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Le foreste di conifere costiere della Scandinavia sono un'ecoregione paleartica del bioma delle foreste di conifere temperate situata lungo la costa della Norvegia. È costituita da una serie di piccole aree con caratteristiche botaniche e clima locale paragonabili a quelli di una foresta pluviale temperata.

Geografia
La foresta di conifere costiera della Scandinavia è un'ecoregione terrestre definita dal WWF e dal National Geographic. Il suo riconoscimento come tale si basa su parametri climatici e comprende un'area estesa lunga la costa occidentale della Norvegia da Lindesnes a sud fino a Senja a nord (più a nord le estati sono troppo fredde per consentire la crescita dei pini nelle zone costiere): in sostanza, possiamo affermare che appartengono ad essa le zone lungo la costa norvegese dove le precipitazioni elevate e gli inverni sono abbastanza miti. Nell'ecoregione sono comprese tuttavia anche aree dove le foreste di conifere sono scomparse (come le Lofoten, le cui foreste di pini sono state distrutte dall'uomo molti secoli fa) e perfino isole e promontori rocciosi dove la copertura boschiva è scarsa o del tutto assente.

Ad altitudini poco più elevate vicino alla linea degli alberi, sulle Alpi scandinave, domina l'ecoregione delle foreste di betulle e praterie d'altitudine scandinave. In alcune zone lungo le valli, dove non ci sono barriere montuose, l'ecoregione incontra quella della taiga scandinava e russa dell'entroterra. Tra queste ricordiamo la valle di Rauma che collega Åndalsnes a Lesja e Dombås e la valle del Namdalen che collega la costa del Nord-Trøndelag alle zone più fredde dell'interno, fino alla Svezia. La superficie dell'ecoregione è resa frammentata da fiordi e montagne. Nelle foreste di pini della sua parte settentrionale vi sono alcuni degli alberi più antichi della Scandinavia, come quelli di oltre 700 anni che crescono nella valle del Forfjord a Hinnøya.

Clima

La zona presenta una stagione di crescita molto lunga per la sua latitudine (140-215 giorni, più lunga al sud), con precipitazioni abbondanti e costanti durante tutto l'anno dai valori compresi tra  e  mm annui. A luglio le temperature medie nell'arco delle 24 ore variano tra 12 e 16 °C e quelle medie diurne sono di 14-20 °C (i valori più alti si registrano nei fiordi riparati). Gli inverni sono piuttosto miti e piovosi: le medie di gennaio vanno da -2 a 3 °C con massime diurne di 0-5 °C. L'escursione termica annua media passa dagli 8,4 °C a sud (Bergen, Stavanger), ai 6-7 °C al centro (Hitra 7,1 °C, isola di Vega 6 °C) e ai 4 °C nell'estremo nord (Andenes 4,4 °C). Questo tipo di clima corrisponde ai tipi Cfb e Cfc di Köppen, ed è paragonabile a quello presente lungo la costa della Columbia Britannica settentrionale e dell'Alaska sud-orientale.

Nella parte più piccola dell'ecoregione classificata come foresta pluviale piove per almeno 200 giorni all'anno. Le precipitazioni annue minime che sono state registrate sono variabili, ma si aggirano generalmente intorno a  mm, mentre quelle medie presentano valori di - mm. Le estati sono miti: la stagione calda di solito non dura a lungo e le giornate veramente calde sono rare. Gli inverni sono generalmente miti e piovosi; talvolta nevica abbondantemente, ma la neve di solito si scioglie regolarmente prima della fine dell'inverno.

Flora
L'assenza dell'abete rosso a nord del circolo polare artico (Saltfjellet) e lungo la costa sud-occidentale è dovuta principalmente alla presenza di barriere come fiordi e catene montuose, mentre gli abeti rossi che sono stati piantati dall'uomo crescono anche piuttosto a nord del circolo polare, come a Tromsø.  Il limite meridionale dell'areale dell'abete rosso in Norvegia è delimitato da montagne e fiordi che bloccano la strada, nonché dagli inverni troppo miti nelle vicinanze del mare lungo la costa sud-occidentale. Pertanto, lungo la costa sud-occidentale e i fiordi (Vestlandet o Norvegia occidentale) si trova una foresta temperata mista con pini, alcuni tassi e alberi decidui (betulle bianche, olmi montani, tigli, querce, pioppi tremuli, noccioli) nelle pianure e foreste boreali più tipiche nelle zone più elevate.

Le zone floristicamente più ricche della regione (lungo la costa a nord fino ad Ålesund, spesso sui versanti dei fiordi rivolti a sud, ma anche zone più a nord lungo il Trondheimsfjord), sebbene meno diversificate della zona dell'Oslofjord a causa delle barriere geografiche, sono considerate semiboreali e potrebbero essere considerate parte dell'ecoregione delle foreste miste sarmatiche (PA0436) o delle foreste miste umide dell'Atlantico settentrionale (PA0429). Alcune delle zone più umide di questa regione, dove le precipitazioni annue possono superare i  e perfino i  mm, sono talvolta considerate foreste pluviali semiboreali.

Specie introdotte

Tra le specie introdotte ricordiamo il pino silvestre, che è stato piantato per scopi economici in zone al di fuori del suo areale originario sia sulla costa sud-occidentale che nella parte più settentrionale dell'ecoregione. Anche l'abete di Sitka è stato piantato intensivamente, specie vicino alla costa esterna, anche a nord, fino alle Vesterålen e ad Harstad.

L'acero di monte è stato introdotto nei giardini privati e nei cortili delle chiese più di 150 anni fa e si è diffuso copiosamente lungo la costa sud-occidentale, lungo la costa centrale (Trøndelag) e, in misura considerevolmente minore, a nord fino alle Vesterålen. È ancora più comune vicino a città e villaggi, ma sembra appurato che continuerà ad espandersi lungo la costa e i fiordi.

Oltre a queste specie, ci sono molte piante introdotte più piccole che si diffondono sempre più, come la rosa rugosa. Tuttavia, a causa del terreno spesso scosceso, la selvicoltura nella zona costiera è stata in gran parte limitata e rimangono tuttora molte aree ricoperte dalla vegetazione originaria, ma sono spesso frammentate, soprattutto nella parte meridionale dell'ecoregione. I visoni americani, fuggiti dagli allevamenti di pellicce, hanno colonizzato l'intero paese e minacciano le colonie di uccelli marini in alcune aree, ma non hanno raggiunto le isole più esterne come Røst, che ospitano le colonie più grandi. Tuttavia, sembra che la lontra, nativa della regione, sia dominante nelle zone dove condivide l'areale con il visone.

La foresta pluviale boreale
All'interno di quest'area, che si estende alquanto in lunghezza, vi sono zone più piccole classificate come foresta pluviale boreale sulla base di criteri botanici. Gran parte delle foreste originarie è stata distrutta, ma 250 aree boschive, la maggior parte delle quali non molto grandi, sono state classificate come foresta pluviale boreale. Si trovano tra Snillfjord nella contea del Sør-Trøndelag (63° 20' N) a sud e Rana nella contea del Nordland (66° N) a nord, ma sono limitate alle aree caratterizzate da elevata umidità e spesso al riparo dal sole per la maggior parte della giornata. Rientrano in questa categoria anche alcune località dell'interno che si trovano in luoghi umidi, spesso vicino a cascate. È la principale area di foresta pluviale boreale in Europa e la Norvegia ha quindi una responsabilità particolare per quanto riguarda la sua conservazione. Questa foresta costiera si trova principalmente alle quote più basse (sotto i 200 m).

Essendo stata sfruttata per millenni a scopo agricolo e, più recentemente, dall'industria del legname, nella regione rimangono solo frammenti della foresta originaria. Le foreste pluviali boreali sono costituite principalmente da abeti rossi (Picea abies), ma anche da alberi di latifoglie. È frequente anche il ginepro comune (Juniperus communis) e vi cresce un ricco sottobosco di muschi e felci. Tuttavia, la sua caratteristica più distintiva è la diversità dei licheni, alcuni dei quali sono endemici di questa foresta o crescono solamente qui in Europa (essendo spesso più numerosi sulla costa nord-occidentale dell'America del Nord). Circa 15 delle specie più rare o caratteristiche di licheni sono state denominate Trøndelagselementet (dal nome della regione del Trøndelag). Tra i licheni più comuni ricordiamo Pseudocyphella crocata, Pannaria ahlneri, Erioderma padicellatum e Lobaria halli. Nella zona si possono trovare più di 60 specie uniche di licheni e muschi.

Esistono due sottotipi di questa foresta pluviale: il tipo del Namdalen e quello di Brønnøy/Fosen. In questa foresta vi sono anche alberi di latifoglie sparsi, specialmente nel tipo di Brønnøy/Fosen. Tra questi ricordiamo betulle come la betulla bianca (Betula pendula) e la betulla pubescente (Betula pubescens), il sorbo degli uccellatori (Sorbus aucuparia), il pioppo tremulo (Populus tremula), il salicone (Salix caprea) e l'ontano bianco (Alnus incana). Specie più rare sono l'olmo montano (Ulmus glabra), il nocciolo (Corylus avellana) e l'ontano nero (Alnus glutinosa), quest'ultimo presente solo nella parte meridionale della regione.

