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thegateway.net.au
'Observation' is a tense, atmospheric puzzler where you play a modern HAL 9000
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DefinedCrowd offers mobile apps to empower its AI-annotating masses
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Big revenues, huge valuations and major losses: charting the era of the unicorn IPO
Tag: snap inc
Tencent is launching its own version of Snap Spectacles
Some were surprised to see Snap release a second version of its "face-camera" Spectacles gadget, since the original version failed to convert hype into sales.
But those lackluster sales — which dropped to as low as 42,000 per quarter — didn't only fail to dissuade the U.S. social firm from making more specs, because now Tencent, the Chinese internet giant and Snap investor, has launched its own take on the genre.
Tencent this week unveiled its answer to the video-recording sunglasses, which, you'll notice, bear a striking resemblance to Snap's Spectacles.
Called the Weishi smartglasses, Tencent's wearable camera sports a lens in the front corner that allows users to film from a first-person perspective. Thankfully, the Chinese gaming and social giant has not made the mistake of Snap's first-generation Spectacles, which highlighted the camera with a conspicuous yellow ring.
#Tencent's version of Snap Spectacles will go on sale Nov 11th pic.twitter.com/sNuSezdVgS
— Matthew Brennan (@mbrennanchina) November 2, 2018
Tencent, which is best known for operating China's massively popular WeChat messenger, has been an investor in Snap for some time after backing it long before it went public. But, when others have criticized the company and its share price struggled, Tencent doubled down. It snapped up an additional 12 percent stake one year ago and it is said to have offered counsel to Snap CEO Evan Spiegel on product strategy. We don't know, however, if the two sides' discussions have ever covered Spectacles and thus inspired this new Tencent take on then.
The purpose behind Tencent's new gadget is implicit in its name. Weishi, which means "micro videos" in Chinese, is also the name of the short-video sharing app that Tencent has been aggressively promoting in recent months to catch up with market dominators TikTok and Kuaishou .
TikTok, known as Douyin in China, is part of the entertainment ecosystem that Beijing-based ByteDance is building. ByteDance also runs the popular Chinese news aggregator Toutiao and is poised to overtake Uber as the world's most-valued tech startup when it closes its mega $3 billion funding round.
Weishi's other potential rival Kuaishou is, interestingly, backed by Tencent. Kuaishou launched its own video-taking sunglasses in July.
Alongside the smart sunglasses, Tencent has also rolled out a GoPro-like action camera that links to the Weishi app. Time will tell whether the gadgets will catch on and get more people to post on Weishi.
Snap Spectacles V1 (top) and V2
The spectacles will go on sale November 11, a date that coincides with Singles Day, the annual shopping spree run by Tencent's close rival Alibaba. Tencent does not make the gadget itself and instead has teamed up with Shenzhen-based Tonot, a manufacturer that claims to make "trendy" video-taking glasses. Tonot has also worked with Japan's Line chat app on camera glasses.
"There isn't really a demand for video-recording glasses," says Mi Zou, a Beijing-based entrepreneur working on an AI selfie app. That's because smartglasses are "not offering that much more to consumers than smartphones do," she argues. Plus, a lot of people on apps like Douyin and Kuaishou love to take selfies, a need that smartglasses fail to fulfill.
"Tencent will have to work on its marketing. It could perhaps learn a few things from the Apple Watch, which successfully touts a geeky product as a fashionable accessory," suggests Mi, who points out Snap Spectacles' so-far dim reception.
Weishi had not responded to TechCrunch's request for comment at the time of writing, but we'll update this story with any additional information should the company provide it.
Posted on November 2, 2018 Tags Artificial Intelligence, Asia, China, Entertainment, Evan Spiegel, Japan, Kuaishou, shenzhen, Snap, snap inc, specs, spectacles, Sunglasses, TC, tech startup, Tencent, Video, Wearables
9 highlights from Snapchat CEO's 6,000-word leaked memo on survival
Adults, not teens. Messaging, not Stories. Developing markets, not the U.S. These are how Snapchat will make a comeback, according to CEO Evan Spiegel . In a 6,000-word internal memo from late September leaked to Cheddar's Alex Heath, Spiegel attempts to revive employee morale with philosophy, tactics and contrition as Snap's share price sinks to an all-time low of around $8 — half its IPO price and a third of its peak.
"The biggest mistake we made with our redesign was compromising our core product value of being the fastest way to communicate," Spiegel stresses throughout the memo regarding "Project Cheetah." It's the chat that made Snapchat special, and burying it within a combined feed with Stories and failing to build a quick-loading Android app have had disastrous consequences.
Spiegel shows great maturity here, admitting to impatient strategic moves and outlining a cohesive path forward. There's no talk of Snapchat ruling the social app world here. He seems to understand that's likely out of reach in the face of Instagram's competitive onslaught. Instead, Snapchat is satisfied if it can help us express ourselves while finally reaching even meager profitability.
Snapchat may be too perceived as a toy to win enough adults, too late to win back international markets from the Facebook empire and too copyable by good-enough alternatives to grow truly massive. But if Snap can follow the Spiegel game plan, it could carve out a sustainable market through a small but loyal audience who want to communicate through imagery.
Here are the most interesting takeaways from the memo — and why they're important:
1. Apologizing for rushing the redesign
There were, of course, some downsides to moving as quickly as a cheetah We rushed our redesign, solving one problem but creating many others . . . Unfortunately, we didn't give ourselves enough time to continue iterating and testing the redesign with a smaller percentage of our community. As a result, we had to continue our iterations after we launched, causing a lot of frustration for our community.
Spiegel always went on his gut rather than relying on user data like Facebook. Aging further and further away from his core audience, he misread what teens cared about. The appealing buzz phrase of "separating social from media" also meant merging messaging and Stories into a chaotic list that made both tougher to use. Spiegel seems to have learned a valuable lesson about the importance of A/B testing.
2. Chat is king
Our redesigned algorithmic Friend Feed made it harder to find the right people to talk to, and moving too quickly meant that we didn't have time to optimize the Friend Feed for fast performance. We slowed down our product and eroded our core product value. . . . Regrettably, we didn't understand at the time that the biggest problem with our redesign wasn't the frustration from influencers – it was the frustration from members of our community who felt like it was harder to communicate . . . In our excitement to innovate and bring many new products into the world, we have lost the core of what made Snapchat the fastest way to communicate.
When Snap first revealed the changes, we predicted that "Teen Snap addicts might complain that the redesign is confusing, jumbling all content from friends together." That made it too annoying to dig out your friends to send them messages, and Snap's growth rate imploded, with it losing 3 million users last quarter. Expect Snap to optimize its engineering to make messages quicker to send and receive, and even sacrifice some of its bells and whistles to make chat faster in developing markets.
3. Snapchat must beat Facebook at best friends
Your top friend in a given week contributes 25% of Snap send volume. By the time you get to 18 friends, each incremental friend contributes less than 1% of total Snap send volume each. Finding best friends is a different problem than finding more friends, so we need to think about new ways to help people find the friends they care most about.
Facebook's biggest structural disadvantage is its broad friend graph that's bloated to include family, co-workers, bosses and distant acquaintances. That might be fine in a feed app, but not for Stories and messaging where you only care about your closest friends. With friend lists and more, Facebook has tried and failed for a decade to find better ways to communicate with your besties. This is the wedge through which Snapchat can attack Facebook. If it develops special features for luring your best friends onto the app and staying in touch with them for better reasons than just maintaining a Snap "Streak," it could hit Facebook where it can't defend itself.
4. Discover soars as Facebook Watch and IGTV stumble
Our Shows continue to attract more and more viewers, with over 18 Shows reaching monthly audiences of over 10M unique viewers. 12 of which are Original productions. As a platform overall, we've grown the amount of total time spent engaging with our Shows product, almost tripling since the beginning of the year. Our audience for Publisher Stories has increased over 20% YoY, and we believe there is a significant opportunity to continue growing the number of people who engage with Discover content . . .We are also working to identify content that is performing well outside of Snapchat so that we can bring it into Discover.
Discover remains Snapchat's biggest differentiator, scoring with premium video content purposefully made for mobile. What it really needs, though, are a few must-see tent-pole shows to drag in a wider audience that can get hooked on the reimagined digital magazine experience.
Snapchat beyond Stories: Be the HBO of mobile
5. But Discover is a mess
Our content team is working hard to experiment with new layouts and content types in the wake of our redesign to drive increased engagement.
Snapchat Discover is an overcrowded pile of clickbait. News outlets, social media influencers, original video Shows and aggregated user content collections all battle for attention in a design that feels overwhelming to the point of exhaustion. Thankfully, Snapchat seems to recognize that more cohesive sorting with fewer images and headlines bombarding you might make Discover a more pleasant lean-back consumption experience.
6. Aging up to earn money
Most of the incremental growth in our core markets like the US, UK, and France will have to come from older users who generate higher average revenue per user . . . Growing in older demographics will require us to mature our application . . . Many older users today see Snapchat as frivolous or a waste of time because they think Snapchat is social media rather than a faster way to communicate. Changing the design language of our product and improving our marketing and communications around Snapchat will help users understand our value . . . aging-up our community in core markets will also help the media, advertisers, and Wall Street understand Snapchat.
Snapchat can't just be for cool kids anymore. Their lower buying power and life stage make them less appealing to brands. The problem is that Snapchat risks turning off younger users by courting their older siblings or adults. If, like Facebook, users start to feel like Snapchat is a place for parents, they may defect in search of the next purposefully built app to confuse adults to stay hip.
