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Introduction to The Barn
PLEASE NOTE: WE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS FOR 2021 AS WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS ON THE BARN.
PLEASE CHECK BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2021 FOR AN UPDATE.
What exactly does the Barn provide?
The Barn hosts an annual summer residency program designed to offer space to five creative persons for four and six week periods between June and the middle of October. Writers receive a large bedroom equipped with a desk, bed and dresser; Visual Artists receive a slightly smaller room (with a bed and dresser) and a rather large studio space (forty foot ceilings).
Do you provide stipends or grants?
Sadly, no, not yet. We are working on eventually offering stipends to our Fellows to mitigate costs of staying with us, but we're not quite there yet.
Are there any fees to stay at The Barn?
No. We wouldn't dream of asking creative people for money to spend time at what is ostensibly meant to help them get their own careers moving forward at a time when they likely can't afford to pay any extra fees for anything at all.
How long are the residencies?
July 1 - 31
August 1 - 31
September 1 - mid-October
Decisions on who receives 4 or 6 week residencies are made in conjunction with Fellows' availabilities as well as availability of space.
Can a Fellow stay for a shorter residency than four or six weeks?
We ask that Fellows make totally sure they can stay for the entire duration of the time they are awarded. We ask that anyone requesting the 6 week block make certain they can afford to stay for the entire period.
What if I have to leave early?
While circumstances may arise that a Fellow must leave before his or her residency is up, we deeply frown upon this and, if it seems less like an emergency and more like a casual choice to go somewhere else, we may choose never to invite that Fellow to return.
Why so harsh?
Because there are other artists who would love to have the space and it would be a terrible shame to waste any of that time.
With whom will I be sharing my month?
Usually we have two visual artists and three writers staying with us during a cycle (4 or 6 weeks).
Usually?
Occasionally someone will flee in the night.
(General Questions)
Happily, no! Edward Albee doesn't believe in charging creative people money to try to move their careers forward. (If they could afford the fee, they'd probably not need the time and space we offer.)
We accept applications between January 1st and March 1st of each calendar year.
Will you send me an application form?
We no longer provide paper application forms as we no longer accept applications by mail. We are now "Powered by Submittable" (which is fun to say and possibly a legally-required phrasing, but this arrangement is too new and exciting to us to have bothered to read the fine print.)
Wow, so, wait... I really can't send my application in by mail?
That's right . And don't try re-asking that question with the emphasis on "really" or you'll just get the same answer with extra emphasis on "right".
Our semi-reluctant, belated entrance through the cyberpunk-themed antechamber and onward into the grand ballroom of the 21st century with all of its various and sundry concomitant onuses and pressures.
That wasn't phrased as a question; nor is it frequently said.
Yes, but will you please just go on explaining the specifics of the application process as long as I agree to quit asking "why"-natured questions?
So how and where do I submit?
You can either go straight to the application process using the Submittable button on the Guidelines page, or continue to read this page until you get to the bottom of this section. Please note that we only accept submissions between January 1st and March 1st every year.
What is Submittable?
It's a web-based platform for submitting your entire application, including work samples, digitally. It's all the rage and keeps our overhead low while shrinking everyone's carbon footprint and so on.
It seems to be. Anyone operating it on our end is nicely over 30, which should tell you something. If you can't figure it out generally, ask someone to show you how the internet works. If anything specific about the application process confuses you, please feel free to contact us to assist you with it. The fault is likely ours, as it often is.
Won't you miss anything about the tactile nature of physical applications?
Yes. The one or two per year that are composed entirely in crayon.
(Detailed Questions)
I am a student, may I apply?
Sure. We don't discriminate against that. However, if you're still considered a minor in either your or our jurisdictions, please wait until you're old enough to join the armed forces. (At the time of this writing that means >18.)
I am a playwright / screenwriter. Can I send an incomplete script?
No, playwrights and screenwriters should send only complete scripts, not partial scripts. The good news is that we don't discriminate against writers of short scripts. That 15-page play or 20-minute script? It's complete for our purposes as long as it's complete for yours. (I.e.: you'd be happy to see it on a stage or screen.)
I am a writer who has written quite a few pieces. Can I just submit a smorgasbord of scribblings and let you decide what to read?
Please don't. Your application will have a stronger chance of success if you limit the work samples to exactly what we ask for.
I am a writer working on a novel where each chapter comes in at about 156 pages, should I still send in two chapters? / I'm a poet that only writes epic sagas on 20' scrolls, do you still want 12 poems? / I'm a screenwriter adapting the Mahabharata and think Peter Brook made the previous experience 6 hours too short. Etc.
Please try to find a reasonable number of pages to send in. We recommend that writers send in work samples that fall roughly within these guidelines:
Fiction / Non-fiction: Under 40 pages
Playwriting / Screenwriting: Under 130 pages.
Poetry: 12-20 Pages (12 poems averaging between 1-2 pages each; or two poems at 8 pages each, etc.).
If I am a playwright and fiction writer, can I submit more than one application during the same year? One for plays, one for fiction?
Excellent question (thanks, Zachary!). The answer is yes. If you truly feel that you wear both hats equally well, you may apply to both categories. Just make sure that you submit two applications (this way we can keep track of your multiple personality disorder).
NB: This applies to Poets who are also Sculptors; Painters who are also Playwrights; Translators who are also Astronauts (etc., use your imagination...)
I am a visual artist...
That's terrific.
I wasn't finished.
You used the pause of a modern playwright. Sorry. Go on.
...and all of my paintings/sculptures/those things I do with my neighbor's hose are all called "Untitled". Should I include any information that might help the review panel differentiate between each image/clip/segment of said hose?
Please do. If you don't have basic information (title; medium; dimensions; date of execution, etc.) embedded in the image file, you may also upload a document that serves as a "slide list".
Should I submit my most recent work, or the work I feel is the strongest?
We hope that's the same thing! But as far as what you should submit: we prefer to see your most recent work.
My work is done in collaboration with another artist / writer. Can I submit this as my work sample?
We ask that you only submit work that you can take 100% credit for. If you submit a collaborative work, you must apply as a collaborative team. If you apply as a collaborative team, you must submit separate applications. If you submit separate applications but include identical work samples you must explain how your own contribution works.
Not only is my resume impressive, but I've received a smattering of great reviews. Should I submit a packet of promotional materials as well?
Congrats on the great reviews! Please don't include them. We only need to see your resume to get a sense of where you stand in your career. We look forward to reading more about you once you're a Fellow and can boast about how your month at The Barn springboarded you into fame. Until then, though, keep it simple!
What should I say in my Artist's Statement? And how long should it be?
Please don't sweat too hard over this. It's an important introduction to who you are as a writer or artist, but you don't have to kill yourself trying to impress us. Just let us know a bit about who you are, what you've done, what you hope to do, and why the Barn sounds like it would be useful to you at this point in your career. This does not need to read like a full proposal of what you would work on at the Barn (we know that it's highly improbable what you say you will work on is really what you'll be inspired to accomplish once you're out there.) As for length, we cut you off at 500 words so...fewer than that. (No extra points for exactly 500, though cool if you can pull it off, first-draft, without live-editing.)
What if I can't get any recommendation letters from people who know my work and/or me at all?
You shouldn't have that much trouble getting letters from two people (who aren't your relatives). These can include peers in your field; mentors; teachers; gallerists; literary managers; artistic directors; etc. If you really can't find anyone to write you a letter of recommendation, call us and we will work with you to find a solution (if possible). Until then, though, keep meeting people who respond honestly (and positively) to you and your work!
I applied last year, do you still have my recommendation letters on file?
I applied in 1976, do you still have my recommendation letters on file?
No. Please get and submit new recommendation letters every five years at the outset. (For this coming summer that means 2011 and later.)
Should my recommendation letters be current and specific?
Yes. Please do not have your recommenders send aged photocopies of recommendation letters written on your behalf, for a different organization, a decade ago. Each letter should be written reasonably recently and specifically about your application to our foundation. Otherwise we will gladly award you a summer residency in December, 1998.
I applied last year as a poet; this year I'm going to impress you with my playwriting skills -- what say you of my letters on file?
Another excellent question posed by a prospective applicant. Basically, when you submit letters of recommendation, we keep them on file in the anticipation of receiving another application from you within the bounds of the same medium. Should you choose to re-apply with a work sample in a different medium -- whether reflective of a leap as broad as painter to memoirist, or as relatively narrow as journalist to playwright -- please do have new letters written on your behalf, specifically detailing the recommenders' experience with your work in this new medium or, if this is a new step for you, the recommenders' sense of what your recent interest in this new medium says about your work as they have known it up to now.
Do you favor certain types of artists / writers?
While the Barn would love to extend a hand to all creative people, we can't. So we make certain choices based mostly on talent and need.
It's a subjective experience. Hopefully we subjectively find you talented.
This does not only mean financial need, necessarily, but that is one of the considerations. If you are a famous sculptor who has a large summer cottage in East Hampton but would love to "slum it" in Montauk for a month, you are much less likely to get in than a painter who holds a terrible day job and lives in Brooklyn with her three roommates. If you have never been seen in print before you are more likely to get in than a novelist who is about to enjoy his 3rd major contract with a large publisher. Basically: we look for people who are earlier on in their careers (not necessarily younger by age, just younger by obvious measures of success.)
