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States that are using policy to fight climate change
by Chris Compendio
Ohio Redevelopment Projects - ODSA // Wikimedia Commons
As the effects of climate change reach an increasing number of ecosystems and communities, global discourse and debate on the topic are being turned into policy by governing bodies. The work to stall or even reverse climate change in the United States is most evident at the state and local level, as the Trump administration and much of its base continues to deny scientific data suggesting a correlation between human activity and expansion of the greenhouse effect.
To track each state's efforts to combat climate change, Stacker has compiled data from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) State Climate Policy Maps. These maps illustrate where specific laws or initiatives have been enacted in order to curtail climate change, and reveal 40 states with concerted policies designed to curtail the effects of climate change.
C2ES organizes these efforts into five different categories. Greenhouse gas emissions targets set goals for reducing emissions for the sake of the environment. Carbon pricing functions through cap-and-trade programs and emissions taxes, incentivizing businesses to reduce their carbon footprints. Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards require energy companies to deliver a certain amount of power through alternative and renewable sources (particularly solar, wind, and nuclear). Decoupling policies implement economic changes that help energy companies sustain economic growth without negatively impacting the environment. Finally, low-carbon fuel standards are self-explanatory, with lower-carbon transportation fuels being enforced.
Did your state make the list? And if so, how does it rate in each of these five categories? Read on to find out.
RELATED: States that are conserving the most land
zhangyuqiu // Shutterstock
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: House Bill 306
A major energy and gas provider, Alaska is the state closest to the Arctic; and rising sea levels put the state's infrastructure, businesses, and inhabitants at risk.
Former Gov. Sean Parnell signed House Bill 306 into law on June 16, 2010, setting a statewide goal for Alaska to draw 50% of its electricity from alternative and renewable sources by 2025. Gov. Bill Walker and Democratic Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott, who defeated Parnell and Dan Sullivan in Alaska's 2014 gubernatorial election, are moving to create additional initiatives to combat climate change. These proposals include slashing state emissions by 2025 and taxing businesses for their carbon emissions.
DBSOCAL // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Executive Order 2006-13
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: RPS
Decoupling policies: Arizona Corporation Commission utilities decoupling
Under Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat who later served as Barack Obama's Department of Homeland Security, Arizona made efforts more than a decade ago to set standards encouraging the reduction of emissions. These strides included a 2006 executive order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2020, and 50% below those 2000 levels by 2040. The state also passed new standards for power companies, requiring them to produce at least 15% of their energy from renewable resources by 2025 or face penalties. Studies suggest Arizona will face dangerous effects of climate change, namely from intense heat leading to deaths and economic losses. Other research predicts that if current heat trajectories continue, Arizona will be near-uninhabitable by 2050.
Tom Brewster Photography // Flickr
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: SB 32
State carbon pricing policies: AB 398
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: SB 107
Decoupling policies: Energy Savings and Performance Incentive
Low carbon fuel standard: Governor's Executive Order S-01-07
The country's most energy-efficient state, California leads the way in the fight against climate change. Many of the state's efforts have included improving and extending policies signed into law by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. With policies in all five categories set by the state, overall goals include reducing emissions below 1990 levels, implementing a cap-and-trade program, having an ambitious 50% of energy come from renewable sources by 2030, a decoupling program, and a low carbon fuel standard. Just this past September, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. The two leaders are committed to working together on reducing carbon emissions, despite what Brown considers regressive measures by the Trump White House.
U.S. Department of Energy // Flickr
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Executive Order D 2017-015
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: HB 10-1001
Colorado's environmental policies have long-reflected the state's reputation for being a haven for progressive ideas. Former Gov. Bill Ritter staked a deadline of 2020 for Colorado to draw 30% of its electricity renewable sources. More recently, Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2017 signed an executive order pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state to 26% below 2005 levels before the year 2025. Local cities and counties throughout the state have additionally taken the initiative to sue energy companies such as ExxonMobil and BP for releasing emissions that thwarted these communities' efforts toward sustainability.
Matej Kastelic // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: HB 5600
State carbon pricing policies: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: HB 7432
Decoupling policies: Electricity and Energy Efficiency Act
Though small in land mass, Connecticut has taken some big strides against climate change. These efforts include joining in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to cap and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, pledging to meet the reduction target of greenhouse gas emissions to 10% below 1990 levels and produce 27% of energy from renewables by 2020, and implementing a decoupling program that offers performance incentives for energy-efficient offerings. Connecticut faces climate change consequences such as warmer waters, shoreline flooding, and dangerous storms. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stated his commitment to the fight against climate change, despite President Trump withdrawing the country from the Paris Agreement.
franco lucato // Shutterstock
Decoupling policies: SB 150
The country's first state is one of several participants in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which includes provisions to limit carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Former Gov. Ruth Ann Minner in 2007 signed a bill requiring 2% of the state's power supply to come from solar energy by 2019; this has since then been revised to 25% by 2025 and 2026. Reports show 2017 was a record-high year for temperatures in Delaware, and studies indicate 11% of Delaware will be underwater by 2100 if climate change is not curtailed.
Jillian Cain Photography //Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Executive Order 07-127
Several reports suggest Florida is the state most at risk from climate change, but the government has not responded to the threat at a proportionate level. Besides a 2007 measure by then-Gov. Charlie Crist to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050, C2ES has little information on any statewide efforts. Florida's major cities are most at risk from climate change, standing to lose extensive areas to rising sea levels. Rampant skepticism from Republican leaders regarding climate change has spurred local communities to take their own sustainable efforts.
Hulabear // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Global Warming Solutions Act of 2007
Decoupling policies: Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Docket No. 2008-0274
As a state comprised of several islands unprotected by the mainland, people living in Hawaii have warranted concerns about rising sea levels and more intense storms due to climate change. A 2007 act signed by former Gov. Linda Lingle mandated that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020. Hawaii also implemented a new decoupling mechanism in 2010. Hawaiians are concerned about the large economic costs of climate change as sea levels continue to rise. Gov. David Ige made a commitment in 2015 for 100% of electricity in Hawaii to come from renewable resources by 2045.
B Brown // Shutterstock
Decoupling policies: Idaho Public Utilities Commission decoupling program
The state of Idaho has been particularly unwelcoming to the idea of climate change. Despite a 2007 pilot decoupling program (made permanent in 2012), few statewide measures have been taken to battle climate change. In fact, any mention of climate change science was erased from teaching standards in the state just last year. It took a vote this year from a Senate committee to restore climate change to the state's education.
robert cicchetti // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Statewide greenhouse gas reduction targets
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Public Act 095-0481
Illinois joined ranks with several other states targeting reductions in greenhouse gases back in 2007 by outlining a goal to reduce emissions 60% below 1990 levels by 2050. By 2025, the state plans to draw 25% of its electricity from renewable sources, 75% of that being from wind power. While Illinois is less at risk from natural disasters or shoreline damage than other coastal or southern states, intense heat from climate change poses risks to the state's infrastructure by potentially reducing the lifespan of roads, bridges, and railways.
Zeljko Radojko // Shutterstock
Indiana created the Clean Energy Portfolio Standard for utility companies in 2011, calling on them to commit to a voluntary goal of drawing at least 10% of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2025, offering incentives to participating businesses. Climate change increasingly affects Indiana with extreme heat and fluctuating weather extremes negatively influencing crops, and carbon dioxide levels making food grown there less nutritious. As a result, Indiana farmers are taking the lead in finding new conservation and agriculture methods.
Justin C. Hilts // Shutterstock
Renewable and alternative energy portfolio standards: Alternative Energy Production Law
Iowa made history in 1983 when it became the first state to adopt a renewable energy portfolio standard, called the Alternative Energy Production Law, which required the state's two utility companies to contract energy from a variety of renewable resources. Today, climate change poses threats to Iowa through heat waves and overall rising temperatures that lead to extreme weather. While local communities band together to combat and prepare for these changes, city governments work to improve infrastructure and state lawmakers are being urged to put money into conservation efforts.
Melanie Hobson // Shutterstock
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: SB 91
Former Gov. Mark Parkinson in 2009 signed a bill setting mandates for renewable energy through 2020, with the ultimate goal for Kansas to draw 20% of its energy from renewable sources. Gov. Sam Brownback turned that mandated target into a voluntary goal in 2015. Meanwhile, extreme heat and natural disasters continue costing the state. Rural areas are experiencing hotter temperatures for greater stretches of time, and other areas throughout Kansas are consistently experiencing heavier rainfall and floods.
Rik Schuiling // Wikimedia Commons
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Act to Provide Leadership in Addressing the Threat of Climate Change
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Act To Stimulate Demand for Renewable Energy (Act)
Maine's 2003 Act to Provide Leadership in Addressing the Threat of Climate Change set a long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gases in the state by 75% to 80%. Maine is also a part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and has implemented portfolio standards setting goals for the use of wind energy, among several other sources, all the way through the year 2030. Maine has suffered several negative effects of climate change, with the Gulf of Maine counted among the fastest-warming bodies of water in the world. Ocean life is expected to suffer a steep decline from sea changes such as this, effectively decimating the state's seafood industry.
Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon // Flickr
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: SB 323/HB 610
Along with also taking part in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Maryland is aiming for long-term cuts in pollution. The state is pursuing a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. Lawmakers there also overrode a veto from the governor in 2017, enacting a bill that aims to increase the state's renewable energy portfolio standard to 25% by 2020. After President Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, many observed a "precious consensus" regarding climate change and the need to protect the Chesapeake Bay.
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Global Warming Solutions Act
Green Communities Act: SB 2768
Renewable and alternative energy portfolio standards: RPS Class 1 and II, Solar Carve Out I and II
Decoupling policies: Performance incentives
Massachusetts was one of the first states in the nation to establish a regulatory program to combat climate change, with the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008 pushing Massachusetts to the ambitious reduction of emissions by 80% before 2050. The state implemented decoupling policies that same year. Taking part in the RGGI, the state aims to draw 25% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. With chronic flooding on the rise, $120 billion in home values is at risk in Massachusetts.
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability // Flickr
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Executive Directive 2009-4
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy ActOmnibus
Decoupling policies: Michigan Public Act 295
A 2009 Michigan law set emission reduction goals at 80% below 2005 levels by 2050, while an alternate energy portfolio standard aims for 15% of energy to come from alternative sources of energy. Decoupling was put into place for utility companies in Michigan, with the promise of performance incentives for energy-efficient programs. These statewide efforts are happening against a backdrop of significant temperature jumps; Michigan has experienced the 16th highest increase among the lower 48 states.
Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Next Generation Energy Act
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Omnibus Energy Bill
Decoupling policies: Section 216B.2412
Minnesota has the long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% (based on 2005 levels) by the year 2050, with a 2007 bill mandating that 25% of Minnesota's power come from renewable sources by 2025. Xcel Energy, the largest utility company in the state, seeks to reach 30% by 2020. Recent changes in weather worry Minnesota natives, as winters have less snow and ice. However, a positive impact is the prospect of more vegetation. Some animals in the state will flourish and others will not, leading to a major shift in the state's ecosystem.
U.S. Department of Agriculture // Flickr
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Missouri Clean Energy Initiative
Voters in Missouri approved an initiative in 2008 to create a renewable energy portfolio standard, requiring utility companies to increase renewable electricity generation to 15% of total output by 2021. A small but noteworthy effect that climate change has had on wildlife in the state is the potential endangerment and eventual extinction of some bird species like the flycatcher.