7. Finally prioritizing developing markets
We already have many projects underway to unlock our core product value in new markets. Mushroom allows our community to use Snapchat on lower-end devices. Arroyo, our new gateway architecture, will speed up messaging and many other services . . . It might require us to change our products for different markets where some of our value-add features detract from our core product value.
Sources tell me Snapchat's future depends on the engineering overhaul of its Android app, a project codenamed "Mushroom." Slow video load times and bugs have made Snapchat practically unusable on low-bandwidth connections and old Android phones in the developing world. The company concentrated on the U.S. and other first-world markets, leaving the door open for copycats of Stories built by Instagram (400 million daily users) and WhatsApp (450 million daily users) to invade the developing world and dwarf Snap's 188 million total daily users. In hopes of a smooth rollout, Snapchat is already testing Mushroom, but it will have to do a ton of marketing outreach to convince frustrated users who ditched the app to give it another try.
8. Fresh ideas, separate apps
We're currently building software that takes the millions of Snaps submitted to Our Story and reconstructs parts of the world in 3D. We can then build augmented reality experiences on top of those models and distribute them as Lenses . . . If our innovation compromises our core product of being the fastest way to communicate, we should consider create [sic] separate applications or other ways of delivering our innovation.
Snapchat has big plans for augmented reality. It doesn't just want to stick animations over the top of anywhere, or create AR art installations in a few big cities. It wants to build site-specific AR experiences across the globe. And while everything the company has built to date has lived inside of Snapchat, it's willing to spawn standalone apps if necessary so that it doesn't bog down its messaging service. That could give Snapchat a lot more leeway to experiment.
9. The freedom of profitability
Our 2019 stretch output goal will be an acceleration in revenue growth and full year free cash flow and profitability. With profitability comes increased autonomy and freedom to operate our business in the long term best interest of our community without the pressure of needing to raise additional capital.
Snapchat is still bleeding money, losing $353 million last quarter. Snapchat ended up selling 2.3 percent of its equity to a Saudi Arabian prince in exchange for $250 million to lengthen its rapidly shortening runway. And last year it took $2 billion from Chinese gaming giant Tencent. Deals like that could threaten Snapchat's ability to prioritize its goals alone, not the moral imperatives or developer platforms that would benefit its benefactors. Once profitable, Snapchat won't have to worry so much about struggling with short-term user growth and can instead focus on retention, societal impact and its true purpose — creativity.
Posted on October 5, 2018 Tags Apps, Evan Spiegel, Instagram Stories, Mobile, snap inc, Snapchat, Snapchat Ads, Snapchat Discover, snapchat stories, Social, TC, WhatsApp Status
Snapchat's users are surprisingly old and it's telling them to vote
Snapchat is a college favorite more than a high school phenomenon. Only 20 percent of Snapchat's US users are under 18, down from 22 percent in 2016 as some of its early adopters have now aged up and headed to college. Appealing to older users was a big motive for its otherwise-disastrous redesign that does a better job of labeling navigation buttons to stop confusing adults.
Now Snapchat is fully embracing the responsibility of getting the vote out to its core of 18 to 24 year olds which sadly saw low voter turnout of just 17.1% in the 2014 midterms. As part of Voter Registration Day today, it's partnering with non-profit TurboVote to put links to register across its app in both English and Spanish.
Today, all 18+ US users will see a TurboVote link to register in the profile portion of their Snapchat app. That spot is a little buried compared to the camera and messages/Stories tabs, so Team Snapchat is also sending them all a video message full of people noting common activities like "opening your locker" that take longer than voting which lets them swipe up to register.
Meanwhile, publishers including Washington Post, NowThis, Mic, Vice, Refinery29, Mitu, Cheddar, and Good Luck America will put swipe-up-to-register options in their relevant election coverage. Snapchat's own news team of curators will be compiling Our Stories about election issues and voting, and like last year, Snapchat will offer themed creative tools including an "I'm Registered To Vote" filter. They all offer the swipe-up registration option that can be completed inside Snapchat's app.
With 100 million monthly and 80 million daily users in the US and Canada, Snap has the potential to get more of the youngest voters to the polls. A Harvard University's Institute of Politics Youth Poll is optimistic, finding that 37% of Americans under 30 say they'll 'definitely be voting' versus 23% who said so in 2014. This demographic sees "corruption" as a defining characteristic of the US government and could seek to further disrupt the political establishment.
TurboVote has become the defacto partner in this industry-wide initiative, as it also powers registration signups through Facebook and Instagram. While those competitors put a bigger notice atop their apps, they're then mostly running ads to promote voter registration whereas Snapchat is integrating the initiative organically across its product.
After a year of tech companies trying to defend against foreign interference in elections, they all seem comfortable getting involved in voter registration drives. The question is whether these will become talking points at some future congressional hearing about how they skewed elections by driving voting disproportionately amongst younger citizens. Getting more people involved in democracy clearly seems positive on its face, but politicians looking for issues to drum up with have made a whipping boy out of the social networks.
Posted on September 25, 2018 Tags Apps, elections, snap inc, Snapchat, Social, TC, TurboVote, voter registration, voting
Snapchat adds new styles as Spectacles V2s get used 40% more than V1
Snapchat isn't revealing sales numbers of version 2 of its Spectacles camera sunglasses, but at least they're not getting left in a drawer as much as the V1s. The company tells me V2 owners are capturing 40 percent more Snaps than people with V1s.
And today, Snapchat is launching two new black-rimmed hipster styles of Spectacles V2 — a Wayfarer-esque Nico model and a glamorous big-lensed Veronica model. Both come with a slimmer semi-soft black carrying case instead of the chunky old triangular yellow one, and are polarized for the first time. They look a lot more like normal sunglasses, compared to the jokey, bubbly V1s, so they could appeal to a more mature and fashionable audience. They go on sale today for $199 in the US and Europe and will be sold in Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom later this year, while the old styles remain $149.
The new Spectacles styles (from left): Veronica and Nico
Spectacles V2 original style (left) and V1 (right)
Snap is also trying to get users to actually post what they capture, so it's planning an automatically curated Highlight Story feature that will help you turn your best Specs content into great things to share. That could address the problem common amongst GoPro users of shooting a ton of cool footage but never editing it for display.
The problem is that V1 were pretty exceedingly unpopular, and those that did buy them. Snap only shipped 220,000 pairs and reportedly had hundreds of thousands more gathering dust in a warehouse. It took a $40 million write-off and its hardware "camera company" strategy was called into question. Business Insider reported that less than 50 percent of buyers kept using them after a month and a "sizeable" percentage stopped after just a week.
The new styles come with a slimmer semi-soft carry case
That means the bar was pretty low from which to score a 40 percent increase in usage, especially given the V2s take photos, work underwater, come in a slimmer charging case, and lack the V1s' bright yellow ring around the camera lens that announces you're wearing a mini computer on your face. Snap was smart to finally let you export in non-circular formats which are useful for sharing beyond Snapchat, and let you automatically save Snaps to your camera roll and not just its app's Memories feature.
I've certainly been using my V2s much more than the V1s since they're more discrete and versatile. And I haven't encountered as much fear or anxiety from people worried about being filmed as privacy norms around technology continue to relax.
Why Snapchat Spectacles failed
But even with the improved hardware, new styles, and upcoming features, Spectacles V2 don't look like they're moving the needle for Snapchat. After shrinking in user count last quarter, Snap's share price has fallen to just a few cents above its all-time low. Given most of its users are cash-strapped teens who aren't going to buy Spectacles even if they're cool, the company needs to focus on how to make its app for everyone more useful and differentiated after the invasion of Instagram's copy-cats of its Stories and ephemeral messaging.
Whether that means securing tentpole premium video content for Discover, redesigning Stories to ditch the interstitials for better lean-back viewing, or developing augmented reality games, Snap can't stay the course. Despite its hardware ambitions, it's fundamentally a software company. It has to figure out what makes that software special.
Snapchat launches Spectacles V2, camera glasses you'll actually wear
Posted on September 5, 2018 Tags Apps, eCommerce, Evan Spiegel, Gadgets, Hardware, Mobile, Opinion, snap inc, Snapchat, snapchat spectacles, Social, TC, Wearables


Have you ever wondered what it is that hackers use as addons for their FireFox browser? As an active ethical hacktivist, I make great use of FireFox and I use a variety of addons. You can download Firefox for your device from here.
This addon is helpful as headers of a targeted website can be viewed, and you can even modify the HTTP/HTTPS . Most of the post parameters of the website can be viewed and/or edited, as well. Even better, use this particular one to perform trace, and view the response time of HTTP requests. One more feature that this addon has, is the ability to perform small, light security tests of various web applications.
This addon is extremely useful to various hackers alike, as it allows them to make use of the Exploit-Me tool. Exploit-Me is often used to perform testing on reflecting the Cross-Site scripting, often known as XSS.
SQL Inject Me is another tool that can utilize the Exploit-Me tool, but on this occasion, can be used for SQL Injections and to test for SQL vulnerabilities. The way this tool operates is by submitting a targeted HTML form as well as substituting the form value of the strings in which are a representative of a typical SQL Injection attack.
Just as the title says HackBar, this addon can perform various SQL Injections, search for XSS holes, and perform site security vulnerability testing. Please note that this tool is not intended to be used to execute standard exploits, nor will it teach you to hack. This is often used for developers who test their sites for security exploits.
While having addons on your FireFox web browser can aid in SQL Injections, vulnerability testing and other uses, this article is not an intended guideline on hacking. Rather, this is just information on testing out your own website for holes or vulnerabilities in your own web applications.
