There are two predominant hypotheses as to why animals ingest plastic: 1) they are opportunistic feeders, eating plastic when they encounter it, and 2) they eat plastic because it resembles prey items. To assess which hypothesis is most likely, we created a model sea turtle visual system and used it to analyse debris samples from beach surveys and from necropsied turtles. We investigated colour, contrast, and luminance of the debris items as they would appear to the turtle. We also incorporated measures of texture and translucency to determine which of the two hypotheses is more plausible as a driver of selectivity in green sea turtles.
Turtles preferred more flexible and translucent items to what was available in the environment, lending support to the hypothesis that they prefer debris that resembles prey, particularly jellyfish. They also ate fewer blue items, suggesting that such items may be less conspicuous against the background of open water where they forage.
Using visual modelling we determined the characteristics that drive ingestion of marine debris by sea turtles, from the point of view of the turtles themselves. This technique can be utilized to determine debris preferences of other visual predators, and help to more effectively focus management or remediation actions.
Sea turtles, like many other marine taxa, are increasingly prone to marine debris ingestion and associated problems . Despite many studies recording instances of debris ingestion e.g. [2, 3], little is known about the cues that attract turtles to eat plastic debris. The predominant hypotheses are that 1) turtles, as opportunistic feeders, simply consume items in proportion to what they encounter in the environment, including plastics; and 2) that turtles feed on plastic because of its similarity to prey; particularly jellyfish [4, 5]. Though the proportion of gelatinous prey in a turtle's diet varies depending on the life stage and the species of the turtle, all species do target these prey at some stage of their lives [6, 7].
Turtles are primarily visual predators. Research indicates that loggerhead turtles have limited ability to find food based on chemical stimuli alone , which may explain why they are primarily caught during the day on longline fishing lines, and rarely at night . Similarly, when presented with both chemical and visual cues, leatherback turtles responded exclusively to visual cues . Therefore, the visual similarity between plastic bags and jellyfish can cause confusion even in the absence of chemical stimuli associated with food sources. Loggerhead sea turtles have been shown to approach plastic bags in a similar manner to gelatinous prey, indicating that they use visual characteristics to select their food .
The spectral sensitivity of an animal depends not only on its photopigments, but also on the transmissivity of the ocular media and, in the case of turtles, of the oil droplets associated with the cones. Turtles have a well-developed visual system with at least three different photopigments, indicating the ability to see colour . The visual system of sea turtles is similar to that of fresh water turtles; however, the sea turtles' visual pigments are slightly shifted towards the shorter wavelengths, due to the differences in spectral characteristics of the waters in which the different animals live . Sea turtles generally inhabit clearer, oceanic waters, whereas fresh water contains many dissolved organics and sediments, shifting the maximum light transmission to longer wavelengths [13–15]. The bulk of sea turtle vision studies to date have been conducted on green (Chelonia mydas) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles e.g. [16, 17]. Liebman and Granda found 3 photopigments in the green turtle retina absorbing maximally at 440 nm (SWS), 502 nm (MWS), and 562 nm (LWS) . Recent evidence indicates that green turtles are also likely to have a fourth, ultraviolet sensitive (UVS) photo-pigment, like their freshwater relatives . Turtles possess at least four different types of oil droplets, again indicating they have four spectral sensitivities, like birds . Each type of oil droplet may be associated with a specific photopigment, or may combine with different photopigments to produce multiple cone receptor types [14, 19].
Turtles, like many other vertebrates, also possess double cones, a specialized structure consisting of two cones joined together . The function of the double cone is still unknown; however it has been hypothesized in both birds and reptiles to play a role in discriminating between levels of luminosity or brightness [20–23]. Although the exact composition of the double cone structure is unknown, in fresh water turtles both of the members that make up the double cone have LWS photoreceptors .
We created a chromatic space model of the green turtle visual system (sensu ) to investigate the following questions: Are green, hawksbill, and flatback turtles selectively ingesting particular types of debris over others, and if so, what characteristics of that debris (colour, texture, translucency, luminance, or background contrast) are most relevant to turtles' foraging choices?
Our visual model resulted in peak sensitivities of 365, 440, 515, and 560–565 (Figure 1). The mixed effects modelling results indicate that sea turtles select the debris they ingest based on a variety of physical properties. In fact, debris ingested by turtles was significantly different from beach debris for all environmental variables investigated with the exception of background contrast and the contribution of the UV cone (Table 1). Turtles differentiated items most strongly based on their luminance (p < 0.001, selectivity ratio = 0.640), flexibility (p < 0.001, selectivity ratio = 0.437), and translucency (p = 0.001, selectivity ratio = 0.290). Items ingested by turtles tend to be less bright (i.e. lower luminance value), more flexible, and more translucent than items found in the environment. With respect to wavelengths, items ingested by turtles had significantly lower short wavelength spectrum values (p < 0.001, selectivity ratio = 0.215).
Modelled spectral sensitivity of C. mydas. Each peak represents the photopigment multiplied by the transmissivity of its associated oil droplet and by the ocular media.
Note that the selectivity ratio indicates the relative strength of the turtles' selectivity based on each factor. *indicate p values that are significant at the 0.05 level.
aCalculated as the absolute value of the ratio of the size of the turtle effect to the size of the intercept.
A simple inspection of the turtle visual space models (Figure 2) shows the difference in the wavelengths of ingested debris and beach debris. The average value of debris ingested by turtles is lower in the short wavelength spectrum than that of beach debris, indicating that the items turtles eat are less blue than what is available to them in the environment.
Colour space triangles. The visual space of a tetrachromatic sea turtle can be represented as a tetrahedron (2A). Each vertex represents the contribution from a different cone. The lower left corner is the medium wavelength cone, the lower right corner is the UV wavelength cone, and the top vertex is the short wavelength cone. In order to portray a 3 dimensional image in a 2 dimensional space, we use colour to represent the contribution from the fourth vertex, the LWS cone (red is a strong contribution from the long wavelength, black is not). We plot the plastic from each beach sample (2B) and turtle sample (2C) on a separate triangle. Every dot is a single piece of plastic, and the closer the dot to the vertex, the greater the contribution from that cone. n = 20 for all samples except KAT 88 (n = 13), UWW 242 (n = 19), and UWW 350 (n = 9).
There were no significant differences observed between plastics ingested by sea turtles of different life history stages (new recruits and juvenile turtles) with respect to the factors tested (colour, texture, translucency, luminance, and background contrast). However, hawksbill and flatback turtles did exhibit some significant differences compared to green turtles. Because we only had a small sample size for hawksbills (n = 2) and flatbacks (n = 1), we omitted them from analyses.
The spectral sensitivities we calculated (365, 440, 515 and 560–565) are well matched with previously published electroretinography (ERG) data of C. mydas spectral sensitivities. Levenson and colleagues  observed well-defined peaks at 515 and 570, with a relatively constant sensitivity below 500 nm; an earlier study found peaks at 450, 520, and 600 . The technique of high frequency flicker ERG used by Levenson et al.  is likely more accurate in the longer wavelengths, as it more successfully isolates the cone response from the rod response. However, the turtles in this study were older than those used by Liebman and Granda and may have experienced a decline in short wavelength vision similar to elderly humans, explaining the lack of a defined short wavelength peak . Our model, therefore, matches observed sensitivities based on ERG.
We assumed that beach debris was a reasonable proxy for ocean-borne debris in the nearshore area inhabited by these turtles, and therefore represents the debris "available" to the turtles. Although there are limitations of using beach debris as a proxy for ocean debris, it has been widely used in previous studies . Thiel et al.  conducted a multi-year comparison of anthropogenic marine debris on beaches and in nearshore waters, finding the proportions of different items to be similar. Locally, an analysis of beach debris and nearshore trawl debris for locations around North Stradbroke Island found similar proportions of different colors of debris in both beach and trawl surveys (unpublished observations, Q. Schuyler). We are therefore confident that local beach debris is representative of nearshore ocean debris available to turtles analysed here.
It is clear from the statistical results, as well as from inspection of the turtle visual space data that turtles are selective in what they eat (Table 1, Figure 2). Turtles do not tend to ingest debris that is reflective in the short wavelengths; i.e. blue items. When turtle preferences were analysed based on a human categorical description of colour rather than a turtle visual space model, blue was similarly found to be less prevalent in turtle samples than in beach surveys . Also in support of our findings, a laboratory-based study of loggerhead and Kemp's ridley turtles indicated that both species avoided blue dyed bait .
Colour is not the only visual factor employed in food selection. In other animal species, contrast has been found to be as important or even more influential than colour in selecting food sources [30, 31]. The fact that turtles are selecting against blue items could indicate that blue plastics are less readily visible against the blue background of the open ocean. We measured this contrast value by calculating the tetrachromatic distance between each debris item and a background measurement of open ocean water, but found that turtles did not selectively ingest items based on contrast. However, this may be partially due to limitations of the model. Similar models calculating colour space distances have reliably predicted honeybee behaviour when visiting orchid mimics. Bees were more likely to visit an orchid mimic when there was a small colour distance between the orchid and its preferred food source than when the colour space distance was large; in other words, when the mimic was a similar colour to their preferred food choice . However, the honeybee model was only successful when incorporating second order visual processing, assuming interactions between photoreceptor types . Our model did not incorporate these interactions, which may explain why turtles did not appear to select for high contrast items.
