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Home Resources Articles Community-based Deer Management: Planning for Success
Community-based Deer Management: Planning for Success
By OWP November 14, 2017 June 6, 2018 Community Deer Advisor website, community-based deer management plans, Cornell University, Daniel J. Decker, deer management, Emily F. Pomeranz, Meghan S. Baumer
Photo by Madeline LeClaire Mitchell
by Emily F. Pomeranz, Meghan S. Baumer & Daniel J. Decker
Human Dimensions Research Unit
Ithaca, New York 14853
As expanding populations of white-tailed deer and their associated interactions with humans result in an acute array of ecological, economic, and human health and safety impacts, municipalities across much of the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states have been developing deer management programs to address these impacts locally. Not all municipalities working through a community-based deer management (CBDM) decision-making process have access to wildlife planners, consultants, or deer management experts as a resource for help in guiding their efforts.
In response to this situation, the Human Dimensions Research Unit (HDRU) at Cornell University, Cornell Cooperative Extension and The Nature Conservancy have been engaged in an outreach effort that includes the development of the Community Deer Advisor website (deeradvisor.org). The Community Deer Advisor (Fig. 1) is aimed at helping communities connect with resources, learn about other communities who have worked through similar processes, and apply best practices as they cycle through a CBDM process.
We've worked with community leaders across the country to identify local examples that illustrate the various forms these municipal processes take. During the course of compiling these examples and their associated deer management plans, we learned that content of plans differ vastly. This observation motivated us to examine the plans carefully for content and completeness.
Simultaneously, we recognized that one outcome of taking a closer look at the plans could be useful for developing a resource to aid communities that will be creating or revising comprehensive plans for deer management in the future. In particular, we believed identifying common gaps in plans could result in people avoiding them in the future. We became convinced that an educational resource providing guidance on writing plans could serve as a useful tool (though not a substitute) for communities lacking direct assistance from wildlife planners or consultants.
What We Were Looking For
Our review of the community-based deer management plans began with a few questions: What do they cover? How do they differ? What content is typically included or absent? Finally, what would be the nature of a resource that could help communities write a complete plan? To answer these questions, we began with an analysis of 25 CBDM plans from municipalities across the country. Plans were compared against a coding protocol based on the research and experience of those in HDRU as well as what deer management experts at Cornell University consider to be elements of a complete plan.
Few plans included all of what can reasonably be considered key components, such as goals, objectives, budgets, and timetables.
Only 36% of plans include detailed, measurable objectives.
Less than half (44%) of plans include indicators for monitoring the progress of their deer management programs, and only two plans link those indicators directly to their objectives.
Twenty percent of the plans reviewed include a budget, and 44% include timetables for their program.
Only 20% of plans indicate that they received assistance from a state environmental agency.
If you are interested in detailed results, the comprehensive report can be found here.
What We Think Needs Emphasis
Based on our findings, we've distilled a few elements that might benefit from special emphasis for communities developing a deer management plan.
A plan should begin with a description of the local deer management problem. What kinds of deer-related problems are occurring? Where and when are these problems occurring? Who is experiencing these problems? How severe are the problems? While many plans we reviewed include the impacts prompting their deer management problem, fewer include details about when and where they are occurring, their severity, or who is being affected.
Emphasizing the importance of not just identifying impacts, but also the details of those impacts is critical. Ensuring impacts are clearly described helps contribute to the overall credibility of a plan, as they guide the development of goals and objectives.
Many plans do not give much attention to describing goals and objectives. Frequently, goals and objectives are confused—and sometimes management actions are described as objectives. Given that many communities tend to focus on actions right away—leaving goals and objectives unspoken—it's unsurprising that actions, goals, and objectives might be conflated.
It's essential to stress that when communities are writing their management plans, distinguishing between goals and objectives is meaningful—and need to be developed prior to selecting actions. Actions should be chosen because they support a program's goals and objectives, not the reverse.
A way to describe goals is that they reflect a vision for desired future conditions—they aren't inherently measurable without a connection to objectives. Objectives reflect the specific outcomes needed to achieve goals. Objectives are measurable and have a time date for achievement. They should be relevant and attainable—and linked directly to goals.
Actions Considered & Recommended
All of the deer management plans reviewed include information about the recommended course of action for their deer management programs. While many plans describe the actions they considered, few include a description of how the actions they ultimately selected will meet the objectives of the plan.
It's essential to emphasize that this section be complete and clear, as controversy around deer management in communities is often focused on management actions. Explaining which actions were considered and why they weren't recommended provides a critical part of the rationale for any plan, and communities should be encouraged to be as specific as possible: cite studies, resident surveys, budget estimates, or expert opinion.
Whatever data, input, or logic is used to select an action or set of actions needs to be clearly outlined and completely described.
Plan for Monitoring
Despite the importance of monitoring progress towards achieving objectives, a strategy for doing so tends to be left out of plans. Less than half of plans identify indicators for monitoring, and even fewer provide any further details about those indicators.
A plan for monitoring should not only include the indicators identified for tracking progress towards objectives, but also the specific data to collect for each indicator, who is going to collect those data, and how they will do it.
It's critical to emphasize that monitoring not be a secondary consideration for communities, but should be viewed as just as important as selecting objectives and actions for any CBDM program.
Plan for Public Engagement
A description of public outreach and engagement efforts is one of the more commonly reported elements of plans. Plans report a wide range of outreach and engagement activities, from holding public meetings, conducting surveys, developing a deer management page on a municipal website, and holding workshops.
It's important to continue to emphasize to communities the significance of public outreach and engagement activities, and that ideally these should be accounted for in budgets and timetables alongside deer management actions.
Budget and Timetable
Few plans include a formal budget. Commonly, a cost estimate is provided for just a few actions throughout the body of the plan and they tend to only be one-time costs.
The budget should include estimated costs for each element of a plan for each year that the effort is funded (given the duration of the plan), identifying both one-time costs and recurring costs.
Accounting for recurring costs is vital, as deer management is not a one-time effort. It often takes a long time horizon to work towards the changes in impacts a community desires. Deer management experts at Cornell have noticed that the most successful communities often have an annual line item for deer management in their municipal budget. Doing something for a few years then stopping is usually not a great use of resources, and is a common flaw in most plans.
Timetables, which include both long-term and short-term milestones, are more frequently reported than budgets, but still less than half of the plans we reviewed include them.
Timetables should identify who is responsible for achieving included tasks, and it should be updated when delays or obstacles arise. Timetables help communities stay accountable, and communities should be encouraged to be as specific as possible with respect to the progress of their program.
While not every community develops a formal CBDM plan, choosing to do so is an effective way to organize and record all of the work a community has done and will do to manage deer. What we've described in this article provides just a brief overview of some of the components of a CBDM plan that require special emphasis, given our evaluation of existing plans. Our educational resource for community members, educators, and wildlife professionals developing CBDM plans will be available on the Community Deer Advisor website (www.deeradvisor.org) this October.
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Courtney Hughes
June 27, 2018 at 5:18 pm	1 year ago
Interesting article and approach. I am keen to see the coding protocol as I go about assessing a similar approach to grizzly bear recovery where I work.
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HAYES - Kate Berry Shepherd Burt, 85, died April 14, 1996. She was a member of Abingdon Episcopal Church, Ordinary.
Following her retirement as a social worker, she had been a resident of Gloucester for the past 23 years. She was a native of Woodville, Miss., and her home place was "Salisbury Plantation." She received her master's degree in social welfare and was a professor in the School of Social Welfare at the Universities of Mississippi and Louisiana State. She was a member of the Gloucester Women's Club, the Literacy Volunteers and the American Association of Social Workers.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Col. Reynolds Johnston Burt, a sister, Emma Shepherd Bush and a brother, Richard Butler Hooke Shepherd. She is survived by a niece, Keith Bush Gammon, and her husband, George A. Gammon Jr. of Baton Rouge, La.; two great-nephews, George A. Gammon III, and his wife, Tamara of Madison, Miss., and Marshall Bush Gammon of Baton Rouge, La.; two great-nieces, Catherine Frances Gammon and Amy Shepherd Gammon of Baton Rouge, La.; and other relatives, including Mrs. George T. Hider of Lake Providence, La., George Ann Hider Wesner of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Virginia Hider Martin of Alexandria.
A funeral service conducted by the Rev. Dennis Schmidt will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Abingdon Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at Hogg Funeral Home on Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Abingdon Rescue Squad, Box 247, Gloucester Point 23062; or the American Cancer Society, c/o Mrs. G. Edward Mowry, 7274 Joseph Lewis Road, Hayes, Va. 23072.
NORFOLK - Thornsel Byrd Jr., 68, of the 400 block of Lee Point Road, Norfolk,died Sunday, April 14, 1996. He was a native of Darlington, S.C., and the son of Thornsel Sr. and Ruth Mack Byrd.
He was owner and operator of M&T; Byrd Lawn Service Inc. He was a member of St. Paul CME Church. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a staff sergeant after 25 years of service. He also retired from the Virginia Employment Commission with 10 years of service.
He was a member of the Board of Trustees for the Hunton YMCA; member and chaplain of the Allen University Alumni Association; member of Zeta Omicron chapter, Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Hampton; member of the What's Social and Civic Club; and member and newly elected president of the Retired Leisure Men's Club. He was a former member of the Retired Armed Forces Club, Hampton.
He is survived by his wife, Myrtle R. Byrd of the home; one son, Montez K. Byrd of Charlotte, N.C.; one brother, Peter T. Thomas, and his wife, Brenda of Radcliff, Ky.; one brother-in-law, Robert F. Ridley, and his wife, Maude of San Diego, Calif.; two aunts, Dorothy B. White of Lamar, S.C., and Lenora Hall of Englewood, N.J.; and nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends. He was predeceased by a brother, Cecil Thomas.
A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 18, at 11 a.m. by the Rev. T.R. McKenney at St. Paul CME, 310 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk. Entombment will take place in Roosevelt Memorial Park. Viewing will be on Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Riddick Funeral Home. The body will be placed in church at 10 a.m. Thursday. The Omega Psi Phi memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are requested to be made to the Tidewater Chapter of Allen University, c/o Mr. Leroy Boyd, 2700 Middletown Crescent, Norfolk, Va. 23504.
Arrangements by Riddick Funeral Home, Norfolk.
SMITHFIELD - Percell Clinton, 59, husband of Rosette Johnson Clinton, died Tuesday, April 16, 1996. Arrangements by Pretlow and Chapman Funeral Home, Smithfield.
WILLIAMSBURG - Stanley Nelson Collamore, 56, died April 15, 1996, in his residence. A native of Bayard, Neb., he had been a Williamsburg resident since 1963.
He was a field technician for Coburn Optical Industries. He retired in 1980 after 24 1/2 years at the Naval Weapons Station. He was a founding contributor to the Naval Memorial in Washington, D.C.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Collamore of Williamsburg; one daughter, Terri Jo Cioch of Williamsburg; two sons, Kevin Collamore of Toano and Randy Collamore of Williamsburg; two sisters, Margaret Miller of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Marie McArthur of Bethesda, Md.; one brother, Donald Collamore of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will be conducted by Chaplain Langhorn on Friday, April 19, at 1:30 p.m. in Nelson Chapel at the Naval Weapons Station. Burial will be at sea.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Hospice Care of Williamsburg, 312 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg 23185; James City County, Bruton District, Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 321, Toano, Va.; or Oncology Gift Fund, c/o Oncology Development, 1308 Mount Vernon Ave., Williamsburg 23185.
HAMPTON - Zebedee T. Cosby, husband of Ella B. Cosby, died Monday, April 15, 1996. Arrangements by O.H. Smith and Son Funeral Home.
BALTIMORE, MD. - James Franklin "Buck" Dabney Jr., brother of Laura D. Pollard, died Monday, April 15, 1996. Arrangements by Howard Funeral Home, Ark.
SUFFOLK - Jonathan "Walking Joe" Evans, 75, U.S. Army veteran, died Sunday, April 14, 1996. Arrangements by Crocker Funeral Home, Suffolk.
HAMPTON - Michael Angelo Grandelli, 41, died Sunday, April 14, 1996. A nativeof Salzburg, Austria, he had been a Hampton resident since 1975.
Mr. Grandelli is survived by his mother, Marianne M. Grandelli of Hampton; his father, Charles M. Grandelli of Hampton; a sister, Marguerite A. Eike of Fremont, Calif.; two brothers, Charles P. Grandelli of Salinas, Calif., and Patrick R. Grandelli of Chesapeake.
A funeral service will be conducted at noon Friday, April 19, at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home by Chaplain Roland P. Bugg with interment to follow in Hampton Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at the funeral home.
Memorials may be sent to the Lions Eye Bank.
LOS ANGELES - Rowena Virginia Rollins Grant, 80, of Los Angeles, Calif., diedApril 14, 1996. She was a native of Hampton, the daughter of John Bailey RollinsII and Emily Jarvis Rollins.
Before her retirement, Mrs. Grant had been employed for 25 years by NASA, where she was recognized expressly for her contributions to the Viking Project. She was a member of Order of the Eastern Star.
She is survived by her husband, Marshall Grant; a son, Mark R. Grant of Los Angeles, Calif.; a daughter, Marena R. Grant Morrisey of Winter Park, Fla.; and a brother, Garland N. Rollins of Richmond.
Arrangements have been made in California.
POQUOSON - Benjamin Holston Holloway, 82, died on Tuesday, April 16, 1996. Hewas a native and lifelong resident of Poquoson.
He was a retired waterman. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church; Yorktown Council No. 66, JOUAM; and Poquoson Masonic Lodge No. 49, A.F. & A.M.
He is survived by his wife, Christine Rowe Holloway; four daughters, Doris H. Brown of West Palm Beach, Fla., and Miriam H. Jobe, Faye H. Trantham and Elaine H. Lupo of Poquoson; one brother, Russell Holloway of Poquoson; one sister, Sadie Tyres of Poquoson; eight grandchildren, Richard Brown, Doris Ann Heliin and JoAnne McDowell of West Palm Beach, Fla., Jerome Brown of Oregon, Benjamin Brown, Candie Morehouse and Tommy Trantham of Poquoson, and Karen Gandy of Newport News; and 17 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday at Claytor Rollins Funeral Home, Poquoson, by the Rev. Glen Jones. Burial in Parklawn Memorial Park with Masonic rites. Visitation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and at other times at 1 Berwick St.
Memorial contributions may be made to Poquoson Rescue Squad, 1035 Poquoson Ave., Poquoson, Va. 23662.
LITTLE PLYMOUTH - Walter Lockley, husband of Barbara A. Lockley, died Monday,April 15, 1996. Arrangements by White-Tidewater Funeral Home, Jamaica.
SCOTLAND NECK, N.C. - Douglas S. Mitchell, 64, formerly of Newport News, diedon Monday, April 15, 1996. He was a track star in Newport News.
He is survived by his wife, Marie H. Mitchell of Scotland Neck, N.C.; one daughter, four sisters, two brothers, two stepdaughters, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in the chapel of Scotland Neck Funeral Home by the Rev. Tony Smith. Burial will be in Sunnyside Cemetery, Scotland Neck.
HAMPTON - Patricia Ann Pagel, 70, passed away April 15, 1996. She was a Peninsula resident for 30 years.
She is survived by her six children, Margaret A. Phillips, Katherine L. Boylan, Earl David Jobst, Thomas K. Jobst, William E. Jobst and Michael P. Jobst.
HAMPTON - Annie M. Richardson died on Sunday, April 14, 1996. She was born inSuffolk on July 25, 1934, to Cornelia McCullough and the late Eddie Hicks.
She was a member of First United Baptist Church, where she served as a nurses' aide and in various other organizations.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Pernell Hicks. She is survived by her mother, Cornelia McCullough; five daughters, Diane Richardson and Priscilla A. Richardson, both of Newport News, Yvette Jackson of Hampton, Denis Harrell of Killeen, Texas, and Charlene Pitts of Suffolk; six sons, Gilbert M. Richardson Jr. of Newport News, Alexander Richardson of Philadelphia, Pa., Tracey L. Richardson of Newport News, Lawrence Jackson of Hampton and Lawrence T. Richardson and Vincent L. Richardson, both of Newport News; four stepsisters, two stepbrothers, 23 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; a special friend, Gilbert M. Richardson Sr.; and a host of relatives and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday at First United Baptist Church by the Rev. Robert Samuels. A wake service will be held from 7 to 8 p.m on Friday at Cooke Bros. Funeral Chapel. The body will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Family and friends are asked to assemble at 620 44th St. by 12:15 p.m. on Thursday. Burial will be in Hampton Memorial Gardens.
SALUDA - Mary A. Sutherlin died Tuesday, April 16, 1996, at Riverside Walter Reed Hospital, Gloucester. Arrangements by White-Tidewater Funeral Home, Jamaica.
HAMPTON - Terrance R. Williams Sr., 35, son of Mary E. Washington of Hampton,died Monday, April 15, 1996. Arrangements by Cooke Bros. Funeral Chapel.