USDA NRCS Montana // Flickr
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Montana Renewable Power Production and Rural Economic Development Act
Montana's 2005 law mandating that 15% of the state's energy come from renewable sources by 2015 set the stage for alternative energies like wind power to gain popularity. The state additionally extends extensive clean-energy tax credits to individuals. But while Montana has made progress, the environment continues to suffer the effects of climate change. Heat throughout the state has led to droughts, rising tree mortality, and threatens to damage the state's recreation industry. Higher stream temperatures are also negatively impacting fish.
Bureau of Land Management // Flickr
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: NRS 704.7801
Known for its casinos and deserts, Nevada has made little effort as of late to curtail climate change. While a previous energy portfolio standard was expanded on in 2005 and overall emissions dropped by 18% between 2000 and 2014, legislators representing the state have rejected environmentally minded laws even as Nevada faces a diminishing water supply and rising population.
zaferkizilkaya // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: 2009 Climate Action Plan
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: HB 873
The 2009 Climate Action Plan in New Hampshire set some short- and long-term goals from the state, including a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050. As with the other states in New England, New Hampshire is a part of the RGGI and has mandated that 24.8% of electricity be produced through alternative means by 2025. Actions toward climate change have been a largely bipartisan effort within the state government, with a commission making recommendations for addressing the environmental issues at hand. Despite political differences, New Hampshire has a cooperative model that many other states lack.
Helen89 // Shutterstock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: A3301
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Renewable Portfolio Standard
Decoupling policies: Gas utility conservation incentive programs
New Jersey's long-term goal, set in 2007 with the Global Warming Response Act (A3301), is to limit the level of statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 2006 levels by 2050. A renewable energy portfolio standard has gone through multiple revisions and iterations, and gas companies are incentivized by a decoupling mechanism. New Jersey is one of the fastest-warming states in the country, with rising sea levels and health risks posing multiple threats to citizens. A changing ecosystem is also causing the population of beetles, usually kept in check by the cold, to expand. One of the many resulting efforts of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is related to pest control.
New Mexico has the lofty long-term goal of reducing emissions 10% below 2000 levels by 2020, and 75% by 2050. The same administration under Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson mandated that by 2020, 20% of power must come from renewable sources. Reduced snowpack and decreased soil moisture is leading to an increase in wildfires and threatened water and land resources. Meanwhile, the extreme heat is thinning out the population of some bird species.
zhu difeng // Shuttestock
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: 2015 State Energy Plan
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Clean Energy Standard
Decoupling policies: Reforming the Energy Vision
The 2015 State Energy Plan, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, requires 50% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, which is relatively early compared to the targets of other states. That same year, Cuomo directed the Department of Public Service to create a Clean Energy Standard that would break the plan down into measurable requirements. Climate change can have a potentially devastating impact on New York, with amplified damage from cyclones and hurricanes, and major floods occurring more regularly.
Patrick Jennings // Shutterstock
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: S.L. 2007-397
Over a decade ago, North Carolina enacted an energy efficiency portfolio standard that states that utility companies must meet 12.5% of the electricity demand with the use of renewable sources or other energy-efficient techniques. Like other states on the coast, North Carolina faces the threat of rising sea levels, with the recent Hurricane Florence posing a particular threat. Lawmakers have largely ignored or denied climate change in spite of these facts.
Tim Evanson // Wikimedia Commons
The goals of North Dakota were not too ambitious relative to those of other states, with a 2007 law establishing an energy aim of 10% of electricity being from renewable or recyclable sources by 2015. With extreme droughts and an over-dependence on rain, locals in North Dakota are being hit hard by climate change. Still, some locals aren't convinced.
Thanks to efforts from Ohio lawmakers, the state is pursuing 12.5% renewable energy by 2027. Additionally, SB 221 established an energy resource standard with goals for energy saving, allowing for cost recovery and decoupling mechanisms. Rising temperatures and potential impacts to local businesses have motivated researchers to come up with action plans for combating climate change.
Chris Spannagle // Wikimedia Commons
Oklahoma set a goal for 15% of its energy to originate from renewable sources, with 25% of that being from energy efficiency. Global warming is putting stress on the state's infrastructure, with Native communities in particular at risk. Meanwhile, during colder seasons, tornadoes have become unusually frequent.
Steve Wilson // Wikimedia Commons
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: House Bill 3543
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: SB 1547
Decoupling policies: Decoupling in three electric and gas utilities
Low carbon fuel standard: House Bill 2186
Not only is Oregon aiming to have 50% of its energy produced by alternative resources by 2040, but the state plans to completely phase out coal-fired electricity by 2035. Oregon is also planning to reduce emissions by 75% by 2050. The state has additionally implemented additional checkpoints in 2010 and 2020, with a shorter-term goal being 10%. The state is also working to lower the carbon intensity of fuels by 2025. Possibly due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, temperatures have risen at a slower rate compared to other states. Oregon is the second slowest state to heat up, making Portland a popular destination.
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard
Standards set in 2004 have put Pennsylvania on course to source 18% of its electricity from renewable sources. With a large farming industry in the state, the situation is urgent. However, some farmers are looking for adaptation practices that are also financially viable. Meanwhile, climate change will continue to affect the natural resources of the state, including trouts, plants, and air quality. The heat is also allowing pests such as mosquitoes and ticks to live longer, creating a public health concern.
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: Climate Change Action Plan
Decoupling policies: HB 8082
The smallest state in terms of land mass in the country has taken big actions to combat climate change. Being a part of the RGGI, Rhode Island legislators set multiple goals for reducing emissions throughout the next couple of decades, with 75% to 85% below 2001 levels being the final goal. By 2035, standards aim to have 38.5% of the state's electricity come from renewable sources. To show how serious the state is over the issue, the attorney general sued a dozen energy companies for their roles in causing climate change last summer.
Melikamp // Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina's Distributed Energy Resource Program is voluntary, with a 2021 goal of 2% of energy coming from renewable sources. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement drew mixed reactions from state officials, with Republican lawmakers believing the agreement would have hindered economic growth. Meanwhile, tourist destinations like Myrtle Beach are being negatively impacted by rising sea levels because of climate change.
Harry Weddington // Wikimedia Commons
The state government of South Dakota has done little to combat climate change in the past decade, with one 2008 effort setting the goal of 10% of electricity being from renewable and recycled energy. Climate change has been affecting the state's economy, with rising temperatures thinning out cattle herds. A team from a South Dakota park tweeted out climate change facts not long after the inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017. Those tweets were subsequently deleted.
Leaflet // Wikimedia Commons
Climate change has caused damage to Texas, but the Lone Star State has done little to fight the effects since a 2005 measure to increase the generation of renewable energy. While the state hit some targets to produce energy through renewable, non-wind mechanisms, Texas is still largely in danger from rising temperatures. Summers are hotter, droughts are prominent, and the economy will certainly be affected.
Lawrence Jackson // Official White House photo
After introducing the Energy Resource and Carbon Emission Reduction Initiative in 2008, the state government of Utah took some time until it recognized the danger of climate change. The state has been rendered dry even after brutal winter storms and freezing temperatures. Precipitation is coming in the form of rain instead of snow, leading to flooding and runoff. Luckily for the state, a group of teenagers spearheaded a campaign to get the state legislature to recognize climate change in May 2018.
SayCheeeeeese // Wikimedia Commons
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: S. 259
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Renewable Energy Standards
Decoupling policies: Vermont Public Service Board extension of utility regulations
Vermont has been active in the fight against climate change, with a 2006 law targeting the year 2050 for reducing emissions by 75%, its participation in the RGGI, and its efforts to have 76% of electricity come from renewable sources by 2032. Vermont is among the states heating up faster than others in the country, and climate change has damaged certain industries like maple sugaring. Gov. Phil Scott was criticized for stating in 2017 that climate change could be an "economic boon" for the state.
USDA // Flickr
Decoupling policies: Natural Gas Conservation and Ratemaking Efficiency Act
Virginia has a voluntary goal in place for transitioning to renewable energy sources, with the goal being 12% by 2022. Decoupling mechanisms are in place for gas companies to implement conservation and efficiency plans. However, climate change is causing health problems in the state, with heat waves leading to illnesses and death.
Robert Ashworth // Wikimedia Commons
Greenhouse gas emissions targets: SB6001
State carbon pricing policies: Clean Air Rule
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Initiative 937
Decoupling policies: UTC's distributed energy resource planning
The state of Washington has warmed the slowest out of the other states, putting it in a unique position. Lawmakers and the state government have made strides in the past decade, including a reduction of statewide emissions (50% below 1990 levels by 2050), a Clean Air Rule to cap greenhouse gas emissions, and ballot initiatives that hold utility companies accountable for setting renewable energy standards. Still, flooding has caused some people like the Hoh natives to leave their reservation.
Kenueone // Wikimedia Commons
Renewable and alternate energy portfolio standards: Energy Efficiency and Renewables Act
Decoupling policies: Wisconsin Public Service Commission decoupling program
A 2006 act set a goal for Wisconsin to draw 10% of its energy production from renewable sources by 2015, and a decoupling program was implemented in 2009 for electric and gas companies. Like most states, frequent floods and lower snowfalls are prominent in Wisconsin, but some farmers and citizens are not concerned about the effects. As a result, recreational activities such as fishing are taking a major hit.
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`She'll Wake Up One of These Days and Find She's Turned into a Nigger' Passing through Hybridity
Ahmed, Sara. 1999. `She'll Wake Up One of These Days and Find She's Turned into a Nigger' Passing through Hybridity. Theory, Culture and Society, 16(2), pp. 87-106. ISSN 0263-2764 [Article]
Official URL: http://tcs.sagepub.com/content/16/2/87.abstract
In this article, I examine racial narratives of passing and their relationship to discourses of hybridity. Rather than defining passing as inherently transgressive, or as one side of identity politics or the other, I suggest that passing must be understood in relationship to forms of social antagonism. I ask the following questions: how are differences that threaten the system recuperated? How do ambiguous or hybrid bodies get read in a way which further supports the enunciative power of those who are telling the difference? In what ways is `passing' implicated in the very discourse around tellable differences? Although to some extent all identities involve passing - insofar as the subject never `is' what it `images' itself to be - we still need to theorize the differences between passing as white and passing as black. I argue that passing as black as a white subject can function as a technique of knowledge which assumes `blackness' to be imageable and hence beable. However, for black subjects to refuse to pass as white - that is, for black subjects to pass as black - can make visible the violent histories concealed by the invisibility of the mark of passing. Such a process of passing as black subjects is tied to a politics of the collective - a coming together through the recognition of the lack that engenders passing in the first place.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This was always a huge part of the dinner table conversation growing up. It was difficult, but I learned to stop it.
Another thing we agreed to was never commenting or complaining about each other's weight or condition. Nobody knows they're fat and flabby like the one who is.
The first answer was always, "Our daughter is adopted." In almost every case the question was either out of surprise or because the other person knew a family member or friend who was considering or in the process of an international adoption. This sometimes led to a short conversation with questions about the adoption process or seeking reassurance that it works out well. These were short friendly conversations and we learned to appreciate that sometimes people had good intentions, but just didn't know how to start a conversation.
Over 30 years, my wife and I are hard pressed to remember more than a couple of interactions where the other party was disapproving or insulting. We learned that (willing or not) we are ambassadors for being a multiracial family and believe that more often than not our brief conversations helped others.
I learned this important truth the hard way.
I was a corporate attorney for a Fortune 500 company for 20 years. After enduring much bullying, I eventually learned: Just because someone asks you a question does not mean you have to answer it.
I have tried to instill this truth in our children (one of whom is of a different race).
When someone asks me an inappropriate question, I simply do not reply.
I just stand there looking at them. And I am a short gray-haired woman, not some big burly guy.
Quickly they become uncomfortable and change the subject.
The best response to rudeness is no response, which immediately causes the questioner to feel frustration because they have failed in their attempt to be nosy, rude and bullying.