Turtles selected debris with significantly lower luminance values than those of beach debris, possibly because dark objects stand out better against the bright ocean background . However, we cannot completely exclude the possibility that the prevalence of darker objects in the turtles is partially an artefact of our study design, as the debris in the turtles' gastrointestinal system is exposed to digestive fluids and other waste, which may result in a reduction of luminance. Further work on clarifying the differences in selectivity between contrast and colour would help to elucidate these results.
The visual space model investigates colour and luminance, but other characteristics influence ingestion selectivity in turtles even more than colour. Turtles select plastics most strongly based on their flexibility and translucency. Our model suggests that turtles prefer highly flexible and translucent objects, both of which are key characteristics of one of their preferred natural prey items: jellyfish. This work demonstrates that turtles are indeed selective, and it also provides support for the widely postulated "jellyfish hypothesis". Proper waste disposal, particularly for common end user items such as plastic bags and other soft, translucent items which are preferentially ingested by marine turtles, may help to reduce the rapidly increasing debris ingestion rates in threatened sea turtles. We hope this research can inform conservation efforts not only for endangered sea turtles, but we also suggest applying similar analyses for other visual predators to investigate the key factors that drive ingestion rates and anthropogenic debris selectivity.
Using models to visualize how turtles "see" the plastic they ingest, we find strong support for the hypothesis that they ingest plastic because of its resemblance to a typical prey item, jellyfish. Our model can be extended to other species to better understand why wildlife consume plastic and to effectively focus conservation and remediation efforts.
We modelled the spectral sensitivity of the green sea turtle by incorporating measurements of the photopigments, oil droplets, and ocular media. We generated generic spectral photopigment curves [35–37] based on the peak absorbances for the three known green turtle photopigments: 440 nm, 502 nm, and 562 nm . Since measurements of the green turtle UVS pigment have not been conducted, we simulated a UVS curve based on the UVS pigment of the freshwater turtle Pseudomys scripta. As freshwater turtles tend to have pigment maxima at longer wavelengths than sea turtles, we shifted the peak absorbance for the Pseudomys UVS curve 7 nm shorter to 365 nm .
For oil droplet measurements, we assumed that the orange oil droplets were associated only with photoreceptors containing the LWS visual pigments, yellow with the MWS, clear (UV-reflective) with the SWS pigments, and colourless (UV-transmissive) with the UVS photoreceptors. We used published curves for yellow and orange oil droplets from green turtles , and clear oil droplets from Pseudomys scripta . We shifted the clear oil droplet spectrum shorter by 15 nm, corresponding to the difference in peak wavelength between the SWS pigments of P. scripta and of C. mydas. We were unable to find published spectra for the UV-transmissive oil droplet in turtles, but as it has no significant absorbance above 325 nm, it would not affect the shape of the UV photopigment curve.
We applied the Hart correction to each oil droplet , converted to transmissivity, and multiplied the photopigment curve by the transmissivity of its associated oil droplet. We then multiplied the four resulting curves by the transmissivity of the ocular media  and normalized the result for each cone to an absorbance maximum of 1 to create a modelled spectral sensitivity curve for green sea turtles.
We conducted necropsies on sea turtles stranded in southeast Queensland, Australia, between 2006 and 2013, and collected all pieces of debris that had been ingested by the animals (Table 2). For more details see . Of 115 necropsied animals, nineteen had ingested sufficient quantities of debris for our analysis (16 green turtles, 2 hawksbill turtles, and 1 flatback turtle). To estimate the debris to which animals would have been exposed we conducted ten beach surveys on each of two different ocean-facing beaches on North Stradbroke Island (Flinders Beach and Main Beach) between 2011–2013 (for detailed methodology see ). All items of anthropogenic debris over 5 mm in length between the water line and the dominant vegetation line were collected in a 100 m transect. We selected 20 random debris subsamples from each beach and each turtle sample. Three of the turtles had ingested fewer than 20 items of debris, so for these turtles, all pieces were analysed.
We assigned each piece of debris a measurement of flexibility between 1 (impossible to bend without breaking) and 3 (easily malleable). We also assigned a measure of translucency between 1 (completely opaque) and 3 (possible to read text through the item). We chose translucency and flexibility because they are visual characteristics in addition to colour which might be used for prey selection. Using an Ocean Optics JAZ spectrophotometer we measured the reflectance of each item between 300–800 nm wavelength. In 49 of the plastic samples we did not dark-calibrate the spectra, so some of the reflectances were slightly below zero. To each of the measurements for these samples we added a constant value (equal to the largest negative value for the sample) in order to ensure that the minimum value was non-negative. Because the negative values were quite small with respect to the maximum reflectances, and represent only a linear shift, this correction factor did not affect the outcome of our modelling.
We used our calculated green turtle spectral sensitivities to model how each item of debris would appear in the turtles' visual space . Because there are virtually no studies on the visual systems of hawksbill and flatback turtles (but see ), we used the green turtle spectral sensitivity curves (as modelled above) for all species. The visual space for a tetrachromatic animal can be represented as a three dimensional tetrahedron with one vertex for each cone. Plotting the relative excitation of each photoreceptor within this space generates a representation of the colour of an object as it would appear to a turtle's visual system.
Using the Vorobyev-Osorio noise-limited chromatic space model  we also calculated the three-dimensional distances between each piece of debris and a measurement of background colour that turtles would be likely to encounter; open ocean water. This gives an indication of the contrast of each item to the background colour. This calculation relies on an estimate of the proportions of cones present in the retina. Although these data are not known for sea turtles, the proportions of oil droplets are , so we assumed the proportions of cones in the retina to be equal to the proportions of oil droplets associated with them. Finally, we calculated two different measures of luminance. For the first we added the total reflectance values for all four cones. Since the double cone may be responsible for luminance discrimination, we calculated a second measurement using the total reflectance of the LWS cone only .
In order to determine whether turtles exhibited a selectivity for debris based on the physical characteristics measured (colour, texture, translucency, luminance, and background contrast), we used linear mixed effects models (R version 3.0.1, package lme4)  with the physical factors as response variables, and the location the plastic was found (turtle or beach) as the predictor variable. In order to control for autocorrelation among plastic items within a beach or stomach sample, we incorporated a random effect for each beach or turtle sample. We also investigated the differences between species and life history stages of turtles with respect to each physical characteristic. Because of the complex nature of the data set, we analysed each factor separately. In order to obtain a relative measurement of the strength of each term, we calculated the absolute value of the ratio of the effect size to the intercept term. Note that the larger the ratio, the more highly selective the turtles are for the variable.
Because this research was carried out on dead stranded sea turtles, no ethical approval was required.
This work was funded by the ARC Linkage grant LP110200216, CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship and Ecosystem Sciences, Goldring Earthwatch Emerging Marine Scientist Fellowship, Goodman Family Foundation, the Australian Postgraduate Award, and the Shell Social Investment Program. We thank Eunji Choi, Bronson Light, Zoe Gilliam, and countless Earthwatch volunteers for their assistance in data collection, the Plumtree Store for support during manuscript writing, the staff of the Moreton Bay Research Station for help throughout this project, and the anonymous reviewers who provided valuable feedback on the manuscript.
QS carried out the field and lab work and drafted the manuscript. CW assisted in statistical analysis. KT and JM conceived of the study. BDH contributed substantial editing of the manuscript. JM participated in the design and coordination of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


What is the sickle cell trait (SCT) toolkit?
The sickle cell trait (SCT) toolkit is an online compilation of user friendly health education materials related to SCT. We are happy to have the opportunity to provide you or your organization with necessary tools and resources to educate yourself or the communities you serve about SCT. We hope that the information provided is both helpful and informative and empowers you or those you serve to take action.
CDC together with the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (http://www.hematology.org/) and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) (http://www.sicklecelldisease.org/) developed the SCT toolkit.
Who is the intended audience for the toolkit?
healthcare providers who can educate their patients about SCT.
In addition, the toolkit provides helpful information and resources for athletes who may be affected by SCT as well as their trainers, team doctors, and coaches.
What informational tools or resources are available now through the toolkit?
Will additional tools or resources be added in the future?
We encourage you to check back often!
Spread the word! We encourage you to share these links with your colleagues and friends. Feel free to post them on your own home page as well. We are tweeting at https://twitter.com/CDC_NCBDDD. We invite you to comment, re-post, re-tweet, and follow @CDC_NCBDDD! For more information about SCT or sickle cell disease, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/index.html. Thank you for your continued support and for your interest in learning more about SCT.