Fauna

Nell'ecoregione è presente un gran numero di specie di uccelli migratori, nonché alcune che rimangono qui tutto l'anno. Gli animali erbivori più grandi sono l'alce e il cervo (quest'ultimo solo a sud del circolo polare artico), ma è presente anche il più piccolo capriolo. Le renne possono occasionalmente scendere sulla costa a nord del Trondheimsfjord, ma di solito rimangono sugli altopiani al di fuori di questa ecoregione. I predatori sono pochi, poiché sono stati cacciati per secoli dall'uomo, che ha sterminato completamente l'orso bruno e il lupo nella zona costiera, anche se in alcune aree si aggirano nell'interno, nell'ecoregione della taiga, e in rare occasioni potrebbero avvicinarsi alla costa. La volpe e l'aquila di mare codabianca sono predatori comuni nella zona; quest'ultima è divenuta ormai molto comune dopo decenni di protezione. Sono presenti anche alcune linci, per lo più nella parte settentrionale. Lepri e lontre sono comuni e sono presenti anche i castori europei, sebbene siano più rari. Vi sono anche alcuni anfibi, tra cui la rana montana e il tritone punteggiato; il marasso si può incontrare a sud del circolo polare artico.

Note

Voci correlate
 Lista delle ecoregioni terrestri
 Foreste di betulle e praterie d'altitudine scandinave
 Taiga scandinava e russa
 Foreste miste sarmatiche
 Geografia della Norvegia
 Foreste di conifere temperate

Ecoregioni dell'ecozona paleartica


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Home / CRIME AND PUNISHMENT / Fears grow in Ejura/Sekyedumase over robberies, killings
Fears grow in Ejura/Sekyedumase over robberies, killings
admin November 27, 2022 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Leave a comment
The Ejura Sekyedumase Municipal Security Council is seeking the intervention of the Ghana Army to curb the increasing spate of violent crimes in the area.
The murder of a man in his 30s on Wednesday has informed this decision. The decapitated body of the male adult was discovered by police and community members of Kyeredieso near Sekyedumase in the Ashanti Region.
This brings the total number of people gruesomely murdered by unknown assailants to three.
A police incident report intercepted by dailymailgh.com indicated that the two other victims were attacked when some gun-wielding men ordered them to surrender their items during the robbery operation at about 18:30 GMT on Monday, October 31.
A surviving victim Masawudu Sumaila had told the police that, "one of the armed men asked the father to surrender all the money on him but refused and rather rushed on the armed man who shot him twice in the neck."
"The robbers took away an unspecified amount and some mobile phones belonging to the victims", the police report read.
A family member also confirmed the death of another victim who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack. Awudu Braimah who has been narrating the incident gave the name of the deceased as Ibrahim Iddrisu, 40.
"Ibrahim also died at the St. Luke Hospital at Kasei. He also sustained life-threatening wounds. This is a big blow to the family and we pray that the police work hard to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The police also gunned down a suspected robber on the Ejura-Atebubu stretch when an O.A bus came under attack on October 11.
"On reaching a section of the road between Ejura and Dromankuma curve bumped into four armed men robbing passengers. In an attempt to rob their bus shot and killed one of the robbers. Ejura Police proceeded to the scene and found a male Fulani aged about 21 with gun wounds on his left knee, thigh, and stomach lying dead.
A knife, stick, a bag containing SQ mobile phone, cash of GHS260, and Arabic inscription on white papers [were retrieved]", a police statement read.
But it appears the development has caught the attention of the Municipal Chief Executive and Chairman of the Security Council Dr. Kingsley Osei. He says his outfit is taking steps to address the security challenge.
"I am yet to get additional information from the security department on the Sekyedumase case…But in all situations, these crimes are perpetrated by Fulanis and so strategies have been marshaled by the security agencies. We are going to beef up the patrol team and make sure we nip this in the bud.
"We are also preparing a place for the military to come down and settle permanently. And we are praying that when they come their presence will prevent such crimes, the MCE said.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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Three years ago a Portsmouth librarian named Sara Zoe Patterson organized three indoor winter markets at the now closed McIntosh College.
Three years ago a Portsmouth librarian named Sara Zoe Patterson organized three indoor winter markets at the now closed McIntosh College. Last year, Patterson, the coordinator of Seacoast Eat Local, arranged six winter markets. This year there are 11 Seacoast Eat Local winter markets, consolidating the resources of over 40 seacoast farmers, and attracting over a thousand people to each market.
Since that first market at McIntosh, new winter markets, independent of Seacoast Eat Local, have been popping up across New Hampshire in towns like Cornish, Lebanon, Danbury and Rye. And it's changing the way farmers do business.
"It's no longer a fad," said Josh Jennings, 33, owner of Meadows Mirth Farm in Stratham. "This is part of our business plan. We depend on it now."
Jennings, who witnessed the birth of the Seacoast Eat Local winter markets when Patterson suggested the idea to him, has been with the market from the beginning. Today the winter market accounts for a quarter of his income. "[It does] if everything goes well," he adds, "and things have been going great actually." For example, at the first SEL winter market on Nov 21 at the Wentworth Greenhouse in Rollinsford, he was able to sell the better part of 2,500 pounds of produce.
"The bills don't stop in the winter," says Jennings. Because of this, farmers like him have been expanding their operations in order to take full advantage of the new markets.
After the success of the first three winter markets at McIntosh, Jennings explained, which drew up to 1,200 people at the first market, he invested in a root cellar so he could grow more crops to sell over the winter. Today with storage space for 4,000 pounds to potatoes and 3,000 pounds each of carrots, turnips, and onions he not only sells at the winter market but year round to restaurants such as the Portsmouth Brewery and Portsmouth's The Black Trumpet Bistro.
While Jennings expanded his root production, other farms diversified into new products to take advantage of the winter markets. Jeff Cantara, 35, of New Roots Farm in Newmarket, adopted pork farming. Cantara started out as a vegetable farmer, and while he always had a pig on hand to dispose of waste, he didn't start raising pigs for meat until last year when he raised six of them.
When he heard the rumor last spring that Seacoast Eat Local was planning an even larger winter market than they had the previous year he went ahead and raised 30 pigs. "That's the impact of the market right there, like a five fold increase," said Cantara. "The winter markets and selling the pork is going to give us an extra 10 percent. We're thrilled about that."
The winter markets have also proven to be a safety net for farmers experiencing a bad growing season.
With temperatures ranging among the coldest top 10 on record, above average rainfall that downed crops, and the least amount of June sunlight since 1903, the 2009 growing season has been one of the worst in New England farmers' memories. "I've heard a lot of farmers say this was their worst season in 30 years," said Jennings.
At Farmer Dave's, a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm from Dracut, Mass., the bad growing season resulted in a slowly maturing harvest. For Dave Dumaresq, 37, owner of Farmer Dave's, this meant he still had a lot of vegetables left over after his summer markets ended in October and his CSA program ended Nov. 15. At the Dec. 5 market in Rollinsford, Dumaresq stated that he had broccoli and kale ripening that should have ripened in early November. He was only going to be able to sell so much before his vegetables died of the cold, but the winter market, which was his first, allowed him to make up some of the losses from his 50 cultivated acres. At the Dec. 5 market, for instance, he sold around $800 worth of vegetables in four hours.
"It's tremendous. It's business we would not have had otherwise," said Liz Conrad, owner of Riverslea Farm in Epping with her husband Jeff. "We don't have any employees but we have 200 four-legged employees that have to eat through the winter." And due to last years' six SEL winter markets, which made up 25 percent of their revenue for the year, they were able to keep their flock of goats and sheep fed throughout the winter. And that's no small cost, given that it takes $2,500 to fill their six ton capacity feed tank.
"It's very gratifying for farmers to let us know what a difference this has made in their businesses and their lives and to increase the capacity of our region to feed ourselves," said Patterson.
For many farmers, though, the value of the winter markets goes beyond money. The market allows them to extend the community they've developed over the summer months with their customers and fellow vendors. In the atmosphere of live music and returning old friends that you lost track of in the months between summer and winter markets Conrad describes an emotional event. There are people hugging and saying "oh, it's so good to see you, and happy Thanksgiving!" or "I haven't seen you in months!" "It's all happy and high energy," said Conrad. "It's addictive."


Gebeyehu Ejigu earned $467,854 in 2017 as a Sr Adv To Pres/Visting Prof for Governors State University Administration. Ejigu had worked in this position since June 01, 2007.
Ejigu earned more than 100.00% of employees in Governors State University Administration.