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is an unusual exponent of ancient wisdoms and cutting-edge psychology. A child of holocaust survivors, he has set his life mission to integrate Jewish spiritual teachings with a fast changing, technologically accelerating, and complex world. He is invited to lecture annually in over 60 cities of the world on all continents. He is internationally renowned as a superb lecturer and is the celebrated author of the best-selling 'Practical Kabbala'. At home in Law and Psychology, he is a Lubavitcher Chossid, with a repertoire of training materials on mindfulness, meditation and relaxation-response techniques. His works have been highly acclaimed by diverse world leaders such as Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the Dalai Lama, and the late Rishon LeTzion – Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu z'l, from whom he also received Semicha. He and his son Rabbi Menachem Wolf have created a highly innovative and trail-blazing personal growth center, Spiritgrow, that is leading the Jewish world in fusing Jewish wisdom teachings with wellness training, management theory, relationship enrichment and spirituality. He resides with his wife Leah, a talented cuisine and wellness consultant, in Melbourne Australia. They have seven children and many grandchildren, several whom are reserve officers in the IDF.
YOSSI FACHLER is a UK born natural people's man who runs all enrichment programs and heads the informal ed dept at Hasmonean High
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Ohad began his career singing back-up vocals for Orthodox Jewish stars such as Mordechai Ben David and Dedi Graucher. His first American performance took place in 2003 at Yossi Green's Jewish hospice benefit concert at Lincoln Center. Green was so impressed with the audience's reaction to Ohad's singing that he offered to produce Ohad's first album. Ohad's debut album catapulted him to fame. He was named Singer of the Year at the Hasidic Music "People of the Year" ceremony in Israel in 2004. He was a featured singer at the HASC 18, 20, 21, 24,, 25 & 27 where he performed as one of the "Four Tenors" alongside Avraham Fried, Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot, and Dudu Fisher and Hasidic singer Yehuda Green. Ohad also performs at concerts benefiting Ohel and other Jewish charity organizations. In 2008 Ohad performed a new Yossi Green song dedicated to Chabad shluchim around the world in the wake of the November 2008 attacks in Mumbai. Ohad sings at Jewish weddings and Chol HaMoed events with choirs such as the Gershon Freishtat Orchestra, the Yedidim Choir, the KMR Boys Choir, and the Miami Boys Choir. His 2009 hit, Bo'i Kala, set to the words of the traditional song accompanying the bride to the chuppah, is a remake of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah".
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With over 60 years combined commercial experience across numerous industries, David & Chana Walles, fulfilled their dream of Aliyah in 2008 and bought out the established and reputable Eddie's Kosher Travel. Hailing from Melbourne Australia, David and Chana each have degrees in Bachelor of Business with a major in Marketing and Economics and both completed Certificates in Events Management. This tourism power-couple believes that traveling and keeping kosher should be fun and exciting, and that Jewish travelers need not compromise on the quality of their vacation or their Jewish lifestyle. David & Chana recognize that how you spend your leisure time is an especially important decision, and that is why they work tirelessly to ensure that every detail of every tourism project is nothing less than perfect.
WHY ELYSIUM?
DIRECT BEACH FRONT LOCATION An idyllic location right on the Blue Flag awarded Kallithea beach on the privileged eastern shore
AWARDED EXQUISITE GASTRONOMY Gourmet Mehadrin offers a multisensory culinary Pesach experience and cuisine
ONLY 15 MIN FROM RHODES TOWN Just a stone's throw from the Medieval Old Town and the Grand Master's Palace
WORLD-KNOWN ESPA TREATMENTS The only spa in Rhodes offering award-winning ESPA products and treatments
READ GUEST REVIEWS; https://www.elysium.gr/reviews/
This beach hotel in Rhodes occupies a prominent position in the blue-flag awarded beach of Kallithea next to a picturesque natural setting and within close city distance. Just a few meters away from the hotel, guests will be delighted to find an amazing landscape filled with pine trees leading all the way down to the famous monument of Kalithea Springs, representing the ideal jogging track to run in a natural and non-hazardous environment away from vehicles, smoke, and dust.
Staying at the Elysium Resort & Spa hotel in Rhodes also brings closer a whole world of choices since Rhodes town is just 15min away while the popular resort of Faliraki with its numerous water sports activities, shops, and busy nightlife is a few kms to the south.
Families and water slides fans are one breath away from Europe's second-largest waterpark while the island's main dual carriage road allowing fast and safe transfer to most of Rhodes' key attractions is within a short driving distance.
Transportation from and to our luxury beach resort couldn't be easier with a bus station just opposite the hotel's entrance and a car hire company available within the resort. The international airport of Rhodes is located 20min away.
RHODES, a city with 2,400-year-old history, the place that gave birth to legends and hosted significant personalities of politics, the arts and culture, with a beauty that enthralled its conquerors through the centuries, hosts the welcoming Sheraton Rhodes Resort. The hotel, cocooned in the beauty of its attractive lush gardens with the blue expanse of the pristine waters in front of its private beach, is ideally situated in a key spot in Ixia, just 4 kilometres from the famous Medieval Town of Rhodes – the best-preserved Medieval City in the world and an UNESCO World Heritage Monument. Sheraton Rhodes Resort encompasses in its grounds and services the very things that Rhodes offers natural beauty, unique architecture, a variety of entertainment options, modern infrastructure and traditional hospital
RECREATION: enjoy a huge choice of outdoor activities: basketball, volleyball, mini-golf, ping pong, soccer, bikes and Kids club. Cool off with a swim in the hotel's magnificent outdoor and indoor heated pools, private beach. The facilities include a health club with new gym, Spa treatment center, sauna, Turkish steam bath & Jacuzzi.
FINE DINING: delight your palate with the exquisite gourmet cuisine and healthy choice for which our team of International chefs enjoys much acclaim. You will experience innovative cuisine, fresh modern menus and themed evenings.
ENTERTAINMENT: offered each day and evening for all ages. Free Wi-Fi & Parking
AMAZING TOURING: Self Touring and Jewish Heritage for the entire family on Chol Hamoed ...
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Products-g189449-a_contentId.39608251829+761489039-
Rhodes_Dodecanese_South_Aegean.html
Upgraded room design, furniture and fabrics
Cordless telephone and Voicemail service
Free Internet access (Wi-Fi)
Bottle of mineral water on a daily basis all stay through
Hydromassage bathtub
Branded personal care amenities
Bathrobes & sleepers
Daily maid service with afternoon turndown
Pillow menu
Cotton 100%, satin bed sheets
Bars: The Elysium Hotel operates three bars which also serve light snacks:
Crystal Lounge Bar with its impressive architecture above the atrium, its large window panels, and its open-air terrace allows customers to relax while overlooking the Aegean and the lush gardens. Live piano melodies accompany guests while enjoying unique theme night cocktails.
La Piscine Pool Bar on the lagoon pool island serves light snacks and refreshing cocktails during the day.
Almyra Beach Bar, right on the beach, serves light snacks and refreshing beverages during the day. The magnificent scenery in combination with the lounge music, easy-going atmosphere & entertaining shows (subject to weather conditions at the beginning and end of the season) during the night, creates a feeling of well-being and becomes the ultimate spot to unwind after a day on the beach.
Sports: Cybex-equipped fitness center; floodlight quick tennis court; fitness activities including yoga, pilates and aqua gym; mini golf, boccia court, beach volley, and nearby water sports station (operated by an independent professional). An 18-hole Golf course (Afandou) is 8 km away.
Spa: State-of-the-art spa offering the world-renowned ESPA treatments & products, with a dedicated area of 800m2 featuring a reception lounge, 13 separate treatment rooms, Yoga & Pilates studio, relaxing area and an outdoor pool with hydromassage. The Spa offers a wide range of ESPA signature rituals, facial and body treatments focused on releasing stress and tension whilst promoting inner balance and harmony. All guests having treatment within the Spa will be offered complimentary use of the Spa facilities, which include the luxurious Heat Experiences and the outdoor hydro massage pool.
Pools: Two outdoor pools: Lagoon style pool (1610m2), as well as a second separated smaller outdoor pool for kids and a pool with hydromassage (140m2) exclusively devoted to Spa guests. All pools are with fresh water.
Beach: 400m long sand & shingle beach directly in front of the hotel. Sunbeds & umbrellas, both at the pools and on the beach, as well as beach towels, are available for hotel guests free of charge. Beach Suites (gazebos) available on a daily charge.
Entertainment: Live piano music at the Crystal Lounge Bar and at the Noble Gourmet Restaurant. Soft, evening entertainment shows and various theme nights are featured on a daily basis between June and September (in low season this depends on weather conditions).
Shopping: A mini market, a gift shop, and a rent-a-car office are located within the hotel premises.
Conference & Incentives: Elysium Resort & Spa features two fully equipped conference rooms (140m2 each) with state-of-the-art AV technology. Each room with a capacity of up to 180 delegates in a theater-style, can be separated into two rooms of equal size (70m2 each) and has natural daylight through large panoramic windows that offer magnificent sea views.
Energy Conservation: The hotel operates under a BMS (Building Management System) to enable efficient energy management. In addition, the hotel adopts a number of energy-saving, eco-friendly solutions such as energy-saving glass panels, use of gas, litter separation system, energy-saving bulbs and other. Besides, the property has received the "Green Key Award", the "Hotel Energy Efficiency Award" and the "Blue Flag Award", while it is also certified with "ISO 14001:2004".
FINEST MEHADRIN KOSHER GOURMET DINING:
FINEST KOSHER GOURMET DINING:
Executive Chef Arik Porat was the Former Executive Chef of the Dan Accadia Hotel for many years and established his international reputation. Today he is proprietor of Switzerlands finest and most popular kosher Schalom Catering. Our Pesach program Catering will be headed by Arik and his team where you will delight your palate with exquisite gourmet Glatt Kosher Cuisine prepared by his first-class team of top-quality Chefs and Pastry team. The entire Hotel will be Kosher: Glatt Mehadrin, No Kitniyot, Non-Gebrochts (gluten free) under the Kashrut is Glatt Mehadrin, under the strict supervision of Rabbi Berel Simpser who has worked extensively in the Kashrus Field - most notably for the O.U. the O.R.B., CRC, the Star-K, and now heads the www.ikmehadrin.com
Avi Steinitz started his career at the Dan Hotels as then as Head Chef in the most exclusive hotels in Israel: The King David Hotel, the Dan Tel Aviv Hotel, and the Dan Eilat Hotel. Simultaneously, he acquired international experience in the kitchens of the world's most prominent hotels and restaurants, including chef Marc Vera's three Michelin stars 'L'Auberge de l'Eridan' restaurant in Annecy, France, The Ritz Carlton in Boston, Plaza hotel in New York, and the Kempinski hotel chain in Germany. Avi then planned and managed the two-leading banquet / event centers in Israel: "Avenue" Airport City and "Lago" Rishon Le Zion. With a capacity of up to 5,000 guests. Since 2017, Avi is Culinary Director of the Dan Gourmet Campus in Tel Aviv.
Arik & Avi have developed unique expertise in Kosher culinary tourism and have worked with the best companies in Kosher hospitality, cruising and tourism in Israel and Internationally. As a team they have overseen menu planning, team building and training and operating Passover hotel projects, cruises and kosher vacationers. In addition, they have conducted culinary tours around the world for individuals, groups and organizations.
KASHRUT The Pesach Kashrut will be Glatt Mehadrin, No Kitniyot, No Gebrochts, Chalav Yisrael and under the strict supervision of Rabbi Berel Simpser, a musmach of Rabbi Yochanan Zweig's Yeshiva in Miami, studied at Yeshiva University and Yeshivas Ner Israel in Baltimore. He founded the Community Kollel of Des Moines in 1999, and with his wife, established Aish Minnesota in 2006. He has been a pulpit Rabbi in Young Israels in Tamarac, FL and most recently Aventura. He currently learns 2 sedorim in a Kollel in Hollywood, FL.
For almost 30 years, Rabbi Berel Simpser has worked extensively in the Kashrus Field. In the 1990's he was the O.U.'s Kashrus representative for the State of Florida, as well as the Kashrus Administrator of the O.R.B. in South Florida. He later became a field representative for the CRC (Chicago Rabbinical Council) and the Star-K.
He is one of the most experienced Rav Hamachshirim in the areas of hotel Kashrus and kosher cruising, having supervised close to 50 Pesach programs, 30 cruises, as well supervising large venues (5000+ attendees) such as the North American Federation's General Assembly 5 day convention.
He founded INTERNATIONAL KOSHER - MEHADRIN in 2008, and has been training mashgichim for 20+ years in all facets of Kashrus. In addition, he has collaborated on producing online coursework for the kosher manufacturing industry, as well as led in-person Kosher training workshops for the staff of a major resort chain.
INTERNATIONAL KOSHER - MEHADRIN has a staff of seasoned Rav Hamachshirim, most with multi-decade experience in Kashrus, who oversee programs for Pesach, Sukkot, Yeshiva week, destination events, private groups and more throughout North America, Mexico, Cuba, Panama, Greece, UAE and the Caribbean.
FOUR SEDER OPTIONS
Option 1: Private Seder: Limited private dining rooms available for min.10-50 guests at $100 per person.
Option 2: Semi Private Seder: In dining room with other families conducting own Seder separated with partition at $50 per person.
Option 3: Ashkenaz / Sephardi Communal Seder: Led in English and held in a separate area. The Seder will be conducted cohesively, with communal singing.
Option 4: Family Seder: Each family group will be assigned own table in the Main dining room and conduct their own Seder at their desired pace.
*Limited Private Dining option for the entire program
What kind of crowd should I expect?
What type of crowd should I expect?
The common denominator of our clients is Shomer Shabbat and kashrut. There are no religious level criteria to join our tours, cruises or hotel programs and we won't ask you any questions about your religious observance. We attract a diverse group of Jewish, English-speaking guests from across the globe, and encourage an accepting atmosphere among our group members.
At Kosher Travelers, we're passionate about travel. Like you, we believe in opening yourself up to new experiences and breathtaking vistas that will forever expand who you are and how you see the world.
Discover… That's why we put so much care into giving our customers not just a vacation but a life-changing experience. On a Kosher Travelers tour, you can be confident that every detail will be taken care of, from A to Z. No worries, no stress – just sheer delight and the freedom to fully enjoy every moment.
Enrich... We know what's important to you. You want not just memorable, but meaningful. A pampering, deluxe, full-sensory experience that also has depth and spirituality. That's why we bring the Jewish dimension to our tours, wherever in the world they are and provide the highest level of kashrut and all the amenities required for the kosher traveler.
Connect... Most importantly, when you travel with Kosher Tours, you travel with family. We take pride in creating a family dynamic among our group members. Lifelong friendships have been formed on our tours!
Come experience for yourself the magic of a Kosher Travelers Tour!
Discover. Enrich. Connect. And give yourself the gift of a lifetime.
International Flights & Global Travel, Health & Luggage Insurance
Comprehensive Travel Insurance covering trip cancellation, medical emergencies and luggage is mandatory at the time of reservation.
Israeli Citizens; Kosher Travelers recommends Egert & Cohen Insurance. Contact Tali +972-2-622-7999 ext. 125 or 052-769-9406 or tali@egertcohen.co.il. You may also sign up for insurance online at https://www.egertcohen.co.il/travel/signup-kosher-travel.asp.
USA & Canadian Citizens; Kosher Travelers recommends www.traveldefend.com Ph Josh: 18005782871 info@traveldefend.com
Arrangements and cost of International flights are not included.
We recommend the following Travel & Flight Consultants
Ronnie Abramson of Ambassador Tours +972-50-531-4500 or roni@ambassadortours.co.il
Ruth Berman of Ofakim +97225362163 or ruth@ofakim.co.il
KOSHER TRAVELERS CANCELLATION FEES AND REFUNDS POLICY:If guest cancels their reservation the following cancellation fees apply:
90 days prior a full refund is payable less $100 admin. per person
45-90 days prior a full refund is payable less $500 per room
Within 45 days there is no refund.
If government-imposed lockdown of hotel or airport full refund less $100 admin. per person
Your 5 Star Pesach Package Includes:
Local Attractions & Touring
Recreation options for the entire family! Including outdoor sports facilities, a game room, a fully-equipped playroom, and a full entertainment program!
Delicious, Culinary, Gourmet Dining
Delight your palate with delicious, healthy meals in the dining room and afternoon refreshments.
Kids Day Camp & Activities
Dedicated day camp counselors and fun activities will keep your children entertained and happy all Pesach long!
Family Entertainment & Programming
Scholars in Residence & Guest Speakers
5* Hotel Grounds & Facilities
Please contact us for pricing and room options.
1Trip Details
3Your Trip
Your Details (Lead Guest)
Cellphone Number*
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devotion to his mentor and colleague Prof.
great legacy of her late husband).
of his thesis in 1953.
princes, and all the mighty men of valour,"
who later on compiled the Talmud Babli.
the United States and here.
held under the authority of King James.
emotions aroused in a dialogue of this nature.
'Brother Raymond' as he is called in the play.
belief that the Messiah was still to come.
fifty years later to justify his vision!
and nuns and, in this country, the "Jews for Jesus"
much of our future will depend."
painted in brown against a white wall.
worshippers bear rosettes in seven colours.
Jews from Egypt as recounted in the Bible.
are lineal descendants of Moses.
of Judaic origin," said Harris.
languages and Hebrew, they say.
Judaism was born in Africa.
went to heaven as Christians believe.
from which our name was derived).
and Al Kut) with the name, "Magasis".
targeted a town called Magasis.
than a fool from his friends.
written in this land or relate to it.
which even the prophets do not have.
the founder of the Iranian Monarchy.
which was carried out in an orderly manner.
beginning of the Jewish community in Iran.
the site is today a major tourist attraction.
the last days of his life.
the glory of that magnificent monarch.