Measuring 185cm x 205cm (73in x 81in), this Rubens' masterpiece was painted in 1609-10 for Nicolaas Rockox, an influential Antwerp lawyer, collector and patron of arts. The painting was obviously inspired by the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah and depicts the moment when Delilah's servant is cutting the hair of Samson while asleep in his lover's lap. The painting also includes a mysterious old woman who perhaps symbolizes the future and Philistine soldiers waiting outside the room. The painting can be seen in the National Gallery (London) that bought it in 1980 for over $5 million.
The Honeysuckle Bower is a self-portrait of the painter and his first wife. Measuring 178cm x 136.5cm (70in x 54in), the oil painting was painted soon after the couple's marriage in 1609 and depicts the newlyweds sitting in a honeysuckle bower. It is full of symbolism but there are almost exclusively symbols of love. For example, honeysuckle is a traditional symbol of love, just like the surrounding garden. Likewise, the newlyweds are leaning towards each other which reflects their affection and devotion. The painting is owned and displayed by the Alte Pinakothek gallery in Munich.
The Descent from the Cross is the middle piece of The Elevation of the Cross, a triptych that was painted by Rubens for the Confraternity of the Arquebusiers for their altar at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. With the exception of a brief period in the late 18th and early 19th century, it has been located in the Antwerp's Cathedral ever since. This particular panel was finished in 1614 and depicts lowering of the Christ's body from the cross.
This is another Rubens' masterpiece that can be admired in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. Like the title suggests, the central theme is the ascend of Virgin Mary into Heaven. The actual Assumption is depicted in the upper half of the painting, while the lower part portrays Mary's empty tomb which is surrounded by the 12 disciples and 3 women who are though to represent Mary Magdalene and the Virgin's two sisters. The panel, which measures 490cm x 325cm (190in x 128in), was finished around 1626 as an altarpiece for the Antwerp's Cathedral.
Finished around 1637, this painting was commissioned, along with a few others, by Philip IV of Spain to decorate Torre de la Parada, the former royal hunting lodge not far from Madrid. The painting, which measures 181cm × 244cm (71in x 96in), has been inspired by the Greco-Roman myth about the formation of the Milky Way and portrays Hera (Juno in Roman mythology) spilling her breast milk when pulling away from the baby Heracles (Hercules). The painting also includes Zeus (Jupiter) observing the scene in the background. It is now displayed at the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Also known simply as Het Steen, this landscape painting is one of the prime examples of Rubens' late period and according to many art critics, one of the best landscape paintings of the Baroque era. Measuring 131cm x 229cm (52in x 90in), the painting depicts the landscape surrounding the artist's estate Het Steen near Antwerp but it also includes his manor, a cart and a hunter. The masterpiece, which was finished around 1636, is today owned and displayed by the National Gallery (London) which acquired in the 1820s as a donation by Sir George Beaumont.
The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt was commissioned by Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria to embellish the old Schleissheim Palace. The painting, which measures 248cm x 321cm (98in x 126in), shows a group of hunters and hunting dogs attacking a hippopotamus and crocodile. Widely considered as one of the best Rubens' works, the piece is also one of the prime examples of the artist's mastery of drama, which is further highlighted by color, composition and texture. The famous hunting painting is today housed in the Old Pinakothek in Munich.
Rediscovered in 2001 and sold for $117 million at an auction one year later, the Massacre of the Innocents is the first of two Rubens' paintings that were inspired by the same title Biblical story. The new owner, the Canadian businessman and collector Kenneth Thomson, 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet (1923 - 2006) kindly made the painting available for public viewing by loaning it to the National Gallery in London and later donating it to the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto) where it remains on display to this day.
This painting is a perfect example of Rubens' ability to turn an unremarkable event into something extraordinary. One of the 21 paintings that constitute the so-called Marie de Medici Cycle depicts the arrival of Marie as the new Queen of France. She is portrayed disembarking a ship escorted by her sister and aunt as well as various mythological figures who guarded her on the way to Marseilles. Commissioned by Marie de' Medici herself, the painting can be seen in the Louvre, just like the other 20 pieces of the Cycle.
Painted in 1639 for Ferdinando II de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, this painting is thought to symbolize the horrors of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) which was at the time at full swing. Everything in the painting is somehow related to war and its destruction, with the Roman God of War, Mars being placed in the very center of the painting. Also depicted is the Roman Goddess of Love, Venus who strives to halt Mars and prevent war but their bodily positions and facial expressions reveal that her pleas are in vain. The painting which measures 206cm x 345cm (81in x 136in) is housed in the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.


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About the Registrar
The University of West Georgia seeks to provide an environment suitable for promoting the systematic pursuit of learning.
To ensure this primary goal, the University requires of its students reasonable academic progress. The retention of those students who repeatedly demonstrate a lack of ability, industry, maturity, and preparation would be inconsistent with this requirement.
Students will be evaluated each semester on the basis of cumulative grade point average and the total number of hours attempted. Hours transferred will be included in determining the total hours attempted; however, the cumulative grade point average will be computed only on the work completed at West Georgia (institutional grade point average (GPA)). The academic standing for a semester is not adjusted when a course taken that semester is subsequently repeated during a later semester and the first grade earned is removed from the calculation of the grade point average.
The cumulative grade point average required for the total number of hours attempted is given below:
Academic Standards: Required GPA
Number of Hours Attempted
Required GPA
1-30 Hours 1.8
31-60 Hours 1.9
61+ Hours 2.0
Number of Hours Attempted: 1-30 Hours
Required GPA: 1.8
Number of Hours Attempted: 31-60 Hours
Number of Hours Attempted: 61+ Hours
Student Classifications
Under the provisions of the academic policies of West Georgia, students are classified as follows:
All students who fail to meet academic standards will be on Academic Warning the next semester of enrollment. Students on Academic Warning may be required to meet certain conditions to be eligible to register for future terms. Such conditions may include a reduced course load, meeting with an academic advisor, attending student success seminars, and/or other academic support interventions. There are three possible outcomes from a semester on Academic Warning:
A student who raises his/her institutional grade point average to meet the Academic Standards outlined above, will be removed from Academic Warning.
A student who receives a term GPA of 2.0 but does not raise the institutional GPA enough to meet above standards, will remain on Academic Warning.
A student who fails to achieve a semester grade point average of 2.0 while on Academic Warning will be placed on Academic Probation.
All students who fail to meet the conditions to be removed from or stay on Academic Warning will be on Academic Probation the next semester of enrollment. Students on Academic Probation may be required to meet certain conditions to be eligible to register for future terms. Such conditions may include a reduced course load, meeting with an academic advisor, attending student success seminars, and/or other academic support interventions. There are three possible outcomes from a semester on Academic Probation:
A student who raises his/her institutional grade point average to meet the Academic Standards outlined above, will be removed from Academic Probation.
A student who receives a term GPA of 2.0 but does not raise the institutional GPA enough to meet above standards, will remain on Academic Probation.
A student who fails to achieve a semester grade point average of 2.0 while on Academic Probation will be placed on Academic Suspension. Once on Probation, a student will not return to Academic Warning, but will remain on Academic Probation unless he/she meets outcome 1 or 3.
Students who do not earn a minimum semester grade point average of 2.0 while on Academic Probation regardless of the institutional GPA will be suspended for one semester. Readmission on Probation will be automatically allowed after one semester of suspension. Students on probation who do not make satisfactory progress after returning from an initial suspension will again be suspended, this time for one calendar year. An appeal is possible only if plausible evidence is provided that an error has been made or that a course grade was unjustly assigned. A student who is suspended for the second time may apply for readmission on probation one calendar year from the date of suspension.
Academic Dismissal
Students on probation after a second suspension who do not make a 2.0 on all work attempted in each subsequent semester of enrollment regardless of the cumulative GPA will be dismissed. Dismissed students are eligible to return only when they have earned an associate degree or are granted Academic Renewal after a five-year absence from any post-secondary institution.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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John McEnroe To Battle Brother Patrick In Antarctica Tennis Match
Tennis fans will want to head south early next year as legends John and Patrick McEnroe will be the first professionals to ever do battle on the seventh continent. Billed as The Antarctica Open, the once-in-a-lifetime event was initially scheduled for earlier this year but was postponed due to Covid. It is part of an 11-day luxury adventure cruise and is scheduled for February 17 through 28, 2023.
John McEnroe said, "I'm excited to travel to Antarctica and play my brother, Patrick, in the first-ever professional tennis match on the seventh continent and to help raise awareness of the challenges facing one of the most remote and amazing places on the planet. This will be an epic adventure and a one-of-a-kind expedition."
"I am thrilled to continue our sibling rivalry with my brother, John, playing an exhibition tennis match in Antarctica this coming February. I have always wanted to explore the amazing landscapes of Antarctica, and how could I miss out on playing the first-ever pro tennis match there against my own brother? I can only promise one thing, a McEnroe will win," noted Patrick.
