FOC). Materials and Methods: Women between 20 and 40 years with full-term singleton pregnancies (≥37 gestational weeks) were included in the study. All patients were questioned with Turkish form of Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) version A. Women with W-DEQ scores ≥85 were defined as FOC. Forty women diagnosed with FOC (FOC group) and 45 women with W-DEQ scores <85 (control group) underwent Doppler waveform analysis and the pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) values for uterine, umbilical, and mid cerebral arteries were recorded. Results: Both groups had similar PI and RI values for umbilical and mid cerebral arteries (P > 0.05). However, PI and RI values for both right and left uterine arteries were higher in FOC group than control group (P < 0.05, for right uterine artery PI; P< 0.001, for left uterine artery RI; and P< 0.01, for others). Conclusion: It may be suggested that the presence of FOC in term pregnant women seems to have a negative effect on uterine blood flow parameters. When diagnosed with FOC, the women should be referred to a specialist for psychoeducation and psychosomatic support to decrease her fear and to minimize the negative impact of fear on the fetus.
Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the internal and marginal fit of chrome cobalt (Co-Cr) crowns were fabricated with laser sintering, computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing, and conventional methods. Materials and Methods: Polyamide master and working models were designed and fabricated. The models were initially designed with a software application for three-dimensional (3D) CAD (Maya, Autodesk Inc.). All models were fabricated models were produced by a 3D printer (EOSINT P380 SLS, EOS). 128 1-unit Co-Cr fixed dental prostheses were fabricated with four different techniques: Conventional lost wax method, milled wax with lost-wax method (MWLW), direct laser metal sintering (DLMS), and milled Co-Cr (MCo-Cr). The cement film thickness of the marginal and internal gaps was measured by an observer using a stereomicroscope after taking digital photos in ×24. Results: Best fit rates according to mean and standard deviations of all measurements was in DLMS both in premolar (65.84) and molar (58.38) models in μm. A significant difference was found DLMS and the rest of fabrication techniques (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between MCo-CR and MWLW in all fabrication techniques both in premolar and molar models (P > 0.05). Conclusion: DMLS was best fitting fabrication techniques for single crown based on the results.The best fit was found in marginal; the larger gap was found in occlusal.All groups were within the clinically acceptable misfit range.
Background and Objectives: Fibroepithelial lesions are the most common lesions of the breast seen in our laboratory consisting of fibroadenomas (FAs) and phyllodes tumors (PT). The aim of the study was to audit all fibroepithelial lesions and to reclassify all confirmed cases of PTs seen in the study period according to standard criteria. Methodology: Records and slides of fibroepithelial lesions of the breast received at the department between January 2008 and December 2013 were retrieved and reviewed by the authors. Results: Out of the 1242 fibroepithelial lesions of the breast retrieved, all but 19 were FAs. The 19 were initially reported as PT: 11 benign, 2 borderlines, 2 malignant, and 4 not classified; however, only 16 of these 19, PTs (84%) met the WHO criteria on review. The remaining 3 (16%) turned out to be FAs based on the absence of stroma overgrowth and hypercellularity. The PTs were reclassified into benign PT, borderline PT, and malignant PT accounting for 75% (12/16), 18.7% (3/16), and 6.3% (1/16), respectively. All of the PTs previously not classified turned out benign on review. One of the borderline PTs was originally reported as malignant PT. All cases initially diagnosed as FAs did not change on review. Conclusion: These results show that FAs are rarely misdiagnosed. The three cases misdiagnosed as phyllodes may have been prevented if standard data sets were in use. Cases simply referred to as PT without further classification, limit the patients' access to appropriate management as accurate classification helps in the overall management and prognostication.
Aim: To assess the prevalence of primary hypertension and its correlation with anthropometric indices among a population of Nigerian adolescents. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of secondary school adolescents aged 10–19 years in Enugu, Nigeria, using multi-staged sampling method. Anthropometry and blood pressures were measured using standardized instruments. Data analysis was with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). Results: A total of 2419 adolescents (mean age, 14.80 ± 2.07 years) were included in the study. Prevalence of hypertension was 10.7%. Systolic and diastolic hypertension were observed in 232 (9.6%) and 85 (3.5%) of the participants, respectively. Forty-two of the 137 obese (30.7%) compared to 158 among the 1777 (7.7%) with normal body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001) had systolic hypertension. Waist circumference (r = 0.37) and BMI (r = 0.37) significantly and positively correlated with systolic hypertension. Conclusion: Obese and overweight adolescents had higher prevalence of primary hypertension than their counterparts with normal BMI.
Objectives: It is hypothesized that soccer players with periodontal disease exhibit raised serum creatine kinase (CK) levels as compared to those without periodontal disease. We assessed the clinical gingival status and serum CK levels among young soccer players. Materials and Methods: Demographic data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Full mouth bleeding on probing (BOP) and probing pocket depth (PPD) were assessed. Blood samples (4 mL) were collected for measurement of serum CK levels. All blood samples were collected from a vein in the antecubital region. Total CK activities in serum were determined with an optimized spectrophotometric method. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance, and P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Twenty-seven male soccer players volunteered to participate in the present study. The mean age of the participants in Groups 1 (n = 14) and 2 (n = 13) were 18.2 ± 2.3 years and 19.1 ± 0.6 years, respectively. Mean scores of BOP were significantly higher among individuals in Group 2 (56.8%) compared with individuals in Group 1 (19.4%) (P < 0.001). Mean scores of PPD ≥4 mm were significantly higher among subjects in Group 2 (12.1%) as compared to individuals in Group 1 (0.8%) (P < 0.001). Levels of CK were significantly higher among individuals in Group 2 (292.7 U/L) as compared to those in Group 1 (52.3 U/L) (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Increased BOP and PPD are associated with increased serum CK levels in young soccer players.
Background: Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide. Estimating the prevalence of disease in populations of Nigeria would be useful in developing intervention programs to control it and prevent its consequences. Objective: This survey was carried out to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, detection and risk factors of hypertension in three major populations - Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka cities of Anambra State. Methods: The study was a church based cross sectional study involving 912 participants randomly selected from the three major zones in Anambra State. The age range of the participants was 17-79 years. Participants were administered with a well-structured questionnaire and their blood pressures (BP) as well as anthropometric measurements were taken using standard instruments. Results: The study population (n = 912) consists, 476 (52.16%) females and 436 (47.81%) males; sampled randomly from Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi. The overall crude prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension in the study population were 22.81% and 42.54% respectively. The crude prevalence of hypertension in the three cities - Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi were 32.56%, 19.665 and 16.40% respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in Onitsha (P = 0.0001). The prevalence of hypertension in both sexes was not statistically different (male, 22.01% and female, 23.5% P = 0.587). Mean BMI, Systolic, and Diastolic BP for the study population was 25.43 ± 4.2, 120.7 ± 18.39 and 78.21 ± 12.57 respectively. Systolic and diastolic BP correlated with age and anthropometric measures such as waist circumference, BMI, Hip circumference, weight and height. The following factors were strongly associated with the prevalence of hypertension in our study population: Age (χ2 = 110.87, P = 0.000); Zone (χ2 = 25.19, P = 0.000); BMI (χ2 = 45.51, P = 0.000); Physical Activity(χ2 = 58.08, P = 0.000); Alcohol Consumption (χ2 = 32.27, P = 0.000); Smoking (χ2 = 7.892, P = 0.000); General Health status (χ2 = 46,62, P= 0.000); Consumption of fatty food (χ2 = 29.35, P = 0.000). A low percentage of the population, 9.76% reported previous diagnosis of high BP and 34.59% of 910 of the participants also reported previous BP diagnosis of any relative. Our result shows that the prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension in this population was high and associated with some modifiable risk factors. In addition, poor detection, treatment and control of hypertension in this population were observed. This underscores the need for comprehensive evaluation of the prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria.
Introduction: Hypertension has been reported as the strongest modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aims: The aim of the study was to identify the most prescribed antihypertensive drugs, its patterns, comorbidities, cost of medications, and laboratory investigations. Settings and Design: This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study of hypertensive patients conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. Subjects and Methods: A total of 200 case notes were retrieved from the medical records unit over a period of 8 weeks. Information on antihypertensive prescriptions and comorbidities was retrieved. The average cost of medications and laboratory investigations was calculated. Statistical Analysis Tool Used: SPSS software version 16. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.44 ± 12.65 years. Of the 200 patients, 5 (2.5%) were on monotherapy and 195 (97.5%) were on combination therapy. One hundred and twenty (60%) patients had comorbidities which included congestive heart failure 55 (27.5%), diabetes mellitus 22 (11%), hyperlipidemia 15 (7.5%), and cardiovascular disease 13 (6.5%). The various classes of antihypertensive drugs prescribed were diuretics 128 (64.0%), beta-blockers 126 (63.0%), calcium channel blockers 106 (53.0%), angiotensin-converting enzymes inhibitors 103 (51.5%), angiotensin receptor blockers 33 (16.5%), alpha blockers 9 (4.5%), and fixed drug combinations 2 (1.0%). The average cost per month of the antihypertensive medications was ₦ 2045 (US$10.2). Conclusions: Antihypertensive prescription pattern was in accordance with the seventh report of Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of high blood pressure. Community-based insurance scheme should be encouraged and effective implementation of integrated noncommunicable diseases screening into the primary health care services would be helpful.
Aim: The purpose of this study is to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to describe the prevalence of apical health, the quality of root canal filling, and coronal restorations of endodontically treated teeth in the east Anatolian subpopulation of Turkey. Materials and Methods: CBCT scans were taken from 748 patients attending for the 1st time to the clinic at the Oral Diagnosis and Radiology Department at Ataturk University's Faculty of Dentistry in Erzurum, Turkey. All images were analyzed by two research assistants who were trained using examples of CBCT images with and without the presence of periapical radiolucency. The two examiners assessed images from the experiment independently, and the readings were then compared. All data were entered on an MS Excel 2007 spreadsheet and SPSS software 15.0 which was used for statistical analysis. The Chi-square test was used to determine if a patient's periapical status was associated with the technical quality of root filling, coronal status, and to evaluate differences between tooth subgroups. Results: In total, 147 teeth from 748 patients were found to have been treated endodontically. Sixty three teeth were found to have short root canal fillings, whereas 74 teeth had adequate root canal fillings, and the remaining 10 teeth had over extended root canal filling. A significant correlation was observed between the length of root filling and apical periodontitis (P = 0,023). Inadequately dense root canal filling was observed in 141 teeth, whereas adequately dense filling was found in only six teeth. There was a significant correlation between the density of root filling and apical periodontitis (P = 0.044). Coronal restoration was found in 90 teeth, but was not observed in all the three teeth. A crown was present in 54 teeth. There was a significant correlation between coronal restoration and apical periodontitis (P = 0.028). Conclusion: The results indicate that the quality of both the root filling and restoration were found to have impact on the periapical health of root-filled teeth.
Schwannoma is a type of neurogenic tumor usually found in the posterior mediastinum. Most schwannomas range in size from 2 to 3 cm; some can exceed 10 cm. We herein report a case of a rare, large mediastinal schwannoma whose size is 20 cm × 15 cm × 12 cm, which has rarely reported before. Computed tomography scan showed a huge mass filling the lower right side of the chest and was compressing the right lower lobe of the lung. Subsequently, the tumor was completely resected using a right posterior lateral thoracotomy approach. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and had done well since discharge from the hospital.
Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common benign salivary gland tumor, accounting for up to 60% of all tumors of the salivary gland and 75–80% of all parotid tumors. It has a slow but progressive growth pattern and if untreated can become greatly enlarged in size. However, giant PA is uncommon. We report a case of giant parotid PA of more than 10 years duration in a 60-year-old male Nigerian. A 60-year-old male patient with 10-year history of painless, massive, and pedunculated swelling in the left side of lower face measuring 25 cm × 23 cm × 17 cm in dimension. Computerized tomographic scan and percutaneous fine needle aspiration cytology returned a preliminary diagnosis of PA. Superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation via the transcervical approach was performed. The excised mass weighed 5.5 kg while the postoperative healing was satisfactory. Benign PAs may attain a giant size if left untreated. Socioeconomic problems are some of the reasons for late presentation. Adequate excision of the tumor sparing the facial nerve is possible but intraoperative and reactionary hemorrhage are likely complications.
Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary tumors but rarely seen in adolescent males. There is no indication for surgery both in micro- and macro-adenomas unless an urgent treatment is necessary. First line treatment is always medical with dopamine agonists. In this report, we presented a patient with pubertal arrest and giant prolactinoma that disappeared in a short time with cabergoline treatment.
Radicular cysts are inflammatory jaw cysts confined to the apices of teeth with infected and necrotic pulp. They arise from the epithelial residues in the periodontal ligament as a result of inflammation, following the death of pulp. The treatment of such lesions vary with regard to their sizes; the small cystic lesions heal after an endodontic therapy, but larger lesions, may require additional treatment. Apical surgery for radicular cysts generally involves apical root resection and sealing with endodontic material. This case report, describes the treatment of a cyst related to the maxillary central and lateral incisors using platelet rich fibrin along with synthetic nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite granules for the regeneration of lost tissues. A follow-up evaluation at 6 months and 1-year revealed a significant radiographic bone fill with satisfactory healing at the surgical site. | 2019-04-22T00:13:48Z | http://www.njcponline.com/showBackIssue.asp?issn=1119-3077;year=2016;volume=19;issue=5;month=September-October |
A year with Justin Canha, a young man with autism who is part of an new transition program to ready him for an independent life as an adult.
But such efforts carry their own costs. In this New York City suburb, the school district considered scrapping Ms. Stanton-Paule’s program almost as soon as it began, to save money on the extra teaching assistants who accompanied students to internships, the bank, the gym, the grocery store. Businesses weighed the risks of hiring autistic students who might not automatically grasp standard rules of workplace behavior.
Oblivious to such debates, many autistic high school students are facing the adult world with elevated expectations of their own. Justin, who relied on a one-on-one aide in school, had by age 17 declared his intention to be a “famous animator-illustrator.” He also dreamed of living in his own apartment, a goal he seemed especially devoted to when, say, his mother asked him to walk the dog.
“I prefer I move to the apartment,” he would say, reluctantly setting aside the notebook he spent hours filling with tiny, precise replicas of every known animated character.
“I prefer I move to the apartment, too,” his father, Briant, a pharmaceutical company executive, replied on hard days.
Over the year that a New York Times reporter observed it, the transition program at Montclair High served as a kind of boot camp in community integration that might also be, for Justin, a last chance. Few such services are available after high school. And Justin was entitled to public education programs, by federal law, until only age 21.
Ms. Stanton-Paule had vowed to secure him a paid job before he left school — the best gauge, experts say, of whether a special needs student will maintain some autonomy later in life. She also hoped to help him forge the relationships, at work and beyond it, that form the basis of a full life.
But more prosaic lessons arose at every turn: when he should present money at the pizza place (not until after he ordered), how close to stand to the person using the weight machine he wanted at the gym (not so close), what to say when he saw a co-worker drinking a Coke (probably not “Coca-Cola is bad for your bones”). Often, Ms. Stanton-Paule and her staff seemed to spend as much time teaching the residents of Montclair about Justin as teaching him the tasks at hand.
For his part, Justin sometimes flagged in his pursuit of autonomy. “When do I retire from this?” he asked of drills in phone etiquette. But he never stopped trying, sometimes warbling the theme song to his favorite movie, “Pinocchio,” as a means of soothing himself.
If he recognized himself in Pinocchio’s classic quest for acceptance, Justin did not say it in so many words.
Justin’s adulthood had been looming for his parents, Briant and Maria Teresa Canha, ever since he was given his diagnosis in 1993 at age 3. Like many parents of autistic children before them, they wondered what would become of their son, who threw frequent tantrums, looked straight through them and did not answer to his name.
But some things were changing for the better. The explosion of research that followed the formal recognition of autism as a psychiatric diagnosis in 1980 underscored its biological basis, lifting some of the stigma that persisted through the 1970s, when bad mothering was often blamed for the condition’s mix of social impairments and circumscribed, repetitive behaviors.
And Justin’s parents were not alone. As the condition’s hallmark behaviors became better recognized, many children who were previously designated as mentally retarded or just dismissed as strange were being given an autism diagnosis, a trend that has continued. Some experts also believe that the actual number of people with autism has been climbing.
Even now, autism’s root causes remain unknown; many genetic and environmental factors are believed to contribute to its different forms and degrees of severity. Justin, for example, is unusually sensitive to noise; others are uncomfortable with light or touch. Some are physically aggressive, others withdrawn. About half score low on I.Q. tests, a handful are savants, and many, like Justin with his drawing, shine brightly in one particular area and stumble in others.
But emboldened by the growing understanding of what it means to be autistic, parents in the 1990s were increasingly demanding full access to education for their children and searching for ways to help them.
Many interventions the Canhas tried — gluten-free diets, neurofeedback therapy, high doses of vitamin B6 powder — made no apparent difference. A trip to Israel “to swim with those sweet bottle-nosed dolphins,” as Justin later described it, was a boon for a boy whose affection for animals contrasted with the indifference he showed people, but it yielded no breakthroughs.
Months of intensive language and cognitive therapy at age 4, however, did seem to help Justin, who learned a few words in sign language. To communicate with him, Justin’s brother, Julian, 18 months older, learned them, too.
If Briant occasionally raised an eyebrow at his wife’s tireless trial and error, he never held her back. He could not bring himself to have the third child she wanted, unwilling to risk another with autism. But the decision made the search all the more pressing: Julian, they knew, might one day be his brother’s sole caretaker.
The family had been living in Europe, where Briant had a promising career in international business and Maria Teresa, the daughter of a Brazilian diplomat, had embraced an expatriate lifestyle. There Justin found some comfort drawing characters from the Disney videos he watched incessantly; at 5, he littered the Canha home with hundreds of likenesses of Dumbo, Simba and a “Jungle Book” favorite, Baloo the Bear.
But when Justin was in first grade, near Munich, his tantrums became so frequent that he was often removed from the classroom. For months, he would eat only grilled cheese sandwiches. A generation earlier, his parents might have placed Justin in an institution. Instead, the Canhas returned to the United States in 1997 to look for better services.
The realization that Justin was among the most severely impaired in the classroom set aside for children with autism in their new Florida school district was a blow to his mother, already battling depression. But with help from a new form of behavioral therapy that would prove to be one of the few effective interventions for some with the condition, Justin’s tantrums subsided.
With positive reinforcements for small tasks, Justin was coaxed by his therapists to answer questions like “what did you do today?” by drawing, providing a first glimpse of the confusion behind his outbursts, as well as his sense of humor.
The day a teacher at school took his markers away, he drew himself crying on a long, winding road home. After his father returned from a fishing trip, Justin drew a “bad dream”: his own body on a plate, a fish above him with knife and fork, ready to dig in. By the time the Canhas moved to be near family in Providence, R.I., Justin, 9, had taken the top award in a cartooning contest for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. His diet, still devoid of all vegetables, had expanded. He spoke a few short phrases.
And by the time Briant was offered a job in northern New Jersey a year later, Maria Teresa had learned of “inclusion,” a practice that allowed students with disabilities to participate fully in mainstream classes. Said to produce better academic outcomes for such students and instill compassion in their classmates, it held the chance for Justin, his mother believed, to learn the social language that was still so foreign to him.
It took a year to find a public school that would take Justin on those terms; over the 1990s, federal courts had ruled that districts must try to integrate students with disabilities, but gave them discretion. Three superintendents told his mother without even meeting Justin that they would bus him to a specialized private school.
But in Montclair, her plea to have her son educated in the community where she hoped he would one day work and live had been sounded by other parents just a year earlier. Having already trained teachers and adapted material so that six middle school children with other special needs could attend regular classes, there was no reason, the superintendent agreed, not to accommodate Justin.
The move to Montclair in 2002 took its toll on Justin, who clung to routine. In his high-pitched singsong, he ticked off to himself each place the Canhas had lived. “Five moves,” he said. “I hate it.” With a new cognitive behavior therapist, he practiced making eye contact and strategies to stanch the steady stream of “self-talking” that drew stares even as it soothed his anxiety.
And with new computer software, he developed his own cartoon animations and a comic strip called “Jickey and Fanky” about a fox and a wolf that sometimes took on a decidedly personal twist. In “Jickey Goes to Behavior Therapy,” for instance, Dr. Fanky P. Wolf gets his eyes gouged out by his patient, Jickey, whom he is prodding to make eye contact.
When Maria Teresa probed his feelings, Justin brushed her off.
But at his new middle school, Justin’s autistic qualities earned him a kind of celebrity status. His classmates stifled smiles when he yelled “You’re fired!” at an unpopular teacher, and the novelty of his composition book served as a social bridge.
If he did not exactly have friends, he had admirers.
With simplified copies of school books and an aide to keep him focused, Justin participated in the same lessons as his peers, often using art to complete assignments. And when the Ricco Maresca gallery sold more than a dozen of his drawings for as much as $4,000 each at the Outsider Art Fair in Manhattan shortly after Justin entered high school, the Canhas allowed themselves the thought that he might one day support himself through his art.
But meeting regularly with Justin’s family, under the new requirements of a civil rights law called the Individuals With Disabilities in Education Act, school officials encouraged him to pursue independence. The term became a mantra of sorts for the Canhas. For Justin, like any adolescent, it seemed the key to freeing himself from his parents’ grip — and from the very activities designed to help him reach that goal.
“Mom, when is the last day of Dr. Selbst?” Justin asked on the weekly trips to the cognitive behavior therapist.
“Independence,” Justin sighed, turning on classical music on his iPod and settling in for the ride.
At bustling Montclair High, where Justin wore giant ear protectors to block out hallway noise, he faced a less gentle side of inclusive education. A gym teacher threw him out when the murmur of his self-talking broke an order for “total silence.” His middle school fans shrugged him off when he approached with his composition book. “They’re busy,” Justin reported when his mother asked if he ever had lunch with classmates or wanted to invite anyone over.
He still had trouble with basic math, and with understanding someone else’s point of view. His speech was halting, almost formal, and he never asked a reciprocal question in conversation except when prompted. He bristled at criticism, particularly of his artwork (“No opinions, please” was a Justinism his teachers knew well).
And sometimes, the rules bent his way. Justin’s aide braced herself when he raised his hand one day in a class that had focused for several months on Africa. The students had just finished reading a book on apartheid.
The teacher, who is black, turned around.
Justin would walk with his classmates at graduation in June 2009. But at 19, he would be staying on for two years devoted to preparing for adult life. That spring, Ms. Stanton-Paule asked him to design a poster to present at a leadership conference for students with disabilities.
“If you could achieve anything, what would it be?” she challenged him.
He contemplated the outline she gave him: in a bubble at the top, he was to write his vision of the future. On steps leading to his goal, he would write his course of action.
On graduation day, he dressed in a cap and gown. As he paced in the overheated hallway, talking loudly to himself, his classmates calmed him. When they marched out on stage together, they made sure he took his place in line.
Before Justin joined her program, Ms. Stanton-Paule drove her teaching assistants to a low-slung building near the high school known as a “sheltered workshop.” There, in a windowless room, people with autism and other developmental disabilities sorted colored combs and placed them in plastic bags. They were paid by the piece at subminimum-wage rates, based on how fast they performed compared with the prevailing rate for nondisabled workers.
Some family members see such government-subsidized facilities as safe, productive alternatives to keeping disabled adults idle at home. Others criticize them as a form of segregation, where people cannot reach their potential.
To Ms. Stanton-Paule, the workshop represented one of the grim realities her students might face should they fail to find real jobs before leaving school. And for Justin, the stakes were particularly high. Post-high-school programs that have had some success in placing adults with disabilities like Down syndrome in rewarding jobs are often ill suited for those with autism, whose challenges center more on social and communication barriers than basic cognitive functioning.
Like all of the nation’s public school districts, Montclair was required by federal law to provide some kind of transition program to prepare special education students to live independently. As in many schools, Montclair had traditionally assigned them to a classroom equipped with appliances, so they could practice skills like cooking and folding laundry. Some also worked in town a few hours a week.
But in the fall of 2008, Ms. Stanton-Paule had moved nine such students out of the school building entirely and into the town. Individually supervised, they shopped for food, went to the gym and worked at the local businesses that provided internships in response to her combination of charm, persistence and offers of free labor.
The approach, sometimes called “community-based instruction,” is widely viewed by educators as the best way to prepare special needs students to navigate real-life settings. But the federal government, which pays states extra for their education, does not require that school districts track which students are employed in the years after they leave school to determine the relative success of different transition programs.
And experts say few schools implement programs based fully in the community, which require a type of very public teaching for which there is little training.
Deceptively calm, with straight blond hair and an unflinching green gaze, Ms. Stanton-Paule, 49, had long championed the approach: a decade earlier she had found jobs for several special needs students who still worked in town, at a hair salon, at the library, at the Y.M.C.A. The same group of activist parents who had inspired the Canhas’ move to Montclair had requested that Ms. Stanton-Paule be hired back when their children reached high school, and another teacher, Leslie Wallace, quickly volunteered to be her co-director. The program, they argued, could serve even the students most severely affected by autism and other disabilities.
But others saw them as overly idealistic.
The vice provost at Montclair State University, for example, suggested at a meeting that it would not be in the best interest of Ms. Stanton-Paule’s students to audit college classes, even if the institution had resources to handle them. “This is a competitive environment,” she told the teacher.
And a year after she started the community-based program, Ms. Stanton-Paule was already clashing with administrators about whether they would assign enough teaching assistants, at a cost of about $20,000 per student, to continue it.
The Canhas were counting on it. Their quest for inclusive education had all been aimed at enabling Justin’s independence. But so far, the only place he went by himself was the volunteer job Ms. Stanton-Paule had set up at the Montclair Township Animal Shelter — where he excelled, as it turned out, at “socializing” stray cats.
The morning he was to present his “Dream” poster at the statewide conference at a local college, Justin buzzed with excitement.
It had taken months for Ms. Stanton-Paule to persuade Randy Rossilli, the president and founder of the start-up animation studio Nightstand Creations, to meet Justin.
“Call me next week,” Mr. Rossilli, whose company had won a regional Emmy for a children’s show, told her over the fall of 2009.
There were other disappointments that fall as the teachers sought internships for Justin, promising on-the-job support that would fade only when everyone was ready. The supervisor at the public library where Justin volunteered to shelve books gave him high marks for accuracy, but budget cuts meant there would be no paid position. Artware, a store that made custom T-shirts and coffee mugs, declined to take him on.
“I can’t do it, Kate,” said Diana Polack, the owner, who had recently employed someone with disabilities and found the extra attention he required too costly.
Justin’s other volunteer job, assisting an elementary school art teacher, was initially going well. The first graders delighted in his deft animal sketches, and he laid down the law with a moral clarity that might be attributed to his autism.
The art teacher, Kathleen Cooney, who had had some trepidation about Justin’s internship, started to relax. But one afternoon in December, when Justin repeatedly mentioned the coming Christmas holiday to his students, Ms. Cooney asked him to stop talking about religion at school.
He paced in the hall, his self-talking growing louder. He made explosion sounds. Ms. Cooney summoned Ms. Stanton-Paule to help calm Justin.
It was when rules of social behavior rang false to him, Ms. Stanton-Paule suspected, that he found them especially hard to grasp. But later that month, she saw a new empathy in her student when she accompanied Justin to distribute holiday cards he had hand-made for colleagues.
He turned to walk away as she started to thank him.
And when Mr. Rossilli finally agreed to meet on that cold morning in January 2010, in an office with posters of Mickey Mouse on the wall, Justin was better prepared than he had ever been.
Mr. Rossilli did not miss a beat. “My favorite Disney animated film was ‘Jungle Book,’ and my favorite character of all time is Baloo the Bear,” he answered.
“As a matter of fact, let me show you how much I love the film,” Mr. Rossilli said, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of Baloo.
With Ms. Stanton-Paule and Ms. Wallace on the sofa beside their student, Mr. Rossilli flipped through Justin’s portfolio and his composition book, trying to ignore the feeling that he was interviewing a star who had come with his manager.
“How do you keep your focus when you’re doing your art?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Justin replied, staring off at the Mickey Mouse poster.
Ms. Stanton-Paule forced herself to remain silent.
Then Justin looked his potential first boss in the eye. “I use my brain,” he said.
Mr. Rossilli was impressed with Justin’s passion for a craft he loved himself. But his offer of a two-day-a-week unpaid internship was a business decision. The company was developing a property called “Tinosaurs.” There was no doubt that Justin could draw tiny, and he just might have the attention to detail it would take to learn animation.
“Yeah,” Justin agreed, unaware that he was teasing.
Mr. Rossilli smiled. Somehow, it made him all the happier to give Justin a chance.
But as the snow melted in the spring of 2010, Justin began to develop what Ms. Wallace called “his own voice.” His teachers encouraged it.
Maria Teresa, for instance, encouraged Justin to pack his lunch.
“Do you want to buy lunch sometime?” Ms. Stanton-Paule asked Justin one morning. Several of the other students went to local restaurants during their breaks.
“I like to buy lunch, but Maria Teresa forbids me,” Justin replied in his formal way, exaggerating slightly for effect.
“Yeah, but whose life is it?” Ms. Stanton-Paule asked.
On another occasion, he complained about his after-school schedule, packed with therapy and social skills classes.
Justin spoke his mind, too, in a cartooning class he was auditing at Montclair State University (Ms. Stanton-Paule quietly helped him enter through the college’s program for the gifted, avoiding the provost’s objections). One classmate credited Justin’s suggestion that she use Porky Pig in an illustration of swine flu with making her project funnier and improving her grade.
And if Nightstand was not the permanent job they had all hoped for, it was a work experience that could not have been replicated in school.
Justin’s teachers taught him to take the public bus to the office, first accompanying him and then spying from afar. Since he did not talk to himself when he listened to music, Ms. Stanton-Paule coached him to avoid drawing hostile looks by turning on his iPod.
Ms. Wallace advised him on his dress.
“You look like a geek, Justin,” she told him when he pulled his pants up too high one day.
“Let your pants ride,” she said, and he pushed them down on his hips.
Because Justin could be overwhelmed by verbal information, Ms. Stanton-Paule asked his co-worker and chief tutor, Javier Manzione, 30, to sit next to him with his computer and encouraged him to refocus Justin when necessary. “You’re not hurting his feelings,” she assured him.
Over the following weeks, Justin learned to animate an arm, to lip-sync a character’s voice and, perhaps just as importantly, to make small talk with colleagues. It helped that their interest in animation was as genuine as his.
One afternoon, Mr. Manzione heard Justin muttering lines from “Family Guy.” “Was that the episode they were on the couch throwing up in the living room?” he asked.
“Yes!” Justin answered, surprised. No one had ever interrupted his self-talking before except to tell him to stop.
He completed every assignment he was given and was the only one to complain when a snow day forced the office to close. But when Justin came in for a morning entirely on his own, yawned, used the bathroom several times and was unable to focus, Mr. Rossilli reported to Ms. Stanton-Paule. And small disruptions to routine threatened his growing social confidence.
One Tuesday morning, for instance, he marched up the steps to the high school to meet Ms. Stanton-Paule before going to work, unaware that standardized tests were being given that day. Ignoring the man with a “volunteer” badge at an official-looking table near the entrance, he turned down the hall.
“Can I help you?” the man asked testily.
Oblivious to the subtle signals that carry so much social meaning — a tone of voice, a furrowed brow — Justin took the question literally. “I don’t need your help,” he said.
A guard hearing the ruckus advised him, not unkindly, to come back another time. But when Justin, outside, called Ms. Stanton-Paule’s cellphone, as she had taught him to do in emergencies, he grew confused by her voice mail and hung up.
“I am waiting patiently,” he informed a snowdrift.
For Ms. Stanton-Paule waiting inside, the episode was among the most nerve-racking in the program so far. Her boss, Keith Breiman, who supervised special education at the high school, was the one to spot Justin kicking the snow outside his window.
When Ms. Stanton-Paule visited Florida with her family the following month, she received a message from Justin.
Weeks of cellphone practice had paid off. Later that month, when Justin’s parents drove to Michigan for Julian’s college graduation, leaving Justin alone for the first time, he promised to keep in touch by texting, his new preferred mode of communication. “Why are you interrupting my independence?” he asked his mother when she called from the road.
Less successful were the friendships Ms. Stanton-Paule had sought to foster with other students in the program. Fearing that Justin would not leave his room all weekend, the Canhas paid one of his teaching assistants to meet him at Starbucks. Told that they were to meet “for a drink,” Justin had his drink and immediately departed.
He was more interested in completing his latest “Tinosaur” sketch for Mr. Rossilli — a kind of “Where’s Waldo?” with dinosaurs. His first rendition had too much white space, Mr. Rossilli told him, a comment Justin took with a new humility.
“Randy gave me a feedback,” Justin told his co-worker, Mr. Manzione, and revised the drawing until Mr. Rossilli declared it perfect.
But Justin still needed more one-on-one training to become an animator than Nightstand could provide, and by the summer of 2010, Mr. Rossilli had signaled that the internship would need to end. The business was faltering, and he needed to lay off his last two employees.
The Canhas learned too, that the state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, where Justin would apply for support after the transition program ended, had threatened major budget cuts. And in the fall, they were told, Ms. Wallace’s hours in the transition program would be cut in half.
At home, Briant and Maria Teresa’s voices rose as they discussed Justin’s future. None of Justin’s artwork had sold that year.
“Maybe ‘Sesame Street’ will come through,” Maria Teresa ventured.
“Let’s just deal with what’s in front of us,” Briant insisted.
The next month, he woke his mother in the night, crying. He had had a nightmare, about “parents’ death and my death,” he told her.
It was, his mother thought, the first time he had registered what it would mean to truly be on his own.
In January 2010, Gower Nibley, another student with autism who had joined the transition program the previous fall, received a text on his cellphone from Justin.
On his way to his internship at a nursing home, Gower, 20, let out a giggle.
The grin that spread across Justin’s face whenever he saw Gower was striking. And Ms. Stanton-Paule, who was struggling to convince Justin’s parents that this budding friendship was a priority, hastened to schedule time for the two to eat lunch together. She created “Plan an Activity” worksheets so that they would not stand each other up by accident when they intended to get together, as had already happened more than once.
Roger Ricco, co-owner of the Ricco Maresca Gallery, discusses Justin Canha’s paintings, many from a recent show at the gallery.
That September, Maria Teresa had peppered Ms. Stanton-Paule with suggestions of gourmet bakeries where Justin might intern. The voice mail followed when a few weeks passed and the busy teacher had not yet followed up on all her leads.
But by October, Ms. Stanton-Paule had prevailed on Gencarelli’s Bakery in nearby Bloomfield to train Justin to dip cookies. And at a tense meeting in January, she told the Canhas that Justin needed to spend time with fellow students, even taking time to attend a class she was teaching on relationships and sexuality.
Maria Teresa objected. How could they be sure Gencarelli’s would turn into a real job? Perhaps he should take an animation class at Montclair State.
Briant, jet-lagged from a trip, closed his eyes.
Ms. Stanton-Paule held her ground. “Justin’s social competence is going to be a huge gauge of whether he is accepted in the workplace,” she said. Beyond that, she thought, he simply needed a friend.
“Thanks,” Justin said, looking sideways at Gower.
But Gower was considered higher-functioning than Justin. His interests included weather and geography, and he had a girlfriend. Fearing that Gower would tire of Justin’s single-minded focus, Ms. Stanton-Paule had urged Justin to broaden his discussion topics. But it was slow going.
Maria Teresa began to cry. Of course she wanted her son to have a friend. It was just that the responsibility for Justin’s future was suddenly almost unbearable, she apologized. She wanted so desperately for him to live up to his promise.
Her husband reached over and put his hand on her arm.
One day as Justin dipped cookies in chocolate in the bakery, a baker bumped into a co-worker carrying a tub of custard.
“Oh, did I hit the bucket?” she exclaimed, her words slurring somewhat in her alarm.
“You’re right, Justin,” the woman said, though she explained through her laughter that she had not, in fact, cursed.
The report of the incident, by amused bakery employees, filled Ms. Stanton-Paule with unexpected joy. Justin had not needed her prompting to interact with his colleagues. And they had not needed her to decipher his quirks.
Ariel Tuck, 21, Justin’s supervisor, found herself enjoying his spontaneous off-key singing. Justin was not quite as fast as the other interns, Ms. Tuck told the bakery’s co-owner, but his work was neater. Justin was filling up entire racks of cookies now, 14 trays at a time. With each new assignment, she had learned to ask him to use the notepad Ms. Stanton-Paule had supplied; drawing the shapes helped him remember which cookies went with which color sprinkles.
Justin received his first paycheck, for $84, in March, shortly after the Valentine’s Day rush, where he learned to write with chocolate for the first time. For now, he would work two days a week, at minimum wage.
Paloma had followed Justin’s art career on his Web site after meeting him once at an exhibit, and her mother had sought out Maria Teresa. When the two met at the Kalisches’ home, Justin drew Paloma’s favorite character, Tod the Fox, in a composition book she had bought as an homage to him. A few months later, both mothers drew back as Justin took Paloma’s hand after a visit to his solo exhibition at the gallery in Chelsea.
If there was a hint that something more than friendship could grow — perhaps with Justin’s adoption of vegetables into his diet, after watching Paloma eat a salad — their discussion seldom strayed from animation.
But one spring morning with Gower, Justin took a conversational leap. “I hate moving,” Justin confided on their walk in a local park, recounting the places and dates of his moves, as he had so often done for himself over the years. Gower told him that he, too, disliked moving.
The young men lay down in a field and looked up at the sky. Justin told Gower that he planned on saving money, and that he might get a cat when he moved to his own apartment.
“Once I move into the apartment I’m going to feel so relieved,” Justin said. Gower would be welcome to visit whenever he wanted.
Ms. Stanton-Paule visited the bakery once more before the transition program ended in June, just as Ms. Tuck — whom Justin enjoyed calling “my boss” — was showing him how to make cookies that looked like rolled-up diplomas and hats.
Another part-time job had come through for him too, stocking shelves at an art supply store. And this year, at least, he would have a state-financed job coach a few hours a week and $16,000 in aid for continued training in independent living skills like banking, shopping and cooking.
His teacher watched him for a while as he worked.
“What are you still doing here, Kate?” he asked, his trademark bluntness making her smile.
She stayed for a little longer. Then she slipped away, the glass door closing behind her.
An article last Sunday about a young man with autism and his struggle for independence misspelled the surname of a Manhattan teenager. She is Paloma Kalisch, not Kalish.
Autism, Grown Up: Articles in this series will chronicle the struggles of autistic youths coming of age. If you are a person with autism, or a relative, friend, neighbor, romantic interest or co-worker of someone who is, you can help inform this series. Share your story with The New York Times at nytimes.com/national. | 2019-04-21T00:49:19Z | https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/us/autistic-and-seeking-a-place-in-an-adult-world.html?pagewanted=all |
For there must be also factions among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you.
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
We see, therefore, that the New Testament usage of hairesis denotes the fourth and fifth definitions as expressed by Thayer, either a sect or party within a larger group or one bringing forth a message contrary to that which had already been given, or a combination of both.
We can see from the usage of the term hairesis that it is very similar to the term for “divisions;” both incorporate the ideas of dissension and disagreement over doctrines and practices, yet it seems apparent that Paul uses “division” to denote more of the disagreements and divisions that occur within the Lord’s Body; the term “sect” seems to be used more generally to describe any group that would remove itself from the Church of Christ. This is especially apparent in our world today with the proliferation of denominations and a denominational spirit– when divisions on the basis of doctrines and practices is hailed as “diversity.” Therefore, a blended version of the definitions given by Thayer for hairesis— a sect or party following after doctrines that are in disagreement with the doctrines of others– we shall use for our examination of this work of the flesh.
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
Are we given the ability to conclude from these verses that we may establish a form of unity based on divergent practice and doctrine? By no means! We see in these passages the clear truth of God: There is one God, one faith, and one truth. There is one true collective, the Church, that is the pillar and support of that truth, and those who represent that collective obey the message of the Scriptures and seek the Scriptural answer for all things that they may do.
For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.
We have been hard on our friends in the denominational world, but rebuke rightly, considering that the sectarian spirit that abounds within these groups surely are manifestations of hairesis within them. We must recognize, however, that this message is not confined merely to those in the denominational world; we ourselves in the Body of the Lord are just as prone to sectarian spirits and heretical doctrines and practices, and we may heed well the warning concerning those people that would bring in such spirits and doctrines and practices in 2 Peter 2:1 quoted above. We see that the acceptance of these types of persons fosters divisions and sects, as seen in the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:19 demonstrates. How, then, are we to avoid ourselves being tempted to have a spirit of hairesis?
Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.
Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness.
Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate. But I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate. Now we pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is honorable, though we be as reprobate.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
And if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the end that he may be ashamed. And yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling…For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died…It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.
We may see, therefore, that the sectarian spirit generally rests with those who would compel their brethren to either accept a practice they find no authority for or to find another congregation. This spirit is no more justifiable than the sectarian spirit in denominations, and neither is the “unity-in-diversity” pretense devised to attempt to justify their practices.
“Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father who is in heaven.
Interesting discussion, I must say. But I also see that it all ties in with your belief that the church of Christ denomination has all the “right” theology, and all other denominational churches are therefore “in error” and outside the “body of Christ.” When one is able to “read between the lines” and has an understanding of the coC position, it’s not hard to see your agenda!
You make some misleading and outright false statements in this piece. For example, you say, in reference to Thayer’s definitions of hairesis, that NT usage “denotes the fourth and fifth definitions expressed by Thayer, either a sect or party within a larger group or one bringing forth a message contrary to that which had already been given, or a combination of both.” The misleading part of that is, that Thayer – IF you gave his precise definitions above this statement – never said anything about “a message contrary to that which had already been given.” You make it sound like Thayer defined the word in a way he did not.
In the next paragraph you offer a “blended version of the definitions” Thayer gives: “a sect of party following after doctrines that are in disagreement with the doctrines of others” – which you say you will use in the remainder of the study. I see nothing wrong with such a definition IF you stick with it, but you haven’t! Simply put, just because my doctrines differ with yours doesn’t mean that one of us is teaching “false doctrine!” That is, unless what we teach different things about the fundamental or essential doctrines of the Christian faith! Just because we differ on matters of opinion, does not mean one of us is teaching “heresy.” As you yourself have admitted, the Bible can be and is interpreted differently by individuals – thus the differences between the denominations. Your belief that denominations differ on “essential” doctrines of the faith is completely unfounded – I have yet to see any solid proof otherwise. You may disagree with me on instrumental music in the church, or that one who has remarried is in a continual state of adultery, or on millennial views – but these things are not “essentials” of the faith! We understand the Scriptures differently on these issues, that is all. I’m not going to lose my salvation because I use an instrument in the church! You’re not saved because you don’t!
I agree with you that there is “one God, one faith” (I don’t see “one truth” listed in Eph. 4!) – but this “one faith” is understood differently by different individuals, as mentioned above (different interpretations). NOT on the fundamentals of the faith, as you mistakenly believe, but on the issues of LIBERTY (which apparently the coC do not allow for, despite your claim to the contrary!).
You make a flat-out false statement next: “We may even see from the attitude of the denominations the difficulty of their mindset: they have no desire to achieve unity through an agreement on the fundamental doctrines and practices of Christianity . . .” You’re just wrong here, Ethan! As I’ve said many times and in other places: we have a unity in the faith on the fundamental/essential doctrines of the Christian faith. We believe in one God who has revealed Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, including (but not limited to) His virgin birth, His deity, His death on the cross for the sins of man, His bodily resurrection from the dead and His physical return in the future. We believe man is a sinner in need of salvation, that he cannot save himself, and that only through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross can one find salvation. We believe that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work at Calvary. We believe that the Bible is the sole and final authority for the Church today. THOSE are essential to Christian unity – not whether or not we use an instrument in the church, or whether we use one cup or multiple cups in communion, or whether we’re “premillennial,” “postmillennial,” or “amillennial.” And so on . . .
You claim that other denominations are “unwilling to examine the Scriptures and to humble themselves to accept the one truth of God [meaning, coC doctrine, no doubt!] and not the varieties of error that abound.” Difference of opinion on the non-essentials does not equal “error.” So your statement is false.
Yes, you “have been hard on our friends (??) in the denominational world” but the majority of the time you do NOT “rebuke rightly.” You rebuke those who believe differently than you do on the non-essentials, the matters of opinion – even within your own ranks!
You do admit, however, that even within the church of Christ, there are “secterian spirits and heretical doctrines and practices” – though you don’t name any. And calling yourselves “the Body of the Lord” is a clear indication that you believe that those in the “denominational” churches are NOT a part of that Body – which couldn’t be further from the truth!
Towards the end of your article, you discuss the accusations of others that the coC are “legalists” – but you give the wrong basis for this accusation! Others do not accuse you of legalism because of your rejection of “innovations” – but because you insist that everyone must DO the “right” things – don’t use instruments, believe exactly the same on the MDR issue, don’t do this, do that . . . . This is the same legalism the Pharisees were condemned for by Jesus Himself. You want to follow the letter of the law, not the spirit of the law. You claim to follow Paul in his differentiation between “issues that are of grave concern and the issues that are liberty” – but I still see absolutely NO “issues of liberty” among the coC! Where are they? What are they? The coC makes the minor issues into the major ones – everything (so it seems) is a major issue, or “issue of grace concern” to the coC!
You talk about the “true Gospel” – but do you really know what it is? It’s not those matters of opinion that the coC makes into matters of salvation or fellowship – the Gospel is the “good news” about salvation offered through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Paul’s explanation of the Gospel in a nutshell: 1 Cor. 15:1-4, as I’m sure you’re aware of. Paul did not make matters of opinion out to be matters of faith/fellowship/salvation, such as the coC does.
IF you recognized that there are matters of opinion or liberty, then your own statement would apply to you/coC: “As long as the one who believes in the liberty recognizes as much and does not attempt to compel or coerce those who do not believe in the liberty to practice it, then such things are of “eating and drinking . . .” However, since I see no such recognition (nor do others who look at the coC in-depth), then this part of your statement applies to the coC: “If, however, there is compulsion to perform the practice or leave to find another church or to create another church, then the peace of the Kingdom of God has been disruptive and a sectarian spirit is present.” For it is the coC who are “compelling another to sin against their consciences” by insisting that unity can only be had by a conformity to (coC) doctrine!
“We have seen that the term hairesis is truly aimed at the spirit of sectarianism through heresy, the introduction of doctrines not in harmony with the truth of God that leads to division and denominationalism.” In other words, “truth of God” = “coC doctrine” and “denominationalism” = “outside the body of Christ.” How excluvistic can one get?!
As for myself, I cannot answer that question fairly yet. I am beginning my own in-depth study to determine the answer.
I know this is a long reply to your article, but I felt it necessary to cover the misleading and out-right false statements you make.
Again, who gets to define “essentials” versus “liberties”?
It seems that your argument is less with the principles of the article and more with the applications. And so we’re not really on new ground here.
Paul wrote Galatians as well as 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Corinthians 15 never was, isn’t, and never will be intended to be a thoroughgoing declaration of “the Gospel,” since Paul adds many other elements to “the Gospel” in other passages not present in 1 Corinthians 15. I have little doubt that the false teachers in Galatia were entirely on board with Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and yet Paul still said that they taught a different Gospel since they were advocating for binding the Jewish observances.
There’s more to the “essentials” than you would like to admit. And there’s the rub.
The “essentials” of the faith have been there for centuries; if you had any training at all in a Bible college setting (sorry, your degree just doesn’t cut it when it comes to biblical interpretation at all) you just might know what the Church has taught on these essentials down through the centuries. Yes, there have been disagreements on them during different periods of history, thus the various creeds, which the coC denounce – to posit the truth of what the Scriptures teach. The coC cries “no creed but the Bible” – but it’s really “no creed but OUR interpretation of the Bible”! There are things to learn from others outside the coC! You don’t have a corner on the truth, despite your claims!
Your problem is simply this: you (coC folk) think you have all the “right” answers – you are out and out legalists; no one else has the right to call themselves “the Lord’s church” because of all your petty little issues: we use the instrument, we don’t use the “right” name, we fellowship all Christians, regardless of denominational affiliation, etc., etc., ad nauseum. You SAY there are areas in which there may be opinions or liberty – but you NEVER SAY WHAT THEY ARE! Truth be told, I don’t think the coC believes in opinions at all! If someone doesn’t agree with the coC stand, then they are branded “heretics” – period.
Yes, you’ve struck a nerve; throughout all your writings (that I have read) your elitist attitude comes through loud and clear. You fellowship no one in the denominations because to you (coC) claim they are “outside the body of Christ and therefore are not saved.” This is nothing more than a cultic mindset; no wonder people are asking if the church of Christ denomination is a cult!
Your lack of biblical training is evident. You really have no idea about proper hermeneutical principles (CENI isn’t a legitimate interpretation model); you give lip service to the Bible as your creed – in all honesty you deny the OT, except when it suits your purposes. I doubt you make use of any commentaries except maybe those written by coC authors. I am amazed that you even use Thayer, since he was not coC (besides there are much better Greek references available today). I doubt you make use of anything that doesn’t agree with your opinions/those of the coC, unless it’s to create straw men and then knock them down with your unfounded criticisms. I’m sorry but your education and your working with a preacher or two doesn’t qualify you to speak on the things you’ve chosen to speak on.
Open your mind – learn from Christians outside the coC (if you dare!). Then maybe you’ll have a real understanding of what is taught, and why we “denominationalists” have real unity!
First of all, insulting your opponent merely shows the inadequacy of your position. And if you think some kind of seminary training is what really makes a person competent in theological conversation, I’m quite sorry for you.
The “essentials” that you mention have not been there for centuries– if that were the case, there would not have been the round condemnation of various groups of each other for doctrines relating to ecclesiology and soteriology. Are you seriously going to suggest that the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutherans, the Calvinists, and other Reformers of the sixteenth century would limit the essentials to what you have mentioned? They condemned each other for their views on the nature of the church and the way in which one is saved. Half of the “heresies” of the first millennium have less practical relevance than the major disputes within the Protestant associations. “Disagreements?” How many died on stakes, in battles, and how much animosity existed because of disagreements over doctrines throughout the centuries! Their blood testifies against you. In reality, your brand of ecumenism is the modern novelty– barely a century old.
No, denominationalists do not have “real unity.” Real unity, according to Jesus in John 17:20-23 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:1-4, is being of the same mind and purpose, being one as the Father and the Son are One. This involves far more than doctrine but is not less than doctrine. The “unity” of denominationalism is attempting to declare victory in defeat– there is no substantive ground for unity, since each group won’t really move doctrinally, so declaration is made that there is “unity in diversity” and everyone feels fine about themselves. That’s not unity. That’s a pretense of unity.
Real unity always comes when believers come together to an understanding of the Gospel message divested from the inherited deviations from the message of God in Christ as revealed in the New Testament.
1. I don’t deny the OT. I read the OT daily. I have training in Hebrew. It is a wonderful resource to understand all sorts of things about the nature of God, the prediction of the Christ, and how God works with His chosen covenant people. Your bluster is based in your opposition to Paul’s declarations that what is old is old and to impose it on the new is to fall from grace (Galatians 4:24-5:4, Ephesians 2:11-18, Colossians 2:14-16).
2. My commentary library is full of patristic authors.
3. I own and consult, when necessary, BDAG, HALOT, and other such resources. For the purposes of most articles, it’s simply not necessary.
4. Most of the outside literature I read is by people with whom I disagree, often from Evangelicals. If you paid attention to my book reading habits, made evident on Facebook, you would know better.
It speaks volumes, Michael, that when you are challenged about your belief system, you must reduce yourself to insult, ad hominem, and character assassination.
And you have continued to skirt the issues I’ve raised regarding your position that the church of Christ denomination is the “one true church,” as well as remained silent on just what matters of opinion or liberty the church of Christ teaches.
I stand by my accusation that the church of Christ denomination claims to be the only true church, and that the unity she cries for is nothing more than what the cults expect – uniformity or conformity. In your eye, unity is not possible unless everyone agrees with the church of Christ denomination on every point of doctrine. That is not the unity for which Jesus nor Paul calls for.
You’ve got the same lack of understanding of Church history as other coC pastors I’ve read/talked to. I’m not denying the differences of opinion throughout the centuries – but when it comes to the ESSENTIALS of the faith (and I’ve looked at numerous lists by various authors of differing backgrounds), what I have listed stands. You want to add such trivial things to them as instrumental music in the church, etc., (I get tired of listing the same old things over and over) – things which have no bearing on one’s salvation. (I don’t know what’s so hard to understand about salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ; we’re not saved by being non-instrumental!). We can disagree on all this stuff til the cows come home – and neither one of us will change our position.
I will stand corrected, however, on some of your points. OK, so you read outside the coC circle of writers; but do you do so to learn, or just to degrade because the authors don’t present things the way you think they should be? Have you ever given further thought to the fact that there are Christians in other denominations? Or that by claiming to be “the LORD’S church” to the exclusion of other denominations, you are claiming the same thing that all cults claim?
You don’t understand the term “unity” at all. You don’t understand what constitutes the “essentials of the faith.” And until you come out of your protected little world and get into the real world – and actually dialogue with us “heathen” in the denominational world, you’ll never really understand us. I was in the same position as you are at one time! But when I opened my mind, I found out I was wrong about a lot of things. And I learned a lot more about the Scriptures than I ever dreamed possible. I guess that’s my challenge to you – if you dare accept it. But you probably won’t; I don’t know of many coC people who would.
I do apologize if you feel I’ve “assassinated” your character; I never intended to do so. My patience isn’t what it should be at times. I still think you’re a fairly intelligent young man; but you have an awful lot yet to learn, and your secular degree just doesn’t cut it in the theological realm. It may help somewhat with the Hebrew and Greek, but then again it depends on whether it is the biblical languages you studied or, for instance, classical Greek – there is a difference.
I don’t make any claim that the “church of Christ denomination is the one true church.” Whatever “church of Christ denominations” there are out there are no better than any other form of denominations and certainly do not represent the intention of the Lord that there would be One– undenominated– Body (Ephesians 4:4-6).
The Lord and His revelation in the Scriptures are the final determiner and arbiter. He will judge people’s souls, not me (James 4:12). We can know for certain that His Word is the standard for Judgment (John 12:48), and that there are going to be some who profess Him yet will not be saved (Matthew 7:21-23). What matters is doing the will of the Father– and not every group that claims to do so really does so.
As to matters of opinion or liberty, there are some clear ones from Romans 14– matters of food and drink, observance of days, etc. I, personally, believe that it extends to many other matters. You have mentioned views of Revelation; any view that can make sense of the text and yet still honors the Lord, His resurrection, and His Kingdom, in my estimation, is a matter where there is enough vagary to allow for different opinions (I would exclude the AD70 hyperpreterist view and dispensational premillennialism since they are quite heretical about the resurrection and the nature of the Kingdom, respectively). There are other matters where there is indeed textual vagary. But there are not as many as would be alleged by ecumenism.
As to unity/uniformity: I quite understand the ecumenists’ definition of unity– I do not disagree with the abstract concept, but quite disagree with its application, and Galatians has not yet been appreciably been addressed in that context. Paul’s definition of essentials is demonstrably wider than that of modern ecumenism– and that should pose a problem for you. Modern ecumenism is nothing more than a declaration of victory in the midst of defeat. John 17:20-23 and 1 Corinthians 1:10, let alone Philippians 2:1-4, are quite sufficient to show that the Lord expects believers to function in quite a strong degree of uniformity, to be on the same page so as to serve Him properly. To accept the ecumenist view is to embrace relativism and defeatism. There is truth and there is error when it comes to the role of man in salvation. There is truth and there is error when it comes to the poles of the human freedom/divine sovereignty argument. There is truth and there is error regarding ecclesiastical order. It is one thing to be humble enough to admit that one might be wrong; it is quite another to take that to mean that we should just accept any other viewpoint because of it. Better to stand before God having firmly believed something as true than to have no firm conviction at all– or undermine any conviction by what one accepts in others.
2 Timothy 2:15 does not read “study.” It reads “be diligent.” Paul is exhorting someone to do so yet not in the confines of the modern educational system.
I remain quite sorry for you, Michael, if you cannot mentally separate the modern educational system from education itself. I am entirely in agreement with you that study is important, and that hearing different views and opinions is vital for critical thinking. But to delude oneself into thinking that seminary is the only venue– or even the best venue– in which to receive such an education is quite sad.
In fact, my degree acquainted me with much of what you deem as theology, and not even within the evangelical echo chamber. Yes, I learned Attic Greek, but Attic Greek is more complicated than Koine; it is like learning to drive a manual transmission and going to automatic. I have a better understanding of the nuances of Greek grammar from Attic than the average seminary student would from learning Koine. But you would rather put me in your predetermined box than to ask about my experiences.
Ironic, isn’t it? The one proclaiming tolerance and wanting someone to be open-minded is being rather judgmental, closed-mind, and dare I say, intolerant.
As to the “essentials” and history– I am sure that if you take a preset definition and look into a preset list of groups, you can come out with the claim that it has been agreed upon over time.
Is that what is taught in seminary? If so, I definitely don’t want any of it.
In historical reality, your statement is flawed on many levels. First– there has not been agreement over the “death, burial, and resurrection” of Jesus. The Gnostics first disputed the physicality of it all in the late first century and did so, through various groups, into the medieval period. The same Jewish observances concerning which Paul condemned any binding on Christians in Galatians are still there in Messianic Jewish groups, Seventh-Day Adventists, and among many others. Many among dispensational premillennialists would claim that Jesus’ death was a mistake, that He should have been proclaimed physical King in Jerusalem, and everything that has happened since was a contingent plan B.
As to the nature of God, often considered part of the “essentials,” the whole first millennium is a testimony to disagreement and confusion on the issue. Modalists, Arians, Monophysites– all sects based on disagreements about the nature of God. To this day, the LDS, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Oneness Pentecostals teach doctrines at variance with Chalcedonian Trinitarian orthodoxy.
You will call some of these groups heretics and cults and use that to justify why you did not include them, but doesn’t that just go to show your prejudice? It just shows that since my definitions don’t match your definitions, and you look at things differently than I look at them, I must be wrong. And it must be because I haven’t studied enough, haven’t gone to seminary, or had enough outside experience, otherwise I would clearly have accepted your line of thinking.
Do you not see how such thinking is really the pinnacle of the type of arrogance that you would deign to condemn?
Ultimately, your argument fails on every historical level. First of all, the agreement on your list of essentials is not really there. There is only mostly agreement within the boundaries of certain groups to the exclusion of others. Furthermore, no one before the twentieth century would agree to your definition of essentials. They strung each other up–literally!– for far less. Thus, the question remains– who gets to define the essentials? You, merely on the basis of what you think everyone agreed on for 2000 years that was not really agreed upon by everyone? Why is your definition better than Augustine’s? Aquinas’? The Renaissance popes’? Luther’s? Calvin’s? the Anabaptists’? And so on and so forth?
It is not for me to judge one’s state before God. I have no control over that. What I do have is control over association.
In terms of association on a local, congregational level, yes, there must be a strong level of uniformity, else there can be no working together, according to Romans 14:23, Philippians 2:1-4, etc.. I have no confidence in the use of the instrument; I cannot, in good conscience, praise God with it being played. Therefore, I cannot assemble with those who insist on its use. What God will do with them is up to God, not me– although I would hasten to add that the concern should be far more with how they treat those who disagree with them more than the object itself.
As to association outside the local congregation, I can be and often am in conversation with a wide array of people with whom I disagree on many issues. I have never arrogated the claim that I can only learn from those with whom I agree on everything. But being in conversation is not necessarily an endorsement of all that is believed, which I am sure that you can understand and can clearly appreciate, since you’re posting here.
There are certain things I cannot get around in terms of association and its closeness. One, as shown above, is on working with people so no conscience is offended. The other is immersion in water for the remission of sin as the culminating act of entrance into association with God and believers. Sure, I could argue that there are people who prayed a prayer instead and who sound sincere and who act in more Christian ways than baptized believers…but if they were truly humble and sought God’s ways, why is there such heavy resistance to following God’s purposes in terms of baptism? And on what basis do I cavalierly dismiss such hostile and (quite frankly) rebellious attitudes about that issue?
There are several things I can agree with you on. But rather than go into that at this point, I must (again) take issue with you on your inclusion of such groups as LDS, JW’s, and Oneness Pentecostals – and probably SDA – among “denominations” of Christianity. These groups are cults, not Christian denominations. It does not matter that they claim to follow Christ – the “Christ” they follow is a shallow copy of the biblical Jesus! As one who has studied the cults for nearly 40 years (mostly outside the educational system!) I can say most assuredly that they share nothing with true Christianity, except for perhaps some of the same terms – although they redefine them to mean something totally foreign to what the Christian means. Example: the LDS defines their “trinity” as “three gods” (I could give you the source for this, but I do not have it handy at present; Joseph Smith taught this in more than one sermon, however). You should know that the Christian definition of the Trinity is something quite different from the LDS one.
Yes, I can differentiate between the “modern educational system and education itself,” despite what you may believe. There is a place for formal education – Bible college, seminary, preacher training schools, etc. The problem, for the most part, is finding those schools which are true to the Scriptures, i.e., those who are not liberal. I am pretty sure that for someone from the church of Christ denomination (sorry, but I’m stuck with the “d” word to make the distinction between the non-instrumental coC and the Church [capital “C”] of Christ, which is the whole body of Christ scattered throughtout all of Christendom), there is no such thing as a school “true to the Scriptures” except for coC schools. This shows how closed-minded those in the coC really are.
You say you make no such claim for the coC as the one true church; not to offend you, but this is a flat-out lie. I have read enough of what you have written to know that you are like all the other “conservative” or “old school” coC “evangelists” who make that very claim. You continually call the coC “the Lord’s Church” all the while indicating that all denominations are “outside” the “Lord’s Church” – i.e., that there are no Christians in any group/denomination excepting the coC. This claim is make both directly and indirectly by the “old school” coC – I’ve read it in articles from the Gospel Advocate, articles in the Living Oracles (Tennessee Bible College), and other coC periodicals and newsletters. I have had coC evangelists say it right out. I see no difference in what you write – the claim is still there. And again I will say, this is the same claim all cults make.
Your belief that there exists no “central doctrines” (e.g., essentials) for the Christian faith down through the centuries really has no basis. I agreed with you before that there have been differing opinions – but the groups you mentioned above as those who disagreed (e.g., Gnostics, Modalists, Arians, etc.) were in fact heretics – and the creeds of Christendom were attempts by the Church to state their understanding of those central doctrines, and preserve the true teachings of the Apostles and Christ. I will stand by my “essentials” of the faith. Thus, if a group denies the triune nature of God, or that Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead, or that man has to perform certain “works” to merit salvation, then that group places itself outside the Christian faith.
I will grant you this: there is too little emphasis on baptism amongst most churches. I believe that if the Gospel is preached, then baptism is definitely preached (Acts 8). And that if a person refuses to be baptized after hearing the Gospel, then that person’s salvation is questionable at best. Does baptism save anyone? Not in and of itself. I have known too many people who have been baptized, but all they did was get wet!
Do I believe if someone is not baptized they are lost? Not necessarily. You’ve heard the “if I die before I get baptized” theory, I’m sure. What about someone who is physically unable to be baptized? What’s more important – getting baptized or the condition of one’s heart? Only God sees the heart – only He knows for sure who are His children. It is not for us to judge, as I’m sure you agree.
As far as instrumental music, I respect your OPINION not to use it in worship. All I have ever asked any a capella coC person is to respect my OPINION to use it! That is all it is – an OPINION. I don’t expect you to go against your conscience and worship with a congregation that uses the instrument. I, on the other hand, can worship with those who do not use it, although I prefer the instrument (after all, I am a musician!) ‘Nuf said . . .
I know I’ve rambled on here. Probably haven’t answered all the points I wanted to, or felt I needed to. Just going from memory for the most part. We disagree on several issues. We agree on some. You believe in uniformity; I believe in liberty, and thus “unity in diversity” as the evangelicals put it. The only way there will ever be uniformity is if we all lay aside all our convictions and become one big cult. As I’ve said before: uniformity is NOT unity.
Now, change the list of the “essentials,” make them more expansive, and you have most of what passes for historic Christianity.
Your list of essentials + RCC ecclesiastical polity = RCC view of their own exclusivity held until the last century.
Your list of essentials – adult immersion = persecution of Anabaptists in the sixteenth century.
That’s what I mean by saying that few, if any, before the twentieth century would agree with your list of “essentials.” Even the “fundamentals of the faith” definition of the early 20th century included premillennialism.
Ultimately, if the definition of “the essentials” is more broad than you’ve defined it, then the list of “not truly Christian” groups grow. Our differences are not really a difference of quality but in depth. My view of the Biblical list of “essentials” is a bit more expansive than just adherence to Chalcedonian orthodoxy. It also includes matters of soteriology and Kingdom theology for certain, as expressed by Paul himself in Galatians. In such a view the RCC and most of what passes for Protestantism is not up to snuff.
Those things which you have added to “my list” of essentials are by no means essentials of the faith, for they are not explicitly, nor clearly taught in Scripture. Those essentials which I have listed – and which, by the way are not “my” own doing, but that of countless others’ studies – are taught in the Scriptures.
I do not believe I have in any way “justified” your argument; if you were at all knowledgeable in the area of cults and early Christian heresies, you would agree with me concerning those heretical groups and their false teachings that necessitated the Church councils and the formulation of the Creeds in response to the heresies. Since you apparently cannot tell the difference between a ‘cult’ and a ‘denomination,’ (as evidenced by your unchanged “Study of Denominations”) it is no wonder you cannot seemingly comprehend the struggles of the early Church against these heresies.
The coC dismisses all the Creeds, as useful as they are in explaining Christian doctrine (to the best of the abilities of the early writers). Will the coC in like manner dismiss all the writings of their own, when they – to the best of their abilities – attempt to explain Christian doctrine, same as the writers of the Creeds?
I honestly think the only reason you want to expand the list of “essentials” is so that you, yourself, can exclude from the Christian faith, ALL WHO DO NOT BELIEVE AS YOU DO! This is exactly what the coC does. The coC wants to include the issue of instrumental music in the “essentials” of the faith – along with conformity of belief on all other secondary issues. The coC says, you have to believe that premillennialism is a false teaching; that using the instrument is a sin; that if you are in a second “unauthorized” marriage that you are continually committing adultery; etc. . . . The coC makes THESE things “essentials” so as to make themselves appear to be the only TRUE Christians.
I’ll be one of the first to agree with you that Roman Catholicism is not true Christianity – theologically they deny some of the central doctrines of the Faith. The bulk of liberal Protestantism likewise. But don’t lump the Conservative Evangelicals in there with them! But then, to the coC ALL denominations are LIBERAL, right? Because all denominations are heathen, and unsaved – only the coC folk are saved. That’s the mindset I read in what you and other coC folk write/have written. Sorry if this offends you, but you know the old saying: Sometimes the Truth hurts!
In all honesty – and I do not mean to offend here – it is my opinion that you need to do further study into the history of Christianity. I sense a lack of study in this area on your part. Not that I have it all right – it wasn’t exactly my favorite subject, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. My own “specialty” was in the area of theology and cults. But apparently my understanding of Church History is a bit different than yours!
Don’t know if I’ll continue posting. I’ve just about come to the conclusion that it’s a hopeless case to discuss such things with coC folk – after all they apparently are satisfied with “their” truth.
Matters of soteriology and the Kingdom are not clearly taught in Scripture? Are you seriously suggesting that there is vagary in terms of how one can be saved and the nature of the Kingdom? It’s one thing for there to be human-caused confusion; it’s quite another to blame the text for it.
It is still quite flummoxing that your “opinions” always assume that because people view things differently than you do, their problem obviously is that they haven’t studied a matter enough. I have studied quite extensively into church history– have you read all five volumes of Pelikan’s history of doctrine throughout the past 2,000 years? Can you envision any scenarios where either (a) you’ve studied something, yet not in depth, and have just imposed your 21st century assumptions onto matters of the past, and argue on that basis in error, or (b) someone else can come to entirely different opinions while having engaged in no less examination into the matter than yourself?
This presumptive attitude is not befitting.
Salvation is indeed taught in the Scriptures: salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from any kind of works which one might do – including baptism. This is part of the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Or do you deny Paul’s statement in Ephesians 2:8-9? Even if we call baptism a “work of righteousness,” it is still a work! That makes it no less important. But again, it is not one’s baptism that is important, it is the state of his heart, which only God can see!
The nature of the Kingdom? Is the Kingdom the Church, or is it still future? The Scriptures are not clear on this subject, therefore it is not an ‘essential’ of the faith. Indeed, the case can be made for both sides of this question: the Kingdom is here now (in the sense of the Church, i.e., the called out ones) and the Kingdom is still future (in the sense that Christ will establish it upon the earth for the Millennial reign; and/or that it will be our eternal habitation in heaven).
Again, I will stand by those essentials I have annotated. that is my understanding of the issue. I admitted above that I don’t have all the answers. That’s more than what you have ever done. You evidently speak to yourself: “This presumptive attitude is not befitting.” Such is your attitude. I will reply no more.
I see that you’ve bought into the false dichotomy invented by the Reformers regarding faith and works. I submit that Paul was never basing what he said on the Reformer’s definitions and would never have thought of baptism or obedience as “works” in the way Luther et al did. This is evident within Romans itself– Romans 1:5, all of chapter 6, chapters 12 and following are by no means considered inconsistent or incongruent with the rest of the letter. The problem again is not with God or the Bible but with man.
The Scriptures are not clear on the Kingdom’s existence now? Colossians 1:3, Revelation 1:6-9, are unclear that the Kingdom is to be understood as here and now, even if its full expression awaits? The answer, from Scripture, cannot be that the Kingdom is both now and future, much like salvation in 1 Peter 1:3-9? Again, is this really a problem with Scripture or with people and their distortions? And is the argument of confusion being made just to keep it a matter of “liberty”?
We keep running into Galatians and Paul’s declarations there. I’ve never claimed to have all the answers, but I do claim that we can know the Source of all the answers and ought to be able to make a stand. Not making a stand in the name of a misguided ecumenism is not what Scripture intends. Something tells me that it is better to be wrong with a conviction than to never take a stand at all and be as water flowing as it will.
And your complete silence over the matter of your presumption– about the study habits of others, the arrogant assumption that clearly anyone who has actually studied the matter would obviously come to your conclusions– is noted. No such presumption has ever been suggested on this end. I hope that will be noted also.
OK, you suckered me into one more reply.
1. I don’t think there is a “false dichotomy” of faith and works. I believe the Reformers understood it correctly. We are not saved by our works; they are a result of our salvation. Paul stressed the fact that works do not save us – only faith saves us. IF we are saved by works, then “it is no more of grace” (Rom. 11:6). As far as calling baptism a “work of righteousness,” this isn’t my label, it happens to come from another church of Christ minister (sorry I can’t recall his name right off, but I read it on his site). So it’s not me who’s calling baptism a “work.” But it still stands that baptism, in and of itself, does not save anyone. Salvation is solely on the basis of Christ’s FINISHED WORK at Calvary – there is nothing to add to it, not baptism, nor any “work” of any kind.
2. As for the Kingdom – again, it is not an issue of salvation, or an “essential” of the Christian faith. Some believe the Kingdom is here now, in the form of the Church. Others believe that the Kingdom is still future. And some (like yourself, apparently) believe that the Kingdom is here, but not yet “fully realized.” I happen to agree with you. But it isn’t essential that one believe that to be saved. I’m making no argument of any kind, just stating the fact that there are at least 3 ways of understanding the Kingdom. You can’t bind your opinion on others when they understand it differently, and can support their position by Scripture – same way with millennial views, for example. It’s a matter of opinion or interpretation, and cannot be labeled “essential” in any way.
3. You say, “I’ve never claimed to have all the answers,” but your tone comes across saying otherwise. I will agree with you that we have The Source for the answers; but the answers we get are different! And why is that? Because, as we both have admitted, different people interpret the Bible differently.
4. “Making a stand” – we all make stands on what we believe. And we support our beliefs with Scripture, as we understand it. And again, different understandings lead to different beliefs. You guys in the church of Christ claim unity of doctrine, but this isn’t quite true, for even the coC has its share of factions (one cuppers, no Sunday School, no kitchen in the church building, etc.) – these are just as much “doctrine” to them as salvation and such! My point is simply that everyone makes a stand on what they believe the Scriptures teach. Just because we don’t agree on a lot of “non-essentials” doesn’t mean that one is right and the other is wrong – it just means our understanding of Scriptures on those things is different.
Now, if you were to tell me that God was some guy about 6’4″ tall, about 225 pounds, living in the heavens with a harem of wives making spiritual children, then I’d have to say you were wrong, because that’s not what the Bible teaches about God at all. But if you were to say, for instance, that you believed Jesus would return before the Great Tribulation, and someone else would say they thought He would return after it, then I’d have to let each of you have your own belief, as the Scriptures aren’t easy to understand concerning this issue. Thus 2 different opinions or understandings of the same Scriptures.
You say, “it is better to be wrong with a conviction than to never take a stand at all and be as water flowing as it will.” I agree. You have your convictions, and you may be wrong on some of them. Those in other denominations have their convictions as well, and take a stand on them. They MAY be wrong, but at least they take a stand (contrary to what you apparently believe). But I don’t see anyone NOT taking a stand. That is just your own preconceived notion.
5. Now, about your accusation of my being presumptuous. Never said anything about “anyone who has actually studied the matter would obviously come to [my] conclusions,” not did I remotely hint at it. I merely suggested you do some more in-depth study for yourself, open-minded of course, to the idea that what you’ve concluded thus far may be wrong.
This will most definitely be my last reply. I find it is beginning to waste my time to repeat myself to one who has no interest in theological honesty or integrity.
So because I refuse to honor your pigeon-holing of me into the categories you imagine I must fit in because of my associations, and I don’t agree with you, I clearly have “no interest in theological honesty or integrity”? And you seriously claim to have made no presumptive or arrogating claims?
At what point does one obtain “theological honesty or integrity”? And, quite frankly, who are you to declare who is theologically honest and has theological integrity and who does not? | 2019-04-24T10:03:57Z | http://www.deverbovitae.com/articles/worksfleshsects/ |
Well, here I am back in grey, damp, freezing Britain. It’s getting dark before it’s really got light properly today. The journey home was quite interesting. We took off as scheduled at 7pm, after sitting around the air terminal for over four hours as the military like you there good and early. We started our approach at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire still on time at about 9.45pm (local time), it was a bit misty, but the lights below etc looked pretty clear from my plane window. About 50 feet above the runway, the pilot realized he didn’t fancy it, and aborted the landing. Back up to cruising altitude for a bit, and then an announcement over the speakers that we were re-routing to… Manchester (about 150 miles from Brize). We landed Manchester at around 10.15pm. About 11pm we were told that coaches were being dispatched from Brize, and would be with us in about 3 hours….
Obviously, we’d caught the good folk at Manchester Airport a bit on the hop, so it took them about an hour to get us off the plane. Baggage reclaim was a bit chaotic, with piles of body armour and helmets going round and round, so another hour was spent there. A couple of large coaches arrived c 2.00am, but they were not for us, and eventually eight of us were crammed in to a space bus taxi and headed off to Brize about 2.30am.
So, what am I going to miss about Cyprus (in no particular order)?
The base at Akrotiri is littered with the biggest speed-bumps in the known universe, apparently distributed quite randomly. Suspect I have a compressed spine after 11 days bouncing over these things in the Landie and the long-wheelbase Transit minibus.
Life on the base was comfortable, but driving around the housing estates where the military (and us) lived had quite an odd feel. One of my first impressions led me to name it ‘Stepford’, as in the sci-fi film ‘The Stepford Wives’ because the domestic areas were so uniform. All the houses are identical, and all painted the same colour, beige and cream with blue shutters, and while I’m sure that played a big part, there was a lot more to it than that. There was also very little traffic, and no cars parked on the road as everyone had a drive-way, no litter, no graffiti, no stray dogs or kids hanging around on street-corners or in front of shops, but it was only yesterday that it finally hit me: the demography. Basically, everyone I saw walking around the base in civvies was off-duty military, and hence in excellent physical condition and under 50: no old people, no fat people (children or adults). It’s actually quite strange.
So, that’s it from the blog for this year’s trip. Looking forward to going back next year already, getting trowels into some of the fabulous archaeology we’ve been walking over, and meeting up with the lovely, lovely Op Nightingale crew again. The whole trip, and yesterday in particular, was in many ways for me a quite humbling experience. I hope I managed to steer through it largely with stoicism and good humour. If a paraplegic and a blind bloke could retain their sense of humour throughout out the whole thing, then us able-bodied types didn’t really have any right to start kicking off when things went a bit wrong.
PS: This blog saw over 5000 page-views and over 1200 unique visitors during its run. Thank you all very much for taking the time to read my ramblings. Back next year!
There’s a real sense that the project is starting to wind down now. The vets had their farewell barbecue up at the monastery site, and tomorrow the chairs, tents etc are due to be collected and packed away. Most of my morning was spent tagging along with Diarmaid, talking to people who can give us the required permissions to take the project to the next level, ie dig some holes before the Dreamer’s Bay sites all fall into the sea, and everything is looking very positive in that regard. The people we need onside appear to be very onside, and we’re taking them out to look at the sites tomorrow. I also spent a large chunk of the morning wrestling with my lap-top in an effort to get email working properly. After a fruitless hour or so I gave up, but have a workaround in place. I can receive in Outlook, but have to send using Yahoo. Have tried numerous fixes, all without success, but it appears that Microsoft Vista is indeed the pile of crap that everyone says it is.
After lunch, more research time. It might have looked like I was lying on a sunbed at the beach reading, but it was research. Honest. I’m certainly feeling a lot more familiar with the pottery than when I got here, and I’m happy that it is indeed all early Byzantine, broadly 5th – 7th century. More accurate dating will have to wait until we start digging. Interestingly, it turns out that a lot of the amphorae that we were getting at the Bay sites also turn up in really large quantities in Egypt, so that would seem to reinforce the suspected link between Dreamer’s Bay and Alexandria. We also suspect very strongly that they may have been making the amphorae on Akrotiri. It’s long been suspected there was a source of the type (LR1, pot-fans) on Cyprus, now all we’ve got to do is find it. Easier said than done, but another thing to think about.
The last hour before sundown was spent with one of our contacts off the base who reckoned he’d found some archaeology near the end of the main runway. We went and took a look, and indeed he had. He’d previously found Roman coins, and there was a steady scatter of Roman pottery and really good quality vessel glass throughout the scrub, but very little roof tile and no real sign of buildings. Odd. It’s very sandy there though as it’s very near the sea-front, so the whole thing may be buried under the sand. As it’s Roman, it’s not really our concern. We’ve probably already got about two centuries worth of digging with the Byzantine sites, so we’ll record the location of the finds, and leave it for somebody else, although we might stick a test-pit in at some point in the future to see how deeply it’s buried so the site can be managed properly in the future. It’s about 400m from a nice beach with a bar if anyone fancies it.
This morning I dragged myself out of my pit at 6 in the morning. Who knew there were two six o’clocks in the day? A very quick breakfast and into the minibus at 6.45am. An insanely early start to the day (for me, anyway), but the day promised to just a little bit special. Diarmaid had managed to arrange us a tour, courtesy of the UN peace-keeping force, of the ‘neutral zone’ in Nicosia. This is basically the area of the city which separates the Greek and Turkish halves of the island. Nicosia, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, is the only divided city in Europe.
After a 90 minute drive we arrived at the UN base, and were met by some lovely blokes from the Mercian Regiment, although they were all wearing the blue berets of the UN, who they were on secondment to, along with Argentinean and Slovakian troops. The Regimental Sergeant Major greeted us all and shook us by the hand. I think he only broke three bones in mine.
Though the security barriers and away we went. We wound our way through the streets of the ‘neutral zone’, now patrolled by the UN, which had basically been preserved pretty much unchanged since the Turkish ‘intervention’ of 1974 (diplomacy prevents it being called an invasion and, given the political upheaval that preceded the Turks coming in, it seems a fair description). Each place we stopped had its own back-story, some grim, some hilarious. There first place we saw had been a school, but became a Turkish strong-hold during some of the fiercest fighting. It’s estimated that around 2000 Turkish troops died defending the place, with the front and sides of the building still riddled with holes from what looked like heavy-calibre machine-guns. It’s now a memorial garden to the fallen over on the Turkish side. For security reasons, we weren’t allowed to photograph in some areas, as the border still has observation points with armed troops in them and they get a bit twitchy if they see people taking pictures.
At the other end of the scale are some of the antics after the cease-fire. There was a wall built by the Turks to seal off a roadway crossing the border. This was to built to an agreed height, and once that height was reached, the UN painted the top line of bricks white. A week or so later, it was noticed that the wall was considerably higher, but the line of white-painted bricks was still at the top. It dawned on the UN that every night since they’d painted the line, the Turks had come along, removed the top row, put on another row of bricks, then put the original painted ones back. The UN finally put a stop to this by painting a line of bricks 10 rows from the top, meaning the Turks would have had to remove 800 bricks to add another row.
Elsewhere, the Turks had fortified a position using old wooden tea-chests with their bases pointing towards the Greek side. This was also illegal under the peace agreement, because if the chests contained earth or concrete, they would count as new fortifications. The Turks claimed they were simply there to stop the Greeks seeing what they considered to be a sensitive area. An agreement was again reached, this time that the Turks would turn the tea-chests around to show that they were empty. Unfortunately, they forgot to include a time-scale in which the Turks had to turn the chests round, so the Turks, once a month, would turn up with a full military band, flags and banners and a senior general, and with great ceremony, one tea-chest would be turned around to face the Greeks. I did ask the young cavalry Lieutenant who was showing us around how they all managed to keep their faces straight when dealing with this sort of thing, but he just half-smiled and shook his head.
As we moved away from what had been the areas of fiercest fighting, we hit an area of what had been shops. In one big department store, one of the counters was still stocked with type-writer ribbons and ink, amongst other things, complete with the original 1974 advertising. We then proceeded down what had been Nicosia’s equivalent of Bond Street before the intervention, including an underground car-park stocked with brand-new cars dating to 1974, all with 40 km on the clock. They’d been driven there from the port in preparation to being placed in the show-room, but never got that far. Above the car-park was a shopping mall, complete with an impromptu museum which the UN troops had put together over the years, including some ancient TV sets.
We then proceeded back to the van, and off for a quick lunch in the UN headquarters, which was what was once the Ledras Palace hotel, in the 1970s the only 5-star hotel on the island, and a regular haunt of Elizabeth Taylor. I doubt she’d recognise it now. Back to the bus, and then to what was for me, the high point of the day: Nicosia International Airport. The airport is in the area which is the main base of the UN in the area, and scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict. It has remained deserted ever since. The terminal itself was only built in 1969, and was state-of-the-art, including such novelties as automatic doors. From the outside, it looks like something out of an episode of Thunderbirds. Inside was like the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. All the original seats in the lounge area were still there, as were the shop fittings the kitchen area, the duty-free shop and some of the original advertising boards, but everything was covered with a thick layer of pigeon droppings. Simply one of the most astonishing things I have ever seen.
After this, we were taken to see a plane that was still sitting on the tarmac, although its engines had been removed, and it was time to go, and back to base just as the sun was going down.
I’ll put a load of pictures of today on my ‘open’ Facebook page, I’d really recommend anyone interested taking a look, I’ve had what can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience today, and the pictures probably do the place far more justice than my prose.
The day started with me, after breakfast, watching a massive, black U2 spy plane taking off from the runway near the Sergeant’s Mess. It’s easy to forget that this idyllic area stuffed with fantastic archaeology is not very far at all, maybe 200km or so, from a war zone, and the base is playing an active role. Everyday we see fighter-bombers taking off and then later landing, sometimes with their pay-loads still attached, sometimes not.
There was a slight change of plan today as Elena, the Cypriot archaeologist who is running the monastery excavation, was unable to come to site today, so Jim-Bob was required to manage proceedings in her absence, meaning our trip to the Dump Site to clean up the possible plunge-pool had to be postponed.
I instead took to the road with Diarmaid and Mark to get some maps and APs (aerial photographs) so we could start plotting the GPS data we’ve been collecting over the last week or so. This is where things got a bit James Bond. We went to [undisclosed location], showed our passes at the gate and then parked up outside [undisclosed location]. We entered the building through a heavily fortified turnstile gate, handed in our camera and phones, passed through another couple of metal doors, and then we were in. The place were we’d arrived was essentially the British Armed Forces map room for the entire planet. If anyone from a platoon going out on patrol to a general planning an invasion wants a map, this it where it comes from. Despite its importance, the actual offices weren’t much bigger than a couple of large cupboards, with lots of central heating ducts running through it. The walls were lined with large, blown-up aerial photos of all sorts of obscure little places, mainly in desert locations, with the buildings marked as to their function. Having watched the U2 take off earlier, I’d guess the source of the pictures.
We headed back through the security barriers, retrieved our phones and my camera, and headed back to base. In the centre of the secure area, there is a large, undeveloped area of scrubland maybe 500m across. The edge of this is marked with yellow concrete bollards which is military-speak for ‘there appears to be something archaeological here, no digging holes or driving tanks through it please’. However nobody had really looked at it pretty much since the base was built, so Diarmaid thought it might be a good idea if we went and had a mooch about to see what was there.
As soon as we stepped onto the scrubland, we started to notice stone and bits of roof-tile, and the further we went, the denser the stone got, until we were walking on pretty much solid rubble and tile. And it just went on and on and on. There were visible wall-lines, and something that was either a baptismal pool or part of a bath-house. There wasn’t much pottery, but what was there seemed very similar to the sort of stuff we’ve been getting down at the water-front sites. The clincher came when we found a very fresh couple of sherds from a Byzantine pottery frying-pan lid, which is almost certainly 5th – 7th century, so the same date as the Dreamer’s Bay sites and the monastery the Vets are digging. A bit more rooting around, and it became clear the whole 500m x 500m area of scrubland was completely solid Byzantine archaeology. By the time Diarmaid had found a piece of a marble column base and I’d got a piece of a decorated glass vessel and a chunk of what looked suspiciously like a marble font, I was beginning to giggle slightly hysterically. We headed back to the Landie and had a bit of a sit-down. The pair of us agree, and I can’t see any other interpretation, that we’ve found the town that goes with the port(s) and the monastery. It’s located mid-way between the two, and is about 0.5km from both. And it’s smack in the middle of the base.
It was now time for lunch. Having found a lost Byzantine city which, even for this project, is not an everyday occurrence, we decided this merited a visit to the base beach-bar. There’s more archaeology to hunt for this afternoon, but, having been both James Bond and Indiana Jones in the same morning, I’m off to soak my aching feet in the briny for a bit.
As it turned out, we didn’t have much to do in the afternoon with the expedition to the Dump Site having been postponed, so lunch at the beach got quite extended. Ah well, them’s the breaks….
Later, we met up with Jim-Bob and Mark and took them for a stroll over what is now known as the City Site at the base. They were as impressed as we were in the morning. J-B told me they’d done a little experiment up on the monastery site today. One of the vets, Karl, who’s something like 90% blind with only pinpoint tunnel vision, was getting a bit bored sieving, so they decided to let him have a go with a trowel on site. Giving the bright sunlight, he was pretty much digging by touch. The result? One immaculately level trowelled area with any stones and bits of tile left in situ.
Tomorrow, we doing a bit of more up-to-date archaeology with a visit to the Green Zone, the abandoned ‘neutral zone’ controlled by the British which separates the Greek and Turkish sides of the island. There’s an entire holiday resort there which has been abandoned intact since 1974, so I’m off to do a bit of urban exploring. There’s also rumours of us getting our hands on a helicopter on Thursday. Fingers crossed.
Last night, I discovered that Brandy Sours in the Sergeant’s Mess bar are 90c each. Oh dear. Let’s just say I was a bit slow getting going this morning.
Today, it was back to Dreamer’s Bay to do a bit more exploring and survey. Our first stop was a hilltop behind the bay, the Dump Site, which was the site of an excavation by an American university which shall remain nameless to protect the guilty. We found it fairly quickly, and ‘hole’ would perhaps be a more accurate description rather than ‘trench’. Phil Harding would have had a fit if he saw the sloping, zig-zag section. Despite the dreadful quality of the ‘excavation’, it’s pretty obvious that what they had half-dug out is the plunge-pool of a bath-house, so it looks like Dreamer’s Bay had either posh ‘retirement villas’, merchant’s houses and/or administrative buildings on the hill behind the port.
Further down, at the bottom of the hill but set back from the bay, there were bits of stone-work poking out in the scrub, and, like at the water-front, a lot of pottery. Significantly, the pottery here looks a lot more domestic than that on the water-front, and we noticed a lot of African Red-Slip Ware, a high-quality table-ware not dissimilar to Samian Ware, but later in date. It looks like we’ve therefore identified a domestic zone set back from the harbour, perhaps where the inns, brothels and hotels etc. were located. Certainly, there wasn’t much Red-Slip Ware down on the waterfront, with the pottery spreads there mainly consisting of lots and lots of Amphora, large transport pots for wine and oil, and what you would expect to find in an area where warehouses and like are located.
I also did a bit of TV this morning in the form of a brief interview with a journalist from British Forces TV. The video should be up on the internet and some point this week, I’ll post a link when it appears. Then back to the mess for lunch. Chicken pie and chips. Just need a nice shady spot for a snooze now, but suspect that’s not going to happen….
Back to Dreamers Bay and more poking about. More and more archaeology is starting to appear. We’ve found more stone buildings, including one wall with wall-plaster still attached sticking out of the ground, and an eroding sand cliff with the slope littered with brick and burnt limestone. Erosion is clearly the main problem here, and not just the cliffs with the tombs on that we were looking at last week. The harbour area site is sat on very soft mudstone and limestone, under which is a layer of extremely hard basalt. Despite being in the Med, the wind can whip the waves up and they break over the basalt and chew away the soft rock above, taking the archaeology with it.
We did a bit more searching at the area at the bottom of the hill back from the site and noted a lot more African Red-Slip Ware and cooking pottery in the form of frying-pan handles, which are very typically Byzantine. Curiously, the dividing line between the industrial area with its spreads of Amphora and the domestic area with the Red-Slip Ware is the track which leads down to the beach. We’re now beginning to suspect that the track that people use to get to the beach may have originally have been of one of the main roads through the Byzantine port!
Tomorrow, we’re going to head back up to the Dump Site, get its location recorded via GPS and tidy up the mess made by the Americans who dug the probable plunge-pool, and maybe straighten out the section and get a photo of it.
It’s the weekend, so time for the digging to stop and a bit of sight-seeing to commence. We loaded everyone into the minibus, and headed off to Paphos. Paphos, nowadays, is a large city and a very popular tourist destination, but has been occupied since at least the time of the Ancient Greeks, and probably earlier. It’s got a very large archaeology park, with the so-called ‘Tombs of the Kings’, which are some very well-preserved Roman rock-cut tombs (not that any kings were buried there), a Roman theatre and some stunning mosaics from some of the rich Roman town-houses. Naturally, with this in mind, we headed straight for the long row of bars and restaurants that line the harbour of the modern town. I’ve actually been on holiday to Paphos in the past and have seen most of the archaeology there, so no problem as far as I was concerned. We bar-hopped for a while then settled down at a nice bar right on the water-front and a bit of laid-back drinking and eating ensued. As the afternoon wore on, Jim-Bob and I were starting to get a bit twitchy as we’d gone an entire half-day without doing any archaeology, and there is a really nice medieval castle on the harbour bar at Paphos, which neither of us had explored. This also coincided with some of the crews’ attention turning to the cocktail menu, so we left them to it and went exploring.
The castle at Paphos probably sums up the medieval history of the island in one structure. The tower was one of two built by the Franks to guard the harbour in 1222, the curtain wall by the Venetians in 1373, and the whole thing was restored by the Ottoman Turks in 1570 after an earthquake. The other tower was damaged by an earthquake and then blown up by the Venetians. The Ottomans handed the castle over to the Brits in 1878, who used it as a salt-store until 1935. It’s a lovely little structure, with some fantastic views across sea and land.
We headed back to the cocktail drinkers and it was getting pretty messy, as they seemed intent on getting through the whole menu, and may well have done. We poured them back into the minibus, and headed off back to base. On return, a few of them disappeared off in the general direction of the American bar. I had a couple of beers and retired for an early night. I’m clearly getting old…..
Up relatively bright and early, and into the minibus again. The cocktail crew were, perhaps unsurprisingly, noticeable by their absence. First stop was the castle of Kolossoi.
This was originally founded in the early 13th century when it was given to the Knights Hospitallers, and rebuilt in 1454, which is the building which stands today. It is basically a square English keep, but sat in southern Cyprus, although was largely residential through its history. It’s a very odd structure in that it looks very out of place, but all becomes clear when you see the long, low structure next to the castle. It looks like a chapel, but is in fact a very-well preserved medieval sugar factory. This area of Cyprus was mentioned by chroniclers as being a famous sugar-growing area, and also famous for sweet wine, so given the astronomical cost and rarity of sugar and the importance of the wine trade in medieval western Europe, one suspects that someone made a great deal of money out of it. I don’t know if there’s any other intact medieval sugar factories in Europe, but if there are, I haven’t seen one. Remarkable.
A quick break for an ice-cream and a fresh orange juice, and away, heading for Kourion, vast Roman city. Now as some of you may know, I’m not a great fan of Roman archaeology, mainly because most of the stuff we find is Britain is a bit rubbish, really, being badly preserved and not that great quality to begin with (although there are exceptions). In the Mediterranean area it’s a different kettle of fish. Kourion is vast and magnificent. It was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in the fourth century, which when you consider the fact that it’s sat on top of a 200-foot-high hill, is pretty mind-boggling. Apparently, the pre-earthquake deposits were covered in 50cm of sand and pebbles. Basically, the wave buried the place with the sea-bed and beach below. Most of the visible remains dates to the rebuild, later 4th – 7th century, and include a virtually intact theatre. There's and acoustic 'sweet spot' in the middle of the stage, marked by a hole, and when one stands on it and talks, the shape of the theatre not only amplifies the voice, but also gives it a very slight reverberation effect at about the same level as a modern vocal microphone. Astonishing.
Interestingly, for us anyway, it seems the city was abandoned in the later 7th century after another earthquake and attacks by Persian pirates, so it seems Kourion, the monastery we’re excavating and the sites we’ve found around Dreamer’s Bay were all abandoned at roughly the same time. This also coincides with Byzantines losing control of Alexandria, and it looks very much like the economy of this stretch of the south Cyprus coast simply collapsed in the late 7th century, and never really recovered until relatively recently. Definitely food for thought.
Talking of food, time for a late lunch, so down to the bottom of the cliffs to the beach and a beach-bar selling the most fantastic and inexpensive seafood. The barbecued octopus was just fabulous. A quick half-hour soaking my tired feet in the lovely warm sea, accompanied by Jim-Bob lying in 6 inches of water and flapping wildly every time a small wave went over him (he can’t swim). Back in the bus, back to base and time for the Sergeant’s Mess and some blogging and a few beers. A really fantastic day. And certainly better than looking at drizzle in Northampton!
As usual, the photos which tie in with this blog are on my Facebook page.
Tomorrow, I’m doing my ‘bloke off the telly’ thing and doing an interview with British Forces TV, and, hopefully, starting to think about the pottery a bit.
Last night, rather than spending the evening in the Sergeant’s Mess, we had a communal meal round at one of the houses, followed by Diarmaid’s Pub Quiz. I was on a team with the two James, with James E now rechristened ‘Jim-Bob’ to avoid confusion (he’s from Suffolk, so it seems appropriate). I’m glad to say our team, “Baldy, Beardie and Big-‘Ead”, was narrowly victorious, and claimed the no-expense-spared-whatsoever prizes (some t-shirts Diarmaid appears to have got from a drinks promotion somewhere). Jim-Bob was very proudly wearing his on site today.
This morning, my first visit to the excavation where most of the crew are working. The site is a small part of an absolutely massive monastery, run by a Cypriot archaeologist, Elana, who is doing a quite remarkable job on a budget of virtually zero. We also had a couple of high-profile military visitors in the form Colonel Roe, commander OPTAG who oversees all the training for service personnel deployed by British Armed Services, and WO1 Rafferty, the Regimental Sergeant Major for OPTAG. Elana gave the three of us a tour of the excavations. The site is huge, with the area which has so far revealed being just one small part of a massive complex which was in its hey-day in the 7th century. She showed us photos of the mind-bogglingly high-quality mosaics which cover most of the excavated area, which sadly (for us) have been temporarily reburied under gravel to stabilize them until they can get a conservation team in and get a roof put over the excavations. A lot of loose tesserae (mosaic tiles) are being found all the time, most of which are absolutely tiny, always a sign of very high quality. They’ve also found loads of very exquisite carved marble which almost certainly came from workshops in Constantinople, and it’s pretty clear from the size of the place and the quality of the finds that this is one of the most important sites in the early Christian world, arguably only behind Constantinople and Jerusalem in its importance.
The site itself is in a natural bowl in the hills, and is very sheltered, so even though the temperature today is probably only in the mid-high 20s, it feels a lot, lot hotter on site. At the end of the tour we were taken to the ‘saloon’, a little cluster of tables and chairs under a tree behind the spoil-heap, and given coffee and lemonade by the two relentlessly cheerful Cypriot ladies who do the finds-washing on site. The amount of finds is simply staggering; the monastery was abandoned sometime in the 640s after a major earthquake, and a some point not long afterwards, the roof collapsed. Consequently, there is a huge amount of roof-tile, every single piece of which has been washed by the cheerful Cypriot ladies, and carefully piled up into a huge, carefully-constructed heap. There isn’t actually much in the way of finds which weren’t part of the original structure, as they’re working in an area which would have been inside the building which during its period of use, and would have been kept spotlessly clean, but they have had coins and pottery out of the foundations and make-up layers which tie-in nicely with the historical evidence. The business end of the church area ("The Martyrium") has a series of five apses, which probably originally contained burial of holy relics and/or saints. Four of these were emptied when the place was abandoned and the relics taken to Constantinople, including a piece of the True Cross, but one was still intact and contained a burial that was either deemed not important enough, or was buried under rubble after the earthquake. The grave had a carved slab over it with a hole in it so people could pour oil in as an offering. It’s a truly awesome site, with about a century or so’s worth of digging left.
Work finished about one, and we all headed off for lunch. The afternoon trip today was to see St Nicolas’s Monastery of the Cats. For reasons which will become clear, we didn’t really get to find out too much about the history of the place, but its name derived from the fact that someone had established it to help rid the island of a plague of snakes. So, into the Landie and off we go. The monastery is a couple of kilometres outside the main gate, so the journey was a short one. We arrived about 2.45pm. The main entrance appeared closed, but the displayed opening times were 2.30pm in summer and 3pm in winter. A side gate was open, so we wandered in there. There was a small church ahead of us, with a definitely open gift shop next to it. One of our party went into the gift shop and asked if the place was open. The lady behind the counter assured him it was, and to let ourselves in and wander around, so we did.
Behind the church was a porticoed walkway typical of the average medieval monastery, and some reasonably well-tended gardens, and as the name of the place suggested, lots and lots of cats, in a bewildering range of size, shapes and colours. The monastery itself appeared to be medieval, but with bits of classical/Byzantine sculpture incorporated into it. I’m guessing that these came from a pile of rubble and bits of wall located in the courtyard in front of the church which looked very archaeological, but that’s about as far as we got as we began to hear very angry shouting coming from the far end of the garden. There then appeared an ancient nun who looked and sounded like a cross between the Mad Cat Lady in “The Simpsons” and Brian’s mother in “Life of Brian”. She was very, very angry with us indeed, and was gesticulating and shouting in Greek (possibly), which none of us speak. A small group of locals had wandered in at this point as well, and they also got the full hair-dryer treatment from her, so it wasn’t just us it would seem. Jim-Bob, James and I slid into the church to have a look and managed to get a few pictures of the beautifully-preserved medieval interior and the icons, before MadCatLadyBrian’sMum found us and began shouting at us, and very pointedly closing and bolting the church doors. We took the hint, and left. Someone went back into the gift shop and asked what was going on, and lady behind the counter just shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. So, we appear to have been thrown out of a monastery, although none of us has the faintest idea why. I reckon one of the cats grassed us up. Still, at least she didn’t throw any at us.
Again, I’ve put the pictures which go with today on my Facebook page.
The weekend should see us going a bit further afield to do some sight-seeing. Unless we all wake up in the morning and find we’ve been turned into cats.
It’s Bonfire Night and I’m sat here in glorious sunshine in shorts and a t-shirt. That’s definitely a first. The world certainly looks a better place than it did this time yesterday, especially after a decent breakfast, a shower, and clean clothes.
We eventually landed two hours late and it was indeed dark. Diarmaid met me at the terminal and it was straight off to the Sergeant’s mess for food and an unspecified number of beers and collapse into bed. Large (500ml) bottles of Keo (the local Eurofizz) are one Euro. God bless the RAF.
We’re lodged in two five-bedroom officer’s houses. The tell-tale signs of archaeologists being present are already here: random clothing and boots scattered around the hall-way, banks of black-boxes with flashing red or green lights plugged into every available wall-socket, stray power leads scattered around the floor, and the fridge contains beer, a bottle of milk, more beer, a box of chocolate biscuits and beer. There’s also a cuddly dinosaur on the living-room table. He seems to be the responsible adult when Diarmaid isn’t around.
Today should consist of a tour of the sites, particularly the probably Roman and possibly Greek and maybe later and-an-outside-chance-of prehistoric harbour. The site is apparently carpeted with pottery, as is often the case with these things, so the first thing we’ve got to do is formulate some sort of sampling strategy as we simply won’t be able to deal with the sheer amount present, unless I can get 20 assistants and live to be 200. There’s a whole series of warehouses there, and apparently rock-cut tombs in the cliff-face, some of which may not be looted. Access is only possible to those if you’re part mountain goat, so I’m leaving that to the young ‘uns, which is everybody else, as it turns out I’m the oldest person on the crew. The epithet ‘Granddad’ is surely only a matter of time….
I’ve already looked at my first piece of pot, the handle of a somewhat under-fired red amphora. Apparently the beach at the site pretty much consists of this rather than sand. Have unpacked the digital microscope and magnifying glass. Pot monkey is go!
Well, we didn’t get the tour of the sites due to a slight case of military paperwork. I needed to get my pass for the base, which is a high security area. To get the pass we had to leave the base and go to the issuing office. We got there, and I didn’t have my passport (duh…) which was back in my room. So then I had to get a temporary pass to get back in to the base to get my passport, which I got and we then returned to the pass office and I got my pass. By this time the sun was getting low, so we decided to head off to Limassol for a bit of a look around. We got there, and it was shut. Half-day closing. Ah well. Back to the Sergeant’s Mess for a Bonfire Night Barbie and a few more of those lovely 1 Euro bottles of Keo.
I’ve also acquired an assistant. His name is Igor. Well, it is now, anyway. | 2019-04-19T02:22:14Z | https://postromanpotteryspecialist.weebly.com/operation-nightingale-cyprus/category/all |
Take control of your life and begin living with more purpose and intentionality, rather than reacting to circumstances.
You do not need any prior knowledge (or experience) of Shamanism to benefit from this course. You will be guided into everything you need to know at this time.
No tools nor items are actually required, a pi-stone (or donut stone) is helpful.
Please wear comfortable clothing as there are meditations and intuitive dance sequences.
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Do you wish to transform and fuel your spirituality for growth and personal development? This course gifts you transformational healing whilst exploring and experiencing a unique deeply spiritual journey. You are personally invited to be initiated into the Nine Rites of the Munay Ki. Engaging in a quest for deeper, broader vision of who you truly are. Discover the shaman within you. The Munay Ki Rites are intended to help you to become a person of wisdom in your lifetime. I use a variety of global shamanic practices to assist the pathway. Please be patient, I need to carefully pave the foundations so you may receive the Rites. The introduction is quite long however necessary. There are an abundance of helpful practice activities throughout the course to assist yourpersonal development.
Please join me as I am one of the top Udemy Instructors in the Religion and Spirituality genre. My courses have been taken by over 30,000 students from 179 countries.
My heart and soul are in this course, as your guide I am here with you, daily, to answer your questions to help improve your lifestyle.
Rite One: Healer’s Rite Connecting you to a lineage of luminous healers from the past to assist you in your personal transformation, awakening the healing power so that everyone you touch is blessed. We access the wonderful power and wealth of spiritual assistance; ancient healers who assist us to heal the wounds of our ancestors and the past.
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Rite Three: Harmony Rite A transmission of the seven Archetypes into the Chakras. You will receive the archetypes of serpent, jaguar, hummingbird and eagle; then you receive three archangels: the Keeper of the Lower World (Huascar), the Keeper of the Middle World (Quetzalcoatl), and the Protector of the Upper World (Pachakuti).
Rite Four: Seer’s Rite Pathways of light connect the visual cortex with the third eye and heart chakra. This rites powerfully awakens the inner seer and your ability to perceive the invisible world of energy and Spirit.
Rite Five: Daykeeper’s Rite Connecting you to a lineage of master healers from ancient times the Daykeepers work with and call on ancient altars to bring balance to the earth and to heal. They call on the sun to rise each day, bringing us into harmony with mother Earth. This rite helps you begin to heal your inner feminine, and practice peace, stepping beyond fear.
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Rite Eight: Starkeeper’s Rite This rite helps your physical body to evolve into Homo Luminous; the aging process is slowed down, your DNA is re-informed, and you become more resistant to disease. You accept the seat around a holy fire at the center of the Sun, a place that has been held for you since the beginning of time. You awaken your Christ and Buddha nature.
Rite Nine: Creator Rite Awakens the Creator-light within, this rite brings stewardship for all creation -from the smallest grain of sand to the largest cluster of galaxies. Once you discover that Spirit not only works through you but AS YOU, and all of creation is happening inside you, the stewardship then becomes natural.
You will be touched by angels when you work with the germination of these rites. Open yourself to the wisdom of the Earthkeepers, and all will be bestowed upon you in perfect love and trust. We have an active Facebook community so you may reach out and assist each other. The details of how to join it are in your welcome message when you purchase the course. The pathway of the shaman beats strongly within us all.
The course is presented in a fluid series of video lectures, meditations both still and movement orientated (from a variety of spiritual traditions), guided video attunements, notes and an extensive shaman inspired course guide book to assist your journey. This course has been thoroughly tested to ensure you will be able to received the Rites as they unfold. They have a natural order. You have the option of going as fast or as slow as you wish. Please understand that shamanism is a path direct revelation for personal development and I utilise aspects from many shamanic traditions globally to assist the seeding of these Rites. These are spiritually based practices or initiations initially from the shamans of the Andes and the Amazon, they came to the West via Alberto Villolda - he himself undertook a 25 year apprenticeship and was charged by the Elders to transmit them to the world in a way that people everywhere could understand. My initiation was during 2008.
This course is assisted by meditations from differing shamanic pathways that are offered specifically to facilitate your online transformational journey for personal development.
There are fire ceremonies which are a way to nurture your inner shaman growth through the initiations.
I answer every question personally, I have put my heart and soul into bringing these Rites here to you all online.
… and as we do, our sense of belonging and ability to feel grounded, to love deeply, and walk softly are compromised. shamanic teachings offer us a powerful path to rediscovering our deep interconnection to the elements, animals, plants to all that in manifest in our world.
Shamanic perception helps us to see where our minds have us stuck, how to drop more deeply into our bodies, and how to start to be of greater service here and now on our mother Earth.
It teaches us to clear our own interior landscape of our thoughts that have become obstacles… so we can see others and the world around us more clearly and become a true healing light in these often troubling dark times globally.
We have a thriving shaman inspired community in the course and I am actively involved and answer questions and assignments generally within 24 hours. There is an active Facebook page where you can work with each other and assist each others growth.
Life time access to the Course material, all fully downloadable for you to keep and return to at any time. This is self paced so no need to rush. If you require certification from me as you intend to work with the Rites or require in for you ongoing education then please do not hesitate to contact me.
I am often asked is this a religion?
Religion and spirituality are two related yet distinct terms associated with faith. Religion denotes "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, usually involving devotional and ritual observances and a moral code." In contrast, spirituality can be defined as "the quality of being spiritual". Based on these definitions, the major difference between religion and spirituality is one of believing versus being. Religion's focus is the content of one's belief and the outworking of that belief; spirituality's focus is the process of becoming more attuned to unworldly affairs. It's possible to be religious without being spiritual and spiritual without being religious.. Spirituality is more abstract than religion. Religion usually promotes a creed and has a defined code of ethics; it is tangible. Spirituality exists in the nebulous realm of the undefinable.
About Shamanism: Modern shamanism provides a pathway of sacred, practical action — allowing you to build inner resources and access guidance to become a positive and effective agent of change. It is a path of direct revelation. Globally practiced and known from the dawn of time. There is a synchronicity that connects us all - no matter the name we may call it by.
Shamanism is not a system of beliefs, or a philosophy, or a theory about the world. It isn't a religion either, as usually intended. Shamanism is just the natural, immediate way of seeing the world as we all did before Western education repressed it.
Shamanism offers us a set of skills that perform certain functions that humans need to live well in this world regardless of the time we are in. However, the way that we apply these skills requires innovation and devotion. Thus what you see from me is an alchemy of skills blended to assist your pathway. For we are not the First Peoples. Not only does carte blanche appropriating their practices lack integrity, but it does not necessarily even work for us, we need to find our own pathway home to our soul calling.
Sharon Ramel has been a MunayKi teacher since 2009 having received the Rites herself mid 2008.
The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Liberate your personal goals through ancient wisdom and healing traditions.
If you wish to be in charge of your life destiny, or know that there is something missing in your life, maybe you wish to be your own life coach. This is for you.
Seeking deep-meditation-based altered state of consciousness to discover your inner truth.
Sharon is a wonderful and knowledgeable teacher. This course was enlightening and very interesting. I can say from my own experience with this course, I was spiritually curious and not sure exactly where I needed to be. Through this course, the rites and what you are given through them, have helped me to open myself up to wonderful positive possibilities I was afraid to look into before.
mission is universal. What is handed down are transmissions of energetic seeds or if you prefer spiritual seeds that when nurtured, quicken the path to spiritual development and enlightenment.
Please know that I am actually here for you, I personally answer every question that arises.
Please be aware that Udemy asks you to review all courses very early. Generally way too early to get into the nitty gritty of the course. You do not have to review at this time, it is your option to review later.
This course is quietly being updated to bring you all an improved experience both auditory and visual. Closed captions will be added to assist those people who may not quite get my accent! Please be patient with me, this is a very long course to update.
The Spiritual Rites of the Munay Ki quicken our journey towards who and what we are becoming as a species. The seeds of these rites can grow within anyone. This is our human birthright and path.
The Munay-Ki rites, as brought to us through the Q'ero Shamans of the Peruvian Andes, are a path of fire and a path of lightning; the path of great spirit,a fast track to recognizing our true divine nature. Many have felt a calling from spirit and are awakening to make a difference in this world. We, as a people, are on a vision quest. Living a vision and questing for more of who we truly can become. I have been receiving the same message from spirit for over a decade, "Arise, awaken and remember your true selves as radiant beings of light!" This all is a journey in space, time and energy. The Munay-Ki is the rocket fuel for this spiritual journey.
You are invited you discover the Nine Rites of Munay-Ki and engage the quest for deeper, broader vision of who and what you truly are. By choosing to work with these Rites you accept who you are becoming. It is an honor to share these Rites with you.
Please note the 70 Page Manual is now in the resources section of this lecture.
This lecture was being filmed in the stunning deeply spiritual lands of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. It is your brief roadmap as to how we will move together through the nine spiritual shamanic Rites that are the Munay Ki.
My humble apologies, the sound get buffeted by the winds, I have done my best to reduce the wind noise.
These stones have a geometric shape called a Torus. They symbolise the circular path that the sun follows in the sky. The hole in the middle represents the principle of absolute oneness. It symbolises the eternal unity of all things - the cycle of life, death and rebirth.It is used as a portals to the star gates and other realms of wonder and possibilities. They can become a powerful tool in your learning and in healing. However know that like all these things you must honour and use them well.
Please do not worry if you cannot find one - when I was initiated they were not used until the Creators Rite at the very end.
This lecture has been added after one of our student friends suggested it be included. Shamanism or to be a shaman is a soul calling - everyone of us has our roots (sometimes buried under societal dross) in the seeds of our ancestors. So whilst some call Westerners those with broken or no lineages - we all have the ability to dream or lives into being.
Unless you already have a special peaceful place set up in your home I suggest you challenge yourself to create a "sacred space" somewhere within your living area. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to have an extra room you can use to retreat to when you need some time to yourself. When it is time for a child to leave the nest consider converting the newly evacuated bedroom into a sacred space rather than making it into a guest room that is only used occasionally. Do not feel as if you must wait until you have a spare room to create this spirit filled space. Consider opening up any corner and building an altar there, or empty a closet of its clutter and place a couple of pillows upon the floor for use in quiet prayer or meditation.
Please share a photo of your sacred space on the forum.
Once you have chosen the space, clear the entire room where your sacred space will exist (even if only a corner is being used). A fresh coat of paint on the walls might be nice. Incorporate household rules as to who is and who is not allowed into this space. Is this to be your space alone or can other family members use it when you aren't using it? Select pleasing visuals, I strongly suggest to find a picture of the four archetype animals and place them in the corners, serpent in the south, jaguar in the west, hummingbird the north and eagle in the east. This is your Sacred Space surroundings and it should be reflective of you and your spiritual and other belief systems.
I like to fill my Sacred Space with an eclectic array of items that I have collected or been gifted over the year. From a handful of seashells, coins (promised prosperity), a chunk of amethyst, a my obsidian and rose quartz balls, my witches swords and wands, are all spittle rocket to me. It is your space make it for you and enjoy the process.
Once your space is in place you will likely want to honor it by doing some type of ritual, be it Native American, casting a gypsy spell, giving a prayer of gratitude, or blessing it in whatever way best aligns with your belief system. You will soon find yourself drawn to this sacred space more and more as you seek the solace and restfulness it provides. You begin to wonder how you ever lived without this Sacred Space that offers much healing, comfort and warmth. I suggest you smudge the area with white sage and burn incense if it calls you.
From what you have currently please spend some time and create an altar, small or large after having watched me create sacred space. Honour the four directions, as above, so below as within. This is sometimes referred to as the seven sacred directions.
It is not necessary for you to do both lecture 5 and 6 essentially they are very similar; slightly different wording. Simply check the complete box on the bottom right hand corner to move onwards.Opening sacred space. This version has the the worded outline and the following is live from a very sacred , deeply spiritual space on our farm. It depends which method you prefer to learn from. Plus the ceremonial spirit infused words are in your manual.
Opening sacred space is a very simple ceremony that can take less than a minute. You don't need special skills, knowledge, or deep shamanic experiences.
At the very least, it gets people grounded, connected, and seeing the deeper spiritual purpose of our life or work, which can lead to greater happiness, productivity, and collaboration. Give it a try and see what happens!
“Opening” sacred space is actually about “opening” our own consciousness or awareness and “coming present” to the sacred space that is always around us (and if it makes more sense, you can certainly say “acknowledging” instead of “opening”).
Creating a way for people to come fully present (whether in a meeting, on a phone call, or at the dinner table), let go of what might be distracting them, and connect fully with themselves and others.
Expressing invitation, gratitude, and/or acknowledgement of Spirit—because you can't get help or guidance unless you ask, and it's appropriate to give thanks when you receive it.
Any way you have of doing these things is great–there is no “right” way.
You will hear several variations from me. In time you will evolve your own ceremony. I encourage you to enter into the freedom and joy of this time together.
A pause or moment of silence and then a breath together is a good way to end the ceremony, followed by a statement like “And so it is,” or “Ah ho,” which is a Native American closing.
You may prefer to follow me in person as I open sacred medicine space. Thus I have added this for our spiritual journey together. Please stand and work this opening of our sacred space together. Place your left hand over your heart and extend your right arm towards the direction as we call it. You may draw your right hand to heart centre when we move to the next direction.
This is filmed in a place that is very sacred imbued deeply with the spirit of great Eagle and the medicine women of times long gone however still felt strongly as you walk and breath the land.
It is not necessary for you to do both lecture 5 and 6 essentially they are very similar; slightly different wording. Simply check the complete box on the bottom right hand corner to move onwards.
Shamans believe that everyone has power animals - animal spirits which reside with each individual adding to their power and protecting them from illness, acting similarly to a guardian angel. Each power animal that you have increases your power so that illnesses or negative energy cannot enter your body. The spirit also lends you the wisdom of its kind. A hawk spirit will give you hawk wisdom, and lend you some of the attributes of hawk.Everyone is thought to have a few of these guardian power animals or it is thought that the individual could not survive childhood. Over the course of her or his life the person may have several. If a power animal leaves and one does not come to take its place the individual is considered, by the shaman, to be disempowered and therefore vulnerable to illness and bad luck.
The gifts that a particular animal is thought to give an individual varies depending on the culture. Although there are certain consistencies for certain animals. A particular power animal can come to help you with an issue that is very specific for you.
The chakras are wheel-like vortices of energy which connect the physical body to its subtle energetic counterparts. In this article we'll take a look at the seven main chakras, which play a key role in energy reception and transmutation.
The chakra system has been extensively studied and described in Eastern systems of philosophy and medicine, although Western science remains skeptical their very existence. Nonetheless, awareness of the body as an energy system, is increasing among forward-thinking scientists, and the chakras continue to play an important role in a variety of holistic healing disciplines. This engages us deeply with infinity and spirit.
Although officially a part of the Harmony Rite - the third Rite the two part chakra cleanse is given here in the introduction for many reasons. It is something that is a good practice for us to do at any time we are feeling the need to re-connect and renew our soul selves. Plus I was specifically asked to place it here by a great number of students who felt very disconnected to the spirit world. Spirituality is such an individual thing and personally I believe a little cleansing before we start is a terrific idea. So thank you to my soul brother and sister students for your profound spiritual insights.
Direct your attention to your Base Chakra located at the base of your spine. Visualize a spinning Red disk about the size of your hand. This chakra contains the energy of stability and strength. Envision a spiral vortex of energy coming up through the base of the spine, dissipating the energy of any worries or anxiety you have. Take a few moments to visualize and feel this energy.
Moving up the spine, you will now focus your mind on the sacral chakra, the second chakra located about 2 fingers below your belly button. Visualize a spinning Orange disk about the size of your hand. Envision a spiral vortex of orange energy flowing up from the base chakra into the sacral chakra with ease and synchronicity. Take a few moments to visualize and feel the energy being drawn up through the earth, into your base chakra and effortlessly flowing into your sacral chakra. Move on to the next chakra when you feel confident these to lower chakras are free flowing, open and aligned.
Moving on to the heart chakra, we now visualize a spinning emerald green disk, the size of your hand, located in the center of your chest. The heart chakra is particularly important because it is the gateway from the lower chakras (or earthly energies) into the higher self or higher state of consciousness and being. Visualize the spiral vortex of energy feeding and spinning your heart chakra. Be mindful not to allow the heart chakra to be too large or too small, it should be about the size of your hand. This is important as all your chakras should be the same size and be synchronized to work together. If your heart chakra is too open or completely closed, this will create a great disturbance in your physical, mental/emotional and spiritual well-being. That said, spend a few minutes visualizing all 4 chakras working together with the vortex of healing energy.
We now reach the throat chakra (the location is self explanatory ;) ). Throat chakra healing is particularly important in those too scared to communicate, or talk too much and never listen. Visualize a brilliant blue disk about the size of your hand spinning in the center of the throat area. Allow the spiral vortex to move upward from the heart and now feeding the movement of the spinning chakra. You know the drill by now! ;) Take a moment to visualize all chakras working together in harmony.
This is nothing less than spiritual rocket fuel.
The crown chakra is located at the top of your head and is associated with the color violet. Just as our root chakra connects and grounds us to the earth, the crown chakra connects us to the divine, or heavens (whatever your reference may be). Now envision a spinning violet disk at the top of your head and allow the vortex energy to fill the crown chakra with healing light and clearing away any negative or dark energies. From there allow the energy to flow out the crown, creating a continuous flow of energy from the earth connecting to the divine. As you can see by now, the energy vortex has no beginning and no end. You are allowing its continuous flow to travel through your chakras and body, creating peace and balance. Spend as much time as you feel necessary to complete this final step.
When we cleanse our chakras we let go of the stories that have embedded into our cellular memory - we let go of all that no longer serves us. We recognise that we were wounded, and as a result of our own healing, we've developed compassion for others who are hurting.
This is a sacred deeply moving time, great spirit is listening to your hopes and dreams. Enter this spiritual sanctuary of the fire ceremony with great awe and reverence. Where ever you are - be it inside with a candle, outside with a greater fire or using the suns rays.Be at peace and know you are being nourished.
The Healers Rite connects you to a lineage of luminous beings Earthkeepers of the past and they come to assist you in your personal transformation working with us in our sleep and meditation time to heal the wounds of our past and that of our ancestors. This rite awakens the healing power in your hands so that everyone you touch is blessed.
May the lightness and spiritual winds whisper gently to you on the winds of love and change.
The Healers Rite – This is a lineage rite, connecting us to the medicine people who have come before us and establishing the recognition of the spiritual journey we have undertaken. These medicine people were aware of their ability to impact those around them through their touch or presence. Lineage rites connect us to those that came before and allow us to receive the support and assistance of the healers of all time – past and future. This rite is the activation of our ability to positively affect the people and world around us. We are connected to the lineage of Earthkeepers from the past that who assist us in our personal healing on a spiritual level which in turn impacts positively on our physical being. The wounds of the past and of our ancestral spirit line are healed during meditation and sleep time.
either close your eyes moving with me as you listen, or watch and move, breathing with me. This is a subtle opening out into prana mudra, freeing your spine. Inviting the wonders of oxygen to move with you inhaling and exhaling. I love the simplicity and gentle joy of this mediation. It will help open you to prepare for receiving the Healers Rite.
Originally this was a part of lecture 17, however a few of you asked if I could make it a stand alone. Here it is! Enjoy.
Although tempting to pass this step, please engage as coming into sacred space grounds you, it prepares you for the spirit bound journey onwards into the Healers Rite. You will find the feeling and intention of the Rites will seed more deeply.
The fire ceremony is a key practice of the Munay-Ki. Bringing in the light and warmth of the fire germinates the seeds that have been received in the Luminous Energy Field.
The fire ceremony is the sacred practice that supports the growth and integration of the Munay-Ki in your luminous field. The "sacred" is that in the everyday world which captures our connection with the divine. It may be man-made, a sacred temple or cloth, or it may be a natural place or object, such as river, a mountain, or a stone. Objects become sacred when they are recognized as meaningful; they somehow act as a symbol or connection, for the observer.
In the context of the Munay-Ki transmissions, the sacred fire serves as a connection. It consumes fuel, and gives warmth and light. Those energies in our lives which no longer are serving us, these can be given to the fire to consume. The new dream we are dreaming, the destiny we are reaching toward, this can be brought to the fire to be nurtured and conveyed to the forces of nature, the divine spirits which support us. And the fire can be brought into our luminous body to warm and germinate these seed-form transmissions, the Munay-Ki rites.
It's good to do a fire ceremony once a month, traditionally on the full moon or new moon. And it can be very simple, taking no more than 3-4 minutes. The important thing about ceremony is to bring your attention to that place of connection -- the sacred. You may want to perform the fire ceremony shortly after meditation, or after doing the breathing exercise and guided work with the archetypes and bands. Allow your attention to come to your self, your own energy, as it resides in your body.
Why is the Healer's Rite the first Rite?
There is a holiness permeating everything.
Free to appear beyond form.
Attend to the unimaginable realm.
Bands of Power – Through intention, five colored bands of light are installed in the luminous energy field, consciously connecting us with the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and pure spirit. Once installed, these bands of power act as a natural energetic system of protection, deflecting any unusable or un-beneficial energy. This energy may also be mulched by the bands and used for food. In either case, we are protected spiritually in a way that allows any old defensive, fear based or unconscious shielding to fall away. The installation of the Bands of Power creates a natural space between us and the outside world – including the onslaught of unnecessary thought forms. We become connected to everything and everyone in a new, relaxed and natural way.
Freeing the ribs is a powerful to prepare you for receiving the bands of power. The circular motion engages you with the swirling nature of life and that of great spirit, helping to seed the bands of luminous protective light energy.
Personally I love opening Sacred Space, I allow it to take flying into the realms of possibility, the vision of an expanded life open before be as I draw deeply within that divine spiritual space.
This is a delightful Rite to receive as the spiritual bands of protection are woven into your etheric being. I have had plenty of use for the divine protection these Rites gift to us. Negativity simply bounces away and those daggers that may be thrown our way can no longer find their way into our being.
The Bands of Power was the second Munay-Ki rite I was given, In this rite five energetic spiritual bands – representing the elements of earth, water, fire, air and pure light of Spirit – are woven into your energy field. They act as filters breaking down any negative energies that you encounter into one of these five elements. They also expand while you are out in nature allowing you to be fed energetically by Mother Earth.
A fire ceremony is a common to many Shamanic traditions. You can practice it anytime, I usually perform one every full moon. You do not have to wait for a full moon in order to do a fire ceremony. Fire Ceremonies are wonderful during a New Moon, anytime you want to strengthen the Rites you have received, call of great Spirit and set said so time..
I often do a fire ceremony by myself during the New Moon and I've done them many times with friends in the backyard where we dug a small pit in the ground in order to build a safe fire. I've also used a large clay pot, a campfire, a bonfire or an old barbecue grill, and candles. Here in Australia be careful outside, make sure you are not contravening fire bans.
well done, you have received the Bands of Power, the second Rite of the Munay Ki. Sacred Spirituality pathway restored.
The Harmony Rite: Seven archetypes are transmitted into your seven chakras. This rite helps you to develop a ‘rainbow body’ and to shed your past the way serpent sheds her skin. When your chakras are aligned and open, your mind and body work in harmony, making your actions more effective in the world.
the art of being will be.
until you merge into space.
In the 'harmony rites' we receive 'seeds' of certain archetypes in our seven major chakras. We receive them as spiritual seeds that we can grow as we work with them…..at the same time these connections to these energies are already there….this rite enhances and strengthens connection that is already there, often giving it a form our mind can understand.
In the third eye chakra, we plants the spirit seeds of Quetzelcoatl.
When we journey to these worlds, we can meet these guides, it is a great gift to be able to work with their energies.
This is the chakra cleanse you were introduced to earlier. It is important, even if you did it earlier in the introduction please do not skip this step. It really does set you up for receiving the divine clearly spiritual Harmony Rite.
Regular chakra cleanse can uplift your life by clearing out and enlivening your vital energy centers. It is a direct way to heal ourselves on the physical, emotional, and mental levels. This facilitates awakening to ourselves as spiritual beingness, as the truth of who we are.
This covers the first four chakras, your base, sacral, solar plexus and heart chakras.
You have seen this chakra cleanse in the introduction. Again, I ask that you do not skip this step as it assists in the spiritual seeding of the Rite.
Clearing our chakras is an important step you can take to open the possibilities in your life. Be assured what you are doing will have a great effect and benefit in the days and months to come. Subtle energetic changes on a spirit levell will be seen in how you react to the events, circumstances, and people you encounter in your life. You will open spiritually, and your vibrational pattern will change.
Clearing our chakras is similar to moving mounds and mounds of dirt or in this case energy blockages so a solid foundation can be laid for the new. You may feel these vibrations move or you may not. If you do, it simply means you are sensitive to these vibrations. If you do not, it only means you are not tuned into this vibrational level, but it does not mean it is not happening!
The more you allow yourself to become comfortable connecting to the energy pathways, and giving yourself permission to clear the chakras, it then becomes a simple and quick process of allowing the clearing to take place. Blockages taking years to clear before can now be cleared in days due to the energy pathways.
This Rite is truly liberating. For me once I received this Rite I felt whole, I felt healed inside and out from the shadows that had swirled around me. It was as if I could breath freely for the first time in many many moons. This is a deeply enriching spiritually charged transformational Rite.
Great Spirit has called you, go softly my friends.
Well done - you have now completed the Harmony Rite - the third Rite of the Munay Ki has blessed you.
Seers Rite - Five pathways of light are woven from the third eye to the visual cortex in the back of the head and two pathways of light are woven from the heart Chakra to the visual cortex. This infusion of spiritual fuel is the or energy is the process of the reawakening of the shaman's sight. Our conditioned sight has to do with observations in the literal world around us. The Seer's Rite unlocks our natural ability to receive information from the many dimensions that are part of our lives but have remained “invisible”. With this ability in place, we will see the shadow and light in ourselves and others more clearly and develop a most compassionate heart. Harmony Rite – Allies from the natural archetypal world are installed as seeds into each chakra, creating harmony, healing and transformation. These allies actively work on our behalf to cleanse any heavy energies and allow our fullness of being, our luminous body to emanate from our physical body. Performing a number of fire meditations is necessary to germinate and grow the seed. This rite affects our spiritual journey, relationships and our physical body in a positive uplifting way. Power animal energies of Serpent, Jaguar, Hummingbird and Eagle are placed in the first four chakras. Guides to the realms of the unconscious, conscious and super conscious are placed in the remaining three chakras. Once fully activated, these allies will continuously work at removing residue of tramatic events lodged in our chakras so they can sparkle with the original light intended. Here we shed the past as the serpent sheds her skin – easily and effortlessly.
Dive into the realm of spiritual energy, prepare with this meditation. Allow your self the space and time to and please be patient. These skills take time. Please ensure you practice loving kindness towards yourself, then the Rite will gently unfold into a spirt infused luminous wonder filled presence in your life.
I simply love the enlivening brightening pathways that light up when I engage with the Seers Rite. The necklace of light pulses vibrantly and fluidly as I tune into these gifts. The Munay Ki has enriched my life in many ways. May it be the same for you as you continue on this Shamanic Initiation pathway.
Off up your shadow and allow yourself to fall deeply into the grace of this meditation to help you receive the Seers Rite. We are entering wonder filled spiritual realms of possibility. Everywhere we see our dreams and they are our reality gifted in vision and light.
The world of spiritual world of auras and energies maybe new to you, again I remind you to practice living kindness towards yourself. Forcing yourself to try and see will not work, allow it to settle and manifest and it surely will.
Shamans perform fire ceremonies for releasing, cleansing and balancing. Fire ceremonies are essential to purifying the body, spirit and heart, and can be used for healing and creating fruition in our lives. Thus we grow the seed gifts of the Munay Ki with the fire cerremony.
The fire is an ideal place to re-connect to your Oneness with the Universe. By honoring Pachamama (Mother Earth), Great Spirit, the Angelic light Being, and those who came before us and will come after us, you will re-orient yourself as to your true place in the Universe.
We bring an offering to the fire as a gift. It is something that is made from nature that is burnable - a stick, flower, pinecone, etc. Spend some time with the item, and with your intention, blow into the offering whatever you want to release, heal, or bring into your life. When you approach the fire, say a prayer of gratitude and make your offering.
Shamanic Initiation requires much from you - you must engage fully in the process in order to fulfil your destiny.
The Daykeepers Rite, is the Rite of the Divine Feminine. It helps awaken within us an appreciation for our feminine gifts. Both male and female people have the capacity to access and use the gifts of the feminine, and it is said that we must reconnect with our feminine side before we can know and embody the true nature of the masculine. As Daykeepers we become the midwives of birth and death, work in community, celebrate the milestones of life: marriages, children, adulthood, croning etc.. And we receive the spiritual gifts that come through relationship with others.
Creating a sacred spiritual space is like giving yourself a loving embrace from the cosmos. It's a way of both loving ourselves and honouring the divinity that flows through all things. Our personal sacred space can be like a sanctuary to help us realign with higher consciousness, whenever we lose touch. It is somewhere that reminds us of our innate spiritual nature, resounding a vibration that takes us back to our divine beingness. It's amazing how quickly we can flow back to divinity, if we lovingly tend a space for that very purpose. It can become a highly charged portal to the divine.
of peace, impeccability, and the journey beyond death.
Thank you for Showing us the holy mountains and reminding us to envision our lives from this place.
We give you thanks, as one of your children, for holding us so sweetly in your womb of love and life as we heal all of our stories, our shadows, our fears.
This Rite reconnects us with the feminine divine. Have you felt the presence of Isis, or the priestesses of Avalon, or mother Mary, deeply with our Earth? This is the feminine divine. Enjoy the peace and connection of this spiritual feminine thread of life.
Music adds a most delicious pattern in our bodies, opening gateways via a different means. Move with the music of my beautiful friend and mentor Christine Morrison, she is a local resident nearby my home.
The DayKeepers are the masters of the ancient stone altars, from Machu Picchu to Stone Henge. The Day keeper is able to call on the power of these ancient altars to heal and to bring balance to the world.
They are Mother Earth. The Feminine. Life Giving. Nurturing. Day Keepers are generally women, the midwives and herbalists of the world. The Day Keepers are about emotional healing.
According to lore, the Daykeepers drummed the Sun to rise each morning and to set each evening. This requires being present, in the now. They ensure that humans are in harmony with mother earth. The rhythms and cycles of life and death.
• To help us step beyond fear into a place of peace.
• To ensure that people stay in harmony with Mother Earth. Re-connect with the indigenous traditions.
• To help heal scarcity & issues related to Lack.
Day keepers help us understand that abundance is about how full we are, not how much we have. The real measure of abundance is how rich your heart is.
Scarcity is a perception that we created.
Each of us envisions the Day Keepers differently.
These Rites are about returning to the garden, walking again in the Garden of Eden. Healing our inner feminine is about reconnecting with mother earth - she has every element of the feminine. It re-establishes that umbilical cord from us to our Mother Earth.
Closing sacred space is as important as opening it. It brings a natural conclusion to the Rite. It does not have to be long, you may simply thanks the fours directions, above and below great spirit like to be acknowledged too! Or if you have time take in the full ritual.
You connect to a lineage of master healers from ancient times. Daykeepers can call on ancient altars to heal and bring balance to the earth, and on the sun to rise each day, bringing us into harmony with mother Earth.
The Wisdom Keepers rite heals and balances our masculine energy with the feminine energy of the Day Keepers Rite. We must decide who we are, and, stand up for that. The Wisdom Keepers of the world ask you to care enough to take a stand, as lovingly as possible.
Associated with the Great Mountains of the earth. Within these mountains is retained all the spiritual wisdom and knowledge of the earth.
The Wisdom Keepers Rite is the seat of soul healing. We are still in the garden, we are still whole regardless of the life experience we've chosen. Healing those parts of our spirit and soul which have been damaged and disentangled occurs by remembering that we are all Spirit, all teaspoons of God. Here we learn the difference between information and knowledge. The difference between data and knowing what to do with it.
This is where we step into that intuitive knowing. We don't need affirmation or reference. The Shaman is Self referencing.
The feeling of the Wisdom Keepers is strong, solid, powerful & slightly aloof. They don't rush to us, you must choose to go there. If you want what their wisdom, you must go to them, ask them & they'll share it. It's like sitting at the feet of our Grandmothers and Grandfathers.
We join the Ancients who step out of time. We go into Circular time. Used for distance work. Wisdom keepers confer on us the privilege of stepping out of time.
• To protect and to share the medicine teachings of the ages.
• To help heal the wounds from former lifetimes.
Before you begin pause a moment and reflect on what you you like to bring into your life. If you can turn this into a short sentence in the present form ie "I am eating healthy food to nourish my being" then do so and hold this in your heart as you open sacred space. It doing so you are weaving your intention with the sacred to assist it manifesting for you. Remember great Spirit is listening to your seed dreams.
We are heading into the realms of ancient knowledge wisdom, that which your spiritual hearts have always known. What wisdom from your parents, grandparents, threads of knowing are within you? Ask great spirit from your heart.
Join the wisdom keepers and connect deeply with the ancient store house of wisdom that is gifted for us all to live an abundant life by.
Go to the high sacred spiritual mountains of our beautiful planet allowing your heart and soul to join with those who know infinity. As you surely do, this Rite reconnects you with all time.
Well done in assimilation and healing the masculine divine. This is a great spiritual gift.
The Earth Keeper's rite is very special. Up until 2006, this was the highest rite available for a shaman to receive from another shaman.
This is the first step of going beyond our planet. We are accepting stewardship of the earth which means we are holding the Earth in the palm of our hand. It's precious.
This rite connects you to a lineage of archangels who are spiritual guardians of our galaxy. These archangels are reputed to have human form and to be as tall as trees. We come under the direct protection of these Archangels. We can summon their power whenever we need to bring healing and balance to any situation.
In the Earthkeeper's Rite Masculine and Feminine are harmonized into one and are aspects of the whole.
• You step out of time and dream the world into being.
To learn the ways of the seer.
This rite enhances your seer's abilities.
Responsibility for the way we see the world.
The more we honour our mother Earth, the more grace and wisdom she grants us. Take a moment everyday to see the gifts that abound. Great Spirit is everywhere is every grain of sand, in every grain of hope. Listen and you will hear the call.
Are you ready to take responsibility? Then dive into this beautiful spiritual Rite that asks that you truly accept all your thoughts deeds and actions.
Rite 7: The Earthkeeper rite.
This rite connects you to a lineage of spiritual archangels who are guardians of our sacred galaxy. These archangels are reputed to have human form and to be as tall as trees. We come under the direct protection of these Archangels. We can summon their power whenever we need to bring healing and balance to any situation.
In the Earthkeeper's Rite Masculine and Feminine are harmonized into one and are aspects of the whole. Located in the East on the Medicine Wheel.
The fire ceremony not only seeds the Rites but is a process of purification. Purification is a necessary part of growth. Only by purifying the veil of ego, purifying our past impressions, can the inner light of our true Self shine.
As an Earth keeper you have stewardship for all life here on our dear Mother Earth. It lifts you from your earth-bound existence and sets your spirit free to begin your journey to the stars -beginning with the sun, our local star- so you may dream your world into being.
You are being called home to your Spiritual Munay Ki loving heart - look after you heart home - our Earth mother.
Starkeeper’s Rite: This rite anchors you safely and effectively transitioning into the future - the system we live under is fighting in its death throes. The seeds of change everywhere - you are called to be a seed, an agent of change for when you receive this rite, your physical body begins to evolve into that of Homo Luminous, the aging process is slowed down, your DNA is re-informed, and you become more resistant to disease.
be beyond the time of the great change.
level at which it was created.
Rainbow body is about creating your luminous self. Live differently, act differently. Our luminous body affects how we feel.
Let the stars assist your journey. Let them help you with a particular issue.
Our job is to go through the chakras, we go beyond the archetypes.
there is an archetype there you try to go around the archetype..
and colour and bring it back and anchor it into the chakra.
Reside in your heart. Either move with the divinely inspired spiritual bound dream music of Christine Morrison that takes us into the realm. Or sit/lay comfortably and allow the music to seed into your heart centre. his helps you prepare to receive the Star Keepers Rite.
We continue spiritual dreaming our lives into being. Know that the stars are shining brightly, spirit lights just for you. Know that this is your time, here and now to shine the radiant lights of love .
If you are able, going outside and laying underneath a star filled sky will fill you with joy and assist the passage of the Rite. Personally I spend as much time as I can outside in the evenings receiving star charged wisdom. I find it spiritual invigorating to take a star bath.
Would you like this lecture as an audio only addition to make it easier to go outside? Email me and I will do if if you wish it to be.
How divinely spiritual and wonder filled if you have an outside fire to fire this Rite. Underneath the stars, dripping with love and wonderment.
Well done the spiritual starkeeper's rite resides with you here on our Munay Ki pathway. | 2019-04-18T19:10:46Z | https://www.udemy.com/munay-ki/?couponCode=UMR |
Techniques for presenting content download progress include determining a plurality of layers of information about a specific download of particular content to an apparatus. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. The particular content is caused to be stored progressively into a memory on the apparatus. A first layer of information is presented on the local device upon a start of the specific download. An amount of the particular content stored into the memory is determined. A different second layer of information is presented progressively on the local device during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the memory.
Service providers and device manufacturers are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services and advancing the underlying technologies. One area of interest has been the development of services and technologies for sharing content (e.g., music) and related information across a variety of platforms (e.g., mobiles devices, fixed terminals) and scenarios (e.g., location of devices, connectivity capabilities, etc.). These applications often involve downloading the content from a remote server to a local device for the user. Depending on the size of the content file, the number of files, and the smallest bandwidth of the connection between the network and either the local device or the remote server, the content can take several seconds to tens of minutes to completely download. The wait for the completed download is often unpleasant for the user, thus leading to a diminished user experience.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach for improving the user experience by presenting content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download.
According to one embodiment, a method comprises determining a plurality of layers of information about a specific download of particular content to a local device. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. The method also comprises causing the particular content to be stored progressively into a memory on the local device. The method also comprises causing a first layer of information to be presented on the local device upon a start of the specific download. The method also comprises determining an amount of the particular content stored into the memory. The method further comprises causing a different second layer of information to be presented progressively on the local device during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the memory.
According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause, at least in part, the apparatus to determine a plurality of layers of information about a specific download of particular content to the apparatus. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. The apparatus is also caused to cause the particular content to be stored progressively into the at least one memory. The apparatus is also caused to initiate presentation of a first layer of information to be presented upon a start of the specific download. The apparatus is also caused to determine an amount of the particular content stored into the at least one memory. The apparatus is further caused to initiate presentation progressively of a different second layer of information during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the at least one memory.
According to another embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause, at least in part, an apparatus to perform determining a plurality of layers of information about a specific download of particular content to the apparatus. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. The apparatus is also caused to cause the particular content to be stored progressively into a memory on the apparatus. The apparatus is also caused to perform causing a first layer of information to be presented on the local device upon a start of the specific download. The apparatus is also caused to determine an amount of the particular content stored into the memory. The apparatus is further caused to perform causing a different second layer of information to be presented progressively on the local device during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the memory.
According to another embodiment, an apparatus comprises means for determining a plurality of layers of information about a specific download of particular content to the apparatus. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. The apparatus also comprises means for causing the particular content to be stored progressively into a memory on the apparatus. The apparatus also comprises means for causing a first layer of information to be presented on the apparatus upon a start of the specific download. The apparatus also comprises means for determining an amount of the particular content stored into the memory. The apparatus further comprises means for causing a different second layer of information to be presented progressively on the apparatus during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the memory.
Examples of a method, apparatus, and computer program are disclosed for presenting content download progress using multiple information layers. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the invention.
As used herein, content or media includes, for example, digital sound, songs, digital images, digital games, digital maps, point of interest information, digital videos, such as music videos, news clips and theatrical videos, advertisements, electronic books, presentations, program files or objects, any other digital media or content, or any combination thereof. The terms presenting and rendering each indicate any method for presenting the content to a human user, including playing music through speakers, displaying images on a screen or in a projection or on tangible media such as photographic or plain paper, showing videos on a suitable display device with sound, graphing game or map data, or any other term of art for presentation, or any combination thereof. In many illustrated embodiments, a player is an example of a rendering module. A playlist is information about content rendered on one or more players in response to input by a user, and is associated with that user. A play history is information about the time sequence of content rendered on one or more players in response to input by a user, and is associated with that user. A download is a process of moving content from a remote device on a network to a local device across one or more communication links.
As used herein, a content object, also called a content widget, is a software object that can be embedded in a web page or email or other message for presentation to one or more users for indentifying, sharing, downloading or rendering content, or some combination thereof. Software objects are self-contained collections of data and methods and used, for example, in object-oriented programming (OOP). In some embodiments, a content object provides a graphical user interface (GUI).
Although several embodiments of the invention are discussed with respect to music download using a web browser containing one or more embedded content objects, it is recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments of the inventions have applicability to any type of content downloading and rendering, e.g., music or video playback or streaming, games playing, image or map displaying, radio or television content broadcasting or streaming, involving any device, e.g., wired and wireless local device or both local and remote wired or wireless devices, capable of rendering content, or capable of communication with such a device, using any application that allows objects to be embedded, such a standard web browser, a standard email client, a standard instant messaging client, and a standard file transfer protocol (FTP) client. An example well known music rendering device is a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-1 Audio Layer 3 player (MP3) player.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system 100 capable of presenting content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download, according to one embodiment. When a user chooses to download content, there is often an element of excitement and anticipation. Yet, while downloading content to his or her local device, such as a cell phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) or music player, a user often has to wait with no information about the content or context of the download except for the amount so far downloaded and sometimes the total amount to be downloaded. Such information about the amount is readily digested in a few seconds, leaving the user still hungry for more information about the content or context of the download itself, such as how many minutes of music or video is being downloaded, how much of the storage capacity of the user's device will be left after the download, name or history of the artist or the work, related art such as album cover art and inside jacket art, lyrics, other artists performing similar work, and related news or concerts or advertisements, among others not listed here.
To address this problem, a system 100 of FIG. 1 introduces the capability for improving the user experience by presenting content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download. Information about the content is available from a remote service through which the content was identified, such as a social networking service that allows content sharing, or the content service itself, and is usually cached in some form on the user's own device, e.g., in a data structure. Information about the context of the download, such as the user equipment capacity, the user, and friends of the user, is available on the user's own device, called user equipment (UE) herein. A module on the user equipment monitors the download and presents layers of information about the content or context to the user as the content downloads, providing the user with information of interest which is at least distracting, and even entertaining, for the user during the download. For example, a grayscale image of visual artwork associated with the content is presented at the start of the download and progressively fills with color as the download progresses. This engages the user with the gradual reveal of information very likely to be of interest to the user because it is related to the content the user has just requested to download and is likely excited about. Because the information presented is related to the user or the content, the information is highly likely to be much more interesting to the user than a mere generic progress bar depicting the amount of information downloaded. Thus an advantage of some embodiments of the invention is that a user experience is improved by engaging the user with information that is more likely to be more exciting or interesting to the user than a progress bar. A content download progress module is a means to provide this advantage.
As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 comprises the local device, such as a user equipment (UE) 101, having connectivity to service 110 a or social networking service 110 b (collectively referenced hereinafter as service 110) or content service 120, or some combination, via a communication network 105. By way of example, the communication network 105 of system 100 includes one or more networks such as a data network (not shown), a wireless network (not shown), a telephony network (not shown), or any combination thereof. It is contemplated that the data network may be any local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), a public data network (e.g., the Internet), short range wireless network, Internet protocol (IP) data cast network, or any other suitable packet-switched network, such as a commercially owned, proprietary packet-switched network, e.g., a proprietary cable or fiber-optic network. In addition, the wireless network may be, for example, a cellular network and may employ various technologies including enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), satellite, mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), and the like.
The UE 101 is any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or portable terminal including a mobile handset, station, unit, device, multimedia computer, multimedia tablet, Internet node, communicator, desktop computer, laptop computer, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), audio/video player, digital camera/camcorder, positioning device, radio/television broadcast receiver, electronic book, video projector, game device, or any combination thereof. It is also contemplated that the UE 101 can support any type of interface to the user (such as “wearable” circuitry, etc.). In some embodiments, the UE 101 is connected to a local ancillary device 130, such as a cell phone or MP3 player or video player, via a local one-to-one connection, e.g., using an infrared link or a short range wireless (e.g., Bluetooth) link or a cable 138 as depicted.
A content client process 124 on the UE 101 downloads content from content service 120 and, in some embodiments, also renders that content locally or sends the content to an ancillary device 130. According to various embodiments, a content download progress module 140 on the UE 101 indicates download progress to a user of UE 101 using multiple layers of information peculiar to a specific download of particular content. In the illustrated embodiment, the content download progress module 140 is part of the content client 124, as depicted in FIG. 1. In other embodiments the module 140 is part of another module of UE 101, such as a client process 114 or an operating system for UE 101.
By way of example, the UE 101, and one or more hosts for service 110 and content service 120 communicate with each other and other components of the communication network 105 using well known, new or still developing protocols. In this context, a protocol includes a set of rules defining how the network nodes within the communication network 105 interact with each other based on information sent over the communication links. The protocols are effective at different layers of operation within each node, from generating and receiving physical signals of various types, to selecting a link for transferring those signals, to the format of information indicated by those signals, to identifying which software application executing on a computer system sends or receives the information. The conceptually different layers of protocols for exchanging information over a network are described in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model.
Communications between the network nodes are typically effected by exchanging discrete packets of data. Each packet typically comprises (1) header information associated with a particular protocol, and (2) payload information that follows the header information and contains information that may be processed independently of that particular protocol. In some protocols, the packet includes (3) trailer information following the payload and indicating the end of the payload information. The header includes information such as the source of the packet, its destination, the length of the payload, and other properties used by the protocol. Often, the data in the payload for the particular protocol includes a header and payload for a different protocol associated with a different, higher layer of the OSI Reference Model. The header for a particular protocol typically indicates a type for the next protocol contained in its payload. The higher layer protocol is said to be encapsulated in the lower layer protocol. The headers included in a packet traversing multiple heterogeneous networks, such as the Internet, typically include a physical (layer 1) header, a data-link (layer 4) header, an internetwork (layer 3) header and a transport (layer 4) header, and various application headers (layer 5, layer 6 and layer 7) as defined by the OSI Reference Model.
According to the client-server model, a client process sends a message including a request to a server process, and the server process responds by providing a service. The server process may also return a message with a response to the client process. Often the client process and server process execute on different computer devices, called hosts, and communicate via a network using one or more protocols for network communications. The term “server” is conventionally used to refer to the process that provides the service, or the host computer on which the process operates. Similarly, the term “client” is conventionally used to refer to the process that makes the request, or the host computer on which the process operates. As used herein, the terms “client” and “server” refer to the processes, rather than the host computers, unless otherwise clear from the context. In addition, the process performed by a server can be broken up to run as multiple processes on multiple hosts (sometimes called tiers) for reasons that include reliability, scalability, and redundancy, among others. A well known client process available on most nodes connected to a communications network is a World Wide Web client (called a “web browser,” or simply “browser”) that interacts through messages formatted according to the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) with any of a large number of servers called World Wide Web servers that provide web pages. In some embodiments, either or both the client 114 or the content client 124 is a browser presenting a web page provided by service 110 or 120, respectively.
The service 110 a stores information related to the service 110 a in a service data structure 112 a, such as a database. For example, in some embodiments, the service 110 a is a content store service through which a user can identify or purchases content. The service 110 a keeps track of content available, a subscriber to the service, and subscriber billing information by storing information about content and subscribers in the service data structure 112 a. The social networking service 110 b provides social networking among members called subscribers and stores information related to the service 110 b in a service data structure 112 b, such as a database. For example, in some embodiments, the social networking service 110 b keeps track of subscriber profiles and lists of a subscriber's contacts (e.g., friends) by storing user profile data in the member identifiers data structure 112 b. Similarly, the content service 120 stores information related to the content in a content data structure 122, such as a database. For example, in some embodiments, the content service 120 stores content and metadata about the content in the content data structure 122.
When the clients 114 and 124 on UE 101 interact with services 110 and 120, data is received in one or more messages, e.g., in one or more HTTP messages carrying web pages that are presented to a user on a display of UE 101. This information is cached locally, at least in fields associated with the web page, e.g., in data structure 126 holding data associated with downloading content, and in data structure 116 associated with the UE 101 or a user of UE 101,or both. When content is downloaded to the UE 101 it is stored in client content data structure 128, such as a database, or in a data structure, not shown, on ancillary device 130, or both.
According to various embodiments, the content download progress module 140 obtains from data structures 116, 126 or 128, or some combination, information peculiar to a specific download of particular content. The data structures 116, 126 and 128 are means for storing information locally about a specific download or particular content that is likely to be of interest to a user downloading content to UE 101. Because this information is local, it is readily presented on UE 101 while content is being downloaded to UE 101 at the same time. In some embodiments, the relevant information is small enough that it can also be downloaded quickly during, simultaneously and/or synchronously to one of these local caches in intervening data packets while the content is being downloaded to the UE 101. Once local, the information is readily revealed as one layer of information about the specific download of the particular content. An advantage of using locally cached information that is small in size relative to the content being downloaded is that such information is readily obtained in time to present before the download is complete.
Although modules, process and data structures are shown as integral components arranged on certain network nodes in a particular order for purposes of illustration, in other embodiments, one or more modules, processes or data structures, or potions thereof, are arranged in a different way on the same or different one or more nodes connected to network 105. For example, in some embodiments, some UE information depicted in data structure 116 is in a separate data structure (not shown) maintained by an operating system or other application on UE 101, and is outside the data cached in data structure 116 for client 114. By way of example, the content client 124 includes one or more components for presenting content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download. It is contemplated that the functions of these components may be combined in one or more components or performed by other components of equivalent functionality, such as one or more components of an operating system or content object received in client 114.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process 200 for presenting content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download, according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the content download progress module 140 performs the process 200 and is implemented in, for instance, a chip set including a processor and a memory as shown FIG. 6. Although steps are depicted in FIG. 2 in a particular order for purposes of illustration, in other embodiments one or more steps or portions thereof are performed in a different order or overlapping in time, in series or parallel, or one or more steps are omitted or one or more other steps are added, or the process is changed in some combination of ways.
In step 201, the particular content to be downloaded is determined. For example, the particular content is identified in a web page received from a content store, e.g., service 110 a, with a link to the content service 120 used to retrieve the content. Any method may be used to indicate the link, which is a network location of the content, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) text string that is resolved by a URL name server in network 105. In general, the web page may include a name of the content and some metadata about the content, along with a thumbnail or full image of related artwork, such as an album cover for a song track or album, or a poster for a movie, or links thereto. As another example, the particular content is identified in a message or social networking web page of a friend received from a social networking service, e.g., service 110 b, with a link to a music store service 110 a or content service 120 used to retrieve the content. The web page may include a name of the friend and some comments by the friend about the content, along with other profile information about the friend, or links thereto. As another example, the particular content is identified in a content object embedded in an email or text message received from a friend or contact, with a link to the content service 120 or store 110 a used to retrieve the content. The content object may include a name of the content and some metadata about the content, along with a thumbnail or full image of related artwork, as described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. In some embodiments step 201 includes causing the particular content to be stored progressively into a memory on the user equipment, e.g, UE 101.
In step 203, the time to download the content is estimated, e.g., based on a download bandwidth on the communications link between the UE 101 and the network 105 and a size of the content. The download bandwidth is often detected by the UE and cached in data structure associated with the UE, e.g., data structure 116, or in a different data structure of the operating system. The size of the content is often available when the link is followed to the content server and cached in the data structure 126 associated with the downloading content. The size divided by the bandwidth corrected by a factor for the message and communication link overhead gives the estimated download time, as is well known in the art. In step 205, it is determined if the download time is greater than a threshold time. The threshold time is selected as a few seconds, e.g., about 5 seconds. If the estimated download time is less than the threshold time, then the wait by the user is short enough that more interesting information than a progress bar is not likely to be used. In this case, a generic progress bar is presented in step 207, and the process ends. An advantage of such testing is to conserve resources and speed up the download progress presentation with a generic progress bar in circumstances where the user experience is not poor. The threshold testing is a means to obtain this advantage. In some embodiments, generic progress bars are never used; and step 203 and step 205 and step 207 are omitted.
If it is determined in step 205, that the estimated download time is greater than the threshold time, then in step 214 and following steps, progress is presented using multiple layers of information that is peculiar to the specific download of the particular content, so that a user is satisfactorily engaged during the download.
In step 214 a number N of events to indicate from start to completion of the download is determined. In some embodiments, only the start and completion of the download is to be indicated and N=2. In some embodiments other interim events are to be indicated to a user, such as when each track of an album is downloaded, or when a sufficient portion of the content has been downloaded to start rendering the content on the UE, or to start side loading content to the ancillary device 130. In some embodiments, the content is transcoded before side loading, i.e., translated from one codec to another, such as converting sound from one codec to MP3 for rendering by an MP3 player as ancillary device 130. In such embodiments, an event to indicate is the actual start of transcoding, or a sufficient portion of the content downloaded to start transcoding. In other embodiments other events are indicated. Thus, the event is one of a group of events comprising: a start of download, completed download of a separate portion of the particular content (e.g., one track of a music album or one short story in an anthology of short stories), a receipt of a sufficient portion of the particular content to begin rendering the particular content; a start of side loading at least a portion of the particular content to a local ancillary device; a start of transcoding the particular content to a format for rendering on the ancillary device; a delivery of a sufficient portion of transcoded particular content to begin rendering the transcoded particular content on the ancillary device; an end of transcoding; and an end of side loading, and completion of the download of all of the particular content, among others. An advantage of allowing more than two events to be indicated is that the presentation is more informative for the user. Step 214 is a means for allowing more than two events to be indicated. For purposes of illustration, it is assumed that N=3 for three events: (1) the start of download; (2) sufficient portion of the content has been downloaded to start rendering the content on the UE; and (3) completion of the download for all of the particular content.
In step 213, N layers of information peculiar to the specific download of the particular content are determined. At least one layer of information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content. Information about the specific download comprises one or more of: content information about the particular content; and context information about the local device or a particular user of the local device. The plurality of layers of information about the specific download are obtained from at least one of a remote service, e.g., in a current webpage or in response to a request, such as a request for metadata about the content, or a web search on the name of the particular content or artist, or a previous message from a remote service, or a search on friends in social networking service 110 that have the specific download and what their comments are on it, e.g., cached in data structure 116 or data structure 126, or the particular content, e.g., in data structure 128, or a local device e.g., in data structure 116, or a local ancillary device, e.g., in a data structure on device 130.
In some embodiments, the N layers include context information about user, user equipment, source of the link, or content information or metadata about the content itself, such as interesting facts about a song or album being downloaded. Any non-size information may be included, such as related facts, advertisements, maps showing location information such as studio location where recorded or birthplace of artist, and cost of download at a particular source. For example, a text string stating “Did you know that Artist was born on a cruise ship,” is one layer of information and a different layer of information showing an image of the Artist or cruise ship or a map of the Artist's birth location. In some embodiments, order for the layers of information is determined by the value of a parameter associated with the layer of information, e.g., the amount of information in the layer or the date the information in the layer was last updated, with increasing values in later presented layers.
In some embodiments with many layers of information, all the information is clustered, sorted by relevance to the particular content or the user of UE 101, or both, and then divided into N groups. Any relevance engine may be used to determine relevance, as is well known in the art. In some embodiments, N layers of information are selected by relevance or at random from a larger number of layers of information.
In some embodiments with few layers of information, the information is broken up into N layers, e.g., by breaking a single color image into separate intensity, red, green and blue images; or by breaking one sentence of text up into N words or clauses.
For example, when N=3 and the only non-size information is a single image, such as an album cover image, the first layer of information for the specific download of the particular content is an intensity (grayscale) image of artwork associated with the content, the second layer of information is the blue content of the image added to the intensity image, and the third layer of information is the full color and intensity of the image. In some embodiments, the first layer is an image of the friend who provided the link to the content, the second layer is the grayscale image of the artwork and the third level is the full color image of the artwork. In an example embodiment, the first layer is textual information, and the second layer is a grayscale image of the associated artwork, and the third layer is a full color image of the associated artwork. In general, any layer can present or include any information, content media or data. An advantage of N layers of information is to keep the user interested as the user is informed of the progress of multiple different events during the download. Step 213 is a means to achieve this advantage.
Thus, in step 214, a plurality of layers of information is determined about a specific download of particular content to a local device. The information in the plurality of layers is different from an amount of the particular content.
In step 215 a first layer of information is presented in a progress area of a display associated with the user equipment. For example, textual information about the source or content is presented in the progress area. Thus, a first layer of information is caused to be presented on the local device upon a start of the specific download.
In step 217, the next layer of information to be presented is determined to be the current layer, e.g., the grayscale image of the associated artwork is made the current layer of information.
In step 219, the current layer of information is presented gradually in the time interval to the next event. If the next event is completion of the download, then another percentage of the current layer is presented as each corresponding percentage of the download is accomplished. If the next event is downloading a sufficient portion to begin rendering locally, then another percentage of the current layer is presented as each corresponding percentage of the portion to enable rendering is downloaded. In some embodiments, the interim progress toward an event is not measured or is not measurable, and the portion of the current layer presented is based on an estimated time to the next event and the actual elapsed time. Thus if one minute is estimated to download a large enough portion to begin rendering locally, then another 10% of the current layer is presented every 6 seconds. In some of these embodiments, the current layer is not completely presented until the event actually occurs, e.g., the last 10% is not presented until a sufficient portion to allow rendering to begin is actually received. Thus, in some embodiments, step 219 includes determining an amount of the particular content stored into the memory, including any amount estimated to be stored in memory. The amount of the current layer presented during step 219 is based, at least in part, on the amount of the particular content determined to be stored into the memory.
Thus, a different second layer of information is caused to be presented progressively on the local device during the specific download, which second layer of information is completely presented shortly after, at, or before completion of the specific download. An advantage of progressive presentation is to give the user a natural indication of when the next event will be reached, as the user intuitively projects the progress of the current layer of information to the edge of the presentation area. Step 219 is a means to provide this advantage.
FIGS. 3A-3C are diagrams of user interfaces utilized in the processes of FIG. 2, according to various embodiments. FIG. 3A depicts a graphical user interface (GUI) 301 on a display screen of UE 101. The GUI 301 includes a content download type area 312, a download text area 314 and a multilayer download progress presentation area 320. The content download type area 312 presents data that indicates the content type (e.g., file, document, audio, video, game, etc.) being downloaded. The download text area 314 presents generic text related to the download, such as in prior art approaches, e.g., a file name and file size and percent of file downloaded and perhaps time to complete download. In some embodiments, there is a separate text area for each portion of the download, e.g., for each track of a music album being downloaded, such as content portion text 316 a for a first portion of the download, a content portion text 316 b for a second portion of the download, a content portion text 316 c for a third portion of the download, among others indicated by ellipsis. Although areas and images are shown in FIGS. 3A-3C as integral regions of a display in a particular order for purposes of illustration, in other embodiments one or more areas or images, or portions thereof, are arranged in a different order or omitted or other areas are added, or some combination of changes is made.
The multilayer download progress presentation area 320, includes a previous layer portion 322 a in which is presented information of one layer (e.g., the first layer), and a current layer portion 322 b which is being presented progressively over the previous layer portion 322 a, with direction of progress 323 indicated by the solid fill arrows. For example, a grayscale image in a current layer 322 b is gradually presented over text in the previous layer area 322 a. This presentation provides the advantage of being both interesting and informative; and the GUI 301 is a means for achieving this advantage. The current layer portion 322 b is presented progressively over the previous layer portion 322 a during step 219 of FIG. 2.
In some embodiments, the multilayer download progress presentation area 320 includes a flipover indicator 328 that indicates where a pointing device (such as a mouse) can be positioned and activated, or touchscreen touched, to provide presentation options; as if those options appeared on the other side (flipside) of a virtual piece of paper on which the progress is presented. The options that appear on the flipside are described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3B.
Returning to FIG. 2, in step 221, it is determined whether there is a pointing device (e.g., a mouse) positioned over an active area of the multilayer download progress presentation area 320. If so, then in step 223 user options are presented and user input received in response is used to cause the process to perform associated functions, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3B. For example, if a pointing device is positioned over the flipover indicator area 328 and activated, the user is presented with options for what and how information is presented in the presentation area 320 or what and how the download proceeds, or both, as described in more detail below. For example, the user can control side loading at least a portion of the particular content to a local ancillary device in step 223 before completion of the specific download. In some embodiments, the user can also control transcoding the particular content to a format for rendering on the ancillary device and sending the transcoded particular content to the local ancillary device in step 223. An advantage of giving the user more control over the download before completion is to speed the utility of the download so that when the download is complete the user can immediately use the particular content as desired, e.g., on ancillary device 130. Of course, an advantage of allowing the user to change the presentation of progress is to make the presentation more interesting to the user. Step 223 is a means for achieving both advantages.
In step 225, it is determined whether the next of the N events has occurred, e.g., the download is complete or a large enough portion is downloaded to begin rendering at least a portion of the particular content. If not, then in step 227 it is determined whether the presentation of the current layer is within a last progressive increment. If not, then the next increment can be presented in step 219, thus gradually presenting the current layer. If so, then no more of the current layer is presented; the process waits and then again determines whether the expected next event occurs in step 225. An advantage of not completing the presentation before the event occurs is to avoid misinforming the user about completion of the current stage of progress. Step 225, step 227 and step 229 are means for providing this advantage.
If it is determined, in step 225, that the next event has occurred, then in step 231 it is determined whether the current layer is completely presented. If not, then in step 233 the current layer is presented completely. This advantageously signals to the user that this stage of the download is complete. Step 231 and step 233 are means to provide this advantage.
In some embodiments, step 225 includes performing some function associated with the event. For example, in some embodiments, step 225 includes beginning to render the portion of the particular content that is downloading. In some embodiments, step 225 includes side loading at least a portion of the particular content to a local ancillary device before completion of the specific download. In some embodiments, step 225 includes transcoding the particular content to a format for rendering on the ancillary device and sending the transcoded particular content to the local ancillary device. In some embodiments, these functions are performed automatically. In some embodiments, these functions are performed based on user input received in step 223.
In step 235, it is determined whether the event that just occurred is the completion of the download. If so, then the process ends. Otherwise control passes back to step 217 to determine the next layer of information associated with the next event as the current layer of information to present, as described above. Thus, a different third layer of information is caused to be presented progressively during the specific download. The third layer of information is completely presented at or before completion of the specific download and is presented progressively during a time interval different from a time interval during which the second layer of information is presented progressively. In this embodiment, the time intervals are separated by an event, e.g., sufficient portion to begin rendering, other than start of the specific download and completion of the specific download.
In some embodiments, progress toward one event begins before progress toward another event ends. For example, transcoding can begin before there is sufficient content downloaded to start rendering the content. Therefore, in some embodiments, the time intervals overlap. That is, a second current layer is begun to be progressively presented before the first current layer is completely presented.
FIG. 3B depicts a graphical user interface (GUI) 302 on a display screen of a UE 101 after the user has selected the flipover indicator 328 according to another embodiment. The GUI 302 includes the content download type area 312 and the download text area 314, as described above. In GUI 302, however, the multilayer download progress presentation area 320 displays advanced options area 330 instead of one or more information layers for the specific download. GUI 302 is a means for achieving the advantage of giving the user more control over the download process and the presentation of its progress. As described above, multilayer download progress presentation area 320 includes the flipover indicator 328. In GUI 302, the flipover indicator 328 is activated (e.g., by a pointing device such as a mouse or by touching a touchscreen) to return to the progressive presentation of information layers for the specific download depicted in FIG. 3A.
In the illustrated embodiment, the advanced options area 330 includes a change source area 332 a, a change destination area 332 b, a change layer area 332 c, a toggle full screen area 332 d and a change priority area 332 e. In other embodiments more or fewer areas are presented.
The change source area 332 a is selected by a user to change the source of the download. Often, there is more than one server from which particular content can be downloaded and the servers are distributed globally. Network conditions between the user and one server may be congested, or the server heavily utilized, so that the download is very slow and better performance is likely from anther server. Using change source area 332 a, the user can select another source of the download. Any method known in the art may be used to allow the user to change the source, for example using a pull down menu of available sources for the same content.
The change destination area 332 b is selected by a user to change the location where the content is stored locally. For example, the content can be stored locally in client content database 128 or as a file in another directory or on ancillary device 130. Using change source area 332 b, the user can select another destination for the particular content. Any method known in the art may be used to allow the user to change the local destination for the particular content, for example using a browse button and pull down menu of available devices and directories.
The change layer area 332 c is selected by a user to change the layer of information to be presented as the current or subsequent layer of information. As stated above, in some embodiments, there are only N layers of information all of which are to be presented. In such embodiments the user can change the order of the presentation, e.g., first the full color and then the grayscale. In some embodiments, there are more than N layers of information from which N layers were selected automatically, either by relevance or at random. In such embodiments, the user can change not only the order of the presentation, but also the layers to be presented. For example, the user can change the measure used for relevance, the type of information whether content information or context information, e.g., preferring context information about the friend who recommended the content, and the actual layers of information available of that particular type. Any method known in the art may be used to allow the user to select the layer of information, for example using a pull down menu of available layers of information. In some embodiments, the user is also allowed to input or change a direction of progress of a later layer of information over the earlier layer of information, e.g., by selecting uniform or random directions of progress.
The toggle full screen area 332 d is selected by a user to change the size of the multilayer download progress presentation area 320. In some embodiments, the user can select from a range of sizes, e.g., using a pull down menu. In some embodiments, selecting the toggle full screen area 332 d cause a presentation area 320 that is in a limited region of GUI 301 to fill a major region or all of the display area for GUI 301, or back.
The change priority area 332 e is selected by a user to change the importance of the specific download compared to other downloads that might also be occurring. For example, a user may start a download for a first music album then during the download discover an even more interesting album or video and begin to download that. The UE 101 usually divides the available bandwidth on the communication link to the network 105 automatically between the two download, e.g., either evenly or giving higher priority to the first or the smallest download. Using change priority area 332 d, the user can select another priority for the specific download associated with the presentation area 320. Any method known in the art may be used to allow the user to change the priority, for example using a pull down menu of priorities (e.g., textual values high, medium, low, or numeric values 1 to 10, with 1 being the first priority). In some embodiments, the size of the presentation area 320 is proportional to the priority, with the highest priority download having the largest presentation area, whether full screen or not.
The advanced option selected is detected in step 223 and implemented in step 223 or step 225. Thus, before the completion of the specific download, user input for configuring the presentations is determined and the different second layer of information is caused to be presented progressively based on the user input. The advantage of giving the user control over the download or its presentation is to improve the user experience; and advanced options area 330 is a means to achieve this advantage.
FIG. 3C depicts a graphical user interface (GUI) 303 on a display screen of UE 101 after the user has selected the toggle full screen area 332 d, according to another embodiment. Because of the selection of a full screen, the GUI 303 excludes the content download type area 312 and the download text area 314 of GUI 301. Instead, the GUI shows only the presentation area for one or more downloads in progress at the UE 101. For purposes of illustration, it is assumed that UE 101 is downloading four different contents of different priorities set by the user; and progress is presented in a corresponding four multilayer download progress presentation areas depicted as presentation area 350 a, presentation area 350 b, presentation area 350 c and presentation area 350 d, respectively.
The highest priority is for the download associated with presentation area 350 a, so that area is the largest. The size of the presentation area decreases for presentation area 350 b, presentation area 350 d and presentation area 350 c with diminishing priority downloads, respectively. An advantage of different sizes for different priority downloads is to increase the information content of the GUI 303, and therefore to increase the interest for the user. The variable sized presentation areas 350 of GUI 303 is a means to provide this advantage.
In the illustrated embodiment, presentation area 350 a presents not only the previous layer of information in previous layer area 352 a, but also two different progressively presented current layers of information. A first current layer of information is presented in a first current layer area 352 b and a second layer of information in a second current layer area 352 c, illustrating overlapping time intervals for progressively presenting different layers of information associated with different events. For example, the first current layer area 352 b is associated with downloading enough of the particular content to start transcoding and the second current layer area 352 c is associated with downloading enough of the particular content to start rendering on the ancillary device. An advantage of multiple current layer areas where information is progressively presented for one download is to increase the information content of the presentation area 350 a, and therefore to increase the interest for the user. The multiple current layer areas of presentation area 350 a are means to provide this advantage.
Also illustrated in FIG. 3C is that the direction of progress need not be fixed. In various embodiments the directions of progress are down, up, left to right, right to left, diagonal in any of four directions, from the middle outward and form the outer edges inward. In some embodiments, the direction of progress is automatically selected, e.g., at random. In some embodiments, the user selects the direction of progress when the user selects the change layer area 332 c, described above. An advantage of different directions of progress is to increase the visual complexity and therefore visual interest for the user. The GUI 303 is a means to provide this advantage.
Also illustrated in FIG. 3C is multiple layers of information for a single image associated with the download in presentation area 350 c. The previous layer area presents a grayscale version of cover art for a music album, while the current layer area presents a full color version of the same cover art.
FIG. 4A is a diagram of the components of a content object 400 that presents content download progress using multiple information layers peculiar to the download, according to one embodiment. By way of example, the content object 400 includes one or more components for presenting content from a service 110 and customizing the interaction behavior of the content object 400 based on, for instance, the availability of content presented by the content object 400. It is contemplated that the functions of these components may be combined in one or more components, such as an operating system or content client 124 or performed by other components of equivalent functionality. In one embodiment, the content object 400 includes, for example: (1) a user ID field 402; (2) a user profile field 404; (3) a user content field 406; (4) script field 408 holding or pointing to scripts to be executed by a client process in order to cause actions related to interacting with the content object 400; (5) content object field 410; or a combination thereof.
The user ID field 402 holds data that indicates, for example, a user registered with the service 110 associated with the content object 400. Any user ID may be used, such as a node identifier for the device used for rendering the content, a user supplied name, an email address, or an ID assigned to a user who registers with the service 110. In some embodiments, a user ID is inferred from a node identifier for the device used for rendering the content included in a lower protocol header. In some embodiments, the user ID field 402 is omitted. In some embodiments, a user is authenticated and authorized to access the service 110 in a separate login process, not shown, but well known in the art.
The user profile field 404 comprises data that indicates the user profile of the owner of the content object 400 (called owner hereinafter), such as one or more of any of the following: an index for the owner into the member identifiers database 112 b; the owner's authorization or login credentials (such as password for accessing the user's home page); a pointer to the content in the service 110; one or more home pages for the owner on corresponding social networks, contact lists; and/or other external services 110; the owner's contact information such as email address, an image of the owner, a theme song of the user, a visual theme of the owner, or an avatar of the owner. The example user profile field 404 includes the owner's friends field 414 that holds data that indicates one or more user IDs of other members associated with the owner in the one or more social networks and/or contact lists.
The user content field 406 holds data that indicates the content identifiers (content IDs) for one or more content items (e.g., music track, video, etc.) associated with the owner in the corresponding service 110 (e.g., music play history, such as values for song name and artist name in a music service). In the approach described herein, the availability of content in the user content field 406 and content object data field 410 dictates the interaction behavior (e.g., available functions, alerts, messages, etc.) provided by the content object 400.
The script field 408 holds data for one or more scripts that indicates one or more processes and/or actions to be performed by the content object 400, such as a process to present the content object 400 to a user and a process to respond to user input associated with the content object 400, such as activating an action presented by the content object 400, e.g., playing the owner's theme song, playing the owner's current song, playing short segments (denoted as “snippets”) of all the content in the playlist, playing the owner's top ten list, buying currently/previously playing content, requesting more information about some content, and/or sending messages or otherwise contacting the owner of the content object. In one embodiment, the script field 408 also holds data for one or more scripts to initiate processes for determining the availability of content provided by the content object 400, determining the interaction behavior of the content object 400 based on the availability of the content, determining the capabilities (e.g., input/output capabilities) of a device requesting access to an embedded content object, and mapping controls of the content object 400 based on the determined capabilities. As is well known in the art, scripts are instructions that cause a web browser or other like application to perform one or more functions. For example, script in the JAVA™ programming language, called a JAVA applet, causes a web browser with a Java engine to perform the steps indicated in the script, as is well known in the art. In other embodiments, the script field 408 may include information or data to support implementation with other methods including scripting or script-like functions such as Adobe Flash (ActionScript), AJAX, Web Runtime (WRT), and the like.
According to some embodiments, the script field 408 includes content download progress field 418 which holds data that indicates instructions for performing the functions of the content download progress module 140. These instructions allow a receiving process to perform one or mores steps of process 200, described above with reference to FIG. 2.
The content object data field 410 holds other data used by the content object 400, such as an image (icon) and/or avatar to represent the content object 400 on a display device, type or form of the content object 400 (e.g., a circle, bubble, star form, rectangle, cube, polyhedron) and/or other related information (e.g., degree of similarity between the viewer and the owner; the percentage of the locket owner's playlist or play history, or both, that falls into each of multiple categories; etc.).
FIG. 4B is a diagram of the components of a service that uses the content object of FIG. 4A, according to one embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the service 110 is a social music service 450 and supports users in finding and playing music on their local devices (e.g., UEs 101) over the communication network 105. The social music service 450 includes social music processes 451 and a database interface process 453. The social music processes 451 are a set of applications (e.g., a Java™ stack written in the Java™ programming language that can be installed and executed on any device that includes a Java™ virtual machine (JVM) process). The social music processes 451 include instructions for finding songs played by various users and metadata about songs and using the metadata to direct users to resources on the network where the user can sample, purchase or download those songs, alone or in some combination. The database interface process 453 is the interface between the social music service 450 and the content databases (not shown) available over the communication network 105; and is used to retrieve and store user information, metadata, and event data, and to retrieve and store content.
In the illustrated embodiment, the social music processes 451 include played content tracker process 452 to track played content and to use the database interface process 453 to store and retrieve the event data that describes what is being played by whom and when. In the illustrated embodiment, the social music processes 451 include a content object service 444.
According to the approach discussed herein, a content object 400 can be created to illustrate the taste or preferences of a content services user based on that person's content rendering list (i.e., playlist) or content rendering history (i.e., play history). For example, a content object 400 is created to illustrate the musical taste of a social music service client user based on that person's play list or play history. After the content object 400 is generated in the content object service 444 of the social music service 450, the content object 400 can be emailed to other users in the particular user's social network or posted to a social network web page, such as a Facebook web page, or transferred via an instant messaging (IM) service or a web blog. Alternatively, the content object 400 can be created, e.g. by a content or service provider, to illustrate any content or media itself, and the content object 400 can be delivered and presented on a web page were user can manipulate it to initiate downloading of the content or media with related layer information.
For example, a subscriber generates a music content object 400 by interacting with the content object service 444 (directly or indirectly through a web page) in at least two ways. First, the subscriber imports his or her play history (e.g., from last.fm, from yahoo music, or from some other music service). For example, in some embodiments, the subscriber's musical profile is automatically collected from the music that the subscriber listened to with that person's mobile phone (e.g., UE 101). Secondly, the subscriber chooses one song as a theme song that best represents the subscriber's musical taste, and populates the content object with multiple other songs selected from the subscriber's play history. In many embodiments, the subscriber also uploads to the content object 400 an image to represent the subscriber's musical tastes, such as an image of the subscriber or an image associated with the theme song.
For example, the content object service 444 implements a music content object 400 that will play a musical profile of the particular subscriber as, for instance, clips of music on the particular subscriber's playlist. The music content object 400 can be embedded in various social web pages or embedded in other messages. Any user in the social network may activate the content object 400 from the social network page (presented to a user via browser 114) or other message presentation client, such as content client 124. The clips of content in the content object 400 can be played via the UE 101 or ancillary device 130. In an example embodiment, the music content object 400 has direct access to a music store 460, such as service 110 a, to enable the listener to purchase the song for the clip being played. Thus a user can show off the user's favorite tunes to friends in a social network or other network application. Furthermore, a user can discover and/or purchase one or more favorite songs of a friend in the user's social network or other network application.
In one embodiment, the social music service 450 interacts with other processes on the network 105 using the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), often in concert with the Representational State Transfer (REST) constraints. The other processes may be on the same node or on different nodes.
In some embodiments, a user's device (e.g., UE 101) includes a service client, such as social music API client 455, to interact with the social music service 450, or a browser 457 (e.g., client 114) to interact with web pages using HTTP, or both. In some embodiments, interactions with the user can be through web pages and the user's browser 114; so that a separate service application 455 is omitted. The social music service 450 interacts with one or more music store systems 460 (e.g., 110 a), such as the Nokia Ovi Music Store, to purchase songs to be downloaded to a user's device. The download is often accomplished using a Content Distribution Network (CDN) 470, such as content service 120. The music store 460 authorizes the CDN 470 to download to the client and then directs a link on the user's browser 114 to request the content from the CDN 470. The content is delivered to the user through the user's browser 114 as data formatted, for example, according to HTTP or the real-time messaging protocol (RTMP) or the real-time streaming protocol (RTSP), all well known in the art. As a result, the content is stored as local content on the user's device (e.g., client content database 128 on UE 101). The local content arrives on the UE 101 either directly from the CDN 270, or indirectly through some other device or service (not shown). During this download, the content download progress script 418 in the data object 400 is executed to serve as the content download progress module 140.
In some embodiments, the social music service 450 uses a message service 481 to receive event data about playback events on the subscriber's device. In some embodiments, the social music service 450 uses other services 485 available on the network 105 such as people services to connect with other persons in a social music group of persons, mapping services to show a subscriber's location and points of interest on a map, and gaming services to determine the subscriber's status in one or more games.
The processes described herein for presenting content download progress may be advantageously implemented via software, hardware (e.g., general processor, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), etc.), firmware or a combination thereof. Such exemplary hardware for performing the described functions is detailed below.
FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system 500 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Although computer system 500 is depicted with respect to a particular device or equipment, it is contemplated that other devices or equipment (e.g., network elements, servers, etc.) within FIG. 5 can deploy the illustrated hardware and components of system 500. Computer system 500 is programmed (e.g., via computer program code or instructions) to presenting content download progress, as described herein and includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 510 for passing information between other internal and external components of the computer system 500. Information (also called data) is represented as a physical expression of a measurable phenomenon, typically electric voltages, but including, in other embodiments, such phenomena as magnetic, electromagnetic, pressure, chemical, biological, molecular, atomic, sub-atomic and quantum interactions. For example, north and south magnetic fields, or a zero and non-zero electric voltage, represent two states (0, 1) of a binary digit (bit). Other phenomena can represent digits of a higher base. A superposition of multiple simultaneous quantum states before measurement represents a quantum bit (qubit). A sequence of one or more digits constitutes digital data that is used to represent a number or code for a character. In some embodiments, information called analog data is represented by a near continuum of measurable values within a particular range. Computer system 500, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of presenting content download progress.
A processor 502 performs a set of operations on information as specified by computer program code related to presenting content download progress. The computer program code is a set of instructions or statements providing instructions for the operation of the processor and/or the computer system to perform specified functions. The code, for example, may be written in a computer programming language that is compiled into a native instruction set of the processor. The code may also be written directly using the native instruction set (e.g., machine language). The set of operations include bringing information in from the bus 510 and placing information on the bus 510. The set of operations also typically include comparing two or more units of information, shifting positions of units of information, and combining two or more units of information, such as by addition or multiplication or logical operations like OR, exclusive OR (XOR), and AND. Each operation of the set of operations that can be performed by the processor is represented to the processor by information called instructions, such as an operation code of one or more digits. A sequence of operations to be executed by the processor 502, such as a sequence of operation codes, constitute processor instructions, also called computer system instructions or, simply, computer instructions. Processors may be implemented as mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, chemical or quantum components, among others, alone or in combination.
Computer system 500 also includes a memory 504 coupled to bus 510. The memory 504, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, stores information including processor instructions for presenting content download progress. Dynamic memory allows information stored therein to be changed by the computer system 500. RAM allows a unit of information stored at a location called a memory address to be stored and retrieved independently of information at neighboring addresses. The memory 504 is also used by the processor 502 to store temporary values during execution of processor instructions. The computer system 500 also includes a read only memory (ROM) 506 or other static storage device coupled to the bus 510 for storing static information, including instructions, that is not changed by the computer system 500. Some memory is composed of volatile storage that loses the information stored thereon when power is lost. Also coupled to bus 510 is a non-volatile (persistent) storage device 508, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk or flash card, for storing information, including instructions, that persists even when the computer system 500 is turned off or otherwise loses power.
Information, including instructions for presenting content download progress, is provided to the bus 510 for use by the processor from an external input device 512, such as a keyboard containing alphanumeric keys operated by a human user, or a sensor. A sensor detects conditions in its vicinity and transforms those detections into physical expression compatible with the measurable phenomenon used to represent information in computer system 500. Other external devices coupled to bus 510, used primarily for interacting with humans, include a display device 514, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or a liquid crystal display (LCD), or plasma screen or printer for presenting text or images, and a pointing device 516, such as a mouse or a trackball or cursor direction keys, or motion sensor, for controlling a position of a small cursor image presented on the display 514 and issuing commands associated with graphical elements presented on the display 514. In some embodiments, for example, in embodiments in which the computer system 500 performs all functions automatically without human input, one or more of external input device 512, display device 514 and pointing device 516 is omitted.
In the illustrated embodiment, special purpose hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 520, is coupled to bus 510. The special purpose hardware is configured to perform operations not performed by processor 502 quickly enough for special purposes. Examples of application specific ICs include graphics accelerator cards for generating images for display 514, cryptographic boards for encrypting and decrypting messages sent over a network, speech recognition, and interfaces to special external devices, such as robotic arms and medical scanning equipment that repeatedly perform some complex sequence of operations that are more efficiently implemented in hardware.
Computer system 500 also includes one or more instances of a communications interface 570 coupled to bus 510. Communication interface 570 provides a one-way or two-way communication coupling to a variety of external devices that operate with their own processors, such as printers, scanners and external disks. In general the coupling is with a network link 578 that is connected to a local network 580 to which a variety of external devices with their own processors are connected. For example, communication interface 570 may be a parallel port or a serial port or a universal serial bus (USB) port on a personal computer. In some embodiments, communications interface 570 is an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a digital subscriber line (DSL) card or a telephone modem that provides an information communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. In some embodiments, a communication interface 570 is a cable modem that converts signals on bus 510 into signals for a communication connection over a coaxial cable or into optical signals for a communication connection over a fiber optic cable. As another example, communications interface 570 may be a local area network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN, such as Ethernet. Wireless links may also be implemented. For wireless links, the communications interface 570 sends or receives or both sends and receives electrical, acoustic or electromagnetic signals, including infrared and optical signals, that carry information streams, such as digital data. For example, in wireless handheld devices, such as mobile telephones like cell phones, the communications interface 570 includes a radio band electromagnetic transmitter and receiver called a radio transceiver. In certain embodiments, the communications interface 570 enables connection to the communication network 105 for downloading content to the UE 101.
The term computer-readable medium is used herein to refer to any medium that participates in providing information to processor 502, including instructions for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 508. Volatile media include, for example, dynamic memory 504. Transmission media include, for example, coaxial cables, copper wire, fiber optic cables, and carrier waves that travel through space without wires or cables, such as acoustic waves and electromagnetic waves, including radio, optical and infrared waves. Signals include man-made transient variations in amplitude, frequency, phase, polarization or other physical properties transmitted through the transmission media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, CDRW, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, optical mark sheets, any other physical medium with patterns of holes or other optically recognizable indicia, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer can read. The term computer-readable storage medium is used herein to refer to any computer-readable medium except transmission media.
The signals transmitted over network link 578 and other networks through communications interface 570, carry information to and from computer system 500. Computer system 500 can send and receive information, including program code, through the networks 580, 590 among others, through network link 578 and communications interface 570. In an example using the Internet 590, a server host 592 transmits program code for a particular application, requested by a message sent from computer 500, through Internet 590, ISP equipment 584, local network 580 and communications interface 570. The received code may be executed by processor 502 as it is received, or may be stored in memory 504 or in storage device 508 or other non-volatile storage for later execution, or both. In this manner, computer system 500 may obtain application program code in the form of signals on a carrier wave.
FIG. 6 illustrates a chip set 600 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Chip set 600 is programmed to present content download progress as described herein and includes, for instance, the processor and memory components described with respect to FIG. 5 incorporated in one or more physical packages (e.g., chips). By way of example, a physical package includes an arrangement of one or more materials, components, and/or wires on a structural assembly (e.g., a baseboard) to provide one or more characteristics such as physical strength, conservation of size, and/or limitation of electrical interaction. It is contemplated that in certain embodiments the chip set can be implemented in a single chip. Chip set 600, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of presenting content download progress.
In one embodiment, the chip set 600 includes a communication mechanism such as a bus 601 for passing information among the components of the chip set 600. A processor 603 has connectivity to the bus 601 to execute instructions and process information stored in, for example, a memory 605. The processor 603 may include one or more processing cores with each core configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor enables multiprocessing within a single physical package. Examples of a multi-core processor include two, four, eight, or greater numbers of processing cores. Alternatively or in addition, the processor 603 may include one or more microprocessors configured in tandem via the bus 601 to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and multithreading. The processor 603 may also be accompanied with one or more specialized components to perform certain processing functions and tasks such as one or more digital signal processors (DSP) 607, or one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) 609. A DSP 607 typically is configured to process real-world signals (e.g., sound) in real time independently of the processor 603. Similarly, an ASIC 609 can be configured to performed specialized functions not easily performed by a general purposed processor. Other specialized components to aid in performing the inventive functions described herein include one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) (not shown), one or more controllers (not shown), or one or more other special-purpose computer chips.
The processor 603 and accompanying components have connectivity to the memory 605 via the bus 601. The memory 605 includes both dynamic memory (e.g., RAM, magnetic disk, writable optical disk, etc.) and static memory (e.g., ROM, CD-ROM, etc.) for storing executable instructions that when executed perform one or more of the inventive steps described herein to present content download progress. The memory 605 also stores the data associated with or generated by the execution of the inventive steps.
FIG. 7 is a diagram of exemplary components of a mobile terminal (e.g., handset) for communications, which is capable of operating in the system of FIG. 1, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, mobile terminal 700, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps of presenting content download progress. Generally, a radio receiver is often defined in terms of front-end and back-end characteristics. The front-end of the receiver encompasses all of the Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry whereas the back-end encompasses all of the base-band processing circuitry. As used in this application, the term “circuitry” refers to both: (1) hardware-only implementations (such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry), and (2) to combinations of circuitry and software (and/or firmware) (such as, if applicable to the particular context, to a combination of processor(s), including digital signal processor(s), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions). This definition of “circuitry” applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application and if applicable to the particular context, the term “circuitry” would also cover an implementation of merely a processor (or multiple processors) and its (or their) accompanying software/or firmware. The term “circuitry” would also cover if applicable to the particular context, for example, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit in a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a cellular network device or other network devices.
Pertinent internal components of the telephone include a Main Control Unit (MCU) 703, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) 705, and a receiver/transmitter unit including a microphone gain control unit and a speaker gain control unit. A main display unit 707 provides a display to the user in support of various applications and mobile terminal functions that perform or support the steps of presenting content download progress. The display 7 includes display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile terminal (e.g., mobile telephone). Additionally, the display 707 and display circuitry are configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal. An audio function circuitry 709 includes a microphone 711 and microphone amplifier that amplifies the speech signal output from the microphone 711. The amplified speech signal output from the microphone 711 is fed to a coder/decoder (CODEC) 713.
In use, a user of mobile terminal 701 speaks into the microphone 711 and his or her voice along with any detected background noise is converted into an analog voltage. The analog voltage is then converted into a digital signal through the Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) 723. The control unit 703 routes the digital signal into the DSP 705 for processing therein, such as speech encoding, channel encoding, encrypting, and interleaving. In one embodiment, the processed voice signals are encoded, by units not separately shown, using a cellular transmission protocol such as global evolution (EDGE), general packet radio service (GPRS), global system for mobile communications (GSM), Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), etc., as well as any other suitable wireless medium, e.g., microwave access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless fidelity (WiFi), satellite, and the like.
The encoded signals are then routed to an equalizer 725 for compensation of any frequency-dependent impairments that occur during transmission though the air such as phase and amplitude distortion. After equalizing the bit stream, the modulator 727 combines the signal with a RF signal generated in the RF interface 729. The modulator 727 generates a sine wave by way of frequency or phase modulation. In order to prepare the signal for transmission, an up-converter 731 combines the sine wave output from the modulator 727 with another sine wave generated by a synthesizer 733 to achieve the desired frequency of transmission. The signal is then sent through a PA 719 to increase the signal to an appropriate power level. In practical systems, the PA 719 acts as a variable gain amplifier whose gain is controlled by the DSP 705 from information received from a network base station. The signal is then filtered within the duplexer 721 and optionally sent to an antenna coupler 735 to match impedances to provide maximum power transfer. Finally, the signal is transmitted via antenna 717 to a local base station. An automatic gain control (AGC) can be supplied to control the gain of the final stages of the receiver. The signals may be forwarded from there to a remote telephone which may be another cellular telephone, other mobile phone or a land-line connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), or other telephony networks.
Voice signals transmitted to the mobile terminal 701 are received via antenna 717 and immediately amplified by a low noise amplifier (LNA) 737. A down-converter 739 lowers the carrier frequency while the demodulator 741 strips away the RF leaving only a digital bit stream. The signal then goes through the equalizer 725 and is processed by the DSP 705. A Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) 743 converts the signal and the resulting output is transmitted to the user through the speaker 745, all under control of a Main Control Unit (MCU) 703—which can be implemented as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) (not shown).
The MCU 703 receives various signals including input signals from the keyboard 747. The keyboard 747 and/or the MCU 703 in combination with other user input components (e.g., the microphone 711) comprise a user interface circuitry for managing user input. The MCU 703 runs a user interface software to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile terminal 701 to present content download progress. The MCU 703 also delivers a display command and a switch command to the display 707 and to the speech output switching controller, respectively. Further, the MCU 703 exchanges information with the DSP 705 and can access an optionally incorporated SIM card 749 and a memory 751. In addition, the MCU 703 executes various control functions required of the terminal. The DSP 705 may, depending upon the implementation, perform any of a variety of conventional digital processing functions on the voice signals. Additionally, DSP 705 determines the background noise level of the local environment from the signals detected by microphone 711 and sets the gain of microphone 711 to a level selected to compensate for the natural tendency of the user of the mobile terminal 701.
The CODEC 713 includes the ADC 723 and DAC 743. The memory 751 stores various data including call incoming tone data and is capable of storing other data including music data received via, e.g., the global Internet. The software module could reside in RAM memory, flash memory, registers, or any other form of writable storage medium known in the art. The memory device 751 may be, but not limited to, a single memory, CD, DVD, ROM, RAM, EEPROM, optical storage, or any other non-volatile storage medium capable of storing digital data.
causing a different second layer of information to be presented progressively on the local device during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the memory.
2. A method of claim 1, wherein the second layer of information is completely presented at or before completion of the specific download.
3. A method of claim 1, further comprising causing a different third layer of information to be presented progressive during the specific download, which third layer of information is completely presented at or before completion of the specific download and is presented progressive during a time interval different from a time interval during which the second layer of information is presented progressively.
4. A method of claim 5, wherein the time intervals are separated by an event other than start of the specific download and completion of the specific download.
6. A method of claim 1, wherein information about the specific download comprises one or more of: content information about the particular content; and context information about the local device or a particular user of the local device.
7. A method of claim 1, wherein one layer of information is a grayscale version of an image related to the particular content and a different layer of information is a color version of the image.
wherein causing the different second layer of information to be presented progressively further comprises causing the different second layer of information to be presented progressively based on the user input.
9. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of layers of information about the specific download are obtained from at least one of a remote service, or a previous message from a remote service, or the particular content, or a local device, or a local ancillary device.
10. A method of claim 1, further comprising side loading at least a portion of the particular content to a local ancillary device before completion of the specific download.
initiate presentation progressively of a different second layer of information during the specific download based on the amount of the particular content stored into the at least one memory.
12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to initiate presentation progressively of a different third layer of information during the specific download, which third layer of information is completely presented at or before completion of the specific download and is presented progressive during a time interval different from a time interval during which the second layer of information is presented progressively.
13. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein information about a specific download comprises one or more of: content information about the particular content; and context information about the apparatus or a particular user of the local device.
14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein one layer of information is a grayscale version of an image related to the particular content and a different layer of information is a color version of the image.
15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to determine user input for configuring presentations before the completion of the specific download, wherein to initiate presentation progressively of the different second layer of information further comprises to initiate presentation progressively of the different second layer of information based on the user input.
16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused, at least in part, to initiate side loading of at least a portion of the particular content to a local ancillary device before completion of the specific download.
19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform presenting progressively a different third layer of information during the specific download, which third layer of information is completely presented at or before completion of the specific download and is presented progressive during a time interval different from a time interval during which the second layer of information is presented progressively.
20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform determining user input for configuring presentations before the completion of the specific download, wherein causing the different second layer of information to be presented progressively further comprises causing the different second layer of information to be presented progressively based on the user input. | 2019-04-23T15:26:03Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110154213A1/en |
NOBEL LAUREATE ROBERT SHILLER, FAMED FOR HIS CLAIRVOYANCE, TELLS FORTUNE’S JEN WIECZNER WHY IT’S TOO SOON TO PANIC.
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Entrepreneurs used to worry about a bubble bursting. Today’s startup problems are far more complicated.
Recent days have seen stunning declines in US and global stock indexes, followed by a big rise Tuesday. Dips don't necessarily mean a bear market is on the way, but euphoria is being tempered.
Disclosure: In addition to being a professor at Yale University, the author is currently working part-time with Standard & Poor’s to produce home price indices; with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which maintains a futures market for the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, as part of the Competitive Markets Advisory Council at the CME Group; and with Barclays Bank and its affiliates in producing various investment products. Nothing in this book constitutes, or should be construed as, either an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities, including any securities that may at any time be offered for sale or sold by any of the above-named persons. In the United States, offers to sell and solicitations of offers to buy any securities may be made only by a prospectus (as defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) delivered to the prospective purchasers. Similar regulations apply in other countries. This book contains various forward-looking statements based on the author’s projections, hypotheses, forecasts, estimates, beliefs, and prognoses about future events. All forward-looking statements contained herein reflect solely the author’s opinions about such future events and are subject to significant uncertainty. Actual events may differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements.
Irrational exuberance / Robert J. Shiller.—Revised and expanded third edition.
1. Stocks—United States. 2. Stock exchanges—United States. 3. Stocks—Prices—United States. 4. Real property—Prices—United States. 5. Risk. 6. Dow Jones industrial average. I. Title.
One might think that years after the bursting of the speculative bubbles that led to the 2007–9 world financial crisis, we should be living in a distinctly different post-bubble world. One might think people would have learned their lesson and would not again pile into expanding markets, as so many did before the crisis, thereby worsening incipient bubbles. But evidence of bubbles has accelerated since the crisis. Valuations in the stock and bond markets have reached high levels in the United States and some other countries, and valuations in the housing market have been increasing rapidly in many countries. All this has been occurring despite a disappointing world recovery from the financial crisis, an increasingly tense international situation—with deadly wars in Gaza, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and Ukraine—and a wave of potentially disruptive nationalist sentiment and political polarization in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The bubbly and apparently unstable situation warrants some concern, although not yet generally as extreme as when the first edition of this book issued a warning about the overpriced and vulnerable stock market (see the reprinted 2000 Preface below), or when the second edition of this book issued a warning about the overpriced and vulnerable housing market as well (see the reprinted 2005 Preface below).
By the time this book finds its way into the hands of readers, the markets may be in a very different situation. Markets can change very rapidly, and the optimistic pricing we see at the time of this writing (in October 2014) is hard to predict. Current pricing may not last long when compared with publication lag and the time needed for an issue to become part of readers’ agendas. But I am writing for future readers, years hence, who will read about the markets in the mid–second decade of the twenty-first century as just one of many examples described in the book—examples of broader tendencies and uncertainties.
Hence, the themes of the first edition of this book, with some updating, remain relevant today and probably always will be relevant. When the first edition of this book came out in 2000, I took pains to assert that the stock market bubble of that time, while exceptionally large, was really nothing fundamentally new. Chapter 8 in this edition, New Eras and Bubbles around the World, details how many times we have had similar, if smaller or more localized, stock market booms and crashes. There was something relatively new then: the stock market boom that we now know peaked in early 2000 was worldwide in scope. In the first edition, I called it the Millennium Boom, because it came just before the dawn of the new millennium. We might also confidently call it the Millennium Bubble now, after it is over. But this boom or bubble was not really bigger in its collapse than its counterpart, which peaked in 1929. These really large bubbles are rare events, but the Millennium Bubble was not unique in history.
But there is really nothing new about these bubbles—not fundamentally new. They are repeats of approximately the same phenomenon, of new era stories proliferating by word-of-mouth contagion, of the distinct feel of mass enthusiasm for one kind of investment.
Improving information technology may accelerate their dynamics. Changing patterns of investing are also a factor. The rising impact of international investors and of institutional investors in single-family homes has been much noted in recent years. But the basic bubble phenomenon is the same. In the future, we will surely have even bigger such bubbles, each built up around its new and different new era story, and we will have to invent new names for them.
I was not expecting to hear about housing bubbles when I visited Colombia in mid-2013. Yet over and over again I heard about their amazing real estate boom. While taking me through the seaside resort town of Cartagena, my limousine driver pointed out a number of ordinary-looking homes that had recently sold for millions of U.S. dollars.
The Banco de la República, Colombia’s central bank, has on their website a home price index for three major cities: Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. The index shows home price increases of 69% in real (inflation-adjusted) terms since 2004. That rate of price growth recalls the U.S. experience, with the S&P/Case-Shiller Ten-City Home Price Index for the United States rising 131% in real terms from its bottom in 1997 to its peak in 2006.
The vulnerability we have to bubbles in Colombia and all over the world reveals our continuing lack of understanding of these phenomena. Just what is a speculative bubble? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a bubble as anything fragile, unsubstantial, empty, or worthless; a deceptive show. From 17th c. onwards often applied to delusive commercial or financial schemes. The problem is that words like show and scheme suggest a deliberate creation, rather than a widespread social phenomenon that is not directed by any central impresario.
Maybe the word bubble is used too carelessly. Eugene Fama certainly thinks so. Fama, the most important proponent of the efficient markets hypothesis, denies that speculative bubbles exist. In his 2014 Nobel lecture, Fama states that the word bubble refers to an irrational strong price increase that implies a predictable strong decline. ³ If that is what bubble means, and if predictable means that we can specify the date when a bubble bursts, then I agree with him that there may be little solid evidence that bubbles exist. But that is not my definition of a bubble, for speculative markets are just not so predictable.
In the second edition of this book, I tried to give a better definition of a bubble that accords with more enlightened usage of that term. The definition, given in Chapter 1, describes a situation in which news of price increases spurs investor enthusiasm, in a sort of psychological epidemic. That seems to be the core of the meaning of the word as it is most consistently used.
Implicit in this definition is a suggestion about why it is so difficult for smart money to profit by betting against bubbles: the psychological contagion promotes a mindset that justifies the price increases, so that participation in the bubble might be called almost rational. But it is not rational.
The story in every country is different, reflecting its own news, which does not always jibe with news in other countries. For example, the current story in Colombia appears to be that the country’s government, now under the well-regarded management of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, has brought down inflation and interest rates to developed-country levels while all but eliminating the threat posed by the FARC rebels, thereby injecting new vitality into the Colombian economy. That is a good enough story to drive a housing bubble.
New era stories drive high expectations for investing returns but not necessarily high confidence. The high expectations during the upswing of a bubble may be more in the form of a sort of wishful thinking rather than an expression of confidence. In bubble times, there seems to be a tendency for complacency, as an aspect of social psychology, even if people haven’t individually concluded that there is no risk.
During bubbles, it seems that the psychological ambience is rather one of public inattention to the thought that prices could fall, rather than firm belief that they can never fall. The new era stories are not new strongly held convictions—they are merely ideas foremost in people’s minds that serve as justification both for the actions of others and of themselves.
Because bubbles are essentially subtle social-psychological phenomena, they are, by their very nature, difficult to control. Regulatory action since the financial crisis might diminish bubbles in the future, but it is yet to be seen whether such actions will be sufficient.
Liquid public markets for home prices do not exist that would allow skeptics of housing bubbles to take short positions against these bubbles, which would, if it were possible, have the effect of incorporating their doubts into the market prices. As we discuss in Chapter 11, if it is difficult to short the market, then a basic premise of the efficient markets theory is not met. The so-called smart money can stop investing in homes altogether, but afterward will not be able to take actions to stop others from bidding prices even further up and up. Any large group of investors, from anywhere in the world, for example, could bid local home prices up to crazy levels if they get the idea to do so, or any large institutional investors, playing some kind of game, could do so too. There is no reputable theory to say that, in the absence of the possibility of short sales, they cannot. Many have tried to make such short sales for single-family homes possible, so far with little success.
In the past few years, some high-tech institutional players, such as the Blackstone Group, have begun to invest in single-family homes, and the presence of these players might tend to alter the dynamics of home price bubbles, reducing month-to-month momentum in these markets. But high short-term momentum in home prices, as well as the longer-term real estate bubbles, are surely still with us.
The word bubble creates a mental picture of an expanding soap bubble, which is destined to pop suddenly and irrevocably. But speculative bubbles are not so easily ended; indeed, they may deflate somewhat, as the story changes, and then reflate.
It would seem more accurate to refer to these episodes as speculative epidemics. We know that a new epidemic can suddenly appear just as an older one is fading if a new form of the virus appears, or if some environmental factor increases the contagion rate. Similarly, a new speculative bubble can appear anywhere if a new story about the economy appears and if it has enough narrative strength to spark a new contagion of investor thinking.
This is what happened in the bull market of the 1920s in the United States, with its peak in 1929. We have distorted that history by thinking of bubbles as a period of dramatic price growth, followed by a sudden turning point and a major and definitive crash. In fact, a major boom in real stock prices in the United States after Black Tuesday brought them halfway back to 1929 levels by 1930. This was followed by a second crash, another boom from 1932 to 1937, and a third crash.
Since the second edition of this book, there has been much discussion of the price-earnings ratio that John Campbell of Harvard University and I had developed and that this book featured from its first edition: real price divided by the ten-year average of real earnings. The press has seemed to adopt the name I had sometimes given it, the CAPE (for Cyclically Adjusted Price-Earnings ratio), so now I regularly call it that, too. This ratio has appeared as the third figure of the first chapter of this book in all editions, though the name CAPE did not appear in the earlier editions of this book. The ratio may be regarded as adjusting the usual price-earnings ratio, which is based on one-year earnings, for the business cycle, correcting for the sudden spikes in the price-earnings ratio that occur after business recessions when earnings may be very low, by averaging earnings over a long period of time.
As of this writing, the CAPE for the United States stands at 26, higher than ever before except for the times around 1929, 2000, and 2007, all major market peaks. But this book is not primarily about the current situation in asset markets but about getting a sense of reality about the nature and dynamics of these markets.
The current edition of this book is partly motivated by work I did with George Akerlof for our 2009 book Animal Spirits, a book whose title correctly suggests some overlap of topics with Irrational Exuberance. The ancient term animal spirits (in Latin, spiritus animalis) refers to the fluctuations in the basic driving force in human actions; it is a term that was resurrected by the economist John Maynard Keynes, who gives a view of the economy as involving fundamental psychological instabilities. Both fluctuations in irrational exuberance and animal spirits are still very much a part of our lives. We must still summon our whole arsenal of social sciences to try to understand them.
Reproduced here are the Prefaces for the 2005 and 2000 editions of the book, to give a sense how this book has evolved over the financial ups and downs. The 2005 Preface was issued just before the peak of the Ownership-Society Bubble. The 2000 Preface appeared with the first edition, just as the market was reaching the peak of the Millennium Bubble.
The book proper begins with three introductory chapters that place in historical context the ups and downs of the three major markets for investors: the stock market, the bond market, and the real estate market. Chapter 2 is new to this third edition of the book, added in response to widespread concern about a possible bond market bubble. The three chapters allow us to see how remarkable fluctuations in these markets have been, and to gain overall perspectives on trends in the markets.
Part One discusses the structural factors that drive market bubbles. This part begins, in Chapter 4, with a discussion of the precipitating factors that cause market fluctuations: events outside the markets, such as politics, technology, and demography. The chapter lists precipitating factors that are ultimately, largely through their effects on investor psychology, behind three recent stock market booms: the Millennium Boom, 1982–2000; the Ownership-Society Boom, 2003–7; and the New-Normal Boom, 2009 to the present. It is important even today to go through the precipitating factors of past booms to help us appreciate the diverse kinds of things that may drive booms of the future.
Part Two considers cultural factors that further reinforce the structure of the speculative bubble. The news media, discussed in Chapter 6, are critical, since they amplify stories that have resonance with investors, often regardless of their validity. Chapter 7 analyzes the new era theories that tend to arise spontaneously from time to time. In this edition, the analysis applies to both the stock market and the real estate market. The popularity of these theories is seen to derive from activity in the markets themselves, not from disinterested analysis of the true merit of these stories. Chapter 8 looks at the major stock market booms around the world in the past half century and describes the kind of new era theories that arose in association with many of them.
Part Three considers psychological factors that underlie market behavior. Chapter 9 argues that, with the true value of the markets so poorly defined by economic and financial theory, and so difficult to compute, the public relies on some largely psychological anchors for market value. Chapter 10 describes some important results from social psychology and sociology that help us understand why so many different people change their opinions at the same time.
Part Four investigates attempts on the part of academic and popular thinkers to rationalize market bubbles. Chapter 11 considers the efficient markets theory. Chapter 12 discusses the theory, often advanced during a bubble, that the public has just learned some important fact—even though the fact either is questionable or has already been widely known for some time.
Part Five, Chapter 13, considers the implications of speculative bubbles for individual investors, institutions, and governments. Several prescriptions for urgently needed policy changes are offered at this time of vulnerability in both the stock market and the real estate market, as are suggestions for ways in which individual investors can lower their exposure to the consequences of a burst bubble.
This edition of the book has also added, as an appendix, the revised version of the Nobel lecture I gave at the Nobel Prize events in Stockholm in December 2013. The Nobel lecture puts many of the arguments of the book into a broader context, with additional references to academic discussions of some of the basic conclusions here.
I have created a website, irrationalexuberance.com, which will present new information related to the topics in this book and will provide regular updates for some of the data and charts shown in this book.
In the preface to the first edition of this book, reproduced following this one, I described this book as a study of the millennium stock market boom, the boom that afflicted much of the world in the years leading up to 2000. A number of those who read the book have told me they think this book addressed a much broader subject. They are right: this book is really about the behavior of all speculative markets, about human vulnerability to error, and about the instabilities of the capitalist system.
When I was writing the first edition, mostly in 1999, the stock market boom seemed invincible. The S&P 500 index had gone up 34% in 1995, 20% in 1996, 31% in 1997, 26% in 1998, and 20% in 1999. Similar strings of stock market price increases had occurred in many other countries. So many years in a row of such spectacular increases could not be the result of mere chance, or so it seemed to many people then—and to the experts who encouraged this view. The stock market boom was widely viewed as the harbinger of a new economic era. But my book took a very different, and much dimmer, view of this stock market boom.
When the book appeared on store shelves in March 2000, I was on sabbatical from Yale, and I embarked on an extended ten-country book tour. Obviously, at that point in history, no one knew that March 2000 was to represent the peak of the market. Talking with so many people about the errors I thought they were making led me to ideas about how to strengthen the arguments presented in this new edition.
A few memories still strike me today, years later, about the kind of human errors that I encountered on my tour. I remember appearing on a radio talk show and hearing a woman tell me that she just knew I was wrong: the stock market has a pronounced uptrend; it has to go up generally. The tremor in her voice made me wonder what accounted for her emotions.
I also recall seeing a man who came to two of my book talks, each time sitting in the back and looking agitated. Why did he come back a second time, and what was upsetting him so?
I remember giving a talk presenting my bearish view of the market to a group of institutional investors, and then listening as a major institutional portfolio manager told me that he agreed with me, but was nevertheless going to ignore everything I had just said as he managed his portfolio. He believed that the views I expressed ultimately did not have enough authority to be taken seriously by his clients and colleagues, and that he could not alter his portfolio allocation based solely on what might seem to be one person’s idiosyncratic opinion—even if he himself agreed with it.
But most of what I remember is people cheerfully and with apparent interest listening to my talk and then blithely telling me that they did not particularly believe me. Some kind of collective conclusion had been reached about the stock market—and it had a powerful hold on people’s minds.
After 2000, the stock market boom abruptly ended; the U.S. stock market, and the markets in the same countries whose stock prices had also soared, came down substantially from their peaks in 2000. By the time the S&P 500 reached bottom in March 2003 it had fallen by half in real (inflation-corrected) terms. This outcome led to a change in investor psychology.
I remember having breakfast with a woman and her husband at the very end of 2000, when the market was down substantially from its peak, the tech stocks down more than 50%. She said she did the investing for the family, and in the 1990s she had been a genius. He agreed. Now, she confided, her self-esteem had collapsed. Her perception of the market was all an illusion, a dream, she said. Her husband did not disagree.
But, as profound as the psychological reaction to this stock market drop has been for some people, it appears that collective enthusiasm for stocks is more enduring than one might think; it seems, in large measure, that the enthusiasm is still not over. The stock market has not seen as big a drop as would have been predicted by the extreme overpricing of the market in 2000—at least not yet—and this intense psychological correction has not been experienced by most people.
The stock market has not come down to historical levels: the stock market price-earnings ratio as I define it in this book is still, at this writing, in the mid-20s, far higher than the historical average. Moreover, the market for homes has produced a situation in which median home prices are sometimes ten times buyers’ per capita income or more. Irrational exuberance really is still with us.
In a broad sense, this book, from its first edition in 2000, has been about trying to understand the change in thinking of the people whose actions ultimately drive the markets. It is about the psychology of speculation, about the feedback mechanism that intensifies this psychology, about herd behavior that can spread through millions or even billions of people, and about the implications of such behavior for the economy and for our lives. Although the book originally focused directly on current economic events, it was, and is, about how errors of human judgment can infect even the smartest people, thanks to overconfidence, lack of attention to details, and excessive trust in the judgments of others, stemming from a failure to understand that others are not making independent judgments but are themselves following still others—the blind leading the blind.
The presumed enlightened opinion that people tend to rely on for economic judgments is often rather like the man of smoke in Aldo Palazzeschi’s eponymous surrealistic 1911 novel. The protagonist is made only of smoke; he is virtually nothing at all, but he acquires a public persona and authority that is a construct of the collective imagination, until the public changes its mind, deciding he is not the font of truth, whereupon he disappears completely. Events such as that represented in Palazzeschi’s novel are a reality: unsubstantiated belief systems, insubstantial wisps, do create bouts of irrational exuberance for significant periods of time, and these bouts ultimately drive the world economy.
I have revised the book in this second edition to try to extend its argument that variations caused by changing attitudes, irrational beliefs, and foci of attention are an important factor in our changing economic lives, and to examine the consequences for our economy and our future. I have recast the examples of these variations in terms of more recent events. Notably, I have added a chapter about the enormous home price boom that many countries have been experiencing since the late 1990s, and I have broadened the discussion throughout the book to consider speculation in real estate. Beyond that, this edition extends and improves the basic arguments in a number of directions. I have been thinking about the issues in this book for five more years since the first edition, and the research on behavioral economics, which I closely follow, has made substantial progress over that interval as well.
The issues that are treated in this book are serious, and of continuing relevance today. People in much of the world are still overconfident that the stock market, and in many places the housing market, will do extremely well, and this overconfidence can lead to instability. Significant further rises in these markets could lead, eventually, to even more significant declines. The bad outcome could be that eventual declines would result in a substantial increase in the rate of personal bankruptcies, which could lead to a secondary string of bankruptcies of financial institutions as well. Another long-run consequence could be a decline in consumer and business confidence, and another, possibly worldwide, recession. This extreme outcome—like the situation in Japan since 1990 writ large—is not inevitable, but it is a much more serious risk than is widely acknowledged.
Lest raising these possibilities seem alarmist, one should note that we are already living with some of the unpleasant repercussions of past overconfidence. The stock markets of many countries dropped by half from their 2000 peak by 2002, and have rebounded only a little. Overinvestment by corporations, encouraged by the booming stock market, led to a collapse of investment spending in the early years of the twenty-first century, and to a worldwide recession.
The boom years of the 1990s created a business atmosphere akin to a gold rush, and led many people to distort their business decisions, the results of which will weigh upon us for many years to come. Part of this change in business atmosphere was a decline in ethical standards, a decline in the belief in integrity, honesty, patience, and trust in business. A string of scandals affecting corporate boards, accounting firms, and mutual funds surfaced after the market dropped.
These extravagant years eventually led to severe budgetary problems for governments, both national and local. In the 1990s—with the stock market going up, investors reaping capital gains, and the economy booming—tax revenues rose, and many governments found it difficult to restrain increases in expenditures. After the stock market decline, tax revenues fell, throwing many governments into severe deficit crises. By 2002, the average government deficit among member countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development was 3% of gross domestic product. The government deficits have in turn led to troubled attempts to restrain spending, with uneven consequences for different constituencies.
An additional consequence of the intense stock market boom of the late 1990s was the home price boom, which began around 1997 or 1998 and then intensified after 2000 throughout many countries of the world. The home price boom appears to have begun around the time in 1997 that the stock market boom was engendering a proliferation of new era theories about the economy, and it is still going very strongly in many cities despite a stock market correction. We have yet to see the full consequences of these price changes.
Speculative instability appears to be increasingly important to the world economy. We are focusing more intently on the unpredictable markets. It is not that the existing stock markets are demonstrably becoming more volatile. There is no obvious long-run trend to greater stock market volatility. It is rather that the number of people participating in these markets is increasing, and that the scope of speculative markets, the kind of risks that are traded, is broadening. More and more electronic markets are being created every year, trading a wider and wider range of risks, and more and more people, in both advanced and emerging countries, are being drawn in to participate in these markets.
People will increasingly fear that their livelihoods really depend on their wealth, wealth that is highly unstable because of market changes. So, over the longer run, people will increasingly pay attention to market movements. There is an increasing perception that the price of assets matters very much to our lives. People increasingly believe that they must defend their private property and doubt that they can depend on social institutions to save them if things turn out badly. They see merciless capitalism as the wave of the future.
There is a name for this economic system— the ownership society —and President George W. Bush, among others, likes to use this term. People must take ownership of their own future, and plan for their future as property owners in many senses of the word. There is indeed much to be said for the ownership society in terms of its ability to promote economic growth. But by its very nature it also invites speculation, and, filtered through the vagaries of human psychology, it creates a horde of risks that we must somehow try to manage.
I do not know the future, and I cannot accurately predict the ups and downs of the markets. But I do know that, despite a significant slip in confidence since 2000, people still place too much confidence in the markets and have too strong a belief that paying attention to the gyrations in their investments will someday make them rich, and so they do not make conservative preparations for possible bad outcomes.
This book is a broad study, drawing on a wide range of published research and historical evidence, of the enormous recent stock market boom. Although it takes as its specific starting point the current situation, it places that situation in the context of stock market booms generally, and it also makes concrete suggestions regarding policy changes that should be initiated in response to this and other booms.
The need for such a book is particularly urgent today, in view of the wide-spread and quite fundamental disagreement about the stock market. When people disagree at such a basic level, it is usually because they possess only pieces of the overall picture. Yet meaningful consensus can only be achieved by laying out all the available facts. I have therefore tried in this book to present a much broader range of information than is usually considered in writings on the market, and I have tried to synthesize this information into a detailed picture of the market today.
Why did the U.S. stock market reach such high levels by the turn of the millennium? What changed to cause the market to become so highly priced? What do these changes mean for the market outlook in the opening decades of the new millennium? Are powerful fundamental factors at work to keep the market as high as it is now or to push it even higher, even if there is a downward correction? Or is the market high only because of some irrational exuberance—wishful thinking on the part of investors that blinds us to the truth of our situation?
The answers to these questions are critically important to private and public interests alike. How we value the stock market now and in the future influences major economic and social policy decisions that affect not only investors but also society at large, even the world. If we exaggerate the present and future value of the stock market, then as a society we may invest too much in business start-ups and expansions, and too little in infrastructure, education, and other forms of human capital. If we think the market is worth more than it really is, we may become complacent in funding our pension plans, in maintaining our savings rate, in legislating an improved Social Security system, and in providing other forms of social insurance. We might also lose the opportunity to use our expanding financial technology to devise new solutions to the genuine risks—to our homes, cities, and livelihoods—that we face.
To answer these questions about today’s stock market, I harvest relevant information from diverse and, some would say, remote fields of inquiry. Insights from these fields too often go unnoticed by market analysts, but they have proved critical in defining similar market episodes throughout history, as well as in other markets around the world. These fields include economics, psychology, demography, sociology, and history. In addition to more conventional modes of financial analysis, they bring potent insights to bear on the issues at hand. Much of the evidence is drawn from the emerging field of behavioral finance, which, as the years go by, is looking less and less like a minor subfield of finance and more and more like a central pillar of serious finance theory.
I marshal the most important insights offered by researchers in these fields. Taken as a whole, they suggest that the present stock market displays the classic features of a speculative bubble: a situation in which temporarily high prices are sustained largely by investors’ enthusiasm rather than by consistent estimation of real value. Under these conditions, even though the market could possibly maintain or even substantially increase its price level, the outlook for the stock market into the next ten or twenty years is likely to be rather poor—and perhaps even dangerous.
I do not purport to present a wholly new conception of financial market behavior. This book is a work neither of economic theory nor of econometrics, although it partakes in both. Rather, it is an attempt to characterize the complex nature of our real markets today, considering whether they conform or do not conform to our expectations and models. By assembling the most relevant evidence, economic and otherwise, on the state of the market, I hope to correct what I consider to be the perilous policy paths now being followed by legislators and economic leaders. I also hope to challenge financial thinkers to improve their theories by testing them against the impressive evidence that suggests that the price level is more than merely the sum of the available economic information, as is now generally thought to be the case.
Within the past generation the branch of financial theory that is derived from the assumption that all people are thoroughly rational and calculating has become the most influential analytical device to inform our mastery of the market. Those financial theorists who consider the market price to be a cunningly efficient processor of financial information have had a profound effect on the systematic management of the world’s wealth, from the corner stockbroker right up to the Federal Reserve. But most of these scholars of finance and economics shrink from public statements about the level of the stock market (although they are often more loose-lipped in expressing their opinions at lunch and over beers) because they do not want to be caught saying things in public that they cannot prove. Assuming the mantle of scientific detachment, these financial economists tend to fall back on the simple but elegant model of market efficiency to justify their professional position.
However, there are serious risks inherent in relying too heavily on such pristine models as the basis for policy discussion, for these models deal only with problems that can be answered with scientific precision. If one tries too hard to be precise, one runs the risk of being so narrow as to be irrelevant. The evidence I present in the following chapters suggests that the reality of today’s stock market is anything but test-tube clinical. If the theory of finance is to grow in its usefulness, all economists eventually will have to grapple with these messier aspects of market reality. Meanwhile, participants in public debate and economic policy formation must sort out this tangle of market factors now, before it is too late.
Among the unanticipated consequences of today’s investment culture is that many of the tens of millions of adults now invested in the stock market act as if the price level is simply going to keep rising at its current rate. Even though the stock market appears based on some measures to be higher than it has ever been, investors behave as though it can never be too high, and it can never go down for long. Why would they behave this way? Their logic is apparently consistent with the free-rider argument. That is, if millions of researchers and investors are studying stock prices and confirming their apparent value, why waste one’s time in trying to figure out reasonable prices? One might as well take the free ride at the expense of these other diligent investors who have investigated stock prices and do what they’re doing—buy stocks!
But unknown to most investors is the troubling lack of credibility in the quality of research being done on the stock market, to say nothing of the clarity and accuracy with which it is communicated to the public. Some of this so-called research often seems no more rigorous than the reading of tea leaves. Arguments that the Dow is going to 36,000 or 40,000 or 100,000 hardly inspire trust. Certainly some researchers are thinking more realistically about the market’s prospects and reaching better-informed positions on its future, but these are not the names that grab the headlines and thus influence public attitudes.
Instead the headlines reflect the news media’s constant attention to trivial factoids and celebrity opinion about the market’s price level. Driven as their authors are by competition for readers, listeners, and viewers, media accounts tend to be superficial and thus to encourage basic misconceptions about the market. A conventional wisdom of sorts, stressing the seemingly eternal durability of stocks, has emerged from these media accounts. The public has learned to accept this conventional—but in my view shallow—wisdom. To be fair to the Wall Street professionals whose views appear in the media, it is difficult for them to correct the conventional wisdom because they are limited by the blurbs and sound bites afforded them. One would need to write books to straighten these things out. This is such a book.
As noted earlier, the conventional wisdom holds that the stock market as a whole has always been the best investment, and always will be, even when the market is overpriced by historical standards. Small investors, in their retirement funds, are increasingly shifting their investments toward stocks, and the investment policy of 100% stocks in retirement funds is increasingly popular. They put their money where their mantra is. This attitude invites exploitation by companies who have an unlimited supply of equities to sell. You want stocks? We’ll give you stocks.
Most investors also seem to view the stock market as a force of nature unto itself. They do not fully realize that they themselves, as a group, determine the level of the market. And they underestimate how similar to their own thinking is that of other investors. Many individual investors think that institutional investors dominate the market and that these smart money investors have sophisticated models to understand prices—superior knowledge. Little do they know that most institutional investors are, by and large, equally clueless about the level of the market. In short, the price level is driven to a certain extent by a self-fulfilling prophecy based on similar hunches held by a vast cross-section of large and small investors and reinforced by news media that are often content to ratify this investor-induced conventional wisdom.
When the Dow Jones Industrial Average first surpassed 10,000 in March 1999, Merrill Lynch took out a full-page newspaper ad with a headline saying, Even those with a disciplined long-term approach like ours have to sit back and say ‘wow.’ In the bottom left corner of the page, next to a stock plot ending up at 10,000, appeared the words human achievement. If this is an achievement worth congratulating, then we should congratulate employees whenever they submit glowing self-evaluation reports.
At present there is a whiff of extravagant expectation, if not irrational exuberance, in the air. People are optimistic about the stock market. There is a lack of sobriety about its downside and the consequences that would ensue as a result. If the Dow were to drop to 6,000, the loss would represent something like the equivalent value of the entire housing stock of the United States. There would be harmful and uneven effects on individuals, pension funds, college endowments, and charitable organizations.
We need to know if the price level of the stock market today, tomorrow, or on any other day is a sensible reflection of economic reality, just as we need to know as individuals what we have in our bank accounts. This valuation is the future food on our tables and clothes on our backs, and nearly every decision to spend money today ought to be influenced by it. We need a better understanding of the forces that shape the long-run outlook for the market—and it is such an understanding that this book is intended to provide. | 2019-04-19T02:55:49Z | https://ar.scribd.com/book/296555487/Irrational-Exuberance-Revised-and-Expanded-Third-Edition |
ARMSTRONG ET AL. v. EXCEPTIONAL CHILD CENTER, INC., ET AL.
Providers of "habilitation services" under Idaho's Medicaid plan are reimbursed by the State's Department of Health and Welfare. Section 30(A) of the Medicaid Act requires Idaho's plan to "assure that payments are consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care" while "safeguard[ing] against unnecessary utilization of . . . care and services." 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(30)(A). Respondents, providers of habilitation services, sued petitioners, Idaho Health and Welfare Department officials, claiming that Idaho reimbursed them at rates lower than §30(A) permits, and seeking to enjoin petitioners to increase these rates. The District Court entered summary judgment for the providers. The Ninth Circuit affirmed, concluding that the Supremacy Clause gave the providers an implied right of action, and that they could sue under this implied right of action to seek an injunction requiring Idaho to comply with §30(a).
567 Fed. Appx. 496, reversed.
Justice Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court, except as to Part IV, concluding that the Supremacy Clause does not confer a private right of action, and that Medicaid providers cannot sue for an injunction requiring compliance with §30(a). Pp. 3-10.
(a) The Supremacy Clause instructs courts to give federal law priority when state and federal law clash. Gibbons v. Ogden, 9 Wheat. 1, 210. But it is not the " 'source of any federal rights,' " Golden State Transit Corp. v. Los Angeles, 493 U. S. 103, 107, and certainly does not create a cause of action. Nothing in the Clause's text suggests otherwise, and nothing suggests it was ever understood as conferring a private right of action. Article I vests Congress with broad discretion over the manner of implementing its enumerated powers. Art I., §8; McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316, 421. It is unlikely that the Constitution gave Congress broad discretion with regard to the enactment of laws, while simultaneously limiting Congress's power over the manner of their implementation, making it impossible to leave the enforcement of federal law to federal actors. Pp. 3-5.
(b) Reading the Supremacy Clause not to confer a private right of action is consistent with this Court's preemption jurisprudence. The ability to sue to enjoin unconstitutional actions by state and federal officers is the creation of courts of equity, and reflects a long history of judicial review of illegal executive action, tracing back to England. This Court has never held nor suggested that this judge-made remedy, in its application to state officers, rests upon an implied right of action contained in the Supremacy Clause. Pp. 5-6.
(c) Respondents' suit cannot proceed in equity. The power of federal courts of equity to enjoin unlawful executive action is subject to express and implied statutory limitations. See, e.g., Seminole Tribe of Fla. v. Florida, 517 U. S. 44, 74. Here, the express provision of a single remedy for a State's failure to comply with Medicaid's requirements--the withholding of Medicaid funds by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 42 U. S. C. §1396c--and the sheer complexity associated with enforcing §30(A) combine to establish Congress's "intent to foreclose" equitable relief, Verizon Md. Inc. v. Public Serv. Comm'n of Md., 535 U. S. 635, 647. Pp. 6-10.
Scalia, J., delivered the opinion of the Court with respect to Parts I, II, and III, in which Roberts, C. J., and Thomas, Breyer, and Alito, JJ., joined, and an opinion with respect to Part IV, in which Roberts, C. J., and Thomas and Alito, JJ., joined. Breyer, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Kennedy, Ginsburg, and Kagan, JJ., joined.
RICHARD ARMSTRONG, et al., PETITIONERS v. EXCEPTIONAL CHILD CENTER, INC., et al.
We consider whether Medicaid providers can sue to enforce §(30)(A) of the Medicaid Act. 81 Stat. 911 (codified as amended at 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(30)(A)).
Medicaid is a federal program that subsidizes the States' provision of medical services to "families with dependent children and of aged, blind, or disabled individuals, whose income and resources are insufficient to meet the costs of necessary medical services." §1396-1. Like other Spending Clause legislation, Medicaid offers the States a bargain: Congress provides federal funds in exchange for the States' agreement to spend them in accordance with congressionally imposed conditions.
In order to qualify for Medicaid funding, the State of Idaho adopted, and the Federal Government approved, a Medicaid "plan," §1396a(a), which Idaho administers through its Department of Health and Welfare. Idaho's plan includes "habilitation services"--in-home care for individuals who, "but for the provision of such services . . . would require the level of care provided in a hospital or a nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded the cost of which could be reimbursed under the State plan," §1396n(c) and (c)(1). Providers of these services are reimbursed by the Department of Health and Welfare.
"provide such methods and procedures relating to the utilization of, and the payment for, care and services available under the plan . . . as may be necessary to safeguard against unnecessary utilization of such care and services and to assure that payments are consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care and are sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area . . . ." 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(30)(A).
Respondents are providers of habilitation services to persons covered by Idaho's Medicaid plan. They sued petitioners--two officials in Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare--in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, claiming that Idaho violates §30(A) by reimbursing providers of habilitation services at rates lower than §30(A) permits. They asked the court to enjoin petitioners to increase these rates.
The District Court entered summary judgment for the providers, holding that Idaho had not set rates in a manner consistent with §30(A). Inclusion, Inc. v. Armstrong, 835 F. Supp. 2d 960 (2011). The Ninth Circuit affirmed. 567 Fed. Appx. 496 (2014). It said that the providers had "an implied right of action under the Supremacy Clause to seek injunctive relief against the enforcement or implementation of state legislation." Id., at 497 (citing Independent Living Center of Southern Cal. v. Shewry, 543 F. 3d 1050, 1065 (CA9 2008)). We granted certiorari. 573 U. S. ___ (2014).
It is apparent that this Clause creates a rule of decision: Courts "shall" regard the "Constitution," and all laws "made in Pursuance thereof," as "the supreme Law of the Land." They must not give effect to state laws that conflict with federal laws. Gibbons v. Ogden, 9 Wheat. 1, 210 (1824). It is equally apparent that the Supremacy Clause is not the " 'source of any federal rights,' " Golden State Transit Corp. v. Los Angeles, 493 U. S. 103, 107 (1989) (quoting Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization, 441 U. S. 600, 613 (1979)), and certainly does not create a cause of action. It instructs courts what to do when state and federal law clash, but is silent regarding who may enforce federal laws in court, and in what circumstances they may do so.
Hamilton wrote that the Supremacy Clause "only declares a truth, which flows immediately and necessarily from the institution of a Federal Government." The Federalist No. 33, p. 207 (J. Cooke ed. 1961). And Story described the Clause as "a positive affirmance of that, which is necessarily implied." 3 Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States §1831, p. 693 (1833). These descriptions would have been grossly inapt if the Clause were understood to give affected parties a constitutional (and hence congressionally unalterable) right to enforce federal laws against the States. And had it been understood to provide such significant private rights against the States, one would expect to find that mentioned in the preratification historical record, which contained ample discussion of the Supremacy Clause by both supporters and opponents of ratification. See C. Drahozal, The Supremacy Clause: A Reference Guide to the United States Constitution 25 (2004); The Federalist No. 44, at 306 (J. Madison). We are aware of no such mention, and respondents have not provided any. Its conspicuous absence militates strongly against their position.
Additionally, it is important to read the Supremacy Clause in the context of the Constitution as a whole. Article I vests Congress with broad discretion over the manner of implementing its enumerated powers, giving it authority to "make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying [them] into Execution." Art. I, §8. We have said that this confers upon the Legislature "that discretion, with respect to the means by which the powers [the Constitution] confers are to be carried into execution, which will enable that body to perform the high duties assigned to it," McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316, 421 (1819). It is unlikely that the Constitution gave Congress such broad discretion with regard to the enactment of laws, while simultaneously limiting Congress's power over the manner of their implementation, making it impossible to leave the enforcement of federal law to federal actors. If the Supremacy Clause includes a private right of action, then the Constitution requires Congress to permit the enforcement of its laws by private actors, significantly curtailing its ability to guide the implementation of fed-eral law. It would be strange indeed to give a clause that makes federal law supreme a reading that limits Congress's power to enforce that law, by imposing mandatory private enforcement--a limitation unheard-of with regard to state legislatures.
To say that the Supremacy Clause does not confer a right of action is not to diminish the significant role that courts play in assuring the supremacy of federal law. For once a case or controversy properly comes before a court, judges are bound by federal law. Thus, a court may not convict a criminal defendant of violating a state law that federal law prohibits. See, e.g., Pennsylvania v. Nelson, 350 U. S. 497, 499, 509 (1956). Similarly, a court may not hold a civil defendant liable under state law for conduct federal law requires. See, e.g., Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. v. Bartlett, 570 U. S. ___, ___-___ (2013) (slip op., at 13-14). And, as we have long recognized, if an individual claims federal law immunizes him from state regulation, the court may issue an injunction upon finding the state regulatory actions preempted. Ex parte Young, 209 U. S. 123, 155-156 (1908).
Respondents contend that our preemption jurisprudence--specifically, the fact that we have regularly considered whether to enjoin the enforcement of state laws that are alleged to violate federal law--demonstrates that the Supremacy Clause creates a cause of action for its violation. They are incorrect. It is true enough that we have long held that federal courts may in some circumstances grant injunctive relief against state officers who are violating, or planning to violate, federal law. See, e.g., Osborn v. Bank of United States, 9 Wheat. 738, 838-839, 844 (1824); Ex parte Young, supra, at 150-151 (citing Davis v. Gray, 16 Wall. 203, 220 (1873)). But that has been true not only with respect to violations of federal law by state officials, but also with respect to violations of federal law by federal officials. See American School of Magnetic Healing v. McAnnulty, 187 U. S. 94, 110 (1902); see generally L. Jaffe, Judicial Control of Administrative Action 152-196 (1965). Thus, the Supremacy Clause need not be (and in light of our textual analysis above, cannot be) the explanation. What our cases demonstrate is that, "in a proper case, relief may be given in a court of equity . . . to prevent an injurious act by a public officer." Carroll v. Safford, 3 How. 441, 463 (1845).
The ability to sue to enjoin unconstitutional actions by state and federal officers is the creation of courts of equity, and reflects a long history of judicial review of illegal executive action, tracing back to England. See Jaffe & Henderson, Judicial Review and the Rule of Law: Historical Origins, 72 L. Q. Rev. 345 (1956). It is a judge-made remedy, and we have never held or even suggested that, in its application to state officers, it rests upon an implied right of action contained in the Supremacy Clause. That is because, as even the dissent implicitly acknowledges, post, at 4 (opinion of Sotomayor, J.) it does not. The Ninth Circuit erred in holding otherwise.
We turn next to respondents' contention that, quite apart from any cause of action conferred by the Supremacy Clause, this suit can proceed against Idaho in equity.
The power of federal courts of equity to enjoin unlawful executive action is subject to express and implied statutory limitations. See, e.g., Seminole Tribe of Fla. v. Flor-ida, 517 U. S. 44, 74 (1996). " 'Courts of equity can no more disregard statutory and constitutional requirements and provisions than can courts of law.' " INS v. Pangilinan, 486 U. S. 875, 883 (1988) (quoting Hedges v. Dixon County, 150 U. S. 182, 192 (1893); brackets omitted). In our view the Medicaid Act implicitly precludes private enforcement of §30(A), and respondents cannot, by invoking our equitable powers, circumvent Congress's exclusion of private enforcement. See Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern Cal., Inc., 565 U. S. ___, ___-___ (2012) (Roberts, C. J., dissenting) (slip op., at 4-5).
Two aspects of §30(A) establish Congress's "intent to foreclose" equitable relief. Verizon Md. Inc. v. Public Serv. Comm'n of Md., 535 U. S. 635, 647 (2002). First, the sole remedy Congress provided for a State's failure to comply with Medicaid's requirements--for the State's "breach" of the Spending Clause contract--is the withholding of Medicaid funds by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 42 U. S. C. §1396c. As we have elsewhere explained, the "express provision of one method of enforcing a substantive rule suggests that Congress intended to preclude others." Alexander v. Sandoval, 532 U. S. 275, 290 (2001).
The provision for the Secretary's enforcement by withholding funds might not, by itself, preclude the availability of equitable relief. See Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy v. Stewart, 563 U. S. 247, ___-___, n. 3 (2011) (slip op., at 7-8, n. 3). But it does so when combined with the judicially unadministrable nature of §30(A)'s text. It is difficult to imagine a requirement broader and less specific than §30(A)'s mandate that state plans provide for payments that are "consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care," all the while "safeguard[ing] against unnecessary utilization of . . . care and services." Explicitly conferring enforcement of this judgment-laden standard upon the Secretary alone establishes, we think, that Congress "wanted to make the agency remedy that it provided exclusive," thereby achieving "the expertise, uniformity, widespread consultation, and resulting administrative guidance that can accompany agency decisionmaking," and avoiding "the comparative risk of inconsistent interpretations and misincentives that can arise out of an occasional inappropriate application of the statute in a private action." Gonzaga Univ. v. Doe, 536 U. S. 273, 292 (2002) (Breyer, J., concurring in judgment). The sheer complexity associated with enforcing §30(A), coupled with the express provision of an administrative remedy, §1396c, shows that the Medicaid Act precludes private enforcement of §30(A) in the courts.
The dissent agrees with us that the Supremacy Clause does not provide an implied right of action, and that Congress may displace the equitable relief that is traditionally available to enforce federal law. It disagrees only with our conclusion that such displacement has occurred here.
The dissent insists that, "because Congress is undoubtedly aware of the federal courts' long-established practice of enjoining preempted state action, it should generally be presumed to contemplate such enforcement unless it affirmatively manifests a contrary intent." Post, at 4 (emphasis added). But a "long-established practice" does not justify a rule that denies statutory text its fairest reading. Section 30(A), fairly read in the context of the Medicaid Act, "display[s] a[n] intent to foreclose" the availability of equitable relief. Verizon, supra, at 647. We have no warrant to revise Congress's scheme simply because it did not "affirmatively" preclude the availability of a judge-made action at equity. See Seminole Tribe, supra, at 75 (inferring, in the absence of an "affirmative" statement by Congress, that equitable relief was unavailable).
Equally unavailing is the dissent's reliance on §30(A)'s history. Section 30(A) was amended, on December 19, 1989, to include what the dissent calls the "equal access mandate," post, at 9--the requirement that reimbursement rates be "sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area." §6402(a), 103 Stat. 2260. There existed at the time another provision, known as the "Boren Amendment," that likewise imposed broad requirements on state Medicaid plans. 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(13)(A) (1982 ed., Supp. V). Lower courts had interpreted the Boren Amendment to be privately enforceable under §1983. From this, the dissent infers that, when Congress amended §30(A), it could not "have failed to anticipate" that §30(A)'s broad language--or at least that of the equal access mandate--would be interpreted as enforceable in a private action. Thus, concludes the dissent, Congress's failure to expressly preclude the private enforcement of §30(A) suggests it intended not to preclude private enforcement. Post, at 10.
This argument appears to rely on the prior-construction canon; the rule that, when "judicial interpretations have settled the meaning of an existing statutory provision, repetition of the same language in a new statute" is presumed to incorporate that interpretation. Bragdon v. Abbott, 524 U. S. 624, 645 (1998). But that canon has no application here. The language of the two provisions is nowhere near identical; and even if it had been, the question whether the Boren Amendment permitted private actions was far from "settled." When Congress amended §30(A) in 1989, this Court had already granted certiorari to decide, but had not yet decided, whether the Boren Amendment could be enforced through a §1983 suit. See Baliles v. Virginia Hospital Assn., 493 U. S. 808 (Oct. 2, 1989) (granting certiorari). Our decision permitting a §1983 action did not issue until June 14, 1990--almost six months after the amendment to §30(A). Wilder v. Virginia Hospital Assn., 496 U. S. 498.* The existence of a granted petition for certiorari demonstrates quite clearly that the question whether the Boren Amendment could be pri-vately enforced was unsettled at the time of §30(A)'s 1989 amendment--so that if Congress was aware of the parallel (which is highly doubtful) the course that awareness would have prompted (if any) would not have been legislative silence but rather express specification of the availability of private enforcement (if that was what Congress intended).
Finally, the dissent speaks as though we leave these plaintiffs with no resort. That is not the case. Their relief must be sought initially through the Secretary rather than through the courts. The dissent's complaint that the sanction available to the Secretary (the cut-off of funding) is too massive to be a realistic source of relief seems to us mistaken. We doubt that the Secretary's notice to a State that its compensation scheme is inadequate will be ignored.
The last possible source of a cause of action for respondents is the Medicaid Act itself. They do not claim that, and rightly so. Section 30(A) lacks the sort of rights-creating language needed to imply a private right of action. Sandoval, supra at 286-287. It is phrased as a directive to the federal agency charged with approving state Medicaid plans, not as a conferral of the right to sue upon the beneficiaries of the State's decision to participate in Medicaid. The Act says that the "Secretary shall approve any plan which fulfills the conditions specified in subsection (a)," the subsection that includes §30(A). 42 U. S. C. §1396a(b). We have held that such language "reveals no congressional intent to create a private right of action." Sandoval, supra at 289; see also Universities Research Assn., Inc. v. Coutu, 450 U. S. 754, 772 (1981). And again, the explicitly conferred means of enforcing compliance with §30(A) by the Secretary's withholding funding, §1396c, suggests that other means of enforcement are precluded, Sandoval, supra, at 290.
Spending Clause legislation like Medicaid "is much in the nature of a contract." Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. Halderman, 451 U. S. 1, 17 (1981). The notion that respondents have a right to sue derives, perhaps, from the fact that they are beneficiaries of the federal-state Medicaid agreement, and that intended beneficiaries, in modern times at least, can sue to enforce the obli-gations of private contracting parties. See 13 R. Lord, Williston on Contracts §§37:12-37.13, pp. 123-135 (4th ed. 2013). We doubt, to begin with, that providers are intended beneficiaries (as opposed to mere incidental beneficiaries) of the Medicaid agreement, which was concluded for the benefit of the infirm whom the providers were to serve, rather than for the benefit of the providers themselves. See Pharmaceutical Research and Mfrs. of America v. Walsh, 538 U. S. 644, 683 (2003) (Thomas, J., concurring in judgment). More fundamentally, however, the modern jurisprudence permitting intended beneficiaries to sue does not generally apply to contracts between a private party and the government, Astra USA, Inc. v. Santa Clara County, 563 U. S. ___, ___ (2011) (slip op., at 6); see Williston, supra, at §§37:35-37:36, at 256-271; 9 J. Murray, Corbin on Contracts §45.6, p. 92 (rev. ed. 2007)--much less to contracts between two governments. Our precedents establish that a private right of action under federal law is not created by mere implication, but must be "unambiguously conferred," Gonzaga, 536 U. S., at 283. Nothing in the Medicaid Act suggests that Congress meant to change that for the commitments made under §30(A).
The judgment of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is reversed.
I join Parts I, II, and III of the Court's opinion.
Like all other Members of the Court, I would not characterize the question before us in terms of a Supremacy Clause "cause of action." Rather, I would ask whether "federal courts may in [these] circumstances grant injunctive relief against state officers who are violating, or planning to violate, federal law." Ante, at 5; post, at 4 (Sotomayor, J., dissenting). I believe the answer to this question is no.
That answer does not follow from the application of a simple, fixed legal formula separating federal statutes that may underlie this kind of injunctive action from those that may not. "[T]he statute books are too many, the laws too diverse, and their purposes too complex, for any single legal formula to offer" courts "more than general guidance." Gonzaga Univ. v. Doe, 536 U. S. 273, 291 (2012) (Breyer, J., concurring in judgment). Rather, I believe that several characteristics of the federal statute before us, when taken together, make clear that Congress intended to foreclose respondents from bringing this particular action for injunctive relief.
For one thing, as the majority points out, §30(A) of the Medicaid Act, 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(30)(A), sets forth a federal mandate that is broad and nonspecific. See ante, at 7. But, more than that, §30(A) applies its broad standards to the setting of rates. The history of ratemaking demonstrates that administrative agencies are far better suited to this task than judges. More than a century ago, Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission, the first great federal regulatory rate-setting agency, and endowed it with authority to set "reasonable" railroad rates. Ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379 (1887). It did so in part because judicial efforts to maintain reasonable rate levels had proved inadequate. See I. Sharfman, Railway Regulation: An Analysis of the Underlying Problems in Railway Economics from the Standpoint of Government Regulation 43-44 (1915).
Reading §30(A) underscores the complexity and nonjudicial nature of the rate-setting task. That provision requires State Medicaid plans to "assure that payments are consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care and are sufficient to enlist enough providers" to assure "care and services" equivalent to that "available to the general population in the geographic area." §1396a(a) (30)(A). The methods that a state agency, such as Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare, uses to make this kind of determination may involve subsidiary determinations of, for example, the actual cost of providing quality services, including personnel and total operating expenses; changes in public expectations with respect to delivery of services; inflation; a comparison of rates paid in neighboring States for comparable services; and a comparison of any rates paid for comparable services in other public or private capacities. See App. to Reply to Brief in Opposition 16; Idaho Code Ann. §56-118 (2012).
At the same time, §30(A) applies broadly, covering reimbursements provided to approximately 1.36 million doctors, serving over 69 million patients across the Nation. See Dept. of Health and Human Servs., Office of Inspector General, Access to Care: Provider Availability in Medicaid Managed Care 1, 5 (Dec. 2014). And States engage in time-consuming efforts to obtain public input on proposed plan amendments. See, e.g., Kansas Medicaid: Design and Implementation of a Public Input and Stakeholder Consult Process (Sept. 16, 2011) (prepared by Deloitte Consulting, LLP) (describing public input on Kansas' proposed Medicaid amendments).
I recognize that federal courts have long become accustomed to reviewing for reasonableness or constitutionality the rate-setting determinations made by agencies. See 5 U. S. C. §706; FPC v. Hope Natural Gas Co., 320 U. S. 591, 602-606 (1944). But this is not such an action. Instead, the lower courts here, relying on the rate-setting standard articulated in Orthopaedic Hospital v. Belshe, 103 F. 3d 1491 (CA9 1997), required the State to set rates that "approximate the cost of quality care provided efficiently and economically." Id., at 1496. See Inclusion, Inc. v. Armstrong, 835 F. Supp. 2d 960, 963-964 (Idaho 2011), aff'd, 567 Fed. Appx. 496 (CA9 2014). To find in the law a basis for courts to engage in such direct rate-setting could set a precedent for allowing other similar actions, potentially resulting in rates set by federal judges (of whom there are several hundred) outside the ordinary channel of federal judicial review of agency decisionmaking. The consequence, I fear, would be increased litigation, inconsistent results, and disorderly administration of highly complex federal programs that demand public consultation, administrative guidance and coherence for their success. I do not believe Congress intended to allow a statute-based injunctive action that poses such risks (and that has the other features I mention).
I recognize that courts might in particular instances be able to resolve rate-related requests for injunctive relief quite easily. But I see no easy way to separate in advance the potentially simple sheep from the more harmful rate-making goats. In any event, this case, I fear, belongs in the latter category. See Belshe, supra, at 1496. Compare Brief for Respondents 2, n. 1 (claiming that respondents seek only to enforce federally approved methodology), with Brief for United States as Amicus Curiae 5, n. 2 (the relevant methodology has not been approved). See also Idaho Code Ann. §56-118 (describing in general terms what appears to be a complex rate-setting methodology, while leaving unclear the extent to which Idaho is bound to use, rather than merely consider, actual provider costs).
For another thing, like the majority, I would ask why, in the complex rate-setting area, other forms of relief are inadequate. If the Secretary of Health and Human Services concludes that a State is failing to follow legally required federal rules, the Secretary can withhold federal funds. See ante, at 7 (citing 42 U. S. C. §1396c). If withholding funds does not work, the federal agency may be able to sue a State to compel compliance with federal rules. See Tr. of Oral Arg. 23, 52 (Solicitor General and respondents acknowledging that the Federal Government might be able to sue a State to enjoin it from paying less than what §30(A) requires). Cf., e.g., Arizona v. United States, 567 U. S. __ (2012) (allowing similar action in another context).
Moreover, why could respondents not ask the federal agency to interpret its rules to respondents' satisfaction, to modify those rules, to promulgate new rules or to enforce old ones? See 5 U. S. C. §553(e). Normally, when such requests are denied, an injured party can seek judicial review of the agency's refusal on the grounds that it is "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law." §§702, 706(2)(A). And an injured party can ask the court to "compel agency action unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed." §§702, 706(1). See also Tr. of Oral Arg. 15-16 (arguing that providers can bring an action under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) whenever a waiver program is renewed or can seek new agency rulemaking); Japan Whaling Assn. v. American Cetacean Soc., 478 U. S. 221, 230, n. 4, 231 (1986) (APA challenge to the Secretary of Commerce's failure to act).
I recognize that the law may give the federal agency broad discretionary authority to decide when and how to exercise or to enforce statutes and rules. See Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U. S. 497, 527 (2007). As a result, it may be difficult for respondents to prevail on an APA claim unless it stems from an agency's particularly egregious failure to act. But, if that is so, it is because Congress decided to vest broad discretion in the agency to interpret and to enforce §30(A). I see no reason for this Court to circumvent that congressional determination by allowing this action to proceed.
Justice Sotomayor, with whom Justice Kennedy, Justice Ginsburg, and Justice Kagan join, dissenting.
Suits in federal court to restrain state officials from executing laws that assertedly conflict with the Constitution or with a federal statue are not novel. To the contrary, this Court has adjudicated such requests for equitable relief since the early days of the Republic. Nevertheless, today the Court holds that Congress has foreclosed private parties from invoking the equitable powers of the federal courts to require States to comply with §30(A) of the Medicaid Act, 42 U. S. C. §1396a(a)(30)(A). It does so without pointing to the sort of detailed remedial scheme we have previously deemed necessary to establish congressional intent to preclude resort to equity. Instead, the Court relies on Congress' provision for agency enforcement of §30(A)--an enforcement mechanism of the sort we have already definitively determined not to foreclose private actions--and on the mere fact that §30(A) contains relatively broad language. As I cannot agree that these statutory provisions demonstrate the requisite congressional intent to restrict the equitable authority of the federal courts, I respectfully dissent.
That parties may call upon the federal courts to enjoin unconstitutional government action is not subject to serious dispute. Perhaps the most famous exposition of this principle is our decision in Ex parte Young, 209 U. S. 123 (1908), from which the doctrine derives its usual name. There, we held that the shareholders of a railroad could seek an injunction preventing the Minnesota attorney general from enforcing a state law setting maximum railroad rates because the Eleventh Amendment did not provide the officials with immunity from such an action and the federal court had the "power" in equity to "grant a temporary injunction." Id., at 148. This Court had earlier recognized similar equitable authority in Osborn v. Bank of United States, 9 Wheat. 738 (1824), in which a federal court issued an injunction prohibiting an Ohio official from executing a state law taxing the Bank of the United States. Id., at 838-839. We affirmed in relevant part, concluding that the case was "cognizable in a Court of equity," and holding it to be "proper" to grant equitable relief insofar as the state tax was "repugnant" to the federal law creating the national bank. Id., at 839, 859. More recently, we confirmed the vitality of this doctrine in Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Bd., 561 U. S. 477 (2010). There, we found no support for the argument that a challenge to " 'governmental action under the Appointments Clause or separation-of-powers principles' " should be treated "differently than every other constitutional claim" for which "equitable relief 'has long been recognized as the proper means for preventing entities from acting unconstitutionally.' " Id., at 491, n. 2.
A suit, like this one, that seeks relief against state officials acting pursuant to a state law allegedly preempted by a federal statute falls comfortably within this doctrine. A claim that a state law contravenes a federal statute is "basically constitutional in nature, deriving its force from the operation of the Supremacy Clause," Douglas v. Seacoast Products, Inc., 431 U. S. 265, 271-272 (1977), and the application of preempted state law is therefore "unconstitutional," Crosby v. National Foreign Trade Council, 530 U. S. 363, 388 (2000); accord, e.g., McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316, 436 (1819) (that States have "no power" to enact laws interfering with "the operations of the constitutional laws enacted by Congress" is the "unavoidable consequence of that supremacy which the constitution has declared"; such a state law "is unconstitutional and void"). We have thus long entertained suits in which a party seeks prospective equitable protection from an injurious and preempted state law without regard to whether the federal statute at issue itself provided a right to bring an action. See, e.g., Foster v. Love, 522 U. S. 67 (1997) (state election law that permitted the winner of a state primary to be deemed the winner of election to Congress held preempted by federal statute setting date of congressional elections); Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 463 U. S. 85 (1983) (state law preempted in part by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974); Railroad Transfer Service, Inc. v. Chicago, 386 U. S. 351 (1967) (city ordinance imposing licensing requirements on motor carrier transporting railroad passengers held preempted by federal Interstate Commerce Act); Campbell v. Hussey, 368 U. S. 297 (1961) (state law requiring labeling of certain strains of tobacco held preempted by the federal Tobacco Inspection Act); Railway Co. v. McShane, 22 Wall. 444 (1875) (state taxation of land possessed by railroad company held invalid under federal Act of July 2, 1864). Indeed, for this reason, we have characterized "the availability of prospective relief of the sort awarded in Ex parte Young" as giving "life to the Supremacy Clause." Green v. Mansour, 474 U. S. 64, 68 (1985).
Thus, even though the Court is correct that it is somewhat misleading to speak of "an implied right of action contained in the Supremacy Clause," ante, at 6, that does not mean that parties may not enforce the Supremacy Clause by bringing suit to enjoin preempted state action. As the Court also recognizes, we "have long held that federal courts may in some circumstances grant injunctive relief against state officers who are violating, or planning to violate, federal law." Ante, at 5.
Most important for purposes of this case is not the mere existence of this equitable authority, but the fact that it is exceedingly well established--supported, as the Court puts it, by a "long history." Ante, at 6. Congress may, if it so chooses, either expressly or implicitly preclude Ex parte Young enforcement actions with respect to a particular statute or category of lawsuit. See, e.g., 28 U. S. C. §1341 (prohibiting federal judicial restraints on the collection of state taxes); Seminole Tribe of Fla. v. Florida, 517 U. S. 44, 75-76 (1996) (comprehensive alternative remedial scheme can establish Congress' intent to foreclose Ex parte Young actions). But because Congress is undoubtedly aware of the federal courts' long-established practice of enjoining preempted state action, it should generally be presumed to contemplate such enforcement unless it affirmatively manifests a contrary intent. "Unless a statute in so many words, or by a necessary and inescapable inference, restricts the court's jurisdiction in equity, the full scope of that jurisdiction is to be recognized and applied." Porter v. Warner Holding Co., 328 U. S. 395, 398 (1946).
In this respect, equitable preemption actions differ from suits brought by plaintiffs invoking 42 U. S. C. §1983 or an implied right of action to enforce a federal statute. Suits for "redress designed to halt or prevent the constitutional violation rather than the award of money damages" seek "traditional forms of relief." United States v. Stanley, 483 U. S. 669, 683 (1987). By contrast, a plaintiff invoking §1983 or an implied statutory cause of action may seek a variety of remedies--including damages--from a potentially broad range of parties. Rather than simply pointing to background equitable principles authorizing the action that Congress presumably has not overridden, such a plaintiff must demonstrate specific congressional intent to create a statutory right to these remedies. See Gonzaga Univ. v. Doe, 536 U. S. 273, 290 (2002); Alexander v. Sandoval, 532 U. S. 275, 286 (2001); see also Golden State Transit Corp. v. Los Angeles, 493 U. S. 103, 114 (1989) (Kennedy, J., dissenting) (Because a preemption claim does not seek to enforce a statutory right, "[t]he injured party does not need §1983 to vest in him a right to assert that an attempted exercise of jurisdiction or control violates the proper distribution of powers within the federal system"). For these reasons, the principles that we have developed to determine whether a statute creates an implied right of action, or is enforceable through §1983, are not transferable to the Ex parte Young context.
In concluding that Congress has "implicitly preclude[d] private enforcement of §30(A)," ante, at 6, the Court ignores this critical distinction and threatens the vitality of our Ex parte Young jurisprudence. The Court identifies only a single prior decision--Seminole Tribe--in which we have ever discerned such congressional intent to foreclose equitable enforcement of a statutory mandate. Ante, at 6. Even the most cursory review of that decision reveals how far afield it is from this case.
In Seminole Tribe, the plaintiff Indian Tribe had invoked Ex parte Young in seeking to compel the State of Florida to "negotiate in good faith with [the] tribe toward the formation of a compact" governing certain gaming activities, as required by a provision of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U. S. C. §2710(d)(3). 517 U. S., at 47. We rejected this effort, observing that "Congress passed §2710(d)(3) in conjunction with the carefully crafted and intricate remedial scheme set forth in §2710(d)(7)." Id., at 73-74. That latter provision allowed a tribe to sue for violations of the duty to negotiate 180 days after requesting such negotiations, but specifically limited the remedy that a court could grant to "an order directing the State and the Indian tribe to conclude a compact within 60 days," and provided that the only sanction for the violation of such an order would be to require the parties to "submit a proposed compact to a mediator." Id., at 74; §§2710(d)(7)(B)(i), (iii), (iv). The statute further directed that if the State should fail to abide by the mediator's selected compact, the sole remedy would be for the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the tribe, to prescribe regulations governing gaming. See 517 U. S., at 74-75; §2710(d)(7)(B)(vii). We concluded that Congress must have intended this procedural route to be the exclusive means of enforcing §2710(d)(3). As we explained: "If §2710(d)(3) could be enforced in a suit under Ex parte Young, §2710(d)(7) would have been superfluous; it is difficult to see why an Indian tribe would suffer through the intricate scheme of §2710(d)(7) when more complete and more immediate relief would be available under Ex parte Young." 517 U. S., at 75.
What is the equivalent "carefully crafted and intricate remedial scheme" for enforcement of §30(A)? The Court relies on two aspects of the Medicaid Act, but, whether considered separately or in combination, neither suffices.
First, the Court cites 42 U. S. C. §1396c, which authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to withhold federal Medicaid payments to a State in whole or in part if the Secretary determines that the State has failed to comply with the obligations set out in §1396a, including §30(A). See ante, at 7-8. But in striking contrast to the remedial provision set out in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, §1396c provides no specific procedure that parties actually affected by a State's violation of its statutory obligations may invoke in lieu of Ex parte Young--leaving them without any other avenue for seeking relief from the State. Nor will §1396c always provide a particularly effective means for redressing a State's violations: If the State has violated §30(A) by refusing to reimburse medical providers at a level "sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available" to Medicaid beneficiaries to the same extent as they are available to "the general population," agency action resulting in a reduced flow of federal funds to that State will often be self-defeating. §1396a(30)(A); see Brief for Former HHS Officials as Amici Curiae 18 (noting that HHS is often reluctant to initiate compliance actions because a "state's non-compliance creates a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't scenario where the withholding of state funds will lead to depriving the poor of essential medical assistance"). Far from rendering §1396c "superfluous," then, Ex parte Young actions would seem to be an anticipated and possibly necessary supplement to this limited agency-enforcement mechanism. Seminole Tribe, 517 U. S., at 75. Indeed, presumably for these reasons, we recently rejected the very contention the Court now accepts, holding that "[t]he fact that the Federal Government can exercise oversight of a federal spending program and even withhold or withdraw funds . . . does not demonstrate that Congress has displayed an intent not to provide the more complete and more immediate relief that would otherwise be available under Ex parte Young." Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy v. Stewart, 563 U. S. 247, ____-____, n. 3 (2011) (slip op., at 7-8, n. 3) (internal quotation marks omitted).
Section 1396c also parallels other provisions scattered throughout the Social Security Act that likewise authorize the withholding of federal funds to States that fail to fulfill their obligations. See, e.g., §§609(a), 1204, 1354. Yet, we have consistently authorized judicial enforcement of the Act. See Maine v. Thiboutot, 448 U. S. 1, 6 (1980) (collecting cases). Rosado v. Wyman, 397 U. S. 397 (1970), provides a fitting illustration. There, we considered a provision of the Social Security Act mandating that, in calculating benefits for participants in the Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program, States make adjustments " 'to reflect fully changes in living costs.' " Id., at 412 (quoting §602(a)(23) (1964 ed., Supp. IV)). We expressed no hesitation in concluding that federal courts could require compliance with this obligation, explaining: "It is . . . peculiarly part of the duty of this tribunal, no less in the welfare field than in other areas of the law, to resolve disputes as to whether federal funds allocated to the States are being expended in consonance with the conditions that Congress has attached to their use." Id., at 422-423. We so held notwithstanding the existence of an enforcement provision permitting a federal agency to "make a total or partial cutoff of federal funds." See id., at 406, n. 8 (citing §1316).
"provide such methods and procedures relating to the utilization of, and the payment for, care and services available under the plan . . . as may be necessary to safeguard against unnecessary utilization of such care and services and to assure that payments are consistent with efficiency, economy, and quality of care and are sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area." §1396a(a)(30)(A).
But mere breadth of statutory language does not require the Court to give up all hope of judicial enforcement--or, more important, to infer that Congress must have done so.
"provide . . . for payment . . . of the hospital services, nursing facility services, and services in an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded provided under the plan through the use of rates . . . which the State finds, and makes assurances satisfactory to the Secretary, are reasonable and adequate to meet the costs which must be incurred by efficiently and economically operated facilities in order to provide care and services in conformity with applicable State and Federal laws, regulations, and quality and safety standards and to assure that individuals eligible for medical assistance have reasonable access . . . to inpatient hospital services of adequate quality." §1396a(a)(13)(A) (1982 ed., Supp. V).
It is hard to believe that the Congress that enacted the operative version of §30(A) could have failed to anticipate that it might be similarly enforceable. Even if, as the Court observes, the question whether the Boren Amendment was enforceable under §1983 was "unsettled at the time," ante, at 10 (emphasis deleted), surely Congress would have spoken with far more clarity had it actually intended to preclude private enforcement of §30(A) through not just §1983 but also Ex parte Young.
In sum, far from identifying a "carefully crafted . . . remedial scheme" demonstrating that Congress intended to foreclose Ex parte Young enforcement of §30(A), Seminole Tribe, 517 U. S., at 73-74, the Court points only to two provisions. The first is §1396c, an agency-enforcement provision that, given our precedent, cannot preclude private actions. The second is §30(A) itself, which, while perhaps broad, cannot be understood to manifest congressional intent to preclude judicial involvement.
The Court's error today has very real consequences. Previously, a State that set reimbursement rates so low that providers were unwilling to furnish a covered service for those who need it could be compelled by those affected to respect the obligation imposed by §30(A). Now, it must suffice that a federal agency, with many programs to oversee, has authority to address such violations through the drastic and often counterproductive measure of withholding the funds that pay for such services. Because a faithful application of our precedents would have led to a contrary result, I respectfully dissent.
* Respondents do not claim that Wilder establishes precedent for a private cause of action in this case. They do not assert a §1983 action, since our later opinions plainly repudiate the ready implication of a §1983 action that Wilder exemplified. See Gonzaga, Univ. v. Due, 536 U. S. 273, 283 (2002) (expressly "reject[ing] the notion," implicit in Wilder, "that our cases permit anything short of an unambiguously conferred right to support a cause of action brought under §1983").
* That is not to say that the Court of Appeals in this case necessarily applied §30(A) correctly. Indeed, there are good reasons to think the court construed §30(A) to impose an overly stringent obligation on the States. While the Ninth Circuit has understood §30(A) to compel States to "rely on responsible cost studies," and to reimburse for services at rates that "approximate the cost of quality care provided efficiently and economically," Orthopaedic Hospital v. Belshe, 103 F. 3d 1491, 1496 (1997), other courts have read §30(A) to require only that rates be high enough to ensure that services are available to Medicaid participants. See Pennsylvania Pharmacists Assn. v. Houstoun, 283 F. 3d 531, 538 (CA3 2002); Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Inc. v. Hood, 235 F. 3d 908, 928-929 (CA5 2000); Methodist Hospitals, Inc. v. Sullivan, 91 F. 3d 1026, 1030 (CA7 1996). This Court declined to grant certiorari to address whether the Ninth Circuit's reading of §30(A) is correct. See 573 U. S. ___ (2014). But Justice Breyer, in his concurrence, appears to mistake that question about the merits of the Ninth Circuit's standard for the question this Court actually granted certiorari to address--that is, whether §30 is judicially enforceable at all. See ante, at 3-4 (opinion concurring in part and concurring in judgment). To answer that question, one need only recognize, as Justice Breyer does, that "federal courts have long become accustomed to reviewing for reasonableness or constitutionality the rate-setting determinations made by agencies." Ante, at 3. A private party who invokes the jurisdiction of the federal courts in order to enjoin a state agency's implementation of rates that are so unreasonably low as to violate §30(A) seeks a determination of exactly this sort. | 2019-04-26T00:35:57Z | https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/14-15.html |
"The Call and the Counterfeit - Getting It RIGHT - Contra Smith and Byock"
Those who hear the call feel the dear Lord's touch. Like an intoxicating jasmine-scented breeze, nothing in this world can compare with such a gift from God! Florence Nightingale Mother Teresa of Calcutta Cicely Saunders they all heard the call.1 Each one searched to find its meaning until the mission became clear.
No obstacle can stop such a soul once they have been given such a mission, and the example they gave to us is like a lamp in the darkness and chaos of the world man creates for himself. For decades, they each sacrificed so much in order to serve their Lord.
Nightingale nurses, Missionaries of Charity, and pro-life hospice nurses and physicians are honored to follow in their footsteps in some small way. Each of them revolutionized the care of those in need and inspired many thousands of others. We can only hope to be and do a little bit in this world that would contribute to continuing their true mission, and in some small way please the dear Lord Jesus who called them and each of us to a purer way of serving through sacrificial love.
Recalling Jesus's words (Matthew 5:7), Queen Victoria honored Florence and gave her a brooch upon which was inscribed the words, "Blessed are the merciful!" for in her, she saw a woman whose will to show the most tender kindness and care for the ailing was made strong. She and the entire world witnessed a woman whose devotion to merciful service was pure, a woman who exposed and challenged the evil, cruel, but widely accepted neglect of patients in her time and overcame these evils through perseverance and love. There is not one modern civilian or military hospital in the world that does not strive to follow the principles and quality improvement measures introduced to modern healthcare by Nightingale!
Florence Nightingale, Mother Teresa, and Dr. Cicely Saunders cared for and poured their lives into service for those ailing and dying before them, giving everything they had to those so much in need. All three demonstrated a wholistic approach to care that addressed the needs of the total person and followed the example and teaching of the dear Lord Jesus.
Those who received such expert and loving care, trusted them completely, because they knew that the hands that cared for them and the heart that moved those hands had been given to God alone. A palpable dedication and warmth poured out of their hearts that comforted patients' souls, giving them peace and hope in this world and in the next.
Not once did either of them ever suggest to a patient that he or she hasten death in any way! Though some may wish to avoid the suffering they experience or envision by taking their lives, we can do much to relieve that suffering, to love that individual, and allow an authentic inner healing to take place.
It was for good reason that Florence Nightingale was called the Lady with the lamp! If we are to care for those who are nearing death, we can do nothing better or purer than to follow such shining examples in our work!
Reverence for God and reverence for the very being of those we serve can only be a blessing to them and will always help us to discern the right way forward in the often confusing and challenging times that are to come.
Clearly recognizing and retaining the purity of the mission we serve will help us to see through the many deceptive voices leading us to go astray and to accept without qualification such a strikingly different way a much-acclaimed, seductive, even impressive but dark secular path.
In pursuing this topic, I would again wish to make it clear that there is much about Dr. Byock and Wesley Smith to be admired. I have learned from reading Wesley's articles and it is certain Dr. Byock has taken excellent care of many patients. Yet, when I read Wesley's statements that characterize as false the brave testimony of so many nurses, doctors, patients and family members who report the truth about what is occurring in the end-of-life care settings, I cannot remain silent.
I realize that some are angry that I have questioned Ira Byock and Wesley Smith. I cannot do otherwise if I am to remain faithful to the mission I serve. Read on and you will understand why I do so.
In his book, Culture of Death, in the very few pages that even mention hospice, wrongdoing of any sort or imposed deaths occurring in that setting is not mentioned, yet this book was written in 2000 and news about such deaths was already widespread for anyone who cared to pay attention. Wesley is, without a doubt, paying attention to the news and reports and certainly must be aware of them, but chooses to not only not share this with his readers, but chooses to mischaracterize American hospice today as if it were the hospice of forty years ago when Dr. Saunders' mission was prominent and practiced widely.
When Smith gives Byock the highest praise, I have to respond. He has praised him for many years, yet Ira Byock, MD has individually done more harm than almost all other hospice and palliative care physicians in the country. He, along with a few other culture of death activists have completed the tainting of the industry throughout the nation.
How did he do it? In part, Byock merged the euthanasia movement with the hospice industry through the creation of Partnership for Caring. He also helped to set the tone for hospice and palliative care practice at the newly formed American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. You should know that if you understand Ira Byock, you will understand what happened to the industry!
My hope in writing is that the reader may discover the truth and understand how the tainting of the industry was accomplished.
Wesley has repeatedly implied that when terminal sedation is used in hospice, it is used properly and is not widely being used to end the lives of vulnerable patients. When referring to this type of sedation, Smith prefers to use the term "palliative sedation." He says that it is only used to relieve symptoms and that with terminal sedation in hospice, the patients die of their terminal illness alone.
In other articles, he has differentiated between those who use terminal sedation appropriately and those who intend to end life; he condemns those who use it to end life. The problem is that Wesley implies that any wrongdoing is occurring in American hospitals or elsewhere, but never in hospice. The impression Wesley gives his readers is truly not believable in 2015, ten years after Terri Schiavo was executed in a hospice!
I hope that he takes the time to research and re-evaluate his position and what he is telling the public. Wesley tells his readers to disbelieve the reports coming in about problems in hospice, yet we hear from so many families who are suffering in anguish due to a hidden epidemic of medical killing right under the nose of so many, even Mr. Smith.
Just today I received a call from a nurse in the Southeastern United States whose brother, age 67, was deprived of fluids against his will even though he was completely competent to make his own decisions, was overdosed with morphine, and died within two days of entering hospice. He had no pain issues, was begging for water, and was refusing the morphine. This is part of American hospice today!
Yesterday, I received a call from a journalist in California whose elderly father was put in hospice. Her father was conscious, did have a terminal condition but was nowhere near dying in any sense of the word. He had a mild problem with short-term memory, but otherwise could carry on intelligent, detailed conversations and relate to everyone around him. He was placed without cause on Seroquel, then Haldol, Ativan and morphine and died shortly after that. The daughter is devastated and told me that "they robbed us of the precious time we would have had together!"
I cannot understand how it is even possible for Wesley Smith not to know about such cases. They are so common and every patient advocacy organization in the country has heard about them! When it comes to abortion or assisted-suicide, Wesley is right there at the front exposing the evils and helping the people to realize the worth of human lives. When it comes to healthcare professionals who might be forced to take part in these, he regularly bemoans the possible or actual violation of medical professionals' conscience rights.3 Yet, again, he never mentions that any such problems could arise in end-of-life care settings and then affect the conscience rights of healthcare professionals there!
Apparently, according to Wesley, hospice agencies, administrators, managers, medical directors, and so many others can do no major wrong. What other conclusion can one draw from his numerous statements that extol the good of hospice, never mention any serious harm to patients at all, and when he reports problems involving unethical behavior such as terminal sedation applied inappropriately, he tells us it happens in hospitals, not in hospices! This is exactly backwards, since the imposition of death through terminal sedation has historically occurred mostly in hospices, and has now spread to hospitals and other healthcare facilities, mostly through the establishment of palliative care divisions within their halls or through the subcontracting of services to hospice agencies that are allowed to practice there.
As one of the main speakers at Patients Rights Council ("PRC") formerly called the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Wesley is extremely well-informed about the history of the assisted-suicide and euthanasia movements, including Dr. Byock's involvement with the euthanasia organization, Choice in Dying and Partnership for Caring. Wesley knows much about the laws, proposed laws, case law, the permutations and implications of the various laws in several nations, yet how is it that he says nothing at all about the covert euthanasia movement in hospice settings? From what Mr. Smith writes and says, there is no covert euthanasia movement involving these end-of-life care settings.
If Wesley is right, then where did it go? Where did all those euthanasia supporters from the Euthanasia Society of America go in the 1990s and thereafter? The activists like the former Hemlock Society and the current "Compassion" & Choices who openly support legalization of assisted-suicide the same thing as euthanasia for purposes of advancing their cause are a different crowd and this is well-known and documented.
Compassion & Choices' leader, Barbara Coombs Lee was an executive with an HMO/managed care corporation when she wrote Oregon's assisted-suicide law. So much for the "altruistic" motivations behind the legalization of assisted-suicide! With similar concerns about minimizing healthcare costs for those who are "better off dead," the covert euthanasia movement took over much of the hospice industry, Mr. Smith!
Some of the more revealing calls and emails we receive are from hospice nurses working in the field all around the country. These nurses report the problems they encounter with hospice agency administrators and nursing directors that are either in the business only for the money, or hospice agency administrators who are culture of death types that do not respect the sanctity of life. What happens in those hospices violates everything these nurses stand for.