Sources: FireFox, FireFox (Grease Monkey), FireFox (Tamper Data), FireFox (XSS-Me), FireFox (SQL Inject Me), FireFox (HackBar).


An invigorating treatment that delivers long-term skin health and offers instant, noticeable results without downtime or irritation. The treatment removes dead skin cells and extracts impurities while simultaneously bathing the new skin with cleansing, hydrating and moisturizing serums. The Hydrafacial is both a physical and chemical Peel, that nourishes and detoxifies the skin, from the inside out. The treatment is soothing, refreshing, non-irritating and immediately effective.


Max and Ivan's Prom Night is a departure from The Wrestling. Jettisoning that kind of spectacle, the duo initially seem to be leading us into a comedians' take on immersive theatre. There are vintage cars outside and, walking into the hall, there's a diorama stand complete with teachers' reports. "These are our visions of the future", says one of the 'students'. For those who care to take a look these 'visions', which range from cardboard fish in the ocean to dystopias, are hilariously detailed.
Revellers queue in prom dress for photos under a balloon arch, there's a hair stylist's stall and a ballot box for prom king and queen. The school newspaper, The Assembly Gazette, fills us in on how the school basketball team – the Assembly Asses – have beaten their rivals for the first time ever. This introduces us to our night's antagonist, Adam Riches' Coach Coach, who is in charge of Pleasance High's line-up. He is now out for revenge and banned from the venue.
Coach Coach isn't the only potential party pooper. Angelos Epithemiou plays a nasally-toned stickler of a council noise inspector who occasionally disrupts the 1950s-style live band, The Cummerbunds, led by Max and Ivan themselves.
Perhaps due to technical restrictions, the balance between an actual prom night and staged comedic interludes doesn't always quite play out to full potential. Interruptions from the dance floor are lit from the same spot and onstage it is more like a variety night at times. And a night with an audience dispersed around a Crags community centre means the acts don't always command the attention they should. Fortunately, and despite any slight cracks in the glitterball, it is a brilliant night of comic turns: including Rachel Parris's character being crowned Prom Queen, Nina Conti and Jason Byrne dressing up a new school mascot and Kieran Hodgson, playing a school choir boy, rousing the audience with his unexpected lyrical turn.
It's a night with an attention to detail that contiunually brings more rewards. It is also one hell of a party. People dancing, people talking, people laughing: a memory to treasure for the Fringe 2018 yearbook.


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Manwatching Gavin Crawford
Manwatching is a one-man show written by a woman. That's all I know about the author going in to see the show, because she remains anonymous. And each night a different male comedian sees her script for the first time, as he performs it.
This was such a weird premise for a show that I couldn't help but be intensely curious about how this was going to play out for an audience. The night I attended, Gavin Crawford (This Hour has 22 Minutes; The Gavin Crawford Show) is the man in question. Even as the experienced comedian and performer that he is, he enters the room the way a university lecturer might, greeting the audience, explaining the premise, and obviously a bit nervous about the script, unsure of what to expect.
As he reads, the premise becomes clearer. It's as though this woman – this anonymous author – is wearing him – his entire body – as a mask. She speaks through him, and soon after he starts, I see why: the story becomes deeply personal, in a sexual way.
We don't often speak about our sexual awakenings, either as children or as teenagers. It makes people incredibly uncomfortable to share, and to listen to. And as much as women speak to each other about our feelings, and our sex lives, certain subjects are still taboo. Masturbation is one such topic. Sexual fantasies another.
This isn't a story designed to provoke, however. It's more like a confession meets a kind of dialogue in a theatrical setting. The author shares deeply personal details of her fantasy life, something she feels she can do precisely because we have no idea who she is. The mask she's wearing is less a barrier and more of a bridge.
Using a man's body, I think, makes it less uncomfortable for the audience. Maybe it's just me, but I suspect that when a man uses graphic sexual language, it still feels less viscerally uncomfortable for us than when a woman does it. Each comedian is a body and a voice for this author, and is in a position of both vulnerability and power. He doesn't know what the narrative is, how personal its going to get, and to watch Crawford react as he reads is delightful. His surprise, his amusement, his interest, and his respect for the work all come through. There are moments where a man performing this kind of material could easily (and lazily) stray into the arena of mockery, but Crawford remains on point the entire time. The overall experience is striking, powerful, witty, engaging, and resonates with a remarkable and unexpected authenticity.
Written by: Lisa McKeown
Published: Friday, 2017/12/01 - 2:51

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Individual citizens are, of course, quite entitled to have views on that question. Likewise, as free citizens, individual scientists are entitled to have their philosophical views. However, it's not an issue that can be resolved within one specialised science; nor can it be settled by the policy decisions of one or more science organisations. It requires an analysis of the worldviews offered by various religions, including a consideration of which doctrines are considered essential by religious authorities and which are more peripheral. These must then be compared with the overall picture of the world in space and time emerging from scientific investigation. This involves an assessment (based on the consensus of scientists in the relevant fields) of which theoretical propositions are so well-corroborated by now that there is little prospect of revision, even though no scientific claims are considered certain or totally beyond revision. In other words, we need to assess which propositions should be considered established findings.
Comparisons must then be made between essential religious doctrines and science's established findings. In the end, reasonable people may differ about whether there is any incompatibility, though I am convinced that there really is an incompatibility between important, orthodox positions in Abrahamic theology, on the one hand, and established scientific findings on the other.
More importantly, however, at least for those of us who live outside of the United States and are not so plagued by creationist nit-wits, the scientific image of the universe is difficult to reconcile with more general ideas from traditional Abrahamic theology. It is particularly difficult to reconcile the scientific picture with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, providential deity, seen as the creator and sustainer of the universe. Note, however, that this "difficulty" is a philosophical inference, reached after a process of comparison between Abrahamic doctrines and scientific findings. It does not amount to a plain contradiction between religion and science, but is mediated by various assumptions that may (I'm willing to suppose) be debatable.
People like me - philosophers who are sceptical about the truth-claims of religion - may ask, pointedly, why an all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, providential deity has employed biological evolution to bring about rational life forms like us, assuming that that was the deity's goal. It would have been within the power of such a being to create us, just as we are now, in the blink of an eye; instead it used the slow, uncertain methods of mutation, survival, and adaptation. What was all that about? As I argue in my forthcoming Voices of Disbelief essay, such a being, whose attributes include omniscience, would have known that this process would lead to untold cruelty and misery in the animal world, imperfect functional designs, and a timeframe of billions of years for rational life to eventuate. In short, why wouldn't a superlative being, such as the orthodox Abrahamic God, simply have chosen the outcome it wanted - then made it happen? As the Koran says of Jesus' virgin birth, "When He decrees a thing He only has to say, 'Be,' and it is." So why all this suffering, wasted time, and imperfection?
In defending the compatibility between religion and science, orthodox Abrahamic religionists must either abandon their orthodox views (perhaps moving towards deism, or some kind of process theology, or even to an irrealist/metaphorical conception of God); or else they need to offer theological propositions that reconcile God's providential love (and other attributes) with the choice of such methods of creation. I very much doubt that the latter can be done in any plausible way. The attempt to reconcile orthodox Abrahamic religion with well-established scientific findings leads to unbelievable intellectual contortions.
But what if I'm wrong about this? Perhaps there are Christian (or Jewish, or Islamic) philosophers who can answer the point I'm making. Well, fine. But even if there are, official organisations representing science don't - or shouldn't - get to adjudicate between them and me. This is a highly contentious issue that falls outside the expertise of such bodies. In any event, individual scientists are entitled to have views on such philosophical issues, and it's clear that many scientists take positions much like mine. Those scientists have every right to be angry that their official organisations - organisations that are supposed to be representing them - are taking a stand on the issue.
This leaves aside the arrogance of science organisations appearing to favour particular religious viewpoints. Of course, it's true that some religious viewpoints are just irrational, in that they plainly contradict well-established scientific findings. Others, even on my account, are incompatible with science only in relatively subtle ways, and reasonable people with those viewpoints could put some kind of case against my position (even though I might not consider that case to be at all plausible). While this is all true, it's not up the scientific organisations to be saying it. That's outside their remit.
Science organisations should stick to the point that certain findings are the result of systematic, rational investigation of the world, supported overwhelmingly by several lines of converging evidence. In putting that case, they can be "religion blind"; they should present the evidence for the scientific picture, but that's as far as they should go. They should not comment on what specific theological positions are or are not compatible with science. Leave that to the squabblings of philosophers and theologians, and, indeed, of individual scientists or other citizens. We can think and argue about it for ourselves.
The specific details of a religion's cosmology may or may not agree with the scientific consensus view; more fundamental is the incompatibility of the methodologies, revelation vs. investigation and faith vs. verification. That's the deep incompatibility which can't be reconciled.
I've never been so impressed by that, you know. Well, impressed by it, but not so impressed by it.
In principle, their different methodologies could have reached the same conclusions. E.g., it could have been the case, for all people knew at the time of Galileo and Newton, that the world would turn out to be 6000 years old, etc., once its age was examined scientifically. It could have turned out, for all they knew, that there was a huge flood at the time we can calculate for Noah, that the first humans were somewhere in Mesopotamia, etc., etc. The fossil record and the means by which rocks are formed might have turned out to be compatible - on further investigation - with diluvian geology. And so on. That would have been extraordinarily powerful support for biblical religion (you'd think God would manage to get a major holy book and the outcomes of scientific investigation to agree with each other like this, if he wants us to believe in him!). It would have suggested that there really other "other ways of knowing" such as tradition and revelation.
