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Alternatives to Sphagnum Moss
By Danielle Smyth Updated April 12, 2021
What Kind of Moss Do You Use to Plant a Staghorn Fern?
Does Spanish Moss Bloom?
Information on Peacock Moss
How to Get Moss Out of Cloth
Portulaca Information
Peat is formed when organic plant material decomposes in bogs, swamps and other wetlands. It is a spongy material and differs from peat moss (Sphagnum, northern temperate zones) or other peat moss alternatives. The moss known as peat moss actually grows on top of the peat and is harvested first.
Sphagnum peat moss is one variety of this type of plant, and according to University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science, that category contains more than 150 species. Peat moss and peat moss alternatives are commonly used as a medium for helping plants grow.
Sphagnum Moss vs. Peat Moss
Besgrow explains that sphagnum peat moss (also called peat moss) and sphagnum moss are also not the exact same thing, though they share a scientific name. They are part of the same plant but are separate parts of that plant. Sphagnum moss can be seen growing on top of wetlands or soil. In places like New Zealand, it is harvested to help bogs regenerate.
Sphagnum peat moss accumulates on top of decaying sphagnum moss after it starts to sink below the surface, and bogs must be dug up in order to harvest the moss. However, it can take thousands of years for peat moss to form. Fine Gardening claims that it can take around 1,000 years for one yard's worth of this plant to grow. It is for this reason that many people feel the use of peat moss is not a sustainable practice, and they may look for alternatives to using sphagnum moss for their plants.
Peat Moss Alternatives
Traditionally, gardeners have appreciated peat moss because it acts as a natural fungicide and offers beneficial bacteria for plants. It also absorbs up to 20 times its weight in water, lightening the soil and aiding drainage. Fortunately, there are peat moss alternatives that can be just as helpful to plants. One such substitute for peat moss is coir, which comes from the outer layer of coconut (Cocos nucifera, USDA zones 11 and 12) shell husks. It can come from young or mature coconuts, and the hairy material is also used to make rope, mats and sacks.
Shops sell coir in blocks, which expand after being soaked in water. Coir has excellent water-retention properties, but it does cost more than peat moss. Another eco-friendly option is the use of rice hulls. These are a byproduct created when rice grains are dried and then hulled during the manufacturing process. Fine Gardening says rice hulls are another excellent potting soil additive, offering good water absorption and drainage.
Rice (Oryza sativa, zones 9a and 10b) hulls are also inexpensive when compared to the other two options. Compost is also excellent for plants and is loaded with beneficial nutrients and microbes. It is sold in commercial organic potting soils, or you can make it at home with your own compost bin and mix it into the soil.
Sheet Moss vs. Sphagnum Moss
Not all moss grows on peat or in wetlands. One example of this is hypnum sheet moss or carpet moss (Hypnum curvifolium, USDA zones 8 through 11). Gardenista explains that there are more than 20 species of Hypnum, and it can be found growing on rocks, logs, walls and tree trunks.
Like some other varieties, it can act as a fertilizer for new soil. You won't want to add it to your soil, though. Instead, grow it alongside to aid with water retention. Sheet moss grows in different colors, and sometimes, the branches are curly or bristly. It is often used for decorative purposes and looks nice along rocks and next to other plants.
HGTV also likes club moss (Lycopodiopsida, USDA zones 4 through 8), which does well in moderate light and low temperatures. Dried moss is easy to work with because it does not need to be watered.
Besgrow: What's the Difference Between Spagmoss and Peat Moss? The Environment
Fine Gardening: Peat Moss Alternatives
Gardenista: Hypnum Moss (Sheet Moss)
HGTV: Moss Varieties and Uses
Danielle Smyth is a writer and content marketer from upstate New York. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing, and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. She also runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity.
How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space
The Advantages of Spanish Moss
Disadvantages of Growing Plants in Sphagnum Moss
How to Grow Moss Between Flagstones
How to Make Moss Grow With Milk
Where Does Spanish Moss Come From?
Lining Materials for Hanging Planters
What Are the Drawbacks and Problems With Coconut Mulch ?
What Is the Moss That Hangs From Cypress Trees?