The unique trip is from Legends Abroad, which is planning more once-in-a-lifetime journeys.
"Building out the itinerary for a bucket list experience that includes two weeks with the McEnroe's exploring Antarctica was no easy task. Tennis-themed programming, securing the luxury ship, charter air and so much more. This tour is sure to be a hit with affluent tennis aficionados," travel industry veteran and Legends Abroad Partner Paul Cohen tells Forbes.com.
Glaciers by the sea on a cloudy day. (Photo by Jorge Fernández/LightRocket via Getty Images)
LightRocket via Getty Images
For the Antarctica journey, guests travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they will fly on a private charter to Ushuaia. From there, they will board World Navigator. The hybrid, electric-hydro propulsion vessel features an environmentally friendly anchorless positioning system. Robb Report describes it as a "superyacht-like experience." Luxury Travel Advisor lauds its SeaSpa by L'Occitane. There is 24-hour room service, and all cabins feature private balconies.
The itinerary includes crossing the famed Drake Passage and visiting the South Shetland Islands and Antarctica Peninsula, where guests will see blue glaciers and snowy icebergs. Experts and expedition leaders will present workshops about marine wildlife, glaciology, ecology, climate change, astronomy, photography and the region's history. There will be a full slate of tennis-themed programming, including a screening Showtime documentary McEnroe.
All-inclusive pricing ranges from $19,990 to $69,990 per person, the top-level providing suite accommodations and the opportunity to play tennis and dine with the McEnroes.
The trip is hosted in association with Octagon, a leading sports and entertainment agency. The trip will support non-profits from America, Chile, and other countries that are leading the way in conserving this special ecosystem. Naturally, the tour will provide a carbon offset contribution for both the airplane and ship.
Unique VIP trips are hot. Disney sold out its first-ever round-the-world private jet tour tour within days.
Cohen says several more trips are in development and will be announced shortly. Currently, on its website, there is an American Whiskey Tour with former NFL pro-Eric Wood, a Louisville, Kentucky native. Another tennis event features the Bryan Brothers squaring off in the Gobi Desert.
Berlin's New Food Revolution Is Making The City One Of Europe's Best Dining Destinations
Europe Travel Restrictions, Covid-19 Test Requirements, By Country, For July


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AnnSukWang
life & culture in LA
Category: South Pasadena Review
Showcase Home Revealed at Huge Party
April 6, 2016 October 30, 2017 Posted in A Stone's Throw, South Pasadena ReviewTagged 2016 showcase home of design, a stone's throw, architecture, Ederra Design Studio, Empty House Party, exterior design, interior design, Jason Lai, L2 Interiors, La Canada, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Lynn Van Dam Cooper, Marilyn Campbell Anderson, mission revival, music education, music mobile, Pasadena, PSHA, Samantha Williams, showcase home, south pasadena review, Walt Disney HallLeave a comment
Originally published in "A Stone's Throw" column in the South Pasadena Review 1.28.16
2016 Pasadena Showcase Home, Illustration by Lynn Van Dam Cooper
On Friday night, blueprints of design, swatches of fabric, and bare rooms with delectable food filled the "Empty House Party" and the newly revealed 2016 Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts (PSHA.) This year, the non-profit organization will showcase a 1918-built mission revival, found on a 2-acre property in La Canada Flintridge.
"The Empty House Party is a very exciting night for us. We have been working diligently to get the House to this point," said former South Pasadena resident Marilyn Campbell Anderson, this year's Benefit Chair.
The event kicked-off the designers' dream-making spree, as ideas are fleshed out and the creativity revealed to the public April 17-May 15. Landscape and interior design artists vie for a spot to strut their stuff and help raise money for the arts around Los Angeles County.
The process is straightforward. The owners of the property, in this case the nearly 100-year-old gem, move out for 6 months while the place is gutted of furniture and belongings while preparations are made for a design renovation inside and out.
Professionals submit their proposals for the space they desire to transform. The selection committee then decides which ideas shows the most promise and entrusts the designer with the task.
This year's sprawling property has a three-story, 16,000 square foot main residence with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a variety of open spaces, balconies, an elevator, and even a rumored speakeasy on the lowest floor. There is also a 2,100 square foot stand alone guest home in the back. In the main house, the master suite alone is 1,500 square feet and includes separate his and hers bathrooms and a changing room the size of a large living room in your average home. Samantha Williams of Ederra Design Studio is one of two designers who will take charge of this space.
Though a great deal of work lie ahead for the 20 interior design firms, 8 exterior design firms and hundreds of volunteer members associated with the PSHA, all agree that it's fully worth the effort. Anderson said, "Showcase is a huge undertaking. Our volunteers are the backbone of the organization and through their efforts, year after year, we are able to produce Showcase and raise funds to support music education programs throughout the community."
The goal is for 30,000 people to walk through the home in 25 days. $630,000 was donated last year alone for gifts and grants and more given to other artsy endeavors. A cumulative $20+ million has been donated since the start of the organization in 1948.
The funds go toward music and art education in and around Los Angeles County: gifts and grants for outstanding community programs, the "Music Mobile" bringing a hands-on music experience to hundreds of 3rd graders, a concert at the Walt Disney Hall by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra for an audience filled with 4th-grade students, competitions for promising young musicians (16-24 years of age) who receive monetary awards to assist in furthering their music education and more!
But truly, this is a win-win for all. Not only does the philanthropic owner enjoy some improvements to the house, but many have the opportunity to give directly to their community by supporting children in the arts. The public can experience a historic home with modern ideas to accentuate and celebrate the past; and designers benefit by showcasing their talent to thousands.
When asked why he's done this for the past seven years, Jason Lai, owner and principal designer of L2 Interiors said that it was simply "good advertisement and all worth it." Lai will be showcasing a "young adult" bedroom and bath. He is proud to be debuting a textured porcelain that looks like stone and a custom faucet for the bath that "mix metals" in a tasteful manner.
The cost for the redesign are incurred by each design firm. Designers also work with a variety of businesses who advertise alongside them, donating materials and ultimately add to the cause.
When the home opens to the public in April, it will be the 52nd showcase, "one of the oldest, largest and most successful house and garden tour in the U.S." according to PSHA.
Tickets go on sale February 3 and are $35-$45/person, depending on the day and hour of a scheduled tour. (A $60 golden ticket that allows a visit during any open hours is currently on sale online.) Parking will be in Lot I at the Rose Bowl, shuttling people to and from the home.
For tickets and information, go online to pasadenashowcase.org.
List of Designers & their Design Space
Entry, Staircase and Second Floor Hall: Saxony Design Build Inc., Joshua Cain & Jeff Godbold (Interior Advisors)
Grand Salon: Designs of the Interior, Karen Shoener, Genaro Lagdameo & Carla Padour
Music Room: Parker West Interiors, Greg Parker & Paul Heinz
Dining Room: Kelly Ferm Inc., Kelly Ferm
Cloakroom and Lavatory: EMI Interior Design, Inc., Erica Islas
Master Suite: Ederra Design Studio, Samantha Williams & Cynthia Lambakis
Morning Room and Lady's Office: Tocco Finale, Dona Dockendorf
Grandparent's Suite and Sitting Room: Lemmon Hill, Cathy Arkley
Grandparents' Suite Bath: Foothill Tile and Stone Co., Vincent Chow & Carmel Chow
The Artist's Veranda and The Aviary Elevator: Shari Tipich, Decorative Artist
The Writer's Retreat: Mark and Bleue Design, Inc., Savannah Bleue & Ally Marks
Little Girl's Bedroom: Salutations Home, Scott Moore & Jonna Carls
Young Adult Bedroom and Jack & Jill Bath: L2 Interiors, Stephanie Leese & Jason Lai
Family Room, Main Hallway and Powder Room: Robert Frank Design, Robert Frank
Guest Suite: Julia Wong Designs, Julia Wong
Smoking Lounge: Michael Wrusch Design, Michael Wrusch
Kitchen, Butler's Pantry, Breakfast Room, Laundry Room and Caterer's Kitchen: GH Wood Design, Amin Khademi, Kaleena Khademi & Jack Carino
Basement Hallway/Art Gallery: Roula's Decor, Roula Dardari
Guest House Bedroom, Bath, Living Room and Dining Room: The Art of Room Design, Maria Videla
Guest House Kitchen, Breakfast Room and Laundry: D Christjan, Phil Vonk
Exterior Design Spaces
Exterior Advisor: Land Re: Vision, Larry Pastre
Entry Gardens and Rose Garden: RA Designs, Mouna Stewart
Sculpture Garden: Gad Garden Architecture & Design, Leo Cruz
Tidellii of Fountain Valley, Tatiana Mendelli & Ginger Evans
Entry Veranda: Interior Devine, Paul Devine
The Pond: Mystic Water Garden, Steve Sandalis
Sacred Space Garden: Design Inc., Karen Miller
Guest House Gardens: Outdoor Elegance, Inc., Douglas Sanicola & Roxanne Spear
The Pool: Pacific Outdoor Living, Terry Morrill and John Durco
The Sports Court and Putting Green: TD Sports Inc./Sportcourla, Dale Hendrickson
Leo Politi's "Moy Moy" Celebrated
January 28, 2016 January 28, 2016 Posted in South Pasadena Review, UncategorizedTagged Chinese New Year, Leo Politi, library, Lion Dance, Mary Yan Joe, Moy Moy, south pasadenaLeave a comment
Lion Dancers lead crowd to library.
