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Open Journal of Social Sciences > Vol.4 No.9, September 2016
She Is a Widow: The Story of Six Druze Widows in Israel ()
Janan Faraj Falah
Arab College for Education, Haifa, Israel.
DOI: 10.4236/jss.2016.49018 PDF HTML XML 1,378 Downloads 2,268 Views Citations
This study of six Druze widows in Israel deals with Druze law, women's personal status, the widows' difficulties, and the conflicts between Druze traditional society and modernity. The Druze society is a traditional, collective, patriarchal and religious society, in which independence and the attachment to the land have always been considered central values (Amrani, 2010; Falah, 2000) [1] [2]. The women's status is considered inferior to that of the men's and their main role is conceived as raising children and taking care of the house. Following are the stories of Druze women who became civilian widows during the 1950's through the 1970's. The study examines the way widows coped with their situation in a time in which the Druze society underwent great changes, moving from a traditional society to a more modern one.
Widows, Women Status, Druze, Society
Falah, J. (2016) She Is a Widow: The Story of Six Druze Widows in Israel. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 4, 210-226. doi: 10.4236/jss.2016.49018.
This research on Druze widows is significant because it is the first study dealing with this subject through personal, in-depth interviews; it explores the status of Druze women in modern society and the influence of traditional Druze laws.
The Druze religion encourages voluntary marriage in which both spouses have to fully agree to be married. In cases in which the woman wants to marry the man and her parents disagree, she can turn to the Kadi and ask him to marry them off. In addition, the Druze religion forbids monasticism among men and women.
The Druze society is a traditional conservative society which is based on rigid Eastern mentality which focuses on protecting the woman's dignity. When a woman becomes a widow, her own family and her deceased husband's family face dilemmas such as: who shall provide for the woman and her children? Who shall care and accompany her on a daily basis? Whether her parents or her deceased husband's parents? Is she allowed to get out of the house on her own? What would people say now that she has become the object of men's lust?
Due to these reasons, among other things, the Druze family tend to put pressure on the widow to be remarried, sometimes against her will, and sometimes to a stranger who is older than herself. In such cases, the woman is obliged to give up her children due to the fact that the Druze does not adopt children.
After the establishment of the state of Israel and the enactment of the 1957 obligatory draft law which included the Druze men, a new kind of widows has been created-the I.D.F. widows. These widows received allowance for living, which brought to a new situation of an economic independence from their families and to the refusal of many women to remarry.
Additional difficulties were created as a consequence of the modernization, which threatened the religious scholars who hurried to demonstrate their authority and power and casted bans such as: forbidding a woman to drive; forbidding religious men to take a ride in a vehicle driven by a woman; and forbidding a woman to earn a living from certain professions such as modelling, probation officer, advertisement and more.
In the present article, I shall deal with the status of the Druze widow in the past and in the modern era, while focusing on the civilian widows (whose husbands died in civilian circumstances rather than during their military service).
2. Theoretical Background
2.1. Widowhood
Loss, unfortunately, is the lot of all individuals, regardless of state, gender, age or ethnic group. The death of a spouse is an overwhelming event in an individual's life which accompanies him many years afterwards. Carnelley, Wortman, Bolger and Burke (2006) [3] found that the mourning and bereavement pursuant the death of a spouse extends over a long period of time. Even after many years, memories and talks about the deceased spouse, which cause sadness, are common. Sometimes the individual experience distress in certain dates such as the deceased remembrance-day.
Psychodynamic scholars see the loss as a process in which the individual gives up his attachment to the deceased spouse. Yet, the relation between the libido instinct remains after the spouse's death and the process of detachment (the libido energy and the emotions neutralization, without forgetting the deceased) is accelerated as time passes by. This process is known as "the loss" (Stroebe & Schut, 2005) [3] .
A current interesting approach is the use of short term therapy for dealing with loss. The pioneer of this approach was James Mann (1973) [4] who emphasized the interpersonal facet, in contrast to the classic psychoanalytical approach which defines the difficulties in Oedipal terms.
2.2. Widows in the Arab/Druze Traditional Society
The traditional Arab culture sees marriage as a component in the psychological and social development of the individual (Abu-Baker, 2010) [5] . That is, an individual gets married in order to reach the maturity and responsibility stage. Such cultural perceptions intensify the view according to which events such as divorce, separation or becoming a widow, create a crisis, which, besides causing mental stress, present women as needy in many realms (Savaya & Cohen, 2005, 2006; Abu Baker, 2010) [5] .
According to Abu Baker (2010) [5] , several variables are related to the widows' odds to remarry in a traditional society. A widow's chances to remarry are higher as long as she is young, her family is well off; and she has no children. Her ability to run her life independently is dependent upon her education level and her economic independence. Second marriage shall mostly take place with a spouse who is considered "inferior" in terms of age or status, and in case she refuses to remarry, she shall live under her relatives' supervision.
Abu-Baker (2002) [6] claims that the social status both of divorcees and of widows is the lowest in the Arab family hierarchy. Such women are expected to avoid sexual relationships and social "scandals", and for that end they are supervised by society. Yet, unlike the divorcees, who are blamed for their situation, the widows get some sympathy from society. According to Abu-Baker (2010) [5] a widow is supervised both by her own family and by her deceased husband's family. Such supervision causes her difficulties, and adds to her sense of loss (Abu-Baker, 2010) [5] . These claims are congruent with previous studies (for example, Al-Krenawi, 1996) [7] according to which the Druze society expects the widow to be weak, in contrast to the widower, and to experience a long term disfunction and psychosomatic distress, which symbolize the intensity of her loss and the couple relationship which has been lost. Women that do not act in accordance with this expectation, encounter explicit or implicit criticism and condemnation. Israeli-Palestinian widows experience a significant decrease in their personal wellness, lose their independence and sometimes their joy of life.
Other studies which focused on analyzing the rights and the economic, social and legal status of mothers in single-parent families in the Israeli society, showed that due to the weakening of the ideology which supported the welfare state and the intensification of the non-liberal view which undermined the foundations of the welfare state, the policy related to mothers in single-parent families was shaped and the former allowances policy, was minimized (Herbst, 2010; Toledano a & Eliav, 2010; Shenkar-Sherk, 2010) [8] . In countries which do not bestow a generous social support and an active policy of helping working women, a large part of the mothers in single-parent families deteriorate to poverty (Svirsky, Konor-Atias & Abu-Chala, 2008) [9] . Accordingly, the consequences of cutting the food allowances and the assurance of income in the framework of the 2003 state budget, can be seen. In the framework of that cutting, the increased rate of the assurance of income was abolished for most of the entitled individuals, including the single-parent families.
Israeli-Palestinian mothers from single-parent families encounter additional barriers which are derived from their civilian status, including: limited job opportunities, limited public transportation services, a lack of proper education frameworks, lower level of public services (Yonai & Kraus, 2009) [10] , few social contacts and discrimination. The later, according to Herzog (2004) [11] constitute a main factor which makes it hard for Israeli-Palestinian women to find their place in the labor market. The national- based discrimination on the one hand and the gender-based exclusion on the other hand, make it hard for Israeli-Palestinian mothers from single-parent families to find a job and thwart the chances of such families, in which the salary is limited to one provider, to strive to economic independence.
2.3. The Social Characteristics of the Druze Society in Israel
About one hundred and thirty thousand Druze live in Israel currently. The State of Israel acknowledges the separate status of the Druze as an independent society that its sons are obliged to serve in the army. The Druze are located in sixteen villages in the Carmel and the Galilee. The Druze settlements which are situated in secluded areas create a conservative united community which is characterized by a traditional life style and a patriarchal structure (Amarani, 2010) [2] . This society has always retained the religion and tradition values, among which the independence and relation to the land were central to the community (Falah, 2000) [1] . The familial relations in the Druze society are characterized by hierarchical structure in which the father has ultimate control of his extended family: his wife, single daughters, his sons, his daughters in law and their offspring. The men are located in the upper stages of the social ladder. The family members are required to obey and respect the elders in the family, and the familial ends are seen as prior to personal ones (Hassan, 1999) [12] .
Women's status in the family is inferior to that of men's. Women are required to obey the men, to look modest, to avoid contact with strangers and to take care of the housework and the children. The status of the woman in the Druze society is not static, as she climbs the social ladder with her advancement in the familial life cycle. Her sons also contribute to her status because when they marry, they bring their wives into their own family unit. The sons' mother then has central pivotal role in the familial life, especially because Druze families often live in the same family compound. The woman then influences the way the young couple then raise their children. In accordance with her new higher status, the mother becomes a central figure in regard to family matters, her sons' marriage, and especially in controlling her daughters in law, their sons' wives, who are expected to obey her (Viner-Levi, 2005) [13] [14] .
Widows in the Druze Society
