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CNN Taking Fire For Using Slain Ambassador's Journal As News Source
Good journalism? Or, bad ethics?
Doug Mataconis · Sunday, September 23, 2012 · 28 comments
On Friday, CNN reported that it found the journal of the late Ambassador Christopher Stevens in the burned out wreckage of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi:
NEW YORK — Anderson Cooper revealedFriday night that CNN had found U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens' personal journal following the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed him and acknowledged the network used the journal in its reporting without previously disclosing the source.
On Wednesday on his show, "Anderson Cooper 360," Cooper told Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) that "a source familiar with Ambassador Stevens' thinking told us that in the months before his death he talked about being worried about the never-ending security threats that he was facing in Benghazi and specifically about the rise in Islamic extremism and growing al Qaeda presence." The source, Cooper continued, "also mentioned [Stevens] being on an al Qaeda hit list."
But what Cooper didn't reveal at the time was that CNN's sourcing was tied, at least partially, to Stevens' thinking as written in his personal journal.
Here's how Cooper put it on his show Friday night:
On Wednesday of this week, we reported that a source familiar with Ambassador Stevens' thinking said in the months before his death, Ambassador Stevens talked about being worried about what he called the never-ending security threats in Benghazi.
We also reported that the ambassador specifically mentioned the rise in Islamic extremism, the growing Al Qaeda presence in Libya and said he was on an Al Qaeda hit list. The information for that report, like all of CNN's reporting, was carefully vetted. Some of that information was found in a personal journal of Ambassador Stevens in his handwriting.
We came upon the journal through our reporting and notified the family. At their request, we returned that journal to them. We reported what we found newsworthy in the ambassador's writings. A reporter followed up on what we found newsworthy, as I said, in the ambassador's writings.
Both in Cooper's statement and in an unbylined stories posted on Friday, CNN sought to portray itself as promptly complying with the families wishes and returning the journal. However, it seems clear that the news network was using it as a news source for several days, and had either made copies of it before returning it or had not returned it as promptly as they are representing to the public. Indeed, The Wall Street Journal reports that CNN's use of the journal as a source for its news reports was against the wishes of the Stevens family and appears to suggest that its decision to return the journal came only after prodding by the family and the State Department:
CNN said on its website that it notified the Stevens family "within hours" that it had the journal. The Stevens family then reached out to the State Department, which arranged a telephone conference call between members of the family and CNN. In that call, the family asked the news organization to return the journal and to not publish or broadcast any of its contents, according to a Stevens family member and State Department officials.
Family members and State Department officials said CNN agreed during the Sept. 14 conference call to hold off on using the diary until the family had a chance to review its contents.
Family members said they knew Mr. Stevens kept a diary but didn't know what was in the journal obtained by CNN. The news organization initially provided the family with a transcript it prepared from the journal.
State Department officials said they then made arrangements for CNN to hand over the diary to an Italian diplomat in Benghazi. CNN says it handed over the journal to a third party acting on behalf of the family within a day of finding it.
The State Department enlisted the aid of the Italian envoy because U.S. diplomats evacuated the city after the Sept. 11 attack. The State Department said it had arranged for the Italian diplomat to safeguard the diary until it could be handed over to American officials in Tripoli, and that it would then be brought to the U.S., where the family would be able to take possession of it.
Family members and U.S. officials said they were surprised when CNN anchor Anderson Cooper appeared to use the information from the journal, attributing it to a source familiar with Mr. Stevens's thinking.
The State Department also issued a statement in which it called CNN's use of the journal as a news source "disgusting":
NEW YORK — The State Department blasted CNN Saturday night for the network's handling of a personal journal belonging to late U.S. Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens, which was removed from the site of the deadly Sept. 11 consulate attack.
State Dept. spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement to The Huffington Post that "given the truth of how this was handled, CNN patting themselves on the back is disgusting."
Reines wrote that CNN "ultimately broke their pledge made to them only hours after they witnessed the return to the Unites States of Chris's remains."
"Whose first instinct is to remove from a crime scene the diary of a man killed along with three other Americans serving our country, read it, transcribe it, email it around your newsroom for others to read, and only when their curiosity is fully satisfied thinks to call the family or notify the authorities?" Reines asked.
For its own part, CNN defended its decision to use the journal as a news source given the presence of items in there that were arguably newsworthy:
CNN did not initially report on the existence of a journal out of respect for the family, but we felt there were issues raised in the journal which required full reporting, which we did. We think the public had a right to know what CNN had learned from multiple sources about the fears and warnings of a terror threat before the Benghazi attack which are now raising questions about why the State Department didn't do more to protect Ambassador Stevens and other US personnel. Perhaps the real question here is why is the State Department now attacking the messenger.
CNN is getting hammered for using the diary as a news source rather than giving it to the family as they requested or, as some have suggested, turning it over the government as "evidence" in the terror attack. It's very tempting to be sympathetic to Stevens' family and to argue that the journal should have been returned to them immediately. However, there's also the fact that that Stevens' journal apparently did contain material indicating the Ambassador's concerns regarding the security situation for American diplomats in Libya as well as warning of attacks and security threats in the Benghazi area and elsewhere. These concerns were apparently corroborated by other information obtained by CNN reporters on the ground. Doesn't this make at least this part of the journal newsworthy? If an Ambassador in a nation like Libya is expressing private concerns about his own security in the weeks and months before his death, isn't that relevant information that the American public should know as we continue to uncover exactly what happened on September 11, 2012 in Benghazi? I understand the people who are sympathetic to the wishes of Stevens' family and the idea that they should have been followed, but it strikes me that there are other obligations that journalists owe to their audience, and it strikes me that CNN would have been doing a disservice by choosing not to report this information.
As to the argument that this is "evidence", I'm not really sure what it would be evidence of unless Stevens was writing a contemporaneous account of the attack while hiding in the Consulate, which doesn't appear to be the case. Furthermore, even if it is "evidence," it's also newsworthy and, unless it involved something secret that would have jeopardized an investigation, or jeopardized lives, I don't see the "evidence" argument as one that should have precluded CNN from making the information public.
At the same time, though, the issues aren't quite that simple, as Taylor Marsh points out:
CNN's lack of judgment in sharing the information without disclosing the source, which could have come with the statement under the video above as to the duty they felt to share the with the public the information, would have at least kept CNN from setting themselves and Anderson Cooper up to become the story and distract from facts surrounding the terrorist attack that are critically important.
Taking the heat from the Stevens family, the State Department, as well as the Administration is one thing. Keeping an oath to viewers and to the craft of journalism is another. Then there is the legality of having the personal journal in the first place and possibly betraying the trust of the family while taking the stance you're doing a public service and keeping faith with the job of reporting the news.
A lot of elements to this tale, all of which are part of a terrorist attack that occurred on 9/11, with the latest elements heightening the mystery and unease of what actually led up to what occurred on a day of spectacular symbolism for America, but also our enemies.
Nothing is more important than truth and reporting it, not politics, nor a families feelings. Why CNN felt they weren't on high ground here and didn't act transparently leads me to believe there are other things we still don't know. Because if this is all there is and CNN management couldn't figure out how to report what had happened openly, honestly and through basic journalistic standards the network has got a lot bigger problems than ratings, though it would explain why they can't get their act together.
That's the part where CNN arguably screwed up. They should have revealed they had the journal from the beginning, and why they were using it. By not doing so, they have made it seem like they had something to hide and they ended up becoming the story when the story should be the fact that the American Ambassador to Libya had serious concerns about Embassy and Consular Security that apparently weren't being dealt with by the State Department.
Update: Rick Moran makes in interesting point:
If it had been a personal diary, there might be a more pressing question whether any news organization should glean reports from, much less read, something so intimate.
But what CNN is calling a "journal" appears to be the thoughts of Ambassador Stevens set to paper to assist him with his official reports. If that is the case, CNN broke no ethical standard that I can see in using the information contained in the writings.
One can sympathize with the family on this issue, but the murder of an American ambassador and publishing his thoughts leading up to his death is a story with worldwide significance. CNN felt it had an obligation to selectively air those thoughts, only after confirming them with other sources, and keeping secret any personal and intimate details contained in the journal.
As Moran points out, it's unlikely that any other news organization would've handled this differently. Although I do think that they should have been transparent about the source of their information, I tend to agree.
FILED UNDER: US Politics, Christopher Stevens, CNN
mattb says:
Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 10:41
They should have revealed they had the journal from the beginning, and why they were using it. By not doing so, they have made it seem like they had something to hide and they ended up becoming the story.
This. And I suspect the reason that they did not disclose the source is that they realized how ghoulish it would appear. And the decision not to mention it was made to protect CNN rather than the legacy of the Ambassador.
Taking a more historical view, this sort of sourcing is nothing new in the news. In fact, it's a pretty traditional form of journalism. What's changed isn't so much the method of sourcing, but concepts of transparency in reporting.
We — the news consuming public — are much more interested in how the news is produced than ever before. Unfortunately, as with laws and sausage making, the more we know about how news is produced, the less palatable we find the results.
Dave Schuler says:
Something that seems to be missing from the coverage is that the journal is private property. There doesn't appear to be any legitimate reason to believe that it was discarded. If you find a wallet with all the identifying material intact and you keep it, you're stealing. That's true whether you're a truck driver or a newspaper reporter. The same is true of a personal journal. Knowingly receiving stolen property is also a crime and there's no journalist exemption.
CNN had the obligation to return the journal to its owners, presumably Amb. Stevenson's heirs, as soon as it came to light because it wasn't CNN's property, it wasn't in the public domain, and it hadn't been discarded.
LCaution says:
Still not clear on all the details, but if I had found the journal, I would not have read it and would have turned it over to the State Department or family asap. It was the personal journal of a man who had just been killed. It simply seems ethically and morally wrong to me. But then I'm not a journalist used to asking bereaved family members how they "feel".
I'm open to arguments supporting CNN but right now it seems to me less like a journalistic coup and more like an invasion of privacy.
Doug Mataconis says:
@Dave Schuler:
Based on the description are we sure this was a personal journal, or a series of notes Stevens kept in connection with his job?
Eric Florack says:
Bad ethics it may be but if it helped Obama's re-election state would be holding a silence not unlike that surrounding Obama's transcripts, and Fast and Furious. That suggests the Democrats are trying as ever to cover something, here.
@Doug Mataconis:
Does it make a difference? That would make it government property not put it into the public domain. It's still not CNN's property or received under legitimate circumstances.
The Pentagon Papers were government property too. That doesn't mean that they weren't newsworthy, or that the Times and Post were incorrect for having published them.
Ben Wolf says:
@Dave Schuler: If the document in question is governmnet property then how is this any different than publishing leaked classified materials?
Jeremy R. says:
@Doug:
By not doing so, they have made it seem like they had something to hide and they ended up becoming the story when the story should be the fact that the American Ambassador to Libya had serious concerns about Embassy and Consular Security that apparently weren't being dealt with by the State Department.
Is there any evidence for that assertion? All recent reporting I've seen is that security at the embassy and missions, and Stevens' personal security were tailored based on his wishes.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444165804578008411144721162.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Current and former officials said the security choices in Benghazi reflected efforts by Mr. Stevens to maintain a low-profile security posture and show faith in Libya's new leaders, despite questions about their ability to rein in heavily armed bands of militants. Officials say Mr. Stevens personally advised against having Marines posted at the embassy in Tripoli, apparently to avoid a militarized U.S. presence.
The security plan for the consulate also reflected confidence Mr. Stevens felt in a city where he worked for months with rebels battling Moammar Gadhafi's rule. State Department officials said he didn't consult with Washington before traveling to Benghazi, located in an area that has become notorious for its volatile mix of Islamist militancy and heavy weaponry.
A State Department official said Washington doesn't control the travels of ambassadors within countries where they are posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/21/us-usa-libya-security-idUSBRE88J18R20120921
The ambassador's many admirers say a low-key approach to security was one of the factors that made him an unusually effective diplomat in the Arab world, widely praised for being both intrepid and approachable by those he wished to help.
@Jeremy R.:
I'm aware of those reports. I'd note that in a high risk situation it isn't necessary the Ambassador's job to decide what kind of security he gets, and more than it is the President's job to decide how much Secret Service protection he gets.
It would be more newsworthy if it wasn't just seven handwritten pages, some part of which includes his personal worries, and instead was some official document saying he wasn't getting some security he'd requested. Based on CNN's reporting off of the journal it's the former and not the latter.
Add to it CNN looting the journal from a U.S. government mission where the FBI was investigating a murder, the breaking of their promises to the family, their repeated attempts to pressure the family into reconsidering, and then their going forward anyway, their dishonest and convoluted source attributions — on the whole it's just an extremely embarrassing episode for the news org.
At this point, I'd almost just want them to publish the transcript so I can compare it to their shifting reporting, though obviously there'd be concerns about not revealing any personal information the family may want to keep private or any official state department business that may have been referenced.
I'd note that in a high risk situation it isn't necessary the Ambassador's job to decide what kind of security he gets, and more than it is the President's job to decide how much Secret Service protection he gets.
Sure, but that's an entirely different line of criticism than claiming it's a, "fact that the American Ambassador to Libya had serious concerns about Embassy and Consular Security that apparently weren't being dealt with by the State Department."
Rick Almeida says:
@Ben Wolf:
If the journal wasn't government property and/or wasn't classified, those seem like very big good reason why this is different from "publishing leaked classified materials".
Is it always wrong for a journalist to make public leaked classified information?
Crusty Dem says:
Which is exactly what the president does. Unless you believe the Secret Service forced JFK into a top-down convertible in Dallas..
In general, yes. There are circumstances under which it might be justified but this doesn't appear to be one of them.
I'm reminded of this story from earlier in the year:
https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/bad-journalism-or-a-reason-not-to-have-private-conservations-in-public/
Whether the journal was intended to be private or not seems largely irrelevant. It was left in a publically accessible place. If we're going to start arguing that reporters can no longer use information if another party intended it to remain private, you've pretty much made all investigative journalism unethical.
To the extent we should be mad at someone, the real question should be why apparently no attempt was made to secure the ambassadors personal belongings after the attack, such that his journal was left lying around for anyone to pick up. Frankly, we should be glad it ended up in the hands of CNN, because it could have done far more damage if one of the militias had gotten hold of it.
Are the efforts by the people & government of Libya to drive the militants out of the country a non-event on OTB? It seems like a story that deserves some attention.
@anjin-san:
There was a post about it yesterday
Ah, found it. Shockingly, Jenos, Jan, and bithead are absent from that thread.
"dear diary, i'm surrounded by blood thirsty islamists who want me dead- and my "compound" is an unfortified house with bars in the windows for security……time to buy more life insurance."
@Rick Almeida: Hence I wrote, " If the document in question is government property . . ."
@Doug Mataconis
I support near-universal publishing of leaked classified materials as a method of keeping government honest. I'm agreeing with you that this journal is no different if written on government issued office supplies.
Then I misinterpreted your comment. My apologies.
@Jeremy R.: If the FBI was there they would have found it first?! The journal isn't the worst thing that's missing, if our intelligence files are gone it could be way worse than this. Time will tell of course, whether it's deemed newsworthy.
(CNN) — Three days after he was killed, CNN found a journal belonging to late U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens. The journal was found on the floor of the largely unsecured consulate compound where he was fatally wounded.
Iguana Keeper says:
Remember Pat Tillman? There were others too, and the military destroyed their personal documents.
CNN did the right thing.
The State Dept was trying to cover up a planned terrorist attack and deflect it towards an anti-muslim film and the killing being a spontaneous event.
Is it wrong for the Government to say they found porn all over Bin Laden's hard-drives, which I've heard wasn't true. They said the same about Anwar Alawaki.
Also the pictures of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in his undershirt and Saddam Hussein in his underwear with messy hair getting a medical checkup are also degrading. The press isn't supposed to print those types of pictures.
Double standards here, and CNN was respectful. The press has a bad habit of granting officials anonymity, I don't see the parsing by Taylor Marsh as meaningful.
eveandstyle says:
Thursday, September 27, 2012 at 17:31
Prayfully this will never happen but am I to believe if my home became a crime scene a news agency covering the story is allowed to pick up & take my wallet from the crime scene and broadcast the contents also use the term FOUND as in we found the victims wallet
John Paul Stevens, Former Supreme Court Justice, Dies At 99
Benghazi Committee Report Uncovers Mistakes, But No Wrongdoing
House Benghazi Committee Takes Repeated Swings At Hillary Clinton, Mostly Ends Up Hitting Itself
What Did Susan Rice Know and When Did She Know It?
The Benghazi Committee Gets Its Moment In The Spotlight, And So Does Hillary Clinton