We have heard from some of these nurses who talk about having worked at a good hospice that adhered to the standards of care and the original mission of hospice. They then explain how they either moved, or the hospice closed, and they went to work for another hospice that was run completely differently, and they were absolutely horrified at what was going on there. Not all hospices are the same! Smith should realize this.
Yet, his own website at PRC lists the development of what has become the covert wing of the movement, beginning with the living will as an incremental step toward euthanasia, through organizations that promote other methods of limiting patient care, and then the planned eventual legalization of euthanasia. This has been the strategy ever since the euthanasia movement's leaders realized the American public was not ready yet for legalization of euthanasia and gave up directly lobbying for legalization. It was at that point that they decided to work on a step-by-step basis.
I can understand that since Byock and Smith's opposition to assisted-suicide coincide, it may be that Smith sees Byock as an ally in that fight, but ignoring the historical record that details what Byock has been up to, and knowingly refusing to share it with the public is not fair to the public. It gives them a terribly false understanding of this man and the work he has done. It is simply not possible that Smith does not know Byock's historical association with the Euthanasia Society of America, i.e., "Choice in Dying" and its successor organizations!
The main type of mention of Byock that I found on the Patients Rights Council site is to link to many articles that quote Byock's arguments in opposition to legalized assisted-suicide. Almost all of the covert euthanasia supporters like Byock take this stance: publicly oppose assisted-suicide but practice stealth euthanasia when they wish in a hospice or palliative care setting! Are we to simply accept that everything Byock does and has to say is right because he opposes assisted-suicide, or because he's so articulate and expert in end-of-life care otherwise?
I have listened to the distraught nurses and doctors who have lost their jobs because they protested what was going on in hospice and palliative care settings. Some have even had their licenses targeted for not going along with the death agenda that is policy where they worked! Can Wesley Smith be completely unaware that because of many hospice administrators' hostility to the pro-life position, many pro-life nurses have been involuntarily forced to leave the field they love, or are retiring?
The pro-life nurse, physician, pharmacist or other professional is a very real target in secular humanist health care settings and not just with regard to abortion procedures or dispensing of abortifacients, as Smith might lead one to believe. Anyone who speaks out against what is occurring in many hospices is labeled a troublemaker, is harassed, retaliated against and eventually made so unwelcome that they leave on their own or are fired outright.
Please wake up, Mr. Smith! We who are in the trenches of healthcare settings need the help and don't need to be told that what has happened to us didn't happen! I know from experience that when you've been a whistleblower, or advocated for a patient defending him or her from harmful actions or policies set by superiors, you are very vulnerable. I've felt the full force of hospice administrators and know that as an employee, the so-called "protections" of the law are often quite meaningless. They harass you anyway! I've been there!
What do you really know as an employee about being a whistleblower in hospice, hospital, or other healthcare settings? It is one thing to sit behind the safety of a desk and write, and quite another thing to stand up against corrupt administrators who implement criminal practices at their agency! It is also quite another thing to day after day listen to the anguished cries of distraught families all over the country. Their voices cry out not only for justice, but for people like Wesley Smith to speak and share the accurate truth and not "whitewash" the reality.
When the lawless attain power in a nation or hospice, or any business or agency, they do not tolerate disobedience and especially do not tolerate those who challenge them and expose their evil. In other words, they believe they can do what they wish to do, while the law is for others to follow.
Like snakes, they become enraged and plot to destroy these who have made themselves into "enemies" by simply speaking truth, seeking to protect human rights, freedoms, patients, or to stop criminal activity. When the lawless attain power, their "enemies lists" grow and grow as time passes. Secular humanism and communism have much in common. When individuals of either bent attain authority to act, they do not tolerate dissension at all.
As Richard Wurmbrand has explained to us in his book, Tortured for Christ,5 such lawless ones insist that everyone under their command or authority make a public showing of "approving" their evil, and depending on the power attained, those who refuse to do so are either imprisoned, tortured, harassed, fired, or even killed (Daniel 3).
Such employees take a big risk and sacrifice much in order to speak up for what is right and to protect their patients! Many employers will violate the laws against retaliation since they know that nothing major will happen to them even if they're found out. They fire or severely harass the employees who they don't want around! Meanwhile, the employee and his family suffer the loss of an income, experience a sudden financial crisis, and must struggle to survive. Many never re-enter the field they love, because they will again be targeted as retribution for having spoken the truth! They often suffer financially for the rest of their lives!
If the employee brings a lawsuit to protest such treatment, the corporation has attorneys on retainer who can easily fight the claim year after year. The employee has limited funds and cannot focus all his attention on such a legal action when he or she's going under financially and cannot continue to fight for long.
I should say that family members whose loved ones were killed in a hospice setting are outraged by what Wesley Smith continues to write since, as an authority, he is telling them that they don't know what they saw and have suffered!
They've already heard from the "hospice can do no wrongers" from the hospice that killed their loved one: "You are exaggerating!" "You don't understand hospice!" "It was just the natural dying process!" "Poor thing, you're having a difficult time grieving!" "Let our grief counselor help you!"
Just imagine how it feels for the families of victims when those staff who ended their loved ones' life suggest that they counsel these family members who have lost their loved ones to medical murder! Outrageous and intolerable! Think about victims of war whose family members have been killed and then someone (like Smith) telling them, "It didn't happen!" That's how it feels to hear him tell everyone, "Don't believe the stories" that some hospice staff are killing their patients.
Forced death by dehydration is barbaric and cruel! Any doctor who dehydrates a patients violates the Hippocratic Oath. How can any doctor ignore family member's demands to stop the drugging and dehydration? Hospice is America's Hospice Holocaust.
Perhaps only with the power of the pen, Americans will realize the evil that exists in America's healthcare and voice outrage and force changes to end death by forced excessive drugging and dehydration. I never knew this evil existed until my dad was taken to Hospice from my home while I was at work. 31 days later he was murdered at _________ Hospice.
My demands for the doctor to send my Dad home were ignored. My demands for the doctor and nurses to stop drugging my Dad with drugs that he didn't need and never wished to use were ignored. My demands for the doctor and nurse to stop dehydrating my Dad were ignored. Murder is murder no matter where it is committed. My Dad was murdered! There is no doubt that God will judge the doctors and nurses who commit murder in the guise of healthcare or hospice care.
This is a mild letter compared to some we receive, and of course, not every hospice agency or staff is doing these things, but many are. When it happens, the devastation it brings to the family and to the patient are unspeakably wrong. With these and too many other voices of anguish ever in my mind and my heart, I must continue and provide the evidence that proves Ira Byock is not merely a "splendid physician" as Smith writes, but also one of the main forces behind the proliferation of stealth euthanasia in the country.
Even if we must stand alone, and many like Smith join in and deny that hospice professionals have done any serious wrong, we must continue to speak the truth that we know for certain is the truth!
Oh yes, I can see how Ira Byock's writings can mesmerize you and make you into a "true believer" so that you think he's one of the most wonderful end-of-life care professionals out there. He clearly does provide some of the finest end-of-life care possible for many of his patients, but there is more to the story. I can understand that if you know him personally or have heard him talk you might be convinced and find yourself agreeing very enthusiastically with much of what he says, but that doesn't change the facts.
Byock presents the attractive "face" of this evil. He speaks exquisitely of many good things, even love, but is it possible for man to truly love if he does not know humility before God? Byock says, "The healthiest response to death is to love, honor, and celebrate life. To life!" Who can disagree with such words? You have to really pay attention to the details and understand what he means when he uses his words.
Byock does not realize that it is God who has given the spark of life to each of us. It is that glorious spark of life that we see in each other, that we love, and that reflects His glory alone!
Byock recognizes that it is wrong to kill his patients, so he always says that he never does so, but elsewhere in his writings and statements he admits that he performs what Cicely Saunders called slow euthanasia! He not only lies to the public, but he lies to himself. What kind of love is it that would hasten a patient's death when God has forbidden it? But he thinks this concern is of no import when it's done his special way. Yet, I would not wish you to take my word for any of this; find out for yourself what the truth is!
We can be sure that the culture of death rarely if ever announces itself, and those who are part of it do not think of themselves that way at all! In our time, the culture of death hides behind the polished veneer of professionalism, wonderfully-built facilities, and smiling faces even the label "pro-life." They are respected, often intelligent, yet they don't see the world as a person of faith might and don't make the same decisions when it comes to life.
When it comes to hastening death, they re-define what it means to be alive and what it means to kill so that they can kill. If you suggest that many in hospice or palliative care settings are medically-killing patients, they become enraged and offended, and then protest that they never do such things. Meanwhile, Smith endorses these lies as truth and condemns as lies the truthful reports of victims! I wish it were not so! Others all around may praise those who hasten death while pretending to provide "care," but that doesn't mean we must believe them without cause.
.... "the primal social contract is not a contract; it is a covenant. Human beings belong to one another before we are born and long after we die. In a morally healthy society, people are born into the welcoming arms of the human community and die from the reluctant arms of community. Within this covenantal experience, the well-being of others affects my own quality of life .... Our challenge as a moral people is to use those resources wisely, justly, and humanely.
....I am ardently Pro-life, but it has nothing to do with "Pro-life" politics.... The Pro-life agenda we advance is apolitical. We strive to save and preserve people's lives and care for people who go on to die .... The Jewishness of my upbringing revered life more than any notion of God.
Byock, as you can see, is quite eloquent, well-read and articulate, but also completely contemptuous toward God. Since Byock supposedly believes "human beings belong to one another before we are born," why does he enthusiastically support the medical killing of these unborn and the Planned Parenthood facilities that have murdered millions?
If he really believed that human beings belong to one another before we are born, if he truly was "pro-life," he would tell people that the yet to be born are truly human, confirming what science has long established. He would tell the people that these most innocent of all humans deserve our love and protection!
He gives the public a nice "sound bite," but Byock clearly does not believe what he says to the public! He has deceived himself for so long that he may not fully perceive the glaring contradiction between his words and his support for medical killing of those not yet born. And what does Byock mean by a "moral" people? It's not what many people think of when they use the term!
He's very slick! He says that he cares for people's lives and for people who "go on to die," but does not at that point explain how some of his patients "go on to die!" Definitions matter and he doesn't use these words the same way as most people of faith do.
In addition, if respect for human life and human willfulness in defiance of God's will is to be elevated above God, as Byock does, then that is not the actual pro-life position that I and many others embrace. A truly pro-life mission arises first from the acknowledgement of God, with reverence for Him, and then human life is seen in its proper context: created by God, blessed by God, and to be honored because of God. We see God's breath of life within those we serve! Byock is repulsed by that pro-life mission!
He goes on to speak about the importance of caring and how all human beings deserve proper care in so many ways, which anyone would agree with. He does share the insight that many healthcare professionals experience a sense of the sacred when a person is born and when they die. I and many others agree!
While he says that the sacred is "experienced physically and emotionally as complete rightness in the moment," he refuses to admit that God exists and concludes that the experience of the sacred one might encounter in life has nothing to do God. Byock might as well go on to admit that, as a secular humanist physician, he would only accept explanations of human experience that have a physiological psychological basis. It appears that for Byock, "love" becomes nothing more than a matter of neurotransmitters like adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, and the experience of "the sacred" is something similar something that is part of the human experience, perhaps "wonderful" and to be encouraged as he understands these things, but not sacred in any sense that one of faith (or God) would understand the word!
Byock assuredly completely discounts the significance of God telling Moses to remove his sandals because the ground has been made holy or sacred by God's presence there (Exodus 3:5). When Byock experiences, or hears about anyone experiencing "the sacred," he never takes the next step to say, "My God!" "My Lord!" and then reverently bow before Him. How tragic! But of course, Byock wouldn't consider any of this tragic. He doesn't believe in it.
I encourage anyone who wishes to understand more about the culture of death to read Byock's books and articles. Read his words for yourself. You will very likely find yourself agreeing with him on many things and wonder how he could be part of the culture of death at all. If you finally perceive his re-definitions of terms that sound so right, and how he practices, you'll see how his part of the culture of death could be perceived as a very splendid thing to some who are completely infatuated with him.
Byock hides his past associations with the euthanasia society and pretends it doesn't exist. He uses almost the exact language Cicely Saunders and others who are pro-life would, but there are key differences which we will get to, aside from the fact that Saunders was a devoted pro-life Christian who was following a calling, and Byock is anything but that.
When Wesley Smith labels Dr. Saunders' mission as "secular," he quotes a biographer of Saunders who did characterize her mission in this way, and Wesley accepts and endorses this view of her mission. However, what is meant in the biographer's context is that Dr. Saunders did not preach to her patients or clothe the mission in a formally religiously affiliated manner. Yet, when Smith characterizes Dr. Saunders' mission as "secular," he gives the impression that her mission was the same as the secular hospice currently dominating the hospice industry in America.
Smith implies that Dr. Ira Byock is actually continuing in her footsteps and is faithfully serving her mission in his secular practice. That Dr. Saunders chose not to declare a formal religious affiliation for her work is not the same thing as Byock choosing to embrace a strident, secular humanist worldview and practice with utilitarian, secular bioethics as one's guide.
For a moment, consider that those who embrace a culture of death worldview are influencing the direction of our entire nation. We might ask ourselves the question, "If you wished to completely subvert an entire nation built upon a Judeo-Christian worldview and fundamentally move it toward a culture of death by removing all remnants of its former foundation, how would you go about doing it?"
You, and leaders who have come before you, would say the things people wished to hear so you might attain power. You would continue to appear to be affirming traditional values so long as needed, while doing things that not only contradict those values but undermine and re-form every fundamental branch of society. You would hide the ruthless, cold heart within and display the loving facade that your supporters adore.
Over time, you would re-make each of those branches of society in a different image, and appoint those who reject the traditional worldview to influential positions, judgeships and highest-level administrators of the law, so they and you might carry out and continue the transformation. You would sabotage the adherence to traditional law while making new laws that favored the changes sought.
It may be that one day the people will awaken and see that an almost universally unrecognized and silent coup d'état has already occurred.
When observing such a leader's actions, many, even "great political analysts" who did not understand him at all, might accuse him of being weak, naive, incompetent, crazy, or even ignorant. However, when his actions were viewed with such a transformation in mind, everything he did would be seen to be consistent with the sole goal of fundamentally and irreversibly changing the nation as he originally set out to do. When the scales fall away from our eyes, we may see that the actions that would be done by an enemy are being done by an enemy within.
You say that such a thing could never happen? In the face of a manufactured crisis the arson burning of the German legislative building, the Reichstag, and the assigning of blame for it to the communists by Hitler's Nazi supporters, along with other strong-arm tactics and political maneuverings Adolf Hitler was appointed to power by those who were democratically-elected, and then later "democratically" (but not without coercion) given even further powers. Even if many at the time and later did consider him weak, naive, incompetent, crazy or ignorant, he was able to do unspeakable evil!
Yes, there were many who recognized what he was and what he wanted to do, but just the same, there were many who were enthralled with him and facilitated his ascent to tyrannical power. Just imagine yourself in the Germany of the 1930s watching all the changes coming your way and being unable to do anything about it. Hitler was a National Socialist, not a Marxist socialist. He was a statist and enemy to the democratically-run German nation of his time, yet managed a coup d'état without military conquest.
The same has happened here though the final stages are only now coming into view and the full ramifications of this change are yet to be realized. The philosophy behind this statist push is not "German nationalism" or "Aryan supremacy" but something that some see now and will be more clearly seen by most in the very near future. When a "justice department" no longer applies the force of the law to all equally, allows the targeting of groups that are pro-life, conservative and Christian, and also selects which laws to select and which ones to ignore, then we must open our eyes to see that the protection of the law no longer extends equally to all citizens.
When the saintly, pro-life Little Sisters of the Poor are opposed by this statist regime with an anti-life Justice Department,7 you can know with certainty that the federal government is no longer on the side of protecting human decency, life, fundamental morality, or basic Constitutional rule. We can know that cronyism, nepotism and many other corrupt practices are to be expected. Discrimination against those of faith is increasing in frequency within many Western nations including the U.S.
Whether you believe these things or not, whether you laugh and think these statements are complete nonsense, matters not. Those who agree with Wesley Smith's "progressive" hospice cheerleading that virtually nothing terribly wrong is occurring and that no deaths are being imposed in hospice settings may ridicule reports that reflect the truth. The realities in our nation and within our healthcare system remain. Those who have experienced these things directly know the truth and suffer the daily anguish that colors their lives, contrary to any propaganda shared through the media, the government, or through some "progressive" - conservative blogs.
When it comes to our nation, the most pressing question is whether our nation that was built upon Judeo-Christian values and law, and established a unique Constitutional rule, can ever be reclaimed and restored. In the past, our nation and its leaders have honored the Christian worldview and have simultaneously especially sought to protect each individual's right to believe as he or she wished, because it was a voluntary, willing faith that was sought, not something to be imposed upon any individual.
What do we see now? We can see someone who rejects the sanctify of life, who makes all citizens fund medical killing of the unborn with their taxes, who rejects the sanctity of the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman and rejects the Judeo-Christian biblical stand, and who is a statist, running our country. To understate the problem: socialistic statism is antithetical to American Constitutional rule and to basic freedom.
You may ask why I might wish to mention any of these things in an article about end-of-life care. Ask yourself, "What kind of healthcare will there be when an anti-life, anti-Christian, secular federal government controls all of it?" "Will pro-life values guide the decision-making?" Or, "Will secular humanist, utilitarian values guide the decision-making?" Where do you think our country is headed under its current leadership (of either political party)? The mission of life is neither Left nor Right and belongs to no political party, yet the established power in both is opposing that mission!
When it comes to end-of-life care, those who support a socialized healthcare system, who actively reject the culture of life Dr. Byock and his key fellow activists have guided this industry to a very dark position. When it comes to this niche of healthcare, we must ask ourselves a similar question, "Can we restore a culture of life so that healthcare again becomes a safe haven where all patients can trust that their caregivers will care for them and not kill them at some point?"
Before we answer that question, we must understand what has occurred in healthcare, just as we must understand what has happened to our nation. We must ask and then find the answer to this question: "If one wished to subvert the end-of-life care mission that Cicely Saunders brought to the world without anyone noticing, how would you do it?" They'd do it in exactly the same way that a nation's moral fabric and system of laws and their nature have been overturned and then changed!
You'd choose to outwardly appear to be doing the same things Dr. Saunders did, say most of the same things she said as Byock does so well but then introduce incremental changes through private organizations, supposedly "well-meaning" nonprofit "charitable organizations,"8 and governmental agencies. You'd bring legal actions to obtain court rulings that favored the changes sought and you'd manipulate governmental bureaucracies so they would firmly establish the complete change of direction for the mission.
You would re-define terms and teach a different approach so that traditional standards and restraints were replaced without the public's awareness and were violated without being recognized as violations!
You would "talk the talk," but be willing to walk a path Dr.Saunders never walked! You might have "all the expertise in the world" concerning the management of the many end-stage diseases that are confronted in end-of-life care. You might speak with the eloquence of angels! People might find you truly inspirational! You might be masterful in how you applied medical intervention to relieve suffering at the end of life, but you would base all decision-making upon secular bioethics9 with the inevitable, consequent willingness to choose to end the lives of some patients at a certain point, by one means or another.
When Byock began his practice as a new physician working in family practice and end-of-life care, secular bioethics was the thrilling "new wave" that hit the industry hard. He had no resistance to adopting these new formulations of purportedly ethical principles since they were consistent with the progressive worldview he already had. Later as a hospice leader and emergency physician in Montana, he continued the work of inserting secular values into the work of end-of-life care. Today, when he suggests we use scarce healthcare resources "wisely," "justly," and "humanely," he doesn't use the words the same way most people do! He tells us he is a secular humanist and he uses these words with secular bioethical meanings!
These new basic principles that guided the supposedly "ethical" performance of research and healthcare were jumbled together by the "Belmont Commission" established earlier by Congress and then codified into federal law in 1979. The principles became mandatory policy for all federal employees, federally-funded research at the universities and all public health departments. It also found its way into all the courts and the legal system, the medical and nursing schools, and the rest of society. These principles were also independently adopted in other nations as well so we can now understand what has happened to Western civilization.
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.
The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice?
Supposing "that morality can be maintained without religion" is exactly what was done by the Congress's adoption of the principles in the Belmont Report. The federal government's adoption of the secular bioethical "principles" was the equivalent of an ethical atomic bomb that obliterated everything that formed the foundation for a culture of life in healthcare settings. It was, in essence, the rewriting by man of the Ten Commandments. God knew, of course, but who among us really noticed?
When it comes to healthcare, figuratively speaking, no matter how wonderful the "soup" that the cook, i.e., physician, prepares, when you add just a little poison to the mix, the entire pot is spoiled! If one type of "spice" (secular bioethical principle) doesn't work to justify ending the patient's life, then the physician just chooses another "spice" (secular bioethical principle) till he gets the desired result: death.
After the adoption of the Belmont principles, how would you spread this revolution in ethics to all physicians? You would train the trainers to follow your lead and teach healthcare workers to practice with a completely different spirit. Not only would you present the mission differently, but you would omit the most important aspects of the mission: reverence for God and reverence for the lives He gives to us so that we may learn to serve as He would have us serve.
Byock is the man who chose to work with others and do exactly these things to end-of-life practice so that the mission Cicely Saunders brought would be subverted for his own aims. Although he observed end-of-life practice both in America and in England, because he brought to the patient care setting a diametrically different worldview, he experienced the delivery of end-of-life care from his own perspective. Byock clearly never understood or shared Saunders' mission, even though he's been working in the field ever since to promote his secular re-invention of the mission.
Saunders was the one that fought and overcame the medical establishment's backwardness just as Florence Nightingale had done with regard to hospital care settings but her focus was life-affirming end-of-life care. She initiated research and implemented the latest and most effective medical means of relieving pain, while paying attention to the whole person and the complete environment, as Florence Nightingale had taught. Saunders extended the work of Nightingale into the end-of-life care niche of healthcare and addressed the "total pain" the patient may be experiencing.
Remember, even though she later became a medical social worker and then physician, Dr. Cicely Saunders had first been trained as a Nightingale nurse! She thought as a Christian pro-life nurse whose focus therefore was on affirming the sanctity of life and serving the dear Lord in allowing patients to live fully until the time that they would die naturally. This is a focus and mission that Byock never embraced! While she worked with and was surrounded by a largely secular society, Dr. Saunders' mission was "secular" only in its outward appearance!"
Byock and others like him have illicitly ridden the waves of enthusiasm generated by Dr. Saunders' work, aped the language and practices she developed and have been received ever since by the public as if they were her own. The public, just like Wesley Smith, could not have been more mistaken! Most of the public would be unable to discern the difference between Saunders and Byock, and many even applaud Byock for introducing his secular version of end-of-life care. Why would Wesley Smith applaud Byock's example and role in end-of-life care?
Byock has demonstrated that similar to many physicians who practice in harmony with Saunders' mission, he not only has acquired from them a wealth of knowledge, but is also motivated by the wish to do the very best for his patients according to what he believes is right He sets himself out as an authority to tell the world how to "die well" and how to change healthcare so that it provides the "best care possible."
Yet, having had decades to find his place in the world, to determine where he stands on the issues relevant to patient care to discern and contemplate Saunders' pro-life mission, or the mission of life he informs us that he absolutely does not share Saunders' love for God or believe in Him at all, doesn't hear the same call, and does not possess reverence for life as she did. He clearly shows us that he doesn't share her mission!
When they say "science," they mean science that denies any reality but that which can be studied by physical scientific means, i.e., scientism. When they adopt a "consequentialist ethical system," they mean that the consequences alone are what's important. They say that if the results achieved by an action are "good," then the act taken to achieve the goal is good or "justified."
Many secular humanists believe that the ends do justify the means, but they hide this from the public and pretend they care about the means! They often try to find a way to rationalize what they do so they may appear "ethical" to the general public. With this secular view of all things, Byock has forged ahead with great determination to shape the end-of-life care industry according to his mission.
Byock and others like him have successfully lobbied those in the health insurance industry and those shaping the federal government for decades so that the secular version of end-of-life care is the standard. Over the past few decades as secular hospice has spread around the country, most small, pro-life Jewish or Christian hospices have been either forced out of business through unfair business practices, swallowed up by larger non-profit hospice corporations, or simply been marginalized through extreme competitive and cutthroat marketing by the larger non-profit and for profit hospice chains. How many hospice agencies today would affirm the Hospice Life Pledge14 written by several pro-life leaders and hospice professionals about ten years ago?
The involvement of socialist-leaning physicians like Byock (and others just like him) in shaping government imposed healthcare reform and end-of-life care is entrenching the culture of death into the very fabric of our nation's healthcare system! Virtually all families will be confronted at some point by Byock's version of hospice and palliative care; in some cases they will be quite satisfied, but in other cases they will be horrified, as confirmed by the constant stream of reports received by patient advocacy organizations all across the country.
What Byock means by the U.S. "death-denying culture" might be debated but generally, his implication is that too many Americans with a "poor quality of life" are having their lives "wrongly" prolonged through life-saving interventions when it would be more appropriate to let these patients die. While it was the 20th century physicians themselves that removed dying from the family home where most of us would prefer to die, well-intentioned physicians were sincerely seeking to save lives in the acute care hospitals through the use of modern medical technology, surgery and medicine.
I would agree that in some ways they went too far so that death and birth have been "medicalized." What should be the natural process of birth and death was hidden from the family view. The hospice setting provided by Christian nuns in England where Saunders first experienced better ways of serving terminally-ill patients provided another model that encouraged family contact and affirmed the lives of the patients so that the family relationships were strengthened. Saunders continued and developed this type of care while eventually seeing to it that such care was also provided in the patient's own home.
Those who have faith do not deny death and do recognize its natural place in the spectrum of the human life cycle, but we do insist that basic care such as food and water and other simple treatments be continued so long as they are helpful. We believe that a life well-lived and affirmed leads to a so-called death with dignity, because dignity is something living patients possess. The dead do not care about such things.
Those who embrace the prevailing culture of death are increasingly calling for the removal of food and water and other basic forms of care when patients' lives are judged to have what they call a "poor quality of life." Ironically, although Byock's books and articles emphasize the close, personal attention he as a physician provides his patients, predictably, the bureaucratic change establishing government-run universal healthcare that he has sought for decades is drastically reducing the opportunities for such physician-patient interaction. These and other changes deny many physicians the ability to control their patients' care, because bureaucrats are now setting lower reimbursement rates for certain procedures and segments of the population and therefore shape the provision of, or failure to provide, care.
When, due to intentionally lowered reimbursement rates, the provision of care to certain categories of patients becomes an actual drain on the financial well-being of hospitals and physician practices, as it already has done, that care is no longer offered and increasing numbers of elderly, disabled, and chronically-ill patients are manipulated into secular-styled hospices around the country.15 In addition, many rural and even some regional hospitals have already been, or will be, forced to close their doors completely! Byock regularly touts the economic benefits of shunting patients into hospice, and now, secular hospice and palliative care is being merged into the continuum of healthcare from the beginning of life to the end.
One might wonder why Byock has been so successful when his mission is so starkly different from Dr. Saunders'. Byock has adopted much of the same body of knowledge and applied it in his end-of-life care. He knows how to tell stories and connect with his readers, patients and audiences. He is charming, witty, intelligent, persuasive, and caring in his own way (up to a point).
When you read Byock's description of his elderly father's last days living with pancreatic cancer, it's impossible not to experience a great sense of admiration for both father and son and to feel your heart strings pulled.16 By sharing moving accounts of several other patients in his books, he introduces what he calls "best practices" in hospice and palliative care. Much of what he shares is actually good advice. However, if you didn't know much about the reality of hospices past and present, as well as the intricacies of what goes into professional pro-life hospice care, you might be fooled into thinking that if all hospice staff practiced the way Dr. Byock describes, they could do little wrong.
The progressive crowd recognizes him as progressive. The pro-life crowd has no idea what he really is! That's why Smith's wholehearted endorsement of Ira Byock is so misleading and damaging to those in the pro-life community who trust his judgment!
Byock is absolutely not pro-life at all!
When university medical centers, colleges, or major media outlets arrange debates between assisted-suicide supporters and those who oppose it, Byock (or someone like him) is regularly chosen as a speaker to oppose legalization and he does oppose legalization. But arranging the debate in this way sets up a false dichotomy making it appear that these are the only two existing positions! What is being done is having the overt euthanasia movement supporters debate the covert euthanasia ("slow euthanasia") supporters, like Byock or those who whole-heartedly promote secular hospice and palliative care without ever exposing the imposed deaths occurring in these secular healthcare settings. There is a third position which is the authentic pro-life position held by Dr. Saunders and those who follow her example. Representatives of these groups are not invited!
There is no real difference in many cases between assisted-suicide and direct active euthanasia if the patient is unable to take the lethal prescription on his or her own. Once a patient is terminally sedated by hospice or palliative care staff, there is no real difference between that and euthanasia, because death is being imposed by others. That it takes one second, minute, day, or a week or two (like Byock's slow euthanasia) doesn't really change what is being done to the patient.
Wesley Smith states, "Ira Byock" [is] "a friend of mine who I respect greatly as one of the country's leading hospice physicians."20 I do not fault Smith for befriending one like Byock who shares some of his "progressive" leanings. Byock is a leading hospice physician. However, I pointedly do not agree with his support for Planned Parenthood and do not welcome his influence on the hospice and palliative care industry!
Everyone should have an advance directive to protect himself from unnecessary medical treatment at the end of life.
Withholding/withdrawing food and water is a natural – and even pleasant – way to die, and is a perfectly ethical means of controlling the time of death.
"The principle of double effect" can be used to justify terminal sedation.
Byock practices in a way that has formally been condemned by Dr. Cicely Saunders and hundreds of other physicians who share her mission.
"The cessation of eating and drinking is the dominant way that mammals die," said Dr. Ira Byock, director of palliative medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. "It is a very gentle way that nature has provided for animals to leave this life."
Byock's spiel about the "wonders" of stopping eating and drinking and then dying, are repeated by thousands of hospice workers all over the country, even when the patient is demanding food and water and is being involuntarily killed! Byock's implementation of terminal sedation when it is not clinically indicated is a choice to end life.
Byock knowingly deceives others when he mentions what happens when a patient is actively dying,25 how patients at that very end stage do not eat or drink and then makes his students and the general public believe that the stopping of eating and drinking when the patient is not at the very end-stage and not actively dying, is the same thing. It is not the same thing at all and he knows it! In addition, there is a huge difference between those who are involuntarily terminally-sedated and those who actively wish to commit suicide in this way.
Dr. William Chavey, assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, has admitted that hospice "can be manipulated by people with other agendas. That could be family members or a nurse who believes it is compassionate to hasten the death of a terminally ill person."26 In the accounts of patient care that Byock shares, he never admits that hospice professionals might hasten death intentionally, yet he reveals that he is willing to sedate patients into death even if they have no physical pain or none of the clinically-required criteria exactly what Saunders called "slow euthanasia."
The use of terminal sedation, under physicians like Byock, has deviated from the clinical requirement that it only be used to treat severe terminal agitation, psychosis, or intractable physical pain of various sorts, to treating many additional symptoms such as depression, feelings of meaninglessness at the end-of-life, not wishing to be a burden on family members, or not wishing to experience a loss of dignity or control by becoming dependent upon others.
Though Byock certainly does not appear to be practicing this slow euthanasia on all his patients, and makes a point that patients must agree and seek this form of hastened death willingly, thousands of other physicians and nurses in the hospice industry have taken his widely publicized and early lead as a "wink and a nod" to expand even further, to even routinely practice this slow euthanasia on their patients. Byock very clearly mentions this practice in his book, Dying Well, published almost twenty years ago!
We know that he has exerted tremendous influence through his leadership roles in the hospice industry and through his role in the training of generations of palliative care physicians. Innumerable and continuing reports about this practice made by physicians, nurses, social workers and thousands of families who contact dozens of patient advocacy organizations around the country confirm how widespread it is!
Though Smith is very much opposed to assisted-suicide, and the founder of secular bioethics, Arthur Caplan, is supposedly a "reluctant" supporter of assisted-suicide, the two joined together since they both are ardent supporters of today's modern, secular hospice and palliative care industry. They wrote a USA Today article27 addressing their concerns about the way the U.S. government sets up the Medicare hospice benefit. They quote Byock in support of their conclusion that patients facing a terminal illness should not have to give up curative care in order to benefit from hospice. Both support expanded utilization of hospice and palliative care by the public.
Yes, there certainly are serious problems with how the Congress set up the Medicare hospice benefit that can be summarized as a dilemma between offering patients the choice to "give up hope" and enter hospice, or the choice to continue curative care. It might actually be a good idea to allow terminally-ill patients access to curative treatments while receiving end-of-life care, but that would depend upon the character of that end-of-life care. Will it be pro-life or culture of death care?
Smith and Caplan praise the U.K.'s system where patients can enter hospice and still pursue another round of chemotherapy for cancer, for example hoping that it might help. As if the U.K. has a better system than the U.S.'s healthcare system! We could spend hours discussing the egregious trampling of patients' rights through their infamous "National Health System" and the denial of care and especially the well-known scandal-ridden "Liverpool Care Pathway" that exactly mirrors Dr. Byock's preferred method for stealth euthanasia.28 It all sounds so great, until you understand the details!
The Liverpool Care Pathway was developed to support patients as they near death. But the reality for patients and families has been mixed.
There are problems with a controversial regime that allows doctors to withdraw treatment in the last days of life, doctors have admitted.
Smith has elsewhere written to condemn the misuse of the Liverpool Care Pathway in the U.K., so it is odd that Smith chooses to praise the U.K.'s National Health Service. Are we to believe that if the "hospice reach" is expanded by allowing patients to access curative treatments while still in hospice, that these types of imposed deaths would not also occur in hospices in the United States? The evidence that they are already occurring here is overwhelming. Too many healthcare professionals and families have told us about patients that were involuntarily terminally-sedated! So much for the in Byock's view "ideal" scenarios he paints that, with supposed "safeguards," require the patient's permission and request for slow euthanasia.
The push that Byock and many other hospice leaders are creating to allow patients to access curative services and still be enrolled in hospice settings might be a step that would allow some to be cured and then be discharged from hospice. On the other hand, I believe the actual intent is to expand the reach of the hospice and palliative care industry to patients who are not expected to die within six months, but do access acute hospital care and therefore require extensive and costly services. This is "expanding hospice share."
Even if patients are nominally "allowed" curative procedures, by allowing the end-of-life care industry to enroll these patients, I believe many of them will actually end up dying sooner, just as is occurring in the United Kingdom. Are we really supposed to believe that the industry doesn't wish to gain market share to bolster their revenue stream, or believe that those looking to the federal budget do not wish to reduce expenditures by getting more patients into hospice and palliative care? Of course, making more money for the industry and reducing expenditures by government is the major impetus behind this push. If Smith believes this is all about the "good" of the individual patient, he is extremely naive!
Getting back to Byock, when it comes to the practice of slow euthanasia, Byock does not discuss the repercussions that affect other family members. Even if a patient requests and gives permission for slow euthanasia which is a form of suicide when so requested there are other family members who do not accept it, who are pierced with the evil act and are never the same again. Suicide of any sort, even Byock's "self-requested" slow euthanasia/suicide devastates many family members. I hear from these family members regularly!
I have a cousin whose daughter committed suicide several years ago and it affected the entire extended family and still does! It is a terribly evil act even if it appears as if the patient only goes to sleep. So do those famous cases we hear about regularly where someone drank alcohol and then took several medications or drugs and are found dead the next morning. These individuals also "slept" into death, and nobody pretends that it was anything but a suicide! Even when the patient suffers from a terminal illness, the untimeliness of the imposed death, the theft of life and time with others, is a loss that many do not accept at all, and must be condemned.
Individual autonomy, i.e., "permission," used by Byock to justify his act of slowly euthanizing willing patients, is the same autonomy that motivates them to commit suicide when they can. Autonomy is not the highest law in a moral world governed by divine law that tells each one of us: "You shall not murder!" ... even if it is your own life you take. Yet, individual autonomy is accorded the highest value in guiding such a decision if it justifies taking life, even one's own. Secular bioethics in theory and practice is without a doubt tilted in favor of intending death and against preserving life.
If we are to help protect the public, patient advocates and life-affirming bioethicists must be willing to ferret out the truth whatever it is and then share what is accurate about healthcare, including not only the truly wonderful, but also the unpalatable, the shocking, as well as the deceptive.
The public must be and can only be fully informed and forewarned when we make our best effort to provide all the facts. But when it comes to Byock, how can we understand such a man? Byock clearly appears to be sincere, but sincerity alone does not make a man's actions moral. He declares that he has no faith at all in the God of his people, has no regard for allowing God to choose a man's time of death, and denies that by terminally-sedating his patients, he even intends to hasten their death.
That kind of hope leaves me completely disenchanted and empty. For those of us with faith, dying is not the hardest, least desirable time in our lives. The period in our lives when we did not know the dear Lord is the least desirable and darkest time in our lives! Byock suggests that we should find a way to feel "well within ourselves" and "right with the world." I ask, "What about getting right with and therefore feeling right with God?"
Byock cannot share what he admits he does not have: faith. He cannot offer God's love and forgiveness to his patients. He cannot point the way for them and share any good news that will last through eternity. Dr. Cicely Saunders certainly had more to share. She radiated the message of God's love.
Byock can lie to himself and others as long as he wishes about not killing any patients, but the truth remains about his practice of slow euthanasia. He describes it in detail in his book, Dying Well! Cicely Saunders certainly knew the difference!
You must recognize that you have a terminal illness (X, Y, or Z), and therefore you are going to die soon.
You will undoubtedly die from either a major stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, pulmonary edema or some other end-stage condition (fill in the blank) that is very likely to be distressful.
You will therefore suffer in dying that way [dying from the actual terminal illness].
Let me make a suggestion: Did you know that you can choose to stop eating and drinking? If you do, I can sedate you so that you remain comfortable throughout this process.
If you choose this method of dying, sedation into death, you will die peacefully and without pain. I promise you will not be in pain.
Think about it and I'll discuss this with you later.
Have you thought about what we discussed?
Are you ready now to go to sleep and end your life through terminal sedation?
You want to go ahead? OK, we'll begin. Again, I promise that I will not allow you to be in pain.
Notice the results: the physician (Byock) or nurse exploits their position of authority in the physician - patient relationship to first advise the patient that this type of slow euthanasia is not only permissible but moral and an encouraged intervention! What is a patient or family member to believe? "Dr. Byock says, "It's OK," so it must be right!"
Quill supports implementing this death protocol for any type of suffering, physical or otherwise, where the patient wishes to commit suicide and clearly understands that that is what is occurring. The "other intervening complications" of terminal sedation are organ and system failure that result from dehydration. In other words, the patient might die from the induced inadequate blood volume that then results in circulatory collapse, or from damage to the organs and systems resulting from the inadequate blood supply to those organs all caused from the slow euthanasia Byock and others promote.
The patient doesn't die from the terminal illness if terminal sedation is applied to a patient who is not actively dying already! Dr. Quill makes it extremely clear that the intent is to hasten death, resulting in an imposed death, not a natural death at all, and, understanding that this is intentional ending of life, Quill supports it enthusiastically.
This is neither pure active euthanasia where you act to kill directly by administering a lethal dose, nor is it pure passive euthanasia where you only withhold something needed by the patient to live. This is one of the reasons it is confusing to many onlookers and why it is also rightly called a stealth euthanasia. To make it seem even more confusing, terminal sedation is also called palliative, permanent, or total sedation.
Byock doesn't suggest that he applies this strategy immediately or with every patient. He "magnanimously" allows the patient and family to have some time to do the traditional end-of-life work encouraged by Dr. Saunders or others and work on their "unfinished business" and have an opportunity to heal relationships. Yet, who determines when someone has completed this work, God or a mere man like Ira?
This is exactly the type of slow euthanasia recently passed by the lower house of the French parliament,39 and is expected to be approved and passed into law by their Senate in a few months. It's being called the "deep sleep" bill and would allow the legalization of terminal sedation into death by patient request, exactly what Byock approves and practices as he determines according to his "great wisdom." Many in France recognize that this is a form of euthanasia, but Ira seemingly doesn't understand this! Really?
Recently, many hospice agencies have actually been required to submit proof that they are a member of the NHPCO in order to become an approved hospice provider for the "Advanced Illness" programs and to be reimbursed by the government approved insurance companies! Just think about those few pro-life administrators of hospices that remain and imagine how they feel about being required to join what is the current covert form of the Euthanasia Society of America!
The NHPCO offers many opportunities for hospice and palliative care professionals to attend conferences, to network, to call for advice, to purchase training materials for the hospice administrators, nursing supervisors and their staff, and more all of it created with the worldview that is informed by secular humanism never reverence for life. All of these materials are designed to indoctrinate hospice leaders and staff to spread the secular way of practicing, secular bioethics, and allows for hastened deaths through slow euthanasia, though they always publicly deny this.
Hospice and palliative care administrators working in line with the NHPCO's status as the successor organization to the Euthanasia Society of America (the corporate history is clear), naturally control their employees' environment, and therefore, can choose to only employ those who support the secular humanist vision of the mission. They will train new employees to think a certain way, act a certain way, and believe a certain way, contrary to the former Judeo-Christian worldview. Employees become "true believers" in the secular mission and are often found to be extremely offended if you question what they do, just as a religious fanatic will become outraged if you insult aspects of their belief system.
In addition to controlling the environment of employees, they control the information that surrounds them at work, at conferences, and in training materials they are to study at work and at home. The most common elements of a cult are in place: control of the environment, the information, and the ideology (secular humanism). Terms are re-defined, principles of ethics are re-defined, and the mission is re-defined. Peer pressure is used to assure the adherence to the secular humanist point of view and manner of practice.
A "holier than thou" attitude is commonly demonstrated; these practitioners believe they are doing "sacred work" when they hasten death, and intolerance for any other view is evident. Any employee who questions the secular humanist worldview and affirms a sanctity of life ethic is ridiculed, harassed, and forced out so the work environment is maintained in its evil "purity." A similar intolerance by those who share such secular humanist dogmas has been demonstrated on many college campuses around the country: students who simply stand with pro-life signs have had their signs ripped from their hands and stomped upon by these "neutral," "unbiased," "impartial" zealots.
Those healthcare professionals who work in this way, with this worldview, assert that they are "objective," "fair," "impartial," ethically "neutral," and that they do not impose anything upon any others. Yet, they do not tolerate opposing views and shout down those who disagree with them. Secular humanism and its secular bioethics is not only another type of "faith" with its own dogma and ethical bias, it is intolerant in ways that the authentically faithful Jewish or Christian believers could never be.
They actually condemn the beliefs of those of faith and seek to make others celebrate and affirm their worldview, sometimes even criminalizing those who believe in a way that challenges their view. For example, a physician who refused to perform an abortion or assisted-suicide (where legal), or refused to refer to others who are willing to do so, is viewed as having acted "unethically" and is targeted.
There is a movement to deny medical conscience rights so all healthcare professionals are forced to actively participate in, or cooperate with, the culture of death. If they refuse, many argue that these medical professionals should forfeit their license to practice and with it their careers. In other words, those who disobey the supposedly "ethically neutral" dictates of this secular humanist and mostly socialist crowd are to be destroyed!
The zealots who support their asserted "right" to have medical professionals kill them (or others deemed to have a "poor quality of life"), insist that medical professionals be forced to do so. They often lie and accuse their opponents of "cruelly forcing individuals to suffer" if they oppose legalization of assisted-suicide or euthanasia.
Of course, it is absolutely right to relieve the pain of those who are approaching death (Proverbs 31:6-7)! But, it is not right to end their lives by your own hand, however slow or deceptive the means used may be! It is God who appoints our time of death, even if Byock mocks what he calls "conservative, pro-lifers" who believe this. Byock styles himself as a "progressive" pro-lifer who is more "enlightened!"
Contrary to Byock's willingness to hasten death, we have a duty to live and to allow others to live. Whether we are a caregiver or a patient, we have a purpose to fulfill until that time comes. We may not understand the purpose at all times, but He does! What use He will make of us, what He can teach us in our very last days (that Byock shortens with some patients), and how it may affect some of those who remain is for those others to experience for themselves.
God does have a plan for us and none of us know what any new day may hold for us, even if we suffer from a terrible, terminal illness and are living our very last days. But Ira, like hundreds of other secular humanist physicians, cares little for the scripture or for God's will in the matter.
that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day [Emphasis added].
God gave us His law through Moses, the prophets, and the dear Lord Jesus in order to assure the well-being of all people, so that we may live well until He takes us. He has told us how to live and die well, but Byock suggests that he knows better! Byock doesn't care about the divine law. For years he has been ready with the same deceptive charade responding to those who question him, saying, I don't practice euthanasia or assisted-suicide! I am against them. They are terribly wrong, he says, and facilely lists the reasons why they are wrong.
Byock never qualifies his answer to honestly and fully explain his actual position. What Ira should say is that he doesn't support active direct euthanasia or assisted-suicide, but does favor stealth or undeclared euthanasia through terminal sedation for some of his patients even when they are not actively dying and do not need sedation.
His oft-repeated line is that it is much better for patients to die in hospice and palliative care settings so they can get excellent end-of-life care defined as a "progressive," secular humanist would define it. Once clinically-inappropriate terminal sedation that imposes death has been re-defined as not killing and that is what he teaches others he can deny that he has ever killed any patient. Following his lead, any end-of-life care professional can then provide it!
That his patients may have agreed to it does not make it moral, even if secular bioethicists have approved this practice based upon their interpretation of the principle, "patient autonomy" or "respect for persons." This secular principle42 is not the same thing as respect for life! Any individual like Byock who says they are "pro-life," yet is willing to hasten death through slow euthanasia based upon this secular principle, is obviously not pro-life!
Byock doesn't see that he is condemning his own practice! It is becoming increasingly clear that this profession is becoming "society's answer to suffering and the high costs of dying." Even as he warns others about euthanasia or assisted-suicide, Ira continues to eliminate some sufferers when he "alleviates their suffering!"
In addition, he mis-applies the law of double-effect44 when he fails to mention that the law of double-effect also states that a worthy and moral goal cannot be achieved through evil means! He also deceives the public when he states that the death of a patient who is terminally sedated into death is "unintended!" He certainly intends death to occur due to his interventions and not due to the patient's terminal illness, so his goal is wrong and the means he uses are wrong. He's simply not honest about what he is doing and seeks to hide behind a charade of ethical "reasoning."
Byock has no idea what could have been, or what God may have done with those patients he sedated into death, had the patient been allowed to live longer. But, he doesn't believe in those things. He is not concerned about the days not lived. Byock and those who mirror his end-of-life care practice are pretenders who have clothed themselves in the glorious Christian mission that Dr. Cicely Saunders brought us!
You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life.
She never told a patient, "I will help you to die" or "I will shorten the days you have till you die," but she did tell them in so many ways, "I will help you to live well until you die! Her work was about helping people who were still here and caring for them. Death comes of its own accord.
Byock is like someone who pours black dye into the refreshing, clear waters of a beautiful swimming pool, making all the water so dark that you can't see anything inside it. Then he throws just one small shark in the water and asks you to jump in while telling you, "Trust me! Don't worry, there are no big sharks in the water! He never tells you about the "itty bitty shark" that still kills you. Of course, it is a "beneficent" shark and will only bite you for your own good, i.e., actually, the "good of society!" And maybe if you're lucky, you won't be the one bitten when several jump in for a swim.
Byock's recommendations for change in the end-of-life care industry are the same as Wesley Smith's46 and do not focus on reforming hospice agencies themselves at all. They mainly fall into the position: We need more healthcare professionals trained in hospice and palliative care so those nearing the end-of-life can avoid acute hospital care and be properly cared for. When these are provided, patients won't need or request assisted-suicide.... Well, I would agree if such care were defined and provided to patients as Dr. Saunders practiced it!
Some good advice and moving stories are shared. Many have adopted his system using these four things as a part of the secular hospice industry's own form of "spirituality" in order to counsel patients at the end-of-life. Aside from the inadequacy of such a hospice industry "spirituality" that is very much a "reality" being offered to patients, I cannot accept Byock's assertion that these are the four things that matter most.
out of the house of slavery.
God is making man aware of God. He reminds us how awesome He is! In other words, God is the One who matters most! Byock can't even begin to go down this road with his patients. Even if healthcare professionals do not preach about their faith, if they radiate that faith, patients understand and there is a communication and connection blessed by the Holy Spirit.
God is the One who can heal our relationships. When we choose to make Him central in our lives, not just as a concept, but as One we actually relate to with every breath we take, all the rest falls into its rightful place. We don't assign greater importance to anything or anyone.
It is the very loss of this central relationship that makes us look outward for fulfillment and causes the damaged relationships to arise in the first place. Only after this central relationship is cultivated with great care and reverence can our relationships be not only as He intended them to be, but as we would wish them to be if we are in the right frame of mind truly rational and truly sane. This is the key to the ultimate healing of relationships on every level.
Byock can't voice anything about God, because for his entire life he has continuously expressly rejected God and chosen his defiant, "progressive," secular humanist approach to everything in life. No matter how much of a "feel good," +"I'm OK, You're OK," "Everything is wonderful if we only do this or that" advice he shares, so long as he pushes God away, he will always continue to widely miss the mark.
When we try to understand what Byock and Kaplan had in mind, it would be good to ask ourselves, How exactly did these leaders of the current form of the Euthanasia Society plan on "eliminating the suffering of dying Americans?" Would it be too hard to believe that assisted-suicide, direct euthanasia, covert/slow euthanasia, or other stealth euthanasia methods might be the eventual methods they hoped to popularize? Would that be too hard to believe when we consider what the goals of the Euthanasia Society might have been at that time? Is there any reason to believe the goals have changed?
If there is any doubt in anyone's mind about what Byock, Kaplan and others were up to, in 1989, Choice in Dying, earlier called "Society for the Right to Die," convened a panel of 12 physicians who wrote an article, "The Physician's Responsibility toward Hopelessly Ill Patients,"50 supporting the legalization of assisted-suicide and euthanasia the exact opposite of the organization's public stance in 2000! Doublespeak and conscious deception have been routine with this crowd for decades!
Interesting again to note that Ronald Cranford, MD, a neurologist and co-author of this very journal article, was one of the main physicians relied upon by euthanasia attorney George Felos and Michael Schiavo to support imposing death upon the disabled victim, Terri Schiavo.51 at the hospice run by Byock's friend and fellow Partnership for Caring board member, Mary Labyak.
We have to realize that when he and Kaplan re-named Choice in Dying as Partnership for Caring, he had already been practicing in end-of-life care for almost twenty years! He knew what he was doing then. He knew who they were and joined the current form of the Euthanasia Society of America in its efforts! If there were any twinges of conscience warning him away, he did the opposite.
Byock doesn't talk much today about his choice to align himself for many years with the Euthanasia Society. While he does not talk about his membership and leadership role in Choice in Dying, Partnership for Caring and Last Acts Partnership, his basic goal remains the same. Ione Whitlock of Belbury Review52 and Elizabeth Wickham, PhD of Lifetree.org have given us detailed charts and timelines53 showing the behind-the-scenes connections that have formed the foundation for the current culture of death. Smith knows more about this than most people in pro-life advocacy!
Who were just a few of Byock's major decades-long partners in the subverting of hospice and palliative care?
Karen Orloff Kaplan, MPH., ScD., Exec Dir of Choice in Dying (Euthanasia Soc of America), CEO of Partnership for Caring, Pres and CEO of Last Acts Partnership which was absorbed into the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization as its Caring Connections Program; Byock chose Kaplan as a major partner in the work when he formed Partnership for Caring; Kaplan wrote Staying in Charge: Practical Plans for the End of Your Life where she devotes an entire chapter to assisted-suicide.
On the other hand, Byock never mentions overdosing patients with opioids like morphine intentionally, and I can choose to take him at his word, but as the physicians mentioned by Quill admitted, there are many physicians (and nurses) who have secretly killed patients! In end-of-life care, as in many niches of healthcare, healthcare professionals deal with life and death on a daily basis. They have powerful tools -- medications and other treatment modalities -- that can heal or can harm. For that reason, there are standards of care to prevent patient harm. What happens when the original standards are re-written to allow harm or basic Judeo-Christian morality has been thrown to the wind?
Everybody knows that heroin can kill, but very few understand that it is morphine in the body, from the heroin taken, that kills. Used properly for pain relief with appropriate dosages calculated, both can equally be used to treat pain very well or to kill. Thousands of hospice staff have been trained to tell patients, "morphine cannot kill." That is an absolutely preposterous statement! So, nurses are encouraged to believe that this powerful medication cannot harm their patients and are trained to use it liberally, always believing in its "beneficent" effect.
The "lay of the land" in end-of-life care is becoming clearer now: Quill is willing to assist suicides even when illegal. Byock does slow euthanasia while protesting that he has never killed a single patient. After the execution of the cognitively-disabled victim of a likely choke-hold attack and violent altercation, Terri Schiavo, the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization members later gave Mary Labyak a standing ovation when she walked into the NHPCO's conference! Some might wonder if any of these people have a conscience at all, but they do. They just don't listen to it and have chosen to accept utilitarian secular bioethics as their guide.
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization supports the application of palliative sedation in "rare" cases for "the limited number of imminently dying patients who have pain and suffering that is (a) unresponsive to other palliative interventions less suppressive of consciousness and (b) intolerable."
Here, we see the term, "palliative sedation" used for sedation applied when the patient is actively dying and extremely distressing symptoms require the addition of sedation to relieve the patient's extreme symptoms. This "palliative sedation" is the same thing as "terminal sedation," also called total sedation or permanent sedation.
If Smith believes that palliative sedation or terminal sedation are rarely applied, or that the NHPCO hospice agency members only rarely use this protocol, he is living in a dream world! There are some NHPCO member hospice agencies where every patient is sedated deeply into death, and there are a few where it is used occasionally. Those that are closer in practice to Dame Cicely Saunders will use it rarely, but many hospices in the United States no longer follow her example.
Smith asserts that there is a very clear difference between "palliative" sedation and "terminal" sedation. Smith condemns "terminal" sedation which as he uses the term involves the intention to end life, but has implied in several articles that it's not really happening in palliative or hospice settings. He goes on to promote the use of "palliative" sedation as a legitimate medical intervention while calling "terminal" sedation illegitimate and says that is not even a "medical" intervention.
This is a real misunderstanding of what is going on, because terminal sedation is appropriate when the patient has the clinical criteria that require its application, i.e., actual terminal agitation, psychosis, delirium or truly intractable extreme physical pain that cannot be resolved with any other intervention. This type of sedation (whatever you call it) is kept up continuously till death only because the patient has symptoms that continue and often get even worse as time goes by.
To avoid confusion, we should also understand that palliative sedation may be used with a different sense to simply mean sedation that is not permanent at all. You might just call it sedation with the intent to relieve suffering, and it is not used only to relieve pain that is difficult to handle with pain-relieving medications! There are several reasons it might be used appropriately.
In any case, it is truly incomprehensible that on one hand, Smith gives Dr. Byock the highest praise, yet condemns the practice of the terminal sedation that Dr. Byock most definitely uses to end life when the patient has agreed to go through with it and requested it.
Hospice, or palliative care settings in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities, is where it's almost exclusively being done! In fact, hospitals and nursing homes specifically move patients into hospice or palliative care settings so that their death rates are lowered statistically. "The patient didn't die in the acute care or nursing home setting." "We have improved the quality of care we provide! We have lowered our death rates significantly!" Yet, the patients die just the same. It's statistical hocus pocus and a shell game!
What Smith needs to realize is that these terms have been used in different ways by different practitioners at different times in history. If you read many different journal articles, the usage is clearly seen to change according to the times and the author involved.
If sedation is no longer needed, in an ethical end-of-life care setting, it is stopped, just as pain medication levels that are not needed can be reduced according to the new clinical status of the patient. However, in many cases, if sedation is needed, it is often needed throughout the time the patient is cared for in the end-of-life setting. This can be understood by realizing that the patient's symptoms arise from the underlying disease process which doesn't change. The symptoms the patient experiences are therefore often progressive changes arising from that same end-stage illness.
The only really important question is whether or not the practitioner is following the standards of care that Saunders and others like her have established so that the intervention fits the actual clinical needs of the patient! If that is the case, sedation of any sort is not going to be misused and can be very helpful for those needing it. It is the education and inner conscience of the practitioner that will determine how these medical interventions are implemented so that the healthcare professional gets it right.
We know that getting it right has to do with actually following our conscience to do the right thing in this world, to live in such a way that good is done as a result of our actions. That good is never intentionally ending the lives of our patients by any means, but too many in healthcare don't accept this most basic rule! Getting it right is something we begin to learn from the moment we are born, and hopefully from being raised by parents or from being taught by others not to harm others and not to murder.
Getting it right has to do with humbly bowing before the dear Lord of all Creation, and having that humility before Him from the beginning of our day till we lay down to go to sleep. Getting it right requires us to acknowledge we do not have the right to determine the timing of our patients' deaths and telling our patients that we cannot and will not kill them by any means!
Byock tells some of his patients that he can and that he will! He tells them he's just going to sedate them and keep them comfortable till they die. They both understand it's really about ending the life of the patient, though Byock will apparently deny this for the rest of his life!
Getting it right means that we continue to provide basic care including food and water in end-of-life care settings so long as these are truly helpful so long as the patient's body can absorb and metabolize them. Getting it right has to do with reverence permeating our hearts. This reverence arises from the outpouring of grace from the dear Lord's Holy Spirit. Secular humanistic "respect for the individual patient's autonomy" is conditional. It has nothing in common with how the dear Lord wishes us to care for others.
If we don't have the complete facts and a proper understanding of the issues involved in "doing what is right," or the circumstances, our conscience is not capable of guiding us to the right. If we think (as Byock does) that dying naturally from a terminal illness (with best efforts at relieving pain) is the moral equivalent of dying from imposed terminal sedation with its consequent fatal dehydration, there is something really wrong with our reason as well as our conscience!
Because the blind have led the blind, hospice and end-of-life care practice has fallen into the abyss of imposing deaths through too many means. Contrary to Smith, the industry has already slipped down the slope! Byock and his friends have through decades of effort "pushed it off the cliff!" When the blind lead the blind, neither leader nor the led realize the true extent of the harm that they have done (Luke 23:24)! Hundreds of staff are neither properly informed nor clear sighted.
Aside from being properly informed, philosophers speak of the need to have a properly formed conscience, a process that usually starts from early childhood and never really ends, as all of us are meant to grow throughout our lives, even up to the very moment of death. A properly formed conscience helps us to choose acts that reflect God's will and His divine law!
A properly formed conscience recognizes when grave wrong is being contemplated. That properly formed and informed conscience is that "something inside us," a practical application of our intellect, that is strongly aroused to prevent one from actually going ahead with such an action. As the habit of acting morally is strengthened, immoral acts such as medically killing our patients are perceived as repulsive and evil.
However, a childhood and education that combine to instill secular humanist ways of viewing the world, distort the conscience and misinform it so that evil is thought to be good, and good is thought to be evil! Byock was raised and educated in this way. This is how he can believe he is doing good when he ends the lives of some patients through slow euthanasia. The prophet Isaiah said, "Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil ...." (Isaiah 5:20). Modern man's nature has not changed at all since that time so long ago.
To avoid doing evil acts, not only do we need to be properly educated and informed, and to have a properly formed conscience, we need to have our "wits" about us to be able to hear this inner guiding voice of conscience, so anything that dulls our ability to think clearly, like drugs, alcohol, or any other addicting agents, or distractions through which we "lose ourselves," are to be avoided by those who wish to live an ethical life that affirms the divine law. Such a clear headed approach is essential to anyone who serves in a healthcare setting!
Our reason and our faith work together to prevent us from doing that wrong. Absorbing the lessons of scripture is a way to nourish not only our mind, but our conscience and our spiritual heart. Studying the authentic teachings of someone like Cicely Saunders would go a long way to restore a proper understanding of end-of-life care as well as what is permissible and what is not.
Without right reason and the education that arises from a culture of life, we might believe that if we simply "feel" it's ok to do something, that it actually is acceptable. In our narcissistic age, we become our own lawgivers and our own idol, placing ourselves in God's place! To prevent end-of-life caregivers from following a faulty path, Saunders spent decades writing on hundreds of topics.
Unfortunately, with our narcissistic focus on self, we forget the message she shared for so long. We forget the example the dear Lord Jesus brought to us: sacrificial love, embracing suffering that cannot be avoided while relieving the suffering of others as best we can, and knowing that life has a greater and sacred purpose blessed by God. With our focus on self, we want to endlessly increase the years of our lives and its pleasures while eliminating any suffering, and when we see that these can no longer be accomplished, we seek to end it all on our terms through euthanasia, assisted-suicide, or the various forms of stealth euthanasia.
Patients in hospice who warm to Byock's seductive offer to be sedated into death are never following the Way Jesus showed, are violating the divine law given through Moses, and even in their dying moment are rebelling against God. Patients need not endure avoidable pain; we who work in healthcare and palliative care have expert interventions to relieve that pain, and Byock repeatedly affirms that this is the case. When pain is not properly managed, it may be due to the lack of expertise of the physician or staff, or there is a lack of willingness to pay for an intervention that would actually relieve that pain.
To kill ourselves by our own hand, or the hand we call to do it, is a sin, even though this is a concept that all secular humanists reject and don't even begin to relate to.
Without faith in the God who has created all of us, it is impossible for one to be humble enough to hear good advice from those who have our best interests at heart and then come to the right conclusion about how to treat patients at the end-of-life or at any stage of life.
The faith that inspired Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the faith that was communicated to us later by the dear Lord Jesus calls for us to strive to practice virtuous behavior that is a true blessing to others as well as ourselves, allowing us to become and be what He would have us be helping us to follow His example and call to serve rightly.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta didn't have to preach to those she cared for. She demonstrated and lived Christ's love in action mercy communicating His universal love to all, even the homeless and penniless, those with leprosy, AIDS, other terrible diseases, and those nearing death. Cicely Saunders also took in the same. Saunders mission was to demonstrate Christ's love to everyone she cared for!
Mercy in action, prudence, justice, fortitude, purity, and temperance are virtues that help us to live lives that are truly better lives, that are in line with God's will and not just human will. Caregivers and healthcare professionals would do well to aspire to embrace these ways of interacting with others. Years ago, nurses and physicians were taught about these things, but that was then. Byock never mentions these. He doesn't know what they are. The secular humanism he embraced and has spread in end-of-life care settings now rules most of the industry. A concept like purity will only evoke a bewildered look or open derision!
If we choose to live and act in line with these virtues, submitting ourselves to His will, it is then that we will find true happiness, which is ultimately found in our reverential relationship with the dear Lord (Proverbs 9-10). With that relationship as our foundation, our eyes are opened and we see the world in a very different light. We see our patients and patient care in a different light! We reason from truth to truth, not deception to deception.
Nazis used logic to achieve many of their goals, however evil they were. They thought they were acting rationally and virtuously. If we think there was something wrong with what the Nazis thought and did, then there must have been something wrong with their predominantly secular and materialistic worldview. They thought it was fine to kill the chronically-ill, disabled, terminally-ill, and cognitively disabled, in addition to the well-known ethnically-motivated genocides they perpetrated.
Today's secular humanists believe it is right to end the lives (one way or another) of those same types of patients who use up what they believe to be scarce medical resources and whose quality of life is determined to be unacceptable. Yes, it makes sense at some point for patients to stop cycling in and out of the acute care hospital if it really doesn't help the patient, and then be cared for in a loving, life-affirming hospice or palliative care environment. Yet, that is not the same as choosing to hasten death in secular hospices like the one run by Byock's late friend, Mary Labyak or ending the lives of patients like Terri Schiavo, wherever they are, simply because they are cognitively disabled.
There is a consistent message throughout the Old and New Testaments that implores us to not be led astray by those who would deceive us. We are to allow God's laws to be written upon our hearts and to treasure them with everything we are (Psalm 119:24-28)! We must remember that the dear Lord Jesus said, "Go, and sin no more! (John 5:14; 8:11)" He forgave and chose not to condemn the individual, but did condemn the sin, thereby confirming that some acts truly are intrinsically wrong.
It is not necessary for Byock or any other to consciously seek to deceive others for them to lead others astray. They may in fact, like Byock, be gravely mistaken about the mission! However, there are others who willfully deceive the public (John 9). There are wolves in sheep's clothing who seek to kill the sheep (Matthew 10:16).
A shepherd will leave his flock to go after a lost sheep, but when he sees someone leading away the entire flock of sheep, he will run after them and defend them with all his might, even risking his life to save them (John 10)! Byock and his co-conspirators have been so convinced they are right, and have no doubts about it. They planned how to accomplish all of this and have led almost all of end-of-life care astray. Now, they're aiming at the entire healthcare industry! Smith would have all the sheep enter the wolves' dens without giving any words of caution! We who know the realities cannot allow that to happen.
I realize that many are unaware of all of these things and admire the "progressive" Ira Byock who supports medical killing of embryonic and fetal human beings but opposes assisted-suicide. I also realize there are many who admire Wesley Smith who supports the hospice industry without qualification, including the covert euthanasia activist Ira Byock while opposing both abortion and assisted-suicide. However, I and others who know the truth about hospice and palliative care must not remain silent when the public is being misled by both of them, in different ways, no matter how praiseworthy much of what each of them have accomplished may be.
Elizabeth Wickham, PhD, Ione Whitlock, and others have explained what, how, and why Ira Byock and his buddies have done what they have done to the end-of-life care industry and healthcare in general. Smith not only fails to explain how the covert euthanasia movement intentionally and successfully infiltrated much of hospice and palliative care, he denies it exists within the industry.
I encourage anyone to actually read through the many references given here, and Byock's own books, and then see what is accurate or not! There is a call and there is a counterfeit. Byock supports quick medical killing for those yet to be born and slow medical killing for those who agree to be terminally-sedated into death. This is the type of "pro-life" position he takes.
If the culture of life is not restored, Byock's opposition to legalization of assisted-suicide, along with the opposition of all the pro-life groups and individuals, will be fruitless! When the people are thoroughly indoctrinated into a secular humanistic worldview, they will think nothing of taking their own life for various reasons, killing their unborn child, killing the elderly, the severely disabled, as well as the chronically ill, among others. Focusing on defeating a proposed bill that would legalize assisted-suicide in any one state, while necessary, can never solve the problem.
Those euthanasia zealots who gave up the effort to legalize euthanasia in the short term realized that they had to change the thinking of the entire population, and that is what they have to a great extent accomplished. Due to their efforts, today, many support the legalization of assisted-suicide. Many others support the imposition of death upon patients within end-of-life care settings. Either way, the euthanasia movement is gaining ground among many, and is gradually achieving legalization of assisted-suicide state by state.
In a free society that values human life nobody will ask for an abortion, and there will be no abortion clinics. If the people do not desire to be medically killed, they won't support legalization of medical killing of any sort. However, what is sorely needed is the restoration of sanity to the members of our society. Until that day comes, we must share the truth and provide the information people need to understand how they are being manipulated into thinking in a way that eventually will result in harm and even an imposed death for any one of us.
It is necessary to understand the reality of hospice and palliative care the bad as well as the assumed good as well as healthcare in general. It is necessary to understand that most healthcare professionals have adopted a secular humanistic worldview, so they view society, healthcare, and the patients in a way very different way than how someone with faith views these. They therefore make decisions based on completely different principles and act in ways that would never be chosen by those of faith and who respect human life.
We need to understand how these secular bioethical principles completely contradict the divine law known to us as the Ten Commandments especially, "You shall not murder!" Yet understanding their secular principles of death in itself is not enough to protect the vulnerable. We need to act, to create healthcare facilities that serve as safe havens for those in need where truly pro-life principles guide all decision-making. Any supposedly "pro-life" hospice or palliative care position that promotes slow euthanasia, as Dr. Byock has done for decades, is a counterfeit and must be exposed for what it is, and never endorsed without qualification!
Enemies of Cicely Saunders' mission either entered hospice directly or worked relentlessly to subvert the mission. Those who have contact with the staff have indoctrinated them and together they have been wreaking havoc in the lives of patients, families, and staff in many parts of the country, all while pretending to be doing the inspired work that Dr. Saunders brought to the world.
Dr. Ira Byock, MD and his friends: Mary Labyak, MSW; Karen Orloff Kaplan, MPH, ScD; and Donald Schumacher, PsyD, all former board members of Partnership for Caring (successor organization to Choice in Dying/Euthanasia Society of America) and some other players in the covert euthanasia movement are largely responsible for changing the way hospice and palliative care is practiced and for successfully changing how many Americans think about dying. Together with the complete and enthusiastic cooperation of the major media, they have succeeded in tainting the industry and encouraged so very many in our society to incrementally, year after year, wholeheartedly embrace the culture of death.
Just as the euthanasia advocate, "human rights" activist, and co-founder of the pro-abortion Amnesty International,64 Luis Kutner, wrote in 1969, the living will was a "due process of euthanasia"65 an incremental step toward the legalization of euthanasia! In 1970, the Euthanasia Society of America distributed 60,000 living wills.
Choice in Dying, Partnership for Caring, Last Acts Partnership, and the "Caring Connections" program of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization all have continued this work as legal, corporate successors to the Euthanasia Society and understand the real intent is the facilitation of hastened death (which they approve) in one manner or another. This may occur either by the patient's own wishes to refuse treatment at the time, or through a Living Will, or eventually through the other legal documents developed: advanced directives, do not resuscitate orders, polst/physicians orders regarding limiting life-sustaining treatments.
Of course, the euthanasia activists who have worked with Byock these many years understand that all of these documents tend to deeply influence the thinking of Americans. Their hope all along has been for Americans to finally make the "jump" in thought to approve actively facilitating death in other ways: through the overt euthanasias: assisted-suicides and direct euthanasias as Byock's friend Timothy Quill advocates, through various forms of stealth euthanasia, or through the covert euthanasia preferred by Dr. Byock: slow euthanasia - the misuse of terminal sedation with the intent to impose death, expressly condemned by Dr. Saunders and many who remain faithful to the original mission.
When there is a real culture war going on, not just a figurative one, but one in which actual elderly, disabled and chronically-ill patients are targeted when people are literally being killed in many hospice or palliative care settings, and you stand there and say, "Don't believe the horror stories!" then I have real questions about the purpose being served in denying the truth. What is that purpose, Mr. Smith?
Smith has told us that he will be updating his book, Culture of Death, probably in late 2015. In the several examples of possible topics he plans on adding to the new edition, he again does not mention the invisible holocaust occurring in end-of-life care settings!66 I can tell you that if Mr. Smith fails to include any mention of hospice wrongdoing or Byock's role in it, I will know for sure that he is truly a cheerleader and co-conspirator for the secular humanistic hospice movement led by his friend Byock. I will know that he is choosing to mislead the public, especially the pro-life readers who compose much of his readership. Why?
A study out of Flanders, published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that 18% of patients deaths come either from lethal injection/assisted suicide or from being put into a deep coma and left to die.
I cannot but wonder why why? would Wesley Smith omit the involvement of palliative care physicians in most of the hastened deaths occurring in Flanders, Belgium? I can already "hear him" telling us that in the U.S., the doctors are "saints" compared to the "evil doctors" in Belgium, and that hospice doctors especially would never do such things here! Right!
Clearly, Byock's contribution to the American hospice and palliative care industry is not all "splendid" as Smith would have us believe. The patients and their families that we serve deserve to know the truth and to be prepared to recognize this culture of death's counterfeit "care" that awaits them. Armed with the truth, patient advocates and family members will be better prepared to protect their loved ones.
Mr. Smith, if the culture of life is founded on any one thing at all, it is founded upon Truth and truthfulness. If we are to remain faithful in performing our duties, we must share and speak nothing but the truth and especially the whole truth. We cannot and must not mislead the public, otherwise, we have not only failed them, but actually supported the misinformation that feeds the culture of death.
The character and boundaries of the nation may change over time; the healthcare settings and ways in which such are funded or not funded may change as well, but the mission we are called to serve will remain. When their own loved ones are taken, the people will remember the sanctity of life and the God who gives it.
As we may be enabled to do in the extremely difficult times ahead, we must work individually and together to restore the culture of life 69 within our own circle and especially within the healthcare setting, whatever form it takes in the years to come.
Before we begin this work, we must first recognize and then reaffirm the battered and too often neglected authentic, and never secular, pro-life mission that Dr. Saunders, Florence Nightingale, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta planted in our world.
Note: I encourage the reader to actually read the listed references below to know absolutely for sure what the truth is so they can see through the pretense of those like Ira Byock, MD who pretend to be pro-life.
8. Marily Golden, et al, "A Progressive Case Against Assisted Suicide Laws," retrieved March, 2015, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund.
15. Ron Panzer, "Utilitarian Care Rationing: Health Care Reform, The Government's "Complete Lives System" and Hastened Death,"
20. Wesley J Smith, JD, "Obamacare: 60 Minutes Propaganda Piece Paving the Way for Health Care Rationing Share,"
for Palliative Care (EAPC) recommended framework for the use of sedation in palliative care,"
48. Staff, "Caring Connections Timeline," National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization.
Ron Panzer, "Euthanasia to Hospice Timeline," Hospice Patients Alliance.
49. Staff, Position Statement on Physician-Assisted-Suicide, 2000, Partnership for Caring.
50. Sidney H. Wanzer, MD, "The Physician's Responsibility toward Hopelessly Ill Patients,"
55. Timothy E. Quill, MD, and Ira R. Byock, MD, "Responding to Intractable Terminal Suffering: The Role of Terminal Sedation and Voluntary Refusal of Food and Fluids,"
61. Wesley J Smith, JD, "Liverpool Care Pathway: The Road to Backdoor Euthanasia," Dec 25, 2013, Human Life Review.
62. Ron Panzer, "Temperance, Fortitude, The Brotherhood of Man, Man's Acts are His Own, The Nuremberg Code," | 2019-04-18T21:32:51Z | https://hospicepatients.org/the-call-and-the-counterfeit-getting-it-right-part-two.html |
Chapter 128 - Living The Dream...?
Making their way through the mountains once more, Chris and the girls continued enjoying the peace of the land around them, with Serenity taking out her guitar and casually playing along the way causing random Pokemon to take notice and follow as she played, with small bird-like Pokemon including Pidgey, Taillow and Swablu, as well as Starly, even a Pidov or two perching atop the carriage to listen and enjoy the ride, all young enough to retain a level of trust in travelers older Pokemon lack. Eventually, even an infant Cubchoo joined the group, leaping onto the side of the carriage and climbing up to the group, looking at them warily before climbing atop Chris's lap and sitting to enjoy Serenity's melody. Looking down, Chris blinked in surprise and smiled before feeling a chill run down his spine, looking nearby and finding its Beartic parents watching from behind trees with glowing eyes, their claws crushing the trunks as they growled causing him to sweat with a nervous laugh. Now taking notice, parents of the flying Pokemon atop their carriage were also watching from the treetops, glaring down the group while watching for any form of threat toward their offspring. "Boy, not very trusting..." Chris muttered with a nervous smile. "Eh, I be same way if babies I have get close to human. Though when it come to me, I not just sit back and watch. Humans not like what I do if get close to my baby." Serenity scowled. "It's not a problem if they don't mean any harm, right?" Chris asked with slight sweat on his face. "...Good question." Serenity replied, unsure of an answer herself while looking onward as she played. "Mean harm or not, I still be mad. Not like humans be near you. They get close to baby, I probably lose it. Just reaction." she shrugged.
"A reaction is one thing. What you would do is called overkill." Chris laughed nervously. "Well, kill not wrong word, that probably what happen." Serenity smirked, causing him to gulp while Rose smiled warily. "I-I don't think I'd mind humans being close to my baby. As long as they don't try taking it or anything and act nice." she point out. "A lot of humans actually take babies without thinking about that." she sighed. "I've seen it happen many a time in my travels. A lot of Pokemon are left to wallow in their grief over the loss while their young are off fighting on a daily basis after haphazardly running into a human traveler, pushed into battles and evolving as quickly as possible. Our kind tend to have a rather pitiable existence but... What can you do? Humans are, sadly, the dominant species, though they are weak, frail little things. I'm surprised we allow it... Perhaps it's some underlying nature from an age forgotten?" Alicia shrugged behind them. "Tch, one more good reason to get rid of if ask me. No humans mean all Pokemon be free." Serenity point out, Rose and Alicia looking at one another in a "hard to argue against that" kind of way, though they shared a guilty look for sharing the same thought. Looking down, Chris let out a sigh before giving the reins a soft snap and clicking his tongue as they went upwards. "I do think there are more things we as humans should take into consideration before catching Pokemon, but then again, a lot of Pokemon seem to like joining humans they think can help them grow..." Chris point out. "Pokeball's are designed to capture only willing Pokemon, but then again, they also capture weakened ones..." he added, looking ahead as an expression of thought appeared on his face.
"Maybe... They should design Pokeball's to reject injured Pokemon as well. If a Pokemon is unwilling but too injured to resist, I think a Pokeball should still refuse to capture that Pokemon, you know? I mean, if its body is wounded but its mind is still saying no, a Pokeball should sense that. I'm not a fancy-pants scientist though so how to program that stuff is beyond me." he shrugged. "If a Pokemon is injured but thinks "This human is strong, his Pokemon are powerful, I like him!" then the ball could capture it, since it's wounded, but willing. I doubt there are any baby Pokemon that are willing to be captured and taken away, so it would help keep them with their parents until they reach an age where they're ready to leave the nest as a bonus." Chris smiled, the girls showing him a collective smirk. "If more humans like that, I not have reason to hate them." Serenity nodded. "I kinda think you should be one of those scientist thingies. I mean, your ideas sound pretty solid, and you already did that whole project thing with the Professor, if you were a traveler AND a scientist, that'd be pretty amazing." Rose point out. "He has a generous heart but I doubt the brains are there for such a feat." Alicia teased, causing Chris to scowl. "Hey, maybe I'm not so good with the details, but I've got the concepts down!" he point out. "An idea is grand and all, but without the know-how to implement it you'd be a hindrance to those who support that idea. You'd have to be able to contribute in more ways than "Hey! Here's a thought!" if you catch my drift." the snake affirmed. "I guess that's kinda true." Chris admit, scratching his cheek. "Well, it still couldn't hurt to let your ideas be known, ya know? I'm sure there are people willing to make em' happen even if you can't contribute beyond the idea itself." Rose nodded.
"Like that Celebi thing you make with Professor human. If your idea sound good enough, others be willing to make it happen, even if not able to do more than share idea." Serenity added. "I suppose there's a truth to that, but it doesn't mean others will just accept and push any grand-ol-idea one blurts out. One has to limit themselves, otherwise the best ideas will be drowned out by nonsensical things." Alicia affirmed. "Though in the end, I suppose you've done rather well in this regard. You push extraordinary concepts, grandiose things that would seem impossible or ludicrous to most, and yet they seem to happen." the snake shrugged. "You do have your own... Ah, what is it humans call it...?" she paused, thinking it over before letting out an "ah!" and smirking. "Eccentric side to yourself." she grinned. "Me? Eccentric...? Isn't that what they call those crazy rich people?" he asked, thinking it over as well. "You want to build the biggest ship in the world that offers free trips to people, sounds pretty right to me." Alicia reminded. "G-Guess it does sound kinda crazy." Chris smiled nervously. "It's pretty wild... But the idea comes from the heart and is for the sake of others. So it doesn't make you crazy I don't think. Just really, REALLY generous. Maybe too much." Rose smiled with slight sweat on her face. "I dunno, in today's world, the way things are, I don't think there's such a thing as too generous. If nothing else, I think what I do for others, and the stuff I want to do, balances things out." Chris point out. "Eh, do too much for humans if ask me. Too good for them." Serenity shrugged. "But, it make you lovable in way I guess. You good. Like Rose say, too generous." she nodded. "Oh, so I'm too good for you girls then?" he grinned slyly. "Oh please, the opposite perhaps." Alicia scoffed before snickering and apologizing.
"Har-dee-har." Chris smirked before sticking his tongue out. "Me being crazy or not aside, you're getting pretty good with that thing! Really draws in a crowd now." he praised as Serenity strummed, noticing the perched Pokemon continuing to enjoy the ride while Cubchoo started nodding off on his lap. "I think Guile had a pretty good idea goin' when he talked about putting you in competitions. Keep improving and maybe I can find a way to enter you into musical contests too someday! Bet people would be blown away by a Pokemon who can strum a tune better than a human! At least that way you can compete with them and get some satisfaction from winning in a way that doesn't involve hurting any of em'." he point out, Serenity glancing at him and smirking before looking ahead. "Dunno, that involve a lot of humans watching me, right? Not sure how I feel about that, but not hurt to think about I guess." she nodded. Showing a smile of his own, Chris jolt when he felt a tug on his coat, turning to see Rose smiling nervously while pointing out the Beartic walking next to them. Blinking in surprise, Chris let out a wary "H-Hey?" before the Pokemon grumbled back and point out the cub on his lap, now snoozing silently. "Ah, sorry about that." he apologized, letting Rose take the infant from his lap and hand it over. Taking it in arm, the Beartic nodded before walking off toward its mate, while flying Pokemon started flapping up to the carriage and instructed their own young to follow, likely due to the group leaving their territory. "Guess that's the end of your show fellas." Chris grinned while giving a wave as the young flew off with their parents, the girls watching as well. "Must be nice to have babies." Serenity point out.
"Yeah... They're always so cute. Even human babies! Though they can be kinda loud." Rose smiled nervously, the statement making Serenity show an uneasy expression. "Not... Sure how I feel about human babies. It weird for me." she replied. "Well, the only thing I know is that you don't seem to mind kids for some reason. I consider that a good thing though." Chris smirked as Serenity adjusted her guitar. "They... Okay." she replied before strumming again. "Human children are... Different, from Pokemon offspring. Their behavior, mannerisms and such. They really show how different our species are" Alicia nodded. "Ha ha, that makes me wonder how well a Pokemon could handle raising a human." Chris grinned. "Well, we've certainly had a time with you." Alicia point out. "Eh...? I'm an adult." he reminded. "On the outside. The rest is still a work in progress." the snake laughed. "H-Hey! So maybe I like to joke around and have some fun! Doesn't mean I'm not an adult!" he affirmed before scowling. "I'm just quirky..." he grumbled. "Aww, there we go again, acting like a pouty child." Alicia snickered. "it is kinda cute when you get that way." Rose giggled. "Wh-Whatever!" Chris replied, focusing ahead again while Rapidash glanced back and let out a grunt. "Even horse agree with snake." Serenity giggled. "Bah, he's just a traitor anyways. I can't even have a fellow bro on my side." Chris waved. "I think that says more about you than him." Alicia snickered, causing Chris's eye to twitch while Rapidash smirked and looked ahead again. "Not worry, we know you adult. You prove you man lots." Serenity assured, giving him a pat on the back. "Yeah! We're just having fun." Rose smiled while cuddling against him.
"Well, you perhaps." Alicia smirked, Chris looking back with a grunt. "Oh come now, I'm kidding." she assured with a chuckle. "Bah, whatever. Anywa...!!" he replied, pausing when a noise went off in his pocket. Jolting, the girls looked at him curiously as he took out his Pokedex and raised an eyebrow. "Huh, who's that?" he muttered. "What going on?" Serenity asked. "Getting a call but heck if I know the number." he replied before flicking his device open. "Hello? Who's this?" he asked, the girls watching curiously. "Yeah... Ah. Well, this is him." he went on as the girls looked at one another. "You want a wha...? With me? I dunno. I've never done stuff like that." he replied. "I guess... Wait, meet where? I'll need time to settle." he smiled nervously with slight sweat on his face. "Really want it that bad huh? I guess it couldn't hurt." he agreed, nodding several times while listening. "Guess we can set it up then... Right. I'll uh, let you know." he assured before hanging up and looking at his dex in a puzzled manner. "How did they...?" he muttered. "What going on? Who that?" Serenity asked. "Some news outlet. They wanna meet up in the next town and have an interview with me." Chris smiled nervously. "An interview? With you?" Alicia replied, tilting her head. "Yeah, since the Millennium News thing they wanted to get some time with me. I think they're from a different region." he explained. About to say more, he paused when his Pokedex started ringing again, causing the group to jolt as he gave it a look. "Another weird number?" he muttered, tilting his head before answering. "H-Hello?" he asked. "Y-Yeah, this is him. What can I...?" he added, seemingly going through the same process as the girls looked at one another and shrugged.
"S-Sure, see you then, I... Guess?" he finished, hanging up with a bewildered look. "Another news agency wanting time with me..." he explained. "Two at once? How will you manage that?" Alicia asked. "Heck if I know. What's more important is how the heck they got my num...!!" he replied, interrupted yet again as his dex started ringing a third time, making even the girls sweat slightly as he answered and went through the same process once more. "I not sure how I feel about so many humans calling him." Serenity point out. "It is kinda creepy how they all got his number like that at the same time." Rose added with a wary look. "When it comes to the news, humans are a rather insatiable bunch. They go above and beyond any means necessary to get what they want. That duo what's been busily stalking us since our time in the city should tell you that much." Alicia reminded. "Three outlets wanting to talk with me at the same time... Whoo." Chris sighed. "I'll let you girls handle some, how's that?" he laughed. "Why you want me to talk to humans? You know I not have good thing to say." Serenity point out with a scowl. "I-I'd be too nervous, especially in front of those camera thingies." Rose smiled nervously. "I dunno, perhaps the world could benefit from one such as I gracing their screens." Alicia smirk proudly. "You forget my power not work that way? Human only know what say if face to face. Sound like normal Pokemon on TV." Serenity point out. "Ah, that's right." Chris nodded with another sigh, only for his Pokedex to ring yet again. Freezing up, this caused him to sweat again as he warily looked at the device, another unfamiliar number showing. "I-It would be rude not to answer...?" he smiled nervously, his tone questioning whether he should or not while Alicia and Rose looked at one another, Serenity shaking her head with a "Not answer if I you." remark.
Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - We Want YOU!!
Doing so anyways, Chris went through the same process as before, another outlet eagerly on the phone chattering away for a meeting until setting up a callback time, leaving Chris with a dumbfounded look on his face. "Let one guess, another outlet?" Alicia asked. "Y-Yeah..." he nodded. I-I don't think I'm ready for...!!" he added, only for his dex to go off again, even Rapidash showing a wary look as he glanced back. Answering once more, Chris spoke with another outlet as Serenity shook her head with a "not smart" remark, adjusting her guitar again while Rose pat him with a quiet "there there" and smiling as he agreed to another meeting, finally hanging up. "Not answer again." Serenity scowled. "I agree, methinks you're biting off more than you can chew." Alicia nodded. "You're only one person, how ya' gonna meet all of em'?" Rose asked. "D-Dunno." Chris shook his head. "I guess I could do it like those government guys do it. Have one big thing set up for everybody to meet me. Some kinda press thing I think they call it." he added. "I suppose it was only a matter of time now that your story is out in the open." Alicia point out. "It's not just about me. They want you girls in on it too." Chris smiled warily. "Good luck with that." Serenity replied with a "psh" in response. "N-Not my thing..." Rose added, fidgeting nervously. "H-Hey! I don't wanna be alone!" Chris panicked, only for his dex to ring yet again. "How are they getting my number?!" he snapped in frustration. "You one that keep...!!" Serenity point out, pausing as he started talking. "...Answering..." she sighed, shaking her head. "I let you know, I not be part of. Way too many humans for me." she affirmed. "I suppose it's alright, but it is starting to sound a tad overwhelming..." Alicia added.
"Who's giving these people my...?!" Chris asked, finishing one call only for his dex to ring again. "Gee, this gonna happen the rest of the day?" Rose asked in awe. "Well, that broadcast WAS worldwide, one would assume this means the world is going to want interviews now." Alicia point out. "I-I'm ONE guy!! I can't see the WHOLE world!!" Chris panicked, only for his dex to strike again causing his tone to turn a pale color, warily answering as Rose blinked in surprise and sweat, Alicia muttering "my word..." while Serenity shook her head. For some time after this, Chris started taking call after call from reporters across the various regions, some wanting interviews they too could broadcast, others wanting to put him in papers, even a few publishers sprinkled into the calls wanting to set up time for details on the events surrounding him, with countless Pokemon fanatics wanting the same out of the girls ranging from specialists on certain breeds to Poketarians, the Pokemon equivalent of humanitarians seeking to dive into his relationship and living arrangements with his Pokemon, leaving Chris a ghost-colored and sweat drenched version of himself while Rose covered her ears, the constant ringing and conversations giving the sensitive rabbit a headache while Serenity decided to follow through the air in the distance, using her psychic to glide along away from the noise, looking as if lying on her back while continuing to strum her guitar in peace, Alicia burying her head under pillows within the carrier. Finally coming to what seemed like the end of the onslaught, Chris looked at his dex for a moment with a trembling hand before slowly placing it in his pocket, scared a slight brush against the device might send it off again.
Holding it in his pocket for a moment, he carefully pulled his hand away and placed it back on the reins with his other hand, Rose opening an eye with an "eh?" before looking at him with Alicia raised up with a groan of relief. "Call over?!" Serenity shout from the distance before returning to the carriage and sitting in her spot next to Chris with a sigh. "About time. That ridiculous." she point out. "I was ready to pull off my ears..." Rose groaned with a slump. "It's enough to give another second thoughts about being popular." Alicia added, slithering back up to the window behind them. Remaining still and silent, Chris was afraid a single word from him would be enough to set off the device the same as a wrong move, sweat and a pale color remaining on his face. "Y-You gonna be okay?" Rose asked. "S-So many..." Chris muttered. "Th-They all want to meet in town..." he added. "K-Kanto, Sinnoh, A-Alola..." he went on, his hands trembling. "Johto, H-Hoenn, Unova, K-Kalos..." he stuttered. "R-Reporters, publishers, p-papers..." muttered, Serenity raising an eyebrow before taking the reins causing Rapidash to jolt and glance back. "Hey, this make me uncomfortable too. But not have choice." she told the horse, motioning for him to look at Chris as he sat, his hands still out as if holding the reins. Letting out a grunt, Rapidash shook his head and continued on, letting Serenity control while Rose and Alicia gave Chris wary looks. "Poor man's frozen stiff." the snake sighed. "W-Well, when the world wants your attention, anyone would cave." Rose smiled with sweat on her own face, rubbing his back as Chris went through a sudden bout of paranoia. Eventually, his dex suddenly started going off again, causing him to shout from the startle before taking his dex out.
"Not answer." Serenity affirmed with a stern look. "I agree, enough is enough for one day." Alicia nodded. "Y-Yeah, that's too much ringing and talking." Rose panicked. Nonetheless, he took out the dex once more, only to suddenly pause and raise up when he saw a familiar number for a change. "I-It's actually the Captain this time." he muttered, the girls looking at one another warily as he answered. "H-Hello? That you sir?" he asked. "A-Ahoy lad, everything alright?" Rostron asked. "Uhh... Kinda?" Chris replied, the Captain's voice sounding like he knew something. "We've had a bit of an... Onslaught, as of late. The past day or so its been nothing but reporters and the like hassling us over the cruise, and.... You... In particular. I'm uh, I'm afraid we caved and let your number slip our lips... Terribly sorry about that. The hospital staff have had a bit of an overwhelming time trying to keep them at bay, and the crowds haven't done other patients here much good either. Afraid it was the only way to steer them off our backs and give the nurses and guards a breather... I uh, suppose they've been in contact?" the Captain asked in a guilty tone. "J-Just now actually. I've been spending forever taking calls." Chris groaned. "I really apologize lad. We wanted you more than anyone to have a break after what happened, but it seems we're at fault for more woes landing over your shoulders." Rostron replied. "I-It's fine. If they were bothering staff and patients, I guess I'm glad you sent them my way instead. People from the news are savage." Chris point out. "Aye, that they are, worst than any beast if you ask me. They'll not care who they pester nor' step over to get what they want. I apologize again for what we did. I know it wasn't right to give your information like that away." the Captain replied. "Well, the calls have stopped for now so... I guess I made it through." Chris laughed nervously.
"Well, don't jinx it lad. The mass that gathered here was rather impressive. You have some crowd after you. With fame comes many things, including the worst... I know it doesn't excuse us, but one way or another they would've caught up with you. Good luck and... We're terribly sorry again." Rostron apologized once more. "H-Hey, at least the way to town will still be peaceful." Chris assured. "I see they already aired that bit of coverage they got out of us on TV today as well. Impressive how quickly they can gather and throw things together. Media truly is a force to be reckoned with in our modern age... I just wanted to offer my apologies and wish you the best of luck lad." the Captain repeat. "H-Hey, no worries. You guys just get better." Chris smiled nervously before they gave one another their goodbye's and the line shut. "Captain human have big mouth." Serenity scowled. "H-Hey now. Those guys are in the hospital. I don't blame em'." Chris reminded before his dex rang again, the group groaning as he picked it up. "A-Arthur?" he muttered. "N-No, could be Angela, Gerald?" he added before answering. "H-Hey there!" he smiled. "Chris darling! Aren't you Mr. Popular!" Angela's voice called out excitedly, causing him to jump and pull the dex away from his ear. "Y-Yeah? Guess so?" he laughed nervously. "I can't tell you how many reporters we've had swarming our gates all of a sudden! Everybody wants to catch up to you! Been a rather exhausting time for us really on top of everything else keeping us busy lately." she giggled. "We've had staff giving them proper means of getting in touch with you, no shady types of course. Have you had any calls by chance?" she asked, causing him to pull the phone away from his ear and turn his face away with a groan.
"Y-Yeah, they've been calling me." he replied. "You don't sound too thrilled, is everything alright?" she asked. "I-I'm fine! Just been a lot of calls." Chris assured. "If nothing else it gives you a taste of our life! Day in and day out we're always communicating with somebody, be it partners or media. Just think of it as what life could be like here! Always something to make things exciting!" she point out, Chris and the girls looking at one another and sweating slightly. "Oh, but you already have quite a thrilling time, don't you?" she added, Chris responding with a nervous "Y-Yeah." and trying to give Angela an honest laugh. "Well, rest assured we'll make sure the right people get the right info! Of course only the best should be allowed to contact you! Our staff will keep checking credentials and the like, get the nitty gritty if you will. We're going to make you the brightest star this little world has ever seen!" she laughed while the color in Chris's face vanished again. "O-Oohh! Thank you!" he replied, doing his best to push enthusiasm. "No need dearie! No need! You take care now and get ready to see your name in lights!" she affirmed before the line cut off, leaving Chris to sit sweating profusely despite the freezing air around them. Th-The Captain and Angela, they're both in on it..." he smiled as his eye twitched. "Uh oh, you'd think everyone at the mansion would ask you first." Rose smiled nervously. "Well, they likely live this sort of life daily, being in the limelight I mean, so they likely consider it a blessing for you. I suppose you can't fault that Angela character." Alicia sighed. "Problem is you're just not bred for that kind of thing... Do try not to make too great a fool of yourself." she cautioned before his dex rang yet again.
"Oh man, no more, please no more..." Chris groaned, looking at the number and seeing the Professor, causing him to sigh before answering. "H-Hey th...!!" he greeted, cut off by an excited "Hiya!!" from Rose on the other end of the line. "How's it going Mr. Man-of-the-Hour?" she asked. "G-Goin' good." Chris laughed nervously. "We've had folks coming here out the wazoo lookin' for you! And wanting the scoop on our little device as well. The past few days have really been a roller coaster!" she laughed. "S-Sorry about that." Chris apologized. "Oh no need! Now that we're ready its been the perfect opportunity to get the word out on the Celebi unit! Of course after we finish with the reporters we've been givin' them the tip on how to catch hold of you too. Any calls yet?" she asked. "Oh... Plenty." Chris smiled with a frustrated pulse on his face. "So you've been giving my number out?" he asked. "More times than we can count bucko! Not to anybody that looks on the shady side though. We've been makin' sure only the legit ones get what they need. You're going to have a line followin' you long enough to span the Valley!" she laughed. "G-Great! Yeah!" Chris laughed as well, forcing it out as best he could. "With you and everyone else giving my number..." he muttered with his face away from the phone. "After that broadcast earlier we've had a whole 'nother round of reporters comin' to the lab today, a lot of these folks are from other regions to boot so we're really nailing it with getting word out on the Unit, and on you of course." she chuckled. "Get ready buddy! You're gonna be a smash hit!" she praised before reminding him to call her if he needed anything, bidding him farewell and hanging up leaving him with his twitchy eye acting up a second time.
Maintaining a smile on his face, frustrated pulses could still be seen despite his happy look, the girls facing one another while Serenity and Rose scoot to the edges of the seat slightly to give him some space, Rapidash glancing back with slight sweat himself. "Y-You gonna be okay?" Rose asked warily. "Not uh, not look too good." Serenity point out. "Perhaps we should stop? Have a spot of something to drink?" Alicia suggested. "Oh, no. Might as well keep goin' since that's just delaying the inevitable." Chris replied, his smile continuing to show yet slightly putting the girls on edge. "Y-You kinda have that look Serenity shows around humans." Rose point out, his smile hiding what felt like an urge to punch within. "Well, it's just a little annoying to know everybody is getting my number and my peaceful plans for a special festival are being side-swiped from a blind spot, but hey! Whatever." Chris replied before his dex rang once more, causing him to toss his hands up with a "Goodie!" before answering, the voices turning out to be that of a collection of elders from his village, praising him and going on about reporters swarming into the village wanting to get in contact with him. Nodding and listening, Chris did his best to push enthusiastic responses, Serenity and Rose unable to scoot any further away while Alicia backed away from the window, casually humming to herself as the elders went on over the phone. Once they were finally done, Chris put his dex on the seat before facing Serenity with a smile, the Pokemon jolting wide eyed and pale as he asked her to stop the carriage. Quickly doing as told, she pulled over before Chris stepped down and went to a massive mound of snow he'd noticed, standing in front of it before shoving his face in and letting out furious and frustrated screams.
"...He shoved his head into a bunch of ice..." Alicia point out. "G-Guess ya' can't blame em'." Rose laughed nervously as they heard rounds of muffled profanity, causing Serenity to whistle and fan herself. "Feel that steam from here." she muttered before his dex started going off, the sound causing Ninetales aura to burst out of Chris and melt the mound of snow, Serenity quickly shoving the dex beneath her and sitting on top of it as they sweat collectively. Turning around, Chris returned to the carriage as his aura vanished, his face down as he shot his hand out. "Give it." he instructed, Serenity looking at the others before nodding and warily doing as told. "I-If sure." she replied, handing it over before he answered and started pacing. "I don't know whether to pity or fear him at the moment." Alicia muttered. "I'd say both is a good option, m-maybe fear." Rose point out. "I have to say, it good he getting mad at humans, but it bother me at same time. Not sure how to feel. It bad he mad too." Serenity added. "Scared of news reporters and frustrated with those giving out his number, yet too meek to do anything about it." Alicia sighed. "Guess that's the downside of being a nice guy... Still, it's the human I fell for. Even if it causes some tight spots now and then..." Rose point out, the girls suddenly looking at her. "...What?" the rabbit asked, blinking at them before showing a slight blush. "Y-You two are perverts." she scowled. "E-Excuse me? You said it." Alicia scowled with a blush of her own. "I wasn't thinking of THAT when I said it!" Rose argued. "You both wrong." Serenity muttered, yet a blush of her own appeared as Chris finally finished pacing and put his dex in his pocket before returning to the drivers seat.
"Alright... We can go now." he sighed, motioning for Serenity to hand him the reins before they continued on their way, Rapidash glancing back warily while the girls kept their eyes on him as well. "Y-You okay? All good?" Serenity asked. "I'm fine." Chris replied. "Y-You sure? I mean, you melt a giant pile of snow in one burst." Rose point out with a nervous laugh. "All good." he assured. "You uh, don't feel like venting or... Anything? Nothing to get off your chest?" Alicia asked. "Nope. Fine." Chris nodded. "Nothing we can do. The number is out there, the reporters are on their way. Might as well get prepared." he added. "Well, you could tell them all no." Alicia suggested. "It's the news. Telling them no is like denying a baby a bottle. It just gets worse." Chris scowled. "I can't help but feel a lot of people will be insulted by that." Rose laughed nervously. "Sound right to me, but I think that about all humans, none of them easy to deal with." Serenity shrugged. "Now you know why I not...!!" she added, Chris giving her a scowl making her smile and glance away. "N-Never mind." she laughed nervously. "It's just something else to push through is all. Find a way to deal with them all at once and I won't have to worry about the festival being ruined for us. It's like I said, set up some press thing or whatever." Chris nodded. "Though from the sounds of it we'll need a friggin' arena." he muttered. "Well, if you not able to say no and think news not leave alone, I pretty sure I can make leave alone." Serenity smirked. "If you attack news people we really will be in trouble." he affirmed, the Pokemon scowling with a "fine" and crossing her arms. "I just saying, if humans bother you, say so." she added.
"So uh, how is this going to work exactly?" Alicia asked. "Well, those news people and all will probably be where the festival's being held. I wouldn't be surprised if they're ready and waiting before we even get there, most of em' anyway. I'll squeeze in getting some time to settle down and all at a place before doing anything with those people. There has to be some kinda place I can get it all over with at once, a Town Hall kinda building or whatever... I-I dunno. I'll deal with it when the time comes. For now I just wanna enjoy what peace I guess we've got left." he nodded, letting out an agitated grunt. "Y-You could just tell your human friends not to give out your number to anymore people." Rose point out. "A bit too late in the game for that now, and it's like the Captain said, the news teams would still find a way to track me down. Those kinda people are worse than any stalker could hope to be." Chris sighed. "They don't quit or leave until they're satisfied... Just let them talk, answer their questions, and send em' back where they came from as quick as possible." he nodded. "That's how most people do it anyways, I guess." he muttered. "At least with people I know being responsible for them getting my number means I can have a little more trust in who's coming our way. It's like they said, none of em' would send any bad types chasing after us." he point out. "You make it sound like ALL news focused humans are a bad type, so does it really matter?" Alicia asked, causing Chris to slump. "You know, you've got a point there." he nodded before his dex resumed its ringing, causing him to slump all the more before taking a deep breath and answering, this time more reporters looking for an interview.
"I wonder how long this go on for?" Serenity asked. "I dunno, but it's gonna drive me crazy..." Rose groaned while covering her ears again. "I do believe I've underestimated the negatives of being a figure to others." Alicia added with a slump of her own. "It's enough to make one find popularity repulsive." she went on. "I not like humans on normal basis, this making it worse." Serenity point out, digging in her ear with her own eye beginning to twitch. Ahead of them, Rapidash was beginning to show a pulse of frustration as well, the constant ringing combined with the chatter testing his nerves and patience as the horse struggled to focus on his steady trot.
Not what he expected it seems.
Then again, when is anything ever the way he expected?
Their talk about offspring. While I hope that all three girls get an additional new meaning in their life with their offspring, I hope that Serenity’s parental care won’t be a too strict one considering how she may just react in certain cases… buuuut they are still unaware of their own luck and what they say now may not be the same they will do in the end.
"Human children are... Different, from Pokemon offspring. Their behavior, mannerisms and such. They really show how different our species are" Alicia nodded. So Alicia knows about human children, but it looks like she has no idea about the need for care of human babies. Otherwise she would have point out these differences and not the differences of “older” human children in mannerisms and such. Well this answers my question about Alicia knowing or not knowing about human baby care I had in chapter 120. Sigh… if I only could remember all my unanswered questions I had in previous chapters, I could be this satisfied more often probably.
A bit off topic, maybe something for the next FAQ, or maybe not because it is still very early for it anyway. Have you already decided upon the role of the girls for all of their kids? For example will all of them be like mothers for all their offspring and share the same love and responsibility for every child they have or will they be mothers for their own kid(s) and “aunts” for the other kids. Maybe something else, I can’t think of right now? Would be nice if they loved the children of the other girls as much as they love their own child, despite some rivalry they have for each other at the moment.
Humans are, sadly, the dominant species, though they are weak, frail little things. I'm surprised we allow it... Perhaps it's some underlying nature from an age forgotten? - also Alicia. I hope this mystery will be resolved within my lifetime, I’m looking at you Game Freak. Whatever the official reasons (probably because it works better for their games and anime), I think that they didn’t start a full blown war against humanity shows that Pokemon are the more peace-loving species on the planet.
Serenity in a music competition? Hell yeah! Maybe a special LWR in the after story? Anyway how good is she at the moment with the guitar and flute? Just curious, because since she got them (ch53) not even a year has passed, maybe few months depending on how long Chris was in rehabilitation. She got a talent for it, but how would you describe her skills at the moment (for both guitar and flute).
It wouldn’t be such a problem if not everyone Chris knew would “leak” his private contact… He needs a new number. The current one is now his public contact.
The most practical solution is probably a press conference to handle all news outlets at once. Can’t wait to read this event. | 2019-04-20T05:06:33Z | https://inkbunny.net/s/1339089 |
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for electrically stimulating certain nerves to alter conditions within the heart, and, more particularly, to employing a closed-loop system to control nerve stimulation to treat various cardiac conditions.
Various cardiac conditions, such as supraventricular arrhythmias, angina pectoris, and ventricular dysfunction or heart failure, have been treated by electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, vagus and other nerves. Typically, electrodes are implanted in the patient adjacent the spinal area and electrically excited to produce desirable effects on the functioning ofthe heart. For example, a paper entitled "Vagal Tuning" by Bilgutay et. al., published in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol. 56, No. 1, July 1968, pp. 71-82, discusses a system that delivers electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve using silastic coated, bipolar electrodes, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 3,421 ,511. The electrodes are surgically implanted around the intact nerve or nerves and a controlled current is delivered thereto. The electrodes pass the current to the nerve(s); producing a decreased heart rate while still preserving sinus rhythm in the patient. Low amplitude stimulation has also been employed to control induced tachycardias and ectopic beats. Angina pectoris and paroxysmal atrio-ventricular junctional or supraventricular tachycardias have also been treated by stimulating the carotid sinus nerve via implanted electrodes. For example, a paper entitled "Carotid Sinus Nerve Stimulation in the Treatment of Angina Pectoris and Supraventricular Tachycardia," published in California Medicine, 112:41-50, March 1970, describes a system in which patients may electrically stimulate their carotid sinus nerve when they sense angina and/or supraventricular tachycardia.
6,058,331 to King, also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discusses a system and method for treating ischemia by automatically adjusting electrical stimulation to the spinal cord, peripheral nerve, or neural tissue ganglia based on a sensed patient condition. U.S. Patent Number 5,199,428 to Obel et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a system for stimulating the epidural space with continuous and/or phasic electrical pulses using an implanted pulse generator upon the detection of myocardial ischemia to decrease cardiac workload, and thereby reduce cell death related to the ischemic event. U.S. Patent Number 5,824,021 to Rise, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discusses a system and method for providing spinal cord stimulation to relieve angina, and to further provide a patient notification that an ischemic event is occurring.
This spinal cord stimulation is provided only after the ischemia is already detected. In addition to the above-described systems, other systems have been disclosed to provide nerve stimulation following the onset of predetermined condition. U.S. Patent Number 6,134,470 to Hartlaub describes a system for utilizing spinal cord stimulation to terminate tachyarrhythmias. The stimulation is provided only after the tachyarrhythmias, or a precursor thereto, has been detected. U.S. Patent Number 3,650,277 discloses a system for stimulating the left and right carotid sinus nerves in response to the detection of elevated mean arterial blood pressure to alleviate hypertension. The systems discussed above deliver stimulation upon the onset of a predetermined physical condition such as ischemia or tachyarrhythmia. These systems do not provide treatments to anticipate the on-set of a particular physiological condition so that the condition may be prevented. Furthermore, such systems do not provide a preventative system that utilizes a closed-loop mechanism to monitor one or more physiologic conditions to modulate therapy. Finally, prior art systems utilize implanted electrodes to perform spinal cord stimulation in response to an already-occurring physiological condition. Such systems do not address the need for more acute therapies such as transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENs) or subcutaneous stimulation that may be administered on an as-needed basis. What is needed, therefore, is an improved system that addresses the foregoing limitations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The current invention involves a neuromodulation system to provide stimulation to at least a portion ofthe nervous system ofthe body. The stimulation is provided using one or more subcutaneous, cutaneous, or implanted electrodes. The stimulation is provided in anticipation of a cardiac insult, wherein "cardiac insult" in this context is intended to include, but is not limited to, mechanical, chemical, or electrical impairment or damage of cardiac tissue due to conditions such as heart failure, ventricular tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, ischemia, imbalance of autonomic tone, or the like. In one embodiment, the current invention provides a system and method to provide stimulation at locations adjacent the spinal region and on the chest wall. Such stimulation has been shown to improve cardiac function, to limit ischemic attacks, to reduce sympathetic activity ofthe cardiac tissue, and to reduce the likelihood and/or the severity of ventricular arrhythmia. Thus, the electrical stimulation produces effects similar to those induced by prescription beta-blocker drugs. This type of stimulation has been shown to reduce cardiac work, improve heart function, vasodilate peripheral arterioles and increase blood flow to the limbs. According to the invention, one or more electrodes may be placed adjacent one or more of the T1-T12 vertebrae, with the T1-T4 locations being preferred. Alternatively, the electrodes may be placed adjacent the chest wall or anywhere within a region ofthe T1-T5 dermatomes. The position ofthe electrodes may be, for example, in the pectoral region of the left chest located near the pectoral muscle with stimulation ofthe musculocutaneous and thoracic nerves. In another example, the electrodes may be positioned in the axillary region beneath the left arm with stimulation provided to the musculocutaneous, brachialcutaneous and thoracodorsal nerves. In yet another embodiment, one or more electrodes are proximate to the external housing of an implanted device to stimulate nerves adjacent to the device. The inventive system and method may be operated in a closed-loop mode. In this mode, one or more physiological parameters may be sensed using physiological sensors. The sensed physiological signals may be used to predict the onset of an insult. These signals may also be used to modulate delivery ofthe stimulation parameters such as pulse width, amplitude, frequency, and the like. Moreover, these signals may be used to determine the length of time to continue stimulation. According to yet another embodiment, the inventive system stores data signals indicative of past electrical stimulation so that future stimulation may be optimized. This stored data may also be used by healthcare professionals for treatment and diagnosis. In yet another aspect ofthe instant invention, a method is provided for protecting cardiac tissue from insult. The method comprises delivering electrical stimulation to one or more predetermined portions of the nervous system in a patient' s body in anticipation of a cardiac insult, and monitoring one or more physiologic indices ofthe body to determine whether the delivered therapy is effective.
In another aspect ofthe instant invention, a system is provided for protecting cardiac tissue from insult. The apparatus is comprised of a sensing circuit, stimulation circuit, and a control circuit. The sensing circuit senses at least one physiologic parameter. The stimulation circuit provides the electrical stimulation to the one or more nerves. The control circuit is coupled to the sensing circuit and to the stimulation circuit to control the stimulation circuit based on the at least one physiologic parameter sensed by the sensing circuit.
Figure 1 C is a diagram illustrating an implantable stimulation device implanted within a patient.
Figure 6E is a flowchart illustrating stimulation initiated based on a real time recording of ischemic burden and total ischemic burden; and Figure 6F illustrates the delivery ofthe therapy for protection during a suspected heart attack.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECD7IC EMBODIMENTS Illustrative embodiments ofthe invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Illustrative embodiments of a method and apparatus for providing improved cardiac function according to the present invention are shown in the Figures. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a complete reading ofthe present application, the present method and apparatus are applicable to a variety of systems other than the embodiment illustrated herein.
In the illustrated embodiments, a method and apparatus for performing spinal cord, vagus nerve, peripheral nerve, transcutaneous, and/or subcutaneous electrical stimulation to proactively modulate autonomic effects on the cardiovascular system is provided. Use of the stimulation minimizes arrhythmia, heart failure, and damage to cardiac myocytes due to the occurrence of a predicted and subsequent ischemic event. Such stimulation may be provided to one or more portions ofthe nervous system to also promote electrical stability ofthe heart and to prevent or reduce the chance for a subsequent episode involving fibrillation. As described in greater detail below, the current method and apparatus may employ a closed-loop control mechanism to initiate and regulate this stimulation. Generally, the instant invention is directed to a method and apparatus for improving the efficiency of operation ofthe heart and may be used to reduce the likelihood of imminent cardiac insults. Therapeutic benefits associated with the instant invention may be derived from application ofthe instant invention to a wide variety of cardiac conditions. Thus, as used in the instant application, the phrase "cardiac insult" is intended to include, but is not limited to, damage or mechanical, chemical, or electrical impairment of cardiac tissue due to conditions such as heart failure, ventricular tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, ischemia, imbalance of autonomic tone, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the current invention may also be utilized to treat ventricular dysfunction or heart failure.
As shown in Figures 1 A and IB, an external system 100 provides stimulation to a patient 102 at locations adjacent the spinal region and on the chest wall using leads 106a and 106b, respectively. Such spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to improve contractibility, to further improve the pressure-volume relationship within the heart, and to reduce sympathetic activity ofthe cardiac tissue to reduce the likelihood of ventricular arrhythmias. Thus, the electrical stimulation produces effects similar to those induced by prescription beta-blocker drugs. This type of stimulation has been shown to vasodilate peripheral arterioles and increase blood flow to the limbs. The stimulation may further cause the production of neuropeptides such as CGRP, NO, and VIP that are known vasodilators, which may assist in redirection of blood flow from regions of high flow to regions of low flow. This further improves the efficiency ofthe heart. In ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy patients, this therapy may suppress or reduce subendocardial ischemia, and hence be cardio-protective. Electrical stimulation may further result in improvements in operational efficiency and function of cardiac tissue even in the presence of reduced blood supply. When an SCS lead 106a is utilized, the lead configuration may be ofthe type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,556 issued to Tarjan et al. or in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,691 issued to Often, U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,774 issued to Corbin et al. or U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,441 issued to Often, all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Alternatively, the electrode may correspond to commercially-available spinal cord stimulation leads such as the Medtronic Model 3487A or 3888 leads which include a plurality, e.g. four spaced apart distal electrodes that are adapted to be placed adjacent the spinal cord 103, for example in the intrathecal space, in the epidural space, or adjacent the roots of nerves branching off of the spinal cord. The proximal end ofthe SCS lead 116a may carry a quadripolar in-line connector assembly inserted into a connector block of controller 104. Two or more ofthe electrodes may be employed to stimulate the spinal column. Leads with fewer or more than four electrodes may of course also be employed.
In another embodiment, the electrodes 108 may be applied cutaneously or subcutaneously adjacent any ofthe T1-T12 vertebrae or in any ofthe C1-C8 locations, and most preferably, any ofthe T1-T4 vertebrae (see Fig. 1 A), or may be placed adjacent the chest wall (see Fig. IB). The electrodes 108 may take on any of a variety of forms of cutaneous or subcutaneous electrodes. For example, conventional surface mounted electrodes, such as are commonly used in conjunction with Transcuteous Neurological Stimulator (TENS) units, may be employed. These surface mounted electrodes may be fixed to the patient 102 via any of a variety of conventional mechanical or chemical mechanisms or may be simply held in place by friction, adhesives, and gravity or other mechanisms. In some embodiments, the electrodes 108 may be disposed immediately adjacent nerve bundles associated with any ofthe T1-T12 vertebrae.
Conventional subcutaneous electrodes may be surgically inserted into the patient's body. In fact, subcutaneous stimulation may be provided using leads ofthe type that are commonly used for pacing the heart. The implantable electrodes may be placed subcutaneously to stimulate underlying muscles, overlying cutaneous nerves, passing somatic nerves, or a combination thereof. For example, various commercially available leads, such as the Pisces®, Pisces Quad Plus®, and Octad® model leads, commercially-available from Medtronic Corporation, are examples of leads that may be used for this purpose. This subcutaneous or cutaneous placement may be desirable in emergency situations such as en route to a medical care facility following symptoms indicative of an impending cardiac insult.
As discussed above, subcutaneous electrodes may be carried on leads and inserted near nerve tissue using a delivery device such as a needle. In other instances, subcutaneous electrodes may be carried on the surface of an implanted medical device such as disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,292,336 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, such electrodes may be electrically-isolated from the can, as disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent No. 5,331 ,966 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment, a paddle-type (flat) lead having a surface area between one square cm and five square inches or more may be used to accomplish the subcutaneous stimulation. Such a lead may be formed of an insulative material, with programmable electrodes on one or more ofthe flat sides ofthe lead for either skin stimulation, muscle stimulation, or both. According to this embodiment, the paddle-type lead may be between four and ten millimeters wide so as to be readily passable through a needle such as a twelve- gage needle before it unfolds. In one embodiment, the special delivery needle includes an oval or rectangular cross-section of appropriate size to allow for passage ofthe lead. Electrodes may be provided on one or both sides ofthe paddle lead. In another embodiment, electrodes may be provided on both sides ofthe lead, with the electrodes employed for stimulation at a given time being selectively enabled by a user.
Alternatively, the system may be programmable to select the type of tissue to be stimulated. This is desirable since in some instances, it may be beneficial to provide stimulation to only spinal neurons, whereas in other instances it may be desirable to also stimulate skin, muscle, or any combination ofthe nervous tissues. Various electrode combinations could be provided to allow for selective enabling ofthe stimulation in this manner. As noted above, many types of electrode systems may be adapted for use with the current invention, including cutaneous, subcutaneous, and implanted electrodes. These electrodes are coupled to controller 104 so that electrical signals supplied by the controller 104 provide electrical stimulation to nervous tissue in the skin, muscle, or spinal canal of the patient. The controller 104 may take the form of an external device as shown in Figures 1 A and IB. This is useful in providing therapeutic signals to a patient who is anticipating exertion or any other type of event that may cause ischemia.
In those situations in which a patient has a history of cardiac events, it is generally useful to construct the controller 104 in a housing 105 designed to be implantable within the human body, as shown in Figure IC. In this embodiment, implanted lead 106c is employed to deliver SCS according to the invention. This housing may optionally include a pacing and/or cardioverter/defibrillator stimulation circuit for generating cardiac stimulation signals to the heart 107 using one or more leads 109, as is known in the art. Leads 109 may carry one or more physiological sensors 111 for sensing physiological signals, as is discussed below. Additionally, or in the alternative, the housing may also include a drug delivery device such as a drug pump coupled to a drug delivery catheter that may be used with the nerve stimulation to prevent anticipated physiological insults.
In one embodiment, controller 104 may be programmed for either automatic or manual operation. That is, controller 104 may utilize one or more conventional sensors such as sensor 111 to sense signals that predict the possible on-set of physiologic conditions such as ventricular dysfunction, ischemia, heart failure, or any other type of cardiac insult.
These sensors may be any ofthe types known in the art for sensing physiological signals, including pressure, oxygen, activity, temperature, and blood flow sensors. Exemplary sensors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,701 issued to Moore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,434, issued to Flalperin et al, U.S. Pat No. 4,428,378, issued to Anderson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,434, issued to Alt or U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,505, issued to Cohen, all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Upon anticipation ofthe cardiac event, the controller 104 may automatically begin therapeutic treatment ofthe patient by electrically stimulating the selected nervous tissue(s). Alternatively, a patient or authorized person may manually activate the controller 104 to begin this therapeutic treatment. Manual activation may be accomplished by any of a variety of mechanisms. For example, where the controller 104 is implanted in the patient, activation may be accomplished by wireless communication or the like.
In addition to the preventative treatment discussed above wherein therapy is provided prior to the onset of a predetermined condition, treatment may continue during an event should the initial therapy fail. For example, acute subcutaneous or cutaneous stimulation may be used while a heart attack is in progress during transport to a medical facility or in an emergency room prior to patient stabilization. Such stimulation could be continued until a cardiovascular intervention procedure is initiated, or even continued for several weeks past the incident.
Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment ofthe controller 104. Generally, the controller 104 is comprised of one or more driver circuits 200 and receiver circuits 202. The driver circuits 200 are generally responsible for providing the stimulating signals over the lines 106 to the electrodes 108. That is, a processor 204, operating under software or hardware control, may instruct the driver circuit 200 to produce a stimulating signal having a set of preselected, desired parameters, such as frequency, duty cycle, duration, waveform shape, amplitude, voltage and magnitude. As noted above, driver circuits 200 may optionally include circuits 201 to generate pacing and/or high- voltage stimulation to the heart on leads 109.
The receiver circuits 202 are generally responsible for receiving signals over the lines 112 from the sensors 110 and 111, and processing those signals into a form, such as a digital format, which may be analyzed by the processor 204 and/or stored in a memory 206, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The memory 206 may also store software, which is used to control the operation ofthe processor 204.
In one embodiment, signals stored in memory 206 may be transferred via a communication circuit 207 such as a telemetry circuit to an external device 209 such as a programmer. These signals may be stored in the external device, or transferred via a network 211 to a remote system 213 which may be a repository or some other remote database. Network 211 may be an intranet, internet system such as the world- wide web, or any other type of communication link.
Controller 104 may further include a reed switch 217. This type of switch mechanism may be closed using a magnet in the embodiment wherein the controller is implanted. Controller may further include an accelerometer 219, as will be discussed further below.
As noted above, controller 104 may further include a drug delivery device 213 that may comprise a pump coupled to a catheter 215. Exemplary implantable drug delivery systems that may be adapted to deliver biologically-active agents in conjunction with SCS or other nerve stimulation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,418, issued to Arzbaecher, U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,917, issued to Cammilli, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,029, issued to Ellinwood and U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,505, issued to Cohen, all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
110 or 111 may be positioned adjacent or within the body ofthe patient 102 to sense various physiological conditions, which are communicated back to the controller 104. The measured physiological conditions may be used as an indication ofthe patient's response to the therapy being administered by the controller 104. That is, a positive physiological response may be used as an indication that the therapy is achieving the desired result. The sensed physiological conditions may be used to adjust the parameters ofthe stimulation. For example, the controller 104 may measure and record cardiac pulse pressure. A change in the cardiac pulse pressure over time may be used in a closed-loop system to adjust delivery of stimulation. For example, if the controller 104 detects that the cardiac pulse pressure has declined over time, then the parameters ofthe stimulation may be adjusted in an attempt to increase the cardiac pulse pressure. On the other hand, where the controller 104 observes a consistent, appropriate cardiac pulse pressure, then the stimulation may be continued, as a desired result is being achieved by the stimulation. On the other hand, where the controller 104 observes continued high, or even rising, cardiac pulse pressure, then the parameters ofthe stimulation may be adjusted in an attempt to lower the cardiac pulse pressure over time. The overall general operation ofthe controller 104 may be appreciated by reference to a control diagram and flowchart depicted in Figures 3 and 4. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the control diagram and flowchart illustrated herein may be used to represent either software that may be executed by the processor 204 or hardware configured to operate to perform the functions set forth in the flowchart. Thus, either hardware or software may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe instant invention.
Figure 3 depicts a generalized mode of closed loop operation. Through a sensor or combination of sensors, the system evaluates a physiologic state. This includes predicting (and later, detecting the continuation of) ischemia, an increased risk of VT/VF, a cardiovascular decompensation, and/or other types of cardiac insults to be discussed below. Any ofthe sensing systems listed below may be used to monitor physiological parameters to accomplish this function.
In response to the detection of a particular physiologic state, the system adjusts the stimulation parameters to treat the detected or predicted abnormality. The system may also record trends in the sensed data and the effects or impact of a prior stimulation intervention. In one embodiment, the system may include an artificial intelligence system that allows the device to learn from the effectiveness ofthe prior therapy. The system thereby becomes customized to deliver therapy that is optimally tailored for the individual patient. After stimulation is initiated in response to an anticipated or detected insult, stimulation parameters may be adjusted. Such parameters may include stimulation pulse width, amplitude, frequency, duty cycle, and waveform shape. These parameters may be continually modified as the response is monitored so that the optimal treatment may be delivered. After the insult such as an ischemic episode has subsided, stimulation may be discontinued after an appropriate delay. A ramp-down process may be provided to allow for some hysteresis. Sensed data and device parameters may be transferred to an external device such as a programmer using a communication system such as a telemetry circuit. The physician may then evaluate the data and determine whether the delivered therapy requires modification, and whether it is desirable to enable the device to provide patient- initiated therapy in a manner to be discussed below. Additionally, the data may provide valuable information that may be used to deliver more effective manual therapy. In Figure 3, one or more sensors shown as sensors 302a through 302c are used to measure physiologic conditions. The measured signals may be compared against a threshold value by one or more comparators 304a through 304c. The results ofthe comparisons may be summed, or otherwise processed, with the processed data set being provided on line 309. If this result indicates that electrical stimulation is required, as determined by block 310, therapy is initiated. Therapy is initiated and controlled by a processing circuit, as represented by block 312. This processing circuit 312 provides the closed-loop feedback control used to modulate the level of therapy delivered. When therapy is to be discontinued, a ramp-down circuit shown in block 322 may be used to gradually discontinue the stimulation.
In one embodiment, artificial intelligence capability may be provided by the logic of block 310. This artificial intelligence analyzes the effectiveness of previously delivered therapy to adjust current therapy delivery techniques. Therapy is thereby tailored to individual patient needs. According to another manner of initiating therapy, the signals provided by the sensors 302a through 302c may be combined to generate a cumulative signal indicative of a patient's overall physiologic condition. This may be accomplished using a summation circuit 314, for example. The cumulative signal may be provided along with, or in place of, the signal on the line 309 for use in determining whether therapy should be initiated or modulated. In addition to closed-loop operation, Figure 3 also includes open-loop methods of initiating therapy, including patient-initiated therapy shown in block 320.
Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart representation of one embodiment of operating a closed-loop system according to the current invention. In block 430 of Figure 4, a determination is made as to whether ischemia is anticipated. This determination is based on monitored physiological parameters that may include detection of physical activity, a change in the ST segment, change in paraspinal muscle tone, and/or a change in heart rate. Other parameters may be monitored in a manner to be discussed further below.
According to one aspect ofthe invention, electrical stimulation is provided when the tone in the paraspinal muscles is increasing, since this is an indicator of anticipated visceral complications. Detection of this increase in muscle tone could be accomplished using an externally-positioned strain gage, for example. Thus, electrical stimulation may be applied prior to the onset of actual ischemic so that cardiac tissue maybe protected in an anticipatory manner. Electrical stimulation may also continue while the muscle tone remains at a predetermined rigidity. In one embodiment, a rate-responsive sensor such as an accelerometer or other appropriate sensor may be used to sense the level of activity, and adjust the stimulation levels according to the activity level.
If ischemia is anticipated, and the stimulation has already been initiated as detected by block 434, the stimulation level may be adjusted in block 436 based on the monitored parameters. This may include adjusting the rate, amplitude, duration, or waveform shape of electrical stimulation pulses applied to the electrodes 108. If stimulation has not yet been initiated, it may be activated in block 438. If artificial intelligence is provided, the level and/or type of stimulation may be correlated with the physiologic result ofthe stimulation so that therapy may be adjusted in the future. The stimulation may be modulated in block 436, with the monitoring of patient condition continuing in block 430. Stimulation may continue after the ischemia is actually detected. If ischemia is not anticipated and/or detected in block 430, and stimulation is activated, as indicated by block 440, stimulation may be discontinued, as shown in block 442. In one embodiment this may be accomplished using a timer and a ramp-down mechanism to gradually disable the stimulation therapy. Figure 5 illustrates a flowchart representation of another embodiment of operating a closed- loop system to predict arrhythmias according to the current invention. In block 450, a determination is made as to whether a high-risk of arrhythmia is indicated. This may be indicated by premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), T-wave alternans, heart rate variability, and QT prolongation, for example. If a high risk of arrhythmia does exist, and the stimulation has already been initiated as detected by block 452, the stimulation level may be adjusted in block 454 based on the monitored parameters. This may include adjusting the rate, amplitude, duration, or waveform shape of electrical stimulation pulses applied to the electrodes 108. If stimulation has not yet been initiated, it may be activated in block 456. If artificial intelligence is provided as shown in block 457, the level and/or type of stimulation may be correlated with the physiologic result ofthe stimulation so that therapy may be adjusted in the future based on "learned" patient responses. The stimulation may be modulated in block 454, with the monitoring of patient condition continuing in block 450. Stimulation may continue after the arrhythmia is actually detected.
If arrhythmia is not anticipated and/or detected in block 450, and stimulation is activated, as indicated by block 460, stimulation may be discontinued, as shown in block 462. As discussed above, this may be accomplished using a timer and a ramp-down mechanism to gradually disable the stimulation therapy.
In one embodiment, data may be provided to an operation (clinician) so that the clinician may adjust the level and/or type of stimulation. This transfer of data may be accomplished using a telemetry mechanism, as shown in block 464. This allows the operator to optimize stimulation, control the degree or type of system "learning", and otherwise interact with the system to optimize performance.
In one embodiment, electrical stimulation ofthe spinal cord is performed at locations Tl- T12, Cl -C8, or other areas ofthe spinal cord. Any combination of these sites may be stimulated. Such stimulation may involve electrodes implanted near the spine at the desired location. In another embodiment, the vagus and/or peripheral nerve may be stimulated at various locations. If desired, stimulation may be provided subcutaneously, or cutaneously by externally-applied electrodes located in the precordial area or over sites of the pain or any area from which nervous fibers project to the spinal cord at levels T1-T5.
Electrical stimulation provide significant benefits when delivered prior to an anticipated cardiac insult, or an event that will induce ischemia. The benefits include minimizing or preventing acute infarct and reducing reperfusion arrhythmia. In one embodiment, the therapy is delivered thirty minutes or more prior to the anticipated on-set of an insult such as ischemia. As much as possible, the above therapies should be implemented prior to the insult using one or more ofthe following embodiments illustrated in the flowcharts of Figures 5 A through 5E.
Figure 6A is a flowchart illustrating delivery of stimulation prior to planned cardiac interventions, like bypasses, angioplasties or stents (block 500). The stimulation could be applied for a predetermined time such as 30 - 120 minutes prior to the intervention (block 502). Stimulation may be continued for hours or days after the procedure to minimize adverse effects or to increase or even maximize patency of vessels (block 504). Figure 6B is a flowchart illustrating delivery of stimulation at a particular time of day (block 510). For example, stimulation may be provided when a patient wakes up in the morning. A timer may be utilized to initiate subthreshold stimulation, or alternatively, to initiate suprathreshold stimulation to provide paresthesia. After a predetermined time such as thirty minutes (block 512), or when sensed physiological parameters indicate that the appropriate level of cardiovascular protection has been established (block 514), the patient can be alerted (516). This could be accomplished, for example, by use of stimulation producing a stronger paresthesia.
Figure 6C is a flowchart illustrating delivery of stimulation initiated because a patient anticipates physical activity and manually triggers therapy (block 520). This may be accomplished using an externally-positioned magnet as may be used to close a reed switch. Alternatively, a tapping sequence may be initiated as is known in the art. In this embodiment, the patient performs a tapping action over the implanted device as may be accomplished using a finger. This tapping action is detected by an accelerometer or similar sensor within the device so that therapy may be initiated.
In one embodiment, an expected intensity ofthe activity or other optional parameters may also be specified (block 522). After stimulation has been delivery for the specified time (block 524) and/or after the appropriate level of cardio protection has been determined to have been established (block 526), the device provides an indication that activity may be initiated (block 528). Stimulation may continue throughout the activity, if desired (block 530).
Figure 6D is a flowchart illustrating stimulation initiated at the first signs of activity in an anticipatory manner (block 540), or at the first indication that ischemia, an episode of malignant ventricular arrhythmia, and/or any ofthe other insults discussed above may be anticipated (block 544). This type of indication may be detected by one or more ofthe sensing mechanisms discussed above.
556). Figure 6F illustrates the delivery ofthe therapy for protection during a suspected heart attack. To promote optimal recovery, stimulation may be applied by healthcare professionals as soon as possible in an appropriate form if a heart attack is even suspected (blocks 560 and 562). This is done using subcutaneous or cutaneous electrode systems discussed above. This stimulation may continue after the symptoms subside to further protect the cardiac tissue (564).
Table II illustrates some ofthe benefits associated with the electrical stimulation provided by the current invention, and includes sites of stimulation for achieving these benefits. Table II further lists one or more physiological parameters that may be monitored when delivering stimulation to achieve a desired effect.
The above-described closed-loop system may combine electrical stimulation with conventional drug therapy. The drug therapy may be provided by an implanted delivery device such as that discussed above, for example. The closed-loop system may be utilized to titrate the drug delivery and the stimulation in much the same manner as discussed above in conjunction with the closed loop electrical stimulation.
As noted above, the inventive system and method provides a mechanism for employing closed-loop controls to initiate and deliver electrical stimulation. As shown in Figure 3, the system may also provide the ability for the patient to activate the stimulation based on the onset of a physical condition such as exertion or pain. This patient-initiated therapy may be limited or controlled by a programmable feature as specified by a physician. A timer may also be provided to initiate and control therapy at one or more times during the day.
In one embodiment, a notification feature is provided to notify the patient and/or a physician of changing patient conditions indicative of increased ischemic risk. The invention may further include means to discontinue or limit therapy when closed-loop feedback techniques are leading to an undesirable situation.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit ofthe teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.
1. A method for providing stimulation in anticipation of an insult to cardiac tissue, comprising: delivering electrical stimulation to one or more predetermined portions ofthe nervous system in a patient's body; and monitoring one or more physiologic indices ofthe body to determine whether the delivered therapy is effective.
3. The method of Claim 1 , further comprising terminating delivery of electrical stimulation based on the monitored physiologic indices.
4. The method of Claim 1 , and further comprising initiating delivery of electrical stimulation based on anticipating that exercise will occur.
6. The method of Claim 5, wherein modifying the one or more characteristics further comprises modifying one or more characteristics ofthe group comprised of amplitude, duration, frequency, duty cycle and waveform shape.
9. The method of Claim 1 , further comprising initiating delivery of electrical stimulation at one or more predetermined times ofthe day.
12. The method of Claim 1 , further comprising initiating delivery of electrical stimulation based on one or more monitored physiologic indices ofthe body.
14. The method of Claim 1 , wherein delivering electrical stimulation to one or more predetermined portions ofthe nervous system in the patients body further comprises delivering electrical stimulation to one or more predetermined portions of the nervous system comprising the group of a spinal cord, a cranial nerve, sympathetic ganglia, intrinsic cardiac neurons, and a peripheral nerves.
16. The method of Claim 1 , wherein delivering electrical stimulation further comprises delivering electrical stimulation to one or more types of electrodes selected from the group comprising externally positioned electrodes, subcutaneously-placed electrodes, and implanted electrodes positioned in proximity to the one or more predetermined nerves.
17. The method of Claim 1 , and further including delivering a biologically-active agent in anticipation ofthe insult to the cardiac tissue.
18. The method of Claim 1 , and further including providing a patient notification in anticipation ofthe insult to the cardiac tissue.
20. A system to control delivery of electrical stimulation to one or more nerves in a body, comprising: a sensing circuit to sense at least one physiologic parameter; a stimulation circuit to provide the electrical stimulation to the one or more nerves; and a control circuit coupled to the sensing circuit and to the stimulation circuit to control the stimulation circuit based on anticipation of an occurrence of a cardiac insult as indicated by the at least one physiologic parameter.
25. The system of Claim 20, and further including means for notifying a patient ofthe anticipation ofthe occurrence ofthe cardiac insult.
28. The system of Claim 20, wherein the stimulation circuit includes at least one electrode positioned proximate an external surface ofthe body.
29. The system of Claim 20, and further including a storage device coupled to the control circuit to store results of past electrical stimulation; and wherein the control circuit include means for performing future electrical stimulation based on the results of past electrical stimulation.
30. The system of Claim 20, and further including a drug delivery system coupled to the control circuit to deliver biologically-active agents based on the anticipation ofthe occurrence ofthe cardiac insult.
31. A device to provide electrical stimulation to at least one predetermined portion of the nervous system in a patient's body, comprising: means for sensing at least one physiologic indication in the patient's body; means for providing stimulation to the at least one predetermined portion ofthe nervous system in the patient's body; and means for controlling the stimulation means to provide the stimulation based on an indication of a probable future cardiac insult as determined by the at least one physiologic indication in the patient's body.
32. An apparatus for protecting cardiac tissue from insult, comprising: at least one electrode positionable at a region adjacent a patient's nervous tissue; a sensing circuit to detect at least one physiologic parameter; and a controller adapted to deliver electrical stimulation to the at least one electrode for a period of time prior to onset of an insult, wherein at least one parameter ofthe electrical stimulation is controlled as a function ofthe sensed physiologic parameter.
33. The apparatus of Claim 32 , wherein the controller includes means for delivering electrical stimulation for a period of time after the onset ofthe insult.
34. The apparatus of Claim 33, wherein the controller includes means for delivering electrical stimulation for a period of time after the termination ofthe insult.
Inventor name: KING, GARY, W.
Inventor name: HILL, MICHAEL, R., S.
Inventor name: MULLEN, THOMAS, J. | 2019-04-26T01:14:23Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/EP1395335A1/en |
A method for a client node (D100) to access an information object (102) located at a node (D500) of a secured network (120) via a network of information (100) wherein information objects (102) are identified by information object identities (IDObj, ID′Obj) and wherein nodes are identified by locators (LGW, LObj), wherein the following is performed at a routing node (D102):—receiving from the client node (D100) an information object identity related to the information object (102),—sending the information object identity to a resolving node (D400) of the network of information (100), the resolving node (D400) being capable of initiating a procedure for sending to the routing node (D102) a locator of a gateway node (D200) interfacing the network of information (100) and the secured network (120),—receiving the locator of the gateway node (D200),—sending a request for the information object (102) to the gateway node (D200) according to the locator,—receiving the requested information object (102) from the gateway node (D200), and—sending the information object (102) to the client node (D100).
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/106,776 filed Oct. 20, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to communication, especially to methods for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured network via a network of information, nodes adapted to perform such methods, computer programs adapted to perform such methods, and a computer-readable medium product comprising such computer programs.
Over 90% of the traffic in today's internet is so-called dissemination traffic, i.e. operations such as retrieving a website or downloading a video. In contrast to point-to-point connections (such as a voice over IP conversation), where the source and the destination address are essential parts of the communication, dissemination traffic has different characteristics. In many cases it is completely irrelevant who delivers the desired content, as long as it can be assured that the correct content is delivered (this can be verified for instance by cryptography such as a digital signature). Classical examples are a webpage or a video file.
Driven by this trend, the networking research community has lately started investigating so-called content-centric networks (compare V. Jacobson, M. Mosko, D. Smetters, and J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves, “Content-centric networking”, Whitepaper, Palo Alto Research Center, January 2007), also referred to as information-centric networks. A characteristic of such networks is that information objects become the first order elements in the network, i.e.
already the routing layer is aware of the content that is transported. This opens the door to many optimizations not possible conventionally, such as optimized routing or transparent caching.
In the 4WARD project (compare http://www.4ward-project.eu), this scope has even been broadened, so that also the virtual representations of real-world objects (such as the Eiffel tower) and non-dissemination traffic (such as a voice call) shall be handled. The corresponding concept is referred to as Networks of Information, NetInf (compare C. Dannewitz, K. Pentikousis, R. Rembarz, E. Renault, O. Strandberg, and J. Ubillos, “Scenarios and research issues for a Network of Information”, In Proc. 4th Int. Mobile Multimedia Communications Conf., Oulu, Finland, July 2008).
A fundamental aspect of NetInf that influences the overall architecture is the identifier/locator split. In NetInf, the functional overloading of IP addresses acting as both identifiers and locators may be eliminated via a clean split of those two functions. Each information object (denoted e.g. by “Obj”) may have a locator (denoted e.g. by “LObj”) pointing at the location of the information object in the network and a separate identifier (denoted e.g. by “IDObj”), enabling the persistent identification of the information object regardless of possible location changes or replication in the network of information. In order to make this system work, the bindings and indirections between the different objects need to be handled efficiently; this task is carried out by a Name Resolving (NR, Name Resolver/Name Resolution) entity.
In the context of this application, the term “network of information” (NetInf) may hence particularly denote a communication network in which a plurality of communicatively coupled nodes are provided and which is based on an information-centric architecture in which a provisioning of information objects is possible based on an identity, ID, identifying a specific information object unambiguously (for example uniquely) in the network of information and based on a locator, L, specifying a location of the network of information at which the specific information object is available. An identifier of an information object can be used for identifying an information object during communication of different nodes of a network of information and can be used for distinguishing between an information object and other information objects. A locator, sometimes also known as “location pointing information” points at a location (such as a node capable of providing specific data) of an information object in a network of information. An example for a locator is a data block serving as an address of a node at which the corresponding information object is available. Such an address may be for instance an Internet Protocol (IP) address being a numerical identification (logical address) that can be assigned to devices participating in a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol for communication between its nodes. A locator may provide a link to a node at which a specific information object is available for download. In other words, a locator may be considered as an address at which a corresponding information object can be accessed at.
A network of information may involve wired and/or wireless communication between the various nodes. A network of information is also called content-centric network or information-centric network. A locator points at a location of a data object in a network, for instance it denotes a network address, for example an IP address.
The term “node” may particularly denote a communication entity which may be configured for communication with one or more other communication entities in a network. For instance, such a node may be a user equipment to be operated by a user and to be coupled to a communication network. Examples are mobile phones, laptops or personal computers, data cards for plugging or on-board integration into laptops or personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), navigation systems, etc. Hence, mobile (for example portable) or stationary communication devices can be operated in accordance with an corresponding communication architecture. For instance, such a communication device may be used in the context of telecommunications.
The term “information object” may particularly denote a set of data representing information content or use data (for instance text such as a database or a story or an article, or multimedia content such as music data, video data, or any other information related to a service or an application) which can be requested by one node and provided by another node communicatively coupled to one another in a network of information. Such an information object may be characterized for communication purposes by an information object identity in combination with corresponding location pointing information.
The term “resolving node” (sometimes also known as “resolution node”) may particularly denote a name resolver node in a network of information. A publishing initiation node may provide the resolving node with one or more locators regarding a corresponding information object. The latter can be provided by the publishing initiation node upon request of a client node (which may also be denoted as an information object requesting node). Hence, a resolving node may manage or handle data blocks each of which including an indication at which location or node of a network of information an information object or other piece of data is available. Such a resolving node may be configured for receiving such data blocks from a publishing initiation node offering a corresponding service and may be configured for transmitting such data blocks to a client node requesting a corresponding service.
The term “publishing initiation node” may particularly denote a node in a network of information which node can indicate to the resolving node an information object in conjunction with an assigned locator and may therefore indicate which information object is available where in a network. The publishing initiation node may be at the same time the provider of a corresponding information object itself or may be another communication entity.
The term “client node” (or “information object requesting node”) may particularly denote a node in a network of information which node may search for a location of a specific information object in a network of information. For this purpose, the client node may initiate sending of a query to a resolving node and may ask the latter for a location of a node offering a corresponding service of providing the desired information object.
The term “gateway node” may particularly denote a network node equipped for interfacing between two networks, for instance that differ regarding security requirements and/or regarding different protocols.
The term “routing node” may particularly denote a node that forwards data packets between networks or between different nodes of a network.
Now referring to FIG. 2, in order make an information object 220 known in the network, it has to be published by a publishing initiation node 210. As illustrated in FIG. 2, this is done by sending a PUBLISH message to a resolving node (or Name Resolver (NR)) 200 stating that the information object Obj 220 designated by the identifier IDObj is available at the network location 210 designated by LObj. LObj can also be a list of locations. If the information object Obj 220 has already been published before, the additional location is added to the database or an existing entry is updated in the database, if this is the first registration, a new entry is created.
FIG. 3 illustrates the process of retrieving an information object Obj 220 from the NetInf network. As outlined above, a network of information allows a user to request access to an information object Obj 220 based on an identifier IDObj regardless from which location the information object 220 will be provided. The identifier IDObj may be obtained, for instance via a link in an email or via a search operation.
Consequently, firstly a client node 230 (functioning as an information object requesting node) resolves the identifier IDObj of the object 220 into its locator LObj. A RESOLVE message (step 1) comprising the identifier IDObj is sent to resolving node 200 which can look-up a locator LObj corresponding to the identifier MObj. The locator LObj pointing to a location 210 where the information object Obj 220 can be obtained from is subsequently sent from the resolving node 200 to the client node 230 in step 2 in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the client node 230 comprises a name resolving client (NRC) 250 located on the client node 230 itself for the resolving. After the locator LObj is known to the client node 230, the client node 230 can proceed and retrieve the information object Obj 220 from the actual storage location identified by the locator LObj. Client node 230 can send a request message GET for requesting the information object Obj 220 with identifier IDObj to a node 210 identified by locator LObj. The node 210 can then obtain, e.g. from an own storage, the information object Obj 220 corresponding to the identifier IDObj and send the information object Obj 220 to the client node 230.
While the former case is more likely to be used when NetInf is deployed as an overlay to IP, native NetInf-enable networks also make it possible to handle the name resolving in the network, i.e. by the NetInf aware routing node(s) which contact the resolving node 200 and request a storage location denoted by a locator.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, this can for instance be realized by an NRC entity 250 present on a first hop router (FHR) 240. The request can then—as in the above example—be routed to the storage location.
Once a client node 230 has retrieved an information object, it can optionally be published again with the location of the client node 230, similar as in peer-to-peer networks. Optional encryption ensures that only authorized parties can access the actual data. Otherwise, the intention is to enable data to “roam around freely” in order to support replication, caching and other optimizations.
As can be taken from FIG. 5, today's Internet is strictly separated from private domains (secured network or private network, PN) such as a company network. Firewalls and gateway nodes ensure that attacks are not possible from the outside, and that private information does not leave the network.
In NetInf networks, these separations do not exist anymore. All information objects (including private information objects) are located in the Network of Information and can be addressed and accessed from any user via the NetInf control (more specifically: the location of every information object can be resolved using the common name resolving (NR) system and afterwards the information object can be retrieved from the resolved location). It is in many cases assumed that strong encryption of the information object is sufficient to protect private data by only being decodable by an authorized subset of the users, leading to a “virtual partitioning” of the network, as illustrated in FIG. 6.
Companies, government agencies and other stakeholders are unlikely to rely on virtual partitioning by encrypting objects as the only way of controlling and enforcing access to their data, as this will, for instance, put an enormous burden on the key management. In many cases, a strict partitioning of the network may be desired and necessary for trust reasons and to ensure that information with different confidentiality requirements and of different confidentiality levels is properly separated. This is necessary, for instance, for isolating confidential company-internal information from the rest of the Network of Information.
It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and shortcomings and to improve the security in network-of-information-based communication systems.
In order to achieve the object defined above, methods for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured network via a network of information, nodes adapted to perform such methods, computer programs adapted to perform such methods, and a computer-readable medium product comprising such a computer program according to the independent claims are provided.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured (for instance private) network via a network of information is provided. Information objects are identified by information object identities and nodes are identified by locators. The method comprises, at a routing node, receiving from the client node an information object identity related to the information object, and sending the information object identity to a resolving node of the network of information. The resolving node is capable of initiating a procedure for sending to the routing node a locator of a gateway node interfacing the network of information and the secured network. The method further comprises, at the routing node, receiving the locator of the gateway node, sending a request for the information object to the gateway node according to the locator, receiving the requested information object from the gateway node, and sending the information object to the client node.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured (for instance private) network via a network of information is provided. Information objects are identified by information object identities and nodes are identified by locators. The method comprises, at a gateway node interfacing the network of information and the secured network, receiving a request comprising an information object identity related to the information object. The method further comprises, at the gateway node, sending a request for the information object in accordance with the received information object identity to the node of the secured network, receiving the requested information object, and sending the requested information object to a routing node for sending the information object to the client node.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured (for instance private) network via a network of information is provided. Information objects are identified by information object identities and nodes are identified by locators. The method comprises, at a resolving node of the secured network, sending to a resolving node of the network of information, information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate for an information object identity related to the information object a procedure for sending to a routing node adapted to communicate with the client node a locator of a gateway node interfacing the network of information and the secured network.
According to still another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured (for instance private) network via a network of information is provided. Information objects are identified by information object identities and nodes are identified by locators. The method comprises, at a resolving node of the network of information, receiving from a resolving node of the secured network, information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate for an information object identity related to the information object a procedure for sending to a routing node adapted to communicate with the client node a locator of a gateway node interfacing the network of information and the secured network. The method further comprises, at the resolving node of the network of information, receiving the information object identity, and initiating the procedure.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a corresponding node (such as a routing node, a gateway node, a resolving node of the network of information, a resolving node of the secured network) is provided which is adapted to perform a corresponding one of the methods having the above mentioned features.
According to still another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system is provided for providing to a client node access to an information object located at a node of a secured (for instance private) network via a network of information. Information objects are identified by information object identities and nodes are identified by locators. The system comprises at least two, particularly all of the following nodes: a routing node configured for performing the corresponding above-mentioned method, a gateway node interfacing the network of information and the secured network and configured for performing the corresponding above-mentioned method, a resolving node of the secured network configured for performing the corresponding above-mentioned method, a resolving node of the network of information configured for performing the corresponding above-mentioned method, and the node of the secured network.
According to still another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a computer program is provided comprising code adapted to perform one of the above methods having the above mentioned features when loaded into a processing unit of a corresponding node.
According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a computer-readable medium product is provided which comprises at least one computer program having the above mentioned features.
Embodiments of the present invention also concern computer programs comprising portions of software codes in order to implement the methods as described above when operated at a respective device. A computer program can be stored on a computer readable medium. A computer-readable medium can be a permanent or rewritable memory within a respective device or located externally. A computer program can be also transferred to a respective device for example via a cable or a wireless link as a sequence of signals.
Data processing which may be performed according to embodiments of the invention can be realized by a computer program, that is by software, or by using one or more special electronic optimization circuits, that is in hardware, or in hybrid form, that is by means of software components and hardware components.
The explanations of various NetInf terms in the section “Background” also apply to exemplary embodiments of the invention.
The term “resolving node of a network of information” (or “public resolving node”, more specifically public name resolver) may particularly denote a resolving node in a publicly accessible network of information such as the public Internet. A resolving node of a network of information may be abbreviated by RN1 (“first resolving node”). The term” resolving node of a secured network (or “secure resolving node” or “private resolving node”, more specifically secure or private name resolver) may particularly denote a resolving node in a secure or secured network of information such as an intranet of a company or the like. A resolving node of a secured network may be abbreviated by RN2 (“second resolving node”).
The term “node of secured network” may particularly denote a node having a performance as the above defined “publishing initiation node” and being located within a secured or private network.
The term “authentication node” (which may also be denoted as AAA server or AAA function) may particularly denote a node providing an authentication task. However, such an authentication node may optionally also provide the task of authorization and/or accounting. Sometimes an authentication node may be referred to as an authorization node, especially when providing authentication and authorization functionality.
In the following, further exemplary embodiments of the methods for a client node to access an information object located at a node of a secured network via a network of information will be explained. However, these embodiments also apply to the respective nodes, to the respective computer programs, and to the computer-readable medium product.
Next, further embodiments regarding the method to be performed at the routing node (or at the client node) will be explained.
In an embodiment, the request sent to the gateway node may comprise the information object identity. Thus the gateway node can unambiguously identify a corresponding information object. Alternatively or in addition, the gateway node can forward the received identity for corresponding information object identification at a node of the secured network.
At least one further information object identity may be related to the information object. In such a scenario, the method may further comprise receiving the further information object identity in conjunction with the reception of the locator, wherein the request may further comprise the further information object identity. By distinguishing between an object identity and a further information object identity, the achievable degree of security may be further increased since this allows to obfuscate the identity of a secured (e.g. private) information object for communication entities outside of the secured network.
The locator may be received by the routing node (and/or the client node) from the resolving node of the network of information. Such an embodiment is shown e.g. in FIGS. 1, 8, 11, 13, and 14 and shifts a large amount of the communication traffic on the network of information and apart from the secure private network.
In another embodiment, the locator may be received by the routing node (and/or the client node) from a resolving node (for instance a private name resolver) of the secured network. Such a scenario is shown in FIG. 9 and in FIG. 10.
Still referring to the previously described embodiment, the method may further comprise receiving from the resolving node of the network of information a message comprising information to access the resolving node of the secured network (compare for instance procedure is in FIG. 10), and sending a message to the resolving node of the secured network for requesting the locator (compare particularly procedure 2 in FIG. 10). Such an embodiment may allow to bypass the resolving node of the network of information for transmitting the locator.
The method may further comprise relaying content of at least one message related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node in the secured network. Such an authentication node may be provided for performing functions such as authentication, but optionally also authorization and/or accounting.
In an embodiment, the authentication may be performed via the gateway node after the locator is received. Hence, it is not necessary to provide a separate authentication node, since the authentication task may also be fulfilled by the gateway node allowing for a simple and low cost network architecture. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 13.
The authentication may be performed in a first procedure before the locator is received via the resolving node of the secured network and in a second procedure after the locator is received via the gateway node. It is mentioned that the first procedure is to authenticate in the resolve phase (this can be of advantage as if the client node is not legitimated then the complete procedure may be stopped already here) and the second procedure is to authenticate for the actual access via the gateway node to the desired information object. Such a two-phase authentication may provide a higher degree of data security.
In an embodiment, the client node and the routing node may be co-located. For instance, both nodes may be co-located at a client node such as a user terminal accessing the network of information. Such scenarios which can be implemented according to exemplary embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 8 to FIG. 11 and FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. In other words, it is possible that the client node and the routing node are formed as different functional parts of a common node.
In an embodiment, the client node may be located at a terminal and the routing node may be located at a communication node of the network of information. Such a configuration is similar to the architecture shown in FIG. 4 which is not detailed out further in the detailed description but evidently can be applied to each of FIG. 8 to FIG. 11 and FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 when splitting up the client node into a (for instance user) terminal (comprising client node) and a first hop router FHR (comprising the routing node). In such an embodiment, client node and routing node may be different nodes which, however, can be communicatively coupled to one another.
Next, further embodiments of the method to be performed by the gateway node will be explained.
The request to the node of the secured network may comprise the received information object identity. This may for instance effect then the request to be in accordance with the received information object identity.
A further information object identity may be related to the information object. The method may then further comprise sending the received information object identity to a resolving node of the secured network, and receiving the further information object identity, wherein the request to the node of the secured network may comprise the further information object identity. This may for instance effect then the request to be in accordance with the received information object identity.
The method may further comprise an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node in the secured network via the gateway node. For instance, the gateway node may relay one or more messages for authentication between client node and the authentication node. As mentioned above, the authentication may be accompanied optionally by an authorization and/or an accounting task.
In the following, further embodiments of the method performed by the resolving node of the secured network will be explained.
A further information object identity may be related to the information object, wherein the resolving node of the secured network may perform a mapping from the information object identity to the further information identity. This may make it even more difficult for an attacker to get access to confidential information, since the identity of the information object within the secured network is not known to such an attacker and may be different from the identity of the information object outside of the secured network.
The information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate the procedure may comprise the locator of the gateway node. Such a gateway node may be a separate node or may be implemented as a part of a node providing the information object or in any other appropriate node.
The procedure may comprise a forwarding of the received information object identity to the resolving node of the secured network, wherein the method may further comprise receiving the forwarded information object identity, obtaining the locator based on the forwarded information object identity, and sending the obtained locator to the routing node. In such an embodiment, the locator can be sent directly to the routing node (as shown for instance in FIG. 1; FIG. 9 or FIG. 10 where the client node comprises the routing node show further direct sending embodiments) or indirectly via the resolving node of the network of information (as shown for instance in FIG. 8 or FIG. 11 where the client node comprises the routing node).
In an embodiment, the received forwarded information object identity may be received from the routing node. Such a scenario is shown, for instance in procedure 2 of FIG. 10 (where the client node comprises the routing node) and bypasses the resolving node of the network of information for the subsequent communication.
Still referring to one of the previously described embodiments, the obtained locator may be sent via the resolving node of the network of information to the routing node. Such an embodiment is shown for instance in FIG. 8 or FIG. 11.
The locator may be sent after an authentication of the client node to an authentication node of the secured network. Thus, it may be ensured that only authorized communication entities may receive this confidential information.
The method may further comprise relaying content of at least one message related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node of the secured network.
Next, further embodiments of the method to be performed at the resolving node of the network of information will be explained.
In such an embodiment, the information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate the procedure may comprise the locator of the gateway node and the initiating of the procedure may comprise a sending of the locator to the routing node.
Alternatively, the procedure may comprise a forwarding of the received information object identity to the resolving node of the secured network. Still referring to the previously described embodiment, a received information object identity may be forwarded via the routing node.
The method may further comprise relaying content of at least one message from the client node to the resolving node of the secured network related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node of the secured network.
Any one of the above-described nodes (such as routing node, client node, resolving node of the public/private network, node of secured network, gateway node), and/or a cache may comprise a receiving unit, a sending unit, a processing unit and/or a storage unit. A receiving unit may be a communication interface adapted for receiving a communication message, for instance in a wireless or wired manner. A sending unit may be a communication interface adapted for transmitting a communication message to a communicatively coupled communication partner device or entity, for instance in a wired or wireless manner. The receiving unit and the sending unit may also be combined to a transceiver unit performing both tasks of receiving and sending communication messages. A processing unit may be a device which has processing capabilities, e.g. can perform calculations. Such a processing unit may be realized as a microprocessor or central processing unit, CPU, for instance. A storage unit may be an electronic memory device which is capable of storing data. Examples for such a storage unit are a harddisk or a semiconductor storage device.
Embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to examples but to which the scope is not limited.
FIG. 1 illustrates a communication system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system of publishing information.
FIG. 3 illustrates a system of information retrieval.
FIG. 4 illustrates another system of information retrieval.
FIG. 5 illustrates a system of partitioning of the Internet.
FIG. 6 illustrates a system of “virtual partitioning” in a Network of Information.
FIG. 7 illustrates a publish phase of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 illustrates a retrieval of information located in a secured network using name resolving redirection of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 illustrates an authentication and authorization and response from a resolving node of a secured network without involvement of a resolving node of a public network of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 illustrates explicit redirection information sent from the resolving node of a public network to the resolving node of a secured network of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 illustrates co-location of gateway node and object location of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 illustrates a publish phase of a method according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 illustrates a retrieval of information located in a secured network of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 illustrates a retrieval procedure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention similar to FIG. 13 but with an authentication function separate from a gateway node.
FIG. 15 illustrates a co-located (A) and a distributed (B) architecture of client node and routing node according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 16 illustrates constitution of different nodes of a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 17A to FIG. 17D illustrate flow diagrams of methods according to exemplary embodiments of the invention.
The illustration in the drawing is schematically. In different drawings, similar or identical elements are provided with the same reference signs.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a communication architecture may be provided rendering a Network of Information (NetInf) more secure. According to such an embodiment, any information available within a secured (e.g. private) network may be published on a name resolving node of the secured network. The information may be published in a public NetInf network as a redirected resolution, such that any information resolution request may be redirected from the resolving node of the network of information to the resolving node of the secured network. In addition, an identifier announced to the public network may be optionally obfuscated by replacing it with a proxy identifier. Together with the name resolving at the resolving node of the secured network, an authentication and authorization procedure may be initiated, which may ensure that the client node and the secured network of Information are mutually authenticated once the client node gets access to a requested information object. A gateway node between a public NetInf network and a private NetInf network may be responsible for enforcing an access restriction. Hence, additionally or alternatively to an encryption approach, a complementing method for restricting the distribution of information in a network is provided thereby improving the degree of data security.
An embodiment of the invention provides a gateway node between a public NetInf network and a private NetInf network, for instance, a company network. Any information available within the secured network may be published on the private name resolver of the secured network. To the public network, the information may be announced as being stored at the gateway node(s). In addition, the identifier announced to the public network may be obfuscated.
A client node may try to retrieve information from the gateway node. After attempting to get the information object from the gateway node, an authentication procedure may take place, initiated by the gateway node. After successfully finishing this procedure, the gateway node may retrieve the desired information object from the secured network on behalf of the user.
Hence, an embodiment of the invention may add a “second line of defense” to data security in Networks of Information. Instead of relying on a strong encryption of the actual information object as the only way of controlling access, an embodiment of the invention may also restrict the distribution of the information objects.
Procedures according to exemplary embodiments of the invention in the network are compatible with envisioned standard procedures. A “redirect to other resolving node” function may be implemented as well. In addition to the usual mapping identifier→identifier and identifier→locator, additional sets of binding types for the resolving can be implemented, e.g. a binding type that permits binding an identifier to a resolving node, i.e., that supports redirecting a request to another resolving node.
In the following, referring to FIG. 1, a communication procedure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained.
FIG. 1 illustrates a network of information 100 having a non-private publicly available region illustrated outside of a circle 120, wherein an interior of the circle 120 illustrates a private (or secured) network of information.
In the described scenario, a node D500 of the secured network (which may also denoted as a publishing initiating node) may store an object of information 102 which may be identified by an identifier IDObj and which may be spatially characterized by a locator LObj. Since, as will be explained in the following, this node D500 of the secured network (which may also be denoted as user A device) also fulfils the task of a gateway node in the described embodiment, an indication “GW” is assigned to the node D500 of the secured network in FIG. 1. Hence, according to this specific example, the locator LObj can be equal to a locator LGW pointing to the location of the gateway node. In other words, as node D500 acts also as a gateway node, a location of an information object may be identified by LGW i.e. LGW=LObj.
When the node D500 of the secured network initiates publishing the availability of the information object 102 at this node D500 of the secured network, a publishing message P1 is sent to a resolving node D300 of the secured (or private) network 120.
In the shown scenario, a client node (which may also denoted as a user B device or as an information object retrieving node) D100 may try to get access to the information object 102. In communication with a routing node D102, this goal can be achieved as will be explained in the following. As an alternative to the architecture shown in FIG. 1, the client node D100 and the routing node D102 being arranged as separate entities in FIG. 1 may be colocated and may form a common unit (see FIG. 15).
Coming back to the secured network of information 120, the published information can be forwarded by a publishing message P2 from the resolving node D300 of the secured network of information 120 to a resolving node D400 of the network of information 100 which resolving node D400 is located outside of the secured network of information 120, but within the public network of information 100. A communication between resolving node D300 and resolving node D400 may instruct the resolving node D400 to redirect requests regarding the object 102 to the resolving node D300.
To resolve identifier IDObj of the information object 102 and its locator LObj, a name resolving client (NRC) is located on the routing node D102. When the routing node D102 resolves the identity of the information object IDObj with a message R1, the resolving node D400 forwards, in a communication message R2, such a request to the resolving node D300. An authentication and authorization procedure, compare communication R3, may be performed between the resolving node D300 and the client node D100 to verify whether the client node D100 has the authorization to access the information object 102. Note that the authentication and authorization may also be requested by routing node D102 on behalf of client node D100 using credentials, e.g., user name and password supplied by client node D100 denoted also as user B device. When the result of this authentication and authorization is positive, corresponding information may be communicated from the resolving node D300 to the resolving node D400.
Subsequently, in a communication message R4, the resolving node D400 may send the information that the information object 102 is located at the position of the node D500 of the secured network to the routing node D102, i.e. it sends locator LObj. With this information, the routing node D102 may then get access to the information object 102 by sending a corresponding communication message R5 to the node D500 of the secured network. The node D500 of the secured network may then check authentication and authorization of the client node D100 in a communication procedure R6. If the result of also this authentication and authorization is positive, the desired object of information 102 is sent from the node D500 of the secured network (serving as well as a gateway node in the described embodiment) to the routing node D102 in a communication message R7.
Nodes D100, D102 in FIG. 1 are configured similar to nodes 230 and 240 of FIG. 4. An NRC may be implemented in the client node D100 (similarly as in FIG. 3) or in a routing node such as an FHR (similarly as in FIG. 4).
More generally, a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention can be split into two phases: Publishing the information object and retrieving it. In the following, these phases will be described in more detail.
A process of publishing an information object as shown in FIG. 7 is initiated by a node D500 of the secured network (or host) (acting as publishing initiation node) that wants to announce to a resolving node D300 that an information object 102 with a certain identifier IDObj is available at the node D500 of the secured network with a location LObj. In this case, it is assumed that the information object 102 to be published is a private object. Therefore it is published at the resolving node D300 (see step 1 in FIG. 7). In order to also enable users in the public network (such as a traveling colleague who does have access to the company network) to access the information object 102 (e.g. a secured file), the resolving node D300 registers IDObj to the resolving node D400 such that any resolving requests for IDObj arriving at the resolving node D400 will be redirected to the resolving node D300 (step 2). The capability of redirecting a request can be added to the name resolving service as an additional binding type.
Optionally, the resolving node D300 may decide to publish an alternate proxy identifier ID′Obj instead of the original identifier IDObj and store the mapping from the proxy identifier ID′Obj to IDObj, locally. This allows to further enhance the privacy level. Without this option, ID′Obj is equal to IDObj.
At resolving node D400, the requested identifier is resolved into a redirection to the resolving node D300 based on the information received in step 2. At resolving node D300, the obfuscated ID′Obj is resolved into the actual IDObj based on data stored during the translation. Then, IDObj is resolved into the storage location LObj based on the information received in step 1.
b) IDObj→LObj: Resolve IDObj into the storage location LObj (based on the information received in step 1). This is for instance used prior to step 8 in FIG. 8 mentioned below.
Regarding the retrieval phase, reference is made to FIG. 8.
The first step a client node D100 has to perform in order to retrieve the private object with the identifier ID′Obj is to contact the resolving node D400 to obtain a suitable storage location (step 1 in FIG. 8). The resolving node D400 has an entry stating that resolving requests for ID′Obj shall be redirected to the resolving node D300 (step 2). A mapping of ID′Obj to IDObj may then be performed by the resolving node D300. The resolving node D300 then initiates a first part of an authentication and authorization procedure with the client node D100 (step 3) utilizing an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) function. The AAA function may be provided by a dedicated authentication node D600 or it may be collocated with the resolving node D300 or even with the gateway node D200. Any secure and reliable mutual authentication may be used. Examples are UMTS AKA or GBA (as defined in 3GPP specification TS 33.102, 3G Security, Security architecture, Release 8, version 8.0.0, available online at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/html-info/33102.htm; 3GPP specification TS 33.220, Generic Authentication Architecture (GAA), Generic bootstrapping architecture, Release 8, version 8.3.0, available online at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/html-info/33220.htm) or Kerberos. Note that it not always necessary to complete the full mutual authentication already in step 3, as the authentication may be continued in step 7 in which a second part of the authentication is performed. A completed authentication in step 3 may or may not be reused in step 7.
The location resolving step is then finalized and the location of the gateway node D200 LAW is returned to the client node D100 via the public NR D400 (steps 4+5). In more detail, step 4 relates to a communication from resolving node D300 to resolving node D400, and step 5 relates to a subsequent communication from resolving node D400 to client node D100. This informs the client node D100 that the desired information object Obj is available from the gateway node D200.
Alternative procedures (partly) bypassing the resolving node D400 are outlined below (see for instance FIG. 9).
Coming back to FIG. 8, the client node D100 now (i.e. after step 5) contacts the gateway node D200 to retrieve the information object 102 (steps 6 to 10). In step 6, the client node D100 sends a request to the gateway node D200 to provide the information object 102. Before providing the information object 102 to the client node D100, the authentication which has been started in step 3 may be completed using the authentication node D600 (step 7). Hence, at this point in time, the gateway node D200 may have to validate authorization/complete the authentication (step 7), possibly reusing credentials or parts of the credentials obtained in step 3. In step 8, the gateway node D200 requests the information object 102 from the node D500 of the secured network. In a step 9, the node D500 of the secured network responds to this request by transmitting the information object 102 to the gateway node D200 which forwards the information object 102 to the client node in step 10.
An alternative option where the gateway node D200 coincides with the storage location is presented below.
Next, further options for name resolving redirection will be explained.
FIG. 9 depicts an alternative name resolving redirection. Here, the authentication and authorization procedure (step 3) and the reply from the resolving node D300 (step 5) bypass the resolving node D400 and go directly to the client node D100. The return address for message 5 may be contained in the initial request (steps 1 and 2).
FIG. 10 depicts an alternative name resolving redirection. The client node D100 is explicitly informed by the resolving node D400 that the request has to be redirected to the resolving node D300 (step 1 a). Afterwards, the client node D100 contacts the resolving node D300 in order to resolve the requested ID (step 2). All communication between client node D100 and resolving node D300, i.e., the second resolve request (step 2), authentication and authorization procedure (step 3) and the reply from the resolving node D300 (step 5) bypass the resolving node D400 and go directly to the client node D100. This method provides the additional benefit that the resolving node D400 can be a legacy implementation.
Next, a gateway co-located with an information object location will be described.
As shown in FIG. 11, a separate or stand-alone gateway node D200 may be omitted. Instead, the node D500 of the secured network, i.e. the entity that stores the request information object 102, may perform an authentication when the client node D100 accesses the requested information object 102. Also for this case, the name resolving redirection may alternatively be performed as described above. Hence, in FIG. 11, the gateway node is collocated with the node D500 of the secured network (compare box “GW” in FIG. 11, similar as in FIG. 1). The collocated gateway node provides the same functionality as the gateway node D200 in the above described embodiments (see particularly FIG. 8 to FIG. 10).
Next, authentication and authorization embodiments will be explained.
As stated before, the embodiments described here shall not be limited to a specific authentication algorithm. However, some exemplary mappings to well known authentication schemes will be given in order the show that the embodiments are feasible, and that proven authentication algorithm are well applicable.
In concrete terms, the communication summarized in steps 3 and 7 above will be further detailed. For simplicity, the explanation will stick to the name resolving redirection option depicted in FIG. 10, however, the described methods can equivalently be used with the other redirection options.
In the following, full digest AKA authentication in step 3 with re-use in step 7 will be explained.
Digest AKA authentication is standardized in 3GPP specification TS 33.102, 3G Security, Security architecture, Release 8, version 8.0.0, available online at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/html-info/33102.htm and can easily be applied, here, similar to IETF specification, RFC 3310, HTTP Digest Authentication Using AKA, available online at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3310.txt. Successful digest AKA authentication ensures mutual authentication based on a shared secret between the client node D100 and the authentication node D600.
Using Digest AKA, the resolving node D300 will respond to the resolve request (step 2) in FIG. 10 with a message indicating that the access is unauthorized. This message contains an authentication token AUTN and a challenge RAND, which are both generated by the authentication node D600. Together with AUTN and RAND, the authentication node D600 sends to the resolving node D300 the expected response of the client XRES. Exploiting AUTN, RAND and his own shared secret, the client node D100 computes his response value RES. Next, the client node D100 resends the resolve request (repeat step 2) to the resolving node D300 including a digest value generated based on RES. The resolving node D300 compares the digest in the client's request with the digest based on XRES. If the comparison is successful, the client node D100 is authenticated and the resolving node D300 sends the name resolving information to the client node D100 (step 5), including a digest based on XRES. The client node D100 checks the authenticity of the resolving node D300 comparing this digest with his one based on RES. This concludes the mutual authentication.
The authentication established in step 3 can be reused in step 6. Using the mechanism described in IETF specification, RFC 3310, HTTP Digest Authentication Using AKA, available online at http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3310.txt, RES can be used to generate another digest which can be included in the GET (step 6). In step 7, the gateway node D200 contacts the authentication node D600 to obtain the XRES value in order to verify the client node's D100 request, analogously to the resolving node D300, before. To complete the mutual authentication, the gateway node D200 may include its digest response based on XRES in step 10.
Alternatively, the gateway node D200 can reply with an “access unauthorized” message in order to initiate a complete new authentication as described before. Note that in both cases the client node D100 and both, the gateway node D200 and the resolving node D300, are mutually authenticated.
In the following, digest AKA authentication split between steps 3 and 7 will be described.
Digest AKA authentication as described above may alternatively be split between steps 3 and 7. This provides the advantage that all authentication traffic may be piggybacked on messages 2, 5, 6 and 10. That is, the resolving node D300 may respond on the resolve request (step 2) with a location (step 5). The location message (step 5) may contain AUTN and RAND. After calculating RES, the client node D100 may include its digest response based on RES in the GET (step 6). As before, the gateway node D200 may acquire XRES from the authentication node D600 to authenticate the GET. Provided this authentication succeeds, the gateway node D200 may send the object 102 (step 10), including the authorization response based on XRES.
An advantage of this method is that no additional messages are necessary for authentication.
In the following, a Kerberos based authentication will be described.
Firstly, client node D100 may authenticate towards the authentication node D600 (Authentication Server in Kerberos terminology) using credentials, e.g., username and password. Then, client node D100 may request access (ticket) for resolving node D300 and gateway node D200 from authentication node D600 (Acting as Ticket Granting Server in Kerberos terminology). Then, client node D100 may provide a (derived) ticket to resolving node D300 to get access to the location.
After obtaining the gateway node D200 location, the client node D100 may provide the (derived) ticket to the gateway node D200 in step 6 to get access to the object 102.
A main difference with Kerberos based authentication compared to the previous case is that Kerberos does not require any message exchange between the gateway node D200 and the authentication node D600. However, it still provides secure mutual authentication.
In the following, a further embodiment of a method will be described which can be split as well into the two phases of publishing the information object and retrieving it.
According to such an embodiment, the publish phase may be as shown in FIG. 12.
The process of publishing an information object 102 may be initiated by a node D500 of the secured network (acting as publishing initiation node) that wants to announce to a resolving node D300 that an information object 102 with a certain identifier IDObj is available at a the node D500 of the secured network with a location LObj. In this case, it is assumed that the information object 102 to be published is a private object. Therefore it is published at the resolving node D300 (see step 1 in FIG. 12). In order to also enable users in the public network (such as a traveling colleague who does have access to the company network) to access the information object 102 (e.g. a secured file), the resolving node D300 propagates the request to the resolving node D400, stating the location of the gateway node D200 LGW instead of the location of the actual object 102 (step 2).
If, for instance for scalability reasons, the secured network has multiple gateway nodes D200, they can be propagated to the resolving node D400 as additional storage locations. The mechanisms in the network then take care of routing the request to the closest gateway node D200.
In principle, LObj and LGW can also be the same, i.e. the gateway node D200 can be located on the node D500 of the secured network (i.e. gateway node D200 and node D500 of the secured network may be collocated so that a separate or stand-alone gateway node is not necessary) holding the information object 102, or the information object 102 can be stored or cached at the gateway node D200 (see FIG. 1 or 11). In a setup where sensitive data is to be protected, the scenario outlined above can however be regarded as a realistic case.
The resolving node D400 may resolve the requested identifier into the location of the gateway node D200 based on the information received in step 2.
The resolving node D300 may resolve the obfuscated ID′Obj into the actual IDObj based on data stored during the translation, and may then resolve IDObj into the storage location LObj based on the information received in step 1.
b) IDObj→LObj: Resolve IDObj into the storage location LObj (based on the information received in step 1). This is for instance used prior to step 8 in FIG. 13.
Next, the retrieval phase as depicted in FIG. 13 will be explained.
The first step a client node D100 has to perform in order to retrieve the private information object 102 with the identifier ID′Obj is to contact the resolving node D400 to obtain a suitable storage location (step 1 in FIG. 13). Corresponding to the publish procedure described above, the resolving node D400 returns the locator LGW indicating the location of the gateway node D200 (step 2). The client node D100 now contacts the gateway node D200 to retrieve the information object (step 3), assuming that the gateway node D200 is the actual storage location.
The client node D100 may be capable of performing an authentication and authorization procedure with the gateway node D200 (step 4), much as a virtual private network (VPN) client does today.The client node D100 may belong to a certain organization which offers the access to its secured network via a gateway node D200. Any secure authentication method may be used, for instance, UMTS AKA or GBA (as defined in 3GPP specification TS 33.102, 3G Security, Security architecture, Release 8, version 8.0.0, available online at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/html-info/33102.htm or 3GPP specification TS 33.220, Generic Authentication Architecture (GAA), Generic bootstrapping architecture, Release 8, version 8.3.0, available online at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/html-info/33220.htm, respectively), which are based on a shared secret. Alternatively, certificate based asymmetric authentication may be used. In FIG. 13, the AAA Function, which handles authentication and authorization, is depicted as a part of the gateway node D200.
To be more flexible with respect to different deployment options, the AAA Function may also be a separate entity, i.e. authentication node D600, located in the secured network, as illustrated in FIG. 14.
After successful authentication, the gateway node D200 obtains a location of the requested information object in the secured network from the resolving node D300 (steps 6 and 7). The resolving node D300 maps the proxy identifier ID′Obj to IDObj (step 6 a) and returns it together with the locator LObj indicative of the location of the information object, provided this optional obfuscation feature is used. Afterwards, the gateway node D200 retrieves the information object 102 from this location (steps 8 and 9). Finally, the gateway node D200 returns the information object 102 to the client node D100 (step 10) in response to the request in step 3. It is mentioned that steps 9 and 10 can be combined and the information object may be directly sent to the client node D100 without passing via the gateway node D200.
If the authentication in step 4 fails, the gateway node D200 may for instance return an error condition or silently ignore the request. In this case the information object does not even leave the secured network, whereas in conventional systems, the information object would be delivered without the additional authentication in step 4 and the encryption together with appropriate key management would be the only “line of defense” against unauthorized access.
FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 schematically illustrate a constitution of the nodes D100, D102, D200, D300 and D400.
Client node D100 comprises a receiving unit R100, a transmission unit T100, a processing unit P100 and a storage unit C100. The gateway node D200 also comprises a receiving unit R200, a transmission unit T200, a processing unit P200 and a storage unit C200. The gateway node D200 may also have separate network interfaces (transmission/receiving units) towards the private and the public network (like a firewall). Hence, sub-units of a gateway node may be used for security reasons (separate network interfaces to private/public networks). Also the resolving node D300 comprises a receiving unit R300, a transmission unit T300, a processing unit P300 and a storage unit C300. In a similar manner, resolving node D400 also comprises a receiving unit R400, a transmission unit T400, a processing unit P400 and a storage device C400.
An embodiment of a client node (or a routing node) D100 comprising a receiving unit R100, a transmission unit T100, a processing unit P100, and a storage unit C100 is depicted. The client node (or routing node) D100 with its individual units R100, T100, P100, C100 may be adapted to perform the steps of the methods described herein as far as related to a routing node, wherein the receiving unit R100 is adapted to receive data, the transmission unit T100 is adapted to send data, the processing unit P100 is adapted to process data, for instance to store data at and/or retrieve data from the storage unit C100 and/or to initiate a sending of data via the transmission unit T100.
The routing node D102 is adapted to communicate with the client node D100, for instance via internal (variant A) or external (variant B) interfaces. For variant A, one or more of the units R100, T100, P100, C100 may be shared with the client node D100 or may be separate.
An embodiment of a gateway node D200 comprising a receiving unit R200, a transmission unit T200, a processing unit P200, and a storage unit C200 is depicted. The gateway node D200 with its individual units R200, T200, P200, C200 may be adapted to perform the steps of the methods described herein as far as related to a gateway node, wherein the receiving unit R200 is adapted to receive data, the transmission unit T200 is adapted to send data, the processing unit P200 is adapted to process data, for instance to store data at and/or retrieve data from the storage unit C200 and/or to initiate a sending of data via the transmission unit T200.
T300, a processing unit P300, and a storage unit C300 is depicted. The resolving node D300 with its individual units R300, T300, P300, C300 may be adapted to perform the steps of the methods described herein as far as related to a resolving node D300, wherein the receiving unit R300 is adapted to receive data, the transmission unit T300 is adapted to send data, the processing unit P300 is adapted to process data, for instance to store data at and/or retrieve data from the storage unit C300 and/or to initiate a sending of data via the transmission unit T300.
An embodiment of a resolving node D400 of a network of information with the resolving node D400 comprising a receiving unit R400, a transmission unit T400, a processing unit P400, and a storage unit C400 is depicted. The resolving node D400 with its individual units R400, T400, P400, C400 may be adapted to perform the steps of the methods described herein as far as related to a resolving node, wherein the receiving unit R400 is adapted to receive data, the transmission unit T400 is adapted to send data, the processing unit P400 is adapted to process data, for instance to store data at and/or retrieve data from the storage unit C400 and/or to initiate a sending of data via the transmission unit T400.
Although not shown explicitly, also each of nodes D102, D500 and D600 may comprise a receiving unit, a transmission unit, a processing unit, and a storage unit.
Each unit R100-400, T100-400, P100-400, C100-400 may consist of one or more sub-units of the same or different technology. For example, the gateway node D200 may use a wireless transceiver unit R200+T200 to communicate with the client node (or routing node) D100 and a wired transceiver R200+T200 to communicate with the node D500 of the secured network and the resolving node D300. The client node (or routing node) D100 may use therefore wireless transceiver R100+T100 to communicate with the gateway node D200 but wired connection to the client node D100 (not depicted here).
FIG. 17A to FIG. 17D illustrate procedures of operating the network of information 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 17A relates to the steps or capabilities of the routing node D102 (or the client node D100), FIG. 17B relates to the steps or capabilities of gateway node D200, FIG. 17C relates to the steps or capabilities of resolving node D300 and FIG. 17D relates to the steps or capabilities of resolving node D400.
Regarding FIG. 17C it may be noted: For instance, such a method may relate to a publish procedure from the perspective of the resolving node of the secured network wherein the resolving node of the secured network sends to the resolving node of the network of information for instance the locator of the gateway node or redirect information which enables the resolving node of the network of information to initiate a procedure which in the end provides the locator of the gateway node to the routing node when sending the information object to the resolving node of the network of information.
Regarding the first box of FIG. 17D it may be noted: For instance, such a method may relate to a publish procedure from the perspective of the resolving node of the network of information wherein the resolving node of the network of information receives from the resolving node of the secured network for instance the locator of the gateway node or redirect information which enables the resolving node of the network of information to initiate a procedure which in the end provides the locator of the gateway node to the routing node when sending the information object to the resolving node of the network of information.
Although not shown in FIG. 17A to FIG. 17D, the individual procedures of the nodes D100, D200, D300, D400 are interconnected in a manner as shown, for instance, in the preceding figures.
In an embodiment, the client node may comprise functionality to request access to information object identities (with or without obfuscation) and—if authentication is applied—authentication functionality to authenticate at an authentication node and functionality to access the object (for instance display content represented by the information object) while the routing node comprises functionality to communicate with nodes such as the resolving nodes in the public and the secured network, gateway node and client node according to the various embodiments and to perform the necessary processing thereof as described. The client node and the routing node may be implemented in a single device client or distributed (compare also FIG. 15), for instance over two devices where the client node resides for instance on a terminal and the routing node on a first hop router (FHR) adapted to communicate with the client node. Communication between client and routing node according to the single device configuration may be performed via internal interfaces. This variant may be called client-centric or terminal centric, while the distributed option may be called a distributed or network-centric set-up where parts of the client functionality are performed at terminal-side and other parts at network-side on behalf of the client.
Modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
sending the information object to the client node.
41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the request includes the information object identity.
and wherein the request includes the further information object identity.
43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the locator is received from the resolving node of the network of information.
44. The method according to claim 40, wherein the locator is received from a resolving node of the secured network.
sending a message to the resolving node of the secured network for requesting the locator.
46. The method according to claim 40, further comprising relaying content of at least one message related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node in the secured network.
47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the authentication is performed via the gateway node after the locator is received.
48. The method according to claim 46, wherein the authentication is performed in a first procedure before the locator is received via a resolving node of the secured network and in a second procedure after the locator is received via the gateway node.
49. The method according to claim 40, wherein the client node and the routing node are co-located.
50. The method according to claim 40, wherein the client node is located at a terminal and the routing node is located at a communication node of the network of information.
sending the requested information object to a routing node for sending the information object to the client node.
52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the request to the node of the secured network includes the received information object identity.
53. The method according to claim 51, wherein a further information object identity is related to the information object, the method further comprising sending the received information object identity to a resolving node of the secured network and receiving the further information object identity, wherein the request to the node of the secured network comprises the further information object identity.
54. The method according to claim 51, further comprising assisting authentication of the client node towards an authentication node in the secured network.
55. A method performed by a resolving node of a secured network for enabling a client node to access an information object located at a node of the secured network via a network of information, wherein information objects are identified by information object identities and wherein nodes are identified by locators, wherein a routing node is configured to communicate with the client node and wherein a gateway node interfaces the network of information and the secured network, the method comprising sending, to a resolving node of the network of information, information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate for an information object identity related to the information object a procedure for sending a locator of the gateway node to the routing node.
56. The method according to claim 55, wherein a further information object identity is related to the information object and wherein the method further comprises performing a mapping from the information object identity to the further information object identity.
57. The method according to claim 55, wherein the information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate the procedure comprises the locator of the gateway node.
sending the obtained locator to the routing node.
59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the received forwarded information object identity is received from the routing node.
60. The method according to claim 58, wherein the obtained locator is sent via the resolving node of the network of information to the routing node.
61. The method according to claim 58, wherein the locator is sent after an authentication of the client node to an authentication node of the secured network.
62. The method according to claim 55, further comprising relaying content of at least one message related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node of the secured network.
64. The method according to claim 63, wherein the information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate the procedure comprises the locator of the gateway node and the initiating of the procedure comprises a sending of the locator to the routing node.
65. The method according to claim 63, wherein the procedure comprises a forwarding of the received information object identity to the resolving node of the secured network.
66. The method according to claim 65, wherein received information object identity is forwarded via the routing node.
67. The method according to claim 63, further comprising relaying content of at least one message from the client node to the resolving node of the secured network related to an authentication of the client node towards an authentication node of the secured network.
send, via the transmission unit, the information object to the client node.
send the requested information object to a routing node, via the transmission unit, for sending the information object to the client node.
70. A resolving node of a secured network configured to provide to a client node access to an information object located at a node of the secured network via a network of information, wherein information objects are identified by information object identities and wherein nodes are identified by locators, wherein a routing node is configured to communicate with the client node and wherein a gateway node interfaces the network of information and the secured network, and wherein the resolving node comprises a receiving unit, a transmission unit, and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to send, via the transmission unit and to a resolving node of the network of information, information for enabling the resolving node of the network of information to initiate for an information object identity related to the information object a procedure for sending a locator of the gateway node to the routing node. | 2019-04-19T11:31:59Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110286459A1/en |
Jack C. von Bloeker, Jr.
The area covered in the present report includes El Segundo beach and sand dunes, Playa del Rey beach and salt marsh, and that portion of the Pacific Ocean, within a mile or so of shore, bordering on the Playa del Rey - El Segundo region. Because the ocean and salt marsh play such important roles in governing the occurrence of a large proportion of the bird life of El Segundo sand dunes, it was deemed best to include them in the survey of the avifauna.
In preparing this paper, the objectives I have attempted to keep in mind have been to assemble and present information that would indicate: (1) the species and subspecies of birds occurring within the region, (2) the relative abundance and distribution of these forms within the area, (3) the factors determining the presence and habitat distribution of the various kinds, and (4) the annual cycle of activity of each kind in the region.
The relative completeness of the present list is due, not so much to the observations of members of the El Segundo Sand Dunes Survey group as, to the fortunate circumstance that, in the early part of this century and up to 1923, members of the Southern Division of the Cooper Ornithological Club did a large amount of field work in this area. Their specimens, many of them deposited in the Los Angeles Museum, constitute an extremely valuable source of information on the birds of this territory, particularly as regards forms which are not readily identifiable in the field. Among the men who did the greater part of this early field work are included: Dr. Louis B. Bishop, W. Lee Chambers, Frank S. Daggett, Dr. Joseph Grinnell, Dr. John Hornung, Antonin Jay, Dr. Loye H. Miller, George Willett, and Luther E. Wyman. Primarily, their work was with water birds and, it was so thorough that I devoted the majority of my time in the area to making observations on, and collecting, land birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.
To some it may seem that the present list is unnecessary and superfluous, as Grinnell's list of the birds of the Pacific slope of Los Angeles County was published in 1898 and, more recently, Willett's list of the birds of southwestern California appeared in 1912 and , in revised form, in 1933. Little, if any, is added in the way of general information especially in regard to the water birds, to the value of Willett's 1933 list. The latter paper, however, is much broader in scope than the present one in treating the distribution of species and in area covered, and it is more concerned with problems of taxonomy than is this one. On the other had, it deals with ecology only in a very general sense and, furthermore, it is not always available to those who are particularly in the fauna and flora of Playa del Rey- El Segundo region. Therefore, for the benefit of those who do not have access to Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 21, and in order to add to the completeness of the series of papers covering this survey, I have consented to prepare this list at the request of Dr. W. Dwight Pierce, leader of the El Segundo Sand Dunes Survey group.
Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to acknowledge assistance in connection with the preparation of this report. I am deeply indebted to George Willett for helpful criticisms and valuable suggestions, and for permission to refer to the specimens in the collections in his charge at the Los Angeles County Museum. To Dr. Catherine V. Beers, Professor of Ornithology and Genetics, University of Southern California, I owe thanks for reading and correcting the first draft of this paper. Much credit is due to Dr. John A. Comstock for advice given in his editorial capacity and otherwise, and to him and the Southern California Academy of Sciences I am thankful for reproducing the results of the study in published form.
To the following persons I wish to express my sincere appreciation for their assistance in the field and in reporting observations: Granville P. Ashcraft, Gus F. Auguston, George G. Cantwell, Ronald H. Coombs, Frances L. Cramer, Mrs. E.H. Crane, Chris Henne III, J. Ernest Lewis, Lloyd M. Martin, Dr. W. Dwight Pierce, Mrs. Dorothy Pool, Dr. Robert L. Rutherford, James O. Stevenson, Bonnie Templeton, and Paul E. Trapier.
Habitat Divisions The large assemblage of birds of the Playa del Rey - El Segundo region occurs there as the result of various circumstances. Som are hatched and mature there; certain forms may live within its boundaries for a number of successive generations without ever leaving the area. The latter, of course, are those sedentary which either have relatively poor powers of flight or apparently have neither initiative nor reason to migrate away. For them all the necessary requirements for existence are present within a relatively small radius from their place of coming into being and outside of which they find no attraction to draw them away. Nearly one-fifth, or 18.3 per cent, of the number of kinds of birds in this region belong in this category, i.e., the breeding residents.
ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES The following accounts take into consideration every species and subspecies of bird which has been reported on reliable authority as occurring with in the Playa del Rey - El Segundo region. Most of the identifications are backed by actual specimens. The classification follows that of Willett, 1933.
Records of specimens from this area which have been used have been examined by the writer are here included and, unless otherwise stated, they are in the collection of the Los Angeles Museum. In so far as possible, reference is made to the areal distribution and relative abundance of each avian species found in the region, known dates of arrival and departure of migratory birds; and extent of the breeding season for those kinds which are known to nest there.
4. Horned Grebe. Fairly common winter visitant off-shore.
6. Western Grebe. Common winter visitant off-shore and lagoon of the salt marsh.
7. Pied-billed Grebe. Occasional off-shore in winter, but more common in tidal sloughs of the salt marsh and in Ballona Creek.
15. Brown Pelican. A common coastal resident.... Occasionally a dead bird is found washed ashore and often individuals may be observed sunning themselves on the beaches or resting at the edge of the salt marsh lagoon.
16. Double-crested Cormorant. Common coastal resident. Frequently seen on the ocean off-shore, on the beach, and in the salt marsh lagoon; occasionally observed in swift flight over the sand dunes, inland bound.
20. Great Blue Heron. Frequently observed in the meadow area and in the salt marsh. Occasionally individuals may be observed on the beach or flying overhead.
21. Great Egret. Occasionally seen in all seasons in the salt marsh. Rarely observed flying over the sand dunes or beach.
22. Snowy Egret. Rarely observed in the Playa del Rey salt marsh. One seen perched on the Hyperion Pier, October 31, 1931.
23. Green Heron. Occasional in spring and fall in tule-bordered ponds one mile north of Playa del Rey. Specimens taken at edge of Ballona Creek, near Playa del Rey, February 2, 1929, by the writer.
24. Black-crowned Night Heron. Occasionally seen flying over the sand dunes and meadow in early morning or just at dusk; frequently observed roosting in willow thickets of the salt marsh area. Specimen taken by Wyman at Hyperion, November 15, 1916.
25. American Bittern. Fairly common in fall, winter, and spring in the tule swamps of the salt marsh area.
26. Least Bittern. Formerly rarely seen in late spring and summer in vicinity of tule-bordered ponds and sloughs in the salt marsh. As a result of the elimination of many of the tule patches, this species may no longer occur in the area under consideration.
27. White-faced Ibis. Occasional visitant. Two specimens taken by S. Flintham, October 10, 1921, in the salt marsh at Playa del Rey.
28. Mallard. Occasional winter visitant in vicinity of the salt marsh lagoon and Ballona Creek. Has been observed here in small numbers from early October to early April.
29. American Wigeon. Common winter visitant on the salt marsh lagoon and occasional on ocean.
30. Northern Pintail. Abundant winter visitant on salt marsh lagoon. Formerly bred in the salt marsh in small numbers as attested by downy young collected by P.E. Trapier in May, 1928, and an addled egg found by L.A. Sanford, June 13, 1931. Since reclamation of a large part of the marshland for agricultural purposes and the development of a large oilfield, this species may no longer breed there.
31. Cinnamon Teal. Common spring and fall migrant in the salt marsh, a few remaining throughout summer and fall. Occasionally breeds there.
32. Redhead. Occasional in winter on the salt marsh lagoon.
33. Canvasback. Fairly common in winter on the salt marsh lagoon.
34. Lesser Scaup. Common in winter on the ocean and at the salt marsh lagoon.
35. American Golden-Eye. Occasional visitant. Approximately 12 seen at Playa del Rey, April 23, 1928 (Scneider, 1928, p.282).
36. Bufflehead. Occasional in winter on the salt marsh lagoon. Generally arrives in fall migration in late October and leaves in spring in latter part of March or early April.
37. White-winged Scoter. Common winter visitant. Six specimens from Hyperion. Present from mid-September to late April.
38. Surf Scoter. Abundant throughout winter from October to April. Twelve specimens were examined from Hyperion.
39. American Scoter. Rare winter visitant. Adult female taken at Hyperion, November 24, 1915, by Wyman, in Bishop Collection (Wyman, 1916, p.203).
40. Ruddy Duck. Common winter visitant on salt marsh lagoon and on ocean. Formerly nested in the salt marsh and may still do so in small numbers.
41. Hooded Merganser. Rare winter visitant on the salt marsh lagoon. Adult femalel taken by A.E. Jackson at Playa del Rey, November 27, 1913 (Chambers, 1914, p.62).
42. American Merganser. Moderately common winter visitant on the ocean and salt marsh lagoon.
43. Red-breasted Merganser. Fairly common in fall, winter, and spring on the salt marsh lagoon and the ocean. Occasional in summer as attested by three immature individuals observed near Playa del Rey, June 25, and July 2, 1929 (Stevenson, 1932, p.229).
44. Turkey Vulture. A common resident, though not a breeding species, of the sand dunes region. Most frequently observed in soaring flight over the meadow and largest sand dunes. Five specimens taken by Wyman at Hyperion, one each in the months of March, May, June, July, and Augsut.
45. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Occasionally seen in late fall, winter and spring in meadow area, usually perched on some vantage point such as a telephone pole or wire. On October 25, 1931, a sharp-shinned hawk was observed to swoop into the midst of a covey of California Quail, striking and instantly killing a female just after she burst into flight. The hawk was shot a few minutes later as it circled to return for its prey and both specimens were preserved by the writer.
46. Cooper Hawk. Although the Cooper Hawk may be present in this region throughout the most of the year, only once has it been observed here by the writer. On the morning of August 22, 1931, an adult (female?) was seen perched on top of a telegraph pole near the intersection of Imperial Highway and Manhattan Boulevard; therefore, in the meadow area.
47. Red-tailed Hawk. Resident, but not common. Often observed in soaring flight above the dunes and meadow. An occupied nest was found high in a eucalyptus tree near Palisades del Rey on March 6, 1932. It was not determined whether there were eggs in the nest at the time, but on April 10, 18, and 30, of that year, the adults were observed bringing ground squirrels and cottontail rabbits to the nest.
48. Bald Eagle. "Occasionally observed in soaring flight over the dunes, beach and salt marsh. One individual that was unable to fly due, apparently, to oil on its plumage, was observed near the salt marsh lagoon on July 22, 1928."
49. Northern Harrier. Resident in small numbers. Frequently seen foraging in the salt marsh, meadow, and sand dunes. Two specimens taken at Playa del Rey, January 3, 1923, by O.M Thurston.
50. Peregrine Falcon. Rare fall and winter visitant. Two specimens, as follows: ... skin of an adult female taken at Playa del Rey by H. Washeur, September 5, 1939.
51. American Kestrel. Common resident, nesting in the meadow and sand dune areas in April and May. Forages in the salt marsh as well as in the meadow and sand dunes, feeding on grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, lizards, and small mammals.
52. California Quail. Common resident of the meadow and meadow slope of the dunes. Nests here between middle April and late June. Adult birds with coveys of young observed in the meadow in July and August, 1931; in May, 1932; and in May, June, and July, 1939 and 1940.
53. Sandhill Crane. Rare migrant;; probably no longer occurs in this region. There is an adult male in the Bishop Collection taken near Culver City.
54. Light-footed Clapper Rail. Resident of the salt marsh, breeding there in April and early May. Adult male taken at Playa del Rey, August 29, 1933, by Mrs. A.V. Dedrick.
55. Virginia Rail. Resident of the salt marsh. Two sets of fresh eggs collected by W. Lee Chambers at Ballona, April 13, 1902 (Willett. 1933, p.52).
57. Black Rail [California Black Rail]. Rare, or at least inconspicuous, resident of the salt marsh. Records for this area are as follows: one seen by G.F. Morcom, May 16, 1895 (Grinnell, 1898, p.16); adult found impaled on barbed-wire fence by Joseph Ewan, February 25, 1928 (Ewan, 1928, p.247).
58. American Coot. Abundant in winter, less common in summer, on sloughs and lagoons in the salt marsh; occasional on the ocean off Playa del Rey and Hyperion. Breeds from mid-April to mid-June.
59. Snowy Plover. Common resident of the strand and embryonic dunes. Nests from April to August on sandy beaches. Three specimens taken by Wyman at Hyperion in October and November.
63. Black-bellied Plover. Common spring and fall migrant along shore and in the salt marsh, small numbers remaining throughout winter. Eighteen specimens examined from Hyperion.
85. American Avocet. Moderately common migrant in the salt marsh area; occasional in winter. Rarely seen along ocean shore. Two specimens taken by L.F. Moss at Playa del Rey, November 1, 1916.
86. Black-necked Stilt. Summer resident, nesting in the salt marsh though not so commonly as in former years; rare in winter. Occasionally seen along shore.
87. Red Phalarope. Abundant migrant off-shore, occasionally wintering on the lagoon and sloughs of the salt marsh. Six specimens taken by Wyman at Hyperion, three each in May and November.
88. Wilson Phalarope. Common late spring and early fall migrant along shore and on the salt marsh lagoon. Several published records for this area (see Willett, 1933, p.70).
89. Northern Phalarope. Abundant migrant off-shore, along shore, and on the salt marsh lagoon and sloughs.
96. California Gull. Common in fall, winter, and spring along shore, but most abundant in the salt marsh. Frequently seen in large numbers, following the plough, when fields are being cultivated in the meadow area. Seventy-five specimens from Hyperion: earliest in fall, August 11; latest in spring, June 23.
100. Bonaparte Gull. Common along shore and salt marsh lagoon in late fall, winter, and early spring. Twenty-six specimens from Hyperion; earliest, November 12; latest May 26.
104. Forster Tern. Common along shore and in the salt marsh in fall, winter, and spring; occasional in summer. Three specimens examined from Hyperion, taken Octobver 21, January 29, and February 22.
105. Common Tern. Common migrant off-shore, less common along shore and in the salt marsh area. Three specimens form Hyperion, taken October 21, and May 24, and 29.
106. Least Tern [California Least Tern]. Moderately common summer resident along shore, though much less common than formerly. A few attempt to nest each summer on the beaches at Playa del Rey and El Segundo. They frequently are seen throughout the summer, foraging over the salt marsh lagoon. One specimen, a breeding male, collected by Wyman at Hyperion, June 4, 1917. Latest fall record; birds seen at Playa del Rey, October 15, 1927 (Schneider, 1928, p.23).
115. Roadrunner [Greater Roadrunner]. Resident of the meadow and sand dunes. Nests in April and May, usually in patches of cactus [Opuntia littoralis]. Adult male collected by Willett at Playa del Rey, December 29, 1908, and adult female taken in the meadow by the writer, February 13, 1932. An old, but well preserved, nest of this species was found in the midst of a patch fo tuna cactus on the seaward slope of the dunes by G.P. Kanakoff, October 26, 1939.
116. Barn Owl. Common resident of meadows, sand dunes, and salt marsh. On numerous occasions individuals of this species were observed at dusk as they flew overhead, sometimes uttering racuous shrieks. They nest from February to early June, but chiefly in March and April. Four to six eggs are laid.
117. Burrowing Owl. Common resident of the dunes, meadow, and drier portions of the salt marsh. In the meadow area and on the established foredunes, these owls occupy old burrows of the California ground squirrel. In the northern part of the meadow slope of the dunes, near Playa del Rey, they live in cavities excavated under the pavement. Around the entrances of holes occupied by these birds were found accumulations of detritus, including pellets, droppings, and feathers. Examination of some of the pellets, revealed them to contain chiefly the indigestible chitinous remains of insects, such as Jerusalem crickets, mole crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles. Occasionally a few identifiable mammal bones were found and twice remnants of lizards were discovered, once parts of a brown-shouldered lizard (Uta) and the other time a head of a horned lizard (Phrynosoma). Mammals, represented by skeletal remains, were : pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris cantwelli), harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis limicola), and white-footed mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii). The burrowing owl nests here from early April to early June. They lay from 4 to 11 eggs, 9 being the usual number.
118. Long-eared Owl. One record: specimen found dead on highway at Playa del Rey, December 31, 1929, by H.N. McCoy. Probably a wanderer into the region.
119. Short-eared Owl. Winter visitant in the salt marsh and occasionally in the meadow. An adult female collected at the latter place by the writer, February 13, 1932.
126. Western Belted Kingfisher [Belted Kingfisher]. Resident of the salt marsh and commonly forages along shore between Playa del Rey and El Segundo. An adult female taken at Hyperion, October 15, 1917, by Wyman, and adult male collected at the same locality, February 13, 1932, by the writer. May nest in the palisades at Playa del Rey, but this is not definitely known.
131. California Horned Lark. Common resident of the dunes and meadow area; also found in the drier, open portions of the salt marsh. Five specimens taken at Hyperion in January and February by Wyman. Adult male caught in mouse-trap set in the meadow, May 1, 1932. Additional specimens taken in latter locality in October, 1932, and February and April, 1932, by the writer. The breeding season is quite long, extending from March to June. Three to four eggs constitute a set and usually two broods are raised annually.
141. Western Marsh Wren [Marsh Wren]. A fairly common migrant and winter visitant in the salt marsh.
142. Tule Wren. Common resident of the salt marsh; ... Nests in Tule patches, along edges of ponds and sloughs, .... Usually builds two or more "fake" or dummy, nests before the one in which the eggs are laid. .... (Playa del Rey specimens from salt marsh sloughs, El Segundo specimens from the meadow.
151. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Common winter visitant on meadow slopers of the dunes, in the brushy portion of the meadow, and in the willow bottoms of the salt marsh. Also frequently found in trees and shrubbery in vicinity of houses.
152. American Pipit. Common winter visitant in the meadow, on the established fore-dunes, along roadsides and highways, and in more open portions of the salt marsh.
153. California Shrike [Loggerhead Shrike]. Moderately common resident throughout this area. Nests chiefly from March to May, four eggs being the usual number in a set. ... A young horned lizard (Phrynosoma) was found impaled on a sharp-pointed branch of a Croton californicus, October 26, 1939 by Mrs. D. Pool.
154. Hutton Vireo. Occasional winter visitant in the brushy portion of the sand dunes and in the willow thickets of the Playa del Rey salt marsh. Also found in shrubbery and trees around houses. An adult male taken December 5, 1931, on the meadow slope of the dunes by the writer.
156. Dusky Warbler (Catalina Island Orange-crowned Warbler). Common fall, winter, and spring visitant in brushy areas of the dunes and meadow, and in willow thickets of the salt marsh. An adult male was collected in the salt marsh, Feburary 7, 1934, by G.G. Cantwell, and an adult female on the meadow slope of the dunes, February 13, 1932, by the writer.
159. Tule Yellow-throat (Common Yellowthroat). Common resident of the salt marsh, occasional in winter in the meadow. Nests in tule patches along sloughs and ponds in the salt marsh in April and May. Four eggs comprise a normal set. Juvenal female taken in the salt marsh, June 16, 1929, by G.G. Cantwell; adult male and female, December 20, 1931, and adult male and two females, February 1932, collected in same area by P.E. Trapier; adult male taken in the meadow, February 13, 1932, by the writer.
162. Western Meadowlark. Common resident of the meadow and drier portions of the salt marsh. Occurs in large flocks in winter. Nests here chiefly in April and May.
163. San Diego Red-wing [Red-winged Blackbird]. Formerly a common resident of tule patches in the salt marsh sloughs, now much less common.
169. Black-headed Grosbeak. Moderately common summer resident in willow bottoms of the salt marsh and along Ballona Creek.. Occasional in spring in the meadow. Nests chiefly in May. Two to four eggs comprise a set, three being the usual number. An adult male was collected in the meadow, April 18, 1932, by the writer.
172. Willow Goldfinch. Common resident, nesting in the willows of the salt marsh and along Ballona Creek chiefly in May and June. Found commonly in small flocks almost anywhere in the regions during rest of year. Four to five eggs comprise a set. Two specimens were collected by the writer in the meadow, one each on February 13, and April 30, 1932.
177. Belding Marsh Sparrow. [Belding's Savannah Sparrow]. Abundant resident of the salt marsh; occasionally wanders out onto beaches. An adult female was taken June 4, 1937, at Hyperion by Wyman. Six specimens were collected by the writer, July, 1928, January and February, 1932, and October, 1941, in the salt marsh.
178. Large-billed Sparrow. Common winter visitant in the salt marsh and along the seaward slope fo the dunes. Two specimens were trapped in the latter area, October 26, 1939.
183. Lincoln Sparrow. Moderately common winter visitant, occurring most abundantly in the salt marsh. Two specimens were collected by the writer: ... (both caught in mouse traps).
184. San Diego Song Sparrow. Common resident of the dunes, meadow, and salt marsh. Breeds chiefly in April and May.
SUMMARY This report, the result of a study of the avifauna of the Playa del Rey - El Segundo region, reveals the presence of 185 species and subspecies of birds within the limits of the area considered.
Ballona (Bayona) bird ecology is complex and is even more complex to communicate to the lay person. I would like to present two examples, the first is regarding the Ferruginous Hawk and the second example regards the Burrowing Owl.
The Ferruginous Hawk was not listed, nor discussed, by Jack Von Bloeker in his report, apparently not an oversight but rather that no one had observed the Ferruginous Hawk in the Playa del Rey - El Segundo - Ballona Valley region. Interestingly, it had been recorded in coastal areas both north and south of our region of consideration. Thus, the observation of the Ferruginous Hawk this December, 2004 for 20 consecutive days thus far, is an interesting situation. My daily observations of this individual hawk is enlightening and eye-opening simultaneously. It roosts at night in various pines in an apartment-condominium complex in Marina del Rey. Between dawn and sunrise, it flies out to the Ballona area to roost on a power pole along Culver Boulevard, just west of the two (1933 vintage) Culver Boulevard bridges. Shortly thereafter it spends most of the day on the ground amidst a high density population of pocket gophers in a prairie-like landscape, sandwiched between Lincoln, Jefferson, and Culver Boulevards. This piece of land consists mostly of weedy grasses which is the primary food of the gophers. By the way, the main staple of food for the gopher throughout the western United States is grasses. Other plants are less important. In the late afternoon, about 30 minutes before sunset, the Ferruginous Hawk flies back to a pine tree in the nearby apartment complex. The pines are heavily thinned-out of their branches, from a previous year, and the species of pine is the Canary Island Pine. It chooses a pine that is usually about 75' to 100' in height. It is occasionally mobbed by crows, but they finally depart to other locations to roost themselves for the long 14 hour night. The daily hunting area for the Ferruginous Hawk is under intermim restoration planning and management, and it is likely that many of the scientists are going to recommend that this area be returned to a salt marsh with pickleplant (Salicornia virginica) and associated species for restoration. This action of conversion of a coastal prairie to salt marsh would be disasterous for the Ferruginous Hawk and other prairie raptors such as the Burrowing Owl, and for smaller raptorial-like birds such as the Loggerhead Shrike. This area is also prime habitat for large flocks of Western Meadowlark and occasionally Horned Lark. This region should remain as coastal prairie replete with thousands of gophers. Furthemore, it needs to remain as short-grass prairie rather than tall-grass (bunchgrass) prairie, so that the raptors can hun effectively. The area would be suitable for California (Beechy) Ground Squirrel to join the pocket gopher population, if the Red Fox were eliminated from this area. Currently, the ground squirrel is extirpated (locally extinct) in the Ballona wetlands region. A small population of Audubon Cottontail Rabbits have a small refugium in the bushes (pampas grass and Saltbush) along the west-facing levee slope of Lincoln Boulevard because there is a hedge-like habitat vegetation. Along Culver Boulevard there are two giant Arundo stands of 30' high cane-like vegetation which harbors homeless encampments and is cover habitat for Red Fox. A few palms, arundo, and saltbush are beginning to invade the prairie-liek vegetation, which will be bad for the Burrowing Owl, Ground Squirrel, Ferruginous Hawk, and Loggerhead Shrike. If these arundo, saltbush, and young palms were removed, the red fox and human homeless habitat would vanish. The area would then become a prime area for Ground Squirrel again. The Ferruginous Hawk, in addition to preying on pocket gopher and insects, also hunts ground squirrels, and at one time in the past, was named the "California Squirrel Hawk." Let us hope this area remains as prairie and as salt marsh wetland. It should be noted that this region, located between Lincoln, Culver, and Jefferson Boulevards, in high precipitation years, is temporarily covered in a shallow sheet of water, at which time it becomes habitat for watefowl such as Mallard, Ruddy Duck, three kinds of Teal, and Pintail. This is only for a few days to a week or two, and then the area reverts back to prairie and the gophers dig themselves out from the water that covered the ground above them.
For a second example, consider the Burrowing Owl. Jack Von Bloeker did discuss this bird in his report (see above list), so we have some baseline information on which to make scientific hypotheses, analysis, and conclusions. This owl which cannot burrow itself, depends completely on the burrowing activities of the ground squirrel. Unfortunately, the ground squirrel is locally extinct at Ballona and consequently, so is the owl. So when does an owl actually have a chance to use a squirrel hole for raising its own family of young owls? It depends on a squirrel hole being found vacant due to death of a squirrel. Squirrels die of old-age, disease, and predation by coyotes and hawks, and it is shortly after a death of a squirrel that a Burrowing Owl gains a nesting place. Now you know why the Burrowing Owl is gone from Ballona but why is the Ground Squirrel gone? The Red Fox has been studied throughout southern California and each location where there is a population of Red Fox, there is no ground squirrel, and consequently no Burrowing Owl. Apparently, the Red Fox is a voracious predator of the Ground Squirrel. One small area at Ballona, on private land adjacent to Del Rey Lagoon harbors the last remaining vestige of a population of the ground squirrel, with an estimated population size of about 8 squirrels. Why hasn't the Red Fox discovered this squirrel population. The squirrels are protected by a fence that encloses the squirrel population and the lagoon which historically remained filled with water. However, for the last year, the tides have been allowed to flow in and out of the lagoon, so that now, there are times that the Red Fox can hunt and wander along the shore of the lagoon, right to where the squirrels have been holding on to a small refuge. The squirrel numbers seem less now in this area, and it may already be too late for them. Eventually, the Red Fox eats everything and then it too will disappear.
I would like to conclude this afterword with some obvious birds that Jack von Bloeker did not list and describe from El Segundo and Playa del Rey habitats. These include the Red-shouldered Hawk, which today is a frequent migrant throughout the Ballona Valley. And secondly, the Great-horned Owl which is now seen and heard occasionally throughout the Ballona Valley. Both of these raptors, are now present because of the increase of turf (lawns), trees, and trash, which attracts the prey that this owl and hawk select for and also perches from which to hunt and roost. It seems that we have made the Ballona Valley increasingly suitable for an owl that once upon a time, not so long ago, was absent, and simultaneously, we have made Ballona Valley unsuitable for the five kinds of owls that were present during the time of the fieldwork of Jack von Bloeker, only 60-80 years ago. How can it be that we have made the Ballona Valley so unbearable for his five owls and a good place for the Great-horned Owl, which is a common owl. Studies show that the Great-horned Owl displaces the five owls reported by von Bloeker by lethal predation and constant threat harassment. Is it too late to bring back the five other owls? Not at all. We need simply to reduce the number of trees, reduce the turf-lawns, reduce the trash, reduce the Great-horned Owl, and then increase wide open prairie-like areas, remove the fox which increases the ground squirrels, which in turn increases the owls. Four of the five owls that Jack von Bloeker found commonly in the Ballona - Playa del Rey - El Segundo region, are ground-nesting owls, hence vulnerable to Red Fox predation. Similarly, these owls also utilize ground squirrel burrow systems including their underground cavernous dens, but again, the Red Fox has eliminated the squirrels that dig out the burrows. Finally, the Red Fox is a good burrower and he digs out the owls and squirrels from their burrows. The Red Fox, single-handedly, more so than the developers, due to its insidious fox-like behavior, has caused a mass genocide on the native wildlife. The Red Fox is an imposter that was brought by Man from Europe via ship and railroad to California, so that fox farms were established to make furs for the growing Hollywood starlets that wanted fox furs to look "beautiful." Thus, indirectly, the loss of the owls and squirrels is due to the Hollywood phenomenon and human behavior. Are you surprised? Don't be, it is yet one other way that Ecology functions. | 2019-04-24T16:32:29Z | http://www.naturespeace.org/vonbloeker_bird_segundo.htm |
We attended our first Tesla annual shareholders meeting last year (Day One, Day Two). This year, since we were already in the area right before, we decided to attend the Tesla Annual Meeting again two weeks ago.
The previous Annual Meeting trip in 2016 was the central focus of those two days. However, this year’s (2017’s) attendance was the afterthought to other activities that brought us to the area.
As well as cars that hope to be EVs soon.
Some one was part of Luke Skywalker’s squadron.
We figured to boost our charge for the drive home. We want to get home at a decent hour after today’s Annual Meeting.
Tesla spotting in the row that we parked our cars in.
We waited in the shade of the trees before security let us into the event.
And here I am chatting with Papafox from Hawaii.
Chatting with Bonnie as well as Linda and Bill from our home club, the Tesla Owners Club of Orange County.
And the line started to form… Nanette from Tesla Owners Club of Hawaii was with us as well.
Better half gets a better picture of me with Linda and Bill.
The guy ahead of us must have been made of metal, ’cause he should’ve brought a purse with all the stuff he had to empty from his pockets.
The Annual Meeting was held in the same room as last year.
We did get a better seat.
The agenda was relatively brief.
And lots of familiar faces.
Better view this trip, but not better pictures. Unlike last year when Elon and JB really went “off-book” and kept us entertained at the meeting for several hours. Elon was pretty structured. A lot of it had to do with IR taking and filtering questions the day before via Twitter submissions. There was no in-room queuing for live questions. So, though the IR department let some less serious questions come through, it was all pretty well managed.
No “earth shattering” revelations and even the Model Y tease wasn’t really much. Still, it was a good way to cap the past few days of Tesla and Active E EV activities and we had a good time. When we headed out, and finally caught a photo with the Model S with the Hawaii plate.
Great shot of the Roadster getting its 3rd party netting top. We need to find one of those for the better half’s Roadster.
We spot a Zero Motorcycle on our way out of the Annual Meeting.
“Q: I’m guessing this is not official.
And what cars did we get to catch on camera? Well, unfortunately, we were only able to catch a couple of #EVBingo cars on this Rush Hour Traffic drive.
And the other EV Bingo car we captured on camera was the Ford Focus Electric that was a few cars ahead of me in the carpool lane.
Tried to get a ruling on Zero Motorcycle, but we didn’t have points. So, that’s 361 before the California Handicap, and 180.5 after the 50% discount for the Bay Area spotting.
Just at the Annual Meeting parking lot and adjacent, supercharger.
The total of 283 points, pre-California 50% handicap of 141.5 points. Which means that we have 644 total points (322 post handicap) before we leave the Bay Area/Silicon Valley area. I like to use the Gilroy Supercharger for the spot that we delineate these areas, so past that is between Metro Areas count.
So, we head through, still mesmerized by the progress one really wet year has done for the state’s water levels.
We pass that duck pond again.
Furthermore, driving on the Southbound/Westbound side of this drive gives us better views of the reservoir to see how close to its capacity its been since the wet Winter that we’ve had.
And it wasn’t long until we’re back on Interstate 5 again.
We stopped off at Harris Ranch for a big boost and had a Red, White, and Blue shot… Too bad we drive an S, and not an X, otherwise it would have been a cool Model X Red, White, and Blue shot.
After leaving Harris Ranch, my better half played around with her camera with these great sunset shots.
We were traveling in darkness for quite a bit of that drive back. Not as late as last year’s Annual Meeting, but still a quiet Tuesday evening drive.
Even though Model S and Model X lights are easy to spot in the dark, we did a decent EV Bingo total of 39 points for inter-Metro travel. We even beat the total for the LA Metro.
Granted, it was really late and we got home just after midnight. But we scored a pathetic 1 Model S spotted on the drive. That’s HALF a POINT after the California discount.
At least we got home at a fairly decent hour.
Lots of bugs gave up its life in this drive… And we’re glad that water restrictions have been eased. ’cause it felt good to clean this car.
The beginning of June has been a jam-packed time for our EV life. We packed three differing EV related events into six days on a trip to the Bay Area. Thus, this series of a trip in three phases.
A few weeks prior to this trip, I’ve been playing #EVBingo with a bunch of fellow EV enthusiasts on Twitter. Derek Osborne, from Glasgow, Scotland sent the following Tweet and I became addicted playing this game with them since the last week of May. (We decided on Twitter to handicap California scoring from the US system that they came up with by 50%).
The game is played by tallying up the points for all the vehicles that is spotted on the road and adding the point totals. There’s a lot of EVs in California, so this particular game had to be handicapped for us at 50% the total value.
So, the first phase of the trip (June 1-June 3, 2017) was focused on meeting with the leadership of the official Tesla Owners Clubs and working with Tesla on the relationship between the clubs as well as the relationships between the club and Tesla.
The drive on June 1st targeted arriving at the Marriott, Fremont (which is across the freeway from the Tesla Factory) in time for the evening reception for all the participating Tesla Owners clubs at the hotel. We left home and proceeded North through the I-405 traffic in West Los Angeles because of the #EVBingo addiction. I figured to spot more EVs in the heavier, more direct West LA traffic than going the longer, but less populated route through the foothills.
Even with my more direct, but heavier traffic route, the in-car Trip Planner only required us to make two stops to make our destination.
Before leaving the LA Metro area, we spot a very positive sight. The California Aqueduct is flowing with lots of water again.
Additionally, in the interest of figuring out how many #EVBingo points I would spot on the drive within the LA area vs. between metro areas vs. Silicon Valley/Bay Area totals. So, as we pass the California Aqueduct in the northern parts of LA County, we ran through our totals for the drive through traffic.
So, before we headed into the parts of California in between the LA Metro Area and Silicon Valley/Bay Area, we did a quick total count.
Which means that with the California 50% handicap, we’re at 337.5 points.
And we’re reminded of why California is called the Golden State. Dry Brush sure looks like gold.
#EVBingo was not the only game that I was playing on the road. I was also helping beta-test TezLabApp (iTunes or Android) from HappyFunCorp. And one of the categories in this Tesla Social/gamifcation app is number of superchargers visited for the week, either for all the folks on the app, or your “friends.” So, I made a deal with my better half that we would stop in as many supercharger locations and plug in as long as we got to the conference in “decent” time.
If you look above, the Tejon Ranch supercharger has four more supercharger stalls deployed. Granted, they are of the “mobile” supercharger variety, but this is usually an indication that further, more permanent stalls will be placed at this location in the future.
Our first new, to us, supercharger stop was at the Bakersfield Supercharger. This location is interesting in that it is one exit South of the Buttonwillow Supercharger on I-5. Having stopped at Buttonwillow late night/early morning in the past, we can attest that this location with its placement at a gas station location (and IHOP, as well as being located a block away from the California Highway Patrol) makes it ideal for any late night supercharging that we may have to do on this route in the future.
Our view while supercharging at the stall perpendicular to the rest of the installation has a nice view of the current gasoline prices on this route.
What it looked like behind me, before someone else was by to join us at the supercharger. The Trip Planner had us originally scheduled to stop and charge here for fifteen minutes before we headed to Harris Ranch. However, I was pining for some coffee and we knew that Buttonwillow (which is the next exit North of us) was collocated by a Subway and Starbucks. So, we unplugged and headed North.
Moments later, this white Model X took the spot behind us.
So, we headed to Buttonwillow, one exit North of the Bakersfield Supercharger. (approximately 3 miles, I believe.) As I previously mentioned, this stop had a lot more to do with the collocated Starbucks than anything else (that and getting the TezLabApp (iTunes or Android) points. We were joined by a Signature Red Model X with some interesting rims. Getting our Starbucks order completed took longer than the recommended supercharging stop for our next stop at Harris Ranch.
On the drive along the I-5, we’re reminded that as long as the grid has a connection, we’re sure to find a way to recharge any EV.
It’s just great that Tesla provides the supercharger network to do it in a quicker way than most other EVs.
This site has expanded again for the third time and is now up to 20 supercharger stalls. It originally had six charger stalls, then 13 charger stalls, and now 20 supercharger stalls. The last two are reserved to be used last for handicap access. I made a mistake on this stop and charged there. I read the sign for the one I was using when we LEFT Harris Ranch, so I was charging at one of those two chargers that were reserved to be used last on this trip. To be fair, the last one was the extra-wide that is common for handicap access.
We’ve been spotting a ton of Tesla vehicles on car carriers on this trip, and we finally caught one on film. Luckily, the #EVBingo folks said that we can count EVs on car carriers that are NOT found in a dealership or Tesla Gallery.
It seems that most of the Teslas on the transporters on this day are predominantly Model X.
Though the better half caught this one carrier with a lot of S on it.
Before making the turn-off for Gilroy, we pass 77,000 miles.
Now, the navigation didn’t require us to stop anywhere else, but it’s common practice for us to supercharge to near maximum at Gilroy so that we’re not so reliant on supercharging or destination charging while visiting hotels in the Silicon Valley/Bay Area. So, the warning below was for our destination for the evening.
However, instead of going to Gilroy directly, we noticed that there is a new, to us, Supercharger at Gustline that was about a six mile detour from our route. So, we decided to go ahead and get the points for the TezLabApp (iTunes or Android) contest.
Have to be careful of the dip in the charging stalls. So, if one has air suspension, remember to use it before backing into the stalls.
This is the view from our charging stall.
We didn’t really need to stop, and after a few minutes of photo taking and documentation and obtaining TezLabApp (iTunes or Android) points, we headed to Gilroy.
The drive to Gilroy we’re greeted with a welcome sight. The reservoir that has looked rather parched in the past few years and previous trips looks like it’s almost at capacity.
Even the little duck pond that we’ve passed has water in it again.
The Gilroy supercharger location is another of the original locations in the Supercharger network.
We decided to check out the newest four stalls and charged at one of them.
Spotted another EV (Golf Cart, which unfortunately has mixed consideration for #EVBingo).
Did spot a JdeMO powered 2nd Gen RAV4EV pull up to the CHAdeMO/CCS station at Gilroy.
Spoke with the owner for a few minutes before heading onward to the conference. The JdeMO from QuickChargePower is a device that adds CHAdeMO DC Fast Charge capability originally for the 2nd Gen RAV 4 and now the Roadster.
Which means that with the California 50% handicap, we’re at 181.5 points. Or 938 total points without the handicap or 469 points after the 50% handicap, for today’s drive, so far. We headed from Gilroy to the Fremont Marriott and for more metro-area #EVBingo, in the middle of Silicon Valley Rush Hour traffic. And another Tesla filled Car carrier on the other side of the freeway.
It wasn’t just Teslas in this part of the drive. There seemed to be an inordinate number of LEAFs in traffic with us. It was not uncommon on this part of the drive to catch a few LEAFs at the same time. It was like a flashback to 2012 or 2013 when it seems that every other EV was a LEAF.
Here’s an interesting shot that my better half and co-pilot captured with the former Solar City location sporting Tesla signage and one of many LEAFs that we spotted for #EVBingo in the Silicon Valley area.
Before heading down to the Tesla Owners Club Leadership Conference Thursday Reception, we do a quick #EVBingo tally.
Which means that with the California 50% handicap, we’re at 204.5 points for Silicon Valley. Interesting to spot a lot more LEAF and Volt than S and X this close to the Fremont Factory. Still didn’t spot any Model 3 on this drive.
And adding all the legs of this one day, gives us the totals for this Thursday.
Or 1347 total points without the handicap or 673.5 points after the 50% handicap, for today’s drive.
I’m not even sure if that counts the points for the Teslas that we can spot from outside our window from our room today.
I know it didn’t include the ones across the freeway at Tesla’s Factory from the Marriott’s Executive Lounge.
Either way, we headed to our evening reception with fellow Tesla Owners Club leaders. Aside from folks from all over North America, we had friends fly all the way in from Europe and Australia to join us in this first formal event. Those that followed us on last year’s Long Way Round trip to the Gigafactory would remember the lunch that we had with fellow clubs before the event.
The evening reception was casual and provided the attendees with the time to “get to know” each other again.
Zeb (pictured on the right) had done this trip on the furthest drive for the group, having driven cross-country from North Carolina and documented it on Google Plus.
Our Belgian friends, who would later capture some great Model 3 shots on this trip at the reception were all wearing their club polos.
And here I am speaking with some of the Europeans again.
Before turning in for the night, went back up to the Executive Lounge to get a nice shot of the Tesla Factory across the street.
Day 2 of the Conference starts off with a bunch of us that drove to the conference providing Zero emission transport from the hotel to the Tesla Factory. Tesla provided the clubs with a room and the time with quite a few employees and executives to spend the day with us as we brainstormed how to make the Tesla Owners Club Program a bigger success.
Here are four shots of the driveway before those cars took off.
A hotel driveway full of Teslas mean that either I’m in Heaven, in California, Norway, or Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport… One of those four things is accurate.
Our event with Tesla was occurring during the same time as the Model 3 VIP Event/Factory Tour for folks from the Referral program, so I’m not sure whether they had us park for our event or the other one, but we parked by the supercharger/delivery center at the Fremont Factory.
We headed through security into the training room set aside for the TOC Leadership were meeting.
We were asked some ice breaker questions.
and waited for the start.
It was a long, productive day and we got a break in the middle to do an updated factory tour.
…We saw the production line and the factory itself seems to be “more full” than I’ve ever seen it before. This was the third time that I’ve visited the factory and it seems like they’re now fully utilizing the building.
But we had NDAs and couldn’t take any pictures whatsoever.
It wasn’t all serious work. In between sessions, the tables were provided some pipe cleaners and folks got creative with what was provided for them.
Here was a rendering of a Model 3 supercharging.
Either a Rocket Ship to Mars or La Tour Eiffel from Stephen Pace as well as some chocolate covered macadamia nuts from the Hawaii Club.
Doing a Tesla logo and the notebook that we used at the conference.
Here are the selection of pipe cleaner fun that the folks put together.
Aside from the goodies that Tesla fed us with, our friends from Hawaii brought some chocolate macadamia nuts that were in bite size packages on our tables, the Belgians brought Godiva.
After a long day of brainstorming and working with our Tesla hosts, we had some dinner and drinks at the Factory.
and some special Tesla cookies for dessert.
We had some further interesting happenings that I won’t be sharing with you here… But, let’s just say that I got a good idea of the differences in size between the Model 3 and Model S.
And then we were back at the Marriott. When we got back to the hotel, we found out that Robert R and our friends from Belgium were busy taking pictures of the Model 3, both in the wild and on the Test Track near the Factory.
This was what they first spotted that first evening of #Model3 spotting.
They were also by the Tesla track beside the factory and had a few shots on their Twitter page as well.
Had a good time with some late night discussions at the hotel lobby with fellow club leaders, but decided to turn in.
The next morning, we had a half day session left for the conference. But before the start of the conference, I thought to see if I can clean the windshield on the car.
Want to spot Teslas from the hotel window? Our S is parked beside the traffic cones on the bottom right corner of the picture.
Here are some of the Teslas that I could spot from above.
Lot of other folks did this drive in their Model X. Zeb from North Carolina had already headed back at this time. I was trying to find his car to show the guy with the farthest drive from this group.
But eventually, we all met back for our clubs debrief and we had a productive session amongst the Tesla Clubs.
It was good to get a grasp of what other clubs are up to, what sort of response they get and strategies on how to work within the community and with Tesla. We strengthened our bonds and said goodbye to old friends and new. With the full expectation to spot some of these folks on Tuesday for the Tesla Annual Meeting, which is Phase 3 of our trip.
Besides, we were provided with the last gift from the event planning committee.
The chocolate was enclosed in this puzzle box adorned with all four Tesla vehicles produced or about to be produced, so that was cool.
The rest of Saturday, the 3rd was hanging out with Trevor Page of Model3OwnersClub. We were in contact with each other because he was flying in for the Referral Program VIP Tour and Q&A Session that was held during the same weekend as the TOC event. We were trying to find a time to hang and I volunteered to take him to the airport, so we hung out for a while before his flight.
He hasn’t visited the area before and I didn’t know what traffic in the area was like, so figured to take him to the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. The museum is a short drive, even in traffic, from San Jose Airport. Additionally, the museum is the same location as the Tesla Annual Meeting and figured that he would enjoy that.
We’ve been in the building last year for the Annual Meeting, but never really visited the museum.
Needless to say, it was a blast.
We saw some really old computers.
Here’s Trev taking a photo.
And a lot of very important historical computers. Like this Enigma Machine.
Or this really old memory tube that was 2560 bits of RAM.
Trev in front of some old military computer installation.
A couple of old Cray computers.
They even had some kids playing PONG.
and finally an old Apple 1.
Before we took Trev to the airport for his flight, we take a picture in front of the Google/Waymo Pod Car.
After dropping Trev off at the airport, we decided to charge up at the supercharger at the Tesla Factory. Though our hotel is a host to in the destination charger program, one of the L2 was broken, and it was easy enough to catch a charge there. Besides, I had to get another drink of the Tesla Blend drip coffee that Tesla was serving us during our conference the other day.
I was trying to do some lazy Model 3 spotting at the factory.
And actually caught the Alpha being loaded back in the truck.
Except, I was asked not to take any further pictures. It’s cool, but I’ve been way up-close to that car already. It’s the same one that was at the Tesla Solar Roof and PowerWall2 Announcement from a few months back, and I have a ton of better pictures of that.
After being emboldened by our spotting of the Alpha car… I figured to take the long way back to the hotel, and drive close to the track that our Belgian friends spotted the Silver and Red cars being speed tested. And sure enough, we spot two of them.
So, the first phase of our three phase trip was complete and we had a night to recover before our drive down to Morro Bay for the ActiveE West Coast North-South Reunion 4. (or WxNS4 as they’ve abbreviated it.) Click here for the next phase on this trip.
I’m sure that we’ve driven over six orbits of the Earth on EV power alone!
Last week, I noticed that my wife’s Roadster reached 24,000 total miles on the odometer on May 4.
A few days later, on May 7, we reached 75,000 total miles on the Model S Odometer as well.
My wife is the second owner of her Roadster and it had 2,200 miles when we picked it up and the Model S had 22 miles on the odometer. In the three years and eight months of Tesla ownership, it was a bit of a shock when I realized this morning that the total of these two mileages was 99,000 and that we were very close to having a 100,000 Tesla miles on our own vehicles.
Considering that we turned in the Active E with 54,321 miles on the odometer in February 2014 after two years. That means that our total EV mileage driven on vehicles that we’ve owned or leased now totals greater than 150,000 miles on electricity. As impressive as this is, it is even more interesting to note that our actual totals are much greater than this.
During periods when we’ve had our cars in for service, I’ve been tracking our EV vs ICE miles and we’ve done about 80,000 miles on loaners and rental EVs. So, our actual total is about 235,000 miles of electric driving. In the meantime, we’ve done about 24,000 miles of ICE driving on our 2001 BMW X5 (both our driving, and when we lend the car out to visitors) as well as the times that we’ve rented ICE cars when we travel.
When I reached 74,000 miles of the Model S earlier in April, @Brian_Henderson (FYI: 75k is 3 orbits of Earth driving pole over pole. ⚡) reminded me that a circumnavigation of the Earth is approximately 25,000 miles and this is also cool to hing that all the vehicles that we’ve owned or leased means that we’ve travelled 6 orbits of the Earth. So, that’s cool.
So, are we going to reach 75,000 miles on the Model S this month? I’m pretty sure that we’ll get there before the end of this month. If not on our beginning of June trip.
Posted on May 8, 2017 Categories ActiveE, Tesla, Tesla Model S, Tesla RoadsterTags ActiveE, BMW ActiveE, Significant Mileage, Tesla Model S, Tesla Motors, Tesla RoadsterLeave a comment on I’m sure that we’ve driven over six orbits of the Earth on EV power alone!
Impressive supercharger expansion plans were published on Tesla’s blog today.
In the first couple of sentences of this latest blog, Tesla reaffirms its commitment to charging for its customers.
As Tesla prepares for our first mass-market vehicle and continues to increase our Model S and Model X fleet, we’re making charging an even greater priority. It is extremely important to us and our mission that charging is convenient, abundant, and reliable for all owners, current and future.
Well, supercharging does that for almost ALL the models of cars that Tesla has sold. Just not ALL the cars that they have sold.
The Roadster and Model S 40 both do not have access to supercharging, but have ample range to make it the distances that are set up between MOST of the North American Supercharger network. I have not traveled on any of the other Tesla Supercharger networks, so I am unsure of the distances between their sites, but would presume that this statement also holds true for those distances.
We have been blessed to have our Model S available for us to travel these distances, but we know of several Roadster owners who would prefer to travel these distances and I would like to try to do that, one of these days.
To that end, if Tesla’s blog-post is any indication, it would seem that Tesla’s next iteration of supercharging might indicate a LOT more space and dedicated Tesla lounges in the locations that would be dedicated to this activity. If this is what Tesla is planning to do, why not provide a couple of stalls with Tesla dedicated Level 2 for those that are not in need of a supercharge. They can even fit these devices with a credit card or other payment system so that those opting for the slower charge can pay for the energy and/or stall that they are using for this travel. This allocation will then provide for Tesla to follow through on the statements that introduced this latest blog post.
Besides, in terms of costs, it would seem such a high density supercharging location would be more vulnerable to higher utility costs than current density supercharger locations. Things like demand charges and the like will definitely be a challenge toward the execution of this vision, therefore the costs associated with a couple High Power Wall Chargers (HPWCs) is really quite negligible.
The other thought I had with this concept release was a feeling of “deja vu…” and I realized as I was writing this article that it reminded me of the Rocklin, CA Sales, Service, Delivery, and Supercharger location from Day 11 of 2016’s Long Way Round Trip to the Gigafactory.
Which actually is a further case for this proposal to add High Power Wall Charger (for Roadsters, Dual Charger, or High Amp charger Teslas) at these new conceptual Supercharger locations. At this stop in 2016, we met with a couple who were also taking their Roadster up I-80 to Reno for the Gigafactory and TMC event.
The direct costs for a stall or two of High Power Level 2 (keep it on Tesla proprietary plug if they must) covers all Teslas built. Most of the Roadster owners that I know have already purchased my recommended accessories for the Roadster, i.e. Henry Sharp’s The CAN SR/JR, etc. and can therefore work with the Model S/X North American Proprietary plug.
The more analytical may counter that the opportunity cost for two stalls on HPWC vs another pair of Supercharging stalls outweighs the benefits of covering ALL Tesla vehicles, but I say that the goodwill created by such a program is more important than that. Tesla should execute on its statement today, but for ALL Teslas, not just the ones that can supercharge.
February 23 is a special day for me. It’s the day that we took delivery of our first EV in 2012. This means that five years ago, today, I joined the rEVolution and picked up my BMW Active E from Long Beach BMW.
I didn’t even have Level 2 charging installed in the garage on that day and had to plug in the car on 110V.
In fact, it wasn’t until several weeks have passed until I got our Level 2 charger installed under a grant that covered the charger, but not the installation. It’s a 30A J1772 charger from Chargepoint (CT-500) that is still going strong today (I use this for the Model S predominantly). It’s lost it’s networked feature as the modem in the device is no longer supported.
What this also means is that February 23 is also a bittersweet day for me as well… As that same Active E was taken from me quite unceremoniously on this same day in 2014.
Time does heal old wounds and I don’t pout when I say Active E anymore.
Then again, we did add the Roadster and Model S to our garage as we wait for our Model 3 and whatEVer else will take our EV future.
It helps that I can borrow the Roadster when my wife feels generous in letting me use it.
and how it looks a week ago.
at its first Level 2 charge on our delivery weekend first roadtrip (in Sonoma for this shot).
And this recent shot when I was using the CHAdeMO charger near the Fountain Valley Supercharger from almost two weeks ago.
And a little nostalgia for those few months that we had more EVs than drivers in 2013-2014.
That was all three cars scheduled to charge at various times throughout the night on their own chargers.
Unfortunately, didn’t have a better shot of all three cars… Here’s a classic shot of the Model S and Roadster on the Model S first day home.
In fact, for the past five years since we picked up the Active E With all three cars (and various loaners and the few EV rentals we’ve done), we’ve added approximately 204,000 electric miles vs. 24,000 gasoline miles (both our own use, and when we lend our lone ICE car to visitors, as well as our use of ICE rental cars). What’s funny is how much fanfare I had when I first hit 100,000 electric miles, and 200,000 went by and I didn’t even pay attention to it.
I’ve documented the challenges that we’ve had with all three cars and they’ve all pretty much “behaved.” In fact our Model S just replaced its first 12V battery earlier this week. We’ve actually just replaced all four tires on the Model S a few weeks prior (still around 69,000 miles on the Model S).
I guess what’s really special with driving EV is how “normal” it is for us now. In the beginning everything felt like it was going to be a challenge. How we managed to get 54,321 miles in the Active E in the two years that we had it depended a lot on available Level 2 charging. The infrastructure was there and we planned our trips so that we can recover miles when we got to our destinations. With the Roadster, we didn’t need to plan as much. We often had enough range to get back home. Now with the Model S, it’s even more interesting. We went Here, There, and EVerywhere as well as the Long Way Round to the Gigafactory Party. But the fact of the matter is, we picked up the Model S at the Fremont Factory. Went to Sonoma for wine and then back down to Southern California in November 2013, without much planning. That’s what EV ownership should be like. Pick up and go.
Are we there yet? To me, I’m there. But to the rest of the world, perhaps we’re getting there. It’s been a great 5 years and 200,000 miles of EV driving, and I’m looking for more and more EV adventures. Stay with us and see where electricity will take us.
On Friday, October 28, 2016, approximately a year and a half since the original Tesla Energy launch EVent on April 30, 2015, Tesla improved upon the PowerWall and PowerPack, Tesla revisited Tesla Energy with the launch of the Tesla/Solar City product launch for the Solar Shingles.
One could say that neither the PowerWall nor its succeeding product, the PowerWall2 really makes economic sense for our use case either. With net-metering still in effect in California, the economics of the PowerWall2 is not the reason to go ahead and purchase one. However, coupled with time-of-use, and the whole-house backup capabilities of the PowerWall2, it looks like a great solution for a whole-house backup system. With our summer peaks generating power at 40 kWh, two units may be all we’ll ever need. I intend to recharge the system during the super off-peak time of day and get more bang for our buck by feeding back our solar production to the grid at a higher rate. Southern California is known to be very seismically active, and a whole-house backup system might just be something that would be really cool to have.
I was involved in tweeting out details for the event this past Friday through both my own account and my friends at Teslarati’s as well. The guys at Teslarati had family commitments to attend to during the event and I was approached to see if I could possibly cover their Twitter feed for them, so I embed those tweets that I sent out here. Hope those of you that follow Teslarati and my Twitter accounts enjoyed the coverage.
Since I committed to cover the event for Teslarati, I figured that we should arrive a little early. No press pass for me, but covering it as an owner was fine for them.
The valet at this event provided sent us a text with a mobile website to handle the request and retrieval of our vehicle, it’s a lot more greeen than handing us a paper voucher. I don’t remember whether they had this system at the last event we drove in for. It’s been a while that we valet parked a vehicle at a Tesla EVent since the last Tesla event for us was the Gigafactory Party that was the subject of our Long Way Round Round trip. However, we took a loaner to the event. So, I photographed the vehicle and key to ensure that I know what I’m looking for. Just in case this SMS ticket method were to fail.
We were among the first ten cars through the valet and had been asked to wait in a lounge area to the right of the check in desk until they opened the “neighborhood” area.
I think that the folks were unprepared for the number of people forced to wait in this area. It was standing room only.
Tesla’s catering services were the best that we’ve had in the various parties that we’ve attended. The neighborhood setting had enough seating, the food and drink was plentiful and did not run out as they have in the past. There was a mix of self-serve sections as well as server provided locations.
The bar lines were manageable and had a good selection of wine and other drinks.
A few panoramics of the first neighborhood, before the section with the four remodeled houses was opened for the presentation.
And right around 5:30pm, they let us into the neighborhood with the new Solar Tiles.
Here’s the stage with the sun shining brightly on it.
I was able to take one panoramic shot of the stage and the two closest houses to it. On the left side of the stage is the house that the Model 3 prototype will emerge from later in the presentation. I didn’t actually notice it emerge as I was closer to the right side of the stage.
Here’s a closer shot of the house with the Model 3 in the garage before it emerged during Elon’s presentation.
The house on the right’s shingles was more obviously solar shingles. However, aesthetically they were quite pleasing.
While waiting for the event to start, we were looking at the two houses on our left and were wondering whether they were solar shingles. Something that Elon revealed as fact during the presentation. The Tuscan Solar Tile, as this model was revealed later, is ideal for many homes in Southern California.
I even tweeted my suspicions just prior to Elon’s talk.
Since the presentation was a joint Solar City/Tesla Event, it started off with a few minutes with Lyndon Rive, Solar City’s CEO and Elon Musk’s first cousin.
Needless to say… The Solar Tiles are impressive. However, as I previously mentioned, we recently re-roofed when we installed our Solar Panels four years ago. So, that’s just not going to happen. We paid less than $20 for last year’s power and have recently hit our break-even point for our solar panels.
We did take a few good close ups, but a lot of the pictures can be seen on our Flickr Album of the event.
Here are some of the pictures on the album above.
Even though we’re probably not going with the cool solar tiles, the whole house backup thing though is VERY tempting. So tempting that we put in a deposit for a few of them.
How many you may ask? Probably more than we needed… But here’s a hint.
Especially since the new version can be more efficiently mounted and stacked this way.
The original PowerWall had to be installed side by side and mounted on the wall.
Looks really cool, but I think it’s probably more efficient to install it stacked.
One other thing about that Powerwall… It’s capacity is doubled in the same amount of space at less than double the price, considering the fact that the AC-DC Inverters are included. I also did the iPhone 4 width test that I did with PowerWall 1 with PowerWall 2.
PowerWall 1 compared to an iPhone 4.
PowerWall 2 compared to an iPhone 4.
The surprise for me was the appearance of the Prototype Model 3 at such close proximity.
The album for the event has a lot more pictures of the Model 3, but here are a few more shots.
It’s bigger than I had hoped. It is smaller than the Model S, but bigger than the Active E. We got a few great shots in before security cordoned off the vehicle from closer inspection.
Still a great shot that the better half took of me with the Model 3 in the background.
We didn’t get any good interior shots, but this was the best shot of the Model 3 interior… Security was starting to cordon off and was kicking us out.
It may be bigger than what I expected, but I still like the Model 3.
A multi-Tesla neighborhood… Sounds like a nice, clean environment.
There was also a nice, blue Roadster there.
It was a fun event. The food and drink was the best service of the ones that I’ve been to. The valet had a wait, but I think that it was better than previous events that I used valet in. Take that last sentiment with a “grain of salt” since I used the bus at the Gigafactory Party, and I found that to be the most relaxing way in and out of a Tesla Party. The party may have been free to attend, but I walked away with a very expensive deposit for some batteries for the house. We’ll have to see how long before we get these installed. | 2019-04-21T02:26:26Z | http://pascual.co/ActiveE/category/tesla-roadster/ |
MS. KLOSS: The meeting of the Privacy and Confidentiality and Security Subcommittee will consist of discussing 2015 draft plans and I would say this is again up for discussion. Our subcommittee had a call and we patted ourselves on the back for having gotten approval of the toolkit.
Moving on, we felt that 2015 could be a time to turn our attention to some new areas and it’s in that spirit that we outline four objectives that we proposed to the full committee for 2015.
First, to address the topic I touched on this morning, the 1179 exception in HIPAA for financial institutions, as I think you know, will change some with HITECH. This topic was suggested to the Subcommittee by Joy Pritts at the last June meeting. It has been underscored by the office of Civil Rights as being an area that recommendations from the committee would be helpful.
There is a broad range in the way that that exception is being interpreted with some financial institutions being considered business associates and operating under the provisions of the business associate agreement, and other operating perhaps in a role such as a clearinghouse but not under business associate agreements. Broad range of interpretations and a need for some clarifications as the relationship of financial institutions to how they handle protected health information is evolving.
We think that this definitely converges with the work of the Standards Subcommittee so we would look to strong participation by Standards in this because HIPAA standard and how it is being executed and how it aligns with administrator simplification functions does suggest convergent function.
We are envisioning it, while we don’t think it is a simple issue, we think it is relatively limited. Narrower than a breadbox if you will, who knows what happens once we dig into it. We thought it was in the Committee’s bandwidth and it does what we stated we wanted to do last year, that once we wrapped up the toolkit we wanted to get to a topic that was an emerging topic back in the HIPAA space.
If we proceed with this, we would see this as starting the year with a hearing. We talked about February or perhaps March, but not necessarily tied to one of our committee meetings. We’ll see how that scheduling goes. Our goal as we thought about it would be to move from a hearing to a draft letter for approval in May.
First half to the year activity on a topic that we know has some compelling need and we think could be framed and somewhat limited. Let me stop there and see if there are any questions or discussions.
Maya, you have joined us. We’re happy to have you and Maya has been advising the subcommittee with respect to this issue and had the initial conversation with Joy. If there is any elaboration you have on the importance of this topic, we would appreciate that. Rachel is here too, just so we all kind of understand this.
MS. SEEGER: In the ten years plus since HIPAA has been around, the landscape has really changed, as Linda had mentioned, especially with respect to financial institutions, many are doing multiple jobs on behalf of covered entities, and this has become an area of confusion.
HHS has also heard that many businesses associates and or financial institutions have concern about overlapping regulations in different spaces with respect to privacy and security. I think a hearing is an outstanding idea.
MS. BERNSTEIN: When I sat down to talk with Joy about this, I actually was not aware of this issue and she talked to me about it, and I guess with the expansion of banking and other institutions into different kinds of businesses, as far as I know, OCR has done some looking at it but not very much, and they have many other things their plate and I think it would be — Joy said it would be useful for us to get out there and find out what people are doing, how they are looking ahead. I didn’t know anything about it. I thought it would be an interesting thing where the committees particular expertise would be useful and we would get back to, as you were saying, the kind of work we were more traditionally doing.
There was some movement to try to do that in the committee so I was looking for particular topics. This is one of them, there are several others, but I thought it was particularly interesting and I thought the committee could really help us in this area by using (microphone problems).
MS. KLOSS: So we wouldn’t see this as the last word but rather the first word and educate ourselves and then understand where to go from there.
DR. FRANCIS: I might just add in that we did have a subcommittee conference call in which we worked out these objectives.
DR. SUAREZ: Just to maybe ask for clarification of the scope. There seems to be two areas here about the applicability of HIPAA to financial institution, one is the standards side and one is the privacy and security side.
We know in the standards side they are certainly engaged with respect to the use of standards for payment, particularly electronic fund transfer transactions. So the question I would have is, are we targeting both topics or are we targeting primarily the privacy and security component?
The second question I would have is really about the outcome, the output. We always do letters that highlight observations and findings and possible recommendations. This will be recommendations, not to begin to already frame them or anything, but these will be recommendations that would go to OCR and ONC, back to HHS of course, but that can be operationalized by OCR.
For example, I’m just trying to get a handle of what things would be helpful, because this is a statutory exception so would really have to change the law, but it could be guidance since there is confusion and there is need for clarity that could be recommendations about developing guidance and talking about the content of the guidance. Is that kind of one of the possible outcomes?
MS. KLOSS: It could, I guess in my simplistic way of viewing this, it seems to me the essential question is, under what circumstances does the exception apply? And when does the nature of the financial transaction or business go beyond what the intent of that exception was?
And just to learn through a hearing what the range of interpretations are, and bring those to light and depending on how much we learn, determine whether we can, at this first step, frame recommendations or whether as you say, the recommendations are more in the form of needing additional guidance.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Jim can correct me, but the committee is not that limited in the kinds of recommendations it can make. We recommended we put out a report, we put out a report or guidance, but if the committee sees a need for legislation that there is something in the law the committee can recommend, that the Secretary seek legislation. There is a wide range of stuff you can tell the Department to do, depending on what the findings are.
It’s not so limited. I just encourage you to think expansively about the types recommendations you might make.
MS. KLOSS: Good point. Any other comments? That is our objective, number one, this would be a new topic, at least as we are considering it now, we would see it as first half of the year activity. If you are all right, we will go to the next objective. Thank you so much, Rachel. Advance the slide, please.
This one is a big one, not that the first one wasn’t, but we are putting forth here a possible work area to step back, as we said, we are how many years into implementation of HIPAA now, 13 years, 14 years, really a long time. As it relates to privacy and security to do a state of play of HIPAA, how are we doing as a nation?
We are taking a page out of the Standards Subcommittee with the annual state of the standards kind of hearing where we really are stepping back, surveying the understanding implementation level among small providers, other covered entities, perhaps not scoping this for large health care systems or even pairs, but in the areas that we know are still struggling or are not up to snuff based on OCR audit information in other areas.
Again, we have not scoped this, but we think it would be helpful to our National Committee to know what additional HIPAA responsibilities would be useful. We thought about it in terms of tying the state of play to what we know about how technologies, tools, circumstances are evolving.
We have talked from time to time about where does HIPAA go, how is it relating to community use and all of the new uses of data. We know that ONC is through the privacy and security work group, looking at big data and privacy, how does this converge?
Again this is a big picture, stepping back, and I don’t know if this is something the National Committee has done in the past anywhere along the course of the HIPAA privacy and security implementation or if this would be a first endeavor.
In which case, we saw a planning effort just to plan what the hearing would be and take our February meeting and begin to do that, but look to spring or even fall for an actual hearing on the state of play. We sort of saw this as after we largely complete the work on 1179.
MS. BERNSTEIN: I was not available during the time of the conference call and so I did not hear the whole discussion and I just looking at the timing of planning this in February when we’re also having a hearing on the other thing, looks like a lot of overlap. I’m guessing it is not very realistic.
MS. KLOSS: We may be envisioning this as the second half of the year effort and the other as the first half, more realistically.
DR. SUAREZ: Maya, the overlap that you see, there is no hearing in February. The 1179 is a hearing in February and that is it. This one is planning between now and May, and then it will be a May or June hearing.
MS. BERNSTEIN: What do you mean that’s it? We plan a hearing, usually something comes out of that.
DR. SUAREZ: Sure, we are not overlapping hearings is what I am trying to say.
MS. BERNSTEIN: I understand that, but you’re going to have discussion about your recommendations. There will be a letter being put together.
DR. SUAREZ: There will be. I am not arguing anything. I just wanted to clarify because I thought you had said that this is overlapping hearings. There is no overlapping hearing.
DR. FRANCIS: I might just add in, some of the timing occurred before we knew that Larry and I were not going to be permitted to stay on the Committee, even for this meeting.
MS. KLOSS: So timing aside, I guess it would be really helpful to have the Committee’s feedback on the value of this kind of effort.
MR. SCANLON: The idea is to, I am trying to think of how you get this information, because it is basically non-compliance and then (off microphone). Somebody said they don’t know, but it is kind of non-compliance. How would you measure? Who would know?
DR. FRANCIS: Jim, you are asking the question, how do we know about non-compliance?
MR. SCANLON: Yes, this would be looking at the state of play, which presumably among those who seem to not know about it. So number one, how would you get such information? You’re not going to do a survey. Why would anybody say, I’m not complying?
Who would know? It sounds like you have one party talking about another party. How would you actually measure the knowledge about HIPAA in small entities, knowledge about the privacy and the security and compliance? You could look at data that OCR has. Those small entities turn up more.
DR. FRANCIS: The suggestion actually came from Rachel and she said that the levels of understanding and non-compliance with audits turn out to be, that’s where the trouble is. When I heard her, what I envisioned was not talking to somebody who is a non-compliant person, having them, quote, admit their guilt, or something like that.
What I assumed would be the case is that there are organizations that would have high levels of membership by small office practice, physicians, for example. Let’s just try this out.
I don’t know whether this would be true, but say the American Academy of Family Physicians, getting somebody from that organization to speak to the challenges faced by both their educational efforts with small office providers and small office providers in HIPAA compliance.
Her suggestion was very much the smaller practice folks. It seemed to me that the way to go would be people who could speak for them on an organizational basis.
MR. RODE: Dan Rode, I am a private consultant and educator working with a project called Share to Care and Cure. This may not fit with your hearing scope, but one of the areas I think needs to be addressed, it certainly came up during the AMI meetings a couple weeks ago, is the whole issues of what blockage, if you will, HIPAA privacy and security may have with information now that we are 10 years into the regulation.
Specifically an area we’re working in with the 21st Century Taskforce in the House of Energy and Commerce Committee, is a question of whether, for instance, HIPAA should be modified to allow for data research. Can we take the operations portion of HIPAA to the point where more than one facility can share data and use that data to improve quality or do other kinds of work.
Right now the interpretation is that only within a health system can information be exchange. Can that be larger? We have got all this data now with the electronic health records. Can we expand it?
The other issue that kind of comes with that, and I don’t personally want to attach it but I will tell you it’s there, that is the whole issue of still how does research occur under HIPAA and what are some of the roadblocks that are still being experienced in that particular area?
I would recommend the former of can we look at some of the blockages that may still be there with HIPAA? We haven’t looked at that in this committee to my knowledge, for several years now.
DR. SUAREZ: I guess as the person who actually brought it up during the call and suggested, the thought that I had originally was we have a chance to really look back and, this is like the 10 year anniversary almost because it really almost like 10 years since the actual implementation started – 2003 to 2013 – so about 11 years.
I think the goal was really not so much look at how many faults or how many problems, because you’re right, we’re not going to have testifiers, but I think the most important part is really what have been the most challenging things and what are the thing you would change that need to be adjusted.
Because as Dan mentioned, it has been 10 years and a lot of technology has changed in the last 10 years and a lot of things have evolved, including mobile health and virtual care and telehealth, and a lot of other things, and data analytics and genomics, what would be things you would see needing to be adjusted? With the intent to really make recommendations for changes potentially to the original statute all the way to sound regulations?
I don’t think it was the intent to really be non-compliant, but more inviting testifiers from the health care industry. Providers, researchers, health plans, clearinghouses, vendors, others, to really talk about what are some of the things they have seen work and things they believe would be important to consider adjusting because of the evolving nature of the health care industry.
MR. SCANLON: Challenges and accomplishments.
MS. GOSS: It sounds to me that this becomes a component of a larger roadmap discussion. It is easier if we’re identifying barriers and aspects that are preventing us from achieving, as I like to refer to it, as the Triple Aim. It sort of all feeds back into our earlier conversation.
MS. KLOSS: Rachel, any comments?
MS. SEEGER: I think that would be very helpful. See how far we have come and where we need to be. The concern I would have in the form of a hearing is that the scope of the feedback is going to be so wide. We hear from many different sectors of industry about how HIPAA needs to be changed.
The app developers, medical device community, we are working very closely right now with FDA in a way we haven’t previously, in trying to have discussion around privacy and security related to emerging devices that are coming up the pipeline. Telehealth is something we hear about constantly, wearables, PHRs, the technology is emerging so quickly.
The laws been around, as many of you know, for a long time now, and many are questioning whether or not it is elastic enough. My concern with a hearing would be that unless it is tailored, what you are going to get in terms of feedback is just overwhelming.
MS. KLOSS: It may be that this is one of those initiatives that is worthy and the subcommittee needs to do another round of discussion on how to get our arms around it and be more explicit on goals and even look at it, time frame, there is nothing magic about a calendar year. I think our goal here is to get a sense of the group, is this a worthy undertaking and should we be spending time on it?
DR. MAYS: Let me just comment, I have had my card up for a while. I just want to talk about this and then the next piece that you have, which is the data stewardship. I want to try and flip them a little bit. The data stewardship, it almost feels like it is going to go away or you feel finished with it.
I had a sense that there was still a lot, especially with what just happened in terms of the populations community issues. It’s almost like, I would say there is some HIPAA concerns that are out there that the community doesn’t understand and it’s almost like in data stewardship. It’s almost like if we did it backwards, you would actually get at some different levels.
Rachel started talking about the very ones that people are starting to ask a lot about, is in terms of the apps and the way the apps are intervening in terms of in the health care setting and with their physicians and who owns what and what the rules are.
As one who just works in the development side as a researcher, there is a lot of things that are still some gray areas about momentary assessments and how it’s covered and where it’s covered and whether it is a piece of research or whether it’s in the health care. Because you then go and do something like you walk around with a monitor and you bring the information back for someone to look at but you may have done the monitor yourself and then you bring the information in and ask them to look.
There is all this stuff going on, but at the same time, if we are going to do some things at the level of the consumers, I am going to get back to this Meaningful Use at the consumer level, I would say that getting at that as well as getting at health care, we did really health in the data stewardship before, and in here is a comment about health care, and I think that is a different domain.
I would almost want to make sure that before we undertake this, that we finish some different things in the data stewardship.
DR. FRANCIS: This is in my role as a public consultant, there are a variety of directions to go here. One of them is to simply look at classic HIPAA and where are the strains. That way of looking at it, I think according to Rachel, was the biggest issues they are seeing concerns not the large health care systems, but HIPAA outside of the large health care systems. That is very much within the HIPAA space.
Another direction to go is modifying HIPAA with respect to some of the important HIPAA distinctions. For example, how HIPAA treats public health and research. One of the reasons in recent times we have steered clear of the question of data that our HIPAA covered and research, is the whole beyond the HIPAA privacy rule question.
The document that was published a couple of years ago, looking at research and HIPAA, and then the ANPRM that came out about the common rule and whether there is, what the role is there, I do not have a clue about because I don’t know what’s going on with respect to any kinds of proposals within HHS about revising the common rule, but there was the ANPRM. That is a second direction.
A third direction to go in is the whole question of what’s a covered entity, and the whole covered entity non-covered entity. For apps and personal health records that are via business associate agreements with covered entities, the HITECH Act pulls them in through the business associate agreement deal. So if a diabetes treatment center offers a PHR to its patients or has a PHR portal, that is a tethered, and we did a letter bunch of a years ago making the distinction between tethered and non-tethered PHRs.
I am reminded of an amazing book my children had which is a Sesame Street book. It was the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum and at the end of it you opened the door and you tour the museum and there is a room of this kind of thing and a room of this kind of thing. At the end, the rest of the museum is the whole wide world. Well, we’ve got the whole wide world out there, which could be anything from the carrot that’s just closing, to Map My Run, to FitBit, to whatever the latest diet app, wearable, you name it, and that is a whole change in the whole understanding of what a HIPAA covered entity is.
If people are trying to limit, one way to try to limit is be within the traditional HIPAA space and look at where there are tensions.
Another is to think about some changes in the HIPAA rules like the intersection with research and public health, and a third is HIPAA scope and the great wide world of apps.
MR. SCANLON: May I comment? The common rule is being revised. A proposal is being worked on and it’s hard to say when, but possibly in the spring it will be available for public comment. It would be contained interactions between HIPAA privacy and IRB. So certainly the subcommittee might want to look at that in dealing with that issue. Is it better, is it worse?
The whole idea of the revision of the common rule in many cases was to where the risk is that all of the requirements and the burden and the procedures should be proportioned to the risk of the individual. If there is minimal or no risk, don’t regulate for the sake of regulation.
Where there is risk and there are some new areas, then that is where you should be focusing, so in terms of interaction with research, I think that may be the best avenue to pursue.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Jim, could I say something about the timing of that, and we don’t know when it is going to come out, but it seems to me that it would not be timely for the committee to do work before that NPRM came out.
MR. SCANLON: I would wait and offer this perspective on the NCVHS in terms of commenting on that. It will be spring or later, so that I would not think you would want to do now.
This is just another risk assessment. As the coach of Ohio State used to say, Woody Hayes, five things can happen when you throw a forward pass, five things can happen when you say you want to change HIPAA or ACA or something else, and four of them are bad. Again, it’s a risk assessment. Do you want to risk the accomplishments you have in HIPAA now because you don’t know what will happen if you open it up.
Same thing with ACA and other things, or is the climate such that you think you could actually get some positive movement. I think you have to be the judge of that. I think it would make sense to focus on a more modest approach rather than let us change HIPAA law. It is extremely unlikely that it will be done, and if it is done it won’t be in the direction you’re asking. It just doesn’t happen that way, we’re not in that kind of a situation anymore. Again, this is just perspective for the committee.
If there is a focus on where are we having trouble getting the basic HIPAA protection across, and we think it is small providers, under five or whatever, it would be a legitimate place to do it in a positive way, not a compliance way.
I should say that there are a lot of folks looking at, in terms of interoperability and other things, what needs to change with HIPAA. You heard Lucia this morning. You might want to see where that takes us before we get out front, because these same questions are coming up in a lot of other settings.
MS. KLOSS: Bill, did you have your tent card up?
DR. STEAD: My itch has been well scratched.
DR. SUAREZ: There is always that risk. It doesn’t necessarily mean we would suggest to recommend changes to the laws itself, maybe there are other ways too. There is also, I totally agree there is the opportunity to focus on the priority concerns, and small providers seems to be one place. I can assure you some large systems also have concerns and problems and issues.
If you bring in the research community, did you have – then it is an even bigger series of concerns. It is interesting for 20 years now with HIPAA, we have been talking about something called the covered entity. And for privacy purposes, when the data, the same identifiable health information of me is in the hands of someone, is actually protected by HIPAA, but if that same data moves out and is put some place else, it’s not protected.
I think it is an interesting opportunity to consider talking about covered data rather than covered entities, because if we protect the data regardless of where it is, I think it is a much more potentially appropriate place.
This is just my personal opinion and has nothing to do with anybody else, but I think it is an interesting point. I think we have been talking about covered entities and there has always been who is a covered entity and if I don’t do transaction electronically then I am not subject to HIPAA privacy because I am not a covered entity and for a provider to be a covered entity you have to conduct transactions electronically. And to be covered under HIPAA privacy you have to conduct transactions electronically.
There are ways of going around and around, and it was an interesting approach 20 years ago to use the covered entity concept, and not tie it to the data itself, regardless of where the data resides.
MR. SCANLON: If you remember, some of us will remember that this committee, it’s not the approach this committee recommended to HHS and it’s not the approach HHS recommended to Congress. It was the model that Europe uses, where if you have the information, you’re covered. The protections apply to you, but there were a lot of billable hours from our lawyers to carve out, remember Congress did not give us substantive privacy provisions.
So we had to work out the authority to use what we had to make something sensible about of it. You’re right, nowadays it probably doesn’t work as well, but again, I don’t know where we go from there in the sense of what is likely to change.
Those are statutory changes that would be required. But at any rate.
MR. SCANLON: I think others will be looking at this. I think ONC will be looking at it, in terms of interoperability. You can’t have it both ways. You can have a balanced approach. I think Lucia is looking at – tell me what you want to do and we will see how it can be done. She’s not looking at – no you can’t do it.
I think this will come up in the interoperability roadmap about where are the obstacles to sharing this information that can’t be overcome through partnerships or things like that.
MS. KLOSS: The charge is in our wheel house.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Just quickly, most privacy laws are structured the way that Walter is describing. That is, the Privacy Act, which is having its 40th anniversary this year, is structured that way, depending on who is the custodian of the data, they have certain responsibilities. And in fact, this committee after the time Jim is talking about, is certainly correct that the time in 1996, when we were developing the original rules, this is what we came to.
Since then, in 2006, this committee actually made recommendations of the sort that Walter is talking about. They said that medical data, wherever it resides, should be protected. That is in fact a standing recommendation of this committee, which for better or worse, is not likely to be acted on in the way you’re talking about, given the current industry climate or political climate or whatever you want to say. But it is on the record of this committee that this scope should be expanded.
It may not be necessary to say it again, but to go in a more I think, more narrow or more realistic direction.
MR. SCANLON: If there were some statutory modifications that we have the authority to make, that would at least be a place to start.
MS. KLOSS: I think based on this discussion that this is a ripe topic for dialogue. I think what the subcommittee might do is scope it and tee up another discussion at the Full Committee before we decide what course should be taken.
MS. BERNSTEIN: In the meantime be working on the other project.
MS. KLOSS: Exactly, we would in the meantime be working on the 1179.
Our third area, getting to Vickie’s point, was not to lose sight, continue to work with Populations, Data Use Subcommittee, on privacy, confidentially and security aspects of that work. So we weren’t moving away from that.
We didn’t carve out a specific new initiative there but continued to collaborate because privacy dimensions come up in every single discussion in the population health space.
Our fourth area, which has been rolled into here, is to deliberately go forward and work on dissemination of the toolkit because it hasn’t even been released yet, to get it to final polished format.
Vickie had some great discussions on suggestions in our recent subcommittee call, that we think about this as an official launch, but we might put it on the website and do a soft launch, that we do a press release, that we do a tweet-athon or whatever, all these things she laid out for us to do. In the interest of the communication of the committee, we are going to do this launch thing and figure out how to make some noise around our toolkit. Our goal is to put together a communication plan over the next few months.
DR. SUAREZ: This will be quarter one or quarter two?
MS. KLOSS: Quarter one. Any other new things we should do?
DR. MAYS: The work group is actually going to help them so the language they used doesn’t matter. Tomorrow that’s on the agenda for the launch. I still want to go back, and I may be stepping in the Populations side a bit more, and that is I just thought the data stewardship was really important. I am not ready to just say, we have a report and we put it out.
The stewardship issue came up a lot of ways. Is there training you want to follow this up with? IS there going to be an evaluation? I guess I’m just asking and I would have to let POP say what it wants, but it seems to go well with them that the space you have for it just seemed like, we’ll wait and hear. But I thought there was actually very active things to do to keep the community part going.
MS. KLOSS: We did talk about the ideal would be two-way communication where we got feedback from communities on what was helpful or not helpful or what additional questions the toolkit or framework raises because that is a piece of work that could also be updated.
But we’re not sure we have the infrastructure to do that as a committee, to do community building or chats or other things to really have effective two-way communication. So I think as a subcommittee we decided what we needed to do was launch this and encourage groups because it is in the public domain, use it adapt it, then periodically revisit how it is being used.
I think we were gung ho and the pulled back because we realized we didn’t have the infrastructure to do some of the multimedia ways.
DR. MAYS: Some of them, I think depends upon and I don’t know what the rules are about using federal websites, but there are things as simple as every time someone downloads it they give you information, they agree to do things like evaluate it for you, whether or not you want people talking about it and leaving even a comment, one after the other. I used it for this.
MS. KLOSS: I know they will have a full range, but do we have the infrastructure to manage something like that?
DR. MAYS: We have a new web site and we launch a lot of these things just using our website.
DR. STEAD: I have a couple of thoughts that tie into our plan. First, one of the things we’re going to talk about in the morning is how we can stand up a community of practice around the data engagement roundtable and whether we can use the platform that the community commons has to do that. Because if we can figure that out, it would be equally applicable here and we might end up with a way that we could do a set of things at the National Committee was part of facilitating, we need to think through what we can and cannot do. That would be one way.
The other thought, as we think through how to take the next steps with the framework, one of the things we’re thinking about is topical webinars. We need to sit down an systematically say, which parts of the stewardship toolkit should be represented as in the taxonomy as things that can become metadata links. Which parts are resources that should be linked to the taxonomy as a resource that you would get if you got that link?
That could be a useful, targeted, where maybe I or somebody else from framework, did something directly with the full Privacy Subcommittee, and not just the Framework Work Group.
MS. KLOSS: I think that makes sense because the toolkit becomes useful when it’s part of a targeted use case, not just in the abstract, do you like it?
DR. FRANCIS: I just wanted to say I thought the way we were thinking about this is not that we’re stepping away from it but that we don’t currently envision a new project. What we envision is pushing this one. To the extent that it does turn up to be important in the linkages with you folks and other things that the committee is doing, to expand it or push it, but we weren’t going to launch a whole new toolkit project.
DR. COHEN: I totally agree with you, Leslie. I think we have to talk the talk and walk the walk. If we are recommending to communities and hearing from them it’s actionable data they need and not more data, we don’t need more reports, we need to model disseminating what we do more effectively through a variety of mechanisms.
I think as we look forward as one of the themes in our work plan for this coming year, it should be – Linda you have opened my eyes to this on several occasions – we need to focus on our strategies for dissemination to the communities that we effect. I hope that is an underlying theme that repeats itself throughout our 2015 work plan.
MS. KLOSS: Is there anything else for the Privacy Confidentiality and Security Subcommittee?
MS. BERNSTEIN: If you want to have a hearing in February, I need to get on it, so I need to know what sort of people you want to come talk to you.
Can we think about that for a little bit, because it’s going to be December and it’s good to invite the kind of people we want to invite as soon as we can to nail down the dates and to figure out what sort folks you want to talk to. If we can get a sense of that, it would be helpful.
MS. KLOSS: I’m not sure we can do that in the next three minutes.
MS. BERNSTEIN: It is December, I’m just worried about people going on vacation. We have you all here, I want to use your brainpower for the next ten minutes.
MS. KLOSS: We are returning now, we flip back to 1179. That hearing, that topic.
MS. BERNSTEIN: The usual format for a hearing, as opposed to the ones we did most recently, which were much more complex, I imagine you’re looking at more traditional hearings. We usually have three people on a panel three panels or four panels a day during a day-long hearing or if you have a day and a half.
The next Full Committee meeting is on a Tuesday and Wednesday, and there’s some reason why, relevant to your scheduling anymore, about who can be here on which day and which days Leslie is teaching, I think we were looking at. I think we were looking at Thursday so you didn’t have to miss your Monday and Wednesday class.
DR. SUAREZ: The Standards Subcommittee was looking at Thursday as well.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Of course, it’s the more attractive day.
MS. BRNSTEIN: Right, it’s the more attractive day as opposed to Monday, when people have to travel on Sunday.
DR. SUAREZ: Another consideration is whether this will be a full day hearing. If it’s one topic, it could be half a day with two panels, two hours, three panels, whatever.
MS. BERNSTEIN: We can arrange the schedule for committee meeting differently. We have the Data Work Group, for some reason, every time for the half day after. We could have it the morning before. There are lots of different ways we could arrange the schedule so it would make sense for whoever is going to be there and whoever we want to participate. We might want to look at that as well.
Sometimes we have an afternoon and a morning, for example, it wasn’t clear to me. Maybe I am talking heresy, but it’s not clear to me that the Data Work Group has to meet every time we meet. We get an hour and they get a half a day. There is other time in there we may be able to work with that is adjustable, right?
MS. JACKSON: I don’t know. As you’re looking at the roles of the various components of the Committee, you might want to be real clear about the significance of this group that is a tie in with all the subcommittees.
MS. BERNSTEIN: We might want to overlap with them, we might want some of those people to be able to be available. That means maybe we could use some of their time, maybe we don’t. Just being open-minded about the schedule.
MS. KLOSS: I know the schedule is really important but I would like to scope the hearing first and see what topics are essential to explore, and then we would know if it’s two panels or four panels and then we can go look at whether it’s part of February.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Or a separate standalone hearing in March.
MS. KLOSS: I think the complexity of this is that we are going to be talking with some groups that we haven’t heard as much from and that we probably don’t know as much about. There is a medical banking association, there is the clearinghouse group, financial institutions themselves.
DR. SUAREZ: There are two separate topics that we can talk about. One is the standards and the other is privacy and security. In both of them, as I see it, the financial institution themselves, there are consumer groups that are where potentially some concerns come from with respect to the exception, that is part of what we want to hear, not just what the perspective of the accepted institutions are, but more importantly what is the perspective of consumers, for example.
Then there is the other, which is the covered entities, including the entities that use the financial institutions to do either payments or receive payments. Those are three at least. Again, this is financial institutions, consumers and covered entities.
DR. FRANCIS: Just on the consumer side, if I could add in there the primary worry is that medical information would bleed into financial information, particularly credit and mortgage kinds of questions. I know that before she went to ONC, Joy Pritts did a report on consumer views in this area.
This was one of the number one privacy worries that people had, that if their medical information was known by their bank, they wouldn’t be able to get a mortgage or a line of credit. Somebody in the consumer mortgage space, there is a standard privacy advocate that’s the sort of personal information kind of stuff, I don’t think that’s what we want. I think we want the consumer credit end of things.
PARTICIPANT: Along those lines, you might want to think a little non-traditionally, like the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is doing some very interesting work in that, the entity, that Senator Warrens set up.
MS. BERNSTEIN: That is the regulators. The banking regulator committee, they are definitely a regulator, and they were made up of the consumer protection pieces of the banking regulating committee, we can certainly get someone from CFPB?
PARTICIPANT: There’s some other entities that have been looking at it. California’s attorney general has done some interesting work in all of this and there is a white paper, I’m pleased to share this with you. It’s about 18 months old or so, at this point. There is some other interesting things going around about e-patients, electronic empowered patients, some of them have a lot of overlap with PCORI. Some of them have some overlap with Stanford’s MX initiative.
DR. STEAD: As I listen to this I wonder if this needs to be a two-stage process. Do we need a fact finding first, that tells us what is the state of affairs now? To what degree is this a problem and where is it a problem?
If we had our hands around that, we could then design a hearing to know how to respond to the problem or what people’s views were on different ways you could respond to it or how big it was.
It seems to me, first we’ve got to get a clear definition of scope of the problem.
MS. BERNSTEIN: You are talking about two hearings.
DR. STEAD: I’m talking about a fact finding process, I don’t know if it has to be a hearing.
MS. BERNSTEIN: That’s a hearing.
