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Home Insights & thinking A burning issue – vaping in the workplace
A burning issue - vaping in the workplace
In the last few years, 'vaping', (or smoking e-cigarettes) has become a commonplace feature of our society. Whether you're walking down the high street, sitting in traffic, or having a coffee, you're likely to see someone puffing away on an electronic cigarette.
Unlike traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are not caught by the UK's ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces as they do not contain any 'combustible material' eg. tobacco. This means that it is not illegal to 'vape' in enclosed public places.
Whilst this is good news for 'vapers' who do not want to face the elements, vaping in public places has become a matter of controversy and this is particularly so when it comes to the workplace.
Just because something is legal, does not mean that it is not annoying and potentially harmful to those around you. Non-vaping employees are likely to take exception to colleagues who spend the day puffing on electronic cigarettes, emitting various vapours. However, if e-cigarettes are banned in the workplace, will vaping employees feel targeted and treated less favourably than their non-vaping colleagues? It is this type of occurrence which can cause tension and morale issues in the work environment.
So, what are the rules for vaping at work?
It is not illegal to smoke e-cigarettes in a public place which includes the workplace.
If employers do not want staff to vape at work, this would be a matter for the employer to decide and enforce through a clear policy.
Employers cannot rely on their conventional 'non-smoking policies' to enforce a vaping ban, if the non-smoking policy refers only to tobacco-based products. In the recent case of Insley v Accent Catering the tribunal indicated that employers cannot use their 'non-smoking policies' to ban e-cigarettes in the workplace, unless the policy specifically refers to them. This first vaping tribunal decision acted as a warning for employers and highlighted the importance of having a clear policy for both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
If employers do not want employees to vape at work it would be advisable to introduce and communicate a clear policy to reflect this.
Employers can adapt their existing 'non-smoking policy' to include a ban on e-cigarettes, as well as tobacco products.
Alternatively, employers can introduce an entirely new policy specifically dealing with e-cigarettes and their use in the workplace.
As many people use e-cigarettes to help them to quit smoking, employers may want to offer staff a designated 'vaping area' away from smokers to assist those trying to kick the habit. It may also any ease tensions in the workplace between vapers and non-vapers.
The health risks surrounding e-cigarettes are still under debate, and it is not clear if the government will extend the smoking ban to include e-cigarettes. Until then, employers have discretion over the treatment of vapers at work.
Jenny works in our employment law team. She helps clients with the full range of employment related matters including TUPE, defending tribunal proceedings, contractual matters and general employee relations and HR work. She has wide experience working for SMEs, owner-managed businesses and organisations employing in excess of 1,500 staff across the UK.
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor
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NAIROBI, 14 April 2010 (IRIN) - Broadcasters in Mogadishu have responded to a ban imposed by Islamist insurgents on airing any form of music with a bitter sense of irony: where once there were songs and jingles, now there is recorded gunfire, a sound with which the battle-scarred capital's residents have become all too familiar.
Other replacements for now-forbidden melodies include croaking frogs and crowing cockerels. Braver broadcasters are considering adding braying donkeys to the list.
"We are not allowed to play music and we have to fill the slot, so we came up with this; these are the sounds one hears most often in this city, so I think they are appropriate," said a broadcaster who preferred anonymity.
Most of the roughly 16 radio stations in Mogadishu have resorted to this tactic.
The ban, which came into effect on 13 April, was instituted by Hisbul Islam and Al-Shabab Islamist groups which, for years, have fought government troops in and around Mogadishu, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
"Our only break from the shelling, the gunfire and general insecurity was listening to Somali music in our homes," Abdulkadir Abdirahman, a Mogadishu resident, said. "Now that is not possible; I will listen to this one and have a good laugh."
He said many city residents used to enjoy listening to Somali music broadcast by the radio stations.
"This morning, when I turned on the radio, the first thing I heard was the sound of gunfire and I was not sure what was happening until a reporter explained what they were doing. I laughed so hard," Abdirahman said. "I actually have some friends who are enjoying the new tunes."
A journalist working in one of the radio stations said the station's management was unsure about what to do about the edict.
"We always start all our programmes, except the religious ones, with a Somali jingle; today we started with a cockerel crowing," he said, adding "who knows, tomorrow we may start with the sound of frogs or donkeys."
Most radio stations have complied with the order, he said. "Government owned Radio Mogadishu is still playing music and jingles," he added.
He was not sure how long this would last. "They may decide to ban these sounds also. It is silly and crazy at the same time but it is the world we live in today."
Ali Sheikh Yassin, the deputy chairman of the Mogadishu-based Elman Human Rights Organization, told IRIN banning music on radio was an attempt to deny people information.
"Here we are, talking about music as a sin against Islam, yet the biggest sin of all, killing humans, is being committed every hour of every day. What is more anti-Islam than killing innocent people," Yassin said.
"Yesterday [13 April] we recorded 20 people killed and over 70 injured," he said.
He said the stations had come up with "a very funny and novel way of dealing with this [ban] but I am afraid they [insurgents] will come up with more draconian edicts."
That's really sad, but as ever, people put a brave and comical twist on things in response.
Do they cut Gunstep and Frogbeat dubplates?