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Joan E. Polasky November 26, 2021
Joan Elaine Polasky of Menomonie, WI passed away on Friday, November 26th, 2021 at St. Mary's hospital in Rochester, MN. She died from a particularly aggressive cancer.
Joan was born on August 25th, 1958 in Waukesha, WI to parents Harold and Jeanne (Maney) Polasky and moved to Menomonie when she was 3 years old. While attending the old St. Joe's Elementary School, she was a very active Brownie, Girl Scout and organizer of recess fun. During her Menomonie High School years, Joan was active in Home Ec. club, German club, supported sports teams as a pom-pom girl and worked at the Kernel Restaurant.
UW Madison granted Joan both a bachelors and masters degree in Business Administration and Finance. When not studying, she was working as a picture framer or librarian and crafting. And she never once missed a Saturday Badger home football game at Camp Randall during her entire college stay.
Joan's business career led her to Chicago and St. Paul. As a project manager, she supported Information Technology and Leadership Development efforts. Later, Joan earned certification as a Personal and Professional Coach by attending the Coaches Training Institute in San Francisco. She started her own practice dedicated to helping people design the life they want to lead and live "on purpose."
Joan loved nothing more than learning. She was always a student and always a teacher. Her other interests included life coaching, mental health advocacy, library programs, scuba diving, plants, and animal humane society support. The principle guiding Joan's life from kindergarten to her last life session was: share joy and you will know joy. Her passion was to create joy always, and in all ways. The deepest joy she ever experienced was to love and be loved by her beloved dogs: Merlin (her miniature schnauzer) and Livi (her viscla).
In 2004 Joan returned to Menomonie where she enjoyed "simple abundance" - learning, doggie delight, friends, coffee dates, nature, reading, writing and various volunteer work. Much of her focus was with the Greater Menomonie Area Community Foundation, Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Dunn County Humane Society, and the Menomonie Public Library.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Jeanne Polasky, a brother Jerry Polasky, paternal grandparents Frank and Celia Polasky, and maternal grandparents Louise and Burdette Mealy.
She is survived by special friends, Judy Schindler (Menomonie) and Ed Hewitt (Atlanta, GA). She is further survived by sisters, Judy (Carl Willard) Polasky and Mary (Nick) Rassbach; nieces, Anne (Jason) Hasse and their children, Grace, Adison, and Jai; Jill (Brent) Pember and their children, Chase and Tyler; sister-in-law, Pam Polasky; nephews, Joshua Polasky and Jon (Marcy) Polasky and their children, Jacob, Jackson, Annabeth, Elleanor, and many close friends. Joan had several close friends that definitely felt like family to her.
A Celebration of Joan's life will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Friday December 10th, 2021 at Rhiel Funeral Home in Menomonie, WI with a Memorial Service at 2:00 PM. The Memorial Service will be live streamed on the Rhiel Funeral Home Facebook page. Joan will be interred at St. Joseph Cemetery in Menomonie.
A Celebration of Joan's life will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 PM Friday December 10th, 2021 at Rhiel Funeral Home in Menomonie, WI with a Memorial Service at 2:00 PM. The Memorial Service will be live streamed on the Rhiel Funeral Home Facebook page.
Ed Hewett December 23, 2021, at 2:16pm
It's taken me a long time to write this condolence. I think I've hesitated because it makes her passing real. Like many others when I think of Joan the words that come to mind are JOY, ENERGY, and CARING. With Joan you have to put the word FIERCE in front of each of those. Joan never did anything without putting all of her energy into it and that was especially true in the friendships she cultivated. I'm so thankful that we maintained such a friendship over the years. From debating about the silly things like which way the TP roll should go and what was better living in cold weather in Wisconsin or Hot weather in Florida to our serious deep discussions we always found time to share a laugh and smile. Joan, Thank you for being the friend everyone needed.
Joleen Sterk December 11, 2021, at 11:45am
Joan was a rare and special gift...she was a frequent visitor to her public library, and left a permanent mark on us all. Joan's wild enthusiasm for embracing ALL that life had to offer, her ability to see and celebrate people for who they truly were, her love of language, beauty, and creativity, and her passion for learning and curiosity are some of the many aspects of Joan that I already miss. She CHOSE to live in joy, and I will strive to do the same, in honor of this remarkable soul. My deepest condolences to those who were lucky enough to be counted among her nearest and dearest.
Deborah Schroeder-Saulnier December 10, 2021, at 2:50pm
Dear Joan. What a beautiful service for a beautiful you! I am happy to have teamed with you at Right Management so many years ago and will miss our long-standing friendship. I re-read our emails from the many years ago and it brought tears to my eyes. I have so enjoyed your never-ending joy-ful spirit and for bringing me into "Team Joan". Thank you for our wonderful conversations just days before you left our presence ... way too soon. Yet, you are at peace now and without pain. God is Good! Love always, Debbie
Ted Stark December 10, 2021, at 1:24pm
I always enjoyed our conversations at the library. A highlight of the day when she'd stop in. Widely read, a strong supporter, and a joy to talk with.
Brianna Peterson December 8, 2021, at 8:55pm
Joan was one of my favorite customers who came into Marion's, always with a giant smile on her face and a fun story to share. Joan and I spent many early mornings laughing about all sorts of stuff, including Donny Osmond. I will never forget that conversation. She even made me earrings for my birthday one year, and I hope to wear those on Friday. I will miss you, friend!!
Sue Mork December 7, 2021, at 10:59am
Joan…you always added a spark to life. From grade school at St Joe's to playing softball for the Pro Shop our senior year of school. I will so much miss your Birthday messages.they always brightened my day. Rest In Peace my Friend.
Diane Traxler Fredrick December 7, 2021, at 8:49am
Joan was the brightest light in first grade at St. Joe's and her light continues even now. She was intelligent, kind, and creative. Her friendship never faded and she always sent her love and cheer each year. A favorite memory of Joan is when she generously offered to make my wedding flowers. They were so beautiful. Miss you already Joan.
Fran Mackin December 6, 2021, at 3:47pm
Joan was like a flower planted in the garden of life of so many - bring her beauty and sharing her many gifts. I feel so blessed to have had the privilege of knowing Joan. Her approach to "simple abundance" in her life in Menomonie has been inspirational. Her focus on JOY a wonderful reminded of how one person can impact others in so many profound ways. Think often of Joan's bountiful approach to each day, no matter how that day unfolded.
My special thoughts to each of you that have been with Joan over the last few weeks. Thank You!
Nancy Rice Mesko December 6, 2021, at 11:52am
"My heart is broken....
It is hard to imagine a world without Joan - my dear friend for over 42 years. Not a week would go by that I wouldn't hear from her....Joan put more energy and dedication into being a friend than I have ever known."
Gerald Stiff December 5, 2021, at 3:19pm
We lived near Joan in Minnesota. We benefited from her class about making life choices based on values and purpose. Joan and Merlin were especially good to Jerry's parents, laughing with mom and listening about WWII with dad. We shared an awe for nature. She instilled that attitude of JOY.
We will remember you, Joan.
Dianne and Jerry Stiff
Judy Holmes December 3, 2021, at 10:51am
Joan has been on my mind the last few days. I just did an online search for a phone number, thinking I would give her a call. We exchanged Christmas cards to keep updated. I cannot believe Joan died from cancer. I hope she made a loud joyous entrance into heaven with her laughter, great smile & her energizer-bunny energy!
I worked with Joan in St. Paul at Continental Cablevision. Joan was a hard worker - dedicated, smart & tons of fun. I still can hear her laughter. Joan had a way of saying your name as though you were the most important person in the world!
The world has lost a delightful person . . . my thoughts & prayers are with Joan's family & friends.
Sue Halama December 3, 2021, at 8:39am
I will forever remember Joanie as a wonderful joy!! When she would walk into Marion's in the morning I knew we would have a wonderful and insightful conversation. She shared so much and I loved seeing her. I know she is walking in the early morning creating wonderful sunrises for us. Love you friend ????????
Bob Salt December 2, 2021, at 8:07pm
Joan was one of the most thoughtful and generous people I know. She always went out of her way to send love and support to others. She also often brought a May Day basket over each spring. She will be dearly missed. Blessings and RIP, Joan.
Jan Rohde December 1, 2021, at 8:57pm
I am so sad to learn of Joan's cancer and passing. We shared so many fun times together during high school and college. A particularly fun memory is a trip to Florida with her roommate Mickey. Rest In Peace, dear friend. I know that life can bring many challenges - all of which you braved like a true warrior. Judy & Carl, my sincere condolences for this loss. Hugs to all.????
Katie Johnson December 1, 2021, at 4:34pm
Joan had a way of bringing joy to all around her. She provided support when you needed it the most and surprised you with boxes of happiness when you were least expecting it. She was gifted a spirit that always put others first. I will miss seeing her bright and early on walks, her infectious goofy laugh, and her special notes of well-being. Like none other, we miss you and love you.
TinaTharp December 1, 2021, at 4:03pm
You will be missed Joan. I will always think of you when I see the word JOY. Thank you for all the beautiful messages, quotes and pictures you shared. RIP dear friend, you will alway hold a special place in my heart and in my family.
Peggy Richartz December 1, 2021, at 3:24pm
My heart goes out to the entire family of Joan. She and I share the same birthday. We used to have fun together in Madison while attending college. She was an amazing young lady.
Ann Orchard December 1, 2021, at 2:38pm
Joan was truly an amazing person who embodied goodness and joy. She was an inspiration to me. Heaven just gained a beautiful angel.
Monica Scott December 1, 2021, at 8:38am
RIP dear Joan Polasky. Your light and joy and beauty shone so brightly throughout all you touched. Heaven just got brighter and more joyous. Your laughter and love will be sorely missed. I will miss our POJO so much at the library. Tell Livi hello from Luna.
Peter DSouza December 1, 2021, at 3:33am
Joan was a special friend. Her love for glass mosaics brought us together. Her positive energy and love of dogs will be missed.