MS. GOSS: I am hearing you say it differently. I’m hearing instead of a fact finding, I apologize if I’m stepping in inappropriately, I hear you want us to scope this out further, do some internal work, get our arms around it, maybe come back some further conversation, and it leverages the discussion we had earlier about overlapping the committees work for prioritization? Did I hear you right?
MR. SCANLON: If Joy was working on this then she would be willing to — I think Bill is right, you need to start with a diagnosis before you can figure out the cure. Just finding out what the lay of the land is and what people think.
MS. KLOSS: I think we’re on the same page. Maya’s point is that we use the hearing as fact finding, but before we can even figure out what the panels are and what the right set of questions are, we need to know more about the landscape. We need a landscape step.
DR. FRANCIS: There are some pieces of the landscape that we’re quite familiar with. One piece is that among financial institutions, there is some level of concern about when are they clearinghouses and when are they 1179 exempt. Just knowing where they are feeling uncertainty, but that requires a hearing because we have to get them here to tell us that.
DR. STEAD: That would be a very targeted question.
DR. SUAREZ: Among a number of other questions as well.
DR. FRANCIS: That’s one of the things I was seeing as a panel.
DR. SUAREZ: I would agree that we may not be here in this moment at 5:20 articulating necessarily the actual frame of the hearing. I think we understand and can scope out with facts that we have already found an some we might find also, the content, but it doesn’t mean that we cannot do it between now and the end of December in time to prepare for the hearing itself in February.
That is my sense. I think we have enough time to scope out this and then identify the right questions and the right people to address those questions.
MS. BERNSTEIN: Part of the process of starting with the parts we know very well, is to talk to those people on the phone when I invite them, and say who else should I get and what do you think the questions are and they will tell us. It helps us to scope out who else we get for the other panels where we are less familiar.
I can do some of that but we don’t have a lot of staff to do another kind of fact finding other than producing a hearing. The question is about inviting the right people to the hearing. As Leslie said, some of them we know, we can put together a hearing there.
I think these are, the entities you have mentioned, or the kinds of groups that you have mentioned, financial institutions, regulatory entities, consumer groups, covered entities, maybe the California AG or other states that are already working this area, patients, we can make a whole day hearing out of that group of people and find different representatives from those kinds of things.
If it takes more than one hearing, we surface more questions, we can certainly have another follow up hearing in which it looks sort of like what Bill is suggesting, which is the first one is fact finding and the second is more targeted.
DR. MAYS: I think I am hearing the difference is the fact finding is for the questions and not the people, necessarily. So it is really going into the hearing with a very clear set of questions and then getting the people, as opposed to the people and then another layer from the people finding out, oh there is another set of questions.
I am always amazed by how much work Standard is able to get done, and I think some of it is very clear idea of the questions. Unless I am not hearing it right, it was to spend some time to get the question clearer.
DR. FRANCIS: Can I give you ac couple of questions?
MR. LAZARUS: I was part of a task group that WEDI conducted four or five years ago, that looked at some aspects of these issues. The group was chaired by Lee Barrett, a report was put out and the word banking and financial institution representatives as well as health care representatives, took part in a six to nine month effort.
It will not provide you all of the information but it will provide some of the issues. What the interpretation was and why. As I recall, we should also as background information, look at the legislative intent from the discussion at the time of the legislation, which reveals a lot about what the intention of what this exemption was.
DR. FRANCIS: I was going to give you just a couple of questions. One is, what are the understandings of 1179 and where are there confusions on the part of the financial industry? That’s a pretty focused question we could get an answer to. Another set of questions is, what are the articulated consumer concerns?
A third set of questions is, and this is probably much more from the regulators, to what extent is there data that supports these concerns, that is, is there evidence that as banks function in one way or another with respect to health transactions, are there any examples where the information has bled that may be regarded as problematic?
Those are some questions that we need a hearing to get answers to. There are others that are gently in that space but those are at least three.
DR. SUAREZ: Just to share some perspectives from the Standards Subcommittee, being in standards we have a template for preparing for a hearing. The template includes various elements, including the background of the issues or the issue that will be addressed by the hearing, the specific question that will be asked to different stakeholders.
All of that is created based on the discussion of the National Committee by working with staff and subcommittee members, in defining and drafting the actual two page document that then gets used to communicate with potential testifiers.
All of that is prepared in the background, if you will, as part of the development of the plans for the hearing and then the process of identifying and inviting people to the hearing and confirming them, then announcing the hearing and getting others to submit written comments.
MS. KLOSS: Our subcommittee has held hearings. Maya does knows what it takes.
DR. SUAREZ: I am not doubting at all. I am just suggesting that we are within the timeframe that usually we at the Standards Subcommittee use to create a hearing between now and February. This is a topic that is somewhat of a priority.
MS. KLOSS: I think there is one difference and that is we know less about this topic probably than what Standards knows about its territory. This 15 minutes has been very helpful. Thank you for not letting me adjourn at 5:00, which is when I thought we were adjourning. We got a lot of good ideas and good places to start.
I think what we will do is schedule a subcommittee call before Christmas. Is that a plan? Anything else for the good of the cause?
MS. JACKSON: I will follow up in looking at some of the logistics. As Maya said, December winds up being an unusual month. Productivity in the first two weeks and then people disappear until the beginning of the year. So if you’re trying to get some work done, this is the time to do it.
This is crunch time, because you will be looking in the next three to four weeks, pulling together text for Federal Register Notice, and that kind of thing. Even before then, sometimes in the next week or so, we will take a look at a doodle poll to see who is available to get a critical mass from both of these groups to start looking at your time period.
If you are identifying that day, you don’t want just set a day and go forth until you find out how many people in your subcommittee are going to be available on that day. We will work out the logistics like that.
MS. KLOSS: Very good. I think we are adjourned.
MR. SCANLON: I think we have come to the part of the meeting where we see if there is any public comment either one the phone or the audience.
None here in the room. Any public comment? Do I hear a motion to adjourn? | 2019-04-22T05:04:51Z | https://ncvhs.hhs.gov/transcripts-minutes/transcript-of-the-december-2-2014-ncvhs-subcommittee-on-privacy-confidentiality-and-security-breakout-session/ |
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The regulations refer to seatbelt wearing by drivers and passengers and the practice of travelling in the flat bed of pick-ups.
Drivers and passengers will face fines from ….
Too many drivers seem to believe that seatbelts are an unnecessary option on this side of the Mekong, but it may be time to think again as Vientiane traffic police gear up to enforce safety regulations and fine rule breakers 70,000 kip.
Traffic police plan to fine drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts in order to reduce fatalities and serious injuries from ….
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, the new drivers for Asean and Asian economic growth, should come up with a joint master plan for connectivity and key infrastructure development to strengthen the region’s competitiveness, says Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
The boring of tunnels for the Laos-China railway is expected to begin in the next few weeks following a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction of the project in December last year.
The tunnel entrances have been earmarked and concreted in preparation for boring, the ….
There have been almost 9,000 newly registered vehicles in the first two months of this year thanks to ongoing socio-economic growth.
The Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department disclosed this week that in only two months from January to February, there were 8,972 newly registered vehicles bringing the total number of newly registered vehicles in Vientiane Capital to ….
Director of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Mr Vanpheng Chanthaphone and Vice President of the Swiss NGO PACTEC International Mr Gerald Bourgeois last month gave the first professional pilots trained in Laos their wings.
The six students – including one young woman – started their training at the Civil Aviation Flight Training Centre (CAFTC) in Vientiane in ….
The Vientiane International Airport Expansion Project has now achieved 11 percent of its contractual goals and should be complete by the beginning of 2018.
The project is being financed by a concessional loan from the Japanese government of about 9 billion Japanese yen.
The expansion will enlarge the existing passenger service facilities to deal with the increasing demand for …..
Travellers are warned to not travel overland from Vang Viang to Luang Prabang as a safety precaution, according to the latest Smartraveller advisory issued by the Australian government, Monday.
The Australian advisory did not elaborate other than to say it was recommending travellers avoid overland travel on highway 13 beyond Vang Vieng.
However, a recent Canadian travel advisory advices travellers to ….
Phase II of the Laos-Thailand railway, which will see the line extended from the suburbs to central Vientiane, is set to resume after the project was suspended in 2011.
The line will be built over a distance of 7.5km to link the track from the outlying Thanalaeng railway station in Hadxaifong district to the inner city.
The extension will link Thanalaeng railway station on the …..
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith will officially launch the start of construction for the Laos-China railway project at a ceremony on December 25.The ceremony to kick off railway construction will take place in Luang Prabang district’s Phonxay village where a railway bridge spanning the Mekong River will ….
Thailand’s new and possibly fanciest regular train service can now be booked for overnight trips from Nong Khai to Bangkok.
Equipped with new carriages featuring improved decor and facilities, the Special Express Train routes links the capital with Nong Khai, starting Dec. 2. Tickets are now on sale, prices range from 700 baht to ….
SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, today launched its inaugural flight to Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Laos. With this launch, SilkAir’s route network now spans 51 destinations in 14 countries.
The inaugural flight departed this afternoon at 1.20pm from Changi Airport and is expected to arrive at Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport at 3.15pm. It will then depart at 4.05pm for Luang Prabang International Airport, and is expected to arrive at …..
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce on Tuesday announced that fuel prices would rise across the country as from yesterday.
In Vientiane the cost of premium grade petrol will rise from 8,350 kip to 8,500 a litre, regular petrol will increase in price from 7,350 kip to …..
Thai airlines will soon be allowed to operate more flights to Vientiane, Laos, according to the Thai-Lao accord approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday.
The quota is raised from 2,100 seats to 14,500 for the flights from Bangkok to Vientiane. Meanwhile, from Vientiane to Bangkok, the quota is …..
The Vientiane Traffic Police Department and local officials are issuing a joint warning to the drivers of tuk-tuks and pickup trucks who regularly ferry schoolchildren to and from classes each day at secondary schools in Naxaithong district.
Children’s parents expressed serious concern after seeing a photo of a large group of students piled onto a school taxi-truck on …..
The Vientiane authorities have agreed to reinstate the old traffic rules for turning right at traffic lights nationwide.
Motorists are now allowed to turn right on a red light signal unless such a turn is expressly forbidden by signage but they are urged to exercise caution in doing so.
For almost four months, the Vientiane authorities introduced a ….
Over 20 hit-and-run cases in Vientiane so far this year and many people have been injured or killed as a result, according to the Vientiane Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.
There have been 23 reported hit-and-run cases in Vientiane so far this year and police have made ….
Traffic police will out in force ensuring roads run smoothly ahead of the arrival of high ranking regional delegations attending Asean Summits next month in Vientiane, according to a leading official.
The relocation of the southern bus station in Vientiane to a new site is set to begin this month, with the process expected to be completed by September, according to an official.
The site of the new bus station on the 450 Year Road in Saphanmeuk village, Xaythany district is about 700 m from the present one.
The construction of the new station is …..
The state enterprise showed off the new trains at its ….
The prices of vehicles in Laos remain high even though import tariffs on many products including vehicles have been reduced to five percent, much to the disappointment of recent purchasers.
Deputy Director of the Foreign Trade Policy Department, Mr Saysana Sayakone told Vientiane Times recently that the prices of vehicles will remain rather high as buyers still have to pay consumer tax.
He explained that the Lao PDR had begun to reduce …..
For the southwestern city of Kunming, China’s plan to extend a high-speed rail link 3,000 km (1,875 miles) south to Singapore is already a boon: pristine expressways, a gleaming station and something of a real estate boom, as young buyers crowd property showrooms.
As of yesterday, according to this report of the Lao National TV, it’s forbidden to take a right turn on a red traffic light, unless there is an additional green arrow light (apart from the main signal light) present and flashing.
Not following this rule will result in fines of …..
The Department of Public Works and Transport expects the number of vehicle imports to Laos to continue to grow at around 10 per cent even though numbers have slowed somewhat in the first three months of ….
Thai AirAsia is planning to expand service to Laos, followed by the service launch of Luang Prabang last month. Based on the airline’s schedule listing on its website, the airline plans to operate Bangkok Don Mueang – Vientiane route on daily basis, effective …..
In line with government plans and the standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Laos is planning to update air traffic services in many respects.
Foreign tourists will be banned from driving motorcycles and motor homes into Thailand as part of measures to control an influx of foreign vehicles onto Thai roads, particularly in the North.
The order will also prohibit people who have not made prior agreements on car usage abroad from driving cars into Thailand from China, Myanmar, ……..
The Laotian government has issued an urgent order for officials to get stricter on foreigners entering the country.
Everyone entering Laos from tomorrow must have complete documents, said a source at the 1st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint om March 5th.
The move followed several recent incidents of armed robbers assaulting and killing people and the ….
The transport ministry will conduct the feasibility study of a 550km-long railway line, linking Laos’ Vientiane to Vung Ang in Ha Tinh, Viet Nam, from December 2015 to December 2017.
The study will be divided into three phases, comprising a six-month survey of the project, a one-year ….
Four Korean tourists and a Lao driver were killed after a bus and a minivan were involved in a fatal collision in Thongmeuad village, Kasy district, Vientiane province on Sunday while another 24 people sustained injures.
The four Korean tourists and the van driver all …..
Asean’s ambitious open-skies scheme has clearly missed the 2015 year-end deadline, and its full implementation appears elusive. Three members of the 10-nation bloc — Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos — seem reluctant to join the scheme for full liberalisation of Southeast Asia’s aviation sector…..
Vientiane’s three rescue teams have reported on the number of road accidents they attended, and the fatality figures, from January 1 to December 29, 2015.
Combined figures showed that 270 people lost their lives in the capital for the year up to and including December 29. The three teams serving the public will …..
A BACKPACKING couple on a once in a lifetime trip in Asia have relived the moment they escaped a fatal bus crash.
Sean Martin, 26, and Gemma Sanderson, 27, said they were still suffering flashbacks after their sleeper bus crashed and flipped onto its roof as it travelled through Laos.
The couple, of Rishton, packed up their lives in October to fulfil a dream of travelling Asia for six months. But as they were travelling between Pakse and Vientiane the bus overturned killing …..
Long Cheng is a site which has long been hidden from public view, tucked behind a mountain fortress and guarded by security for the last 50 years.
Now that’s changing, and we’ve already been up to take a look around what has been known for decades as “The Most Secret ….
Officials are wrestling with the problem of identifying a long-term solution to Vientiane’s chronic traffic jams and some are suggesting that an overpass might ease the situation.
Mittaphab Hospital is struggling to cope with a dramatic surge in demand for orthopaedic surgery caused by increasing numbers of road accident victims seeking treatment.
Four people were killed and six others sustained critical injuries in road accidents in the capital over the two-day period from September 9-10.
According to the Vientiane Traffic Police Department, a pick-up truck carrying 17 students overturned on Thursday morning in Donnoun village, Xaythany district, killing two passengers and seriously injuring six others. Other passengers were also injured in the accident. Police said the driver …..
All buses are now operating out of two temporary stations to pave the way for the construction of a new 12-storey building to house the inner city bus station near the Morning Market in central Vientiane.
However, the relocation to an area near the existing site has led to traffic congestion in the area, causing members of the public to complain about the new arrangements.
Tuk-tuks must also be relocated as part of efforts to minimise the …..
The UNESCO World Heritage town Luang Prabang this week officially launched its E-Bus Project along with an electric vehicle station.
The E-bus Project currently involves over 30 electric buses including 14 buses provided as a grant from the Japanese government and around 20 buses operated by the Lao Green Company. The buses will be driven along …..
The development is likely to include a …..
The retail prices of fuel at petrol stations around the country dropped for a second time this month.
The petrol prices dropped around 60 kip per litre and the diesel prices went down by about 140 kip per litre, which will be good news for general consumers and farmers now in the rice planting season.
In Vientiane, petrol stations are now selling premium petrol for 9,430 kip a litre, regular grade petrol for…..
Laos and China will jointly build a bridge linking the Southeast Asian nation with northeastern Thailand as part of a U.S. $7.2 billion high-speed railway project that has been delayed by numerous setbacks for more than four years, a Lao government official said.
Officials from both sides agreed to construct the bridge over the Mekong River to link Laos with Thailand’s Nong Khai province during a meeting in which they resolved to build the much-delayed rail line from Kunming in south China’s Yunnan province to the Lao capital Vientiane.
The decision was made when a Lao delegation led by …..
The number of registered vehicles in Vientiane has increased by over 31,000 units in the first six months of this year, or an average of 5,000 units per month, a local newspaper reported on Monday.
The number increased by an average of 5,000 units per month. It has been observed that the number of passenger vehicles in the city has increased constantly when compared to the same period last year.
When compared to the over 850,000 people living in the city, it means over three out of every four people, including men, women, and …..
Google Maps now offers 360 degree views of streets which form top attractions in the Lao capital for locals and tourists alike.
The new imagery allows users in Laos and around the world to view and navigate through 360-degrees of street-level imagery in the country’s capital city.
The Public Health Ministry yesterday announced the first MERS case in Thailand after laboratory tests confirmed that a foreign visitor had contracted the deadly virus,.
The patient was understood to have contracted Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in a foreign country, before arriving in Thailand, where he was diagnosed.
The patient, a 75-year-old man from an Arab country, has reportedly had contact with up to 59 people since arriving on Monday. He was also undergoing treatment for ….
More than 10 larger capacity motorbikes with unpaid taxes have been seized following an inspection that began last week in a move to regulate the issue, tax officials have said.
According to the regulations, bikes whose engines exceed 250cc are not allowed to be imported into Laos but in reality many can be seen on the roads.
The Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department is trialing a one-way road scheme in a bid to ease traffic congestion on one of the busiest sections of Fa Ngum Road, which runs alongside the Mekong River in the Sithan-neua area.
The one-way section begins at the T-junction in front of the Mercure hotel on Souphanouvong Road and runs eastwards along Fa Ngum Road to the T-junction at Pakpasak College, over a distance of …..
The Public Works and Transport Department, traffic police and the Vientiane Urban Development Administration Authority are cracking down on illegal parking in order to address traffic congestion in Vientiane.
The new initiative outlawing double-parking began on June 2 and is also focusing on eliminating unofficial parking concessions in this area.
In particular, authorities announced they are targeting the section of Nongbone Road from the bus station to the traffic lights at …..
Lao President Choummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang opened the new Attapeu International Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting ….
The bodies of six of the 10 schoolchildren who were feared drowned after a makeshift ferry capsized in the Nam Ngum on Tuesday have been recovered by rescue teams from Laos and Thailand.
The children, aged 10-12, were pupils at local primary schools. Rescue teams have been scouring the river in search of the missing youngsters after the boat capsized in Pakngum district, Vientiane.
The teams resumed their search yesterday morning but were hampered by strong currents. They eventually found the body of ….
Eight girls and two boys were missing yesterday after a small ferry consisting of two wooden longboats capsized while crossing the Nam Ngum river in Pakngum district, Vientiane.
The missing children were primary school pupils from Nabong village who cannot swim well and were crossing the river to take their final year exams at a school in Thakokhai village.
Vientiane authorities will upgrade roads in the city centre as part of preparations for Laos’ hosting of the Asean Summit next year.
The upgrade will be funded through a loan from China amounting to 60 million yuan (about 78.73 billion kip). Under the project, a 2km section of road between the Dongdok and Tanmixay traffic lights will be resurfaced with concrete and widened to 22 metres, with the work contracted to a Chinese company.
The project is currently at the design and …..
Police officers have responded to public complaints that they are not out on the streets at night to stop youths from racing motorbikes and disturbing the peace in central Vientiane.
Chief of the Commando Security Team at the Vientiane Police Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Khamphiew Vatthanaphone, said yesterday they wanted the public to know that they’re working on the problem every day, especially at weekends.
“Today we arrested some members of one group but by tomorrow there will be another group making trouble on …..
Road Accident ! And Now What ?
Driving on Lao roads is a main area of concern for newcomers as they fear reckless motorbike drivers and anarchic roundabouts. Driving a vehicle is first of all about safety, even after an accident has happened.
Vientiane State Bus Enterprise has plans for express nonstop services along three main routes within the city.
The planned services will not stop to pick up people en route, meaning that passengers will ride from their departure point all the way without stopping until the bus arrives at its final destination.
The three routes are between the main bus station and Dongdok, the bus station and the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and from the …..
People in Vientiane are facing a long queue when they go to pay road tax this year as they need to register the vehicle’s information.
The new service for paying road tax began in the middle of last month in each District Finance Office in the city plus a road tax centre in Naxay village of Xaysetha district.
“Many people are complaining about the long queues as last year there was much less …..
The Ministry of Finance is informing all vehicle owners that the Road Tax Sticker for 2015 is now available and that it needs to be purchased for all vehicles. The sticker is valid for the calendar year 2015. Further a penalty of 10% per month for purchasing the sticker after 31st May is imposed.
In addition J&C Services has been informed that the procedures to purchase the Road Tax Sticker 2015 have changed as following: …..
The government has instructed officials to remove state-owned number plates from private vehicles which previously belonged to the state and car owners must pay customs, tax and other fees.
The “dominoes” that Transport Minister Prajin Juntong worried would begin falling over a global safety warning about Thailand’s aviation industry have indeed begun to tumble, with China and South Korea now banning new Thai-registered flights and Singapore imposing strict inspections.
The moves by China and South Korea follow a ban by Japan on new flights and aircraft changes by …..
For those new to Laos, heading out in your car for the first time can be a daunting experience. Traffic rules differ to other countries and there are a lot of new driving techniques to learn. Parking can also be very confusing because of special rules and regulations unique to Laos.
In Vientiane and other cities there are …..
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $35 million loan to help finance a bus rapid transit system and other transport innovations to improve traffic flows in Vientiane, the fast growing capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).
Many manholes and drainage covers can be seen to be missing throughout the capital, putting lives in danger and resulting in damage to motor vehicles.
The uncovered manholes are also being used as a dumping ground for household rubbish, which threatens to clog the drains in question when the rainy season arrives.
Many women are taking on non-traditional roles as new career opportunities open up for them, showing they are equal to men in terms of ability.
One example is a young woman named Ms Phinanong Leusasinh, aged just 19, of Nongping village in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane, who recently made her first solo flight.
The solo flight, which is made without an instructor on board, is a milestone in the pilot training course. Last week Ms Phinanong was one of six trainees who took the controls of a …..
A team of 12 elephants will walk about 630 km across the Xayaboury and Luang Prabang provinces, passing through elephant populated areas and cultural sites and disseminating both environmental education material and art performances in towns and villages.
Elephants are a source of pride for the Lao people and it is urgent to reactivate the public support for the species. On the road, the caravan will stop daily in villages it crosses. Theater, music and performances will be ….
When French paramedic Sebastian Perret witnessed a fatal accident in the Laos capital, Vientiane, in 2010, he was shocked that no ambulance came to help.
Every day, four people die in road crashes across Laos, giving the country one of the region’s worst road fatalities per capita in the region. Many more are injured but most cannot afford to pay a government ambulance to help them.
Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
“These four have been selected because they meet international standards and …..
Petroleum operators expect fuel prices will continue to drop for the next few months after seeing prices go down since the beginning of the year.
The government has lowered the prices of premium, regular petrol and diesel in Vientiane and five provinces effective last Friday. “It is the third time for a fuel price reduction this year,” an official of …..
The governments of Lao PDR and Japan signed an Air Service Agreement in Vientiane Capital on 16 January.
“This singing is a landmark for civil aviation cooperation between the Lao PDR and Japan,” said Director General of the Civil Aviation Department, Mr Yakua Lopangkao.
“It’s a fundamental event for civil aviation cooperation, particularly the opening of direct fights between the two countries in order to facilitate the …..
The number of Lao people killed in road accidents is greater than the figure of those killed by bomb attacks in Pakistan, to make a somewhat bloody comparison.
The bomb attacks in Pakistan hit the international headlines daily as innocent lives are lost. Meanwhile here in Laos people are dying every day but their deaths go largely unreported.
In Laos it is not bomb attacks taking lives but traffic accidents. In 2013, 873 people were …..
Five people were killed and many more injured in a spate of road accidents over a seven day period in Vientiane recently.
According to the Chief of the Vientiane Traffic Police Department from December 15-21 there were 40 road accidents in the capital.
The accidents are also getting more serious. Police figures indicate that of the …..
About 90 percent of fatalities arising from road accidents in Laos are among those riding motorbikes, according to traffic police.
The figure is hardly surprising given the lack of protection motorbikes offer their riders in comparison to larger vehicles. Those riding motorbikes are also mostly poor people or students who are less likely to ….
The driver of a truck trailer has been detained by Champassak provincial police after the vehicle overturned and killed a British tourist in Pakxong district on Tuesday.
The truck was carrying a container loaded with timber and was travelling from Xekong province to Pakxe district in Champassak province.
The truck was descending a hill near to a crossroads at …..
A total of 175 people died from road accidents in Vientiane during the 2013-14 fiscal year; a major loss of lives when compared to other causes of premature death.
The fatality rate from road accidents has sparked rising concerns across society that the government needs to come up with stronger and concrete measures to deal with the problem.
According to the report, over 1,470 road accidents took place in Vientiane in the 12 months to September 30 with 175 deaths (of which 38 were …..
Officials from the Vientiane Fire Fighting Department cautioned yesterday that all vehicles, in particular passenger vehicles, should install fire extinguishers to be prepared for possible emergencies.
Torrential rain in Vientiane yesterday morning caused traffic chaos on the second day of the new school year as flooded streets and sidewalks caused further delays on the already congested streets.
The storm was fairly localised but the rain was so heavy that many of the city’s roads and houses were soon flooded, making the many potholes even more difficult to navigate than usual.
Almost 90 people die in road accidents each month in Laos and the figure is rising at an alarming rate so amidst increasing public concern the government needs to enhance its efforts to deal with the issue.
In only seven months of this year, a total of 3,390 road accidents were reported in Laos with 599 deaths and 5,657 injured, according to police report this week.
The largest number of fatalities was reported in Vientiane with …..
The government has approved the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in a move to improve and speed up the public transport system and mitigate traffic congestion in Vientiane.
Construction works are expected to begin in the 2017-18 fiscal year, with completion slated for the end of 2018.
Under the project plan, the Vientiane public transport network, also known as the BRT network, will be 84km long and will include ….
Residents in Vientiane are suspecting their fellow residents may be the culprits in the spate of thefts of manhole covers which they believe are being sold to scrap metal dealers.
Others believe that scrap metal buyers who ride motorcycle-driven carts round the city seeking people’s unwanted bits of metal, could be the problem.
So far, nobody can say for sure who is responsible as no theft has actually been observed. Last week a cover on the road in Sokpaluang village in Sisattanak district was stolen, but no one ….
The government may re-impose a vehicle quota system as part of efforts to curb the rising number of vehicles in Vientiane.
An official told local media recently the government had assigned the ministry to develop concrete measures to cut down the rising number of vehicles in the country, one of the causes of traffic congestion in major cities.
The official said that under the quota system, the ministry will be able to ban imports of ….
The National Ethnic Cultural Park (NECP) has been transformed and is now called “Inpeng Culture & Entertainment Park” which includes a large water park with beer gardens, restaurants, cafes, souvenir stores and a museum as well as the former Ethnic Cultural Park.
Our J&C team spent a fun day at the new water park, which includes many different pools, all of them with different sizes & shapes, and also different depths; there are also pools dedicated to …..
Traffic officials have urged motorists to slow down after a horrible road accident in Savannakhet last weekend which killed two people instantly and left three others seriously injured.
The fatal crash happened on Road No. 13 South in Kaenghaed village, Xaybouly district, Savannakhet province on July 21.
An official said this was the first time such a horrible accident had occurred in the area. He reported that one of the vehicles was travelling at a very high speed and the driver lost control.
“The SUV hit with great force head-on, killing the SUV’s driver and a Vigo passenger instantly and leaving three …..
A significant number of Vientiane residents have expressed their support for an urban sustainable transport system the Ministry of Public Works and Transport is working on.
The project aims to establish special Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes along 84 kilometres of Vientiane’s public roads, beginning with the Wattay International Airport to Patuxay route.
The Inpeng temple to Nam Phou fountain section of Setthathirath Road will be reallocated for public buses and non-motorised transport only, while François Nginn and Pangkham roads will be …..
The Pakpasak canal between Vat Chan Village and Sihom Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane will be developed and covered with a car park in an effort to solve the downtown parking crisis.
Parking over the canal will be able to accommodate 200 cars by 2015.
This is the second such venture by Ms Thipphaphone, whose company is also constructing the seven floor car parking facility near ….
President Choummaly Sayasone, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and other high-ranking officials laid wreaths yesterday to pay their respects to the leaders who passed away from the plane crash on Saturday (May, 17).
According to the Ministry of National Defence, the Lao airforce AN-74TK-300 aircraft carrying 17 people on a special flight from Vientiane crashed near Xieng Khuang airport on Saturday morning (around 7am local time). There are three survivors and 14 deceased.
A Laotian air force plane with at least 14 people on board crashed on Saturday, a defense ministry source said, and a witness at the site said the defense minister was among the dead.
“A Laos air force plane has crashed on its way to Xiang Khouang province in the north of the country. The mayor of Vientiane, the defense minister of Laos and his wife were on board,” the official told Reuters by telephone.
Also killed were the governor of ….
Road Tax Is Back Again !
Despite previous announcements by the Ministry of Finance that the collection of the road tax has been abolished, J&C Services has just been informed by the authorities that the road tax is back in force again.
Vientiane traffic police reported more than 30 road accidents in Vientiane last week, including six fatalities. Among the latest accidents involves a sport car which crashed into an electricity pole and tree at the Setthathirath Road in Xiengngeun village, Vientiane in the early morning of April 27.
The 21-year old driver sustained critical wounds and later died in hospital. The passenger also …..
Vientiane, Laos. I descend from my tuk-tuk at the dusty north bus station, needing to get to Luang Prabang. Bad news. The sleeping bus is full, which means I’m in for ten hours of the VIP bus, which in retrospect can be none other than an acronym for Voluntary Imposition of Pain. At least for me it is, as I have a difficult time sleeping on any bus. The ‘sleeping bus,’ however, does sport a large enough berth for you to lay flat and get some rest. VIP not the case, at least for a tall creature like myself. And surprisingly the sleeping bus is only …..
The number of vehicles in Vientiane continues to rise, intensifying congestion on roads in the capital despite the expansion of the road network in the capital.
In 2013, the number of registered vehicles reached 66,500, an increase of more than 5,300 vehicles compared to the year 2012.
Government officials attributed the rising number of vehicles to several factors, including the country’s …..
Logistic facilities at Thanalaeng Train Station in Vientiane have begun to take shape after eight months of construction, according to a Lao railway official.
The Lao Railway Authority’s Railway Management Division Chief, Mr Somsana Rasaphone said recently that the new facilities, which will enable the train station to provide freight services, are now some 23 percent complete.
Laos and China have confirmed they will push forward with the Lao-Chinese railway project while the two countries are still looking for an effective method of cooperation that serves their mutual interest.
The Lao and Chinese governments have come up with a plan to build the 421km railway, which would link Vientiane to the Laos-China border in the coming years.
The Lao side also suggested that China should expand its investment in hydro and lignite power plants as well as provide loans for irrigation development in the central provinces in order to ensure ….
More people will choose to ride on public buses in Vientiane if there are designated bus lanes on roads.
Transportation on two or four-lane roads in Vientiane is currently open to all general vehicles. However, Vientiane Public Works and Transport department has plans to create bus lanes to allow public transport to cut through traffic congestion.
If public transport could operate services more efficiently keeping to bus timetables, especially during rush hours, then many more people would take public buses in preference to cars, decreasing overall traffic.
“We have 129 public buses including 42 new Japanese buses and this is enough to cover the roads in ….
Vientiane’s Wattay International Airport will expand both its international and domestic terminals so they can handle about 1,000 passengers per hour in 2018.
The Vientiane International Airport Terminal Expansion Project is aimed at meeting increased passenger demand.
The expansion would see the construction of another two-storey building on a plot measuring almost 2,100 sq metres, which would connect with the present terminal.
A new two-storey building will be built to house the ….
Lao Skyway, formerly Lao Air, has launched four more flights to Northern provinces Luang Prabang, Bokeo, Oudomxay, and Luangnamtha.
The company would operate its new routes with MA-60s, a small plane which can accommodate 56 passengers, providing charter flights at reasonable prices.
Lao Skyway said that new flights to the Northern provinces would be available from …..
Car and motorbike owners are no longer required to purchase the annual road tax sticker. J&C Services received this information today from the authorities at the technical inspection outlet.
As it’s only a few days this new rule has been introduced, it’s likely that not all police officials are aware of this. J&C Services therefore recommends that ….
Quick Lane going for the Quick Buck ?
Time to put new ones, but where to get them ? Of course the first place to check is the Toyota dealership between Patuxay and the Vietnamese Embassy. At my first visit Toyota quoted Baht 4’180, which includes …..
The Lao government will now allow the importation of motorcycles with engine capacities of greater than 250 cc’s, lifting a previous ban on the bikes as part of efforts to comply with World Trade Organisation obligations.
In the past, the government banned imports of motorcycles with engine capacities of greater than 250cc’s in an effort to prevent criminals utilising high powered bikes to evade arrest by the police.
Laos has no more reasons to ban the import of the vehicles since the country became a member of …..
Fuel stations in Laos will soon be required to guarantee the quality of their fuel or face fines or closure, with a specially dedicated fuel testing centre set to be established in the country.
The move comes as the owners of luxury vehicles have sought assurances from fuel retailers as to the quality of their fuels, following concerns that some fuel sold in Laos does not meet the required standards.
The project, to be jointly implemented by the ministry and the private company, will cost US$1.5 million and will be funded by ….
Laos has broken ground on an ambitious high-speed railway project linking the country’s western border with Thailand to Vietnam and is likely to begin full construction this month.
A new fleet of public buses will be urgently put into operation with an electronic ticketing system to help control Vientiane’s rising congestion problem.
Public buses have the potential to ease the city’s traffic congestion and reduce accidents, the Mayor of Vientiane, Mr Soukanh Mahalath, and representatives of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport agreed at a meeting in Vientiane yesterday.
Students at the National University of Laos will be given electronic transit cards to use on their bus route to encourage them to catch public transport and trial the system before it is extended to the rest of …..
THAI Smile, a business unit of Thai Airways International, will start a new four weekly service to Luang Prabang in Laos, 15 December.
It pitches the airline in direct competition with Bangkok Airways that was the first international airline to serve the World Heritage town. It flies three daily services to Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang was designated by UNESCO as the “The Best Preserved City in Southeast Asia” and registered as a World Heritage City, due to its anciednt temples and well preserved colonial building and former royal palaces.
THAI Smile will operate flights from …..
Avis has signed a deal with RMA Group that will lead to the opening of its first facilities in Luang Prabang, Pakse and Vientiane in Laos, and Phnom Penh and Siam Reap in Cambodia. These will include both airport and city locations. The agreement will make Avis the first international car rental company to operate in either country.
“Strengthening our global position remains a high priority as we seek to drive sustained, profitable growth,” said Patric Siniscalchi, Avis Budget’s president for Latin America & Asia Pacific.
“Our licensee agreement with RMA Group will allow us to expand our …..
Three people were killed on Road No. 13 South in Khammuan province in the early hours of Wednesday morning after a pick-up truck smashed into a sleeper bus heading from Vientiane to Attapeu.
The bus contained 42 passengers; three Chinese nationals, three Vietnamese nationals and 36 Lao people. Two were killed on …..
France’s largest trolleybus network has offered to help Vientiane overcome its traffic congestion and air pollution problems.
Trolleybuses run on electricity and draw their power from overhead cabling.
Rhône-Lyon Joint Transport Authority President, Mr Bernard Rivalta, met with senior officials from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Mayor of Vientiane to discuss ways Vientiane could learn from France’s experiences with its trolleybus system.
He said with the number of people and vehicles in Vientiane rising, the use of public transport should be promoted to ease traffic congestion. “Each year the population is increasing and if you don’t have a …..
The concept of building a toll motorway in Laos is now possible in order to minimize traffic congestion in Vientiane. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport, in cooperation with the World Bank, is currently conducting a survey for the development of motorways, with the results of the survey to be finalized early next year.
“Road No.13 will be developed into a toll motorway over a total length of 300 km,”an official said, saying that the first section will begin from the capital city, through Phonhong district to Vangvieng district in Vientiane province. The second section will run from Vientiane through Pakngum district to Borikhamxay province.
The Vientiane Administration Office will make further adjustments to traffic flow in the capital after finding that earlier changes have been beneficial.
Next on the list is a one-way system on Kaysone Phomvihane Road from the roundabout near the Army Museum to Patuxay, as this road is a major entry route into the city. Road 23 Singha, starting from the traffic lights at the corner of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport through to the Nongbone Road access to That Luang, will be used by southbound traffic.
Another change will be made to Chanthakoumman Road, running from …..
POOR countries with low population density tend not to have world-class railway systems. Landlocked Laos, which is squeezed between four countries with extensive rail networks (of varying quality), plans to buck the trend.
Last week China and Laos reaffirmed their commitment to make the proposed 260-mile (418-kilometre) passenger and freight railway between Kunming and Vientiane a reality. The project’s price tag is to be nearly as big as Laos’s formal economy: $6.2 billion plus interest. It will take an estimated 50,000 Chinese workers five years to build it. An astonishing two-thirds of the route will run through tunnels and over …..
Traffic chaos ensued yesterday morning at the point where Souphanouvong Avenue funnels into Setthathirath Road in central Vientiane, after Fa Ngum Road became a one-way street.
The one-way system was announced at the start of this month, but only came into force yesterday, causing traffic to back up for more than a kilometre along Souphanouvong Avenue during the morning rush hour.
Traffic on Chao Fangum road is to be restricted to one direction only and trials will take place during August and September.
The changeover to one way is part of traffic management measures to reduce congestion on the roads in Vientiane, especially during rush hours.
The traffic system in Vientiane will be improved in a bid to reduce the worsening traffic congestion in the city.
The project includes the installation of traffic signs and water tanks, the proper management of traffic directions and improvement of traffic lights according to the increasing number of current vehicles.
The roads in Vientiane that will be improved are Lane Xang Avenue, Kaysone Phomvihane Road (Peace Gong of Victory Gate – Dong Dok), Phontong Road, (Victory Gate-Dong Dok), 23 August Road, Nong Bone, ASEAN Road, …….
Laos and the Philippines are keen to introduce electric vehicles and make EV production their key industry in the future, a development that may benefit auto-makers from Japan.
In Laos, which has abundant hydroelectric power, electricity charges are half of those in Thailand. The Laos government is implementing a project to convert 40 per cent of the nation’s motorcycles, tricycles and four-wheel vehicles into EVs by 2020 with the ….
Heritage officials have expressed concern over the number of French colonial buildings that have disappeared from the capital due to urbanisation in recent years.
There are growing concerns that much of the colonial architecture in Vientiane, which is part of the national heritage of Laos, is being demolished without permission in order to develop the land, particularly in the city.
Heavy vehicle crossings on the Namthone Bridge on the No.13 South Road have been temporarily suspended after heavy rains caused landslides and flash flooding in Borikhamxay province over the weekend.
Floodwaters created difficulties for those who use the No.13 South Road, one of the country’s main economic corridors, forcing commuters to take another route. Many areas along the road in Borikhamxay experienced heavy rain, particularly the Km 20 junction road, where flood levels reached about 1.2m, cutting off transport and affecting …..
Not so long ago, references to economic development in Laos typically mentioned the disadvantages of being a country that is landlocked. Wedged between dynamic, export-driven nations blessed with coastlines and harbours, Laos was viewed as fated to grow less rapidly than its neighbours.
But the map is changing now as the economies of Southeast Asia gear up to integrate, and as China pushes hard to develop road and rail links into the region to accelerate trade. Laos now finds itself as the pivot point between Asean’s 600 million people, with $2 trillion in GDP, and China’s …..
A Vientiane bus company is struggling with the use of battery-powered minibuses, with batteries taking too long to charge and not providing enough power to run the company’s fleet.
Half of the fleet is currently out of service because of faulty batteries, and even the working buses need their batteries replaced. There is no domestic supplier who could provide the batteries, making it difficult to find replacements for the faulty items.
A feasibility study on low-emission transport conducted under sponsorship from the Japanese government suggested Laos was an ideal country to utilise electric vehicles (EVs), as it produces clean electricity from ….. .
The interest rates on car loans in Laos have dropped as people are being urged to buy cheaper vehicles in future.
The decision by the commercial banks and financial institutes in Laos to lower car loan interest was taken in the light of the increasing number of leasing firms in the country. At present the major leasing firms are BCEL, Indochina Bank, Lao-Viet Bank and Thanasup.
There are more than 31 commercial banks in Laos, most of which are foreign branches, who have decided to invest in the country after exploring the business opportunities thanks to the strong economic growth of more than eight percent over the past two years.
Observers said that car loan interest rates and the price of vehicles in Laos would continue to drop. At present, some of the car dealers offer customers one year’s free interest as part of efforts to boost their sales.
The price of the Vigo, one of the popular Japanese brand name cars, has dropped from US$40,000 to …..
A Twin Otter aircraft owned by Lao Air (not to be confused with Lao Airlines -Laos’ national carrier) crashed shortly after takeoff from Nathong Airport in Huaphan province on Wednesday after failing to clear the end of the runway at the short rural airstrip.
The accident happened at 2:35 pm when the aircraft attempted to take off en route for Vientiane. Witnesses said it appeared that the 19-seat plane clipped the top of some trees before crashing into a canal about 200 metres from the end of the runway. Fortunately, no one was killed in the accident, but five people sustained …..
Toyota established a new vehicle interior components production company, TOYOTA BOSHOKU LAO CO., LTD. in the Savannakhet Province in April. This is the first time the Toyota Boshoku group has built a production base in Laos.
Officials have quashed rumours that driving licences are being issued for sale by officials in the Vientiane Vehicle and Driving Management Division (VVDMD) – the body in charge of issuing licences in the capital.
The statement comes following public allegations that licences could be bought and sold on the black market, and were made by officials involved in the regular issuing process.
A new highway linking Vientiane city centre through the That Luang marsh to the 450 Year Road is now accessible as a dirt road, which will later be sealed.
The new highway links Donnokkhoum village in Sisattanak district to Donkoi village, cutting through the That Luang marsh to Xiengda village in Xaysettha district and the 450 Year Road, over a distance of 9.5 kilometres. The whole project is expected to be finished in 2015…..
Visitors to Vientiane will now be able to enjoy sky high views of the city following the launch of a new helicopter service by Lao Air.
Visiting Laos was on my list for long, and I booked a tour through Laos with a local tour provider. BUT riding a balloon has always been my dream! And here in Laos, this dream unexpectedly came true one early morning in the mist of the sunrise over Vang Vieng in Laos. The day before I have already heard about the Lao hot air ballooning and together with my friends we found great interest. Screw it, let’s do it was the slogan!
So, we booked, paid and were just waiting for the morning to come…..
Seven people are now confirmed dead from a bus crash in Luang Prabang after officials reported a 23 year old man died in hospital several hours after the accident on November 22.
Laos is to have its first high-speed rail link after a contract was signed yesterday to lay tracks between Savannakhet province and the Vietnam border.
It is estimated that the US$5 billion project, to be financed by a Malaysian company, will be completed in five years, at which point Savannakhet will have a direct rail link to Lao Bao on the Laos-Vietnam border. The project will form part of a planned railway that will eventually link most of Southeast Asia.
When the entire planned rail link is completed, it will provide a non-stop connection to Singapore, through Thailand and Malaysia, into Kunming province, China, and through Vietnam. At the moment, public transport on this route is …..
The Lao government will proceed with the construction of a US$7 billion Laos-China high-speed railway even though China has withdrawn from the joint venture.
Laos has now decided to assume sole ownership of the project, as it considers that transforming the country from being landlocked to a land link is central to the future of the nation’s development. The railway is now set to go ahead without any other direct stakeholders, but will be financed by a loan from China.
The ground-breaking ceremony is expected to take place during the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit on November 5-6 when top ranking leaders from …. | 2019-04-23T04:21:28Z | http://jclao.com/category/transportation-vehicles/ |
Some of my friends can eat 50 chicken wings in one sitting! It’s a terrible truth. But now they know better and love cauliflower buffalo wings even more. Recipes like this always pop up around Superbowl time and seem to be increasing in popularity, which is great to see! It’s popping up in restaurants and trendy pubs all over the place. Try it for yourself and see what the hype around “meaty” cauliflower is all about!
Did you know this recipe made a debut on Jenna Marbles and Julien Somolita‘s cooking show, J&J’s Kitchen? Read my post about it here!
Check out the video below to see cauliflower wings made 3 ways.
These cauliflower wings are one of hot for food's most popular recipes ever! This recipe is fool proof and you can even make other mouth watering flavors, too!
Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 450°F.
Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite sized pieces/florets.
Mix all the ingredients (minus the vegan butter and hot sauce, this is added separately!) into a mixing bowl.
The batter shouldn't be so thick that it doesn't drip, but also not so thin that it doesn't coat or stick to the cauliflower. If you're using rice flour, you may need to add a little more liquid to get the batter the right consistency. It tends to be slightly thicker.
Dip each floret into the mixture and coat evenly. Tap off the excess a couple of times on the side of the bowl.
Lay florets in an even layer on the parchment lined baking sheet without over crowding. The parchment paper or a silpat mat is essential in preventing the batter from coming off throughout baking! I've tried oiling the baking sheets and they tend to stick. You need parchment paper!
Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown, flipping the florets over half way through to get all sides golden brown and crispy. If you go to flip the cauliflower and the batter is coming off, you need to bake longer on that side!
While the cauliflower is baking, get your ranch dip and wing sauce ready. For the hot wing sauce, melt vegan butter in a small saucepan on low heat and mix in hot sauce. Remove from the heat just as it starts to melt. Stir together and set aside.
If you're making salt and vinegar wings, melt the vegan butter and remove from the heat to stir in apple cider vinegar and water. You will sprinkle sea salt directly on the cauliflower wings after they've been coated with this sauce.
Once the cauliflower is done its first bake in the batter, remove them from the oven and put all the baked florets into a mixing bowl with the wing sauce. Toss to coat evenly, or you can do this in smaller batches. Then spread all the florets coated in wing sauce out onto the same baking sheet. Bake in the oven for another 25 minutes, flipping the florets over half way through. Again, if you go to slip the pieces and the batter is coming off, bake for longer. Oven times and temperature vary from oven to oven! Also, gluten-free rice flour may vary bake time and everyone's oven is different. Watch the florets at both stages and adjust bake time accordingly!
To make the ranch dip, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth and fold in the freshly chopped herbs. If you use a regular vegan mayonnaise without garlic in it already, then you might also want to add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the ranch dip.
Alternatively (and this is how I prepare the ranch), you can blend together vegan mayonnaise, nondairy milk, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt and ground black pepper in a blender. Pour the dip into a jar or serving bowl and stir in the fresh herbs. Refrigerate before serving.
hot tip: you can substitute half and half bbq and hot sauce or use 1 cup of just bbq sauce for bbq wings. I usually use a pre-made sauce, but if you want to make your own here is my recipe for a sweet and tangy bbq sauce.
Made these tonight and here’s my full report. 1 – I’m totally in love with these ‘wings’ 2 – I will bake mine a smidge longer next time as some of my ‘wings’ were crispy and some had some mushy bits. Ate some of them with a fork – but these are baked, not deep fried so it’s to be expected to not be as crispy 3 – skipped the dip but will make it next time because these are f’n HOT! 4 – my husband and I ate the whole thing in about 10 minutes and didn’t speak to each other once 5 – overall, love love love and adding to my fave recipe book!
Can someone please tell me this "earth balance" product is? Can it be purchased in Canada?
Yes it is available in canada. Find it in organic and vegan section of grocery stores.
Earth’s Balance is a butter substitute.
earth balance is a vegan margarine. can be bought at most health food stores and big store grocery stores.
how long does the ranch dressing keep? like, can I have it in my fridge for a while?
it keeps approx. 7 days in the fridge… maybe 10!
Yes, Earth Balance can be purchased in Canada. It is available at Planet Organic and Save-On Foods. I received the following when I enquired about their use of Palm Oil.
"Thirty percent of our palm oil comes from sustainable palm oil plantations in Brazil. Our Brazil-sourced palm oil is 100% organic and is used in all of our organic products (and because orangutans are not native to South America, the Brazilian palm industry does not adversely impact their wellbeing). The remaining 70% of our palm oil comes from responsible sources in peninsular Malaysia, which are all members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the leading global organization developing and implementing global standards for sustainable palm oil production. We insist on continuing assurances from our suppliers that all palm fruit oil purchased for Earth Balance complies with the RSPO policies, and we are committed to terminating any suppliers that violate these policies."
Both my son and I love this recipe from you guys! I make the hot for me and Honey Garlic for him!!!
I’m making this tonight with my daughter! Great "wing" night tonight – especially with the bit of chill in the air.
I’ve been put on a low cholesterol and low starch/carb diet and am lactose intolerant. How would this be for that?
well this is a dairy free recipe so that’s something. And it’s free from animal fats which would eliminate your cholesterol issue. As far as carbs and starch, you can make the batter with whole wheat flour or a gluten free rice flour and it’s not much batter coating the cauliflower in general. I’m not a nutritionist or doctor but it is my belief that eating a strict vegan diet, with mostly whole plant foods would solve any health issue. These "wings" are considered a little bit of an indulgence though. If you want to be safe you could should show it to your doctor/nutritionist. Thanks for visiting!!
What is the serving size for this recipe?
How thick should this coating be because I have followed the recipe and it is quite thin?
This recipe is exact if you follow all the instructions. We’ve made them so many times! But it should be dripping a little bit. If you coat the cauliflower florets then just let some of the excess drip off they should still be well coated as you put them on the baking sheet. There might even be a little bit pooling at the bottom but only a little bit. That batter bakes as well and just adds to the irregular shape of the nuggets. We are re-shooting these photos soon so check back to see the process!
I made these buffalo wings for friends who are traditional wing eaters and they loved them. So did we! Sooo good.
just tried them tonight – they were surprisingly satisfying! tried different sauces too, bbq was a good alternative.
awesome! Ya we like doing at least 2 flavours. The hot tends to get a bit too hot for me anyway after a few "wings"! Thanks for checking us out!
amazing! We have fed cauliflower wings to lots of meat eaters and everyone is always pleasantly surprised. It’s a great substitute for heavy, fatty chicken wings. If given the option we have noticed omnivores would totally go for the cauliflower over chicken!
Where can you get the garlic aioli recommended in the ranch recipe? I used a homemade vegan mayo, and my ranch turned out green! The mayo I made was a bit runny so I suspect that was the issue. Any guidance is appreciated!!
Yes I have updated the recipe saying that if you blend the ingredients you might end up with a green ranch dip because of the herbs. You could finely chop the herbs and stir them in afterward OR whisk everything together instead of blending. I have done it both ways so I apologize for the basic instructions. It’s been updated now, but I doubt it affected how delicious everything was right?! The wildwood mayo is available at select grocery stores and health food stores. We’re in Toronto and have found it but I believe it is an American brand. But using Follow Your Heart / Earth Island Veganaise is also a good option. You just might want to add garlic powder to the mix as well. We’ve also tried Just Mayo, available only in the US and it’s a great mayo to start with as well.
Sorry to hear that! Honestly everyone who follows this recipe has nothing but rave reviews. Could you have missed a step in the instructions? Did you wait for the oven to get to the right temp? Did you do the batter first and then the hot sauce after? Did you change the flour? Rice flour and all-purpose or whole wheat works but we haven’t tried other types. Anyway hopefully there’s an explanation!
Has anyone baked them without parchment paper? Would cooking spray on a baking pan work the same? I used wax paper today but had to stand next to the oven to make sure it wasn’t burning.
I highly recommend buying parchment paper. It’s VERY useful in the kitchen, not just for these but also for baking. OR if you don’t want to be wasteful the washable silicone baking mats are another idea. Wax paper is risky especially at the high temp these need to be baked at and tin foil doesn’t work! Cooking spray on a baking sheet might work (I haven’t tried) but I think the batter might stick.
What a waste of ingredients to make burnt saucy baked cauliflower. If I make these again I’ll reduce the oven heat to 375 or 400 while baking the ‘wing sauce’ into the florets.
well every oven is different and if you follow a lot of recipes you would know that it’s something that needs to be adjusted sometimes. We have had no negative feedback on this recipe or the bake time. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Love! Love! Love! So delicious and easy to make. The recipe worked perfectly for me. We made both the buffalo sandwich and extra wings. And everyone was very happy, my Celiac/Vegan husband for having delicious food that was like food he can’t eat anymore and my boys that aren’t vegan.
hey Jenn! That’s amazing to hear. We convert a lot of people with our buffalo cauliflower. It’s a winner for sure. So glad everyone liked it 🙂 Thanks for the love!
Got here via Julien and Jenna….these look delicious and so do the others…making many bookmarks!
Same here! As soon as I saw J&J make them I HAD TO MAKE THEM!
Do you have any of the nutritional values for this recipe (calories, protien, sodium,…..)? I can not wait to make these and share with my wife. Thanks for the great recipes.
Unfortunately that’s not info we provide on our site or for our recipes at this time. I hope you’ll still enjoy them and know that it’s a much lighter alternative to eating greasy chicken!
I’m making them now! I hope they come out great like the picture haha!
COOL! Let us know or share it on social and tag us @hotforfood on twitter and insta!
So I know this recipe is vegan but would it actually work with chicken?
I honestly can’t say because I’ve never made it with real chicken. I don’t know if the batter would work the same, as this one is meant to get in all the cracks of the cauliflower florets. We have a cashew coconut crusted chik’n finger recipe on the site that would likely work with real chicken.
How crisp does the cauliflower get? Also does this recipe actually taste like cauliflower or can you not even taste the cauliflower flavor?
Tried making these last night! Very good but all the coating came off and made it look like a chip underneath each piece. Maybe I made the coating too thin or put too much on? Not sure.
I’m not sure. It’s true that every oven is different and temps vary from gas to electric or how old or new the oven is. Parchment paper works to prevent sticking and the coating coming off.
I made this last night. The cauliflower got soggy when we cooked it the first time. Also, when I was flipping them over in the first batter, the batter underneath pealed off and stuck to the parchment paper. Because of this, I didn’t cook for the remaining 25 min. The parchment paper was also burning and falling into the oven, so I probably would not do this recipe again.
I don’t know what happened! We’ve had a couple people say it didn’t work for them but it’s because they didn’t follow cooking instructions. You have to wait for the oven to be hot. Perhaps your oven was too hot? I don’t really know, we get nothing but RAVE reviews on this recipe. What flour did you use?
Came here through J&J’s kitchen! started looking through your youtube channel awesome recipes, love the ideas and style of your vids, you both have great personalities too. Very happy to subscribe to your channel and hoping to see lots more of your videos being uploaded!! Great work!
thank so much! That’s so great. We were thrilled to see our recipe on J&J’s kitchen! Welcome to hot for food!
I’m going to make these tonight. Has anyone tried freezing them? I’d love to make a big batch that I could just reheat for a quick meal.
Also can you make this from frozen cauliflower? I’ve seen some people complain about soggy wings, and I wonder if it’s because they’re using frozen.
I used parchment paper, and the batter came off anyway. The batter is essential for this recipe. Any suggestions?
I’ve updated the recipe with some notes. Some people seem to have this issue, but baking times are guidelines for any recipe because it’s tough to say when everyone’s ovens are different. MOST feedback we get though is that everything worked out perfectly.
Did you let the oven pre-heat? What flour did you use? GF flour will alter the baking time. They will stick if they are under baked and over baked so I can’t really tell you exactly what you did wrong.
I’m making this tonight and just flipped them the first time and all the batter on the bottoms stuck despite putting them on parchment paper. I’m not sure what I did wrong, considering I followed it to a T. Oh, well. I’m sure they will taste fine in the end. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Did you use gluten free rice flour? That potentially alters the baking time. PLUS everyone’s oven is different do you just have to watch them a little. Your baking time might be a few minutes less or more. They would stick if they were not baked enough but also if they were burnt to the bottom. AND letting the oven pre-heat is a must.
I have a question: if I can’t get a hold of Earth Balance buttery spread, will real butter or margarine work just as well?
yes we use EB because it’s a good (the best) vegan butter. IT acts like butter. Margarine can be watery. But try it it should still be ok. Or of course real butter yes, but we’re vegan!
we’ve used whole wheat as well! Totally fine. I honestly don’t know what is up with the sticking. They never stick for us?
They are great right outta the fridge the next day…in case you make too much!
I tried this recipe today and like a lot of the other commenters I had the issue of the batter getting stuck. They also aren’t crispy and that made me so disappointed 🙁 They taste OK but they didn’t turn out how I wanted. Next time I’ll probably use foil instead (thats what I usually use when baking) save some batter and when i flip them i can re-cover them with batter. I cut mine into bite size pieces but maybe they should be a tad smaller… I don’t really want to have to cook them for much longer because this is already a long cook time. ^_^ I’ll try again and let you know what worked.
I dunno. I can only guess maybe your oven is different than ours. That is the only variable, unless people are using weird flours?
Wow! I just made these and I must say that they are amazing! My mouth is still on fire as I type this. I will make this over and over again. My next recipe will be your buffalo cauliflower sandwich. Can’t wait. Thanks for sharing.
I made these Thursday night and they were absolutely amazing! I did make a few minor tweaks to the recipe. I lowered the temperature of my oven to 400F (my oven is abnormally hot) and I made a maple and chipotle sauce instead of the buffalo (I’m a little baby when it comes to heat!) and mine did not stick to the parchment paper at all! Thanks for this recipe guys!
Then YOU definitely know what you’re doing. I don’t know why they are sticking to the paper for other people BUT I keep telling everyone that every oven is different. It needs to be HOT but if some people’s ovens are hotter than others than yes you need to adjust and watch them so they don’t stick. haha anyway I appreciate you sharing your experience. Thank you!
Just made these and they taste great! wish they were more crunchy though, and they did stick to the parchment paper.. But it doesnt bother me much. Next time I make them i will try to change some things up!
I too came here from J&J’s kitchen. I saw a lot of contents about the batter sticking to the parchment paper, so I sprayed mine with a light coating of Pam beforehand. It worked relatively well. I think my issue was my Bayer was a little thinner than what was shown in the pictures. Also, they became a lot more soggy after I added the hot sauce coating. Again I’m attributing it to the fact the batter coating wasn’t right. It was super delicious though! I definitely plan to make these again.
Also, I absolutely love the blog. Definitely subscribed on YouTube and will keep up here! I love finding new, delicious vegan recipes!
So cool you saw the J&J epi! We loved that! And great that the wings were a hit 🙂 Thanks for checking us out!
Amazing! So glad you loved the wings and the caramel apple tart. 2 of our most faves as well 🙂 Unfortunately we won’t be at London Veg Fest this year, but enjoy it! Thanks for checking us out and supporting!
Is there anyway I could use an oil or another substitute for butter?
Does it have to be non-dairy milk, or is that just the vegan option??
Just completed my bbq and salt & vinegar cauliflower wings with some pasta and plantains. THANK YOU Lauren for making vegan eating fun and delish!!!
ps. you gave me ranch dressing again! :o) oh how I use to love ranch and now I can enjoy it once again!
Oh ya! Ranch for life… it makes everything better. Thank you so much!
I’m doing this for supper tonight! The batter is already in the fridge i can’t wait to eat it !
I hope you loved them 🙂 Thank you!
Tried these cauliflower wings out last night and they were pretty good. I’m neither vegan nor am I vegetarian, I just don’t not to eat a lot of meat. Don’t make these expecting them to taste like chicken, because DUH they are cauliflower. That being said I was pleasantly surprised. I reheated some in my toater oven tonight for supper and actually liked them a little bit more (maybe when I make them next time I need to let them get a little crispier). I would totally make these again and feel comfortable feeding them to some of my meat loving friends.
awesome! They’re always a hit with meat lovers 🙂 It’s pretty incredible right. Thank you!
Made this for the second time today. We subbed the all purpose flour with whole wheat flower and it turned out even better!!
I became obsessed with finding this after seeing you eat it cold out of some foil on your youtube video about stuff you ate in a day. I don’t know why I can’t stop watching it… I’m not vegan or vegetarian, I don’t live in Canada, I don’t usually even watch these kinds of videos. Oh well… Keep up the good work, and thanks for the entertainment!
do you have to use non dairy milk or can u use a skim or 2%?
My child and I would like to thank you from the buttom of our hearts/stomachs, we just made this for the first time and we are amazed and enthralled. We are grateful to be vegetarian/vegan respectively. All hail hff!
Lauren, I discovered your YouTube channel and this recipe a few weeks ago and have made it about 4-5 times already with great results. I followed your directions to a T and they have turned out perfectly. The Ranch dipping sauce is great too! They are new favorites for me.
I have noticed that Frank’s is very high in sodium (one cup has about 8500 mg) and the wings can taste a little salty if you eat a lot of them (which I do because they’re so tasty!). Have you or anyone else tried other brands of hot sauce that are lower in sodium? Any recommendations?
Frank’s seems to be the only sauce that isn’t super hot. The others are very concentrated hot pepper sauces right. You might want to do half and half with BBQ maybe?
Absolutely delicious! Made these last night as a fun appetizer for Christmas Eve, and everybody loved them! People were telling me they loved them more than real hot wings and they couldn’t believe they were made from cauliflower when I told them! All the yumminess of a hotwing without the guilt. This recipe is a keeper!
Just made these for christmas. Hands down the best "wings" I’ve ever had.
Just made and ate them, delicious! Definitely making them again soon!
Just made these for myself and my roommate, and she was blown away how much it resembled real hot wings! She was surprised that they were just vegetables! Thank you!
I LOVE the wings. And the ranch recipe was spot on!…..for Hidden Valley Ranch. sigh Twas too much to hope for. These wings are incredible though!
Edit: I SHOULD NOT HAVE DOUBTED YOU. I WAS WRONG. FORGIVE ME. Seriously though, that ranch…..mixed with other things….omigod….so. good.
All recipes look very delicious! I don’t eat oil so will just subtract those ingredients. I don’t see a way to condense the recipe for printing– is that possible? Thank you!
But I made them anyway and they were still really good… Althoug a little bit too spicy for me… I found that the cumin adds a cheesy flavor, for people missing the cheese!
holy crap! these are so gooooood. My husband and I are enthusiastic carnivores (sorry not sorry) but we respect all types of cooking and lifestyles. I found Hot for Food under his youtube subscriptions and I must say your vegan creations are interesting, appetizing and look fantastic. Anyways, he has been begging me to make these but I was waiting until the price of cauliflower went down (ouch Toronto produce). Simply delicious! I made my own bbq sauce and these were meaty just like you said. If I closed my eyes and got an especially crunchy, cooked batter part I could’ve sworn I was eating a boneless wing.
I cannot rave about these enough and have recommended them to everyone!
thank you thank you! So happy you liked them.
awesome! SO glad you liked them. Thanks for sharing!
I wish I had franks red hot… I’m going to try Sriracha instead and see how it turns out!
AMAZING! Glad you guys enjoyed them. Thanks!
I wonder if there are different "qualities" of parchment paper…the first time I made these I used parchment paper instead of my silpat because the recipe is so adamant about it. And it was a disaster, they stuck so bad i had to scrap the whole batch, tried again and the same thing but this time I painstakingly peeled the paper off the cauliflower so I could still eat them. They were super delicious. So I tried them again using my silpat (because no way in hell was i trying parchment paper again) and they did not stick one bit. Ive since made them 3 times and they never stick and come out delicious. I was at a friends house and decided to make them for her but all she had was parchment paper…since I could make these in my sleep Ive made them so many times I decided to give it a go. Once again they stuck so bad that they were inedible. Ill stick with the silpat….oh and I have my husband hooked on the crab cakes.
hey! Ya I think there probably are different qualities of parchment paper. ALSO silpat can always replace parchment. We just don’t have one… need to get one! Glad you like them and the crab cakes! Thanks!
Okay this is for anyone who has had trouble with this recipe. I’ve made these three times now and each time i’ve tweaked a little something and they get better and better.
#2. don’t let the batter from the wings run into each other on the baking sheet, or else when you try to flip the wings, it pull the batter off. In order to prevent this you have to do 2 things, dip fast and leave them enough space. The longer it takes you to batter the cauliflower the more time there is for the batter to drip off. I use smaller baking sheets that fit in my oven side by side. This allows me to get them in the oven faster so the batter starts baking and binds to the wings before it has a chance to run.
#3. When you take the wings out to flip, if the batter is sticking to the parchment paper stop flipping and put them back in for 5 min. The batter isnt done cooking yet. Repeat this until the batter is cooked well and it will not stick to the paper.
I have made these with the butter and without. There is a slight difference in the texture without the butter, but they are still delicious. I have also broiled them on low for a minute to crisp them up.
Another one ticked of the "To Cook" list! They were fab. Even my cauliflower hating husband got stuck in while we were watching the rugby.
You two are amazing. I have been waffling between a super unhealthy and lazy fast food diet and a vegetarian/vegan diet for awhile now but you have been game changers. This was the first of your recipes that I made that truly motivated me to stick with it and live a healthier lifestyle. I actually crave these after a night out versus regular friend chicken!
Let me start off by saying I have affectionately named this recipe "Highschool Ranch". For almost 10 years I’ve been looking for the same ranch that was served in my highschool years. I FOUND IT!!! I want to sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.. Not only for your amazing recipes but for you as a person. I’ve watched many a YouTube video.. Especially " what I eat in a day – vegan" type of videos.. For ideas mostly. When I found your channel.. I became obsessed. You’re so real and down to earth. You don’t try to glamorize your food.. You make it and you eat it. Such a refreshing view on being vegan it’s amazing. Sorry for the long comment but I wanted to let you know how inspiring you are and to never stop!! I’m currently vegetarian but your recipes and outlook are realllllly pushing me towards vegan. It’ll happen soon enough! Like you said in your video about going vegan.. There’s not one path in particular you have to take. Thank you again!
Can chipotle hot sauce be used in this recipe (it is the only thing remotely close to hot sauce that I have access to here in Serbia) or will the taste not be like "buffalo wings?"
I made these f**kers last night! They were deeeeelish! That said, I work in a produce department of a store that sells only organic produce. So when you refer to a head of cauli, you are referring to a 12 ct, head of cauli which is approx, 2 lbs before being cut into florets! I used a 1 count which resulted in way too much batter and sauce. I saved it, no biggie, but you want approx a 2 to 2 1/2 lb cauli.
what is gram flour?! We’ll have to look for that! Thanks for the suggestion!
Graham is the flour used to make graham crackers!
Actually, gram flour is chickpea flour!
Julianna, I used my convection oven without turning down the temp and it made these little cauliflower glories even crispier!!! Don’t bake on lower temps, as the cauliflower starts to soften in a bad way. Lauren, am I right?
I am not a fan of cauliflower, but when I watched the video, I knew I had to try them. I’m so glad that I did. They’re a keeper! I even shared the link several times with friends and they made it and loved it. Thanks for sharing!!
How long does the ranch dressing last in the fridge? I’ve been looking for a vegan ranch replacement but I’m afraid in my house I’ll be the only one using it! Has anyone any experience keeping it for longer than a day?
Later reply, but I’ve had mine in a mason jar in the fridge for about 3 days and it still tastes great! I’d say 5-7 days is probably a good life expectancy keeping the almond milk in mind.
Made these today and holy balls I want everyone I know to try them! I did half hot sauce half bbq but didn’t make the ranch. I served ’em with a side of raw cucumbers and onions drenched in lemon juice as a refreshing bite between spicy awesome bites. Lol. I’ll be bringing these to the next party I attend. Thank you hotforfood!
NICE! I love that you used the dips for the cauliflower wings. Very clever and definitely a good pairing 😀 Thank you so much!
NICE! That’s what we love to hear 😀 thank you!
Just try the cauliflower wings and the delicious ranch dip! So so so good ! This is a dream come true. Thanks for sharing this simple but wonderful recipe! It’s only a few months I did change my nutrition and such recipe do help a lot ! I have a food blog here in Switerland with an FB page in English and in French. I will be very happy if you can allow me to add your link with this incredible recipes on my blog and FB page? That way I can transalate them in French too?
I wish you a wonderful day !
Mine don’t look nearly as pretty as yours but they are delicious! I didn’t have any vegan butter for the sauce, but it turned out well. I used 1 cup barbeque sauce and 1/4 cup hot sauce, the sauce was so good I ate all my fries dipped in them before my wings were even done. Thanks guys for the recipe!
Could you cook these on a BBQ?
Just made these and after the first cooking (before tossing them in sauce) they were super crispy! However, after cooking for 25 minutes more with the sauce they became soggy!!:( any suggestions? oven was at 450…maybe too much sauce?
The same thing happened to me! Next time, I’m going to try 15 minutes pre-sauce, then check them post sauce periodically by stabbing with a fork. You can always add more time, so hopefully starting with a lesser time will work out. Definitely remember to tap off excess batter and sauce, as I found that can create a soggy wing too.
I’ve made these several times now and love them! I’m always trying out new marinade combinations – my favorite to date is banana ketchup (a slightly spicy sauce from the Philippines), tomato paste and A LOT of butter 🙂 Due to laziness, I just sprinkle the marinade on the wings before and after I flip them, this leads to a way more uneven coating and a real mess on your parchment paper but it still tastes fine!
I am making these tonight…for the third time 🙂 Your blog was discovered by my 15 year old vegan daughter (love your videos, BTW) and we love trying your recipes.
I made these tonight for my non vegan husband! He thinks they are better than chicken!
Made these tonight but I only had baking paper on hand so you know what happened. They were so delicious anyway but I’m gonna invest in some silicon baking mats especially so I can remake these as they should be, in beautiful little untattered pieces haha!
My batter came out a little thin should I just use more flour next time?
Wow. My first reaction was that this taste like chicken! The texture is very meaty and tender.
Just made these tonight. Yum! I wouldn’t describe them as being meaty but still delicious. I was afraid they wouldn’t crisp up but they did. The Buffalo sauce is quite salty so I’ll omit the salt in the batter next time.
These are AMAZING. So inspired by your food (& you as a person). I used silk almond and coconut milk mixture, and cooking spray on an anti stick tin. With caution on flipping the breading did not crumble off, even though I was worried it would without parchment paper.
If you aren’t a fan of cumin I would scale back the amount the recipe calls for or leave it out entirely. I didn’t really like the cumin flavor but I could see its purpose it gives the bites a more meaty flavor profile. I also used smoked paprika instead of regular and it’s really good on them. So full of flavor but I think I’ll leave out the cumin next time though. Thanks for the recipe!
These are delicious! Although I didn’t get them to crisp up, the flavoring was on point: garlicky, smoky, sweet, and spicy perfection. Next time, I might add more flour (I used a gluten-free blend) to the batter or perhaps less sauce (1/2 cup instead a full cup) OR the panko breading from the recent LA vlog, but I’m certainly glad I gave it a try! Thanks for the recipe!
Made a batch of ketchup wings (ie ketchup instead of hot sauce) to go with the kids’ Mac tonight. Pretty great!
Made these several times and. . . WE ARE IN LOVE. My 17 year old eats less and is more satisfied. Love the ‘chicken wings’..
Can I use coconut oil instead of butter? Will it make a huge difference in the taste if I do?
Does the salt have to be sea salt?
I was wondering if we can deep fry them instead of baking them and if we can, at which point will I start frying them?
I’m a little late to the party, but these are a new favorite. I’ll be making these a lot in the next few weeks. If anyone out there likes jerk, try adding a few jerk spices to the batter and tossing them in Grace’s or PC jerk sauce.
I stumbled on your blog when I saw your video of the buffalo cauliflower sandwich on facebook. Since I am currently gluten-free I made these buffalo cauliflower bites using brown rice flour and they are fantastic! Great recipe.
What is the shelf life of your vegan ranch recipe?? I read somewhere it should be used within a week, but if that is incorrect I do not want to waste good ranch!
you could just toss in lemon juice and pepper or add the lemon juice to the batter!
Lauren, loved this recipe, although I would definitely reconsider using the Franks next time because of the sodium content in it. Felt like it overpowered everything else. The base was superb though alongside the homemade ranch dip!
Just want to say that these are now a go-to recipe for me! My husband and I loooove them! I love making them with bbq sauce–I cant stop eating them!!
This is my second time making buffalo cauliflower and I LOVED this recipe! The first time I made it I didn’t bread it and it come out very good but this was AMAZING! I only have vanilla soy milk in my house so I used water and I don’t have vegan butter so I just used vegagable oil and it still came out very good! They did come out meaty an my non-vegan family loved them. The only issue I had was that the took longer than expected to get crispy and I adjusted the temperature to 470 and they turned out great! Theses are definitely and make again but maybe with and different sauce because they were VERY spicy and could probably benifit from using a lower sodium salt than Frank’s Red Hot. Overall, I loved these and am looking forward to making more of your recipes especially because I have no idea what to do with tofu!
Do you have the recipe on the Buffalo caulifower that are fried in oil?
I saw in her cauliflower burger/sandwich recipe she said that she puts the butter in because when making traditional chicken wings people do that, but she said that it would probably be fine just leaving it out.
tried this tonight, was easy to make and delicious! texture is perfect!
I am meal prepping and decided to cook these for tomorrow’s lunch. Should I freeze them or put them in the fridge. I worry that I won’t get the same crispy outcome as I did tonight. Also, I used Almond Flour with Almond milk (did not put water in it) and baked it at 400 degrees. It was AMAZING!
Oh my god. I tried these today. I used oil instead of vegan butter and a mix of chili paste and a kind of german barbecue sauce called "zigeuner sauce" because i couldn’t find hot sauce without MSG . They are sooo delicious and easy, i am in love with this recipe!
I used parchment paper and they still stuck. what did I do wrong?
Tried these out today and they were so yummy! I’m a meat eater and was in need of a chicken wing fix but didn’t want to go through the trouble of buying and preparing actual chicken wings. Lucky for me I had some cauliflower and non vegan butter in my fridge.
While these don’t taste like chicken, they do satisfy the part of me that wanted something battered and spicy. A fabulous recipe that I will keep on hand for when I have people over for a movie night! Love love love it!
Can this batter be used to bread tofu? And do you think I could keep any leftover batter in the fridge to use for later?
We just tried round 2 on the buffalo cauliflower 🙂 Our oven isn’t great, so following the recipe perfectly the first time lead to wings that stuck to the parchment. We increased the temp, and it was perfect! Also, that ranch sauce is SO GOOD!!!! Holy Toledo! I’m in LOVE!
Third time making these delish cauliflower wings, and me and my meat eating boyfriend love them! They are so amazing. The recipe is easy to follow and the prep work is not too bad. My batch is in the oven right now, can’t wait!
These came out with too many spices for my liking and not at all crispy. I followed the recipe exactly too. I will keep playing with the recipe and maybe adjusting the batter and removing some spices. Everyone hated them though.
Yeah! All of her recipes are so spicy! You really need to adjust to taste 🙂 I left out the cumin and paprika because I have a deep hatred for these spices and added some of my favourite spices instead! Your wings may not be crispy because you might have added the sauce too soon before serving? I add the sauce right before serving so the sauce doesn’t have the time to make the batter soggy… hope this can help!
I tried to make these once from another recipe and was super disappointed so it’s taken a while for me to be bothered to make them again. I just finished devouring half a batch of these made with Frank’s hot sauce and am so glad I took the time to try this recipe. Can’t wait to share this with others!
I make these all the time. My non vegan friends & family request them all them time. I like to dip them in Panko breadcrumbs after the batter. Extra crispy and delicious!
These are delicious! I’ve made them before and they’re so good I had to make them again 🙂 Yum yum!
Would dry herbs work ok for the ranch?
I used dry and the dip was still delicious!
These were SO good! I was so proud that my husband (whose favourite food is chicken wings) called these "a good substitute". Seriously?! That is high praise. Loved the ranch sauce as well. I did sub in dried dill (1 tsp) and green onion for the chives and it still tasted great.
Would it make a huge difference if I used sweetened almond milk instead of nonsweetened?
AMAZING — so good. I used crushed red pepper instead of black pepper because I wanted them spicier! Love love love these!!!!
Do you have any alternatives to cauliflower? After I eat the wings I have intense bloating and stomach discomfort. It does not agree with my system very well.
PSA – UK people, you can get Frank’s Hotsauce in Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s <3 love these so much!
These are, legit, the best wings I’ve ever had. Better than chicken, better than any other cauliflower wings, simply the best. These are the kinds of recipes that make vegan so damn easy.
Making these as we speak! Doing your BBQ sauce on them. Can’t wait!!!
Really simple and so good, even as a snack the day after! You have to make the ranch dip it’s delicious!
Love these!! Make them at every get together and everyone loves them!! In fact, I am making 4 trays right now!!!
This looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it.
You killed it like always Lauren! This is mine and my families favorite cauliflower wings recipe!
I’ve made these at least a half dozen times and they always come out soggy, any ideas?
How about using an air fryer?
Omg just made these and they were incredible!!!
I made the buffalo wings and pigged out on them by myself<3 The flavor was to die for. I even ate a few before putting on the hot sauce, when they only had the batter after being baked, and the batter had a great flavor. I kinda wish they were a bit crispier on the outside though. Any suggestions on how to go about doing that?
i tried making this twice now and followed the recipe exactly and both times they have not turned out even edible. I would say do not waste your time.
I love these. I made them using Bob’s red mill gluten-free all purpose (which has a chickpea flour base) and it worked great.
I never comment on recipes but these are amazing and I’m not even vegan.
Mine are in oven in Australia we don’t eat buffalo wings (or I have never heard of them) so I’m really excited to try them out with hubby tonight but I don’t have ranch dressing ingredients but have a vegan colesaw dressing so I might try that.
OMG SO GOOD! Easy, too. Thank you for this!
Yummmm. This was a perfect Christmas eve dinner. I had wanted to make these for thanksgiving but couldn’t find cauliflower. (The joys of living alone, i do what i want and throw tradition to the wind). I made half buffalo and half bbq. The outside turned out crispy and sticky with the sauce, perfect. The inside was a bit mushy but not in a bad way. So good.
I would love to make these for a super bowl (feast of food) party! Do you think it would work to do the first bake, then bring to the party, toss in sauce and do the second bake there? It would be about 20 or so minutes between first and second bake.
Okay, just made these and followed the directions exactly! They were delicious! One thing I want to improve is that they were on the mushy side. I could tell they were too mushy after the 2nd 25 minutes so I turned the broiler on for a minute but I was afraid they were going to burn up so I took them out. They were fine to eat by myself but I wouldn’t serve these to company until I can figure this out. Next time, I’m going to change the parchment paper in between bakes. Maybe that’s why they stayed on the mushy side? If after doing that they still seem mushy I might cook them in a dry sauce pan for a few minutes or bake them longer in the oven? I just ordered an air fryer and am wondering if I can try cooking them in that? At any rate, I’m 90% there just need to get them crispier.
They turn out 1000% times better in the air fryer and take half the time. Just stick it in at the highest temp for 10-15 minutes, then do the sauce layer, and another 10 minutes or however as crunchy as you want.
Made these twice now for my non-vegan fam and they’re obsessed! They turned out perfect each time.
I have made these 3 times now and every time they come out on the mushy side. I followed the recipe and instructions exactly! Help?
Made these tonight (for the Super Bowl) and they were delicious. My whole family really enjoyed them. Even my 6 yr old loved them (and thought it was chicken). 🙂 I did half buffalo, quarter spicy bbq and quarter Thai sweet chili. | 2019-04-18T19:21:59Z | https://www.hotforfoodblog.com/recipes/2014/02/11/cauliflower-buffalo-wings/ |
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to the press conference of the State Council Information Office.
Last night, China's Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft completed its task successfully. Today, we are delighted to invite Mr. Wang Zhaoyao, Director of China Manned Space Agency, Yang Baohua, Vice President of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Zhao Guangheng, Chief Designer of the Space Utilization System, and Sun Jun, Deputy Director of Beijing Aerospace Control Center, to brief you on the mission and then take your questions.
Now, let’s welcome Mr. Wang Zhaoyao to make an introduction.
Ladies, gentlemen and friends from the media, good morning. It’s a pleasure to meet you here today.
Last night, the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft completed its task by successfully docking with the Tiangong 2 space lab inorbit at 7:07 p.m. and beginning the transfer of cargo. This marked the completion of the tasks set forth for China’s space lab, which include making a successful maiden flight, maintaining a stable operation and a steady orbit, refueling the space lab in orbit and achieving fruitful results, before eventually making a safe return to Earth,.
On behalf of the mission’s command center, we came here to tell you about last night’s flight and China’s space program in regard to the space lab phase. We will also take some of your questions.
The Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft is specially designed for working with China’s space station. Last night’s flight was the maiden flight of the space station’s cargo transportation system, which consists of the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft carried atop a Long March 7 rocket.
Now, I’d like to tell you about the process of the flight.
At 7:41 p.m. on April 20, the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft lifted off atop the Long March 7 Y2 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center and entered its designated orbit as scheduled.
At 12:23 p.m. on April 22, the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft completed automated docking with the orbiting Tiangong 2 space lab 393 kilometers above the Earth.
At 7:07 p.m. on April 27, after preparatory works, the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft successfully refueled the Tiangong 2 space lab in orbit, achieved a major technical breakthrough.
In the next phase, the cargo spacecraft will remain docked with the space lab as they orbit together. The cargo spacecraft will also undock and fly alone and try different approaches to improve in-orbit refueling technology. After that, the cargo spacecraft will land under control in a designated area in the South Pacific Ocean, while the space lab will remain in space for further exploration.
China’s manned space station project got the green light in September 2010. It’s divided into two phases: first, the space lab phase and then the space station. In the first phase, we aim to achieve the goals of cargo transportation and supply, astronaut medium-term space missions, and long-time support on ground. We will also conduct various experiments in space. The aim is to pave the way for the building and operation of our space station.
Since 2016, we have successfully launched the Long March 7 carrier rocket, the Tiangong 2 space lab, the Shenzhou 11 manned spacecraft and the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft. The four flights achieved success in China’s manned space program, and laid a solid foundation for the building and long-term operation of a space station.
The year 2017 is full of important events, including the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland and the 25th anniversary of the founding of China’s manned space program. Therefore, the success of the space lab mission is even more important, as it showcases the nation’s strong will to achieve rejuvenation and our firm determination to become a space power.
Now, we’d like to take your questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Wang. Now the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media you represent before asking a question.
Mr. Wang, a moment ago you told us about the flight mission of Tianzhou 1. However, for you, what is the biggest specialty of this mission comparing to previous ones? And what is worthy of our attention as the mission continues? Thanks.
Compared to previous manned flight missions, the mission of Tianzhou 1 is the maiden flight of China's space station cargo transportation system. Since it is the first flight, there are several things to note: First, the mission has new features; second, the technological difficulties are great; third, the duration of the mission is long.
As for the new features, Tianzhou 1 is a brand new cargo conveyor we have developed for China’s space station. The payload ratio and the amount of propellant refueling are on a par with current international standards for space cargo transportation systems, if not being ahead of them. At the same time, we have scheduled more than 10 scientific experimental projects on the spacecraft, which help improve the efficiency of the entire mission.
Second, there are significant technical difficulties. Tianzhou 1 is designed to fully test the propellant refueling and the autonomous fast rendezvous and docking technologies. The international community regards these two experiments as involving technologies with very large technical difficulties. According to our knowledge, only Russia and the United States have developed the propellant refueling technology, but only Russia is using this technology on the international space station. It is really difficult. In addition, the current rendezvous and docking process needs two days for preparation. If the technology of autonomous fast rendezvous and docking technology succeeds, we only need 6.5 hours for rendezvous and docking between two spacecrafts. It will greatly enhance our work efficiency.
Third, the duration time is long. From the day when the space cargo ship arrived at the Wenchang Launch Site in Hainan in mid-February, to the day in the future when Tianzhou finishes its experiments, the mission will take more than half a year to accomplish. For such a long time, it poses a challenge for the organizing and command of the whole mission, as well as for the support system. Meanwhile, Tianzhou , after docking with the Tiangong 2 space lab, will orbit in tandem with it for two month. This is the longest time so far for any combination of Chinese space vehicles.
As the last manned mission before the space station is built, the mission is significant in serving as a link between past and future. In the late period of the flight, there will be a series of experiments arranged worthy of attention. For example, there's the flight of Tianzhou from one position to another for another docking with Tiangong 2, and the autonomous fast rendezvous and docking. What's more, a CubeSat will be released; an advanced navigation, guidance and control device and new domestic-made components will be tested in orbit. An active vibration isolation technology will also be tested. Those tests will be carried out one by one. Therefore, you have many projects to anticipate. Thank you.
I have a question for Mr. Zhao Guangheng. In this Tianzhou 1 flight mission, what payloads are arranged in the space application system? What specific experiments have been carried out? Thank you.
The space application system has arranged scientific experiments and technical tests, including research on the effects of microgravity on cell proliferation and differentiation, research on key technologies of the two-phase system experimental platform, verification of key technologies for non-Newtonian gravitational experiments and verification of key technologies of active vibration isolation. The Chinese Academy of Sciences, domestic research institutes and universities in both the mainland and Hong Kong are among the 12 research teams that are participating. The research on effects of microgravity on cell proliferation and differentiation covers the effects of microgravity on the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells and the cellular structure and function. Eight studies have been carried out in the international forefront of this research area. We are looking forward to gaining deeper understanding of the rules of the proliferation and differentiation of some cells under microgravity, such as embryonic stem cells, liver stem cells, pluripotent stem cells, bone cells and osteoblasts. These results could be useful in the field of stem cell tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, human reproduction and the prevention and intervention of bone loss both on the ground and in the space. After loading into orbit, the experiment has begun its scheduled 30-day operation and is progressing smoothly. This is the first project.
The second is research on key technologies of the two-phase system experimental platform. We are mainly seeking to create a technical foundation for solving the engineering difficulties of space-efficient heat transfer, for exploring the enforcement mechanism of spacephase-change heat transfer, for verifying the key technologies of the two-phase system, for research into evaporation and condensation under a microgravity environment, for further understanding the effects of gravity on the phase-change heat transfer and mass transfer and also for the further experiments and engineering applications.
The third is the verification of key technologies for non-Newtonian gravitational experiment. This project is mainly to carry out in-orbit tests on the performance of high precision electrostatic suspension accelerometer. The accelerometer performance index has reached the international advanced level, which will provide important technical support for our country to carry out research of basic space physics, weak force measurement and gravity gradient measurement.
The fourth is the verification of key technologies of active vibration isolation. This project is mainly to make in-orbit verification of the key technology of active vibration isolation for maglev. It will be able to increase the aircraft platform-provided microgravity level one to two orders of magnitude, to meet the needs of this mission and high microgravity experiments in the future.
China has achieved a high level of science and technology. In this case, would China like to cooperate with Russia? The second question: will Chinese astronauts stay in the space station for a long time or just a shorter period after it becomes operational?
Since China’s approval of its manned space program in 1992, we have always maintained a good relationship with Russia and established the Sino-Russia Manned Space Cooperation Joint Committee. Within this framework, China and Russia had conducted various forms of cooperation in the field of manned space flight. In the early stage，Russia gave us great support in regard to research on spaceships and spacesuit development, and some other related technologies. I’ve expressed our gratitude to Russia on different occasions. The manned space engineering program should be a good platform for international cooperation. China is willing to cooperate with different countries on the basis of mutual respect，equality and mutual benefit，openness and transparency. We would like to continue our cooperation with Russia and other countries in this field.
The second question is whether the astronauts can stay in the space station for a long time. In our plan, the astronauts should stay in the space station according to the differing need during the stage of construction. After it is finished, the astronauts will indeed stay in the space station for a long time. We have put a lot of effort into building this rare space station. It would be a pity if it had no astronauts operating there. Thank you.
Tianzhou 1 is China’s first cargo spaceship, so what is its transport capacity? What’s the significance of its orbital refueling test with Tiangong 2? Could you compare Tianzhou 1 with similar cargo spaceships recently launched by the United States and Russia? Moreover, media reports have shown cargo shipment of International Space Station is not going smoothly. Do you think China’s Tianzhou 1 could take on supply missions for the International Space Station in the future if needed?
Tianzhou 1, an important part of building and operating China’s manned space station, provided resources and fuel to Tiangong 2 space lab this time. It will also be used to transport trash from the space station and destroy it after entering the atmosphere. Developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Tianzhou 1 has the maximum cargo capacity of 6.5 tons and weighs 13.5 tons fully loaded. Its maximum refueling capacity is 2.1 tons. That’s quite impressive.
As for the third question regarding its features compared with other cargo spaceships internationally, it has a larger cargo capacity and a higher payload ratio than its foreign counterparts. Its cargo capacity of 6.5 tons is much higher than the 2.3 tons of its Russia counterparts; its U.S. counterparts, Cygnus and Orion, can ship 2.7 tons and 3.5 tons respectively.
The retired Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) had a cargo capacity of up to 7.7 tons. However, its weight, at nearly 21 tons fully loaded, meant its payload ratio (the proportion of cargo capacity to the total weight of the spaceship) is only 0.3, much lower than Tianzhou 1’s impressive 0.48.
Another feature is that our space program has followed a modular design approach, which can serve multiple purposes. Though a late starter, China’s manned space program is developing at a high starting point. Since the very first design period, we have conceived a series of modular designs. The Tianzhou 1 we launched this time has a fully-enclosed cargo hold mainly to provide food and other materials for daily use. We have also sent some equipment and experiment payloads for the capsule for the future space station.
We also have a semi-sealed design and the cargo hold is mainly to transport some big components, like a solar wing. China’s manned space station is designed to have a life cycle of over 20 years. During such a long orbit, it may suffer malfunctions in components like the solar wing. The solar wing, due to its size, needs to be put into a semi-sealed capsule during transportation, and then gets replaced or maintained through mechanical arms in the space station under the operation of astronauts on board. Another module could be a fully-open design to transport much bigger equipment for not just maintenance of the space station, but also some big satellites and low orbit flight vehicles ready for launch. So, this is so-called modular design.
The third feature for Tianzhou 1 is that it’s both economical and practical. It is not only used for cargo shipment and refueling, but also for warehousing and carried out experiments. Besides the in-orbit refueling test, the Tianzhou 1 this time is also equipped with several dozen experiment payloads in order to meet long-term experimental tasks.
Let’s continue, to address the second question, which focuses on the significance of space refueling. We should say that the technology is very critical. A complete command of propellant in-orbit refueling marks the breakthrough in a number of key technologies, such as extravehicular activities of astronauts, docking, unmanned and manned automatic and manual space rendezvous from Shenzhou-8 to Shenzhou 11, invariably working for the construction and operation of the space station. The current technology is no exception. We have made a major breakthrough by solving the space refueling technology in our Space Lab, a key process when we move on to operate a space station. By removing the last obstacles possibly affecting the building and operation of the space station in the long run, and consolidating the foundations of the space station for smooth and lasting operation, the significance of the technology goes far beyond the issues I’ve just mentioned. The technology can be further applied to low-orbit satellites and spacecraft by providing orbital refueling. It can also operate as a refueling center and intermediate station for the exploration of deep space, which is indeed magnificent.
It is generally known that the United States failed in launching a space cargo craft when something went wrong with its rocket and Russia also was unsuccessful in refueling the International Space Station. What is fortunate, however, is that the ISS is refueled with surplus resources so it can sustain normal operations for some extra time. So, the media start to focus on our space cargo endeavors, wondering whether our space freight craft can send some necessary resources to the ISS. But the operation is difficult at present -a result of the denial of Chinese accession to the International Space Station imposed by the United States and EU countries in the beginning. Because of this, the technological standards, such as the interfaces, are yet to be unified, and that is why the docking cannot be fulfilled in the short term. However, the aerospace staff in China is willing to work on behalf of the International Space Station, because space exploration, the manned endeavor, should be a cause shared by the entire human race in peace.
The remark of Mr. Yang is very comprehensive. China is enabled by both of its technologies and competence to transport freight to the International Space Station. However, as what Mr. Yang told us, we need, specifically, to take a step further to solve problems with different interfaces, which has drawn considerable concern from the international community. In the past few years, the country has been engaged in standardizing the interfaces of its spacecraft, especially in regard to manned spaceflights. It’s like the diversity of cell phones which cannot be recharged because of unmatched outlets.
I have two questions. The first one is, as you’ve completed the space lab phase, when will you launch the first manned space station? Second, it is reported that China will cooperate with Europe in space development; will you jointly construct some perennial moon space stations? Thank you.
Do you refer to the Moon Exploration Project in your second question?
German News Agency: We’ve just noticed some media mentioned China and Europe will cooperate in construction of moon space station, so can you clarify it?
After completing flight missions of the space lab phase, we will enter into the development of the space station. According to our plan, we will construct a China Manned Space Station in the period from 2019 to 2022. So, when to launch the next manned space flight depends on the construction plan. In between, several manned flights are scheduled. So that’s the general plan.
Secondly, concerning the China-Europe cooperation on a moon orbital space station in the next phase, we have conducted exchanges and cooperation with the European Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency and other aerospace institutions in Europe with great success. We discussed how to enhance future cooperation on manned space flight development with the European Space Agency. The moon orbital space station is one of the technological approaches under research and demonstration by Chinese and international experts. Based on our knowledge, the United States, Russia, Europe and China have all made efforts to realize manned moon exploration and moon resource development though the model of a moon orbital space station, which has received considerable appraisal. So, whether we will cooperate or not and how we will join hands should be announced after the detailed technological plan is released.
As Mr. Wang just mentioned, from June of last year to now, the flight missions in the space lab phase of China manned space engineering program were all completed. Can you sum up what important achievements have been made in the phase? What kind of role do they play in the follow-up development?
From June of last year to yesterday, four planned flight missions of the space lab phase were all completed. In retrospect, we have taken note of many important achievements and successful experiences that are worth learning.
The first one is that we’ve built up a freight transport system for the space station. Many reporters just mentioned it, and it’s the prerequisite for space station construction. If we can’t resolve the problem of reliable supply, astronauts won’t have food and drink when the space station completes construction. So now, we have the achieved basic conditions for building up a space station in the future.
Second, we have realized the objective of astronauts staying in space in the medium terms. The Shenzhou 11 Spacecraft carrying astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong stayed in space for 33 days, the longest time for China’s manned space flight program. We examined the astronauts’ life, work and health status in orbit and technical problems concerning the maintenance, support and protection of the whole system. It laid a solid basis for follow-up longer flights in the future.
Third, we examined and confirmed many key technologies for space station construction as I’ve just mentioned. Take the fourth space lab mission as an example, rendezvous and docking were conducted at the orbital altitude of the future space station, 393 kilometers, rather than the spacecraft operating orbit height, which is dozens of kilometers lower. As we accomplished rendezvous and docking, cargo replenishing, propellant refueling and orbital maintenance in the orbit close to an altitude of 400 kilometers, all the technologies are key ones for space station construction.
Fourth, we conducted a large number of scientific experiments and technological tests in space. The projects Mr. Zhao has just mentioned and the ones of Tiangong 2 all took the lead in technical indices internationally. For China, manned space flight has entered a new era of application and we have a solid basis for human-involved experiments on future space stations.
Fifth, we’ve improved project capacity in conducting high-frequency launch missions. Compared with one manned space flight a year, or two a year, we can now execute four in less than one year. The missions of high frequency and intensity posed severe challenges to the organization, command and logistical guarantees. After the space station goes into long-term operation, we will operate at least three to four missions, or even more every year. The examination of the flights in this phase helps us improve the capacities of organization, command, operation and guarantee.
We can say that we’ve made breakthroughs in space station construction and operation until now. Construction of related facilities has been completed, which means we have the capability of building space stations. What are we waiting for? It’s the construction of the main body of several cabins, kernel module and experimental module. After they are developed, we can conduct orbital assembly of a space station. From this aspect, the completion of space lab stage means China’s manned space flight enters the space station era.
An important characteristic of the task this time is its comparatively long duration. Particularly in September, the third rendezvous and docking will be carried out. So, my question is: What challenges will the task meet in the aspect of monitoring and control? And is there any new technological breakthrough in this regard? Thank you.
I think there are three big challenges in the aspect of monitoring and control.
First, the task is a lengthy one. The long duration means the flight plan is more complicated than previous rendezvous and docking missions, and we have to undertake more tasks to verify the key technology in the space station stage. The entire time span will be five months, including two months of combined flight and three months of independent flight. In addition, a number of orbital scientific experiments will be conducted. It should be said that, the difficulty of task organization and implementation is still relatively large.
Second, comparatively big changes also occurred in the rendezvous and docking flight plan this time. In previous rendezvous and docking tasks, including those related to manned flights, we adopted the fixed rendezvous and docking plan which could be completed within two days. According to the requirements of the future space station, and because we will not control the huge space station for orbital maneuvering and phase adjustment, the cargo spacecraft needs to have rendezvous and docking capabilities at any phase angle. The cargo spacecraft flight plan this time has underwent significant change, in which the rendezvous and docking could be conducted by adopting two-, three-, four-, and five-day plans. So, there is a dynamic change in the rendezvous and docking plan, which is a completely new challenge.
Third, for the first time we carried out the task of in-orbit propellant refueling. We successfully completed the test yesterday, despite of the fact it was a very complicated task. The whole process of propellant refueling was divided into 29 steps in five stages, and lasted a total of five days.
So, the situation creates a very high requirement for ground control. We have made a series of breakthroughs in the following aspects.
First, in terms of the task organization and management, we optimized the flight control model under conditions of long duration. In the past, we adopted the method that each individual experimental team and individual system received flight control support from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center. This time, taking into account the long duration of the task and, at the same time, providing experiences for future long-term management and control of space stations, we made a plan combining centralized and distributed flight control modes and corresponding systems. In the future, relevant experimental units can work in the remote support center to complete the flight control task in cooperation with us.
Second, aiming at the design of dynamic rendezvous and docking, we made a breakthrough in researching and developing the key technologies involving dynamic launch window calculation, multi-day rendezvous mode design and long-cycle, high-precision orbit forecasting to solve the problems in rendezvous and docking schemes spread over several days.
Third, aiming at the requirement of propellant refueling control, we made a breakthrough in ground coordination control technology, designed the collaborative control technology scheme, researched and developed the propellant refueling ground monitoring software, fault diagnosis software and visual monitoring software.
In addition, we also organized experts in all systems to establish a professional team for propellant refueling support. We made clear the monitoring report and the key decision-making points so as to ensure our entire propellant refueling process went through smoothly and successfully. Thank you.
The Tianzhou 1 flight mission has been referred to as a final stage in the battle before we start construction of our space station. I'd like to ask, compared with the International Space Station (ISS), what will be the major improvements in regard to our own space station? Also, do we plan to cooperate with other countries or organizations upon completion of the space station?
Your first question was similar to that raised by Wen Wei Po. Is there anything you want to add, Mr. Wang?
It's fair to say that our own space station has its own unique features. For example, ours has moderate size, but with expansionary capabilities. The ISS weighs more than 200 tons and the Mir over 100 tons. Our space station will weigh more than 60 tons, and 90 tons when the weight of the spacecraft and the cargo craft are included. Considering China's demands, we think its capacity is sufficient. The space station is going to be of moderate size, but room will be left for expansion into a three-module structure.
Second, we optimized the overall design to increase construction flexibility. The design of our cargo spacecraft features three modules so that we will ship small cargoes in enclosed cargo bays, use semi-open bays for large-sized cargoes and open bays for extra-large cargoes.
Third, we have innovated the co-orbit flight mode with Chinese characteristics. In the design of the space station, we will set up a new platform to carry large optic equipment for celestial observation and research, similar to the Hubble Space Telescope. The platform can circle in the same orbit with the space station, yet able to dock with it whenever necessary. This will facilitate repairs and maintenance by astronauts working in the space station while ensuring normal working conditions.
Fourth, we are applying the latest high-tech achievements and have raised comprehensive efficiency. The ISS was designed in the late 20th Century. We are building our own for the 21st Century. Therefore, we will make best use of the latest scientific and technological achievements, information and electronic technologies among others, and apply them to our space station to ensure world-class standards for its system, parts and performance. For example, the previous space stations have no internet connection, while now internet access in space station is achievable. In short, our space station will reflect the most cutting-edge technologies.
As for current development, the research and construction of the whole space station is steadily progressing. We have resolved the key technologies and design plans. Preliminary tests are being conducted for the flight modules. At the same time, accommodation systems such as cargo transport, manned spacecraft and launch vehicles are being manufactured or designed.
International cooperation, as I mentioned just now, should be conducted with an open and cooperative attitude. These years, we have been enjoyed extensive cooperation with many countries, and organizations, including the European Space Agency, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia, etc.
We will maintain our policies and principles after our space station becomes operational. As to the modes of cooperation, joint development of equipment, carrying out space scientific experiments on our platform, sharing experiment devices and transmission of experiment results are all possible.
Last year, we signed cooperation deals with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) to provide experiment resources on our space station to all countries, including developing countries. The UNOOSA highly lauded such cooperation and has been active in promoting it. The two parties are currently working on concrete details of how to conduct programs. Thank you.
The achievement of targets in spacelab phase marks China’s entrance into the era of space station operation. What preparations are Chinese astronauts making for the new era? What experimental payloads will be carried in the space station? What space experiments will be conducted? Thank you.
Chinese astronauts, the core of our manned spaceflight program, are preparing themselves to meet the higher requirements of the space station era. First, they will have to stay in space for a long time. The longest duration until now has been one month. In future, it will be extended to three or six months, perhaps even longer. They have to live, work, continue training and conduct experiments there.
Second, their “technical skills” need to be improved. Astronauts have so far conducted most of the space experiments inside the spacecraft; however, when building the space station, they will have to do a lot of work outside, which is a huge challenge.
Third, we need to ensure we have enough astronauts. We have recruited two groups, but some of them will retire from active service at a certain age. So, we need to select and nurture new astronauts, equipping them with the abilities to construct and operate space stations.
I would like to add something about space science and application planning.
We will conduct large-scale space scientific researches and applications on over 30 subjects in eight fields, namely space life science and biotechnology, microgravity fluid dynamics and combustion science, space materials science, basic physics in microgravity, space astronomy and astrophysics, space environment and space physics, space earth science and applications, and space applied new technology testing. We are stepping up our efforts to establish multidisciplinary experiment platforms and publicly-supported experimental platforms. We are working to be in the vanguard of space science and make a number of scientific achievements with global influence, thus ensuring great strides are made in China’s space science endeavor.
The applied experiment payloads of our manned space flight program since Shenzhou 2 weigh only one ton or so. However, now we have three capsules in the space station, which can load over ten tons for the first time, and they will be upgraded during operation. So, we have abundant space experiment and space science payloads for a large number of projects.
Thank all the spokespersons for their responses today. We must also thank all the aerospace science and technology workers for their hard work. Thank you all. That concludes today’s press conference. | 2019-04-25T10:22:26Z | http://www.china.org.cn/china/2017-04/28/content_40714048.htm |
James Acheson graduated from Southampton University Medical School where he first formed an interest in a career in Ophthalmology. He worked in junior post-graduate training posts in Accident and Emergency, Neurology, Neurosurgery and General Medicine and then went on to train in medical and surgical ophthalmology at St. Thomas’, the Western Eye and Moorfields Eye Hospitals in London.
He has worked as Joint Consultant Neuro-Ophthalmologist to Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust, and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London since 1999.
He works in specialist clinics for Adult and Paediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology and Strabismus. He has a particular interest in the rehabilitation of ocular motility problems arising from neurological disease, and in ophthalmic aspects of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension. He works in liaison with the Moorfields Accident and Emergency Department, and regularly lectures on Ophthalmic A&E courses. He is an Educational Supervisor for Ophthalmic Specialist Registrars.
Bruce Allan qualified in medicine from Cambridge in 1985, and was appointed at as a Consultant Surgeon at Moorfields in 1998 after advanced specialist training in the UK, South Africa, and Australia. He was Training Director for the Corneal Service at Moorfields for over 10 years, and has been Service Director for Refractive Surgery since 2012. He is currently chairing the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Refractive Surgery Standards Working Group.
Samantha Armstrong is an experienced Contact Lens Optician from Yorkshire. She has had many years in practice, fitting a wide range of lenses including complex lenses for several Yorkshire hospitals.
In addition to her contact lens work, Samantha has worked as a practice Manager and Senior Contact Lens Optician, being involved in Staff Training, Customer Service and the commercial running of a large practice.
Further to her contact lens qualifications, Samantha has gained qualifications in Management and achieved a P.G.C.E. in teaching.
Clare Bailey has been a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Bristol Eye Hospital since 2001, with a special interest in medical retinal disorders. She undertook her medical degrees at Cambridge and Oxford Universities and worked in general medicine prior to commencing ophthalmology. Her MD thesis concerned treatment for diabetic retinopathy. She is Clinical Director of the Retinal Treatment and Research Unit at Bristol Eye Hospital, and has been a principal investigator on numerous trials concerning age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular disorders, publishing widely in these areas.
Keith Barton is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, Honorary Reader in UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
His areas of interest are the surgical management of glaucoma, especially surgical devices and secondary glaucomas, specifically the management of glaucoma in uveitis, for which he runs a dedicated clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital. He was Director of the glaucoma service at Moorfields Eye Hospital from 2005 - 2011, and Chairman of the International Glaucoma Association from 2012 to 2017.
Dr Barton is actively involved in surgical teaching and patient education. He organises surgical teaching wetlabs for residents and fellows locally around London as well as in collaboration with the International Society for Glaucoma Surgery.
Nicola has 7 years' experience in Optometric practice, using a wide range of ophthalmic imaging and measurement techniques utilising Topcon instruments including OCT, fundus photography, OCT Angiography, Perimetry and other data collection technology. Nicola has a wealth of experience in OCT diagnosis and image capture with difficult patients and children.
Currently Nicola is in the process of completing The Gloucestershire Retinal Education Certificate of Higher Education (OCT Capture & Interpretation).
Clair Bulpin is a practising optometrist with an interest in developing communication skills. She has delivered Communication based CET for Johnson and Johnson at the Vision Care Institute since 2006 to delegates from all work backgrounds, from undergraduate level through to experienced clinicians. She has also co-authored in a series of articles for the Optician magazine, relating to communicating with contact lens patients. As an experienced College examiner and assessor, Clair is experienced in the assessment of communication skills alongside the GOC core competency framework.
Mr Tomas Burke is a fellow in Medical Retina and Uveitis at Moorfields Eye Hospital and will start work as a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the Bristol Eye Hospital from August 2018. He has extensive experience in the use of retinal imaging in clinical practice, as well as imaging research having completed a Doctor of Medicine research degree at Columbia University, New York in the field of retinal degeneration. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, a book chapter and has presented at conferences both nationally and internationally.
Mark is a contact lens practitioner from Cheltenham who has worked for CooperVision since 2008. He now holds the role of Professional Services Consultant UK and Ireland and is responsible for delivering clinical and professional support to practitioners in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the South West of England.
Mark is a former founding member of ABDO’s National Clinical Committee and the Optical Confederation contact lens working group. Mark has worked in in both multiple and independent practice including his own private contact lens consultancy where he specialised in contact lenses for presbyopia, complex RGP and Ortho K fitting.
Alongside his role at CooperVision, Mark is an associate tutor at Cardiff School of Optometry, a fellow of both the BCLA and IACLE and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers. He also works regularly as a locum in practice.
Fiona has worked across different sectors of pharmacy internationally in Canada, USA and the UK. In 2002, she joined Moorfields Eye Hospital. Fiona currently works as the Associate Chief Pharmacist. She is also a visiting teacher practitioner at University of Bath. She has led the development of medicines management policies, training and practice research. She has been involved in numerous hospital projects by modernising pharmacy services and re-engineering the delivery of near-patient pharmaceutical care. #KnowYourDrops campaign is one of her current projects, which aims to optimise medicines and patient adherence.
Dr. Coffey is director of the London Project to Cure Blindness and Professor of Cellular Therapy and Visual Sciences at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College of London (UCL). His achievements include the launch of the London Project to Cure Blindness that aims to develop a stem cell therapy for the majority of all types of age-related macular degeneration, seminal work (as described by Debrossy & Dunnett, Nature Neuroscience 2001) on retinal transplantation, and the development of a cell-based therapy for currently untreatable age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD).
Dr Ctori has over 20 years optometric experience including being a resident optometrist for a large multiple for over 10 years and several years as a Specialist Hospital Optometrist. Here she was the optometric lead in a fast-track age related macular degeneration (AMD) service. This involved reviewing community optometrist referrals, examining and identifying patients with wet AMD for treatment. She also undertook complex refractions, diabetic eye assessments and taught pre-registration optometrists and medical students. Since 2016 Irene has been a Lecturer in Optometry at City, University of London. She lectures to undergraduates on the subjects of clinical skills and eye disease, including AMD. She also provides continuing education lectures and practical workshops to qualified optometrists as part of the MSc programme, largely based on using advanced techniques to recognise conditions such as AMD. Since March 2018 she has been a Council Member (London) for the College of Optometrists. She has published several articles relating to clinical research and has delivered over 10 presentations at scientific conferences.
Mr Raj Das-Bhaumik is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital where he was previously acting Lid Oncology lead (2015-16). He has undertaken post fellowships in Oculoplastic surgery including cosmetic training at Maidstone, Chelsea and Westminster and Moorfields Eye Hospitals as well as training in the private sector and the US.
He is the Training Director of the Emergency Service there and part of the undergraduate education team.
Nick Dash is an Independent Clinical Optometrist with 30 years varied experience and interest in an Ocular Surface and Dry Eye. Current Resident Dry Eye and Therapeutic Contact Lens Specialist at the ‘Midland Eye’ Private Hospital in Solihull, UK.
As a dry eye Specialist, he uses advanced technologies to diagnose and treat ocular surface conditions with an emphasis of addressing the early inflammatory nature of dry eye disease. Treating at the source to reduce and modulate the inflammatory cascades that are the origin of many dry eye or ocular surface conditions. Nick is an early adopter of technologies relating to corneal conditions. Working within Corneal Laser Surgery since 1992.
Amanda is an Optometrist in independent practice and manages patients presenting with a range of anterior eye problems. She graduated from City University in 1987 and went on to complete her pre-registration year at Bristol Eye Hospital. Since qualification, she has worked in both multiple and hospital optometry, allowing her to gain a wealth of experience. She is a member of the Education Faculty at the Johnson & Johnson Institute, and a peer discussion facilitator for the College of Optometrists.
Her special interests in eye care include dry eye, contact lenses, communication skills and post-operative cataract care. She is especially interested in the tear film and its implications to contact lens wear, and she has developed and presented educational material on both the tear film and dry eye disease. Amanda has also co-written an article for Optician Magazine on the best ways of communicating contact lenses to kids and teens.
Prof Dayan is Chair of Clinical Diabetes and Metabolism and Head of Section at Cardiff University School of Medicine and Director of the Cardiff Diabetes Postgraduate Courses. He currently leads the Clinical Engagement and Training Core of the Diabetes UK funded type 1 diabetes UK immunotherapy Consortium which aims to coordinate and support combined efforts to bring immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes into clinical practice. He also chairs the UK Clinical Studies Group for the prevention, targets and therapies in type 1 diabetes. He has over 20 years experience in diabetes specialist practice as a consultant.
Chithra Dhanabalan is a registered Optometrist with a wide depth of experience from working as a practitioner in various clinical practices. She currently works as a Professional Services Consultant for CooperVision-covering London and South East England region, supporting with educational activities for practitioners.
She previously fulfilled a regional training role for a national multiple practice before moving into certification for clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies; teaching and assessing trial protocol.
To broaden her experience Chithra worked with Vision Care For Homeless People in overseeing the setup of their London Mobile Service delivering eyecare services to homeless and those less fortunate.
Polly Dulley works in her own independent practice in Epping, where she has established a large paediatric base over many years, having graduated in Optometry and Vision Science from City University in 1986. In addition to clinical practice, Polly was awarded an MPhil in 2004, again from City University, for her research into ocular adverse reactions to Tamoxifen. Polly has worked for the College of Optometrists as an examiner since 1997 and has acted as a paediatric advisor for both the AOP and The College for a number of years. Hospital sessions and teaching at City University have also been part of Polly's working week for many years.
Michelle is a Public Health Specialist who previously worked for Dudley Public Health, Dudley Council. Since 2010 she has been instrumental in rolling out Healthy Living Pharmacies (HLP), both locally - across the West Midlands - and supporting other areas nationally. In 2014 she was introduced to the Chair of Dudley Local Optical Committee about the possibility of developing a smoking campaign in optical practices. Because of the success of HLP, Michelle explored whether a similar model could be adopted in optical practices; she developed a prospectus, framework and training criteria. The project was a huge success that has since gone on to flourish in Dudley. When Michelle was made redundant from Dudley Public Health in April 2017 she used her own company - Selph, to consider expansion of the concept of Healthy Living Optical Practices and is now working with other local authorities and optical committees to do just that.
Professor Bruce Evans is Director of Research at the Institute of Optometry and a Visiting Professor to City, University of London and to London South Bank University. He is a Fellow (by examination) of the College of Optometrists and holds their higher qualifications of Diploma in Contact Lens Practice and Diploma in Orthoptics. He was awarded Fellowship of the British Contact Lens Association in 2006. He has produced over 230 publications, has given more than 250 invited lectures, and has authored five books on binocular vision and two on dyslexia and vision. He also has an optometric practice in Brentwood, Essex.
Sarah Farrant BSc MCOptom Dip TP IP owns a specialist independent practice managing eye disease in Somerset. She has a particular interest in dry eye and therapeutics, and acts as a consultant to a number of contact lens and ophthalmic companies. She is chair of Somerset LOC and was recently appointed as the UK ambassador for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society.
Simon Frackiewicz is an optometrist and orthoptist working in private optometric practice and in the hospital eye service both as an optometrist and orthoptist. He delivers lectures and workshops to qualified and pre-registration optometrists in a wide variety of binocular vision subject areas.
Patrick is Principal Optometrist for Training and Education at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Honorary Lecturer in Optometry at the University of Manchester and Co-Lead of both establishments’ joint Professional Certificate in Glaucoma. He has achieved the College of Optometrists’ Diplomas in both Glaucoma and Independent Prescribing. As well as being a practicing hospital optometrist specialising in glaucoma and laser services, Patrick has research commitments funded by the International Glaucoma Association and works as a community optometrist.
Chris Hammond is Frost Professor of Ophthalmology at King’s College London and is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. He is a leading researcher into the genetic epidemiology of myopia and other common eye diseases such as glaucoma, dry eye and age-related cataract. He is involved in several of the ongoing myopia trials aimed at slowing progression in children and adolescents.
Amanda graduated from Aston University in 1995 and then completed a Masters in Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science from Manchester University in 2004. She obtained the Diploma in Glaucoma from the College of Optometrists in 2005 and IP in 2012. Amanda is currently principal optometrist at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital where she is responsible for the running of the optometric-led glaucoma assessment (OLGA) service. Her clinical work load is in glaucoma and acute services. She is also an examiner for the College of Optometrists in the final assessment OSCE’s and at Cardiff University for the glaucoma higher certificate exams and is involved in teaching and training of hospital staff and community optometrists. She has chaired the IP panel for the College of Optometrists since 2016.
Robert Harper is Optometrist Consultant at Manchester REH, Honorary Professor of Optometry in the School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, and Visiting Professor in Optometry at City, University of London. In 2015 he was awarded Life Fellowship of the College of Optometrists. His role encompasses clinical work, teaching, research and wider professional matters. His main areas of clinical and research interest include glaucoma, diagnostic test evaluation, low vision rehabilitation, and enhanced schemes within optometry. He has authored over 100 papers, including ~70 papers in peer reviewed journals. In 2017 he was hospital optometry representative on the NICE guideline committee.
Andy Hepworth graduated from APU in 1996 with an honours degree in Optical Management and following 2 years in practice management joined Essilor Ltd.
Since 2003 he has been working as Essilor’s Professional Relations manager, a role that includes creating and delivering presentations to Optical Universities and Colleges along with CET to optical professionals. Since 2015 he has sat on the FMO Board of Directors where he supports guidance to the federation that supports optical suppliers. Andy is also a honorary fellow of Anglia Ruskin University along with receiving a medal of excellence from ABDO.
Mike Horler is the Optometry director at Specsavers Brighton and also works as a Head of EOS for Specsavers group, where he is the architect & curator of their OCT Clinical training. Alongside this, Mike also works as a specialist optometrist in AMD at Sussex Eye Hospital.
Mike lived and practised in New Zealand, where he gained full therapeutics endorsement. Mike is a WOPEC lead assessor and has examined at undergraduate, post graduate level in the UK & NZ. Mike has previously undertaken research in Visual Fields in Glaucoma. He has delivered numerous CET-accredited lectures and workshops, including Specsavers PAC, Optrafair the Optometry Tomorrow Conference.
Nick Howard qualified as a Contact Lens Optician in 1984, working primarily with challenging ocular conditions and complex contact lenses.
He is a part time lecturer, trainer and presenter and facilitator at conferences, hospitals and universities at local, national and international events. He has authored a number of articles published in the professional optical journals.
Nick was the winner of the prestigious Contact Lens Optician of the Year award in 2012. He received Fellowship of the BCLA and is currently a BCLA Faculty speaker.
He now works in three Lancashire hospitals fitting specialty contact lenses as well as in an independent practice, developing innovative techniques for management of myopia and dry eye.
A MECs accredited optometrist having qualified from UMIST in 2003 is currently vice chairperson for Wolverhampton LOC being responsible for IT, social media, managing and delivering CET as well as working with CCG’s to help gain tender for shared care schemes in Wolverhampton.
Recent clinical roles include senior optometrist for Scrivens Opticians overseeing training pre-registration optometrists and a member of their professional services committee.
Previously an optometry business owner, Gurraj has a background of business, clinical skills and professional services.
Iain is a contact lens optician who has extended qualifications in dry eye and nutrition. He regularly writes for optical magazines and lectures at conferences. As well as working as an optician he also teaches at Manchester University Optometry department.
Jasleen Jolly is an optometrist working in the University of Oxford and Oxford Eye Hospital. She studied at in Cardiff and Manchester, working across the world to gain a wide range of experience. She is involved in clinical research in retinal gene therapy and low vision. She was awarded a NIHR Award for "Outstanding Research Practitioner" for her work.
Jasleen is currently undertaking an NIHR Clinical Research Doctoral Fellowship entitled, "Development of novel tests to assess visual function in patients with inherited retinal degeneration." This project investigates vision in inherited retinal degeneration by integrating psychophysics, retinal anatomy and brain imaging.
Professor Lawrenson studied optometry at Aston University, graduating with a first class honours degree. After a pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital, he completed a PhD programme at City University London. He then carried out a post-doctoral research fellowship in neuroscience at University College London before returning to join the academic staff at City University, where he currently holds a chair in Clinical Visual Science and is also an Honorary Professor at University College London. Professor Lawrenson has a long-standing interest in promoting evidence-based practice and holds a Master’s degree in Evidence-based Healthcare from the University of Oxford. His primary research interests are in Ophthalmic Public Health He is an Editor for the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group and has authored several Cochrane Systematic Reviews.
Nicola is Director of Research for the Ophthalmic Research Group, School of Optometry, Aston University, Birmingham, UK. Nicola’s research interests are the epidemiology of refractive error, the development and aetiology of myopia and myopia control. Her current research projects span these areas of interest and include clinical trials in myopia control and risk factors for progression of myopia in children. Nicola has set up a myopia clinic at Aston University and she collaborates with other researchers working in the field of myopia as part of the Myopia Consortium UK and internationally as part of The Myopia Institute.
Sarah is a Professional Affairs Consultant, experienced Manager and Contact Lens Optician with a passion for meeting patient needs and exceeding their expectations. She has 30 years optical experience mainly within multiple sector, is an ABDO tutor and has a strong belief in improving patient care and experiences by improving her own knowledge and that of her peers.
After graduating from University of Bradford and undertaking registration as an Optometrist, she returned to academia in Bradford as a Clinical Demonstrator where she was involved in teaching investigate techniques as well as supervising in the clinics. In 2002, Rupal moved to Cambridge to join Anglia Ruskin University where she was a Principal Lecturer and Director of Clinics until 2018, she continued with her interest in teaching clinical and investigative techniques. She has been invited to lecture optometric students across Europe as well as provide CET/CPD sessions in the UK. She is known to work with international partners to develop ophthalmic related curriculum.
Alongside her teaching and management roles within the University, she is a College of Optometrists Examiner for the Final Assessment of the Scheme for Registration (OSCE), member of the OSCE Development group and the educationalist on the College’s Higher Qualification Accreditation Panel. She is a Principal Fellow for the Higher Education Academy, Liverymen of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers and a member of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics Education Committee where she co-ordinates the Fellowship process. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry as well as the European Academy of Optometry and Optics. She is the Chair of the East Anglia Local Eye Health Network and the Optometry Adviser for NHS England Midlands and East (East).
In 2014 Rupal was awarded "Lecturer of the Year" by the Association of Optometrists in recognition of her outstanding contribution to teaching.
Jane is a Specialist Optometrist at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, where she in the lead for the low vision service run in association with local rehabilitation teams based at Vista. She has lectured extensively in the subject of visual impairment at undergraduate and post qualification levels to both optical and rehabilitation professionals and has presented at regular CET events in the past 25 years. Jane had authored a wide variety of articles and is author of two low vision text books. She is currently completing a College of Optometrists funded PhD in low vision rehabilitation needs at Anglia Ruskin University.
Omar Mahroo is a consultant ophthalmologist with expertise in Medical Retina, managing patients at Moorfields Eye Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital. He completed his medical degree and PhD at the University of Cambridge, and post-doctoral research at Cambridge and the Australian National University. He then completed his clinical training in Cambridge and London.
His research (at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and King’s College London) investigates retinal function through electrophysiology. He was awarded a £1.1 million Wellcome Trust Fellowship to investigate disease mechanisms in patients with inherited retinal conditions, aiming to better understand these diseases and inform future treatments.
Claire is a Senior Clinical Teacher in Optometry at The University of Manchester. A former Manchester graduate herself, she has over 25 years experience within the independent, multiple, and hospital sectors. She has been a pre-reg student supervisor and a practitioner manager with experience in all aspects of community optometry, including local children’s vision initiatives and regional diabetic retinopathy screening services.
She has been involved in continuing education for UK optometrists since 2006, having created a range of educational materials for CET providers, including distance learning articles and Peer Review case studies. She has also delivered lectures and clinical skills workshops on a wide variety of topics throughout the UK and Ireland.
Claire qualified as an Independent Prescriber, having completed her clinical placement at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh, and continues to practise as a community optometrist. She has a particular interest in Dry Eye and has introduced a Dry Eye Clinic to the teaching timetable at The University of Manchester.
Karl Mercieca is a consultant ophthalmologist and glaucoma surgeon at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK. After completing seven years of ophthalmic specialist training he undertook two post-CCT glaucoma fellowships. Karl is highly active in ophthalmology research as evidenced by over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has received several research prizes including best poster prize at the AAO congress. His research portfolio includes studies on CSF pulsatility, vascular biomarkers, non-penetrating glaucoma surgery and uveitic glaucoma. Karl is also an honorary senior lecturer and glaucoma co-lead for the MSc IOVS at the University of Manchester.
Karl is highly active in ophthalmology research as evidenced by over 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He has received several research prizes including best poster prize at the AAO congress. His research portfolio includes studies on CSF pulsatility, vascular biomarkers, non-penetrating glaucoma surgery and uveitic glaucoma.
Mr Nishal Patel is a Consultant Ophthalmic Eye Surgeon based at the East Kent Hospitals University Foundation NHS Trust. He also provides a comprehensive general and specialist ophthalmic service at the Kent and Canterbury and William Harvey Hospitals. The training he has received for this experience is through world class rotations in Central London and South East and South West London at the prominent respected establishment Moorfields Eye Hospital and at King’s College Hospital and School of Medicine.
Mr Patel has established his reputation as a world recognised ophthalmologist with collaborations in local, regional, national and international academic institutions. He is interested in general ophthalmology, cataract surgery and is highly skilled and qualified in specialist retinal diseases particularly age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, uveitis (iritis) and genetic retinal diseases having significant experience in laser and injection therapy.
He has set up clinical trials at this Trust and is a chief investigator in several local and multi-centre trials for diseases affecting the retina. Mr Patel is a kind dedicated eye surgeon who takes pride in knowing that his patients are fully informed and kept abreast of modern investigations and treatments.
Dr Keyur Patel is an Optometrist, currently practising in the U.K.
Keyur graduated from City University in 1999, and after 5 years in practice ventured to the US, where he completed the accelerated O.D. program at the New England College of Optometry, Boston. After completing a residency in Community Health, he returned to England.
Upon his return, to maintain the increased level of care afforded to him, he completed Diplomas in Therapeutics, Glaucoma and Sports Vision.
He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometrists, College of Optometrists and the British Contact Lens Association.
Keyur has been a clinical instructor for NECO, City University, WOPEC, Alcon and been lucky enough to be considered a KOL, currently he works in private practice, with special interests in contact lenses, dry eye, sports vision and glaucoma.
Mr Pearce is Consultant Ophthalmologist and Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon at St Paul’s Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital. He is Director of the Clinical Eye Research Centre at St Paul’s Eye Unit and member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Professional Standards Committee. He represents the RCOPHTH at the DVLA Visual Standards Panel. He is a nominated Specialist Clinical Expert Advisor to NICE for the appraisal of novel technologies including Lucentis, Eylea, Ozurdex , Ocriplasmin (Jetrea) and intraocular radiotherapy.
As well as delivering numerous invited international and national lectures Mr Pearce has authored 3 National Guidelines, 3 Book Chapters ( Evidenced-based Management of Diabetes, Complications of Vitreo-retinal Surgery, Barton and Powers Clinical Negligence) and over 60 publications cited >1000 times.
With 11 years' experience within the optical industry starting as a spectacle dispenser and then becoming an Ophthalmic Photographer in 2012, Laura has been able to experience ophthalmic imaging in so many different settings, and using such a vast range of ophthalmic imaging equipment such as OCT, FFA/ICG, Fundus Photography and Slit Lamp imaging for different patient pathology.
Laura’s greatest achievement was working at Oxford Eye Hospital where she was part of the imaging research team and was relied upon by Professor MacLaren and C.K Patel to capture high quality images for their study patients in trials for conditions such as ROP, Choroideremia and Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Dr Catherine Porter is a Senior Lecturer in Optometry at the University of Manchester. Her PhD was entitled ‘An Investigation of Reading in Dyslexia’, she continues to have a specialist interest in patients with reading difficulties. She is currently studying for a Masters in Vision and Strabismus at the University of Sheffield. She teaches Binocular Vision and Further Investigative Techniques at the University of Manchester. She has presented workshops and lectures nationally and internationally on clinical aspects of binocular vision, and has authored several CET articles on the same topic.
Mr Andrew D Price FBDO(Hons)CL, COA, is CEO of The ADP Consultancy originally set-up in 1994. A clinician, seeing patients in Contact Lens, Myopia Control & Ocular Surface clinics. He is a Principal Investigator in clinical trials, industry/Professional Services consultant, educator, lecturer and author. Experience encompasses managing/owning my his contact lens practice, working in practice in Laser Vision and Ophthalmology clinics in the UK and USA. He has had articles published and presented over a hundred lectures and workshops on the subjects of contact lenses and dry eye disease. He is a member of the ABDO NCC and probationary CL examiner for the ABDO.
Neil Retallic is an optometrist with experience of working in various educational and professional services roles across the optical sector. Currently he works as the Professional Services Manager for CooperVision, a College of Optometrist Assessor and Examiner and a visiting lecturer at Aston University. His most recent previous roles include Joint Contact Lens Clinic Lead and Optometry Teaching Fellow at the University of Manchester and the Professional Learning and Development Manager for Vision Express. He is also a GOC education committee member, BCLA council member and chair of the BCLA education committee and chair of BUCCLE (British University and College Contact Lens Educators).
Dan graduated from City University in 1992 and spent his pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. Between 1993 and 2003, he held a senior optometrist post at Moorfields which included ‘extended roles’ within the glaucoma and paediatric services. An interest in visual psychophysics led to a PhD from University College London in 2005 and a series of peer-reviewed publications. Dan has been involved in continuing education for UK optometrists for over 10 years and is currently glaucoma lead for Cardiff University’s post graduate optometry programme. He is Principal Optometrist and Head of Department at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital where his clinical interests are glaucoma, low vision, contact lenses, paediatric eye care and medical retina. He continues to work part-time in community optometric practice.
Mr. Nicholas Rumney is currently in a full-scope, award-winning practice in Hereford. A 3rd-generation optometrist, he graduated from Cardiff, did his pre-reg year at Bristol Eye Hospital, and completed an MSc in low vision in Melbourne. He was a Professional Qualifying and Fellowship examiner and was one of a handful of College of Optometrists members to complete the Fellowship by examination. He has been FAAO since 1995.
Mr. Rumney was part of the GOC team that developed the regulations underpinning Specialist Therapeutic registration, and in 2012 he qualified as an independent prescriber. His practice is the only one in the UK dually registered for Investors in People (Gold) and ISO 9000, and was the first in the UK to introduce 3D-OCT.
In November 2016 he was awarded the Philip Cole prize for in practice research by the College of Optometrists.
Kathryn Saunders is a Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. Her research interests include the development of refractive error in infancy and childhood in typically developing children and in the presence of developmental disability. She has lead the Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) study, a large longitudinal epidemiological study of refractive error, for the past 12 years. The NICER study has provided new insight into the prevalence, onset and progression of myopia in modern school age children living in the UK. She remains a practising optometrist with a strong interest in translational research which improves vision care and visual outcomes for people with and without special needs.
Wendy qualified as a contact lens optician in 2000, and is certified both as an NLP practitioner and professional speaker with over 10 years of experience of delivering CET in a variety of environments. Wendy has experience of practice management and has contributed clinical articles to Optometry Today and Dispensing Optics, and was elected a Fellow of the BCLA in 2005. She has worked in various consultancy roles in the manufacturing side of the industry for many years, and is currently enjoying time back in practice.
Rebecca graduated with a BSc in Optometry in 2007 from the University of Bradford.
Before joining Topcon, she worked for 10 years in high street practice, combining testing with teaching on the company Pre-registration training programme. Since 2010, she has also worked as clinical teaching staff at the University of Bradford.
She is a member of the York and North Yorkshire Local Optometric Committee and an active Team Leader for Vision Aid Overseas.
Sarah is a pharmacy leader who has worked across different Pharmacy sectors for several acute London Trusts. Sarah currently leads on the delivery and development of clinical pharmacy services and medicines management initiatives for Moorfields satellites, and implements new pharmacy services for service improvement. As an internationally recognised speaker, Sarah is an active member of various committees and project groups, and enjoys developing and enhancing services, providing her expert advice and support to all service users. Sarah also co-leads the internationally recognised #KnowYourDrops campaign to improve patient eye drop adherence and quality of life for those using eye drops.
Charlotte Timbury qualified as a Dispensing Optician in 2002 after completing the ABDO Distance Learning Course. In 2003, she completed the CL theory exam. Charlotte spent 16 years as the Dispensing Optician/Manager in a highly successful, independent practice dealing with a vast range of dispenses. This has enabled her to appreciate and understand the importance of offering the best solution to both patient and practice.In April 2014,Charlotte became a London Account Manager for Essilor UK. This role enabled her to still use her dispensing knowledge to help a variety of different accounts grow their businesses and offer the best possible lens solution to their patients.In May 2018 Charlotte became part of the Essilor Professional Relations team which allows her to become even more involved in developing and delivering CET to the industry as well as other support to various optical bodies.
Brian is an experienced independent practitioner in his stunningly refurbished and contemporised Victorian house-practice in Northampton UK.
He is a Past President of the BCLA and a former AOP Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year. He is extremely proactive in fitting all types of contact lenses to any age and prescription. He feels that the market for contact lenses can be expanded to many more patients from children to presbyopes and beyond, and many opportunities are currently missed. He has a large CL patient base and is keen on imaging and video capture for enhanced patient education.
He has been a Key Opinion Leader and Clinical Advisor to virtually all the contact lens manufacturers and many of the technology and instrument companies over the years and has participated in launching many new products into the global market.
He lectures internationally on business, imaging technology, dry eye and contact lens topics, all based on real life experience in the consulting room. Evangelically he has been trying to spread the concept of charging proper fees and business development following the implementation of a Care Plan System in his own practice many years ago.
When voted “Best in Show” at a Bausch & Lomb Global Symposium many years ago, Brian learnt that people retain more by being entertained while being educated and so since that time his lectures and workshops have been interactive and fun, sometimes even hilarious, but always informative.
He is maybe Optometry’s best known EDUTAINER.
Angela is currently senior lecturer in postgraduate teaching at Cardiff University School of Optometry. Before this, she worked in community and hospital practice, mainly as medical optometrist at Bristol Eye Hospital, specialising in glaucoma, medical retina and eye casualty. Her clinical qualifications include the College of Optometrists DipOC, DipGlauc and DipTp(IP). She holds educational qualifications from the Open University namely the PGCert in Higher Education and the Master of Arts in Education.
Angela’s previous education roles included examiner and senior assessor for the scheme for registration at the College of Optometrists, as well as examiner for higher qualifications in glaucoma, and chair of the higher qualifications accreditation panel.
Cathy Williams is a Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist and a Reader in Paediatric Ophthalmology. She has an interest clinical in vision problems in children with additional needs and holds an NIHR Senior Research Fellowship to investigate the prevalence, impact and management of brain-related vision problems in children.
Sonia Yong is currently the optometric lead for eye casualty, corneal and cataract services at Bristol Eye Hospital. As well as her work in her eye casualty and corneal clinics, she has previous experience in medical retina clinics and continues to be involved in glaucoma clinics. Sonia has also work in community optometry in various community practice settings, including as a locum, for many years before her involvement in hospital optometry. She also holds the College's Diploma in Glaucoma & Independent Prescribing. | 2019-04-23T08:13:31Z | https://www.college-optometrists.org/cpd-and-cet/events/optometry-tomorrow-2019/speakers.html |
Title Entanglement and the Generalized Uncertainty Principle.
Description We propose that gravity when formulated in the quantum level can make quantum effects more pronounced. This is demonstrated by considering the effect of the generalized uncertainty principle or GUP (a consequence of quantum gravity theories) on entanglement (a quantum effect). We apply the GUP to continuous-variable systems. In particular, we study the following cases: the modified uncertainty relation of two identical entangled particles (Rigolin 2002) and the inseparability conditions for entangled particles in the bipartite (Duan, Giedke, Cirac, and Zoller 2000) and tripartite (van Loock and Furusawa 2003) cases. Rigolin showed a decrease in the lower bound of the product of the uncertainties of the position and momentum for two identical entangled particles while Duan and van Loock derived inseparability conditions for Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-like (EPR-like) operators. In all three cases, the GUP correction resulted in a higher value of the bounds: a higher lower bound for the Rigolin’s result and a higher upper bound for the inseparability condition in Duan and van Loock’s relations. In Rigolin’s case, the GUP correction decreased the disagreement with the Heisenberg uncertainty relation while in Duan’s and Loock’s case, the inseparability and entanglement conditions are enhanced. Interestingly, the GUP corrections tend to boost quantum mechanical effects.
Faculty Gardo Blado is a professor of physics at Houston Baptist University.
Student Francisco Herrera is an undergraduate physics major, and Joshuah Erwin was an undergraduate physics major at Houston Baptist University. Herrera and Erwin started the research problem in fall 2015 and completed its solution in spring 2017. The research project was undertaken to fulfill the required research portion of the upper-level physics classes in which they were enrolled during the previously mentioned period. After fulfilling the requirements for a BS in mathematics, Herrera will also complete his BS in physics major in fall 2019 and plans to pursue graduate study in quantum information science. Erwin finished a BS in physics degree in fall 2016 and is now a satellite systems engineer at Leidos where he works on NASA projects.
Title Nanoscale View of Assisted Ion Transport across the Liquid–Liquid Interface.
Description During solvent extraction, amphiphilic extractants assist the transport of metal ions across the liquid–liquid interface between an aqueous ionic solution and an organic solvent. Investigations of the role of the interface in ion transport challenge our ability to probe fast molecular processes at liquid–liquid interfaces on nanometer-length scales. Recent development of a thermal switch for solvent extraction has addressed this challenge, which has led to the characterization by X-ray surface scattering of interfacial intermediate states in the extraction process. Here, we review and extend these earlier results. Our results suggest a connection between the observed interfacial structures and the extraction mechanism, which ultimately affects the extraction selectivity and kinetics.
Faculty Mark Schlossman is professor of physics. Glenn Hanlon is currently a software engineer at Boeing.
Student David Walwark Jr. undertook this research with a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award at UIC and is now a graduate student at the University of New Mexico in nanoscience and microsystems engineering. Jeff Harvey is a graduate student in physics at the University of California, Davis.
Funding This research was supported by the DOE, NSF, UIC Department of Physics, UIC Contest, and a UIC Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award.
Title The Effect of Filaments and Tendrils on the HI Content of Galaxies.
Description We used data from the Arecibo Legacy Fast-ALFA (ALFALFA) survey to test whether the cold gas reservoirs of galaxies are inhibited or enhanced in large-scale filaments. We found that galaxies close to filament spines are gas deficient, even at fixed mass and local density. We also found that small, correlated structures (“tendrils”) within voids provide the most gas-rich environments for galaxies.
Faculty Mary Crone Odekon is professor of physics at Skidmore College, Greg Hallenbeck is assistant professor of computing and information studies at Washington and Jefferson College, Rebecca Koopmann is professor of physics and astronomy at Union College, and Martha Haynes is Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University.
Student Pierre-Francois Wolfe worked on the design of this study for his senior thesis, graduated from Skidmore College in 2015, and is currently employed at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. An Phi developed the code as an independent study project during the 2015–2016 academic year and graduated from Skidmore College in May 2018.
Funding This research was supported by National Science Foundation grants AST-1211005 and AST-1637339.
Title Photonic Microwave Generation in Multimode VCSELs Subject to Orthogonal Optical Injection.
Citation Journal of the Optical Society of America B. 2017; 34: 11: 2381-2389. doi: 10.1364/JOSAB.34.002381. Lin H, Ourari S, Huang T, Jha A, Briggs A, Bigagli N. Bates College.
Description This paper studied experimentally the effect of polarized optical injection on a multi-transverse mode verticalcavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), in which the polarization of optical injection is orthogonal to the dominant polarization of the VCSEL. We obtained high frequency, tunable microwave signals through polarization switching and frequency locking caused by dual beam injection in the multimode regime. The measurements show that multi-transverse mode regime is more effective than single transverse mode regime for microwave generation. Our results will be of use for dynamics in semiconductor lasers and for generation of microwave signals for wireless access networks and radio-over-fiber technology.
Faculty Hong Lin is professor of physics at Bates College.
Student Five students participated in the project from fall 2014 to 2017 as thesis students and summer research assistants: Salim Ourari (’18), Tianyao Huang (’19), Aashu Jha (’17), Andrew Briggs (’15), and Niccolo Bigagli (’17). Briggs and Jha are in graduate school in electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and Princeton University respectively. Bigagli is in graduate school in physics at Columbia University. Ourari is a senior majoring in physics and will attend graduate school in electrical engineering at Princeton University. Huang is a rising senior and plans to apply to graduate school in 2018–2019.
Funding The research was supported by the Bates College Faculty Development Fund and the Bates College Faculty-Student Summer Research Fund.
Title Non-Equilibrium Concentration Fluctuations in Superparamagnetic Nanocolloids.
Description Paramagnetic nanoparticles have a wide range of biomedical applications that allows them to be functionalized and guided to the desired location inside the boy using an external magnetic field. Transport properties of nanocolloids are influenced by the particle sizes and their magnetic susceptibility. We used a shadowgraph light scattering method to experimentally measure the amplitude of non-equilibrium fluctuations that take place at the interface between a nanocolloid and water. The dynamic light scattering method also allowed the direct measurement of the correlation time of fluctuations and the numerical estimation of the diffusion coefficient.
Faculty Ana Oprisan is an associate professor and Sorinel Oprisan is a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Charleston. Cédric Giraudet is a research fellow with University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Erlangen, Germany. Fabrizio Croccolo is a professor at the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour in Anglet, France.
Student Ashley Rice graduated from the College of Charleston in May 2017 and is currently a graduate student in mechanical, aerospace, and biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee. As an undergraduate, Rice contributed to experimental studies in non-equilibrium fluctuations of nancolloids and presented research results at more than 30 professional meetings.
Funding The research was supported by a R&D grant from the College of Charleston.
Citation Astronomische Nachrichten. 2017; 338: 635-638. doi: 10.1002/asna.201713379. Robertson JM, Tucker DL, Smith JA, Wester W, Lin H, Mueller JH, Gulledge DJ. Austin Peay State University and Fermilab.
Description The authors announce the discovery of a new, bright quasar. This was found as a serendipitous object while working to develop a calibration system for the Dark Energy Survey.
Faculty J. Allyn Smith is a professor of physics and astronomy at Austin Peay State University (APSU). Douglas L. Tucker is the calibration scientist for the Dark Energy Survey. William Wester and Huan Lin are scientists at Fermilab.
Student Jacob Robertson is a senior at APSU considering a career in space policy. Deborah Gulledge is a senior at APSU and in the process of applying for graduate programs. Jack Mueller is a high school senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy applying for college. The work was started in summer 2015 while Robertson and Gulledge were visiting Fermilab to work on Dark Energy Survey calibration with Smith. Mueller has been working with Tucker at Fermilab as part of the IMSA science liaison effort. Robertson continued the effort while pursuing classes at APSU.
Funding Partial support for Robertson and Gulledge was provided by the DES operations group for calibration support. Additional support came from the Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics.
Title Enhanced Superconductivity in Aluminum-Based Hyperbolic Metamaterials.
Description One of the most important goals of condensed matter physics is materials by design, i.e. the ability to reliably predict and design materials with a set of desired properties. A striking example is the deterministic enhancement of the superconducting properties of materials. We have engineered an aluminum/aluminum oxide hyperbolic metamaterial capable of a significant enhancement of superconducting critical temperature, while having superior transport and magnetic properties compared to the core-shell metamaterial superconductors.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova is a professor of physics at Towson University and Christopher Jensen is a graduate student at Towson University.
Student William Zimmerman, physics major at Towson, participated in the research for independent study credit. Zimmerman graduated from Towson University in May 2016 and is enrolled in the professional master's program in applied physics at Towson University. Joseph C. Prestigiacomo and Michael S. Osofsky are research physicists and Heungsoo Kim and Nabil Bassim are materials engineers at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. Zhen Xing is a graduate student and Mumtaz Qazilbash is an associate professor in the Department of Physics at the College of William and Mary. Igor Smolyaninov is a research scientist in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland-College Park.
Funding This research was supported in part by FCSM Undergraduate Research and Towson Undergraduate Research Grants, which were awarded to Zimmerman, and by NSF grant DMR-1104676 at Towson.
Description We present results of a set of three-dimensional, general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations of thin accretion discs around a nonrotating black hole to test their thermal stability. We consider two cases, one that is initially radiation-pressure dominated and expected to be thermally unstable and another that is initially gas-pressure dominated and expected to remain stable. We find evidence for both thermal and viscous instabilities in our radiation-pressure-dominated case.
Faculty Bhupendra Mishra is a PhD student, and Wlodzimierez Kluzniak is a professor at the Nicolas Copernicus Astronomical Center in Warsaw. P. Chris Fragile is a professor of physics and astronomy at the College of Charleston.
Student Caroline Johnson was a junior physics major at the College of Charleston when she contributed to this work as part of a summer project.
Funding This research was also supported by the National Science Foundation under grant NSF AST-1211230.
Description Magnifying Maxwell fisheye lenses, which are made of two half-lenses of different radii, have been fabricated using photolithography and characterized. The lens action is based on control of polarization-dependent effective refractive index in a lithographically formed tapered waveguide. We have studied wavelength and polarization dependent performance of the lenses, and their potential applications in waveguide mode sorting.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova and David Schaefer are professors of physics at Towson University. Igor Smolyaninov is a research scientist with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland-College Park.
Student Christopher Jensen and Anthony Johnson are graduate students in physics at Towson. William Zimmerman, physics major at Towson, participated in the research for independent study credit. Zimmerman graduated from Towson University in May 2016 and was accepted to the Professional Masters Program in Applied Physics at Towson University.
Funding This research was supported in part by FCSM Undergraduate Research and Towson Undergraduate Research Grants, as well as by NSF grant DMR-1104676 at Towson University.
Description We present results from our observations of lensed quasars performed in the optical, UV, and X-ray bands. Modeling of the multi-wavelength light curves provides constraints on the extent of the optical, UV, and X-ray emission regions. One of the important results of our analysis is that the optical sizes as inferred from the microlensing analysis are significantly larger than those predicted by the theoretical-thin-disk estimate. We also present the analysis of several strong microlensing events where we detect an evolution of the relativistic Fe line as the magnification caustic traverses the accretion disk. These caustic crossings are used to constrain the innermost stable circular orbit and the accretion disk inclination angle of the black hole in quasar RX J1131-1231.
Faculty George Chartas is an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the College of Charleston.
Student Carter Rhea, a senior math and astronomy major, participated in the research for independent study credit. Carter is currently completing his degree at the College of Charleston and applying to graduate programs.
Funding The research was supported by NASA via the Smithsonian Institution grant G03-141l0B.
Description The paper demonstrates that by modifying the surfaces of single metal like Pb, Mo and W with hydrogen, these metals can be transformed from normal metals to a novel state of material known as topological insulators with spin polarized edge states. We also propose that BN substrate can be used to fabricate these 2D structures.
Faculty Anh Pham is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Materials Sciences and Engineering at UNSW. Sean C Smith is the Director of Integrated Materials Design at UNSW. Sean Li is a Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at UNSW.
Student Carmen Gil is currently an undergraduate student and McNair Scholar in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. Carmen Gil conducted the research as part of an Engineering Exchange Program with the University of New South Wales in Dr. Sean Li's group.
Funding The computational resources were supported by Intersect Australia Ltd and the National Computing Infrastructure.
Description We report the seredipitous discovery of a bright quasar which was missed in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). This quasar is nearby and would rank in the top 1% of brightest quasars based on the SDSS Data Release 7 quasar catalog.
Faculty Allyn Smith ia a professor of Physics & Astronomy at Austin Peay St. Univ.. Douglas Tucker, William Wester and James Annis are research scientists at Fermilab.
Student Mees Fix is currently working at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD. The work began at Fermilab during the summer of 2013 and continued through the next year at Austin Peay State University.
Funding Funding for this work was initially provided by a Department of Energy Visiting Faculty Program award to Smith , and continued via the Dark Energy Survey support for calibration issues.
Description We have shown the viability of the metamaterial approach to dielectric response engineering for enhancing the transition temperature, Tc, of a superconductor. In this report, we demonstrate the use of alumina-coated aluminium nanoparticles to form the recently proposed epsilon near zero (ENZ) core-shell metamaterial superconductor with a Tc that is three times that of pure aluminium. IR reflectivity measurements confirm the predicted metamaterial modification of the dielectric function thus demonstrating the efficacy of the ENZ metamaterial approach to Tc engineering.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova is a professor of physics at Towson University.
Student Kathryn Zander, physics major at Towson, participated in the research for independent study credit. Kathryn graduated from Towson University in May 2015 and planning to apply to graduate school.
Funding This research was supported in part by FCSM Undergraduate Research and Towson Undergraduate Research Grants, which were awarded to Kathryn, and by NSF grant DMR-1104676 at Towson.
Description A recent proposal that the metamaterial approach to dielectric response engineering may increase the critical temperature of a composite superconductor-dielectric metamaterial has been tested in experiments with compressed mixtures of tin and barium titanate nanoparticles of varying composition. An increase of the critical temperature of the order of 5 percent compared to bulk tin has been observed for 40% volume fraction of barium titanate nanoparticles.
Student Kathryn Zander, physics major at Towson, participated in the research for independent study credit. Kathryn graduated from Towson University this spring and planning to apply to graduate school.
Description This work reported the first experimental realization of the TO-based Luneburg waveguides, which may be useful in sensing and nonlinear optics applications. The wavelength and polarization dependent performance of the waveguides was studied. Periodic focusing of optical energy in the waveguide was found, which could result in increased light matter interaction in the well-defined specific locations. Together with other recent advances in TO-based devices, this technique opens up an additional ability to manipulate light on a submicrometer scale.
Student Todd Adams, David Lahneman and Kathryn Zander are physics majors at Towson and participated in the research for independent study credit. Todd is now a naval officer. David is continuing his studies at the PhD program of the Physics Department of the College of William and Mary, VA. Kathryn graduated from Towson University this spring and planning to apply to graduate school.
Funding This research was supported in part by FCSM Undergraduate Research and Towson Undergraduate Research Grants, which were awarded to Todd, David and Kathryn, and by NSF grant DMR-1104676 at Towson.
Description The study used an array of detectors able to measure individual raindrop sizes and arrival times (called disdrometers) to explore scale-invariant behavior in raindrop arrival times. It was confirmed that large raindrops appear more clustered in time than small drops, and that scaling exponents are constant from detector to detector within each rainstorm.
Faculty Michael L. Larsen is an assistant professor of Physics and Astronomy.
Student Timothy Hayward was an undergraduate Senior and Joshua Teves was an undergraduate Sophomore when this work was begun, both funded through National Science Foundation Grant AGS-1230240 secured by Michael Larsen. The research was completed during the summer of 2014. Timothy Hayward is now a doctoral physics program at William and Mary, and Joshua Teves is now an undergraduate junior at the College of Charleston.
Description We motivate and derive the dynamical rules for a computationally feasible three-dimensional cellular automaton model of snow crystal growth. The model improves upon points of weak physical connections identified in other similar models which have produced morphological features observed in many snow crystal photographs. A systematic survey of the morphologies resulting from our model illustrates the degree to which these features persist in our results, and the trends that appear as model parameters are varied.
Faculty James Kelly is an assistant professor of physics.
Student Boyer collaborated during 2010-2012 under a Centre College faculty development grant, and is currently applying to graduate schools.
Funding The research was supported by a Centre College Faculty Development Grant.
Description We used a computational model of a distributed neural network of the strato-cortical structures of the brain in order to mimic the perception of time. The computational model gave similar results with experiments conducted in mice. In particular, in this study we investigate the effect of emotional stressors on the subjective perception of time. We carried out both numerical simulations with our newly developed computational model and experiments to validate our results.
Faculty Sorinel A. Oprisan is an associate professor with research interest in computational neuroscience.
Student Steven is a software engineer currently working for Google. As an undergraduate student he optimized the computational implementation and carried out extensive numerical simulations to verify the effect of external stimuli on the ability of the neural network to perform correct timing.
Funding National Science Foundation Career grant IOS-1054914 supported this research on phase resetting.
Description We used a novel approach to tabulating the relative change in the firing frequency of a neural cell that is more closely related to the mechanism underlying spiking activity. The Fourier coefficients provided a compact and accurate description of neural activity. The advantage of the novel method is that it allows a numerically efficient prediction of large neural networks activity.
Student Robert Raidt is currently a medical student at Medical University of South Carolina. As undergraduate, he presented his results to numerous local and national meetings of neuroscientists. His research results received multiple awards, including Outstanding Undergraduate Research award form the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Outstanding Undergraduate Research from South Carolina Academy of Science & Charleston Chapter of Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society, and American Association for the Advancement of Science award to the Outstanding Male Undergraduate Scientist.
Funding Natinal Science Foundation Career grant IOS-1054914 supported this research on phase resetting.
Description We derived novel analytical criteria for the existence and stability of phase-locked modes in neural networks based on the phase resetting curve method. The theoretical predictions were subsequently verified numerically using a conductance-based model.
Student Christian Boutan is currently a PhD student at University of Washington. As undergraduate, Christian carried out numerical simulation on phase-locked modes in neural networks. He presented his original results to local and national/international meetings, including the annual meeting of the Socity for Neuroscience.
Funding The research was supported by the College of Charleston Research and Development grant to SAO and a Summer Research with Faculty to CB.
Title Are phase resetting curves tunable?
Description The research was supported by the College of Charleston Research and Development grant to SAO and a Summer Research with Faculty to CB. The widely-accepted paradigm in phase resetting theory is that the neural cells belong to one of the two fundamental types: (1) unimodal response to perturbations that only speeds-up or slows-down neural activity, or (2) bimodal response that allows the neurons to both speeds-up or slows-down neural activity. We showed that in fact all phase resetting curves are bimodal and derived a practical method that allowed us to adjust the ratio of the positive versus negative lobe of neural response.
Student Davy Vanderweyen is currently a research analyst in neuroimaging at Medical University of South Carolina. Davy worked on numerical simulations of phase resetting curve and presented his original research results at many local, national/international meetings. In recognition of his contributions he received, among other distinctions, the Outstanding Graduate award and Departmental Honors award from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the College of Charleston.
Funding National Science Foundation Career grant IOS-1054914 to SAO supported this research on phase resetting.
Title What is the effect of noise on the interval timing neural network?
Description Neural oscillators produce stable spikes of electrical activity called action potentials (AP) that are suitable as a temporal base for time-keeping neural networks. However, biological noise at all scales, from ionic channels up to behavioral distractors, alter the very precise neural activity and the perceived subjective time. We proved mathematically and verified numerically that in fact the biological noise is critical for the normal activity of the neural network that keeps track of time in our brains. Suppressing or altering the spectral composition of biological noise leads to abnormal time perception.
Student Derek Novo is currently an undergraduate student in Honors College. He majors in physics and computer science. He worked on a computer model of interval timing, presented his research results at local, national/international professional meetings in neuroscience, mentored junior research assistants, and received awards in recognition of his research results, e.g. Horatio Hughes Summer Research award from the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Phi Kappa Phi Research award for Honors College Bachelor's Essay in computational neuroscience.
Funding National Science Foundation Career grant IOS-1054914 to SAO supported the research.
Description Neural networks continuously correct their response to environmental stimuli in order to allow animals to better fit their niches. External stimuli, such as light or temperature, reset or entrain the endogenous rhythms such as those generated by the circadian clock. We investigated the effect of different ionic currents on the stability of the phase-locked mode of a neural network. The evolution and stability of neural attractors was visualized by two-dimensional projections of the multidimensional phase space of the network.
Student Andrew Jarrell Smith currently works with Ma+h Tutor LLC. As an undergraduate student, Andrew implemented a novel visualization technique for multi dimensional data related to computational neuroscience. He presented his original research results at many local, national/international professional meetings, including the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the annual meeting of the American Physical Society.
Title Why are all phase resetting curves bimodal?
Description Despite the genetic differences in channel expression or morphological differences, there are only two excitability classes for repetitively firing neurons. The classification is roughly determined by the way the neurons encode external stimuli. One class can only increase/decrease its firing rate in response to external stimuli, whereas the other class can both increase and decrease its firing rate to “resonate” with the external stimulus. We investigate the bifurcation structure in the phase space of control parameters of a single cell to better understand the distinction between the two excitability classes.
Student Derek Russell Tuck works towards his physics BS and would like to pursue graduate studies. Derek worked on numerical simulations that aimed at understanding the effect of the stimulus shape on the phase resetting curve of the neurons. He presented his original research results at many local, national/international meetings.
Description Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been used to obtain spectral fingerprints from live bacterial specimens from thirteen distinct taxonomic bacterial classes representative of five bacterial genera. By taking sums, ratios, and complex ratios of measured atomic emission line intensities three unique sets of independent variables (models) were constructed to determine which choice of independent variables provided optimal genus-level classification of unknown specimens utilizing a discriminant function analysis.
Faculty Dr. Steven Rehse is Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Windsor. Qassem Mohaidat was a graduate student at Wayne State University when this research was completed.
Student At the time this research was completed Russell Putnam and Andrew Daabous were undergraduate students in the Outstanding Scholars program at the University of Windsor. Putnam is now a Candidate for a Master’s in Physics at the University of Windsor. Daabous is in his senior year.
Funding Outstanding Scholars funded the work of the undergraduate students.
Description The determination of bacterial identity at the strain level is still a complex and time-consuming endeavor. In this study, visible wavelength spontaneous Raman spectroscopy has been used for the discrimination of four closely related Escherichia coli strains: pathogenic enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 and non-pathogenic E. coli C, E. coli Hfr K-12, and E. coli HF4714. This study suggests that spontaneous Raman spectroscopy with visible wavelength excitation is potentially useful for the rapid identification and classification of clinically-relevant bacteria at the strain level.
Faculty Dr. Steven Rehse is Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Windsor. Sunil Palchaudhuri is Professor at Wayne State University's School of Medicine. Khozima Hamasha was a graduate student at Wayne State. He is now Assistant Professor of Biomedical Physics at the University of Jordan. Qassem Mohaidat was a graduate student at Wayne State University.
Student At the time this research was completed Russell Putnam was an undergraduate student in the Outstanding Scholars program at the University of Windsor. Putnam is now a Candidate for a Master’s in Physics at the University of Windsor. Ryan C. Woodman is an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Physics at the University of Windsor.
Funding The Outstanding Scholars program funded the participation of Russell Putnam.
Description We determined that two star clusters were not old globular clusters belonging to the Milky Way, as previous authors suggested. Instead, both of the clusters are younger open clusters which joined the Milky Way when it caniballized a smaller galaxy a few billion years ago.
Faculty Nathaniel Paust is an assistant professor of astronomy at Whitman College. Gerard van Belle is an astronomer at Lowell Observatory.
Student Danielle Wilson undertook this work as an independent study project during the 2012-2013 school year. She is currently working for Key Technology in an optical engineering position.
Funding This project was funded through faculty startup funds to Prof. Paust.
Description We present high precision photometry of the globular cluster M15 taken in three bands. Using that data, we determine the age and distance to the cluster. We also use the number of stars in the cluster as a test of stellar evolution.
Faculty Nathaniel Paust is an assistant professor of astronomy at Whitman College. Brian Chaboyer is a professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth College.
Student Diane Feuillet undertook this work in 2011-2012 for her honors thesis project. She is currently working on her PhD in astronomy at New Mexico State University.
Funding This work was supported by startup funds provided to Dr. Paust by Whitman College.
Description We have demonstrated a novel artificial optical material, the “photonic hyper-crystal”, which combines the most interesting features of hyperbolic metamaterials and photonic crystals. Similar to hyperbolic metamaterials, photonic hyper-crystals exhibit broadband divergence in their photonic density of states due to the lack of usual diffraction limit on the photon wave vector. On the other hand, similar to photonic crystals, hyperbolic dispersion law of extraordinary photons is modulated by forbidden gaps near the boundaries of photonic Brillouin zones.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova, professor, was mentoring students participating in this research at the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University.
Student Undergraduate physics major David Lahneman was involved in this project for independent study credit. David is now continuing his studies at the PhD program of the Physics Department of the College of William and Mary, VA.
Funding Undergraduate physics major David Lahneman was involved in this project for independent study credit. David is now continuing his studies at the PhD program of the Physics Department of the College of William and Mary, VA.
Description We have estimated the luminosity-weighted ages of 16 early-type galaxies in Virgo and Fornax clusters based upon the near-IR (F110W and F160W) SBF observations using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST).
Faculty Hyun-chul Lee is an Astronomy Lecturer.
Student Victoria Le Grice successfully finished her Astronomy Minor degree with English Major and will start her graduate study at Texas State University.
Funding The Research was supported by NASA through a grant from the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Incorporated, under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Partial supports also came from the Undergraduate Research Initiative at the UTPA.
Title Application of a laser trap as a viscometer.
Description This article presents new application of a laser trap (LT) for measuring the viscosities of fluids in a micro volume flow. By calibrating the LT using silica micro-beads in a fluid with a known viscosity (water) and trapping identical same silica beads suspended in a fetal bovine serum (FBS), we have determined the viscosity of the FBS that we verified using measurements by an Ostwald viscometer. This study has demonstrated, for the first time, the use of LT for a precise measurement of viscosity in a micro flow.
Faculty Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics, Dr. Anthony Farone and Dr. Mary Farone are professors of Biology at Middle Tennessee State University.
Student Five undergraduate students participated in the research in 2007, 2009, and 2012: James Cooper, Rance Solomon, Cameron Crawford, Taylor Barnes, and Sam Elrod. James Cooper, Rance Solomon are seniors majoring in physics and Cameron Crawford is also a seniors majoring in biology, Taylor Barnes is currently a graduate student at California Institute of Technology, and Sam Elrod is a senior software engineer at Churchill Mortgage Company in Nashville, Tennessee.
Funding The research was supported by Middle Tennessee State University Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity Grants, which provided some student summer stipends.
Title Semiclassical entanglement analyses in a non-degenerate parametric oscillator (NDPO).
Description This article presents a theoretical study in the entanglement of the intracavity photons in subthreshold none degenerate parametric oscillator (NDPO) coupled to a squeezed vacuum using the von-Neumann entropy (VNE). The VNE is calculated in terms of the Q-function which is a semiclassical representation for the density operator. The study have revealed results for the degree of entanglement in the twin photons that is obtained by deriving the VNE in terms of the Q-function.
Faculty Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics at Middle Tennessee State University and Dr. Fesseha Kassahun is a professor of physics at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Student One undergraduate student is participated in the research in 2013: Jordan Dodson. Jordan Dodson is currently a senior triple-majoring in physics, Mathematics, and chemistry.
Title Polarization encrypted quantum teleportation using two type-II parametric down converters.
Description This article presents a theoretical study in the fidelity of a quantum teleportation scheme that uses polarization and spectrally entangled photons emitted by two type-II spontaneous parametric down converters (SPDC). For this scheme, where the encryption is on the polarization state of another photon, we have studied the effect of the spectral entanglement on the fidelity in comparison with single SPDC scheme and the results have revealed an improved fidelity under some specific conditions.
Faculty Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics at Middle Tennessee State University.
Student some specific conditions. Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics at Middle Tennessee State University. Three undergraduate students participated in the research in 2010 and 2011: Daniel Bonior, Benjamin Bunnell, Hannah Norris. Daniel Bonior is a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, Benjamin Bunnell has graduated in 2013 and currently lives in the Boston area, Hannah Norris is working as a research analyst at Duke University Medical Center.
Funding The research was supported by Middle Tennessee State University Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity Grants, which provided student summer stipends for the students.
Title Assessment of the elasticity of erythrocytes in different physiological fluids by laser traps.
Description This article presents a study on the effects of physiological fluids commonly used to suspend red blood cells (RBCs) in the cells’ elasticity. By suspending the RBCs in fetal bovine serum (FBS), newborn bovine serum (NBBS), and phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution and deforming the cells using two laser traps, we have studied the elasticity of each cells in each of these fluids. The results for the NBBS is not statistically different from the PBS solution; however for FBS the elasticity is significantly higher.
Faculty Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics, Dr. Anthony Farone, and Dr. Mary Farone are professors of Biology at Middle Tennessee State University.
Student Two undergraduate students participated in the research in 2006 and 2012: Taylor Barnes is currently a graduate student at California Institute of Technology and Adam Shulman is a Medical Physicist at Overlook Hospital, Jersey City, New Jersey.
Funding The research was supported by Middle Tennessee State University Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity Grants, which provided summer stipends to the students.
Title Physical and Mechanical Properties of the Human Red Blood Cells with Different Hemoglobin Types.
Description This article reports an experimental study that is conducted on the response of the human red blood cells (RBCs) from blood samples with different types of Hemoglobin (HbAS), (HbSS), (HbAA), and (HbFF) to direct laser trap. The hemoglobin quantitation study is conducted using Ultra2-High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The response is analyzed using size changes of the trapped cells relative to the corresponding free size in relation with the hemoglobin quantitation for each blood samples.
Faculty Dr. Daniel Erenso is a professor of physics, Dr. Anthony Farone and Dr. Mary Farone are professors of Biology. Dr. Robert Mushi is the director of the Laboratory and Dr. Maria del Pilar Aguinaga is the associate director and a professor at the Sickle Cell Center and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Meharry Medical College.
Student Seven undergraduate students participated in the research over the summer of 2012: Rance Solomon, James Cooper, Gabriel Welker, Elaura Aguilar, Brooke Flanagan, Chelsey Pennycuff, and David Scott. Rance Solomon, James Cooper, Gabriel Welker are currently seniors majoring in physics; Elaura Aguilar, Brooke Flanagan, Chelsey Pennycuff, David Scott are seniors currently majoring in Nursing, Biology, Mathematics, and English, respectively.
Funding The research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and by Middle Tennessee State University Undergraduate Research Experience and Creative Activity Grants, which provided some student summer stipends.
Description The study examines the light requirements to sustain microbes living on the subsurface edges of rocks in hyperarid deserts. A radiative transfer simulation was developed to predict the transmittance of photons through such a rock. Subsurface sides were determined to be 14-24 times brighter than the basal subsurface. This implies that inhabited rocks act as a "sail" for both light and water to sustain microbes in the perilithic habitat.
Faculty Chris McKay is a research scientist in the Space Sciences Division at NASA Ames Research Center.
Student Rebecca is currently a graduating undergraduate senior in the mathematics and physics departments at UC Berkeley. She began the study as a summer intern in 2009.
Funding This research was supported by NASA's Astrobiology Program and a fellowship from the Davidson Foundation awarded to Rebecca.
Description The theory of Frame transformation relations between the states of Born Oppenheimer and the weak coupling approximations is developed for polyatomic molecules. This research was a generalization of the frame transformation relations derived by Harter and Crogman for coupled rotor molecules accounting for the symmetry as result of a weakly coupled system vs a strongly couple one. This approach could help other scientists to better characterize the behavior of interacting dimers.
Faculty Dr. Horace Crogman was an assistant professor of physics at La Sierra University. This work was done in collaboration with Dr. William Harter at the university of Arkansas.
Funding This research was supported by a Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award.
Description We have reported the first experimental realization of birefringent transformation optics devices, which perform different functions for mutually orthogonal polarization states of light. Using effective birefringence of a lithographically formed dielectric waveguide on a metal substrate, we have created a Luneburg lens for TM polarized light, which behaves as a spatial (directional) filter for TE polarized light. Our technique opens up an additional degree of freedom in optical design.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova and David Schaefer, professors, were mentoring students participating in this research at the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University.
Student Undergraduate physics major Alex Piazza was involved in this project for independent study credit. Alex graduated and continuing his career at Elzly Technology Corporation.
Funding This work is supported by the NSF Grant No. DMR-1104676.
Description We have experimentally investigated polarization-dependent optical transmission of a cobalt based ferrofluid at 1500 nm. In magnetic field at sufficient nanoparticle concentration such ferrofluid becomes a hyperbolic metamaterial. Thermal fluctuations of nanoparticle concentration lead to transient formation of hyperbolic regions (3D Minkowski spacetimes) inside this metamaterial, which has similarity to creation and disappearance of individual Minkowski spacetimes (universes) in the cosmological multiverse.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova, professor at the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University, was mentoring students participating in this research.
Student Undergraduate physics major Evan Bates was involved in this project for independent study credit. Evan is currently in graduate school at University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Description We investigated whether protogalaxies harbor active galactic nuclei (AGN) by performing a mini-survey of 21 quasars known to contain sub-damped Lyman-alpha (sub-DLA) absorption systems in their spectra. The observations were performed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory. In six cases we find possible X-ray emission within ~ 1 arcsec of the background quasar consistent with the presence of a nearby X-ray source. If these nearby X-ray sources are at the redshifts of the sub-DLAs, their estimated X-ray luminosities suggest that the emission originates in a galactic nucleus near the center of a protogalaxy. The projected distances of these possible nearby X-ray sources from the background quasars are consistent with our hypothesis that they represent AGNs centered on the sub-DLAs.
Faculty George Chartas is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy at the College of Charleston.
Student Abigail Asper is an astrophysics major, and participated in the research for independent study credit during her freshman year.
Description This article provided the first principle model independent computation of the light-cone momentum distributions of pions in the nucleon in chiral effective theory using both pseudovector and pseudoscalar pion-nucleon couplings. The results pave the way for phenomenological applications of pion cloud models that are manifestly consistent with the chiral symmetry properties of QCD.
Faculty Chueng-Ryong Ji is professor and director of graduate program in the Department of Physics at North Carolina State University.
Student Khalida S. Hendricks was an undergraduate student at North Carolina State University (NCSU) admitted to the program of Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) while she was working on this research project. She was co-advised by Dr. Wally Melnitchouk at Jefferson Laboratory and Prof. C.-R. Ji at NCSU. Khalida will join the graduate program in physics at Ohio State University from this fall, 2013.
Funding This work was supported by the DOE Contract No. DE- 9AC05-06OR23177, the DOE Contract No. DE-FG02-03ER41260 and the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) Program.
Description We studied the rate of diffusion of nanoparticles in an aqueous environment and found very large (giant) concentration-driven fluctuations. We used three different nanocolloidal suspensions (gold, silver and silica). We performed small angle light scattering experiments that allowed very high-resolution visualization of large-scale fluctuations leading to enhanced diffusivity of nanoparticles. We developed and implemented a novel image processing technique - the dynamic structure factor algorithm – that showed spatial correlations over about two orders of magnitude larger compared to particles’ sizes and a correlation time of the order of seconds. The spatial correlation estimates the active area that the nanoparticles cover during passive diffusion and the correlation time measures the nanoparticle - cancer tumor cell duration of interaction.
Faculty Dr. Ana Oprisan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Charleston.
Student Alexis Leilani Payne is currently a sophomore undergraduate at the College of Charleston. She started working as a research assistant in Soft Condensed Matter & Image Processing Lab under Dr. Ana Oprisan’s mentorship as a freshman since the spring of 2012. She presented a research poster during the local Celebration of Scholars event (August, 2012), gave one talk in Department of Physics and Astronomy (September, 2012) at the College of Charleston, and presented one poster during the Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society (March, 2013).
Funding Research sponsored by a 2012 Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty from the College of Charleston.
Description This research suggested that several observed properties of brown dwarfs (a class of substellar objects) in binary systems could be accounted for as a consequence of a single mechanism, the fragmentation of a turbulent, star-forming region. These properties include the “brown dwarf desert” (a dearth of brown dwarfs in nearby orbits around Sun-like stars) and the narrow separations for pairs of brown dwarfs.
Faculty Robert Fisher is an assistant professor of physics.
Student Peter Jumper, a Commonwealth scholar, physics major, and mathematics minor, participated in this research from the summer of 2010 to the spring of 2013. Peter has now graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics with Honors and will be a Connaught Ph.D. Fellow in the fall of 2013 in the University of Toronto’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Funding Fisher's work was funded through NSF Grant CNS-0959382 and AFOSR DURIP Grant FA9550-10-1-0354. PJ was funded by NSF Grant DMS-0802974.
Title Revealing the Structure of an Accretion Disk through Energy-dependent X-Ray Microlensing.
Description We presented results from monitoring observations of the gravitationally lensed quasar RX J1131-1231 performed with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. We detected significant microlensing in the X-ray light curves of the lensed images of the quasar. Our microlensing results place constraints on the sizes of the black holes accretion disk and the hot corona. We also reported the detection of evolution of the fluorescent Fe line that originates from the accretion disk during the microlensing event. This evolution is consistent with the line distortion expected when a caustic passes over the inner disk where the shape of the fluorescent Fe line is distorted by general relativistic and Doppler effects.
Student Drew Moore, an astrophysics major, participated in the research for independent study credit during his sophomore and junior years. Drew Moore is currently a senior astrophysics major at the College of Charleston.
Funding The research was supported by NASA via the Smithsonian Institution Grants SAO GO0-11121A/B/C/D, SAO GO1-12139A/B/C, and GO2-13132A/B/C.
Description In quantum field theory the "shape" of space determines the density of energy present in the ground state of a quantum field. This project determined this function for wedges with reflecting sides and for space-times with a stringlike singularity on an axis.
Faculty Stephen Fulling is Professor of Mathematics and Physics. Jef Wagner was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics in Spring 2010; he is now a postdoctoral fellow in physics at the University of California at Riverside.
Student Cynthia Trendafilova did the major part of the work as an Undergraduate Research Fellow Thesis in 2011-12; she is now a graduate student in physics at the University of Texas at Austin. Preliminary work was done by Mai Truong during the summer of 2008; she is now a graduate student in physics at the University of California at Berkeley.
Funding The project, including summer stipends for both students, was supported by a grant from the Physics division of the National Science Foundation.
Title Ultrasmooth metallic films with buried nanostructures for reflection-mode plasmonic biosensing.
Description A new sensor with gold nano-structures buried underneath ultrasmooth gold surfaces was developed for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing. Unlike other SPR biosensors, this device allowed the use of opaque or highly scattering liquids as well as spectral tunability and wide-field imaging. Beyond biosensing, these buried nanostructures with ultrasmooth surfaces can benefit nano-photonic waveguides, surface-enhanced spectroscopy, nano-lithography, and optical trapping for biological research. The work was featured as a backside cover article.
Faculty Nathan Lindquist is an assistant professor of Physics at Bethel University and Sang-Hyun Oh is an associate professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Student Lauren Otto begun work on this project during the summer of 2011 as an REU student and is currently supported by a PhD fellowship at the University of Minnesota.
Funding The research was supported by a National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) REU that was awarded to Lauren.
Citation Astrophysical Journal Letters., 2013; 763: 32, Carson, J, Thalmann, C, Janson, M, Kozakis, T, Bonnefoy, M., Biller, B, Schlieder, J, Currie, T, McElwain, M, Goto, M, Henning, T, Brandner, W, Feldt, M, Kandori, R, Kuzuhara, M, Stevens, L, Wong, P, Gainey, K, + 38 authors.. College of Charleston, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, + 12 institutions.
Description This manuscript describes the direct imaging discovery of a 'Super-Jupiter' around the nearby, high mass star Kappa Andromedae. With an orbital semimajor axis about twice that of Neptune, and a mass about 12.8 Jupiter masses, the discovery represents one of only a handful of extrasolar planets ever directly imaged, and the only such case around a star so massive. The discovery suggests that stars as massive as 2.5 solar masses are still fully capable of producing planets within their primordial circumstellar disks.
Faculty Joe Carson is an assistant professor of physics & astronomy at the College of Charleston.
Student Undergraduate authors Thea Kozakis, Laura Stevens, Palmer Wong, and Kevin Gainey, all astrophysics majors, participated in the investigation for summer research, senior thesis research, and independent study, from 2011 to 2012.
Funding The research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (awarded to Carson) and the College of Charleston SURF program (awarded to Kozakis).
Description In this paper we presented the results of our investigation on the state of high dense matter that can exist in the core of neutron stars in the strong coupling regime. In these systems a crossover from a BCS regime formed by diquark Cooper pairs to a Bose-Einstein condensate of diquark molecules is expected. It was found that, in order to have a stable system formed by diquark pairs at very strong interactions, the repulsion between diquarks becomes essential. Under such consideration, the condensate retains its Cooper-pair BCS nature even at very strong interaction, where it was previously thought that it should be formed by a Bose-Einstein condensate. Possible consequences for the astrophysics of neutron stars were also discussed.
Faculty Dr. Efrain J. Ferrer is a professor of physics.
Student Jason P. Keith is now a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin. He conducted research with Dr. Ferrer for two years (2010-2012) and co-authored two peer-reviewed articles. He presented his research at the March 2010 and October 2011 Joint Meeting of the Texas Section of the APS, AAPT, and SPS, in addition to other local and regional meetings. He received the Best Physics Junior (2011) and Best Physics Senior (2012) awards from the Physics Department at the University of Texas at El Paso. He also received the 2012 Campus Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives (COURI) award given to the Best College of Science Undergraduate Researcher.
Funding Jason P. Keith received direct support from a UTEP-COURI stipend award. The research was partially supported by a DOE Nuclear Theory Grant (DE-SC0002179).
Title Quasinormal modes of Bardeen black hole: scalar perturbations.
Student Juan Correa is a physics major who participated in the research for credit in the year 2012. Juan is still here at Northern Kentucky University and will graduate in May 2013.
Description We studied the nucleation and growth of ordered structures from a disordered state, i.e., symmetry breaking, in a pure supercritical fluid under microgravity conditions in order to avoid sedimentation and convection. Recorded images showed two patterns: an almost constant fraction of droplets, presumably due to the nucleation from the gaseous phase, and a shift of the mean of the droplet size distribution towards larger sizes, presumably due to coalescence. The interfacial processes led to the first experimental observation of large scale convections in pure fluids due to thermocapillary effects.
Faculty Dr. Ana Oprisan is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Student Gregory M. Smith is currently in a doctoral program in physics at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He gained research experience in image processing and data mining using microgravity data (2007- 2009). He presented research posters at international meetings (American Physical Society, 2008; 17 Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, 2009) and many state and local research meetings, and completed a senior thesis on critical fluids in microgravity. Greg won “Horace Byrne Explorers Club Award" (Outstanding Frontier Science by an undergraduate student), "American Association for the Advancement of Science Award" (Outstanding Male Undergraduate Scientists), and South Carolina Academy of Sciences " Outstanding Student Research Award."
Funding Greg received direct support through a NASA-SCSGC fellowship, Major Academic Year Support and Research Presentation Grants form Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities program at the College of Charleston.
Description This work connects the study of pattern formation in dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) systems with areas of physics involving particles and interactions in two-dimensional (2D) lattice potentials. To date there have been many investigations of how plasma filaments in a DBD can arrange themselves in various 1D and 2D patterns. The present study introduces a nonuniform electric-field profile that has the form of a 2D square lattice and provides a template for various filament patterns. The observed patterns are reminiscent of those found in many other physical systems.
Faculty Matthew Walhout is a professor of physics and the dean for research and scholarship at Calvin College.
Student Josiah Sinclair is an undergraduate student at Calvin College. He undertook this project as a summer research fellow after his sophomore year.
Funding The research was supported by Calvin College and the National Science Foundation (Grant PHY-1068078).
Title Large photoinduced conductivity reduction in thin films of metallic ferromagnetic manganites.
Description This paper reports on a study of photoinduced resistivity changes in thin films of ferromagnetic metallic manganites. We have observed a significant increase of resistance in La0.7Ba0.3MnO3 thin film under continuous wave argon ion laser illumination presumably associated with photoinduced demagnetization. Photoinduced effects in manganites are important not only due to interesting fundamental physics but also because of potential applications in photonic and opto-electronic devices.
Faculty Vera Smolyaninova, an associate professor, and Grace Yong, a research associate, were mentoring students participating in this research at the Department of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences, Towson University. Rajeswari Kolagani is an associate professor in the same department. Amlan Biswas is their collaborator from the University of Florida.
Student Undergraduate physics majors Alex Piazza and Kilhwan Wang were involved in this project for independent study credit. Kurt Ermer is a masters student in the same group. Alex and Kilhwan are finishing their coursework and planning to graduate from Towson University this year.
Funding This work is supported by the NSF Grant No. DMR-0348939.
Title Light-bending tests of Lorentz invariance.
Description Recently, there has been growing interest among physicists in high-precision tests of Einstein’s Special and General Theories of Relativity. This is motivated by the possibility of finding miniscule relativity violations as a signal of new physics from an, as yet unknown, unified theory of gravity and quantum physics. One classic test of General Relativity is the bending of distant starlight around the sun. In this paper, we use an established general framework for relativity tests, called the Standard-Model Extension, to derive a modified deflection angle formula for light passing near the sun. We describe how this formula can be used by future dedicated light-bending tests, such as ESA’s Gaia mission, to measure new types of hypothetical relativity violations.
Faculty Dr. Quentin G. Bailey is an assistant professor in the physics department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott.
Student Undergraduate Rhondale Tso is a senior physics major who participated in the research project during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 academic years as part of an independent study and undergraduate research project.
Funding The research was supported by the Arizona NASA Space Grant and the Ronald McNair Scholars program.
Description The research work is about performing a new protocol of quantum communication by using intrinsic quantum correlations of weak coherent states. We make use of nonlinear post measurement method to obtain coherent state bi-partite correlation through balanced homodyne detection. The experiment demonstrated key (bit) correlations between Alice and Bob separated by 10 km of optical fiber.
Faculty Kim Fook Lee is an assistant professor of physics.
Student Yong Meng Sua is currently a third year graduate student in physics. Erin Scanlon is currently in a doctoral program in Georgia Tech. Travis Beaulieu is currently a 5th year undergraduate Physics student at Michigan Tech. Viktor Bollen is currently in a doctoral program in physics at the Washington State University.
Funding The research was supported by Michigan Tech 's Start-up fund and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Michigan Tech, which was awarded to Erin in 2010.
Description The present study examined experimental data regarding the evolution of solid-liquid wetting layer and convective flows in pure fluids under microgravity conditions. Our group used unique experimental data recorded on the Mir Space Station to investigate the convection-driven fast nucleation process that leads to phase separation. We found a “butterfly effect” in which small and local asymmetries in the thermal field during the critical stage of phase separation led to global convective flows. Such long-range effect have potential applications in micro- and nanofluidic devices, e.g., lab-on-a-chip, for biochemical assays.
Faculty Ana Oprisan is an assistant professor of physics at the College of Charleston (CofC).
Student Gregory M. Smith, CofC physics major, participated in undergraduate research in soft condensed matter and image processing, completed his senior thesis project, and received a few research awards under Ana’s mentorship, e.g., “Outstanding Student Research Award' from South Carolina Academy of Science, “Outstanding Male Undergraduate Scientists” from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 'Horace Byrne Explorers Club Award' for Outstanding Frontier Science Research. Gregory Smith is currently in a doctoral program in physics at Wake Forest University.
Funding The research was supported by NASA grants and a Research and Development grant form the CofC awarded to Ana. Gregory received support from the CofC MAYS and RPG program.
Title The rolling release rulapult.
Description The research was an investigation of an alternative version of the basic catapult. The way we proposed to have the mass leave the spar was new (something impressive after the hundreds of years people have used them). We then applied that idea to a lab exercise for K-12 students using very safe catapults that could be built by the students in just a few minutes, from easy to obtain materials and for a low total cost.
Faculty Joseph West is an assitant professor of physics.
Student Seth Ross received a B.S. in physics from Indiana State University in 2007. He obtained a Masters degree in physics (December 2010), working on density functional theory as applied to solids in the Center for Computational Nanosciences (CCN) at Ball State University.James Flesher received a B.S. in physics from Indiana State University in 2005. He entered the Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellows program (Purdue University) as part of the Inaugural Cohort in 2009, and plans to teach physics at the high school level.
Description The future of data security and simulation of complex systems resides in quantum computing, which uses quantum mechanical particles, such as atoms, ions, or photons as the basis for computation, rather than the traditional transistor based bit. Our research focuses on quantum computing using laser-cooled neutral atoms. We explored the atom traps formed in the diffraction pattern behind a pinhole illuminated by a laser in order to solve the remaining scalability problem of neutral atom quantum computing. We found that the light polarization dependence of the traps can be used to create a large addressable array of atoms that can be brought together and apart controllably for the implementation of quantum gates.
Faculty Katharina Gillen-Christandl is an assistant professor of physics.
Student Bert Copsey participated in this research since his sophomore year initially as part of the Cal Poly Honors Program and continued the work on grant support. Bert is currently completing a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly, and plans to enter a doctoral program in physics in the near future.
Funding This work was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.
Description This investigation examined whether the O-18 isotopic form of methanol could serve as an effective source of laser emissions in the short wavelength portion (below 150 micron) of the far-infrared region. During the course of this study, four laser emissions were discovered and the frequencies of twelve laser lines were measured with fractional uncertainties up to a few parts in ten million. This work includes the discovery and frequency measurement of the first 9 THz laser emission generated by this laser medium, tripling the frequency range previously available from optically pumped O-18 methanol.
Faculty Michael Jackson is a professor of physics and department chairperson at Central Washingon University while Lyndon Zink is a faculty member in the physics department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Student Jason Milne is a senior majoring in physics and mathematics. He participated in the summer through a paid research experience and in the academic year for research credit. Jason is in the process of applying to graduate programs.
Funding The research was supported by the National Science Foundation (award no. 0910935) and the Washington Space Grant Consortium. | 2019-04-20T14:15:11Z | https://www.cur.org/highlights/highlight_category/?code=Physics/Astronomy |
(1) Increasing the scientific and technological input in great scale, establish a multi-pleunit, multi-channel system of the input of science and technology, making effort to increase the proportion of the input of research and development of whole society to the total output value of the district year after year, and making effort to reach 2.5% in the year of 2010 to meet the requirements of construction of innovative city.
(2) Ensuring stable increase of finance input on science and technology, all levels of governments shall highlight the investment on science and technology in the budget, allocation in exceeding income of budgetary planning and budgetary enforcement at the beginning of year shall reflect the requirement of statutory increase. In 2006, municipal finance at this level has arranged 100,000,000yuan special-purpose funds for independent innovation, and this funds will increase year after year and emphasize on the support of construction of scientific and technological infrastructure, training and import of R&D institutions and high-ranking talents, key scientific and technological projects, transforms of scientific and technological outcomes and key patent, cooperation in science and technology, guidance to venture capital, development of software industry, supporting project of the state and province, important rewards on science and technology etc.
(3) Optimizing the structure of financial input in science and technology, exerting guidance function on inspiring independent innovation of enterprises by financial capital, enhancing to establish a service system of enterprise–oriented technical innovation. Reforming and consummating the management of scientific research fund, establishing strict and standard supervisory system. Establish performance evaluation system of financial fund on science and technology, clarifying the performance goal of establishing governmental scientific and technological plan and applicable scientific and technological project, and setting up consequence-oriented mechanism of performance tracing.
(4) Encouraging innovative activity of social fund donation. The donation of enterprises, public organizations or individuals through public welfare organizations or stage organs, which is for the fund of the R&D by non-associated, non-profit scientific institutes or colleges and universities, can be deducted from the taxable amount of income at the same year based on relevant regulations.
(5) Promoting innovation input of the enterprise, 150% of actual cost on the technical development of the same year can be deducted from the taxable amount of income at the same year; the rest of deduction of actual cost on the technical development at the same year can be brought over and deducted within 5 years based on tax laws. Enterprises shall collect the training fund of employees sufficiently, such fund within 2.5% of the amount of tax wage can be deducted from business income tax base. If the proportion of actual expenditure on R&D to the total business income at the same year exceeds 5%, a certain capital from the contribution of this enterprise can be allocated to invest on its independent innovative project by the local government related to the tax collection of this enterprise.
(6) The instruments used for R&D of enterprises which the unit value is below 300,000yuan can be shared into the management expenditure one time or several times, and if such instruments meet the standard of capital asserts, they can be managed separately without depreciation; in case the unit value is beyond 300,000yuan, the period of depreciation can be shortened properly or the depreciation can be accelerated. With the approval of tax department in charge, period of depreciation or amortization of the software purchased by the enterprise can be shortened properly, 2 years in minimum; With the approval of tax department in charge, period of depreciation of the productive equipment of integrate circuit enterprise can be shortened to 3 years in minimum.
(7) Scientific research and technological development supplies within the import scope regulated by research, technological and engineering center of hard technology above provincial level can be exempted from import duty and value-added tax in import section. Consummating the policy on deducting taxable wage of high-tech enterprises, with the examination and approval of tax department, the wage of scientific and technological personnel can be deducted from the income tax base.
(8) New high-tech enterprises above provincial level which belong to state high-tech industry development district, from the year beginning to make profit, be exempted from income tax in the first and second years, and shall be levied at the reduced rate of fifteen percent since the third year. High-tech enterprises above provincial level outside the territory can have certain subsidy of scientific and technological innovation by the tax related local government.
(9) The government shall guide commercial finance institution supporting the independent innovation and industrialization in form of special fund, discount interest, guarantee. Regard to the national and provincial high-tech project, making efforts to get the loan from State policy bank and the branch organ of commercial bank in Suzhou. The bank making loans to scientific and technological project at growth rate more than 20% per year during “the eleventh five year plan”, can apply for risk subsidy of 1% of the rest of newly added scientific and technological loan at the same year to provincial finance.
Consummating the financial service to scientific and technological innovation of medium and small-sized enterprises, supporting commercial banks and scientific and technological medium and small-sized enterprises to establish stable relationship. Accelerate the process of establishing the credit system of enterprises and individuals.
(10) Encouraging social fund to establish credit guarantee institution for medium and small-sized enterprises, and set up system for supplement of capital and system for multi-level allocation of risks. Guarantee institution can withdrawal reserve for bond redemption based on 50% of guarantee fee at the same year, and withdrawal reserve for risk at the proportion not exceed 1% of remaining sum of borrower's liabilities on account of guaranty at end of the year for guarantee of compensation. Promoting experimental unit of intellectual property rights hypothecation business in policy bank, commercial bank and other financial institution. Supporting insurance company to carry out property insurance of high-tech enterprise, product liability insurance, export credit insurance, business interruption insurance etc, and providing insurance service for the high-tech enterprise.
(11) Encouraging the export of high-tech products of enterprises with independent intellectual property rights, based on the total amount of export cognized by the custom, every 10,000USD can get 50yuan financial subsidy. Supporting the counterpart funding of enterprise’s application on discount interest of provincial export products in technological alteration and R&D etc.
(12) Leading the enterprise setting up the inspiriting mechanism on innovation, encouraging the enterprise to distribute and reward scientific and managerial personnel in the form of options. The outcomes of independent innovation, in the form of non-currency property, can be used as share and additional share, and its proportion in the registered capital can be reached to 70%.
(13) The actual wage of software enterprises can be deducted from the income tax base, the proportion of labor and intellectual expenditure of scientific and technological personnel in software enterprises to the development budget of enterprises can reach 60%; such proportion can reach 40% in the enterprise whose annual distribution exceeding 10,000,000yuan, the proportion of the development budget to distribution income reaches 5%.
(14) Encouraging enterprise to be in charge on the key scientific and technological innovation project, with respect to the enterprise in charge for important scientific and technological innovation project such as National 863, 973 plan etc, providing a supporting fund with proportion of 100% to the outlay which the enterprise get from such project; regard to the enterprise in charge for projects of state medium and small-sized enterprise innovation fund, high-tech industrialization and its model project and projects of tackling key problem at provincial level, high-tech research, transformation of scientific and technological outcome, the proportion of supporting fund is 50%; in respect to municipal key scientific and technological innovation project, application of information project which has good potential of development, in accordance with the direction of “the eleventh five years plan” and industrial development in medium and long term, picking out the best to provide one-off financial aid; with the confirmation of transformation project of key scientific and technological outcome carried out by municipal government, providing certain amount of capital as scientific research fund.
Supporting colleges and universities and scientific institutes in Suzhou carrying out national, provincial key scientific and technological innovation project, supporting to such colleges and universities and scientific institutes to form a complete set; Supporting colleges and universities and scientific institutes in Suzhou carrying out municipal key scientific and technological innovation project; Supporting colleges and universities and scientific institutes carrying out the transfer of scientific and technological outcome.
(15) Promoting the enterprise cooperation of production, education and research. Support the enterprise setting R&D position for colleges and universities and scientific research institution; supporting colleges and universities and scientific research institution building public service platform focusing on the development of industry, providing service for scientific and technological innovation of enterprise. Association of production, education and research established by enterprise and scientific research institution, colleges and universities, with the confirmation of relevant department, can be entitled to one-off offer scientific subsidy. The enterprise in charge with the scientific and technological project above provincial level in form of association of production, education and research can form a complete set based on outlay of the project.
(16) Encouraging and supporting the industrialization of scientific and technological outcome, transferring by shares, the people who complete such outcome can be entitled to a share no less than 20% of such share; transferring by technology license, the people who complete such outcome can be entitled to no less than 20% of the net of tax income; self-transferring or by partnership, the people who complete such outcome can be rewarded to no less than 5% of the net of tax income during 3 to 5 years from the year beginning to make profit.
(17) Encouraging re-innovation after assimilation, giving key support to the import of key instruments and key re-innovation project after assimilation above municipal level by scientific and technological special fund.
Restricting blindly or repeatedly importing the project within the list of forbidden or restricted import technology promulgated by state or province. Restricting importing key technology that is already capable to research and develop in home; forbidding or restricting importing outdated instrument and technology with high consumption or heavy pollution.
(18) SND and SIP set up by law shall be unified managed, bringing into the land use and city overall planning, land use of high-tech industry construction project in accordance with the plan shall go through the procedure of land use, and shall not change the land use without lawful approval. The portion of cost of compensation for use of land in respect of newly added use of land in construction of SND and SIP retained by local government, in the form of land development and settlement project, can be returned to SND and SIP at a proportion no less than 50%, which has the priority on the use of land development and settlement. Occupation and compensation of ploughed field can be balanced in the range of SND and SIP, if the balance failed, will be settled through reclamation in different area or onerous relief.
Ensuring and arranging in priority the use of land in construction of the carrier of important scientific and technological innovation and transformation project of critical technological innovation and scientific and technological outcomes, the use of land on the carrier of important scientific and technological innovation project shall be complied with the method of land supply on industrial project.
(19) Supporting the development of various carve out park on science and technology, with the approval of relevant department of state and province, the cognized carve out park on science and technology of national or provincial level (high-tech service center, carve out park of homecoming personnel) can be exempted from sales tax, income tax, building tax and city and town land use tax in certain period since cognizance; the construction management unit of newly cognized carve out park on science and technology of national or provincial level can be entitled to get one-off subsidy of 1,000,000yuan and 500,000yuan separately, non overlapping; in respect of municipal carve out park on science and technology (high-tech service center, carve out park of homecoming personnel), choosing the best to support, mainly on the construction of service ability.
Sitting high-tech enterprise above provincial level in the national university scientific and technological park is entitled to preferential tax policy with reference to the high-tech enterprise in national high-tech industry development district.
(20) Supporting the construction of public technological service platform, in respect to the newly established public technological service platform of national, provincial level, an one-off subsidy of 2,000,000yuan and 1,000,000yuan can be provided separately; with respect to existed public technological service platform that newly added large-scale instrument or extend service function, a subsidy amount to 50% of the investment of newly added large-scale instrument can be provided, 1,000,000yuan in maximum. Regarding to the public technological service platform for commonweal, municipal scientific and technological carve out investment company is entitled to invest and buy shares.
(21) Supporting enterprise setting up R&D institution, in respect to newly established research, technological and engineering center of hard technology at national, provincial level, one-off subsidy of 2,000,000yuan and 1,000,000yuan can be provided separately; research, technological and engineering center of hard technology dominated by enterprise and assisted by scientific research institution, with the verification of relevant department, can be entitled to corresponding preferential policy for scientific research institution. For municipal research, technological and engineering center of hard technology that has good development and strong innovative ability, choose the best to provide one-off subsidy.
(22) Supporting key laboratory set up. Supporting leading scientific laboratory meeting the requirements of the Suzhou economic development, providing one-off subsidy of 2,000,000yuan and 1,000,000yuan separately for newly set up key laboratory at national, provincial level.
Scientific and technological infrastructure such as provincial key laboratory, public technological service platform etc. and provincial enterprise technological center, engineering center, research center of engineering technology providing public technological service which are evaluated as excellent and good can be entitled to apply operational outlay or reward from provincial finance.
(23) Encouraging the development of high-tech featured industrial base, all municipal and district government shall exert all? powers to promote the construction of characteristic high-tech industrial base belong to the state torch plan, characteristic high-tech industrial base newly approved by relevant department at national, provincial level, which is in the course of construction of public service platform, common technological service platform, talent training platform, can be entitled to get non-overlapping subsidy of 2,000,000yuan and 1,000,000yuan separately. In respect of municipal characteristic industrial base aimed at enhancing ability of independent innovation, choose the best to support based on relevant regulation of municipal government (document of Suzhou municipal government No.127).
(24) Encouraging domestic scientific research institute, college and university to set up R&D institution in Suzhou, ensuring and arranging in priority its use of land in construction, the use of land of carrier project of scientific and technological innovation will be provided in the form of use of land for industrial project. Supporting in priority for newly established State independent scientific research institute by providing a fund no less than 50,000,000yuan; with respect to the independent R&D center, key laboratory established in Suzhou by national scientific research institute, key college and university, with the verification of relevant department, can be entitled to a subsidy within 2,000,000yuan.
(25) Encouraging and supporting establishing R&D institute in Suzhou by organizations or individuals abroad or in Macao, Hong Kong or Taiwan district. New high-tech enterprises above provincial level which belong to state high-tech industry development district, be levied at the reduced rate of fifteen percent, and from the year beginning to make profit, be exempted from income tax in the first and second years, and shall be levied at half rate from the third to fifth year; after that, advanced enterprises can be entitled to be levied at the reduced rate of ten percent another 3 years. Newly established independent R&D institutes abroad in Suzhou, with the provincial verification, providing a subsidy within 2,000,000yuan, choose the best to provide a subsidy within 1,000,000yuan to non independent R&D institutes with independent accountability.
Encouraging the cooperation of production, education and research between domestic colleges and universities, scientific research institutes and foreign R&D institutes in Suzhou, and? cooperating in engagement of the provincial, municipal scientific and technological projects and independent innovation projects.
(26) Encouraging the development of business in scientific service. Incomes of scientific and technological agency gained from transfer and development of technology and related business of technological consultation and service, can be exempted from sales tax, urban maintenance and construction tax and educational surtax. The new enterprise or operational unit with independent accountability engaged in scientific and technological consultation, information business (including the service on collection, distribution and disposal of statistical, scientific and technological, economic information), computer application service (including software development, data disposal, database service and computer maintenance) and technological service can be entitled to exempted from income tax at the first 2 years. The charge of consultation, service paid to the experts employed by the scientific and technological agency for specific service project, which are belong to homecoming personnel or qualified for special governmental allowance, can be brought into cost directly.
R&D institute established by foreign or Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan investor with legal approval, engaged in development and transfer of technology and related business of technological consultation and service, can be entitled to exempted from sales tax; aforementioned institute can be entitled to apply for deduction or exemption of income tax toward state tax department in respect to the charge of special permit, of which the patent, know-how bought from abroad has advanced technology or preferential condition.
(27) Encouraging the development of software enterprise, providing subsidy of 20,000yuan each software enterprise with the provincial verification and providing subsidy of 10,000yuan for each software product with the provincial verification; providing a subsidy of 50% of the charge on the certification of GB/T19000--ISO9000 quality guarantee system or CMM/CMMI International qualification, no more than 600,000yuan in total; providing one-off subsidy of 50,000yuan to the verified export software product with independent intellectual property rights; providing subsidy to the software outsourcing at the rate of 1,000yuan per 10,000USD verified by the customs.
(28) Supporting insurance company establishing risk investment enterprise on carve out in Suzhou, permitting security company engaging in risk investment in accordance with laws and regulations and relevant rules on supervision. Enhancing the investment ability of risk investment enterprise on carve out by financing the creditor’s rights within the range of the laws and regulations can be permitted.
(29) Encouraging the development of investment institution on carve out, all municipal and district government shall establish risk investment fund on carve out, enlarging the scale of scientific and technological investment enterprise on carve out, exerting the inducting function of the governmental venture capital on carve out. Establishing risk compensation system of venture capital on carve out, permitting risk investment enterprise on carve out picking up risk reserve no more than 10% of gross income.
Risk investment institute on carve out can be organized in form of company limited by shares, company of limited liability or limited partnership. The registered capital of risk investment institute on carve out can be devoted by stages based on the agreement of investors, using the sum of capital to invest according to the state regulation.
Risk investment institute can be recognized as high-tech enterprise provided that the investment on medium and small-sized enterprises exceeds 50% of its net assets value and rest investment within 30%, which can be entitled to preferential tax policy of exemption or deduction.
(30) Supporting qualified high-tech enterprises listing on domestic mainboard and board for small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting qualified non-list high-tech enterprises transferring shares on the broker agent system of security company. Support qualified high-tech enterprises issuing corporate bonds. Support to develop citywide uniform territorial market for transactions of property rights by financial support, enlarging the quit channel of venture capital.
(31) Developing new industry of science and technology in priority, scheduling the promotion list of new industry of science and technology, ensuring relevant element of production to the listed enterprises and the project with independent intellectual property right; local government shall support or reward independent innovative project invested by enterprises in certain manner at the initial stage of development.
(32) Encouraging scientific and technological model enterprises to be enlarged and enhanced, scientific and technological enterprises in Suzhou can be entitled to exempted from stipulated fees in the course of capital merger or restructure in this city; local government shall support or reward independent innovative project invested by enterprises. Encouraging scientific and technological enterprises in Suzhou listing home and abroad, recommending enterprises included in the listing assistant plan in priority to apply national, provincial scientific project, and carrying out scientific project and independent innovative project preferentially in same condition; the government will give one-off subsidy of 500,000yuan if listing successfully.
(33) Supporting the scientific and technological enterprise in Suzhou to establish independent R&D institute abroad where the scientific resource is centralized, and providing certain subsidy to the enterprises with certain scale and achievement. Encouraging scientific and technological enterprise in Suzhou to establish associated laboratory or R&D center with foreign R&D institute, with respect to new project approved by relevant state department, providing certain subsidy to the investment enterprises in Suzhou with certain scale and achievement.
(34) Encouraging environment protection and energy saving, strict implementing the regulation of contamination control, carrying out the deal of right to pollution discharge of which the income be used for independent R&D and re-innovation on the environment protection. The enterprises producing environment protection instruments with independent intellectual property rights encouraged the state, within List of the state current encouraging environment protection instruments, and in condition of independent accountability, can be exempted from annual income tax within 300,000yuan.
(35) Establishing system of procurement of independent innovative product by financial capital, the independent innovative product shall be verified based on open and equal procedure by the scientific department together with comprehensive economic department, and the results shall be proclaimed to whole society. Financial department shall decide the list of government procurement jointly with relevant department within the verified range of independent innovative product. Government, unit and organization at all level engaging in procurement by public financial capital shall purchase the listed product in priority.
Key governmental construction project and other project of procurement of key instrument and product using public financial capital, the acceptance of independent innovative product shall be the pre-condition of application.
Regarding to the key construction invested by government, in normal situation, the proportion of procurement of instruments made in China shall not be less than 60% in total value.
(36) Establishing system of government initial procurement and subscription to inspirit independent innovation. The government will process initial procurement of the product for trial or put into market for the first time by the enterprises or scientific research institute in this city, if verified to be in accordance with requirements of economic development and direction of advanced technological development and have big market potential which need support, the procurement unit or the government will purchase directly. The first class new medicine and second class Chinese traditional medicine researched and produced by enterprises in this city shall be put in medical insurance list preferentially. In respect to the key innovative product or technology to be researched or developed, the government shall determine R&D institute through government procurement or invitation public bidding and sign subscription contract, and establish corresponding system of examination, check and acceptance and promotion of R&D outcomes.
(37) Within the regulated scope, the price of the government rated independent innovative product can be decided by the production enterprises. In case meeting the procurement requirement, purchasing independent innovative product in priority in the evaluation of price-focused public bidding project. Based on the consideration of content of scientific and technological elements and the extent of market competition, the price of independent innovative product shall be deducted in certain extent in case such price is higher than common products; the price of independent innovative product less than certain proportion of the gap of common products, can be prior to come to purchase contract. Add the element of independent innovation into consideration in the public bidding project with comprehensive evaluation.
By consent of financial department, the verified service procurement project with high independent innovation content but hard to determine the price and technical standard can be processed in the form of procurement by competitive negotiation, and the procurement contract can be entered by enterprises with ability of independent innovation.
(38) Setting up special fund for patent assistance, the charge of application, material review to the key patent for invention overseas by enterprises and individuals in this city can be entitled to entire subsidy. Provincial finance shall be responsible for 50% of such subsidy, local government bears the rest.
Establishing reward for excellent patent, providing certain reward to the excellent patent for invention; providing professional training and certain financial aid for patent personnel, management personnel in patent of enterprises, service personnel of patent. The expenditure of enterprises happened in the course of transfer of patent outcome can be accounted into cost one time or several times.
(39) Enhancing the service of social intellectual property rights, stipulated fees collected and remitted during the trade of the intellectual property rights license by social intellectual property rights service agency, can be deducted in the business tax base. Carrying out assistance to litigations of intellectual property rights, providing litigation or administrative disposal subsidy to the foreign litigation, litigation by enterprises in difficulty and individual patent litigation.
In case of acquisition of the enterprises or trademarks by foreign investor, the intellectual property rights and other immaterial assets supported by financial aid shall be totally returned by acquisition party after evaluation of qualified agency.
(40) Encouraging enterprises implementing well know strategy, providng export enterprises with subsidy of 1,000,000yuan, 200,000yuan separately qualifying domestic well-know trademark, exemption from national quality inspection or having key support and development, no overlapping subsidy.
(41) Encouraging units of this city promulgating or participating in promulgation of International standard, supporting the transformation of foreign advanced standard to domestic standard; leading the technical standard of association of product, study and research, promoting the combination of such standard and scientific research, development, design, manufacture. The enterprise participating in suggestion or advising in WTO/TPT telegraphy reviewing, if such suggestion or advice is accepted by deliberation party, can be entitled to one-off reward of 500,000yuan. The main drafting unit of approved International standard, National standard, profession or local standard, can be entitled to one-off subsidy of 1,000,000 yuan, 500,000 yuan, 200,000 yuan separately.
(42) Accelerate to cultivate and appeal the innovative talents and outstanding enterprisers who are urgently needed in the field of frontier technology and new and hi-tech technology industrialization. As for those bringing-in academy leading person of national level, major persons who take part in the projects that won the national award for science and technology, and persons that possess self intellectual property rights in R&D achievements, a fund of 50,000 to 1,000,000 RMB will be offered according to different situations. Land will be provided, types of expenditure will be reduced and apartment with high quality and low rent will be built for those innovative talents. Enterprises in our city may build up apartment for experts in the area of enterprise land in proportion after being approved.
(43) Launch projects for cultivating high-demand innovative talents of high level in Suzhou, and build service platforms for continual education of innovative talents of high level and for renewal knowledge. Annually, 500 high-demand innovative talents of high level may be funded to train abroad, and 50 interdisciplinary enterprisers with innovation may get a chance to train in famous universities or training centers home and abroad.
(44) Actively bring in excellent talent overseas. Those high-level talents working in our city are regardless of entity’s authorization, salary sum and domicile location before going abroad. The salary of foreign experts appointed by enterprises and R&D institutions may be listed and paid in the cost. The restriction of their working license as well as permanent living rights can be open to some extend. Within the period of ID effectiveness, they are able to transact to enter the country more than once by their valid visas.
For those imported excellent talents from abroad and academy leading persons of national level, they will get prior arrangement or support in medical insurance, employment of spouses, schooling of children and housing, etc., and? certain environment for R&D will be provided. Expenditure of housing subsidies, settling fees and R&D launching charges in terms of introducing talents of high level may be listed in cost budget.
(45) Award for science and technology contribution. Enterprises and individuals, which make great contribution to science and technology innovation, will be heavily awarded. Persons of science and technology in our city, who have won the state highest award of science and technology, the state award of natural science, the state award of technology invention, the state award of science and technology progress and first place of Jiangsu award of science and technology, will receive corresponding awards. Technology specialists, who become prominent in the technology innovation, have the priority to be recommended to the nation and the province to get the reputation of promising experts of young and middle age, labor models, to enjoy the government allowance and have the priority to be declared and assessed their title of special technology and to be listed in the key cultivated talents of the city. Mayor special award for outstanding talent of science and technology will be set up with the bonus of RMB 1,000,000.
Enterprises and individuals, which have made tremendous contribution to bringing in innovative vehicle, innovative enterprises, innovative talents and innovative projects, will get awards.
(46) Support science popularization and academy exchange. Academic research by academic groups shall be encouraged and academic exchange of high level shall be organized. Increase the input on science popularization to achieve more than 5 yuan per capita by 2010 and to obviously beyond the requirement of the state and the province. Award of 300,000 and 100,000 will be paid one-off to national or provincial science popularization centers and spark schools respectively. Ticket incomes from science popularization activities by scientific popularization centers approved by provincial administrative office of science and technology can be exempted operation tax after the approval of taxation administration.
In order to boost education for all-round development and enhance the self-innovation ability, pupils and students are encouraged to make innovative activities as small invention, small creation and small manufacturing, etc. and will get award for their achievements in the innovation activities.
(47) Corresponding detailed regulations shall be stipulated by relevant departments according to this notion, and specific measurements shall be made by cities and districts in accordance with the local situation. If related with fiscal expenditure in the above-mentioned items, it shall be classified shouldered according to present financial system.
(48) This notion shall be implemented since the date of issue.
Make 220 copies for all departments, committees, offices and bureaus of municipal committee, Office of Standing Committee of Suzhou Municipal People’s Congress, General Office of the CPPCC Suzhou Municipal Committee, all People’s Organizations, all universities and colleges. | 2019-04-20T07:18:38Z | https://ocgladiators.com/ENGLISH/SCI-TECH002.html |
Children’s University ECU Learning Destinations coming soon!
Learning Destinations can enrich communities and build valuable networks that help support children and their families in their educational journey. Click on each Learning Destination below to see what they have to offer!
Endangered Australian animals at Adelaide Zoo can now be observed online! Funded through a collaborative project between the University of Tasmania, University of Wollongong and the University of Adelaide, it was developed as an activity for Children’s University Australia students in regional/remote areas. Children’s University students around the world can now complete an online animal observation activity and receive stamps in their passport.
To receive your stamp, take your completed ethogram to your in-school CU Coordinator to earn 20 minutes in your passport per ethogram. To access this exciting initiative click here and follow the instructions provided.
Please note that the Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby camera is currently down.
What could be better than a forever breaking wave?
Regardless of your board riding ability or the weather outside, Aloha Surfhouse breaks 365 days a year. With technology that is new to the Australian dirt, the indoor wave is a must try!
Learners have more time to figure out what foot goes where, how to turn and what feels right…while more experienced riders have a permanent never-ending wall to lay it down on, refine their skills and work on their style. Prefer to bodyboard? No worries, you can choose a surfboard or bodyboard during your safety induction. Board and helmet hire are included.
The team at Aloha Surfhouse are offering a 10% discount on single surf sessions for Children’s University ECU members. Remember to use the code CHILDRENSUNI when you book online.
Book your surf session online here with the CU ECU discount code!
Aloha Surfhouse is open 7 days a week. Keep an eye on the website for times.
Don’t forget to bring your passport along to receive your stamp!
What are your goals? My goals are to connect with people through my writing and to pass on the useful tips and knowledge I gain along the way. It is also wonderful to know that people enjoy what I write and get pleasure from something that means a lot to me.
If you are a writer or thinking of writing, I have a blog, pages for children with poems and short stories and illustrations to give younger readers ideas. You can view all of these resources by clicking here.
To receive a stamp in your passport please read one or more of the poems or short stories and leave a comment via the provided text box (bottom of the story/poem). Then provide evidence of the conversation to your in School CUA Coordinator who will then issue a stamp in your passport.
Students who enjoy this particular activity may be interested in studying creative writing, journalism or media. Just some ideas to get you started.
The Art Gallery of Western Australia warmly welcomes children and families to visit and explore the exhibitions and collections together. The artist trails, children’s labels, family tours, artist-led workshops and community events support young visitors to engage deeply with works of art and share their unique perspectives.
Ways of looking at art with your children.
The program of validated events is always changing so there is something for all Children’s University ECU members!
The resulting work will be launched during NAIDOC Week 2019: Voice. Treaty. Truth.
Present your Children’s University Passport to a Gallery staff member at the front desk to receive a stamp/sticker in your passport!
Details regarding the 2019 AWESOME Festival will run from 5-18 October. For more information about the AWESOME Festival or to please visit the website here.
A visit to the AWESOME Festival could encourage students to consider a career in contemporary arts, arts management, arts production and creative design, education, engineering or communications.
We’re getting out our scissors and glue for 2019 and we want to see the amazing art your students can make! AWESOME invites your school to create your own collage artworks to be displayed during the 2019 AWESOME Festival (5-18 October).
Register online here or email [email protected] with any questions!
At Bunnings D.I.Y. Workshops you can make fun, creative projects like toolboxes, toy trucks, planter boxes and painting projects. There is a different theme every week from garden and woodworking to paint, mosaics and recycled wall art. These workshops are free for children over the age of 5. An adult must accompany all children.
Don’t forget to pack your passport and collect your stamp after the workshop!!!
If you enjoy visiting this Learning Destination you may find you have an interest in leadership, building, sustainability, design, or community studies. You could also connect you passion in building to trade, management, landscape design or engineering….. Just some ideas to get you thinking.
You may pursue this passion further and look to find more about trade opportunities. Helpful Hint: ask a Bunnings Team Member how they became involved and what experiences led them there!
Check out the below stores for a full list of D.I.Y. Workshops and Activities at each location. Don’t forget to book your place!
Click on the store link to find out about the Kids Activities at each store.
Holiday Program information will be updated before each school holiday period.
Carramar Golf Course is offering Children’s University passport holders the opportunity to learn the sport of golf through the MyGolf Junior Program. The national program, by Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia, aims to teach children the basic skills of golf in a fun and supported environment. With classes available for children up to 14 years old, there is something to suit every level of golfer.
Dates and booking information can be found by clicking here.
Don’t forget to pack your passport and get it signed by your coach after your lesson!
There are currently no Cartoon Kingdom workshops planned in Perth. Please check back at a later time.
To encourage students to seek out new and unique learning experiences, the total number of hours earned from Regular Restricted Learning Destinations is capped at 10 hours per activity, per membership period. In the case of Regular Restricted Learning Destinations, students can gain their hours simply by completing a ‘Review’ of their activities each year. These Learning Destinations do not need to be listed as a Learning Destination on the website.
Students can collect the appropriate review form from their in-school CUA Coordinator, complete it, and return it before graduation for their in-school Coordinator to validate up to a maximum of 10 hours of learning in their Passport (per activity).
These review forms can be collected from your in-school coordinator of downloaded by clicking the links below.
Each school holidays we have a different focus covering a wide range of subjects and interests. Check out the School Holiday program and participate in up to three activities during each school holidays.
Autumn is awesome when you visit the library during the school holidays. Hop in, learn something new and create something memorable at your City of Joondalup Libraries.The complete program can be viewed on the City’s event calendar.
Cost is up to $4.00 per child per activity. Bookings are essential and open online from Monday 1 April 2019, 9.30am. There is a maximum of three events per child, and parents/carers of children under 12 years are required by library policy to remain in the building while their children attend the event.
If you are unaable to make it to one of the School Holiday sessions you can also do Places to Peg: Transform a humble peg into something awesome at the libraries’ DIY Maker Space, then search for the places you would discover when reading some of your favourite classics in our holiday Treasure Hunt. Cost is free. No bookings required. For ages 5 to 12. Check website for opening hours.
Click here for the full list of April school holiday activities run at one of the City of Joondalup Libraries four locations.
Take your passport to the Museum front desk to receive your stamp!
City of Wanneroo Libraries help you explore, discover, learn and create!
Whether you want to rediscover the joy of reading, learn new skills, lose yourself in your imagination or just relax and meet new friends, our libraries have just what you’re looking for, whatever your age or interests.
Each Library has ongoing public programs including school holiday activities to entertain the whole family.
Visit the events page on the the City of Wanneroo website here for events happening at your local library!
This summer explore and read about the wonderful world of critters and creatures, large and small, real and imagined. Create your own fabulous beasties and earn rewards as you participate in the best Summer Reading Club yet.
Discover new animal characters and fantastic species of the natural world. Learn new facts and marvel at all the wonders of the animal kingdom.
Become a club member at any of the City of Wanneroo Libraries. Register and receive a fabulous giveaway pack, complete with activity sheets, puzzles and super reading suggestions.
Click here for the full schedule of school holiday activities!
The City of Wanneroo is very fortunate to have 3 museum sites: two historic houses – Cockman House and Buckingham House – and the Wanneroo Regional Museum.
The Wanneroo Museum provides a range of stories and themes based on the development of the area, from our Indigenous past, pioneers through to modern Wanneroo and its incredible evolution in recent times.
The Museum has ongoing public programs including school holiday activities to entertain the whole family.
Visit the City of Wanneroo website here for more information about each of the museums and what is happening!
CIY.Club (Code It Yourself) Camps are a weekend and school holiday event where kids come together to train to be creators of technology!
Courses are developed by the team behind ScopeIT Education, which have services tightly integrated with the Australian curriculum, providing lessons on learning to code, building websites, creating apps, 3D printing and design.
CIY.Club Camps provide a community where coders can engage with one another and learn important skills for the future. As they progress with the support of our professional Coaches, Coders work their way through introductory topics such as; Game Coding, 3D Printing, Website Development and more! In addition, the 6 hour Camp session will see Coders team building with fellow students and getting involved with offline games/activities (with prizes!).
For more information about CIY.Club Camps or to find a location near you, please click here.
If you enjoy visiting this Learning Destination you may find you have an interest in computer science, information technology or software development…..just some ideas to get you thinking.
Don’t forget to bring your passport to the camp to receive your stamp! All camps are a validated activity.
CIY (Code It Yourself) Clubs are after-school, weekend and holiday clubs and camps where kids come together to train to be creators of technology!
CIY.Club provides a community where students can engage with one another and learn important skills for the future. As they progress with the support of our professional Coaches, Coders work their way through the achievements from level 1 to 9, opening the doors to topics such as; Game Coding, 3D Printing, Website Development and more!
For more information and to find a location near you, please click here.
If you enjoy visiting this Learning Destination you may find you have an interest in computer science, information technology or software development….. just some ideas to get you thinking.
Don’t forget to bring your passport to each session to receive your stamp! All sessions are validated activities.
Think you’re brave? Test your courage by attempting one of the two ‘amp it up’ experiences at Clip ‘n Climb Joondalup.
Take up the challenge and test your climbing skills by tackling a climbing wall like you’ve never seen before. Tested and tried on all individuals with one common result, FUN!!! With over 15 climbing challenges ready for you to attempt, there is something for everyone.Each climbing wall is equipped with TruBlue Autobelay making it safe and easy to climb free of a buddy. This means everyone can be having fun at the same time!
The team at Clip ‘n Climb are offering a 10% discount for Children’s University ECU members. Remember to use the code CHILDRENSUNI when you book online.
Book your session online here with the CU ECU discount code!
Does your child have energy to burn in the school holidays? Or maybe they love their screen time?
With our life-size bike safety track and our augmented-reality safety quiz your kids will have lots of fun … and may even learn a thing or two about road safety!
Please check back here or email [email protected] to express your interest in being notified when bookings are open.
Looking for some fun activities this winter holidays? Come down to the Wangaree Community Centre and get your art groove on!
An updated schedule of events will be available closer to the next school holiday period.
Please call (08) 9655 2808 for inquiries or visit the website here for more information about the DADAA Lancelin and the Wangaree Community Centre!
We have a range of different tools to help you create your piece, and a selection of examples to help you get creative. All prices include paints, firing and glazing as we do not have a studio fee. Pieces can be picked up 7 days after completion.
Firetech is on a mission to teach young people how to design, create and innovate with strongly embedded values that underpin the work they do and the change they create!
Offering a wide range of 30+ creative and technical courses from robotics to software programming, flying drones and digital photography, Firetech’s STEAM workshops are designed as a fantastic environment for challenging design thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration skills – while having heaps of fun along the way!
Firetech offers school holiday tech experiences, after school tech clubs, co-curricular sessions and Professional Development programs for teachers and educational staff.
Visit the Firetech website for a full list of in-term, school clubs and holiday activities!
Please note prices and age ranges for activities vary.
Learning is FUN at Forte School of Music!
Our multi-sensory approach has been shown to have enormous spin off effects on a child’s ability to focus and concentrate at school, as well as developing self-confidence and self-esteem. Our team of qualified professional musicians are fully trained to ensure you experience the very best in music tuition.
Junior Keys (5- 8 years) and Piano Keys (8+ years) are our premier foundation piano course. In our children’s piano classes, children develop a rich base of important musical skills, a strong platform on which to study any instrument in the future.
“Ohana” is Hawaiian for family – Our debut ukulele classes (6+ years). With its short scale, four strings instead of six, and greater string spacing the ukulele is an easily accessible and ideal entry level instrument for all beginners, regardless of age.
Private studios are also available for one-on-one tuition with 30 minutes sessions for $37.97. Forte cater for most popular instruments including piano/keyboard, guitar (classical, acoustic, electric & bass), violin, singing, and drums.
Visit the website to book your lesson!
School Holiday Programs and special events can be found via their Facebook here.
Discover the Wonders of Our Universe this school holidays!
The Gravity Discovery Centre offers a range of exciting science attractions just one hour north of Perth. Experience hands-on science exhibits while learning about the latest science discoveries and how they relate to your everyday life!
Home to the ‘Leaning Tower of Gingin’, the Gravity Discovery Centre is the only centre in Australia with a focus on Gravity and Cosmology. The Gravity Precinct also hosts the GDC Observatory and the famous Zadko telescope. The Observatory boasts a fully retractable roof, state of the art telescopes, and amazing WA dark sky offering a world class astronomy experience for the whole family.
For a full list of current exhibits and Gravity Discovery Centre opening times please click here.
For more details to help plan your visit to the Observatory please click here.
Rocket Making Workshops: Make your own rockets, including straw rockets and a water rocket which can be launch from our AquaPods. Please bring a 1.25L empty drink bottle to construct your rocket.
Book your spot online here!
Space Explorers: Our ‘Space Explorers’ program teaches kids all about our local solar system, plus they’ll learn some of the tools and skills required by astronauts, all through interactive activities!
If you love netball, soccer or basketball, you will love our sporting clinics! Playing sport is a great way to get active and have fun with friends. Our clinics will give you the skills to step into the game with confidence.
The progressive lesson structure focuses on a specific skill each week, combining individual skill training with partner based activities and practical game simulation. As well as ball skills, footwork, offensive and defensive techniques you will learn the rules of the game. Team sports are a great way for you to develop social skills, team work and be involved in healthy competition.
Whether you are a beginner or have some experience, our clinics cater for all skill levels. Classes are divided into Junior and Intermediate age groups, so you will enjoy learning the skills of the game in a friendly social environment.
For registration details and sport schedules visit the website here.
CU members will be able to have their passports stamped at the end of the term!
The Jane Goodall Institute promotes understanding and protection of great apes and their habitat and builds on the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall, our founder, to inspire individual action by young people of all ages to help animals, other people and to protect the world we all share.
Our Roots & Shoots Program empowers young Australians and equips them with the tools, motivation and support they need to address the problems that matter most to them. We create an ever expanding network of Australians, connected with their global counterparts, who are inspired to be change-making global citizens.
Chimp Champions – All you have to do is raise at least $50 and we will present your school with your very own Junior Chimp Champion certificate, along with Anzac’s story. Please contact us at [email protected] with your contact details and funds raised and we will organise your certificate or even a visit to your school! Show your certificate to your in-school CUA Coordinator to receive a stamp in your passport. For further details click here.
Habitat Protection – Campaign for Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) labelling! Write to manufacturers asking them to explicitly label palm oil and use CSPO. Show a copy of your emailed letter to your in-school CUA Coordinator to receive a stamp in your passport. For further details access the link here.
Design Your Own – Roots & Shoots is an adaptable and ever-changing program. Most importantly, it’s your program! You can use community mapping to identify areas in your community that could use some help and use that as inspiration to start your own project. Show your community mapping and any other evidence of learning to your in-school CUA Coordinator to receive a stamp in your passport. For further information click here.
Mobile Phone Recycling – Schools only. For further information on Mobile Phone Recycling click here.
Joondalup Climbing Centre is Perth’s premier indoor climbing centre. Located north of Perth in Joondalup, and only 10 minutes walk from Joondalup Train Station, we cater for climbers of all levels, from the complete novice through to seasoned professionals.
alike. Our management team has over 20 years’ collective climbing experience, and combined with our relaxed and informal social atmosphere, great facilities and energetic staff, make Joondalup Climbing Centre “the” indoor place to climb in Perth.
Any Parents interested in their children participating in the children’s classes should call Mike at the centre on 9301 0097. He is the Instructor organising class dates and times throughout the year.
Ages: Climbers under 13 years old will need to have Rope Operators that are 13 years old and over 150cm tall.
Don’t forget to get your passport stamped at the front desk when you leave!
The Joondalup Wolves are pleased to announce 2019 Wolfpack Basketball School Holiday Camps, held at their new home – HBF Arena, are a CU ECU validated activity!
Due to Easter and Anzac Day, the camp will be held over two days – Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th April from 9am – 3pm with all the fantastic opportunities for training and advice for all levels of development, that made our January camp so popular. However, all camp participants will also receive free entry to the Wolves v Flames SBL game on Thursday 18th April.
Take your Passport to your Children’s University Coordinator to receive a stamp/sticker in your passport for 10 hours.
More details for the next school holiday camps will be available closer to the next holiday period.
Just Jump’s Parkour and Trampoline equipment is waiting for you to try!
Jumping is a low impact movement that increases your health and well-being with the added bonus of having fun while keeping healthy!
Please note: general admission is not available after school hours, classes only. For more information or to book your session click here !
If you’re interested in wildlife, biology or helping to protect our environment than a visit to Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre is a must!
Kaarakin is a not-for-profit conservation organisation focused on saving black cockatoos. Kaarakin aims to rescue and rehabilitate endangered Black Cockatoos with the view for release, to restore critical Black Cockatoo habitat and to educate the public about our mission.
During the school holidays Kaarakin hold a number of fun events that involve seeing the Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre, interacting with some of the friendly black cockatoos, and doing conservation/craft activities. To find out more about school holiday activities click here!
If you plan a visit on one of the Tour Days you’ll be able to walk through the grounds of the Centre and see how Kaarakin are working hard to protect and rehabilitate our native wild black cockatoo species. You’ll also get the chance to visit the dingo enclosure and see the work that the Australian Threatened Species Centre is doing to save our native dingoes, as well as meeting some of the other native animals resident at Kaarakin including emus and kangaroos, all in beautiful bush surroundings. Click here for more information about Tour Days!
If you’d like to get involved, book a private tour of the centre or experience a black cockatoo or dingo close-encounter, visit the website for more details!
If you would like to know more about Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre you can keep up to date via Facebook or Instagram!
My name is Kristin Martin and I’m a poet from South Australia. On my website you can find some of my favourite poems. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. Some of these poems are funny. Some are silly. And some are about the beautiful things in life. Let me know which ones you like.
To receive a stamp in your passport, you will need to read some of the poems on the website, then choose one of the poems and leave a detailed comment in the box below. Your comment and my reply will be posted on the website within a few days. You will then to provide evidence of our conversation to your in-school CUA Coordinator, who will issue a stamp for 30 minutes for the poem conversation.
Students who enjoy this activity may develop an interest in creative writing, journalism or media and choose to pursue further study in one of these fields at a tertiary level.
The poems are suitable for students aged 6 to 12.
How much energy do you have??? Do you feel like climbing up walls… literally? then you should go to Latitude!!
What can’t you do at Latitude? Take a look at their website here to check out all the activities they have to offer.
Trampolining and climbing are proven ways to get happy BUT did you know it’s also a fun way to get fit and strong for the other sports you do. In fact, there’s no better activity to train spatial awareness.
Ever wondered why you can jump on a trampoline all day and never get tired? That is because when you jump on a trampoline, you keep your energy at a level that leads to genuine fitness with low impact to the body.
*Latitude socks $2, must be worn during all sessions and are yours to keep for next time.
Latitude Perth is open 7 days a week. Keep an eye on the website for times.
Don’t forget to bring your passport to receive your 1 hour stamp at the front desk!
Welcome to Mike Lucas’s Monthly Poetry Challenge! This challenge will involve some form of creative writing in the genre of poetry. Mike may ask you to write a poem on a particular subject, or in a certain form, or to include a particular tool of poetry. All the information needed to write your poem will be on his website. When you have finished your poem, email it to Mike and he will reply with some feedback.
To receive a stamp in your passport, you will need to complete the monthly challenge which is available via the website here. Simply take your email and feedback from Mike to your School Coordinator to receive a stamp for 30mins in your passport. The important thing to remember is that every poem is different and what you write, as long as you follow the set rule, will always be right.
“On the Job” is an online curriculum concept, blending online and offline activities into an understanding of employment and the modern workplace.
Here you can find out real people’s experiences on working “On the Job”. Sometimes it might be different to what you think!
Suitable for ages 10 – 14 years old.
To access “On the Job” please click here.
Provide evidence of completing an online activity, for example, photographs, written report or video recording to your in-school CUA Coordinator to receive a stamp in your passport. Time allocated is at the discretion of the in-school CUA Coordinator.
Ever wanted a ‘hands-on experience’ zoo experience?
CU ECU members and their families will receive 15% discount off admission to Peel Zoo and can receive up to 3 hours in their passport for attending the zoo.
The ‘Junior Zookeeper 4 a Day’ is also a validated CU ECU activity. Students will experience the life of a professional Zookeeper for a day. They will learn about animal husbandry, feeding, animal handling, and captive breeding. Participants not only enjoy all the hands on activities involved with being a Junior Zookeeper, they also receive a cool Zookeeper 4 A Day T-shirt, cap, and certificate, as well as lunch on the day.
Price: CU ECU passport holders will receive a discounted price of $109 by using the code CUECU when booking online.
Students participating in the activity may develop an interest in Veterinary Science or Wildlife Conservation Science and choose to pursue either of these fields at a tertiary level.
Don’t forget to take your passport with you to Peel Zoo and get it stamped before you leave!
Back in 2018 bigger and better than ever!
Visit this year’s Perth Science Festival, with over 60 interactive activities, stage shows, science meets art exhibitions and more!
Don’t forget to take your CU ECU passport to the Edith Cowan University (ECU) stand to complete activities for stamps.
Visit the Perth Science Festival website here to help plan your day!
The Perth Wildcats Junior Camp is just around the corner and children of all sizes, abilities and interest in basketball are welcome to attend.
The camp will consist of skill sessions, games plus exciting giveaways. Places are limited so make sure you get in quickly to confirm your bookings.
We look forward to seeing you at the Perth Wildcats Junior Camp.
Places are limited get in quick to secure your spot!
Click here for more information including pricing!
Welcome to Australia’s best small zoo!
Perth Zoo gets hands-on in wildlife conservation, at home and beyond our borders. This is what makes us one of the world’s best small zoos. One simple vision inspires and directs Perth Zoo’s work – a world where diversity of species and habitats is secure.
Looking forward to your upcoming visit to Perth Zoo? We’ve got you covered with all the essential information right here in one place!
The program of validated events is always changing so there is something to interest every Children’s University ECU member!
Follow the interactive trail to match the eggs with their parents!
Get creative in the Wild Zone using egg cartons and help make paper maché eggs to hide Easter treats in for our animals.
Zoo Crew is a Perth Zoo educational adventure day for kids aged 8-13 where they have the unique opportunity to learn about what’s involved in caring for the Zoo’s incredible animals.
Perth Zoo has a huge range of walk & talk options to suit all interests!
Science 2 Kids provides hands on, engaging and relevant programmes aligned to the Australian curriculum. They promote the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) philosophy providing opportunities for critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills to be developed using inquiry, project and challenge-based learning.
Science2kids offer a variety of geology themed parties from rocks that float and rocks that glow to a junior prospector’s party. Junior Geologists are given a brief talk about the science of geology and then they can put their geology skills into practice with a selection of fun activities!
Discover the world of Insects with a minibeast party. Science 2 kids will introduce junior Entomologists to a variety of live insects, their lifecycles and other interesting insect facts. Followed by some fun activities and if the venue is suitable, they can take your junior entomologists on an insect hunt to discover what lives in their own backyard.
The State Library of Western Australia provide students the opportunity to experience the world of cultural art through workshops and interactive exhibitions. The program of validated events is always changing so there is something to interest every Children’s University ECU member!
Are you involved (or want to get involved) in CoderDojo WA? Do you want to boost your skills as a Mentor or as a Leader (Champion)? This training session is for community members of all ages and backgrounds. Yes that includes school students as well as adults. Come along and learn how to help other people in your Dojo and in the CoderDojo community!
Register: book your place here!
Want to experience a CoderDojo session this school holidays? Here’s your chance!
A CoderDojo provides an open-free learning environment where you can learn to code by creating projects of your own choice, with the support of mentors.
The 2018 AWESOME International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things will return to the Perth Cultural Centre to inspire and Delight Perth Children aged 0-12 and their families.
AWESOME will present an array of creative hands-on activities, and kids book clubs in the State Library in addition to an amazing program of visual arts, theatre, circus, puppetry and many other activities taking place in the Perth Cultural Centre.
Where: Various locations throughout the State Library.
A full calendar of events can be found here!
Check out the website to find out what is on and plan your visit!
Think of Story Box Library as an on-line ‘reading room’. It’s a place where the wonderful world of Australian Children’s Literature is on permanent exhibit. Story Box Library is committed to supporting and encouraging the practice of storytelling – they want your imaginations to soar.
Story Box Library creates through videos an interactive experience inviting storytellers to read stories. These may be people you recognise… sports people, musicians, comedians, actors, all with varying accents and from different cultures.
Story Box Library is a live streaming service, which means once logged in, you have instant access to our content without having to download files. You will require a internet connection to access our library. There are also different membership levels available for purchase and some stories for free. Check out the pricing options here.
Want to get a sneak preview for what Story Box Library is like, then click here. There are always new and interesting opportunities taking place at the Story Box Library – Check it out here.
After listening to a book you can provide evidence of learning to your in-school Children’s University Australia Coordinator by filling out the Book Review Template –Book Review.
As the leaders in kids sport and soccer programs across Perth, we are dedicated to inspiring our superstars to have fun, learn new skills and to work in a team environment. Junior Soccer and Vacation Clubs take place throughout the northern suburbs with sessions running from ages 2-13 years; Hillarys to Yanchep.
Target Sports Soccer programs are 8 weeks in length and run alongside the school term. Each program is designed to coach new skills to build player confidence and a love of sport, specifically for each age group. Junior sessions for all Primary School pupils take place after school and over the weekends.
The school holidays are just around the corner and Target Sports have endless sporting FUN planned! Each day learn different sports including cricket, t-ball, soccer, basketball, tennis, auskick, dodgeball, handball. athletics, hockey & more!
Tullio Rossi completed his PhD in Climate Science at the University of Adelaide in 2016. During his studies he also worked as a Graphic Designer. Tullio has now combined his scientific and design backgrounds to produce scientific videos focused on marine biology and preservation of the planet’s resources.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of selected videos by completing the corresponding activity sheets. Please note the appropriate YouTube links are also found on the activity sheets below.
Completed worksheets are to be taken to your in school CUA Coordinator and they will issue 30 minutes and a stamp in your passport.
To check out all of Dr Tullio Rossi’s work please visit The Coral Garden YouTube page by clicking here.
Do you love videos games? Do you ever wonder about how they were invented?
At The Nostalgia Box, we set out to celebrate the people that made the video game industry what it is today! We want to shed light on why home video game consoles have evolved in the way they have. We showcase over 100 consoles from the 1970s through to the 2000s in an interactive exhibit.
This is a great way to go behind the scenes and uncover the ‘making’ of the video game industry as you read stories of how each console was developed. You are sure to find most, if not all, retro consoles from your parent’s childhood as well as many you have never seen before! Play all the classic games like Pong, Space Invaders, Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog, Crash Bandicoot and many more. This is your chance to experience gaming history through play and share it with your friends and family!
Discount: Children’s University members receive 15% discount when visiting The Nostalgia Box out of school hours by using the discount code ChildUNI when booking online.
Validated Activity: Collect and complete an activity sheet at when you visit The Nostalgia Box to receive a stamp in your Passport!
Fun is our business! Come along and make something special.
Unleash your creative side with a visit to The Pottery Playroom. Paint your own unique piece of pottery in our spacious child-friendly studio.
It is the perfect way to capture special memories, create a personal gift for a loved one or even make keepsakes such as hand and footprints. Visit the website here for more information to help plan your visit!
Bookings advisable at weekends and during school holidays.
Don’t forget to take you passport and get it stamped!
The vision on Toonworld is simple we “Encourage, Empower, Educate and Entertain” kids through Cartooning Workshops & Animation Incursions as a vacation care provider and in school creative specialists that improve their confidence and creativity.
Mike and Claudio believe that Toonworld is teaching a form of child development which not only enhances the students’ drawing ability but also bolstering their confidence in themselves with their peers while unlocking their creativity.
Toonworld offers cartooning incursions that really make a different. We travel all over Australia visiting Kindergartens, OOSH & OSHC, Primary & High Schools. The workshops will have your children drawing long after the incursion is over!
For more information about costs, duration, activities and bookings please click here.
Students participating in these activities may develop an interest in Creative Arts, Special Effects and Animation and may choose to pursue one of these fields at a tertiary level. | 2019-04-25T21:46:13Z | https://cuaustralasia.com/adults/learning-destinations/why-become-a-learning-destination/?cu_region=WA |
We have developed the Terms of Service to detail as clearly as possible the respective rights, duties, and obligations of Practice Sense (“Practice Sense”) and you (the “Client,” or “You”).
By clicking the “I AGREE” option, creating an account, accessing an account, or paying for or using our Service(s), You (or, if applicable, the entity you are acting for or on behalf of) accept that the terms, obligations, rights and conditions specified here will form a legally binding agreement (the “Agreement”) between You and Practice Sense.
IF YOU ARE ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF A COMPANY OR OTHER LEGAL ENTITY, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BIND THE ENTITY TO ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT AND, “YOU”, “YOUR”, ‘SUBSCRIBER’ OR RELATED CAPITALIZED TERMS IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL REFER TO SUCH ENTITY AND IT’S AFFILIATES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE SUCH AUTHORITY OR IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THIS AGREEMENT, YOU MUST NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS AND MAY NOT USE THE SERVICES.
If you do not agree with the terms and conditions below, do not click the “I AGREE” option, do not create an account, or use the Services. If you do not agree with these terms and conditions in full, you are not authorized to use the Services in any fashion for any purpose whatsoever.
All Capitalized terms used in this Agreement have the meanings set forth below.
“Affiliated Entities or Affiliates” means any licensors and suppliers providing any or part of the Software and/or Services; and all subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, consultants, and agents of Practice Sense and of any of the foregoing.
“Confidential Information” means all nonpublic information disclosed by Practice Sense and our Affiliates or by You that is designated as confidential or that, given the nature of the information or circumstances surrounding its disclosure, reasonably should be understood to be confidential. Confidential Information includes: (a) nonpublic information relating to a party’s technology, customers, business plans, promotional and marketing activities, finances and other business affairs; (b) third-party information that a party is obligated to keep confidential; and (c) the nature, content, and existence of discussions or negotiations between the parties. Confidential Information does not include any information that: (i) is or becomes publicly available without breach of this Agreement; (ii) can be shown by documentation to have been known to the receiving party at the time of receipt from the disclosing party; (iii) is received from a third party who did not acquire or disclose the same by a wrongful or tortious act; or (iv) can be shown by documentation to have been independently developed by a party without reference to the other party’s Confidential Information.
“Content” means any and all information, data, and protected health information (PHI), regardless of the file format or file contents (and includes, without limitation, all photographs, text, images, audio clips, sounds, videos, databases, e-mails, computer programs, as well as any other files) uploaded by or for You in connection with Your use of the Services.
“PHI” or protected health information, means Individually Identifiable Health Information, as defined in 45 CFT 160.103, that is transmitted in any medium that identifies an individual or creates a reasonable basis to believe the information can be used to identify an individual and relates to (i) the past, present or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual; (ii) the provision of health care to an individual; or (iii) the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual. Protected Health Information is limited to that information received by Practice Sense from or on behalf of the Client.
“Client, You or Your” means the individual or legal entity purchasing, opening, or utilizing an account for Practice Sense services under this Agreement.
“Service Order” means any quote or service form, electronic or otherwise, provided to You by Practice Sense in connection with Your subsequent selection of Services.
“Order” or “Order Form” means the Practice Sense approved form or online subscription process by which you agree to subscribe to the Subscription Service and purchase Consulting Services. Most Orders are completed through our online payment process.
“Services” means the Practice Sense plans, features and offerings offered by Practice Sense, as modified from time to time by Practice Sense in its sole discretion, and selected for use by You at the time of enrollment and accepted by Practice Sense and as then amended by You or Practice Sense from time-to-time thereafter.
“Software” means the Practice Sense software offerings, programs and any third party software programs supplied by Practice Sense to Client and documentation (whether hard copy or electronic) and media related thereto.
“Term” means the duration of this Agreement commencing with the earliest of the date: (i) that Practice Sense accepts Client’s order for Services, or (ii) that Client first accesses or uses the Services, and continuing until the end of the applicable Services period as designated by Practice Sense either pursuant to the Services Order, subject to earlier termination in accordance with this Agreement. The initial term of engagement shall automatically renew for an additional one (1) year period unless either party delivers written notice of non-renewal to the other party at least thirty (30) calendar days before a term expires.
“User(s)” means the individual(s) accessing or using the Practice Sense services for or on behalf of the Client.
1. Practice Sense Services; Ordering, Pricing & Payments.
(i) Your Account. To access the Services, an account will be created for you after you provide a valid e-mail address and contact information, and you are solely responsible for ensuring that your contact and, if applicable, billing information remains accurate and current. Unless authorized by Practice Sense in writing, you may only create one account per email address. You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account, regardless of whether the activities are undertaken by you, your employees or a third party (including your contractors or agents) and, except to the extent caused by our breach of this Agreement or as required by applicable state, federal and local laws, rules and regulations, we and our Affiliates are not responsible for unauthorized access to your account. You will contact us immediately if you believe an unauthorized third party may be using your account or if your account information is lost or stolen. You may terminate your account and this Agreement at any time in accordance with Section 2, Access to Services; Suspension; Termination.
(ii) Free Trials. We may from time to time offer free trials of the Service for a maximum set duration period, commencing on the date that your application for a free trial is accepted by us and ending as specified in the free trial sign-up process. During the free trial period, the Services are provided purely “AS IS” without any warranties, express or implied, or representations to you on our part and you may not use Services acquired for trial purposes for any production purposes. In addition, the Service Level Agreement is expressly not applicable to your usage during any free trial and no Service Credits will be granted. Before your free trial period expires, we may contact you directly or via one of our appointed resellers and invite you to purchase Services. By subscribing to a free trial, you expressly acknowledge and consent that we may contact you in connection with Services using the contact details you have provided. If you do not purchase Services following your free trial, this Agreement will terminate upon expiration of the free trial period and you must (i) immediately cease to use the Service, (ii) delete any copies of Software and Documentation, and (iii) remove all of your Content and settings from our network.
(iii) Pricing; Payment; Service Fees. Your price for existing Services may be adjusted from time to time upon 30 days written notice to you, but will not increase in any contiguous twelve-month period by more than 15%. Any such price level changes are not retroactive. We calculate and invoice fees and charges monthly. You will pay Practice Sense the applicable fees and charges for Services, using one of the payment methods we support as described in the order process. All amounts payable under this Agreement will be made without setoff or counterclaim and without any deduction or withholding. Fees and charges for any new Service or features will be effective when updated fees and charges, if any, are posted on Practice Sense’s website. Interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (or the highest rate permitted by law, whichever is less) may be applied to all late payments until your account is current and fees and charges due are paid in full. If served with legal process (i.e. subpoena, governmental order, etc.) arising from your account or your use of Services the reasonable costs (e.g., data duplication and transfer, etc.) and any necessary outside attorney’s fees required to effectively respond to such legal process may be charged to you. You agree that we may audit your usage and level of Services remotely, at any time, in order to verify applicable fees. In addition, but not more than once in each calendar year, we (or our independent agent) may reasonably request records from you for the purpose of auditing your compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including without limitation your payment of all applicable fees. If an audit reveals that you have underpaid fees, we will invoice you for an amount equal to the shortfall between the fees due and those actually paid by you. You agree to pay us for such shortfall within 30 days of the date of invoice.
(iv) Subscription Fees. The Subscription Fee will remain fixed during the Subscription Term.
(v) Fee Adjustments at Renewal. Upon renewal, your subscription will be adjusted to match the account usage at the end of your then-current Subscription Term.
(vi) Payment by credit card. If you are paying by credit card, you authorize us to charge your credit card or bank account for all fees payable during the Subscription Term. You further authorize us to use a third party to process payments, and consent to the disclosure of your payment information to such third party.
(vii) Payment Information. You will keep your contact information, billing information and credit card information (where applicable) up to date. Changes may be made on your Billing Page within your Practice Sense portal. All payment obligations are non-cancelable and all amounts paid are non-refundable, except as specifically provided for in this Agreement. All fees are due and payable in advance throughout the Subscription Term.
(viii) Taxes. Unless otherwise agreed, You will pay any taxes (whether sales, use, VAT or otherwise) and duties applicable to your use of Services, or provide Practice Sense with a valid taxation exemption certificate for your applicable taxing jurisdictions. You acknowledge that we may make certain reports to tax authorities regarding transactions that we process. We will apply the tax exemption certificates to charges under your account occurring after the date we receive the tax exemption certificates.
2. Access to Services; Suspension and Termination.
Subject to Your compliance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Practice Sense grants You a non-exclusive, revocable right to access and use the Services during the Term.
To prevent renewal of the subscription, the required notice must be provided within the timeframe as specified in the ‘Subscription Types’ outlined below.
b. No Early Termination; No Refunds. The Subscription Term will end on the expiration date and you cannot cancel it before its expiration. We do not provide refunds if you decide to stop using the Practice Sense subscription during your Subscription Term.
c. Termination for Cause. Either party may terminate this Agreement for cause, as to any or all Subscription Services: (i) upon thirty (30) days’ notice to the other party of a material breach if such breach remains uncured at the expiration of such period, or (ii) immediately, if the other party becomes the subject of a petition in bankruptcy or any other proceeding relating to insolvency, liquidation or assignment for the benefit of creditors. We may also terminate this Agreement for cause on thirty (30) days’ notice if we determine that you are acting, or have acted, in a way that has or may negatively reflect on or affect us, our prospects, our customers, or the security of the Practice Sense platform. This Agreement may not otherwise be terminated prior to the end of the Subscription Term.
e. Suspension for Non-Payment. We will provide you with notice of non-payment of any amount due. Unless the full amount has been paid, we may suspend your access to any or all of the Subscription Services three (3) days after such notice. We will not suspend the Subscription Service while you are disputing the applicable charges reasonably and in good faith and are cooperating diligently to resolve the dispute. If a Subscription Service is suspended for non-payment, we may charge a re-activation fee to reinstate the Subscription Service.
f. Suspension for Present Harm. If your website on, or use of, the Subscription Service: (i) is being subjected to denial of service attacks or other disruptive activity, (ii) is being used to engage in denial of service attacks or other disruptive activity, (iii) is creating a security vulnerability for the Subscription Service or others, (iv) is consuming excessive bandwidth, or (v) is causing harm to us or others, then we may, with electronic or telephonic notice to you, suspend all or any access to the Subscription Service. We will try to limit the suspension to the affected portion of the Subscription Service and promptly resolve the issues causing the suspension of the Subscription Service.
h. Effect of Termination or Expiration. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, you will stop all use of the affected Subscription Service, and if we request, you will provide us written confirmation that you have discontinued all use of Enrichment Data (unless, of course, you have a source other than the Subscription Service for such Enrichment Data.) We may or may not provide you the opportunity to retrieve Customer Data after termination or expiration, depending on the type of applicable subscription as specified in the ‘Retrieval of Customer Data’ section below. If you terminate this Agreement for cause, we will promptly refund any prepaid but unused fees covering use of the Subscription Service after termination. If we terminate this Agreement for cause, you will promptly pay all unpaid fees due through the end of the Subscription Term. Fees are otherwise non-refundable.
i. Notice of Non-Renewal. Your subscription will automatically renew according to the ‘Term and Renewal’ section above.
j. Retrieval of Customer Data. For our Full-Service Subscriptions, as long as you have paid all fees owed to us, if you make a written request within thirty (30) days after termination or expiration of your subscription, we will provide you with temporary access to the Subscription Service to retrieve, or we will provide you with copies of, all Customer Data then in our possession or control. If we provide you with temporary access to the portal, we may charge a re-activation fee. We may withhold access to Customer Data until you pay any fees owed to us. Thirty (30) days after termination or expiration of your Subscription, we will have no obligation to maintain or provide you the Customer Data and may, unless legally prohibited, delete all Customer Data in our systems or otherwise in our control.
3. Ownership of Intellectual Property, Software and Services.
The Software and Services are licensed, not sold, solely for use by Client and its Users under the terms of this Agreement. Except as specifically set forth herein, Practice Sense and the Affiliated Entities retain all right, title, and interest, including all intellectual property and moral rights, relating to or embodied in the Software or Services, including without limitation all technology, hardware, software, systems and copies of the foregoing relating to the Software or Services. All graphics, logos, service marks, and trade names, including third-party names, product names, and brand names (collectively, the “Marks”) relating to the Software or Services are the trademarks of Practice Sense and/or the Affiliated Entities. You are prohibited from using any Marks without the prior written permission, which shall be at the sole and exclusive discretion, of Practice Sense or the applicable Affiliated Entities. Practice Sense reserves all rights and interests not expressly granted in this Agreement, and no direct or indirect ownership interest or license right in or to the Practice Sense of Affiliated Entities’ Marks, the Services, Software or any other Practice Sense or Affiliate Entity intellectual property is granted to Client or created by implication in this Agreement. Unless You direct otherwise, You agree that Practice Sense may list You as a client of the firm in our marketing, business development and/or public relations materials and announcements.
You shall not reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, translate, or attempt to learn the source code of the Software or Services. Unless expressly set forth herein, You may not use, copy, modify, create derivative works of, distribute, sell, assign, pledge, sublicense, lease, loan, rent, timeshare, deliver, or otherwise transfer, directly or indirectly, the Software (in whole or in part) or any rights in the Services. You may not resell or act as a service bureau for the Services or any component thereof. You may not remove from the Software or Services, or alter or add, any Marks or copyright notices or other proprietary rights markings.
5. Maintenance and Client Service.
Practice Sense will perform regular maintenance. In certain circumstances, Practice Sense may need to perform emergency maintenance and will, to the extent reasonably possible, provide advance notice of such emergencies. Any such maintenance, whether regular or emergency, will not in any way qualify as a Services “Unavailability”.
The Services are conducted electronically and You agree that Practice Sense may communicate electronically with You and any Users for any matters relating to the Services or Software, including but not limited to information and notifications regarding product updates, incentive and rewards programs, training opportunities and ways to more efficiently use the Services, and legal notices of any kind, including cancellation and termination, unless prohibited by law. Any notices required under this Agreement to Practice Sense shall be in writing and shall be either (i) personally delivered or delivered via overnight courier or (ii) via certified mail, return receipt requested, at the address provided to you for such notices, or such new address as may from time to time be designated in writing by Practice Sense, and to the attention of the individuals likewise provided to you, or, if authorized by Practice Sense (iii) to the email address supplied to you for the purposes of the applicable notice. The notice shall be deemed to have been given by Practice Sense on the date Practice Sense sent the relevant electronic communication with applicable receipt of delivery.
7. Updates; Applicable Terms and Authorization for Auto Updates.
Practice Sense may, in its sole discretion, provide, and this Agreement shall apply to, all updates, supplements, add-on components, features, or other functionality or messages related thereto, including without limitation alterations of functionality, features, storage, security, availability, content, and other information relating to the Software or Services (collectively, “Updates”) that Practice Sense may provide or make available generally to its clients after the date that the Services commence, subject to any additional terms and conditions provided by Practice Sense applicable to such Updates. You hereby authorize Practice Sense to, in accordance with Practice Sense’s standard operating procedures, automatically and in good faith transmit, install, and otherwise provide Updates to the Software upon Your access to the Services or Software without further notice or consent.
9. Your Data Security Obligations.
You are fully responsible for the security of data on Your site or otherwise in Your possession. You agree to comply with all applicable state and federal laws and rules in connection with Your collection, security, and dissemination of any protected health information (PHI) on Your site. You agree that at all times You shall be compliant with HIPAA and HITECH requirements, as applicable. For more information about implementing Practice Sense, please refer to our documentation. If we believe that it is necessary based on Your implementation and we request it of You, then You will promptly provide us with documentation evidencing Your compliance with HIPAA and HITECH. Information on the HIPAA rules can be found on the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website. It is Your responsibility to comply with these standards.
10. Ownership of Content; Limited License to Content.
Practice Sense does not claim ownership of any Content. As between Practice Sense and You, You are the Content Owner or applicable Licensor. In connection with our provision of Service to You, Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, as between You, on the one hand, and Practice Sense or Affiliated Entities, on the other hand, You retain all right, title, and interest in and to the Content. You acknowledge that the Services are provided by automated means and that Practice Sense personnel will not access, use, or disclose any Content, except as necessary to perform the Services, including but not limited to the following: (i) during a Services interruption as necessary to restore applicable Content at Your request; (ii) upon Your request that Practice Sense serve as host, producer, or facilitator as part of the Services; (iii) as a result of Practice Sense, at Client’s request, providing, if applicable, remote desktop support to Client; or (iv) as reasonably deemed necessary or advisable by Practice Sense, at its sole but reasonable discretion, to conform to applicable legal requirements or to comply with legal process. You hereby grant to Practice Sense a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid, irrevocable, transferable license to host, cache, store, display, record and copy Content solely for the purpose of providing the Services to You during the Term.
11. Representations and Warranties About Content.
You represent that You: (i) are the owner or authorized licensee of any and all Content; (ii) will not publish, post, upload, record, or otherwise distribute or transmit Content using the Software or Services that: (a) infringes or would infringe any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or other proprietary right of any party, or any rights of publicity or privacy of any party; (b) violates any law, statute, ordinance, or regulation (including without limitation the laws and regulations governing export control, unfair competition, anti-discrimination, false advertising, privacy, or data security); (c) is profane, defamatory, libelous, obscene, indecent, threatening, harassing, or otherwise unlawful; (d) is harmful to minors or pornographic; (e) contains any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, malware, cancelbots, corrupted files, or any other similar software, data, or programs that may damage, delete, detrimentally interfere with, surreptitiously intercept, or expropriate any system, data, personal information, or property of another; or (f) is materially false, misleading, or inaccurate.
As long as Your account is active, You shall be responsible for managing and retaining any of Your Content. Other than as required by applicable law or legal process or as otherwise agreed, Practice Sense shall not be responsible for retaining any of Your Content after account termination or for archiving purposes. You acknowledge that all Client Content may be deleted by Practice Sense after the account is terminated, subject to the terms of this Agreement and/or any termination or transition of Services Agreement the parties may enter.
You may submit questions or comments to Practice Sense from time to time. Practice Sense reserves the right to use in whole or part the content any such questions or comments and all such communications, comments, feedback, suggestions, ideas, and other submissions related to the Software or Services submitted to Practice Sense, excluding your Confidential Information (collectively, “Submissions”) will become and shall thereafter remain Practice Sense’s property, and all worldwide right, title, and interest in all copyrights and other intellectual property in all Submissions are assigned (and in the future deemed to be assigned) by You to Practice Sense.
You may use Practice Sense Confidential Information solely in connection with Your use of Services, as permitted under this Agreement, and will not disclose any Practice Sense Confidential Information at any time. Both parties will hold in strict confidence and not use or disclose to any third party any Confidential Information of the other party, other than as permitted by this Agreement. Each party will take all reasonable measures to avoid disclosure or unauthorized use of Confidential Information, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care. You will not issue any press release or make any other public communication with respect to this Agreement or your use of the Services.
You agree (i) not to use the Software or Services for any illegal purposes and (ii) to comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws and regulations, including without limitation laws relating to recording conversations, privacy, and data protection and public displays or performances, and United States export laws and regulations regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States through the Software or Services. You further agree that this Agreement does not require Practice Sense or any of the Affiliated Entities to exercise any right or remedy in order to benefit or protect anyone, although Practice Sense reserves the right to do so in its sole discretion.
You agree to abide by Practice Sense’s Acceptable Use Policy, (the “Acceptable Use Policy” or “AUP”), as modified from time to time at the bottom of this page , and not to use, promote aid or direct others to use the Services in conflict with the Acceptable Use Policy or this Agreement. The Software and Services are not designed or intended for use in any situation where failure or fault of any kind of the Software or Services could lead to death or serious bodily injury of any person, or to severe physical or environmental damage (collectively, “High-Risk Use”). You may not use the Software or Services in, or in conjunction with High-Risk Use, which is strictly prohibited. We reserve the right, but assume no obligation, to investigate any violation of our Acceptable Use Policy or any misuse of the Services. You acknowledge that we may report to appropriate law enforcement officials, regulators, or other appropriate third parties any activity we suspect violates any law or regulation. We also may cooperate with appropriate law enforcement agencies, regulators, or other appropriate third parties, as requested, by providing network and systems information related to alleged violations of this Policy.
In the event that Practice Sense is unable to continue providing the Services to You, Practice Sense will provide access to the most current data set, as well as all necessary information, including application settings and utilities, in order to facilitate a transition of Services by You to another provider or in-house implementation. Upon termination, Practice Sense will, to the extent possible, provide You at reasonable cost in accordance with industry pricing a current copy of Your data; provided that you are at such time in good standing in all then current fees and charges and Practice Sense receives written request from You for a copy of Your data no later than 30 days after termination (the “Termination Transition Period”). Practice Sense will provide the same data backups and settings regardless of which party terminates this Agreement or the reason for termination, and each party will reasonably cooperate to effect a timely and orderly transition of services, if applicable, to any designated third party identified by You in writing to Practice Sense within the Termination Transition Period.
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Practice Sense from and against any and all claims and liabilities (including, but not limited to, fees, costs and other reasonable expenses of attorneys and expert witnesses, but excluding any loss, liabilities, costs, damages or other expenses attributable solely to Practice Sense’s negligent acts/omissions or willful misconduct) made by any third party related to or arising from: (i) Your use of the Software or Services (including without limitation, any User or person accessing the Services using Your password or access key with or without Your permission), (ii) any actual or alleged violation of this Agreement or applicable law, and/or (iii) any actual or alleged infringement or violation (by You or any User or person accessing the Services using Your password or access key with or without Your permission) of any intellectual property or privacy or other right of any person or entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing Your potential indemnification liability shall exclude, to the extent permitted by applicable state, federal or international laws, any special, incidental, punitive or consequential damages to Practice Sense or its Affiliates other than those arising from or related to Your negligent or willful: (x) misappropriation of Content or trade secrets; (y) actual or alleged infringement of a third party’s intellectual property rights; or (z) breach of the confidentiality obligations provided.
ALL SOFTWARE AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AS IS AND WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY BEYOND THE SOLE AND LIMITED WARRANTY THAT SERVICES WILL PERFORM SUBSTANTIALLY AS DESCRIBED IN APPLICABLE PRACTICE SENSE USER DOCUMENTATION. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION EACH OF PRACTICE SENSE AND THE AFFILIATED ENTITIES HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, CONDITIONS, AND DUTIES OF ANY KIND (IF ANY), EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, UNLESS PROHIBITED BY LAW, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, TITLE, INFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OF ACCURACY, OF SYSTEM INTEGRATION OR COMPATIBILITY, OR OF WORKMANLIKE EFFORT. THE FOREGOING DISCLAIMERS INCLUDE, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY, DUTY, OR CONDITION THAT: THE SOFTWARE OR SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, RELIABLE, AVAILABLE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME, SECURE, ERROR-FREE, VIRUS-FREE, OR CORRESPOND TO ANY CONDITION; THAT MESSAGES OR REQUESTS WILL BE DELIVERED; THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; OR THAT THE SOFTWARE OR SERVICES, ANY CONTENT, SYSTEMS, SERVERS, AND INFORMATION THAT IS IN OR UTILIZED BY THE SOFTWARE AND/OR SERVICES WILL BE FREE OF HARMFUL ASPECTS.
21. NO LIABILITY FOR CONTENT.
YOU AGREE THAT PRACTICE SENSE AND THE AFFILIATED ENTITIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CONTENT THAT IS SENT, RECEIVED, HELD, RELEASED OR OTHERWISE CONNECTED IN ANY RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE OR SERVICES, CONTENT THAT IS UPLOADED OR DOWNLOADED BUT NOT RECEIVED, AND CONTENT SENT USING AND/OR INCLUDED IN THE SERVICES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY THREATENING, DEFAMATORY, OBSCENE, OFFENSIVE, OR ILLEGAL CONTENT; FURTHER, YOU AGREE THAT PRACTICE Sense AND THE AFFILIATED ENTITIES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF SUCH CONTENT OR FOR ANY INFRINGEMENT OF ANOTHER’S RIGHTS, INCLUDING PRIVACY, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS ARISING FROM SUCH CLIENT CONTENT OR FROM THE CONDUCT OF CLIENT OR THIRD PARTIES OTHER THAN WHICH MAY BE THE RESULT OF PRACTICE SENSE’S WILLFUL ACTIONS.
22. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES.
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Welcome to Brent's Blog. Here I will share my thoughts and stories about my book, show, website, and Disney parks, books, and movies right here. I hope you enjoy!
As we all know, I strive to do everything at Disney at least once or twice or a hundred times. I am very distraught to announce, however, that I had never camped out for Star Wars Weekends in order to obtain a celebrity autograph before. Today that all changed!
After getting off of my pay the bills job at 2AM last night, I rushed home real quick, updated the website, and was then off to Disney's Hollywood Studios! I arrived at 4AM and found a spot in line that had a nice little patch of grass next to it calling my name. I slept for about an hour or two while trying to ignore the loud talkers in line for Ray Park.
Who was I in line for? John Ratzenberger. He made a very brief appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, but he is better known for his portrayal of Cliff Clavin in Cheers or as us Disney fans know him best, Pixar's lucky charm! He has provided a voice in every single Pixar film from playing Hamm in the Toy Story films to John in WALL-E!
Being new to this whole camping out for an autograph thing, I figured I would share a few tips I gathered from my experience. Once you arrive, the area for the autographs are separated into five different lines. The line practically guarantees you a chance at meeting up with one of the Stars of the Saga, but the earlier you arrive, the earlier autograph session you will receive. For instance, John had three autograph sessions today (10:00am, 1:30pm, and 4:30pm). I was about halfway back in the line so I received the 1:30pm timeslot.
The first two hours in line consisted of nothing but sleep. Eventually the person next to me in line woke me up to inform me that the line was moving. Unfortunately, it only moved about fifteen feet and then the endless line of fellow nerds consisted of us standing up, away from my comfortable pasture, and waiting an additional hour until we all received a wristband. Once we received a wristband (around 6:45) we were ushered to the front of the line where we received our Fastpass.
The one thing I learned quickly was there really was no purpose for me to arrive so early. As soon as the Cast Members with the wristbands arrived they declared that whoever was at the end of each line would officially be the end of the line and refusing to let anyone else in. This meant that John Ratzenberger's line, which was about three times longer than Taylor Gray's line, was cut off at the same time. What does this mean? It means if guest arrived around 6:30 they would have still received a Fastpass and would have had the added bonus of sleep on a pillow!
I had him sign the section of From Screen to Theme that he was mentioned in.
A little over four years ago, my weekly podcast, The W.E.D.nesday Show! was about to celebrate its six month anniversary while my first book, From Screen to Theme, was merely a month away from its release. In the midst of all of that, four years ago on this date I launched my website, FromScreenToTheme.com.
I often get asked by both my Disney loving and non Disney loving friends why I love Disney so much. While I could sit there and spout off facts about the parks or discuss the amazing storytelling in the films, my answer usually boils down to a simple idea: it brings people together.
For instance, four years ago I started to do my weekly Disney podcast which in turn has brought me some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for. On top of that doing research in the parks for the website or my books has resulted in lifelong friendships with Cast Members. While the rides and cruises and tours and films are great, everything boils down to people coming together due to a shared interest.
Yesterday was a prime example. I was sitting in my apartment when I received a message from one of my good friends, and writer for this website, Erik. The two of us met due to this website and over the past four years he has become a brotherly figure for my little brother and I, but more importantly one of my closest friends. In the message Erik asked me if I would like to be the godfather of his child.
I was extremely honored and of course accepted. Last night while thinking about the fact that I could no longer dump Erik as a friend due to this bond we will now have, I realized that once again Disney has brought people together in bigger ways than I could ever dreamed. And that my friends, is why I love Disney so much!
I think my favorite park day each year is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Not only does it feature an amazing parade, fireworks show, and lots of candy, but it is the one time each year guests go all out and dress up. While most people dress up as a stereotypical pirate, princess, or in yesterday's case, Smurf, I have always opted for a more creative (and cheaper) route.
I attended my first Mickey's Not So Scary during my college program in 2004. I dressed as Waldo and it was a huge hit! All night guests were asking if I could hide in their pictures so they could find Waldo later and I had several people running up to me exclaiming that they had been looking for me for years. Overall, it was a great experience.
So in 2010 I made my first unique costume. As seen above, I went as a Fastpass. The costume was so popular that the following year I had Cast Member friends tell me that despite seeing no Fastpasses they year before, 2011 saw several guests dressed as Fastpasses. It was then I knew my first year was a success, but 2011 I would need to once again step up my game. Naturally, I turned to my car, and went as Herbie the Love Bug!
Throughout the night I had people pointing out I was a toy in a toy box, but for the first time in all the years I had the best feeling in the world. People would look at the costume trying to figure out what it was and as soon as they knew they would give out huge congratulations on the creativity. Which brings us to this year.
However, if guests or Cast Members got the answer I awarded them with a blast of orange grove smell! That's right, the final piece of the costume was a can of orange car freshener which security almost wouldn't let me bring in the park. However, it resulted in hysterical laughter and one sneezing fit throughout the night!
While the parade, fireworks, shows, etc. are amazing, Alex and I both agreed that it was our interactions with the Cast Members and fellow guests that made the night so much fun. I'll never forget our Liberty Square friends who ran backstage after the park closed to give us candy or the Cast Member who had the screaming contest with me while discovering I was Soarin'. But most of all, I'll never forget the Cast Member who was unsure of what I was and wasn't sure whether or not she should ask, smile, or keep walking. Instead, she awkwardly waved.
This is a love story. Not the typical boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy and girl live happily ever after kind of story. Not all love stories are like that.
You see, life is full of small little moments that forever change your life. It's not until years later that you look back and realize that those little moments really were the big moments. So getting back to my story. I sat down at a table, and my life was forever changed.
There I was with my roommate Ajuane and sitting across the table was a girl I had met the previous day during one of our classes. After introducing her to Ajuane, him and I noticed two girls sitting next to the girl from the class. For some odd reason, 19 year old Brent knew exactly how to win the hearts of every girl around so naturally he began to speak about the Easter Bunny.
Why? I honestly have no idea looking back. It was a conversation that had my fellow classmate, Ajuane, and I in stitches from laughing so hard, but the two girls that sat across from us seemed unimpressed. Actually, unimpressed would be a compliment for what they were. They seemed irritated by Ajuane and I and you could tell that both of them had a look of fear on their faces as if one thought was racing through their minds: What if we are stuck working with one of these two?
Unfortunately for them, one of them ended up working with me while the other ended up working with Ajuane. Of course after going through custodial classes with Erin, she pointed out the fact that it was ridiculous that we were talking about the Easter Bunny on that fateful January morning. It was at that point that I remembered her and her roommate and their looks of dread smeared across their faces.
From that randomness we began a friendship that would last up until this very day. It's funny because throughout the years it's been something Erin and her table companion have continued to bring up to me. The fact that the first thing they ever heard from my mouth was about the Easter Bunny.
It's a good thing that we were talking about the most obscure topic ever though, because if we didn't then maybe none of us would remember sitting at that table. And that'd be a shame, because the other girl sitting there ended up changing the fate of my professional life as I knew it. And yes, she pushed me towards one of the biggest loves of my life'the very site you are on right now.
It'd be a shame to not be able to look back and remember how this all started or if the fate of my life began with something a lot more sane like, so where's everyone from? I think it's good that everything started off some random, because, that was the day I met Marielle.
Yesterday, I participated in the Cast Member event, Goofy's Mystery Tour. Goofy's Mystery Tour is an event that is part trivia, part scavenger hunt, and a whole lot of fun.
My team consisted of our Sunday Brunch writer, Reuben, one of our best friends Randi, and our new gal pal, Lauren. The trivia questions consisted of Where in the Worlds (much like we do daily on this site), and questions like, "Who is the only actor to speak twice during the final film montage of Great Movie Ride?" (answer: Marlon Brando).
So how'd we do? We ended up solving every one of the puzzles in the two hour time period and correctly getting the final question right. We correctly answered 67 of the 75 Trivia questions. So overall, we felt extremely confident going into the awards ceremony that we may have placed in the top three of the entire event. Second and Third place actually tied with a total of 68 Trivia questions correct, while first place had 69. So we were merely one question away from the top 3 and two away from first place.
While it is slightly disappointing knowing we didn't come up on top, I'm extremely proud of how we did. More importantly, it was great spending an evening in the park with friends and it's made me eager for next year when our team will hopefully reunite and take home first prize!
Yesterday, yet another horrible incident occurred in Boston. I immediately wrote to three people I know from the area. Luckily they were all safe, but unfortunately the one was just a block away from everything as it unfolded and another one was safe and sound only three blocks away. Facebook and Twitter have had a variety of posts discussing anger, hope, fear, but most importantly, kindness.
While an event like the Boston Marathon is one of a huge accomplishment (I feel awful for all the runners who should have been celebrating their incredible feat), yesterday there were people who ran towards the danger in order to help one another. Both types of runners deserve a lot of credit.
As a Disney site, we clearly focus a lot on the idea of love, happiness, and good verses evil. While we all know they are stories, all stories are somewhat rooted in reality. Thinking about that defining moment in A Bug's Life where Flik helps all the other ants realize that they outnumber the grasshoppers, therefore they shouldn't be afraid. That is one of the most powerful moments in any Disney film and I feel like it truly stands for what we should all do today.
Yes, sometimes the bad guys win the small battles, but in this time of need, realize that just everyone's power to band together and pray for one another and love each other outweighs the evil in the world. Sometimes the world is a scary place, but always remember that there is hope and love out there because happily ever after is a very real possibility. We just have to work together to make it a reality and in the process make sure the crazy people in the world don't hold us down as a society.
So where were we? Back on my second full day of being on the College Program I attended Traditions, a class for Cast Members to learn the history of the Walt Disney Company and the guidelines made for Cast Members across the Company.
I sat down at a table that only had one person sitting at it at the time. A large Texan named Billy. We sat there and talked while our table slowly filled up. It was at that moment with Billy I began to see what the entire experience was about. Billy and I came from completely different backgrounds, but while talking with him we really hit it off and all I could think was how much fun it'd be to hang out with this non-Disney fan.
That's right, not everyone on the College Program is a Disney fan. In fact, on my program it was tough to find people who actually were. Some of them I just never met, and others just wanted an escape from their every day life.
Traditions went on and I answered every question correctly (the facilitator found me about eight months later and said I'm the only person in any of his Traditions classes to answer every question). It was a great time. I began to realize that I knew more about Disney than I ever thought I did and was coming into the program with a one up on most others when it came to Disney Nerdom.
A little over three years ago my life changed for the better in more ways than I could ever imagine. I began to do a Disney podcast and in turn, people started tuning in on a weekly basis. One of the huge advantages to doing a live video podcast with a chatroom is you get a chance to interact with fans of the show on a weekly basis.
I had always been aware of Autism, but it wasn't until my weekly W.E.D.nesday Show that I began to meet more and more people who either had it or had someone they loved who has it. The more I learned, the more amazed I was about these amazing people.
Today is Autism Awareness Day and I'm seeing several postings online (which led to this post) about how we should be praying for a cure and feel bad for these people. Honestly, that's not what this day is about. Autism isn't something to be fearful of, but something to celebrate! The brain of an autistic person just functions differently than others. That's not a bad thing. In fact, nearly every person I know that has autism sees the world in a way I wish everyone would see it in.
When asked what Autism means, my good friend, Tommy Des Brisay who has autism responded, Autism means friendship. And with that response, his own website was born. Make sure you explore Tommy's site, www.AutismMeansFriendship.com. While there you will realize that this isn't a day where we should pity people with autism, but instead, celebrate the uniqueness that autism is. And that uniqueness truly makes this world a better place.
They say that life can change in a second, and boy are they right! Last May, I was walking through the Magic Kingdom doing some research for the site when the most unbelievable thing ever happened to me. I was walking near the Mad Tea Party minding my own business when I was all of a sudden bumped into. I was having an awful day at this point and this just added to my irritation for the day.
I was about to shoot the person a nasty look, but when I turned to look I was staring into the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. Not quite blue, not quite green, I was mesmerized. While I'm usually not one to try picking up random people...especially at the parks...I apologized to her. The next thing I knew she was laughing about the happy little encounter and invited me to join her and her friend for the day.
While at the Main Street Bakery her friend got an "emergency phone call" which left the two of us alone. We stayed at the park until Wishes where all I could do was smile about this happy little accident.
Here we are, ten months later. Yesterday I spent most of the day at Epcot by myself trying to calm myself before the big day. Around 5 I met up with her at Magic Kingdom and subtly took her to the place where we first met. We then went to Gaston's Tavern to have a cinnamon roll, the item we had at Main Street Bakery. While watching Wishes I got down on one knee and proclaimed my love by stating, "April F. Oolsday, I sure do love you!" Happy April Fools Day everyone!
Last May, I wrote a blog about revealing my secret identity. During that blog I revealed my big secret of working at Ghirardelli in Downtown Disney. It's time to reveal what I've been doing for the past ten months in a brand new Secret Identity reveal!
So ten months ago I was looking for a new change in life. It wasn't anything to do with the job, I'm just not the type of person to stick to the same job for a long period of time. I get bored easily (unless of course it's working on this website. That is exciting and the best job I've ever had!). In fact, working at Ghirardelli for a year and a half was the second longest job I've ever stuck at (working at a KinderCare in Wisconsin was the longest).
I found a job in a location I had always wanted to work: Disney's Animal Kingdom. To keep my time flexible with my website, I opted for a third party and found myself at Yak and Yeti Restaurant one April day last year asking for an application. I filled it out and a few weeks later was asked to come in for an interview. I got hired on the spot for the quick service area (Local Foods Cafe or LFC for short).
I moved up to a leadership role as Captain and truly enjoyed the people I worked with and the amazing location. I mean, it doesn't get any better than being able to watch your favorite Disney parade, Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade, and watch monkeys everyday! Out of the blue, however, I got a phone call asking if I would be interested in a new job opportunity. I listened to what new opportunities the new job would have to offer to me and they seemed pretty good. So after a few weeks of debating, I put in my two weeks notice making yesterday my last day at Disney's Animal Kingdom (and today being my first at my new job!)!
Overall, it's going to be odd not watching the parade every day or walking through a nearly empty Dinoland, USA every morning, but my check list is continuing for my life time goal: work at every section of Walt Disney World. I've now done Magic Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Downtown Disney! Only Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios to go!
So there I was about to sit at a table that would change my life forever, but before we get there, let's flash back a few days. There I was in a rental van packed up consisting mainly of every DVD I owned (my theory was I never knew when I'd get the urge to watch a specific movie over the next eight months so I better bring them all).