Well, there are other subtle points. For instance, being that the Foundation was started by a playwright who also has a great love for fiction and poetry, we tend to focus mostly on playwriting, fiction, and poetry when it comes to writing. As for what sort of visual artists tend to get attention here...soon enough (one day before the Great Collapse) we will have a page featuring links to the visual artists who have stayed with us, and you can judge for yourself. If you're curious about who stayed with us in recent years, you can find them here.
It says I should list the periods in the order of my preference. How likely is it that I will get my first choice?
We do our best to accommodate Fellows by giving them the months they want. Inevitably, most people want July or August, and so this makes it rather difficult to accomplish successfully each time. What we do is judge how serious the need for a specific month is, then try to fit less dire requests in around those.
How do you know if my need for a certain month is "serious" or not?
That's what you should let us know. If you really need July because you teach from May through June and September through October, and have to work at a supermarket throughout August, you are most likely to get July as your Fellowship month. If you just think July has the nicest weather for sunbathing, and can do any of the months we offer, you might have to take what we can give you.
So, should I just say that I have to have July, even if I don't?
If everyone did that, we'd still have to fill those other months, so at that point we would offer first-choice months to the first Fellows we reach on the phone. The best bet is to be absolutely clear about which months you can do and which months you can't.
I can do any month you have to give me, what should I put down on the application?
You are wonderful. Please indicate this by writing just that* in the space provided. This will help us schedule everyone who can't be so flexible.
*(Meaning the flexibility, don't actually write the words "I am wonderful" - though we'll be certain to share a nice laugh if you do.)
Does this mean I am more likely to get in if I put down other months?
No. We choose our Fellows before worrying about schedule conflicts and then just do the best we can. It won't change the likelihood of your acceptance, but it will make us thank the stars that we chose you once we do.
So, what's the deal -- are the months sandwiching July and August awful times to be in Montauk?
Not at all. In fact, some people find out they're even better than the mid-summer months, as there are fewer tourists -- which means more room on the beach, more room at the bars, etc. Of course, we hope that you spend less time at the beach and bars than at your desks and in your studios (which are two of the rare spots in Montauk we can guarantee you won't be crowded by tourists.)
Ok, ok, UNCLE, UNCLE!!! I've got it, I'm convinced, where do I go to apply???
Here.
I applied but I've since moved. And I dropped my phone in a gas station toilet, fried the SIM card and found out that Sprint offers a better unlimited plan than Geico. Also my Gmail account got hacked and I decided to join a tiny start-up in Ukraine and now get all of my important emails through a highly encrypted backdoor server called Hotmail. Should I remember to notify you that my information has changed?
When will I find out if I got in?
We do our best to notify applicants by the second week in April (sometimes the third, depending on volume.)
By what means?
Email. Powered by Submittable.
Should I call you every Monday between March 1st and the second week in April to find out what's happening with my application?
Yes. But only at 4:48am.
After Getting In
Oh boy oh boy! What's next?
After Not Getting In
Wow. I did not get in. How is this possible?
We stand at your side in disbelief.
(Deep breath). But maybe if someone drops out...?
Sorry. We have a tiered system including a Wait List. If someone drops out, the first person on the Wait List is offered the spot and so on. Please do apply again, though!
I was placed on the Wait List --
And the summer is now over. Does this mean that I will automatically be moved from the Wait List into next year's slots or do I have to reapply?
Sorry, you have to re-apply. If we automatically moved people from the Wait List into the following year's slots, we could probably close down submissions for the next decade or so. No, everyone must try again.
Is there a better chance I'll get in next year if I was put on the Wait List?
Maybe. It's certainly a good sign. And it certainly means you should try again.
I was accepted but then couldn't come. Am I automatically moved into next year's slots?
Are you mad at me for dropping out?
We're not mad, no. But we do want to know why you dropped out on us. If it's because of a job you had to take, or a terrible emergency, etc., we totally understand and are happy to have you apply again (see the "Wait List" question above to address likelihood of re-acceptance). But if you dropped because you got a residency with a more attractive program, we will remember that. Think of it like this: you don't ask someone for a date, wait for the "Yes", then say you found someone cuter, and then expect an automatic raincheck date after your new relationship ends.
Can a Fellow apply to come back again the next year?
Fellows may reapply after waiting one year (i.e.--if you got in for the 2015 season, you should reapply in 2017.)
I'm curious to meet and/or bribe you into slipping me into the Barn. Can I visit your offices?
Mmmmm....tempting as that may be, not really. The Foundation office does not host any drop-in hours.
I might be in Montauk next weekend and am just curious to see the Barn. Can I visit for a quick look?
Yes, that should be no problem. Send us an email and we can discuss the possibility.
What does the Barn look like?
It looks like a big old white barn. It looks exactly like the drawing on our Home Page, and photograph on the Guidelines page. The layout is like this:
You go in through the main doors; there is a kitchen on the left, and a small dining room / study on the right. Further in you have the laundry room on the left, and a writer's bedroom on the right (this is the only bedroom on the ground floor). Then there is a bathroom again on the left and a staircase leading to the upper floor on the right. Straight ahead there is a door leading to the two large artists studios.
The studios are roughly the same size, and they differ only in that one of them abuts the rest of the Barn, while the other leads directly to the outside and has huge barn doors that can be slid open to get fresh air and a good deal of sunlight. Because only the front of the Barn has an upper floor, the studios have two floors worth of open vertical space.
Once you get upstairs you walk into the commons area. There is a bathroom straight ahead. On the left is a hallway with the bulk of the bedrooms (which are quite close to each other and don't afford a great deal of privacy, noise-wise). Here you have two artists' bedrooms and two writers' bedrooms.
And that's pretty much it for the layout.
Is it fancy?
No. The Barn strives to maintain a very relaxed environment -- one in which creative people can just get down to work without being intimidated (or too soothed) by extraneous pretentions.
Is that a sly way of suggesting it's filthy and dangerous?
I hope not. No, the Barn is a rustic but generally safe place. Of course, there are some circumstances that might make the Barn a less than hospitable environment for some people (allergies, disabilities, etc.) and we strongly recommend directing specific concerns to us before applying so that we can assess your situation and advise you informedly.
It's near the beach, right?
Yes. You can get to the ocean within a few minutes by car and somewhat longer by walking or biking. Just remember that -- as one former Fellow scribbled on our kitchen door as a caveat to all who reside with us -- "This Is Not A Vacation!" Like Santa Claus before him, Edward Albee knows when you've been working and knows when you've been surfing.
Does the Barn provide sheets, towels, etc.?
Yes. We have an abundance of sheets, towels (both for bath and beach), toilet paper, etc. Please distinguish between those things as appropriate.
Does the Barn provide laundry service?
No. But we do have laundry machines and dryers that you can use. They're free and we provide detergents, laundry baskets, etc.
What am I missing here, I know there's something I should be bringing that I'm just not quite...?
Could it be bug spray? Sun block? We have both on hand but these things tend to deplete quickly, so do bring some with you, or remember to pick some up at the local pharmacy (you will likely need to use both.)
Does the Barn provide meals?
No. While the Barn does have a fully equipped kitchen with two refrigerators, lots of pots, pans and skillets, plates, glasses, and silverware, a rather unusual looking but functional-esque ice cream maker, spices, coffee and a working sink, it is up to the Fellows to stock their own food.
Is there a store nearby?
Yes. Several. There's the IGA (normal large supermarket), farmers markets, as well as fresh seafood available daily at the docks.
But nearby?
Oh, right, sorry, yes. Nearby-ish. You can take a nice 1.6 mile stroll, or a nicer 1.6 mile bike ride, or if you have a car you can take that, which is less nice but perhaps more useful.
Being that it's summer, can we -- ?
Were you going to say "Bar-B-Que"? Absolutely. We almost demand it. I don't think there's been a group yet who snubbed cookouts.
You did say that there are bathrooms, right?
Of course; we're spartan but we're not medieval. There are bathrooms with showers on both floors of the barn. There is also an outdoor shower, which most folks seem to love to use in the summer.
What about internet access?
Absolutely not! Unfortunately, yes.
This answer is split-dedicated to those certain Former Fellows ca. 2000 - 2010 who described their time at the Barn as "One of the richest experiences thinkable! (But I almost died from lack of web-exposure, please please please do something about this horrible blight on an otherwise stellar environment!)" and those few ca. 2010-2015 who described their time at the Barn as "One of the richest experiences thinkable! (But I almost died from having such easy internet access, please please please do something about this horrible blight on an otherwise stellar environment!)".
Does the Barn have a communal computer?
Not only that but a new one has been brought in that actually delivers something other than complete shame to its maker! We also have a copier/printer on hand, and we will do our best to stock more than just soft paper that comes in rolls.
What about a TV?
Yes. But we hope you won't be watching a lot of that. We have a TV which gets no reception at all, but can be used with our DVD-player and VCR in the upstairs commons area (which, by the time of this writing, may be more useful as paper weights). We also have many, many books which we can promise will not malfunct any time soon. And a treasure trove of LPs (yes, vinyl) of mostly classical music, and a turntable to scratch them on.
What about an exercise room?
