text:
DrivingLaws
Speeding Laws
Teen Driving Laws
Cell Phone & Texting Laws
State Driving Laws
Connecticut's Commercial Driver's License Laws
The requirements to obtain a Connecticut CDL and reasons for disqualification.
To operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), the driver must have the appropriate commercial driver's license (CDL). Different CMVs require different classes of CDLs and endorsements specific to the vehicle and cargo. A CDL can also be revoked for certain criminal convictions or CMV violations. This article outlines the requirements for obtaining the different types of commercial licenses and circumstances that can lead to commercial license disqualification.
When a CDL Is Required
CMVs usually include vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds. A CMV can also include busses designed for 16 or more passengers, vehicles carrying hazardous materials, and vehicles designed to carry ten or more children (to school or daycare).
CDL License Classes
There are three classes of CDLs based on the weight of the truck and/or trailer(s).
Class A. Any trailer-tractor combination weighing 26,001 or more pounds with the trailer weighing at least 10,000 pounds.
Class B. Any trailer-tractor combination (or single tractor) weighing 26,001 or more pounds but with the trailer being less than 10,000 pounds.
Class C. Any CMV that weighs less than 26,000 pounds with a trailer that's less than 10,000 pounds (includes hazmat and public passenger transports).
The driver's license must be sufficient to operate all applicable weights. For example, a class A CDL permits the operation of all weights of CMVs.
Endorsements are designated on the CDL and authorize the holder to operate special CMVs (like school buses) or carry special cargo (like hazardous materials).
CDL Testing
Prior to obtaining a CDL, a driver must be at least 18 years old and acquire a commercial driver's instruction permit (CDIP). The applicant must complete the application form which includes proof of residency and identification, a ten-year driving record check, and a written examination covering CDL traffic rules. The CDIP allows the holder to drive a CMV while supervised by an authorized CDL holder. After 14 days, the CDIP holder can take a driving skills test to obtain a CDL.
Each CDL class and endorsement requires a different test. Also, the hazmat endorsement requires TSA-clearance and the public passenger endorsement has specific background check requirements.
An applicant with prior military CMV experience may be exempt from the skills test, but all CDL applicants must hold and maintain a medical examiner's certificate, indicating the driver is physically healthy enough to operate a CMV. The certificate must be updated every 24 months or the driver can be disqualified.
CDL Revocation and Disqualification
Special rules apply to CMV operators. Violation of these rules can lead to license disqualification.
A licensee will be disqualified for repeated convictions of so-called "serious traffic offenses." Serious traffic offenses include speeding 15 miles per hour or more over the limit, reckless driving, erratic lane changes, texting while driving in a CMV, and operating a CMV without a license. Two offenses in three years will result in a 60-day revocation and having three or more violations in three years carries a 120-day revocation.
Out-of-Service Order
Certain traffic offenses or equipment violations can result in an out-of-service order (OSO). An OSO prohibits the operation of the CMV or by the CDL holder. Driving in violation of the OSO will result in license disqualification of 180 days to one year for a first offense, two to five years for a second offense, and three to five years for a third offense. Only violations within the last ten years are counted. Additionally, a driver who was operating a hazmat vehicle or vehicle designed for 16 or more passengers during the OSO violation will be disqualified for 180 days to two years for a first offense and three to five years for a second or subsequent offense.
Railroad Crossings
CMV operators must take special precautions when approaching or crossing railroad tracks. A CMV railroad track violation will result in a 60-day, 120-day, and one-year license revocation for a first, second, and third violation.
Major Traffic Offenses
CMV operation involving felonies or intoxicants can also result in license disqualification.
One-year disqualification. Operating under the influence (OUI), failing to stop for an accident, racing, driving a CMV without a CDL, and using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony will result in a one-year disqualification (three years if the violation involved a hazmat CMV).
Two-year disqualification. A fatality caused by negligent CMV operation will result in a two-year disqualification.
Ten-year to lifetime disqualification. A second conviction of OUI, failing to stop for an accident, racing, driving a CMV without a CDL, or using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony, will result in lifetime disqualification. But reinstatement is possible after ten years.
Lifetime disqualification. Using a motor vehicle to transport or distribute controlled substances will result in unalterable lifetime CDL disqualification.
Indeterminate disqualification. A CDL holder can also be deemed an imminent hazard by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which disqualifies the driver until the designation is lifted.
CDL holders are expected to be honest about any criminal history or recent convictions. Within 30 days of conviction, a CDL holder must report all traffic violations to the state and to his or her employer. A driver that lies on a CDL application will be suspended for 60 days and may have to retake the tests.
Practice Area Please select...Criminal DefenseDUI and DWIExpungementTraffic Tickets


text:
Q: asking numbers in html, adding in js, printing in html here you can see my code im stuck with
trying to input 2 numbers by user in html
calling function then adding those 2 in js
then printing in html
html.

    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title> JavaScript | Basics</title>

  <form  onsubmit='sum(a,b)'>
  Input number a
  <input type="number" name="a" value="0" id='a'>

  Input number b
  <input type="number" name="b" value="0" id='b'>
  <button type="submit" name="submit">Submit</button>
  <output id="total"></output>
</form>

js

// 34343
// window.alert()
function sum(a, b) {
  console.log('hello world');

  var c;
  c.value = parseInt(a) + parseInt(b);
  console.log(c.value);
  window.alert(c.value);
  document.getElementById('total').innerHTML = 'The value of  s ' + c.value;
}

// </script>

help please

A: If you only want to sum the two values there is no need to use Form tag.
The Form tag is usually used to send data to a server for processing.
You can read more about Form tag here https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_forms.asp
Using plain JS your code would be something like this:

    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>JavaScript | Basics</title>

      Input number a
      <input type="number" name="a" value="0" id="a" />

      Input number b
      <input type="number" name="b" value="0" id="b" />
      <button onclick="sum()" name="submit">Submit</button>
      <output id="total"></output>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Ed glanced at his wife, chewing a length of straw like a bat fighting a downdraft. He'd seen his share of miraculous beginnings – calves, chicks, kittens. But this was different. Alma shot Ed a look of feral angst that left his suspenders quivering on a high A, maybe B flat. He had to act. Now.
Ed put one long arm around his swollen wife and gingerly settled her in the back seat of Henry and Agnes' 1933 Nash 1120. Agnes–Alma's sister–and husband Henry shone dimly yet indispensably in Ed's clouded vision of the moment's significance. A single bead of sweat formed on his left temple despite the October chill, held in place by grit stubbornly resisting gravity.
Dust. Always dust. Blowing the greed of Yankee industry west across southern Kansas like thoughts through a man's plague-fevered mind. Swirling, surreal, slipping through cracks to coat the hidden machinery of life.
No choices now. Alma and his seed, his posterity, needed expertise Ed's plow-hardened hands lacked. They started for Meade, hoping that at least one man remained tethered to his home during the vagaries of storm and darkness. Eerie blackness thickened with the broken earth that had first enticed them into making a go of farming. Parallel ditch shadows served as macabre guides past parched fields to the clouded lights of community. 1500 farmers, preachers, bankers, blacksmiths, mothers, children...and one doctor. Alma groaned.
A man of narrow experience but wide heart and deep duty, Ed knew his role in the next scene of God's drama. "Henry - we've got to go on to Fowler." Henry nodded, and they started the painful 15 mile crawl to a town half the size of Meade. Two more drops of sweat joined the first on Ed's temple as Alma's time clearly drew closer. But Fowler produced no more doctors than Meade had. Not wasting time on pleasantries, Ed yelled to Henry, "Minneola!" Another ten miles to an even smaller human-made, wilderness-defying wide spot in the dirt road.
Nothing. No one to help. Ed and Henry consulted with terse phrases, furrowed brows, hidden fears. Their last, best hope was 20 miles due north: Dodge City. Though its fame as the "Wickedest City in America" had faded decades earlier and the Earps and Mastersons had ridden their last raids, Dodge was not first on any Mennonite's list of sacred grounds. "We gotta do it, Ed." "I know, Henry, but..."
Then, from a place long hidden in his Anabaptist ancestors' past, Ed felt a growing impulse to resist fear, a sense of rightness and courage, stamina to embrace the pilgrim's life again. The urge spread to every atom in his soul, inflating Ed to his body's formidable height. He set his jaw toward the city of sin, spat out the last pulp of chewed straw, and nodded to Henry. "We're wastin' time."
Though they were bumping inexorably toward the last battle, into enemy territory, Ed felt nothing but an urge to get on with it. Alma's contractions were separated by fewer and fewer minutes. The car bounced like a baby goat stretching for its running mother's teat. But a bleak smile formed on Ed's face. His eyes focused, piercing the roiling dust. Alma was going to give birth to his first-born in Dodge, a city turned from darkness to light by this shining act of defiance.
Ed remembered little of what happened next. They never found a physician, but a chiropractor lent them his four-poster bed and ultimately adequate skills. Marilyn Joyce Enns was born on October 18, 1937, in Dodge City, Kansas.
Not far away, in the Mennonite community of Pretty Prairie, two-year-old Elwyn LaVerne Schrag slept soundly in his parents' two-story farm house. Marilyn and Elwyn eventually crossed paths, received demerits for holding hands at Grace Institute of the Bible, and married. They gave birth to Lynelle, Lori, Brian, and Brad. All Kansas-born. All imbued with the Mennonite leanings toward pilgrimage and defiance.