1 How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space
2 The Advantages of Spanish Moss
3 Disadvantages of Growing Plants in Sphagnum Moss
4 How to Grow Moss Between Flagstones


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Military source denies plans to postpone Egypt's presidential elections after latest flare of violence
Ahram Online, Wednesday 2 May 2012
Presidential elections will go on, as scheduled, says a military source, despite clashes in Cairo leaving at least 9 dead
A military source has denied that there are any plans to postpone the presidential elections slated for 23/24 May after the recent escalation of violence.
"These reports are completely false and the military council has no plans to postpone the presidential elections. Field Marshall Tantawi... has stressed that he will transfer power at the end of this June," the source said.
On Wednesday morning, at least five people died and dozens were injured when plain-clothed men, thought to be local residents, attacked protesters camping outside the Defence Ministry in Abbassiya, Cairo, early Wednesday morning. The violence led many to believe that the presidential elections may be postponed as a result.
The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), headed by Tantawi, has been ruling the country since Mubarak was ousted from power on 11 February. SCAF is expected to hand over power on 30 June, following presidential elections.
military council
Abbassiya
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Ex-presidential contender Abul-Fotouh to launch 'Strong Egypt' party
Morsi's praise of army generals leaves some revolutionaries cold
Morsi will have 'full presidential powers', says Egypt military council
Egypt to see first female, Coptic vice-presidents: Morsi team
Shafiq congratulates Egypt's new president Morsi, expects results
'Don't obey me if I don't fulfill promises': President-elect Morsi tells Egyptians
Morsi declared Egypt's first civilian president, but military remains in control

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I know a square room isn't ideal, I know a small room isn't ideal. So, what if you only had a 7' 8" x 7' 1" room to use as a project studio at home? Would it be possible to use this room and if so what would be the best way to treat it?
I guessing its currently flutter echo hell at the moment?
It's about 8' high. A mates asked me for advice but i'm useless at stuff like this so trying to find out if it'll be usable. I'm moving into a new place soon that also has a very similar room well away from neighbours, so I wouldn't mind knowing, but luckilly i'll have the option of a second double bedroom that I could use if needed (although this would be right next to my new neighbours). So as you can see both rooms would have pro's & con's. I don't have a lot of gear so fitting everything in wouldn't be a problem, just the actual 'usability' of the room is a concern.
it's "possible" to treat any room to make an improvement. It'll never be ruler flat/industry standard but you already know that. Start by making sure you are in the best position in trhe room: speakers should fire down the longest length of the room, your listening point (ie head) should be 38%down the length of the room forming an eqilateral traingle with your monitors. Once you've sorted that, begin by treating all possible corners (floor to ceiling/wall to ceiling and wall to floor - the tricorners being the most important) with rockwool (preferably superchunks but at the very least 4-6 inch panels) . Once you have done that treat the wall behind you with 4_6 inch panels., then mirror points (inc on the ceiling).
However, firing down the length of the room and listening position at 38% might be a bit tricky with it being a small square, would the few inches make that much difference? Also, on the rear/front wall would I be best with Absorbtion or Diffusion? Maybe one of each, Diffusion on front and Absorbtion rear?
PS. I'll be downsizing to 5" monitors if I decide i'm going to try this room so there won't be excessive bass (<50Hz) being pumped into the room.
A few inches could make a difference if that leaves you half way along the length of the room. That would be very bad.
With a room that size I'd start with absorption (not foam). It may be that some kind of abfusor on the back wall might work slightly better but you need to aim for a reflection free zone to the front and sides.
you got a picture example of this mate?
flat. If you kill a room completely with absorption it will begin to sound like an anechoic chamber (which is just weird). In these circumstances you may need to bring life back to the room. A liberal sprinkling of, for example, cds outside the rfz will provide some reflection and therefore liven up the room again.


2 water glasses of milk.
Place meat in a pot. Pour 3-4 cups of water over it and cook until tender.
Take from the broth about 1 glass and set aside.
Chop the mushrooms, onions, and carrots and add them to the pot.
Add thyme, salt, and dill and cook until vegetables are softened.
Dissolve starch in the broth glass then pour milk over it and blend .
Pour the broth mix over the meat pot slowly with stirring continually.
Boil for 10 minutes then serve.


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You, Too, Can Create Everyday Miracles.
By Valerie Lis, MA, founder of Simplified EFT Tapping™
I am fairly certain that, given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world.