My dad and I made the two day trek from Wisconsin to Florida and overall, I was extremely nervous, but was about 90% positive I was making the right choice. There's something that is quite remarkable about life. Whenever you make a big decision, you typically think about what others are going to think of your decision. This wasn't just a decision however. It was a dream. A life long dream at that.
You see when I was about four years old I vividly remember driving in a motor home back from Disney World. We were on the road overlooking a cliff and it was then I thought about how someday I was going to live in Disney World. I'm sure I wasn't thinking about working there. Just living there and hanging out with the characters while riding Peter Pan's Flight and Maelstrom over and over again.
The whole work thing happened a few years later. My Grandparents decided that they would take two grandkids at a time on a special overnight trip to their house. While there, we would go and do some sort of special activity. Recently a new Disney store/restaurant opened up in Illinois so my Grandma and Grandpa Dodge took my cousin Colleen and I down there and allowed us both to buy a souvenir. I bought a Dalmatian puppy (101 Dalmatians had recently been rereleased in theaters), which Colleen and I threw back and forth over the bushes in the town square until his head began to come off.
That night, after my Grandpa and Colleen went to bed, my Grandma and I were sitting at her kitchen table talking about the day. I told her I had a secret about Disney that was just going to be for her and I. The secret was quite simple: I told her that some day I would work for Disney in some way, shape, or form. I was six so I didn't have a plan. I just had a dream.
My dad and I pulled into the newly opened Pop Century Resort and I began to wonder what my Grandma and other Grandparents, my parents, my brothers, and everyone else in my life thought about this new change in my life. Did the approve or did they just think it was Brent simply being Brent?
There's a building behind the Magic Kingdom known as Disney University. This is where different management training, Disney Traditions classes, security checks, and other behind the scenes Disney things take place. More importantly, it was the location of a turning point in our story.
Depending on which park Cast Members work at in Walt Disney World, Cast Members get different tours of the park which help open their eyes to the marvel and mystery that is Disney. For the Magic Kingdom the class is known as Once Upon A Time is Now and our tour began at the cafeteria found within Disney University.
I vividly remember waking up early that morning and headed over to the Magic Kingdom with my, up to that point, silent roommate Ajuane. The bus ride over to Disney University consisted of the chatterbox in me rapidly asking questions about his family, home, school, etc. while he most likely sat there thinking about how he wish he was assigned a different apartment on the program. I was showing off my Disney knowledge and pointing out some fun facts to him (0 bricks on the Castle, Master Gracey is at the Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean wasn't an opening day attraction) while he polietely nodded while questioning what was in store for him today and over the next nine months.
We pulled into the parking lot and I dragged him along to the cafeteria where our tour was going to begin. He hesitantly followed, but I could tell he was going to play the day carefully and stand by my side. It's better to be with your crazy roommate than with no one at all, after all. We entered the room and found a table in the back left corner with some empty spots.
Sitting at the table was a girl that had been in my Traditions class the day before so I approached her with the simplest question.
Let's pause right here, because the question that's about to be asked is one of the most crucial moments in the entire story. Most people in life plan for the big moments that will change their lives whether they're proposals, accepting jobs, or where to live. Those moments don't really matter though. the moments that matter are the simple ones. Those are the ones that truly tie everything in life together. If it weren't for the small things in life there would be no point for the bigger things since they wouldn't be as big anymore. Now, let's get back to our story.
Today marks the third year this website has been hanging around the World Wide Web, so I think it's a perfect time for Part 2 of my series, How I Met Your Website (read part 1 below).
So I had been accepted into the Walt Disney World College Program. Now up to this point in my life I had never really had people question my dreams. Family, friends, teachers, neighbors, etc. always seemed to be full of encouragement no matter how far fetched a dream may be. For instance, Six year old Brent: Some day I'll be a Ninja Turtle! Naturally, no one told me that I would first have to become a turtle in order to make that happen. I always figured that if they mutated, so could I.
So after getting accepted I called up my family and told them the amazing news and just like always, they were full of hope and words of encouragement. At the same time (literally within minutes of my news) one of my hall mates found out he got into a study abroad program. We decided to head across campus to tell our favorite professor our good news.
Let's flash back a second. "Senior in high school Brent" was a HUGE movie fan and wanted to be the next George Lucas or Steven Spielberg so he naturally went to college for Film. His first year in college he lived on a floor which consisted of students that had art as their primary interest. The entire floor had a class to help enhance our creative minds and was taught by two professors. One was amazingly supportive, the other hated Disney.
So here we were headed to the classroom with the amazing professor and the critical one. After sharing my good news, the Disney hater immediately started pointing out how awful the program would probably be and how I would probably hate Disney after going through it. A few of my college friends started pointing out that I shouldn't go (not because they wanted me to stick around), but because they felt I would hate Disney by the time my program was done.
Last week on the W.E.D.nesday Show! we did an "Ask the Expert" segment where guests ask different Disney related questions and I answer them. One question was simple. How did this website come into my life? I explained that I've been compared to Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother and if you really wanted me to, I could tell the whole story, but it'd take forever.
Kids, I'm going to tell you an unbelievable story. The story of how I met your website. Back in 2003 I was in my second year of college and, while I wasn't exactly happy with the college I was staying at, something amazing happened on November 17. My friend Toy and I attended a seminar about the Walt Disney World College Program and signed up for interviews the following day. During the interview I was asked a simple question: Why would the Walt Disney World College Program be a good fit for me?
Now you have to remember this was me before interviewing Disney Legends, hosting a Podcast Awards nominated show, writing a book, running a website. This was just a 19 year old sitting in a room with his entire future on the line. Let's backtrack.
My family had been coming to Disney on a regular basis since I was born and whenever a new Disney film was released in theaters you could bet my family would be there watching a beast and beauty fall in love, a dog who wondered why he should worry, or two little mice headed to Australia to save a boy. Ahh, those two little mice play an important role in this story, but we'll get there.
So why would the program be a good fit for me? I explained to the Cast Member that I was a huge Disney fan and I began to point out random Disney facts (like he was interviewing me on the 75th birthday of Mickey Mouse) and shared with him that it was a lifelong dream for me to be there. In fact, years earlier, when I was only about five or six I shared a secret with my Grandma Dodge: someday I was going to work at Walt Disney World. Here I was years later seeing if my secret would become a reality.
Yes, I'm sure 19 year old Brent was quite nervous during the interview and his voice probably squeaked like a teenager hitting puberty due to nerves. Afterwards I had to play the waiting game. I would check my email on an almost hourly basis just hoping and praying I got in. Then at the start of December I saw an email entitled, "Walt Disney World College Program." I turned to my roommate Eric and asked him to leave the room knowing that no matter what the outcome was, tears would be shed.
2012. It's been filled with happiness, sadness, new opportunities, tearful goodbyes, and a whole lot more.
This was the year I took my first Disney cruise (on the ship that my fellow Peoplemovers and I will always claim as our own), got nominated for a Podcast Award, met some amazing people that have become great friends, and it's the year where I attempted to eat the largest calzone I've ever seen.
I've heard a lot of people being reflective on the year both in person and online over the past few days and a lot have of them have reminded me of Merida's mother in Brave. They've discussed how this is what has been meant to be, but it's made me think of the famous Dr. Emmitt Brown quote at the end of Back to the Future III where he assures Marty that the future isn't set in stone, but is whatever you make of it.
Whether 2012 was the best year of your life or one of the most challenging, remember that in just a few hours that ball will drop (which I still think should look like a Block Party Bash Ball) and we will have an imaginary clean start. Sure, the day will switch over just like every day has done throughout all of time, but there's something nice and refreshing when you think of that new start.
Fate may have brought you to where you are today, but don't forget that every now and then fate needs some push, so make sure you follow your dreams, do what you love, be with those you love, and overall, have an amazing time in 2013. We only get one life on this amazing place called Earth so go make the best of it.
Happy New Year everyone! I'll see you in 2013!
Back in 1991, 7 year old me went to the movie theater with my parents and three brothers. The movie? Beauty and the Beast. While I honestly don't remember watching the film in the theaters, I do remember when the credits began to roll I saw the name of the producer: Don Hahn.
My best friend throughout all of grade school was named Andy Hahn so naturally 7 year old me ran to school the next day and asked Andy what his dad's name was. When he replied Steve I asked about his uncles, grandpa, etc. Unfortunately, there was no relationship whatsoever.
21 years later and tonight I will be interviewing the man who as far as I can remember was the first true Disney celebrity that I knew. The nerves haven't kicked in, but the excitement sure has. It's so crazy thinking about how 21 years ago little Brent sat in a movie theater and here I am, just slightly older mentally, about to interview this Disney icon. I feel extremely lucky, but also extremely thankful for everyone who has helped me reach this moment in my journey. So thank you to those who have supported me and please join me tonight at 9:30Eastern as we pick Don Hahn's brain! I can't wait!
This morning I woke up to discover a comment had been left on the picture I had stolen for the Picture of the Day today. The person wrote down, "lol. go for it!" Alright, maybe I should explain as to what goes on for Picture of the Day at sometimes.
Almost two years ago we began a "Picture of the Day" segment on the website. The idea was simple, but a lot of fun. Every day we feature a picture taken by one of our awesome viewers on the bottom of the home page. This allows others to get a little glimpse of Disney on a daily basis. Pretty simple premise.
At the start we had several people sending submissions, but then one day something happened that got me super nervous. We were on our last submission and I needed a new Picture of the Day. The idea was quite simple, I'd go to Facebook, find a person who I know frequents the website, and take one of their pictures. Of course at the same time I didn't want them stumbling across the picture on my site and being upset that it was there without them knowing so I posted, "Stolen for Picture of the Day" or simply "Stolen."
Recently a strange turn of events has occurred in the world of crime. While most burglars leave a signature mark behind to show the world what they got away with (hello Wet Bandits from Home Alone), others just blatantly tell authorities who they are.
Yesterday at a quiet home near Walt Disney World a family of four returned home from a day at the park. Little Susie, age 9, returned home with a souvenir that would be the envy of all her friends: a certificate that allows her to have a tour of the global superstar Earl of Sandwich and a free sandwich from said Earl for every day for the rest of her life.
While Susie was skipping to her room and being prepared to send the message through her brain power onto the social network, FootNook, some strange things began to take form.
"Stolen for a new blog on FromScreenToTheme.com"
Authorities checked out the website and, after spending hours of brushing up on their Disney knowledge, learned that they could find Brent Dodge, age 42, at Disney's newest park, Super Sentiment Station, where he would be watching Block Party Bash. Authorities arrested Dodge after dancing to "Block Party. Yeah yeah!" with him and naturally, fighting over the Block Party Bash balls. And that, as they say, is one for the books.
So there you have it my friends. When I'm 42 I'd really appreciate it if someone could bail me out of jail because there is no way I would ever make it in life as a Cat Burglar. Thank you for your future contribution of making me a free man.
Recently I was talking with our very own Saturday Matinee writer, Albert, about Pixar's newest short cartoon, La Luna, which debuted with Brave this past Friday. Our discussion quickly turned to us discussing our favorite Pixar shorts and it inspired me to write a short blog about my top three.
This short features a simple setting: a town square. When a one man band arrives with the hopes of achieving his fortune he is pleasantly surprised to see a little girl approaching the town well in hopes of making a wish. He distracts her with his musical talent and tries to win over her coin. Just before she is going to give him her treasured coin another one man band arrives in the town square and the two one man bands try to win over the single coin the girl is giving up.
When they scare her she drops the coin into a drain and demands a violin for her loss. She begins to play the violin and voila! a whole bag of money appears showing everyone who the greatest performer in town truly is!
Much like most Pixar shorts, the short focuses on action instead of dialogue. While we have no idea what the names of any of the characters are we know exactly who everyone is within seconds of the story. Not only that, but just watching the story evolve is hilarious. Ever time I laugh at the fact that the only thing these two grown men want to do during their day is battle one another for the possession of a little girl's sole coin.
Early in Pixar's life they were working on telling stories with inanimate objects that most people would see on a regular basis. So what better way to tell a story than by using an object as simple as a snow globe. The storyline for Knick Knack is very simple, yet hilarious.
Upon a shelf is a group of different objects someone has collected from around the globe. For the most part all of the items are from nice and sunny areas with the exception of one: a snow globe from Nome Sweet Nome, Alaska. Within the snow globe sits a snowman yearning to be amongst the other figurines, especially the bikini clad figurine from Sunny Miami who beckons him to come over.
After several failed attempts to escape the snow globe he eventually pushes the snow globe off the shelf and escapes in midair! However, when he lands inside of a fishbowl the snow globe lands right back on top of him. The worst part of all? Calling him from inside the fishbowl is a mermaid.
Again, the fact that Pixar doesn't use voices (with the exception of the very catchy voices humming about) and just focuses on short gags cracks me up every time I see it. Hopefully one day our snowman friend will escape his chamber and be amongst the other figurines for good.
After much consideration, I'm giving my number one spot to For the Birds. Again, a very simple short cartoon that is full of laughter. When a bunch of small birds begin to bicker with one another about who gets to sit on top of a telephone wire a much larger bird arrives and lowers the wire to nearly ground level. When the other begins to try and peck his claws off they fly off into the air and lose their feathers in the process.
The thing I love about this cartoon is the sound effects. The birds' voices crack me up to no end and once again the story telling is just great.
In all honesty, my top three changed about fifty times since Friday when I talked to Albert about our lists, but it's very tough to choose which is my favorite. Pixar not only knows how to make amazing full length feature films, but the have put the bar so high on their quality of short cartoons as well I get just as excited about their short cartoons as I do for their full length films.
So make sure you head out and see Brave, because not only is it an amazing film, but La Luna is out of this world (quite literally)!
Head over to the forums to let us know what your top three favorite Pixar shorts are!
Every now and then a small event will change your day in ways you never would have dreamed of. This is my story of finding two Fastpasses and how it changed not just one day, but two days at Disney.
Just last week one of my best friends Kayleigh (or as most of you know her as, one of the Canadians) was in town visiting. Kayleigh, Alex (of Hidden Mickey Monday fame), Caitlin, and I went on Star Tours and while exiting something caught my eye. There upon the trash can at the exit were Fastpasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and they were still valid for a few more minutes!
We rushed across the park and made our way to the entrance of the attraction just to have a rude Cast Member out front point out to us that our Fastpasses were no longer valid (we barely missed the cut off time). We pointed out that we were on the other side of the park and missed it just by minutes, but the Cast Member, who was extremely rude, told us that if we had a problem with it, we should complain to Guest Relations.
Now, I'm not usually one to complain to Guest Relations unless a Cast Member really bothers me and the way this Cast Member was handling the situation was definitely not the Disney way. As if the Blue Fairy were watching our misadventures, things began to change. Two girls in their teens approached us saying the saw the whole situation and felt bad, but they had two extra Fastpasses they were willing to give us. Next thing we knew another guest pointed out that he had seen the scene too and thought we were treated unfairly and it ends up he had an extra Fastpass as well.
When the Fastpasses were valid just a few minutes later we approached the Cast Member once again and showed him the Fastpasses that were given to us by the good found in our fellow guest. He hesitantly let the group of us in line. While in line we approached another Cast Member who didn't seem to thrilled about her job and we began to wonder where all the good Cast Members had gone.
Then we found one! Steph, an amazing Cast Member from Australia began to talk to us about our day and truly showed us what a Disney Cast Member is all about. While talking to her I pointed out that she is easily the best Cast Member to work the attraction and she asked us what had made the others look bad. We explained our story and Steph, being awesome, gave us four more Fastpasses that were good for any attraction in the park! We continued to thank Steph as we boarded our limo and all wondered if we'd ever see her again.
The next day while exiting Toy Story Midway Mania (which we got on using our Fastpasses) a guest approached our group (this time only three of us) and pointed out they had three Fastpasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster that were good right then! Not believing the situation we had found ourselves in, we rushed to the attraction and low and behold! There was Steph once again at the exit of the attraction! We thanked her for the Fastpasses from the day before and she explained it was the least she could do for us. Amazingly enough, there was still more she wanted to do for us!
She asked us if we would want to ride the attraction one more time by going through the VIP entrance and we obviously didn't hesitate to agree! She escorted us through a door that took us to the load area of the attraction and we rode the attraction once again! Along the way we met another amazing Cast Member that worked the attraction, Miranda who totally showed off the Cast Member spirit we all know and love at Disney!
So next time you walk around the park, keep your eyes open for Fastpasses lying around. You never know how it'll change your day and the types of friendships the power of randomness are going to give you!
Eight years ago Snow White's Scary Adventures meant practically nothing to me. Sure, I'd go on it from time to time on my visits to Walt Disney World, but I had no personal connection to it whatsoever.
While on my College Program I worked as Fantasyland Custodial. Every day we'd find our assignments for the day on a sheet of paper just next to Mrs. Potts' Cupboard. While being trained my trainer was explaining what each of the assignments on the sheet of paper meant. While he talked I constantly heard on the other side of a wall, 'Quick Princess. Run away and never come back. Go. Goooooo.' My trainer, obviously realizing that I had heard this at least five times at this point, pointed out that I would be hearing that a lot.
For the next year every time I would go for my assignments I would hear the Huntsman talking from Snow White's Scary Adventures giving Snow White advice that would ultimately save her life. What could have been extremely obnoxious instead became something comforting.
As the year on my College Program continued my fellow Cast Members soon realized that I truly was the Disney nerd in the area and whenever a new person would join our Fantasyland Custodial family, I was given a simple duty: give them a tour of the land! For the most part the tour I'd give consisted of pointing out what each ride was like. However, there was always one stop I always made sure to make. We would enter the handicap lane for Snow White's Scary Adventures and I would give a talk about the amazing mural at the load/unload area. Here I would point out the amazing Hidden Mickey's.
One of my friends that worked the attraction, Marielle, gave me an odd request one day. Find her two brothers somewhere in Fantasyland and bring them to her at Snow White's Scary Adventures. I retrieved the two never realizing that over six years later those two wouldn't just write for my website, but be considered some of my greatest friends as well.
Snow White has meant a lot to me. It may not have been the flashiest ride, fastest ride, or most amazing ride, but it was one of the most simple which brought a lot of charm to it. Tonight I took my last trip through Snow White's Scary Adventures (and naturally sixteen other trips throughout the day as well).
As the clock got closer to 10 I began to get a little more sentimental and began to reflect on what the ride has truly meant to me. When I realized that my final ride was about to take place I sat in awe one last time at everything I was seeing. I did a pretty good job keeping it together until we entered a room and I heard, 'Quick Princess. Run away and never come back. Go. Gooooo.' That's when the tears came, but I had no idea what else was in store for me.
Today the Disney community truly joined together to pay honor to this classic attraction that is leaving way too soon. While most would think people would be fighting over who would be the last to go, something much more magical happened. There was a boy present who has always considered Snow White's Scary Adventures to be his favorite attraction. Him and his family have ridden over 2,000 times prior to this week and Disney has helped him this week hit 3,000 rides.
At 7, he was accompanied by Snow White herself for one final ride. I stood near the exit and the look of pure happiness upon the boys face brought tears to everyone's eyes. It was at that moment everyone seemed to have a mutual understanding: he must be the last rider on this attraction.
As Snow White's guests began to dwindle our friend was escorted through the handicap entrance and, being seated by my best friend Alex, was given the great honor of being the final guest ever to board the attraction. A group of roughly one hundred guests stood by waiting for his mine car to come through the final door and once he stepped off the crowd applauded: for the boy, for the attraction, for Disney.
I will miss Snow White's Scary Adventures. I've had some amazing memories connected to it. While all of those memories are happy, the one that I believe will forever bring a smile to my face is watching the attractions' number one fan step off the attraction while both him and the attraction received a well deserved applause.
Last year on February 4th I wrote a blog about my friend the dreamer and how she was finally pursuing her own bit of happiness. A lot of people read that blog and wanted to know what happened to her afterwards so here it is.
This past weekend I attended a wedding for "Jessie" and her new husband. I was the ring bearer (and yes, it was awesome). After I wrote the blog Jessie took the chance and let the guy know how much she cared for him. Luckily he felt the same and just a few months later the two got engaged. Now they are living out their happily ever after in the D.C. area.
While driving back from the wedding my mind began to drift over the past year and a quarter since I wrote that blog and I began to realize the main reason I run this site, write the books, do the podcast: it's the dreamers out there and watching them have their dreams come true. In the past year so much has happened in both my personal life and my friends life that it has been quite amazing to watch.
For instance, Reuben moved down here and achieved his dream of being a baker in Walt Disney World, Alex returned to her dream of working at Disney.
Two of my friends, my dad, and I set out to win a huge scavenger hunt and won, I went on my first Disney cruise, I've known about three people who've moved to their dream locations (even though some of them didn't go to Disney we can accept it).
People have left jobs they are unhappy with, and pursued people they are interested in. People have gotten the pet they always dreamed of having while others made a ball pit out of Block Party Bash Balls.
One of my friends conquered their fear of heights by going skydiving while someone else conquered their fear of leaving the life they are used to and took their first vacation ever. People lived, they dreamed, they laughed and cried.
You see. Life isn't about going through the same routine day in and day out. Everyone has a dream (Tangled showed us that) but it is our job to pursue the dream. No one can make your dreams come true except you. Sure, people can help you along the way, but unless you set out to make your dreams come true your dreams never really will come true.
So take some advice from Jessie and pursue the guy, your dream, your life. If you don't they will never come true. So go wish upon a star, kiss a frog, or just have an amazing dream and here's wishing all your dreams really do come true.
Everybody has secrets that they keep for certain reasons and in a way those secrets create a secret identity for each of us. Over the past 18 months I have kept the biggest and longest secret about myself for a while and, keeping with our super hero theme this week, it's time to reveal my secret identity.
Picture the end of Iron Man when the famous words, "I am Iron Man" are muttered. Now it's time for mine: I work at Ghirardelli in Downtown Disney. Actually, I should say worked. Yesterday was my last day. So why keep such a big secret for so long? Great question!
Since I began working any job (Barnes and Noble, Disney, Kindercare, etc.) I always have lived by the motto that the guest always comes first. I think its a great way to work and in every one of my job experiences in the past people would eventually discover where I was working, come visit, and I always felt I wasn't doing my best job since I was spending time with people I see outside of work while essentially ignoring the guest. Due to that I often keep my jobs a secret. The bigger question, why Ghirardelli, what did I do, and why did I leave?
Alright. When I moved down here I lived off of book sales and my savings for a while, but eventually decided that I really should get a job (or choose the option of moving back home with no money in my pockets) in order to pay the bills. Back in 2004 I loved working on Disney property and figured I would love to do the same again, but there was one problem. With my book, website, and podcast, Disney is more reluctant to hire me (and anyone who concentrates a side job to Disney knowledge like me). So the answer was quite simple. Work for a third party.
The two locations I thought of almost instantly were Ghirardelli and Earl of Sandwich. Ghirardelli hired me almost instantly and I began work on November 1, 2010. About three months in I became a trainer, five months in I was honored to be named Star of the Quarter by my fellow chocolateers (that's really what they called us), and eight months in I became a Supervisor. It was great place to work (especially with the free ice cream during the shift) and I have met some unbelievable people while working there. In fact some of these people became my closest friends in Florida and I wouldn't trade knowing them for anything.
The entire time I was there I promised myself one thing: supervisor was the highest level I would go. I just don't want to get stuck in management since I was afraid I would lose track of books, website updates, etc. So recently I began to reflect on my time with the company and realized it was time for me to move on to new things. I applied at a few places and did receive a new job (and yes, that will become a new secret identity). I am excited for a new opportunity, but am sad about the friends I am leaving behind. I do feel like I made an impact on some people and will always hold a special place for them within my heart.
One last thing I would like to share is quite simple, but my favorite part of the job. About two or three months in to the job I was asked to replace light bulbs on the roof of the building and not wanting to pass up the opportunity to get a unique view of Downtown Disney I went straight on up. Here are some pictures of the unique view and a picture of me on one of my last nights. Enjoy and consider one more secret identity revealed!
Editor's note: The following should be read in the voice from the Goofy How To short cartoons.
Since the dawn of time one question has plagued mankind more than any other: How do I go about dating a Disney fairy? One can only assume you have asked yourself that question once in past, even if it means just reading the previous sentence.
- I'm glad I didn't wear my shoes with giant fluffy balls on them today or this would be embarrassing.
- If you and I were on a date flying amongst the stars I would hope we would never never land.
Now that you've won over your Disney fairy with ease, it's time to talk about dates. Now most guys would do the cliche dates that consist of visiting the Pixie Hollow Games or riding Peter Pan's Flight (trust me the latter does not work with Rosetta. She'll give you an entire lecture about how Peter Pan is no good for her friend Tink and how that boy is always getting her into trouble).
We're sorry. But due to the author knowing diddly squat about dating Disney fairies our article ends here. If you have any tips on how he can woo over the likes of Rosetta, please email Brent@fromscreentotheme.com with the subject "Dating fairy guide."
March 31, 2012 - Some Changes!
The past week has been one of the best of my life, but at the very end of it something devastating occurred. Throughout all the birthday cakes, cruise adventures, and time with family and friends I came to a realization: I can't go on living like this forever.
Yes, this is the good life. I love this life like no other, but unfortunately it comes with a price and I can't afford that price right now. I talked to my parents about it before they left and they gave me some good advice on what I should do with everything. They pointed out while I love the website and Disney it just wasn't the best idea financially and that maybe its time for me to return home for a little bit while I build up my savings.
One of my dads friends just opened up a brand new Taco Bell and, knowing me for years, has offered me a job as head taco maker. Not the most glamorous job, but he told me that if I do well for the first year he may make me head drive through window taker. I think I would talk too much to the guests though and ruin it all.
I'm just not sure what to do with everything right now and have realized that maybe they are right and maybe its time for me to return home for a year or two while I get my feet back on the ground. So as of next week, life in Florida will be behind me, but hopefully not for long since I do love it down here. But in the mean time, it's time for me to shut down the website for just a little bit while I figure everything out financially, personally, and most importantly, how to change the date on a blog from the 31st of March to the 1st of April.
Happy April Fools my wonderful wonderful fools!
December 31, 2011 - 2011!
One year, a million stories to share. Last year I remember sitting at this very spot writing all about the year 2010 and what a wonderful year it was. With the start of this website, my move to Florida, my book being released, and so many other great moments it was an amazing year and one that would be extremely difficult to top.
2011 may have done that though. While this year wasn't the year of new books, pod casts, or websites, it was a year filled with friends, family, and fun. Let's take a look at some of my favorite moments from the past year (in no particular order).
The amazing WEDfriend meet! In late May/early June several WEDfriends joined together in Walt Disney World for some of my favorite moments ever in a Disney park. While not everyone was there we had an amazing time playing The From Screen to Theme Amazing Race, riding Splash Mountain (with bags on some of our heads), and just being together. While every Wednesday I am extremely proud of how the show brings people together I never got a feeling quite as happy as seeing a group of strangers being together acting like they've been best friends for years.
Ohana means family. There are two families that I was part of this year. The first one I'll talk about is my actual family. I love my family. That's pretty obvious for anyone who knows me, but there are a few moments this year that really stood out to me. The first was earlier in the year when my cousin arrived in Florida with her husband and three ADORABLE children! While we have always been close, experiencing something that I love so much (Disney) with them was an unbelievable feeling.
Then later in the year my family had our annual badminton tournament (The Golden Shuttlecock Tournament: Quest for the Dodge Cup - see it's not just From Screen to Theme with an unbelievably long subtitle). This tradition stemmed from a joke I had said about five years back and since our family joins together each year. While my brother and I did win again (every year now, not that I'm bragging), the best part of it is just being with the people you love.
My other Ohana consists of Reuben (of Sunday Brunch fame), Alex (of Hidden Mickey Monday fame), and Caitlin and Kayleigh (of being Brent Dodge's friends fame). While at the start of the summer we didn't all know one another extremely well, by the end of the summer we had gone on so many adventures through Disney that it's tough to imagine never having known them before.
Two of my biggest dreams were also realized this year. The first was to interview a true Disney Legend and just a month ago that dream became a reality when I had Disney Legend Dave Smith come on my show! The other dream was one set out years ago when I wanted to show the world that I knew more about Disney than anyone else out there. In May my dad and two of my closest friends, Frank and Dave, set out to not only win a Disney scavenger hunt, but won a cruise in the process (more on that next year).
The final significant moment was having two of my closest friends move down permanently. First off was Reuben (mentioned above) and my college friend/Kara's friend Amanda. One piece of advice I received shortly after moving down from someone who lived here year round was very simple: don't befriend the college program kids since they leave after a certain amount of time. Of course I didn't listen so after a certain amount of time friends would go and I'd always wish that some of my closest friends would be closer all year round and now that's going to be possible!
So who knows what will happen in 2012, but I know that more dreams will be realized, friendships with grow, and most importantly, new memories will be made!
Thank you everyone for an amazing 2011! I hope everyone out there has a very happy and safe new year! I'll see all of you next year!
July 10, 2011 - 200 Consecutive Days!
200 days is a long time.
201 days ago I was deathly ill and it was the first time since I moved to Florida that I wasn't able to make it to a Disney park. The next day I promised to make it every single day once again (after all, I did have the record according to Disney of 159 consecutive days at one point). So I showed up at the Magic Kingdom and every day since then have been to the park. However, today, on my 200th day in a row, I began to look back at the last 200 days and I decided to highlight my five favorite moments during these days in no particular order.
When I moved down here I made a promise to myself that I'd take advantage of every moment. Over the past 200 days I've gotten a private tour of the Tower of Terror, sat behind the Security Desk at Muppet Vision 3D, special events and a whole lot more. However, one of my favorite moments happened while walking through Disney's Hollywood Studios on the day Star Tours officially opened. While near the exit I saw none other than the main Imagineers that worked on the attraction and rushed over to get a picture with them! These are my kind of celebrities!
Family is what it's all about!
I love my family! I mean LOVE my family! To me, family always comes before everything else so when my cousin, her husband, and their three kids came down I was in heaven! I hadn't seen my cousin in two years so her kids barely remembered who I was, but we soon became the best of friends! I spent every possible second with them and it really reconfirmed my belief that family should and will always come first in my book!
You know that feeling you get when you meet someone and you just feel an instant connection? I felt that way all of the WEDfriends, but last year when Alex (from Hidden Mickey Monday) came down, we became like brother and sister and spent a lot of our time at the parks. So this year when she came down and became roommates with friends from her last program, they joined us on our crazy adventures as well. Very quickly we became a family away from our actual families. We don't call it our Disney family (that's what everyone else does, we want to be different). We are Ohana, because Ohana truly does mean family, and in this one, nobody gets left behind...or forgotten...except the Mountie on occasion.
Since day one, I have loved working on this website, my book, podcast, etc., but even more than that I have always loved the fans of everything I do! So in May when several of those fans joined together in Florida for a meet up (which lasted two plus days) I felt incredibly happy! Some of the highlights were the first ever From Screen to Theme Amazing Race (although some competitors probably wanted to kill me), a colonial meal at Liberty Tree Tavern, a late night talk with the founders of the W.E.D.nesday Show!, or my favorite, a log full of WEDfriends!
I've always been a HUGE Disney fan and have always thought of myself as very knowledgeable on all things Disney and I finally had a chance to set out to show people how much I did know. That's right, I'm talking about the D23 Scavenger Hunt!
The Peoplemovers (my Dad, Frank, Dave, and myself) set out on a fierce two day competition throughout all four WDW theme parks. The Disney trivia really spoke to the Disney nerd in me while the completion really spoke to the competitor in me. After two days, four parks, and three amazing teammates support, we won the competition and made Disney history by being the first winners of the very first Disney run WDW Scavenger Hunt!
So there you have it. Five of my favorite moments from the past 200 days! Looking back now I realize it was all about the people. That's what truly makes Disney such an amazing place. So thank you to everyone that has been involved in any of my memories (both mentioned and not) over the past 200 days! I can't wait to keep the streak alive until next month when I return home to Wisconsin for a week for a visit with family! | 2019-04-26T14:29:38Z | http://fromscreentotheme.com/screen/blog.aspx |
Throughout 1946, a menace began to plague the area of Texarkana. Over the span of three months, multiple young couples would be targeted in isolated areas, and the media eventually gave the mysterious culprit a nickname, reminiscent of the times’ scariest villains: The Phantom.
Listen to "The Texarkana Moonlight Murders (Part One: The Phantom)" on Spreaker.
25-year old Jimmy Hollis and 19-year old Mary Jeanne Larey were on a double-date with Jimmy's brother, Bob.
The two couples had gone out to dinner earlier that evening, and then enjoyed a movie at a local theater. Some time after 11:00 PM, they decided to call it a night, and began heading home.
Jimmy had been driving the other three, and since his date, Mary, lived with her family out in Hooks, Texas - about twenty miles west - Bob and his girlfriend asked to be dropped off first. Jimmy and Mary obliged, as this would give them a little bit of time to themselves.
On the way out to Mary's house - which, again, was in a small town to the west calls Hooks - the young couple decided to stop by a secluded lovers' lane. This was an unpaved, unnamed area, just off of Richmond Road.
Despite being just outside of a suburban area - about 100 or so yards from the nearby Beverly housing development - this road was very quiet. Still surrounded by trees almost eighty years later, the area that is now known as the 700 block of Richmond Road - near what is now Stevenson Street - was as isolated as any spot in Texarkana.
It was quiet, desolate, and secluded: the perfect place for two young lovers to slip off and enjoy each other's company.
The two arrived at the quiet spot at around 11:45 PM. They were there for about ten minutes, before a presence appeared at the driver's side door.
It was a man, shining a bright flashlight into the car. It was disorienting and blinding, but both Jimmy and Mary could see that the man was wearing a white cloth mask. They would later recall that it looked like a pillowcase, which had small holes cut into it for the man's eyes to peer through.
Jimmy seemed to think that this was a prank, telling the strange man that he had the wrong guy. However, any hope that this was a light-hearted joke disappeared when the masked man revealed that he had a gun, and he ordered the young couple out of the parked car. His threat was directed at 25-year old Jimmy.
"I don't want to kill you, fellow, so do what I say."
Though horrified and hesitant, the young couple complied. Both exited the car through the driver-side door, noting that the masked man was taller than both of them. He continued to shine his flashlight at them in one hand, the other gripping his pistol.
Once Jimmy and Mary were out of the vehicle, the masked man ordered Jimmy to take off his pants.
"Take off your goddamn britches," the masked man demanded. Again, Jimmy hesitated, but now even his worried date insisted that he follow the orders given to him.
So, Jimmy unbuckled his belt and took off his pants, before the masked man took a step forward. Mary, disoriented by the bright flashlight, described what happened next.
"After Jimmy had taken off his trousers, the man hit Jimmy twice on the head. The noise was so loud I thought Jimmy had been shot. I learned later that the sound was his skull cracking."
Jimmy Hollis' skull was instantly fractured in multiple spots. Mary, thinking that they were falling prey to a robber, immediately began pleading with the masked man.
"I picked up Jimmy's pants and took his billfold out of his pocket, and I said, 'Look, he doesn't have any money,' but the man told me I was lying and he said that I had a purse, but I told him that I didn't. Then he hit me, I thought, with a piece of iron pipe and knocked me to the ground, but I managed to get up."
Mary was struck with either the attacker's firearm or flashlight, and hit the ground. She stood, panicked and in pain, before being ordered to run. She didn't need much more instruction.
Mary Jeanne Larey ran towards a nearby ditch, but the man called out behind her, ordering her to run up the road, in the opposite direction. He clearly didn't want her disappearing into the treeline, wanting her out in the open. By all indications, it seemed like he was hunting the 19-year old.
Mary then began running towards a vehicle up the road, hoping that someone might be inside. Unfortunately, the engine was cold and no one was inside.
At around this point, the man - who had apparently been following her - caught up to Mary.
"Just as I got past the car, the man overtook me."
The masked man demanded to know why Mary had been running away from him. In a moment that seems almost comical, in retrospect, she told him that he had ordered her to do so at gunpoint. Again, the man called her a liar, and shoved her to the ground.
There, the man proceeded to sexually assault Mary, using the barrel of his pistol to do so.
It was around this time that Jimmy - whose skull had just been fractured, moments beforehand - began to come to his senses. He was in agony and confused, struggling to regain his bearings. He noticed that Mary, his date, was missing. So was the masked man, who had just accosted them and disappeared with his pants.
Jimmy walked a short distance to Richmond Road, where he was able to flag down a vehicle. The vehicle slowed down, cautiously approaching, but the driver agreed to help him out. While Jimmy remained at the scene of the crime, this passerby would stop by a nearby funeral home to phone the police.
Meanwhile, the masked man - who had been sexually assaulting Mary along the road for an untold amount of seconds - had now scattered. He had gotten frightened by the headlights of a passing vehicle, and disappeared off into the darkness. Mary, seizing the opportunity, fled from the scene on foot, running nearly half-a-mile to a nearby house.
Here, along the 800 block of Blanton Street, Mary began approaching houses, in the hopes of waking someone up for help. A car drove by, and Mary tried to flag it down, to no avail. However, she was able to speak to the residents of a home, who woke up and agreed to call the police.
Within half-an-hour, Bowie County Sheriffs officials were on the scene, including Sheriff W.H. Presley - more commonly known as Sheriff Bill Presley. He, along with three other officers, began going over the crime scene, eager to learn more about this masked gunman, who had disappeared into thin air.
At the time, this attack seemed like a personal vendetta - a love triangle that police would figure out in no time. Sheriff Presley and his fellow officers had no idea that they were in the early days of a case that would consume their office, as well as the states of Texas and Arkansas, for years to come.
This is the story of the Texarkana Moonlight Murders.
Texarkana is a metropolitan area that rests on the border between Texas and Arkansas.
Many people think of Texarkana as one city, but it's really one city that's split in half. Half of the town resides in Texas's Bowie County, while the other half belongs to Arkansas' Miller County. Despite sharing facilities, the towns have their own separate local governments.
The name itself - Texarkana - is inspired by the geographical regions the area owes its heritage to. The first three letters, "Tex," of course come from Texas. "Ark," the middle section, comes from Arkansas. And then there's "Ana," which is inspired by Louisiana - whose border is located roughly 30 miles south of Texarkana.
It's unknown how this name came to be, exactly. Legend says that the name was inspired by a 19th century steamboat named "The Texarkana," but it's also rumored that the area was named after an drink called "Texarkana Bitters."
Originally settled as a railroad and lumber center, some nicknamed Texarkana "Little Chicago," because it served as a hub for travel. As such, the region was known as a stop-gap town between the east and the west - at least, until the early 1940's.
The attack on Pearl Harbor brought America into World War Two, and kicked America's manufacturing machine into gear. Many plants and factories were renovated to begin produce wartime goods, and ammunition plants were built in America's heartland.
Red River Army Depot was created in 1941, where ammunition from throughout the nation would be sent for storage. Then, a few months later, the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant opened for business, where bullets, shells, and more began production.
The opening of these two plants brought with them jobs. And with the jobs, came a burgeoning population. Between 1940 and 1950, the population would increase drastically on both sides of the Texarkana divide, with most choosing to live on the Texas side, but both receiving an influx of new residents.
When World War Two came to a close, the two plants continued serving as a hub for munitions and arms. Many of the people that worked at the plant were able to keep their jobs as America transitioned into peacetime, and soldiers began returning home.
This brings us into 1946 - one year after the official end of the war - where a masked man has just attacked a young couple in an isolated lovers' lane, on a brisk February evening.
Bowie County Sheriff Bill Presley was the first officer on the scene, in the early morning hours of Saturday, February 23rd, 1946.
He arrived to the scene less than half-an-hour after his office received two calls - one from a troubled family, who had been awoken by a troubled young lady named Mary. The other came from a passing motorist, who had encountered a bruised and battered young man named Jimmy along the road.
Both calls claimed that they had been attacked by a masked man with a gun, and Presley sped off towards the scene.
Sheriff W.H. Bill Presley was a veteran of World War One - the Great War - where he had served in France as a member of the American Expeditionary Forces. Since returning home, over twenty years beforehand, he had been a public servant: serving as Bowie County's commissioner and treasurer. Now, he was sheriff.
Sheriff Presley was joined at the crime scene by three other officers, but together, they were unable to find any definitive details. They found what looked like tire tracks a short distance away from the crime scene, but it didn't seem to point to a unique brand or model of vehicle. They were also able to recover Jimmy's trousers - roughly 100 yards away from his parked car - but his wallet and belongings seemed to be intact.
While this had the hallmarks of a disturbing crime, there was really nothing for investigators to go off of. At least, as far as physical evidence was concerned - especially when we factor in that this was 1946, before many of our modern investigative techniques were established.
The two victims remained hospitalized overnight, where it was learned that Mary Jeanne Larey had received some minor head wounds, but had also been sexually assaulted. Publications would refrain from saying that she had been raped, instead choosing the colloquial phrase "she had been abused."
Jimmy Hollis, on the other hand, would stay in the hospital for nearly two weeks, as he struggled to regain consciousness following his multiple skull fractures.
Mary would speak to police that night, providing them details about the attack and the masked man that had terrorized them at gunpoint. She claimed that he wore a white bag over his head, which contained cutouts for his eyes and mouth. She said that she had been provided some brief glances at the man's face, through those cutouts, and described him as being African American.
This was disputed by Jimmy Hollis' statement, when he regained consciousness about a week later. He said that - from his perspective - the man seemed to have white features, and appeared to be around thirty years old. However, he also noted that he only had a vague recollection of this. After all, he had been disoriented by a flashlight throughout most of his encounter with the masked man, before being clubbed in the head and losing consciousness.
Jimmy only knew one thing for sure about the victim: that he was mad.
"I know he's crazy. The crazy things he said made me feel his mind was warped."
In their combined statements, the two victims only seemed to agree upon one physical trait of the masked man: that he stood around six feet tall, if not a inch or two taller.
Because of the disparities in their statements, police became suspicious of the two. They even began to suspect that the couple might have known their attacker, and were feigning confusion in an effort to protect them.
This stigma would hang over the case for the next several months, as investigators began to lose interest in the tale spun by Jimmy Hollis and Mary Jeanne Larey. Nobody was detained for questioning, and no suspects would ever be named by investigators.
25-year old Jimmy Hollis would remain in critical condition for several days after the attack. Four days after being admitted to Pine Street Hospital, he had still not fully regained consciousness.
On March 9th - 12 days after being assaulted by the masked man - Jimmy was finally released from the hospital. He was told that his recovery from multiple skull fractures would be a long and arduous process, and he would not be able to simply return to his job - as an insurance agent - for at least six months.
By May of 1946, he was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened to him and his date on that chilly February evening.
"I still get nervous when I think about it. At night, on the street, even downtown."
Mary Jeanne Larey, Jimmy's 19-year old date, had received only minor head wounds from the assailant. Those were stitched up at the hospital, and she was released the next morning.
However, Mary's more pressing concern was the sexual assault she had received at the hands of this unknown perpetrator. It was not reported in the media at the time, with police and reporters believing that it was too vulgar to mention. Police were also hoping that withholding that information would help weed out false confessions, should that come-to-pass.
Mary struggled to overcome this violent incident, and - like Jimmy - she was plagued by nightmares for a long period of time. A few weeks after the incident, she moved from her parents home in Hooks, Texas, up to her aunt and uncle's house in Frederick, Oklahoma. Even there, though - over 300 miles away - she would often refuse to go upstairs by herself, or even sleep alone.
She was haunted by the man that had attacked her; whose voice continued to cloud her thoughts.
"I would know his voice anywhere. It rings always in my ears. Why didn't he kill me too? He killed so many others."
It would be months before Mary and Jimmy's encounter with a masked man would be linked to a repeat offender plaguing the area of Texarkana.
Over a month had passed since a young couple was assaulted in a quiet lovers' lane along Richmond Road.
It was a quiet Sunday morning, and a motorist was driving down Rich Road, just south of US Highway 67. This road still exists, but has been renamed South Robison in the years since.
At the time, Rich Road was nicknamed "Lovers' Lane" by locals, due to its secluded nature. It was a gravel road that was not yet connected to the highway, surrounded by trees which allowed for privacy. It also happened to be close to a hang-out called Club Dallas, which was just a few blocks away.
Some time between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, this motorist was driving down Rich Road, and noticed an Oldsmobile parked along the side of the road. This was unusual, so he decided to stop by and have a look to see who the vehicle belonged to.
As this motorist peered inside, they saw two bodies. The first - a male - was oddly crouched down between the front seats. His head was resting on his crossed hands, and it looked like his pockets had been turned out.
In the backseat, a young woman was sprawled out, face-down. Like the male, her pockets had also been turned out.
At first, this passing motorist thought that the two people inside the Oldsmobile were sleeping. However, it quickly became apparent that something was very wrong. There was blood inside the vehicle, and - as Texarkana would soon learn - the man and young woman inside the car had been shot-to-death, execution-style.
Richard Lanier Griffin was born on August 31st, 1916.
He grew up in Linden, Texas, eventually becoming embroiled in World War Two. He was a member of the "Seabees," the US Naval Construction Battalions. Basically, his job title was to help construct things for the United States Navy, but the "Seabees" - as they were known - were prepared to fight should it come down to it.
In December of 1945, Griffin was discharged, and returned to Texas. He moved in with his mother, in a housing unit provided for reintegrating soldiers. In the months since returning home, he had resumed work as a carpenter and a painter. He had also begun seeing a young woman named Polly.
Polly Ann Moore was born on November 10th, 1928. She grew up in Atlanta, Texas - about half an hour south - and had graduated high school the year prior, at the age of just 16. Ever since, she had worked for Red River Arsenal, as a checker.
Because she was living away from home, Polly lived with her cousin at a nearby boardinghouse. However, she had begun dating an older man named Richard.
Richard was 29 and Polly was 17, but the age different at the time wasn't a major concern. It was socially acceptable for men to date much younger woman; even though, nowadays, we'd consider a 29-year old man dating a 17-year old girl troubling.
The two had been dating for about six weeks, eventually culminating in them spending a Saturday out-and-about. The two had been seen the night prior, March 23rd, at a cafe in Texarkana, where they had visited with Richard's sister, Eleanor, and her boyfriend until about 10:00 PM. That was when they left, and apparently set off for the nearby lovers' lane.
The following morning, their bodies were found inside Richard's Oldsmobile. He was identified by the vehicle, but Polly would be identified by the class ring she wore on her finger, which bore the inscription of her initials - "P.A.M." - as well as her graduation year - '45.
Because the crime happened again on the Texas side of Texarkana, it was Bowie County that handled the investigation into the double-murder of Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore.
Both of the victims had been shot in the back of the head - which appeared to be execution-style. But their bodies were found inside the car, leading police to think that they had been shot outside, and then brought back into the vehicle post-death; their bodies were then posed, and eventually found hours later by the passing motorist.
Bowie County Sheriff W.H. "Bill" Presley was again one of the first officers to arrive at the scene, joined by friend and colleague Jack Runnels, the Texas City Chief of Police. They were part of the original investigative group that discovered a patch of blood-soaked soil just a short distance from the car, about twenty feet away or so. This is where police believe one or both of the victims had been killed, and later tests would indicate that the blood matched a sample of Polly Moore's blood type.
Despite police believing that the victims had been killed outside, the interior of the car was anything but clean. The running board inside the car was covered in congealed blood, which had been pooling underneath the car door.
These investigators were also able to find a couple of .32-caliber shells at the scene, which might have been fired from a Colt pistol. At least, this would give them an understanding of the weapon used in this violent double-murder.
Unfortunately, that Sunday saw rainstorms throughout the area, so police were frustrated when one of their most promising leads - footprints discovered near the crime scene - were washed away by the heavy rain.
As investigators continued to learn about the case, other agencies were called in to assist. This included detectives and officials with city police, the Department of Public Safety, neighboring Miller and Cass counties, and even the FBI.
Current records make it hard to determine whether or not a thorough examination of the bodies took place. There was - and is - no record of a pathologist examining or analyzing the bodies, which makes this next part tricky.
There have been a lot of rumors that the female victim, Polly Ann Moore, was sexually assaulted before or during her murder. There were reports made that she had been raped, but - just like the assault on Mary Jeanne Larey the month prior - these reports were not publicized.
By March 27th, 1946 - three days after the bodies were discovered - the combined police effort had interviewed somewhere between fifty and sixty witnesses. Most of these witnesses were patrons and employees of Club Dallas, a local bar and hot-spot near the crime scene. It was theorized that Richard Griffin and Polly Moore had gone there prior to heading to a lovers' lane, but police were unable to learn anything substantial from these potential witnesses.
By March 30th, 1946, a $500 reward was announced for information leading to an arrest. Just like the police inquiry, this seemed to go nowhere - instead, jamming up the investigation with what was later determined to be over 100 false leads.
During this investigation, three suspects were taken into custody for possessing bloody clothing. Police viewed each skeptically, looking for any reason to doubt them, but two of the three had reasonable explanations for the clothing. The third was held in Vernon, Texas, for further investigation, but was later freed and cleared of any wrongdoing.
In the end, over 200 people were questioned by law enforcement following the murders of Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore. But not a one were charged with any crimes relating to the case.
In the aftermath of this double-murder, police asked the public for help. However, it quickly became apparent that the area of Texarkana was the perfect environment for fear and distrust to fester into rumor and gossip.
"Sheriff Bill Presley and his deputies have a difficult task ahead of them as they attempt to solve the shocking double murder discovered Sunday morning. Texarkana residents can help in this investigation and at the same time, if they are not careful, they can hinder the investigation and cause the officers to spend many hours following blind trails. Persons who have information which might furnish a clue to the identity of the slayer or slayers or which might indicate a motive for the crime should not divulge such information on street corners or at cold drink stands but should immediately make it available to the officers. Do not spread rumors regardless of how many bases for the fact there is in them. Do not say 'I heard' or 'they say' because the chances are that the person listening will repeat your information and enlarge upon it. Before long the story grows to such proportions as to necessitate a detailed investigation by the officers, thereby perhaps pulling them off the true trail and sending them up a blind alley. Stick to facts that you know of your own personal knowledge and relay those facts as quickly as possible to the officers."
Investigators knew that the public was growing concerned over an unsolved double-murder; especially one aimed at young men and women. Panic was beginning to set in over the town, and worried parents were becoming more concerned about their children, beginning to tighten the leash on curfews and allowances. Concerned residents began patrolling lovers' lanes, looking for any sign of trouble, but praying that they wouldn't find any.
Betty Jo Booker was born on June 5th, 1930. She was an only child, whose father died early in her life.
While a youngster, Betty attended Fairview Kindergarten, where she became friends with a boy named Paul Martin. Their friendship would become a mainstay in Betty's life, and the two would become intertwined in the history of Texarkana.
Paul James Martin, born about a year prior - on May 8th, 1929 - was the youngest of four sons.
Both Paul and Betty had once both lived on the Arkansas side of Texarkana, but when Betty's mother remarried, they were moved to the Texas side of things. Yet, despite this, Betty continued to attend Beech Street Baptist Church, which allowed her to see Paul on a regular basis.
At around the time they started high school, things continued changing for the two friends. Paul was sent away to the Gulf Coast Military Academy, in Gulfport, Mississippi, for a year, before returning to attend high school in Kilgore, Texas.
In 1946, Betty Jo Booker was a 15-year old junior at Texas High School, who was popular with the boys, but didn't take any of her friendships or "relationships" too seriously. She was focused on her report cards, which were littered with straight A's, and planned to become a medical technician following graduation. She had also become enamored with music, and she played alto saxophone for a couple of bands.
Unfortunately, tragedy had them in its sights.
On Friday, April 12th, 1946, Paul Martin said goodbye to his parents in Kilgore, telling them that he was making the nearly-two hour drive up north to Texarkana. He planned to spend the weekend with friends, but was going to be back on Sunday morning.
That night, he stayed with a friend in Texarkana, and made plans to see Betty the following evening: Saturday, April 13th.
In addition to playing her saxophone in the high school band, Betty played regular weekly gigs with a band called the Rythmaires. Band leader Jerry Atkins usually only recruited male musicians to play with, but the lack of any candidates throughout World War Two had brought several promising female musicians into the fold. Betty had proven herself to be an incredibly gifted musician, who provided the band with talent beyond her fifteen years.
This evening, Betty and the Rhythmaires played a gig at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club, along West 4th and Oak Streets. The night ran late, with the gig not finishing up until past midnight. It was around 1:30 AM when Betty was finally released, and this is where she met up with her old friend, Paul.
Paul picked up Betty in his 1946 Ford Club Coupe, and planned to drop her off at a slumber party on the other side of town. However, somewhere in-between the two locations, the two teenagers had decided to make a stop along a cozy lovers' lane... where they ran afoul of a burgeoning predator.
Roughly five hours after leaving the VFW Club, the body of 16-year old Paul Martin was found by a Texarkana family.
It was around 6:30 AM, on Sunday, April 14th, when Mr. and Mrs. G.H. Weaver - who had their young son with them - came across the bloody remains of Paul. He was lying along the northern edge of North Park Road, near the neighborhood of Greenbrier Forest Circle. Even from feet away, it became apparent that Paul had been shot multiple times.
On the other side of the road, another smattering of blood could be found, which indicated that there was more than one victim.
Police were notified, and - again - Sheriff Bill Presley was one of the first to arrive at the scene, along with his friend, Texas City Police Chief Jack Runnels. They were able to piece together some of the details from the night prior, and learned that Paul Martin - the young victim whose body they had just found - was with another teenager, Betty Jo Booker.
A search was launched to find Betty Jo, spreading out through the surrounding area, scanning through every bush and field. In addition to the police, several citizens joined in and participating in the search, hoping to cover as much ground as possible.
One search party consisted of members of the Boyd family, as well as Texarkana resident Ted Schoeppey. They were scanning through the area that is now known as Galleria Oaks and Fernwood Drives, at around 11:30 AM, when they came upon the body of Betty Jo Booker.
The fifteen-year-old was lying on her back, behind a tree. Like the other murder victims, she was still fully-clothed, but her body seemed staged, in a way. Her coat was buttoned all the way up to her chin, and her right hand was resting in the pocket of her overcoat.
Betty Jo's body was found nearly two miles away from the body of Paul Martin. But, just like him, she appeared to have been shot more than once.
The murders of Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker revealed to the world that there was a repeat offender plaguing Texarkana.
At this point in time - April of 1946 - the term "serial killer" didn't yet exist. But this second double-murder, and the third assault in as many months, pointed out to police that someone was specifically targeting young couples in lovers' lanes.
An examination of the bodies showed that Paul Martin had been shot four times in total. One bullet went through his nose, one went through his left ribs from behind - indicating that he had been running from his attacker; another bullet was lodged in his right hand, and one exited through the back of his neck.
Meanwhile, Betty Jo Booker had been shot twice: once in the chest, and a second time more directly, to the face.
Just like the last double-murder - of Richard Griffin and Polly Ann Moore - the weapon used was most likely an automatic .32 Colt pistol.
In addition to being shot multiple times, it also became apparent to investigators that the female victim - Betty Jo Booker - had been sexually assaulted. This seemed nearly-identical to the last double murder.
"Official reports would say Miss Booker was raped in the same manner as Miss Moore."
Despite finding the victim's bodies on the morning in-question, it took police a bit longer to find the vehicle the two had been driving the night prior. Paul Martin's 1946 Ford Club Coupe was found outside of Spring Lake Park - a good distance away from where the two victims were found. This was nearly a mile-and-a-half away from Martin's body, and over three miles away from Betty Jo Booker's remains.
The keys were still in the ignition, and police would remain unsure on which of the two victims had been targeted first. The state of the crime scene made it nearly impossible to determine what, exactly, had happened in the early morning hours of April 14th, 1946.
The funerals for both of the murder victims took place just days later, on April 16th.
That Tuesday was a stormy, windy day throughout the region, and schools excused students early, to allow them to grieve for their fellow classmates. As the rain began to pour outside, friends and family of both Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker piled into the Beech Street Baptist Church they had attended for years.
The service for Paul James Martin took place at 10:00 AM that Tuesday. His mother spoke about his shortened life, telling the audience that she had worried about him getting in a car wreck the weekend that he left for Texarkana. She lamented allowing him to leave at all, fighting through tears and exhaustion to memorialize her son.
The funeral for Betty Jo Booker took place just a few hours later, at 2:00 PM. During her service, Betty's only close relative - her mother - struggled to keep her composure throughout.
"I trust the men who are handling the investigation into my daughter's death. I'm sure they'll find whoever did it. If he is caught, I would like to kill him. If they would let me, I would kill him myself."
Jerry Atkins, Betty's band leader, served as one of her pallbearers. His band, which Betty had played saxophone in - the Rhythmaires - would never play another gig, out of respect to Betty and her family.
Manuel T. Gonzaullas was a Texas Ranger, who was called in to assist in the investigation on the orders of the then-Texas governor.
The second double-murder in as many months had attracted a lot of unwanted attention, and the Rangers - Texas' most elite crime-fighting organization - had been called in to try and stop the bleeding.
Captain Gonzaullas had been a Ranger for over 25 years, becoming one of the state's most well-known and well-respected lawmen. He was known for being flashy and dramatic, which he often chalked up to his Spanish heritage. Because of his persistence, and his over-eagerness to step outside of the box, he had earned himself the nickname "Lone Wolf."
"... one of the best-looking men I have ever seen and [he] wore a spotless khaki suit and a white 10-gallon hat. He packed two ivory-handled revolvers on his hips and did not deny that he was the Ranger who sat in the cashier's office in the Crazy Water Hotel in Mineral Wells and gunned down two ex-convicts who sought to rob the place. He was so good-looking that my girl reporters would not leave him alone. He really didn't have time to hunt down the Phantom. He was too busy giving out interviews and trying to run the Gazette. All of the other officers working on the case were intensely jealous of Lone Wolf and complained bitterly every time his picture appeared in the paper."
Tillman Johnson, a Deputy for neighboring Miller County, described Gonzaullas as a showman whose reputation proceeded him. However, he also critiqued the Ranger for being a less-than-impressive investigator, who was the first to take credit for someone else's work.
"Whenever he came down the stairs from his hotel room, he called for the press. He was a showman. He was a handsome man, I'd say, and he made a good appearance and of course he had a reputation for being a killer. So the press all followed Gonzaullas. No, he didn't do any real police work himself. He'd get in that car and ride around, ask a lot of questions about what the other officers had found then he'd release it to the press like it was his information. It got to where after a while some officers wouldn't tell him anything."
The involvement of the Texas Rangers would signal to Texarkana - and the rest of the region - that this was no longer a small-time case. This was something to be scared of.
Over time, many would point to Captain Gonzaullas' involvement in the case as both the best and the worst thing to happen to this investigation.
One of the leads that detectives followed up on, in the early days of the Paul Martin and Betty Jo Booker murder investigation, was the mysterious disappearance of Betty Jo's saxophone.
Like I've discussed - she was very big into music, and played in a number of bands. Just hours before her disappearance, she had played a gig with Jerry Atkins' band, the Rhthmaires. Well, Atkins told the police that she had left the night prior with her saxophone, and police were operating under the belief that Betty and Paul Martin had not stopped anywhere before pulling into a lovers' lane outside Spring Lake Park.
When they found the two bodies - and then later, Paul's vehicle - absent was Betty's alto saxophone.
Big or small, this was a lead.
It was believed that the saxophone might have been stolen; that, perhaps, the two teenagers had become the target of a theft, and ultimately became the victims of a robbery-gone-wrong. Texas City Chief of Police Jack Runnels handled this investigation.
Well, a little over a week later, a man in Corpus Christi, Texas became a suspect in the investigation. On April 25th - 11 days after the murder - this man tried to sell a saxophone to a music store. He seemed nervous, and an employee decided to have a manager speak to him. When confronted by the manager, who wanted to learn about the instrument, this strange man ran away. Police were contacted, and a description of the man was given.
He was arrested two days later, on April 27th. In the interim two days, he had purchased a .45 revolver from a pawn shop, and when police looked through his room, they found that he no longer possessed a saxophone. However, he did have a bag of bloody clothing, which he suspiciously claimed had gotten bloodied after a bar fight from days prior.
Despite being ID'd by employees in the music store as the same man that had tried to sell them a saxophone, the man was cleared as a suspect weeks later. He had been detained for several days and questioned numerous times, but police stated that he wasn't their guy.
"This man has been completely eliminated. He has been checked and double-checked and he couldn't have had anything to do with the murder cases here."
The decision to free this man and clear him of any wrongdoing was given some credence months later, when the saxophone belonging to Betty Jo Booker was finally located. It was found on October 24th, 1946 - six months after the murder - just a short distance away from her body.
Following the second double-murder - and the third assault of young couples - the area of Texarkana was caught up in rumors and panic.
The reward fund - which had been $500 just a month prior - grew to a total of $1700. That's the equivalent of roughly $25,000 today. As such, police officials found themselves inundated with leads: most of which were determined to be fake.
It was said that a local taxi driver had become a suspect after police spotted his vehicle near one of the murder scenes, but this lead was later "washed out" by investigators. Then, an especially nefarious rumor began to spread about a local minister, who residents claimed had turned in his own son as a suspect. This was later deemed false by investigators.
During an April 18th press conference, Captain Gonzaullas personally addressed these rumors in a statement, describing them as "a hindrance to the investigation and harmful to innocent persons." This opinion was shared by all of the police agencies working on the case, which including local, county, and now state investigators.
Despite this, however, the panic of this unknown killer began to spread throughout Texarkana. The rumors and gossip just added to this growing urban legend, creating the belief that - whoever this killer was - they were not just lurking in the shadows, but they were walking among the rest of Texarkana, waiting to strike.
"Phantom Killer Eludes Officers as Investigation of Slayings Pressed"
"Phantom Slayer Still at Large as Probe Continues"
This unintentional nickname seemed to stick, as this unknown killer would be known as "The Phantom" from here on out.
Andrew Reddy - "A Breath"
Magna Ingress - "Shattered Dreams"
Rotten Bliss - "Under The Branches"
Marcos H. Bolanos - "Laberynth Mind"
Blue Dot Sessions - "Thread Of Clouds" | 2019-04-26T01:41:05Z | https://unresolved.me/the-texarkana-moonlight-murders |
Work for AWS Managed Services?
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"Easy to manage and understand UI"
"Perfect Solution for Custom App Development"
AWS is a cost-efficient platform that can do just about anything. We're using S3 in particular to host files that aren't getting a lot of direct traffic, which is just about free for us.
A lot of sites are hosted on AWS because of its popularity. Because of this, if there's an issue with AWS, a lot of the internet will feel the impact.
More practically, the pricing structure is extremely confusing. At one point, we almost didn't go with AWS because we thought the cost was going to be astronomical. In reality, our month to month cost is typically under $10.
We custom built a find a provider tool using AWS S3. Because of the flexibility of the tool, we were also able to integrate it directly with the site using Drupal migrations. We decided to custom build this tool over using a SaaS due to two concerns: pricing and lack of control over data. AWS filled both of those voids and we are expecting to have completely recouped costs about midway through our next fiscal year (about 12 months).
"AWS Managed Services - Intuitive & Useful"
Amazon Web Services' Managed Services enables my business to provide a professional appeal due to the amount of services they offer. From Automated Attendants to email marketing, AWS has it all. Pricing is cheap and they offer grants depending on the type of business you own.
If there is one thing I dislike about AWS Managed Services, it would be the amount of tutorials available. Although most is self-explanatory, people who are not in the field of IT can easily get lost.
When considering AWS Managed Services, take into account what they have to offer and what you need. If you need about 3+ of their services, consolidating into AWS would be right for you, affordable too!
With AWS Managed Services, we are able to run most of our processes through one provider. From emails to facial recognition, we are able to take full advantage of their systems. All of which can be consolidated onto one invoice, making it easier for us in terms of the technical and financial viewpoints.
"AWS Managed services best tecnology 2019"
Our development team uses Apache framework although AWS is applicable to just about every major framework available which allows us flexibility for bringing in projects that are outsourced,Best in setting up the code review . My start up uses it for software Dev. Its awesome . Smooth workflow and security patch is grear.
There is a steep learning curve in adjusting the way the AI analyzed our data. We have spent more time on just tweaking the beneficial data we want from the system than some of our recent big projects. The only thing to dislike is the initial set up pitfalls. You can begin use without complete tailoring to your staff. Once you make those changes it's great.
Is the best database if you have host. It a very robust database. For the rest of applications like data analysis there are a way better solutions at the moment Define the project very well if the AWS database manager is required since it could be expensive to maintain the infrastructure depending on the installation and configuration.
Once we got it off the ground it was a great tool set to provide metrics while doing it in comprehensive way. We never had as many in depth metrics to help us established accountability We use AWS' AI particularly for computer vision and analyzing large amount of data. Our company's projects usually involve Amazon's AI to give us the best information from a set amount of data. A surprise benefit of the program is that it did not require a contract.
"¡Estamos encantados con lo servicios administrados de AWS!"
Lo que más nos encanta de los servicios de AWS es que hace mucho más fácil la administración de la infraestructura de AWS, lo que nos permite, como empresa, concentrarnos solo en operar las ventas, también nos ha ayudado mucho a reducir la carga de trabajo técnico y reducir drásticamente los riesgos operativos dentro de la empresa desde hace más de 1 año.
En general, nos encanta porque realmente pagamos por lo que usamos como empresa y no incluye precios adicionales, solo por lo que usa, ¡eso es encantador!
Estamos muy contentos con los Servicios Administrados de AWS, ciertamente lo consideramos para proyectos realmente importantes y escalables.
Hay muy pocas cosas que no me gustan, Amazon se ha esforzado por conseguir un producto muy bueno y lo han logrado con los Servicios gestionados de AWS.
Realmente es un producto magnifico, aunque me disgusta un poco el precio, tal vez podrían analizar bien los gastos, pero en general es un producto destacable.
Nos dimos cuenta de este problema y decidimos contratar a un profesional. Recomendamos los servicios de AWS Managed Services y teníamos curiosidad por probarlos. Desde el primer mes que comenzamos a ver resultados, decidimos migrar toda nuestra infraestructura a AWS Managed Services y, a partir de ahí En este momento hemos crecido mucho como compañía, ya que no nos preocupamos por mantener toda la infraestructura de AWS.
"The perfect Cloud Base Service for our Company"
AWS is an effective platform that can do just about anything. Their cloud base system are top notch, we barely have issues sending company's files to the cloud, and handling them was very easy from our end. We're using S3 in particular to host files that aren't getting a lot of direct traffic, which is just about free for us.
To me or the company, I have no dislike other than a lot of sites and company's data are hosted on AWS managed system because of its popularity. Because of this, if there's an issue or outbreak with AWS, a lot of the internet will lost a lot, which is not good for business. Moreover, the pricing packages are good to me because they are affordable.
We custom built using AWS S3a tool to find a provider, why, because of the flexibility of the tool. We also used Drupal migrations to integrate directly with our our site. We decided to custom build this tool because of the issues we had using a SaaS due to two concerns: pricing and lack of control over data. AWS was able to give us that without issues of controling data at an affordable price, and we are expecting to have completely recouped costs about midway through our next fiscal year!
"El mejor servicio de administración de infraestructura es AWS Managed Services."
Lo que más nos gusta de los Servicios gestionados de AWS es que simplifica mucho la administración de la infraestructura de AWS, lo que nos permite, como empresa, concentrarnos solo en vender el producto, nos ha ayudado mucho a reducir la carga y reducir drásticamente los riesgos. operativos dentro de la empresa.
Lo que más nos gusta de AWS Managed Services es su precio, es relativamente más barato que otros servicios de administración.
En general, nos gusta porque realmente paga por lo que usa, no incluye precios adicionales, solo por lo que usa, ¡eso es realmente genial!
Lo que menos nos gusta de los Servicios Gestionados de AWS es que tal vez al principio, como una pequeña empresa, los precios son un poco altos, ya que como una pequeña empresa no tiene presupuesto para alimentar una infraestructura completa, pero sigo sintiendo que sigue siendo realmente bueno precios.
"AWS Managed Services has helped us a lot in our company"
What we like most about AWS Managed Services is that it simplifies a lot the management of the AWS infrastructure, which allows us as a company to focus only on selling the product, it has helped us a lot to reduce the burden and drastically reduce the risks operatives within the company.
What we like least about AWS Managed Services is that perhaps at the beginning as a small company the prices are a bit high, because as a small company it has no budget to feed an entire infrastructure, but I still feel that it is still really good prices.
AWS is one of the better cloud services out there with a variety of support on Windows and Linux. A few things I like is the EC2 services where you can get small boxes to really big boxes with SSD's, Route 53 which is their DNS service, database as a service, BI as a service, Cloud watch.
Beanstalk is limited and can use only Tomcat for JAVA API. Auto scaling is based on cpu and memory which does not work in all scenarios, Cloud watch does not have default alarm for memory, You cannot turn off Aurora database, you can terminate only, AWS Kinesis is one of the few products where you pay even if it is not in use, AWS Kinesis also does not scale easily or automatically. There are some costs for data which are really hard to figure out. Virginia region gets the most updated software but it is known to have the most issues. I wanted to move everything to Ohio but it is one of the last regions to get updates.
- Use Amazon calculator to figure out cost upfront so that you know what to expect.
We setup our entire site on AWS for dev, staging and production environments. Every server and service was built and managed on AWS. The good thing is that you pay for what you use except for few services. During development and testing, we kept our costs low by keeping less servers and as we got close to production, we added more servers.
"AWS Managed Services offers quality services"
AWS Managed Services has helped us a lot in our company, we love being an active partner of AWS, since it helps us to offer technological solutions without the need to know a lot of technology, that's why we are delighted with the services offered.
The aim is to help the big end of town migrate to the cloud, complete with the ITIL-compliant processes they need to preserve in order to feel confident about governance. The service can therefore work with preferred management tools and the policies they enforce, and cloudify them. You can choose which resources to assign to the AWS managed services team, which will then respond to any change requests you make. And also do the mucky stuff mentioned above, either at your beck and call or as a result of automation and/or machine learning to keep your corner of the cloud humming.
"Powerhouse Server Infrastructure & Rapid Deployment"
The best part about AWS is the flexibility, scalability, and pricing. The speed to deployment is unmatched. I love being able to clone server images and deploy NODEs to scale up my infrastructure on the fly. We have been able to use multiple server deployments of Micro, Small, Medium and working up to Large Deployments. We have full control of these servers and have as many 18 Nodes at any one time.
AWS's dashboard takes some learning curve. Unless you are an AWS engineer, it does take a while to orient yourself to the system. However, once we get the platform down, it is super powerful. Also, I dislike the Security Infrastructure.AWS uses a mix of private keys, secure logins, and *.pem security files. Out of the box, almost everything is blocked and you have to learn the Security side before you can even get started with the Server Configuration.
This is a great product and a great scalable infrastructure.
Having a flexible and scalable infrastructure has helped our SaaS to grow while minimizing overhead and deployment contracts. This is a great way to scale our infrastructure.
"Build data platform using AWS"
AWS is one shop where you can find almost all SAAS which you can use to build your services. So using AWS you mostly focus on writing business instead of hosting service required for your service and this save lots of time for developer.
If you want to build real time system ( actually NRT system) you can use AWS Kinesis Stream instead of hosting Kafka or RabbitMq and use AWS Lambda or ECS service to process it.
I used 13+ AWS Services. All services are satisfy our use case, reliable, available except few like AWS Kinesis Firehose (error on high number of put request), AWS Glue etc.
As we know for companies most valuable thing is Data. They use data to get business insights, trends, heat maps etc. We build data warehouse and data lake (or day data platform) using AWS and this platform this used inside company to get data driven decisions.
"AWS Managed Services -Best for Provisioning Management"
AWS Managed Services conveys steady operations the board and unsurprising outcomes by following ITIL® best practices, and gives tooling and computerization to build effectiveness, and decrease your operational overhead and hazard.
There's no drawback to security on IaaS . Actually many will contend that the capacity to scramble, characterize have based departure entrance rules, and gathering frameworks gives far unrivaled controls.
Main concern is that whether physical or virtualized foundation is suitable truly relies upon the points of interest of your utilization case.
With AWS Managed Services, we approach the information we are utilizing to deal with your framework, including Amazon S3 logs, CloudTrail logs, case logs, and constant information from the AWS Managed Services APIs. Moreover, your Cloud Service Delivery Manager will give a month to month rundown of key execution measurements, including operational exercises, occasions and their particular effect, and proposals to advance stage utilization.
I love all the services offered by Amazon, especially EC2, S3, VPC, Application Load Balancer, Lambda etc. It is also allowing me to safeguard it from mad in the middle attack by providing encryption and 3rd party encryption options.
There is nothing to dislike but as a developer, I can request to make the development environment free on AWS services and keep charge only for the production and real-world use software.
This is an excellent product and helping all the developers and enterprise users to first try and then adopt it, which I like the most. It would be better if the cost for development purpose will be further down to 0.
We are not having in-house development and production size hardware and AWS is helping us to solve this big problem which in turn is saving $$ for us.
"AWS gets the job down"
using the AWS infrastructure can be a little daunting if you are not familiar or technically natured.
I have switched all of my long term storage as well as notification emails over to the AWS system which has given me security knowing how it will continue to work.
"Managed server infrustructure for medium and large businesses"
Easy to track service usage on its cloudwatch. Prices are tied on usage, thus you only pay for what you use. It offers a wide selection of free services like Amazon Chime. Its free tier is great for service under development.
Some of the managed services are not available in all regions. The costs could be high for small companies with tight budgets. Special skills are required when deploying some of its complex services thus the need for trained specialists.
The best server infrastructure available. Great for medium and large businesses. For small businesses, the services could be costly to maintain.
"The best server infrustructure for big companies"
It offers unmatched scalability and amazing usage-based pricing. All services are well encrypted thus very secure from the man in the middle attacks. Easy to set up cloud formation. Easy to use and intuitive interface. It also has great free services.
Its services could prove to be way expensive for small companies with tight budgets. Some services are not available in all regions, for example, Simple Email Service is not available in EU Frankfurt for now.
AWS Managed Services is perfect for medium and large companies. Trained AWS specialist would be required when making complex deployments.
Using Amazon Managed Services allowed us to scale our applications well. It also helped us speed up our deployment processes.
"AWS MANAGED SERVICES CONFIDENCE "
AWS is applicable to just about every major framework available which allows us flexibility for bringing in projects that are outsourced best in setting up the code review.
We have spent more time on just tweaking the beneficial data we want from the system than some of our recent big projects. you can begin use without complete tailoring to your staff once you make those changes its great.
for the rest of applications like data analysis there are a way better solutions at the moment define the project very well if the AWS database manager is required since ir could be expensive to maintain the infrastructure depending on the installation and configuration.
Once we got it off the ground it was a great tool set to provide metrics doing it in comprehensive way. the metrics to help us established accountability we use AWS al particularly for computer vision and analyzing large amount of data.
"Automate infrastructure management tasks with the collection of tools."
We can consider about only for our applications deployment and we can let the AWS managed services do the rest of the work.It will reduce the work load and risk for the business.This solution, will improve agility of the applications and organization.Also increase productivity within less time. It is a very powerful and scalable platform which is easy to work with.AWS Managed Services deals with the day-to-day activities of our infrastructure in arrangement with ITIL processes.Also it will provide deep security protection for our infrastructure.With the AWS Managed Services , we can easily maintain highly structured infrastructure.Without any cost we can get the support from the AWS enterprise support which is very supportive.
There is a steep learning curve for those who are beginners , but if we follow the documentations we can easily work with the AWS Managed services.Other than that, I did not found any cons regarding this platform.
It is a very reliable platform which we can ensure that it will manage the tasks of our infrastructure efficiently and effectively.
It will reduces the cost and improve the agility while increasing the productivity of the organization.
With the end-point protection level is high we can ensure that our infrastructure and our business environment are protected.We can get the support for any issue while working with this AWS managed services platform.Also , all the AWS operations are managed carefully and efficiently.We can have quick changes via requests and get the work done .
"Another Great Product From Amazon"
All of it, starting from UI to monitor the instances, creating multiple VPC, selecting and configuring database, template creation via Lambda expression etc to access the same via code of our application. Another thing is security where AWS has saved us and we can deploy the application without worring on security ascept of our application.
AWS is of great help to all the companies who does not want to invest on infrastructure due to many business/budget factors. Also, customers has ability to spin multiple nodes up depending on the load of an application. Another excellent product from Amazon.
There is absolutely nothing to dislike, however I will request sales team to come up with various promotional offer to use new service as it will help all the customers to learn try and then buy the product.
There is nothing in specific to recommed to Amazon AWS team, however if the sales team come up with some promotional offer to use the service and try out for few months before buying /implementing then it will help all the customers to review, use and explore the product before adopting it. Also sometimes lacks of knowledge is also making people to explore other solutions in the market.
We are having a product and we are also offering solution over cloud to all our customers, specially to those who does not have in house infrastructure ready to run our software.
Liked the ease of use, accessibility, and customer service expertise. Very easy and efficient app to use. Software is easy to learn and get accustomed to.
Nothing really - app works well for me, no complaints whatsoever. Would very much recommend to anyone who is thinking about switching the software that they utilize for their e-commerce and/or retail business. A 10/10 software that rarely glitches, bugs, et cetera.
AWS Managed Services is a wonderful software if you are in the e-commerce industry or corporate level of retail. My company greatly benefitted from the implementation of this software.
Solving problems with e-commerce and financial obligations. As for benefits, we have realized plenty; this software has worked very well for us as a team. Communication has improved tenfold, we have sold much more product due to more efficient software, and we have had more time allotted to do more with other aspects of the company, like our inventory and our more prominent, long-term goals.
As someone with little to no experience in IT, this site was great! It was easy to use and the interface was really convenient. They had unique functions I had not seen in other programs and had easy to follow steps when using new functions. We used several other platforms before this but finally settled because it absolutely provided us with the best service.
There were a couple of questions that I had, but unfortunately, the support team was unable to help me through it. The pricing is also a bit steep, but it truly has great functions that are not like other programs.
This service is incredibly user-friendly and gives you access to tons of files. This makes the entire process so much easier for the entire enterprise.
This product helped transfer our documents to a public cloud in order to share them easier. It also took the load off of our servers becuase it was processed on a public platform.
"Satisfaction in administration and support is the perfect relationship in service operations"
The practice of attention in particular of certain operational things such as process protocols, makes it possible to increase the efficiency of certain recurring activities such as problem or initiation care, access management, security and control and even integrations this allows me as a company have an adequate and considered scope to my neuralgic center of operation.
I have not yet discovered something that I say I do not like, I could think of a master center of operational control or audit where I show every step made by any operator or operation or administrator.
I think the guarantee of having it is that I maintain security and control with some defense and a lot of operational excellence, I do not rule out the use of it in other companies that need this type of management because it is fully recommended.
I have solved enough, first because I gather everything in a single control and then I have an answer to many things of my operative management that I did not maintain before.
"Extremely easy to use and highly recommended"
"Great service multiple tools and programs"
AWS is made up of a humungous array of products and features, including so many plugins and add-ons from third parties. Wide selection of APIs. recommendable Strong security. Impressive selection of servers for both Windows and Linux OS. Offers all major Linux distributions. Extremely deep server support.
I like the interface. everytime I checkin, its like hmmm got some business to do now, lets get it on.
so many options and Choices are so complex that figuring out what the platform is going to cost can be very difficult and understanding what is best required by our company is confusing or complex.
Costing is confusing due to so much of variety. i think even they took some good time determinig what could be done about the prices.
help us by making the choices sound simpler or easier. at-least have a mini guided tour just to help us select what we want. what already exists isn't helpful enough.
there are so many things aws can do better but there are so many things aws has already done amazing. so i would leave it to them to decide their fate.
I use it for Setup, management, and monitoring which are supported in ways that are easy to use and intuitive to implement.
"AWS Managed Services it's the next generation ITSM tool !"
The practical application of ITIL basis can be enforced, you can apply change management as easy to setup in your console a EC2 deployment from day 1 of your project and start working and tuning it as the resources and peak points shows up you can manage from the way the components works Database integration and automation engines to run your microservices as well you can track down incidents with a very accurate event dashboard and minimize the downtimes by applying fault tolerance & redundancies policies just with few steps.
I really don't like the fact that it'll be useful to have a mobile dedicated app to match the AWS Managed Services web tool and take it to the palm of your hand. besides that I couldn't find any other disadvantage over AWS Managed Servives.
Be aware to build up a design that will meet your requirements basically that all AWS services run as pay as you go and most of the times can drain up budgets and ditch Cloud migration projects since the number may no fit to the finance requirements. Also you must enforce your development to setup an agile strategy to accomplish due times, iterations and go live process then you'll find and ally in all aspects within the AWS Managed Services.
It save us a really huge amount of time by consolidating our run to daily basis task allowing us to automate engines that could easily solve up our maintance issues. Most we had the chance to test the AWS Managed services and had the chance to play around with the automation engines for our microservices and stack up a bunch of EC2 instances to test failover policies.
"Helping Make Small Teams Very Productive"
We have a small team and we've been able to accomplish a lot in terms of building out a data lake and data warehouse with heavy use of AWS managed services: Kinesis Firehose for populating the data lake on S3, Athena for querying and ad-hoc discovery on the data lake, Glue for ETL into the data warehouse, Redshift for data warehousing, and EMR for data science prototyping with Spark. For most of these services, we (the data scientists/engineers) have required a lot of DevOps support to set appropriate IAM permissions to get started, but then it was truly no-ops.
Documentation for new data processing services is often lacking or subpar compared to open-source projects; for example Apache Spark documentation and PostgreSQL have much better documentation than AWS Glue or Redshift. AWS is still fixing bugs on newer services like Glue. In particular, we've experience many job failures due to AWS-related service errors that we've had to spend dev time troubleshooting with AWS support only to learn that the cause is a known bug AWS has not yet fixed.
For new services, get used to spending a lot of time talking to and waiting from responses from AWS support.
We're using AWS managed services for data processing and building a data warehouse (EMR and Glue), ad-hoc data discovery and QA (Athena), and data warehousing (Redshift).
AWS is a soup-to-nuts platform that integrates easy with other products. It's an industry-leading product and is helpful to our entire team (the Customer Support widget is bar none, and it allows us to not have to visit our manager in the interim). I also like how I can login on the cloud without any issues. I was often disrupted with other products, but not with AWS. The company chose to go with AWS after looking for a stable, robust platform to use. I love that we can also work together in the platform and it has multiple uses for different levels of employees and leadership.
AWS is a one-stop shop, and can be difficult to plus in with other products. The product is not as visually appealing as other products I've used on the market. There can be a learning curve, but again, it's not as difficult to use as other products on the web.
Customer support is key, and Bezos' mission to put the customer first aligns well with ours. I like how simple the product is to use, where others required serious training, and put the company weeks behind in change management.
"Nice setup and pretty good use and structure. "
You only have to pay for what you are actually using. The S3 storage is super reliable. It works well with other applications! It has a super clean user interface and is great to organize. It's pretty simple to understand after an effective introduction and know how of the system.
The cost is a little steeper than I would have expected and there is a slight learning curve, but once you've got it, you're good to go. Not all of the services are yet available across all of the regions, at least from what I've been able to determine.
AWS would be perfect for a small to mid size startup that doesn't want to put up a ton of money for IT infrastructure. It's not for someone just wanting to host a small website, since there are much cheaper alternatives for that. It is very easy to spend more than expected.
From start to finish delivering services to clientele and potential clients across multiple regions.
Amazon Web Services had helped me create a virtual machine for running Linux so availability, security, reliability, and cost factors are all accounted for. I use S3 Storage, which, after learning how to use, has been extremely helpful! It's great for sending bulk emails and also continual integration of software development.
"AWS is quickly becoming a competitor for future business ventures"
To start, there are a few useful features to the AWS service with the primary component stemming from the AWS cloud lines that can get data in a snap when requested. Also, the connectivity to the AWS servers is smooth and can be of use when voice over is in use.
The formality that AWS integrated systems can store and share data procured during SQL requests and any other interaction between the user and the system lets alerts go off in my mind that in this day and age data sharing is a gold mine for 3rd parties.
There are many recommendations to it with the main stemming from the AWS servers it uses. There will be a lot more noise made by AWS in the coming years if the company advances as it has been in the past.
The intranet/conference call is enhanced by using the AWS powered service system. Also, by using AWS solutions, the system is then set like an AI by learning the business scope and re-applying it to future ventures when it deems the related project of similar interest.
"I Wish I Had More Time To PROGRAM Alexa!"
Last time I logged into AWS, I remember trying to build my first Alexa app. Pet Sit. I actually managed to add in the morning and afternoon routines for both my cats! I know I am capable of writing in whatever computer language that programs Alexa. My problem is, I have 3 jobs, and I also run an entire household without a car, so naturally I am very busy! For some one without a regular job.
Be willing to take Webinars to learn to program in Alexa. It’s not that hard. I know that, as a woman with coding experience, I am capable of programming Alexa. My biggest problem is TIME. As in, I have too many irons in the fire!
I can telll the Pet Sitter how to care for YaHabibi and Tippy. Alexa doesn’t distinguish between voices! She responded to my (now ex) boyfriend’s voice, too! Surprise! Gee, I would love to have the TIME to program Alexa. Heck; there’s e-Courses and Webinars. But I have to pick and choose. Too much scattershot does not make me wealthy. I need to EARN MORE MONEY.
"AWS- Pay As You Go"
We adopt AWS Cloud services at our organization, It's very Cost saving for example if you talk on premises network we required physical servers, maintenance of that server, backup & storage so we need to hire third party company or resources, then electricity cost for the all network infrastructure. It is very high cost compare to cloud services. AWS will take care of all this so we no need to worry about our data backup and all things. Only pay whatever we use this feature is really awesome. With the help of AWS I can deploy instance in few minutes. Even AWS managed services provide very well management of Security with anti malware protections, instructions detection & prevention.
AWS is actually little bit expensive as compared to Google cloud platform (GCP) . After that it's all OK about AWS sevices as compare to GCP Amazon have more cloud services.
Within a minute AWS ec2 instance deployed with the help of AMI and ready to use. Adopting AWS services we get lots of benefits like cost save, time save and improve our productivity. We never face any connectivity issue till now touch wood. I just want to say...USE IT!!!
We are very happy to using AWS services.
It is linked to your amazon account so that makes logging in easy - I really like that a lot it is so convenient and it amazes me that more companies do not offer this option. Having to manage several accounts and passwords is a bit of a pain.
navigating is difficult, the tutorials which are not written by amazon people are misleading - but they allow you to practice at the same time. I didn't like that some of the pricing was opaque vs. transparent.
be aware of the pricing and where they might get you on little things as they did me. A call to customer service cleared it up but it still took up time to make that call.
shut off your free trial if you are not using it and do it well before it expires.
Storage on demand when we ran out, critical skills for managing in the cloud which is what everyone is moving to.
I mostly use their EC2 and relational database managed services, and they're super easy to use whether you're a linux systems admin God or a newbie. I'm somewhere in the middle and find everything natural to set up, their portal/dashboards are great, billing is great, etc.
I think since Amazon is doing such a great job adding new services/products, that sometimes it's hard to keep up with what all the services do and the problems that they solve. It's almost too much of a good thing, so can't really complain about that too much. They've done a great job for putting so much on the web portal.
There's a lot to learn, but our company and myself got a ton of value out of the AWS Reinvent Conference. I learned a lot about new up and coming services/products.
At work, our team mostly uses their Aurora and Redshift services. I know our IT manager has mentioned how much easier and flexible it was moving our production database over to AWS and how much cheaper it is. Our system admins love how much easier their jobs are when we need to rescale, and they don't have to do all-nighters anymore. I think Redshift has really kicked up our reporting services.
Sometimes for my own freelancing work, I setup small linux EC2 clusters to host webservers, but honestly, I find Digital Ocean to be simpler for configuring a little headless linux bos.
"AWS - Amazon beating the market competition once again!"
With AWS - you can definitely reduce the cost of your services by 40%. There's so much that AWS offers for services that you can get the job done without paying the extra money to companies.
What I definitely dislike about AWS is the interface of the system. There's sooo many options it becomes complicated to figure out where you need to go and what to use. It can easily be mistaken for being in a different category while looking for something.
IF you are still considering switching to AWS, I would like to ask you to pull the trigger. Since you know what AWS already is, I assume you understand how to manage website resources. The only thing I would advise you is to make sure you understand the UI and where each item is. For some of the members on my team, I had to outsource somewhere else because AWS can be confusing if you do not fully 100% understand where everything is.
The business problems I was solving with AWS is cost. Money is everything when you run online services. If you're more than tech savy and run more than 3 websites for profit, AWS is the solution you want to save yourself more money while profiting more! There's no better service out there!
"M2E and AWS Synchronization is Not Seamless"
The ad hoc reporting is a nice feature, and being able to update product details and review at the item level. The inventory and catalog dashboards have a user-friendly UI and make it easy to review current listing and mass upload new listing.
There needs to be an easier integration with M2E. Also, the suppression criteria seems like a bot is crawling listings, and making false resumptions and suppresses listing, then once reviewed pass the listing criteria. It is very frustrating to manage as merchant and seller.
We are able to optimize business performance through cross-channel retailing. For certain categories, we perform higher on Amazon than on our site, that AWS helps fill those gaps.
It's great that Amazon is now doing the patch management, monitoring, security, backup, operational process and so on that you need for your cloud. Things that you'd need to hire internal talent to do, can now be hired the same way as you "rent" infrastructure, cloud, etc. It is a real convenience and a win for companies that don't have that talent in-house - or don't want to hire it.
I would say the price is higher than average, though you do get what you pay for. They do have top-notch people working for them.
The nice thing here is our cloud needs can be taken care of from end to end - consulting, architectonic, server maintenance, monitoring, even just rebooting the computer, all of that is done with AWS Managed Services. It's a very nice service to have your own IT crew working for you.
"Managing AWS Through a Dedicated Self-Service Console"
I like the ability to use and apply AWS security best practices to our infrastructure and the ability to configure default AWS security capabilities, such as Identity and Access Management (IAM) roles and EC2 security groups.
Take it for a test ride first and look for the specific solutions that fit your enterprise. Also, record how the updates add value to the reasons you are trying and/or have purchase the managed services.
The biggest problems are managing access management and the ability to remove the complexity of managing multiple authentication mechanisms.
Having a single place that is backed up at all times to store all of my web assets is a great luxury, and something that every developer should think about trying out.
It could be easier to use, and the pricing could be adjusted a bit. It is definitely one of the cheaper options our there (from my research), but that doesn't necessarily mean it is affordable to those trying to make ends meet.
If you're skeptical, check out the free trials. I believe they still have a 12-month free trial so there is no reason to say no!
I used to have all of my web assets stored on a local drive that would always stay on (mac mini), but after crashing once I realized that I should be move everything over to another entity who is better at it than myself.
Can use multiple services with ease.
There will be some learning curve involved when someone new is going to use any of the AWS services. Even though there is clear documentation being developed for this, to be used in existing systems AWS requires a significant amount of time.
"Best web services out there"
It has revamped my entire business and my work schedule. It's made my life easier than ever before.
"AWS - The Market Leader! "
- Accessibility. It's really simple - you get your own virtual machine instance. Enables you to deliver demos to stakeholders whenever and wherever necessary.
- Complete control and ability to enable/disable capabilities on a need basis.
- Reduced cost of managing services.
- Security, Scalability and Stability.
Not much to dislike with this product but the licensing can be expensive and also it restricts your ability to reserve an instances and upgrade at a later point of time.
- AWS is an excellent solution for remote hosting of virtual machines.
- Enables teams across the Globe present Product demos to Stakeholders.
- Less cost compared to other Cloud platforms available.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Infrastructure Management.
- Migrating our applications to AWS could based system.
- Computational abilities for hosting our web service apps.
"It delivers what it promisses"
It's the easiest interface comparing to other providers, at least easiest for technical people. It has a very good interface that let you know where you need to tune the parameters to achieve what you need to your scenario. Most of the features a very easy to find, and you have the possibility to replicate the setup for other deployments easily.
The cost may be better when using some resources like GPU computation.
Try it with the free option they provide, and you will see the power of using it.
Creating servers to run SAAS that I've built. It's reliable, and I have needed the backups sometimes, and that kind of snapshots helps a lot. Also it's very easy to create those snapshots and use them, the interface don't make us lost when using this product in anyway.
"An amazing service for those who need substantial and reliable computing power"
Getting AWS was one of the best decision we made our startup company, it offered us to get things done more quickly when trying multiple iterations of our 3d renders for our presentations with our partners so we could focus more on the creative side of the process (pun intended).
Nothing to dislike as it only helped us whenever we were in a hurry (or hungry) for some computational power!
"DevOps is what you say it is"
I can't count the number of times I've been asked "what is DevOps?" I like to think that as our grandfathers were building the assembly lines and and distribution centers they were doing Development Operations in the manufacturing industry. DevOps is to apps, web services, and software products as industrial design and machining is to part milling, conveyor belts, and packaging.
The AWS ecosystem is highly specialized to Amazon's idea of what distributed web services should be.
With a global company and a small staff AWS allows us to get services where we need them.
"Review of Amazon Web Services"
AWS provides on demand cloud computing services to customers which includes virtual machines running all the time on Amazon servers deployed worldwide.
It provides subscription based services according to the Customer requirements of OS, RAM, storage, pre poaded applications etc.
Companies can provide use them through the modern browsers and can also configured machines for their customers which makes it really easy and hassle free to setup the system.
It makes the work easy and fast.
It provides many services like storage, management, AI, computing but most of the services are not directly deployed over the machine. They provide them through external API which sometimes cause security issues.
The flexibility and control of the platform is of the best in the industry. Full control and ability to enable/disable certain functions and capabilities on an as needed basis allow AWS to surpass and succeed over the competition.
Implement services in a timely fashion to make full use of the platform.
We have ultimately reduced the cost to maintain and run our environment in regards to hardware costs and upgrades. Making AWS a no-brainer for any IT Professional.
"Makes mac and pc life easier"
There are certain programs I don't have access to running on my macbook pro. Using AWS gives me the ability to still utilize those programs to grow my business. It's not expensive and can be set up quickly.
It can be quite confusing to learn and a bit sluggish depending on how much you're looking to invest. If you aren't trained in coding or back end stuff, it can be confusing.
If you're looking for a simplified way to access primarily Windows based software, AWS is perfect. You can still work from anywhere while also having access to all of your software.
AWS allows me to run programs that I typically don't have access to without paying the extra cost of buying another computer.
AWS Managed Services provides simple and efficient means to make controlled changes to infrastructure. AWS Managed Services enables you to quickly and easily make the request through a dedicated self-service console. With automation and integration with your existing ITSM service catalog allows you to quickly stand up applications in either test or production environments through a self-service portal.
Definitely download and become accustomed to all it has to offer!
I am a consultant and the business model I use fits perfectly with AWS MS. I will not go back to another type of software ever.
* We monitor all AWS Managed Services reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. Validated reviews require the user to submit a screenshot of the product containing their user ID, in order to verify a user is an actual user of the product.
Hi there! Are you looking to implement a solution like AWS Managed Services? | 2019-04-25T09:56:02Z | https://www.g2.com/products/aws-managed-services/reviews |
It is proposed that the ultimate cause of much historical change is the gradual accumulation of human knowledge of the environment. Human beings use the materials in their environment to meet their needs and increased human knowledge of the environment enables human needs to be meet in a more efficient manner. Human needs direct human research into particular areas and this provides a direction for human historical development. The human environment has a particular structure and human beings have a particular place in it so that human knowledge of the environment is acquired in a particular order. The simplest knowledge, or the knowledge closest to us, is acquired first and more complex knowledge, or knowledge further from us is acquired later. The order of discovery determines the course of human history as knowledge of new and more efficient means of meeting human needs, results in new technology, which results in the development of new social and ideological systems. This means human history, or a major part of human history, had to follow a particular course, a course that is determined by the structure of the human environment. An examination of the structure of the human environment will reveal the particular order in which our discoveries had to be made. Given that a certain level of knowledge will result in a particular type of society, it is possible to ascertain the types of societies that were inevitable in human history. While it is not possible to make predictions about the future course of human history, it is possible to explain and understand why human history has followed a particular path and why it had to follow that particular path.
This book is about the long-term changes that have occurred in human society. It is a macrohistory, or a speculative or substantive theory of history and a theory of social change and cultural evolution that proposes a linear progression in human knowledge and technology as the underlying cause of much social, cultural and historical change. It attempts to explain the cause of the progression and the consequences of the progression. It attempts to show how and why humans in many environments have changed from being hunter-gatherers to being citizens of modern industrial states. It deals with the facts of scientific and technological discoveries and not with unsubstantiated or unsubstantiable speculations. It is not about events such as wars and the rise and fall of empires or dynasties, which are political events; rather it is about the intellectual and material conditions of humankind. It deals with the social and cultural history of humankind and not with political and diplomatic history.
The causes of social, cultural and historical change proposed involve a mixture of ideological, social and material factors. Ideological factors are involved in that new ideas will often be the driving force for change. Ideas such as that of systematic experimentation and the application of quantitative methods form the basis of modern science and are the ultimate causes of much of the scientific and technological change that has occurred since the seventeenth century. Social factors are involved in that change requires openness to new ideas and technology and the absence of institutions, which may try to suppress new ideas and technology. Material factors are involved in that the particular technology available to a given society will have a powerful effect on the way in which its people live. However behind the ideology, social system and technology of any particular society is the level of knowledge of that society. A change in the level of knowledge of a society may change the state of a societies ideology, technology and social systems.
The theory proposed is based upon five concepts. These concepts concern human needs and desires; the level of knowledge of the environment, available in particular societies; the order in which discoveries concerning the environment take place; the properties of matter that constitute the environment and the structure of the universe in which we live. These five concepts are explained in detail later in this paper but a brief explanation is appropriate here. It will be suggested that all societies have certain needs or desires and that they meet these needs by utilising the resources in their environments. The ability to utilise those resources changes as their knowledge of their environment changes. In particular they develop knowledge of the properties of the resources in their environment and how the resources in their environment can be used to meet human needs and desires. Human knowledge of the resources is dynamic; it changes over time. Greater knowledge of the properties of the resources in the environment allows new ways in which human needs can be meet by exploiting the resources in the environment. Our knowledge of our environment grows in a particular order; certain knowledge will inevitably be discovered before other knowledge. The order of our discoveries about nature determines the order of technological change and scientific discoveries in human society. The order of our discoveries of both the properties and structure of nature depend upon the relationship between nature and us. We discover these things in an order from that which is closest to us, to that which is further away, or perhaps in an order from the simplest to the more complex. It is the structure of the universe and our place in it, which determines the order in which our knowledge of nature will grow and this determines what technological and scientific options are available to meet our needs and desires.
The theory proposed is a multi-lateral theory of human development. It recognises that different cultures and societies live in different environments and so will develop in different ways. Societies in the artic, mountainous, coastal and desert environments will develop different cultures. Societies in areas of mineral deposits may develop differently from those without such mineral deposits. Societies in areas where large domesticable animals are present may develop differently from those without large domesticable animals. A societies religious beliefs may be quite arbitrarily chosen by the society and be quite uninfluenced by the particular environment within which the society lives.
This paper deals only with that part of human history, that changes due to changes in human knowledge. I have called that part of history, human social and cultural history, which is perhaps an imprecise description. When I refer to human social and cultural history, I mean that part of human history, that changes due to changes in human knowledge of the human environment. This necessarily leaves out significant parts of human history, but it enables us to put what I call social and cultural history on a more rational and scientific basis.
Human history obviously does change in a major way due to changes in human knowledge. The domestication of plants and animals, the invention of writing, the discovery of mathematics, the development of metallurgy, the scientific revolution, the invention of the steam engine and other technologies during the industrial revolution, ideas such as evolution and cultural relativity, motor vehicles, aircraft, television, telephones and computers are all derived from increasing knowledge of the human environment. These ideas and technologies were all based upon the acquisition of new knowledge, whether scientific or empirical, and those ideas and technologies have caused enormous changes in human history.
This is not to say that all changes in human history are caused by changes in human knowledge. There are other causes of change in history notably decisions made by people in power that can cause great historical events. However this paper will only deal with changes in human society derived from changes in human knowledge of the human environment. Such changes tend to be cumulative and usually lead to linear changes in human history. Such change is not usually reversible as once knowledge is part of human culture it seldom seems to be lost. When it is lost it is usually due to changes in the human environment and such changes are rare because the behaviour of materials in the natural world is usually consistent over time. There are a few example of cumulative change being reversed such as soil exhaustion or climate change which could lead to an abandonment of agriculture or mineral exhaustion leading to an end of metallurgy.Knowledge may also be lost when societies become culturally isolated especially when the isolation is accompanied by low population as happened to the Australian aborigines living in Tasmania. While such occasions may have occurred in human history they are comparatively rare and are vastly disproportionate to the tendency for knowledge to accumulate in human societies.
Cumulative change can be contrasted with reversible change which can be defined as changes caused by human will and decision making. Such changes are easily reversible, they can swing as easily one way as another, like a pendulum, as they are subject to human whim and decision making. Since the discovery of agriculture there has been a great area of civilization running from China and South East Asia, through India and the Middle East, North Africa and Europe which has been based on agriculture. During the thousands of years these societies have practised agriculture they have not shown any indication of changing back to hunting and gathering. Yet during those thousands of years there has been a constant rising and falling of empires, dynasties and change in religious beliefs. The discovery of agriculture is a cumulative change that is not easily reversed, whereas the rise and fall of empires, dynasties and religions is a matter subject to human decision making and can go one way or another depending upon human decisions and abilities. On the other hand cumulative changes tend to be based on matter such as efficiency or what is the best solution to a problem and those matters are given and are not subject to human decision making or whims. We can of course choose to adopt the least efficient answer to a problem,but we do not normally do so. Cyclical theories of history will usually be based on and seek to explain reversible change in human history. This paper however deals only with cumulative change and does not attempt to explain reversible change.
The starting point in this development is the human being itself. Human beings have the ability to learn and they have this ability above and beyond that of any other living species. This capacity is used to meet various human needs or desires. A consideration of human needs is necessary for two reasons. First, human needs direct human interests and research into particular directions or areas. This direction in combination with the opportunities our environment allows us for meeting our needs sets the course of human historical development. Secondly, human needs are a requirement for the adoption of new inventions or ideas. They will not be adopted unless a need for them exists.
Human needs can be described in various ways. One such description is that of Abraham Maslow with his hierarchy of human needs. Maslow's needs ascended from basic physiological needs (food, warmth, shelter) to safety needs (to be secure, safe, out of danger), to belongingness and love needs (to be accepted, to belong), to esteem needs (achievement, competence, respect from others), cognitive needs (to know, understand, explain) aesthetic needs (beauty, symmetry, elegance) to self actualisation (to develop and explore oneself to the full). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are somewhat controversial. Nevertheless while individual exceptions can always be shown to Maslow's hierarchy and the exact order of the needs at the top level may be arguable there would seem to be considerable truth in his theory. Just about all human beings in all cultures appear to desire food, warmth, shelter and safety and security. A sense of belongingness to groups and for the respect of others would also appear to be common to all societies. Equally all societies appear to have cognitive needs (all societies have creation stories) and aesthetic needs (art).
We are not however restricted to Maslow’s description of human needs. An alternative set of needs could be the basic human needs such as for light, warmth, oxygen, food, moisture, sleep, and physical safety and such needs as for love and affection, the respect of others, self respect, power (either as a means of satisfying other needs or as an end in itself), material possessions and wealth (either as means or end), the satisfaction of intellectual curiosity, peace of mind, aesthetic satisfaction, new experience or variability of experience and for creative opportunities. The list is not necessarily exhaustive and the needs are not necessarily found in every society or individual. Nevertheless such needs are found in nearly all societies and they provide a useful explanation for human exploitation of the environment.
A further set of needs, arising from the human inclination to live in societies, are for systems of communication, production, distribution, defence, member replacement and social control. These needs are often called the functional requisites of societies and are universal needs existing in all human societies.
The needs expressed above are mainly universal needs present in all, or almost all, human cultures. However there are many needs that relate only to particular cultures. These needs however are usually derived from the universal needs. An example of this would be the need of mine owners in Britain in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to pump water out of mines. This may have been a need for a particular country at a particular time but this need related to a need for the goods that would be produced by the use of the coal and other minerals. Those goods would have meet a universal need that would have been common to all cultures such as the production of food, shelter or warmth. Coal obviously can be used for warmth but it may also be used for the smelting of metals that may be used for the making of agricultural implements or the production of hammers and nails for the erection of buildings that would provide shelter from the elements. The fact that derived or relative needs can usually be related back to universal needs, suggests that the direction the universal needs provide to human knowledge and research will exist in all societies.
Human needs direct human attention in particular directions. Hunter-gatherers are well known as having a very considerable knowledge of the plants and animals in their environment. They know which plants are safe to eat, where they are likely to be found and when they are best to eat. They know the behaviour of the animals in their environment, where they are most likely to be found and how to trap and kill them. They would know where water is to be found in arid environments. Yet they would know little about the soils they walk on, the geology of the earth and have only a minimal knowledge of the seasons. Hunter–gatherers developed their knowledge of the plants, animals and water sources in their environments because they had a need for that knowledge.
An agrarian people would tend to lose the knowledge that hunter-gatherers have of wild animals and plants. However they would develop a considerable knowledge of what plants grow best in what soils, and if they have domesticated animals, how to care for and breed domestic animals. They would also have a considerable knowledge of the seasons and what is the best time to plant crops. The development of a calendar and the beginnings of a science of astronomy would be needed by an agrarian society to assist decisions as to when crops should be planted. An agrarian society will produce a surplus and need to record the amount and the whereabouts of the surplus. This will result in a need for writing or some other record keeping system. The need to calculate the amount of the surplus, tax owed and areas of land lead to the development of mathematics. The need to protect the surplus and to maintain law and order lead to the development of governments, bureaucracy and armies. The need for trade lead to the development of improved sea and land transport such as sailing ships and wheeled transport. Agrarian peoples developed their knowledge of agriculture and pastrolism, of calendars, astronomy, writing, mathematics and invented governments, bureaucracy, armies, sailing ships and wheeled transport because they had a need for such knowledge and inventions.
Industrial societies have their own set of needs. The agrarian farmers knowledge of agriculture and pastrolism would be replaced by a more scientific knowledge of agriculture involving analysis of soils and selective breeding of animals. Scientific and engineering knowledge would replace the empirical building and engineering knowledge of agrarian societies. Better observations of nature with improved instruments and techniques allowed accurate and rational (whether true or not) explanations of nature to replace the mythical and religious explanations of agrarian societies. Industrial societies develop their knowledge of science and engineering, as they are the means used in industrial societies to meet human needs.
This shows how human needs, whether they be universal needs, or needs that exist in only one or some societies, focus human attention into certain areas, which involve the meeting of human needs. We see little attempt to meet the needs of other species, we are profoundly human-centric. We do not attempt to feed or tend other animals unless we have an interest in the survival of those animals. We do not tend to engage in conduct that does not meet our needs. Conduct such as standing on our heads, sleeping 20 hours a day, praying to gods we do not believe exist, (as opposed to those we do believe exist), eating food with no taste or nutritional value, betting on non-existent races, do not meet any human needs and so are not normally engaged in by human beings. There is probably an infinite range of behaviour that does not meet human needs and is consequently not engaged in by humans.
The question of human needs was raised by George Bassalla (1988,212) when he repeats a question raised by V Gordon Childe "Did a reindeer hunter in 30,000 BC or an Ancient Egyptian in 3,000BC or an ancient Briton in 30BC really need or want to travel a couple of hundred miles at 60mph?" Childe and Brassalla considered the answer was no and Bassalla considered "the speed of land travel appropriate to one time and culture are not necessarily appropriate to another." Childe and Bassalla are wrong. Reindeer hunters, ancient Egyptians and Britons would have found such a vehicle enormously useful and if it were available they would certainly have used it. A reindeer hunter would have found his hunting much more successful if he was hunting from such a vehicle as he could easily out run his prey and the vehicle would be extremely useful for carrying the dead reindeer back to his camp. Ancient Egyptians and Britons would use such a vehicle for the transport of agricultural produce or goods, for hunting, for communication purposes and for military purposes. Any society that has draught animals and the cart would find the vehicle referred to by Childe and Basalla as simply an improved version of the animal and cart. Such a vehicle would have a valuable role in helping to meet the ultimate need of the provision of food.
That technology “appropriate” to one culture can meet the needs of another culture can be seen by the modern "real life" examples of modern hunter gatherers hunting with rifles and shot guns, the desire of groups such as Maoris in New Zealand in the nineteeth century to obtain goods such as metal axes and muskets and modern reindeer herding (the animals are now domesticated) involving the use of snow mobiles. The way in which the Native Americans in North America took advantage of horses as soon as they became available shows how a hunter-gatherer society was able to make use of much enhanced speed and mobility. Such a vehicle would simply be an example of technological diffusion, which often takes place. The use by third world countries of western technology, such as telephones and computers, is a further example of this. The question is not whether the technology is "appropriate" but whether it is useful and a vehicle travelling at 60 mph over hundreds of miles would be useful in all cultures other than those that have better vehicles. The vehicle referred to by Childe and Bassalla would not of itself be a universal need, even though it would be a need in all cultures, but would assist in the meeting of universal needs such as assisting in the provision of food by hunting or the trading of goods, which could meet some universal need. The point is that many human needs are the same in all cultures. A major difference between cultures lies in the extent to which they are able to meet those needs.
It is not however the case that just because a need exists, that it will be meet. It is also necessary that a means by which the need can be meet be known. If a new idea or invention is to be adopted then usually three conditions must be met. The first is that the knowledge as to how to create the idea or make the invention must be present; the second is that the idea or invention must meet a need; and the third is that the idea or invention must be the best way available to meet the need. The particular idea or invention must be the most economic or the most efficient way of meeting the need.
The desire that needs be meet in the most efficient manner possible shows consistently throughout history. Efficiency gains can take the form of increased output, or better quality output, or the same output for fewer inputs. If one examines particular areas of economic activity such as energy production, transport, communications or the production of goods and services, it is possible to see the adoption of improvements, which continually increase the efficiency of humankind’s technology. In relation to ideas, the simplest explanation consistent with the known facts, is the most efficient and is the explanation usually adopted.
The importance of a need existing before an invention or idea is adopted is shown by those inventions and ideas that could have taken place at earlier times due to their being relatively simple developments, but did not take place until later times. Such ideas or inventions could have been made without great difficulty, due to all necessary prior inventions having already been made, and yet those ideas or inventions were not immediately made. The reason for their discovery, when they were discovered, was that the need for the inventions before discovery was insufficient to justify the risk and expense of abandoning the existing practices and adopting the new invention or idea. In this situation the main determinate for when the discovery will be made is most likely to be when the need for the invention reaches a critical state, so that it becomes worthwhile to change the existing practices to adopt the new idea or invention.
There are a number of examples in history of inventions or ideas not being developed until a need arose. Prior to the development of double entry bookkeeping in Renaissance Italy, existing bookkeeping methods were adequate to record business activity. A considerable increase in trade meant that the existing bookkeeping methods were no longer adequate to cope with the increased business activity. The more sophisticated method of double-entry bookkeeping was then adopted to deal with the increasing level of business activity.
A similar situation existed with the technological improvements carried out in the textile industry in Britain in the early industrial revolution. Technological innovations such as Kay’s flying shuttle, Hargreves spinning jenny, Arkwright’s water frame and Crompton’s mule were largely made by connecting together parts of previous inventions that had been around for centuries. They were relatively easy inventions and could be made by inventors with no special qualifications or training. . This suggests the timing of the inventions has more to do with market demand or a newly developed need that had not previously existed. It may be that increased demand, caused by increasing population and lower agricultural prices due to the agricultural revolution of eighteenth century Britian, required greater production than the cottage industry textile production of pre-industrial Britian could provide. Improved transport from canals and better roads may have allowed textiles to be sold over a larger area, thus allowing a larger scale of production.
The theory that it was population pressures that lead to the development of agriculture is a needs based theory. This theory assumes that the knowledge required for agriculture was known to hunter-gatherers before the development of agriculture around 10,000 years ago. Before that time hunting and gathering was preferred to agriculture as it was a better life style and agriculture was only adopted when the population pressure forced humankind to adopt agriculture which was a more productive food acquiring system than hunting and gathering.
Human scientific and technological change requires the presence of both the knowledge as to how to make the change and the need for the change. If either of these factors is absent then the change will not take place. However throughout the course of human history it can be observed that the factor most commonly lacking is the knowledge. This is because humans began with a full set of needs but with only a limited amount of knowledge, as knowledge, apart from that immediately available to our senses, is something that accumulates over time. In comparison, we are born with a full set of needs, the universal needs found in all cultures and only relative needs have developed over time. This means that it is knowledge that is usually the missing factor in our attempts to find better and better means of meeting our needs. It is the discovery of knowledge, which is the ultimate cause of human technological and scientific change, and such change is at the roots of all fundamental historical change, social change and cultural evolution.
Many human societies have changed from hunting and gathering to farming and/or pastrolism and then to being industrial societies. What was necessary for this to happen? Obviously a knowledge of agricultural and pastoral practices and of the technology required for industrial society. Without this, the change from hunter gathering to farming and pastoralism and then to industrial society could not have taken place. The knowledge came from the capacity of humans to learn and from the human desire to meet certain needs in a better and more efficient manner.
However the human capacity to learn has existed for the many tens of thousands of years that homo sapien-sapiens has been on this planet and the needs have always been there even though previous societies have been less able to meet the needs than industrial societies. The difference is that the knowledge of how to meet the needs in a better and more efficient manner has not always existed. It has gradually accumulated over time. It is the increasing knowledge that is present in the change from hunter gathering to farming and pastoralism and then to industrial societies, that is absent from the preceding society. The knowledge required for industrial societies was not available in agrarian and pastoralist societies and the knowledge of how to domesticate plants and animals was not known to pre-historic hunter-gatherers. Yet many of the needs of hunter gathers are the same as for modern humans. Only the knowledge of how to meet those needs is different between the various types of societies and this can be used to explain many of the differences between those different types of societies.
However the knowledge differences between those societies are not limited to knowledge of how to grow crops and herd animals and of various industrial processes. Agrarian societies usually have a knowledge of writing, metallurgy, transport (e.g. sailed and wheeled), and mathematics and in many other areas that does not exist amongst hunter-gatherers. Equally industrial societies have a knowledge of scientific matters that do not normally exist in agrarian societies, except by diffusion, and in the one agrarian society modern science existed in, it was an agrarian society on the verge of turning into an industrial society. Indeed, it was the growth in the knowledge of science in Europe from the time of Galileo to the beginnings of the industrial revolution in late eighteenth century Britain that was the necessary precursor to the industrial revolution.
The changes from hunter gathering to agrarian/pastoralist to industrial societies were caused by changes in the methods used by humans to produce the goods and services that meet human needs. These were changes in the technology used by humans but behind the changes in technology were changes in knowledge. It was the changes in knowledge that caused changes in technology, which caused the historical development from hunter gathering to agarian/pastoralist and then to industrial societies. The idea that increasing human knowledge is a major cause of social, cultural and historical change can be traced back to Comte and J. S. Mill.
Changes in human knowledge resulted from the basic nature of human beings. The human ability to learn, to understand, to remember and human curiosity plus a desire to meet human needs resulted in humans gradually learning more and more about their environment. This ever increasing knowledge of humankinds environment was the ultimate reason for the changing nature of human society, of human historical, social and cultural development and the replacement of hunter gathering by agrarian/pastoral societies and in many cases of those societies by industrial societies.
While human beings have certain needs, those needs can only be meet to the extent allowed by the knowledge available in the particular society. Originally human beings were hunter gatherers, the same as our close relatives the great apes and many other animals. In common with many other animals humans have made tools to assist in their hunting and gathering. However such human beings were limited in their tool making capacity by their knowledge being restricted to the use of stone, bone and wood. Such wooden tools as may have been used in Palaeolithic times have long since decayed. However the stone and bone tools do survive and provide a record of increasing sophistication and efficiency. However not only did tools get more and more efficient as humans learnt to make better and better tools, but the range of tools available to humans also expanded considerably as human knowledge of the properties of the materials in the environment increased.
There are two types of human knowledge that can be used to meet human needs. The first, which has been around as long as homo sapien-sapiens, is that of empirical experience, where humans have observed the results of certain behaviour or processes. When certain behaviour has produced a certain result in many cases in the past people have learnt that it will usually do so in the future. Stone tool manufacturers learnt that certain stones, especially flint, when chipped a certain way would produce a sharp edge, without any knowledge of the chemical structure of the material they were dealing with. Equally early metal workers found they could shape metals and produce alloys, such as bronze, with no knowledge of why the metals behaved as they did.
The other way in which knowledge can be used to meet human needs is by logical reasoning from scientific laws or knowledge. This is a recent phenomena existing only since science itself has existed. Modern inventions such as the internal combustion engine, television, radio, nuclear power and bombs arose partially or wholly from reasoning from scientific knowledge. This use of human knowledge would now be the primary means of technological development in industrial societies, but empirical observation still retains a role in modern technology and perhaps an important role..
Our knowledge of the environment does not include unsubstantiated speculations. Good guesses as to how our world is such as the atomic theory of the Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus, the heliocentric astronomy of Aristarchus of Samos and the suggestion by Giordano Bruno that the sun was a star did not constitute knowledge. At the time these ideas were made, the evidence was against them, and they were not accepted at that time. Only ideas that are accepted constitute part of the knowledge of any given society.
Human knowledge is of course knowledge of the human environment. It can scarcely be of anything else. The objects in our environment, including ourselves, have certain properties which determine whether those objects are able to meet human needs or may be processed in such a way that they will meet human needs. The nature of human biology determines where we live and what our needs are. We cannot fly or breathe under water, so we live on the surface of the earth. We have a need for fresh water and as water is a heavy item, relative to human strength, we have spent most of our history living close to supplies of fresh water. We have a need for food and as this need is not as easily meet as other human needs, such as for oxygen, humans have spent a great deal of time and effort in searching for or growing food. It is only since the industrial revolution, in some societies, that the production of food has become a lesser part of human activity.
However it is not just human biology that determines how we live. The biological nature of the plants and animals in our environment determines which we live on and which we do not. Some plants are poisonous to us and some animals are to fast for us to catch. However the wide range of food humans can consume has allowed humans to spread over the entire planet. Some plants and animals may be relatively easy to domesticate, others cannot be domesticated at all. It is the property of some plants that they are capable of domestication that enabled the development of agriculture. Plants ideal for human consumption may be sown, fertilised, watered, protected from competing plants by weeding and will grow and provide the food necessary to feed human populations. Some animals may be domesticated and may serve as draught animals as well as their meat, hides and milk being utilised to meet human needs. If plants and animals were incapable of domestication or, if domesticated, they were not able to meet human needs, then they would not have been domesticated and human history would be quite different.
A further determinant of how humans live is the properties of non-living matter that makes up the human environment. It is because wood and flint can be easily manipulated and altered, by chipping in the case of flint and breaking or cutting in the case of wood and because they can be made hard and sharp that they have been important materials for tools and weapons. Materials such as bone and ivory have similar properties and have also been used for such purposes. It is the properties of some metals, such as hardness, malleability and that they can be mixed together to produce alloys, such as bronze and steel, that allowed them to supersede wood, flint, bone and ivory as the principal material for tools and weapons. If these materials did not have the appropriate properties they would never have been used to make tools or weapons.
It is the property of clay that it occurs naturally as a sticky but plastic lump and as a lumpy liquid. The structure of clay is that the particles of clay are flat and plate like and the addition of water enables them to slide overreach other without breaking apart. This enables clay to be formed into almost any shape, making it ideal for the creation of pottery.
It is the properties of sand, soda and lime, when melted together that they will form an opaque or transparent substance, as desired, which we call glass. It is the properties of glass, that it can be transparent or coloured and can be moulded in different shapes that makes it useful to meet human needs as windows, ornaments and vessels of various kinds.
It is also the particular properties of hides, wool, fur and cotton and other products that enable them to be fashioned into clothes capable of keeping people warm. If these products did not have those properties they would not have been used for the purpose for which they were used. If there were no products with the properties required for clothing then the area of human habitation of the planet would have been severely restricted to the warmer and temperate areas of the planet.
Certain products in the natural world are also used for the construction of buildings, most particularly, wood, stone, mud and bricks. It is because these materials are the most suitable materials available to create buildings and structures that they were used for those purposes. They have the right properties for use as building materials. If these materials had not existed, then either other less suitable materials would have been used with less satisfactory buildings being created or if there were no suitable materials, then no "permanent" buildings would have been built.
The objects in our environment will be in a state of being a gas, a liquid or a solid. Gases have the property of being able to expand and fill any available space. Gas molecules are only loosely connected. They assert pressure on the wall of anything they are held in. If the container of the gas is reduced in size, the pressure of the gas on the container's walls will increase. If the size of the container is increased the gas pressure on the container walls will reduce. If the gas is heated, the gas pressure will also increase and the gas will expand if it can. If it cools the gas pressure will fall. Hot expanding gas has been used to drive steam engines, to fire bullets, cannon balls and accelerate rockets.
It is the property of gases that when heated, their pressure increases. This is what caused the piston to rise in the early steam engines. It is also the property of gases that when their volume increases their pressure reduces so that as the piston rose the pressure of gas beneath the piston would fall. When the atmospheric pressure on the top of the piston is greater than the pressure beneath the piston, the piston will fall causing the gases beneath the piston to compress. This will cause the pressure underneath the piston to increase, which will cause the piston to rise again and so on. It is this property of gases that they expand when heated and that their pressure falls when their volume rises and the pressure rises when their volume falls that made the early steam engines possible.
Liquids have no fixed shape but do have a fixed volume. Liquid molecules slide over each other so as to fill any available space but they do not move as freely as gas molecules. Solids have a fixed space and are more strongly bound together than liquids. Different solids tend to have different properties depending on their composition and structure. Solids such as metals, bones, computer chips and gemstones are crystals and have a regular array of atoms tightly packed together. Plastics are formed from long chains of molecules linked by carbon atoms while glass has a largely random structure.
Whether matter is solid, liquid or a gas affects their properties, but each mixture, compound and element in nature has its own individual properties. Metals tend to have certain properties in common. They conduct heat well; they have high electrical conductivity that increases with falling temperature; they have high reflectivity and a shiny metallic luster; they are malleable and ductile; other than mercury they are solid at room temperatures and they emit electrons when exposed to high energy and heat. Non metals tend to be poor conducts of heat and electricity; they may be gas, liquids or solids at room temperature; when solid they tend to be brittle and fracture under stress. Different metals of course have different properties. Iron has a melting point of 1535°C, coppers melting point is 1083°C, aluminium's is 660°C and lead's is 327°C. The density in g cm-3 of aluminium is 2.71, iron is 7.86, copper is 8.97 and lead is 11.4. It is the low density or weight of aluminium that is the reason it is used in aircraft and space vehicles. It is the third most abundant element on the earth's surface so it is relatively inexpensive, and it is used for beer and soft drink cans and household utensils. Iron is also fairly common and its alloy steel, which is much stronger and harder than iron, is used in buildings, bridges, cars, machinery and in many other areas. Copper was one of the first metals to be used by humans, as, with gold and silver, it exists on earth in its pure state so no smelting is required to release it from its ore. Furthermore when smelting was developed the low melting temperature of copper meant it was the first extensively used metal. Copper has a very high electrical conductivity and is soft and ductile so it can be drawn into thin wires and is widely used for electrical wiring. Lead has a low melting point and so is easily extracted from its ore. Due to this it has been used for a long time. It was used by the Romans for lead pipes for the supply of water. These days lead is used for making batteries and in type metal and solder.
Our environment has a particular structure as is revealed by the laws and facts of physics, chemistry and biology. Curved space time, gravity, the laws of motion, the structure of atoms, electro-magnetism, the chemical bonds between atoms, our biological and non-biological needs and our physical and mental capabilities all go to make up the structure of our environment.
Human knowledge of the properties and structure of nature is acquired in a particular order. Certain things will necessarily be discovered before other things. Fire had to be discovered before metallurgy, as it is a necessary part of the metallurgical process. Copper was inevitably the first metal to be extensively used by human beings as it has a relatively low melting point. This meant it could be more easily released from its ores and shaped and reshaped than other metals. However the working of copper requires a furnace and moulds so that inevitably it could only be done by a sedentary people. It is obviously not practicable for hunter-gatherers to carry round furnaces and moulds. This meant that metallurgy could only develop after the domestication of plants and animals. The occasional example of sedentary hunter gatherers such as those on the north west coast of America seem not to have developed metallurgy. Copper is a soft metal which limits its uses; a much stronger metal, bronze, can be made by mixing copper with another metal such as tin. Inevitably bronze was discovered after copper, as the use of copper is a necessary part of the manufacture of bronze. Bronze could not be made without the earlier discovery of how to produce copper and tin. The next metal to come into common use was iron. Iron has a melting point of 1535°C, about 500°C higher than copper. This means a bellows is required to produce the necessary heat for the smelting and working of iron. Inevitably the metals that cannot be worked without a bellows only came into common use after the invention of the bellows. They would also only come into common use at a later time than the use of such metals as copper and bronze, which did not require the use of bellows. Iron came into use after bronze, as the process of creating an alloy is a relatively simpler process than the creation of heat of 1535°C required to work iron. Iron was followed by steel an alloy of iron and carbon. Obviously steel could not be made until after it had been discovered how to work iron, as iron is a necessary part of the production of steel.
The process of one thing necessarily being followed by another, either because the earlier thing is a necessary ingredient in the later thing, or because the earlier thing requires a simpler technology, such as fire with a lesser heat, can be seen throughout the history of science and technology. Inevitably, the steam engine had to be invented before it could be given rotary motion, and it had to be given rotary motion before it could drive the new machinery being developed in the industrial revolution and steam locomotives and ships. The sedentary lifestyles produced by the agricultural revolution were a necessary part of a great host of scientific and technological discoveries. Permanent buildings, metallurgy and writing are just three of the more important developments that would not have happened without the prior development of sedentism. The domestication of animals was a necessary pre-condition to developments such as wheeled transport and plough agriculture. The discovery that the earth and other planets orbit the sun could not be made, or at least confirmed, without the prior invention of the telescope. Without the telescope there would have been insufficient information about the movement of extra-terrestrial bodies to support the helio-centric theory. The development of more complex mathematics such as calculus and differential equations was necessarily dependent upon the earlier development of number systems and simple operations such as addition, multiplication, subtraction and division. The discovery of electricity had to take place before electrical heating and lighting and computers. The splitting of the atom by Rutherford had to take place before the development of nuclear power and nuclear bombs. These are just a few of the more obvious examples of the way in which certain discoveries or inventions could not have been made without prior discoveries or inventions being made.
There are lines of development through which the increases in human knowledge inevitably move. Many discoveries could not be made, without a succession of prior discoveries having been made. The line of development would be the simplest way in which any given discovery could be made. It may be there are more difficult ways in which a discovery could be made, but in fact discoveries are most likely to be made in the simplest way possible, along the simplest line of development.
A line of development does not mean the continual improvement of a particular invention or idea such as the improvements in the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution or the change from the Ptolemaic theory of the universe to Newton’s theory and then to general relativity. Rather it involves a series of discoveries that had to be made before an idea or invention is adopted by a society. It will for example include ideas and inventions that are not directly a part of the invention or idea that is being developed. The line of development of the steam engine for example included the invention of the air pump and the subsequent discovery of some of the properties of gases. These discoveries were necessary before a steam engine could be developed. The line of development of humankind’s view of the universe included such inventions as the telescope and the prior discoveries of how to make glass and that glass could be shaped in such a way as to magnify objects seen through the glass. Further discoveries that were part of the development of the human view of the universe were mathematical ideas such as calculus, an important part of Newtonian physics, and non-Euclidean geometry, which provided support for general relativity.
Lines of development grow much as the branches of a tree. Inventions and ideas will often be developed due to prior developments in a wide range of areas, totally unrelated to the invention or idea that is subsequently developed.
The following table shows the approximate dates for the development of various new technologies in six different areas. Some of the dates are controversial and are a simplification of complex events about which little detail is known. Dates for animal domestication concern food producing animals, rather than dogs, which were domesticated before food producing animals.
The table shows a more or less consistent pattern, with plant and animal domestication, villages and pottery occurring around the same time, with chiefdoms and non-iron metal tools occurring later and states, iron tools and writing being developed still later. Insofar as the order varies such as in Amazonia where pottery and villages occurred substantially before agriculture it could be due to local conditions such as unusually abundant wild plants and animals, which allows the existence of sedentary hunter-gatherer communities.
The question needs to be asked, Why is it that certain discoveries are made before other discoveries and certain discoveries could not happen without prior discoveries being made? The answer is that the universe has a particular structure and particular properties. The structure of the universe and its properties becomes known to us in a particular order. This order could be described as either from the simpler to the more complex or perhaps from that which is closest to us to that which is further from us. We learn about the world in a particular order and that order is due to the relationship between ourselves and the world. Our usual way of observing our world is with our naked senses and this gives us certain information about the world. We learn additional information by means of practical empirical, trial and error experiments, such as when we learnt that if flint were chipped in a particular way, it would produce a useful tool. We gain increased knowledge about the world either through changing the method of observation, such as using telescopes or microscopes or by making empirical experiments that show the relationship of one thing to another.
A lot can be learnt about the order of discovery of things in our environment by a study of the phenomena of "multiples". Multiples concern the multiple and independent discovery of the same scientific idea or invention. Considerable work was done on multiplies by William Ogburn and Dorothy Thomas who established a list of 148 independently duplicated scientific and technological discoveries. They suggested these discoveries became virtually inevitable as knowledge accumulated within any given society and the needs of that society caused attention to be directed towards problems associated with meeting those needs.
1. Agriculture and the domestication of animals were invented independently in the old world and the new world. It may be there were a number of independent inventions of agriculture and the domestication of animals in both the new and old worlds. It has been suggested that agriculture was an almost simultaneous yet completely independent development in South West Asia, China, Southeast Asia, Mesoamerica, South America and the Eastern United States..
2. Calculus may have been invented independently by both Newton and Leibnitz leading to conflicting claims as to who was first. However it may have been the case that Leibnitz had seen Newton's work before it was published.
3. The theory of evolution was invented separately by both Darwin and Wallace. Both had read Malthus's Essay on Population and had been studying flora and fauna in Darwin's case in the Galapagos Islands and in Wallace's case in Burma.
4. The periodic table was proposed by Mendeleev in 1869 and a year later a similar idea, developed independently was put forward by Lothar Meyer.
5. The discovery of oxygen was made by Carle Scheele in 1771, but his work was not published until 1777. Joseph Priestly independently discovered the gas in 1774 and informed Antoine Lavoisier and both Priestly and Lavoisier continued to work on the gas until Lavoisier concluded the gas was a separate component of air.
6. The discovery of Neptune was made by Adams and Leverrier in 1846.
7. Genetics was discovered by Mendel in the 19th century and then independently by Hugo Marie de Vries, Erich von TSchermak and Carl Correns in 1900.
8. Non- Euclidean geometry was independently invented by Carl Gauss, who did not publish his work and the Russian Niolai Lobachevsky in 1829 and by a Hungarian Janos Bolyai.
9. The wave theory of light was developed independently by Thomas Young in England and Augustin Fresnel in France.
10. Visual pigments were independently discovered by German physiologists Franz Boll and Wilhelm Kuhe.
There are many more examples of multiples; Robert Merton came up with 264.
Merton considered that the pattern of independent multiple discoveries in science is the dominant pattern of scientific discovery and that discoveries made only once in science, known as singletons, are the more unusual case. More particularly he considered that all scientific discoveries were, in principle, multiplies. Merton's gives ten reasons for that belief.
The first is that many discoveries considered to be singletons turn out to be rediscoveries of previous unpublished work. He gives the example of the physicist and chemist Cavendish and the mathematician Gauss both of whom were reluctant to publish their work and their discoveries were made later by others with the discoveries being considered to be singletons. When Cavendish and Gauss's work was later discovered and published it was realised that the cases were multiples rather than singletons. Merton's second reason for believing all scientific discoveries are potential multiples is that there are many examples of scientists discontinuing inquires when they become aware that someone else has published the same work. Merton’s third reason is that even when scientists are beaten to publication by others they still report their own work. His fourth reasons involved cases of unnecessary duplication of scientific work. When such duplication is discovered one set of work is stopped, so the work is eventually considered to be a singleton. Merton's fifth reason concerns scientists often believing their work is original until being informed that another had already written on the subject. His sixth reason is where scientists, he gives the example of Lord Kelvin, give lectures only to be informed by the audience that his work had already been discovered and published by others. Merton's seventh reason is where a scientist with a clearly developed program of investigation gives up the investigation due to interference by others. All these cases involve situations which are singletons, but would have been multiples but for the scientists discovering others had done the same work.
Merton's last three reasons for suggesting all singletons are potential multiples, concern the behaviour of the scientists themselves. Merton's considers that this behaviour shows that the scientists themselves believe that all scientific discoveries are potential multiples. His eighth reason is the race scientists engage in to get published. Their assumption is that they must publish quickly or someone else will publish and get the credit for the discovery. The ninth reason is that scientists are known to advise each other to publish quickly or someone else will publish earlier and gain credit for the discovery. Merton's last reason is the practices used by scientific institutions to protect scientists priority for discoveries. Practises such as the depositing of sealed and dated manuscripts, containing an outline of an idea, with scientific societies and academies show that scientists believe that their discoveries will usually be under threat of being discovered by others. Mertons considers that all singletons are singletons only because one discoverer published his or her work before others were able to complete their work. If publication were delayed long enough someone else would eventually make the same discovery. Scientists own behaviour confirms they also believe this to be the case.
“Such occurrences suggest that discoveries become virtually inevitable when prerequisite kinds of knowledge and tools accumulate in mans cultural store and when the attention of an appreciable number of investigators become focussed on a problem by emerging social needs, by developments internal to the science, or by both.”.
Multiples suggest that discoveries are inevitable because if one scientist does not make the discovery, another one will. This was also the view of Ogburn and Thomas and has become the standard interpretation of multiples. This suggests there is an inevitable element in the progress of science and technology, so long as it is not interfered with by external forces such as governments and religious authorities.
Multiples also suggest that discoveries are not only inevitable, but that they must take place in a particular order. Thousands of years of human history may go by without something being discovered, and then several scientists or inventors make the same discovery at the same time. This suggests that certain prior developments were necessary before a discovery can be made. This is what Mertons was referring to in the above quote when he mentioned "prerequisite kinds of knowledge and tools [must] accumulate in mans cultural store" before a discovery could take place. Only when that knowledge and those tools have been discovered is it possible for certain later discoveries to be made.
The existence of multiples is exactly what would be expected if there were a specific order of discovery for science and technology. A particular scientific fact or technological achievement may remain uncovered for thousands of years and then be discovered separately by two or more individuals suggests it could not have been discovered until certain other scientific facts or technological achievements had been discovered. It also suggests that when those other facts and achievements have been uncovered then the discovery of further scientific facts and technological achievements will be almost inevitable. This however is conditional upon the state of society being conducive to scientific and technological discovery. In particular there should be no institutions, such as church or state interfering with the process or communication of the discovery.
A study of history reveals that the rate of change varies from one period to another. Before the domestication of plants and animals there were many tens of thousands of years when the rate of change, in the way humans lived, was very slow. Improvements in the technology employed by human beings were made, but only very slowly. After the domestication of plants and animals there was a period of rapid change as sedentism allowed the development of many new technologies and the beginnings of science and mathematics. This was followed by a period of slow change, sped up somewhat by the achievements of the classical Greeks. The golden age of classical Greece was followed by a period of slow intellectual and technological change. A period of more rapid change began with the development of modern science in late Renaissance Europe and was accelerated by the industrial revolution beginning in the late eighteenth century. This period of rapid change has continued to the present day. The picture is one of both science and technology growing unevenly, with periods of rapid change giving way to periods of slow change or even stagnation.
In technology a distinction is sometimes made between macro and micro inventions. Macro-inventions involve radical new ideas, without clear precedent and emerge more or less ab ninito. Micro-inventions are small incremental steps that improve, adapt and streamline existing techniques, reduce costs, improve form and function, increase durability and reduce energy and raw material requirements. In practice macro and micro inventions are on a continuum and there are many inventions that are somewhere in the middle between macro and micro inventions.
The development of macro inventions are difficult and are comparatively rare. They require a considerable leap in human imagination, they involve a major new discovery of how nature can be utilised to meet human needs. Micro-inventions are relatively easier to develop and more or less inevitably follow the development of macro-inventions.
It is this situation that explains the uneven growth in technology. Where a major macro-invention has been made it will often stimulate or allow the development of many other inventions producing periods of rapid technological change. When the inventions stimulated or allowed by the macro-invention have run their course and all been made, then this will lead to a period of slow or no technological change. Major macro-inventions such as the domestication of plants and animals allowed sedentism and this allowed the development of metallurgy, permanent buildings and writing. Writing and other forms of record keeping allowed the development of government and bureaucracy. The steam engine had a similar effect, allowing the driving of the machinery invented in the industrial revolution and new transport systems such as the steam ships and railways.
However other periods such as those of classical Greece and Rome were periods of little technological development. It was certainly not the nature of Greek and Roman society that caused their poor record for producing new technology. Both societies were wealthy, had considerable trade that produced large amounts of capital; they had relatively large numbers of educated, literate people, they had reasonably secure property rights and substantial legal systems and religions that were generally tolerant and open to new ideas. Their failure to produce substantial technological developments was, not because of slavery as is sometimes suggested, but because the macro-inventions, their society used had been improved as much as possible by micro-inventions and they were unable to produce more macro-inventions as that would have involved a leap that was beyond their societies. They produced no macro-inventions and little in the way of micro-inventions so their societies were comparatively limited in producing new technology.
It is sometimes suggested that the classical world failed to reach some fairly obvious solutions to technical problems that they faced. However what is an obvious solution in hindsight is not necessarily obvious to those without the benefit of hindsight. If a generally intelligent, literate people such as the Greeks and Romans were unable to come up with answers to problems, then it seems likely that the solution to the problems were difficult rather than easy. There may have been problems such as poor workmanship or materials that would have made solutions, which are obvious to us, impossible in classical times. Alternatively technological solutions available in classical times may not have been used for economic reasons, as there were cheaper solutions to the problems than the use of the particular technology.
The same situation that applies to technology and macro-inventions applies to more intellectual developments. Science has its own macro-discoveries, perhaps the most important being the development of the modern methodology of science. The development of the practice of systematic experimentation and the application of quantitative approaches to science were macro-inventions that have lead to a dramatic growth in scientific progress since the seventeenth century. In mathematics, the Greek discovery of abstract theoretical mathematics was a macro-discovery that lead to considerable progress in geometry. Similarly, the discovery of the zero and Hindu-Arabic numerals was a macro-discovery that resulted in considerable improvements in mathematics since the Renaissance. The scientific revolutions described by Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions could also be considered to be macro-discoveries. Newton’s revolution in physics and Lavoisier’s in chemistry produced radical changes within those sciences and lead to periods of what Kuhn called normal science. Normal science involves problem solving within the context of a particular view of science called a paradigm and is broadly similar to the idea of micro-discoveries.
A map shows the location in space of different places, such as countries, cities, streets and other geographic entities. If a person knows where they are located on the map they are then able to work out where they are in relation to other places and through what places they would have to pass to arrive at any other place. It should be equally possible to produce a “map” showing where the facts of the human environment are in relationship to human beings and to all the other facts of the human environment. This is a direct consequence of the human environment having a particular structure and that human knowledge of the environment grows in a particular order with certain discoveries inevitably being made before certain other discoveries. Such a map will not show the location of facts in space, rather it will show their location in relation to each other and to humankind.
The basis of such a map is that some facts (say facts B) will not be obtainable without the prior discovery of other facts (say facts A). This means that facts B will lie beyond or are further away from us than facts A. Obviously the discovery of planets such as Neptune, Uranus and Pluto would not have been made without the prior discovery of some means of observing them, such as the telescope. This is because they cannot be seen by unaided sensory observation. Equally metallurgy, pottery and glass making could not have been discovered without the prior discovery of fire, as fire is a necessary ingredient in metallurgy, pottery and glass making. The discovery of Neptune, Uranus and Pluto lie beyond the discovery of the telescope or some other means of extending human sense perception and the discovery of metallurgy, pottery and glass making lies beyond the discovery of fire.
A further way of locating facts on such a map is where certain facts are relatively easily acquired such as how to make fire and certain other facts such as how to do calculus, are less easily acquired. This is because the discovery of calculus is more complex than the discovery of fire. Calculus requires a number of prior discoveries to be made before it could be discovered. The knowledge of fire is not a pre-condition to the discovery of calculus, but calculus was always going to be discovered after the discovery of fire and so could be located on a map as being much further from human beings than the discovery of fire. Calculus would be located on a different line of development from fire, being on a line of development requiring the invention of a number system and the ability to do simple mathematics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Certain facts are obvious to the naked senses. The four elements of classical Greece, air, fire, water and earth are obvious to the naked senses and are widespread in nature and so were the first explanation of the constituents of matter. Indian science had the same four elements of classical Greece. The Chinese had five elements being water, fire, earth, metal and wood. The difference between the Chinese elements and the Greek and Indian elements can be put down to neither theory being correct, the correct understanding of the constituents of matter being beyond classical Greek, Indian and Chinese science. Naked sense observation of matter were always going to produce theories like the Greeks, Indians and Chinese held but as there was no way they could produce a conclusive answer to the constituents of matter, the theories could always be a little different.
A further Greek explanation of the nature of matter were the mathematical theories of Pythagoras and Plato. Such theories could not be developed until a society had reached a certain level of mathematical knowledge, so they will lie further away from human kind than the facts immediately available to the naked senses. The classical Chinese never had such geometric theories of matter as their geometry was never as sophisticated as that of the Greeks.
The traditional Greek view of fire, air, water and earth as the basic elements of matter continued to be at least partially accepted in Europe until the revolution in chemistry that occurred in the late eighteenth century. The decomposition of air and water brought about by the use of new scientific instruments and techniques lead to the modern concept of elements as matter that could not be broken down into constituent parts. Lavoisier’s list of 33 elements, despite some mistakes was the first modern list of elements. The list of elements was subsequently corrected and added to when new elements were discovered. Dalton’s atomic theory suggested different elements were made up of different atoms and this explained the different properties of the elements. The eighteenth and nineteenth century concepts of elements and atoms could not have been developed without the prior decomposition of air and water which showed they were not elements but were made up of other substances. The discovery of the elements was necessary before the atomic theory, which explained the different elements as being made up of different atoms.
Atoms remained the basic constituents of nature until 1897 when J J Thompson discovered the electron. The nucleus of the atom was then discovered by Ernest Rutherford, which made a negatively charged electron and the positively charged nucleus the basic constituents of matter. The neutron was added in 1932 with its discovery by James Chadwick, so the basic constituents of matter were the proton, neutron and electron. In the 1960’s protons and neutrons were discovered to be made up of quarks, so the smallest constituent parts of matter could be considered to be electrons and quarks. There is considerable current debate as to whether quarks and electrons are made up of tiny vibrating strings called superstrings.
There was an order of discovery running from the elements of ancient Greece, India and China to the mathematical theories of the Greeks, to the elements as discovered in the late eighteenth century, to Dalton’s atoms, to the nucleus of the atom and electrons, to protons, neutrons and electrons, to quarks and electrons and possibly to strings. The particular order in which these discoveries were made was inevitable. This enables us to say that in some sense that those things we can see with unaided sense perception are closer to us and that successively the mathematical ideas for the constitution of matter by Pythagoras and Plato, the idea of the elements, atoms, the nucleus and electrons, protons, neutrons and electrons and quarks and then strings are located further from us.
A similar situation applies in astronomy. The unaided sense view is that the earth is not moving and the sun orbits the earth. When more sophisticated observations were made of the heavens the Greeks created the Ptolemaic system with a stationary Earth being the centre of the universe and being orbited by the sun and the planets in circular orbits with epicycles being used to further describe the planets movements.
The classical Chinese cosmology also considered the earth to be motionless centre of the universe with various theories of the sun and the planets orbiting the earth. The Chinese theory however differed from the Greek by not having the Greek geometric schemes of planetary motion. Indian cosmology also involved a stationary earth orbited by sun and planets and seems to have been as geometric as the Greek cosmology.
The Ptolemaic system survived in Europe, until Copernicus published his helio-centric theory and Kepler showed the Earth and other planets orbited the sun in elliptical orbits. Kepler had the benefit of improved observations of planetary movements from Tycho Bathe and his theory could be confirmed with observations made using the newly invented telescope. The work of Copernicus and Kepler was ultimately completed by Newton with his laws of gravity and motion with the help of new mathematical tools such as calculus.
Observations of planetary motions continued to improve and it was observed that Mercury did not move in accordance with the Newtonian system. Eventually the Newtonian system was replaced by Einstein’s law of general relativity, which had the planets orbiting the sun in circular orbits in curved space-time. Improved mathematical tools such as non-Euclidean geometry helped the establishment of general relativity.
The order of discovery from a motionless Earth orbited by the Sun, to the Ptolemaic and classical Chinese and Indian systems, to the Newtonian system to Einstein’s system was fixed. Each system gave way to its successor due to improved observations and/or mathematical tools. Each successive system can be considered to be further away from humankind than its predecessor so that the closest to humankind is the sun orbiting the earth, followed by the Ptolemaic and classical Chinese and Indian systems, the Newtonian system with Einstein’s system being the furtherest away.
The development of science and technology obviously has a substantial effect on human society. However it does not effect all elements of human society equally. Leslie White in The Science of Culture proposes a three way sub-division of culture into the technological, the sociological and the ideological. The technological consists of the material, mechanical, physical and chemical instruments and the techniques for their use by which human beings live in their environment. It includes the tools of production, the means of subsistence, the materials of shelter and the instruments of hunting and war. The sociological system consists of the interpersonal relationships expressed in individual and collective patterns of behaviour. This includes the social, kinship, economic, ethical, political, military, religious, occupational and recreational systems of a culture. The ideological system consists of the ideas, beliefs and knowledge of a culture. This includes the mythologies, theologies, literature, philosophy, science and common sense knowledge of a culture.
These three aspects make up the culture of a society. They are inter-related, each effects the others and is effected by the others. However the effect they have on each other is not equal. The technological plays a primary role, as human beings must first obtain food and protection from the elements and enemies. The technological represents the lower needs of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These are the most basic of human needs, the ones that must be satisfied before all other needs.
The sociological system is secondary and subsidiary to the technological system. It is a function of the technological system, the technology is the independent variable, the sociological is the dependent variable. The sociological is determined by the technological system. If the technology changes so will the sociological system.
The ideological system is also powerfully conditioned by the technological system. There is a type of ideological system appropriate to each type of technological system. However it is not just the technological system that effects the ideological system, it is also effected by the sociological system.
“We may view a cultural system as a series of three horizontal strata: the technological layer on the bottom, the philosophical on the top, the sociological stratum in between. These positions reflect their respective roles in the cultural process. The technological system is basic and primary. Social systems are functions of technologies; and philosophies express technological forces and reflect social systems. The technological factor is therefore the determinant of the cultural system as a whole. It determines the form of social systems, and technology and society together determine the content and orientation of philosophy. This is not to say, of course that social systems do not condition the operation of technologies, or that social systems and technological systems are not effected by philosophies. They do and are. But to condition is one thing; to determine, quite another.”.
White's system is hardly new and has certain obvious similarities to Marx's ideas concerning the infrastructure and superstructure of societies. It is also very similar to what Marvin Harris calls a universal pattern within cultures consisting of an infrastructure (White's technological system), a structure (White's sociological system), and a superstructure (White's ideological system). It is possible to quibble about the exact extent to which the various elements in White's system effect each other, but it seems quite clear that technological systems have a major determining effect on sociological and ideological systems.
The situation that Plumb describes, that a given technology will tend to produce a particular social and ideological system applies for all technological systems, so that it is possible to produce a table such as that below which shows various technological systems and the social and ideological systems that tend to accompany the particular technological system. The four technological systems described are hunter-gathering, pastoralism, agriculture and industrial technology.
The above table shows the social consequences of the technological states referred to in the top line. It is designed to give a general overview of the sorts of social and ideological situations that will exist for any given technological state. There are the occasional exceptions to what is mentioned in the table, for example the agrarian Incas did not have writing, although they did have other forms of record keeping. It is also true that there are many different types of hunter-gathering, pastoralist, agrarian and industrial societies and not all can be included in a relatively simple table. The societies practising shifting agriculture are obviously not included in the agriculture column of the table. The agricultural column is concerned with the civilisations that existed in China, South East Asia, India, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Meso-America and South America. There are also a variety of industrial societies, for example not all industrial societies are democratic. It is however considered that democracy will be the typical form of government of industrial societies, much like absolute monarchy was the typical form of government for agrarian societies. However with agrarian societies we have many thousands of years of experience with these societies, so we know a lot about them. We have only a brief experience of industrial societies so the type of social and ideological states that may exist in such societies may be arguable.
There is only a limited range of cultural forms available, so it is hardly unlikely that the same types will evolve independently. Yet of the forms available it is quite clear that certain institutions are much more clearly associated with certain technological states than others. There is no reason in principle why hunter-gatherer bands should not be ruled by hereditary monarchs, but they never are. Equally there is no reason why agrarian states, especially if they are not excessively large, could not be democratic, but they hardly ever are. Rather hunter-gatherers usually have informal egalitarian leadership and agrarian states are usually ruled by a hereditary monarch. There is a disproportionate co-relation between certain technological states and the type of social institutions and ideological beliefs that accompany those technological states.
The important point is that changes in human knowledge cause changes in technology and through the effect that technology has on the sociological and ideological systems of a society, the change in human knowledge will effect all elements in that society. Changes in human knowledge may also directly effect the sociological and ideological elements in human society. Ideas such as biological evolution and cultural relativity have effected human society, without producing any technological innovations. Human history in all its elements will be effected by the increases in knowledge that gradually accumulates in human culture.
It is necessary to describe not only why societies and cultures have certain similarities, but also why they differ one from the other. Many of the differences are a direct result of differences in the physical environments occupied by the various societies or cultures. Societies or cultures located in the artic or in temperate zones or in the tropics will all be different from each other, as will inland groups and coastal groups and groups in areas of good rainfall will differ from those in deserts. Such differences will be much greater among agrarian and hunter-gatherer societies located in different environments, than between industrial societies located in different environments. This is because hunter-gatherer and agrarian societies are much more dependant on the immediate physical environment than industrial societies.
The range and type of crops and animals capable of domestication will also cause variations among agrarian societies. The lack of any large domesticable animal in the new world ensured that it never developed the plough agriculture and wheeled transport that existed through large parts of the old world.
The level of knowledge and technology available to different cultures will also be a reason for the variations that exist between cultures. This is very much the theme of this paper. Such variations tend to be used (for example in this paper) to categorise various cultures rather than to explain the differences between the same types of cultures. Nevertheless within any category of culture (such as hunter-gatherer, pastoralist, agrarian, or industrial) there will always be variations in the knowledge and technology available to different societies and this will explain some of the variations that exist within a particular category of culture.
There are also certain aspects of a culture where the knowledge and technology does not influence or determine that aspect of the culture or does not particularly favour one outcome over another. This is where chance, the activities of great men and women and differences in traditions may determine aspects of a culture. An aspect of culture such as religion in agrarian societies can vary from the tolerant pluralism of pre-Christian Rome and the Chinese Empire to the severe attitude to dissent displayed in ancient Israel, Christian Europe and some Islamic societies. The power of priestly classes could vary from very strong in medieval Europe and pre-British India to relatively weak in pre-Christian Rome and in China. Whether a society drives on the left or right hand side of the road is a matter which is not likely to be influenced by the rest of the societies culture. The choice is purely arbitrary.
The important point is that the variations can all be explained in ways that do not contradict the model of social, cultural and historical change being driven by increases in human knowledge and that this model can apply to all human cultures and societies. Environmental differences, prior cultural traditions and chance will explain cultural variations, and similar knowledge of the human environment will explain the similarities between cultures.
The course of human social and cultural history is determined by our increasing knowledge of our environment. As our knowledge grows we are able to make better and better use of our environment to meet our needs. Our increasing knowledge results in technology that produce changes in the overall state of society. Our increasing knowledge of the environment may also produce changes in the state of society without involving technological change. The discovery of the idea of biological evolution, resulted in changes in society without involving technological change.
The growth in our knowledge of our environment takes place in a particular order. Some things in our environment will inevitably be discovered before other things. This is because the prior discovery is necessary before the later discovery can be made. It also may be because the prior discovery is a simpler matter involving a limited number of previous discoveries, while a later discovery may require a much larger number of more difficult discoveries to precede it. Our knowledge of our environment grows from the simple to the more complex or from that which is closer to us to that which is further from us. The phenomena of multiples shows both that discoveries are inevitable, so long as social conditions allow them, and that they had to take place in a particular order.
Given that the human discovery of the environment is inevitable and takes place in a particular order, and that the discoveries produce new technologies to better meet human needs and that new technologies produce new social and ideological systems, then it can be said the course of human social and cultural history was inevitable. That history and social change and cultural evolution could take only one course is because humans can only discover that which is there. We cannot discover things that do not exist; all knowledge must be about that which exists. This means that the nature of reality, or what we can find out about, is the determining factor in human history. The consequence is that human history could only take one broad course. That course is from hunter-gathering to agriculture or pastoralism to industrial society. Some societies, of course, did not take this course due to local environmental conditions, such as artic conditions, deserts or lack of domesticable plants and animals. But all societies that could, did undertake the progression, and no society was able to miss out a step, except where there were cases of diffusion of knowledge and technology.
The requirement that the being be intelligent refers to its ability to learn and also its ability to remember what it has learnt. This is the capacity to retain knowledge, so that knowledge will accumulate in the culture of that being.
then the greater its knowledge of the environment the better it is able to meet its needs. Such a being will attempt to learn about its environment in order to meet its needs in an improved manner. As the being learns more about its environment, new means of meeting its needs become available to it and the adoption of improved means of meeting its needs, results in changes throughout the beings society and is the ultimate cause of social and cultural change.
Such a law would apply to all intelligent, rational beings, meeting their needs from their environment, but lacking a complete knowledge of their environment. The reason cultures have evolved in similar fashion is because their environments are similar; to the extent they have evolved differently, it is because their environments are different.
Human beings cannot know now, what they will only discover in the future. This means to some extent the above law cannot be used to make predictions about the future of human society. It should really be seen as an explanatory law, explaining why and how human societies have developed throughout history.
There is however an exception to this. While future scientific discoveries cannot be known, human needs are known. Of course, just because needs exist, does not guarantee they will be meet. But it is predictable humans will attempt to meet there needs and if they are meet it is possible to predict in theory at least, what their effects on society or culture may be. This is the basis of the more sound attempts, to predict the future that have been made. Predictions of faster computers with larger memories and hard disks could safely be made in the 1990's. Developments in nanotechnology would also fit into this category.
A further exception to the rule that the above law can not be used to predict the future is where you have a God like view of a being and its environment. Such a view will provide full information on a being, and its environment, including that part of its environment that is unknown to the being. We obviously do not have such a God like view of our own selves and our own environment. However there is no reason in principle why human beings could not have such a God like view of other societies, or other beings could not have a God like view of human society. It is theoretically possible that human astronauts visiting a distant planet could find a society whose future we could predict if we knew enough about the beings in the society and the environment they live in. Equally, sufficiently knowledgeable space travellers, visiting earth, could predict our future.
There would be nothing to stop human astronauts or non-human space travellers from revealing their knowledge to our intelligent, rational, but not all knowing beings. This would simply be a case of the diffusion of knowledge and is similar to the diffusion of knowledge that has occurred on earth, when western science and technology has been spread around the world. This has had the predicted result of the development of urbanised, industrial and democratic societies, most clearly shown in some East Asian countries. It can be predicted that in time other non-western societies will eventually become democratic, industrial and urbanised.
A final point is that if our intelligent, rational being was to know everything that can be known about its environment, or everything about its environment that enables it to meet its needs, so that its needs are met in the best way that they can ever be met, then in some sense at least that will amount to the end of history. Cultures will cease to evolve, societies will no longer change in any fundamental way. Rulers may come and go, laws can continue to be changed and rechanged, wars may possibly be fought, but the fundamental nature and structure of society will cease to change.
One critic of theories of history and social and cultural change, such as is offered in this book, is Karl Popper. He calls the making of such philosophies "historicism" and in The Poverty of Historicism he claims that it is not possible to produce "laws of historical development". This is because the evolution of human society is a unique historical process. Laws make assertions about all processes of a particular kind. If I heat a particular metal it will always melt at the same temperature, and this can be predicted by a law. Popper says we are hardly likely to be able to formulate such laws with just one instance available of what the law deals with. Nor is it possible to test the law with future examples and we cannot foresee the future of human society so as to be sure the future will not proceed in a manner inconsistent with the law.
Popper suggests there are two arguments that can be made against his argument. It could be argued that the process of social, cultural and historical change is not unique, but that such change is cyclical in that civilizations, cultures and states rise and fall in a repetitive process. The second argument is that even if human social, cultural and historical development is unique we can discern a trend and formulate a hypothesis that states the trend and can be tested against future experience. Popper rejects the argument that the historical process is cyclical. He considered the claimed instances of repetition are quite dissimilar and are based on a selective use of facts.
Popper deals with the second argument by claiming that while trends exist, trends do not amount to laws. Trends may exist at a certain place or time, but they are singular statements not laws from which predictions may be made. We cannot base predictions on trends, as trends (Popper gives the example of population growth) which might have existed for thousands of years may rapidly change. Popper considers the confusion of trends for laws, together with the intuitive observation of trends, such as technical progress, is the basis of historicism. Trends Popper notes are dependant on initial conditions and this point is usually overlooked by historicists. If the initial conditions change than the trends may alter or disappear. If the historicists were to find and explicitly state the conditions the trend is dependant on there would be no problem, but they seldom, if ever, do this. Such conditions are easily overlooked and may be quite numerous and difficult to state completely.
A statement of the form "whenever there are conditions of the kind c, there will be a trend of the kind t" would be acceptable to Popper. It would however be necessary to test such a law by trying to produce conditions under which it does not hold. We may for example try to show conditions of the kind c are insufficient and that even when they exist, the trend t will not always occur.
Popper provides an example of an historicist theory to illustrate his concerns. It is a theory of scientific and industrial process advocated by Comte and Mill in which they claim such progress is reducible to laws of human nature. Comte believed there was a tendency in human beings that impels them to perfect their nature to an ever increasing degree. Mill considered the impelling force to be the desire for ever increasing comforts. This enables us to deduce the phases of history without observation or data. In principle, though probably not in practice, the whole course of history would be deducible.
Popper claims that even if Comte and Mills premises and deductions are correct, it will not mean that progress will necessarily result. Difficult natural environments or certain elements of human nature such as forgetfulness or indolence could destroy the prospect of progress. Popper also claims that progress depends on conditions such as freedom of thought and expression. An epidemic of mysticism might also hinder or eliminate the progress Comte and Mill would expect. Popper considers that it is the human element in historicist theories that ensures their unreliability. Humans cannot be relied on to act rationally and any attempt to reduce historical theory to theories of human nature or psychology may have quite unpredictable results.
“(1) The course of human history is strongly influenced by the growth of human knowledge.
(2) We cannot predict, by rational or scientific methods, the future growth of our scientific knowledge.
(3) We cannot, therefore, predict the future course of human history.
(4) This means we must reject the possibility of a theoretical history; that is to say, of an historical social science that would correspond to theoretical physics. There can be no scientific theory of historical development serving as a basis for historical prediction.
Popper states the above argument only refutes the possibility of making predictions of historical developments to the extent to which they are influenced by the growth of our knowledge. Other predictions such as those claiming certain things will happen under certain conditions are still possible. The most important part of the argument is (2) which Popper justifies by stating, “if there is such a thing as growing human knowledge, then we cannot anticipate today what we shall know only tomorrow.” He claims “no scientific predictor... can possibly predict by scientific methods its own future results.” No society can predict its own future knowledge.
The first of Popper’s criticisms of historicism is that human history, social change and cultural evolution is a unique process and we have just a single instance of this process before us. This is not necessarily the case if we can see the same situations occurring time after time in history in a variety of societies. If we could see many examples of scientific and technological progress occurring throughout history such as the development of agriculture, of the steam engine, Newtonian physics, automobiles, aircraft, the theory of evolution, the structure of DNA and genetics we would have many examples of scientific and technological progress. If all these and other examples reveal the same conditions under which the progress was achieved, then we may be able to formulate a law of scientific and technological progress. Human history, social change and cultural evolution does not have to be seen as a single event; it can be divided up into parts that can be studied separately.
Popper is quite right to distinguish between trends and laws. In order to constitute a law the conditions under which it operates must be stated, otherwise we will only be dealing with a trend. The law stated in the previous part of this paper does state the conditions listed (a) to (g) for the operation of the law.
Popper, when considering Comte and Mills theory of scientific and technological progress, gives a number of examples where their theories may fail. Comte and Mills theories on the philosophy of history are in many ways similar to those suggested in this paper, so Popper’s objections to their theories could apply to the theory suggested in this paper.
Popper cites difficult natural environments as possibly destroying the prospects of progress. However people live in a variety of environments, some difficult, some easier and if progress fails to occur in difficult environment such as deserts or artic conditions, it may well happen in other environments and by a process of diffusion reach the more difficult environments. Some might also suggest that difficult environments may stimulate progress. More particularly, condition (g) requires that there exists in the environment the means by which the being may meet its needs in a more efficient manner. Popper’s objection seems to suggest that the environment may not allow new knowledge to be obtained, but this is already dealt with in the proposed law.
Popper also claims forgetfulness, indolence, mysticism, human irrationality and a lack of freedom of expression and thought may destroy the possibility of progress. The law stated earlier in this paper requires that the beings to which it applies be rational, intelligent, must desire to meet their needs and be able to freely communicate to others. These are the conditions for the law to operate and if they exist then Popper’s objections cannot apply to the theory. The objections he states are already ruled out by the law.
However while the law may be true, given its conditions of intelligent, rational, free beings, desiring to meet their needs, the question arises, do such beings exist. In particular do human beings meet the conditions stated in the law, so the law could be used to explain human scientific and technological progress? The answer is that humans come in a great variety, some are intelligent and rational, and others are less intelligent or rational. But in all societies there will be some people who are intelligent so progress will be possible. There have of course been some societies where freedom of thought and expression have not existed. However there have been other societies where it does exist and in those societies scientific and technological progress will often take place. In short the conditions stated in the law will sometimes exist and when they do there is a possibility of scientific and industrial progress taking place. In particular where progress has occurred it has been under the conditions stated in the law. The law also states the situation where progress will not take place, most particularly the requirement for ideas being able to be freely communicatable to others. If this requirement is not there progress will be impossible. The law not only states under what conditions progress can be achieved, but also under what conditions it will not be achieved.
Popper’s final criticism of historicism is the refutation contained in the preface to the second edition of The Poverty of Historicism. This refutation is certainly correct as regards predictions of future events with one significant exception. While we cannot know scientific knowledge that will only be discovered in the future, we do know what the ultimate human needs are. These needs transcend cultures and are the same for all times even though quite different methods may be used to meet the needs. This provides an element of predictability as to the future in that we can predict that humans will use the best means available, as is culturally acceptable to them, to meet those ultimate needs.
A further point concerning Popper’s refutation of historicism is that it is limited to denying the viability of scientific theories that predict the future. Prediction is not the only role of scientific theories. Scientific theories may also serve the purpose of explaining events and facts. A theory such as evolution by natural selection does not predict the future development of species. This is because species evolve by adapting to changes in the natural environment and the future changes in the natural environment are unknown and unpredictable. This means the theory of evolution is limited to explaining, rather than predicting, the evolution of species.
The same situation applies to the theory expressed in this paper. The theory is not able to predict the future, as the knowledge that we will obtain in the future is unknown to us in the present. This situation is similar to that existing in the theory of evolution where future changes in the natural environment are unknowable. However like evolutionary theory is able to explain how organisms evolve, the theory proposed is able to explain how historical change takes place, without being able to make predictions about the future. However just as evolutionary theory is unable to make predictions as to the future, but is certainly a scientific theory, the social, cultural and historical theory proposed would also be a scientific theory even though it is unable to make predictions as to the future.
An interesting factor in the proposed theory is that it enables human historical development to be studied scientifically and objectively. The natural sciences are the same for all societies on earth, and they have an element of certainty or truth about them, which is not available in the social sciences. By tying human historical development to our discovery of the facts of the natural sciences, we are tying human historical development to the most well established facts we have available. This will provide a solid objective basis to any theory of human historical development based on the order of the discovery of the facts of the human environment.
Given the scientific and objective nature of the physical sciences it should be possible to construct a theoretical map of the facts of the human environment, such as they are known to us. This map should show which facts are closer to us and which facts are further away from us. Such a map may require some means of measuring how far particular items of knowledge are from us. This would involve an analysis of the complexity of the facts and in particular what prior facts would need to be known before the particular fact could become known to us. If this were done, you would have a theoretical order of discovery of the facts of the universe. This theoretical order could then be compared to the actual order of discovery of the facts of the universe in order to test the theory expressed in this paper.
In order to create a theoretical order of discovery and to compare it with the actual order of discovery it will be necessary to write a new type of history. Histories of science and technology are usually written in narrative form, copying the form of political and diplomatic history. If they were written so as to involve an analysis of the ingredients that went into the making of a particular scientific or technological discovery, then it would be possible to analyse the order of discovery, that lead to the discovery of any particular invention or scientific discovery. This would provide a new insight into scientific and technological discoveries; an insight that is not apparent from simple narrative describing how one invention or discovery followed another invention or discovery. This would enable a complete description of the order of discovery made by humankind and would show all the intellectual and technological states humankind passed through in order to reach any particular intellectual or technological state. Such empirical studies could then be compared with a theoretical map of the facts of the universe to see if the order of discovery, suggested by such a map, has in fact been followed in the actual course of human history. Local environmental factors, chance and the activities of great men and women, in so far as they may be applicable, would need to be taken into account, but once this was done, it should be possible to compare, a theoretical order of discovery, with the actual historical order of discovery. If they match up, or discrepancies may be explained by local conditions, chance or the activities of great individuals, then the theory proposed may be correct. Such a procedure would amount to a test of the proposed theory, making it potentially falsifiable.
Local conditions, chance and the activities of great individuals may be seen as a bit of a cop out, in that they can be used to excuse any failure of the actual order of discovery, to fit in with the theoretical order of discovery. Yet such local environmental conditions, chance and great individual achievements plainly do exist. The lack of large domesticatable animals in Meso-America is the probable explanation for the lack of plough agriculture and wheelled transport in Meso-America. It may also explain the fragility of Meso-American civilisation, the Mayan civilisation disappearing with the people abandoning their cities, science and mathematics and returning to shifting agriculture. Many discoveries for example, penicillin, were discovered by chance while the activities of a Newton or Einstein will certainly have advanced their discoveries. If they had not existed their discoveries would have to have been made by others at a later time.
Some puzzles are less easily explained. The Mayan discovery of the zero in mathematics in a civilization lacking the plough agriculture and sophisicated metalluurgy of the old world and which was so fragile it was soon to disappear seems odd. The zero was first clearly used in the old world in India around 600AD with some evidence of earlier use in India and South East Asia. The zero only reached Europe through diffusion through the Islamic world. Why did the, in many ways less advanced, Mayan culture develop the zero, while the old world cultures developed the zero at a much later stage of their cultural development. The probable answer to this is individual brillance by one or more Mayan priests.
It is of course necessary to confirm that part of the theory that holds that increasing human knowledge will effect human technology, social institutions and beliefs. The very fact that certain levels of human knowledge, technology, social institutions and beliefs tend to co-exist is some evidence that human knowledge effects technology and both of these will effect social institutions and beliefs. However it is possible to do detailed analysis that will show that certain technology, social institutions and beliefs could not, or were unlikely to, exist without certain levels of human knowledge and that certain social institutions and beliefs could only exist or were likely to exist with certain prior technologies.
Many examples of knowledge effecting technology and of one technology effecting other technologies can be offered, but probably the most obvious are those technologies that arose with the knowledge and practice of agriculture. Agriculture allowed sedentism and sedentism allowed the development of permanent buildings, pottery, writing and metallurgy. Permanent buildings meet an obvious human need for people to live in and for goods to be stored in. They were not however practical for nomadic hunter-gatherers who had to move away when the food supplies in the area were exhausted. So permanent buildings were practical only for sedentary societies and were never made by hunter-gatherers. Pottery was only developed by sedentary peoples, as it was not practical for hunter-gatherers to carry pottery around with them. Pottery is easily broken and its weight would discourage hunter-gatherers from carrying it around with them. More particularly pottery is often used to store food, a practise agrarian people engage in, but hunter gatherers do not. Writing, or a substitute like the Incas quipu, was a virtual necessitity for agrarian populations of a particular size, to enable record keeping of the storage of produce and the payment of taxes and dues. Hunter-gatherers did not have this need so they did not develop writing. Further, the carrying around of writing implements and written records would have been a significant burden for hunter-gatherers. Metallurgy was never developed by hunter gatherers as the furnaces and bellows required could not have been carried around by hunter-gatherers.
There are a number of social institutions that may be shown to be possible for agrarian societies, but could not exist in hunter-gatherer societies. Slavery was not a good option for hunter-gatherers as slaves could easily run off and would have the same hunting and gathering skills required for survival as the rest of a hunting and gathering community. In agrarian societies running away is not so easy as where ever one runs, unless one is near a border area, there is continuous territory under the control of the slave owning class. Runaway slaves may also lack the skills to survive while on the run in an agrarian society. Slavery was a more practical solution for agrarian societies and it also provided a way to control labour in societies that lacked or had only a limited monetary system. Industrial societies almost totally lack slavery, even though slavery would be quite practical in industrial societies. The reason for the absence of slavery in industrial societies would possibly be due to beliefs about the equality and dignity of humankind and a monetary system that allows labor to be efficiently controlled and directed.
Feminism arose in the twentieth century, in industrial societies, rather than during 5,000 years of agrarian civilization when women were in a substantially unequal position in relation to men. The reason feminism arose in industrial societies may be because of the invention of effective birth control and because of the much increased life expectancy in industrial societies. In agrarian societies a woman with little control over her fertility would be restricted to child bearing and rearing and other domestic activities and by the time menopause arrived, her life expectancy would be virtually at its end, leaving little opportunity for work outside the home. Since the development of modern birth control women have been able to control their fertility allowing work outside the home and the greater life expectancy of people in industrial societies has meant that women have a good twenty or thirty years of post menopausal working life outside the home available to them. Modern educational systems requiring children’s attendance at school and that heavy physical work was an important part of work in agrarian societies, but is only a minor part of work preformed in industrial societies would also have enabled greater female participation in work outside the home.
Outlined above are various ways in which human knowledge and technology have determined or influenced human social and cultural history. It is possible to trace the development of social movements such as feminism through inventions such as birth control to scientific developments in biology and chemistry that allowed the invention of modern birth control. These scientific developments were dependant on earlier scientific discoveries, but ultimately the whole process is determined by the structure of the universe and its relationship to human beings. The increase in life expectancy since the industrial revolution has many causes such as increased and better food supplies, medical knowledge and sanitary practices in modern cities. All these ultimately were dependent upon increasing human knowledge, both scientific and non scientific, of the human environment. The same can be argued for the reduction of hard physical work since the industrial revolution and the development of modern educational systems. The result is that a social movement such as feminism is ultimately dependent upon increases in human knowledge and the increases in knowledge take place in a particular order as is determined by the structure of the universe and its relationship to human beings. The origins of feminism lie in the biological and chemical facts of the universe that enabled the production of modern birth control and in the facts of nature that enabled the creation of the technologies that constitute the industrial revolution.
The same could be said about slavery which only became widespread with the development of agriculture. Slavery worked best after the discovery of agriculture which required certain prior discoveries, such that plants grow from seeds and that plants if tendered properly will produce a normally reliable food supply. These discoveries are not obvious to ordinary observation and would have required considerable observation, thought and experimentation. They represent a great leap in human knowledgeof how the environment can be utilised to meet human needs.
It should be possible to trace the development of all elements of human technological, sociological and ideological systems through changes in human knowledge of the environment. At any given stage the state of a societies technological, sociological and ideological systems will depend upon that societies level of knowledge of the human environment. The state of human knowledge of the environment will depend upon the ease with which humans can discover the facts of the human environment. This is dependent upon the structure of the environment and its relationship to humankind. This means in principle all human technological, sociological and ideological systems are ultimately based on the conditions of the human environment and on our knowledge of the environment. We should be able to trace a casual chain from the structure of our environment to our knowledge of the environment to human technological, sociological and ideological systems. The effects should be able to be traced backwards from the human technological, sociological and ideological systems through to the state of human knowledge of the environment to the structure of the human environment and our relationship to it.
G & J Lenski, Human Societies (New York, 1970), 26-31.
W. F. Ogburn & D. S. Thomas “Are inventions inevitable?” Political Science Quartly 37 (March 1922) 83-98; W. F. Ogburn, Social Change, (New York, 1922) 90-122.
T. D Price & A. B. Gebauer, Last Hunters-First Farmers (Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1995), 3.
R Mertons, The Socilogy of Science (Chicago, 1973), 364.
R Mertons, The Socilogy of Science (Chicago, 1973), 371.
Mokyr, Joel, The Lever of Riches: technological creativity and economic progress, (New York, 1990), 13.
Mokyr, Joel The Lever of Riches: technological creativity and economic progress, (New York, 1990), 29-30.
White, Leslie The Science of Culture,(Toronto 1970),366.
Harris, M “Anthropology and the Study of Culture” in Cultural Anthropology (2 ed) (New York, 1987), 17.
Popper, Karl The Poverty of Historicism: (London, 1957), 110-111.
Popper, Karl, The Poverty of Historicism, (London, 1957), 128-129.
Popper, Karl, The Poverty of Historicism, (London, 1957), 129. | 2019-04-21T14:33:06Z | https://rochelleforrester.ac.nz/how-change-happens.html |
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12. Disclaimer of Liability. TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU ASSUME ALL RISKS AND ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TESTING, INSTALLATION, OR USE OF THE PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE AND SEEDING TOOLS PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY BACK-UP EXPENSES, COSTS INCURRED FOR THE USE OF THE PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER, DEVICES AND/OR PERIPHERALS, AND ANY DAMAGE TO ANY EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE, INFORMATION OR DATA, AND IN NO EVENT WILL APPLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY THAT STEMS FROM ANY USE OF THE PRE-RELEASE SOFTWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER, DEVICES AND/OR ANY PERIPHERALS CONNECTED THERETO, AND/OR FROM ANY OTHER CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, AND/OR APPLE’S PERFORMANCE OR FAILURE TO PERFORM UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, EVEN IF APPLE HAS BEEN ADVISED OR IS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL APPLE’S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES (OTHER THAN AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW IN CASES INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURY) EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF FIFTY DOLLARS ($50.00). THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS WILL APPLY EVEN IF THE ABOVE STATED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.
13. Term and Termination. This Agreement will continue in effect until terminated in accordance with this Section 13. You may terminate this Agreement or an individual seeding project at any time, for any reason, but only by returning or destroying any Confidential Information that is in your possession or control (including, without limitation, any Pre-Release Software); provided however that if you are unable to purge certain Pre-Release Software from your computer and/or devices, then you agree that you will continue to hold the Pre-Release Software as Confidential Information. Apple may terminate this Agreement or an individual seeding project at any time, with or without cause, immediately upon written notice to you, and may terminate this Agreement immediately for any breach of the confidentiality provisions set forth herein. Within seven (7) days of your receipt of Apple’s termination notice, or earlier if requested by Apple, you will return, cease all use of, and/or destroy the Pre-Release Software and all other Confidential Information as provided in this Section. Following termination of this Agreement or an individual seeding project for any reason, the restrictions of Section 3, 4-8, the last two sentences of Section 9, and 11-19, inclusive, will continue to bind the parties. The term of your license to use the Apple Software granted under Section 3 of this Agreement shall commence upon your installation or use of the Apple Software and will terminate automatically without notice from Apple upon the earlier of (a) the next commercial release of the Apple Software, (b) the termination of the individual seeding project under which you obtained the Apple Software, (c) the termination of this Agreement, or (d) the date specified in the separate license accompanying the Apple Software (if any).
14. No Export. You agree that you will not export or re-export any of the Pre-Release Software or Confidential Information received from Apple except as authorized by United States law and the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Apple Software was obtained. In particular, but without limitation, the Apple Software may not be exported or re-exported (a) into any U.S. embargoed countries or (b) to anyone on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Department of Commerce Denied Person’s List or Entity List or any other restricted party lists. By using the Apple Software, you represent and warrant that you are not located in any such country or on any such list. You also agree that you will not use the Apple Software for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. You certify that this Apple Software will only be used for evaluation and testing purposes, and will not be rented, sold, leased, sublicensed, assigned, or otherwise transferred. Further, you certify that you will not transfer or export any product, process or service that is a direct product of this Apple Software.
15. Third Party Software & Information. Portions of the Apple Software may include third party software and other copyrighted material. Acknowledgements, licensing terms, and disclaimers for such material are contained in the Apple Software, and your use of such material is governed by such respective terms. Mention of third parties and third party products in any materials, advertising, promotions or coupons provided to Beta Program participants is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. All third party product specifications and descriptions are supplied by the respective vendor or supplier, and Apple shall have no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these vendors or products. All understandings, agreements, or warranties, if any, take place directly between the vendors and the prospective users.
16. No Waiver or Assignment. No delay or failure to take action under this Agreement will constitute a waiver unless expressly waived in writing, signed by a duly authorized representative of Apple, and no single waiver will constitute a continuing or subsequent waiver. This Agreement may not be assigned by you in whole or in part. Any contrary assignment shall be null and void.
- If you are employed by an agency, instrumentality or department of the federal government of the United States, then this Agreement shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the United States of America, and in the absence of applicable federal law, the laws of the State of California will apply. Further, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, all claims, demands, complaints and disputes will be subject to the Contract Disputes Act (41 U.S.C. §§601-613), the Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. § 1346(a) and § 1491), or the Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2401-2402, 2671-2672, 2674-2680), as applicable, or other applicable governing authority.
- If you are employed by a U.S. public and accredited educational institution, then (a) this Agreement will be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the state (within the U.S.) in which your educational institution is domiciled, except that body of state law concerning conflicts of law; and (b) any litigation or other dispute resolution between you and Apple arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Apple Software, or your relationship with Apple will take place in federal court within the Northern District of California, and you and Apple hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of and exclusive venue of such District unless such consent is expressly prohibited by the laws of the state in which your educational institution is domiciled.
- If you are employed by an international, intergovernmental organization that has been conferred immunity from the jurisdiction of national courts through your intergovernmental charter or agreement, then any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be determined by arbitration administered by the International Centre for Dispute Resolution in accordance with its International Arbitration Rules. The place of arbitration shall be London, England; the language shall be English; and the number of arbitrators shall be three. Upon Apple’s request, you agree to provide evidence of your status as an intergovernmental organization with such privileges and immunities.
This Agreement shall not be governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, the application of which is expressly excluded.
18. Government End Users. The Apple Software and related documentation are “Commercial Items”, as that term is defined at 48 C.F.R. §2.101, consisting of “Commercial Computer Software” and “Commercial Computer Software Documentation”, as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202, as applicable. Consistent with 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, as applicable, the Commercial Computer Software and Commercial Computer Software Documentation are being licensed to U.S. Government end users (a) only as Commercial Items and (b) with only those rights as are granted to all other end users pursuant to the terms and conditions herein. Unpublished-rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States.
19. Severability; Complete Understanding. If any provision of this Agreement is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that this Agreement shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable. This Agreement, including any appendices made effective pursuant to this Agreement and any additional licenses accompanying the Apple Software, constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the Confidential Information disclosed herein and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements concerning such Confidential Information. Except to the extent provided under Section 2 above, any inconsistencies between this Agreement and any license agreement accompanying the Apple Software will be governed by the license agreement accompanying the Apple Software. Except as expressly set forth herein, any waiver or amendment of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective only if in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties. Any translation of this Agreement is done for local requirements and in the event of a dispute between the English and any non-English versions, the English version of this Agreement shall govern, to the extent not prohibited by local law in your jurisdiction.
VEUILLEZ LIRE AVEC ATTENTION TOUTES LES CONDITIONS GÉNÉRALES SUIVANTES RELATIVES AU PRÉSENT ACCORD DU PROGRAMME DE LOGICIELS BÊTA APPLE (« ACCORD »). SI VOUS ACCEPTEZ D’ÊTRE LIÉ PAR TOUTES LES CONDITIONS GÉNÉRALES DU PRÉSENT ACCORD, CLIQUEZ SUR LE BOUTON « ACCEPTER ». SI VOUS N’ACCEPTEZ PAS D’ÊTRE LIÉ PAR TOUTES LES CONDITIONS GÉNÉRALES DU PRÉSENT ACCORD, CLIQUEZ SUR LE BOUTON « REFUSER », VOUS NE SEREZ ALORS PLUS ADMISSIBLE POUR PARTICIPER AU PROGRAMME DE LOGICIELS BÊTA APPLE.
1. Participation au programme de logiciels bêta Apple. L’objectif du Programme de logiciels bêta Apple (« Programme bêta ») est de rendre les logiciels alpha, bêta, préliminaires et autres préversions et services de préversion, ainsi que la documentation, le matériel et les informations associés (collectivement nommés « Logiciels bêta ») disponibles de temps en temps aux participants du Programme bêta, afin de fournir à Apple des informations sur la qualité et la facilité d’utilisation des Logiciels bêta. Vous comprenez et acceptez que la participation au Programme bêta est volontaire et ne constitue juridiquement aucun partenariat, aucune relation mandant-mandataire ni aucune relation de travail entre vous et Apple. Vous reconnaissez que votre participation au Programme bêta n’oblige Apple à ne vous fournir aucun Logiciel bêta. Apple se réserve le droit de modifier occasionnellement les termes, conditions et politiques de ce Programme bêta, ainsi que d’annuler votre participation au Programme bêta à tout moment. Si Apple apporte des modifications aux conditions générales du présent Accord, lesdites conditions générales modifiées vous seront présentées sur le portail web du Programme bêta.
En participant au Programme bêta, Vous certifiez que vous avez l’âge légal de la majorité dans la juridiction dans laquelle vous résidez (au moins 18 ans dans de nombreux pays) et vous déclarez que vous êtes légalement autorisé à rejoindre le Programme bêta. Le présent Contrat est annulé dans ses points que la loi interdirait et le droit de devenir un participant au Programme bêta ne vous est alors pas accordé dans lesdites juridictions. Sauf accord contraire ou autorisation de la part d’Apple par écrit, vous ne pouvez pas partager ou transférer de logiciel ou autres données que vous recevez d’Apple dans le cadre de votre participation au Programme bêta. Les identifiant et mot de passe Apple que vous utilisez pour vous connecter en tant que participant au Programme bêta ne peuvent pas être partagés, de quelque façon que ce soit et avec quiconque. Vous êtes responsable de la préservation de la confidentialité de vos identifiant et mot de passe Apple et de toute activité en relation avec votre compte. En dépit des restrictions énoncées ci-avant dans la présente Section 1, si vous êtes le parent ou le représentant légal d’individus entre 13 ans et l’âge légal de la majorité dans la juridiction dans laquelle vous résidez, vous pouvez autoriser lesdits individus à partager vos identifiant et mot de passe Apple pour un usage en relation avec le Programme bêta uniquement, sous votre supervision et exclusivement en conformité avec le présent Accord. Vous êtes responsable de la satisfaction des conditions et de toute violation du présent Accord et de tout autre accord avec Apple par lesdits individus.
2. Accès aux Logiciels bêta, aux outils préliminaires et conditions supplémentaires. Vous comprenez qu’Apple est susceptible de mettre des Logiciels bêta à disposition des participants au Programme bêta en vue du téléchargement en ligne à travers le Mac App Store, le portail web du Programme bêta et/ou fourni d’une autre façon par le biais du Programme bêta (par exemple, par un téléchargement manuel d’une image numérique, la fourniture de profils de configuration logicielle, etc.). Occasionnellement, Apple, à sa discrétion, peut également vous fournir des logiciels ou des services dans le cadre du Programme bêta, notamment des scripts, des extraits de code, des utilitaires, des profils de configuration, des échantillons de code, des applications de dépannage et des outils d’envoi de bogues (les « Outils préliminaires ») dans le cadre de votre participation au Programme bêta. Toute utilisation desdits Logiciels bêta est soumise aux conditions générales du présent Accord et/ou d’un autre contrat de licence accompagnant lesdits Logiciels bêta ou outils initiaux (collectivement, les « Logiciels bêta » et les « Outils préliminaires » seront appelés « Logiciels Apple » pour les besoins du présent Accord).
Si les Logiciels Apple sont accompagnés d’un contrat de licence séparé, vous acceptez que le contrat de licence fourni avec lesdits Logiciels Apple, ainsi que les paragraphes 5 et 6 du présent Accord, régissent votre utilisation des Logiciels Apple. Toute incohérence entre les dispositions du contrat de licence accompagnant les Logiciels Apple et les paragraphes 5 et 6 du présent Accord est régie par le présent Accord. Si aucun contrat de licence n’accompagne les Logiciels Apple, votre utilisation des Logiciels Apple est soumise aux dispositions du présent Accord. En outre, le Logiciel Apple peut activer l’accès à des services et sites web d’Apple et de tierce partie (dénommés collectivement et individuellement « Services »). L’utilisation de ces Services nécessite un accès à Internet, et l’usage de certains Services peuvent nécessiter un identifiant Apple, peut vous obliger à accepter des conditions de licence supplémentaires et peuvent faire l’objet de frais en sus.
3. Concession et restrictions de licence. Sous réserve de votre acceptation du présent Accord, Apple vous concède une licence à titre personnel et limité pour l’utilisation des Logiciels Apple sur les produits de marque Apple uniquement à des fins d’essais et d’évaluation et seulement en lien avec le présent Programme bêta. Sauf autorisation contraire en vertu du paragraphe 15, la présente licence ne vous accorde pas le droit d’utiliser les Logiciels Apple à d’autres fins quelconques, ni à révéler, reproduire, distribuer, modifier les Logiciels Apple ou en créer des œuvres dérivées. Vous refusez de décompiler, procéder à l’ingénierie inverse, désassembler, déchiffrer ou tenter de puiser dans le code source de tout Logiciel Apple (sauf et uniquement dans le cas où les restrictions susmentionnées sont interdites par la loi en vigueur ou dans la mesure permise par les conditions de la licence régissant l’utilisation des composants à code source libre fournie avec lesdits Logiciels Apple). Sauf autorisation contraire en vertu du paragraphe 15 ci-dessous, vous certifiez que les Logiciels Apple serviront uniquement à des essais en relation avec le Programme bêta et à leur évaluation, et ne seront ni loués, vendus, loués à bail, concédés, attribués, distribués ni transférés d’une quelconque manière. Apple reste propriétaire de tous les Logiciels Apple et, sauf indication expresse dans la présente, aucun autre droit ni aucune licence ne sont accordés ni insinués en vertu d’une propriété intellectuelle d’Apple quelconque.
4. Commentaires ; contact par Apple. Au sein du Programme bêta, Apple vous offre la possibilité de renvoyer des rapports récapitulatifs de bogues, des questionnaires, des demandes d’amélioration, des rapports d’erreur et/ou des informations d’assistance (appelés collectivement, « Commentaires ») à Apple. Il se peut qu’Apple vous demande ces informations par le biais des Outils préliminaires ou encore par courrier électronique, par le biais de questionnaires web, de formulaires de bogues et par d’autres méthodes. En acceptant le présent Accord, vous déclarez qu’Apple peut vous contacter occasionnellement au sujet du Programme bêta, et vous acceptez par le présent de recevoir lesdites communications. Sauf indication contraire du paragraphe 8, vous acceptez qu’en l’absence d’un contrat écrit à part, Apple est libre d’utiliser à toutes fins tout Commentaire que vous fournissez.
5. Définition des informations confidentielles. Vous acceptez que les Logiciels bêta et toute information concernant les Logiciels bêta (y compris leurs nature et existence, leurs caractéristiques, leurs fonctionnalités et les captures d’écran de ceux-ci), les Outils préliminaires et tout autre information qu’Apple vous divulgue dans le cadre du Programme bêta, seront considérés comme et porteront l’intitulé dans le présent Accord d’« Informations confidentielles ». Les informations qui seraient considérées comme étant des Informations confidentielles mais (a) sont largement et légalement disponibles au public sans abus ni violation par vous, (b) sont largement mises à la disposition du public par Apple, (c) sont développées indépendamment par vous-même sans utilisation d’aucune Information confidentielle, (d) ont été obtenues légalement par une tierce partie ayant le droit de vous les transférer ou vous les révéler sans restriction, ou (e) tout logiciel de tierce partie ou toute documentation qu’Apple vous fournit et accompagné de conditions de licence n’imposant pas d’obligations de confidentialité quant à l’utilisation ou à la révélation desdits logiciels ou de ladite documentation ne sont pas considérées comme Informations confidentielles en vertu du présent Accord. Toutes les Informations confidentielles restent la propriété exclusive d’Apple, et vous ne possédez pas d’autre licence implicite ni d’autre droit concernant les Informations confidentielles que ceux spécifiquement indiqués dans le présent Accord.
6. Non-utilisation et secret des informations confidentielles. Excepté les autorisations expresses du présent paragraphe 6, vous vous engagez à ne pas révéler, publier ni divulguer aucune Information confidentielle à quiconque excepté les personnes inscrites au même programme individuel que vous ou bien tel qu’expressément autorisé ou accordé par écrit par Apple. Vous vous engagez également à prendre des précautions raisonnables afin d’empêcher toute utilisation, révélation, publication ou divulgation non autorisée des Informations confidentielles, y compris l’accès ou la présentation des Logiciels Apple à des tierces parties. Vous vous engagez à n’exploiter les Informations confidentielles que dans le cadre des utilisations autorisées stipulées dans le présent Accord. Vous vous engagez à ne pas utiliser les Informations confidentielles autrement que pour votre propre compte ou celui de tierces parties sans l’accord préalable écrit d’un représentant autorisé d’Apple dans chacun des cas. Vous reconnaissez par la présente que la révélation ou l’utilisation interdite des Informations confidentielles peuvent provoquer des dommages majeurs et irréparables envers Apple, pouvant être difficiles à évaluer. Par conséquent, vous consentez à ce qu’Apple ait le droit de chercher à obtenir immédiatement réparation afin de faire respecter les obligations du présent Accord, en plus de ses autres droits et recours.
7. Précautions d’usage des Logiciels bêta. Vous acceptez, afin de participer aux programmes initiaux des Logiciels bêta, de supprimer certains logiciels Apple commerciaux préchargés de votre ordinateur et/ou appareil de manière à charger les Logiciels bêta. Vous acceptez en outre qu’après avoir chargé lesdits Logiciels bêta sur votre ordinateur et/ou appareil, il se peut que vous soyez dans l’impossibilité de revenir en arrière à l’état de la version commercialisée et préchargée des Logiciels Apple que vous utilisiez avant le chargement des Logiciels bêta ou à toute version antérieure des Logiciels bêta. De plus, sachez que le risque que les applications et les services que vous avez installés ou que vous utilisiez ne s’exécutent ou ne fonctionnent plus de la même manière suite à votre usage de Logiciels bêta n’est pas nul. VOUS RECONNAISSEZ QU’EN INSTALLANT LESDITS LOGICIELS BÊTA SUR VOS ORDINATEURS ET/OU APPAREILS APPLE, CES DERNIERS PEUVENT NE PAS ÊTRE EN MESURE DE RÉCUPÉRER LEUR CONDITION D’ORIGINE ET LES APPLICATIONS ET SERVICES PEUVENT ÊTRE AFFECTÉS PAR VOTRE USAGE DES LOGICIELS BÊTA. DE PLUS, VOUS COMPRENEZ QUE LES DONNÉES (Y COMPRIS LES DOCUMENTS) DESDITS SERVICES OU APPLICATIONS, QUE VOUS CRÉEZ OU MODIFIEZ LORS DE L’USAGE DES LOGICIELS BÊTA, PEUVENT NE PLUS ÊTRE RESTAURÉES OU RÉCUPÉRÉES. APPLE DÉCLINE TOUTE RESPONSABILITÉ CONCERNANT D’ÉVENTUELS COÛTS, DÉPENSES OU AUTRE RESPONSABILITÉ ENCOURUS PAR VOUS ET DÉCOULANT DE LA FOURNITURE DE VOS TESTS, DE L’INSTALLATION OU DE L’UTILISATION DES LOGICIELS BÊTA, NOTAMMENT, MAIS SANS S’Y LIMITER, TOUT DÉGÂT SUR DU MATÉRIEL, UN LOGICIEL OU DES DONNÉES QUELCONQUES, OU TOUTE PERTE DE DONNÉES OU D’INFORMATION DÉCOULANT DUDIT USAGE DE CES LOGICIELS BÊTA. En outre, les Logiciels bêta peuvent comporter des erreurs ou des inexactitudes pouvant provoquer des pannes, l’endommagement ou la perte de données ou d’informations de votre ordinateur et/ou appareil ou des périphériques qui y sont branchés (notamment, mais sans limitation, les serveurs et les imprimantes). Apple vous recommande vivement de sauvegarder toutes les données et informations de votre ordinateur, de vos appareils et de leurs périphériques avant de participer au Programme bêta et à tout programme initial. Les Logiciels bêta ne sont pas destinés à un usage, et ne doivent pas être utilisés, en production ou avec des systèmes stratégiques.
8. Accord relatif à la collecte et à l’utilisation des données.
8.1 Versions bêta d’iOS, tvOS et macOS. Afin de fournir, de tester et d’aider Apple, ses partenaires et les développeurs tiers à améliorer leurs produits et services, et à moins que vous ne renonciez aux versions bêta d’iOS, tvOS ou macOS tel qu’applicable, vous reconnaissez qu’Apple, ses filiales et ses agents peuvent collecter, utiliser, conserver, transmettre, traiter et analyser (activités collectivement désignées ci-après par le terme « Collecte ») les historiques et les informations de diagnostic, techniques et d’utilisation de vos appareils ou ordinateurs exécutant des versions bêta d’iOS, tvOS ou macOS dans le cadre du présent Programme bêta. Ces informations sont collectées dans un format qui ne vous identifie pas personnellement et sont susceptibles d’être recueillies depuis vos appareils ou votre ordinateur et à tout moment, y compris quand vous vous synchronisez avec iTunes ou automatiquement au travers d’une connexion sans fil sécurisée. Les informations qui seront Collectées incluent notamment les données de diagnostic et d’utilisation, les différents identifiants uniques d’appareils, les différents identifiants uniques de système ou de matériel, les détails relatifs au matériel et les spécifications du système d’exploitation, les statistiques de performance, et des données relatives à l’utilisation de vos appareils, ordinateur, système et applications logicielles, ainsi que de vos périphériques, et, si des Services de Géolocalisation permettent des Diagnostics, certaines informations de localisation. Vous acceptez qu’Apple puisse partager ces historiques et informations de diagnostic, techniques et d’utilisation avec des partenaires et des développeurs tiers aux fins de leur permettre d’améliorer leurs produits et services qui fonctionnent avec des produits de la marque Apple ou qui sont en lien avec ceux-ci. En installant ou en utilisant les versions bêta d’iOS, tvOS ou macOS sur vos appareils ou ordinateurs, vous reconnaissez et acceptez qu’Apple et ses filiales et agents ont votre autorisation pour Collecter toutes ces informations et les utilisent comme indiqué ci-dessus.
8.2 Autres Logiciels et services bêta. Afin de tester et d’améliorer les produits et services Apple, et uniquement si vous choisissez d’installer ou d’utiliser d’autres Logiciels ou services bêta fournis dans le cadre du Programme bêta, vous reconnaissez qu’Apple, ses filiales et ses agents peuvent Collecter des informations techniques, de diagnostic, d’utilisation et d’autres données associées issues d’autres Logiciels ou services bêta et depuis votre ordinateur, vos appareils et vos périphériques ou autre matériel exécutant de tels Logiciels bêta. Vous êtes invité à lire attentivement les notes de version et autres informations publiées par Apple et mises à votre disposition dans le cadre du Programme bêta avant de décider d’installer ou d’utiliser un éventuel Logiciel ou service bêta. En installant ou en utilisant quelconque autre Logiciel ou service bêta, vous reconnaissez et vous acceptez qu’Apple, ses filiales et ses agents peuvent Collecter lesdites informations et les utiliser conformément aux dispositions ci-dessus.
8.3 Historiques système et Fichiers de diagnostic. De plus, dans le cadre de votre participation au Programme bêta, vous pouvez avoir la possibilité de joindre manuellement et/ou d’utiliser des Outils préliminaires pour collecter des fichiers détaillés de matériels et/ou de diagnostic (par exemple, les historiques du noyau, les historiques d’informations système Apple, les historiques des blocages, des arrêts système, des installations, des applications, etc., appelés dans leur ensemble les « Historiques système ») de votre ordinateur et/ou de vos appareils, afin de les envoyer à Apple. Ces historiques peuvent contenir des informations identifiables personnellement, y compris notamment votre nom de compte, des informations relatives à vos contacts, des événements de calendrier et de la correspondance électronique. L’ajout des Historiques système représente un acte volontaire. En acceptant de les communiquer à Apple, vous reconnaissez qu’Apple peut les exploiter afin de réaliser des diagnostics Apple, ainsi que d’améliorer le Programme bêta et les produits et services d’Apple.
8.4 Politique de confidentialité. Les données collectées, telles que définies dans la présente Section 8, seront traitées conformément à la Politique de confidentialité d’Apple, laquelle est incorporée pour référence dans le présent Accord et est consultable à l’adresse : http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/.
9. Absence d’assistance et de maintenance. Produits futurs. Lors de votre participation au Programme bêta ou à un programme particulier, Apple n’est pas tenu de vous fournir de maintenance, d’assistance technique ou autre pour les Logiciels bêta. Si, sur décision d’Apple, une telle assistance est fournie, celle-ci le sera en complément de votre couverture de garantie habituelle pour votre ordinateur et/ou appareil. Vous vous engagez à respecter toute règle et politique d’assistance qu’Apple vous fournit pour la réception de ladite assistance. Vous reconnaissez qu’Apple n’a aucune obligation expresse ni implicite de diffuser ou de publier une version commerciale des Logiciels bêta à quiconque à l’avenir. Dans le cas où une version commerciale est rendue disponible, celle-ci peut éventuellement présenter des fonctionnalités ou des caractéristiques différentes de celles des Logiciels bêta en licence ci-dessous.
10. Forums de discussion. Dans le cadre de votre participation au Programme bêta, il se peut que vous ayez la possibilité de participer à des forums de discussion fournis par Apple et traitant des Logiciels bêta et autres Informations confidentielles qu’Apple peut mettre à votre disposition. Pour répondre aux objectifs émis dans lesdits forums de discussion, Apple propose une exception limitée à la Section 6 en vous autorisant à aborder certaines Informations confidentielles d’Apple, que vous avez reçues relatives à un programme particulier, avec d’autres participants au même programme que vous sur le forum de discussion Apple désigné dudit programme exclusivement. Sauf dans le but limité des discussions avec d’autres participants au programme au sein desdits forums, vous reconnaissez et acceptez que le présent Accord ne vous octroie pas le droit de copier, de reproduire, de publier sur un site ou sur un blog, de divulguer, de transmettre ou de diffuser de quelque autre façon que ce soit une quelconque Information confidentielle d’Apple.
11. Exclusion de garantie. Les Logiciels Apple mentionnés ci-après peuvent être désignés comme versions ou logiciels alpha, bêta, de développement, préversions, versions ou logiciels non testés. Il se peut que les Logiciels Apple soient incomplets et qu’ils contiennent des erreurs ou inexactitudes pouvant provoquer des pannes, l’endommagement et/ou la perte de données ou d’informations. Vous reconnaissez et admettez expressément que, dans la mesure autorisée par la législation applicable, toute utilisation des Logiciels Apple reste à vos risques et périls et que la totalité du risque relatif à la qualité, aux performances, à l’exactitude et au maniement satisfaisants repose sur vous. APPLE VOUS FOURNIT TOUTES LES INFORMATIONS CONFIDENTIELLES, Y COMPRIS LES LOGICIELS BÊTA ET LES OUTILS DE BÊTA, « TELLES QUELLES » ET SANS GARANTIE D’AUCUNE SORTE, EXPRESSE OU IMPLICITE, Y COMPRIS NOTAMMENT LES GARANTIES IMPLICITES DE QUALITÉ MARCHANDE, DE NON-VIOLATION, D’EXACTITUDE, D’INTÉGRALITÉ, DE PERFORMANCES ET D’ADÉQUATION À UN OBJECTIF PARTICULIER. Vous reconnaissez qu’Apple n’a pas annoncé publiquement la disponibilité des Logiciels bêta, qu’Apple ne vous a pas promis ni garanti que lesdits Logiciels bêta seront diffusés ou rendus disponibles à quiconque à l’avenir et qu’Apple n’a aucune obligation expresse ou implicite de diffuser ni de présenter les Logiciels bêta ou un quelconque produit similaire ou compatible, ni de continuer à offrir l’accès aux Logiciels bêta à l’avenir.
12. Avis de non-responsabilité. DANS LA MESURE OÙ LA LÉGISLATION EN VIGUEUR NE L’INTERDIT PAS, VOUS ASSUMEZ TOUS LES RISQUES ET COÛTS LIÉS AU TEST, À L’INSTALLATION OU À L’UTILISATION DES LOGICIELS BÊTA ET LES OUTILS PRÉLIMINAIRES FOURNIS DANS LE CADRE DU PRÉSENT ACCORD, NOTAMMENT LES DÉPENSES LIÉES À LA SAUVEGARDE ET AUTRES COÛTS D’UN OPÉRATEUR QUELCONQUE RÉSULTANT DE L’UTILISATION DES LOGICIELS BÊTA SUR VOTRE ORDINATEUR, VOS APPAREILS ET/OU VOS PÉRIPHÉRIQUES, AINSI QUE TOUT DÉGÂT SUR DU MATÉRIEL, UN LOGICIEL, DES INFORMATIONS OU DES DONNÉES QUELCONQUES, ET EN AUCUN CAS APPLE NE SERA RESPONSABLE DE QUELCONQUES DOMMAGES INDIRECTS, PARTICULIERS, ACCIDENTELS OU ACCESSOIRES DÉCOULANT D’UN DÉLIT (Y COMPRIS PAR NÉGLIGENCE), D’UN CONTRAT OU AUTRE SUITE AU PRÉSENT ACCORD OU EN LIEN AVEC CELUI-CI, Y COMPRIS TOUTE RESPONSABILITÉ DÉCOULANT D’UNE QUELCONQUE UTILISATION DES LOGICIELS BÊTA SUR VOTRE ORDINATEUR, VOS APPAREILS ET/OU TOUT PÉRIPHÉRIQUE Y ÉTANT CONNECTÉ, ET/OU DE TOUTE AUTRE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIELLE ET/OU DU FAIT OU DE L’IMPOSSIBILITÉ D’AGIR D’APPLE EN VERTU DE CET ACCORD, CECI MÊME SI APPLE A ÉTÉ AVERTI OU EST CONSCIENT DE L’ÉVENTUALITÉ DESDITS DOMMAGES. LA RESPONSABILITÉ TOTALE D’APPLE ENVERS VOUS AU TITRE DE TOUT DOMMAGE (EN DEHORS DE CE QUE LA LÉGISLATION PEUT EXIGER DANS LES CAS IMPLIQUANT UNE ATTEINTE À LA PERSONNE) N’EXCÈDE EN AUCUN CAS LA SOMME DE CINQUANTE DOLLARS (50 $). LES LIMITATIONS SUSDITES S’APPLIQUENT MÊME SI LE RECOURS INDIQUÉ CI-DESSUS FAIT DÉFAUT À SA VOCATION ESSENTIELLE.
13. Validité et résiliation. Cet Accord demeure en vigueur jusqu’à son extinction conformément au présent paragraphe 13. Vous pouvez résilier le présent Accord ou un projet initial individuel à tout moment, pour quelque motif que ce soit, mais uniquement en renvoyant ou en détruisant toute Information confidentielle en votre possession ou sous votre contrôle (y compris notamment tout Logiciel bêta), sous réserve cependant que, dans le cas où vous ne pourriez éliminer certains Logiciels bêta de votre propre ordinateur et/ou de vos appareils, vous acceptiez alors de ne pas conserver les Logiciels bêta ainsi que les Informations confidentielles. Apple peut résilier le présent Accord ou un projet initial individuel à tout moment, avec ou sans raison, immédiatement et par écrit auprès de vous, et peut résilier immédiatement le présent Accord en cas d’une quelconque violation des dispositions de confidentialité ci-exposées. Dans les sept (7) jours suivant votre réception de l’avis de résiliation d’Apple, ou plus tôt si Apple le demande, vous renvoyez, cessez tout usage et/ou détruisez les Logiciels bêta et toute autre Information confidentielle tel qu’indiqué dans le présent paragraphe. Suite à la résiliation du présent Accord ou d’un projet initial individuel pour une raison quelconque, les restrictions des paragraphes 3 et 4-8, ainsi que les deux dernières phrases des paragraphes 9 et 11-19, inclus, continuent à lier les parties. La durée de votre licence à exploiter le Logiciel Apple accordé en vertu de la Section 3 du présent Contrat commence dès votre installation ou usage du Logiciel Apple et est résilié automatiquement sans notification de la part d’Apple à l’événement le plus antérieur entre (a) la commercialisation suivante du Logiciel Apple, (b) la résiliation du projet initial spécifique en vertu duquel vous avez obtenu le Logiciel Apple, (c) la résiliation du présent Contrat ou (d) la date indiquée dans la licence à part accompagnant le Logiciel Apple (le cas échéant).
14. Non-exportation. Vous acceptez de n’exporter ni réexporter aucun des Logiciels bêta ni aucune des Informations confidentielles, reçus par Apple, sauf autorisé par la législation et les lois des États-Unis, de la juridiction dans laquelle le Logiciel Apple a été obtenu. En particulier, mais sans limitation, le Logiciel Apple ne doit pas être exporté ou réexporté (a) vers aucun des pays concernés par un embargo des États-Unis ni (b) à quiconque figurant sur la liste « Specially Designated Nationals » du Ministère des Finances des États-Unis ou sur les listes « Denied Persons » ou « Denied Entity » du Ministère du Commerce des États-Unis ou sur toute autre liste de parties exclues. En utilisant tout Logiciel Apple, vous déclarez et garantissez que vous ne vous trouvez pas dans un pays appartenant aux cas mentionnés ci-dessus ou inscrit sur une des listes précitées. Vous acceptez également que vous n’exploiterez pas le Logiciel Apple à aucune fin interdite par le droit des États-Unis, notamment, mais sans s’y limiter, le développement, la conception, la fabrication ou la production de missiles, d’armes nucléaires, chimiques ou biologiques. Vous certifiez que les présents Logiciels Apple serviront uniquement à des fins d’évaluation et de test, et ne seront ni loués, vendus, loués à bail, concédés, attribués ni transférés d’une quelconque manière. Vous certifiez en outre que vous ne transférerez ni n’exporterez aucun produit, procédé ou service qui serait un produit direct des présents Logiciels Apple.
15. Informations et logiciels de tierces parties. Certaines portions des Logiciels Apple peuvent comporter des logiciels de tierces parties et des mentions concernant les droits d’auteurs. Les mentions, les conditions de la licence dudit contenu et son exclusion de garantie sont contenues dans les Logiciels Apple et l’utilisation que vous faites de chacun dudit contenu est régie par les conditions qui lui sont relatives. La mention de tierces parties et de produits de tierces parties dans le matériel, la publicité, les promotions ou les coupons fournis aux participants au Programme bêta est réalisée à titre d’information et ne constitue aucune recommandation. Toutes les fiches techniques et descriptions des produits de tierces parties sont fournies par leur fournisseur respectif et Apple décline toute responsabilité pour ce qui est de la sélection, des performances ou de l’utilisation des produits ou fournisseurs. Tous les accords ou toutes les garanties, s’il y en a, sont réalisés directement entre les fournisseurs et les utilisateurs potentiels.
16. Absence de renonciation et de cession. Aucun retard ou manquement de prise de mesures en vertu du présent Accord ne constitue une renonciation, sauf renonciation écrite signée par un représentant autorisé d’Apple, et aucune renonciation seule ne constitue une renonciation continue ou subséquente. Le présent Accord ne peut pas être cédé par vous ni en partie ni dans son intégralité. Toute cession contraire est nulle et non avenue.
- Si vous êtes employé par une agence, un instrument ou un département du Gouvernement Fédéral des États-Unis, cet Accord est alors soumis aux lois des États-Unis d’Amérique et, en l’absence de loi fédérale en vigueur, les lois de l’État de Californie s’appliquent. De plus, et en dépit de tout élément contraire dans le présent Accord, toute réclamation, revendication, plainte et tout différend seront régis par la loi sur les différends contractuels (Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C. §§601-613), la loi Tucker (28 U.S.C. § 1346(a) et § 1491) ou la loi fédérale sur les réclamations liées à la responsabilité délictuelle (Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2401-2402, 2671-2672, 2674-2680), selon le texte applicable, ou autre autorité régissante applicable.
- Si vous êtes employé par un établissement d’enseignement public agréé aux États-Unis, (a) cet Accord est régi et interprété en vertu des lois de l’État (au sein des États-Unis) où est domicilié votre établissement d’enseignement, à l’exception de la législation de l’organisme étatique concernant les conflits de lois ; et (b) tout contentieux ou toute autre résolution de litige entre vous et Apple découlant de ou relatif au présent Accord, du Logiciel Apple, ou de votre relation avec Apple, se déroulera dans une cour fédérale du District nord de la Californie ; vous et Apple acceptez par le présent Accord la juridiction personnelle, et lieu exclusif, dudit District à moins qu’un tel consentement soit expressément interdit par la législation de l’état dans lequel est domicilié votre établissement d’enseignement.
- Si vous êtes employé par une organisation internationale, intergouvernementale qui a reçu immunité de la part des tribunaux compétents nationaux à travers votre charte ou accord intergouvernemental, toute dispute ou litige résultant de ou en relation avec le présent Contrat, ou tout manquement de celui-ci, sera soumis à la procédure d’arbitrage instituée par le Centre International de Résolution des Litiges conformément à son Règlement d’Arbitrage International. Le lieu de l’arbitrage sera à Londres, Angleterre ; la langue sera l’anglais ; et le nombre d’arbitres sera fixé à trois. À la demande d’Apple, vous acceptez de fournir les éléments de preuve de votre statut en tant qu’organisation intergouvernementale muni de tels privilèges et immunités.
Le présent Accord n’est pas régi par la Convention des Nations Unies sur les contrats de vente internationale de marchandises dont l’application est expressément exclue.
18. Gouvernement des États-Unis. Le Logiciel Apple et la documentation connexe constituent des « Commercial Items » (éléments commerciaux), tel que ce terme est défini dans la clause 48 C.F.R. (Code of Federal Rules) §2.101, consistant en « Commercial Computer Software » (logiciel commercial) et « Commercial Computer Software Documentation » (documentation de logiciel commercial), tels que ces termes sont utilisés dans les clauses 48 C.F.R. §12.212 ou 48 C.F.R. §227.7202, le cas échéant. Conformément à la clause 48 C.F.R. §12.212 ou 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1 à 227.7202-4, le cas échéant, le « Commercial Computer Software » et le « Commercial Computer Software Documentation » sont fournis sous licence au gouvernement des États-Unis (a) uniquement en tant que « Commercial Items » (articles commerciaux) et (b) uniquement accompagnés des droits octroyés à tous les autres utilisateurs finals conformément aux conditions ci-incluses. Les droits non publiés sont réservés en vertu de la législation des droits d’auteur en vigueur aux États-Unis.
19. Divisibilité du contrat et accord complet. Si une quelconque disposition du présent Accord est non exécutoire ou invalide, celle-ci est alors limitée ou éliminée dans la plus petite mesure nécessaire de manière à ce que le présent Accord puisse rester pleinement en vigueur, en effet et applicable. Le présent Accord, notamment toute annexe prenant effet conformément à cet Accord et toute licence supplémentaire accompagnant les Logiciels Apple, constitue l’intégralité de l’accord quant aux Informations confidentielles ci-divulguées et remplace tous les accords précédents ou actuels, oraux ou écrits et relatifs aux Informations confidentielles. Sauf dans la mesure exposée au paragraphe 2 ci-dessus, toute incohérence entre le présent Accord et tout contrat de licence accompagnant les Logiciels Apple est régie par ce dernier contrat de licence accompagnant les Logiciels Apple. Sauf indication expresse ci-dessus, toute renonciation ou modification d’une des dispositions du présent Accord est effective uniquement si elle réalisée par écrit et signée par des représentants autorisés des deux parties. Toute traduction du présent Accord est faite pour des besoins locaux. En cas de litige entre la version anglaise et toute autre version, seule la version anglaise sera d’application à condition que cette disposition ne soit pas interdite par la législation en vigueur dans votre pays.
BITTE BLÄTTERN SIE NACH UNTEN UND LESEN SIE ALLE BESTIMMUNGEN DIESES VERTRAGS ZUM APPLE BETA SOFTWARE-PROGRAMM („VERTRAG“) SORGFÄLTIG DURCH. WENN SIE MIT ALLEN BESTIMMUNGEN DIESES VERTRAGS EINVERSTANDEN SIND, KLICKEN SIE AUF „AKZEPTIEREN“. WENN SIE NICHT MIT ALLEN BESTIMMUNGEN DIESES VERTRAGS EINVERSTANDEN SIND, KLICKEN SIE AUF „ABLEHNEN“. IN DIESEM FALL SIND SIE NICHT BERECHTIGT, AM BETA SOFTWARE-PROGRAMM VON APPLE TEILZUNEHMEN.
1. Teilnahme am Apple Beta Software-Programm. Das Apple Beta Software-Programm („Beta-Programm“) dient dazu, von Zeit zu Zeit Alpha-, Beta- und Seed-Versionen sowie andere Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware, Vorabveröffentlichungsdienste sowie zugehörige Dokumentation, Materialien und Informationen (im Folgenden „Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware“) für die Beta-Programmteilnehmer mit dem Ziel zur Verfügung zu stellen, Apple Feedback zur Qualität und Verwendbarkeit der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware zu geben. Sie verstehen und erklären sich damit einverstanden, dass die Teilnahme am Beta-Programm freiwillig ist und daraus keine rechtskräftige Partnerschaft, Vertretung oder Arbeitsbeziehung zwischen Ihnen und Apple entsteht. Ihnen ist bewusst, dass Ihre Teilnahme am Beta-Programm Apple nicht dazu verpflichtet, Ihnen Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware zur Verfügung zu stellen. Apple behält sich das Recht vor, die Bestimmungen, Konditionen und Richtlinien dieses Beta-Programms von Zeit zu Zeit zu ändern und Ihre Teilnahme an diesem Beta-Programm jederzeit zu widerrufen. Wenn Apple Änderungen an den Bestimmungen dieses Vertrags vornimmt, wird Apple die überarbeiteten Bestimmungen für Sie im Webportal des Beta-Programms bereitstellen.
Durch Ihre Teilnahme am Beta-Programm bestätigen Sie, dass Sie in dem Land, in dem Sie wohnhaft sind, volljährig (in vielen Ländern mindestens 18 Jahre alt) sind, und Sie erklären, dass Sie zur Teilnahme am Beta-Programm rechtlich autorisiert sind. Dieser Vertrag ist ungültig, wo er gesetzlich verboten ist, und das Recht, Teilnehmer des Beta-Programms zu werden, wird in solchen Ländern nicht gewährt. Sofern nicht anderweitig schriftlich durch Apple vereinbart oder gestattet, ist es Ihnen untersagt, Software oder andere Materialien, die Sie von Apple in Verbindung mit Ihrer Teilnahme am Beta-Programm erhalten, bereitzustellen oder zu übertragen. Die Apple ID und das Passwort, die/das Sie für die Anmeldung als Beta-Programmteilnehmer verwenden, darf keinesfalls freigegeben oder an Dritte weitergegeben werden. Sie tragen die Verantwortung dafür, die Vertraulichkeit Ihrer Apple ID und Ihres Passworts und jegliche Aktivitäten in Verbindung mit Ihrem Account zu schützen. Unbeschadet der vorgenannten Einschränkungen in diesem Absatz 1 dürfen Sie als Elternteil oder Vormund von Personen im Alter zwischen 13 Jahren und dem gesetzlichen Mindestalter in dem Land, in dem Sie wohnhaft sind, es solchen Personen erlauben, Ihre Apple ID und Ihr Passwort in Verbindung mit dem Beta-Programm zu nutzen, sofern dies unter Ihrer Aufsicht und in Übereinstimmung mit diesem Vertrag geschieht. Für die Einhaltung und Verletzung dieses Vertrags und anderer Apple Verträge seitens dieser Personen tragen Sie die Verantwortung.
2. Zugriff auf Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware, Seeding-Tools und zusätzliche Bestimmungen. Sie sind sich darüber im Klaren, dass Apple den Beta-Programmteilnehmern Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware zur Verfügung stellt, die online aus dem Mac App Store heruntergeladen, über das Webportal des Beta-Programms und/oder anderweitig durch das Beta-Programm bereitgestellt werden kann (z. B. durch manuelles Herunterladen einer digitalen Image-Datei, durch Bereitstellen von Konfigurationsprofilen usw.). Von Zeit zu Zeit kann Apple Ihnen nach eigenem Ermessen im Rahmen des Beta-Programms auch Software oder Dienste bereitstellen, einschließlich, jedoch nicht beschränkt auf Skripts, Codebausteine, Dienstprogramme, Konfigurationsprofile, Beispielcode, Fehlerbeseitigungsprogramme und Tools zum Melden von Programmfehlern („Seeding-Tools“) als Bestandteil Ihrer Teilnahme am Beta-Programm. Die Nutzung solcher Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware und Seeding-Tools muss in Übereinstimmung mit den Bestimmungen dieses Vertrags und/oder eines anderen zu solcher Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder solchen Seeding-Tools gehörenden Lizenzvertrags erfolgen („Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware und „Seeding-Tools“ werden im Sinne dieses Vertrags gemeinsam als „Apple Software“ bezeichnet).
Wenn die Apple Software von einer separaten Lizenz begleitet wird, erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Ihre Nutzung der Apple Software neben den Absätzen 5 und 6 dieses Vertrags den Bestimmungen der die Apple Software begleitenden Lizenz unterliegt. Jegliche Unstimmigkeiten zwischen den Bestimmungen der die Apple Software begleitenden Lizenz und Absatz 5 und 6 dieses Vertrags werden durch diesen Vertrag geregelt. Wenn zur Apple Software keine separate Lizenz gehört, unterliegt die Nutzung der Apple Software den Bestimmungen dieses Vertrags. Des Weiteren gewährt die Apple Software möglicherweise Zugang zu Diensten und Websites von Apple und Drittanbietern (gemeinsam und einzeln als „Dienste“ bezeichnet). Die Nutzung dieser Dienste erfordert Internetzugriff und die Nutzung bestimmter Dienste erfordert möglicherweise eine Apple ID, setzt möglicherweise Ihr Einverständnis mit zusätzlichen Bedingungen voraus und unterliegt unter Umständen zusätzlichen Gebühren.
3. Nutzung und Beschränkungen. Vorbehaltlich Ihrer Einhaltung dieses Vertrags erteilt Ihnen Apple hiermit eine persönliche, eingeschränkte Lizenz zur ausschließlichen Nutzung der Apple Software auf Apple Produkten für Test- und Evaluierungszwecke und nur in Verbindung mit diesem Beta-Programm. Vorbehaltlich anderslautender Bestimmungen in Absatz 15 gewährt Ihnen diese Lizenz nicht das Recht, die Apple Software für andere Zwecke zu verwenden oder sie offenzulegen, zu vervielfältigen, zu verteilen, zu verändern oder abgeleitete Werke der Apple Software zu erstellen. Sie verpflichten sich, es zu unterlassen, jegliche Apple Software zu dekompilieren, zurückzuentwickeln oder zu disassemblieren, zu entschlüsseln oder Versuche zur Ableitung des Quellcodes jeglicher Apple Software zu unternehmen (sofern dies nicht und nur in dem Ausmaß, in dem die vorgenannten Beschränkungen durch gesetzliche Vorschriften untersagt sind, oder in dem möglicherweise durch Lizenzbestimmungen, die die Nutzung von zur Apple Software gehörigen Open-Source-Komponenten regeln, zulässigen Ausmaß gestattet ist). Vorbehaltlich anderslautender Bestimmungen in Absatz 15 unten bestätigen Sie, dass die Apple Software ausschließlich für Test- und Evaluierungszwecke in Verbindung mit dem Beta-Programm genutzt und nicht vermietet, verkauft, verleast, abgetreten, verteilt oder auf andere Weise übertragen wird und dass keine Unterlizenzen für die Apple Software vergeben werden. Apple bleibt Inhaber sämtlicher Eigentumsrechte an aller Apple Software, und sofern hier nicht ausdrücklich anders festgelegt, werden keine weiteren Rechte oder Lizenzen am geistigen Eigentum von Apple gewährt oder impliziert.
4. Feedback; Kontakt durch Apple. Im Rahmen des Beta-Programms gibt Ihnen Apple die Möglichkeit, Fehlerberichte, Fragebögen, Verbesserungsvorschläge, Problemberichte und/oder Supportinformationen (im Folgenden „Feedback“) bei Apple einzureichen. Apple kann diese Informationen von Ihnen über die Seeding-Tools sowie per E-Mails, Webfragebögen, Programmfehlerformulare und andere Mechanismen anfordern. Indem Sie Ihr Einverständnis mit diesem Vertrag erklären, stimmen Sie zu, dass Apple Sie bezüglich des Beta-Programms gelegentlich kontaktieren kann, und erklären sich mit dieser Art der Kontaktaufnahme einverstanden. Vorbehaltlich anderslautender Bestimmungen in Absatz 8 erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Apple über jegliches von Ihnen zu einem beliebigen Zweck eingesandtes Feedback frei verfügen darf, sofern keine gegenteilige schriftliche Vereinbarung vorliegt.
5. Definition vertraulicher Informationen. Sie erklären sich damit einverstanden, dass die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware und jegliche Informationen hinsichtlich der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware (einschließlich deren Beschaffenheit und Existenz, Merkmale, Funktionalität und Bildschirmfotos), die Seeding-Tools sowie sonstige Informationen jeglicher Art, die Apple Ihnen in Verbindung mit dem Beta-Programm offenlegt, als vertraulich gelten und in diesem Vertrag als „vertrauliche Informationen“ bezeichnet werden. Informationen, die anderenfalls als vertrauliche Informationen gelten würden, aber (a) ohne Verschulden oder Vertragsverletzung Ihrerseits rechtmäßig an die Öffentlichkeit gelangen, (b) die von Apple an die Öffentlichkeit weitergegeben werden, (c) die Sie ohne Nutzung jeglicher vertraulicher Informationen unabhängig entwickelt haben, (d) die Sie rechtmäßig von einem Dritten erhalten haben, der uneingeschränkt über das Recht zur Übertragung oder Offenlegung verfügte, oder (e) jegliche Drittanbietersoftware und/oder -dokumentation, die Ihnen von Apple zur Verfügung gestellt wird und von Lizenzbestimmungen begleitet wird, die keine Geheimhaltungspflichten bei der Nutzung oder Offenlegung solcher Software und/oder Dokumentation begründen, gelten im Sinne dieses Vertrags nicht als vertrauliche Informationen. Alle vertraulichen Informationen bleiben alleiniges Eigentum von Apple. Ihnen stehen keine implizierten Lizenzen oder sonstigen Rechte an den vertraulichen Informationen zu, die Ihnen nicht ausdrücklich in diesem Vertrag gewährt werden.
6. Nichtverwendung und Geheimhaltung vertraulicher Informationen. Sofern in diesem Absatz 6 nicht ausdrücklich gestattet, verpflichten Sie sich, es zu unterlassen, jegliche vertraulichen Informationen offenzulegen, zu veröffentlichen oder auf andere Weise an Dritte weiterzugeben, ausgenommen an Personen, die im gleichen Seed wie Sie registriert sind, oder wie Ihnen anderweitig ausdrücklich erlaubt oder schriftlich durch Apple mit Ihnen vereinbart. Ferner erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, angemessene Vorsichtsmaßnahmen zu ergreifen, um jegliche unbefugte Nutzung, Offenlegung, Veröffentlichung oder Verbreitung vertraulicher Informationen zu verhindern, einschließlich Verhinderung des Zugriffs auf die Apple Software durch Dritte oder Anzeige der Apple Software für Dritte. Sie erklären sich damit einverstanden, die vertraulichen Informationen ausschließlich für die in diesem Vertrag gestatteten Einsatzmöglichkeiten zu nutzen. Sie verpflichten sich, vertrauliche Informationen nicht zu Ihrem eigenen Vorteil oder zum Vorteil Dritter zu nutzen, sofern Ihnen nicht jeweils eine vorherige schriftliche Einverständniserklärung eines autorisierten Apple Vertreters vorliegt. Sie sind sich bewusst, dass eine unbefugte Offenlegung oder Nutzung vertraulicher Informationen Apple nicht wieder gutzumachenden und erheblichen Schaden zufügen kann, der unter Umständen schwierig festzustellen ist. Deshalb erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Apple zur Durchsetzung der aus diesem Vertrag resultierenden Verpflichtungen neben sonstigen möglicherweise Apple zustehenden Rechten und Rechtsmitteln das Recht auf eine direkte Unterlassungsklage hat.
7. Vorsichtsmaßnahmen für die Nutzung der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware. Es ist Ihnen bekannt, dass Sie für die Teilnahme an Seeds der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware möglicherweise bestimmte vorab geladene, kommerzielle Apple Software von Ihrem Computer und/oder Gerät entfernen müssen, um die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware laden zu können. Sie sind sich außerdem im Klaren darüber, dass es Ihnen nach dem Laden solcher Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware auf Ihren Computer und/oder Gerät unter Umständen nicht mehr möglich sein wird, auf die vorab geladene, kommerzielle Version der Apple Software, die Sie vor dem Laden der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder einer früheren Version der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware verwendet haben, zurückzugreifen. Darüber hinaus laufen oder funktionieren Programme und Dienste, die Sie installiert oder verwendet haben, aufgrund Ihrer Nutzung der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware möglicherweise nicht mehr auf die gleiche Weise. SIE SIND SICH BEWUSST, DASS DURCH DIE INSTALLATION DERARTIGER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE AUF IHREN APPLE COMPUTERN UND/ODER GERÄTEN DIESE COMPUTER UND GERÄTE UNTER UMSTÄNDEN NICHT MEHR IM ORIGINALZUSTAND WIEDERHERGESTELLT WERDEN KÖNNEN UND DASS PROGRAMME UND DIENSTE DURCH IHRE NUTZUNG DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE BEEINTRÄCHTGT WERDEN KÖNNEN. ZUDEM SIND SIE SICH IM KLAREN DARÜBER, DASS DATEN (EINSCHLIESSLICH DOKUMENTE) SOLCHER PROGRAMME ODER DIENSTE, DIE SIE WÄHREND DER NUTZUNG DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE ERSTELLEN ODER ÄNDERN, SICH MÖGLICHERWEISE NICHT WIEDERHERSTELLEN ODER REPARIEREN LASSEN. APPLE TRÄGT KEINE VERANTWORTUNG FÜR JEGLICHE KOSTEN, AUSGABEN ODER SONSTIGE VERBINDLICHKEITEN, DIE IHNEN DURCH DAS TESTEN, INSTALLIEREN ODER VERWENDEN VON VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE ENTSTEHEN, EINSCHLIESSLICH, ABER NICHT BESCHRÄNKT AUF JEGLICHE BESCHÄDIGUNG DER AUSSTATTUNG, SOFTWARE ODER DATEN ODER JEGLICHER VERLUSTE VON DATEN ODER INFORMATIONEN, DIE AUF IHRE NUTZUNG DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE ZURÜCKZUFÜHREN SIND. Die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware kann darüber hinaus Fehler oder Ungenauigkeiten enthalten, die bei Ihrem Computer und/oder Gerät oder bei Ihren daran angeschlossenen Peripheriegeräten (einschließlich insbesondere Server und Drucker) zu Ausfällen, Beeinträchtigungen oder Daten- und/oder Informationsverlusten führen können. Apple empfiehlt Ihnen dringend, Sicherungskopien aller auf Ihrem Computer, Ihren Geräten und/oder jeglichen Peripheriegeräten befindlichen Daten und Informationen anzufertigen, bevor Sie am Beta-Programm und an individuellen Seeds teilnehmen. Die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware ist nicht für die Nutzung vorgesehen und sollte nicht in der Produktion oder mit geschäftskritischen Systemen verwendet werden.
8. Einwilligung zur Verwendung und Sammlung von Daten.
8.1 Vorabversionen von iOS, tvOS und macOS. Um Apple Produkte und Dienste bereitzustellen, zu testen und Apple, seinen Partnern und Fremdentwicklern zu helfen, ihre Produkte und Dienste zu verbessern und sofern Sie nicht in den Vorabversionen von iOS, tvOS oder macOS Ihr Einverständnis verweigern, sofern anwendbar, erklären Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Apple, seine Tochtergesellschaften und Vertreter von Ihren Geräten oder Computern, auf denen im Rahmen dieses Beta-Programms solche Vorabversionen von iOS, tvOS oder macOS ausgeführt werden, Diagnose-, technische und nutzungsrelevante Protokolle und Informationen sammeln, nutzen, speichern, übertragen, verarbeiten und analysieren (gemeinsam „sammeln“) dürfen. Diese Informationen werden in einer Form gesammelt, die keinerlei Rückschlüsse auf Ihre Person zulässt, und können jederzeit von Ihren Geräten oder Ihrem Computer gesammelt werden, insbesondere wenn Sie mit iTunes oder automatisch über eine sichere drahtlose Verbindung eine Synchronisierung durchführen. Zu den Informationen, die gesammelt werden, gehören ohne Einschränkung allgemeine Diagnose- und Nutzungsdaten, verschiedene eindeutige Geräte-IDs, verschiedene eindeutige System- oder Hardware-IDs, Informationen über die Spezifikationen von Hardware und Betriebssystem, Leistungsstatistiken und Daten dazu, wie Sie Ihre Geräte, Computer, System- und Programmsoftware und Peripheriegeräte nutzen, sowie, wenn die Ortungsdienste aktiviert sind, bestimmte Ortinformationen. Sie stimmen zu, dass Apple diese Diagnose-, technischen und nutzungsrelevanten Protokolle und Informationen an Partner und Fremdentwickler übermitteln kann, um ihnen die Verbesserung ihrer Produkte und Dienste, die auf oder in Verbindung mit Apple Produkten laufen, zu ermöglichen. Durch Installation oder Nutzung von Vorabversionen von iOS, tvOS oder macOS auf Ihren Geräten oder Computern erkennen Sie an und stimmen Sie zu, dass Apple und seine Tochtergesellschaften und Vertreter Ihre Erlaubnis haben, all diese Informationen zu sammeln und wie vorstehend beschrieben zu nutzen.
8.2 Sonstige Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware und -dienste. Um Apple Produkte und Dienste zu testen und zu verbessern und nur, wenn Sie sich für die Installation oder Nutzung weiterer im Rahmen des Beta-Programms bereitgestellter Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder -dienste entscheiden, erklären Sie Ihr Einverständnis damit, dass Apple, seine Tochtergesellschaften und Vertreter Diagnoseinformationen sowie technische, nutzungsrelevante und zugehörige Informationen über andere Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder -dienste und über Ihren Computer, Ihre Geräte, Ihre Peripheriegeräte oder andere Hardwareprodukte, von denen solche Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware verwendet wird, sammeln dürfen. Bevor Sie entscheiden, ob Sie jegliche Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder -dienste installieren oder verwenden werden, sollten Sie die Versionsinformationen und weitere Informationen, die Apple Ihnen im Rahmen des Beta-Programms preisgibt, sorgfältig lesen. Indem Sie solche Vorabversionen oder -dienste installieren oder verwenden, sind Sie sich bewusst und erklären sich damit einverstanden, dass Apple, seine Tochtergesellschaften und Vertreter Ihre Erlaubnis haben, alle diesbezüglichen Informationen wie oben dargelegt zu sammeln und zu nutzen.
8.3 Systemprotokolle und Diagnosedateien. Im Rahmen Ihrer Teilnahme am Beta-Programm haben Sie darüber hinaus möglicherweise die Option, Apple Seeding-Tools manuell anzufügen und/oder zu nutzen, um ausführliche Hardware- und/oder Systemdiagnosedateien (z. B. Kernel-Protokolle, Protokolle zu Apple Systemprofilen, Systemstillstandsprotokolle, Systemausfallprotokolle, Spin-Protokolle, Installationsprotokolle, Programmprotokolle usw.) von Ihrem Computer und/oder Ihren Geräten („Systemprotokolle“) zu sammeln und an Apple zu senden. Diese Systemprotokolle enthalten möglicherweise Informationen, die Rückschlüsse auf Ihre Person erlauben, einschließlich ohne Einschränkung auf Ihren Account-Namen, Informationen zu Ihren Kontakten, Kalenderereignissen und zu Ihrer E-Mail-Korrespondenz. Die Bereitstellung dieser Systemprotokolle geschieht auf freiwilliger Basis, aber Sie erklären sich durch die Einsendung solcher Protokolle an Apple damit einverstanden, dass Apple sie intern für Diagnosezwecke von Apple und zum Optimieren des Beta-Programms und der Apple Produkte und Dienste nutzen darf.
8.4 Datenschutzrichtlinie. Die nach diesem Absatz 8 gesammelten Daten werden gemäß der Apple Datenschutzrichtlinie behandelt, die durch Verweis in diesen Vertrag integriert wird und unter folgender Adresse verfügbar ist: http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy.
9. Keine Unterstützung und Wartung; zukünftige Produkte. Während Ihrer Teilnahme am Beta-Programm oder an einem bestimmten Seed ist Apple nicht verpflichtet, Ihnen Wartung, technische oder sonstige Unterstützung für die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware bereitzustellen. Wird derartige Unterstützung nach Ermessen von Apple bereitgestellt, erfolgt dies zusätzlich zu Ihren normalen Gewährleistungen für Ihren Computer und/oder Ihr Gerät. Sie erklären sich mit der Einhaltung jeglicher von Apple bereitgestellter Vorschriften und Strategien für die Unterstützung einverstanden, um solche Unterstützung zu erhalten. Sie erkennen hiermit an, dass Apple weder ausdrücklich noch implizit verpflichtet ist, in Zukunft eine kommerzielle Version der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware anzukündigen oder bereitzustellen. Sollte eine kommerzielle Version bereitgestellt werden, kann sie Eigenschaften oder Funktionen umfassen, die sich von denen in der hier lizenzierten Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware unterscheiden.
10. Diskussionsforen. Im Rahmen des Beta-Programms ist es Ihnen eventuell möglich, an von Apple bereitgestellten Diskussionsforen über die Vorabversionssoftware und andere vertrauliche Informationen, die Apple Ihnen möglicherweise bereitstellt, teilzunehmen. Zum Zwecke solcher Diskussionsforen stellt Apple eine eingeschränkte Ausnahme zu Absatz 6 bereit und gestattet Ihnen Diskussionen über bestimmte vertrauliche Apple Informationen, die Sie in Verbindung mit einem bestimmten Seed erhalten haben, mit anderen Seed-Teilnehmern im selben Seed wie Sie in dem ausgewiesenen Apple Diskussionsforum für diesen Seed, jedoch nur innerhalb dieses Diskussionsforums. Unbeschadet der zweckgebundenen Diskussionen mit anderen Seed-Teilnehmern innerhalb solcher Foren bestätigen Sie und erklären Ihr Einverständnis damit, dass dieser Vertrag Sie nicht berechtigt, vertrauliche Apple Informationen jeglicher Art zu kopieren, zu reproduzieren, zu veröffentlichen, in Blogs zu verwenden, offenzulegen, zu übertragen oder anderweitig zu verbreiten.
11. Keine Gewährleistung. Die im Rahmen dieses Vertrags bereitgestellte Apple Software kann als Alpha-, Beta-, Entwicklungs-, Vorabversion oder als ungetestete oder nicht vollständig getestete Version vorgesehen sein. Bei der Apple Software handelt es sich um eine Softwareversion, die unvollständig sein und Fehler oder Ungenauigkeiten enthalten kann, die zu Fehlern, Unbrauchbarkeit und/oder zum Verlust von Daten oder Informationen führen können. Sie bestätigen und erklären sich ausdrücklich damit einverstanden, dass bis zu dem nach geltendem Recht zulässigen Ausmaß die gesamte Verwendung der Apple Software auf ihr eigenes Risiko erfolgt und dass Sie das gesamte Risiko im HinbIick auf zufriedenstellende Qualität, Leistung, Genauigkeit und Aufwand tragen. APPLE STELLT IHNEN ALLE VERTRAULICHEN INFORMATIONEN, EINSCHLIESSLICH DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE UND SEEDING-TOOLS, OHNE MÄNGELGEWÄHR UND OHNE GEWÄHRLEISTUNG JEGLICHER ART BEREIT, UND ZWAR SOWOHL AUSDRÜCKLICHE ALS AUCH IMPLIZITE GEWÄHRLEISTUNGEN, EINSCHLIESSLICH INSBESONDERE DER IMPLIZITEN GEWÄHRLEISTUNGEN DER MARKTFÄHIGKEIT, NICHTVERLETZUNG DER RECHTE DRITTER, GENAUIGKEIT, VOLLSTÄNDIGKEIT, LEISTUNG UND EIGNUNG FÜR EINEN BESTIMMTEN ZWECK. Sie erkennen an, dass Apple die Verfügbarkeit der Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware nicht öffentlich bekannt gegeben hat, dass Apple Ihnen weder zugesichert noch garantiert hat, dass eine solche Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware in Zukunft angekündigt oder für jedermann verfügbar gemacht wird und dass Apple Ihnen gegenüber weder ausdrücklich noch impliziert verpflichtet ist, die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder jegliches ähnliches kompatibles Produkt anzukündigen oder einzuführen oder auch in Zukunft Zugriff auf die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware anzubieten.
12. Haftungsausschluss. IN DEM NICHT DURCH ANWENDBARE GESETZE UNTERSAGTEN AUSMASS TRAGEN SIE SÄMTLICHE RISIKEN UND KOSTEN IN ZUSAMMENHANG MIT DEN TESTS, DER INSTALLATION ODER DER NUTZUNG DER IM RAHMEN DIESES VERTRAGS BEREITGESTELLTEN VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE UND SEEDING-TOOLS, EINSCHLIESSLICH, ABER NICHT BESCHRÄNKT AUF KOSTEN FÜR SICHERUNGSKOPIEN, FÜR DIE VERWENDUNG DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE AUF IHREM COMPUTER, IHREN GERÄTEN UND/ODER PERIPHERIEGERÄTEN SOWIE KOSTEN, DIE FÜR JEGLICHE SCHÄDEN AN AUSSTATTUNG, SOFTWARE, INFORMATIONEN ODER DATEN JEGLICHER ART ANFALLEN, UND APPLE IST IN KEINEM FALL HAFTBAR FÜR INDIREKTE, SPEZIELLE, BEILÄUFIG ENTSTANDENE SCHÄDEN ODER FOLGESCHÄDEN JEGLICHER ART, UNABHÄNGIG DAVON, OB DIESE AUFGRUND UNERLAUBTER HANDLUNG (EINSCHLIESSLICH NACHLÄSSIGKEIT), VERTRAGLICH ODER IN ANDERER FORM AUS DIESEM VERTRAG ODER IN ZUSAMMENHANG MIT DIESEM VERTRAG ENTSTEHEN, EINSCHLIESSLICH JEGLICHER HAFTUNG, DIE AUS DER NUTZUNG DER VORABVERÖFFENTLICHUNGSSOFTWARE AUF IHREM COMPUTER, IHREN GERÄTEN UND/ODER AUF JEGLICHEN DARAN ANGESCHLOSSENEN PERIPHERIEGERÄTEN, UND/ODER JEGLICHER ANDERER VERTRAULICHER INFORMATIONEN, UND/ODER DER ERFÜLLUNG ODER DER NICHTERFÜLLUNG DIESES VERTRAGS SEITENS APPLE RESULTIERT, UND ZWAR AUCH DANN, WENN APPLE AUF DIE MÖGLICHKEIT SOLCHER SCHÄDEN HINGEWIESEN WURDE ODER DIE MÖGLICHKEIT SOLCHER SCHÄDEN BEKANNT IST. IN KEINEM FALL ÜBERSTEIGT DIE GESAMTE HAFTUNG VON APPLE FÜR ALLE SCHÄDEN (AUSGENOMMEN DIE ZWINGENDE GESETZLICHE HAFTUNG IM FALLE VON PERSONENSCHÄDEN) IHNEN GEGENÜBER DIE SUMME VON FÜNFZIG US-DOLLAR ($ 50,00). DIE VORGENANNTEN BESCHRÄNKUNGEN GELTEN AUCH DANN, WENN DAS OBEN GENANNTE RECHTSMITTEL SEINEN EIGENTLICHEN ZWECK NICHT ERFÜLLT.
13. Laufzeit und Beendigung. Dieser Vertrag hat bis zu seiner Beendigung in Übereinstimmung mit diesem Absatz 13 Gültigkeit. Es ist Ihnen gestattet, diesen Vertrag oder ein einzelnes Seeding-Projekt jederzeit aus jeglichem Grund zu beenden, sofern Sie alle in Ihrem Besitz befindlichen oder Ihrer Kontrolle unterliegenden vertraulichen Informationen (einschließlich ohne Einschränkung jegliche Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware) zurückgeben oder vernichten, vorausgesetzt, dass Sie sich für den Fall, dass es Ihnen nicht möglich sein sollte, bestimmte Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware von Ihrem eigenen Computer und/oder Ihren Geräten zu entfernen, damit einverstanden erklären, dass Sie die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware weiterhin als vertrauliche Informationen behandeln werden. Apple ist berechtigt, diesen Vertrag oder ein einzelnes Seeding-Projekt jederzeit mit oder ohne Angabe von Gründen in einem Kündigungsschreiben an Sie mit sofortiger Wirkung zu beenden und den Vertrag bei einem Verstoß gegen die hierin dargelegten Geheimhaltungspflichten umgehend zu beenden. Sie sind verpflichtet, die Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware und alle anderen vertraulichen Informationen wie in diesem Absatz beschrieben innerhalb von sieben (7) Tagen nach Erhalt des Kündigungsschreibens oder auf Verlangen von Apple früher zurückzugeben, deren Nutzung einzustellen und/oder sie zu vernichten. Wurde dieser Vertrag oder ein einzelnes Seeding-Projekt aus jeglichem Grund beendet, sind die Vertragsparteien weiterhin an die Bestimmungen in den Absätzen 3, 4-8 sowie an die beiden letzten Sätze der Absätze 9 und 11-19 einschließlich gebunden. Die unter Absatz 3 dieses Vertrags gewährte Laufzeit Ihrer Lizenz zur Nutzung der Apple Software beginnt mit Ihrer Installation oder Nutzung der Apple Software und endet automatisch ohne Mitteilung seitens Apple zum jeweils früheren der folgenden Zeitpunkte: (a) mit der Freigabe nächsten kommerziellen Version der Apple Software, (b) bei Beendigung des individuellen Seed-Projekts, in dessen Rahmen Sie die Apple Software erhalten haben, (c) bei Beendigung dieses Vertrags oder (d) zu dem Datum, das in der separaten Lizenz (sofern vorhanden) genannt wird, die die Apple Software begleitet.
14. Kein Export. Sie erklären sich damit einverstanden, jegliche Vorabveröffentlichungssoftware oder vertraulichen Informationen, die Sie von Apple erhalten haben, nur unter Beachtung aller anwendbaren Bestimmungen der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika sowie der anwendbaren Bestimmungen des Landes, in dem Sie die Apple Software erhalten haben, zu exportieren oder zu reexportieren. Insbesondere, aber ohne Einschränkung darf die Apple Software nicht (a) in ein Land exportiert oder reexportiert werden, über das die Vereinigten Staaten ein Embargo verhängt haben, oder (b) einer Person überlassen werden, die auf der Liste der Specially Designated Nationals des U.S. Treasury Department oder der Denied Person’s List oder Entity List des U.S. Department of Commerce oder einer anderen Liste mit eingeschränkten Parteien verzeichnet ist. Indem Sie die Apple Software benutzen, erklären Sie, dass Sie weder in einem dieser Länder wohnhaft sind noch auf einer der vorstehend erwähnten Listen genannt werden. Des Weiteren erklären Sie, dass Sie die Apple Software nicht für Zwecke jeglicher Art verwenden werden, die nach US-amerikanischen Gesetzen verboten sind, einschließlich insbesondere Entwicklung, Planung, Fertigung und Produktion von Raketen, nuklearen, chemischen oder biologischen Waffen. Sie bestätigen hiermit, dass diese Apple Software nur für Bewertungs- und Testzwecke verwendet und nicht vermietet, verkauft, verleast, abgetreten oder anderweitig übertragen wird und dass keine Unterlizenzen für die Apple Software vergeben werden. Sie bestätigen weiterhin, dass Sie keine Produkte, Prozesse oder Dienste übertragen oder exportieren werden, die ein direktes Produkt dieser Apple Software sind.
15. Software und Informationen von Drittanbietern. Teile der Apple Software können Software sowie andere urheberrechtlich geschützte Materialien von Dritten nutzen oder enthalten. Die Anerkennung, Lizenzbestimmungen und Schadensersatzregelungen für diese Materialien sind in der Apple Software enthalten und die Verwendung dieser Materialien unterliegt den jeweiligen Bestimmungen. Die Erwähnung von Dritten und von Drittanbieterprodukten in jeglichen Unterlagen, Werbematerialien, Werbeaktionen oder Coupons, die Beta-Programmteilnehmern zur Verfügung gestellt werden, dient ausschließlich Informationszwecken und stellt weder eine Bestätigung noch eine Empfehlung dar. Alle technischen Daten oder Beschreibungen der Produkte von Dritten werden von den jeweiligen Herstellern oder Anbietern bereitgestellt, und Apple übernimmt keine Verantwortung hinsichtlich der Auswahl, Leistung oder Verwendung dieser Anbieter oder Produkte. Alle Übereinkünfte, Vereinbarungen oder Zusicherungen, sofern vorhanden, erfolgen direkt zwischen den Herstellern und den jeweiligen Benutzern.
16. Kein Verzicht oder keine Übertragung. Eine Verzögerung oder eine Unterlassung, im Rahmen dieses Vertrags Klage zu erheben, stellt keinen Verzicht dar, es sei denn, dieser erfolgt ausdrücklich in schriftlicher Form und wurde von einem autorisierten Apple Vertreter unterzeichnet, und ein einzelner Verzicht stellt keinen weiteren oder nachfolgenden Verzicht dar. Dieser Vertrag darf von Ihnen weder als Ganzes noch in Teilen übertragen werden. Jegliche gegenteilige Übertragung ist ungültig.
- Wenn Sie bei einer Behörde, einer Regierungsstelle oder einem Ministerium der US-Bundesregierung beschäftigt sind, unterliegt dieser Vertrag den Gesetzen der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika und bei Fehlen anwendbarer Bundesgesetze den Gesetzen des US-Bundesstaates Kalifornien. Weiterhin und unbeschadet anders lautender Bestimmungen in diesem Vertrag unterliegen alle Ansprüche, Forderungen, Beschwerden und Rechtsstreitigkeiten dem Contract Disputes Act (41 U.S.C. §§601-613), dem Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. § 1346(a) und § 1491) oder dem Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2401-2402, 2671-2672, 2674-2680), sofern anwendbar, oder einer anderen anwendbaren Behörde.
Wenn Sie bei einer öffentlichen und akkreditierten Bildungseinrichtung in den USA beschäftigt sind, unterliegt dieser Vertrag (a) den Gesetzen des Staates (innerhalb der USA), in dem sich Ihre Bildungseinrichtung befindet, und ist ohne Berücksichtigung der staatlichen Bestimmungen bezüglich der Kollision von Gesetzen gemäß diesen auszulegen; und (b) finden jegliche Gerichtsverfahren oder sonstige Beilegungen von Rechtsstreitigkeiten zwischen Ihnen und Apple, die aus diesem Vertrag, der Apple Software oder Ihrer Beziehung zu Apple entstehen oder damit in Zusammenhang stehen, im Northern District of California statt. Sie und Apple stimmen hiermit zu, dass sich der ausschließliche Gerichtsstand in diesem Bezirk befindet, es sei denn, diese Zustimmung ist gemäß den Gesetzen des Staates, in dem sich Ihre Bildungseinrichtung befindet, nicht zulässig.
- Wenn Sie bei einer internationalen, zwischenstaatlichen Organisation beschäftigt sind, der durch Ihr zwischenstaatliches Abkommen oder Ihren zwischenstaatlichen Vertrag Immunität von der Gerichtsbarkeit nationaler Gerichte verliehen wurde, ist jeder Rechtsstreit oder jede Klage, die aus diesem Vertrag oder dessen Verletzung entsteht oder damit im Zusammenhang steht, durch ein Schiedsverfahren vor dem International Centre for Dispute Resolution gemäß der Internationalen Schiedsgerichtsordnung zu entscheiden. Ort des Schiedsverfahrens ist London, England; Sprache des Schiedsverfahrens ist Englisch; das Schiedsgericht setzt sich aus drei Schiedsrichtern zusammen. Sie erklären sich damit einverstanden, auf Anfordern von Apple einen Nachweis über Ihren Status als zwischenstaatliche Organisation und den damit einhergehenden Privilegien und Immunitäten zu erbringen.
Dieser Vertrag unterliegt nicht der United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, deren Anwendung hiermit ausdrücklich ausgeschlossen wird.
18. US-Behörden. Die Apple Software und die zugehörige Dokumentation gelten als „Commercial Items“ gemäß Definition im 48 C.F.R. §2.101, bestehend aus „Commercial Computer Software“ und „Commercial Computer Software Documentation“ in dem Sinne, in dem diese Begriffe im 48 C.F.R. §12.212 oder 48 C.F.R. §227.7202 verwendet werden, sofern anwendbar. In Übereinstimmung mit 48 C.F.R. §12.212 oder 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1 bis 227.7202-4, sofern anwendbar, werden die „Commercial Computer Software“ und die „Commercial Computer Software Documentation“ an US-Behörden wie folgt lizenziert: (a) nur als „Commercial Items“ und (b) nur mit den Rechten, die allen Endbenutzern gemäß den Bestimmungen in diesem Lizenzvertrag gewährt werden. Die Rechte an unveröffentlichten Werken unterliegen den Urheberrechten der Vereinigten Staaten.
19. Teilnichtigkeit, Vollständigkeit. Falls festgestellt wird, dass eine Bestimmung dieses Vertrags uneinklagbar oder ungültig ist, ist diese Bestimmung einzuschränken oder bis zum erforderlichen Mindestmaß auszuschließen, sodass dieser Vertrag ansonsten vollständig in Kraft und vollstreckbar bleibt. Dieser Vertrag, einschließlich aller Anhänge, die in Übereinstimmung mit diesem Vertrag in Kraft getreten sind, und aller zusätzlichen zur Apple Software gehörenden Lizenzen, enthält die gesamte Vereinbarung in Bezug auf die im Rahmen dieses Vertrags offengelegten vertraulichen Informationen und tritt an die Stelle aller diesbezüglichen früheren mündlichen oder schriftlichen Vereinbarungen hinsichtlich solcher vertraulicher Informationen. Ausgenommen in dem in Absatz 2 oben dargelegten Ausmaß unterliegen alle Widersprüche zwischen diesem Vertrag und jeglicher die Apple Software begleitenden Lizenz den Bestimmungen der Apple Software. Sofern hierin nicht ausdrücklich gestattet, ist jeglicher Verzicht auf oder jegliche Änderung eine(r) Bestimmung dieses Vertrags nur dann gültig, wenn er bzw. sie in schriftlicher Form erfolgt und von autorisierten Vertretern beider Vertragsparteien unterzeichnet wird. Jegliche Übersetzung dieses Vertrags wird für lokale Zwecke angefertigt. Im Falle von Unstimmigkeiten zwischen der englischen und der nicht englischen Version hat die englische Version dieses Vertrags bis zu dem nicht durch Ihre lokale Gesetzsprechung untersagten Ausmaß Gültigkeit.
아래로 스크롤 하셔서 본 APPLE 베타 소프트웨어 프로그램 계약(이하 “계약”)의 조항 및 조건을 주의하여 모두 읽으시기 바랍니다. 귀하가 본 계약의 모든 조항 및 조건을 준수하기로 동의 하신다면, “동의” 버튼을 클릭하여 주십시오. 귀하가 본 계약의 모든 조항 및 조건에 준수하는 것에 동의하지 않으신다면, “거절” 버튼을 클릭하여 주시고, 이로써 귀하는 APPLE 베타 소프트웨어 프로그램에 참가할 수 있는 자격을 상실하게 됩니다.
1. Apple 베타 소프트웨어 프로그램 참가. Apple 베타 소프트웨어 프로그램 (이하 “베타 프로그램”)은 베타 프로그램 참가자에게 때때로 이용 가능한 알파, 베타, 시드 및 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어, 사전 공개 서비스 및 관련 문서, 자료, 및 정보 (총칭하여 “사전 공개 소프트웨어”)를 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 품질 및 유용성에 대한 피드백을 Apple에게 제공하기 위해 개발하는 것입니다. 귀하는 베타 프로그램에 참가하는 것은 자발적인 것이며, 귀하와 Apple 사이에 법적 협력관계, 대리인 또는 고용관계를 형성하지 않는다는 것을 이해하며 이에 동의합니다. 귀하는 귀하의 베타 프로그램 참가가 Apple이 귀하에게 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 공개할 의무를 부여하지 않는다는 것을 이해합니다. Apple은 언제든지 본 베타 프로그램의 약관 및 정책을 수정할 수 있고 언제라도 귀하의 본 베타 프로그램 참여를 취소할 수 있는 권리를 보유합니다. Apple이 본 계약의 조항을 수정한 경우, Apple은 베타 프로그램 웹 포털을 통해 귀하에게 수정된 조항을 제공할 것입니다.
베타 프로그램에 참여함으로써, 귀하는 귀하가 거주하는 관할지에서 성년에 해당하는 법적 연령(다수의 국가에서 적어도 18세임)에 있다는 것을 증명하고, 귀하는 법적으로 베타 프로그램에 참여할 수 있다는 것을 진술합니다. 본 계약은 법으로 금지되는 경우 무효이며, 베타 프로그램 참가자가 될 권리는 그러한 관할지에서는 허여되지 않습니다. Apple이 이와 달리 서면으로 동의하고 허락하지 않은 이상, 귀하는 모든 소프트웨어 또는 베타 프로그램 참가자가 되는 것과 관련하여 귀하가 Apple로부터 받은 기타 자료를 공유하거나 양도할 수 없습니다. 귀하가 베타 프로그램 참가자로서 로그인 하기 위하여 사용하는 Apple ID와 비밀번호는 어떠한 방식으로든 다른 사람과 공유되어서는 아니됩니다. 귀하는 귀하의 Apple ID와 비밀번호를 비밀로 유지하고, 귀하의 계정 관련한 모든 행위에 대하여 책임이 있습니다. 본 제1항의 상기 서술한 제한사항에도 불구하고, 귀하가 13세 및 귀하가 거주하는 관할지에서 성년의 법적 연령 사이에 있는 개인의 부모 또는 법적 보호자인 경우, 귀하는 이러한 개인이 귀하의 전적인 감독하에 그리고 본 계약에 따라서만 귀하의 Apple ID와 비밀번호를 공유하도록 할 수 있습니다. 귀하는 그러한 개인이 본 계약 및 기타 Apple 계약의 준수와 위반에 대한 책임을 부담합니다.
2. 사전 공개 소프트웨어에 대한 접근; 시딩 도구(tools); 및 추가 약관. 귀하는 Apple이 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 Mac 앱 스토어, 베타 프로그램 웹 포털을 통한 온라인 다운로드 및/또는 그 외에 베타 프로그램을 통하여 제공(예를 들어, 디지털 이미지의 수동 다운로드, 소프트웨어 설정 프로파일 제공 등)하기 위하여 베타 프로그램 참가자에게 제공할 수 있다는 것을 이해합니다. 때때로, Apple은 Apple의 선택에 따라 귀하에게 스크립트, 코드 조각(snippets), 유틸러티, 구성 프로파일, 샘플 코드, 문제해결 애플리케이션 및 버그 제출 도구 (이하 “시딩 도구”)를 귀하의 베타 프로그램 참가의 일부로 포함하나 이에 한정되지 않는 베타 프로그램의 일부로 소프트웨어 또는 서비스를 제공할 수 있습니다. 이러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 시딩 도구의 모든 사용은 본 계약 및/또는 이러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 시딩 도구에 따라오는 기타 사용권 계약의 조항 및 조건에 따릅니다 (총칭하여, 본 계약에서는 “사전 공개 소프트웨어” 및 “시딩 도구”는 “Apple 소프트웨어”라 칭합니다).
Apple 소프트웨어가 개별 사용권 계약에 따라 오는 경우, 귀하는 이러한 Apple 소프트웨어를 수반하는 그 사용권 계약이, 본 계약의 제5조 및 제6조에 더하여, 귀하의 Apple 소프트웨어 사용에 적용된다는 것에 동의합니다. Apple 소프트웨어를 수반하는 사용권 계약의 조항과 본 계약의 제5조 및 제6조 사이에 불일치가 발생하면 본 계약에 따라 규율됩니다. Apple 소프트웨어를 수반하는 사용권 계약이 없는 경우, 귀하의 Apple 소프트웨어 사용은 본 계약의 조항에 따릅니다. 또한, Apple 소프트웨어는 Apple 및 제3자 서비스 및 웹사이트 (이하 통칭하여 그리고 개별적으로 “서비스”라고 함)에 접속을 가능하게 할 수 있습니다. 이러한 서비스를 사용하기 위해 인터넷 접속이 필요 할 수 있으며, 특정 서비스의 사용을 위해 Apple ID를 요청할 수 있으며, 귀하에게 추가 약관의 수락을 요청 할 수 있으며, 추가 요금이 부과 될 수 있습니다.
3. 사용권 허가 및 제한. 귀하의 본 계약 준수에 따라, Apple은 귀하에게 시험용 및 평가용으로만 그리고 본 베타 프로그램과 관련하여서만 Apple 브랜드 제품에서 Apple 소프트웨어를 사용할 수 있는 사적이고, 제한적인 사용권을 귀하에게 허가합니다. 제15조에 따라 달리 허용되는 경우를 제외하고, 본 사용권은 귀하에게 Apple 소프트웨어를 다른 목적으로 사용할 수 있는 권리 또는 Apple 소프트웨어의 공개, 복제, 배포, 수정 또는 파생작업을 할 수있는 권리를 허가하지 않습니다. 귀하는 (상기 제한이 관련 법률에 따라 금지되는 경우는 제외하거나 또는 이러한 Apple 소프트웨어에 포함되는 오프 소스 요소의 사용을 규율하는 사용권허가(licensing) 약관에 따라 허용되는 범위에서) Apple 소프트웨어의 역 컴파일, 역 공학, 역 에셈블, 해독, 또는 이와 다른 방식으로 그 소스 코드를 추출하려는 시도를 하지 않는다는 것에 동의합니다. 아래의 제15조에 따라 달리 허용되지 않는 한, 귀하는 Apple 소프트웨어를 베타 프로그램 관련하여 시험용 및 평가용으로만 사용할 것이며, 이를 임대, 판매, 리스, 재사용허가(sublicense), 양도, 배포 또는 이전하지 않는다는 것을 증명합니다. Apple은 모든 Apple 소프트웨어의 소유권을 보유하고, 본 계약에서 명시적으로 기술된 경우를 제외하고, 기타 다른 권리나 사용권은 허가되지 않거나 또는 모든 Apple 지적 재산하에 암시되지 않습니다.
4. 피드백; Apple로부터의 문의. 베타 프로그램의 일부로, Apple은 귀하에게 버그 보고, 질의서, 개선 요청, 문제 보고 및/또는 지원 정보 (총칭하여 “피드백”) 를 Apple에게 제출할 수 있는 기회를 제공힙니다. Apple은 이 정보를 시딩 도구를 통하여 또한 이메일, 웹상의 질의서, 버그 형식, 및 기타 메카니즘으로 귀하에게 요청할 수 있습니다. 본 계약에 동의함으로써, 귀하는 Apple은 베타 프로그램에 대하여 귀하에게 때때로 연락할 수 있다는 것에 동의하며, 귀하는 그러한 통신을 받는다는 것에 동의합니다. 제8조에 이와달리 기술된 경우를 제외하고, 귀하는 이와 다른 개별적인 서면 계약의 부재 시에는 Apple은 귀하가 제공한 모든 피드백을 어떠한 목적으로도 자유롭게 사용할 수 있다는 것에 동의합니다.
5. 비밀 정보의 정의. 귀하는 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 이에 관한 모든 정보(그 성질 및 존재, 특징, 기능 및 스크린 샷 포함), 시딩 도구, 및 베타 프로그램 관련하여 Apple이 귀하에게 공개한 기타 정보를 비밀 정보로 간주하고 본 계약에서 “비밀 정보”로 칭하는 것에 동의합니다. 그 외에 비밀 정보로 간주되지만 (a) 귀하의 귀책이나 위반없이 일반적으로 합법적으로 대중에게 공개된 정보, (b) Apple이 일반적으로 대중이 이용 가능하게 한 정보, (c) 비밀 정보를 이용하지 않고 귀하가 독자적으로 개발한 정보, (d) 귀하에게 아무런 제한 없이 정보를 양도 또는 공개할 수 있는 권리가 있는 제3자로부터 합법적으로 입수한 정보, 또는 (e) Apple이 귀하에게 제공하며 그 사용 또는 공개에 대한 비밀 유지의 의무를 부여하지 않는 사용권허가 약관에 수반되는 모든 제3자 소프트웨어 및/또는 문서는 본 계약하에서는 비밀 정보로 간주되지 않습니다. 모든 비밀 정보는 Apple의 단독 재산이며, 귀하는 본 계약서에 특정되지 않은 비밀 정보에 대한 어떠한 암시적 사용권 및 기타 권리가 없습니다.
6. 비밀 정보의 비사용 및 비공개. 본 제6조에 명시적으로 허용된 경우를 제외하고, 귀하는 귀하와 동일한 개별 시드에 등록된 개인 이외의 어떠한 개인에게 또는 이와 달리 Apple이 서면으로 동의하거나 명시적으로 허용한 경우를 제외하고 어떠한 비밀 정보도 공개, 출판 또는 배포하지 않는다는 것에 동의합니다. 귀하는 또한 제3자에게 Apple 소프트웨어를 보여주거나 Apple 소프트웨어에 대한 접근을 금지하는 것을 포함하여, 비밀 정보의 무단 사용, 공개, 출판 또는 배포를 방지하기 위하여 합리적인 예방 조치를 취한다는 것에 동의합니다. 귀하는 본 계약에 기술된 용도로만 비밀 정보를 사용하는 것에 동의합니다. 귀하는 각각의 경우에 Apple의 권한있는 대표의 사전 서면 승인없이 귀하 자신 또는 제3자의 이익을 위하여 비밀 정보를 달리 사용하지 않는다는 것에 동의합니다. 귀하는 비밀 정보의 무단 공개 또는 사용은 명백히 확인하기 어려울 수 있는 회복 불능의 피해 및 심각한 손상을 Apple에게 입힐 수 있다는 것을 인정합니다. 따라서, 귀하는 Apple은 Apple이 가질 수 있는 기타 권리 및 구제에 더하여 본 계약에 따라 의무사항을 집행하기 위한 즉각적인 금지명령구제를 구할 수 있는 권리를 보유한다는 것에 동의합니다.
7. 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 사용에 대한 예방. 귀하는 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 시드에 참가하기 위해서는 귀하는 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 로딩하기 위하여 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기에서 특정 사전 로딩된 상업적 Apple 소프트웨어를 제거하도록 요청될 수 있다는 것을 이해합니다. 귀하는 또한 귀하가 그러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기상에 로딩하면, 귀하는 귀하가 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 로딩하기 전에 사용한 Apple 소프트웨어의 사전 로딩된 상업적 출시버전 또는 사전 공개된 소프트웨어의 이전 출시버전으로 되돌릴 수 없습니다. 또한, 귀하가 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 사용함으로 인하여 귀하가 설치 또는 사용했었던 애플리케이션 및 서비스는 동일한 방식으로 실행 또는 기능 할 수 없습니다. 귀하는 그러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 귀하의 APPLE 상표 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기에 설치함으로써 이 컴퓨터 및 기기는 원래의 상태로 복구될 수 없을 수도 있다는 점 및 애플리케이션 및 서비스는 귀하의 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 사용에 영향을 받을 수 있다는 점을 인정합니다. 또한, 귀하는 귀하가 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 사용하는 중에 생성 또는 변경하는 그러한 애플리케이션 또는 서비스로부터의 데이터(문서 포함)는 복구 또는 회복 될 수 없을 수도 있다는 것을 이해합니다. Apple은 장비, 소프트웨어 또는 데이터의 손상 또는 귀하의 그러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 사용으로 야기되는 데이터 또는 정보의 손실을 포함하나 이에 한정되지 않는 귀하의 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 시험, 설치 또는 사용으로 발생할 수 있는 손실, 비용 또는 기타 채무에 대한 책임이 없습니다. 또한, 사전 공개 소프트웨어는 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기 또는 귀하의 주변장치(서버 및 프린터를 제한없이 포함함)로부터의 장애, 변형 또는 데이터 및/또는 정보의 손실을 야기할 수 있는 오류 또는 비정확성을 포함할 수 있습니다. Apple은 귀하가 베타 프로그램 및 기타 개별 시드에 참가하기 전에 귀하의 컴퓨터, 기기 및/또는 모든 주변장치상의 모든 데이터 및 정보를 백업할 것을 강력히 권고합니다. 사전 공개 소프트웨어는 생산 또는 주요 비지니스 시스템에 사용하기 위한 것이 아니며, 그러한 생산 또는 시스템에 사용되어서는 아니됩니다.
8. 데이터의 수집 및 이용에 대한 동의.
8.1 iOS, tvOS, 및 macOS의 사전 공개 버전. Apple의 제품과 서비스를 제공, 시험하고 Apple, 그 파트너들 및 제3자 개발자들이 제품과 서비스를 개선하는데 도움을 주기 위하여, 귀하가 iOS, tvOS, 또는 macOS의 사전 공개버전에서 제외하도록 선택하지 아니하는 한, 해당될 경우, 귀하는 Apple과 그의 자회사 및 대리인이 본 베타 프로그램의 일부로서 iOS, tvOS, 또는 macOS의 사전 공개 버전을 실행 중인 귀하의 장치 또는 컴퓨터로부터 진단, 기술 및 사용 로그와 관련 정보를 수집, 사용, 보관, 전송, 처리 및 분석 (총칭하여 “수집”)함을 인정합니다. 이 정보는 귀하를 개인적으로 특정하지 아니하는 형태로 수집되고, 귀하가 iTunes와 동기화할 때 또는 보안된 무선 연결을 통하여 자동적으로 하는 등 언제든지 귀하의 기기 또는 컴퓨터로부터 수집될 수 있습니다. 정보는 일반적인 진단 및 사용 데이터, 다양한 고유 장치 식별자, 다양한 고유 시스템 또는 하드웨어 식별자, 하드웨어와 운영 시스템의 사양 내역, 작동 통계, 귀하가 어떻게 귀하의 장치, 컴퓨터, 시스템, 애플리케이션 소프트웨어, 및 주변기기를 사용하는 지에 대한 데이터, 만일 위치 서비스가 가능할 경우, 특정 위치 정보를 포함하나 이에 한정되지 아니합니다. 귀하는 Apple이 그러한 진단, 기술적 및 사용 로그 및 정보를 파트너 및 제3자 개발자들과 Apple 브랜드 제품에서 또는 그와 관련하여 작동하는 그들의 제품과 서비스를 개선할 수 있도록 허용하기 위하여 공유하는데 동의합니다. iOS, tvOS, 또는 macOS의 사전 공개 버전을 귀하의 기기 또는 컴퓨터에 설치하고 사용함에 의하여, 귀하는 Apple 및 그의 자회사 및 대리인이 모든 그러한 정보를 수집할 수 있는 귀하의 승낙을 얻었고 이를 위에 기재한 바와 같이 사용함을 인정하고 동의합니다.
8.2 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 서비스. Apple의 제품과 서비스를 시험하고 개선하기 위하여, 그리고 귀하가 베타 프로그램의 일부로 제공된 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 서비스를 설치하거나 사용하기로 선택한 경우에 한하여, 귀하는 Apple과 그의 자회사 및 대리인이 진단, 기술, 사용 및 관련 정보를 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 서비스 및 이러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 사용하는 귀하의 컴퓨터, 기기, 주변장치 또는 기타 하드웨어로부터 수집할 수 있음을 인정합니다. 귀하는 그러한 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 서비스를 설치 또는 사용할 지를 선택하기 전에 Apple이 베타 프로그램의 일부로 귀하에게 공개한 공개 노트 및 그 밖의 정보를 주의깊게 검토하여야 합니다. 그러한 기타 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 서비스를 설치하거나 사용함에 의하여, 귀하는 Apple과 그의 자회사 및 대리인이 모든 그러한 정보를 수집할 수 있는 귀하의 승낙을 얻었고 이를 위에 기재한 바와 같이 사용함을 인정하고 동의합니다.
8.3 시스템 로그및 진단 파일. 아울러, 귀하의 베타 프로그램의 참가의 일부로서, 귀하는 Apple에게 상세한 하드웨어 및/또는 시스템 진단 파일(예를 들어, 커널 로그, Apple 시스템 프로파일 로그, 행(hang) 로그, 충돌(crash) 로그, 회전(spin) 로그, 설치 로그, 애플리케이션 로그 등) (이하 “시스템 로그”)을 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기로부터 수집하여 Apple에게 송부하기 위하여 Apple의 시딩 도구를 수동으로 첨부 및/또는 사용할 수 있는 옵션이 있습니다. 그러한 시스템 로그는 귀하의 계정명, 귀하의 연락처, 연간 행사, 및 이메일 통신에 관한 정보 등 개인적으로 식별 가능한 정보를 포함할 수 있습니다. 이러한 시스템 로그를 제공하는 것은 자발적이지만, 만일 귀하가 이를 Apple에 제공한다면, 귀하는 Apple이 이를 Apple의 진단 목적으로 그리고 베타 프로그램과 Apple의 제품 및 서비스를 향상하기 위해 사용할 수 있다는 것을 인정합니다.
8.4 개인정보보호 정책. 본 제8조에 따라 수집된 정보는 Apple의 개인정보보호 정책에 따라 취급될 것입니다. 본 정책은 이러한 언급으로 본 계약에 포함되며 http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/ 에서 보실 수 있습니다.
9. 지원 및 유지 없음; 향후 제품. 귀하의 베타 프로그램 또는 특정 시드에 참여하는 동안, Apple은 사전 공개 소프트웨어에 대한 어떠한 유지보수, 기술적 지원 또는 기타 지원을 귀하에게 제공해야 할 의무가 없습니다. Apple의 선태에 따라 그러한 지원이 제공되는 경우, 그 지원은 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기에 대한 귀하의 정상적인 보증의 범위에 더하여 제공될 것입니다. 귀하는 그러한 지원을 받기 위해서 Apple이 귀하에게 제공하는 모든 지원 규칙 및 정책을 준수할 것에 동의합니다. 귀하는 Apple이 향후에 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 상업적 버전을 누구에게나 공지 또는 이용 가능하게 하여야 할 어떠한 명시적 또는 묵시적 의무도 없음을 인정합니다. 상업적 버전이 이용 가능한 경우, 이는 본 계약에 따라 사용허가 받은 사전 공개 소프트웨어에서 발견할 수 있는 것과는 상이한 특성 또는 기능을 보유할 수 있습니다.
10. 논의 포럼. 베타 프로그램의 일부로서, 귀하는 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 Apple이 귀하에게 제공하는 기타 비밀 정보에 대하여 Apple이 제공하는 논의 포럼에 참가할 수 있습니다. 그러한 논의 포럼을 위하여, Apple은 귀하가 특정 시드 관련하여 귀하가 수신한 특정 Apple 비밀 정보를 그러한 시드에 대하여 Apple이 지정한 논의 포럼에서 귀하와 동일한 시드에 있는 다른 시드 참가자와 그리고 이 논의 포럼내에서만 논의할 수 있도록 하여 제6조에 제한적인 예외를 둡니다. 그러한 포럼에서 다른 시드 참가자와의 논의를 할 수 있는 제한적인 목적을 제외하고, 귀하는 본 계약은 귀하에게 모든 Apple 비밀 정보의 복사, 복제, 출판, 블로그에 기록, 공개, 전송 또는 그 외의 배포할 수 있는 권리를 부여하지 않다는 것을 인정하고 이에 동의합니다.
11. 무보증. 본 계약에 따라 제공된 Apple 소프트웨어는 알파, 베타, 개발, 사전 공개, 시험되지 않은 또는 완전히 시험되지 않은 버전으로 지정될 수 있습니다. Apple 소프트웨어는 불완전 하고 장애, 변형 및/또는 데이터 또는 정보의 손실을 일으킬 수 있는 오류 또는 정확하지 않는 내용을 포함할 수 있습니다. 귀하는 해당 법률이 허용하는 범위내에서 Apple 소프트웨어의 사용은 전적으로 귀하의 책임이라는 점 그리고 만족스러운 품질, 성능의 정확성 및 노력은 귀하에게 전적으로 달려있다는 점을 명시적으로 인정하고 이에 동의합니다. Apple은 사전 공개 소트프웨어 및 시딩 도구 등 모든 비밀 정보를 귀하에게 “있는 그대로의 상태”로만 그리고 상품성, 비침해, 정확성, 완결성, 성능 및 특정 목적에 대한 적합성에 대한 암시적 보증을 포함하나 이에 한정되지 않는, 암시적이든 묵시적이든 상관없이, 여하한 종류의 보증없이 제공합니다. 귀하는 Apple은 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 이용 가능성을 공개적으로 발표하지 않았다는 것, Apple 은 귀하에게 그러한 사전 공개 소프트웨어가 향후에 어떤 개인에게 발표되거나 이용 가능하게 될 것이라는 것을 약속하고나 보장하지 않았다는 것, 그리고 Apple은 귀하에게 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 이와 유사하거나 호환성있는 제품을 발표하거나 소개할 의무 또는 향후에도 사전 공개 소프트웨어에 대한 접근을 지속적으로 제공할 의무가 없다는 것을 인정합니다.
