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Hales Fund Iceland
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Reflections for Future Hales Fund Trips
ttierney August 26th, 2009
Reflections for subsequent Hales Fund trips: what was good, what could be better
1) Group size: For a self-directed group, six people should be the maximum. It allowed us to have real conversations with our contacts rather than meetings, and also meant that we could all travel in one minivan. Groups around this size also allowed for diversity of opinions, disciplinary approaches and areas of interest and expertise. (Note from China group: 3 was not too few.)
2) Scheduling: Unstructured time is good for processing what the group is learning. Travel can also be physically exhausting, so don't overschedule. For example: We arrived in Reykjavik at 6:30 am on Tuesday, dropped our luggage at the guesthouse, located breakfast, visited the national museum, met up with Wooster folks, took a dip in one of the geothermal pools, and then had a lengthy and intense dinner conversation with one of our contacts (who delayed going on vacation to meet with us) – then finally went to sleep and awoke for an 8:00 am breakfast meeting with our next contact. From that meeting – for which, to our regret, we allotted too little time – we went on to tour a geothermal plant, go on a three-hour hike, and drive several hundred kilometers to our next destination. We crammed a lot in because of our limited time in Iceland, but we do not recommend setting this pace for very long! (Note from China group: our experience was similar, but overscheduling may be inevitable if you're trying to maximize your time!)
3) Plans: Be flexible and have some ideas for backup plans. One of our Iceland contacts canceled on us, but we were able to put the day to even better use. (Note from China group: This can be hard to achieve, but being prepared to cope with schedule changes is an important mental characteristic.)
4) Group process: Everyone contributed to the planning by pursuing their individual interests in finding background reading, contacts, and suggesting sites to visit. Then by sharing that information in regular meetings, we were able to refine our plans by consensus. This process continued as members took it upon themselves to become resources for the group. For example, members worked on diverse areas of interest such as Danish or Icelandic language, the Icelandic and Danish culture, the Icelandic sagas, environmental science, and travel logistics. Owing to the environmental impact of hydroelectric and geothermal power, it would have been helpful to have a greater background in the flora, fauna and geology of Iceland. (From China group: yes, each person should find a way to utilize their own interests and connections. This makes for a better trip that is more than a tourist experience, and makes it more likely that the trip can have lasting impact.)
5) Focus: Try to focus your interests as early as possible during the year, preferably before booking air travel. We thought that our focus in Iceland would be deforestation, the issue discussed by Jared Diamond. However, after booking the trip we learned that there is now tremendous controversy in Iceland over the construction of huge hydroelectric plants that have destroyed or will destroy precious natural areas. The more we learned about this, the more we wanted to spend time there to investigate further, but our travel arrangements couldn't be changed.
5) Blogging: We had some problems due to lack of Internet access, and to how complicated we found it to blog from multiple computers and to use Flickr and YouTube. (We are wondering whether it wouldn't be just as simple to post everything on Woodle.) But if the blog continues to be the communication mode of choice, we have a few suggestions:
* Perhaps IT could investigate what is the best technology to use. We had talked about a satellite link, but there wasn't enough lead time to arrange it. Other alternatives are updating the blog from a BlackBerry or iPhone. (Bill's wife was following another blog updated with those, and says that they were frequently and easily updated.)
* The group as a whole should get more comprehensive instruction in creating and using the blog.
* Everyone in the group should have a laptop and be registered as an administrator for the blog.
* IT should do a dry run with the group to make sure all plug-ins work the way they are supposed to.
Follow-up suggestion: investigate alternatives to blogging, such as twitter. It would also be useful to have some guidance about the content for a good blog entry.
6) Equipment: We did not use the video flip cams. We were able to take brief videos with our own digital cameras and that was sufficient. If producing a video is part the intended focus of the group, then the proper equipment, instruction in its use and in editing should be done well in advance. Producing even a short video will significantly alter the group's activities and will be time intensive.
7) Handling money:
* Have the group's "treasurer" get a CapitolOne credit card – the only card that doesn't charge up to a 3% foreign transaction fee. Otherwise you risk attack from a large band of Vikings. ("What's in your wallet?")
* Have a backup credit card just in case.
* Everyone should inform their credit card companies in advance of their travel destinations, to avoid blocks on their accounts.
* Set up a PIN for any credit card you intend to use. This was generally required at self-service machines (gas pumps, train tickets, grocers, etc.). Some locations required a special security chip which our US cards apparently do not have.
* The group should also have at least two ATM cards to be sure that cash is accessible if the credit cards don't work. Check carefully – some of these have foreign transaction fees as well.
(Note from China group: money issues will differ in different parts of the world. If you anticipate using ATMs, make sure you know your PIN number and not just by the spatial arrangement of the numbers, which may change! We like the idea of having one person be primarily responsible for the financial arrangements, if someone is willing to take that on, to make the procedure for reimbursements work more clearly.)
Iceland, Denmark, and… Akron!
jfriedman August 16th, 2009
Joan: After visiting European sites using sustainable energy, we were eager to see an example of something in the US, so we took a local excursion and had a guided tour of the new Summit County Metro Transit Center in Akron. The center opened this past January and uses both solar and geothermal energy. It's a very impressive structure that is expected to receive LEED Gold certification.
The roof holds 435 photovoltaic solar cells, which generate nearly 40% of the building's energy needs.
Twenty-five wells drilled to a depth of just over 300 feet bring up ground water, heated naturally to a temperature of 62 degrees, into a heat exchanger that heats air which is then pumped through the building. Thus during cold weather only a small amount of additional heating is needed; during hot weather, no additional cooling is needed. Sensors in the building optimize the system's energy use. The initial construction was somewhat more expensive than an old-style bus station, but they will recoup the costs in about 10 years because operating costs are significantly lower.
Metro planners thought carefully about conserving resources and protecting the environment:
· They used recycled concrete for the building's base.
· They recycled about 75% of their construction waste.
· The roof captures rainwater, which is then used for watering the landscaping and flushing toilets.
· They installed waterless urinals, saving 40,000 gallons/year.
· In a few locations they installed test slabs of permeable concrete, which allows water to filter through into the ground. Permeable concrete prevents runoffs which overload drains and send untreated water into sensitive waterways (in Akron, the still-recovering Cuyahoga River); it also prevents depletion of aquifers. However, Metro planners need to be know how it behaves under winter conditions before using it on a large scale.
The Transit Center currently serves both the county bus system and Greyhound, and was located by the old rail line to allow for integrated mass transportation. We learned, however, that if Ohio gets its proposed Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati rail link, it will most likely run through Mansfield rather than Akron, because the track is in better shape on that route.
Land based wind turbines on Samso
ttierney August 4th, 2009
Dale and I rode our bikes around the largest land-based wind turbine installation early one morning. It was quite windy, and the noise of the turbines was difficult to distinguish from the wind itself. One of the aesthetic problems associated with the land-based turbines is the strobe-like shadow they cast. In the following video, Dale pans from a pig-raising facility, which was abandoned after the closing of the island's slaughterhouse, to the nearby turbine installation. In the video, you can see the shadow of the turbines on the trees. Turbines are placed to avoid casting such shadows on residential buildings. Each of the turbines in this video is located on a separate farm, and is owned by an individual farmer. Other turbines are owned by groups of individuals.
Dale's reflections on light and space in Iceland
ttierney July 21st, 2009
Reflections on space and light in Iceland:
Iceland's landscape strikes me as a kind of inspiration for organic minimalism. The space where the land meets the sea, and sea meets the sky forms a double horizon line. The textures of the lava fields, volcanic rocks, and glacial gravel do not create the kind of places you'd want to spread out your blanket for a picnic.
The houses squat low on the landscape, hunkering down in the thin veneer of volcanic soil, much like the early Viking long houses. These old shelters were almost, subterranean, built of turf because construction materials were scarce and winters were fierce. Many of the today's farms are white, contrasting with the green valleys and dark basaltic cliffs. In the cities, buildings are often painted bright yellows, oranges and blues, as if in defiance of the short sunless days of winter but also in celebration of the long days of the artic summer.
Galvanized steel forms a corrugated exoskeleton on many of the buildings.
The light of summer is long and clean. What's most striking is the twilight that extends well past midnight, in a slow pastel waltz from orange, to pink, to purple.
Iceland's sparseness fills the eye.
Bill's biking reflections
Biking in Iceland & Denmark
* While bicycle riders were relatively common in Reykjavik, I was surprised by their relatively free style. Riders generally seemed to prefer riding on the sidewalk, but then would jump out onto the street when pedestrians blocked their way. It made for an interesting (and slightly dangerous) mix as bikers weaved their way through foot and auto traffic (all without helmets).
* Outside of the capital city of Iceland, the casual bike rider of the city was replaced by more serious road bike warriors. Piled high with camping gear and supplies, teams of these two wheel Winnebagos were interspersed along the vast stretches of the Ring Road (Route 1), the mostly two lane highway that circumscribes the country. In the parking lots of state parks and roadside shops, we had a chance to marvel at the ingenuity and care in packing ones belongings for the week.
* Copenhagen certainly lived up to its reputation as one of the friendliest bike cities in Europe. The main boulevards were lined with bike lanes that had their own special traffic lights! At most times, the number of people on bike equaled or exceeded those in cars.
Interestingly, the same maladaptive behaviors encountered with car drivers were observed by bicycle riders. This included riders merrily chatting on their cell phone or listening to their iPod nano, which they held in one hand, while steering with the other (again all without helmets).