text:
Home » Global » National
Woman addicted to alcohol unjustly fired
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2015
WINNIPEG—A health-care aide's alcohol addiction qualifies as a disability and her employer was wrong to fire her for drinking off the job, a Manitoba human rights adjudicator has ruled.
Linda Horrocks is entitled to be reinstated, receive three years' back pay, and an additional $10,000 for injury to her dignity, independent adjudicator Sherri Walsh said in a report released today.
"The issue for determination in this matter is not whether the complainant was drinking on a given day but rather whether [the employer] made reasonable efforts to accommodate the complainant as soon as it was aware that she had a disability and special needs associated with that disability," Walsh wrote.
Horrocks was suspended from work at a personal care home in Flin Flon run by the Northern Regional Health Authority in June, 2011 after a co-worker complained that she was drunk at work, according to evidence presented at the human rights board hearing.
She signed an agreement that allowed her to return to work on several conditions, including that she abstain from alcohol both on and off the job and seek counselling.
Horrocks was fired a year later when her employer received two reports that she had been drinking outside of work—once in a grocery store and once during a phone call with a manager.
She eventually filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, which appointed Walsh to hear the matter.
The regional health authority told the hearing that it had tried to accommodate Horrocks but also needed to protect the safety of people in the health-care system.
Walsh ruled that alcohol addiction amounts to a disability under the human rights code, citing a 2013 ruling in a similar case.
She also ruled the health authority failed to accommodate Horrocks' disability because it did not seek advice from experts in drawing up conditions for her return to work in 2011.
"Instead, I find that members of the [health authority's] staff relied on their experiences with other staff who had required accommodation relating to addiction and on their own personal experiences," Walsh wrote.
"Information of that sort is precisely the type of information that cannot be relied on as the basis for accommodating an employee," she added.
"Each individual is entitled to an accommodation which is based on an individualized assessment of his or her specific needs."
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#include "mineserver.h"
#include "map.h"

#include "stair.h"

void BlockStair::onStartedDigging(User* user, int8_t status, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{

}

void BlockStair::onDigging(User* user, int8_t status, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{

}

void BlockStair::onStoppedDigging(User* user, int8_t status, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{

}

bool BlockStair::onBroken(User* user, int8_t status, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{
	uint8_t block, meta;
	ServerInstance->map(map)->getBlock(x, y, z, &block, &meta);

	ServerInstance->map(map)->setBlock(x, y, z, BLOCK_AIR, 0);
	ServerInstance->map(map)->sendBlockChange(x, y, z, BLOCK_AIR, 0);

	this->spawnBlockItem(x, y, z, map, block, 0);
	return false;
}

void BlockStair::onNeighbourBroken(User* user, int16_t oldblock, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{
	/* TODO: add code to align stairs? */
}

bool BlockStair::onPlace(User* user, int16_t newblock, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{
	//*if (!this->translateDirection(&x, &y, &z, map, direction))
	//{
	//  revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
	//  return true;
	//}

	//direction = user->relativeToBlock(x, y, z);*/

	uint8_t oldblock;
	uint8_t oldmeta;

	if (!ServerInstance->map(map)->getBlock(x, y, z, &oldblock, &oldmeta)) {
		revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
		return true;
	}