Due to the special status of the Druze society in Israel, there are two kinds of widows: civilian widows and I.D.F. widows. This section shall be devoted to the civilian widows in the Druze society. In general, the status of the Druze widow is determined by the interface between the characteristics and customs of the society in which she lives, and the way in which her husband died. Her status is characterized by the difficulties of all Druze widows, that is, she is seen as unprotected and as prone to threats, since she lives without a man's supervision. Her obligation is double: she is committed both to her own family and to her deceased husband's family. In addition, she is hardly entitled to any heritage, and she is not seen as the natural custodian of her children (Hershkowitz- Amir, 2008) [15] .
2.4. Factors Predicting Adjustment to Life among Widows
Bar Nadav (2007) [16] further suggests using concepts such as process and growth, together with sensitivity and vulnerability, as concepts which shape significant experiences in the widow's life for many years. Young widows find it hard to be effective, to think and to be productive in their lives, to enjoy their life or to study. In addition, it was found that entering a second relationship is more complex and takes longer for widows than for girlfriends of deceased individuals. Widows who have children have a different experience of their loss. Being a mother to children who have lost their father, the necessity to take care of the complex everyday tasks, influence the young widow's ability to deal with her own loss, in comparison to widows who do not have children. Another result was that women who did not experience a loss of a spouse reported on greater satisfaction of live and found more meaning in life in comparison with widows. They also reported better functioning related to many aspects of everyday life. Their thoughts regarding their spouse were more calm and pleasant. Loss has a long term effect on widows, affecting their lives for many years, whether they are involved in a new relationship or not (Bar Nadav, 2007) [16] .
The literature which examined the predicting factors for widows' adjustment to life after their husbands' death points to personal, interpersonal and situational factors (Bar Tur, 2005; Bar Nadav, 2007 [16] ; Derman, 1999) [17] .
2.4.1. Personal Factors
Four personal factors which predict widows' adjustment to life were found:
1) Emotionally stable individuals deal better with stress such as losing a spouse; 2) the feminine adjustment style of looking for emotional support and social contacts is more effective than the masculine one, which includes investment of energy in the workplace; 3) no difference was found between man and women in their psychological reactions to a spouse death, yet it was found that the mourning process affects more the physical wellness of men than that of women; 4) younger widows who are 20 years old or less react with greater emotional intensity to their spouse loss than older women, that is, loss has a stronger impact on the emotional stress and adjustment process of the younger widow (Bar-Tur, 2005; Bar Nadav, 2007] [16] ; Derman, 1999) [17] .
1) Interpersonal factors-the social networks of I.D.F. widows
Close and supportive relationships help the individual deal with stress. Bankoff (1983) [18] emphasized the effectiveness of the social support in the process of adjusting to loss. Amir (1979 [19] ) showed that the social fabric around widows played a significant part in their adjustment. In addition, their social adjustment, rather than their basic personal characteristics, was the best predictor for their general adjustment.
One of the roles of a "social network" (Shamgar-Hendelman, 1990) [20] is to supply the family the practical, social and normative knowledge which it requires. The status of the family in the social network helps the family to achieve an independent identity, to measure its achievements, and to identify its relative status within the community. Shamgar-Hendelman [20] used a sample of I.D.F. widows in order to examine how the change in the family composition affects its place in the social network. It was found that the structure and the functioning of social networks of individuals who lost a partner are fundamentally different from those which existed before the familial change. The change affected not only the spouse, but rather the whole family: parent and children. When the widow is willing to fulfil the role she used to fulfil in the different social networks before the crisis, she frequently finds out that her place in those networks has not been kept for her. The social networks which were examined were relatives, friends and colleagues. Although the change process in each of the widow's social networks has found its expression differently, all showed the same trend, that of a decrease of the network, a fact which marginalized the widow's familial unit, and made it lose its power and prestige inside that network.
Two main factors were found to influence the relationship between the widow and her parents. The first factor was the overall perceptions regarding the mutual rights and obligations of parents and their daughter, who became a widow. Those perceptions are found on a continuum while at the one end there is the perception that upon her marriage, the daughter loses her rights to rely on her parents, even after her husband's death, and, at the other end of the continuum, the perception that a daughter who became a widow returns to her status before marriage. Such perceptions can be found with the parents and the daughters, yet, sometimes they are not compatible. The second factor which influenced the relationship between the widow and her parents
The routine and the familiar behavior patterns reverted to what they were in the past and the widow regained the role she used to have before her marriage.
Shamgar-Hendelman [20] also relates to the widow's relationship with her brothers. in case of a conflict of the widow with her parents, her brothers tend to take their parents' side, and, they are sent to present the interests of the family to the widow. According to Lopata (1973) [21] , after the parents' death, the relationships between the widow and her brothers are shaped anew, become more relaxed and based on greater permissibility, mutual respect to privacy and open negotiation regarding mutual expectations.
In regard to social networks, it was found that the I.D.F. widows encountered a new reality. They were no longer invited to participate in social events of their deceased husband's colleagues. Widows have found out that they were allowed to participate in such events only partially, that their place in the group was marginalized, and that their place was kept for them only by their most intimate friends. A kind of censorship has been created in the group, which determined which events were suitable for widows and which were not. Accordingly, they were invited only to those which were considered appropriate for them. In regard to friendships and close friends, a process of impoverishment of the widow's friends network was documented, which turned the network into a unisex network, since only seldom the husband's friends kept in touch with the widow. Yet, her relationships with her friends continued as usual and sometimes even became closer. In general, it can be seen that the transition in the non-formal interpersonal relationships left the widow with a limited social network which included mostly women, its scope of action was diminished and men were only remotely related to it (Shamgar-Hendelman, 1990) [20] [The deceased, the missing unit, breaks off the balance in the family. Shamgar-Hendelman (1990) [20] states that the influence of the missing unit on breaking off the balance in the other social networks is no less devastative. In a study made by Vekstein (1987) [22] which compared married women to I.D.F. widows it was found that married women perceived the social assistance they were given by the social networks as supportive, in comparison with the other widows. In addition, it was found that the levels of guilt, lack of hope, psychosomatic symptoms and depression among I.D.F. widows were higher than those of married women. In addition, widows tend to see the upbringing of children as more central role in a woman's life, in comparison with married women. Another result was that the more open the widow was to the outer world, including nurturing and being pedantic regarding her appearance, keeping social contacts and relationships with potential spouses, her adjustment was better and she reported less grief and lack of hope. Through maintaining social relationships and by using social help, the I.D.F. widows deal better with their depression and their sorrow.
2) Situational factors and children upbringing
The situational factors which were found as predicting a widow's adjustment to life were: the nature of relationship with the spouse; expected or unexpected death; the burden that the deceased cast upon her; responsibilities and children upbringing.
The nature of relationship with the spouse―it was found that the more intimate were the relationship of the married couple―the harder was the widow's loss experience. Close marriage relationship usually leaves greater emptiness which is hard to fill.
Expected or unexpected death―it was found that sudden death was experienced more traumatically than expected one. In case of a sudden death, a strong sense of loss of control aroused, as well as loss of trust and a strong feeling of guilt, due to the inability to bring an end to unfinished issues. In addition, She has found that after a sudden death, the rate of emotional disturbances found among widows, such as anxiety and depression was higher, and that level remained high for two or three years after the event that the sudden death does not enable an "anticipatory grief" which allows a gradual process of parting from the deceased and which constitutes an important factor in a successful adjustment process. In contrast, in case of an expected death, the idea of death is dealt with gradually.
2.4.2. The Effect of the Religious Scholars on the Woman and Her Position
The Druze woman is preferable to the man in the process of joining the religious cohort (Aukal). The rate of religious women among the Aukal is higher than that of men's. Yet, in spite of the fact that the women outnumber the men, the men have greater influence, while the women's influence is almost inexistent. All rules and regulations are legislated by men. Men can also cast embargo. The application to join the religious circles (Talab al-Din) is addressed to men. In addition, the removal from the place of worship due to certain offences