~Leigh Standley, https://www.curlygirldesign.com/
YOU, TOO, CAN create everyday miracles. This is a big promise. But it's true. You can learn how to create everyday miracles. Literally. What, exactly, does that mean? To answer, we need a few definitions.
WHAT IS A MIRACLE?
According to the American Heritage® Dictionary, a miracle "excites admiring awe; a wonderful or amazing event, act, person, or thing." It "appears inexplicable by the laws of nature." What is an everyday miracle?
Everyday miracles have two components: First, they are described as wonderful, amazing events — miracles by the people who experience them. And, they are commonplace, natural — everyday experiences for the people who help create them.
As an EFT Tapping practitioner, trainer, and mentor for over 20 years and the founder of Simplified EFT Tapping™ (SEFT), I can make this promise. Through the use of SEFT processes and tools, our community has made the impossible possible. And, we do it every single day. Follow our simple instructions. And, you, too, can create everyday miracles.
Here are a few of our everyday miracles:
A woman in her 80s ended her session dancing on tiptoes in her kitchen. She had been a victim of pain and had spent over a decade confined to a wheelchair. The pain was completely gone in less than an hour.
Procrastination caused a client to delay filing income taxes for three years. By the time the session ended, she was eagerly working on taxes with a huge a smile on her face!
Many examples of clutter problems — the kind they make TV shows about — have been easily, permanently and consistently resolved.
A client's fear of snakes was eliminated — in just minutes.
In a single one- hour session, the deep-felt anger that led to her addictive patterns was dissolved.
Her insatiable cravings for chocolate and sweets were gone in minutes.
He walked into the session with a gluten sensitivity. When he walked out, the gluten sensitivity was gone.
She was finally able to leave an abusive relationship and, for the first time in her life, felt optimistic about her future.
He had social anxiety and an intense fear of rejection. Both issues were gone in the first session.
More than 40 people in a 2-hour Zoom session followed the 2-Step SEFT Process for chronic pain. They all had a drastic reduction or eliminated their chronic pain. Some had been suffering for years.
A 10-year old girl began the session feeling worthless. She said she felt like a piece of garbage. The transition came moments later when she said, "That's not true anymore!" There was an immediate and permanent shift in her confidence level.
Every day, members of our SEFT community create these kinds of miracles for themselves and the people in their lives. And, you can too.
HERE IS THE BACK STORY
EFT Tapping was created about 25 years ago. With only eight or nine tapping points, it is a short process. Over time, it has increased in complexity. There are now dozens of styles with distinct steps and procedures. Thousands of relatively ineffective scripts were developed to resolve problems with emotional distress, cravings, pain, abundance, limiting beliefs, food and chemical sensitivities, sports performance, and many other issues.
With complexity, has come confusion.
You may have already tried tapping and found it easy to learn. As you continued to tap, though, you may have become more frustrated. Perhaps, you discovered it doesn't always work. Or, EFT Tapping may not have worked for you at all. Or, you recognized its vast potential and wanted to know more. No matter how you got here, if you have been searching for an easy-to-follow guide on tapping, you've come to the right place.
There is a simpler way to tap.
This faster, easier approach is the core of Simplified EFT Tapping™ (SEFT). The guiding principles that form the background of SEFT were combined into a short 3-Step Process. This process, which is often done naturally by new and seasoned practitioners, can be blended with almost all EFT styles.
This is an exciting innovation!
The SEFT 3-Step Process is the fastest, easiest way to tap. When you follow these steps in your sessions, you will become more effective. It is truly simple; the entire process can be summarized in only six words!
The SEFT 3-Step Process:
Get emotional.
Tap.
Evaluate and refocus.
This sounds overly simplistic, but it is truly the place where miracles begin.
Learning about the 3-Step SEFT Process is just the start.
SEFT includes dozens of unique tools and approaches to eliminate emotional and physical challenges and boost well-being. All the basics can be found on the website: http://simplifiedeft.com
The website also provides blog post videos with instructions and tap-a-longs on many topics. These include:
Exceptional Results on Chronic Pain
Law of Attraction and Tapping to Reach Your Goals
Tapping to Resolve Worry and Sadness
SEFT to Eliminate Financial Stress
How to Win Contests
To go deeper into these tools and approaches, you may be interested in Simplified EFT Tapping™: How to Get Exceptional Results Every Time You Tap. This book includes a dictionary-style A-Z guide with hundreds of hints and tips to clear almost any issue. Although it was written for practitioners, you will also find it worthwhile for your own self-work.