A few months ago our discussion topic was USA Origin Stories. It turns out much was not as we understand today, for we learned the early settlements were characterized by harsh, brutal conditions much different from what many of us were taught in school.
Several years ago I read a book entitled The Nine Nations of North America, by Joel Garreau. I didn't give it much thought till recently, when my son Chris suggested I read an excellent book entitled American Nations: A History of the Eleven Regional Cultures of North America, by Colin Woodard. The introduction alone is riveting – the divisive politics you see today can be traced back to the DNA of nine distinct "nations" that formed and today still weave prominently into our culture. There's an important distinction, the author notes, between nations and states; the latter is a sovereign political entity such as the United Kingdom, while a nation is a group of people who share (or believe they share) culture, ethnic origin, language, etc. All told, a fascinating read to help make sense of the turmoil we experience today.


St. Vincent Pallotti 50, No. 1 Boys' Latin 44: The visiting Panthers (13-14, 8-8 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference) broke a two-game losing streak by upsetting the top-ranked Lakers (27-5, 13-2). The loss ended a three-game winning streak by Boys' Latin.
Arundel 89, Chesapeake Science Point 38: The host Wildcats (2-15) used a 23-9 run to gain separation from the Tigers (0-11). Robbie Keith had 12 points and Greg Borges had 11 points for Arundel.
Hammond at Mar. Ridge, ppd.
Harford Chr. at Harford Tech, cnd.
HDG at Rising Sun, ppd.
Howard at Long Reach, ppd.
N. Harford at Bel Air, ppd.
Oakland Mills at River Hill, ppd.
Patt. Mill at Joppatowne, ppd.
Aberdeen at S. River, cnd.
Long Reach at Howard, ppd.
Marriotts Ridge at Hammond, ppd.
Patterson Mill at N. Harford, ppd.
River Hill at Oakland Mills, ppd.