text:
On Beyond Punk: Riot Fest 2017 Embraces New Genres
September 10, 2017 at 8:19 am by Craig Bechtel
by Craig Bechtel
September 10, 2017 September 22, 2017 Filed under:
Electronic/Dance
New Order / Photo: Nick Wilson
Riot Fest, Chicago's best annual independent multi-day music festival, is back for its twelfth year—its fifth outdoors with the accompanying carnival accoutrements, and its third in Douglas Park. The fest bests its competitors where it counts: in the quality of the musical lineup. "Riot Mike" Petryshyn and his organization have always stayed true to their punk-rock roots, but each year they've also expanded the musical palette to include acts outside that generously defined genre, and this year is exemplary in terms of including not only other styles of rock, but hip-hop too. And although they're way too classy to promote it, there's a healthy (although never sufficient) dose of female contributions this year. And no, parents, there has never been an actual riot at Riot Fest… just some especially vigorous mosh pits.
Opening day, September 15, includes some "out there" undercard choices and crazy good headliners. Tobacco is the stage name of Thomas Fec, leader of electronic psychedelia purveyors Black Moth Super Rainbow, and based on his recorded solo output, you can expect the weekend to hit an early peak of weirdness with his set. The genre-defying Saul Williams, HDBeenDope, Warm Brew and Action Bronson will supply some much needed (ahem) diversity, but Chicago's own Vic Mensa will be the day's don't-miss rapper. British originals Buzzcocks' more recent material has been hit-or-miss, if only because their early sharp, short and shocking singles are hard to surpass. Their first three albums, released in the late 1970s, overflow with intelligent earworms. Industrial pioneers Ministry will be back for what should be a grinding maelstrom of anger, and with Nine Inch Nails headlining that night behind a new EP…though if Al Jourgensen of the former and Trent Reznor of the latter don't team up to reprise a rendition of 1000 Homo DJs' "Supernaut," that will be a missed opportunity. Friday's most danceable (not moshable) moment will be the return of New Order (without Peter Hook), but the train horn channeling SoCal roots rockers X, resurgent Massachusetts emo punks The Hotelier and sonic attack of Death From Above (sans the 1979) will also make this a day to remember.
Stoner metal rockers Queens of the Stone Age headline day two, and there will be return performances from hip-hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan (performing "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)"), ghoul punk purveyors Danzig (performing "Danzig III"), and Fishbone (performing "Truth & Soul"). Another highlight—of both brutality and sensitivity—is screamo act At The Drive In, back after a long hiatus. FIDLAR's lackadaisical philosophy could not be more different, but these teens (some of whom are sons of a T.S.O.L. member) still produce a rocking version of skate punk with a healthy dose of humor. More punk not to skip today includes local and legendary trio The Lawrence Arms performing their 2006 record "Oh, Calcutta!," DC's Bad Brains' first Riot Fest appearance in ten years and GBH. Hip-hop highlights include duo Shabazz Palaces, who just released two fantastic albums simultaneously and Beastie Boys' Mike D doing a DJ set. Also worth a listen should be Dead Cross (featuring members of Slayer, Retox and Faith No More's Mike Patton on vocals), UK's Slaves, Australia's The Smith Street Band, and Austin blues-rock duo Black Pistol Fire. Chaotic punks Potty Mouth, power-pop neophytes The Regrettes and neo-goths Cold Beat have little in common, but all are led by strong female singers and craft compelling songs. And if strong female leaders are your thing, expect Peaches to "Fuck The Pain Away" and then some.
For day three, the lede is the jaw-dropping reunion after twenty-one years of emo-punk heroes Jawbreaker; but the lineup might be the most solid from beginning to end. When Boston's Mighty Mighty Bosstones first played Riot Fest in 2008, at the since-shuttered Congress Theater, leader Dicky Barrett said it was the punkest room they had ever played. Now the ska-punk octet celebrates the twentieth anniversary of "Let's Face It," which featured their breakthrough single, "The Impression That I Get." Ear-shattering (hopefully) and guitar shredding (undoubtedly) trio Dinosaur Jr. will likewise give the album treatment to 1987's "You're Living All Over Me," and doing the same for 1999's "Keep It Like A Secret" will be indie rock icon Doug Martsch's Built To Spill. It seems like forever since NYC indie rock heroes Versus toured, and that's another eye-popping (and ear-popping) act on today's lineup. Taking their name from a Mission of Burma record, and with a musical range inspired by fellow Big Apple mainstays Sonic Youth, the trio have a rich (and criminally unrecognized) catalog from which to draw, replete with winsome yet winning melodies propelled by dynamic electric guitar and lyrics so sensitive they can border on brutal. Chicago kids of all ages should rock out to the smart punk of The Orwells, whereas only their elders will recognize the importance of a set by the Kinsella brothers' original band, Cap'n Jazz. There's a chance to get "All Fuzzed Out" with Beach Slang, soaked in sweat with Andrew W.K., covered in fake blood by GWAR or bathed in Gainesville, Florida's post-hardcore Hot Water Music (behind a new album release). Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno will further her Cali obsession with Best Coast—even after the left coast slides into the Pacific, these songs will endure. Also on the female-led enduring California tip, that dog. is another improbable reunion, and the thoughtful power pop trio will run through "Retreat From The Sun" in observance of its twentieth anniversary. Doomtree's dynamic Dessa's debut at Riot Fest was 2013, and given her galvanizing performance then it would be a shame to sleep through her set. Other women-centered acts include daylight diatribes from Kitten Forever, Upset, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and sunset serenades from M.I.A. and Paramore. But in case you're missing an injection of leftist testosterone, expect strong anti-government messaging from Prophets of Rage, the Chuck D (Public Enemy) collaboration with Rage Against The Machine.
Riot Fest runs September 15-17 in Douglas Park; a complete schedule and tickets are available at the festival's website.
Craig Bechtel
Craig Bechtel is a freelance writer and has also been a Senior Staff Writer for Pop'stache. He is also a DJ, volunteer and Assistant Music Director for CHIRP Radio, 107.1 FM, and contributes occasionally to the CHIRP blog. As DJ Craig Reptile, you can hear him play music on the FM dial or at www.chirpradio.org most Sunday nights from 6pm to 9pm. He previously worked in radio at KVOE AM and Fox 105 in Emporia, Kansas, and served as a DJ, music director and general manager for WVKC at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he also won the Davenport Prize for Poetry and earned a B.A. in English writing. Craig has been working in various capacities within the hotel and meetings industry for over twenty years, and presently works at a company that uses proprietary systems to develop proven data strategies that increase revenue, room nights and meeting attendance. In his spare time, he also fancies himself an armchair herpetologist, and thus in addition to a wife, son and cat, he has a day gecko and a veiled chameleon in his collection.
Fall Arts Preview 2020: Can't-Miss Fall Music Events Live music trickles back into Chicago this autumn. Here are three acts worth breaking self-isolation for.
Riot Fest, I Keep Trying to Quit You Maybe if some bands are there every year, once a year is enough to see a band you enjoy.
Knock You in the Head: A Preview of the Vibrators at Reggies Music Joint While the commercial fortunes of The Vibrators were somewhat limited, their influence extended far beyond their limited record sales.
Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow: A Preview of the Damned at House of Blues The band's sound has expanded a bit since its earliest days; one hears more hints of psychedelia in more recent outings like 2018's "Evil Spirit."
In Praise of Pegboy: A Chicago Punk Band, Thirty Years On What stands out on the debut EP is the quality of the songs and Larry Damore's vocals, blunt to the point of sounding almost bone-headed but never diminishing his bleeding-heart passion.
Fall Arts Preview 2019: Can't-Miss Fall Music Events Brittany Howard's bold, brassy, yet vulnerable attitude has far from disappeared from the scene. Her debut solo album, "Jaime," will be released the day of her Chicago tour appearance.
1000 Homo DJ
Alice Bag
Andrew W.K
Best Coast
Bethany Cosentino
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Black Pistol Fire
Bobb Bruno
Cap'n Jazz. Beach Slang
Cold Beat
Dead Cross
Death From Above
Dicky Barrett
Doomtree
Doug Martsch
HDBeenDope
Jawbreaker (band)
Kitten Forever
M.I.A. (band)
Mike D
Mike Petryshyn
Ministry (band)
Mission of Burma
Peaches (band)
Potty Mouth
Prophets of Rage
Retox
Shabazz Palaces
Slayer (band)
T.S.O.L.
That Dog
The Orwells
The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black
Thomas Fec
Versus (band)
Vic Mensa
Warm Brew
X (band)
Previous Post Twenty-five Years and Still Righteous
Next Post Emotional Catharsis: A Preview of Aryk Crowder at The Bassment
Cross-Talk: A Review of Makaya McCraven's "Deciphering the Message"
Legacy and Loss: Looking Back On, And Forward with, Emily Blue
Folk and Blues: The Tribulations of The Old Town School

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Many VPN users want to know how they can install a VPN client on their Tomato router. Installing a VPN on a router is a great way to extend a VPN's protection to all of your internet devices without having to manually configure every non-VPN ready device. In this guide, I'll be explaining why you'd want to use a Tomato router, which VPN you should be using, and how to set up a VPN client on your Tomato router.
Tomato routers also have the ability to support VPN installations. Installing a VPN on your router allows you to protect all of your connected devices simultaneously. You will also be able to extend a VPNs' ability to unblock regional restrictions to any device you want. In other words, this will cover devices that don't have a native VPN app like Xbox One, PS4, all Smart TVs (Apple, Android, and Fire Stick included).
Before you start the configuration process I'll be dictating below, you need to know which VPN you should be using on your Tomato router. Our VPN expert, Charles, has already penned a detailed article on the best VPNs for Tomato routers. In the article, Charles suggests using ExpressVPN on your Tomato routers because of the VPN's configurability and long list of impeccably delivered features.
There are two ways you can configure your VPN on a Tomato Router: OpenVPN and PPTP. I'll be explaining how to install a VPN client using both protocols before. Please note that I will be using ExpressVPN to show you how to go through both methods. If you're not using ExpressVPN, you can still use the steps I mentioned below to install the VPN client.
Sign in to your ExpressVPN account. Click on Set Up on More Devices.
Click on Manual Config (left side of the screen) then select OpenVPN (right side of the screen).
Copy and Paste the Username and Password into a document to refer back to later.
Download and save the .ovpn file or location you wish to connect to from the list of OpenVPN configuration files.
Open a new tab on your web browser and go to your router's settings page (control panel). You can do this by typing in the router's IP into the browser's address bar. By default, this will be 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1.
Click on VPN Tunneling then select OpenVPN Client.
In the Basics tab, copy the settings below. Enter the username and password you saved in step 3.
Go to the Advanced tab. Copy the info in the screenshot below into the Custom Configuration field. Next, click Save.
To fill in the Keys tab, you need to copy and paste information off of the .ovpn file.
For the Static Key field, search for the <tls-auth> and </tls-auth> tags and copy the text in between. Start with "BEGIN OpenVPN Static Key" and stop after "End OpenVPN Static Key". Paste the information into the field.
Certificate Authority field: search for the <ca> and </ca> tags.
Client Certificate field: search for the <cert> and </cert> tags.
Client Key field: search for the <key> and <key> tags.
Your VPN client is now installed onto your Tomato Router! To connect to a VPN server, click on Start Now and wait for the connection to be established.
You can check the status of your connection by clicking on the Status tab.
Click on Manual Config (left side of the screen) then select PPTP & L2TP/IPSec (right side of the screen).
Copy and Paste the Username and Password into a document to refer back to later. Also, copy the Server Address you want to be using.
Enter the admin name and password for your router. Click on Log In.
Click on VPN Tunneling in the left-hand menu. Select PPTP Client.
Check the Start with WAN field.
Enter the server address, username, and password you saved in step 3.
Select the Auto option for the Encryption.
Select the Exclusive option for the Accept DNS configuration field.
Check the Stateless MPPE connection field.
Check the Create NAT on tunnel field.
To disconnect from the PPTP VPN connection, click on Stop Now in the PPTP Client Configuration window.