Hahahahaha -- like you work out! (Actually, a very thoughtful Fellow Emeritus donated a nice set of free-weights* recently - Thanks, Ranbir!)
*At the time of this writing the free-weights are mostly rust-free.
How do I get mail forwarded to me?
The Foundation maintains a PO Box to which you can have mail sent.
How do I access the box?
The mail is delivered daily. Or usually daily, often. At some point during your stay, though. What's so important that can't wait? Get back to work!
Is there somewhere to park my car?
Yes. We have a large driveway / lawn. (No doing "doughnuts", please.)
Do you have any bicycles I can borrow?
Yes. We have several bikes on hand for Fellows to use.
Can I bring my spouse/psychotherapist/drinking buddy/etc.?
Fellows may invite the occasional day-guest, provided visits do not disrupt the peace of the other residents. Overnight guests are not allowed, with the exception of someone driving you (or otherwise accompanying you) to the Barn, who may stay for your first night only.
Can I bring my dog/cat/lizard/etc.?
Actually, this is often just fine. Fellows should speak with Rex about whether the Barn is suitable for their pets before their residency month begins. Also, Fellows must contact their fellow Fellows to make sure that no one has an allergy to (or fear of) their animal friends.
Sure. But worry about getting in first, then we'll talk!
Can you believe we've gotten this far and no one's asked anything about Showtime's The Affair?
Does Ruth Wilson ever come by The Barn?


Subject: Re: sector sparing and recovery - should I ITP?
> when written back it'll end up on a good part of the disk.
> drive (a drive that's still in service today).
> swap device and what happens when the race conditions get hit).
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text:
April 6, 2011 September 15, 2011 by Toni Reavis
Avoiding Our 'Race to the Bottom'
Globalization, an inevitable consequence of our increasingly technological world, has driven multi-national corporations to the far corners of the globe in search of the cheapest possible labor and the most advantageous corporate tax policies. As a result, pressure on middle-class wages at home has split the country farther and farther into the have and have-not camps. At the same time, the government's ability to maintain balance and equanimity amongst the strata of society has been diminished by what Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs calls a worldwide race to the bottom as nations vie to lure wealthy corporations via tax policy and loopholes, policies which inevitably lead to shrinking revenues and reduced social services, further bifurcating the country.
It's a cycle the so-called running community has witnessed over the last 20+ years itself as events sought cheaper and more abundant elite athlete labor, primarily from east Africa. In turn, road racing's unregulated marketplace has stagnated at 1980s purse levels, displacing American, European, and Austral-Asian runners who found it impossible to sustain the rigorous lifestyle necessary to compete at an international level for the reduced wages on offer, while East African athletes still earned what for them was win-fall profits when compared to the meager average annual wages back home.
Without an international cast to their fields, there has been a diminished interest in racing across the board as the same results were repeated week in and week out ad infinitum. In the process a once-thriving international class of competitive racer has been lost as the industry turned its focus soley toward participation and charity fund-raising. Over time, the back-of-the-pack runners lost all connection to the front end competitions, and the middle-class of recreational racers disappeared. But with events more robust in participants than ever, there is little pressure to even see a problem, much less to address it.
Just as in corporate America, as long as running events don't see themselves as part of a larger community, as long as their interests are as narrowly construed as possible, then there is no problem. Only when a sense of community takes hold does a concomitant responsibility form.
When the Nike-sponsored Cascade Run Off 15k in Portland, Oregon defied amateur rules and paid open prize money at their 1981 race, it changed the sport, and led to the open era. Yet when this founding member of the Association of Road Race Athletes (ARRA) circuit lost its sponsorship a few years later, none of its fellow ARRA events saw the need to help maintain Cascade's existence until a new sponsor could be found. There was no sense of Cascade being "one of us", and it folded, taking a seminal moment in road racing history to the grave with it.
The female winner of that historic `81 Cascade Run Off was New Zealand Olympian Anne Audain. She and male winner Greg Meyer of Boston earned $10,000 for their victories. In today's money, that purse would be worth anywhere from $24,000 using the Consumer Price Index to $46,900 using relative share of GDP. Audain looks back over the last twenty years with a strong sense of regret.
"No USA athlete can have the "road-racing" career I had in the 80's," says Audain from her home in Indiana. "As someone who came to the USA to resurrect a career halted by the 1980 Olympic boycott, I feel I got the best out of the sport in those years. I didn't get rich in $$ but I did in experiences which resulted in founding the Celebration 5K in Boise, Idaho, and becoming a U.S. citizen. I would not be who I am if not for our sport, and I wanted to return the favor.
"I just want to see more USA runners coming out of college having the same competitive platform I had, and not get forced to run marathons as the only way to make some money.
"One statistic to illustrate my point: In 1982 I went unbeaten in 12 major road USA road races. If anyone managed to do that in 2011 they would only make $51,000. Many of those races have the same first place amount as in 1982 (Bloomsday 12K in Spokane), some have gone away (Cascade Runoff 15K, Portland). No Western world athlete can earn a living racing on the roads, even as currency exchange rates help all the others to become quite wealthy in their respective countries.
"1982 – `84 were my best years income wise, topping $100,000 as a non-USA citizen and non- marathoner, even though I ran the LA Olympic Marathon in `84. I earned prize purses, and I also got appearance fees, bonuses for repeat wins and course records. Not at every event, but it was there. I also had a shoe contract.
"Also, we athletes were expected to act as "professionals" at the road-races. Those of us receiving appearance fees were expected to turn up three days in advance, do media, community visits, stand in booths at the expos, and remain for the award's ceremony where we were called on to speak when receiving our awards.
"Think how many USA women were on the circuit then (1980's), not to mention the English, Irish, European, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders. We in NZ even had second division gals who could come and make a nice little sum. It is really coming back to me as I think about all that we are discussing.
"Take, for instance, the Legg's/Advil/now New York Mini. When I won in 1983 beating Grete Waitz there were 9000 plus women. Now it says in the Road Race Management book they only get 4000-5000 entrants (5193 finishers in 2010). Point is there are no "local" women heroes for the rest to come out and see.
"I have a great picture of the 1988 Legg's. There are eight of us spread across the road: Joanie, Ingrid, Francie, Lisa Ondieki, Mary Slaney, Margeret Groos, Grete, and me. It was featured in Sports Illustrated too. We were known by only our first names in the sport! There was a great picnic in Central Park afterwards and a party at a night club that evening.
"We have lost so much. I feel so fortunate right now that I got to experience those exciting years. BTW, my times from back then still stack up on those courses. I am still third all-time at Bloomsday, second at Cleveland, third at Crim, and second at Boulder, so it's not that gals are faster. It is also fascinating to see the crowds in my videos and the fitness of the 'local" runners. We had the stars that people followed, and two national tours, the Pro Comfort series and Diet Pepsi Series.
"We aren't trying to invent something new, just want to go back to where we were and improve on that!/
Thanks to Annie for those memories. Today, she serves on the Running USA board of directors hoping to resurrect support for the sport which helped define her life.
Though distance running is an individual sport, it is also a sport of synergy where combining efforts in training and racing eases the burden on each individual member of the pack. Yet we as a sport continue to go it alone, willing to vest only minimal resources into a mutual effort that reaches out to the needy (children), or supports the preparation of homegrown excellence. As Professor Sachs points out regarding international tax policy: "to get to the right place countries cannot act by themselves" if they want to avoid their own race to the bottom.
Posted in OpinionTagged Anne Audain, ARRA, Cascade Run-Off, TAC
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12 thoughts on "Avoiding Our 'Race to the Bottom'"
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Toni Reavis says:
You, Annie, Greg lived through those halcyon days, and can look back now with a combination of pride and disappointment. No way running should be primariy the lifestyle/charity fund-raising engine it is now. The sport should, and still can be a much more important driver of the enterprise. We know it's possible, because we witnessed it before. But as long as the events maintain their every-man-for-himself attitude, things will never advance. People took the easy way out in the TAC Trust fight, and we never quite made it all the way to true professionalism. Sadly, that inability to fully alter the old-boy system still haunts us to this day.
Jon Sinclair says:
Thanks, Toni… that's a very accurate summary of what's happened. The follow on email traffic was interesting and I'm enjoying all of the discussion about that era. The recent article in Running Times was a pretty balanced retelling of that whole Cascade '81 experience. I only wish that someone would point out how seriously negative the outcome of the TAC Trust really was and how that changed the whole progression of the sport of road racing. True, Cascade '81 was the beginning of a new era, but the Trust system left professional road racing in the hands of people that had no interest in seeing it move forward. Actually, TAC (controlled largely by University coaches) had every interest in seeing the professional side of distance running fail. Ollan Cassal stated in the early 90's, when confronted with the total lack of success in moving road racing forward, that USATF was not a "marketing agency", but a regulatory body. Essentially, we dropped the fate of our sport into the hands of people that had no interest in or responsibility for its success. Its no wonder that road racing is where it is thirty years later.
I really believe that the failure to move forward started where professionalism in the sport began… in 1981. When we capitulated to the TAC Trust, we gave up our chances at control over the sport's destiny and, ironically, allowed sports like professional basketball and hockey to assume a wider acceptance, a more universal platform for their sports. Maybe the ARRA movement would have died, but that argument is pretty tough to make. The higher percentage falls on its success and what would have been a separation from the tender mercies of TAC. If that had happened, things would be completely different today and we wouldn't be wondering why The Golden Age of Running actually ended in 1984. For that, I think we have Frank Shorter and his friends to blame.