12. 책임의 배제. 해당 법률이 금지하지 아니하는 경우에, 귀하는 본 계약에 따라 제공되는 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 시딩 도구의 시험, 설치 또는 사용과 연관된 모든 위험 및 비용(백업 비용, 귀하의 컴퓨터, 기기 및/또는 주변장치 상에서의 사전 공개 소프트웨어 사용으로 발생하는 비용, 및 장비, 소프트웨어 정보 또는 데이터의 손상 등을 포함하나 이에 한정되지 않음)을 부담합니다. 또한, Apple은 귀하의 컴퓨터, 기기 및/또는 이에 연결된 주변장치 상에서의 사전 공개 소프트웨어의 사용으로부터 발생 및/또는 기타 비릴 정보로부터 발생, 및/또는 본 계약에 따른 Apple의 시행 또는 불시행으로부터 발생하는 책임 등 불법행위(과실 포함), 계약 또는 그 밖의 이유로 발생하였든, 본 계약으로부터 또는 이와 관련하여 발생하였든지 상관없이 모든 간접적, 특별하거나, 우발적, 결과적인 손해에 대하여 책임을 지지 않으며, 이는 Apple이 그러한 손해에 대하여 사전에 고지를 받았거나 알고 있었다하여도 책임이 없습니다. 귀하에 대한 Apple의 모든 책임(인적 상해 관련한 사건에서 해당 법률이 요구하는 경우는 제외)은 50달러로 한정됩니다. 전술한 제한은 상기 기술한 구제가 그 본질적인 목적에 부함하지 않는다고 하더라도 적용됩니다.
13. 기간 및 종료. 본 계약은 본 제13조에 따라 종료될 때까지 유효합니다. 귀하는 언제든지 본 계약 또는 개별 시딩 프로젝트를 어떠한 이유로든지 간에 종료할 수 있으나, 귀하의 소유 또는 관리에 있는 비밀 정보(사전 공개 소프트웨어를 포함하나 이에 한정되지 않음)를 반환하거나 파기하여야 합니다. 단, 귀하가 특정 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 귀하의 컴퓨터 및/또는 기기로부터 제거하지 못하는 경우, Apple이 사전 공개 소프트웨어를 계속하여 비빌 정보로 보유하는 것에 동의합니다. Apple의 요구에 따라 귀하는 귀하가 종료 시의 상기 요구사항을 준수한다는 것을 증명하는 것에 동의합니다. Apple은 귀하에게 서면 통지를 한 즉시 언제든지 이유 불문하고 본 계약 또는 개별적인 시딩 프로젝트를 종료할 수 있으며, 본 계약서에 기술된 비밀 정보 조항의 위반 시에는 본 계약을 즉시 종료할 수있습니다. 귀하가 Apple로부터 종료 통지를 받은 칠(7)일 이내에 또는 Apple이 요청한 경우 그 이전에, 귀하는 사전 공개 소프트웨어 및 이 조에 기술된 모든 기타 정보의 반환, 사용 중지 및/또는 파기를 할 것입니다. 어떠한 이유에서 본 계약 또는 개별 시딩 프로젝트의 종료 이후에는 상기 제3조, 제4조 내지 제8조, 제 9조의 마지막 두 문장, 및 제11조 내지 19조까지의 제한사항은 당사자에 대한 구속력이 있습니다. 본 계약의 제 3조 하에 부여된 귀하의 Apple 소프트웨어 사용권에 대한 약관은 귀하의 Apple 소프트웨어 설치 또는 사용과 함께 시작 될 것이며, (a) Apple 소프트웨어의 다음 상업적 공개, (b) 귀하가 Apple 소프트웨어를 취득한 개별 시딩 프로젝트의 종료, (c) 본 계약의 종료, 또는 (d) Apple 소프트웨어에 수반되는 별도 사용권에 명시된 날짜 (해당하는 경우) 중의 먼저 하나의 발생 시, Apple로부터 통지없이 자동종료 될 것입니다.
14. 수출 없음. 귀하는 미합중국 법률, Apple 소프트웨어를 취득한 관할지의 법률에 의해 승인 받은 경우를 제외하고 사전 공개 소프트웨어 또는 Apple로부터 받은 비밀 정보를 수출 또는 재수출할 수 없습니다. 특히 Apple 소프트웨어는 다음과 같은 국가로 수출되거나 재수출될 수 없습니다. (a) 미합중국과 통상금지 조치가 처해진 국가, 또는 (b) 미합중국 재무성의 특별 선정국 목록상의 개인이나 미합중국 상무성의 기피인물 목록 또는 기피단체 목록상의 개인 또는 단체, 또는 모든 기타 제한 당사자 목록. Apple 소프트웨어를 사용할 경우 귀하는 귀하가 위에서 언급한 국가 기타의 목록에 거주하지 않음을 입증하고 보증하여야 합니다. 미사일, 핵무기, 생화학 무기 등의 개발, 기획, 제조 혹은 생산을 포함하여 미국법에 의하여 금지된 어떠한 목적을 위하여도 Apple 소프트웨어를 사용하지 않을 것을 동의합니다. 귀하는 이 Apple 소프트웨어가 평가 및 시험용으로만 사용될 것이며, 임대, 판매, 리스, 재사용허가(sublicense), 양도 또는 그 외에 이전되지 않는다는 것을 증명합니다. 또한, 귀하는 이 Apple 소프트웨어의 직접적 제품인 어떠한 제품, 공정 또한 서비스를 양도 또는 수출하지 아니할 것이라는 것을 증명합니다.
15. 제3자 소프트웨어 & 정보. Apple 소프트웨어의 일부는 제3자 소프트웨어 및 기타 저작권 자료를 포함할 수 있습니다. 그와 같은 자료들에 대한 승인이나 사용권허가 약관 및 책임의 배제에 관한 사항은 Apple 소프트웨어에 포함되어 있고, 귀하가 그러한 자료들을 사용할 경우 그 사용에 대해서는 각각의 약관에 따라 규율 됩니다. 제3자 및 베타 프로그램 참가자에게 제공되는 자료, 광고, 프로모션 또는 쿠폰에 있는 제3자 제품을 언급하는 것은 오직 정보 제공의 목적용이며, 보증 또는 권고를 이루지 않습니다. 모든 제3자 제품 사양 및 설명은 각각의 판매자 또는 공급자가 공급하며, Apple은 이러한 판매자 또는 제품의 선택, 성능 또는 사용에 대한 어떤한 책임도 없습니다. 모든 합의, 계약 또는 보증(해당하는 경우) 판매자와 잠재 사용자 사이에 직접적으로 이루어집니다.
16. 포기 및 양도 없음. Apple의 정식으로 승인된 대표가 서면으로 서명하여 명시적으로 포기한 경우를 제외하고, 본 계약에 따른 조치를 취함에 있어서의 지연 또는 불이행은 포기를 구성하지 않으며, 어떠한 단일 포기도 계속 또는 이후의 포기를 구성하지 않습니다. 귀하는 일부이든 전부이든 본 계약을 양도하지 않습니다. 이에 반하는 모든 계약은 무효입니다.
17. 준거법. 본 계약서, Apple 소프트웨어, 또는 귀하의 Apple과의 관계에서 벗어난 또는 연관되어 발생한 귀하와 Apple 사이의 어느 소송 또는 분쟁 해결은 캘리포니아 북부지역에서 진행될 것이며, 이러한 어느 소송 또는 분쟁 해결과 관련하여, 귀하와 Apple은 이로써 이 주 또는 이 지역 연방 법원의 속인적 관할권 및 독점적 관할권에 동의합니다.본 계약은 국제 사법에 관한 캘리포니아 법 체계를 제외한, 미국 및 캘리포니아 주 법률에 따라 규율되며 해석됩니다. 상기 기재에도 불구하고, 귀하가 아래 목록에 기재된 기관 등에 대한 취업의 일부로서 본 계약을 체결하려는 개인이라면, 아래 기재된 예외가 적용됩니다.
- 만일 귀하가 미합중국 연방정부의 기관, 관청 또는 부서에 고용된 자라면, 본 계약은 미합중국의 법에 따라 규율 되며, 관련 연방 법률이 없으면, 캘리포니아 주 법이 적용됩니다. 나아가, 본 계약에 달리 규정된 바에도 불구하고, 모든 청구, 요청, 민원 및 분쟁은 해당 되는 계약 분쟁법 (Contract Disputes Act (41U.S.C. §§601-613)), 터커 법 (Tucker Act (28 U.S.C. § 1346(a) and § 1491)) 또는 연방 불법행위 청구법 (Federal Tort Claims Act (28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2401-2402, 2671-2672, 2674-2680) 또는 기타 관련 규율 당국의 적용을 받습니다.
- 귀하 가 미국의 공개되고 공인된 교육기관에 고용된 자라면, (a) 본 계약은 귀하의 교육기관이 위치한(미국 내)주 법률에 따라 규율되고 해석되며 사법의 저촉(conflict of law)과 관련된 주법 규정은 제외합니다. 그리고 (b) 귀하와 Apple 사이에 본 계약, Apple 소프트웨어 또는 귀하와 Apple사이의 관계와 관련하여 발생하는 모든 소송 또는 기타 분쟁의 해결은 캘리포니아 북부 구역 연방법원 (federal court within the Northern District of California)에서 이루어지며, 귀하 및 Apple은 귀하의 교육기관이 위치한 지역의 법에 의해 명시적으로 금지되지 않는 경우 위 구역이 관할 및 배타적인 재판적을 가진다는 것에 동의합니다.
- 만일 귀하가 귀하의 정부간 헌장 또는 협정을 통하여 국내 법원의 사법권으로부터 면책특권을 부여받은 국제적, 정부간 기관에 고용된 자라면, 본 계약 또는 그 위반으로부터 발생하는 분쟁과 청구는 국제 분쟁 해결 센터(International Centre for Dispute Resolution)에 의하여 그리고 그 센터의 국제 중재 규칙에 따라 수행되는 중재에 의하여 결정되어야 합니다. 중재지는 영국의 런던이고; 언어는 영어이며; 중재인의 수는 3인입니다. Apple의 요청이 있으면, 귀하는 그러한 특권과 면책에 관한 정부간 기관으로서의 귀하의 자격에 관한 증명을 제공하는데 동의합니다.
본 계약은 국제상품매매계약에 관한 유엔협약에 의해 규율되지 않으며 동 협약의 적용은 명시적으로 배제됩니다.
18. 정부 사용자가 최종 사용자인 경우. Apple 소프트웨어 및 문서는 “상업적인 품목”이며, “상업적인 품목”이 라는 용어는 48 C.F.R.(U.S. Code of Federal Regulations) §2.101에서 정의 되어 있는바, 이는 “상업적 컴퓨터 소프트웨어” 및 “상업적 컴퓨터 소프트웨어 문서”로 구성되어 있고, 또한 이들 용어는 48 C.F.R. §12.212 또는 48 C.F.R. §227.7202에 해당되는 것으로 사용되고 있습니다. 48 C.F.R. §12.212 또는 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1부터 §227.7202-4의 관련 조항과 일치시켜 볼 때, 상업적 컴퓨터 소프트웨어와 상업적 컴퓨터 소프트웨어 문서들은 (a) 상업적 품목으로서만 그리고 (b) 본 약관에 따른 기타의 최종 사용자에게 부여된 권 리와 동일한 권리로서만 미합중국 정부에게 최종 사용자가 될 권리를 부여하고 있습니다. 공개되지 않은 권리는 미합중국의 저작권법하에서 유보되어 있습니다.
19. 분리 가능성; 완전한 합의. 본 계약의 어느 한 조항이 집행 불가능하거나 무효라고 인정된 경우, 동 조항은 요구되는 최대한의 범위까지 한정되거나 배제되어 본 계약이 이 외에도 계속적으로 유효하고, 완전한 효력을 가지며 집행 가능하여야 합니다. 본 계약에 따라 유효하게 된 모든 부록들 및 Apple 소프트웨어에 동봉되는 모든 추가 사용권을 포함한 본 계약에 공개된 비밀 정보에 대한 완전한 합의를 이루며, 그러한 비빌 정보 관련한 모든 사전의 또는 동시적인 구두 또는 서면의 합의를 대체합니다. 상기 제2조에 따라 기술된 범위를 제외하고, 본 계약 및 Apple 소프트웨어에 동봉되는 사용권 계약이 일치하지 않는 경우에는 Apple 소프트웨어에 동봉되는 그 사용권 계약이 적용됩니다. 본 계약에 명시적으로 기술된 경우를 제외하고, 본 계약의 조항의 모든 포기 또는 보정은 양 당사자의 승인된 대표가 서면으로 서명한 경우에만 효력이 있습니다. 본 계약의 번역문은 해당 지역의 필요에 의해서 작성되고, 영문판과 번역판 사이에 불일치가 있을 경우에는 귀하의 관할 법률에 의해 금지되지 않는 한 본 계약의 영문판이 우선합니다.
ПРОКРУТИТЕ И ВНИМАТЕЛЬНО ПРОЧТИТЕ ВСЕ СЛЕДУЮЩИЕ ПОЛОЖЕНИЯ И УСЛОВИЯ СОГЛАШЕНИЯ ОБ УЧАСТИИ В ПРОГРАММЕ БЕТА-ТЕСТИРОВАНИЯ ПО APPLE («СОГЛАШЕНИЕ»). ПРИ СОГЛАСИИ СО ВСЕМИ УСЛОВИЯМИ И ПОЛОЖЕНИЯМИ НАСТОЯЩЕГО СОГЛАШЕНИЯ НАЖМИТЕ КНОПКУ «ПРИНИМАЮ». ПРИ НЕСОГЛАСИИ СО ВСЕМИ УСЛОВИЯМИ И ПОЛОЖЕНИЯМИ НАСТОЯЩЕГО СОГЛАШЕНИЯ НАЖМИТЕ КНОПКУ «ОТКЛОНЯЮ», ПОСЛЕ ЧЕГО ВЫ НЕ СМОЖЕТЕ ПРИНЯТЬ УЧАСТИЕ В ПРОГРАММЕ БЕТА-ТЕСТИРОВАНИЯ ПО APPLE.
1. Участие в Программе бета-тестирования ПО Apple. Цель Программы бета-тестирования ПО Apple («Программы бета-тестирования») состоит в том, чтобы сделать альфа-, бета-, распространяемые и другие предварительные версии программного обеспечения (ПО) или служб, а также сопутствующей документации, материалов и информации (именуемые в целом «предварительные версии программного обеспечения») доступными для участников Программы бета-тестирования в целях периодического предоставления компании Apple отзывов о качестве и возможности использования предварительных версий ПО. Вы признаете и соглашаетесь с тем, что Ваше участие в Программе бета-тестирования является добровольным и не создает партнерских, посреднических или трудовых отношений между Вами и компанией Apple. Вы признаете, что Ваше участие в Программе бета-тестирования не обязывает компанию Apple предоставлять Вам какие-либо предварительные версии ПО. Apple сохраняет за собой право на периодическое изменение положений, условий или политик, относящихся к данной Программе бета-тестирования, а также может в любое время отстранить Вас от участия в Программе бета-тестирования. Если компания Apple внесет изменения в положения и условия настоящего Соглашения, она предоставит Вам измененные положения и условия на веб-портале Программы бета-тестирования.
Участвуя в Программе бета-тестирования, Вы подтверждаете, что по законам, принятым в юрисдикции Вашего проживания, Вы уже достигли совершеннолетнего возраста (в большинстве стран – как минимум 18 лет) и заявляете, что Вы имеете законное право на участие в Программе бета-тестирования. Настоящее соглашение считается недействительным в юрисдикциях, где оно запрещено законом, а также там, где не гарантируется участие в Программе бета-тестирования. Если иное не согласовано или не разрешено компанией Apple в письменной форме, Вы не вправе предоставлять или передавать любое ПО или другие материалы, предоставляемые компанией Apple участникам Программы бета-тестирования. Apple ID и пароль, используемые Вами в качестве учетных данных участника Программы бета-тестирования не должны разглашаться ни при каких условиях. Вы несете ответственность за сохранение конфиденциальности Ваших Apple ID и пароля, а также любой активности Вашей учетной записи. Несмотря на вышеуказанные ограничения, описанные в данном Разделе 1, если Вы являетесь родителем или опекуном лиц в возрасте от 13 лет до установленного законом возраста совершеннолетия в юрисдикции Вашего проживания, Вы можете позволить этим лицам использовать Ваш Apple ID и пароль для участия в Программе бета-тестирования исключительно под Вашим наблюдением и только в соответствии с настоящим Соглашением. Вы несете ответственность за соблюдение этими лицами правовых норм и условий настоящего Соглашения, а также любых других соглашений Apple.
2. Доступ к предварительным версиям ПО; Инструменты распространения; Дополнительные условия. Вы признаете, что компания Apple может сделать предварительные версии ПО доступными для участников Программы бета-тестиррования для загрузки в режиме онлайн из магазина App Store для Mac через веб-портал Программы бета-тестиррования и/или предоставить их в рамках Программы бета-тестирования (ручная загрузка образа диска) в виде профилей конфигурации ПО и т. п. Компания Apple по своему усмотрению может также периодически предоставлять Вам ПО или службы в рамках Программы бета-тестирования, включая, без ограничения, сценарии, фрагменты кода, утилиты, профили конфигурации, образцы кода, программы для поиска и устранения неполадок, а также средства передачи данных о неполадках («Инструменты распространения») в рамках Вашего участия в Программе бета-тестирования. Использование предварительных версий ПО и инструментов распространения должно полностью соответствовать условиям и положениям настоящего Соглашения и/или иного лицензионного соглашения, прилагаемого к таким предварительным версиям ПО и инструментам распространения. Вся совокупность предварительных версий ПО и инструментов распространения именуется в рамках настоящего Соглашения «Программным обеспечением Apple» («ПО Apple»).
Если к ПО Apple прилагается отдельное лицензионное соглашение, Вы соглашаетесь, что использование упомянутого ПО Apple подчиняется этому лицензионному соглашению в дополнение к Разделам 5 и 6 настоящего Соглашения. В случае каких-либо расхождений между положениями лицензионного соглашения, прилагаемого к ПО Apple, и Разделами 5 и 6 настоящего Соглашения применяется настоящее Соглашение. Если лицензионное соглашение к ПО Apple не прилагается, использование Вами упомянутого ПО Apple подчиняется настоящему Соглашению. Также ПО Apple может обеспечивать доступ к сервисам Apple, сторонним сервисам и веб-сайтам (вместе и в отдельности далее именуемым «Сервисы»). Для использования данных Сервисов требуется подключение к Интернету. Для использования некоторых Сервисов может потребоваться указать Apple ID, принять дополнительные условия соглашения или внести дополнительную оплату.
3. Предоставление лицензии и ограничения. В соответствии с Вашим согласием с настоящим Соглашением компания Apple предоставляет Вам персональную ограниченную лицензию на использование ПО Apple на продуктах марки Apple исключительно в целях тестирования и оценки и только в рамках Программы бета-тестирования. Если иное не предусмотрено в Разделе 15, настоящее Соглашение не предоставляет Вам право на использование ПО Apple ни для каких иных целей, а также на передачу, воспроизведение, распространение, изменение или создание производных работ на основе ПО Apple. Вы не вправе выполнять декомпиляцию, осуществлять вскрытие системного кода, деассемблировать, расшифровывать или пытаться иным способом извлекать исходный код любого ПО Apple (кроме тех случаев и только в той степени, в которой упомянутые ограничения запрещены действующим законодательством, или в той степени, в которой это разрешается положениями лицензии, регулирующими использование ПО с открытым исходным кодом, являющимся составной частью какого-либо ПО Apple). Если иное не разрешено положениями нижеследующего Раздела 15, Вы подтверждаете, что ПО Apple будет использоваться исключительно в целях тестирования и оценки в соответствии с Программой бета-тестирования, и не будет сдаваться в аренду, продаваться, сдаваться в наем, предоставляться по сублицензии, распространяться, передаваться путем переуступки прав или иным способом. Компания Apple остается владельцем всего ПО Apple, и за исключением случаев, явно описанных в данном Соглашении, не предоставляются и не подразумеваются никакие иные права или лицензии на какую-либо интеллектуальную собственность Apple.
4. Отзывы; Обратная связь от Apple. В рамках Программы бета-тестирования компания Apple предоставляет Вам возможность заполнять и отсылать компании Apple отчеты о сбоях, вопросники, запросы на внесение усовершенствований, отчеты о проблемах и/или информацию о поддержке (в совокупности – «Отзывы»). Компания Apple может запросить от Вас такую информацию посредством инструментов распространения, а также по электронной почте, через вопросники в сети Интернет, формы для информации о сбоях, а также иными способами. Принимая настоящее Соглашение, Вы соглашаетесь, что компания Apple может связываться с Вами время от времени по вопросам Программы бета-тестирования, и Вы соглашаетесь принимать подобные сообщения. За исключением случаев, явно описанных в Разделе 8, Вы соглашаетесь, что компания Apple сможет использовать полученные от Вас отзывы по собственному усмотрению при отсутствии отдельного письменного соглашения об обратном.
5. Определение конфиденциальной информации. Вы выражаете свое согласие с тем, что предварительные версии ПО и любая информация, касающаяся предварительных версий ПО (в отношении его природы, существования, свойств, функций и снимков экрана), инструментов распространения и любая другая информация, передаваемая Вам компанией Apple в соответствии с Программой бета-тестирования, считается и именуется в настоящем Соглашении «Конфиденциальной информацией». Информация, которая могла бы считаться конфиденциальной, однако (a) стала общедоступной и легальной не по Вашей вине и не в связи с нарушением Вами каких-либо положений; (b) предоставлена общественности компанией Apple; (c) независимо разработана Вами без использования конфиденциальной информации; (d) законно получена от третьей стороны, имеющей право передавать или раскрывать ее Вам без ограничений, или (e) является ПО или документацией третьих сторон и предоставлена Вам компанией Apple и сопровождается положениями лицензирования, не налагающими обязательств конфиденциальности в отношении использования или распространения такого ПО и/или документации, в рамках данного Соглашения не рассматривается как конфиденциальная. Вся Конфиденциальная информация остается в исключительной собственности компании Apple, и у Вас нет никаких подразумеваемых лицензий или иных прав на Конфиденциальную информацию, за исключением тех, которые указаны в настоящем Соглашении.
6. Неиспользование и неразглашение конфиденциальной информации. За исключением тех случаев, которые прямо допускаются в Разделе 6, Вы соглашаетесь не раскрывать, не публиковать и не передавать иными способами никакую Конфиденциальную информацию никому, кроме лиц, вовлеченных в те же Программы бета-тестирования, что и Вы, или если иное явно разрешено в письменной форме компанией Apple. Вы также соглашаетесь принять необходимые меры, чтобы предотвратить любое несанкционированное использование, обнародование, публикацию или распространение Конфиденциальной информации, в том числе предотвратить доступ третьих лиц к ПО Apple или передачу им такой информации. Вы соглашаетесь использовать Конфиденциальную информацию исключительно для разрешенных видов использования, изложенных в настоящем Соглашении. Вы соглашаетесь не использовать Конфиденциальную информацию в каких-либо иных целях, а также для собственной выгоды или выгоды третьих сторон без явно выраженного предварительного письменного согласия уполномоченного представителя компании Apple в каждом конкретном случае. Вы признаете, что несанкционированное обнародование или использование Конфиденциальной информации может нанести компании Apple непоправимый или существенный ущерб, размер которого трудно идентифицировать. Соответственно, Вы соглашаетесь, что компания Apple имеет право требовать судебного запрета с целью соблюдения условий данного Соглашения в дополнение к любым другим имеющимся правам и средствам юридической защиты.
7. Меры предосторожности при использовании предварительных версий ПО. Вы сознаете, что участие в тестировании предварительных версий ПО может потребовать удаления с компьютера и/или устройства ряда ранее загруженных коммерческих программ Apple с целью загрузки предварительных версий ПО. Вы также сознаете, что при загрузке подобного предварительного ПО на Вашем компьютере и/или устройстве для Вас может оказаться невозможным вернуться к предварительно загруженной выпущенной коммерческой версии ПО Apple или какой-либо предыдущей предварительной версии ПО. Кроме того, ранее установленные или используемые программы и службы могут стать недоступными для запуска или обычной работы из-за использования предварительной версии ПО. ВЫ ПРИЗНАЕТЕ, ЧТО ПРИ УСТАНОВКЕ КАКОЙ-ЛИБО ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ ВЕРСИИ ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ НА ВАШИ КОМПЬЮТЕРЫ И/ИЛИ УСТРОЙСТВА МАРКИ APPLE ИСХОДНОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ ЭТИХ КОМПЬЮТЕРОВ И/ИЛИ УСТРОЙСТВ МОЖЕТ БЫТЬ НЕ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНО, А НА РАБОТУ ПРОГРАММ И СЛУЖБ МОЖЕТ ПОВЛИЯТЬ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ВАМИ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ ВЕРСИИ ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ. ВЫ ПРИЗНАЕТЕ, ЧТО ДАННЫЕ (В ТОМ ЧИСЛЕ ДОКУМЕНТЫ) ЭТИХ ПРОГРАММ И СЛУЖБ, СОЗДАННЫЕ ИЛИ ИЗМЕНЕННЫЕ ВО ВРЕМЯ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ ВЕРСИИ ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ МОГУТ БЫТЬ НЕ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНЫ В ДАЛЬНЕЙШЕМ. КОМПАНИЯ APPLE НЕ НЕСЕТ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТИ ЗА КАКИЕ-ЛИБО РАСХОДЫ, ИЗДЕРЖКИ И ДРУГИЕ ВАШИ ОБЯЗАТЕЛЬСТВА, ВОЗНИКШИЕ В РЕЗУЛЬТАТЕ ВАШЕГО ТЕСТИРОВАНИЯ, УСТАНОВКИ ИЛИ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ ВЕРСИИ ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ, ВКЛЮЧАЯ, ПОМИМО ПРОЧЕГО, ЛЮБОЕ ПОВРЕЖДЕНИЕ ЛЮБОГО ОБОРУДОВАНИЯ, ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ИЛИ ДАННЫХ, ЛИБО ПОТЕРИ ДАННЫХ ИЛИ ИНФОРМАЦИИ, ВОЗНИКШИХ В РЕЗУЛЬТАТЕ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ТАКОЙ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОЙ ВЕРСИИ ПРОГРАММНОГО ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ. Кроме того, предварительные версии ПО могут содержать ошибки или неточности, которые могут привести к сбоям в работе, повреждению или потере данных и/или информации, хранящейся на Вашем компьютере и/или устройстве, а также на подключенном периферийном оборудовании (включая, в том числе, серверы и принтеры). Компания Apple настоятельно рекомендует создавать резервные копии всех данных и информации, хранящейся на компьютере, устройстве и/или периферийном оборудовании, перед участием в Программе бета-тестирования и индивидуальном проекте распространения. Предварительные версии программного обеспечения не предназначены для использования, и не должны использоваться, на производстве или в критичеси важных процессах.
8. Согласие на сбор и использование данных.
8.1 Предварительные версии iOS, tvOS и macOS. В целях проведения тестирования и совершенствования продукции и служб компании Apple, ее партнеров и сторонних разработчиков, и кроме случаев, когда Вы официально отказываетесь от работы с предварительными версиями iOS, tvOS и macOS соответственно, Вы подтверждаете, что компания Apple, ее дочерние компании и агенты будут собирать, использовать, хранить, распространять, обрабатывать и анализировать (совместно именуется «Собирать») диагностические, технические данные, данные по использованию, журналы и информацию с Ваших устройств или компьютеров, работающих под управлением предварительных версий iOS, tvOS или macOS, в качестве части Программы бета-тестирования. Сбор данных будет выполняться в такой форме, которая не идентифицирует Вас лично, и может осуществляться с Ваших устройств или компьютера в любое время, в том числе, когда Вы выполняете синхронизацию с iTunes, или автоматически через защищенное беспроводное соединение. Информация, которая будет собираться, включает в себя, в том числе, общие данные о диагностике и использовании, различные уникальные идентификационные номера устройства, системы и аппаратного обеспечения, данные об оборудовании и спецификации на операционную систему, статистические показатели производительности и данные о том, как Вы используете устройства, компьютер, системное и прикладное ПО, периферийное оборудование, и, если службы геолокации включены, — информацию об определенном местоположении. Вы соглашаетесь с тем, что Apple может предоставлять такие диагностические, технические и пользовательские журналы и информацию партнерам и независимым разработчикам в целях совершенствования продукции и сервисов, которые функционируют или связаны с продукцией марки Apple. Устанавливая или используя предварительные версии iOS, tvOS или macOS на Ваших устройствах или компьютерах, Вы подтверждаете и соглашаетесь, что Apple, ее дочерние компании и агенты имеют Ваше разрешение на Сбор всей такой информации и ее использование, как установлено выше.
8.2 Предварительные версии другого ПО и служб. В целях тестирования и совершенствования продукции и служб Apple, и только в случае, если Вы выбрали установку или использование другого предварительного ПО или службы, предоставляемых в качестве части Программы бета-тестирования, Вы подтверждаете, что компания Apple, ее дочерние компании и агенты могут Собирать диагностическую, техническую информацию, информацию об использовании и сопутствующую информацию от другого предварительного ПО или службы, а также о Вашем компьютере, устройствах, периферийном оборудовании и другом аппаратном обеспечении, где используется такое предварительное ПО. Внимательно ознакомьтесь с информацией о версии и другой информацией, предоставляемой Вам компанией Apple в рамках Программы бета-тестирования, прежде чем выбирать установку или использование другого предварительного ПО или службы. Устанавливая или используя другое предварительное ПО или службы, Вы подтверждаете и соглашаетесь с тем, что компания Apple, ее дочерние компании и агенты имеют Ваше разрешение на Сбор всей такой информации и на ее использование, как указано выше.
8.3 Системные журналы и файлы данных диагностики. Кроме того, в рамках участия в Программе бета-тестирования Вы имеете возможность вручную подсоединять и/или использовать инструменты распространения Apple с целью сбора с Вашего компьютера и/или других устройств подробных системных и/или аппаратных диагностических файлов (например, журналов ядра, отчетов Apple по профилю системы, журналов подвисаний, журналов сбоев, журналов раскрутки дисков, журналов установки, журналов программ и т.д., далее — «Системные журналы») для отправки в компанию Apple. Подобные системные журналы могут содержать личную информацию, включая, без ограничения, название учетной записи, информацию о контактах, о событиях календаря и об электронной почте. Такие системные журналы предоставляются компании Apple на добровольной основе, но в случае их предоставления Вы подтверждаете и соглашаетесь с тем, что компания Apple имеет право на их использование в целях диагностики, а также совершенствования продуктов и служб Apple, а также Программы бета-тестирования.
8.4 Политика конфиденциальности. Собранные согласно Разделу 8 данные будут обработаны в соответствии с Политикой конфиденциальности Apple, включаемой в настоящее Соглашение ссылкой, и ознакомиться с которой Вы можете на странице http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/.
9. Отсутствие поддержки и обслуживания; Будущие продукты. В ходе Вашего участия в Программе бета-тестирования или в ином распространении компания Apple не обязуется предоставлять обслуживание, техническую или иную поддержку предварительной версии программного обеспечения. В случае предоставления поддержки (на усмотрение Apple) она является дополнением к обычному уровню гарантийной поддержки для Вашего компьютера и/или устройства. Для получения какой-либо поддержки Вы соглашаетесь придерживаться условий и политики ее предоставления, установленных компанией Apple. Вы признаете, что компания Apple не имеет явно выраженных или подразумеваемых обязательств уведомлять о выпуске коммерческой версии предварительного ПО Apple или предоставлять кому-либо такую версию в будущем. В случае выпуска коммерческой версии, она может иметь характеристики и функциональные возможности, отличающиеся от характеристик и функциональных возможностей предварительного ПО Apple, предоставляемого по лицензии в соответствии с настоящим документом.
10. Обсуждения на форумах. В рамках Программы бета-тестирования Вы имеете возможность участвовать в обсуждениях предварительного ПО и иной конфиденциальной информации, которая может быть предоставлена компанией Apple, на форумах, организованных компанией Apple. Для целей подобных форумов компания Apple допускает ограниченное исключение к Разделу 6, позволяя обсуждение определенной конфиденциальной информации Apple, предоставленной Вам в конкретным случае в рамках Программы, с другими участниками той же Программы, и исключительно в рамках форума, специально созданного Apple для такого обсуждения. За исключением вышеуказанной цели обсуждения на форуме с другими участниками Программы, Вы признаете и принимаете, что настоящее Соглашение не позволяет Вам копировать, воспроизводить, публиковать, обсуждать в блоге, раскрывать, передавать или иным способом распространять любую Конфиденциальную информацию Apple.
11. Отсутствие гарантии. Предоставляемое в рамках данного Соглашения ПО Apple может обозначаться как альфа-, бета-, рабочая, предварительная, не протестированная, не полностью протестированная версия. ПО Apple может быть неполным и содержать ошибки и неточности, которые могут привести к сбоям, повреждению и/или потере данных или информации. Вы в полной мере признаете и соглашаетесь с тем, что в рамках, разрешенных действующим законодательством, Вы полностью несете риск, связанный с использованием ПО Apple, и что на Вас лежит полная ответственность за надлежащее качество, эффективность, точность и результат их использования. КОМПАНИЯ APPLE ПРЕДОСТАВЛЯЕТ ВАМ ВСЮ КОНФИДЕНЦИАЛЬНУЮ ИНФОРМАЦИЮ, В ТОМ ЧИСЛЕ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНЫЕ ВЕРСИИ ПО И ИНСТРУМЕНТЫ РАСПРОСТРАНЕНИЯ, НА УСЛОВИЯХ «КАК ЕСТЬ» БЕЗ КАКИХ-ЛИБО ЯВНЫХ ИЛИ ПОДРАЗУМЕВАЕМЫХ ГАРАНТИЙ, В ТОМ ЧИСЛЕ БЕЗ ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ, ПОДРАЗУМЕВАЕМЫЕ ГАРАНТИИ ПРИГОДНОСТИ К ПРОДАЖЕ, НЕНАРУШЕНИЯ ЧЬИХ-ЛИБО ПРАВ, ТОЧНОСТИ, ПОЛНОТЫ, ПРОИЗВОДИТЕЛЬНОСТИ, А ТАКЖЕ ПРИГОДНОСТИ ДЛЯ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ В КОНКРЕТНЫХ ЦЕЛЯХ. Вы признаете, что компания Apple не делала публичного объявления о доступности предварительного ПО, не давала обещаний или гарантий, что такое предварительное ПО будет объявлено или предоставлено кому-либо в будущем, и что компания Apple не берет на себя перед Вами явных или неявных обязательств объявлять или предоставлять предварительное ПО или любой другой аналогичный или совместимый продукт, или продолжать предоставлять или получать доступ в будущем к предварительному ПО.
12. Ограничение ответственности. В ТЕХ СЛУЧАЯХ, КОГДА ЭТО НЕ ЗАПРЕЩЕНО ДЕЙСТВУЮЩИМ ЗАКОНОДАТЕЛЬСТВОМ, ВЫ БЕРЕТЕ НА СЕБЯ ВСЕ РИСКИ И ВСЕ РАСХОДЫ, СВЯЗАННЫЕ С ТЕСТИРОВАНИЕМ, УСТАНОВКОЙ ИЛИ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНЫХ ВЕРСИЙ ПО И ИНСТРУМЕНТОВ РАСПРОСТРАНЕНИЯ, ПРЕДОСТАВЛЯЕМЫХ В РАМКАХ НАСТОЯЩЕГО СОГЛАШЕНИЯ, ВКЛЮЧАЯ, БЕЗ ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ, ЗАТРАТЫ НА РЕЗЕРВНОЕ КОПИРОВАНИЕ, ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОГО ПО НА ВАШЕМ КОМПЬЮТЕРЕ, УСТРОЙСТВАХ И/ИЛИ ПЕРИФЕРИЙНОМ ОБОРУДОВАНИИ, А ТАКЖЕ ЗАТРАТЫ В СЛУЧАЕ ЛЮБОГО ПОВРЕЖДЕНИЯ ОБОРУДОВАНИЯ, ПО, ИНФОРМАЦИИ И ДАННЫХ. В МАКСИМАЛЬНОМ ОБЪЕМЕ, КОМПАНИЯ APPLE НЕ НЕСЕТ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТИ ЗА КАКИЕ-ЛИБО СЛУЧАЙНЫЕ ИЛИ КОСВЕННЫЕ УБЫТКИ, ПРИЧИНЕННЫЕ ИЗ ДЕЛИКТА (В ТОМ ЧИСЛЕ ПРИЧИНЕННЫЕ ПО НЕБРЕЖНОСТИ), ВЫТЕКАЮЩИЕ ИЗ ДОГОВОРА, ИЛИ НА ИНЫХ ОСНОВАНИЯХ, ВОЗНИКШИЕ ВСЛЕДСТВИЕ НАСТОЯЩЕГО СОГЛАШЕНИЯ, В ТОМ ЧИСЛЕ ВОЗНИКШИЕ ВСЛЕДСТВИЕ ЛЮБОГО ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНОГО ПО НА ВАШЕМ КОМПЬЮТЕРЕ, УСТРОЙСТВАХ И/ИЛИ НА ЛЮБОМ ПОДКЛЮЧЕННОМ К НЕМУ ПЕРИФЕРИЙНОМ ОБОРУДОВАНИИ, И/ИЛИ ЛЮБОЙ ИНОЙ КОНФИДЕНЦИАЛЬНОЙ ИНФОРМАЦИИ, И/ИЛИ ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ИЛИ НЕВОЗМОЖНОСТИ APPLE ДЕЙСТВОВАТЬ В РАМКАХ НАСТОЯЩЕГО СОГЛАШЕНИЯ, ДАЖЕ В СЛУЧАЕ, КОГДА КОМПАНИЯ APPLE БЫЛА ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНА ИЛИ ПРОИНФОРМИРОВАНА О ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ПОДОБНОГО УЩЕРБА. В ЛЮБОМ СЛУЧАЕ ОБЩАЯ КОМПЕНСАЦИОННАЯ ОТВЕТСТВЕННОСТЬ APPLE ПЕРЕД ВАМИ ЗА ВСЕ УБЫТКИ (ПОМИМО ТЕХ, КОТОРЫЕ МОГУТ ПОДЛЕЖАТЬ ВОЗМЕЩЕНИЮ В СООТВЕТСТВИИ С ТРЕБОВАНИЯМИ ПРИМЕНИМОГО ПРАВА В СЛУЧАЕ ПРИЧИНЕНИЯ ВРЕДА ФИЗИЧЕСКОМУ ЛИЦУ) ОГРАНИЧИВАЕТСЯ СУММОЙ В 50 (ПЯТЬДЕСЯТ) ДОЛЛАРОВ США. ВЫШЕУКАЗАННЫЕ ОГРАНИЧЕНИЯ ДЕЙСТВУЮТ, ДАЖЕ ЕСЛИ ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ КАКОГО-ЛИБО ИЗ ВЫШЕНАЗВАННЫХ СРЕДСТВ ПРАВОВОЙ ЗАЩИТЫ НЕ СООТВЕТСТВУЕТ ЕГО ОСНОВНОЙ ЦЕЛИ.
13. Срок действия и прекращение действия. Данное Соглашение действует до момента его расторжения согласно настоящему Разделу 13. Вы можете прекратить действие настоящего Соглашения или соглашения на индивидуальный проект распространения в любое время по любой причине при условии возврата или уничтожения Конфиденциальной информации, находящейся в Вашем распоряжении (включая, без ограничения, любое предварительное ПО); при условии, что в случае невозможности удаления предварительного ПО с Вашего компьютера и/или устройств Вы будете продолжать обращаться с предварительным ПО как с Конфиденциальной информацией. Компания Apple может прекратить действие настоящего Соглашения или соглашения на индивидуальный проект распространения в любое время по любой причине или безо всякой причины незамедлительно после направления Вам письменного уведомления, а также может завершить действие настоящего Соглашения немедленно при любом нарушении положений о конфиденциальности, описанных в данном Соглашении. В течение 7 (семи) дней после получения со стороны компании Apple уведомления о прекращении или ранее, если этого потребует компания Apple, Вам надлежит вернуть, прекратить использовать и/или уничтожить предварительное ПО и любую другую конфиденциальную информацию, как указано в настоящем Разделе. По завершении действия настоящего Соглашения или соглашения на индивидуальный проект распространения по любой причине ограничения, налагаемые в Разделах 3, 4-8, два последних предложения Раздела 9, а также Разделы 11-19 включительно сохраняют свою силу для обеих сторон. Срок действия лицензии на использование ПО Apple, выданной на основании раздела 3 данного Соглашения, начинается с момента установки или использования ПО Apple и автоматически прекращается без предупреждения со стороны компании Apple сразу после (a) выхода следующей коммерческой версии ПО Apple, (b)прекращения действия соглашения на индивидуальный проект распространения, на основании которого Вы получили ПО Apple, (c) прекращения действия данного Соглашения или (d) наступления даты, установленной в отдельном лицензионном соглашении, прилагаемом к ПО Apple (если таковое имеется).
14. Отсутствие экспорта. Вы соглашаетесь не экспортировать и не реэкспортировать предварительное ПО Apple или конфиденциальную информацию, полученную от Apple, за исключением тех случаев, когда это разрешено законодательством США и законодательством юрисдикции, в которой было приобретено ПО Apple. В частности, помимо прочего, не допускается экспорт и реэкспорт ПО Apple (а) в страны, в отношении которых США установили эмбарго, (b) любому лицу из установленного Министерством финансов США Списка специально выделенных граждан либо из установленного Министерством торговли США Списка исключенных физических или юридических лиц или любых иных списков субъектов, торговля с которыми запрещена правительством. Используя ПО Apple, Вы заявляете и гарантируете, что не находитесь ни в одной из указанных стран и не включены ни в один из перечисленных списков. Вы также соглашаетесь не использовать ПО Apple в любых целях, запрещенных законодательством США, включая, без ограничений, разработку, проектирование, изготовление или производство ракетного, ядерного, химического или биологического оружия. Вы подтверждаете, что ПО Apple будет использоваться исключительно в целях тестирования и оценки и не будет сдаваться в аренду, продаваться, сдаваться в наем, предоставляться по сублицензии, распространяться, передаваться путем переуступки прав или иным способом. Вы также подтверждаете, что не будете переносить или экспортировать любой продукт, процесс или службу, являющиеся прямым продуктом данного ПО Apple.
15. Программное обеспечение и информация третьих сторон. Фрагменты ПО Apple могут использовать или включать в себя ПО сторонних разработчиков и другие материалы, защищенные авторским правом. Признание прав третьих лиц, условия лицензирования и отказ от предоставления гарантий в отношении таких материалов содержатся ПО Apple, а использование Вами подобных материалов регулируется соответствующими вышеуказанными положениями. Упоминание третьих сторон и продукции третьих сторон в любых материалах, рекламе, маркетинге или купонах, предоставляемых участникам Программы бета-тестирования, делается исключительно в информационных целях и не означает никакой поддержки или рекомендации. Все характеристики и описания продукции третьих сторон предоставляются соответствующими продавцами или поставщиками, и компания Apple не несет ответственности в отношении отбора, характеристик и использования этих поставщиков или продуктов. Все возможные договоренности, соглашения и гарантии устанавливаются непосредственно между продавцами и предполагаемыми пользователями.
16. Запрет на отказ от прав или передачу прав. Никакая задержка или неспособность выполнения обязательств по данному Соглашению не считаются освобождением от обязанностей, если только отказ от обязанностей не был оформлен в письменном виде и подписан полномочным представителем компании Apple. Никакой единовременный отказ от прав не является основанием для отказа от подобных прав в дальнейшем. Настоящее Соглашение не может быть передано Вами полностью или частично. Любая незаконная передача прав является недействительной.
17. Действующее законодательство. Любое судебное разбирательство или иное разрешение споров между Вами и компанией Apple, вытекающее из настоящего Соглашения или относящееся к нему, к ПО Apple или к отношениям между Вами и компанией Apple, подлежит разрешению в федеральном суде Северного Округа штата Калифорния, и Вы и компания Apple настоящим соглашаетесь с персональной юрисдикцией и рассмотрением дела исключительно в штате и федеральных судах данного Округа в отношении любых подобных судебных разбирательств или иных разрешений споров. Положения настоящего Соглашения регулируются и толкуются в соответствии с законодательством США и законодательством штата Калифорния, за исключением его коллизионных. Несмотря на вышесказанное, если Вы в качестве физического лица заключаете настоящее Соглашение исключительно в рамках Вашей работы, выполняемой для одного из юридических лиц, перечисленных ниже, то применяются следующие исключения.
- Если Вы состоите на службе в агентстве, органе или департаменте федерального правительства Соединенных Штатов Америки, настоящее Соглашение регулируется в соответствии с законодательством Соединенных Штатов Америки, и при отсутствии применимого федерального закона, применяются законы штата Калифорния. Дополнительно, и без учета любых положений настоящего Соглашения, устанавливающих обратное, любые иски, требования, жалобы и споры подлежат рассмотрению в соответствии со следующими законами США в зависимости от того, что применимо: Contract Disputes Act (том 41 Свода законов США, §§ 601-613), Tucker Act (том 28 Свода законов США, § 1346(а) и § 1491) или Federal Tort Claims Act (том 28 Свода законов США, §§ 1346(b), 2401-2402, 2671-2672, 2674-2680) или иными применимыми законодательными актами.
- Если Вы состоите на службе в государственном и аккредитованном образовательном учреждении США, то (a) настоящее Соглашение регулируется и толкуется в соответствии с законодательством того штата (на территории США), в котором расположено Ваше учреждение, за исключением той части законодательства штата, которая относится к сфере коллизионного права, и (b) любое судебное разбирательство или иное разрешение споров между Вами и компанией Apple, вытекающее из настоящего Соглашения или относящееся к нему, к ПО Apple или к отношениям между Вами и компанией Apple, подлежит разрешению в федеральном суде Северного Округа штата Калифорния, и Вы и компания Apple настоящим соглашаетесь с персональной и исключительной юрисдикцией указанного Округа, за исключением случаев, когда такое согласие прямо запрещено законами государства, в котором находится Ваше учреждение.
- Если Вы состоите на службе в международной, межправительственной организации, которой предоставлен иммунитет в отношении юрисдикции национальных судов на основании межправительственного соглашения или договора, то любые разногласия или претензии, возникающие вследствие или в связи с настоящим Соглашением, или нарушения такого соглашения или устава должны разрешаться в арбитражном порядке Международным центром по урегулированию споров в соответствии с Международными арбитражными правилами. Местом арбитражного разбирательства будет являться Лондон, Англия; языком ведения арбитражного производства будет являться английский язык; количество арбитров – три. Вы соглашаетесь с тем, что по требованию компании Apple Вы предоставите доказательства, подтверждающие Ваш статус межправительственной организации с соответствующими привилегиями и иммунитетом.
Настоящее Соглашение не подпадает под действие конвенции ООН о договорах международной купли-продажи товаров, применение которой исключается в явном виде.
18. Правительство в качестве конечного пользователя. ПО Apple и сопутствующая документация представляют собой «Коммерческие продукты» в значении, установленном в главе 48 Свода федеральных постановлений (C.F.R.) §2.101, состоящие из «Коммерческого компьютерного программного обеспечения» и «Коммерческой документации для компьютерного программного обеспечения» (значения этих терминов раскрываются соответственно в главе 48 Свода федеральных постановлений (C.F.R.) §12.212 или в главе 48 Свода федеральных постановлений (C.F.R.) §227.7202). В соответствии с главой 48 Свода федеральных постановлений (C.F.R.) §12.212 или с главой 48 Свода федеральных постановлений (C.F.R.) §227.7202-1 по 227.7202-4 соответственно, Коммерческое компьютерное программное обеспечение и Коммерческая документация для компьютерного программного обеспечения лицензируются в том случае, если конечным пользователем является Правительство США, (а) только как «Коммерческие продукты» и (b) только с тем объемом прав, который предоставляется остальным конечным пользователям в соответствии с положениями и условиями настоящего Соглашения.Неопубликованные права сохраняются в соответствии с законодательством США об авторском праве.
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Shahin Lockman, M.D., Roger L. Shapiro, M.D., M.P.H., Laura M. Smeaton, M.S., Carolyn Wester, M.D., Ibou Thior, M.D., Lisa Stevens, M.D., Fatima Chand, M.S., Joseph Makhema, M.B., Ch.B., M.R.C.P., Claire Moffat, M.B., Ch.B., M.P.H., Aida Asmelash, M.D., M.P.H., Patrick Ndase, M.B., Ch.B., M.P.H., Peter Arimi, M.B., Ch.B., Erik van Widenfelt, B.S., Loeto Mazhani, M.D., Vladimir Novitsky, M.D., Ph.D., Stephen Lagakos, Ph.D., and Max Essex, D.V.M., Ph.D.
"....We did not find that a previous single dose of nevirapine compromised the efficacy of subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment in women who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more after delivery.....single-dose nevirapine (with or without additional antiretroviral agents) remains an important component of the global strategy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in women who do not yet qualify for antiretroviral treatment and for areas where treatment is not available. Our finding that women with more remote exposure to a single dose of nevirapine have high rates of virologic suppression in response to nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment is reassuring.... A regimen of a short course of zidovudine plus a single dose of nevirapine (similar to the Mashi trial regimen) is now used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in many developing nations, in accordance with WHO guidelines...."
Background A single dose of nevirapine during labor reduces perinatal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) but often leads to viral nevirapine resistance mutations in mothers and infants.
Methods We studied the response to nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment among women and infants who had previously been randomly assigned to a single, peripartum dose of nevirapine or placebo in a trial in Botswana involving the prevention of the transmission of HIV-1 from mother to child. All women were treated with antenatal zidovudine. The primary end point for mothers and infants was virologic failure by the 6-month visit after initiation of antiretroviral treatment, estimated within groups by the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results Of 218 women who started antiretroviral treatment, 112 had received a single dose of nevirapine and 106 had received placebo. By the 6-month visit after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, 5.0% of the women who had received placebo had virologic failure, as compared with 18.4% of those who had received a single dose of nevirapine (P=0.002). Among 60 women starting antiretroviral treatment within 6 months after receiving placebo or a single dose of nevirapine, no women in the placebo group and 41.7% in the nevirapine group had virologic failure (P<0.001). In contrast, virologic failure rates did not differ significantly between the placebo group and the nevirapine group among 158 women starting antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more post partum (7.8% and 12.0%, respectively; P=0.39). Thirty infants also began antiretroviral treatment (15 in the placebo group and 15 in the nevirapine group). Virologic failure by the 6-month visit occurred in significantly more infants who had received a single dose of nevirapine than in infants who had received placebo (P<0.001). Maternal and infant findings did not change qualitatively by 12 and 24 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment.
Conclusions Women who received a single dose of nevirapine to prevent perinatal transmission of HIV-1 had higher rates of virologic failure with subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy than did women without previous exposure to nevirapine. However, this applied only when nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy was initiated within 6 months after receipt of a single, peripartum dose of nevirapine.
Nevirapine remains central to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and to combination antiretroviral treatment throughout much of the developing world.1,2 Nevirapine administered as one dose to the mother and one to the newborn reduces mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 by 41 to 47%,3,4 and well over 875,000 women and infants have received a single dose of nevirapine.5 A single dose of nevirapine is the cornerstone of the regimen recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent mother-to-child transmission among women without access to antiretroviral treatment and among those not meeting treatment criteria.1 However, nevirapine resistance is detected (with the use of standard genotyping techniques) in 20 to 69% of women6,7,8,9,10 and 33 to 87% of infants11,12 after exposure to a single, peripartum dose of nevirapine (less frequently among HIV-infected infants who also received a short course of zidovudine prophylaxis13). As compared with placebo, a previous single dose of nevirapine was associated with lower rates of virologic suppression to less than 50 copies per milliliter (but was not associated with lower rates of suppression to less than 400 copies per milliliter) on subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment in Thailand, although this finding was not associated with the timing of the postpartum initiation of antiretroviral treatment.14 To our knowledge, infant response to nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment after the administration of a single dose of nevirapine has not been described. We conducted a prospective observational study nested within a randomized clinical trial to assess the virologic responses of women and infants to nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment after previous exposure to a single dose of nevirapine or placebo in the setting of a short course of zidovudine.
Combination antiretroviral treatment with nevirapine and zidovudine-lamivudine (Combivir, GlaxoSmithKline) was made available to all qualifying participants in the Mashi trial starting in October 2002. Pregnant or postpartum women with CD4+ cell counts of less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter or an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining illness or both qualified for antiretroviral treatment, as did infants infected with HIV-1 who were younger than 12 months, whose percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes (CD4+ percentage) was less than 25%, or who had symptoms related to HIV-1. Nelfinavir, stavudine, and didanosine were available in cases of drug toxicity or virologic failure. The Botswana Health Research Development Committee and the Harvard School of Public Health Human Subjects Committee approved the study. All women provided written informed consent.
All women who consented to participate and who started postpartum nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment before October 2004 (allowing for at least 9 months of antiretroviral treatment) were included in this analysis. All HIV-infected infants who were born before the Mashi Study was modified in August 2002 and who started nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment were also included.
Before the initiation of antiretroviral treatment and every 3 months thereafter, mothers and their infants underwent clinical and laboratory monitoring (CD4+ cell count, plasma HIV-1 RNA measurements, hematologic studies, blood chemical studies, and liver-function tests), and education about and assessment of adherence to treatment. Additional monitoring for toxic effects occurred 2 and 4 weeks after the start of antiretroviral treatment.
Plasma HIV-1 RNA was assessed with the use of the standard Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor, version 1.5 (Roche Diagnostics), protocol (lower limit of detection, 400 copies per milliliter). The Roche Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor UltraSensitive Method (version 1.5) protocol was used for a subgroup of women who had HIV-1 RNA levels below the lower limit of detection with the standard test.
HIV-1 genotyping was performed on plasma samples with the use of the ViroSeq HIV-1 Genotyping System (Celera Diagnostics). Nevirapine resistance was defined by the presence of any of the following mutations: 100I, 103N, 106A/M, 108I, 181C/I, 188L/C/H, or 190A (i.e., a score on the resistance scale of more than 50, according to the Stanford University drug-resistance database as of April 2006).16 Plasma samples obtained before antiretroviral treatment and at the time of virologic failure for women with virologic failure were tested.
The primary study end point for both women and infants was virologic failure by the 6-month visit. Virologic failure was defined as a confirmed plasma HIV-1 RNA level of at least 400 copies per milliliter at or after the 6-month visit after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, or a drop in the HIV-1 RNA level of less than 1 log at the 3-month visit with a detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA level at 6 months. Secondary end points included virologic failure by 12 and 24 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, virologic failure by early (within 6 months post partum) or late (6 months or more post partum) initiation of antiretroviral treatment, an HIV-1 RNA level of less than 400 copies per milliliter at 6, 12, and 24 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, and time to virologic failure (the rate of virologic failure during the entire follow-up period).
Pretreatment laboratory-test measurements were obtained within 90 days before the start of antiretroviral treatment. Window periods for visits used the midpoint between consecutively scheduled visits at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. All mentions of time points after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment refer to the related visit window. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate the rates of virologic failure by the end of the 6-, 12-, and 24-month windows for visits for the primary and related secondary end points. Data from women who did not have virologic failure were censored at the time of the last measurement of the plasma HIV-1 RNA level. For analyses comparing viral loads at specific times, we used Fisher's exact test to compare binomial proportions on observed HIV-1 RNA measurements.
To assess whether differences in virologic failure that occurred in recipients of a single dose of nevirapine or placebo varied according to the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral treatment after the single dose, we tested for a statistical interaction, using Cox regression, with time from delivery to the initiation of antiretroviral treatment as a continuous covariate. We also modeled the interaction term by dividing the cohort into prespecified subgroups according to the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (less than 6 months post partum vs. 6 months or more post partum). When an interaction was detected, separate analyses were performed according to subgroup. We assessed time to virologic failure using the Cox regression model, and we used the log-rank test to compare recipients of a single dose of nevirapine with recipients of placebo. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare the distribution of CD4+ cell counts (or changes from baseline) in recipients of a single dose of nevirapine and recipients of placebo at each time point. Analyses are based on all data available through July 2005, and all reported P values are two-sided and not adjusted for multiple testing.
Antiretroviral treatment was initiated in 304 women in the Mashi trial by October 2004. An additional 20 women (6 who received a single dose of nevirapine and 14 who received placebo) died before starting antiretroviral treatment. Of those who began treatment, 71 started ante partum and consequently did not receive a single peripartum dose of nevirapine or placebo, 8 started non-nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment, and 7 were lost to follow-up or died before consenting to participate in the study. Therefore, 218 women are included in this analysis (112 previously randomly assigned to a single peripartum dose of nevirapine and 106 to placebo) (Figure 1).
Maternal characteristics of the 218 women enrolled were similar between the two groups (Table 1). Sixty women started antiretroviral treatment within 6 months after delivery, and 158 started 6 months or more after delivery. Measurements of plasma HIV-1 RNA levels taken at the 6-month visit were available for 109 women who had received a single dose of nevirapine (97.3%) and for 96 who had received placebo (90.6%) (Figure 1). Measurements of HIV-1 RNA levels at 12 months were available for 94 women in the nevirapine group (87.0%) and 88 women in the placebo group (88.9%).
The primary end point of virologic failure by 6 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment occurred in 5 recipients of placebo (5.0%) as compared with 20 recipients of a single dose of nevirapine (18.4%, P=0.002) (Table 2 and Figure 2A). Significantly higher rates of virologic failure were seen in recipients of a single dose of nevirapine as compared with recipients of a single dose of placebo at 12 months (P=0.04) and 24 months (P=0.008) after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (Table 2 and Figure 2A), and in the analysis of time to virologic failure (P=0.006).
The difference in outcomes depended on when antiretroviral treatment was initiated. In other words, for virologic failure there was an interaction (P=0.004) between exposure to a single dose of nevirapine or placebo and time to initiation of antiretroviral treatment. Among the 60 women starting antiretroviral treatment within 6 months after delivery, the estimated rates of virologic failure by the 6-month visit were 0 in the placebo group and 41.7% (10 women) in the nevirapine group (P<0.001) (Table 2 and Figure 2C). Similar significant differences were seen in the rates of virologic failure at 12 and 24 months (Table 2 and Figure 2C). However, among the 158 women who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more after delivery, there were no significant differences in rates of virologic failure or time to virologic failure between the women in the nevirapine group and those in the placebo group at 6, 12, or 24 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (Table 2 and Figure 2D). Similar results were observed when we compared suppression of HIV-1 RNA levels to less than 400 copies per milliliter in the two groups of women at (rather than by) the visits at 6, 12, and 24 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (data not shown).
Post hoc evaluation of our data suggested that it was logical to divide the women into subgroups according to a 6-month cutoff point for the time of initiation of antiretroviral treatment post partum. When a 12-month cutoff point was used, the association between exposure to a single dose of nevirapine and virologic failure was somewhat attenuated (but still significant) in the women starting antiretroviral treatment less than 12 months post partum (P<0.001 for all time points on antiretroviral treatment), with no significant differences in virologic failure among women starting 12 months or more post partum or among women starting between 6 and 12 months post partum (P0.30 for all comparisons).
There was a trend toward a higher rate of virologic failure in the subgroup of placebo recipients who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more post partum than in the subgroup of placebo recipients who started antiretroviral treatment less than 6 months post partum (P=0.05). This trend was lessened after controlling for HIV-1 RNA levels before antiretroviral treatment (P=0.11). These HIV-1 RNA levels were slightly higher in recipients of placebo who started antiretroviral treatment later post partum as compared with earlier (5.2 log copies per milliliter vs. 5.0 log copies per milliliter, P=0.05). Other characteristics, including CD4+ cell count, did not differ significantly between the two subgroups of placebo recipients. There were no significant differences between such subgroups of nevirapine recipients other than the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral treatment. Initiation of antiretroviral treatment within 6 months post partum remained significantly associated with virologic failure in nevirapine recipients, even after controlling for HIV-1 RNA levels and CD4+ cell count (P=0.004).
Ultrasensitive testing of plasma HIV-1 RNA was performed on all available samples from women who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more post partum and who had HIV-1 RNA levels of less than 400 copies per milliliter at 6 months of treatment; samples were available from 87 of 143 women (60.8%) who met these criteria (36 in the placebo group and 51 in the group receiving a single dose of nevirapine). Of these 87 women, 77.0% of those in the placebo group and 77.0% of those in the nevirapine group had HIV-1 RNA levels of less than 50 copies per milliliter at 6 months, suggesting no notable differences between the end points of less than 50 copies per milliliter and less than 400 copies per milliliter.
The median change in the maternal CD4+ cell count at 6 months of antiretroviral treatment was an increase of 122 cells per cubic millimeter. There were no significant differences in the CD4+ cell count (level or change) between the group receiving a single dose of nevirapine and the placebo group, overall or within the timing subgroups - among women starting antiretroviral treatment within 6 months post partum, the median change in CD4+ cell count by the 6-month visit was an increase of 90 cells per cubic millimeter in the placebo group and an increase of 101 cells per cubic millimeter in the nevirapine group (P=0.86).
In univariate analyses of time to virologic failure, pre-antiretroviral-treatment HIV-1 RNA levels, CD4+ cell count, and status of exposure to nevirapine (whether a woman received placebo or a single dose of nevirapine) were significantly associated with virologic failure (Table 3); assigned feeding strategy, maternal age, and study clinic were not. In a multivariate model stratified according to the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, pre-antiretroviral-treatment CD4+ cell count (but not plasma HIV-1 RNA level) and receipt of a single dose of nevirapine remained significantly associated with time to virologic failure (Table 3).
When virologic failure was examined among only the 111 women who entered the Mashi trial with an antepartum CD4+ count of 200 cells or more per cubic millimeter, no significant difference was observed in rates of virologic failure between women who received a single dose of nevirapine and those who received placebo (with most of these women starting antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more post partum).
Plasma samples from 16 of 20 women who received a single dose of nevirapine and who had virologic failure by 6 months of antiretroviral treatment were tested for HIV-1 resistance mutations before the start of antiretroviral treatment and at the time of virologic failure. Of these women, three (18.8%) had no detectable nevirapine resistance mutations before antiretroviral treatment or at the time of virologic failure, one (6.2%) had resistance at baseline but not at the time of failure, five (31.2%) had no resistance at baseline but had resistance at the time of failure, and seven (43.8%) had resistance both at baseline and at the time of failure. All 16 women were infected with HIV-1 subtype C (phylogenetic analysis of 368 maternal HIV-1 sequences in the Mashi trial revealed that all but 1 belonged to HIV-1C).
Thirty infants born before August 12, 2002, started nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment; 15 had received placebo and 15 had received a single dose of nevirapine (Figure 1B). Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups (Table 1). Three infants who had received placebo and two who had received a single dose of nevirapine died after initiation of antiretroviral treatment but before the 6-month visit; therefore, none of the five met the primary end point of virologic failure. By 6 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, 1 infant in the placebo group (9.1%) and 10 in the group receiving a single dose of nevirapine (76.9%) had virologic failure (P<0.001) (Table 2 and Figure 2B).
The distribution of and changes in the CD4+ percentages after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment in infants were significantly lower at most time points in infants who had received a single dose of nevirapine than in those who had received placebo. At 6 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment, the median CD4+ percentages were 23.0% in infants who had received a single dose of nevirapine and 31.0% in those who had received placebo (P=0.04), with median increases in CD4+ cells of 5.8 percentage points and 13.0 percentage points, respectively (P=0.30). The median CD4+ percentages at 12 months after the initiation of antiretroviral treatment were 28.6% (5.2% increase) in the group receiving a single dose of nevirapine and 37.1% (22.0% increase) in the placebo group (P=0.01 for both comparisons).
Women who had received a single dose of nevirapine had significantly higher rates of virologic failure on subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment than did women who had received placebo. This apparently deleterious effect of a single dose of nevirapine was concentrated in women who initiated antiretroviral treatment within 6 months after receiving a single dose of nevirapine. We did not find that a previous single dose of nevirapine compromised the efficacy of subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment in women who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more after delivery. Among the 30 HIV-infected infants, a single dose of nevirapine (one each to mother and infant) as compared with placebo was associated with significantly higher rates of virologic failure and smaller CD4+ percentage increases in response to subsequent nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment.
These data suggest that women who start nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment later after receiving a single dose of nevirapine may have rates of virologic suppression as high as those among women who have not previously received a single dose of nevirapine. Jourdain et al. did not find that rates of virologic failure varied according to the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral treatment after a single dose of nevirapine.14 However, the ability of the Thai study to detect interaction between exposure to a single dose of nevirapine and the timing of antiretroviral-treatment initiation was limited, because only 48 women did not receive a single dose of nevirapine (and this group started antiretroviral treatment significantly later than the women who received a single dose of nevirapine).14 Recent abstracts also suggest that virologic17 and immunologic18 outcomes of nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment in a program setting are similar in women who received a single dose of nevirapine 9 months or more previously and in those who did not receive a single dose of nevirapine. However, these studies enrolled nevirapine-exposed and nevirapine-unexposed women with confounding differences in key prognostic factors - important limiting biases that are likely to affect any study enrolling women who have not been contemporaneously randomly assigned to receive or not receive a single peripartum dose of nevirapine.
Our finding that virologic failure after exposure to a single dose of nevirapine is more likely to occur when postpartum antiretroviral treatment is started earlier, as opposed to later, is consistent with the observation that nevirapine resistance mutations fade from detection with time, although mutant strains are still detectable in some women and infants 12 to 24 months after exposure to a single dose of nevirapine when highly sensitive resistance assays are used.19,20,21 Mutations archived after exposure to a single dose of nevirapine may reemerge with a longer duration of nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment. However, the short duration of exposure to a single dose of nevirapine may limit the number of archived mutations in viral reservoirs. Minor nevirapine-resistant variants archived in cellular DNA were found to decline from 52% at 6 weeks to 4% at 12 months post partum in one South African study.19 Additional follow-up from the Thai study14 showed that among women with virologic suppression after 6 months of antiretroviral treatment who received a single dose of nevirapine or placebo, no differences in treatment response emerged with follow-up through 18 months.22 We are continuing to follow (and enroll participants in) the Mashi cohort of women who are receiving antiretroviral treatment, to evaluate the longevity of virologic suppression in a larger number of recipients of a single dose of nevirapine or placebo who started antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more post partum. This additional follow-up is important, since data on 24-month HIV-1 RNA levels were available for only 96 women.
We found trends toward higher rates of virologic failure and higher pretreatment HIV-1 RNA levels in placebo-exposed women who started antiretroviral treatment later, as compared with earlier, post partum; some women starting treatment 6 months or more post partum may have had progression to more advanced HIV disease by the time antiretroviral treatment became available. However, because women who had received a single dose of nevirapine or placebo started antiretroviral treatment at similar times post partum and at similar disease stages, temporal differences should apply in a similar way to both women who had received a single dose of nevirapine and those who had received placebo.
The difference in treatment response among infants was large. However, this was a very small group that started antiretroviral treatment at a relatively young age and that also received perinatal zidovudine. Although our findings raise concern about the efficacy of nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment in infants receiving a single dose of nevirapine, pediatric data from other studies will be very important.
HIV-1 subtype C is the most prevalent HIV-1 subtype globally,25 predominating in southern Africa (including Botswana) and much of Asia and accounting for 99.7% of tested HIV-1 isolates from participants in the Mashi trial. Nevirapine resistance mutations after a single dose of nevirapine may emerge more frequently with HIV-1 subtype C than with other HIV-1 subtypes.9,26 Therefore, women with non-C subtypes who start antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more after receiving a single dose of nevirapine may have therapeutic outcomes that are at least as favorable as those observed in this study. Although our results are quite broadly applicable, data from populations infected with other HIV-1 subtypes or data resulting from the use of other regimens containing a single dose of nevirapine for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 would provide additional insights.
In summary, this study shows that women who start nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment 6 months or more after receiving a single dose of nevirapine have rates of virologic suppression similar to those among women who are not exposed to nevirapine, and that nevirapine-based treatment may therefore be considered for such women. However, it will be important to evaluate virologic responses after at least 24 months of follow-up of this cohort. Because it may not be safe to delay the initiation of antiretroviral treatment for 6 months or more post partum in women with advanced AIDS, initiation of non-nevirapine-based regimens should be considered for women starting antiretroviral treatment within 6 months after receiving a single dose of nevirapine. Furthermore, exposure to a single dose of nevirapine followed by nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment was associated with high rates of virologic failure in the small group of infants that we studied.
Every effort should be made to provide antepartum combination antiretroviral treatment to women who qualify for antiretroviral treatment for their own health, since these are the women at highest risk for AIDS-related complications or death, for transmitting HIV to their infants, and for the development of nevirapine resistance after a single dose of nevirapine. However, single-dose nevirapine (with or without additional antiretroviral agents) remains an important component of the global strategy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in women who do not yet qualify for antiretroviral treatment and for areas where treatment is not available. Our finding that women with more remote exposure to a single dose of nevirapine have high rates of virologic suppression in response to nevirapine-based antiretroviral treatment is reassuring for the many women who have received a single dose of nevirapine and to those who will receive it.
Supported by grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD44391 and R01 HD37793) and the Fogarty International Center (D43 TW00004), by UNICEF, by Boehringer Ingelheim (which provided the single doses of nevirapine and placebo for the parent Mashi Study), and by GlaxoSmithKline (which provided zidovudine prophylaxis for the parent Mashi Study).
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies and organizations. Sponsors were not involved in the collection or analysis of data or in the preparation of this report.
Drs. Thior, Makhema, and Novitsky and Mr. Widenfelt report receiving grant support from Secure the Future Foundation, which was established by Bristol-Myers Squibb. No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
We thank the patients participating in the Mashi Study; the Mashi Study team; the Botswana Ministry of Health for providing the antiretroviral drugs and the laboratory-test monitoring for women and infants receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy; the administration and staff at the Scottish Livingstone, Deborah Retief Memorial, Athlone, and Princess Marina Hospitals; the staff at the referring health clinics; the Botswana Central Medical Store; and the following persons: M.P. Holme, P. Mazonde, S. El-Halabi, L. Mofenson, R. Madison, J. Leidner, G. Sebetso, T. Ndung'u, T. Masoloko, K. Onyait, R. Leepo, K. Mburu, S. Moyo, O. Nthase, M.F. McLane, and E. Garmey.
From the Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital (S. Lockman); the Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases (S. Lockman, R.L.S., C.W., I.T., L.S., J.M., V.N., M.E.) and Biostatistics (L.M.S., S. Lagakos), Harvard School of Public Health; and the Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (R.L.S.) - all in Boston; and Botswana-Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative Partnership for HIV Research and Education (S. Lockman, R.L.S., C.W., I.T., L.S., F.C., J.M., C.M., A.A., P.N., P.A., E.W., V.N., M.E.) and the Botswana Ministry of Health (L.M.) - both in Gaborone, Botswana.
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2. Antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection in adults and adolescents in resource-limited settings: towards universal access: recommendations for a public health approach. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006.
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18. Bedikou G, Viho I, Towne-Gold B, et al. 6-Month immunological response with HAART containing nevirapine in HIV infected women post exposure to single dose of Nevirapine for PMTCT: the MTCT-Plus Initiative in Abidjan, Cote d'Iviore (2003-2005). In: Program and abstracts of the 3rd IS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment, Rio de Janiero, July 24-27, 2005.
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Move to a place where individually reigns supreme and New York’s passion for art, fashion and fun thrives. Welcome to the New York City Brooklyn Northside Pier condominiums for sale. There are now two featured Williamsburg Brooklyn real estate condo developments called One Northside Piers and Two North Side Piers in NYC. The new perspective in New York urban living is now available with lots of room to grow and move into. The luxury Brooklyn condos at Northside Piers Williamsburg real estate development is a dynamic place that fits any lifestyle. The New York high-rise condo tower at the luxury Brooklyn Northside Piers condominiums for sale feature 30 stories of high-end living spaces. From shimmering glass tower façade to an outstanding waterfront Williamsburg real estate community in Brooklyn New York, the Northside Piers will take your breath away. Waterfront condo living in New York is not very common, so please check out the pre-construction Brooklyn Northside Piers luxury condos today for more information. Currently, there is new pricing on the pre-sale luxury Brooklyn One Northside Piers condos. Developed by the Toll Brothers of New York City real estate, the pre-sale Brooklyn North Side Piers condos is a development with lots of planning and construction ongoing right now. Light years ahead in terms of master planning and community amenities, the reinvention of the Williamsburg waterfront real estate district at the Northside Piers Brooklyn condos is truly remarkable for this day and age. From chic to trendy and from casual to recreational, the vision of the Williamsburg Northside Piers condos in New York City real estate is all about convenience. Located in the Upper East Side Brooklyn, North Side Piers condos for sale is a great mix of Upper West Side, Chelsea, TriBeCa and SoHo districts in NYC, but with its own character and defining landmark residential development at the pre-construction Williamsburg Northshore Piers condos for sale right now.
Preserving the natural environment in Brooklyn Williamsburg is an amazing achievement for the new Northside Piers condos development. Creating energy efficiency and a reduction in household gas emissions in addition to high performance appliances and windows are both exciting and truly essential to the future. With water efficient and ENERGYSTAR rated paints and coatings and from environmentally friendly carpeting to great indoor air quality, the pre-construction New York Northside Piers condos for sale in the luxury Brooklyn real estate market are all about renewable and sustainable design for future generations. The Brooklyn Williamsburg waterfront real estate development at the North Side Piers condominiums is a redefined New York City district with great access points, recreational activities and facilities. These Williamsburg condominiums have been designed by award winning FXFOWLE Architects and the Northside Piers condos in Brooklyn New York luxury real estate market will feature a wealth of amenities along the East River waterfront district that includes everything from the Northside Pier waterfront esplanade, a 24/7 attended entrance lobby in addition to a heated infoor swimming pool. The pre-sale luxury Brooklyn apartments at the North Side Piers New York City apartments will also feature a fitness center, sauna and hot tub in addition to a massage and yoga room. Other amenities at the pre-construction New York Northside Piers condos for sale in Williamsburg waterfront district will include children’s play rooms, outdoor deck, residents’ lounge, restaurant, and on site conveniences. The pre-construction luxury Brooklyn condos at the North Side Piers New York condominiums for sale will have parking and bike storage in addition to procierge service and lifeat.com. the luxury Williamsburg condos will have a dozen great restaurants and be conveniently located to the L Train and the Williamsburg Water Taxi station too. A true waterfront New York Northside Piers condo development will feature luxury Brooklyn condos along the Williamsburg waterfront district which will provide home owners with the best of all worlds at the touch of a button or a step away from their home.
Call the Two Northside Piers Condo Sales Gallery today fro more information and to view one of the twenty six different apartment floorplans available now! The luxury Brooklyn studio homes at North Side Piers real estate development are priced from $349,900. The one bedroom condominiums at the New York Two Northside Piers Williamsburg waterfront property are priced from $444,900. The two bedroom suites are priced from $871,990. Finally, the three bedroom Brooklyn Two Northside Piers New York condos for sale are priced from $1,655,990. Beautifully finished, these Two North Side Piers condos for sale along the Williamsburg waterfront real estate district are truly phenomenal with Stephen Alton designed interiors. From rich, wide plank American walnut flooring to custom designed lacquired cabinetry and from imported marble countertops and sleek stainless steel appliance set featuring SubZero and Miele, the pre-sale New York Two Northside Pier Brooklyn condos are definitely unique and luxurious. These luxury Williamsburg waterfront condos also feature floor to ceiling tiling with Lefroy Brooks frameless glass showers. Expansive living spaces and spectacular views invite you home every single day from now on. Bright and spacious, these Two Northside Piers condos are one of a kind New York City apartments.
There are only a few select featured floor plans and units for sale at the One Northside Piers condo development that includes one bedroom and one bathroom suites with no outdoor living space and between 518 square feet to seven hundred and eight nine square feet and priced between $435,990 to $624,990 depending on the direction they face as well as the floor in which they are located on in this new pre-construction New York condo high-rise tower. There are a number of two bed and two bath pre-construction Williamsburg One Northside Piers Brooklyn condos for sale as well that range from 1064 sq ft to one thousand one hundred and thirty three square feet. The price range for these new One North Side Piers condominiums are from $674,990 to $961,990. There are currently 2 three bedroom and two bath floor plan units available for sale at the waterfront Williamsburg One Northside Piers New York City apartments that are both 1244 sq ft in size facing the northeast and are $859,990 (4G) to $894,990 (11G). The One Northside Piers penthouse suite is 1250 sq ft and faces south and east. It is 2 beds and 2.5 baths with a price tag at $949,990. The tiniest of details are thought out carefully here at the new luxury Brooklyn condos along the Williamsburg waterfront property. With dynamic light filled rooms and from high end appliances, spacious rooms and high ceilings, the One Northside Pier Brooklyn conods for sale are a step above the rest. The master baths at the waterfront Williamsburg One North Side Pier condominiums feature polished marble vanity tops with double Kohler sinks as well as a deep soaking tub and separate shower stall with glass tile flooring and light ebonized oak vaniety cabinetry. The kitchens at the pre-construction Williamsburg One Northside Piers New York City condos for sale include garbage disposal, fine wood cabinetry and glass backsplashes. Other features include polished quartz counters, Bosch dishwashers, SubZero fridges and Thermador ovens and cooktops in all residences.
Thank you for your interest in the luxury Brooklyn condos at Northside Piers, Williamsburg's spectacular new waterfront condominiums. We have received your request for information and one of our New York Northside Pier condo sales associates will be contacting you shortly. We have added your name to our interest list for North Side Piers residential condo towers one and two, so you can be assured that you will continue to receive updates on this fabulous New York City residential community. Again, thank you for your interest in Northside Piers Condos for sale in Williamsburg waterfront real estate market. Northside Piers Sales Team - On the Waterfront at North 4th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 | 718-388-0606 | www.northsidepiers.com. The Brooklyn Northside Piers Condos Sales and Design Center is open now from Monday through Friday from 11- 7 as well as over weekends from 11 to 6. Thank you for contacting us at Northside Piers. Waterfront Williamsburg Condos at One Northside Piers are ready for Move In Now! The Pre-Sale New York Two Northside Piers: Get Pre-Construction Condo Pricing Now! Thank you for your interest in Northside Piers real estate development, Williamsburg’s hottest waterfront community. To learn more about our beautiful New York City condo waterfront residences, we invite you to call our sales center today at 718-388-0606! One Northside Piers condos for sale is nearly complete and ready for immediate occupancy, and presale Brooklyn Williamsburg condos at Two Northside Piers’ construction is underway and scheduled to top off this winter. Come in to view your new pre-sale apartment today. Northside Piers Williamsburg waterfront condo development represents an exciting opportunity to combine luxury, prestige, and comfort in a location that is simply unmatched. Rising as the first community in the New Waterfront Re-Development program from Williamsburg real estate, into Greenpoint, Brooklyn, this community will offer a spectacular offering of new pre-sale waterfront North Side Piers homes. The New York waterfront, pier, esplanade, waterfront park, and thriving neighborhood of Williamsburg will be at your fingertips as well as incredible convenience to Manhattan real estate. And best yet, the postcard views of New York City will be unparallel to any site in Brooklyn here at the new Northside Piers condos for sale. We have added your name to our mailing lists, so you can be assured that you will continue to receive updates on this incredible Northside Piers Williamsburg waterfront residential development! Sincerely, The Northside Piers Sales Team – Sales Gallery at 47 North 4th Place, Brooklyn, NY 11211 | 718-388-0606 | sales@northsidepiers.com. Thank you for your interest in Northside Piers, Williamsburg’s incredible waterfront community. The pre-construction Williamsburg waterfront condos at Northside Piers represents an exciting opportunity to combine luxury, prestige, and comfort in a location that is simply unmatched. Our first New York condominium tower One Northside Piers condos for sale currently has residents moving in and our pier is complete and has been dedicated to the city, and our second apartment tower’s construction is underway! Since One Northside Piers is now completed, you will be able to walk the units before you buy, and let the quality convince you the time is now. We still have a variety of One Northside Piers Williamsburg condo units remaining in the building and are looking to talk about offers with you. Call the New York North Side Piers sales office today to speak with a sales representative about our price offerings. Our new marketing website, NorthsidePiers.com, is now up and running, complete with a floorplan viewer, amenities photos, New York neighborhood maps and hot spots, and much more. New York One Northside Piers Williamsburg waterfront condos fro sale truly is a great purchasing opportunity. Toll Brothers has built another beautiful community, you should come take a look.
Thank you for your interest in Northside Piers New York City apartmnets. We are proud to offer beautiful studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom pre-construction New York homes on the Williamsburg waterfront real estate market. We have opened our new Williamsburg Northside Piers condo sales office and showroom for 2 Northside Piers New York condominiums, where there is an expected occupancy date of early 2010. In addition, we are offering immediate occupancy in the residences at 1 Northside Piers New York Williamsburg condos for sale. Our spacious North Side Piers homes feature gourmet kitchens with top of the line appliances, windowed walls, gleaming wood floors and luxurious, spa-inspired baths. Our Williamsburg waterfront community offers a fitness center, yoga room, sauna, indoor pool, and much more! To view renderings of our stunning interiors and fabulous amenities, please visit www.northsidepiers.com. To speak with a waterfront Williamsburg Northside Piers condo sales representative, please contact the sales office at 718.388.0606. We are open 7 days a week, and would be happy to meet with you to answer any of your questions. Best regards, Florence, Sales Manager for Northside Piers at 47 North 4th Place, Brooklyn, NY 11211 | T: 718.388.0606 | F: 718.218.8604 | fclutch@northsidepiers.com | www.northsidepiers.com. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein is intended to obligate or bind Toll Brothers, Inc., its affiliates, or its subsidiaries unless signed by all parties in an Agreement of Sale.
Presenting ten sparkling New York City residences on one of Harlem real estate’s most charming blocks. Welcome to your new home at the Alameda Harlem condominium residences for sale. The presale Harlem real estate development is now available for purchase and move-in, so please check them out when you have some time. Come home to Harlem, Come Home to Alameda New York City apartments. Sunlight winks through the rustling leaves of this lovely tree lined Harlem street. The pre-sale Harlem Alameda apartment residences is a ten unit boutique condominium nestled at the foot of the Edgecombe Avenue promontory, on a stretch of West 148th Street that promises to be one of Harlem’s most attractive New York real estate addresses. There is easy access to the A/B/C/D and #3 Express subways, and we are right in the center of an emerging retail hub. The pre-sale New York Alameda New York City apartments are part of an outstanding community with shops and services that already call this Harlem real estate neighborhood home.
Some of your city amenities and conveniences within walking distance to the new Harlem apartments at The Alameda New York condos include a community garden, 24 hour parking, TJ bakery and Café, Sugarhill Java House and st. Nicks Pub. Also available to residents here at the new Alameda Harlem apartments include Starbucks, Spoonbread 2, Pathmark/Carver Bank, New York Sports Club, Mobil, Met Food Market and Maroons. Also next to your new Alameda Harlem New York apartments include Make My Cake Bakery, Jin Hui Chinese Restaurants, Garden Cleaners, Dunkin’ Donuts, Duane Reade and Citibank in addition to Chase, Capital One, Baton Rouge and the Bank of America. Clean contemporary design is what these new Harlem condos for sale are all about. The Alameda New York residences certainly deliver in terms of both location and interior finishes.
If you are looking for some impressive new Harlem condos for sale, The Alameda NYC condominiums will deliver. Currently there are a few floor plans available for pre-sale and resale in the Harlem real estate market. The first is a 410 sq ft unit studio layout with 1 bathroom with an affordable New York apartment asking price of $269,900. There are four other Harlem Alameda apartment condos that have 690 square feet of living space (one bed and one bath) that range in pricing (depending on floor and viewpoint) between $389,000 to $449,000. The larger pre-sale New York Harlem apartments have Juliet Balconies for some fresh outdoor living space. The larger unit of 1236 sq ft has a garden and features two beds and 1.5 baths for a price tag of $699,000. If you are interested in the New York Alameda Harlem penthouse suite, you can purchase the choice unit here for $759,000 that features a large terrace, 2 beds/2 baths and 1171 square feet. The physical address of the new Harlem condos for sale at the Alameda is at 221 West 148th Street in New York, NY. The location is in the Harlem Hamilton Heights community just steps from all the boutiques and shopping around the area. A beautifully landscaped boutique development, the New York Harlem Alameda condo community is also next to the Jackie Robinson Park and all the recreational facilities you can enjoy. A new Harlem condo development with charm and modern sophistication, there is also a virtual doorman. For more information, please contact Vie, SVP at 212.678.7260.
The pre-sale Alameda Harlem apartments for sale is part of a boutique development on a tree lined street. Some of the perks and amenities offered at the new Alameda New York City apartments include a ten year tax abatement, nine foot ceilings throughout, granite countertops and portable islands in the kitchens in addition to being blocks away from all the amenities you need. In addition, the pre-sale New York Alameda apartments for sale feature two apartment residences per floor with key elevator opening directly into each suite. The Alameda at 221 West 148th Street New York also features private storage in suite, free washer/dryer for the laundry and video intercom and security system with Virtual Doorman. Marble and Spanish tile bathrooms are sumptuous and relaxing. Common amenities at the new Harlem Alameda apartment residences include a common roof top deck with direct elevator access. For more information, please visit the pre-sale Alameda website.
Not much information has been released online for the luxury pre-sale New York condominium apartments at Crillon Court Condos. What we do know is that there is a wide range of floor plans available for purchase right now. From one, two and three bedroom luxury New York condominium living residences, Crillon Court features an ideal location couples with affordable living spaces in the heart of the city’s booming real estate market. Please find more information online at the www.thecrilloncourt.com website in addition to floor plans and price ranges. Corcoran Marketing Group is in charge of sales of the pre-sale Crillon Court condos in New York City apartments and the residences are developed by world renowned real estate developer at Heights HQ, LLC. Crillon Court Apartments has a Sales and Design Centre open at 779 Riverside Drive in New York City, NY right now. Call 212.568. 5828 to book your private viewing of the recently completed pre-sale Crillon Court New York City apartments for sale.
There are five featured floor plans that are one bedroom suites at the NYC Crillon Court real estate development that includes B-24 with a price range between $365,000 and $535,000. The units include one bathroom and one full bedroom with 801 square feet or 74.4 sqm. The pre-sale New York Crillon Court Residence B-61 floorplan layout features residences in the same price range as above, with a square footage of 876 or 81.4 sqm. What we don’t like too much about this new luxury condominium floorplan in New York’s Crillon Court property is that there is a long hallway from the front door to the living space. The one bedroom Residence B-65 New York condo floor plan features 757sqft or 703 sq.m. of living space while the Residence C-30 features 649 sq ft of rectangular living area r 60.3 sqm. Lastly, the Crillon Court New York City apartments features Residence floor plan C-31 that has roughly the same amount of interior living space with a squarish layout that is both functional and open concept.
There are also a number of impressive floor plans that have two bedrooms plus one or two full bathrooms at the pre-construction Crillon Court New York apartments for sale that are marketed by Corcoran. These 2 bed suites range in price from six hundred and sixty thousand to seven hundred and fifteen thousand US dollars. Residence A-51 floorplan contains one bathroom and the entire square footage of the unit is 1083 sf or 100.6 sqm. It’s more of a corner shaped unit. The New York Residence C-22 Floor Plan at Crillon Court real estate development features one bath as well and is 1049 square feet in size or 97.5 square meters. Floor Plan A-42 has impressive views onto Riverside Drive and is a three bedroom and two bath New York pre-sale suite of 1711 sq feet or 159 square m. The Residences A-40 and A-50 also have 2 baths but 1440 sq ft in interior living space (133.8 sqm). The ‘C’ layouts here at the Crillon Court New York City apartments again have the long hallway between the living space and front entry but are quite spacious at seventeen hundred and ninety nine square feet or one hundred and sixty seven point one square meters in size. The pre-sale price point for these new Crillon Court New York apartments for sale is between $965,000 to $1.4M.
If you would like more information regarding the beautiful Crillon Court New York real estate development, please contact a sales agent today for more information. The open houses on site at Crillon Court condominiums is open Sundays from one till five. The sales office hours are open via appointment only at this time.
The Brooklyn Court Street Lofts at Carroll Gardens Now Selling!
Enjoy the flexibility of true Brooklyn Loft style living in the heart of New York City real estate market. A real neighborhood grounded in historical context, the pre-construction New York Court Street Brooklyn lofts for sale are a perfect example of how a great location meets superior construction and finishing detail. Carroll Gardens where the Brooklyn Court Street lofts are located offers a rare sense of community in the heart of the city and caring amid signature nineteenth century New York garden brownstones all around. At the pre-construction New York Court Street Lofts in Brooklyn real estate market, you discover high ceilings, open floor plans and oversized windows with expansive views of Carroll Gardens, downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. Luxury New York Loft living comes of age in Brooklyn at the Carroll Gardens Court Street Lofts for sale right now. A neighborhoood steeped in history, the new pre-sale Brooklyn lofts for sale at the Court Street Lofts at Carroll Gardens are highly appealing. As charming as it is distinctive, the Carroll Gardens New York real estate community sets a tone of warmth and intimacy amongst all the busy streets of the downtown Manhattan strip. Enticing cafes, old world bakeries and neighborhood taverns blend seamlessly among the old century brownstones of New York City real estate. An eclectic mix of stylish boutiques and one of a kind home emporiums make shopping a pleasure in and around the Carroll Gardens Court Street Brooklyn lofts for sale.
The living room should be treated as a place to rest, work and play. At the Court Street Lofts at Carroll Gardens in New York real estate market, residents and home owners can enjoy the eight foot oversized windows that allow lots of natural light into all living spaces in addition to the high-end hardwood oak flooring. In addition, these new Brooklyn lofts are ideal with twelve foot ceiling heights throughout and some even exceeding that by a mile. The luxury kitchen finishes at the pre-construction Brooklyn Lofts for sale at the Court Street Carroll Gardens residences include GE profile stainless steel appliances (always a winner), Absolute Black granite counters and backsplashes (to give it that high-end modern look) as well as custom shaker style cherry cabinetry with glass cabinet doors. These pre-construction New York City apartments at the Court Street Brooklyn Lofts for sale provide an inclusive mix of open plan concept floorplans ranging from one to three bedroom loft layouts as well as Court Street Brooklyn penthouse suites for sale with a wide range of square footage and pricing of course. The relaxing bathrooms at the new Brooklyn Court Street Loft development will feature porcelain tile flooring and walls, custom wood cabinets and limestone vanity tops. When it comes to the communal amenities, the New York Court Street Lofts in the Brooklyn real estate district will feature a lobby with full time attendant and resident superintendent. Residents at the Carroll Gardens lofts are welcomed home each day to a warm lobby with clean lines and fine materials, including a modern interpretation of a classic wood paneled wall. The pre-sale New York lofts at Court Street Brooklyn will also feature a private one quarter acre landscaped park for residents only. AT the new Court Street Lofts you will discover high ceilings, open floor plans and oversized windows with expansive views of Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn all day long.
For more information regarding the availability of these magnificent new Brooklyn lofts for sale, please visit their marketing web site at www.courtstreetlofts.com where you can also contact a Corcoran Group Marketing representative for pricing and other details. The physical address of this Brooklyn loft development is located at 505 Court Street in New York City. Call 718.797.4505 for more info. The team includes Urban Residential and Corcoran. Urban Residential is an urban housing company that specializes in the development of luxury New York condominiums in premier neighborhoods such as Carroll Gardens New York. Projects in New York City real estate by Urban Residential includes 505 Greenwich, 255 Hudson and Sycamore. They can now add the 505 Court Street Brooklyn Lofts into their impressive portfolio.
Inquire now about the New York Court Street Brooklyn Lofts Buyer’s Choice Incentive Program which allows you to select your CSL Carroll Gardens home and then choose one of three options to lower your monthly cost. The first option for homebuyers at the pre-sale New York lofts at Court Street CSL Brooklyn is to receive a half point mortgage rate reduction when you secure your mortgage through their preferred lender Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, increasing your buying power by driving down your long-term costs or monthly payments. The second option for Brooklyn loft home buyers at CSL New York is to receive 2 years worth of common charges paid for by the seller so you have more breathing room in your monthly budget for travel, a new car, and other expenses. The third option for homebuyer New Yorkers at the CSL Brooklyn lofts for sale is to receive 2% off the purchase price as a closing cost credit to help pay for closing costs so your down payment goes further! Brokers are definitely welcome and please call their onsite CSL Brooklyn Lofts sales center for special broker incentives The Onsite Sales Center for the Court Street Brooklyn Lofts for sale at Carroll Gardens neighborhood is at 505 Court St New York and they are closed Tuesday and Wednesdays.
Pre-war, pre-eminent, the ultimate Madison Avenue New York City real estate address that can be found in the city. When a home is inbued with a touch of a master, life resonates with grace and style. Perhaps the last Rosario Candela in the city to be converted to a New York City condominium residence, the new 40 East 66th Street Madison Avenue residences is a rare purchase opportunity to own a time honored vision of luxury. Impressively revitalized and beautifully in touch with the pleasures of Madison Avenue, these pre-sale New York City 40 East 66th apartment residences are now selling quickly. The entrance lobby to 40 East 66 apartments is a medley of polished elegance and discreet comfort. This environment of confident prestige leads to exceptionally bright and airy Madison Avenue New York residences rich with handcrafted details. For some, the children’s playroom will definitely be a favorite destination at the 40 East 66th Madison Avenue apartments for sale. For others, a well equipped fitness room is ideal for workouts with your private trainer. And with Central Park just one block west, the convenient bike and stroller storage area at the Madison Avenue 40 East 66th New York City apartments is your starting point for memorable outings. As you return from your daily pursuits, the 24 hour doorman staff is always ready to assist you. Elegant scale and thoughtful layouts are presented by the recently revitalized New York Madison Avenue apartment homes.
Your kitchen is the heart of your home. Centra/Ruddy Architects enhances every culinary endeavor with the most desirable appliances and artisan finishes you can find in the New York Madison Avenue real estate district. The pre-sale 40 East 66th homes in NYC present gallery entrances that direct you to generously proportioned living rooms with wood burning limestone fireplaces and white oak herringbone flooring. Formal dining rooms provide a grandly expansive setting for entertaining. The Master Bedrooms at the 40 East 66th Madison Avenue residences feature en suite baths, walk-in closets and a welcome sense of privacy. Each master bath at this New York City apartment revitalized heritage building residence features Lefroy Brooks of England faucets, heated tower racks and heated custom designed basketweave marble floors. With several bathrooms per residence, elegant design expression is plentiful at this pre-sale New York Madison Avenue apartment revitalization project. With their life enriching scale and thoughtful floorplan layouts, every home at 40 East 66th Street New York Cikty welcomes both entertaining and relaxation with friends and family. With only three residences per floor, your privacy is assured everyday.
The Madison Avenue apartments at 40 East 66th Street feature three residence condos per floor, making the layouts very spacious and functional. Residence A at the 40 East 66th New York homes is a three bed and 2.5 bath suite with 2435 square feet of internal living space. There is a private elevator landing as with all the other suites on each floor, in addition to a gallery, living/dining room, wood burning fireplace, eat in kitchen, powder room as well as a master bedroom suite. Residence B at the 40 East 66th Street Madison Avenue real estate development features a slightly larger floor plan at 2455 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and 4 baths. There is an additional maid’s room in this layout. Lastly, Residence C at this Madison Avenue New York City apartment features 2458 sq ft of living space with three bedrooms and 4.5 baths all on one level. The downloadable Madison Avenue New York condo floor plans for the 40 East 66th Street project are online at www.40east66.com. Madison Avenue is a dazzling grand tour of headline making fashion, jewelry, and must have accessories.. with the chicest sidewalk cafes to renew the most dedicated shopper. Your new home at Madison Avenue real estate community and 66th Street enjoys an incomparable location, ensuring a quick stroll to Central Park, world class museums and the heart of midtown Manhattan. The real estate development team for 40 East 66th includes Vornado Realty Trust, Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group and Centra/Ruddy Incorporated. For more information about these Madison Avenue New York residences, please call 212.734.4066 to book your private showing.
Located at 261 West 28th Street New York City apartments, the Onyx Chelsea pre-sale condominium mid-rise tower construction and sales are going very well. With just fifty two exquisite one, two and three bedroom New York residences, the pre-sale Onyx Chelsea real estate development is an elegantly layered sculpture of glass, metal and granite illuminated at night by vertical bands of light on the exterior façade. The West Chelsea Onyx condominium residences are designed with precision. The striking façade of the Onyx Chelsea new York City apartments for sale, comprised of black metallic panels suspended from the structure and fastened by stainless steel bolts, rigorously adheres to a single architecture module. Woven with an aluminum subsystem, the oversized windows of the pre-construction New York Onyx Condos in West Chelsea real estate market invite sunlight with filtering the surrounding context. Subtly illuminated at night at 216 West 28th Street in West Chelsea real estate neighborhood, the pre-sale New York Onyx condominiums cuts a distinctive silhouette in the Chelsea skyline, creating a luminous surface that both projects and reflects the vibrancy of the neighborhood. This is a not to be missed condo development!
Designed for your convenience is one of the mottos and visions for this New York City apartment development in West Chelsea community. Every service and amenity at the New York Onyx condos for sale has been designed to offer you comfort and luxury in the heart of the city. Some of the impressive amenities here at the pre-construction New York Chelsea Onyx apartments for sale include a 24 hour concierge, professionally designed fitness center, rooftop deck and a high tech security system. Other building amenities at the 216 West 28th Onyx Chelsea includes fiber optics already pre-wired, cold storage in the lobby designed by FreshDirect standards and bike storage. Inside your own suites, there will be radiant inf lor heating in every master bathroom in addition to washer and vented dryer in every home. The pre-sale Onyx Chelsea New York City apartment suites will also offer private storage, private terraces and parking upon request and at an additional cost. The Onyx is also pet friendly of course. Designed for your lifestyle, the West Chelsea real estate condo development at the Onyx Chelsea apartments are absolutely stunning in every way shape and form. Deliberate thought and attention to detail make The New York Onyx apartments for sale a marvel of craftsmanship and artistic inspiration. The interior spaces of these New York City condominiums are exemplary in design and form. Loft windows, open kitchen, dining and living areas and spa like bathrooms are all standard at the pre-construction West Chelsea Onyx apartments for sale. You are surrounded by lustrous surfaces, gleaming hardwood floors and cabinetry, professional appliances, mosaics glass tiles, natural stone, sleek lighting and stylish fitting. Best yet, the Onyx New York City apartments are designed for West Chelsea real estate district. Chelsea is filled with hundreds of celebrated galleries, theatres, clubs, boutiques and restaurants. At the Onyx New York condos, you will have all this and more right at your doorstep. Plus you are close to all major transportation and subway routes to get in and out of Chelsea within a few seconds.
The New York City Onyx Chelsea apartments for sale are brought to the Chelsea NY real estate market by Corcoran Marketing Group. The Onyx Chelsea condos are being developed by Bronfman Haymes real estate partners and FXFowle is in charge of the architecture. The 261 West 28th New York apartments at the Onyx Chelsea condominiums has a residential property manager and Kreisler Borg Florman is the construction manager. Real estate project mission: The Onyx Chelsea condos for sale typifies the Bronfman Haymes property development approach, which is widely recognized for quality and excellence from initial design concept through completion. Through long standing relationships with financial institutions and other industry professionals, including talented architects and designers, Bronfman Haymes, the developer of the pre-sale Onyx Chelsea New York City apartments consistently creates architecturally distinctive projects that benefit not only their residents, but enhance the quality of life in the communities in which they are built. Such is life at and around the new Onyx Chelsea apartment condo homes at 261 West 28th St in New York City. For more information regarding the new pre-construction New York Onyx Chelsea condominiums, please visit www.onyxchelsea.com. In addition, you can fill out their online form or call 212.807.ONYX (6699) to book a private viewing of the available suites here at the Chelsea Onyx condos.
According to their marketing site, for more information regarding the New York Onyx Chelsea apartment residences, please contact 212.807.6699. You can also book an appointment for viewing with either Joseph or Matthew regarding the availability of two suites here at the pre-sale Onxy Chelsea New York City apartment homes. These luxury New York condominiums include Unit 2B which is a two bedroom and 2.5 bath unit featuring 1265 square feet as well as Unit 5B which is of the same luxury West Chelsea condo floorplan. There is currently an open house on Sundays between 1 to 2:30pm, so come check them out. These newly released two bedroom NYC residences for sale are listed at $1,525,000 and $1,600,000 respectively.
Luxury Chelsea apartments are now available at the New York 177 Ninth Chelsea Enclave condominium homes for sale. According to their marketing: Enter a captivating enclave full of tradition and charm, natural beauty and uninterrupted tranquility. Envisioned by Polsheck Partnership Architects with interiors by Alan Wanzenberg, the New York Chelsea Enclave homes for sale offers 33 spacious, intelligently designed pre-sale Chelsea apartment residences inspired to classic prewar layouts; heralding a return to powerful proportions and forthright sophistication. The history of the new Chelsea Enclave apartment homes at 177 Ninth NYC is created by the General Theological Seminary of New York. These exceptional new residences at Chelsea Enclave pre-sale homes were founded in 1817 with Gothic inspired architecture that included lead glass lattice windows and deep red brick facades. The new Chelsea Enclave New York City apartments pays homage to this era of timeless design and architecture. Polshek Partnership introduces this new residential pre-sale condo building into a legendary setting in the New York Chelsea real estate district. Glass panels at the pre-sale Chelsea Enclave residences interspersed throughout the textured brick façade combine modernity with tradition for an outstanding architectural complement to the adjacent sanctuary. Design details at the pre-construction New York 177 Ninth Chelsea Enclave apartment homes such as window recesses, textures and colors were researched extensively to create a seamless transition between old and new. With his renowned vision of understated luxury, interior designer Alan Wanzenberg inspires the elegant lobby and expansive living spaces at the pre-sale New York 177 Ninth Chelsea Enclave apartment homes for sale. Choice materials, a subtle color palette, and exquisite detailing speak to Alan Wanzenberg’s passion for discreet, yet deluxe aesthetic found throughout. Desirably located between 20th and 21st streets, the new Chelsea Estates New York City apartment residences stands at the heart of a historic neighbourhood with an exceptional variety of culture, entertainment and activities.
The classic pre-war inspired layouts at the pre-sale New York Chelsea Enclave apartment suites offer charming vestibules and clearly defined rooms with natural light. A quiet confidence permeates the expansive living rooms. Sophisticated detailing includes low sheen fumed white oak flooring, semi open kitchens and oversized windows allowing ample light into all living spaces. Handcrafted tile work and customized cabinetry showcase immaculate craftsmanship at the 177 Ninth St New York City apartments. Intended as a transition between the bustling NY Chelsea real estate neighborhood and the tranquil estate sized homes inside, the lobby of the Chelsea Enclave New York real estate development evolves into a series of increasingly more intimate spaces. The exotic Anigre wood gracing the lobby walls complements the terrazzo floors bordered with limestone, creating, and warm and inviting environments here at the pre-construction Cheslea Enclave New York City apartmenst located at the prestigious address of 177 Ninth St NYC. In the gourmet inspired kitchens, thoughtful design is paired with intelligent engineering of course. The light oak wood cabinetry at the pre-sale Chelsea Enclave condominium apartments have superior operability with features such as a pneumatic self closing mechanisms. Handcrafted Heath tile from Sausalito California celebrates fine American craftsmanship in the interiors of the 177 Ninth NYC residences. The pre-construction New York Chelsea Enclave apartments for sale have durable black granite countertops providing ample cooking space. Appliances includes Sub-Zero and Wolf in addition to Bosch too. Timer controlled radiantheat systems lie under the oversized slabs of Botticino Fiorito stone floors that grace the airy and sumptuous bathrooms of the luxury Chelsea Enclave residences. The Botticino Fiorito stone countertops and the almost invisible glass shower beautifully complete the clean, uninterrupted lines of this indulgent retreat at 177 Ninth New York City real estate development.
Are you in the market for a Penthouse Suite at the Chelsea Enclave NY?
The New York penthouse apartments at Chelsea real estate district provide generous outdoor terraces with mesmerizing light and views distinguishing all nine of the spacious penthouses at 177 Ninth NYC. The 6th and 7th floors of Chelsea Enclave apartment penthouse suites have been divided to offer distinct configurations of two, three and four bedroom New York City apartments for sale ranging in size from 1726 sq ft to 3452 sqft. Floor to ceiling and wrap around windows maximize natural light and vistas in every room of these luxurious New York City penthouse apartments in Chelsea real estate district. Polished marble, natural stone and rich wood finishes speak to each Chelsea penthouse apartments’ exceptional refinement. There are two Chelsea Enclave Penthouse suites for sale that includes a two bedroom, three bathroom apartment with library and private terrace (total square footage of 1180 and 370 sqft terrace) facing east and priced at $4,550,000. The other 177 Ninth New York Chelsea Enclave penthouse apartment is a four bedroom and four bathroom unit with 2365 sq ft and 893 terrace priced at $6,050,000.
The residents at Chelsea Enclave real estate property will enjoy the following community amenities: live in superintendent, bike and private storage (additional fee required upon purchase), parking (again, at additional cost), children’s playroom designed by apple seeds as well as a fitness center with yoga studio. Also available at the 177 Ninth Chelsea Enclave New York apartment suites for sale include a 24 hour concierge desk and multiple roof top terraces featuring a sundeck, dining area, and entertaining space with fireplace and grill. If you would like more information about the Chelsea Enclave apartments for sale at 177 Ninth New York, please visit their site at www.chelseaenclave.com today. Also, you can visit their Chelsea Sales and Design Center here at 203 Tenth Avenue (at 22nd Street) in New York City. You can call ahead at 212.647.0077 or email info@chelseaenclave.com for more details.
Located at 1st Avenue and 104th Street New York City, the recently completed Observatory Place condominium apartments for sale are ready for immediate move-in! Green living in New York City apartment real estate market are very unique, and this Green Observatory Place condo building is absolutely environmentally friendly. With a wide range of lifestyle amenities, superior floorplans that maximize light and space and a gorgeous exterior façade and landscaping, make the luxury pre-sale Observatory Place Harlem apartments for sale your next home. Extraordinary spaces for your way of life are now being offered to savvy home owners and investors in the New York City real estate market looking for great value in their green condo investments. The pre-sale New York Observatory Place condo building is one of the most unique additions to the upscale Harlem real estate market. Located at the corner of 104th St and First Ave, the pre-sale Harlem Observatory Place condominiums in New York offer home owners thirty eight residences for sale only with a range of two bedroom all the way to smaller studio suites for sale. There are also larger three bedroom presale Harlem Observatory Place penthouse suites that are both striking and sensitive to the environment that you will be living in. Touted as Harlem real estate’s premier Green Building in New York real estate market, the residents at Observatory Place condos will come home to healthy environment living where they can relax and revel in comfort, knowing that their footprint on the surrounding community is very minimal. Living in modern, sunlit New York City apartments, these pre-sale Observatory Place Harlem condos have expansive windows, modern kitchens and bathrooms and most suites have outdoor living spaces in terraces and/or private balconies. The pre-construction New York Harlem Observatory Place condominiums offer a wide range of lifestyle amenities in the East Harlem real estate district that includes a sixteen hour door man service, roof top garden featuring a fitness gym, fabulous views of the river, refridgerated storage, bike storage, building wide video intercom security system and much more.
As marketed on their website, Observatory Place is a green building designed and built to the US Green Building Council’s LEED Standards. For more information regarding the specific LEED standards in building which Harlem’s Observatory Place condominium apartments is hoping to meet, go to the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) website at www.usbc.org. For the new Harlem apartments at Observatory Place condominiums, the real estate developers have been quoted as saying that this is the ‘smart way to build.’ New York City apartments at Observatory Place residences is East Harlem real estate’s premier green condo building as it integrates green building standards empowering home buyers to make smart choices while investing in their own future in this community. The East Harlem condominiums for sale incorporate sustainable design technologies such as a green roof, the use of health conscious building materials, energy efficiency measures, and consideration for our natural resources to craft a New York condo residential building that is both sensitive to the world around us, and creates a healthier living environment for apartment residents. “As developers we felt this was the right thing to do,” says Gary and Andrew, Observatory Place East Harlem condo development team. “Green design has environmental, economic and social elements that benefit all building stakeholders including homeowners, occupants and the general public. The new pre-sale Observatory Place Harlem apartments is a true example of real New York green building design that should be LEED certified upon completion.
Here is an impressive list of on site amenities for occupants and homeowners here at the East Harlem real estate development. The Green Observatory Place apartment homes will feature LEED Registered construction for sustainable design and construction practises in addition to being fiber optic ready and having large storage areas for bike and carriages. Other great features at the green LEED New York registered East Harlem real estate condo development includes state of the art video and security system, 16 hour doorman, private storage units for each homeowner in addition to a bi-level rooftop recreational space with rooftop deck for all to enjoy. There are GREEN roofs at the Observatory Place New York condominiums for sale in addition to a vegetable and herb garden, private terraces/balconies and cast stone façade design. The East Harlem condos at Observatory Place residences will also incorporate sustainable green design concepts, rooftop fitness centre with great river views and Bosch washer and dryer standard in every suite. In the interiors of these East Harlem pre-sale units, you will find Italian kitchen cabinetry, stone counters and GE Profile stainless steel appliance set. Also available are sleek, stylish bathrooms featuring Kohler fixtures. The green sun deck at the LEED registered Observatory Harlem condos, you can enjoy city views, private spaces, fresh air and healthier living spaces just minutes from work and play. And it’s easy to get energized at the pre-sale new York Observatory Harlem condominiums with all the recreational facilities and Central Park just across from here. And at Observatory Place East Harlem condo high-rise tower residences, it’s effortless to manage a busy work and play schedule with a list of amenities that include: a personal services system capable of notifying tenants via email or phone of deliveries, storage, fiber optic internet service and individual washer and dryers.
The East Harlem green condominium neighbourhood is one of New York City’s most dynamic and up and coming communities. Located along the East River, this lively and developing residential neighborhood of the East Harlem Observatory Place green apartments is changing block-by-block and day-by-day with the development of modern and exciting new residences, restaurants and national retail stores. Check out www.observatoryplacenyc.com for more information regarding available units for sale here. For more information about the GREEN Harlem Condos at Observatory Place, please call 212.433.2021 or email info@observatoryplace.com. There is also a downloadable PDF marketing brochure on the pre-sale New York Observatory Place Green Harlem apartments online at their website that you can review at your leisure.
An Overview of the Pre-Sale West Chelsea 245 Tenth Apartment Suites - Discover 245 Tenth Ave New York City apartments for sale today. This is a property development that features an exquisite new residence masterfully designed and realized by the award winning architecture firm of Della Valle Bernheimer. The pre-construction New York City 245 Tenth West Chelsea property offers an exciting new approach to modern living in the heart of the city, where every architectural element contributes to the overall design intent. The Della Valle Bernheimer’s team singular façade of glass and irregularly stamped, stainless steel panels animates the pre-construction New York 245 Tenth Ave condominium homes for sale by reflecting the changing light, the seasons and the vibrant surroundings here in the West Chelsea New York real estate district. The innovative result is architecture as art, at the epicentre of the West Chelsea gallery scene and the forefront of the new York City’s architectural renaissance. The minimal, yet materially rich, interiors of 24t Tenth pre-sale New York City apartments welcomes its West Chelsea residents with the highest attention to detail, including RIFRA fixtures exclusively custom designed by Della Valle Bernheimer himself. Where modern elegance meets the artistry of fine design, here in the West Chelsea 245 Tenth Ave New York condos for sale. Visit 24ttenthave.com for more details about this incredible offering.
Straight from their marketing web site, you can sense an aura of high-class, sophistication that leads straight into the urban spaces that the New York City real estate development provides all home buyers and residents. In creating the pre-construction New York 245 Tenth apartments, award winning architects Jared Della Valle and Andrew Bernheimer looked to the natural and man made contextual environment of West Chelsea community, Manhattan’s epicentre of modern art. Inspired by this vibrant context that is ever changing and trendy, as well as transient forms of nature and the trains that once frequented the adjacent High Line, Della Valle Bernheimer conceived the arresting, forward looking design of the new 245 Tenth Ave New York City apartment building. The marketing further reads: at 245 Tenth condominium residences in West Chelsea real estate district, the combination of building materials and leading edge design achieve a delicate balance between cool modernity and warm welcome. Minimal, yet materially rich, interior spaces at the New York City apartments at 245 Tenth Avenue provide understated sophistication and elegance to home owners and residents in this luxury West Chelsea address, where every detail functions as part of the overall vision and design aesthetic. As both a living work of art and a cutting edge work of architecture, 245 Tenth West Chelsea apartments for sale is unequivocally the vanguard of the New York City real estate architectural renaissance. At 245 Tenth apartments for sale, modern elegance meets the artistry of fine design in the heart of the city. By utilizing stainless steel panels, randomly stamped with a faceted diamond pattern, in combination with expansive glass, Della Valle Bernheimer imagined a unique cladding that animates the 245 Tenth New York apartment building as it reflects the ever changing play of light, the seasons and the lively surroundings of West Chelsea real estate community. As light migrates across the apartment residences, passerby may view a structure that appears to change in a display of mutable perspective. The result is a condominium building unlike any other in Manhattan West Chelsea real estate market: innovation is combined with a modern approach to elegance and architecture functions as art, in step with the exciting West Chelsea Manhattan gallery scene.
At the pre-sale West Chelsea 245 Tenth condominium residences, Della Valle Bernheimer created serene and minimal, yet materially rich, interior spaces that provide an understated retreat for urbanites wanting to live close to the downtown core. Keyed entry elevators open directly into each New York City apartment here at the 245 Tenth Avenue West Chelsea property, enhancing exclusivity and ease of entry, and underscoring the transition into each residence. The material palette and thoughtful interior design present an elegant balance of cool modernity and warm welcome at the pre-construction New York City 245 10th Ave residences: inca stone, Cervaiole marble, concrete, glass and stainless steel harmonize with walnut, oak, teak and ipe wood. State of the art interiors feature superior finishes and fixtures throughout, including radiant floor heat in the bathrooms, exceptional appliance set (SubZero, Gaggenau, Thermador, Bosch) and Lualdi frameless doors. The 245 Tenth Ave New York City apartment kitchens clutter disappear behind white lacquer wall of cabinets. Exposed concrete ceilings and recessed lighting create a sense of texture and scale here at the pre-construction West Chelsea real estate development. All pre-sale New York condominium residences are afforded private basement level storage facilities as well. So rigorous was Della Valle Bernheimer’s dedication to its vision that it custom designed many of the fixtures in the 245 Tenth Ave New York apartment suites with Ritra, the noted Italian manufacturer. The two outstanding West Chelsea penthouse suites at the 245 Tenth apartments offer the ultimate in understated luxury, including sleek wood burning fireplaces and 1450 and 1650 square foot roof top decks, each with private outdoor showers.
For more information about these New York City apartments in West Chelsea community, please visit their marketing site at www.245tenthave.com today. The 245 Tenth apartments in West Chelsea real estate market have their Sales Gallery located at 514 West 24th Street on the 2nd floor in New York City. Call 646.435.5285 for additional details and to register your interest.
Voted as one of the best New York designed apartment condominium high-rise towers in NYC real estate market, the pre-sale 56 Leonard Street condos present a new global landmark with an offering of 145 unique pre-construction New York condominium suites for sale in the most sought after neighborhood. Located in the hip and trendy Tribeca New York real estate community neighborhood, the presale 56 Leonard New York condominiums are developed by world renowned team of Alexico Group and designed by the famous team at Herzog & de Meuron architects. Featuring vertical glass with sculted surfaces and cantilevers, the uniquely designed 56 Leonard New York City apartment condominiums are definitely one of a kind residences in the heart of Tribeca NY real estate and has the characteristics of Anish Kapoor sculpture that is integrated into the contemporary design of this residential building. Only offering one hundred and forty five unique pre-sale New York City apartments for sale, the 56 Leonard Tribeca award winning condos will range from two all the way to family sized five bedroom floor plans. Each of the pre-sale Tribeca condominium suites at the award winning 56 Leonard Street condo apartments will have fourteen foot floor to ceiling glass window wall that reveal the New York City skyline to the homeowner relaxing in their private home. Alexico Group 56 Leonard Condo developers and the Herzog & Meuron architecture team at this unique and award winning Tribeca condominium residence tower feature a wealth of information online at the Corcoran Marketing Group web site as well as their own marketing site located at www.56leonardtribeca.com. Please visit them for more information or stay tuned below for more details straight from the Flash advertising site and marketing materials for this unique New York award winning condo design by Alexico Group real estate developers.
Absolutely stunning in every way shape and form, the new pre-construction 56 Leonard Street condominium residences will become reality soon enough. Representing a global landmark Tribeca real estate development by Herzog & de Meuron architects in combination with the award winning New York Alexico Group builders, this state of the art, modern, contemporary and truly unique pre-sale New York City apartment building at 56 Leonard Street Tribeca community will awe and inspire everyone who can see it in real life. According to their website: “Herzog & de Meuron have designed an iconic condo tower in the New York City real estate skyline. 56 Leonard is a vertical glass expression of sculpted surfaces, cantilevers and sparkling glass. 145 spatially innovative pre-sale Tribeca homes visibly stacked upon one another to create a cascading 60 story structure in the heart of New York City real estate market projecting a keenly evolved image of New York urban living – a Global Landmark. Refreshing, startling and just absurd enough, this cascade at the new award winning new York 56 Leonard TRibeca condominium residences of modernist villas is destined to be one of the most extraordinary piles in a city already dense with surprise and architectural incident,” according to The Financial Times of London, Edwin H.
More information from the award winning and unique design of the Herzog & de Meuron design team here at the Tribeca condos at 56 Leonard NYC include: Great art and architecture are essential parts of everyday life,” Izak S. of Alexico Group. In an unprecedented collaboration between artist and architect, the condominium tower in Tribeca neighbourhood designed by New York Herzog & de Mueron is seamlessly integrated with a spacially commissioned work by sculptor Anish Kapoor at its base. The pre-sale 56 Leonard condominium lobby in New York real estate market is nestled on Leonard Street between the Anish Kapoor sculpture on the East Side and a vertical garden on the West Side of this award winning new York condo designed residential building. Rich in culture and history and home to the finest shops and restaurants, Tribeca real estate community romantic and storied streets appeal to a local and global audience, making it one of the most desired and distinctive neighborhoods in the world, let alone the New York City real estate market. Inside and out, the pre-sale New York 56 Leonard Tribeca condo apartments for sale is full of custom designed features by Herzog & de Meuron architects. Custom sculpted fireplaces by Herzog and de Meuron embody monoliths in white enamelled steel. Custom designed Herzog & de Meuron kitchens will pill or piano shaped islands are standard in every new home here at the 56 Leonard Tribeca award winning condo designs. Custom designed Herzog and de Meuron bathrooms at the 56 Leonard New York City apartments featuring one of a kind vanities and tubs, marble tiled walls, lighting and fixtures are extremely high-end and unique as well. Window walls of up to fourteen feet in the air and private outdoor spaces in each pre-construction New York City 56 Leonard apartment condominiums reveal breathtaking views of the NYC cityscape, rivers, bridges and beyond to home owners. The new award winning Herzog & de Meuron 56 Leonard apartment homes features nine floors of spatially dynamic penthouse residences as well, suspended amongst the stars with uninterrupted views fro miles. These pre-sale Tribeca 56 Leonard condominium residences as photographed by Todd Eberle for the Inspiration Book. For your own copy of The 56 Leonard Inspiration Book please call the Tribeca Sales and Design Gallery at 212.965.1500.
Located at 30 West 21st Street in New York City real estate, the pre-construction Alma Lofts are located in the hip and trendy Flatiron property district and are now available for viewing. Eleven full floor homes in addition to one six story townhome and one two story penthouse with a private rooftop pool are available at the prestigious pre-construction Flatiron District Alma Lofts of New York City. Located at the intersection of Madison Square Park, the Flatiron District, Chelsea and Gramercy, the Alma Lofts present interior designs by Roman and Williams, unparalleled finishes with three inch thick solid Crestola marble kitchen counters and Dinesen wide plank oak floors responsibly harvested from the Royal Danish Naval Oaks. In addition, the pre-construction New York City lofts at the Alma in Flatiron District present private penthouse rooftop pool with sweeping city views, hand cast glass Bocci chandeliers. Alma Lofts. Homes with soul. According to the visionary by Kevin of Beck Street Capital, “These thirteen residences have been designed with an enormous amount of care and foresight, with the intention of creating homes the occupants will want to pass on to their loved ones. Alma Lofts is, in the end, a boutique collection of New York City homes for those who appreciate detail and nuance, sincerity and authenticity, whispers not shouts. Welcome Home. Located in the intersection of Madison Square Park, the Flatiron District, Chelsea and Gramercy, the pre-sale Alma New York lofts blends the convenience of its central location with the energy of downtown living.
The interior features of the preconstruction Alma New York City lofts are truly outstanding and a piece of work alone. Some of the impressive interior materials and finishing includes Dinesen floors (responsibly harvested from Denmark’s Naval Oaks, each piece is a full 1 1/8” thick, up to 11 inches wide and up to 16 feet long), Crestola marble (after an extensive review of marble from Torano Italy, Roman and Williams selected this rare piece of polished art) and Boffi fixtures (the master bath features New Saint Laurent marble, steam showers, and Boffi fixtures, including the design classic Gobi tub, transforming an essential room into a luxurious refuge. Other strong accent features at the Alma Flatiron Lofts of New York City’s real estate market includes Rocky Mountain hardware (for door fittings and other areas), Bocci lighting (hand cast and hand drilled to perfect) and miele and Gaggenau appliances in every residence.
Some of the amenities that are accessible to you as a home owner at the New York Alma Lofts in Flatiron real estate district include Maid Service – the same care and attention to detail used to create the new Alma Lofts in NYC will be used to maintain Alma. Weekly maid service will be provided to each pre-construction New York Alma Loft home, while nightly turndown service – complete with a custom Alma chocolate left on the pillow, will welcome residents home. Luxurious details are not just for Alma Loft’s two legged residents. A New York Alma Loft Pet Spa, located in the lower level of the building, will be available for use. More than just a place to cleanse, this Alma Pet Spa will be a place for pet and owner to bond and mutually relax. A pet masseur will be made available to spoil even Alma Loft’s smallest occupants. AT the end of an environmentally aware commute or a relaxing Sunday with the family, your transportation rests securely out of sight and out of mind with a bike storage room. As the pre-sale New York City Alma Lofts nourishes the soul, the Alma Gym helps nurture the body, providing a relaxing private space to exercise, meditate or catch up with neighbors. Brought to the NYC market by Beck Street Capital, Karl Fischer Architect, Roman and Williams Buildings and interiors, Brooklyn Digital Foundry and Core Group Marketing, the Alma Flatiron Lofts are now available at 30 West 21st Street New York City 10010. You can either call 212.675.2467 or email sales@almalofts.com to book an appointment. The pre-sale Alma Lofts web site is located on the internet at www.almalofts.com.
The most impressive floor plan at Alma is the six storey townhome that feature a private roof terrace, and over four thousand five hundred square feet of living space. With four bedrooms, three baths and two fireplaces in addition to a private elevator and 1,170 sq ft of terraces and gardens, this is one of New York’s most unique and beautiful residences here at the Flatiron Alma Lofts for sale. The Alma two storey townhome in New York’s Flatiron District features a private roof terrace as well but has two beds and three baths for a total sq footage of 3038. There is also 2822 sq ft of terraces and one fireplace in addition to private elevator access and a private rooftop pool. The higher levels at the pre-construction Alma New York City Lofts from floors ten through twelve feature full floor residences of 4,005 square feet with three beds and four baths in addition to two fireplaces and private elevator access.
BREAKING NEWS: New York City Condo Auctions Coming Soon!
For those New York City homebuyers or investors looking for the best deals in time, there has been a leak within the professional property industry that the condo market will be slapped with a huge downturn in the coming months. Like those in Florida, New York condo market will experience many liquidation auction events that have sprung up throughout Miami, Ft. Lauderadale and beyond. The New York Times has now reported that one of the top advertising firms, Accelerated Marketing Partners, is gearing up for a New York condo auction event or events as early as April 2009. These liquidation New York condominium events have not been around NYC real estate at all, so it has been a pleasant surprise for those looking to purchase a new home soon and another nightmare for those pre-sale homebuyers who are locked into contracts for closing. As published online as well in February 2009, the New York condo auction liquidations will encompass about five mid range and luxury high-end NY condo projects that will be auctioned off to prospective homebuyers looking for sweetened deals and purchase incentives. Not only that, Accelerating Marketing Partners is also in negotiation with the condominium developers to auction off prime real estate in the neighbourhoods of both Brooklyn and Manhattan. This unsold inventory by developers need to be auctioned off in order for them to make money or to minimize their losses in this economic downturn. According to the Times Newspaper, home buyers and investors in property will be looking at substantial New York condo auctions that can even come at 50% below original pre-construction pricing. So for example, an Upper East Side condo auction in the New York City apartment market originally listed for $2.2M will be sold at the auction liquidation event for about $1.1M What this all means is that this NYC liquidation of condominiums at the New York City condo auctions will get rid of unsold apartment inventory by selling them at about forty to forty five per cent below 2008 asking prices.
So Which New York City Apartments will be Auctioned Off at Basement Bargain Prices?
Right now, no one really knows which pre-sale New York City apartment development in Brooklyn and Manhattan will have condo auctions and according to Accelerated Marketing Partners, the New York 211 East 51 Street condominium project will not be the ones that will be sold at liquidation. As pointed out: Most New York City real estate developers declined to discuss the subject. But one lender, who asked not to be identified because his plans are not final, said he intends to hire Accelerated Marketing Partners to auction a large group of presale condominium New York auction units in April. "We have quite a large property investment in a auctioned New York condo building in a good location downtown," he said, but sales have been "very, very slow." With just under 50 units, the New York apartment auction building is currently priced around $1,000 per square foot. Minimum New York condo auction bids will probably be set at around $600 per square foot, the lender said. Henry Justin, a New York real estate developer who has 48 units left to sell in a 73-unit Midtown building, said sales hit a wall in December 2008. "All the deals I'm doing are all-cash, mostly from foreign buyers, because only people with a private banking relationship can get any money out of a bank right now," he said. Mr. Justin doubts that lower prices will sell many units because so many New York City home buyers cannot obtain mortgages at this point. He further mentions that these New York City condo apartment auction liquidations may not do much for an increase in sales volume until mortgages are given out to homebuyers who deserve them. Accelerated Marketing Partners, the auctioneer for these liquidated New York condo auction units, has been working with the real estate development marketing group at Prudential Douglas Elliman. Andy Gerringer, the group's managing director, said he has urged clients to consider New York condo auctions, because many of them are selling only one or two units a month, if any.
So far, HJ Development has not pointed to a liquidation condo event for the 211 East 51 Street seventy three unit development and has shied away from the potential news that they will be launching a New York condo auction for their remaining unsold inventory of luxury condominiums in NYC real estate market. There is no printed materials that officially states that the 211 East 51 Street New York City apartments by the HJ Development group that they will be placed in a New York condo auction event any time soon. In any case, the rumours for these large scale new York condo liquidation events is to begin sometime in April says some experts with a new batch of luxury condominium developments coming on board later in the summer as well. There have been talks that many pre-sale New York homebuyers have walked away from substantial six or even seven figure deposits as the New York real estate market has plummeted and the value of their pre-construction condominiums have been absolutely horrendous. The Real Estate reported back in December 2008 that about 10% off all pre-construction and pre-sold apartments in New York City are currently not even happening, as presale homebuyers are walking away and leaving the contract citing problems with cash, mortgage lending and other problems. As indicated online, the 304 Sprint Street Zakrzewski Hyde boutique condo building near the river of the Hudson Square is a grand example of a New York Condo auction or a property that has seen many investors/property owners walk away. This luxurious duplex penthouse at 304 Spring Street New York City apartment was listed at $6.75 M and a pro sports player purchased it at $7.8 M and was listed again for $9.25M in 2007. October 2008, he backed out of it and forfeited nearly $780k in deposit and now in March, the starting id was at a mere $4.995M These are signs of the times and New York condo auctions are bound to happen as a new surge in new condominium properties are now being completed by developers who are stuck with unsold condo inventory and need to auction them off to break even. In another case of New York condo buyers forfeiting their deposits is at the luxurious Upper East Side New York City apartment development at 1120 Park Ave where more than three multi-million dollar properties have been forfeited.
The Luxury New York Rental Apartments at 37 Wall Street in Manhattan is now open with limited vacancies - Manhattan Condos for Rent!
If you haven’t seen already, there is a rental apartment shortage in New York City with vacancies at all time lows. A growing population coupled with many people standing pat on not purchasing a condominium residence due to the recent drop in housing prices, New York City rental apartments are now hard to come by. Even more so, new rental condo residences in New York are extremely rare as developers had focussed their attention on owner occupied real estate developments. Now comes a pre war sensibility with a modern twist. The new 37 Wall Street rental apartments suites in New York City come at the exact opportune time. Featuring classic elegance with modern amenities, the New York 37 Wall Street apartments for rent are now available to you. Straight from their marketing web site: Design, finance, commerce, and residential life have always created unique Manhattan landscape. When the 37 Wall Street New York City rental apartment development was completed in 1907, it’s original tenant, the Trust Company of America, occupied the ground floor banking hall. Its ornate brass gate ushered in leaders of the finance world. 37 Wall Street rental apartment homes stands as tall as ever now, an icon of downtown Manhattan real estate’s constant evolution.
Obviously when you look for outstanding rental apartments in New York, you want the best of all worlds and features. Here at the New York condos for rent at 37 Wall Street apartments, tenants can enjoy everything from wi-fi throughout the residential building, a media screening room for all those sports events and movies in addition to a billiards room and fireplace. Residents here at the rental 37 Wall Street New York condos for rent can also enjoy the roof top deck with magnificent views, in addition to a library and media center. There is also a private lounge, state of the art fitness centre, spa, and nine thousand square feet of amenity space at the luxury New York rental apartments at 37 Wall Street Manhattan rental real estate market. Tenants can also enjoy a 24 hour doorman and concierge at the front entry lobby. Individual storage is available and there are over 150 channels of DirecTV included in every Manhattan rental apartment here. Subway information for these Manhattan rental apartments at 37 Wall Street New York is located online at their marketing site here www.37wall.com. You are close to 14th, Penn Station, Times Square, East Village, Union Square and Grand Central Station from Wall Street and then Chinatown, SoHo and Union Square from Rector Street. Tenants at the luxury New York City apartment rentals at 37 Wall Manhattan are close to SoHo, Penn Station and Times Quare from Fulton Street as well as East Village and Chinatown from Broad Street via subway.
The 37 Wall Street apartment rentals in Manhattan are decidedly modern. Kitchens are outfitted with white lacquered cabinets framed in aluminum, natural stone counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Luxurious bathrooms here at the new York City apartment rentals at 37 Wall Manhattan feature American walnut millwork with Carrera marble, and polished chrome accents. There are a number of impressive floor plans to choose from at the 37 Wall Street new York condos for rent that include studios, alcove plans, studio with home office. In addition, these Manhattan rental apartments also feature one bed, one bedroom with home office, two bed and 2 bed plus office floorplans for you to choose from. For more information about the new Manhattan 37 Wall rental apartment suites in New York, please call 212.785.8990 for availability or you can visit on site. To apply for a rental apartment online, please click here.
What’s Outside Your Window? Want to change your point of view? Welcome to 255 Rector Square New York City apartment residences. With a total of three hundred and three pre-construction New York condominiums over twenty four luxurious floors of illustrious living spaces, the pre-sale 225 Rector condos in New York City real estate district has a landscaped ivy façade and spectacular views of the city skyline. Located in the hip and prestigious Battery Park District of New York real estate, the 225 Rector Square condominium homes is brought to you by YL Development led by Yair Levy with over thirty years of experience in NYC building. SHVO is in charge of the real estate marketing for the pre-construction Battery Park District Rector Square apartment condominiums and the architecture and design is by IAD Incorporated. There is an incredible flash engine online at their condo marketing web site that features the views from various levels and directions from the 255 Rector Square New York City apartments in the Battery Park District. You should check it out today.
For more information about these prestigious pre-construction New York Battery Park District Rector Square condos for sale, please visit 225 Rector Place viewing center in New York or you can call 212.945.2225. Want to love where you live? Choose the Battery Park City real estate area in the New York City market for your next residence as the 225 Rector condominiums provides tonnes of attractions that include many outdoor recreational venues. Some of these include the 1.2 mile Esplanade, Battery Bosque Gardens, Battery Labryinth and the Battery Park City Concerts. In addition, the residents at the pre-construction new York 225 Rector Square condominiums will enjoy the Battery Park City Dog Run, Castle Clinton National Monument and the community ball fields in addition to local fireworks shows, Liberty Island, New York Sailing Club, Nelson A Rockefeller Jr. Park, North Cove Marina and the Museum of Jewish Heritage. In addition, the 225 Rector Square New York City apartments will be close to Rector Park, the Regal Stadium 11 movie theatre, Robert F Wagner Park, River Flicks, Skyscraper Museum, Staten Island Ferry, Teardrop Park, Trapeze school of New York, the World Trade Center Hub and the World Financial Center Plaza With tonnes of bars, restaurants and shopping, residents at the pre-construction New York City apartments at 225 Rector Place condominium homes will not have a shortage of entertainment venues to visit and experience.
The entrance lobby to the impressively unique and contemporary 225 Rector Square condominium apartments in New York’s Battery Park District includes a 24 hour door man and double height ceilings. A 12 foot bronze framed doors and limestone floors/walls with natural oak accents will greet every visitor and resident alike. There is also cold storage for grocery deliveries. The classic boathouse design lounge at the pre-construction New York Rector Square apartments for sale will feature large windows overlooking Rector Park with fumed oak walls and etched glass ceiling. In addition, the Rector Square Lounge will have custom designed screening room with HDTV, DVD and surround sound in addition to a fully equipped kitchen area. The fitness center at the pre-construction Battery Park City New York 225 Rector Square apartments for sale will feature 3,000 square foot two level gym with state of the art circuit training and cardio equipment in addition to individually mounted flat screen televisions and oversized windows with treetop views. The impressive pool area of the pre-construction Rector Square New York City apartments will have a 4,000 square foot sky lit pool with sauna/steam room and oversized windows and skylights. Also, there will be Paolo Lenti furniture and natural stone/wood finishes in the pool area of the 225 Rector Square condominium development. Last but not least, the roof terrace at Rector Place New York real estate offering at Battery Park City will feature fully equipped kitchen, enclosed summer lounge, designer furniture and décor in addition to custom landscaping and lighting.
The living room at the pre-construction New York City apartments at 225 Rector Square real estate property will include fumed oak flooring, expansive windows, abundant natural lighting and spacious open layouts. The kitchens at the pre-sale New York Rector Square Battery Park City condominiums will also have oak floors, custom wood and etched glass finishes in addition to cream stone countertops and backsplash. The luxurious and sumptuous bathrooms at the 225 Rector Square pre-construction new York apartment homes will feature a deep soaking tub, oversized mirror with integrated side lighting, wall suspended vanity, custom designed fixtures and Himalayan silk marble floor and walls. For more information about these luxurious pre-sale New York condominiums, please contact SVHO exclusive marketing and sales for details about availability and pricing in addition to the floor plans.
In light of who you are at Georgica. According to their NY real estate marketing, Come Into Your Own at Georgica New York City apartments. You have arrived at the fresh vision of Manhattan condominium living. A discreetly alluring condo building created for families who like their comfort with the edge of contemporary urban design. The pre-construction New York Georgica Condo homes is the new Upper East Side real estate style – the classic neighborhood aglow with urbane sophistication and individuality. Manhattan Upper East Side condo living with style, intelligence and grace is now available for purchase at the new Georgica New York Condominiums. With great pleasures both inside and out, the pre-construction Upper East Side condos here at Georgica are simply the best family oriented apartment condo development in NYC. The new Upper East Side real estate district that offers everything for modern urban life. The best schools, world class museums, gourmet groceries, cafes, cool restaurants, and smart boutiques are all accessible from the pre-sale New York Georgica condominium residences within a few minutes. Alluring, tree-lined streets. Beautiful, accessible parks. An unmistakeable cosmopolitan vibe here at the new Georgica Condos in Upper East Side real estate. Very simply, everything you want and need in New York urban living just around the corner.
Refined details, from foyer to hearth, private homes designed to the highest standard are now available in the Upper East Side real estate district. These pre-construction New York family residences with multiple exposures and sophisticated city views are designed for entertaining and relaxing. Eggshell toned walls, and luxurious white oak herringbone floors accentuate the feeling of bright roominess and elegance here at the pre-construction Georgica New York family residences. The condominiums will have fireplaces complete with sophisticated setting in most homes. Luxuriate in elegant details and light filled private spaces. The master bedroom at the pre-sale New York Georgica family apartments for sale is a place to linger, as well as rest. The master bedroom has floor to ceiling windows and white oak flooring and many Upper East Side residences feature private terraces as well. With appliances by Miele, and Marvel wine coolers, the pre-construction Upper East Side family residences at the Georgica New York perfectly suites the 21st century chef. Counter top, backsplash, and hood luxuriously clad in Calacata gold marble. Many presale New York residences here feature laundry and utility rooms and expansive pantries. Elegant herringbone floors seamlessly connect kitchen and family room. Aglow with natural light, the Upper East Side Georgica apartments presents the master bath, a perfect convergence of style and comfort. Finely selected details include custom spa like Glass mosaic walls, Bianco Dolomiti marble bath environment, polished Verde Antigua marbel for the vanity and radiant heat flooring. Fixtures in the master bathroom of the pre-construction Upper East Side Georgica New York City apartments are by Toto, Kohler and Waterworks. The second bath at the Georgica family New York residences is detailed with first rate materials and hardware. Zebrano Essenza Bianco stone enlivens floors and walls. The shower floor is laid in Bianco Dolomiti marble. Sculptural bathroom faucets complete the harmonious design. The design of Georgica Condo Power Room creates a luxurious environment for you and your guests. Crafted details in luminous materials such as Simena limestone flooring, reflect walls finished in Crema D’Orcia limestone. Whatever your dream may be, the presale Georgica New York City apartments will deliver in every way.
Again, according to their New York real estate marketing team, the shimmering light of the water’s edge provides the design inspiration for Georgica Upper East Side apartment high-rise tower. The feeling is expansive, open and airy. Numerous corner and full height windows afford abundant natural light into the urban living spaces. A harmonious blend of luxurious yet fresh material accentuate the luminous quality of these pre-construction Upper East Side Georgica New York City apartments. With only two to four residences per floor, Georgica Condominiums is comfortable, personal and serence… a charming setting for your New York urban life. The pre-sale New York Georgica condo tower has been designed as the ultimate home: elegant architecture from the outside creates inspiration within. The sculptural Upper East Side condominium tower is sheathed in luxurious bronze and clear glass, creating an elegant form on the New York City skyline and affording residence the luxury or privacy. The lovely tree lined street entrance is clad in limestone trimmed with stainless steel. Some of the incredible resident amenities at the family friendly Georgica New York condo residences includes a fitness room that is filled with natural light, and offering a stretch area for warming up, state of the art cardio vascular and strength training equipment. The childrens playroom here at the pre-construction New York Georgica apartments for sale is a visually exciting play space, equipped with large screen Wii activity program creating an exciting venue for children of all ages. The rooftop deck at the presale Upper East Side real estate development is ingeniously conceived and impressive in scale. The New York Georgica’s roof deck adds an especially pleasurable dimension to Georgica urban living. On the Roof Deck, you and your family can read, play, socialize, have a cookout or picnic.
The Ascend Group LLC is the leading developer of boutique residential properties in New York City real estate and is the builder for the Georgica Condos in the Upper East side property market. Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group is in charge of the sales and marketing. Cetra/Ruddy is an award winning architecture and interior design firm at the forefront of innovative residential design and they play a great role in designing these pre-sale New York Georgica condominium residences. To contact The Georgica Condos directly, please visit the residence Sales Office at 324 East 86th Street New York. The actual site address for the Upper East Side real estate development at The Georgica New York Residences is at 305 East 85th Street. You can call ahead at 212.988.8511 for more information or you can visit online at www.georgicalife.com anytime.
The Green Condominiums by Pelli at the Visionaire New York City apartments are now selling. Prepare yourself for being inspired by this ultra modern, urban chic green New York real estate development at the beautiful and luxurious pre-construction Downtown Visionaire condo high-rise tower residence. Experience GREEN building design in the heart of downtown NYC today. At the pre-construction New York Visionaire condominium residences, cleaner air, filtered water, energy efficiency and natural resource conservation are as essential as innovative design, abundant light, and captivating views, and this pre-sale downtown New York green condo at The Visionaire certainly delivers on ALL fronts. Taking its cue from the natural beauty of its Batter Park real estate location, The Visionaire New York City apartments for sale offers a truly vibrant quality of life that is healthful, balance, and seamlessly connect to the outdoors. This New York green condo building at The Visionaire condominium high-rise tower residences is located in the awesome Battery Park real estate community in downtown NYC. This landmark apartment landmark is the work of world renowned architects Pelli Clarke Pelli who conceived The Visionaire New York City apartments’ streamlined contours by focusing on how it will be experience from within, optimizing natural light and downtown city and river views from all aspects. The pre-construction New York Visionaire Battery Park condo residences builds on Rafael Pelli’s integrated approach and deep understanding of sustainable green condo architecture, refining a discipline into a form of artwork in this world class city.
Every pre-sale New York Visionaire residence condominium features sustainably harvested wood floors and an open kitchen finished with natural materials chosen for their intrinsic beauty and interplay of textures – as well as their environmentally responsible and healthful properties that we all know already. The warm, inviting pre-construction Battery Park City Visionaire New York City apartment kitchens are outfitted with bamboo cabinetry, river washed absolute black granite counters and backsplashes made from bricks of art glass by Waterworks. The master ensuite bathroom at the luxury Visionaire New York City apartment residences are highlighted by teak cabinetry and Waterworks fittings; inventive glass mosaic tiling complements limestone floors to extend the modern, organic feel of these impressive Battery Park City homes. For home buyers looking for Visionaire floorplans, please take a look online at their marketing site that has sample floor plans for studio to four bedroom suite layouts.
New York City green condo living in Battery Park City includes many things. An environmentally sensitive green New York condominium building that expands the definition of ‘green living’ to include the comfort of splendid amenities and inspired design by Pelli Clarke Pelli. The pre-construction Visionaire New York residences is an all encompassing lifestyle that embraces the essence of home. At The pre-sale Visionaire apartment homes, an advanced fresh air supply system continuously replenishes and cleanses the air you and your family breathe, while an environmentally conscious system design contributes to a safer outdoor climate as well. With a central water filtration system at the new Battery Park Visionaire condo high-rise building, these New York City apartments for sale provide you and your family with fresher water even as it conserves. The Visionaire condos is designed to capture the energy from the sun and put it to good use. Here, light functions as a resource, as a design element, and as a restorative. Flooded with natural light, homes at The Battery Park City Visionaire development have great views of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan real estate skyline. Wherever possible, the pre-sale New York Visionaire real estate construction is composed of natural and environmentally safe building materials and paints to ensure that the air in your home is as comfortable and healthy as it can be. Welcome to green urban living. New York GREEN condo living is at the forefront of building design nowadays. Focussed on providing urban spaces and amenities that reduce the carbon footprint on the world, these environmentally sensitive New York City apartment developments are so called GREEN living.
The pre-sale New York City apartments at The Visionaire development present a lobby with lots of natural light that creates a warm welcome to all residents and their visitors. A magnificent twelve foot aquarium of tropical fish and aquatic plants will mesmerize kids and adults alike upon entering the exquisite Visionaire condo residences. The 7th floor lounge at the Visionaire New York City apartments features a natural gas fireplace, a pool table, and a plasma television. In addition, there is a separate private screening room for movies or private events. The pre-construction Battery Park Visionaire condominium apartments provide a sky lit indoor swimming pool and hot tub that look onto two roof gardens that are professionally landscaped. Adjacent to the swimming pool, the fitness center features state of the art cardio and weight equipment plus a spa with sauna, steam room, massage and aerobics/yoga room for all to enjoy. A beautifully landscaped roof garden at The Visionaire pre-sale New York condos offers stunning panoramas of the city and sunsets. Amenities include an outdoor events area with built in grills for entertaining, a more intimate gathering space and individual cabanas for relaxation. Click here for the website.
Emerging from a 38.5 foot wide site amide the railbed of Manhattan’s reborn High Line and the art galleries of West Chelsea real estate, HL23 New York City apartments is the first freestanding residential building by the celebrated vanguard architect and theorist Neil Denari. This signature High Line New York City apartment development at HL23 is truly remarkable and stands unique and tall at 515 – 517 West 23rd St NYC. The pre-construction HL23 Condominium Residences will contain a collection of eleven full floor New York residences, each unique and discreet, with superlative amenities, custom interiors by acclaimed designer Thomas Juul-Hansen, and unrivalled views of the city and its newest and most lyrical urban park – all while suggesting dramatic new directions for architecture in relationship to the cityscape of this city. Overcoming the inherited restrictions while exploiting them with boldness, the pre-sale New York HL23 High Line apartment residences morphs in tandem with the conditions that surround it. The pre-construction High Line HL23 by Neil Denari has dynamic, reverse tapering form that reshapes the impressive relationship between the interior and exterior, between vertical and horizontal and building and landscape. Rising between the city and a spur in the High Line real estate district, the new HL23 by Neil Denari offers proof to the notion that great New York City apartment architecture often arises from the most challenging properties – an idea that has had not better testing ground than in Manhattan’s real estate property. The pre-sale HL23 New York City full floor residences is seeking a LEED GOLD certified rating.
With construction already started back in March of 2008, the pre-sale High Line HL23 apartment building became the first major free standing building of acclaimed architect and designer Neil Denari, principal of Neil M. Denari Architects or NMDA. This stunning 14 storey residential tower will rise from the singularly most challenging Manhattan real estate site to build on at West 23rd Street half beneath the High Line elevated railway bed, now slated for transformation into one of the nation’s most impressive landmark urban parks. The reverse tapering structure of the New York City Apartment building at HL23 High Line condos cantilever gracefully over the rail beds, creating a local landmark that residents can be proud of. Providing great views throughout, the singular form of the pre-construction HL23 apartment building vision required modifications of seven different zoning requirements for this High Line real estate site and the City of New York granted their vision soon afterwards. The full floor New York residences at HL23 total only eleven luxury homes. Nine of these are full floor New York City apartments and the other HL23 by Neil Denari offerings include a duplex HL23 penthouse at the top of the building in addition to a maisonette with a private garden at the base of this High Line apartment building. The structure’s shifting steel frame seems to flor and glow and Neil Denari opens the vistas and conceals for privacy beautifully. The High Line site address is at 515-517 West 23rd Street New York, NY. The schedule includes initiation of construction in March of 2008 with pre-sale New York City full floor apartments commencing at the same time. Expected completion and occupancy for the HL23 by Neil Denari full floor apartments is for Spring 2009. The condo tower will rise up one hundred and fifty six feet with fourteen floors above grade and one below. The pre-construction New York HL23 High Line apartment lobby will be approximately 970 sq ft with full floor residences ranging in size from 1849 to 3587 sq ft. The HL23 Gallery will be 2422 sq ft while the recreation amenity space will be about 1208 sq ft. The HVAC system uses area by area heat pumps for all levels. High efficiency boilers and LEED gold certified perimeter heat systems are used. A cooling tower with sound attenuation tempers the heat pump loop. The interior materials used in the public areas of this pre-construction High Line New York real estate development at HL23 West 23rd Street include anodized metal cladding, stainless steel detailing, aluminum, painted gypsum board walls and terrazzo. The HL23 private residences will enjoy glazed partitions, aluminum, metal cladding, and wood flooring. All HL23 High Line apartments will have Poliform kitchens and complete Miele appliance package. There is 1 elevator.
Are you ready to take the next step? Make the new HL23 High Line Full Floor New York Residences your new Home!
For additional resources and information about the High Line HL23 New York City full floor apartments for sale, please contact the OnSite Sales Team at 515 – 517 West 23 Street New York NY. Call 212.243.HL23 for addition details or register for updates to this new High Line real estate development by registering online at www.hl23.com. For press inquiries, you can contact Andrea at www.andreaschwan.com. The OnSite Sales Tin is located at 504 West 24th Street in New York and the exclusive sales is by Erin, SVP, Managing Director of Brown Harris Stevens Select. For all the latest availabilities at the pre-construction New York HL23 by Neil Denari, please visit www.BrownHarrisStevens.com today. Recognized as a salient work of contemporary design, the new High Line HL23 apartments for sale was featured in the landmark Skin+Bones: Parallel Practises in Fashion and Architecture exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA from Nov 2006 to March 2007. The HL23 by Neil Denari High Line New York City apartments will also be recognized for its architectural contribution to Manhattan real estate in New York Fast Forward: Neil Denari Builds on the High Line, a full floor exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York from June to September 2008. The HL23 project team includes Neil Denari architects, Alf Naman, the real estate developer of Alf Narnan Real Estate Advisors as well as Thomas Juul-Hansen.
Miraval Living. Your Home. Your Everyday Getaway. According to their marketing web site: a gracious home on a treelined Upper East Side New York cul-de-sac. One of the largest on premises private parks in New York City real estate. 40,000 square feet of exclusive health and wellness amenities by Miraval. A more complete life here at 515 East 72 New York City Apartment for sale at Miraval Living. Now complete, the pre-sale New York City apartment at 515 East 72 Miraval Upper East Side is available for immediate occupancy. Brokers are warmly welcomed with 4% commissions on sales. The New York Miraval Living sales and design centre at 515 East 72nd Street is now open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm as well as over weekends from 11am to 5pm. Please call 212.772.2722 for additional information regarding the Upper East Side New York City apartment for sale at Miraval Living 515 East 72nd Avenue NY.
We appreciate your interest in 515 East 72nd Street/Miraval Living; a gracious pre-sale New York home on a tree-lined cul-de-sac on Manhattan’s Upper East Side real estate market. The new Manhattan 515 East 72nd Street Miraval Living condominium features the largest on-premises private park in New York and 40,000 square feet of resident-exclusive Miraval amenities including a competition-sized saline pool and Miraval Garden Café. A member of our sales team will be contacting you shortly to let you know more about how pre-sale New York Upper West Side 515 East 72nd Street/Miraval Living Manhattan Residence can become your home and your everyday getaway. Thank you so much for your interest in 515 East 72nd Street New York Miraval Condos for sale. Situated in a prime Upper East Side New York real estate neighborhood, the pre-sale Miraval Living condos provide the tools you and your family needs to live and feel better - all in the comfort of your own home. This exclusive new Upper East Side residence offers breathtaking river and skyline views, along with the largest private park in Manhattan just next to the Miraval New York condominiums for sale. Here you have privileged access to the New York Miraval Condos’ 40,000 square feet of amenity space, including the award-winning spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor all-purpose court and competition-sized swimming pool. Imagine having a creative arts studio and your own personal Miraval Garden Café at the 515 East 72nd condominiums in Manhattan’s Upper East Side real estate community! You and your family also have complimentary access to Miraval New York City apartments’ world renowned programs, designed to encourage you to find ways to practice living in balance. I have enclosed a few of the Miraval Condo floorplan layouts, along with some additional information regarding our Upper East Side real estate building and the amenities. I would be very happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have. Regards, Lori, Sales Associate at 515 East 72nd Street | Miraval Living in Upper East Side Manhattan real estate market. The New York Miraval Condo Sales and Design Center is located at 515 East 72nd Street | New York, NY 10021 | Phone: 212.772.2722 | Fax: 212.772.7201 | Cell: 917.922.2766 | lori@515E72.com | www.515E72.com | The complete terms are in an offering plan from the sponsor: River Terrace Apartments LLC. File No. CD05-0596.
Now available is a single unit represented by Corcoran Marketing Group that is a one bedroom and one bathroom luxury New York City apartment at 515 East 72nd Street in NYC. Priced at $1,023,000 with a maintenance of $910/month and taxes at $716/month, you will only need a ten per cent deposit to make this Upper East Side New York Miraval Living condominium apartment your own home. There is a doorman on site as well as central air conditioning, north exposure and full city and river views from your apartment suite here at 515 East 72nd Avenue in New York City real estate market. The building has rooftop decks and a courtyard garden as well. The approximate square footage for this one bed New York City Miraval condo is 826. Other features of not for Upper East Side Apartment 4C at the Miraval 515 East 72nd Street New York condominium is that it features oversized one master bedroom with lots of wall space and views of the tree lined cul-de-sac just outside on 72nd Street NY. Also, this unique opportunity for a luxury Miraval New York condo suite is complemented by over forty thousand square feet of prime Upper East Side Miraval amenity space with over 100 different programs for residents to choose from. There is definitely something for everyone here at Miraval Living at 515 East 72nd St with a gym, sauna, aerobics, yoga and other recreational classes and pursuits. A saline filtered swimming pool, world famous spa and lush private garden is what Upper East Side apartment residences at Miraval Living can enjoy every day and there is a lush private garden with terraces and tree lined streets.
New York Real Estate Forecasts 2009 – A Grim or Great Outlook for NYC Property?
Do you read headline news? Like those on CNN or MSN or watch 20/20 or ABC News? Well, for those of us who have in the past few months (like most of us), we have and certainly have become frustrated with what’s going on with the global economy and the New York City real estate market. With housing prices plunging and new inventory condos coming out that are left vacant, what is in store for the 2009 New York housing outlook and real estate forecast for 2010? There are numerous ‘New York real estate experts’ and economist and bankers who have given their two cents regarding the property forecast for New York real estate 2009 and beyond, but how can we be so certain that the dismal sales volumes and decrease in prices are at its end? No one can predict the future, and when it comes to real estate in New York City housing market, noone really can make a solid prediction as the global economy, foreclosures, lay-offs, unemployment, and population migration play a key role in determining the future of New York property 2009. The 2009 NYC real estate market is fluctuating like never before, but one thing is certain, when you consider property investing as a homeowner or investor, you are looking at the long-term and today’s short term analysis and perspectives, New York real estate forecasts 2009 and property outlook 2010 are just that, things that have not yet happened, and may never. So, by taking it step by step, you as a NYC home buyer or property investor can predict your own future and do away with all the doom and gloom of the 2009 New York housing outlook and real estate forecasting models that headline news is trying to use to scare the general public into thinking that it is the end of the world. You are the only one who controls your own future, and the 2009 New York housing forecasts, although bleak, can be your year of great decision making and solid investing. May you make the NYC property outlook positive for you and your family by thinking about the following factors that make it a ripe time to purchase New York real estate by 2010.
Auction Events – Why is the 2009 New York City Apartment Outlook so Bad?
For those who cried when you lost the bidding war for your dream home… think about it in a positive light now. The 2009 New York real estate outlook is calling for a drop in housing prices with a slight recovery coming to the 2010 New York City apartment market.
Yes, let’s think about it for a minute. For those home buyers who lost out on bidding wars a couple of years ago and have not purchased since, well, you can probably get that same New York City apartment for more than 25% less than what you were willing to pay then. Not only that, there is a lot more condo inventory on the market trying to be offloaded right now through developer liquidation condo auction events or investors who want to dump and get out right away. Therefore, as a NYC homebuyer, now is a great time to start looking. Yes, the 2009 outlook for New York real estate market is still calling for a stabilization of the industry by years’ end, with a possibly drop of another 10 – 20% in values before summer, but by then, more people will be looking and there will be a lot less condo apartment inventory for sale as well. As for the 2010 forecast for New York housing market, there should be again a stable market that provides increasing value and sales volume throughout the year, which again leads to another start of a boom time period. With that in mind, why are you waiting? In addition, the 2009 New York housing outlook is for stable mortgage rates that may drop even further. Already at all-time lows, you can now service debt much easier and also pay down your apartment condo mortgage much faster if you purchase a New York City apartment in 2009. Many developer incentives include them paying for closing costs, community fees and property taxes and the state also has the 421 tax abatement for new property purchases. Therefore, the 2009 New York housing forecast should be better than what headline news is calling out. The 2010 New York real estate forecast should also be much more positive, but you will be again competing against other homebuyers if you wait until then. Also, by 2010, the economy should not be as depressed as we see now, an economists say that the mortgage rates will increase through 2010 into 2011. Therefore, as a NYC home owner and homebuyer, don’t you want to create your own housing outlook for 2009 New York real estate for yourself rather than listening to all the chicken littles running around with generalized information regarding forecasts and outlooks that don’t make sense to you? 2009 and 2010 is the perfect time to invest in New York housing real estate, so don’t let these opportunities pass you by!
The Luxury Upper East Side Conrad Condominiums in Manhattan New York City Real Estate Market - Completion & Occupancy in Spring 2009!
Located in New York City real estate’s most bustling neighborhoods, the pre-construction Manhattan Conrad Condo Residences in the Upper East Side property market are now selling very briskly. The first week opening of sales saw thirty per cent of all the pre-sale New York condominiums sell out and more offers are coming. Home buyers in the Upper East Side real estate market are seeing the value in the Conrad New York condos for sale as are many investors and international homebuyers alike. Some of the initial highlights of this Manhattan real estate development at the Conrad Condominium homes in the Upper East Side property market include a Karl Fischer Architect design that is simply stunning from the curb appeal side in addition to interior design by Anne Jalbert, a well respected and award winning New York home designer. The real estate builder for the pre-construction Conrad New York Condominium apartments for sale is by Aura Condominium and the anticipated occupancy for these pre-sale Manhattan Upper East Side condos is for March 2009. With 30% of all the pre-sale Conrad Condos sold in the first week, these pre-construction Manhattan condominium residences will feature Bosch washer and dryers in every home as well as great amenities. These in home conveniences will include such things as an outdoor hot tub and zen garden in addition to a half basketball court and state of the art gym for homeowners to enjoy. Most of these Upper East Side apartments at the Conrad New York condominium development will also have balconies or outdoor terraces in addition to panoramic view of Manhattan real estate community. There will be a barbecue grilling area and plenty of outdoor dining space for residents. Lastly, the pre-construction New York City apartments at the Conrad Condos in Upper East Side Manhattan property market will feature a yoga practise area as well as a rooftop sundeck for all to enjoy. Sales for the Upper East Side apartments are brought to the market by Corcoran Marketing Group, focusing on New York condo sales.
Fine, couture living urban spaces in New York City’s Upper East Side in Manhattan are ready for purchase and occupancy in the spring of 2009. here at the pre-sale Conrad Condominiums in New York, home owners will be inspired by the urban living floor plans, dramatic double height ceilings in the lobby and a chic motif stainless steel, shining glass and wood paneled finish palette in the interiors of every New York City apartment suite at the Manhattan Conrad Condominiums for sale. In addition, there are plenty of modern amenity spaces that will include a lounge area, glass walls, rooftop sundeck with great views, entertainment room, yoga, and Club Conrad Condos, a state of the art fitness gymnasium for resident use only complete with a common garden and basketball court, hot tub, spa, steam room, barbeque deck and social area for gatherings. The pre-sale New York City Conrad Condominiums in Upper East Side real estate market will have high style and chic interior finishings that include carefully crafted urban detailing with white oak hardwood flooring and open light filled spaces with plenty of natural light. In addition, the interiors of the pre-sale Conrad Manhattan condominium apartments will come with state of the art kitchens with high-end stainless steel kitchens, wood paneled built in appliances, polished quartz countertops, stainless steel backsplashes as well as designer cabinetry that is uniquely finished. Most residences here at the presale New York Conrad Condominiums will have private outdoor gardens and terraces for your enjoyment as well. Modern design meets superb craftsmanship in this Upper East Side real estate development at Conrad Condos with designer bathrooms, sleek soaking tubs, frameless glass showers, porcelain fixtures and floating cabinets with extra storage space.
Located in one of the most prestigious Manhattan real estate addresses on the market, the pre-sale Conrad Condominiums in New York City are part of the gateway to the world class musem district, plenty of activities in Central Park as well as shopping, boutiques, restaurant row and even big box retailers. Just outside your door at the pre-sale Conrad Condominiums Manhattan will be Thomas Jefferson Park, lively eateries, coffee bistros and the waterfront as well. Often associated with high-style living and urban chic lifestyles, the Upper East Side real estate district is one of very few New York addresses that seem to have zero vacancies any time of the year. When a new condo development pops up in the Upper East Side of Manhattan real estate, most of the suites are gobbled up in no time. Right now, the pre-sale New York Conrad Condominiums are almost half sold out in the first month of sales, so you can tell that these suites will be sold out in no time. The expected completion for these new Conrad Manhattan condominiums is for spring of 2009.
For more information about the Manhattan Upper East Side Conrad New York City Apartments, please visit their marketing website at www.conradcondominium.com. You can also visit the Conrad Condos Sales Lounge located at 342 East 110th Street between 2nd and 1st avenue in New York’s Manhattan district. The architect is Karl Fischer and the interior design is by Jalbert Architects.
The Park Circle condo homes in New York City apartment real estate provide a unique presales opportunity to experience no compromise and maintenance free living in the best metropolitan community in NYC, Prospect Park. Everything comes full circle at the presales Park Circle New York City apartments as this new real estate preconstruction property will provide the best of a contemporary and new building made of steel and glass coupled with some of the best amenities on site. The New York Park Circle Condos at Prospect Park also provide an entrance lobby with polished natural stone floors and a sleek granite stairway. In your private residence at pre-construction NY Park Circle condos, residents and homebuyers can come to enjoy double glazed windows, Cumaru Brazilian flooring and luxury recessed and decorative suspended lighting with many New York City apartments presenting large terraces as well.
This Prospect Park New York pre-construction property features some of the most grand and impressive array of on site amenities found in the city. The Park Circle condo residences will offer a 24-hour doorman and parking availability in a secure area. There will be an indoor common area for resident use only in addition to Maytag stackable washers and dryers in each residence preconstruction apartment. The New York City apartments opportunity at Park Circle will also feature high-speed internet service and video surveillance for your comfort and security in addition to sprinkler systems and smoke detectors to code. The apartments at the NY Park Circle condos in the Prospect Park area of NY will provide clean architectural lines with oversized windows. On the lower floors of this NYC real estate project, homeowners will enjoy the lush canopy of the treetops. For higher floor residents and home buyers, the Park Circle condo preconstruction will provide spectacular vistas of the Prospect Park area, woodlands, lakes and meadows throughout the seasons. As far as the kitchens are concerned at the Park Circle condos, residents can enjoy a quiet meal at home or entertain a group of friends in this ultra modern and fully equipped kitchen spaces. With wood cabinetry, brushed stainless hardware, Camaru wood flooring, and granite counters, culinary magic is waiting to happen at the New York City apartments Park Circle condos every night. The two baths are elegantly appointed in every home and will feature the finest appointments and materials including Kohler vertreous china undercounter sinks in white, lavatory base faucets and Coralais polished chrome/level handles with white porcelain inserts and shower basins of Sterling white/lightly pebbled bottoms crafted from solid VIKRELL. In addition, these spa-inspired bathrooms at the real estate presales New York Park Circle condo apartments feature master bathrooms with Kohler Proflex bath whirlpool and white marble walls and floors. The main baths at the Prospect Park condominiums will have the Kohler “Villager” bath in white and white “Subway” ceramic tile walls from white marble flooring.
If you want to own a home at this pre-construction condo NYC project, please contact a sales rep at 718.210.2060 to setup an appointment. The development team at the Park Circle condos is Boymelgreen Developers and the exclusive marketing & sales are handled by Corcoran group Marketing. You can visit the New York real estate property at Park Circle condos website at http://www.theparkcircle.com/ for more information about this development which is located at 346 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn NY. With Prospect Park at the doorstep of Park Circle condos in New York City apartments, residents here can experience culture and nature at its best. With Audubon Center bird watching, crafts, music, technology, Prospect Lake boat tours, fishing and Prospect Park Zoo with more than four hundred animals and eighty species, home buyers here will experience New York City apartments like at no other new community. Residents at Park Circle presales apartments NYC can enjoy the Botanical Gardens as well as the famous Celebrate Brooklyn and Performing Arts Festival. With many eateries, galleries, boutiques, retail stores and other services, development is sure to create the best community for you and your loved ones.
The Prospect Park off the plan sales New York Park Circle homes are now available for purchase. The latest availability at Park Circle New York City apartments are listed on the Corcoran real estate presales web site. As you will see, there are multiple one bed and two bath units at 901 square footage with a balcony for sale that are priced between three hundred and eighty to four hundred and thirty thousand dollars. In addition, the two bed / two bath units at the New York City apartments Park Circle condos range from 1140 sq ft (starting from $475,000) to a spacious 1526 sqft (at $885,000). There are also a limited number of three bed and two bathroom condos at the Brooklyn New York Park Circle condo homes that range from 1660 square feet ($765,000) all the way to the exclusive 1916 sq ft residence at $995,000 US dollars. You can view all the Park Circle floor plans online at this web address: www.theparkcircle.com.
New York real estate marketing & sales have started for NYC’s SoHa 118, a twelve-story residential condo pre-sales building with 93 luxurious condominium apartments located at 301 West 118th St., which also has the address of 2187-9 Frederick Douglass Boulevard in New York City. About the SoHa 118 Marketing. The presales New York real estate development at SoHa 118 will have one bedroom and two bed pre-construction NYC condo suites and SoHa 118 three bedroom pre-sales NY apartments. In addition, the New York preconstruction SoHa 118 condominiums will have a twenty four hour doorman and a fitness center including a recreation room. Many of the SoHa 118 New York apartments will have either private yards or balconies. The exterior architecture of the pre-sales New York SoHa 118 apartments will have red-brick finish, with great detailing work and the condo building will also have two story limestone base and many corner windows. With luxurious interiors and an exterior that rivals the best architecture in all of New York City, the prestigious and exclusive yet understated residences at SoHa 118 NY are almost now all sold out and progressing on schedule. The interiors will provide lavish bathrooms, large open concept kitchens, high ceilings, large living and dining rooms as well as lots of storage in suite.
Based on the initial purchase opportunity stage that was submitted to the Attorney General’s office on September 01, 2006 and remains firm, the New York City SoHa 118 condos of one bedroom with 738 square footage will be priced around $217,000 to $257,000 US dollars. Also, a New York pre-sales real estate at SoHa 118 condos with two beds and two and a half bathrooms will have 2235 square footage and will be priced at just over two million dollars. The NY pre-construction real estate plan for the SoHa 118 condominium residences in New York City calls for the purchase price of all ninety three condo units to be approximately seventy one million, one hundred and twenty five thousand five hundred dollars. The frontage of the SoHa 118 NYC condo presales building and community will have 201 feet 10 inches on the Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 100 feet exactly on the 118th and 119th Streets in New York City.
In addition, the SoHa 118 New York City apartments presales development will be mixed-used project as there will be a commercial unit with up to 32,725 square feet in the basement, as well as the ground and mezzanine levels. Also, the New York pre-construction opportunity at the SoHa 118 Apartments will have a community facility of 12,143 sq ft on the lobby as well as third floor. There will be three luxurious duplex penthouse suites at SoHa 118 New York City that will cover floors five through ten of the residential – commercial site. Lastly, the scheduled occupancy/move-in date for the presales SoHa 118 New York apartment homes is for the winter of 2007. If you would like more information about the SoHa 118 presales NYC condo real estate project, please either visit their marketing and sales web site or contact the development team for more information about the floor plans, available units and pricing on the select units that are still left. The NY SoHa 118 apartment condos are now under construction and therefore out of the presales phase. The SoHa 118 condo construction updates is that the real estate residences are on schedule for completion.
10 Equities LLC, of which Eytan Benjamin, Robert Ezrapour, Ken Haron and Yoav Haron are members, and Drale LLC., of which Mr. Ezrapour and Yoav Haron are principles, are the sponsors for the SoHa 118 New York City apartments presales property. GF55 is the real estate architect for the SoHa 118 project and its other properties by GF55 in Harlem include the Kalahari, the Lenox, Madison Court and 444 Manhattan Avenue to name a few notable presales pre-construction apartment success stories in the New York City area. Mr. Ezrapour is also the property sponsor of the pre-construction New York Lenox Court Condos at 205 East 76th Street, the NYC Lenox Apartments at 400 Lenox Avenue, the pre-sales New York City Brownstone Lane at 309 West 118 Street, the NY Rosa Parks presales at 163 St. Nicholas Avenue, the NYC Cathedral Gardens at 352 Cathedral Parkway, the New York City’s Academy House Condos at 24 West 45th Street, and the Eliza Court at 2073 Eighth Avenue. Again, for more information, please contact a sales representative for the SoHa 118 condos today for all the details on the purchase process and what to expect.
21st Century pre-war apartment residences are now selling at the New York City 535 West End condominium building. According to their marketing web site: Honoring the distinguished design of traditiona pre-war architecture, 535 West End Avenue New York City apartments takes its place along the tree-lined streets of historic Upper West Side. Designd by renowned architect Lucien Lagrange, the 20 story apartment building in New York’s Upper West Side at 535 West End Ave embodies the essence of pre-war living, faithful to the heritage of NYC’s greatest apartment houses to date. At the pre-construction New York City apartments at 535 West End Avenue in the Upper West Side real estate market, the grandeur of a celebrated era comes together with modern luxuries and amenities to create the definitive Upper West Side NYC address.
The distinguished canopied entrance and ornate ironwork doors lead into an exquisite entry way, the first step into a private enclave in the Upper West Side of New York City real estate. The entryway into each 535 West End Avenue New York City apartment residence begins with a grand reception hall. This impressive introduction captures the immense scale and the unique aesthetic of each extraordinary New York home. The refined formal dining room at the presale New York 535 West End Ave residence condominiums provide an elegant space for entertaining. The spacious living room in these pre-construction New York City apartment homes, rich with oak or rosewood herringbone flooring and traditional moldings, evokes a sense of splendour and warmth. Full floor New York residences in the Upper West Side real estate market feature an exquisitely crafted stone fireplace centering the room. The 535 West End New York apartments are open and welcoming, providing a spacious library that is perfect for quiet relaxation with an abundance of light and classic lines that offset the luxurious textures of the wood flooring. The pre-construction New York City apartments at 535 West End Avenue Upper West Side property district feature gourmet kitchens that are complete with custom designed cabinetry by England’s Smallbone of Devizes, state of the art La Cornue French ovens, and generous work silands. With its thoughtful design, each kitchen opens into the adjacent family room creating an ideal place for informal gatherings. The master bedrooms at the presale 535 West End New York Apartment suites invites you to an intimate retreat that provides calm and relaxation, with many residences offering private sitting rooms and His and Hers bathrooms. Generously sized windows in this Upper West Side real estate condominium residences provides abundant light, fresh air and city views. The Preconstruction NY 535 West End apartment homes feature the sensuous calm of the master bath that is complemented by deep soaking tubs, dual sinks and beautifully finished custom wood vanities with gleaming nickel finishes. IN addition, the master ensuites at the 535 West End New York City apartments feature mosaic tiled floors and polished stone walls with detailed inlays that offer in multiple elegant beige and white palettes.
The distinguished canopied entrance and ornate ironwork doors leads into an exquisite entry way, the first step into a private enclave of high-end and prestigious New York City apartments located in the Upper West Side real estate market. Enriched with imported stone floors, hand painted wood panels and furniture in the style of Modern Classicism, every detail of the graceful lobby at the 535 West End Avenue residences in NYC real estate has been carefully selected to create a refined, welcoming environment to all home owners and residents. The tranquility of the indoor pool provides an opulent oasis. After a workout in the private fitness room, residents at the 535 West End New York apartment residences can relax on a chaise lounge or enjoy His and Hers saunas. The private lounge offers a warm environment for formal events and casual entertaining. This attractive and versatile room opens to an exclusive landscaped courtyard. More luxurious at the pre-construction New York City apartments at 535 West End Avenue Upper West Side homes include a 24 hour doorman and concierge, billiards room, private fitness center, pram storage as well as Concierge Direct with AMX Technology. The surrounding blocks reveal layers of rich architecture, grand historical monuments and the lush landscaped scenery of Riverside Park, creating an enchanting and coveted Upper West Side real estate neighbourhood in New York City.
Beginning on the third floor, the New York City Apartment residences located at Upper West Side’s 535 West End Avenue introduces Residence 3A floorplan that is a half floor apartment home with 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms in a spacious 4396 square feet of living space. Residence 3B is the other half of the third floor and features 5 beds and 4.5 baths and is 3,744 sq ft in size. The top level 535 West End floorplan featured online is Residence 19 which is a full floor New York City apartment in the Upper West Side real estate market and features an impressive 6 beds an 6.5 baths extending more than 6,600 square feet in interior living space. The largest of all the pre-construction New York City apartments at 535 West End Avenue are Residences 14 and 15 that are also full floor condominium homes that feature 7 beds and 7.5 baths covering 8,451 sq ft. They come with an impressive reception hall, service hall, staff bedroom and bathroom, utility room, library and much more.
Now open and selling, you can call a sales representative at 866.541.3214 for more information about the presale 535 West End Ave New York City apartments for sale. A Corcoran Sunshine marketed property and EXTELL development, you can also visit www.535wea.com to explore the property yourself. The real estate development team at the 535 West End New York City residences include Extell Development Company, Lucien Lagrange Architects, Patrik Lonn Design Inc. Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group and dbox online marketing.
Luxury landmark condominiums at Block Hall New York real estate revitalization project is for lifestyles far from ordinary. According to their sales and marketing web site, a revival of the classic Tudor architecture of the late 1920’s on the New York Financial District’s historic South William Street, NY Block Hall condominium’s exclusive luxury presale residences combine old world elegance with contemporary conveniences. Set on one of the oldest blocks in Manhattan real estate, Block Hall New York signature residences is surrounded by cobblestone streets lined with quaint cafes, creating a European ambiance in this NY real estate development. The waterfront district is just steps away, as are many scenic New York apartments parks, the South Street Seaport and a variety of entertainment venues. The pre-sales New York City apartments luxury residences at Block Hall condominiums is convenient to subway lines and ferry services providing direct access to all of Manhattan real estate as well as Staten Island, Brooklyn and New Jersey.
The pre-sales refurbished New York Block Hall condos come with appliances by Viking, Miele and Liebherr. A luxurious environment is created through a combination of painstaking craftsmanship, gracious amenities and the utmost attention to detail. The pre-construction New York City apartments Block Hall luxury landmark residences and condominiums include high ceilings as well as oversized windows. Interior finishings in these signature apartment suites at Block Hall development includes granite counters in the kitchen, marble bathrooms and a rooftop garden for exclusive resident and homeowner usage. Also, the landmark condominiums at Block Hall NY development will have a fitness centre. The floor plans start with Unit 2A which is approximately 883 sq ft and has a single bathroom and single bedroom, while Unit 2B is 682, 2C is 528 sq ft, Unit 2D is 693 square feet and finally suite 2E is 698 square feet inside. Similar floorplans for each of the letter denominations for the Block Hall NY condominium luxury residences in Manhattan real estate go up to the seventh floor, with some variations in the floor plans up to the terrace level. The last and most impressive pre-sales New York Block Hall landmark luxury condominium floor plan is that of the penthouse suite. This unit is approximately 2,019 square feet in size with an open terrace facing South William Street and has three bedrooms, kitchen, breakfast room, dining room, living space and much more. You can view all the layouts for these new Manhattan condominiums online at www.blockhall.com/plans.html. The following financial institutions have pre-approved Black Hall Condominiums for financing including Bedford Capital, Comprehensive Funding, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Bank of America.
For more information regarding the Manhattan Block Hall luxury condominiums, please contact the Hall Marketing Group at 212.588.1800 or email info@blockhall.com with your questions. If you would like to discover the New York real estate development at the heritage Block Hall pre-sales condo apartments, please visit their marketing website located online at www.blockhall.com. You can also fill out their application registration form online at contact.php webpage. The pre-sales new York Block Hall apartment condominiums are found at 21-23 South William Street in New York, NY 10004. The exclusive sales and marketing agent for these luxury apartment suites is The Hall Marketing Group.
In the heart of Long Island City lies a new real estate project by the name of 10-50 Jackson Residences at the intersection of Jackson Avenue and Vernon Boulevard, the two main arteries that service Long Island. Within walking distance or even a short driving minutes away from all the galleries, studios, museums, cafes, bistros, restaurants and services, all within a couple of blocks from the 10 50 Jackson condo presales in the New York apartments real estate market, residents can enjoy a truly pedestrian lifestyle if they choose a luxury home at 10-50 Jackson on Long Island City. In addition, the 10-50 Jackson pre-construction apartments will be located at the East River side of the island where residents can find the expansive water front park and promenade for walking or biking and lots of entertainment. For additional information about the Long Island 10-50 Jackson condo residences in New York pre-sales real estate, please refer to their marketing site located online at www.10-50jackson.com. You can also submit an online inquiry form at this website URL with your full name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, email address, what you are looking for in terms of layout and size, price range and your message and a sales representative from the preconstruction New York 10 50 Jackson Long Island will get back to you shortly with all the answers.
The building site for the 10-50 Jackson apartment homes are located at the same street address as the residential complex name in Long Island City, NY with a zip code of 11101. In addition, the sales and design center for the 10 50 Jackson New York pre-sales condos are located at 42 – 10 27th Street in Long Island City, NY 11101 and their telephone sales office number is 718.786.4737. The exclusive sales & marketing agent for the 10 50 Jackson condos in Long Island real estate is Corcoran Group and the sales manager is Kara Kasper, VP who can be reached at 718.210.4012. The preferred bank lender is Ira Axelrod who is at 718.300.9707. The web site for this real estate presales NY development is by Blank, Mosseri. The presales building architect for the new construction pre-sales 10-50 Jackson Street condos on Long Island New York includes Gene Kaufman Architects based in NYC as well as Vega, P Architecture who are in charge of the design aspects of this property. The builder and real estate developer for this pre-construction 10-50 Jackson New York City apartments tower is by Vantage Partners who consists of Emmy Building Company and the Lions Group, all well experienced in the New York real estate market for sure. As indicated online, the residential building site sales and presentation design center are located at different locations and there is a community map online that features all the dining, carousing, art, culture, shopping and subway lines in and around the 10-50 Jackson neighbourhood to give you a great idea of where your new pre-sales home will be located.
The amenities of this community on Long Island New York 10-50 Jackson condos will include a 24 hour door man with cold storage in addition to a parking garage with direct access to the high-speed elevators. The other community in house features at the presales 10-50 Jackson Street Condos on Long Island NYC will include a fitness center and a landscaped roof top deck with stunning views of the city skyline. Also, throughout all public areas there will be wireless internet access and there will also be a common bike storage room. The living rooms in this pre-construction New York City apartments real estate building complex will include stunning views, terraces and unique outdoor spaces and nine foot four inch over height condo ceilings. In addition, there will be oversized double pane windows and three and a half inch maple flooring. The New York Long Island 10-50 Jackson condo apartments will also host Viking appliances, Silestone stellar Blanco counters, glass tiling in the back splashes and custom cabinetry in textured walnut finish in the gourmet kitchens. Also, the bathrooms at the 10-50 presales Jackson condos in New York’s Long Island City will feature radiant heated floors, Absolute white micro crystal tiling and trim and a six foot soaking tub. Also in the master ensuites of these luxurious condominium homes are recessed maple medicine cabinets, Kohler fixtures and hardware in addition to custom maple vanities too.
There are only 3 penthouse condo pre-construction suites at the 10-50 Jackson Street condos in New York City apartments that includes Unit 12A with 1,226 square feet interior and exterior of 83 sq ft with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and priced over a million dollars. Unit 12B at the 10-50 presales Jackson Long Island City residences is a two bed / two bathroom unit with 1015 square footage and a price tag of $852,600. Lastly, the 12 C unit at the 10-50 Jackson New York real estate condos is a 741 sq ft living space with two beds & one bath at $622,440. All the other floorplans from levels 2 – 12 are featured online at their marketing site.
SOLD OUT! The new pre-sale New York 120 Greenwich Street condominiums are now sold out. Located at the 120 Greenwich St on the south end of Manhattan NYC, you can still contact Elaine of Prudential Douglas Elliman for more information of upcoming releases and units for sale here at this prestigious new development in central Manhattan Financial District real estate. As a resident at the 120 Greenwich condominiums, you will be close to many restaurants and bars, shopping, daily living, services and hotels. Centrally located in the south end of Manhattan Financial District, 120 Greenwich St Condominiums in New York City real estate district are close and walking distance to the waterfront districts of the Hudson River as well as the East River. For those who enjoy urban parks, the New York 120 Greenwich Street condominium apartments will be close to numerous green spaces that include Battery Park, Castle Clinton, Wagner Park, the Esplanade at North Cove and Rockefeller Park. Further north from the Financial District New York City Greenwich condos is City Hall Park and the Winter Gardens in addition to Rector Park. For pre-sale purchasers at the New York City apartments at the 120 Greenwich Street real estate development, you will be close to Bowling Green, Broadway, f.d.r Drive, Chinatown & SoHo, Tribeca, Battery City Park and the Brooklyn Bridge.
The residential building is a traditional residential landmark that features a unique collection of one hundred and two smartly designed studio, one and two bedroom condominiums in the Financial District real estate of Manhattan New York City, many of which are combinable as well. With solid pre-war construction with high ceilings, oversized windows and wood flooring, many of the pre-sale New York high-rise glass tower residences fail to match the finishing touches of the prestigious Financial District New York 120 Greenwich Street condominiums. In addition the Greenwich condos in Manhattan real estate offers a twenty four hour attended lobby with refrigerated storage. Other great and unique features here at the pre-sale 120 Greenwich New York apartments include a cultural concierge for everything from dinner reservations, sports and music events, theatre tickets and much more. There is a live-in superintendent for any daily problems you may have as well as a landscaped common roof deck with great views of the Manhattan Financial District skyline. There is also a fitness center available for all residents here at the pre-sale New York 120 Greenwich Street condominium homes as well as the possibility of a 421-G tax abatement which lowers your monthly taxes by a lot.
The kitchen features at the sold out Manhattan Financial District apartments include oak flooring throughout and very quiet Bosch dishwasher in addition to an island range hood with halogen lighting and a thirty inch gas range with stainless steel oven for those chef enthusiasts and entertainers. Also, the pre-sale New York 120 Greenwich Street apartments feature stainless steel Liebherr fridges with bottom freezers in addition to a spectacular brazilian green granite counters and backsplashes that give it a traditional and very classy look. Also featured in the kitchens of the new 120 Greenwich Manhattan Financial District apartments is custom light oak cabinetry with acid etched mirror panels. The kitchen and the bathroom finishes at the 120 Greenwich New York Manhattan apartment real estate development is by Andre Kikoski Architects. The bathroom finishes at the prestigious Manhattan Financial District property development in NYC features a luminous blend of satin white glass tiled walls and Alabama shadow vein limestone accent walls with impala granite backsplash and flooring that creates a unique and contemporary look. In addition, all bathrooms at the pre-sale New York 120 Greenwich apartments will have frameless glass showers and illuminated Robern medicine cabinetry in addition to custom floating oak vanity with shallow basin sinks.
The classy residential building at 120 Greenwich Street in the South End of Manhattan’s Financial District real estate development offers a multitude of floor plans to choose from. However, it must be noted that this development is not sold out. Featuring a total of nine layouts, the New York pre-sale 120 Greenwich Street condominiums feature Residence A on floors four through 10 that is a one bed and one bath unit of 590 square feet. Suite B layout at 120 Greenwich apartments for sale is an alcove studio with one bath at 471 sq ft. Residence C at Financial District Manhattan’s NYC apartment homes features 715 sq ft while the D, E, F and G floorplans is slightly smaller in size. Most of the units here are one bed or studio plans. For more information about the 120 Greenwich Street apartment homes, please contact 212.779.0120 or email info@120greenwich.com today.
Two Fifty Five East 74 is the code name for the new Manhattan condo residences in pre-sales phase which is a striking 30 storey high rise condominium New York tower drawing in spectacular skyline and city views. The 255 East 74 St New York, NY residential building is sleek, luxurious and ultimately a family residence for you to grow up and pass on for generations to come. The striking lobby for the Two Fifty Five East 74 New York apartment residences in the pre-construction NY real estate market consists of overheight ceilings, a concierge/doorman and plenty of light. IN addition, keeping with the family theme, the Two Fifty Five East 74 condo homes in New York City apartments will present a fun kidspace complete with orange soft flooring, plenty of things to do, sketch, color, watch and interact with fun and educational programs. The 255 E. 74th St. New York residences will have a garden that will consist of outdoor living spaces and entertainment venues for residents and home owners at the Two Fifty Five apartment homes in New York real estate market. Located in the new Manhattan real estate market, the New York Two Fifty Five East 74 apartment condos are close to all the high end restaurants, eateries, shopping arcades, gourmet shops and cultural activities and events to wander and experience in this bustling city. The 255 East 74th Street condo apartments in NY property market consists of a real estate development team of The World Wide Group headed by Victor Elmaleh, Hugh Hardy, FAIA, SLCE Architects, Bowis Lend Lease, Coffinier Ku Design Ltd, Morena Studios and Viramore.
If you are hunting for a New York family condo residence, look no further. The family oriented Two Fifty Five East 74th Street New York City apartments are family friendly and the sales director is at 212.249.1221 or you can email info@255east74.com. If you are looking to visit their presentation sales centre, the New York Two Fifty Five East 74 Manhattan family residences are located at 255 E. 74 Street condominium at 950 Third Avenue, 18th floor in New York, NY 10022. The Sponsor is Casa 74th Development, LLC. Some of the great amenities at the family apartments New York Manhattan 255 E. 74 St include the Club Equinox, which is a speciality gym that will fit your current active lifestyle. Amenities to enrich your lifestyle including a 40,000 sq ft Equinox Fitness Club will be within steps of your Manhattan family apartment residence at Two Fifty Five East 74 New York.
Many pre-construction Two Fifty Five Manhattan family condominium residences feature value-added living spaces such as a children’s play room or den, breakfast room, formal dining room and balconies with spectacular views. The Two Fifty Five New York Manhattan family oriented apartments come in floor plan layouts between two to five bedroom homes the create a new standard in family living in Manhattan real estate market. The impressive den and children’s playroom is spacious enough for many children to play and be entertained. The private den is a great place to place your media room for family events and gatherings in the evenings. The luxurious and sleek kitchens at the family apartments in Manhattans Two Fifty Five East 74 condominiums includes Italian style finishes with solid cabinets as well as fully integrated Miele and SubZero appliances to give it a contemporary and modern feel, yet keeping with the functional style of this New York City apartments development. The master bathroom is a luxurious spa inspired space. Ann Sacks Selvaggio Crema mosaic marble tile, Crema Marfil marble floor, frosted glass shower surround and fixtures by Waterworks is what potential home buyers can expect from the 255 East 74th street New York family residences at Two Fifty Five. These pre-construction apartment family homes come with master ensuites with double vanities and plenty of storage cabinetry as well as a deep soaker tub. Light Emperador marble floor, glass tile surrounds and fixtures by Waterworks grace the powder rooms, which create a statement for guests visiting your family. Some example floor plans for this pre-sales Manhattan family apartment includes Residence E on floors five and six at 1,539 sq ft or 143 sq mt which consists of one bedroom plus study and two bathrooms. Penthouse B at the New York Two Fifty Five East 74 family residences is on floor 30 and has 2,540 sq ft and 236 sq mt of interior living space that is split into a three and three plus powder room configuration plus a terrace and fireplace. The availability of these New York family condo residences varies with time and right now, the range from $1,375,000 for Unit 5G to the Penthouse at $12,750,000.
A striking new thirty storey condominium tower in New York City is drawing in spectacular skyline and city views for new residents. Now completing, the pre-sale New York Two Fifty Five East 74th condominiums feature only four available suites for sale that include two suites, one duplex and a penthouse home with spectacular views. With outstanding cultural significance, gourmet shops, shopping and restaurants just around the corner, residents at the new 255 East 74th St New York City apartments for sale will enjoy a true urban vibe day in and out that is close to the business centre and many other entertainment venues in the city centre.
If you are searching for a new home in the most central of locations and with a striking architecture, the suites at the 255 East 74th Street New York City apartments provided unparalleled views and amenities that will forever change your lifestyle and style of living in this city that never sleeps. One of four units still available for pre-construction New York apartment purchase is a half duplex that is offered at $2.195M that features one thousand five hundred and thirty nine square feet and has the offering of a tax abatement resulting in a monthly tax of only two hundred and twenty nine dollars. Unit 5A at the 255 East 74th St New York City apartments for sale is a three bedroom and 3.5 bath suite that is being offered at a pre-sale pricing of $3.465M and offers 2,284 square feet in living space and affordable monthly taxes as well with the tax abatement. The 23A suite at the presale new York Two Fifty Five East 74th Street condominiums features an impressive five bedrooms and 4.5 baths and is offered for sale at $7.475M and is 3,493 square feet in size. The PHA New York City penthouse suite at the Two Fifty Five East 74th Street condos is a $12.75M unit of 3,240 sq ft and provides impressive skyline views with three beds and 3.5 bathrooms with a terrace. The amenities at the 255 East 74th Street NYC condominiums includes an impressive lobby entrance, a fun kidspace for your children to play and learn safely within your own home as well as a rooftop garden with amazing finishes and views.
The impressive bathrooms and master ensuites at the 255 East 74th Street New York apartment homes provide Ann Sacks Selvaggio Crema mosaic marble tile, Crema Marfil marble floor, frosted glass shower surround and fixtures by Waterworks. In addition, the powder rooms, often overlooked by interior designs and floor plan archictets and designers in new York City real estate development provides light Emperador marble floor, glass tile surrounds and fixtures by Waterworks. Many pre-sale New York 255 East 74th Street condo residences feature value-added living spaces such as a children's playroom/den, breakfast room, formal dining room and balconies. Two to five bedroom Two Fifty Five East 74 Street New York homes creates a new standard in family living. The kitchens at the Two Fifty Five East 74th Street condominiums also feature Italian kitchen cabinetry with fully integrated Miele and SubZero appliances. The floor plan offerings at this pre-sale New York City real estate development high-rise tower at 255 E 74th Street features one bedrooms through to five bed suites as well as large family style half duplexes and impressive penthouse homes. In addition, residents at the Two Fifty Five E 74th St New York apartments will have the luxury of a forty thousand square foot Equinox Fitness Club with everything you need to stay healthy and fit.
The New York real estate development team features Viramore arts and designs exhibits, Marena Studios graphic design firm, Coffinier Ku Design Ltd and Bovis Lend Lease. Also part of the team here at the 255 East 74th St New York City apartments include SLCE Architects, Hugh Hardy, FAIA and the World Wide Group developers. For more info about the pre-sale new York apartment homes here at Two Fifty Five E 74th Street condominiums, please contact the sales director at 212.249.1221 or you can email them at info@255east74.com. The 255 East 74th Street Condominiums are located at 950 Third Avenue, 18th Floor in NYC, NY 10022. | 2019-04-25T07:51:04Z | http://www.condo-living-west.com/nyblog/2009_02_01_archive.html |
Easy Magic Tricks Anyone Can Do!
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10 Simple Magic Tricks Anyone Can Do!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 15 Drawing Tricks And Hacks You Should Know: https://youtu.be/OQPG_XQQq1M?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng A good serving of interesting magic tricks hasn't harmed anyone yet, has it? So today we've prepared for you 14 new cool ideas on how to entertain and amaze your friends with new magic tricks! Supplies: • Cards • Phone • Sucker • False finger • Hot gun • Tape • Lemon • Bracelet • Tablecloth • Threads • Boxes • Knife • Box cutter • Balloons • Sheet of foamiran • Black screen • Pen • Handkerchiefs • Paper money • Candle • Forceps • Tennis ball • Sawl • Magnets • Felt • Pompons • Artificial hair • Bottle • Scissors Music: Tobu & Wholm - Motion http://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
3 EASY Card Tricks You Can Learn In 5 MINUTES!!!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 19 Magic Tricks That You Can Do: https://youtu.be/w9Tg3XnSouo?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Do you like to impress your friends with different magic tricks and DIY illusions? Then our new magic tricks compilation is just for you! Sit back and enjoy the new Troom Troom video. Supplies and tools: • Clips • Elastic bands • Marker • Pin • Blanket • Ld of a box • Beads • Necklace • Cup • Jeans • Sneakers • Knife • Cardboard • Hot gun • Scissors • Small box • Cotton • Two-sided scotch tape • Scotch tape • White wallpaper • Cards • Line • Paper • Compass • Color pencils • File • Acrylic paints • Plastic bottles • Soldering iron • Food coloring Music: Tobu & Hellberg - Sprinkles by Tobu is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Unported License. Source: https://soundcloud.com/7obu/sprinkles Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... DIY Accessories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 13 DIY Barbie School Supplies And Crafts: https://youtu.be/_WFRbN3xgbo?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng What do you think about the new compilation of interesting magic tricks? Today we've prepared a cool selection of 13 ideas on how to entertain your friends with new magic tricks, using ordinary things! Supplies: • Fork • Pliers • Hot gun • Medical glue • Scissors • Pajama pants • Tie • Matches • Pencils • Notebook • Paint • Water • Nail polish • Rope • Candle • Cards • Double sided tape • Hat • Cotton wool • Baby oil • "Moment" universal glue • Bracelets • Coin • Colored paper • Magnet • Bottle • Straw • Nylon sock Music: Tobu & Etori – Obstacles http://www.youtube.com/tobuofficial Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic tricks you’ve ever seen? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 8 Funny Slime Pranks! Prank Wars: https://youtu.be/31qwMHNY1Tc?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Do you dream of becoming master of imagination and mastering art of wizardly? Start with our new collection of magic tricks. Chip up and impress anyone with funny tricks, and surprise your friends. Supplies and tools: • Napkins • Paper bags • Zip-packs • Water • Double-sided scotch tape • Glasses • Cards • Coins • Glue • Paper cups • A plastic cup • A magnet • Сardboard • Laces • Elastic bands • Matches • A plastic bottle • A banknote • A marker • Paper • Scissors • A pencil • A handkerchief • Foil • A bottle • A toothpick Music: Tobu - Tobu & Wholm – Motion is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Unported License. Source: https://soundcloud.com/7obu/motion Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... DIY Accessories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: which magic trick did you like most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 14 Funny Couple Pranks! Prank Wars!: https://youtu.be/btcSfgBXxa8?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv If you're a little bored with friends, it's time to amuse and amaze everyone around with new magic tricks and prestidigitation! Which ones? Watch in our new Troom Troom video wright now! Supplies and tools: • Handkerchiefs • Underpants • Hot gun • Boards • Dishes • Food film • Styrofoam ring • Noodles • Artificial flower • Fishing line • Cards • Matches • Double sided scotch tape • Boxes • Paper knife • Pompon • Glasses • Fabric • Pencils • Paints • Brushwine • Glass • Container • Water • LEDs • Nylon stocking • Chips • Phone • Plastic screen • Apple Music: Tobu - Melomania.mp3 http://youtube.com/tobuofficial Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t What to Do When You Are Bored – 9 Ideas: https://youtu.be/XAHC0csxYhI?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Amaze your friends! Here are 20 magic tricks to impress your friends that are simple to do! This magic tricks don’t require any special accessories or skills, so anyone can do them. Supplies and tools: • Coins • Glasses • Cloth • Paper • Scissors • Marker • 2 plates • Scotch • Banknotes • Toilet paper roll • Rope • Colored paper • Balloons • Orange • Led bulb • Incandescent lamp • Wires • 2 x 3 volt batteries • Light • Hot glue gun • Ring • Foamiran • Bottle • Ping pong ball • Cards • Pencil • Scotch • Stationery knife • Foil • Matches • Plastic bottle • Small ball • Candles • Needle • Pipette Music: Tobu - Infectious (Original Mix) is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Unported License. Source: https://soundcloud.com/7obu/infectious-original-mix Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... DIY Accessories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: which life hack did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 14 Photo Hacks / Funny and Creative Photo Ideas: https://youtu.be/9qiyt7x74-A?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng What do you like more, show magic tricks to friends, or be a spectator? Or maybe you like to reveal magicians, penetrating into the very essence of each trick? Anyway, our new magic tricks compilation will surely rejoice you! Supplies: • Pencils • Cards • Toaster • Water • Alum • Elastic bands • Double sided scotch tape • Black fabric • Rack • Saw • Hanger • Scissors • Knife • Matches • Fishing line • Plastic cup • Plastic spoon • Coin • Marker • Foil • Ball • Bill • Silicone water bottle • Corrugated paper • Phone Music: Tobu – Caelum http://youtube.com/tobuofficial Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic tricks you’ve ever encountered? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 14 Things To Do When You Are Bored: https://youtu.be/jYVzOnOESTM?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Amaze your friends! Here are 18 magic tricks to impress your friends that are simple to do! This magic tricks don’t require any special accessories or skills, so anyone can do them. Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
How To Make Yourself FLOAT!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 15 Magic Tricks That You Can Do: https://youtu.be/3_FD_COz61k?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Do you like to amaze your friends with different magic tricks? Or maybe you're going to a party or just to visit your friends? In any case, bring with you a couple of interesting ideas on how to amuse your buddies and girlfriends with fun tricks! Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 9 DIY Edible Stress Relievers / DIY Edible Slime Candy: https://youtu.be/p4OuTN-8-3U?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjwDtTci6pMT5A44N6nhpwI Do you like to impress your friends with different magic tricks and illusions? What about trick with head in jar, or earthworm crawling out of arm? Sit back and enjoy the new magic tricks. Supplies and tools: • Thread • Pencils • Markers • Pants • Clothes • Sneakers • Shirt • Plastic baby doll's arm • Nail polish • Handkerchief • Ball • Balloon • Fishing rod • Watermelon • Knife • Magnets • Hot gun • Glue stick • Coins • Cards • Matchbox • Cardboard • Fabric • Frames • Chalk • Makeup foundation • Toothpicks • Worm • Jar • Cloak • Handkerchief • Bottle • Straw • Water • Glass container • Food coloring Music: Song: Itro - Panda [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds. Watch: https://youtu.be/FkKjZz2vpy4 Free Download / Stream: http://ncs.io/panda Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Magic Tricks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwj_ApLmpN3wOsYnsIDqKWwo Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLStfTQaLmLwh3UFdm5MCoJu6G3nfhvbSR Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjMIZoW29M2-zs3s_RXphng Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 17 Crafting Life Hacks And Decor Ideas: https://youtu.be/RvQNaCqx25I?list=PLStfTQaLmLwjEC9v9ULlK4hmjBd15MbLi Are you inspiring by magic tricks and illusions? Or maybe you just like to amaze friends and acquaintances with sleight of hand? In any case, our new compilation of magic tricks will surely be useful to you. Supplies and Tools: • Cardboard boxes • Saw • Blankets • Elastic bands • Two-sided scotch tape • Smartphone • Hairdryer • Feathers • Paints • Shampoo • Brush • Banknote • Nylon thread • Paper • Cardboard • Scissors • Ribbon • Coins • Tic-tac box • Small box • Magnets • Printed pictures • PVA glue • Matchboxes • Plastic • Awl • Cards • Handkerchief • Needle • Rubber glove • Kinetic sand • Egg • Scotch tape • Brick, tiles • White toilet paper • Napkins • Water • Fan Music: Kovan & Electro-Light - Skyline by Creative Commons Music is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Source: https://soundcloud.com/creative-commons-music-742835992/kovan-electro-light-skyline-creative-commons-music Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... DIY Accessories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: what magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
Subscribe Here: https://goo.gl/bvf29t 9 DIY Weird Makeup Ideas! Makeup Pranks: https://youtu.be/tnk0KaKDXuE?list=PLStfTQaLmLwgNIPT7UKfSMX7NPt7dCBYv If you're a little bored with friends, it's time to entertain, surprise and amaze everyone around with new magic tricks and prestidigitation! Which ones? Watch in our new video just now! Supplies and tools: • Paper • A thread • Pencils • A needle • An elastic band • An apple • A balloon • A handkerchief • Paper bills • A glue stick • Nails • Bandage • A red marker • matches • Balloons • A tray • Coins • Two-sided scotch tape • Eggs • A syringe • A glass vase • A glass • A fork • A rope • A Coca-cola bottle • Empty bottles • Oil • A plate Music: Tobu – Mesmerize by Tobu is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Source: https://soundcloud.com/7obu/mesmerize Watch More Troom Troom SELECT: Popular Videos: 19 Magic Tricks To Impress Your Friends: https://goo.gl/ggry7A 16 Edible School Supplies! Prank Wars!: https://goo.gl/FNCAaz 19 Life Hacks To Make Your Life Easier: https://goo.gl/6KE9As 16 Cool Things You Can Make With Glue Gun: https://goo.gl/LUXVsG 14 Hot Glue Gun Life Hacks For Crafting: https://goo.gl/U2MVQt Popular Playlists: Back to School: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best Life Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... DIY Accessories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Home Decor Ideas: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Best pranks: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Follow Troom Troom Select: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/yZSTiG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troomtroom/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/troomhands Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/troomtroom/ Troom Troom Español: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/RL3cF2 Troom Troom Française: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/1LHrhX Troom Troom Russian: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/kLx8qK Troom Troom Deutsch: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/qoFyJ4 Troom Troom Chinese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/T9B6oF Troom Troom Português: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/Z6vdNC Troom Troom Japanese: Subscribe: https://goo.gl/x3V8HH About Troom Troom Select: Easy DIY "how to" video tutorials. DIY Accessories, Scrapbooking Cards, Home Décor, Make Up Tutorials, Life Hacks, and MUCH more! Make it easy! For any business enquires please contact me at: [email protected] Question of the Day: magic trick did you like the most? Comment Below! Don’t forget to turn on notifications, like, & subscribe!
7 CRAZY Magic Tricks Anyone Can Do!
PLAY | 5 Magic Tricks Kids Can DO!
Your kids will love performing these awesome tricks with household props you probably already have! Subscribe to WUM for new vids M-W-F! http://bit.ly/sub2moms Shop products from this video HERE: http://www.amazon.com/shop/whatsupmoms SUPPLIES Colored Craft Match Sticks http://amzn.to/2q4tp0F Crayon Pack http://amzn.to/2pB6lDu Magic Wand http://amzn.to/2q7qX7x Thank you for making us the #1 Parenting Network on YouTube! Follow What’s Up Moms on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhatsUpMoms Instagram! http://instagram.com/whatsupmoms Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/whatsupmoms Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/whatsupmoms Follow Elle on Instagram! http://instagram.com/whatsupelle We provide our videos for entertainment and promotional purposes only. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, or usefulness of the content, instructions and advice contained in our videos. WUM is not liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on anything contained in our videos.
Learn the secret to a master magician's coin trick. It looks INSANE and you can do it with any coin. Jay Sankey makes it easy to learn magic. Download 3 FREE Magic E-books! http://bit.ly/1wtBgkj Subscribe to the SankeyMagic CHANNEL http://bit.ly/1ZUkDLa Follow me on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/therealjaysankey Visit Jay's MAGIC SHOP http://bit.ly/Kn6fLe Connect with Jay on FACEBOOK http://bit.ly/27prrGh Follow Jay on TWITTER for daily magic tips + advice! http://bit.ly/16H4djN Visit InsideDeception the world's #1 training site for magicians + mentalists http://bit.ly/1dzLh71 Find out more about Jay at JAYSANKEY.COM http://bit.ly/1YtDM60 Welcome to the official YouTube channel of Jay Sankey Magic. Jay Sankey is a true magician’s magician and is widely considered to be one of the most original thinkers and finest magic teachers alive today. He is also one of the most prolific magic creators on the planet. Jay's original tricks have been performed by many of the world’s most famous magicians including David Copperfield, Criss Angel, David Blaine, Dynamo and Keith Barry. Jay also fooled Penn and Teller on the tv show 'FOOL US' and made Toronto's CN Tower vanish! Learn fun magic and mentalism tricks from one of the world's most experienced performers and teachers. Jay uploads new tutorial videos, comedy videos, and cartoons every week. Learn the secrets to card tricks, coin tricks, mentalism and psychic tricks. Jay also reveals the secrets to his favorite, easy to do street magic tricks!
MAGIC TRICKS You Can Do with YOUR PHONE!!
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Just a short little blurb to try and stay on top of things so my next post doesn’t take a stab at rivaling ‘War and Peace’.
January has continued to not go well. My riding has been, at best in fits and starts since the 14th. All very short in the 4-6 mile range. Very local too, I might add.
This time it’s not been my own sluggishness so much as concern for Loke. Well, at least not for the past week or so any way.
It seemed the infection was back. To all appearances, it’s turning into some kind of year end/year beginning thing. The last time he was so inflicted was in late December 2015/January 2016.
Last week, January 20th, Jens told me Loke was limping. Would I look at his feet? Sure enough, his 3-toed foot had a patch of angry red looking skin. I immediately pulled out the medicated scrub and washed both front feet. Since then, it seems I’ve been managing a sort of holding pattern according to the appearance of the skin, though the limping told another story. He seemed to be getting worse.
So, out of pity for his feet, the rides have been short and few. It’s only out of pity for the whole dog, except for his feet, that I’ve taken him out with the trike at all. When he’s in the apartment, he doesn’t care that his feet have sores. He wants to go and run.
It was something of a relief that I already had an appointment scheduled with a vet at the dermatology clinic in Stockholm. Originally, it was for a little wound on his nose. His feet just decided to join in on the fun.
The appointment was for January 26th. The plan was for Jens to drive us into the city where he’d run off to take the subway to his office while leaving the car for me to drive back home.
We were an hour early, but there was a park a short distance from the vet clinic. While around home, Loke’s limp was, at times, extreme, he seemed to have no problem as he determinedly jogged along the city sidewalks and then along the paths of the park that wound up, down, and around the charming little hillocks of bedrock domes and clusters of trees. Part of it, I think, was he was so distracted by some place he’d not sniffed and marked a few dozen times in a week. Another factor was probably the fact that Stockholm seems to be much better about sweeping up the gravel after the snow/ice melts. Or maybe all the streets and walks in the area were heated so no need for graveling.
All I know, is Loke hardly limped.
Things were a little exciting in waiting room. One dog came through who was highly fear aggressive. He kept making savage lunges for Loke especially, though only when Loke’s attention wandered and he looked away. It was a relief when the man dragged that one off. I had a chat with a young woman there with her Boston Terrier. He was a bit fear aggressive as well, but quicker to calm and finally was even ignoring Loke.
Then we were off to see the vet. She was very nice. First, she looked at the original reason I’d made the appointment. Loke’s nose. Ironically, it’s improved quite a bit starting right when I’d booked the appointment. Her judgement was that it’s just a little sore that erupted from an allergy response. Such things can take weeks or even months for the proper pigment to return. As long as it doesn’t turn lumpy or start getting bigger again, she’s good to just leave it be rather than inflict a biopsy on a sensitive and potentially painful spot of a 11+ year old dog.
Then she moved on to look at his feet. She announced that there really was no sign of infection in the skin between Loke’s paw pads. Yes, the skin was a very angry red and raw looking, but no different than it might be on a human with an allergic outbreak of hives or rash. There was none of the sloughing or ‘gooey’ appearance an infection would have produced. Then she saw in his chart that he’d had the same sort of outbreak at roughly the same time last year though that one had turned into an infection and that he’s allergic to birch and/or hazel.
She told me to keep up with the 2x daily foot washes or perhaps exchange one wash for working alcoholic gel into his feet and toes if that’s easier on me. That’s to keep infection from getting a toehold (haha) in his feet. To help the skin combat the rash, she prescribed a steroidal spray once a day for 1 week and maintenance spraying 1-2x a week for a month or so to help hold out until the bloom is done.
Then it was back home where Loke limped… badly. It was heartbreaking just trying to get him from the car into the apartment.
I was absolutely thrilled that there was no infection and Loke, for the moment, wouldn’t need another course of antibiotics. It will help keep the resistant strain from becoming even more resistant.
The morning of the 27th, Loke was still pretty limpy every time he went out, but so desperate for more than hobbling walkies. Jens was taking the car, but I decided to have him drop us off at the storage where I’d take a short rolling walk with the fuzzy back to the apartment.
Loke did pretty good all things considered. I thought he seemed maybe a tiny bit less sensitive. I felt surprisingly good too. Of course, it wasn’t like I was pushing myself, but then I didn’t seem to need to push myself. One of those chicken and egg things.
Though it was less than 2 miles, it seemed to help Loke settle a bit. At least he wasn’t trying to bully me any more. He still paced around and sighed, but was mostly content to leave me in peace.
Yesterday, there was marked improvement in the fuzzy. He still had ‘ouchie’ moments where he’d give a brief hobble like I would if I stepped barefoot on a sharp pebble, but not limping with nearly every step even on heavily graveled surfaces.
I didn’t get to take advantage of it though because I started feeling very unwell yesterday. Not sure what was going on, but all I felt up to doing was laying around and feeling woozy and nauseous.
Today, 2nd full day after the vet visit, Loke is much improved. Hardly a hint of sore feet at all. Jens took him for a longer walk and reported only a few moments of hesitation where the gravel was worst, but nothing he’d call an actual limp. The skin is looking much better too!
Sadly, it comes too late to save the month. I’d set a goal of 25 miles a week for a minimum of 100 miles for January. The first week, fell short. The 2nd week I managed to squeak out 26 miles over 4 rides. 3rd week, nose dive with a 15 miles. Last week was a pathetic 7.46 miles since I could only go on very short, slow rolls and Loke wouldn’t let me leave him alone to ride without whining with possibility of erupting into howls. Our neighbors would just have loved that.
I’ll break 60 miles for the month. Maybe even 70, if Loke’s feet hold up, but still significantly short of the 100 I wanted to do better than January 2016.
Some people on my recumbent trike FB group point out that goals like those of ‘more miles than last time’ build up into a self-defeating prophecy. I recognize they’re right in the ultimate long run, but really, 25 miles a week shouldn’t be brutal even for me! I remember when 25 miles was hardly worth going out the door for! If I wanted to try and smack down 1000 miles a month, yes. But the pitiful distances I set as goals should be obtainable, barring threat of frostbite or a husky going all hysterical with separation anxiety and boredom because his feet keep him housebound.
Setting the same goal for next month. 100 miles broken into 25 mile weeks. February 2016 had 91 miles so it’s not like the goal is doubling the miles or anything. January 2016 was 87 miles, so a measly 13 mile increase shouldn’t have been so killer. I suppose I should give myself some slack for Loke’s issues and the days when we had highs of 2 F, but… just a bit frustrating all the same.
So, on January 1st I hit the ground running with that lovely, frosty ride.
After that, things did a nose dive. The 2nd and 3rd of the month, I didn’t ride because of work naturally.
On Sunday (Jan 2nd), while at work, I planned out my goals for the month. I need/want more miles in this January than I had last if aiming to make 2017 the new ‘Best Ever Distance Year’, obviously. At 87.98 miles for January 2016, I decided to aim for the nice round figure of 100 miles. Breaking the month of January into four 7-day blocks, I would need 25 miles per block.
I knew, with the weather and how slow I’ve been of late, not to mention the parade of colds, it could be a tight schedule, but at least I have the 3 ‘extra’ days that don’t fit into the nice, neat 7-day blocks which I could use for make up or just 1 or 2 (dare I even think 3?) extra rides for the cherry on top.
The 4th, out I went, sticking to schedule as it were!
I can’t remember why nor did I mention the ride on Facebook as a reminder, but the ride was only 2.12 miles, a bit shorter than my usual dash from the apartment back to the storage. The ride did that, but mostly, it was just doubling around. I did a very short out and back past the mosque as if I’d meant to go toward the grave mounds, but changed my mind. I guess I must have felt really weak or perhaps there was so much snow to push through. Something that just slowed or bothered me too much to be endured.
Almost up to the axles on my 20″ front wheels.
After that pitiful ride, there were no additional rides for that first 7-day block of the month. A bitter disappointment, but we had insane amounts of snow fall and then days where the highs were in the single digits. Low 20’s or perhaps even into the high teens I’ve adapted to, but single digits?! Not yet. Maybe one day. On one of the warmer (temps in the teens), Jens tried to talk me out for a ride, but I said I wanted to wait. He persisted, asking what waiting another day was going to get me. I pointed out that riding on a plowed road was much easier than trying to pedal the trike through 5 or more inches of untouched snow. I wanted at least the streets plowed.
The reason the city was so laggardly about plowing was mostly because of 12th Night holiday that Sweden observes in its secular fashion.
Of course, once they did plow, the temp dropped.
The first week of January finished with a whopping (sarcasm) 11.18 miles.
Then Sunday (Jan 8th), the temp crept back up until barely freezing and I watched as it sorta snowed through the windows of the shop at work. Monday (Jan 9th), was more of the same, except the temps did a huge jump into the 40’s and it was mostly a drizzling rain in place of the snow. It triggered a major flash thaw that turned the streets into rivers and lakes.
I woke at 5:30 am on January 10th. The thermometer showed above freezing (34 F) and the forecast said it would be cloudy, but warm for Sweden in January and dry.
I pulled on layers for what I thought would be good enough for for mid-20’s to account for any windchill. Loke bounced around as I made sure I had my phone and Garmin, plus everything else in my handlebar bag.
We stepped out the door and I immediately stopped to hang my head with a sigh. The forecast was wrong again. Rain. I stood there a moment, evaluating, before deciding the precipitation was light enough that it wouldn’t do more than dampen my outer layers in the hour or so I’d be out. Determinedly, I marched to the car.
Loke was thrilled to be out after 6 days of having nothing but walkies. The first half mile stretch of road was slush, but the furball’s sheer exuberance pulled us into a brisk 9 mph as he ran happily through the pools of light of the lamps in an otherwise, inky dark morning.
The cycle paths were wonderfully clear and so were most of the other roads of my River Loop hamster track. One of them was hard frozen enough it could have been used for a crude skating rink, but offered plenty of grip for husky paws and studded tires. Once, the Garmin displayed 28 F, but mostly it hung at about 29.7. The rain got lighter if anything so I never felt any chill from that at least.
As for me, I felt pretty strong at the start of the ride, which was a nice change from weak and sluggish of many of the last few rides. My stamina petered out rather quickly, but given how few rides I’ve had since the beginning of November, that’s hardly surprising. Gives me hope though.
It was annoying that I didn’t have time to ride more than I had, but the car had to get back to Jens for him to go to work.
Another annoyance pricked at me through the duration of the ride. My little fairing started to list over to the left. A few times during the ride, I had to kick my left foot out of the straps to push it back to the right. I was baffled, because I was absolutely certain, it had been wrenched it down good and tight when remounted. I would have tightened it as soon as I noticed it moving, but had left the tool at home.
Slow as I was and with the fairing slouching over bit by bit with every bump, I had plenty of time to ponder the problem.
One explanation of course was that I’d not tightened it down as much as I thought. Another though, was when I’d removed the fairing the last time, the powder coating paint of the bar that gets clamped by the removable part of the fairing mount just flaked off in one piece. Maybe the unpainted metal of the inside of the fairing’s bar with the uncoated metal of the part on the trike offered too little friction to keep it from moving.
Wobbly fairing, rain and general slow speed, we got through the ride and all before there was even a hint of dawn in the sky.
Then Loke and I were off to his vet appointment. He’s been stiff so much of late, as well as needing a renewal on his prescription of anti-inflammatory medication.
The vet said he’s mostly stiff and uncomfortable in his feet and ankles, so just a continuation of what the podiatrist he saw last year commented on. She did have a recommendation about a treatment though. A series of injections over 4 weeks with boosters to be given every 3 to 6 months that supposedly would help lubricate the joints. She said there’s been good results. I said I’d think about it.
As for the spot on the nose, she said it just looked like a little abrasion. Nothing lumpy or particularly threatening about it. Still, she took my word about its persistence as well as the fact Loke doesn’t seem to be rubbing at it. She recommended I see a dermatologist about it.
I told her I’d arrange it since we have a dermatologist as it were.
Turns out, no we don’t. I called the wonderful woman who helped us stem the flood of infections Loke used to have and get him stable, only to find she’s no longer at the Stockholm clinic. She moved to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Since the clinic there still seems to have the best collection of animal dermatologists, I booked a time with one of the others. The earliest they had was January 26th. The receptionist told me to keep an eye on the spot and if it starts looking dramatically different, she’d fit us in with the one GP vet that works there to at least start tests for cancer.
Later in the day, one of my bosses/co-workers called to ask what other days of the week I was scheduled. Gave me a pang of frustration as I can’t really afford to keep harassing my husband’s family with my job, not to mention Loke needs more than walkies. I’d say, he does best with a minimum of 3 outings with the trike a week. Less than that and he starts getting bored and annoying. More is better when I can swing it.
I answered that no further shifts been scheduled so they asked for Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday, I had laundry scheduled and it was desperately needed, but I unbent enough to say I could work 2 to close on Wednesday. That would still give me a chance to run Loke with the trike in the morning, he could be left alone for the 5 hours I worked without anyone else needed to come walk him, and since I had the car, I could drive myself.
When I originally started working at the shop, Charles had put it forth that I work just 1 day a week, Sundays with emergency shifts when needed. Sunday is the shortest shift with the store open just from Noon to 5 pm. He knows about my stroke and respects whatever physical limitations I might have, yet would give him and his wife time with the family.
I felt a bit rough for the first couple weeks, but hung in and actually improved. Charles would call and ask if I could fill in other days. I soon built up better stamina though so offered them another day a week. I picked Monday. It’s a day that seems to be easiest on my husband’s parents to come walk Loke around 2 pm when Jens and I are at work. Having it as a set day, means they always know it’s on Monday and don’t have to continually scramble their schedule around my job.
Now, it another partner seems more in charge of the Uppsala store and if there’s an expectation for me to work more days of the week when it’s not an emergency, it could get complicated. I can’t and won’t further burden other people with my job. It’s not fair to them and losing outings with the trike isn’t fair to Loke or to me. My weight has already gone up. I’ll admit that could be mostly down to colds, weather, and other such cutting my rides short, but still, losing those two potential days to ride can’t help.
So, when I went out for a ride on Wednesday, Jan 11th, I felt stressed. Before my co-worker’s call, The plan had been to tackle a nice 15 mile ride on Wednesday. Instead, I had to keep an eye on time to be sure I had time to get ready for work. Time, time, time. Two rides and both of them dictated by restrictions of forces other than my own strengths and the weather.
Still, with work only starting at 2 pm and being awake so early, I thought about at least tackling my 10 mile Vaksala Church loop to give Loke more exercise as well as try to make up the miles I lacked in the first week of the year. While dressing and lookout out at a world entirely devoid of sunlight, I decided to wait for dawn. The previous day’s ride had been undertaken completely in artificial light sources. Might have been a nice change to do it daylight even if it was a gray sky.
So, about 9 am we were at the storage. I had remembered the tool and tried tightening the clamp on the fairing, but even when I’d wrenched it until it wouldn’t budge, the fairing still wanted to wobble. Electrical tape to the rescue!
The later start meant I had to forego the 10 mile ride so, River Loop again.
The ride was much like the previous day’s. Slush at the start, mostly clear cycle paths, but in murky gray daylight instead of dark. Oh, and wind. The. Wind. Any time I was riding near clusters of trees, they rocked and swayed with creaking limbs as the torrent of air in the branches sounded like rapids of a river. Little bits of twig and even thin branches were scattering about. It made the ride even harder as it seemed no matter which way I rode, the wind was in my face.
My Garmin said it was about 34 F even with windchill. Generally at that temp, my feet would have been happily snug in their boots with cushy wool socks and the fairing, but that wind found ways around the fairing and stripped away any bit of warmth. By about mile 3, my left toe actually became uncomfortable, bordering on painful from the cold. Naturally, my footwarmers’ batteries had decided they didn’t have a charge in spite of spending most of the night plugged in. At least the rest of me was perfectly dressed even against such blustering air.
Because of the cold toes, I skipped the extra 2 miles I had planned to add before starting the ‘get ready for work’ scramble. 4.5+ miles. Once we were back home, Loke’s spent the entire time following me around and staring at me pitifully. I think he knew he was going to be all by himself for a time. Or maybe he’s was trying to tell me he wanted more than a pitiful, shortened River Loop.
Thursday, Jan 12th, was laundry day. In the hopes of getting an early start on the wash, there was no ride.
Friday, the 13th. The first one of only two we’ll have this year. What a muck up it turned into.
After the first two rides of the week being such stressful, time constrained things, I’d fully planned to to just head out and go for a ride WHEN I wanted, HOW I wanted, and for as LONG as I wanted. The only time issues I’d allow for it would be sunset and how long I could endure the cold.
Though I wasn’t entirely convinced it was true, the forecast was excellent. 35 F, not supposed to be much in the way of wind, and at least partly sunny.
Normally, I don’t hold much stock in the Friday the 13th thing, but UGH! It seemed to be in high form on that day.
It started out well enough. Waking early, I plotted a tentative route out through the countryside with my hubby’s offer to come get Loke and I at the end of it, rather than worrying about a loop. Though the ground wouldn’t entirely be new, after about 4-5 miles, it would at least not be ‘Hamster Track’ ground. I had the way mapped in good time… and everything fell apart when I started trying to print the maps.
First, I couldn’t copy the screen view of my monitor and get it to paste into Photoshop. Finally, I had to bully the hubby out of bed to figure out what was wrong with it after beating my head against that for almost an hour. Then, Plotaroute.com wasn’t printing its maps like it should either. That ate up almost another hour. Then I started to get dressed and discovered I couldn’t find my camera which was another 20 minutes or more tearing around the apartment in desperate searching. Finally I remembered I’d left it at the storage.
After all that silliness, it was coming up on 11 am, less than 4 hours of day light left. Probably would have had to pack up and go home about the time I got off the Hamster Track and into more interesting ground. Just wasn’t worth it.
The hubby grumbled when I said I’d do just another river loop, but out Loke and I went.
The fuzzy was thrilled and enthusiastic. Pulled like mad for that first half mile and happily charged down the long hill toward the river after going across the overpass. There was a bit of sun and blue skies as we followed the cycle path beside the Fyris River north of Uppsala, Sweden. Clouds were coming though, in interesting bands across the north eastern horizon.
We were on the return half of the loop when Mother Nature started calling. Actually, she kinda skipped calling and went right down into screaming. Fortunately, by the dog yard at the beginning of the Grave Mound path is an outhouse. The 150 yards/meters between the outhouse and the intersection was rock hard, slick ice. For the first 100 yards or so, I’d guess I pedalled the equivalent of 200 yards with so much tire slipping.
34 F ambient temps aren’t ideal for an uninsulated outhouse where one can see day light between the floor boards, but any port in a storm.
Wistful about the other dogs.
When I stepped back out, Loke was staring mournfully past me at the dog yard where fellow canines ran and played. Unfortunately, since Loke doesn’t play well with other dogs, we moved on.
Yeehaw. A bumpy, slippy ride down.
Silly me, we should have just skidded back the way we came. For some reason the ice armored path up a hill called to me. I should have let the previous 150 yards of path be a warning. At first it wasn’t too bad. Lots of tire slipping, but still we inched forward. Finally I found there was enough room to the far edge of the path where I could put the rear wheel for more traction and still give Loke enough space to walk. Then it was all ice across as we slid in a rattling glide down the hill we climbed. The next hill was just a little bump and yet I absolutely got _NOT_ get any traction. The ice was laughing at me and thumbing its figurative nose at my studded tires.
Finally, I had to give up. The last 200 yards of that portion of path, I got up, turned the trike around, and started dragging it. Loke was NO help. He kept pulling off in random directions for sniffing, dragging the trike. Finally, I was stuck walking in the crunchy snow beside the path with the rear wheel in one hand and Loke’s collar in the other just to be able to make any progress.. He kept shooting me reproachful looks.
Finally under a bit old oak, was a big patch of bare gravel of the path where it intersected another. I plopped the trike down, turned it and then sat down to continue. The rest of the way off that end of the burial ground path was flat, so even though the tire spun, I didn’t have to walk the trike.
Every now and again, I need that little reminder that ice on unpaved paths and roads is in a whole different class than anything on paved surfaces.
We made it back with 7.19 miles and a bit of minor adventure on ice. As I finished the ride, it occurred to me that after all the aggravation of trying to plot things earlier, it was Friday the 13th. Guess that might explain some things, though at least it mostly stopped that silliness once I was on the trike. Unless one counts the ice, but that was completely self-inflicted rather than Friday the 13th style happenstance.
Loke was an immediate pest once we were back home. It seemed that 7+ miles was barely more than a stroll around the block though I certainly felt all that hard work in my legs. Not only was the furball giving me a bit of a hard time, but so was Jens. Mostly on my husband’s part it was because when Loke wasn’t harassing me with woofs and pitiful looks, he was attempting to bully Jens. So, the generally wonderful man in my life kept asking me, ‘Are you riding tomorrow? Maybe for the longer one? Are you?’ while the fuzzy one kept woofing at him or even jumping up to paw at his shoulder as if trying to pull him out of the chair.
It turned out I didn’t feel so bad after all.
I still waffled a bit about heading out to tackle the longer ride that had been so thwarted the day before. On January 13th, the temps had been in the mid-30’s. On the morning of the 14th, the window thermometer and various weather apps showed 21 F. Throw in windchill just from rolling the trike, it would go easily into the mid-teens if not colder. Still having some foot challenges, so it made me wary.
Jens assured me he’d come pick us up even if less than an hour into the outing. So, bitterly cold or not, I decided to go. I took special care pulling on the layers though, adding medium weight wool leggings under my heavy weight leggings under my tights. A first for this winter.
Though the forecast was for cloudy, it was delightfully clear as Jens dropped us off at the storage just a few minutes after sunrise. An earlier start would have been nice, using the murky light of pre-dawn to get through the places ridden the most, but that’s what I get for swinging back and forth with indecision.
Loke was soooo confused when we went straight out from the parking instead of whipping around to follow the street in our usual direction. He kept looking at me in bafflement as we rolled toward the area with our apartment. Rather than taking my usual way toward the river which would have meant riding away from the area that was my focus. Slow as I’ve been, it would have been ridiculous to waste time on the hamster tracks that wasn’t needed. I was aiming for Vaksala Church by the shortest, most direct route I could think of that didn’t involve busier roads.
The change perked Loke up more than he otherwise would have been, I think. We were still on over done ground, but rolling in the opposite direction along the paths than we typically do.
Brrr! New ‘lowest ever’ temp display while out on a ride.
As for the temperature? The numbers on my Garmin kept dropping. The previous lowest I could remember was about 16 F last year before I had to call my husband for rescue at Storvreta because my toes felt like they were being twisted off.
I kept waiting for the chill to set in, but it didn’t happen. I would have turned around then if so, but nope. Feet were all snuggly and warm feeling even without turning on my undependable footwarmers. I really should get around to replacing them.
And ‘Brrrr’ again! New coldest ever record.
Loke was really excited about time the Garmin displayed a whopping 13.8 F. It had nothing to do with the temperature though. He knew the wooded stretch we rolled along quite well and the direction we were going in revved him up. It’s probably the way my husband walks when he goes on foot with Loke to his parents’ apartment. There’s a cycle path that cuts through the heart of the complex where their building is.
I felt a twinge of guilt as my furball was absolutely convinced that ‘Grandpa’, the man with unemptying pockets of goodies was so very close… only for us to roll right by the proper turn off. Loke’s tail came down and he kept twisting his head to look back over his shoulder. Finally, he sighed and gave me glances of mournful reproach.
As I reached the round-about and scooted across the busy road to the next cycle path at the intersection, it struck me how much archaeology there was so recently cleared away in progress. For years, I rode by these empty fields in cars, not knowing about the runestones and stone-setting burials there. Now, I do know and it’s all gone. Dug up, bulldozed flat and paved over. Sad, but in human terms, progress is destruction though many would disagree. Of course, there’s practically no where in this part of Sweden where one can build without destroying some hint of long past inhabitants.
In the new shopping area, I did a little detour to dash across the mostly empty and quiet parking lot to head for a new playground recently built there.
It’s Uppsala in miniature! The burial mounds at Gamla Uppsala. The heart of Uppsala with the swan pond, the river with the mill-turned-museum, cathedral, and of course the palace. Even the eye-sore of the concert hall. All the major landmarks laid out in playful scale on rubberized surface for kids to tumble around on. The river, hidden under frost, is just blue painted rubber as is the swan pond, but still there. The playground has enchanted me from the moment I realized what it was.
Photos taken, I headed out to the nearest cycle way to rejoin the one out toward Vaksala church. I had a bit of an argument with myself as I pushed on. Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate or not?
Surviving bit of burial ground across the fields.
The internal debate raged on as I stopped to photograph a bit of burial ground I’ve driven by hundreds of times, though ridden past only a few occasions. I’ve always suspected it was one, but now I have confirmation.
I decided against the hot chocolate as I pedaled on by the Granby Mall. I didn’t want the complications it would cause later in terms of calls of nature.
Loke was finally over his disappointment and happy to walk or slowly jog along at the creeping pace that seems to be my new speed of late. We scooted across the 288 and paused there for me to take more photos.
Another burial ground just 100 yards or so from the previous.
Something poignant about old, bare-limbed trees.
In the field to my right, which was also a burial ground as I’ve long suspected, the low morning sun was doing amazing things to the frosted wisps of grass that had somehow managed to stay upright in spite of the past heavy snows. It gave the impression that a white-gold mist hovered above the snow. Sadly, my camera couldn’t quite seem to catch the magic of it.
I came up to the entrance to Vaksala church and turned in to take a quick break at the restroom there.
I have to say, while out riding in it, I didn’t feel cold at all. Once I hit the heat of the delightfully warm little stone building where the church’s restrooms hide, it was clear I was actually a bit chilled.
Still, I didn’t linger long. I wanted to do at least a little riding in places that aren’t considered part of my hamster tracks. My pace was incredibly slow, not helped in the least by the frequent photo stops. Lounging around next to a radiant heater wouldn’t have sped things along at all.
Ohhhh. That’s the cloudy weather the forecast was talking about.
We moved on a bit quicker as it’s a bit downhill from Vaksala church to the road crossing just south. As we emerged from the trees around the church and vicarage, I was startled by the view off to my left. A heavy finger of clouds reach off toward the south. I cast a glance behind me and the entire northern horizon was dark with the approach of the weather front. Quite dramatic looking really.
No way to outrun it, but at least it was cold enough that it would be some kind of extremely freakish weather phenomenon for it to be rain. Though I guess ice storms are proof it could happen.
A tiny little burial ground.
We scooted across the road and continued down the cycle path running through the residential area. Another quick stop to photograph a mini-burial ground with 4 circular stone settings. I was racking up the burial ground count fast. All of them ones that I’ve ridden by on my hamster tracks countless times or driven past even more. Even just going to the mall is visiting what was once an burial ground. Quite a major one was apparently built and paved over when the mall was built.
The clouds arrived fast and soon were covering the sky overhead and threatening the southern horizon where the sun calls the winters home in Sweden.
The progress of the clouds sweeping in from the north coincided almost perfectly with my shift from ‘hamster track’ ground to ‘not so frequent’ territory. We toodled through at not-great-speed through the last of the cycle paths through the residential area and reached the first little road that began the transition to ‘country lane’ as it were. Under all the houses there, it seems was once a rather significantly sized activity stretching from the Stone Age right through to the Middle Ages.
While writing this up, I’ve also found several burial grounds that I missed within about half a mile of the area. I may have to ride through again to collect those. It seems runestones and churches were my obsessions (and still are), chasing burial grounds has joined the fun. I’ve always been thrilled to find them when I’ve done so, but as my archaeology map website is proving, they’re a lot more tricksy than churches and runestones. Well, except for runestone fragments hiding among tumbled stones in woods.
Loke had already been fairly interested in our surroundings. After all, it wasn’t the River Loop. Yet, once we pushed free of the little houses with their postage stamp sized backyards with little fences and hedges, he perked up even more. He likes trees and fields, places with slightly more open views where he might catch a glimpse of some small creature in the distance.
The sheep we passed? He couldn’t have cared less. I’m not even sure he glanced at them though they watched us with intense suspicion. Perhaps it’s that ancestral memory of the whole sheep/wolf conflict and it’s been remarked on occasion how much like a wolf Loke resembles.
Somewhere around and perhaps even a bit before the sheep were, you guessed it, burial grounds. I missed 2 of them as I was abruptly dazzled by ground I’ve not seen a dozen times in a single year.
Bad lighting, but a standing stone to the right.
The 3rd one was more obvious. It was the big standing stone that called my attention to it and reminded me of my fascination. The lighting wasn’t the best, what with it being off to the south and there still being a thin band of brighter light where the edge of the clouds hadn’t quite reached the distant horizon.
It was amazing. Though I was still as slow as ‘turtles stampeding through peanut butter’ (an favorite phrase to describe me at times), I felt so much freer. Things to notice that I’d not seen in just about every conceivable non-disastrous condition on my rides. Examples being fire, flood, asteroid impact, or zombie apocalypse, but I think I can do without seeing the scenery near my apartment in those conditions. Not once had I set eyes on the Fyris River! That in itself was cause for joy.
The landscape opened up for the final push to cross the busy 282 for the push for Danmark Church. Rather boring stretch really. There’s hints of archaeology described on my map site, but all of it is lost to vast stretches of plowed fields as well as the E4. About the time we emerged from the trees, the clouds that had blanketed the sky except for the bare edge of the southern horizon finally proved to be carrying precipitation after all. Snow.
Not big fluffy swirling flakes mind you. More of a grainy, blowing dust wasn’t even really enough to accumulate any where in spite of the fact that it made distant tree-lines into misty shadows. A kind of sandstorm but with tiny grains of ice.
It was a bit unpleasant along that open stretch as we pushed on and had a bit of a faster charge to go under the E4. Utterly flat and nothing to break the wind for 100’s of yards if not a mile or more in some directions. Even on days where it’s generally not that windy, such open spots seem to encourage it. Though at least my Garmin was displaying 23 F instead of 13 F.
Finally, we scooted across the 282 when someone was nice enough to stop which made traffic easier to navigate since I only had to worry about one direction instead the both. I made sure to give them a big smile and cheery wave as I passed the bumper of their car.
Loved the combination of rocks, buildings, and trees here.
Back in among the trees, it was more pleasant going as we sloooowwwly cranked up the little hill by the vet where Loke had surgery years ago. It didn’t appear Loke had any recollection of the horror of that experience. He was focused in getting us up that hill.
Burial ground among the trees.
The scenery was much more interesting again among hills and with patches of woods to break up the areas of crop fields and pastures.
I admit, by this time, there was a sense of aggravation. A petty one, to be honest. The sheer number of things I wanted to photograph was slowing me down. Rather, what was slowing me down most wasn’t just grabbing the phone or the Canon from my handlebar bag, but arguing with my hand covers.
It started to feel like, pedal for 100 yards, stop, pull off my windproof Gore Tex mittens with wool glove liners, grab photo device, take picture, put away device, pull on glove liners, pull on one mitten, fight with too long thumb on mittened hand to get a grip on other mitten to pull mitten over glove liner. Repeat 2 minutes later. Taking the photo was generally less than 30 seconds. The mitten wrestling took almost 2 minutes, in part because there’s not a mitten or glove in existence that fits me proper. My current mittens, a bit oversized to fit with my glove liners has almost an inch and a half too much thumb. Even the old mittens which the width of my hand without glove liners had better than half an inch too much thumb.
Bored Loke waiting on me to finish glove combat.
Gloves, don’t even GET me started on gloves. I’m apparently a freak of nature when it comes to fingers. I’ve toyed with the idea of finding a professional seamstress (seamster if male?) to alter gloves and mittens with more skill than my hack and whip-stitch fashion could manage.
If not for the fact that it felt so incredibly, bitterly cold, I would have just left the gloves off. Bizarrely, it felt so much worse at 24 F than it had earlier with the record setting 13 F for a ride. Maybe it was sunshine. Maybe it was plenty of warm blood since it was the start of the ride. Could also be a matter of humidity levels. Don’t think it was really any more wind than when I started, but I could be wrong about that. All I do know for sure is that early in the ride, glove liners were enough. Later, I needed the mittens over them.
Upon reaching Danmark church, I debated calling Jens for pick up. I was feeling cold and started to worry about my feet getting chilled. Still, it wasn’t even noon yet and my feet, while a bit cool, didn’t feel bad and I’d not even turned on my warmers yet.
I decided to push on. It was so early and glove/photo annoyance aside, I didn’t feel too bad. I wanted a bit more than 8 miles. I mean, I can get 8 miles with just a few minor additions to the River Loop.
One of the Danmark vicarage buildings.
Of course, Loke was happy to keep going. Our pokey pace was barely enough to get his heart rate up if I had to guess. A few downhill stints where we might have hit 9 mph, but little more than that. Much of the rest of the way was 5 mph at best and often less. My heart rate, on the other hand, was probably up quite a bit. Felt like I was working for every foot I rolled. I didn’t feel weak or sluggish. Just felt like the trike weighed about 1000 lbs rolling through sand.
I had optimistically plotted roughly 20 miles for the ride. While hopeful I could make it, I didn’t really expect to. At least it gave me plenty of distance with guidance for chasing down the burial grounds, runestones, or ruins that might be lurking around the area. Not to mention other medieval churches.
So, it was the next church on the route I hoped to hit before needing to call the ride. It was less than 5 miles way, which I was fairly sure was possible before sunset.
Alas. It wasn’t to be. Not long after I left Danmark and plodded on, the cold abruptly got to my feet even with my footwarmers working. To alleviate the discomfort, I had to stop every 15 minutes or so to walk around for 3 or 4 minutes to get the toes to stop aching and warm up. Then it was every 10 minutes for 5 minutes of warm up. Wasn’t going to get anywhere at that rate.
Between my toes and perhaps my annoyance with the mitten tussle for every photograph, I got sloppy and passed by quite a few landmarks without noticing. Tsk-tsk on me.
I called Jens to come get me at Linnaeus’ Hammarby, an open air museum celebrating the Swedish national hero who developed the method of categorizing plants, animals, and fungus in Latin.
The cold had a good grip on me by then. I had to keep stopping to put my hands under my arms to stop the harsh sting as I worked to dismantle everything to hurry along getting the trike loaded when Jens arrive.
Loke was disappointed, I think. So was I really. We’d just managed 9.99 miles. It was barely 1 pm. Just couldn’t take the cold any more.
Still, it had been nice to have about half the distance, or a bit more, off the hamster track. Not exactly new ground, but somewhere I’d not been in the better part of a year at least.
And here, I’ll end the post as 6500 words is a bit overlong as it is.
Though Jens offered, repeatedly, to do pick up and drop off for another leg of the Mälardalsleden, I couldn ‘t quite dig up the motivation for it. Part of it was the fact that the portions of the loop are moving further and further away from home and Stockholm and the days are currently so short. By the time he’d reach the Mall of Scandinavia, it would practically be dark and he’d have to come get me again. No way he could get home and sit for more than 20 minutes either. There was also the fact we were to have dinner with his parents that evening which put more pressure on cutting the day short sooner.
So, 2016 went out with me on the hamster tracks around here.
Loke’s been having issues though. Moving stiff or as if his feet hurt. I’ve looked closely at every inch of his toes and paw pads, but everything looks fine. Still, he’s often been moving how I would if walking barefoot on fresh oyster shells. Combined with the fact I felt weak and sluggish with an aching hip, the last ride of 2017 was a whopping 2.95 miles.
Solo Rides – 24 for a total of 130 miles.
Rides With Loke – 179 for a total of 1,188 miles.
I beat the miles to make 2016 the best distance year ever, probably the time and certainly number of rides, but the rest of the stats are pretty sad. I was surprised there were that many manor houses, but I guess I have the Mälardalsleden to thank for that.
The rest of the numbers are simply pitiful. Pretty much every single year I’ve been blogging, I’ve found more than a dozen churches, one year it was 40, the average is probably 25. Same with runestones. It’s all the hamster tracks I’ve been doing. They’re wrecking my numbers.
24 solo rides is the most of those I’ve done in a dog’s age. Perhaps since 2008 when I set that first enduring mileage record of 1200+ miles. Last year, except for the tour, I don’t think Loke was away from my side except on those occasions when Jens would come get him mid ride.
That said, this year for Loke was his best ever. 1,188 miles. Pretty good for an old man, wouldn’t you say?
Through the rest of New Year’s Eve, Jens kept telling me that for January 1st, he’d drive me anywhere for me to ride. No complaints.
I took him at his word and started looking for something to ride. I don’t know what it is, but I had a really hard time deciding on where. It wasn’t until I woke up on the 1st (about 5:30 am), I picked something and started plotting.
I took pity on Jens and didn’t pick something too far either. Admittedly, it wasn’t completely fresh territory and it wasn’t the next leg of the Mälardalsleden. A few years ago, I did some kind of ride involving a little village called Österbybruk with a history of iron working. Apparently there’s something there called a Walloon Forge and it is the world’s only perfectly preserved working example. Another ride, years ago, was started in a little town called Alunda. So, for my New Year’s Day treat, I plotted a route between the two.
For a tiny bit of fresh ground, I set the start point of the ride 4 miles outside of Österbybruk, at a church called Dannemora. I’ve been curious about this church for years. So, about 3/4ths of the 20 mile route was going to be on roads I’ve never ridden. The rest have only been ridden once years ago. Most of the major landmarks were one’s I’ve seen before.
With the help of the Swedish Archaeology web site, I found minor points of interest to chase down. A lot of it was ‘might not be much visible’ category, but I was determined to still look when I could.
The weather forecast was pretty nice for the day around the area I was going to ride. Highs at about 38 F and sunny. Little to no wind. To err on the side of caution, I dressed my legs in my bullet proof 400 g weight wool, which is good for anything between 33 F to perhaps 24 F without extra help and packed a couple extra layers for my top.
We got a later start than I’d wanted, but I was determined to do at least a bit of the ride. Loke seemed a bit restless, dare I say even eager? Perhaps it was because he was already in his harness and the trike was loaded up in the back of the car.
It was a beautiful drive. The sun was playing a bit of hide and seek with the clouds cluttering the southern 1/3 of sky. Across the fields, patches, pools, and streamers of mist drifted up from the fields. One stretch where the land dropped into a deeper valley around the river, the fog pooled like water turning it into a lake of opalescence where the sun touched it. Sadly, the drive was on a carriage way with no place to safely pull over so I could take photos of such breathtaking beauty.
As we neared my destination, I was given a rude surprise. While staring out the window dreamily, I absently asked Jens, “What does the car say?” That our code for the ambient temperature reading the car’s dash displays.
That snapped me to the present and I echoed that number in disbelief and concern. -2.5 C comes to 27.5 F. Waaaaayyyy colder than the 35 F the computer had told me it was.
It made the back roads interesting I must say. We went to a stop at one intersection and nearly slid right through it.
Dannemora Church – First of 2017!
Yet, we arrived at Dannemora Church without incident.
It was cold as I scrambled about to assemble the trike. Jens walked down the little road with Loke a ways and nearly went down on its slick surface which convinced him to walk in the frost-crunchy grass. Though it was after 10 am, the surroundings were much in shadow as there was a bit of a tree covered rise to the south hiding the sun which at this time of year is still sits low to the horizon even at its zenith.
I discovered I’d left the flag at storage. That worried Jens some, given how shadowed most of the road was not to mention slippery. To ease his mind, I mounted the nice, bright lights he bought me a couple years ago and turned them on.
Jens wasn’t convinced my studded tires would be enough to keep me from sliding around on the roads, but he didn’t attempt to dissuade me as Loke was hitched up and I settled into the trike.
Lovely little barn going to ruin.
My furry cycle partner was all bright eyes and wagging, bushy tail as I turned the Garmin on. As soon as I loosed the parking brake, he threw his weight into his harness and hauled like a dog possessed. Gone was the limping creature of the past weeks. No sign of hesitation brought on by stiff, inflamed muscle. He was all power and smoothly running animal.
There wasn’t much of anything like hills at first and I let Loke go as he wanted, pedaling a bit to boost us along when I wasn’t lurching us to a stop for photos. He had that happy, tongue-floppy husky grin as we hit speeds nearing 15 mph. It’s been weeks, perhaps even months since I’ve seen such verve and enthusiasm in him. It was worth that extra windchill at such speeds to see him so strong and crazy-happy. He honestly seemed happier than I was to be off the hamster tracks!
Frosty roads or not, both Loke and the trike had no trouble keeping traction. Our breath puffed in clouds as I rolled along with the loping, delighted husky beside me. My Garmin showed 28 F but I felt surprisingly little of it. While I had my wool socks and boots (non-studded), the cold has tended to get to my feet at those temps, but my feet felt snug.
No problem on the frosty roads!
After a couple miles of shadowy, mossy green woods, younger tangled wooded clumps, fields and the occasional little house, we came up to the main road in the area and scooted across into the first climb of the day.
There were signs along that climb, yellow with a stylized steam engine. That generally means an old museum railway like the one that runs in and out of Uppsala here. The one I keep meaning to take a ride on. This is a different one though. I could tell because the gauge of the tracks was larger than the Uppsala one.
Frosty grass kissed by sun and old buildings. Heaven!
After about 3 miles, Loke settled into a more sedate pace. Mostly because I think he just didn’t want to drag me around any more. There was still a bit of extra line pulled out on his tether, but not the wild dragging as at the start.
I was loving the scenery. The fields, some turned pale with a kiss of frost. The deeper, greener depths of forest where one could almost expect to see a wood imp or unicorn passing among the green capped rocks and silent tree trunks. What an incredible sense of freedom off the hamster tracks.
There wasn’t much archaeology to chase down over the first few miles. There were bits and pieces a bit off the route I’d planned, but much of it was buried deep in woods or under houses. Nothing I could easily access even if I rode to the general area. Some of the old country buildings were lovely though. One was a pretty barn converted into a dog kennel, though it might have been a newer construct.
One structure really leaped out at me from the road side at one spot though. It was back from the edge of the road, a neatly arranged ramp of rocks only slightly shifted over time. No idea what it was, but clearly man-made. If it had been near the bank of a stream or such, I would have said it was the footing for a bridge, but there was no such water course to be crossed. In hindsight, I suppose it could have been the ramp it appeared to be. One of those built to get goods easily into the upper loft of a barn. If so, it must have been a large one as it was bigger and more solid a footing than other such barn ramps I’ve seen.
First old buildings I passed in Österbybruk.
Finally we came rolling into Österbybruk. The fringes were fairly boring, but soon I was into the older parts of the village. The first buildings I found predating the 20th century were timber barn looking things painted in the traditional Swedish red. I passed them by riding down the main street that curved around them toward a mill race.
Adored it and its twin!
Before I crossed the little gurgling path of water, I noticed a pair of buildings at the end of the line of timber ones. Curved, quarter-circle structures of brick with yellow plaster and white accents. 4 of them would have made a lovely little round building with a tiny circle of courtyard in the middle. There were only two, set a bit apart from each other. They almost looked like the free-standing wings often added to Swedish manor houses in the area, but without the manor house.
The unfamiliar building with mill race running through it.
They intrigued me enough that I turned to ride between them and further up through the little lane that ran between the timber houses as well. It gave me a good look at all of them and made looping back around to come down the main road again easier.
Clock tower across frozen mill pond.
Loke was a little impatient as I toodled along at about 4 mph through there, just enjoying the look of the old town. While items in it looked familiar (the clock tower, the smithy, the manor), the arrangement was nothing like I recalled. Part of it could be perhaps that when I saw it the first time, it was warmer weather with things all green and lush. Also, it was at the end of a long ride and I was exhausted.
One building didn’t look familiar at all and that was the kinda barn looking thing just a pebble’s toss from the lovely part-circle buildings. Some of the sides were open beam structure. There was a ramp leading up to the overhead loft like many old barns in Sweden have. There was the clear sound of gurgling water echoing from it as the mill race actually ran through it. That led me to believe it was an unusual mill of some kind.
Odd that I had no memory of it given it was snuggled right up against the old smithy with it’s plaster painted a vivid yellow and the date 1794 in iron lettering just below the peak of the eaves. The smithy, I clearly remembered.
I made the turn toward the manor house, parking near the smithy to get pictures of it as well as the frozen mill pond and the clock tower on the other side with it’s blurry reflection in the ice. We passed by the manor house, stopping long enough for me to photograph the chapel which stood as one free standing wing to front and right of the main house. Then I did a quick loop to pass by it all again and cross the mill race to continue on.
From there, it was the little road out of the village to pass by the workers’ housing from back in the day, centuries passed when this was a major iron producing town. Those were familiar as well though I’d come from the other direction when i saw them last.
Once outside of Österbybruk, I was nervous about the next 0.7 mile or so. It was going to be on the 272 where I think the speed limit is about 90 kph. There’s a moderate shoulder on it, but apparently it’s been consistently colder in the area than in Uppsala. Black, gravel mixed ice took up most of the shoulder.
Fortunately, the lanes are nice and wide and visibility up and down the road was good. Also the fact it was New Year’s Day meant was probably quieter than usual. I still didn’t like it. I pedaled faster which made Loke happy. Even with a slight climb up, I hit and maintained about 8 mph for most of that distance. Nothing like motivation to get one moving better than one thinks one can.
I was sooo glad when I finally got to turn back onto a nice, little country road again. Narrow, not even 2 full lanes wide, but slower speeds and in general, less traffic.
“The Sunstone”. A property marker, I think.
That’s not to say it was all song and roses. It was sunshine though. The road mostly went south and in areas there were clear cuts, I caught that low angled sun full in the face. Even sunglasses weren’t much help. I kept thinking to myself how much easier it would have been going north. But I’d already ridden that area from south to north. I sucked it up and used my hand as a sunshade for much of the way.
I also started keeping an eye out for when I approached the areas where I’d marked archaeology. As I was approaching the first such marked item, I spotted an upright stone on the side of the road.
At first, I thought it was a runestone though I’d seen no hint of such in the area according to my various websites.
According to the little placard next to it (barring bad translation) it’s named ‘The Sunstone’ and it was apparently placed there to mark someone’s ownership of the land. Could be wrong. I need to ask the hubby if I’m even remotely translating it correctly.
Last gasp of the Canon’s battery.
Thank goodness for my decent camera on the Galaxy Edge!
As I wandered around photographing the stone and scenery, my Canon’s battery chose that moment to die. I pulled out the spare and… nothing except a little flashing red battery icon telling me to replace the battery. I’m not sure if I forgot to charge after swapping last time or if the cold sapped it. Irritating, but at least my Galaxy’s camera is fairly decent most of the time.
Just a 100 yards further on from the stone, I came up to the first of the burial grounds I’d marked. As I guessed, there wasn’t really much to see. As a rule, most burial grounds aren’t as glaringly obvious as Gamla Uppsala. Sometimes, it’s pasture land with deep, lush grass and a few stones poking up hear and there with the rest of the rocks (1-2 feet in diameter) forming the ring smothered under grass. Or under shrubs or scrubby trees. Stone rings seem to out-number mounds 7 out of 10 from what I’ve noticed. Mounds, tend to be small things. 30 feet or less in diameter, but rarely even a meter high which makes them very hard to spot in an otherwise rippled landscape, especially with bushes and trees in the way.
This burial ground perfectly fit the description. Lots of long grass, browned and flattened by winter, with clusters of shrubs and a few scrawny trees. Some stones showed here or there with caps of lush green moss, but they had no clear pattern at a glance.
I still grinned at it. Gaining that deeper awareness of the places I rode through heightened my delight in it.
Of course, I was already thrilled with my surroundings even without finding the burial ground. While I’ve ridden it once before, it was from the opposite way and I have no clear memory of that specific scenery. Free of the hamster tracks. Such a sense of freedom.
Loke and I pushed onward, making a significant climb for a bit. Along the way, I searched along both sides of the road less than a quarter mile away from the burial ground where there were supposed to be old building foundations quite close to the road. I didn’t really expect to find them though, knowing they could have been well down in the dirt, covered over with centuries of composted grass or even trees and shrubs.
Amazingly, one of them did leap out at me. A roughly square outline of similar sized rocks with a bunch of trees growing out of it. At least, I think it was one of the foundations I was looking for. It seemed there was a honking big hump of a boulder right in the middle of it that sat higher than the stones forming the square.
Frost at 1 pm! Brrr!
Even though it was after 1 pm shortly after I found the foundation, there was still frost everywhere. Most fields seemed to have a dusting of it, turning the brown of dead grasses and leaves to a more muted beige. Even dead leaves scattered along the road side were delicately outlined with white lines of the finely frozen once-dew.
I started to feel the cold. Mostly it was in my hands. Every time I stopped to offer Loke water, the canteen just sucked the heat out of my fingers and they were slow to regain it even with my glove liners and mittens.
Another burial ground. Perhaps it’s a burial mound on the left.
As I came up to the next area of burial ground, I was treated to a trio of sturdy little draft type horses in a paddock. Either Haflinger or Norwegian Fjord from the look of them, but I can’t be sure. Someone was out in the pasture with them or I would have taken a picture. As it was, I felt a bit weird photographing the burial ground at the edge of the paddock. This one, small and narrow as such things go at least had what appeared to be a recognisable little mound in the edge. It was supposed to continue on the other side of the road, but there was nothing to be seen beyond the sun brightened tangle of brushy, little trees.
The next burial ground patch was easier to make out knowing it was there, though it was thick with older trees. There were swells and ripples of the ground that were probably parts of mounds, though the stones didn’t seem to be in any formation what-so-ever.
At one stretch, Loke and I came to stop for a few minutes, but it was more to keep a pair of horses from spooking at the sight of us. Well, to keep the high strung thoroughbred type from spooking any way. The other horse was another of those little draft types. It was bundled up in a horse blanket almost right up to the ears so it was hard to tell, but I think it was Norwegian Fjord horse. I love draft horses. They’re just so calm and undisturbed by random things and end up being curious rather than scared.
The thoroughbred calmed right down. Now is curious.
Finally, the thoroughbred was starting to get distracted by other things and probably wouldn’t panic when we moved. I don’t want to spook a horse into hurting itself. I’ve already spooked one into breaking through an electric fence which allowed an entire herd to go trotting off across fields and woods. Never again if I can avoid such.
This line of stones looks a bit unnatural.
Bad as that event was, I’d feel ever worse if a horse panicked and fatally injured itself because it ran blindly over rocks or into trees just because of my weird bike.
While every now and again, I get frustrated at my slow pace, I must admit, it does let me enjoy scenery when it’s worth enjoying. This was no exception. I had time to admire the deep, secretive looking patches of woods or the frosted grass of the fields. Once, something as simple as a colourful bit of shelf fungus growing a tree stump caught my eye. Something I never would have seen blasting by in a car… or even speeding along at 15 mph with the trike.
It was coming upon 2 pm and in the 3 hours hours or so since starting the ride, we’d not even done 10 miles. I was already going to call the ride done though. My hands ached with the cold. With the sun getting lower, the temp dipped into the 24 F range and my feet started to feel the cold. I’d packed the foot warmers, but turned out the batteries were dead. There was only about half an hour of good daylight left.
Another significant influence in the decision was we were approaching Morkarla Church. I’ve been there once before, but coming from the other direction. It had a nice parking lot to load the trike. I even hoped the restroom would be unlocked, though on New Year’s Day, I was sure it was a bit too much to expect.
Aside from the church, there was also another interesting bit of archaeology to end the day on. Other than the church itself, I mean.
I rolled into the parking lot and ran up to try the bathroom door. Yes! It was open. Would you believe it was also deliciously heated?! I had really been crossing into the threshold of suffering when I arrived at the church. Hands aching in my gloves, bone deep chill burrowing through the layers of wool on my top. I think if I’d pulled on the 400 g weight top sooner, I might have been okay. I was just too cold for any body heat to build up under it when I did dig it out of the packs. My legs were chilled too though not as bad as my upper body. My feet of course, but not nearly as bad as they normally have been. I didn’t feel like there was a threat of frostnip or frostbite at all.
I practically wrapped myself around the radiator in there for 3 or 4 minutes before going back out to keep Loke company.
Loke did not want to stop. He stared at me with this bright eyed gaze and wagged his tail in hopes of continuing. I unhitched him and we walked toward what remained of the dike (like a moat but smaller in this case) that used to surround the church and the stone bridge across it. Loke bounced around me and even flung himself down for a good wallow on the mossy like plant that seemed to thrive there in place of grass.
Didn’t realize exactly what this was back in 2013. Bridge and little moat.
I took photos of the old bit of bridge and moat from several angles, wondering how I’d missed realising what it was the first time I was there. Then I scurried back to the restroom to hangout, this time with Loke. Every time I heard a car coming, I’d open the door a crack for a peek.
Finally Jens came and I rushed around, loading everything back into the car. Then it was off toward home where snuggled down into the heated car seat, trying to shake off the chill. It took me hours to stop feeling cold, buried under my electric blanket.
In spite of how cold I got, and it was less than 10 miles, it was a good day. It felt marvelous to ride somewhere else. It was inspiring to see Loke acting like a young dog again. By the way, he immediately started harassing Jens to take him for walkies the moment we were home. I counted it a good start to 2017.
Hopefully it will stay that way. I have an appointment on Jan 2nd for Loke at the vet. Part of it is to get him checked and renew his prescription for anti-inflammatory medications. Maybe even switch him since he’s been feeling uncomfortable when he doesn’t have the distraction of new places to sniff and run.
Another thing though, is he’s had a little wound on the top of his nose for almost 2 weeks now. It won’t heal. No clue how he got it. He doesn’t seem to have been rubbing his nose on anything and it won’t go away. The last time he such an sore on his nose, it was because he was stuck for 5 days on strict cage rest in the animal hospital. He shredded every blanket they put in with him and then would shove the pieces around with his nose for hours. Poor guy was just that bored. But once he was home from the hospital, it healed up in a matter of days. This has just been going on and on.
When I look at it, I keep seeing in my mind’s eye pictures of a friend of mine’s cat who had a similar sore on her nose. It turned out to be a malignant cancer. Loke’s had countless hours out in the sun and it’s impossible to keep sunscreen on a dog’s nose.
So, I’m crossing my fingers that Loke’s just been managing to rub his nose on something without me spotting it though I seem to have a supernatural sense about when he licks a foot or scratches his face, or, or, or… you get the idea.
Let’s hope that the awesome start of the year isn’t crushed by bad news. | 2019-04-21T23:09:48Z | https://terii.wordpress.com/2017/01/ |
Tandem constructs are increasingly being used to restrict the composition of recombinant multimeric channels. It is therefore important to assess not only whether such approaches give functional channels, but also whether such channels completely incorporate the subunit tandems. We have addressed this question for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, using a channel mutation as a reporter for subunit incorporation. We prepared tandem constructs of nicotinic receptors by linking α (α2–α4, α6) and β (β2, β4) subunits by a short linker of eight glutamine residues. Robust functional expression in oocytes was observed for several tandems (β4_α2, β4_α3, β4_α4, and β2_α4) when coexpressed with the corresponding β monomer subunit. All tandems expressed when injected alone, except for β4_α3, which produced functional channels only together with β4 monomer and was chosen for further characterization. These channels produced from β4_α3 tandem constructs plus β4 monomer were identical with receptors expressed from monomer α3 and β4 constructs in acetylcholine sensitivity and in the number of α and β subunits incorporated in the channel gate. However, separately mutating the β subunit in either the monomer or the tandem revealed that tandem-expressed channels are heterogeneous. Only a proportion of these channels contained as expected two copies of β subunits from the tandem and one from the β monomer construct, whereas the rest incorporated two or three β monomers. Such inaccuracies in concatameric receptor assembly would not have been apparent with a standard functional characterization of the receptor. Extensive validation is needed for tandem-expressed receptors in the nicotinic superfamily.
Tandem constructs have been employed in the study of voltage-gated potassium channels (Isacoff et al., 1990), cyclic nucleotide–gated channels (Gordon and Zagotta, 1995; Zimmerman, 2002), P2X (Stoop et al., 1999), GABAA (Im et al., 1995), and NMDA receptors (Schorge and Colquhoun, 2003). To be a useful experimental preparation, “tandem” recombinant channels must express reproducibly and homogeneously, have a defined channel composition, but at the same time maintain normal function.
We set out to use tandem constructs to express neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), with a view ultimately to obtain efficient expression of complex heteromeric combinations and examined in detail if the assumptions of the technique were valid for the tandem constructs that gave the best expression.
Tandem constructs should be particularly useful for neuronal nAChR, which, in their native form, can contain as many as four different subunits within the same pentamer (Conroy and Berg, 1995; Forsayeth and Kobrin, 1997). Functional recombinant neuronal nAChRs can however be obtained from simpler combinations, homomeric (one α subunit) or heteromeric (combinations of α and β subunits; for review see Colquhoun et al., 2003). Heterologous expression should in principle give good results for homomers, for heteromeric “pair” receptors (formed by a single α-type together with a single β-type subunit), and for heteromeric “triplet” receptors provided the third subunit, α5 or β3, cannot form pair receptors (Ramirez-Latorre et al., 1996; Wang et al., 1996; Groot-Kormelink et al., 1998). However, it is difficult to see how the complex native neuronal nAChRs combinations can be reliably produced in vitro. Even for apparently simple “pair” combinations, such as α4β2, nAChR stoichiometry depends on the expression system (Nelson et al., 2003).
A technique for obtaining receptors with a defined composition would therefore be a major advance. In the simplest strategy used in the nicotinic superfamily, tandem constructs (i.e., two subunits connected by a linker) are expressed with the appropriate monomer to produce a “pure” receptor of known stoichiometry (Im et al., 1995; Baumann et al., 2001, 2002, 2003). It was recently shown (Zhou et al., 2003) that oocyte expression of linked α4 and β2 nicotinic subunits together with either an α or a β monomer construct does produce functional nAChRs.
We found that expressing α3β4 nAChRs from β4_α3 tandems together with β4 monomers produced a heterogeneous population of channels, because of incomplete incorporation of the β subunit from the tandem construct (βtandem). The cartoons in each panel of Fig. 1 show the three possible receptor assemblies, from full incorporation of all the βtandem subunits (left) to partial incorporation (middle) to no incorporation (right). In our experiments (Fig. 1, B–F), expression of a reporter mutation (star) in different subunits detected incomplete tandem incorporation, because of differences in the numbers of mutations in the channel gate (shown by the numbers under the cartoons). Only a proportion of linked subunit receptors fully incorporated the fusion protein (i.e., are assembled as shown in the cartoons on the left of the panels).
Diagrammatic representation of different nAChR assemblies which may be formed by complete (left) or partial (center and right) incorporation of linked constructs into the receptor. B–F show the effects of introducing a reporter mutation (a Thr in the 9′ position of the second transmembrane domain) in different subunits; references are given to the figures that show the results with each combination. The number under each cartoon shows the number of mutation copies expected to be in the gate for each receptor assembly. Note that no heterogeneity in the number of mutation copies is predicted if all α, all β, or no subunits are mutated (A–C) in accord with the experiments in Figs. 2 and 5. Mutating β only in the monomer construct or only in the tandem construct (D and E) can detect the different receptor forms (see the experiments in Figs. 7 and 6, respectively). If receptors are expressed in which both α and βmonomer (F) bear the mutation, some receptors will bear five copies of the mutation (see results).
Previously we described the isolation and sequencing, using PCR-based techniques, of seven (α3, α4, α5, α7, β2, β3, and β4) human neuronal nAChR subunit cDNAs from the neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y and/or IMR-32 (Groot-Kormelink and Luyten, 1997). Using the same approach we have now also isolated full-length cDNAs for the α2 (from the IMR-32 cell line) and the α6 (from human prostate 5′STRETCH and human brain, thalamus 5′STRETCH PLUS cDNA, CLONTECH Laboratories, Inc.) subunits. Both the α2 and the α6 subunit cDNA coding sequences were identical to the corresponding subunit nucleotide sequences published by Elliott et al. (1996). Nucleotide sequences for all the nine neuronal nicotinic subunits used have been deposited in the Genbank database (EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ accession no. Y16281 for α2, Y08418 for α3, Y08421 for α4, Y08419 for α5, Y16282 for α6, Y08415 for β2, Y08417 for β3, and Y08416 for β4). All subunits, containing only coding sequences and an added Kozak consensus sequence (GCCACC) immediately upstream of the start codon (Groot-Kormelink and Luyten, 1997), were subcloned into the pcDNA3.1 vector (Invitrogen) and the pSP64GL vector. The pSP64GL vector contains 5′ and 3′ untranslated Xenopus β-globin regions (Akopian et al., 1996) to enhance protein expression in oocytes (Liman et al., 1992).
The mutants in 9′ (α3L279T and β4L272T, were L stands for leucine and T for threonine respectively) were created using the QuickChange™ site-directed mutagenesis kit (Stratagene) and their full-length sequence was verified.
All nine tandem constructs (α3_β4, β2_α2, β2_α3, β2_α4, β2_α6, β4_α2, β4_α3, β4_α4, and β4_α6) were made in an identical fashion. First, the coding region of each subunit (α2, α3, α4, α6, β2, β4) was amplified by PCR excluding the stop codon. The PCR primers directed to each corresponding start codon included the Kozak consensus sequence (GCCACC) and the EcoRI enzyme restriction site (5′-end PCR-fragment; CTGAATTCGCCACCATG…). The primer directed to the coding sequence upstream of the stop codon included the NotI enzyme restriction site (basically the stop codon is replaced by the NotI restriction site). The resulting DNA fragments were purified and subcloned into the pcDNA3.1/Myc-His version C vector (Invitrogen), using the EcoRI and NotI restriction sites.
A linker DNA fragment was created (based on Im et al., 1995) by hybridization of two complementary oligonucleotides; 5′-GGCCGCTCAGCAACAGCAGCAACAGCAGCAAG-3′ and 5′-AATTCTTGCTGCTGTTGCTGCTGTTGCTGAGC-3′. The resulting double-strand DNA linker contains a 5′-end NotI restriction site overhang (underlined) and a 3′-end EcoRI restriction site overhang (underlined), separated by 25 nucleotides (the first nucleotide [bold] is inserted to bring the NotI site [8-cutter] back in the correct reading frame, whereas the next 24 nucleotides code for the eight glutamine amino acids).
The tandem constructs were created using three unique restriction sites; EcoRI (upstream of the start codon of all subunits and the 3′-end of the linker), NotI (downstream of the coding sequence of all subunits and the 5′-end of the linker), and AgeI (between the Myc and His epitope sequences in the pcDNA3.1/Myc-His version C vector). A three way ligation resulted in the following tandem circular plasmid: * [AgeI…His-epitope…stop codon…pcDNA3.1/Myc-His C vector…EcoRI − subunit A − NotI] * [NotI − linker − EcoRI] * [EcoRI − subunit B − NotI…Myc-epitope…AgeI] * (where * represents the ligation sites and [ ] represents purified DNA fragments digested with the restriction sites indicated in bold).
To remove the epitope tags (Myc- and His-) all tandems were subcloned in the corresponding pcDNA3.1 vector, using a unique restriction enzyme site in subunit B. For instance, cutting the tandem upstream of the start codon (of subunit A) and somewhere in subunit B and transferring this fragment in the same position of subunit B, previously cloned in the pcDNA3.1 vector. Finally, all the tandem constructs were also subcloned in the pSP64GL vector. The length of the extracellular linkage of the different tandem constructs differs depending on the extracellular region downstream of TM4 of the first subunit and the length of the signal peptide of the second subunit (Table I).
The 9′ mutant tandems were created by swapping the corresponding DNA fragments (using unique enzyme restriction sites upstream and downstream of the L9′T mutation) from α3L279T (for β4_α3L279T) and β4L272T (for β4L272T_α3).
The α3_β4, β4_α3, β4_α3L279T, and β4L272T_α3 tandem constructs cloned in the pSP64GL vector were sequenced fully to check for PCR and/or cloning artifacts. All other tandem constructs were sequenced only at the outer ends to check for cloning artifacts.
HEK293 cells were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC-CRL-1573). Cells were maintained in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with sodium pyruvate (0.11 g/liter), 10% (vol/vol) heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum, 100 U/ml penicillin G, 100 μg/ml streptomycin sulfate, and 2 mM L-glutamine (all from GIBCO BRL) as described previously (Beato et al., 2002). Dishes (10-cm diameter) were plated 24 h before transfection in order to reach around 40% confluence (before transfection). Transfection with LipofectAMINE™ (GIBCO BRL) was performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, for each dish 24 μl LipofectAMINE and 6 μg cDNA were added to two separate vials each containing serum-free medium (Optimem; GIBCO BRL) to a final volume of 600 μl. The contents of the LipofectAMINE and the cDNA vials were then mixed and incubated for 30 min at room temperature. Finally, 4.8 ml of Optimem medium was added to the mixture and the whole mixture was added dropwise to one dish of cells (washed with 6 ml Optimem and aspirated) and incubated for 40 h at 37°C and 5% CO2 (transfection mixture was replaced with fresh growth medium after 16 h, see above).
All cDNA/pSP64GL plasmids were linearized immediately downstream of the 3′ untranslated β-globin sequence, and capped cRNA was transcribed using the SP6 Mmessage Mmachine™ Kit (Ambion) according to the manufacturer's instructions. For RNA electrophoresis a 1.5% agarose gel was prepared using the 1× gel prep/running buffer (NorthernMax-Gly™ system; Ambion). RNA samples (including the 0.24–9.5 Kb RNA ladder; GIBCO BRL) were diluted 1:1 with Glyoxal sample loading dye (Ambion) and incubated at 50°C for 30 min before loading. Samples were separated at 5 V/cm for 3 h and RNAs were visualized by UV transillumination and a photograph taken.
Female Xenopus laevis frogs were anesthetized by immersion in neutralized ethyl m-aminobenzoate solution (tricaine, methanesulphonate salt; 0.2% solution wt/vol; Sigma-Aldrich), and killed by decapitation and destruction of the brain and spinal cord (in accordance with Home Office guidelines) before removal of ovarian lobes. Clumps of stage V-VI oocytes were dissected in a sterile modified Barth's solution of composition (in mM): NaCl 88, KCl 1, MgCl2 0.82, CaCl2 0.77, NaHCO3 2.4, Tris-HCl 15, with 50 U/ml penicillin and 50 μg/ml streptomycin, pH 7.4 adjusted with NaOH. The dissected oocytes were treated with collagenase (type IA; Sigma-Aldrich; 65 min at 18°C, 245 collagen digestion U/ml in Barth's solution, 10–12 oocytes/ml), rinsed, stored at 4°C overnight, and manually defolliculated the following day before cRNA injection.
For Western blotting, oocytes (10 for each sample) were injected with 46 nl water or 500 ng cRNA (in 46 nl of RNase-free water per oocyte). For two-electrode voltage-clamp recording cRNA was injected at a ratio of 1:1 in order to express α3 + β4 pair receptors, and at a molar ratio of 2:1 (equals 4:1 cRNA mass) of tandem versus monomer, respectively, in order to express tandem-containing receptors (all in 46 nl of RNase-free water per oocyte). The total amount of cRNA to be injected for each combination was determined empirically with the aim of achieving a maximum ACh-evoked current of 1–2 μA and was 0.5–4 ng/oocyte, unless otherwise stated (see Fig. 3 and Table II). Oocytes were incubated for ∼60 h at 18°C in Barth's solution containing 5% heat-inactivated horse serum (GIBCO BRL; Quick and Lester, 1994) and then stored at 4°C. Two-electrode voltage-clamp experiments were performed at a room temperature of 18–20°C between 2.5 and 5 d from injection.
Whole oocytes were homogenized (10 oocytes each sample) by vigorous pipetting in 500 μl oocyte lysis buffer (100 mM NaCl, 20 mM Tris-HCl, 2% Triton X-100, 1 tablet/5 ml of complete mini protease inhibitor cocktail tablets [Roche], pH 7.6) and rotating at 4°C for 1 to 2 h. To separate yolk and membrane fractions the samples were centrifuged at 20,000 g and 4°C for 30 min. A clear 200-μl supernatant sample was taken avoiding the lipid pellicle (by inserting pipette gently through the pellicle). Proteins were precipitated by adding 5 vol (1 ml) of acetone, incubating on ice for 10 min and centrifugation at 20,000 g for 5 min. Protein pellets were resuspended in 50 μl Laemmli sample buffer (Bio-Rad) containing 5% β-mercapto-ethanol (Bio-Rad Laboratories) and incubated for 1–2 h at RT.
Transfected HEK293 cells were (10-cm dish each sample) washed once with Hanks medium (GIBCO BRL) and dislodged by brief exposure to Trypsin (GIBCO BRL). After adding 1× PBS (GIBCO BRL), cell suspension was centrifuged (10 min, 1,000 rpm) and the pellet washed twice with 1 ml PBS. Pellets were homogenized by vigorous pipetting in 1 ml HEK293 lysis buffer (500 mM NaCl, 50 mM NaH2PO4, 1% Triton X-100, 1% protease inhibitor cocktail for mammalian tissues [Sigma-Aldrich], pH 8.0) and rotating at 4°C for 1–2 h. To pellet cellular debris and DNA the samples were centrifuged at 20,000 g and 4°C for 60 min. A clear 100-μl supernatant sample was taken and proteins precipitated by adding 400 μl methanol, 100 μl chloroform, and 300 μl water, respectively, and centrifugation at 20,000 g for 3 min at 4°C. Subsequently, most of the top layer was removed (protein is at the interface) and 100 μl methanol was added followed by centrifugation at 20,000 g for 5 min at 4°C. Finally, the protein pellets were resuspended in 50 μl Laemmli sample buffer (Bio-Rad Laboratories) containing 5% β-mercapto-ethanol (Bio-Rad Laboratories).
Both HEK293 and oocyte protein samples were incubated at 75°C for 8 min just before loading (20 μl each sample) on a 8% Tris-Glycine polyacrylamide gel containing 2% SDS together with the SeeBlue® prestained protein standard (Invitrogen). After PAGE-SDS the proteins were transferred to nitrocellulose membrane (0.2 μm, protran BA83; Schleicher-Schuell). The blots were probed with rabbit antiserum to α3 or β4 (diluted 1:200 from 5-ml stock solution; Research & Diagnostic antibodies, WR-5611 [α3] and WR-5656 [β4]) followed by HRP-labeled goat anti–rabbit IgG (diluted 1:10,000, 10 μg/ml stock solution from supersignal® west femto chemiluminescence substrate kit; Pierce Chemical Co.). After washing, blots were visualized using the supersignal® west femto chemiluminescence substrate kit (Pierce Chemical Co.) and exposure to biomax light films (Kodak).