So, while I take your point, and it's one I'd make myself, and while there's certainly a huge difference between the religious and scientific approaches to obtaining knowledge ... I'm actually more struck by the fact that the substantive findings of science turn out not to be compatible with the substantive claims (and certainly not with the literal claims) of religion.
Er, should say: "really are 'other ways of knowing' ..."
Why would it have been extraordinary support, though? It's because the scientific methodology is self-correcting and thereby inherently trustworthy, which unverified revelation is not. The power of the correspondence, did one ever come to exist, works only one way.
If a prophet's revelation were to be afterward confirmed by science to be factual, as in your examples, we'd be impressed. If a scientific fact is afterward 'confirmed' by a prophetic dream ("God has confirmed to me that opposite electrical charges attract!") we'd either yawn or chuckle.
Well, BT, I certainly agree that we (should) test the success of the methods of revelation and authority by whether they get the same results as the methods of rational inquiry. It's not the other way around.
No argument there, but the question for me is then: do the methods of revelation and authority actually pass that test?
As an American and an atheist, I must say I strongly agree with your points. I suspect that there are two variations at play here - the concern that science will drive theists away if a strong anti-religious statement is made, and/or that there remain theistic scientists whose bedraggled faith needs bolstering by introducing such statements.
In any case, there's no place for ANY statement about religion in the sciences. It's a different topic. Scientists should, by definition, simply describe the what and how, and offer evidence to support their findings.
Since there is no evidence for gods, the topic should never even come up. By making the statement that religion and science are not compatible, the scientist introduces a variable which is simply not there, and is thus being untrue to the basic scientific method. Such a statement is nothing short of a violation of the basic tenets of science.
It's disheartening, at the least.
God: The Failed Hypothesis (NY Times bestseller) pp. 27-30.
I haven't yet read Vic's other references, but I certainly recommend God: The Failed Hypothesis to my readers.
Oh, actually I have read the Fishman article, and I can recommend it also.
Your analysis of this subject is by far the most cogent I've seen. Most people seem to either use inane vagaries of "non-overlapping magisteria," or else claim that religion and science are inevitably in constant conflict; but you recognize both that religion and science clearly do overlap---and clearly are in conflict in many places---and that this is not inevitable. Basically, if religion stopped making absurd claims about souls, the afterlife, a young Earth, creationism, prayer, and virgin birth---it could probably be made compatible with science. But of course this would require a revolution in what we think of "religion," and this is a revolution that standing religious institutions have a strong interest in preventing.
Let us imagine for a moment that some organization, in furtherance of an anti-science agenda, began loudly to proclaim that science and democracy were incompatible. There's no lack of profound and controversial philosophical questions about democracy and government. And science qua science has no particular hand in those issues either. Would it be improper for the NAS, NCSE and other scientific organizations to take a position that science and democracy are compatible and that it is wrong to reject science on those alleged grounds alone?
In point of fact, in the US, saying that science and religion are incompatible is very much a political statement. No matter how regretible that fact may be, a widespread acceptance of that position would, almost certainly, greatly effect our laws and the public support for science. To expect scientific organizations to refrain from pointing out the empiric fact that some religious organizations and believers can reconcile their beliefs with science, even if they don't do so in accord with your personal standards of how theology "should" be done, is to be, at the least, highly naive about the relationship between science as it is practiced today and politics.
The specific details of a religion's cosmology may or may not agree with the scientific consensus view; more fundamental is the incompatibility of the methodologies, revelation vs. investigation and faith vs. verification. That's the deep incompatibility which can't be reconciled.Revelation makes testable claims via religious writings. These are testable and within the purvey of science.
Faith vs. verification is just another word for clinging to ignorance and refusing to accept reality. I think psychologists call this "delusion."
In point of fact, in the US, saying that science and religion are incompatible is very much a political statement.It's also rather unempirical, isn't it?
If the incompatability that Coyne insists upon were actual, then we would have only atheistic scientists. Atheists are better represented among scientists than in the gen pop, but not to the exclusion of all other ontological stances.
Among laypersons, only the most fractional minority of religious people in the US do not at least implicitly support physics and chemistry. And a great number of religious people have enormous enthusiasm and passion for scientific inquiry. BT makes it sound like if you belong to the class "religious," you uniformly believe in revelation over investigation and faith over verification, (and conversely that if you belong to the class "nonreligious" that you believe in verification over faith across the board) but no such uniform belief patterns are found in reality.
Pure verificationalism, without some amount of faith (not in god(s), necessarily, but in the accuracy of one's sense data, or the reliability of reason and logic) is an impossibility. It regresses infinitely to the point of complete paralysis.
"Incompatability" is a convenient myth that undergirds the political view (as JP notes) that religious people should be excluded from participating in a scientific society. It is suported by no evidence, and only the laziest exercise of reason.
That's a misrepresentation of my stated views. I said that the methodologies of religion (revelation and faith) and science (investigation and verification) are different and incompatible; I did not say that religious people uniformly use only the methodologies of religion, or that nonreligious people never do.
I have never met a single individual who doesn't use the testing approach in some aspect of life, but that testing approach is not normally applied to religious beliefs - they are taken on faith alone, and that's precisely what causes us to describe them as 'religious' even if they're not part of a church's teaching.
If you test the cosmological tenets of a religious dogma, you are not doing religion, you are doing science. As Vic Stenger's book (which I also have, and recommend) points out, religion doesn't come off well in such a contest from a *scientific* viewpoint. The religious response would be to ignore the contradicting evidence and just have faith anyway - the stronger your faith in the teeth of evidence and argument, the better a person of faith you are.
To the extent that you change your beliefs to match observed reality, you are by definition not taking those views on faith alone; you are being scientific.
I have never met a single individual who doesn't use the testing approach in some aspect of life, but that testing approach is not normally applied to religious beliefs - they are taken on faith alone, and that's precisely what causes us to describe them as 'religious' even if they're not part of a church's teaching.Fair enough, BT. Now, can you demonstrate that religion is unique in this regard, and that there are not "sacred" elements in all human lives, whatever one's ontological persuasion, that would erect similar zones of quarantine against verificationalism?
No, I can't demonstrate that religion is unique in that respect, which is why I don't make the contention.
You, and others, have constructed a giant straw man by claiming that the AAAS, NAS, and NCSE are promoting the view that science and religion are compatible in all areas, while in fact they are responding to the creationist canard that acceptance of evolution is equivalent to atheism by noting that evolution need not be in conflict with religion. To fail to counter this attack on science would be naive at best, as John Pieret noted; I would use far stronger terms. Can you point to examples where these organizations move outside of the issue of acceptance of evolution and attempt to, as you say, "reconcile the scientific picture with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, loving, providential deity?" Individual philosophers, scientists, theologians, and clergy can and do try to sort that out, but that's not what the AAAS, NAS, or NCSE are doing.
That's the deep incompatibility which can't be reconciled.Methodologies abound, and aren't limited to these two spheres (scientific practice and religious observance). If verificationalism is not the technique used in all aspects of life save religion, your statement misleads.
Sorry, underverse, but no such universality is implied by my words; you're reading something that isn't there. Saying that two approaches are incompatible doesn't in any way imply that people who predominantly use one can't or don't use the other, and I nowhere made any such implication.
Nor did I state or even imply that those are the only two approaches there are, though they are the only two I addressed since they're the only ones referenced in the posting.
My failure to mention things outside the scope of the discussion should not be taken to imply that I deny their existence; when I want to argue something's nonexistence I'll do it explicitly.
Let's work on getting these so called science organizations to remove the false descriptions of science that accomodate religionists per se.
We can do this without calling good scientists on the carpet to "confess" or "repudiate" their likely religious ties or their motives for writing these pseudo-scientific statements in the first place.
Lets get out our magic marker highlighters & color the false words and replace any UNnecessary phrases with our revised versions. Surely there are people who "belong" to these groups who are on the side of strict science definitions & standards who will lobby for the corrections? Indeed, this is exactly how we here in South Carolina operate to fight proposed changes in science school standards that the creationist theocrats propose.
We are on the inside & we nip them in the bud. Doing all this does not require we 'out' our science friends who may have put the false accomodationist language in these group documents.
If we need to do anything to accomodate faith community sentiments, we can declare religious books are literature, not science texts.
We can declare freedom of religion is protected by our highest law just as freedom from religion applies to science matters.
Our US government is neutral, not choosing sides, IS but deciding which side is a private religious exercise & which MIGHT BE a public establishment of religion in PROPOSED public school textbooks.
Clergy who seek to force Genesis equal to Darwin violate the establishment clause.
If there were scientists who injected themselves into literature classes where bibles may be discussed freely by students who choose to do so, if they prohibited the free exercise of religion, they'd be violating the free exercise clause. I know of no such violator in public schools.
When we clearly show both pathways, only the theocrat & creationist who wants control over science public schools is proven to be the lawbreaker.
I know of no single high school operated by public funding requires any student to read the arguments against religion. Thus neutrality is prevalent, only creationists are the scattered violators.
The many books and speeches exist for the advancement of Atheism fundamental in science but are not required reading for public school students.
Only a science textbook in biology, geology or cosmology can be required reading, not Atheist polemics countering creationist propaganda.
It seems we are fighting amongst ourselves over who is right rather than be on the battle lines repelling the continuing assault by theocrats & creationists in public schools.
Just remember that the Dover case was won by plaintiffs who are believers in a rural high school district, not militant Atheists policing the upper echelons of debate.