There are many other options for SEFT training:
Attend live online workshops. These include Level 1, Level 2, and Specialty Workshops such as Limiting Beliefs and Health Challenges. Workshops can lead to practitioner certification. They can also be taken for personal use.
Go through online video courses in Teachable.
Watch the Global SEFT Tapping Summits.
Book one-on-one sessions with certified practitioners, certified trainers, or founder Valerie Lis.
Sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on instructional videos, trainings, blog post videos, and other freebies.
THE GRAND VISION
You, too, can create everyday miracles and make a profound difference in the world.
Yes, this is a big promise. But, follow the instructions and tap. You will get results with the SEFT Process in no time. If you do it, it will work.
As a heart-centered community, we believe SEFT has real potential to improve the world. Those who tap to eliminate their own fears, anger, hate, and shame cannot help but evolve into gentler, kinder people. They naturally transform into authentic, loving versions of themselves, fully empowered to move into their greatest potentials.
As the movement continues to grow, we believe everyday miracles will become the "norm." Wow — can you imagine the profound benefits this will create for humanity? We are joyful and excited for you to join us on this journey!
Valerie Lis, Brenda Campbell, and the SEFT Community
P.S. Capes and tiaras are optional.
Valerie Lis, MA is one of the leading experts on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT Tapping) and is the author of "Simplified EFT Tapping™: How to Get Exceptional Results Every Time You Tap." Many of her clients have achieved miraculous improvements in their emotional and physical health, often in only 1-3 sessions. Examples include freedom from pain after decades of suffering, relief from addictive cravings, elimination of food and chemical sensitivities, and complete shifts in limiting beliefs and unhealthy thought patterns. A faculty member, Valerie also teaches a variety of courses at a Minnesota (U.S.) state college. In all her roles, Valerie provides amazing self-empowering tools to her clients, students, and audiences, supporting positive change in just minutes!


Saw this online today. It's a handy reference for determining which logical fallacy is being used in the latest paleobabble spew one encounters. It ought to be on a T-Shirt (but it would be a crowded one).
PreviousWhat To Me And To You?


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Article Library / Opinion Articles
The Ultra-Orthodox Draft: Crossing the Third Rubicon
By: Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern
The Special Committee for the Equal Sharing of the Burden Bill, a parliamentary committee headed by MK Ayelet Shaked, is currently preparing the government's proposed legislation on the issue of Haredi military service for its second and third readings. This is the last, decisive stage in a historical process of repairing the relationship between ultra-Orthodox Jews and the State of Israel. In order to successfully defuse this landmine, avoid a culture war, and reach widespread military service that will lead to social integration, we must first define the proper role of the State. And we must do so with sensitivity.
A young ultra-Orthodox man who wishes to become integrated in Israeli society must cross three raging rivers: an existential Rubicon, an identity Rubicon, and a practical Rubicon. Existentially, he must to choose to leave the yeshiva, his true home, and come to terms with a lifestyle that he perceives as less than ideal. Once he has made this choice, Torah study is no longer the center of his existence; a gap has been formed between the ideal and the real in his life.
In the realm of identity, the young man must deal with the challenge of integrating into the secular world, rich and rewarding as it may be, while maintaining a distinct and ascetic Haredi lifestyle. He must grapple with the tension of preserving the warmth of the Torah—the core of ultra-Orthodox identity—in the frigid air of the secular world.
Beyond confronting existential challenges and questions of identity, which are internal and emotional issues, the young ultra-Orthodox man who has ventured outside the walls of the ghetto must also cross a third Rubicon of practicality. He must serve in the army, learn a trade, and find employment outside his cloistered community. This can be a difficult path for people in their twenties who lack adequate preparation.
The government bill to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews, which passed its first reading in the Knesset, makes the mistake of forcing the ultra-Orthodox to cross the first two Rubicons. It sets quotas limiting the number of Torah scholars who will be exempt from military service and threatens to arrest Haredi men who do not enlist. Although the proponents of this legislation do not wish to convert the ultra-Orthodox and strip them of their identity, the ultra-Orthodox see this as the ultimate result of the bill. This explains why the Haredi community is expected to rise up against the law. It is not possible to integrate 750,000 pious Jews into Israeli society "with whips and scorpions." The Haredi struggle with identity is a personal, internal matter, as it is for every other sector of Israeli society.