* In the leisurely resort towns of Samso, bikes again abounded on the small, two-lane country roads that winded between towns. Here we were finally able to rent our own bikes to explore the country side and small towns of the island.
Coffee with Søren Hermansen 7.20.09
Mareike:
Why are green projects more successful in some areas and not in others?
One of the highlights of our visit to Samsø was a half-hour conversation with the passionate and captivating leader Søren Hermansen and his equally passionate partner, photographer Meline Lundén. They pointed out that on Samsø they took a holistic approach that he described as an "energy democracy." Firstly, Denmark is not a producer of fossil fuel based energy (like the U.S. and GB), which means that no-one is lobbying the government and they did not have to overcome inertia created by existing energy interests. As far back as the 1970s, the Danish government has been supporting alternative energy by supporting research in sustainable energy use. They, like many other Northern European countries, are also used to high taxes on gasoline to discourage overconsumption. By energy democracy he meant the participation of all constituents in shaping a shared vision of an economically and environmentally sustainable society. In this way, citizens have a moral and economic stake in the project and take ownership of the island. The Samsø project had an effective leadership team consisting of the charismatic, warm, dynamic Søren Hermanson and the technical brain Age … Søren and Meline … described their way of relating to the citizens as "embracing our community," with which they emphasized the importance of knowing their neighbors and building on their strengths. Søren characterized the U.S. as a nation with a great sense of humor, but as way behind the curve in renewable energy research and production despite its leadership. For example, the carpenter Michael, who often upgrades homes to make them more energy efficient, talked about how inefficient he found American building methods on a recent visit to Akron, and this despite all the available know-how and the wealth of materials. (And the American carpenters knew that it was inefficient, which is even sadder.) When Søren visited Greensburg, KS, the town that got nearly destroyed in a tornado and decided to rebuild as a green community, he suggested to them that they build a communal district heating and cooling plant. He ran into huge resistance and found the citizens horrified of such a "socialist" (our phrase) endeavor. This is interesting considering that in America, there are many existing forms of cooperative arrangements, e.g. in the agricultural sector, but Americans seem to have an almost instinctive resistance/fear of the IDEA of cooperative activities. This is a good example of a point Jan made during his lecture about the importance of the deep local knowledge of the culture where projects are initiated – and of Søren's point about "embracing the community."
Visit to Samso Energy Academy 7.20.09
Tom (7.20.09)
After a very hearty breakfast at the Sommer Pension, we rode our bikes a short distance to the Energiakademi of Samso, where we met Jan Jantzen, the Education Director of the academy. [Jan with Wooster swag] Jan greeted us outside, and explained that the Academy's main building was designed on the model of a Viking long hall – i.e., one long, open room. The south-facing roof of the building is clad in photovoltaic solar panels, which provide much of the electricity used by the 6 full-time employees of the Academy. A short, but safe, distance from the main building is a hydrogen plant, which separates water into oxygen and hydrogen molecules, which are stored in hydrogen fuel cells. he Academy plans on building 4 additional "guest houses" that will allow the many visitors to the Academy to stay on the grounds.
Once inside, Jan explained the background behind Samso's attempt to become a "carbon neutral" island. In the late 1990s the Danish government sponsored a contest, in which islands could submit plans for becoming self-sufficient in regard to energy consumption. A local farmer brought this contest to the attention of the citizens of Samso, and the effort was spearheaded by two individuals – Soren Hermanson and Age Johnsen . Through a series of public meetings, and the help of a consulting firm Plant Energy, the 4000+ citizens of Samso developed a 10-year plan to produce 100% of the island's energy from renewable sources – wind, solar, and biomass power. Samso won the contest, began implementing the project in 1997, and by 2005 had reached its goal of energy self-sufficiency. Currently the island uses renewable sources to produce 140% of the energy used. According to Danish law, any surplus energy produced by alternative energy sources must be purchased by the national energy company at the current rate charged to consumers, making this experiment in energy self-sufficiency a highly profitable endeavor.
The most noticeable feature of Samso's energy system is the 11 wind turbines that are spread across the island in groups of 5, 3, and 3. Each of these massive, slow-spinning turbines produces 1 megawatt of electricity. Less noticeable than the wind turbines are the 4 district heat plants that are scattered over the island. These heat plants use either straw or wood chips to heat water that is distributed to large groups of households, providing both heat and hot water. Some of the heat plants are supplemented by arrays of solar panels that heat water during the summer months, and each of the plants is backed up by an oil furnace in case the combination of biomass and solar power is insufficient during particular periods.
While the Samso energy experiment has been successful, the one "sore thumb" in the process was the failure to get the citizens of Samso to switch from traditional automobiles to electric cars. Once it became apparent that the project's plan to transform the transportation sector was a failure, the citizens decided to build 10 offshore wind turbines off the southwest side of the island. Each of these turbines produces 2.3 megawatts of electricity, which more than compensates for the non-renewable energy consumed by the gasoline and diesel engines of the many cars and trucks on the island. This offshore "wind farm" is the first thing one sees from the ferry from Kalundborg, on the mainland, to the island's ferry port at Kolby Kas.
In his morning presentation, Jan took great pains to dispel the media image of the Sams energy project as an idealistic, almost religious, movement. He emphasized that the overwhelming support of the citizens of Samso was based on a combination of environmental and economic motivations. Just prior to the Danish energy contest, Samso lost one of its primary employers, a slaughterhouse that employed over 100 people. The designers of the energy project presented it to the citizens as a form of economic development that could help keep residents of Samso on the island. The project designers worked hard to get local trades people involved in the project, training them to install highly efficient windows and doors in the older houses of the island, as well as geo-thermal heat pumps and solar panels on houses that were not part of the heating districts.
Jan also emphasized that the success of the project was largely attributable to the flexible approach taken in regard to funding the various forms of renewable energy production. Some of the land-based turbines are owned by individuals, while others are owned by private investors and investment groups. One of the land turbines is owned by the 1000+ individuals who bought stock in the turbine. The offshore turbines are also owned by an array of investors. The municipality of Samso invested in 5 of these offshore turbines, which now generate not just electricity, but a source of income that can be used for the benefit of all the island's inhabitants.
Our visit to Samso is a particularly appropriate bookend to our field trip. The bottom-up approach to energy development taken on Samso stands in stark contrast to the experience of Iceland, where the top-down approach to hydroelectric plans has generated an organized environmental resistance movement.
Joan's synagogue visit — Copenhagen
jfriedman July 20th, 2009
Joan: I left the group on Saturday morning and went to the city's only synagogue, built in 1833. As in most European synagogues these days, there was a security guard at the street entrance who questioned me politely but insistently and also searched my bag, to make sure that I was really there to attend the service and not blow it up. I generally avoid Orthodox synagogues because of the separate seating for women, but this was a rare and very moving opportunity to worship with one of the few Jewish communities on the continent whose liturgical traditions now are the same as they were before the Holocaust. Although there are a lot of newcomers to the community from eastern Europe and Israel, there are still substantial numbers whose families lived in Denmark before the war, since almost all of the 6500 Danish Jews were saved by the Danish underground and the population as a whole. The Danes were tipped off by someone within the Nazi hierarchy that a mass deportation was planned for early October 1943. In the space of a few nights the Jews were secretly transported to coastal villages and smuggled across to Sweden in fishing boats. The Danes also preserved the synagogue from destruction and kept all of its Torah scrolls and ritual objects safe.
Green Architecture Exhibit 7.18.09
ttierney July 20th, 2009
Green Architecture for the Future: Melissa
Upon recommendation from Martha Lewis, the gang headed north to see a special exhibit on "green architecture" at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It was fortuitous for us that this exhibit was on display when we were visiting! Unlike many of the world's renowned art museums, Louisiana is not located in an urban setting, but in a quaint town (Humlebaek) 35 km north of Copenhagen. We even stopped to pick some wild red raspberries on the walk from the train station to the museum.
The green architecture exhibit was divided into three themes: "the city", "climate/energy", and "metabolism". In "the city" section, the idea of compact, dense city centers was emphasized as the most sustainable way for cities to grow. Interestingly, this was the layout of many medieval towns. Projects proposed included CO2 and garbage-free cities. The only U.S. city profiled in this section was Philadelphia where urban voids are being filled with ecological corridors to provide residents with greener ways to come together.
Comfort is a main concern when utilizing sustainable architecture. Thus, the "climate/energy" portion emphasized the green architects' uses of cues from the human senses to create the perfect balance of comfort with efficient energy conditions. In addition, special climate and energy conditions inspire architects to design site-specific buildings that adapt to the actual surroundings. Incidentally, the RiverPark Development in Pittsburgh was the (only) U.S. example of a site-specific climatic design. This design featured buildings staggered in a manner that will incorporate buffers from blustery winds, while allowing ample sunlight to penetrate at ground level.
The final section, "metabolism," described the use of material and new design parameters in sustainable architecture. "Cradle-to-Cradle" is a philosophy that mimics nature in which the concept of waste does not exist. Similarly, designers are working to create products in which nothing goes to waste. In the same vein, architects are starting to question whether when designing a structure, does it have to last forever? Or "should the building only stand for 25 years and then automatically be broken down into fish feed, or should the building be programmed to change its function for the generations of the future?" (R&Sie laboratory architects) The museum featured a prototype of such a limited time-span, biodegradable structure that was constructed of a biopolymer (no petrochemicals). The biopolymer will degrade over time with addition of water to become fish food. In six months, half of the prototype will be degraded.