The National Quality Improvement Center for Support and Preservation (QIC-AG) is a five year project designed to promote permanence, when reunification is no longer a goal, and improve adoption and guardianship preservation and support. The QIC-AG is built on the premise that child welfare agencies need to provide a continuum of services to increase permanency stability, beginning when children first enter the child welfare system, and continuing after adoption or guardianship has been finalized. The QIC-AG is working with eight Partner Sites to develop a continuum of services that increase pre and post permanency stability for families, improve children's behavioral health, and advance the well-being of children and families.
Funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, Grant #90CO1122-01-00. The contents of this website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the funders, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This information is in the public domain. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit Spaulding for Children.
A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, USDHHS, the QIC-AG was awarded to Spaulding for Children in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


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Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen (Hamar, 9 november 1964) is een voormalig Noors langlaufster. Pedersen, ook wel aangeduid als Hilde GP, debuteerde in 1984 in de wereldbeker. In 2002 en 2006 nam ze voor Noorwegen deel aan de Olympische Winterspelen waarbij ze respectievelijk een zilveren medaille op de 4x5 km estafette en een bronzen medaille op de 10 km klassieke stijl behaalde. Bij de WK in 2005 behaalde ze twee wereldtitels (team sprint en 4x5 km estafette). Naast het langlaufen was ze ook actief in ski-oriëntering, een wintervariant van de oriëntatiesport.

Noors langlaufer
Noors olympisch deelnemer

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Historically, great white sharks go after seals for their higher fat content, but now these apex predators are increasingly attacking otters.
Attacks from great white sharks are now the cause for over 50 percent of otter deaths along the coast of California.
It appears that the sharks aren't eating the otters, but rather taking 'exploratory bites' to determine what the animal is.
The phenomenon has experts concerned, as California's otters are an endangered species.


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Diesel car crackdown blow to 'confidence' in India: Toyota
The Lingering Uncertainty On Sale Of High-end Diesel Vehicles In The National Capital Region Has Come As A Big Blow To Japanese Auto Major Toyota's "confidence In India', Forcing Its Domestic Unit To Rework Its Plans.
The lingering uncertainty on sale of high-end diesel vehicles in the national capital region has come as a big blow to Japanese auto major Toyota's "confidence in India", forcing its domestic unit to rework its plans.
"Toyota Motor's confidence in India has taken a big knock after the Supreme Court ban since mid-December last on sale of high-end diesel cars and SUVs, and the continuing uncertainty... is only adding to it. But it is our job at Toyota Kirloskar Motor to reinstate that confidence," TKM Vice-Chairman Shekhar Vishwanathan said here over the weekend.
Stating that "the element of trust has been broken" between Toyota and the country as a whole, he said "it has become very difficult to launch new products or commit fresh investments. This is in spite of the fact that we have been producing vehicles complying with all the norms laid out in the country from day one".
"If we were to go and ask the headquarters for new products, they would ask how do you know it will not get banned? And I have no answer. So, my first step is to make sure the ban gets lifted. If that means paying a nominal cess, so be it even though we don't believe the cess is a fair idea," he asserted.
On December 16 last year, the apex court banned sale of all diesel cars/SUVs with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc or more till March 31. It then extended the ban till April 30. As of now, there is no final word on when the SC will conclude the hearing and issue a final order.
Toyota models the Innova, Fortuner, Land Cruiser and Prado - except the Corolla and lower-end models have taken a hit. The ban has also upset all calculations for Mahindra, Tata Motors, Toyota and Mercedes.
M&M tried to work around the ban as it launched existing vehicles with down-sized engines within a month of the SC order.
For now, Toyota is playing along. The Innova Crysta is the first launch following the Supreme Court restriction.
The Innova Crysta is built on a new platform and comes with two engine options -- 2.4 L and 2.8 L—apart from offering an 8-seater option as well.
The ban has also forced the company to look at launching a petrol variant of all its high-end vehicles, including Innova Crysta, even though its past attempts have not been successful.
"It is not so much about the ban per se. Okay, we will lose some money, that's fine. But the more moot question is why such an unfair ban is in the first place when we have complied with every law? That is what is hurting. This is not an arithmetic loss," Vishwanathan said.
Maintaining that there has to be legal certainty for businesses to establish and grow, he said unless this is established, "everyone's perception will change about the country. They will keep asking can the law be reinterpreted again even when you are compliant and you can be banned, suddenly bringing my business to a standstill".
High-end Diesel Vehicles Toyota


