3-week extravaganza of the opulent art & music of the Baroque Era of Europe with live musical performances: 10:30am-12/Noon.
Tickets: $75/Series of 3, $30/Single.
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7:30pm – Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Lúnasa & the remarkable Tim O'Brien embark on a transatlantic musical journey exploring the common roots, interplay & mutual influences at the heart of American & Irish music.
A toe-tappin', song-beltin' heart-warmin' Country Music treat! With "These Boots are Made for Walkin," "9-to-5,' 'Stand By Your Man' & many other favorites!
Show: 7:30pm Tickets: $15/Per Person.
Come hear hot rhythms & lush harmonies. They play musical styles first popularized in the '30s & '40s, including Django Reinhardt's gypsy jazz, Aerican Wwing & French Musette Waltzes.
7:30pm – Known the world over for melodies filled with the intricate rhythms & harmonies of their native South African musical traditions. Over creating an electric musical & spiritual force that has garnered praise & accolades from a wide body of people on every continent.
10am-3pm – take a culinary tour of the town. You'll spend the day tasting chowder & meeting chefs. Visit all the stops & you're eligible for an entry in a prize drawing! Trust us, you won't leave Bodega Bay hungry!
Cost: $10/Per Person – PRE-SALE ONLY! SOLD OUT!
Show plus All-You-Can-Eat Crab, Pasta, Salad, French Bread, Handmade Desserts. $50-$60.
6pm – All-You-Can-Eat Crab, French Bread & Salad.
5pm – Dinner, Dessert & Auction.
6:30-9:30pm – Home town singer-songwriters, Adam Herman, formerly of Deadman's Blue's Band & Lisa Ann, of The Derringer Girls, have joined together as Crow's Landing. Performing primarily original songs, peppered with some crowd pleasing familiar favorites, the pair brings to the stage a modern & upbeat style, spanning traditional American to Rock & Blues. No Cover.
Tribute to the Masters of the Jazz Piano including McCoy Tyner, George Cables & others. With the Myron Cohen Quartet w/ Zach Schubert, 16-year-old piano protégée, Sandy Poindexter & Trevor Murphy (piano, violin, bass & drums).
7pm – Includes Tom Shader on bass & Tom Hayashi on drums. Playing original compositions by Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless (Paul Winter Consort, Oregon) & jazz guitarist Foley-Beining at OCA's acoustic sweet spot. Tickets; $18/Advance. $22/Door. Cabaret seating with fine refreshments including wine & beer for sale. Wheelchair Accessible.
5:30-10:30pm – All-You-Can-Eat Crab Dinner, Dancing, Silent & Live Auction. No Host Bar, DJ. 21+. Cost: $95/Per Person.
5:30pm – Bay Shrimp Salad, Garlic Bread, Pasta.
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5:30-9pm – Live & Silent Auction – All you can eat Crab Feed. Tickets: $60/Per Person.
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In this tutorial, you create a set of files, including source files and executable files. You should make a directory to hold these files. In the remainder of the tutorial, it is assumed the directory is c:\tutorial\ulodbc. If you choose a different name, use that name throughout.
The ODBC interface does not depend on any particular C/C++ compiler or development environment. The tutorial uses a makefile with Microsoft's nmake syntax. If you are using a different development environment, make the appropriate substitutions.
These options compile a source file called sample.cpp into an executable sample.exe, using the UltraLite import library for Windows (ulimp.lib). They rely on the environment variable SQLANY10, which is defined as your SQL Anywhere installation directory. See SQL Anywhere Environment Variables.
This application simply returns 0 to the calling environment.
If you are using the Microsoft compiler, type nmake at a command prompt to compile and link your application. Otherwise, use the appropriate command for your development environment.
Compiling and linking the application confirms that your build environment is set up properly. You are now ready for the rest of the tutorial.


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text:
FirstWP / WordPress Tutorials / Unsolicited Advice in WordPress (But Is It Really?)
Unsolicited Advice in WordPress (But Is It Really?)
. August 30, 2020
Obviously, I can only speak for as much of the culture that I've experienced both online and offline so I don't mean this to be an overly general statement, but I think it's fair we live in a highly polarized culture – if not offline, and if not in the west, then certainly online.
That is, we have no problem telling one another if their policy, their ideas, their implementations, or whatever sucks, or if it's terrific. Unfortunately, it seems to be much more of the former than the latter.
I tend to be more on the pessimistic side – I know, probably not the most flattering personality trait, but I try to fight it 🙂 – so I don't know if it's getting better, but I can definitively say that over the past few days, I've personally experienced some criticism – all constructive – that's respectful and that has generated a lot of food for thought.
The Polarization of A Free Theme
Specifically, I'm talking about when I announced that I was placing Mayer on GitHub, I received a number of great comments that provided food for thought as I continue this move into this new model with which we're experimenting.
WPTavern shared and announcement post which had some really interesting comments (at least as far as I was concerned) that have spurred some thoughts that I'll be continuing to think about over the next year as I try this experiment. I consider this to be a good thing.
Scott Bolinger, the lead developer behind AppPresser and a developer of whom I have the utmost respect, published a rebuttal (for lack of a better term) on some of the dangers in going this route. And I respect everything he's written, and take it as wisdom and food for thought as I continue this route.
These are two examples of how we should be talking about issues from various angles and doing so in a non-polarized manner.
Should we be selling support instead of products? My reply to the articles recently by @tommcfarlin and @wptavern http://t.co/SscClHq7kV
— Scott Bolinger (@scottbolinger) February 16, 2015
Conversely, I also received my fair share of tweets and other inputs where people offered their candid (read: blunt) opinions, that that's fine, too. At this point in my career – and I think I can speak for many of us – when I say that we're used to it.
Keep calm and carry on and all that jazz.
But the purpose of this post isn't to highlight the various forms of feedback that have come with experimenting within the WordPress economy. Instead, I'm trying to use it as an example of some of the ways in which we can go about having respectful, even positive conversations about things even if we don't fully agree with them exactly like I've tried to demonstrate above
The Inundation of Unsolicited Advice
Technically, I could take all of the aforementioned things above and write them off as unsolicited advice, but when you share something online, you're implicitly asking people to share their opinion on what you've shared, as well.
And in doing that, I think it's fair to say that you have an obligation to take into account what they are saying. People generally – not always – but generally have good reasons for saying the things they do and offering the advice that they have.
Some of it is the usual negative drivel that doesn't warrant a response, other things can be viewed as wisdom and that's something that should always cause us to tune in.
First, we work in a weird economy. I mean, here's a number of us all selling products within the same space but offering advice to one another on how to be successful while also, in some cases, being competitors.
Weird, right?
Secondly, when people are able to write thoughtful comments and blog posts, it's usually rooted in something far more than just an opinion. They've experience with something like that. That's something worth focusing on and taking into consideration as you move your business forward.
So is the advice really unsolicited? Some, maybe.
But not all.
And although I believe that our culture is far more polarized than it should be, I think that it's worth trying hard to separate the signal from the noise, appreciating and considering the former while ignoring the latter (and there is a lot of the latter).
When you end up releasing something new or experimenting with something new with what you're doing with you're business, prepare to have a bit of a thick skin because there will always be those who are going to have something to offer that doesn't contribute anything back to your effort.
Even still, don't fear the push back you may receive. It's not always offered in a negative manner. It's actually on the contrary and that's a welcome, less polarizing thing.
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Cryptosporidiosis (crypto) is a nasty GI disease caused by a protozoan parasite present in unclean drinking water. Being able to quickly detect the infection would help treat patients presenting with complementary symptoms. To that end a team from Rice University and the University of Texas Medical Branch have developed a test strip, that looks similar to a pregnancy test, for detecting crypto without expensive laboratory equipment.
After a bit of preparation, a (typically diarrheal) stool sample is introduced to the test strip, which in turn detects the presence of the parasite's DNA using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). This allows for field testing for crypto at room temperature and without having to use equipment typically required for PCR.
In Rice's experiments, samples were prepared with a commercial chemical kit that releases all the DNA and RNA in the small amount of stool tested. The purified nucleic acids are then combined with RPA primers and enzymes tuned to amplify the pathogen of interest, Crannell said.
"If the pathogen DNA is present, these primers will amplify it billions of times to a level that we can easily detect," he said. The sample is then flowed over the detection strip, which provides a positive or negative result.
The RPA enzymes are stable in their dried form and can be safely stored at the point of care without refrigeration for up to a year, he said.
While current tests might catch the disease in samples with thousands of the pathogens, the Rice technique detects the presence of very few – even one – parasite in a sample. In their experiments, the researchers reported the presence or absence of the disease was correctly identified in 27 of 28 infected and control-group mice and all 21 humans whose stool was tested.