Dale's comment on the Green Architecture for the Future Exhibit 7/18: The exhibit sits at an interesting spatial intersection. Its not located in a large city or housed in a museum of science or industry. The exhibit, is however, is in a small town, on the coast, in a park, facing the sea, where wind, sun, sky, land and water meet. The exhibits of contemporary artists within the museum are opposite floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which also face out into the park. One is aware of both artistic inspiration and natural harmony
Additionally, only the environmentally sensitive art exhibits are air-conditioned. As a result, outside air drifts through the galleries.
The Green Architecture exhibit itself merges with the galleries, further blurring the boundaries between art, science, architecture and environmentalism. It is a subtle but effective way for us to think, not in terms of compartmentalizing these perspectives, but intuitively understanding them through their spatial relationships, and as multiple, interrelated ways we might relate to our world.
Copenhagen, Day 1 – meeting with Martha Lewis 7.17.09
(Joan): Believe it or not, we are once again having internet connection problems. The internet connection in our apartment is broken, so we´re sitting in a public internet linkup in the main railroad station, and the guy right next to me is smoking like a chimney, so I may have to cut this short. We arrived in Copenhagen, where there are already a noticeable number of advertisements in the airport for products and services claiming to be eco-friendly, all linking thmselves to the upcoming climate summit here. There is certainly a great deal more environmental consciousness here than in Iceland. The tourist guides prominently feature organic restaurants, eco-friendly shopping, and more.
Our first meeting on arrival was with Martha Lewis, whose father Arn is an emeritus Wooster faculty member in art history. Martha is an architect and works for a firm here that specializes in environmentally sensitive architecture. We met her at her office, where she had prepared for us a detailed presentation about a huge project the firm is working on in Hamburg. We learned a tremendous amount in a very short time about the kinds of considerations that go into designing and building this sort of structure. Among other things, Martha had reservations about US LEED certification, which is granted to a building based on adherence to a checklist of criteria in construction, but which does not require any sort of assessment to see if the completed structure meets its planned specifications. The German standard is far stricter; a building receives provisional certification as environmentally friendly on the basis of its design, but then there has to be an inspection after a certain period to make sure that it is actually as energy-friendly as claimed. [Addendum 24.7.09: Amyaz Moledina from Economics just sent us a link to a press release from the US Green Building Council, saying that LEED certification will now include post-construction evaluation. Thanks, Amyaz!]
She also explained to us that the certification process involves five separate categories, of which energy efficiency is only one. The others are: type of materials used; human health and comfort; low maintenance and operation costs; and public access to the facility. A project can choose to go for certification in some or all of the categories. She also told us that in the architectural world there has been a revolution in thinking just within the last two years with regard to environmentally sensitive building. Firms and clients are taking it much more seriously, and there have been numerous advances in concepts and designs. She recommended that we see a special exhibit at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art on eco-friendly architecture; we'll report on that in our next post.
We were exhausted after our strenuous hiking, long drive back from Skaftafells, and only three hours of sleep before getting up to catch our flight, so after our wonderful meeting with Martha we had a relaxed evening walking around Copenhagen. Melissa would like to say that while Reykjavik is a cat city, Copenhagen appears to be a dog city. Dogs are even allowed on trains. And I would like to note my particular delight at finding that the Pilsner Urquell served here is the real Czech beer, not the watered-down swill they export to the US.
Mareike 7.17.09
Mareike (7.19.2009)
It was a perfect confluence of personal and professional interests for our group to meet Martha Lewis, architect with Henning Larsen firm in Copenhagen, and daughter of professors emeritus, Arn and Beth Irwin Lewis. Martha explained that about 30-35% of total global emissions come from buildings (from heating, cooling, and lighting), which makes the design and the building of green buildings highly relevant to attaining the goal of a sustainable environment. One of her office's contracts has been to design the new Spiegel headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. It was fascinating to hear her talk about how the client was swayed to aim for the highest certification level (on a 5-star system) they could afford.
I am interested in what makes a company like the Spiegel want to go for green when they commission a new building. Many of the ideas that were eventually realized came from the architecture firm's proposals. In this particular case, the city of Hamburg also set certain standards or goals for the development of the entire area (Hafen City) – without imposing the particular ratings. The client is always moved by financial concerns, by peer/social pressures, and by ideological and perhaps even ethical concerns. The social pressures here are interesting: the star system rewards sustainable building and it becomes almost like a competition for prestigious institutions like this news magazine for highly educated readers to go for 5, whenever they can. And since Spiegel prides itself on a high degree of social awareness and is closely allied with Germany's media capital of Hamburg, which is located on the Elbe river, one of Germany's largest rivers, it makes sense that the publisher would attempt to merge social with natural spaces in a sustainable way.
Sonam on Iceland, Denmark, and… Akron!
win A free apple watch on First Day in Reykjavik
this post on Reykjavik: What we learned from the pastor
Jaxon on Green Architecture Exhibit 7.18.09
free coupon on Where We Are
Alcoa Dreamlands Hofn hydroelectric Iceland Karahnjukar Samso
Weblog authors are solely responsible for the content and accuracy of their weblogs, including opinions they express, and the College of Wooster, disclaims any and all liability for that content, its accuracy, and opinions it may contain. Hales Fund Iceland. © 2020 All rights reserved.


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Singaporeans share past exam scores and achievements to prove results 'don't necessarily determine your future'
As more and more Singaporean kids are pressured to obtain top scores in exams and are made to feel that their success in life hinges on their test results, those who have since left behind their schooldays are telling them otherwise.
After the results of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) came out recently, Syed Khairudin Aljunied, who is currently an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), decided to write a Facebook post sharing his average PSLE score, which went viral.
In the post, Khairudin encouraged others to join in to "give hope and motivation to the young ones that PSLE scores don't necessarily determine your future".
The PSLE is the examination taken by all sixth-year primary school pupils to determine whether they qualify for secondary school.
Pupils are given an aggregate three-digit score across subjects, and a score below 200 is widely considered poor.
Khairudin's post has since received over 3,400 reactions, and shared over 3,700 times.
Singaporeans from all walks of life, including business owners, engineers, athletes, and musicians all shared their stories and words of encouragement to pupils feeling discouraged over their PSLE results.
Even Ronny Xin, who is now a correspondent on popular U.S. talk/satire news program The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, chimed in.
Like many Asian nations, Singapore is known for its competitive education environment, where parents compare their children's test scores, and anything less than the best is considered "disappointing".
However, Singaporeans are pushing back against traditional expectations, and are calling for a more flexible education system.
In response, the government has revamped how the PSLE is scored to make it less rigid, which is planned to be implemented by 2021, and has gotten rid of the tradition of publishing the names and results of top scorers.
Singaporeans fight 'exam-shaming' by sharing scores and careers https://t.co/aexikOFcc9
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) November 28, 2016
Some ultra-competitive parents are still determined to compare their children's results, though, which led to the creation of Kiasuparents.com. ("Kiasu" is a Chinese word in the Hokkien dialect meaning "afraid to lose".)
On the day the PSLE results were released, thousands of parents swarmed to the site to check the highest scores by school, causing it to crash, reported Today Online.
In October, locals were shocked after news that an 11-year-old boy allegedly committed suicide by jumping out the window of a high-rise apartment due to poor test results and concern over his parents' reaction.
South Korea goes silent as teens across the country sit for college entrance exam
Chinese city bans students from ripping up textbooks for exam stress relief

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Join us for a fun filled day of classic cars and great company! We added a new class in the stock category this year for cars '86 thru '04. This was a request from those that wanted to show off their special ride that is aging beautifully. All classes judged by the public with the exception of the Judges Choice - Best in Show Trophy! Enter to win prizes from our vendors that are just for the car show entrants. Follow the link on our website to download the entry form or show up Saturday morning! See you there.


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Characters, Characters (2011 film), Deceased characters, Victims of Griggs-Thing
The Thing (2011 film)
Jan Gunnar Røise
Thule Station Crew
Deceased, partially assimilated by Griggs-Thing and subsequently blown up
Olav was a Norwegian researcher stationed at the Norwegian Antarctic research station, Thule Station. The character appears in the 2011 film The Thing and was portrayed by actor Jan Gunnar Røise.
Olav was part of a three-man research team (the others being Peder and Lars) which discovered an extraterrestrial spacecraft buried in the ice, when their Snowcat plunged into a crevasse. Following the discovery a combined team of Norwegians and Americans exhumed the craft's frozen passenger and returned to Thule Station to celebrate. However, during the festivities the creature escapes from its icy prison and search parties are organized to track it down. Partnered with Henrik Larsen, the pair find the creature lurking underneath a hut and attempt to raise the alarm - but not before the Thing attacks and kills Larsen in front of him. Following the experience, Olav is left severely traumatized and plans are drawn up by American helicopter pilot Sam Carter to fly the Norwegian to McMurdo Station for medical treatment.
However, as they are lifting off Kate Lloyd immediately began to flag them down after finding evidence that someone had been assimilated by the shape-shifting creature. Initially hesitant, Carter eventually decides to land his chopper. Visibly distraught, Olav is reassured by fellow passenger Griggs, who is quickly revealed to be an imitation and begins to violently transform in front of the screaming Norwegian. In the chaos, the helicopter rapidly begins to spin out of control and disappears amid the mountain-range behind the Outpost. He and his attacker are assumed to have been destroyed in the crash.