Women are removed due to offences such as: participating in a wedding with songs and music; riding a car by the daughter or by the daughter in law; riding a car driven by a woman. For such offences women are removed from the place of worship for two to six months. In order to rejoin the prayer circles, the woman has to fill an application again. The application is addressed to the Sheikh, that is, to the religious scholars rather than to the religious women and in case the Sheikh himself broke the (unwritten) set of rules, he removes himself. Some are being removed since they allowed their daughters to study in mixed schools (which were more common in the past). In addition, in villages which didn't have schools, parents were not allowed to send the girls to study outside the village). The scope of such prohibitions in the villages was relative to the number of religious scholars and their attachment to the religious management which situated in Julis village―the village of the spiritual leader of the Druze society.
Such restrictions blocked the Druze woman from reaching the higher education institutions which were situated outside the Druze villages, yet, many parents allowed their daughters to continue their studies. That created a conflict between the religious scholars and the parents, which led to embargo and exclusion. Yet, such steps were not successful and a certain balance was maintained between the religious and secular groups, while hindering women's progress, yet not preventing it (Faraj-Falah, 2005) [23] .
According to the above results, the woman's status can be summarized as follows:
In spite of the fact that the religious women rate is higher than the men's (from different reasons: some of the men work outside the village in different jobs and some are employed in the security forces and come home every weekend or a fortnight, in comparison with their wives who are mostly housewives or work in the village), yet when a single daughter to religious parents drive a car, the application to join the religious circles is left to the Sheikhs, the men, and they decide whether to accept or reject it; Men set the internal rules; They cast embargo (mukataa) on religious individuals who break the rules; and they can decide to accept him back; Men rather than women read aloud during the prayer, even if the women are literate, or are better educated than the men; Exclusion from religion (that is from the religious group and the option of praying with them in the Halwa) is made for a limited period of time (from two weeks to six months). Some of the behaviors which bring exclusion are: In some of the villages, the daughter in law that is, the son's wife, and in certain places, in case of taking a ride with a woman driver; when the single girls participate in social events which include music and dancing (this doesn't apply to married women, who are under the responsibility of their husband and his family).
In the past, those who studied in a mixed school or a school situated outside the village. Even today, there are families which do not allow their daughters to study in higher education institutions which are situated outside the village.
All these norms are not written norms, which are dependent upon place and time.
According to religion, the man and the woman are equal in terms of expected behaviors, yet, the sanctions do not relate to men who drive, study in mixed schools, or participate in social events with music and dancing. The sanctions are designated for women in a patriarchal society in which the freedom of women threatens the status of men. In addition, the influence of the Arab-tribal-Eastern-desert society is very strong. For example, the Druze forbid murder, yet, in practice, murders take place when a woman (but not a man) is blamed with adultery (a man is only punished by being denied entrance to the religious circles) (Faraj-Falah, 2005) [23] .
The influence of the religious scholars is very strong due to several reasons. The main reason is that religion is confidential, so one cannot doubt it. In some cases although the religious individuals are illiterate, they set rules according to their own discretion, which are sometimes incompatible with the Druze religion. As aforementioned, the influence of the religious scholars is very strong and it hinders the advancement of the Druze women in Israel, in comparison with other societies (in spite of the fact that religion itself does not discriminate between men and women). One of the great scholars of the Druze religious laws is Al Amir Al-Said whose influence on the Druze law and the Druze women is apparent.
1) Al amir Al-Said
The Druze, like any other religious group, have Holy Scriptures and religious laws written by religious scholars. The religious laws bridge between the Holy Scriptures and the everyday necessities and existence, while relating to all life aspects.
The most salient scholar among the Druze scholars is the Amir Abd-el-Alla Al- Tnuchi who was born in Abbayah, Syria (1407-1479) (Noyhad, 1975) [24] . Al-Tnuchi wondered from village to village in order to study. He wrote many essays and several books on topics such as: the interpretation of faith, the regulations, the law directives; living a proper life in accordance with the spirit of religion (for example, his book on the marriage and divorce of monotheistic believers).
Al-Said stresses the importance of marriage as a basic tenet of faith since it is based on equality and justice. More than 500 years ago, he encouraged marriage and forbade monasticism as well as called for equality between men and women. He demanded equality in religion; for example, according to his interpretations, a woman can refuse marital proposals and her parents cannot force her into marriage; a married woman can request divorce; and, finally, there is no polygamy in the Druze religion.
In addition, Al-Said stressed that men should teach their wives to worship God and to read and write, in cases the women are illiterate. In case a husband is not able to do it himself, he should take her to a proper teacher (Al-Tanuchi abd-Alla: Tashree zawaj al mowahdeen walmowahedat) [25] .
2) Inheritances and wills
Wills have a special place among the Druze. They take the place of the inheritance in the Islam. There is absolute freedom regarding the distribution of property after death, in contrast to the customs of the Islam. In case an individual has passed away and did not leave a will, his property shall be divided equally between his children. It should be noted that according to religion, girls are entitled for inheritance, yet, as in practice among the non-Jewish societies in Israel, girls do not inherit.
In order to refer to the status of the Druze widows, several issues related to religion have been stressed. For instance, the Druze religion encouraged marriage and even second marriage and allowed inheritance by daughters.
2.4.3. The Druze Widow in the Past
According to the Druze religion, men and women are equal in terms of their duties. Yet, in a patriarchal society, the freedom of women threatens the status of men, so men tend to limit it. In addition, the demography in the Druze society played a significant part: Druze live in Israel in 18 hilly villages. In these villages there aren't any higher education institutions. In the past, in many of them, there weren't any high schools neither, a fact which made it difficult for girls from traditional families to study in a higher education (Faraj-Falah, 2004) [26] .
In addition, the influence of the Arab-tribal-Eastern-desert society is very strong. The attitude of the Eastern society toward the widow and the widower is not so favorable. The fear from the society and the relatives made the family worry and so the widow was married off to the first man who came her way, without any consideration of his age, his economic or social status, as long as he discharges them of their responsibility to their daughter or sister who became a widow. In many cases the children were handed to the father's parents or one of his brothers, even when the mother did not approve.
3.1. The Array of the Study
The present study makes use of the narrative approach which deals with stories, in contrast too other qualitative-interpretive study arrays (Pinnegar & Dayness, 2007) [27] . The narrative paradigm is one of the paradigms included in qualitative studies which are based on the interpretive and naturalistic approach which wishes to expose the meanings individuals attach to phenomena in the world (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005) [28] . The qualitative-interpretive studies have a shared conceptual and methodological foundation, yet they are not identical. Denzin and Lincoln (2005) [28] identify interpretive paradigms which are included under the "family" of the qualitative studies: constructivist, feminist, ethnic, Marxist/critical, participative, cultural studies (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005 [28] ; Guba & Lincoln, 2005) [29] . Accordingly, such paradigm is suitable for the present study in order to examine the life stories of Druze widows.
3.2. The Participants
Six widows participated in the present study (three became widows in the 50ties and 60ties and three others in the 70ties and 80ties), from four Druze villages. I chose widows who were remarried due to poverty and inability to provide for their children. Some of the widows were forced to marry their brother in law (their deceased husband's brother) in order to maintain the allowance and the dependents' pension given by the National Insurance Institution. The present sample has been chosen according to the purposive sampling which, in Miles and Huberman's terms (1994) [30] samples "politically important cases". Such sampling is based on the assumption that "in every social structure there are different individuals in a different ratio to the general social structure" (1994:28)
3.3. The Tools
The narrative methodology focuses on stories as data. Since the social reality is a narrative reality and we understand and know it through stories, stories are therefore seen as the proper tool to examine the human reality. Narrative study tools are written and spoken stories, personal and group stories, life stories and self-narratives. Most of these stories are based on words (Riessman, 2008) [31] . I chose this tool in order to emphasize the life course of the Druze widow after the death of her husband. The stories I have collected during the study were all told by the participants.
3.4. Data Analysis
The data analysis is based on the realization that the story itself creates meaning, and serves for understanding and organizing events. In that sense, on the one hand, the narrative describes reality, and on the other hand, it shapes it and gives it meaning (Lieblich et al., 1998) [32] . The story is a model of the world, and its ability to serve as a tool for restructuring of the world is based on its unique characteristics such as: arranging the events sequentially, maintaining causal relationships between events, creating a plot and twisting it, and a personal description of the main character, his inner world and his consciousness.
Thousands of events are part of our life's chronicle and shall never be presented as part of the narrative, while others shall become part of our personal narrative. The distinction between them, according to Bruner (1990) [33] is related to the degree in which they break the routine and the regular order. The events which "break" the expected sequence, which deviate from the norm, are those which are worth telling, which are woven into the narrative we tell about ourselves―to ourselves as well as to others. Thus, a part of the meaning of every narrative is derived from the gap between "what was expected to happen" and "what actually happened" (Bruner, 1994) [33] . In the present study in every narrative I have focused on the sequence of events, their connection and the inner worlds of the participants.