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the entire Democratic leadership on Monday condemned Rep. Ilhan Omar for suggesting that Israel's allies in American politics were motivated by money rather than principle, an extraordinary rebuke of a House freshman in the vanguard of the party's left flank.
The Minnesota congresswoman's Sunday evening tweet — "It's all about the Benjamins baby," a reference to $100 bills — drew immediate denunciations from Republicans and fellow Democrats, especially Jewish members of Congress. Within hours, Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the leadership issued a joint statement calling Omar's "use of anti-Semitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel's supporters" deeply offensive and insisted on an apology.
I'm curious if you think the Republican Party has been sufficiently vigilant in policing bigotry within its own ranks whether you are talking about Steve King. My colleague Jake Tapper brought up that Kevin McCarthy weeks ago, in the midst of the wall debate, talked about what many took as an anti-Semitic comment accusing George Soros of funding the caravan. Has your party been vigilant calling out its own bad behaviors and comments?
CNN's John King tried this spin on Monday.
JIM SCIUTTO: I want to ask you now about a different topic, that of course the comments by Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar regarding Jewish money influencing members of congress. She issued an apology — I'm going to put this up on the screen — saying the following. "Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. We have to always be willing to step back and think through criticism, just as I expect people to hear me when others attack me for my identity. This is why I unequivocally apologize." First to you, Bakari Sellers, the apology, does that settle the issue for you for Congresswoman Omar?
BAKARI SELLERS: No, it doesn't settle the issue. I think that her comments were ignorance that were enveloped in anti-Semitism.
SCIUTTO: Charlie Dent, I'm curious if you think the Republican Party has been sufficiently vigilant in policing bigotry within its own ranks whether you are talking about Steve King. My colleague Jake Tapper brought up that Kevin McCarthy weeks ago, in the midst of the wall debate, talked about what many took as an anti-Semitic comment accusing George Soros of funding the caravan. Has your party been vigilant calling out its own bad behaviors and comments?


Customize your equipment load with the Voodoo Tactical F.A.S.T. Vest with Universal Lattice MOLLE. This vest has been designed for the law enforcement officer who needs versatile gear at the ready. Each officer can custom tailor his/her vest to suit their specific ops. The vest can accommodate virtually any personal body armor by inserting the panels between the vest layers both front and rear. Plate pocket size: front 6" x 8" to hold trauma plate, rear holds 7"x11" or 10"x12" steel or ceramic plates. Hook-n-loop closure keeps all the armor in place. Our new patented lattice weave MOLLE strap system enables you to mount your pouches in a combination of vertical, or diagonal for ease of access to all your gear.
This carrier DOES NOT offer ballistic protection.


Gov. David Ige signed an extension to the emergency proclamation originally signed on Sept. 16, to provide relief for disaster damages, losses and suffering following September's heavy rains and flooding on Maui.
The proclamation also serves to protect the public health, safety and welfare of the people of Maui County and to maintain the strength, resources and economic life of the community.
The proclamation signed today expires in 60 days.


Ready to grow your fund in 2018? Isn't it time you shared your fund's story with the media?
There is never a bad time to design and commit to a PR plan. Good intentions quickly fade as day-to-day responsibilities consume our time.
No matter how good your investment management, unless you're top of mind for investment professionals, reporters and ultimately the public, you're leaving money on the table.
Responding to the occasional reporter call is not enough.
Success in the public relations arena means you reverse the process: it's your story, your theme, and your timeframe in publications you've selected. Excellent media coverage is the result of developing and consistently communicating a focused message about you - a message about your investment style, your economic themes and your performance.
Sounds simple enough, but what are the components of a sound PR plan? "First, your PR plan must be in alignment with the strategic goals of the firm - and with the marketing objectives," offers Melissa Murphy of SunStar. "Knowing who you are trying to reach and what you want them to do are key questions that must be addressed by both your marketing efforts and PR tactics."
Your plan must include a series of related objectives that are specific and actionable. An individual, who certainly can call on team members or outside resources, must be accountable to management for each objective. And, each objective must have a time-frame for completion. Most importantly, your plan can only succeed if you have commitment from top management, sales and marketing.
As you build your plan, Sunstar's Hibre Teklemariam recommends you start by reviewing the present situation. "What worked or didn't work in your media effort last year? Do you already have favorable reporter relationships - who are they, where and why? What story ideas did you pitch that yielded positive results? When reviewing the past, looking at individual successes allows you to identify what you want to repeat or areas to pay more attention to," says Teklemariam. "Then, look at the future state you desire. Will you need to add platforms, be in front of the public more frequently or overcome any obstacles? Do you know exactly what you want to communicate and to whom? Are you trying to establish a brand, support your sales team, grow assets, retain assets or open new distribution channels? Your plan needs to be built around these answers."
Create and institutionalize a consistent message across portfolio management, sales and customer contact personnel.
Ensure a cohesive fit with marketing materials.
Gain commitment from spokespersons at the firm to participate, ensuring an understanding of frequency and expectations. Will they do phone interviews, TV appearances, or press conferences?
Provide media training for portfolio managers to ensure they understand how to respond in a way that keeps the message focused on your firm.
Target reporters with credibility, determining how many to target, how frequently to contact them and which media will most effectively reach your audience.
Develop and retain positive relationships with existing reporters.
Target media to maximize coverage by identifying specific TV programs, trade or retail magazines, newspapers and online opportunities such as web casts.
Manage reprints by developing a budget, providing sales training on how to effectively use reprints, working through compliance issues in advance and posting articles online.
Pursue speaking and networking opportunities that fit your goal and schedule.
Host conference calls consistently, pre-determining frequency and target audience.
SunStar specializes in working with fund and separate account management firms to create and execute a viable public relations. We develop strategies that will help you attract and retain investors, strengthen distribution and build brands.
You have to have a plan and work that plan. We'd like to help! Call us at 703-299-8390 or visit our website and let us help you kick of 2018 with a bang!


text:
Q: Swing drop blocks I am making a simple game where a user clicks on colored blocks and all neighboring blocks of the same color disappear together. When a block disappears, all the blocks on top of it should fall and fill the empty space. How would I implement this sort of action? I could check all of the blocks in the grid, but this is a huge waste. I could also keep track of how many empty spaces are in a given column, but I think there should be a better way to implement it. Here is some code showing how I made the grid and each cell:
public class GridPanel extends JPanel{

    private GridCell[][] grid;
    private static final int DEFAULT_SIZE = 25;
    private static final Color[] COLORS = {Color.RED, Color.GREEN, Color.BLUE, Color.YELLOW};
    private Random random;

    public GridPanel(int x, int y){
        random = new Random();
        grid = new GridCell[x][y];
        GridBagConstraints gbc = new GridBagConstraints();
        setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
        for(int i = 0; i < grid.length; i++){
            for(int j = 0; j < grid[i].length; j++){
                GridCell gc = new GridCell(i, j, DEFAULT_SIZE);
                Border border = new MatteBorder(1, 1, 1, 1, Color.GRAY);
                gc.setBorder(border);
                gc.setBackground(COLORS[random.nextInt(COLORS.length)]);
                gbc.gridx = i;
                gbc.gridy = j;
                add(gc, gbc);
                grid[i][j] = gc;
            }
        }
    }
}

public class GridCell extends JPanel{

private int x;
private int y;
private int size;

public GridCell(int x, int y, int size){
    this.x = x;
    this.y = y;
    this.size = size;
}

@Override
public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
    return new Dimension(size, size);
}

public GridCoordinate getCoordinates(){
    return new GridCoordinate(x, y);
}

public int getCellSize(){
    return this.size;
}

}

A: The biggest stumbling block you would face is dealing with "empty" blocks.  Most layouts don't "reserve" space of unused portions of the screen.
GridBagLayout provides the means to obtain the GridBagConstraints used to lay out the original components.
GridBagLayout gbl = new GridBagLayout();
//...
GridBagConstarints gbc = gbl.getConstraints(comp);

This provides you the means to adjust the constraints for the component, just don't forget to re-apply them....
gbl.setConstraints(comp, gbc);

What I would do is create a concept of a "blank" GridCell.  This is a cell that can't be clicked and is painted in a neutral color (or is transparent depending on your needs).  When you "remove" an active GridCell, you would replace it with a "blank" cell.
You would then need to calculate where the blank cells are and adjust the position of all the cells around them.
This would be best achieved by using a "virtual" model.  You would simply maintain the state of the game in this model (such as an int array for example) and when updated, simply update the actual view to match the model.
This will make it much simpler to determine where individual cells need to be arranged.
But that's just me...
Updated
You could also consider using a GridLayout and chaning the Z-Order of the components, for example...