A Low-Priced Eco-Beach Adventure filled with Crabs Dinners and Wild Horse Sightseeing. This trip features three Seafood Meals including a traditional Eastern Shore Crab Feast. Naturalists will help you learn about the native wildlife as you visit both Assateague and Chincoteague Island where you may see wild ponies running on the beach. It's a great getaway, book your space now.
This destination has large seasonal price swings.
After breakfast this morning, meet your guide and head out for a tour of Assateague Island, home of the wild ponies. First, climb aboard "The Assateague Explorer" for an exciting eco-cruise around the Assawoman Bay. This cruise features a professional naturalist and onboard touch tank so you can discover and learn firsthand about the unique coastal eco-system.
Then you will land on Assateague Island for your guided tour. More than 300 wild ponies wander the beaches, inland pine forest, and salt marshes. Take advantage of the opportunity to view these horses in a natural habitat. You will also have the chance to stop at the Visitors Center.
Returning to the mainland, you will have time for shopping and lunch on own in the Historic Town of Berlin.
Then you will tour the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, nestled next to Schumaker Pond in Salisbury, surrounded by wildlife in the heart of the Atlantic Flyway. The Ward Museum was named in honor of Steven and Lemuel Ward, whose vision and artistry in carving decoys pioneered the transition in the role of the decoy from a working tool to an expressive wildfowl sculpture.
After breakfast, you will meet your guide for a tour of Chincoteague Island. First you stop at the Museum of Chincoteague for a peek at the historical and heritage of the Island. Then take a narrated tour of the Island. You will enjoy viewing and photographing the ponies, birds, wildlife and sea life on and around the Islands. In addition to the ponies, you might see dolphin and bald eagles. You will also stop at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. There are a variety of exhibits and displays about the plants and animals that can be found at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. There are interactive exhibits and a live eagle camera.
Lunch is included today is fresh local seafood at Don's Seafood Restaurant, an island favorite.
Next you learn about mans reach for the stars at the NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility. Did you know they have launched more than 16,000 rockets here since 1945? This island is home to the NASA launch range, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and several U.S. Navy facilities. They resupply the International Space Station, they do scientific balloon research and they have been involved in Lunar Landings. The Visitor's Center and tour are fascinating and serve as a great surprise to most people who are unaware this facility even exists.


The Ree Ree Circle Camo Print High Waisted Skater Skirt from the Private Benjamin Collection is a high waisted mini skirt crafted in allover digital print. This piece is self-lined in bonded fabric for a comfortable fit and has wide folded pleats throughout. The hem falls on the upper thigh and it fastens with a concealed back zip.


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Good price! Sharon Armchair signature design By Alcott Hill. Sharon Armchair very well made, sleek and simple. Complete your living room furniture with a modern Sharon Armchair. Its pretty sturdy, attractivce and it looks expensive and a good value for the money. Sharon Armchair is one of the most homey, cozy, beautiful look and exotic Sharon Armchair especially for the price and made of awesome products. Great quality, easy to assemble, delivery on time and in best condition. Sharon Armchair is good merchandise at fair prices and amazing free shipping. Guarantee damaged claim by offering to send parts or to keep the item at a discounted price. Great buy would definitely recommend. Shop with our low-price guarantee and find great deals on Sharon Armchair and more!. Reading the reviews helped you purchase.
There aren't that lots of people that actually have a club setup at home. For some, it could appear to be something unnatural or otherwise appropriate as a living room but when done right it can genuinely add individually to the interior of the apartment or home. One thing that should be on the grocery list is a set of a variable club feces. They will prove their really worth when having a person over or web hosting a little party. Bar stool merely adds a unique touch that changes the area. Having flexible bar stools does bring in some benefits. The very first major plus is they take very little floor space. They are created to be small but comfy sufficient. Speaking of comfort and ease, barstools are not that bad. Even if they're little, they still provide good support. A number of them even have a bit of back support along with a soft padded surface. For changes, most of them have a adjustable peak. The most crucial element which makes a bar feces very easy to recognize is always that they swiveling. A good stool was created in a way that it is hard to lower and comfortable enough. The good thing is that there is an abundance when it comes to model diversity. There are many significantly adjustable barstools to select from but we had to choose just 10. Only 10 of these had been considered buy worthy due to their quality, style and overall utility. Here's what we assembled for the listing of the recommendations for that top ten best flexible barstools in 2018.
This set includes a 1 remaining equip sofa established, two armless couch sets, and something part couch set. This gives enough room to support your family and friends. The material is 100% rayon for sufficient durability and comfort. The good thing about this sofa established is the mixing and matching of seats within the space in the room for a ideal shape. As well as enables fitting even just in little rooms. It requires just light putting together.Additionally, it features push cushions for optimum comfort and ease. You might want to try this established. It does the job well.
You cannot talk about this sofa with out talking about its impressive style, durability, and comfort. If you ever needed a comfortable chair, then transfer fast and get your self Rollercoaster Samuel Collection Lotion Leather-based Sofa. You'll love it. This 3 seater sofa has thoroughly clean outlines and great soft cushions. The soft cushions are attached to the chair and at the back. It is made of leather which definitely is a certain wager that its durable. Additionally, it features tufted back and chairs that certainly adds to its remarkable look. More importantly, it features a spring foundation that provides the necessary durability and comfort. Its wood body causes it to be really sturdy. The lengthy and also the short of it is this fact couch is extraordinary in each and every aspect. You might or might not accept this. But the only method you are able to appreciate this is to find and check out it.
This plush set of city-stylish sofas is made to supply an embellished domain. Actually, even your moderate rooms might have you required to have an immaculate film evening. Lay him lower to obtain a totally altered mattress. This avant-garde person futon is accessible in various shades. This includes some bright tones out of control such as Lemon, Mild Azure, and Light Crimson. Put them in your innovative research or loft to assess the exuberance. It is also accessible in lowering shades for example darkish, dark and darkish. These subtleties, once more, printing a respectable part of the upper course. With the breaking component of your back, you can rest to your preferred position. This couch appears rich with tufted material texture furniture. Fortunately that it's customized with hypo-allergenic filling up. A conclusive result provides a comfy rest.
This lying loveseat takes the second place simply because its an excellent inexpensive, super comfy choice that can participate in most house dcor designs. Its solid wood body is padded with circles (for some spring) and-density foam (for some soft), and upholstered with dark brown fake leather-based that makes it an extremely-flexible furniture piece. Combine it with the person cave for a cozy spot to watch the sport (and dont worry about any spillsits vinyl furniture tends to make clean-up simple) or your family room with a few decorative throw cushions for that ideal spot to cozy up after a long day. Actual-existence clients love this reclining loveseat because its comfy, durable, easy to put together 1 reviewer even mentioned that they was able to put together two models within forty-five minutes! and delivery in the merchant is a breeze.
This ultra-stylish, higher-sovereign couch is designed to assistance cutting-advantage living room development. It is produced like a 2-piece sofa sofa combined with an attractive lounger. Additionally, it offers mobile armrests and advantageous back assistance. The gorgeous tapestry is finished with darkish false leather-based, firmly tufted. You are able to feel at ease padding with foam within the chair cushions. This guarantees a fragile feeling whenever you rest following a monotonous day. The couch is reinforced with wood edge covered with dark artificial leather. False tufted leather-based and strong pine give severe glare. It is true that it takes another look since it is more costly than it truly appears to be. Talking about size, its huge! This is what adds more stars to this established. The height can also be impressive for tall and brief people.
Usually now used in houses with a living room or open up layout, they are often large configurations that chair lots of guests. In smaller areas, they can be useful for seats in an area which has an odd corner or any other room restriction. The ability to mix part units, end models and reclining sections based on space and person choice tends to make this sofa design super versatile. Sofa couches also come in a multitude of styles, from ultra modern or super luxe, to much more loved ones-friendly modern styles.
With the recent surge in interest in the Mid-Century Modern design genre, this couch design is a hot item. Regardless of whether true vintage items, forgeries or new styles that contain Mid-Hundred years Contemporary components, these are really flexible couches. Usually utilized in a minimal or mid-century style plan, they are fantastic for including a vintage really feel to some space. The distinguishing components include the uncovered thighs and linear framework. Most middle-century couches but not all of them may have some tufting around the back again.
When it comes to buying living room furniture, leather is always a good choice. Not only does it look good with most designs, nevertheless its extremely durable (its the perfect materials for any home with kids or pets) and it is ultra-simple to clean, as well. The down-side of leather furniture? It can have a higher price tag than material, micro-fiber or faux leather furniture. This lying loveseat remains a budget-friendly choice because of one guru trick: its seating area is padded with leather-based, while the sides are upholstered with increased inexpensive fake leather-based. That means you get the appear and feel of the full leather-based loveseat with no significant price tag. Use the handle on the loveseats arm to relax and relax on its higher-denseness froth filling up, and think about the money you saved. This specific loveseat comes with an added reward: expert set up is available in numerous locations of the country for the next charge.
If you are looking for some serious relaxation, this loveseats solid cushion back and rolled arms will deliverbut at a higher cost. Every seat cushion consists of 30 person pocketed coils for spring and assistance, and resilience seat foam for an extra layer of plushness and durability. In addition, the froth soft cushions are topped with super gentle, blended lower down. For your additional comfort, there are 3 standard positions: sitting, a small recline by having an elevated footrest, and a complete lie down by having an raised foot rest. It doesnt hurt that this lying loveseat appears lux, possibly. Its all-leather-based furniture and ornamental toe nail mind trim provide a classic appear that may function with lots of home dcor styles, from conventional to nation to arts and crafts. In addition, leather stands up nicely towards everyday use, children and dog hair and fingernails. Just remember to situation the leather-based every six to 12 months.
With nearly 100 5-celebrity reviews, this lying loveseat is touted because of its comfort, sturdiness, look and ease of set up. In addition to soft, but encouraging soft cushions, it provides a gliding mechanism, so that you can put your ft up and rock and roll (although, not at the same time.) Upholstered with ultra-durable bonded leather, this lying loveseat will avoid holes, releases and stainswhich is a good factor, since it also includes a storage area system (where you can hide your snacks, obviously) and a two-mug holder. Whether you are settling set for a Netflix binge or watching football with your team, this reclining loveseat provides the comfort and durability without breaking the bank.
Copyright © Sharon Armchair By Alcott Hill in Arm Accent Chairs All right reserved.