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Sport Spot
Sports Tonight
Can Clutch Be Measured?
by Morgan Mursch on August 14, 2017 in Sports Today
This Hub consists of a comparison between two of the toughest sports in the world, rugby league and rugby union. This is why the entire planet mourned earlier this year with the news of her death. Even though soccer should have succeeded in the US, it mainly failed – almost certainly because it is so different to the large four sports – at least Rugby is physical and has some similarities to Football – I know 1 Football star has currently switched to Rugby an is playing for the US group – as much more switch then men and women will start to take note. It may possibly be unfair to compare the two sports simply because the NFL and the NCAA merchandise fit the contemporary viewer much far better.
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Sports have constantly been intertwined with politics and justice claims, and the far more anybody looks the far more examples show up. They include the 1936 Olympics in Germany, the horrifying therapy in the US of the runner Jesse Owens who triumphed in these Olympics, or of Jackie Robinson in baseball, or of the African American athletes who raised their fists in the 1968 Olympics. Howe explains that she believes the two main advantages of competition via sports as, (a) the expertise of ontological wholeness that is not usually available…in training, but is released as a possibility under the stress of joint competitors and (b) the psychological trial of the moral self" (GAMESMANSHIP 218).
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Tags:clutch measured
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text:
Kessler Foundation Grants $450,000 to Launch Easterseals Disability Staffing Network
Submitted by lviglione on Mon, 01/29/2018 - 10:02
The two-year grant aims to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities in the Greater Washington Baltimore Region
East Hanover, NJ –January 29, 2018 – Kessler Foundation has awarded a second Signature Employment Grant to Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA to launch Easterseals Disability Staffing Network (EDSN, pronounced "Edison") – a social venture employment agency that will match individuals with disabilities to private sector employers throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The grant is part of $2.3 million awarded by Kessler Foundation last year to organizations across the U.S. to support initiatives that create and expand job training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
EDSN will enable individuals with disabilities to pursue self-defined career paths and obtain meaningful, lasting employment. Jobseekers with disabilities will be recruited through EDSN partnerships with regional employers, vocational rehabilitation services, and transition programs. Qualified candidates will then meet with Easter Seals' career coaches—working in collaboration with their originating agency's job coaches—to prepare for interviews and employment.
In 2015, Kessler Foundation awarded the first Signature Grant to Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA to expand its Veteran Staffing Network (VSN)—a social enterprise employment agency that helps veterans and their spouses with and without disabilities obtain employment. The VSN model will be adapted and implemented by EDSN to specifically address employment for people with disabilities.
"VSN surpassed its goals in attaining an estimated $4.6 million in economic impact, and placing more than 240 veterans with disabilities and their spouses in permanent, career-track jobs," explained Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, senior vice president of grants and communications at Kessler Foundation. "Adapting the VSN model to address the employment needs of individuals with disabilities is an innovative and sustainable approach to improving job opportunities for this talented group. We are proud to support an organization that brings novel ideas and resources into the field of disability employment."
Services provided by EDSN will include job search coaching via an e-learning system, counseling, résumé readiness, interview skills, networking strategies, and job placement. On the employer end, EDSN will serve as a one-stop partner for recruiting people with disabilities, modify employers' interview methods to ensure candidates' strengths and abilities are recognized, and provide disability awareness training. EDSN will work directly with provider agencies to optimize on-site job supports.
"This funding from Kessler Foundation will allow Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA to launch EDSN, an innovative social venture that will provide a crucial link between corporations wanting to hire individuals with disabilities and the provider agencies serving those people," said Larry Bram, senior vice president for Innovation at Easter Seals. "The purpose is to establish a sustainable and scalable pipeline of talent for good jobs across the region."
Over the two-year grant period, EDSN intends to provide job coaching via an e-learning system for 600 candidates, securing 150 jobs for people with disabilities. EDSN also aims to increase the number of companies willing to hire people with disabilities, while improving the ability of local vocational rehabilitation services and supported employment agencies to secure successful, person-centered employment for clients.
Kessler Foundation is accepting applications now for its 2018 grant programs. To learn more and to apply, please visit our website. Signature Employment Grant applications must be submitted by February 18th, and Community Employment Grant applications are due by April 9th.
About Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA
Easter Seals Serving DC|MD|VA is the affiliate serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. For nearly 100 years, Easter Seals has been at the forefront of providing exceptional services to ensure that all people with disabilities or special needs, military, veterans, and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in our community. Our community-based programs are designed to support and strengthen families, enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities, create stronger communities, and reduce system-wide health care costs.
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes--including employment--for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Learn more by visiting www.KesslerFoundation.org.
Twitter | www.twitter.com/KesslerFdn
Facebook | www.facebook.com/KesslerFoundation
YouTube | www.youtube.com/user/KesslerFoundation
Instagram | www.instagram.com/kesslerfdn
iTunes & SoundCloud | www.soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation
Carolann Murphy, PA; 973-324-8382; CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org
Laura Viglione, MS; 973-323-3675; LViglione@KesslerFoundation.org