Originally published 1.21.15 in "A Stone's Throw" Column in the South Pasadena Review
Mary Yan Joe or "Moy Moy" remembers Leo Politi.
Last Thursday, dancing lions roamed the streets of South Pasadena, winding through the farmer's market, blinking lit-up eyes, flapping wiggly ears and ushering a crowd into the community room of the public library.
As the lively percussion band and lion dancers nestled down, the actual "Moy Moy" herself ("little sister" in a Cantonese dialect) settled-in to read Leo Politi's picture book about a Chinese New Year celebration in L.A.'s Chinatown in the 1960s.
Politi, a children's book author/illustrator and muralist, weaves a story of Moy Moy and her three big brothers (Harry, George and Frank) as they celebrate around their family's shop.
Moy Moy longs for a beautiful doll, but will she get it? She will first have to overcome her fear of the lions that come to life as they roar to a stand, grow angry and happy, eat dangling fruit and donated money and even sleep and wake to the beat of drums.
As Moy Moy read, children absorbed the beloved story. Adults joined in from the chairs behind and under the backdrop of dozens of Politi's art on display.
After a complete reading of the story, Moy Moy or Mary Yan Joe, a resident of South Pasadena and the main character of the book, shared briefly about its history and author. She then showed her own collection of Politi originals, given to her family by the author himself.
As an artist who celebrated friendship and cultural diversity, Politi created some 20 books for children, a Caldecott winner and two honors among them (one of the highest achievements for a children's picture book.)
Joe recalled a memory of Politi and her childhood, "I just remember him coming and bringing his little dog that I was terrified of; he would try to get me to warm up to the dog. I was told that was how he captured that in the story, where I was afraid of the lion."
Politi loved interacting with and creating art about children. This was evident even as the youngest son, Frank Yan, would climb on Politi's back as he tried to paint. Yan remembered, "I was the rascal… I would just pester him." A photo of young Yan climbing on a working Politi's back was included in the exhibit.
Original dolls (like the one Moy Moy covets in the story) from Politi's toy collection were also on display, juxtaposed to the illustrations that depicted them.
Politi had a special fondness for South Pasadena, painting his first library wall mural there. And South Pasadena loves Politi. Not only is a mural of children reading treasured in the children's room of the library, but February 28 is proclaimed as the city's official "Leo Politi Day."
After the reading of "Moy Moy," the evening's line up was far from over.
Politi's daughter, Suzanne Politi Bischof was on hand to represent the family and answer questions. Alan Cook, puppeteer, presented a fun and fascinating show of shadows illuminated like a makeshift television (sometimes called shadow play or shadow puppetry.) A detailed original sketch by Politi of Cook's show in the past was also shared with the audience. Children created their own art at a craft table. And Ann Stalcup, who wrote "Leo Politi: Artist of the Angels" shared her book and more insight into Politi's life.
The evening was a unique and fitting way to kick-off 2016 in South Pasadena and the Chinese New Year ahead (February 8).
Though the exhibit is no longer in the community room, you can still experience some of Politi's books and his mural by visiting the South Pasadena Library.
Gong Hey Fat Choy! – Cantonese for "congratulations and be prosperous" in the New Year.
Thursday's event was made possible by The Politi family, Lisa Boyd/Moms for Community, The City of South Pasadena, The South Pasadena Public Library, The Friends of the South Pasadena Library and many supportive volunteers.
CERT Classes Empower People to Prepare for Emergencies
January 28, 2016 January 28, 2016 Posted in South Pasadena Review, UncategorizedTagged CERT, community, cpr, disaster preparedness, Emergency preparedness, emergency response team, fire department, fire safety, oneonta, south pasadena, south pasadena reviewLeave a comment
Putting out blaze – Community members learn how to extinguish a fire properly and efficiently.
Part 1 of 2: Published 9.24.15, South Pasadena Review
When disaster strikes, it's too late to prepare. And in California, an earthquake, a fire, a windstorm or even your car breaking down on the way to Vegas in 100-degree heat can turn into an emergency situation very quickly. We know this, and yet many, including myself, continue to put off preparing.
No more excuses. The City of South Pasadena offers free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training classes for anyone over 18-years of age.
This past Saturday, the third CERT Basic Training took place at Oneonta Congregational Church. But do not be fooled by "basic" in the title. This 12-hour class, split into three Saturdays, is the first step in a string of courses to help educate members of the community to respond to various emergencies.
Some of the topics covered in the "Basic" training are: fire safety, light search and rescue, basic first aid, disaster medical operations, terrorism, disaster psychology, and CERT Team organization. This last Saturday, one of the hands-on lessons was in how to use a fire extinguisher in a safe and effective way. We were encouraged to put out a fire while remembering PASS: Pull (the safety tab), Aim (extinguisher at the base of the fire), Squeeze (the lever with a strong grip) and Sweep (in a slow side to side motion).
Sign up for future free CERT trainings by going to the city of South Pasadena website: southpasadenaca.gov, under the "Residents" tab, then select "Disaster Preparedness." Amateur Radio Training (to learn about emergency communications) will be on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 7-9 PM. And the next CERT Basic Training will begin Saturday, February 20, 2016.
Part 2 of 2: Published 10.1.15
CPR Training – Administering CPR is not for the faint of heart. South Pasadena firemen Matt Robertson and Captain Kris Saxon oversee trainees.
CERT Trains Community to Help Others in an Emergency
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) "basic" training course does not water down the truths of a disaster. Images of charred skin, misaligned bones, and distressed and dying individuals were part of the class this past Saturday. But all of this was done to train individuals to help not only themselves and family members in an emergency, but to aid the community during a disaster.
Some material that was covered include: the psychological impact of a disaster, a step-by-step triage protocol, ABCs (airway, breathing, bleeding, circulation), creating makeshift splints and tourniquets, and CPR.
Hands-on training was given for an up-to-date method of "Hands-only" or "sidewalk" CPR. Though official certification for CPR was not given, trainees learned the basics while discovering how physically tiring it is to properly administer CPR for even just one minute.
According to CERT instructor and South Pasadena Fireman, Matt Robertson, the goal of CERT is to "Do the most good for the most people." Trainees were encouraged to start where they're standing and assess a situation while perhaps administering 30 seconds of care before moving on during triage.
When discussing the psychology of victims during a disaster, CERT instructor and South Pasadena Fire Department Captain, Kris Saxon said, "All it takes is a little bit of compassion." CERT instructor and South Pasadena Fireman, Adam Levins added, "Let families grieve. Hold their hands." He then went on to explain what to say and, maybe more importantly, what not to say.
With Los Angeles, one of the largest cities in the US, only 6 miles away, we should have an added urgency about "being ready." And taking a CERT class can help, not only your family, but your community in a disaster as well as other emergencies.
Sign up for free CERT classes at southpasadenaca.gov, under the "Residents" Disaster Preparedness tab.
Trainees and South Pasadena Fire Fighters – Members of the community gather at Oneonta Congregational Church for the third basic CERT training offered in South Pasadena.
A Very Special Olympics
August 13, 2015 August 13, 2015 Posted in A Stone's Throw, Los Angeles, South Pasadena ReviewTagged a stone's throw, Apolo Ohno, Ben Vereen, Cody Carlson, dance challenge, disability, Downtown, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Fans in the Stands, Griffith Park, gymnastics, healthcare, host town, John Wooden Center, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lucky Strikes, Morocco, Nicole Scherzinger, Nigel Lythgoe, Paraguay, Paula Abdul, Pauley Pavilion, So You Think You Can Dance, south pasadena review, Special Olympics, Twitch, UCLA, USC, volleyballLeave a comment
Originally published in "A Stone's Throw" Column, South Pasadena Review 8.6.15
By Ann Suk Wang
The Special Olympics: Volleyball at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion
After the last note of the floor exercise played and the final pose held, a gymnast sprinted off, into an excited embrace with her coach. Together they almost fell over, twirling with joy as the athlete's legs and arms wound around the coach's torso. It looked like an octopus clinging to a pillar. The pillar stood strong.
I waited in line for 45 minutes with two whining boys to get into the John Wooden Center at UCLA and experienced this glorious moment. It was worth it for all of us.
Last week, Los Angeles was graced with a special event: the Special Olympics. And I say graced because it was a gift to L.A. to participate in the celebration of diversity and be inspired by the determination and courage of those around the world with an intellectual disability.