The Award is the world's leading youth achievement Award which gives 14-24 year olds the opportunity to be the best they can be. There are three progressive levels of programmes, which when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award.
Gaisce – The President's Award and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award work in partnership through the Joint Award Initiative (JAI) to offer Award participants in Northern Ireland a choice of recognition for their achievements. They can choose a Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a Gaisce – The President's Award or a Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Certificate.
Full details on the Joint Award Initiative including useful resources can be found on the JAI website www.theawardni.org.
The Joint Award Initiative Welcome Pack (NI only) includes an Award Online account as well as information on completing a Bronze, Silver or Gold programme. The Welcome Pack also includes information on your choice of certification, a participants' handbook, Assessor Cards and a Reward Card.


text:
Nicolette Kenny has done a lot in the last five years. She's been blown up, thrown off buildings, trodden on by horses and involved in near-fatal car accidents - all in her day job capacity as a stuntwoman.
Along the way, she's also released some singles.
The first, 'Blue Day', was an upbeat dance version of the 80s hit by Kiwi band Mi-Sex's. It was a NZ top 20 hit in 1999, much to the delight of Mi-Sex's member Colin Bayley, whom Nicolette has been busy writing songs with in Sydney.
The following year, she released the originally-penned 'Harden Up', which was a top 20 dance hit in Australia with a video featuring aggressive bunny rabbits being thrown through walls, and lines of women performing formation bollock-kicking on men in a martial arts class.
The last few years have seen her concentrating more on songwriting, writing for and developing new artists, and writing music for Australian television.
She returned in 2003 with her new single 'If You Want Me', a departure from the dance/pop sound of her earlier singles.
When asked about the inspiration behind the song, Nicolette is forced to run to the bathroom. "Thanks for reminding me who that was about," she says upon her return. "I've long since got over that crush."
Nicolette Kenny
Blue Day
#20 on Top 40 Singles


The spirit of marital arts master Bruce Lee lives on in dragon: a dangerously life-like combat simulation game based on his bibliographical film. Apply discipline and a devastating array of age-old fighting techniques to subdue opponents more cunning than the real Bruce Lee ever faced. unite your spiritual and physical strength to confront The Phantom,. the mythical samurai which has plagued your thoughts and reams, in a duel to the death.


text:
Hospitality »
IHG strengthens luxury and upscale portfolios in India
Both hotels are expected to be operational by Q1 2022 and will increase IHG's portfolio size in India by over 400 rooms.ETRealty | June 13, 2019, 13:30 IST
BENGALURU: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed an agreement with Hotel Paraag in Bengaluru to set up two hotels.
Both hotels are expected to be operational by Q1 2022 and will increase IHG's portfolio size in India by over 400 rooms.
"This is our sixth InterContinental property, opened or signed in the region and the third in the country," said Sudeep Jain, vice president (Development) South West Asia, IHG.
IHG currently has 36 hotels operating across four brands in India, including InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
Tags : Hospitality, InterContinental Hotels Group, IHG, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Bengaluru
Most Read in Hospitality
Sarovar Hotels to add 16 properties across India by 2019-end
ITC to focus on managing hotel properties
Oyo's Chinese arm to up inventory to 500,000 rooms, list on Ctrip


This Quiz Time Contest ("Contest") is brought to you by Digital Ivory Limited ("OnePlus") and made available to you by Amazon Seller Services Private Limited ("ASSPL"/ "Amazon"). Please read these terms and conditions ("T&Cs") before entering the Contest. You agree that, by participating in this Contest, you will be bound by these T&Cs and you acknowledge and agree that you satisfy all Contest eligibility requirements as provided herein below.
1.This Contest will commence on 20th October 2018 from 12:00:01 a.m. (IST) to 21st October 2018 11:59:59 p.m. (IST) ("Contest Period").
3.Once you have signed-in to Amazon.in, you can participate by navigating to the Quiz page where 5 (five) Contest questions will be posted during the Contest Period.
5.The draw of lots will be carried out at the end of the Contest Period and a total of 10 (ten) participants will be selected as winners by a random draw of lots.
6.The declared winner(s) will be eligible for winning a OnePlus 6T device each (hereinafter referred to as "Prize(s) ").