And the victory is because the defendants were and remain dishonest about how they sell & repackage creationism/intelligent designer facades for Jehovah or extra terrestrial agents.
Let's just get the job done with these science groups by lobbying to remove the accomodationist language & replace it with clear boundaries for personal faith exercise & secular science standards.
If that's the case, then this dreaded "incompatibility" doesn't seem so bad, does it? If a person can attenuate between two (or more) "methodologies" as an appropriate response to the world at any given time, this would seem to be a sane use of one's faculties.
My question is why does religion get special treatment--special scorn--when all human lives address the world at various times with something other than "the testing approach"?
Put another way, I think there is a fairy tale embedded in your position, wherein non-religious people have rejected the invalidated techniques of your dichotomies of "revelation vs. investigation and faith vs. verification." There is always something given to provide firm ground for one's investigations.
My question is why does religion get special treatment--special scorn--when all human lives address the world at various times with something other than "the testing approach"?Again, you're extending the scope far beyond what I said, and indeed what the conversation is about. It isn't about everything that all human lives address in the world at various times; the issue is whether being religious is compatible with doing science.
My remarks were even more narrowly focused than that, as I was talking only about whether the methodologies themselves were compatible, my position being that they are not; you misread that to mean that I thought religious people were not capable of doing science, which isn't the case.
1) Science is all about testing and evidence, and when the evidence opposes the hypothesis the hypothesis fails and must be amended or replaced. Religion is about belief in the absence of, or even in opposition to, available evidence. The two approaches are not compatible.
2) The two approaches are not equally useful. I don't believe that revelation and faith are equally valid "ways of knowing" along with empirical science; even if the hit rate for correct answers in prophetic revelations weren't so abysmally bad there would still be no way to *know* when you'd hit on a truth other than crossing over to the opposite camp and performing a test, i.e. doing science. One is self-correcting, the other actively resists correction.
3) In no way does that imply that I think that people who don't apply a testing approach to religion, or to any other aspect of life, are thereby rendered incapable of applying it within their professional life.
There is a case to be made that people who habitually apply a scientific approach to every aspect of their lives tend to make *better* scientists, and I've never seen a case where religious belief seemed to actually help the processes of science, but being religious certainly is not an absolute bar to doing science, or vice versa.
However, that's really just NOMA lite; if a religious revelation makes a claim which is scientifically testable (e.g. the Earth is a few thousand years old), and the scientific testing disagrees with the dogma (the multiple lines of evidence suggest an age in the billions of years) then science organizations must stand with the evidence.
If having the dogma disproved scientifically is a threat to religion, as most of the religious certainly seem to believe, then the position taken by these organizations dedicated to promoting science is disingenuous at best. Science *is* a threat to that kind of religion (i.e. the kind that makes falsifiable claims - stick to non-falsifiable beliefs and there's no issue).
It sounds like we agree on this issue. I was thrown off, apparently, by your assertion of a deep, irreconcilable incompatability. Since the topic at hand was Coyne's argument that science and religion are inherently hostile toward each other (he makes no caveats for subgroups of religion that refrain from falsifiable claims), I took this as an expression of your sympathy to that view. If I understand your clarifying remarks correctly, you don't believe there is any inherent conflict so long as a particular religion sticks to unfalsifiable statements.
I think this mildly contradicts your initial remarks (which are neither n the spirit of NOMA or "NOMA-Lite") but if your most recent comment accurately states your view then I stand corrected.
"...Since the topic at hand was Coyne's argument that science and religion are inherently hostile toward each other (he makes no caveats for subgroups of religion that refrain from falsifiable claims), I took this as an expression of your sympathy to that view..."
"So the most important conflict--the one ignored by Giberson and Miller--is not between religion and science. It is between religion and secular reason. Secular reason includes science, but also embraces moral and political philosophy, mathematics, logic, history, journalism, and social science--every area that requires us to have good reasons for what we believe. Now I am not claiming that all faith is incompatible with science and secular reason--only those faiths whose claims about the nature of the universe flatly contradict scientific observations. Pantheism and some forms of Buddhism seem to pass the test. But the vast majority of the faithful--those 90 percent of Americans who believe in a personal God, most Muslims, Jews, and Hindus, and adherents to hundreds of other faiths--fall into the "incompatible" category."


It's Time D-Heads! This week we go to a galaxy far far away as we welcome direct from Finland, JOONAS SUOTAMO (Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Alongside Peter Mayhew) to the show! Joonas stops in and discusses how he landed the role of Chewie in the Force Awakens, working with the legendary Peter Mayhew, his basketball career, Star Wars Toys, being on set and more!
In addition we have the D-Team back kicking it off with Erin answering your questions in I Want To Know and we have Jason giving you a Blu-Ray and DVD that we must add to your collection in The Vault. Paige is here with her musical talent in the Magical Music Review. Nathan looks back at the books this week in This Week in Disney History and Cody stops in with the Hollywood Walk. And let's not forget Caitlin giving us the latest from the Walt Disney World Resort in WDW-In-2. And for you digital fans we have Randy with the latest in Disney Multi-Media.
There is news hot off the D-Wire with news about Star Wars, Disney Channel, the newest Disney Park, Magic Kingdom, Kindermusik, The Lion Guard, Disney Junior, Disney Dreamers Academy, Disneyland, Season of the Force, The Finest Hours, Once Upon a Time, Disney Blu-Rays, Zootopia, and more!


Activities included outdoor fitness classes, a beer garden and an animal presentation from the Colombian Park Zoo.
The Wabash River Enhancement Corporation set up the event on the John T. Myers Pedestrian Bridge.
Those in attendance enjoyed live music from bands like the Flying Toasters.
Children were also given the chance to learn safety regulations while riding a bike.
Volunteer Tynia Williams said this is a great way to celebrate activities in Greater Lafayette.
"You know, just showing people different things they may not have been accustomed to or know about," said Williams. "It's nice being able to come to some place local and not having to go way out and drive to find something interesting."
The event is followed by Mosey Down Main Street until 11 p.m. Saturday night.
Food Finders kicks off 8th annual Food Drive.


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EARLY HISTORY OF BOSQUE COUNTY
©2000, Hardcover, 40 pages
Purchase Price $25.00 (no sales tax; limited remaining inventory)
Looking forward to the year 2004 at which time Bosque County will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary, the Bosque County Historical Commission has published Early History of Bosque County. The book includes "Sketch of the Early History of Bosque County" written by C. M. and H. J. Cureton for a speech read by H. J. Cureton on July 4, 1904 in Meridian, Texas at the Old Settlers Reunion and Semi Centennial Celebration of the Organization of Bosque County. Information for the article was obtained from several of the founding fathers who were still living in 1904, including Jasper Mabry, J. K. Helton, Frank Kell, and others. "Notes on Early History of Bosque County" by Elizabeth Torrence have been added which document some of the historical facts presented in the Sketch and include quotes from letters, diaries, and histories of some of the early pioneers. Although small, we feel that this hardcover book will be a treasure for all those interestd in the early history of Bosque County.
Read the book's Index.
HOEIN' THE SHORT ROWS
Edited by Francis Edward Abernethy
©1987, Hardcover, 238 pages
Purchase Price $20.00 (add $1.65 for sales tax if purchaser is in Texas)
Published by the Texas Folklore Society, this collection of 17 stories gives an historical description of social life and customs from around the State of Texas. One of the stories in this book is entitled Growing Up in Bosque County and was written by Palmer H. Olsen (1894-1994), a native and long time resident of Bosque County.
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by Kate Booth McNeill with foreward and index by Bob Veteto
©1992, Softcover, 26 pages
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Memoirs of Kate Booth NcNeill (1867-1958), the second child born in Valley Mills. This pamphlet describes people and events from around Valley Mills.
PROFILES OF PIONEER FAMILIES IN THE VALLEY MILLS AREA
Compiled and indexed by Gerald and Jo Meyer
©1998, Softcover, 184 pages
During the years 1974 to1978, the Valley Mills Tribune published a series of articles entitled "Profiles of Pioneer Families in the Valley Mills Area." Thirty-one of these family histories, which were researched and written by family members, are included in this book. The index includes over 930 family names of early settlers in Valley Mills and surrounding communities in Bosque County. Included in the histories is "The Origin and Early History of Valley Mills" by Gordon Nowlin. This article was written for the bicentennial edition of the Valley Mills Tribune. Also included is "Looking Backward at the Course of Human Events" by R.G. Gaines which is a history of Searsville and old Valley Mills. The article was written about 70 years ago and published in the Dallas Morning News.
BOSQUE PRIMER
by Rebecca Radde
Purchase Price $9.24 (add $0.76 for sales tax if purchaser is in Texas)
As the title indicates, this is a basic primer on Bosque County history.
Note: The book Bosque County: Land and People has been out-of-print for many years. Very occasionally, someone will donate a copy which we will auction to persons on a waiting list (minimum price $200). You can get your name on this waiting list by contacting the Collection by phone or email. However, the book is now available online.
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American Society of Concrete Contractors Awards
Published on November 5, 2019 in Uncategorized
Jordan Behrens (R)
The Emerging Leaders Committee of the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), St. Louis, Mo., presented its second Gaining Strength Award to Jordan Berens, director of project management and estimating for Kent Companies, Grand Rapids, MI. The award was established to acknowledge up and coming individuals aged 40 and under, from member companies, who go above and beyond to promote and professionally represent the concrete industry, through their actions in their company and industry organizations.
Candidates are judged based on letters of recommendations and letters of acknowledgement from industry organizations with emphasis on participation, commitment, safety awareness, role modeling, and personal skills and knowledge.