*

*https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12575372/swapping-jbutton-elements-in-java/12575713#12575713

*https://stackoverflow.com/questions/21032140/moving-jlabel-to-a-different-place-in-the-jpanel-pacman-like-game/21032258#21032258

*https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16834765/move-jbutton-with-keyboard-arrows-inside-a-grid-panel/16835242#16835242


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This is the information you should have at hand when you apply for your construction loan. This is a general list, and we'll let you know of any additional information we may need to make your loan application complete.
All pages of asset account statements, including money market funds, mutual funds, stock accounts, IRAs, CDs, etc., from the most recent 30-day period.


text:
Do you have a medieval hero?
Re: Do you have a medieval hero?
by Sir Erathor » Tue Dec 03, 2013 5:55 am
mpoh98 wrote: ...archery is my thing...
You're an archer then, are you? I prefer sword fighting, that's partially why most of my (fictional) heroes used one. robin Hood is a bit of an exception
by jrbaker » Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:15 pm
I really like Alcuin of York, a scholar and clergyman in Charlemagne's court. A friend, instructor, and adviser to Charles, he helped to establish a strong educational and monastic tradition with the Franks (he was Anglo-Saxon). He also is quoted as telling Charlemagne that the massacre of Verden was wrong and that forced conversions among the Saxons would actually drive them further away.
jrbaker
by Sir Erathor » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:13 pm
jrbaker wrote: I really like Alcuin of York, a scholar and clergyman in Charlemagne's court. A friend, instructor, and adviser to Charles, he helped to establish a strong educational and monastic tradition with the Franks (he was Anglo-Saxon). He also is quoted as telling Charlemagne that the massacre of Verden was wrong and that forced conversions among the Saxons would actually drive them further away.
Yeah, a real hero he was. Charlemagne and his court were always full of interesting stories
by ludzik » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:53 pm
As a kid I remember reading a short story about Zawisza Czarny. He was a real knight, a diplomat and a true leader (historical accounts say that he refused to leave his troops covering retreat of the main forces - he is said to have refused king's request to retreat with main forces leaving his bannerman behind).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zawisza_Czarny
ludzik
by Sir Valiant » Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:40 pm
My Medieval hero is Myles Falworth from the book Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle.
Seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_of_Iron
It's set in the 15th century and describes young Myles transition from boyhood to manhood and ultimately knighthood. The ultimate goal of his knighthood is to fight for his father's honour in a climactic battle at the end of the book. It including his trials and success, friends and enemies, adventures and even a little bit of romance.
Its an excellent read, (I've read it several times)and I highly recommend it.
Sir Valiant~
"Soli Deo Gloria"
Sir Valiant~ ----------Flickr
Sir Valiant
Location: Leightondrake
ludzik wrote: ...he is said to have refused king's request to retreat with main forces leaving his bannerman behind).
Brave guy! He's very interesting!
Sir Valiant wrote: My Medieval hero is Myles Falworth from the book Men of Iron, by Howard Pyle.
I thought you said 'Mark of Falworth' at first then!
That's a book I've heard of a lot before, but have never read. I really should read it!
by New Danarchy » Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:51 pm
Not really a hero of mine as such, but quite a character and fun to read about was John I of Brabant.
In his days he was renowned for being courageous, chivalrous and courteous and he won a great victory at Worringen in 1288.
He was obsessed with tournaments (most he survived and won, though the last would claim his life) and women (one of them being the reason to enter the last fatal tournament).
It's just good fun to read about him. But besides him I don't really really have medieval heroes.
If we include Lotr I'd say Elrond in the books and Theoden in the films.
New Danarchy
by Sir Erathor » Wed Dec 11, 2013 6:03 am
New Danarchy wrote: Not really a hero of mine as such, but quite a character and fun to read about was John I of Brabant.
His life was definitely very interesting! Elrond and Théoden are great characters too
by ForestFriend » Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:31 pm
My favourite fantasy hero would be the female healer, Kira of the Kira Chronicles trilogy . Belonging to a small clan of forest dwellers called Treemen , her journey is truely heroic. I think Lenfald folk in particular would enjoy her story. My favourite medieval hero is Robin Hood. But not from Sherwood Forest in England. This 'Robin Hood' is a young welsh Prince seeking in 1093 to regain his small border Welsh principality from invading Normans. Again, this trilogy of Hood, Scarlett and Tuck takes the reader on a long perilous journey of heroic welsh resistance to the powerful Normans. The Welsh war bow is his major weapon and his small guerilla band of loyal comrades take on the Normans in a life and death struggle. Ambush and cunning mean these folk are Outlaws at heart. Read this series if you can .
Daffyd ap Owen
aim small miss small , live in the moment... Outlaws
[ Wolf Clan]
ForestFriend
Location: Lightly walking the Outlaw song lines and secret trails of Roawia .
by Sir Erathor » Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:36 pm
ForestFriend wrote: The Welsh war bow...
Deadly, extremely deadly. One pierced a knight's armour, went through his leg, through the horses saddle and into the horse, with the tip showing on the other side. Those heroes sound very cool, I'll look them up
This is another very intersting thread I'm only reading now.
I think my favorite fictional "hero" is Tyrion Lannister, from GoT/A Song of Ice and Fire. He has the right doses of goodness and badness, just like real people.
From real history, I really like Saladin, for he was a noble warrior and a great leader. I also like Willam Wallace.
by Sir Erathor » Wed Feb 12, 2014 6:04 am
GyustSil wrote: This is another very intersting thread I'm only reading now.
Lol, I've heard a lot about Tyrion....
Saladin was some leader, as was Wallace, actually. I love the film Braveheart!
by GyustSil » Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:25 am
Sir Erathor wrote:
I'ts really a great film. Some historical inaccuracies, but overall it's a very good movie
by Armored Archer » Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:31 am
Mine are probably Erik Thorvaldsson, A.K.A.: Erik the Red, and his son Leif Erikson. Although Erik had a rather checkered past, he did end up founding the first Norse settlement in Greenland. Leif then ended up founding Vinland, the earliest known European settlement in the Western Hemisphere, sometime in the 1120's. He also introduced Christianity in the Western Hemisphere. Further more, a great uncle of theirs, Naddodd, was credited with the discovery of Iceland and was one of the first settlers of the Faroe Islands. I guess that I'm relatively biased as my family tree can be traced back to these men.
An archer is only as reliable as the string on his bow.
Armored Archer
by Sir Erathor » Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:33 pm
Armored Archer wrote: Mine are probably Erik Thorvaldsson, A.K.A.: Erik the Red, and his son Leif Erikson. Although Erik had a rather checkered past, he did end up founding the first Norse settlement in Greenland. Leif then ended up founding Vinland, the earliest known European settlement in the Western Hemisphere, sometime in the 1120's. He also introduced Christianity in the Western Hemisphere. Further more, a great uncle of theirs, Naddodd, was credited with the discovery of Iceland and was one of the first settlers of the Faroe Islands. I guess that I'm relatively biased as my family tree can be traced back to these men.
Wow, they're you're ancestors!
They're very interesting, fantastic characters, I like your decision!


text:
Q: Tubular neighborhood by restricting the Riemannian exponential map Let $M$ be a Riemannian manifold (possibly non-compact, possibly non-complete) and $N\subseteq M$ a smooth submanifold (possibly non-compact).
Does there exist a continuous $\mu\colon M\rightarrow (0,\infty)$, such that exponential map of $W$ $$exp\colon TW\supseteq U\rightarrow W$$ is defined on $\{(m,v)\in \vartheta(M\subseteq W)\colon||v||<\mu(m)\}$ and restricts to an embedding $$exp\colon\{(m,v)\in \vartheta(M\subseteq W)\colon||v||<\mu(m)\}\rightarrow W,$$ which provides a tubular neighbourhood of $M$ in $W$, where I denote by $\vartheta(M\subseteq W)$ the normal bundle of $M$ in $W$ thought as a subbundle of $TW$.
In other words, does the elementary construction of tubular neighbourhoods of submanifolds in euclidian space via the map $(x,y)\mapsto x+y$ generalize?
I suppose this is true. Does anyone know a reference for this?