I came across this website via another forum and thought I would share the link here.
It's not yet fully launched but looks like it will be doing research similar to prolific academic.
On sign up you are given $5 (will need $30 to withdraw) and also $1 for everyone who signs up via your referral link after their first cash out.
Worth a try and see how it goes.
Edit- Sign up bonus of $5 looks like it has a numbers limit, some sources are saying 1000 people other's are saying 10,000.so probably best to get in there quick!!
Cheers, I've signed up and been credited the $5, let's see what happens!
Looks like it could be good! I keep on getting the error message "Whoops, looks like something went wrong." when I try to register. Does anyone else keep getting this?
I have read on another forum that people have been getting an error message, sorry but have no idea for a fix. I guess just keep trying.
Thanks Did you try registering with your Facebook account?
Yes I registered with my facebook account, I have since tried and I am unable to log back into site. I am Just going to wait it out and try again in a few weeks when they are up and running.
Looks good. Got the $5 sign up bonus. Used LTedeschi link.
Thanks, I've signed up as well.
I have used your referral, Rainbow.
Really nice to see you all using each other's referrals!
what method they use for payout?
"All payment transactions will be processed through PayPal (we are also investigating other user-friendly payment solutions, so if you have a preferred method, please don't hesitate to tell us). We will not store/ask for any information related to bank accounts, credit/debit cards etc"


I've been making and eating desserts from all over the world since a year especially french. This challenge has bought me back to my roots (Sounds cliche but totally true) . The challenge wasn't difficult but had various elements which needed some pre-planning. It was well worth the wait.
Mawa Cake is a cake found in Irani cafés in India. Mawa is basically Khoya and my favourite indian mithai is the white barfi made from Khoya. Khoya is made by reducing milk on a medium-low flame till we get a crumbly texture of milk solids. It's this mawa and cardamom which gives this cake it's signature flavor and texture of a pound cake.
4. Remove the pan from heat and transfer the mawa to a bowl and let it cool completely. Then cover and refrigerate it for a day or two (not more) till you're ready to make the cake. It will harden in the fridge so let it come to room temperature before using it. You should get about 3/4 to 1 cup of mawa from 1 litre (4 cups) of full-fat milk.
To bake the cake: Pre-heat your oven to moderate 180°C/350°F.
1. Beat the butter, the crumbled mawa and the sugar in a largish bowl, using a hand held electric beater, on high speed until soft and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed till well incorporated. Add the vanilla and milk and beat till mixed well.
3. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt onto the batter and beat at medium speed and well blended. If you cannot find cake flour, place 2 tablespoon of cornstarch in the bottom of your 1-cup measure and then fill it with all-purpose (plain) flour to make up to 1 cup.
4. Grease and line only the bottom of an 8 inch (20 cm) spring form pan. Pour the batter into this and lightly smooth the top. Place the cashew nuts (or blanched almonds) on top of the batter randomly. Do not press the nuts down into the batter. A Mawa Cake always has a rustic finished look rather than a decorated look.
5. Bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 1 hour until the cake is a golden brown and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Do not over bake the cake or it will dry out. If the cake seems to be browning too quickly, cover it will aluminum foil hallway through the baking time.
6. Remove from oven and allow it to cool for 10 min in the tin. Release the cake, peel off the parchment from the base and let it cool completely.
The Masala Biscuits were a surprise packet for me. Being a first, I was a bit apprehensive about how they'll turn out. These are bound together with yogurt. One must be careful of how much yogurt is added as too much of it makes the dough very fiddly to manage. I didn't use sesame seeds as i didn't have any at hand and I'm not a huge fan either.
1. Put both flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda into the bowl and add the pieces of chilled butter.
Pulse until the mixture takes on the texture of breadcrumbs. Now add chopped green chilies and ginger.
2. Then add crushed peppercorn and cumin, sugar, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Pulse a couple of times.Then add 2 tablespoons of yogurt and pulse again. Add one more tbs of yogurt (or two, as much as needed).
3. Pulse again until the dough just comes together and clumps together. Do not over process or knead.
The dough should be just moist enough to bring everything together to shape into a rough ball.
4. Flatten it into a disc and cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least hour. You can also leave it overnight (up to about 24 hours). Pre-heat your oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
5. Line your baking trays with parchment or grease them with oil. Lightly dust your working surface.
Roll out the dough to 1/8"(3 mm) thickness, not more or your biscuits/ cookies will not be crisp.
6. Sprinkle the sesame seeds uniformly over the dough and use your rolling pin, very lightly, to press them in.
Using cutters of your choice (about 2-1/4 inch (55 mm) to 2½ inch (65 mm) in size), cut out biscuits/ cookies.
7. Place them on lightly greased baking trays. Brush a very thin coat of oil; this will help them brown while baking.Bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or till they're done and golden brown on the top.
8. Cool on the trays for about 5 minutes and then on racks. Once they're completely cool, they should be crunchy.
Servings: Makes about 2 dozen masala biscuits/ cookies that are 2 1/4" (55 mm) to 2 ½" (65 mm)wide.
Set the cake to my neighbors. The kids and adults both enjoyed it over tea. Children are just so honest in their expressions. If it's nice, it's nice else they just won't have it. The biscuits were all over in just 2 days. Anyone who crossed the jar would have a few.
For cakes and cookies made by the Daring Bakers this month, check out the Daring Kitchen.
Everyone looks like they are enjoying your treats! Your cake looks so moist and fluffy. Nice job on the challenge!


They are typically loners but they can be in small groups. They tend to migrate between planets in large numbers when living but splinter into small groups or loners throughout a planet. They learn everything they can about the magick, spirituality and mysticism in a planet and they use that to their own advantage and evolution. They are amazing when it comes to the understanding and application of exotic forms of magick. You will uncover new paths of magick through their guidance and support. They can be spooky when they appear to you in physical form as they are in ghostly form.
As spirit companions they are quite unusual and exceptional to spend time with. They are intense with mystic and engaging energy and they will give you incredible visions, vivid dreams, and will guide you to working with more impressive forms of magick. They usually communicate through telepathic messages and visions. They rarely speak but they will communicate audibly with you once in awhile. They are remarkable teachers who will show you many different forms of mysticism and magickal power which they learned through various exposure to entities throughout the Universe.
Very sweet lady. Appears around me with bursts of light. Always happy to interact with me.


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Tim Tebow Helps Dying Passenger During Delta Flight
A flight between Phoenix and Atlanta was Tebowed on Sunday when the former NFL quarterback led the passengers in prayer
Debbie Emery | June 27, 2016 @ 7:32 PM	Last Updated: June 28, 2016 @ 8:49 AM
Tim Tebow is as famous for his religious beliefs as for his quick-thinking football skills, and on Sunday he displayed both on a Delta between Atlanta and Phoenix.
The former NFL quarterback joined flight attendants to help a passenger who suffered an apparent heart attack on board the cross-country flight, People reported.
After approaching the man's family, Tebow led the group in prayer as the flight descended into Phoenix, where the sick passenger received immediate medical attention but later died in a hospital.
Also Read: 12 Rising Sports Media Stars Take On Ray Rice, Washington Redskins and LA's Potential NFL Team
As well as Tebowing Flight 1772, the University of Florida Heisman Trophy winner also helped the family deplane, picked up their luggage and went with them to the hospital, where he waited until they got the news that the man had passed away.
The late passenger is said to be in his 60s and was traveling with his wife and her friend.
"I watched strangers from all over the world and every ethnicity come to the help of this man for over an hour! Then all of a sudden, I observed a guy walking down the aisle. That guy was Tim Tebow," a fellow passenger and eyewitness wrote on Facebook.
"He met with the family as they cried on his shoulder! I watched Tim pray with the entire section of the plane for this man. He made a stand for God in a difficult situation."
Also Read: ESPN's Jesse Palmer on New 'GMA' Role, 'Benefits of Working for Mickey Mouse'
Tebow had been sitting in business class at the time of the incident but then walked toward the back of the plane to ask what he could do to help.
"He was helping, consoling the family," another passenger told NBCNews.
Along with playing for the Denver Broncos and briefly signing with the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Tebow also acts as a college football analyst for ESPN's "SEC Nation," the Saturday morning pregame show on the SEC Network.
Super Bowl 50 Party Report: Ryan Reynolds, Liam Hemsworth, Rob Gronkowski Get Their Game On (Photos)
San Francisco welcomed stars, athletes and football fans with open arms -- and open bars -- in the days leading up to Super Bowl 50.
Ryan Reynolds visits the SiriusXM set at Super Bowl 50 Radio Row at the Moscone Center.
New England Patriots star and famous party rocker Rob Gronkowski flexes his muscles at the ESPN The Party, on Friday, Feb. 5, at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on Feb. 5.
Liam Hemsworth, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum and A. J. Calloway visit the SiriusXM set at Super Bowl 50 Radio Row.
Jamie Foxx went for spin in the Special Edition Mercedes-Benz G550 in celebration of Super Bowl 50.
Houston Texans star J.J. Watt was among the stars at the Bleacher Ball at Mezzanine presented by go9.
Former Denver Broncos QB and current ESPN college football analyst Tim Tebow attends the network's bash.
New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings, Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas and "American Idol" alum Jordin Sparks dance with winners of Verizon's Minute 50 campaign.
As always, Bud Light was a strong presence throughout the weekend
Liam Hemsworth at Sirius Radio during Super Bowl 50.
Swizz Beatz spinning at the Kola House Celebration at Pier 70 during Super Bowl Weekend.
"Twilight" actress Ashley Greene mingled with athletes at ESPN The Party.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell went from playing in the Pro Bowl last weekend to attending the celebrating at ESPN the Party.
Avid sports fan Alyssa Milano arriving at the the Bleacher Ball at Mezzanine presented by go9 on Feb 5.
Ludacris performed during EA SPORTS Madden Bowl XXII on Feb. 4.
"People vs. O.J. Simpson" star Cuba Gooding Jr. was surrounded by bunnies at the Playboy Party, soon after the brand launched its newly redesigned magazine.
50 Cent served his own EFFEN vodka brand at the Playboy Party, with bottle service delivered by four Playmates in gold Bunny Costumes.
Pharrell Williams performed at the Pepsi Rookie Of The Year Awards at Pier 70 on Feb. 5.
Having posed with kittens for ESPN the Magazine in 2014, Rob Gronkowski got friendly with famous feline, Grumpy Cat at Sirius.
Super sports agent Leigh Steinberg (with Nicole Fisher) hosted his annual Super Bowl Party on Feb. 6.
ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Jameis Winston, recipient of the the 2015 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award, pose on the Blue Carpet at the 2015 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award Ceremony at Pepsi Super Friday Night at Pier 70.
Travis Scott, Elle King and Avicii ring in the Super Bowl at the Rolling Stone party.
DJ Diplo performs during the New Era Super Bowl Party at The Battery on Feb. 6
David Arquette schmoozing at the Maxim Magazine and Bootsy Bellows Super Bowl Party.
Lil Wayne brought the house -- and the island down -- at the Maxim Bootsy Bellows Super Bowl Party.
Dan Williams, defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders, mingled with Playmates at the Super Bowl 50 Playboy Party.
After saving the day for the New England Patriots last year, Malcolm Butler was in party mode for the New Era Gold Rush event on Feb. 6
As the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers prep for the big game, the hottest stars from entertainment and sports party-hop around San Francisco and the Bay Area
'Lip Sync Battle': Nina Dobrev Grinds on Tim Tebow During 'Let's Get It On' (Video)
By Beatrice Verhoeven | February 3, 2016 @ 7:47 AM
Tim Tebow Beats Meat in 'Lip Sync Battle' Rendition of 'Eye of the Tiger' (Video)
By Jordan Burchette | February 1, 2016 @ 10:40 AM
Jimmy Fallon Reveals Pros and Cons of New NFL Season From Tom Brady to Tim Tebow (Video)
By Debbie Emery | September 9, 2015 @ 8:12 PM