...and I'm a bit more nervous than I want to admit. I do think I'll be able to pull it off, but since this is my first time I really want some material to prepare my self with, so that I might face the task more confidently and do as good a job as possible.
The task is to apply texture and materials to 3D models (already made in AutoCAD or a similar program by a different company) then make a photo-realistic turntable render to show off the product. The 3D models in question are different kinds of air conditioners that I import to Blender.
I am very familiar with animations, but insecure about photo-realism - I haven't tried it that much. So I'm wondering if anyone can point me to the best tutorials for realistic shading, texturing and good renders? I'll also gladly take any tips you might have for me about photo-realism or anything else about doing a task like this.
are you using blender or...?
Have you looked at ShaderForge and Shading a Sci-Fi Helmet? Those two are probably your best bet for realistic materials. Even if you use another software, the principles should translate over relatively easily, it's just finding where it is in the software to do what you want.
Congrats on the first job by the way!
silentheart00 These look like very good recommendations. I will watch them both. And I will be using Blender for this task (forgot to mention that), so I won't have to mess around with any other software. :) Thanks for the reply!
tbrbn That was some sick textures he made! I probably wont need such rough textures on these 3d models, but I get the logic of his explanations so it's definitely helpful.
ooywin No problem! Congrats, by the way! Good luck!


text:
Het Al-Rashidstadion is een multifunctioneel stadion in Dubai, Verenigde Arabische Emiraten. Het stadion wordt vooral gebruikt voor rugby- en voetbalwedstrijden. In het stadion is plaats voor 12.000 toeschouwers.

Dit stadion werd gebruikt voor het Wereldkampioenschap voetbal onder 20 - 2003 en Wereldkampioenschap voetbal onder 17 - 2013.