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Books and reading you may want to gather are VillageEarth AT Sourcebook (freely downloadable), EarthShip Volume 1, 2, ..., The Okinawa Program by Bradley Willcox, The Anti-Aging Plan by Roy Walford, ... Also make sure you read my own designs and get a full list of websites from the documents in my zip-file (refer to the Autonomous Home System Map and the CountryMeasures-map). This zip-file will probably prove indespensable to help us in our quest. Extra information (if required) may also be obtained from dvd's and/or from real-life people/model homes (eg trough appropriate technology organisations as Practical Action, ..., homesteads as The New House farm, Integral Urban House, ....).
Construction materials you may require include things like the completed, (commercially bought) cuttings-starting and/or seed starting greenhouses, hot water heating systems, water collection systems (eg rainwater harvesting systems), power sources as wind turbines and/or PV-solar panel(s), ... (!Refer to the drawings in step 6 to get a general overview of the systems required and/or to understand what they are/do !) Another approach you may opt for is to construct most of these things (or atleast a part of it) do-it-yourself. This will decrease costs tremendously (depending on how you execute it). Things you may require then are: stuff like nails, screws and washers, wind turbine magnets, hot water piping, ... Following is an example of a diy wind turbine; more diy examples and plans to construct the other systems diy can be obtained trough the PESwiki Home Generation website, BuildItSolar, Appropedia and the Wikipedia. Order the materials required in advance trough websites as Ebay, speciality shops as ForceFieldMagnets, JourneytoForever, or fetch them from civic amenity sites, the freecycle network, auto recycling (or "junk") yards, ... Hackerspaces, Fab labs and repair cafés finally may also prove helpful, for example to custom-make specific parts. Junkyards may be used to obtain windturbine-magnets, diy car-construction parts, solar hot water system piping, electrical piping, ... Depending on the local availability of parts in these 'supply-stores', we may also somewhat change/finetune our choice of the diy power source (eg windturbine, PV-system, ...) or other systems (solar hot water system, ...) to be put in place.
Reflect into the fact that depending on the amount of lifestyle changes/work you wish to agree to, you will be able to achieve anything in between a moderate to a larger postive environmental influence. You will also be able to achieve a smaller to again larger financial gain (in the midterm to long run). Deciding to be bold (with the same level of determination as Harrison Ford (in The Mosquito Coast) when he said Goodby America! (And Have a Nice Day!)" is certainly to be picked over merely believing that the measures will have a second to none influence in your life/environment (hereby preferring a lighter change and thus again continuing along the road we are taking now). As mentioned in the extra text-file in my intro, atleast I will prefer the more radical approach and I will accept anyone who joins me. I hereby declare my own quest for Brahmacharya opened and hope to achieve my vision of a greater, coordinated response on the issues mentioned.
- it will help us to be more considerate/prudent next time and not be such an easy buyer (buying things we don't really need or which we can't make 100% use off.
Especially the attic will be a good starting location for most to obtain materials we can sent in for recycling. We'll collect stuff as old clothing, blankets, audio and videotapes, old paper, books and magazines, .... After scavenging these, we can remove them from our house, and once again have a usable space (which can be given a new and more usable/profitable purpose; eg for the storage of seed sometimes required for our food production system, ...).
In this next stop we will envision to produce our own food to decrease our pressure on the environment. We can be assured of this as producing it ourselves decreases the carbondioxide requirements needed for the food's production. In addition, it will allow us other benefits as increased health and the saved trouble of continuously needing to go to the supermarket by car, hauling with boxes and parcels and playing along the present game of society. Finally further advantages are that we can heavily decrease our expenses, increase our self-sufficiency, decrease dishwashing-efforts (less sugar/fat=less scrubbing) and increase shelf life of the products (eg rice can keep several years, we pickle certain products, can them, dry them or apply other preservation techniques.
and replacing (subtropical/tropical) fruit as melons, guava, pineapples by pears, blueberries, apples, ... We will do this it are foodstuffs which we will not be able to cultivate at our home food production system we will prepare on making (in step 6). 'PS note that in some circumstances honey and certain sweeteners as Stevia and liquorice may however be produced, giving some options in retaining certain sweet drinks.
To set-up our system, we will also try to find the most co2-lean alternatives. Looking for vegan, macrobiotic, certain fruitarian/raw food, ... subsitutes for our previous foods (as tofu, seitan, tempeh, and other meat analogues) is probably a good approach. In addition, we may get our first info from The USDA the food pyramid (old version) and the new version. This pyramid may be altered with other diets as the Okinawa-diet, Gandhi-diet, CRON-diet, ... Diets as these have slightly other portions and set-ups than the original USDA recommendations. They also allow increased cost reduction and environmental advantage.
To get the first insights on how we are going to get things up and running we'll look into books as the anti-aging plan, Joel Fuhrman's Eat to live, the Okinawa-program (you may first rent them from the library and review them to save expenses). In addition, we may once again look to our PESwiki page and review to some of the examples given by other self-sufficient/autonomous buildings (eg the Integral Urban House, ...). You may finally also take a look at my own food-production set-up from the zip file added at step 1 and 6. (see autonomous home system-map), Finally, we'll also take a look at a working example from another professor from our Instructable-labs which has created a working example.
In addition, we will measure our caloric requirements and optimal weight. We may do so by skinfold measurements, densiometry, and/or bioelectrical impedance analysis. With these, we can perfectly dimension our food system to generate no more produce than required, or we can use it to know how much food/nutrients to obtain from dumpsters, ... (calories are always mentioned on the labels). Usually, no more than 2000 kcal are required for a normal person per day and a BMI of 17.7 (which too was Ghandi's BMI) may be sufficient. In addition, we will look ahead and remind ourselves that if we would like to go live in a tropical/subtropical country (see step 5), the amount of meals or caloric content of the food is to become lowered (this, as our calorie requirements will be less due to a increased ambient temperature) and that we are to wear more clothing instead. Note that dressing up better and/or decreasing our meals may also be done in favor of the environment (and/or our wallet). This as it allows us to decrease our energy requirements and or the amount of space heating we require. This concept is also much applied by the homeless (true survival experts!), and as such, we may rest assured that it works.
An alternative to the food production system may also be to start plain dumpster diving, foraging or other subsistance techniques and/or use organic material found in the city dumpsters to vermicompost and provide our foodplants with high-grade fertiliser (make sure you have permission). Note that aldough all of these latter techniques will allow us to decrease costs and attain environmental benefits, they will not provide some of the other advantages noted with the home food production system.
After a month or so, we'll have figured out what foods we like and we'll return on this topic (unless offcourse you are opting for the alternatives noted as plain dumpster diving, ...).
Next we'll devote ourselves to get a ecologically sound job and/or endeavor. As explained in the intro's extra text-file, many people still target the most financially rewarding job but this approach will soon no longer be a good one (unless offcourse your name is Mad Max/The Postman and you don't mind living in an apocalypse). We may decide to start this endeavor by losing our present job (unless its an ecologically meaningful one). Next we'll either start living off of a minimum wage provided by the state for jobless people, search for a payed environmental job (which too are available at environmental organisations as Greenpeace, ...), volunteer (eg at Coral Cay, US Peace Corps, ...), ... We may also decide to get get specialised schooling to prepare for our job (which can be done at farms and homesteads as the Ecological Design Institute, It's not easy being green course center, AgriVenture, Centre for Alternative Technologies, Centro Integrado de Technologia Appropriada, or certain other appropriate technology learning centers, and ngo's. Finally, other options too can be considered as integration into a environmental monastery or other intentional community.
In our search for a job, we will think ahead and evaluate not only exactly what we would like as job, but also where(what location) we would like to execute it. This may sound no more than obvious, but all too often we let fear and exagerated dependance (eg on family, on "whats known", ...) stand in the way. We should however remind ourselves that it's our life and that we decide what to do with it. Just as Will Smith said (in The Pursuit of Happiness), if you want something, you go and get it! If not, we may not live our life out full and we will not perform well in our environmental job neither (which too is not good for our planet). Offcourse, we cannot know how life is to differ to each country, so we may opt to evaluate things steadily (eg by short volunteering trips or other (environmentally sound) non-permanent tryouts).
- again, secondly in a location you actually want to live in.
Getting a shelter can be done as simply as by looking for an old (empty) industrial building/complex and renting it (this may be done even in Europe for as little as 200$/month). Such large buildings may be shared by an entire group of fellow roomies/co-payers. In addition, complete abandoned villages may be usurped (dough this will require a fair amount of planning and is best done with a large group of decision-makers; see the open-letters in the zip file).
Another way on how you can make sure you will always be able to choose your own location of residence (and even change it easier later) is to fix up a stranded boat (many lay washed ashore at the coasts of Africa and in the developing world) and modify it to become a a boat suitable for living in. (! Again, refer to the open-letters provided in my zip-file with this article for more info !) Note that the boats may be equipped with environmental/zero-emission engines or other techniques (eg sails) and that they may even be fitted with self-sufficiency systems). Besides damaged boats, confiscated boats by the Navy, old fishing boats, ... may also be obtained (purchased) at a low cost. Engine conversion and rigging the vehicle with self-sufficiency systems may probably also be executed with large (school) buses (which too may be bought cheaply). The latter may probably be done by adding PV-panels on the roof of the bus (for recharging) and wiring it to a energy source as a battery (which will allow eg running the vehicle and things as cooking). However, as buses are to make but a small home, extra provisions as an imbedded food production (with nutrient recycling) may be hard to implement.
Finally, other techniques may be applied to obtain houses which lay unused in cities, but most of these can generally not be executed due to reasons of ownership issues and certain testify of weak leadership.
- first of all finish our domestic food production system. Now that some time has passed, we have figured out our personal taste/preference and we know what foodstuffs we feel comfortable basing our system on. We choose a staple crop we like, and with the help of the books and websites mentioned in step 1 and 3, we set-up your system. We will try implementing a composting toilet and integrate nutrient recycling in our food production system (this will keep costs low and eliminates the need of much water; which reduces the size of your water collection system).
Next is our energy generation (or "microgeneration") system. Using the websites (eg PESwiki, Wikipedia, Treehugger, ...), books, dvd's, ... mentioned in step 1, we'll set up this too. (! Again refer to the zip file for extra reference; see the "Autonomous Home System"-map !). As mentioned before, we can reduce costs of this system by deciding to leave out energy storage, and include a hook-up unto the net (trough net metering). In addition, a DIY power source (eg wind turbine) may be build (dough cheap commercial ones are available too). Due to the very cheap (and totally green) electricity we will now be able to get, we may can start making more use of certain (electrically-powered) domestic devices (to simplify our lives). These include dishwasher (mentioned below) and clothes dryer (a small one may already do however). Especially in northern and rainy countries (where sunshine is not always present), the use of such a clothes dryer is a more handy alternative to clothes lines (no need to go outside in the wind or cold; no hanging up the clothes in between rains and hoping the wash will be dry enough in time, ...).
As a third system, we may want to install a rainwater harvesting or other water collection system (trough rainwater harvesting). Peer trough the Wikipedia, PESwiki, Instructables, ... to determine a appropriate system and how to build it. Usually a regular rainwater harvesting system (without greywater treatment) is sufficient, which can be build DIY and at very low cost. Depending on local circumstances and your intented use of the water itself (drinking or irrigation, flushing toilets, ...), treatment of the water may or may not be necessairy. In order to make our life less complicated, decrease costs even further and increase our self-sufficiency, we will, however make use of a dishwasher. As recompensation for our (possible) increased use of resources with this dishwasher, we will introduce using natural cleaning products (eg by Ecover) instead of chemical cleaning products. To be able to do so and still get everything washed clean enough, we'll abide with some extra trouble and rinse the dishes with water inmediatly after dinner (so that eating remains as oils, sugars, ...) do not get a chance to attach (strongly) to the dishes.
We will change to these zero-emission versions of our home appliances as burning oil, gas, coals, oils (eg biofuels) or wood are environmentally polluting, spark health problems (eg cancer) and as they are changing the planet so that food production will soon start to decrease or even fail (hereby increasing food prices and allowing famines to occur in the developing world). Thus, in order to make sure we are not part of the problem, we will be checking whether our devices work on such polluting resources and buy new equipment -or convert- our present equipment accordingly. We can rest assured that aldough some devices as fireplaces and barbecues will probably need to discarded, most will not (as most people already use electrical versions of refridgerators, lawn mowers, stoves, ...). If this is however not the case for you personally, go ahead and alter the described space heating, cooking and other domestic appliances. We may alter our devices by buying electrically-powered radiators and convectors, heat pumps, electrical and/or solar cookers, ... Alternatively, we may (as described above) also keep certain devices and convert them instead so that they may become emissionless (by now using electricity as a power source). PS: A practical example is the radiator; which works on hot water, warmed-up by a external heater. This heater may be converted to use electrical heating elements instead of other, polluting resources (eg gas, fossil fuels, biofuels, ..).