Instead, the government should focus its efforts on bridging the third Rubicon, the river of practicality. It must open gates and remove obstacles in order to enable ultra-Orthodox Jews who choose the path of integration of their own free will to move toward that goal. The outlook appears promising: the number of ultra-Orthodox men serving in the IDF and civil service has increased eightfold in the last six years, Haredi employment rose ten percent in the last decade, and there are currently over 6,000 ultra-Orthodox students in Israeli institutions of higher education. It is essential to ensure that these courageous pioneers find jobs that are suited to their talents, and do not encounter a glass ceiling erected by stereotypes. Once these trailblazers succeed, we can expect a large influx of ultra-Orthodox workers that will change the face of the Israeli economy.
The State has an additional role—a critical function that constitutes the principal task of the Shaked committee. Experts estimate that about two-thirds of the Haredi men who have deferred their military service and remained in yeshiva are interested in joining the labor force. They want to make a living, just like you and me, while still maintaining the values and lifestyle of the ultra-Orthodox community. They have not acted on these personal preferences, however, because of internal "market failures"— political, social and institutional barriers—within the ultra-Orthodox community. The proposed conscription law can play an important role in removing these obstacles. How so?
The government must adopt a responsible public policy for the allocation of state resources to those who study Torah. The State of Israel currently allocates a billion shekel per year to support Torah study—a considerable sum, without which the Torah world could not exist. If these funds are used as positive and negative incentives, the spiritual and political leaders of the ultra-Orthodox community will realize that their decisions will determine whether the "community of scholars" enjoys a dignified existence. If the internal obstacles that make it difficult for the majority of ultra-Orthodox men to act on their preferences and enter the working world are removed, the world of Torah study will flourish. The "community of scholars" will admitedly be smaller, but it will be comprised of genuine, high quality Torah scholars, and will be worthy of its name. Once the barriers are gone, army service will increase and integration will advance naturally, with no need for coercion or penalties.
Ultimately, the ultra-Orthodox must serve in the military—not in national civil service—at rates that are similar to those of the rest of Israel's population. This is the only way to meet the legal, moral, and even religious imperatives of sharing the burden of sovereign existence. Only after military service will they be able to integrate into the Israeli economy and society while preserving their unique identity. Antagonistic legislation adopted in a hostile public environment will cause a tragic reversal of the existing trend of integration. It will produce draft evasion and generate further withdrawal from society. An ill-considered attempt to coerce will shut down an engine of future economic growth and widen the rift in Israeli society.
Inclusive language is needed that acknowledges the ultra-Orthodox individual's autonomy in crossing the first two Rubicons. Economic arrangements must be made in order to break down the barriers that are preventing those individuals from exercising their autonomy. The state, the private sector, and the third sector must all focus efforts on integrating the ultra-Orthodox in the educational system and the labor force. Let's not cause harm to Israel's social solidarity and economic vitality by passing a popular but ill-advised reform.
Yedidia Z. Stern is Vice President of Research at the Israel Democracy Institute and a Professor of Law at Bar-Ilan University. Attorney Haim Zicherman is a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute.
This article is adapted from an op-ed that was published in Hebrew in Haaretz on August 16, 2013


as a result of a collision on Highway 99 early Sunday morning, Aug. 8.
One man is dead and another injured as a result of a collision on Highway 99 early Sunday morning, Aug. 8.
According to the Squamish RCMP, at approximately 6:50 a.m. the driver of a northbound Subaru lost control and crossed into the southbound lane, striking a Volkswagen Golf. The accident took place on a curve in a hilly stretch of highway just south of Britannia Beach.
The driver of the Subaru, a 21-year-old male from Victoria, died as a result of his injuries. The driver of the Golf, who was identified as a 50-year-old Squamish resident, was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital with serious injuries.
The accident resulted in the temporary closure of Highway 99 for an hour and a half, and was only re-opened to single lane alternating traffic for several hours afterwards to allow for the investigation and a clean-up of the scene.
Speed and erratic driving are believed to have contributed to the collision, although the accident is still under investigation.
In January seven Squamish residents were killed in a head-on collision on Highway 99 north of Garibaldi Highlands when a southbound vehicle wandered over the centre line.