text:
Cyril Sicsic, né le  à Brou-sur-Chantereine, est un entraîneur français de basket-ball.

Depuis 2005, il est entraîneur.

Biographie

Il dirige Tarbes Gespe Bigorre en LFB durant trois saisons (de 2011 à 2015) marquées par deux victoires au Challenge round et qualifications pour l'Eurocoupe.

Carrière joueur
Il a joué au Cannet à Rocheville, au GSEM et à Nice.

Carrière entraîneur

Clubs
 1998-2000 : Cavigal Nice Sports (assistant en LFB)
 2000-2005 : Cavigal Nice Sports (LFB)
 2005-2012.: COB Calais (LFB)
 2012-2015 : Tarbes Gespe Bigorre (LFB)

Palmarès

Club
 Champion de France Espoir en 2000.
 Vice-champion de France Espoir en 1999.
 Finaliste du Trophée de l'Avenir en 1999.
 Vainqueur du Challenge round 2013 et 2015

Références

Lien externe
  Profil LFB

Entraîneur français de basket-ball
Naissance en janvier 1972
Naissance à Brou-sur-Chantereine
Entraîneur du Tarbes Gespe Bigorre


text:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22
All Themes Humanity, Androids, and Empathy Perception, Reality, and Power Memory Animals and the Environment Commodification and Consumerism
All Characters Rick Deckard John Isidore Al Jarry / Wilbur Mercer Rachael Rosen Phil Resch Iran Deckard Miss Luba Luft Eldon Rosen Roy Baty
All Symbols The Mood Organ The Empathy Box The Toad World War Terminus The Voigt-Kampff Test
Instant downloads of all 1393 LitChart PDFs (including Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?).
Teachers and parents! Struggling with distance learning? Our Teacher Edition on Androids Dream can help.
Humanity, Androids, and Empathy
Perception, Reality, and Power
Animals and the Environment
Commodification and Consumerism
Rick Deckard
John Isidore
Al Jarry / Wilbur Mercer
Rachael Rosen
Phil Resch
Iran Deckard
Miss Luba Luft
Eldon Rosen
Roy Baty
The Mood Organ
The Empathy Box
The Toad
World War Terminus
The Voigt-Kampff Test
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: Chapter 19 Summary & Analysis
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
John Isidore finds himself gripping the handles of the empathy box—he just had a profound vision. Irmgard grabs John and tells him to send the bounty hunter away from the apartment. John nods. He also notices that the spider is alive now, and crawling across his table.
This is a puzzling moment. On one hand, it's clear that John's vision was just a hallucination—it wasn't real. And yet the spider is still alive—something "miraculous" has happened (Dick never explains what). The point seems to be that reality and illusion can't be easily separated, and they will only grow more confused as the novel approaches its end.
John goes downstairs. There, he finds a strange man holding a flashlight (a man whom we recognize as Rick Deckard). John is more interested in his spider than in the man with the flashlight, and he tells the man that he's "lost" his spider. The man introduces himself as Rick Deckard, a police officer, and explains that he's looking for three people. John explains, immediately, that he's looking after his "three friends"—the last three in a large group, most of whom are now dead. Rick asks John to show him to the room where the androids are staying. John replies, "If you kill them you won't be able to fuse with Mercer again." Rick shrugs and walks past John, into the building.
Here, the two protagonists of the novel, John and Rick, cross paths. But there's no sense of connection between them—instead, Rick talks over John and ignores John's babbling about his spider. It's only appropriate that in a novel about futuristic alienation, the two main characters of the novel remain fundamentally separated. Rick, still angry from his argument with Rachael, is eager to kill some androids—he couldn't care less about the future of Mercerism.
Inside the building, Rick turns off his flashlight. He recognizes that John, whom he calls "the chickenhead," knows that Roy and his followers are androids. Suddenly, he sees someone move. Rick draws his gun and orders the figure to stop. The figure introduces himself as Mercer. Mercer explains to Rick that one of the people Rick is trying to kill is behind him. This person, Mercer explains, is the "hard one" and should be retired first.
The miracles (or hallucinations) keep coming: even though Rick doesn't seem to be using the empathy box, he has a vision of Mercer, who gives Rick information that Rick couldn't know by himself. There's no way to rationalize this moment—it's inexplicable, a reminder that the world can't be reduced to easy categories like "real," "fake," "human," and "android."
Suddenly, Rick turns around and finds himself staring at a woman who resembles Rachael Rosen. He fires at the woman, and she explodes into tiny pieces. Then he hears a woman's voice from behind a door, asking, "Who is it?" Rick, imitating John's stutter, says that it's John, coming back from his job. The woman who called to him opens the door. Suddenly a man fires at Rick, missing narrowly. This is what Rick wanted—now that Roy and Irmgard (the two figures behind the door, he deduces) have fired at him, he'll have an easier time retiring them, since he's no longer legally required to give them a Voigt-Kampff test first.
Dick now gives us some more traditionally suspenseful action sequences, although it's clear that Pris is "the hard one" because she looks like Rachael—whom Rick just recently found he couldn't kill.
Get the entire Androids Dream LitChart as a printable PDF.
Rick hears Roy and Irmgard running away from the door. He kicks down the door and runs into the apartment, shooting Irmgard in the back. Roy, in another room, screams in anguish. Rick calls, "Okay, you loved her. And I loved Rachael." He rushes toward Roy and shoots Roy with his laser gun—Roy's body explodes. Rick stands in the carnage, breathing heavily. He has killed six androids in only one day. Now he'll have enough money to last a while, he realizes.
Roy never actually admits to loving Irmgard—Rick projects love onto him—but the pain Roy expresses at Irmgard's death certainly shows some kind of strong connection. Ultimately, Dick doesn't reveal whether or not androids are capable of feeling recognizable human emotions—but he also shows how difficult it is for humans to show recognizable human emotions, particularly in this futuristic society of isolation and apathy.
Rick turns and finds John Isidore crying. Rick's only consolation to John is, "Don't take it so hard." Then he walks past John, finds a phone in the building, and calls Harry Bryant.
John doesn't appear again in the book—Rick ignores him almost entirely. He's failed to show true empathy for John, and John is left alone again, without even the comfort of his wholehearted belief in Mercerism to comfort him.