To reduce our expenses required for these changes, and to reduce our living costs on the long run, we may also implement passive heating techniques (as eg the use of many windows, trombe walls, ...), increased insolation (as rockwool, or the cheaper straw-bales, ...) or even use heat and cold storage with our heat pump, earth sheltering, ... in our house. To do so, we will again use the Wikipedia, PESwiki, ... and take again a look at my zip-file (the open-field food system document and suggestions on the environment document provide info). In addition, books and other media noted at step 1 may also be used.
Finally, we'll change the way we are getting around so that we can make use of zero-emission transport alternatives. We will do this primarily in function of the environment , our (and our neighbours) health, ethical and humanitarian reasons (see above), and to decrease our financial expenses (bicycles, compressed air vehicles, bicycles fitted with trailers, ... are way cheaper in operation). We will keep in mind our intentions (for what purpose will we be needing a personal vehicle (heavy lifting, transport of many people or just to transport ourselves, ...) and not use any vehicle (or other mode of transport; eg communal transport, ...) which is larger than what we require. We will do this as picking vehicles too large for our needs allows the streets to be clogged bit by bit, hereby provoking traffic jams. As we all know, traffic jams are not much fun and make our life increasingly difficult; hereby giving us reason to opt for smaller vehicles when we are forced to pick one (these are btw easier to park aswell).
We may opt to change our mode of transport and/or reduce our vehicle's size as our lifestyle and thus your transport requirements may already have been changed (eg with a food production system at home, no more trips to the supermarket by car will be necessairy). Again refer to the websites mentioned in step 1 (eg Wikipedia, Treehugger, Green Living Ideas, ... Also, take a look at my zip-file (CountryMeasures-map; document "carfree world" and "suggestions on the environment") for additional websites/information. Some exemplary options you could consider include roller skates and heelies, skybocks, compressed air scooters and bicycles over one and 2-seater velomobiles to electric, hydrogen and compressed air cars, certain types of (electric/human powered) public transport, ... If a private (3 or 4-wheeled) transport vehicle is still required (to haul larger items, many people, ... or to live in or camp with; see step 5), you may opt to buy a regular freight bicycle (or buy a trailer to attach to your bicycle), cycle rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, special cabin cycle (as eg the Carver, and Quasar), mini- or large (school) bus (lots of space, low-cost) and convert it to electric, to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE, compressed air, or hydrogen fuel cell or Flywheel Energy Storage-powered engine (which are all emissionless). Keep in mind that aldough conversion to hydrogen, oxyhydrogen or liquid nitrogen ICE could be cheaper, it could be a bit difficult in practice. Alternatively, you could even build a diy car (from kits or entirely custom made; as eg with the locost-car), or sand rail/buggy yourself. These diy-conversions and/or diy vehicle building options are however only possible if you live in a country where this is legally allowed (traffic rules).
-trough the increased paper requirements and provisioning of useless news and advertising (which we throw away as soon as we get it), lots of paper is wasted and environmental damage occurs.
- as allot of the news/media coming in to our homes literally "floods" us, it makes our lives more complicated and disrupts our degree of "peace and quiet". As such, we'll spend poor in some time adressing this problem at the roots.
To begin, we'll be placing a "No advertisements"-tag on our mailbox, hereby making sure atleast our (non-electronic) mailbox is handled; next we will change which other kind of media and how of it is coming in.
Herefore, we will cut our cable connection from our tv (for the more radical minded, TV may also be discarded completely, by using the UMPC-alternative mentioned furtherup). In addition, we'll cut our analogue radio connection. We ll replace these by alternatives as a satellite tv-connection + tv (buy a satellite dish + decoder herefore) and internet radio. In addition, we may buy a UMPC or other portable computing device to receive internet access (both at home and when on the move). When using this device on the move, we make sure we have it equipped with a mobile WiFi receiver for long-range WiFi-connections (eg trough a waveguide antenna, cantenna or wokfi). Alternatively, we use a stationairy long-range WiFi antenna when we use it indoors. In both cases, we will connect trough a completely free WLAN (see Free-Hotspots.com). Free wireless LAN's are today springing up more and more and provide us with an easy and legal way of getting our required media (news, weather, internet information, digital reading/books trough eg digital libraries, ...). In addition to companies taking the initiative to provide us with free internet access, we ourselves may do so aswell (eg trough the approach followed by Free-hotspot.com and/or FON. Given the thus great availability of free internet-access points (receivable for us unto many kilometers as we use long-range receivers), we can rest assured that we may fulfill in our requirements at this cheap/easy method for many years to come (and probably forever).
Besides this, we will also inmediatelly start switching to use international (or SI) units (time indications should ideally be changed too) and replace our use of regular names for species in nature (fungi, plants (eatable and non-eatable), animals, ...) to latin names. This, in the intrest of simplifying our lives (latin names for crops, ... are the same in all languages, UT-time indication is this too, ...) aswell as to increase our economy and trade. Increasing economy and trade will make sure that both the environment and the poor may take advantage. (! Refer to the Sustainable society document in my zip-file for more information on how this may works in practice !). In practice, this would mean that instead of using eg "tomato", we would use "Solanum lycopersicum", and instead of using degrees Fahrenheit, we would use Kelvin. Aldough at first glance, this change may not sound as a great simplification (rather the opposite), it will, (when we take into account all changes; see above). Remind yourself that not only we'll be helping the environment/ourselves with this, but others (as the poor) aswell. In addition to using SI measures and latin names, we may finally also use an international language more often (eg English). Ideally we should be using an international language all the time, but as of yet, this might not be practical enough).
We will commence with the muscular and breathing exercices. Aldough you may want to create your own set of exercices, a general exercice-plan which could be followed is provided at the pictures added with this instructable. Plan them in the morning so that you may include additional exercices (if needed for you to feel good) at the late afternoon. Changing the way of eating (amount of meals, portion sizes..) and what you eat (tofu instead of eg porkchops; see step 3) may already increase your physique and you may feel already in well enough shape to no longer need these exercices. However, generally some extra exercices are still required to remain fit or to achieve the best results (atleast if you have a desk job).
- start breathing deeper (in your regular breathing) during the course of the day; this will give you even more energy. Refer to the drawings for more info.
By now, you probably read the "Okinawa-program" in which the principle of the healing web or yuimaru is explained (consisting of groups of friends/relatives working together to a common goal; also called a moai's). As mentioned in my MotivationAndAmbition-text file (added again below), I am trying to influence and set-up a greater action with this instructable. It is my intention of creating a same "spider web" weaving across the internet/world to change people's way-of-life. Now that you read my suggestions to change your lifestyle, I am hoping that you may execute them in practice. After this, as your life will be much more simple and as now some spare time may have become available (eg trough step 6, step 7, ...), you may start putting in place some new hobbies/activities.
A new activity you can first devote yourself to (inmediatelly after executing the measures described) is to arrange your garden ecologically. By this I mean putting in stuff as xeriscaping techniques, mulches, trees and plants native to the environment, gravel pathways, shelters for natural predators (eg turnaround flowerpots for dermaptera-species, ...). This will get our garden less labour-intensive (simplifying life for us some more) and will improve nature. After this, we may pick up gardening (which will be reduced to the fun stuff; thus eg berry picking and espaliering instead of mowing lawns) as a next activity to keep healthy, sun-covered and occupied. An alternative (which is environmentally better) is to completely discard our garden and replace it with the plants of our food cultivation system. Any remaining "garden" may be then be transformed to a natural environment, where our animal/insect friends may gather. This space, (aswell as all other areas around; thus even city gardens and city benches) may then be used for us to function as a garden (without any work).
A next activity you may devote yourself to is to join me in on my quest to create the environmental community I am envisioning. You may do so in practice by a series of suggestions given in the text document linked below. I am guessing that this activity could be valuable for the environment aswell as for you personally. A website has been launched for this purpose. You may offcourse also contact me directly trough my e-mail adress (environmentalprojects AT gmail DOT com).
In addition, if you still have time open (doubtable as you may also now be doing morning exercices, ...), you could also execute some of the environmental diy-projects from our compatriots at Instructables, Make, ... or set-up your own and or finally, play dice, card or board games as peralikatuma, RISK, or pachisi (the latter being offcourse less constructable).
I hope to see you around soon !
I find it odd that you would look to electric, hydrogen fuel cells and flywheel storage for the school bus when most of them are diesel. Why not simply make your own Biodiesel. It would be much more simple and fit into your anarchist dogma much easier. Hydrogen is a joke that is endorsed by the chemical, and fuel companies as well as the government. They do this because they know the technology is so far down the road and requires a massive infrasturcture that they can control. BioDiesel is the democratization of fuel. It can be made anywere there is oil, and a few basic chemicals. I feel for ease of reading this instructable could be shortened, and cleared up a bit. It has a tendency in some places to sound like a rambling manefesto. I must admit I have that habbit as well. Please don't take that as an insult. I simply agree with some of these ideas and I would like to see a more positive response to this as it is read more.
Some old vehicles may no longer have a working (internal combustion) engine, so swapping it out with an engine that only allows to run on a clean fuel seems useful. Hydrogen (and other similar fuels -ie oxyhydrogen, ...) is indeed difficult to work with (short shelf life), but can possibly be more practical in the future as better storage options become available; . Otherwise, biodiesel (or biobutanol in case of a petrol engine) makes more sense.
I have been a bit dense recently. I am just wondering what you meant by "environmental monastery"? I checked the link, and I wasn't sure exactly what you meant.
Wow. Where do I start? How about if you think there is a problem with Illiteracy, that you make absolutely certain that you spell the word "Illiteracy" correctly?
I think that the OLPC is representative of much of what's wrong with the world (yes, I know you didn't present that, and I apologize as it's a real sore point for me) . Children don't need computers, or at least not first (or probably 10th). What they need is clean water and safe sanitation, but that's not "techy" enough.
That all being said, I really do appreciate that you have taken the time and trouble to identify what you think is wrong with the world, thinking through and presenting your ideas as to how to ease these problems.
It may indeed seem weird to promote computers like the OLPC to children. The intent however is that they use it appropriately, ie for learning skills. Clean water and safe sanitation can only be provided by adults (which have (had) access to knowledge, for example via these computers) in the past.
Is this an Instructable on how to clog your browser up with so many tool bars that you loose 25% of your screen and also misspell a bunch of words?
Very nice, long, and detailed Instructable, a piece of work that toke weeks, very nicely done, but no my thing.
It's probably because English is not my native language, some of the handwriting is a bit difficult to read for me. Is it possible that you type them up for me?
All kinds of people are trying - yay!
I know of the XO-1, however I find this PC to be to small and slow to be used for people that use their PC for serious work. Note that were I say "slow", I don't mean that it works slow (as it has Linux running), yet to install other alternative OS' and to do other labour-intensive work (GPS navigation, video-playing, ...), the CPU does not provide enough support. Also, the screen is way too small to do serious text editing, ... I advocate atleast a 10inch screen (the Eee PC 901-1000 has one). Also, I recommend the Eee as it has a 64-bit CPU (so you don't need to switch the PC soon). Note that I do not disregard the XO (its great, especially for people in the developing work that only just start working with a computer), however for serious work (eg Wikipedia-editing, text editing, ...) I do not recommend it. You can however look trough this site to determine other good UMPC's if you don't like the Eee (may other UMPC's are now coming out by several computer brands).
I think you have some good ideas that were not thought out. I have been researching alternative energy for 3+ years. Here's the reason why solar/wind power has not been accepted in the majority of households. Let's consider the 5 year cost of a solar system vs. the 5 year cost (in dollars, not CO2 or anything else) of mass-produced electricity. In my area the average cost of electricity for 1 month is $60us. Over 5 years that's $3600. Here's a breakdown of a solar system: battery bank: $5000 solar cells: $10,000 charging regulator and all other electronics: $2000 Total: $17,000 Now keep in mind you must replace the batteries every 4-5 years. So repeat the $5000 expense every 4-5 years. Now you can see the reason why the majority of people do not have solar: they do not have the income to support the expense. $3600 vs $17000 for the first 5 years is a big difference. You talk about reducing consumerism and saving money, solar/wind power is not the way to save money. Save CO2 perhaps, but how much CO2 is involved in making those lead-acid deep-cycle batteries you replace every 5 years?
In exchanges with those who live off grid, I learn that a battery bank can last up to 10 years. How much CO2 is used to construct the batteries is a valid question, but should be compared to how much CO2 the batteries prevented from being formed over their lifetime. Along with being compared to the CO2 produced to create the machinery used to produce transport the electrical power to the home using solar/ wind generated electrical power. Not to mention CO2 released by the fuel burned to create grid power.