The Whistler-Pemberton RCMP detachment is investigating a single motor vehicle accident on Portage Road in Briken, near Divine. On Saturday night at approximately 7:36 p.m. the RCMP received a report of the accident, and found a blue Toyota pickup that appeared to have flipped several times before coming to a stop.
A 22-year-old male from Pemberton was driving, accompanied by a 21-year-old male from Pemberton and a 21-year-old from Surrey. All three occupants were taken to the Pemberton medical clinic, and the 21-year-old from Pemberton was then transported to Vancouver General Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
The RCMP are investigating whether alcohol and speed contributed to the accident.
Pemberton's Carl Shewchuck, the 18-year-old cat burglar who was accused of stealing more than $20,000 from homes in Nicklaus North and Nordic Estates in July, was sentenced in provincial court Aug. 10.
He was found guilty of three counts of Break and Enter and Commit an Indictable Offence. He was sentenced to one year in jail, followed by a year of probation. In addition he will have to pay a $100 victim surcharge.
The Whistler-Pemberton RCMP would like to thank both communities for the assistance that led to the arrest and conviction of Shewchuck.
The Whistler-Pemberton RCMP are looking for volunteers to participate in the local RCMP auxiliary program, assisting local police in the community. Applicants must be Canadian citizens, fluent in French or English, 19 years or older, possess a minimum Grade 12 or GED equivalent from a Canadian institution, possess a valid Class 5 driver's licence, be of good character, and meet all RCMP physical and medical requirements.
Preference will be given to individuals who plan to remain in Whistler or Pemberton for at least two years.
The search continues for an 18-year-old Vancouver man who slipped and fell into the Ashlu River on Monday, Aug. 2 and was carried away by the swift moving water.
The man was hiking with his father and two friends in a canyon section when the accident happened. The man's father immediately called 911 with his cell phone and a search began with the aid of a helicopter and the Squamish Emergency Program search and rescue team.
The main search was called off the following day, but authorities are continuing to search certain areas for the man's remains, and will check certain areas as the river goes down.


Definitely air. I'm one of the persons who still delights in flying, in spite of the TSA.
02 // Do you feel comfortable being a citizen of the 21st-century?
Quite. Though sometimes I really want to be young in the 1950s.
03 // _______ is funny.


Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 29 April 2004.
British Sugar plc v Commission of the European Communities.
Appeal - Competition - Sugar market - Article 85(1) of the EC Treaty (now Article 81(1) EC) - Agreement - Effect on trade between Member States - Fine - Proportionality.


Lorin Maazel, who has led more than 150 orchestras in more than 5,000 opera and concert performances, became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2002. The interactive timeline created by Rolling Orange celebrates Mr. Maazel's accomplished career and final year leading the New York Philharmonic. It showcases his life (including the Orchestra's historic 2008 performance in Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea), operas he composed, and previous tenures as music director prior to his arrival at the New York Philharmonic.
Note: Sorry, this page is no longer live.


Q: What is Synergos and what exactly do you do?
Synergos is a non-profit-making organization, founded in 1986 by Peggy Dulany, the daughter of David Rockefeller. Our mission is to reduce global poverty through "inclusive partnerships", bringing together government, business, civil society and local communities.
Synergos works with leaders in public, private, non-profit and civil society sectors to change systems that keep people in poverty. Bringing together government, business, civil society, and poor and marginalized communities, Synergos works with its networks and other partners to create sustainable change in systems. Over the course of more than twenty years, Synergos has built and supported networks of change-makers, as well as innovative global partnerships in more than thirty countries and regions, including Brazil, Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, the Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. To promote and support these systems-changing collaborations, Synergos helps leaders and leading institutions to learn from each other and to access the ideas, people and resources that help them make a greater impact in addressing issues of poverty, equity and social justice. In addition, Synergos is committed to sharing the knowledge learned through its work, so that others can benefit from lessons learned by the organization and its partners.
We become involved when there is an interest or willingness among local partners to take a comprehensive look at what underlies poverty. For example, in Ethiopia we are involved in a project to enhance income and increase access to food for small farmers and herders.
In Namibia we are looking at how to strengthen public health services so that all of the health needs, in particular those of the poor and isolated, can be addressed.