Retrieved from "https://thething.fandom.com/wiki/Olav?oldid=12843"
Characters (2011 film)
Victims of Griggs-Thing


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Udall, Heinrich Urge Increased Resources for U.S. Businesses Trading with Mexico
WASHINGTON D.C. - In a letter sent today to the Department of Commerce International Trade Administration, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich urged the Acting Undersecretary for International Trade to improve relations with Mexico in trade, export and manufacturing by increasing funds for state and local agencies that provide resources and guidance to American businesses trading with Mexico.
Mexico is the United States' third largest trading partner and was the largest buyer of New Mexico products in 2015. The volume of trade between New Mexico and Mexico has grown rapidly since 2005, but the federal resources allocated to facilitating commerce with Mexico have not matched this growth, particularly compared to nations with smaller trade volume.
"Improving the capacity of our companies and state and local governments to do business in Mexico is critical to the nation's economic security," said Udall and Heinrich in the letter. They also noted, "Trade with Mexico is particularly important to New Mexico, and we ask that you improve support for New Mexico's businesses that engage in commerce across the border."
The recommendations from the letter build on New Mexico residents' statewide call for growing the border economy with Mexico. In May 2016, over 200 New Mexico residents came together for a state economic development town hall led by the nonpartisan nonprofit New Mexico First. Town hall participants recommended that policymakers and business leaders work together to develop a statewide supply chain program to recruit suppliers to New Mexico, and connect them with industries on the U.S side of the border that export to Mexico.
Heather Balas, New Mexico First executive director, said: "Town hall participants recognized the good work that is already being done in New Mexico's border communities, and with additional support they feel much more can be done."
Additionally, the lawmakers recommend opening a U.S. Commercial Service Office in Chihuahua, Mexico, to provide a resource center closer to the border that would be available to assist New Mexico businesses begin exporting or increase exports to Mexico.
Full text of the letter below and here:
Dear Mr. Hyatt:
We write to urge the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration (ITA) to increase federal resources available to local and state agencies that facilitate cooperation with Mexico in trade, export and manufacturing. Mexico is our southern neighbor and third largest global trading partner. Improving the capacity of our companies and state and local governments to do business in Mexico is critical to the nation's economic security.
Trade with Mexico is particularly important to New Mexico, and we ask that you improve support for New Mexico's businesses that engage in commerce across the border. The volume of exports from our state has grown over 300 percent since 2005, and Mexico was the largest export market for New Mexico products in 2015. Despite these figures, there are fewer International U.S. Commercial Service Offices in Mexico compared to other countries with a smaller trade volume. There are five International U.S. Commercial Service Offices five in Brazil and seven in India, while there are only three in Mexico. Furthermore, these offices are located in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara leaving a gap in northern Mexico, closest to the border.
In 2014, a report by the Government Accountability Office found that the Department had weaknesses in fulfilling responsibilities to promote exports in collaboration with state and local agencies [GAO-14-393]. The GAO recommended that the ITA improve implementation of Export Outreach Teams, enhance interagency collaboration on export promotion with nonfederal entities, and increase information sharing with state and local trade offices. Just recently, GAO informed us that after two and a half years, these recommendations remain unchanged and will remain open until there are positive outcomes.
We request that the ITA take action to fulfill its mission to help U.S. organizations compete in northern Mexico. First, we support and urge you to meet the GAO's recommendations to increase collaboration on export promotion with nonfederal entities in New Mexico including organizing trade missions. To further this mission, we request that you reestablish the Mexico Business Information Center, staffed by ITA Trade Specialists and discontinued after 2014, which served as an important way for businesses and local governments to receive information on trade with Mexico.
Second, in the long term, we ask that you contribute resources to the establishment of a U.S. Commercial Service Office in the northern Mexico, such as Chihuahua. We recognize that there are important security issues that must be considered when opening a new office, but we firmly believe that the investment will be worth it in order to fully support U.S. companies doing business in these areas.
These requests are consistent with New Mexico residents' statewide call for growing the border economy with Mexico. In May 2016, over 200 New Mexico residents came together for a state economic development town hall led by nonpartisan nonprofit New Mexico First. Town hall participants recommended that policymakers and business leaders work together to develop a statewide supply chain program to recruit suppliers to New Mexico, and connect them with industries on the U.S side of the border that export to Mexico. New Mexico state and local government agencies, and local business and industrial associations can be credited for working together to leverage economic growth opportunities along the border, bringing and keeping jobs in New Mexico. With the support of the ITA, they can do more.
Thank you for your all that you do to strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promote trade and investment, and ensure fair trade. Your work fulfills the goal of the U.S. government to build connections rather than barriers with our international partners.
Tom Udall
Martin Heinrich


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Pole Position – Lee Hutzulak's Subtle Street Campaigns
I first saw Lee's work in the window of the late, lamented Dunn & Rundle Camera store on Granville Street in 2004. His detailed, highly personal photographs focused on the detritus of working life and urban surroundings. He had a rare and sensitive eye and a particular fondness for subtle greys. I subsequently tracked him down and ended up commissioning him for much delightful editorial work for the print version of Vancouver Review (2004 – 2011). He worked quickly, intuitively and always delivered something perfectly out of left field to illustrate a piece.
He is also a musician and the driving force behind an entity known as Dixie's Death Pool which began life in Calgary in 1991. Now it's impossible to keep track of the genres and musical configurations that bear the Hutzulak imprint.
To this day I am always taken with his posters. Originally designed to promote DDP gigs they've since become key to announcing exhibitions of his paintings and drawings under the "Leisure Thief" brand.
As a collector and designer of concert posters, I always keep an eye out for distinctive, consistent and effective work. Lee's posters differ from most in that they feel like they are straining to contain some sort of colourful spirit just long enough to get your attention, make you seek out the essential information, then invite you to stand back and luxuriate in the texture, atmosphere and delicious oddness. Mostly he uses his own highly distinctive drawings and paintings but he also very effectively uses found materials and, lesser frequently, photography.
Lee is also obscenely prolific. He's always painting, drawing and gigging and by the time you read this there will be another entire body of work floating around. But let's at least focus some attention on some of Lee's rather randomly selected "greatest hits" of the last 20 years! They aren't produced in quantity and are snapped up quickly. We sat down last summer to talk posters … and I made sure I scored a few remaining copies of some favourites for the collection!
LH: "When I was in high school in Calgary I would take the train down to Stampede Station and get off walk up 17th Ave. It had a kind of vibe like Main Street. There were record stores and clubs like The Republic and The Ship and Anchor. I'd walk along to my high school and collect the coolest posters made by this theatre company called One Yellow Rabbit (coincidentally a group I'd done some video work for in the early 90s – ed.) and my room was wallpapered top to bottom with gig posters. I'd never heard the bands but most of the cool stuff did come from Vancouver. I had posters for Animal Slaves gigs long before I'd even been to a live show. I used to carefully remove the posters stapled on the wooden poles."
MM: Ah yes, the poles. I recently had to pry some posters for a Luna gig in Seattle off a sodden pole that was encrusted with staples through layers of poster paper. And it was pouring out. Fun times! There are only a few areas left in Seattle where you can poster and the south end of Capitol Hill is one of them. But there's been a postering renaissance in Vancouver fueled in part by the proliferation of city-managed pole display, construction boom hoarding supply and a general willingness of businesses to allow on-premises postering. It also helps that design standards have improved over the years. However, unlike, say, Germany or Holland our still largely design-illiterate coastal culture ensures that a smart, well designed poster will easily stand out. Lee's posters work because there is a rare blend of whimsy, perverse humour and a clever design strategy. It helps that that there are no labels or PR types to interfere. But still, you need to get these things seen by the right people.
LH: "The poles in Vancouver are controlled by "the poster machine". And if you're doing a run of 20 you're not going to waste them on poles anyway. You've gotta find windows and prime spots where there are no other posters."
MM: Your own paintings and illustrations aside, what are some design influences?
LH: "It's pretty all over the place as you can see! In terms of posters and graphic design? Why not Russian Constructivism (laughs)! It's probably gotten less experimental as I've gone on. I usually start with a painting, find a font that suits the band so its probably influenced more by the software. There's a formula in there somewhere."
"What inspired me to start making posters again was getting Dixie's Death Pool together again and needing to find something that suits the sound of the band. The Lido pub down the street here and the China Cloud are the places I play so I also design to reinforce a sense of community around those places as well. It's important. And it all goes back to what I like about music; playing live, making a poster, a t-shirt and recording and doing a cover for an album. The whole creative world of music encompasses graphic design."
MM: Postering strategy is important. We use Silver Fox for the Friends of Chamber Music posters I design but I've done my time street postering for my own projects as well. What's your favoured route?
LH: "I poster a lot around Main Street so places like Our Town, Gene, and Budgie's. Budgie's displays posters using clothes pegs and wire so if you collect posters you can get them after the show in perfect shape. And also Cartem's Donuts where I'm a regular customer. They've also hosted a show of my paintings. There's also a nice big poster board at SFU Woodward's. But Emily Carr is the BEST because there are all these white walls and there are no rules! It's like the wild west at this point. You can put them wherever you want and they look awesome! Being close to an art college has been a real inspiration and since it's opened nearby I've started really getting into making posters again and hand silk screening some of them."
MM: You also seem to use a fairly consistent branding system across all your work.