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Kiki Glen - Counselling
Counselling in Oxford for young people and those with young people in their lives
About Kiki
Kiki has been devoted to working with young people since she was herself young. Starting by helping younger age groups in youth clubs then whilst at university working with both Nightline and Operation Raleigh, supporting others through their individual challenges. A career in finance found her working with graduate recruitment and spending time with undergraduates advising, interviewing and helping with career choices. After having her own children, she took the opportunity to retrain as a teacher and subsequently as a counsellor. She has had the pleasure of working directly in this capacity with young people for over 15 years.
Kiki is a passionate believer in the power of humanity and, given the right environment, the limitless ability of the individual to grow and flourish. She will work with you to explore the challenges you are facing in a gentle and informative way, giving you the opportunity to explore at your own pace.
Trained in working with Trauma in Children, PTSD and Childhood trauma.
Institute For Arts in Therapy & Education, Post Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Counselling
CBT with Children and Families, Oxford
MBCT, Oxford
Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling
Certificate in Counselling Skills
Oxford University, Intro to Counselling Certificate
Highly Commended Diploma in Montessori Teaching (MontDip)
MA (Hons) Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh
kikigcounselling@gmail.com
Copyright © 2021 Kiki Glen - Counselling — Uptown Style WordPress theme by GoDaddy


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The Rax-Schneeberg Group () is a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps on the Styrian-Lower Austrian border in Austria.

Location
According to the official classification of the Eastern Alps by the Alpine Club (Alpenvereinseinteilung der Ostalpen), the Rax-Schneeberg Group is bounded by the following divisions to neighbouring groups of mountains:

 to the north by the Klostertaler Gscheid – Klausgraben – Mamauwiese – Sebastiansbach – Puchberg
 to the northeast by the valley of the River Sierning as far as Ternitz
 to the south by the line: Ternitz – Schwarza near Gloggnitz – Schottwien – Semmering – Mürzzuschlag – Mürz near Kapellen
 to the west by the Altenberg valley – Naßkamm – Naßbach – Schwarza – Voisbach as far as the Klostertaler Gscheid.

Summits
The highest point in the limestone massif of the Schneeberg is the Klosterwappen at . Its nearby twin peak is known as the Kaiserstein (). The two summits are the highest mountains in the state of Lower Austria. The highest two elevations in the Rax massif are the Heukuppe at 2,007 m and the Scheibwaldhöhe at 1,943 m.

Other peaks are the Große Scheibe (1,473 m), the Tratenkogel (1,565 m), the Ochnerhöhe (1,403 m) and the Kreuzberg (1,084 m).

Protected areas
The Rax Alpine region, together with the Schneealpe and Schneeberg belong to the river source protected area (Quellschutzgebiet) of the First Vienna Mountain Spring Pipeline  (I. Wiener Hochquellenwasserleitung). The Schneeberg and Rax are separated by the Höllental valley and are two of Vienna's "local mountains" or Hausberge.

The Schneeberg and Rax lie within the Northeastern Border Alps: Hohe Wand-Schneeberg-Rax Special Area of Conservation (FFH-Gebiet Nordöstliche Randalpen: Hohe Wand-Schneeberg-Rax).

Schneeberg Railway
The Schneeberg has been linked for over 100 years by the Schneeberg Railway (Schneebergbahn), a cog railway that climbs to a height of 1,800 m. The twin peaks may be reached from the valley station in one to two hours. The footpath runs eastwards over the Hengst or westwards through the Fadenwände.

There are trails to the Rax from the mountain spa of Puchberg am Schneeberg, and from the wild Höllental valley to the south. In addition the Schneeberg may be approached from Payerbach, Prigglitz and Reichenau via the Gahns.

References

External links

 Bergsteigen.at: information about scrambling tours and huts in the Schneeberg/Rax region

Mountain ranges of the Alps
Northern Limestone Alps
Mountain ranges of Lower Austria
Mountain ranges of Styria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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R Class is the Fastest Ever Hull from Princess Yachts
The carbon-fiber R35 is expected to hit 50 knots.
The R35 is expected to have a top-end speed of 50 knots, thanks to her foiling system and carbon-fiber hull.Princess Yachts
To develop the R35, which is the first Princess R Class model, the British builder worked with globally renowned experts. BAR Technologies, known for its America's Cup advancements, helped to develop the Princess Active Foil System. It includes twin carbon foils beneath the waterline to reduce drag.
Pininfarina, the Italian automaker, helped to develop the R35's carbon-fiber hull. The team at Princess added a glass helm, Esthec soles, a Naim audio system and other onboard comforts for which the builder is known.
Princess is calling the 35-footer a "technologically game-changing yacht" that is ideal for day cruises or a weekend on the hook, with a belowdecks galley, head, and seating that converts to a berth.