text:
Sportsafe UK is supporting international sports development!
In February 2014 Sportsafe UK received a letter from Trinity High School in Renfrewshire Scotland. This letter was asking to provide support for a major project that the school was running in conjunction with the commonwealth games, and the schools international ties with projects in Bangalore India.
After talking with the school Sportsafe UK decided that they would like to support this project and provided £250 worth of sports equipment, including hockey sticks and balls, Footballs, rugby balls cricket bats and much more. This equipment will be donated to both primary and secondary schools in Bangalore India and will be extremely valuable to the pupils both for curriculum activities and social sports clubs. Sportsafe would like to take this opportunity to thank Trinity High School for organising the project, and are proud to help support community projects both in the UK and internationally.
This is the second project Sportsafe UK has supported within India, last year Sportsafe UK in conjunction with Hadlow Down Cricket club donated cricket equipment to a project in India called Goacricket. This fantastic project works with young people and provides lessons for less privileged children in Cricket, this has been a highly successful project and Sportsafe UK look forward to the success for Trinity High schools project. A link to our previous blog post about Goacricket can be seen in the link bellow.
https://sportsafeuk.com/sportsafe-makes-international-ties-case-study-goacricket/
Sportsafe UK are delighted to be able to work with projects internationally and nationally and pride itself upon "supporting the next generation" Through projects like Trinity High School and Goacricket.