	/* Check block below allows blocks placed on top */
	if (!this->isBlockStackable(oldblock)) {
		revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
		return true;
	}

	/* move the x,y,z coords dependent upon placement direction */
	if (!this->translateDirection(&x, &y, &z, map, direction)) {
		revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
		return true;
	}

	if (this->isUserOnBlock(x, y, z, map)) {
		revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
		return true;
	}

	if (!this->isBlockEmpty(x, y, z, map)) {
		revertBlock(user, x, y, z, map);
		return true;
	}

	direction = user->relativeToBlock(x, y, z);
	ServerInstance->map(map)->setBlock(x, y, z, char(newblock), char(direction));
	ServerInstance->map(map)->sendBlockChange(x, y, z, char(newblock), char(direction));

	return false;
}

void BlockStair::onNeighbourPlace(User* user, int16_t newblock, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{
	/* Align neighbour to this stair */
}

void BlockStair::onReplace(User* user, int16_t newblock, int32_t x, int16_t y, int32_t z, int map, int8_t direction)
{
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This Extra-Thick Italian Hot Chocolate Is The Definition Of Indulgence!
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Place shaved chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and add 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract.
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Add in sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and sea salt, and stir until everything is dissolved and combined.
Once mixture boils, let it cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until thickened enough that it coats the back of your spoon.
Pour into 2 mugs (top with whipped cream if desired) and serve immediately.


text:
Fire inspector position a priority, say selectmen
Kyle Stucker
HAMPTON — The new Hampton Board of Selectmen wasted little time Monday before putting in motion plans to correct what they feel was one of the most egregious casualties of the town's operating budget failing at the polls on March 11.
A consensus was reached — not long after choosing Phil Bean as the new chairman, a position he held until he was ousted last summer by three selectmen — that the board will work with Town Manager Fred Welch and Finance Director Mike Schwotzer to find a way to fund a full-time fire inspector position in the default budget.
The voters shot down the $26.03 million proposed operating budget, enacting a $25.62 million default budget that didn't include funding for a position that past and present selectmen and town officials have said is needed in order to ensure Hampton's business growth isn't inhibited by lengthy delays in the permit and inspection process.
Selectman Mary-Louise Woolsey said the board's "prerogative once the default budget is contoured" is to "get that fire inspector position" funded in some way. It wasn't known Monday night how much funding the town will look to use for the position or what line items will be reduced to cover that cost, although Woolsey said the position "has got to be added" before the start of the summer season at Hampton Beach.
"We have to see that the public is better served," Woolsey said.
Newly elected Selectman Rusty Bridle agreed, stating he has heard many "frustrations" from the public about the current inspection and permitting process, which brings in revenue to the town.
"If we can help out the public, we should (look at adding funding for a full-time fire inspector)," Bridle said.
Bean was elected as the new chairman by a 3-0-1 vote Monday following a nomination by Rick Griffin, a former chairman and nine-year selectman who won election to a three-year seat on the board on March 11. Woolsey seconded Griffin's motion, and Bean abstained from the vote.
Woolsey, who was the chief proponent in removing Bean last summer, was elected 3-0-1 as the new vice chairwoman following a motion by Bridle and a second by Bean. Woolsey — who also effectively assumed the role of budget hawk Monday night when she presented a list of projected 2015 warrant articles and their anticipated tax impacts, a duty previously held by defeated Selectman Dick Nichols — abstained from the vote.
Selectman Jim Waddell, who won the one-year seat available, wasn't present for Monday's meeting and didn't vote on either reorganization vote. Due to Waddell's absence, the board deferred some of its committee assignments to next week's meeting.
Selectmen thanked the voters for their support and thanked the outgoing selectmen and defeated candidates Monday night before beginning their regular business. Bean also thanked the new board "for the confidence" to serve as chairman, and he said he will "yield" the first comment during conversations on various agenda items to Woolsey and then give Griffin, Bridle and Waddell a chance to speak — in that order — before expressing his take.