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The Absurdity Of Lawyer Codes of Ethics
Over at Crime and Federalism, Mike and Norm have shared comments on how new ethics rules in Connecticut create a significant burden for small firm lawyers, and will make many lawyers think twice before agreeing to represent a difficult client. Mike writes
Connecticut has recently adopted new rules of professional conduct. These new rules, according to legal ethics experts, require lawyers to obtain a client's permission before withdrawing a frivolous claim. If the client refuses to withdraw a frivolous claim, the lawyer's only recourse is to withdraw from representation. Under the new rules, lawyers will also be required to explain (in painstaking detail) every routine decision made in the client's case.
Norm explains,
The old rules required mere reasonable communications, giving lawyers some breathing room. Under the new rule, however, you are tethered to a client's needs. Thus, a client in a habeas case will write asking why it is not a conflict of interest for a lawyer to represent another client at the same time. Why is this not a conflict? Or try explaining to an angry client in an employment case why they must answer interrogatories -- for the second, third, or fourth time.
A lawyer notes in a comment,
First, for hourly/monthly firms, especially insurance defense firms, this is the lawyer's equivalent of Sarbox for accountants---make work on a massive scale. Now, every insurance defense lawyer will need to have a million conversations with the insured, for which the insurer will have to pay. I have been watching this in action in another state where I am co-counsel. Simple issues require a fortune to resolve.
As the posts suggest, ethics rules are often created by people who have no experience in legal practice, or whose experience is limited and probably does not involve work as a small firm practitioner or solo. They hear client complaints which usually revolve around legal fees and communication, and try to come up with rules which will minimize the number of future complaints. They cannot change the behavior of clients, so they focus on the lawyers.
A "reasonableness" standard may in fact be the most appropriate standard - was the lawyer's effort to communicate with the client reasonable under the circumstances - but to apply that rule somebody needs to examine the facts of the case and determine whether the lawyer's actions were in fact reasonable. Judgment? Discretion? That sounds time-consuming. So why not take away a lawyer's discretion, require clear, written communication of everything, and hold the lawyer responsible if a client complains (however unreasonably) and the paper trail is incomplete?
I once had a client complain bitterly about her trial lawyer, as she unpacked stacks of papers from a bag, that he sent her "everything", and that she found it overwhelming and confusing to receive so much correspondence. These rules don't seem to contemplate that they may not only create undue expense, but they may make things even more confusing for a client.
The Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission for years has played a game of "hide the ball" on attorney legal fees. You can read all of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct, read all of the formal and informal ethics rulings interpreting those rules, write a retainer agreement that appears to be 100% compliant with the rules, and still be told that your fee agreement is not ethical. ICLE, Michigan's non-profit legal publisher and CLE provider, tried to step in by having lawyers submit standard fee agreements, vetted for ethical compliance, edited by lawyers, and published in a convenient soft-bound book. It was discontinued after the AGC indicated that it had problems with the fee agreements in the book. At legal seminars where fee agreements are discussed, it is not unusual for a lawyer to submit a standard fee agreement, and then to have that fee agreement taken to pieces by an AGC lawyer. I saw this happen to a highly experienced, highly competent large firm family lawyer a couple of years ago. Ask the AGC to provide samples of fee agreements it would deem entirely ethical? The loudest thing you'll hear is the sound of crickets.
One consistent thing you will note about the rules of ethics is that they are structured to favor large firm practice. The billing systems used by large firms, no matter how inappropriate or unfair they would be to an individual client, are deemed ethical. There is no question but that you can ethically bill in minimum time increments, as long as you indicate how that will occur in the retainer agreement, such that a one minute phone call can be billed as a quarter hour of work. Had that system of billing been pioneered by small firms as opposed to large, I doubt that any state would deem it ethical.
One of my favorites: The AGC permits engagement fees (a fee charged by a law firm to take on a new client, and guarantee that it will allocate sufficient resources to handle the client's case) and has no problem with them as long as the client gets no further benefit from the engagement fee. But if the lawyer who charged the engagement fee gives the client credit against the engagement fee for any work performed, whatever the terms of the engagement fee contract, they will recharacterize the fee as a retainer fee. What if your impoverished client has a change of heart about litigating and, as it is early in the process, you decide that it is only fair if you give a partial refund of an engagement fee his mother obtained for him by mortgaging her house? Oops - if you give a partial refund, once again the ACG will recharacterize the engagement fee as a retainer, entitling the client to a much larger refund and subjecting you to possible penalties if you don't comply. The "ethical" approach is to tell the client, "Too bad, so sad."
Informally, I heard an AGC lawyer propose a compromise for smaller firms - charge the engagement fee, but instead of giving the client credit against it charge a lower hourly rate for subsequent work. Nothing in the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct would support the distinction whereby the former approach was "unethical" and the latter approach "ethcial." Why in the world should it be more "ethical" to fudge the numbers to create a fee agreement satisfactory to the AGC, as opposed to simply putting down in writing a clear understanding betwen the lawyer and the client which is acceptable to both of them, is consistent with the actual text of the rules of professional conduct, and results in roughly the same amount being billed? How is the client exploited by the honest fee agreement, but not by one which is designed to circumvent (unpublished) restrictions on how clients are to be billed?
Meanwhile, in some rather cutthroat circles, lawyers have been known to advise clients to threaten grievances against their former lawyers in order to squeeze refunds out of them. Often this seems to be done in the context of a client who wishes to switch to a different lawyer, but who lacks funds for a retainer the new lawyer deems sufficient. Some heavy users of legal services have figured out, perhaps after receiving such instruction, that they can use threats of grievances or actual grievances as a weapon against their former lawyers, demanding refunds of well-earned legal fees. I am aware of a client who grieved six different lawyers in his criminal case - before the case even got to trial.
I personally believe that ethics codes should be drafted with the concept of providing a minimum framework of rules with a maximum benefit to clients. The drafters of the rules seem instead to look at those areas which generate the greatest number of client complaints, and creating new rules or applying new interpretations of those rules in a manner which they believe will minimize their work in reviewing complaints against lawyers, or if that's not possible to make it easier to resolve the complaint by pointing to a bright line rule that the lawyer violated. I am not sure if that approach will actually reduce the work of grievance panels, but to the extent that it increases costs to the client, or results in a confusing deluge of paperwork on a client who feels perfectly informed by existing "reasonable" communication, I think it is misguided. Ethics codes should reflect ethics, not a byzantine system of "gotchas" for lawyers who act ethically and responsibly except in their failure to meet arbitrary and artificial standards of conduct. I oppose any ethics rule which necessitates the interjection of dishonesty into the lawyer-client relationship, even if passed with the best of intentions.
Labels: Legal Practice
It's Reasonable To Want Dangerous Tasks To Be Performed By Skilled Professionals
Today's Guardian presents an editorial describing three lessons from Iraq, which the neocons are alleged not to have learned:
American military doctrine has emphasised the use of overwhelming force, applied suddenly and decisively, to defeat the enemy. But in a world where insurgents and militias deploy invisibly among civilian populations, overwhelming force is almost always counterproductive: it alienates precisely those people who have to make a break with the hardcore fighters and deny them the ability to operate freely....
A second lesson that should have been drawn from the past five years is that preventive war cannot be the basis of a long-term US nonproliferation strategy....
A final lesson that should have been drawn from the Iraq war is that the current US government has demonstrated great incompetence in its day-to-day management of policy.
And oh, that incompetence....
A few days ago at Eunomia, Daniel Larison wrote:
[T]he more obvious and depressing reason why liberal interventionists oppose some allegedly "self-interested" wars of intervention is that they only oppose these when a member of the other party is in the White House. The Clinton administration, and many liberal interventionists at the time along with it, obviously never had any problems with the idea of regime change in the name of national and regional security. They discovered their opposition to regime change in Iraq (oh, sorry, I mean "disarmament and enforcing U.N. resolutions") when someone else was running the operation.
We're painting with a broad brush here, but let's assume that a "liberal interventionist" is somebody who favors the use of military force to stop an injustice from occurring, and thus would favor interventions in places like the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Darfur, Afghanistan, and Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Such an individual would likely have been disappointed by the Clinton administration's inaction in Rwanda, and may well have supported a humanitarian intervention in Iraq to depose Hussein. But is it truly fair to suggest that, for those who opposed Bush's war in Iraq, support or opposition to such intervention turns only on who is in the White House? If that were the case, why was support for intervention in Afghanistan so high among the same population of "liberal interventionists" who were wary of going into Iraq?
Perhaps we should revisit the subject of incompetence. The Bush Administration was not doing well, even in terms of domestic policy, prior to 9/11. This followed a campaign in which Bush had effectively conceded that he was a foreign relations tenderfoot, during the course of his campaign unable to name the leaders of such minor [cough] states as Pakistan - the country, in Bush's words, where the "Pakis" come from. Don't worry, though, we were told - he has "grown-ups" like Cheney and Rumsfeld who are familiar with foreign relations and will guide him through the difficult decisions. I know Bush is legendary about his ability to sleep at night, starting at 10 PM, even on the day of a national crisis. But something about Bush leading the nation into wars of choice, even if good could potentially come from intervention, should have given anybody pause.
Much of the liberal opposition, when it was not completely opportunistic and partisan, focused on Mr. Bush's mistakes in how he was launching an aggressive war, and did not really claim that he was doing anything inherently wrong or unjustified. Many of the opponents on the left, or at least on the center-left, did not even object to the goal of regime change as presented by Mr. Bush, but wanted it to go through the proper channels with all of the appropriate institutional stamps of approval.
This comment commingles two separate groups - those who opposed the war, and argued for following procees in order to impede Bush, and those who supported the war but still believed it best to follow proper process before going to war.
It's odd, in a sense, to hear the argument that it was liberals arguing for form over substance, as the opposite is often the case in our legal system. In law, the political left is associated with calls for substantive due process - did the process lead to the correct result - whereas the political right is associated with finality arising from procedural due process - right or wrong, if all of the rules were followed along the way the outcome should be allowed to stand.
Opponents of the war recognized pretty early that the odds of the Bush Administration getting a clear authorization for military intervention from the United Nations were poor. But even the Bush Administration wanted enough of a UN fig leaf that they pressed and lobbied for a resolution they could deem to amount to an authorization for use of force. It is possible that the Bush Administration would have been able to get a better resolution given more time, but it was generally recongized that the window of opportunity for war was closing. The primary reason for a proponent of the war to have called for greater adherence to procedure would have been to facilitate the building of a true international consensus for war, and a much broader military alliance with which to invade and occupy Iraq.