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The master bedroom is furnished with a King bed and offers a large sitting area. This bedroom is situated on the ground floor, along with the second twin bedroom, and they both open onto the pool deck. The Master bedroom is the only one equipped with its own DVD player. The twin bedroom has it own private covered terrace. The third bedroom of equally generous proportions is on the first floor and is furnished with a Queen bed. All bedrooms are equipped with flat screen TVs. The villa includes a well equipped and stylish kitchen and comes complete with cable TV, iPod docking station, stereo, DVD player and a desktop computer with Internet. The main resort is a short distance away and there you would find the club house with its pro-shop, the restaurant and bar. There is also the sanctuary which hosts another communal pool and a state of the art fitness centre. Tennis courts are also available on the main resort. As a privileged guest you will also have access to the Mullins Bay Beach Club where complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas are available.


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The Albion College Men's Basketball team had their fate in their own hands going into their final game of the regular season against Adrian College. Things just did not go the way they hoped. The 71-55 loss kept the Britons in fifth place in the MIAA, crushing their hopes to make the MIAA post-season tournament.
The team hopes to carry the momentum they built at the end of this season into the off-season and eventually into next season. Kazen believes the key to success is consistency.
The Britons are bringing back a strong core of players for the 2012-2013 season, as only three seniors are graduating from this year's team. Next year's team will be led by Kazen, Clinton Township senior, guard Alex Harville, Redford senior, guard Anthony Wash, and center Leonard Wernette-Leff, Redford senior.
Key underclassmen include Lawrence Ridgell, River Rouge sophomore, Zach Hurth, Lansing first-year, and Carter Elliot, Franklin first-year.
Head Coach Jody May expects to see growth in all of his players this offseason.
That being said, May believes his seniors need to step up and play a critical leadership role.
With 10 varsity players returning, the Britons will go into next season with high expectations and some very good depth.
But for now, it's time to hit the gym.


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Post Merger NW Reporting Marks
Fri Apr 17 13:46:40 EDT 2015
Previous message (by thread): Post Merger NW Reporting Marks
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You are correct here . Even today PRR  is a Norfolk Southern  mark just like SOU,NW
NS owns all cars carrying that mark. Same with CSX and the NYC reporting mark.
"There's the sun, there's the moon, there's the air we breathe, and
there's the Rolling Stones"  Keith Richards
> On Apr 17, 2015, at 9:19 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>> On Thu, Apr 16, 2015 at 8:08 PM, Bill wrote:
>> First developed when NS and CSX purchased Conrail and divided up the Conrail equipment.  In order to avoid duplicate reporting markings with the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reporting system, it was agreed that CSX would add PRR to the unique number of the equipment they acquired.  NS would not add anything to the equipment they acquired in the division of Conrail equipment they received in the purchase.
> I thought that because of the way Conrail had been divided, Norfolk Southern (which picked up mostly former Pennsylvania RR lines) used the PRR reporting mark and CSX (which received mostly former New York Central lines) used the NYC reporting mark.
>> Second, Norfolk Southern and its predecessor Southern Railway used the sub lettering on their locomotives to visually identify ownership under the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) identification standards.  They use to go further and have metal plates attached to the locomotives and other equipment which identified the entity, normally a bank, that had financed the purchase.
> Equipment trusts probably had a lot to do with how equipment was lettered and tracked during and right after a merger.
>> Finally, I'm not sure that "Southern purchased the N&W," ever, although I always enjoyed telling everybody that, especially after Ed Burwell sent me to the N&W coal piers at Lamberts Point and I had to relearn all the operating and safety rules for the N&W!
> I don't know if the Southern Railway still exists as a corporation, but the Norfolk & Western Railway was terminated as a company when it was fully merged into the Norfolk Southern Railway Company in 1998. See http://www.brucebharper.info/nwrwy/RIP-NW.html for the report from the Surface Transportation Board.
> Bruce in Blacksburg
>
> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
> To change your subscription go to
> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at
> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20150417/7800992e/attachment.html>


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text:
Crossroads Football Coaches Recognized as Among the Best in Texas
Wes Adams Published: June 28, 2021
efks
Shouting it all the way out to Refugio and Shiner whose football coaches have been mentioned among the top football coaches in Texas according to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine. Dave Campbell's Football magazine is the holy grail for high school football and recently posed the question "who are the top coaches in Texas?", which is quite a conversation to be mentioned in.
The two Coaches can now retire happily after being mentioned by the Texas legend
Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine shined the spotlight on the two Crossroads Coaches, Jason Herring of Refugio, and Daniel Boedecker from Shiner. The two coaches have been extremely successful in their careers and love what they do.
Coach Herring (Refugio) a Man with Many Rings.
Coach Jason Herring the coach for Refugio is one of the most decorated coaches in the state ranking in the top 10 with 254 wins. Coach Herring is also in the top 10 for district titles at 14, not to mention herring has also brought home 4 Bobcat state titles. The Angelo State alumn thanks his competitive nature and love for interacting with kids. You can clearly see why he would be a part of the conversation when it comes to best coaches in Texas.
Coach Boedecker's (Shiner) COVID Season.
Six months ago, the Shiner Comanches were playing through the strangest circumstances they had ever faced, which was COVID-19. Going into the state game there was lots of uncertainty as to if they would even get to finish their undefeated season. Coach Boedecker in an interview after their win over POST in the state game gave all of the credit to their hardworking players and assistant coaches. Thanks to the leadership of their coach, they finished off the season 14-0 and overcame the COVID uncertainties. All in all coach Boedecker is a perfect candidate to be in the elite Texas coaches conversation as well.
The Battle for the Throne.
The fans of these two high schools are always in for a great game when they meet up in the playoffs. The juggernaut 2-a schools religiously meet up in the Region 4 playoffs to see who will advance to the state game with the most recent being in 2020 when the Comanches outscored the bobcats 24-13 and later went on to win state.
Just one more reason we LOVE living in Texas. The football is WAY better here!
Thanks to intern Joseph Lozano for diving into the update to recognize these two south Texas kings of coaching.
WATCH HERE: Regional Game Highlights Between #1 Shiner and #2 Refugio.
LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history
Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.
Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.
TACKLE THESE: Check Out the Best Uniforms In Each NFL Team's History
Filed Under: high school football, refugio bobcats, shiner


text:
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, 1866-1954
Arthur Cleveland Bent Collection
A.C. Bent, 1929
An avid birder and eminent ornithologist, Arthur Cleveland Bent was born in Taunton, Massachusetts, on November 25, 1866. After receiving his A.B. from Harvard in 1889, bent was employed as an agent for the Safety Pocket Company and from 1900 to 1914, he was General Manager of Mason Machine Works. His passion, however, was birds. An associate in Ornithology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, Bent became a collaborator at the Smithsonian and president (1935-1937) of the American Ornithologists' Union. The culmination of his research was the massive, 26 volume Life Histories of North American Birds (1919-1968).
The Bent collection is a glimpse into the birding life of a remarkable amateur ornithologist. It contains the field notebooks of his collaborator, Owen Durfee (1880-1909), his own journals (1887-1942), photographs and negatives (1896-1930), correspondence concerning the photographs (1925-1946), and mimeographed and printed material. Bent's records cover nest observations, egg measurements, bird sightings, and notes on specimens provided to organizations such as the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the Bristol County Agricultural School, and the United States National Museum.
Background on Arthur Cleveland Bent
A life-long resident of Taunton, Massachusetts, Arthur Cleveland Bent (1866-1954) was only six when his mother died and when a concerned father began to bring his "sickly son" on nature walks to improve his health. Bent's passion for birds began with these walks. Educated formally in local public schools and at the Bristol Academy, Bent entered Harvard College, graduating with honors in the class of 1889. His sickly youth and Victorian ideals of manhood instilled in Bent a deep interest in physical fitness, which was reflected in a broken nose received in a boxing match and a habit of working with an axe and weights until he was 80 years old. His habits served him well as an oologist, as he made precarious climbs to collect eggs until he was nearly 75.
Putting his Harvard degree to work, Bent entered business after graduation, beginning with work in banking before moving on through positions in the cotton industry and as an executive in the utilities business. The apex of his business career came in 1892 when he and John Scott purchased the Plymouth Electric Light Company from General Electric, and although the firm nearly went bankrupt in the panic of 1893, Bent held on and returned the company to profitability, serving as president and treasurer from 1900 to 1931. Well and widely respected, he sat upon a number of boards of directors and was active in a variety of civic and religious organizations.