Skullcandy has been making headphones for more than a decade, and its products have generally been quite popular thanks to their funky color schemes. Today, we'll be testing the wireless version of the Riff headphones, simply called the Riff Wireless.
The price of Rs 5,999, this pair is not cheap at all for casual, everyday headphones. You are not much in the case of frills, and only the less weight and claim features worth of vanity for 12 hours of battery life. Does Skullcandy Riff Wire Redeem itself by giving good audio? let's find out.
Skullcandy Riff wireless headphones have an on-ear or supra-sorrel pair, which means ear earrings completely sit on your ears instead of covering them like traditional over-ear headphones. Headphones have been completely constructed with plastic, which includes adjustable headbands and earrings hinges.
The hinges have the ability to swivel outside, so when not in use, riff wireless can be worn comfortably around your neck, and can also be folded for easy storage.
The Riff Wireless is available in different colors - Black, White, Blue, Gray - and we have a gray version for its review. Matt finish does not attract fingerprints and it looks good too. However, Riff Wireless does not feel like a buck. 6,000 pair of headphones When you take it around, plastic joints get cracked, and you do not even get a cushion on the headband.
On the other hand, riff wireless is very light at just 159g, so you do not feel tired after wearing it for hours at stretch. The earcups have plush cushions, which make them very comfortable.
Under the perforated outer shell of brown, there are well opposite with teal cushions, resulting in a look quite stylish. However, the texture of the impure leather of the outer material briefly heats our ears slightly. It's not very inconvenient, but it's something you'll notice.
There are all buttons in the correct earcups and there is also a micro-USB port for charging. The small rubber strip of the button gives you the opportunity to adjust the volume and play or stop your music. A long press of the volume up and down button lets you move on to the previous or next track, respectively.
Holding down the play button will get the assignment to the virtual assistant on your phone. There is a single microphone for answering and the single, multi-color LED for the battery status.
Riff Wireless uses 40mm drivers for each earcup. They both have a 32-ohm impedance rating and 20Hz to the 20,000Hz frequency range. This pair of headphones does not support any high-resolution audio streaming codec like AAC or aptX, so you're stuck with the default SBC codec. You can connect riff wireless to only one device at a time, which adds to the frustration.
The box has a micro-USB charging cable and a quick start guide leaflet. The Skullcandy Riff is a wireless display and battery life.
Pairing headphones is a simple enough process. Hold down the play button until the LED button turns red and blue, and then it's ready to pair with your device. We spent most of our time using this pair of headphones, with an iPhone XS 0196,801 (review) and a MacBook Air for this review.
The Rif Wireless is quite comfortable to wear for everyday use, although we might have liked a little bit of cushion on the headband. With that, we said that we think it's easy to adjust the headband to fit the need according to your needs, and piercing earrings sit comfortably on our ears.
After wearing the Skullcandy Riff Wireless for a while, our ears started to feel a little hot, which is not bad in cold weather but maybe a little uncomfortable in the summer. Finding the right control button by touch is also easy, although we thought that to change the tracks, we have to hold the Volume up and down buttons for longer periods of time.
Riff can be wireless as a comfortable and stylish, sadly, the audio quality is not just up to the mark, especially with its current asking price. Mid-range is generally muddy with weak equipment separation and a narrow soundstage.
Vocals lack clarity and crunchiness and are often overshaded by other instruments and bass. In vocal-heavy tracks like Tracey Chapman's Given Me Region, there was also a lack of good definition and it was very foggy in our tests.
Reef wireless does not have a high volume level. On the plus side, high notes did not sound full or partially sound, which was noticeable by Sam Smith on tracks like Money on My Mind.
Bass was decent but generally boring, and most of the time was in the middle tone and mid-range. It's not tight or porous, which gets a bit thicker if you're listening to a lot of EDM or rock music. For example, the chorus seemed like a complete disturbance in the number of Linkin Park.
Vashikaran Vocals are a problem when watching videos. Looking at Marvel's Punisher on Netflix, we had to maintain the volume in a complete way, and the dialogue was still groin. We found that it is impossible to enjoy any kind of communication-driven video on the road because the riff does not offer too much in terms of wireless ambient noise alienation. The sound leaks slightly but only when you maximize the volume.
On a more positive note, we did not have any audio-video sync problems while watching videos on laptops or phones or playing games like PUBG Mobile. The single microphone did a good job for voice calls, and our callers did not have any problem understanding us, even while using the riff wireless outdoors on this move.
The built-in rechargeable battery is rated to give 12 hours of battery life, and in our experience, we were able to get so much, and sometimes a little bit more. We used riff wireless for about three or four hours on average every day and were able to get it around four days before the need to recharge, which is not bad. There is a quick charge feature that makes you worth two hours with a 10-minute charge.
It took about one and a half hours to charge headphones from zero to 100 percent. Unfortunately, there is no sound signal to tell you the current battery level, but when the battery is actually low you get a sound alert. If there is enough power the LED light becomes blue and the battery level turns red after falling below 10 percent.
Skullcandy Riff Wireless is a good-looking, lightweight pair of headphones with decent battery life for everyday use, but the audio quality leaves a lot to be desired, especially the price of its buck. 5,999 If you look online, you can sell it a little bit, but it is still much more than its US retail price of $ 49.99 (about 3,500 rupees).


How do I find my local Airbag Service?
How much does it cost for Airbag Service do a safety inspection on my vehhicle?
How much does it cost for Airbag Service to clear my air bag light?
If my airbag light is on, can I just get a diagnostic evaluation and have repairs done later?
Why does Airbag Service charge $119 to clear the air bag light, when internet companies will provide the service for under $50?
Will you just flash my air bag module?
Can you work with my insurance company to make repairs?
Do all Airbag Service locations take retail customers?
Are air bag repairs regulated by the government?
Please check our locations page to find the locally owned and operated Airbag Service in your area.
How much does it cost for Airbag Service do a safety inspection on my vehicle?
The cost may vary by region, but most of our locations perform the service for about $100. With the inspection you receive a certification sticker and we will file a repair record with CARFAX, a valuable service in the event you decide to sell your vehicle in the future. In the event you have an issue with your vehicle, you will receive an itemized estimate detailing any needed repairs.
A minimum of $119, which includes a diagnostic evaluation and written estimate for all repairs required to service the air bags and SRS components.
Yes. Airbag Service can diagnose your air bag light and supply you with a written estimate. The evaluation fee will vary by location.
Why does Airbag Service charge $119 to clear the airbag light, when internet companies will provide the service for under $50?
When Airbag Service clears your air bag light, you have a certified air bag technician inspecting your vehicle's entire secondary restraint system not just the air bag module. Our technicians inspect seatbelts, sensors and the air bags in addition to using a diagnostic tool to read the module codes. And they work with the module in your vehicle, eliminating risks associated with disconnecting the air bag module.
When using an internet company, you or your mechanic mail the airbag controller and the internet company flashes the memory. This may or may not turn off the air bag light. It will not give you a status of your complete safety system.
No. Occupant safety is our top priority and we will not clear a light without performing a diagnostic evaluation to understand why the light came on.
Yes. We work with all major insurance carriers. At the time you file your claim, let your insurance adjustor know you would like to work with Airbag Service.
No. Each Airbag Service location is independently owned and operated. Some of our locations only service body shops and other wholesale customers.
Please check the location page for your local Airbag Service to see a list services for retail customers.
In parts of Europe, yes. In the United States, no.
There are penalties for fraudulent repairs which are regulated by state governments and the penalties vary greatly by state. New York has some of the highest penalties to fight against air bag theft and shoddy repairs. California has recently passed legislation increasing fines for air bag fraud and related crimes.
As air bags are now throughout the vehicle and have increasingly sophisticated electronics. Air bag theft is more profitable and air bag repairs are more difficult. We at Airbag Service hope our state and federal legislators will work to give vehicle occupants better protection under the law.


2005,2008,2006,2007,2010,2009. Deep tech. Skyline r37. Special features: Range rover brouillard. Fabric. Isuzu nkr. Condition: Supports moteur. Silicone droite tuyau réducteur.
Note: Hummer h3. Water temperature sensor. 200cc. One year. Ktm gpi radiateur. 86 cm. 14x8x8.5. Weight: Expansion tank cover. Radiateur isuzu. 0.8 kgPrecision machined brass. Pa15081Joint 60mm. Yaris - an: Mitsubishi canter. 710mm. Radiateur bmw x5.
Mitsubishi outlander 2006 2012. 1.2kg. 55579951. Ensoleillé fans. Radiateur cbr600rr. Longth: Dans les phares. Aluminum racing radiator. Oem no.7: Expansion tank. For audi tt/tts 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014.
Nubira. 2008 fiat punto. Kle500. Golpher high quality custom-made radiator fan shroud. 470 g. S60-year: Discovery 4 range rover sport 2010-2013. 1.8t 2t. Cooling system. Wholesale tuyau raccord métrique.


"Well Ladies and Gentleman I have worked with LA REELS as a returning client for about 3 reel scenes and a Short film...I will say this about the company. GREAT PEOPLE AND WORK that help and showcase you. The scenes of which were just normal scenes that were written for me by them were like a short story you would see in a fully produced independent feature film at any major film festival and then my very first SHORT FILM called "Love and Promotions"...Noah Edwards as a director has the vision he wants to execute when he is planning the shoot with his creative team and helps guide the actor in a short amount of time.
Brett Newton and Clint Riffo and Tada Yoshida round out the team along with Amanda Glassman and they get the job done as the core group at LA REELS.
Great look for a great price and These folks are in my opinion bringing their A-game to each new task. I look forward to them someday making there feature film and seeing what pops off the screen. They have the talent and the knowledge to make you feel great about your product.
"As a newbie in LA, Noah, Brett and the gang created an excellent reel for me and as important, they are genuine, impassioned artists who truly care about the art they create for their clients.
For a very reasonable price, they do EVERYTHING, from conception to final cut reel. Their writer works with you to create three one minute films based on what you want to present and will go through drafts until it's to your liking. Then you film all three scenes, for me in one day, then within about seven days you have a reel with soundtrack as well as IMDB credits for the films.
— Randal Kleiser - Director, "Grease", "The Blue Lagoon", "Flight of the Navigator"
— Richard Sherman - Songwriter - "Mary Poppins", "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", "It's a Small World"