"It's been important for me to develop logos. I've developed a sort of code. Mozart used a K followed by a number to denote many of his pieces. I'm going with NGC for "New General Catalogue". So on my posters you first see the business logo featuring an elephant (Leisure Thief), then a crown, then followed by NGC and the date. I just like putting logos on things. It makes them look official…and then there's the micro type that you're not even meant to read!"
Lee's posters can be found in unlikely places around town at unpredictable intervals … but you can check out his site here:
https://leehutzulak.com/
and a piece I did on his recent Cartem's Donuts show here:
http://www.gallerieswest.ca/magazine/stories/art-or-an-apple-fritter/
Absorbing Languages with Cellist Ari Barnes
forever after – Mark Takeshi McGregor
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British novice surfer punches shark on the snout to escape
The attack off the Australian coast left Charlie Fry with superficial puncture wounds on his right shoulder and upper arm
A novice surfer mastered a professional's move on his first try: He punched a shark on the snout to escape its jaws.
The attack on Monday afternoon off the coast of New South Wales, Australia, left Charlie Fry with superficial puncture wounds on his right shoulder and upper arm.
A British doctor who arrived in Australia two months ago to work, Dr Fry said on Tuesday he had recently watched a YouTube video in which Australian professional surfer Mick Fanning described his escape from a great white during a surfing competition in 2015.
"So when it happened, I was like: 'Just do what Mick did. Just punch it in the nose,'" Dr Fry said.
"So Mick, if you're watching or listening, I owe you … Thank you very much."
Dr Fry, a 25-year-old beginner - who are referred to as 'shark biscuits' in some surfing circles - was in the water with three friends when he was attacked off Avoca Beach, 90 kilometres north of Sydney.
"I was out surfing and I got this massive thud on my right-hand side; it completely blindsided me," Dr Fry said.
"I thought it was a friend goofing around. I turned and I saw this shark come out of the water and breach its head," he said.
"So I just punched it in the face with my left hand and then managed to scramble back on my board, shout at my friends, and luckily a wave came, so I just sort of surfed the wave in."
Read more: Professional surfer fights off shark attack during competition on live television
Dr Fry said he was not conscious of his injured and bleeding arm until he reached the shore.
"I didn't really notice it at the time because when you're surfing, all I'm thinking was: 'I'm about to die. I'm literally about to die'."
"So I thought … 'get in as fast as possible, ride the wave for as long as you can and then just start paddling for your life'," he said.
Dr Fry's friends drove him to Gosford Hospital, where they worked, to be treated. The beach was closed for 24 hours.
Lifeguards spotted the three-metre shark that attacked Dr Fry close to shore and would use drones on Tuesday to check that it had left the area, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Dr Fry said he could not return to the ocean for a week because of his injuries, but "after then, I'll be racing to get back in".
Fanning was competing at the J-Bay Open in South Africa two years ago when he was knocked off his board by a shark and escaped unscathed. The video of the attack and Fanning speaking about it has been viewed more than 24 million times on YouTube.
Giant hailstones and 'apocalyptic' dust storms batter Australia
Flooding dampens joy of heavy rain in Australia
Heavy rains bring relief to Australia's fire-stricken east
Bushfires threaten to change Australia's ecosystems 'forever'
Australia wildfire smoke set to make full circuit of the earth
Japan sees no increase in risk to its Gulf oil flows
Adani coal mine contract a 'mistake', Siemens CEO says
Australia establishes wildlife recovery fund after bushfires
Palestinian-Australian gives out breathing masks to fire fighters
Australian bushfires merge into 'mega blaze' as weather worsens


Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH will have its own exhibition booth at the Power Semiconductor User Forum, which will be held at the Munich Conference Center from Wednesday, November 22, to Thursday, November 23, 2017.
Europe's third largest distributor of electronic components will showcase its range of highly efficient power semiconductors, SiC (silicon carbide) technology and derivatives, MOSFETs, IGBTs, and IGBT modules. Under the slogan Facing the Future Efficiently with Rutronik Power), Rutronik will demonstrate its ability as a strong, expert partner in the power electronics sector.
The aim is to provide users with the most effective recommendation when choosing from the wide and innovative range of components. "We are delighted to be part of this major forum and to have the opportunity to meet suppliers and clients alike," says Gerald Zipfel from the Rutronik POWER Competence Center.
The forum provides users with information about the latest technologies and offers guidance on which products are best suited to their needs. Several lectures will be held on both days.
The user forum is organized by Markt & Technik and Design & Elektronik, two trade journals published by WEKA.


A seat on the Tecumseh board of education is now open.
Kody Smith, who previously served as vice president on the board, ended his five-year term on board seat four in April.
At the April 8 board meeting, Superintendent Tom Wilsie thanked Smith for his 13-years of service on the board.


text:
Midwest Airlines
For the Egyptian airline, see Midwest Airlines (Egypt).
Not to be confused with Air Midwest, a defunct regional U.S. airline.
YX MEP MIDEX
1984 (as Midwest Express Airlines)
Ceased operations
November 2010 (2010-11) (merged with Frontier Airlines)
General Mitchell International Airport (Milwaukee) Kansas City International Airport
Focus cities
Eppley Airfield (Omaha)
Midwest Miles
Company slogan
The Best Care in the Air
Republic Airways Holdings
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Bryan Bedford (Chairman, President and CEO)
Timothy E. Hoeksema (Former Chairman, President and CEO)
Midwest Airlines (formerly Midwest Express) was a U.S.-based airline and, for a short time, an operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin,[1] operating from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport. On April 13, 2010, parent company Republic announced that Midwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines would merge, with the Midwest brand disappearing in late 2011.[2]
Midwest Airlines' final flight operated with a Boeing 717-200 and staffed with Midwest Airlines flight crews landed in Milwaukee on November 2, 2009.[3] Effective November 3, 2009, Midwest Airlines ceased to exist as an actual operating airline (allowing its DOT air carrier operator certificate to lapse).
K-C Aviation
Midwest Airlines began its existence in 1948, when Kimberly-Clark began providing air transportation for company executives and engineers between the company's Neenah, Wisconsin headquarters and its mills. Operating out of the nearby Appleton International Airport, early employee shuttle destinations included Chicago O'Hare, Memphis, and Atlanta's Fulton County Airport.
In 1969, K-C Aviation was born from this, and was dedicated to the maintenance of corporate aircraft. K-C Aviation was sold in 1998 to Gulfstream Aerospace for $250 million; included were its operations in Appleton, Dallas, and Westfield, Massachusetts.[4]
Midwest Express
Ribbon-cutting scissors from the first flight event at Milwaukee's airport on June 11, 1984
After the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, Kimberly-Clark and K-C Aviation decided to form a regular scheduled passenger airline, and out of that initiative, Midwest Express began operations on June 11, 1984. At the time the airline had two Douglas DC-9-10 twin engine jets and 83 employees.[5] Early plans for the airline called for it to serve Appleton, Chicago, and Atlanta. Kimberly-Clark opted against this plan after local resistance over the carrier's desire to serve Atlanta's Fulton County Airport, which is a general aviation airport on the city's west side. From 1983 to 1985, the airline also operated a single Convair 580 twin turboprop aircraft provided by Kimberly-Clark's corporate aviation department.[6]
The airline slowly grew by adding additional DC-9 aircraft to its fleet, including larger McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jets, with a total of 24 by the end of 1996. Eventually, Midwest Express served most major Midwestern and East Coast destinations. Its longtime slogan, "The Best Care in the Air", represented its inflight product. For many years, all flights featured 2-by-2 leather seating (in aircraft usually fitted with 3-2 seating), ample legroom, complimentary gourmet meals, and warm chocolate chip cookies. This made the airline popular with business travelers. In addition, Midwest Express operated a sizable executive charter operation with a specially configured DC-9.
Douglas DC-9 Series 15 of Midwest Express arriving at Toronto Pearson Airport in 1999
In 1989, Midwest Express added two McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft to its fleet, eventually acquiring eleven additional aircraft between 1998 and 2001. These enabled the airline to expand services to the West Coast and Florida. The airline experienced steady growth and continued profitability, opening an additional hub in Omaha, Nebraska in early 1995. Midwest Express also started its own regional subsidiary, Skyway Airlines, The Midwest Express Connection, to provide commuter airline service to small communities in Wisconsin and the surrounding region. Kimberly-Clark relinquished its ownership in two initial public offerings on September 22, 1995 and May 8, 1996.[7] The airline's new parent company, Midwest Air Group, traded on the American Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "MEH."
Midwest Express also added Midwest Vacations in the 1990s, naming GOGO Worldwide Vacations as the original partner to provide hotel service[8] and later partnering with Mark Travel.[9] Midwest Airlines Vacations continues to operate as a vacation provider.
In 1997, according to the Midwest Express timetable, the airline was code sharing with Virgin Atlantic Airways for flights between London Heathrow Airport and Milwaukee and Kansas City with passengers connecting between the two air carriers in Boston.[10]
After fourteen years of profit-making, Midwest Express was affected with serious financial problems after the September 11 terrorist attacks. To return to profitability, the airline made major changes. The Omaha hub was reduced to a focus city in early 2002, with hub status transferred to Kansas City. Some MD-80 series aircraft were reconfigured into a new "Saver Service", featuring cloth coach seats in a 2-by-3 arrangement. Saver Service, while decreasing the width of the seats, continued to feature ample legroom. This service was initially offered from the Milwaukee and Kansas City hubs to leisure destinations such as Florida, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix on McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft. The airline's Signature Service was also affected by the financial difficulties. The signature gourmet meal services, which had been served on china after being cooked on board, were discontinued in 2002 and replaced with a buy-on-board product.