text:
A Project for Better Journalism chapter
The Originators
Parkdale News
News, Sports
NBA legend Kobe Bryant leaves behind legacy of compassion
The Authors Leonel Guerrero, '20
Published online February 28, 2020 3:10pm
Last updated February 28, 2020 3:53pm
Web Editors Brianna Vivar, '21
On Jan. 26, one the best and the most loved NBA All-Stars Kobe Bryant was killed in a horrific helicopter accident, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. In honor of his legacy, we compiled some of his most memorable contributions to the game, his family, and the world.
On the court
It all started in 1999 when Bryant was the youngest to enter the NBA at the age of 19 playing for the LA Lakers. Within just a few years of him playing with the LA Lakers, he was recognized as a very gifted player, what most people consider a prodigy.
In 2002, he was named NBA All-Star Game MVP. By 2010, he had broken many records and contests, including slam dunk contests, making 81 points in a game, the second-highest in NBA history, as well getting endorsed by McDonald's.
Although Bryant had set many records, he was and still is the youngest person to play in an All-Star Game. He scored the most points, made the most turnovers, and made more free throws than any other guard in history. He is also one of four players who won all 15 NBA honors. Kobe scored the most points in a single arena and also the only player to reach 33,000 points.
By the end of his career, he led the Lakers to five NBA championships. He played for a total of 20 seasons, as a Laker for all of them, before retiring in 2016.
Apart from his widely known career in the NBA, Bryant wasn't just known for playing basketball. He was a father of four daughters: Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, and Capri, whom he share with his wife of nearly 19 years, Vanessa. After his father retired from the NBA, Bryant and his family moved to Italy where Kobe played many sports and was very athletic but also continued his basketball career. In 1991, they left Italy and moved back home. After a long career in basketball, Kobe did not stop working. Shortly after retiring, he made a short film entitled " Dear Basketball," which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018.
Over the span of his life, Bryant shared his wealth in many ways. He and his wife started a charity to help improve the life of less fortunate youth through sports and other ways.
In Santa Barbara, he started his own camp dedicated to teaching kids basketball skills. Bryant also was the national ambassador for " After School All-Stars," an organization made for families with low income.
Bryant was also proudly part of the Make-A-Wish America Foundation over decades. He met an astonishing 200 patients. Also, he did a Stand Up 2 Cancer and was able to raise $81 million for cancer research.
To help society more broadly, he became a venture capitalist and invested in companies to help them become more successful and " get off the ground".
He also helped women sports by donating $5,000 to a girls basketball team and at a local high school. Bryant also coached a young women's basketball team he started called the Mambas, a legacy that will continue in the Bryant family beyond his tragic death.
It's not hard to see that Kobe Bryant was a model to most. From being the youngest basketball player to enter the NBA to helping raise money for cancer research, Kobe has done many reputable things in his career and always strived to help others. He was able to give many people hope and confidence to do what they loved. One of his known saying is "If you are afraid to fail, then you are probably going to fail".
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text:
British HistoryBritain
American HistoryUSA
British History >
Parliamentary Reform >
Richard Carlile
Publishers >
Dorchester Gaol
Birth Control Campaign
Richard Carlile, the son of a shoemaker from Ashburton in Devon, was born on 9th December, 1790. Richard's father abandoned the family in 1794 and it was a struggle for his mother to look after her three children from the profits of the small shop that she ran in Ashburton. Richard received six years free education from the local Church of England school and learnt to read and write. At the age of twelve Richard left school and was apprenticed as a tinplateman in Plymouth.
In 1813 Richard married a local woman and soon afterwards the couple moved to London. Over the next few years Jane Carlile gave birth to five children, three of whom survived. Richard found work as a tinsmith but in the winter of 1816, Carlile had his hours reduced by his employer. Short-time work created serious economic problems for the Carlile family. For the first time in his life, Carlile began attending political meetings. At these meetings Carlile heard speakers like Henry Hunt complain bitterly about a parliamentary system that only allowed three men in every hundred to vote.
Carlile found the arguments for reform convincing and began to wonder why it had taken him so long to realize that the system was unfair. As a young boy living in Ashburton, Carlile remembered taking part in ceremonies where an effigy of Tom Paine was burnt at the stake. Carlile, like the rest of the people living in his village had believed the local vicar when he told them that Paine was an evil man for suggesting the need for parliamentary reform.
Carlile decided to try and earn a living by selling the writings of parliamentary reformers such as Tom Paine on the streets of London. Later Carlile was to comment that he often walked "thirty miles for a profit of eighteen pence". In 1817 Carlile decided to rent a shop in Fleet Street and become a publisher. Instead of publishing works such as Paine's The Rights of Man and the Principles of Government in book form, Carlile divided them into sections and then sold them as small pamphlets.
Carlile also began publishing a radical newspaper called The Republican. As well as reporting political meetings, The Republican also included extracts from books and poems by supporters of the reform movement such as Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron. Carlile's newspaper was very popular and it was not long before he was making £50 a week profit from his publishing venture.
On 16th August 1819, Richard Carlile was asked to join Henry Hunt as one on the main speakers at a meeting on parliamentary reform at St. Peter's Fields in Manchester. The local magistrates ordered the yeomanry (part-time cavalry) to break up the meeting. Just as Hunt was about to speak, the yeomanry charged the crowd and in the process killed eleven people. Afterwards, this event became known as the Peterloo Massacre.
In the next edition of The Republican Carlile wrote an article on the Peterloo Massacre. Carlile not only described how the military had charged the crowd but also criticised the government for its role in the incident. Under the seditious libel laws, it was offence to publish material that might encourage people to hate the government. The authorities also disapproved of Carlile publishing Tom Paine's Age of Reason, a book that was extremely critical of the Church of England.
In October 1819, Carlile was found guilty of blasphemy and seditious libel and was sentenced to three years in Dorchester Gaol. Carlile was also fined £1,500 and when he refused to pay, his Fleet Street offices were raided and his stock was confiscated. Carlile was determined not to be silenced. While he was in prison he continued to write material for The Republican, which was now being published by his wife. Due to the publicity created by Carlile's trial, the circulation of The Republican increased dramatically and was now outselling pro-government newspapers such as The Times.
In December 1819 the government took further action by imposing a 4d. tax on cheap newspapers and stipulating that they could not be sold for less than 7d. As most working people were earning less than 10 shillings a week, this severely reduced the number of people who could afford to buy radical newspapers.
The government also continued it policy of prosecuting those involved in publishing radical newspapers. In 1821 Jane Carlile was sentenced to two years imprisonment for seditious libel. Jane was replaced by Richard Carlile's sister, Mary Carlile, but within six months she was also in prison for the same offence. During the next few months, over 150 men and women were sent to prison for selling The Republican.
When Richard Carlile was released from prison in November 1825 he returned to publishing newspapers. Carlile was now a strong supporter of women's rights. He argued that "equality between the sexes" should be the objective of all reformers. Carlile wrote articles in his newspapers suggesting that women should have the right to vote and be elected to Parliament. In 1826 he also published Every Woman's Book, a book that advocated birth control and the sexual emancipation of women.
Carlile also became involved in the campaign against child labour. In 1827 Carlile was given a copy of manuscript written by John Brown, a radical journalist from Bolton. Brown's manuscript was based on an interview with a former parish apprentice called Robert Blincoe. Carlile published Robert Blincoe's Memoir in his newspaper, The Lion. Robert Blincoe's story appeared in five weekly episodes from 25th January to 22nd February, 1828.
In 1830 Carlile was back in prison for writing an article in support of agricultural labourers campaigning against wage cuts. When Carlile left prison two and a half years later, he was deeply in debt. Government fines had taken its toll and Carlile no longer had the financial resources to successfully publish newspapers. For the next few years Richard Carlile lived in extreme poverty but when he died in 1843, a large number of people attended his funeral in recognition of the important role he had played in achieving a free press.
By John Simkin (john@spartacus-educational.com) © September 1997 (updated January 2020).
▲ Main Article ▲
(1) Richard Carlile, who was one of the speakers at St. Peter's Field, wrote an account of what he witnessed in Sherwin's Weekly Political Register (18th August, 1819)
The meeting was one of the most calm and orderly that I have ever witnessed. No less than 300,000 people were assembled. Mr. Hunt started his speech when a cart was moved through the middle of the field to the great annoyance and danger of the assembled people, who quietly endeavoured to make way for its procedure. The cart had no sooner made its way through, when the Yeomanry Cavalry made their appearance from the same quarter as the cart had gone out. They galloped furiously round the field, going over every person who could not get out of their way.
The Yeomanry Cavalry made their charge with a most infuriate frenzy; they cut down men, women and children, indiscriminately, and appeared to have commenced a pre-meditated attack with the most insatiable thirst for blood and destruction. They merit a medallion, on one side of which should be inscribed 'The Slaughter Men of Manchester', and a reverse bearing a description of their slaughter of defenceless men, women and children, unprovoked and unnecessary. As a proof of meditated murder of the part of the magistrates, every stone was gathered from the ground on the Friday and Saturday previous to the meeting, by scavengers sent there by the express command of the magistrates, that the populace might be rendered more defenceless. The meeting was one of the most calm and orderly that I have ever witnessed. No less than 300,000 people were assembled. The Yeomanry Cavalry made their charge. They cut down men, women and children, and appeared to attack with a thirst for blood.
(2) Richard Carlile, The Republican (27th August, 1819)
The massacre of the unoffending inhabitants of Manchester, on the 16th of August, by the Yeomanry Cavalry and Police at the instigation of the Magistrates, should be the daily theme of the Press until the murderers are brought to justice.
Captain Nadin and his banditti of Police, are hourly engaged to plunder and ill-use the peaceable inhabitants; whilst every appeal from those repeated assaults to the Magistrates for redress, is treated by them with derision and insult.
Every man in Manchester who avows his opinions on the necessity of reform, should never go unarmed - retaliation has become a duty, and revenge an act of justice.
(3) In 1822 Susannah Wright was imprisoned for selling Richard Carlile's The Republican. During the trial she made the following comments.
As the blood of the Christian Martyrs become the seed of the Christian Church, so shall our sufferings become the seed of free discussion, and in those very sufferings we will triumph over you.
(4) Richard Carlile wrote an introduction to John Brown's Robert Blicoe's Memoir when it first appeared in The Lion newspaper on 25th January, 1828.
John Brown is now dead; he fell, about two or three years ago, by his own hand. He united, with a strong feeling for the injuries and sufferings of others. Hence his suicide. Had he not possessed a fine fellow-feeling with the child of misfortune, he would never have taken such pains to compile the Memoir of Robert Blincoe, and to collect all the wrongs on paper, on which he could gain information, about the various sufferers under the cotton-mill systems.
The employment of children is bad for children - first, as their health - and second, as to their manners. The time should be devoted to a better education. The employment of infant children on the cotton-mills furnishes a bad means to dissolute parents, to live in idleness and all sorts of vice.
(5) In 1835 Joseph Swann was sentenced to four and a half years for selling The Poor Man's Guardian. During the trial he explained his actions.
I have been unemployed for some time, neither can I obtain work, my family are starving. And for another reason, the most important of all, I sell them for the good of my countrymen.
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Avengers: Age of Ultron has been shrouded in mystery.
The cast of the Avengers: Age of Ultron say the script had to be shredded ever day to avoid details of the movie being leaked. The film's glittering cast attended Tuesday night's premiere in London.
Elizabeth Olsen, who plays the new character Scarlet Witch, said security was tight, while Paul Bettany - who plays The Vision - said the script was never emailed to him.
Bettany told Newsbeat that it was posted "with a security guard, with a name all over every page so I couldn't tweet it... it had to be delivered into my hands."
More: So who leaked the Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer?
Olsen added: "It was quite funny that we had to burn our sides for the day... we weren't allowed to go home with our little pages of whatever we shot that day. They took it from our trailers and shredded it. It's pretty crazy."
Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, said that most Marvel films are kept under wraps.
"Everything with Marvel is very lock and key and hush hush, you gotta sign a confidentiality agreement," he said.
Back in February, Sony Pictures and Marvel signed a deal that meant Spider-Man could join the likes of Captain America, Thor and Iron Man in future Marvel releases. Evans suggested there's definitely room for the webbed-one in a future Avengers movie, saying, "As long as he's a good man I think Captain American would accept him."
Avengers: Age of Ultron will hit theaters on Friday (April 24). It has a chance of becoming the biggest grossing movie of all time.