text:
Osawatomie
Paola, KS (66071)
Snow during the morning will mix with rain at times during the afternoon. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches..
Cloudy with rain and snow in the evening. Rain and snow will become intermittent in the overnight hours. Low 33F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 70%.
Members of the St. Andrews Pipes and Drums play some old Scottish tunes on the bagpipes.
Gene Morris / Staff Photo
Jeff Eaton of Split Lip Rayfield plays his guitar named "Stichgiver" during the Paola Roots Festival. It lands No. 1 on the list for most unique instruments played over the years as the Paola Roots Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Harper plays the didgeridoo, a long wooden instrument from Australia.
photos by Gene Morris
Scott Leeper of The Ben Miller Band plays a makeshift bluegrass washboard during the Paola Roots Festival.
Chubby Carrier, of the Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, plays the accordion during a set at the Paola Roots Festival.
Ben Miller uses a rotary phone to add to his vocals and bluegrass sound.
Charlie Johnson, upright bassist, lays down to play during a set from the Mezccal Brothers at the Paola Roots Festival.
Unique instruments highlight Roots Festival's 30th
By Gene Morris gene.morris@miconews.com
Gene Morris
PAOLA — More than 300 bands have performed on the Paola Roots Festival stage the last 30 years, playing all kinds of instruments.
There have been steel and bass guitars, banjos, cigar box guitars, saxophones, trumpets and drums, as well as more unique instruments like bagpipes and upright bass. There have even been harmonicas, accordions, washboards and spoons, didgeridoo and a gasoline tank homemade guitar.
As the Paola Roots Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24, one can trace the roots back to a family barbecue reunion held at Wallace Park. The two-day event now draws thousands to the Paola Park Square.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary, The Republic is taking a walk down memory lane and a look back at some of the most unique instruments to be part of the festival.
Christopher Johnson of the Mezccal Brothers starts the Top 10 list of most unique instruments played at the Paola Roots Festival.
It is not just the upright bass, but how Johnson played it during the group's set in an appearance at the festival.
Johnson laid with his back on the Paola Roots Festival stage and had his legs holding the instrument in the air and played it on his back just like that, rocking for the crowd back in 2013.
Hitting the list at No. 9 are the Ottawa Suzuki Strings players on the violin. The violin might not be one of the more unique instruments, but a stage full of them played by young musicians is a sound not captured by any other band.
The modern violin is about 400 years old, based on other stringed instruments dating back more than a 1,000 years.
No. 8 and No. 7 on the list features a pair of harmonica players: Brody Buster, a Paola native, and Louisburg native Luke Town.
Buster, who played at the Roots Festival, was a child prodigy on the harmonica and played with the legendary B.B. King.
Town, a country rocker singer and songwriter, played his guitar on stage and would pull out his harmonica. After whaling away on the instrument for four or five minutes, Town revealed his "look no harmonica" sound, removing his hands to shock the audience that he had actually been using his voice to recreate the sound of a harmonica
Town played at the Paola Roots Festival. He made appearances at the Paola Opry, the Ottawa Opry and Middle Creek Opry. While performing at the Ottawa Opry, Town opened for country stars like Eddie Rabbit and Dan Seals. Rabbit's mother cried when she first heard Elvis Presley singing her son's song "Kentucky Rain."
Chubby Carrier and his funkified, zydeco-ified accordion hit the list at No. 6. Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band won a Grammy Award for the Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Award during the 53rd Grammy Awards.
Landing on the list at No. 5 are the bagpipes played by the Kansas City St. Andrews Pipes and Drums group in 2014. The sound harkens back to a simpler way of life, taking the audience on a trip to Scotland.
The Ben Miller Band takes two spots on the Top 10 list for most unique instruments played at the Paola Roots Festival. The bluegrass band is known for its unique instruments from thrift-shop guitars and banjos to the electric washboard played with spoons and a washtub.
Ben Miller is No. 4 on the list, singing through a rotary telephone to give his voice another dimension on a few of the band's songs.
No. 3 on the list is Scott Leeper's one-string washtub bass. They are some off-the-beat instruments, but instead of being gimmicks are more creative ways to capture the spirit of American bluegrass music in using what they had available.
No. 2 on the list of unique instruments is the didgeridoo played by Harper.
The didgeridoo is a long wooden instrument which plays some real "roots music." Harper, who grew up in Australia, was influenced by Aborigines' spirituality and culture similar to that of the American Natives and blended those for his own primitive, earthy blues sound that seemed to bellow from the center of the Earth.
Harper was named the No. 1 surprise band for a special section celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Paola Roots Festival. This year, for the 30th, he comes in at No. 2 for most unique instrument.
Topping the list at No. 1 for most unique instruments is Jeff Eaton's homemade guitar "Stichgiver," made from the gasoline tank from a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. Eaton played the guitar for Split Lip Rayfield, a band from Wichita. Split Lip Rayfield played at the Paola Roots Festival in 2012.
The "Stichgiver" is a re-purpose masterpiece that would make MacGyver proud. The items that went into making the "Stichgiver" could get MacGyver out of a jam.
The main piece for the "Stichgiver" is the gasoline tank from the 1978 Marquis, but it is much more than that. Also making up the "one-of-a-kind" guitar include: a piece of hickory, a piece of a Weed-whacker line, a rubber bottle seal, popsicle sticks, a section of a yardstick, parts from a squeegee, a CB antenna spring, part of a ballpoint pen, a master link from a bicycle and pieces of scrap wood.
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Santa Hates You is a german based musical project born in autumn 2007.
Members of the band are Peter "PS" Spilles (also known as the mastermind of Project Pitchfork) and his female comrade-in-arms, the italian Jinxy.
Their music is straight forward dark-electro, with industrial traits and extremely danceable beats on one side, and catchy sequences as well as dark-wave elements on the other. The band describes their sound as "juicy electronic-gothic- dance".
Santa Hates You is the playful side of Peter Spilles, and this is reflected in the lyrics and in the image of the band. However, while being ironic and sometimes sarcastic, neither the band's image nor the lyrics end up being superficial: there's always a certain portion of depth and pensiveness hidden behind the humorous facade.
Santa Hates You have already played several live gigs, for example at world's largest and most renowned gothic festival Wave Gotik Treffen (WGT) in Leipzig (DE) and at the prestigious Gothic Festival in Belgium, as well as the Infest Festival in Bradford (UK).


Want To Help Young Women In Your Community?
The Red Box Project quietly ensures that no young woman misses school because she has her period. Working as a nationwide community of women, The Red Box Project seeks to provide free sanitary items for the young women in local schools.
The Red Box Project is a voluntary organisation with coordinators throughout London boroughs and different towns and cities within the UK. This is driven by volunteers coordinating contributions and coordinating with schools.
They place red boxes filled with sanitary wear (tampons, sanitary towels, hygiene wipes and spare underwear) into schools where the staff have identified that there is a need for it. The overall aim is to ensure that no girl has to miss a day of school because for whatever reason she doesn't have access to these vital products.
Within the boxes they also place paper bags so that girls can take whatever they need from it discreetly away so no one else has to know. They also supply the schools with posters to place in nurses offices/medical rooms/toilets to advertise the box with the name of the appropriate adult that the students can ask for.
Across the UK there are currently 400 live boxes within schools and this is growing every day.
Visit their locations page to find out where these boxes can be found. There aren't any set up yet in Camden, so if you are a business who would like to offer a red box contact them at redboxprojectuk@gmail.com.


There are moves afoot in the Wolves online community to see if we can get 10,000 fans for the game at MK Dons.
So how about one of Coxy's tours that day? A bus starting in Wolverhampton or Bridgnorth coming to the East Midlands for Breakfast and beer. Then on to another pub before heading for the match. Pub and food on the way home too. As there's plenty of tickets around, have we got enough interested to run a bus?
I need 40 to be viable, please let me know if you are up for it.
Hi Coxy. I may be interested in this! What sort of route are you looking at?