My family also attended volleyball games, the first ever "dance challenge" and the closing ceremony; all were tear-jerkingly inspirational. We had witnessed the thrill of victory, not only for a medal, but personal victories to overcome with disabilities that, truth be told, melted into the background.
South Pasadena had the privilege of being a "Host Town" to athletes from Morocco and Paraguay. More than 100 communities from San Louis Obispo to San Diego participated by being matched with delegations from different countries. Volunteers welcomed guest before the games through parades and activities, spread the word around town about events to come and cheered during competitions for their matched athletes.
The Special Olympics are held every two years, alternating summer and winter games (and should not to be confused with Paralympics, held the week after The Olympics for those with physical disabilities.) Their motto: "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" was coined by Special Olympics founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the first games in 1968, held in her backyard.
Since then, the Special Olympics has promoted awareness and been a champion for equality, inclusion, and acceptance. During the 9 days of the 2015 summer games, there were about 7,000 athletes, 177 countries represented, 30,000 volunteers, 3,000 coaches, and 500,000 spectators (millions more watched on TV).
Volunteer healthcare professionals gave free exams and met the health care needs of the athletes. Michael Wang, a physician at USC and my husband, cared for a football coach with malaria and an athlete with a foot infection, requiring surgery.
"Fans in the Stands" gathered groups of 10 or more to attend sporting events to cheer for the athletes at dozens of venues around L.A. (like UCLA, USC, Long Beach, Griffith Park, Lucky Strikes in Downtown and more.)
Special Olympics Inaugural Dance Challenge: me with Cody Carlson, made popular in So You Think You Can Dance
The "Inaugural Dance Challenge," launched at the Wallis Annenberg Center, was hosted by Nigel Lythgoe, producer of "So You Think You Can Dance" and judged by famous names like Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul and Twitch, to name a few. Apolo Ohno, Gold Medalist in speed skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics, said it well, "This night is about being unified on the field and in life." Ben Vereen, the "preacher" of the night said, "The dance heals us. [It's] not only for the people dancing, but for us."
The dancers were magical, whether from Panama or Pakistan. I almost lost my voice in collective shouts of excitement as soloists leapt in a lyrically graceful jeté, couples glided across the stage in beautiful ballroom gowns and crews hit it hard while onlookers bounced to the beat and hooted their approval. One soloist even got there late, due to a bus problem, but was given the opportunity to perform anyway, his hard work rewarded with cheers and tears.
"The world comes together to see our athletes in action and celebrate their victories over huge odds. The Special Olympics World Game embraces unity, achievement and dignity," states the la2015.org website.
This last week, my own chest swelled with pride for the courageous athletes and all the supportive people around them, holding them up and giving the rest of us a snap shot of a hopeful future.
Grief in Good Times Through the Holidays
January 13, 2015 January 13, 2015 Posted in A Stone's Throw, death, Dos and Don'ts, grieving, holiday, mom, mourning, South Pasadena ReviewTagged personal2 Comments
Originally printed in the South Pasadena Review 12/18/14; for my column, "A Stone's Throw"
Image from psychcentral.com
This is a season of celebration and joy. It's seen in stores and along Fair Oaks. It's heard on the radio and in churches. You can smell it from kitchens. We feel it in the air. But for those who have lost a loved one (and now I join this thoughtful bunch with the sudden passing of my father this September) mixed emotions abound.
I don't pretend to be experienced in grief; this inevitability is still raw. But as I mourn and help my mom in the process as well, we've learned much together, stumbled through Thanksgiving, and continue to figure it out as we go.
Mom lives with us for now (2 loud children, a needy dog and patient husband among us.) We decided it's best for us to be together. The boys have to sleep in the same room, though challenging at times, this has also proven to be good; they actually like it this way, now.
Mom and I are currently going through the seemingly endless "business" of tying-up financial loose ends, memorializing dad's life with an engraved bench in Griffith Park (his favorite hiking spot), cleaning, and creating memories of his legacy as a poet and a "viewing stone" artist.
Random things make us break down at various times. For mom, she became angry when having to check-off "married," "single," or "widowed" on a form or cries when thinking about all the food she didn't let him eat (cannot win here.) For me, I broke down at the grocery store after seeing a friend from the past. All are examples of just a few of the many unusual times grief has struck.
We fight the dichotomous need to hold in our emotions, so we're not a blubbering mess at every turn, while at the same time, try to encourage each other to just let it out, to allow the grief to flow naturally.
When I want to cry, I don't. When I want to hold it in, because it's just downright embarrassing at times, my face curls up hideously in a last-ditch effort to control the flood about to erupt.
There is, of course, no one "right" way to mourn. There are, however, some good things to keep in mind, whether you are grieving or someone you know is mourning a loss (this may also include beloved pets). Whether or not it's been a few months or a few decades since the loss, grief rears itself unexpectedly and sometimes so deeply it may seem no one can possibly understand. Experts say it gets better with time. I'm trusting this.
For now, there are days I am numb, emotionless even. Sometimes I am so busy, taking care of everyone else, that I forget mourning. But as a good friend reminded me, I, too, am grieving. When I stay in that space, I realize it's the pain I'm avoiding. And as I read in grief.com, "Grief is the way out of pain." So it behooves us to find ways to grieve well.
Here are some dos and don'ts I've found helpful or have discovered through research:
Do something for yourself, whatever feeds your soul (even if it's "fun," don't feel guilty, laughter is also a form of medicine). My mom wants to learn how to play the guitar. I write.
Do think about children who are close, they are often "forgotten grievers." Keeping old traditions during the holidays may serve them well. And come up with some enjoyable new ones, too.
Do things for others. Volunteer at a food bank. Visit those who may be lonely. A month after my father's passing I made a meal for a new mom and that surprisingly felt healing to serve another.
Do celebrate the season. For me, Christmas is about "Emanuel," God with us. So my focus here fills me and keeps me grounded.
Do rest.
Don't force yourself to do something that doesn't feel right. Allow yourself to be alone and be with people, whatever helps.
Don't keep feelings locked-up. Talk about your loved one, whether or not emotions follow. Celebrate this season as you mourn and remember treasured memories of your loved one.
Don't reject help. You may be blessed (and allow blessings to fall on others) in unexpected ways as you stay connected to people. This was definitely true for us in the form of friends giving us meals, to give only one example.
Though there is no magic solution to make the pain go away during the holidays and the "quiet" months that follow, there are ways to press into it and make it a time to celebrate the life of a loved one and how they made you who you are.
For dealing with grief, try one of these resources in South Pasadena: Jessica ChenFeng, PhD, LMFT (626) 817-2188, therapywithmftjess.com; Craig Clark, PhD (626) 403-0734; Jacqueline Woods, LMFT at Pacific Trauma Treatment Center (626) 808-4030, PacificTTC.com. Also, seek counseling and grief support in various houses of faith in the community.
Research credit and online resources: griefnet.org and grief.com
The Edible Pumpkin Patch
December 17, 2014 Posted in South Pasadena ReviewTagged gourd, Jimmy Fallon, kabocha, pumpkin nutrition facts, pumpkin porridge, pumpkins, Tonight Show, Trader JoesLeave a comment
Kabocha pumpkin photo courtesy of wholedelicious.com
Originally published in "A Stone's Throw" column in the South Pasadena Review newspaper, October 2014.
Fall is by far my favorite season. There's a chill in the air (however faint this year), leaves turn a brilliant yellow and orange, and whiffs of pumpkin waft all around. Pumpkins! I adore this autumn gourd.
Consider these pumpkin nutrition facts: it's low in calories (one cooked cup is 49 calories); it's an antioxidant, rich in vitamins A, C and E; it's rich in minerals like calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium; the seeds have an excellent amount of dietary fiber and are good for the heart; there are more than 45 varieties (it gets complicated when you include types of squash); and as my second grader taught me, the more lines outside, the more seeds inside. (I checked the facts and he's basically right!)
Though the pure inside flesh of the pumpkin is healthy for our bodies, many pumpkin products may not be as much. (Make sure to check nutrition facts on the package.) But they are tasty!
This year I've been visiting a kind of pumpkin patch weekly! Trader Joe's. And my habit has been stretching my wallet and my belly.
I consistently walk out with at least three to five pumpkin items each time: Pumpkin Cream Cheese, Pumpkin Rolls with pumpkin icing, Pumpkin O's cereal, Iced Pumpkin Scone Cookies, Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Salted Caramels … )
This last week, I purchased three actual pumpkins to grace our front porch and welcome people into our pumpkin-stuffed home (pantry, fridge and people alike.)
As you enter my pumpkin candle-scented house, you will find me smothered in Pumpkin Body Butter, munching on a Harvest Salad with pumpkin vinaigrette, sipping Pumpkin Spice Coffee, and making Pumpkin Bread Pudding.
There are more than 60 pumpkin items in all at this one particular store. So really, I am just skimming the surface.