Anne Audain says:
All above comments on this topic are so "on track" .I thank everyone for their contributions. Am up in Anchorage this week speaking to a wide variety of audiences but last evening my documentary was shown to an audience of mainly local runners , some 250 or more . A variety of age groups including many young high school runners.
The comments afterwards from many. ' We had no idea the sport used to be like that"
There was no knowledge of the amateur / pro days, how the circuit used to be. Young girls couldn't name any USA female stars. Question from many: How are we going to fix this?
It will take interested ,committed and "no personal" agenda teamwork. It has all happened before. Just need to bring it back and improve on. It could be an exciting opportunity.
Claudia Piepenburg says:
So here are my questions: what happened that changed everything? Why since the mid-80s (perhaps?) has running "…existed in a constant state of dissolution?" What caused the shift? Isn't the key to solving a problem knowing exactly why the problem occurred? Is there general agreement on the reason(s) why, and if there is, shouldn't that reality be driving the solutions?
Don't know how Greg sees it, but the critical moment in my mind came when ARRA, the Association of Road Race Athletes, allowed race directors to take over what was begun as an athlete's union. With the athletes in control they could have created rules to allow access to their tour while generating ever improving purses as sponsors joined.
Once the athletes allowed race directors to take over, the focus turned to getting rid of appearance fees and offering prize money alone. That change tilted the sport toward cheap but fast talent rather than star talent. At first it made sense, but over time it killed interest in the sport of racing as average runners and the public lost interest in fast strangers for whom public relations was anathema. This choked off rooting for the outcome of competitions which became boringly similar week in and week out with nameless interchangeable faces replacing other nameless anonymous faces. And any clinical interest in times that were run could never make up for the emotional attachment to specific heroes. Before we knew it, Tim Murphy created the first Rock `n` Roll Marathon in San Diego in 1998, and the transition to fitness lifestyle completely overwhelmed the sport of distance racing.
Greg Meyer says:
Toni:
Great article and interesting observations after.
I agree I would like to see a return of American distance runners, and with it the return of some excitement around the sport of running, not just the "events" of running.
One point I would like to make, and I think it starts with the colleges, is the lack of meaningful competition. Our runners no longer run in scoring meets in college. They run time trials in order to qualify for nationals. Fans are not interested in this, they want head to head competition. After college, our better runners sign nice contracts with shoe companies, and with the financial security provided, they don't have the need nor interest to race. In looking at the past, Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Ann Audain, Herb Lindsay and others raced often and against each other. While we may have over raced at times, its hard to argue with the results. Bill Rodgers was #1 in the world four times in the marathon. Samuelson won the gold medal in LA. Look at the number of male marathoners under 2:11 back in the early 80's and its amazing in comparison to today. With training techniques supposedly better coupled with nutritional and psychological experts advising the athletes and the return of group / club teams training together, the only component I see missing is the racing toughness and experience that was mandated in the 80's. I believe these athletes are missing the instincts for racing while they work to run a "time".
I see no reason to pump more money into teams if all they do is fund training, not racing. Having athletes actually race promotes the sport. On a side note, if a US athlete accepts a training stipend, I would expect them to make every effort to represent the US in international competition as well as US Road racing championships.
Just my opinion…I know there is more to this than just racing, but I feel strongly this is a missing component.
Who would have a better perspective than the 1983 Boston Marathon champion? Thanks for posting, Greg.
I, too, believe racing is a key element. We need rivalries again like GBTC and Colorado TC. Each brought out the best in the other. As for colleges, we can blame Title IX for the demise of the scoring college track meet. Title IX, I repeat, not women themselves. Unfortunatley, colleges turned Title IX into a zero-sum game, taking away from men to give to women to even up the spending. From that track teams lost the scholarships necessary to field entire teams. With only 12.5 scholarships schools like Arkansas began winning NCAA titles using primarily jumps and distance running alone. Without entire teams you couldn't stage meaningful duel meets, and the rivalries of the past began to disappear.
Funding for trainng must come with a quid pro quo for racing. But as long as shoe companies attach reduction clauses in their contracts for failing to rank in the top three in your event, runners will hesitate to race unless they're 100% fit. And how often is that? Also, race prize purses diminish so quickly from the top prize that the system doesn't encourage risk taking. It's all a product of generating money from within individual race markets rather than building a tour to sell to national or international sponsors.
"A society in which each is willing to surrender only that for which he can see a personal equivalent is not a society at all," said judicial philosopher Learned Hand. "It is a group already in process of dissolution."
Unfortunately, running never quite got to the society stage after coming so close with ARRA in the early `80s. Since then we have existed in a constant state of dissolution, each event and athlete separate and distinct. We remain encamped there to this day.
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Larry Eder says:
Toni, so true, so eloquent, I will post to Runblogrun and link to you.
Larry Eder, Runblogrun
Thank you for your thought-provoking response. I am not one who believes in making road racing an American-only sport, nor in limiting prize money to American runners. What I do advocate is an even playing field. That is why the move's afoot to help fund American post-collegiate training camps, then let the chips fall where they may come race day – once racing privileges are attained through an orderly system that delineates responsibilities for athletes who hope to win prize money.
Racing from point A to point B should not be one's only responsibility. We must all contribute to the enterprise if we want to share the bounty of that enterprise. But at present, with no rules whatsoever governing road racing, the odds are severely stacked against athletes who must live full-time in countries with one standard of living who must then compete against runners from poorer countries where earnings garner so much more in buying power. Systems create realities, and road running's lack of any system beyond laissez-faire, has driven the sport into the stew of lifestyle options you point to above. It need not stay that way. Interested parties need only pool their ideas and resources, and nothing will diminish that presently exists, only something new may flourish as it did in the past.
Toni: Excellent points made by both you and Anne. I know exactly what she's talking about as I was also running on the "circuit" back in the mid-to late 80s, as a masters runner. It was a remarkable time, and one I know I'll never forget. The camaraderie among all the athletes, open and masters, was strong; we often roomed together, ran together pre-and post race and hung out together at after race functions. We all knew one another, and perhaps most importantly, the average runner knew who we were, too. (The former race director of what used to be the Parkersburg Half Marathon even credits Jon Sinclair for putting his race "on the map", so to speak: Jon proclaimed a hot, hilly, humid 13.1 mile race in West Virginia in August was the place to be, so people came and ran, again and again) Back in those long ago days, people showed up in big numbers at expos to hear their favorite runners/heroes/stars talk, everyday runners were interested in what Keith Brantley, Mark Curp, Sinclair, Ed Eyestone, Diane Brewer, Lisa Weidenbach, Kim Jones and others had to say; they knew they could learn from them, they were inspired by them. It was an extraordinary time, not just for those of us who were racing regularly but for those people who came in behind us on race day. We all felt a sense of accomplishment and pride, whether it took us 36 minutes to run a 10K, or 50. But that has changed now, so many races have become "events", giant moving street parties; for instance, it used to be that runners ran hard so they could party-hearty at the beer garden in the brewery parking lot after the Utica Boilermaker, now runners (and walkers) expect some sort of entertainment all along the way of most races. It's as if multi-tasking has become such a part of modern life that people can't just run, jog or walk, they have to have bands to listen to, they want cheerleaders along the course, they want to carry their Iphones so they can take pics, they want to dress up in costumes. Back in the day I worked (briefly) for a race promoter named Dean Reinke. Reinke wasn't exactly the most honest guy around, but through his ICI Masters Circuit he created a buzz and excitement about the sport that we could sure use now. He recognized that Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter turning 40 in the same year was a tremendous opportunity to put together a circuit of races, with a big-time, big money sponsor that provided opportunities for over-40 runners to make money, get name recognition and promote the sport all over the country. (Try putting together a circuit like that now…for over 40 runners, are you kidding?) I also seem to remember that a few races in the South (I believe Parkersburg was one, and Cooper River might have been another, someone please correct me on this if I'm wrong) tried during that time period to reduce the number of foreign (African for the most part) athletes and pay prize money to only Americans. I also seem to remember that the idea was met with some resistance, so it was abandoned after one season. But perhaps the time is now to consider something like this again, of course prize money goes only to Americans in USATF championships, and there are a few other races that have American money, but what about doing it on a larger scale? What about combining the ICI Masters Circuit idea with an "affirmative action" if you will program, that would give money/appearance fees/travel/lodging/per diem to American athletes only? I know I sort of rambled on here, but I guess that's what blogs are for, right?
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: LinqToExcel dot in header Using linqtoexcel to read a server generated spreadsheet.  Only problem is that there is a dot in one of the headers and it refuses to pull.  Manufacturer is abbreviated to Mfg.  I used the following code per the example on their page
        ExcelQueryFactory excel = new ExcelQueryFactory();
        excel.FileName = myXLFile;
        excel.AddMapping<Part>(x => x.Manufacturer, "Mfg.");
        var parts = from x in excel.Worksheet<Part>(0)
                    select x;

but Manufacturer comes up empty in all the objects.  I am very new to Linq so not sure what options I might have to make this work.  I imagine it is confused by the dot when it tries to map to a Part object...