text:
672 Million Breaths
Time is running out
Most of the grains of sand have passed through my life's hourglass, and I wish I possessed the power to turn the device upside down and begin again. The average American lives to 2.4 billion seconds, which is also approximately the number of heartbeats that you will experience. Those who excite easily will perhaps accomplish more beats than average, but then maybe not live so long. If you live to 80, you will take about 672 million breaths and accumulate 216 million steps...covering 108,000 miles in your lifetime, or around the world just over four times. I estimate that I walk three or more times the national average per day, starting from age one to present. Of course a hefty portion of that distance is explained by frequent trips from my couch to the refrigerator.
Pinus torreyana
In my arboretum I have amassed a considerable collection of pine species and I have been fortunate to see many of them in the wild. One notable exception was Pinus torreyana, which I had neither grown nor seen in its native habitat. The species is restricted to a small area north of San Diego, California on buttes above the Pacific Ocean, and also on one of the Channel Islands (Santa Rosa) west of Santa Barbara, California. It is considered the most rare pine in the United States, where it is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. I vowed that I must see it in the wild, and I put it on my "bucket list" as they say these days. Since the distance from my home to San Diego – where I've never been – is slightly over 1,000 miles, I realized that I must fly rather than take the necessary steps by walking.
La Jolla beach from hotel balcony
My family was gleeful at the prospect of visiting the giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo, then swimming in the ocean to their heart's content, but they also gamely accompanied me to the Torreya State Park and the San Diego Arboretum, so that I could write off my portion as a business expense. While at the zoo I observed a number of interesting plants – and I took a few photos – but the labelling was very sparse. I admit that I enjoyed the zoo and the adorable pandas, but I was most impressed with my relatives, the mountain gorillas, Gorilla beringei. There are only about 700 individuals left in Africa due to habitat destruction, war and poaching. We homo sapiens tourists can recognize their intelligence, and we're told that in captivity they have even learned simple human sign language.
But back to the pines. I wouldn't call the torreyana species particularly attractive or majestic, but it does present a unique open-canopied form. They arise from the sage and chaparral scrub, which looks worn-out by the end of August, and can grow up to fifty feet tall, often with contorted and windswept forms. They exist in a dry region that receives less than 15 inches of rain per year, but they also collect moisture from coastal fog in spring and summer. It is so unusual to have a tall floral species in this boring landscape that the trees were once used in maritime navigation.
Pinus torreyana needles
Lilium parryi
The needles are arranged in fascicles of five, unusual for a "yellow" pine. Cones are heavy, rounded in shape, and slightly larger than Pinus ponderosa. I wanted to collect a fresh cone, one harmless cone, but since I was in a State Preserve with only 7,000 trees remaining, I resisted. The species was named by Englishman Charles Parry (1823-1890) for his American botany instructor John Torrey. Parry didn't restrict himself to the California coast, but also climbed and measured many Colorado mountains, such as Parry Peak at 13,391 feet in elevation. The beautiful Lilium parryi ("Lemon Lily") from southwestern USA and northern Mexico was named in his honor.
I scheduled a lengthy visit to Balboa Park, but since my family had little interest in what was offered, they dropped me off and returned to our beach-front hotel at La Jolla to indulge in an all-day swim. Naturally I arrived an hour before anything opened, so I just milled about...admiring the architecture and palm trees. Members of a fitness class for mothers – all attractive California ladies – were jogging with baby strollers ahead, and in one case I admired an erstwhile mom with triplets.
Ficus macrophylla
Almost by accident I suddenly noticed an enormous tree, fenced off for its protection, named Ficus macrophylla, and I'll let the sign speak for itself. Furthermore, I later learned that this member of the Moraceae family is native to the eastern coast of Australia. The evergreen "Banyan Tree" is best known for its impressive buttress roots, but the San Diego specimen didn't reveal much of that characteristic. The largest Ficus macrophylla in the United States is believed to grow in Santa Barbara, California: when a seaman visiting in 1876 presented one to a local girl; and now the crown spreads to over 200 feet, while the trunk diameter above the buttress roots is nearly 13 feet. Thankfully the seaman left a Ficus specimen for Santa Barbara's posterity, and that was truly nice of him.