4. The Results
Following are the stories of Druze women who became widows during the Fifties and Sixties of the twentieth century as shown in Table 1:
1) Fatma―a young woman from a Druze village in the North of Israel. Her husband has passed away when she was in her twenties and left her with two sons and one daughter. Camel, the deceased, was a poor man. After their marriage, they lived with his mother, his sister and his younger brother and didn't build a home of their own. Two weeks after his death, Fatmas' father took her and her children to his home. After less than six months, an invalid one-legged man, asked her father to marry her and her father has agreed unconditionally. The new groom didn't want to keep her children.
2) When Rafika's husband was murdered, she was pregnant with their forth son. Two years after she gave birth to that child, Mahmud from the next village asked her father to marry her and her father agreed. Along with Fatma, Rafika was also forced to leave her four children. The groom was a widower and had seven children, two of them were at Rafika's age. She gave birth to five children in her second marriage and her husband has passed away after eight years.
3) Yusra's story is especially tragic since she became a widow three times. She had children from each of her husbands and after the death of her third husband, she has returned to her parents' home, and was separated from all her children.
In all three cases the widows were not asked to their wishes regarding the second marriage or the specific groom; the widows were not able to state their opinion regarding whether to go on living in her husband's home with his family and to raise their children; the widows' children lived as orphans from both parents (their father has passed away and their mother were forced to leave them); poverty and disability of the
Table 1. Data on the widows that posts in the research.
husband's family or the widow's parents to bear the financial burden; their lives were influenced by fear and shame ("what would people say").
Following are the stories of Druze women who became widows during the 1970's and 1980's who were forced to marry their brother in law in order to maintain their widowhood allowance and the dependents pension from the Social Security:
4) Suhad―a mother of two babies. Her husband was killed in a car accident. She lived in the beautiful house her husband had built. On the funeral day, the women whispered that her brother in law, Salem, has to marry her since he is single and in the right age. After the mourning period (in the Druze society after the next holiday or one year from the date of death), they got married. After a short period of time, Salem became envy of his deceased brother, took his picture off the wall and began to hit his wife and her daughters. Suhad requested a divorce. Her father in law supported her on the condition that she would not remarry and would live in her own house with her daughters. She learned sewing, started to work in a sewing workshop and lived a dignified life, supporting herself.
5) Sausan's story is different. She was twenty years old, a mother of a five months old baby when her husband had committed suicide in the private orchard of the family. No one knew the reason for his suicide. The family went through a very difficult time since the Druze society forbids praying for an individual who has committed suicide.
Sausan has decided to take her little boy and return to her parents' home, claiming that the house she lived in was adjacent to her brother in law's home, which was full of young guys and so as a young widow it was not appropriate that she would stay there. Her husband's parents tried to convince her to stay in their home and the mother was willing to stay with her at nights, so that she would not be left alone. Sausan refused, yet she agreed to give up, on the condition that one of her young brother in law (who was engaged to a girl he dearly loved) would marry her. The husband's family agreed, but the guy refused and left the house. The pressure of the family almost pushed him to commit suicide. The distinguished men of the society tried to interfere, yet, the problem has not been solved yet.
6) Nagua, a young woman married a rich doctor who lived in one of the nearby cities to her village. He built her a big and beautiful villa in the city. After years, he passed due to a malignant disease, leaving a thirty five year old woman and three children. Already in the funeral Nagua's family and her husband's family asked her to come back to the village. In the village she didn't have a house, yet she had a land. Nagua refused and insisted on staying in her own house. Finally, the ostracism attempts on behalf of both families have failed and she still lives in the city with her children, and of course, has not been remarried.
In all three stories the allowance and the social security which the widows were entitled to, contributed to the fact that some of the women refused to remarry and continued to live with their children; in some of the cases the widows were very young, with one or two babies. In such cases they were forced to marry their brother in law (their deceased husband's brother). The widows found it hard emotionally and functionally to adjust to the change in role from a brother in law to a husband. In all these stories the wish of the husband's family to keep the bride in the family and prevent her from marrying a stranger, is apparent. It should be noted that since it is uncustomary among the Druze for a stranger to live on the estate of another family, the children's houses are usually built on lands which are still registered in the land registry on the name of their grand-grandfather.
In this part of the paper I would present a discussion of the results, with reference to the literature and a personal note. The present study examined Druze civilian widows who became widows in the 70ties and on. The Druze society is a traditional, collective, patriarchal traditional and religious society, in which independence and the attachment to the land have always been considered central values (Amrani, 2010; Falah, 2000) [1] [2] . The women's status is considered inferior to that of the men's and their main role is conceived as upbringing children and taking care of the house (Viner-Levi, 2005) [13] [14] . The Druze widow's status is derived from the interface between the characteristics and the customs of the society in which she lives, as well as from the way her husband found his death. So, on the one hand, her widowhood is characterized by difficulties which are common to all widows, because she is seen as defenseless and a target for thereat (living without the supervision of a man). She is seen as committed both to her own family and to her husband's. In addition, her rights in the inheritance are limited and she is not seen as the natural guard of her children (Hershkowitz-Amir, 2008) [15] .
Religion has a dominant effect on the life of the Druze woman in general and of the Druze widows in particular. The Druze widow is considered to be the weak link of society and suffers from accusations that she acts against the religion scholars' advice (Faraj-Falah, 2004) [26] . It is easy for men to put pressure on women especially religion sanctions and religious exclusion so that other women shall see and learn. All these alleviate the men's status and lowers that of the women. In spite of the fact that the Druze religion treats men and women as equal, in practice, such equality does not exist, probably due to Arab and Islamic customs as well as to the Koran laws regarding women. For instance, women are entitled for an equal inheritance to that of men, yet, the reality is different since it is influenced by the Islamic old customs. It should be noted that the Druze religion encourages second marriage and allows inheritance by women (Faraj-Falah, 2005) [23] .
The present study wished to examine the development of the Druze widow's status and her constitutional rights. The narratives of the Druze women who became widows in the 50ties and 60ties of the previous century (Fatma and Yusra) showed that they were immediately remarried off by their parents, sometimes against their will. This result supports the perception that the status of the Druze woman is that of a dependent member of society, both socially and economically. This status prevents her from expressing her opinion or taking steps against her parents. The second marriage is very common, yet, due to the poverty of the families and the unemployment of the Druze women who are mostly housewives, the woman's parents preferred not to raise her children, but rather to give them away to the deceased son's parents (Faraj-Falah, 2005) [23] .
Regarding the interpersonal factors, the second marriage removes the woman away from her deceased husband's family, while she moves to her new husband's family. In regard to situational factors and child upbringing, they are non-relevant in our case, since in all three cases the children were taken away from their mother.
It seems that in the 50ties and 60ties the widows' fate was related to variables such as the economic status of the family, the widow's age, her attachment to her deceased husband. It also seems that widows could not control their fate, which was determined according to social customs, especially according to the belief that aggressive interference with the widow's life shall help them in the long run to deal with her loss.
In regard to the other three stories, Suhad, who married her brother in law, suffered from domestic violence and finally got divorced on the condition that she shall stay with her daughters and shall not marry again; Suasen, whose husband committed suicide, went back with her daughter to her parents' house and agreed to return to her deceased husband's house on the condition that she shall marry one of her brothers in law; and Nagua, whose after her husband's death, stayed in the city and did not return to the village in spite of the pressures put on her by the two families.
According to these three stories it seems that the better the economic status of the widow and the less she is dependent upon others, she is better able to take control of her life and even oppose her family and her deceased husband's family.
When considering the factors which influence the way the widows deal with their loss, only situational factors and child upbringing influence the decision regarding the widow's future. As aforesaid, the economic status is considered, so that well off widows with children, are not forced to remarry due to financial reasons. Yet, when a widow is not well off and doesn't have any children, she returns to her parents' home, and gets no share in the inheritance.
The literature review shows that when a Druze widow is dependent on others financially, her fate is determined by her parents, a fate which adds difficulties to the primary misfortune of her husband's death. In contrast, when a widow gets an allowance and has a stronger economic background, she is able to determine her fate, in spite of the families' pressures.