It was his avocational interest in ornithology, however, that came to define his life. Having been fascinated with birds from his undergraduate years at Harvard, Bent's ambition drew him into close correspondence with the emerging class of professional academic ornithologists as early as 1885, when he became a natural history correspondent for Spencer Baird of the Smithsonian Institution. An avid collector and true Victorian scientist, Bent was a scientist with a gun and wide sights. His personal collection of bird specimens eventually rose to almost 3,500 skins, most of which are now housed at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, and he was even more industrious as an oologist, collecting over 30,000 eggs which form a significant part of the collections of the United States National Museum. An active member of the National Audubon Society, the Bristol County Academy of Sciences (President, 1915), and the Nuttall, Wilson, and Cooper ornithological clubs, Bent was particularly closely involved with the American Ornithologist's Union (AOU), in which he was named a Fellow (1902) and served as editor of the Union's journal, The Auk, vice president (1929-1934), and finally president (1935-1937).
From 1900 on, and particularly after his retirement from day to day work in his firm, Bent took annual birding excursions to far flung sites from Florida to the southwestern U.S., California to the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Labrador. The culmination of his ornithological work came when Bent approached Baird with the offer to assume control of the influential Smithsonian series, Life Histories of North American Birds, after its founder, Charles Bendire, died in 1897. Beginning what he called his "life's work" in 1910, Bent published eighteen volumes on birds between 1919 and 1953, approaching them systematically from blackbirds to raptors. Although he passed away in 1954, a nineteenth volume appeared posthumously under Bent's name, with two more volumes added later by Warren Taber, using the notes, photographs, and outlines left in Bent's collection.
Timeline of Bent's life
1866 Born November 25, Taunton, Massachusetts.
1889 A.B. Harvard University
1891 Agent, Safety Seamless Pocket Company
1893 Treasurer, Plymouth Electric Light Company
1894 Treasurer, Atlantic Covering Company
1900-1931 President and Treasurer, Plymouth Electric Light Company
1900-1914 General Manager, Mason Machine Works
1914 Married Madeleine Vincent Godfrey, January 20
1919-1942 Author, Life Histories of North American Birds, and other titles totaling over 20 volumes.
1919-1942 Associate in Ornithology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
1919-1942 Collaborator, Smithsonian Institute
1954 Died
The Bent collection contains the field journals, photographs, and some correspondence of the ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent, along with several journals of his childhood friend, Owen Durfee. Spanning the years 1887-1943, these journals offer a valuable index to the evolution of ornithological practice from the work of a Victorian "ornithologist with a shot gun" to the professionalized field notes of a 20th century scientist. Filled with information on the natural history of North American birds, the jorunals include data on behavior, nesting, plumage, song, and habitat culled from observations in New England, Florida, Texas, California, Alaska, and Labrador, among other places.
Rich in descriptions of Bent's experiences in the field, the journals hints at the impact of new technologies in shotguns, cameras, cars, and optical equipment, but also the culture of birding in the field. Bent's journal for 1924, for example, gives a spectacular description of life on the U.S. Virgin Islands complete with photographic images. Bent often returned to his journals to make corrections or clarifications, usually noted in red, and underlining species of birds that he intended to include in his work on the Life Histories.
The Bent collection also contains some valuable longitudinal studies, including two datasets concerning New England raptors. Bent collected osprey data at a nesting site in Rhode Island annually, recording nesting pairs, new nests, abandoned nests, and numbers of eggs for each pair, and he conducted a similar survey of red tailed hawks between 1924 and 1943. One journal contains an inventory of part of Bent's massive egg collection, noting the number of eggs, oological notations, AOU Species number, the location of the collection and collector (Bent had a number of colleagues who helped him gather specimens). Finally, the collection includes an interesting view on early bird protection in the form of an official Wood Duck census report prepared for the Massachusetts Commission on Ornithology. Descriptions of egg and skin specimen preservation can be found sporadically throughout the collection.
The field notes in Bent's later journals are limited compared to the earlier, but in some cases they were used as first drafts for his Life Histories for North American Birds. Many are illustrated with photographs of Bent and his associates in the field, general shots of the scenery, as well as images of birds and their nests.
The collection is organized into six series: Durfee's Field Notebooks, Bent's Journals, Photographs, Lists, Mimeographed and Printed Materials, and Handwritten index cards for books in Bent's collection. The field notebooks and journals are arranged chronologically, the photographs by plate number when applicable, and the lists are alphabetical by topic.
Series 1. Owen Durfee Field Notebooks 1880-1909
Birding field notes kept by Bent's childhood friend, Owen Durfee, with observations primarily in and around Fall River, Massachusetts, and Plymouth and Barnstable Counties.
Series 2. Arthur Cleveland Bent Journals 1887-1942
Birding and ornithological field notebooks kept by Arthur Cleveland Bent covering expeditions to North Dakota, Florida, Magdalen Islands, Saskatchewan, Virginia, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies, Texas, Arizona, California, and the Caribbean. Most volumes also contain notes relating to Bent's birding activities in Plymouth County and Cape Cod (including favorite spots in Taunton, Swansea, Rehoboth, Carver, Middleboro), with occasional trips to Rhode Island, Martha's Vineyard, and elsewhere in the region.
Series 3. Photographs 1925-1946
Images of birds, eggs, and nests, including plates used for two volumes of Life Histories for North American Birds that appeared after Bent's death.
Series 4. Lists 1862-1934
Lists and miscellaneous materials kept by Bent relating to his ornithological and oological work.
Series 5. Mimeographed and Printed Materials 1897
Durfee, Owen, Series 6. Index cards for books in Bent's collection undated
Manual card catalogs for Bent's book collection (two boxes) and reprints. Many of the books were transferred into the library's general collections, while the reprints were not retained.
Inventory of Collection
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1880-1882 Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1885 Jan.-May Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1888 Feb.-May Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1888 June-1890 Apr. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1890 Apr.-1891 Apr. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1891 Apr.-Dec. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1892 Jan.-1893 Oct. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1894 Jan.-1896 May Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1896 May-1897 May Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1897 May-1900 Dec. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1900 Dec.-1902 Apr. Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1902 Apr.-1904 May Box 1
Durfee, Owen, Field notes 1906 Dec.-1909 Feb. Box 1
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties) 1887 Jan.-1897 Oct. 287 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties) and Maine (Sedgwick and Washington Counties) 1898 Mar.-1900 Dec. 280 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: North Dakota (Steele County) 1901 Jan.-Oct. 114 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Florida (Brevard County, St John's River, and Florida Keys) 1902 Mar.-1903 Nov. 256 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Magdalen Islands, Nova Scotia (Barrington), Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties) 1904 Apr.-1904 Aug. 108 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Saskatchewan (Crane Lake), Massachusetts (Barnstable County) 1905 Apr.-Aug. 140 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Saskatchewan Crane Lake, Big Stick Lake)(, Massachusetts (Barnstable County) 1906 Mar.-1907 Sept. 240 pp. Box 2
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Florida (Miami and the Keys), Massachusetts (Plymouith and Barnstable Counties) 1908 Mar.-1908 Dec. 152 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Labrador (Eskimo Point, Piastre Bar), Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties), Louisiana (Breton Island, coastal regions) 1909 Feb.-1911 Apr. 172 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Aleutian Islands 1911 Apr.-1911 Jul. 222 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Newfoundland, Labrador, Manitoba (Lake Winnipegosis), Maine (Jericho Bay) 1912 June-1913 Dec. 214 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: South Carolina (Mount Pleasant), Maine (Penobscot Bay, Jericho Bay), Magdalen Islands, Virginia (Princess Anna County), Saskatchewan (Reddick), Massachusetts (Barnstable County, Martha Vineyard) 1915 Apr.-1919 July 160 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties) 1920 Apr.-June 50 pp. Box 3
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Arizona (Chiricahua Mountains, Cochise County) 1922 Apr.-May 84 pp. Box 3
Includes Arizona trip, 80 photographs
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Arizona (Huachuca Mountains, Pima County) 1922 May-June 106 pp. Box 3
66 photographs
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Texas coast (Galveston to Corpus Christi) 1923 May-1925 Apr. 166 pp. Box 4
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: California (Mohave desert, Orange County, Los Angeles) 1929 Feb.-1929 May 80 pp. Box 4
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Florida (Dade and Brevard Counties) 1930 Jan.-Mar. 52 pp. Box 4
Includes Florida trip, 9 photographs
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Lesser Antilles, British Guiana 1936 Apr. 20 pp. Box 4
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, Journal: Massachusetts (Plymouth and Barnstable Counties) 1942 Apr.-June 9 pp. Box 4
Life histories of North American wagtails, shrikes, vireos, and their allies, plates 1-15. 1933-1941 Box 5
Life histories of North American wagtails, shrikes, vireos, and their allies, plates 16-30 1929-1933 Box 5
"Unsorted" plates 2-34, used in a number of publications 1911-1945 Box 5
"Unsorted" plates 37-81, used in a number of publications 1929-1939 Box 5
"Unnumbered and unsorted" photographs: various species of birds and eggs 1929-1935 Box 5
Catalog of negatives 1896 May-1930 June Box 5
Lists of negatives given to Massachusetts Audubon Society and the U.S. National Museum. undated Box 5
Correspondence with photographers Earle Forrest and Arthur A. Allen and lists of available prints or negatives. 1925-1946 Box 5
List of bird sightings recorded from the Bulletin of the Nuttall Orthnithological Club and The Auk 1885-1900 Box 6
List of eggs shipped to the Bristol County Agricultural School, including oological notes for each species 1926-1928 Box 6
Draft of portion of Life Histories of American Wood Warblers 1953 Box 6
List of eggs of North American birds wanted by the U.S. National Museum 1931-1934 Box 6
List of egg measurements by correspondents undated Box 6
Journal of egg collection, including collector, nest location, American Ornithological Union species number, number of eggs, date of collection 1862-1934 Box 6
Packing list of nests shipped 1931-1934 Box 6
Massachusetts Wood Duck Census Project reports. C. Barlow, The Story of the Farallones 1953 Box 6
Series 6. Handwritten and typed index cards for books in Bent's collection undated
Index cards for books in Bent's collection Box 7-8
The papers of Arthur Cleveland Bent (1866-1954), which were given to the University in 1959 by Mrs. Bent with a collection of Mr. Bent's books, remained in the possession of Professor Lawrence Bartlett of the Zoology Department until they were received in the Archives in 1983 after Professor Bartlett's death. Books have been cataloged and incorporated into the Du Bois Library's circulating collection.