The Adoration of The Shepherds
Pentitent Saint Peter
Balboa Park is a 1200 acre urban cultural park containing green belts, gardens, walking paths, as well as the San Diego Zoo. Besides all of that it features fifteen major museums and I attended three. The highlight was a couple of El Greco oils at the San Diego Museum of Art, both of which I was familiar with from art books; but the real painting of the Penitent Saint Peter was as good as it gets.
A cactus collection was on the other side of the highway, linked by a footbridge, but nothing was labeled. I was the only visitor – maybe for the entire day – but previously Cody expressed his love for Jennifer by carving his sentiment on a cactus trunk. Hopefully she dumped him when she saw what he had done.
Balboa Botanic House
Balboa park had a fantastic Botanic House, from the outside anyway, and there was no need for it to be 100% enclosed. By the time I got there it was jammed with tourists, replete with running children and crying babies. There were a lot of interesting plants and the majority of them were labelled, but the noise and the dodging of baby strollers wore me down and I quickly exited. Nearby I found serenity in the Japanese Garden, for it was almost empty, and I rested on a shady bench.
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Balboa Park was named for Vasco Nunez de Balboa (1475-1519), a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean when he crossed Panama in 1513, and of course he claimed all of the land that touched the ocean for Spain. Balboa killed hundreds of natives (along with Francisco Pizarro) in his lust for gold, although he did marry the daughter of a local chief. Vasco met his Maker when he was framed (though innocent) and charged with treason, and was publically beheaded. He never set foot in the San Diego area, but then he did claim everything for Spain. Originally the park was called City Park, but city leaders wanted a name more colorful for the upcoming 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Most of the citizens were outraged when Balboa was chosen, given the sordid conquistador's history, but the three city commissioners responsible paid no heed; an example of politics just like today.
I was surprised that the San Diego Botanic Garden was not in the city, but rather 26 miles to the north in Encinitas. The town's name translates as "little holm oak" or "little holly oak" which is botanically known as Quercus ilex. Interestingly, Quercus ilex is not native to California, but rather to the Mediterranean region, and is the national tree of Malta. Perhaps the Encinitas name was due to the native "Coast Scrub Oak," Quercus dumosa, since both species are evergreen. Anyway the 35 acre arboretum was located one mile inland from the sea, and we arrived at mid-day.
Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana'
I was happy to immediately discover about ten "cork oaks," Quercus suber, the largest of which I have ever seen. The species is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stopper and is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. It is believed that the corky trunk evolved in defense of forest fires. Quercus suber is evergreen and of medium size, and the cork can be harvested once the tree is about 25 years old...then 9-to-12 years for the second harvest. The bark is harvested by human hands only, with skilled men wielding small axes so as to not harm the tree. Two years ago in Belgium I saw Quercus x hispanica, a cross of Q. suber with Q. cerris ("Turkish Oak"), commonly called the "Lucombe Oak." I'm sure the 1.5 billion-euro cork industry is nervous as Phytophthora ramorum, the "Sudden Oak Death," has reached Europe.
Acacia abyssinica
Agonis flexuosa
Aloe 'Hercules'
Araucaria cunninghamii
Melaleuca viridiflora var. rubriflora
Eucalyptus species
Other trunks of interest include Acacia abyssinica, the flat-top acacia from Africa; Agonis flexuosa from Australia, commonly called the "peppermint tree" due to the aroma when leaves are crushed; Aloe 'Hercules', the vigorous cross between A. barberae and A. dichotoma; Araucaria cunninghamia from Australia, known as the "hoop pine"; and Melaleuca viridifolia var. rubriflora from Australia and Papua New Guinea, commonly called the "paperbark tree." I'll admit that I don't recall ever seeing any of these trees before, as none of them would be winter hardy in Oregon. One thing I've noticed about these Southern Hemisphere trees is that the trunks are far more interesting than the tops, just as with the many Eucalyptus species.
Euphorbia cooperi
A couple of Euphorbia species caught my eye, and they couldn't have been more different from each other. E. cooperi is a South African native with curious pyramidal arms, but don't be tempted to pocket a start as the milky latex can cause a severe rash. The poison is called euphorbon about which little is known, but in South Africa the euphorbia word is synonymous with "poison." This "Transvaal Candelabra Tree" can be used to paralyze fish so that they can be caught by hand. A bundle of grass is tied to a rock and then covered with the latex. The fisherman throws the rock into the water and the stupefied – but still breathing – fish soon rise to the surface. This fishing story is something I have read, and of course I've never tried it myself, and I can't help but wonder if there's any danger to handle, then eat the fish.