In sum, the attitude toward the widow in the Druze society is influenced by the wish to keep the widow, her children and her deceased husband's property together. The social pressures and the fear from gossip and from damaging the widow's reputation (which damages the reputation of her family and her deceased husband's family) play a significant part in her future. Some widows are able to withstand societal pressures; they choose not to wear traditional long dresses and head coverings, and prefer to wear fashionable clothes. Instead of staying home as if in mourning, they choose to travel and participate in community events.
The present study has several limitations, including the small number of cases and the fact that the study has been done many years after the death of the husbands, when the widow has long been remarried. Future studies should include a larger number of participants, as well as women who became widows only lately, in order to examine their coping with their situation in a time in which the Druze society goes under great changes from a traditional society to a modern one. Further studies should also examine the coping of the I.D.F. Druze widows (whose current number amounts to about 200), especially in light of the new law which enables the I.D.F. widows to receive their allowance from the Ministry of Defense even after they remarry.
[1] Falah, S. (2000) Druze in the Middle East. Ministry of Defense Publishing.
[2] Amarani, S. (2010) The Druze between Congregation Nation & State. Heikin Kathedra of Geo-Estrategy, Haifa University.
[3] Carnelley, K.B., Wortman, C.B., Bolger, N. and Burke, C.T. The Time Course of Grief Reactions to.
[4] Mann, J. (1973) Time Limited Psychotherapy. Harvard University, London.
[5] Abu-Bakar, H. (2010) Between Independence & Dominance: The Case of the Arab Widow. In: Abu-Rabia-Quide, C. and Winner-Levi, N., Eds., Palestinian Women in Israel: Identity Power-Relations & Coping, Van Institute Lir & Hakibutz Hameuhad, Jerusalem, 27-48.
[6] Abu-Baker, K. (2002) Career Women or Working Women? Change versus Stability for Young Palestinian Women in Israel. The Journal of Israeli History, 21, 85-109.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13531040212331295872
[7] Al-Krenawi, A. (1996) Groupwork with Bedouin Widows of the Negev in Medical Clinic. Affilia, 11, 303-318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/088610999601100303
[8] Toledano, E. and Eliav, T. (2010) Single Parent Families 1992-2010. National Insurance Institute of Israel the Planning Department, Jerusalem.
http://www.btl.gov.il/Publications/survey/Documents/seker_232.pdf
[9] Svirski, S., Konor-Atias, A. and Abu-Chalah, H. (2008) Social Current Situation 1998-2008. Adva Center. http://www.adva.org/default.asp?pageid=1001&itmid=524#
[10] Yonai, Y. and Krauss, V. (2009) Cultural or a Pattern for Opportunity: Why Do the Majority of Palestinian Women Not Working? In: Azaiza, P. and Abu-Bakar, H., Eds., Arab Women in Israel-Present & Future State, TLV, Ramot, 227-258.
[11] Herzog, H. (2004) Both an Arab and a Woman: Gendered, Racialised Experiences of Female Palestinian Citizen of Israel. Social Identities, 10, 53-81.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1350463042000190994
[12] Hassan, M. (1999) The Politics of Honor: Patriarchy, the State & Honor Killing of Women. In: Izraeli, D. and Fridman, A., Eds., Sex, Gender & Politics, Hakibutz Hameuhad Publications, Tel-Aviv, 267-305.
[13] Viner Levi, N. (2005) Call Me Um El Futah: Higher Education as a Cultural Encounter. An Assay in a Set of Articles, David Yalin Publications.
[14] Levi, N. (2005) Higher Education as an Encounter of Culture, Society & Attitudes. Changes in Pioneer Druze Women. Social Issues in Israel, a Social Paper, 5-30.
[15] Hershkowitz-Amir, A. (2008) My Husband Died—Is This the End of the World? The Developing Forces of the Druze IDF Widows. Seminar Paper in Sociology & Anthropology, University of Tel-Aviv.
[16] Bar Nadav, O. (2007) Spousal Loss and the Two Track Model of Bereavement: Longitudinal effect of Bereavement on Young Women. Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of PhD by Publication Requirements.
[17] Derman, D.S. (1999) Grief and Attachment in Young Widowhood. Temple University, Philadelphia.
[18] Bankoff, E.A. (1983) Social Support and Adaptation to Widowhood. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45, 827-839. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/351795
[19] Amir, Y. (1979) Factors of Adjustment of IDF Widows. Megamot, 25, 119-130.
[20] Shamgar-Hendelman, L. (1990) War Widows Web-Sites. In: Bar-Yosef, R., Ed., A Slave, Integration, Work, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
[21] Lopata, H.Z. (1973) Self-Identity in Marriage and Widowhood. Sociological Quarterly, 14, 407-418.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1973.tb00869.x
[22] Vekstein, H. (1987) Meditative Factors in Adjustment Processes. Seminar Paper, Haifa University, Haifa.
[23] Faraj-Falah, J. (2005) The Druze Woman. Barkai Publications, Rishon LeZion.
[24] Noyhad, A. (1975) Seerat El-Amir Gmal A-Din AbDalla El-Tanuchi. Beirut Publication.
[25] Al-Tanuchi (1988) Canon Tashria Zuhaj ElMuhadin W ElMohadath W Talcohm, El Maktaba El MaArofa, Lebanon.
[26] Faraj-Falah, J.(2004) The Youth Attitude Towards the Status of the Druze Woman in Society. 163-179.
[27] Pinnegar, S. and Daynes, J.G. (2007) Locating Narrative Inquiry Historically. In: Clandinin, D.J., Ed., Handbook of Narrative Inquiry: Mapping a Methodology, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, 3-34.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452226552.n1
[28] Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S. (2005) Introduction: The Discipline and Practice of Qualitative Research. In: Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y. S., Eds., Handbook of Qualitative Research, 3rd Edition, Sage, Thousand Oaks, 1-32.
[29] Guba, E.G. and Lincoln, Y.S. (2005) Paradigmatic Controversies, Contradictions, and Emerging Confluences. In: Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S., Eds., The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research, 3rd Edition, Sage, Thousand Oaks, 191-215.
[30] Miles, M.B. and Huberman, A.M. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook. Sage, Thousand Oaks.
[31] Riessman, C.K. (2008) Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences. Sage, Thousand Oaks.
[32] Lieblich, A., Tuval-Mashiach, R. and Zilber, T. (1998) Narrative Research: Reading, Analysis, and Interpretation. Vol. 47, Sage, Thousand Oaks. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412985253
[33] Bruner, J. (1994) The Remembered Self. In: Neisser, U. and Fivush, R., Eds., The Remembering Self, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 41-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511752858.005
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text:
Kraft Heinz pilots recycled plastic packaging as roofing material
Courtesy of Kraft Heinz
Kraft Heinz installed new roofs made of recycled plastic packaging — from post-consumer material that comes from flexible plastic similar to what the CPG giant uses for its products — on manufacturing facilities in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and Holland, Michigan.
The company installed the recycled roofing boards in late 2020 as part of its participation in Materials Recovery for the Future, a nonprofit group pushing the technical and economic feasibility of collecting and recycling flexible plastic packaging. Kraft Heinz will monitor the recycled material's performance versus conventional building materials, and may standardize its use if the test goes well, the company said. Kraft Heinz will also report the results to the Association of Plastic Recyclers Demand Champion program, which it joined last year.
Flexible plastic is an important component of food packaging, but it can be difficult to recycle. In 2018, discarded packaging made up 82.2 million tons of waste — 28.1% of all waste that year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In that year, 14.5 million tons of plastic packaging was made. About two-thirds of it ended up in landfills.
Kraft Heinz is literally taking recycled plastic packaging to new heights.
The recycled roof boards are 4 feet by 8 feet, and 94% of each board is made from post-consumer plastic and fiber. The company didn't indicate how much of the roof had been covered in the recycled boards, but it's certainly being put to the test. Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, has seen a foot of snow in February, while Holland, Michigan, has seen more than two feet, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
If this test works and the recycled material is as good as the conventional roofing, it could be a game changer for Kraft Heinz. It's not clear how much flexible packaging the CPG company uses for its products annually. According to statistics on Kraft Heinz's website, about 30% of its packaging as of 2019 fell into the non-recyclable category, including flexible plastic films or rigid plastic containers.
The company has several sustainability goals, including making 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025. To reach that goal, the brand is testing a recyclable and compostable paper cup for Macaroni & Cheese in the U.S., and in Europe plans to make its Heinz Ketchup bottles with recyclable food-grade PET plastic.
While Kraft Heinz doesn't currently use recyclable flexible plastic packaging, it may be a relatively easy move. Earlier this month, General Mills debuted a recyclable plastic wrapper for its Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, and chose not to patent the wrapper so that other manufacturers could use it.
As manufacturers are working to reuse their waste products — both through upcycled products that save food items from the trash and manufacturing processes that use waste for energy — a successful test result could put Kraft Heinz in a class of its own. The company could potentially renovate its factories with its own post-consumer waste, which would be impactful. According to Kraft Heinz's annual report, it has 81 manufacturing facilities worldwide and owns all but three.
Kraft Heinz's pilot project will be a lasting proof of concept for using recycled plastic as roofing material in industrial buildings. It may help popularize this reuse of plastic packaging, as well as lead to improvements in the strength, weatherproofing and longevity of this roofing material. As of 2018, 46% of recycled plastic film ends up as this kind of lumber, according to a report prepared for the American Chemistry Council. The biggest problem left unsolved may be how to get consumers to change their behavior and recycle more flexible plastic — something that currently happens only at drop-off bins placed outside retailers.
Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly named the organization for which the report about uses of recycled plastic film was written. The report was prepared for the American Chemistry Council.
Filed Under: Manufacturing, Corporate Operations, Sustainability