Processed by Linda Seidman, 2003, and Stephen Manuel, 2010.
Additional Finding Aids Available
A card catalogue for Bent's book collection is available on level 25.
Cite as: Arthur Cleveland Bent Ornithological Papers (MS 413). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.
American Ornithologists' UnionBent, Arthur Cleveland, 1866-1954. Life Histories of North American BirdsBirdsBirds--EggsBirds--Eggs--PhotographsBirds--NestsBirds--Nests--PhotographsBirds--PhotographsBristol County Agricultural School (Bristol County, Mass.)Massachusetts Audubon SocietyOrnithologists--MassachusettsUnited States National Museum
Bent, Arthur Cleveland, 1866-1954Durfee, Owen
Field notesPhotographs
Related collections: Conservationism, Ornithology, Photographs
Conservationism, Ornithology, Photographs
Bmss


Hi, I'm Eimonn, and I'm 14 years old. I don't come here much anymore, but I do stop by sometimes. Message me on the forums or my profile, but be aware that I might not get back to you for a while.
For being the only person to post for 24 hours!


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Royal Ballet Soloist Tristan Dyer shares his favourite roles, career highlights and advice for aspiring dancers
September 30, 2018 by Savannah Saunders
American born Royal Ballet Soloist Tristan Dyer talks to us ahead of World Ballet Day (2 Oct), giving us an insight into life with the prestigious ballet company, his favourite roles, and how he prepares for the stage.
You can listen to our podcast with Tristan as he shares what he loves most about dancing, what inspired him to join The Royal Ballet and one of his favourite career moments of dancing with the gorgeous Sarah Lamb (pictured above – photo by Bill Cooper). You can read our interview below:
Tristan Dyer and Akane Takada in rehearsal for Within the Golden Hour, The Royal Ballet © 2016 ROH. Photograph by Andrej Uspenski
Hi Tristan, where are you at the moment?
At the Opera House – I have just been led to a little private room next to the Royal Box. For interviews, I get led to these places throughout the Opera House, which is kind of fun.
So you're literally in the audience of the Royal Opera House?
Yes, it's kind of weird when you cross over from backstage to front of House. There's an instant change of interior. It's great to come on this side of the stage too.
You're looking back at the stage where you perform – it must be quite interesting to see in the Opera House….
I love coming up front because you really get a sense of how the audience feels. We really get wrapped up in our own world behind-the-scenes. It's great to just come out front and experience that whole life and lifestyle that people come and enjoy when they come to see a show.
When and why did you start dancing?
I'm a classic case of a first-time dancer! My grandmother took me to a production of The Nutcracker. I was about four years old and after the show and I met some of the dancers. It was fun because they invited us up onto the stage. I think from that moment, just being up there and feeling that environment, it impacted me so much that from then on I begged my parents to take me to classes, which they were so supportive of. It's something I have just continued and here I am.
That's really amazing because the first contact that you were talking about with dance and dancers in a theatre setting is what World Ballet Day does; bringing people into the ballet world that you live and exist in every single day.
You trained at The National Ballet School of Canada, The Australian Ballet School, before heading over to The Royal Ballet School. Tell us about that experience of these three different places geographically, culturally?
I'm 27 now, so funny looking back! But certainly, you almost feel like it was a completely different life. We moved for my Dad's work; he was in the corporate world at the time. I am originally American, from Newport, Rhode Island – which is where I started ballet classes.
We then relocated to Toronto, Canada. I was lucky enough to live in the city where there was the main ballet school, The National Ballet of Canada School. I was there for three years. I was involved in their production of The Nutcracker, which I think was my first real show with them as a kid. I was about 8 or 10 years old.
From there we relocated to Australia and also by chance, ended up the main city, Melbourne, where The Australian Ballet School is; it was very convenient and it was so easy and accessible for me, to keep up the training and stay on the journey I was on.
By the time I reached 16 – I think it's very important you evaluate where you are and where you believe your future will be. Going to a vocational ballet school is important and by 16 you should probably aim for the company that you would like to be in eventually. For me that was The Royal Ballet. It's always better to be in a feeder school to a company, so that you're already involved in that atmosphere.
You could've gone to The Australian Ballet or The National Ballet of Canada, what was it about The Royal Ballet that made it the company that you really wanted to join?
I think first off, it's really the history, it's phenomenal! The ballets that were created here from Frederick Ashton to Kenneth MacMillan, they are timeless ballets and the classics that the Royal Ballet dances today. I think, being here knowing that this is part of history – this company has shaped so much of ballet history, that was definitely my first draw to the company.
When World Ballet Day takes place there will be loads of young male dancers who will be tuning in across the world watching yourself and other male company members taking the class, warming up, doing their rehearsals. Tell us, what is your typical day like at The Royal Ballet?
It's amusing when I meet some people and they'll ask me what my day job is – they think that I just come in to kick my shoes off and do a show in the evening! We are here from 10 in the morning, we'll always do a regimented warm-up class – which is strictly to keep our technique in shape – and then we'll be rehearsing all day.
We do about 12 different productions throughout the season – some of them being new works which require a lot of time with choreographers, others, being revivers. So you'll maybe do some new roles. Rehearsals are from 12:00 until 6:30 and then maybe a show that evening.
Tristan Dyer in rehearsal for The Age of Anxiety ©ROH. Bill Cooper 2014
You've been at The Royal Ballet almost 10 years, which will be a remarkable moment for your career. What are some of your favourite roles and why?
This actually links to what I was saying about the history – there's a ballet called Symphonic Variations, that was created by Frederick Ashton. It's really one of the most phenomenal ballets. We actually had just brought out a DVD of that ballet – it has six of us on stage, three boys, three girls. It really is something.
We're on stage for the entire piece – about just under 20 minutes long – the music is so moving. Once the curtain goes up you feel that unity between the dancers and this incredible world. You've created this world you can escape into in this ballet which for me, although it's not my most leading role, it's really something that I hold close to my heart.
How do you prepare for the different types of roles? I think this is something which World Ballet Day might give viewers an insight into, but what's your process?
For me, I love to run things through start to end, multiple times before the show. It's very easy to work out tempos and how you want to do things, stop and start, but I think it's so important for stamina. That's my number one thing leading up to the show. Really push through even when things don't work out in the studio. You've got to pretend that it is a show, to keep it up.
An hour or so before the curtain goes up, I think it's really important to have your head in the game and you really have to then enjoy that moment. You hand it over to the stage. All the hard work – you just have to trust the work pays off and that's where we find the enjoyment.
With World Ballet Day coming up you've got potentially millions of people tuning in, obviously you're probably very comfortable at the Royal Opera House after almost 10 years, but do you still get nerves?
I do, but I would call it more of an excitement, adrenaline. I do have this sense, naturally, that it's live theatre and it's really why we're doing this. I've learnt to not fret the small stuff. It's never great to think of the negative before it happens. I calm the nerves by thinking, "This is the moment and enjoy it". You have to go out there and try and not be nervous and channel that energy to the performance.