A: As is apparent from this thread in Linq To Excel's discussion group you have to replace the dot by a hash:
excel.AddMapping<Part>(x => x.Manufacturer, "Mfg#");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Area of the region bounded by the curves $y=x^2$ & $y=x^4$ One of my last assignments for my first semester of calculus is a list of area, volume, and work problems using integrals, I worked one out, but can't find the answer anywhere, and just want to make sure I'm correct, here's my work:
Find the area of the region bounded by the curves $y=x^2$ and $y=x^4$
$x^4=x^2$
$x^4-x^2=0$
$x^2(x^2-1)=0$
$x=1, -1$
$\int_1^1(x^4-x^2)dx$
$\left[\frac{x^5}{5}-\frac{x^3}{3}\right]$ from $-1$ to $1$
$\left[\frac{(1)^5}{5}-\frac{(1)^3}{3}\right] - \left[\frac{(-1)^5}{5}-\frac{(-1)^3}{3}\right]$
$\left[\frac{1}{5}-\frac{1}{3}\right] - \left[\frac{-1}{5}+\frac{1^3}{3}\right]$
$\left[\frac{3-5}{15}-\frac{-3+5}{15}\right]$
$\left[\frac{-2}{15}+\frac{-2}{15}\right] = \frac{-4}{15}$
I double checked the definite integral online and it got $\frac{-4}{15}$ as well, so I guess that means I"m correct I'm just confused as to how an area can be negative unless I'm missing something obvious.
My prof also left a note that says "*Make sure you have the entire region", where "entire" is underlined, is there more to this problem than what I've done?

A: I think you do indeed have the entire region. The only problem is that your integral should have been
$$\int_{-1}^1(x^2-x^4)dx$$
instead, because $x^2≥x^4$ in the region where $-1<x<1$.


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Talkin' 'bout our Generations: Are we who we wanted to be?
and Rita R. Handrich, Ph.D. from Keene Trial Consulting
– January 31, 2012 Posted in: Generations, Voir Dire & Jury Selection Download this article
This article is the fourth we have written for The Jury Expert on intergenerational differences. The research is evolving, and our understanding of both the differences and how they inform a smart litigation practice is equally dynamic. This article is written differently than the previous three, with less of a focus on data and more on how the trends and contrasts of young and old can be productively considered as jury selection and case presentation decisions need to be made. The authors encourage you to read the prior papers for an examination of comprehensive studies that are not re-presented here.
One of the conclusions that emerged over the course of the previous articles remains true in the current update: Whenever the research is done (even 500 years ago) the generation that is then in their teens and 20's is ruthlessly criticized by their elders. "Sallow Youth" becomes Hippies/Punks/Slackers and who knows what will be next. But overall, the evidence suggests that every generation is driven by what they view as pro-social and worthwhile values. The form of expression changes, and each generation is 'progressing' from a benchmark established by those who went before them. And there is always a tension with that change.
As always, it's important to remember that papers referring to generations, by necessity, are full of stereotypes. We do not mean to say (and we do not believe) that all members of a generation are identical and that they all believe, do, or say the same sorts of things. If they did, voir dire would be a truly simple matter.
This paper is meant to help all of us reconfigure our understanding of the jurors in the American venire. We all have stereotypes about Boomers, Generation X and the Millennnials (aka Gen Y). But those stereotypes are often dated and not useful to us as we attempt to make trial-related decisions. We need to know how the generations are shaping up in 2012–and that requires modifying/changing our stereotypes. Stereotypes are, by definition, largely automatic and often unconscious. In order to modify stereotypical beliefs, you have to make yourself consciously aware of them.
In this paper, we examine attitudes, beliefs and values as held by current venire members about topics such as: multiculturalism, liberal versus conservative outlooks, attitudes about the government, gender roles, the environment, confidence in scientific findings, religious beliefs, thoughts about same sex marriage, the death penalty, gun control and marijuana legalization, as well as how much trust the various generations have in others.
For each of these areas, we provide a 'Practice Implications' section suggesting applications of the findings to voir dire and jury selection as well as case themes/case narrative development.
A cross-generational review
But first, a brief overview of who makes up each of the four generations we'll be discussing, their generational label, age and dates of births, current age, and the sense in the data and in their own behavioral histories of their perspective or world view.
Generational Label
Coming of Age and Current Age
Current Perspective
[from the November, 2011 Pew Report on Generations and the 2012 Elections]
Silent Generation "Matures"
Born 1928-1945
Turned 18 from 1946 to 1963 [now 66 to 83 y/o]
80% of those 65 or older in the US
Conservative. More uncomfortable than younger generations with social changes (including racial diversity & homosexuality). Social Security as top voting issue. 79% non-Hispanic whites. Very frustrated with government.
"Me Generation"
Nearly half say life in US has gotten worse since the 1960s. Concerned about finances & may not retire. Express as much frustration with government as the Silent Generation–Boomers have grown more critical of government in the last decade. Jobs most important voting issue.
"Baby-Busters"
"Slackers"
Similar to Millennials on social issues. Since 2009, financial worries. Backed Obama in 2008 but went Republican in 2010. Jobs most important voting issue.
"Boomlet"
Turned 18 from 1999 to 2011
[now 18 to 30 y/o]
Socially liberal. High rates of unemployment but still upbeat. Most diverse generation: only 59% are non-Hispanic whites. Welcome the new face of America. Jobs most important voting issue.
Boomers were the largest generation for most of their lives but the Millennial Generation surpassed them in size in 2010. Comparatively, the Silent Generation and Generation X are dwarfed by the Millennial and Boomer generational groups. The table below displays the varying generational percentages of the total population (currently about 310 million) in the United States. (iGeneration is the working label for those now aged zero to fifteen.)1
Practice Implications:
We are going to see fewer Silent Generation members in our jury panels over the next decade. As the remaining generations age up, maintaining awareness of how their needs and concerns change will be essential to continued success in all aspects of case planning and presentation.
Know your venire! America's population of old and young is shifting unevenly, with some communities being disproportionately younger or older. Pay attention to the research and census results and check the characteristics of unfamiliar venires. Remember to explore who actually shows up for a jury summons in the venue–that profile may be different than would be expected by a demographic profile of the venire.
Middle-aged and younger generations are better educated than older generations and among the younger generations–women are better educated than are men.2 The stereotype of the educated Asian American is actually true–Asians are the most educated of any ethnic group in the country while Hispanics in America are among the least well-educated. (As with other groups, younger Hispanics are better educated than their elders.)
Education is often thought to be critically important in juror's ability to understand case facts. Often, however, formal education is not as important as the trial attorney and witnesses speaking a language that jurors can understand. We see mock jurors who work with their hands and often have little formal education grasping very difficult and highly abstract concepts in high tech cases when the language helps them to understand the case facts.
Most of us know (because it's been repeated a lot!) that the Millennial generation is the most ethnically diverse generation yet in America. Another fact (often repeated) is that minorities will soon become the majority. While estimates vary as to when this will happen, it is expected that by 2020 (eight years from now) only 50% of children under age 5 will be non-Hispanic White.3 As you will see when we move to the discussion of attitudes across the generations–some of us are more comfortable with this eventuality than are others.
Regardless of our comfort or readiness for change, this change is coming. The Pew Research Center offers a snapshot of America's race and ethnicity by generation in 2011. It is easy to see how the proportion of non-Hispanic whites has shrunk over the past five generations.
Litigators will need to tell the trial stories that appeal to an increasingly diverse audience, without pandering. This will mean heightened awareness of our own individual biases and prejudice and understanding when to talk about racial biases and when to say quiet. It will also mean paying increased attention to language, being respectful to jurors of varied ethnicities. Most of us try to pay attention to these things now. In the future, it will be increasingly important.
Work Roles:
Much has been written about the central role of work in the lives of Boomers and the desire for a work/life balance in the lives of Generation X. The various opinions of what work is supposed to 'mean' isn't usually considered when picking juries or constructing trial themes. This is a risky omission. Millennials appear to be following in the Gen X path–attempting to weave a life encompassing both work and non-work life. Theoretically, at least. Millennials, launched into the workforce during a very difficult economy, are the most likely among the generations to be unemployed. In an Alice-in-Wonderland, upside down sort of world, the older you get, the less likely you are to be unemployed.4
Hispanic men have the highest level of employment5 (likely because they are younger than white males and less likely to be in school than young Asian males) while young black men have the highest percentage of unemployment.6 Hispanic women are the least likely group to be employed.
Finally, it is fairly unusual for younger workers to be self-employed. Only 7% overall are self-employed but that rate rises with age. Ten per cent of those aged 55 to 64 years of age are self-employed while 18% of those over age 65 are self-employed. It is anticipated that the self-employment rate among older Americans will increase as Boomers postpone retirement after turning 65 years of age.7
The difficult job market has seen an increase in 'hardship' complaints related to jury duty. You will likely see this in court until the economy improves substantially. When you consider that Hispanic males are less likely to be educated and therefore, less likely to be in employment that would continue to pay them while they are in jury duty–it is likely many of them may make hardship pleas or simply not show up for jury duty.