text:
What to Do When Your Kid's Biggest Bully Is Their Sibling
Written by Leah Campbell on February 25, 2019
Is your child being bullied at home? Getty Images
Lauren was just a kid when her brother started beating her.
"My parents worked so much, his dad lived in California. We were always alone after school," she told Healthline.
She was the youngest of three, and with a six-year age gap between them, he was the oldest.
The bullying started when she was in kindergarten and lasted through fourth grade. That's when he was sent to live with his biological father.
"The beatings were enough for the neighbors to call the cops countless times," she said.
Her mom had lost three jobs because she constantly had to come home to referee.
Eventually, it just became too much, and sending him away seemed like the only solution.
It sounds like a nightmare, and for this family it absolutely was. But it's also not entirely uncommon.
A recent study involving nearly 7,000 children found that the risk of bullying increases for kids who have more than one brother or sister.
The reason? Sibling bullying.
Lead author of the study, Dieter Wolke, PhD, told Healthline his latest research came about after reading anecdotes sent in to the BBC by readers about sibling bullying.
"It affects so many people long term and still it's a last taboo in families," Wolke said. "We wanted to find out what makes some siblings become bullies."
From a parent's perspective
The question of why is one Nicole, a mom in the Midwest, has asked herself countless times.
She has six kids aged 6 to 18, but told Healthline her 12-year-old is "downright mean and hateful to her 10 year old sister, and only to her. She will tell her to shut up. She will pull her hair, hit her, and throw things at her. It's really bad."
Nicole thinks it might be because the two are close in age. They have some of the same friends, participate in similar activities, and the 10-year-old often wants to do the things her older sister does. But she said the bullying has affected her younger child's self-esteem.
"She's gotten stronger over the years and no longer tries to please her sister, but sometimes you can see she's just sad."
When does sibling bickering become bullying?
It's a call a lot of parents might make, struggling to determine what's true bullying in need of intervention and what simply qualifies as normal sibling conflict.
Michele Levin, family therapist and co-owner of Blueprint Mental Health, told Healthline there's a simple way to tell the difference between the two, even though they're easily mistaken.
"Sibling conflict is very normal and a two-way street," she said. It can be a good thing because experiencing conflict with siblings can help children learn how to problem solve and build resilience.
"But sibling bullying is an extreme, powerful, one-way street: repetitive, intentional, intimidating, and meant to make someone else feel less on purpose," Levin said.
She explained that when it's bullying, the perpetrator knows it's hurtful and continues anyway. "It's a power dynamic."
The root of bullying
Levin was very clear that in cases of real bullying, the "bully" is often struggling themselves. "It's equally important to focus on helping them and to try to understand why it's happening, not just shaping the behavior."
That's one thing Lauren wishes had happened with her brother. She described a family life that was struggling, and a host of issues her older brother was dealing with at the time.
"He could've been helped without being shipped away," she said. "An adult never went to him or came to me to figure out why. They just looked at the bruises, asked if he did it, and sent him away."
To this day she says she carries guilt because of that, and wishes her brother had gotten the help she now recognizes he so desperately needed.
Barriers to help
But relationship and parenting expert Wendy Walsh, PhD, told Healthline it isn't always so simple.
"In families that don't have good conflict resolution skills, and for parents who haven't modeled emotional regulation themselves, they aren't always equipped to recognize this type of behavior as true bullying," she said.
Wolke agreed. "The sad thing is that parents either aren't aware of it because it's happening behind closed doors, or they want to ignore it and seek no help."
He said some may even lie about the behavior in order to protect their children and themselves.
Walsh said this can be especially true when the bullying occurs between boys. "Sometimes there's this attitude of 'let them fight it out, they'll learn, boys will be boys.' But when you have a big age gap, it's not a fair fight."
Most likely to bully
Walsh's point about boys is relevant, especially considering that the recent study found that firstborn children and older brothers are most likely to be the perpetrators of this type of bullying.
The researchers suggest this may have to do with a loss of resources. Firstborn and older children are thrust into suddenly having to share time, toys, and attention with their younger siblings, and it doesn't always go over well.
Both Levin and Walsh agreed with this theory.
"If you want to imagine how an older sibling feels when a new baby comes home, consider that it's exactly like your husband coming home with a new girlfriend. She's younger, cuter, and he says he wants to keep you both. That's what an older sibling goes through," Walsh explained.
Levin suggested parents should "keep the kids engaged so resentments don't build," when bringing home a new baby. "And always remember to validate that it can be tough on the older child."
Wolke said that this can be a phenomenon that repeats itself. Their research found that victims of sibling bullying often also become perpetrators. And the more time siblings spend together, the more bullying there is.
"Siblings are caged," he explained. "They can't choose or ask their brother or sister to move out. They also live in close quarters, and the familiarity allows them to know which buttons to press to upset the sibling and how to manipulate the parents."
Moving beyond bullying and getting help
But there's hope. While bullying can result in long-term negative mental and physical health outcomes and victims of sibling bullying run the risk of never being able to fully escape their tormentors, some do manage to move past the conflicts of their youth.
Lauren told Healthline that her brother is one of the most important people in her life today.
"He's my rock and my best friend. He's there any time I need him. He was just young and had anger."
Although he's never apologized for the past, she's chosen to forgive him. She said they're very close in adulthood.
If you're a parent concerned about sibling bullying, certain signs of distress in your child might indicate a need for family therapy. These signs may include:
not doing their homework
being defiant
a change in personality
Walsh said to consider making an appointment with a family therapist who can help you get to the root of the bullying and find a way to resolve it.
She has the same advice for adults who may have been bullied by siblings as children.
"You might think, 'Oh, it was just my brother,' but the impact of that type of bullying can be very profound. But kids sometimes spend more time with their siblings than their parents," Walsh said. "A bad relationship with a sibling can have just as much impact as a bad one with a parent."
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Twice-baked enamel dial
The Patek Philippe ref. 2526 is one of the earliest references to house the manufacture's very first self-winding calibre, the 12-600 AT. On account of its technically advanced movement, elegant screw-back case and refined enamel dial, the reference has developed a cult following among vintage collectors.
When it was first released, the retail price for a gold ref. 2526 on a bracelet was around CHF 3,400 - only CHF 400 less than the ref. 2499, the only perpetual calendar chronograph available on the market at the time. This initial pricing, as well as the clients who received these timepieces - with distinguished collector J.B. Champion taking delivery the very first one and Andy Warhol owning an example with Breguet numerals - demonstrates Patek Philippe's high regard for the reference.
Scholarship suggests that between 1953 and 1960, around 2,880 pieces were produced in yellow, rose and white gold, as well platinum. This example, from the second series, is distinguished by its shorter hour marker at 6 o'clock and slight depression of the enamel around the second's indicator (though not around the hour markers, which is a distinguishing factor of the first series). This is consistent with the case and movement numbers, as confirmed by an Extract from the Archives, which fall within the range usually attributed to the second series (between 760.500-763.999 for the movement and 681.XXX-698.XXX for the case).
This yellow gold Patek Philippe ref. 2526 is classically-sized, at 36mm in diameter, with a screw-back case. The amorphous shape of the case is well-preserved, with crisp hallmarks visible on the left-hand side of the case and behind the top left lug. One of the distinctive features of the reference, the original crown is signed with two, back-to-back "P" letters, for Patek Philippe. This style of crown was introduced for the calibre 12-600 AT and while it is not unique to this reference, it is probably most associated with it.
The twice-baked cream enamel dial features gold facetted markers, as well as the signatures and indications applied in gold dust. The enamel dial is beautifully preserved, with no visible imperfections or cracks. Used sparingly today, enamel was chosen by Patek Philippe for being impervious to the action of outside agents, such as tarnishing produced by sunlight, ensuring the longevity of the dial.
This Patek Philippe ref. 2526 in yellow gold is accompanied by its original box and Extract from the Archives, which confirms production of the watch in 1956, and its subsequent sale in January 1957. It also comes with Patek Philippe servicing paperwork from 2019, where the movement was serviced and the plexiglass replaced, with all other parts being kept.
It comes on our Luxembourg light grey saffiano strap, with a matching yellow gold Patek Philippe tang buckle.
Year: 1956 (sold in 1957)
Features: twice-baked enamel dial, double "P" crown, screw-back case
Case: 36mm yellow gold
Bracelet: Luxembourg light grey saffiano strap, matching yellow gold Patek Philippe tang buckle.
Box & papers: box, Extract from the Archives, servicing paperwork
This yellow-gold, second series Patek Philippe 2526 is preserved in excellent condition. The amorphous shape of the case is well-preserved, with crisp hallmarks visible on the left-hand side of the case and behind the top left lug. It comes with its original crown, signed with two, back-to-back "P" letters, for Patek Philippe. The enamel dial is beautifully preserved, with no visible imperfections or cracks. The plexiglass crystal shows some superficial marks, consistent with light wear (with two more noticeable ones around 4 o'clock).
The watch is accompanied by its original box and Extract from the Archives, which confirms production of the watch in 1956, and its subsequent sale in January 1957. It also comes with Patek Philippe servicing paperwork from 2019, where the movement was serviced and the plexiglass replaced, with all other parts being kept. It is guaranteed for authenticity and comes with the remainder of its service warranty from Patek Philippe (24 months from October 2019).