Midwest Express destinations in 1984
Midwest Express was serving the following destinations in October 1984:[11]
Appleton, WI (ATW)
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (DFW)
Newark, NJ (EWR)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE) - Hub & airline headquarters
By 1985, Atlanta (ATL) had been added to the route system with service to Newark being discontinued at this time and by 1986 flights had been begun to Madison, Wisconsin (MSN), New York City LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Washington D.C. National Airport (DCA).[12] All service was flown nonstop between Milwaukee and these destinations, with the exception of a nonstop route between Appleton and Newark in 1984 that had been discontinued by 1985.
The airline was serving the following destinations in June 2001:[13]
Columbus, OH (CMH)
Denver, CO (DEN)
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) - seasonal service
Fort Myers, FL (RSW) - seasonal service
Hartford, CT (BDL)
Kansas City, MO (MCI) - Focus city
Las Vegas, NV (LAS)
Madison, WI (MSN)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE) - Primary hub & airline headquarters
New Orleans, LA (MSY)
New York City, NY - LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Omaha, NE (OMA) - Secondary hub
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
Raleigh/Durham, NC (RDU)
San Antonio, TX (SAT)
San Francisco, CA (SFO) - seasonal service
Tampa, FL (TPA) - seasonal service
Washington, D.C. - Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Washington, D.C. - Reagan National Airport (DCA)
In early 2002 Kansas City became a secondary hub for the airline while Omaha became a focus city.
A Skyway Airlines Fairchild-Dornier 328JET painted in the colors of Midwest Connect at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI. SkyWest Airlines aircraft operated under contract to Midwest.
A Boeing 717 in the airline's final livery.
In 2002, the airline made another major change, shortening its name from Midwest Express to simply Midwest. A major reason for the change was the modern association of "express" with a regional airline, which Midwest was not. At the same time, Midwest's commuter airline subsidiary changed its name from Skyway Airlines, the Midwest Express Connection, to Midwest Connect. In a move to save money on jet fuel, the airline accelerated the replacement of DC-9 aircraft with the Boeing 717-200. On May 23, 2006, Midwest Airlines accepted one of the last two Boeing 717s delivered in a ceremony with AirTran Airways, who accepted the other 717. Midwest also announced that select MD-80 aircraft would leave the fleet.
In May 2005, Midwest announced a new buy-on-board meal service for customers. The new program was a change from the previous 'In-flight Cafe' and featured chefs and inspiration from the renowned Mader's restaurant. Chocolate chip cookies continued to be baked on the plane and served warm.
Midwest became the largest longstanding operation at Mitchell Airport and served 21 cities non-stop (serving San Antonio only through Kansas City), while its regional partner Skyway Airlines, operating as Midwest Connect, served nearly 30 destinations throughout the Central United States.
On May 17, 2007, Midwest Airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Northwest Airlines to form a code share agreement with them. The code share agreement added 250 city pairs and 1,000 new flight options for Midwest Airlines customers. Northwest routes that included the Midwest Airlines YX code were destinations beyond Northwest's hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis throughout the United States and Canada. Midwest placed its code on Northwest flights from Indianapolis, then a Northwest focus city, as well as a number of Northwest-operated flights to Hawaii and Alaska. Routes operated by Midwest Airlines that carried the NW Northwest code were flights that connected at Midwest's Milwaukee and Kansas City hubs, as well as Omaha, a Midwest focus city.[14] Northwest also code shared on Midwest Airlines-operated flights between Milwaukee and Kansas City to Atlanta, Boston, Hartford, Los Angeles and San Francisco that connected to the Northwest/KLM trans-Atlantic network and trans-Pacific network.
Midwest won more awards for exceptional service in Condé Nast Traveler magazine than any other U.S. airline, although it won no further awards from the magazine after ceasing to be an independent company.
Signature and Saver service added
On May 29, 2007, Midwest announced the next phase of the company's strategic plan, which offered customers the choice of Signature and Saver seating on all flights.[15] The dual-seating option, replacing the original 88-seat configuration, was available on the airline's Boeing 717s until their retirement. The same amenities were provided to all passengers in either cabin, including leather seats.
The new configuration consisted of 40 Signature leather seats, arranged in 10 rows of two-by-two, offering a 36" pitch and providing 2-3 more inches of legroom than the previous Signature seating,[16] and 59 Saver seats arranged two-by-three which the company claimed were among the roomiest coach seats in the industry.[17]
The company projected that the implementation of seating choices would generate $30–35 million in annualized revenue.[18]
The addition of 11 seats on each of the airline's 9 Boeing 717 aircraft would have reduced the airline's unit costs by increasing capacity 12.5%. Had the new seating configuration on the Boeing 717s been in effect in 2006, Midwest Airlines' cost per available seat mile excluding fuel of 7.22 cents would have been 6.77 cents, a 6.3% improvement.
Acquisition by TPG
In December 2006, AirTran Holdings Inc.—owner of AirTran Airways—made public that in December 2005 it had approached the Board of Directors of Midwest Air Group—owner of Midwest Airlines and Midwest Connect—and had asked the board to negotiate a sale of the company. That AirTran offer in 2005 was rebuffed by Midwest's board, which also rebuffed a second offer in late 2006. In December 2006, AirTran disclosed the rejection of both offers in hopes of bringing shareholder pressure on Midwest's board to reconsider, which the board recommended that shareholders reject.[19]
On August 12, 2007, it was announced that AirTran had lost the bid for Midwest. A private equity group, headed by TPG Capital and including Northwest Airlines, purchased Midwest and turned the airline into a privately funded company. The inclusion of Northwest in the investing partners required anti-trust review from the United States Department of Justice, which reviews all airline mergers.[20]
On August 14, 2007, AirTran increased its offer to the equivalent of $16.25 a share, slightly more than the $16 a share from TPG Capital investors group.[21] However, Midwest announced TPG would increase its offer to $17 per share and a definitive agreement had been reached late on August 16, 2007.[22]
On August 17, 2007 TPG and Northwest Airlines finalized their bid for Midwest with the final offer of $17 per share and a total deal of $450 million.
On February 1, 2008, Midwest Air Group announced that the US Department of Justice had cleared the acquisition of Midwest by TPG Capital and Northwest. This finalized the acquisition; trading of Midwest Air Group on the American Stock Exchange ceased at the end of the trading day on January 31, 2008, and stockholders in Midwest received the agreed-upon $17 per share. This ended the independent existence of Midwest Airlines.
In accordance with the rest of the airline industry during the oil price increases since 2003, Midwest Airlines was forced to cut back services. To do this, Midwest Airlines announced its intent to retire the 12 remaining McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets in its fleet. According to the company, the MD-80 was "a very fuel inefficient airplane and at the cost of fuel today it's just become economically infeasible to operate these planes." The MD-80s, and the crews that operated them, left Midwest in late 2008.[23]
TPG Capitals Midwest Air Group failed to pay a $3.3 million[24] receivable due the outsourced regional airline replacement for Skyway Airlines which previously d/b/a as Midwest Connect. SkyWest was due the amount by June 30, 2008 forcing SkyWest Airlines to record a full reserve and corresponding reduction in revenue during the second quarter of that year.
Additional changes were announced on September 3, 2008, when the airline announced that it had raised $60 million from TPG, Northwest Airlines, and Republic Airways Holdings. As part of the outsourcing deal, Republic Airlines operated 12 Embraer 170 aircraft under the Midwest Airlines brand, though Midwest had the option to convert the aircraft into a long-term lease and operate them directly. The airline also reached an agreement with Boeing Capital to return 16 Boeing 717s, leaving it at the time with a fleet of only 9 aircraft.[25]
Acquisition by Republic Airways Holdings
On June 23, 2009, Republic Airways Holdings, Inc announced they would acquire Midwest Airlines for $31 million. The deal closed on July 30.[26] Midwest became a wholly owned subsidiary of Republic Airways and continued to operate under current branding.[27] The Midwest Airlines FAA operating certificate expired on November 3, 2009. The acquisition by Republic occurred just 22 months after TPG and Northwest Airlines paid $450 million for Midwest. The total loss of investment by TPG and Northwest was 93% or $419 million.
Flight outsourcing
On September 3, 2008, Midwest Airlines announced its plan to outsource all of its flight operations to Republic Airways. Republic began operating 12 76-seat Embraer ERJ-170 jets under the Midwest Connect name while Midwest returned its 25 Boeing 717 planes to Boeing under a lease renegotiation.[28] While this change caused the additional layoffs bringing the total of pink-slipped Midwest pilots to nearly 300[29] and total employee cuts for the year to 1,850,[30] Midwest indicated that it hoped to begin operating these new planes itself with Midwest crews in 8–12 months from that time.[28] Additional aircraft from Republic were added to the operation in the form of larger Embraer ERJ-190s in August 2009.