Most civil litigation is about jobs. The trial story usually involves someone doing something in the course of their employment (driving a truck, negotiating a contract, inventing a widget). What jurors think about personal responsibility, what they believe about corporate culture, what they think of the world of work, and whether they can identify with the life of the worker in the case is worthy of careful thought. The challenge of connecting your trial story to the values and experiences of jurors– even when the context is alien– is the art of being a trial lawyer.
Not surprisingly, the economic downturn has seriously changed the financial future for most Americans. In general (and adjusted for inflation), men's incomes are actually lower today than they were in 1980. The rapid growth in women's incomes since 1980 may be coming to an end as well.8 Generations still working have been hit much harder than those who have already retired–with Gen Xers and Boomers hit the hardest.
While Boomers have long been concerned with retirement finances (and the economic downturn has only intensified those concerns), Gen Xers are increasingly concerned about their own retirement finances. Two-thirds of Boomers in their 50s say they might have to delay retirement. While there is much talk about simplifying and downsizing, Gen Xers (who bought during the housing bubble) cannot afford to make this choice without losing significant sums of money and Boomers do not seem to be downsizing at all.9,10
Courts continue to struggle with requests for financial hardship exemptions in a financially struggling jury pool. It's a difficult balance to strike. This past year we assisted in a jury selection on a complex case in which there were almost 40 financial hardship requests. As we watched our minority and lower-income jurors be excused time and time again, we were struck by the improbability of having a truly representative jury.
Yet, if we insisted on keeping those jurors, we would have angry faces (and hearts) in the jury box and that would likely not result in a fair trial either. White collar workers are often paid their regular wages for jury duty. For the rest of the jury pool, their 'wages' for jury duty don't cover the costs of lunch and parking.
Technology Use:
We all know that Millennials are tech-wizards. Often referred to as digital natives, they are always connected. Gen Xers are much the same. What may surprise you is that Boomers and even the Silent Generation are also remarkably 'connected'. Certainly not to the same degree as the Millennials, but Grandma is also wired (mostly).
Millennials: 91% use the internet (up from 89% in 2008) and 86% use social networks. Despite their constant connectivity, texting is more popular among this group than either email or social networks.11
Generation X: 88% of Gen Xers were internet users in 2011 (up from 80% in 2008) and of those online, 73% used social media. Gen Xers are "fully comfortable using both traditional and digital media channels".12
Boomers: 75% use the internet (up from 70% in 2010) and 93% use email. Of those online, 47% used social networks in 2010 with 20% doing so daily. Intriguingly, Boomers spend more money on technology (monthly telecom fees, gadget/device purchases) than any other demographic!13
Silents: 47% used the internet in 2011 (up from 36% in 2008) and of those online, 94% use email and 26% use social networks!14,15
Don't assume that only the young use technology. When you are in a tech-heavy case though, make sure to use simple [even anthropomorphized] explanations for the complex layers of technology as exemplified in Barnes (2009).
Old and young alike can understand concepts, metaphors and analogies when presented in a familiar format. We've seen the esoteric technology underlying complex patents simplified using [for example] comparisons to drive through orders, vending machines, and pizza delivery. Use examples that are universal and jurors will 'get' enough of the concept to talk about it in their own words.
Differences in Generational Attitudes, Beliefs and Values
Attitudes and beliefs are the lens through which facts are viewed. There is little more important for a trial lawyer to understand than the the value of a potential juror as they might impact the issues in your specific case. Obviously, not every value will resonate with every case. The following section includes litigation-relevant variables we have found to be useful tip-offs on how individual jurors will respond to a trial story.
On the following pages you will find generational perspectives on the following variables: comfort with multicultural diversity (including a look back to the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001); liberal versus conservative outlook; anger/frustration with the government; beliefs about gender roles; attitudes toward the environment, scientific findings, religious beliefs, gun control, legalization of marijuana, same sex marriage, and how much members of the various generations trust others.
Attitudes, Beliefs and Values: Clues to Juror's Case Reactions
Multicultural/Diversity comfort:
As demonstrated earlier, America is increasing multiculturally composed. The Silent Generation is the least comfortable with these changes. Then Boomers. Gen X and the Millennials are more at ease. When we examine data on generational attitudes toward interracial dating (blacks and whites dating each other), the pattern is the same. The younger you are, the more comfort with interracial dating and marriage. For example, when asked if it is "all right for blacks and whites to date each other", 91% of Millennials agree it is while other generations tend to agree–Gen X (92%), Boomers (87%) and Silents (76%).
It is perhaps unsurprising that our attitudes toward immigration and immigrants follow the same trend. Only 27% of Millennials believe that "newcomers [i.e., immigrants] threaten our customs and values" while 37% of Gen Xers endorse the belief, as do 46% of Boomers and 45% of the Silent Generation.
Our youth lead the way with tolerance–as they have across all younger generations. On multiple issues related to America's growing cultural diversity, the younger you are, the more likely you are to see these changes as positive. We can see this clearly if we compare visually the generational perspectives on the changing face of America.
Generational Perspectives on the New Face of America
[data depicts % saying each is a "change for the better"]
— From the 2011 Pew Report on the Generation Gap and the 2012 elections
Recollections of 9/11/2001: Another way to look at our comfort with multicultural America is to look a decade later at recollections of the terrorist attacks of 2001. Ages of the generations are included as a critical contextual anchor when looking at the emotional response of the Millennials.
How Generations Look Back at 9/11
We might be tempted to judge the Millennials as unfeeling when examining their emotional response unless we look at their age range in 2011. They were children. They know things have changed but overall they were not old enough to emotionally understand just how much our lives were irrevocably changed.
The first lesson is that context is critical. We can make assumptions that are completely wrong based on evidence not placed in context. It is important that you supply jurors with contextual information about surprising evidence or 'bad facts' (if any). The fundamental attribution error ensures that without context, jurors will assume [bad] character reasons for behavior rather than situational reasons. [See Sam Sommers' article in this issue for more on how context matters for attorneys.]
The second lesson is that when we have strong emotional reactions, we look for someone to blame. There is ample evidence in the literature that prejudice against Arab Americans and Muslims is rampant since 9/11.
What the polls [and the research] tell us is that our suspiciousness extends to everyone who is "different" than us–whether that difference is skin color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or some other variable that makes 'them' different. It is counteracted by addressing it directly, beginning in voir dire and judiciously (and usually subtly) throughout the trial.
Gender roles and family structure:
Changes in gender roles and family structure have been continuous since WW II. But we still have strong feelings about whether these changes are good or bad. The debate over how we define families and even how we define marriage have been at the epicenter of public discourse continuously.
The generational perspective on these issues mirrors those of other social issues–the younger you are, generally the more tolerant you are. For example, no generational group really supports the unmarried parent as a "good thing" but Millennials see it as mattering much less than do older generations.
Intriguingly, despite the tepid support for unmarried parents, more Americans support same-sex marriage than ever before–although there are strong generational differences in this support. The pattern follows the same one we've seen before. Millennials are most supportive (59%), then Gen X (50%), then Boomers (42%) and then the Silent Generation (33%).
Generational Perspectives on the Changing Gender Roles and Family Structure
[data depicts % saying each is a "change for the better" except for the unmarried parent question which depicts those saying it is a "change that makes no difference"]
When your client is not traditional, you want to emphasize to the jurors the ways in which your client is much the same as the jurors. Identify universal values by highlighting family connections, community involvement, parenting activities, et cetera.
Despite younger jurors being more positively disposed to changing family structure, more than half of them are not supportive. It remains just as important that you connect jurors to your client (via similarities) regardless of whether your jurors are older or younger.
Liberal or conservative?
Akin to views on social issues, the older you are, the more likely you are to be conservative. Among all generational groups except the Millennials, the proportion of those who identify as conservative has increased since 2000. Below is the snapshot from 2011.
Generational self-descriptions as liberal or conservative
[data represent percentages of people describing themselves as either liberal or conservative]
If your case has political overtones or government or authority figure involvement, you want to pay special attention to the Silent Generation members. Silents are the most politically engaged generation at the moment–and are much more engaged than they were in the 2008 elections. They are 3x more likely than Millennials to say they have given a lot of thought to the 2012 elections (and there was no difference between the two generations on this issue at this phase of the election process in 2007).
In our 2011 pretrial research, we've seen "liberal" and "conservative" labels thrown around by mock jurors in ways that mean very different things when we are in New York City than they mean when we are in North Carolina or Utah. Make sure you determine what those buzzwords mean in the specific venire. There are specific values and beliefs underlying those labels. It's in your best interest (not to mention the best interest of your client) to find out how values, beliefs and labels converge to define your case and your venire.
Trust in Others:
Poll findings regarding how readily people trust others have a counter-intuitive feel. It would make sense that tolerant people are more trusting. But, oddly, Millennials are the least trusting of the generations. In some ways, this open-minded, all-embracing generation can be closed and defensive. And the pattern holds across the generations: older people are more trusting and younger people are less trusting. The reasons can't be fully explained, but if you consider the level of cynicism and mistrust that pervaded the public conversation during the years that the Silents were young, as opposed to the progression of our society since them, it is tempting to give those formative experiences a lot of credit.
"Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can't be too careful in life?"