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
<?php

namespace Ocramius\Persister;
use Ocramius\Report\HelpReport;

/**
 * Gist uploader - uploads a help report to a gist
 *
 * @author Marco Pivetta <ocramius@gmail.com>
 * @license MIT
 */
class File
{
    /**
     * @var
     */
    private $dir;

    /**
     * @param string $dir
     */
    public function __construct($dir)
    {
        if (! is_writable($dir)) {
            throw new \BadMethodCallException('Cannot write to this directory!');
        }

        $this->dir = $dir;
    }

    /**
     * Writes the report to disk and returns its path
     *
     * @param HelpReport $report
     *
     * @return string
     */
    public function persist(HelpReport $report)
    {
        $file = uniqid('help-report');

        file_put_contents($this->dir . '/' . $file, json_encode($report));

        return $file;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Are you looking for a cheerful way to send your best wishes?
Imagine the happy parents' curiosity as they receive a huge - yet amazingly light, stripy box. See their surprise as they open the box and this striking "Monkey Boy Baby Balloon" floats out.
This huge 86cm (34") balloon features a smiling monkey dancing on one foot. The monkey wears a blue nappy fastened with a safety pin and a matching bow tie.


Organizers are pleased to announce TRACE dissemination workshop entitled "Molecular biology methods for traceability" purposes will be held on December 18 - 19, 2008 at Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Germany.
Three topics focused on DNA-analytical techniques, protein-based methods and application of molecular biology methods for foods will be covered within the workshop program.
Program and other information will be available soon at TRACE public website.


text:
That hangover was 10 million years in the making
Christopher Curry Staff writer
Long before the first bar poured its first drink, our primate ancestors had developed a taste for alcohol and the ability to break it down.
A study led by Santa Fe College biology professor Matthew Carrigan and just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science concluded that a common ancestor of gorillas and humans developed the ability to metabolize ethanol, the alcohol present in beer and liquor, while adapting to life on the forest floor about 10 million years ago. Those primates might have started consuming fermented fruit that had fallen to the ground and started to rot when they could not find another food source, the study said.
Carrigan said a primate that could consume fermented fruit and not get inebriated had an advantage surviving.
"You could imagine you would not want to be inebriated climbing 50 feet off the ground in trees at night surrounded by predators," he said.
The timeline in the study, which was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and conducted at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, shows that the enzyme which starts the process of metabolizing ethanol developed several million years before humans began fermenting food about 9,000 years ago.
Carrigan said this study shows that the human desire to consume alcohol might be tied to evolution.
"Most people know consuming ethanol in excess is bad for their health, but you can go into a restaurant or bar and see it happen all the time," he said. "So to explain this paradox, we asked the question, 'When did humans begin to consume ethanol?'"
Carrigan said one explanation is that our DNA does not adapt as rapidly as our environment changes. He said our primate ancestors developed the desire to consume ethanol and the ability to metabolize it out of necessity for a food source when ethanol was scarce and not as concentrated. Today, alcohol is easily accessible and much stronger, sometimes leading to overconsumption.
To conduct their study, Carrigan said the researchers resurrected enzymes that have not been on Earth for tens of millions of years. They used DNA sequences from 17 modern primates and went backward using a computer model to synthesize ancient versions of the enzyme, Class IV alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH4), which is found in the mouth and stomach of a group of primates that researchers say humans split from some 70 million years ago.
They tested several ancient proteins to determine their ability to metabolize ethanol and concluded that a lone amino-acid adaptation about 10 million years ago significantly increased the ability of ADH4 to metabolize ethanol. Carrigan noted that was about the same time period in which the Earth cooled and primates moved from being exclusively tree dwellers and began to use the ground as well.


text:
Colorado State Forecasters Now Say the Season Could be "Extremely Active"
by Mr. Leadville | Aug 12, 2020 | Leadville News
Colorado State University (CSU) released their final Atlantic hurricane season forecast for 2020, raising the number of tropical storms and hurricanes from their previous forecasts and now calling for an "extremely active" hurricane season.
CSU released their first forecast in early April, calling for an above-normal hurricane season. The secondary forecast, released in early July, increased the storm frequency slightly predicting 20 named storms, of which nine were expected to become hurricanes and four to reach major hurricane strength with sustained winds greater than 110 mph (177 km/h).
Philip Klotzbach, Research Scientist at CSU, revealed the final forecast Wednesday morning. The new forecast increases the expected number of total named storms even higher than the two previous outlooks. CSU is calling for 24 named storms of which 12 are forecast to reach hurricane strength, and five to achieve major hurricane status. This third, and final forecast already takes into account the nine named storms — 7 tropical storms and 2 hurricanes — that have formed this season.
A normal Atlantic hurricane season typically experiences 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and about 2 to 3 major hurricanes, according to the average amount of activity taken from the years 1981 to 2010.
Klotzbach shares a number of reasons as to why CSU increased their forecast including warmer than normal sea surface temperatures, weak vertical wind shear, an active West African monsoon season, and a low chance of an El Niño forming this fall which helps to suppress cyclone activity. 2020 is so far recording the fourth warmest sea surface temperatures on record since 1982, trailing 2005, 2010 and 2017. Additionally, weak vertical wind shear in the month of July is the second lowest one record (trailing the hyperactive 2005 hurricane season). Warm ocean temperatures and minimal vertical wind shear are two crucial ingredients needed to aid in tropical cyclone development and intensification.
CSU cautions that there still remains an above-average risk (69%) of a major hurricane making landfall along the entire continental coastline of the United States. On average, there is a 52% chance. The full report by the team also states that there is a 45% chance (average 31%) that at least one major hurricane will make landfall along the US East Coast plus the entire coastline, including the panhandle, of Florida. Finally, there is a 44% likelihood (average 30%) that at least one major hurricane will make landfall along the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle westward to Brownsville, Texas.
Multiple meteorological agencies have released their 2020 Hurricane Season outlooks with a few already updating their forecasts a second time to trend higher. The majority of meteorological agencies are in agreement that 2020 will be more active than normal. A total of 22 groups have submitted their individual hurricane season forecast to Seasonal Hurricane Predictions. This year the average forecast calls for nine tropical systems to reach hurricane status.
CSU's report reminds coastal residents that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them. Residents should prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted.
Copyright 2020 WUFT 89.1. To see more, visit WUFT 89.1.