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Evidence Review on Results-Based Payments: Evidence Gap Map and Intervention Heat Map
English | PDF | 2.12 MB
The evidence review presents a systematic, multisectoral search of publications in the academic and grey literature. The search was restricted to quantitative studies published between 2000 and 2020 that assessed the effectiveness of one or more RBP interventions using experimental, quasiexperimental or non-causal designs. Based on sector-, intervention- and implementation-related characteristics extracted from a sample of 428 studies that met these inclusion/exclusion criteria, we developed an evidence gap map (EGM). The EGM followed a consistent intervention/outcome framework to highlight the distribution of the evidence base on the impacts of various RBP interventions on beneficiary-, service-provider- and investor/system-level outcomes.
The EGM reveals that vouchers, pay-for-performance models, payments for environmental services and conditional cash transfers have been extensively studied, whereas the evidence base on broader RBP modalities is much thinner. It highlights regional patterns in the use of these modalities: most evidence comes from North America, East Asia and Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Evidence from South Asia and especially from the Middle East and North Africa was limited. Nearly half the evidence across all countries is drawn from applications in the health sector, followed by agriculture and forestry, and education; evidence on RBPs in the energy sector is sorely lacking.
Using the same intervention/outcome framework, we developed an intervention heat map (IHM) that highlights the distribution of 15 approved financial commitments by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) that employ results-based modalities. Nearly all this amount (representing approximately 7 per cent of the GCF's total commitments between 2015 and 2020) was allocated as part of the GCF's REDD+ pilot programme, which rewards countries for achieving verified emissions reductions from forestry programmes.
A comparison of the EGM and the IHM reveals that there is potential for greater use of resultsbased approaches in the GCF's funding portfolio, including the use of vouchers and conditional cash transfers, which have already been deployed in GCF-supported projects. In addition, there is considerable potential to (i) broaden the GCF's existing RBP-based commitments to projects to enhance beneficiaries' adaptive capacity and to ensure long-term sustainability of project impacts, and (ii) increase support for projects that directly incentivize service providers.
Authorship Josh Meuth Alldredge, Emma De Roy, Elangtlhoko Mokgano, Peter Mwandri, Tulika Narayan, Martin Prowse, Jyotsna Puri, William Rafferty, Anu Rangarajan and Faraz Usman
Cover date December 2020
Document type Learning paper
Search Results and Descriptive Statistics
Evidence Gap Map
Intervention Heat Map


This building is my own design, made for the communication of my solo show in Seoul ( April 2018 ), this building represent the balance I found myself in while living in South Korea.
Thibaud Herem's rendering of the external facade of the building is an accurate and incredibly detailed illustration of a beautifully designed building.
We've used the drawing across all the collateral, applying many of the architectural details such as ornamental borders and balustrades as counterpoints to the graphic design of the hotel's identity.
The rich history of the building and the area are peppered across the material with quotes from local identities of note including Samual Pepys and Geoffrey Chaucer.
one more of my favorite tree.
First drawing of many about the Miami Art deco huge diversity of buildings, 12 x 16 cm.
Private commission for a beautiful family and their house in London.
76 Dean street , London, is a mid-Georgian townhouse built in 1742 by T. Richmond. Absolutely stunning it has been rebuilt after a fire in 2009 and it is occupied by the famous Soho House.
This beautiful building is an hotel located in the swiss alps. First a luxurious holiday place to stay, it is now close due to the proximity of the glacier.
Private commission for a family house in London. 2016.
To celebrate the New Year of the Rooster.
Presentation of the different Soho House buildings around the world for the publication of the "Morning Noon Night" book, 2016.
Illustration on postcards and posters for the Art on Postcards Charity.
I created this image for the Japan based fashion brand, Sretsis Inn.
Based in Tokyo, Aoyama, this was one perfect building for me to draw.
I drew this tree for the production of a print book for Herman Miller.
Selection of sketches and drawings made during my winter trip to Japan.
A simple reminder to draw more and observe everything.
La Carpe ( or Villa de la Carpe) is the 4th of a 4 drawings set presented at the Tokyo solo show in 2016 at the gallery Le Monde. These are the first fictional architectural drawings I present and this one is representing Winter.
La Tortue ( or Villa de la Tortue) is the third of a 4 drawings set presented at the Tokyo solo show in 2016 at the gallery Le Monde. These are the first fictional architectural drawings I present and this one is representing Spring.
La Chauve-Souris ( or Villa de la Chauve-Souris) is the second of a 4 drawings set presented at the Tokyo solo show in 2016 at the gallery Le Monde. These are the first fictional architectural drawings I present and this one is representing Autumn.
Le Lézard ( or Villa du Lézard) is the first piece of a 4 drawings set presented at the Tokyo solo show in 2016 at the gallery Le Monde. These are the first fictional architectural drawings I present and this one is representing summer.
Architecturally, ecologically and geographically Seasons is the theme of the moment. I produced 2 set of drawings for my very first solo show. I will show my original drawings at Le Monde Gallery in Harajaku, Tokyo, Japan.
Original drawing 85 x 45 cm, ink.
Opened in 1852, the station's design is magnificent in its simplicity, being based on two great arched train sheds, with a brick structure at the south end designed to reflect the main arches behind.
Website illustration and printed material for the new communication of the South Kensington Club in London, UK.
Original drawing 70 x 35 cm, ink and watercolour.
Built in 1940, This shrine is dedicated to the spirit of Admiral Heihachiro Togo, celebrated as a shinto kami. The Togo Shrine was destroyed during WWII bombings and re-built in a more modern fashion in the 1960s.
Prints are available on the shop.
Original drawing 90 x 95 cm, ink and watercolour.
Inspired by the set of the Wes Anderson movie released in 2014.
The architecture is a mix of existing buildings, mostly inspired on the very pink Palace Bristol Hotel in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) in Czech Republic. This aristocratic manor dating back from the 19th century gave me the chance to do my first colour piece.
Deco London takes you on a journey through the streets of London to discover the capital's most intriguing, striking and elaborate art deco buildings. This 3 metre-long frieze details 11 of London's most iconic art deco buildings including: The Hoover Factory, BBC Broadcasting House and Battersea Power Station.
Logo for the Production Company Wild Aster.
Wallpaper for the new extension of the Science Museum in London. The information Age, opened in 2014, the History of the Telephone corner. Really hard to take pictures so I invite you to visit it, Her Majesty the Queen was really impressed.
Architecture drawing works as well in very small.
Original drawing 70 x 125 cm, ink.
Drawing for the 150 th anniversary of the London tube, drawing representing all the major iconic buildings of London, 2014.
Built in 1974 by the architect Kazumasa Yamashita on a dreary street in downtown Kyoto.
Original drawing 30 x 60 cm, ink.
Drawing for the refurbishment of the Number 1 Palace Street in London, UK.
Design of the Cover for the German Magazine SHOP.
Issue released in 2014 about Paris.
Original drawing 25 x 60 cm, ink.
Drawing of the old Bromley Town Hall for a publication.
Original drawing 60 x 85 cm, ink.
Drawing of The Line Hotel for the reopening of this historical modern building in Koreatown.
Issue released in 2013 about Nuremberg.
The Chateau de Fontainebleau is inspired by a Renaissance model, architect Jean Androuet, was built during the reign of Louis XIII (1610-1643). This drawing was made for the luxurious packaging of the famous french chocolate maker Frederic Cassel.
Design of the invitation for the Anya Hindmarch event : Cabman shelters.
It is located at 2 East 55th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues. The 18-story French Beaux-Arts style hotel, the tallest in the city when built, was designed by architects Trowbridge & Livingston in 1904.
Original drawing 20 x 45 cm, ink.
Drawing of the Bespoke store of Anya Hindmarch in London Pont St, for the Hong Kong show in 2013.
5 illustrations of the work of the Architect Isay Weinfeld for the magazine Beyond.
Original drawing 40 x 40 cm, ink.
Marble Arch is a 19th-century white marble faced triumphal arch which was designed by John Nash in 1827.
Architecture directory for the issue July 2013.
With a special collaborator's page on my work.
Original drawing 60 x 25 cm, ink.
Founded in 1723 as a coffee house, became Georges Hotel in 1830 and then a public house as it is today. Current building is late Victorian.
Original drawing 50 x 40 cm, ink.
Column 70 x 10 cm, ink.
For the reopening of the famous parisian Fashion house, Schiaparelli asked me to create 2 images for their new branding. The column and the building of the brand are located in Paris, place Vendome.
The Villa Les Rhumbs was Christian Dior's childhood home, the Belle-Epoque style house dates from the late nineteenth century, Villa Les Rhumbs was built by shipowner Beust. "Rhumb" is an old marine term designating a wind rose divided into 32 rhumbs.
Original drawing 65 x 15 cm, ink.
The Clock Tower of the iconic St Pancras Station, opened in 1868 well known for the Victorian Architecture. The drawing of the whole building is in progress, the biggest of my collection.
Original drawing 65 x75 cm, ink.
This amazing art deco swimming pool was built in 1925 in Rennes (rue Gambetta) by the hometown architect Emmanuel Le Ray.
Original drawing 20 x 24 cm, ink.
Drawing of the Ground Zero memorial in NYC for the Fashon brand magazine ACNE.
Original drawing 23 x 30 cm, ink.
Best Kebab in Town for the food magazine The Gourmand.