We often talk to focus groups and mock juries about how their willingness to believe someone plummets if they find out the person is a lawyer. There is generally laughter and then quick agreement that lawyers can generally not be trusted to tell the truth.
What this means is you have a challenging audience already, and younger jurors are going to be more cynical and prone to see 'spin' in how you tell your case story. Your best bet is to be clear, factual, and precise in the way you present your evidence. For the cynical and mistrusting, the worst thing you can do is to overtly attempt persuasion. It will backfire. Allow the jury to come to their own conclusions–and let them know that you are trusting them to apply their judgment and see the truth.
Preferred source of information:
There is also a strong generational difference in where we turn for information.16 Younger generations tend to go to the internet or television while older generations make much more use of newspapers and television. This generational difference will result in different information coming to your jurors pretrial. "Google mistrials" related to internet searches have been triggered by impulsive behavior by both the oldest and youngest jurors.
Where Generations Get News Information
[Numbers are rounded]
Keep track of where your potential jurors are going to seek information, and know what they are likely to find when they look there. That means the universe of what you have to cover is exponentially larger than 20 years ago. While television, newspaper and radio reporters have some guidelines on what they can and cannot say and do, the internet has highly credible looking sources that operate with no rules at all. Social media sites ensure that information travels at the speed of light. And unfortunately, most of us seek information not to inform ourselves, but to affirm ourselves. What that means is that we don't investigate to see if our information is accurate–it is read and embraced to validate pre-existing beliefs.
Anger with government:
Americans are dissatisfied with government–and for many, the feeling is anger. While most social issues variables follow a predictable generational pattern, this one is different. The Silent Generation is very angry with the government and their anger is mobilizing them politically.
Generational Anger with and Attitudes Toward the Government
The Silent Generation is simultaneously the happiest generation and the most negative when it comes to government. And the carefree, former flower children Boomers are the most unhappy. One aspect of this equation could be related to the Silent Generation having grown up without many of the big government programs, and not wanting to see expenditures expanded to a broader scope.
Older Americans are the most satisfied with their financial situations17 despite economic changes and the most likely to say their financial situation has stayed the same during the last few years.18 This is likely the case since many Silents are retired and had already downsized their living expenses prior to the economic downturn. And overall, they have lived more modestly than the subsequent generational groups. The financial portfolios of Boomers were hardest hit in terms of time remaining to plan for retirement.
Anger has been a huge theme in our 2011 pretrial research work, but it doesn't always bounce predictably. Jurors are angry at Wall Street but wary of giving verdicts that could harm large companies that "might" create jobs again. They are angry at finger-pointing rather than taking responsibility for one's actions. Yet, they often support corporations when least expected if case themes are crafted carefully.
We've seen an increasing number of "a pox on both your houses" reactions across cases ranging from divorces to contracts to patents. Jury research across the country shows that jurors are fed up with what they see as manipulative efforts to avoid responsibility–whether "you" are an individual, a corporation, a sports franchise, or the government.
Views on Environment/Energy Sources:
Historically, Americans have placed concerns for environment above economic concerns. Recently, Gallup has demonstrated the economy is edging out environmental concerns although short-term reversals occur when disasters hit. For example, the environment was more important after the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, and again after the tsunami-caused Japanese nuclear factory disaster. But during an ongoing economic crisis, these rushes to support the environment were short-lived (measured in weeks not months) and economic concerns again prevailed. Research is mixed over the nature and extent of a generational shift regarding matters of the environment.
The main lesson here is, again, to avoid assumptions. The economy and the environment are tightly linked and current attitudes are fluid. The best approach is to educate yourself about existing attitudes in the venire as close to trial as possible and proceed accordingly.
Reaction to scientific findings:
The media would have us believe that the issue of climate change is a scientific debate. Yet, those of us who prepare expert witnesses to present scientific data know that jurors often dispute "science" simply because they disagree with it. According to the 2011 Pew Report, there is a decline in the past five years in the number of Americans who believe the climate is warming. Scientists haven't wavered, but the confusing and mixed messages on television and the internet has created uncertainty.
Political affiliation seems to be predictive of whether climate change is accepted. Twice as many Democrats (and Democrat-leaning Independents) say there is solid evidence of climate warming than do Republicans (and Republican-leaning Independents). Among the Democrats there are no generational divides on this issue. But among Republicans, about half of the Millennial Republicans and Republican leaners say global warming is occurring.
When we ask generally about scientific progress19, we see little in the way of generational differences–it seems we have to have a specific issue in mind (like global warming) to see differences that make a difference.
"Science makes our way of life change too fast"
There is a significant portion of society that fears change, and mistrusts what they can't see or touch. Scientific findings set off internal alarms if the listener disagrees with the findings. There are ways to decrease the intensity of those alarms and increase the chances of your message being heard.
Religious affiliation (especially among young adults) has been on a downward trend since the 1970s when 13% of Boomers were not religiously affiliated. According to the Pew Report, in 2010, 26% of Millennials were not religiously affiliated. Nor were 21% of Generation X and 15% of the Baby Boomers. 2011 data in the following chart (from a different source) largely mirror the Pew Report.
Generational Religious Affiliations and Perspectives
— From American Generations (2011). New Strategist Publications, Inc.
Older Americans continue to be more religious than younger Americans in terms of both self-description and behavioral indicators (e.g., attending religious services).
Opposition to the death penalty has been growing over the last fifteen years. Millennials are the most opposed to the death penalty. In other generational groups, "support outweighs opposition by nearly two-to-one with little difference between Silents, Boomers and Generation X."
More Millennials Opposed to Death Penalty for Murderers
[data reflects percentages opposing death penalty in each generation]
Guns and Gun Control:
There are few issues as polarizing as debates over gun control. Despite Millennial's lack of trust in others, they are least likely to have a gun in their home and this pattern of results is typical of our overall experience in this review–the younger you are, the less likely you are to own a gun; the older you are, the more likely you are to own a gun.20
Legalizing Marijuana:
Legalization of marijuana is another issue with strong debates on either side21. The recent trend toward medical marijuana may indicate opinions against this issue are weakening. A recent survey shows the typical pattern with an exception–Boomers "remember when" and are more in favor of legalization than their Gen X children. When the argument becomes one of economics–citing the cost of prosecutions and jailing for minor drug offenses- the public is notably more weary of these laws.
"Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal or not?"
As you review the data we've presented here, you may be surprised there are not "more" differences between the generations.
There is a more liberal/tolerant focus on social issues among the Millennials and Generation X.
There is a concern about financial issues shared by Gen X and the Boomers.
The Millennials have an unprecedented rate of unemployment.
The Silent Generation is happiest and yet, the most angry with government.
There is a divide between the youngest generation (the Millennials) and the oldest generation (the Silents) that appears unbridgeable based on the Pew Report. Some of this is due to the age gap and the ever-increasing liberal perspectives of the younger generations.
So with all the press on the "slackers" and the "punks" and the "flower children" of yore–why do we not see more differences between the generations? They grew up differently. They had different formative experiences. Why is there not a bright line of difference? It could be that there is–in some instances.
As it turns out, the stereotype of the Boomer rebel/hippie/flower child actually applied to only a small, iconic segment of the Boomer population. But it's the image we retain of the 1960s generation. It's part of what we do. We put people in boxes. It makes things simpler. And often, it makes us flat out wrong.
We all use stereotypes as shortcuts to decision-making. Readers of our blog know that we rely heavily on the newly published (not the sadly dated) research literature to understand the evidence rather than to merely parrot the opinions found in the popular media. Here's a terrific (and pretty succinct) explanation of why stereotypes persist in spite of evidence to the contrary:
"So, why might stereotypes persist in the face of evidence to the contrary? In fact, the stereotype and the data can both be correct simultaneously. If one considers a normal distribution of people, it would only take a small increase in numbers at either tail of the distribution to cause people to believe that one generation was different from another due to the disproportionate impact outliers have on influencing perceptions. This might occur even while the average within the generation stays the same as the other generations."22
As always, knowing general information about your jurors (in this case their generation) allows you to assess attitudes and beliefs that are relevant to your case and alerts you to the importance of not relying on stereotypes alone to make decisions you then have to live with throughout trial.
Douglas L. Keene, Ph.D. is a psychologist, founder of Keene Trial Consulting, Past-President of the American Society of Trial Consultants, and teaches Advanced Civil Trial Advocacy at the University of Texas School of Law. He assists law firms with trial strategy (including focus groups and mock trials) on major civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense. He assists with voir dire strategy, jury selection, witness preparation, and related services. His national practice is based in Austin, Texas and you can visit his website here.
Rita R. Handrich, Ph.D. joined Keene Trial Consulting in 2000 and has since worked on cases ranging from medical negligence to commercial litigation and intellectual property disputes. She is a psychologist with extensive experience as a testifying expert witness, management consultation and training in the multi-generational workplace. In addition to providing trial consulting services through KTC, she is Editor of The Jury Expert. Rita is a frequent contributor to "The Jury Room" – the Keene Trial Consulting blog [and ABA Blawg 100 honoree for both 2010 and 2011].