What do you love most about dancing?
I love the narrative works. Right now we're about to open with Mayerling. I get to play a great role, his name is Bratfisch. He's a close friend and chauffeur of Prince Rudolph and sees Prince Rudolph's struggles. He knows what's going on and he can see that he's on the downward spiral.
I think getting involved in such an intense narrative is another incredible form of the art because it really is something as real as acting, I guess, and that's such a great thing.
How do you physically move between the different types of movement that is required in the company's wide repertoire?
The more modern works we tend to do is on an evening where it's a triple bill, they're three short bursts of half an hour, each their complete own entity. One may be extremely classical, with steps that you just have to execute impeccably – it's the goal – then you'll have an interval of 25 minutes and you're in your next ballet doing something much more contemporary, with a different sort of fluid movement through the body.
It is that switch, and I think it does just happen naturally when you put your head into it – from one style to the next. I think we're just so used to it that because we're rehearsing so intensely, it just feeds in naturally.
On World Ballet Day you're going to have cameras following the company throughout the day, tell us how you're going to be involved.
Most of the company will be in our morning class, which is like I said, it's that formulated techniques. We start at the barre; it's more like a slow warm-up. Then we'll move to the centre where we then progress exercises from adage of slow controlled movements to grande allegro, which is the large jumps, which is mainly where men do solos.
I'll definitely be in the class. The schedule's not been released for the rest of the day, but I think you'll see certain rehearsals, about four or five different rehearsals of things that we're working on. I believe that there's a new work being created, so you'll see live interaction with the choreographer too. I think it will be such a great day – always, every day.
It sounds like an amazing day, and particularly getting to watch new work being created. You've been involved in a number of creations yourself. Tell us about that experience. Is there something which you find as an artist invigorating or fulfilling, creatively?
It absolutely is. Talking about history, creating roles feels like you're making your mark a little bit. I think having something created on you, it's a gift. There aren't too many different creations. I've been lucky enough to work with Liam Scarlett, Wayne McGregor and Christopher Wheeldon, who are our main choreographers that work with our company. It's really something very special.
When you're working with the choreographers and you're creating these roles, what does that relationship in the studio feel like to you? You mentioned three of the biggest choreographers who all have a different approach. How does that feel for you?
It's a great moment seeing how they interact with the dancers. They'll see if something is working or not. You look at them and you can see their brain ticking over, "Do I like that or don't I?" or "Does that person suit what I've just made for them?" It's great to be involved just as much as they are, to make the movement as fulfilled as they would like it. It's fantastic.
I think this will be one of the very popular moments for World Ballet Day, getting to see the choreographers and dancers working together. Do you think as the cameras follow you around it will feel like a performance throughout the day or will it just feel like another day for you as a dancer?
I think it will feel like another day, to be honest with you. We are broadening so much behind-the-scenes access every year. We do a lot of live cinema relay performances, which is very high-pressure. If you came backstage on one of those nights, I think you wouldn't realise the extent of how big the evening is. But we just have to approach it like another show. It's live and streamed all around the world, but it will feel like a normal day to us because we can't focus on the cameras.
You mentioned the additional pressure of this live relay into cinemas. Where does that pressure come from? Is it from the number of people, because it's live?
I think being live is a lot of pressure – anything that's being recorded live. I think the number one thing you pray for is that you just don't fall over. That's the thing with live theatre – things happen. Millions of people watching one show in different cinemas around the world is probably the last thing you should focus on.
We love watching ballet in the cinema and some people actually love it more than being in the House or in a theatre, because they get to be so close to the dancers.
I agree, and I'd say more for the narrative works – we have another DVD coming out that portrays ballet so well on film because it's a story that opens in a very intimate bar with four characters. Seeing the slight nuances in the interactions of the characters, seeing that close up on camera, you feel like it was more of a movie, and very involved. We of course try and carry our expressions as far as we can to the Opera House, but some ballets do really work out well on camera.
You've been with The Royal Ballet almost 10 years. Looking back, what have been some of your career highlights?
I made my debut in Frankenstein, which was created about two or three years ago. I think that being one of my first title roles of a full-length ballet, was incredible. But on top of that, the highlight for me was that I actually got to dance with Sarah Lamb, who was the dancer that I looked up to my entire life. I always tell her, "There's a locker dedicated to you over at the school" because of her where we'd put pictures up of her. That was very surreal, and it was lovely because working with her was just a dream.
Sarah Lamb as Elizabeth and Tristan Dyer as Victor in rehearsal for Frankenstein, The Royal Ballet © 2016 ROH. Photograph by Bill Cooper
What are you looking forward to most on World Ballet Day?
I love the idea that so many people, younger people especially, can tune in. There's not always that much footage put out there of behind the scenes. Certain dancers that some younger people look up to, you may not find as many videos as you would like to see.
I think it's a wonderful thing they can see us live in our daily movement. Maybe that will keep them going and fulfil something in them for what they're doing, keep their drive up for their career and pushing on further. I think it's a fantastic thing to influence the younger generation.
What advice would you give to those younger dancers?
Growing up in this industry, I'm sure everyone's seen different documentaries and the gruelling process we go through, which is a part of why we get there. But, they really have to do it for themselves. I think we get so caught up in what our teachers might think of us or whatnot.
My number one thing is having confidence from a young age, I think that gets you far. Stop caring what anybody thinks about you and keep your own self-confidence very high because that will drive you, I would say, to the top.
Listen to Tristan talk about what he loves most about dancing, what inspired him to join The Royal Ballet and one of his favourite career moments of dancing with the gorgeous Sarah Lamb (pictured above – photo by Bill Cooper).
Tristan also shares his experiences of studying with The Royal Ballet School, The Australian Ballet School, The National Ballet of Canada School and shares his advice for aspiring dancers.
Follow Tristan on Instagram: @tristandyer
World Ballet Day
SAVE THE DATE: 2 October 2018
WATCH: The Royal Ballet's live-stream broadcast via Facebook live
USE HASHTAG: #WorldBalletDay – to share your love
Tags: Royal Ballet, Sarah Lamb, Tristan Dyer, WORLD BALLET DAY
Savannah Saunders
Ballet of the Opera National du Rhin's Les Beaux Dormants by Hélène Blackburn are actually wide awake
Dancer mental health with former Royal Ballet dancer & dance counsellor
Let's talk about dancers' mental health with former Royal Ballet dancer & dance counsellor
What's on dance! London's July Dance List is here….
Natalia Osipova: Royal Ballet principal dancer talks intimately about her career, new film, Pure Dance & Arthur Pita's The Mother


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Suspect formally charged in attack outside University Park Mall
Woman attacked outside University Park Mall Sunday
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - The man accused of attacking a woman in the parking lot of the University Park Mall has been formally charged for the incident, according to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office.
McClaude Bridges, Jr., 66, was formally charged with one count of felony armed robbery and one count of felony sexual battery.
On Sunday, officers with the Mishawaka Police Department were called to the 6500 block of Grape Road for a recent robbery.
The victim, publicly identified as Ariana Simms, told police she was trying to get her young daughter out of her car seat when a man, later identified as Bridges, got out of a vehicle nearby and approached her.
Simms said Bridges held a large kitchen knife to her side or told her to get back into her car, according to police reports.
Simms gave Bridges a credit card and cash when he demanded money and then apologized that she didn't have more to give, reports said.
Bridges then inappropriately touched her and asked her if she was "really sorry," according to reports.
He then allegedly inappropriately touched her again.
Bridges ordered Simms to get in the backseat of the vehicle and cover herself with a blanket, reports said.
Simms was able to get out of the vehicle with her daughter through a backseat.
Bridges allegedly ran from the scene, leaving his vehicle behind.
The vehicle he left behind was registered to him, according to police.
At 3:45 p.m. that same day, Bridges allegedly went to the South Bend Police Department to turn himself in after trying to rob someone.
Bridges was then taken to the Mishawaka Police Department for an interview.
During the interview, Bridges said he tried to rob a woman in the parking lot of the University Park Mall, according to police reports.
Bridges said he used a large kitchen knife to guide the victim back into the vehicle, got into the driver's seat himself, and demanded cash from the woman, reports said.
Bridges said the woman's child was in the backseat crying.
Before he got out of the woman's vehicle, Bridges told her to get into the backseat, according to reports.
When he was not able to find his own car keys, he ran from the scene, he said.
Bridges reported taking $23 from the victim, according to reports.
He used the $23 for water, a cigar, and gas for the vehicle that picked him up from the area, he said.