Sportaccommodatie in Dubai

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Human Genetic Engineering and the Catholic Churchhttps://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.254/f0b.20a.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/church.jpg?time=1610930329512423Jamie MetzlJamie Metzlhttps://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.254/f0b.20a.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/logo-trans-rev-685px.png July 24, 2020 July 24, 2020
I was deeply honored to be invited last year to speak on the future of human genetic engineering at a small and high-level Vatican conference. While I do not agree with every position of the Catholic Church, I have great respect for its work helping the world's most vulnerable populations.
Given how controversial some of the ideas explored in my book, Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity, may seem relative to traditional church teachings, I was even more honored, and very pleasantly surprised, when I was asked to submit a piece for Culture e Fede (Cultures and Faith), the journal of the Pontifical Council for Culture. Although publication was delayed due to the pandemic, the piece, linked here and reproduced below, is just out.
DIGNITATIS PERSONAE COMPLEXIO
It was not accidental that the great Harvard geneticist George Church gave his 2012 book on "how synthetic biology will reinvent nature and ourselves" the bold title Regenesis. Although we may differ in our understanding of how life on earth sprung into being, it will be increasingly clear to everyone that recent advances in the life sciences are giving our species a growing ability to remake all of life, including our own. Even those believing the original genesis a divine act must now grapple with the awesome human power of regenesis.
But although we may suddenly possess powers we have long attributed to our various gods, deploying them unguided by a positive values framework would be a recipe for disaster. To make sure our most sacred values guide the application of our most powerful technologies, we all must come together as never before to set standards for how best to proceed. The Catholic Church has an essential role to play in this process.
The genetics revolution was not spun out of whole cloth when Watson, Crick, Franklin, and Wilkins identified the double helix structure of DNA in 1953. Hundreds of years of prior research across multiple fields, much of it sponsored by the Church, had made this breakthrough possible. Many of the great researchers who laid the groundwork for the field of genetics were themselves priests, the Augustinian monk Gregor Mendel foremost among them.
Along the way, new discoveries compounded as the rate of innovation escalated. Once we understood that the book of life was written in the Gs, As, Ts, and Cs of DNA, advances in genome sequencing made reading the code of life possible. The development of genome editing tools like CRISPR showed that the code of life could be edited. Now rapid advances in synthetic biology are making it possible to create new life from biological building blocks. This ongoing genetic revolution is showing us that the source code of life is an increasingly readable, writable, and hackable form of information technology.
Whether someone believes human beings are single cell organisms gone wild over billion years of evolution or the result of a divine plan, the idea of hacking our biology should be cause for concern. However far our science has come, our understanding of the immense complexity of our own biology remains relatively minimal. In spite of these legitimate and highly warranted concerns, however, it would also be wrong to deny ourselves the tremendous benefits of life- affirming technologies in the name of questionable ideas about what is and is not natural.
Early humans lived as our simian relatives do today, in constant fear of predation, disease, and starvation. Harnessing fire, building tools, and developing agriculture, medicine, and cities were hallmarks of our struggle to tame the ravages of unadulterated nature. Lots of terrible things, from disease to drought, are perfectly natural but we fight to mitigate their effects because we feel saving the lives of our fellow humans is a good thing to do. Genetic technologies will help us do that more effectively as we transition from the current world of generalized medicine based on population averages to the coming world of precision medicine where treatments will be tailored to each person's individual biology.
To make this transition possible, most of us will soon have our whole genomes sequenced as part of our standard healthcare. Our ensuing greater understanding of how each of us functions on a molecular level will make amazing new treatments possible to treat Cancer and various genetic disorders. Researchers will utilize massive and forever growing data pools of genetic and life information to increasingly crack the code of our complex biology. Our increasing ability to read and comprehend the code of our lives will then quickly move us from our world of precision medicine toward our coming reality of predictive medicine, healthcare, health, and life.
Parents will be told before taking their newborns home from the hospital that their children have, for example, a greater than average chance of later developing early onset familial Alzheimer's or, perhaps, a hereditary form of breast cancer. Although most new parents would today recoil from that type of probabilistic information, future parents will feel differently because it will empower them to help their children live healthier lives. This new appreciation for probabilistic genetic information will extend far beyond healthcare.
There's a reason we don't call it the disease genome or the healthcare genome but the human genome. Our genetic code serves as a blueprint for much of what we have the potential to be. Massive genetic and life databases won't just tell us about our disease risks but also give us imperfectly predictive information about the genetic components of our most intimate human traits. Parents at the hospital might also be told, for example, their newborn has a greater than average chance of exceling at abstract math, physics, or sprinting, or that their child is more likely than other children to be highly empathic or, alternately, a psychopath.
Because environmental and other factors still play a very important role, this won't mean kids with these increased potentials will be destined for pre-determined outcomes. But the importance of nurture hardly renders nature irrelevant. As we learn to look under the hood of what it means to be a human, parenting, personhood, and potential will come to be seen as being more influenced by genetics than currently the case.
The most profound application of genetic technologies will be in transforming the way we make babies and the nature of the babies we make. Our biology, by definition, is buggy, generating an incessant flow of variation. Just as some babies are born with seemingly advantageous mutations, around 2 percent of all babies are born with harmful genetic abnormalities. Some of these lead to painful, early deaths. For decades, increasing numbers of prospective parents have been using in vitro fertilization (IVF), a process in which eggs are surgically extracted from the mother then fertilized with the father's sperm before being re-implanted into the womb. Some higher risk parents have then used pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) to screen the fertilized eggs for genetic and chromosomal disorders to help determine which to implant.
Because nature's "error rate" is constant but technology's tends to decrease, there seems little doubt that IVF plus embryo screening will over time come to be seen by many as a safer way to conceive than inside the female body through sex. Although people will initially choose to avail themselves to these technologies out of concern for the health of their future children, the implications of this transformation will extend far beyond health. In jurisdictions where it is legal, prospective parents will be able to know much more about the range of genetic potentials for each embryo before making the decision about which to implant. Many will likely choose to optimize the health and longevity of their potential offspring when making these choices, but the optionality will go further. Height and the genetic components of traits like IQ and personality style will be among the many potential considerations.
Although the mathematics of choice will be limited because human females tend to produce a relatively small number of eggs (the average women has only around 15 eggs extracted during IVF while the average male ejaculation contains hundreds of millions of sperm cells), the availability of human eggs will likely increase dramatically due to advances in stem cell technologies. Skin cells, for example, could be extracted from the potential mother then induced into stem cells which could then be induced into egg precursor cells and then eggs. Rather than having just a few eggs, a prospective mother could through this process produce many thousands. These thousands of fertilized eggs could be incubated for around five days before a few cells could be extracted from each and then sequenced. Having thousands of viable, natural embryos from which to choose would fundamentally transform the process of baby-making from what some call randomness and other divine grace toward a more conscious human decision.
Once parents select which among their pre-implanted embryos they would like to implant, genome editing tools far more precise than today's CRISPR will increasingly be used to edit a small number of genes either to eliminate a serious risk, like a potentially deadly genetic mutation spread across all available embryos, or to provide a potential benefit such as conferring immunity to a range of deadly viruses. We humans who once sat in the back seat of our evolutionary car will increasingly take our hand at the wheel.
For those of us who believe that fighting disease, optimizing human health and longevity, and preventing the premature death of children and dementia among the elderly are desirable goals, these technologies will be an godsend enormous benefit. But we will all need to recognize that these powerful and highly beneficial technologies come accompanied by serious risks.
As in many areas, our tools making change possible are far more advanced than our understanding of the systems we seek to change. If some people have access to powerful genetic technologies and others do not, we run the risk of dangerously bifurcating our species into genetic haves and have nots. If we don't recognize that genetic diversity is the foundation of our collective resilience, we could threaten our survival by blindly chasing social norms in our reproductive decisions. There is no good or bad in evolution, only sets of traits that are better or worse suited to a given environment. When conditions change, what were once the most advantageous attributes can become the new liabilities.
With the science advancing so rapidly and so much at stake, it might be convenient if our species could just hit a pause button giving us more time to reflect. Unfortunately, we don't have that option. With more humans existing, educated, and networked than ever before and multiple scientific revolutions folding into and empowering each other, our science is advancing exponentially. Today's science fiction is rapidly becoming tomorrow's science. Our diversity within and between societies paired to incessant competition is driving us forward relentlessly. We can no more stop revolutionary science than we can prevent the earth from revolving around our sun.
But to prevent the promise of the genetic revolution from transforming into a dystopian nightmare we can – and must – work to ensure our best ethical frameworks are applied to every stage of our decision-making. As a champion of one of the world's great moral traditions, the Catholic Church has a special responsibility in this process.
For centuries, the Church has been perceived as both a champion and a foe of science. The same Church that supported Gregor Mendel fought to silence Galileo. Over the course of the past century, however, the Church has made a concerted effort to reconcile science and faith. In 1936, Pope Pius XI established the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, confirming the Church's commitment to promoting scientific progress. More recently, the Church began accepting evolution as being "more than a hypothesis."
As the Church has increasingly recognized the value of science, it has strongly supported the integration of ethical frameworks into decision-making about how science and technology should be applied. This support has helped democratize beneficial technologies like advanced agriculture and internet access and helped limit the proliferation of harmful technologies like nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The 2008 Vatican guidance on bioethics, Dignitas Personae, wisely labelled science "an invaluable service to the integral good of the life and dignity of every human being."
But the Church's laudable efforts to promote the ethical application of science have, in the view of many observers, been undermined by its adherence to rigid rules that arguably have inflicted tremendous harm on many of the people it aspired to help. Positions against condom use, stem cell research, IVF, and pre-implantation genetic testing find support from some Catholic principles but seem to violate others by perpetuating avoidable and unnecessary suffering and limiting some prospective parents' ability to bring life into the world.