Four generations of men
Employment defined
Tech Wizards
1 American Generations. Published 2011 by New Strategist Publications, Inc.
2 Ibid.
9 Kotkin, J. & Cox, W. (2011). Where the Boomers Are. Forbes, September 12, page 26.
10 Baby Boomer Consumers. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 242.
11 Millennial Consumers. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 250.
12 Generation X Consumers. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 246.88
13 Baby Boomer Consumers. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 244.
14 Senior Consumers. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 237.
15 Generational Comparisons. (2012). Consumer Behavior, page 235.
16 American Generations. (2011). New Strategist Publications, Inc.
17 Ibid.
20 American Generations. (2011). New Strategist Publications, Inc.
22 Gentry, W.A., Griggs, T.L., Deal, J.J., Mondore, S.P. And Cox, B.D. (2011). A comparison of generational differences in endorsement of leadership practices with actual leadership skill level. Consulting Psychology Journal, 63(1), 39-49.
Tags: Vol. 24/No.1 January 2012
@LitigationTips
Posted October 24, 2012 at 9:28 AM
RT @TheJuryExpert: Talkin' 'bout our Generations: Are we who we wanted to be? 2 trial consultants examine the data http://t.co/RFMQlzbC
@Kireal
Posted November 19, 2014 at 9:12 PM
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アメリカ世代間分析。サイレント、ベビーブーマー、ジェネレーションX、ミレニアルズまで。傾向がはっきりでているものも。
Doug Keene and Rita Handrich
Thanks for stopping by…. « The Jury Room


text:
johfra bosschart
Artist, Art, Surrealism
 Leif Podhajsky
Johfra Bosschart was a Dutch modern surrealist painter. Johfra described his works as "Surrealism based on studies of psychology, religion, the bible, astrology, antiquity, magic, witchcraft, mythology and occultism."
 Johfra Bosschart, The Journey Home.
Born as Franciscus Johannes Gijsbertus van den Berg, he later in 1945 adopted the pseudonym Johfra by using the first three letters from each of his two first names in reverse order. Much of his early life was spend in The Hague. From an early age he showed great abilities in drawing and later attended lessons at the Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague.
By 1943 he had assembled a considerable body of work that he was able to mount an exhibition. Most of his early pieces were destroyed in a bombing raid during the closing years of the Second World War. One that survived is his Fantastic figure of 1942.
"A victim of a world in which he is the fool, and of himself through his boundless vanity, making him impossible to break out of this situation." – On visiting Dali.
In German occupied Holland he had little access to the wider art world but he did obtain a Nazi propaganda magazine with an article about degenerate art. This introduced him to the imagery of Dalí, Ernst, Tanguy, and Magritte. He became especially drawn to the work of Dalí. After the war Johra was free to paint and he produced a profusion of work. His Terra Incognita of 1955 clearly demonstrated the influence of Dalí. Throughout the 1950s he created many paintings in a flowing organic style.
In 1959 Johfra travelled to Port Lligat with the intention of meeting Salvador Dalí. Their meetings were somewhat strained and strange, but Dalí took them to his studio where he showed Johfra The Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus which he was then working on. Johfra, however, was rather disappointed with Dalí as he wrote in his diary "This visit left a storm of conflicting thoughts and feelings behind us. I found him repulsive yet sympathetic and tragic. An imprisoned person who is forced to be the figure that he himself has created. A victim of a world in which he is the fool, and of himself through his boundless vanity, making him impossible to break out of this situation. What I missed completely was every trace of joy and humour."
In the immediate post war years Johfra became involved with a fellow Dutch artist Diana Vanbenberg and they married in 1952. They were able to travel to Rome. Johfra held several solo exhibitions and gained some degree of financial stability. The 1950s saw the development of his mature surrealist style.
This perhaps reflects the influence of a new artistic partner in his life Ellen Lórien, whom he married in 1973. The 1970s marked an amazingly fruitful period for Johfra with the creation of many of his major pieces. It was during this period that art historian Hein Steehouwer devised the term 'Meta-Realists' for Johfra and the other artists in his circle suggesting they were depicting a realm beyond, or standing above, the real.
In A Spring Morning of 1957 he began to develop the tangled organic landscapes which appear in many of his later paintings. In 1967 he produced a series of four drawings on the theme of schizophrenia. Perhaps these show some influence from the symbolic language of Hieronymous Bosch and Breughel. These drawings marked a departure from his earlier surrealistic style towards a more emblematic, instructive and didactic one. This was perhaps already a component of his work, as is seen in the emblematic Son of the Snakes of 1951, but now this pictorial form became more central and his surrealist style somewhat diminishes in importance for him.
This was followed a year later by his Zodiac series which immediately touched the popular imagination as it appeared as illustrations in various books, and was made into large wall posters popular among the new age enthusiasts. Johfra later found this series to be a considerable burden as this became so bound to his name that his other work was unfortunately ignored. He described his works as "Surrealism based on studies of psychology, religion, the bible, astrology, antiquity, magic, witchcraft, mythology and occultism."
Johfra's legacy has been rather affected by the popularity of his 1970s Zodiac series, so much so that many of his surreal works became marginalised, however, we should view him as a significant surrealist, who shifted into a more emblematic, narrative and didactic style, in what was labelled as meta-realist, a term which he later disowned. – Surrealism.Website
Johfra Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHaVe7PD-1E


Feet resting in the warm Caribbean sand, the sun shining onto the clear blue water, and her husband of five years by her side, Alicia Carnot, 32, was having the time of her life. For their anniversary, this Sicklerville mother of two was enjoying a dream vacation on the island of Mustique, a small private island that is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
After a week on the island, Alicia and her husband, Daniel, returned to the reality of everyday life-taking care of their children and working. Alicia worked in a hospital as Director of Risk Management. Soon afterwards, Alicia began to fall ill with fevers and chest pain. "I knew there was something wrong but no one could figure out what it was," Alicia said. During this time Alicia discovered that she was pregnant. A week went by, and Alicia got worse. She went to her local community hospital several times and was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that is usually caused by a viral infection.
She was home one afternoon when she began to have difficulty breathing. She knew she needed to go to the emergency department. Instead of going back to the same hospital, she chose Cooper.
The decision to come to Cooper was likely a decision that saved her life.
When Alicia arrived at the Cooper Emergency Department her body was failing her. Upon her arrival, doctors quickly began running tests and trying to stabilize her blood pressure. "I remember coming into the ED and meeting my nurse Tami. She was so attentive, and was determined to find out what was happening to me. I will never forget her," reflects Alicia.
From blood tests, EKG's, and multiple other tests, doctors could see Alicia's organs were going into failure. Alicia also found out that she had lost her baby due to the severe infection her body was fighting. She would need to be transferred to the ICU immediately.
"I remember the doctors and nurses asking me all about my trip to the Caribbean and they even called to that local hospital to see if any forms of infection were prominent there at the time," said Alicia.
Doctors discovered that Alicia had contracted typhoid fever from salmonella bacteria while on her vacation in the Caribbean; and she was in full septic shock. She was put on a ventilator for several days while antibiotics killed the bacteria, her cardiovascular system was supported with fluids to increase her circulating blood volume which had been depleted by the septic condition, and medications were given to keep her blood pressure up.
Severe sepsis, a toxic response of an infection that causes body organ failure, is one of the most deadly diseases. More than 30 percent of patients die from the disease. Severe sepsis causes the blood pressure to drop and attacks the organs which often begin to shut down, leaving patients on respirators and machines to control their life organs. There are greater than 750,000 estimated cases of severe sepsis a year in the United States with an estimated 400,000 ICU admissions.
Her husband sat by her side, unable to comprehend that his vibrant wife was at risk for losing her life. He was approached by r. Phillip Dellinger, MD, Head of Critical Care Medicine at Cooper, about a new clinical trial for sepsis patients. The EUPHRATES trial would take Alicia's blood and transfuse it through a dialysis device that would remove endotoxins, the most prominent toxin known by researchers to cause the inflammatory response of the body seen in septic shock and always associated with typhoid fever. The hope by researchers is that by removing these endotoxins the blood will be purified back into the blood stream, allowing the body to recover.
Alicia immediately began her sepsis dialysis. "It's a blind trial, so we don't know if Alicia really had the endotoxins removed, however, within hours, her color changed. Her blood pressure started to stabilize," said Daniel. Two days later, Alicia started to wake up.
"I woke up in the ICU completely unable to understand that a week had vanished from my life, but that I was still here. They were cheering for me, the nurses and my family, I could hear them cheering for me as I woke up," Alicia reflected.
According to Dr. Dellinger, not all patients are as lucky as Alicia. With no approved method of treating the disease, research such as the EUPHRATES trial becomes most important for a better understanding of the disease and treatment. It's a small step forward in saving the more 250,000 people who die every year from this disease.
A week later, Alicia was discharged from Cooper and was home with her family.
Today, two years after her battle with sepsis, Alicia is Administrative Director of Risk Management and Sepsis Performance Improvement for a hospital in Pennsylvania.
Nearly two years after almost losing her life, Alicia and her husband were back at Cooper this May, but this time they shed tears of joy as they welcomed their son Daniel into the world.
"I'm blessed, truly blessed to have my family and my life," Alicia says.


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ty for everything. so great to have you as a friend, and honest lady.
Excellent. Picked-up quickly and gave me a lot of peace. Thank you.
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