Happy Fathers's Day to all our High Country Dads!
Happy Father's Day to High Country Dads!
Happy Father's day to all the high country fathers out there! This year to celebrate, we decided to ask a couple of fathers in the office about their experiences in fatherhood, how the high country has helped them raise their children, and the struggles they face as they live each day as a Dad.
The first dad we talked to, Lee Gillette, is a fairly new father. He has only been a father for 18 weeks to be exact, so this will be his first father's day ever (woo!). We asked Lee is what his biggest struggle has been so far. Very fittingly, he responded "A lack of sleep, but we're getting there".
What are you most looking forward to about being a father in the future?
I am looking forward to really just raising a decent human being and passing along all of my sage wisdom. I also am excited to one day maybe coaching soccer, gaining a new golf buddy, family vacations, and lots of other stuff I won't even realize until it happens.
Are you planning on having more kids? How many?
Yes, 1 more if I have any say in the matter.
Have you found any resources or activities in the high country that have helped you as a father?
High Country Doulas are awesome! They really helped my wife and I with lots of baby knowledge prior birth and amazing support during the delivery. They've also been incredibly helpful and supportive after delivery. Otherwise, our family and close friends have been very helpful. I've only had 18 weeks of experience so far and there aren't too many activities to do at this point.
What do you believe the benefits of raising children in the High Country vs Santa Barbara CA in that being where you are from?
The quality and pace of life in the High Country is far better than anywhere else I've ever been. It's a very safe place to live and raise a family. We have great schools that benefit from ASU being founded as a teaching college. Lots of outdoor activities available within a very short distance. I grew up spending the majority of time, during the winter, at the ski slopes which are still some of my fondest memories to this day and I hope to pass those traditions on to my kids.
Lee seems like he is off to a great start so far in being a dad, Congratulations Lee on your first Father's day!
While Lee still has a lot to learn, another father in the office and also our owner, Jay Vincent, has had a bit more experience. Jay has been a father for over 30 years now and has multiple sons, including Chad who also works in the office.
What was your biggest struggle as a parent?
Trying not to push them too hard but still pushing them to the best of their ability while still being a loving father. All the kids were required to have straight A's, play a sport, be a part of a church activity, and be in a community activity.
What was the most rewarding thing about being a father?
Watching them grow into good, contributing people. They are all productive members of society and they give back to their community in many ways. They grew exceeded all of my already high expectations.
What was your favorite thing about raising kids in the high country?
The community that they were surrounded by. They grew up with good people, many of which they still have relationships with today. The small town feel is something I appreciated in raising them.
What do you believe the benefits are from raising kids in the High Country?
Because of the small town community, the kids always got a great education. There was a great school system and great community. The kids would be able to go to ASU in the mornings for advanced math opportunities and in the afternoon for help with reading. The teachers were also always well taught and knowledgeable.
What is the greatest thing that your family ever did for fathers day?
My favorite thing is that they always go to church with me on father's day. The children now all go to different churches, but on this day they go to mine with me and then we all go to lunch.
Do you have any advice to new high country fathers?
Be there to encourage and support everything that they do. Set high expectations and push them to be the best they can be. They don't have to be the best, just the best they can be.
Jay takes a lot of pride in how his children were always raised to do the right thing and be hard workers. He says that he has raised them to be difference makers. He shared with me a typical day in the Vincent household while his children were growing up. Each morning they would wake up very early before school, ate breakfast which his wife, Lynn, would make each morning, grab their lunch and head to school. After school, they would have a ten minute break and then get started on written homework. After this, they would be taken out to the farm to work in the stalls and the field. So, from an early age, the children were taught to be hard workers. After this, it was time to study and eat dinner. One thing that Jay mentioned was an essential part of the way his kids were raised was their TV restrictions. For about four years of their childhood, TV was only allowed on the weekends when they would watch a movie. He says that his children all grew up to be extremely hardworking, and his pride shows in the way he talks about them.
Both Jay and Lee are great fathers and part of the reason that we recognize this day! Thank you to all of our dads out there being the best they can be for their kids. We love you and appreciate you!


text:
480 items matched your search for "U.S. Bureau of Reclamation"
Section All Bay Area & State (56) Green (71) Joel Connelly (7) Living (71) Local (33) News (343) Opinion (14) Politics (8) Science (29) Sports (8) Type All Article (478) Slideshow (2)
Organizations share funding opportunities for water infrastructure projects
January 13, 2023 | Maria Salas
Henry Cuellar hosted a webinar with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Texas Water Development Board to discuss funding opportunities for improving local water infrastructure.
January 31, 2023 | KATHLEEN RONAYNE and SUMAN NAISHADHAM
In a letter to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California described how states could conserve between 1 million and nearly 2 million acre feet of water through new cuts based on the elevation of Lake Mead, a key ...
California is lone holdout in Colorado River cuts proposal
January 30, 2023 | FELICIA FONSECA and SUMAN NAISHADHAM
States missed a mid-August deadline to heed the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's call to propose ways to conserve 2 million to 4 million acre feet of water. ... An acre foot is enough water to supply two to three U.S. households for a year.
AP Exclusive: Emails reveal tensions in Colorado River talks
January 29, 2023 | KATHLEEN RONAYNE and FELICIA FONSECA
The documents span the June-to-August window the U.S. ... Reclamation wanted the seven U.S. states that rely on the river to decide how to cut 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water — or up to roughly ...
Money to be made in drought
May 7, 2014 | Froma Harrop
As the California drought continues, Central California farmers are hiring well drillers to seek water underground for their crops after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation stopped providing Central Valley farmers ...
Adrian Busby, 38, of El Paso was sentenced by U.S. ... U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Rose Davis said Monday that Hoover Dam police tried to persuade the woman not to jump from a pedestrian walkway on Saturday.
Appeals panel rules in Rio Grande title case
March 31, 2010 | Merrisa Brown
. — Ownership of irrigation systems along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico is no more settled today than when the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began arguing ...
Calif. governor pushes $11B water bond plan, dams
November 10, 2009 | Garance Burke
In the San Joaquin Valley, where most of the nation's fruits and vegetables are grown, farmers warn their crops will wither if the government doesn't build a second reservoir above Friant Dam, which was built in ...
Obama administration wants more salmon protection
September 16, 2009 | William McCall
Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The plan submitted by NOAA to U.S.
Tempers boil over border water battle
April 14, 2012 | Lynn Brezosky
"The estimate right now is that to get 12,000 acre-feet to Mexico, the U.S. is going to lose about 50,000 acre-feet of water. ... Bureau of Reclamation determined that the effect to U.S. users would be ...
Biden signs water bills benefiting 3 tribes in Arizona
January 6, 2023 | FELICIA FONSECA
Bureau of Indian Affairs offered for farming on the tribe's reservation. ... Mandatory shortages are affecting some states, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has called for more widespread cuts as key reservoirs shrink.
Warning about aquifer's decline sets up big fight in Kansas
January 6, 2023 | JOHN HANNA
Kansas produces more than 20% of the nation's wheat and has about 18% of the cattle being fed in the U.S. ... The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is currently working on a plan to cut water use from the Colorado ...
A look at the West's megadrought
November 3, 2022 | Lauren Liebhaber
And while the situation is worst in the West, more than 80% of the U.S. is facing abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. ... To preserve the Colorado River system, the U.S. ... The U.S.
Commentary: EarthTalk by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss — Drought more than an 'out-west' problem
September 16, 2021 | Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's U.S. ... Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the Lake Mead and Lake Powell reservoirs, and other portions of the Colorado River watershed. The U.S.
As drought hits the Rio Grande, farmlands in Texas and other western states scramble for water
April 15, 2022 | SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Ed Kandl, a hydrologist with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said warmer temperatures will affect supplies, but relief could come if summer monsoons develop. ... On the Colorado River, the U.S.
Federal government drastically cuts water deliveries to California cities, farms
May 26, 2021 | Amy Graff
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which supplies water in California through the Central Valley Project, said it expects to cut its delivery to the urban areas it serves by more than half, allocating 25% of the ...
Lake, dam projects heavily underway in Midland, Gladwin
October 7, 2021 | Tess DeGayner
That's just one item on FLTF's long list of projects to be completed in an effort to restore the four lakes and their respective dams. ... Hansen said the process is developed by the Army Corps of ...
'It's a climate catastrophe': A Northern California river is full of dead salmon
June 12, 2021 | Amy Graff
This year, the river is alarmingly low after two consecutive dry winters, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation isn't releasing so-called "flushing flows" from the dam on the Upper Klamath Lake to boost water ...
The numbers California's drought manager wants you to see
June 2, 2021 | Amy Graff
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which supplies water in California through the Central Valley Project, said Wednesday it expects to cut its delivery to the urban areas it serves by more than half, allocating 25% ...
Major California river adding key ingredient: water
October 22, 2016 | GARY KAZANJIAN
GARY KAZANJIAN In this Sept. 28, 2016, photo, Elizabeth Vasquez of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation explains efforts to return water to parts of the San Joaquin River that have long been dry during a tour of the ...
Shattuck-Hebner
August 25, 2018 | Midland Daily News
She is a forester, U.S. ... He is an environmental protection specialist, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Albuquerque, New Mexico How they met: They met while working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Midwest Region in Minneapolis, Minnesota.