Berens began his career in 2014 as a laborer performing placing, finishing and forming. He joined Kent Co. in 2015 as a field intern. He was promoted to project engineer, project manager, senior project manager, then to his current position. He is a respected project management expert among all seasoned field leaders and general superintendents, and, is widely recognized by customers and field leadership for developing detailed safety plans. From Kent EVP Matt Fennema, "His deep experience in concrete has positioned him as an expert to our customers. He can have tough conversations with clients while maintaining a positive working relationship."
The president of the West Michigan Chapter of ACT had this to say: "Jordan is recognized within our chapter and the industry as an advisor and mentor to those who are beginning a career in concrete. I've observed senior lead construction managers seek his opinion."
Candidates for the 2020 Gaining Strength Award will be accepted after the first of the year.
Chris Plue
The Safety and Risk Management Council (SRMC) of the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), St. Louis, is pleased to announce that Chris Plue, senior vice president, Webcor Concrete Division, San Francisco, CA, received its ASCC Member Owner Safety Award for 2019, presented September 19 at the association's Annual Conference in Chicago. The purpose is to annually recognize one owner/executive of a contractor member company who displays a clear focus and passion for safety, and provides the leadership that creates a best-in-class safety culture. Plue is a past president of ASCC and a past council director SRMC. The judges had this to say: "We can't name a person we feel is more sincere in their decision to manage the people for which they're responsible in such a way to assume their absolute best chance of working without injury or incident. "He personally has led the change to move his company's safety culture from good to great. Great leaders make it personal and create positive change. Webcor's EMR has been trending down to a .58 with almost 3.5 million manhours worked. That takes a lot of effort and focus." The Safety and Risk Management Council (SRMC) is a specialty council dedicated to making ASCC contractors the safest in the industry. The Council board consists of safety and insurance professionals from all aspects of the concrete contracting industry. The group meets three times a year and spends countless additional hours overseeing safety matters for the organization. Council activities include publication development, review and monitoring of ASCC events and materials for safety compliance, member education, a safety awards program, and a safety/insurance hotline.
Thomas Ruttura
D. Thomas Ruttura, owner of Ruttura & Sons Construction Co., Inc., West Babylon, NY, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), St. Louis, MO on September 19 at the organization's Annual Conference in Chicago. Ruttura is a past president of ASCC (2003-2004) and of the organization's Education, Research & Development Foundation. He also chaired and served on numerous ASCC committees. "Tommy has always been extremely generous with his time, talents and financial contributions to this organization," says ASCC executive director, Bev Garnant. "He has truly 'enhanced the capabilities of those who build with concrete' by showing his experience and expertise in concrete construction and business management with so many of his fellow ASCC members." Ruttura has also been active in the America Concrete Institute (ACI) and with local and regional concrete and construction organizations. The Lifetime Achievement Award is ASCC's highest honor, acknowledging recipients for their body of work within the industry and their service to ASCC. The ASCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of those who build with concrete, and to providing them a unified voice in the construction industry. Members include concrete contracting firms, manufacturers, suppliers and others interested in the concrete industry such as architects, specifiers and distributors. There are approximately 760 member companies in the United States and 13 foreign countries.
Bank of America to Celebrate 2019 Neighborhood Builders
Bank of America will celebrate its 2019 Neighborhood Builders®, nonprofits who are advancing economic mobility and providing leadership to solve community challenges. Each Neighborhood Builders awardee will receive a two-year, $200,000 grant, a year of leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader, an opportunity to access capital, and access to a network of peer organizations across the U.S. It is one of the nation's largest philanthropic investments in nonprofit leadership, with $240 million invested over more than 15 years.
In addition to celebrating this year's Neighborhood Builders, Bank of America's area nonprofit partners will join together in support of Operation Food Search (OFS) by packing 1,000 backpacks for community youth. Backpacks will include tuna, carrots, a whole grain snack, and cereal. This menu was developed by OFS's Child and Family Nutrition Team to mitigate food shortages during the week so that kids have consistent nourishment outside of school.
The agenda for the celebration also includes a fireside chat with St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jordan Hicks along with former pitcher and current Cardinals broadcaster Rick Horton.
November 6, 2019, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Joe Cunningham Corner at Busch Stadium
700 Clark Street
Bank of America's Neighborhood Builders® program strengthens the network of nonprofit leadership who help the St. Louis community thrive. Bank of America created Neighborhood Builders in 2004 to help nonprofits make a bigger impact by building leadership skills, providing flexible funding and fostering a peer network.
Anvil Analytics + Insights finds 'ideal' centralized office in tight Clayton market
Published on September 11, 2019 in Uncategorized
Anvil Analytics + Insights, a branding, digital marketing, and analytics agency, signed a multi-year year lease for 10,000 square feet at 7730 Carondelet in Clayton. The new space more than doubles the size of the agency's previous location in Chesterfield, while also providing the creative company a much more central location closer to clients. The agency is transitioning to its new space this month.
Blaise Tomazic, vice president with JLL's office brokerage team, represented Anvil Analytics + Insights and was responsible for identifying the opportunity within Clayton's extremely tight office market. "We were fortunate to find and negotiate a contract on a vacancy in a smaller building that allowed them to build out a space that specifically suits their needs. Anvil Analytics + Insights has been rapidly expanding for several years and they fully expect the momentum to continue. This new space gives them the opportunity to do that while also positioning them more centrally within the market."
According to JLL research, the Class B market in Clayton is less than 10 percent vacant and has limited size options for tenants over 10,000 square feet. It has been and remains the premier office submarket in St. Louis.
Anvil Analytics & Insights clients include Maryville University and Children's Hospital, helps clients grow their marketing programs using data driven analytics to help improve their digital performance.
Jenny Bristow, CEO of Creative Anvil said, "Hands down we're getting a better space and a better location, and that's thanks to Blaise and JLL. Their knowledge, research, and negotiating led us to finding an ideal space that we otherwise might not have found. The move is undoubtedly going to help as we continue to grow and expand."
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.
St. Louis Watches Union Station as Enormous Observation Wheel Rises from the Earth
Published on July 10, 2019 July 10, 2019 in Uncategorized
By KERRY SMITH, EDITOR, ST. LOUIS CONSTRUCTION NEWS AND REVIEW MAGAZINE
St. Louis motorists traveling along Interstate 40 who glance quickly to the north will see a 200-foot-tall observation wheel taking shape at Union Station, the first of several facets within a brand-new $150 million family entertainment complex that is evidence of the historic train station's rejuvenation.
Steve O'Loughlin, president and chief operating officer of St. Louis-based Lodging Hospitality Management, said the coming two to three weeks will bring "fast and furious" work on the anticipated signature attraction. The St. Louis Wheel's 42 eight-passenger compartments are climate controlled for year-round enjoyment. Each ride averages 15 minutes. From the top, visibility will span up to 20 miles.
"The legs of the observation wheel are going up, and very soon we'll see the spokes being added," said O'Loughlin, noting that the wheel is stationed at the west side of Union Station, behind Landry's Seafood House. "When the wheel is operational in September, it will be lighted at night and have the capability of changing colors to celebrate holidays, events, gender reveals and more."
Manufactured by D.C.-based ICON Attractions, St. Louis' observation wheel will closely resemble the wheel managed and operated in National Harbor, MD by the same firm. LHM will own the Union Station attraction and ICON will operate it here as well, according to O'Loughlin.
The St. Louis Aquarium – a 2-story, one-million-gallon attraction with a 250,000-gallon saltwater shark tank – is on schedule to be completed in December. Also part of the entertainment mecca will be a classic carousel, on-site passenger train, indoor ropes course, miniature golf, restaurants and an outdoor retro soda fountain. Several of the outdoor components are anticipated to open early this fall, according to LHM.
PARIC performed all the exterior site work and McCarthy is spearheading construction of the aquarium.
LHM's expansive redevelopment of St. Louis Union Station coincides with the 125th anniversary of the station, a National Historic Landmark that was once regarded as the world's largest and busiest train station.
Additional specs and details here
Finalists Announced for AGCMO 22nd Annual Construction Keystone Awards
Published on July 9, 2019 in Uncategorized
Construction Projects Represent Innovative and Quality Construction by Missouri's Contractors
Innovation, resourcefulness and distinction are just a few ways to describe the contractors executing the construction projects selected as finalists for the 2019 Construction Keystone Awards. Finalists include a range of projects including health care, educational facilities, living facilities, industrial facilities, energy plants as well as commuter rail stations and systems. The Construction Keystone Awards are presented by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri. The submissions span 10 categories and characterize the professionalism, craftsmanship, innovation and quality of Missouri's general and specialty contractors. A panel of expert judges selected these elite projects as finalists last month, and later this summer will continue their review of additional data provided by the finalists in order to determine the winning project in each category.
The Construction Keystone Awards honor the highest achievements of Missouri's construction firms and salute their contributions to the built environment. The facilities and infrastructure built by member contractors create new jobs, support economic growth and enhance the quality of life. Missouri's construction workforce is comprised of nearly 120,000 persons, according to most recent data released by the AGC of America.
Winners of the 2019 Keystone Awards will be announced and celebrated at the AGC's Construction Awards Gala scheduled for Monday, Nov. 4 at the River City Casino & Hotel in St. Louis.
"Each year, as innovation and technology continue to transform the construction industry, the judging of submissions and selection of finalists becomes more demanding. The challenges presented to our contractors and their ability to successfully meet them is the essence of the Keystone Awards," says Len Toenjes, AGCMO President. "The ingenuity and craftsmanship represented by this year's finalists continue to exemplify the spirit of the Keystone Awards."