The Midwest branch of the Air Line Pilots Association launched a campaign protesting the Midwest outsourcing plan shortly after it was announced. They argued that the pilots had already made significant concessions to help Midwest Airlines survive and that the company's new contract offers represented draconian demands.[31]
Merge into Frontier
In early 2010, parent company Republic Airways Holdings announced that its Frontier and Midwest Airlines brands would merge by October 2011. On April 13, Republic announced that the Frontier Airlines name would be kept.[2] Parts of the Midwest brand were incorporated into the Frontier brand as part of the merger, namely the iconic Midwest cookie and the slogan of Midwest Airlines, "The Best Care In The Air."[2] Additionally, several Embraer aircraft retained the Midwest livery into late 2013 until their retirement or reassignment by Republic.
On October 1, 2010, midwestairlines.com was shut down for future reservations (besides frequent flyer tickets), and shut down completely on October 28. Users were then redirected to Frontier Airlines' website.
Midwest's YX code was retired in early November 2010 and adopted by Republic Airlines.
Possible revival of the Midwest brand (2017 - present)
In August 2017, reports surfaced that there are ongoing efforts to revive the Midwest brand. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a group of people are trying to secure investors to relaunch the airline using the original Midwest Express brand.[32]
This is a list of destinations that Midwest Airlines, operated by Frontier Airlines and Republic Airlines served as of April 2010. Midwest Connect destinations are not included.
Los Angeles International Airport
Fort Myers Southwest Florida International Airport
Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport
New Orleans (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport)
Boston Logan International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Kansas City International Airport
Omaha Eppley Airfield
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Virginia/DC
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport (Primary hub)
Midwest Airlines' frequent flyer program was called Midwest Miles. It maintained one airport lounge, the Best Care Club at its Milwaukee hub in the D Concourse, until its closure on May 31, 2012.[33]
While Midwest was not a member of any airline alliance, Midwest Miles were redeemable in the Delta Air Lines SkyMiles program, and vice versa. As of 2006, Northwest route maps showed Midwest as a partner airline and Northwest (now Delta) pulled its non-hub flights out of Milwaukee.
Midwest Miles was unusual in that it had links to the Amtrak program. Midwest Miles members could transfer blocks of 5,000 miles (8,000 km), up to a maximum of 25,000 miles per year to Amtrak's program. Amtrak points could be used for travel on Amtrak and United Airlines (ex Continental Airlines).
Screenshot of Savethecookie campaign
A defining feature of the airline was the chocolate chip cookies baked on the aircraft and served during flights. The airline began serving the cookies after an employee experimented with different snacks on an empty leg of a charter flight.
The cookie was featured in Midwest advertisements, such as the "Save the Cookie" campaign in opposition to the proposed and failed AirTran takeover. The cookie was served during professional baseball games at Kauffman Stadium, as well as Bucks basketball and Admirals hockey games at Milwaukee's Bradley Center.[34]
The cookie outlived the brand as it was briefly served on Frontier Airlines flights;[35] the airline's branded cookie dough sold at Milwaukee-area grocery stores was subsequently re-labeled as a Frontier product until its discontinuation.[36] Frontier announced in 2012 that the airline would discontinue its cookie service as a cost-per-value cut, and instead added Denver-based for-purchase snacks.[37]
Fleet at time of merger into Frontier
As of November 2009, Frontier Airlines pilots and crew operated five Airbus A319-100 aircraft for Midwest Airlines. All former Midwest Airlines Boeing 717s were retired on November 3, 2009. The majority of Midwest Airlines routes were operated by Midwest Connect through outsourcing, allowing Midwest to advertise and maintain a route system similar to what existed prior to Midwest Air Group's takeover by Texas Pacific Group:[38] The Boeing 717 aircraft were replaced by the Airbus A319 flown by Frontier Airlines and 15 Embraer 190 aircraft flown by Republic Airlines. Ten of these aircraft were purchased from US Airways[39]
During the merger with Frontier Airlines, it was announced that the Midwest Airlines fleet of Embraers would not be merged into Frontier Airlines operating certificate; the two types of aircraft would continue to be crewed and operated separately by the two airlines.
Fleet branded as Midwest Airlines at time of merger into Frontier
(Signature/Saver)
Airbus A319-100 5 136 (0/136) Domestic Operated By Frontier Airlines
Embraer 170 15 76 (0/76) Domestic Operated by Republic Airlines
Embraer 190 10 99 (11/88) Domestic Operated By Republic Airlines[40]
Retired fleet
Midwest Airlines retired fleet
Year retired
Convair 580 1 1985 Never used in scheduled service for Midwest Express Airlines. Sole use was Kimberly-Clark corporate shuttle service, primarily between Appleton and Chicago.
Douglas DC-9-10 9 60 (60/0) 2004 Fleet included DC-9 series 14 and series 15 models[41]
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 16 84 (84/0) 2004 Fleet included DC-9 series 32 models[42]
McDonnell Douglas MD-81 8 143 (12/131) 2008 MD-80 series aircraft added to the fleet enabled the airline to fly nonstop between Milwaukee and U.S. West Coast destinations such as Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). They were configured with 112 Signature seats until the introduction of the Saver Service product in 2002.
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 3 143 (12/131) 2008
Boeing 717-200 25 88 (88/0) [2003-2007], 99 (40/59) [2007-2009] 2009 Replaced by Republic Airlines Embraer ERJ-190 aircraft.
Onboard services
Until 2002, Midwest Express served gourmet meals on china along with complimentary alcoholic beverages. With the cost-cutting programs instituted following the post-September 11 industry downturn, this was changed to a buy on board food program, "Best Care Cuisine," with breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals available for purchase.[43] Throughout the airline's existence, warm chocolate chip cookies were served on most flights.
Incidents and accidents
On September 6, 1985, Midwest Express Flight 105 crashed shortly after takeoff from Milwaukee, bound for Atlanta. According to the NTSB investigation, the crash was caused by improper control inputs by the pilots when the plane's right engine failed due to stress corrosion cracking. The improper reaction caused the Douglas DC-9 jet aircraft to enter an uncommanded roll and accelerated stall. All 31 people on board died in the airline's sole fatal accident.
On September 11, 2001, Midwest Airlines Flight 7 narrowly missed a collision with hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 over the Hudson River at approximately 9:01 a.m. local time. The pilot of Midwest 7 was forced to maneuver the aircraft, under the direction of an air traffic controller, out of the flight path of Flight 175. One minute later, Flight 175 hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center killing all 65 passengers and crew on board and resulting in the collapse of the South Tower.
Wikinews has related news: Two airliners come within seconds of collision over Indiana, US
On November 13, 2007, a Midwest Connect flight from Milwaukee bound for Dayton was in a near-collision with a United Express jet heading to Chicago from Greensboro while flying over northern Indiana. Air traffic controllers with Chicago Center directed the Midwest flight to begin its descent while traveling head-on towards the United Express CRJ a few thousand feet below. The planes came as close as 1.3 miles (2.1 km) apart horizontally and 600 feet (180 m) vertically. The Midwest Connect Dornier 328JET was just above the United Express aircraft and descending while they were closing in on each other.. An audible TCAS alarm in the Midwest cockpit alerted the pilots of the proximity, allowing them to pull up in time to avert disaster.
On July 8, 2008, a Midwest charter MD-81 carrying Presidential candidate Barack Obama made an emergency landing at Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri, after an evacuation slide inside the plane underneath the tail in the airstair passageway deployed, interfering with the plane's control cables, which affected the control of the pitch of the plane. The pilot radioed the control tower "at this time we would like to declare an emergency and also have CFR [crash equipment] standing by in St. Louis." A preliminary NTSB report said it detected "marks consistent with rubbing of elevator control cables" and a broken railing that "impinged upon elevator control cables."[44] No one was injured. At the time, Obama's main campaign plane a North American Airlines Boeing 757 on lease by the dual Obama and McCain campaign contributing MatlinPatterson hedge fund firm and owner directors of Global Aero Logistics d/b/a North American Airlines, was being overhauled. It went back into campaign service on July 20.[45]
One of the airline's MD-88s photographed in Midwest Express' first livery in 1991.
A DC-9-14 in Midwest Express' second livery in 2002.
Midwest Express' original livery consisted of dark blue on the upper half, and white on the lower half. The two were separated by blue and red cheatlines with white in between, which ran up the trailing edge of the tail. The engines were white, and on the tail was a bold 'M' and a script 'E', representing the airline name, and the way the titles were printed on the fuselage. This scheme could still be found on one Beech 1900D of Midwest Connect, without the 'M E' on the tail, as late as 2005.[46]
In 1989, the airline started to add the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 to the fleet, initially in the same livery. In the mid-1990s, the livery was substantially revised. The top half of the aircraft remained blue (albeit slightly brighter), but the bottom half was repainted light grey, along with the engines, and they were now separated by a gold, white, and red cheatline. The tail logo also underwent minor changes, adding a circle around the lettering and the same cheatline from the fuselage connecting the circle to the leading edge of the tail. Despite the unchanged lettering on the tail, the titles on the fuselage were changed to all bold letters, rather than the script "Express" titles.[47]
In 2003, Midwest Express Airlines began to create a new identity, as the first Boeing 717's were being delivered, and the DC-9 aircraft were being retired. The company started with removing the "Express" from its name (and thus, off the fuselage), and it designed a new logo that would help point it out as a representative of Milwaukee. The result was a logo that looked much like a wing, with a small 'M' inside of it. However, if the logo is turned on its side, it bears a resemblance to the Milwaukee Art Museum, designed by Santiago Calatrava, which was being constructed at the same time. The Art Museum has risen as an icon of Milwaukee, and so the new Midwest Airlines felt this would be a good representation. Along with this new identity came a new livery. The bottom of the aircraft remained grey, while the top was repainted in a deeper blue, with essentially the same gold, white, and red cheatlines separating the two. On the lower half, there was also a blue swoop, starting at the front (looking much like another stripe), getting larger as it went back, until it covered the entire rear fuselage. The engines on these planes were painted in the same blue color, with four gold rings on the port engine, and three on the starboard. This was meant to represent the ranking of Captain and First Officer, along with where they sit. Only three MD-80 aircraft, registered N813ME, N822ME, and N823ME ever wore the full new livery; all other MD-80s wore a hybrid livery until retirement, combining the second Midwest Express livery with the current logo and titling of Midwest Airlines.[48] In the transitional period, some MD-80s also received the new titles before the new tail logo, resulting in another variation on the livery.[49]
↑ "Contact Us." Midwest Airlines. Archived November 21, 2008.