•According to the text, recent disclosures of corporate scandals and unethical business practices have heightened the government and society's attention to exorbitant CEO salaries. Examine the fundamental rationale behind corporations' decisions to pay executives such high salaries. Based on the discussion case in Chapter 14, judge whether the mandate under Section 951 of the Dodd-Frank Act sufficiently protects stockholders' rights and interests from been abused by business executives. Justify your response.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFMViwyz9-E Review the video: How to start a business with no money and list five business opportunities that could be started with no money. What are the specific skills needed to accomplish this that differ from businesses that have capital financing? Evaluate the risks for a start-up business from a financial perspective for both an entrepreneur and a venture capitalist. Which of these risks are associated with only one of the parties and which are shared? Select two of the risks and explain how they can be reduced or eliminated. Sweat equity is an important part of growing a business. Does this have any value to an investor? If yes, how can this value be quantified?


I am so thankful for the care I have received from Select Care Physical Therapy. It far exceeds what I have received at other therapy establishments. Select Care truly seems to care for my well being. My therapist's knowledge also seems to far exceed what I have seen elsewhere. I was truly blessed to be in their care.
I wanted to say thank you to all of you for your help after my knee surgery. I also appreciated how friendly everyone was; it was a pleasure to go to therapy! My knee is doing great and i will continue to work hard on my exercise list.
Just want to tell you what a pleasure it was to come to therapy. It was well worth it to travel from Cedar Springs to receive excellent care you have provided. Joseph and Preeti, thank you so much for the wonderful therapy; that was such a blessing. If I ever need more therapy I will be back. The people you meet are so great.
I just wanted to take time to thank you all so much for everything you have done for me while I was in therapy. The therapy i received was very thorough and skilled. I have been to two or three therapy outfits over the last 3 to 5 years and you are the best! Hands down! So once again thank you so much for everything!!!
Thank you for all the T.L.C. during my knee recovery and post therapy. With respect and admiration always.
To all staff, thank you for taking such great care of me during my physical therapy. You have been so careful,very friendly,passionate and most importantly ,treated me like your own family member. May God bless you all in many ways.
Thank you so much for all your help. After my therapy I tried hard to keep doing all activities you taught me. I began walking fast pace one and a half month ago and 3 weeks ago I was able to run like nothing had ever happened. Aside from a little stiffness on occasion, I gained full mobility of my ankle.
Thank all of you for your help, especially Preeti.
"Thank you" doesn't seem like enough to say for working with both of us. We wish you well in your business here. We will certainly refer people to you as we have been very satisfied.
It has been a pleasure to meet you all and I hope your therapy business continues successfully for a long time. You guys are the best therapy place I have ever been. I would like to thank all of you that took such great care of me at select care. You have all made my physical therapy an easy transition. God bless!
Thank you Joseph and Preeti for helping me get back to normal. I enjoy doing gardening and taking long walks without pain. Your skill and knowledge in therapy only helped me to recover faster. Even my doctor was surprised and happy. I will be back if i ever need therapy again.
Thank you very much for letting me use the pool for extra time. I believe aquatic therapy program made all the difference in the world for me. It has helped me regain my strength back and walk without the cane. I will be seeing my doctor soon and I will you keep you posted. Thanks for the exercise sheets with pictures on it. It makes it easy for me to do my home program.
Thank you for helping me get better! I value your knowledge and your friendliness. I may be back.


Montgomery besides made some gross and invidious insinuations and reflections because the Fifty-fourth men were so light-colored, which it would be improper to repeat. The colonel seemed to be unaware that his remarks were insulting, and most of the men he addressed born free. Sergt. Henry Stewart, of Company E, a faithful soldier who had actively engaged in recruiting the regiment, died of disease September 27, and was buried with proper honors. His and other deaths, with an increased sick list, called for sanitary measures about this time. No radical change of camp was possible, as the ground available for such purposes was limited; but tents were struck so that the air and sun could reach the ground beneath, and a daily inspection of streets, sinks, and the cooked food instituted.
The Sanitary Commission furnished ice, raspberry vinegar, pickles, and other needed supplies; but there was a lack of fresh vegetables. Early in October, however, Mr. Reuben Tomlinson brought a large supply for the Fifty-fourth, — a present from the contrabands about Beaufort; and similar welcome gifts followed from the same source from time to time. Tobacco, dried apples, lime-juice, writing-paper, brushes, etc., were purchased with the company funds, as the men had no money.
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After unclamping the fiberglass forward hatch frame, I cleaned up the joints as needed to remove excess epoxy, trimmed the excess length from the foreward and after pieces, and finished up shaping the bottom (bonding) side so the assembly fit the deck properly and as intended. I rounded the four corners to correspond with the rounded edges of the hatch itself.
After cleaning all the surfaces as needed, I bonded the frame to the deck in a heavy bed of thickened epoxy adhesive, ensuring the top remained flat and level during the process (clamps mainly to bring the starboard side down just a touch for level).
Next, I wet out and installed all the through hull and deck hole patches (fuel fill and pedestal) in the after part of the boat, including several old transducer locations, the cockpit scupper openings, and old engine intake fittings. Some additional through hulls in the forward parts of the boat weren't yet ready for the interior patching, as I'd not yet sanded or prepared those areas.


text:
NYPD Will No Longer Drug Test Officers For Marijuana, Effectively Immediately, Department Says
The New York Police Department (NYPD) on Monday announced that, effective immediately, officers will no longer be subject to random, scheduled or pre-employment drug tests for marijuana as the state prepares to launch its retail cannabis market.
That's a significant policy change for the nation's largest police force, which employees about 36,000 officers.
NYPD says that it will continue to screen officers who are suspected of being intoxicated while on the job, according to a confidential document obtained and first reported by Leeroy Johnson of Viral News NY, but off-duty use that complies with state law will not be penalized.
I just spoke with the NYPD @NYPDDCPI
Here's the statement they sent me pic.twitter.com/Flo9na8Sza
— Viral News NY (@ViralNewsNYC) July 13, 2022
"The New York City Law Department ('Law Department') has issued a legal opinion regarding the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act ('MRTA'), which went into effect on April 1, 2021, and amended the New York State Labor Law to prohibit adverse employment actions based on recreational marijuana use," the document says.
"This legal opinion directed all City agencies, including the NYPD, to stop pre-employment, random, and scheduled drug testing for marijuana," it continues. "The rationale behind this determination is that there is no test for marijuana that conclusively determines current intoxication, making it impossible to determine by drug test alone whether an employee has tested positive for marijuana because of improper use on the job or use during statutorily protected off-hours use."
"Therefore, starting immediately, the Department should only drug test a member of service for marijuana if there is reasonable suspicion that the member is impaired by marijuana on the job in such a manner that impacts their job duties or where there is a federal requirement mandating testing for marijuana use, such as title which requires a Commercial Driver License."
While the document was classified as confidential, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed the policy change to Marijuana Moment following its release, adding that the department "will continue to administer marihuana screenings to personnel when there is indications of impairment and is reviewing its current policies in light of this directive."
Previously, officers who tested positive for THC would be subject to immediate termination.
This development comes more than a year after NYPD issued updated guidance to officers, notifying them that because cannabis was legalized for adult use, they are no longer able arrest adults 21 and older for simply using marijuana in places where smoking tobacco is permitted.
Last year, the state Department of Labor separately announced in guidance that New York employers are no longer allowed to drug test most workers for marijuana, with limited exceptions.
There's been some controversy of police policy as it respects cannabis laws, including in neighboring New Jersey.
In May, New Jersey lawmakers introduced a series of bills meant to empower employers to punish workers—including law enforcement and other first responders specifically— from using marijuana off duty in compliance with state law.
The legislation was filed after a document was released by the state attorney general's office explaining how New Jersey's adult-use cannabis law currently allows police to use marijuana when they are not on the job.
Back in New York, retail cannabis shops have not yet opened as regulators work to finalize rules and start to approve licenses. However, adults 21 and older can possess and publicly consume marijuana, as well as gift it to other adults as long as they aren't being compensated.
Some unlicensed businesses have reportedly been exploiting that gifting provision by selling non-marijuana products in exchange for "free" cannabis. Regulators recently said that they've issued dozens of warning letters to such businesses.
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