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Home » Family » Growing a Farm: Virginians Tackling the Challenges
Growing a Farm
By Eric J. Wallace | August 8th, 2018
Virginians tackling the challenges
It's July 2015, and 38-year-old organic vegetable farmer Ryan Blosser has jolted awake: lightning tears open the darkness; thunder booms; windowpanes rattle; rain pounds down. He leaps out of bed and rushes to the front door. A flash confirms it: The wind is tearing the brand-new 30-by-100-foot hoop house from its anchors.
A big man of 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Blosser crashes through the muddy yard like a blitzing linebacker. Flinging himself against the bucking aluminum frame, for the next 20 minutes, he battles the storm.
"That hoop house was my livelihood … to lose it would've been catastrophic," he says. Blosser had recently resigned as the director of the farming nonprofit, Project Grows, to start his own operation, Dancing Star Farms. Winning a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, he'd installed the $5,000 hoop house in the spring. Inside was $10,000 worth of maturing heirloom tomatoes he planned to sell at the Staunton Farmers' Market – roughly one-third of the startup's expected gross sales. "I was like Ahab battling the white whale: If the storm wanted to kill my dream, it was going to have to take me, too."
The tempest passed.
"As a primary occupation, farming isn't for the faint of heart," Blosser says.
While rarely as extreme, such do-or-die-moments are par for the course for farmers. But usually the challenges are more protracted: drought, flooding, insects, mold, market changes, economic forces and other uncontrollable factors. Rising to the occasion, some Virginia farmers have maintained their operations for decades, while newcomers have capitalized on 21st-century trends.
FROM WATERMELONS TO MODERN MARKETS
According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, agriculture is Virginia's largest private industry, with an economic impact of $70 billion annually, providing more than 334,000 jobs, each of which supports 1.7 jobs elsewhere in Virginia's economy. Of Virginia's farms – more than 44,000 of them – nearly 90 percent are owned and operated by individuals or families.
Only 4,921 farms in the Commonwealth reported more than $50,000 in sales in 2012, says Elaine Lidholm, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesperson. "The majority of our farmers are doing so part-time or are retirement farmers."
"To make a family farming business work, you have to be really savvy," says 43-year-old fourth-generation farmer Jay Taliaferro. Ten years ago, Taliaferro left a career in engineering to help manage the family's grain farm in Essex County. He joined his cousin, Tom; his father, David; and two of David's brothers. Jay says that beyond the daily elbow grease, the key to success is diligently "watching the markets" and "being willing to diversify" or even "totally change directions."
In more than 72 years of business, the Taliaferros have shifted their focus numerous times. "My great-grandfather was a farmer, as was my grandfather and my father," says Jay. Originally, the business focused on selling pickled watermelon rinds up and down the East Coast. Montague Farms was formed in 1976, when Jay's father and three uncles incorporated the family holdings. At that point, the brothers "chose to focus on large-scale grain production," namely, corn, barley, wheat and soybeans, "and things grew from there."
In the early days, scaling up required taking out loans to buy land and better equipment.
According to Jay, if a commercial grain farmer wants "to compete with the big boys," he has "to have a lot of land." Seeking to centralize operations, the natural solution "was to buy acreage close to home and transform it into working fields." However, that meant long backbreaking hours clearing forests, tearing out stumps, grading hills with a bulldozer, and, finally, tilling new fields. But the hard work paid off: within a decade, the Taliaferros were producing grains on more than 4,000 acres.
Tom says Montague was established by "selling [feed] to cattle and poultry farmers … mostly in the Shenandoah Valley and on the Eastern Shore." Business grew until the mid-1980s, when the bottom fell out of the grain markets. A sharp drop in prices left many farmers scrambling to pay their bills. Compounded by a bad drought, the situation became unmanageable.
"A lot of [family farmers] had taken out loans on their land to try and weather the downturn," says Tom, 43. A former financial consultant, he now serves as Montague's business manager. Faced with a second crisis, many farmers defaulted on their loans, "and the banks were forced to foreclose."
Feeling the crunch, the Taliaferros looked to new markets. They quickly added specialty products like high-moisture corn, wheat and barley to sell as animal feed. But if they wanted to do more than survive, they needed something else.
"My dad and uncles were very active in the farming community and served as officers in both the Virginia Grain Producers Association and the Virginia Agribusiness Council," says Tom. Shaking the grapevine, the brothers learned of a new niche opportunity – growing non-GMO, food-quality soybeans for Japanese restaurants.
"Back then, the major producers were preparing to shift toward Roundup-ready crops," says Jay. Resistant to pesticides, the genetically modified plants would be easier and cheaper to grow. But high-end Japanese restaurants wanted nothing to do with the stuff. Spotting a potential opening, the Virginia Cooperative Extension conducted studies that suggested the beans were well adapted to the Tidewater's soil. Though "the market for these specialty varieties wasn't lucrative enough to attract the big boys," for an operation like Montague? "It was a match made in heaven."
The brothers exported their first crop of soybeans in 1987. Within three years, they'd established a research partnership with Virginia Tech to develop non-GMO varieties to meet customer needs.
Montague has since expanded operations, selling to Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan, exporting soybeans customized for "natto, tofu, sprouts, soy sauce" and more. To meet demand, the Taliaferros built two state-of-the-art, semi-automated cleaning and packaging facilities with a storage capacity of 20 megatons. Jay says Montague employs about 25 people and, in addition to its own lands, contracts with dozens of farmers in North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware to grow 10,000 to 15,000 additional acres of soybeans each year.
"My grandmother liked to say it was funny that my great-grandfather had expanded the business all the way to New York City, and now here we were shipping food across two oceans," Jay says. "For them to make it, they had to go to New York. For us, it was to Japan and points beyond."
Ryan Blosser of Dancing Star Farms
A 21st-CENTURY TREND
In the past 20 years, the trend of sourcing foods locally has inspired other farmers to focus their attention closer to home.
The first nationwide USDA survey of local food marketing practices was conducted in 2015 to measure direct sales from farmer to consumers and other local customers. Lidholm of VDACS says the survey revealed that "3,415 Virginia farms sold about $220 million worth of food products directly to consumers, retailers and businesses that market regionally branded products." The total constituted about 15 percent of the nation's direct local farm sales, making Virginia the ninth largest direct-to-market producer in the U.S. In terms of farmers markets alone, there has been a jump from "88 in 2006 to more than 250 today," Lidholm adds. "This is a major trend, and we're very excited about it."
At the same time, it's hard for a family farm to get up and running. "They face tremendous hurdles," says Leonard Githinji, a specialist with Virginia State University's Small Farm Outreach program. In the early 20th century, many of Virginia's full-time farmers had started as homesteaders who subsequently specialized and ramped up operations. Today, would-be full-time family farmers "are often trying to switch careers," and thus "working long hours to get educated, then trying to scale up and enter the market as a viable full-time business" – and all with little to no startup money. "There is no margin for error. A bad crop early on will likely result in complete failure."
This makes it tougher than ever to make the leap.
"Even if a full-time family farmer manages to survive into the years, he or she will have to stay abreast of changing agricultural trends and adapt to meet market demands," says Githinji. Because of this, "Most don't last for more than five years."
Ryan Blosser is among this new wave of farmers. Since the storm, Dancing Star has grown by leaps and bounds. Selling through a consumer-supported agriculture program and at farmers markets, Blosser's product line now includes 22 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, 10 varieties of eggplants, 14 varieties of peppers, a dozen types of lettuce, as well as flowers, herbs, quail eggs and rabbit meat. After hiring a full-time operator and two part-time seasonal helpers, Blosser expects to produce more than 40,000 pounds of vegetables this summer, which will sell for upward of $80,000. He projects gross sales will rise to $120,000 by 2020.
For Blosser, additions like rabbits, eggs and hoop-house crops offer insurance against unexpected reductions in yield due to "drought or too much rain." Meanwhile, consumer demand for boutique craft beverages has led him to plant rare heirloom apple trees and invest in a small-batch cidery operation.
After all, as any successful farmer could agree: if life gives you apples, make cider.
Eric J. Wallace is a career journalist and avid outdoorsman. His writing has appeared in more than 40 magazines, including Backpacker, All About Beer, Canoe & Kayak, and Modern Farmer.
Sage Advice: Homeowners Going Nuts Over Squirrels
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I accepted the Pantene 14 Day Challenge and tried out their Pantene Gold Series Collection for 14 days. I used their products on my natural 4C hair, and I wanted to share my results with you!
Many of you know that this year, I decided to stop using relaxers, and transition to natural hair. Throughout my transition, I've worn mostly protective styles such as braids and wigs because I've been focusing on keeping heat off my hairso it can grow to a strong and healthy state. I've also been wearing protective styles because honestly, I have not had the confidence to wear my natural hair out because the products that I used in the past left my hair dry and puffy which did not leave me feeling confident. I knew I had to get a great haircare routine in place to avoid being out in these streets with a bad hair day. When Pantene suggested I take on their Pantene 14 Day Challenge, I was completely up for it! For 14 days, I've used the Pantene Gold Series Shampoo and Conditioner, and I am so excited to share my results with you.
On Day 7 of my Pantene 14 Day Challenge, I used Pantene Gold Series Shampoo, Conditionerand curl defining pudding which had my curls poppin! The products had me rocking my curly twist out with full confidence because I had such great hair day. Day 7 was the midway point of the challenge, and I had already started to notice easier wash days. When I washed my hair, it was so easy to detangle and comb through. When using the curl defining pudding, I found the consistency to be very silky & lightweight which was great for setting my twist-out-curlrod set. Little product was needed to achieve my curl definition with medium hold.
After 14 Days of usage, I can truly say my hair on wash days have become way more manageable. On Day 14, I tried blowing out my natural hair, and the Gold Series left my hair easy to detangle, and with a soft, natural shine. For this style, I used the Shampoo & Conditioner, but not the curly custard since my style was straight.
During the challenge, I washed my hair 3 times with the products. I would definitely recommend using the Pantene Gold Series Collection if you are looking for moisture and softer, more manageable hair. The price point is great, and the products can be found at most drugstores and major retailers, so I'd recommend giving it a try for 14 days to see how your hair responds. I'm sure, you'll be saying goodbye to bad hair days and hello to soft, manageable hair!
Will you try the Pantene 14-day challenge?