In 1986, Bridges was convicted of robbery, attempted robbery, and two counts of rape, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Bridges' initial bail hearing is happening on Wednesday, January 18.


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota's Jake Cave hit a ball deep into left-center in the eighth inning Sunday.
But one of baseball's best players was closing fast.
Fortunately for the Twins, the ball fell behind Mike Trout and Cave ended up with a double.
Cave had a career-high three hits, including a home run, and the Twins held on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-5.
"I saw him kind of jump and I didn't see the ball, but I heard the crowd start cheering, so I was like, 'Oh, I think that ball got by him.' So that was cool," Cave said.
Cave, who made his major league debut May 19 and was 1-for-10 at the plate entering Sunday — the lone hit cleared the fence — also singled and homered.
Minnesota traded for Cave in March after he was designated for assignment by the Yankees.
"To be able to come up and show that I deserve to be here, it does feel really good," said Cave, who hit 20 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last year.
Eduardo Escobar doubled twice to take over the major league lead with 26 and the Minnesota bullpen threw 3 2-3 shutout innings before a two-run single by Albert Pujols in the ninth.
Los Angeles had the go-ahead run at the plate against closer Fernando Rodney in a non-save situation, but Zack Cozart popped out.
"He's been pretty clean, but that one kind of had us a little anxious," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Pujols had three RBIs to pass Stan Musial for sixth-most in baseball history with 1,954. Ian Kinsler had three hits for Los Angeles, which lost for the first time in seven games.
Los Angeles starter Nick Tropeano (3-4) struggled for the second consecutive outing, allowing five earned runs in 4 1-3 innings. Tropeano allowed five earned runs in 4 2-3 innings last Monday against Kansas City.
After giving up a two-run home run to Logan Morrison in the first, Tropeano retired 10 straight Twins before the fifth.
Los Angeles was 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
Garver, Cave and Adrianza were the bottom three hitters in the Twins lineup.
They combined for six of Minnesota's 10 hits.
Los Angeles' Jose Miguel Fernandez got his first career RBI with a fourth-inning double. Called up from Triple-A Salt Lake before Friday's game, the 30-year-old first-baseman was 4-for-10 in the series.
Twins: RHP Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 4.24) is scheduled to get the ball Tuesday in Detroit to begin a six-game road trip. LHP Blaine Hardy (2-1, 3.66) is the scheduled Tigers starter.


I find Pentatone's marketing logic pretty perverse as fans of Tchaikovsky may not want the Sibelius items and the same in reverse for Sibelius fans. In addition these performances of Tchaikovsky, whilst well liked as performances, were not at all liked from a recording perspective when they were first issued on LP. Things looked up somewhat when the CD was issued as the recording then appeared much clearer. Of course the performances were still the same.
The current issue is a backward step from the original CD as the sound, particularly in the 1812, is muddy and the cannons at the end are boomy, sounding artificial compared with the ordnance on the Philips release. And who on earth was the person who seems to believe that Tchaikovsky asked for small arms fire in addition to the specified cannons and bells. This really will not do!
The recording dates given are in error and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (who contributes to the proceedings exceedingly well), are not even mentioned in the recording information. This is carelessness of the first order. If Pentatone wishes to charge full price for these issues, they should be much more careful in their presentation.
As to the performances, Davis's Sibelius recordings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra are certainly rated above the later re-makes with the LSO on RCA even given the later recording dates. Anyone who likes these American recordings will be well pleased with this disc. However if they opt for the much cheaper Eloquence issue they will be overjoyed also to have En Saga and Tapiola, both in superb sound and performances. I doubt that the so-called benefit of SACD in this case offers anything over and above the Antipodean disc.
So, if you must have this combination of items this is a reasonable issue. Bear in mind though the complete misconception at the end of the 1812 together with a less attractive sound than the earlier CD, and the availability of the Sibelius items on a competing bargain issue.


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Gasping Whiteness and New Play Development Inspired by Community Organizing
In the climactic moment of Gasping Whiteness, a play I have been developing since 2016, two children—one Black, one white—turn to the audience and ask a series of questions that reflect their exploration of race with their parents:
What will middle class white people give up to help end the era of white power?
Will all of us, regardless of our race, look at the complicated relationship between race and class, and will we keep asking questions even when it gets hard?
When we feel defensiveness rising up, will we realize we might just be afraid?
Gasping Whiteness explores how white supremacy impacts parenting in middle-class, majority-white communities, issues that are close to home. In 2016, I had begun helping my partner raise her then four-year-old daughter in a college community in Western Massachusetts. Like me, they define themselves as white. Prior to this, I had imagined that white children internalize racism by repeating what they have seen or heard. Although this does happen, what terrified me more was watching her sense—through the deep well of child intuition—what we were not saying, what hard conversations we were avoiding, and how communities like ours celebrate our progressive values amidst our race and class segregation. These lessons had as much (if not more) impact on her than our words. They also introduced me to the terrifying weight of responsibility placed on parents, who are often raising children inside systems that they, too, have internalized.
Gasping Whiteness community collage created and photographed by the ensemble.
By this time, I had spent over two decades creating community-based theatre on the subjects of race and class, often in partnership with community organizers. This work was grounded in reflections on my own position and identity and in a need to be accountable to folks of color as well as working class and poor communities. With the help of visionary mentors—like the people at Alternate ROOTS, the Southern activist-artist network; Hampshire College, where I teach; and Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ)—I've gained a clearer understanding of how this work is a small part of a much broader movement.
My earlier plays tell stories about our intersectional, cross-class, multilingual world and they attracted people from a range of backgrounds. That said, there has always been a core group of people who, broadly speaking, looked like me. I began to wonder how I might use the tools I've learned to explore how this particular audience—white, middle-class men—pass on white supremacy to their children and lose connection to their tenderness and humanity in the process. I also wondered how this work might benefit not just white, middle-class audiences but could support a cross-class movement for racial justice.
I also wondered how this work might benefit not just white, middle-class audiences but could support a cross-class movement for racial justice.
Community Organizing Model for New Play Development
From its inception, I imagined the play as a fundraising tool for Indigenous or people of color–led organizing groups working in local communities to address systemic injustice. I embedded my community organizing strategy into the dramaturgy: its small cast, its bare-bones aesthetic, its flexibility to any number of venues. Inspired by lessons from organizers I had seen build campaigns by empowering communities to take local leadership, I imagined a horizontal production model in which readings would be produced by many local hosts, the proceeds of which would benefit grassroots groups in their area. We would therefore not only be telling stories about the world we were imagining, but helping to build it in material ways.
Gasping Whiteness, the play that evolved from this idea, follows a progressive dad and his daughter (both white) as they encounter an African American family who moves in above them. When the man's daughter (Sky) makes a racist remark to her new neighbor (Maya), and Sky's father overhears it but does not have the language to respond, it sets in motion a series of events: the end of the girls' burgeoning friendship, conflicts between their parents, and the emergence of the masked figure, "Gasping Whiteness," from the raised bed of their garden. As the play unfolds through scenes both tragic and comic, it becomes clear that healing involves unearthing unspoken histories and fighting for systemic social change.
Collaborating with Children
After two years of workshops and readings with adults playing all the roles, it became clear that the heart of the play was about how racism is passed into the bodies of children—a subject we could not explore without children themselves in the roles. This was particularly important as parents made up a large portion of our audiences, a number of whom brought their children to the show. We eventually cast two young people, Willah Waldron (ten years old) and Farris Alder* (eleven years old), who rehearsed, performed, and co-facilitated dialogues with us for eight months, while we toured the play to communities across New York and New England.
A core concern of the rehearsal process was how to explore the racial trauma the play speaks about without passing our own wounds and fears onto Williah and Ferris. This work was essential foundation building for all of the ensemble, but was particularly vital for the actor playing Maya. Trenda Loftin (our co-director and one of the performers) noted she was "committed to engaging Black children in conversations about what it means to be Black in the United States," as well as "balancing the harsh realities of the past and present with celebrating our lineage and our continued survival."
We would therefore not only be telling stories about the world we were imagining, but helping to build it in material ways.
Holding all of this well involved years of building trust between myself, Trenda, and Angela Davis Johnson, who created the mask of Gasping Whiteness and collaborated on the project from its inception. It also involved formal and informal accountability partners including artists and organizers of color, white anti-racist organizers, and parents of many backgrounds and identities. The young actors helped our ensemble to hold this material as well, in particular by discovering rituals that allowed them to enter the roles and let them go: Farris sometimes carried a stone in the overalls she wore as a costume and put the stone down after as a way of releasing the pain of the story. Willah made a tiny arch out of tinfoil and asked us all to walk under it before beginning the reading and immediately after, so that "we could walk through the portal and we can walk out of our characters."