1 2 3 Daykin, Tom (April 13, 2010). "New name for Midwest-Frontier airline: Frontier". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
↑ "End Of Era Arrives: Midwest's Boeing 717 Lands For Good - Project Economy News Story - WISN Milwaukee". WISN. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012.
↑ "Gulfstream buys air services firm". Rome News-Tribune. (Georgia). Bloomberg. July 26, 1998. p. 2E.
↑ Midwest history exhibit at Mitchell Museum of Flight at the Milwaukee Airport
↑ "Aviation Photo #0203835: Convair 580 - Untitled (Midwest Express Airlines)". Airliners.net.
↑ Flight International April 12–18, 2005
↑ http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=88626&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=57980&highlight=%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D
↑ "The Mark Travel Corporation - Leaders in the Leisure Travel Industry - Managing Vacation Package Brands for Top Airlines, Hoteliers & Tour Operators World-Wide". www.marktravel.com.
↑ http://www.departedflights.com, January 1, 1997 Midwest Express system timetable
↑ http://www.departedflights.com, October 2, 1984 Midwest Express route map
↑ http://www.departedflights.com, May 15, 1985 & November 1, 1986 Midwest Express route maps
↑ http://www.departedflights.com, June 26, 2001 Midwest Express route map
↑ OMA is Midwest Focus City
↑ "Boeing 717 - Midwest Airlines". January 7, 2009. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
↑ http://www.midwestairlines.com/Templates/ContentTwoColumn.aspx?id=835%5Bdead+link%5D
↑ "Top five affordable domestic airlines for families - SmarterTravel". May 4, 2009.
↑ Daykin, Tom (May 30, 2007). "Midwest to offer fewer wide seats - JSOnline". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011.
↑ Fredrix, Emily (October 9, 2012). "Midwest Board to shareholders: Reject AirTran's offer". San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
↑ Daykin, Tom (August 12, 2007). "JS Online: Midwest to go private". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007.
↑ Reed, Dan. "AirTran bids again for Midwest Air - USATODAY.com". USA Today.
↑ Midwest announces agreement with TPG Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: August 16, 2007)
↑ "Midwest to Ground MD-80's, Slash Staff".
↑ Polek, Gregory (June 17, 2011). "SkyWest To Cut Midwest Flying: AINonline". Aviation International News. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
↑ Carey, Susan (September 3, 2008). "Midwest Moves to Avoid Bankruptcy". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
↑ Jacobs, Karen (July 31, 2009). "Republic Airways completes Midwest purchase". Reuters. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
↑ http://www.midwestairlines.com/AboutUs/CompanyNews/RepublicAcquiresMidwest_20090623_CN.aspx
1 2 "Midwest Airlines Announces Progress on Restructuring Plan". Midwest Airlines. September 3, 2008. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
↑ "Midwest Pilots Express Outrage at Airline's Deal with Republic Airways". Air Line Pilots Association. September 3, 2008. Archived from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
↑ "Midwest Airlines cutting 59 jobs".
↑ "dontoutsourcemidwest.com". Air Line Pilots Association. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
↑ Taschler, Joe. "Reviving Midwest Express: $100 million and a good cookie recipe". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
↑ "Frontier Airlines' Best Care Club officially closes; future of site uncertain". Milwaukee Business Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
↑ My Midwest Inflight Magazine » Welcome Archived June 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ "Republic Airways Announces Branding Decision". Frontier Airlines Newsroom. April 13, 2010. Archived from the original on April 16, 2010.
↑ Daykin, Tom. "Frontier's new face takes shape." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. July 10, 2010. Retrieved on July 20, 2010.
↑ "Frontier Airlines says goodbye to the cookie".
↑ "Plane Types". Midwest Airlines. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2008.
↑ "Republic Airways to Acquire 10 Embraer 190AR Aircraft from US Airways". EuroInvestor.
↑ http://www.midwestairlines.com/AboutUs/CompanyNews/RepublicASA_20090521.aspx
↑ http://www.airliners.net, photos of Midwest Express DC-9-14 and DC-9-15 aircraft
↑ http://www.airliners.net, photos of Midwest Express DC-9-32 aircraft
↑ "Best Care Cuisine." Midwest Airlines. Retrieved on June 25, 2009.
↑ Ross, Brian; Rhe, Joseph; Longabardi, Eric (August 15, 2008). "EXCLUSIVE: FAA Tapes Reveal Drama of Obama Jet Incident". ABC News.
↑ "Mechanical problem forces Obama plane to land". July 7, 2008 – via Reuters.
↑ Midwest Express Airlines DC-9-30 in startup livery on Airliners.net
↑ Midwest Express Airlines DC-9-10 in intermediate colors on Airliners.net
↑ Midwest Airlines 717 in "Calatrava" livery on Airliners.net
↑ Midwest MD-81 during the transition between names on Airliners.net
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Midwest Airlines.
Midwest Airlines official website (brings up the Republic Airways website)
NTSB accident report of Flight 105
Republic Airline
Chautauqua Airlines
Lynx Aviation
Mokulele Airlines
Shuttle America
Skyway Airlines
Major companies based in Milwaukee
A. O. Smith
Brady Corporation
Joy Global
Marcus Corporation
Miller Brewing Company
Quad/Graphics
A. F. Gallun & Sons
Chain Belt Company
Firstar
John Pritzlaff Hardware Company
Journal Media Group
Marshall & Ilsley
Nordberg Manufacturing Company
Pfister & Vogel


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


What is a Performance Bond in Washington?
How much does a Performance Bond Cost in Washington?
How much do bonds cost in WA?
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When a Connecticut woman was laid off from her full-time job, she was given severance pay but needed more. She decided to start her own small business, a line of purses and accessories called Thirty-One Gifts. Expecting this side project to be a part-time gig, she was surprised when the business took off. As more and more work came in, it grew increasingly difficult to continue working out of her home, where her family also lived. She needed a space of her own.
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Connecticut was one of the states recently listed as overachieving in the number of business start-ups and entrepreneurships. The study examined populations and economic output and found there was a disproportionate number of start-up companies that are valued in excess of $100 million.
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A joint enterprise of two entrepreneurs in Wallingford in part led to the creation of a drug-testing kit to help in disease research. The two then recruited various scientists from Connecticut and formed CyVek Inc. with one assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer and the other becoming the company's chairman.
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Running a business is much different than obtaining a degree. It's for this reason that the University of Connecticut is doing what it can for potential entrepreneurs that also have degrees in engineering.
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New ventures often invest tens of millions of dollars in technology, patents, real estate and facilities, and in hiring the right talent for the business. Every decision at this point in time has its risks, and any company wants to avoid making mistakes that may prevent the business from even starting up.
On behalf of Raymond Law Group posted in Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, November 20, 2012.
Though things might be looking up, the U.S. economy is still in an unsettling state that can make things difficult for business owners. During these times, they have to trust their employees to have a handle on their day-to-day duties and make smart decisions. In the absence of this responsibility, moderate (or even minor) mistakes can do untold amounts of damage to a business.
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Even the best laid plans for protecting against cyberliability can be frought with problems. Today, many Twitter users received a password reset e-mail message, making them believe their accounts had been compromised. Apparently, Twitter is pro-active and sends these reset e-mails when it believes there has been a problem with the account, including unauthorized access.
On behalf of Raymond Law Group posted in Entrepreneurs on Wednesday, September 5, 2012.
Chicken diapers -- yes, they're a real thing, and they're part of what helped make a Monroe business run by husband-and-wife entrepreneurs one of the most successful small businesses in America.


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Bring something different to the table this festive season with this velvety homemade chocolate, orange and hazelnut tart. This indulgent pud mixes three flavours that work beautifully together - so make sure you leave some room!
Impress your family with the ultimate Christmas treat by following these 5 steps.
To make the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the salt, one of the eggs and mix until a dough forms. Add a little cold water if it's too crumbly. Briefly knead, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to about 3mm in thick. Line a 25cm tart tin, prick a few times with a fork, and return to the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3.
Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans, or old pasta - anything to weigh it down. Bake for 30 minutes until golden. Remove the baking beans and parchment. Beat the remaining egg and brush the pastry all over. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, then remove and leave to cool. Turn the oven down to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Slowly bring the cream to a boil, then take off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir, then leave to melt completely. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat this mixture into the melted chocolate. Fold through the hazelnuts and orange zet. Tip into the pastry shell and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Leave to cool completely, cover and chill or freeze for later.
Dust with icing sugar and serve the tart with plenty of single cream.
What's your go-to Christmas dessert? Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.