Oocytes, held in a 0.2 ml bath, were perfused at 4.5 ml/min with modified Ringer solution (in mM): NaCl 150, KCl 2.8, HEPES 10, MgCl2 2, atropine sulfate 0.5 μM (Sigma-Aldrich), pH 7.2 adjusted with NaOH and voltage clamped at −70 mV, using the two-electrode clamp mode of an Axoclamp-2B amplifier (Axon Instruments, Inc.). Electrodes were pulled from Clark borosilicate glass GC150TF (Warner Instrument Corporation) and filled with 3 M KCl. The electrode resistance was 0.5–1 MΩ on the current-passing side. Experiments were terminated if the total holding current exceeded 2 μA, in order to reduce the effect of series resistance errors. We chose a nominally calcium-free solution in order to minimize the contribution of calcium-gated chloride conductance; this is endogenous to the Xenopus oocyte and may be activated by calcium entry through the neuronal nicotinic channels (Sands et al., 1993).
The agonist solution (acetylcholine chloride [Sigma-Aldrich], freshly prepared from frozen stock aliquots) was applied via the bath perfusion for a period sufficient to obtain a stable plateau response (at low concentrations) or the beginning of a sag after a peak (at the higher concentrations). The resulting inward current was recorded on a flat bed chart recorder (Kipp & Zonen) for later analysis. An interval of 5 min was allowed between ACh applications, as this was found to be sufficient to ensure reproducible responses. A descending dose protocol was used. To compensate for possible decreases in agonist sensitivity during the experiment, a standard concentration of ACh (approximately EC20 for the particular combination used) was applied every third response for concentration-response curves. The experiment was started only after checking that this standard concentration gave reproducible responses. All the data shown in the study are compensated for the response rundown (Boorman et al., 2000). The average rundown in response to the standard concentrations for the different receptor constructs were: α3 + β4, 40 ± 3%; β4_α3 + β4, 39 ± 11%; β4_α3 + β4LT, 68 ± 5%; β4LT_α3 + β4, 45 ± 4%; β4_α3LT + β4, 57 ± 4% and β4LT_α3 + β4LT, 79 ± 3%.
To reassure ourselves that the lack of functional expression observed for some subunit combinations was true and not a false negative due to oocyte health or expression problems contingent to a given batch, oocyte data were obtained from a minimum of two separate oocyte batches for each combination. Each batch was from a different frog, processed on different experimental weeks: in every experimental batch at least one “control” highly expressing subunit combination was injected to check for expression efficiency.
(1)where I is the response, measured at its peak, [A] is the agonist concentration, Imax is the maximum response, EC50 is the agonist concentration for 50% maximum response, and nH is the Hill coefficient. We used least squares fitting by the program CVFIT, courtesy of D. Colquhoun and I. Vais, available from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Pharmacology/dc.html.
Fitting was done in stages, as follows. Each dose–response curve was fitted separately, individual responses being equally weighted, in order to obtain estimates for Imax, EC50, and nH (see results). The dose–response curves shown in Figs. 2 and 5–7 were obtained by normalizing each datapoint to the fitted maximum response in that oocyte before pooling and fitting the pooled data with the Hill equation (with weight given by the reciprocal of their variance). Parameter estimates were similar to those obtained by fitting each curve separately.
When two-components were detected in the concentration-response curve (see Fig. 7), free fits of the individual dose response curves were poorly defined because of the large number of parameters fitted. Good fits were obtained when all the concentration-response curves for this combination were fitted simultaneously with EC50 and nH values for the two components constrained to be equal across oocytes, while the proportion of the current in the first component was allowed to vary from one oocyte to the other.
Because much of our recent work focused on the human α3β4 nicotinic receptor, we chose this pair combination for our first tests. In oocytes, recombinant α3β4 receptors have a stoichiometry of two α3 and three β4 subunits (Boorman et al., 2000), probably in an αβαββ arrangement (by analogy to the muscle nAChR). This means that, out of the four possible tandem constructs, namely α3_α3, β4_β4, α3_β4, and β4_α3, only α3_β4 and β4_α3 could form a functional receptor when expressed with a monomer subunit (β or α).
Therefore, we expressed either of the linked constructs α3_β4 or β4_α3 together with β4 (in a molar ratio of 2:1 tandem:monomer). After injection of the α3_β4 + β4 cRNA combination, there was no functional expression, i.e., no response to 1 mM ACh (n = 5). In contrast with that, the linked construct with the opposite orientation (β4_α3) expressed efficiently with β4, giving an average maximum inward current to ACh in oocytes of 2.6 μA (n = 10, Table II, Fig. 2, 2 ng β4_α3:0.5 ng β4 cRNA injected), whereas injection of β4_α3 tandem alone gave no expression (1 mM ACh, n = 6 oocytes from two different batches, 2 ng of cRNA, see Table II), suggesting proper incorporation of the tandem constructs.
ACh concentration-response curves of α3β4 nAChR expressed in oocytes from monomer or tandem constructs are indistinguishable. (A) Traces are inward currents recorded at a holding potential of −70 mV in response to bath-applied ACh. (B) ACh concentration-response curves from experiments such as the ones shown in A, performed in oocytes injected with either α3 and β4 monomer cRNAs (filled circles, n = 9) or β4_α3 tandem together with β4 monomer cRNAs (open circles, n = 4). Full sets of peak responses to ACh from each oocyte were fitted with the Hill equation and normalised to the fitted maximum response before pooling (see materials and methods). The curves shown are the results of fitting the pooled data.
Recombinant receptors with and without linked subunits were identical in their ACh sensitivity, as shown by the indistinguishable dose–response curves in Fig. 2. ACh EC50 and nH were 122 ± 8 μM and 1.98 ± 0.21 for receptors containing linked subunits and 134 ± 5 μM and 1.70 ± 0.10 for α3 + β4 receptors (n = 4 and 9, respectively).
Linked subunits with opposite orientation differ in two points, namely in the position of the linker with respect to the agonist binding site domains (Zhou et al., 2003) and in the length of the effective linker (i.e., the introduced linker together with the COOH terminus extracellular domain of the leading subunit and the signal peptide of the second subunit), which is shorter in α3_β4 than in β4_α3 because of the differences in the COOH-terminal end/signal peptide of the two subunits (Table I). Either of these two factors may have prevented functional expression when the tandem orientation is α_β. Another possibility is that the α3_β4 orientation does not allow the assembly of the receptor subunits in the correct order (if assembly is similar to that of muscle nAChRs; see Green, 1999).
We proceeded to test which other β_α + β combinations gave functional nAChR, bearing in mind that the subunits known to form “pair” nAChRs in oocytes are α2, α3, or α4 together with either β2 or β4. In all oocytes injected with linked constructs of the form β4_α + β4, ACh application gave rise to large inward currents, indicating efficient production of nAChRs (maximum currents in response to 1 mM ACh are shown in Fig. 3, gray bars). On the other hand, of all the β2-containing tandems, the only combination that produced significant currents was β2_α4 + β2 (Fig. 3). No functional response was observed when subunit dimers containing α6 (β2_α6 + β2 and β4_α6 + β4) were expressed (n = 6 and 5, respectively; not depicted).
Some tandem constructs form functional channels when expressed alone in Xenopus oocytes. Tandem constructs were expressed with or without monomer construct of the same β subunit they contain (β2 or β4; 2 ng/μl tandem to 0.5 ng/μl monomer; 46 nl injected/oocyte). The four tandem constructs shown here were the only ones to produce functional receptors when expressed with the corresponding β monomer (n = 5–10). Note that three out of these four tandem constructs produced inward currents to 1 mM ACh also when expressed alone (2 ng/μl injected, n = 4–6). Only the β4_α3 tandem construct failed to produce any inward currents (n = 6) when expressed alone.
When α4_β2 tandems are expressed without a monomer, they produce functional receptors that are “dimers of pentamers”, i.e., dipentamers made up of two nAChR with different stoichiometry (Zhou et al., 2003). We therefore checked also which of the tandem constructs gave functional expression when injected in oocytes alone (Fig. 3, black bars) and found that β4_α2, β4_α4, and β2_α4 all produced functional receptors, with maximum ACh responses between 5% and 45% of those observed when the same tandem was injected together with a monomer. The tandem construct β4_α3 was the exception, in that it gave good functional responses only if expressed together with the β4 monomer. This indicates that this particular construct does not produce dimers of pentamers when expressed alone and is therefore more likely to give receptors with homogeneous stoichiometry.
We next checked that the tandem cRNA used in the transfections was pure and had appropriate molecular weight. This is shown by the gel in Fig. 4 A, where cRNAs for the α3 or β4 monomers (lanes 1 and 2) and those for the α3_β4 and β4_α3 tandem constructs (lanes 3 and 4) migrate as single bands at the molecular weights expected (∼1.8 and 3.4 Kb for single subunits and tandems, respectively). We sought additional confirmation that the actual fusion protein formed by expression of the tandem construct β4_α3 does not undergo proteolysis by analyzing the protein formed by SDS-PAGE fractionation, Western blotting, and detection by antiserum raised against the β4 subunit. This antibody detected a single band at the appropriate molecular weight (∼56 kD) in proteins solubilized from oocytes or HEK-293 cells transfected with the β4 monomer subunit alone (Fig. 4, B and C). However, there was no signal in proteins from oocytes or cells transfected with the tandem construct β4_α3.
cRNA gel-electrophoresis (A) and Western blots of expressed proteins in oocytes (B) and HEK293 cells (C). Approximately 1 μg of α3 (1), β4 (2), α3_β4 tandem (3), and β4_α3 tandem (4) besides the RNA ladder (M) were separated on a 1.5% agarose-gel (A). The Western blot in B was obtained from oocytes injected with water only (MQ), β4 only, or β4_α3 tandem (T) and the Western blot in C from HEK293 cells transfected with no DNA (ND), α3 only, β4 only, or β4_α3 tandem (T). Detection by β4 antibody and visualization by chemoluminescence. Bands for the β4 subunit were detected at the expected size of 56 kD for both blots after 30-s exposure. No breakdown products were observed for the tandem constructs in either blots, even for longer exposures up to 1 h. Note that the tandem fusion protein (predicted size of 115 kD) was not detected by the β4 antibody used (see text).
Similar results were obtained when we used antiserum raised against the α3 subunit (not depicted). The most likely explanation is that in both expression systems, the amount of antigens formed is too low for either of these antibodies to detect it above background. Similar observations have been reported for GABAA subunit dimers (Baumann et al., 2001). Clearly, our results cannot shed any light on whether there is proteolysis of the tandems into single subunits, followed by unconstrained assembly of these subunits into functional receptors. Nevertheless, this “breakdown” hypothesis is unlikely for several reasons. First, we did not obtain functional channels when we expressed either the α3_β4 or the β4_α3 tandem on its own, or the two tandem constructs together. Second, no functional channels were observed when we expressed the α3_β4 tandem with any of the other (α2 to α6, and β2 to β4) monomer subunits (not depicted). Finally, the β4_α3 tandem failed to produce functional channels when expressed with α2, α3, or α4 (a β4 “breakdown” subunit should easily have formed a pair receptor with either of these αs), or when expressed with β2 (an α3 “breakdown” product should easily have formed a pair α3β2 receptor). No functional responses were detected after expression of β4_α3 with any subunit other than β4 (see also Table II). This is somewhat surprising, given that nAChRs containing α3, β4, and either α5 or β3 in a 2:2:1 ratio are functional (Wang et al., 1996; Boorman et al., 2000; Groot-Kormelink et al., 2001).
Another requisite for the validation of the tandem construct expression technique is that the receptor formed from linked subunits should have the same stoichiometry as receptors expressed from monomeric constructs. In the case of oocyte-expressed α3β4 nAChRs, this means two copies of α3 and three of β4 (Boorman et al., 2000). A simple way of checking stoichiometry is to apply to linked-subunit receptors the reporter mutation approach that we have previously exploited for the α3β4 and α3β4β3 combinations (Boorman et al., 2000). Mutating the 9′ hydrophobic amino acid (Leu or Val) in the pore-lining second transmembrane domain of a nicotinic type subunit to a hydrophilic residue (Thr or Ser) makes the resulting receptor more sensitive to agonists (Revah et al., 1991), probably by destabilizing the closed state. The extent to which the agonist EC50 is reduced is approximately proportional to the number of mutant subunits in the pentamer (Labarca et al., 1995; Chang et al., 1996; Chang and Weiss, 1999).
Fig. 5 shows the effect of inserting a 9′ LT mutation in either all the β4 subunits (filled triangles, leftmost curve) or all the α3 subunits (filled squares, middle curve; the dashed curve shows for reference the position of the wild-type tandem receptor) expressed in the linked β4_α3 + β4 nAChR (see Fig. 2). The mutation produces a greater leftward shift in the ACh dose–response curve if it is expressed in the β4 subunit, reducing the wild-type EC50 of 122 ± 8 μM to 0.68 ± 0.02 μM (β4LT_α3 + β4LT, n = 7). A smaller effect is seen when α3 subunits are mutated, with a decrease in the EC50 to 3.81 ± 0.18 μM (β4_α3LT + β4, n = 8). This indicates clearly that more β than α subunits contribute to the channel gate in the linked subunit receptor. This pattern is identical to that seen in α3 + β4 nAChRs, where mutating β4 or α3 produced a 292-fold or a 37-fold reduction in EC50, respectively (Boorman et al., 2000). It is therefore reasonable to conclude that linked-subunit nAChR contain three β4 and two α3 subunits in the channel gating domain.
The effects of inserting a L9′T reporter mutation into all the α or all the β subunits in tandem construct receptors. (A) Examples of inward currents elicited by bath-applied ACh in oocytes expressing β4LT_α3 + β4LT (top) or β4_α3LT + β4 (bottom). (B) Concentration-response curves from oocytes injected with β4LT_α3 + β4LT cRNAs (filled triangles, n = 7) or β4_α3LT + β4 cRNAs (filled squares, n = 8). For details of the fitting see materials and methods and the legend to Fig. 2. The concentration-response curve for the β4_α3 + β4 wild-type nAChR (from Fig. 2 B) is shown for reference (dotted line). The EC50 shifts produced by the mutation are similar to those observed in α3 + β4 receptors and suggest that the channel gate is made up of two α and three β subunits both in linked-subunit and in monomer construct receptors.
As shown in the cartoons in Fig. 1, B and C, mutating all the β or all the α subunits expressed will produce receptors with three or two copies of the mutation in the channel even if the efficiency of tandem incorporation is poor. Thus, we next tested whether all functional receptors contained two copies of the fusion protein and one of the monomer. For this to be true, of the three β4 subunits in the channel, two must come from the tandem construct (βtandem) and one from the monomer (βmonomer). Mutating only the β4tandem subunits should then produce a leftward shift in the EC50 corresponding to two mutation copies and therefore similar in magnitude to the shift produced by mutating α3 (i.e., ∼30-fold; Fig. 1 E, left). This was not the case: the β4LT_α3 + β4 dose–response curve (Fig. 6, filled squares) is very close to that of wild-type linked subunit receptors (the dotted curve), but quite different from the curve expected for a receptor containing two copies of the mutation (dashed reference curve). Thus, mutating β4tandem has very little effect on the EC50 (100 ± 4 μM; n = 11), suggesting that β4 subunits from the concatemer contribute little to the channel of linked subunit nAChRs.
Low ACh sensitivity of linked subunit receptors carrying the L9′T reporter mutation in β4tandem only. (A) Examples of inward currents elicited by bath-applied ACh in oocytes expressing β4LT_α3 + β4. (B) Data from oocytes injected with β4LT_α3 + β4 cRNAs (filled squares, n = 7). Fits as in Fig. 2. The concentration-response curve for β4_α3 + β4 wild-type (see Fig. 2 B) is shown for reference (dotted line), together with the concentration-response curve for the β4_α3LT + β4 combination (from Fig. 4 B, dashed line): the latter shows the EC50 shift expected with the incorporation of two L9′T mutations.
This explanation implies that the three β4 subunits in the nAChR channel come mostly or exclusively from the monomer construct, which must be present in more than one copy because of incomplete incorporation of the fusion protein. This hypothesis was confirmed by the results of expressing β4_α3 + β4LT (shown by the experiment in Fig. 7, filled circles). The two components of this curve suggest that functional receptors produced by this combination are a heterogeneous population. Fitting the curve with a two-component Hill equation gave EC50 values of 0.67 ± 0.10 and 31.7 ± 1.9 μM (n = 8). The first EC50 is virtually identical with that of receptors in which all β4 subunits carried the mutation (i.e., 0.68 μM for linked-subunit receptors, see above) and strongly suggests that in a significant portion of receptors all β subunits come from the monomer construct (Fig. 1 D, right). There was considerable variability between oocytes in the proportion of each component of the dose–response curve. On average, the component with higher ACh sensitivity carried 58.6 ± 7.3% of maximum current, with a range of 21–100% (n = 13). Note that, for display purposes, the data in Fig. 7 are from a subset of four oocytes that had roughly comparable proportions of high- and low-sensitivity current. As the relative maximum Popen of the different wild-type and mutated forms of the receptor is unknown, it is impossible to translate directly proportions of current into receptor numbers (even disregarding channel block and desensitization).
Inserting the L9′T reporter mutation in the β4monomer subunit of linked subunit nAChRs reveals multiple receptor populations. (A) Examples of inward currents elicited by bath-applied ACh in oocytes expressing β4_α3 + β4LT. (B) Concentration-response curve for oocytes injected with β4_α3 + β4LT cRNAs (filled circles, n = 4). Data were normalized and pooled as described in materials and methods and in the legend to Fig. 2. In this case the initial fit was a simultaneous fit of a two-component Hill equation to each dose–response curve, with the constraint of equal EC50 and Hill slope across oocytes (the proportion of the first component was allowed to vary). The three dotted curves shown for reference are, respectively (right to left), the concentration-response curve for receptors with no mutations (β4_α3 + β4), two mutation copies (β4_α3LT + β4), or three mutation copies (β4LT_α3 + β4LT). The dashed curve shows the concentration-response curve expected for complete tandem incorporation as depicted in the cartoon (i.e., one mutation copy).
The EC50 of the low-sensitivity component is close to that expected for a receptor containing one mutation copy (i.e., one β4 from the monomer construct; a situation similar to that seen for α3β4β3LT receptors; Boorman et al., 2000). In the ideal case of equivalent effects for mutations carried by different subunits, the EC50 for a one mutant receptor would fall between the two mutant EC50 and the wild-type EC50 (at the geometric mean of the two values, 22 μM in this case, dashed reference curve in Fig. 7). Expression of β4_α3 + β4LT therefore shows that linked-subunit receptors are a mixed population, in which pentamers contain one, two, or three β4 subunits provided by the monomer construct.
This hypothesis was confirmed by further experiments in which the β4_α3LT tandem construct was expressed together with β4LT, a combination that should in principle give rise to a nAChR with three mutation copies (Fig. 1 F, left). However, poor survival was observed for oocytes injected with this combination over the 2 d of incubation; the few surviving oocytes (25%) had high holding current, which was reduced by 46 ± 6% (n = 3) by application of a high concentration of the nicotinic channel blocker trimetaphan (10 μM). Both the high holding current and the poor oocyte health are likely to be due to spontaneous opening of nAChRs and were similar to observation of receptors with 5 mutations (α3LT + β4LT; not depicted). Such phenomena were not detectable for nAChRs with three mutation copies or less (with or without linked subunits) and suggest again that the monomer construct contributes more than one copy of the β4 subunit to the linked subunit receptor complex (Fig. 1 F, right).
It is therefore clear that the concatemer technique fails the ultimate test for providing a method for producing nAChR of defined subunit composition, as β4_α3 + β4 receptors do not contain two copies of β4_α3 and one of β4. Simply checking the ACh sensitivity of the receptor was not sufficient to detect this receptor heterogeneity.
Tandem constructs have been used to restrict subunit composition of recombinant multimeric channels. In the present study we assessed the feasibility and accuracy of functional nAChRs expression from tandem constructs. This strategy is an initial step toward obtaining recombinant nAChRs of defined and uniform stoichiometry for more complex compositions (i.e., those that contain more than one type of β or α subunit) and for controlling the insertion of mutations in defined subunits.
Using a short linker, we obtained efficient functional expression for several pair-type combinations (α2β4, α3β4, α4β4, and α4β2). α3β4-type receptors were chosen for further characterization, as the tandem construct for this combination (β4_α3) gave no nicotinic currents if expressed alone, but showed robust expression if expressed together with β4, suggesting that the resulting receptor population may be constituted entirely by pentamers with two copies of α and three of β. These β4_α3 + β4 tandem nAChRs were very similar to their nontandem equivalent, α3 + β4 nAChRs, in that they had identical dose–response curves to ACh and responded in the same way to the introduction of a reporter mutation in the TM2 domain of either all the α or all the β subunits expressed. This indicated that the channel function was not grossly disrupted by the linker in either binding or gating and that the channel gate contained the same subunit types for both wild-type and linked subunit receptors, namely two α and three β subunits. Nevertheless, mutating only a subset of the β subunit constructs (i.e., only β4tandem or β4monomer) revealed heterogeneity in the ACh sensitivity of linked-subunit receptors. This was probably due to channels containing variable numbers of mutations (i.e., β subunits from monomers or tandems) and ultimately to incomplete incorporation of the β4tandem subunit. This means that a substantial fraction of the pentamers may incorporate only the COOH terminus α of the fusion protein into the channel.
This hypothesis is illustrated in Fig. 1, A–C, which shows that experiments in which all α or all β subunits are mutated do not give any information on the origin of these subunits. Fig. 1 D shows how a mix of the different types of pentamers (i.e., one, two, or three β subunits from monomer) explains well the presence and properties of more than one component in the ACh dose–response curve when β4monomer was mutated (Fig. 7). These components are likely to represent channels that contain either one or three mutation copies. Because of the limited sensitivity of fitting several components to a dose–response curve, we cannot exclude or quantify the presence of an intermediate fraction of receptors containing two copies of the βmonomer.
In the light of this hypothesis, it is hard to account fully for the results of the complementary experiment in which β4tandem was mutated. The ACh sensitivity of these receptors was only slightly greater than that of wild-type receptors, suggesting that most linked subunit receptors contained only β subunits from the monomer. This is in contrast with the estimate that the equivalent receptors when βmonomer carried the mutation (high-sensitivity component in Fig. 7) accounted for ∼60% of current. However, it is worth noting that in the latter experiment, there was great variability between oocytes in the proportion of high-sensitivity current and that in 3 out of 13 oocytes this was the only component detectable.
Can Alternate Stoichiometries Account for Our Results?
It was recently shown (Zhou et al., 2003) that tandem constructs of α4β2 subunits give functional expression in the absence of a monomer construct, a situation analogous to that described for the expression of P2X receptors (which are trimeric) from tandem constructs alone (Stoop et al., 1999; Nicke et al., 2003). Nicotinic α4β2 tandem constructs form dipentamers of receptors, half of which contain two α subunits and half three α (in accord with the possibility that this combination may exist in two different subunit stoichiometries; Nelson et al., 2003). While it was reported that these dipentamers disappeared when expressed with monomer constructs, we must consider the possibility that the receptors formed by our tandem constructs include a similar dipentamer alone, or together with a correctly assembled pentamer (i.e., one containing one β4monomer). It is unlikely that this possibility accounts for our findings for several reasons, first of all because the β4_α3 tandem alone does not produce functional receptors. If we assume that a dipentamer does nevertheless form, this would predict that receptors with all α or all β subunit mutated would contain two and a half mutation copies on average (as half would have two and half would have three). In turn this would suggest that, if mutations are equivalent, these different mutant combinations should have the same sensitivity to ACh (i.e., the two curves in Fig. 5 should coincide). Finally, receptors in the dipentamer are formed exclusively by tandem constructs. In the expression of receptors in which only the monomer is mutated this would predict a significant wild-type component (which we did not detect).
Similarly, it is unlikely that the results of mutating β4monomer can be explained by populations of receptors with different numbers of α subunits. If α3β4 nAChRs with three α subunits are present, they must represent a small proportion of the total, given the clear-cut results of mutating all α or all β subunits. Furthermore, a three–α subunit receptor could in principle form from the expression of tandem constructs of opposite orientation or of β4_α3 + α3, neither of which produced functional receptors.
Another possibility is that linked subunit receptors assemble correctly, but that the characteristics of the hydrophilic 9′ mutation in TM2 are altered in a way that curtails their usefulness in establishing subunit incorporation or stoichiometry. It could be that, even though the wild-type ACh sensitivity is unchanged, the conformational constraints introduced by linking the subunits distort the channel to such an extent that the magnitude of the effect of the reporter mutation becomes dependent on the subunit that carries it and on the number of mutations already in the pore, rendering the results uninterpretable. It is hard to see how that could explain the two components in the dose–response curve for the receptor from mutant β4monomer. At any rate, this hypothesis entails that the mutation has different properties in linked subunit receptors versus α3 + β4 receptors. That in itself would mean that the tandem technique has failed in reproducing this channel.
The strategy of linking subunits has been exploited in practically every channel family with favorable subunit topology (i.e., both NH2 and COOH termini on the same side of the membrane), yielding a variety of useful data (for review see Nicke et al., 2003). Inconsistencies have emerged, notably for K+ channels (Liman et al., 1992; McCormack et al., 1992; Hurst et al., 1995; Silverman et al., 1996) and for P2X receptors (Stoop et al., 1999; Nicke et al., 2003). Additionally, early results on the stoichiometry of cyclic nucleotide–gated channels obtained by linking subunits are contradicted by new studies (Zimmerman, 2002). Steric hindrance, leading to the incomplete assembly of concatenated subunits into a channel and/or to the formation of higher-order complexes of receptors was invoked to explain such results. Note that in the cartoon in Fig. 1, our working hypothesis, based on similar conjectures, represents unassembled β4tandem subunits as trailing outside the receptor for simplicity, although it cannot be excluded that they are cleaved before exit from the endoplasmic reticulum, as suggested for P2X1 receptors (Nicke et al., 2003). An interesting feature is that incomplete dimer incorporation in our case results in the COOH-terminal subunit of the dimer participating to the channel. This is in contrast with the common observation that the NH2-terminal subunit in a multimer incorporates most efficiently, and strengthens our conjecture that premature termination of translation or 3′ degradation of cRNA does not take place to produce truncated dimers.
In conclusion, our data show that the incomplete incorporation of the linked subunits and the consequent heterogeneity of the assembled receptor were not detected by a simple dose–response curve, but required extensive functional testing aided by reporter mutations. Clearly, the ultimate failure of our particular version of the linked subunit strategy does not exclude that it may be possible to engineer a different linker to produce homogeneous defined composition receptors in which the linked subunits incorporate efficiently. The difficulty of this task probably lies in balancing opposing demands on the linker, as a long flexible sequence will allow the formation of functional dimers of different pentamers, whereas a short linker would better constrain stoichiometry but may damage incorporation efficiency of the fusion protein. Nevertheless, our data clearly set out a minimum range of tests for a linked subunit receptor to be deemed to have successfully reproduced the characteristics of the unlinked receptor.
Our work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (Project Grant 064652 to Lucia G. Sivilotti) and the MRC (Ph.D. studentship to Steven D. Broadbent).
James Boorman's present address is Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, EABC Site, Long Road, Cambridge CB2 2PT, UK.
Abbreviation used in this paper: nAChR, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.
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Zimmerman, A.L. 2002. Two B or not two B? Questioning the rotational symmetry of tetrameric ion channels. Neuron. 36:997–999. | 2019-04-25T04:21:27Z | http://jgp.rupress.org/content/123/6/697?ijkey=53974ba05ff737da8128911cb222d12394e46f8b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha |
Reminder: all ancient Egyptian names are simply modern transliterations of how we think the Egyptians would say their names.
There will therefore be some inconsistency in spellings, depending on where information comes from. There may even be inconsistencies within this web site. This is something of which I am aware and something that I don't really care about. You shouldn't care either: keep an open mind.
The curse of the Pharaohs legend has some basis. The ancient Egyptians believed in curses, so they really did call on the gods to bring disaster on anyone who disturbed their mummies. Many tombs had inscriptions, but they weren't necessarily curses. Sometimes the ancient Egyptians, who were animists, simply put words in the "mouth" of a guardian statue describing its function. The supposed curse in Tutankhamen's tomb really read: "It is I who hinder the sand from choking the secret chamber. I am for the protection of the deceased". This was correctly reported to the public, but one newspaper reporter added his own words to the inscription: "and I will kill all those who cross this threshold into the sacred precincts of the Royal King who lives forever." For more information on the Mummy's Curse, see http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/curse.htm.
All countries mark off their histories by the reign of important rulers. We in the US, for example, remember and even compose legends, about certain presidents and pretty much forget the rest. (What do we know about President Harrison? How many know there were two Presidents Harrison?) The ancient Egyptians were no different, and thousands of years of intervening history will have obscured some Pharaohs that they thought were important. The above lists are some Pharaohs whose names might ring a bell today. For more than you ever wanted to know about all the Pharaohs, visit http://www.touregypt.net/kings.htm. And for the official version of US presidential biographies, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/.
Narmer ruled about 3100 BC and is generally recognized as the Pharaoh who unified ancient Egypt -- although there are some name difficulties in the sources. He is, in fact, at least semi-legendary. We have the Narmer palette, shown above, the Narmer mace, a few marked stones and potsherds.
For information on his capital, Hierakonpolis, see http://www.archaeology.org/interactive/hierakonpolis/temple.html.
Djoser's claim to fame is that he commissioned the first known pyramid and certainly the first really big pyramid. He was the 2nd pharaoh of the 3rd Dynasty (ruled c. 2667 - 2648 BC). The Djoser statue shown is from his serdab (see below) and is now in the Cairo Egyptian Museum. Djoser's architect, Imhotep, was one of the best know Egyptians in ancient times, but not for his architecture: he was eventually deified as a god of medicine. Internet searches for Djoser and the most popular alternative spelling Zoser turned up almost 800 thousand links. The name Imhotep was also used for the villain in many mummy movies, so internet searches for his name are somewhat contaminated.
The first image shows a scholarly reproduction of the appearance of Djoser's pyramid complex when it was built and how the pyramid looks today. See http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/dsteppyramid1.htm for much more information. The second image was shot through one of two small holes in the serdab at the north side of Djoser's pyramid. A serdab was an enclosed room from which the deceased (personified in an image) could view ceremonies associated with the funeral and later commemorations, and so the two holes in the front of Djoser's serdab were put there so he could look out. Today they are used by thousands of tourists to look in at a replica of his statue that was found there. Djoser's serdab is explained at http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/dsteppyramid3.htm. The third image shows Djoser running in his Heb-Sed ceremony. The Heb-Sed ritual nominally took place in the 30th year of a ruler's reign and was a trial of his or her physical capability to continue to rule. This image is heavily processed for contrast when projected. An image of the actual appearance of the relief is at http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/sedfestival.htm, where there is also a short explanation of the festival.
The 4th Dynasty (c. 2613 - 2494) was the time of really big pyramids. Senefru, the first ruler of the dynasty built three. The first collapsed just as it was being finished. The second was the Bent Pyramid which had to be altered ("bent" inward) during construction, to keep it from falling. The third, the Red Pyramid, which is considered to be the first "true" pyramid was built at a shallower angle (see below). Members of his family, Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, built the three great pyramids at Giza, and Khafre (probably) also built the Great Sphinx. For more on Pyramids, see http://www.mmdtkw.org/EGtkw0600-Pyramids.html, a later unit in this course, and http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pyramids.htm.
Senefru's Red Pyramid at Dahshur is actually just a little bit pinkish, the color of the core stone. It was designed to be white, but the outer white stone all was taken away for later uses.
A map and a satellite image of the Giza plateau show the locations of the more important monuments. The third image also shows how canals connected the Valley Temples of the Pyramids to the Nile. Valley temples were built above the inundation water line, i.e., behind the cultivable area next to the river. For information about the Giza Plateau, visit the web site of the Giza Plateau Mapping Project at http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/giz/.
Ahmose I kicked out the Hyksos and established the 18th Dynasty, which begins what modern scholarship calls the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt. He became Pharaoh in about 1550 BC, probably when he was about ten years old, after his father and older brother died. In the first years of his reign, it is probable that his mother, Queen Ashotep ruled with him, but by his tenth regnal year he was actively pursuing war against the Hyksos. By the time he died in his 25th regnal year, the Hyksos were gone, and Egypt was again unified under a native Egyptian pharaoh. The key to his success was the ability of his ruling family at Thebes to adopt and improve on Hyksos military technology: bronze weapons, compound recurved archery bows, chariots, etc. For more on Ahmose I, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmose_I.
Ahmose I defeats the Hyksos single-handedly: in the manner of the pharaohs, he takes credit for everything. The weapons are actually Egyptian copies of Hyksos technology. Both weapons actually belonged, we are told, to Ahmose I.
Despite the efforts of her successor/stepson, Thutmose III, many good images of Hatshepsut are available. Her story is also well known. Her reign was in the 18th Dynasty, c. 1473 - 1458. She had at least one daughter, but no son, and when her husband, Thutmose II, died, he named a son by a different wife as his heir. The heir was still a child, so Hatshepsut was named regent. She quickly usurped the throne and ruled on her own after having herself crowned as Pharaoh. She only gradually appears in the guise of a male pharaoh, adopting the regal kilt, the nemes headdress, and the false beard. Eventually she dropped the feminine hieroglyph "t' symbol from the end of her name and ruled with the male name Hatshepsu.
She wasn't the first female pharaoh, but, aside from Cleopatra VII (see below) she was certainly the most important. Her innovations set patterns that were followed throughout the New Kingdom period. Hers was the first (and deepest) tomb dug in the Valley of the Kings (KV 20), and she started it while her husband Thutmose II was still alive -- she was already a very powerful lady. It was originally designed to put her burial chamber directly below her Dayr al-Bahri temple, but the tunnel had to be diverted because of underground geological conditions. Her commercial expedition to Punt (perhaps Somalia?) set the pattern for future southern trading.
Thutmose III tried to obliterate her reign, but apparently not in anger: he did it many years after she died, perhaps when he realized his own mortality and wanted to ensure that his line and not the line of her father's family would retain the double crowns. More Hatshepsut information is at http://www.crystalinks.com/egypthatshepsut.html, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatshepsut, and at http://touregypt.net/historicalessays/hatshepsut.htm.
Hatshepsut's Valley Temple is at Dayr al-Bahri on the west side of the Nile opposite Luxor. The cliff behind the temple is an eroded ridge, immediately behind which is the Valley of the Kings and the entrance of he tomb.
This mummy was identified as Hatshepsut in June of 2007 ending long years of speculation. The identification procedures included xrays, CT scans, and DNA matching with her known grandmother.
Amenhotep ruled from c. 1390 - 1352 BC. The main claim to fame of Amenhotep and his wife Tiy is that they produced the heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten. "Where did we go wrong?" they might ask. Actually, Amenhotep was, for centuries, much more well known than Memnon, or at least his colossal statues were.
The colossal statues that stood in front of Amenhotep's Valley Temple (until the temple was brought down by a 27 BC earthquake, Nile flooding, and "stone mining") were misidentified by the ancient Greeks as the hero Memnon. Both statues were also badly damaged by the earthquake, and the one on the right (the northern one) "spoke" at dawn on sunny days: moisture and cool air that had accumulated overnight in the earthquake cracks wheezed out when the sun warmed the statue.
The statue continued to sing out at dawn, and visitors came from miles around to hear the music, including Emperor Hadrian, in 130 A.D. The Roman emperor Septimius Severus, seeking to repair the statues in 199 AD, inadvertently silenced Memnon forever. But the name stuck -- the statues are still called the Colossi of Memnon.
Amenhotep's fame came when folks finally were able to read the inscriptions and identify him as the person seated in 64 foot tall grandeur. The two statues were each cut from a single block of white quartzite, making the two blocks the biggest ever quarried anywhere. More information is at http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/egypt/thebes/colossi/colossi.html, and at http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Memnon.html.
In March of 2008, the Egyptian antiquities authority announced the discovery of a 12 foot statue of Queen Tiy, Amenhotep's wife, in excavations near the site of the colossi. (See: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080322/lf_afp/egyptarcheology_080322202539). Two sphinxes representing Tiy and Amenhotep III as well as 10 statues in black granite of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, who protected the pharaohs, were also found by the archeologists. Two statues are 50 feet high, three-quarters the size of the colossi, were also found at the site in recent years. The authority hopes to display all the finds in an outdoor museum at the site within five years.
http://www.mmdtkw.org/EGtkw05038AmenhotepIIILuxor.jpgThe ability to read hieroglyphs and identify Amenhotep's colossi, also allowed acheologists to identify this famous courtyard at the Luxor temple complex as his. Almost all tours of Egypt include night visits to this temple.
The statue of Amenhotep III was recently retrieved from a cache at Karnak. Priest would never think of destroying an image of a deceased sacred pharaoh, but they occasionally needed to make room in the temples for new images. Old images, even those in good condition like this one, were buried in sand pits in temple courtyards and then paved over. The same procedure was used to protect statues when enemies approached.
Two images of Tiy(e), the wife of Amenhotep III and mother of Amenhotep IV, later known as Akhenaten, the Heretic Pharaoh.
Scientists have always wondered whether Akhenaten, who ruled c. 1352 - 1336, had some kind of congenital defect that made him look like this. Some archeologists ascribe it all to an Amarna school of art. Others say the school of art was like the Haitian Merengue dance. The most popular Merengue story relates that Merengue, a great hero of the revolution who had been crippled in one leg, was welcomed home with a victory celebration. It was known that he loved to dance but all he could do now, was step with one leg and drag the other to close. Out of respect, everyone dancing copied him and the Merengue was born. The Merengue is still the national dance of Haiti. The analogous situation with the Amarna Style would be a deformed ruler whose deformity was copied in the style of art of his period.
Akhenaten's skull exhibits structures that coincide with the "Amarna Style" images" the face is extremely long and narrow, the cheekbones protrude out to the side, and the upper teeth protrude accounting for these "Mick Jagger lips." His wife Nefertiti, at least a half sib and maybe a full sister, exhibits similar trait, and, if we can believe the images, they passed them on to their daughters.
Nefertiti, long touted as the ideal of feminine beauty, doesn't look so hot when you get below her neck. She's wearing a hat in the statues, but a mummy known as the "older woman" (meaning maybe 30 - 35), which may well be her (or one of her close relatives), shows the same facial structure as Akhenaten plus a very long neck like the necks in her images. In all her images she had a very narrow face, which also corresponds to the head of the mummy. Note that this is not the mummy recently identified by a newly minted British female archeologist on US and UK television. Her "findings" and "feelings" about the other mummy have been derided by almost all Egyptologists.
Western monotheists really want to believe that Akhenaten was a monotheist like them who was bent on eliminating pagan polytheism. They are not so friendly, however, to other ancient and modern solar worshipers. His worship of the solar disk does have some things in common with pre-Nicene Christianity when many Christians identified Christ with Apollo, the sun god, but that's a whole different adventure concerning gnosticism, or the "light of the world", etc. Maybe that can all be dealt with in a different course.
Akhenaten is remembered as a monotheist (who like most monotheists saw nothing wrong with persecuting everyone else), but his real contributions to ancient Egyptian history were two entirely different things: first, his heretical behavior provoked a backlash from which the monarchical power of the pharaohs never fully recovered. The priests and nobles who reversed Akhenaten's heresy always distrusted the monarch. It was a small step toward shared rule but nowhere near "democracy": it was at about the same level as the Magna Carta. Second, and more important for the study of ancient Egypt, his new capital, Akhetaten (maps above, images below), is the place where we best can study how non-aristocratic Egyptians lived. The reason for that is the simple fact that, when Akhenaten's heresy was repudiated, his city was also abandoned and was treated as if its site was cursed. Nobody ever built another city on the site, and because most of the site is above the inundation level, the mud-brick neighborhoods of the city are still mostly there. It is certainly the largest ancient habitation site in Egypt. For information on the excavations at Akhetaten/Amarna, visit http://www.amarnaproject.com/.
A satellite view of one of the residential neighborhood of Akhetaten.
Model of the downtown riverfront.
Drawing of downtown Akhetaten as reconstructed from impressions left by lower courses of stones on the crushed rock foundations.
Reconstruction drawing of the Aten Temple from 1932 excavations.
A recent satellite image beside a 1932 site drawing.
Early and recent work among the mud bricks.
The Golden mask and what it hid -- note that he had the same kind of buck teeth that Akhenaten had. Tut, who ruled from 1336 through 1327, was not a particularly important pharaoh in his own time. He quickly moved his court back to the normal 18th Dynasty capital, Thebes, and changed his name from Tutankaten to Tutankhamen, reflecting his abandonment of Aten and his adherence to Amun. Though not particularly important in his own time, Tut has been very important to Egyptology since 1922 when his un-plundered tomb was finally plundered. Tut enthusiasm is still helping Egyptologists worldwide to get their sponsorship and grants. Tut himself was manhandled, stripped naked, his head was broken off, and he was cut in half, broken up, and reassembled, and that was all in the first few weeks after his body was found. His wealth, which he had managed to hold on to for thousands of years, was finally hauled off to museums and warehouses. He was, however, allowed to stay in his tomb to be visited by thousands of interesting tourists and a few interested tourists. It has only recently been announced that as of November 2007, his mummy will be displayed in a climate controlled glass topped case in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
Two rooms of the tomb were piled full Tutankhamun's possessions, which, as you would expect, were kingly. The third and fourth room were the burial chamber and the room that held his canopic shrine. The second image shows Howard Carter opening the several ornamented boxes that held Tutankhamen and his several layers of coffins, the outermost of which is shown in the third image. Tut's mummy is shown still stained with the resin which early Arab and Persian mummy salesmen had misidentified as mummiyya, their word for bitumen or asphalt.
The blackened skin of Tutankhamun led to demonstrations in the US and the UK during the 2007 tour of some of Tut's treasures by blacks who wanted Tut to be proclaimed as a black African. Instead, the demonstrations provoked a strong statement by Zahi Hawass that Tut, like all Egyptians, was not African at all, although he recognized that Egypt is in Africa.
A March 2005 CT scan ruled out foul play in Tutankhamen's early death: a leg, probably broken shortly before his death, was the only injury noted, and the examination team speculated that Tut may have died of a infection associated with the injury. Conspiracy advocates had long theorized that Tut was killed by a blow to the head: bone fragments had been seen in the skull in earlier xrays. (They even had a prime suspect for the "murder", Tut's successor, Ay.) But these more recent tests showed no skull damage and said the bone fragments were a normal part of removal of the brain through the nose. For information on the CT scan and other tests, see http://guardians.net/hawass/press_release_tutankhamun_ct_scan_results.htm.
The two rooms which contained Tut's jumbled furniture and furnishings were not decorated, but the burial chamber, which now holds only the Stone sarcophagus and the inner coffin holding Tut's body is beautifully painted, as is the canopic shrine room. There is a theory that the jumble in rooms c and d of the tomb was caused by early tomb robbers who may have been surprised and fled with little or no loot. Many archeologists believe, however that it was the result of hurried burial practices and that this may also have been the case in other tombs, the contents of which were carried away -- so we're not likely ever to know. All the contents of the rooms and all of their decorations are available at links shown in the sixth image.
You will have noted the strange and probably painful positions assumed by the human subjects of Egyptian Art. There is also no real perspective, nor is there any size consistency. As in Medieval European art, important people tend to be bigger than others. There are stock poses that help to identify the situation portrayed. One of the things that would have shocked ancient viewers of Amarna Art was the loosening of situational poses. It was all ratcheted down again when Tutankhamen moved the capital back to Thebes, where, it is assumed, he came under the strong influence of the priests and the more conservative members of the nobility who had continued to reside in Thebes during the Amarna period..
Star charts were common on royal and noble tombs. They were there to mark the hours (stages) of the passage of the deceased through the darkness to the afterlife and by analogy the deathlike passage of the world through nightly darkness. Formulae to ease the passage were included in hieroglyphic panels.
Tutankhamun and his wife, who, after his death, married his successor Ay, perhaps against her will. Ay was Tut's chief adviser and a member of a commoner family that also may have produced produced Tiy, the wife of Amenhotep III and mother of Akhenaten. Ay married Ankhesenamun to prop up his legitimacy as Pharaoh.
The successors of Tutankhamun destroyed most of his monumental works during their campaign to invalidate the rule of Tut's father Akhenaten. Two statues, one each of Tut and his wife in the Karnak temple complex, escaped the general iconoclasm. They portrayed Tut as Amun-Ra and his wife as Amunet, the feminine aspect of Amun, images that the priesthood of Amun would want to protect.
The suspicions of Ay and of Ay's successor, Horemeb, that Tut was insincere in his conversion back to Amun may have been justified. This gold encased throne found in Tut's tomb shows him and his wife receiving the blessings of his father's god, Aten.
The first image shows a statue of Tutankhamen (17 ft. 4 in.) in the newly renovated Egyptian Gallery at the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago. The base is inscribed with the name of Horemheb who had usurped the statue and erased the name of Ay who had usurped it from Tutankhamun. The fragmented duplicate of the first statue is shown where both were was found in 1930 in Medinat Habu, across the Nile from Luxor. The second statue, which has less damaged facial features, is now in the Cairo Egyptian Museum. The internet site of the Oriental Institute is at http://oi.uchicago.edu/, and Cairo Egyptian Museum site is at http://www.egyptianmuseum.gov.eg/.
The entrance of the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings is seldom seen without its long line of waiting tourists. You have to decide whether to join the line as you pass the ticket kiosk at the entrance to the valley -- a separate ticket is required. There is, in fact, nothing in this tomb (except Tut) that you can't see in other Valley tombs, for which you buy a single ticket to visit three tombs (or two tickets for 6, etc.) Your guide can help you decide which tombs to see. The artifacts taken from the tomb fill a hall in the Cairo Egyptian Museum, where there is also a line to get into the small room where the golden mask is kept.
Ramesses II "the Great" ruled from c. 1279 to 1213 BC, a very long reign. He was the third pharaoh on the 19th Dynasty. By the time we get to him the New Kingdom is well past its prime (which it probably reached with Amenhotep III of the previous dynasty). His 66-year rule gave him ample time to set up a really good public relations office and to build new temples and embellish old ones with tales of his questionable military exploits. In his monuments, he appears to have striven for big rather than elegant.
Belzoni also excavated the Abu Simbel temple of Ramesses II. Ramesses had built it as a monument to himself (there's also a half-size temple of his wife, Nefertari) and as a showpiece to overawe the Nubians. It is really big and really inelegant. The four colossi are misproportioned and their musculature is only schematically done. The most interesting thing about the temple is that it was moved to its present location to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser behind the Aswan High Dam.
The fallen colossal statue of Ramesses II at the Ptah Temple in Memphis, like those at Abu Simbel, is huge but lakes fine detail.
New Kingdom valley temples along the west side of the Nile opposite Luxor. Many of those built in the area closer to the Nile (lightest color on the map) have been seriously damaged by occasional higher than normal inundations. "Occasional" over a period of more than 3000 years can add up. Information on the Ramesseum is available at http://www.archeo.ens.fr/8546-5Gren/clrweb/7dguylecuyot/GLRamesseumWeb.html.
Ozymandias represents a shaky transliteration into ancient Greek of a part of Ramesses' throne name, User-maat-re Setep-en-re. The sonnet paraphrases the inscription on the base of the statue, given by Diodorus Siculus (90 - 20 BC) as "King of Kings am I, Osymandias. If anyone would know how great I am and where I lie, let him surpass one of my works."
Ramesses tomb was desecrated. His mummy was retrieved from his tomb by worried priests of Amun and stashed with many others in the Dayr al-Bahri Mummy cache. For information about tomb robberies during the New Kingdom and how the royal mummies were retrieved and hidden see http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/articles/article_2.6.html.
Ramesses has appeared in many movies.
Although the tomb of Ramesses was wrecked by floods, the heavily restored tomb of his wife, Nefertari's looks quite well. For a fine Internet essay on her tomb, the best in the Theban Hills, go to http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/pschmid1/essays/Nefertari/nefertari.html.
KV-5, the Tomb of the sons of Ramesses II is the biggest in the Valley of the Kings. Over the centuries it had suffered the same fate as that of Ramesses I: it was filled with rubble washed down in the flash floods that accompany thunderstorms over the Valley. In addition, it had been robbed in antiquity. The tomb was examined several times once exploration of the Valley in relatively modern times started, first in 1825 by James Burton and later in 1902 by Howard Carter, discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Carter used KV5 only as a dumping ground. None of the previous explorers was able to penetrate past the first few rooms, and thus they saw nothing unusual about the tomb. It was not until the Theban Mapping Project, under Kent R. Weeks, decided to clear the tomb that its true nature was discovered. During the initial stages of work, from 1987 to 1994, it still looked like a small and insignificant tomb. In 1995, after doing substantial clearing in the outer chambers of the tomb, the excavators discovered the long corridors, lined with rooms (approximately seventy in all: bear in mind that Ramesses sired at least that many sons), running back into the hillside; a discovery which amazed the world and reignited popular interest in Egyptology. Finds so far have included thousands of potsherds, ushabti, faience beads, hieratic ostraca, glass vials, inlays and even a large statue of Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Further excavations have revealed that the tomb is even larger than was first thought, as it contains more corridors, with more rooms, running off from other parts of the tomb. At least 150 rooms or chambers have been discovered as of 2006, only about 10 of which have been cleared. Work is still continuing on clearing the rest of tomb. It is not yet open to the public and probably won't be for several more years. You can, however, visit the tomb by signing up for Dr. Weeks' fund raising tour in February 2008 -- about $6895.00 plus air fair to Cairo. See http://www.sevenwonderstravel.com/weeks/TMP-registration-pricing-may-2008.pdf.
Ramesses portrayed himself as a great military commander, but history says otherwise. His biggest "victory", at Qadesh was a sham. For what actually happened at Qadesh, see http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/ancient/articles/kadesh.aspx.
What? You never heard of Pharaoh Nectanebo I? He was the first pharaoh of the 30th Dynasty, which lasted from 380 to 343 BC. There were only three pharaohs in that dynasty, and it was the last dynasty to have Egyptian rather than foreign pharaohs. Nectanebo was how the Greeks referred to him, but his Egyptian name was Nekhtnebef. His tenure was based on a squabble between Greeks and Persians who tried to cooperate to take over Egypt in 373 BC. The Greeks and Persians argued over whether to take the then Egyptian capital, Memphis, and, when they finally did move, they got bogged down in the mud of the July 373 inundation and had to retreat. The Persian-Egyptian alliance broke down and they all went home. The Persians, who were the potential super-power in the area, then spent many years in internal dynastic infighting. Nectanebo was the pharaoh who "defended" Memphis and "chased away" the invaders -- at least according to his propaganda machine.
One of the things that endeared Egyptian pharaohs and gave them credibility with their people was taxes and tax enforcement. Without the pharaoh's enforcement of regulated taxes, the people would be exploited by local officials. A pharaoh who set nationwide fair taxes and posted them so everyone could see them was considered a defender of the rights of the people (even though the people might still complain about the tax rates). Nectanebo was the first pharaoh in a long time to post the tax rates and conditions throughout Egypt on duplicate steles like this one found intact at Naucratis (Kratj). The imagery of the stele is especially important: it shows the pharaoh receiving taxes from both the producers (left) and the importers from "the Greek Sea": the locals were being protected from cheap foreign imports.
Nectanebo also endowed new buildings on important temple areas. At the great Hat-Hor temple in Dendera he built a "mamisi", supposedly a place celebrating the union of two gods to produce a divine child, who is often identified as the pharaoh. Hat-hor temples celebrated childbirth (the cow and milk for the kids) so a mamisi at her temple was especially important. The image shows three buildings: in the foreground is Nactenebo's mamisi, in the background is another mamisi built by Trajan (who, like Nectanebo was probably motivated by public relations) and in between are the ruins of a Coptic Christian basilica church. Incidentally, the basilica architectural style is often thought of as a Greek, Roman, or Christian invention, but the first structures built on the plan of a nave with side aisles and clerestory windows were, in fact Egyptian hypostyle halls, a prime example being the great hypostyle hall at Karnak. The Greeks, Romans, and Christians all saw Egyptian basilicas before they built any of their own. And -- the word basilica comes from the Greek phrase basilik oikía, which meant royal house, which could be translated into ancient Egyptian a peraoh, which the Greeks wrote as pharaoh.
In addition to embellishing existing temple complexes, Nectanebo is credited with starting the new complex on Philae Island. Everything on the island was moved to a nearby higher island in the 1970s to avoid the rising waters between the Old Aswan Dam and the Aswan High Dam.
Nectanebo is also responsible for one of the icons of ancient Egypt -- more sphinxes along the avenue of the sphinxes before the First Pylon at the Luxor Temple complex. They are all in the style of sphinxes of his time: rather than being recumbent, their shoulders and back are raised. And they all have his face, and his name is inscribed on the base of each. There are, indeed, pictures of an avenue of sphinxes at the site that date from before Nectanebo's time, but nobody knows where they might have gone. The sphinxes there now are certainly his.
The 30th Dynasty was ousted in 343 BC when the Persians returned. They and the Libyans and the Nubians had provided all of the pharaohs of the Third Intermediate Period and of the Late Period except for those of Nectanebo's 30th Dynasty. The three Persian pharaohs that reigned after 343 were considered tyrants by the Egyptians -- they exploited Egypt for the benefit of Persia. When Alexander chased out the Persians and installed himself as pharaoh in 332 BC he was received as a savior of Egypt.
The great Alexandrine, Ptolemaic, and Roman pharaohs will be covered in a later unit. | 2019-04-18T22:55:23Z | http://www.mmdtkw.org/EGtkw0500-Rulers.html |
When Threshold = value, etc.
I've posted two new articles by David Clarke: "ChromaKnob" describes his "more intuitive and more easily used programming interface" custom built hardware add-on for the Chroma that he was telling us about a couple of months back.
"Keyboard Velocity Curves" analyzes the way the keyboard scanning processor works between firmware revisions.
"ChromaKnob" describes his "more intuitive and more easily used programming interface" custom built hardware add-on for the Chroma that he was telling us about a couple of months back.
Wow. This is really, really nice.
Where do I order mine??!!!
That thing is so cool, it's just crying out for one of those engraved Schaeffer front panels.
I've finally decided to bite the bullet and upgrade the power supplies in all my Chromas.
With Don Tillman's gracious permission, I'm going to have circuit boards made up for the reset circuitry based on his "Nuclear Powered Chroma" article. If there are any others interested in doing this, I'm willing to get additional boards made, which I will sell at something resembling the real cost of manufacture, shipping, and handling.
If there are enough people interested, I may also be willing to kit up all the necessary parts to do the transplant. (The incentive for me doing this is to get enough people on the train to get a break on parts).
If you are interested in doing this, please let me know. For budgeting purposes, expect the total cost of this upgrade to be in the neighborhood of $185.00 each if you are daring enough to try it yourself, more if you want to pay someone qualified to do it for you. This can be brought down a little if enough people buy in. Unless you are handy with electronics or don't care if you blow up your Chroma, I'd suggest having someone do it for you.
I'll polish up some details if there is enough response. There is no timetable for making this happen, just "reasonably soon".
I'm interested. Does your $185 estimate include the cost of the switching supply, or is that just the cost of the reset board (gulp)?
Oops - didn't mean to scare you. Yes - This includes the switching supply (that's the big money), circuit board, parts, wire, connectors - everything, plus it a healthy margin of error. I just didn't want to start sharpening the pencil before I had defined the full scope of the project, had some ideas on quantities, etc.
About two weeks have passed, so I'm about ready to say every body has spoken up. Come Monday morning, I'm going to get the PCB house working on the reset boards. So if you want in, let me know NOW!
BEAR IN MIND: I'm not in the business of creating easy to assemble kits, with solder by number instructions. I'm not offering unlimited tech support or anything like that. If you don't have a decent meter, know the brand of solder by smell, or if you have any doubts at all, buy the assembled version. It's cheap compared to the frustration you can cause yourself and the resentment you might feel towards me. I'm not trying to suggest that this is some difficult assembly job, just wanted to let you know that owning a soldering iron does not necessarily qualify one to use it. If you screw up, you could seriously damage a valuable and rare instrument.
Allied Electronics has the requisite Power One MAP80-4000 switching supplies for $148.00. Add Molex connectors and a bit of wire and you are set with a stable new supply for your Chroma. So it looks like the original $180-ish to do the whole treatment is pretty accurate. A bit less if you solder up the board yourself.
I'll finalize any remaining details in the next few days, and will contact anyone directly who expressed interest.
P.S. If you didn't catch my prior posts, and are wondering "What is this guy babbling about anyway?"
The most common failure in the Chroma is the power supply. Don Tillman wrote a great article on replacing the questionable supply with a modern switching supply, the details of which are available at http://www.till.com/articles/ChromaPowerSupply/. The upshot of it is that you get a far more stable and reliable power supply, and your Chroma weighs less. With Don's permission, I'm getting circuit boards built for the reset circuit that enables you to use an off-the-shelf switching supply for the Chroma, and I'm offering the Chroma community a chance to get on the train.
Any word on answers for the interview questions for Phil Dodd yet?
I haven't heard from him for a while. I sent him a message today asking about it.
Well, it turns out it wasn't done for almost two years, for a variety of reasons. See Philip Dodds/Tony Williams Interview for the end result.
I've finally found a new home for ChromaTalk (which has existed on my California ISP since I moved back to British Columbia last October). Neil Bradley of Synthcom Systems has very kindly agreed to host the list free of charge. The new address for the list is [address removed]; you have all been subscribed. I haven't done a lot of configuration yet, so those of you who have been getting digests will at least see an interruption.
The list moved again in April 2006: see the main ChromaTalk page for current subscription information.
Thanks Chris, everyone greatly appreciates all of the effort and time you've put into this.
I've got a Chroma that I had planned to hold on to, but that I really don't have room for anymore. After many trips to Goodwill, and much closet cleaning, I've disposed (sniff) of all my other old music gear. I had hoped to "allocate space" for the Chroma but I still couldn't free up a spot for that big ol' Anvil case. Perhaps someone on the list might be able to give it a good home?
Bought it from a fella in Berkeley, CA in about '87. I believe he also bought it used, but I don't know the history going any further back.
Good condition except for the that durn foam sticking to the wood!
I shudder to think about how this could be shipped, so if there's anyone in the SF Bay Area that's interested, so much the better. It'd be nice if I could get as much as $500 for it, but make me an offer.
They are worth a lot more than $500.00. Dont let anyone tell you different. Check the Ebay history on that Instrument, I saw one sell for well over a thousand.
I agree with you there, but I sure as hell would not use ebay as a scale in order to determine how much something is worth.
I'm seeing a lot of talk lately on the synth lists like AH [Analogue Heaven mailing list] about old synths dying because the ROMs are decaying.
Should I be concerned with getting copies of my Chroma ROMs blown? Anybody done this already? Are the chips still available?
My $0.02 are that the EPROMs shouldn't really wear out any sooner than any other chips in the synth - so I wouldn't be too worried. Even if a chip did happen to die, I'm sure you'd be able to find at least 1 other Chroma owner who'd be able to burn you a replacement.
If you did want to 'back up' the firmware, I'd recommend just getting a binary copy of the ROM image and storing it on your computer. That way you could then generate one or more EPROMs whenever you wanted.
The EPROMs used in the Chroma are still fairly widely available.
Hi there, everyone. Though I've had a Chroma since (I think) 1984, I've only recently gotten interested in doing something with it again. My expander needs some repair, and in the process of figuring out who could help me with that, I found this list. ( I also own an Arp 2600; also needs a little work). For the repair, I'm heading up to Dave Wilson at the Synthesizer Museum, in Nashua NH.
But I have a different question for you all, one which I was unable to find addressed in the archives. I would like to build (from scratch) a Windows controller/editor for the Chroma, using Chroma's native programming protocol, not MIDI. I know, it's a little offbeat, but it just sounds like a fun hack. I'm a programmer by trade, and what I think I need to do is build a device driver (a first for me), and an application program that reads from/writes to the device. But I am not, by any stretch, a circuit-builder, analog or digital.
So the question is, can I plug the Chroma into my computer's parallel port? Are the electronics compatible? Will I be able to read/write signals? Will I fry stuff on one or both ends? Has anyone tried this? It's a 25-pin plug, so it looks like a natural thing to try. But all the computer hookups I've read about seem to involve a custom card, which I don't know how to build. Even if I could buy such a card, the computer I ultimately want to use this with is a laptop, and only has PCMCIA expansion slots.
BTW, if I get this to work, I will certainly share the results with anyone interested.
Do you have both a Chroma and Expander?
Out of curiosity, how many others out there on the list have both?
There are some benefits to this - for one, some of the parameters have a greater range via the Chroma interface than they do over MIDI.
So the question is, can I plug the Chroma into my computer's parallel port? Are the electronics compatible? Will I be able to read/write signals? Will I fry stuff on one or both ends? Has anyone tried this?
While they have the same physical connector, the Chroma port and a PC's parallel port are not pin-pin compatible.
My recollection is that pin's 18-25 are ground on the PC parallel port, and these happen to represent a full 8-bit byte of data lines for the Chroma interface. As well, the pins which are defined as ground (and power) on the Chroma port are defined as parallel port outputs.
Unfortunately, I don't think it would be just a matter of remapping the pins either as the Chroma uses 10 pins for output data/output strobes and 10 pins for input data/data strobes whereas the parallel port has only 5 digital inputs (and 12 digital outputs).
Even if I could buy such a card, the computer I ultimately want to use this with is a laptop, and only has PCMCIA expansion slots.
The best solution that I can think of is to actually do the interface serially. A few years ago I built a Chroma-Serial box which converts the 8-bit parallel data from the Chroma into a standard serial interface which can be hooked up to any PC.
This way you can directly access the Chroma port via a PC/terminal with standard serial I/O commands. At one time (before I had a midi interface) I actually wrote a windows midi driver to talk to this Chroma-serial box (i.e., instead of accessing a midi interface in the PC it talked to a serial port).
Not a problem. Use RPN's and you can have 14-bit resolution. The only things that this would apply to would be volume, the levers, and the pedals, all of which run 8-bit resolution. (Obviously, the levers could use the wheel and pitch bend controls). But unless the CDI spec changed after 1983 (which is the copy I have), those are the only performance variables that exceed the standard MIDI 0-127 range.
Enhanced Printer Ports are bidirectional, which makes interface a snap. And I assume (maybe wrongly) that just about any printer port on a computer these days is an EPP. There are a bunch of resources out there for using parallel ports, including prefab .dll, .vbx., and .ocx add-ons. www.lvr.com has a bunch of links, and the site owner has a book on the subject he is selling as well.
At one time (before I had a midi interface) I actually wrote a windows midi driver to talk to this Chroma-serial box (i.e., instead of accessing a midi interface in the PC it talked to a serial port).
This is the point at which the interface becomes black magic to me - I haven't a clue about writing device drivers for Windows. :-< Someday I may have time to do something about that - but I'm pretty sure it's not going to be soon.
Upon checking, there are fewer than I remember, but one (for instance) is "volume." This controller can take on MIDI values 0-127 but on the Chroma, the main instrument volume parameter is actually mapped 0-255 (ditto on the Chroma Polaris).
Enhanced Printer Ports are bidirectional, which makes interface a snap. And I assume (maybe wrongly) that just about any printer port on a computer these days is an EPP.
... but you'd still have to build a mini hardware interface between the Chroma and EPP port, correct? (I could very well be wrong, but doesn't EPP's do their bidirectional comms via a set of byte-wide bidirectional lines? That is to say, you if wanted to use this port to talk to the Chroma, you'd at the least need a set of buffers/latches to hold your data available).
I hate windows programming, but the Borland C/C++ windows developers kit used to come with a sample MIDI application - one which gave full code for a midi monitor. I just used parts of this, and then tied in some serial I/O routies. It wasn't pretty code by any stretch of the imagination, but it worked for what I used it for.
Right - and a tiny bit of glue logic to handle the ACK and FULL lines.
But unless the CDI spec changed after 1983 (which is the copy I have), those are the only performance variables that exceed the standard MIDI 0-127 range.
I thought velocity had more steps too.
Well, you started me a-thinkin' - actually, you don't even need to build a device driver - you can if you want, but if you poke through some of the links at www.lvr.com you will find everything you need to talk directly to your parallel port. So it's just a matter of developing the application to decide what you want to tell it.
And if you are just trying to send it patch information, I don't think you need any interface except for rewiring a cable - but you won't be able to get info back from the Chroma. So it wouldn't be able to edit existing patches. You can, however, write patches to the Chroma.
And as I write, it occurs to me that if you want to be really sleazy about it, you could add a second parallel port to your computer, and do a breakout of the Chroma interface cable to have bidirectional communications...it's tacky, but it will work.
Nice idea Mark. Do you also send all of us your circuit to let it be played by your page? I have made an interface myself, a couple of years ago but I lacked the time to finish it. it would be like a Chroma Cult MIDI interface. It was based on a 8032 uP design but I could not get the in and output software buffers right.The Chroma language is mostly simular of MIDI a lot of commands are alike and even the same. If you are going serial why not MIDI, you could use SysEx info to talk in Chroma language to the Chroma ? Why not rebuild the Cult interface a lot of us are so interested in. I could send the codes i already have for the 8032. Using only the Chroma parallel interface to the PC would indeed need a buffer of some kind, it's circuit is drawn in the interface manual of the Chroma. Using another EPP port on the PC would go as an input to the PC. Parallel is MUCH faster than serial !
Actually, velocity will have a bit of a different problem (although probably not much of a problem at all, to most).
Since midi velocity is 0-127, the midi interface has to convert the 0-31 to 0-127.
What this means is that for a Chroma Velocity of 0-31, you get a MIDI velocity of 3 to 127. That is to say, although the Chroma can output a keystrike with "zero" velocity, you will never be able to see a "zero" velocity on MIDI.
Thanks everyone for your responses.
It looks like I'm going to build a circuit. While some parallel port hacks might actually work, I want this to be fully functional, bi-directional, able to support (at least) 2 Chromas, and able to be used on any computer (not just EPP parallel ports, does not require 2 ports, etc.).
Also, I'm still going to do with in native Chroma commands instead of MIDI. Mostly just because I want to.
Since I have to build a circuit, I might as well go in through the serial port instead, as Dave Clark suggested.
The good news is, if I design the circuit right, I'll be able to use a vanilla device driver for the port instead of having to write a custom one.
In answer to Dave's question, I do have both a Chroma & expander. So I'll put two 25-pin connections on the box, and figure out a way for the computer to specify/determine which one the commands are going to/coming from. Does anyone have MORE than 2 Chromas/expanders? I suppose we could go higher, if necessary.
Thanks for th lrv.com site, Mike Mahoney. It looks like I'll need to buy one of their books.
It occurred to me that, if I get this working, I should set up a Web page with an applet that actually plays your Chroma in real time. Maybe we could get everyone to hook up simultaneously and have the Web page play EVERYONE's Chroma in sync!
Thanks again, everyone. I'll let you know how it goes.
Does anyone have MORE than 2 Chromas/expanders?
I'm a embarrassed to say so - but yes ... 2 Chromas and 1 Expander.
One of my next little projects will be a 'chroma port merger/patch bay.' (I want to be able to have a Chroma hooked up to an Expander at the same time it is hooked up to MIDI and to my knob box ...) The plan is that this will be a box with 4 DB-25 connectors - which will route messages to/from the devices, as appropriate.
The Chroma Cult/KMX interface does it essentially via the following equation: Midi Velocity = ((Chroma Vel + 1) x 4) - 1 What this means is that for a Chroma Velocity of 0-31, you get a MIDI velocity of 3 to 127. That is to say, although the Chroma can output a keystrike with "zero" velocity, you will never be able to see a "zero" velocity on MIDI.
"I haven't forgotten that I promised to do a comparison between the Rev 12 and Rev 14 firmware - I've just gotten a little sidetracked as of late. At present, I have identified all the code/instruction differences and I'm about 3/4 done in terms of knowing what each of those changes really mean (in terms of Chroma operation/use)."
Anyway, I figured I might as well post what has been done to date and leave it at that.
The location of some code variables (memory location $00DF and below) changed between revisions.
Some variables are stored in different locations in the internal representation of the instruments and/or channels (for instance, the converted PEDAL 1 data is stored at instrument offset $64 in Rev 14, but is stored at offset $68 in Rev 12).
The locations of particular functions/routines in ROM have changed. Since the firmware contains many 'vector' handler tables, these tables will therefore have different data stored in them in the two firmware revisions.
Rev 12 code is smaller than the Rev 14 code. Rev 12 has extra space at the end of the last EPROM, whereas the Rev 14 code essentially takes up all available ROM space.
At several places R12 code duplicates code used elsewhere in the firmware - R14 code simply calls this common code. (no functional difference between the two).
The following outlines details of the specific differences between Rev 12 and Rev 14 code (based on a line-for-line comparison of the two.) Note: While the details of the changes of specific handler address/RAM variables were captured as part of this comparison, this data is not, in general, included here as these changes do not have any functional impact on the code. Also, minor code changes (such as the order of instructions where the order was not important) are also not necessarily detailed below.
Aside from variable/buffer changes, the first real departure in code occurs at address $C448 (ref. Rev. 14 code). Rev 14 has two extra lines of code at this address that update the system-wide 16-channel mode from the instr. value. This code relates to the attack handler used for Kybd Alg 3 (All Channel Poly).
This change will explicitly ensure that the notes played by the handler are appropriate for the channel definition (i.e., 8- or 16-channel mode).
Rev 14 generally handles pressure commands and chroma interface pressure info more completely (i.e., in Rev 14 C_INTF_PRES Chroma Interface Pressure setting is cleared/set appropriately, in several locations).
Interface manual says that if pp is not between 0 and 50, the data is accepted and ignored.
If pp = 00 (program 0 - the working program) or if pp = the currently selected program number (i.e., the one displayed on the panel), the PROGRAM MODIFIED flag is explicitly set (since, a modification is being made to the program on the panel).
Return value is 06 vv, where vv is parameter value. If pp or vv is out of range for the inst., the return value is undefined."
R14 checks to see if the program number is valid, R12 does not. Although the interface manual says that the returned value is "06 vv" where vv is undefined if the program is out of range, this is not strictly the case - both Rev 12 and Rev 14 will always return "0" (i.e, "06 00") in the case of an error.
"If pp or vv is out of range for the parameter ...."
"If pp or nn is out of range..."
It is impossible for "vv" to be an invalid value - it is either '0' or confirmed to be a valid param. value (via the code).
If pp is out of range for the inst, then vv is ignored. If vv is out of range for the parameter, the result is undefined - except that the parameter is never set to an illegal value."
Rev 14 will check the provided program number and will ignore the value if the program number is out of range. Rev 12 does not perform any check on the program number (both Rev 14 and Rev 12 do check to confirm that the param number is OK).
In Rev 12, if an illegal program number is provided, the result will be undefined (i.e., the value will be stored to NV memory - but not to a valid program address. Bad things could happen.
Also, Rev 14 will set the 'Program Modified' bit if pp = either the current program or program 0. Rev 12 does not ever set the Program Modified bit for Chroma Opcode 07.
R14 clears C_INTF_PRES and outputs a Pressure Switch off Chroma command - R12 does not.
This command is implemented on R14 but not implemented (it is ignored) on R12.
Implemented on R14, not implemented (ignored) on R12.
Pedal 1 handler - R12 will send out two Instrument 0 pedal commands out the chroma port, R14 corrects this and sends 1 Inst0 command and 1 Inst1 command.
Pedal 2 handler - R12 will send out two Instrument 0 pedal commands out the chroma port, R14 corrects this and sends 1 Inst0 command and 1 Inst1 command.
Lever 1 handler - R12 will send out two Instrument 0 pedal commands out the chroma port, R14 corrects this and sends 1 Inst0 command and 1 Inst1 command.
Lever 2 handler - R12 will send out two Instrument 0 pedal commands out the chroma port, R14 corrects this and sends 1 Inst0 command and 1 Inst1 command.
Slightly Different Code/Order of Code from $D2B2-$D416 (Rev. 14)/$D25D-$D325 (Rev. 12). Many of these changes address pressure issues. (Not fully investigated).
The 'channels' defined in the Chroma contain a value representing the played key/note. The procedure which stores this data to the channels differs in the way they handle portamento and glissandro values/notes.
These changes are at 0xE03B in Rev. 14 and 0xDEDB in Rev. 12 and specifically deal with how the calculation is done to see if the 'slide' or 'glide' has been completed yet. The changes could be a natural result of how notes are handled internally on the two revisions.
Apparent Error in R12 "Release Threshold"
There are two notable differences. First, in Rev. 12, the last line compares the stored RELEASE_THRESSHOLD against "A", which will always be 0. This would appear to be an error (since you're not actually comparing the played value vs. the threshold value). This is corrected in Rev. 14.
Even if the "A" vs "B" error did not exist, the comparison is done in a different order between the two revisions, so the 'sense' of the threshold wouldn't be correct.
Rev. 14 references the centre of the keyboard as note "0"; however, Rev. 12 doesn't (split values differ by $20). This results in quite a few differences between the Rev. 12 and Rev. 14 code (to take this into account at different locations).
There is a difference between how the Reference DAC (RDAC) value is gathered/calculated (before the main MDAC value is written). The general commands used are similar; however, they're exercised in different orders.
Slight changes near location $EC04(R14)/$EA4B(R12) which pertain to details of how sweep/arpeg. routines are handled.
Rev. 14 negates raw value before doing a branch, R12 does not (presumably to address how the actual Pressure Sensor works).
Rev. 12 has an additional line of code which ensures that the internal calculated velocity value is not a negative value. Rev. 14 has no such extra line.
At different locations, the Rev. 14 code has extra code to init/handle the C_INTF_PRES values (i.e., STA C_INTF_PRES). These lines of code are not present in Rev. 12.
Rev. 12 has an extra line of code which is used to store $BF to A. Rev. 12 uses this as a loop counter (i.e., it init's $BF spots in the volatile ram of key/note data). Rev. 14 code does it differently, it actually fills from $C54 up to $FFC (i.e., it uses the location address to see how far it should go). Rev. 14 code allocates has more space for Key/Note stack data ($EA spots or so).
R14 defines an "Auto Tune" to be a type "0" Reset.
R12 enables the cassette motor signal when it performs a write to the MSCO register to mute the oscillators before it does the tuning. In R14, the muting is still done, but the cassette motor is placed in the 'stop' position.
Rev. 14 has extra code in this area. First, it checks to see if [n] was 46..49. If it was then it enables data to go out chroma port and outputs a single byte dependant on the value of [n] selected.
There is no such code in Rev. 12.
Rev. 14 defines the value of $FFFF to disable the tapper whereas Rev. 12 uses $FFF0 (no functional impact or changes seen by user of keyboard - strictly a programatical change).
"D8 kk 1F" (i.e., a release command for instrument 0, for note kk and a release velocity of $1F - for each held note). There is a problem with this in that it does not release any notes being played over the Chroma Interface on the link instrument.
"D8 kk 00" and "D9 kk 00" (i.e., does 'releases' for inst0 and inst1.) Note - the Rev. 14 output always has a release velocity of '0', as contrasted to the fixed release velocity of '$1F' for Rev. 12.
These commands are not defined in R12, but they are implemented in R14.
At outlined in the graphs on the Chroma site, the 128 byte table used to convert keyboard attack/release 'times' into velocity values contains slightly different values between the Rev. 12 and Rev. 14 firmware.
In Rev. 14, there is a default pressure value assigned to a keystrike if the keystrike velocity is high enough. Specifically, Rev. 14 has a 32 byte lookup table (with values ranging from $0 - $3F) which will be used to assign a keystrike pressure value (even if the optional pressure sensor is not installed). Typically speaking, only the most fast keystrikes will result in a non-zero default, initial pressure.
In Rev. 12, this 'default' pressure table is only 16 bytes long, is filled entirely with zeros and is actually not ever referenced in the code.
There is specific code to determine how boards should be 'ordered' by default. This is set via the 'Reset Val' in Rev. 14. On the Rev. 12 firmware, the location of the code to force the default reset board ordering is in a slightly different code location.
Rev. 14 code makes specific checks for the value of "Reset Val." Depending on the type of reset chosen, (i.e., there are 4 reset types in R14), tuning errors will either be acted upon or ignored. Rev. 12 code, if the auto tune timer overflows, then the code will stop trying to further tune that board.
In this same code, there is a difference in operation between R12 and R14 as it pertains to the cassette motor control. Specifically R12 enables the cassette motor signal when it performs a write to the MSCO register to mute the oscillators before it does the filter tuning. In R14, the muting is still done, but the cassette motor is placed in the 'stop' position.
There are also some other minor changes in this code - but they are stylistic changes, not functional ones (ex. using "LDA #$1" instead of "INCA" when the previous value of "A" was known to be "0" - these are functionally the same WRT to the code).
A slight change was made between revisions in the determination of the "reference" / RDAC values. Specifically Rev. 14 uses a literal value of $9249 in this calculation, but Rev. 12 uses a value of $9248 instead.
Rev. 12 ROMs have space available from $FDA3 to $FFEF - Rev. 14 does not.
After receiving my Expander I quickly compared the firmware to both the Rev. 12 and Rev. 14 Chroma firmware. By far, the Expander firmware most closely matched that of the Rev. 12 Chroma, with only a handfull of small changes.
In addition to losing the keyboard keys, the Expander also loses the two levers found at the left-hand side of the keyboard.
At two locations in the Expander firmware, Lever 1/Lever 2 data was modified to ensure that it always returns a value of "0" (i.e., no lever movement).
In the first case (Chroma), the branch is never made - in the second case (Expander), the branch is made and all the keyboard related scanning/processing routines are skipped.
A slight change is made in the Expander regarding how to handle 'flashing' buttons/LEDs.
Modifications are made to the code to address the differences between the "Link" buttons between the Chroma and Expander.
"... Release velocities below a certain threshold yeild (sic) one release time while velocities above the threshold yeild (sic) a different release time ..."
"... using [SET SPLIT], causes the threshold to be set to whatever number is in the parameter display, regardless of what parameter is selected ... the threshhold is a number from 0 to 31 ..."
Q1) What happens when the velocity unique equals the threshold value (i.e., not above or below the threshold)?
A1) As best as I can tell from the code, the case where THRESHOLD = PLAYED VALUE is treated exactly the same way as when THRESHOLD > PLAYED VALUE.
A2) [SET SPLIT] , , or don't actually set the threshold "... to whatever number is in the parameter display"; rather, it will actually set the value to $1F AND (parameter in memory which drives the parameter in the display).
UPS was kind enough to drop off a Chroma Expander at my door today.
I've done a quick comparison of its firmware vs. that found in a Chroma. The detail of that comparison is contained in another piece of e-mail; however in summary, the firmware in this particular Expander is almost identical to the Rev 12 Chroma firmware.
That would tend to mean that this Expander will experience difficulties with the Chroma Cult/KMX midi interface in the exact same way that a Rev. 12 Chroma would (i.e., you'll more or less loose the use of patches 46-49).
"Your Chroma will only send the proper code to the Chromaface when you push the Set Split 46 if it has the Rev 1.4 software(most recent) software installed. If you don't have this software, or you are tyring to use the Chroma Expander, you will need to enable this mode ...."
This note would tend to indicate that while there was a "Rev 14" release for the Chroma, there wasn't such a release for the Expander.
Does anybody know if there was ever a "Rev 14" firmware for the Expander?
Does anybody have an Expander which _doesn't_ experience the Rev 12 limitations listed above? If the answer is 'no', would those of you who use an Expander with a midi interface find it a benefit to have the Expander to behave in a manner similar to the Chroma (running Rev. 14 S/W)?
Quite a few people have had Chroma's that need to be turned on (and then turned off and back on again) in order for the keyboard to properly start up.
While there are certainly many different reasons this could be occurring, a good first thing to look at/change are C10 and C12 on the power supply board.
These two small capacitors effectively control when the reset signal will be issued to the microprocessor (and allow the system to start up).
On at least 3 separate Chroma's I've found that these needed to be replaced.
C10 and C12 are both 3.3uF, 35V electrolytic caps and are physically located between the large main PSU capacitor (47000uF) and the transformer (diagonally between them. | 2019-04-24T00:07:23Z | http://rhodeschroma.com/?id=2000&month=08¬e=polarisvolume |
May 30 (Bloomberg) -- Pakistani security forces today regained control of Mingora, the Swat Valley's main city, from Taliban insurgents after more than a month of fighting to wrest control of the region.
The army is sweeping for mines and clearing traps in the area, Major General Athar Abbas, a military spokesman, said at a news conference in Islamabad. As many as 25 militants and one soldier were killed and four people injured during the past 24 hours, he said.
"It is fortunate that the army has secured Mingora's control," Abbas said.
Pakistani forces have been battling an estimated 4,000 insurgents who reneged on a February accord and advanced closer to Islamabad, even after the government agreed to impose Islamic law in the region. More than 1,100 militants and 91 soldiers have been killed since the offensive began April 26, according to the army.
Bombs tore through three Pakistani cities this past week killing a total of at least 47 people and injuring hundreds after the Taliban threatened to avenge the army offensive.
Three bombs exploded on May 29 in the northwestern city of Peshawar, hitting a marketplace and police checkpoint. On May 27, a suicide bomb attack on a police building in the eastern city of Lahore left 35 people dead.
Pakistan's government has linked the attacks to its offensive against militants and says Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud had warned of revenge bombings.
After more than a month of fighting, the military has said it is wresting control of the region from insurgents. The fighting has forced 2.8 million people to flee their homes, according to the provincial government.
The exodus of refugees is the biggest since Pakistan gained independence in 1947.
The military first deployed in Swat, once a popular tourist destination 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Islamabad, in 2007 in an effort to crush militants who set up Islamic courts. The fighters beheaded local officials, burned schools and banned education for girls.
The Kurds are the invisible and forgotten people of the Middle East and indeed of the world. UN resolutions, human rights, self determination are all for other peoples. Kurds do not get a one state solution or a two state solution. They don't get any solution or any protection. The EU ignores persecution of Kurds in Turkey. Nobody cares about persecution of Kurds in Iran or Syria. Amnesty International and HRW are virtually silent. There are no groups to boycott Turkey or Iran or Syria for killing Kurds, denying them rights to their own culture or occupying what should be their homeland. There is no UN Secretariat department devoted to Kurdish rights. Quite simply, nobody cares. It is open season on Kurds.
For the top brass in Turkey's military forces, the issue of Jitem remains taboo. The government continues to deny its existence. According to the semiofficial version, at least, the organization served as something like a "counterguerrilla" force against the PKK that completed its mission long ago and has since been disbanded. The last fact seems to have been confirmed by former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, when he claimed in a television interview that Jitem "no longer" existed.
By far the most comprehensive reports of Jitem's activities can be found in the memoirs of the organization's former agents. One of them is Abdülkadir Aygan, who now lives in Sweden. Aygan tells a shocking tale of having first been a member of the PKK before being recruited to work for Jitem. "We used to murder people at night during the long hours when the soldiers weren't around," Aygan says, describing Jitem's activities. "Many of the people we captured had been indicted by a court or the gendarmes," he adds. "But many of them had also been denounced by their completely normal fellow citizens. No one survived an interrogation by Jitem people."
Other former henchmen of the state, such as Tuncay Güney and Yildirim Begler, are now talking about the war against the PKK. From the safety of exile in Canada, Sweden and Norway, men like these recount the names of the victims and the places where their mass graves can be found. They describe the bestial interrogation methods and the orders to kill that always came "from the very top." They talk about how the gendarmes would bathe the dead in acid baths and make them disappear in wells. And they never fail to mention the type of cars the Jitem usually used: white models of the Renault 12-based "Toros" manufactured in Turkey between the 1970s and 1990s. When the angels of death appeared in their white cars, inhabitants knew that one of their friends or neighbors would be disappearing soon.
The case of the disappeared Kurd Hasan Ergül exemplifies the vividness of these Jitem veterans' revelations. On May 23, 1993, the farmer from the village of Cukurca got on his tractor with his three-year-old son to drive to the hospital in a nearby city. But they didn't get far. After stopping at a nearby gas station, Ergül was surrounded by three vehicles that blocked his path. The men who got out of the car weren't wearing uniforms. They dragged Ergül off his tractor and forced him into the back seat of one of the cars. They drove off, leaving the crying boy behind.
It would be years before Ergül's relatives finally became aware of his ultimate fate. They learned it when they heard the confession of former Jitem member Abdülkadir Aygan, who spoke about how Ergül was strangled to death, put in a sack and dumped into a remote lake.
In the end, all the searching and inquiries of Ergül's brothers had been in vain. But after Aygan's confession, they did succeed in figuring out where Ergül had been dumped, where fishermen later hid his body and where his unidentified corpse had been buried in an anonymous grave not far from the lake. "Now we're waiting for the results of a DNA test," says Ergül's brother Ata. "Then we will finally have some certainty."
This is a sign of progress -- but there are also contradictory signals coming out of Turkey. For the first time, the country seems prepared to come to terms with its recent past. But even though light is now being thrown on the dirty war waged during that period, the war between the Turkish military and the PKK continues to rage. In military terms, the separatist movement has been significantly weakened, and its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has been in prison for years. But it is still capable of launching deadly bomb attacks, such as the one in late April, when a remotely denoted bomb threw a military vehicle into the air, killing nine Turkish soldiers.
The government avoids talks with the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), which has channels of communication with the PKK. Instead, in recent weeks, the government has preferred to impose order high-handedly by arresting more than 200 DT politicians.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe (Boogie) Yaalon believes that the time has come for Israel to "free itself from the failed paradigm" of the "two-state solution." Yaalon spoke Tuesday at a meeting of MKs dedicated to finding an alternative to the creation of a Palestinian Authority-led Arab state.
While the creation of a PA-led state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is perceived as a necessity both in Israel and worldwide, such a state would not solve the Israel-PA conflict, said Yaalon. In fact, he said, it is doubtful that the possibility of creating such a state exists, due to Arab and Muslim reluctance to take any step that would imply recognition of Israel or compromise on Arab claims to the entire Land of Israel.
Israel's mistake lies in accepting a-symmetrical talks with the PA, Yaalon said. From the beginning of talks, he explained, Israel has accepted the idea of a Palestinian national movement with the PA as its representative, while the PA has resolutely refused to accept the Jewish national movement of Zionism or the idea of a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel.
Furthermore, while the PA demands that Arabs and Muslims be allowed to live in Israel, Israel accepts that a PA state would not have Jewish citizens, he said. And while Israel gives in on crucial issues such as the status of Jerusalem or the borders of a PA state, the PA refuses to bend in the slightest.
Israel has also been mistaken in assuming that the Israeli presence in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is the cause of Israel-Arab tension, he said. Arab attacks on Israel began well before the 1967 Six Day War in which Israel gained control of those areas, he said, and the Arab world's real goal is not a state in those areas, but rather, on the ruins of the State of Israel.
For this reason, he said, the PA is actually uninterested in a "two-state solution." Former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat waged war on Israel in order to avoid the creation of a PA state, he argued.
"There are those who will argue that the PA wanted to establish a state in the 1967 borders but was unable to do so," he said. "I say the problem was not one of ability, but of desire."
If the PA does not desire an independent state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and will not accept such a state as the fulfillment of its national goals, the "two-state solution" has no chance to bring peace, he concluded.
Israel must give up on seeking to fully solve its conflict with the PA and the Arab world as a whole, Yaalon said. "I believe we should not approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the phrase 'solution' in the foreseeable future," he told his audience. "Instead, we should seek 'crisis management' or long-term coping strategies."
Israel should still seek a solution in the long term, he added. However, the process of seeking a solution should be "bottom-up," and not "top-down." Instead of hoping that a diplomatic agreement with the PA will lead to peace and security, the PA should prove that it is capable of self-rule prior to the signing of a diplomatic agreement, he argued.
The PA currently teaches Arab children that the entirety of Israel is an illegal colonialist entity, Yaalon said, and denies any historic Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. In addition, the PA teaches Jihad (holy war) against Israel and honors suicide bombers.
Changing the PA school system to teach the value of life, not of death, and to accurately portray Jewish history is crucial, he said.
In order to create a viable economy, the PA must strengthen small businesses and create a stable middle class, Yaalon said.
Attempts to create a PA economy through international aid have failed due to a corrupt PA leadership that misappropriates funds, and terrorist groups that attempt to keep PA Arabs living in poverty, he said. To avoid the problems posed by corrupt leadership, the world should focus on PA businessmen and support their initiatives.
Beyond creating a political entity, the PA must allow for freedom of expression, freedom of the press and protect human rights.
Yaalon referred to "the American mistake" of supporting strong dictators over true democratic activists. Activists who seek true democracy and freedom should win encouragement from the West, he said.
The goal should be "One authority, one law, one weapon," Yaalon said, referring to the disarming of rogue terrorist groups and the enforcement of law throughout the PA territories.
The PA must begin to truly fight terrorism, Yaalon said. Among other things, the PA must rid itself of the "revolving door" by which terrorists serve only light sentences, and the sentencing of terrorists who murdered Israelis for "harming the public interest" instead of "murder." These things encourage terrorism, he said.
The PA must be able to fight terrorism properly on multiple levels, he said, from gathering intelligence information to putting terrorists on trial.
There is no guarantee that the "bottom-up" proposal can be put into effect, Yaalon said, because it relies on the Palestinian Authority to take the necessary action.
In order to increase the chances that the PA will do what is necessary, Israel must make it clear that the PA has no chance of defeating Israel, he said, or of forcing further Israeli concessions and withdrawals without making concessions of its own.
"The Palestinians' extreme violence does not stem from despair over their situation, as the West tends to assume, but rather from hope – hope that the State of Israel will disappear," he said. "Destroying the hope of defeating Israel will encourage new ideas."
The United Nations special tribunal investigating the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri has reached surprising new conclusions -- and it is keeping them secret. According to information obtained by SPIEGEL, investigators now believe Hezbollah was behind the Hariri murder.
It was an act of virtually Shakespearean dimensions, a family tragedy involving murder and suicide, contrived and real tears -- and a good deal of big-time politics.
The terror attack in Beirut on Valentine's Day, 2005: Intensive investigations in Lebanon are all pointing to Hezbollah and not Syria.
On February 14, 2005, Valentine's Day, at 12:56 p.m., a massive bomb exploded in front of the Hotel St. Georges in Beirut, just as the motorcade of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri passed by. The explosives ripped a crater two meters deep into the street, and the blast destroyed the local branch of Britain's HSBC Bank. Body parts were hurled as far as the roofs of surrounding buildings. Twenty-three people died in the explosion and ensuing inferno, including Hariri, his bodyguards and passersby.
The shock waves quickly spread across the Middle East. Why did Hariri have to die? Who carried out the attack and who was behind it? What did they hope to achieve politically?
The Hariri assassination has been the source of wild speculation ever since. Was it the work of terrorist organization al-Qaida, angered by Hariri's close ties to the Saudi royal family? Or of the Israelis, as part of their constant efforts to weaken neighboring Lebanon? Or the Iranians, who hated secularist Hariri?
Find out how you can reprint this DER SPIEGEL article in your publication. At the time of the attack, it was known that Hariri, a billionaire construction magnate who was responsible for the reconstruction of the Lebanese capital after decades of civil war, wanted to reenter politics. It was also known that he had had a falling out with Syrian President Bashar Assad after demanding the withdrawal of Syrian occupation forces from his native Lebanon. As a result, the prime suspects in the murder were the powerful Syrian military and intelligence agency, as well as their Lebanese henchmen. The pressure on Damascus came at an opportune time for the US government. Then-President George W. Bush had placed Syria on his list of rogue states and wanted to isolate the regime internationally.
In late 2005, an investigation team approved by the United Nations and headed by German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis found, after seven months of research, that Syrian security forces and high-ranking Lebanese officials were in fact responsible for the Hariri murder. Four suspects were arrested. But the smoking gun, the final piece of evidence, was not found. The pace of the investigation stalled under Mehlis's Belgian successor, Serge Brammertz.
The establishment of a UN special tribunal was intended to provide certainty. It began its work on March 1, 2009. The tribunal, headquartered in the town of Leidschendam in the Netherlands, has a budget of more than €40 million ($56 million) for the first year alone, with the UN paying 51 percent and Beirut 49 percent of the cost. It has an initial mandate for three years, and the most severe sentence it can impose is life in prison. Canadian Daniel Bellemare, 57, was appointed to head the tribunal. Four of the 11 judges are Lebanese, whose identities have been kept secret, for security reasons.
As its first official act, the tribunal ordered the release, in early April, of the four men Mehlis had had arrested. By then, they had already spent more than three years sitting in a Lebanese prison. Since then, it has been deathly quiet in Leidschendam, as if the investigation had just begun and there were nothing to say.
Hezbollah supporters in Beirut listen to a speech given by the movement's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hariri's growing popularity could have been a thorn in the side of Lebanese Shiite leader Nasrallah.
But now there are signs that the investigation has yielded new and explosive results. SPIEGEL has learned from sources close to the tribunal and verified by examining internal documents, that the Hariri case is about to take a sensational turn. Intensive investigations in Lebanon are all pointing to a new conclusion: that it was not the Syrians, but instead special forces of the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah ("Party of God") that planned and executed the diabolical attack. Tribunal chief prosecutor Bellemare and his judges apparently want to hold back this information, of which they been aware for about a month. What are they afraid of?
According to the detailed information provided by the SPIEGEL source, the fact that the case may have been "cracked" is the result of a mixture of serendipity à la Sherlock Holmes and the state-of-the-art technology used by cyber detectives. In months of painstaking work, a secretly operating special unit of the Lebanese security forces, headed by intelligence expert Captain Wissam Eid, filtered out the numbers of mobile phones that could be pinpointed to the area surrounding Hariri on the days leading up to the attack and on the date of the murder itself. The investigators referred to these mobile phones as the "first circle of hell."
Captain Eid's team eventually identified eight mobile phones, all of which had been purchased on the same day in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. They were activated six weeks before the assassination, and they were used exclusively for communication among their users and -- with the exception of one case -- were no longer used after the attack. They were apparently tools of the hit team that carried out the terrorist attack.
But there was also a "second circle of hell," a network of about 20 mobile phones that were identified as being in proximity to the first eight phones noticeably often. According to the Lebanese security forces, all of the numbers involved apparently belong to the "operational arm" of Hezbollah, which maintains a militia in Lebanon that is more powerful than the regular Lebanese army. While part of the Party of God acts like a normal political organization, participating in democratic elections and appointing cabinet ministers, the other part uses less savory tactics, such as abductions near the Israeli border and terrorist attacks, such those committed against Jewish facilities in South America in 2002 and 2004.
The whereabouts of the two Beirut groups of mobile phone users coincided again and again, and they were sometimes located near the site of the attack. The romantic attachment of one of the terrorists led the cyber-detectives directly to one of the main suspects. He committed the unbelievable indiscretion of calling his girlfriend from one of the "hot" phones. It only happened once, but it was enough to identify the man. He is believed to be Abd al-Majid Ghamlush, from the town of Rumin, a Hezbollah member who had completed training course in Iran. Ghamlush was also identified as the buyer of the mobile phones. He has since disappeared, and perhaps is no longer alive.
Ghamlush's recklessness led investigators to the man they now suspect was the mastermind of the terrorist attack: Hajj Salim, 45. A southern Lebanese from Nabatiyah, Salim is considered to be the commander of the "military" wing of Hezbollah and lives in South Beirut, a Shiite stronghold. Salim's secret "Special Operational Unit" reports directly to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, 48.
A Lebanese demonstrator holds a portrait of ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri and a sign reading "justice" in Arabic.
Imad Mughniyah, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, ran the unit until Feb. 12, 2008, when he was killed in an attack in Damascus, presumably by Israeli intelligence. Since then, Salim has largely assumed the duties of his notorious predecessor, with Mughniyah's brother-in-law, Mustafa Badr al-Din, serving as his deputy. The two men report only to their superior, and to General Kassim Sulaimani, their contact in Tehran. The Iranians, the principal financiers of the military Lebanese "Party of God," have repressed the Syrians' influence.
The deeper the investigators in Beirut penetrated into the case, the clearer the picture became, according to the SPIEGEL source. They have apparently discovered which Hezbollah member obtained the small Mitsubishi truck used in the attack. They have also been able to trace the origins of the explosives, more than 1,000 kilograms of TNT, C4 and hexogen.
The Lebanese chief investigator and true hero of the story didn't live to witness many of the recent successes in the investigation. Captain Eid, 31, was killed in a terrorist attack in the Beirut suburb of Hasmiyah on Jan. 25, 2008. The attack, in which three other people were also killed, was apparently intended to slow down the investigation. And, once again, there was evidence of involvement by the Hezbollah commando unit, just as there has been in each of more than a dozen attacks against prominent Lebanese in the last four years.
This leaves the question of motive unanswered. Many had an interest in Hariri's death. Why should Hezbollah -- or its backers in Iran -- be responsible?
Hariri's growing popularity could have been a thorn in the side of Lebanese Shiite leader Nasrallah. In 2005, the billionaire began to outstrip the revolutionary leader in terms of popularity. Besides, he stood for everything the fanatical and spartan Hezbollah leader hated: close ties to the West and a prominent position among moderate Arab heads of state, an opulent lifestyle, and membership in the competing Sunni faith. Hariri was, in a sense, the alternative to Nasrallah.
Syrian President Bashar Assad with his wife Asma: Although the Syrian government is not being declared free of the suspicion of involvement, at least President Assad is no longer in the line of fire. There is hardly anything to indicate he was aware of the murder plot.
Whether Lebanon has developed in the direction the Hezbollah leader apparently imagined seems doubtful. Immediately after the spectacular terrorist attack on Valentine's Day in 2005, a wave of sympathy for the murdered politician swept across the country. The so-called "cedar revolution" brought a pro-Western government to power, and the son of the murdered man emerged as the most important party leader and strongest figure operating in the background. Saad al-Hariri, 39, could have become prime minister of Lebanon long ago -- if he were willing to accept the risks and felt sufficiently qualified to hold office. After the Hariri murder, the Syrian occupation force left the country in response to international and domestic Lebanese pressure.
But not everything has gone wrong from Hezbollah's standpoint. In July 2006, Nasrallah, by kidnapping Israeli soldiers, provoked Israel to launch a war against Lebanon. Hezbollah defied the superior military power, solidifying its image as a resistance movement in large parts of the Arab world. If there were democratic opinion polls in the Middle East, Nasrallah would probably be voted the most popular leader. The highly anticipated June 7 elections will demonstrate whether the Lebanese will allow Nasrallah to radicalize them again. Once again, he is entering into the election campaign in a dual role. He is both the secretary-general of the "Party of God," represented in the parliament since 1992, and the head of Hezbollah's militia, part of a state within a state that makes its own laws.
A Death in the Middle East: Hariri's Murder Casts Uncertain Future for Lebanon (02/24/2005)Hezbollah currently holds 14 of 128 seats in parliament, a number that is expected to rise. Some even believe that dramatic gains are possible for Hezbollah, although landslide-like changes in the Lebanese parliamentary system are relatively unlikely. A system of religious proportionality ensures, with list alliances arranged in advance, that about two-thirds of the seats in parliament are assigned before an election. In the cedar state, a Sunni must always be prime minister, while the Shiites are entitled to the office of speaker of parliament and the Christians the relatively unimportant office of the president.
Hezbollah has not managed to upset this system, adopted decades ago, even though it objectively puts its clientele at a disadvantage. As a result of differences in birthrates, there are now far more Shiites than Sunnis or Christians in Lebanon. Some say that Nasrallah isn't even interested in securing power through elections, and that the "Party of God" would be satisfied with a modest share of the government. By not taking on too much government responsibility, Hezbollah would not be forced to dissolve its militias and make significant changes to its ideology of resistance.
The revelations about the alleged orchestrators of the Hariri murder will likely harm Hezbollah. Large segments of the population are weary of internal conflicts and are anxious for reconciliation. The leader of the movement, which, despite its formal recognition of the democratic rules of the game, remains on the US's list of terrorist organizations, probably anticipates forthcoming problems with the UN tribunal. In a speech in Beirut, Nasrallah spoke of the tribunal's "conspiratorial intentions."
The revelations are likely to be just as unwelcome in Tehran, which sees itself confronted, once again, with the charge of exporting terrorism. Damascus's view of the situation could be more mixed. Although the Syrian government is not being declared free of the suspicion of involvement, at least President Assad is no longer in the line of fire. Hardly anything suggests anymore that he was personally aware of the murder plot or even ordered the killing.
One can only speculate over the reasons why the Hariri tribunal is holding back its new information about the assassination. Perhaps the investigators in the Netherlands fear that it could stir up the situation in Lebanon. On Friday evening, the press office in Leidschendam responded tersely to a written inquiry from SPIEGEL, noting that it could not comment on "operational details."
Detlev Mehlis, 60, the German senior prosecutor and former UN chief investigator, has his own set of concerns. He performed his investigation to the best of his knowledge and belief, questioning more than 500 witnesses, and now he must put up with the accusation of having focused his attention too heavily on Syrian leads. The UN tribunal's order to release the generals who were arrested at his specific request is, at any rate, a serious blow to the German prosecutor.
One of the four, Jamal al-Sajjid, the former head of Lebanese intelligence, has even filed a suit against Mehlis in France for "manipulated investigations." In media interviews, such as an interview with the Al-Jazeera Arab television network last week, Sajjid has even taken his allegations a step further, accusing German police commissioner Gerhard Lehmann, Mehlis's assistant in the Beirut investigations, of blackmail.
Sajjid claims that Lehmann, a member of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) proposed a deal with the Syrian president to the Lebanese man. Under the alleged arrangement, Assad would identify the person responsible for the Hariri killing and convince him to commit suicide, and then the case would be closed. According to Sajjid, the authorities in Beirut made "unethical proposals, as well as threats," and he claims that he has recordings of the incriminating conversations.
Mehlis denies all accusations. Lehmann, now working on a new assignment in Saudi Arabia, was unavailable for comment. But the spotlight-loving Jamil al-Sajjid could soon be embarking on a new career. He is under consideration for the post of Lebanon's next justice minister.
Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan.
From Lebanon with Laughs: "You Are in Beirut, Lebanon"
This satire is making the rounds in Lebanon as elections approach. The main character, Michel Aoun is a Christian politician allied with Hizballah. He would sell his mother--or, more immediately, Lebanon--in order to be president some day. He may well give an Iran-Syria backed government the seats it needs to take over the country.
"You are in Beirut, Lebanon"
This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally.
The test features an unlikely, fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision. Remember that your answer needs to be honest, and spontaneous.
You are in Beirut, Lebanon. There is chaos all around you caused by an explosion followed by a severe blaze. You are a photo journalist working for a major newspaper and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are cars and people swirling around you, and disappearing under the flames.
Suddenly you see a man in a burning car. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be burnt alive. You move closer. Somehow the man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is. It's General Michel Aoun. At the same time you notice that the raging flames are about to take him under forever. You have two options - you can save the life of General Aoun, or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the country's famous men.
What is the question - Click here: From Lebanon with Laughs: "You Are in Beirut, Lebanon"
Overall, it is possible to say with fair certainty and some understatement in fact, that Iran has rejected every approach to negotiating the nuclear development issue consistently, and that alll attempts at dialog have been futile. When the Bush administration refused to negotiate with Tehran, critics claimed the Bush administration was the attitude. Now that the Obama administration is willing to negotiate on almost any terms, Tehran has rebuffed them as well, saying they will only negotiate through the IAEA about IAEA issues.
It is hard to understand how or why anyone would expect that further attempts at dialogue will be fruitful.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday rejected a Western proposal for Tehran to "freeze" its nuclear work in return for no new sanctions and ruled out any talks with major powers on the issue.
The comments by the conservative president, who is seeking re-election in a June 12 presidential vote, are likely to further disappoint the United States administration of President Barack Obama, which is seeking to engage Iran diplomatically.
The United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain said in April they would invite Iran to a meeting to try and find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear row.
The West accuses Iran of secretly developing atomic weapons. Iran, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, denies the charge and says it only wants nuclear power to generate electricity.
Breaking with past U.S. policy of shunning direct talks with Iran, Obama's administration said it would join such discussions with Tehran from now on.
"Our talks [with major powers] will only be in the framework of cooperation for managing global issues and nothing else. We have clearly announced this," Ahmadinejad said.
"The nuclear issue is a finished issue for us," he told a news conference.
Ahmadinejad was asked about a so-called "freeze-for-freeze" proposal first put forward last year under which Iran would freeze expansion of its nuclear program in return for the UN Security Council halting further sanctions against Tehran.
Western diplomats say the proposal remains on the table. Ahmadinejad last month said Iran had prepared its own package of proposals to end the stalemate.
"We will not allow anyone to negotiate with us outside the agency's regulations and issues," he said on Monday, referring to the UN International Atomic Energy Agency. "From now on we will continue our path in the framework of the agency."
Obama has offered a new beginning of diplomatic engagement with Iran if it "unclenches its fist", but Washington has not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails.
Ahmadinejad, facing a challenge in the election from moderates advocating detente with the West, has made angry rhetoric against the United States and it allies his trademark since he came to power in 2005.
Ahmadinejad called Monday for a face-to-face debate with his American counterpart Barack Obama at the United Nations.
The challenge was made at a news conference as he stepped up his campaign for re-election in Iran's June 12 presidential vote.
Iran says it is ready for "constructive" talks but has repeatedly rejected demands to halt sensitive uranium enrichment which can have both civilian and military purposes.
Asked about North Korea's nuclear test on Monday, Ahmadinejad said: "In principle we oppose the production, expansion and the use of weapons of mass destruction."
He said Iran had no missile or nuclear cooperation with North Korea.
The constant emigration of Christians from Palestinian territories is due to the equally unrelenting and systematic victimization of Christians by the Muslim majority, but it is invariably blamed on Israel. Christians are afraid to complain about persecution and terrorization. Therefore, when an incident such as the desecration of graves described here occurs, Christians hurry to insist each time that "nothing like this has ever taken place."
Vandals desecrated some 70 graves in two Palestinian Christian cemeteries on Sunday in what a Palestinian Authority official said was a rare attack on the Christian minority in the occupied West Bank.
A church official in the village of Jiffna near Ramallah where the attack took place called in Palestinian security officials to investigate, but neither he nor the investigators said they had any initial clues who was responsible.
"This unfortunate incident has brought Muslims and Christians closer and many from the Muslim community have shown solidarity with us and have condemned this action," said Greek Orthodox Church official George Abdo.
He added that grave stones had been smashed and metal and stone crosses knocked off graves in the attack, which was discovered on Sunday. The head and a hand of a statue of the Madonna adorning one of the graves were also broken off.
Abdo said it was the first time such an incident had occurred in the village.
Issa Kassissieh, a Palestinian Authority official and adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas on Christian affairs, said he believed it was "an isolated act against Christian symbols".
"Palestinian Christians and Muslims have always lived in harmony in the Holy Land," Kassissieh said.
Jiffna, northeast of Ramallah, is home to some 1,600 inhabitants, about two thirds of whom are Christians from the Greek Orthodox and Catholic communities.
The Palestinian Authority says 50,000 of the West Bank's 2.5 million Palestinian population are Christian.
Many Christians have emigrated over the past 30 years. Pope Benedict called on Christians not to abandon the Holy Land during a visit to the region earlier this month.
It's really nice that Vice-President Joe Biden went to Lebanon in order to, in the words of the White House statement, "reinforce the United States's support for an independent and sovereign Lebanon" prior to the June 7 elections there.
That and whatever is the current prevailing price will get you a cup of coffee.
Of course, Hizballah said that the visits by Biden following that of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was a terrible "interference in Lebanon's affairs."
Strangely enough, I'm not aware of any U.S. statement complaining about Iranian and Syrian interference in Lebanon's affairs. This is connected to the current policy that basically amounts to, if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all. Since the current administration won't admit to being in conflict with anyone, except perhaps al-Qaida, it cannot fight back effectively.
As for the media, the New York Times investigated the elections and did find a country whose interference in Lebanon should be criticized...Saudi Arabia.
Here's the problem: if your adversaries wage a struggle using all their assets plus a great deal of dissimulation and trickery and you don't, well, guess who's going to win?
Believe it or not, on May 25 each year since 2000 Lebanon has been celebrating a so-called "Liberation & Resistance Day." Sadly, this celebration commemorates a bogus event, and a phony heroism that did not actually take place.
On May 22, 2000 the Israeli Army unilaterally and for solely Israeli domestic reasons withdrew from the security zone of South Lebanon in accordance with UN Resolution 425. The withdrawal was a fatal Israeli decision that has inspired the Hamas terrorism acts and the on-going havoc in the Palestinian Gaza strip.
The unilateral Israeli withdrawal created a security vacuum in south Lebanon. The Syrians who were occupying Lebanon at that time and fully controlling its government, did not allow the Lebanese Army to deploy in the south and fill this vacuum after the Israeli withdrawal. Instead Syria helped the Hezbollah militia to militarily control the whole southern region, and even patrol the Israeli-Lebanese border.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army's withdrawal was executed without any military battles, or even minor skirmishes with Hezbollah, or the Lebanese and Syrian armies. The Syrian regime, in a bid to justify both its on going occupation of Lebanon and the avoidance of disarming Hezbollah, came up with the "Shabaa Farms occupation big lie" and declared Hezbollah a Liberator, alleging it had forced Israel to withdrawal from South Lebanon.
Syria, in the same camouflaging and devious context, dictated to both the Lebanese parliament and government to declare May 25th a National Day under the tag of "Liberation & Reistance Day".
In reality Hezbollah did not force the Israeli withdrawal, and did not play any role in the Liberation of the southern Lebanese region. In fact both Hezbollah and Syria deliberately hindered and delayed the Israeli withdrawal for more than 14 years.
Every time the Israelis called on the Lebanese government to engage in a joint, serious effort under the United Nations umbrella to ensure a safe and mutually organized withdrawal of its army from South Lebanon, the Lebanese government refused to cooperate, did not agree to deploy its army in the south, and accused the Israelis of plotting to divide and split the Syrian-Lebanese joint track. This approach to the Israeli calls was an official Syrian decision dictated to all the Lebanese puppet governments during the Syrian occupation era.
Since then, Hezbollah has been hijacking Lebanon and its people, refusing to disarm and advocating for the annihilation of Israel. This Iranian mullahs' terrorist army stationed in Lebanon, is viciously hiding behind labels of resistance, liberation and religion. Hezbollah has recklessly jeopardized the Lebanese peoples' lives, safety, security and livelihood. It has been growing bolder and bolder in the last four years and mercilessly taking the Lebanese state and the Lebanese people hostage through terrorism, force and organized crime.
Sadly, Hezbollah is systematically devouring Lebanon day after day, and piece by piece, while at the same time marginalizing all its governmental institutions in a bid to topple the Lebanese state and erect in its place a Shiite Muslim regime, a replica of the Iranian Shiite mullahs' fundamentalist republic. Meanwhile the free world and Arabic countries are totally silent, indifferent, and idly watching from far away the horrible crime unfolding without taking any practical or tangible measures to put an end to this anti-Lebanese Syria-Iranian scheme that is executed through their spearhead, the Hezbollah armed militia.
Who is to be blamed for Hezbollah's current odd and bizarre status? Definitely the Syrians who have occupied Lebanon for more than 28 years (1976-2005). During their bloody and criminal occupation, Syria helped the Iranian Hezbollah militia build a state within Lebanon and fully control the Lebanese Shiite community.
But also the majority of the Lebanese politicians, leaders, officials and clergymen share the responsibility because they were subservient and acted in a dire Dhimmitude, selfish and cowardly manner. If these so-called Lebanese leaders had been courageous and patriotic and had not appeased Hezbollah and turned a blind eye to all its vicious and human rights atrocities, intimidation tactics, crimes and expansionism schemes, this Iranian Shiite fundamentalist militia would not have been able to erect its own mini-state in the southern suburb of Beirut, and its numerous mini-cantons in the Bekaa Valley and the South; nor would Hezbollah have been able to build its mighty military power, with 70 thousand militiamen, or stockpile more than 50 thousand missiles and force the Iranian "Wilayat Al-Faqih" religious doctrine on the Lebanese Shiite community and confiscate its decision making process and freedoms.
Since Hezbollah's emergence in 1982, these politicians have been serving their own selfish interests and not the interests of the Lebanese people and the nation. They went along with Hezbollah's schemes, deluding themselves that its militia and weaponry would remain in South Lebanon and would not turn against them.
This failure to serve the people of Lebanon allowed Hezbollah to make many Lebanese and most of the Arab-Muslim countries through its terrorism propaganda to blindly swallow its big lie of theatrical, faked resistance and Liberation.
Hezbollah would not have been able refuse to disarm in 1991, like all the other Lebanese militias in accordance to the "Taef Accord," which called for the disarmament of all militias. Hezbollah would not have become a state inside the Lebanese state, and a world-wide terrorism Iranian-Syrian tool which turned against them all after its war with Israel in year 2006 and after the UN troops were deployed on the Lebanese - Israeli borders in accordance with the UN Resolution 1701.
On May 7, 2008 Hezbollah invaded Sunni Western Beirut killing and injuring in cold blood hundreds of its civilian citizens, and attempted to take over by force Mount Lebanon.
A few days ago Hezbollah's General Secretary Sheik Hassan Nasrallah called that day (May 7, 2008) a great and glorious victory for his resistance, and threatened the Lebanese that a replicate of that day will take place if they do not succumb and obey his orders.
Hezbollah is a deadly dragon that the Lebanese politicians have been allowing him to feed on sacrifices from the southern Lebanese citizens, especially on those who were living in the "Security Zone" and who fled to Israel in May 2000 after the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon. This dragon who enjoyed devouring his southern sacrifices has now turned on all the Lebanese and if they do not stand for their rights and dignity, he will keep on devouring them all one after the other.
We call on the Lebanese government, the Lebanese Parliament and on all the free and patriotic Lebanese politicians and leaders to cancel the May 25 National Day, because it is not national at all, and also to stop calling Hezbollah a resistance, put an end for its mini-state, cantons and weaponry, and secure a dignified, honorable and safe return for all the Lebanese citizens who have been taking refuge in Israel since May 2000.
Egypt is America's major ally and the recipient of the most US aid among Arab countries, yet Obama is not too popular there. Your tax dollars at work, dear Americans.
Arabs like Obama but are still suspicious of U.S.
President Barack Obama appears to have successfully made inroads with Arab public opinion during his first few months in office, a new poll suggested over the weekend.
A survey by the University of Maryland/Zogby International poll - conducted in the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Morocco - showed that 45 percent of the 4,000 Arabs surveyed view Obama positively. If Egypt is removed from the survey - Egypt's population is larger and more neutral than other countries - Obama's positive rating soars to 60 percent.
About half of the Arabs in six countries said in a recent poll they have a favorable view of Barack Obama and were hopeful about U.S. foreign policy.
A majority - 77 percent - of Arabs said they have a "somewhat unfavorable" or "very unfavorable" attitude toward the United States, down from 83 percent last year. It ranks second only to Israel as the country Arabs view as the world's biggest threat.
Obama will not be presenting an American initiative for Middle East peace during his June 4 speech in Cairo, the White House announced on Friday.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Obama's speech would address Washington's relationship with Muslims worldwide.
"This will be a broader speech about our relationship with Muslims around the world," said Gibbs at the daily press briefing. "I know there has been some conjecture that included in this speech will be some detailed comprehensive Mideast peace plan, and that is not the intention nor was it ever the intention of this speech."
Gibbs noted that Obama could not address the Muslim world without referring to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but added that the speech would not focus on it.
The White House announcement comes as no surprise to the Netanyahu government. Israel has long known that President Barack Obama would not present his Middle East peace plan during his upcoming visit to Cairo, a senior Jerusalem official said.
The official said that the U.S. has yet to formulate a cogent diplomatic initiative, and that the administration will not do so until the president completes his first round of meetings with all of the region's leaders, Israel Radio reported.
When asked about Obama's stance on Jerusalem, Gibbs said, "Those are final status issues that the parties themselves have agreed to work out in whatever negotiation would be had. That's not something for the president to intone."
Following Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, various media reports had speculated that Obama would unveil a new U.S. initiative for achieving peace in the Middle East as part of his upcoming speech meant to improve relations with the Muslim world.
A spokesman for the National Security Council told Haaretz several days ago that Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Nahmoud Abbas - who is scheduled to visit Washington this week - came to the U.S. to clarify their positions on various subjects, but no peace plan is currently on the table "despite rumors to the contrary." | 2019-04-20T03:17:10Z | http://middle-east-analysis.blogspot.com/2009_05_24_archive.html |
This is something I'll just be doing as a side project in the weeks leading up to Extinction covering lore elements of ARK. Specifically, the ARKs themselves, who -or what- made them, and what the future may hold for the survivors. I'll be referring to the Explorer Notes and analyzing them in-depth for info.
Over the past year, I've been slowly gathering the explorer notes.In case you don't know, explorer notes are little collectibles you find across all three story ARKs. Recently, I completed finding all of them. That's over 500 explorer notes! Almost half of which are dossiers. If you want the coordinates so you can find them yourself, or if you want to read them, here's a link to their page on the ARK wiki.
So lets start where the ARK lore seems to be the most confused-Aberration. Here I'll show how Rockwell didn't destroy the ARK and more.
The first explorer to arrive on aberration was Diana and her squad mates from the United Republics of Earth (URE) a futuristic organization from an undisclosed future date. After setting up a camp on the surface (this was before it was destroyed) they're able to create some working tek armor and jet pack, which they give to Diana to fly off and find help. However, Diana collides with the barrier surrounding the ARK. After that she returns to camp and heads to the obelisk with her new friend, a teenage computer expert and hacker with a love for pop idols by the name of Santiago.
Santiago hacks into the obelisk terminal and deduces that the energy barrier made with "unknown shielding technology" can be taken down if they destroy a certain platform-the overseer arena.
After months of training, they finally complete a tek bomb that can destroy the entire arena. Santiago manages to get them there by hijacking the teleporter pad at the base of the obelisk and teleporting them to the arena. Even with their training, they were no match for the overseer and barely had any time to set off the bomb.However, something happened and rather than just destroy the arena the bomb destroyed the entire column it was sitting on. Even though Diana and Santiago survived, the blast failed to fully take down the shield, only weakening it. Furthermore the shield, according to Diana, allowed excessive amounts of sunlight to enter the ARK and mix with radiation to create roasting sunlight that reaches up to 236 degrees Fahrenheit! The group of URE people end up retreating into a cave.
It's here that we learn 2 things about aberration: one, it was Diana, not Rockwell, that broke the ARK.Second, the cave system we see in the playable game was always a planned part of the ARK and it existed even before the ARK was broken.
After setting up a Second base -the one we see on the Northern shore of Fertile Lake- Santiago makes nighttime trips to the obelisk to run tests.He deduces that an existing teleporter pad signal on the planet below could be reached, but not through the obelisks since it was on a different frequency. The group decides to build a massive portal to reach it, called the gateway project.And it's here that Diana meets Mei-Yin.The same Mei-Yin from the island, who befriended Helena and killed Nerva. The one who lost her left eye fighting that same Nerva to the death. And somehow managed to become the only person in ARK ever to tame a fully-mature Rock Drake.
Diana decides to take her back to her camp, where Mei-Yin is in awe of the technology used. However, the doesn't get the hang of the gadgets and almost leaves. But Diana convinces her to try on some tek armor. That was enough for Mei-Yin to not only stay as a permanent resident, but become a trusted friend of Diana, even giving her the nickname "Juzi" (Which literally translates to "Tangerine", a type of orange. She likely chose this because of Diana's distinctive reddish hair).
A URE scouting party locates some ruins that contain crystallized element that the group needs to complete a "focusing lens" which I believe is the Orange ring at the end of the portal. The group goes missing and Mei-Yin - who'd stayed behind- went after them. She managed to rescue Diana and the element. However, she had to leave her Rock Drake behind as a distraction while they ran back to the village. Mei-Yin swears to protect the village from now on.
Then Helena and Rockwell arrive from Scorched Earth and are attacked by seekers. Suddenly Mei-Yin in full tek armor saves them. After a joyful reunion, Mei-Yin takes them to the village. When Helena learns of the gateway project, she remembers that back on Scorched Earth, the city of Nosti was destroyed by the obelisk after it became too large. After talking to Diana the Gateway project is postponed.
After Helena is trained in tek armor the group heads with Santiago to get readings from the obelisk. Helena's hunch turns out to be correct, with the ground around the obelisk getting regular tremors and the obelisk only days from reacting. Just when Helena had lost hope, Santiago came up with a plan. He believed that there was a teleporter signal that could lead them to a control center where they could shut down the obelisk, The pad turning out to be in the heart of the station itself.
Using his hacking skills, Santiago is again able to get himself, Helena, and Mei-Yin to the center with the obelisk's pad.They decide to leave Rockwell behind with Diana in the village. Rockwell feels that he's being treated like an ignoramus and fights to be treated better, eventually getting put with Diana's team of scientists. This gives him access to molten, unrefined element. He claims that it speaks to him, which could very well mean he was suffering from Schizophrenia.
Helena and friends explore the center and first find a room full of creature eggs and embryos in pods lining the walls. Then further down they find something shocking-HUMANS in pods lining the walls. Helena writes in her 18th note that this could mean that the characters -playable characters included- were not just put on the ARK by the overseer, they were DESIGNED by the overseer, which could mean that the characters memories are fake, too.This leaves everyone in shock, Mei-Yin specifically.She becomes a sort of zombie until the group finds the console their looking for.
Back at the village, Rockwell runs some tests with the element, or "Edmundium" as he calls it and injects a sample into a glowtail, mutating it into a savage beast. But Diana overhears and kills it before taking all of Rockwell's test subjects and element. Not to be outdone, Rockwell begins smelting down the whole village's supply of element into molten form.
Santiago manages to finally shut down the obelisk. But in retaliation the station releases creatures into the center. The group runs all the way back the pad to safety. On the way back to the village, Santiago radios to Diana, while Helena and Mei-Yin finally come to terms with the truth. In the midst of the village's celebration, however, Rockwell, deprived of test subjects, injects a large dose of molten element into his bloodstream, mutating him slowly. Then Santiago's radio went from cheering to panicked screams.By the time they arrived at the village, nearly everyone was dead, and Diana was too badly injured, dying in Mei-Yin's arms. But not before telling them who had done this.
A furious Mei-Yin grabs every gun she can find and goes right after Rockwell. Helena decides to follow her. When she finds her, she's already fighting Rockwell. With Helena's help, however, they're able to divide his attention. In his anger, Rockwell creates a hole, which Mei-Yin forces him down into. The battle was over.
"Primitive! Savage! How dare you? You are nothing! I am a god! How dare you?
Hate you! HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! Where have you banished me? What is this place? What is this feeling? Everything. Yes, everything. The earth and the sky. Every stone and every crevasse. I feel it all. What is this place? What am I?"
"I am beginning to understand. It was hard to comprehend, for my eyes are still newly opened.
I did not used to see as I see now, nor did I speak as I speak now. When I speak, it is not to a man. They are lesser beings.
When I speak, I speak to this place, speak to the ARK, and it speaks back to me. It tells me secrets, things that I never could have understood as I was before.
It whispers to me of something greater, a plane ever higher than the one I walk now. We can reach it, the two of us. The ARK and I. Together."
As for Helena and Mei-Yin, they manage to find survivors of Rockwell's attack who can complete the portal. After 2 weeks it's completed at long last. Helena at first doesn't believe that the group will let her go with them, since she brought Rockwell to the ARK in the first place. When Mei-Yin finds out, however, she breaks down in tears and convinces Helena to come with her. And the next day they activate the portal and touch down on the planet below.
Since Wildcard repeatedly refers to the planet as Earth, then it would make more sense if that hunk of rock is actually the MOON.
Now, I don't know about you, but that large piece off to the left looks awfully similar to a rounded side of the moon, right down to the color and shape. And the rest of it looks like it could have fit together to form a sphere at one point. I have some ideas as to how it cracked that I'll share in future posts.
In case you're wondering, I am NOT Anthomnia, the maker of this video. I'm just using this video for reference because I couldn't find any images of the crater anywhere else.
In the future, Earth realized a large asteroid would hit the planet and kill almost everything. To keep the human race alive, HUMANS CONSTRUCTED THE ARKS with the intent of seeing if they could repopulate the Earth through repeated experiments with genetic mutation.
Shout out to Glerian for liking my theories, every little bit helps!
I like your theory! It was very well thought out and your synopsis of the information so far is excellent. So now, maybe I'm not as up on my lore as I would like to be, but aren't there multiple asteroids orbiting the earth, with an Ark on each? I don't think they could all be pieces of the moon.
Second, considering all the facts, I would imagine that the Arks WERE designed and built by advanced humans, probably as a way to save the human race. Given what we know, Arks spawn in human beings from all periods of history, it could be that they were made after the doom of humanity. Some sort of extinction event took place, a la Horizon: Zero Dawn, where the survivors were able to create the Arks as an experiment before they died, leaving the Arks to complete their goal. The Arks seem to be searching for something, or someone, to potentially fix the "extinction" perhaps? Survivors are "spawned" over and over again, until they can ascend.
Either way, I love where this is going, thank you for updating!
The ARK Stations, everything there is to know.
Now that we have a possible explanation as to the ARK's origins, let's discuss the facts we know about the ARKs themselves. I got most of this info from Helena's notes and the captions of Diana's notes (By captions I mean the bits of text next to scans of the environment).
Each ARK is a landmass station made up of three components, Organic, Mechanized, and Digitized.
Each ARK is built at an unknown altitude and, as Helena mentions in her 2nd Note on the Island, is built so that it has no axial tilt, and hence no seasons to interfere with the desert or tundras.
Each ARK is seemingly different and I think it's safe to assume the overseer randomizes the environment for each ARK.
Each environment is contained using a "Holographic/Atmospheric Dome" that keeps stuff from going in or out of the ARK. It uses holographic horizons and energy barriers to accomplish this. And as Helena discovers in Scorched Earth, the ARK may use creatures as barriers, too.
"As absurd as the Death Worms are, I see their purpose. They are a natural barrier.
If this whole place is a space station posing as a real ecosystem, then it needs to keep the wildlife and humans inside it contained in a way that appears natural. The island accomplished that by simply being an island, and the desert does it via the Death Worms.
Granted, a large population of predators with ludicrous kilocalorie needs would never last long in a place as devoid of prey, but as this is an artificial environment, the station can feed or, replace the Death Worms as needed. It's a little convoluted, but it makes sense." - Helena Note #6 on Scorched Earth.
Each ARK produces both Humans and animals.
Helena's extensive research on the Island led her to discover that the animals themselves seem to be genetically altered so that they could survive in cold or hot climates. Other creatures never really existed at all, the biggest example of this being the Cnidaria, which, according to the dossier, is basically just an amalgamation of Large Egg-yolk jellies, box jellies, and deep-sea jellies. Helena's research also reveals that the animals seem to have been used to human contact for at least decades, hence the reason for the speedy taming.
In addition to animals, each ARK also contains a small population of humans struggling to survive. These humans appear to be implanted with artificial memories.
After being designed by the overseer, each animal and human is stored in pods kept in the heart of the station, where they are kept until implemented into the environment. This is likely what we see happening in those rooms in that hallway before the overseer arena. The machine I'm talking about is the one that implements them into the environment.
The main control AI of an ARK station who's duties, according to the ARK wiki, are "Overseeing the experiments of an ARK Station and ultimately deciding who may continue to ascend higher in the evolutionary chain and who will be terminated."
The overseer isn't just a robotic AI guardian, though. It's a shape-shifting robotic guardian, capable of mimicking the shape and powers of the other 3 island bosses. It also has the power to summon defense units and attack drones to defend it.
The obelisks are the most iconic features of the maps. At their base is a teleporter pad that, when given the right offerings, teleports the player to a boss arena. According to Diana's logs, the obelisks are "surveying devices". I think what that means is that the obelisks aren't just boss teleporters, they're machines implemented by the overseer to monitor the environment. This is further evidenced by the beginning of the overseer boss fight. When you walk into the arena, you can see a hologram with data bubbles next to the obelisks, shown below. This is likely data the obelisks collected for the overseer to review.
One of the key defining features of the survivors, the implant, when hovered over, will display the survivor's serial number, Vernacular ID (Human name), and the words "Survivor Quotient", followed by the survivor's ascension status.
"The surviving villagers let me claim the lizard rider's armor and weapons, and gave me shelter for the night. To my surprise, I understood them. Their mouths moved strangely, but in my ears I heard the language of my home. They say it is the work of the metal object in my wrist. I do not understand, but they had no reason to lie." - Mei-Yin note #5 on the Island.
So in addition, the implants also act as a sort of communication device that enables people of different languages to talk to each other.
I believe the "termination" the overseer does is what happened to the city of Nosti on Scorched Earth, and what nearly happened to the tek village on Aberration. I believe it does this because it doesn't want people to expose the ARK for what it really is.
John Dahkeya and Raia, the only two survivors of the Nosti disaster, say that first, the obelisk's light started flashing for a few days. Then, the ground suddenly started trembling, and finally, the ground split open and swallowed the city whole. In other words, the obelisk triggers an earthquake that destroys the target.
Now, some of the few of you that actually took the time to read that might say, "Wait, humans are EXTINCT?! But we play as a human!" Well, DO we though? Our memories could very well be fake, so could our bodies be fake, too? What if our characters are actually the NOT extinct, but "Endangered", HOMO DEUS?!
Aaaannnddd I think that's a good place to end it. I'll be off this site for the weekend and Columbus day, but I should start uploading again on Tuesday the 9th, so goodbye until then!
Was a good reading and i loved it, the story side of Ark has always made me curious and it’s exciting.
Cant wait for what we learn closer to next dlc.
What if our characters are actually the NOT extinct, but "Endangered", HOMO DEUS?!
Due to the fact, that the Extinct animals on the Ark are labeled as extinct, i Think that "We" are in fact Humans... clones. Genetically recreated Humans.
ANd i Think, that "She who waits" is the last homo deus... that Homo deus is a form of aetherical human being, made of manifested data. That´s why She is kind of linked to all arks.
The "Colonist group" of this bit interests me. Could the other Homo Deus have moved on from Earth?
I love what you've done here @ArkTheorist123 !!
After trying my luck in PvP for two years and then trying my patience with the hoarding PvE crowd I decided I'd go to single player and start a quest for the notes.. I read them when it's dark and scary out and I'm just tickled that someone else is as interested as I am ..
Thanks for all the support guys! After looking at the ARKs origins and facts, let's look at their purpose.
After reviewing the facts, we can conclude that the ARKs are landmass stations built by futuristic humans, and serve as observation facilities where an advanced AI runs experiments on prehistoric creatures and genetically recreated humans using genetic mutation. Given that the planet is in ruins, I think it's safe to say that their end goal is to see which subjects would be best for saving the planet, humans AND creatures, since that would explain how we see them in the teaser images for extinction.
And the evidence for this is from none other than One Who Waits.
This should confirm the ARKs purpose, and the humans involvement in it. So it's odd to me how the ARKs aren't doing that.
"To fall from the sky, you'll go through many trials. You'll face many guardians. They'll feel like tests, because they are...except they aren't.
Basically this means two things. One, the boss fights from the very beginning were just another part of the experiment, including the overseer boss fight. The other is further mention of this "Evolutionary chain" the overseers command. When one ARK is ascended off of, the overseer transfers the subject to a harder ARK, and the cycle repeats until the overseers see the subject worthy of being transferred to the planet to save it. This would explain why there was a teleporter pad on the planet in the first place.
For some reason, though, the cycle isn't ending like it's supposed to. Because we broke some heavenly rule or something like that (I have no idea what rule we broke, leave suggestions!), we aren't being sent to the planet per usual. we just keep going to harder ARKs. So if we don't go to aberration and teleport to the planet, it doesn't matter if we tame a Rex army or conquer all opposing tribes. It woulden't even matter if we beat the Broodmother, Megapithicus, Dragon, Overseer, and Manticore ON ALPHA.If we don't go to aberration, there IS no happy end. It just gets harder and harder. That's why we're REALLY lucky we did.
Very well done GJ. I can only find a few nitpicky things wrong and for the most part you did a great job keeping the facts and your guesses separate(not an easy thing to do). Say what you will about this game(and I do at every opportunity) but years into playing it I am still dying to find out just what the [email protected]#k is going on lol. Some things to note......We don't know for sure why the city of Nosti was destroyed. It may have been related to the size or it may not have...we just don't know. On AB it seems that the kill command was given as a response to the destruction of the control center but again we just don't know. Also the existence of the Homo Duce troubles me. We know from the island that they are a thing but almost nothing else has been given to us on what they are, what they want, where they went. Dozens of Arks in orbit , fire breathing dragons, Monsters with acid blood, Tek bombs blowing up their stuff but so far no Duce. I figure either that part of the lore is getting pushed aside or EX is going to be jam packed with Duce or at least whatever legacy they left behind.
On a related note I am looking for tribes interested in making a day 1 push for notes and end game content. I need to find out how this thing ends and I don't want to wait for the wiki. If you have a tribe that is going to assemble on a certain server and need moar ppl please let me know.
"I believe the "termination" the overseer does is what happened to the city of Nosti on Scorched Earth, and what nearly happened to the tek village on Aberration. I believe it does this because it doesn't want people to expose the ARK for what it really is."
... because it makes no sense. It wasn't the size of the tribe, or the intent of the tribe, as both tribes were very different in both respects. I think it has to do with civilization, as a whole, which slows down and in some cases even stops, evolution. Which I think is the entire point of the ARK, to force evolutionary growth. The Homo Deus are trying to create MORE Homo Deus but the only way they can is by forcing certain humans to evolve. Those with the right abilities, the right genetic qualities, ascend. All of this as a way of saving the endangered Homo Deus.
The One Who Waits is either one of a scant few Homo Deus or the LAST Homo Deus. And the reason it is contacting you is because something has changed between the creation of the ARK and now. I posit that, possibly, the Homo Deus were more numerous when they created the ARK, but as time went on they grew fewer and fewer. This caused the equation that ran the ARK to change, pushing the goal posts further down the line as more information was needed to fill the void left by the Homo Deus who disappeared. IF the problem is the extinction of the Deus then it stands to reason that as they grew fewer and fewer the amount of evolution they required of the ARK grew exponentially until, as the last one OWW determines the equation is now unbalance-able by means of the ARK.
And so it must be solved in another fashion, enter the broken ARK and teleporter to earth directly. Does that gel with the rest of your theory?
So if diana's people are from future with elements, from where they have it, maybe it come with meteor like tiberium in C&C?
After years humanity know how to use elements, evolve into Homo Deus, elements spread through the world and in some case elements start corrupting earth. With some purpose it was deadly for new humans so they start ARK project where elements appear in some stage (AB, Diana in note mean they start minning element ore, why they start on AB? Maybe because they already know TEK).
And years after project start something is broken in "main core" and friendly AI or one from Homo Deus can't fix it so it need our help (like note explain that) so ARK project will back into "good road".
ARK Park, The Ultimate Lore Exposed?
I've been waiting for the right time to post this theory, and since we finished covering the ARK stations, here it is!
Since I first saw gameplay videos and trailers of ARK Park, it was always nagging me... "How The the heck does this thing exist?!"
Then when I was gathering the Aberration explorer notes, I found it...Skye's note.
Skye was one of the graduate students, a set of characters I chose to leave out of my Aberration lore post for one simple reason: they contributed absolutely nothing to the main lore of Aberration. Skye's one note, found at the coordinates 45.4 by 40.5, however is different, as it's basically one big Easter egg to ARK Park.
"Far out! This place is kinda like that dream I had.
So it went like this: I ride some tram thing to like, the biggest, weirdest zoo in the universe, right? Only instead of normal animals, there's dinosaurs! Totally cool...until they all escape just like in every horror movie ever made. Duh! Anyway, Dream-Me hops into a truck with some ripped, badass dudes, and we just start driving around, shooting dinosaurs and stuff. I felt like a legit action hero!
But it's still just a dream, right? I mean, obviously! I don't even know why I'm writing this down, it's all in my head. All I need to do is walk off that cliff, and I'll wake up right before I hit the ground."
And that's all I thought it was - a nod to ARK Park. Until I started drawing similarities and it eventually clicked in my brain - what if the entire ARK Park game WAS Skye's dream?! With that, I started looking for evidence, and I think I really did find some.
And let me just say...THIS LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE MAIN ARK GAME!!!
The ARK itself looks different, there are TWO large planets outside the observation window. Earth, both out the window and in the hologram, looks more orange and has a large crack in it, and the moon ISN'T floating around in pieces.
I mean, look at the similarities! Both show an identical looking tram on an identical looking rail system, with large rock formations overhanging the track, and both show the main island far off in the background.
And lastly... let's face it: why would this ONE ARK be decked out in zoo form compared to all the others?
That doesn't mean the MAIN ARK game is dream, though. That's at least confirmed when we see Skye's corpse next to his note as a result of his stupid cliff - jumping.
From what we can tell, element is first formed in an ore or in molten rivers. The element is then mined and when combined with gems, charge, and gas balls, makes the refined material used in tek.
"The architecture here is similar to that of the control center I encountered before - a jagged cavern of metal, lit by an unearthly blue glow. There's a constant hum all around us, likely from the power being sent to all areas of the station." - Helena note #16 on Aberration.
Now, maybe this a stretch, but what if the energy was passing through the element, like element was some kind of conductor for energy and maybe even overseer data, since that would kinda explain how our tek gear doesn't work in the Broodmother, Megapithicus, Dragon, and Manticore boss fights, and it would explain what Rockwell meant on Aberration when he became one with the ARK and said the ARK told him things, since he's part element, and the info would be passing through him.
Sorry this is so short. I could be offline at least until the last extinction chronicles drops next week.
On the bright side, when THAT happens, I should have all the info I need to do a 2 - part prediction post on EXTINCTION. ?
Apparently, the description of the original video titled the game's creator as Snail Games, the same company that made ARK Park. Many people are saying this will either be a standalone game or an ARK 2.0. That's why I'm going to do a breakdown of this trailer, to see if this will be better or worse than ARK (Even though, like, 90% of people who've seen this trailer know it takes place in an ARK - setting). Let's begin.
The first 10 seconds of footage seems to take place in a marketplace. We see signs advertising animals and fish. We also see people getting into a fistfight. When we enter the dock, I can see a billboard to the left with white text on it, but I can't quite make out what it says. We see a direbear pulling a cart and one guy walking by quickly seems to have a crossbow or rifle strapped to his back.
This is when we see some actual ships, and not just some cruddy raft either. We see men rowing a rowboat to a large, brigantine - like ship. Overhead we see a pelagornis. To the left, another rowboat is hooked up to the ship, which could mean some kind of rowboat - to ship docking mechanic. We then board the ship to see some officers in 16th to 17th century formal British sailing coats. The officers then perform the "Salute" emote from the main ARK game. We step up to the wheel. Then we see some external shots of the ship (Notice the Manticore figurehead), followed by a shot of the brigantine fighting some pirate sloops. I noted that the attacked pirate sloop seems to be pulling a glowing barrel out of the water, maybe this the sea equivalent of a beacon loot drop? They're fighting in front of a waterspout, which could mean that weather will play a key role in success. The following scene shows a ship boarding that gives me flashbacks to Assassin's creed: Black Flag. If you look closely you'll see storage crates all over the deck of the attacked ship, which would explain the need for such boardings to take place. The next shots show a cruddy raft floating around and then some cliffside village.
We see some treasure hunters in a scene obviously taken from Sea of Thieves, complete with treasure map, similar digging animations, and undead skeleton enemies. Then it cuts to a moonlit fistfight, followed by a pistol duel, followed by a skeleton raid on a wooded cabin, and then finally a sea battle, brig vs skeleton - ship. To the right in this scene we can see a purple glowing barrel with a ring around it, confirming that the barrels will be loot drops.
The rest of the trailer is mostly just a combat montage. We first see that, unfortunately, ships will have to be hand - crafted from the ground up (that part will certainly be fun). Then we see a town which is then targeted by enemies. When the guy uses the spyglass, it's the same lens from the normal ARK spyglass. The town is then attacked, and many people in forts made from ARK stone walls start launching mortars from mortar cannons. A few scenes later a fishing rowboat is attacked by an unmistakable megalodon. Then the trailer shows off some sinking ships that are then raided underwater - a feature that certainly wasn't put in Sea of thieves or ACBF. Then it cuts to another cart - pulling direbear, only this cart is carrying a cannon and is followed by several Equus riders. The closing shot shows a massive battle between British and Pirate ships. The ending shows the planet, and in the upper right you can see wisps that look like what our character passes through during the island ascension cutscene.
Obviously there is a lot of ARK influence here. the Direbear, Pelagornis, Megalodon, and Equus confirm that. But how does this game fit into the rest of the ARK universe? I have two possible explanations.
1. It's just an ARK station.
"The journey to the village was a bit tricky. Since Rockwell and I lack the high-tech armor the others wear, they had to help us along with rope ladders and zip-lines.
We made it eventually though, and it's quite the sight. The technology this tribe uses is incredible, although Rockwell was far more intrigued by it than I was. Mei Yin's friend, Diana, gave us the grand tour and he pelted her with questions the whole time.
Fortunately, Diana just smiled and answered his questions patiently. Apparently she was a pilot in her own time, which is the same era her fellow villagers are from. That there are so many people from one time period on one station seems unusual. I wonder what it means?"
Because of this, so many people being used to a certain life style isn't that far - fetched.
The much likelier theory is that like ARK Park, Atlas will be a dream. This could explain why we don't see any obelisks in the trailer. It could also mean that Atlas will be mentioned in an Extinction explorer note the same way ARK Park was mentioned on Aberration. This note could come from someone like Santiago or even someone from before the meteor hit Earth.
In one aspect, Snail games could be ripping off games like Sea of Thieves and ACBF the same way it ripped off Jurassic Park with ARK Park.
in another aspect, Atlas could be BETTER than those games with it's introduction of new mechanics and aesthetics and whatnot. That is, if Atlas actually gets released. I didn't see any release date in the trailer, so who knows what's going to happen with this idea.
PPS: I think each ring in the Aberration portal represents a story ARK. Green represents The Island, Red for Scorched Earth, Blue for Aberration, and Orange (the focusing lens) for Extinction.
Well, it's happened. The final extinction chronicles has dropped, and extinction is only 3 weeks away at the time of writing this. And I have to say... Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 looks pretty good.
Joking aside, words can not fathom how ECSTATIC I AM FOR THIS EXPANSION!!!
I mean, I'm literally having dreams about waking up, getting on ARK, and playing Extinction. Then, when I actually wake up and get on ARK, I'm confused as to why Extinction isn't there.
I'm going to do this in two parts. This part will be an analysis of the trailers AND the teaser images AND the wiki page. The next part will be a guess as to the plot line of extinction based off of the notes of One Who Waits. So without further ado, let's begin where Aberration left off.
After defeating Rockwell, it triggers something in the portal and causes it to activate, sending us up through the spine to the portal room, off the ARK, through space, to the planet below. After touching down, we see an overgrown obelisk that powers down to reveal a barren reddish landscape. When the screen cuts to black, we can hear a roar and flapping wings. Here we learn two things: one, the obelisks seem to hold up the dome that covers an ARK station. Two, THIS Extinction and the trailed and teased extinction look different.The sky is black and cloudy compared to blue and cloudless, and the city looks different, too.
The trailer opens in what seems like the ground level of the Great City, as OWW calls it. We can see dimorphodons flying overhead. One thing I noticed that nobody else did are the vines stretched between the buildings, like the ones on Aberration. This could mean a return of the ravager, or maybe it will be an ability for an extinction creature, like the Wyrm. As the camera is panning to the left, we can see waterfalls, a lamppost, and bridges in the background. When the camera stops panning, we can see a Red Rex standing in front of a hologram of Earth , like the ones in the Overseer Arena. The hologram flickers to the barren earth for a brief second. Everything looks awesome... until we lift our arm to show an implant. An ALPHA implant.
Just... Why?!?! I mean, I know that ascending to access Extinction makes sense in the context of the story and all that, but why ALPHA?!?! Why not just Gamma? Why even have different ascension modes in the first place?
My problem with alpha ascension is that certain players, like me, are worse at ARK than others. They still play, of course, but are too weak and alone to even ascend on gamma. And cheats, in my opinion, aren't exactly the way ARK was meant to be played. I'm trying to ascend, but the closer we get to Extinction, the more I'm dying inside from frustration. Does anyone else have this problem?
Okay, rant over. Let's get back to business.
We start the scene rounding a corner a floor up from the ground. Riding the Red Rex, we first see a large gate on the left, like the one we see in a teaser image I'll show you later. In the distance we see a large snow - filled dome with a blue obelisk in it, and the cracked moon in the sky. When we round the corner, a few scout drones fly by and we see a giga roar at us before getting attacked by an Enforcer, a tek creature with the ability to teleport. One of the buildings across from us looks like an outdoor seating area with flickering lights.
The scene opens from the POV of a scout drone, which appears to scan a corruption node. When this happens, a human - looking DNA strand pops up, which I think means that corruption is alive? Like a parasite that takes over a host and turns it to a hive mentality? Then we zoom out to find the drone was controlled with a pair of binoculars. The hills in the background look sort of bluish. Also, notice the size of the ribcage overhanging the node, maybe there were more titans at one point?
This scene takes place in the snowy dome we saw earlier. According to the ARK wiki on extinction ( https://ark.gamepedia.com/Extinction ), electromagnetic waves will render the GPS useless, which will certainly make finding explorer notes fun. That's why we were hitting the GPS. When we start panning around the valley, if you look closely, you can see metal spires to our right and over the hill on the far side of the valley. When the Frost Titan emerges, you can see a spot of corruption on his torso, which could mean only anti - corruption weapons will harm this thing.
The ending shot shows a corrupted ARK logo, no man's land, the grand city, another large ribcage, and the moon.
This is the image I was referring to earlier, the one with the gate. In it, we see the city, a corrupted Rex and Pterodactyl, the snowy dome, a weird boiling river, driftwood (which we haven't seen since the island ), the moon, and a meteor. One thing I noticed is that in this image, the dome is on the right side of the gate, but if you looks back at 0:10 seconds in the trailer, it's on the LEFT side of the gate. So, either something is inverted, or there will be more than one large gate into the city.
At first I thought this image was in an indoor park, until I saw the sunlight streaming into it, which means this park must be in the overhang of a building or something. There are a lot of brides and waterways here, and in the center of the image, past the fountain, we can see an entranceway with what looks almost like a teleporter pad on a ledge above it. There's an enforcer clinging onto a wall on the right, which means that they can hold onto walls like Rock Drakes. We see some paracers, a rex, and gallimimus running around, but up front we see some defense units, which haven't been used since the Overseer fight. Defense units have, according to the wiki, 925 base health. That means it will take 39 spears to kill ONE of these things, and 193 spears to kill the 5 we see in this image. Furthermore, we can see attack drones flying around the lamppost in the lower left. Attack drones have 146 base health, so they take 7 spears to kill one, or 19 spears to kill the 3 we see in the image.
This image reminds me of Aberration, what with the wall crystals and pine trees. Leaning up in the background we can see a blue obelisk. A BLUE Obelisk. But isn't the blue obelisk in the snow dome? Unless... no, I won't write it off just yet. We can see a mutant dino, what look like wyverns, a sauropod tail in the upper left, and of course, the freaking MASSIVE Forest Titan. I mean, those are wyverns next to it for size comparison!
We can see a gasbag, some trees, and a metal object up front. In the background, we can see a corrupted raptor, the snow dome, and a magical flying gasbag. The metal object almost looks like a rocket engine to me. If the weapon that OWW mentions in her 12th note was, say, a rocket or missile, than this could have been it's propulsion system.
We can see a wyrm on the ground and an owl in the sky, with the city in the background. There isn't much more to say about this image.
This image is full of animals! We can see a normal Bronto and direbear, as well as a corrupted Trike, Spino, Stego, Rex, and two weird doggish creatures. In the background, in the sky, we can see a blurry obelisk, and to the left of it, the Air Titan, the weird subnautica leviathan - looking creature. This looks like a strategic place to build a base as it's near water and trees and the rock formations will protect you from meteors ( more on those later ).
on September 28th, a 20 - second long video was uploaded to Chris's twitter account ( https://twitter.com/cudacores?lang=en ) I unfortunately could not reupload the video here. You can still see it on Chris's twitter, though.
This trailer shows what I believe to be the endgame titan, since it walks on two legs like the titans. notice how in the background, you can hear wind, which could mean this thing is guarding No Man's Land, since that's the only place I can picture wind.
This trailer shows the "Gacha", a weird sloth - like creature. I can only assume the weird bad under it's neck is part of a saddle. After feeding it something, it drops a purple crystal, which must have some use in crafting. Notice how this is happening in the place we saw in teaser image #3.
Also, the music sounds AWESOME.
1. Meteor showers that will damage players and structures.
2. Electromagnetic waves at certain locations that will render the GPS useless.
The second part of my Extinction predictions will be completed around Friday.
Now that we've covered the factual evidence, let's talk about how everything we've learned culminates in Extinction. This post will be more disorganized than my others, but let's begin anyways.
The best place to start will be with One Who Waits. So, who or what exactly is it?
"When I say "you must fix it" I mean "only you can fix it." Not me. Not the System. You.
That’s a lot of pressure. Sorry. I wish I could do this for you, but there are rules. Laws. Not legally speaking, but scientifically.
Both are pretty similar, as both don't have a physical body. Think of it as a futuristic ghost. They're still conscious, they just don't have a physical body so they can interact with the real world. That's...why OWW created us.
"As I've said, even digital creations are beyond my direct control. So it is with the System - these islands in the sky. I can speak with the the artificial minds that oversee their operations, but they have a will of their own. They too think, act and live.
Until at last they formed you.
And what are you exactly? Once you break free, once you fall from the sky, I'll tell you your name.
It will all make sense to you then." - OWW Note #8 on scorched Earth.
My belief is that OWW tampered with the Overseer's Specimen output code - in other words, the code the Overseer uses when it makes a new human. OWW basically tricked the system into creating humans that SHE KNEW would be able to reach Earth. That probably explains the character customization, right?
Okay, but WHO IS OWW?!?!
In her 6th note, you can see an image of a woman. This woman looks different from the default woman she shows a few notes later. I'm led to believe it's Helena as both her and this woman have short hair, whereas Mei-Yin, the only other woman left, has long hair and a scar over one eye.
Also, OWW and Helena are the only two characters who use the word "moniker".
"You'll want a moniker for me, won't you? Words and names are not explicitly necessary to process the world within oneself, but they are important when conveying it to others." - OWW Note #6 on Aberration.
Okay, but HOW did Helena get this way?!
In the very background of her notes, you can find that the english we see up front is translated from ascension code in the background. The only other character we see that speaks like this, besides the Overseer, is Rockwell. And we all know that Rockwell speaks like that because...he injected himself with molten element. Helena must have, too.
One thing I left out of my post, "What IS Element?" is that I believe element, when exposed to the bloodstream, "judges" people, or turns what they are on the outside to what they are on the inside. Rockwell, being crazy and egotistical, turned into the beast he was on the inside. Whereas Helena, being kind and intelligent, ascended into the god - like being we know as One Who Waits.
So we have the who and how, but WHY?! Why would Helena do that?! Before we get to that, though, let's look at the Extinction chronicle's developments.
"Once your fall is complete, stay close to the sanctuaries. Within them, small pockets of life still flourish in an otherwise barren garden. Beyond their spheres of influence, you will find an endless sea of decay, ruled by shadows and death.
The first of these sanctuaries is the Great City. Though it is no longer a metropolis, a jungle blooms in its place, and you may find a modicum of shelter within its crumbling walls.
"Cause and effect is the way of the universe. Everything must start somewhere. In the case of the System, this is where it was born. You will fall right into its cradle.
Together, the sanctuaries and the Obelisks that power them are the ancestor of every island that floats in the sky. They can all can trace their origins back to this single prototype. Though it is flightless, the core principles and technology behind it are the same.
In a way, that makes it your ancestor too. You were all born within the System, after all. Even if your design is somewhat altered, in a way, you're all its children.
"And so everything will end where it began. The planet, the System, your species and every bit of life that inhabits this tiny corner of the universe. All of it.
Then perhaps something new will begin, but that depends on you...and the forces that stand in your way.
Up until this point, I had a really good theory in mind, where the explorers and tek villagers built the city and eventually figured out how to make obelisks and the domes so that they could repopulate the planet more easily. The city was overrun by corrupted creatures, Mei - Yin and the tek villagers died, and Helena injected herself with element and ascended to escape.
"Despite my limited equipment, I have managed to run some initial tests on the Edmunium. Based on my observations, a typical forge may not be enough to smelt a sample of Edmunium ore into any sort of useable ingot. I suspect that it has extremely strong metallic bonds and therefore a much higher melting point than any conventional metallic element." - Rockwell Note #26 on Scorched Earth.
In case you don't know, when rocks enter Earth's atmosphere, the gravity turns it into an EXTREMELY HOT fireball. This heat would be so intense that trees would burn and humans would bake alive inside their tek armor. But element, with it's ridiculously high melting point, would survive the heat.
it wasn't until this development that I noticed something - each DLC expansion introduces at least one new explorer with notes that give backstory on something. Raia's notes on Scorched Earth tell us how she turned into the warrior that helped Helena. Diana's notes tell us how Aberration broke and how Mei-Yin learned about tek armor. And THIS possible new explorer's notes could not be about surviving on Extinction, but about the ARK's creation, how the URE realized the meteor was coming and raced against the clock to get them in orbit, before succeeding and promptly dying.
As for Helena and friends, I believe they first took shelter in the city. After learning the truth, a titan or corrupted creature army attacks the city. Given Mei-Yin's track record of defending her homes, I would say she fought and died, holding onto the necklace Diana gave her. With everyone dead after the attack, Helena decides to inject herself with element and ascend into OWW so she can create humans that won't fail at saving Earth.
1. What is the threat facing the ARKs?
"To win the game, you must move your pieces off the board. To fix the System, you must leave it behind.
"The System has existed for eons. Considering all the variables, it has adapted well. Much like you, it has toiled to reach its goals, and it has overcome many obstacles. However the scale is larger. The struggle is longer.
In organic beings, age can slow reflexes and dull thought. Not so with the System. The speed and efficiency of its calculations are not in doubt. One could argue they’re the problem.
If a function has a 0.001% chance to cause an error, but it’s only run a dozen times, an aberration is unlikely. But a trillion times? Then it’s inevitable. More time, more errors. A drop turns to a trickle. A trickle to a flood.
"Everything the System does is in service to its ultimate objective. The tests that aren’t tests. The hard resets it performs when it believes its subjects have grown stagnant or unruly. The new, increasingly fantastic creatures that it introduces to its ecosystems. Yes, even those pudgy, glowing lizard-dogs. Look, they try their best, okay?
The problem is that the System’s purpose is not wholly static. The goalposts have moved. The bar has been raised, and now it is entirely out of the System’s reach.
i fell like wildcard is trying to sneak something past us, i just don't know what. Any thoughts?
As for me...is that it? No. I'll still make posts. just don't read them if you don't want the Explorer Notes spoiled for you.
ATTENTION! PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE!!!
I am looking for advanced Xbox server tribes that are going to reach Alpha endgame levels. I am desperate for an Alpha ascension so I can access Extinction when it finally drops. If anyone is interested in recruiting me, leave the name of the server below.
"You know, this whole "staving off the ever looming spectre of despair" thing would be a lot easier without all the dinosaurs. Did I not mention those? I should have mentioned those. Anyway, turns out that raptor attacks aren't so great for morale. True story.
At least the weather's holding up. We've had clear skies for three days now. It was a good idea to start giving people callsigns, too. Getting a new callsign from my squadron always made me feel closer to them, whatever it was. Hopefully it works with this bunch. | 2019-04-21T02:39:23Z | https://survivetheark.com/index.php?/forums/topic/369345-ark-theories/&&do=embed |
Blue stragglers (BS) are usually defined as objects brighter and bluer than the main-sequence turn-off point of their host cluster (Sandage 1953). In the color−magnitude diagram (CMD) they occupy an extension of the main sequence (MS), from which all normal stars at the age of the cluster would have evolved billions of years ago. In other words, they indeed seem to lag in time, or straggle, behind the bulk of the cluster (Shara et al. 1997). Their location in the CMD suggests typical masses of 1.0−1.5 M⊙− significantly larger than those of normal stars in globular clusters (GC). Because of this, BSs are thought to have increased their mass during their evolution. Two basic ideas have been proposed to explain the origin of these objects: direct stellar collisions (Hills & Day 1976), and mass transfer between or coalescence of the components of binary systems (McCrea 1964; Chen & Han 2008, and references therein) forming, respectively, collisional and evolutionary BSs. The role of each of these scenarios in producing the observed BS populations is still debated (Ferraro et al. 2012, and references therein; Chatterjee et al. 2013; Perets 2015). It is conceivable that different intracluster environments could be responsible for different origins of BSs: in less dense clusters they would preferentially form as evolutionary mergers of, or owing to mass transfer in close binaries while, in high-density ones, from collisions during dynamical encounters between binaries and/or single stars (Chatterjee et al. 2013; Hypki & Giersz 2013).
BSs are not rare objects: every GC has been observed as hosting them, and each GC can contain from a not many up to a few hundred of them. The resulting straggler fractions range from a few times 10-5 to 10-4 (Piotto et al. 2004), however their presence in a cluster is far from insignificant. They result from the fascinating interplay between stellar evolution and stellar dynamics which drives cluster evolution (Cannon 2015) and, as such, they represent a crucial link between standard stellar evolution and internal dynamics of GCs (Ferraro et al. 2015). Thus, by studying them, the dynamical history of a cluster can be constructed, and important constraints obtained on the role played by cluster dynamics on the evolution of cluster members. BS statistics can also provide constraints on the initial distribution of binary systems (Hypki & Giersz 2013). All these factors explain why, within the last twenty years, BSs have evolved from a marginal oddity into an attractive subject of interest for at least three astronomical specialties: observers, cluster evolution modelers, and stellar/binary evolution modelers.
Observational data on which our paper is based have been collected within the Cluster AgeS Experiment (CASE) project. The main aim of CASE is to determine the basic stellar parameters (masses, luminosities, and radii) of the components of GC binaries to a precision better than 1% to measure ages and distances of their parent clusters, and to test stellar evolution models (Kaluzny et al. 2005). The best-suited objects for this type of survey are well-detached binaries so evolutionarily advanced that at least one component is about to leave (or has just left) the main sequence. A by-product of the systematic search for such systems is a wealth of cluster variables. Among the latter about 20 binary BSs have been found (Kaluzny et al. 2013a,b, 2014, 2015a, 2016) which strongly supports the mass transfer option. The aim of the present paper is to verify if a consistent evolutionary scenario can be obtained for these type of objects based on the available data.
To the best of our knowledge, the four stragglers whose evolutionary history we attempt to reconstruct are the only ones in GCs whose parameters are accurately (or at least reasonably accurately) known. In Sect. 2 we discuss their properties together with observational limits on their chemical composition and age. Section 3 briefly introduces the evolutionary code employed to follow their evolution. Section 4 presents results of the search for their progenitors. The results are discussed in Sect. 5, and the paper is summarized in Sect. 6.
The subject of the present investigation is binary blue stragglers V209/ω Cen, V60/M 55, V228/47 Tuc, and V8/NGC 6752 (hereafter: V209, V60, V228 and V8, respectively). The parameters of all the four systems (orbital period P, semi-major axis of the orbit a, component masses M1 and M2, component radii R1 and R2, effective temperatures of the components T1 and T2) are collected in Table 1, together with ages and chemical compositions or their parent clusters. We note that the quoted temperature uncertainties include the spread of color-temperature calibrations used but, accounting for discrepancies among the various calibrations, they might be increased to 250−300 K for V60 (a synthetic calibration was employed; see Rozyczka et al. 2013, for a justification) and V228 (T1 was found iteratively, and its error was difficult to estimate, see Kaluzny et al. 2007b).
V209 was discovered by Kaluzny et al. (1996) during a search for variable stars in the field of ω Centauri. The light curve exhibits total eclipses and is nearly flat between the minima, indicating a detached system. A detailed account from photometric and spectroscopic observations can be found in Kaluzny et al. (2007a), who also derive absolute parameters of the components. On the CMD of the cluster (their Fig. 8), the primary component is located at the tip of the BS region, while the much fainter (ΔV ≈ 1.5 mag) secondary approaches the hot subdwarf (sdB) domain.
In the evolutionary scenario proposed by Kaluzny et al. (2007a), V209 evolved through the common envelope (CE) phase when its original primary ascended the giant branch (RGB). The resulting angular momentum loss transformed it into a close binary with the orbital period of ~1 d, composed of a white dwarf and a main-sequence companion. The second episode of mass transfer and/or loss began once the companion entered the Hertzsprung gap. During that episode it lost most of its envelope, failing to ascend the RGB and ignite helium. Instead, it started to move nearly horizontally across the CMD toward the sdB domain. At the same time the primary accreted enough mass to ignite hydrogen in a shell. Its envelope expanded, and the former white dwarf is currently seen as the more massive and more luminous component of V209 Cen. Its companion, which consists of a helium core surrounded by a thin hydrogen shell, is now seen as the less massive and hotter component of the binary. Kaluzny et al. (2007a) admit that the chances of observing this evolutionary phase are rather low, since the primary should evolve very rapidly across the CMD, but they do not provide any alternative scenario.
V60 was discovered by Kaluzny et al. (2010). The system is a semidetached Algol with eclipses of a very different depth (ΔV ≈ 1.5 mag) whose period lengthens at a rate of 3.0 × 10-9. On the CMD, it occupies a position between the RGB and the extension of the main sequence (Fig. 5 of Kaluzny et al. 2010). Rozyczka et al. (2013) give a detailed account from photometric and spectroscopic observations, and derive absolute parameters of the components. They conclude that the present state of V60 is a result of rapid but conservative mass exchange, which the binary is still undergoing.
V228 was discovered by Kaluzny et al. (1998). The system is a semidetached Algol with partial eclipses of a significantly different depth (ΔV ≈ 0.3 mag). Kaluzny et al. (2007b) give a detailed account from photometric and spectroscopic observations, and derive absolute parameters of the components. On the CMD of 47 Tuc (their Fig. 5), the primary component is located slightly blueward of the tip of the BS region, while its companion resides close to the main sequence about ~0.5 mag above the turnoff. According to Kaluzny et al. (2007b), the secondary of V228 is burning hydrogen in a shell that surrounds a degenerate helium core, and transfers mass to the primary on a nuclear time-scale. This means that the resulting rate of period lengthening should be very low, and, indeed, their observations with a time base of 11 yr failed to reveal any change of the orbital period.
V8 was discovered by Thompson et al. (1999). The system has a W UMa-type light curve with a total secondary eclipse. Spectroscopic data were not obtained, but the duration of totality together with the amplitude of light variation enabled constraints to be imposed on mass ratio q and orbital inclination i. An account from observations is given by Kaluzny et al. (2009), who also perform a detailed analysis of the light curve. On the CMD (their Fig. 5), the primary of V8 resides at the extension of the normal main sequence, while the secondary is located far to the blue of the main-sequence (the temperatures of both components are very similar). Kaluzny et al. (2009) conclude that the present configuration of V8 resulted from a substantial mass exchange between the components. Most likely, the present secondary lost nearly all matter from its original envelope and is burning hydrogen in a shell.
We adopted the best-fitting model from among the radiative solutions of Kaluzny et al. (2009), and calculated absolute parameters of V8 based on apparent magnitude of the primary (V = 17.43 mag) and distance modulus to NGC 6752 (μV = 13.13 mag; Harris 1996, 2010 edition). Their values are only approximate.
Ages of the clusters together with their uncertainties are taken from Marín-Franch et al. (2009) and Forbes & Bridges (2010). Ages of 47 Tuc and NGC 6752 were more recently discussed by Roediger et al. (2014); however their values remained unchanged. The Z-values in Table 1 were derived from [Fe/H] and [α/ Fe] indices quoted below using the XYZ calculator of G. Worthey1.
In ω Cen, which has been long known for its inhomogeneity, a broad range of Y and [Fe/H] is observed. According to a recent survey by Fraix-Burnet & Davoust (2015), the cluster contains seven subpopulations with 0.25 <Y< 0.4, −2.0 < [Fe/H] < −0.5, 0.2 < [α/ Fe] < 0.6, which also differ from each other in spatial distribution and kinematical properties. As a result, we are free in choosing [Fe/H], [α/ Fe] , and Y for evolutionary calculations of V209 (under the condition, of course, that they conform to the limits Fraix-Burnet & Davoust 2015, set for a given subpopulation). In particular, the subpopulation OC3c, on which we focus for reasons explained in Sect. 4, has 0.25 <Y< 0.4 and −1.75 < [Fe/H] < −0.5. We note that the spectra of Kaluzny et al. (2007a) were not good enough to derive abundances, and they adopted [Fe/H] = −1.7, which represents the peak of the metallicity distribution in the cluster.
The RGB of M 55 is split on the ultraviolet CMD, suggesting the presence of two subpopulations (Piotto et al. 2015). However, spectroscopic evidence speaks rather for chemical homogeneity (Kayser et al. 2006; Pancino et al. 2010). We adopt [Fe/H] = −1.94 (Harris 1996, 2010 edition), Y = 0.25, and a range 0.2−0.4 for [α/ Fe].
There is no doubt that 47 Tuc hosts more than one subpopulation of stars although, compared to ω Cen, it may be regarded as nearly homogeneous. While all the subpopulations have [Fe/H] = −0.72 ± 0.01, at least one of them may be enriched in He up to Y = 0.28 (Marino et al. 2016). We adopt −0.73 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ −0.71, and 0.2 ≤ [α/ Fe] ≤ 0.4.
In the case of NGC 6752 the problem of homogeneity is still discussed (see e.g. Lapenna et al. 2016, and references therein). The latter authors argue for the presence of three stellar subpopulations with Y = 0.24, 0.25 and 0.26. [Fe/H] values they quote range from −1.80 (based on FeI lines) to −1.50 (based on FeII lines). We adopt [Fe/H] = −1.54Harris (1996), Y = 0.25, and (as for the other GCs) 0.2 ≤ [α/ Fe] ≤ 0.4.
The following search for progenitors of the investigated binaries is based on a model developed by one of us (Stȩpień 2006a; Gazeas & Stȩpień 2008; Stȩpień 2009; Stȩpień & Kiraga 2015). It describes the evolution of a cool close binary from the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) until a stage preceding the merger of the components.
where (3)and Here M = M1 + M2 is the total mass of the binary, Htot, Hspin, and Horb are total, rotational and orbital AM, and are the (nondimensional) gyration radii of the components, r1 and r2 are the sizes of the inner Roche lobes, and q = M1/M2 is the mass ratio. Mass, radius, and semi-major axis are given in solar units, period in days, and AM in cgs units.
We assume that orbital and rotational motions are fully synchronized throughout the whole evolution, i.e. that the rotational period of each component is always equal to the orbital period P. This assumption is very well founded for close binaries based on both observations and theoretical considerations: systems with P< 10 are fully synchronized (Abt 2002), and synchronization time for periods shorter than 2−3 d is of the order of 104−105 yr (Zahn 1989).
Here Ṁ is in solar masses per year and dHtot/ dt is in g cm2 s-1 per year. The formulae are calibrated by the observational data of the rotation of single, magnetically active stars of different age, and empirically determined mass-loss rates of single, solar-type stars. Both formulae apply in a limiting case of a rapidly rotating star in the saturated regime. We note that they do not contain any free adjustable parameters. The constant in Eq. (7) is uncertain within a factor of 2 and that in Eq. (8) is uncertain to ±30% (Stȩpień 2006b; Wood et al. 2002). The model ignores any interaction between winds from the two components.
The evolutionary calculations are divided into three phases: from ZAMS to the Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) by the initially more massive component (henceforth donor), rapid, conservative mass exchange from the more to less massive component (henceforth accretor), and the last phase of a slow mass exchange resulting from nuclear evolution of the donor.
The present computations follow those described in Stȩpień & Kiraga (2015, please refer to that paper for additional details, assumptions etc.). However, a couple of modifications were introduced to increase accuracy and computational efficiency of the code. In particular, upon approaching the final evolutionary state, the time step was substantially shortened to avoid nonphysical period oscillations observed in some cases by Stȩpień & Kiraga (2015). Instead of Padova models (Girardi et al. 2000), the newer PARSEC models2 (Bressan et al. 2012) were used, which include up-to-date physics and cover a broader range of metallicities. Finally, for modeling of V209 and V228, we calculated our own evolutionary tracks using a procedure outlined in Sect. 4.1.
Equations from the previous section do not contain any free adjustable parameters, so after specifying helium (Y) and metal (Z) content, the initial masses of both components and the initial orbital period, the evolution of the binary is fully determined. Our task is to examine the initial parameters space until a model binary that fits observations is found. We note that the result of the search is not unique if the physical parameters of the observed binary, i.e. chemical composition, orbital period, masses, sizes, and luminosities of the components are only used for matching (Stȩpień 2011). Several model binaries with different values of the initial parameters can reproduce the observed values, but in each case a different time is needed to reach the agreement with the observations.
To demonstrate the nonuniqueness of the solution in a broader context, we computed three sets of models with initial mass ratios qinit = 0.94, 0.82, and 0.72; all of them with initial total mass Minit = 1.55 M⊙, and low metallicity Z = 0.001 characteristic of globular clusters (Minit was kept fixed, assuming that a progenitor of an exemplary binary with the final total mass close to 1.4 M⊙ was searched for). Each set contained 16 binaries with initial orbital periods of between 1.5 d and 3 d. In Set 1, the initial component masses were equal to (0.8, 0.75) M⊙; in Sets 2 and 3 − to (0.85, 0.7) and (0.9, 0.65) M⊙, respectively. We note that accounting for mass loss owing to the wind, the MS-lifetime of a 0.8 M⊙ star exceeds the age of the Universe, while that of 0.85 M⊙ and 0.9 M⊙ is shorter than the age of most GCs.
As it is seen in Fig. 1, the 0.8 M⊙ star fills its inner Roche lobe only in binaries with initial orbital periods shorter than 2.1 d. The orbits of these binaries are then so compact that soon afterwards both the components overfill the outer critical Roche surface and merge together. For periods equal to, or longer than 2.1 d, RLOF never occurs and the binaries stay detached. Set 1 models can only reproduce observed contact or near-contact binaries with parameters from a restricted range M1 ≲ 0.9 M⊙, M2 ≳ 0.55 M⊙ and P ≲ 0.4 d.
The situation changes a lot when we consider Set 2 binaries with M1 = 0.85 M⊙ (Fig. 2). An M1 = 0.85 M⊙ primary fills the Roche lobe during the MS evolutionary phase only in binaries with the four shortest periods. For all other periods, it leaves the main sequence while being detached from its Roche lobe, but the ensuing expansion quickly leads to the RLOF. A rapid mass exchange occurs, after which the orbital period increases and the mass ratio decreases. Set 2 models can reproduce observed binaries with parameters from a broad range M1 ≲ 1.25 M⊙,M2 ≳ 0.2 M⊙, and P from a fraction of a day up to a few days. Their final ages are concentrated around 11 Gyr. Figure 3 shows the evolution of Set 3 models with M1 = 0.9 M⊙. It is very similar to Fig. 2, except that the final ages are concentrated around 9 Gyr.
Time evolution of Set 1 models with initial component masses of 0.8 and 0.75 M⊙ (broken lines, left axis) and initial periods of 1.5−3.0 d (solid lines, right axis). Only the six shortest-period binaries reach the RLOF phase within the age of the Universe, enabling the mass exchange between their components. All other binaries stay detached.
Same as in Fig. 1 but for Set 2 models with initial component masses of 0.85 and 0.70 M⊙. Only the four shortest-period binaries enter the RLOF phase when the primary component is still on the main sequence. For all other binaries, RLOF occurs when the primary is past the main sequence i.e. at an age of ~11 Gyr.
Same as in Fig. 1 but for Set 3 models with initial component masses equal to 0.90 and 0.65 M⊙. Only the three shortest-period binaries enter the RLOF phase when the primary component is still on the main sequence. For all other binaries, RLOF occurs when the primary is past MS, i.e. at an age of ~9 Gyr.
As we see, the final age of the model crucially depends on the initial mass of the primary, M1. Changing Z has a similar, but weaker effect to changing M1 (see Fig. 4). Knowledge of age and metallicity of the observed binary lifts the indeterminacy of the initial parameters. Fortunately, for GC members these parameters are known with a reasonable accuracy, even in clusters containing multiple subpopulations (Roediger et al. 2014).
Figures 1−3 may be regarded as an illustration of a coarse search of the parameter space. To reproduce the observed binary parameters more accurately, all three initial parameters have to be varied within a narrow range around the values resulting from the coarse search. This also includes the total initial mass because different component masses result in somewhat different mass losses. Examples of such fine search in period are shown in Figs. 5−8, which are related to the four actual binaries discussed below.
Data on observed and model binaries.
To select the best-fitting models, we applied the following procedure: first, we adopted the Y and Z parameters, in agreement with the observations of the parent clusters. Then, we evolved the model binary until the orbital period was to the third decimal place equal to that listed in Table 1, and, simultaneously, the observed component masses were reproduced within the observed uncertainties. This accuracy of period-fitting proved high enough for the resulting uncertainty of progenitor parameters to be negligible compared to the overall uncertainty dominated by sources discussed in the following sections. Finally, of all models meeting these criteria, the one with the age closest to the cluster age was selected. Radii, effective temperatures and luminosities of the components resulted automatically from the evolutionary sequences. The exception, discussed in detail in Sect. 4.1, were extremely low-mass stars (M< 0.2 M⊙) with helium cores and extended hydrogen envelopes, which we could not model reliably enough.
The basic data for the best-fitting models are given in Table 2. For each star, the left column contains the age of the parent cluster and the observed values of stellar parameters. The age of the model is given in the first row of the middle column and then all other parameters, as obtained from the model. For the secondary components of V209 and V8, no data on temperature and luminosity are given because we were not able to model extremely low-mass stars with a substantial helium core. A well known relation exists that connects the mass of the helium core with the stellar radius and luminosity, but it only applies to red giants with a sufficiently high total and core mass (Iben & Livio 1993; Eggleton 2009). Stars that are less massive than about 1 M⊙ with the helium core mass lower than about 0.2 M⊙ obey individual core mass-luminosity relation (see Fig. 2.9 in Eggleton 2009), as well as core mass-radius relation (Muslimov & Sarna 1996), depending on the total stellar mass. The right column gives for each star relative differences Δ(obs. − mod.) expressed in per cent.
Relation between metallicity and life-time on the MS for stars with different masses, based on PARSEC models. Indicated are the four clusters discussed in the present paper. Vertical and horizontal line segments give for each cluster uncertainties of both coordinates (see Table 1).
The ages of V209 and V8 are close to the adopted ages of the hosting clusters ω Cen and NGC 6752, but a serious mismatch occurs in the remaining two cases, in which the best-fitting models are significantly younger than the corresponding clusters. The discrepancy is of a fundamental nature, as Fig. 4 shows. Here we plotted the MS lifetime of stars with different masses and metallicity. The lines of constant mass are shown with solid lines and labels. We also plotted the positions of all four clusters according to their age and metallicity. The positions give the maximum mass of a star which just reached TAMS in each cluster. This mass is close to, but not identical with, the turn-off mass. Specifically, the turn-off mass, defined as a hottest MS star on the isochrone corresponding to a given cluster, is lower by 0.01−0.02 M⊙ than the plotted maximum mass. Doubling this mass gives a good approximation of the maximum total mass of a close binary, which can still be found in the blue straggler region of the cluster (assuming a strictly conservative evolution, i.e. no mass loss from the system and no close interactions with other members of the cluster). The read-off values of the maximum mass are: 0.78 ± 0.01 M⊙ for M 55, 0.8−0.9 M⊙ for ω Cen, 0.80 ± 0.01 M⊙ for NGC 6752 and 0.81 ± 0.01 M⊙ for 47 Tuc. While the observed total masses of the analyzed binaries in ω Cen and NGC 6752 are lower than these limits, they are higher in two other clusters: 1.586 versus 1.56 M⊙ for M 55, and 1.712 versus 1.62 M⊙ for 47 Tuc. Moreover, the evolutionary model includes the mass loss of several percent during the binary evolution (mostly during the longest first phase), so the initial component masses must be even higher than the measured ones (see Table 2). In effect, no model binary can be found that reproduces the observed total mass and age of V60 and V228 (assuming, of course, that their ages are equal to the ages of their parent clusters).
Time variations of orbital period (solid lines, right axis) and component masses (broken lines, left axis) of the best fitting model of V209 (see Table 2 for its initial parameters). Also shown are two models with the same initial component masses, and periods differing by ±0.02 d from the best-fitting one. The observed parameters of V209 are indicated by a filled circle (period) and diamonds (masses). Vertical sizes of the diamonds correspond to observational errors.
ω Cen is the most massive but also the most unusual GC in our Galaxy. It shows a very complex structure with a very broad MS, suggestive of a combination of a few independent sequences, multiple horizontal, subgiant and red giant branches, and a large spread in heavy element content (Norris et al. 1997; Johnson et al. 2010; Piotto et al. 2005; Joo & Lee 2013; Fraix-Burnet & Davoust 2015, and references therein). As a result, several (up to seven) different subpopulations have been identified with different chemical compositions and ages. In particular, an enhanced helium abundance was suggested for two subpopulations (Joo & Lee 2013; Fraix-Burnet & Davoust 2015).
To find a progenitor of V209, we first used PARSEC models in a search for desirable initial binary parameters. It quickly turned out that at the helium abundance Y = 0.25−0.27 the primary of V209 is far too hot for its mass, independently of metal content and age varying within the observed values. It is known, however, that evolutionary tracks of the helium enriched models are shifted towards higher temperatures (and higher luminosities) in the CMD, compared to normal helium abundance models (Glebbeek et al. 2010). Based on the suggestion that a significant subpopulation of cluster members may have helium content Y ≈ 0.40 (Joo & Lee 2013; Fraix-Burnet & Davoust 2015), we generated our own grid of evolutionary tracks for helium-enriched stars.
The tracks were computed using the Warsaw-New Jersey evolution code, which is an updated version of B. Paczyński’s code (Paczyński 1969, 1970). The computations were performed starting from chemically uniform models on the ZAMS. The input parameters for evolutionary model sequences are total mass, M, initial value for helium abundance, Y0, and heavy element abundance, Z. We computed two series of models with masses from 0.50 to 1.60 M⊙, with a step size of 0.05 M⊙. In one series of the computations, we assumed Y0 = 0.40,Z = 0.0004, in the second one, −Y0 = 0.27,Z = 0.003. For chemical elements heavier than helium, we adopted the solar element mixture of Asplund et al. (2009). For the opacities, we used the Opacity Project (OP) data (Seaton 1996, 2005) supplemented at log T< 3.95 with the low-temperature data of Ferguson et al. (2005). In all computations, the OPAL equation of state was used (Rogers et al. 1996, version OPAL EOS 2005). The nuclear reaction rates are the same as used by Bahcall & Pinsonneault (1995). In the stellar envelope, the standard mixing-length theory of convection with the mixing-length parameter α = 1.6 was used. The choice of the mixing-length parameter is important in our models because they are sufficiently cold to have an effective energy transfer by convection in the stellar envelope, namely in the regions of partial ionization of hydrogen and helium, and therefore will have an influence on the structure of the models and their position on the HR diagram. We used a value of α to be close to estimations for the Sun between 1.7 and 2.0 (Magic et al. 2015), as obtained from 3D computations and calibration to the solar radius.
Based on those models, we were able to find a progenitor of V209 (see Table 2). A binary with the initial orbital period of 1.66 d and the component masses of 0.65 and 0.55 M⊙ evolves after 11.34 Gyr (which is almost equal to the adopted age of ω Cen) into a binary with parameters close to V209, see Fig. 5. Tracks for two additional models are also plotted to illustrate the accuracy of the fine parameter search, in this case in period. The models have the same initial component masses as the best-fitting one, but their initial periods differ by ±0.02 d from the best-fitting one. The obs. − mod. differences are significantly larger for them: ΔP = 0.8% and 6.8%, ΔM1 = 3.7% and 0.1% and ΔM2 = 8% and 13% for the shorter and longer period model, respectively. A change of either component mass by, for example, 1% results in a similar worsening of the fit. We conclude that fitting the model to the observations with the assumed accuracy requires a really fine tuning of the initial parameters.
We note that, in our model, unlike in the scenario proposed by Kaluzny et al. (2007a), there is no need for the binary to experience two CE phases: just one mass transfer phase is sufficient to reproduce all the observed parameters of the primary (accretor) within the observational uncertainty. Unfortunately, in the case of the secondary (donor), we could only compute its mass and the mass of its helium core. We followed the evolution of the donor until its mass approached 0.2 M⊙, assuming that it still fills its Roche lobe. The helium core then reached a mass of about 0.13 M⊙. As the mass of the star decreases beyond 0.2 M⊙ , its radius shrinks rapidly, the star detaches from the Roche lobe, and loses mass via stellar wind and during the thermonuclear flashes that occur in the hydrogen burning shell (Sarna & De Greve 1996; Muslimov & Sarna 1996; Driebe et al. 1998; Althaus et al. 2013). Below about 0.18 M⊙, flashes disappear but the radius (and mass) continues to decrease as the star moves to the high temperature region in the HR diagram. These phases are not described by our model because of a lack of sufficiently dense grid of evolutionary models of these types of stars. Nevertheless, the precise fit of our model to the observed parameters of the primary component of V209, in particular an unusually high effective temperature for its mass, may be regarded as independent and strong evidence for the existence of a stellar subpopulation in ω Cen with the high helium content of Y = 0.40.
Same as in Fig. 5, but for V60 in M 55. The two additional models have initial periods differing by ±0.025 d from the best-fitting one.
This binary was already used by Stȩpień & Kiraga (2015) to demonstrate the potential of the method that was outlined in Sect. 3 in identifying progenitors of close binaries in GCs. Among models calculated in that paper, the one with Pinit = 1.9 d and component masses (M1,M2) = (0.89, 0.80) M⊙ reproduced the observed parameters of V60 fairly well. However, it could not be regarded as a solution to the present problem since its metallicity did not conform to the limits given in Table 2, and, moreover, the whole BS population of Stȩpień & Kiraga (2015) was generated without paying attention to the age of the models. Thus, a standard search of the parameter space was necessary. Once finished, we found that the model that best matches the present values P,M1, and M2 was over 2 Gyr younger than M 55. As argued at the beginning of Sect. 4, this discrepancy is a direct consequence of the doubled turn-off mass of M 55 being smaller than the total mass of V60. The results of the present fit are shown in Fig. 6.
The CMD of the cluster suggests a presence of subpopulations that differ in age and/or chemical composition (Piotto et al. 2015). An age discrepancy of 2 Gyr between them seems rather unlikely, but it can not be entirely excluded. On the other hand, the ages of M 55 and V60 could be reconciled if the metallicity of the straggler were significantly higher than the upper limit given in Table 2. Figure 4 shows that the present total mass of V60 can be reached for Z ≈ 0.005, i.e. about 15 times higher than obtained for the cluster (we note that M 55 is the most metal-poor of all the GCs discussed in this paper). If V60 belonged to a subpopulation younger by 1 Gyr than the cluster, the value of Z necessary for the turn-off mass to be equal to the total mass of the binary would decrease to 0.003, a value that is still much larger than observed. Clearly, more data and better models are needed to resolve the discrepancy.
This is another variable star for which a substantial discrepancy occurs between the adopted age of the cluster and the age of the best fitting model (Table 2 and Fig. 7). The PARSEC models with the metallicity of 0.003 are not available, so we decided to compute a special set of models with this value of Z and a helium content Y = 0.27. The best fitting model has the initial component masses equal to 0.95 and 0.94 M⊙, orbiting each other with the period of 2.129 d.
Same as in Fig. 5, but for V228 in 47 Tuc. The two additional models have initial periods differing by −0.02 and 0.04 d from the best-fitting one.
A binary with a total mass this large, and metallicity characteristic of 47 Tuc, should be past the red giant phase long before the age of the cluster. Here, the discrepancy between the cluster and model age is even larger than for M 55 (2.7 vs. 2.1 Gyr). Similar to other clusters, 47 Tuc also shows multiple subpopulations (Joo & Lee 2013; Piotto et al. 2015), but so far no data on the age spread are available. Alternatively, the age of the model binary can be brought to agreement with the cluster age if its components have metallicity 3−4 times higher than adopted for the cluster.
The secondary of V228 reached a mass of 0.2 M⊙ , but it still fills its Roche lobe and has characteristics of a subgiant with a helium core of 0.12−0.13 M⊙. The model reproduces the observed parameters quite well. We expect the star to detach soon from its Roche lobe and to move to the left in the HR diagram. The agreement of the model with the primary of V228 is somewhat poorer. In particular, the radius of the accretor is significantly larger than observed, and also the temperature is significantly higher. As a result, the luminosity of the model primary is too high by 0.19 dex, compared to the observations. The difference suggests that the real primary is less evolutionarily advanced than the model.
Same as in Fig. 5, but for V8 in NGC 6752. The two additional models have initial periods differing by ±0.025 d from the best-fitting one.
This is the most unusual binary system of all discussed in the present paper. It is a near contact binary with an extremely low mass secondary of 0.12 M⊙ , which possesses the radius of 0.45 R⊙ and fills its Roche lobe. A single star with this mass and a significant helium core has a much lower radius as the calculations by Muslimov & Sarna (1996) show. A similarly low radius results from the paper by Paczyński et al. (2007) who computed radii of several stars with masses between 0.18−0.14 M⊙ and different helium cores. The maximum stellar radius decreases from about 1.3 R⊙ for a 0.18 M⊙ star down to about 0.3 R⊙ for a 0.14 M⊙ star. An extrapolation of this trend to 0.12 M⊙ gives a maximum radius of about 0.15 R⊙, in good agreement with the paper by Muslimov & Sarna (1996). The observed large value of the radius must result from the interaction with the other component. V8 may remind us in this respect of AW UMa (Rucinski 2015), where the 0.13 M⊙ secondary possesses a massive helium core and is submerged in the matter flowing from the 1.3 M⊙ primary component. AW UMa looks like a typical contact system of W UMa-type with the secondary radius of about 0.5 R⊙, yet the detailed observations of this binary obtained by Rucinski (2015) indicate a much more complex geometry of the system, where both components do not actually fill their Roche lobes, but are surrounded by the equatorial flow extending up to the inner critical surface. The existence of this type of flow in contact and near contact binaries was predicted by Stȩpień (2009) and Stȩpień & Kiraga (2013). The flow redistributes energy between the components, resulting in an apparent equality of their effective temperatures, which we also see in V8 (see Table 2).
The observational parameters of V8 result from the solution of the light curve only. No radial velocity curve exists for the variable, which makes the solution rather uncertain. Fortunately, one of the eclipses is total so the range of likely parameter values is not too large. The best fitting model has the values of the main parameters satisfactorily close to the observed ones (see Table 2 and Fig. 8), but the radius and temperature of the accretor are significantly lower than observed. This results most likely from the fact that the donor transferred to the accretor not only its outer layers with the original hydrogen content, but also an amount of matter enriched in helium by the nuclear reactions. As a result, the accretor behaves like a more evolutionarily advanced star, compared to the model. Our simple modeling procedure does not take this into account. It assumes that all the transferred matter is hydrogen-rich so after the mass transfer the accretor has the hydrogen content very close to that of a zero age MS star.
The discrepancy is closely related to another caveat of the best fitting model. To satisfactorily reproduce the observed parameters, it was necessary to assume an initial mass ratio qinit = M1,init/M2,init = 4.47. During the rapid mass transfer after RLOF, the orbital period decreased to about 0.1 d, which resulted in the overflow of the outer critical Roche surface by the common stellar surface. The assumption of the conservative mass transfer very likely breaks down in this case. However, to allow for the nonconservative mass transfer, two additional free parameters describing the amount of mass and AM lost from the system would be necessary. Because we avoid this, the conservative mass transfer can be considered as a limiting case when all the matter from the CE ultimately returns to the stars. We note, that the model of V8 is the only one with such an extreme initial mass ratio.
We have reproduced the present configurations of the considered systems, assuming a conservative evolution of isolated binaries (apart from the mass and AM loss by stellar winds). Obviously, this result does not prove that V209, V60, V228, and V8 are formed in this way but just indicates such a possibility. Approximating the evolution of binary components with single star models only works well in case of V209. While, for the remaining three BSs, orbital periods and component masses also agree with observations, radii, and temperatures derived from modeling differ from the observed ones by several standard deviations. This points to the limitations of the simple evolutionary code employed in this paper. A sequence of evolutionary models of single stars correctly describes the evolution of close binary components only until the rapid mass exchange. Later on, the evolution of both components deviates increasingly from that of single stars, in particular when the accretor begins to receive nuclearly processed matter from the deeper layers of the donor. An obvious improvement would be to replace the present code with a binary evolution code, solving the equations of the internal structure of each component at every time step, and allowing for the mass transfer between the components. The next step would be to incorporate the dynamical processes that take place in close binaries, but are still poorly understood, like the rapid mass transfer following RLOF with an unknown amount of mass and AM lost from the system (Sarna & De Greve 1996), or the mass flow carrying thermal energy from the primary to secondary component in a contact binary (Stȩpień 2009; Rucinski 2015).
The BS progenitors identified in the present survey are close binaries. Below we argue that this result is calculationally robust, and physically feasible.
Uncertainties in the evolutionary modeling procedure outlined in Sect. 3 are discussed in detail by Stȩpień & Kiraga (2015). Here we only make use of their most important conclusions. The progenitors of V209, V60, V228, and V8 have lost, respectively, ΔM = 7.7%, 8.8%, 9.7% and 7.8%, and ΔAM = 67%, 53%, 72% and 71%. An increase of the mass loss rate by a factor of 2 entails an increase of M by ΔM, whereas its decrease by 50% entails a decrease of M by ΔM/2. Similarly, decreasing/increasing the AM loss rate by 30% requires a decrease/increase of the initial AM by the same percentage of ΔAM, which corresponds to initial orbital periods of 0.84 and 2.88 d for V209, 1.30 and 3.03 d for V60, 1.63 and 2.71 d for V228, and 2.82 and 3.71 d for V8 (calculated for M kept constant).
Thus, varying the coefficients in Eqs. (7) and (8) within observationally acceptable limits cannot cause the model progenitors to leave the short-period regime.
The next question to ask is: can close binaries be sufficiently abundant in a GC to account for the observed binary BSs? The efficient tightening of binaries in triple systems by the Kozai mechanism can be mentioned in this respect. The presence of a third body stimulates the so-called Kozai cycles which, together with the tidal energy dissipation, can shorten an orbital period of 1−2 weeks down to a couple of days within less than 108 yr (Eggleton & Kiseleva-Eggleton 2006; Fabrycky & Tremaine 2007; Naoz & Fabrycky 2014). If this is the principal source of close binaries in GCs, then a local maximum around 2−4 days may be expected in the period distribution of young cluster binaries, similar to that observed by Tokovinin & Smekhov (2002) among spectroscopic subsystems of visual multiple stars. Close binaries can also be formed due to so called hardening encounters with single or binary cluster members (see for example Leigh et al. 2015, and references therein). We note that the progenitors do not have to be formed as close binaries; it is sufficient for them to tighten shortly before the more massive component leaves the main sequence, so that there is ample time for the hardening to occur. However, the recent research of Hypki & Giersz (2016) suggests that most of the evolutionary BSs result from the unperturbed evolution of primordial binaries.
Whether primordial or hardened, all the four binaries considered here have experienced a rapid mass exchange with the mass-ratio reversal. Their present primaries are main-sequence objects substantially enriched in matter from the companion. An exception is V60, whose primary is still accreting, and may be quite far from thermal equilibrium (Rozyczka et al. 2013). The secondaries are evolutionarily advanced objects with considerable helium cores. Two of them are already heading towards the sdB domain, and the third one (in V228) should do it soon. The most probable scenario for the ultimate fate of all the four systems involves the CE phase beginning when the present primaries reach the RGB, and followed either by a merger (Tylenda et al. 2011; Stȩpień & Kiraga 2015) or the formation of a close binary with two degenerate stars.
The good agreement between the ages of V209 and V8 and the ages of their parent clusters does not exclude the possibility that they were formed after the bulk of the cluster. Assuming, for example, that V209 should belong to a younger subpopulation, it is possible to slightly increase the initial mass of the donor and to accordingly modify the mass of the other component together with the initial orbital period, so that the evolutionary time-scale of the binary will be shorter. Similarly, the age of model (4) describing V8 can be altered by an appropriate modification of the donor mass as is demonstrated in Figs. 1−3.
Binaries V60 and V228 are apparently younger than M 55 and 47 Tuc or, in other words, are overmassive for the ages of their parent clusters. While it is tempting to suggest that they are members of younger subpopulations, it would be premature to do so. First, it is conceivable that overmassive systems are products of multiple mergers or collisions (Sandquist et al. 2003; Leigh & Sills 2011). Second, as we argue in the following paragraphs, available stellar evolution models are simply not reliable enough to draw such far-reaching conclusions. In particular, an apparent age discrepancy may emerge whenever MS life-times of models applied to determine the age of the cluster differ from those of models applied to evolve individual binaries. We note, however, that the cases of V60 and V228 are not unique. Based consistently on Dartmouth evolutionary models, Kaluzny et al. (2015b) found that the detached main-sequence binaries V40 and V41 in NGC 6362 differ in age by 1.3 ± 0.4 Gyr, i.e. statistically significant at the 3σ level. In our opinion, all these discrepancies are vexing enough to be closely examined by more accurate observations and better modeling.
A broader context of our findings is origin and evolution of GCs. Obtaining the absolute age of a cluster involves many steps in transformation of observational data into theoretical parameters to which models can be fitted. Both the poor data and oversimplified theory may generate incoherent results or even paradoxes, like cluster ages significantly exceeding the Hubble time. The latter values were still being derived in the late 90 s, as emphasized by VandenBerg (2000), who thoroughly rediscussed the issue and obtained ages between 8 and 14 Gyr. While the basic paradox had been removed, the problem is far from settled. Although new methods of age determination have been introduced, in addition to the original isochrone fitting, all of them remain strongly model-dependent, be it sophisticated isochrone construction (Dotter 2016) or comparing absolute parameters of turn-off stars or detached binaries with the output of stellar evolution codes (Marín-Franch et al. 2009, project CASE, see Introduction). Moreover, in spite of constant progress in modeling significant differences exist among codes used by different authors. Important physical processes like convection, semiconvection, diffusion, mixing, or rotation are usually described by single-value parameters that are adopted individually in each code. Cool, solar-type stars generate winds induced by their magnetic activity, but the resulting mass and AM loss has been largely neglected when computing evolutionary tracks. Only very recently some codes, like MESA, have included such losses as an option.
Even Y and Z – the fundamental parameters describing the chemical composition of a star – do not always have a well-defined meaning, since the [Fe/H] index, which is often used as an input parameter, may relate to different values of Z⊙. Moreover, different transformations [Fe/H] → Z may be used, and different correlations between Z and Y may be assumed. No wonder that the resulting stellar parameters differ from one code to another. The codes are typically calibrated on the Sun, so they reproduce MS solar type stars in a consistent way. Yet, the most important parameter for the correct determination of GC ages, i.e. MS life-time can differ for some stars quite considerably. To give an example, the old Padova model of a 0.8 M⊙ star with Z = 0.001 has MS life time equal to 13.5 Gyr (Girardi et al. 2000), whereas the new PARSEC model of the same star only 11.95 Gyr (Bressan et al. 2012). Another example: recently published by Lagarde et al. (2012) 0.85 M⊙ model with Z = 0.0001 has the MS life of 11.14 Gyr, compared to 9 Gyr for the PARSEC model with the same Z. Differences in time-scales between models beyond the MS are still greater. This diversity recently concerned a number of authors who discuss the influence of several physical mechanisms on models produced by different codes and compare them to well calibrated observational data (Nataf et al. 2012; Martins & Palacios 2013; Ghezzi & Johnson 2015; Meynet et al. 2016; Stancliffe et al. 2015; Valle et al. 2016b,a). However, uncertainties of stellar evolution models still remain the primary factor that impedes the accurate determination of the absolute ages of globular clusters. Observational uncertainties will dramatically decrease when Gaia parallaxes become available (distances to many GCs will be known with an accuracy better than one per cent; Pancino et al. 2013). If the theory is to catch up with observations, much more effort in exposing and diagnosing its problems is needed. We believe that evolutionary simulations of binary blue stragglers is a very useful tool to achieve this goal.
The results of the present investigation demonstrate animportance of the close binary evolution in the formation of bluestragglers. In particular, it was shown that blue stragglers resultfrom rejuvenation of an initially less massive component that isfed by the hydrogen rich matter from its companion overflowingthe inner Roche lobe.
To reproduce the present parameters of V209 in ω Cen, it was necessary to adopt the increased helium content Y = 0.40 of this binary. This is further evidence in favour of the existence of the helium-rich subpopulation in this cluster.
The best fitting models of V60 in M 55 and V228 in 47 Tuc are too massive for the age of the parent cluster as it is currently estimated. Unless this is an apparent effect resulting from an inconsistency between models used for GC age determination and binary modeling, these systems may belong to younger subpopulations or may result from dynamical multibody interactions.
Different evolutionary codes produce mutually inconsistent stellar parameters. A better description of physical processes influencing the stellar evolution is urgently needed. Until this shortage is overcome, the absolute age determination of globular clusters will be plagued with substantial uncertainties.
Studying the evolution of binary BSs in GCs emerges as a new research tool that provides an independent insight into interactions between GC members and enables sensitive tests of stellar evolution codes.
This paper is dedicated to the memory of Janusz Kaluzny, founder and long-time leader of CASE, who prematurely passed away in March 2015. We thank an anonymous referee for very insightful remarks that significantly improved the final shape of the paper. A.A.P. acknowledges partial support from the Polish National Science Center (NCN) grant 2015/17/B/ST9/02082. M.R. was supported by the NCN grant DEC-2012/05/B/ST9/03931. | 2019-04-20T18:56:08Z | https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2017/01/aa29511-16/aa29511-16.html |
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1. E-W Bai, K. Li. “Convergence of the Iterative Algorithm for a General Hammerstein System Identification”, Automatica, Vol. 46, No.11, November 2010, pp 1891-1896.
2. Xueqin Liu, K. Li, Marion McAfee, Jing Deng, “Application of Nonlinear PCA for Fault Detection in Polymer Extrusion Processes”, Neural Computing and Applications, 2011, doi 10.1007/s00521-011-0581-y.
3. D. Du, K. Li, G. W. Irwin and J. Deng, “A novel automatic two-stage locally regularized classifier construction method using the extreme learning machine”. Neurocomputing , accepted.
4. Xueqin Liu, K. Li, Marion McAfee, G. Irwin, “Improved Nonlinear PCA for Process Monitoring Using Support Vector Data Description”, Journal of Process Control, Volume 21, Issue 9, October 2011, Pages 1306-1317, 10.1016/j.jprocont.2011.07.003..
5. Jing Deng, K. Li, George W. Irwin, Minrui Fei, “Two-stage RBF network construction based on particle swarm optimization”, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, doi: 10.1177/0142331211403795, 2011.
6. Minrui Fei, Weihua Deng, K. Li, and Yang Song, Stabilization of a Class of Networked Control Systems with Stochastic Properties”, International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, 2011 (accepted).
7. Jing Deng, K Li, George W. Irwin, “Fast automatic two-stage nonlinear model identification based on Extreme Learning Machine”, Neurocomputing, 74 (16): 2422–2429, 2011, doi:10.1016/j.neucom.2010.11.035.
8. Jing Deng, K Li, George W. Irwin, “Locally regularised two-stage learning algorithm for RBF network centre selection”, International Journal of Systems Science , DOI: 10.1080/00207721.2010.545490, 2011.
9. Wen Yu, K Li, Xiaoou Li, “Automated nonlinear system modeling with multiple neural networks”, International Journal of Systems Science , Volume 42, Issue 10, 2011, pp 1683-1695, DOI: 10.1080/00207721003624550, 2011.
10. Haibo He, Sheng Chen, K Li, Xin Xu. “Incremental Learning from Stream Data”. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks, 2011 (provisionally accepted).
11. Chamil Abeykoona, K Li, Marion McAfee, Peter J. Martin, Qun Niu, Adrian L. Kelly, Jing Deng, “A new model based approach for the prediction and optimisation of thermal homogeneity in single screw extrusion”, Control Engineering Practice, , Vol 19, No 8, 2011, pp 862-874.
12. Chamil Abeykoona, Marion McAfee, K Li, Peter J. Martin, Adrian L. Kelly, “The inferential monitoring of the screw disturbance torque to predict process fluctuations in polymer extrusion”, Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2011, doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2011.05.002.
13. Hui Pan, Minrui Fei* and Ling Wang, K Li, Lin Qiang, “Direct Nyquist array design of PID controllers for boiler-turbine units based on gain and phase margins”, Int. J. Computer Applications in Technology, 2011 (in press).
14. D. Du, K. Li, M. Fei, “A fast multi-output RBF neural network construction method”, Neurocomputing, Vol. 73, 2010, pp 2196-2202.
15. X. Xia, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, “A hierarchical multiclass support vector machine incorporated with holistic triple learning units”, Soft Computing, Volume 15, Number 5, 833-843, DOI: 10.1007/s00500-010-0551-9, 2011.
16. K Li, Haibo He, Dajun Du, J Deng, “Compact Extreme Learning Machines for Biological Systems”, Invited paper, International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design, 2010, Vol. 3, No. 2, 112-132.
17. R. T. Cunningham, M. H. Mooney, X.L. Xia, S. Crooks, D. Matthews, M. O. Keeffe, K. Li and C. T. Elliott. Feasibility of a Clinical Chemical Analysis Approach to Predict Misuse of Growth Promoting Hormones in Cattle. Analytic Chemistry, 2009, 81 (3), pp 977–983.
18. K. Li, and H. Wu, Editorial, “Special Issue on Computational Intelligence Part 1”, International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. 8(2), 89-90, 2009.
19. K. Li, and H. Wu, Editorial, “Special Issue on Computational Intelligence Part 2”, International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. 8(3), 173-174, 2009.
20. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “A fast method for fuzzy neural network modelling and refinement”, International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. 8(3), 175-183, 2009.
21. X. Xia, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, “Two-stage gene selection for support vector machine classification of microarray data”, International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. 8(2), 164 – 171, 2009, DOI: 10.1504/IJMIC.2009.029029.
22. X. Hong, R.J. Mitchell, S. Chen, C. J. Harris, K. Li, G. W. Irwin. “Model selection approaches for non-linear system identification: a review”. International Journal of Systems Science , Vol. 39, No. 10, 925–946, October 2008.
23. K. Li, J. Peng, E-W Bai. “Two-stage mixed discrete-continuous identification of Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural models for nonlinear systems”. IEEE Transactions on Circuits & Systems, Vol 56, No. 3, 630-643, March 2009.
24. K. Li, Editorial, Special issue on Life System Modelling and Simulation, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Vol. 30, No. 3-4, 205-206, 2008.
25. K. Li, X Hong, G. W. Irwin, Editorial, Life System Modelling, Simulation, and Bio-inspired Computing, Special issue on Life System Modelling and Simulation, Neurocomputing, Vol 72, Nos 1-3, 126-127, 2008.
26. S Huang, H. He, K. Li, Editorial, Special issue on Life System Modelling and Simulation, Applied Mathematics and Computation, Vol 205, 3-5, 2008.
27. S. Ma, K. Li, “Fast parametric time-frequency modeling of nonstationary signals”, Applied Mathematics and Computation, Vol. 205, 170–177, 2008.
28. P. Gormley, K Li, G. W. Irwin, “Modelling molecular interaction pathway using a two-stage Identification Algorithm”, Systems and Synthetic Biology, 1(3): 145–160, 2008.
29. M. Fei, D. Du, K. Li, “A fast model identification method for networked control system”. Applied Mathematics and Computation , Vol 205, No 2, 658-667, 2008.
30. P.K. Li, K. Li, “A Recursive Algorithm for Nonlinear Model Identification”. Applied Mathematics and Computation, Vol 205, No 2, Pages 511-516, 2008.
31. J. Peng, K. Li, G. W. Irwin. “A new Jacobian matrix for optimal learning of single-layer neural nets”. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks, Vol. 19, No.1, 119-129, 2008.
32. P. Connally, K. Li, G. W. Irwin. “Integrated Structure Selection and Parameter Optimisation for Eng-genes Neural Models”, Neurocomputing, Vol 71, No 13-15, 2964-2977, 2008.
33. C-H Zheng, D-S Huang, K. Li and G. W. Irwin, “MISEP Method for Post-Nonlinear Blind Source Separation”. Neural Computation, 19: 2557-2578, 2007.
34. J. Peng, K. Li, G. W. Irwin. “A novel Continuous forward algorithm for RBF neural modelling”, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol 52, No.1, pp. 117-122, 2007.
35. P. Connally, K. Li, G. W. Irwin. “Prediction- and Simulation-error Based Perceptron Training: Solution Space Analysis and a Novel Combined Training Scheme”. Neurocomputing Vol 70, 819-827, 2007.
36. K. Li, J. Peng. “Neural Input Selection – A Fast Model Based Approach”. Neurocomputing , Vol 70, pp 762-769, 2007.
37. Z. Yao; M. Fei, K. Li, H. Kong, B. Zhao. “A distributive genetic algorithm for recognition of blue-green algal using neural networks”. Neurocomputing, Vol 70, 641-647, 2007.
38. J. Cervantes, X. Li, W. Yu, K. Li. “Support vector machine classification for large data sets via minimum enclosing ball clustering”. Neurocomputing, Volume 71, Issues 4-6, Pages 611-619 , 2008.
39. K. Li, J. Peng, E-W Bai. “A two-stage algorithm for identification of nonlinear dynamic systems”. Automatica, Vol. 42, No 7, pp. 1189-1197, 2006.
40. J. Peng, K. Li, D.S. Huang. “A Hybrid forward Algorithm for RBF neural Network construction”. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks, Vol 17, No. 6, pp 1439-1451, 2006.
41. K. Li, J. Peng, “System Oriented Neural Networks – Problem Formulation, Methodology, and Application”, International Journal of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intelligence , Vol. 20, No. 2 (2006) 143-158..
42. J. Peng, K. Li, S. Thompson, P. A. Wieringa. “Distribution-based Adaptive Bounding Genetic Algorithm for Continuous Optimisation Problems”. Applied Mathematics and Computation., Vol 185: 1063–1077, 2007.
43. L. Shang, K. Li, Tat-Ming Lok and M. R. Lyu, “A Novel Non-negative Shrinkage Technique Based on The Normal Inverse Gaussian Density Model”, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control , Vol. 28, No. 1 (2006): 109-119.
44. H. Wang, K. Li, “A New Algorithm Based on Support Vectors and the Penalty Strategy for Identifying Key Genes Related with Cancer”, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control , Vol. 28, No. 3, 263-273, 2006.
45. K. Li, J. Peng, S. Thompson, “Genetic neural Modeling of pollutant Emissions from thermal power plants”, Dynamics of Continuous, Discrete and Impulsive Systems Series B: Applications & Algorithms, Vol. 14, pp 48-56, 2007.
46. K. Li, J. Peng, Editorial, Supplemental issue on Intelligent Computing Theory and Methodology, Special Issue on Intelligent Computing, Dynamics of Continuous, Discrete and Impulsive Systems Series B: Applications & Algorithms, Vol. 14, Pages: I-III, 2007.
47. K. Li, Editorial, Special issue on Intelligent Computing, Transactions of the Institute of Measurement and Control, Vol. 28, No. 1 (2006): 1-2.
48. T.X. Mei, K. Li, Q. Zhao, G. Maione, Editorial, Special Issue on Automatic Control and Information, International Journal of Information Technology, Vol. 11, No. 11, 2005.
49. K. Li, W. Yu, S.H Yang, S. Sharma, Editorial, Special issue on Evolutionary Algorithm & Advanced Learning System, International Journal of Information Technology, Vol. 11, No. 10, 2005.
50. K. Li, J. Peng, G. Irwin, “A fast nonlinear model identification method”, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol. 50, No. 8, 1211-1216, 2005.
51. K. Li, S. Thompson, J. Peng, “Modelling and prediction of NOx emission in a coal-fired power generation plant", Control Engineering Practice, Vol. 12, 707-723, 2004.
52. K. Li, S. Thompson, “NOx emission models suitable for operation and control of power generation boilers", Clean Air: International Journal on Energy for a Clean Environment, Vol 5, 89-105, Begell House, 2004.
53. K. Li, S. Thompson, P.A. Wieringa, J. Peng, G. Duan, "Neural networks and genetic algorithms can support human supervisory control to reduce fossil fuel power plant emissions". Cognition, Technology & Work, Springer-Verlag, ISSN: 1435-5558, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp: 107-126, June 2003.
54. K. Li, P.A. Wieringa, "Structured operation environment and perceived complexity in supervisory control". Asian Journal of Control, 2001, Vol. 3, No.3, pp. 181-189.
55. K. Li, P.A. Wieringa, “Understanding perceived complexity in human supervisory control”, Cognition, Technology & Work, International Journal for The Design, Analysis And Use of Joint Cognitive Systems, 2000, Vol. 2, No.2, 75-88.
1. Guotao Wang，Shujuan Wang, Kang Li, “A Study on the Activation Condition of Vibration Tests for Particle Impact Noise Detection of Space Relay Remainders”, The 6th IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications, 21-23 June 2011, Beijing, China.
2. Xiaoqing Tang, Qun Niu, K. Li, and George W. Irwin, “Particle Swarm Optimization for Economic Dispatch”, The second European conference and exhibition on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies (ISGT-EUROPE 2011), Dec 5-7, 2011, Manchester, accepted.
5. C. Abeykoon, K. Li, P. J. Martin, M. McAfee, “Modelling of Melt Pressure Development in Polymer Extrusion: Effects of Process Settings and Screw Geometry”, Proceedings of 2011 International Conference on Modelling, Identification and Control (ICMIC 2011), Shanghai, 26-29 June 2011, pp 180-185.
6. C. Abeykoon, K. Li, P. J. Martin, M. McAfee, J. Deng, A. L. Kelly, ”Modelling the Effects of Operating Conditions on Die Melt Temperature Homogeneity in Single Screw Extrusion”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6329, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 9-20. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
7. Da Lu, K Li, and Guangzhou Zhao, “Speed Control for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with an Adaptive Self-tuning Uncertainties Observer”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6329, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 379-389. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
8. Minrui Fei, Weihua Deng, K Li, Yong Song, ‘Stabilization of a Class of Networked Control Systems with Stochastic Properties’, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6328, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 1-6. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
9. D. Du, M. Fei, K. Li, “Stability Analysis of Multi-Channel MIMO Networked Control Systems”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6328, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 62-68. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
10. Jing Deng, Kang Li, George W. Irwin, and Minrui Fei, “ A fast forward RBF network construction with particle swarm optimization”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6329, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 40-48. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
11. Aolei Yang, Qun Niu, Wanqing Zhao, K. Li, and George Irwin. “An efficient algorithm for grid-based path planning based on priority sorting of direction vectors”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6329, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 456-466. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
12. Wanqing Zhao, K. Li, G. Irwin, “An Integrated Method for the Construction of Compact Fuzzy Neural Models”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6215, Advanced Intelligent Computing Theories and Applications, Pages 102-109. 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing (ICIC2010), August 18-21, 2010, Changsha, Hunan, China.
13. Xueqin Liu, K. Li, Marion McAfee, and Jing Deng, “Improved Nonlinear PCA Based on RBF Networks and Principal Curves”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6328, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 7-15. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
14. Hui Pan, , Minrui Fei, Ling Wang, K. Li, “A Frequency Domain Approach to PID Controllers Design in Boiler-Turbine Units”, Communications in Computer and Information Science, 1, Volume 98, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Part 1, Pages 73-81. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
15. Yukui Zhang, Shiji Song, Cheng Wu, K. Li, “Identification of Chiller Model in HVAC System Using Fuzzy Inference Rules with Zadeh’s Implication Operator”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6328, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 399-408. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
16. Hao Zhang, K. Li, Cheng Wu. “Fuzzy Chance Constrained Support Vector Machine”. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2010, Volume 6328, Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing, Pages 270-281. 2010 International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation & 2010 International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment (LSMS & ICSEE 2010), September 17-20, 2010, Wuxi, China.
17. Jing Deng, K. Li, George W. Irwin, Robert F. Harrison, "A Fast Automatic Construction Algorithm for Kernel Fisher Discriminant Classifiers", 49th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, December 15-17, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia USA, pp 2825-2830.
18. Xueqin Liu, K. Li*, Marion McAfee, Jing Deng "'Soft-sensor' for Real-time Monitoring of Melt Viscosity in Polymer Extrusion Process", 49th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, December 15-17, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia USA， 3469-3474.
19. C. Abeykoon, M. McAfee, K. Li, A. L. Kelly, E. C. Brown, “Investigation into monitoring and control of melt temperature homogeneity in single-screw extrusion”, ANTEC 2010, May 16-20, 2010, Orlando, Florida, pp:1799-1806.
20. J. Deng, K Li, G. W. Irwin, “A two-stage algorithm for automatic construction of RBF neural models”, The 15th IEEE Mediterranean Electrotechnical Conference, Valletta, Malta, 26 - 28 April 2010 Melecon, 2010.
21. Sheng Chen, Haibo He, K Li, and Sachi Desai. “MuSeRA: Multiple Selectively Recursive Approach towards Imbalanced Stream Data Mining”, 2010 IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence (IEEE WCCI 2010), Barcelona, July 18-23, 2010.
22. K. Li; Gormley, P.; Shiji Song, “Application of lρ norm regularization methods for modelling biological systems”, 2009 International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics, Vol 6: 3532-3537, Baoding, China, 12-15 July, 2009.
23. C. Abeykoon*, M. McAfee, S. Thompson, K. Li, A.L. Kelly, E.C. Brown, “Investigation of torque fluctuations in extrusion through monitoring of motor variables”, Proceedings of the Polymer Processing Society Europe/Africa Regional Meeting ~ PPS-2009 ~ October 18-21, 2009 Larnaca (Cyprus).
24. J. Deng, G. W. Irwin, and K Li， "Engine fault detection using a nonlinear FIR model and a locally regularized recursive algorithm", Proc. IET Irish Systems and Signals Conference, UCD, Dublin, 9-10 June 2009.
25. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin. “A New Fuzzy Rule Selection Procedure for Fuzzy-Neural Modelling”, 15th IFAC Symposium on System Identification, SYSID 2009, Saint-Malo, France, July 6-8, 2009.
26. D. Du, K. Li, M. Fei, G. Irwin, “An Automatic Forward Model Selection Approach Based on Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation”, 15th IFAC Symposium on System Identification, SYSID 2009, Saint-Malo, France, July 6-8, 2009.
27. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “A new algorithm for structure optimization in fuzzy neural networks”, 2nd IFAC International Conference on Intelligent Control Systems and Signal Processing, September 21-23, 2009 Istanbul, Turkey.
28. Xiao-Lei Xia and K. Li. “Tree-Structured Learning of Multi-class SVMs with Triple Learning Units”, The 5th International Conference on Natural Computation (ICNC'09) and the 6th International Conference on Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge Discovery (FSKD'09) ICNC’09-FSKD’09, 14-16 August, 2009, Tianjin, China.
29. Weihua Deng, Minrui Fei, K. Li. “T-S Fuzzy Control of Uncertain Nonlinear Networked Control Systems”. Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Computer Control, ICACC 2009, 36-40, Singapore.
30. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “A fast method for fuzzy neural network modelling and refinement”, International Conference on Modelling, Identification and Control, June 29 - July 2, 2008, Shanghai, China.
31. X. Li, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, “A Two-Stage SVM Classifier for Large Data Sets with Application to RNA Sequence Detection”, International Conference on Modelling, Identification and Control, June 29 - July 2, 2008, Shanghai, China.
32. J. Deng, M. Fei, K. Li, “An Novel E-Laboratory for Remote Monitoring and Control”, Proceedings of the 17th IFAC World Congress, pp 9817-9822, Seoul, Korea, July 6-11, 2008.
33. X. Xia, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, “Improved training of an optimal sparse least squares support vector machine”, Proceedings of the 17th IFAC World Congress, pp 7028-7033, Seoul, Korea, July 6-11, 2008.
34. X. Xia, K. Li, “A sparse multi-class least squares support vector machine”, 2008 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, Cambridge, UK, June 30 to July 2, 2008.
35. X. Xia, K. Li, “A Fast Training Algorithm for Least-Squares Support Vector Machines”, International Conference on Control 2008, Manchester, Sept 2-5, 2008, ISBN 978-0-9556152-1-4.
36. X. Xia, K. Li, “A New Score Correlation Analysis Based Multi-Class Support Vector Machine For Microarray Datasets”. 2007 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), Orland, Florida, August 12-17, 2007, pp 2610-2615.
37. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, “A new fast algorithm for fuzzy rule selection”, IEEE International Conference on Fuzzy Systems, Imperial College, London, UK, 23-26 July, 2007, pp 1-6, ISSN: 1098-7584.
38. D. Du, L. Li, K. Li and M. Fei. “A Novel Implicit Generalized Predictive Control Algorithm”. 2007 IEEE International Conference on Control and Automation, Guangzhou, CHINA - May 30 to June 1, 2007, pp 2716-2720, ISBN: 978-1-4244-0818-4.
39. K. Li, J. Peng, M. Fei, X. Li, and W. Yu. “Integrated Analytic Framework for Neural Network Construction”. 2007 International Symposium on Neural Networks, June 3-7, 2007, Nanjing, China, Lecture Notes in Computer Science Vol. 4492, pp 483-492.
40. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin. “A Fast Fuzzy Neural Modelling Method for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems”. 2007 International Symposium on Neural Networks, June 3-7, 2007, Nanjing, China, Lecture Notes in Computer Science Vol. 4491, 496-504.
41. J. Cervantes, X. Li, W. Yu, K. Li. “Support vector machine classification for large data sets via minimum enclosing ball clustering”. 2007 International Symposium on Neural Networks, June 3-7, 2007, Nanjing, China.
42. P. Gormley, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, “Modelling the MAPK Signalling Pathway using a 2-Stage Identification Algorithm”, Life System Modeling and Simulation, Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH, Volume 4689, 2007. 480-491.
43. X. Li, K. Li, “A Two-Stage SVM Classifier for Large Data Sets with Application to RNA Sequence Detection Life System Modeling and Simulation”, Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH, Volume 4689, 2007. 8-20.
44. M. Fei, D. Du, K. Li, “Two-Layer Networked Learning Control of a Nonlinear HVAC System”. Bio-Inspired Computational Intelligence and Applications, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 4688, 2007, 697-709.
45. B. Pizzileo, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin. “A Fast Fuzzy Neural Modelling Method for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems”. Advances in Neural Networks - ISNN 2007, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4491, Springer, 2007, 496-504.
46. K. Li, Jian-Xun Peng, Minrui Fei. "Real-time construction of neural networks". Artificial Neural Networks – ICANN 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4131, 2006, 140-149.
47. P. Connally, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “Integrated Structure and Parameter Selection for Eng-genes Neural Models”, Advances in Intelligent Computing, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006, 168-177.
48. K. Li, B. Pizzileo, A. Ogle, and C. Scott, “Staged Neural Modeling with Application to Prediction of NOx Pollutant Concentrations in Urban Air”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006, 1282-1293.
49. Y-Y Wan, J-X Du, and K. Li, “A Novel Feature Extraction Approach to Face Recognition Based on Partial Least Squares Regression”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006, 1078-1804.
50. S. Pei, D-S Huang, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “Gene Selection by Cooperative Competition Clustering”, Computational Intelligence and Bioinformatics, Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNBI 4115, 464-474, 2006.
51. X. Yan, L. Cao, D-S Huang, K. Li, and G. W. Irwin, “A Novel Feature Fusion Approach Based on Blocking and Its Application in Image Recognition”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006, 1085-1091.
52. J. Zhang, M. Fei, K. Li, and Q. Zhu, “Fuzzy Modeling of a Medium-Speed Pulverizer Using Improved Genetic Algorithms”, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006, 1269-1274.
53. K. Li, J. Peng, “A fast Input selection algorithm for neural Modeling of nonlinear dynamic systems”, Advances in Intelligent Computing, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 3645, pp. 1045 – 1054, Ed: DS Huang, et al, Springer-Verlag GmbH., 2005.
54. J. Zhang, J-R Zhang, K. Li. “Sequential Niching Technique for Particle Swarm Optimization”, Advances in Intelligent Computing, Lecture notes in Computer Science, 3644, pp. 390-399, Ed: DS Huang, et al, Springer -Verlag GmbH, 2005.
55. K. Li, A. Ogle, B. Pizzileo. “Advanced regression method for prediction of NOx pollutant concentrations in urban air”. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2006, Vienna, Austria, 02 – 07 April 2006.
56. P. Connally, K. Li, G. W. Irwin, Shuzhi Sam Ge. “Nonlinear adaptive control using Eng-genes neural networks”, International Conference Control 2006, Glasgow, Scotland, August 30 to September 1, 2006, BSN: 0 947649549.
58. K. Li, “Eng-genes: A new genetic modelling approach for nonlinear dynamic systems”, Proceedings of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, July 4-8, 2005.
59. J. Peng and K. Li, “A novel GA-based Neural modelling platform for nonlinear dynamic systems”, Proceedings of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, July 4-8, 2005.
60. P. Connally, K. Li, G. Irwin, “Two applications of eng-genes based nonlinear identification”, Proceedings of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, July 4-8, 2005..
61. J. Peng, K. Li, S. Thompson, “Adaptive zooming Genetic Algorithm for Continuous Optimisation Problems”, Proceedings of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, July 4-8, 2005..
62. K. Li, J. Peng, G. W. Irwin, L. Piroddi, W. Spinelli. “Estimation of NOx Emissions in Thermal Power plants using eng-genes neural networks”. Proceedings of the 16th IFAC World Congress, Prague, July 4-8, 2005.
63. K. Li, "Application of various modelling techniques to analyse a housing condition survey dataset", Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, October 10-13, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2004, Vol. 409 - 414.
64. K. Li, P. Wieringa, "Interactive modelling for supervisory control of industrial processes with increased complexity", Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, October 10-13, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2004, Vol 3, 2713- 2718.
65. W. Spinelli, L. Piroddi, K. Li, "Nonlinear modeling of NOx emission in a coal-fired power generation plant", 43rd IEEE International Conference on Decision and Control, Paradise Island, Bahamas, December 14-17, 2004, Vol 4, 3850 – 3855.
67. K. Li, "A New Input Selection Method for Neural Modeling of Nonlinear Complex Systems", Proceedings of the 5th World Congress on Intelligent Control and Automation (WCICA’04), Hangzhou, China, June 15-19, pp 2018-2021, 2004.
68. K. Li. G. Irwin, “Application-oriented neural modelling”. Preprints of the 13th IFAC Symposium on System Identification, SYSID-2003, pp 1137-1142, Eds: P.M.J. Van den Hof, B. Wahlberg, S. Weiland, Rotterdam, August 27- 29, 2003.
69. K. Li. “A new fast algorithm for identification of nonlinear dynamic systems using Radial Basis Function Networks”. European Control Conference, ECC2003, paper 367, University of Cambridge, Sept 1-4, 2003.
70. K. Li, S. Thompson, J. Peng, X. Chen. “Data Mining Can Help Human Supervisory Control of Critical Complex Industrial Systems”. European Control Conference, ECC2003, paper 563, University of Cambridge, Sept 1-4, 2003.
71. K. Li, S. Thompson, G. R. Duan, J. Peng, “A case study of fundamental grey-box modelling”, 15th IFAC World Congress on Automatic Control, Barcelona, CDROM, July 2002.
72. K. Li, S. Thompson, “MLP based nonlinear dynamic system modeling through improved training algorithm”, 15th IFAC World Congress on Automatic Control, Barcelona, CDROM, July 2002.
73. K. Li, S. Thompson, J. Peng, “GA based neural network modeling of NOx emission in a coal-fired power generation plant”, 15th IFAC World Congress on Automatic Control, CDROM, Barcelona, July 2002.
74. J. Peng, S. Thompson, K. Li, “A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for NOx Emission Modelling in Power Generation Plants”, 15th IFAC World Congress on Automatic Control, Barcelona, CDROM, July 2002.
75. K. Li, S. Thompson, P. A. Wieringa, J. Peng, “A study on the role of human operators in supervised automation system and its implications”, The Forth World Congress on Intelligent Control and Intelligent Automation (WCICA'2002), Shanghai, June 2002, pp. 3288-3293.
76. J. Peng, S. Thompson, K. Li, “A Gradient-guided Niching Method in Genetic Algorithm for Solving Continuous Optimisation Problems”, The Forth World Congress on Intelligent Control and Intelligent Automation (WCICA'2002), Shanghai, June 2002, pp. 3333-3338.
77. K. Li, S. Thompson, “Fundamental Grey-box Modelling”, Proceedings of the European Control Conference 2001, Sept. 3 to 7, 2001, Oporto, Portugal, pp. 3648-3653.
78. K. Li, S. Thompson, “NOx emission models for operation and control of power generation boilers”, 6th International Conference on Technologies and Combustion for A Clean Environment, Vol. 2, 889-895, Porto, Portugal, 2001.
79. J. Peng, K. Li, S. Thompson, “GA based software for power generation plant NOx emission modelling”, 6th International Conference on Technologies and Combustion for A Clean Environment, Vol. 2, 881-887, Porto, Portugal, 2001.
80. K. Li, S. Thompson, “G-cactus: A Tool for Integrated Process Design and Control”, UKACC International Conference on CONTROL 2000, Cambridge, 4-7 Sept., 2000.
81. K. Li, S. Thompson, “Developing NOx Emission Model for a Coal-fired Power Generation Plant Using Artificial Neural Networks’, UKACC International Conference on CONTROL, Cambridge, 4-7 Sept., 2000.
82. S. Thompson, K. Li, “A MLP Prediction Model for Power Plant NOx emission”, IFAC Workshop on Algorithms and Architectures for Real-Time Control (AARTC2000), Spain, 5-17 May, 2000, Eds V. Hernández and G. W. Irwin, pp 108-114.
83. K. Li, S. Thompson, “Cascading neural network and its application to modeling power plant pollutant emission”, The Third World Congress on Intelligent Control and Intelligent Automation (WCICA'2000), Vol. 2, Hefei, China, 2000, 992-997.
84. K. Li, S. Thompson, “NOx Emission Modeling and Prediction of a 200-MWe Power Generation Boiler Using Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks”, 31st Annual North American Power Symposium, San Luis Obispo, USA, 1999, 218-224.
85. N. Li, K. Li, S. Thompson, "Employing a new type of neural network to optimise power plant air/fuel ratio", 14th IFAC World Congress, Vol. O, pp. 333-338, Beijing, China, 1999.
86. K. Li, Y.G. Xi, Y. Zhang, "Some novel characterizations of generic rank of structured matrix", Proceedings of the American Control Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, June 22, 1998, pp2510-2514 (Citations: 1).
88. K. Li, P.A. Wieringa, "An experimental study on human supervisory control of industrial process and its applications to process system design and automation system design, Preprints of 5th IFAC Symposium on Dynamics and Control of Process Systems, Corfu, Greece, June 8, 1998, pp467-472.
1. K. Li, Xin Li, Shiwei Ma, George W. Irwin (editors), Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing. International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation, LSMS 2010 and International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment, ICSEE 2010 Wuxi, China, September 17-20, 2010. Proceedings, Part I, Communications in Computer and Information Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. CCIS-98, 2010.
2. K. Li, Xin Li, Shiwei Ma, George W. Irwin (editors), Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing. International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation, LSMS 2010 and International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment, ICSEE 2010 Wuxi, China, September 17-20, 2010. Proceedings, Part II, Communications in Computer and Information Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. CCIS-97, 2010.
3. K. Li, Minrui Fei, Li Jia, George W. Irwin (editors), Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing. International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation, LSMS 2010 and International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment, ICSEE 2010 Wuxi, China, September 17-20, 2010. Proceedings, Part I, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNCS 6328, 2010.
4. K. Li, Minrui Fei, Li Jia, George W. Irwin (editors), Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing. International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation, LSMS 2010 and International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment, ICSEE 2010 Wuxi, China, September 17-20, 2010. Proceedings, Part II, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNCS 6329, 2010.
5. K. Li, Minrui Fei, Li Jia, George W. Irwin (editors), Life System Modeling and Intelligent Computing. International Conference on Life System Modeling and Simulation, LSMS 2010 and International Conference on Intelligent Computing for Sustainable Energy and Environment, ICSEE 2010 Wuxi, China, September 17-20, 2010. Proceedings, Part III, Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNBI 6330, 2010.
6. K. Li, M. Fei, G. Irwin, S. Ma (editors), Bio-inspired computational intelligence and applications. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4688, 2007.
7. K. Li, X. Li. G. Irwin, G. He (editors), Life system modelling and simulation. Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNBI 4689, 2007.
8. D.S. Huang, K. Li, G. W. Irwin (editors). Advances in Intelligent Computing, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag GmbH. LNCS 4113, 2006.
9. D.S. Huang, K. Li, G. W. Irwin (editors). Computational Intelligence, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNAI 4114., 2006.
10. D.S. Huang, K. Li, G. W. Irwin (editors). Computational Intelligence and Bioinformatics, Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics, Springer-Verlag GmbH, LNBI 4115, 2006.
11. D.S. Huang, K. Li, G. W. Irwin (editors). Intelligent Control and Automation, Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences, LNCIS 344, Springer-Verlag GmbH, 2006.
12. D.S. Huang, K. Li, G. W. Irwin (editors). Intelligent Computing in Signal Processing and Pattern Recognition, Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences, LNCIS 345, Springer-Verlag GmbH, 2006.
1. K. Li, G.-B. Huang, S. Ge, “A Fast Construction Algorithm for Feedforward Neural Networks”, Handbook of Natural Computing, Springer Verlag, 2010, eds (Rozenberg, Grzegorz; Bäck, Thomas H.W.; Kok, Joost N.), ISBN: 978-3-540-92911-6, Volume I: .
2. S. Thompson, and K. Li, “Modelling of NOx emissions in coal-fired plants”, in Thermal Power Plant Simulation and Control, Flynn(ed.), Power and Energy Series 43, IEE Press, pp: 243-268, ISBN: 085296496, 2003.
1. Thompson and K. Li, “Fundamental Grey-box Modelling for operation and control of coal-fired power generation plants”, QUB Report (172 page), 2002.
2. S. Thompson, K. Li, J. Peng, “New methods for modelling NOx emission in coal-fired power generation plants”, Modelling for Power Generation Workshop, ETSU and DTI Cleaner Coal Technology Transfer Programme, March 2002.
3. S. Thompson and K. Li, “Fundamental Grey-box Modelling and Identification of Non-linear Dynamic Systems”. QUB Report (71 pages). No 2842, 2000.
4. S. Temple, S. Thompson, K. Li, G. R. Duan and S. McLoone, “Fuzzy logic control of a continuous rotary steriliser in the food industry - a feasibility study”, Process Control and Instrumentation 2000, University of Strathclyde, 26-28 July 2000, pp 92-99. | 2019-04-19T08:17:19Z | http://isac.wikidot.com/kangli-publications |
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide power generation using predominantly CO2 as a working fluid. In particular, the present disclosure provides for the use of a portion of the heat of compression from a CO2 compressor as the additive heating necessary to increase the overall efficiency of a power production system and method.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/021,839, filed Jul. 8, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to systems and methods for generation of power, such as electricity, that operate at desirable efficiencies that are achieved through additive heating of at least part of a recycle CO2 stream in a heat exchanger using a further heat source. Particularly, heat from the further source can be derived at least in part from compression of at least a portion of the recycle CO2 stream.
Conventional means of power production from combustion of a fuel typically lack the ability to simultaneously achieve high efficiency power generation and carbon capture (e.g., for sequestration or other use). One publication in the field of high efficiency power generation with carbon capture, U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,075 to Allam et al., provides for desirable efficiencies in closed cycle combustion systems using CO2 as the working fluid. Such systems in particular benefit from the recognized usefulness of heating a recycle CO2 stream in a recuperative heat exchanger using heat from the hot turbine exhaust as well as adding further heat from a source other than the turbine exhaust. Despite such advances, there is yet a growing need in the art for improved systems and methods for power generation that provide increased efficiency with capture of CO2 and other fuel and combustion derived impurities.
The present disclosure provides systems and methods of power production with improved efficiency. The systems and methods can utilize CO2 as a working fluid and can be configured for capture of CO2 and other fuel and combustion derived impurities. The present improvements have been identified in relation to the introduction of low temperature level heating to a recycle CO2 stream in an elevated pressure, oxy-fuel combustion system and method that also utilizes recuperative heating of the recycle CO2 stream with heat from the hot turbine exhaust. The low temperature level heating can be described herein in terms of being “additive heating.” As such, it is understood that the additive heating is low temperature level heat from a source other than the hot turbine exhaust. In other words, the additive heating is not heat that is recuperated from the hot turbine exhaust. The present disclosure in particular identifies means for obtaining and transferring the additive heating in a closed cycle or partially closed cycle oxy-fuel combustion system and method that provides a power production output that exceeds the heating capacity of the heat from the fuel alone and thus provides an advantageous increase in efficiency.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generation of power, such as electricity, that operate at desirable efficiencies that are achieved through the combustion of a fuel (e.g., a carbonaceous or carbonaceous fuel) in oxygen at elevated pressure in the presence of a recycle CO2 stream followed by expansion of the product gas through a power producing turbine and cooling of the turbine exhaust in a recuperative heat exchanger, which heats the previously compressed recycle CO2 stream. Improved efficiency of power generation can be obtained by additive heating of at least part of the recycle CO2 stream in a heat exchanger using additive heating, which can be, for example, heat derived at least in part from compression of at least a portion of the recycle CO2 stream.
In various embodiments, power production can be achieved utilizing a closed cycle or partially closed cycle system in which CO2 is utilized as the working fluid. In such systems, a fossil fuel (e.g., natural gas) or a fuel derived from a fossil fuel (e.g., syngas derived from coal or other solid carbonaceous fuel) is completely combusted in a combustor using substantially pure oxygen as the oxidant to give an oxidized stream of predominantly CO2, H2O, excess O2, and a quantity of impurities derived from oxidized components in the fuel or oxidant, such as SO2, NOx, Hg, and HCl. Solid fossil fuels, such as coal, lignite, or petroleum coke, that contain non-combustible ash may be converted to a gaseous fuel by partial oxidation in a single stage or multi-stage system. Such system, for example, may comprise a partial oxidation reactor. Alternatively, for example, such system may comprise a partial oxidation reactor and an ash and volatile inorganic component removal system. Such systems further comprise combustion of the fuel gas with oxygen in the combustor of the power production system. A preheated recycle CO2 stream is mixed in the combustor with the combustion products derived from combustion of the fuel gas. Any combustor adapted for operation under conditions otherwise described herein may be used, and the recycle CO2 stream may be introduced to the combustor by any means to be further heated by the combustion and, if desired, to quench and thereby control the temperature of the exit stream. In some embodiments, one or both of a PDX reactor and the combustor may utilize, for purposes of example only, a transpiration cooled wall surrounding the reaction or combustion space, and the preheated recycle CO2 stream may pass through the wall to both cool the wall and to quench and thereby control the temperature of the exit stream. The transpiration flow promotes good mixing between the recycle CO2 and the hot combusted fuel gas streams. Other types of combustors, however, may also be used, and the present disclosure is not limited to the use of transpiration cooled combustors. Although certain fuel types are exemplified above, it is understood that other fuels (e.g., hydrogen) may be utilized in the combustor. Likewise, the advantages flowing from the use of additive heat may be applied to systems utilizing non-combustion heating in part or in total. For example, use of solar systems such as described in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0118145, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, is also encompassed by the present disclosure.
The combined combustion products and preheated recycle CO2 leaving the combustor are at the temperature required for the inlet to a power-producing turbine. The CO2 power cycle can use a pressure ratio across the turbine from 5 to 12 in some embodiments, although greater pressure ratios (e.g. at least 20) may be used in other embodiments, such as when utilizing a plurality of expansion turbines. A turbine inlet pressure of about 100 bar (10 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa) can be used in some embodiments. The oxygen supplied to the combustor can be either substantially pure O2 or O2 diluted with CO2. In some embodiments, mixing of the O2 and CO2 can be useful to control the adiabatic flame temperature of the combustion reaction. As a non-limiting example, the molar concentration of O2 in the combined O2/CO2 stream can be about 10% to about 50%, about 15% to about 40%, or about 20% to about 30%. The hot turbine exhaust can be cooled in an economizing heat exchanger, which in turn preheats the high pressure CO2 recycle stream.
The efficient operation of the system is critically dependent on the optimization of the heat exchange. To achieve a high efficiency, a large quantity of additive heat can be added into the high pressure recycle stream at the cold end of the heat exchanger, such as at a temperature level from about 100° C. to about 400° C. This low temperature level heat may be derived in some embodiments from the air compressors of a cryogenic oxygen plant, which compressors may be operated wholly or in part with their pressure ranges in a high-pressure ratio adiabatic mode so that the compressed air is raised in temperature at the stage discharge to a point in the range of about 100° C. to about 400° C. and so that heat transfer from the compressed air stream to the pressurized recycle CO2 process stream can be easily accomplished. For example, a side stream flow taken from the high pressure CO2 recycle flow in the economizer heat exchanger can be heated against cooling compressed air to a required temperature of about 100° C. to about 400° C. Systems and methods for such oxyfuel combustion, low level heat production, and low level heat transfer are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,075, U.S. Pat. No. 8,776,532, U.S. Pat. No. 8,986,002, U.S. Pat. No. 9,068,743, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2010/0300063, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012/0067054, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012/0237881, and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0104525, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The present disclosure provides further means for introducing heat into a recycle CO2 high pressure stream at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 400° C. and thus increase the effectiveness of an economizer heat exchanger and increase the overall efficiency of the power production system and method incorporating the present heat transfer means. In particular, the present disclosure provides for the use of a portion of the heat of compression from a recycle CO2 compressor as the additive heating necessary to increase the overall efficiency of a power production system and method.
Previous proposals have been made to optimize the performance of a power production cycle using high pressure CO2 as the working fluid. For example, Bryant et al. (“An Analysis and Comparison of the Simple and Recompression Supercritical CO2 Cycles” May 2011 presentation at the supercritical CO2 power cycle workshop in Boulder, Colo.), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes Brayton cycles for power generation using recuperator heat exchanger with CO2 as the working fluid. The paper defines the efficiencies of two cycles in terms of operating parameters and shows the conditions under which the second cycle gives a higher efficiency than the first, simple cycle.
The first, simple cycle from Bryant et al. is shown in FIG. 1. Therein, hot CO2 in line 7 that has been compressed in a near adiabatic, non-intercooled compressor 1 is further heated in a recuperator heat exchanger 4. The hot CO2 then passes through line 8 to the heater 3 where it is heated either directly by combusting a fuel 14 with oxygen 13, or by some means of external heating. The further heated CO2 then passes through line 9 into a power producing turbine 2 where it is expanded to a lower pressure producing shaft work (illustrated by arrow 15). The turbine exhaust stream 10 passes to the recuperator heat exchanger 4 where it cools releasing heat to the high pressure recycle stream. The turbine exhaust is then cooled in a pre-cooler 5 where heat is rejected to a cooling stream 11 that exits via line 12 before finally re-entering the compressor 1 in line 6.
The second cycle from Bryant is shown in FIG. 2, which is identical to the cycle shown in FIG. 1 apart from the addition of a second compression stage 16 in which part of the low pressure turbine exhaust stream 17 leaving the low pressure return circuit at the exit from the recuperator heat exchanger 4 a before the pre-cooler 5 is compressed in its hot condition in compressor 16 leaving through line 18. This stream enters the recuperator heat exchanger 4 b after mixing with the main high pressure recycle stream leaving 4 a at its corresponding temperature and is heated in heat exchanger section 4 b against hot turbine exhaust stream 10. The effect of the additional compression is to inject a large amount of heat into the recuperator heat exchanger from the second compressor which takes as its inlet flow a CO2 stream at an elevated temperature which is greater than the inlet temperature of the main CO2 compressor.
The teaching of Bryant et al. reveals a disadvantage in that the heat input by-passes the first stage of the recuperator heat exchanger 4 a. The much larger specific heat of the high pressure CO2 stream that is being heated in heat exchanger 4 a compared to the low pressure turbine exhaust stream cooling in heat exchanger 4 a means that the heat transfer in heat exchanger 4 a into the high pressure stream must be maximized to achieve a close temperature approach. This is not achieved since the heated compressed CO2 stream bypasses heat exchanger 4 a. What is required for the maximum efficiency is to arrange a hot gas compression system in which the compressed CO2 cools down in the heat exchanger and increases the available heat transfer to the high pressure CO2 stream. The present disclosure relates in part to means for overcoming this disadvantage.
Although the cycles from Bryant et al. illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 represent the known prior art for hot CO2 compression, they are only suitable for use in simple Brayton cycle arrangements that use a main CO2 compressor without intercoolers giving a high discharge temperature. This in turn causes the cooling turbine discharge flow leaving the recuperator heat exchanger 4 a to also be at a high temperature so the heat rejected in the pre-cooler heat exchanger is also high. It is therefore apparent that optimum efficiencies will only be achieved at low pressure ratios in this hot compression cycle which are shown to be in the range of 2 to 4 with optimum main compressor inlet pressures near the critical pressure of CO2. Higher pressure ratios lead to excessive heat losses in the system. The Bryant et al. cycles shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 also fail to account for system details such as the presence of liquid water separation in the compressor inlet lines 6 following cooling in the heat exchanger 5 against ambient cooling means.
The Bryant et al. cycle in FIG. 2 has several further limitations. For example, the Bryant et al. cycle efficiency significantly decreases as the pressure ratio is increased since the main and recompression compressors are essentially adiabatic in operation with no intercoolers between stages. The studies reported by Bryant et al. show that the optimum pressure ratio for a turbine inlet temperature of 750° C. is 2.2 at a turbine inlet pressure of 100 bar and 3.3 at a turbine inlet pressure of 250 bar. Low pressure ratios require very high CO2 flow-rates in the system for a given power output leading to high capital costs. On the contrary, the present disclosure provides cycles with high pressure ratios and high turbine inlet pressures resulting in high efficiency and low capital cost.
Systems and methods useful according to the present disclosure can utilize pressure ratios of about 5 or greater, such as about 5 to about 30. In some embodiments, pressure ratios preferably can be in the range of about 5 to about 12. The present systems and methods also can utilize intercooled main CO2 recycle compression systems. The high pressure ratio favors a turbine inlet pressure above the CO2 critical pressure of 7.38 MPa and a turbine discharge pressure below this pressure. These higher pressure ratios give high efficiencies of 50% to 60% for natural gas fueled systems with significantly lower circulation rates of CO2 per kW of net power output. Systems and methods useful according to the present disclosure also preferably utilize a very considerable input of additive heat at a temperature level of, for example, greater than 100° C., and particularly in the range of about 100° C. to about 400° C. or about 100° C. to about 300° C. The presently disclosed systems and methods are particularly beneficial in providing for utilization of a portion of the heat of compression from the main recycle CO2 compressor as this additive heating.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of generating power. For example, the method can comprise various combinations of the following steps: passing a compressed, heated recycle CO2 stream into a combustor; combusting a fuel with oxygen in a combustor in the presence of the recycle CO2 stream to produce a CO2 containing stream; passing the CO2 containing stream through a turbine to expand the CO2 containing stream, generate power, and form a turbine exhaust stream comprising CO2; withdrawing heat from the turbine exhaust stream comprising CO2; dividing the cooled turbine exhaust stream to form a first turbine exhaust portion and second turbine exhaust portion; separating water from the first turbine exhaust portion to form a main recycle CO2 stream; compressing the main recycle CO2 stream; compressing the second turbine exhaust portion adiabatically with no intercooling between compressor stages to form a heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion; withdrawing heat from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion; separating water from the cooled, compressed second turbine exhaust portion to form a secondary recycle CO2 stream; combining the main recycle CO2 stream and the secondary recycle CO2 stream to form a total recycle CO2 stream; cooling the total recycle CO2 stream to form a high density CO2 stream; compressing the total recycle CO2 stream in a second compression stage using a fluid pump; heating the total recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream; and further heating the total recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion to form the compressed, heated recycle CO2 stream. In some embodiments, the two compressed CO2 streams following heat withdrawal from the secondary recycle CO2 stream can be combined, then the combined stream can be cooled followed by liquid water separation. In some embodiments, the second turbine exhaust stream may be compressed in multiple stages with heat transfer between one or more of the stages. For example, the second turbine exhaust stream may undergo multi-stage compression including uncooled compression stages (x) and intercooled compression stages (y), wherein x and y independent may be an integer of 1 or more, 2 or more, or 3 or more (e.g., 1 to 5 or 2 to 4). In some embodiments, the second turbine exhaust stream may be pressurized (and heated) in x uncooled compression stage(s) to an intermediate value, the pressurized gas can be utilized to provide the heat of compression to a recuperative heat exchanger so as to be cooled, the cooled gas can be dewatered, and the gas can be passed back to undergo the remaining y intercooled compression stage(s) prior to joining with the first turbine exhaust stream.
In further embodiments, the present disclosure provides a power generating system. For example, the system can comprise: a combustor; a power production turbine; one or more heat exchangers; a first cooling flow path through the one or more heat exchangers; a heating flow path through the one or more heat exchangers; a flow separator in communication with the first cooling flow path through the one or more heat exchangers; a first compressor in communication with the flow separator; a second cooling flow path through the one or more heat exchangers, the second cooling flow path being in communication with the compressor; one or more water separators; a second compressor; and a pump. In particular, the heating flow path through the one or more heat exchangers is downstream from the pump and upstream from the combustor; and the heating flow path through the one or more heat exchangers is in a heating arrangement with the first cooling flow path and the second cooling flow path through the one or more heat exchangers. In some embodiments, the first cooling flow path and the second cooling flow path can be defined by separate and independent water separation components and/or pump components. When two or more heat exchangers are used, the heat exchangers may be in series.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure can relate to a method for heating a recirculating gas stream. As an example, such method can comprise the following steps: passing a gas stream G at a pressure P1 and a temperature T1 through a recuperative heat exchanger such that the gas stream is cooled to a temperature T2 that is less than T1; separating the gas stream G into a first fraction G1 and a second fraction G2; compressing the gas stream fraction G1 to a pressure P2 that is greater than P1; compressing the gas stream fraction G2 to a pressure P3 that is greater than P1 so as to heat the gas stream fraction G2 to a temperature T3 that is greater than T2; withdrawing the heat from the compressed gas stream fraction G2; combining the gas stream fraction G1 and the gas stream fraction G2 to form a combined recirculating gas stream GC; pumping the recirculating gas stream GC to a pressure P4 that is greater than P2 and greater than P3; and passing the recirculating gas stream GC to the recuperative heat exchanger such that the gas stream GC is heated by the cooling gas stream G; wherein the heat withdrawn from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 is added to the recirculating gas stream GC after pumping to pressure P4. In further embodiments, the method for heating a recirculating gas stream may comprise any one or more of the following statements in any combination thereof.
The temperature T3 can be about 100° C. to about 400° C.
The pressure P2 of gas stream fraction G1 and the pressure P3 of gas stream fraction G2 can each separately be about 40 bar (4 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa).
The pressure P4 of the recirculating gas stream GC can be about 100 bar (10 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa).
The mass ratio of gas fraction G1 to gas fraction G2 based on the total mass of gas stream G can be about 50:50 to about 99:1, or can be about 50:50 to about 90:10, or can be about 50:50 to about 70:30 or can be about 70:30 to about 90:10.
The recirculating gas stream GC after passing through the recuperative heat exchanger and receiving the heat from the compressed gas fraction G2 can have a temperature T4 that is within 50° C. of T1.
The gas stream fraction G2 can be compressed with multi-stage compression with no intercooling.
After withdrawing heat from gas stream fraction G2, the gas stream fraction G2 can be further compressed before combining with gas stream fraction G1.
The recuperative heat exchanger can comprise three heat exchangers or three heat exchange sections in series. In such embodiments, heat can be transferred in a first heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R1, a second heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R2, and a third heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R3 with the temperature relationship of R1>R2>R3.
The gas stream G can be separated between the first heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
The gas stream G can separated between the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the third heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
The heat withdrawn from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be added to the recirculating gas stream GC in one or both of the third heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
The method further can comprise adding heat to the recirculating gas stream GC after pumping to pressure P4. In such embodiments, the added heat can be derived from one or both of an air separation unit and a gas turbine.
The method further can comprise passing the heated recirculating gas stream GC from the recuperative heat exchanger to a combustor that combusts a fuel with oxygen to form a combustion product stream.
The gas stream G can be a turbine exhaust stream.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure further can relate to a method of generating power. As an example, the method can comprise the following steps: combusting a fuel with oxygen in the combustor in the presence of a recycle CO2 stream to produce a CO2 containing combustion stream; passing the CO2 containing combustion stream through a turbine to expand the CO2 containing combustion stream, generate power, and form a turbine exhaust stream; withdrawing heat from the turbine exhaust stream; dividing the turbine exhaust stream to form a first turbine exhaust portion and second turbine exhaust portion; separating water from the first turbine exhaust portion to form a main recycle CO2 stream; compressing the main recycle CO2 stream; compressing the second turbine exhaust portion to form a heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion; withdrawing heat from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion; separating water from the cooled, compressed second turbine exhaust portion to form a secondary recycle CO2 stream; combining the main recycle CO2 stream and the secondary recycle CO2 stream to form a combined recycle CO2 stream; compressing the combined recycle CO2 stream; heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream; and further heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion. In further embodiments, the method can comprise one or more of the following statements in any combination.
The CO2 containing combustion stream can have a temperature of about 500° C. to about 1,700° C. and a pressure of about 100 bar (10 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa.).
The pressure ratio across the turbine can be about 5 to about 12.
The heat can be withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream in a recuperative heat exchanger comprising three or more sections or comprising three or more individual heat exchangers.
Heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream and further heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion can be carried out in the recuperative heat exchanger.
The mass ratio of the first turbine exhaust portion to the second turbine exhaust portion based on the total mass of the turbine exhaust stream can be about 50:50 to about 99:1.
The heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion can be in a temperature range of about 100° C. to about 400° C.
The main recycle CO2 stream and the second turbine exhaust portion can be independently compressed to a pressure of about 40 bar (4 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa).
The combined recycle CO2 stream after heating with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream and further heating with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion can have a temperature that is within 50° C. of the temperature of the turbine exhaust stream.
The second turbine exhaust portion can be compressed adiabatically with no intercooling between compressor stages.
In some embodiments, a power generating system according to the present disclosure can comprise the following: a combustor configured to exhaust a combustion stream; a power production turbine configured to receive and expand the combustion stream and form a turbine exhaust stream; a recuperative heat exchanger configured to receive the turbine exhaust stream; a flow separator configured to separate the cooled turbine exhaust stream into a first gas stream and a second gas stream; a first compressor configured to receive and compress the first gas stream; a second compressor configured to receive and compress the second gas stream; a pump configured to pressurize the first gas stream and the second gas stream in combination, the pump positioned downstream from the first compressor and the second compressor; a first flow path through the recuperative heat exchanger configured for passage of the turbine exhaust stream; a second flow path through the recuperative heat exchanger configured for passage of the pressurized first gas stream and second gas stream in combination; a third flow path through the recuperative heat exchanger configured for passage of the compressed second gas stream; wherein the first flow path and the third flow path are configured for heating the second flow path. In further embodiments, the system can include any one or more of the following statements in any combination.
The recuperative heat exchanger can comprise a series of three or more heat exchangers or a series of three or more heating sections.
The system further can comprise one or more separators configured for separating at least water from one or both of the first gas stream and the second gas stream.
The first compressor can comprise a multi-stage, intercooled compressor.
The second compressor can comprise an adiabatic, multi-stage compressor with no intercooling between compressor stages.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a power production system and method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure including a plurality of compressors for compressing a recycle CO2 stream and deriving heat therefrom for input to a recuperator heat exchanger.
The present subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof. These exemplary embodiments are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the subject matter can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification, and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide power generation using predominantly CO2 as a working fluid. In particular, the process uses a high pressure/low pressure ratio turbine that expands a mixture of a high pressure recycle CO2 stream and combustion products arising from combustion of the fuel. Any fossil fuel, particularly carbonaceous fuels, may be used. Non-limiting examples include natural gas, compressed gases, fuel gases (e.g., comprising one or more of H2, CO, CH4, H2S, and NH3) and like combustible gases. Solid fuels—e.g., coal, lignite, petroleum coke, bitumen, biomass, and the like, or viscous liquid fuels may be used as well with incorporation of necessary system elements. For example, a partial oxidation combustor can be used to convert the solid or viscous liquid fuel to a fuel gas that is substantially free of solid particles. All fuel and combustion derived impurities in an oxidized state, such as sulfur compounds, NO, NO2, CO2, H2O, Hg, and the like can be separated from the power cycle for disposal with substantially or completely no emissions to the atmosphere. As noted previously, other fuels likewise may be utilized. Pure oxygen can be used as the oxidant in the combustion process. In some embodiments, combustion temperature may be regulated by diluting the oxygen with CO2 in ratios as otherwise noted herein.
The hot turbine exhaust is used to partially preheat the high pressure recycle CO2 stream. In combination with this heating, the recycle CO2 stream can be further heated using additive heating that can be derived from the compression energy of a CO2 compressor. The operating conditions for the CO2 compressor can vary as further described herein. For example, in some embodiments, it can be useful to utilize a CO2 compressor inlet temperature that is higher than normal approach to ambient cooling means. The minimum inlet temperature of the stream entering the CO2 compressor, for example, can be approximately the dew point of water at the operating conditions. In some embodiments, the CO2 compressor can have an inlet temperature of about 50° C. to about 250° C. Optionally other heating means providing heat at a temperature level below about 400° C. can be used in addition to the heating available from the CO2 compression. Such means can include heat transferred from the air compressors of a cryogenic air separation plant operating partially or completely in the adiabatic mode without intercooling. When such heat is utilized, the air compressors preferably can be operated with pressure ratios above 2.5 in the adiabatic stages.
It has been discovered according to the present disclosure that power production efficiency can be improved through provision of additive heating as defined herein, such additive heating particularly being provided at a temperature level below about 400° C. (e.g., in the range of about 100° C. to about 400° C.). The provision of the additive heating can overcome the large difference in the specific heat of CO2 at a typical high pressure turbine inlet of about 300 bar (30 MPa) and the specific heat of CO2 at a typical low pressure turbine exhaust pressure of about 30 bar (3 MPa). This difference is evident in the table provided below.
A power production method according to the present disclosure particularly can comprise a series of steps that can provide for improved efficiency. The method can comprise passing a compressed, heated recycle CO2 stream into a combustor. The compressed, heated recycle CO2 stream can be formed as further described below. In the combustor, a fuel can be combusted with the oxidant (e.g., oxygen of at least 98% or at least 99% purity, optionally diluted with CO2) in the presence of the recycle CO2 stream to produce a CO2 containing stream. The CO2 containing stream from the combustor can have a temperature of about 500° C. or greater (e.g., about 500° C. to about 1,700° C. or about 800° C. to about 1,600° C.) and a pressure of about 100 bar (10 MPa) or greater (e.g., about 100 bar (10 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa)). The CO2 containing stream can be passed through a turbine to expand the CO2 containing stream, generate power, and form a turbine exhaust stream comprising CO2. The CO2 containing stream can be expanded across the turbine at a pressure ratio of less than 12 or less than 10 (e.g., about 5 to about 12). In alternate embodiments, high pressure ratios as noted herein may be used, such as in the case of utilizing a plurality of turbines, as described in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2013/0213049, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The turbine exhaust stream can be processed to remove combustion products and any net CO2 produced by combustion of the fuel. To this end, the turbine exhaust stream can be cooled by passage through a heat exchanger. Any heat exchanger suitable for use under the temperature and pressure conditions described herein can be utilized. In some embodiments, the heat exchanger can comprise a series of at least two, at least three, or even more economizer heat exchangers. A single heat exchanger with at least two sections, at least three sections (or even more sections) can be used. For example, the heat exchanger may be described has having at least three heat exchange sections operating across different temperature ranges. Withdrawn heat from the turbine exhaust stream can be utilized for heating the recycle CO2 stream as described below.
The turbine exhaust stream can be divided into two or more portions. The first portion can comprise 50% or greater, 70% or greater, or 90% or greater (but less than 100%) of the total mass flow of the turbine exhaust stream. The first turbine exhaust portion is cooled preferably at a temperature that is less than the water dew point after leaving the heat exchanger. The first turbine exhaust portion can be passed through a separator to remove water and can be further treated to remove other combustion products or impurities. The resulting stream can be described as a main recycle CO2 stream, and this stream can be compressed such as in a multi-stage compressor with intercooling between the stages. Preferably, the main recycle CO2 stream is compressed to a pressure of about 40 bar (4 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa). In some embodiments, the main recycle CO2 stream is compressed to a pressure of about 60 bar (6 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa) or about 67 bar (6.7 MPa) to about 80 bat (8 MPa).
The second portion of the turbine exhaust stream can be compressed to form a heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion. The second turbine exhaust portion can comprise the balance of the turbine exhaust not present in the first portion (e.g., 50% or less, 30% or less, or 10% or less (but greater than 0%) of the total mass flow of the turbine exhaust stream). Preferably, the second turbine exhaust portion can be withdrawn from the turbine exhaust between the second and third heat exchange sections (e.g., the second and third heat exchangers in the series moving from hot to cold—in other words, the heat exchangers working between the lowest temperature and an intermediate temperature). The second turbine exhaust portion is preferably compressed so as to achieve a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 400° C. and a pressure of about 40 bar (4 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa). In some embodiments, the pressure can be about 60 bar (6 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa) or about 67 bat (6.7 MPa) to about 80 bar (8 MPa). The second turbine exhaust portion can be re-introduced to the heat exchanger, preferably passing from the hot end of the intermediate temperature heat exchanger to the cold end of the low temperature heat exchanger. The cooled second turbine exhaust portion can be at a temperature that is below the water dew point, and the cooled stream can be passed through one or more separators to remove water and any other impurities. The remaining stream is a secondary recycle CO2 stream, and it can be combined with the main recycle CO2 stream. Such combining can be at a variety of points. For example, the main recycle CO2 stream can be added to the cooled second portion of the turbine exhaust after passage through the low temperature heat exchanger and before passage through the separator. Alternatively, the main recycle CO2 stream and the secondary recycle CO2 stream can be combined after water separation or at another point of the cycle. Net CO2 produced from combustion can be withdrawn at this point, such as for use in enhanced oil recovery, for sequestration, or the like.
In some embodiments, the second turbine exhaust portion can be compressed using multi-stage compression wherein there is no inter-cooling between stages followed by inter-cooling between later stages. Compressed and heated gas of the second turbine exhaust portion exiting the non-cooled stages can be introduced to the heat exchanger as otherwise described above, and the so-cooled stream can be subjected to the inter-cooled compression before combining with the first turbine exhaust portion. The number of non-cooled stages (x) and inter-cooled stages (y) can independently be 1 or more, 2 or more, or 3 or more (e.g., 1 to 5 or 2 to 4).
The total recycle CO2 stream (formed of the main recycle CO2 stream and the secondary recycle CO2 stream) can be pumped to a pressure suitable for passage into the combustor. Preferably, the total recycle CO2 stream is pumped to a pressure of at 100 bar (10 MPa) or greater or about 200 bar (20 MPa) or greater, such as about 100 bar (10 MPa) to about 500 bar (50 MPa). The compressed recycle CO2 stream is then passed back through the heat exchangers to be heated. The compressed recycle CO2 stream is heated using the heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream (which can be characterized as the heat of combustion that remains in the turbine exhaust stream). The heat in the turbine exhaust stream, however, is insufficient to achieve a close temperature approach between the turbine exhaust stream and the heated, compressed recycle CO2 stream at the hot end of the heat exchanger. According to the present disclosure, the heat from the compressed, second turbine exhaust portion can be used as additive heating to reduce the temperature differential between the turbine exhaust stream and the heated, compressed recycle CO2 stream leaving the heat exchanger and entering the combustor. The additive heating can be characterized as the heat of recompression and is separate from the heat of combustion that is present in the turbine exhaust. The use of the additive heating can be beneficial to reduce temperature differential between the turbine exhaust stream and the heated, compressed recycle CO2 stream leaving the heat exchanger and entering the combustor to about 50° C. or less, about 40° C. or less, or about 30° C. or less, such as about 10° C. to about 50° C., or about 20° C. to about 40° C.
In some embodiments, additive heating can be provided by other means in combination with or as an alternative to the heat of recompression. For example, heated CO2 from an external source can be utilized. Such external source can be, for example, CO2 withdrawn from a geological source, CO2 taken from a pipeline, or the like. In such embodiments, splitting of the turbine exhaust stream can be unnecessary, and the heated CO2 can be input to the system in the same manner as the heat of recompression described above. The additional CO2 can be withdrawn from the system with the net CO2 product and can be returned to the heat source. In such manner, a recycled CO2 from an external source completely outside of the power production system can be utilized as additive heating. Alternatively, part or all of the additive heating can be from a gas turbine exhaust or from a condensing stream.
An exemplary embodiment of a system according to the present disclosure is shown in FIG. 3. The embodiment is described in relation to an exemplary embodiment of a combustion method utilizing defined parameters. Specific temperatures and pressures thus can vary based upon the specific operation conditions.
In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a turbine exhaust stream 55 at 728° C. and 30 bar (3 MPa) passes through three economizer heat exchangers in series 29, 27, and 26 leaving as stream 46 at 46° C. and 29 bar (2.9 MPa). Heat exchanger 29 may be characterized as a high temperature heat exchanger, heat exchanger 27 may be characterized as an intermediate temperature heat exchanger, and heat exchanger 26 may be characterized as a low temperature heat exchanger. It is understood that the terms “high temperature,” “intermediate temperature,” and “low temperature,” are intended to only describe the operating temperature ranges of the three heat exchangers relative to one another. The stream 46 is cooled in a water cooled heat exchanger 58 to 17.2° C., and a condensed water stream 56 is separated in the phase separator vessel 53. An overhead CO2 gas stream 61 leaves the phase separator vessel 53 and enters a two stage centrifugal CO2 recycle compressor 21 (stage 1) and 22 (stage 2), wherein a discharge stream 44 from the first stage compressor 21 is cooled in an intercooler 23 to 17.2° C., exits as stream 45, and is then compressed in the second stage compressor 22 to form stream 48 at 80 bar (8 MPa). This main recycle compressor discharge stream 48 joins with stream 47, and the combined stream 69 is cooled in a water cooled heat exchanger 24 to a temperature of 22.7° C. In other embodiments, this temperature can be in the range of 10° C. to about 30° C. Condensed water 68 is separated in a phase separator 67 producing the total recycle CO2 stream 49, which is in the supercritical state and has a high density of 850 Kg/m3. A net product CO2 stream 62, equivalent to the carbon in the fuel gas converted to CO2 in the combustor, is removed from the system (after cooling, as illustrated, or before cooling) for sequestration, use in enhanced oil recovery, or the like.
The total recycle CO2 stream 49 is cooled in heat exchanger 70 to a temperature of 17.2° C. then enters a multi-stage centrifugal pump 25 with a discharge pressure of 305 bar (30.5 MPa) to from a high pressure CO2 recycle stream 50, which is heated in the three economizer heat exchangers in series 26, 27 and 29 leaving as stream 54 at a temperature of 725° C. and 302 bar (30.2 MPa). The stream 54 is heated to 1154° C. in combustor 30 by the direct combustion of a natural gas stream 40 with a 99.5% O2 stream 41, both at 320 bar (32 MPa). In the exemplified embodiment, modeling was done with pure CH4 as the fuel gas. The mixed stream of recycle CO2 and combustion products 57 enters a power turbine 31 with a discharge pressure of 30 bar (3 MPa) and exits as turbine exhaust stream 55.
As seen in the table above, the difference in the specific heat of CO2 at 300 bar (30 MPa) and 30 bar (3 MPa) increases as the temperature drops from 1000 K (727° C.). In light of this difference, additive heating is required to achieve a very close temperature approach between the turbine exhaust stream 55 and the recycle CO2 stream 54, and such additive heating can be supplied, for example, in the “low temperature” economizer heat exchanger 26 and/or the “intermediate temperature” economizer heat exchanger 27. According to the present disclosure, the additive heating can be provided by utilizing the adiabatic heat of compression of part of the recycle CO2 stream which, in the exemplary embodiment, is compressed to a pressure of about 29 bar (2.9 MPa) to about 80 bar (8 MPa).
Returning to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, a portion of the cooling turbine exhaust stream 51 between the two economizer heat exchanger sections 27 and 26 at a temperature of 138° C. can be withdrawn and compressed in a single stage or multi-stage adiabatic compressor 28 producing stream 52 at 246° C. and 80 bar (8 MPa). The compressed and heated stream 52 re-enters the hot end of economizer heat exchanger 27, and the stream is passed through heat exchanger 27 and heat exchanger 26 where it cools and leaves as stream 47 at 54° C. The entire heat of compression in compressor 28 supplied by work stream 34 is thusly transferred to the high pressure recycle CO2 stream, and this heat input is equivalent to heat of combustion delivered in the combustor 30 since it reduces the hot end temperature difference. The flow-rate of stream 51 is maximized to achieve a significantly small temperature difference between streams 65 and 66 at the inlet to the high temperature economizer heat exchanger 29. This temperature difference between streams 65 and 66 preferably is about 50° C. or less, about 40° C. or less, about 30° C. or less, about 20° C. or less, particularly about 10° C. to about 50° C., or about 20° C. to about 40° C. As discussed above, stream 47 joins with the main recycle compressor discharge stream 48 for cooling in heat exchanger 24 to 22.7° C. The additive heating provide by CO2 compression as described above provides for increased efficiency in the power production system.
Note that other sources of low temperature level heating (e.g., gas turbine exhaust or condensing stream) can be utilized as the additive heating. The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 includes the cryogenic air separation plant 81 main air flow 42 a which has been adiabatically compressed to 5.7 bar (0.57 MPa) and 223° C. entering the hot end of economizer heat exchanger 27 as stream 42 and leaving heat exchanger 26 as stream 43 at 54° C. In some embodiments, stream 42 may arise from stream 42 b, which is illustrated as heat derived from a gas turbine 83. Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the O2 stream can be supplied from the air separation plant at 80 bar (8 MPa) and ambient temperature and can be mixed with CO2 from stream 49 to give 25 mol % O2 that can be compressed to 320 bar (32 MPa) before being heated to 725° C. in the economizer heat exchangers 27, 26 and 29. In practice, this CO2+O2 compressor can also feature a hot gas compressor section as has been shown for the CO2 recycle compressor. In FIG. 3, cooling water inlet streams are represented as streams 38, 59, 72, and 36, while the respective outlet streams are represented as streams 39, 60, 74, and 37. The compressor power inputs are illustrated in FIG. 3 as elements 32 and 34, and such power inputs may be electric or may be turbine driven. The CO2 pump electric power input is illustrated as element 33. The turbine shaft power output is illustrated as element 64 from the generator 63.
The exemplary embodiment described was evaluated with ASPEN modeling software using actual machine efficiencies, heat exchanger temperature differences, and system pressure drops giving a net efficiency of 58.5% (LHV basis). The calculation was based on a thermal input of 500 MW to the combustor 30.
Although the disclosed systems and methods may be particularly applicable to combustion systems and methods for power production, a broader application to efficient heating of a gas stream is also encompassed. As such, in some embodiments, the present disclosure can relate to a method for heating a gas stream, and particularly for heating a recirculating gas stream. The recirculating gas stream may be any gas stream that is continuously cycle through stages of heating and cooling, optionally including stages of compression and expansion.
A gas stream G that may be subject to heating according to the present disclosure may be any gas; however, it can be particularly advantageous for the gas stream G to comprise CO2, such as being at least about 10%, at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 75%, or at least about 90% by mass CO2. A recirculating gas stream G particularly may be at increased temperature T1 (e.g., about 500° C. to about 1700° C.) and a pressure P1 that enables forming a desired amount of heat of compression—e.g., a pressure of less than about 40 bar (4 MPa). The gas stream G at pressure P1 and temperature T1 can be cooled, such as by passage through a recuperative heat exchanger. Preferably, cooling is such that the gas stream G is cooled to a temperature T2 that is less than T1. In some embodiments, cooling can be carried out using a series of multiple heat exchangers (e.g., 2, 3, or more heat exchangers) or using a heat exchanger that includes a plurality of heat exchange sections or using a combination thereof. The individual heat exchangers (or heat exchange sections) can exchange heat at different temperature ranges, which ranges may overlap. Use of multiple heat exchangers and/or heat exchange sections enables streams to be added or withdrawn at different temperature ranges.
The gas stream G can be separated into a first fraction G1 and a second fraction G2. Such separation can occur after the gas stream G has been cooled to the temperature T2 or to an intermediate temperature Tint that is between T1 and T2. The temperature T2, for example, can be the temperature at the cold end of the recuperative heat exchanger (or the heat exchanger or heat exchange section working over the lowest temperature range), and the temperature Tint, for example, can be a temperature at the cold end of a second heat exchanger (or second heat exchange section) in a series of three or more heat exchangers (or heat exchange sections). Preferably, the second gas fraction G2 can be withdrawn at an intermediate temperature prior to further cooling of the first gas fraction G1. After the gas stream fraction G1 has been cooled, it can then be compressed to a greater pressure P2 that preferably can be greater than P1. Such compression, for example, can be carried out with a multi-stage compressor that is intercooled. The pressure P3 can be, for example, about 40 bar (4 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa), about 60 bar (6 MPa) to about 100 bar (10 MPa) or about 67 bar (6.7 MPa) to about 80 bat (8 MPa).
The withdrawn gas stream fraction G2 can be separately compressed to a pressure P3 that also preferably is greater than P1. The pressure P3 can be in the same range of pressure P2; however, P2 and P3 do not necessarily need to be identical. In some embodiments, the gas stream fraction G2 can be compressed using adiabatic compression with no intercooling so as to heat the gas stream fraction G2 to a temperature T3 that is greater than T2. In embodiments wherein the gas stream fraction G2 can be withdrawn at the intermediate temperature Tint, T3 preferably is greater than Tint. The heat from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be withdrawn and used as additive heating to the recirculating gas stream as further described below.
After the compression heat has been withdrawn from gas stream fraction G2, the gas stream fraction G1 and the gas stream fraction G2 can be combined to form a combined recirculating gas stream GC. The recirculating gas stream GC will have a pressure that is substantially similar to the pressure P2 and/or P3 and can be pumped to a greater pressure P4 that is greater than P2 and greater than P3. Such pumping is desirable is the recirculating gas stream GC is being utilized in a high pressure application. In some embodiments, however, the pressure P2 and/or P3 may be suitable and no further compression may be required.
The recirculating gas stream GC (optionally at the pressure P4) can be passed to the recuperative heat exchanger such that the gas stream GC is heated by the cooling gas stream G. The heat withdrawn from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be added to the recirculating gas stream GC. Such additive heating can be carried out after pumping to pressure P4. In some embodiments, the additive heating can be carried out in the recuperative heat exchanger. For example, if a single recuperative heat exchanger is used, the heat of compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be input to the heat exchanger at a suitable point to provide the additive heating to the recirculating gas stream GC in the desired temperature range. In embodiments wherein a plurality of heat exchanger (or heat exchange sections) are used, the heat of compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be added to one or more of the lower temperature heat exchangers (or heat exchange sections). For example, during compression, gas stream fraction G2 can be heated to a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 400° C., and the heat from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be added to one or more heat exchangers (or heat exchange sections) working in this temperature range. In FIG. 3, for example, compressed gas stream fraction G2 would equate to stream 52, which is passed through heat exchangers 26 and 27, which are working at a lower temperature range than heat exchanger 29. Generally, a series of heat exchangers such as illustrated in FIG. 3, comprises three heat exchangers that each transfer in separate temperature ranges (which ranges may overlap). In the example of FIG. 3, heat exchanger 29 can be characterized as operating in a temperature range R1, heat exchanger 27 can be characterized as operating in a temperature range R2, and heat exchanger 26 can be characterized as operating in a temperature range R3. As illustrated, since heat exchanger 29 is at the hot end of the series and heat exchanger 26 is at the cold end of the series, the temperature relationship of the series of heat exchangers would be R1>R2>R3.
The use of the additive heating provided by the compression heat in compressed gas stream fraction G2 can be beneficial to bring the temperature of the combined recirculating gas stream GC significantly close to the temperature of gas stream G prior to cooling. For example, the recirculating gas stream GC after passing through the recuperative heat exchanger and receiving the heat from the compressed gas fraction G2 can have a temperature T4 that is within 50° C. of T1. Typically, the temperature T4 of recirculating gas stream GC after passing through the recuperative heat exchanger will remain below T1. In such embodiments, recirculating gas stream GC after passing through the recuperative heat exchanger and receiving the heat from the compressed gas fraction G2 can have a temperature T4 that is less than T1 by no more than 50° C.
The approach of T4 to T1 can be further improved through addition of heat from one or more additional sources. Such additional heat source can comprise any device or combination of devices configured to impart heating to a stream that is sufficient to heat a gas stream as described herein so that the gas stream achieves the desired quality and quantity of heat. As non-limiting examples, the additional heat source can be one or more of a combustion heat source, a solar heat source, a nuclear heat source, a geothermal heat source, and an industrial waste heat source. The additional heat source may include a heat exchanger, a heat pump, a power producing device, and any further combination of elements (e.g., piping and the like) suitable to form, provide, or deliver the necessary heat.