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Missouri is the united voice of the construction industry representing over 500 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties in Missouri. AGC of Missouri operates offices in Jefferson City and St. Louis. Visit: www.agcmo.org
2019 Construction Keystone Award Finalists
Mid-America Class – Projects located in Missouri or contiguous states
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Project Under $15 million
Branco Enterprises, Inc.
Project: Sibley Outdoor Aquatic Center
Owner: City of Sibley
Project Location: Sibley, IA
KAI Design & Build
Project: Deaconess Center for Child Well-Being
Owner: The Deaconess Foundation
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
The Lawrence Group Projects, L.L.C.
Project: Grand Tavern
Owner: TLG 634 N. Grand, LLC
Project $15 – $45 million
BSI Constructors, Inc.
Project: Soldiers Memorial Bldg. & Court of Honor
Owner: Missouri Historical Society
Project: Allegro Senior Living
Owner: Allegro Inspired Living
Poettker Construction Company
Project: Engineering Warehouse Facility – VAMC Redevelopment
Owner: Veterans Affairs Office of Construction & Facility Management-Central Region
Project $45 million or more
Alberici/Holland Joint Venture
Project: HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital
Owner: HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital
Project Location: O'Fallon, IL
Project: Restoration St. Louis
Owner: Amy and Amrit Gil
McCarthy Building Companies
Project: Robert A. Young Federal Building
Owner: U.S. General Services Administration
Alberici/Stanley Joint Venture
Project: Alliant Energy
Owner: Alliant Energy
Project Location: Ottumwa, IA
Keeley Construction Company
Project: Greenhouses – Monsanto/Bayer
Owner: Bayer
Project: Cortex MetroLink Station
Owner: MetroLink-St. Louis
Tarlton Corporation
Project: Pedestrian Bridge Replacement
Owner: Washington University in St. Louis
Specialty / Subcontractor
Project Under $1 million
Elastizell of St. Louis, Inc.
Project: Brookings Hall Below Grade Parking Garage
Grant Masonry Contracting
Project: John Burroughs School – Science, Technology & Research (STAR) Building
Owner: John Burroughs School
Pipe & Duct Systems, LLC
Project: Chiller Replacement
Owner: LMC Industries, Inc.
Project Location: Arnold, MO
Project $1 – $4 million
Drilling Service Company
Project: 100 Kingshighway
Owner: Silliman Group, LLC
Guarantee Electrical Company
Project: The Last Hotel
Owner: Fe Equus Development
PayneCrest Electric, Inc.
Project $4 million or more
Project: Ameren Process Waste Water Treatment
Owner: Ameren Missouri
Murphy Company
Project: Jubel Hall & Utilities Package
The UP Companies, LLC
Project: Hotel St. Louis
Owner: 705 LLC & Restoration St. Louis
Haberberger, Inc.
Project: Wastewater Treatment
Project Location: Labadie, MO
Project: Sioux Conveyor Tunnel Sump & NPDES Upgrades
Project Location: West Alton, MO
Project: Labadie Fly Ash
National Class
(Projects located in lower 48 states, excluding Mid-America Class)
Archer Western Herzog Joint Venture
Project: TEXRail Commuter Rail
Owner: Trinity Metro
Project Location: Fort Worth, TX
Project: Flight Training Center
Owner: United Airlines
Project Location: Denver, CO
AGC of Missouri Awards $51,000 in Scholarships
Published on June 13, 2019 June 14, 2019 in Uncategorized
The Associated General Contractors of Missouri today announced that 24 students across the state have received a record-breaking $51,000 in scholarships to pursue advanced studies in construction, engineering, architecture, science, technology and the construction trades.
"These students represent the future of our industry and our state," said Len Toenjes, CAE, president of the AGC of Missouri. "In addition to building a pipeline of future work, our contractors are working hard to build a pipeline of talent to design and build the office buildings, labs, manufacturing and utility plants, roads, bridges and other infrastructure to keep Missouri competitive. Educating our future workforce is a top priority."
Toenjes also noted that AGCMO has more than doubled the number of AGC of Missouri-sponsored student chapters in the state, adding chapters at State Fair Community College in Sedalia; Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) in Cape Girardeau; and the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2018. They join existing chapters at Missouri S&T in Rolla; State Technical College of Missouri in Linn; and Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. AGCMO also provides programming support and advice on industry needs to an AGC of America student chapter located at Missouri State University in Springfield.
Students receiving $3,000 scholarships, supported by the Young Executives Club (YEC) and Construction Leadership Council (CLC) include:
Noah Feldott, Belleville, IL (62221) – Southeast Missouri State University, STEM (CLC)
Andrew Griesemer, Joplin (64804) – Missouri State University, civil engineering (YEC)
Sawyer Kresse, Garden City (64747) – University of Central Missouri, construction management (YEC)
Ryan-Patrick Shewey, Gower (64454) – Kansas State University, civil engineering (CLC)
Students awarded $2,000 scholarships from the AGC of Missouri Education Foundation are:
Raymond Boos, Cape Girardeau (63703) –Missouri University of Science & Technology, civil engineering
Richard Boyer, Swansea, IL (62226) – Missouri State University, construction management.
Phillip Brucks, Macon (63552) – University of Missouri-Columbia, civil or mechanical engineering
Tyler Dowden, Springfield (65807) – Missouri State University, construction management
Scott Elliott, Chesterfield (63005) – Saint Louis University, engineering
Dillon Grieme, Smithville (64089) – Missouri Western State University,
construction engineering tech
Lauren Houston, Kirksville (63501) – Missouri Western State University,
Ernest Jackson, St. Joseph (64507) – Missouri Western State University,
Tyler Lennemann, Arnold (63010) – University of Missouri-Columbia, civil engineering
Mikala Liley, Jackson (63755) – University of Kansas, architecture
Keithan Litton, St. Joseph (64506) –Missouri Western State University, construction engineering tech
Owen Luebbering, Jefferson City (65101) – University of Missouri-Columbia, mechanical engineering
Cliff Rickard, Willow Springs (65793) – Missouri University of Science & Technology, civil engineering
Haley Samson, Jefferson City (65109) – University of Missouri-Columbia, civil engineering
Jonathan Schwartz, Freeburg (65035) – Missouri University of Science & Technology, engineering
Chris Totsikas, Jefferson City (65101) – Missouri Welding Institute, pipe welding
Jordan Weiler, Ste. Genevieve (63670) – Ranken Technical College, industrial technology
Blake Wilbers, Jefferson City (65101) – University of Missouri-Columbia, civil engineering
Samuel Williams, Freeburg (65035) – University of Missouri-Columbia, applied science
Awarded a $1,000 scholarship, also from the AGC of Missouri Education Foundation, is:
Trevor Leitschuh, Highland, IL (62249) –Ranken Technical College, electrical technology
PHOTOS of the scholarship winners can be accessed at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2isxyaezhb23zal/AACfGjIPF2LPdBIZ40oVINaVa?dl=0
The Associated General Contractors of Missouri is the leading voice of the construction industry in Missouri, representing over 500 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties throughout Missouri. https://www.agcmo.org/
Missouri Contractors Commit Record-breaking Amount to Workforce Development through Expanded Scholarship Program Today the AGC of Missouri announced $47,000 in
Roeslein Celebrates National Welding Month
Published on April 25, 2019 April 25, 2019 in Companies/Homepage Primary/News/Uncategorized
With 17% of its workforce made up of professional welders, Roeslein & Associates acknowledges the high level of skill, education, and training that modern-day welders need to keep up with industry advancements in materials, processes, and equipment.
Roeslein has three levels of welders with a Level III welder carrying the highest welding and fabrication skillsets and experience. Basic welding skills are required at entry level but advancement comes through in-house training and experience to produce basic to advanced components. Welding positions require prepping and cutting knowledge, as well as, the GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, SMAW application techniques to produce Roeslein's products. When it comes to pipe welding, Roeslein does everything from manual pipe welding to automatic pipe welding. They provide multiple weld procedures ranging from many processes and material types with carbon steel and stainless steel being the majority.
Between its structural and piping departments, Roeslein has 94 fabrication welders that work in its three fabrication facilities in Red Bud, IL (60); Hollister, CA (14); and Shanghai, China (20). Roeslein has over 27 welding processes and procedures and frequently tests its welders on these practices, including x-ray and ultrasonic tests, to make sure each welder can complete the task with less than a one percent failure.
Dan Hemmer, Roeslein's Senior Quality Manager, said "Our welders take a lot of pride in the work they do, and the quality of the finished welds are a testament to their dedication to the craft. Our team is the best in the business."
Roeslein is a firm believer in continued education and training for all employees. Catered to its welders, Roeslein offers a tuition reimbursement program that is inclusive of welding schools, has a Welder-in-Training position that offers entry-level training, and currently, has one employee attending welding school on a Roeslein scholarship to Ranken in Perryville, MO.
Roeslein & Associates was founded in 1990, specializing in engineering, modular fabrication and construction services. The company has product offerings in both the container manufacturing industry and the process and energy sectors with annual revenues over $250 million. Its 680+ employees are spread throughout offices in St. Louis, MO (HQ); Red Bud, IL; Denver, CO; Hollister, California; Northampton, UK; Dębno, Poland; and Shanghai, China. To find out more, please visit www.roeslein.com.