Hard and fast of rules may be easy to communicate across a vast global organization spanning continents and cultures, but adhering to them with inflexible rigidity makes the necessary balancing of costs and benefits impossible. For most of the complex issues surrounding the application of genetic technologies, taking an extreme position at one end of the spectrum or another tends to inflict unnecessary harm.
In light of its principles, it is understandable the Church would want, for example, to oppose indiscriminate sexual promiscuity and promote healthy marriage. But if a blanket prohibition on condom use is the means to this end, what happens when a married man in a poor village contracts HIV from a blood transfusion? Does the Church expect him to never make love with his wife again or to potentially infect her? Is the Church living up to its principles by making it impossible for him and his wife to use IVF and embryo screening as one way of having a baby while avoiding unprotected sex? Although the Church's conception of sex as sacred can be life-affirming, its many in health care community are deeply concerned that its fervent opposition to condom use has contributed to increasing the number of deaths from AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Similarly, by opposing major categories of critical stem cell research, the Church may be championing, in the words of the Dignitas Personae, "the unconditional respect that is morally due to the human being," but potentially condemning some people to death from genetic disorders that might otherwise have been cured or avoided? By asserting a blanket opposition to IVF and pre-implantation genetic testing, the Church, may be supporting the position that "the procreation of a human person be brought about as the fruit of the conjugal act specific to the love between spouses," but also making it impossible for a certain set of loving spouses to have children of their own or obliging them to risk having children with avoidable and sometimes deadly genetic diseases. Even our best values can inflict unnecessary harm when applied absolutely regardless of the context.
Because life is complicated, our morality often lies more in the struggle to apply our most sacred values in challenging situations than in our strict adherence to absolute rules. The Catholic Church, which establishes many rules for its followers, has demonstrated an impressive willingness to change course over time. The same Church whose doctrines once seemingly justified murderous crusades, inquisitions, holy wars, and colonizations has now evolved doctrines that boldly champion peace and human rights.
Other concepts, like just war, also demonstrate potential room for flexibility. Unlike the Quakers and Jains who oppose all violence, the Catholic Church still maintains elements of a proportionate just war doctrine that does not, for good reason, completely reject the use of force. Hitler represented an unmitigated evil that needed to be defeated by all necessary means. But if force can be used in a just war context to fight for a greater good, would it not stand to reason that stem cell research and condom use that can prevent terrible suffering and save people's lives should also be subject to the same cosmic cost-benefit analysis?
This kind of focus on how best to realize core values in a complex world of trade-offs will be even more essential when facing the tough decisions that lie ahead as the genetics revolution unfolds. Dignitas Personae wisely supported the possibility of using gene therapies to correct genetic diseases in humans while expressing significant caution about the heritable genetic manipulation of future children as "an unjust domination of man over man."
If a hypothetical person were dying from a dominant genetic disorder, Church teaching would likely accommodate gene therapy designed to alter the person's genetics to cure the disease. If the same deadly genetic disease were to be diagnosed not in a living person but in a fetus inside a mother's womb, Church doctrine could also potentially accommodate fetal gene therapy to fix the harmful mutation before the child was born. In each of these scenarios, the gene edit would conceivably fix the problem without passing the alterations to future generations.
Editing this same gene earlier in the process, however, could remove the threat of this deadly disease forever. This could be done by genome editing the sperm or egg that combined to form the embryo (if the mutation is not de novo and comes from one of the parents) or by editing the early-stage pre-implanted embryo. In technical terms, this is called crossing the germline because genetic alterations of these sex cells would pass to future generations.
Crossing the human germline with gene edits is a very big deal. He Jiankui, the Chinese biophysicist who secretly edited the genomes of embryos that became two Chinese girls born in October 2018 was rightly condemned and sentenced to a three-year prison term. The World Health Organization international advisory committee on human genome editing (on which I serve) has stated unequivocally that that no genome editing of human embryos designed to be implanted and taken to term should be permitted at this time because the science is not yet sufficiently mature. Given the very rapid progress being made in genetic technologies, however, there will soon come a time when this type of intervention can be done accurately and safely. When that happens, the moral calculus for many people will likely shift and the Church will face an even greater challenge defending absolute rules.
Efforts to distinguish genetic interventions for therapeutic reasons from interventions designed to provide enhancements will be a case in point. Although it is tempting to follow a "therapy good, enhancement bad" standard, this approach will likely not stand up well under scrutiny. What, for example, happens if a future deadly virus is wiping out humanity and the only way we believe we can save our species is by engineering in our next generations a resistance to all viral infections? What happens if earth's environment becomes too hostile to support our current biology due to climate change or some other transformation? How would we draw a clear line between therapy and enhancement when we can't define the parameters of what is and is not normal and the world around us is constantly changing?
UNESCO asserted in a 1997 declaration that "the human genome must be preserved as common heritage of humanity." This position is extremely difficult to defend. Because our genomes are constantly changing across generations, the only way to truly preserve our genomes "as common heritage of humanity" would be to ban sexual reproduction and solely clone ourselves to reproduce. Once we accept that our genomes are constantly changing and creating new mutations as we procreate, believe it right to fight deadly genetic diseases and save people's lives using genetic technologies, and witness the increased efficacy of both somatic and germline interventions, it will be extremely difficult to draw such a clear moral line between heritable and non-heritable genome editing.
Accepting that it could be justifiable in some cases to edit a pre-implanted embryo to prevent a deadly disease, however, does not mean we must blindly support all germline human genome editing for any reason. Among the excellent reports issued by national science academies following the announcement of the Chinese CRISPR baby fiasco, the German Bioethics Council stood out for its significance. As historical heirs to the monstrous misapplication of genetic "science" by the Nazis, the post-War Germans have been extremely thoughtful and careful in regulating and restricting any technologies raising the faintest hint of eugenics.
It was therefore highly notable when the May 2019 report of the German council outlined an ethical framework for evaluating whether heritable changes to a human genome could be justified. In direct contradiction of the Council of Europe's Oviedo principles, the German council asserted that their ethical analysis "does not lead to any categorical inviolability of the human germline." They then described specific applications of heritable human genetic engineering, such as when both prospective parents have cystic fibrosis, where "no categorical reasons for prohibiting such interventions can be derived from the application of ethical concepts." That these highly responsible German ethicists are open to considering the possibility of a limited range of justifiable heritable edits to humans does not mean that everyone else must be. It does, however and at very least, suggest that the path of virtue does not necessarily lay at either extreme of unbounded permissibility or ultimate restriction.
That none of these issues are easy is the essential point. The deep complexity of these life and death matters demands that we all be guided by our best values. As clear as they may be, absolute, unrestricted, and unlimited bans on the application of human genetic technologies, would very likely inflict the same type of harm on the most vulnerable among us as has the absolute ban on condom use. Just as supporting a transhumanist genetic free-for-all would cause unnecessary suffering, so too does a blanket ban on technologies that have such a great potential to save lives. To realize our collective best potential, we must both define and seek to realize our core values within the complexity of our real world where there are always costs, benefits, and tradeoffs. Truly championing our best values requires that we wrestle with this complexity.
To its credit, the Catholic Church appears to have subtly recognized this possibility. The Dignitas Personae asserts (underlines added):
"Because the risks connected to any genetic manipulation are considerable and as yet not fully controllable, in the present state of research, it is not morally permissible to act in a way that may cause possible harm to the resulting progeny. In the hypothesis of gene therapy on the embryo, it needs to be added that this only takes place in the context of in vitro fertilization and thus runs up against all the ethical objections to such procedures. For these reasons, therefore, it must be stated that, in its current state, germ line cell therapy in all its forms is morally illicit."
The words "as yet," "in the present state of research," and "in its current state" together demonstrate a remarkable signaling by the Church that there could come a time when the potential benefits of limited heritable genetic manipulation might outweigh the considerable costs. This recognition that the life-saving benefits of the genetics revolution will be realized not in the abstract world of moral absolutes but rather the complex world of trade-offs has the potential to place the Catholic Church where it must be – at the center of an interactive global dialogue on how our powerful new tools can best be applied in service of our humanity.
We don't have a moment to lose. As Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson has asserted, "We have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and god-like technology." While our technologies are advancing exponentially, our common understanding of what's happening and at stake is only moving forward linearly, and our badly needed regulatory infrastructures is only inching forward glacially. To progress safely and together, we must urgently address this dangerous misalignment
It is easy to imagine how our species might abuse the god-like powers we are inevitably assuming. We could crash ecosystems with our gene drives, reduce our diversity and resilience through narrow embryo selection, pigeon-hole people to fulfill pre-determined societal roles, engage in genetic arms races, commoditize our future children, and destroy our common humanity in countless other ways. We can also imagine beautiful scenarios where we cure deadly genetic diseases, give years of healthy life to our parents and grandparents and help the most vulnerable among us live more empowered and healthy lives. The difference between these two scenarios is us.
Because our most powerful technologies will impact all of us in such deep and fundamental ways, we must each be educated about what is happening and empowered to help determine the best collective way forward. We need a comprehensive, transparent, inclusive, open, and informed species-wide dialogue on the future of human genetic engineering.
As a global community of over a billion people, the Catholic Church could be a critical catalyst of this process. The tremendous educational capacities of the Church which are used educate and empower Catholics, can also engage others of all faiths and traditions in open and inclusive dialogues helping develop norms that can guide national and global regulations. The Church, however, will not be in a position to play this constructive role if it positions itself solely as an enforcer of rigid and absolute rules in the name of an ultimately indefensible clarity.
To help lead a global conversation about the best way forward, the Church must be open to it. It must enter the ethical conversation about real-world trade-offs in the name of highest principles. It must champion the complexity of the human dignity, the complexio dignitatis personae.
Our human species is today at a crossroads, a moment of regenesis. The opportunities and challenges before us are like none other we have ever faced. The consequences of our decisions are existential. The Catholic Church has a critical role to play fostering respect for human life, a focus on what is sacred, and a global process promoting human dignity in our complex world. Is it willing to do so?
Jamie Metzl is a member of the World Health Organizatiom expert advisory committee on human genome editing and author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity. The views expressed are his own. www.jamiemetzl.com @jamiemetzl
metzl
World Health Orgnization