Something that is often forgotten when slogging through procedures and safeguards which seem cumbersome and anachronistic is that they were put into place for a reason. Sure, sometimes the reasons don't apply, and it can be wise to periodically re-examine old procedures to see if they need to be supplemented, revised or repealed. The Bush Administration likes to complain about the rules, but its apparent complete disinterest in creating a new set of rules to govern international conduct suggests that its primary motivation in criticizing the existing system is that it doesn't want any international oversight on its actions, or to be expected to adhere to any form of international law or custom. A liberal interventionist who highly desired the removal of Saddam Hussein might still be given pause by an approach to international law which would free other nations - whatever their actual motives - to declare and act on a "right" to engage in preventive and preemptive wars and "humanitarian" interventions against their neighbors. As Larison notes, it is easy to characterize those who call for adherence to international procedure as silly or unpatriotic.
The "debate" over Iraq was unfortunately carried on primarily between liberals of the "yes, Hussein should be disarmed and/or overthrown, but…" view and the supporters of Mr. Bush's invasion. (The non-liberal antiwar dissenters were constantly making their arguments, and were routinely making better ones than many on the left, but these dissenters were unfortunately never really in the main debate.)
I disagree with that, in the sense that it was almost impossible for anybody involved in the public debate to avoid the "Hussein should be removed" trap. The technique is simple - get the anti-war individual to admit that Hussein's a horrible tyrant, then ask, "Wouldn't the world be better off if he were removed?" Or limit the scope of the question to the Middle East, or just to the people of Iraq. If you consistently say "no", you can be made to look every bit as ridiculous as somebody who supposedly favors the war but only if we jump through a succession of intricate procedural hoops.
Larison argues that true liberal interventionisms is potentially a greater danger to this nation than conservative interventionism "because there are no obvious limits to where American soldiers will be sent." Fortunately (or for liberal interventionists, unfortunately) there are not sufficient numbers of liberal interventionists to transform U.S. foreign policy, nor are there sufficient numbers of U.S. troops (make that, troops in the world) to make it a reality. Whatever the potential of liberal interventionism, to me interventionism packaged dishonestly in terms of self-interest seems to be the most dangerous, as it is the most likely to result in military action which proves counter-productive to U.S. and world interests.
Labels: Interventionism, Iraq War
Doesn't that pretty much say it all?
Most opinions, however, don't really need to be written down at all. They can be replaced by a sound effect - the audible equivalent of an internet frowny-face. Imagine a sort of world-weary harrumph accompanied by the faintest glimmer of a self-satisfied sneer. That's 90% of all human opinion on everything, right there. Internet debates would be far more efficient if everyone just sat at their keyboards hitting the "harrumph" key over and over again. A herd of people mooing their heads off. Welcome to 2007.
Labels: Blogging, Online Communication
It's Unbridled Activism May Not Get Much Attention....
... But the Michigan Supreme Court's continuing problems with civility are getting quite a bit of attention.
Labels: Michigan Supreme Court
Hate Versus Rage
Over at Eunomia, Daniel Larison comments on anger in politics.
While there is the real danger that inflamed political passions can be blinding and irrational (for a good example, see the near-insane hysteria of war supporters in the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq), the alternative that these sages propose is one of living death in which we watch as our country, Constitution and Republic are savaged, mistreated and insulted by treacherous villains with a mild equanimity. Apparently, we must never get upset about even the most appalling crimes and wrongdoing. The irascible aspect of the soul should not go to excess, but there is something vicious and strange in the failure to get angry at gross injustice and criminal misrule. Many of the people who are angry at or even hate Mr. Bush have very good reasons, and they are not making arguments for anger but are making impassioned arguments against an abominable and awful administration.
He further comments,
Conservatives once found liberals' habit of dismissing every legitimate defense conservatives made against the latest social or cultural outrage of the left as "hate" to be intellectually vacuous and insulting. Now some on the right would apparently like nothing more than to adopt this pose of righteous calm (righteous indignation being so very culturally destructive) at the very moment when liberal rage is likely to diminish and moderate with the Democratic takeover of Congress. There has been the tendency on the part of liberals to reduce an opponent's entire position to being nothing than "hate," as if no one could oppose rampant immorality, racial preferences or intrusive government, to name just a few things, without hating other people. Alongside this, though, there was real hatred of a terrible President in Clinton, whose administration only appears relatively decent today because of the hideousness of his successor's policies.
Clinton-hatred was frankly a major part of the glue that held conservatives together despite differences among ourselves. Oddly enough, without a Democrat in the White House to serve as a hate-figure against which all conservatives could rally, all those who call themselves conservative have (re)discovered that they haven't had a lot in common with each other for a very long time.
I think he's addressing two different concepts of "hate". "Hate or hatred is an emotion of intense revulsion, distaste, enmity, or antipathy for a person, thing, or phenomenon; a desire to avoid, restrict, remove, or destroy its object." The first type of hatred is that which he identifies as being directed at Clinton, and encompasses the full spectrum of that definition - revulsion, distates, enmity and antipathy. The second conceptualization, the one used for example to describe the propensity of certain factions on the political right to "hate" homosexuals and minorities, focuses primarily upon antipathy, while being exemplified by the overt statements and conduct of specific individuals and groups. While certainly, those on the left who perceive right-wing antipathy toward minorities or homosexuals as being largely irrational, there is nothing within the context of hatred or antipathy which requires that the motivation for such feelings be irrational. You can intensely dislike somebody for perfectly good reasons. But perhaps more to the point when hatred reaches beyond an individual to encompass an entire group of people, experience suggests that the "perfectly good reasons" will usually be rationalizations, and perhaps entirely logically unsound.
Larison also uses a self-serving characterization of the left's targets: "rampant immorality, racial preferences or intrusive government". The political right doesn't "hate fags", it opposes "rampant immorality". What sane person wouldn't at least frown at "rampant immorality", if not adamantly oppose it? The right doesn't hate minorities - it opposes "racial preferences." It doesn't oppose preferences based upon other factors, such as those given by colleges to the children of alumni, or the benefits enjoyed by those who can exploit a "good old boys" network or nepotism, but you shouldn't infer anything from that even though those benefits inure largely to the majority, and even more directly to the wealthy.
It opposes "intrusive government" and... Okay, I'm having a hard time thinking of how this one ties into hatred. Or, for that matter, reality - the various anti-gay ballot initiatives, national restrictions on abortion rights, the Defense of Marriage Act, various security-related laws both at the state and federal level... all advanced by the political right, and all leading to government being more intrusive.
And then things really get interesting:
It was Chilton Williamson, I believe, who proposed in the pages of Chronicles that an important distinction between right and left was the difference between hatred of those things that threaten and endanger what you love and an aimless, insatiable rage that simply seeks new things about which one can be enraged. The former is not only sometimes necessary but is actually the mark of sanity, whereas the latter is a consuming, demonic force that devours those who participate in it.
If he's speaking of this article, it's laughable. Larison's a bright guy, so I hope that the Chronicles piece he recalls was superior.
Now, Larison doesn't express which political group "hates" and which one "rages", although context makes that clear (as does the reference to Williamson). But the absurdity of that assertion should be evident on its face. The right hates things that threaten and endanger it, while the left acts on aimless insatiable rage? The country largely supported the invasion of Afghanistan as a response to something which threatened and endangered us. The political right then took us into a war of choice in Iraq, despite that nation's having nothing to do with 9/11 and posing no imminent (or realistic) threat to us. We are to believe that the left is "raging" at this ill-begotten war of choice? And those who led us into the war are demonstrating the mark of sanity? If all war opponents "rage", then Larison himself "rages" - he opposed, and continues to oppose, the Iraq war. If we're in fact talking about a tiny subset of people on the left - extremists if you will - then the distinction is useless, as there are frothing, raging lunatics on the political right. (Just listen to a right-wing call-in show - if the host doesn't convince you of that, the callers will.)
Obviously the assertion can be flipped on its head. The left largely supported the war in Afghanistan because it correctly identified something that threatened and endangered us. The right, in a surge of hatred, engaged in an aimless expansion of the war which has ultimately undermined both its goals and the gains we made in Afghanistan. But this depiction of "hate" and "rage" is no more accurate a depiction of the political left and right than the one favored by Larison - its simply the result of framing an argument in a manner which facilitates the smearing of your political opponent.
Moving on to the Chilton Williamson piece....
Rage and hate both are aspects of anger. They are not, however, the equivalent of one another. "I love a good hater," said Samuel Johnson. He meant that hate implies a corresponding love, which responds reactively to its threatened opposite. For a man to hate, he must first love; as he who loves, inevitably hates. Hate is a directed thing, focused like a laser beam. By comparison, rage is undirected, unfocused, generalized, indiscriminate: an adult tantrum. "Rage," Ernst von Feuchtersleben thought, "is a vulgar passion with vulgar ends." Thus it is with good reason, if poor judgment, that the Left boasts of the "rage" it nurtures in its bosom, while denouncing the "hate" it relentlessly discovers on the Right.
Ah, the soul of a poet... To hate, you must first love. So to hate African-Americans you must first love... what? Certainly not African-Americans. Perhaps white people? Hm. But he does seem to be right in terms of overt political association. How many identifiable hate groups are associated with left-wing politics, as opposed to right-wing politics? What are the odds that [a 21st Century] David Duke would ever have tried [try] to run for office as a Democrat?
Apparently because Samuel Johnson didn't comment on the matter, it logically follows that while you have to love before you can hate, you don't have to feel a thing before you experience rage. Funny, though, people who actually demonstrate rage seem to be expressing a form of anger, and the targets of that rage tend to be people they "hate". Here we can also make an interesting observation that Williamson would apparently classify the authoring of books or articles, the lobbying of government, or the expression of condemnatory words as "raging", but where a lynch mob randomly grabs somebody on the basis of sexual orientation or skin color, then beats or kills that person, it's a much superior, much preferable, love-driven expression of "hate".
He gets sillier:
Joe Sobran, with cutting characteristic clarity, has observed that one can't "tolerate" what one likes, but only what one dislikes. In demanding toleration for everything, the Left assumes on the Right's part a cultivated dislike for almost everything. Since, for the Left, majoritarian distaste or even want of sympathy for minorities (e.g. immigrants, homosexuals, feminists, Muslims, Jews, blacks, etc.) is always the equivalent of "hate," for Leftists hate necessarily appears as the universal reality stretching like an arid and infinite plain beyond the shining walls and towers of the New Jerusalem.
This call for tolerance seems to be what Williamson perceives as the most overt example of "rage" by the political left. Here, Williamson apparently believes that the left never targets itself when it campaigns for tolerance. That is, he seems to picture those on the left as pure souls, untouched by dislikes and even hatreds of their own, and thus motivated exclusively by the desire to restrict those on the political right from acting on their dislikes and hatreds. Further, he is simply wrong. Most on the political left will agree that there are some things which should never be tolerated. And it is implicit within his argument that he, himself, is demanding tolerance of what he believes to be a justifiable expression of intolerance, so where does that leave us?
But what really struck me about this passage was that, where Larison reframed the issues in order to avoid directly addressing racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry, Williamson dares speak their name. He doesn't hide behind words like "preferences" and "government intrustion" - he's willing to admit that the "intolerance" the left wishes to limit is that directed toward "immigrants, homosexuals, feminists, Muslims, Jews, blacks, etc".
What leftists decry as conservative "hate" is actually resentment of, and resistance to, the intrusion of the alien and the displacement of the familiar by the unfamiliar, the old by the new, the traditional by the untraditional, the proximate by the distant, the particular by the universal.