Though I may seem a little crazy I am actually holding back when I buy just a few items. Oh, how I yearn to try so much more and I probably will (like Pumpkin Pie Mochi Ice Cream, Pecan Pumpkin Oatmeal, and Pumpkin Cranberry Scone Mix!)
Trust me when I say, I don't work for any particular grocer or pumpkin association in any way. And I assure you; I am not alone in my pumpkin headedness. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fallon even jokes, on more than one occasion, about America's insatiable appetite for pumpkin lattes, another weakness of mine. (Does that even surprise you by now?)
Amidst pumpkins galore and as delicious as all the pumpkin products are, one of my family's all-time favorite fall treats is my mom's simple Asian Pumpkin Porridge with only three ingredients (pumpkin, rice and salt or sugar). I'm drawn back to the basic pumpkin itself. (See recipe below.)
So as you enjoy the plethora of pumpkin in our lives, don't forget to enjoy pure pumpkin and celebrate our access to and love for it.
Final pumpkin fact: The word "pumpkin" was shamelessly used 40 times in the writing of this piece.
Mama Suk's Asian Pumpkin Porridge
(Mom says that kings used to eat this in Korea.)
Rinse one cup of rice. Soak in water for one to two hours. Take a greenish Kabocha Squash/Japanese Pumpkin (about five pounds) and wash well, scrub even. (You can use any cooking pumpkin, but Kabocha is our favorite.) Cut in half. Take out seeds. (You can bake those separately.) Steam for roughly 20 minutes, until soft (You can also microwave about one minute per pound.)
Scoop out flesh and combine with soaked rice. Food process or mash the mixture. Stir mixture often in a pot over medium heat, reducing heat to low after boiling. Stir into a thicker consistency. Watch for clumping by stirring regularly for about 15 minutes. (Optional: mix in ½ cup milk for a smoother texture.)
Add about ½ teaspoon salt (to taste) if you want a savory porridge. Or add about one to two teaspoons of sugar (to taste) for a sweet, dessert-like porridge. Enjoy and make sure to let me know how it turns out!
The True Tragedy
September 16, 2014 September 16, 2014 Posted in South Pasadena ReviewTagged care, community, depression, Elizabeth Haeger, greater pasadena, help, kindness, Natasha Prime, peers, shooting, south pasadena, south pasadena review, suicide, teen, teen stress, the place, the place of south pasadena, tragedy, wyldlife, young life, younglifeLeave a comment
Photo credit: Livestrong.org
Original publication in The South Pasadena Review, "A Stone's Throw" Column, September 11, 2014
A few weeks ago, our community sighed in relief having averted a potential school shooting. But after the relief, comes reality. This scary scenario points to wounds that not only exist in our city, but among many teens around the US.
I don't know why the arrested boys planned an attack on the high school; and I'm not going to guess. But this does make me wonder about the stress many teens face: mounting schoolwork, social pressures and complexities, home life, bullying, anger, depression, suicidal thoughts…
Consider some statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health:
– About 11 percent of adolescents have a depressive disorder by age 18.
– Suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24.
– More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined.
Sometimes a teen's problem may solely be a chemical imbalance; but often it's combined with social factors or simply social-emotional.
"Every teen wants to be connected. Clearly, these teens [the arrested boys] did not feel connected to their community," states Natasha Prime, Special Education Counselor at South Pasadena High School and founder/Executive Director of "The Place," a teen center in South Pasadena.
Prime adds, "Lots of kids not associated with traditional school activities (like band or sports) can still be a part of a group. [At "The Place"] they have somewhere to go, a place to belong and be connected."
Elizabeth Haeger, South Pasadena's Young Life staff associate, shares from the book Hurt by Dr. Chap Clark, "The average American teenager has less than 2 minutes a day of meaningful, personal interaction with an adult, including their own parents."
Haeger adds, "As someone who spends a lot of time with teenagers, I can tell you, a lot of kids are in a darker place than many adults realize… They feel hopeless and unknown."
When I was a teen, I remember being verbally ridiculed by other kids for things like: my name, using a tissue for my nose, winning a contest, and reading a book in the "wrong" spot – all innocuous things. I'm sure kids have to endure far worse! But what made a difference for me was a considerate adult or a thoughtful and apt word from a peer.
Whether or not an unpleasant interaction is "deserved," many kids (and might I add, adults) can be cruel. For some, it takes one incident and the internal damage is done. For others, decades of abuse can render one to believe they are unworthy; but they can still emerge as decent human beings.
It is not our job to determine what result a mean word or action will have on a person. Rather, it's everyone's civil duty and common decency to treat others with respect. Yes, be respectful even to the one causing the pain, without giving them the power to continue the venomous hate that really just makes them miserable people.
Those who harm verbally or physically need to be held accountable for the part they play (by calling them on it or bringing in professionals.) And hopefully, that will help them take a step toward betterment. No one is beyond help.
But before a person starts down the wrong path, each individual around them can make a difference. It's easy to say or do a mean thing or judge a situation quickly. What's infinitely more challenging is to go beyond instinct and replace the mean word or action with a gentle, sincere and healing one.
Go even further and be fierce in caring for people. Go up to someone who was just handed a blow and pepper them with a kind truth. The irony is: the one who hurts the most is the one who spreads the hurt. So be a person who intervenes and stops that cycle.
I don't say these things because I am this ideal caring person. I write this because I sometimes judge and spew venom (if only in my head and spilling out at times). But with the help of God and good friends, I must strive for better. And I'm guessing, no matter where we are on the care meter, we can all make improvements here.
I was angry with the two boys who were arrested because they allegedly meant to inflict serious harm. But then the anger turned to sympathy for us all: the boys, their families, those who can help prevent tragedies and those who are still being victimized.
The problem was thwarted but the pain persists. Are you the one causing pain? Are you the one taking it? (Don't give up on seeking help, you will find it!) Are you the one watching it happen all around and doing little to nothing about it? All of us can probably answer "yes" to each.
The true tragedy would be moving forward like nothing ever happened. We can all take a moment to creatively imagine what can be done to turn a community-wide scare into a more healing future. We can recognize the underlying pain that exists all around and do something about it.
Resources to connect teens to peer communities and people who care:
http://www.theplaceofsouthpas.org (a safe place after school for 13-18 year olds)
http://www.greaterpasadena.younglife.org (Wyldlife is for those in middle school and Young Life is for high school students. YoungLife and WyldLife groups meet in various cities. Meetings are a fun, energetic and thoughtful place for teens.)
Parents of South Pasadena Students React to Planned Shooting
August 19, 2014 August 19, 2014 Posted in South Pasadena ReviewTagged Dayna Cahoon, derailed, foiled plan, Gina Chang, Hollin Liu, Jon Primuth, Josephine Sin, prayer vigil, shooting, south pasadena, SPEF, SPUSD, St. JamesLeave a comment
For the background story, go to SouthPasadenaNow.com
We hear about school shootings around the US and are angry and sad for the pain it causes. When the threat comes directly into our own community (for me, less than a block away), the concern deepens. As with any small town, people share meals, soccer matches, and school events; we seem, at most, one degree away from each other.
So after tragedy was averted on Monday when two South Pasadena High School students were arrested because of the very real threat of a shooting attack on staff and students, a collective sigh of relief came from parents who realized how bad this could have been. Even the potential of what could have been shakes us up.
A community is left stunned, relieved and thoughtful about what else lurks and how to avoid the worst of it in the future.
Jon Primuth, President of the South Pasadena Educational Foundation (SPEF) said, "My daughter (a senior) and son (a sophomore) would have been on campus at the time, so my emotions are a huge tangled knot of fear and relief. I am deeply grateful to our school administrators and police for their alert response and quick action."
"I do believe that the culture of 'community involvement' in South Pasadena contributed to this being detected early. We are one big family looking out for each other, not afraid to speak out when something doesn't look right," says Gina Chang, parent of two elementary-aged children.
A sense of gratitude was certainly felt among people. But many other feelings followed.
"After hearing about the incident, I told myself to drop down on my knees and just pray. If a small community like South Pasadena can have kids that are this troubled then we must pray for those two boys and protection over all the schools. I feel so helpless. Violence is everywhere," says Josephine Sin, a parent of two (one at the middle school and another at Arroyo Vista Elementary.)
Dayna Cahoon, wonders, "How do I communicate to my young children, all under the age of eight, that things like this happen, without creating fear in them?… Are children so desperate for attention and a feeling of notoriety that they are willing to cause such horrible tragedy?"
A parent of three (two high school students and a newly graduated high school senior,) Hollin Liu says, "We thought we lived in a safe neighborhood. With something like this, even South Pasadena gets to be listed as 'dangerous.' It's scary just thinking about it. And about the fencing-in situation in all our schools, if there were a shooting frenzy, wouldn't it be harder for kids to run?"
The very thought of extreme violence makes people consider the policies and practices in place, refining safety measures and making them better.
"…It's not enough to ban guns or ban media that romanticizes violence and vengeance. We need more positive adult role models in kids' lives," Primuth adds. "As for SPEF, we have the same disaster planning as SPUSD in all our summer schools."