text:
DISCRIMINATION: WHO DESERVES PROTECTION?
by Gary K. Clabaugh, Ed. D.
America has an appalling history of racism. Yet geneticists assure us that there is only one race — Homo sapiens. Scientifically speaking, distinct races literally do not exist; though racism does, because race is a social, not scientific, conception. Insisting there are races requires cramming people into scientifically spurious categories such as black or white. But cram them we do, often with savage results.**
The Lynching of Rubin Stacy,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Strange Fruit: Biography of a Song
-- David Margolick, 2001.
What is more, "race" is not the only characteristic that can trigger discrimination. Disability, gender, LGBT, and religion are old reliables. Plus you can be too pretty, too smart, too poor, too ugly, too short, too fat, lack "good breeding, and so forth. People are surprisingly resourceful when it comes to excluding and mistreating others.
Affirmative action aids some victims of discrimination — those who have enough political muscle to have their plight recognized by lawmakers. Tactics are then adopted that improve their opportunities. But too often this is accomplished at the expense of others, for example, middle class "white" males, who find they are being treated unfairly in order to make America "fairer"
The nation's plutocrats are safely above all of this. They can simply price out "undesirables." And their kids attend exclusive private schools where they need not mix with the great unwashed. Then, as "legacies," the crème de la crème can even end-run the admissions process at the nation's most prestigious universities. This particular kind of discrimination, while absurdly unfair, is perfectly legal.
Remember, too, that there are secret societies in these exclusive universities that occupy the very peak of the social pecking order. Yale's particularly exclusionary Skull and Bones, for instance, offers a lifetime of advantages. Yet there are absolutely no legal strictures on this kind of discrimination.
Now let's get back to race. In the 1960's, when African-Americans were demanding their civil rights, an ugly racist "joke" was circulating in the South where I lived at the time. It went like this: "What do you call a good looking, 6"4" black guy with a Ph.D. in nuclear physics?" The meanspirited answer: "A nigra."
The point of this bigoted "humor" was that no matter what an African-American's attributes and accomplishments, he or she was nonetheless "inferior" to the most unattractive, ignorant, White person. Race trumped everything.
The table below invites you to consider whether race still trumps everything. The left column combines "whiteness" with a non-"racial" characteristic that invites discrimination. The right column combines "blackness," with that characteristic reversed.
Which would you rather be:
WHITE AND UGLY or
BLACK AND GOOD-LOOKING?
A WHITE KID FROM AN AWFUL FAMILY or
A BLACK KID FROM A LOVING FAMILY?
OBESE AND WHITE or
TRIM AND BLACK?
WHITE WITH NO INHERITANCE or
BLACK WITH A $10M INHERITANCE?
WHITE AND STUPID or
BLACK AND INTELLIGENT?
A 5'4" WHITE MAN or
A 6'4" BLACK MAN?
A FLAT CHESTED WHITE WOMAN or
A VOLUPTUOUS BLACK WOMAN
WHITE AND A KLUTZ or
BLACK AND GRACEFULLY ATHLETIC
A 64-YEAR-OLD WHITE WOMAN or
A 24-YEAR-OLD BLACK WOMAN?
Now let's put some of these together. For instance, would you prefer being an ugly, bald, 5"4", white guy without an inheritance, or a good looking, 6"4" black guy who just inherited $10 million?
Now imagine you are the 5'4" poor white guy and your teenage daughter just failed to get a desperately needed scholarship because it was awarded to the "disadvantaged," 6'4" wealthy black guy's daughter. What's the problem here? That there are a lot of ways to classify people besides "race."
There is only one race — the human one. But we're so hung up on black, white, and so forth, that we lose sight of the complex range of human differences and instead institutionalize racism.
Diversity takes many, many forms. So let's quit cramming people into racial categories and recognize that each and every individual is unique. That is what is wrong with present affirmative action attempts to achieve "diversity:" their abject failure to honor individual differences.
In Fellowship, GKC
**For a detailed explanation of how this cramming works see Reification: Conjuring Up Spirits
See, also, E Rozycki, Philosophy, Race and Language
Posted by Edward Rozycki at 11:20:00 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: affirmative action, fairness, prejudice, racism, reification
Stringencies Generate Dysfunctions: why things can "suddenly" go wrong.
edited 7/28/18
"It is nothing short of a miracle that modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry." Albert Einstein, 13 March 1949, New York (NY) Times.
"Do not trust the horse, Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bringing gifts." – Laocoön in Virgil's Aeneid, Book II
With artificial intelligence we're summoning the demon. — Elon Musk
The Raising-Standards Trade-Offs. What is Einstein's point? It is that even though there are criteria used to determine student proficiency in some area – which may well work for someone's intended purposes-- there may be a dysfunction that arises from these very same criteria.
Criteria are comprised from definitions of "adequacy," which when "inappropriately applied" may undermine something that is generally more important in many fields of endeavor: curiosity.
What is Appropriate? For example, a scalpel, no matter how well constructed it is, would likely be a poor choice as a toothpick. This "inappropriate" use contributes to its dysfunction as it cuts through gum and cheek. But "inappropriate" is a vague term: it can cover actions which are unorthodox, or dangerous, or untraditional, or distasteful, or immoral, or improper, or ineffective, or inefficient – among others. Situation, for one, is a major contributor to our judgment as to appropriateness.
But major contributors, too, are the concepts, the definitions of which influence our criteria for judgments of "appropriateness. " Tests of all sorts, for example, "intelligence", are invoked as benchmarks for criteria. But it is a much vaguer notion of "appropriateness" which helps us decide which tests, among others, are the right instruments to support of judgments of adequacy. In general, we have to see how a possible decision situation meets criteria of
a. attention (cue);
b. interest (concern); and
c. involvement (control).
(For more on this, see Rationales for Intervention: From Test to Treatment to Policy)
It's no news that any action has results that can be considered as either positive or negative depending on contexts and interests of the persons making the judgment. But it's important not to confuse a test-error positive, i.e, false positive, with a "true" positive with later costs, i.e. a non-erroneous positive test result, that produces post-test negative consequences. (On what makes a "true positive" "true," see Classification Error in Evaluation Practice)
For example, John, who is sickly, gets a clean bill of health during an Army physical exam prior to induction; he is inducted and then reports for duty. In contrast, Harry, gets the same passing "fit for duty" score, is inducted and then goes AWOL.
Contingent Dysfunctionality (CD). You give a friend a shopping list. Your friend comes back with groceries that you had on your list, but you don't recognize many of the brands that you would buy yourself. Later you discover that though many of the items are satisfactory, there are other you find repulsive. Your specs were met, but a lot of undesirables got through. This is an illustration of how contingent dysfunctionality (CD) is brought on by both greater specificity of your list and by the inability of mere conceptual screening, i.e. a lists of concepts (item names), to sift out potentially dysfunctional items for other kinds of situations, i.e. food preparation instead of the original grocery acquisition.
Why CD surprises or disappoints us is that all criteria are situation-dependent functional. It's just that, as we construct our criteria of acceptability, we tend to regard only the situations we want to promote (or have others promote) as of prime importance. We create our own "elephants-in-the-room" by ignoring what we deem "not pertinent to the task."
Any criteria (-- concepts are covering terms for sets of criteria --) may be carried over into new situations for which we have little or no experience in dealing with the variations they may induce in items identified by the criteria. Thus their appropriateness may not be challenged with much more than some misgivings about the "novelty" of their application. (Imagine doing a performance of Hamlet at the beach in a hurricane, wearing swimsuits and knee deep in the tide! Might we not have difficulty judging its quality as a performance even if acted by fine British performers?)
Explicit criteria which attempt to clarify a concept, may also be a flood-gate for CD's that are non-functional for the situations we initially formulated them for. However, in later, relatively similar situations , these criteria may become active enough to concern us. (See Autonomous Car Collides with Bus: an illusion of abstractions?)
The Many Guises of CD. The criteria accepted to specify a concept define what I will call here, for want of a better term, an "elite," relative to a given population of items (thing, actions, persons, etc,) in a given situation, or for a given purpose for given persons. The more stringent the criteria, likely the fewer the items are that accepted into the elite. This reduction of members of an elite is the usual purpose of attempts to "raise standards," or "tighten admissions," or "increase quality."
The thesis of this essay is that by increasing the stringency of criteria with respect to one situation (or group of situations) elites will collect members which are dysfunctional in other situations not in the original. (Literature majors tend to be quite dysfunctional in mathematics.) These contingent dysfunctions are not necessarily intentional, but often are either disregarded, overlooked or dismissed as being of low probability, or of negligible long-term cost.
Common examples are:
a. A college football coach "beefs up his line" with students who turn out to be academically inept. Their grade-point average may disqualify them from playing.
b. Farmers breed cattle for reduced fat content which turn out to be less resistant to common diseases.
c. Traditional monarchies accept as "royal consorts" persons with royal family histories, disregarding their genetic hemophilia. The consorts themselves turn out to be hemophiliac. Their illness may impair their ability to govern.
d. Car companies develop automobiles which are "self-driving" but which turn out to be unable to recognize and handle a range of low-frequency emergency situations easily recognized, if not well-handled, by humans. Issues of risk and responsibility may arise.
e. From the perspective of the people of ancient Troy, the Wooden Horse -- now referred to as "The Trojan Horse" -- which they accepted as the gift of defeated Greeks honoring the Goddess Athena, led to Troy's destruction.
The Trojan Horse is an exemplar of most, if not all, scams and illusions. What is important here, in considering its status as an example of CD, contingent dysfunctionality, is understanding for whom the horse is contingently dysfunctional. Clearly, it is a CD for the Trojans, not the Greeks. The Trojans misinterpreted – actually, accepted the explanation given them by the apparently left behind Greek, Sinon -- and despite the warning of other Trojans, took it to be a religious statue; and, not a special-forces invasion ploy.
Perhaps, if instead of letting the statue stand untouched overnight as they celebrated their seeming victory over the Greeks, the Trojans had set it afire, the relative CD-status described in the previous paragraph would have been otherwise.
For examples and to pursue these issues, see Evaluating Learner Strengths and Weaknesses: the Impediments of Formalism )
Labels: AI, concept, dysfunction, efficiency, specificity, strengths, stringency
DISCRIMINATION: WHO DESERVES PROTECTION? by Gary K...
Stringencies Generate Dysfunctions: why things can...