Ah, I see... So it's not so much that people like Williamson hate "immigrants, homosexuals, feminists, Muslims, Jews, [and] blacks" - they just haven't had enough time to get used to them.
As I previously mentioned, this is not so much an honest argument as it is an effort to use semantics to reframe the positions of political opponents as being lesser, unworthy, even silly. But such a weak effort....
n.b. - Don't take this as a criticism extending to Larison's other posts or his blog as a whole. Check it out.
Labels: Chilton Williamson, Conservative Politics
The Government We Deserve?
On NPR yesterday I heard part of an interview with the new Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, which included an exchange to the effect of,
Q. Would you support ending subsidies for big oil?
A. I oppose any tax increase.
That exchange could inspire a lot of discussions... The compliance of the media, and why politicians aren't called on their deceptive and misleading answers, or their nonanswers to simple questions. Whether lying with a straight face is a talent politicians learn on the job, or if politics is a world of sociopathy. Or (perhaps) less cynically, why anybody would call for the Democratic Party to try to reduce the Bush deficit when his party cannot be honest about our situation or what we would have to do to correct it.
David Ignatius writes,
The Democrats have to decide whether on economics, they want to be (forgive the sexist term) the "Daddy Party" of fiscal responsibility. Unless politicians find the courage to trim entitlement spending to what the country can afford, the projections are scary.
By Mitch McConnell's reasoning, isn't Ignatius calling for the balancing of the budget on the basis of a tax increase on the poor?
McConnell offers more words of wisdom....
Earlier on the Senate floor, McConnell said he'd fight attempts by Democrats to end the Bush administration's warrantless domestic-spying program and any attempts to roll back Medicare prescription-drug benefits.
Because, darn it all, the President needs to be above the law. And it's always the Democrats who want to scale back programs like Medicare.
Is McConnell actually saying that he will oppose any effort to bring common sense into the Medicare prescription benefit? That he will oppose efforts to eliminate the "donut hole" in prescription coverage, to allow Medicare to compete directly with private insurers to offer the benefit, or to permit Medicare to negotiate discounts with pharmaceutical companies? That he will misrepresent efforts to improve the benefit while lessening its costs as a "roll back"? Or is he simply delusional?
This represents the Republican concept of "a restoration of civility and common purpose"?
Labels: Health Policy, Tax Policy
Bush's "Hail Mary"
Eugene Robinson writes,
Not once has Bush given the slightest indication that he intends any significant change of course in Iraq. Quite the contrary: The expectation in Washington is that soon he will announce an escalation of the war -- increasing troop levels but calling the increase a "surge" and giving the impression that it's a short-term measure. Don't be fooled by the focus-group word "surge," because a two- or three-month increase in troop levels makes no military sense. If and when the president sends more troops to Iraq, they will not soon come home.
With all due respect to the idea that this is solely a public relations move, it's more than that:
Interestingly enough, one administration official admitted to us today that this surge option is more of a political decision than a military one because the American people have run out of patience and President Bush is running out of time to achieve some kind of success in Iraq.
It is a given at this point that the public is not going to give any administration unlimited time to demonstrate progress in Iraq, and Bush has only two years remaining in which he can either maintain an unacceptable status quo that has no chance of success, draw down forces and admit failure (like that'll happen), or throw a Hail Mary pass. The fact that it's a long shot does not mean it's just a public relations ploy - if anything, it highlights how bad things are in Iraq and how few options remain available. I don't know if even Bush expects it to work, but he seems to view a surge as his best (and probably only) shot.
Given that the Democratic Party's fortunes keep rising as Bush sinks deeper into the Iraq quagmire, political expediency might tempt the new leadership in Congress to let the president have his way and reap the rewards in 2008. But that would be wrong. Democrats can't give speeches saying that sending more troops to Iraq without a viable mission is nothing more than a futile sacrifice of young American lives -- and then limit their dispute with Bush to whether he gets to send 3,000 more troops or 30,000.
If the Democratic Party attempts to negotiate over the number of troops sent to Iraq, it will find out pretty quickly how its powers on that issue compare to those of the Commander in Chief. As Mr. Robinson notes, there is no present possibility that Congress will cut off funding for the war - an action which would instantly shift responsibility for the bad outcome in Iraq from Bush to the Democratic Party. Mr. Robinson's time would be better spent focusing the spotlight on Bush, as the decision for a troop surge is not one that Congress is going to be able to change.
Why Search Engines Annoy Me
Don't get me wrong - I use search engines a lot, and find them invaluable for navigating the Web. But for finding new sites whose owners don't have the resources to launch an advertising or public relations campaign? They're not so good any more.
An oversimplified history: It wasn't so long ago that if you put up a website and worked to develop it, it could become an authority site. People relied heavily on directories to locate sites, listings were free, and search engines focused to a significant degree on page content when determining relevance. Then came the rise of "pay for inclusion" coupled with Google. Directories became less and less important to traffic, while search engines became dominant. Initially this didn't make much difference, as Google's big advance over other search engines was its analysis of linking between sites and pages. That type of weighting was emulated by other sites. But problems developed for the smaller webmaster.
First, as search engines became dominant, the proliferation of "links pages" and small directories that used to be found all over the Internet started to diminish, and their owners became less interested in maintaining pages of links, making it harder to develop "natural" links. Second, many of what were once common mechanisms for building links (e.g., trading links with another webmaster) are automatically suspect and likely to be devalued by search engines, as they are so easily abused. From a webmaster's perspective, the best links are one-way links from topically relevant pages of popular sites.
For a new site, no matter how good, the owner usually faces the conundrum that the site lacks sufficient links to rise to the top of search engine results pages, and as nobody is finding the site through search engines it isn't developing "natural" links... and thus languishes in obscurity. The response you often hear from representatives of the search engines is that quality sites will develop links over time - but from what I have seen, that's usually not the case. When it is the case it is often because the site has invested in a link development service, which charges an hourly or "per link obtained" fee to obtain one-way links to the new website.
Oh, how painful it can be watching a lousy website float at the top of the SERPs, like a turd in a septic tank, just because "they got there first".
Blogging to some extent revived natural linking - bloggers link to other weblogs that they like, usually whether or not they get a link back. Many early weblogs gained lots of links, thus being classified as "important" by search engines. Newer bloggers face the problem that many established bloggers neglect or simply choose not to update or expand their "blogrolls", and from the fact that no matter how good their content there are now usually other blogs which address the same topic reasonably well, making it harder for them to stand out. Also, blog searches have to a significant degree been shifted from regular search engine results to dedicated blog search interfaces, making it less likely that a new blogger will be found through a standard search engine.
Until the next big thing comes along, and you can again get in on the ground floor, the status quo makes it difficult to develop traffic to a new site. The work-around, perhaps, is to find an on-topic site with a reasonable URL and to try to acquire it from its current owner. (Anticipate, though, that the current owner will believe that a site that hasn't been updated in five years, and which looks like it was designed by a color-blind eight-year-old, will insist that the site is worth a small fortune.) But given the cost of generating similar traffic through advertising, on may commercial subjects they may be right.
When Everybody Wants To Work For You....
There's no way to sort out the applications without being arbitrary.
TalkLeft observes that Google is (as usual) hiring, but sets very high standards for applicants.
Memo to Google: Think outside the box. Rather than look for people who can sell your product, look for people who can enhance your product.
What you need are people who can separate the wheat from the chaff and find the best, not the most, of the web. Don't ask people to apply for specific jobs. Just let them take the test and then devise an algorithm to decide which job they're most suited for. The results would probably astound you.
Do people still "think outside the box"? (It was at least six years ago that I heard somebody quip that anybody who describes themselves as 'thinking outside the box' is certain to be stuck way inside the box.) But enough about boxes... she has a point. But it probably doesn't matter.
Google seems to pride itself on its highly degreed workforce, and that's not likely to change. Holding an advanced degree is not incompatible with being creative, and to the extent that Google values creativity it should be able to find many creative individuals within its applicant pool despite requiring advanced degrees and experience.
But there is still something to be said for recognizing that there are other valuable aspects to job applicants, beyond their academic credentials, and that sometimes those other factors should take a more prominent role in the hiring process. That's not just true for Google, but for pretty much any employer. Often the academic credential is used as an artificial means of narrowing a candidate pool, simply because there would otherwise be too many job applications to reasonably process. But it seems rare for companies to question if those academic qualifications are truly the best measure of qualification for the job.
Labels: Employment, Google
Young Lawyers Fleeing From Big Firms To...
The New York Post suggests that big law firms are being abandoned by young lawyers who don't believe that a large paycheck is worth the sacrifice of a personal life.
Young, Gen-X lawyers in their third to fifth year in the business are walking away from their $200,000-a-year positions in record numbers - at times without another job in view.
The big-firm brain drain is also giving partners a major case of agita - forcing them to do the yeoman grunt work usually assigned to associates. In addition, the firms are being forced to scramble to fill the mid-level talent void. Some are even doing the previously unheard of - hiring from second-tier law schools.
John, a fifth year associate at a prominent Wall Street firm, is, like many young lawyers, walking out the door. He is leaving for a coveted in-house position at an investment bank. "I'm just waiting for my bonus," the 31-year-old says.
The author of the piece doesn't describe her own experience, but her byline suggests that she quit a law firm in order to write a book. John is the only specific example she provides in the article, and let's just say it doesn't look like he's walking away from a six figure paycheck. The other lawyer mentioned, Tagg Grant, appears to be preparing to practice under his own shingle. (Is this the same guy enjoying an earlier fifteen minutes of fame?)
I suspect that most of the associates who are leaving are doing so in the same manner as John - they're either finding alternatives that pay very well but allow more personal time, or they're finding alternatives which pay even better whether or not they provide for more personal time. The problem for partners:
"You should see the partners," John says. "They're doing the work of mid-levels to pick up the slack. And even though they make over $1 million, they never see their family. There's little reward in that for me."
That's the problem with a business model based on selling time - there are only so many hours in the day, and if you can't find somebody else's time to sell you're stuck selling your own. It's no small wonder that many young lawyers look at that future and think about the alternatives.
It's Reasonable To Want Dangerous Tasks To Be Perf...
It's Unbridled Activism May Not Get Much Attention...


Password managers seem like a great idea, given rampant password reuse, poor abilities to create strong passwords by the average user and the sheer number of credentials we're supposed to remember. But major vulnerabilities have been found in LastPass—opening the door to a full remote compromise for its users.
Independent security researcher Tavis Ormandy said that the zero-day flaw can be exploited using a drive-by technique with a malicious website. If successful, the attacker gains the digital keys to the kingdom—all of the credentials that the user has stored for online services.
Now to solve this hurdle, DARPA has come up with an idea: To build a smart Artificial Intelligence System that will automatically detect and even patch security flaws in a system. Isn't it a revolutionary idea for Internet Security?
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected seven teams of finalists who will face off in a historic battle, as each tries to defend themselves and find out flaws without any human control. The DARPA Cyber Grand Challenge will be held at the annual DEF CON hacking conference in Las Vegas next month.


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