We rehearsed as a full company and in small group sessions for each family in the play. These separate rehearsals allowed space for Black and white members of the cast to talk more openly about personal experiences that echoed the challenges facing the families in the story. Playing—both in rehearsal and outside of it—also became essential: the girls climbed trees, made dances for the play's musical number (entitled, "White Dudes, White Dudes What's a Dude to Do?"), held a fashion show after a particularly intense rehearsal, and had a sleepover. As their characters don't become friends, the fact that they could do so in real life was a kind of sweet redemption. All in all, this work helped us engage with the two child cast members about white supremacy in ways that were loving, tender, and reciprocal. It also addressed, in our rehearsal process, the silences that led me to create the play in the first place. My hope is that this learning process has become part of the fabric of the play, so that it can help encourage adult and child audiences to have similar conversations.
Workshops and Partnerships
An early reading of the play, at Ko Festival of Performance, did not feature a structured post-play workshop, but many audience members expressed the need for one, given the content (Andrew Grant-Thomas, a co-founder of the group EmbraceRace, actually insisted on facilitating one himself one week later). After this point, facilitated post-play workshops, which included a people of color caucus, became a part of every show, many facilitated by Hampshire student Wize Angelique. Although these workshops were optional, most audience members stayed to attend. The workshops included reflective writing, sharing of personal stories, and discussions of tangible action steps—some inspired by the questions raised at the play's climax. At one, three generations of the same family explored how lessons about race had been passed down and transformed; at another, parents spoke about their isolation and their fear about having similar discussions; after the final show, which was in our home community, the child cast members facilitated a workshop for their peers about racism.
Performances were done in eight communities and raised funds for a broad range of grassroots, Indigenous or people of color–led groups that focused on many issues: local and statewide racial justice organizing (CTCORE-Organize Now!), parental incarceration (Sisters Unchained), and Indigenous performance (First Nations Dialogues), to name just a few. Representatives from all of our partners attended the readings and spoke to audiences about their work. In addition, some partners facilitated post-play workshops; others offered feedback on the play as it evolved; and one partner organization used the gathering as a way to bring together many of their constituencies and mobilize collective action.
After one performance, an audience member made a large donation to a partner they had not been aware of prior to the show.
The demographics of the audiences varied, depending on the community, but the majority of the audiences were white, middle-class folks engaged (or looking to engage) in social change work. They were joined by diverse groups of audience members, many of whom were themselves artist-activists. Reactions were varied: some people shed tears, others felt gratitude for the community the play had fostered, and a few challenged us with questions about if we were re-centering whiteness in our attempt to challenge white supremacy. In many instances, audience members immediately signed up to volunteer for our partner organizations and, after one performance, an audience member made a large donation to a partner they had not been aware of prior to the show—specifically inspired by the line above that asks what white people are willing to do to end white power. This support helped the organization to secure long-term stability, which had not been possible previously.
Families of both children continue to reflect on how the work of the play extended to the dinner table and to the daily fabric of their lives. Willah talks about how every rehearsal was a chance to learn more and talk more about racism, conversations that weren't happening at school. Farris talks about how much her eyes have been opened to things that were there all along: "I was younger and, as a white girl, I had a lot of privilege and I just didn't think about racism. When this play came about I kept noticing it kept coming up." My own ability to engage in these conversations grew exponentially, in large part because of the courage I saw modeled by the parents of our cast members.
To share our work, we've launched a website that includes open-source script selections and a community organizing toolkit, complete with step-by-step guides to developing partnerships and facilitating post-play workshops. Although these tools are specific to the play, we hope that they can help support other projects with similar goals. In addition, any community can use them and do the play without a fee, provided that they commit to donating the funds to local Indigenous or people of color–led organizing groups working to address systemic injustice. The process will begin this March, when Louisville's theatre [502] will produce two weeks of readings to benefit Black Lives Matter-Louisville.
The mask of Gasping Whiteness. Created by Angela Davis Johnson. Photo by Will MacAdams.
Trenda had taken the lead directing Willah and Farris in the climactic moment mentioned earlier, when the actors asked the audience questions about race and class. Several months after the final show of the tour, she shared with me what she told the young people when they rehearsed it: "How can you find it in your body? Your strength. Your power. Your commitment. Your community. Invite folks into that." It reminded me of how we approached our entire process.
I know Gasping Whiteness has had a real impact, both in the money it has helped raise and the hearts that have opened, including my own. At the same time, I know it addresses only two stories—of so many—and is just a small part of the immense work needed to address racial equity and broader systemic injustice. I am heartened by the millions of other people who are imagining new possibilities and working to create a more just world, many of whom are artists and organizers working together in visionary partnerships.
Looking back on our process, I am struck at the parallels between theatremaking and community organizing: both involve imagining worlds that don't yet exist and both involve bringing our bodies into public spaces to help make those worlds real. That said, artists and organizers have distinct gifts: the ways artists call on the complexity of our cultures, voices, and ancestries, and the ways organizers stand back and strategize, often over the long-term. Working on Gasping Whiteness taught me how much the two have to offer one another in the work of justice, and it has made me profoundly grateful to build community and create theatre at this crucial crossroads.
*Names of child cast members have been changed.
Caring for Ourselves So We Can Care for Each Other
Bobbitt
Raymond O.
Michael J. Bobbitt and Raymond O. Caldwell in Conversation, Part II
Part II of the conversation between Michael J. Bobbitt, the recently appointed artistic director of Boston's New Repertory Theatre, and Raymond Caldwell, the new leader of Washington's Theater Alliance, who talk about post-show conversations and self-care.
We Didn't Have Any Role Models
Goldhaber
An Interview with the Founders of Wry Crips Disabled Women's Theatre Group
Michaela Goldhaber, current artistic director of Wry Crips, talks to the founding and early members of the disabled women's theatre group about their history.
Dramaturgical Work with College-Aged Artists around Race and Whiteness
Gaven
Dramaturg Gaven D. Trinidad reflects on workshopping Snowflakes, or Rare White People by Dustin Chinn as a part of UMass Amherst's New Play Lab in December 2017.
Community-Engaged Theatre
New Play Development
U.S. by State


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Global Economic Downturn
We Have Never Seen Global Trade Collapse This Dramatically Outside Of A Major Recession
November 9, 2015 November 9, 2015 by Michael
If you have been watching for the next major global economic downturn, you can now stop waiting, because it has officially arrived. Never before in history has global trade collapsed this dramatically outside of a major worldwide recession. And this makes perfect sense – when global economic activity is increasing there is more demand for goods and services around the world, and when global economic activity is decreasing there is less demand for goods and services around the world. So far this year, global trade is down about 8.4 percent, and over the past 30 days the Baltic Dry Index has been absolutely plummeting. A month ago it was sitting at a reading of 809, but now it has fallen all the way to 628. However, it is when you look at the trade numbers for specific countries that the numbers become particularly startling.
Just within the last few days, new trade numbers have come out of China. China accounts for approximately one-fifth of all global factory exports, and for many years Chinese export growth has helped fuel the overall global economy.
But now Chinese exports are falling. In October, Chinese exports were down 6.9 percent compared to a year ago. That follows a decline of 3.7 percent in September.
The numbers for Chinese imports are even worse. Chinese imports in October were down 18.8 percent compared to a year ago after falling 20.4 percent in September. China's growing middle class was supposed to help lead a global economic recovery, but that simply is not happening.
The following chart from Zero Hedge shows just how dramatic these latest numbers are compared to what we are accustomed to witnessing. As you can see, the only time Chinese trade numbers have been this bad for this long was during the major global recession of 2008 and 2009…
Other numbers confirm the magnitude of the economic slowdown in China. I have mentioned the ongoing plunge of the China Containerized Freight Index previously, but now it has just hit a brand new record low…
The weakness in China's economy and its exports to the rest of the world are showing up in the weekly China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI): On Friday, it dropped to the worst level ever.
The index, operated by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, tracks how much it costs, based on contractual and spot-market rates, to ship containers from China to 14 major destinations around the world. Unlike a lot of official data from China, the index is an unvarnished reflection of a relentless reality.
It has been cascading lower since February and has since dropped 31%. At 742 currently, it's down 26% from its inception in 1998 when it was set at 1,000.
Here are some more deeply disturbing global trade numbers that come from my previous article entitled "18 Numbers That Scream That A Crippling Global Recession Has Arrived"…
–Demand for Chinese steel is down 8.9 percent compared to a year ago.
–China's rail freight volume is down 10.1 percent compared to last year.
–In October, South Korean exports were down 15.8 percent from a year ago.