In India we are involved in a project looking at under-nutrition of children. Under-nutrition involves not only access to food, but the nutritional value of that food. It also involves water and sanitation, gender discrimination and government efficiency. Our project deals with the totality of causes.
It is really hard to make changes that are significant and ongoing, but that's exactly what we are trying to do. We try to strengthen the ability of people in the system who will carry out change, and not be dependent upon outside resources, whether financial or human.
Q: Do you bring in the funding or the expertise or the full team, or do you just work with local partners?
It is a little of all of that. We help the leaders by enhancing their capacity to work with multiple stakeholders, bringing about structural change that includes some traditional approaches –– a concept that we call bridging leadership. It is a series of skills and characteristics that allow people to work across divides, so that business, government and the community can all be part of a dialogue to analyse problems and find solutions.
With respect to large-scale partnerships, we often work with local people to build trust, and to promote collaboration and innovation that will help people understand what they need to do to implement the change in sustainable ways.
Q: When you become involved in a project, what kind of deadline do you set yourself to reach sustainability?
We are patient partners. We believe that systems change is difficult and complicated, and there are not necessarily any formulas that can be applied universally. In the case of the India project, it has been operating for five years, and we now have a local board of trustees and local staff. All the core funding is being provided locally, and there is some support by a global entity.
In the case of Namibia, where we have been working for three years, legislation is being considered that would create a unit within the Ministry of Public Health to pursue the initiatives we have set up.
Q: When people contact you with project proposals, what do you look for?
We are offer grants to recipients, and we sometimes subcontract. When we look at projects, our interest is in what impact the project would have in the requested area, and in what way it would improve the well-being of poor and marginalized people.
The next step –– is the opportunity right for us to provide support. What are the prospects that the success of the initiative would be beneficial to others? Can it be replicated? What are the prospects of securing the resources needed to go forward in order to share their learning so that it will benefit others doing similar work? There are a whole set of criteria that we use.
Q: If I come to you and say "I would like to do something for the domestic female workers in Africa. Can we provide them with some basic training to increase their salaries?" Would this be something that you would be interested in?
Typically, we would take a broader view. If people working as domestic staff in Africa struggle to meet their basic needs, we would want to understand to what extent this is related to issues of migration, education, job training and skills. Would access to college allow them to be more effective? We would want to work with the organizations that are concerned about this client group. We would see if there is a place at the meeting table for the government that may affect the working conditions for this group. We may look at private sector entities that might make the situation better.
In India, for instance, Taj Hotels have been helping with the schoolchildren's feeding programmes by sending their chefs out to modify the menus. They are identifying local, more nutritious ingredients, finding more tasty ways of preparing them and doing it within the government's budget for the programme. In Namibia, whereas it can take years to plan and construct a permanent clinic, one way to provide access to health services for women living in rural and isolated communities has been to customize cargo containers that can be equipped in a couple of months. We discuss with anyone who is at the table, anyone with experience. Those are the circumstances that lead to better outcomes. Typically, that is how we would be involved.
Synergos is a family of networks of leaders. If you are a philanthropist interested in this situation, we could help you to connect to ideas, people and resources.
If you were a community-based leader, we have a global peer network of civil society leaders. You would be able to present your situation and benefit from the experiences of people who have dealt with similar issues. The network is really important because we often feel that the most helpful assistance comes from peers and other change-makers –– not because we think we know the answers (or even the questions!).
Q: Does your global philanthropist meet on a regular basis to share experiences?
Yes they do, and they also conduct informal peer consulting. We organize regional workshops and learning journeys –– China, South Africa, Turkey and Jordan. In the past we have arranged trips to Brazil and Mexico. We have a trip coming up to Cuba. So there is a whole array of offerings that are available to the members of the circle. We have a family membership. We have about 200 active participants from about seventy families representing twenty-two countries, including China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa, as well the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, etc.
Q: How do people become members of this circle?
We look for people who exert an important influence on philanthropy in developing parts of the world where they engage in community work. Some of our members operate very large foundations with professional staff, whereas others give more modestly. We are really interested in people who want to address poverty and social justice issues, working for system change and who are eager to share with others. That is more important to us than any particular amount of money.
We are eager to support people in the circle who are actively engaged in philanthropy. Some people may have modest resources, but generate more influence than others who have more financial resources. If we are working with the most important philanthropist in Ghana or Tanzania or Turkey –– they are going to have a greater impact on what is happening in these countries than people who have greater wealth but live in the United States or the United Kingdom. We want to promote good practice –– that is what is most important.