Euphorbia lambii
Euphorbia lambii is a "spurge" from the Canary Islands, and as a tree it can grow to ten feet tall. It too is poisonous, but then it is deer-resistant if you want an annual for a dry place in the garden. E. lambii is also known as E. bourgeana, but they are the same. The native stand is restricted to a small area on only one island (La Gomera), and the species is considered Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The name euphorbia is derived from Dr. Euphorbus, a first-century Greek physician who used it medically, and "spurge" is from old French espurge – to "purge," as in a purgative. Euphorbia comes from all around the world and it contains about 2,000 species, making it one of the largest genera of flowering plants. One common species is E. pulcherrima, known as the Christmas poinsettia.
Ferocactus diguetii
Of course there were cacti in the Botanic Garden, but I don't know a lot about them, in particular the difference between an Echinocactus, a Ferocactus, a Notocactus etc. Echinocactus grusonii is commonly known as the "golden barrel cactus," and some men refer to it as the "mother-in-law's cushion." It is from central Mexico but is rare and endangered in the wild. Ferocactus diguetii is native to the Gulf of California and Baja California on rocky slopes. It can grow to 12 feet tall and eventually attains a solitary columnar shape. I don't know why this specimen was flowering in late August, for its normal bloom time is March-to-May. The genetic name refers to the ancient Greek ferox meaning "very spiny," and the specific name diguetii honors Leon Diguet, a French explorer.
Golden blades of the "Giant Cabuya" or "Green Aloe," botanically known as Furcraea foetida, were ablaze in the afternoon sunlight. This species is native to the Caribbean and South America, but it has naturalized in other warm parts of the world. The leaves are used to produce a fiber, similar to sisal. The label said only Furcraea foetida, but I wondered why the leaves appeared variegated. Perhaps it was the cultivar 'Mediopicta', or perhaps the leaves were just yellowing after the long summer.
Citrus 'Oro Blanco'
Musa species
Musa 'Namwah Dwarf'
Syzygium jambos
Syzygium cordatum
Syzygium samarangense
An interesting aspect to the San Diego Botanic Garden was the "edible" section. Grapefruits, bananas, figs were fun to see, as well as other fruits that I have never encountered before. Syzygium jambos was new for me, and the species originates in southeast Asia. The fruits have various common names, such as "Malabar Plum," "Malay Apple" and "Plum Rose." Another species is S. cordatum from Africa, and the fruit is eaten by humans, monkeys and birds. The berries can make an alcoholic drink, and the tree is said to cure stomach ache and/or diarrhea. S. samarangense is a species originally from the Malay Peninsula, but it is now widely cultivated in many tropical regions. The fruit is commonly known as the "love apple," "wax apple," "royal apple," "cloud apple" and many more names. Its flowers contain tannin, and are used to treat fevers and diarrhea.
Ficus carica 'Panache'
Another edible was Ficus carica 'Panache' commonly called the "Striped Tiger Fig." I have never seen a fig in flower – nor have you – since the flowers develop inside the fruit and cannot be seen. The carica species is known as the common fig, and is native to the Middle East and western Asia. Consuming figs is very nutritious, but do so in moderation, as they have a laxative effect. Figs have been cultivated for a long time, yeah from the very beginning, since Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7).
Aristolochia gigantea
At the nursery I grow (for fun only) Aristolochia durior, the "Dutchman's Pipe." More impressive was A. gigantea, known as the "Brazilian Dutchman's Pipe" or the "Giant Pelican Flower," and it completely covered a garage-like building. Unfortunately it is only hardy to 32 degrees F.
The Botanic Garden was a wonderful place to visit even though I'll receive no commercial benefit from it. The staff was attractive but didn't say much, my kind of crew. I'll only receive 672 million breaths if I live to eighty, but I don't regret any of my inhalations in San Diego.
Goodnight La Jolla
The Wishing Tree Company September 19, 2014 at 2:55 PM
While all your posts are richly rewarding, this one about my hometown was the best! I hope you got to sample some craft brews and enjoy a few fish tacos while you were here. We do treasure our Torrey pines - but happy to send you a fresh cone from my brother's backyard in Del Mar if you like. Patty Berg, Encinitas, CA
Plants That Sell...This Year Anyway
Happy Coming Home
Plant Species Named for People
Forrest, Wilson and Kingdon-Ward