The post below is by Ron Suskind, a Pulitzer-winning journalist, author and one of the subjects of Oscar-nominated documentary "Life Animated." In collaboration with Ron's organization, The Affinity Project/Sidekicks, Autism Speaks is conducting the first comprehensive national survey on special interests in individuals with autism.
This Sunday, our autistic son will walk down the red carpet to the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles for the Academy Awards. Dressed in a tuxedo, he'll mingle with Hollywood stars and celebrities, reaching social strata to which many of us aspire. And it'll all be because of, not in spite of, his neurological differences.
His story was told in my 2014 book, Life, Animated, and now in a movie of the same name nominated this year for Best Feature Documentary. Just shy of 3, Owen was diagnosed with regressive autism and lost all speech. Once we realized, at age 6, that he had silently memorized dozens of Disney animated movies, we began to communicate with him in Disney dialogue. Throw him a line, he'd throw you back the next one. As a family, we began playing animated characters in scene after scene, and attaching them to actual life. Over several years he got his speech back. He mostly learned to read by reading credits. His joyfulness grew and he emerged as an autistic teenager with gifts that helped him manage his challenges, and an ability to meaningfully process the onrushing world in his own, unique way.
The book and now the movie have helped integrate and accelerate what was already underway: a rethinking of the role of these so-called "restricted interests" -- long viewed as non-productive obsessions -- in the lives of people with ASD. The consensus now is they are more pathways than prisons, especially when parents or therapists can enter the world of a child's passion, sharing it with them, or people with ASD can connect over a common interest. We called them affinities in our household and book. The term, connoting inclination, expertise and choice, has caught on in research and in the public mind.
There's been surprisingly scant research conducted on autism's powerful affinities over the decades. That's what we, at The Affinity Project/Sidekicks and Autism Speaks, are starting to correct today . . . with your help. This is the first time a comprehensive survey has been attempted to map affinities within the ASD community. The survey, meant for anyone in the autism community and available here, polls all aspects of affinities, from the popularity of specific interests to the experiences of parents and teachers using them to engage kids with autism. Our hope is that the results will increase understanding and awareness of those with autism, and help us develop new solutions that harness strong interests and the intrinsic motivation they tap. Fill out the form and submit it. In doing so, you'll be driving much-needed research for everyone with ASD. We'll publish a white paper in few weeks with the results. Then, we and Autism Speaks will construct online community forums where folks with powerful shared interests can gather and show their affinity might -- in the ingenious ways our special community uses these passions as map, mirror and code-breaker, to understand their feelings, their place in the world, and forge connection with others.
On the movie screen, forty feet tall, Owen seems like one in a million. We believe he is one among millions, whose powerful interests are as varied as stars in the sky, and whose potential remains largely untapped. Let's tap it together.
Watch the trailer for "Life Animated" below.


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I have seen squirrels running inside the soffits of my house and saw a hole beside one of the soffits where the squirrel(s) may have entered my home. I hear activity off & on during the day inside my attic. There are a few squirrels running and playing around outside of my home so I'm pretty sure that those are the invaders.
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If you have a problem situation with a lost or stray cat, dog, or other domestic animal or pet including farm and ranch animals, contact The Ingham County Animal Control Services for assistance. They work with domestic animals and can provide information about licensing, vaccinations, lost pets, etc. The county does not offer free wildlife animal control services, nor does Okemos.
Skunks keep digging under our front porch slab and last year had babies under there and we are afraid that is what this skunk is doing. Austin I.
For the last two nights, we have noticed a family of six skunks walking about our backyard. They have found a crawl space entry way our house, and are living under the house. Beth T.
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