–According to the Dutch government index, a year ago global trade in primary commodities was sitting at a reading of 150 but now it has fallen all the way down to 114. What this means is that less commodities are being traded around the world, and that is a very clear sign that global economic activity is really slowing down.
Additionally, German export orders were down about 18 percent in September, and U.S. exports are down about 10 percent for the year so far.
Clearly something very big is happening, and it is affecting the entire planet. The CEO of the largest shipping company in the world believes that the explanation for what is taking place is fairly simple…
In fact, according to Maersk CEO, Nils Smedegaard Andersen, the reason why companies that are reliant on global trade, such as his, are flailing is simple: global growth is substantially worse than the official numbers and forecasts. To wit: "The world's economy is growing at a slower pace than the International Monetary Fund and other large forecasters are predicting."
Quoted by Bloomberg, Andersen says that "we believe that global growth is slowing down," he said in a phone interview. "Trade is currently significantly weaker than it normally would be under the growth forecasts we see."
Global financial markets can run, but they can't hide from these horrifying trade numbers forever.
One of the big things that is contributing to this new global economic slowdown is the unwinding of the U.S. dollar carry trade. A recent piece from Phoenix Capital Research explained the U.S. dollar carry trade pretty well…
When the Fed cut interest rates to zero in 2008, it flooded the system with US Dollars. The US Dollar is the reserve currency of the world. NO matter what country you're in (with few exceptions) you can borrow in US Dollars.
And if you can borrow in US Dollars at 0.25%… and put that money into anything yielding more… you could make a killing.
A hedge fund in Hong Kong could borrow $100 million, pay just $250,000 in interest and plow that money into Brazilian Reals which yielded 11%… locking in a $9.75 million return.
This was the strictly financial side of things. On the economics side, Governments both sovereign and local borrowed in US Dollars around the globe to fund various infrastructure and municipal projects.
Simply put, the US Government was practically giving money away and the world took notice, borrowing Dollars at a record pace. Today, the global carry trade (meaning money borrowed in US Dollars and invested in other assets) stands at over $9 TRILLION (larger than the economy of France and Brazil combined).
But now the U.S. dollar carry trade is starting to unwind because the U.S. dollar has been doing very well lately. As the U.S. dollar has surged against other global currencies in 2015, this has put a tremendous amount of stress on emerging markets around the world. All of a sudden oil, other commodities and stock markets in nations such as Brazil began to crash. Meanwhile, those that had taken out loans denominated in U.S. dollars were finding that it was taking far more of their own local currencies to service and repay those loans. This financial crunch in emerging markets is going to take years to fully play out, and it is going to take a tremendous toll on global markets.
Of course we have seen this happen before. A surging dollar helped cause the Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s, the Asian financial crisis of the 1990s and the major global recession of 2008 and 2009.
If you thought that the financial shaking that happened in late August was bad, the truth is that it was nothing compared to what is now heading our way.
So buckle your seat belts boys and girls, because we are definitely in for a bumpy ride.
19 Reasons To Be Deeply Concerned About The Global Economy As We Enter The 2nd Half Of 2013
July 3, 2013 by Michael
Is the global economic downturn going to accelerate as we roll into the second half of this year? There is turmoil in the Middle East, we are seeing things happen in the bond markets that we have not seen happen in more than 30 years, and much of Europe has already plunged into a full-blown economic depression. Sadly, most Americans will never understand what is happening until financial disaster strikes them personally. As long as they can go to work during the day and eat frozen pizza and watch reality television at night, most of them will consider everything to be just fine. Unfortunately, the truth is that everything is not fine. The world is becoming increasingly unstable, we are living in the terminal phase of the greatest debt bubble in the history of the planet and the global financial system is even more vulnerable than it was back in 2008. Unfortunately, most people seem to only have a 48 hour attention span at best these days. They don't have the patience to watch long-term trends develop. And the coming economic collapse is not going to happen all at once. Rather, it is like watching a very, very slow-motion train wreck happen. The coming economic nightmare is going to unfold over a number of years. Yes, there will be moments of great panic, but mostly it will be a steady decline into economic oblivion. And there are a lot of indications that the second half of this year is not going to be as good as the first half was. The following are 19 reasons to be deeply concerned about the global economy as we head into the second half of 2013…
#1 The velocity of money in the United States has plunged to an all-time low. It is extremely difficult to have an "economic recovery" if banks are not lending money and people are not spending it…
#2 The fall of the Egyptian government threatens to bring even more instability to the Middle East. In response to the events in Egypt, the price of oil rose to more than 101 dollars a barrel on Wednesday.
#3 Every time the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has risen over $3.80 in the past three years, a stock market decline has always followed.
#4 As the world becomes increasingly unstable, massive citizen protest movements have been rising all over the globe…
The protests have many different origins. In Brazil people rose up against bus fares, in Turkey against a building project. Indonesians have rejected higher fuel prices, Bulgarians the government's cronyism.
In the euro zone they march against austerity, and the Arab spring has become a perma-protest against pretty much everything. Each angry demonstration is angry in its own way.
#5 The European sovereign debt crisis is flaring up once again. This time it is Portugal's turn to take center stage…
From Greece to Cyprus, Slovenia to Spain and Italy, and now most pressingly Portugal, where the finance and foreign ministers resigned in the space of two days, a host of problems is stirring after 10 months of relative calm imposed by the European Central Bank.
Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho told the nation in an address late on Tuesday that he did not accept the foreign minister's resignation and would try to go on governing.
If his government does end up collapsing, as is now more likely, it will raise immediate questions about Lisbon's ability to meet the terms of the 78-billion-euro bailout it agreed with the EU and International Monetary Fund in 2011.
#6 It is being projected that Italy will need a major EU bailout within six months.
#7 Bond investors are starting to panic. In fact, even prominent firms such as Pimco are seeing investors pull massive amounts of money out right now…
In June, investors pulled $9.6bn from Bill Gross's flagship fund at Pimco, the largest single month of outflows at the fund since Morningstar records began in 1993, the investment research firm said.
The outflows came after investors pulled $1.3bn from the fund in May, which marked the first outflows since December 2011.
Overall, a whopping 80 billion dollars was pulled out of bond funds during June.
#8 Central banks are selling off staggering amounts of U.S. Treasury bonds right now.
#9 U.S. mortgage bonds just suffered their largest quarterly decline in nearly 20 years.
#10 We continue to buy far more from the rest of the world than they buy from us. The U.S. trade deficit for the month of May was 45.0 billion dollars.
#11 The severe drought that the western half of the United States is suffering never seems to end. What will it do to food prices if ranchers and farmers out west have to go through another summer like they did last year?
#12 European car sales have fallen to a 20 year low.
#13 Unemployment in the eurozone is at an all-time high.
#14 Could the paper gold Ponzi scheme be on the verge of crumbling? There are reports that there is now a 100 day delay for gold owners to take physical delivery of their gold from some warehouses owned by the London Metal Exchange…
We're told that bullion-buyers in London must now wait more than 100 days to take delivery of the bullion for which they have already paid.
The comedic drones at Bloomberg, and officials of the London Metal Exchange itself would have us believe this is due to "warehouse queues." While precious metals bulls undoubtedly appreciate the imagery implied of a 100-day line-up of armored cars waiting to load their bullion – in the middle of this "bear market" – the implication is fallacious.
In an era of just-in-time inventories; the notion that there can be a 100-day backlog to load bullion into armored cars with the metal already sitting in the warehouse is ludicrous. Clearly what the LME is really reporting here is a greater-than-three-month delay to refine the gold (or silver) being purchased here – and then ship it to their warehouse.
In other words, the "bullion" which traders believe they are purchasing today is in fact merely ore which hasn't even been dug out of the ground yet.
#15 The number of mortgage applications in the United States is falling at the fastest rate in more than 3 years.
#16 Real disposable income in the United States is falling at the fastest rate in more than 4 years.
#17 The percentage of companies issuing negative earnings guidance for this quarter is at a level that we have never seen before.
#18 Is the dark side of derivatives trading about to be exposed? EU officials claim that 13 major international banks have been colluding to control the trading of derivatives…
The European Commission says many of the world's largest investment banks appear to have colluded to block attempts by exchanges to trade and offer more transparent prices for financial products known as credit derivatives.
The commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said Monday it has informed 13 banks — including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley — as well as the industry association for derivatives itself, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, ISDA, of the preliminary conclusions of an investigation that began in March.
#19 There are 441 trillion dollars of interest rate derivatives sitting out there and interest rates have risen rapidly over the past few weeks. What is going to happen to those derivatives if interest rates keep going higher?
Are there any items that are missing that you would add to this list?
Please feel free to share what you think by posting a comment below…