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This three story mansion, which burned down at the beginning of 1999, was without ownership for ninety-nine years. Allegedly, a serial killer murdered over 10,000 men and women in this home. Many reported hearing screams and seeing flashing lights and ghosts when driving down Crider Road. The house was so scary that it was never searched; it never will be.
I'm new to Collin County and found this story, hoping it was true! Are there any REAL haunted houses in the area? Halloween is coming and I'm ready for a good scare!
EPIC FAIL FOR THE PERSON WHO WROTE THIS. 10,000 MEN AND WOMEN IS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
I lived in TC for 20 years of my life. I also remember Crider Rd as the only road that went South into Carrollton. I loved riding in the car and driving down it as a kid. It had this hill that made your stomach turn. Great memories!
This house did exist. The street did exist. So many people would trespass and sneak into this home, that the road turned into a private driveway, as they built Josey lane next to it for thru traffic. Also-the house burned down because stupid pot smokers who were obsessed with hauntings would go in there and make mischief. It burned down around 2001 or 2002.
The legend of that house is nothing but, for non belivers, but for thoughs that belive in the paranormal, that would be a holy grail of a find if there is any truth to this if ever it is found. I'm a beliver in the paranormal, if there is a place sutch as this, true fear would lye with in as well.
I know people who went into this house, and if it was haunted, it left a lot of people alone. It was just a little 2-shory house built in the late 1800's. I'll look up some periodicals here and see if I can find any old history of the families that have lived there. The house doesn't exist anymore, though. Sorry to disappoint you. It's about 5 miles from my house.
What a load. Even John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy combined couldn't have killed 10,000 people and hidden them. Even burning the bodies, cutting them to pieces and throwing them to the wolves wouldn't have done it. Unless Hitler and his unholies lived on Crider Road with gas chambers I wouldn't believe this baloney.
the story uses the word "allegedly". that means nothing's really been proven. i remember crider road. i vaguely remember the house. i'd heard this legend before. the legends probly started because ppl needed something to talk about and the house probly seemed mysterious enough to earn a rumor like that. they call them urban legends for a reason.
Catlady19, you're the one looking at this website. Like you're not into urban legends? Lame.
This house does exist… I remember traveling crider to get to the colony Yes to me their was some strange about this house. 10,000 i don't believe. their is a dump their now so maybe if their was any bodys they weren't discovered…. THIS IS THE HOUSE WHERE THE FIRST TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
Debbie the texas chainsaw massacre took place somewhere up north.Sorry to burst yur bubble (TROUBLE).
wow!!! that fool was busy!!– killing 10,000 people….. i mean if being a serial killer could be a full time job– this klown was putting in a lot of overtime. gee willikers, batman!! he's a madman!! any fool can tell… this story is full of bullshxt just from reading it. i could write a ghost story that would make you think. im so bored…. i think i will do that….
I saw the house many many, years ago. I know it burned but sorry to hear it's a dump now. Excuse me Peppy – you're not saying that you believe the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was real are you? It was actually A STORY based on several serial killers, mainly Ed Gein, who did use the skin and body parts of his victims in many different ways.
The Street does exist it is just a dirt road that is why its not recorded on the computers or any maps…. Its called Beach Club ln. I live over there… its right off of Ethridge and caldwell. im going there some time soon with some friends. maybe its not haunted, maybe it is. but its real… i bet half of you dont even live in the colony.
Nope, the road used to connect 544 (west of Josey) to Main St. The house was FABULOUS looking as "haunted houses" go. Straight out of an old scary movie…or Scooby Doo. The street is closed off to the public now and I think they are mining the land for rock or something. Don't know if the house is still there or not.
I live in Rome, GA and I am very interested to go tour the home myself.
I did read them. Couldn't tell if it was truely gone or what.
First of all let me clarify all of this stuff about the house on Crider Rd. The Road and the house may not exist now but at one time it did. It was the only way to take a short cut to Carrollton. Someone commited that 40 years ago in The Colony…THE COLONY DIDN'T EXIST 40 YEARS AGO. 40 years ago the entire area was farm land. Fields of cotton and maze and other crops. There were a few farm houses that the owners lived in. THERE IS NO HAUNTED HOUSE ANYWHERE IN THE COLONY!!!! There is nothing old enough to have a haunted history. I lived in the area from the very early 60's till 1998 when I moved. The only spooky place was a cemetery that as a child the church I attended would take us kids to on Halloween. The Old house on Crider Road as the story goes says it was abandon for over 90 years. This isn't true because I can remember people living there. It was eventually empty but no ghost stories. No one died unless from old age. My mother new someone that as a child she remembered going by horse drawn carriage from Frisco to this house to have summer parties. There was a movie filmed there, I don't remember it, except I believe it started Don Johnson. And there was a Walker Texas Ranger filmed there. As far as the purple house, it isn't haunted either. It was a house owned by a madam who got made at the Colony when they tried to get ride of her (and her girls) so she painted her house purple to spite them. There was an officer of the law killed there in a failed attempt to raid the place. He was shot by a fellow officer. I'm sorry to hear that the Crider house burned down. To me it was a lovely home that need someone to love. As as far as me knowing the age of the Colony. When I was attending school we were all bused to Lewisville. Age, I'm telling on myself but I am a proud and I mean proud graduate of the 1971 (original) Lewisville High School.
you gotta remember guys that was more than likly over 100 years ago back before we had technology. so over 10,000 people could have really been murderd in that house without anyone knowing it.
I have to question the credibility of this website when blantant lies like this are published as true stories. This seems to be the norm for these types of sites yet I keep trying to find one that will not post obvious fake stories. Whoever wrote this is a complete idiot.
I beg to differ…I was friends with 8,766 of the 10,000 people murdered there! Don't be disrespectful to my friends who were MURDERED!!
is this the house that was used for the movie 'TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACURE'?! off of old crider road.. that would explain the supposed 10,000 killings..andthe location fits also. house is no longer there.
There were not even 10,000 people living in that area until the 1980's. When I moved to The Colony in '78 there were just a few occupied streets, mostly surrounded by farmland. We had Winn Dixie and a gas station and that was about it. The colony wan't even incorporated until '77. In 1980 The Colony only had a little over 11,000 people. It is mathematically impossible for that many people to have been killed. There wasn't even 100,000 people in ALL of Denton county in 1970. Just sayin.