As a parent of children at the middle school and elementary school, this situation has caused my own family to talk about what may be considered "suspicious" and what to do in light of it. My kids mentioned that they didn't want to "tattle," so that lead to a discussion on what is and isn't tattling.
And each child responds differently, so parents need to be sensitive about how to discuss such topics. If you or your children have concerns regarding the recent threat, counselors will be available at all SPUSD schools.
Though a stream of questions and thoughts bombard the brain of a parent in cases like this, the thread that unites us in this particular situation is our thankfulness to community members and authorities who kept this situation from turning into a nightmare.
A prayer vigil will be held on Wednesday, August 20th, at 7:00 p.m. on the front lawn of St. James' Episcopal Church, for students at all five South Pasadena schools.
Fun and Fascinating School Creatures
July 28, 2014 July 28, 2014 Posted in South Pasadena ReviewTagged animals, Arroyo Vista, creatures, middle school, Monterey Hills, school pets, south pasadenaLeave a comment
Originally from my column "A Stone's Throw" in the South Pasadena Review (June 2014)
Throughout the school year, students learn best by experience. This is especially true of live creatures in the classroom; and I'm not talking about the kids.
It's good to study about the world from a book; but bring it to life to observe and touch and the learning increases that much more.
When I was growing up my parents would travel with me, making the most of my time away from school. They would say "You learn more when you do."
In the same vein, my kids and I continue to "do." Beyond going places, we also "do" at home. Currently we live in a zoo/laboratory, or so it feels like such. We have 2 spunky boys (Thing 1 and Thing 2), a bouncy dog (Bree), 2 hardy water frogs raised from tadpoles (Hop and Hoppity), soon to be released butterflies, ladybugs in their pupa stage and praying mantises in their habitat getting ready to live in our garden. And I must admit it involves a little money, a little time and a lot of fun.
Living things can respond to your actions and sounds. They eat, have antics, poo, molt, hang upside-down and evolve. You can spend a day together and learn its habits. Now that's education!
In the South Pasadena elementary schools, we have rabbits, ducklings, chickens and turtles. Some teachers introduce their classes to hairy tarantulas that are fed live insects, frogs that are placed in makeshift ponds, and caterpillars that miraculously metamorphose into butterflies released to the skies.
Dawn Tull, a 4th and 5th grade teacher at Monterey Hills Elementary has in her class (and will have in her home over the summer): 3 guinea pigs, a gecko, tree frogs, fire belly toads and an insect habitat – Oh my! "The reason I have animals is… to reinforce all the eco system studies we do."
Even at the middle school, the library has two birds and an escape artist hamster. An assortment of insects and reptiles like snakes and lizards also find their way into our academic environment – it's natural!
When Colette Carbonare, a second grader at Arroyo Vista was asked what she learned about the ducklings, she said, "Whoever takes a duck has to take two because they get lonely." Apparently this is a crucial element in a ducky's social existence, but may not be fun for the "lucky" parent who gets to clean twice the mess.
This brings us to the question: "where do all the creatures go," now that the traditional academic season comes to a close? Like Pete Seeger's old political folk song in the 60s "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" the creatures come full circle.
They get adopted into student's homes everywhere. Teachers find they have new pets for the summer. And some get released into nature to continue the life cycle.
Wherever they go, somehow, when the new school year rolls around again, future generations of creatures find their way back into the classroom and into the minds and hearts of those fortunate enough to behold and enjoy them.
To try some of these in your own home, borrow a pet from your child's classroom for the weekend or summer. Or go to insectlore.com (for caterpillars/butterflies and ladybug larvae), fascinations.com (for an ant farm and praying mantises) and growafrog.com (for see-thru tadpoles). Or to keep the critters contained in a story, try a fun tale about "Humphrey," life from the perspective of a classroom hamster.
Whatever you do, make sure you "DO" something. Get out of your comfort zone and get dirty. Those precious years of wonder and discovery tend to fade over time. So don't miss it!
Bringing Back Old In A New Way
May 31, 2014 Posted in South Pasadena ReviewTagged aol, books, children's books, column, Meg Ryan, Nora Ephron, opinion, south pasadena, south pasadena review, Tom Hanks, You've got mail2 Comments
A piece I wrote for the South Pasadena Review (originally published in the 5/22/14 issue)
Have you ever watched an old movie you knew you liked, but couldn't remember what it was about? Well I bought that movie recently at a thrift store and was so delighted to relive it, as if I had never seen it before. Honestly, even as I watched, I couldn't remember what happened next! So because I was pleasantly surprised by it's charm and surprised by a completely new way of seeing it with modern eyes, I'd like to revive a 16-year-old oldie but goodie: You've Got Mail.
In our 126-year-old city, 16 years is hardly "old." But as in "You've Got Mail" we, too, have a beloved children's bookstore (with Toys too): The Dinosaur Farm, a seasoned business at 20-years-old this November and still standing proud.
The days of AOL and the ancient dial-up tone via modem are all but gone. But at the heart of this good story, the gist lives on and still relevant today… the take-over of a super-power over a little guy's business, the power of books, getting to know someone deeply through their words (online, through snail mail and otherwise), and "frienemies" who become more through forgiveness and kindness.
Nora Ephron, the director, screenwriter, and all-around comedic/relational genius weaves together what some people might call a "predictable plot." Yes, you know it's going to be a happy ending. The guy gets the girl. All is well. But how she gets there is what's so magical and endearing. And that's the ride that is so worth the journey.
If you know me, you know I love children's books, children's book authors, children's bookstores… you get the picture. So in the movie, when a small privately-owned children's bookstore is threatened by a larger discounted super bookstore, I can't help but think how things have changed and yet, are still the same today… Now, even the brick and mortar superstores are threatened by even bigger online super-duper "stores."
The whole publishing industry is being turned upside-down by the way we read our books on tablets and download material that has never been touched by a professional editor. At first, those who love the feel and smell of quality words on printed paper were up in arms. This new turn was a travesty! To many, it still is. But with more regularity now, the industry is learning to roll with the punches and trying to evolve well. Newer and bigger, albeit often more impersonal, business inventions are inevitable.
And the little guy continues to chug forward. Even our own Dinosaur Farm finds ways to compete with the growing market. Not only do they have sales online, but they excel in customer service (knowledge in helping to pick out the perfect present and free gift wrapping). They cary unique items the "big boxes don't have," says owner David Plenn. Finally, they strive to live up to their motto: "Not your ordinary toy store!"
So as Tom Hanks' and Meg Ryan's characters discover, we, too, can stay true to our better selves, and turn our enemies into friends and find love along the way… whether it be in business, in relationships, an obscure book or an old movie.
Meg Ryan in her beloved children's bookstore. Photo courtesy of blog.hgtv.com
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The Dorian Invitational Choral Festival is held in January or February each year to provide top-quality performing and listening experiences for entire high school choirs. This festival is held in conjunction with the Luther College Nordic Choir Tour.
Four choirs from the upper Midwest are invited by our choral faculty to attend the festival for an entire weekday. The festival is held off-campus in a different region every year. In 2019, the event was held at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Iowa City, IA. In 2018, the event was held at St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines, IA.
During the festival day, the combined voices of the high school choirs along with the Luther College Nordic Choir, create a large festival choir which works with the Luther College choral faculty on four select pieces. The four choirs will also individually work with choral faculty on pieces that they have prepared for the day.
The festival concludes with a concert that will feature each individual choir, the festival massed choir, and Luther College's very own Nordic Choir. The concert is a ticketed event. More information about the 2020 Dorian Choral Invitational Festival to come soon!
Dorian Festivals and Summer Camps maintained by Kristin Bjerke. Page last updated on 19 March 2019.


Großhandel wirtschaftlich Gosha Rubchinskiy X Adidas Sport Top Navy - Herren Rundhals T-Shirt Bis zu 69% Rabatt!
After a hugely successful collaboration with Adidas launched last year, they've come together again with more colour injected, sport inspired pieces for the SS18 collection. As is showcased with this navy polyester Gosha Rubchinskiy X Adidas sport top featuring a stand up collar, dropped shoulders, short sleeves, a printed logo to the front, vertical panels, a signature three stripe detail and a boxy fit.


Again made another cool aircraft replica from MACROSS DELTA series, this time is the VF-31A KAIROS which share the base design from VF-31J SIEGFRIED that was also build few weeks back, that means i don't have to work out a lot creating the model again only just do minor 3D mesh modification on its wing design, re-texturing, re-UV mapping and add-on to make the replica possible. The plane flew and handled as good as VF-31J with slightly on heavier side due to extra armament under its wing. It still retain the same flight control like any typical MACROSS aircraft via Elevon and rudder control. Its fun to fly, very loud, looks sleek, badass in the virtual skies and feels bigger unlike my previous build. Super cool aircraft indeed especially when i comes from MACROSS universe generation.