The method for heating a recirculating gas stream can further comprise one or more steps. For example, the gas stream G may be a stream exiting a turbine. As such, the pressure P1 of gas stream G can be less than an earlier pressure P0 of the gas stream before passage through the turbine. In some embodiments, P0 can be substantially similar to P4 (e.g., within 10%, within 5%, or within 2% thereof). In some embodiments, recirculating gas stream GC can be subjected to a superheating step after exiting the hot end of the heat exchanger (i.e., after being re-heated in the heat exchanger and receiving the additive heat of compression from G2). For example, recirculating gas stream GC can be heated with heat of combustion, with solar heating, with nuclear heating, with geothermal heating, with industrial waste heating, or with any combination thereof. In some embodiments, recirculating gas stream GC can be so-heated and then passed through a turbine for expansion and power production. The stream leaving the turbine may then be characterized again as gas stream G.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this subject matter pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not to be limited to the specific embodiments described herein and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
wherein at least a portion of the amount of heat withdrawn from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 is added to the combined recirculating gas stream GC after pumping to pressure P4.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature T3 is 100° C. to 400° C.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure P2 of gas stream fraction G1 and the pressure P3 of gas stream fraction G2 are each separately 40 bar (4 MPa) to 100 bar (10 MPa).
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pressure P4 of the recirculating gas stream GC is 100 bar (10 MPa) to 500 bar (50 MPa).
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a mass ratio of gas fraction G1 to gas fraction G2 based on a total mass of gas stream G is 50:50 to 99:1.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combined recirculating gas stream GC after passing through the recuperative heat exchanger and receiving the heat from the compressed gas fraction G2 has a temperature T4 that is within 50° C. of T1.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein gas stream fraction G2 is compressed with multi-stage compression with no intercooling.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein after withdrawing heat from gas stream fraction G2, the gas stream fraction G2 is further compressed before combining with gas stream fraction G1.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recuperative heat exchanger comprises three heat exchangers or three heat exchange sections in series, such that heat is transferred in a first heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R1, a second heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R2, and a third heat exchanger or heat exchange section operating in temperature range R3 with the temperature relationship of R1>R2>R3.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the gas stream G is separated between the first heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the gas stream G is separated between the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the third heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the heat withdrawn from the compressed gas stream fraction G2 is added to the recirculating gas stream GC in one or both of the third heat exchanger or heat exchange section and the second heat exchanger or heat exchange section.
13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding heat to the recirculating gas stream GC after pumping to pressure P4, wherein the heat that is added is derived from one or both of an air separation unit and a gas turbine.
14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising passing the combined recirculating gas stream GC from the recuperative heat exchanger to a combustor that combusts a fuel with oxygen to form a combustion product stream.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gas stream G is a turbine exhaust stream.
further heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion.
17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the CO2 containing combustion stream has a temperature of 500° C. to 1,700° C. and a pressure of 100 bar (10 MPa) to 500 bar (50 MPa).
18. The method according to claim 16, wherein a pressure ratio across the turbine is 5 to 12.
19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the heat from the turbine exhaust stream is withdrawn in a recuperative heat exchanger comprising three or more sections or comprising three or more individual heat exchangers.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream and further heating the combined recycle CO2 stream with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion is carried out in the recuperative heat exchanger.
21. The method according to claim 16, wherein a mass ratio of the first turbine exhaust portion to the second turbine exhaust portion based on a total mass of the turbine exhaust stream is 50:50 to 99:1.
22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the heat from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion is withdrawn in a temperature range of 100° C. to 400° C.
23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the main recycle CO2 stream and the second turbine exhaust portion are independently compressed to a pressure of 40 bar (4 MPa) to 100 bar (10 MPa).
24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the combined recycle CO2 stream after heating with heat withdrawn from the turbine exhaust stream and further heating with heat withdrawn from the heated, compressed second turbine exhaust portion has a temperature that is within 50° C. of the temperature of the turbine exhaust stream.
25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second turbine exhaust portion is compressed adiabatically with no intercooling between compressor stages.
wherein the first flow path and the third flow path are configured for heating the second flow path.
27. The power generating system according to claim 26, wherein the recuperative heat exchanger comprises a series of three or more heat exchangers or a series of three or more heating sections.
28. The power generating system according to claim 26, further comprising one or more separators configured for separating at least water from one or both of the first gas stream and the second gas stream.
29. The power generating system according to claim 26, wherein the first compressor comprises a multi-stage, intercooled compressor.
30. The power generating system according to claim 26, wherein the second compressor comprises an adiabatic, multi-stage compressor with no intercooling between compressor stages.
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Wynn Las Vegas Holdings, LLC owns all of the membership interests of the Registrant as of November 4, 2016.
Wynn Las Vegas Capital Corp. ("Wynn Capital") is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company organized solely for the purpose of obtaining financing for Wynn Las Vegas. Wynn Capital is authorized to issue 2,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01. As of September 30, 2016, the Company owned the one share that was issued and outstanding. Wynn Capital has no significant net assets and has had no operating activity. Its sole function is to serve as the co-issuer of the mortgage and senior notes. Wynn Las Vegas, LLC and Wynn Capital together are hereinafter referred to as the "Issuers".
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes that the disclosures herein are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods have been made. The results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full fiscal year. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Certain amounts in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the previous year have been reclassified to be consistent with the current year presentation. The payment of deposits on property and equipment, previously presented in purchase of other assets in investing activities, is now presented in capital expenditures in investing activities. The amount of deposits on property and equipment that have been reclassified for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $14.4 million. The reclassification had no effect on the previously reported net cash used in investing activities.
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of casino accounts receivable. The Company issues credit in the form of "markers" to approved casino customers following investigations of creditworthiness. As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, approximately 79.9% and 80.1%, respectively, of the Company's markers were due from customers residing outside the United States, primarily in Asia. Business or economic conditions or other significant events in these countries could affect the collectability of such receivables.
Direct and incremental costs incurred and original issue discounts and premiums in connection with the issuance of long-term debt are deferred and amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method or, if the amounts approximate the effective interest method, on a straight-line basis. Deferred financing costs incurred in connection with the issuance of long-term debt are presented as a direct reduction of long-term debt on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. See the Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Standards section below for details on the presentation change of deferred financing costs.
Casino revenues are measured by the aggregate net difference between gaming wins and losses, with liabilities recognized for funds deposited by customers before gaming play occurs and for chips in the customers' possession. Cash discounts, other cash incentives and points earned by customers from the Company's loyalty programs are recorded as a reduction to casino revenues. Rooms, food and beverage, entertainment and other operating revenues are recognized when services are performed. Entertainment, retail and other revenue includes rental income, which is recognized on a time proportion basis over the lease term. Contingent rental income is recognized when the right to receive such rental income is established according to the lease agreements. Advance deposits on rooms and advance ticket sales are recorded as customer deposits until services are provided to the customer.
The Company is subject to taxes based on gross gaming revenues in the jurisdiction in which it operates, subject to applicable jurisdictional adjustments. These gaming taxes are an assessment on the Company's gross gaming revenues and are recorded as casino expenses in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). These taxes totaled $11.2 million and $11.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and totaled $32.2 million and $32.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
The Company accounts for stock-based compensation related to equity shares of Wynn Resorts granted to its employees in accordance with accounting standards, which require the compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). The cost is measured at the grant date, based on the estimated fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes option pricing model for stock options, and based on the closing share price of the Company's stock on the grant date for nonvested share awards. The cost is recognized as an expense on a straight-line basis over the employee's requisite service period (the vesting period of the award), net of estimated forfeitures. For both the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded $0.6 million of stock-based compensation costs. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded $2.0 million and $2.1 million, respectively, in stock-based compensation costs.
In August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update that clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments on the statement of cash flows. In particular, the new guidance clarifies the classification related to several types of cash flows; including items such as debt extinguishment costs and distributions received from equity method investees. The new guidance also provides a three-step approach for classifying cash receipts and payments that have aspects of more than one class of cash flows. The effective date for this guidance is for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal periods and early application is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In March 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that involves several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. Under the new guidance, income tax benefits and deficiencies are to be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement and the tax effects of exercised or vested awards should be treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. An entity should also recognize excess tax benefits regardless of whether the benefit reduces taxes payable in the current period. Excess tax benefits should be classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. In regards to forfeitures, the entity may make an entity-wide accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest or account for forfeitures when they occur. The effective date for this guidance is for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal periods and early application is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that changes the accounting for leases and requires expanded disclosures about leasing activities. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability, measured on a discounted basis, at the commencement date for all leases with terms greater than 12 months. Lessor accounting will remain largely unchanged, other than certain targeted improvements intended to align lessor accounting with the lessee accounting model and with the updated revenue recognition guidance issued in 2014. Lessees and lessors are required to apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the adoption-period financial statements. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that requires deferred financing costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented on the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for deferred financing costs are not affected by the amendments in this update. In August 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that clarifies that the guidance issued in April 2015 does not apply to line-of-credit arrangements. According to the additional guidance, deferred financing costs related to line-of-credit arrangements will continue to be presented as an asset and subsequently amortized ratably over the term of the arrangement. The effective date for this guidance is for financial statements for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted the guidance on January 1, 2016, with retrospective application in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2015. This change in accounting principle resulted in net deferred financing costs of $34.5 million incurred in connection with the issuance of the Company's long-term debt being reclassified from noncurrent assets to a direct reduction of the long-term debt balance.
In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that amends the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and creates a new topic for Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The new guidance is expected to clarify the principles for revenue recognition and to develop a common revenue standard for GAAP applicable to revenue transactions. This guidance provides that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. This guidance also provides substantial revision of interim and annual disclosures. The update allows for either full retrospective adoption, meaning the guidance is applied for all periods presented, or modified retrospective adoption, meaning the guidance is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application. In August 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that defers the effective date of the new revenue recognition accounting guidance by one year, to annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permitted for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company will adopt this standard effective January 1, 2018. The Company is currently assessing the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.
On February 10, 2015, the Issuers commenced a cash tender offer for any and all of the outstanding aggregate principal amounts of the 7 7/8% First Mortgage Notes due May 1, 2020 and the 7 3/4% First Mortgage Notes due August 15, 2020 (the "2020 Notes"). The premium portion of the aggregate total consideration was $101.2 million and was recorded as a loss on extinguishment of debt in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss). In connection with the cash tender, the Company expensed $17.3 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original issue discount related to the 2020 Notes and incurred other fees of $0.1 million that are included in loss on extinguishment of debt in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).
On May 1, 2015, the Company redeemed the remaining $71.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 7/8% First Mortgage Notes due May 1, 2020. The Company recorded a loss for the premium portion of the consideration of $2.8 million and expensed $1.0 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original discount that are included in loss on extinguishment of debt in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).
On August 15, 2015, the Company redeemed the remaining $80.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 3/4% First Mortgage Notes due August 15, 2020. The Company recorded a loss for the premium portion of the consideration of $3.1 million and expensed $0.8 million of unamortized deferred financing costs that are included in loss on extinguishment of debt in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss).
As of September 30, 2016, management believes the Company was in compliance with all debt covenants.
The estimated fair value of the Company's long-term debt as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was $3.22 billion and $2.93 billion, respectively, compared to its carrying value, excluding debt issuance costs, of $3.20 billion. The estimated fair value of the Company's long-term debt is based on recent trades, if available, and indicative pricing from market information (Level 2 inputs).
The Company periodically settles net amounts due to affiliates with cash payments. Amounts are primarily comprised of management and license fees, construction related payables and corporate allocations. As of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company's net current due to affiliates were $2.3 million and $7.3 million, respectively.
In February 2015, the Company entered into a new corporate support services agreement with Wynn Resorts and terminated the prior agreement. Wynn Resorts provides the Company legal, accounting, human resources, information services, real estate, and other corporate support services. Under the agreement, the corporate support service allocations have been determined on a basis that Wynn Resorts and the Company consider to be reasonable estimates of the utilization of service provided or the benefit received by the Company. Wynn Resorts maintains corporate offices at Wynn Las Vegas without charge from the Company and aircraft operated by Wynn Resorts are available for use by the Company. In addition, the Company pays a management fee of 1.5% of net revenues. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, $9.8 million and $10.6 million, respectively, were charged to the Company under the corporate support services agreement. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, $29.2 million and $32.2 million, respectively, were charged to the Company under the corporate support services agreement.
Under an agreement with Wynn Resorts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Wynn Resorts, the Company licenses certain intellectual property, including certain trademarks, domain names, copyrights and service marks in connection with a variety of goods and services. The Company currently has two agreements in effect. Under the agreement, dated December 14, 2004 ("2004 IP Agreement"), which relates to intellectual property existing on or before December 14, 2004, the Company is not charged a licensing fee. Under the agreement, dated February 26, 2015, which relates to intellectual property existing after December 14, 2004, the monthly license fee payable is 1.5% of gross monthly revenues until the 2004 IP Agreement is terminated and 3% of gross monthly revenues once the 2004 IP Agreement is terminated. For the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, $7.0 million and $6.8 million, respectively, of licensing fees were charged to the Company. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, $20.4 million and $16.1 million, respectively, of licensing fees were charged to the Company.
and any resulting regulatory investigations could have adverse consequences to Wynn Resorts and its subsidiaries. A finding by regulatory authorities that Mr. Okada violated anti-corruption statutes and/or other laws or regulations applicable to persons affiliated with a gaming licensee on Wynn Resorts property and/or otherwise involved Wynn Resorts in criminal or civil violations could result in actions by regulatory authorities against Wynn Resorts and its subsidiaries.
On June 19, 2012, Elaine Wynn asserted a cross claim against Mr. Wynn and Aruze seeking a declaration that (1) any and all of Elaine Wynn's duties under the Stockholders Agreement shall be discharged; (2) the Stockholders Agreement is subject to rescission and is rescinded; (3) the Stockholders Agreement is an unreasonable restraint on alienation in violation of public policy; and/or (4) the restrictions on sale of shares shall be construed as inapplicable to Elaine Wynn. On March 28, 2016, Elaine Wynn filed an amended cross claim which added Wynn Resorts and Wynn Resorts' General Counsel (together with Mr. Wynn, the "Wynn Cross Defendants") as cross defendants. The amended cross claim substantially repeats its earlier allegations and further alleges that Mr. Wynn engaged in acts of misconduct that, with the Wynn Cross Defendants, resulted in Mr. Wynn allegedly breaching the Stockholders Agreement and violating alleged duties under the Stockholders Agreement by preventing Elaine Wynn from being nominated and elected to serve as one of Wynn Resorts' directors. In addition to continuing to seek the declarations asserted under the original cross claim, the amended cross claim seeks an order compelling Mr. Wynn to comply with the Stockholders Agreement by assuring the nomination and election of Elaine Wynn to the Board of Directors and seeks unspecified monetary damages from Mr. Wynn and the Wynn Cross Defendants. The Wynn Cross Defendants filed motions to dismiss and a motion to sever in April 2016 and will vigorously defend against the claims asserted against them. On May 5, 2016, the court granted Wynn Resorts' and Wynn Resorts' General Counsel's motions to dismiss and denied Mr. Wynn's motion to dismiss. On May 26, 2016, the court denied the Wynn Cross Defendants' motion to sever. Mr. Wynn is continuing to oppose Elaine Wynn's cross claim.
due 2025, as applicable, are rated below investment grade by both rating agencies that rate such notes, Wynn Resorts is required to make an offer to each applicable holder to repurchase all or any part of such holder's notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes purchased, if any, to the date of repurchase (unless the notes have been previously called for redemption).
Wynn Resorts' Complaint and the Okada Parties' Counterclaim have been, and continue to be, challenged through motion practice. At a hearing held on November 13, 2012, the Nevada state court granted the Wynn Parties' motion to dismiss the Counterclaim with respect to the Okada Parties' claim under the Nevada Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act with respect to certain Wynn Resorts executives but otherwise denied the motion. At a hearing held on January 15, 2013, the court denied the Okada Parties' motion to dismiss Wynn Resorts' Complaint. On April 22, 2013, Wynn Resorts filed a second amended complaint. On August 30, 2013, the Okada Parties filed their third amended Counterclaim. On September 18, 2013, Wynn Resorts filed a Partial Motion to Dismiss related to a claim in the third amended Counterclaim alleging civil extortion by Mr. Wynn and Wynn Resorts' General Counsel. On October 29, 2013, the court granted the motion and dismissed the claim. On November 26, 2013, the Okada Parties filed their fourth amended Counterclaim, and Wynn Resorts filed an answer to that pleading on December 16, 2013. On September 16, 2014, Aruze filed a motion for partial summary judgment related to its counterclaim alleging Wynn Resorts' directors violated the terms of the Articles by failing to pay Aruze fair value for the redeemed shares. At a hearing held on October 21, 2014, the court denied Aruze's motion. On October 10, 2014, the Okada Parties filed a motion for partial judgment on the pleadings principally to seek dismissal of certain breach of fiduciary claims against Mr. Okada included in Wynn Resorts' Complaint. On November 13, 2014, the court denied the motion.
defend against the counterclaims asserted against them. Management has determined that based on proceedings to date, it is currently unable to determine the probability of the outcome of this matter or the range of reasonably possible loss, if any. An adverse judgment or settlement involving payment of a material amount could cause a material adverse effect on Wynn Resorts' financial condition.
On July 3, 2015, Wynn Macau, Limited announced that the Okada Parties filed a complaint in the Court of First Instance of Macau ("Macau Court") against Wynn Macau SA and certain individuals who are or were directors of Wynn Macau SA and or Wynn Macau, Limited (collectively, the "Wynn Macau Parties"). The principal allegations in the lawsuit are that the redemption of the Okada Parties' shares in Wynn Resorts was improper and undervalued, that the previously disclosed payment by Wynn Macau SA to an unrelated third party in consideration of relinquishment by that party of certain rights in and to any future development on the land in Cotai where Wynn Palace is located was unlawful and that the previously disclosed donation by Wynn Resorts to the University of Macau Development Foundation was unlawful. The plaintiffs seek dissolution of Wynn Macau SA and compensatory damages. The Okada Parties recently released one of the defendants from the lawsuit. The Macau Court has served the complaint on all of the remaining defendants and the Wynn Macau Parties filed their response on May 17, 2016.
Wynn Resorts believes these actions commenced by Okada Parties discussed above are without merit and will vigorously defend the Wynn Macau Parties against them. Management has determined that based on proceedings to date, it is currently unable to determine the probability of the outcome of these actions or the range of reasonably possible loss, if any.
In the U.S. Department of Justice's Motion to Intervene and for Temporary and Partial Stay of Discovery in the Redemption Action, the Department of Justice states in a footnote that the government also has been conducting a criminal investigation into Wynn Resorts' previously disclosed donation to the University of Macau Development Foundation. Wynn Resorts has not received any target letter or subpoena in connection with such an investigation. Wynn Resorts intends to cooperate fully with the government in response to any inquiry related to the donation to the University of Macau Development Foundation.
The Federal Plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint on August 6, 2012, asserting claims for: (1) breach of fiduciary duty; (2) waste of corporate assets; (3) injunctive relief; and (4) unjust enrichment. The claims were against Wynn Resorts and all of Wynn Resorts' directors, including Mr. Okada; however, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed Mr. Okada as a defendant in this consolidated action on September 27, 2012. The Federal Plaintiffs claimed that the individual defendants breached their fiduciary duties and wasted assets by: (a) failing to ensure Wynn Resorts' officers and directors complied with federal and state laws and Wynn Resorts' Code of Conduct; (b) voting to allow Wynn Resorts' subsidiary to make the donation to the University of Macau Development Foundation; and (c) redeeming Aruze's stock such that Wynn Resorts incurs the debt associated with the redemption. The Federal Plaintiffs seek unspecified compensatory damages, restitution in the form of disgorgement, reformation of corporate governance procedures, an injunction against all future payments related to the donation/pledge, and all fees (attorneys, accountants, and experts) and costs. The directors responded to the consolidated complaint by filing a motion to dismiss on September 14, 2012. On February 1, 2013, the federal court dismissed the complaint for failure to plead adequately the futility of a pre-suit demand on the Board. The dismissal was without prejudice to the Federal Plaintiffs' ability to file a motion within 30 days seeking leave to file an amended complaint. On April 9, 2013, the Federal Plaintiffs filed their amended complaint. Wynn Resorts and the directors filed their motion to dismiss the amended complaint on May 23, 2013. On March 13, 2014, the federal court granted the motion to dismiss and entered judgment in favor of Wynn Resorts and directors and against the Federal Plaintiffs without prejudice. On April 10, 2014, the Federal Plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. On July 18, 2016, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the federal court's dismissal.
(compensatory and punitive), disgorgement, reformation of corporate governance procedures, an order directing Wynn Resorts to internally investigate the donation, as well as attorneys' fees and costs. On October 13, 2012, the court entered the parties' stipulation providing for a stay of the state derivative action for 90 days subject to the parties' obligation to monitor the progress of the pending litigation, discussed above, between Wynn Resorts (among others) and Mr. Okada (among others). Per the stipulation, Wynn Resorts and the individual defendants were not required to respond to the consolidated complaint while the stay remained in effect. Following the expiration of the stay, the State Plaintiffs advised Wynn Resorts and the individual defendants that they intended to resume the action by filing an amended complaint, which they did, on April 26, 2013. Wynn Resorts and directors filed their motion to dismiss on June 10, 2013. However, on July 31, 2013, the parties agreed to a stipulation that was submitted to, and approved by the court. The stipulation contemplates a stay of the consolidated state court derivative action of equal duration as the Stay entered by the court in the Redemption Action. On June 18, 2014, the court entered a new stipulation between the parties that provides for further stay of the state derivative action and directs the parties, within 45 days of the conclusion of the latter of the Redemption Action or the federal derivative action, to discuss how the state derivative action should proceed and to file a joint report with the court.
The individual defendants are vigorously defending against the claims pleaded against them. Management has determined that based on proceedings to date, it is currently unable to determine the probability of the outcome of these actions or the range of reasonably possible loss, if any.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Form 10-Q and our consolidated financial statements appearing in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references herein to the "Company," "we," "us," or "our," or similar terms, refer to Wynn Las Vegas, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company and its consolidated subsidiaries. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section below entitled "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."
In response to our evaluation of our property and our commitment to creating a unique customer experience, we have made and expect to continue to make enhancements and refinements to this resort. In October 2015, we closed the Ferrari and Maserati automobile dealership inside Wynn Las Vegas. We are in the process of replacing the dealership and adjacent space with more than 75,000 square feet of additional high-end, brand-name retail space, which we expect to open in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Average daily rate ("ADR") is calculated by dividing total room revenues, including the retail value of promotional allowances (less service charges, if any), by total rooms occupied, including complimentary rooms.
Our net income was relatively flat for the three months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to the same period of 2015, due to a $15.3 million exit fee incurred for the right to procure energy from the wholesale energy markets instead of from the local public electricity utility, which offset our room revenue performance. Adjusted Property EBITDA increased 10.1%, or $11.8 million, for the three months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to the same period of 2015, largely due to the 9.1% year-over-year increase in room revenues.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, net income was $9.4 million, compared to a net loss of $104.5 million for the same period of 2015. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, we experienced a net loss primarily due to $126.3 million in losses from the extinguishment of debt related to the purchase of the 7 7/8% First Mortgage Notes due May 1, 2020 (the "7 7/8% 2020 Notes") and the 7 3/4% First Mortgage Notes due August 15, 2020 (the "7 3/4% 2020 Notes" and together with the 7 7/8% 2020 Notes, the "2020 Notes") pursuant to a cash tender offer and subsequent redemption of the untendered 2020 Notes.
gaming customers who wager on credit, thus exposing us to increased credit risk. High-end gaming also increases the potential for variability in our results.
Financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2016 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2015.
Casino revenues were 35.9% of total net revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to 37.0% of total net revenues for the same period of 2015, while non-casino revenues were 64.1% of total revenues, compared to 63.0% for the same period of 2015.
Casino revenues were relatively flat with $153.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $152.1 million for the same period of 2015.
Non-casino revenues increased 5.8%, or $14.9 million to $273.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $259.0 million for the same period of 2015, primarily due to an increase of 9.1% in room revenues and a 1.8% increase in food and beverage revenues.
Room revenues increased 9.1%, or $9.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to the same period of 2015. The increase is primarily attributable to a 4.7% increase in ADR to $288 for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $275 for the same period of 2015 and a 1.7 percentage point increase in occupancy.
Food and beverage revenues increased 1.8%, or $2.6 million, to $145.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $142.6 million for the same period of 2015, mainly due to an increase in revenues at our casual dining restaurants.
Promotional allowances decreased 5.2%, or $2.3 million, to $42.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $44.6 million for the same period of 2015, primarily as a result of less complimentaries on the decrease in table drop.
Operating costs and expenses increased 6.0%, or $21.7 million, to $380.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $358.5 million for the same period of 2015, primarily due to a $16.6 million increase in property charges and other.
Casino expenses decreased 2.1%, or $1.5 million, to $69.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $71.2 million for the same period of 2015, mainly due to a reduction in the cost of complimentaries and other casino expenses.
Room expenses increased 4.3%, or $1.6 million, to $37.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $36.2 million for the same period of 2015, primarily attributable to expenses associated with the increase in occupancy over the prior year.
Food and beverage expenses were relatively flat with $96.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to $95.5 million for the same period of 2015.
General and administrative expenses increased 4.6%, or $2.9 million, to $65.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, from $62.5 million for the same period of 2015. The increase was primarily due to increased payroll and advertising related expenses.
Property charges and other expense was $16.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $0.1 million for the same period of 2015. During the three months ended September 30, 2016, we incurred an expense of $15.3 million for an exit fee for the right to procure energy from the wholesale energy markets instead of from the local public electric utility.
Interest expense was relatively flat with $43.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $43.8 million for the same period of 2015.
We incurred a loss of $3.9 million on the extinguishment of debt for the three months ended September 30, 2015. In connection with the August 2015 redemption of the remaining $80.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 3/4% 2020 Notes, we recorded a loss for the premium portion of the consideration of $3.1 million and expensed $0.8 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original discount. We incurred no loss on extinguishment of debt for the three months ended September 30, 2016.
Financial results for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2015.
The percentage of our net revenues from non-casino revenues was 63.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to 63.3% for the same period of 2015. Casino revenues were 36.2% of total net revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to 36.7% of total net revenues for the same period of 2015.
Casino revenues were relatively flat with $447.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to $448.6 million for the same period of 2015. We experienced a 12.0% year-over-year decrease in table drop, primarily from international customers, largely offset by an increase in table games win percentage of 2.3 percentage points.
Non-casino revenues increased 2.0%, or $15.5 million, to $788.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $773.0 million for the same period of 2015. The increase was primarily due to an increase of 6.3% in room revenues, partially offset by a decrease of 2.2% in food and beverage revenues.
Room revenues increased 6.3%, or $19.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to the same period of 2015. The increase is primarily attributable to a 5.7% increase in ADR to $298 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $282 for the same period of 2015, partially offset by a 0.9 percentage point decrease in occupancy.
Food and beverage revenues decreased 2.2%, or $9.1 million, to $410.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $419.1 million for the same period of 2015, mainly due to a decline in revenues from our nightclubs.
Promotional allowances decreased 3.6%, or $4.7 million, to $126.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $131.0 million for the same period of 2015, primarily as a result of less complimentaries on the decrease in table drop.
Operating costs and expenses increased 3.2%, or $34.4 million, to $1.10 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $1.06 billion for the same period of 2015, primarily due to a $25.8 million increase in property charges and other.
Casino expenses decreased 3.0%, or $6.6 million, to $210.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $217.3 million for the same period of 2015, mainly due to a reduction in the cost of complimentaries and other casino expenses.
Room expenses increased 3.0%, or $3.2 million, to $111.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $108.0 million for the same period of 2015, primarily due to an increase in payroll related expenses.
Food and beverage expenses were relatively flat with $271.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 when compared to $272.7 million for the same period of 2015.
General and administrative expenses increased 3.2%, or $5.8 million, to $190.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $184.8 million for the same period of 2015. The increase is primarily due to an increase in payroll related expenses, partially offset by a decrease in corporate allocations.
Management and license fees increased 13.1%, or $4.5 million, to $39.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $34.5 million for the same period of 2015. In February 2015, we began incurring fees associated with our license agreement with Wynn Resorts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Wynn Resorts for use of certain intellectual property. The license agreement resulted in fees of $20.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $16.1 million for the same period of 2015.
We incurred pre-opening costs of $2.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 in connection with the re-branding of one of our nightclubs.
Property charges and other expense was $27.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to $1.2 million for the same period of 2015. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, we incurred expenses of $15.3 million for an exit fee for the right to procure energy from the wholesale energy markets instead of from the local public electric utility, $9.0 million in asset abandonment charges primarily associated with the current construction of more than 75,000 square feet of additional high-end, brand-name retail space to the resort, and $2.7 million of losses from the sale of assets.
Interest expense decreased 5.8%, or $8.0 million, to $129.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, from $137.0 million for the same period of 2015. In February 2015, we issued $1.8 billion of 5 1/2% Senior Notes due 2025 ("2025 Notes") and used the proceeds for the purchase of $305.8 million of 7 7/8% 2020 Notes and $1.15 billion of 7 3/4% 2020 Notes pursuant to a cash tender offer. In May 2015, we redeemed the remaining $71.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 7/8% 2020 Notes, and in August 2015, we redeemed the remaining $80.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 3/4% 2020 Notes. As a result of these financing activities, our weighted average interest rate was lower for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to the same period of 2015.
We incurred a loss of $126.3 million on the extinguishment of debt for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, in connection with the cash tender offer for the 2020 Notes and the subsequent redemption of the untendered 2020 Notes. We expensed $101.2 million for the consideration to holders who tendered, $17.3 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original issue discount, and $0.1 million in other fees incurred. In connection with the redemption of the remaining $71.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 7/8% 2020 Notes, we recorded a loss for the premium portion of the consideration of $2.8 million and expensed $1.0 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original discount. In connection with the redemption of the remaining $80.1 million principal amount of the untendered 7 3/4% 2020 Notes, we recorded a loss for the premium portion of the consideration of $3.1 million and expensed $0.8 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and original discount. We incurred no loss on extinguishment of debt for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.
We use Adjusted Property EBITDA to manage the operating results of our resort. Adjusted Property EBITDA is net income (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, pre-opening costs, property charges and other, management and license fees, corporate expenses and other (including intercompany golf course and water rights leases), stock-based compensation, loss on extinguishment of debt, and other non-operating income and expenses and includes equity in income (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates. Adjusted Property EBITDA is presented exclusively as a supplemental disclosure because we believe that it is widely used to measure the performance, and as a basis for valuation, of gaming companies. We use Adjusted Property EBITDA as a measure of the operating performance of our resort and comparison with competitors, as well as a basis for determining certain incentive compensation. We also present Adjusted Property EBITDA because it is used by some investors as a way to measure a company's ability to incur and service debt, make capital expenditures and meet working capital requirements. Gaming companies have historically reported EBITDA as a supplement to financial measures in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). In order to view the operations of their casinos on a more stand-alone basis, gaming companies, including us, have historically excluded from their EBITDA calculations pre-opening expenses, property charges, corporate expenses and stock-based compensation that do not relate to the management of specific casino properties. However, Adjusted Property EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to operating income as an indicator of our performance, as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or as an alternative to any other measure determined in accordance with GAAP. Unlike measures of net income, Adjusted Property EBITDA does not include depreciation or interest expense and therefore does not reflect current or future capital expenditures or the cost of capital. We have significant uses of cash flows, including capital expenditures, interest payments, debt principal repayments, taxes and other non-recurring charges, which are not reflected in Adjusted Property EBITDA. Also, our calculation of Adjusted Property EBITDA may be different from the calculation methods used by other companies and, therefore, comparability may be limited.
Net cash provided by operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $179.9 million, compared to net cash used in operations of $36.6 million for the same period of 2015. The change was primarily due to $192.8 million in accrued management fees paid to Wynn Resorts during the nine months ended September 30, 2015, as we were no longer subject to certain restrictive covenants under the indentures governing the 2020 Notes.
Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $88.2 million, compared to $73.0 million for the same period of 2015, primarily consisting of capital expenditures. Capital expenditures for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were primarily for the re-branding of one of our nightclubs, the development of more than 75,000 square feet of additional high-end brand-name retail space, and general property maintenance. Capital expenditures for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 were primarily for the remodel of guest rooms in the Encore hotel tower and general property maintenance.
We had no financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $106.0 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, we issued $1.8 billion of 2025 Notes with proceeds used for the purchase of $1.60 billion of our 2020 Notes pursuant to a cash tender offer and subsequent redemption of the untendered 2020 Notes. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the proceeds from the issuance were also offset by payments of financing costs of $132.4 million and distributions to Wynn Resorts of $170.0 million.
As of September 30, 2016, we had $168.8 million of cash and cash equivalents available for use without restriction, including for operations, debt service and extinguishment, new development activities, enhancements to our property and general corporate purposes. We require a certain amount of cash on hand for operations. We expect to meet our cash needs including our contractual obligations with future anticipated cash flow from operations and our existing cash balances.
We have not entered into any transactions with special purpose entities nor do we engage in any derivatives. We do not have any retained or contingent interest in assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity. As of September 30, 2016, we had outstanding letters of credit totaling $10.6 million.
There have been no material changes outside the ordinary course of our business during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 to our contractual obligations or off balance sheet arrangements as disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Legal proceedings in which Wynn Resorts is involved also may impact our liquidity. No assurance can be provided as to the outcome of such proceedings. In addition, litigation inherently involves significant costs. For information regarding legal proceedings, see Item 1—"Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements," Note 7 "Commitments and Contingencies."
Wynn America, LLC ("Wynn America"), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Wynn Resorts, Limited, was created in September 2014 in connection with a senior secured credit facility. Wynn America caused a series of corporate restructurings and related transactions, including receipt of gaming approvals from relevant gaming authorities, pursuant to which Wynn Las Vegas, LLC and its subsidiaries became subsidiaries of Wynn Las Vegas Holdings, LLC, a direct subsidiary of Wynn America (the "Reorganization"). On September 1, 2015, Wynn Resorts Holdings, LLC transferred its equity interest in Wynn Las Vegas, LLC and effectuated the Reorganization. Upon the consummation of the Reorganization, Wynn Las Vegas, LLC and its subsidiaries became restricted subsidiaries under Wynn America's credit facilities and became obligated to guarantee the obligations of Wynn America to such extent as may be permitted by any of our existing senior secured notes.
A description of our critical accounting policies is included in Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. There have been no significant changes to these policies for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.
statements, which are based only on information available to us at the time this statement is made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
We had $3.20 billion of fixed-rate debt outstanding as of September 30, 2016. As a result of our outstanding debt being based on fixed rates, we currently do not have exposure to adverse changes in market rates.
As of September 30, 2016, our long-term debt was based on fixed rates.
(a)Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Company's management, with the participation of the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) as of the end of the period covered by this report. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives and management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on such evaluation, the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that, as of the end of such period, the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective, at the reasonable assurance level, in recording, processing, summarizing and reporting, on a timely basis, information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act and were effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including the Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
A description of our risk factors can be found in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. There were no material changes to those risk factors during the nine months ended September 30, 2016.
The following financial information from the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, filed with the SEC on November 4, 2016 formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, (ii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, (iii) the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, and (iv) Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. | 2019-04-22T04:07:52Z | http://getfilings.com/sec-filings/161104/WYNN-LAS-VEGAS-LLC_10-Q/ |
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Provides video services for the playback of replays and live streaming.
Provides credit card gateways for capturing credit card subscriptions, cookies used to secure transactions.
Used to provide sign in service and ensure users don’t need to consistently enter their passwords to authenticate.
The information that you post on our website is able to be viewed by other users of our website. If you use any communication tools on our website (such as any profile, forum, chat room or message centre), be aware that any personally identifiable information you submit there can be viewed and used by other site users. We take no responsibility for any information submitted via the website. Further requirements in relation to postings are set out under the heading “communication tools” in our terms and conditions.
We will have access to and may use other information such as number of users, traffic patterns and demand for the service for the purpose of monitoring server and software performance as well as for our other internal purposes. Further, we may collect information about all system interaction with users while they are logged in. This information is owned by us and may be used to verify actions taken by a user or to better understand the behaviour of users in order to improve the website.
One of the main features of the website is the ability to record and publish scores and game footage. You can do this either on our website or your own website via our API. If you have your settings on public, all of this personal information will be published worldwide and you must ensure you, your club or organisation has gained consent before making such information public.
any other purpose which is stated to you at the time of collection or that you otherwise authorise.
We would like to send you information by post, email, telephone, text message (SMS) or automated call about new products and services, competitions and special offers which may be of interest to you.
Other businesses within our group or which we have selected carefully (i.e. Cricketing administrations, federations or clubs and commercial entities) may also send you similar marketing messages, depending on what you agree with us.
We will only ask whether you would like us and other businesses to send you marketing messages when you tick the relevant boxes to say you agree.
If you have consented to receive marketing from us, or other businesses, you can opt out at any time. See 'What rights do you have?’ below for further information.
You can also manage your preferences on our website.
Information collected through our website that does not identify users is owned by us and may be disclosed by us. We share aggregated demographic information about our user base with our affiliates, partners and advertisers.
We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or unauthorised alteration of your personal information. However, due to the nature of email and the internet, we cannot guarantee the privacy or confidentiality of your personal information. When you provide us with personal information, that information may be collected, stored and processed on servers located outside of New Zealand. Credit card payments are encrypted and processed using an external credit card payment processor and details are not stored by us.
Your data will be processed in the US (where criqhq.com is hosted) in India (where our support team is located) and in New Zealand (where our development team is located). All of these locations are outside the European Economic Area (EEA). We may also have to transfer your data to other suppliers who are based outside of the EEA. In order to do this, we have ensured appropriate safeguards are place in accordance with data protection legislation.
You are responsible for ensuring that information you provide to us is accurate, complete and up-to-date. You can review and change your information by logging into the Service and visiting your account profile page.
obtain a copy of the personal data we process concerning you. We will take steps to verify your identity before responding to your request. Once we have received the fee (if required) and verified your identity we will respond as soon as possible and in any event within one month.
If you wish to contact us, please send an email to privacy@crichq.com.
I understand that by signing up for a CricHQ player profile I am agreeing to be bound by the constitution, regulations, bylaws and policies of the relevant Major and District Associations with jurisdictions and control over the competition in which I play and that I am also bound by the NZC(New Zealand Cricket) Rules and Regulations by virtue of my participation in cricket played under NZC's jurisdiction.
I understand that by signing up for a CricHQ profile I am agreeing to receive (including from the cricket club for which I play and/or the District and Major Associations to which that club is affiliated and/or NZC): (i) messages relating to my participation in cricket, e.g. grounds changes; (ii) messages relating to the administration of my data, e.g. requests to confirm my profile settings; and (iii) messages relating to the marketing of cricket, including relating to the products and services of sponsors of the game of cricket. I can opt out of the receipt of commercial messages at any time, either by using the unsubscribe function on each message, or by changing my profile settings.
I understand that by registering a player profile to my club I am agreeing the player has consented to be bound by the constitution, regulations, bylaws and policies of the relevant Major and District Associations with jurisdictions and control over the competition in which they play and that they have also consented to be bound by the NZC Rules and Regulations by virtue of their participation in cricket played under NZC's jurisdiction.
I understand that by registering a player profile to my club I am agreeing the player has consented to receive (including from the cricket club for which I play and/or the District and Major Associations to which that club is affiliated and/or NZC): (i) messages relating to their participation in cricket, e.g. grounds changes; (ii) messages relating to the administration of their data, e.g. requests to confirm their profile settings; and (iii) messages relating to the marketing of cricket, including relating to the products and services of sponsors of the game of cricket. I can opt out of the receipt of commercial messages at any time, either by using the unsubscribe function on each message, or by changing my profile settings.
Pursuant to the Privacy Act the following is brought to your attention. New Zealand Cricket uses the registration process to collect personal information for the purposes of: (i) the general administration of the game of cricket, including statistical analysis and research; and (ii) the promotion of the game of cricket, including marketing to cricket members by sponsors of the game of cricket. Your personal information will be held by the cricket club for which you play and/or the District and Major Associations to which that club is affiliated and/or NZC. The information may also be provided (in whole or part) to other persons for the furtherance of the purposes stated above. You have the right to access (and correct) such personal information as provided for in the Privacy Act. You may view and update this information by means of your profile settings on CricHQ and/or by contacting your local Administration to request assistance to view and/or correct your information. Signing up for a CricHQ player profile constitutes authorisation of the use and disclosure of the personal information in accordance with the purposes set out above. Stating that you withhold this consent, or the provision of incorrect information, may result in the player being ineligible to play.
I understand that by signing up for a CricHQ player profile I am agreeing to be bound by the constitution, regulations, bylaws and policies of the relevant Major and Minor Associations with jurisdictions and control over the competition in which I play and that I am also bound by the National Governing Body's Rules and Regulations by virtue of my participation in cricket played under their jurisdiction.
I understand that by signing up for a CricHQ profile I am agreeing to receive (including from the cricket club for which I play and/or the Minor and Major Associations to which that club is affiliated and/or the National Governing Body): (i) messages relating to my participation in cricket, e.g. grounds changes; (ii) messages relating to the administration of my data, e.g. requests to confirm my profile settings; and (iii) messages relating to the marketing of cricket, including relating to the products and services of sponsors of the game of cricket. I can opt out of the receipt of commercial messages at any time, either by using the unsubscribe function on each message, or by changing my profile settings.
I understand that by registering a player profile to my club I am agreeing the player has consented to be bound by the constitution, regulations, bylaws and policies of the relevant Major and Minor Associations with jurisdictions and control over the competition in which they play and that they have also consented to be bound by the National Governing Body's Rules and Regulations by virtue of their participation in cricket played under their jurisdiction.
I understand that by registering a player profile to my club I am agreeing the player has consented to receive (including from the cricket club for which I play and/or the Minor and Major Associations to which that club is affiliated and/or the National Governing Body): (i) messages relating to their participation in cricket, e.g. grounds changes; (ii) messages relating to the administration of their data, e.g. requests to confirm their profile settings; and (iii) messages relating to the marketing of cricket, including relating to the products and services of sponsors of the game of cricket. I can opt out of the receipt of commercial messages at any time, either by using the unsubscribe function on each message, or by changing my profile settings.
This Agreement is intended to explain our obligations as a service provider, and Your obligations as a customer, for the Services.
This Agreement is binding on any use of the Services and applies to You from the time that CricHQ provides You with access to a Service.
CricHQ reserves the right to change the terms of this Agreement at any time, effective upon the posting of a modified agreement and CricHQ will use best endeavours to communicate these changes to You via email or notification via the Website. It is likely this Agreement will change over time. It is Your obligation to ensure that You have read, understood and agree to the most recent agreement available on the Website.
By registering to use the Services You acknowledge that You have read and understood this Agreement and have the authority to act on behalf of any person for whom You are using the Services. You are deemed to have agreed to this Agreement on behalf of any entity for whom You use the Services.
You means the person who registers to use the Services and, where the context permits, includes any entity or organisation on whose behalf that person registers to use the Services.
CricHQ grants You the right to access and use the Services via the Website with the particular user roles available to You according to Your subscription type [as set out on the Website]. This right is non-exclusive, non-transferable, and limited by and subject to this Agreement.
Where an Access Fee is payable for Your use of the Services, an invoice will be issued in advance of the period to which the Access Fee applies. The Access Fee will cover Your use of the Services for the period specified on the Website. CricHQ will continue invoicing You in advance until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with clause 8.
All invoices will be sent to You, or to a billing contact whose details are provided by You, by email. You must pay or arrange payment of all amounts specified in any invoice by the 20th day of the month following the month in which the invoice was sent to You. You are responsible for payment of all taxes and duties in addition to the Access Fee.
You must only use the Services and Website for Your own lawful internal purposes, in accordance with this Agreement and any notice sent by CricHQ or condition posted on the Website. Where appropriate, You may use the Services and Website on behalf of others or in order to provide services to others but if You do so You must ensure that You are authorised to do so and that all persons for whom or to whom services are provided comply with and accept all terms of this Agreement that apply to You.
You must ensure that all usernames and passwords required to access the Services are kept secure and confidential. You must immediately notify CricHQ of any unauthorised use of Your passwords or any other breach of security and CricHQ will reset Your password and You must take all other actions that CricHQ reasonably deems necessary to maintain or enhance the security of CricHQ's computing systems and networks and Your access to the Services.
not attempt to modify, copy, adapt, reproduce, disassemble, decompile or reverse engineer any computer programs used to deliver the Services or to operate the Website except as is strictly necessary to use either of them for normal operation.
Use of the Services may be subject to limitations, including but not limited to volumes. Any such limitations will be advised.
You will indemnify CricHQ against all claims, costs, damage and loss arising from Your breach of this Agreement or under any law, including (but not limited to) any costs relating to the recovery of any Access Fees that are due but have not been paid by You.
You will preserve the confidentiality of all Confidential Information obtained in connection with this Agreement. You will not, without the prior written consent of CricHQ, disclose or make any Confidential Information available to any person, or use the same for Your benefit, other than as contemplated by this Agreement.
Your obligations under this clause will survive termination of this Agreement.
Title to, and all Intellectual Property Rights in the Services, the Website and any documentation relating to the Services remain the property of CricHQ (or its licensors).
CricHQ hereby grants You a limited, revocable, non-sublicensable licence to reproduce and display CricHQ content (excluding software code) solely for Your personal use (or commercial use where permitted) in connection with viewing the Website and using the Services, and in connection with standard search engine activity or use of a standard internet browser (e.g., for making cache copies). For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing limited licence: (i) does not give You any ownership of, or any other intellectual property interest in, any CricHQ content; and (ii) may be immediately suspended or terminated for any reason, in CricHQ’s sole discretion, and without advance notice or liability.
CricHQ has all ownership rights in the Data as between You and CricHQ. CricHQ hereby grants You a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use such Data for your internal business purposes.
This Agreement includes only narrow, limited grants of rights to CricHQ content and to use and access of the Services and the Website. No right or license may be construed, under any legal theory, by implication, estoppel, industry customer or otherwise. All rights not expressly granted to You are reserved by CricHQ and its licensors and other third parties. Any goodwill that is created in connection with Your use of CricHQ content or the Services or Website inures to CricHQ. Any unauthorised use of any CricHQ content or the Services or Website is prohibited.
You warrant that where You have registered to use the Services on behalf of another person, You have the authority to agree to this Agreement on behalf of that person and agree that by registering to use the Services You bind the person on whose behalf You act to the performance of any and all obligations that You become subject to by virtue of this Agreement, without limiting Your own personal obligations under this Agreement.
You are authorised to use the Services and the Website and to access the Data that You input into the Website for the term of your use of the Services and the Website.
CricHQ’s making available Data to any person.
The provision of, access to, and use of, the Services is on an "as is " basis and at Your own risk.
CricHQ does not warrant that the use of the Services or access to the Website will be uninterrupted or error free. Among other things, the operation and availability of the systems used for accessing the Services and the Website, including public telephone services, computer networks and the Internet, can be unpredictable and may from time to time interfere with or prevent access to the Services or Access to the Website. CricHQ is not in any way responsible for any such interference or prevention of Your access to, or use of, the Services and/or the Website.
It is Your sole responsibility to determine that the Services meet Your needs and are suitable for the purposes for which they are used.
CricHQ gives no warranty about the Services. Without limiting the foregoing, CricHQ does not warrant that the Services will meet Your requirements or that it will be suitable for any particular purpose. To avoid doubt, all implied terms, conditions or warranties are excluded in so far as is permitted by law, including (without limitation) warranties of merchantability, fitness for purpose, title and non-infringement.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, any statutory consumer guarantees or legislation intended to protect consumers in any jurisdiction does not apply to the supply of the Services, the Website or this Agreement.
7.1 Subject to clause 7.2 below, to the maximum extent permitted by law, CricHQ excludes all liability and responsibility to You (or any other person) in contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, for any loss (including loss of information, Data, profits and savings) or damage resulting, directly or indirectly, from any use of, or reliance on, the Services or Website.
7.2 If You suffer direct loss or damage as a result of CricHQ's negligence or failure to comply with this Agreement, any claim by You against CricHQ arising from CricHQ's negligence or failure will be limited in respect of any one incident, or series of connected incidents, to the Access Fees paid by You in the previous 12 months.
suspend or terminate access to all or any Data.
For the avoidance of doubt, if payment of any invoice for Access Fees is not made in full by the relevant due date, CricHQ may suspend or terminate Your use of the Services.
Nothing expressed or implied in this Agreement will be deemed to constitute either party as the partner, agent, or joint venturer of the other party.
If either party waives any breach of this Agreement, this will not constitute a waiver of any other breach. No waiver will be effective unless made in writing.
Neither party will be liable for any delay or failure in performance of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent the delay or failure is due to any cause outside its reasonable control. This clause does not apply to any obligation to pay money.
You may not assign or transfer any rights or obligations under this Agreement to any other person without CricHQ's prior written consent.
This Agreement is governed by, and will be construed in accordance with, the laws of New Zealand. Each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts for the purpose of hearing and determining all disputes under or in connection with this Agreement.
If any part or provision of this Agreement is invalid, unenforceable or in conflict with any law, that part or provision is deemed to be replaced with a provision which, as far as possible, accomplishes the original purpose of that part or provision. The remainder of this Agreement will be binding on the parties.
Any notice given under this Agreement by either party to the other must be in writing by email and will be deemed to have been given on transmission. Notices to CricHQ must be sent to finance@crichq.com or to any other email address notified by email to You by CricHQ. Notices to You will be sent to the email address which You provided when setting up Your access to the Services.
A person who is not a party to this Agreement has no right to benefit under or to enforce any term of this Agreement.
Get the products to capture, collate and enjoy your cricket.
1.1. By using the CricHQ services (“CricHQ”) or any other website/CMS service provided by CricHQ you agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions of use (“Terms”).
1.2. CricHQ websites include a variety of products and services related to managing online and physical shops. When we refer to CricHQ in these Terms, we mean all products and services in the CricHQ websites family, including free trials and demonstrations of those products and services.
1.3. Any new additions or modifications to CricHQ websites are also subject to these Terms.
1.4. We may change these Terms at any time. When we do so, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you of these changes via email, but it is up to you to regularly check, read, understand and agree to the most recent version of these Terms as you will be deemed to accept all changes if you continue to use CricHQ websites.
2.2. By entering into this agreement, we both agree to be bound by and keep to it.
2.3. By accepting this agreement, either by clicking a button or similar element on one of our websites indicating your acceptance or by signing an order form referencing these Terms, you agree to the Terms. If you are accepting this agreement on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind such entity to these Terms.
2.4. If you do not agree with these Terms, you must not accept this agreement and you may not use CricHQ websites.
2.5. This agreement starts from the earliest date you accept these Terms.
2.6. This agreement will continue until terminated in accordance with the Termination clauses in these Terms.
3.1. You must be 18 years or older to use CricHQ websites.
3.2. To use a CricHQ website you must apply for a CricHQ account (“Account”) by providing an email address and any other information we require. We may reject your application for an Account or cancel your Account for any reason in our sole discretion.
3.3. You acknowledge that we will use the email address you provide as the primary method of communication with you.
3.4. You are responsible for all usage of, and content created with CricHQ, including text, images and video under your Account.
4.1. All data, including text, images, videos and other information inputted into CricHQ websites remains yours but access to your data is dependent upon you complying with these Terms and all fees being paid in full.
4.2. You must keep copies of all data inputted into CricHQ websites. We will make reasonable efforts to prevent your data being lost or damaged but cannot guarantee this.
4.3. At the end of a free trial or demo, if you choose not to continue using the CricHQ service by signing up for a CricHQ Websites Subscription (“Subscription”), any data you have inputted into CricHQ may be deleted.
4.4. If this agreement is terminated then CricHQ may delete your data at any time after the termination date. If you want a copy of your data this must be requested before terminating this agreement.
4.5. CricHQ may use any of your data for our own analysis and service improvement however we will never share any of your data with third parties.
4.6. If you provide us with information which contains personal data you agree and authorise us to process that data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 if you subscribe to CricHQ in the United Kingdom. Where we use the terms “personal data”, “data processor” and “data controller” in this agreement we mean as those terms are defined in the Data Protection Laws.
4.7. If at any time you do not want us to use your personal data for customer research, informing you about other products or services, or you do not wish to receive targeted advertising or marketing, please notify us.
4.8.3. undertake internal testing of our platform to test, fix and improve the security, performance and provision of CricHQ under this agreement. We will anonymise all data (including Customer Data) used for these purposes.
4.9.4. below including where the recipients of the personal data are outside the European Economic Area.
4.10.3. take reasonable steps to ensure the reliability of our employees who have access to any personal data.
4.11.4. any other person who has a legal right to require disclosure of the information.
5.1. Demo accounts are not secure and anyone with the link to your demo account can access your data. To keep your data secure and private you must register for an Account.
6.1. Without asking your express permission, CricHQ may use your business name, details of your public online shop and images of your business, logo and website in our own marketing materials.
6.2. CricHQ will never publicly disclose any data about your business performance including sales, customer data or website usage without asking for your permission. However, we may publish anonymised data about CricHQ users, for example the total sales generated by all CricHQ users, without asking permission.
7.1. Our Subscription plan prices may change and we will notify you at least 30 days before any changes take effect.
7.2. You will be normally be charged for using a CricHQ website once per annum, usually on the anniversary of when you first subscribed.
7.3. When you sign up for a Subscription, or upgrade your Subscription, you will be charged immediately a prorated fee for the remaining days in the current term, starting from the next day up to the last day of the term.
7.4. If you cancel your Subscription we will not refund any amounts paid in advance for the applicable Subscription period.
8.1. You must comply with all applicable laws and legislation in respect of your use of CricHQ and you must ensure that any content added to your CricHQ website will not result in any injury, damage or harm to us or any third party (including, without limitation, defamation or breach of confidentiality) and the content does not contain anything which is unlawful, obscene, indecent, immoral or promotes illegal or unlawful activities.
8.2. You must use a secure password to access your CricHQ website and keep your password safe. Your password must not be shared with anyone else. If you need other users to access CricHQ a separate user account must be created for them and all users must agree to be bound by these Terms.
8.3. You must not introduce any virus, malware or other such harmful technology into CricHQ or our third party providers.
8.4. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to any area of CricHQ.
8.5. You must not perform any actions that affect the availability of CricHQ to our users (such as a denial of service attack).
8.6. You must not use CricHQ in any way that could damage our business or reputation.
8.7. If you discover a bug, defect or other such problem with CricHQ you must inform us immediately.
9.1. If you discover a security vulnerability you must inform and you must not publicly disclose this information.
10.1. To accept payments from your customers via your CricHQ website online shop, you must have an active Stripe account in place.
10.2. All payments are handled by Stripe and are governed by Stripe’s Terms available at https://stripe.com/gb/terms.
10.3. You acknowledge that CricHQ cannot guarantee the Stripe payment service will be operating at any time.
11.1. You acknowledge that CricHQ is not responsible for the performance of your business and does not guarantee your website will appear in search engines, be visited by customers or sell your products. You are responsible for making your business a success.
11.2. You acknowledge that CricHQ websites may not be compatible with your choice of web browser or computer.
11.3. You accept that CricHQ may not be entirely suitable for your business needs or meet your expectations.
12.1. If you have an active Subscription in place, we will aim to provide technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, although for reasons beyond our control we may be unable to provide this.
12.2. You grant us the right to access your CricHQ account or website on your behalf to provide support.
12.3. We will not at any time give you technical support or other assistance for any hardware, third-party software, services or other equipment used with CricHQ.
13.1. You acknowledge that you do not own any of the intellectual property rights in CricHQ or any of its related logos. We (or the third party from whom we obtain our rights if we are not the owner) continue to own the intellectual property rights in CricHQ and any related logos, including any software we provide to replace all or part of CricHQ. The only rights you have to CricHQ are as set out in this agreement.
14. What happens if something goes wrong?
14.1. This clause sets out our entire liability to you which arises out of or in connection with this agreement whether in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation or otherwise.
14.2. Our total liability in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty), misrepresentation or otherwise arising under or in connection with this agreement will be limited to paying you an amount which is equal to the total of all fees you have paid to us for your use of the relevant CricHQ product during the 12 month period immediately preceding the date on which the claim arose (such relevant CricHQ product being the product forming the subject matter of the claim).
14.3.5. any loss or damage which we could not have reasonably known about at the time you entered into this agreement including, without limitation any special, indirect or consequential loss or damage.
14.4.3. any other matter which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
14.5. All warranties, conditions and other terms implied by statute or common law are, to the fullest extent, permitted by law, excluded from this agreement.
14.6.3. although we follow good industry practice, it is not economically possible for us to carry out all the tests necessary to make sure that CricHQ is problem or error free.
15.1.2. at any time on giving you at least 30 days’ notice and if we do, we will refund to you any amounts you have paid in advance for the applicable Subscription period calculated from the date of termination.
15.2. You may end this agreement at any time by sending us an email. If you end this agreement, we will confirm the date that this agreement will end. We will not give you a refund for any amounts you have paid in advance for the applicable Subscription period, and you must immediately pay all amounts you owe to us by the date this agreement ends. If you continue to use CricHQ after the expiry of any Subscription period we will be entitled to charge you for such use at our then current applicable fees.
15.3. If you choose not to pay the Subscription fee to continue to use CricHQ at the end of any trial period your access to CricHQ will immediately end.
15.4. If you or we discover that the other has done something which is not allowed by this agreement, or has not done something that must be done, the one making such discovery can give the other written notice that the matter must be put right within 30 days. If the matter is put right in that time, no further action will be taken. If it is not put right in that time, the person who made the discovery may end this agreement upon giving the other notice in writing.
15.5. This agreement will automatically (i.e. without us having to tell you) and immediately end without refund if you become bankrupt (or something similar happens) or your business is not able to pay its debts, stops trading or becomes insolvent (or something similar happens). In those circumstances we will have no further obligation to you under this agreement and any monies due from you will become immediately due and payable.
15.6. No matter how this agreement ends, the information you store in CricHQ remains your information and you can access it in a format provided by CricHQ before the end of this agreement. If you wish to access your information after this agreement has ended, you agree to pay our reasonable charges for that access, however, if your subscription has ended your data may have been deleted.
15.7. In addition to our rights to end this agreement, we may also suspend your use of CricHQ at any time if we do not receive payment in full when due or if we suspect that you have breached any part of this agreement.
15.8. Any suspension of your CricHQ account will continue until such time that the breach in question has been remedied to our reasonable satisfaction and/or we have received payment from you in full. Where we suspend or terminate your use of CricHQ under this clause, we may at our discretion agree to reactivate your account subject to you paying to us a reactivation fee.
16. What else do you need to know?
16.1. If a court or similar body decides that any wording in this agreement cannot be enforced, that decision will not affect the rest of this agreement, which will remain binding on both parties. However, if the wording that cannot be enforced could be enforced if part of it is deleted, we will both treat the relevant part of the wording as if it is deleted.
16.2. If you or we fail to, or delay in, exercising any rights under this agreement, that will not mean that those rights cannot be exercised in the future.
16.3. This agreement and the documents we refer to above constitute the entire agreement between you and us for your use of CricHQ, and replaces all documents, information and other communications (whether spoken or written) between us for such use.
16.4. This agreement is personal to you and may not be transferred, assigned, subcontracted, licensed, charged or otherwise dealt with or disposed of (whether in whole or in part) by you without our prior written consent. We may transfer, assign, subcontract, license, charge or otherwise deal with or dispose of (whether in whole or in part) this agreement at any time without your consent.
16.5. A person who is not a party to this agreement has no right to enforce any term of it.
16.6. Where either party is required to notify the other party by email, the party shall be deemed to have received the email on the first business day following transmission.
17. Which laws govern this agreement?
17.1. This agreement is governed by the laws New Zealand and you and we both agree that the courts of New Zealand will be the only courts that can decide on legal disputes or claims about this agreement.
1.1 These terms of sale set out the terms and conditions that apply to all registrations for cricket programmes from the website. If you purchase a cricket programme from the website, you are deemed to have accepted these terms of sale and agree to be bound by them.
1.2 We reserve the right to vary these terms of sale at any time. Any variation will be effective immediately upon posting of the amended terms of sale on the website. These terms of sale were last updated on 27 July 2016. On registering for a cricket programme on the website after this date, you agree to be bound by the amended terms of sale.
2.2 You will ensure that all usernames and passwords required to access our website are kept secure and confidential and you will notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your password or any other breach of security. You must not transfer your account to another user or maintain more than one account with us without our consent. We may, at our sole discretion, suspend or terminate your account and limit your access to our website.
3.1 We sell cricket programmes as an agent for and on behalf of the cricket organisation. Any representations made by the cricket organisation with reference to the cricket programme and any associated claims or complaints are the responsibility of the cricket organisation and not us.
3.2 All cricket programme registrations are subject to the cricket organisation’s terms and conditions of sale. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with the cricket organisation’s terms and conditions (if any). We can provide you with a copy of the cricket organisation’s terms and conditions (if any) on request.
3.3 If there is any inconsistency between these terms of sale and the cricket organisation’s terms and conditions, or these terms of sale are silent on an issue, then the cricket organisation’s terms and conditions will prevail to the extent of such inconsistency / silence.
3.4 Each cricket programme registration is a licence granted to you by the cricket organisation to attend the cricket programme. Your contractual relationship is therefore with the cricket organisation in terms of attendance at the cricket programme.
4.1 All ticket prices are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD) unless otherwise stated.
4.2 All prices include GST unless otherwise stated.
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SPACIOUSNESS AND COMFORT are the keynote of the driver’s compartment in this AEC Diesel Rail Coach. As the engine is placed within the chassis, the view through the wide glass windows is uninterrupted.
DURING recent years the local, and to some extent the main line railway services have experienced growing competition from road passenger transport; thus a large number of passengers have been lost by the railways. One reason for this state of affairs is that the petrol and oil-engine types of road vehicle can be made much lighter and operated much more economically than the relatively heavy and cumbersome steam train or steam coach. Moreover, the road vehicle can be arranged to work on a more frequent service than the ordinary steam train.
The road motor coach or omnibus is usually designed so that the weight of the chassis and body is kept down to the lowest possible figure, whereas with the steam vehicle, owing to the type of construction employed, a considerably greater weight is needed for the same number of passengers carried. Thus in the instance of one particular road coach the weight of the vehicle works out at 300 lb for every passenger carried. On the other hand, a certain type of steam coach fully occupied gives a weight of 1,000 to 1,200 lb for each passenger.
Evidently, therefore, with the existing pattern steam coaches, it cannot be so economical to carry a person by rail as by road, for not only is the steam coach from three to four times as heavy as a road motor vehicle, but also its first cost is considerably higher.
It is well known to engineers that the steam locomotive engine is far less efficient than the petrol engine, for it will generate only from one-fourth to one-fifth the useful horse-power of the latter type from the same weight of fuel used. If the performance of the steam engine is compared with that of the Diesel engine, the discrepancy in the power output is even greater. Although coal is cheaper per pound weight than petrol or Diesel fuel oil, yet the fuel cost of the steam engine is appreciably heavier, amounting to from two to three times that of the petrol engine developing the same power.
The disadvantages of the steam coach are thus rather numerous. It is considerably heavier, and therefore requires more horse-power to attain a certain speed. It also uses more fuel for a given power output than the vehicle having a petrol or Diesel engine. In addition, it has the drawback of larger dimensions for the same number of passengers carried. It also needs a relatively longer period of time in which to generate steam, and the steam pressure must be maintained whether the train is moving or stationary. On the other hand, the petrol or Diesel engine can be started from cold and run within a few minutes of starting up; as soon as the water in the cylinder jackets is warm the vehicle is able to begin full-load work.
In view of the various advantages of the internal-combustion engine it is not surprising that the railway authorities have recently given their attention to the possibilities of adapting road passenger vehicle engines and constructional methods to railway purposes. Their object is to improve rail coaches sufficiently to enable them to compete on level or even better terms with their road rivals.
The railway engineer knows that if rail passenger coaches are made in a manner similar to those used on the road services, a large saving in the weight to be hauled is made possible. Further, by using the petrol or Diesel engine instead of the more cumbersome steam engine, a considerable economy in the fuel costs can also be effected.
Another important advantage results from the operation of road vehicles on railways. The substitution of plain flanged wheels and smooth, straight railway tracks for road conditions results in a marked reduction in the driving effort required to haul these vehicles on the rails; there are no road inequalities, rough surfaces, or steep hills to negotiate.
Everything, therefore, appears to favour the use of railway coaches built on modern road vehicle lines and propelled by similar engines. In their first cost, and in running costs, they have the advantage of steam coaches; and they should be able to compete successfully in running and maintenance costs with road passenger vehicles. Incidentally, also, the smaller Diesel rail coach is much more economical than almost any form of electrically propelled train, because of the high capital charges for track electrification.
In these circumstances it is not surprising to learn that several British firms have concentrated upon the design and manufacture of Diesel rail coaches, and that several satisfactory types are now in use at home and abroad. There are also a number of Continental and American rail-cars and Diesel trains in regular service, but the present page will be confined to representative British railway vehicles of the small passenger-coach pattern.
In this connexion it has been definitely established that for the transport of from forty to a hundred persons the Diesel rail coach is in most respects superior to the steam-driven trains hitherto used for this purpose. It should not, however, be assumed that there is any immediate possibility of the Diesel-driven train rivalling the modern steam-hauled train for the transport of a large number of passengers. The efficient steam-driven train, with specially light carriages and adequate streamlining, will doubtless hold its own in this field for some time to come, in the same way as the larger marine steam engine units are claimed to have firmly established their mastery over the Diesel engine.
The most favoured types of British Diesel rail coaches are those designed for the accommodation of from forty to seventy passengers at cruising speeds of fifty to sixty miles per hour. The overall lengths of these rail coaches range from about forty to sixty-five feet. The smaller cars are usually fitted with a single six-cylinder Diesel engine, of automobile pattern, giving about 130 to 140 brake horse-power; the larger cars have two-engine units, or large single engines, of 200 to 260 brake horsepower. The total laden weights of these passenger vehicles range from about thirteen tons for the smallest car to nearly forty tons for the largest.
Some idea of the relatively low fuel costs may be obtained from the statement that the smallest rail-cars use only about one pint (costing about ½d) of fuel per mile, while the larger vehicles require about twice that amount. The amount of lubricating oil used is extremely small. There are no “standing” fuel costs when the vehicle is stationary, whereas with the steam locomotive the firebox must be constantly replenished with coal, whether the engine is working or “waiting”. Furthermore, there is no need for a stoker on the Diesel rail-car, for the driver can readily attend to everything, so that the wages of the fireman are saved.
The designs of all the British Diesel rail-cars have much in common. Some have been designed with smooth streamlined bodies, while others are lighter adaptations of ordinary rail coaches. In all instances, however, there is no separate hauling unit as with the steam locomotive; for the Diesel engine, being of relatively small proportions, can readily be housed in a fairly small compartment arranged at the end of the coach. In several examples the engine is mounted amidships on the side or central portion of the chassis frame, so that it is well away from the driver; with this lay-out the driver has only the driving control, brake levers, and gauges in his compartment.
The controls include levers for the gear-changing mechanism (or its equivalent), the accelerator, and the transmission clutch, where this is fitted. In rail-cars having the Diesel-electric transmission system, the controls consist of rheostats and switches, somewhat on the lines of those employed on electric tramcars and trolley buses. Everything is arranged for simplicity of speed control, thus allowing the driver to keep a good watch ahead.
The braking arrangements have been carefully considered, for, owing to the high rail speeds attained, it becomes essential to be able to bring the cars to rest as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The vacuum brake appears to be the most suitable for this type of vehicle, and it is therefore to be found on most of the different makes of rail-car. In one type of pneumatic-tyred rail-car, the Westinghouse compressed-air system of braking is employed. This is used in conjunction with the automobile type of Lockheed hydraulic brakes, so that a powerful braking effect is obtained.
AT SPEED ON THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. This AEC Rail Coach has excellent powers of acceleration, and is capable of a maximum speed of over seventy miles an hour. An express rail-car service has been introduced on the Great Western between Birmingham and Cardiff.
An interesting feature of the Diesel rail-car is the use made of roller bearings for the axle bearings in place of the ordinary gunmetal pattern plain axle-boxes. As the frictional resistance of properly designed roller bearings is only about one-tenth of that of the plain gunmetal type, it is clear that their use will appreciably reduce the amount of power necessary to propel the rail-car. Roller bearings require far less lubrication than plain bearings, and give a long useful period of service before replacement becomes necessary. Where the adjustable taper type of roller bearing is employed, any wear which occurs can readily be taken up in the bearings themselves, so that their useful life is almost unlimited with reasonable treatment.
The advantages and the principal features of British rail-cars having been outlined, a number of representative types will be described in more detail. Each of the examples selected has its own particular transmission system and control arrangement; in this connexion a certain amount of ingenuity has been successfully exercised to attain the desired results.
The first of the rail-cars to be described is the AEG single-engine type, designed and manufactured by Hardy Motors, Ltd, a company allied to the Associated Equipment Company, Ltd, of Southall, Middlesex. The latter company supplies engines and chassis for the London Passenger Transport Board, which has absorbed the London General Omnibus Company. This fact is mentioned on account of the adaptation of the London motor-bus engine and transmission system to rail-car use.
The AEC rail-car has been constructed with a streamline type of body in order to minimize wind resistance, thus enabling the vehicle to obtain higher rail speeds, with the same engine power, than would be possible with the orthodox shapes of rail coach.
The car has the same type of Diesel engine as that employed on motor-buses, namely, a six-cylinder water-cooled vertical engine of the high-speed Diesel pattern; this engine has a bore and stroke of 4.53 in and 5.59 in respectively, and develops 130 brake horsepower at an engine speed of about 2,000 rpm. The engine weighs about 1,500 lb. The vehicle measures 40 ft between the centres of the two four-wheel bogies and 62 ft overall. If the buffers are included the length becomes 63 ft 7 in. The height measured from the rails is 11 ft 4 in, and the overall width 9 ft.
The seating accommodation is arranged for sixty-nine persons, and there is a luggage compartment in addition. As many as eighty-eight persons could be carried if the luggage space were dispensed with and more seats provided. The total weight of the chassis is only thirteen and a half tons; when fully loaded the car weighs twenty tons.
This rail-car was not designed for very high speeds, but to give economical services at speeds up to sixty miles an hour. It is therefore more suitable for suburban and branch line services than for long-distance express work.
The AEC rail-car built experimentally for the Great Western Railway was put into service early in 1934 on short-distance work in the Slough-Reading area. This car averaged 240 miles a day with some seventy-five scheduled stops. The average distance between the stations was only 3.2 miles, but, even so, the average start-to-stop speed was 35.3 miles an hour. The fuel consumption worked out at eight miles to the gallon.
In this interesting rail-car the engine is placed in the central portion of the chassis, but on one side, to provide accessibility through a suitably arranged door in the body.
TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW. A striking contrast is presented by this juxtaposition of a Great Western Rail Coach and a tank engine. In the Rail Coach the engine, which takes up relatively little room, is concealed by the body-work.
The engine is connected to a special design of gear-box, known as the Wilson pre-selective gear, through a short shaft having metal universal couplings at the ends, and is fitted with the Daimler pattern fluid flywheel in place of the usual clutch found in motor-car practice. This hydraulic type of coupling allows the engine to take up the driving load smoothly and without shock, through the agency of the fluid employed. It is so arranged that when the engine is working at a low speed, say, at about 500-600 rpm, the hydraulic clutch is automatically disconnected from the rest of the transmission, namely, the gear-box. Upon accelerating the engine above this speed, the drive is transmitted through the hydraulic clutch to the gear-box. There is thus no necessity for the ordinary friction type of clutch; nor is any clutch pedal necessary. All that the driver has to do to start the rail-car from rest is, first, to select the low-gear position of the gear lever, and then to speed up the engine from its idling speed, when the rail-car will gradually move forward on its lowest gear. After a certain speed has been attained, the gear can be changed through the higher gears to the directly driven top-speed position.
The Wilson gear-box is of an automatic type similar to that employed on the Armstrong-Siddeley and other motor-cars. The principle of this arrangement is that any desired gear ratio can be selected, by means of a small lever and graduated quadrant having the corresponding gear ratio positions marked upon it. The gear ratio likely to be required can thus be selected beforehand. When the pre-selected gear ratio is wanted all that the driver has to do is to depress a foot pedal, known as the “gear change pedal”, and release it. The selected gear is then automatically engaged. The hydraulic clutch is here very useful in preventing any shock to the transmission when the gear is changed. The combination of the hydraulic clutch and pre-selective gearbox renders the driving control extremely simple.
The gear-box gives four forward speeds and one reverse. Speeds of 14.45, 25.4, 40.25, and 60 mph are obtainable with this gear-box for an engine speed of 2,260 rpm. Beyond the gear-box there is a reverse gear-box to enable the rail-car to travel at any of its four speeds in either direction. A dog-clutch is employed to change from one direction of drive to the reverse.
AN ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH RAIL-CAR in service on the Buenos Ayres Western Railway. This rail-car may be run either alone or with a train of trailer cars.
From the reverse gear-box the drive is taken by means of a shaft having universal joints and a telescopic sliding device to the worm-and-wheel drive on the front axle member of the four-wheel bogie unit. The rear member of the latter is also positively driven by means of a universally jointed shaft and another worm-and-wheel unit, from the front shaft. To allow for any differences in the diameters of the driving wheels a differential gear mechanism is provided in the front axle box casing; this prevents any undue driving stresses between the two axle units. Only one of the two four-wheel bogie units is driven by the engine; the other is an idle member.
The axles rotate in roller bearings within their axle boxes. The chassis frame weight is transmitted through the usual pattern laminated springs to the tops of the axle boxes; the latter slide in horn plate guides as in ordinary locomotive practice. The brakes, instead of being of the conventional rim type of shoe brake, are internally expanding brakes of the automobile pattern working inside brake drums.
The braking force is obtained from the pistons of vacuum cylinders; two such vacuum cylinders are mounted on each bogie. The vacuum required for these cylinders is maintained by two exhausters. One of these is mounted on the top of the gear-box and is driven from the output shaft of the latter by means of a chain and sprocket wheels; the other exhauster is driven from the engine. The wheels are arranged for sanding gear, which is operated by vacuum from the brake supply system.
The car is electrically lighted, a large-capacity accumulator being provided; this is kept charged by means of the engine-driven generator. A conventional self-starter is provided, engaging with a toothed rim on the flywheel of the engine. An important feature of the engine cooling arrangement is the provision of an air-deflecting duct to direct the air in front through the water-cooled radiator, which is mounted in front of the engine.
The rail-car is fitted with duplicated controls for the driver, at both ends of the body; this obviates the necessity for turning the vehicle on the rails, since it can be driven equally well from either end. The controls comprise an accelerator pedal, reverse gear lever, ratchet hand-brake, finger-control lever for the vacuum brake and another for the wheel sanding gear, and the pedal used for the Wilson gear-box. The hand-brake lever at either end of the coach only applies the brakes on the wheels of the bogie immediately beneath it. The two levers are not interconnected. The reverse gear lever and the pre-selector gear lever are, of course, interconnected.
A larger type of AEC rail-car, the design of which is largely based on that of the model just described, is also in service. Six of these larger vehicles were ordered in 1934 by the Great Western Railway, and are in regular service. This larger type has two 130 hp high-speed AEC Diesel engines, one driving direct and the other through a four-speed pre-selective gear-box. The fluid flywheel is used in each of these engines.
Before dealing with the transmission and other technical details, it will be of interest to mention some general facts regarding the vehicle and its general performance.
The rail-car is 63 ft 7 in long (overall), 11 ft 8 in high, and 9 ft wide (overall), and has a streamlined body resembling that of the single-engine railcar previously described. It has only about one-quarter of the wind resistance of the square-ended type normally used. The four-speed gear-box employed enables speeds of 18, 32, 50, and 75 mph to be obtained when the engine is working at 2,250 rpm.
On its demonstration trials one of these rail-cars made a return trip between Paddington and Oxford, in the course of which eight consecutive miles were covered at a speed of 70 to 72 mph and forty-four miles were run in forty minutes, giving an average speed of 66 mph. Another trial run was made on the Birmingham to Cardiff route, when 117½ miles were covered at an average speed of 56½ mph. The maximum speed attained during the trials was 76 mph. The fuel consumption of this two-engined vehicle worked out at five to five and a half miles per gallon, which, with fuel at, say, 1s per gallon, gives a remarkably low fuel cost. A public rail-car service was subsequently run between Birmingham and Cardiff, the supplementary charge of 2s 6d being made over the ordinary third-class fare.
LEAVING NEWCASTLE CENTRAL STATION. Armstrong Whitworth rail-buses of this type are employed on local services involving frequent stops. They are fitted with the ABE simplified electric transmission. Fuel consumption averages over eleven miles per gallon on a stopping service.
The general arrangement of this rail-car is as follows. One of the AEC 130 horse-power Diesel engines transmits its power through a fluid flywheel, Wilson pre-selective gear-box, and reverse gearbox to the worm-and-wheel drive on two of the wheels of one bogie unit, in the manner of the single-engine rail-car previously described. The other identical type Diesel engine drives one of the wheels of the other bogie, through a reverse gear-box; it has no other gearbox. To make quite sure that the two engines operate at the same speed a device is incorporated in the throttle connexion between the two engines, so that the direct drive engine is given a full throttle opening only when in top gear, the opening at starting being about one-quarter.
One of the Diesel engines, with its transmission units, is arranged in an accessible position on one side of the chassis, while the other is placed in a similar position on the other side. To provide ample cooling when travelling in either direction the radiator is set diagonally and the air is drawn through it by means of a cowled fan; this air is collected by one or other of a set of louvers. A hinged plate, automatically operated, ensures that the air stream from the appropriate louvers is directed towards the cowl.
The coach arrangements include a compartment at each end in the “nose” of the body for the driver, with space for luggage in the larger one of these compartments. The hot water supply in the lavatories is ingeniously provided by utilizing the exhaust gases of the engines; this apparatus is the silencing system also, the gases then passing through an exhaust pipe in the roof. There is a buffet, divided across its centre by a counter with four seats facing it.
The two passengers’ saloons are divided by the gangway connecting the two central doors and are fitted with forty fixed seats and with removable tables. The electric lighting is arranged to give a soft diffused effect. Tubular lights with two bulbs are fitted on the side panels above each seat and the same type of lamp is used down the centre of the roof. Ventilators for extracting the air are placed on the roof and above the windows. Electric fans are provided in the buffet compartment, and a heating system is also installed in the saloons, buffet and driver's compartments. Specially designed heaters are used for this purpose.
Armstrong Whitworth, Ltd, have built several types of Diesel rail-coach and rail-car at their Scotswood works, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne; some are in service both in Britain and abroad. The types with which the present page is concerned are the 250 hp, 140 hp, and 95 hp designs.
In the two smaller rail-cars, the design of the chassis and coachwork is identical, but the choice of engines is left to the purchaser. This type, known as a “rail-bus”, is one of the lightest of its kind, weighing only seventeen and a half tons in working order and seating fifty-seven passengers, or seventy-one when no luggage compartment is required.
It has been the aim of the manufacturers to ensure that maintenance can be carried out by the normal staff of a railway running shed, and no features are incorporated which are not within the experience of the modern railway workshop using road transport as an ancillary service. For this reason they have avoided the ultra-light coach, with pneumatic-tyres and fabric body, as well as the other extreme of ultra high-speed aeroplane-engined rail-car. The Armstrong-Saurer standard commercial road vehicle engine is employed, which has shown itself able to withstand the extremely rigorous conditions of commercial road service with lower maintenance costs and even greater reliability than the petrol engine.
The ABE (patented) transmission is so simple that it requires practically no attention in service. It eliminates the usual starting motor and charging and lighting generator. What little attention it requires in service is of a mechanical nature and can be done by the ordinary locomotive shed or carriage staff. Major repairs to the transmission can be carried out by the train lighting staff or by the existing locomotive works electrical department. This simple electrical transmission has a life at least twice that of any mechanical gear, even when the latter is protected by a hydraulic gear and is self-changing, and its maintenance costs are very considerably less.
Bogies of orthodox but light construction are employed. Great care has been taken in the design of the whole vehicle, including the body. The aims have been reliability, safety, and avoidance of high maintenance costs which might follow excessive weight cutting.
A most interesting feature of the design is perhaps the effective streamlining of coach ends and sides, which are scientifically proportioned to reduce air resistance to the minimum compatible with making full use of the coach length and width. The tare weight per passenger seat is as little as 0.31 ton or 0.25 ton, according to the number of seats provided.
A LEYLAND DIESEL RAIL-CAR in service. This small four-wheeler, which has an engine of 130 hp, has remarkable powers of acceleration.
The body provides an example of light road-vehicle construction adapted to the more rigorous requirements of railway service; this was made possible by the provision of two deep pressed steel underframe members centrally placed, instead of the usual channel solebar construction. The floor framing of oak is flitched with 8-gauge mild steel plate to the pillars, which are also flitched at all important joints with steel plate.
The exterior is panelled in 18-gauge aluminium, except the car ends, which are of hand-beaten steel. The fittings are mainly of chromium metal. Half-drop windows in light metal frames are fitted in the passenger compartment, with fixed safety glass driving windows and drop windows in the guard’s compartment and driver’s cab. Seating is of the most modern “tub” type two- and three-seat pattern, upholstered in moquette over patent rubber cushions.
Coach heating is by means of a small radiator through which passes some of the engine cooling water; a belt-driven fan directs the warm air upwards through a duct to two smaller ducts running the full length of the passenger compartment at the skirting board, and fitted with a sliding louvre between each pair of seats. Passengers may therefore adjust to their liking the flow of warm air issuing from the louvre at their feet.
The power unit comprises an Armstrong-Saurer Commercial Vehicle heavy oil engine, with the same ABE patented transmission as is used on all the range of Armstrong Whitworth 15-ton to 30-ton shunting locomotives. The selection of the ABE transmission is adduced as a proof of the claim that the advantages of a completely flexible and constant horse-power electric drive can be obtained without sacrifice of lightness, and without increasing the initial cost of the vehicle. The feature of constant horse-power amply compensated for the rather higher efficiency of the gear-box which, however, can only make the best use of the engine at its two or three fixed working speeds.
The 95 bhp and the 140 bhp Armstrong-Saurer Diesel engines are both of the six-cylinder type, running at maximum speeds of 2,000 and 1,500 respectively. Three-point support of the power unit in rubber “silenbloc” bushes is used, as on the road vehicle; but in addition a carefully designed laminated spring suspension prevents any trace of vibration from being transmitted to the chassis. The usual electric starting motor and lighting dynamo are both replaced by the ABE generator, bolted on to the crank-case in place of the usual gear-box, while the final drive is by a traction motor rigidly mounted in the underframe, cardan shaft, and Craven-Guest worm drive. Engine cooling is effected by two radiators, one at either end of the car, mounted opposite an opening in the streamlined skirting.
The control fitted to this rail-bus, from the driver’s standpoint, approximates to the steam locomotive pattern. Three levers, working in a slotted cover, operate the throttle, the forward and reverse drum, and the engine stop and start switch, the necessary apparatus being for simplicity and economy incorporated in one set (instead of the usual two sets), situated near the engine and controlled by compensated heavy-duty steel wire rope running on pulleys. A lightly operated “dead man’s button” fitted to the end of the throttle handle allows perfect safety with one-man operation, without causing any fatigue or inconvenience when driving.
THE CHASSIS of the 130 hp Leyland Diesel rail-car, shown in plan. The torque converter operating cylinder, tank, and cooler are clearly indicated.
A departure has been made from the usual railway type of braking, in the adoption of Ferodo-lined expanding shoes, which work in brake drums mounted on the inside of the running wheels; the four brakes of each bogie are actuated by a small compressed-air cylinder, linked with the hand brake rigging of the rear driver's cab. Rise and fall of the axle in the horn guides are permitted by allowing the expanding brakes to ride on lubricated bushes on the axle. A small standard motor-driven Westinghouse air compressor keeps the reservoir automatically filled to the correct pressure. The “dead man’s button” on the throttle lever, if released inadvertently, applies the brakes in addition to cutting off power. A passengers’ emergency brake valve is situated in the vestibule.
AN END VIEW of the chassis of the Leyland Diesel rail-car, photographed in the works.
The English Electric Company’s rail coach, designed primarily for branch-line working, is built generally on ordinary rail coach lines, but lightened in many respects. It measures 62 ft 10½ in in length over the buffers and 59 ft 6 in over the body. The overall width is just under 9 ft and the height just under 13 ft. The ordinary seating capacity is arranged for fifty-three persons; the maximum seating capacity is sixty-one. The weight of the rail coach, in working order, but without passengers or luggage, is 37½ tons.
The rail coach is fitted with a six-cylinder vertical type high-speed Diesel engine, delivering 200 hp at 1,500 rpm: the engine can give a maximum output of 220 hp for short periods of about fifteen minutes’ duration. When the engine is idling its speed is 600 rpm. The maximum speed of the rail coach is about sixty miles an hour.
The engine is direct-coupled to an electric generator of the 135 kw type, built and rated in accordance with standard electric traction practice. The electric supply from this generator is used to operate two axle-hung electric motors on the two-axle bogie unit arranged under the engine compartment. The other two-axle bogie unit is a trailing member. It is built up of steel sections, and both bogies are fitted with roller-bearing axle-boxes.
The coach has five compartments - the engine-room, a driving compartment at either end, the passenger compartment, and a luggage-room. The engine-room, which is of steel construction throughout, is separated from the passenger compartment by the luggage-room; the bulkhead on the side nearest the passenger compartment is lined with a special sound-deadening material so that no engine noise reaches the passengers. The roof of the engine-room can be removed to enable the power unit to be lifted out bodily for major overhauls.
The interior finish of the passenger compartment is of polished mahogany, with mahogany mouldings and chromium-plated metal fittings. The seats are upholstered in figured moquette and have removable cushions. Access to this compartment is afforded by a central entrance controlled by sliding doors, as in underground electric train practice.
At the trailing end of the coach the partition separating the passenger and driving compartments is of glass from above the waist-line. In effect, this gives the advantages of an observation saloon, since a view can be obtained through the end of the coach. Blinds are arranged to cover the window for night driving.
The coach is provided with a vacuum brake operating on all wheels. A screw-down hand-brake operating through the power brake rigging applies a brake on the driving bogie wheels. An electrically-driven exhauster is provided; this is located in the engine-room compartment.
THE GENERATOR AND CONTROL PANEL of an “English Electric” Diesel-electric locomotive. The driver's control handle can be seen in the foreground. The illustration gives an idea of the orderly complication of the circuit connexion of a modern Diesel electric vehicle.
The engine-driven electric generator has a separately mounted chain-driven exciter. The engine and generator unit are carried in trunnion bearings, arranged so as to give a three-point suspension system. In this way stresses are prevented in the crankcase or crankshaft due to any strain or whipping of the coach underframe; the usual massive engine bed-plate is thus unnecessary. The power unit bearers and their fixing bolts are insulated from the underframe with rubber; this reduces to a minimum any noise or vibration transmitted along the coach. The control equipment, comprising the reverse, motor contactors, and the battery automatic cut-out apparatus, is grouped together and mounted above the generator.
The engine compartment requires no attendance during running. The vehicle is arranged for one-man operation. Control is extremely simple, and drivers quite new to this type of vehicle have been able to take over control after less than one hour’s tuition.
Driving a Diesel rail coach is simpler than driving a road motor vehicle, as there is no steering wheel.
The engine is started by operating a push-button switch, one of which is located in each driving compartment. This sets up the circuit between the generator and the battery, and the generator runs as a motor and drives the engine, until the latter starts and takes on the drive. After starting, the master controller gives complete control of all operations, advancing the engine speed from idling to 1,500 rpm in three steps, and finally weakening the traction motor field; by moving the handle of the master controller backwards the engine speed can be reduced, but the weak motor field condition is retained until the idling position on the master controller is reached. Thus economy of engine power, combined with maximum electric output, is obtained. Further economy in running costs can be secured by moving the master controller handle to the engine shut-down position during coasting periods and when standing in stations, etc. It should further be noted that the engine can be shut down by the master controller, which has the usual “dead man’s button” incorporated.
Excessive overload currents are prevented by the arrangement of the generator windings and by control of the excitation; and thus the engine itself cannot be overloaded. The full power output of the generator is automatically maintained constant over a wide range of train speed; it is therefore unnecessary for the driver to watch any instruments while driving.
A set of signal lights, consisting of two red and two white lights, is provided in each driving compartment. The white lights indicate that the pressure of the lubricating oil is adequate, and that the water circulation is correct. The red lamps glow to give a warning signal in the event of failure of oil pressure or of water circulation, and also to indicate when the engine is shut down.
A rail coach of this type has been in operation under service conditions on various sections of the LMS Railway system. The first period of running began in October, 1933, on the Weedon-Daventry-Warwick branch line. The coach ran as a single unit carrying passengers, or with trailing loads such as cattle trucks, horse boxes, etc., as required. Vehicles of the type described are capable of working twenty-three hours a day; but during this period the coach was in service only fifteen hours a day for five days a week. During the five weeks ended November 11, 1933, the rail coach ran 5,880 miles with an average engine fuel consumption of 6.26 miles per gallon.
THE DRIVER’S CONTROL in the cab of a Diesel Electric locomotive.
Subsequently the coach was coupled to a standard railway trailer coach and put into service on the Watford-St. Albans route. It was then transferred to the Derby district, where it ran on the Burton-Tutbury line. By March, 1934, the coach had completed six months of service running and had covered 19,000 miles. It was then carefully inspected, for the engine had by this time run for some 2,000 hours. The general condition of the engine was found to be excellent, there being no appreciable wear. Only light grinding of the valves was necessary.
The heating arrangements are interesting. A low-pressure steam supply is obtained from an oil-fired boiler, the burner for which uses the same fuel as the engine. After circulating through radiators fitted under the seats in the passengers' compartment, the steam is returned in the form of condensed steam water through a feed tank. Standard hose-couplings are fitted at each end of the coach so that steam can be supplied to any standard steam-fitted passenger coach which it may be desired to use as a trailer.
Another interesting design of Diesel rail coach is that constructed by Leyland Motors, Ltd, for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. This is a lightly built single-unit coach having an overall length of 41 ft 1 in, a width of 9 ft, and a height of 10 ft 7 in. The seating capacity is forty. The tare weight is 10.5 tons, and the fully-laden weight 13.1 tons.
The coach has only two axles, one of which is power-driven from a Leyland high-speed Diesel engine, developing 130 hp, operating through an ingenious hydraulic transmission device known as a “torque converter”.
Before describing the transmission system, it may be of some interest to refer to the performance of this small rail coach, expressed in its acceleration figures. In view of its relatively high power and light weight - which works out at about 590 lb per passenger carried as against over 1,000 lb in corresponding steam coach practice, good acceleration would naturally be expected. This expectation is borne out on the track; for the vehicle has between three and four times the acceleration of the steam rail coach. Thus it can attain a speed of twenty miles per hour from rest in eleven seconds, and fifty miles per hour in forty-nine seconds. The maximum speed is sixty miles per hour, and the fuel consumption is thirteen miles to the gallon. Thus forty passengers can be carried at a total fuel cost per mile of less than one halfpenny. The radius of action possible with the fuel capacity provided is about 200 miles.
Reverting to the subject of the transmission, the employment of the hydraulic torque converter is a big factor not only in the attainment of the very high acceleration of this rail-car, but also in simplifying the driving controls. The engine is mounted in the middle part of the underframe, and has its torque converter built integrally with the engine unit. The torque converter consists essentially of a centrifugal pump mounted in a single casing with a three-stage hydraulic turbine. Its purpose is to multiply the engine torque and to vary this, automatically, in accordance with the speed required by the operating conditions. The driver of the coach is therefore concerned only with regulating the speed of the engine by means of the usual engine control.
It should be understood that this torque converter is not the same as the “fluid flywheel”, referred to on the early part of this page; for it replaces the latter as well as the pre-selected gear-box. There is thus no gear-box needed with the torque converter, all the speeds required being automatically given by the latter. Instead, however, of arranging for the top speed of the vehicle to be obtained through the agency of the hydraulic torque converter, the latter is cut out altogether by means of a dual clutch device; this obviates the hydraulic transmission losses which otherwise would occur and gives a positive mechanical direct drive on top gear.
From the hydraulic torque converter the power is transmitted by means of a propeller shaft through a reversing gear mounted in the casing of the driven axle. Spiral bevel pinion wheels are used to take the drive from the propeller shaft to the axle. The reversing gear mechanism is actuated by means of a double-acting vacuum cylinder, controlled by magnet valves operated from a switch on the driver's control column. The latter is very compact and is duplicated at either end of the coach. It has two small levers at the front to control the engine throttle and the power-brake. In the centre there are a change-over switch for the reversing gear and a change-over switch for the electro-pneumatic control of the torque converter to give neutral or direct drive. Around these are arranged two press-buttons for starting and stopping the engine and switches for the lights, horn, windscreen wiper, etc. The throttle and brake levers and torque-converter switch levers are removable and are carried from one control column to the other, so as to prevent interference by passengers. The body of the coach is arranged with the passengers' entrance at the centre, the seats being arranged in pairs on either side of a central gangway.
A larger type of rail-coach built by Leyland Motors, Ltd, is fitted with two Leyland Diesel engines and torque converters. This rail coach is capable of hauling two specially constructed light trailing cars. The seating capacity of the rail coach is eighty-four, and that of the two trailers is eighteen first-class and 176 third-class passengers, making 278 passengers in all. This coach was placed in service on the Belfast-Larne line to provide an accelerated service over various parts of the twenty-four mile route from Belfast to Larne Harbour. It was booked to cover 195 miles every weekday except Saturday, when the mileage was 105. The maximum working speed was fifty-three and a half miles an hour, and a very much better local service was made possible than that formerly provided.
The efficiency of modern Diesel rail-coaches has been proved by exhaustive tests. Their use on secondary services may help to check the modern practice of closing branch-lines which have become unremunerative.
THE DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE has proved itself to be of value in freight service as well as in passenger traffic. The above photograph shows a six-coupled Diesel locomotive built by The English Electric Company.
You can read more on “Coaches for Road or Rail”, “Diesel Locomotives” and “Diesel Shunting Locomotives” on this website.
FRONT VIEW of a Rail Coach belonging to the Great Western Railway, showing the exterior of the driver’s cabin.
THE STREAMLINED NOSE of a Great Western Rail Coach, showing the steps and entrance to the driver’s cabin. The driver’s seat is partly visible.
THE BRAKES and hydraulic shock absorbers (top picture) of the Leyland rail-car. The brake drum has been removed to show the brake shoes.
TRANSMISSION UNIT (left) and axle of the Leyland rail-car.
RESEMBLING A MOTOR CAR. Another view (bottom picture) of the transmission unit, showing also the springs and a brake drum. | 2019-04-23T22:48:16Z | https://railwaywondersoftheworld.com/british-diesel.html |
The DA rat strain is particularly susceptible to the induction of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as models for rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Here we sequenced the genomes of two DA sub-strains and two disease resistant strains, E3 and PVG, previously used together with DA strains in genetically segregating crosses.
The data uncovers genomic variations, such as single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and copy number variations that underlie phenotypic differences between the strains. Comparisons of regional differences between the two DA sub-strains identified 8 genomic regions that discriminate between the strains that together cover 38 Mbp and harbor 302 genes. We analyzed 10 fine-mapped quantitative trait loci and our data implicate strong candidates for genetic variations that mediate their effects. For example we could identify a single SNV candidate in a regulatory region of the gene Il21r, which has been associated to differential expression in both rats and human MS patients. In the APLEC complex we identified two SNVs in a highly conserved region, which could affect the regulation of all APLEC encoded genes and explain the polygenic differential expression seen in the complex. Furthermore, the non-synonymous SNV modifying aa153 of the Ncf1 protein was confirmed as the sole causative factor.
This complete map of genetic differences between the most commonly used rat strains in inflammation research constitutes an important reference in understanding how genetic variations contribute to the traits of importance for inflammatory diseases.
The laboratory rat is a widely used model organism for studying both basic mechanisms of physiology, and disease models of human diseases. Inbred rat strains and genetically segregating crosses are important tools in functionally proving disease mechanisms and represents a controlled setting where molecular interactions between different genetic factors as well as environmental factors can be tested .
There are many common characteristics between chronic inflammatory diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) , and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) : these diseases are both consequences of dys-regulated immune responses that has initially been triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Peripheral joints in RA and myelin sheets in the central nervous system in MS are the sites of persistent inflammation that leads to tissue destruction. The most highly associated genetic region for the majority of these diseases is the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and especially HLA II genes . Despite recent progress in identifying loci that associate with complex diseases in human , the identification of the causative genetic polymorphisms, (both within and outside MHC), and the understanding of their pathophysiological roles, still represents a significant challenge. The complexity of chronic inflammatory diseases lies not only in intricate interactions between genes and environment, but also in elaborate genetic phenomena such as gene-gene interactions, synergistic effects and epigenetic mechanisms.
Animal models provide a means to control environmental factors and manipulate the genetic contribution. Although the disease causing polymorphisms are not likely to be identical with humans we expect the associated pathophysiologic pathways to be conserved. Using animal models could be a way to reveal their genetic complexity. In addition, the environmental exposure can be controlled and experimental manipulations are possible to perform. One other benefit of using animal models for genetic research is the possibility to selectively modify the genome e.g. producing congenic, knock-out or transgenic strains and linkage mapping.
DA rats are remarkably susceptible to a number of autoimmune diseases; experimental arthritis induced with collagen or hydrocarbons such as mineral oil or pristane oil , experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , experimental allergic neuritis , experimental allergic uveitis , and experimental autoimmune thyroiditis . Also among other inbred rat strains, the DA rat is the most prone to develop inflammation (Figure 1). This disease susceptibility is mediated by both MHC and non-MHC genes. It is the only strain susceptible to oil-induced arthritis and other arthritis inducers provoke very severe disease in DA compared to other susceptible strains. It has been shown that DA rats from different colonies differ in disease susceptibility as well as contain distinct regions of genetic differences , therefore we decided to sequence 2 sub-strains of DA; DA/OlaHsd and DA/hanKini ( here abbreviated as DA/O and DA/K).
The genomic influence on disease susceptibility. The influence of genomic variations on the development of inflammatory disease by different genomes and MHC haplotypes. The illustration is an adaptation from .
Genetic linkage studies using F2 animals from an inter-cross between DA and different disease resistant strains have identified about 50 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with susceptibility to inflammatory diseases. These QTLs together cover approximately 20 genomic regions in the DA rat that have been confirmed in more than one F2 inter-cross (Figure 2). The first F2 cross that used DA as the inflammation susceptible strain was a DA/K x E3 cross in Pristane induced arthritis (PIA), that identified QTLs on chromosome 6, 4, 12, and 14 . Three more arthritis mapping studies and two in EAE utilizing DA/K x E3 F2 inter-crosses could verify the first four QTLs and identified new QTLs on chromosome 20 (MHC region), 10, 1, and 18 [15–19]. Dahlman et al. used a DA/K x ACI F2 cross in EAE to identify QTLs on chr 4, 7, 10, 12, 13, 15, 18, and X . The QTLs on chr 4, 10, 12, 15 were later confirmed in DA/K x PVG.1AV1 advanced intercross line (AIL) [21–26]. In 1998 two arthritis QTLs were identified in LEW.1AV1x PVG.1AV1 on chr 4 and 10 that later were replicated in a DA/K x PVG.1AV1 F2 [27, 28]. In 2003 a LEW.1AV1 x PVG.1AV1 F2 cross identified two new QTLs on chromosome 1 and 17 that were replicated in two DA/K x PVG.1AV1 AIL populations [30–33]. The PVG.1AV1 is a congenic strain sharing the MHC region with DA, but is still resistant or develops extremely mild disease in response to most inflammation inducers. The E3 strain is an independent inbred rat strain that is highly resistant to most inflammatory diseases but which tends to develop obesitas and has a coagulation defect . Aiming to identify genomic regions that differ between disease susceptible and resistant strains, DA/O, DA/K, E3/han and PVG/1AV1.Kini were selected for sequencing.
Arthritis and EAE regulating QTLs in the DA genome. Chromosome maps illustrating the genomic intervals of inflammatory disease regulating QTLs in the DA rat genome associated with mapping studies in DA/E3 or DA/PVG crosses and congenic strain.
Since the main purpose of this sequencing effort has been to create a tool to be used in all genetic studies of the inflammatory rat we have also selected 10 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are ~ 1 Mb in size, to dissect and report all the variations in the interval. Main emphasis is put on non-synonymous SNVs (nsSNVs), synonymous SNVs (sSNVs), SNVs in UTRs, splice-site SNVs and SNVs found in regions of high conservation between different species (PhastCons9way). The new SNVs that are identified will have to be analyzed in more detail and assessed experimentally. However, they represent an entry point for functional validation of candidate molecular genetic mechanisms underlying established QTLs.
The identified QTLs that segregate between DA and E3/PVG signify regions of regulatory importance in the development of chronic inflammatory disease. Identifying the underlying factors within these disease-regulating regions would give important clues also for the diseases in human. The complete genomic sequence of the DA strain and the disease resistant strains E3 and PVG comprise invaluable resources in the study of the polygenic nature of complex diseases such as chronic inflammatory diseases.
The four genomes DA/OlaHsd (DA/O), DA/hanKini (DA/K), E3/han (E3) and PVG/1AV1.Kini (PVG) were sequenced in three separate runs using the SOLiD™ technology. Aiming to also identify structural variations we made three Mate-pair libraries with different insert sizes; 1 kb, 2 kb, and 4 kb as well as one paired end library. The reads were then mapped to the BN (RGSC3.4) reference genome with BWA . This resulted in median coverage of 18-22X (DA/O: 18X, DA/K 22X, E3 19X, PVG 19X) and enabled us to cover >99% of the BN reference sequence with at least one read for all four genomes (Additional file 1).
SNVs and short indels were identified using a strategy developed by Guryev et al . To call a variant we required a minimum coverage of three reads and at least 75% of the reads had to support the non-reference allele. This predicted about 5.3 million SNVs and 0.4 million short indels for all four genomes combined.
By comparing our SNVs with the genotypes from the STAR consortium we estimated the sensitivity to be about 96.8-97.8%. In addition, we sequenced 100 regions (300-500 bp in size) with capillary sequencing. Of the 178 SNVs identified by capillary sequencing 171 SNVs were also identified by the SOLiD sequencing, whereas two of the undetected SNVs were missed because less than 75% of the reads carried the non-reference allele. 33 of the tested SNVs were in the coding sequence of a gene and all these variants was identified in the SOLiD SNVs. Four of the undetected SNVs are in the hyper-polymorphic MHC region on chromosome 20. Further, no false positives were identified in these sequences.
Each genome has about 3 million SNVs and 0.3-0.36 million indels compared to the BN reference. Approximately 70% of all SNVs are outside ref-seq annotated gene regions. About 1% of the SNVs are located in coding regions, and 21% of the SNVs in coding regions are non-synonymous (Table 1).
Pair-wise comparison identified that more than 98% of the high-quality (≥ 8X coverage) SNVs in DA/O are shared with the closely related DA/K. Analyzing the SNP distribution of the strains showed that about 14% of all SNVs identified are unique to DA/O and DA/K, compared to BN, E3 and PVG (Figure 3). Further, 29% of the identified SNVs are shared by all four genomes and differ only from the BN reference sequence. A more detailed distribution of the SNVs can be found in Table 2.
Sequence similarities/differences between DA, E3 and PVG. Similarity is given as the percentage of SNVs shared between combinations of strains out of all SNVs, after excluding 1.01 M positions where at least one strain is heterozygous or has a coverage below 3. The number of SNVs kept for the analysis was 4166021. Total numbers of SNVs are in parenthesis.
Each strain has between 70–79 SNVs that results in a predicted premature stop codon (Additional file 2). This affects a total of 131 genes, where about 60% are uncharacterized genes or olfactory and vomeronasal receptors. Further, in 32 of these genes the stop codon was predicted in an alternatively transcribed gene, and not affecting all annotated transcripts from the gene. 33 of the stop introducing SNVs were found in all 4 strains, whereas 56 are only present in one strain, with 23 unique for DA, 14 for PVG and 19 for E3. Furthermore, there is one stop gaining unique to the DA/K strain in the Grb14 gene.
Next, we searched for structural variants between the strains. We detected 45 duplications in the range of 0.4-149 kbp, and 96 deletions between 1.8-134 kbp between DA/O and E3 (Additional file 3). Deletions were predicted to affect 96 genes in DA/O and 47 genes in E3. Fewer genes (42) were affected by deletions in DA/K compared to PVG and 36 genes in PVG compared to DA. The large number of gene deletions in DA compared to E3 is to a large extent due to deletions on chromosome 7 and 15, most of which are also deleted in PVG.
Aiming to dissect the influence from SNVs occurring in different coding or transcript regulatory sequences such as splice-sites or UTRs, on differential expression and splicing, we compared the occurrence of SNVs within a certain gene with the expression of that gene. Intragenic SNVs were compared to a set of differentially expressed or alternatively spliced genes from a study by Gillett et al. . In this study differential expression and alternative splicing was analyzed in RNA from lymph node cells from DA/K and PVG rats 7 days after induction of EAE. They detected 13 genes with convincing evidence of differential splicing between DA and PVG, of which three (Prex1, Itpr2 and Nab1) have predicted splice site variants that are unique to PVG. Further, 11 had coding SNVs. Naturally; it needs to be further investigated if these are the variants that lead to the altered splicing.
To assess the correlation between differential expression or splicing and SNVs on a larger scale, we looked for SNVs in coding or UTR regions as well as in splice sites in all genes with differential expression or splicing between DA/K and PVG in the Gillett et al. study and compared this with how often such SNVs occur in genes that were not differentially expressed or spliced. There was a significant enrichment of genes with SNVs in UTRs and coding sequences among the genes that displayed differential expression compared to genes that did not (Figure 4a). Due to the multiple probe design of the Affymetrix arrays, the coding SNVs should not influence the actual hybridization to the array and thus the difference should be reflecting the biology . Similarly, there was an enrichment of genes with SNVs in splice sites, UTRs and coding regions in alternatively spliced genes compared to the genes where no alternative splicing was detected (Figure 4b). This suggests that coding SNVs as well as SNVs in UTRs and in splice sites are more frequent in genes that display differential expression or alternative splicing. However, there are still many genes without the variants that are differentially regulated. Hence, the absence of such variants cannot be used to exclude a gene as a candidate. In addition, there are additional types of genomic variations, such as larger structural variants like partial and whole gene duplications, which also need to be analyzed, since they can have a major impact on gene expression and splicing .
The association of SNVs in different gene regions and differential expression or splicing. Association of SNVs in different gene regions and differential expression or splicing, as reported in Gillett et al. . The fractions of genes that have SNVs in i) coding region, ii) UTR or iii) splice sites were measured. a, Genes predicted to be differentially expressed between DA/K and PVG compared to genes with no differential expression in this condition. Three different levels of fold change were used to categorize differentially expressed genes, resulting in 88 genes with fold change (FC) > 2, 214 genes with FC > 1.7, 520 genes with FC > 1.5 and 14140 genes with no differential expression. b, Alternatively spliced genes compared with genes with no evidence of alternative splicing in this condition. Three significance levels were used to categorize significant alternative splicing in genes, resulting in 123 genes in the highest significance category p < 0.00001, 278 (p < 0.01), 613 (p < 0.1) and 13208 genes that were not considered alternatively spliced.
There are more than 1 million of the identified SNVs between DA and E3 and between DA and PVG that could contribute to the phenotypic difference. However, even between the very similar DA/O and DA/K there is a difference in sensitivity to arthritis induction . Looking closer at the polymorphic regions between DA/O and DA/K we could show that the strains differ primarily in regions on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 7 and 13, which is in complete agreement with the results by Rintisch et al. However, we were able to better define the intervals, and two of the regions could be divided in two distinct regions each and we also found a new region on chromosome 5 that differs between these sub-strains (Figure 5 and Table 3). In total, these eight regions include approximately 38 Mbp and contain 302 genes of which 78 have nsSNVs or stop codon variants. Congenic data showed no effect on disease sensitivity from the region on chromosome 3 , hence the variants(s) causing the different arthritis susceptibility are more likely to be located on the other chromosomes, harboring in total 122 genes (Table 3).
DA/O and DA/K segregating SNV regions. SNVs between DA/O and DA/K plotted on the chromosomes. The dark bands are due to high SNV density in 8 regions that distinguish DA/O and DA/K. Only positions supported by at least 8 reads in both strains were included in the picture.
Dennd2d, Prok1, Slc16a4, Gstm7, Clcc1, Prmt6.
Slc39a11, Galnt5, Upp2, L:y75, Dpp4, Grb14 (Stop).
C1qtnf4, Mybpc3, Ol726 (Stop), Acp2, Pacsin, Dgkz.
To infer if the regions of differences are contaminations from earlier crosses or hyper polymorphic regions, we compared the SNVs in the regions with the STAR genotypes of a number of other strains . SNV comparisons show that DA/K or DA/O displays an alternating pattern of identical sequence to ACI in each of the identified intervals (Table 3). The patchy pattern of the diverging regions between the two DA strains is most likely the effect of the strains being separated and inbred separately before the DA strain was completely homozygous for all chromosomes.
The origin of the DA strain is often reported to be unknown but it has been documented to be derived from a stock from a Dr. T.T. Odell, Jr. at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee. In 1957 Dr. Odell describes an agglutination test with an experimental set up using animals from a cross between two inbred lines that fits very well with what we now know about the DA strain . The first strain for the initial intercross is an Irish coated strain that had been backcrossed for 47 generations that express the D antigen on their erythrocytes. This strain was most likely ACI (see Table 3). The second inbred strain in the inter-cross expressed the C antigen instead and had only been backcrossed for nine generations. Some suggestions of the C antigen strain are early generations of the E3, BUF or LEW strains, which carry this allele. The F1 progeny was then backcrossed to either the D or the C strain. The D/D backcross population is most likely the founder of the D-antigen expressing Agouti coat color (i.e. DA) strain. Inbreeding was at inter-cross generation 19 in about 1965. However a subset of the DA colony was sent from Wistar to Oxford already in 1963, where it was further inbred. Thus, the two DA sub-strains were separated at generation <19 before the chromosomes had become homozygous which explains the dissimilar regions. It is also possible that more DA sub-strains exist in laboratories throughout the world.
Dissecting the genomic influence on inflammation requests a lot of phenotypic data. Both linkage studies and congenic mapping have identified ~20 genomic regions in the DA rat associated to inflammatory disease (Figure 2). The variation analyses of smaller QTLs, approximately 1 Mb in size, are described in more detail below and a schematic overview of all inflammation QTLs identified in comparisons of the three genomes irrespective of interval size are described in Table 4.
Chromosome 1 harbors two regions of QTLs for both EAE and PIA, [16, 18, 29, 31, 33, 42], The fine-mapping of the two QTLs down to a shorter genomic interval has been done in EAE.
One QTL region Eea29/Pia8 is positioned close to the centromere and this region regulates both EAE and PIA. Beyeen et al. fine-mapped this QTL in EAE to less that 3 Mb using an AIL and they also validated the regulatory effect using a 25 Mb congenic strain . The refined Eae29/Pia8 contains 18 genes. Beyeen et al. could show differential gene expression in the genes IL22RA2 and IFNGR1 and association to IL22RA2 could be shown in a cohort of MS patients. Therefore these two genes are strong candidates as regulators of inflammatory disease and thus it is important to study all variants in the region for regulatory effects and if they coincide with conserved regions. Comparing SNVs between the strains DA and PVG in the shorter Eae29 region displayed very little variation between DA and PVG. Surprisingly, only 16 SNVs were identified between 14.5-15.1 Mb. IL22ra2 had one SNV in the second intron and Ifngr1 had one SNV in the first intron. To analyze if the SNV is in a conserved segment and thus may be coinciding with a regulatory element, the conservations score for the SNVs was assessed. The SNV is considered to be conserved if the score is higher than 0.1, (http://hgdownload.soe.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/rn4/phastCons9way/). Three of the SNVs in Eae29 coincide with highly conserved regions (Figure 6a). Further comparison of these SNVs to data from eight inbred rat strains identified two SNVs in conserved regions to be unique for the DA stain and the SNV in Il22ra2 is unique for DA and one of its ancestral genomes ACI (Additional file 4).
Snapshots from the UCSC genomic web-browser describing the genomic locations of the identified SNVs within 4 QTLs or specific genes in QTLs (a-d). The SNVs are depicted as red or blue bars in the top of the illustration. The number next to the bar corresponds to the SNPs individual number in the series of all SNPs in the QTL. Blue bars indicate SNVs with conservation score higher than 0.1, in red are SNVs less that 0.1. The mid segment of the snapshot contains the genes in the interval and below is the degree of inter-species conservation illustrated as blue and green bars.
The second QTL on chromosome 1 has been fine mapped in both EAE and PIA from an interval between 176–218 Mb and was resolved into two distinct QTLs Eae30 and Eae31. Eae31 is positioned to a region of less than 1 Mb around 185 Mb and Eae30 to 1 Mb close to 128 Mb . Eae31 was fine-mapped in both EAE and PIA to five candidate genes and the region showed evidence of association to human inflammatory disease to a SNV in the IL21R. No coding polymorphisms could be identified in the IL21R gene in the rat, but the IL4RA gene had a splice site SNV. Four SNVs are unique to DA (Additional file 4). In addition, two other genes in the region, Gtf3c and LOC361646, displayed numerous nsSNVs. Further, looking at SNVs in conserved regions identified 5 potentially regulating SNVs (Figure 6b). The IL4RA gene also contains two sSNVs, whereas the IL21R gene contains one potentially regulating SNV in an intron (conservation score 0.45).
In the Nohra et al. study , an additional 1.1 Mb EAE specific QTL Eae30 close to the RGMA gene was identified in a G10 AIL. Interestingly, there was suggestive association to the human RGMA gene also in an MS cohort. There are 48 polymorphisms between DA and PVG in RGMA. Ten of the variants are of potential interests; three SNVs in conserved regions and one synonymous SNV in the last exon. Four SNVs in the region are unique for DA/ACI (Additional file 4).
Rat chromosome 4 is one of the most QTL dense regions in the DA genome. Three regions have been linked to EAE and arthritis. The QTL Pia5/Eae24-27 have also been linked to experimental diabetes and uveitis . There is also evidence that the chromosome has regions of epistatic genetic interactions .
The original Pia5/Eae24-27 locus is more than 20 Mb and covers 250 to 500 genes depending on the study and disease model [16, 43]. Among the genes in this region are TCRBV, Ig Kappa genes and IL23R, with potential profound importance in immune regulation. In 2010 Marta et al. used a combination of congenic lines as well as an advanced intercross line to dissect disease regulation in this region. They showed that the effect on disease regulation was larger than the effect from any of the smaller congenic strains, however one small (1.25 Mb) congenic strain (R23) mediates a major part of the regulatory effect from this region. No coding variations could be identified between DA and PVG in this region, which indicates that the disease regulating variation is regulatory. Indeed, this region is very conserved between species and of the 1810 SNVs in the interval 188 coincided with conserved genomic intervals. Not surprisingly, many of the genes in the region have important function in embryonic development.
Next, the arthritis QTL Oia2/Pia7 at 159.46-160.0 Mb is known to be a strong regulator of adjuvant-induced arthritis such as OIA or PIA [42, 45, 46]. Further, this arthritis QTL coincides with the EAE QTLs EAae20-21. The region harbors the APLEC complex, which encodes a set of C-type lectin receptor genes expressed on antigen presenting cells. Most of the APLEC genes have been shown to be differentially expressed after stimulation with a number of immune-triggering stimulants [45, 59]. There are a number of coding polymorphisms in the APLEC complex encoded genes. One generates a premature stop-codon in Clec4b2 in the DA genome and is certainly a plausible candidate to mediate the disease phenotype. However, four other APLEC encoded genes have non-synonymous SNVs between DA and E3/PVG. Furthermore, a total of 832 SNVs could be identified in the 550 kb consensus region and 33 polymorphisms lie within conserved regions in or close to genes. Neither of the SNVs in the APLEC complex are unique to DA but are shared between at least five other inbred genomes (Additional file 4) . One region at 159.955 kb has the maximum conservation score = 1, according to the phastCons9way, and could be a regional enhancer for the APLEC genes in the region. This region harbors two SNVs. This region needs to be analyzed further to conclusively determine weather this is an enhancer or not.
Chromosome 10 harbors at least four susceptibility genes for experimental inflammatory disease. Proximal to the centromere is the Vra1/Ciita gene locus [47, 48], which is part of a haplotype identified to regulate levels of MHC class II expression, and which was also reported to be associated with chronic inflammatory disease . The variant underlying the effect has however not been identified. Ciita contains no nsSNVs between DA and PVG. However, there are three synonymous coding SNVs that may influence the expression levels of which two are unique for E3/PVG (Additional file 4). In addition, there are a number of polymorphisms in conserved regions with potentially regulatory effect on the gene. The 19 kb upstream promoter of Ciita harbors two very conserved regions with 10 SNVs of which one is unique to E3/PVG.
The mid-part of chromosome 10 has been associated with both EAE and arthritis Eae18/Cia5/Oia3[25, 50, 60]. Eae18 QTL was fine-mapped using two AILs, G7 and G10, which divided the QTL in two QTLs, Eae18a and Eae18b. EAE18a was fine-mapped to 1.1 Mb harboring 13 genes at 58.2-59.3 Mb . Two nsSNVs in Fam64a and ENSRNOG00000037371, as well as two SNVs in splice-sites of RGD1304728 and Smtln2 were identified in the Eae18a locus, in addition to several potentially regulating SNVs.
Eae18b was fine-mapped to a 0.88 Mb region between 70.2-71.0 Mb in a G10 AIL . Two genes in this region Ccl2 and Ccl11 showed differential expression. Interestingly, differential expression of Ccl2 has also been observed between MS patients and controls. However in a functional characterization study of the Eae18b congenic strain, Ccl11 was conclusively identified to be regulating many different disease pathways in this strain . Ccl11 has six SNVs in the 3′UTR of which four are in conserved sequences; the gene also has one conserved intronic SNV and one synonymous SNV (Figure 6c).
In experimental arthritis a QTL has been identified in both DA/PVG and DA/F344 crosses on chromosome 10 [14, 50, 60]. This arthritis specific QTL was fine-mapped in pristine-induced arthritis using an AIL G10 . Also for this QTL the locus was separated in to two regions. Interestingly the second 1.5 Mb region coincided with a region with Cd300 like genes, which contain distinct regions of very high variation between DA and the other strains (Figure 6d). The aggregation of SNVs in the vicinity of Cd300 genes may be an indication of structural variations in the region and needs to be further studied, however these genes could have a significant influence on the regulation mediated by this region. Interestingly this locus was not mapped in any of the DAxE3 F2 crosses, which suggests that the regulating polymorphism(s) could be unique to the PVG strain. In the other region Pia30, 114 SNVs were identified that segregated E3/DA and PVG alleles, of which most are intronic or intergenic SNVs in or near the Rpl38 and Ttyh2 genes.
The first arthritis regulating QTL to be cloned and positioned to one polymorphism is the Pia4, which was identified to be regulating chronic inflammation by a non-synonymous SNV in the Ncf1 gene, altering the amino acid at position 153 . It was originally mapped using both PIA (Pia4) and EAE models (Eae5/Eae11) [18, 23]. The gene was identified using a congenic strain with E3 alleles between 23.476-23.730 Mb and harbors three genes. Here, a total of 377 SNVs were detected between DA and PVG/E3 in the Pia4 region. Five of them are coding variants, of which one is non-synonymous and one is annotated to be in a splice site of Gtf2i. Moreover, 7 SNVs are located in UTRs of which 5 are in the 3′UTR of the Ncf1 gene, but they have low conservation scores. Five SNVs are in potentially conserved regions, but only one of them, the nsSNV, is in Ncf1. Hence, the genome sequences support the previous findings that the inflammation regulatory effect from this congenic is mediated by the Ncf1 nsSNV .
DA rats are particularly susceptible to the induction of a number of chronic inflammatory diseases. There is a modest difference in arthritis susceptibility between the two strains where DA/O is slightly more susceptible. Here we identified eight polymorphic regions between two substrains of DA; DA/K and DA/O together covering 38 Mb of genomic sequence. Of the variable regions, 23 Mb are located on chromosome 3 and by using a DA/O.chr3DA/K congenic strain these regions were excluded as important in arthritis regulation , and thus the regulatory effect should come from the remaining 15 Mb variable regions between DA/O and DA/K.
According to the rat genome database more that 50 inflammatory disease related QTLs have been identified in the DA rat. Here we have used the next-generation sequencing of the DA genome and inflammatory disease resistant E3 and PVG to investigate 10 fine-mapped QTLs and closely catalogue the complete set of variations in these regions. This study has identified a number of interesting non-synonymous or regulatory variants within these QTLs.
For the already positionally cloned gene, Ncf1, in the Pia4 QTL on chromosome 12, no additional regulatory SNVs were identified in the proximal region of Ncf1 that are likely to contribute to the regulation of inflammation in the region. Hence, this further enhances the importance of the previously detected nsSNV (coding for aa153 of the protein) in the regulation of experimental inflammatory disease.
Two of the inflammatory-disease regulating regions analyzed here; the Vra1/Ciita and Eae25/R23 loci are completely devoid of coding SNVs, but do contain several SNVs in conserved regions, indicating regions of regulatory function.
Four of the QTLs (Eae29, Eae30, Eae31 and Eae18b) have strong candidate genes that have been identified to be differentially expressed between DA and PVG as well as associated to chronic inflammatory disease in human cohorts. These gene-regions were analyzed for regulatory polymorphisms. Eae29 has three very good regulatory SNV candidates that should be assessed for disease regulation in the vicinity of IL22ra2. The expression of IL22ra2 has been demonstrated to differ between the strains implicating difference in regulatory regions . IL22RA2 is now one of the well-established MS risk genes . Eae30 has one non-synonymous SNV in a topoisomerase like gene, however this gene may not be the disease-regulating gene in the interval. RGMA, which is the top candidate gene in the region, contains 4 conserved regions with possible regulatory SNVs. The top candidate gene for the Eae31 locus is Il21r. This gene has only one identified SNV with potential regulatory function in the first intron of the gene. Eae31 also contains a splice site SNV in the Il4ra gene plus two potential regulating SNVs that also should be tested for EAE regulation. The QTL Eae18b harbors the Ccl11 gene that have shown strong immune-regulatory effects in inflammatory disease . Ccl11 contains five highly conserved SNVs and particularly four SNVs in the 3′UTR are strong candidates to be regulators of differential expression.
The APLEC locus on chromosome 4 harbors five nsSNVs in four genes. This region contains very few conserved regions, however a new impending regulatory region 50 kb upstream of the last gene (Mincle) in the complex was identified that contains two SNVs in the middle of the conserved region. This region has to be analyzed further to fully comprehend if and how it could regulate all genes in the region.
A hyper-variable region in Pia30 on chromosome 10 was also identified. This region contains four SNV dense regions of about 10 kb in size each. These variable regions occur in the extended 3′UTR of Cd300 genes, Cd300b and Cd300f in particular. This enrichment of SNVs in a short interval may perhaps be explained by sequence duplications/divergence.
By combining information for the most interesting SNVs in the herein analyzed QTLs with SNV information from an eight genome sequencing study of inbred rats , we identified a number of SNVs unique for inflammation susceptible DA and the inflammatory disease resistant PVG and E3 strain. Three QTLs had DA or DA/ACI unique SNVs and one had E3/PVG unique SNVs. Out of the eight QTLs that were used in this comparison only four had unique SNVs. This is somewhat expected since one of the few cloned chronic inflammatory disease regulating SNV, in the Ncf1 gene, also is present in the inbred strains BUF, F344 and WKY. The strain BUF is susceptible to both arthritis and EAE whereas both F344 and WKY are resistant to experimental arthritis. The disease regulation mediated by this SNV is however very strong and has been confirmed to be disease regulating also in mice. This demonstrates that additional protective genes in the genome may mask even very strong disease enhancing SNV effects.
In a genotype to phenotype perspective, the combined effect from the QTLs has profound functional implications. In short, both the adaptive and innate immunity is affected; The Ncf1 gene is involved in the first defense against infections and triggering the immune system. Both the CD300 and the APLEC encoded genes are important pattern recognition receptors involved in antigen uptake and Ciita is important in regulating antigen presentation. The chemokine Ccl11 and the cytokine receptors Il21r and Il22ra2 are important in modulating the immune responses leading to inflammation. Il21r and Il22ra2 are particularly important regulators of activated T cells. In conclusion the 10 QTLs represent regions of important disease regulation and the combined effect explains a substantial part of the pro-inflammatory phenotype that is characteristic of the DA strain.
The full genomic sequence of DA/O, DA/K, E3 and PVG constitutes an invaluable resource in the understanding of how polymorphisms in the DA genome contribute to disease susceptibility and this genetic blueprint of an inflammation permissive rat strain will also be important in the understanding of the human etiologies for chronic inflammatory disease.
Liver samples from 1 female rat per strain was used for all runs. The sequences were generated in 3 separate runs. The first run (august 2009) was achieved using a SOLiD™3 sequencer with 1 full slide per sample. The Mate-pair library protocol was used to generate 2 × 50 bp reads, with 2–3 kb insert size. A Hydro-shear was used for fragmentation. The libraries were produced after 11 cycles of amplification. The second run (September 2010) was performed using a SOLiD™4 and generating 2 Mate-pair libraries per genome, one with 1 kb insert size and one with 4–4.5 kb insert sizes. ¼ of a slide was used for each library and the libraries were amplified 10–15 times. The DNA samples were fragmented using a Covaris S2. The last sequencing run using the Fragment library protocol was done on a SOLiD™5500 (June 2011). 3 lanes of 75 X 35 bp reads were run per sample. Fragmentation to 150–200 bp was achieved by a Covaris S2 with 6 cycles of amplification. All libraries in the study were quality controlled on an Agilent Bioanalyser High sensitivity Chip + qPCR.
The reads were aligned to the BN reference assembly (Rnor3.4) with the BWA (v0.5.9) aligner (−c –l 25 –k 2 –n 10). Mapped reads from all libraries were merged before SNV calling. The yield of sequence mapping to the genome was 48.9 Gb for DA/O, 50.8 Gb for DA/K, 59.9 Gb for E3/han and 51.8 Gb for PVG/1AV1.Kini (Additional file 1).
SNV and short indel calling was done with a strategy developed by Guryev based on Samtools pileup . Duplicate reads (starting at the same position) were discarded. Next, each SNV should be supported by at least three calls with a quality > 10. In addition, we used only SNVs where at least 75% of the reads support the non-reference allele (40% for indels). Finally, SNVs that differed between the reference and the resequencing of the original reference rat (Eve), were removed since these are likely to be errors in the reference. This resulted in a total of 5.2 M SNVs and 0.66 M short indels (< 10 bp), of which about 57% were deletions and 43% insertions. A “high-quality SNV set” was compiled of SNVs with at least 8 X coverage. About 97% of the genome was covered by at least 3 calls and 85% by 8 or more.
The functional annotations of all SNVs were predicted with the Ensembl Variant Effect Predictor .
These strains have been inbred for many generations and should be homozygous at nearly all positions. Therefore we excluded approximately 0.9 M positions per strain where 25-75% of the reads supported the variant allele. Almost 10% of these variants are detected in regions with high coverage (>30X), compared to <1% for homozygous SNVs, and may be due to duplications, as suggested previously . Further, we found that 7% of the heterozygous SNVs in DA/O (coverage 9-25X) were called as homozygous SNVs in DA/K, whereas 1% were called as reference. Hence, some heterozygous SNV calls are likely true SNVs which are missed due to low coverage and errors in sequencing/alignment.
To estimate the SNV calling sensitivity we compared our SNVs with a set of 20284 SNVs typed by the STAR consortium . In this set, 11241, 11037 and 11253 SNVs differed between BN and DA, E3 and PVG, respectively, of which, we detected between 96.8-97.8% in all strains. We also sequenced a number of SNV dense regions with conventional Sanger sequencing. Out of the 178 SNVs detected by Sanger sequencing, 171 could be detected by the SOLiD sequencing, whereas two were predicted by less than 75% of the reads and thus were false negatives. No false positives were found with SOLiD in these regions.
The sensitivity of indel calling could not be estimated using STAR genotypes and the Sanger sequenced regions did not contain any indels, however it is likely that the sensitivity is substantially lower. Indeed, we found that only 66% of the indels called in DA/O were confirmed in DA/K.
Copy number variation (CNVs) due either to deletions or duplications of regions. were predicted with DWAC-seq version 0.56 to identify CNVs. This program counts the reads in a window of dynamic size and compares these counts for two strains. We counted only uniquely mapped reads and used a ratio below 0.3 for deletions and above 1.6 for duplications. To better distinguish CNVs from repetitive regions, we only allowed regions with one strain having a mean coverage around the mean genome coverage (±0.5* mean coverage). Further, regions were only predicted as deletions if the number of bases lacking coverage differed by at least 10% between the strains.
All experiments in this study were approved and performed in accordance with the guidelines from the Swedish National Board for Laboratory Animals and the European Community Council Directive (86/609/EEC) under the ethical permit N332/06entitled ‘Genetic regulation, pathogenesis and therapy of EAE, an animal model for multiple sclerosis’, which was approved by the North Stockholm Animal Ethics Committee (Stockholm snorra djurförsöksetiska nämnd). Rats were tested according to a health-monitoring program at the National Veterinary Institute (Statens Veterinärmedicinska Anstalt, SVA) in Uppsala, Sweden.
QTLs smaller than 1 Mb in interval were selected for finer SNV analysis. SNVs were visualized using the add-custom track function in the UCSC web browser. The conservation scores (phastCons9way) where downloaded from the UCSC. http://hgdownload.soe.ucsc.edu/goldenPath/rn4/phastCons9way/. In order to retrieve information on unique SNVs in the smallest QTLs, conserved SNVs or nsSNVs in the QTLs were compared to eight inbred rat strains in a 13 genome comparison.
The sequence data for all four genomes will be available from the European Bioinformatics Institute short read archive under the accession number: ERP0004908. All variants identified in this study will be available from the rat genome database (http://rgd.mcw.edu).
We thank Inger Jonansson and Christian Tellgren-Roth at the Uppsala genome center and sciLifeLab in Uppsala for the SOLiD sequencing and mapping the reads to the Rnor3.4 reference genome. We thank Carlos Palestro for taking care of animals. This study was supported by grants from King Gustaf V:s 80 years, Swedish Rheumatism Association, Swedish Research Council, Knut and Alice Wallenbergs’ Foundation, the AFA foundation, Swedish Strategic Science Foundation, the EU Masterswitch (grant number: HEALTH-F2-2008-223404) and Euratrans projects (HEALTH-F4-2010–241504).
No financial or non-financial competing interests exist between the authors of this manuscript.
LB, DE, MJ, TO, RH all made substantial contributions to conception and design of the study, Sample preparations were performed by LB and MJ, Bioinformatics and acquisition of data was performed by DE, analysis and interpretation of data were performed by LB, and DE. LB made the first draft of the manuscript and LB, DE, MJ, RH and TO have all been involved in revising the manuscript critically and contributed with important intellectual content. All authors have given final approval of the final version to be published. | 2019-04-18T13:13:37Z | https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2164-15-391 |
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, Respondent, v. JOHN PAUL MIERZ, Petitioner.
Criminal Law - Evidence - Suppression - Review - Preservation for Review - Waiver. By failing to move at trial to suppress evidence obtained during an allegedly illegal search or seizure, a criminal defendant waives the right to have the evidence suppressed.
Criminal Law - Evidence - Stipulation - Stipulated Facts Trial - What Constitutes. A stipulated facts trial is one in which the defendant agrees to have the trial court decide the facts and the question of guilt or innocence based upon stipulated evidence and the trial court does in fact review the evidence independently and makes its own findings and conclusions.
Criminal Law - Evidence - Stipulation - Equivalence to Guilty Plea - Advisement of Rights - Necessity. A criminal defendant who agrees to a trial on stipulated facts is not entitled to the protections that CrR 4.2 affords to defendants who plead guilty.
Criminal Law - Evidence - Stipulation - Stipulated Facts Trial - Findings of Fact - Prepared by Prosecutor. In a criminal trial on stipulated facts, the defendant may properly agree to findings of fact prepared by the prosecutor after receiving an adverse pretrial ruling by the court.
Criminal Law - Self-Defense - Defense of Property Unlawful Possession. The RCW 9A.16.020(3) right to defense of property is not available to a person not in lawful possession of the property.
Criminal Law - Right to Counsel - Effective Assistance of Counsel - Test. A criminal defendant who claims to have received constitutionally inadequate representation has the burden of showing (1) deficient performance and (2) prejudice. The defendant has been prejudiced if there is a reasonable probability that, but for the attorney's deficient performance, the result of the trial would have been different.
Criminal Law - Right to Counsel - Effective Assistance of Counsel - Trial Strategy - Tactics. A criminal defense attorney's decisions involving matters of trial strategy or tactics do not constitute deficient performance.
Criminal Law - Right to Counsel - Effective Assistance of Counsel - Trial Strategy - Stipulated Facts Trial. A defense counsel's merely agreeing to a stipulated facts trial may represent a tactical decision which in itself is not deficient or prejudicial.
Arrest - Resisting Arrest - Unlawful Arrest - Self-Defense - Nature of Threat. When a person arrested for assaulting the law enforcement officer who effected the arrest claims self-defense, the arrestee, under RCW 9A. 16.020(3), must show that the arrest g| was unlawful and that there was an imminent threat of serious physical harm in connection with the arrest.
Criminal Law - Crimes - Discretion To Charge - General and Specific Crimes - Concurrent Statutes - What Constitutes. The requirement that a criminal defendant be charged with a specific crime rather than a general crime when the defendant's conduct falls within the scope of each applies only when each violation of the statute defining the specific crime also necessarily violates the statute defining the general crime.
lawful process or lawful apprehension) and RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g) (assaulting a law enforcement officer) are not concurrent crimes.
Assault, Criminal - Third Degree Assault - Assaulting Police Officer - "Official Duties" - What Constitutes. For purposes of RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g), which prohibits the assault of law enforcement officers engaged in the performance of official duties, the term "official duties" encompasses all aspects of a law enforcement officer's good faith performance of job-related duties, including effecting an arrest.
Statutes - Construction - Purpose - Meaningful Interpretation. A court construes a statute so as to carry out its purpose and to avoid unlikely or strained consequences.
Game - Wildlife - Feral Domestic Mammals - What Constitutes - Domesticated Wildlife. For purposes of RCW 77.08.010(16), which excludes "feral domestic mammals" from the definition of wildlife, "feral domestic mammals" applies to animals of a domesticated species that have run away or are running wild; it does not apply to animals of a wild species that have been reclaimed from the wild and domesticated.
Criminal Law - Statutes - Vagueness - Particular Conduct - In General. A criminal prohibition is not unconstitutionally vague as applied to a particular defendant if a person of ordinary intelligence would reasonably understand that the defendant's conduct violated the prohibition.
Nature of Action: Prosecution for unlawful possession of wildlife and two counts of third degree assault. When Department of Wildlife agents entered the defendant's yard to seize two coyotes, the defendant sicked his two dogs on them and bit one of the agents when they attempted to arrest him.
Superior Court: The Superior Court for King County, No. 91-1-04473-9, Faith Enyeart Ireland, J., on June 9, 1992, entered a judgment of guilty following a trial on stipulated evidence.
"wildlife," and that the defendant's possession of the coyotes without a permit was unlawful.
Supreme Court: Holding that the stipulated facts trial did not deprive the defendant of due process, that the exclusionary rule did not prevent the admission of evidence of the defendant's assault on the Wildlife agents, that the defendant was not entitled to argue self-defense of property, that the defendant did not receive ineffective assistance of counsel at trial, that the Wildlife agents' actions constituted "official duties," that the defendant was properly charged with assault, and that the coyotes were "wildlife" for purposes of the wildlife protection statutes, the court affirms the decision of the Court of Appeals and the judgment.
Williams, Kastner & Gibbs, by David H. Smith and Daniel W. Ferm, for petitioner.
Norm Maleng, Prosecuting Attorney, and Francis D. Zavatsky, Deputy, for respondent.
TALMADGE, J. - The present case arises out of John Paul Mierz's unlawful possession of two coyotes and his assault upon Department of Wildlife agents (Wildlife agents) who entered his yard without a warrant to seize the coyotes. On rather convoluted facts, we must decide a number of issues, but the most preying is whether a person confronted with allegedly unreasonable search or seizure may assault law enforcement officers and then rely on the exclusionary rule to foreclose admission of evidence pertaining to the assaultive behavior. Because exclusion of the evidence of violent behavior would only license attacks upon law enforcement officers performing their duty, we uphold the Court of Appeals' decision affirming Mierz's convictions for assault and unlawful possession of wildlife.
1. Did Mierz waive any error relating to evidence illegally gathered?
2. Did the agreement to try the case on stipulated facts violate Mierz's rights under CrR 4.2?
3. Did the trial court improperly deprive Mierz of the claim of self-defense?
4. Did Mierz receive ineffective assistance of counsel?
5. Was Mierz improperly charged with and convicted of third-degree assault under RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g)?
6. Was Mierz's conviction for possession of wildlife proper under RCW 77.08.010(16) and RCW 77.16.040 if the coyotes were domesticated?
In 1989, Mierz found two coyote puppies. He took them home and kept them with his dogs in his back yard, which was enclosed by a six-foot chain-link fence.
Upon learning that State law requires a permit to collect, transport or possess wildlife (see RCW 77.16.040; RCW 77.32.010), Mierz requested a scientific permit from the Department of Wildlife (Department), stating he would display the coyotes to the public.«1» Subsequently, about twenty persons viewed the coyotes in Mierz's yard. In late 1990, the Department denied Mierz's permit application, finding that Mierz unlawfully kept wildlife. Mierz appealed the decision. Subsequent to the events in this case, the Director of the Department denied Mierz's appeal, noting his lack of training, and his failure to obtain a permit before collecting the coyotes. Clerk's Papers at 194, 201. Mierz apparently did not seek review of the Director's decision.
«1» RCW 77.32.010(2)(b) requires a permit for collection of wildlife for research or display.
home. After the television program, Krenz and Suda did not see the coyotes in Mierz's yard again until spring of 1991.
At his door, the Wildlife agents asked Mierz if he had a permit. He did not, but invited them in to see a Departmental letter permitting him to keep the coyotes and to telephone the Department in Olympia to verify that he had been told he could keep the coyotes while his appeal was pending. The agents found the letter was from Mierz's attorney, and could not reach any Department contact to verify Mierz's claim. Mierz then told them to leave the property, which they did.
From a neighbor's yard, the agents again told Mierz they did not need a warrant and again asked for his help in caging the coyotes, who were running loose in the yard with the two dogs. Mierz pretended to help by catching the coyotes, but started to put them in the house. Krenz told Mierz to put them in the kennel. Mierz did so, but locked the gate and threw away the key.
«2» The Wildlife agents did not obtain a warrant because they allegedly were told by a judge and prosecutor at the Aukeen District Court that a warrant was unnecessary as the coyotes were in "plain view." Clerk's Papers at 18; State v. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. 783, 786-87, 866 P.2d 65, 875 P.2d 1228 (1994).
Washington State Patrol officers arrived to assist. When Krenz tried to put Mierz in a car, Mierz bit Krenz on his hand. Suda went to the hospital. Another agent and the wildlife specialist took the coyotes to the wildlife center.
THE COURT: As I understand it, your defense to the two assault counts is predicated on the fact that he was defending property [i.e., the coyotes] that he was entitled to believe was his own, correct?
Is there any other defense that you're raising in regard to those two assault counts?
MR. DANKO: No, outside of the force used was reasonable.
Report of Proceedings at 41.
«3» Mierz's appellate counsel was not his counsel at trial.
«4» Mierz's theory was "color of title," i.e., that he had a legal right to protect the coyotes because he thought he could keep them while appealing the Department's denial of his request for a permit. Mierz's counsel stated that "[a]ll of Mr. Mierz's actions were intended to defend his property . . .. [He] asserts his self-defense claim based upon a good faith claim of title, i.e., possessory rights [in the coyotes] pursuant to his administrative law claim. Mierz had a legal right to possess and to protect the animals." Clerk's Papers at 40-42. See also Report of Proceedings at 5 (defense is "color of title" and "possessionary interest" in coyotes), 6 ("We're talking about one's protection of one's property"); 8 ("[Mierz's] resistance constitutes 'self-defense', i.e., the protection of property"); 9-10 (counsel concedes court had facts needed to decide applicability of "color of title" defense).
barred the argument that Mierz was entitled to use "selfdefense" to protect the coyotes«5» The court also barred mention during voir dire or opening argument that Mierz considered the arrest illegal, reserving its ruling on that issue.
A jury was impaneled, but after the wildlife specialist testified to the events at Mierz's home, Mierz's trial counsel informed the court that because of the court's pretrial rulings, Mierz wished to have a stipulated facts trial. The trial court verified on the record that Mierz understood that the court, not a jury, would determine the facts, and the State's findings of fact and conclusions of law were acceptable to Mierz. Report of Proceedings at 97105. Mierz waived the right to a jury in writing. Clerk's Papers at 65; Report of Proceedings at 102.
The facts to which Mierz, his trial counsel and the State stipulated were that (1) on July 16, 1991, Mierz had two animals identified as coyotes in his yard in Renton, King County; (2) that he lacked any permit; (3) that his appeal of the Department's denial of his request for a permit was pending; (4) that Mierz did not want the agents to remove the animals, and after "appearing to cooperate" with the agents, he padlocked the animals in a pen; (5) the agents responded by entering his backyard, Suda heard Mierz shouting, "attack, attack," and was bitten by one of Mierz's dogs, and Krenz was bitten by Mierz while subduing him; and (6) that the agents took custody of Mierz and removed the animals. Clerk's Papers at 211.
«5» Report of Proceedings at 55-58. The court's minute entry states: "State's motion to bar argument by defendant to the jury re: self-defense (arising from protection of property) . . . the Court finds color of title argument is not applicable to the defense of property claim; therefore, the State's motion to bar defendant from using self-defense argument is granted." Clerk's Papers at 50-51.
medical records of Suda's injury. Report of Proceedings at 103-05. After a recess to review the information, the trial court found Mierz guilty of one count of unlawful possession of wildlife and two counts of third degree assault. Report of Proceedings at 106-07.
Mierz subsequently obtained new counsel and moved for a new trial and to modify the findings. The trial court denied the motion for a new trial, but entered slight modifications of the findings. The Court of Appeals affirmed Mierz's convictions in State v. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. 783, 866 P.2d 65, 875 P.2d 1228 (1994). We affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals.
Mierz did not move below to suppress evidence he claims was illegally obtained as a result of the Wildlife agents' warrantless entry upon his property. He raised this issue for the first time on appeal. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. at 789. Mierz's failure to move to suppress evidence he contends was illegally gathered constitutes a waiver of any error associated with the admission of the evidence and the trial court properly considered the evidence. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. at 789.
Mierz next contends that he was deprived of due process when he was tried on stipulated facts without the protections afforded to those who plead guilty. CrR 4.2. He also argues that he never submitted a written waiver of his right to trial by jury. CrR 6.1. Both contentions lack merit.
First, the record plainly discloses that Mierz signed a written waiver of a jury trial. Clerk's Papers at 65.
evidence and made its own findings of fact. In State v. Johnson, 104 Wn.2d 338, 705 P.2d 773 (1985), we ruled that a stipulated facts trial is different from a guilty plea. A guilty plea obviates need for a trial. A stipulated facts trial is still a trial of the defendant's guilt or innocence. In a stipulated facts trial, the right to appeal is not lost. The burden of proof remains upon the State, and the defendant may offer evidence and cross-examine the State's witnesses. "[B]y the stipulation, [the defendant merely] agrees that what the State presents is what the witnesses would say." Johnson, 104 Wn.2d at 342. Because of these differences, the safeguards for guilty pleas under CrR 4.2 are not required in a stipulated facts trial.
The Court of Appeals found that the procedure here was a stipulated facts trial under Johnson because Mierz agreed to have the trial court decide the facts and the issue of guilt or innocence based upon stipulated evidence, and the court independently assessed the evidence and found Mierz guilty. Mierz, 72 Wn. App. at 795. We agree. The trial court specifically requested evidence supporting the proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law. The trial court received such evidence in the form of the Department's findings of fact in denying Mierz's permit appeal, and statements of several law enforcement officers as well as the civilian wildlife specialist. The trial court assessed this evidence and, based upon this evidence, found Mierz guilty as charged.
The fact that Mierz agreed to findings of fact prepared by the prosecutor after an adverse ruling is not problematic. In State v. Wiley, 26 Wn. App. 422, 426, 613 P.2d 549, review denied, 94 Wn.2d 1014 (1980), the court upheld a stipulated facts trial where the defendant lost a suppression motion and then stipulated to facts outlined by the prosecutor.
trial court asked for and considered independent evidence such as the statements of agents, the State Patrol and King County Police reports, medical records, and the wildlife specialist's testimony. In State v. Jacobson, 33 Wn. App. 529, 656 P.2d 1103 (1982), review denied, 99 Wn.2d 1010 (1983), the court upheld a stipulated facts trial where defense counsel made broad statements concerning guilt", because "the trial court did not treat the defendant's stipulation as a guilty plea" and the court "considered the police reports and statements before entering findings of fact and conclusions of law. This substantially distinguishes this case from the entry of a guilty plea." Jacobson, 33 Wn. App. at 534. Accordingly, the procedure here was a stipulated facts trial and CrR 4.2 was not implicated.
Mierz asserts that the trial court erred in granting the State's motion in limine to foreclose argument on selfdefense. Pet. for Review at 11-12. The record is clear that the only self-defense argument asserted below was defense of the coyotes.
«6» See nn. 4 and 5.
property. The trial court did not err in granting the State's motion.
[6, 7] Mierz contends that he did not receive effective assistance of counsel guaranteed in the federal and state constitutions. U.S. Const. amend. VI; Const. art. I, § 22 (amend. X). Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 686, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674 (1984). In Strickland, the Court established a two-part test for ineffective assistance of counsel. First, the defendant must show deficient performance. In this assessment, the appellate court will indulge in a strong presumption that the defendant was properly represented. State v. Lord, 117 Wn.2d 829, 883, 822 P.2d 177 (1991), cert. denied, 113 S. Ct. 164 (1992); State v. Thomas, 109 Wn.2d 222, 226, 743 P.2d 816 (1987); Strickland, 466 U.S. at 688-89. Deficient performance is not shown by matters that go to trial strategy or tactics. State v. Garrett, 124 Wn.2d 504, 520, 881 P.2d 185 (1994); State v. Mak, 105 Wn.2d 692, 718 P.2d 407, cert. denied, 479 U.S. 995 (1986). Second, the defendant must show prejudice -- "that counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable." Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687. This showing is made when there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's errors, the result of the trial would have been different. Thomas, 109 Wn.2d at 226. If either part of the test is not satisfied, the inquiry need go no further. Lord, 117 Wn.2d at 894; State v. Fredrick, 45 Wn. App. 916, 729 P.2d 56 (1986). Mierz does not meet the Strickland test as he has not shown prejudice.
Mierz claims that his attorney's failure to move to suppress the evidence obtained by the Wildlife agents' entry into the yard constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel. We disagree.
«7» There is no question of Fourth Amendment protection as to Mierz's illegal possession of the coyotes. Mierz has not challenged the court's findings that he possessed coyotes on July 16, 1991, without a permit.
«8» Without expressing a view on the analysis by the Court of Appeals on the scope of Fourth Amendment protection of curtilage, we note that a Fourth Amendment analysis of curtilage centers on whether the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy as to the place in question. Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347, 351, 88 S. Ct. 507, 19 L. Ed. 2d 576 (1967); United States v. Dunn, 480 U.S. 294, 301, 107 S. Ct. 1134, 94 L. Ed. 2d 326 (1987). See a/so State v. Niedergang, 43 Wn. App. 656, 660, 719 P.2d 576 (1987); State v. Ridgway, 57 Wn. App. 915, 917-19, 790 P.2d 1263 (1990) (area by door of hidden rural house part of curtilage); State i>. Solberg, 122 Wn.2d 688, 696-701, 861 P.2d 460 (1993) (no expectation of privacy in porch area open and visible to the public).
Moreover, we note that the Court of Appeals erroneously stated in its opinion at 792-93 that the Wildlife agents had no authority to arrest Mierz without a warrant. In fact, Wildlife agents have statutory authority to make warrantless searches, seizures, and arrest under certain circumstances. See RCW 77.12.101 (warrantless seizures of wildlife on probable cause); RCW 77.12.080 (warrantless arrests); RCW 77.12.090 (warrantless searches). RCW 77.12.095 authorizes warrantless inspections of places where wildlife is kept by permit. This State power over wildlife is extensive, albeit subject to constitutional provisions. Cook v State, 192 Wash. 602, 607-08, 74 P.2d 199 (1937).
«9» Such exceptions include exigent circumstances. State v. Terrovona, 105 Wn.2d 632, 644, 716 P.2d 295 (1986); a defendant's implied consent to a warrantless search by entering into a line of business subject to "a full arsenal of governmental regulation" that precludes any reasonable expectation of privacy in the premises or the stock of the business, Marshall v. Barlow's, Inc., 436 U.S. 307, 313, 98 S. Ct. 1816, 56 L. Ed. 2d 305 (1978); United States v. Biswell, 406 U.S. 311, 316, 92 S Ct. 1593, 1596, 32 L. Ed. 2d 87 (1972) (upholding warrantless seizure of shotguns); Colonnade Catering Corp. v. United States, 397 U.S. 72, 74, 90 S. Ct. 774, 777, 25 L. Ed. 2d 60 (1970) (seizure of liquor); Lesser v. Espy, 34 F.3d 1301 (7th Cir. 1994) (warrantless search of regulated rabbitry); and the open conduct of an illegal business. State v. Hasting, 119 Wn.2d 229, 232, 830 P.2d 658 (1992).
Instead, we agree with the Court of Appeals that the evidence of Mierz's assaultive behavior was properly admitted regardless of any alleged Fourth Amendment violation under the facts of this case. This view is consistent with the rule first articulated in State v. Hoffman, 116 Wn.2d 51, 804 P.2d 577 (1991), where a defendant shot a law enforcement officer in the back, and claimed a constitutional defect invalidated the officer's right to be on the property. The defendant claimed that he could not be convicted of aggravated first degree murder under RCW 10.95.020(1) because the officer was not engaged in "official duties." The Hoffman court determined that even an officer effecting an arrest without probable cause "may still be engaged in 'official duties', provided the officer is not on a frolic of his or her own, and the officer is entitled to be protected by the law from assault." Hoffman, 116 Wn.2d at 100. This court adopted a liberal view of "official duties" in Hoffman for purposes of charging a person with a crime. We see no reason to adopt a restrictive view of "official duties" in deciding whether to apply the exclusionary rule to Mierz's assaultive behavior.
«10» We do not decide whether the agents' conduct violated the privacy guaranty in article I, section 7 of the Washington Constitution ("[n]o person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, or his home invaded, without authority of law"), because Mierz provides no analysis and cites to no authority concerning that issue. See State v. Gunwall, 106 Wn.2d 54, 720 P.2d 808, 76 A.L.R.4th 517 (1986). The failure to engage in a Gunwall analysis in timely fashion precludes us from entertaining a state constitutional claim. State v. dark, 124 Wn.2d 90, 95, 875 P.2d 613 (1994).
exclusionary rule, because it is sufficiently distinguishable from any initial police illegality "to be purged of the primary taint" (quoting Wong Sun v. United States, 371 U.S. 471, 488, 83 S. Ct. 407, 9 L. Ed. 2d 441 (1963)). The court agreed that excluding such evidence would allow one whose home has been illegally entered to "respond with unlimited force and, under the exclusionary rule, . . . be effectively immunized from criminal responsibility." Aydelotte, 35 Wn. App. at 132 (quoting State v. Burger, 55 Or. App. 712, 716, 639 P.2d 706, 708 (1982)).
Even if one assumes the illegality of the entry there is no showing that the evidence sought to be suppressed is an "exploitation" of the primary illegality. There is no simplistic "but for" analysis that applies in this area of the law. United States v. Bacall, 443 F.2d 1050, 1057 (9th Cir.[), cert. denied, 403 U.S. 1004] (1971). These are not cases where the illegal entry leads to the seizure of evidence which produces an admission from a defendant . . .. Nor are they cases where the illegal entry gives an officer knowledge of prior or ongoing criminal activity and hence bars testimony as to such evidence. What is present here is simply an attempt to suppress evidence which is a result of allegedly wilful acts of misconduct by [defendants] whose provocation and perhaps ultimate defense may be found in the fact of the entry itself. The exclusionary rule does not reach that far.
Commonwealth v. Saia, 372 Mass. 53, 58, 360 N.E.2d 329, 332 (1977), quoted in State v. Aydelotte, 35 Wn. App. 125, 133, 665 P.2d 443 (1983).
had the citizen reached the gun and shot one of the officers. An identified law enforcement officer who oversteps constitutional bounds, without any threat of deadly harm to a defendant or exploitation of his or her position, should not have to pay the ultimate price. If suppression is proper in Apodaca or in Mierz's case, one day we would have to suppress evidence "where an officer is murdered." Mierz, 72 Wn. App. at 794.
Any benefit provided by exclusion of evidence in these cases comes at too high a price. Given the complexity and nuance of Fourth Amendment law, in many cases the law enforcement officer and the citizen may both have sincere or reasonable beliefs about the lawfulness of the entry or arrest. Encouraging citizens to test their beliefs through force simply returns us to a system of trial by combat. The proper location for dealing with such issues in a civilized society is in a court of law.
Here, even assuming the entry or arrest were not legal, the evidence of the assault did not arise due to exploitation of any unconstitutional entry or arrest. Mierz's commands to his dogs to attack persons known by him to be law officers was unjustifiable. There was no violence or threat of violence by the Wildlife agents before or at the time they entered the yard and arrested Mierz. They did not draw guns. They announced their purpose, gave Mierz several chances to prove he had permission for the coyotes, several times sought his help in safely caging the coyotes, and in general demonstrated a concern for order and safety. They did not enter the yard to arrest Mierz until he locked up the coyotes and threw away the key.
Mierz also contends that his lawyer's decision to agree to a trial on stipulated facts was ineffective assistance of counsel. We disagree.
A stipulation as to facts may represent a tactical decision which may or may not bear fruit. E.g., State v. Goodin, 67 Wn. App. 623, 633, 838 P.2d 135 (1992) (stipulation that the defendant's residence was within 1,000 feet of a school bus stop, allowing for enhancement of the sentence), review denied, 121 Wn.2d 1019 (1993); Wiley, 26 Wn. App. at 425-26. Under the Strickland standard, merely agreeing to a stipulated facts trial in this case was a tactical decision and was not in itself deficient or prejudicial.
Mierz argues that he was provided ineffective assistance of counsel when his counsel failed to prove his commands to his dogs were to protect himself from an unlawful threat to his person. As previously noted, Mierz's argument on the State's motion in limine focused exclusively on his alleged right to use force to defend the coyotes, which were not legally in his possession.
also State v. Rousseau, 40 Wn.2d 92, 94-95, 241 P.2d 447 (1952) (one may not resist arrest which merely threatens liberty with measures allowed to counter deadly force; force used must be "reasonable and proportioned to the injury attempted"); cf. State v. Counts, 99 Wn.2d 54, 61, 659 P.2d 1087 (1983) (arrestee who drew knife on officers who posed no threat of physical harm held entitled to argue self-defense). There was no evidence that Mierz was about to suffer serious physical injury when the agents entered the yard and arrested him. In the absence of such evidence, a self-defense theory fails.«11» State v. Janes, 121 Wn.2d 220, 237, 850 P.2d 495 (1993).
Under the Strickland standard, we cannot say that Mierz was denied effective assistance of counsel when his trial counsel did not argue self-defense. Mierz initiated the unnecessary violence in this encounter. Janes, 121 Wn.2d at 241. He has not offered facts that would demonstrate an imminent threat of serious physical harm.
«11» Although a defendant is entitled to an instruction on self-defense if any evidence of the threat of serious bodily injury is adduced. State v. Gogolin, 45 Wn. App. 640, 727 P.2d 683 (1986), a defendant must show evidence of a threat of serious bodily injury, rather than evidence that the defendant violently resisted an otherwise peaceful arrest.
Where conduct falls within the scope of two criminal statutes, the accused only may be charged under the more specific (or "special") statute and may not be charged under the more general statute. State v. Shriner, 101 Wn.2d 576, 580-81, 681 P.2d 237 (1984). RCW 9A.36.031(1)(a) is not a special statute relative to RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g), because subsection (g) is not violated in each instance where subsection (a) is violated. Indeed, a violation of subsection (a), which plainly could involve private citizens, would not be a violation of subsection (g), which protects only law enforcement officers and employees of law enforcement agencies. State v. Belleman, 70 Wn. App. 778, 784, 856 P.2d 403 (1993). Because subsection (a) is not a special statute relative to subsection (g), it was not error for the State to charge Mierz under subsection (g).
«12» The State contends that evidence of self-defense (of one's person) must always be barred in a prosecution under RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g). The State argues that in enacting this subsection in 1989, the Legislature intended to do away with the right of self-defense against an unlawful arrest so long as the officer was "performing his or her official duties." We assume, without deciding, that the Legislature did not intend to drastically limit the right of self-defense in RCW 9A.16.020(3), given Washington's strong policy on self-defense and the use of the term "assault" in subsection (g). Traditionally, self-defense is available in an assault situation. See, e.g., State v. Gogohn, 45 Wn. App. 640, 727 P.2d 683 (1986) (entitlement to self-defense instruction where there is "any" evidence tending to support the claim); State v. McCullum, 98 Wn.2d 484, 500, 656 P.2d 1064 (1983); State v. Acosta, 101 Wn.2d 612, 616, 683 P.2d 1069 (1984) (demonstrating the absence of self-defense is part of the State's burden); State v. Hornaday, 105 Wn.2d 120, 131, 713 P.2d 71 (1986) (reasonable, proportional force may be used to defend against illegal arrest threatening serious physical injury).
RCW 9A.36.031(1)(a) covers any arrest situation. Pet. for Review at 9. In Hoffman, we determined that the term "official duties" in the aggravated homicide statute encompassed conduct within the scope of the officer's employment, including authority to make an arrest. Hoffman is equally persuasive in the context of the thirddegree assault statute.
Mierz also claims that an officer is not performing "official duties" under subsection (g) when making an illegal arrest, citing State v. Little, 116 Wn.2d 488, 806 P.2d 749 (1991). Pet. for Review at 11. Little does not stand for such a proposition. Little, in fact, supports the view that if officers stop a person for investigative purposes, that person's flight from the officer may be punished as the obstruction of a public servant in the performance of duties under RCW 9A.76.020. Little, 116 Wn.2d at 496-97.
Mierz presents an overly restrictive definition of the term "official duties." We hold that "official duties" as used in RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g) encompass all aspects of a law enforcement officer's good faith performance of jobrelated duties, excluding conduct occurring when the officer is on a frolic of his or her own. Hoffman, 116 Wn.2d at 99-100. RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g) includes assaults upon law enforcement officers in the course of performing their official duties, even if making an illegal arrest. Mierz was properly charged under RCW 9A.36.031(1)(g).
«13» Earlier decisions refer to "game" where today's law refers to "wildlife." In 1990, the Legislature retitled the "game" code the "wildlife" code. Laws of 1990, ch. 84, § 1. In 1980, the Legislature substituted the term "wildlife" for "game" in a number of places, without intending a substantive change. RCW 77.04.010, as amended by Laws of 1955, ch. 36, § 77.04.010 and Laws of 1980, ch. 78, §§ 1, 2.
all species of the animal kingdom whose members exist in Washington in a wild state. This includes but is not limited to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. The term "wildlife" does not include, feral domestic mammals, [old world rats and mice], or . . . food fish or shellfish . . . .
Mierz argues that his "domesticated" coyotes were "feral domestic mammals," and not wildlife, under this definition. This argument suggests that while RCW 77.16.040 bars possession of wild coyotes, there is an exception for Mierz's coyotes because he caught them and took them to his home.
[14-16] Statutes are to be construed to effect their purposes, and to avoid an unlikely or strained consequence. Ski Acres, Inc. v. Kittitas County, 118 Wn.2d 852, 857, 827 P.2d 1000 (1992). A number of decisions broadly interpret various provisions of the wildlife laws so as to better protect wildlife.«14» Construing "feral domestic mammals" to include any animal reclaimed from the wild would defeat the purpose of the wildlife code to "preserve, protect, and perpetuate wildlife." RCW 77.12.010; Judd v. Bernard, 49 Wn.2d 619, 622, 304 P.2d 1046 (1956). We think it more likely, as the Court of Appeals did, that "feral domestic mammals" refers to individual members of domestic species such as cats or dogs that have run away, species which the wildlife code is not intended to protect.«15» Mierz, 72 Wn. App. at 799.
«14» Silz v. Hesterberg, 211 U.S. 31, 53 L. Ed. 75, 29 S. Ct. 10 (1908) (State prohibitions on possession apply to animals lawfully acquired in other states), quoted in Graves v. Dunlap, 87 Wash. 648, 657, 152 P. 532 (1915); State v. Walsh, 123 Wn.2d 741, 748, 870 P.2d 974 (1994) (defendants were engaged in a "hunt," though no animal was nearby, when they spotlighted and took aim at decoys); State v. Rhodes, 58 Wn. App. 913, 919-20, 795 P.2d 724 (1990).
«15» Our construction of "wildlife" to include recaptured wildlife is also mandated by precedent. At common law "all property right in animals ferae naturae [wild animals] was in the sovereign for the use and benefit of the people," Cawsey v. Brickey, 82 Wash. 653, 656, 144 P. 938 (1914). One who caught and confined a wild animal was entitled to possess the "reclaimed" animal as long as it was confined. Graves v. Dunlap, 87 Wash. 648, 652, 152 P. 532 (1915) (quoting 2 Thomas M. Cooley, Torts 838 (3d ed. 1906). But the right to reclaim and keep a wild animal was abrogated in 1913 when the fast game code was passed. Graves, 87 Wash. at 652-56.
ficulty in enforcing wildlife laws; individual "domesticated" members of a wild species would not be protected and could be possessed or taken with impunity. Wildlife agents would have to test the degree of domestication of a particular animal before concluding that the animal was wildlife. See Graves v. Dunlap, 87 Wash. 648, 657, 152 P. 532 (1915) (citing the "difficulty of determining whether a fowl killed and possessed during the closed season had been a reclaimed or wild bird"). This would be absurd. Wildlife agents must treat all members of wild species as wild. This is required to make the wildlife laws workable.
Mierz also claims the prohibition upon possession of wildlife as applied to him is unconstitutionally vague under City of Spokane v. Douglass, 115 Wn.2d 171, 178, 795 P.2d 693 (1990). We disagree. A person of ordinary intelligence would reasonably understand that taking coyotes from the wild and raising them at home with one's dogs violates a prohibition upon the possession of wildlife. This conclusion is bolstered by consideration of the context and history of our wildlife laws, practical difficulties of Mierz's alternative interpretation, and our history and common experience. Spokane, 115 Wn.2d at 180. Ordinary Washingtonians would not doubt that coyotes are wild animals.
In sum, all members of a wild species are wildlife, even if "tamed," and all members of a domestic species are not "wildlife," even if running wild. Just as a leopard cannot change its spots (.Jeremiah 13:23), Mierz could not convert the coyotes from wild to domestic animals.
wildlife. The Wildlife agents should have backed off and permitted Mierz to cool down before effecting an arrest, rather than forcing a violent confrontation.
We will not adopt a rule, as Mierz advocates, that permits citizens to claim a right of self-defense against law enforcement officials who are performing their duty in good faith and who do not place citizens in an imminent threat of serious bodily injury. Neither will we apply the exclusionary rule to bar admission of evidence of assaultive behavior against identified law enforcement officers who are performing their official duties and allegedly violate the Fourth Amendment. We will not condone violence against law enforcement officials.
It is a wise course, and the hallmark of our civilization, that the rule of law should prevail over needless confrontation.
The convictions of John Paul Mierz are affirmed.
DURHAM, C.J., DOLLIVER, SMITH, GUY, JOHNSON, MADSEN, and ALEXANDER, JJ., and UTTER, J. Pro Tern., concur. | 2019-04-22T04:29:08Z | http://courts.mrsc.org/supreme/127wn2d/127wn2d0460.htm |
Chin Human Rights Organization is an independent non-government organization which has been documenting human rights situations along Burma’s western regions of Chin State and adjacent areas inhibited by Chin indigenous people for over the past 10 years. CHRO is registered as a not for profit organization in Canada and maintains information collection centers in Mizoram and New Delhi of India and Bandarban of Bangladesh. CHRO publishes a bi-monthly human rights news letter Rhododendron News and maintains a website at www.chro.org. For the past several years, CHRO’s works have been widely covered in a number of human rights reports on Burma, including the ILO reports, the United States State Department country reports, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Special Rapportuer’s human rights reports on Burma/Myanmar.
We are pleased to submit the attached information on forced labor in Burma. Reports contained in this submission cover forced labor incidents in Chin State from the beginning of the year until July of 2005. Despite Burma’s State Peace and Development Council’s insistence that forced labor no longer exists, it is still a common practice in many parts of Burma, especially in more isolated areas. It is our hope that this submission will help provide the Committee of Experts valuable insights into the prevalent nature of forced labor practices in Burma’s western regions, especially in Chin State.
Orders for compulsory labor are not issued only by local army unit commanders. Many incidents of forced labor are a result of direct orders from Tactical Commands I and II, the highest authorities in Chin State, a clear indication that forced labor incidents occurring in Chin State are not isolated ones, but rather a systematic and widespread practice. This will counter persistent claims by Burma’s ruling military regime that the practice of forced labor has been outlawed in Burma and that those responsible for breaching the prohibition of the use of forced labor has been properly penalized in compliance with its obligations under International Labor Organization Convention 29.
Reported incidents of forced labor in Chin State have gone up in the past year and increased militarization is one key factor. The expansion of army presence in southern Chin State with the establishment of Tactical Command II is largely responsible for increased use of forced labor by the army. The ongoing construction of trans-national highway between India and Burma is also responsible for significant portion of forced labor incident. Many incidents of forced labor can be attributed to infrastructural development projects associated with the naming of two new Townships in Chin State, Rih Township and Ruazua Township. Forced labor is often intimately associated with extortion. While military authorities’ common practice is to directly order civilians to participate in designated work, in many instance, people indirectly engaged in forced labor to escape or avoid extortion by the army.
The forced labor reports compiled in this submission are documented by Chin Human Rights Organization since the beginning of this year. Reports otherwise credited come from Khonumthung News, an independent news organization operating out of India-Burma border, which has made valuable contributions to documenting human rights situations in Chin State. Also, it is to acknowledge that reports documented by CHRO is limited and that the actual incidents of force labor in Chin State are very likely to be higher than information we can collect.
Lastly, Chin Human Rights Organization is encouraged by the continued concerns expressed by the International Labor Organization in the matter of forced labor in Burma/Myanmar. In submitting this communication, we hope that the Committee of Experts would seriously look into the continuing concerns of widespread use of forced labor in Burma. Additionally, CHRO will be happy to respond to any queries the Committee of Experts may have regarding this submission.
Major Tin Moe, patrol column commander from Burma Army Infantry Battalion 304 (under Chin State’s Tactical Command No. 2 based in Matupi) temporarily stationed at Dar Ling village of southern Chin State’s Matupi Township requisitioned compulsory labor to build a new military post at Dar Ling village. More than one thousands civilians from 20 villages in the area have been working at the site since the first week of July, 2005.
The forced labor incident was reported to Chin Human Rights Organization by U Tin Maung, Chairman of the Village Peace and Development Council, Ngaiphaipi village of Thantlang Township.
Starting form 11 to16 July 2005, U Tin Maung and 50 of his villagers were forced to dig a 150-feet long drainage measuring 3 feet in width and 4 feet in depth.
Another 50 civilians and members of the Village PDC from Khuapi village were forced to supply 4,000 round bamboos. Each stick of the 4000 bamboos has to be 10 feet in length. The work to collect the bamboos lasted from 9 to 16 July, 2005.
From 16 to 21 July 2005, for a total of 5 days, 50 civilians and members of the Village PDC from Hlung Mang village (Matupi Township) were forced to dig trenches and bunkers for the army camp.
Civilians from Fartlang village (Thantlang Township) were compelled to supply 50 sticks of wood measuring 10 feet in length. Civilians from other villages engaged in other works such as fencing and building barracks, digging trenches and bunkers, and collecting woods and bamboos.
The work occurs on a daily basis and all workers are required to supply themselves with food and tools for the job. The work starts at 5:00 am in the morning and lasts until 6:30 in the evening. Workers are given breakfast break at 11:00 am and dinner at 7:00 p.m. The work was projected for completion in the month of July and workers are not exempt from working on Sundays, said U Ni Hmung, Chairman of the Village PDC from Khuapi village, Thantlang Township.
“The expansion of military establishment in our areas only brought hardship to the local people who rely on farming for our survival. Now that the new army camp is only 5 miles away from our village, it is predictable the kinds of hardship we will have to keep up with,” complained the Chairman of PDC from Hlung Mang village.
“The patrol column commander has already ordered us to raise chickens, pigs and other livestock. He might even call us for another round of forced labor. He said that we cannot ignore his order because it is our civic duty to comply with army orders. Many people from our village are already fed up with the perpetual forced labor and are contemplating to escape to Mizoram across the border,” he added.
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieutenant Win Zaw Oo from Light Infantry Battalion 289 based in the town of Paletwa in southern Chin State exacted forced labor from civilians living in an around Shinletwa village to renovate army camp stationed at the village. The work started on 16 July, 2005 and lasted until 19 July.
90 civilians from Salanpi, Saiha and Ma U villages were ordered to report themselves at the army camp one day prior to the day the work was to begin. All the forced laborers were ordered to bring with them their own tools and enough rations for five days. Workers were made to gather twigs and round bamboos needed to fence the army camp.
Lt. Win Aw Oo, in his requisition warned severe punishment for non-compliance with the order.
On 10 July, 2005, Battalion Commander Lt. Colonel Kan Maw Oo of the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 269 based in Tiddim Town of northern Chin State ordered residents living in villages across the Township to supply wood planks to construct a new Civil Hospital in the area.
Laitui village has more than 500 households. Each household was forced to supply 2 wood planks of 8'x6"x2" cubic feet. The planks are to be brought to the site of the new hospital by the first week of September. “Our family had to buy the mandatory 2 planks for 2500 Kyats out of our pocket,” explained a villager of Laitui.
Burma’s military junta started the construction of the new hospital in Tiddim early this year. The hospital is to accommodate 50 beds and two buildings are to be constructed. Civilian residents in the areas have been adversely affected by extortion of money and demands of wood planks as a result of the new hospital. Prisoners from hard labor camp in the area have also been extensively used for the hospital construction.
On 15 July 2005, commander of Lailenpi army camp Sergeant Tin Soe from Burma Army Infantry Battalion 305 based in Matupi, southern Chin State, forced underage primary school children to carry army rations and supplies. U Hla Oo, Secretary of the Village PDC of Mala village reported the incident to Chin Human Rights Organization.
The army rations were on their way to Laienpi camp from Sabawngte army camp. Civilians from villages along the route were forced to carry the rations from one village to the next. But when the supplies reached the village of Mala, most villagers were out working in their farms and the supplies had to be left there overnight because there were no adult persons in the village to carry the loads on to the next village.
Arriving in the village the next day, Sergeant Tin Soe and his troops immediately summoned U Hla Oo, Secretary of the Village PDC and demanded explanations why the rations were still in the village. Sergeant Tin Soe punched him in the face and demanded that U Hla Oo arrange for 18 persons to carry the supply loads within one hour.
The Sergeant dismissed U Hla Oo’s explanation and pleas to have the supplies transported as soon as the villagers arrived back in the village from their farms. Unsatisfied, Sergeant Tin Soe slapped him in the face and said that he will find people to carry the loads himself. Searching for people, he found 10 primary children and 5 government servants and forced them to carry the supplies.
Half way through the journey, two of the youngest children became too exhausted to carry on any longer. Fortunately, they met with 5 Lailenpi villagers making their way back from Mizoram to buy household goods. The five villagers then had to substitute the 10 boys.
The ration loads carried by the ten boys included 10 tins of rice, 10 bottles of cooking oil, 10 viss (15 kgs) of fish paste and 5 viss of dried chili. They traveled a 12-mile distance before being substituted by the 5 villagers.
On 10 June, 2005, Company commander Captain Myo Nwe from Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 289 stationed at Shinletwa Village of Paletwa Township, southern Chin State sold off more than 10,000 round bamboos he collected from 9 villages in the area to buyers in Sittwe (Ayekyap). All proceeds were kept for his personal benefit.
During the last week of May, Capt. Myo Nwe summoned a meeting of Village PDC Chairmen from the 9 villages at Shinletwa army camp where he ordered each village to bring him designated amount of round bamboos at the latest by June 5, 2005.
Salaipi Village = 1,000, Ma U Village =1,500, Saiha Village = 1,800, Pamu Village = 2,000, Da Thwe Village = 1,500, Khung Ywa Village = 1,000, Shwe Letwa Village = 1,500, Mara Hla Village = 2,000 and Pa Thein Village = 1,500 round bamboos.
Company Commander Major Mhu Win, stationed at Tibual camp from Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 268 (Battalion based in Falam Town) requisitioned sands from 30 villages in Falam Township to renovate an army camp at Tibual village. Beginning in the first week of June, 2005, each of the 30 villages was ordered to send in 10 tins of sand.
In his order, Major Mhu Win set the deadline for each village to bring in the sand at the end of July and warned that any village that didn’t meet the deadline would face severe penalty. As a result, some villages were compelled to gather sands from Tio river (A river dividing international boundary between India and Burma), a distance of three days travel by walking. Civilians from these villagers had to transport the sands on horseback. Villages whose communities were too far off from Tio river had to buy the sand for 1000 Kyats per tin from communities that are closer to the sandbank at Tio river.
In a similar incident, on May 5, 2005, Chin villagers were forced to contribute 1 tin of sand per household to construct a Buddhist pagoda at Sabawngte village.
(1)Tah Tlang, (2)Thing Hual, (3)Tikhuang tum, (4)Tlangkhua, (5)Aibuk, (6)Leilet, (7)Sing Ai, (8)Zawngte, (9)Thing Cang, (10)Phung Zung, (11)Khaw Lung, (12)Bawm Ba, (13)Tiah Dai, (14)Lung Tan, (15)Zan Mual, (16)Da te ti, (17) Hmawng kawn, (18)Khaw Thlir, (19)Phun te, (20)Sa ek, (21)Sial lam, (22)cawng hawih, (23)Khua mual, (24)Hmun luah, (25)cawh te, (26)Lian hna thar, (27)Lian hna hlun, (28)Hai heng, (29)Khuang Lung, (30)Lung Dar Village.
U Sai Maung, Chairman of the Township Peace and Development Council for Tiddim Township issued an order requiring Tiddim residents to participate in compulsory labor to work at government’s tea plantation. Workers included ordinary civilians, students and government servants. They are expected to contribute labor for government’s tea plantation once every month beginning early this year.
Each governmental department in Tiddim administrative center was assigned one acre of tea plantation. Government employees from these departments are required to plant tea, pluck off weeds, gather twigs, and roof plantation beds. Supervised by local village PDC Chairmen, those failing to show up for work were fined 500 Kyats for each absence.
On paper, Light Infantry Battalion 268 based in the town was also expected to work at the plantation. However, the Battalion warded off responsibility by forcing civilians to work on their behalf. A civilian who was forced to burden off the army’s work testified to Chin Human Rights Organization.
The Township authorities gave orders to teachers working at schools in Tiddim to instruct their students to collect manures. According to the order, each student is required to bring in one Viss of manure (about 1 ½ Kgs) to the Township PDC office on a designated deadline each month.
The State Peace and Development Council arbitrarily designated Chin State as a tea plantation area in 2002. With the slogan of “Chin State Shall Become a State of Tea Abundance,” the military regime has been forcing local people to work in the project. The tea plantation in this area is located at two miles from Tiddim Town.
Aizawl: Residents of Hakha town, Chin State’s capital were forced to construct a new government high school, Basic Education High School No. 3, by Colonel Tin Hla, Chief of Tactical Command No.1, the highest ranking military officer stationed in Chin State. Local residents had to contribute free labor starting from February 2005, despite the fact that there is a 400 million Kyat allocated for the construction project.
Every household from all localities were compelled to carry construction materials such as sand, bricks and woods, with an outstanding order of a one thousand Kyat fine for households that couldn’t afford to participate in the forced labor.
Local headman of Pyidawtha block U Kyi Han and one sergeant from Light Infantry Battalion 266 supervised the construction project.
A local construction engineer by the name of Sui Kio was appointed for the construction of the school but till today he and laborers were not paid for their services properly by Colonel Tin Hla.
Aizawl : The residents of Satu village, Matupi Township, Southern Chin state were forced to carry supplies/rations for the construction of a new military camp in Satu village.
"We seldom experienced this kind of forced labor in our village but since we heard about the new military camp coming to our village we experience such sort of labor everyday," said a villager from Satu village.
The village headmen never informed Satu villagers for the duration of the labor or the quantity of rice to be provided or transport to the army. Furthermore, one person from every household have to carry supplies for a distance of 20 miles from Bawi Ring village to Satu village, our source reports.
"We, the residences of Satu village, were ordered to provide 38 tins of rice to the army with a promise to be excused from transporting the military ration. Our village provided the 38 tins of rice but the army failed in keeping their promise," complained a villager of Satu.
Second warrant officer, Kyaw Sein, posted as Chief In-charge of Lailenpi village from Light Infantry Battalion-140 allegedly forced the Satu villagers to transport rations, being supplied from Matupi town.
"The supplies are collected from Hnawte village and passes through Dai Hnan village, Bawi Ring village and finally to Satu village. All the supplies/rations have been collected in Satu village but it is not known, when the construction of military stations will be initiated," said a trader who is currently at the border area.
Meanwhile, the villagers of Lei Sin village are occasionally engaged in this forced labor of military supplies transportation and in the construction of the new military camps, our source reports.
Since 2003, besides the expansion of Light Infantry Battalions-140 and 204 stations in Matupi town, and Light Infantry Battalion-89 of Falam town, construction of various new military stations have been initiated in the villages along the Indo-Burma border.
SPDC authority in Chin state capital have been using prisoners from two hard-labor camps from Haka township for construction of Civil hospital in Haka the capital of Chin state. About 100 hard labor prisoners from Khuathar block of Haka town and 120 prisoners from Zokhua hard-labor prisoner camp have been deploy by the SPDC in the construction since January 2005.
The prisoners have to work from 8 AM to 5 PM daily. Since the authority does not feed them well, some prisoners run away from the labor site and steal from the town residents. In April of 2005, a woman from Haka town was killed and looted her jewelry such as necklace, earring and rings. Even though the authority could not make any arrest on the culprit of the crime, the town people believes that the crime must be committed by the runaway hard-labor prisoners.
Reports said that construction of the 400 bed civil hospital is part of government project implemented by the ruling military junta called State Peace and Development Council. The project of the hospital building seems well funded by the government. However, Colonel Tin Hla, commander of Burmese army tactical one commander has demanded every family from Haka town to contribute 800/-Kyats for the construction.
Aizawl: About 600 people from 20 villages from southern Chin state were forced to construct a motor road connecting Lungngo - Lotaw, Lungngo - Tingsi village. The forced labor is carried out accordance with the direct order from Colonel San Aung, commander of Burma army tactical II based at Matupi.
Lungngo and Lotaw is 20 miles in distance and Lungngo and Tingsi is about 19 miles.
The forced labor started during the first week of May, and is still continue on the day of this report. Forced laborers were strictly guarded by Captain Htun Myint Maung and his company from Burma army Light Infantry Battalion 140.
According to one of the villagers who witness the working condition report to CHRO that; “the working condition was miserable. They were not even allowed for a day off on Sunday to conduct worship service. As all of the forced laborers are Christians, they expect to get a day off on Sunday, but the Burmese army would not allow them”.
The army compels the forced laborers to complete at least 200 feet per day. Even though the army provided one bulldozer for the construction, it never was working because there was no diesel to run the machine.
The forced laborers have to bring their own food, tools and medicine at the work site.
CHRO source added "The forced laborers manage their own food and tools. Donations were collected from the government servants and the Christian pastors and mission workers, who were exempted from the road construction, in that way vegetable and food were bought with the donation.
“It is weird that the Burmese soldiers who guarded us have demanded food and vegetable from the laborers” said the villager.
Villages who are engage in construction of Lungngo and Lotaw are; Lungngo, Senpi, Balei, Voti, Kelong, Tuphei, Lawngdaw, Nabung, Ranti, Darcung, Khuaboi, Cangceh (Sancet), Suitawng, Daidin, Dinkhua villages while the road between Lungngo and Tingsi is constructed by Tingsi, Tilat, Longka, Theisi, Lungring villages.
Aizawl : Deputy Battalion Commander Major Hla Myint of Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 140 stationed at Sabawngte village, Matupi Township, Southern Chin State issued an order demanding every household in the village and surrounding areas to “contribute” one tin of sand for construction of a new Buddhist monastery, a local resident reported.
The monastery is set to be built inside the compound of army camp and a Buddhist monk has already arrived at the camp to occupy the monastery once completed. The order to demand sand from villagers came out as soon as the monk arrived at Sabawngte village, the villager said.
“As of now villagers are busy gathering sand from riverbanks and nearby streams to have one tin of sand ready for every household to give to the army. But for residents of Hlung Mang village, they have been asked to ‘donate’ 25 bags of cement since they are closest to Mizoram of India,” he explained.
Buddhist monasteries and shrines are increasing throughout State while the SPDC is prohibiting the construction of Christian Churches and unlawfully destroying Chins Christian crosses erected on different top of the mountains and hills. Moreover, the people of Chin state are still being forced to contribute money and labor for the construction of Buddhist monasteries and shrines.
Seven villages in Matupi Township of Southern Chin State were involved in a forced labor to construct a road between Matupi-Answe-Madu. The forced labor order came from U Soe Nyuntt, Chairman of Matupi Township Peace and Development Council. The work began in the first week of January and civilians from Answe, Madu, Saton, Pantui, Lungpan, Lingtui, Rung and Rohtlang villages were involved in the unpaid labor.
Pu Palai (name changed), one of the forced laborers from Lungpan village said his community tremendously suffered as a result of the forced labor.
“Nine villages, including ours received the order for forced labor on December 15, 2004. Since December is the month of harvesting crops, we pleaded with the local SPDC Chairman to allow us to harvest our crops first. But he told us that it was beyond his power to alter the order and referred us to Lieutenant Colonel San Aung. Only after we gave 100,000 Kyats in bribe, did the Lt. Colonel agreed to harvest our crops and postponed the road construction to the first week of January 2005,” Pu Palai explained.
A budget of 8 million Kyats was sanctioned on paper for the road construction but it was never used. Instead, villagers in surrounding areas were forced to construct the road without pay.
Supervised by Deputy Commander of Infantry Battalion 305 based in Matupi, the work started on January 5, 2005 and lasted until January 26. Pu Palai said there were 59 people from his village tract alone, including four girls under the age of 18. Ten families were unable to send laborers and they were forced to pay money to cover some of the cost for foods and other things.
“We were divided into groups and some of the groups did not have enough food supplies during the work, which lasted more than three weeks. Each group had to dig one third of a mile long of land and everybody had to supply themselves with food and rations during the work,” Pu Palai explained.
Lieutenant Colonel San Aung, Chief of Tactical Command No. 2 based in Matupi town of southern Chin State ordered Matupi residents to “donate” 70 tins of gravel per household for building roads in the town.
In addition, to build a highway between Matupi and Madu, Lt. Colonel San Aung demanded 4500 Kyats from every household, a local resident told Chin Human Rights Organization.
The order to “donate” 70 tins of gravel did not exempt even widows, elderly and handicapped people. Since it is difficult to find enough rocks to make gravels, the entire town, about 800 households, is working day and night to meet their quotas.
A memo submitted by local authorities to Colonel Tin Hla, Chief of Tactical Command No. 1 for Chin State based in Hakha, indicated that 10 million Kyats was officially sanctioned for the road construction through the Public Work Department.
However, the money was never used for the purpose and civilians were forced to engage in “voluntary labor” for construction of the road.
One person per household from Hmawngtlang, Phai Khua, Letak(A), Letak(B), Leitak(C) and Aibur villages were ordered to participate in the work starting from the second week of January, 2005. Each person was assigned to dig 20 feet of land and 20 women were among 250 laborers. The women served as cooks for other laborers and foods and rations had to be supplied entirely by local churches.
Burmese soldiers and police patrols in Chin State are routinely involved in extortion of money from cross-border traders, one cattle trader told Chin Human Rights Organization. On March 18, 2005, four policemen extorted 100,000 Kyats from a trader who was trying to sell 30 cows to Mizoram of India. The same policemen also collected 80,000 Kyats in illegal tax from another cattle trader for 11 cows. The victim was from Daidin village of Gangaw Township, Magwe Division.
On March 20, 2005, a platoon consisting of twelve Burmese soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 268 collected 400,000 Kyats in illegal tax from another trader shipping 90 cows to India.
One trader who recently had his money squeezed by the Burmese army on his way to India explained his situations.
Extortion of cross-border traders by Burmese soldiers has steadily intensified since 1995. On March 15, 2005, Colonel Tin Hla, Chief of Tactical Command No. 1 issued a decree criminalizing the selling of cattle to India. The penalty includes incarceration and time at hard labor camp.
Lieutenant Colonel San Aung, Chief of Tactical Command No. 2 based in Matupi town of southern Chin State unlawfully seized and destroyed the house of Pa Lian Thang and Daw Hlan Zing. Pa Lian Thang is the Assistant Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) for Matupi Township.
The local NLD leader, now joined in India by his family, fled his native town Matupi to escape arrest by military authorities in July of 2003. After Pa Lian Thang’s escape to India, his family was constantly harassed, interrogated and intimidated by Burmese soldiers. His family home was demolished by order of Lt. Colonel San Aung, leaving Pa Lian Thang’s wife and children homeless.
Pa Lian Thang’s wife testified to Chin Human Rights Organization that their demolished home and its compound had been confiscated by the army. According to her, their two-storied home was worth 8 million Kyats in current market rate. She said half of their home compound was taken for a military intelligence office and another half for a Buddhist monastery.
Pa Lian Thang and the entire local NLD leadership were sought for arrest by military intelligence for their active role in welcoming Aung San Suu Kyi in their town in April of 2003. More than a dozen NLD members fled to India and at least two people were arrested and sentenced for 11 years with hard labor.
20 villages, most of whose populations are Christians from Shinletwa village tract of Paletwa Township, of Southern Chin State were forced to contribute money and labor for construction of Buddhist Monastery near Shinletwa army camp by the Burmese Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 354.
Lieutenant Thein Lwin, Shinletwa army camp commander of Burmese army LIB 354 forcibly collected 5,000 Kyats per household from 20 villages in the area according to the local man who prefers to remain anonimity in fear of retaliation from the Burmese army. The Lieutenant said that the money they have collected from Chin Christians villagers is going to be used to pay for the transportation cost of the cement from Paletwa town to Shinletwa village for construction of a Buddhist monastery near the army camp.
Every village headman from the area was ordered to collect the money and present it to Shinletwa Army Camp commander no later than January 15, 2005.
As the Burmese army camp is going to be vacated for the Monastery, villagers are forced to contribute their labor for relocation of the army camp. Starting from January 15, 2005 one person per every household must participate in relocation of the Army camp.
However, two village tracts, Pathiantlang and Para were demanded to contribute money instead of labor: 70,000/- Kyats for Pathiantlang village tract and 50,000/- Kyats for Para village tract respectively.
The local man explained “It is very unusual that Christian Cross, building and even graveyard are forcibly occupied and destroyed by the Burmese army whenever they wanted to construct their camp. But now, the Burmese army is relocating their camp for the Buddhist Monastery”.
Residents of Leilet and Siallam villages near India-Burma border were compelled to take emergency militia training by Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 268 based in Falam town of northern Chin State. The one-week training commenced on January 3, 2005 and was conducted by Captain Thawng Lian and his platoon from LIB 268.
Aside from the militia training, Lieutenant Colonel Win Bo, Battalion Commander of LIB 268 had placed a demand on the headman of Leilet village requiring him to select 4 able young men from his village to serve as soldiers in the Burma army. The news of conscription had many young people worried that many high school students studying at Falam Town did not dare to go home to Leilet village for Christmas holidays.
“The Burmese (Army) said that Chin villagers must take the militia training in order to be able to defend ourselves when the “terrorist” come to the village,” explained a local man in the area. “In fact the Burmese (Army) are the real terrorist, they dictate every movement of innocent villagers, but what can we do? They have the gun and power,” he complained.
[CHRO’s Note: In Chin state people make their living as slash and burn farmers. This kind of cultivation needs timely slashing, burning and cultivation of the farmland otherwise it can effect the whole farming procedure, and that could greatly affect the livelihood of the farmer for the whole year. In recent years, the SPDC is issuing an order prohibiting Chin farmers from practicing their traditional method of farming.
All village headmen from Paletwa Township in Southern Chin State were summoned for a meeting by the Township Forestry Department head U Thein Kyaw in December last week 2004. In the meeting, U Thein Kyaw told the villages’ headmen that no one is allowed to slash the forest for farming.
He coerced the villages’ headmen into signing a paper saying that they agreed not to slash the forest for farming. The agreement paper mentioned that those who broke the order must be properly fined.
“The order is totally unjust knowing that without slashing the farmland we can not grow anything. This is our ancestral land and we have been doing slash and burn cultivation system since time immemorial. Prohibiting slashing the farmland without providing us with any other alternative is totally unfair,” complained one village headmen to CHRO’s field monitor.
“We slashed our farmland anyway, and we are prepared to pay the price for it. We have collected 2,000/-Kyats each from every household, and with that money we are going to bribe the Burmese authority” he further explained.
Usually the farmland had to be slashed by January and burnt by March. However, due to the order, the farmers can barely start slashing their farmland in February and that will delay burning of the farm.
“If the rain comes early, we will not be able to burn our farmland and that will result in famine in the whole region,” said the village headman.
Last year, the Burmese authority issued the same order, not to slash the farmland, but we were allowed to slash the farmland after every household paid 500/-Kyats each to the authority.
In a similar incident, farmers from Matupi township of Southern Chins state were allowed to slash their farmland only after the farmers bribed more than 200,000/- Kyats to Burma Army Tactical 2 Commander, Colonel San Aung.
The farmland between Matupi and Phanai village were to be slashed for farming in 2005-2006. However, Colonel San Aung of Burma Army Tactical 2 Commander issued an order saying that no one is allowed to slash the farmland because the area was a designated land for the Burma army.
Thus, villagers collect 500/- Kyats each household and approached the Colonel to allow them slashing the farmland. The Colonel refused the bribe money. Then, the villagers collected 1,000/- Kyats more per every household and approached the Colonel a gain. Only then, Phanai villagers were allowed to slash their farmland.
“We are humiliated and badly treated by the Burmese (army). What a shame! We can’t even cultivate freely on our own ancestral land” complained the local man.
According to one local man whose name is withheld for security reason, the Burmese military government known as State Peace and Development Council SPDC is still using forced labor in Chin state.
In accordance with the order issued by Thantlang Township Police Chief on December 15, 2004, villagers from Hmawngtlang area were compelled to repair Hmawngtlang police camp. The work involved digging trenches and repairing a 2000-meter long fence.
About 400 villagers from Hmanwgtlang, Leitak (a), (b) and (c), Congthia, Phaikhua, Aibur had to pack their own food and tools to engage in forced labor for two days repairing the police camp.
“This is not the only time people are forced to construct and repair the police camp, it is a yearly routine” said the local man.
In another incident, Burma Army Tactical commander Colonel Tin Hla on December 6, 2004 issued an order forcing residents of 9 villages to repair a road connecting Tibual village and Rih Town. The order was implemented by Rih Township Administration Officer Mya Win.
About 350 people, including men, women and children and elderly, were compeledl to engage in the labor for about 1 week. Villages that participated in the forced labor are; Tibual, Satawm, Sialam, Thingcang, Saek, Phunte, Khuahlir, Rih khuathar, Rih khuahlun.
In accordance with the order issued by Colonel Tin Hla of Burma Army Chin State Tactical No. 1 Commander, 17 villages from Rih township were forced to engage in construction of Rih Hospital quarters from November 22 to December 10, 2004.
One person from every household has to pack his/her own food and tools for the job. The work involved digging the ground and producing bricks for construction of the buildings. One local man who participated in the forced labor informed CHRO that a Lieutenant from Burmese army was assigned to supervise the forced laborers. The Lieutenant was constantly yelling at the villagers throughout the course of their work.
“Most of the time we have to engage in forced labor. It never cease, we are just waiting for one order to another. We do not have time to work at our farms,” said the villager who prefers to remain anonymous.
The villages engage in forced labor are; Tibual, Satawm, Siallam, Thingcang, Saek, Phunte, Khuahlir, Rih khuathar, Rihkhuahlun, Cawnghoih, Lianhna(A), Lianhna (B), Haiheng, Cawhte, Hmunlawh and Ticirh.
Rih village, which is situated at India-Burma border trade route, was granted township headquarters status by the SPDC in 2002. Ever since Rih was granted that status, the surrounding villages were constantly forced to work at government project such as road construction, and other development infrastructure.
An order issued by Lieutenant Colonel Myint Tun, commander of Burma army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 266 based at Rih, forced 150 people from Rih town to work as tea plantation farm from January 3 to 6, 2005.
The local man who participated at the forced labor told CHRO that the Burmese army has divided forced laborers into two groups. The first group starts their work from 7 AM to noon. And then, the second group continued the work from noon to 5 PM.
“As usual, we have to bring our own food and tools to work for the army. But this time, students were exempted from forced labor,” said the local man.
He said that farmers did not produce enough food to eat due to extensive forced labor and bad weather in the past harvest season, and has greatly affected their livelihood.
In Tiddim Township, township Peace and Development chairman U Sai Maung Lu and Burma army LIB 269 Battalion commander Colonel Kan Maw Oo have forced people from Luaibual block to work at tea plantation farm.
Everyone, including government employees and students, was compelled to work at the plantation.
Four years ago, the then North Western Command Commander Lt. Gen. Soe Win (now Prime Minister of SPDC) has proclaimed that the government (SPDC) will transform Chin state into tea plantation farm. Thus, tea plantation project was implemented with forced labor in every township of Chin state. So far, the project is a failure.
The village headman of Ruava village from Rezua township in Chin state was terrify by unusual order he received from Major Khin Maung Cho, Company commander of Burma army LIB 274.
On August 10, the headman received a letter with G3 bullet from Major Khin Maung Cho saying that he must send 14 porters to Rezua army camp no later than 11 August. The order further threatened that there will be a consequence if he fails to obey the order.
Being terrified by the order that comes with a bullet, the headman and the village elders arrange 14 porters, accompanied by one of the village elders, and send them to Rezua army camp the next day.
The Major demanded 2 more porters on August 12. Thus, two porters and the headman himself went to the army camp as soon as they got the order. They all were kept at the army camp till 16 August. After a several days of waiting to serve as porter in the army camp, the Major told them that he does not want the porters any more since the trip was cancel and he will call them whenever he want.
Since Ruava villager is located near the Burmese army camp, they have been consistently forced to work such as repairing the army camp, and to serve as porters. At the time of this report, Burma army demanded 2000/-Kyats and 10 chickens from the village for unknown reason.
11 villages surrounding Sabawngte area were summoned to repair the army camp by the order of 2nd Lieutenant Htun Kyaw, Company commander in-charge at Sabawngte army camp, Burma army LIB 274. According to the order, every village must provide 1000 bamboo poles and a chicken without fail.
The villagers have no other choice but to obey the unfair order, and thus they pack their own food and tools to work as forced laborers for the army. It took three days (from August 24 to 26, 2004) each for every village to cut 1000 bamboo poles in the forest and transport it to the army camp.
The name of the 11 villages are; 1. Ngaphaipi, 2. Fartlang, 3. Khuapilu, 4. La-U, 5. Darling, 6. Ruamang, 7. Sapaw, 8. Tawnglalung, 9. Sabawngpi, 10. Sabawngte, 11. Hlungmang.
In another incident, 15 villages from Rezua township were forced to construct a new Burmese army camp for Company base at Rezua town. The (oral) order issued by Major Khin Maung Cho of Burma army LIB 274 on August 10, 2004 demanded that one person per household from Rezua and surrounding 15 villages must contribute their labor to construct a newly extended army company base.
According to Pu Khua Do, who participated at the forced labor, his village is 12 miles away from the army camp. They brought 200 bamboo poles and 10 chickens for the army when they come to work as forced laborers. They work at the army camp from 16 to 19 August for four days digging trench, building barrack and sharpening bamboo. The army did not provide tools, food or any thing. The villagers bring their own food and tools to while working for the army.
Pu Khua Do said that another villagers from Lekhan, which is 7 miles away from Rezua were also working at the time. The army demanded at least 50 people from Lekhan village but only 30 people could show up because Lekhan village is too small and could not manage to contribute 50 people to work at the army camp. There are several woman among the forced laborers said Pu Khua Do.
A group of Burma army led by Captain Myo Min Naing of Burma army LIB 274 was preparing to station at Sabawngte camp on July 24, 2004. The troops requested 70 porters to carry their ration and ammunitions. They just drag whoever they find in the village to serve as porter. Among the porters were 21 high school students including several girls.
The students had to carry army ration and ammunition from Sabawngpi village to Sabawngte army camp. Since the load they carried were too heavy and they have to walk overnight, the students were too exhaust and some of them could not make their class for the following week.
On the previous day on July 23, 67 villagers from Lailenpi village were forced to carry the army ration and ammunition from Lailenpi village to Sabawngpi village by the same Burmese troop.
17 villages in Matupi township from Southern Chin state were ordered to supply 200 cubic wood-plank per village to build teachers quarter at Leisen government middle school. The order was issued by Leisen village middle school headmaster U Cang Toi in the month of April with the approval made by Colonel San Aung of Burma army No. 2 tactical commander based in Matupi town of Chin state.
The order mentioned that every village must submit their quota to Leisen middle school before the end of July and those who fail to comply the order will face severe punishment from the authority. Thus, villagers have hired laborers to saw the wood. Since many villages have no car or cart road, the villagers have to carry the wood on their shoulders from their respective villages to Leisen middle school which is several miles away.
When Colonel San Aung visited Leisen village, he told the villagers that the government will supply nails and zinc for the roof of the school and the rest must be contributed by the surrounding villages.
The villagers are routinely summoned to work at the farm of Leisen government middle school headmaster. Since the teachers, like all other government servants, did not get sufficient salary from the government, they have to find any possible means for their survival.
1. Leisen, 2. Valangte, 3. Koela, 4. Vangkai, 5. Cangtak, 6. Thiboei, 7. Leiring, 8. Bunghung, 9. Khobal, 10. Thangping, 11. Anthaw, 12. Luivang, 13. Boiring, 14. Daihnan, 15. Khohung, 16. Vamaw, 17. Lalui.
Ever since Rih, a small town at India-Burma border trade route, was granted township headquarters status a year a go, the surrounding villagers have been endlessly forced to contribute their labor to implement various government projects by the authority of the ruling Burmese military regime known as State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
Pu M…….(name withheld for security reason) one of the village council members from Khawthlir village complains that 15 surrounding villages have been forced to engage with construction of road and other infrastructure such as hospital, school etc. from mid 2003 to August 2004 accordance with the order issued by U Mya Win, the newly established Rih town administrator in northern Chin state.
Whenever the authority asked for forced labor, one person per household have to pack his/her own food and tools to work as forced laborer.
“Even though we heard that the government has sanction about 20 millions Kyats for construction of this new town project, the villagers never get paid for what they have done” said one of the villages council members from Khawthlir village.
The most recent forced labor lasted more than a week starting from July 12, 2004 to July 18, 2004 including Sunday. The order was issued by Major Maung Myint of Light Infantry Battalion 269. One person per house hold from 15 villages has to contribute their labor to repair India-Burma border trade route between the two villages Haimual and Lentlang. The villagers who are engage in forced labor were not even allowed to go to Church on Sunday July 18.
Rih Khuathar, Rih Khuahlun, Tio, Khawthlir, Phunte, Thingcang, Saek, Sianlam, Cawnghawih, Khuamual, Hmunluah, Cawhte, Lianhna thar, Lianhna hlun, Haiheng.
In another incident at Tiddim township in northern Chin state, Burma army Light Infantry Battalion 267 forced villagers along the road from Tiddim to India border including Laitui village, which consist more than 500 household were forced to work in road repair for more than a month. One person per household have to bring his/her own food and tools to work as forced laborer.
Those who fail to complete their quota have to pay 4,800 kyats to the authority.
Pu M further told CHRO that whenever a column of Burmese army is traveling around the villages along Indo-Burma border trade route, they never bring their own ration and villagers must supply them with whatever they demanded. The Burmese soldiers take whatever they want from the villagers. They didn’t spare chickens, pigs or vegetables from the farm and they drag villagers as porters whenever they want.
Border trade agreement was signed by the two trade ministers of Burma and India in 1995.
The newly established border town Rih residence has been forced to construct streets in the town accordance with the order issued by Colonel Tin Hla, commander of the first tactical command of Burma army in Chin state on July 3, 2004. The order was implemented by township administrator U Mya Win office.
The authority ordered residences of Rih town to take responsibility for laying concretes in the town’s major streets. According to local source, every household have to complete their quota, which is to lay concrete on the street 10 foot wide and 6 foot long, before August 10, 2004.
“It is a grueling job for the town residents” said one of the village council members from nearby village Khawthlir. At the first step, villagers have to carry stones from the nearby stream to lay on the bottom of the street. After that, they have to lay gravel on it and then pour sands over and at the final stage lay the concrete.
It is likely that the town residents will not be able to finish their respective quota before the deadline as most of them have only completed the first step by the time of this report.
Similarly, residents of Teddim town in northern Chin state are compel to engage in extension of the town street and laying concrete since May 2, 2004. U Sai Maung Luu, chairman of Township Peace and Development Council of Teddim town has ordered the town residents that every home owner must complete their quota to repair the street as the standard set by the authority before the end of August.
The order mentioned that anyone who fails to comply will be effectively punished.
As the civilian have to work as forced laborer most of the time, they have no time to work for themselves and it has greatly effect their survivals especially the poor and farmers.
Major Win Maung, company commander of Darkhai camp from Burma army Light Infantry Battalion 269 based in Tonzang township northern Chin state has constantly ordered villagers from Tonzang township to carry army supply from Rih army camp to Darkhai camp which is 30 miles away.
Villagers are routinely ordered to carry army supply including ration, arms and ammunition for the whole company. Every village had to contribute 15 horses and 10 persons to serve as porter for every month since the beginning of this year.
According to Rev. C……(name withheld for security reason) of Matupi Baptist Association, Colonel San Aung, Commander of Burmese army Tactical no.(2) Chin state, has ordered several Chin Christian pastors from Matupi town in Southern Chin state to participate at an opening ceremony of Buddhist water festival on April 12, 2004.
At lease 15 Chin Christian pastors, most of them are reverend, were forced to take part in the ceremony wearing their Christian religious robe. They were seated with the Buddhist monk at the front raw of the stage where the ceremony was held.
CHRO source said that the ceremony was recorded by Mya-Waddi television station to propagate that Burmese Buddhists are in harmony with Chin Christian leaders. Mya-Waddi television station is the Burmese army propaganda television station.
Chin Christians from the town were forced to construct marquee at the middle of the town to conduct the Buddhist water festival. Besides, every household is compel to contribute 1000/-kyat for the festival.
Young girls are compel to perform cultural dance at the ceremony and one person per household must attend the ceremony.
Rev. C….. further mentioned that it is totally unjust as most of the town residence are Chin Christians and there are only about a dozen Buddhist who are Burmans coming to the town as government servants.
Three Chin Christian pastors in Matupi town were detained by the SPDC authority for a night on April 16, 2004 for failing to obey the order, issued by Colonel Hla Swe of Burmese Army Tactical Command No. 2 of Chin state, to construct the road between Matupi town and Duma village.
The three pastors are Rev. Thuan Ting of Christian Reform Church at Longvan block of Matupi town, Rev. Kui Dim of Matupi Baptist Church at Ngala block, and Captain Dup Ding of Salvation Army church at Longvan block.
The three pastors were arrested by Captain Aung Myint Tun of Matupi police station and detained them for a night at the police station lockup. On the next day, the three pastors were brought to Colonel Hla Swe.
The Colonel ordered the three pastors to get dress with their respective religious robe and meet him again with their uniform. When the pastors come back with their uniform, the Colonel told them to choose whether they wanted to go to jail or engage in road construction. The Colonel warned them that he will not tolerate if they defy his order in the future.
Construction of the road between Matupi town and Duma village was started with forced labor in March 2004. All the town residence and surrounding villages, including government servants, are compels to contribute one person per household to participate in the forced labor. Widows are exempted from the labor if they can pay 4,000/-kyats. 8,000/- to 10,000/- kyat fine was imposed on every family those who are not widow and fail to participate in the road construction.
CHRO source reported that the Burmese military junta State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has expanded two new concentration camp at Rih town and Lentlang village at India-Burma border trade route in March 2004.
There are about 30 prisoners who are engage in construction of civil hospital at Rih town and another concentration camp at Lentlang village have about 50 prisoner who are engage in construction of road between Tiddim town and Rih town in India-Burma border.
Source said that most of the prisoners are from Kalaymyo prison. They are strictly guarded by both police and Burmese army. Villagers and civilians are not allowed to contact with the prisoners.
The SPDC made two other concentration camps in Chin state at Matupi town and Tlangzar village of Falam township in 1997.
“Village headman and it’s village council members of Kaptel village from Tiddim township, northern Chin state were arrested by the local authority for failing to repair India-Burma border trade road between Haimual village and Tiddim town near India-Burma border” said the local villager who cross the border to India side.
The local villager inform CHRO field monitor that the headman of Kaptel village Pu Khai Bawk and village council member Pu Jacob were arrested and detained at Kaptel police lockup. They were arrested for failing to repair their imposed quota which the authority ordered them to repair in the beginning of May.
About 30 villages from the border area were compels to repair India-Burma border trade road since the last week of March this year. However, as most of Kaptel villagers have to cross Indian side of the border to find any job available to support themselves, they have no time to work at road repair to fulfill their quota. Even though the village headman made petition in advanced to the authority about their situation, the authority ignored his petition.
Kaptel villagers are now trying to approach the local authority to release their headman and the village council member.
In March 2004, village headmen and village council members of Phanai and Lungtum villages from Matupi township were arrested and detained for failing to repair Midat-Matupi road.
30 persons per villages from 45 villages in Rezua tonship were forced to construct Kangaw-Matupi road since March 2004 and the forced labor is continue till this report date. U MW (name withheld for security reason) of Rezua town reported to CHRO field monitor.
Major Kyaw Sein Win of Burma army Light Infantry Battalion LIB 50 based in Kangaw, Sagaing Division issued the order that construction of the road must be completed before the end of June. Major Kyaw Sein Win appointed Captain Win Hlaing as in-charge and supervisor of the road construction.
The SPDC does not provide any thing for construction of the road and the villagers have to bring their own ration and necessary tolls to the work site.
Three villages Lungrang, Sawthing and Resa were fined 80,000/- Kyats each by Captain Win Hlaing that their job performance is not satisfactory.
Sergeant Major Maung Myint of Burma army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 55 at Sinletwa army camp had ordered Sinletwa and surrounding 4 village tracks to repair the fence of the camp starting from April 10, 2004. 12 persons per village track have to go to the army camp to repair the fence of Sinletwa army camp.
The villagers have to bring their own ration and tools to work at the camp for seven days. The forced laborers start their daily work at 5 AM in the morning. They were allowed to take their breakfast at 12 PM noon and continue to work till dark. Then they have to cook their supper after dark.
CHRO received a report that starting from the first week of March, Thantlang town resident in northern Chin state are forced to construct the sidewalks for the town’s main street.
Thantlang Township Peace and Development Council Chairman U Luu Tin ordered the town residents to finish the sidewalk of the main street before the end of March 2004. According to the order, any household that does not complete their quota before the end of March will be punished by the authority. Additionally, the residents are to face punishment if their work does not meet the standard set by the township landscaping office.
The authority does not provide any necessary material to construct the sidewalks and the local residents have to purchase brick, stone and cements etc out of their own pocket. Thus, some residents have to spend as much as 100,000/- Kyats to 200,000/-Kyat, in addition to their labor, to construct the sidewalks.
Over two hundred villagers are being forced to work at road construction between Sabawngte army camp and Darling village. Major Thant Zin Oo, deputy battalion commander of Burmese army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 268, ordered civilians to repair the road connecting Sabawngte army camp and Darling village in central Chin state. The forced labor started on March 8, 2004 and continued till the day this report is made.
The villages that are engaged in the forced labor are; 40 people from Sabawngpi village, 19 people from Malang village, 15 people from Lungcawi village, 30 people from La-Oo village, 57 people from Darling village, 43 people from Sabawngte village, and 10 people from Hlungmang village. There are 27 women among over two hundred forced laborers.
The villagers have to bring their own tools and food to the work site.
The Major ordered the villagers to complete the works before the end of March. However, according to CHRO source, it is likely that the work will not be completed before the end of March as the road between Sabawngte army camp and Darling village is 37 miles in distance and only about half of the works have been completed on the day (March last week) of this report.
This road was first constructed in the year 2000 with forced labor to connect Rezua, Sabawngte and Darling.
According to information received from the local villager, eleven villages in southern Chin state near India-Burma border are being forced to work in the army tea-plantation farm. The order was issue by Major Thant Zin Oo, deputy battalion commander of Burma army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 268 on January 23, 2004. The order mentioned that any village that fails to obey the order will face the consequence.
No one dare to defy the order and the forced labor work started from the second week of February 2004.
The affected eleven villages who are; Ngaphaipi, Fartlang, Khuapilu, Lauo, Darling, Ruanmang, Sapaw, Tonglalung, Sabawngpi and Sabawngte. Every village has to provide 6 people per week to work at the tea plantation farm owned by the army. The villagers, except for villagers form the forced labor site, have to travel a week-long journey to Sabawngte to work at the farm. They have to bring all the necessary tools and food to the work site.
The forced laborers have to water the tea-plantation farm by carrying water from the stream which is about half a mile away from the plantation farm. Since the Major did not mention the duration of the works in his order, no one knows how long the forced labor is going to take place. It is likely that the forced labor will take place till the end of summer.
Starting from the year 2000, the SPDC started tea-plantation farm in Chin state by using excessive forced labor.
The Chin Human Rights Organization received a report that the SPDC soldiers have illegally collected cattle tax from villagers in southern Chin state.
On January 31, 2004 Pu He Thang of Tinam village in Matupi township was accused of trying to sell three pigs to India without permission and badly beaten up by 2nd Lieutenant Win Sein from Light Infantry Battalion LIB 268 and commander of Lailenpi army camp. Besides, the Lieutenant had extorted 6,000/-kyats from Pu He Thang charging 2,000/-Kyats per pig of the three pigs he was to sell to India.
The victim explained that because of poverty and economic hardship the villagers have to sell whatever they have to India in order to survive. Pu He Thang was on his way to sell the three pigs when he was intercepted by the Burmese soldiers near Lailenpi village.
On January 28, 2004, 2nd Lieutenant Win Sein and his troop also extorted 2,2500/-Kyats from U Maung Shwe and Daw Ni Sung. U Maung Shwe and Daw Ni Sung were on their way to sell some pigs and goats when they were intercepted by 2nd Lieutenant Win Sein and his troop. When the Lieutenant and his troops threatened to beat them up, the two villagers paid to the soldiers two goats and 2,2500/-kyats at the rate of 2,500/-Kyat per pigs for five pigs.
According to Laise (name changed for security reason) of Satu village near India-Burma border, Burmese army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 268 Lailenpi army camp in charge Lt. Tin Soe and his troop extorted money and domestic animal from the local villagers who were on their way to sell their cattle to Mizoram state of India. In most of the following incident, the Burmese soldiers threatened to beaten up and seize all their cattle if they fail to pay.
On March 4, 2004, Lt. Tin Soe and his troop extorted 6,000/-kyats and two chickens from Vua Chawng and Bi Khe of Aru village. The incident occurred when the two villagers were on their way to sell chicken and pigs to Mizoram state of India.
On March 9, 2004, 20,000/-Kyats was extorted from Lay Maung and Laise by Lt. Tin Soe and his troops by threatening them that 7 buffalos from them will be seized if they refuse to pay the money.
On March 5, 2004, Lt. Tin Soe and his troops extorted 5,000/- Kyats from Cherry May and Zordan from Lailente village.
On March 1, 2004, 5,000/- Kyats was extorted from Khai Lawng of Ruanvan village by Lt. Tin Soe and his troop.
In another incident on February 27, 2004 Lt. Tin Soe and his troop extorted 15,000/- Kyats from a group of eight Thongbu villagers of Matupi Township.
Saiha: Over 200 households in Rezua town from southern Chin state were forced to work in road construction by the State Peace and Development Council SPDC authority. In the month of November, the authority ordered residences of Rezua town to take responsibility for laying concretes in the town’s major roads. However, as the town residences were busy working at their farm as it was harvesting season, they could not start the road construction in November. Thus, the SPDC ordered over 200 households to finish construction of the road before Christmas. The SPDC issued an order that anyone those who fail to construct their quota in construction of road before the deadline will be severely punished.
The forced laborers have to manage for all the necessary tools and food as the SPDC provide them only cements.
The SPDC granted Rezua village to town status in the year 2002 and residence of Rezua were forced to engage as forced laborers in construction of most of the town’s infrastructures such as school, hospital etc.
Colonel Tin Hla, commander of tactical one in Chin state from the Burma army visited Rih area (India-Burma border) on December 8, 2003 to inspect the progress of India-Burma border trade route which is schedule to be opened soon. The Colonel issue an order before he leaves that every household in the area should send a person per day to construct a hall to celebrate the opening ceremony of India-Burma border trade route.
The army told the villagers that; as there will be many dignitary people along with foreigners coming to the opening ceremony, they wants the construction of the hall to be elegant.
A local resident from Matupi report to Chin Human Rights Organization that Major Thant Yin Oo and his troop from Light Infantry Battalion LIB 266, Sabawngte camp, traveled to Sabawngpi village on January 5, 2004. The Major and his troops forced 14 villagers from Sabawngpi to serve as porters. Some women and under age school children include among the porters.
On their way back from Sabawngte village on January 17, 2004, Major Thant Yin Oo and his troop stole vegetables from the farm along with four chickens from Pu Vel Lei of Sabawngte village. When the villagers complained the stealing of vegetables and chickens to the Major, the Burmese Major told them that they didn’t stole but they just took necessary food from the people.
1. According to the order issued by Captain Aung Naing Oo of Sabawngte army camp on February 16, 2004, three villages Phaphe, Hloma and Meisakotlah are forced to repair the fence of Sabawnte army camp.
2. On February 9, 2004, Sergeant Kyaw Htun of Burmese army Light Infantry Battalion (55) has badly beaten up Pu Kawng Rim from Lailenpi village and robbed 800,000 Kyats from him. The incident occurred at Sau-U village, Paletwa township of southern Chin state.
3. On February 15, 2004 Captain Sein Win of Burmese army, Lailenpi army camp commander, seized two goats, a pig and 6,000 Kyats from Maung Maung and his friends of Aru villagers.
The Indo-Burma trade road no.II connecting Tedim and Rih town in northern Chin state has been under the construction of about fifty detainees in the Tedim Zebet (concentration camp) by the order of the SPDC.
The Tedim - Rih road of about thirty miles long has been constructed, with the aim of its completion by next year, exploiting the Zebet detainees' everyday while commandeering the vehicles of the traders to transport the necessary materials in the construction. A man from New Rih town said, "Now, they have completed an asphalt road of about three miles from Tedim and had laid stones along the road till the Mang Chawng Bridge in Run River."
The man continues, "This area is an accident prone area, where traders and civilians often died in a road accident. The improvement of the road is very much welcome, and the authority promise to complete the road by next year. Will it be completed as being targeted?"
The road in this region is often severely damaged in monsoon, on 2nd May a good carrier slide down the road and killed one Kam Mung (32), a health worker in Health Care Centre of Laitui village. This is the road where more traders and civilians die of road accident.
The detainees in Tedim Zebet are made to work in the road construction from 5:00 am (BST) to 6:00 pm everyday; they were made to collect rocks and lay it on the road. Due to the severity and inhuman working condition, about three to four prisoners reportedly escape every week. However the unfortunate recaptured escapee prison term is extended with another year.
The military authority posted in Vuangtu Camp, Thantlang Township of Northern Chin State makes two civilians to be on duty as a beckon call workers to do all the necessary work in the camp regularly in a rotatory basis.
A man from Vuangtu village told our reporter that the Commanding Officer of LIB - 268, Captain Thawnghlei, posted in Vuangtu keeps two civilians, regularly, to fetch water, mopping the camp, repair the bunkers and as a messenger to the surrounding villages. On emergency the civilians were made to be on duty for twenty-four hours a day or till 6:00 A.M. in the morning.
The other villagers often have to help out the men on duty when they are too busy and are not in the position to fulfill all the ordered works. The civilians on duty on Sunday missed the Church service and were made to work as another day of the week.
The village chief was ordered by the military authority to send two civilians every day. A block of wood, as a sign of the household chance for duty, was prepared and in the household where the wooden block was placed is an indicator of the chance for duty to the army camp with its nearest neighbor, reports the man from Vuangtu.
The man said, "In time of sickness, we hired another person to be on duty in lieu of the household by paying wages of 700/- or 800/- Kyats." Meanwhile, the army in Lailenpi and Sabawngte too reportedly forced the people to collect bamboos for repairing the army's camp.
The army posted in the border area of Chin state reportedly forced the people to work everyday in Rihkhuadar, Falam Township; Lungler and Vunagtu in Thantlang Township; Sabawngte and Lailenpi in Matupi Township and Chinletwa in Paletwa Township. | 2019-04-26T00:21:58Z | http://www.chro.ca/index.php/resources/forced-labour-reports/242-chros-submission-to-the-icftu-and-ilo-expert-team-on-forced-labor-in-burmamyanmanr |
[Jericho] But Jericho was overthrown, and not to be rebuilt. Response: Yet its place fell to the Tribe of Benjamin, which they were able to possess, or to cultivate, or to inhabit, provided it was not raised into a walled and enclosed city. Moreover, after it was rebuilt, with the punishment of the temerity once exacted, it was not destroyed; indeed, Christ Himself was received in it by Zacchæus (Estius).
Jericho; for though the city was destroyed, the territory remained, and some houses probably were built and inhabited there, though it was not made a city with walls and gates, which was the only thing forbidden, Joshua 6:26.
[The Valley of Keziz, וְעֵ֥מֶק קְצִֽיץ׃] Emec-keziz, or, the steep valley, or, the divided plain (Masius). The valley of incision, that is, in which incisions would be made, namely, of the balsam tree: which incisions were not made with iron, but with a sharp stone, or glass, as Josephus, Pliny, and Tacitus testify (Bonfrerius).
Keziz, or, Emec-keziz, the proper name of a city or great town.
[Zemaraim, וּצְמָרַיִם] This city either gave, or owed, its name to that mountain, 2 Chronicles 13:4. The name appears to have been imposed upon it from its twin peaks (Masius).
Zemaraim; which either gave name to, or took name from, that mountain, 2 Chronicles 13:4.
[And Mispe, וְהַמִּצְפֶּה] Maspha. It was not far from Ramah, on the same mountain of Silo. Why might it not be Silo itself, which might be called Mizpeh, that is, lookout, because mount Silo was exceedingly lofty? There were also other Mizpehs on both sides of Jordan (Masius).
Mizpeh, near Ramah, in the same mountain where Silo was. There were divers other cities of that name.
Verse 28: And Zelah, Eleph, and (Josh. 15:8) Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
[And Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, הַיְבוּסִי] Of the Jebusites, understanding, the city, that is, which the Jebusites inhabit: which is called by another name, Jerusalem (Vatablus). In which tribe it was, see on Joshua 15:63 (Bonfrerius). The old city was in part of Benjamin, but an addition was made from part of Judah (Grotius). It belonged to both Tribes according to the various parts of it (Tirinus). The Northern part (with intermediate mount Moriah [Tirinus]) was in the tribe of Benjamin; but the Southern part (where mount Zion was [Tirinus]) had regard to the tribe of Judah (Menochius, Tirinus). Or, by exchange of another city, Jerusalem was left to the Tribe of Judah by the Benjamites (Tostatus in Menochius): or, the Benjamintes, since they were despairing that they would be able to wrest their portion from the Jebusites, yielded it to the Tribe of Judah, if it might obtain it by arms (Tirinus, Tostatus in Menochius). Whether it is to be said that Jerusalem indeed belonged to the lot of Benjamin, but afterwards, because the Tribe of Judah was greater, one part, sharing a border with the Tribe of Judah, fell to the same Tribe of Judah? It was fulfilled in such a way that a greater portion was given to more, a lesser to fewer (Estius). But, lest anyone should commodities of the tribes from catalogues of this sort, it is to be kept in mind that not all cities and all places are recorded in them, but only the more famous, and especially those that either were advantageous for showing the borders, or from some history were memorable, and those that the tribesmen were first beginning to inhabit. Wherefore it is not to be marveled at in this, that everywhere in the Sacred narratives the names of cities set in this or that tribe occur, of which there is no mention in those catalogues: for a great many were passed by; many also were built in after times (Masius, Malvenda); some were changed (Malvenda). The names of two cities that are not mentioned here occur below, Anathoth and Almon, Joshua 21:18. Either, therefore, not all the cities of Benjamin were expressed by name; or, the names of some were diverse (Bonfrerius, Menochius).
Which is Jerusalem: so it seems this city did properly and primarily belong to Benjamin, although the tribe of Judah had also an interest in it, either because some part of it was allotted to them, or because the Benjamites gave them a share in it, for the assistance which either they had received or did expect from that potent tribe, for the getting or defending of that very important place. See more on Joshua 15:63. It is more than probable that all the cities belonging to this tribe are not here named, because Anathoth and Almon are omitted here, but expressed Joshua 21:18.
קָצַץ signifies to cut off.
Note the dual ending (ַיִם).
צָפָה signifies to look out.
[And it passes along from the side of the North unto the plains] Masius thus translates it, and it was extended to the side adjacent to the desert from the North, that is, so that the wilderness might remain on the right hand [or, on the South] in the borders of Judah (Masius).
[And it descends into the plain, or, into the field (Munster, Tigurinus), וְיָרַ֖ד הָעֲרָבָֽתָה׃] But to others it is the name of a place: It descends into Arabah (Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius, Vatablus, Masius). This was hereafter called Beth-arabah, which was in a wilderness. See what things are on Joshua 15:6 (Masius).
Arabah, called Beth-arabah, Joshua 15:6.
Verse 19: And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay (Heb. tongue) of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
[And it passes by over against the North of Beth-hoglah, צָפוֹנָה] Northward (Masius out of the Chaldean). This is not to be taken in this way, that the line leaves Beth-hoglah toward the South, and so it is the Northern border of Beth-hoglah (Bonfrerius, Masius); for thus it would exclude it from that inheritance, although the following review shows that it is to be included (Masius): but in this way, that the border leaves Beth-hoglah toward the North (Bonfrerius). It signifies that this tract does not extend directly toward the East, but turns somewhat toward the North. Or, I would grant it, if one should prefer that Beth-hoglah belongs to the Judahites, but that here it is reviewed as set on the border. For Beth-arabah, which also belonged to the Judahites, Joshua 15, is here reviewed also (Masius).
[Over against the tongue of the sea, etc.] Toward the extension of the salt sea, that is, toward the place in which that sea extends into the land (Vatablus).
At the north bay of the Salt Sea, where an arm of that sea runs into the land, which is opposed to the south bay that was in the south border of the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:2. At the south end of Jordan, where it enters into the Salt Sea, which is here opposed to the north end of it, or the spring-head, which was in the north.
Verse 20: And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.
[Now, on the south, etc.] The Southern border of Benjamin is here described, which is the same as the Northern border of Judah, but in the contrary order: For there from the East, or from the Dead Sea, unto the West, or unto Kirjath-jearim, we were proceeding; here, contrariwise, from East, or Kirjath-jearim, unto the East, or unto the Dead Sea, we return (Masius, Bonfrerius). And so where we made use of the language of ascending in that place, here we make use of the language of descending (Masius). See what things are on Joshua 15 (Masius).
The south quarter; the same with the north quarter of Judah. See Joshua 15:5, 6, 11.
[The border went out over against the sea, יָמָּה] [They render it variously:] Toward the sea (Jonathan, Syriac, Rabbi Salomon in Masius, Pagnine, Montanus); to (or toward [Arabic]) the west (Munster, Tigurinus). Others: from the western border (Junius and Tremellius); from the sea (Masius); יָמָּה, toward the sea, in the place of מִיָּם, from the sea (Drusius). The letter ה not rarely signifies motion from a place, when it is inherent in the definitions of the terms: But that from the sea is what we call from the west (Masius).
[And it descended into part of the mountain, קְצֵ֣ה הָהָ֗ר] Unto the extremity of the mountain (Junius and Tremellius, Masius). In the borders of the Judahites that was called the top, or apex, of the mountain. I think that that part of the mountain is signified by which it was looming over the valley of Hinnom on the West (Masius, similarly Bonfrerius). Compare Joshua 15:8. This appears to have been mount Moriah, the western side of which by a long course arrives at the extreme part of the valley of Rephaim (Bonfrerius). I think that it is likely to be the mountain of offense mentioned in 1 Kings 11:7, under which was lying the valley of Hinnom (Masius).
To the end of the mountain, that is, the place where the mountain ends, and the valley begins. Before the valley of the son of Hinnom, that is, in the prospect of that valley; or, that reacheth to that valley on the south. In the valley of the giants on the north; which extends to this other valley on the north side of it.
[Near the side of Jebusite toward the South] This depends on the words, it came down; the line descending from the mount left the Jebusite toward the South (Bonfrerius). Of the Jebusite, etc., that is, toward the Southern side of the Jebusites dwelling in Jerusalem. Some say that Jerusalem was in two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, but the greatest part was in Benjamin (Vatablus). Concerning that controversy, see what thins are on Joshua 15:63. Those Tribes certainly appear to have been conjoined in such a close bond of friendship with each other that they might be esteemed as one. See 1 Kings 11:13, 32; 12:20. Nevertheless, perhaps mount Zion (where the palace was) and Moriah (where the Temple was) belonged to Judah: For those mountains were South of the city (Masius).
To the side of Jebusi; to that part where the Jebusites lived, which was in and near Jerusalem.
Geliloth, called also Gilgal, as appears from Joshua 15:7; Judges 3:19; but differing from that Gilgal by Jordan.
תָּאַר can signify to incline, or to trace out.
Verse 12: (see Josh. 16:1) And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
[And their border over against the North was] The Northern limits are first described from the East toward the West, which are nearly the saem with the Southern limits of the Josephites (Masius, Bonfrerius).
[From Jordan] From almost that part where the Israelites had crossed over (Masius).
[Hard by the side of Jericho’s northern quarter] That is, proceeding toward the side of Jericho that is Northward to it. This was altogether necessary, since he included Jericho within his own borders (Bonfrerius).
[Ascending toward the mountains] Namely, the mountains North of Jericho; for it was surrounded on all sides by mountains (Bonfrerius). The mountain in which Beth-el was (Masius).
[Over against the west, יָמָּה] Toward, or unto, the sea, or West. [Thus all interpreters.] Now, these borders are not extended all the way to the sea, as Josephus asserted, Antiquities 5:3 (Serarius, Menochius, Bonfrerius, Masius on verse 14), but unto Ataroth-adar (Serarius, Menochius). Therefore, this border had to be sloping over against, or toward the side of, the western sea, and to trace out a line almost parallel to the sea (Bonfrerius).
[To the wilderness of Beth-aven] Therefore, Beth-aven is the name of a desert (Drusius). Nevertheless, others maintain that it was the name of a small town (Kimchi in Masius). It appears to have been the name of a city, which gave its name to the wilderness. There are those that confound Beth-el with Beth-aven. [Masius appears to do this.] And it is certain that they were near to each other, since this wilderness of Beth-aven, Joshua 16:1, is called the wilderness ascending to Beth-el. Nevertheless, I think that they were distinct (Bonfrerius). But here the borders stop, and they do not run any further toward the North, but they return unto the south (Masius).
Beth-aven: A place distinct from, but near unto Beth-el, as may be gathered from Joshua 16:1.
Verse 13: And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, (Gen. 28:19; Judg. 1:23) which is Beth-el, southward; and the border descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side (Josh. 16:3) of the nether Beth-horon.
[The same is Beth-el] Beth-el is twofold; one in Benjamin, the other in Ephraim (which is Luz [Hebrews in Masius, Vatablus]). But those devises are not at all necessary (Masius). For there was only on Beth-el. See on Genesis 28:19 (Bonfrerius).
[And it descended to Ataroth-adar] For it is brought down toward the South. For, as the Norther tract is higher, so the Southern is thought to be lower (Drusius out of Masius).
Verse 14: And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward; and the goings out thereof were at (see Josh. 15:9) Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter.
[And it is bent, skirting, וְתָאַ֣ר הַגְּבוּל֩] And is traced out (and looks toward [Jonathan], then extends [Syriac, Munster, Tigurinus], thence resuming [Arabic]) the border (Pagnine, Montanus). And the traced out border was drawn around (Masius). Whence that defining/limiting border (Junius and Tremellius). And it draws a circular (or oblique) line: that is, by drawing a circular line, it directs and turns itself along the western corner toward the south, etc. That is the South-western corner: on the other hand, the prior one was the North-western. Some translate it, and it skirts. The same word that is found in Joshua 15:9. He describes the western side of the width (Vatablus).
[The corner of the sea unto the South, נֶגְבָּה] In this place they translate it, on the South-west (Septuagint), on the south (Syriac); rather, toward (or, unto [Jonathan, Montanus, Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus]) the south (Masius, Junius and Tremellius).
[That looks toward Beth-horon over against the South-west, נֶגְבָּה] Here they translate it, to (or toward [Jonathan]) the south (Syriac, Munster, Pagnine, Montanus, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius). Rother, on the south: For מִנֶּגֶב, on the south side, is used in the place of this in verse 13 (Masius).
Kirjath-jearim; the Israelites changed the name, to blot out the remembrance of Baal. Compare Joshua 15:9; Numbers 32:38.
Verse 11: And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.
[And came up the lot] וַיַּעַל here is able to be either from the Qal form, and it came up, that is, it was drawn up, or extracted; or from the Hiphil, and he, namely, Joshua, caused to ascend, or drew out (Malvenda). The lot is said to come up from Jordan, as from a lower place, toward Jerusalem, which was in a higher place (Lyra). But a ὑπαλλαγῇ/hypallage is not at all necessary. For a lot comes up, when it is drawn out of the urn; and borders go forth from the same pot together with the lot, for this designate what those are (Masius). Now, this lot of Benjamin was exceedingly narrow with respect to space, but was chief with respect to goodness, as Josephus testifies, Antiquities 5:1 (Bonfrerius, Masius).
[Between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph] The Divine providence is here to be observed, whereby they are placed nearest both to the Josephites, with whom they were conjoined in the closest bond of family, and to the Judahites, with whom they were going to be in the future associates in protecting the sacred things of their ancestors against the defection of the other tribes. This lot is most exactly adapted to the prediction of Moses, Deuteronomy 33:12 (Masius).
Between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph: Wherein we see the wisdom of Divine Providence, this being the only place in which that prophecy, Deuteronomy 33:12, could have been accomplished.
Joseph and Benjamin were the two sons of Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel. See Genesis 30:22-24; 35:16-19.
Verse 7: (Josh. 13:33) But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: (Josh. 13:8) and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
[Because not among you is the part of the Levites] These things contain the reason why He commanded only seven parts to be made (Masius, Bonfrerius, Menochius).
[But the priesthood] Here priesthood is taken by metonymy for the sacerdotal proceeds (Bonfrerius out of Masius). In the place of an inheritance they shall have what things the priests ought to receive according to the precept of the Lord (Vatablus); sacrificial victims, tithes, etc. (Masius). What things are owed to the priesthood of God (Arabic, similarly Jonathan).
Verse 8: And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh.
[And when the men had arisen, etc.] They eagerly undertake this most difficult and dangerous duty; indeed, God was rendering them secure, since the disposition of a multitude of souls was depending upon their enthusiasm. Nevertheless, God sometimes also allowed others to waver and to crash, like Moses in Exodus 4, Jonah in Jonah 1, so that, the more infirm the instruments are, through which He performed marvelous things, the more illustrious the mercy of God toward men most wretched might be (Masius).
The Levites have no part among you; therefore it shall be divided only into seven parts, as I have said.
Verse 9: And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.
[Into seven parts they divided it] In Hebrew it is added, by cities; that is to say, with the cities also inserted and inscribed, which is altogether necessary for a complete geography (Bonfrerius). It appears from this that the goodness of the land, not size, was assessed. For in a more fertile region the societies of men are more numerous (Masius).
By cities, or, according to the cities, to which the several parts or territories belonged.
[Writing in a scroll, עַל־סֵפֶר] In a book (Pagnine); in tables (Vatablus). The surveyors were occupied for seven months in the description of the land, says Josephus, Antiquities 5:3 (Masius).
Verse 10: And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Verse 6: Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, (Josh. 14:2; 18:10) that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
[The land in the midst between these] But the land here to be divided was not in the midst of the Josephites and Judahites (Menochius out of Serarius, Serarius). [Therefore, Lapide, Bonfrerius, Serarius, and Menochius acknowledge an error in the Vulgate here, as far as they dare.] In a Latin text it was written, aliam/another, not mediam, in the midst of (Vatablus).
[And ye shall come hither to me, וַֽהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֖י] And bring to me, understanding, the description (Vatablus).
[Before the Lord] That is, the Ark (Masius, Bonfrerius). There the lots were to be cast; 1. so that they might be directed by God as present: 2. so that that distribution of lots might be held as sacrosanct, and to be violated in no way (Bonfrerius): 3. otherwise they would never have lived content with their lots, being men of the stiffest neck (Masius).
[I shall cast the lot for you here] That is, with lots cast, I shall assign to each an inheritance before the Lord, by whom lots are controlled (Vatablus). He here addresses that assembly, for the surveyors were not yet chosen (Masius). The people are commanded to divide the land into seven parts, not of themselves, but through the selection of land-surveyors by them (Bonfrerius). [Others otherwise:] I shall cast the lot for you here, that is, for your tribes, as in verses 8 and 10. He addresses those to be sent out, as if he were addressing the Tribes that were sending them: It is a Syllepsis (Malvenda).
Here before the LORD our God: that is, Before the ark or tabernacle, that God may be witness, and judge, and author of the division, that each may be contented with his lot, and that your several possessions may be secured to you as things sacred, and not to be alienated.
That is, a single word that must be taken in two different senses in relation to two other parts of the sentence.
Verse 4: Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.
[Choose ye three of each of the individual tribes] Question: Whether of the seven tribes only? or also of Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh? Response: The matter is doubtful. But they appear to have been selected from these also; for it was of concern to them as well, so that they, if anything was to be taken from their own portions, as was done, might not be able to have grounds for complaining that the matter was carried through unjustly (Bonfrerius). Moreover, all things are yet done among them with a shared and fraternal spirit (Masius). Three men, etc., he sends, because of the difficulty of valuation. For the portion were to be equal, not with respect to space, but with respect to the goodness of the land. But you will say, If the parts were equal, why does God prescribe that a more spacious inheritance be given to the Tribe of greater number, and a narrower to the Tribe of lesser number, Numbers 33:54? They respond that those commandments have regard, not to the primary casting of lots, namely, of the tribes, but of the secondary, namely of the families, to which then the Officers were giving to the individual families their own portions. Others maintain that equal portions were made by the surveyors, which nevertheless the twelve men were able both to extend and to contract. But to me it appears that the equality of the patrimonies is able to be established with good reason. For, according to the present number fellow tribesmen it appears inadequately equal to make one tribe richer in lands than another; when the matter itself showed within a few years some were greatly increased, others diminished. But you will say that the same was able to happen to the families. But it was lawful for the families to alienate their possessions among themselves, but it was not lawful for the tribes. But I leave this obscure matter open. But I shall say this, that Canaan was sufficiently spacious for them all; and that no enlargement of the portions was necessary, even if all were equal, if only those fellow tribesmen would not desert them through laziness. Moreover, if the entire nation had increased, God Himself would have given more spacious borders, into which they would have been able to send colonies, all the way to Euphrates: concerning which see what things are on Joshua 1:4. If you would oppose the Simeonites to me, 1 Chronicles 4:38, I would say that they did not go out of their borders, but they advanced within them. Question: But how were these surveyors safe, while they were walking throughout those regions, the greatest part of which were even at that time held by their adversaries, and were examining all things thoroughly? Response: This came to pass from a certain hidden and Divine terror sent upon the Canaanites, and a heavenly confidence instilled in the souls of the Israelites, so that through this ἄδειαν, freedom from fear, and security of those few surveyors the Tribes might be animated to accept their inheritance. Moreover, the Canaanites were affected with such a loathing of war, that they subordinate all things to their quiet (Masius).
Three men; three, not one, for more exact observation both of the measure and quality of the several portions, and for greater assurance and evidence of their care and faithfulness in giving in their account. Of each tribe; either one of each of these tribes, who were yet unprovided for; or rather, two of all the tribes, even of them who had already received their portions; which was highly expedient, that in case it should appear that there was not a sufficiency for each of these tribes who wanted their portions, their brethren might be more ready either to assist them in procuring more land, or to part with some of their own portion to them. Go through the land; which they might now safely do, because the terror of the late war was yet upon the Canaanites, who were loth to rouse so near and potent an enemy.
[And let them describe it according to the number of each multitude, לְפִ֥י נַֽחֲלָתָ֖ם] Verbatim: to the mouth of their inheritance (Montanus); according to their inheritance, or possession (Syriac, Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Vatablus), that is, according to the reckoning of the inheritance which they are obliged to undertake (Vatablus). Into as many parts as their inheritance is to be divided (Tigurinus Notes); as your inheritance requires (Arabic); just as it will be proper to divide it (Septuagint). According to their inheritance: I think that it is the same thing as what is next said, into seven parts (Masius). According to the possession of their tribes, which is going to come to them; or, as many parts as are the remaining Tribes (Malvenda, Bonfrerius). Rabbi Salomon thus explains it, that those seven portions ought to be, not equal, but greater or lesser according to the multitude or fewness of each Tribe. But this is foolish. How were the surveyors able thus to do, since the whole outcome was depending upon the casting of the lot (Masius)? [Nevertheless, others thus take it:] that the individual Tribes might receive an equitable inheritance according to the reckoning of their multitude (Menochius, Lapide). Thus he explains himself in the following verse (Lapide).
Verse 5: And they shall divide it into seven parts: (Josh. 15:1) Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and (Josh. 16:1, 4) the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north.
[Divide for yourselves the land, etc., וְהִֽתְחַלְּק֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה חֲלָקִ֑ים] Verbatim: And they shall be divided themselves into it according to seven parts (Vatablus).
Seven parts; which were of equal extent or worth; for no tribe was so great but one of these parts in its full extent would abundantly suffice them; and there was no reason why the portions should be greater or less according as the tribes at present were more or fewer in number, because of the various changes which happened therein successively; it being usual for one tribe to be more numerous than another in one age, which was fewer in the next. And if the several tribes had increased more, and not diminished their numbers by their sins, they might have sent forth colonies, and taken any part of the land, even as far as Euphrates, all which the Lord of the whole earth had given them a right to, which when they pleased they might take possession of.
[Let Judah be in his borders, עַל־גְּבוּלוֹ] In his province. Verbatim: according to his border (Vatablus). Judah shall retain his lot, etc. Understand, unless a particular portion is either to be removed or to be added (Bonfrerius). They did not, therefore, unjustly cut off seven parts from the inheritance of the Judahites (Masius).
Shall abide in their coast on the south: they shall not be disturbed in their possession, but shall keep it, except some part of it shall be adjudged to another tribe.
[And the house of Joseph on the North] Not with respect to the entire Promised Land, but only of the Tribe of Judah (Menochius). In the more Northerly part (Menochius). The twelve men cause to be confirmed the casting of lots performed at Gilgal, but in such a way that those Tribes remain in their lots; not that, however, their portions might be unbroken and entire: For otherwise the Josephites would have dwelt all the way to Libanus (Masius).
On the north; in respect of Judah, not of the whole land; for divers other tribes were more northern than they.
Verse 3: And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, (Judg. 18:9) How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?
[How long will ye be weak with lethargy, מִתְרַפִּים] The Hithpael Conjugation either intensifies the signification, and denotes a great and shameful idleness (Malvenda); or, signifies that the cause of the idleness was to be found in themselves (Masius). Are ye slow, remiss, negligent (Vatablus); will ye act remissly (Junius and Tremellius). Are ye of a remiss spirit, and are not entering to possess the land (Vatablus)?
How long are ye slack, etc.: This slackness is supposed to arise, partly, from their dissatisfaction in the portions already allotted, Judah’s being too large, as it appeared, and Joseph’s too narrow as they complained; partly, from an opinion of the impossibility of making any regular and equal distribution of the parts, till the whole were better known, and more exactly surveyed, which accordingly is here done; and partly, because being weary of war, and having sufficient plenty of all things in their present condition, they grew slothful and secure, and were unwilling to run into new hazards and wars, as they perceived, by Joshua’s answer to the tribe of Joseph, Joshua 17:15, etc., they were likely to do when they entered upon their several possessions.
Verse 2: And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
[Which had not yet received their possessions, אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־חָלְק֖וּ אֶת־נַֽחֲלָתָ֑ם] Who which they did not distribute, or, divide, the inheritance (Malvenda, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Dutch, Calvin). Others thus: which had not yet received, or, which had not yet obtained by lot, their inheritance (English, Castalio, similarly the Septuagint, Jerome, Munster), which is closer to the Hebrew. Just as among the Latins participare primarily denotes to make a partaker, or to give a part; then, to be made a partaker, or, to receive a part: the same also obtains in the use of חָלַק (Boot’s Sacred Animadversions 4:12:16). Moreover, because the Commander-in-Chief criticizes the idleness of the people in taking possession of their inheritance, not in demanding the casting of lots, it appears that what I was saying is altogether true, that fear of new dangers and the conveniences of the present habitation turned the hearts of all from the desire fror their own possessions (Masius). Question: Why was the tribes’ casting of lots delayed after they had once began at Gilgal? Response: The Israelites, especially those Tribes that had not yet received possessions, appear to have asked for a postponement, until the Surveyors might be sent out, who would measure out the land with greater precision (Bonfrerius). A suspicion was rising that the first measurement was not made with sufficient fairness (Lapide, Bonfrerius). That sending out of new Surveyors implies this. Now, that Surveyors had been sent out before the casting of lots at Gilgal, although the Scripture does not express it, is not able to be doubted. For, 1. Josephus records that this was done. 2. Scripture does relate that before the casting of lots at Shiloh Surveyors were sent. 3. In no other way were they able to fulfill that precept of God in Numbers 26:54. 4. It is not likely that prudent men undertook this division in a blind manner, without first doing what things were necessary for the distribution. Moreover, that the former surveyors did not rightly discharge their office, these things confirm, that, after the accurate measurement of the land was made, a part was obliged to be cut away from the possessions of the Tribe of Judah, and was given both to the Simeonites and the Danites (Bonfrerius).
Arnold Boot (1606-1653) was a Dutch physician, who excelled, not only in the practice of medicine, but also in the study of Oriental languages. He defended the integrity of the Hebrew text and vowel points against Louis Cappel.
Animadversiones Sacræ ad Textum Hebraicum Veteris Testamenti. | 2019-04-22T09:57:27Z | http://matthewpoole.net/category/26-joshua-18/ |
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It exceeds reasonable doubt that the web is the most effective center for doing business. You need the internet whether you are running an state company business, car garage business, and also other repair work company. Lead generation is a tested method of advancing your company customer queries. It is one means that can conserve you those demanding hrs of sitting as well as wait for your customers to finish the purchases by themselves, which is rare. Preferably, lead generation is not a brand-new thing in internet marketing. In fact, it has actually been there for a long period of time. It is a perfect way of generating the interest of your prospective clients.
Know your target clients, groups and identify your certifying standards. There is nothing worth greater than obtaining new clients while staying connected with your regular ones. This is what lead generation satisfies. Why do you require lead generation for your business? If you are a business owner and also is still a bit doubtful regarding welcoming contracting out the generation of leads for your business, then checked out the adhering to advantages of including it in to your company.
– Easy client communication. Staying near your clients is one great means you can be assured of a great customer-business connection. You should connect well with your consumers, share thoughts as well as a lot more concerning the companies you offer and how it benefits your consumers. Leads enable you to pitch your product to a customer every single time they ask for information from your company. You stand a far better chance of building a trustworthy and also resilient partnership with your clients when you create a strong consumer communication system.
Having a company create leads could conserve you cash compared to establishing up advertising projects. With lead generation, you can be assured of lowered prices on lead acquisitions.
Purchasing certifies leads is very straightforward, specifically when you have decent skills in it. Contracting out to this type of solution saves you time to get servicing consumers, as the SEO business hangs around bring in leads. It can conserve you a great deal of time you might have wasted using other approaches.
In addition, you only spend for the leads that you have gotten suggesting you could conserve a significant amount of money with it. It is likewise feasible for you to manage the variety of leads that you wish to receive monthly for this reason budgeting can be quite basic. Once again, you will certainly never waste your sources as you can conveniently choose the product or services that you intend to present to your prospects.
– High conversion prices. Lead generation often results in a greater conversion rate when compared with various other chilly contact methods. This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are typically pre-qualified also prior to you get the lead. As a business, you need not to fret about the best ways to create leads for your service or products. What is vital is that are you with the ability of converting your site visitors to possible customers?
– Lead generation is a great tool in expanding your company. Lead generation is vital for company growth. You can make use of leads offer for sale purposes by driving website traffic to your site. A higher conversion rate could indicate greater sales margin.
– You can discuss leads with businesses in the exact same niche. No company can operate in isolation, and that is a reality. If we are competitors, we require each other even. Comprehending how various other businesses are doing, can be a great motivation on your part. Lead generation is good as you could easily discuss them with companies in the same particular niche. It functions completely good particularly for the businesses that sell complementary items.
– Leads can be regulated to particular target areas. Ideally, you can never ever offer everyone worldwide with your service or products. This does not mean that you must start limiting yourself to serve only a few numbers of consumers. Making use of leads permits you to tailor the geographic location where your target clients lie or where you want. This implies you should do a great research on where your actual clients are.
Lead generation is a terrific device every company owner must accept. Its advantages could not be said as they stand apart clear. This is why we are committed to giving exceptional lead generation solutions to you and aid you to obtain your ROI the simple way. It is really easy, and also you can approach it much like when you are employing any other ad campaign. The key to your lead generation success is to boost your odds on advertising skills as well as sales techniques. It is a really budget-friendly means you can boost your company for success, as well as we guarantee you that.
As a company owner, you require important information that relates to you. One means you could consider this is by creating leads. This is an excellent way you could obtain extremely useful info. Sales procedures can be very distressing when you do not have the appropriate information.You need a well crafted prepare for a successful lead generation process. This is why firms are readily available to craft a focal point for your strategy that will ensure you a stable circulation of certified leads.
What are the benefits of making use of lead generation services by the regional companies in NSW state – city of Weetaliba!
How positive are you with your sales as well as advertising method? Do you seem like you are stumbling and do not know exactly what you disregarded behind? It may be lead generation.
It exceeds reasonable question that the net is the most effective center for working. You require the net whether you are running an state agency business, car garage business, and also any other repair business. Lead generation is a tried and tested method of progressing your company consumer enquiries. It is one way that could conserve you those stressful hrs of sitting as well as wait for your customers to finish the deals by themselves, which is rare most of the times. Preferably, lead generation is not a brand-new everything in online marketing. It has actually been there for a long time. It is a perfect method of generating the interest of your possible customers.
Why do you require lead generation for your business? If you are a company proprietor as well as is still a little bit unconvinced concerning welcoming outsourcing the generation of leads for your business, then read the complying with benefits of including it in to your business.
You need to interact well with your consumers, share ideas as well as a lot more concerning the companies you offer and how it benefits your clients. Leads enable you to pitch your item to a client every time they request for info from your company.
– Cost conserving. Having a firm create leads could save you cash compared to establishing ad campaign. You could visualize all the problems as well as bustles associated with working with intermediaries, paying them their compensations as well as a lot more. With lead generation, you can be assured of reduced prices on lead purchases.
Buying certifies leads is pretty straightforward, especially when you have respectable abilities in it. Contracting out to this kind of service saves you time to obtain servicing clients, as the SEO business hangs around attracting leads. It could save you a lot of time you might have squandered utilizing various other approaches.
Moreover, you only spend for the leads that you have actually received suggesting you could save a considerable amount of money with it. It is also possible for you to regulate the number of leads that you want to receive month-to-month hence budgeting can be extremely basic. Again, you will never lose your resources as you could easily pick the product or services that you intend to offer to your leads.
– High conversion prices. When contrasted with various other cool contact techniques, lead generation frequently results in a greater conversion price. This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are typically pre-qualified also prior to you obtain the lead. As a business, you need not to worry about the best ways to produce leads for your companies or products. Exactly what is paramount is that are you with the ability of converting your site visitors to potential clients?
– Lead generation is a terrific device in growing your business. Lead generation is vital for company development.
– You could discuss leads with companies in the same particular niche. Lead generation is excellent as you could conveniently discuss them with businesses in the exact same particular niche. It works perfectly great particularly for the businesses that market complementary products.
– Leads could be controlled to certain target areas. The usage of leads permits you to customize the geographical place where your target consumers are situated or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is a fantastic device every business owner need to welcome. Its benefits can not be argued as they stand apart clear. This is why we are dedicated to providing unequaled lead generation services to you as well as help you to acquire your ROI the simple method. It is very simple, and also you can approach it just like when you are employing other ad campaign. The trick to your lead generation success is to enhance your odds on advertising and marketing abilities and sales techniques. It is a very affordable means you could boost your company for success, and we guarantee you that.
One method you could think about this is by generating leads. Sales procedures could be really stressful when you do not have the proper information.You require a well crafted strategy for an effective lead generation process.
Exactly what are the benefits of utilizing lead generation services by the local businesses in NSW state – city of Nebea!
How confident are you with your sales and also advertising strategy? Do you feel like you are stumbling and also do not know exactly what you ignored behind? It could be lead generation.
It exceeds practical uncertainty that the net is the very best center for operating. You need the web whether you are running an state agency company, vehicle garage company, as well as other repair work company. Lead generation is a tested means of advancing your business customer queries. It is one way that could save you those difficult hrs of resting and also wait for your customers to finish the purchases on their own, which is unusual in most cases. Preferably, lead generation is not a new everything in internet marketing. Actually, it has actually been there for a long time. It is an ideal method of generating the interest of your potential clients.
Know your target clients, teams and also determine your qualifying standards. There is absolutely nothing worth more than obtaining new clients while corresponding with your regular ones. This is what lead generation fulfills. Why do you need lead generation for your company? If you are a company owner and is still a little bit cynical about accepting contracting out the generation of leads for your company, after that checked out the complying with advantages of integrating it into your company.
You need to interact well with your customers, share thoughts as well as much more regarding the solutions you provide and also exactly how it profits your customers. Leads enable you to pitch your item to a client every time they request for details from your company.
– Cost saving. Having a company generate leads can conserve you money compared with setting up advertising campaigns. You can think of all the troubles and also bustles involved in employing middlemen, paying them their compensations and much more. With lead generation, you can be guaranteed of lowered prices on lead purchases.
Getting qualifies leads is quite basic, specifically when you have decent abilities in it. Contracting out to this type of company conserves you time to get servicing customers, as the SEO business spends time bring in leads. It can save you a lot of time you can have lost utilizing other techniques.
You only pay for the leads that you have actually obtained indicating you could save a significant amount of cash with it. It is also feasible for you to manage the number of leads that you want to receive regular monthly for this reason budgeting can be extremely simple. Once again, you will certainly never ever waste your sources as you can effortlessly pick the services or products that you intend to provide to your potential customers.
This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are commonly pre-qualified also before you get the lead. As a business, you need not to stress regarding exactly how to create leads for your companies or items.
– Lead generation is a fantastic tool in expanding your company. Lead generation is important for company development.
– You can share leads with companies in the same specific niche. No business could operate in isolation, and that is a fact. If we are rivals, we require each various other even. Comprehending how other companies are doing, can be an excellent inspiration on your part. Lead generation excellents as you could effortlessly discuss them with companies in the exact same particular niche. It functions perfectly great especially for the businesses that market complementary products.
– Leads can be managed to particular target locations. The use of leads allows you to tailor the geographical area where your target customers are situated or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is an excellent tool every entrepreneur must accept. Its benefits can not be said as they stand out clear. This is why we are dedicated to supplying unrivaled lead generation companies to you and help you to attain your ROI the very easy means. It is quite basic, as well as you can approach it much like when you are employing other ad campaign. The trick to your lead generation success is to boost your odds on marketing abilities and sales methods. It is a quite cost effective means you can raise your business for success, and we assure you that.
As a business owner, you require vital details that pertains to you. One method you can think about this is by generating leads. This is an excellent way you could obtain exceptionally valuable details. Sales procedures can be really stressful when you do not have the correct information.You need a well crafted prepare for a successful lead generation process. This is why business are available to craft a centerpiece for your plan that will guarantee you a stable circulation of qualified leads.
Exactly what are the advantages of using lead generation companies by the regional businesses in Beverly Hills NSW!
Just how confident are you with your sales and advertising approach? Do you seem like you are stumbling and do unknown exactly what you neglected behind? It could be lead generation.
You need the internet whether you are running an state agency company, automobile garage company, as well as any kind of other repair service business. Lead generation is a proven means of advancing your company client enquiries. Ideally, lead generation is not a brand-new point in online marketing.
Know your target customers, groups as well as establish your qualifying requirements. There is nothing worth more than obtaining new customers while talking with your routine ones. This is what lead generation satisfies. Why do you require lead generation for your company? If you are an entrepreneur as well as is still a little bit cynical concerning accepting contracting out the generation of leads for your company, after that reviewed the following benefits of incorporating it into your company.
– Easy consumer communication. Staying near to your clients is one terrific method you can be ensured of an excellent customer-business relationship. You need to connect well with your customers, share ideas as well as a lot more about the companies you provide and how it profits your consumers. Leads enable you to pitch your product to a customer each time they ask for information from your company. You stand a better opportunity of building a trustworthy as well as durable partnership with your clients when you produce a solid client communication system.
– Cost conserving. Having a firm generate leads could conserve you money compared with establishing advertising campaigns. You could envision all the bustles as well as problems involved in employing middlemen, paying them their commissions and much more. With lead generation, you can be ensured of reduced expenses on lead acquisitions.
Getting certifies leads is rather simple, specifically when you have respectable skills in it. Outsourcing to this type of solution conserves you time to obtain servicing consumers, as the SEO business spends time attracting leads. It could conserve you a bunch of time you can have wasted using various other approaches.
Additionally, you only spend for the leads that you have actually gotten indicating you can save a substantial quantity of cash with it. It is also feasible for you to manage the variety of leads that you want to get monthly therefore budgeting can be extremely straightforward. Again, you will never ever waste your sources as you can easily select the services or products that you want to present to your prospects.
This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are commonly pre-qualified also prior to you obtain the lead. As a business, you need not to worry concerning just how to produce leads for your companies or items.
– Lead generation is a fantastic tool in growing your company. Lead generation is vital for business development. You could use leads to buy objectives by driving traffic to your site. A greater conversion price can suggest higher sales margin.
– You can share leads with companies in the same niche. No business could operate alone, which is a truth. If we are rivals, we require each various other even. Recognizing exactly how other companies are doing, can be a wonderful inspiration on your part. Lead generation excels as you could effortlessly discuss them with businesses in the exact same niche. It works perfectly good particularly for the businesses that sell complementary goods.
– Leads can be managed to particular target locations. Preferably, you can never ever offer every person worldwide with your product and services. This does not suggest that you must start restricting on your own to serve just a few numbers of consumers. Using leads enables you to tailor the geographical place where your target clients lie or where you want. This means you have to do a good research study on where your genuine consumers are.
Lead generation is a terrific tool every business owner should welcome. Its benefits could not be argued as they stand apart clear. This is why we are devoted to supplying exceptional lead generation companies to you and also assist you to attain your ROI the easy method. It is quite easy, and you can approach it similar to when you are using any other ad campaign. The key to your lead generation success is to improve your odds on marketing skills and also sales tactics. It is an extremely cost effective means you can elevate your business for success, as well as we ensure you that.
As a company owner, you need vital info that relates to you. One means you can think of this is by generating leads. This is an excellent way you can obtain incredibly valuable information. Sales processes can be really traumatic when you do not have the appropriate information.You require a well crafted prepare for an effective lead generation procedure. This is why companies are offered to craft a focal point for your plan that will certainly ensure you a steady circulation of certified leads.
Exactly what are the advantages of utilizing lead generation solutions by the local businesses in Peelwood NSW!
Exactly how positive are you with your sales and also advertising technique? Do you feel like you are stumbling as well as do unknown what you ignored behind? It might be lead generation.
You need the web whether you are running an state company business, auto garage business, and any other repair work business. Lead generation is a tested method of advancing your business customer enquiries. Preferably, lead generation is not a new thing in on the internet advertising.
Know your target customers, teams as well as identify your qualifying requirements. There is absolutely nothing worth greater than acquiring brand-new clients while interacting with your routine ones. This is what lead generation satisfies. Why do you require lead generation for your company? If you are a company owner and is still a little bit unconvinced concerning welcoming outsourcing the generation of leads for your business, then read the adhering to advantages of integrating it into your company.
– Easy consumer communication. Remaining near to your customers is one excellent means you can be ensured of a great customer-business partnership. You need to communicate well with your consumers, share ideas and also much more about the companies you offer as well as how it profits your clients. Leads allow you to pitch your product to a consumer every time they request for details from your company. When you develop a solid customer interaction mechanism, you stand a much better opportunity of building a trustworthy and also lasting relationship with your consumers.
Having a company produce leads could save you money compared to setting up marketing campaigns. With lead generation, you could be guaranteed of lowered prices on lead acquisitions.
Acquiring qualifies leads is quite easy, particularly when you have good skills in it. Outsourcing to this type of solution saves you time to get servicing clients, as the SEO company spends time attracting leads. It could save you a great deal of time you could have lost making use of various other approaches.
You only pay for the leads that you have actually received indicating you could save a substantial amount of money with it. It is also feasible for you to manage the number of leads that you wish to receive month-to-month for this reason budgeting can be really easy. Once more, you will never squander your resources as you can conveniently choose the services or products that you wish to provide to your prospects.
This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are typically pre-qualified even prior to you obtain the lead. As a company, you need not to worry regarding exactly how to produce leads for your services or items.
– You could share leads with companies in the same specific niche. Lead generation is excellent as you could conveniently share them with companies in the exact same specific niche. It functions perfectly great particularly for the companies that market complementary goods.
– Leads can be regulated to particular target locations. The usage of leads allows you to tailor the geographical location where your target customers are situated or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is a fantastic tool every company proprietor should welcome. This is why we are dedicated to supplying unparalleled lead generation solutions to you and also aid you to attain your ROI the very easy method. The key to your lead generation success is to improve your chances on advertising and marketing abilities and sales strategies.
One method you could think regarding this is by creating leads. Sales processes can be quite distressing when you do not have the appropriate information.You need a well crafted plan for an effective lead generation procedure.
Exactly what are the advantages of making use of lead generation companies by the local companies in Prospect QLD!
Exactly how confident are you with your sales as well as advertising and marketing approach? Do you seem like you are stumbling and also do unknown just what you overlooked behind? It might be lead generation.
It surpasses affordable uncertainty that the web is the very best hub for doing business. You require the internet whether you are running an state company company, vehicle garage business, as well as other repair work company. Lead generation is a tested means of progressing your business consumer queries. It is one means that can save you those difficult hours of resting as well as wait for your customers to finish the transactions by themselves, which is unusual. Ideally, lead generation is not a brand-new point in internet marketing. In fact, it has actually been there for a very long time. It is an excellent way of creating the passion of your potential consumers.
Know your target customers, groups and identify your qualifying standards. There is nothing worth more than getting brand-new clients while talking with your regular ones. This is what lead generation meets. Why do you require lead generation for your business? If you are an entrepreneur and is still a little bit doubtful concerning embracing outsourcing the generation of leads for your business, after that read the complying with benefits of integrating it into your business.
You need to communicate well with your consumers, share ideas and also a lot more concerning the services you offer as well as just how it benefits your consumers. Leads enable you to pitch your product to a customer every time they request for information from your business.
Having a firm generate leads could conserve you cash compared to establishing up advertising and marketing projects. With lead generation, you could be assured of lowered costs on lead purchases.
Acquiring qualifies leads is rather simple, specifically when you have decent abilities in it. Contracting out to this kind of service conserves you time to get servicing customers, as the SEO company hangs out bring in leads. It could save you a great deal of time you could have thrown away using various other methods.
You just pay for the leads that you have gotten meaning you could save a considerable amount of cash with it. It is additionally possible for you to control the variety of leads that you want to receive month-to-month thus budgeting can be extremely simple. Once more, you will never ever lose your resources as you could conveniently pick the product or services that you intend to offer to your prospects.
– High conversion prices. When contrasted with other cold get in touch with techniques, lead generation usually results in a greater conversion price. This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are commonly pre-qualified even prior to you get the lead. As a business, you need not to stress over how to produce leads for your services or products. What is paramount is that are you efficient in transforming your site visitors to prospective consumers?
– Lead generation is a great device in growing your business. Lead generation is vital for business growth. You can utilize leads offer for sale purposes by driving web traffic to your site. A greater conversion price can indicate greater sales margin.
– You could share leads with businesses in the same niche. No company can run in isolation, and that is a truth. If we are rivals, we need each other even. Comprehending exactly how various other businesses are doing, can be a wonderful inspiration on your component. Lead generation excels as you can conveniently share them with businesses in the exact same particular niche. It works perfectly great especially for the businesses that market complementary goods.
– Leads could be regulated to particular target areas. The usage of leads permits you to personalize the geographic place where your target customers are situated or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is an excellent device every entrepreneur should accept. Its advantages could not be argued as they attract attention clear. This is why we are devoted to providing exceptional lead generation services to you and also aid you to obtain your ROI the simple means. It is quite easy, and also you could approach it similar to when you are utilizing other advertising campaign. The key to your lead generation success is to enhance your odds on advertising abilities as well as sales techniques. It is a quite economical means you could boost your company for success, and we guarantee you that.
One method you could believe regarding this is by producing leads. Sales processes can be extremely distressing when you do not have the appropriate information.You need a well crafted strategy for a successful lead generation process.
What are the advantages of using lead generation companies by the regional businesses in Jollys Lookout QLD!
Exactly how confident are you with your sales and also marketing method? Do you feel like you are stumbling and also do not know exactly what you disregarded behind? It might be lead generation.
You require the net whether you are running an state agency company, car garage business, as well as any type of other repair work business. Lead generation is a tested method of progressing your company customer enquiries. Preferably, lead generation is not a brand-new thing in on-line advertising and marketing.
Why do you require lead generation for your company? If you are a company owner and is still a little bit doubtful regarding embracing outsourcing the generation of leads for your company, then read the following benefits of including it in to your company.
– Easy customer communication. Remaining close to your consumers is one fantastic method you can be guaranteed of a great customer-business connection. You need to communicate well with your customers, share ideas and a lot more regarding the companies you provide as well as just how it profits your clients. Leads enable you to pitch your item to a client every time they ask for details from your company. When you develop a strong customer communication mechanism, you stand a far better chance of building a trustworthy as well as resilient partnership with your consumers.
Having a company create leads can save you cash contrasted to establishing up advertising projects. With lead generation, you could be ensured of reduced prices on lead purchases.
Acquiring qualifies leads is very easy, specifically when you have respectable skills in it. Contracting out to this type of solution conserves you time to get servicing clients, as the SEO company hangs around attracting leads. It could conserve you a great deal of time you can have thrown away making use of other methods.
You just pay for the leads that you have obtained indicating you can save a significant quantity of money with it. It is likewise possible for you to regulate the number of leads that you intend to obtain month-to-month thus budgeting can be very straightforward. Once more, you will certainly never ever waste your resources as you could conveniently select the services or products that you want to offer to your prospects.
This is because, with lead generation, lead prospects are frequently pre-qualified also prior to you obtain the lead. As a company, you need not to fret regarding exactly how to generate leads for your items or solutions.
– Lead generation is a fantastic device in expanding your company. Lead generation is crucial for company development. You can make use of leads for sale objectives by driving website traffic to your site. A greater conversion rate could mean greater sales margin.
– You could discuss leads with companies in the very same niche. No company could run in isolation, which is a truth. We need each other even if we are competitors. Recognizing exactly how other businesses are doing, can be a wonderful motivation on your component. Lead generation excels as you can quickly discuss them with companies in the exact same specific niche. It works perfectly excellent particularly for the businesses that offer corresponding products.
– Leads can be managed to particular target locations. The usage of leads permits you to customize the geographic location where your target consumers are located or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is a wonderful tool every business proprietor must embrace. This is why we are dedicated to offering unrivaled lead generation companies to you and help you to obtain your ROI the easy way. The trick to your lead generation success is to improve your odds on advertising skills and also sales strategies.
One means you could think concerning this is by creating leads. Sales procedures can be really stressful when you do not have the proper information.You need a well crafted plan for a successful lead generation procedure.
What are the benefits of utilizing lead generation companies by the regional companies in QLD state – city of Federal!
Exactly how certain are you with your sales and also advertising strategy? Do you seem like you are stumbling and also do not know exactly what you overlooked behind? It could be lead generation.
You need the net whether you are running an state company company, automobile garage business, and any other repair business. Lead generation is a tried and tested way of progressing your company consumer queries. Preferably, lead generation is not a brand-new point in on-line marketing.
Why do you need lead generation for your business? If you are a business proprietor as well as is still a little bit doubtful concerning welcoming contracting out the generation of leads for your business, then reviewed the adhering to benefits of including it in to your business.
– Easy customer communication. Remaining near to your customers is one excellent means you can be ensured of a good customer-business connection. You need to connect well with your customers, share thoughts and much more regarding the solutions you offer and also exactly how it benefits your clients. Leads allow you to pitch your product to a consumer whenever they ask for info from your business. You stand a much better chance of creating a trustworthy and also long-lasting partnership with your clients when you create a solid customer interaction system.
Having a business produce leads can save you cash contrasted to setting up advertising and marketing projects. With lead generation, you could be assured of slashed expenses on lead acquisitions.
Buying qualifies leads is pretty easy, particularly when you have good skills in it. Outsourcing to this type of service conserves you time to get servicing clients, as the SEO company hangs out drawing in leads. It can conserve you a bunch of time you might have lost making use of other methods.
You only pay for the leads that you have actually received indicating you can save a substantial quantity of money with it. It is also feasible for you to manage the variety of leads that you intend to receive month-to-month thus budgeting can be quite easy. Again, you will never waste your sources as you can quickly choose the services or products that you wish to offer to your potential customers.
– High conversion prices. Lead generation usually leads to a greater conversion rate when compared to other chilly contact approaches. This is because, with lead generation, lead potential customers are usually pre-qualified even prior to you get the lead. As a business, you need not to stress over how to generate leads for your companies or items. Exactly what is vital is that are you with the ability of converting your visitors to potential clients?
– Lead generation is a terrific tool in growing your company. Lead generation is crucial for company growth.
– You could share leads with businesses in the same niche. No company can operate alone, and that is a reality. If we are competitors, we require each various other even. Understanding how other companies are doing, can be a great motivation on your component. Lead generation excels as you could conveniently discuss them with companies in the very same specific niche. It works flawlessly excellent particularly for business that market complementary items.
– Leads could be controlled to specific target areas. The use of leads enables you to personalize the geographical location where your target clients are located or where you are interested in.
Lead generation is an excellent tool every business proprietor have to embrace. This is why we are committed to offering exceptional lead generation companies to you and also aid you to achieve your ROI the simple means. The secret to your lead generation success is to improve your probabilities on advertising abilities and sales strategies.
One means you can believe concerning this is by producing leads. Sales procedures can be really upsetting when you do not have the proper information.You require a well crafted plan for an effective lead generation process. | 2019-04-26T00:40:47Z | https://leadgenerator.amazingtonpost.com/author/rafaelawainford/ |
Iain: Hello, and welcome again to conscious.tv, I’m Iain McNay and my guest today is Kevin Billet. Hi Kevin.
Kevin: Hi, Iain good to be with you.
Iain: And Kevin has written a book called, Consciousness the New Currency, and he worked with Brandon Bays on ‘The Journey’. They’ve worked together for many years and run the organisation together, and we’re going to find out about Kevin’s life, he’s had a lot of fascinating insights and we’re going to find out how he has integrated those insights and changed his life and how he is now helping people in their own lives, when things come up, that are difficult to see and change and to absorb and move forward with. Kevin, you were telling me earlier on the phone, at two years old you were aware of things that you felt you had no right to be aware of... sounds fascinating.
Kevin: It was a strange thing Iain. As far as my memory goes back, 18 months, two and a half years of age, I was aware of some joke, I was aware of some familiarity, I was aware that something was taking place almost behind the curtains in life. Although I couldn’t tell you what that was, it was very present in those years for sure. Yes, I would walk into a yard that I’d never been to before, and just feel familiar, to know it, almost like T.S. Elliot, you know, to return home and to know it for the first time, it felt a little bit like that.
Iain: So was it a good feeling, a relaxed feeling?
Kevin: A great feeling, yes. It was an expansive feeling, it was a very light feeling, and it felt nourishing, it felt like there was something holding me, something nourishing me. Although obviously at that age I couldn’t describe what that was.
Iain: And yet so many kids of that age actually feel very insecure and threatened and not held, don’t they?
Kevin: That came later in life [laughs] you know it wasn’t at that age... at that time [it was] just an inner joke, a sense of being cradled and a deep sense of wellbeing, yes.
Kevin: Yes, that was a theme, I would say for a few years, from about the age of five or six, that I had a longing, a thirst inside to know “What is this that I’m calling me?” and would just be playing and suddenly stop and just go, “Who’s playing? Who is this? Who’s doing this?” And would kind of stop and close my eyes, and go, “Well, it’s me.” Then the question would keep coming, “Well who is that, who is me?” and then some recognition, “if it’s me it can’t be anyone else, so it’s not my mum, it’s not my dad, it’s not the people around me, it’s not anyone else, it’s me!” And then still the same question, “Who is that? What is that? What is me?” And then just a sense of huge expansiveness as if the physical form was just dissolving and all awareness - like a whole universe of awareness - was like something taking off inside, and it scared me so much that I would just collapse back into apparent normality, and kind of just brush myself off, and get on with playing the game I was playing. So it was a scary thing, it was expansive, it was definitely a very, very large and big energy, but scary. I didn’t realise there was anything to it, I thought it was something that all kids went through. I never mentioned it to anyone because they would know that I was scared of it, and that probably wouldn’t have been a good thing. So I never mentioned it to anyone, I assumed this was part of growing up. I assumed it was something every kid went through and I didn’t find out until, I guess, I was in my thirties, when I found out that not everyone does that.
Iain: It’s strange how you’d already learnt somehow that this is something that could be normal and there was no need to talk about it to someone else.
Kevin: That’s what I mean. I was brought up in a very working class area. The Rhondda Valley is a coal mining valley in South Wales and so to admit little weaknesses… you were made fun of quite robustly let’s say. So yes, it wouldn’t have been something I would have wanted to admit.
Iain: And did you fit in generally well with your school friends?
Kevin: Ooh now there’s a question - did I? With some yes, and with some no is the honest answer Iain. I liked to kind of rough house, to play-fight to an extent, and the boys often got off on that and became quite aggressive and quite violent, at which point I would step back and observe a little bit because I didn’t quite get that level of physical roughness let’s say. I definitely had close friends at that age, and there was a huge amount of bullying that took place in school and generally in the environment. I wasn’t as tough as many of the people around me, you could say that.
Iain: Very often in that environment you’ve got to be quite tough, just to survive and get by haven’t you, otherwise you are in a very vulnerable situation.
Kevin: Yes, that’s true, a lot of masks from a very early age and a lot of pretence.
Iain: Then you were telling that at 8, 9, 10 years old you would go into spontaneous meditation, and just go and sit on your own for maybe twenty minutes, half an hour?
Kevin: Yes, I can remember on school journeys - my father would drive me to school - going into what I would later describe as some samadhi, and feeling the very thick fingers and huge body, thick legs. Not until I reached my thirties and started to read about some of the Hindu experiences that I realised it could be common in some traditions, it’s a manifestation, it’s believed to be a manifestation of Ganesh the Hindu god. I don’t know what these things mean, all I know is that at certain times I would fall into deep, deep stillness, getting a haircut for instance in the barbers, I would just close my eyes and sink into a delicious inky blackness and be wide awake in that while my hair was being cut. And then fifteen, twenty minutes later I would get a tap on the shoulder, you know, “Okay, you can wake up now.” Well, I realised I wasn’t asleep, but I didn’t know the word meditation by this time. I was very young and so, it was just some spontaneous happening.
Iain: So you were it seems, quite naturally already in touch with something pretty fundamental without understanding what it was.
Kevin: I guess so Iain, I don’t have any explanation for it. Looking back, probably. Yes, probably.
Iain: And again you were telling me, you went to church for a time, but it wasn’t something you really connected with very much.
Kevin: Yes, my parents were ostensibly Christians, my family going back a couple of generations, definitely were practising Christians and I suspect that Mum and Dad sent me off to Sunday School so they could have a bit of spare time around the house on their own on a Sunday, more than from any firm religious conviction. And although from an early age I loved the stories of Jesus, I loved the teachings that I could glean directly from the children’s version of the Bible. I never got on well with the church, and I couldn’t put it into words why that was. They would tell all the same stories, but I had some resistance to the people who were telling me the stories. Didn’t know why that was, just innately some rejection of it and some resistance to it. Looking back I could put a spin, or put an explanation to it. But as a kid I loved the stories, didn’t like the experience of church, or chapels, but that was quite common in South Wales.