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Families will be forced to move as Glendale prepares to expand its city operations complex near 67th and Glendale avenues.
The city purchased the Lazy J Trailer Lodge in 2005 as part of a long-term development plan.
At the time, 37 trailers were on the property. City officials said they expected all residents to move out within a few years but that didn't happen. Twelve families are still living on the property.
"My parents are elderly people, and it's like, where are they going to go?" Socorro Carbajal told ABC15 on Saturday.
Residents pay $288-$388 in lot fees — utilities included — to the city on a month-to-month basis.
Glendale, as the landlord, is required to give residents at least 180 days notice to vacate.
"I think it's way past time to start engaging with those families to try and connect them to other resources," Vice Mayor Lauren Tolmachoff said during a council workshop last month.
As early as 2021, the city hopes to begin construction on a parking and storage facility on the Lazy J property.
Councilmember Bart Turner said his concern with the property and the families living there highlights the need for affordable housing in the area.
"These people are only one step away from homelessness, and I certainly do not want the city of Glendale to be that step," he said.
City officials said they will begin working with residents and offering any resources available.


Written by CEMB on September 3, 2007 . Posted in Media Coverage.
Best to get this out of the way from the start: Islam is a religion and a religious ideology, not a race, therefore the recurrent charge that Islam's critics are racist is nothing more than a thin smokescreen.
[T]he term "Islamophobia" does not adequately express the full range and depth of antipathy towards Islam and Muslims in the West today. It is an inadequate term. A more accurate expression would be "anti-Islamic racism" for it combines the elements of dislike of a religion and active discrimination against the people belonging to that religion.
Doubtless"active discrimination against the people belonging to [a] religion" is repellant, but it is not racist. You may be anti-Islamic or anti-Christian or anti-Judaic, or like the journalist Christopher Hitchens anti-religion in toto, and still have a profound respect for all races. Indeed the equation of religion and race has long been the favorite hobbyhorse of genuine racists. Were not the Nazis adamant that Jewry was both a religion and — first and foremost — a race?
It is easy to understand this fixation with race. The race card is the most effective way to silence critics and undermine the credibility of one's opponent. When legitimate debate fails cry racism. In this way Muslims piggyback on the legitimate animosity toward racial bigotry.
Islam is seen as separate and 'other'. It does not have values in common with other cultures, is not affected by them and does not influence them.
Islam is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism and engaged in a 'clash of civilisations'.
Clearly none of these accusations are racist — indeed, no particular races are mentioned — and most are either antithetical ("Hostility toward Islam is used to justify discriminatory practices toward Muslims") or self-evidently true, e.g., the charge that Islam is a political ideology and is used for political or military advantage. The commissioners for some reason deny this, apparently unaware that Islam's founder was an eminent military and political leader. Similarly the suggestion that Islam is not a monolithic bloc was refuted during the Danish cartoon kerfuffle when Muslims from all nations and sects came together as one to denounce the publication of editorial cartoons depicting Le Prophete Mahomet.
Another of the preceding sub-definitions (e.g., that "Islam is seen as inferior to the West") stupidly contrasts a specific religion with a geopolitical, historical and cultural entity. Perhaps the commissioners meant to say that the Middle East is seen as inferior to the West, or Islam is seen as inferior to Christianity or secularism? Whatever the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia meant it was unable to articulate it, which is not surprising considering its finished product. As for Islam being a barbaric, irrational, primitive and sexist religion, what else would one call the traditions of forced marriage, the stoning of gays, genital mutilation, the murder of apostates, etc., etc.?
THE CHARGE OF Islamophobia invariably sends the government and police into a panic. This summer the Islamic Human Rights Commission accused British TV network Channel 4 with "Islamophobia" and stirring up racial hatred after it broadcast a documentary titled Undercover Mosque. In the film an investigative journalist secretly recorded the strange goings on at the Green Lane mosque in Birmingham, England, including fanatical imams condemning democracy, opposing integration, and praising the Taliban for killing coalition troops.
In one of history's great ironies, the local police and the Crown Prosecution Service first considered charging the radical imams portrayed in the film with criminal incitement. But after concluding that no crime had been committed, the government decided to charge the investigative journalists instead. Real life does not get any more surreal than this.
Government officials claimed the documentary "distorted" the truth, employed "selective quoting," and used words and phrases "out of context." It is unclear how the filmmakers misrepresented Dr. Ijaz Mian's statement that "You cannot accept the rule of the kaffir [derogatory term for non-Muslim]. We have to rule ourselves and we have to rule the other." Or Abu Usamah's remark that "We hate the Kaffir! Whether those kaffir are from the UK or the US!" But then as Andrew Anthony speculated in the Observer, perhaps Messrs Mian and Usamah were innocently rehearsing for a stage play.
The upshot is that if you offend the Muslim community, you will suffer for it — if not via death threats, then by lawsuits, fines or the loss of a broadcasting license. In this atmosphere it would seem prudent to simply keep your mouth shut. Happily a few journalists are still willing to risk threats, criminal prosecution and their careers to discover the truth.