Eastern District Orders Insurance Company Back to Trial Court on its Refusal to Cover Homeowners' Construction Policy Claim
Published on April 9, 2019 April 9, 2019 in Law/Uncategorized
James R. Keller
BY JAMES R. KELLER
Missouri's Eastern District Court of Appeals recently granted judgment for homeowners and against their insurance carrier on claims for construction damages to piers, a pole and the foundation of their home. The appellate court sent part of the dispute back to the trial court to consider further whether the insurance company's refusal to cover a policy claim for these damages was vexatious.
The case is Cockerham v. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, 561 S.W.3d 862 (Eastern District, MO 2018).
The appellate court noted this was the first case in Missouri to directly address the issue of insurance coverage under a policy of this sort. The Missouri Supreme Court denied on Dec. 18 an application to consider the Eastern District's opinion.
The Eastern District's decision is now new law affecting all similarly worded insurance policies, at least in Missouri courts in the Eastern District.
Homeowners Robert and Stacia Cockerham sued their insurance provider, American Family Mutual Insurance Company, for damages relating to the construction of an addition to their residence. The addition was a celestial observatory.
The alleged damages involved a newly installed telescope support system attached to the foundation of their home and the homeowners' loss of use of the observatory.
The homeowners purchased their home on Lakeshore Drive in Creve Coeur, MO in 2001. In 2005 they hired Nicholas Schalk and Schalk Construction, LLC to construct the observatory addition to their home.
The project included a telescope and its support system. Schalk had never before built such a system.
Schalk hired one subcontractor to install the piers and a separate subcontractor to pour concrete over the piers. The homeowners claimed the concrete subcontractor poured the concrete incorrectly, damaging the piers, the support system and the foundation.
The homeowners made a claim on their insurance policy to cover the losses. American Family denied coverage. It contended the claims were excluded from coverage or were not covered at all under the homeowner policy.
After cross motions for summary judgment, the trial court granted American Family's motion in part by dismissing the homeowners' claim for vexatious refusal to pay for the piers, pole and foundation damage. The homeowners appealed.
The appeal involved interpretation of the insurance policy and its various sections. Typically, this is a question of law for judges, not juries, to decide.
The policy excluded defective construction in part C but it did cover "resulting loss" to property described in Part C that was "not excluded."
The Eastern District found its job to be difficult. The policy required the appellate court to "decipher a rather prolix word puzzle." Insurance policies tend to be complicated, layered with qualifiers, exceptions and exclusions.
American Family argued that it did not cover the loss because the homeowners' losses were already excluded due to faulty construction. The "not excluded" clause did not apply, the carrier contended, since the coverage already was excluded.
Focusing on the "resulting loss" clause, the Eastern District rejected this argument. The policy did not define "resulting loss." As Missouri courts typically do when the contract does not define a word whose meaning the parties dispute, the court turned to Webster's Dictionary for guidance.
Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1993), unabridged, defines the verb form of the word "result" as "to proceed, spring or arise as a consequence, effect or conclusion: to come out or have an issue."
The court noted that the policy did not specifically state what a "resulting loss" may result from except to the extent such losses will not be covered that are "excluded or excepted" from the policy.
The Eastern District concluded that an ordinary purchaser of insurance would conclude that where one loss results from another loss caused by faulty construction, "such resulting loss is covered."
Thus, the policy covered the damages to the piers, pole and foundation due to the incorrectly poured concrete. This includes the cost to remove and replace the bad concrete.
The Eastern District also found there were factual questions as to whether American Family's refusal to pay on this claim was vexatious. This included a dispute as to whether the insurance company's position denying coverage was willful and unreasonable.
The court's finding means the dispute has returned to the trial court for further consideration regarding the piers, pole and foundation claims for vexatious refusal to pay.
The homeowners also had a claim for loss of use of their observatory. The policy, however, covered such a loss only when the property as a whole was uninhabitable, causing additional homeowner expenses.
The appellate court agreed with the trial court's denial of this claim.
It was undisputed that the house was not uninhabitable – especially since the homeowners continued to live there. They had no claim for additional living expenses because there were none.
The appellate court concluded that American Family clearly was not subject to a vexatious refusal to pay claim for loss of use. Since there was no coverage, the carrier's position was proper.
The homeowners had additional assertions that the Eastern District found persuasive enough to raise more genuine fact questions meriting further trial court consideration. They included that American Family's representatives told the homeowners they did not need a builder's risk policy to cover losses like the ones that occurred in this case, given the policy they had. The representatives included an adjuster who allegedly told them that "their losses would be covered."
The appellate court also noted that the carrier did not cite the "resulting loss" clause in its defense when it filed its answer to the initial lawsuit. It did not rely on this clause in its briefs on the motions for summary judgment.
The insurance company relied solely on the faulty construction exclusion.
James R. Keller is counsel with Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. where he concentrates his practice on construction law, complex business disputes, real estate and alternative dispute resolution. He also is an arbitrator and a mediator. Keller can be reached at (314) 446-4285 or jkeller@sandbergphoenix.com.
Eastern District Affirms Abuse of Process Damages in St. Louis County Subdivision Lot Split Lawsuit
By JAMES R KELLER Missouri's Eastern District Court of Appeals recently upheld sizable attorney fee awards for a seller and
PARIC Celebrates 40 Years Of Growth And Of Building St. Louis
Published on April 4, 2019 in Uncategorized
This week marks the 40th anniversary of local contractor PARIC Corporation. The company has grown from 2 employees to today's 300-plus team. After opening an additional office last year in Kansas City the company continues to expand both in size and revenue. Last year PARIC reported $522 million in revenue making PARIC one of the largest privately held companies in the Midwest.
PARIC Corporation was founded in 1979 by Paul J. McKee, Jr., and his wife Midge, and by Richard F. Jordan and his wife LaVona. The name PARIC is an acronym for the combination of the first names of the founders: Paul and Rick's Company.
After much discussion and initial brainstorming, the partners agreed on a clear vision for athen-unique type of construction company — specializing in design-build projects and tapping the power of then-new technology to deliver construction projects in a timely, efficient way that hadn't been available before to building owners.
Paul and Rick began their business in a small Westport area office with the credo of "People Make the Difference." During the early days, the founders' families took turns cleaning the company office and warehouse with help from their children, one of whom, Joe McKee, is PARIC's owner and CEO today.
PARIC now specializes in senior living, healthcare, historic renovation, hospitality and multi-family residential, public and academic projects, as well as interior specialty projects. The company manages construction projects for long-term and repeat clients ranging from universities and banks to hotels, restaurants, warehouses and trade centers.
Check-out more of the story here, in less than 3 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mSX4i5gWN0
Urban Land Institute St. Louis Empowers High School Students to Engage in Land Use Decisions
ULI's Urban Plan Addresses Ferguson Commission Recommendations
The Urban Land Institute (ULI) St. Louis is wrapping up the second year of a high school education program designed to empower students to more fully understand and participate in land use decisions. UrbanPlan is part of a larger ULI community initiative to address equity issues in real estate development detailed in the landmark Ferguson Commission report. To date, ULI volunteers have taught more than 100 students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District how land use decisions impact their communities, empowering them to have a voice in how development takes place. UrbanPlan gives students a project-based experience in developing realistic land use solutions to vexing urban growth challenges.
"Urban Plan creatively connects students with the built environment and the decisions that affect land use in their communities and neighborhoods," said Bradley Johnson, a teacher and business and marketing department chair for McCluer South-Berkeley High School. "This learning process enables students to make more informed decisions and to exercise the clout they have to shape any development in their communities." Johnson is also a career and technical education department advisor for the local chapter of the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA).
ULI has engaged more than 40 of its members to volunteer in the UrbanPlan initiative. Operating in each of the school district's three high schools, teachers are trained by ULI in the UrbanPlan curriculum. The teachers provide the daily instruction during which students learn the roles, issues, trade-offs, and economics involved in urban development. ULI volunteers, professionals working in all aspects of the real estate development industry, work with the students on a periodic basis, facilitating discussions among student team members and helping the students understand the impact of their decisions. The curriculum culminates in a presentation of a development proposal by each student team to a 'City Council' comprised of ULI volunteers.
"ULI's commitment to UrbanPlan epitomizes social responsibility," noted Johnson
"The vast experience of ULI's membership in all aspects of responsible land use and real estate development helps students think civically about real estate decisions that affect their lives."
The UrbanPlan curriculum, a carefully crafted hybrid of project and problem-based learning, was developed several years ago through the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at the University of California, Berkeley and ULI to help high school juniors and seniors discover how the forces of our market economy clash and collaborate with the nonmarket forces in our representative democracy to create the built environment in which they live.
"Our decision to launch UrbanPlan emerged from ULI's desire to address some of the real estate-related and youth education issues raised by the Ferguson Commission," said Chip Crawford, senior principal at BatesForum and ULI St. Louis Chair. "There is a real need to educate future generations about the responsible use of land and the need for an active and educated civic voice. The students we reach through UrbanPlan are future voters, neighbors, community leaders, public officials, and land use professionals – all with a stake in seeing St. Louis prosper."
Crawford said UrbanPlan is part of an extensive ULI Equitable Communities initiative which leverages ULI's broad real estate expertise to advance the Ferguson Commission's call for prioritizing transit-oriented development, building healthy affordable housing and stabilizing middle-market neighborhoods.
Leading the ULI UrbanPlan initiative are Colleen McNitt-Ruiz of Lathrop Gage, Traci Pupillo of Blitz Bardgett & Deutsch, and Aaron Williams of Penn Services.
With more than 240 members, ULI St. Louis unites thought leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Its members include real estate, design, construction, institutional, legal and accounting professionals along with civic leadership. For more information, visit www.stlouis.uli.org.