Iain: So, what were you looking for at that time?
Iain: In a way you did know, in your own way, what you were looking for - something as you describe - that you could plug into, that could make you go “huh” [sighs].
Kevin: Well, it was an indefinable something. I had no idea what that would be, although I’ve tried in a lot of different areas in life. From early teens, I guess the thirst was there, and so I started to read eastern spiritual books, to start to practice meditation, tried to get out of body experiences and tried to reach some elevated state. I found that there was some temporary win in that. There was some temporary salve to what I was feeling – the angst of life if you like, but it never lasted, so ultimately it was unsatisfying. Anything that I tried, any knowledge I gained, anything that I gleaned, it would sometimes make a connection that would just give me an elevated state for a short period of time, but then I realised… not that, not that.
Iain: When you tried to leave your body, did you succeed?
Kevin: Did I succeed? Who knows? I had the experience of floating above my body. Whether I left the body… who knows these things? Some strange experiences for sure, but if you go in that direction, you probably will get some phenomenon happening. Some strange, less than the normal range of experiences - and it didn’t do anything. That’s the point I’m making here. Over my life since then I’ve had a lot of what you might call spiritual experiences, but if they come and if they go, I keep asking the question, “what’s the point? What’s in that?” It’s only something that can be realised to not change.
Iain: For me it underlines and illustrates the fact that you were looking - consciously or unconsciously - because something didn’t feel complete. I’ve seen so many people that are looking without necessarily realising they are looking, or why they are looking. For me that’s a very important point to bring forward here.
Iain: So you moved on, and looking at my notes I quote, “You fell into the western trap of making money” and that followed on for quite a long time.
Kevin: Yes I did [laughing].
Iain: Tell us about that, how you made your money.
Kevin: My parents started off very poor, so we were in very modest circumstances when I was born. Eventually they both went to work for my mother’s father who had a very small jewellery business. They kind of threw themselves into this – watch repairing, clock repairing, selling little bits of jewellery into this business, and they grew it. So from my age, seven years and onwards, we gained in affluence, and it became this exciting thing in that we were moving out of the working class poverty trap, and we were moving into something more affluent. We moved to a different area, a different environment, a different school for me. The money started to come in. There was a buzz to this, so definitely I fell into the trap of believing, this is where it’s at. This seemed to pull the family together, seemed to be a joint focus that had a win in it, and like any kid, I got off on it.
Iain: But there was expansion there as well, wasn’t there?
Kevin: How do you mean?
Iain: It was bringing satisfaction too?
Kevin: Again, short lived satisfaction. There’s the rub with all of it. This went on for years with me. After university I went into the family business, and would find, yes there’s a buzz here. In the moment of a good financial week, a good financial month, a good financial deal, a win, there’s a frisson. Great, give me that, but it doesn’t last. So you keep searching for the same fix, and it becomes a drug.
Iain: Yes, I understand that, but when you’re in it, there’s a feeling – I know this for myself because our paths are similar to some extent… the whole business-side.
Iain: It’s like success - or finding the ability that I could be successful in business - for me had a value, because it took me beyond my limited parameters, and I saw there was something outside those parameters that I could, for a time gain satisfaction. And then of course if you’re successful that gives you leverage to do other things with your life. So it was an opening for me, not only, but primarily on the outside, and somehow that showed me a lot. It showed me a lot about the world. It gave me the opportunity if I followed it, [to see that] actually is a dead end. But I had to find that out.
Kevin: Oh I definitely had to find that out for myself, because I bought into the illusion that a different life style, more money, the right wife, the right family, the right house, the right car, the right vacations, would actually be it. That it would give me what I was looking for. There was a rush in it, no doubt, but the rush soon ended. And then it was more of the same thing, because I was locked into the cycle. Okay, so I need to do what I was previously doing more, in order to get the same feeling.
Iain: And not only that. Whereas you and I started at quite a low point in terms of success and built up, now, the encouragement of society is you get your degree at university, and you start your rush, higher up the chain, if you can get the job that is. It’s almost as if, you get the leg up, but the rush is still destined to fail, but it’s a more attractive start to the rush. And society seems to be based so much on this word rush; the rush towards the completion of something. Unfortunately, the nearer you get to it, the greater you realise that you may be completely on the wrong path.
Kevin: Yes. Well it doesn’t ultimately work. I was laughing there when you said you get your university degree, then you start higher up the ladder, and you effectively work towards whatever your goal is. You see it so much on TV. I don’t watch a lot of TV, commercial, popular TV, but recently I’ve watched a couple of episodes of “The X Factor”. I’ve seen people there who just have this… addiction is what it looks like, to being famous, to being a celebrity of some sort. I look at that, and it makes me feel very sad inside to know that whatever it is they think they are going to get out of it, even if they succeed, even if they’re the ones that get the recording contracts, the fame and the fortune, ultimately it’s not going to give them what they are looking for.
Iain: Absolutely. And it’s also very hard work when you get into that whole music business thing.
Kevin: For sure, for sure.
Iain: It’s a crazy life style. Anyway, going back to you. You got a degree in economics.
Iain: Joined the family business, as you said and you studied books that were going to bring you wealth.
Kevin: Yes, I tried. Going back to the 1980’s and the personal-growth movement, I was trying to figure out - I’m beginning to succeed, and financial success was coming, it was building, but it still didn’t feel right - so what is missing now? Okay, I’m married. I have a beautiful wife. I’m driving the right car. I’m living in the right house. What’s wrong here? And then I went into the personal-growth movement of the time. How do you build your self-esteem? These are the things you say to yourself. You repeat these words internally. You make the right pictures. You try to convince yourself that the way you feel, is not really the way you feel. That was where I started, with the whole visualisation, and self-affirmation, part of the personal-growth movement, back in the 1980’s. And again, I’m sorry to sound like a broken record here, but the same thing happened. A temporary change of state. A temporary uplift, followed by a realisation that does not actually give me anything. Then “whoosh”, a falling back down into previous state.
Kevin: It turned into quite a depression for me.
Iain: And the only way you could get yourself out was by more activity, is that right?
Kevin: At the time it seemed that way. I used to get really fed up with it.
Iain: It’s a real addiction, isn’t it?
Kevin: Not like that, because I didn’t get the extreme highs… just normal sorts of highs, but then plunging down into a real hopelessness that something was not right with my life, something fundamental did not add up. Something was missing. And that took me passed the point of hopelessness, but into a hopeless devastation quite often, where I would lie on the sofa, and take days off work, and be unable to move.
Iain: That’s scary to be in that situation.
Kevin: It was pretty scary.
Iain: Then you had this defining moment which you told me about earlier. Just talk me through that.
Then the strangest thing happened. My wife kept walking slowly with Mark, our son, and I stopped and opened, and it was as if all my awareness got taken onto the boat. Almost like one of those pan shots, when you go “whoosh”. And I could see there were people sitting at the back of the boat who appeared to be drinking cocktails of some sort. My awareness went there as if I was with them. And so I had the experience, inside, of sitting on the back of the boat, on the deck, with my friends. In that moment, the most cataclysmic realisation occurred, because I realised, if this is my boat, if these are my friends, if these are the cocktails I’m sharing with my friends… I’m still not there. I still don’t have whatever it is that’s missing, and I’m still fundamentally, not happy. That was a devastating realisation, it debunked my whole life strategy. It doesn’t really matter how much of this I do. It doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what I attain. It doesn’t matter what I accrue. It doesn’t make a difference. And that sent me into a complete scramble, into a downward spiral with depression and into a more desperate version of the same game playing, knowing that it wasn’t going to do anything. So I became pretty manic in my activity, trying to create wealth, trying to accrue more, while absolutely knowing inside, still the emptiness. Still the dissatisfaction and fundamental depression with my state in life. That took a little while to work through, but there was the turning point. The realisation that what I’d set my life up to be, the image that I had of myself, the ideals I’d created were worthless. They added up to nothing. They meant nothing.
Iain: That’s huge. It had taken away how you had constructed yourself, your own values and your aims, how you see your self-image. It’s all gone isn’t it?
Iain: That happened in a moment.
Kevin: It happened in a moment. And I guess a desperate winding down of the game, while I realised, everything I had ever tried was futile. That life itself is futile and I spun into a horrible, the worse form of depression I have ever experienced and would hope to experience, and went to see a GP friend of mine. He said “I’ll refer you to someone who doesn’t prescribe drugs, he’s a psychiatrist. You need to see this guy because you’ve really got something going on here.” I said, “Okay I’ll go and see a psychiatrist.” I went to see him because I didn’t want the drugs. He sat down with me for about twenty minutes and asked me a list of questions as long as your arm and to each one I said, “Hmm.” “Are you experiencing this?” Yes, yes, yes. It was a tick list for clinical depression, at the end of which he said, “Well you need to take these drugs.” And so, I did, and that in itself was a pretty horrible experience. They kind of normalised me in an abnormal way, if that makes any sense. There was a sense of aggression that came out of taking the drug. I was taking large doses of Prozac, Diazepam, Temazepam. It just wrecked me internally. I felt like I was living some alien life and although the clinical depression levelled off, it was the most strange experience.
Iain: It took away your spirit, or dampened down your spirit…?
Kevin: It seemed to rob me of all spirit. That would be pretty accurate to say. I felt I was functioning in life, but not living life. It truthfully wasn’t as bad as the worst of the depression, but it was no answer, no answer at all. Then a strange thing happened. A friend of mine said “I’ve booked you a therapy session.” I said, “What is it?” He said, “I don’t know, something new, try this.” And for the first time in my life, I sat down with someone, and they said, “What are you feeling?” I told them, and they said good, okay, just be with that, just open. I said “Aren’t you supposed to make this better? Aren’t you supposed to do something with this?” They said no, just close your eyes, just be with what’s here. Just be open and feel emotionally what you’re feeling. Where is that in your body? I said “Okay, I’ll give it a go.” And in a progressive way just got worked with, by someone saying effectively, embrace what you’re feeling here. Give yourself permission to feel what’s here, and to feel it fully. Not to just kind of get a glimpse of it and turn the other way. Not to avoid it, not to think your way through it, but simply to focus down inside the body, simply focus emotionally where it is, and what it is. And let that be okay. Then if there was something deeper, to explore that. What I found was I started to drop down an emotional chain internally. The emotions got deeper, they got more core. They got pretty desperate, and at a certain point when I reached some absolute hopelessness inside, again instead of saying let’s fix this, let’s work with this, I was told just face it, feel it. Just allow it all to be here. Truthfully I was so desperate I had little resistance. I had done everything, tried everything I know, so I’m willing for the first time to stop and say “okay enough already, I’ll feel it.” And through desperation fell into a void of nothing, just like the whole universe was completely empty. And again the same thing: what if you accepted that? What if you surrendered into that? What if you just let go? Internally just let go into complete nothing, into oblivion. The next question was, “What’s here?” Death is what arises. If I continue to let go here, I will die. And again the same question, “What if you did that? What if you just experienced that in this moment? What if you let go completely? What if you let go into death?” At that point I was ready – I was willing, absolutely willing to let go into death. I thought if this is it, if it’s all over, so be it, and let go. And I experienced the body dissolving, it was as if the whole physical form just dissolved, fell away, melted back into all existence. And then the question came, “What is the experience now? What’s here?” I had no belief in after life, no belief in reincarnation, just that’s it. Then some deeper version of expansive nothingness. Same question, “What if you just surrendered into that? What if you let go into the essence of that?” And then I think the awakening of my life - when I let go into complete utter nothing, some sense of fullness, some light, some realisation that everything I had ever been seeking in my life was already present. Not that I’d reached for it and brought it in from the outside, but that here it was in the core of my most essential experience. Here was the wordless answer to the question I’d been posing forever in my life and that has never left. The knowing that everything I had ever sought, is already here, is already present has stayed with me since that moment. And that is the most extraordinary way to live life. Stop looking on the outside, although I pretend from time to time, but everything I need is already here. Everything I desire is already here.
Iain: Was it veils that were covering it?
Kevin: Yes, that would be a good metaphor.
Iain: And of course if you can’t see within, and you know something is missing, it’s logical, almost intelligent, that you look outside. And it does take - for many people I know - that utter desperation, the giving up, and then the falling back, as you say, having nothing to lose in your case. In that courage to fall back, you find what is truly you.
Kevin: Yes. I think it was desperation more than courage. Definitely the experience was as if someone came, either pulled back veils, or cleared the mist in life. I realised for sure that what I’d been seeking was right here. But I’ve realised also that my emotions didn’t own me anymore, and I could see in the weeks after this the patterns that I’d run through my life where I would get so low that I would have to find some way to bounce out of that depth of emotion, and there was a fear driving that bounce. There was a fear… if this gets worse, then it’s unbearable, then I’ll die, then something horrible will happen if I go deeper. The truth was it was the reaction to that fear that was causing the problem. The very moment that I stopped, and went, “Okay, if this is as bad as it gets, what if I surrendered to the worse that could possibly happen?” [Surrender] emotionally, directly to the experience, not to fantasize about it, or tell a story, but to simply stop and open emotionally, fully, to the core of that experience. Then in that - everything present. In that - no issue, no problem. And I mean that literally, so that was a massive awakening for me, a massive awakening, and I’m grateful for that to this day.
Kevin: Yes, there are still challenges, for sure, but after that first experience, I would say that I lived in pure bliss for I would say about four, or five months after that.
Iain: Lived in bliss for four or five month?
Iain: That’s a pretty good start!
And so if over the years, if I’ve gained in wisdom in one thing, it’s simply to stop and to open to address the depth of the issue that I would pretend was operating here [pointing to his head], superficially in life, which I now know is something much older, and something much more fundamental. Because we tell ourselves stories – my problem is, I don’t have money to pay the mortgage. My problem is, my spouse is behaving this way towards me. Problem is my kids don’t do as they’re told. And you know what, that’s not the problem. Our problem is that it’s triggering something so deep inside us that we’re asleep to it. If we’re just willing to stop and take a look at that depth, so much sorts itself out. So much is self-handling in life.
Iain: I think also one of the challenges is, there isn’t much else in the world that supports that. The media doesn’t support it. The television doesn’t support it. Talking to most people doesn’t support it, as it’s very rare. You say you can sit down with a friend and really explore going to the depths of your feelings - that’s rare.
Kevin: It is rare. You see the antithesis. You mention the media, I see most popular media feeding on a fizz, putting a spin on them to make money out of it. It’s a huge, huge shame.
Iain: That’s the business model, that’s the way it works.
Kevin: Yes. I’m talking of it as a shame in terms of human development, in terms of consciousness on the planet. It’s a massive shame because of fears are getting tweaked, and we are increasingly conditioned to react against our fears rather than to just stop and inquire. The way through is to simply explore what truth is here. If there’s some emotional avoidance, just stop and go “Okay, what if I faced it? What if I stopped in this moment? I’ve got fears here, am I willing to embrace those fears, and am I willing to be bigger than the fears? Am I willing to open and really welcome them?” It’s not something people teach, but in my experience there is a resolution.
Iain: So on a practical basis, I know you and your wife Brandon Bays have this event called The Journey, which helps people to go through this process you’ve been describing. People have the option if they want to see if they can find a place to The Journey. If that’s not possible, either cost-wise, or geographically, what can someone do? Now for you, you sat down with a practitioner first of all. Is it possible for somebody who hasn’t done much personal work on themselves, to just sit down and actually go through these layers?
Kevin: It is possible, but it works better with someone else. But if I’m allowed to put out a little advert, Brandon’s original book called The Journey is extraordinary… The process at work here and the facility to dropping down to the emotional levels and some other extraordinary work is included in that book. For the sake of spending £10 or whatever it is on a book, give that to a friend and say “just read out this script to me.” It doesn’t need any practice. It doesn’t need any expertise. It needs a commitment and willingness. A desire to be free rather than a desire to be engaged in this story - or make a better version of this story.
Iain: Yes. I am again looking at my notes here. What you said, and I wrote down was, “We are constantly waging war in, and against ourselves”. Explain that more.
Kevin: Well, we’re conditioned from an early age to react to fears. The brain research I’ve read over the last decade is pointing to the fact that our limbic system is a mechanism for generating automatic behaviour that takes us away from pain. And it reacts to, physically and emotionally charged circumstances in our life, with the desire that that does not happen again, and so we learn to be fearful machines. We learn automatic behaviours, strategies, analysis that take us out of the pain. But truthfully, that’s a very animalistic response. It’s one we can dress up as humans, and make look like something else, because we’ve got all the explanations, all the personal justifications for why we behave in a certain way. The truth is you work at a limbic level, at a reptilian brain level to get out of pain, and we’re putting different masks on it. The truth is, if we’re just willing to stop the fight, if we’re willing to stop avoiding the emotions we’re most afraid of, what are we’re seeking is right there. It’s already present. It’s nothing that we need to gain. Nothing that we need to accrue.
Iain: Someone in day to day life, what does that mean? It may not be obvious to them, “seeking to stop avoiding the emotions they’re most afraid of.” Give me some practical examples of that.
Kevin: I’ll give you a personal example. A few years ago I was at an event with Brandon, and she was doing a training for the trainers. On a Friday night she was doing an hour long session of training people in the techniques for The Journey. I was running the sound desk for her, and she was at the front of the room talking away, and I’m in a good place. All of a sudden “whoosh”, rage comes up internally, and I’m really angry. I don’t know why I’m really angry. I realised in this moment, ”I’m hooked.” Something has triggered me, and I don’t know what it is. What I do know is, it’s not about current circumstances. I’ve learned that by this point in my life. I realise, I’ve got a professional job to do here. I’ve got a choice to make. I can either be really pissed off at the back of the room, and have this huge energy going on, or I can inquire. So I just closed my eyes, and simply asked, “Okay, there’s rage here. If there was something at the core of this, then I really opened energetically, and softened physically, and really authentically inquired, what’s at the core of this? What’s driving this? What am I avoiding, with the rage?” The sense of humiliation came up. And with the humiliation, came a memory.
The memory was from several years prior. What had happened was I was on the personal-growth road for a while. I had gone to a Tony Robbins seminar in America, and what I hadn’t noticed consciously, was that Brandon had mentioned Tony’s name from the front of the room, and this had triggered rage in me for no apparent reason. Except when I closed my eyes gone back to a memory, I’d turned up at Tony’s seminar, registered with a couple of friends. We’re on different parts of these long registration tables, I’d signed in and the person behind the table had said, “Here’s a ping pong ball. Please write your name on it, and throw it into the sack at the back.” So I write my name on the ping pong ball, throw it into the sack, went off and met my friends, and said, “that was a strange thing, they asked us to write our name on the ping pong ball, and throw it in the sack. I wonder what all that’s for?” They said, “Oh, they asked us to write our team number on there as well.” So I went back to the woman and asked if I could have my ping pong ball back because I didn’t put my team number on it. She showed me the sack, and there were like a thousand balls in it, “You are welcome to it...” Next day we turn up for the opening of Tony’s seminar, two and a half thousand people there. So he comes on stage. Tony’s a fabulous presenter, and a big show man. He’s got this big contraption on stage, with a gold lamée cloth over it, and with a huge flourish he takes off this lamée cloth, and he’s got this huge wheel of fortune cage underneath it filled with two and a half thousand ping pong balls. And he’s winding people up, saying we’re going to spin the wheel of fortune, someone’s going to win a prize, it could be up to x thousand dollars. The arrow goes round, two and a half thousand dollars of prize. In that moment - I don’t know whether you’ve ever had this but - my gut went “Oh…” I knew it was going to be my ping pong ball that was going to come out. How that works out I don’t know, but I swear to you, I knew my ping pong ball was coming out of that cage. He pulls it out and he goes, “Kevin Billett where are you? You have a two and a half thousand dollar prize. A free trip to Maui with something or other thrown in. Get up onto your chair.” So in front of two and a half thousand people I get up onto my chair and go, “Yeah, two and a half thousand dollars!” He turned the ball over, and said “Oh silly boy, you didn’t wright your team number on the back of the ping pong ball, therefore your prize is forfeit.” He tosses it back into the cage and moves on with the seminar [laughing]. In the moment, as you can imagine, the first thing that I feel is enraged. I’m standing up in front of two and a half thousand people, and someone says to me, “Oh silly boy you didn’t do your job properly!” But truthfully, inside what was the emotion? Complete humiliation. I felt like a total fool in front of two and a half thousand people. Now this had been triggered by just the mentioning of his name by Brandon on stage. So the rage had come up, and in that moment I am choosing, “What is the real cause of this? What am I avoiding emotionally at the deepest level?” For unknown reason, in the moment, humiliation becomes clear why that’s here. It’s an old cell memory that’s been triggered. So what I simply did, was I put out a prayer to life and said, “What if I was to surrender into all humiliation in this moment?” And I’m checking internally,” are you willing to do that? So I go yes, life bring all humiliation here, so it can be experienced.” And I felt it coming up all through my body, right from my groin. My face must have turned bright red. I would say it was like embarrassment turned up a thousand fold for probably two or three minutes. Then it felt as if something lifted. It felt rather effervescent, and then bliss. I sat in bliss from the Friday night to the Wednesday of the next week, until somebody pissed me off the next time. But that’s pretty good leverage, two or three minutes to say, “What have I avoided all my life? Humiliation.” I know I’ve avoided that since I was a kid. Two or three minutes of that – in this case - for four days of bliss. That’s pretty good leverage.
Iain: It’s interesting you said it’s held also in the cells, which we now, know more and more about.
Kevin: That’s how I understand it.
Iain: It’s not only held hear [pointing to the head], but it’s also held energetically in our body.
Kevin: Yes. If you read Candace Pert’s Molecules of Emotion, she has a lot of lab research that backs that up. If you speak to Deepak Chopra about it, with his phantom cell memory work that he’s done, theory that he has. I’m not much of a theorist, but it seems to hold good. It seems to be the traumas - where we have not fully been present and open to the moment and emotional consequence - they stick some place inside the body. They stick variously in the organs, and they can be triggered by random events. You get told off when you’re a kid. You get maybe a slap off your parents, and you get a look and a tonality of voice that goes with it. You harbour it. You shut down. You brace against it. You can be well into adulthood, and someone gives you that look. Just the look is enough, and all of a sudden there’s some emotional glitch, some tensing inside, and we don’t know what it’s about, often related to some old cell memory were we’ve not fully opened to experience the consequence in the moment. The good news is, that you can do it any time you like, and then it loses its grip.
Iain: When you talk about bliss, do you find bliss deepens over time?
Kevin: That’s a good question. I’ve never explored that. [pause] No, that is not my experience. In truth it’s not. Bliss is bliss. It’s been the same since that moment of awakening I described when it first dropped through. I would say it’s more readily available. It’s more common in my experience as time has gone on, but bliss itself hasn’t changed. I’m not blissed out all the time. I’m not walking around all the time with a huge smile on my face. I recognise that there is some fundamental being, some positive, huge embrace that’s the substratum for everything that takes place in my life. And the ups and downs occur. I get hooked like everyone else does, but if I just stop in the moment – ok here’s truth.
Kevin: I would suggest it’s a face of the self. I’ve experienced it as a fragrance, more accurately, of the self. Sometimes, and I’m using bliss as an example, sometimes it’s like a deep, deep fulfilment, that nothing can add to it. The fulfilment overflows to such an extent that anything extra that comes your way in life, any circumstantial boost, or win just adds into a cup that’s already overflowing. Sometimes it’s pure stillness. Absolute just nothingness. A sense of grace in that. A sense of being held. Being on purpose.
Iain: And is there an inter-connectedness that comes with that as well?
Kevin: I feel that it just comes out of the emptiness. It’s an emptiness that’s full of everything. It’s a complete paradox. It makes no sense to my thinking mind when I go there. The experience is a truly wonderful one.
Iain: So bliss is a manifestation of the emptiness that is personalised towards you in some degree, in some way. I’m trying to get a feel for how this may fit together.
Kevin: Yes, to the first part. No, to the second part. The bliss feels as though it arises out of emptiness, as do all experiences, those that we would label good, and those that we would label bad. It feels as if it all comes from the same field. In terms of it being personalised? Hmm, that’s not my experience. It doesn’t feel personal, that is the truth of it. In this, there is a recognition that all consciousness is present, and it’s just One. There is no self and others, just self. It’s all the same, so it doesn’t feel personal, no.
Iain: And is that a space you’re living in much of the time?
Kevin: That’s a recognition Iain, yes.
Iain: It’s a very deep place.
Kevin: It’s a place that anyone can experience, if they are simply willing to stop, and embrace reality. Really embrace reality. I’m not talking about looking at it from a mental level. I’m talking to embody reality, embrace reality, physically, emotionally, completely. If you surrender to what is, everything is already present, already waiting.
Kevin: Thank you so much. I really enjoyed it.
Iain: …to conscious.tv. I’m going to give a little plug again for Brandon Bays’ book which Kevin mentioned, The Journey. And the book that he’s written with Brandon, called, Consciousness: The New Currency. Thank you again Kevin, and thank you for watching conscious.tv.
Hello and welcome. This exercise is designed to allow you to really accurately feel whatever is being felt inside the body, and to explore what’s deeper, what’s underneath that. Let’s see if we can really get into some opening into grace, opening into realisation here. It takes a willingness. It takes an open heart, nothing much more than that. Make sure you’re sitting in a nice comfortable position. Make it an upright position so that the energy can move through your body nice and fluidly, and then close your eyes.
With your eyes closed take a long good breath in… and let it all the way out. A second long good deep breath in… and let it out right to the end of the breath. Continue to breathe this way, fully, deeply. Let awareness turn in on itself. Let awareness turn inside the body, and in that place just invite the thinking mind to wind down, like a fan whose switch has been switched off at the mains. Just slowly unfurl, and come deeply to rest. Just relax. Good.
And then let awareness scan through your body from head to toe, and just inquire what’s here? Emotionally, what’s here? What am I feeling? And if you first get a sensation in the body, some glitch, some holding, you could ask, if this had words, what might it say? And speak those words out loud. If this part of the body wanted to communicate something, what might it say? Speak those words. Good.
Or if you’ve got a sense, or an emotional feeling inside the body, just name that. And if you’ve spoken the words, ask how do they make me feel? How do they really make me feel? At the deepest level, what do they bring up for me? What’s here? And then whatever emotion arises, just welcome it. Settle into it, open to embrace it. All resistance melts. Surrender completely into it. Let it all be here. You’re so much bigger than this emotion. Just let it be. Where in your body do you feel that? Where is it? Good.
So let this emotion turn itself up, automatically just rise, burgeon. If there was something deeper than this, if there was something beneath this, and you let go into it, what feeling would that be? What sense? What emotion? And just allow yourself to drop right into that. Whatever that is, is fine. And notice where you feel it, where in the body. Just name it, whisper it out. It doesn’t need to be the perfect name, just whatever arises. Good.
And letting all of this be here, and it can turn itself around naturally if it so desires. Just embrace it fully. And then ask, if there was something underneath this, what might that be? What could that be? Treating it as an exploration. Open, and allow yourself to fall right into whatever’s next. Just open, and drop right into it. Whatever this is, it’s perfect. That’s it, just let go. What’s here, what is this? Where in the body do you sense this? Where is it being felt? And if this emotion had a name, what might that be? Great work. Stay wide open. Allow all of this to be here. And again, just inquire, if there was something deeper, if there was something underneath this, what is that? What’s here? What’s arising? Just allow yourself to completely open, and let go. Open, and fall right into whatever’s next. Whatever is here, it’s all ok. What is this? What arises? What’s present? Good, just embrace it. Allow it to be fully here. No resistance, all acceptance. Welcome. Welcome all of it.
Continue in this way – opening and deepening. Surrendering and dropping right into what is next, until eventually you reach a place of expansiveness, where all contractions disappear. Maybe you get a sense of nothing, a void, or darkness, or blackness. Just keep opening, and falling right in. Let go of everything. Whatever’s here is welcome. And then eventually when contraction ceases, and you experience some real letting go, some expansiveness of nothingness, simply ask, what’s in the heart of this? What’s in the core, in the essence of this? Let go right into the heart of it. Maybe you feel yourself being drawn into it, falling into it, just allow. Welcome it, fall right into the heart of the heart. And then name what’s here. What is this? What sense? What feeling? Where is this? Good.
Asking if you were to open right into the heart of this, just inquire of your being, if you opened right into the core, the essence of even this, that’s it. Just let go. Just be carried, right into the epi centre – expanding, letting go. What’s here? What’s realised? What’s sensed? Just open with it. Let go into it. Let go as it. Beautiful.
Then just one more time, let go completely into the heart of the heart of whatever’s here, into its quintessence. Allow yourself to fall. Expand, and in that expanding, surrender completely, just let go of everything. That’s it, beautiful.
What is this? If this had a name, what might it be called? Stay wide open. And just rest. Rest as this realisation. Rest as this expansiveness. You can rest here for as long as you like. Then recognising, eyes open, eyes closed - same awareness, same consciousness, and when you’re ready bring awareness back to the body, back to the physical form. You can wriggle your fingers a bit to orientate yourself. Take a nice deep long breath in, and let it all the way out. And a second long deep breath in, and let that all the way out. Then gently slowly, when you’re ready, you can open your eyes, and familiarise yourself again with your surroundings. | 2019-04-24T21:01:26Z | http://conscious.tv/text/83.htm |
I am a conservation biologist with over 37 years of experience in ecological research and management, retired after 15 years as a senior scientist with SWCA Environmental Consultants (swca.com). My work has included invertebrate, mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile, and plant surveys of many areas in the Southwestern U.S. and Hawaii. I have worked in a variety of natural and human-influenced habitats including wilderness, subterranean, montane, wetland, desert, riparian, aquatic, agricultural, and urban environments. My background combines field skills, experience exploring challenging environments, natural history interpretation, technical writing, and critical analysis abilities.
I have conducted field surveys for wildlife and plants in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas. I have published papers in the peer-reviewed scientific literature on endangered birds, insects, mammals, and integrated pest management, and presented papers at many professional meetings. I have also published articles and photographs in other magazines and wrote a weekly natural history column for a newspaper for four years. I designed and managed a private 4,500-acre wildlife preserve and a natural history museum for a guest ranch in Arizona. I have mentored other scientists, taught high school, college, and graduate students, and provided interpretive programs in a variety of settings. I have served as an adjunct professor for The Audubon Expedition Institute and Prescott College, and continue to engage in a variety of volunteer projects involving natural history interpretation, wildlife surveys, and ecological studies.
I am an avid hiker, backpacker, canoeist, kayaker, and mountain biker. I have had continuing education training as a Backcountry Ranger, Certified Interpretive Host, Wilderness First Aid and CPR, Pet First Aid, Animal Rescue in Disasters, and the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Skills and Safety course. I have acted as a supernumerary with the Arizona Opera Company and an actor with the Saint Francis Players.
Ph.D. 1985 Major: Entomology. Minor: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. University of Arizona, Tucson.
Dissertation: Bionomics and Management of Pest Mosquitoes at the Agro-urban Interface, Santa Cruz Valley, Arizona. Abstract: The world’s largest irrigated pecan orchard is located adjacent to one of the largest retirement communities: Green Valley, Arizona. Flood irrigation of the pecans produced huge numbers of mosquitoes (Aedes vexans and Psorophora columbiae) that invaded the retirement community and engendered complaints to the local health department. Threats of an injunction against irrigation and subsequent loss of the area’s primary industry that provided jobs for several hundred people loomed as a possibility. The usual sequence for the farmers was: irrigate, wait for complaints, spray with malathion or other insecticide, then irrigate again. This resulted in the farm laborers enduring up to 100 mosquito bites per minute, with more annoying mosquitoes developing throughout the summer, and increased numbers of insecticide resistant pecan aphids, the only agricultural pest, due to the loss of natural control by predators and disease. I conducted the first large-scale agricultural tests of a new mosquito-specific insecticide, the bacterial product Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti). Today, that material is the leading mosquito control agent in the world. I developed an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program based on use of Bti and water management that could be applied inexpensively by farm laborers. That program caused a drop to less than one bite per person per day for farm workers, an end of complaints, and happy farmers and residents.
M.S. 1981 Biology. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Thesis: Mammals of the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument. Abstract: The Grapevine Mountains is a largely wilderness area of approximately 500 square miles that forms the northeast corner of Death Valley National Park. Elevations range from -120 to + 8,700 feet above sea level, and the range has six major biotic communities, riparian and spring communities and many old mines. I conducted a survey of the mammals using live and snap trapping, tracking, bat netting, aerial survey, exploring inactive mines for their use and suitability as habitats for bats and other wildlife species, and time-lapse movie photography. A total of 42 species were recorded. Trapping included 4,937 trap-nights for rodents, using both live and snap traps. A total of 854 individuals of 16 species were caught, and 413 specimens were prepared and deposited in the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. My thesis was published as part of the National Park Service Technical Reports Series. I also prepared, with my major professor Dr. C. L. Douglas, a report titled: Bighorn Habitat Evaluation and Management Guidelines for the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument.
B.A. 1972 Biology. Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona.
Thesis: Natural History of the Prescott College Campus. I investigated, collected specimens for, then wrote and illustrated (with line drawings) a field guide to the plants and animals of a 640-acre area of pinon-juniper woodland and grassland. This site was the campus of the college, so I included observations on the impacts of human activities on the natural world., as well as migration seasons for birds, ethnobiological uses, and plant phenology.
Backcountry Ranger Volunteer Training, Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, July 18, 2007.
Rare Plant Monitoring Workshop, Flagstaff Arboretum, April 17, 2006.
Certified Interpretive Host Training. Arizona State Parks. December 7-8, 2006.
CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated Electronic Defibrillator (AED). Arizona State Parks. November 30, 2006.
Wilderness First Aid, Basic. American Red Cross. June 2005.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Survey Training. Southern Sierra Research Station and Northern Arizona University. June 2-3, 2005.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog Survey Training. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department. April 17-18, 2004.
Aquatic Bioassessment Survey Techniques. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. April 11, 2004.
Boating Skills and Seamanship. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. January-March 2004.
Restoring Streams, Riparian Areas, and Floodplains: Tailoring Restoration to Community Needs and Scientific Contexts, Inventory and Monitoring. 2nd Southwest Training Workshop and Symposium. The Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. Socorro, New Mexico. November 16-19, 2003.
Boating Safety. Arizona Game and Fish Department, August 23, 2003.
Animal Rescue in Disasters. Noah’s Wish Foundation. April 24-25 2003.
The Endangered Species Act and Habitat Conservation Planning, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) International Seminar; Tucson, Arizona, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1994.
Yellowstone’s Charismatic Microbiota. The Yellowstone Association Institute, Yellowstone National Park. Two-day workshop on extremophile microbiology. Dr. David Ward, University of Montana. July 7-8, 2002.
Flood Control and Urban Stream Channel Restoration-- A Practical Classroom Course. Presented by Dr. Ann Riley, Waterways Restoration Institute. Sponsored by Pima County Transportation and Flood Control District. Tucson, Arizona. November 1, 2001.
Bat and Bat Cave Management Workshop. Bat Conservation International in association with the 15th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium. Tucson, Arizona. October 19, 2001.
Reducing the Exotic Aquatics Species Threat in Pima County. Symposium sponsored by Pima Association of Governments. February 27th, 2001. Keynote speaker.
Biological Assessment Workshop with Tools for Expediting Section 7 Consultations. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Wildlife Society. Sacramento, California. February 21, 2001.
Creating a Multi-species Conservation Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center. Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan Education Session #7. November 6, 1999. Tucson.
Conservation Biology. Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan Education Session #6. September 18, 1999.
Techniques for the Effective Use of ANABAT in Identifying Free-flying Bat Species, Portal, Arizona, 24-28 May 1999. Bat Conservation International.
Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Survey Training. Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tucson, Arizona. November 20, 1998.
Arizona Partners in Flight Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Training. May 1996.
U.S. Forest Service Training for Inventory and Monitoring of Mexican Spotted Owl, Flagstaff, Arizona. May 17-18, 1991.
Graduate course work in administration, management, policy, and counseling (51 credits). Arizona State University School of Social Work. 1987-1989.
Vertebrate Pest Management Seminar. Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arizona. 1986.
SONOITA CREEK STATE NATURAL AREA/PATAGONIA LAKE STATE PARK. Conducted interpretive programs, primarily pontoon boat tours and bird walks, created and presented evening programs, and staffed visitor center.
SWCA, INC. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS. As Senior Scientist, responsible for mentoring junior scientists, providing information and support on a wide variety of issues and species of concern, reviewing manuscripts, and conducting specific training experiences.
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK. Volunteer leader of monthly nocturnal nature hikes.
SHACKLETON SCHOOL. Guest educator, leading students from a private alternative high school in Massachusetts on backpacking trips in the Superstition and Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona.
CLE INTERNATIONAL. Invited lecturer in Continuing Legal Education conferences on the Endangered Species Act. 2000, 1999, 1997, 1994. Presented lectures for audiences of lawyers, agency personnel, consultants and the regulated community on aspects of the Endangered Species Act.
AUDUBON EXPEDITION INSTITUTE. Adjunct Faculty. For three years, taught field courses in Systematic Investigation of Local Flora and Fauna for graduate students in environmental education.
PRESCOTT COLLEGE. Adjunct Faculty. Mentored individual students studying biological science subjects, photography and illustration, and computer skills. Taught field courses on ecology and natural history.
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS. Graduate Teaching Assistant. Taught laboratory sessions in Human Anatomy and Physiology, introductory biology, vertebrate zoology, and ecology classes for majors and non-majors.
THE WICKENBURG INN. Naturalist. Full-time resident naturalist at guest ranch in Arizona. Created program of natural history interpretation for guests, including a museum, nature walks, slide shows, and tours of historical sites and National Parks. Developed programs for children and adults, and international clientele. Wrote weekly natural history column for local newspaper. Led horseback, vehicular, and pedestrian tours.
1991 - 2005 Senior Scientist. SWCA, Inc., Environmental Consultants, Tucson.
1991 - 1994 Adjunct Faculty. Audubon Expedition Institute/ Lesley College.
1990 - 1991 Project Manager/Zoologist. Southwestern Field Biologists, Tucson, Arizona.
1986 - 1990 Consulting Biologist. Owner of Biological Consulting Firm.
1987 - 1988 Adult Degree Program Advisor. Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona.
1985 - 1986 Post-Doctoral Research Associate. Dept. of Entomology, University of Arizona.
1982 - 1985 Graduate Research Associate. Department of Entomology, University of Arizona.
1981 - 1982 Biological Technician. National Park Service Coop. Unit, University of Arizona.
1978 - 1981 Biological Technician. National Park Service Coop. Unit, University of Nevada.
1974 - 1978 Adjunct Professor. Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona.
1972 - 1978 Naturalist and Wildlife Preserve Director. Wickenburg Inn, Wickenburg, Arizona.
1970 - 1972 Teaching and Research Assistant. Prescott College, Arizona.
Current: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit for surveys for threatened and endangered species in the Southwestern Region. Arizona Game and Fish Department permit to conduct surveys for nongame birds, capture bats, handle desert tortoises and other reptiles and amphibians, and capture fish. American Red Cross certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid Basics. Inactive: Utah River Guide III; US Forest Service certified for surveys and monitoring of Mexican spotted owl; Arizona Department of Agriculture and Horticulture agricultural pest control advisor (insects); Arizona Department of Public Safety Emergency Medical Technician.
Butterfly Habitat Assessment. As a volunteer for Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, U.S. Forest Service. 2007. Eight kinds of butterflies are found only in the Spring Mountains, and are subjects of a conservation agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. One, the Mount Charleston Blue, has been petitioned for listing as endangered. I conducted habitat assessments for portions of a planned new multi-use trail, mapping and counting known food plants of the butterflies. I also conducted surveys for butterflies and their habitat, especially in areas that were difficult to access, e.g. above 10,000 feet elevation in wilderness, and monitored wilderness use and impacts to butterfly habitat. I documented distribution of Mount Charleston Blue butterflies and potential habitat for them that exceeded the previously known range. I examined the literature on butterfly and host plant ecology and prepared a report that included my findings and suggestions for future efforts. In addition, I prepared a teaching collection of butterflies to be used for training Forest Service personnel.
Springsnail Status Monitoring. As a volunteer for Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, U.S. Forest Service. 2007. Springsnails of the genus Pyrgulopsis include many highly endemic species, often limited in distribution to only one or a handful of springs. They are minute, cryptic, often difficult to access, and poorly known. Two species of springsnails (P. deaconi and P. turbatrix) have been documented as occurring at several springs that are under management jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. The Forest Service was committed to periodic monitoring of these populations at five springs, but had not been able to do so since 1998 because of a lack of trained personnel. I visited each of the springs and documented the presence of snails and current conditions in a detailed report that will serve as a basis for further periodic monitoring.
Bioassessment of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates. For ASARCO, Inc. 1998-2006. Developed protocol and conducted annual surveys and analysis of aquatic macroinvertebrates in Mineral Creek, above and below a mining operation to assist ASARCO, Inc. in compliance with its NPDES permit. Documented appreciable improvements in macroinvertebrate community as a result of the pollution control effort.
Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Biology of the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly. For San Bernardino County. 1995-1999. Analyzed data on more than 11,000 observations of fly behavior and resource use. Wrote annual reports on behavioral ecology of Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly at County Hospital site in Colton, California. Published papers in Annals of the Entomological Society of America and Journal of Insect Conservation.
Conservation Agreement for the San Xavier Talus Snail. For Arizona Electric Power Cooperative. 1998. Evaluated draft of conservation agreement for the protection of this snail, which is known only from a small area adjacent to a microwave tower and access road. Visited the site and assessed effects of the agreement on the snail and the maintenance needs for the road and tower. Advised client on terms of the agreement.
Invertebrates of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. For U.S. National Park Service. 1987-1990. Conducted 3-year study on ecology of invertebrates as part of a multidisciplinary 14-project Sensitive Ecosystems Program. Observed and collected invertebrates at 16 ecologically distinct sites. Collected and curated more than 4,200 specimens. Developed computer database on over 5,000 observations, and wrote reports and monitoring protocols. Published Technical Report.
Grasshoppers and Butterflies as Indicator Species Evaluation. For U.S. National Park Service. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. 1985-1987. Conducted 2-year study on the butterflies and grasshoppers at Quitobaquito Springs as indicators of environmental quality. Published Technical Report at close of project.
Aquatic Fauna of Minor Tributaries of the Colorado River. For U.S. National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park. 1982-1986. Conducted original investigation of ecology of invertebrates and vertebrates in rock pools and small streams along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. This study required participating in multi-disciplinary research river trips for 21 days each year, and investigating biota of aquatic ecosystems of several dozen side canyons that included springs, interrupted streams, and rock basins. The study was conducted over a range of rainfall years, from extreme drought to severe flooding, and contrasted the effects on fauna of the different aquatic systems and rainfall amounts.
Arthropod Fauna of Quitobaquito Springs Management Area. For U.S. National Park Service, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. 1983-1984. Conducted a two-year survey of arthropod fauna of a desert oasis using a variety of techniques for terrestrial and aquatic species. Published Technical Report.
Cave Preserve Management and Monitoring Plans. For Bexar County ( Texas) Cave Conservation Coalition. 1992-2000. Designed and wrote pilot plans for preserving and monitoring caves known to contain endangered invertebrates. Conducted surveys in caves and above ground to evaluate conditions and presence of species of concern. Delineated areas to preserve by fencing and designed plans for monitoring and fire ant control.
Conservation Agreement for Cave Invertebrates. For Bexar County Cave Conservation Coalition and Fulbright & Jaworski. 1996. In collaboration with legal experts, prepared working draft of a conservation agreement and strategy to absolve the need to list species of cave invertebrates as endangered. Served as member of technical team, working with US Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials, in developing agreement and strategy.
Proposed Endangered Species Evaluation. For Bexar County Cave Conservation Coalition and Fulbright & Jaworski. 1994. Compiled detailed reviews of known information on the distribution and ecology of karst invertebrates and advised coalition of landowners on protection of species petitioned for listing as endangered.
Endangered Hawaiian Invertebrates Survey. For Ka'upulehu Developments. 1994. Investigated 36 lava tubes (caves) on the island of Hawaii for suitable habitat and presence of invertebrates of special concern on 2,000-acre site. Documented presence of non-native invertebrate species in most tubes. In this area, all lava tubes of sufficient size were used as burial sites by ancient Hawaiians, so conducting this survey required extreme care not to disturb important cultural artifacts and graves.
be conducted by the BLM at a 60-acre site known as Posey Well near San Simon, Cochise County, Arizona. A pre- and post- project inventory of wildlife species is needed to document the potential impacts of the proposed project. I conducted a pre-project inventory of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and plants present and detectable under conditions at the time of the inventory, 5-7 April, 2006, and prepared a report documenting findings. The site has four distinct biological communities. Plants were identified to species, when possible under existing conditions, and notes on relative abundance, condition of population, and utilization by wildlife were compiled. The relevé method by ocular estimate, using the scale of Braun-Blanquet, was used to record stratum and abundance (as related to cover) of plants that could be identified readily in the field. Live trapping for rodents was done along transect lines through each community. Pitfall trap arrays for reptiles were placed in each community. Mist netting, ultrasonic bat detectors, and night vision scope observations were used for bats. Transect counts and point counts were used for birds. Standing water was visually examined for aquatic organisms.
Biological Considerations and Opportunities for the A7 Ranch Property near Redington in Pima and Cochise Counties, Arizona. For City of Tucson. 2002. The City of Tucson became the owner of an approximately 41,094 acre ranch. I prepared a report that summarizes observations and available information on the A7 Ranch with regard to wildlife and plant species that are considered special status species. Species considered (11 plants, 16 invertebrates, 9 fish, 2 amphibians, 9 reptiles, 20 birds, and 13 mammals) were those that are currently listed, proposed, or candidates for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA); species considered as Wildlife Species of Special Concern In Arizona (WSCA) by the Arizona Game and Fish Department that are known to occur in the general area of the A7 Ranch; species included as Priority Vulnerable Species in Pima County’s Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan; and species considered Sensitive by the U.S. Forest Service. The report was prepared at the request of the City of Tucson to support decisions that might be made in evaluating the future ownership and management of the A7 Ranch property. It includes a review of potential opportunities for mitigation and habitat enhancement for the species considered as potentially occurring on the property.
Ecological Constraints and Opportunities for Molokai Ranch, Molokai, Hawaii. For Molokai Ranch, Ltd. 1995. I conducted a general survey of a 50,000-acre ranch, with focus on water lines and intakes, for threatened and endangered species. I compiled data on 65 special status species of plants and animals and potential impacts to them. I hiked along the entire route of a 10-mile water line from the top (3,000+ feet elevation) of the island to the west coast, and evaluated occurrence of native plants and animals. I wrote a report that evaluated potential constraints to development, environmental laws and concerns that must be a factor, and potential opportunities for beneficial actions for developing ranch land and activities.
Biological Evaluation of the Apache-Hayden Transmission Line. For Arizona Electric Power Cooperative. 1996. Conducted survey and review for 67 special status species of plants and animals, prepared vegetation map, and wrote report that reviewed potential environmental issues for 90-mile power transmission line.
Important Bird Area Monitoring Surveys. As a volunteer for Arizona State Parks. 2005-2006. I conducted transect and point count surveys following IBA protocols of birds in Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Verde River Greenway State Natural Area. These are generally considered as two of the most outstanding bird habitat areas in the state.
Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Surveys . As a volunteer for Arizona State Parks. 2005-2006. I conducted call playback surveys following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol for this endangered species in Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Verde River Greenway State Natural Area.
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo Surveys. As a volunteer for Arizona State Parks. 2005-2006. I conducted call playback surveys following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved protocol for this species in Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Verde River Greenway State Natural Area.
National Marsh Bird Surveys. As a volunteer for Arizona State Parks. 2006. I conducted call playback surveys following the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved protocol for marsh birds in the Verde River Greenway State Natural Area, including Tavasci Marsh.
Avian Inventory of the Lower Santa Cruz River. For U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 1999-2000. I was the Principal Investigator on a project to determine the species richness and relative species abundance for bird species along an effluent-dominated stretch of the Santa Cruz River from the Roger Road Wastewater Treatment Plant to the Pima/Pinal County line. I conducted transect surveys along five one-half mile long study reaches three times in each of four seasons. A total of 133 bird species was found to use the area. I prepared a report that detailed findings and related them to vegetation and water conditions. I presented a poster at a planning conference, and an oral presentation to the annual meeting of the Arizona Riparian Council.
Surveys for Endangered Bird Species. For various clients. Continuing since 1970. Conducted species specific surveys for the following species: cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl, Mexican spotten owl, Yuma clapper rail, southwestern willow flycatcher, golden-cheeked warbler, black-capped vireo, yellow-billed cuckoo, bald eagle, American peregrine falcon, northern goshawk, common black hawk, northern gray hawk, zone-tailed hawk, and general surveys for all birds.
Status Review of Merriam’s Mouse (Peromyscus merriami) in Pima County. For Pima County Flood Control District. 2004-2005. Merriam’s Mouse was being considered for potential listing as an endangered species because of alleged habitat destruction by human activities. I collaborated with the County to prepare and submit a successful grant application to the Arizona Natural Heritage Program, administered by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The study involved examination of specimens and field notes of collectors, review of data on specimens in museums, evaluation of existing habitat potential at the sites where the species has been historically found, selection of potential locations for further study, and live-trapping at 19 selected sites to determine whether the species is still present. Samples were collected for DNA analysis. I found that this species is widespread and not rare, is found in a variety of mesquite-dominated habitats, and is still present at or near locations where it was historically found throughout its geographic range. However, it is extremely difficult to identify, and very few people have the expertise to identify it positively.
included a structural evaluation of an inactive mine known to be used by bats, and advising engineers on approaches to ensure the long-term stability of the site without adversely impacting bats.
Black Mesa Wildlife Monitoring. For Peabody Coal Company. 1997. Conducted surveys for small mammals and bats on reclaimed coal mining land on the Navajo Reservation. Developed experimental design to test hypothesis that mammal use of surface depressions was not different from mammal use of other reclaimed areas, particularly for the Mexican vole and several bat species of concern. Participated in fieldwork and data analysis, reviewed reports.
Mammals of the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument. For U.S. National Park Service. 1978-1981. See description under M.S. Thesis.
Aravaipa Creek Fish Survey. 2002-2005. As a perennial volunteer, I participated in twice-yearly three-day seining and electrofishing survey of seven species of native fish in Aravaipa Creek. I collaborated as a team member with personnel of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Game and Fish Department, University of Arizona, and Arizona State University. In the final year, I also provided catering service for the team of 20.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog Baseline Survey. For Chilton Ranch, Arivaca, Arizona. 2004. I conducted a baseline survey for frogs on a ranch, examining stockponds, natural stream channels, and water troughs for use by the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog. The purpose of this study was to determine a baseline, prefatory to developing a Safe Harbor Agreement for introduction of threatened frogs to waters of the ranch. No Chiricahua leopard frogs were found, and conditions were not suitable for establishing them unless habitat modifications were made.
O’Donnell Creek Fish Restoration. For The Nature Conservancy and Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2003. As a volunteer, I participated in renovation of a creek to restore native fish and remove non-native fish. I led a team of volunteers, operated a backpack fish shocker and directed the capture and processing of fish.
Cave Creek Fish Survey. For Spur Cross Ranch. 1996. Collaborated in electrofishing survey with biologists from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Salamander Surveys. For various private landowners in central Texas. 1992-1994. Conducted surveys, above and below ground, for salamanders of various species. Found several species of salamanders, including some rare and special status species.
Distribution of Vascular Plant Species and Current Conditions of the Vegetation Community – 2006, Verde River Greenway State Natural Area. For Arizona State Parks. As a volunteer, I examined 199 points within a state park area that included natural riparian and upland areas as well as developed recreational facilities. At each point, I recorded GPS coordinates (UTM), identified all identifiable plant species within a 10-meter radius circle, and took photographs in each cardinal direction. I compiled the data into a spreadsheet, and used it to document occurrence and associations for 150 taxa of vascular plants. I wrote a report documenting findings and produced maps of the distributions of species of special concern including weeds and rare species.
Biological Assessment of Potential Impacts to Pima Pineapple Cactus from Development of a Safeway Shopping Center in Sahuarita, Pima County, Arizona. For Safeway, Inc. 2000. Conducted survey, using USFWS accepted protocol, for Pima pineapple cactus (Coryphantha scheeri robustispina) on a 24.5 acre potential shopping center site and found one cactus. Wrote Biological Assessment document, and worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop an equitable mitigation package for Pima pineapple cactus as part of a Section 7 Consultation for a NPDES permit.
Range Condition Survey of the Navajo Nation Forest. For E.T.D. Environmental Consulting (contractors to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Navajo Nation Forestry Department). 1997. As part of a Forest Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement, developed an efficient sampling program, conducted vegetation surveys, and analyzed data to evaluate range conditions on 680,000-acre forest. Wrote technical memorandum report on findings.
Adaptive Management Science Team Member, Clark County Multiple Species HCP, Clark County, Nevada. For Clark County Planning Department. 2004-2006. As a consultant to Clark County, I served on a team of scientists that includes representatives of the Biological Resources Research Center, University of Nevada, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Functions of the team include monitoring science in the management of the HCP, review of proposals for funding (totaling $44 million in 2006), and evaluating scientific needs of the program.
Multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan, City of Tucson, Arizona. For City of Tucson Planning Department. 2004-2005. As Senior Scientist of the consulting firm contracted to prepare the HCP for the City, I served the information needs of the Technical Advisory Team and Stakeholders’ Team, and advised the City Planning Department on the scientific information available concerning the species being considered for inclusion in the plan. I contributed to the preparation of documents and GIS coverages, conservation and mitigation strategies, and led field trips.
Multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan, Pima County, Arizona. For Pima County (as a subcontractor to RECON Consultants and ESI, Inc.). 2000-2003. I collaborated with teams of scientists, planners, landscape architects, economists, and GIS experts in developing a multi-species HCP for Pima County, Arizona. I personally wrote or supervised writing of evaluations of status and available information for 78 species of concern, and detailed species accounts for 55 species. I participated in threats assessment, establishing vulnerable species goals, habitat data analysis, preserve design and management plan, habitat suitability modeling, a summary of information available on potentially problematic species, and an adaptive management plan. I assisted economists in developing an economic analysis of the plan and wrote sections of the economic analysis dealing with program costs.
participated as a contributor and reviewer in preparation of species accounts and threats assessments, and reviewed and commented on drafts of planning documents. I participated in development of the Adaptive Management Plan in meetings and workshops for scientists and land managers and reviewed the draft plan. The entire process contributed to development of an HCP that will conserve wildlife and plant species of concern and allow development and use of private and multiple use lands within one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.
Lower Colorado River Multi-species Conservation Program. For Metropolitan Water District of Los Angeles. 1999. I wrote species accounts and species conservation goals for bats and invertebrates included as Covered and Evaluation Species in this HCP. I compiled existing scientific literature on species of concern, including threats assessment and conservation strategies, and I synthesized accounts for bats and invertebrates.
Habitat Management Plan for the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly. For San Bernardino County. 1994. I developed a habitat management plan for the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly at a new County Hospital site in Colton, California. This initiated study of the ecology of the fly and a plan for habitat restoration. I produced a 10-minute videotape, which has been shown on CBS and NBC television.
Habitat Conservation Plan. For Washington County, Utah. 1993. I participated in the preparation of a habitat conservation plan for desert tortoise and other special status species. I was involved in meetings of the Steering Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, manuscript review and preparation, and negotiations with agencies and individuals.
Ecological Constraints and Opportunities Study. For City of Tucson. 2002. I evaluated lands owned or regulated by the City of Tucson for potential to have threatened and endangered species or to serve as mitigation for City actions that may affect such species. I wrote several reports and presented findings at meetings. This work laid the foundation for the development of a multiple species HCP for the City, and informed managers and the public of specific concerns for wildlife on City owned and regulated lands.
Paseo de las Iglesias Project. For U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pima County (as a subcontractor to Tetra Tech, Inc and DMA, Inc.) 2001-2004. I participated in a major riparian restoration planning project. Beginning with conducting a survey of a 7-mile reach of the Santa Cruz River for wildlife habitat and species of concern, I mapped habitat conditions and locations of wildlife observations to form the basis of a GIS database. Compiled lists of all plants and animals observed in the area. The project developed in collaboration with landscape architects and planners in development of plan alternatives and evaluation of them for effects on wildlife. I participated in a four-day workshop of planners and scientists developing a hydrogeomorphic (HGM) approach to wetland planning and an objective statistical foundation for evaluating conditions along Arizona rivers. I led field teams to measure variables at reference sites. Subsequently, I participated in development and analysis of plan alternatives, using both HGM and HEP (Habitat Evaluation Procedure) approaches, and wrote sections of the project EIS.
Interpretive Specialist planning interpretive materials. Contributed to master plan booklet on the park. This project received a Professional Design Award in the Analysis and Planning Category from the Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Natural Resources Management Plan for Barry M. Goldwater Range. For U.S. Air Force. 1996. I wrote sections of a draft management plan for 1,842,423-acre aerial training range involving multiple issues and agencies.
Environmental Assessment for Water Exchange Agreement. For ASARCO and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 1998. I compiled and reviewed historical literature and drafted sections of Environmental Assessment on area history and Biological Evaluation of water exchange agreement between mining company and Native American community.
Great Salt Lake Shorebird Preserve. For Kennecott Utah Copper Company. 1993. I evaluated a proposed 2,800-acre shorebird and wildlife preserve adjacent to the Great Salt Lake. I advised on potential management and design options as part of mitigation program component of Section 404 (Clean Water Act) compliance.
Wildlife Preserve and Management Plan. For The Wickenburg Inn Tennis and Guest Ranch. 1972-1973. I conducted a survey of plants and animals on a 4,700-acre parcel surrounding a proposed resort development. Using data from the survey, I designed a wildlife preserve on that land, including horseback and foot interpretive trails, wildlife waters, and viewing opportunities, and a management plan to enhance wildlife populations. I participated in the design team for the ranch, and served as an environmental monitor during construction.
Baseline Mosquito Survey, Santa Cruz River Habitat Restoration Areas. For Pima County, Arizona Flood Control District. 2004-2005. I conducted a study of baseline conditions for mosquitoes in an area that is planned for a riparian restoration project. Documented existing mosquito larval habitats and adult population size and distribution prior to construction of the project.
Baseline Mosquito Survey, Agua Caliente Park. For Pima County, Arizona Flood Control District and Parks and Recreation Department. 2003. I developed low-cost sampling methods for mosquitoes at a wetland park and a nearby spring complex. Trained park employees and volunteers in mosquito trapping. Sampled for potential mosquito habitats. Analyzed data and wrote report. Mosquitoes were considered as a potential problem in the redesign and future management of a proposed major renovation of a wetland park. This study found that mosquito diversity was very high, but total numbers were very low under existing conditions. Specific design and management methods were developed and submitted to the park planning process to reduce the potential for mosquito problems.
Mosquito Monitoring and Abatement Program, Sweetwater Wetlands. For City of Tucson Water Department. 2000-2001. Evaluated control methods and advised site personnel on management of mosquitoes at a created wetlands. Developed and conducted a program of surveillance and monitoring that includes evaluation and fine tuning of control methods, with the goal of increasing effectiveness and decreasing costs. Analyzed data and wrote annual reports. Presented findings orally at meetings with client, agencies, and public.
for major water recharge development project. Collaborated with engineering firm in planning facility to reduce potential for mosquito larval sites and ease of application of control measures. Developed program of sampling and least toxic methodology for control, collected baseline data, and met with project oversight committee. Maintained adult sampling program for three years.
Mosquito Control Plan. For The Nature Conservancy. 1993. Conducted investigation of mosquito habitats on Scott Matheson Wetlands Preserve, Moab, Utah. Advised The Nature Conservancy and Moab Mosquito Abatement District on techniques for management of sensitive wetlands.
Mosquito Control Plan. For Arizona Electric Power Cooperative. 1993. Developed integrated pest management program for pest mosquitoes in created wetlands at Apache Power Station, Cochise, Arizona. Trained personnel in evaluation and application techniques.
Integrated Pest Management Program for Pecan Orchard. For Farmers' Investment Company. 1986-1987. Developed integrated pest management system for pecan aphids and pest mosquitoes on world's largest irrigated pecan orchard. Developed sampling and testing protocols, evaluated pesticide applications and releases of predators, developed bacteriological control method for mosquito larvae and enhancement techniques for predators and parasites of pest insects. Enabled growers to reduce pesticide applications by 90%. Served as liaison for growers with public and regulatory agencies.
Endangered Species Act Training for Gila River Indian Community Staff. For Gila River Indian Community Department of Environmental Quality. 2004. Prepared resource notebooks that include pertinent laws, policies, procedures, and detailed species information for the resource management staff of a large Native American reservation. Special emphasis was given to the historic and current relationships between the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Indian tribes. The notebooks were presented in the context of a day-long seminar for tribal staff.
Panel of Experts on the Effects of Grazing on Mammals and Upland Birds. For U.S. Forest Service. 1999. Participated in two panels of experts, one for mammals, the other for birds, evaluating the current state of knowledge of the effects of Forest Service grazing programs on species native to Arizona and New Mexico. Evaluated potential effects of grazing on every species known to occur on Forest Service land in the southwestern region.
Grand Canyon Data Integration Synthesis. For U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 1997. Wrote chapter on native fishes. Reviewed all available documents representing 30 years of research on native fishes of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon and prepared a synthesis document that integrates existing knowledge.
Critical Analysis of San Marcos & Comal Springs &Associated Ecosystems (Revised) Recovery Plan. For Haynes and Boone, L.L.P. 1996. Reviewed the recovery plan for these ecosystems and the endangered species (salamanders, fish, and a plant), together with all available literature and wrote critical analysis for legal team. Explained what is in the plan, what evidence supports its conclusions, and what can be challenged.
Effects of Desert Wildfire. For Troon Village. 1995. Evaluated effects of several thousand acre wildfire on open space adjacent to and within housing development. Wrote report detailing the natural processes of recovery and steps that managers could take to hasten recovery.
Historical Evaluation of Wetland Habitats. For Kennecott Utah Copper Company. 1992. Investigated current and historical conditions of wetlands adjacent to mining property near Great Salt Lake.
Biological Overview of Lands Involved in Land Exchanges. For US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. 1996. Field investigations, videography, photography, and report preparation documenting biological conditions on properties offered for exchange as part of land exchanges between government and private agencies.
R. R. Johnson, R. L. Glinski, S. W. Carothers, and K. J. Kingsley. 2004. Urban Environments and the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum): a Profile of Endangerment of a Species. Pp. 135-145 In: W.W. Shaw, L.K. Harris, and L. VanDruff. Proceedings of the Fourth International Symposiumon Urban Wildlife Conservation. May 1-5, 1999. Tucson, Arizona. 368 pp.
Karpiscak, M. M., K. J. Kingsley, R. D. Wass, F. A. Amalfi, J. Friel, A. M. Stewart, J. Tabor, and J. Zauderer. 2004. Constructed wetland technology and mosquito populations in Arizona. Journal of Arid Environments56: 681-707.
R. R. Johnson, J.-L. E. Cartron, L.T. Haight, R.B. Duncan, and K.J. Kingsley. 2003. The cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl in Arizona, 1872-1971. Southwestern Naturalist 48(3): 389-401.
K. J. Kingsley and M. M. Karspiscak. 2002. A Plea for Gathering Data on Mosquito Populations for Areas with Proposed Aquatic and Wetland Projects. Meeting Resource Management Information Needs: Fourth Conference on Research and Resource Management in the Southwestern Deserts, Extended Abstracts. Edited by W.L. Halvorson and B.S. Gebow. 2002. USGS Sonoran Desert Field Station, The University of Arizona, Tucson.
K.J. Kingsley. 2002. Population Dynamics, Resource Use, and Conservation Needs of the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly (Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis Cazier) (Diptera: Mydidae), an Endangered Species. Journal of Insect Conservation 6: 93-101.
K.J. Kingsley, T.R. Strong, E. L. Smith, and T. K. Snow. 2002. Caves and Mine Adits as Wildlife Resources in the Sonoran Desert Region. Proceedings of the 15th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium. Tucson, Arizona. October 16-19. pp. 138-140.
K. White and K. J. Kingsley. 2001. Principles and Practice for Design of Cave Preserve Management and Monitoring Plans for Invertebrate Species of Concern, San Antonio, Texas. Proceedings of the 14 th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium, Chattanooga, Tennessee. October 19-22, 1999. pp. 203-208.
R.R. Johnson, J.‑L. E. Cartron, L. T. Haight, R. B. Duncan, and K. J. Kingsley. 2000. A historical perspective on the population decline of the cactus ferruginous pygmy‑owl in Arizona. Chapter 2 (pp. 17-26) In: J.-L. E. Cartron and D. M. Finch, eds. Ecology and Conservation of the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy‑owl in Arizona. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMS-GTR-43. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 68 pp.
K.J. Kingsley. 1999. Development of a Conservation Agreement to Protect Cave Invertebrates and Obviate Listing as Endangered Species in Bexar County, Texas. Proceedings of the 1997 Karst and Cave Management Symposium 13th National Cave Management Symposium, Bellingham, Washington.
K.J. Kingsley. 1998. Invertebrates of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. Technical Report No. 60. U.S. Geological Survey. Cooperative Park Studies Unit. University of Arizona. 187 pp.
K.J. Kingsley. 1996. Behavior of the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly (Diptera: Mydidae), a Little-known Endangered Species. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 89: 883-891.
K.J. Kingsley. 1995. Invertebrate Monitoring Protocol for the Ecological Monitoring Program in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. In: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Ecological Monitoring Protocol Manual. Special Report No. 11. National Biological Service Cooperative Park Studies Unit. School of Renewable Natural Resources. The University of Arizona.
K.J. Kingsley. 1989. Biological and Social Repercussions of Irrigated Pecan Agriculture in Southern Arizona. pp. 131-150. In J.O. Schmidt (Ed.) Special Biotic Relationships in the Arid Southwest. University of New Mexico Press. 152 pp.
K.J. Kingsley. 1987. Arizona Aphid Population Trend, Present Situation, and Results of Insecticide Applications. Proceedings of the Western Pecan Conference. 21: 68-75.
K.J. Kingsley and R.A. Bailowitz. 1987. Grasshoppers and Butterflies of the Quitobaquito Management Area, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. National Park Service/University of Arizona Tech. Rep. No. 21 CPSU Contrib. 055/01. Tucson, Arizona 24 pp.
K.J. Kingsley, R.A. Bailowitz and R.L. Smith. 1987. A Preliminary Investigation of the Arthropod Fauna of Quitobaquito Springs Area, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. National Park Service/University of Arizona Tech. Rep. No. 23 CPSU Contrib. 057/01. Tucson, Arizona 26 pp.
K.J. Kingsley. 1985. The Pecan Orchard as a Riparian Ecosystem. Pp. 245-249. In: R.R. Johnson, C.D. Ziebell, D.R. Patton, P.F. Folliott, and R.H. Hamre (Tech. Coords.). Riparian Ecosystems and their Management: Reconciling Conflicting Uses (First North American Riparian Conference. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-120). Ft. Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 523 pp.
K.J. Kingsley. 1985. Eretes sticticus (L) (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae): Life History Observations and an Account of a Remarkable Event of Synchronous Emigration from a Temporary Desert Pond. Coleopterists Bulletin 39: 7-10.
K.J. Kingsley. 1981. Mammals of the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument. National Park Service/University of Nevada at Las Vegas Contrib. No. CPSU/UNLV No. 018/05 Tech. Rep. Series. Las Vegas. 190 pp.
K.J. Kingsley and C.L. Douglas. 1981. Bighorn Habitat Evaluation and Management Guidelines for the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley National Monument. National Park Service/University of Nevada at Las Vegas Contrib No. CPSU/UNLV No. 023/01 Tech. Report Series. Las Vegas: 16 pp.
K.J. Kingsley and M.A. Kurzius. 1979. The hole in the cactus. Defenders of Wildlife Magazine 54: 148-152.
K.J. Kingsley and M.A. Kurzius. 1978. After desert storm hidden life erupts. Defenders of Wildlife Magazine 53: 318-324.
K.J. Kingsley and M.A. Kurzius. 1978. The hospitable rat and the free-loaders. Defenders of Wildlife Magazine 53: 196-201.
K.J. Kingsley and M.A. Kurzius. 1973-1978. Desert Ramblings. A weekly newspaper column in The Wickenburg Sun. Over 200 articles on natural history subjects.
Research, Inventory, and Monitoring Volunteers—Opportunities for Professionals and Paraprofessionals. Paper presented at the 33 rd Annual Natural Areas Conference. September 20-23, 2006. Flagstaff, AZ. With Joanne M. Roberts and Amy J. Gaiennie.
Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Sonoita Creek State Natural Area. Paper presented at 39th Joint Annual Meeting of the Arizona and New Mexico Chapters of The Wildlife Society and Arizona/New Mexico Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Flagstaff, Arizona, February 2-4, 2006. With Amy J. Gaiennie and Jennifer Parks.
Evaluation of mesquite mouse (Peromyscus merriami) status in Pima County, Arizona. Paper presented at 39th Joint Annual Meeting of the Arizona and New Mexico Chapters of The Wildlife Society and Arizona/New Mexico Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Flagstaff, Arizona, February 2-4, 2006.
What Happens If You Just Add Water? Paper presented at Biodiversity and Management of the Madrean Archipelago II: Connecting Mountain Islands and Desert Seas, 5th Conference on Research and Resource Management in Southwestern Deserts. May 11-15, 2004 at the Doubletree Hotel in Tucson, Arizona Sponsored by multiple Federal, State, and Regional agencies and non-governmental organizations. Also served as moderator for session on biogeography.
What Happens If You Just Add Water? Paper presented at Restoring Streams, Riparian Areas, Floodplains: Tailoring Restoration to Community Needs and Scientific Contexts, Inventory and Monitoring. 2nd Southwest Training Workshop and Symposium. The Association of State Wetland Managers, Inc. Socorro, New Mexico. November 16-19, 2003.
Caves and Mine Adits as Wildlife Resources in the Sonoran Desert Region. Poster presentation with Thomas Strong, E. Linwood Smith, and Tim K. Snow. 15th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium. Tucson, Arizona. October 16-19, 2001.
Birds of the Effluent-dominated Lower Santa Cruz River. Arizona Riparian Council. Tucson, Arizona. May 14, 2001. With Thomas E. Furgason.
Avian Surveys of the Lower Santa Cruz River. Poster Presentation. Symposium for Planning for the Santa Cruz River. Tucson, Arizona. March 30, 2001. With Thomas Furgason, Mike List, Lara Mitchell, and Elizabeth Vinson.
Pygmy-owl Survey Protocol. Invited speaker. CLE International Conference on Endangered Species Act. Phoenix, Arizona. Nov. 16, 2000. With Daniel Godec.
Pygmy-owl and Other Fine Feathered Friends. Preservation, Development, Economics, and Other Concerns. Panel presentation, CLE International Conference on Arizona Land Use Law. Phoenix, AZ. December 7, 1999.
Principles and Practice for Design of Cave Preserve Management and Monitoring Plans for Invertebrate Species of Concern, San Antonio, Texas. 14 th National Cave and Karst Management Symposium, Chattanooga, Tennessee. 1999. With Kemble White.
Urban Environments and the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum): a Profile of Endangerment of a Species. Proceedings of the Fourth International Urban Wildlife Symposium, Tucson, Arizona. 1999. With R. Roy Johnson, Richard L. Glinski, and Steven W. Carothers. Moderator of session on Endangered Animals and guide for birding field trip.
Guidelines and Criteria for Creating Karst Ecosystem Preserves. Section on Endangered Animals (moderator of two paper sessions). Society for Ecological Restoration Annual Meeting. Austin, Texas. 1998.
Conservation Biology of the Delhi Sands Flower-loving Fly. Invited Speaker in Symposium on Pollinator Restoration. Society for Ecological Restoration Annual Meeting. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 1997.
Development of a Conservation Agreement to Protect Cave Invertebrates and Obviate Listing as Endangered Species in Bexar County, Texas. 13 th National Cave Management Symposium, Bellingham, Wash. 1997.
The Conservation Agreement as an Alternative to Listing. CLE International Conference on the Endangered Species Act, Phoenix, Arizona. Invited Speaker. 1997.
Endangered Species Act Update. Arizona Public Service Environmental Conference. Flagstaff, Arizona. Invited Speaker. 1995.
The Biological Issues. CLE International Conference on the Endangered Species Act. Austin, Texas. Invited Speaker. 1994.
Arizona Aphid Population Trends and the Effects of Insecticides. Western Irrigated Pecan Growers Assoc. Las Cruces, NM. 1987.
Practical Applications of Biological Control for Pecan Aphids. California Pecan Growers Assoc. Visalia, CA. 1987.
Large-scale Application of B.t.i. for Management of Floodwater Mosquitoes in Irrigated Pecan Orchards. American Mosquito Control Association, New Orleans, LA. 1986.
The Pecan Orchard as a Riparian Ecosystem. Interagency North American Conference on Riparian Ecosystems and their Management. Tucson, AZ. 1985.
Aquatic Fauna of Minor Tributaries of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Southwestern Association of Naturalists, Glendale, AZ. 1985.
Pecan Farming: Repercussions of the Creation of a " Georgia Swamp" in the Sonoran Desert. Invited paper. Symposium on Interactions Among Plants and Animals in the Western Deserts. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Tucson, AZ. 1985.
Mosquito Problems at the Agro-urban Interface, Santa Cruz Valley, Arizona. Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. Tucson, AZ. 1984.
Ecological Distribution of the Mammals of the Grapevine Mountains, Death Valley. Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. Tucson, AZ. 1981.
Ecology of a Temporary Desert Pond. Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science. Tempe, AZ. 1979.
1,000-Hour Volunteer Service Award. Arizona State Parks. 2007.
2001 Professional Design Award. Analysis and Planning Category. Arizona Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Team award, to The Acacia Group and members of the analysis and planning team for the Irvington Road Landfill End‑Use Masterplan.
Forgotten Pollinators Award. Awarded for outstanding contribution to pollinator science and conservation, by the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute, and Xerces Society. 1997.
2,000-Hour Volunteer Service Award. U.S. National Park Service. 1989.
Gamma Sigma Delta. Honor Society of Agricultural Scientists, elected member. 1985.
American Ornithologists Union. Honorary undergraduate student membership award. 1972. | 2019-04-22T06:52:52Z | http://environmentallearning.org/faculty_kingsley_cv_1.htm |
Being one of the most cherished brands in the sports industry and delivering not only athletic shoes but also sports clothing and accessories, the name ‘Reebok’ definitely strikes a chord. The legacy of excellence has continued since the company was founded in 1895. Reebok has delighted runners, cricketers and football and tennis players alike with some of the most appreciated designs. Reebok has inspired and become one of the reasons why every sportsman/ athlete believes in delivering at par.
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Subject to the Copyright Act of 1957, it is mandatory for all those who play Pre-recorded music in the form of Gramophone Records, Music cassettes or CDs or Radio or TV or Audio-visual etc. for non-private purpose or in public places and/or commercial establishments and/or non-commercial establishments, to take prior licence from the Copyright Society for Sound Recordings namely Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL). in respect of the repertoire its member music label. As the registered copyright society in respect of Sound Recordings PPL has the authority to administer the Broadcasting / Telecasting Mobile telephony and Public Performance Rights on behalf of a large number of important music companies in India who are its members. PPL administered repertoire encompasses all major Indian languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Guajarati, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, etc. (both film and non-film music like devotional/spiritual, Ghazals, Classical, folk, Indi-pop, etc) and English/International songs.The IPRS is a representative body of Owners of Music, viz. The Composers, Lyricists (or Authors) and the Publishers of Music and is also the sole Authorized Body to issue Licenses permitting usage of Music within India by any person. Composers are those who are better known as Music Directors, Authors are better known as Lyricists, Publishers of Music are the Producers of Films and Music Companies, or those who hold Publishing Rights of the Musical Works. The Society is a non-profit making Organization and is a Company Limited by Guarantee and Registered under the Companies Act, 1956.
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The O Hotel is located in the heart of Pune. It is daring, different, and exciting in decor and design, fashionable with chic elegance that attracts all senses of design, colors, lighting, art and music. The striking, fashionable and bold interiors are the concepts of Les Harbottle, our famous South African interior designer.It is a hotel for the discerning business traveler, a guest accustomed only to the finest levels of hospitality and service.We create drama in everyday life. A sense of theatre is created as the guest arrives in the hotel and he walks on an onyx floor lit from beneath.
Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital is a multi-speciality tertiary hospital located at Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. The hospital is committed to maintain the highest standard of care and respond to the needs of the community in a compassionate manner. To provide state-of-the-art, high quality and cost-effective healthcare services and latest information to improve and maintain health for the well-being of the community. To unrelentingly pursue the creation of value for our customers, shareholders, employees and society at large. To foster a therapeutic relationship based on compassion that is felt, quality that is measurable and cost that is affordable. To become partners in health promotion with every section of society.
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CIMS Hospital Possesses a comprehensive and perhaps India’s best cancer care facility equipped with state of the art facilities under one roof and with a vision to provide world class quality care to patients of western India. Cancer care requires a multidisciplinary approach including radiation oncology, surgical oncology, medical oncology, pathology, radiology, rehabilitation, nursing care and many other ancillary services.
Established in 1991-1992 and registered under the Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860, Aashaa Bora Foundation is a non-profitable, non-governmental and non-political entity based in Guwahati, Assam (India).Aashaa Bora Foundation was founded by a women entrepreneur and social worker Dr. Asha Bora, working in the areas of skill development, livelihood generation, health care, children’s rights and women’s empowerment. The aim of the foundation is to generate awareness among various communities through a system of dissemination, where in organizations and individuals are given access to information of new technological initiatives and production enterprise.
UTSAH (Universal Team for Social Action & Help) is a Non Government Organisation (NGO), working on Child Rights and Protection in the state of Assam, India. They are driven by the philosophy of unrestricted right to life that has freedom, dignity and meaning. Utsah’s vision is the achievement of an equitable society where all its people could live and thrive. Their mission is to create safer spaces that ensure survival and protection, and fosters development of children who are in need of care and protection.
Red FM is an Indian FM radio brand, with stations broadcasting at the frequency 93.5 megahertz in the cities. . It was launched in 2002, playing a mix of Hindi and English songs. It is India’s largest and most awarded radio network with 50 stations and 128 awards.
ORSL is a leading, # 1* recommended, Innovative Ready-to-drink (RTD) fruit juice based drink enriched with electrolytes.It helps relieve dehydration and associated weakness, thereby driving prescriptions acrossmany conditions. It leads the prescription share with 64%* and market share with 62%** in RTD electrolytes. The strong Professional Equity has been built over a decade of sustained Health Care Professionals (HCP) detailing efforts. The brand enjoys high awareness among physicians, pharmacists & consumers.
GNRC (formerly known as Guwahati Neurological Research Centre), is the first super specialty healthcare centre in North East India. It was established in 1987 by neurologist Dr. Nomal Chandra Borah. At present it operates three hospitals – GNRC Dispur, GNRC Sixmile and GNRC Medical.
Rhythmix International Dance Studio provides a plethora of styles,traits and intricacies in dance.Techniques for improvement of alertness,powers of expressions and quick reflexes are inhibited to the learners with the Rhythym of beat.
Volini is a scientific, modern day pain reliever which gives effective pain relief. It is available in two forms: Gel & Spray. It can be used for back pain, joint pain, neck & shoulder pans and sprains.Volini Spray has micro particles which get easily absorbed into the affected area to give strong cooling sensation and instant pain relief. It is convenient to use, handy to carry and tackles pain anytime, anywhere.Volini Spray: Instant Pain Relief. Anytime. Anywhere.
B Natural, an ITC product are simply great tasting fruit juices & beverages with the goodness of fruits.They believe that being healthy is a natural state best served with great taste, fun and enjoyment.
B Natural has a range of delightfully tasty fruit juices & beverages – luscious, thick and close to the natural taste of fruits. Full of fruit goodness, B Natural is a veritable treat for your taste buds.
Every sip of Lipton tea is filled to the brim with taste and aroma because of the extensive research, insight and care that goes behind delivering the endeavour of its visionary founding father -Sir Thomas Lipton. After all, people take their ‘cuppa’ quite seriously, driving us to pick only the best tea leaves to ensure that our relationship with our customers is never compromised.
Like a good cup of tea that brightens up the spirit, we believe people should always look at the bright side of life and Lipton tea will help people do just that.
Building on the experience of over a century in growing and blending tea, Lipton® will always seek to keep alive the love, innovation and quality of Sir Thomas J Lipton, producing exceptional tea year after year.
Select CITYWALK is a 1.3 million sq. ft air-conditioned, vibrant and upscale destination Shopping Centre. This is a part of an overall complex of 54 acres that comprises of three floors of office space; India’s first six screen two Gold Class and four premier class PVR Cinemas, and approx 1 lakh sq. ft of Serviced Apartments.
Gatorade Thirst Quencher is the most thoroughly researched sports beverage in the world. Gatorade’s proven, scientific formula has not changed for more than 40 years and continues to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes, and provide carbohydrate energy to help athletes get the most out of their performance. Gatorade comes in three distinct flavours Orange, Lemon and Blue Bolt. Gatorade is available in RTD (Ready to Drink) and Sports Mix (Powder sachet) formats.
Every workout should have one thing in common. That is, ease of access, whether it be time, location or preference. Fitpass does exactly that. It’s a one pass access to hundreds of premium fitness brands and institutions across Delhi and NCR. So whether you want to go to the dance studio down the road from your home, a gym near your office or a specific class that isn’t offered at your current gym, fitpass will get you the access you need for the workout you want.
Garmin is founded on the principles of innovation, convenience, performance, value, and service. The co-founders Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao, display our innovative products in the lobby of our Olathe, Kansas, world headquarters. What began as a brainstorming session of a handful of engineers around a card table in 1989 has evolved into a worldwide collaborative effort of thousands of colleagues. Garmin’s goal, as it was then, remains simple: To create navigation and communication devices that can enrich our customers’ lives. Our innovative products span various areas of interest, including automotive, aviation, marine, fitness, outdoor recreation and wireless applications.
Located in the heart if the city’s business and entertainment hub, Connaught Place, The Park Hotel, New Delhi guarantees avant-garde hospitality. With the latest technology and amenities for business, leisure and relaxation, at your service, you would like yourself to be spoilt, taking in all that The Park Hotel, New Delhi has to offer.
A regal world of warmth and hospitality…where the high-end living spaces and opulently laid out international cuisines, enticing rhythm of music and the alluring ambience gets infused within you. This finest hotel in NCR ranks fairly well when it comes to the best guest house in Gurgaon and takes extra care that its guests are treated in the best of the ceremonial mannerisms. Therefore, turning into the most sought after guest houses in Gurgaon among all the NCR hotels.
State Bank of India, referred to as SBI is an Indian Government – owned corporation. Its a multinational banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Tracing its ancestry back to British India, SBI has emerged to become a regional banking behemoth. It is one of the largest employers and service providers having branched internationally. They truly live up to their slogan ‘The Banker To Every Indian’.
Located in the heart of Chennai City, The Park Hotel guarantees the ultimate comfort to its guests. Acclaimed as one of the top 5 Star properties in Chennai, they delight you with their ambiance, services, food and luxury to such an extent that you would want to be spoiled by all they have to offer.
Radio Mirchi is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group. Mirchi is Hindi for chili pepper. The tagline of Radio Mirchi is “It’s hot!”. They clearly live up to this idea as they are one of the most heard station across the country.Radio Mirchi maintains weekly music charts (or record charts) for India. The most followed charts are Mirchi Top 20 (Bollywood Songs) and Angrezi Top 20 (English Songs). Both of these charts are a ranking of recorded music according to popularity. These charts are published on a weekly basis in the Indian English-language daily newspaper, The Times of India, and on Radio Mirchi’s official website. Currently, Radio Mirchi has a presence in 33 metros Including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Indore, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore.
About ELLE Fashionwear:ELLE fashionwear is a French fashion brand launched in India by Arvind Lifestyle Brands Ltd. that retails women’s clothing, shoes and bags. It is owned by the French Lagardére Group that is the parent company of the world’s largest selling fashion magazine – ELLE.ELLE fashionwear is poised to make runway fashion accessible to the coming of age new Indian women.The collections developed have an optimistic, liberal and unique persona and distill the brand values of proximity, open-mindedness, freedom and optimism. The product lines for the Indian market comprise of womenswear, kidswear and accessories.ELLE products are sold across 80 countries worldwide. In India, ELLE is available in exclusive ELLE boutiques in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore Chandigarh and Calcutta as well as through select outlets of shop-in-shops like Central, Kapsons, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Stanmax, Big Life etc.ELLE fashionwear is also available online at ellefashionwear.in as well as on online sites like Myntra, Jabong and Fashionara.
Kingfisher is an Indian beer brewed by United Breweries Group, Bangalore. The brand was launched in 1978. With a market share of over 36%, it is India’s largest selling beer, with 1 out of every 3 bottles of beer sold in India being a Kingfisher brand. It is currently available in 52 countries outside India.The Heineken Group holds 37.5% equity shares in United Breweries Ltd.
OLA CABS: A young and energetic company based in Mumbai. Nothing excites us more than using technology to bring the same efficiency and customer experience to the car rental industry that you expect from flights!
Since it’s inception in 1934, when the first NUTRILITE product was introduced, the company has become a leader in nutrition research, development, and innovation. Like father, like son, today, under the leadership of Carl’s son, Dr. Sam Rehnborg, the next generation of scientists, researchers, and technicians is preserving the rich Nutrilite heritage by continuing to produce high quality, innovative supplements.
Asilo, the Hotel’s rooftop restaurant and lounge, has taken the city by storm with its stunning panoramic views and Mediterranean ambience.The white decor, warm wooden flooring and chic outdoor seating with Private Dining Lounges instantly transports one to a Santorini state of mind. The food selection is best enjoyed with the signature dishes cooked fresh off the Robata Grill.
Bajaj Platini is the premium range of home appliances from the house of Bajaj. Bajaj Platini is a brand apart – designed as a fitting accessory to new age India’s global aspirationsThis range will surprise the customers with features never seen or experienced before. In many cases these features are for the first time ever in the country.Every product is an exceptional blend of classy designing and intelligent technology making each a one-of-its-kind offering in the market.Bajaj Platini is a range that makes a lifestyle statement whether you own it or choose to gift it !
Hindustan Times (HT) is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement. Hindustan Times is one of the largest newspapers in India, by circulation.
Wockhardt is a global pharmaceutical and biotechnology organization, providing affordable, high-quality medicines for a healthier world. It is India’s leading research-based global healthcare enterprise with relevance in the fields of Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and a chain of advanced Super Speciality Hospitals.It is a true Indian Multi-National Company with a multi-ethnic workforce of 8600 Wockhardt Associates from 21 different nationalities globally. It has 3 research centers and 12 manufacturing plants, with businesses ranging from the manufacture and marketing of Pharmaceutical and Bio-pharmaceutical formulations, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and Vaccines.
Smartly detecting your location and showing restaurants in your vicinity.Offering both card and cash on delivery options for payment.
Recommending orders based on your previous order, for we would love to satiate your tingly taste buds.
Suggesting exclusive orders and deals, to give you your money’s worth.
Saving your address and Debit/Credit card information securely, so you can save your precious time whenever you place an order.
Your delicious food is just a click away. Start using TinyOwl (Tiny Owl) and place your order under 30 seconds. It’s time to relish your delicious food the TinyOwl way.
Vodafone understands that businesses need a communications partner with solutions that scale and adapt as their business needs change. They may need a few smart phones for voice and email on the move. Or they may require a fully integrated solution that enables sharing of documents, video conferencing and access to corporate applications from any location. Whatever their size and whatever their need, Vodafone is constantly looking for new, innovative ways to help our business customers grasp every opportunity in a simple and straightforward way.
The mall, located within Magarpatta City, representing a unique destination, with stores, attractions and services combining to form the most comprehensive and integrated retail, hospitality and entertainment complex. Seasons Mall is a place where people come to shop, play, dine and a have a memorable experience.
Decathlon is a French sports equipment and sportswear company founded in 1976. We sell sports products in more than 700 stores in 18 countries around the world and develop our own products under the flagship brand “Oxylane”, with one goal in mind: make the pleasure and benefits of sports accessible to all.
Claris Lifesciences is an Indian sterile injectables pharmaceutical company with a market presence across 100 countries worldwide. With an ultimate vision to preserve human lives, Claris Lifesciences have made a mark in the industry with their products and aim to progress further to become a world class organization.
With the highest circulation among Gujarati dailies, Divya Bhaskar has reached the top position among Gujarat as per ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation) and has the most editions by any newspaper in Gujarat. It is published from Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Mehsana, Bhuj, Bhavnagar (as Saurashtra Samachar) and Junagadh (as Sorath Bhaskar).
Being the first English daily in India to have offered an ‘All Colour Page’ format, DNA has certainly made it to the top with the young readership and consistently new marketing ideas. Today, DNA is the preferred choice of 1506,000 readers in Mumbai alone. DNA also organises a yearly Mumbai marathon called ‘DNA I Can’ for women only.
bSafal is the brainchild of Mr. Rajesh Brahmbhatt, a Civil Engineer who envisioned the future of innovation in architectural practice in 1995. With the best team of professionals in the industry, Mr. Rajesh has been joined by his younger brother, Mr. Rupesh Brahmbhatt and together, they have left no stone unturned to change the skyline of Modern Ahmedabad.
At a prime location in Ahmedabad, AlphaOne mall at Vastrapur is the largest mall in the city, giving it the maximum benefit out of the 3 anchor stores, one food court and Cinepolis Multiplex, making it the most happening places to be on any given day in Ahmedabad.
Right from the infrastructure to the latest medical technology acquisition, Apollo Hospitals has always kept its Patients First and strived to deliver not World Class but World’s Best Care to its Patients since its inception in 2003. From cardiac sciences to neuro sciences, Oncology to Orthopaedics and solid organ transplants, it’s all under one roof. Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad provides holistic healthcare that includes prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and health education for patients, their families and clients by touching their lives.
With the effective leadership of Mr. Lihas Trivedi, L S Sports solely aims to produce the best Running and Multi-Sport Events in India, while providing the best training for these events by qualified and experienced coaches in a supportive and fun environment. With 1 Mile to 21K running, Duathlon (Bike and Run), Triathlon (Swim, Bike and Run), they are the right people to bring out the athlete in you and make you go par your benchmarks.
With a beautiful design and sprawling space, Sports Club has gradually spread its branches for other sports and has become an epitome of entertainment and leisure in the thriving city of Ahmedabad. Today, Sports Club is one of the most regal clubs of Ahmedabad and renowned for its state of the art amenities and splendid aura. Established by the then Hon. Mayor of the city, Mr. Chinu Bhai Chiman Bhai have brought to life an identity, which will function ever so smoothly for many more decades to come.
Salomon S-Lab running shoes are the pinnacle performance shoes in the Salomon line and are used by elite trail running athletes. These shoes are specifically engineered to deliver maximum endurance performance in a wide range of conditions.
Run With Me Foundation is a non – profit association of runners to promote the joy of healthy running. Helping bring out the best in runners and to promote running in children, especially under – privileged kids is a part of their noble commitment.
Suunto was founded in 1936 by Tuomas Vohlonen, a Finnish orienteer and inventor of the liquid-filled field compass. Since then Suunto has been at the forefront of design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers and instruments used by adventure seekers all over the globe.From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, Suunto physically and mentally equips outdoor adventurers to conquer new territory. Suunto’s headquarters and manufacturing plant is in Vantaa, Finland. Employing more than 500 people worldwide, Suunto products are sold in over 100 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation along with its sister brands Salomon, Arc’teryx, Atomic, Wilson, Precor, and Mavic.
Life is fun with a BSA Ladybird around. Affordable, comfortable and fashionable, only BSA Ladybird brings out the diva in you. Whether you go on a fun ride to the park or simply window shopping with your friends, BSA Ladybird is a feminine style statement, light-weight and easy-to-ride. The Ladybird becomes part of your life, empowering your journey with confidence, independence and excitement. If you are 8 years or older, BSA Ladybird is there for you to make life joyful.
Founded in late 1878 as a weekly, The Hindu is the 3rd most read daily newspaper across India. Running across 11 different cities of selected countries in the world, The Hindu has been listed as a very popular daily by Worldpress.org. With its maximum readership in Kerala & Tamil Nadu (India), the readers have placed trust in The Hindu to live up to the faith they have put in them.
A group of rookies, highly motivated to run, went further to encourage their families and friends with the passion to run. Today we know them as ‘Dream Runners’. Since 2008, their passion has infected many runners at heart and they run regularly at all major marathons in India. They are a season – opener for the Indian Marathon Calender.
Chennai Runners is a group of passionate runners comprising of both professionals and novice alike who believe that ‘Running Is Always Better With Company’. Their spirit comes to life when they gear up to train themselves and go at par their previous performance, living up to their motto. ‘Do More . . . Start Running’.
Opened in the year 2000, Amethyst is Kiran Rao’s brainchild. 10 years later, Amethyst moved on to creating a larger canvas to enjoy. A joyful retreat in the heart of the city, Amethyst has cheered up many patrons and elated many occasions held therein. The Wild Garden Cafe is a space for exhibitions, books and poetry readings, music, film screenings and conversations. It is an experience totally worth it.
Chennai has grown up from filter coffee to cappuccino, Bharatnatyam to Salsa, Masala Dosa to pizza and many more such ideas while strongly holding on to its base.The Savera is among one such landmark, which has been acclaimed across the city. A fine, 4 Star property, The Savera has catered to millions of leisure and business travelers with its establishment in the Central Business District (CBT). Appealingly designed rooms, choicest food & beverages outlets, huge spaces for banquets and conferences and other appreciated facilities are the highlights of this downtown location and have become the preferred spot for people across the country.
Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication, Bengaluru, SIMC-B, has carved a niche in Media and Communication through its MBA program in Communication Management. It has been deemed as the Centre of Excellence in Advertising & Public Relations.It seeks to develop competent, responsible and innovative professionals in the practice, development and management of Media and Communication. The academic program is holistic – involving group discussions, case studies, seminars and workshops, live projects, NGO Internships, besides summer and winter Internships. Equal emphasis is laid upon curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
The Forum is a place one can go to for almost anything one wants to buy. The mall has everything from shoes to exercise equipment, from home furnishings to electronic goods, from books to video games!The crowd puller Landmark which houses everything from soft toys to office stationery to CDs, is a prime example of the complete experience that The Forum provides to its visitors. One can indulge one’s taste buds at Transit, KFC, Pizza Hut or the forever crowded Mac Donald’s the first one in the South. The transit, in fact, provides Bangaloreans with a never before experience. With its huge food court and eclectic cuisines, it can cater to almost every taste bud in the world!
Radio Mirchi Radio Mirchi is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group. Mirchi is Hindi for chili pepper. The tagline of Radio Mirchi is “It’s hot!”. They clearly live up to this idea as they are one of the most heard station across the country.Radio Mirchi maintains weekly music charts (or record charts) for India. The most followed charts are Mirchi Top 20 (Bollywood Songs) and Angrezi Top 20 (English Songs). Both of these charts are a ranking of recorded music according to popularity. These charts are published on a weekly basis in the Indian English-language daily newspaper, The Times of India, and on Radio Mirchi’s official website. Currently, Radio Mirchi has a presence in 33 metros Including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Indore, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bangalore.
Shiamak Davar is an Indian choreographer, noted as one of the first to bring contemporary Jazz and western forms of dances to India.1 He was also the Director of Choreography for the Commonwealth Games Melbourne, and Commonwealth Games, Delhi.2 He recently choreographed the dance sequences for the movie Mission Impossible 4.Shiamak Davar began his choreography for Hindi cinema with the film ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, for which he won the President’s National Award. Having changed the way dance was perceived in Indian films, Shiamak went on to choreograph for several Hindi films such as Taal, Kisna, Bunty Aur Babli, Dhoom 2, I See You, Taare Zameen Par, Yuvvraaj, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Aladdin.
With a meticulously – chosen fleet of first class, air conditioned metered taxis in India, the comfort provided by Mega Cabs has been appreciated thoroughly. Customized solutions for travels within cities they operate in, they are just an easy call away and reach you within minutes. The cars are under constant track with GPS and GPRS technology as a much appreciated additional measure. Their drivers are stringently trained and selected from reputed institutes like The Institute of Driving and Training Research (IDTR) and Hubert Ebner (HE). Each driver is awarded his badge after a thorough BGC by competent authorities as at Mega Cabs, customers’ safety and comfort is the first commitment.
At a prime spot in the city, Olive Beach with its sun – lit villa invites people with tall, open blue gates, and blends all that enters into the good life. Serene and vibrant at the same time, Mediterranean platters and spirits are lit up with music so alive, that you definitely feel a spell of leisure and comfort, be it a sunny afternoon or a twinkling evening.
Opus is the name inspired from its mascot, a bulgy but multifarious octopus, which, in Latin, means a created piece of music. Brought to life by its creators, Gina and Carlton Braganza, Opus has a live touch of Goa. Unhurried & mellow, the unostentatious vibe is highly addictive with a complete chiller and a warm – hearted kitchen.
A fledgling running group with immense power and positive energy, together they stand as Protons. They spread their energy as they run. Running has changed each of their lives and they believe that it is imperative to spread the joy of running with everyone they come across. They believe that every person has an athlete in them and are all born to run. They want to spread this energy to everyone and inculcate fitness and running as a lifestyle. Meet them and you will have no option but to like them. Feel the “PROTONS ENERGY”, RAWRRR!!!
Manipal Hospitals have a significant and substantial impact on the healthcare industry in India. Their flagship hospital in Bengaluru is NABH accredited and ranked among the top 10 multispecialty hospitals in India. Etched with all the technological advancements and state – of – the – art infrastructure, they pride themselves in the way they deliver healthcare.
Ginger hotels run the first – of – its – kind Smart Basics hotels across India. Giving a new dimension to the hospitality industry, Ginger Hotels are a fine combination of comfort and efficiency, offering all modern amenities, self – sufficient rooms, multi – cuisine restaurants, gymnasium, conference/ meeting rooms and much more, making them a much – intriguing choice for leisure and business travelers.
Movenpick Hotels and Resorts are located internationally. Present in Bengaluru, they are a popular pick among families and business travelers. Its proximity from the Bengaluru Airport and Bengaluru Railway Station alike proves them to be a very close key to leading business parks and industrial areas in the city.
Crossroads is a strategic and creative thinking, brand communication agency with a passionate & maverick team of professionals, experienced in OOH / Digital / engagement marketing. Their prominent reach in operational areas has made them a leading choice to shine brand ideas across to a large score people in just about one shot.
Myntra.com is India’s largest online fashion and lifestyle store for men, women, and kids. A one of its kind policy and simple, yet exciting approach to shop online from the latest collections of apparels, footwear and accessories, featuring the best brands has made Myntra.com the most popular brand amongst people. They are committed to delivering the best online shopping experience you can imagine.
Strand Center was founded in the year 2002 and deal in Genomics and personalized medicine. By enhancing sequence – based diagnostics and clinical genomic data interpretation through leveraging a strong foundation of computational, scientific and medical expertise, Strand is bringing individualized medicine to the world. Strand supports Pinkathon in its efforts to highlight the need for increased awareness about breast cancer.
HARMAN designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of infotainment and audio solutions for the automotive, consumer, and professional markets. It is a recognized world leader across its customer segments with premium brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, and Mark Levinson® and leading-edge connectivity, safety and audio technologies. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. For more information visit: harman.inHARMAN India is happy to be associated with Pinkathon Bengaluru, second year in a row.
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Volkswagen is the original and top-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, the biggest German automaker and the second largest automaker in the world. Volkswagen has three cars in the top 10 list of best-selling cars of all time compiled by the website 24/7 Wall St: the Volkswagen Golf, the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Volkswagen Passat. With these three cars, Volkswagen has the most cars of any automobile manufacturer in the list that are still being manufactured.Volkswagen ranks first in spending the most money of any automaker on research and development as of 2011. Volkswagen means “people’s car” in German. Its current slogan is Das Auto (“The Car”).
Firefox revolutionized the cycling scenario in India from 2005 by introducing 30 new models of bikes and covered the entire spectrum of mountain, all – terrain, road, BMX and kids’ bikes. After teaming up with Trek Bicycle Corp., USA in 2006 and further down in 2010 with Slime and Shimano, Firefox has been captivating the enthusiasm of passionate cyclists across India by introducing new and innovative products and organizing biking events every year.
HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd, The specialist in cancer care, headquartered in Bangalore and is South Asia’s largest Cancer Care Provider. HCG is the only dedicated cancer care network with quality care across 22 centers. For over five years HealthCare Global Enterprises (HCG) has been defining the future of cancer care in India by designing, building and managing cancer centres with a steadfast vision: to transform cancer care environment by bringing core clinical services to one central place. The intent of this single place is to help patients achieve longer, better lives – and to improve cancer care one centre at a time. They are committed to creating an environment that fosters the professional and personal achievements of each person who crosses the threshold of a centre. And by sharing these achievements across the network, the achievements of each centre, each physician, and each hospital are further heightened. Patients are the beneficiaries of these achievements – every accomplishment brings us one step closer to our ultimate goal of longer, better lives for cancer patients and their families.HealthCare Global Enterprises (HCG) has grown rapidly and is currently a leader in cancer care, managing a network of twenty cancer centers that span Asia. Each centre is provided with a business system, management expertise and capital resources to bring patient focused, state-of-the art cancer care to new regions.
Launched in 2002, RED FM first started round the clock operations in Mumbai, followed by Delhi and & Kolkata in 2003. Red FM is known for its attitude of providing a Station for Expression to the common man and playing only Superhit Music. Bajaate Raho!One of the first stations to go on-air during the first phase of privatization of FM radio business, RED FM began with the positioning of ‘Asli Masti’. In 2005, Red FM was relaunched with a brand new philosophy and attitude of “Bajaate Raho!” along with a music strategy of playing only Super Hit music, based on the internationally successful CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) format.Today, RED FM is widely appreciated for its ‘Bajaate Raho!’ attitude that is ingrained in its programming philosophy and displayed by its RJ’s who apart from playing hit music, aggressively take up relevant issues that effect people on a day to day basis. It has emerged as the ‘Station for Expression’ for the common man. Red FM further strengthens this brand attitude by utilizing innovative and novel media to reach out to its listeners at various touch points in their daily lives.
Everything adidas does is built on the passion to make athletes better, faster and stronger. They share a love for sports and create the best in performance apparel and footwear for athletes. At adidas, you’ll find a range of high-performance men’s and women’s products that showcase their latest innovations to help athletes of all levels reach their full potential.
A rich mix of tranquil ambience, dramatic food presentation and gracious service is what creates the aura of bunglow 9. Rows of greenery trying to reach towards the sun, warm, languid afternoon, in dappled sunlight, spent sipping wine and having casual cordial conversations. The essence of celebration doesn’t lie in an elaborate setting but lies in convivial, cozy meal with ones who are most cherished. Bunglow 9 isn’t far from the envision. Come live Bunglow 9 lifestyle.
Globally, Gold’s Gym is acknowledged for its unrivalled success in providing the finest equipment and fitness knowledge available to help its members achieve their individual potential. It follows a globally proven fitness training module with state-of-the-art infrastructure and delivery methodology and continuous up gradation through training programs. With certified trainers and nutritional counseling, Gold’s Gym provides a comprehensive approach to the health and well being of its member. Whether your goal is to burn fat, tone or add muscle, build strength, increase flexibility or improve your cardiovascular health, only Gold’s Gym has the atmosphere and experience you need.Today, Gold’s Gym has over 700 facilities. It is the largest international gym chain in the world recognized for its passion, unique heritage, and experience as the final authority in fitness and lifestyle.
High Street Phoenix (HSP) is the first retail led consumption centre developed in India over a sprawling 3.3 million square feet. It houses over 500 brands including a variety of F&B, entertainment, commercial and residential complexes. Pioneered by The Phoenix Mills Co. Ltd., HSP is led by its young, dynamic Managing Director, Atul Ruia and his team of professionals. A pioneer & one of the renowned leading developers of leading mixed use projects; The Phoenix Mills Co. Ltd. has a presence in 13 cities across country. Popularly known as the heart of HSP, ‘Courtyard’- true to its name, presents the perfect platform for celebration and festivities. Completing this picture is an array of eateries that surround it. The centre today stands as testament to mixed used development and is a unique destination with a wide variety of choices to appeal to all segments of the consumer across the board. HSP has added one of Mumbai’s, first luxury and premium luxury retail and entertainment destination, appropriately christened, ‘Palladium’. Palladium has, in a short span of time become an iconic landmark not only for Mumbai but for the entire country and offers four levels of exclusive shopping in an atmosphere of extraordinary sophistication and refinement all under one elegant roof.
The premier multi-specialty tertiary care hospital of India has been acknowledged globally as centre of medical excellence. The kind of confidence, trust it has developed on strong foundation of the state-of-the-art facilities, best medical expertise, research, education and charitable endeavors; that today it serves patients from all walks of life – national and international. Based on a powerful Sanskrit inspiration, “Sarvetra Sukhina:Santu, Sarve SantuNiramaya:” which means “Let all be blissful, Let all stay healthy”, the hospital has focused its operation on providing quality care with a human touch; which truly reflects the essence of its motto “More than Healthcare, Human Care”.
The Olive Bar and Kitchen is a rustic hideaway where good food, laughter, culture and conversation come together in a delightful Mediterranean melting pot.A place where beautiful people meet to celebrate life’s simple journey.
Mumbai Mirror is the largest English Tabloid paper in Maharashtra. As a part of the Times of India group, it was launched in 2005. Since the last 8 years, Mumbai Mirror has not only sought to bring news but to portray the city’s changing social scene. Through its incisive editorials, Mumbai Mirror has effectively moulded public opinion and is indeed an accurate barometer of the city today.
Trikke designs and builds 3-point cambering (leaning) vehicles that allow the frame to lean into turns while keeping three wheels (or skis) on the ground. The unmatched stability of this patented platform, combined with Trikke’s durable, lightweight, folding frame provides superior solutions for electric mobility, no-impact fitness and recreation.During every ride on the Trikke, the rider enjoys a natural body exercise and can experience the thrill of deep-carving action sports such as surfing & skiing. In addition, Trikke is recommended as (cross-) training device for all types of sports.Trikke vehicles have been engineered and refined to optimize speed, performance, durability and enjoyment for all ages. The Trikke can be easily folded for storage and transportation.
As Market Leader in the Corporate Housing and Extended Stay sectors, we can provide you with the most innovative solution to all your serviced apartment accommodation needs.We believe that every guest’s needs are individual from the time you make your reservation, our experienced dedicated team will go out of their way to give you a very personal yet professional service.
Breast Friends Pune is a support group for women and their families, who have had breast cancer at any time in their lives. This support group began in late 2010, and aims to provide emotional support and physical care to women who are battling with or have survived breast cancer.The support group is an endeavor to speed up survivors’ recovery from this disease and integrate them back into normal living. It is an initiative of the breast care team of specialists of Sahyadri Hospitals, Pune, all of whom are women themselves.
Emcure is a fast growing Indian pharmaceutical company engaged in developing, manufacturing and marketing a broad range of pharmaceutical products globally. Their core strength lies in developing and manufacturing differentiated pharmaceutical products in-house, which we commercialize through theirmarketing infrastructure across geographies and relationships with multi-national pharmaceutical companies.
Giant is a name that inspires awe! It is not just the world’s largest bicycle manufacturing company but also the original equipment manufacturer for quite a few of the world’s best known brands. Giant is amongst the leading bicycle brand in every country where it has marked its presence.Giant bikes win world championships and design awards too, but most importantly they win the hearts of riders who choose to make cycling a part of their lives. We at Sprint Sports are committed to extend the same values and thrills that Giant symbolises the world over.
Enthusionz is the Socio Marketer which empowers the companies to be Social and build their Brand through the power of Social and Digital Media Marketing.As the mode of advertisements is changing, the way Brands used to communicate and sell is thereby going through a revolutionary change. We at Enthusionz represent this Change which is futuristic; we are a part of the new age advertisements. And we are sure; we along with you can play an immense part in this prime marketing revolution of 21st century.
Pune Mirror is the 2nd largest English tabloid paper in Pune. It enjoys one of the highest readership amongst the youth. As a part of the Times of India group, it was launched in 2008. Since the last 5 years, Pune Mirror has not only sought to bring news but to portray the city’s changing social scene. Through its incisive editorials, Pune Mirror has effectively moulded public opinion and is indeed an accurate barometer of the city today.
The Olive Bistro is a charming, rustic slice of the Mediterranean, where life imitates art and often, the other way around. Set in the backyard of the leafy, quiet Poona Club at Bund Garden Road, Olive Bistro takes play amidst the beautiful backdrop of an old world villa, a 124-year old throwback to the British era, with a beautiful restored wood pavilion, stone walls and a sprawling courtyard.The menu at Olive Bistro is truly a modern-day inspired bistro experience. Its comfortable, well priced with delicious all day fare. Here, Chef Mayank Tiwari and his team brings foodies his signature style, with homemade crusty granary breads, wholesome sandwiches and burgers, delicate broths, wood fired pizzas and luscious desserts to complete the bistro experience.
This group is for Pune area runners who are passionate about running and want to be part of a collaborative group that helps each other improve.If you run in Pune you are part of Pune running. If you have a new idea about running we want to try it. If you have more information about running we want to know about it. If you run we want to join you. Most of us run most days of the week. Weekend runs are usually long and we usually do them together unless we are out to other running events across the globe. Most of us have run Half and Full Marathons all over India and outside.
Sahyadri Hospitals is the largest chain of hospitals in Maharashtra. It is always within easy reach due to its strategic locations which include cities like Pune, Nashik, Karad and Navi Mumbai. Sahyadri group has 12 Hospitals with more than 900 beds currently and plans to expand to almost 1200 beds by end of the next financial year. Sahyadri has touched the lives of over 10 lakh people by providing quality care.
Sixth Element is a strategic alliance between the three stalwarts of outdoor media in Pune – Asha, Captions and Hallmark. Together, we have 5 decades of experience in OOH with more than 600 sites across Pune and Maharashtra. Sixth Element is today the agency on record for media planning and buying for many leading brands and advertisers across verticals – with clients from large corporates to even local medium budget spenders.
Sohum Spas are luxury wellness spas that have been created from the passion to make available scientifically validated wellness therapies in a completely relaxing aesthetic environment. The triad of the mind-body-soul are the inspiration behind all our activities be it staff training, guest service, interaction with our stakeholders or social responsibility. We believe that wellness is truly the balance of these components that reflects as lingering beauty from within. The result is a beautiful body in a spiritually aware mind.
Think sports photography, think Veloscope. They are a group of passionate photographers with specific interest in sports and action photography. They are sportspersons themselves and enjoy capturing moments in action that one would love to see over and over again.Veloscope is a sports media collective and they collaborate with various event organizers. One of their goals is to provide the whole experience to their viewers with their picture coverage and video footage.
Times Foundation is a development house set up by the Times of India Group to promote equitable, inclusive and sustainable development, facilitating affirmative interventions for self-development, education, health, women’s empowerment, environment and disaster management.Times Foundation is a strategic organization, working on a macro canvas – connecting, highlighting, facilitating – creating effective bridges among stakeholders to ensure clarity of purpose and focused action. Its role encompasses facilitating and networking and effectively connecting with all stakeholders in its pursuit of an inclusive society where people and their concerns are mainstreamed and effectively addressed.
Stayfree Women for Change is an initiative to support marginalized girls and women with equal opportunities by providing them improved health and hygiene facilities through health education, training and access to health and hygiene amenities, thus empowering them. It aspires to ensure every girl and woman has a healthy & hygienic life which we believe is every woman’s right.Stayfree® believes it is time to change the situation faced by underprivileged girls and women in terms of sanitation and hygiene. The Stayfree Women for Change is an initiative to support women and children and to ensure each of them has a healthy, hygienic life – which we believe is her right.
Biocon Oncotherapeutics, a division of Biocon Ltd, is committed to bringing in novel and innovative cancer therapies at an affordable cost to raise the current standards of cancer treatment.Their products include BIOMAb EGFR®, the first humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of head and neck cancer; Abraxane®, a US FDA approved anti-cancer drug for the treatment of breast cancer; and NUFIL safe™, GCSF for the treatment of chemotherapy induced neutropenia, the only Indian filgrastim equipped with an ultra safe passive delivery system to protect against needle stick injuries.
At HCL Technologies, takes pride in thier ‘Employees First’ culture. When HCLites expressed their desire to reach out to the lesser privileged and give back to society; we ensured that a professional entity was created to achieve the same.HCLT Foundation is a ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Trust’, supported by employees’ contribution of Re 1 /-, a day and matched by HCL Technologies Ltd. All programmes are implemented with the support from employee voluntary group called ‘Catalysts for Social Change’ (CSC). ECO = Environment + Community : At HCL Technologies, we believe that engaging with communities will help us meet with environment goals and through communities; we can ‘Rebalance’ resources for future.
92.7 BIG FM is India’s largest FM network with a presence across 45 cities, 1200+ towns and 50,000+ villages and a weekly reach of 4.3 crore Indians across the country. After the launch of its first station in September 2006, it has expanded at a phenomenal pace, launching 45 station network in record breaking time of 18 months.Within a short span of time, its distinctive content and innovative promotions have established leadership in the FM space and firmly laid the foundation for an exciting future ahead.
For more than two decades now, Bodycraft Spa & Salon has been Bangalore’s most known and trusted destination for cutting-edge styling, hair and skin care, and wellness services.Bodycraft services over 40,000 satisfied clients across five avant-garde facilities spread over 40,000 square feet. With state of the art equipment and over 400 professionals trained by international experts from Wella, Sebastian, SP, Dermalogica, Ainhoa and EZFlow, our customers are in extremely capable hands.
The story of one of India’s favorite brands reads almost like a fairy tale. Once upon a time, in 1892 to be precise, a biscuit company was started in a nondescript house in Kolkata with an initial investment of Rs. 295. The company we all know as Britannia today. Britannia strode into the 21st Century as one of India’s biggest brands and the pre-eminent food brand of the country. It was equally recognized for its innovative approach to products and marketing.Today, more than a century after those tentative first steps, Britannia’s fairy tale is not only going strong but blazing new standards, and that miniscule initial investment has grown by leaps and bounds to crores of rupees in wealth for Britannia’s shareholders.
CoolAge celebrates non academic aspects of college life. The creative genius of hundreds of thousands of college students is published BY, FOR and OF the students.Passionate and articulate student bloggers report the buzz and activities from their campuses creating a window of opportunity for themselves and their colleges.
Since its inception in 1977, Laqshya has moved forward on many fronts to capitalize on the growth of opportunities, to emphasize on searching for emerging concepts, technologies and to sharpen our business portfolio’s focus. Today, as a result of this, Laqshya Group is leading OOH media organization offering conventional, ambient, airport and other innovative OOH solutions PAN India.Laqshya today has Sole concessionaires for Hyderabad Airport, more than 1000 Premium panels PAN India apart from offering 360 degrees Outdoor Media Solutions – All under one roof.
Fresh, spirited and youthful, the Lemon Tree Hotel Company is India’s fastest growing chain of upscale, midscale and economy hotels. This award winning Indian hotel chain was founded in September 2002 and currently owns and operates 21 hotels in 14 cities with ~2600 rooms and over ~3000 employees.This speedy growth has made the group the 3rd largest hotel chain in India by owned rooms, currently. By 2015-16, the company will own and operate over 4000 rooms across most of the major cities in India including Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, East Delhi, Muhamma (Kerala), Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.
Dabur’s Foods division pioneered the concept of packaged fruit juices in India way back in 1997. Realising the potential of processed & packaged food industry in India (4th largest in the world), it successfully established brands in a market where the barrier to accept packaged food is high, and the fledging processed food industry was in a nascent stage in India.Today, Dabur’s Foods division has kept its promise not only to the Indian consumers but to the world by providing them the very best products in packaged food class. | 2019-04-20T07:15:42Z | http://pinkathon.in/pinkathon-sponsors/ |
It is hard to imagine that one NFL team could look past another as much as Minnesota looked past Buffalo in its 27-6 loss. The Vikings must have been looking ahead to their game this Thursday in LA with the powerful Rams. Mike Zimmer's team was totally unprepared to play the Bills as demonstrated by the fact Minnsota attempted only 6 rushes (6 rushes!!) against a team that had yielded more than 100 yards in both of its first two games. The almost complete absence of rushing attempts indicates the Vikings, who were favored by 16.5 points, had never thought about, much less prepared, for falling behind in this game. The shocking result is just another reminder that NFL coaches have to be ready for anything every Sunday.
He may be well past his prime, but Washington RB Adrian Peterson showed that he still owns the Packers. Peterson came into the game with 1,779 career rushing yards in 17 games against Green Bay (104.6 per game), the most he has gained against any one team. Peterson gashed the Packers for 120 yards and 2 TDs as the Redskins cruised to a 31-17 win.
Miami HC Adam Gase is looking like a strong candidate for COY as the Dolphins moved to 3-0 with a 28-20 win over Jon Gruden's 0-3 Raiders. With the win, Miami raised its play design +/- to +7.63% and its turnover differential to +4. The Dolphins prevailed despite no running game as Gase drew up designs for 4 TD passes, including a nifty TD pass from WR Albert Wilson to WR Jakeem Grant on a reverse. Miami travels to New England this week with a chance to take control of the AFC East with a win over the vulnerable Patriots (1-2).
The craziness in the NFL's kicking game moved from placekickers to punters in Week 3. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan (5 TD passes) and rookie WR Calvin Ridley (7-146-3 TDs) enjoyed career days against New Orleans. But the contest turned in Q3 when the Saints blocked a Falcons punt. The Saints scored TDs on their next 4 drives (not counting a kneel down at the end of regulation), including the first possession of OT, to win, 43-37. The Chargers lost contact with the Rams in Q2 of their "Battle for LA" when Blake Countess snuffed a punt in the end zone and recovered it for a TD that game the Rams a 21-6 lead and sparked a 35-23 win. For good measure, Chargers K Caleb Sturgis also missed a PAT.
The breakout star of Week 3 was Carolina RB Christian McCaffrey, who gashed Cincinnati for 184 yards on 28 carries in a 31-21 win over Cincinnati. As a team, the Panthers piled up over 200 rushing yards on 41 carries and 2 TDs (both from QB Cam Newton). It will be interesting to see if Panthers' OC Norv Turner will continue to use McCaffrey as a "between-the-tackles" 1DN bank, or if McCaffrey will return to more of the hybrid RB/WR role that he has mostly played before the meeting with the Bengals.
This Week 3 card is like no other card QC can ever remember. It presents a couple unusual opportunities to "bet like a banker." Typically, by Week 3, bookmakers are installing better desgined teams as favorites in about 75-80% of all games. But the better designed teams are only favorites in half the games this Week 3. Perhaps that is because better designed teams hav only won 63% of all games (disregarding ties). Better designed teams usually start much quicker than that and frequently win at an 80% of better clip in the first two weeks. Perhaps the epidemic of kicking miscues is the reason. In any event, QC has some never-before-seen-here plays to consider.
Tennesse swept Jacksonville last year, but from the way the Jaguars played against the Patriots in Week 2 this looks like a more mature team. QB Blake Bortles has become confident enough to patiently let the game come to him. Against New England, he targeted RBs and TEs on 19 throws and methodically took Bill Belichick's defense apart. RB Corey Grant has developed into one of the NFL's top out-of-the-backfield pass catchers and Tennessee's pass coverage has been awful (9.123 QCYPA). Defensively, Jacksonville should be able to control the Titans even if banged up QB Marcus Mariota makes a go of it. Even with (mostly) Mariota at QB, Tennessee is 2-6-1 ATS on the road since the beginning of 2016. Take away DB Kevin Byard's 66-yard TD pass against Houston last week and Tennessee's QCYPA is 5.712. Further, the Titans also have a kickoff return TD this year in addition to the fake punt TD pass, which means their offense is averaging just 13 points per game. Now it faces what might be the best D in the NFL (or at least the AFC). The Jaguars need to be solid in the kicking game and not give up any cheap points on returns or fake punts. If Jacksonville is alert, it should be able to pound out a win. Something like 20-7 sounds about right.
The Giants' offensive line and QB Eli Manning are getting ripped for their performances the first two weeks of the season. Don't overreact. New York faced what might be the two best defenses in the NFL in Jacksonville and Dallas. The G-men did not thrive, but they hung in there. If not for a Jacksonville pick-6 Week 1 and a long pass Dak Prescott to Tavon Austin (Dallas) Week 2, New York might be 2-0, not 0-2. Sometimes the difference between failure and success is that thin. Houston's defense looks good on paper, but so far the Texans pass coverage has been pretty soft (8.066 D-QCYPA). There is plenty of explosive playmaking on both sides just waiting to go off in Odell Beckham and Saquon Barkley on the New York side and DeShaun Watson, DeAndre Hopkins, and Will Fuller on the Houston side. In addition, both Manning and Watson have the potential to turn the ball over 2 or 3 times in any game. And TOs lead to points. With both teams 0-2 SU and ATS, it seem risky to get involved with the side. The OVER feels like the safest play here.
This is an intriguing game. Essentially, both teams are at home (or maybe there is no home team) so there should be no home field advantage for either team. The Rams have not given up a point for 6 quarters and obliterated Arizona last week, 34-0, and public perception of their greatness could not be higher. HC Sean McVay's team is 10.21% better designed that its opponets, so it qualifies for the same trend as the Chiefs. But the Chargers are potentially a lot better than a 7-point subsidy suggests. In 18 games under HC Anthony Lynn and DC Gus Bradley, they have failed to cover 7 points just 3 times (all in 2017) : twice against Kansas City (at -7 TO) and at New England (at -1 TO). In 2018, Chargers' QB Phil Rivers has been outstanding (9.205) and actually more productive than Rams' QB Jared Goff (9.185 QCYPA). If Rivers can avoid turnovers, they should be able to stay connected. Further, if the Chargers can strike early and go to the lead, McVay has been known to abandon Todd Gurley and the running game and it could get a lot harder for Goff, especially because the Chargers have some pass rush even without Joey Bosa. The Rams' money line is expensive, but you can hedge against the risk by also taking the Chargers and the points, which creates a creative opportunity for a synthetic middle (Rams win, but by less than 7 points). A wager of $320 on the Rams' ML and $352 on the Chargers +7: (a) gains exposure to a 62.5% profit if the Rams win by less than 7; (b) gains exposure to 14.9% profit if the Rams win by exactly 7; (c) reduces the risk of a Chargers victory to $0; (d) and will cost $252 (not $352) if the Rams win by more than 7 because you will receive a $100 profit on the Rams' ML. In other words, you can structure this bet so that the only way you can lose money is if the Rams win by 8 or more points, and even if that happens you will lose about 21% to 28% less money than if you nakedly bet the Rams to win on the money line or bet $352 on the Chargers +7 .
Arizona has been so unspeakably bad on offense in 2018 that K Phil Dawson has yet to attempt a field goal or a PAT. The Cardinals have been able to get close enough to the goal line for an attempt only one time and on that occasion they were already so far behind they went for a 2-point PAT. Doh! But, as the Bears know, such offensive ineptitude does not mean winning is impossible. After all, in 2017, Chicago defeated Carolina 17-3 despite QB Mitch Trubisky completing just 4 passes and the Bears generating just 5 first downs. Trubisky has been very shaky in 2018, as demonstrated by his 5.217 QCYPA and Chicago's 2.12 player productivity. And Arizona still should be able to play good defense, especially at home. Cardinals' OC Mike McCoy needs to get RB David Johnson going in both the running and the passing game. That will be tough against Khalil Mack and company. But the Bears secondary has given up some big plays. If McCoy loosens up a little and lets QB Sam Bradford try some deeper throws to Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, he might hit a shot or two. The Cardinals enter the game a dreadful -18.38% worse designed than their opponets. But since 2009, teams entering Week 3 that are at least 10% worse designed than their opponets are 7-4 SU and 8-3 ATS and have stayed within 6 points or less 9 times (82%). Further, matchups like this have stayed under 38 points 8 times in those 11 games. If you disregard the two games involving the high scoring Saints, 8 of the remaining 9 games have stayed under 38 points. Only the Colts 31-28 win over the Browns in 2017 is the exception. Combined the Bears (16.5 points per game on offense) and the Cardinals (3 points per game on offense) are averaging just 19.5 points per game on offense (Chicago's D has scored 14 points). Arizona has been terribly inefficient and unproductive, but it has committed only 3 turnovers in its losses, the same as Chicago, so it is unlikely that one team or the other will enjoy a big turnover margin. If neither team gets points from its defense or special teams, it is hard to see how this game gets beyond the low 30s. Further, QC is 4-0 to the under and the only single snap in any of those games on which theoretically a game could have gone over was the Bears' victory formation kneel down against Seattle on Week 2 MNF. In other words, the unders so far have been no sweat. If McCoy and Bradford cannot generate at least a few big plays, the UNDER can serve as a potential insurance policy here.
Tennessee HC Mike Vrabel (and his staff) earned his first win as an NFL HC with a 20-17 triumph over Houston. Without starting his starting QB, TE and both Ts, Vrabel and his staff manufactured 7 points on a fabulous fake punt that S Kevin Byard turned into a TD pass. The Titans also ran some Wildcat with RB Darrick Henry and manufactured just enough offense to win. Nobody gave the Titans a shot because of all their injuries. But Vrabel and his staff did not commit the unpardonable sin of becoming spectators in the face of adversity. They designed. And stole a win.
The Titans were not the only impressive AFC South team. Jacksonville pretty much handled New England, 31-20. Jaguars' QB Blake Bortles tossed 4 TD passes as he spread the ball around to J'ville's mostly anonymous receiving corps. Perhaps most indicative of the Jaguars dominance: HC Doug Marrone's team won the game despite losing the TO battle, 2-1. That almost never happens against Bill Belichick's Patriots, who came into the game 143-15 under Belichick when winning the TO battle.
After watching Kansas City's Pat Mahomes torch Pittsburgh for 6 TD passes in a 42-37 win over the Steelers, QC couldn't help but think how much the Chiefs' look like the 2011 Packers. That year Green Bay started 13-0 and scored 30 or more points in 9 of those games and 40 or more points in 5 of those games. Aaron Rogers finished the year with 45 TD passes. Mahomes is on a pass to throw an astounding 80 TD passes. There is no way he can keep up that pace, but if OC Eric Bienemy's equisitely designed attack continues to put up astro numbers.
Hard luck Hue Jackson's Cleveland Browns, who lost to New Orleans, 21-18, are using a winning recipe, but they are missing one ingredient. DC Gregg Williams' defensive unit is both creating turnover subsidies (+6 TO) and harassing opposing QBs (-.684 sack yards lost per pass attempt). On the other side of the ball, QB Tyrod Taylor is avoiding TOs, as is his signature. But to make this recipe tasty, a team needs to be rock solid in the kicking game. And the Browns have been anything but. (Now former) K Zane Gonzalez endured a brutal day against the Saints. While the fan base will not begin pining in earnest for No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield to take over at QB, the fact is Cleveland would be 2-0 if its kicker had simply made his field goals.
Oakland is another team that is winless because of kicking miscues. Against the Broncos, old pro Mike Nugent missed a PAT, which proved to be the difference when the Broncos rallied to win. The Raiders were considerably better designed than Denver and won the TO battle (+1). That is a game that NFL teams win 95% of hte time. It has grind new HC Jon Gruden's gears to let that one slip away. Nugent survived for now, but with his weak leg (Gruden passed up a 50-yard field goal attempt to start Q4), he will not for long if he fails again. In this day, a team that has a reliable kickert from 50 to 55 yards has a huge edge. With that in mind, it is perplexing why no team is willing to take a chance on John Brown, who showed easy 55-yard range in the Bengals camp before Cincinnati turned him loose in favor of the uninspiring Kyle Bullock. Certainly, Brown could do no worse than Nugent, Gonzalez, and other NFL kickers that struggled Sunday. And if Brown can handle the pressue, a team would essentially have a weapon fall into its lap.
The Lions collapse on MNF was the only pimple on QC's otherwise shining 5-1-1 Week 1 complexion. If the only bets we lose are the ones where our team turns it over 5 times, gives up a punt return for a TD, and the opposing coach decipher's our QB's audible signals, we will be just fine. By the way, did you notice how Jets HC Todd Bowles walked back the story on the signals? Well, we didn't know their signals "per se" the lawerly sounding Bowles said as he hoped the story would just go away. Bowles clearly is trying to minimize the chance that another team urges Roger Goodell to send his four-figure an hour keystone cops to come talk to him about this more. What the Jets did is not that different than what happened in Spygate. The only difference is that the Jets figured out the signals a Detroit player gave on the field while in Spygate New England figured out signals that the Jets coaches gave from off the field on the sideline. Personally, QC believes deciphering signals given in front of tens of thousands of people is part of the competition whether the signaler is one foot inside the sideline or one foot outside the sideline or whether the signals are given by a player or a coach. It's called "skunking" under all these circumstances and it has been part of the game for over 50 years. It is the most fun part of the game (in QC's opinion). The fact the Jets got their intelligence from a player in the game video, as opposed to making a special video of coaches on the sideline, should be enought to keep the league office out of their grill. But QC can see why Bowles is downplaying his achievement. That's smart. And an HC who is smart enough to figure out the Lions' audible signals is certainly smart enough to know how to minimize the risk of negative externaities arising. Great job, Coach Bowles!! Now, on to this week.
There is a ton to like on the board. Detroit +6 seems like an overreaction and the Packers +1 and Jaguars +1.5 at home both are attractive. But there is so much uncertainty about Aaron Rogers' knee and Jacksonville is 1-9 SU in its last 10 Week 2 games and the Patriots are on a 25-8 regular season ATS roll. The lesson from Week 1 is don't let your ego lead you to greed and betting into a bad trend (like the success of rookie Week 1 QBs). For once, QC is going to take his own advice and stay away from all these games. Besides, there are still a half dozen low hanging apples that we can easily pick from the Week 2 tree.
QC is going right back to the well after the UNDER played out just as QC thought it would in Week 1 when the Redskins faced the Cardinals. It is unlikely that Indianapolis will be able to run the ball any better on Washington than Arizona did. Thus, Andrew Luck is likely to throw 50 passes. Before his injury, this would not deter Luck. He would go risk seeking and let it rip. Often the result was interceptions, especially on the road, and massive home team point totals. But against the Bengals, post-injury Luck looked more cautious after an early pick cost the Colts points. If a little more cautious Luck shows up, the UNDER is a strong bet because Redskins QB Alex Smith and old warhorse RB Adrian Peterson will methodically hold onto the ball and control the clock. Don't worry that the number is moving in the opposite direction and has inflated to 48.5. It will not take much longer for the bettors to recognize that Washington is a team made in UNDER heaven. Now is the time to grab some cheap grace.
Phil Rivers and the Chargers racked up 33 first downs in Week 1 as they tried in vain to rally agains Kansas City. On the other side of coin, Buffalo QBs Nathan Peterman and Josh Allen could muster just 10 first downs against Baltimore. This is bankable data you can count on. LA can move the ball. The Bills cannot. In 2017, teams that accumulated 30 or more first downs in a game were 5-1 ATS. Teams that could manage no more than 10 first downs were 2-13 ATS. It will take a lot of turnovers and/or special teams blunders for Buffalo to stay in this game. When Rivers and the Chargers are on the other side, such a fiasco is always possible. Followers are well aware that there is little in NFL handicapping that QC enjoys less than backing Phil Rivers. But this is one of the rare spots where QC will roll the dice and hold his breath.
This feels like line made solely out of respect for past accomplishments ... and the betting public's respect for past accomplishments. And it feels very wrong. Andy Reid on the road and catching points is something that usually is going to get a long look from QC. This spot is particularly intriguing as Pittsburgh played an extra quarter of football in Cleveland last week and might have a little less gas in the tank than it otherwise might have. That could be a bigger problem than normal because Reid is fielding a track team this year. WR/Returner Tyreek Hill wrecked the Chargers last week almost single-handedly and might be the most dangerous stick of dynamite in the NFL since Washingtons Darrell Green. Pittsburgh DC Keith Butler will have to give Hill a massive amount of attention, which should leave TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammie Watkins, and RB Kareem Hunt in favorable matchups. The Steelers front seven chased Browns QB Tyrod Taylor 47 times last week (and caught him 7 times). That may take some zip out of their pass rushing legs this week. On offense, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has aches and pains earlier in the season than usual. Moreover, he threw 3 interceptions and lost 2 fumbles last week. Given Big Bens injuries and butter fingers, Pittsburgh HC Mike Tomlin probably will try to lean on RB James Conner, who gouged the Browns. The Chiefs run D is much better when DT Chris Jones is in the lineup (as he will be for this game) and DC Bob Sutton signed 325-pound Xavier Williams as a restricted free agent for a reason. Besides, it is hard for QC to believe the Steelers can plod past the KC Light(ning) Brigade on the back of James Conner. Finally, Andy Reids teams are streaky. In 2017, the Chiefs had a 5-game winning streak to start the season and another 4-game winning streak to close the season. In 2016 they won 5 in a row and in 2014 they won 11 in a row. As Durham Bulls catcher Crash Davis once said, A player on a streak has to respect the streak. Likewise, if a bookmaker will give us more than a field goal as an inducement to get in early on a potential Andy Reid winning streak, the least we can do is show a little respect and jump in with both feet.
Like Pittsburgh, Cleveland has an extra quarter of football wear on it. But unlike the Steelers who are snug in their home beds, the Browns have to go on the road to one of the tougher places to play in the NFL, New Orleans. HC Hue Jackson will have to bring more offense with him if he is going to stem the cries to replace QB Tyrod Taylor at QB with Baker Mayfield. Taylor could not generate much offense against Pittsburgh even though the Cleveland defense provide 6 turnovers. Taylor will have to combine with WR Josh Gordon on some big plays for the Browns to stay in contact. That could happen. The Saints secondary gave up big plays galore last week to Tampa Bay receivers like Mike Evans and O.J. Howard. Like those two, Gordon is a big, fast deep-threat. You can bet Jackson and OC Todd Haley are looking closely at what the Bucs did to DC Dennis Allens pass coverage last week. QC expected New Orleans' defense to regress to the mean some in 2018, but he never anticipated complete collapse at the hands of Dirk Koetter and Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, the Saints' D limped out of the gate last year too against Minnesotas Sam Bradford. But the unit jelled and improved as the season progressed. DL Cameron Jordan is a force and rookie DE Marcus Davenport showed tremendous speed and quickness in Week 1 and could become very disruptive. Jordan and his teammates had no trouble with Tyrod Taylor last year in a 47-10 wipeout of Buffalo. At this point, there is not much too think they won't be able to control Taylor again. Nothing seems wrong with the New Orleans offense. QB Drew Brees nearly matched Ryan Fitzpatrick rocket serve-for-rocket serve last week. Only a couple of killer turnovers, one a fumble that was returned for a TD, stopped the attack. With RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas, Brees has plenty of weapons. The last element of this matchup is the chalk battle between Saints HC Sean Payton and his former DC Gregg Williams. Surely Williams remembers how Payton through him under the bus in "Bounty-gate" and would like nothing better than to drive Myles Garrett all over Brees as payback. But raw hate doesn't win football games. The hunch here is that Payton knows that Williams guesses on defense and will be prepared to make the Browns pay when Williams does. If Payton is successful, his offense will avoid the turnovers that doomed their Week 1 and if the defense keeps Gordon under control, New Orleans should rebound with at least a 10-point win.
This is a matchup of two teams that like to slug opponents in the mouth coming off close losses in which they got slugged in the mouth. Expect more of the same Sunday night. New York went toe-to-toe with Jacksonvilles defense and actually was the better designed team. But a killer pick-6 that Eli Manning threw to Myles Jack proved too much to overcome. The Cowboys defense is also good, so Manning cannot do that again and get out of Dallas with a win. He can get a win if he can get the ball to his two home run hitters, Odell Beckham and Saquon Barkley, and TE Evan Engram (a high OBP type). The Cowboys D played well enough to win last week in Carolina and even forced a turnover on its own goal line to stay in the game. It will need a similar effort against the Giants to prevail. Dallas QB Dak Prescott ran into as much trouble as QC expected he would in Carolina. With a small, inexperienced , and not very fast or physical receiving crew, Prescott had to hold the ball too long waiting for someone to get open and absorbed 6 sacks. With the offense off schedule, HC Jason Garrett and OC Scott Linehan could not feed rushes to Zeke Elliott and accumulate the 30 rushes the Cowboys need to win and cover games. Dallas is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games in which it has run the ball less than 30 times. New York has a supreme run stuffer in Damon Harrison and will get DE Olivier Vernon back from injury too. QC does not expect the Cowboys will be able to reach their required run threshold unless Manning provides some turnovers. And if Prescott is not as careful with the ball as he was last week in Carolina, this could get out of hand and Garretts seat in Dallas could get warm early as Jerry Jones is a patient with just about everything about his HC except getting embarrassed by a long-time rival in prime time. Ask Wade Phillips.
Seattle put up 24 points in a Week 1 loss at Denver, but the Seahawks needed Broncos' QB Case Keenum to throw 3 interceptions to do so. Without those turnovers, Pete Carroll's team probably only tallies 14 or at most 17 points. Denver uber rusher Von Miller led a devastating rush that sacked Seattle QB Russell Wilson 6 times and shut down the Seahawks' ground game. It is likely that Khalil Mack and friends will wreak similar havoc as Seattle just cannot seem to figure how to get offensive linemen to block. Wilson threw 2 late interceptions last week so (at least for the first half) he might be a little more cautious, especially since WR Doug Baldwin is out and RB C.J. Prosise may have to play WR. Chicago is no juggernaut itself on offense. QB Mitch Trubisky could muster just 4.429 QCYPA against a Green Bay defense that has been pretty soft the last few years. The Bears still would prefer to have Jordan Howard run the ball 30 times than Trubisky throw it 30 times and the way Denver ran on Seattle he might just get those carries. Since Trubisky took over as Chicago's starting QB, the Bears are +8 TO so it is unlikley that Trubisky will provide a bundle of easy points for either side.
Well, after one week of the 2018 season, Tampa Bay and HC Dirk Koetter are the best coached team in the NFL and Hue Jackson's Browns--who were -28 TO in 2017--are an NFL best +5 TO. Just like everyone expected, right?
Buccaneers' backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick lit up New Orleans for not only 4 TDs, but also for 16.321 QCYPA. That is the highest QCYPA figure in any game since Week 10 of 2011 when Houston QB Matt Schaub posted 17.000 QCYPA in a 37-9 rout of Tampa Bay.
On the other side of the coin, Buffalo's Nathan Peterman and Josh Allen (2.121), Cleveland's Tyrod Taylor (3.265), and Philadelphia's Nick Foles (3.400) all posted such meager QCYPA that their teams' production was far below the JaMarcus Cable of 2.00 player productivity. Still, their teams' managed to go 1-1-1 as Atlanta and Pittsburgh shot themveles in the feet.
The last time we saw the New England defense, it looked like Swiss cheese in Super Bowl 52 against Philadelphia. It looked a lot better against Houston in a 27-20 win. The Patriots D held Texans' QB Deshaun Watson to just 4.941 QCYPA and production below the JaMarcus Cable (1.99 player productivity).
Washington racked up 30 first downs and controlled the ball for a staggering 38:08 of the game in a 24-6 beatdown of Arizona. Washington brought in speedy WR Paul Richardson from Seattle to stretch the field vertically and create room for its terrific underneath targets: RB Chris Thompson, TE Jordan Reed and WR Jamison Crowder. No designer has ever gotten rich on "Content to Make a Living" Alex Smith. But Jay Gruden's offense may be better suited to Smith than his predecessor, Kirk Cousins.
Sorry for giving out that Lions pick, gang. QC watched almost all of Matt Patricia's debut as HC against Todd Bowles and the Jets, which is unusual. (QC rarely has enough uninterrupted free time to watch a whole game.) For most of it, QC thought Lions' QB Matt Stafford must have developed a 1980s-level cocaine problem the way he was throwing the ball right to the Jets' defenders. Then, the morning after the game, it was reported some of the New York defenders had deciphered the Lions' hand signals and knew where the ball was going before it was snapped. It looked like it. Plays are predictions so if the Jets knew the play before the snap they could "fix" the outcome, sort of the like the con in the movie "The Sting." That was some brilliant decoding work by Bowles and his staff. Patricia, on the other hand, looked for much of the game like a guy who knew someone was getting over on him. Bet he was furious with OC Jim Bob Cooter for not being more careful to keep the Lions' code secret.
But Patricia can only be mad at himself for the terrible play of Detroit's special teams and defense. The Lions D made rookie, first-time starter Sam Darnold look like an All-Pro. But that really is not that unusual. With Darnold's cover, rookie Week 1 starting QBs are now 13-5-1 ATS against experienced veteran passers. Of the QBs who did not cover, Cam Newton pushed, Sam Bradford came up a point short, and Russell Wilson was throwing into the end zone for a backdoor push last , all against Arizona. Only Stafford, Andrew Luck, and Ryan Tannehill really got bombed. Of course, the vast majority of these QBs were all very high 1RD picks. They were drafted to play right away. QC should have known better than to bet into the teeth of that trend. It won't happen again.
Cincinnati is catching points and should be coming off a year in which the Bengals finished a lousy -9 TO. But Marvin Lewis' QB, Andy Dalton, usually protects the ball better than that and QC expects a bounce-back year. Dalton has bountiful weapons in WRs A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, and John Ross; TEs Tyler Kroft and Tyler Eifert (who can be spotted because of Kroft's emergence) and RBs Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard. Cincinnati upgraded the line with standout T Cordy Glenn and rookie C Billy Price. There are still some questions up front, but the pass protection has got to be better than it was in 2017 (-.518 yards sack yards lost per pass attempt). But Dalton does not have near the problems that Andrew Luck has. Indianapolis had the worst pass protection in football in 2017 (-.686 sack yards lost per pass attempt). On top of that, G Jack Mewhort retired and T Anthony Castonzo is quetionable. No. 1 draft pick Quenton Nelson and C Ryan Kelly are nice building blocks, but they won't help on the edge against Cincinnati's trio of young rushers, Carl Lawson, Jordan Willis and Sam "Bad Mutha" Hubbard. Bengals' DB William Jackson is a lockdown corner and if he follows T.Y. Hilton he could make him disappear and leave Luck without any options.
New HC Mike Vrabel and his design team are going to have to prove it to QC. Tennesse was 2-5-1 ATS on the road in 2017. Yes, the Titans won a playoff game at Kansas City, but in that game everything went there way from Chiefs' DT Chris Jones' injury to Titans' QB Marcus Mariota throwing a TD pass to himself. Tennessee's opponents combined to generously provide 35 more turnovers than they received, and the Titans still finished -4 TO. Some are thinking new OC Matt LaFleur will be just want Mariota needs becasue LaFleur has worked with Kyle Shannahan and Sean McVay the last 2 years. QC has a different take. What if things don't go as planned? Who will LaFleur turn to? It is a lot easier to look like a genius around Shannahan and McVay than it is on your own. Maybe LaFleur will be awseome, but QC is taking a wait and see approach, especially since the Dolphins have two veteran edge rushers (Cameron Brake and Robert Quinn) and a promising rookie LB out of Cleveland Benedictine HS (Jerome Baker). (The Benedictine monks know how to produce tough football players.) On the other side of the ball, Vrabel brought in veteran DC Dean Pees, who coached Vrabel in New England. Pees is the pride of Dola Hardin Northern HS, just north of where QC is writing this. So Pees is a favorite son on QuantCoach. But a scan of the Tennessee roster shows LB Wesley Woodyard is still penciled in as a starter at LB. Didn't Vrabel and Pees see the Patriots Tom Brady target Woodyard 11 times and succeed 9 times for completions for 84 yards (76 yards after the catch)? QC is confident Miami HC Adam Gase did. Gase is probably chomping at the bit to get QB Ryan Tannehill back and let him go to work with RB Kenyan Drake agaist a pass defense that opponents enjoyed passing on more than any other. This is for cash so we can't give home boy Pees a pass here (pun totally intended). Like Vrabel, he is going to have to prove he can fix the pass coverage before QC will do anything but fade the Titans.
This is an awfully low Limbo stick to try to work under. But there are some good reasons to see how low can you go. First, the Carolina offensive line is mess and Dallas can bring a ton of pressure with Demarcus Lawrence, Taco Charlton, and Randy Gregory. In addition, new Panthers' OC Norv Turner has never been one to let pass rush dictate terms to his design. As you saw two years ago in Minnesota when he almost got Sam Bradford killed behind a terrible O-line, Norv will tell his QB to just tough it out and keep calling deep digs. Robo QB Cam Newton can take a pounding, but while Cam is an exceptional power runner for a QB, he is a very poor scrambler under pressure. The view here is that the Cowboys D can stymie the Panthers attack. But Dallas DC Jason Garrett and OC Scott Linehan will have fits with Ron Rivera's D. Remember a few Thanksgivings ago when Luke Kuechly (from some HS in Cincinnati called St. Xavier--think it's new) returned two picks for TDs and his running mate Thomas Davis sacked Tony Romo into retirement? It was a complete design mismatch. Current Cowboys' QB Dak Prescott is much more mobile and Seattle's Russell Wilson has always given Rivera's teams fits. That will help Dallas avoid turnovers, but with a super young and unproven receiving corps, the Cowboys probably can't take advantage of the Panthers' questionable secondary and RB Ezekiel Elliott will have to try to pierce 8-men in the box most of the day as Dallas seeks the 30 rushing attempts they usually need to cover.
All summer long QC thought this was going to be Giants over Jaguars (and QC still likes that play), but the New York bettors have been anxious to get down on the home team and it looks like the hook is gone. So QC has turned his attention to another team that is getting bashed on talk radio on a daily basis: The Buccaneers. Tampa Bay, of course, will be without suspended QB Jameis Winston. In Winston's place will be veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who used to be an automatic no play for QC, espcially on the road. But Fitz is a respectable 10-7-2 ATS in his 18 starts over 3 years, including 2-1 last year. WR Mike Evans and TEs O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate are first-class receiving threats who are all big enough to cause trouble in the red zone. Moverover, the D looks a lot better up front with the addition of Jason Pierre-Paul, Vinny Curry, and No. 1 pick Vita Vea to stop the run and Noah Spence returning from injury to provide pass rush. New Orleans is not quite what it used to be on offense. QB Drew Brees is still plenty dangerous, but his 23 TD passes in 2017 were the least he has thrown in over a decade. Bullish RB Mark Ingram is suspended so Alvin Kamara will have to shoulder the load against the Bucs tough front. The Saints D was dramatically improved and DE Cameron Jordan was arguably the best defensinve player in the NFL in 2017. But it would not be surprising to see some regression back to the mean because DC Dennis Allen, the former Raiders HC, is just meh. New Orleans was just 4-4 ATS at home in 2017 and failed to cover against not only the Patriots (13-3), but also the Bears (5-11), Jets (5-11), and Redskins (7-9). With +9.5 points in pocket, QC is willing back Fitzpatrick against this history.
It's QC's hunch that the rumors of Pete Carroll's (and the Seahawks') demise have been greatly exaggerated. Seattle had no running game and QB Russell Wilson and company still ranked in the Top 10 in the NFL in play design differential (+2.39%) and turnover differential (+8) and just missed the playoffs at 9-7. Now Wilson has RBs Chris Carson (back from injury) and Rashaad Penny (No. 1 draft pick) behind him and T Duane Brown (for a full year) in front of him. The loss of OL coach Tom Cable is addtion by subtraction if you ask QC. On the other side of the ball, everyone is rooting for LB Shaquem Griffin. And Pete Caroll defenses will always be nasty. Former Vikings DT Tom Johnson will fit right in up front and CB Shaquill Griffin looks ready to replace Richard Sherman as a quality cover corner. The whole "Legion of Boom" thing (Sherman and Michael Bennett) came completely unhinged last year. Carroll will always have some rah-rah college coach in him and that works better with young hungry players than it does with brash, been there-know-it-all players. This team should re-energize Carroll. On the other side of the ball, QC has grave reservations (are there any other kind?) about the Denver design team of HC Vance Joseph, OC Bill Musgrave, and DC Joe Woods. If you look at the coaching stats, Raiders' QB Derek Carr was not really that impressive using Musgrave's designs, other than in the red zone where his natural ability to throw TD passes made Musgrave look good. Rookie FB Royce Freeman looks very impressive, but the O-line is iffy and QB Case Keenum's QB rating was 20 points higher last year than any other year he attempted at least 250 passes. As we all saw in the 2017 NFC Championship, when Keenum comes back to earth, he does so on a wave of turnovers. That does not sound promising for a team that was an awful -17 TOs in 2017. Denver has an amazing record in home openers in the last two decades. That and the over exuberance about Keenum is probably what has driven this line to Broncos -3. QC would make the line Seattle -3. Take advantage of the bargain.
This one makes QC a little uncomfortable. Rookie QBs like Sam Darnold have done surprising well in Week 1 starts against veteran QBs. And Jets HC Todd Bowles has assembled some great pieces in the secondary that should keep Lions QB Matt Stafford from putting up the over 30 points per game he has averaged in his last 5 home openers (4-1 ATS). Still, the Lions look like a team that is packed with pass coverage talent and ready to win now. After all, if Golden Tate could have stretched just bit further on the last play of the game agaist the Falcons, Detroit and not Atlanta would have been in the playoffs. The Lions were +2.01% in play design differential in 2017, which is why it was surprising that Detroit jettisoned HC Jim Caldwell. While new HC Matt Patricia is unproven and Patriots assistants have history of failure, for at least a year QC thinks Patricia will look like the best new hire. The odds of that increase if rookie Kerryon Johnson and veteran Legarrette Blount can keep defenses in base on first down more often than not. No QB has had to work harder for his production than Stafford because the Lions simply have had no back to scare a defense on first down. If the tandem of Johnson and Blount can change that, Stafford will be a strong candidate for NFL MVP. Even if things don't go that well in the long run, QC thinks that this game will stay under, but the Lions still should have enough to win this one by about 10 points.
Almost every year, an NFL team that last was seen dwelling at the bottom of its division rises to the very top of its division and just as often somebody in the penthouse takes the elevator to the basement. In 2016, Carolina followed up a 15-1 and appearance in the Super Bowl with a last place finish. Last year, Philadelphia went from NFC East celler-dwellers to Super Bowl Champions. QC thinks the Eagles might have arrived a year ahead of schedule and will be formibable again. But here are 5 teams who might not who they think they will be.
Jacksonville may be a popular choice to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl after finishing 10-6 and almost getting there in 2017. The defense still looks nasty. But QC is not so sure. The Jaguars finished second in the AFC in play design +/- and were +10 TO and still managed to lose 6 games. Blake Bortles is still the QB here. Last year, Bortles showed that he can play within himself and let the game come to him. But what if he has to do more in 2018? The WR corps has almost no experience beyond Donte Moncreif who the Colts let walk. The TE position is headed by Austin Sefarian-Jenkins and Niles Paul, which is not inspiring. Don't expect Jacksonville go over the cliff, but don't be surprised if the Jaguars fall back a little to 9-7 or even 8-8.
You have to love what the G-men did in the off-season after their 2017 season imploded into a 3-13 dumpster fire that cost HC Ben McAdoo and DC Steve Spagnuolo their jobs. First, NY reloaded with proven play designers in HC Pat Shurmur and DC James Bettcher. When Cleveland's HC, Shurmur was dreafully risk averse. But after spending some time with Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, he turned journeyment Case Keenum into a viable NFL QB last year in Minnesota. Meanwhile, at the end of 2017, no defense was balling better than Bettcher's D in Arizona. He brought unheralded DLs Kareem Martin and Josh Mauro with him from the Cardinals and Martin, Mauro and rookie Davlin Tomlinson should fill in adquately for departed Jason Pierre-Paul. New LBs Alec Ogletree and Lorenzo Carter (rookie from Georgia) also are upgrades. On offense, veteran LT Nate Solder and rookie G Will Hernandez upgrade the O-line significantly. And if Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepherd stay healthy, super-soph TE Evan Engram and dyanmite rookie RB Saquon Barkely will give Eli Manning weapons like he has never had in NY.
It seems like a lot of folks are treating the Seahawks like they have jumped in barrel and are ready to go over Niagra Falls. Veteran NFL handicapper @mikewilkening is not amongst them and neither is QC. The Seahawks have finished in the Top 10 in play design +/- every year since QB Russell Wilson arrived. And they have never finished with a negative TO differential in the Wilson era. The O-line will have Duane Brown at LT for a full year and looks way better than the awful unit Wilson has played behind the last 2 years. QC is one of the few people who thinks the loss of OC Darrell Bevell will hurt (Brian Schottenheimber is the new OC), but QC thinks the departure of O-line coach Tom Cable to Oakland is addition by subtraction. Words cannot describe how bad Seattle's pass protection has been under Cable. Moreover, rookie RB Rashaad Penny looks like he as at least some beasty boy in him, perhaps even some beasty mode. On defense, the two big loud names (Sherman, Bennett) and one quieter name (Chancellor) are gone. But S Earl Thomas, LBs Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, and DLs Frank Clark and Jarran Reed are all topflight. And there are few if any play designers in the NFL whose bucket goes deeper in the well of defensive knowledge than Pete Carroll. Sherman and Bennett took Carroll to the mountain top, but his loose hand on the reings works better with a hungry, under-the-radar, team that needs to prove itself to him. This looks like Pete Carroll's kind of team.
Welcome to "Philip Rivers Land," Anthony Lynn. In the team's first year under Lynn and in Los Angeles, the Chargers led the AFC in play design +/- at +5.1% and were +12 turnovers. And finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Lynn is learning what Norv Turner and Mike McCoy learned the hard way. Rivers is a the most overrated player in the league and a coach killer. For over 10 years now, the Chargers have put up impressive statistics only to fall short in the Win/Loss column. It is difficult to explain. But for whatever reason, if Rivers does not implode when poise is required, Los Angeles sabotages him and its chances with special teams gaffes. The Rivers-led Chargers are the most mercuiral NFL team coaching stats have ever come across. As usual the playmaking talent looks impressive on paper. And QC loves the additiona of DB Derwin James. He could have Troy Polamalu-like versatility. If he does, look out. But the loss of TE Hunter Henry to injury was a real gut punch. And even Henry, another young player QC loves, was healthy, QC would still caution all (especially all bettors) to treat the Chargers like fireworks on the 4th of July: Avoid handling and just watch your neighbors. It is much safer.
No tenured NFL HC gets less respect than Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis. While Lewis still has yet to notch a playoff win, he puts a competitive team on the field during the regular season. The Bengals have been positively designed every year for the last 6 years. Lewis gets the most out of his play designers. After an offensively miserable 0-2 start in 2017, Cincinnati promoted Bill Lazor to OC and went 7-7 the rest of the way. The Bengals problems were mostly with the O-line and new T Cordy Glenn and C Billy Price should help greatly there. On defense, Lewis brought in Teryl Austin as DC. Just a few years ago, Austin was a hot HC prospect when Detroit's D turned around. When the Lions let him go, Lewis was quick to pick him up after Paul Guenther left to join Jon Gruden in Oakland. QC thinks this is an upgrade. Remember, Lewis was the play desinger for the great Super Bowl Champion D in Baltimore in 2000. He knows how to design defense. Austin is exactly the kind of designer rehab project at which Lewis excels. Finally, Cincinnati has some impressive new young pieces (DB William Jackson and pass rushers Carl Lawson and Sam "Bad Mutha" Hubbard) to mix with a solid core of veterans. | 2019-04-21T14:10:16Z | http://quantcoach.com/2018Archives1.htm |
Administrative Law Judge Susan Ruff, Office of Administrative Hearings, State of California (OAH) heard this matter on August 23, 24, 25, 30, and 31, 2011, in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
1 Student’s counsel was assisted during the hearing by Advocate Carolina Watts. Andrew Haas-Roche, an associate in DuBovy’s office, also attended part of the hearing.
This consolidated case involves events during Student’s first, second and third grade years. The District’s portion of the case seeks to prove that two of the individualized educational programs (IEP’s), from September 2010 and February 2011, offered Student a free appropriate public education (FAPE) both procedurally and substantively. Student’s portion of the case alleges that the District denied Student a FAPE for various reasons, including failure to meet child-find obligations, problems with assessments, and both procedural and substantive problems with the various IEP’s offered by the District.
This Decision finds that the District offered Student a FAPE, both procedurally and substantively, except in two narrow areas: 1) the District failed to provide assessment plans to Student’s parents within 15 days of their request for assessment in the areas of occupational therapy (OT), adapted physical education (APE), and assistive technology (AT); and 2) the District failed to produce some educational records to Student’s parents after a request for records was made (in particular, the District failed to provide the test protocols for the OT and APE assessments). Each of those procedural violations resulted in a substantive denial of FAPE. As a remedy for the District’s procedural violations, the District will be ordered to provide Student with independent educational evaluations (IEE’s) in the areas of OT, APE and AT.
2 To maintain a clear record, Student’s written closing argument has been marked as Exhibit S-96. The District’s written closing argument has been marked as Exhibit D-46.
1. Did the IEP’s dated September 16, 2010, and February 10, 2011, offer a FAPE in the least restrictive environment for Student so that the District may implement Student’s IEP without parental consent?
2. From April 29, 2009, and during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 school years, did the District deny Student a FAPE by failing to locate, identify and evaluate Student as a child with a disability?
3. During the 2010-2011 school year, did the District deny Student a FAPE by failing to implement her resource specialist services and specialized instruction in the frequency and duration provided for in her IEP, thereby failing to properly implement the IEP?
failed to make all educational records available to Student’s parents within five business days of their written request of January 21, 2011?
3 These issues were taken from the Prehearing Conference Order issued by OAH on August 15, 2011. During the hearing, pursuant to stipulation of the parties, all of Student’s issues regarding speech and language (including assessments, goals, and services) were withdrawn from the case. The above issues have been modified to reflect this stipulation and to reflect other corrections that were made to the issues listed in the Prehearing Conference Order by stipulation of the parties during the hearing.
conducting inappropriate academic, psychoeducational, OT and AT assessments of Student?
2010 extended school year services.
1. Student is a 10-year-old girl who is currently eligible for special education and related services under the eligibility category of specific learning disability. Student’s family resides within the jurisdiction of the District.
2. Student has attended Jasper Elementary School within the District since her kindergarten year. There was no evidence that Student had any educational problems during her kindergarten year that would have indicated a need for special education. Student was a year older than most kindergarten children when she started kindergarten because her parents had kept her in preschool for an extra year based on the recommendation of the preschool teacher.
3. During the 2008-2009 school year, Student was in first grade. Lynne Teter was her first grade teacher. Teter has been a first grade teacher for approximately 20 years and has been a classroom teacher for over 30 years. Teter receives annual trainings regarding the District’s responsibilities to seek out and locate children who might need special education services. Those trainings usually occur during a staff meeting near the beginning of each school year. Teter has referred first grade pupils for special education assessment.
4. During Student’s first grade year, she demonstrated strengths in math, phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, and behavior. Her areas of weakness included phonics, word fluency, and written expression.
5. Teter observed Student’s progress on a regular basis during class and gave Student the District’s benchmark tests before each trimester report card to determine Student’s progress toward California state standards. During the first trimester, Student was meeting state standards in most areas tested. During the second trimester, Student began to slip below state standards in some areas, including reading fluency. By the end of the school year, Student was still below the state standards in reading fluency. Student was approaching, but was below the state standards in written expression and phonics.
6. At the time Student was in first grade, the elementary school she attended used the “Excel” intervention program for language arts. Excel is a general education intervention program in which children from one class are grouped for instruction with pupils from other first grade classes according to their academic levels and needs. The instruction for each group is geared toward the academic level of the children in that group.
7. During the second trimester of the first grade year, Student was in the low average reading group in the Excel program. That group consisted of 20 students, a teacher, and two instructional aides. Later in the school year, Student was placed in a lower academic level group with seven students, the teacher and one aide. Teter moved Student to the lower reading group at the request of Student’s parents.
8. During the hearing, Student’s mother explained that she grew concerned about Student during the first grade, because she witnessed Student struggling with reading and math. Student spent a long time trying to complete her homework every evening and mixed up letters when she attempted to read. Student’s mother observed Student sitting quietly at her desk while other pupils received attention from the teacher. Student’s mother feared that Student was “falling through the cracks” because of her quiet behavior and not receiving the educational support she needed. Student’s mother raised her concerns to the teacher, who placed Student in a lower level reading group so that Student would receive more attention from the teacher and aide. Teter believed that Student was making adequate progress in the low average reading group, but agreed to the request made by Student’s mother because she felt the lower student-to-teacher ratio could be beneficial to Student.
9. Student’s father also testified regarding his concerns about Student’s failure to meet first grade standards by the end of that year. In particular, he expressed his concerns regarding her poor reading fluency. Based on his review of the scores, he did not believe she was approaching grade level standards.
10. In Teter’s opinion, although Student did not meet the state standards in some areas by the end of her first grade year, Student was making adequate progress and did not need a referral for special education at that time. Overall, Student scored in the “proficient” range for her benchmark tests. No referral was made for Student for special education during Student’s first grade year.
11. Sue Geddes, the principal of Jasper Elementary School, who has many years of experience as a teacher, explained that kindergarten and first grade tend to be developmental times for children, so in general the District prefers to keep those children in the least restrictive environment as much as possible. She explained that the District has a child-find protocol and tries to identify children with disabilities at the earliest possible age. Geddes described Student’s first three years as follows: Student did very well in kindergarten; the school was watching her in first grade; and in second grade they considered other avenues.
12. Katherine Boesen was Student’s second grade teacher during the 2009-2010 school year. Boesen has been a second grade teacher for 12 years and has been with the District for 18 years. She testified that she has never attended a District training on identification of children who may have a need for special education services.
13. During the first trimester of second grade, Student continued to struggle academically in the areas of reading fluency, accuracy, decoding and comprehension. In math, Student was below grade level in some areas and at grade level in others. She was also below grade level in writing and could not write a complete story without help. Boesen attempted various educational intervention programs with Student during her second grade year, including Thinking Maps for Writing, Read Naturally, and Reading Counts.
14. Around the second week of the first trimester, Boesen had an informal discussion with Student’s mother after school one day. They discussed the fact that Student was having difficulty keeping up with the school curriculum. On September 18, 2009, around the middle of the first trimester, Boesen sent an Academics Needs Notice to Student’s parents, notifying Student’s parents of Student’s poor performance on tests and limited sight word recognition. Boesen also had a conversation around that time with Student’s mother to express her concerns about Student’s academic performance.
15. After the first trimester benchmark tests, Boesen made a referral for Student to the Student Study Team (SST). The SST is an informal meeting intended to address the needs of pupils who are struggling in the general education environment. Boesen also recommended to Student’s parents that they should request that Student be referred to the SST. That SST meeting was held in approximately November 2009.
16. Boesen, resource teacher Kimberlynn Rybarczyk, Student’s mother, and the vice principal attended the SST meeting. During the meeting, the team members discussed Student’s academic needs and developed a plan to allow Student to complete unfinished work in the resource room with the assistance of the resource teacher. The team did not schedule a particular time for this assistance; instead Student would have the option of going to the resource room when she needed help and when it was convenient for her in her regular class. Although the resource room is primarily for special education instruction, Rybarczyk testified that general education teachers will sometimes send pupils who need extra help in completing assignments to the resource room.
17. During or around the time of the SST meeting, the District presented Student’s mother with a proposed plan for an assessment to determine if Student needed special education. The plan called for Student to be assessed in the following areas: academic achievement, intellectual development, language/speech/communication development, psycho-motor development, health/vision/hearing, self-help/careers/vocational abilities, and social/emotional behavior. Student’s mother signed the assessment plan on November 17, 2009, giving consent for the District to conduct the assessment.
18. The District staff assessed Student within 60 days of the date Student’s mother signed the assessment plan, excluding the time that the District was on holiday for the winter break.
19. Regina Edmon, a school psychologist for the District, conducted the assessment and administered cognitive testing to Student. Edmon has worked as a school psychologist for the District since 2006. She received her credential as a school psychologist from California State University San Bernardino in 2003. She is certified as a behavior intervention case manager and has received training regarding pupils with special needs, both during her education and since she began working as a school psychologist. She has also received training in the various test instruments used during special education assessments.
20. Edmon used the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) to test Student’s cognitive levels. Student obtained a score of 81 on the Verbal Compression Index, a score of 82 on the Perceptual Reasoning Index, a score of 80 on the Working Memory Index, and a score of 85 on the Processing Speed Index, for a full scale IQ score of 77, in the borderline range. Edmon also administered the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Fifth Edition (VMI) to test Student’s ability to integrate or coordinate visual perceptual and motor skills. Student received a standard score of 74 on that test, in the low range.
21. Edmon was familiar with the WISC-IV and had administered it hundreds of times. She followed the publisher’s protocols in giving the test. In her opinion, Student was very attentive to the test and the test results were accurate. The same applied to the VMI – Edmon was familiar with the test, had administered it hundreds of times, followed the publisher’s protocol in administering the test, and believed the test results were accurate and valid.
22. As part of the assessment, Edmon observed Student in the classroom and interviewed Student’s teacher. Edmon did not interview Student’s parents as part of the assessment. She testified that they sent a questionnaire to Student’s parents regarding Student’s health and development, but Student’s parents did not complete the questionnaire or send it back. Generally the District assessors contact the child’s parents to follow up after they receive the completed questionnaire. Both the school nurse and Edmon left messages for Student’s parents, but did not hear back from them.
23. Edmon did not conduct an OT assessment because she felt such an assessment was not necessary for Student at that time. Although both Student’s parents and teacher felt that Student’s handwriting was not always neat and correctly spaced, Student was able to function appropriately in the general education environment using standard classroom accommodations.
24. Edmon did not assess in the areas of APE or AT for much the same reason. Student was able to maneuver around the school campus and participate in physical education with typically developing peers. Although Student’s father had some concerns about Student’s gross motor abilities, Edmon did not believe an APE assessment was necessary at that time. Likewise, Edmon believed there was no need to conduct a special education assessment in the area of AT, because Student’s needs were being met with standard classroom accommodations.
25. When Edmon reviewed Student’s report cards and spoke to her current teachers, she determined that there was no need for further testing in the area of social emotional functioning or in the area of self-help skills. Based on Student’s history and the information Edmon received, Student had no educational needs or problems in these areas.
26. Rybarczyk conducted the academic achievement testing for Student as part of the District’s assessment. Rybarczyk is a credentialed special education teacher who has been employed by the District as a resource teacher for five years. Rybarczyk administered the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition (KTEA) to Student. Rybarczyk chose the KTEA because it was a good test to show a child’s academic ability and how the child will perform in a classroom. Rybarczyk was familiar with the test, had administered it many times and followed the publisher’s protocols when she gave the test to Student. She believed that Student put forth her best efforts on the test and that the test results were valid.
27. Student scored in the average range in a few of the subtests, such as written expression, listening comprehension, phonological awareness, and naming facility, but scored below average in every other subtest. Most of her standardized scores ranged from 70 to 86, except for her listening comprehension score which was 102.
28. Based upon the consistency of Student’s scores in the cognitive testing and academic achievement testing, Edmon did not believe Student qualified for special education under the eligibility category of specific learning disability (SLD). There was no severe discrepancy between Student’s cognitive ability and her academic achievement. Because of that consistency, Edmon saw no need to conduct further testing of Student or use a nonverbal cognitive ability test. She did not believe that Student’s receptive or expressive communication would impair her ability to perform on the tests. In her opinion the tests she gave presented a nice picture of Student’s visual processing, auditory memory, attention processing, and cognitive skills. The one high score in listening comprehension was important information regarding Student’s abilities but was not sufficient for a finding of a particular disability. In Edmon’s opinion, that one piece of information also did not suggest that Student had higher cognitive ability; it just suggested she had strengths in that area.
29. During the hearing, none of the experts directly criticized the District’s assessment. Douglass Moss, the District’s Lindamood-Bell expert, looking solely at the results on the KTEA, testified on cross-examination that the fact that the highest score on the KTEA was 102 and the lowest score was 70, would warrant further investigation. However, he was not asked whether his opinion would change based on the rest of the District’s assessment findings.
30. Student’s expert Stephen Meyer, who conducted the IEE of Student discussed below, also agreed that the difference in scores warranted further testing. However, Meyer did not criticize the District’s assessment, the test results or the choice of tests. He explained that he would have used the WISC-IV for his IEE if the District had not already used it.
31. On January 28, 2010, the District held an IEP team meeting to review the assessments and make a determination as to whether Student required special education services. Both of Student’s parents attended the meeting. The District participants included: Rybarczyk (special education teacher), Boesen (general education teacher), Edmon (school psychologist), an assistant principal (school administrator), a speech-language pathologist, and a school nurse.
33. The team drafted an IEP which included goals and services relating to all of Student’s areas of academic need, not just speech and language. The IEP proposed that Student would remain in the general education classroom, but receive special education instruction in the resource room for four 20-minute sessions a week, totaling 80 minutes per week. The notes regarding that specialized service in the IEP added that the service could include: “Any other amount of time, as needed.” The IEP also called for Student to receive 40 sessions of speech and language services of 30 minutes per session over the course of the year, totaling 1,200 minutes.
34. The IEP contained goals in the areas of mathematics, reading fluency, writing, and articulation. The goals were based on second grade curriculum standards. The math goal called for Student to calculate the answers to 10 three-digit addition and subtraction number sentences with regrouping. The reading fluency goal called for Student to read a second-grade passage at a rate of 60 correct words per minute, with 90 percent accuracy in two of two trials. The writing goal called for Student to independently compose a single paragraph, including a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence in two of two trials. The articulation goals addressed Student’s speech and language needs.
35. Rybarczyk testified that the goals in the IEP were appropriate for Student even though they were written to second grade curriculum standards and would extend until Student’s next annual IEP in the middle of Student’s third grade year. She said the goals were based on Student’s current levels of functioning.
4 Because Student is not challenging the appropriateness of the speech and language services, goals, or assessment, there is no need for detailed Factual Findings regarding speech and language. For purposes of this Decision, it is sufficient to note that a speech and language assessment was conducted and that the IEP team determined that Student qualified for special education services under the eligibility category of speech or language impairment.
36. The District team members did not believe Student needed an IEP goal in the area of attention. Based on their observations of Student, it appeared that Student tended to lose focus when she did not know how to do a task. When she understood a task, her attention was fine. They felt the accommodations and services in the IEP would modify her work to her current functioning level, so she would be able to attend to her work properly.
37. Student’s parents participated in the discussion at the IEP team meeting and expressed concerns about the findings in Edmon’s report. They told the District team members about a skin condition (itching) that Student occasionally exhibited that seemed to be related to anxiety. Student had not previously exhibited that itching at school, and the first time Edmon learned about the condition was during the meeting.
38. The District IEP team members did not propose a goal related to anxiety because Student did not exhibit any anxiety at school. Likewise, the IEP did not offer school-based counseling because the District team members felt that proper academic supports would eliminate any attention or anxiety problems Student might have. They did not feel her social or emotional functioning was of such concern that she required counseling, and they were reluctant to pull her from the general education classroom further.
39. A box on the IEP was checked indicating that Student did not need extended school year (ESY) services. Rybarczyk admitted during her testimony that ESY services were not discussed during the IEP meeting and that the failure to discuss those services was an oversight. However, she did not believe that Student needed such services. ESY services are designed to prevent a disabled child from regressing during the summer vacation when that child, due to the child’s disability, is unable to recoup those skills after the new school year starts in the way a typical child would. Student had not demonstrated that type of regression in the past, so there was no need for ESY services.
41. In Boesen’s and Rybarczyk’s opinions, the January 28, 2010 IEP identified all of Student’s needs, and the goals addressed all her areas of need. Rybarczyk opined that the offer of placement and services in the IEP was appropriate to meet Student’s needs. Neither of Student’s experts directly criticized the District’s January 2010 IEP. As will be discussed below, Stephen Meyer, Student’s neuropsychology expert, testified that he did not think typical public school RSP services would be sufficient for Student. However, he did not specifically discuss this IEP offer (or any of the District’s proposed IEP’s).
42. On February 4, 2010, the same day Student’s parents signed their agreement to the IEP, Student’s father sent a letter to the principal of Jasper Elementary School. The letter, among other things, requested IEE’s in the area of speech and language and psychoeducation. The letter also requested assessments by the District in the areas of OT, APE and AT.
43. Geddes testified that she received the letter, discussed it with the members of the District’s assessment team and forwarded it to the District office. Geddes was not authorized to offer IEE’s at her level. The District offered to fund IEE’s in the areas of psychoeducation and speech and language. Student’s parents wrote to the District on February 28, 2010, proposing assessors to perform the two IEE’s.
44. The District did not prepare an assessment plan for an OT, APE or AT assessment at that time. The District first provided Student’s parents with an assessment plan for an OT assessment in September 2010, which Student’s parents signed on September 29, 2010. The District first provided Student’s parents with an APE assessment plan on September 30, 2010, which Student’s parents signed on that same date. The District first provided Student’s parents with an assessment plan for AT on January 13, 2011, which Student’s parents signed on the same date. The IEP team meeting to review the OT and APE assessments was held on November 10, 2010. The IEP team meeting to review the AT assessment was held on April 20, 2011.
45. After Student’s parents agreed to the IEP, the District began to implement that IEP. The District provided Student with specialized academic instruction in the resource room four times a week for 20-minute sessions. When the resource teacher and general education teacher decided it was necessary, Student was provided up to 25 minutes longer in the resource room, based on the IEP provision permitting additional RSP time.
46. In the spring of 2010, Student participated in the California state standards testing (STAR Testing). Student scored in the “below basic” range for mathematics and the “far below basic” range for English-language arts.
48. Between April and June 2010, Stephen Meyer, Ph.D., conducted an independent psychoeducational assessment of Student, pursuant to the request of Student’s parents for an IEE. Meyer is a clinical psychologist who has been practicing in California since 1977. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He has served as a lecturer at Azusa Pacific University in the Professional School of Psychology, and as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University. He has had numerous professional publications and has conducted hundreds of psychological assessments during his career, including assessments of children with dyslexia and children with brain injury.
49. As part of his assessment, Meyer interviewed Student’s mother to obtain a prenatal and childhood history for Student. Student’s mother informed him that there had been problems with Student’s birth. The umbilical cord was wrapped around Student’s neck, and Student was not breathing at the time she was born. Meyer administered several tests to Student, including the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability, the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test – III (WIAT-III), the Child Behavior Checklist, the Connors 3, Draw a Person, and Draw a Family. Meyer also administered several neurological tests to determine if Student exhibited symptoms of brain injury or dysfunction. During his testimony, Meyer explained that these neurological tests could not normally be administered by a school psychologist; they required a clinical psychologist with a background in physiological psychology to administer the tests. Meyer did not observe Student at school or interview any of Student’s teachers as part of his assessment, but he provided the Connors 3 questionnaire to Student’s teacher to complete.
50. The Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability was developed to examine cognitive functioning among children from non English-speaking populations. Student did not fall into that category, but Meyer used the test because he wanted to emphasize the nonverbal part of Student’s abilities. He explained that the purpose of an IQ test is to look at learning potential. Based on the results of the test, Meyer concluded that Student’s IQ score was 99, in the average range.
51. On the WIAT-III, Student scored 77 on the early reading skills subtest, 67 on the word reading subtest, 77 on the pseudoword decoding subtest, and 75 on the spelling subtest. Based on the discrepancy between Student’s average IQ score and her below average, borderline or deficient scores on her reading skills, Meyer concluded that Student should be found eligible for special education under the eligibility category of specific learning disability. When asked during the hearing about the processing disorder that is part of the finding of a specific learning disability, Meyer stated that Student’s processing disorder would be in the area of visual spatial processing and auditory conceptualization. He explained that his report did not explicitly state that, but the processing disorders were described in the neurological test results.
52. With respect to the neurological tests, Student achieved scores in the average range on some and in the impaired range on others. Meyer concluded that Student exhibited mild to moderate brain dysfunction caused by birth trauma.
With respect to reading and spelling, the neuropsychological pattern indicates the presence of dyslexia and spelling dyspraxia because of neuropsychological dysfunction related to the left temporal and parietal area of the brain. Resolution of this type of reading and spelling problem is best achieved through the Lindamood-Bell program which uses the multisensory approach to develop sensitivity to speech sound discrimination necessary for reading and spelling.
55. Meyer had never personally administered Lindamood-Bell (LMB) services, but he had read about LMB and spoken with an LMB center director who explained the program to him. He felt it was an excellent program to treat a brain-injured child and more effective than traditional reading programs in school which do not provide the intensity that a brain-injured child needs. In his opinion, a younger child’s brain has more plasticity and ability to be molded than an adolescent’s brain, so it is important to provide a sufficiently intensive program at a young age. It is tougher to remediate dyslexia as a child gets older. He did not believe a public school classroom teacher had the time to provide the level of attention necessary for a brain-injured child. He believed that a typical resource program of 45 minutes three or four times a week would not be sufficient for Student because of the complexity of her condition. He felt she needed a multisensory, multidisciplinary approach. However, he admitted during his testimony that he was not familiar with the reading intervention methodologies used by the District with Student.
56. During the hearing, Edmon disagreed with Meyer’s choice of the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability to test Student’s cognitive ability. She explained that two of the subtests on that test are similar to subtests on the WISC-IV. Only a few months had passed between the District’s administration of the WISC-IV to Student and Meyer’s testing, so Student might have experienced a “practice effect” leading to a higher score on the second administration of the subtests. Edmon believed that Student’s cognitive ability score was elevated on Meyer’s testing, and she disagreed with Meyer’s ultimate finding of SLD. In her opinion, Meyer’s report did not find that Student had a processing disorder; he just discussed difficulties with processing.
57. During the hearing Meyer defended his use of the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability by explaining that he selected the test because Student seemed to have problems with expression so he wanted to use a test that emphasized the nonverbal to see what Student’s learning capacity might be. He denied that the practice effect would be a concern and explained that the subtests in question were different enough so there would not be a problem.
58. After receiving the recommendations for LMB in Meyer’s report, Student’s parents took Student to LMB for an assessment. LMB is a private company that provides instruction to children based on various proprietary methodologies.
59. An assessor from LMB conducted an assessment of Student on August 3, 2010. Anne Perry, the Center Director of the LMB office in Pasadena, signed the assessment report and discussed it at the hearing. However, she was not the individual who conducted the assessment, nor did she know the name or qualifications of the individual who did. LMB provides in-house training for the individuals who perform its assessments, but does not require its assessors to possess a psychology degree, California teaching credential or licensure as a speech-language pathologist. Perry did not choose the tests given to Student; instead the tests were the standard battery of LMB diagnostic tests given to prospective pupils.
60. The tests given included: 1) Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV, Form A; 2) Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-4 (word opposites subtest); 3) Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude (verbal absurdities subtest); 4) Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-2 (oral directions subtest); 5) Woodcock Reading Mastery Test-NU, Form G (Woodcock NU word attack subtest); 6) Slosson Oral Reading Test-R3; 7) Wide Range Achievement Test-4, Form Blue (spelling and math computation subtests); 8) Gray Oral Reading Test, Form A; 9) Gray Oral Reading Test 4, Form A; 10) Lindamood Auditory Conceptualization Test-3; 11) Informal Tests of Writing; and 12) Symbol Imagery Test.
61. Based on the results of the assessment, LMB recommended that Student should receive 140 to 180 hours of LMB instruction, consisting of instruction for four hours a day, five days a week for a period of seven to nine weeks.
62. Perry holds a California multiple subject teaching credential and has taught as a classroom teacher in the past. She has a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in teaching. She has worked for LMB since 2006, first as a credentialed clinician, then as an associate center director, and since March of 2010 as Center Director of the Pasadena Center. She has been trained in the various aspects of the LMB programs and has supervised others in connection with those programs. In her opinion, the recommendation made in the LMB report was appropriate for Student.
63. During the hearing, the District witnesses disagreed with the LMB assessment and findings. Douglass Moss, Ph.D., the District’s expert on LMB, criticized the tests given to Student. Moss is a speech-language pathologist with a specialization in pediatrics who works for the Mountain View School District within the SELPA. He has worked as a speech-language pathologist for over 15 years. He was trained by LMB in 1997 and has implemented LMB programs in the course of his work since that time. He said that LMB programs can be effective at the early stages of reading, to help children develop the basic skills for literacy, but the transition between LMB and the classroom is not effective. Other methodologies are better for transitioning to the classroom.
64. Moss explained that some of the tests in the LMB assessment given to Student – including the Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude and the Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude2 – were outdated tests. Some of the tests – including the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV, Form A, and the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-4 – were supposed to be administered by school psychologists or speech-language pathologists, but there was no indication of the credentials of the LMB employee who administered those tests to Student. Some of the tests – including the word opposites subtest of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-4, and the spelling and math subtests of the Wide Range Achievement Test-4, Form Blue – were only subparts of larger tests, and Moss believed that LMB should have given the entire test, not just subparts.
66. Student was in third grade during the 2010-2011 school year. Alicia Larrabee was her third grade general education teacher and Rybarczyk continued as her special education teacher for RSP services. Rybarczyk used the Voyager Passport program as the primary methodology for Student’s language arts RSP services in third grade. Student received math interventions through the math Excel program.
5 In her written closing argument, Student challenged Moga’s ability to give opinion testimony because the District had not properly designated Moga as an expert in the District’s Prehearing Conference Statement. However, Moga was in attendance at the IEP meeting and could testify as a percipient witness to the opinions of the IEP team at the time and the reasoning behind the District’s IEP offer.
67. Voyager Passport is an intervention program approved by the State of California which addresses comprehension, fluency, sight words, phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding and vocabulary. It is designed to supplement regular curriculum and fill in gaps the child might have. Rybarczyk testified that Student made progress from August 2010 to February 2011 in reading decoding and fluency, although she did not make as much progress as Rybarczyk had hoped the Voyager Passport intervention would produce. In math, Student made some growth during that time period, but not as much. The Voyager Passport records that were submitted into evidence showed that Student was making some progress in certain areas with that intervention, but only limited progress in other areas.
68. Both Geddes and Moga testified as to the effectiveness of the Voyager Passport Program for struggling readers. Moga explained that the program is based on research stating that it is, among other things, effective for children with dyslexia.
69. In a typical day in Larrabee’s third grade classroom, the children started with physical education from 7:55 to 8:15 a.m., and then participated in the reading Excel program from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. After that they came back to class and worked on writing standards and grammar from 9:15 to 10:00. The class went to recess at 10:00 a.m. and then participated in math Excel from 10:25 to 11:25 a.m. Lunch was from 11:30 to 12:20. From 12:20 to 1:05 p.m. the class engaged in activities such as computer time, library time or silent reading. That was also a time for Larrabee to assist pupils who needed more help in reading, writing or math through small group instruction. The class went to recess from 1:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. At 1:15 p.m. they generally had science or social studies until about 2:30 p.m. On Friday mornings they had an assembly, so they would have physical education for the last 30 minutes of the day.
70. Larabee testified that Student was able to keep up with most of her class work with the accommodations in her IEP and the standard general education classroom accommodations. Student had friends in class and interacted with her peers in the manner of a normal third-grader. She generally completed most of her class assignments, although she needed reinforcement with newer concepts and required more repetitions to learn concepts than her typical peers. Her classroom accommodations included things such as additional time to complete assignments and seating near the front of the class.
71. On August 26, 2010, near the start of Student’s third grade year, an IEP team meeting was held to review the results of the IEE’s and the LMB assessment. Student’s parents attended the meeting, along with Perry and Meyer. The District participants included Rybarczyk, Edmon, a speech-language pathologist, an assistant principal, Larrabee and Moga. Meyer presented his assessment and the team discussed his findings. Perry discussed the LMB assessment and the recommendations. The District speech-language pathologist presented the speech and language IEE report.
72. The IEP team discussed Student’s present levels of performance and her progress on her goals. The team also discussed changing Student’s eligibility category to SLD in light of Meyer’s assessment. Student’s parents participated in the discussion during the meeting.
73. According to Rybarczyk, Perry told the IEP team that LMB services could get Student up to grade level in seven to eight weeks. The District team members did not think it would be appropriate to pull Student out of school for LMB services for three or four hours a day, because Student would only be working on a couple of specific skills at LMB and she would miss all her core curriculum at school. Moga testified that when she asked Meyer about his recommendation for LMB services, he told her that he was not familiar with LMB, but had heard it was a good program from the speech-language pathologist who conducted the IEE. Rybarczyk also confirmed during her testimony that Meyer told the IEP team that he had never seen the LMB program in use before, but had heard it was good. After reviewing the LMB assessment and the IEE’s, the District IEP members felt that Student would be capable of making progress in the District’s general education class with RSP support, without the highly restrictive placement in the LMB program.
74. No formal changes to Student’s IEP were made during the August IEP meeting. According to the District witnesses, it had been a long meeting, and the District team members wanted time to look over the assessments and consider new goals in light of what had been discussed. The team scheduled a follow-up meeting for September 16, 2010.
75. On September 9, 2010, the District sent Student’s parents the proposed IEP goals to review before the September 16, 2010 IEP team meeting. Rybarczyk’s cover letter sent with the goals stated, in part, regarding the upcoming IEP meeting: “We are not looking to make any changes to services.” Larabee testified that the proposed goals were written to third grade standards. On September 14, 2010, Student’s parents sent a letter to the District regarding the upcoming IEP meeting. The letter, among other things, proposed several categories of goals to be discussed at the meeting, including written expression, spelling, auditory memory, sensory motor, conceptualization, ADHD, and social/emotional. The letter also made suggestions for changes to the goals proposed by the District.
77. On September 16, 2010, the parties held the reconvened IEP meeting. The team decided to make the meeting Student’s annual IEP, so they could examine Student’s progress on her previous goals and start new goals for her.
78. Student’s parents attended the meeting. The District members in attendance included Rybarczyk, Larrabee, Geddes, Moga, Edmon, a speech-language pathologist and the vice principal.
79. During the meeting, the team discussed Student’s present levels of performance and her progress on her IEP goals. Larabee told the team that Student’s classroom accommodations were helping her. The District team members reported that Student had made progress on her IEP goals, but had not met any of them. In math, at the time of her January 2010 IEP, the present level of performance stated that Student could add and subtract without regrouping of numbers. By the time of the September 2010 IEP meeting, she knew how to regroup and was more accurate than she had been, although she still made mistakes. In writing, she had made significant progress, and by the September 2010 IEP team meeting she was able to write a paragraph on her own without someone sitting next to her.
80. Based on Meyer’s assessment, the team agreed to change Student’s eligibility category for special education to SLD. Edmon did not agree with Meyer’s conclusion that Student qualified under SLD. She questioned his report for the reasons stated above. She also believed that his assessment showed insufficient evidence of a processing deficit that was a requirement for finding an SLD. However, she also understood that the change in eligibility category was an IEP team decision and she agreed with the team’s decision to make the change.
81. The IEP contained goals for Student in the areas of articulation, grammar/syntax, mathematics (addition and subtraction) mathematical reasoning, reading comprehension, reading-decoding, reading fluency, writing, mathematics (multiplication), and written expression (spelling). Student’s father had an opportunity to participate in the IEP discussion, and changes were made to the goals based on his input. Rybarczyk explained during her testimony that the goals in the September 2010 IEP were based on third grade standards. In her opinion, the goals were appropriate and addressed Student’s areas of educational need.
82. The goals reflected progress that Student had made since the January 2010 IEP. For example, the addition and subtraction goal in the January 2010 IEP had called for Student to add and subtract three digit numbers, with regrouping. The comparable goal in the September 2010 IEP called for Student to add and subtract numbers between zero and 10,000, with regrouping. The September 2010 IEP also added new mathematics goals for multiplication and mathematical reasoning (solving two-step word problems involving addition, subtraction or multiplication).
83. The reading fluency goal in the January 2010 IEP had called for Student to read a second grade passage. The September 2010 IEP continued the reading fluency goal, but called for Student to read a third grade passage. The September 2010 IEP also contained new goals relating to reading comprehension and reading decoding.
84. The January 2010 IEP had called for Student to independently compose a single paragraph. The September 2010 IEP continued that goal, but called for Student to be at her grade level. The September 2010 IEP also added a goal related to spelling, which was one of Student’s areas of weakness. The team wanted her to be able to spell at the third grade level.
85. The team discussed Student’s attention issues, but felt there was no need for a goal in that area – they felt that if Student received appropriate supports and accommodations in class, her attention would not be a problem.
86. The IEP increased the amount of time that Student spent in the resource room to four 30-minute sessions per week, for a total of 120 minutes per week. Like the January 2010 IEP, the services page of the September 2010 IEP stated that the specialized academic instruction in the resource room could include “[a]ny other amount of time, as needed.” The IEP also called for Student to receive language and speech services in the same amount and frequency as the January 2010 IEP.
87. The IEP included classroom accommodations for Student consisting of additional help on assignments from a teacher, aide, or in the resource room, extra time to complete assignments and tests, math tests read aloud, tracking cues such as different colors for different lines of texts, sitting in close proximity to the teacher, and questions provided in advance.
88. The team discussed the possibility of ESY services, but the District team members did not believe that Student had shown sufficient regression in the past to require ESY services. Rybarczyk testified that Student had demonstrated some regression each year, but it was similar to the other pupils in the class. The notes to the meeting indicated that the team would meet again in April to discuss ESY and other summer academic options for Student.
89. In Meyer’s IEE, he had diagnosed Student with an anxious mood. The team discussed the possibility of counseling and a social/emotional goal but the District team members believed that as Student became more comfortable with her third grade classroom, her social/emotional issues would decrease. They did not see a need to take Student out of the classroom for counseling.
90. In Rybarczyk’s opinion, the IEP identified and addressed Student’s areas of need and the goals were appropriate. She believed that the placement and services in the IEP were sufficient to meet Student’s needs and still keep Student in the least restrictive environment as much as possible. Although Student’s experts Meyer and Perry felt that LMB would be the best program for Student, neither testified that the District’s September 16, 2010 IEP offer denied Student a FAPE or would fail to provide educational benefit to Student. Meyer opined generally that the District’s RSP program would not be sufficient to meet Student’s needs, but he was not familiar with the District’s reading intervention programs and did not testify as to the District’s offer in any particular IEP.
91. Student’s parents did not sign their consent to the IEP during the meeting, but took the document home to review it.
92. In October and November 2010, the District conducted assessments of Student in the areas of OT and APE.
93. Adriane Namehas conducted the OT assessment on behalf of the District. Namehas received her master’s degree in OT in 1997 and has been licensed as an occupational therapist since that time. She has worked as an occupational therapist for the District since August 2010. She received the signed assessment plan in September 2010 and conducted her assessment in October 2010.
94. As part of her assessment, Namehas administered tests to Student, including the Test of Handwriting Skills – Revised, the Sensory Processing Measure, and the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test – Third Edition. She was familiar with the tests, had administered them many times before, and followed the publisher’s protocols in administering them. She also conducted a classroom observation of Student as part of her assessment, read past reports and reviewed work samples.
95. Student scored in the average range overall on the Test of Handwriting Skills. The Sensory Processing Measure was given to Student’s third grade general education teacher to complete. Student’s teacher scored Student in the typical range. Student also scored in the average range on the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test.
96. Namehas did not give Student’s parents the Sensory Processing Measure to complete. Student’s father objected to that during the hearing and felt that Student’s parents should have been given the Sensory Processing Measure as well as the teacher, to get a complete picture of Student’s sensory processing abilities and needs.
97. Namehas concluded that Student’s educational needs were being addressed within the classroom curriculum, and she did not require OT services to access her educational program.
98. Wendy Holmes conducted the APE assessment of Student. Holmes has been an APE teacher for the County of San Bernardino for 12 years. She received a master’s degree in educational administration and holds various educational credentials, including but not limited to a severely handicapped credential and an APE credential.
100. On November 10, 2010, the IEP team met to review the OT and APE assessments. Student’s father attended the meeting along with Rybarczyk, Larrabee, Namehas, Holmes, the speech-language pathologist, and an assistant principal. At the time of the meeting Student’s parents had still not agreed to the September 16, 2010 IEP. The District staff asked Student’s father to sign the previous IEP. He said he was not ready to sign the IEP because he had documentation that he wanted to attach but did not have that documentation ready.
101. The team reviewed and discussed the OT and APE assessments. Namehas reported her findings that Student did not need OT services, but recommended that she receive additional time and accommodations for her assignments. Larabee agreed that Student did not need OT services – Student’s handwriting was a little immature, but legible, and her fine motor skills were adequate.
102. Holmes told the IEP team that Student was on the borderline of qualifying for APE. The team discussed the possibility of providing APE services for Student but concluded that it would be better to keep Student in the general education classroom, rather than pull her out of class for APE services. Student was able to access the general education physical education classes with standard modifications, and her academic needs would best be served in the classroom. Holmes suggested that the general education teacher assign one or two peers to play hopscotch with Student during recess, to help her work on hopping, skipping and jumping skills. It was suggested that the general education teacher make certain that Student was chosen by the other children to participate in group physical education activities, and was not left out by her peers because of her deficiencies. The IEP team did not discuss whether the IEP could call for APE collaboration or consultation services for the general education classroom. Holmes explained that she collaborated with the IEP team during the meeting and that the team seemed comfortable with that.
103. Aside from the suggestion for assistance with hopping, skipping, and jumping activities, the November 10, 2010 IEP did not make any changes to Student’s proposed placement and services. The IEP still found Student eligible for special education under the category of SLD.
104. Larrabee testified that Student’s hopping, jumping, and skipping skills improved after only a few weeks. Student’s father also testified that he saw an improvement in these skills.
To conclude, we have come to understand that [Student’s] unique needs require intensive, specialized intervention at this time in order for her to receive educational benefit. We believe that [Student] has not received a Free and Appropriate Education to date. We would request that [Student] receive services from Lindamood-Bell beginning immediately so that she can receive educational benefit given her areas of identified unique need. Furthermore, although we disagree with the services set forth in the September 16, 2010 IEP, we would ask that they continue and the goals be honored until the appropriate services can be agreed upon and implemented. Please consider our signatures below as consent to the goals and services established in the September 16, 2010 IEP for implementation purposes but do not construe this consent as agreement that the goals are sufficient or appropriate nor that the level of services is sufficient to meet all of [Student’s] unique needs. Please attach this letter to the September 16, 2010 IEP as part of the whole document.
106. The letter requested that the District respond to the request for LMB services by December 17, 2010. A handwritten notation on the letter indicated that it was received on December 10, 2010.
107. On December 10, 2010, the District responded to the request by Student’s parents for LMB services. The District declined the request for several reasons, including: 1) Student’s progress in the third grade general education and resource program; 2) the fact that the LMB program would not be the least restrictive environment for Student; and 3) the concern that Student would miss “a great deal of academic and social time” at school if she attended the LMB program in Pasadena. The letter noted that the offer of FAPE for the 2010-2011 school year included an AT assessment.
108. On January 13, 2011, the District provided Student’s mother with the proposed assessment plan for an AT assessment. Student’s mother signed the assessment plan, giving her consent for the assessment on the same date. Rybarczyk testified that she did not believe Student needed AT services at the time, because Student was accessing the general education curriculum without any AT services except those provided in the general classroom.
110. On January 27, 2011, the District responded to that request by producing documents to Student.
114. The District failed to produce the protocols for the OT and APE assessments conducted in October and November 2010. During the hearing, Holmes testified that she maintained a copy of her protocols after her APE assessment, but no one from the District had requested her to produce those protocols. She would have produced them pursuant to a records request had the District asked her to do so.
115. During the hearing, Student’s counsel attempted to cross-examine Holmes about the subtest scores on which Holmes based her assessment findings. Homes explained that she was unable to discuss the specific scores without reviewing her protocols.
116. Likewise, Namehas testified that her protocols from her OT testing were kept in Student’s file in the District office and should have been produced if a records request was made. During his testimony, Student’s father confirmed that Student’s parents never received test protocols in response to their records request.
117. On January 21, 2011, Student’s parents delivered a letter to the District requesting an IEE in the area of OT. The letter requested that the District provide a list of qualified assessors, but noted that Student’s parents were not required to choose an assessor from the District’s list. The District responded with a proposed assessment plan for Casa Colina to perform an IEE. During the hearing, Moga explained that she drafted the assessment plan for Casa Colina to perform the IEE, because that was the assessor that most parents preferred to perform an IEE.
118. On January 31, 2011, Student’s parents sent a letter to Moga, objecting to the fact that the District made out the assessment plan for Casa Colina. Student’s parents stated they had not chosen Casa Colina as the assessor and asked for a list of qualified assessors and the District’s criteria for an IEE. Moga testified that, after receiving this letter, she sent Student’s parents a list of independent providers, but they never chose a provider or returned a signed assessment plan to her.
We are planning to have [Student] attend LMB from 8am to 11am. Afterward, [Student] will return to Jasper Elementary so she may participate in the regular school day from approximately 12 noon to 2:30pm. [Student] will not be pulled out of class to attend resource (RSP) during this placement. However, she will continue with her language and speech services.
6 On February 23, 2011, Student’s advocate sent a letter to the District regarding the February IEP. The letter stated that the District had not yet done an OT IEE, but said the request for an OT IEE would be addressed “in separate correspondence.” It was not clear from the evidence whether that separate correspondence was ever sent to the District or what that correspondence said. Student did not refer to a specific exhibit that included such correspondence in her written closing argument.
122. On January 26, 2011, the District sent a response letter to Student’s parents regarding the request to cease RSP services stating, in part, that the District could not remove Student from RSP support without an IEP team meeting. The letter requested that Student’s parents provide three dates and times when they would be available for an IEP meeting to discuss the issue. The letter noted that Student was receiving 45 minutes of resource support, five times a week, plus speech and language support. The letter also stated that LMB was not recognized as a public school by the State of California. The letter went on to state that placement of Student in the LMB program during school hours would be a violation of the compulsory attendance laws and would require the District to initiate School Attendance Review Board (SARB) proceedings.
123. On January 31, 2011, Student’s parents sent a letter to the Superintendent of Schools taking issue with the District’s January 26, 2011 letter, and explained that they considered the threat of SARB proceedings to be intimidation and retaliation for Student’s parents exercising their rights under special education law.
124. On January 25, 2011, LMB retested Student using the same battery of tests they had given during the summer. At that point, Student had not received any services from LMB. Once again, there was no testimony or other evidence given during the hearing as to the name or qualifications of the individual or individuals who administered those tests. Student’s parents met with Perry to discuss the testing at some point after this. Perry told them that Student was older and the test scores had shown regression, so Student now needed more hours of LMB intensive instruction than were originally recommended in July 2010. LMB now recommended 160 – 200 hours of intensive instruction.
125. On approximately February 1, 2011, Student began attending the LMB program for three hours each morning as Student’s parents had outlined in their letter. Student continued to attend that program instead of her morning public school program for most of the rest of her third grade year. Student’s mother explained that part of the decision to place Student in LMB was because it seemed as if Student would never catch up to her grade level. She testified that Student was becoming stressed about school. Student’s mother explained that Student’s itching decreased within three to four weeks of beginning the LMB program and that, within the first week of being at LMB, Student wanted to stay there all day and did not want to go back to school.
126. On February 4, 2011, Student’s parents sent a letter to Rybarczyk explaining that they were rescinding their consent to RSP services from the September 16, 2010, and November 10, 2010 IEP’s “because the instruction given there may conflict with the specialized instruction, and because we would like her to access the rest of her curriculum when she is in school.” The District responded with a letter by stating that the District was legally bound to provide RSP services until the IEP was changed. The letter also explained that instruction in core curriculum took place in the morning, not in the afternoon when Student normally went to RSP.
127. According to the RSP logs kept by Rybarczyk, between August 16, 2010, and December 9, 2010, when Student’s parents agreed to the September 2010 IEP, Student received 25 to 45 minutes of RSP services per session. There were two days with a smaller amount: on October 7 and 14, 2010, Student received 15 minutes of RSP services. Between December 10, 2010, and February 1, 2011, Student received 25 to 45 minutes of language arts RSP instruction each session. Rybarczyk testified that she did not include math instruction on her RSP logs at that time, although she did start including it on her logs later. Between February 1, 2011, and February 28, 2011, after Student’s parents placed Student in the LMB program, Student received between 10 minutes and 90 minutes of language arts RSP instruction (not including any math instruction that was not listed on the logs).
128. Between March 1, 2011, and March 9, 2011, the logs indicate that Student received between 10 minutes and 65 minutes of RSP services in math, as follows: March 1: 45 minutes, March 2: 15 minutes, March 3: 65 minutes, March 4: 45 minutes, March 7: 10 minutes, March 8: 60 minutes, and March 9: 40 minutes. No logs were submitted into evidence for any time period after March 9, 2011.
129. On February 10, 2011, the parties held another IEP team meeting for Student. The people in attendance at the meeting included Student’s parents, Larrabee, Rybarczyk, Namehas, Geddes, Moga, the speech-language pathologist, and an assistant principal. At the time, Student had already begun attending LMB in the mornings, at her parents’ expense.
130. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the dispute between the parties regarding the decision of Student’s parents to pull Student out of school for the LMB services. The District team members presented information regarding the progress that Student had made in the public school since the beginning of the third grade year. Larrabee told the team that Student had made progress in reading fluency and comprehension, and that her writing had really started to improve. Student was having difficulty with multiplication, but had learned addition out to the thousands place. She was still making spelling errors, but her spelling tended to be phonetic and was easy to understand. Student’s first trimester report card, which had come out around the end of November, showed that she was meeting grade expectations in some areas but not others.
131. Larrabee expressed concerns about Student being pulled out of school for the LMB services, because Student would be missing her math and reading Excel interventions and her standards-based instruction. Larrabee was also concerned about Student missing the social component of her education. Student was shy, and Larrabee did not want her to gain unwanted attention and questions from her classmates about her failure to attend class. The District team members shared her concerns.
132. The District team members continued to maintain that Student could not be removed from a single service, such as RSP, without IEP team consent. They said that, if Student’s parents wished to exit Student from special education services altogether, they could do that. The District team members believed that RSP services were still necessary for Student, so they did not agree to exit her from the services.
133. The parties dispute to what extent Student’s parents participated in the discussion during the meeting. Rybarczyk testified that Student’s parents told the IEP team that they had already stated their concerns by letter and would not repeat them. Moga testified that Student’s father would not discuss his concerns during the meeting, and stated that he had put his concerns in his letter. Student’s father testified that he told the IEP team his concerns about Student’s reading, writing and math and his concerns about her poor performance on benchmark testing in the past. He felt the team was also aware of his concerns from past IEP’s and his letters.
134. The IEP proposed by the District kept the same annual goals from the September 16, 2010 IEP, but noted Student’s progress on those goals. The IEP also added a new goal related to sight word recognition. The notes to each goal described in detail the progress Student had been making. Aside from spelling, Student was on track to meet every goal by the next annual IEP meeting. She had made particular growth in the area of readingdecoding.
135. The IEP recommended increasing Student’s time in the RSP room to four 90minute sessions per week, totaling 360 minutes per week, with Student working half of the time in language arts and half in math. An additional 30 minutes a week of RSP time was provided in addition to that 360 minutes per week. The IEP also offered four 60-minute sessions per week of after-school tutoring support and continued to offer speech-language services. The IEP indicated that Student did not need ESY services, but agreed to revisit the issue at the end of the school year. Rybarczyk explained that, prior to this offer, she had primarily been providing Student with language arts interventions in the RSP room, with only limited math RSP instruction.
136. Moga testified that the IEP team recommended increasing the RSP time in math, in part, because Student was missing her core instruction time in the general education class due to her LMB instruction every day. She said the District did not want Student to fall further behind. Although Student had been making progress, they thought more time in RSP would be better.
139. The advocate’s letter clarified that Student’s parents withdrew their consent to the previously agreed-upon goals relating to reading comprehension, reading-decoding, reading fluency, and written expression-spelling. The letter stated: “[t]o be completely clear: my clients withdraw their consent to the implementation of these identified goals, and they do not consent to the District working on these goals during [Student] attendance at school.” The letter also stated that Student’s parents disagreed with the District’s recommendation that Student did not need services in the area of OT and APE, and contended that the District had not assessed Student in all areas of suspected disability, including but not limited to the area of AT. The letter also stated that Student’s parents did not agree with or consent to the offer of after-school tutoring support.
140. On March 1, 2011, after further correspondence between the parties, the District ceased providing RSP services in language arts and began to implement the RSP services in math called for in the February 2011 IEP.
141. From March 1, 2011, through the end of Student’s third grade year, Rybarczyk worked exclusively on math with Student in the RSP room, in accordance with the RSP services from the February IEP to which Student’s parents had agreed. Student made significant progress in math between that time and the end of the third grade year.
142. The parties dispute whether Student suffered any harm socially during the time she was at LMB rather than a full-time public school placement. Geddes testified that she saw Student return to Jasper Elementary School one afternoon after her LMB morning program. She said Student looked a little sad and out of place. Student’s mother testified that Student was sad because she did not want to attend the public school at all, but that Student enjoyed her time at LMB.
143. On March 14, 2011, the District completed the AT assessment. Cindy Cottier, a speech-language pathologist and augmentative communication specialist, conducted the assessment. The assessment found that Student could benefit from the use of assistive technology programs, including Co:Writer (with the Flexible Spelling and Predict Ahead features) and Write:Outloud. The assessment also recommended: 1) a graphic organizer for Student; 2) that Student increase her understanding of basic word processing; and 3) that the school staff and Student’s parents receive training on these programs if necessary.
144. On March 14, 2011, Student filed a Compliance Compliant with the California Department of Education (CDE) complaining about the District’s failure to file for due process to defend its February 2011 IEP offer and the District’s refusal to implement the services the parents agreed to in the IEP.
145. On March 22, 2011, the District filed a request for mediation only with OAH. The case did not settle, and on April 12, 2011, the District filed for due process in the instant case seeking to defend its IEP offers of September 16, 2010, and February 10, 2011. On April 14, 2011, CDE issued a notice that the investigation of the Compliance Complaint had been set aside pending the conclusion of the due process hearing.
146. On April 20, 2011, the IEP team met to review the AT assessment and discuss whether Student needed ESY services. About a week before the IEP meeting, several district team members had an informal meeting to discuss the various AT programs recommended. Amy Duncan, an AT expert who works for the County of San Bernardino, met with a general education teacher, a special education teacher, a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist after school to look at the recommendations from the AT evaluation. The purpose of the meeting was to familiarize the staff members with the proposed programs so the programs could be implemented more quickly if the IEP team agreed to the AT services. It was not a formal training, though the team members got to see the programs and had time to work with them on laptop computers. Student’s parents were not invited to the informal meeting. Duncan explained that she would have provided training in the AT systems after the IEP meeting, if the IEP team agreed to the AT services. Once AT programs are implemented, the staff collects data to see how effective they are.
147. Duncan attended the April 20, 2011 IEP team meeting and presented the AT assessment report. The team recommended several different AT programs that could be of benefit to Student. Larabee had not personally worked with some of those programs before, but she agreed with the recommendation and felt the programs could benefit Student. The team did not decide at the meeting who would collect the data regarding the effectiveness of the AT programs once Student began using them. Duncan testified that she would supervise the collection of that data, but that was not discussed during the meeting. The team discussed in general how the AT plan would be implemented and during which part of Student’s day they would try the plan. The team considered the software Student was already using. Duncan offered to provide training in the programs to Student’s parents. Student’s father testified that it was not clear to him when that training was supposed to begin.
148. The notes to the IEP meeting specified that Student was being offered AT services, including instruction on using computers, keyboarding skills and the specific computer programs recommended for Student. The notes listed the various computer programs that would be available to Student each day in the resource room, and what would be available for Student’s parents until 4:30 each school day in the computer lab. The notes explained when the various programs would be used (for example, that Student would be supported using Kidspiration when graphic organizers were used for pre-writing tasks).
149. The IEP team also discussed ESY services, but the District team members felt that Student had not shown the type of regression in the past that would indicate a need for ESY services. At the time of the IEP meeting, Student had been making progress on the goals to which Student’s parents had agreed.
150. Student’s parents did not sign their consent to the IEP at the meeting, but instead took it home to review. Student’s parents never agreed to the IEP, so the AT supports were never implemented. On April 29, 2011, Student’s parents filed their due process hearing request against the District.
151. On May 4, 2011, LMB conducted a retest of Student after Student had undergone 189 hours of LMB instruction. LMB issued a report showing three sets of test results, one for August 3, 2010 (discussed above in Factual Findings 59 – 65), one for January 24, 2011 (discussed above in Factual Finding 124) and one for May 4, 2011. As before, there was no evidence presented at hearing as to the name or qualifications of the individual or individuals who gave any of the LMB tests.
152. The parties dispute whether the three sets of scores showed any significant improvement for Student after receiving the 189 hours of LMB instruction. Perry opined that Student’s scores showed improvement in the Woodcock NU Word Attack subtest, the Slosson Oral Reading Test – R3, and on the fluency and comprehension subtests of the Gray Oral Reading Test 4, Form A.
153. Perry testified that Student’s greatest growth from her intensive LMB instruction came in the area of symbol imagery. She explained that symbol imagery was one of Student’s areas of weakness and that it was only during the last third of Student’s LMB instruction that Student began to “move…through that symbol imagery window.” LMB recommended another 120 – 160 hours of intensive LMB services for Student, once again using the LMB Seeing Stars program to help her develop her symbol imagery and the reading skills that LMB believes will result from that imagery skill.
154. Moss disagreed that the LMB retest showed significant progress by Student. He testified that, aside from Student’s score on the math test and in reading comprehension, any seeming improvement on the test scores could be explained by the standard error of measurement for the various tests or familiarity with having taken the same tests in the past. Larrabee testified that, at the end of Student’s third grade year, Student had made progress in reading fluency and comprehension, but was still not at grade level. Student’s mother testified that she saw Student’s spelling improve after the LMB instruction, but the LMB May 4, 2011 test scores did not show a significant improvement in spelling.
155. For purposes of this hearing, it is not necessary to resolve the factual dispute about whether and to what extent Student made progress as a result of attending the LMB program. As discussed in Legal Conclusion 5 below, the focus of this due process case is on the District’s proposed program and whether it was reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit, not on Student’s parents’ preferred program, even if that preferred program might have provided additional benefit.7 Nothing in the LMB report or Perry’s testimony stated that Student required the LMB services to access the general education curriculum or to gain educational benefit from her public school program.
7 The parties also disputed whether and to what extent the LMB program was based on peer reviewed research. Once again, it is not necessary to decide this issue because the efficacy of LMB is not at issue in this case, just the appropriateness of the District’s program.
156. By the end of her third grade year, Student had made progress in writing and math. Larrabee testified that Student had worked on writing during the time she was at the public school and had made progress in spacing, margins, indentation, and other elements of writing. She also reported that Student made great progress in math, particularly with statistics and data. Student was not up to third grade level standards in algebra, but was making progress.
157. On May 20, 2011, Student’s advocate sent a letter to the District objecting to many aspects of the April 20, 2011 IEP, including the goals, proposed placement and proposed services.
158. On July 29, 2011, Student’s counsel gave the District notice that Student’s parents intended to enroll Student in the LMB program starting on August 8, 2011, for several hours each school day and would seek reimbursement from the District. However, during the hearing, Student’s parents indicated that they have had difficulty affording LMB services for Student. Student’s mother is afraid that Student’s itching and anxiety will start again if she attends the public school without LMB services in her fourth grade year. Student’s father believes that LMB is the only thing shown to be effective for Student.
159. Student’s parents paid in full for Student’s LMB services in third grade and are seeking reimbursement from the District for those services in the amount of $19,006.00. They are also seeking reimbursement for their mileage to and from LMB for two trips per day at the rate of 50 cents per mile and 64 miles one way. Student also seeks prospective placement at LMB, as well as compensatory education in math, and prospective services in the areas of OT, APE and AT.
160. Student also seeks IEE’s in the area of OT and AT. Student’s father agrees that Student has improved in the area of hopping, skipping and jumping, but believes she needs special education APE services in the area of throwing and catching a ball.
1. The party filing a due process case has the burden of proof in the proceeding. (Schaffer v. Weast (2005) 546 U.S. 49 [126 S.Ct. 528].) In this case, the Student has the burden of proof regarding her issues and the District has the burden of proof regarding its issue.
From April 29, 2009, and During the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 School Years, Did the District Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Locate, Identify and Evaluate Student as a Child with a Disability?
8. As set forth in Factual Findings 1 – 41 above, the District met its child find obligations with respect to Student. Although Student started to fall behind the state curriculum standards in first grade, Teter’s testimony was persuasive that Student’s struggles were not sufficient at that time to warrant a referral for special education. When Student’s difficulty with the curriculum increased in second grade, Student’s second grade teacher referred Student to the SST, which met informally to discuss Student’s situation and offer a special education assessment plan to Student’s parents. Student’s parents signed that plan and the District conducted an assessment within the statutory time periods. Both Teter and Geddes testified to the District’s trainings regarding child find for all the teachers.
9. Student presented no expert testimony to counter Teter’s opinion that Student did not qualify for special education in Student’s first grade year. Neither Meyer nor Perry testified that the District erred by not finding Student eligible for special education prior to Student’s second grade year.
10. In Student’s written closing argument, Student argues that the District had a policy of not referring children for special education until second grade. That argument misstates Geddes’ testimony and is contrary to the other evidence in the case. Teter testified that she had referred children for special education. Student also contends that Boesen testified she did not attend any District trainings on child find. Even if she did not, it does not affect the outcome of this case, because Boesen properly referred Student to the SST, and a special education assessment was proposed. Boesen clearly understood her child find duties.
11. The evidence supports a finding that the District met its child find obligations at all times during this proceeding. There was no denial of FAPE due to the failure of the District to refer Student for special education prior to November 2009.
Did District Deny Student a FAPE During the 2009-2010 School Year by: a) Failing to Assess Her in Areas of Suspected Disability Involving OT, APE and AT as Part of District’s Initial Evaluations of Student; and b) by Conducting Inappropriate Academic, Psychoeducational, OT and AT Assessments of Student?
14. As set forth in Factual Findings 18 – 30 above, the District presented evidence that its December 2009 – January 2010 assessment met the requirements of the code. The tests administered were valid, they were administered by appropriate personnel who followed the publisher’s protocols, and they were comprehensive. Student does not dispute the training of the personnel or the appropriateness of the tests given. Instead, Student contends that the assessment was not sufficiently comprehensive.
15. Student contends that the District should have done additional testing in light of Student’s high score on the listening comprehension portion of the KTEA. Student cites to Meyer’s testimony that he felt it necessary to do additional testing based on that score. Moss also testified that, looking solely at the KTEA, the listening comprehension score could warrant further evaluation.
8 The federal code uses the term “evaluation” instead of the term “assessment” used by California law, but the two terms have the same meaning for these purposes.
16. However, Edmon’s testimony is persuasive on this issue. Given all the information the District had at the time, and the consistency of all of Student’s other test scores, Student’s one high score in the listening comprehension subtest did not call into question all the other consistent test results. Instead, it was reasonable for the District to conclude that it represented an area of strength for her. The District did not have Student’s prenatal history until Meyer’s report and did not know of any potential brain injury.
17. Meyer’s findings to the contrary, discussed in Factual Findings 48 – 57 above, are not sufficient to rebut Edmon’s testimony in this regard. Although Meyer was sincere and knowledgeable, his choice of a cognitive test that was not intended for a pupil in Student’s situation calls into question the validity of his findings and weakens the persuasiveness of his opinion. His neurological tests, while informative as to the reasons behind Student’s condition, do not change this result. The neurological tests were more in the nature of the clinical examination rather than an educational assessment. Meyer even admitted during his testimony that a school psychologist would not normally be trained to conduct such tests.
18. Moss’s testimony discussed in Factual Finding 29 above, is also not sufficient to contradict Edmon’s opinion. Moss answered the question solely as to the results of one test. He was never asked if his opinion would change if he learned of the consistency of the other test findings in the District’s assessment.
19. Edmon and Rybarczyk were competent to perform the testing and their findings were well supported by the tests they gave. Given all the information the District possessed at the time, the District’s psychoeducational assessment was appropriate and comprehensive to address Student’s areas of educational need.
20. Likewise, as set forth in Factual Findings 22 – 28 above, Edmon’s opinion that it was not necessary to conduct assessments in the area of OT, AT or APE at the time of the initial assessment is persuasive. Student was accessing the general education curriculum without any significant difficulties in those areas. Student presented no expert testimony to contradict Edmon’s opinions on these matters.
21. The evidence supports a finding that the District’s initial psychoeducational assessment was comprehensive, appropriate, valid, and conducted by appropriate personnel. There was no denial of FAPE.
22. Likewise, as set forth in Factual Findings 92 – 101, the evidence showed that the OT assessment was appropriate. Namehas was qualified to conduct the OT assessment, used valid test instruments and followed the publisher’s protocols in conducting the assessment. Student presented no expert evidence to counter Namehas’ testimony in this regard.
23. Student presented no expert evidence to criticize the District’s AT assessment. As set forth in Factual Findings 143 – 148, Duncan, although she did not conduct the AT assessment, was familiar with the assessment and provided testimony regarding the assessment and the findings. Student had the burden of proof on this issue and failed to bring in sufficient evidence to meet that burden. There was no denial of FAPE.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Consider the Results of the IEE’s Conducted by Dr. Stephen Meyer and LMB in August 2010?
24. If a parent obtains an independent assessment, either funded by a school district or at the parent’s own expense, a school district is required to consider the results of that assessment as part of the IEP process. (20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)(3)(A); Ed. Code, § 56329, subd. (c); 34 C.F.R. § 300.502(c)(1)(2006).) Student contends that the District denied Student a FAPE by failing to consider the results of the IEE’s at Student’s IEP team meeting.
25. The evidence does not support Student’s contentions. As set forth in Factual Findings 48 – 90 above, the overwhelming evidence shows that the District personnel did consider the IEE’s and modified Student’s IEP in connection with those assessments. Although Edmon disagreed with Meyer’s findings, she acquiesced to the team’s decision to change Student’s eligibility category to SLD. The change in eligibility category alone is sufficient to rebut Student’s contention. There was no need to change Student’s IEP program in light of the new eligibility category, because the District was already properly providing an appropriate placement and services to address all of Student’s educational needs, not just those related to Student’s prior eligibility category.
26. The testimony of the District witnesses at the hearing also demonstrates their sincere consideration of the IEE’s. Despite their concerns about the validity of the IEE findings (because of the questions regarding Meyer’s choice of cognitive testing and the appropriateness the LMB assessment) the IEP team still engaged in a discussion of those findings and the significance those tests might have for Student’s education.
27. In the written closing argument, Student argues that some of the District IEP team members did not have the LMB assessment prior to the August 2010 IEP meeting. However, as set forth in Factual Finding 74 above, part of the reason the IEP team held a continuation meeting in September was to give the District team members time to review and consider the assessments.
28. Student argues that the fact that no significant changes were made to Student’s IEP program in September 2010, also shows the District did not take into consideration the expert reports. However, as set forth in Factual Finding 33, the District had initially provided Student with an IEP to address all her needs, not just speech-language, so there was no need to significantly change her services after changing her eligibility category. Further, as set forth in Factual Findings 77 – 91, the District did increase Student’s RSP services in the September 2010 IEP and added additional goals.
29. The fact that the District ultimately rejected the recommendation for LMB services is not dispositive on this issue – given the questionable validity of the LMB testing and the District’s belief that the number of hours recommended were excessive, the District personnel were wise to be cautious in this regard. Just because an IEP team must consider IEE’s, does not mean they must blindly accept everything stated in those IEE’s.
30. There was no procedural violation in this regard on the part of the District.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Take Student’s Parents’ Concerns into Consideration in Developing the IEP Offers of August 2010, September 2010, February 2011, and April 2011?
31. Student next contends that the District denied Student a FAPE by failing to take into consideration the concerns of Student’s parents raised at the IEP team meetings.
34. As set for in Factual Findings 31 – 41, 71 – 91, 100 – 104, 129 – 138, and 146 – 150 above, the evidence shows that Student’s parents had input at every step of the IEP process for every IEP in question. The IEP team listened to their concerns. For example, the IEP team made changes to the goals proposed in the September 2010 IEP based on the input of Student’s father. At the IEP meeting in February 2011, the team requested input from Student’s father and offered more RSP time in an effort to address parental concerns.
36. The evidence supports a finding that the District IEP team members considered parental input at every one of the IEP team meetings in questions. There was no procedural violation and no denial of FAPE.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Predetermining its Offer of Placement and Services Outside the IEP Process and IEP Team Meetings of August 2010, September 2010, February 2011, and April 2011?
38. Student presented no evidence of predetermination by the District. Instead, as set forth in Factual Findings 31 – 41, 71 – 91, 100 – 104, 129 – 138, and 146 – 150 and Legal Conclusions 24 – 36 above, the District considered the concerns of Student’s parents and offered to modify the various IEP’s accordingly. A good example of this occurred in the February 2011 IEP. As will be discussed below, the District’s offer of RSP services in the September 2010 IEP constituted a FAPE in the least restrictive environment. However, when Student’s parents placed Student in a far more restrictive setting (the LMB program) because they believed the District’s RSP program was not meeting Student’s needs, the District offered to increase the amount of RSP time in an effort to address the concerns of Student’s parents.
39. Student argues that the February 2011 IEP was the result of predetermination, but the evidence showed the contrary. As discussed in Factual Findings 129 – 141 above, the District employees wanted a discussion with Student’s father regarding his concerns and were willing to work with him in developing an IEP. Just because they were not willing to fund LMB services does not mean they predetermined that IEP offer. As set forth in Factual Findings 58 – 65 above, they had good reason to reject the LMB proposed services.
40. Student relies on a statement made by Rybarczyk in her letter dated September 9, 2010, discussed in Factual Finding 75 above, that the District was “not looking to make any changes” to Student’s services. Student argues that this was evidence of predetermination. However, as set forth in Factual Finding 86 above, the evidence shows that the IEP team did increase the amount of Student’s RSP services at the September 2010 meeting, so that statement was clearly not evidence of predetermination.
41. Finally, Student also contends that the informal meeting to discuss the AT assessment that occurred in April 2011, as discussed in Factual Finding 146 above, evidenced predetermination. Student’s contention is not well taken. There is nothing wrong with District staff having an informal gathering prior to an IEP team meeting to discuss proposals. (See J.L. v. Mercer Island School District (9th Cir. 2010) 592 F.3d 938, 952.) Student’s parents were provided with a copy of the AT report and recommendations. The informal familiarization of the District staff with those proposed programs did not predetermine the AT programs to be used – if anything, it would assist Student’s parents during the IEP meeting when they asked questions about how the various AT programs might assist their daughter.
42. Student failed to meet her burden to show predetermination. There was no procedural violation in this regard.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Provide an Assessment Plan to Student’s Parents Within 15 Days of Student’s Parents’ February 4, 2010 Request for OT, AT and APE Assessments?
43. Education Code section 56043, subdivision (a), provides that a proposed assessment plan shall be developed within 15 calendar days of referral for assessment, not counting school vacations in excess of five days or the time between regular school sessions. (See also Ed. Code, § 56321, subd. (a).) As set forth in Factual Findings 42 – 44 above, Student’s parents made their request for OT, APE and AT assessments in February 2010. The District did not send Student’s parents assessment plans until many months later, long after the 15 day deadline. That constituted a procedural violation of special education law.
44. The next question is whether that procedural violation gave rise to a substantive denial of FAPE. As stated above in Legal Conclusion 4, not every procedural violation results in a substantive denial of FAPE. In this case, Student presented no evidence that the District’s delay in conducting the OT, APE or AT assessments impeded Student’s right to a FAPE or denied Student educational benefits – Student was accessing the school curriculum without need for OT, APE or AT services. As set forth in Factual Findings 92 – 104 and 143 – 148 above, when the OT assessment was finally done, the assessor determined that Student did not need OT services at all. The APE assessment found only a borderline problem which was easily corrected by general education interventions. The AT assessment recommended programs that could be helpful for Student, but there was no evidence that Student was unable to obtain a FAPE without them.
45. However, it does appear that the failure to conduct the assessments significantly impeded the opportunity of Student’s parents to participate in the decision making process regarding the provision of FAPE to Student. Student’s parents believed those assessments were necessary and asked for them. When the District failed to conduct those assessments, it deprived Student’s parents of information that they needed to participate in the IEP process. In that respect, the procedural violation did result in a substantive denial of FAPE. The appropriate remedy for that denial of FAPE will be discussed below.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Conduct the OT, AT and APE Assessments and Hold an IEP Team Meeting Within 60 Days of the Date Written Consent to Assess Was Received from Student’s Parents?
47. In Student’s written closing argument, Student contended that Student’s parents gave their “consent” to the assessments in February 2010. That contention is not well taken – a request for an assessment is different from a parent’s signed consent to an assessment plan.
48. As stated in Factual Findings 44 above, Student’s parents gave their consent to the proposed assessment for OT on September 29, 2010, and for APE on September 30, 2010. The IEP team meeting to review those assessments was held on November 10, 2010, within the 60 days. There was no denial of FAPE.
49. Student’s parents gave their consent to the AT assessment on January 13, 2011, and the IEP team meeting to review the AT assessment was held on April 20, 2011, 37 days after the 60 day deadline. The District could have, but did not provide evidence or argument, regarding what the school calendar was like between January 13, 2011, and April 20, 2011, and whether there were school holidays that might justify the delay. Student met her burden of showing that the District failed to hold a meeting to review the assessment within 60 days of receiving the signed assessment plan for an AT assessment.
50. However, it does not appear that the procedural violation resulted in a substantive denial of FAPE. There was no evidence presented that Student lost any educational benefit by the 37 day delay, nor that the delay impeded Student’s right to a free appropriate public education. As set forth in Factual Findings 146 – 150, when the IEP team meeting was ultimately held, Student parents did not agree to the AT services. Likewise, there was no evidence that the delay significantly impeded Student’s parents’ opportunity to participate in the decision making process. The real problem in this case was the District’s failure to provide the AT assessment for almost a year after Student’s parents requested it, but that issue has already been addressed in Legal Conclusions 43 – 45 above.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing Either to Timely File a Request for Due Process Hearing or Provide an IEE in OT to Student When Student’s Parents Requested the IEE in January 2011?
51. When a parent makes a request for an IEE, the school district must either agree to fund that IEE or file a due process hearing request to defend its own assessment. (34 C.F.R. § 300.502(b)(2) (2006).) Student contends that the District did not timely file a due process request or agree to fund the IEE in OT. The evidence does not support Student’s contention.
52. As set forth in Factual Findings 117 – 120 above, Student parents made their request for the OT IEE on January 21, 2011. The District agreed to fund that IEE. The District made out an assessment plan for an IEE assessor that Student’s parents did not want, so the District agreed to fund an IEE by a different assessor chosen by Student’s parents. There was no evidence presented that Student’s parents ever asked for a different assessor. In Student’s written closing argument, Student contends that Student’s parents never received another assessment plan from the District. Even if Student’s claims in this regard are correct, Student’s parents certainly received Moga’s March 31 letter and had the ability to respond to it. The District even offered the OT IEE again at the April meeting.
53. It is not clear what Student’s parents wanted the District to do under these circumstances. Because the District had agreed to fund an IEE, there was no need for the District to file for due process. Student’s parents rejected the District’s proposed IEE assessor and wanted to choose their own, but Student presented no evidence that her parents ever proposed a different assessor, despite plenty of opportunity to do so. There was no denial of FAPE.
Did the District Procedurally Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Make All Educational Records Available to Student’s Parents Within Five Business Days of Their Written Request of January 21, 2011?
54. California law gives parents the right to request copies of their child’s educational records from a school district. A district has five days to produce records in response to such a request. (Ed. Code, § 56504; see also Ed. Code, § 56501, sub. (b)(3).) As set forth in Factual Findings 109 – 116 above, Student’s parents made a records request. The District produced some records, but failed to produce the test protocols for the APE assessment and the OT assessment. The two assessors testified that their protocols existed in the District records, so those documents should have been produced.
55. The failure to produce those protocols constituted a procedural denial of FAPE. In addition, it significantly impeded the opportunity of Student’s parents to participate in the decision making process regarding the provision of FAPE to Student, by interfering with Student’s parents’ ability to bring their due process case. For example, the APE assessor admitted that she was unable to discuss some of her specific test results without reviewing her protocols. This interfered with the ability of Student’s counsel to effectively cross-examine the witness regarding her assessment of Student.
56. The procedural violation resulted in a substantive denial of FAPE. The remedy for that denial of FAPE will be discussed below.
During the 2010 – 2011 School Year, Did the District Deny Student a FAPE by Failing to Implement her RSP and Specialized Instruction in the Frequency and Duration Provided for in Her IEP, Thereby Failing to Properly Implement the IEP?
58. Student contends that the District did not provide Student the RSP services called for in Student’s IEP. Student bases this contention on the RSP logs discussed in Factual Findings 127 – 128 above. Student argues that the logs show the daily RSP services often were either longer or shorter than the amount called for in the IEP.
60. Student did not submit sufficient evidence to show a material failure to implement Student’s IEP. Any extra minutes spent in the RSP room were permitted by the clause in the IEP’s which stated that the RSP services could include “any other amount of time as needed.” Student argues that some of the sessions were shorter than called for in the IEP’s, but Rybarczyk testified that the time listed on the logs did not include math instruction prior to March 1, 2011, so Student was actually given additional time, not included in the logs. Student has not met her burden of showing that Student received less time in RSP than called for in the IEP prior to March 1, 2011.
61. The logs between March 1 and March 9, 2011, are too small a sample to see if there was a pattern of changing RSP times for the math RSP instruction. Rybarczyk testified that she provided the RSP math services called for in the IEP. The great gains that Student made in math after March 1, 2011, support her testimony that Student’s IEP services were implemented appropriately in accordance with the IEP requirements. At most, Student has shown three or four days when the math RSP instruction differed from the exact number of minutes in the IEP. However, that is not a material failure to implement the IEP. Student has not provided sufficient evidence to meet her burden to show that Student was not provided with the RSP services called for in her IEP after March 1, 2011.
62. Student’s main argument in this regard is that the “any other amount of time” clause contained in the IEP’s was improper. Student relies upon California Education Code section 56345, subdivision (a)(4) and (7), and argues that vague language prevented the meaningful participation of Student’s parents in the IEP process. Student also contends that this clause allowed the District educators to determine Student’s special education program outside the IEP process.
63. Student cites to cases such as Union School District v. Smith (9th Cir. 1994) 15 F.3d 1519, in which a district failed to make a formal offer of a placement because it believed that the child’s parents would reject the offer, and Board of Education of the Chatham Central School District (2003) 39 IDELR 144, in which the District did not provide the parents with a completed copy of the proposed IEP “until well after services would have been provided pursuant to that IEP….” Neither of these cases supports Student’s position on this issue.
64. A provision of the type included in the District’s IEP’s, which was intended to give a little flexibility to the RSP teacher and general education teacher to add a few minutes to Student’s RSP services as necessary on a given day does not rise to the level of a failure to place the duration and frequency of the services in the IEP. As set forth in Factual Findings 45 and 127 – 128 above, at most Student received between 10 and 25 minutes of extra RSP services. That minor flexibility, designed to meet Student’s needs on that particular day, did not deprive Student’s parents of their opportunity to participate in the IEP process. There was no procedural violation on that basis. Further, even if there was a procedural violation, Student cannot show that she suffered any educational harm as a result – Student believes that Student required more intensive instruction during this time period than what the District provided, so she can hardly object to a few extra minutes of intensive instruction. Student failed to meet her burden of proving that the District denied her a FAPE by failing to implement her IEP’s.
Did the District Deny Student a FAPE, by Failing to Implement the Portions of the February 2011 IEP that Student’s Parents Consented to in Order to Prevent a Delay in the Provision of Services to Student?
67. The parties dispute the legal issue of whether a child’s parents can revoke consent to a portion of their child’s IEP services after agreeing to those services. However, it is not necessary to decide this issue, because even if there was a violation by the District, it did not result in a material failure to implement the IEP.
68. Official notice is taken of the calendar for 2011. (See Gov. Code, § 11515; Evid. Code, §§ 451, 452.) February 23, 2011, fell on a Wednesday, and March 1, 2011, was on the following Tuesday. At most, the District failed to implement the new IEP services for three school days. That is not a material failure to implement the IEP. (Van Duyn, supra, 502 F.3d at p. 815.) There was no denial of FAPE.
69. Student contends that each of the District’s IEP’s between January 2010 and April 2011 substantively denied Student a FAPE. The District’s case focuses on two of those IEP’s – the September 16, 2010, and February 10, 2011 IEP’s. The most logical way to address these related issues is to consider each IEP separately.
The January 2010 IEP Provided Student with a FAPE.
70. As stated in Legal Conclusions 2 – 5 and 57 above, an IEP is evaluated in light of what was known at the time it was offered. The standard for whether an IEP substantively offered FAPE is whether it was reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit. DIS services (such as OT, APE and AT) are provided to the extent they are necessary for the child to benefit from special education.
9 Based on Student’s written closing argument, it is not clear whether Student also contends that the District violated Education Code section 56346, subdivision (e), by failing to stop language arts RSP services as of February 1, 2011, prior to the February 10, 2011 IEP offer. However, the issue stated in the Prehearing Conference Order, as clarified by the parties during the hearing, involves only the failure to implement the agreed-upon portions of the February 2011 IEP, so it is not necessary for this Decision to go back to any attempted revocation of services that occurred prior to Student’s parents’ acceptance of portions of the February IEP on February 23, 2011.
71. As set forth in Factual Findings 31 – 41 above, Rybarczyk and Boesen testified that the January 2010 IEP identified Student’s educational needs, contained appropriate and adequate goals, and offered appropriate placement and services to meet Student’s needs. Student, who has the burden to show the IEP was inappropriate, presented no expert evidence to contradict the opinions of the District educators.
72. In Student’s written closing argument, Student contends that the January 2010 IEP and the goals contained in that document were based on inadequate information because of problems with the assessments. However, as discussed in Legal Conclusions 12 – 23 above, the assessments were appropriate and sufficient for the District to make an IEP offer. The District did not have any of the IEE’s at that point, and based on the information the District possessed at that time, the offer was reasonably calculated to provide Student with educational benefit.
73. Student contends that the District should have offered OT, APE and AT services at that time. However, as set forth in Factual Findings 23 – 25 above, there was no evidence that Student needed those services at that time to benefit from her special education. Instead, the evidence showed that she was accessing the general education and special education environments without need for such services.
75. As set forth in Factual Findings 39, 76, 88, 135 and 149 above, the District witnesses were clear in their testimony that Student did not demonstrate the type of regression that would require ESY services. Student brought in no expert evidence or testimony to refute their testimony. Student claims that her deficits in second grade demonstrate regression, but without an expert to testify that it was the type of regression that required ESY, Student cannot prevail. To the extent that Student relies on the LMB testing to show regression between second and third grade, that evidence is not persuasive – the LMB assessments lack persuasive value for the reasons discussed in Factual Findings 58 – 65 above.
76. Based on the information possessed by the District in January 2010, the IEP was reasonably calculated to provide Student with educational benefit, contained sufficient and appropriate goals, provided an appropriate placement, and offered sufficient specialized instruction and related services to meet Student’s needs. There was no denial of FAPE.
77. By the time of the August and September 2010 IEP meetings, the District had received and considered the reports by Meyer and Perry. However, as stated in Factual Findings 48 – 65 and Legal Conclusions 12 – 30 above, the District IEP team members had good reason to be cautious about those findings. The District changed Student’s eligibility category and her goals, but was reluctant to follow the recommendation of Meyer and Perry to pull Student from her general education classroom to place her in the highly restrictive LMB setting.
78. Student contends that the District did not adequately meet its burden of proof to show that the September 2010 IEP was reasonably calculated to provide educational benefit to Student. In particular, Student argues that Moss, the District’s LMB expert, did not testify regarding the District’s IEP. However, as stated in Factual Finding 90 above, Rybarczyk testified that the September 2010 IEP was appropriate. Rybarczyk is a credentialed special education teacher who had personal knowledge of Student’s needs based on working with Student over many months, so her testimony is persuasive on this issue. Further, as set forth in Factual Findings 66 – 91 above, at the time of the September 2010 IEP meeting, the District team members were aware that Student had made academic progress since her January 2010 IEP, so they could reasonably conclude that the proposed program in the September 2010 IEP would continue that progress.
79. Student presented no expert testimony to counter Rybarczyk’s opinion. As set forth in Factual Findings 55 and 90 above, Meyer did not directly criticize the District’s IEP. Even if he had, his opinion would have lacked persuasive force, because he relied upon cognitive testing that was not intended to be administered to a child in Student’s circumstances. His general statement about school RSP programs not being sufficient for Student is weakened both by the problems with his assessment and by his unfamiliarity with the District’s methodologies. His opinions were not sufficient to show that the District denied Student a FAPE.
80. In the written closing argument, Student contends that because the IEP team agreed to change Student’s eligibility category to SLD based on Meyer’s opinion, the team must have “inherently accepted as true” Meyer’s opinion that Student’s “ability to learn was higher than that which had been assumed by the District….” However, that statement does not follow. As discussed in Factual Findings 56 and 77 – 91, the evidence at hearing showed the District IEP team members had concerns about Meyer’s findings, but were willing to go along with the team’s decision to change Student’s eligibility category. An IEP is developed in a team process, in which both educational experts and lay people work together to try to craft a program appropriate to meet an individual child’s needs. An IEP determination based on that give-and-take process is not a concession from the District regarding Student’s ability to learn, particularly in the instant case in which the findings from the IEE’s were questionable.
81. The evidence also supports a finding that the goals in the September 2010 IEP were appropriate. As set forth in Factual Finding 81 above, Rybarczyk testified that the goals were appropriate, addressed Student’s areas of need and were based on third grade standards. Student presented no expert testimony to challenge any of the goals. In Student’s written closing argument, she argues that the goals were created outside the IEP process because a draft of the goals was mailed to Student’s parents prior to the meeting. However, the evidence showed the opposite of Student’s contention. As set forth in Factual Findings 75 and 81 above, Student’s parents reviewed and commented on the draft goals, and the goals were changed during the IEP meeting.
82. Student contends that the IEP did not offer sufficient services in the areas of OT, AT and APE. This contention fails for the same reasons set forth in Legal Conclusion 73 above. There was no evidence presented that Student had need of such services as of September 2010 in order to benefit from her special education. The evidence shows that she was making progress without those services at all times at issue in this case. As set forth in Factual Finding 90 above, Rybarczyk testified that the IEP was sufficient to meet Student’s needs. Likewise, Student’s arguments regarding ESY fail for the same reasons as set forth in Legal Conclusions 74 – 75 above.
84. In her written closing argument, Student contends that the September 2010 IEP was procedurally defective because it failed to include a specific statement of what the frequency, duration and location of the RSP services would be. Student bases this contention on the language in the IEP, set forth in Factual Finding 86 above, that the RSP services could include “any other time as needed.” As discussed in Legal Conclusions 62 – 64 above, this argument is not well taken. A provision of the type included in the District’s IEP, which was intended to give a little flexibility to the RSP teacher and general education teacher to add a few minutes to Student’s RSP services as necessary throughout the school week does not rise to the level of a failure to place the duration and frequency of the services in the IEP.
85. The District met its burden of proving that the August/September 2010 IEP offered Student a FAPE both procedurally and substantively.
86. As set forth in Factual Findings 92 – 104, the November 2010 IEP was primarily intended to review and consider the OT and APE assessments. Student’s parents had not agreed to the September 2010 IEP offer at that point, though they later agreed in December 2010. The placement and services offered in the November 2010 IEP were appropriate for the same reasons as those in the September 2010 IEP, discussed above.
87. Student failed to show that the team’s decision not to offer OT services at the November meeting denied Student a FAPE. By the time of the November meeting, the District had received Namehas’ OT evaluation. As stated above in Factual Findings 92 – 97 and 100 – 101 and Legal Conclusion 22, that assessment was appropriate, and the IEP team properly relied on that assessment in determining that Student did not need OT services.
88. Likewise, as set forth in Factual Findings 98 – 104 above, the IEP team correctly determined that APE services were not required. Although Student could have received those services, the team determined that her needs could be addressed with interventions in the general education classroom. That was an IEP team decision derived after discussion and consideration of Student’s individual needs. Student’s parents ultimately agreed to that decision. Student contends that the District could have offered APE consult services, but she presented no expert evidence that such services were needed. In effect, the discussion at the IEP meeting was an APE consult. Ultimately, Student’s areas of weakness were remediated with the services, so there was no need to revisit the APE issue at later IEP meetings. There was no denial of FAPE.
89. As set forth in Factual Findings 143 – 150, a later AT assessment ultimately found that Student could benefit from AT services. However, there was no evidence to indicate that Student required those services as of November 2010 to benefit from her special education.
90. Student failed to meet her burden to show that the November 2010 IEP denied her a FAPE.
91. The February IEP was held because of the parties’ disagreement about Student attending LMB instead of the public school. To the extent that February IEP continued the goals, accommodations and services from the September 2010 IEP, it was appropriate for the reasons stated in Legal Conclusions 77 – 90 above.
92. In Student’s written closing argument, Student contends that the District failed to change Student’s IEP program “despite lack of progress over time.” As discussed in Factual Findings 66 – 70 and 105 – 137 above, there was disputed evidence as to how much progress Student was making in the early part of third grade. Rybarczyk testified that Student made progress, although she was not at grade level. The February IEP noted the progress Student had made toward each of her goals. The Voyager Passport documents in evidence showed limited progress. Perry testified that the LMB documents showed regression. In resolving this dispute, Rybarczyk’s testimony is the most persuasive. She was working with Student on a daily basis and saw her improvement. The LMB test scores were questionable, for all the reasons outlined above. The Voyager Passport documents in evidence were just a few documents from a language arts intervention program and not a definitive statement regarding Student’s academic gains. The evidence showed that Student was making academic progress prior to the February 2011 IEP team meeting.
93. However, even if the evidence did show lack of progress in third grade, the District responded accordingly by increasing the amount of Student’s RSP services in the February 2011 IEP to 90 minutes a day, four days a week, plus one extra half hour a week, with half the time devoted to language arts and half to math. The evidence does not support Student’s claim that no changes were made to Student’s program.
94. As stated in Factual Finding 136 above, Moga explained that the increase in RSP services was necessary because Student was missing core curriculum every day by attending the LMB program and the District did not want Student to fall behind. The District’s rationale for increasing the RSP time made sense. It was clear to the team that Student’s parents believed Student needed additional specialized instruction. Increasing her RSP time was one way to provide that and still keep Student in the general education environment to the greatest extent possible.
95. Even though the District believed Student was making progress, it was appropriate for the IEP team to offer an increase in RSP services as a counter to the highly restrictive LMB placement. Student does not argue that the District’s February 2011 IEP offer was not the LRE for Student. It would be difficult for Student to make that argument, since Student’s parents believed that Student needed a much more restrictive setting.
96. Given all the factors that the District knew at the time, the February 2011 IEP offered Student a placement in the LRE appropriate for Student. LRE is involves a balance between the benefits of the general education classroom and the additional academic gains that a child might make in a more restrictive setting. (See Sacramento City Unified School District v. Rachel H. (9th Cir. 1994) 14 F.3d 1398.) The great gains that Student made in math during the latter part of the third grade year were a good example of this – Student had been making progress in math under the prior amount of RSP math services, but once she was pulled out of the general education classroom for additional math services, she made much greater progress. The math services in the September 2010 IEP provided a FAPE for Student, but the IEP team (including Student’s parents) agreed to the increased RSP services.
97. In Student’s written closing argument, Student tries to use the gains in math during the latter part of the third grade year to show that Student’s math RSP services were inadequate before that. However, as set forth in Factual Findings 130 – 136 the evidence showed that Student was making progress in math prior to that, although more slowly.
98. The February 2011 IEP also offered Student sufficient related services for her to benefit from special education and properly denied Student ESY services, for all the reasons discussed in Legal Conclusions 73 – 75, 82 and 86 – 90 above.
99. The District met its burden of proving that the February 2011 IEP offered Student a FAPE both procedurally and substantively in the LRE appropriate for Student at the time the offer was made.
100. Most of the programs and services offered in the April 2011 IEP mirrored those in the February 2011 IEP and are addressed in Legal Conclusions 91 – 98 above. As set forth in Factual Findings 146 – 158 above, the evidence showed that Student was making progress on the IEP goals to which Student’s parents had agreed. It was objectively reasonable for the District to assume that Student would continue to make that progress with the same basic offer of placement and services in the April 2011 IEP. There was no denial of FAPE.
101. Student alleges that the AT services offered in the April 2011 IEP were improper, because it was not specifically stated how the software would be implemented, when Student would be instructed, and when Student’s parents would be trained. Student’s contentions are not well taken – the IEP provided sufficient information for Student’s parents to understand what AT services were offered and how they would be provided. It was sufficient to enable them to determine whether or not to accept those services. There was no denial of FAPE.
102. As discussed in Legal Conclusions 1 – 100 above, aside from two narrow, procedural areas, the District offered and provided Student a FAPE both procedurally and substantively at all times at issue herein. Student has proven that the District denied Student a FAPE by failing to provide an assessment plan for OT, APE and AT assessments in a timely fashion and by failing to produce all of Student’s educational records in response to the records request made by Student’s parents (in particular the protocols regarding the APE and OT assessments). Student seeks reimbursement for the LMB services and transportation, compensatory education, and IEE’s in the areas of OT and AT.
104. The logical remedy for the District’s failure to conduct timely assessments and to produce protocols regarding those assessments is to order the District to fund IEE’s for OT, APE and AT.10 Student’s parents may choose the assessors, but those assessors must meet the SELPA’s policy regarding “Qualifications for Evaluators” who conduct IEE’s.
105. There was also some suggestion in Student’s papers that the District should be ordered to abide by the recommendations of the assessors in the IEE’s as compensatory education. That would not be appropriate to order. Even if the IEE’s find that Student has needs in one or more of these areas that the District did not find earlier, that would not prove that the District’s earlier assessments were inappropriate. At this point, after having missed core curriculum to attend LMB for much of her third grade year, Student may have needs in these three areas that were not present before. The IEE’s should be considered by the IEP team in the same manner as any other IEE funded by the District.
1. The District’s IEP’s dated September 16, 2010, and February 10, 2011, offered Student a FAPE in the least restrictive environment.
2. The District shall fund IEE’s in the areas of OT, APE and AT. Student’s parents shall choose the assessors, provided that any assessor chosen must meet the SELPA’s guidelines entitled: Qualifications for Evaluators. The District shall provide Student’s parents with a copy of the SELPA’s Qualifications for Evaluators within 15 days of the date of this Decision. Student shall provide names of the proposed assessor(s) to the District in writing within 60 days of the date of this Decision. If Student’s parents do not provide the District with the names of the proposed assessor(s) within that time, the District will no longer have an obligation to fund the IEE’s.
3. All of Student’s remaining claims for relief are denied.
10 Because the District has been willing to fund an OT IEE all along, an order requiring the District to fund an OT IEE might seem superfluous. However, the order will settle any confusion that Student’s parents may have about the District’s willingness to fund the IEE.
It is not clear from Student’s written closing argument whether Student is actually seeking an IEE in the area of APE as a remedy in this case. As set forth in Factual Finding 160 above, Student’s father testified that Student’s parents still have concerns about Student’s needs in that area, so an IEE would be an appropriate remedy. However, if Student does not wish an IEE in the area of APE, nothing in this Decision is intended to require such an IEE.
Pursuant to California Education Code section 56507, subdivision (d), the hearing decision must indicate the extent to which each party has prevailed on each issue heard and decided. Here, Student prevailed on issues 4(f), and 4(h). The District prevailed on the remaining issues. | 2019-04-24T21:48:03Z | https://www.californiaspecialedlaw.com/wiki/hearing-decisions/oah-2011050106-2011040395/ |
A paper on the effectiveness of clubs as functional instruments capable of satisfying the governance needs of the individuals.
James Buchanan pioneered the economic theory of government, the economic theory of clubs and the economic theory of constitutions (Buchanan 1965; Buchanan and Tullock 1962). Oddly, almost no one has attempted to connect these theories. This paper does that. It analyzes “constitutional effectiveness”—the degree to which constitutions can be enforced — in the system of government vs. the system of clubs.
I argue that clubs have residual claimants on revenues generated through constitutional compliance, operate in a highly competitive environment, and permit individuals to sort themselves according to their governance needs. These features make their constitutional contracts self-enforcing. Government lacks these features. So its constitutional contract is not.
Institutional augmentations that make government more club-like, such as federalism, democracy, and limited government scope, improve government’s constitutional effectiveness. But constitutional effectiveness remains superior in the system of clubs.
Assuming individuals care about constitutional effectiveness, this begs the following question: Why don’t societies use the system of clubs instead of the system of government to supply governance? The answer is perhaps they should.
Buchanan (1975) offers a useful starting place for thinking about the emergence of collective decision-making organs and the constitutional contracts that bring them into existence. Following Hobbes ( 1982) he asks us to begin our thinking with a state of nature in which no such organs exist. In the state of nature each individual is responsible for protecting his own property rights and producing the goods he desires.
This state is insecure. Persons’ property is constantly exposed to expropriation by others. This cripples individuals’ ability to cooperate for mutual gain. The relationships required to finance and produce goods with strong “publicness” attributes that no person finds profitable to produce individually are impossible.
According to Buchanan, individuals who find themselves in this state have a mutual interest in signing a “disarmament contract.” This contract is an agreement between each person in the state of nature to forbear preying on others. Individuals also have a mutual interest in appending this contract to share in the financing of public goods.
The social contract endows one or several members of society with coercive authority to enforce the disarmament’s terms and to ensure that individuals contribute to public goods, per their agreement. This governance-creating contract is called a constitution. The person(s) who the constitutional contract endows with the power to enforce its terms on the others has a monopoly on the legitimized use of force. The monopoly governance organ he controls is called government.
Insecure in their property and unable to enjoy the public goods they desire in the state of nature, individuals demand governance services. Some of them, perhaps the strongest ones, offer to sell property protection, and thus some delineation of rights, to others. The kind, quality, and price of that protection varies.
Some persons may offer full-time police protection for individuals who enter “disarmament contracts” through them. Others offer only part-time protection to such persons. Some persons offer disarmament contracts that prohibit a range of activities besides violent conflict. Others offer “night watchman” disarmament contracts that prohibit no more than this.
The other persons in the state of nature may contract with such protection providers. Or they may enter the protection business themselves and offer different kinds of disarmament contracts to others instead. Some persons may choose not to enter into any disarmament contract at all and remain unprotected.
Protection sellers also offer conflict resolution services to their customers. Some may offer to adjudicate customers’ conflicts through courts. Others might offer to referee duels. Further, persons who don’t sell protection services may sell adjudication services to others “à la carte.” Some persons may choose to sell adjudication services specifically for conflicts that emerge between protection sellers and their customers, or between customers who’ve entered disarmament contracts with different parties.
Similarly, to satisfy the demand for non-protection related goods with strong “publicness” attributes, some persons offer contractual arrangements to others for the financing and provision of various public goods. Some private protection sellers may bundle these goods in the disarmament contracts they offer. In other cases specialist providers of such goods may offer contracts for their services.
Individuals’ different governance demands—demands for protection and non-protection related public goods—drive the particular contracts that are offered and emerge. Some of these contracts may create communal property arrangements for customers and involve redistributing income from richer signatories to poorer ones. Other governance contracts may create governance arrangements that look very individualistic. Nearly any and all kind of governance contract, each with its own characteristics, is possible. I leave it to the reader’s imagination to fill in the many alternative governance configurations to the few described above.
Each of these governance contracts creates a “club.” Buchanan’s (1965) theory of clubs explains how individuals can supply goods with a high degree of “publicness” privately. Club goods are excludable but non-rivalrous (or only rivalrous past some congestion threshold). Thus it’s profitable to supply them privately if sellers can induce a sufficient number of individuals to share their cost. Buchanan developed the theory of clubs with goods like swimming pools in mind. But the same underlying logic applies to all goods of this type, including governance itself.
The process I describe that gives rise to the system of clubs from the state of nature is similar to the one Buchanan describes that gives rise to the system of government from that state. In both accounts governance emerges from contractual agreement out of individuals’ mutual interest in supplying it collectively. But there’s a crucial difference in our accounts.
In Buchanan’s account everyone enters the same constitutional contract. That contract creates a monopoly governance supplier, making it the single source of legitimized force in society. There’s one constitution and one collective decision-making organ. Governance is monocentric.
In my account individuals enter a variety of different constitutional contracts—as many as “the market will bear.” These contracts create a multitude of governance suppliers, generating many, competing sources of force in society. There are multiple constitutions and collective decision-making organs. Governance is polycentric. This difference between the system of government and the system of clubs turns out to be critically important.
The skeptical reader, for whom the process Buchanan describes that leads to the emergence of the system of government sounds eminently reasonable but the process I describe that leads to the emergence of the system of clubs sounds like science fiction, will be relieved to learn that the latter has the stronger claim on historical reality.
Both government-creating and club-creating constitutional contracts create governance. And both confront the same obstacle: constitutional enforcement. Clubs and governments enforce contracts between their customers or citizens. But what enforces contracts between them and their customers or citizens? Unlike “ordinary” contracts, contracts with governance suppliers—constitutional contracts—must be self-enforcing.
Below I show that my tale from the state of nature isn’t only more historical than Buchanan’s. It’s more logical. In the system of government the question, “Who guards the guardians?,” goes unresolved. In the system of clubs it doesn’t. There’s a simple reason for this. In the system of clubs constitutional contracts tend to be self-enforcing. In the system of government the constitutional contract doesn’t.
Three features of the system of clubs, which are either absent or only weakly present in the system of government, account for constitutional self-enforcement in the former but not the latter. First, in the system of clubs governance suppliers are residual claimants on revenues they generate through constitutional compliance. Clubs have owners. They earn the profits flowing from individuals’ patronage of their clubs. Thus their interests are tied directly to their clubs’ success in attracting patrons. This success depends on their clubs’ constitutional effectiveness.
If club owners (or their agents) violate their clubs’ constitutions, they lose patrons. Club owners capitalize this loss. In contrast, if club owners ensure constitutional compliance, they capitalize the benefits of satisfying their patrons. Residual claimancy in the system of clubs aligns club owners’ and club members’ interests. In doing so it makes clubs’ constitutional contracts self-enforcing.
In the system of government the monopoly governance supplier isn’t a residual claimant on revenues he generates through constitutional compliance. He’s a residual claimant on revenues he generates through increasing citizens’ productivity. When citizens produce more, government earns more revenue. Thus government has some incentive to enhance citizens’ productivity. But that’s not the same as having an incentive to comply with the constitutional contract citizens agreed to.
Consider two cases. First, suppose the constitutional contract citizens desire, and thus agree to, isn’t productivity maximizing. They dislike large wealth disparities. So they agree to a constitutional contract that involves significant income redistribution. Or they may value leisure highly. So they create a constitutional contract that gives them more leisure at the expense of providing for the quantity/mix of public goods that maximizes their productivity. Such a society is materially poorer than one that doesn’t redistribute income or requires individuals to contribute more to public goods. But citizens prefer it.
Government doesn’t. It can’t tax utility. Thus, if government is a revenue maximizer, it prefers a materially richer society. Its incentive is to violate the constitutional contract citizens agreed to, for example by supplying more public goods than the constitution calls for, because this raises resident productivity.
Now suppose the constitutional contract citizens desire, and thus agree to, is productivity maximizing. In this case, too, government has an incentive to break the constitutional contract. Government doesn’t internalize the full cost of taxation. Tax distortions are borne partly by government, but also partly by citizens. Thus the tax rate that maximizes revenue—the one government desires—is always higher than the tax rate that citizens would unanimously consent to (McGuire and Olson 1996). That means it’s higher than what citizens agreed to in the constitutional contract.
The system of government has a residual claimant. But from the perspective of constitutional effectiveness, it’s a claim on the residual of the wrong thing. The residual government claims doesn’t co-vary with satisfying citizens and thus constitutional effectiveness. It covaries with maximizing tax revenue. This gives government an incentive to violate the constitutional contract.
The second reason the system of clubs facilitates constitutional self-enforcement is that it’s highly competitive. In that system individuals have a multitude of constitutional, and thus governance, options available to them, including not contracting into any collective decision-making organ at all. The large number of competing governance organs and freedom of entry into this market exposes each club’s owners to the pressures that competitive markets expose traditional producers to.
The threat of consumer exit, with a competing club’s assistance if necessary, constrains the club’s owners in how they wield the authorities their customers have endowed them with constitutionally. If club owners break their end of their constitutional contract, club customers exit. This threat makes constitutional compliance compatible with club owner incentives. It aligns the interests of the club’s agents and principals.
Exit isn’t free. It’s costly to leave a situation in which one has “put down roots.” Thus there remains some range over which owners may exploit customers. However, the more “poly” governance is, the smaller this range is, and thus the stronger the self-enforcing power of constitutional contracts is, and vice versa. The system of clubs maximizes governance’s “poly ness.” There are as many governance organs as individuals demand. Thus the system of clubs minimizes the exploitation that’s possible because of exit costs and maximizes the self-enforcing power of constitutional contracts.
The system of government minimizes governance’s “poly-ness.” It limits governance provision to a single organ. Thus the system of government maximizes the exploitation that’s possible because of exit costs and minimizes the self-enforcing power of its constitutional contract.
The third reason the system of clubs facilitates constitutional self-enforcement is that it’s highly assortive. Since there are no artificial limits on the constitutional contracts and associated governance organs that individuals may develop and join in that system, the governance organ that each person would ideally prefer tends to govern him. By “artificial limits” I mean there are no systemically created barriers to creating a different, competing collective decision-making organ.
There are of course economic limits. For example, it’s not possible to develop a club wherein choices are costless or unicorns adjudicate commercial disputes. Also, there are good economic reasons why, even if I prefer a slightly different governance “package” from one provided by a currently existing club with many customers, I may still choose to join that club rather than creating my own competing one. Network effects can create increasing returns to membership in an existing governance organ. These effects may exert some naturally limiting influence on the number of governance organs that evolve in the system of clubs. This influence’s extent depends on how strong network effects are for governance. I discuss this issue more below.
Assortiveness facilitates constitutional self-enforcement in the system of clubs by enabling club customers to threaten coordinated punishment of constitution-violating club owners. Because of that system’s assortiveness, clubs tend to consist of persons who share preferences and goals. Such persons are more likely than persons with divergent preferences and goals to share ideas about what kinds of agent behaviors constitute constitutional violations and what kinds don’t. This permits them to threaten constitution-violating club owners with coordinated punishment, such as collective exit.
Coordinated punishment is more severe than uncoordinated punishment. It imposes a higher cost on “bad” club owners. Knowing that constitutional violation will lead to not just one or a few persons punishing them, but rather all of the club’s customers, club owners find constitutional compliance incentive compatible for a larger range of potential opportunistic behavior.
The system of government isn’t assortive. Government artificially (i.e., through non economic forces) limits the ability of individuals who have different interests and objectives to sort themselves into collective decision-making organs that reflect those differences. In establishing a monopoly governance organ government precludes such sorting completely. Every person, regardless of interests or objectives, falls under the same governance organ’s purview.
The absence of assortiveness in the system of government undermines assortiveness’ ability to facilitate constitutional self-enforcement in that system. When citizens’ interests and objectives vary, ideas about what constitutes a constitutional violation, and how to respond such a violation, are likely to vary too. This makes it harder for citizens to coordinate punishments of constitution-violating agents. Knowing that punishments for constitution violations are unlikely to be comprehensively collective, and thus will be less severe, agents of government are willing to engage in a wider range of such violations.
One criticism of the foregoing analysis is that it treats constitutional contractors as naïve. Sophisticated constitutional contractors would surely insist on including provisions in their contract with government that might improve constitutional self-enforcement in the system of government. In the real-world system of government individuals include such provisions in the constitutional contract. Three such provisions are especially important: federalism, democracy, and limited government scope.
We can understand these provisions as attempts to make the system of government more like the system of clubs—as attempts to enhance government’s “clubness.” They may improve constitutional effectiveness in the system of government. But, for reasons described below, constitutional effectiveness in the system of clubs remains superior.
Sophisticated individuals entering a constitutional contract that creates government may insist on including a provision that creates federalism. They may write into the constitutional contract that beneath the central government there must be smaller sub-governments, each of which has considerable autonomy from the center in its governance-related decisions. To facilitate this, each sub-government shall have its own constitutional contract—limited only by the rules set down in the constitutional contract with the central government—with the individuals that reside within its domain. Those constitutional contracts may differ in the kind of protection they supply, and thus in how they define rights, the means by which they supply protection, and the mix and quantity of non-protection related public goods they provide.
A federalism provision attempts to mimic the competitive and assortive features of the system of clubs that facilitates constitutional self-enforcement in that system. Charles Tiebout (1956) articulated the mechanism whereby this could help produce constitutional effectiveness. If a sub-government violates its constitutional contract with its citizens, they may move to an area governed by a different-sub government that doesn’t. The threat of competition between sub-governments improves constitutional effectiveness in each.
Further, since under federalism individuals have more than one choice about protection and public good arrangements, they’re able to sort themselves better by the constitutional contracts they desire. This facilitates their ability to coordinate punishment of sub-governments that violate their constitutional contracts, encouraging sub-governments to comply with their constitutions.
There are (at least) two limitations to a federalism provision’s ability to improve constitutional effectiveness compared to the system of clubs. First, unless the constitutional contract with the central government permits as many sub-governments—each with its own constitutional contract—to develop as individuals desire, the degree of competitiveness and assortiveness under the system of government, and thus competition’s ability to facilitate self-enforcing constitutional contracts under this system, remains lower than it is under the system of clubs in which there’s no constraint on the number (or variety) of governance organs that may operate.
If the constitutional contract with the central government permits an unlimited number (and variety) of sub-governments, its ceases to be a monopoly collective decision-making organ. Such a system of “government” is for all intents and purposes the system of clubs. To remain a government in any meaningful sense government must limit the number of sub-governments. In doing so it limits the extent to which competition and assortiveness can facilitate constitutional effectiveness compared to the system of clubs.
The same is true regarding sub-governments’ autonomy. Allowing sub-governments complete autonomy would undo the central government’s monopoly on the legitimized use of force. Thus government must limit sub-government autonomy. But in doing so it limits the variety of governance organs that may exist compared to the system of clubs.
Sophisticated persons entering a constitutional contract that creates government may insist on including a provision that creates democracy. They may write into the contract that they reserve the right to popularly depose existing agents of government and put new ones in their place.
A democracy provision attempts to mimic the residual claimaint-on-constitutional effectiveness feature of the system of clubs that facilitates constitutional self-enforcement in that system. John Ferejohn (1986) articulated the mechanism whereby this could help produce constitutional effectiveness. If agents of government violate the constitutional contract with citizens, citizens may remove them from their position as agents of government. The threat of removal connects government agents’ interests to constitutional effectiveness, making it more likely that agents will comply with the constitutional contract.
Public choice theory elaborates a long list of limitations on such a democracy provision’s ability to improve constitutional effectiveness in the system of government. Perhaps foremost among these is the logic of special interest groups. The behaviors that maximize government agents’ chances of reelection often differ from the behaviors that are consistent with constitutional compliance.
Popularly elected agents of government improve their chance of reelection by concentrating benefits on the well-organized, well-informed signatories of the constitutional contract at the expense of poorly organized, uninformed signatories. Unless the latter individuals requested such redistributions in the constitutional contract, including a democracy provision needn’t lead agents of government to comply with that contract’s terms.
The final provision I consider that sophisticated persons may insist on including in a constitutional contract that creates government is one that limits government’s scope. They may write into the contract that government is authorized to undertake only a few basic activities, for example providing institutions of law and order, such as police and courts, and perhaps a few other basic public goods, such as roadways and education.
A limited-scope provision attempts to mimic the effect of the assortiveness feature of the system of clubs that facilitates constitutional self-enforcement in that system. Friedrich Hayek (1960) articulated the mechanism whereby this could help produce constitutional effectiveness. If government’s activities are limited to only the very few things that command the widest assent, it’s easier for individuals to determine whether government is complying with or violating the constitutional contract. Further, since individuals share interests with respect to these activities, they’re more likely to perceive the same behaviors as either complying with or violating that contract. Thus they’re better able to coordinate punishment for the latter.
Like federalism and democracy, a limited scope provision is limited in its ability to improve constitutional effectiveness in the system of government. The reason for this is one of those given above in my discussion of federalism. Since a limited scope provision is itself part of the constitutional contract, there’s nothing to enforce it. Individuals may include a limited scope clause in the constitutional contract. And government may ignore it. The limited scope provision isn’t itself self-enforcing. Thus it’s difficult to see how it could improve self-enforcement of the constitutional contract more generally.
This paper has stated the obvious: constitutions are more likely to be effective when the individuals charged with executing them have an incentive to do so. That happens when governance suppliers are residual claimants on revenues generated through constitutional compliance; when they supply their services in a competitive market; and when individuals can sort themselves according to the kind of governance services they desire. The system of clubs has these features.
Constitutions are unlikely to be effective when the individuals charged with executing them have little incentive to do so. That happens when governance suppliers aren’t residual claimants on revenues generated through constitutional compliance but are residual claimants on revenues generated through resident productivity instead; when the supply of governance is monopolized; and when individuals can’t sort themselves according to the kind of governance services they desire because only one constitutional contract is available. The system of government has these features.
Including provisions in the constitutional contract that make government more club-like may improve government’s constitutional effectiveness. But not much. Unless these provisions are themselves self-enforcing, they aren’t helpful.
The bottom line is this: constitutional rules, which determine what their executors are supposed to do, are no substitute for incentives, which determine what their executors will actually do. The system of clubs, which provides the correct incentives for constitutional self-enforcement, exhibits superior constitutional effectiveness whether the constitutional contract that forms government contains rules intended to facilitate its self-enforcement or not.
My analysis begs the following question: Rather than attempting, and inevitably failing, to mimic the system of clubs’ desirable features with the system of government, why don’t societies use the system of clubs to supply governance?
There are three kinds of answers to this question. The first kind argues that societies don’t currently do this. But if they care about constitutional effectiveness they should.
The second kind of answer argues that societies use the system of government instead of the system of clubs because, while the system of clubs may exhibit superior constitutional effectiveness, it can’t supply the kind of governance people desire. The “publicness” characteristics of “governance goods” make this so. These goods are non-excludable. Private action can’t profitably provide them. Therefore the system of government must.
Although this is the most common kind of answer to the question posed above, I find it the most puzzling. With the possible exception of certain kinds of defense services designed to protect massive territories, the benefits of which we’re technologically incapable of excluding some persons from, every supposedly non-excludable governance good is in fact excludable. Police, courts, and other kinds of law enforcement services are certainly excludable. So are non-protection related governance goods. Education, healthcare, welfare insurance, lighthouses, parks, roads, radio waves, and waterways are excludable. So is air space. It’s costly to exclude non-payers from these goods. But providing them privately isn’t just possible. It’s reality. Clubs have provided them privately for centuries (see, for instance, Coase 1974; Benson 1990; Beito, Gordon, and Tabarrok 2002).
A more charitable interpretation of the second kind of answer to the question of why societies use the system of government, and not the system of clubs, to provide governance is that while the system of clubs may succeed in providing some level of the public goods governance demands, it doesn’t supply the efficient level.
It’s true that nearly all goods produce some positive or negative spillovers. Internalizing all of these is impossible. Thus some inefficiency in the system of clubs is inevitable. But as Buchanan’s work constantly reminds us, it doesn’t follow from this recognition that government can do better. Political activity is riddled with external economies (Friedman 2008).
Political decision making generates costs that fall predominantly on persons other than the political decision maker. Think of voters, or legislators, or judges. The omnipresence of externalities in political decision making is one of its hallmarks and what distinguishes it from decision making in the market. Thus the notion that the system of government can get society closer to the efficient level of public goods, let alone get it to the efficient level is, well, absurd. Markets fail. But both theory and evidence give us good reason to think that government fails much worse.
The third kind of answer to the question posed above is the one I think Buchanan offers, albeit implicitly: the system of government, at least in the social contract theory that gives rise to it, is the system of clubs. It’s just a special case.
I’ve focused on the cost of a monopoly governance organ: constitutional ineffectiveness. However, a monopoly governance organ also provides some benefits. For example, when governance is polycentric, provision must be made for, and resources must be spent on, somehow integrating, or at least making governance operable in the context of, different constitutional rules associated with each governance organ. To address conflicts between a customer of club A and a customer of club B, clubs A and B must reach some agreement ex ante about how they will handle such conflicts.
In the world we live in this problem also exists. Nations don’t share constitutional rules or governance organs. So they have to make provisions for dealing with, for instance, international criminals. Extradition treaties are one way they do this. Because of federalism, in the United States this problem also exists, and is solved, between states and even municipalities.
The obstacle that competing governance organs pose is readily surmountable. Indeed, it’s surmounted all the time. Still, it’s not free to do so.
If the network-type benefits of having everyone in society under the same constitutional contract and governance organ are sufficiently large, we might expect individuals to be willing trade off some constitutional effectiveness to capture these benefits. In this case the system of clubs will look like the system of government. Given the choice individuals will contract with one governance organ instead of many.
Similarly, precisely because of their “publicness,” public goods aren’t profitable to produce unless multiple persons share the costs of producing them. If such goods are totally non-rival, it makes sense for every person to be a member of the same club that produces them. Here, too, we get a situation in which economic considerations whittle the potential polycentrism in the system of clubs down to the monocentrism that exists in the system of government. In practice the two systems look the same.
Unlike the second answer to my question about why society doesn’t organize via the system of clubs instead of the system of government, I find this answer intelligible. But it’s wrong for two reasons.
First, while network-type benefits in governance are certainly positive (I wouldn’t anticipate many clubs with only a handful of people if the system of clubs were permitted to flourish), I’m skeptical about how large they are given the ease with which international trading partners, for example, resolve contractual disputes worth tens of millions of dollars despite being from completely different legal systems (see, for instance, Benson 1990; Leeson 2008b). Most important, given the diversity of rules and means of conflict resolution we observe even under the limited federalism that exists in the United States, I’m doubtful whether, if given the choice, individuals really would choose to live under a more homogenous set of rules to capture network-type benefits.
Second, virtually all public goods, though non-rival to a point, become rivalrous past that point when congestion sets in. Thus there’s a positive cost to admitting another person to a club providing such a good. This cost means that the optimal club size—the size contracting individuals would choose—is finite. If society is sufficiently small, a single public goods provider may still result. But for any reasonable sized population, this suggests that multiple clubs would emerge.
Each of these theories has been important to political economy’s advance over the last 50 years. Sandler and Tschirhart (1997) survey the development and application of the economic theory of clubs. Voigt (1997) surveys the development and application of the economic theory of constitutions. For an overview of Buchanan’s unique political economy and a discussion of its importance, see Boettke (1998).
Boudreaux and Holcombe (1989), who consider how developers sell memberships in constitutionally governed residential communities, are the only exception I found.
My analysis of the system of clubs vs. the system of government bears some important similarities to Ostrom, Tiebout, and Warren’s (1961) discussion of a “polycentric political system” vs. “gargantua,” Foldvary’s (2002) discussion of “cellular democracy” vs. “mass democracy,” and Frey’s (2005) discussion of “functional, overlapping, competing jurisdictions” vs. traditional federalism. The system of clubs may be seen as a more radical or extreme form of the polycentric political systems these authors describe in the case of municipalities or jurisdictions. The system of clubs system doesn’t seek to “mimic the market” in governance. It seeks to establish a genuine market in governance. On the limits of governance “quasimarkets” and the benefits of genuine governance markets, see the discussion below and Boettke, Coyne, and Leeson (2011).
My tale bears some resemblance to Nozick’s (1974). However, in Nozick, for reasons that, as I discuss at the end of this paper, I believe are similar to ones operating implicitly in Buchanan’s tale, the system of clubs leads to the system of government via an invisible-hand process.
I sketch the system of clubs very briefly. For an excellent, detailed discussion of such a system and the incentive compatibility of the contracts that underlie it, see Friedman (1989).
Like Buchanan’s tale, mine assumes that individuals in the state of nature have sufficiently secure rights to their persons and “wills” to enter into contracts. Buchanan’s (1974) primary objection to “anarchist” systems, such as the one I describe, is that these systems presuppose an initial definition of property rights from which such a system arising out of private contracting could emerge. This is peculiar. First, as indicated above, his system of government also assumes some initial definition of rights. How else are persons in the state of nature entering a social contract to create government? Second, this assumption, which we both make, doesn’t seem terribly unreasonable. The initial distribution of rights is determined by physical strength or “cunning” in the state of nature. That state isn’t one without any rights distribution. It’s one in which rights are distributed by “might.” One objection to such a distribution is that it entails the strongest (or most cunning) person having all the rights and everyone else none. But this objection is mistaken. The costliness of violently appropriating resources currently in others’ hands means that even the strongest man finds it in his interest to pass some of those resources—and thus rights to them— back to their original holders. See, for instance, Leeson and Nowrasteh (2011).
In the system of clubs I’ve described, governance rules and organs are consciously selected but must pass a market test. This take on privately created order helps to resolve the difficulties Buchanan (1977) expresses about inefficient privately created order in Hayek (1973). It enables the “good” kind of constructivism that Buchanan wants to ensure is possible without falling prey to the problems of the “bad” kind of constructivism that both Buchanan and Hayek are keen to avoid.
I borrow this term from Ostrom, Tiebout, and Warren (1961).
The literature on private governance arrangements — some club-like, others less so — is large and growing. For instance, see Benson (1990), Ellickson (1990), Friedman (1979), and Leeson (2007a, 2007b, 2008a, 2009a, 2009b).
If “government” is just a synonym for unanimous consent, then of course the tax rates would be the same. But if every governmental decision/activity requires unanimous consent, individuals remain in precisely the situation in which they started in the state of nature. They haven’t created a third-party enforcer, and thus a government, at all.
If government initially permits sub-governments to form and later decides it would like to reel back federalism, it may find it hard to do so. Sub-governments may resist government action that tries to do this. For this reason federalism is the most effective way to enhance government’s “clubness” among the ways I consider.
See also, Barro (1973). For a slightly earlier treatment of similar themes, see Hamilton, Madison, and Jay ( 2008).
Thus the emphasis on rules in much of the important scholarship in constitutional political economy is incomplete. In addition to answering the question of what rules we’d like to have (see, for instance, Brennan and Buchanan 1985), we must answer the question of what rules are incentive compatible and thus self-enforcing. The latter is a subset of the former.
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