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It all started with two students, on a college campus, in 2014 …
Back then, Aviran and Yehuda were just two young men with an entrepreneurial spirit. Aviran had just begun a project selling Rosso capsules for Nespresso machines for a reasonable price. Yehuda was heading up his family's real estate business and an organization that assisted elderly holocaust survivors.
It didn't take long for both to realize that they wanted to team up and take Aviran's espresso idea international. Did they know much about American or Canadian markets? Absolutely not. Did they believe in the idea? You bet.
Six years later, Rosso Caffe has sold more than 30 millions espresso pods to more than 300,000 customers. They are now one of the best sellers on Amazon in both the US and Canada, topping 10 million pods sold every year.
Rosso is proud to say that they are one of the last major companies involved in every step of the coffee process, from sourcing, to roasting, packing, manufacturing, and finally, delivering the pods to all the coffee lovers out there.
They do this because they call themselves coffee lovers, too. Over the years, they've come to see it as a way of life, not just a business. They believe there's one thing that everyone can agree on — gourmet espresso should be something everyone can enjoy. Whether you can afford a yacht, or not.
Cheers to every brew head,
Aviran & Yehuda, Co-founders
Rosso Caffe
Rosso and its products are not endorsed by, sponsored by, licensed by or approved by Nespresso® USA Ins. Nespresso® is a registered trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
Copyright © 2022 ROSSO CAFFE CA.


I'd love to hear from you. Please reach out using this contact form, or by emailing me directly at amelia@ameliaannphoto.com. I strongly prefer to meet in person so that I can buy you coffee & discuss what you are envisioning for the documentation of your day. Ideally I'd get to know you, your partnership + the love you share in order to create the most authentic imagery on your wedding day.
Of course, if you do not live in Colorado, we can get to know one another through a series of phone calls.
I am genuinely grateful for each and every one of my clients and look forward to hearing your story.


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Bela Cerkev () is a settlement on the right bank of the Krka River in the Municipality of Šmarješke Toplice in southeastern Slovenia. The area is part of the historical region of Lower Carniola. The municipality is now included in the Southeast Slovenia Statistical Region.

Name
Bela Cerkev was attested as Alba eccclesia in 1283 and Weysenchirchen in 1296, among other spellings of these names. All these names mean 'white church'.

Church
The local parish church is dedicated to Saint Andrew and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto. It was built in 1813 on the site of an earlier building.

References

External links
Bela Cerkev at Geopedia

Populated places in the Municipality of Šmarješke Toplice

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The Academy of Natural Sciences
Famous Members: Part 1
July 25, 2016 maryalicehartsock Featured, Library, Membership, People, Photoblog, Uncategorized
Since our founding in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences has served as a forum for scientific discovery. The contributions of great scientists and members during the Academy's early days made today's scientific breakthroughs possible. From Thomas Jefferson to John James Audubon and Marie Curie, the Academy's early members were explorers, reformers, artists, presidents, soldiers, and scientists. In part one of Famous Members, Academy Archivist Jennifer Vess shares a selection of membership cards that elegantly document these famous individuals' ties to Academy history.
Thomas Jefferson was the first U.S. President to become a member of the Academy, just six years after our founding. Jefferson's interest in archaeology and paleontology fit well with the pursuits of Academy members. His collection is housed in the Academy's Vertebrate Paleontology Department and includes fossils of the American mastodon, giant ground sloth, and woolly mammoth.
John James Audubon's acceptance into Academy membership was dramatic. When Audubon's name was first put forward for membership in 1824, he was black-balled. Literally. Members of the Academy voted on the new prospects with a ballot box and white and black marbles. A black marble meant no. Audubon rubbed some people the wrong way, particularly George Ord, then president of the Academy. When Audubon's name came up for membership again in 1831, with 18 other members officially sponsoring his application, he was accepted.
George McClellan is probably best known for his service during the Civil War as one of the generals who led the Union army. He also ran as the Democratic Party nominee for president in 1864. McClellan became an Academy member in 1855. During that time, he served as a soldier, conducted surveys of the west, and worked with the railroads.
Are you interested in joining Jefferson, Audubon, and their famous friends as members of the Academy?
Membership in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University gives you free year-round general admission to the museum, where you'll see some of the most surprising and spectacular wonders of the natural world. As a member, you'll also be providing important support for the Academy's world-renowned research in biodiversity and environmental science. Your membership dues help:
Ensure the conservation of the Academy's unparalleled collections, including treasures such as John James Audubon's birds and Thomas Jefferson's fossil collection.
Bring the best in science education to more than 50,000 Philadelphia students each year.
Sustain vital scientific research into environmental and species conservation, public education, and discourse around the future of our planet.
Stay tuned for more famous members next week!
A version of this article originally appeared in the summer 2016 issue of Academy Frontiers.
Academy library and archivesAcademy membershipAcademy of Natural Sciencesarchivescollectionsfamous membersGeorge B. McClellanjennifer vessJohn James AudubonThomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson and science
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