Q: We have interviewed several philanthropists and they all share this common goal of giving back to society. Do you encourage people to give money to your projects?
Sometimes our projects grow out of initiatives from members of the philanthropic circle, but we don't attempt to align people with the project we are working on. Sometimes projects arise from initiatives from civil society members, for instance in South Africa.
Sometimes we take people on a learning journey to observe the work we are doing. Sometimes we refer to that work in meetings. Certain members may want to support particular projects. Some provide matching amounts of dollars if the project seems overwhelming to them. Others encourage us to find support.
One of the services of the circle is to make the rising generation of philanthropists aware of their responsibility. We have done a lot of work creating a space where young people, principally in their 20s, have a chance to learn and talk about philanthropy, to share some of their visions. We think that this is an important part of our work.
Q: For people who would like to join this circle, what must they do?
They should definitely contact us. We would help them to become more familiar with the circle and find out if it would serve their purposes. We schedule events throughout the year all around the world. In the last year, we hosted meetings in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Dubai, Paris and London. We tend to have regional cluster of members and we try to involve people in events happening close to them. Some global events taking place around the world may be of interest to them as well.
Q: How do you involve the business community?
Some members of the circle are founders, chairmen or CEOs of businesses. Synergos also offers advice for companies who are trying to develop more effective strategies to engage with developing economies and communities.
We have carried out work in Africa, Mexico, Brazil and India on behalf on global companies. For instance, in India not only were Tata and Taj Hotels involved, but we have support from Hindus, Unilever… Over the years we have worked with Shell. There are a number of important companies who are looking in their corporate strategy for ways of generating income for the company while serving the poor.
We perform a variety of activities. Sometimes we undertake learning journeys for business executives –– focus-forums for company leaders. Sometimes we conduct interviews with community-based organizations and community leaders. We function like a GPS –– when companies are entering unfamiliar territory, we show them how to reach a destination that is of benefit to the community as well as for the company concerned.
Q: So how does Synergos obtain its funding?
We have a mix of income. We receive significant support from individual donors, foundations, corporations, bilateral aid agencies, such USAID, and we generate some income from events that we host. We also earn revenue from the work we undertake for corporations.
Q: Have you been faced with donor dry-ups, like many other humanitarian organizations in Geneva?
During 2009 and 2010 we certainly had a reduction in support because individuals had seen a decline in their assets, foundations in their portfolios, while corporations were laying people off. They have not been interested in new initiatives. We reduced our spending in 2009 and 2010, but we see signs of recovery in 2011 –– if not complete, nevertheless recovery. Our funding comes from all over the world and is therefore independent of any one sector.
Q: You are quite well known in the United States, but you keep a very low profile. Why?
Our aim is to place the people we support at the centre of attention. We want people to know about us so that they can turn to us for help, but the credit always goes to those we work with –– not to us.
We have worked hard for almost twenty-five years to build social capital and to create a relationship of trust. One of the reasons people are comfortable working with us and allow us to continue working with them is that they do not see us promoting our own interest. We are doing this in the service of others.
We want to be known among people not only as a provider of resources, but also as a good partner. We are well known among the UN, the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, but we do not want to be too well-known, because we favour quality.
Q: Are there any projects in particular that you would like to highlight?
I think that one of the projects that we are quite excited about is the work we are doing to promote social innovation in the Arab world. We are launching an effort to identify and provide mentors, interns and support for 250 young social entrepreneurs in Egypt. Now that the country is going through a transition period, we promote people who play an important role in bringing about economic and social change. We have similar work underway in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine, and we hope to expand throughout the region. We are very excited about this because the need is so great, the time is so right, and many people in the region have said: "What is missing is innovation". We intend identifying people who can pursue ways towards important change.


NRA-ILA | Stabbings Seen As "Statement Crimes"
Stabbings Seen As "Statement Crimes"
Law-enforcement and youth services officials say that "statement crimes" committed by Hispanic gangs to establish their presence have inspired brazen attacks, including a recent spate of stabbings and slashings. "Those kinds of attacks would be to send a message--`We`re in town` or `We`re taking over,`?" said Steve Nawojczyk, who works in youth services in Little Rock, Ark.