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Welcome to Thought Shrapnel #206!
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This has been a busy week for me, travelling to keynote the Open Badges in Higher Education conference, working in London, and figuring out a way I can work sustainably with some people I know, respect, and enjoy spending time with.
We took delivery of our brand-new shiny car this week. It's a bit of a spaceship, being an automatic, a hybrid, and our first Japanese car. I did laugh when my wife phoned me to say she was stuck in a lay-by, unable to get the car moving. I pointed out it's effectively a computer on wheels with an engine, so had she turned it off and back on again? However, once I got home and gave it a drive, there's certainly a... learning curve, shall we say.
I hope you've had a great week. The sun's out in northern England, which makes me feel much more human again. There's lots to complain about in the world, lots of shittiness, but during busy weeks like this when I've been working on interesting stuff, the scales are definitely tipped towards the positive.
Today In Digital Education is a regular podcast hosted by Dai Barnes and Doug Belshaw, focusing on education, technology, and everything in between.
This week, Dai and Doug discussed innovation in schools, the 'alchemy' of edtech, Dai's pupil survey, multiple online identities, pirates, hierarchies, and (inevitably) blockchain.
It is no surprise that many teachers have an interest in neuroscience and psychology since areas such as memory, motivation, curiosity, intelligence and determination are highly important in education.
But neuroscience and psychology are complex, nuanced subjects that come with many caveats. Although progress is being made towards understanding what helps and hinders students, there is still a disconnect between the research in labs and what happens in many schools.
While I have no doubt that there are cases of teachers in the back of beyond that still believe in (a reductionist version of) learning styles, that we really do only use 10% of our brain, and so on.
However, the author seems to show a complete lack of understanding about how institutions work. The reason an organisation becomes an institution is because change is slow, because they have an internal logic that is separate to human logic, and because they have a command-and-control structure.
Hence, every single person in an organisation could know for a fact that something is patently false (e.g. Ofsted requiring a lesson plan for every lesson) yet still act as if it were true (e.g. providing a lesson plan when Ofsted visit).
This week, President Obama missed the funeral of Nancy Regan so that he could keynote SXSW. His subject was '21st century civic engagement and community service'. He spent a while discussing encryption, on the back of the FBI vs. Apple situation that's been bubbling away over the last few weeks.
What I like about this Techdirt article is that it takes down Obama's points on a paragraph-by-paragraph basis. It may seem 'reasonable' to ask for a compromise on encryption, to allow authorities to have a 'backdoor' to catch the bad guys, but analogue comparisons don't work when it comes to cryptography.
I don't know whether you use Slack regularly, but given you're signed up for this newsletter, it's a fair guess you at least know what it is. I've got a Slack channel which I share with former Mozilla colleagues and friends which is kind of an always-on backchannel which crosses timezones and the various work that we all do. It's great.
This is a specific instance of the general issue of 'work as a commons'. The folks that naturally most closely tied to some definable work activities — like our marketing team, above — should have the largest say in how their work is performed, and the decision-making about their work practices. That's what they share in common. While those farther from that work — the freeloaders that are crowding the chat with their noise, interruptions, and influence — should be kept from the set's workings if that interaction is negative.
In other words, if you think of it for more than a second, as with any form of technology, it's not only the affordances and cultural norms built into the product that are important, but the ones you and your colleagues build up around it.
This will no doubt be an expensive proposition, but I do love Sony stuff and am confident that this will be pretty awesome.
It looks like Scratch meets Lego Mindstorms on steroids.
I know Bryan Mathers has created at least two fonts from his own handwriting. This looks like a great opportunity to make your own Roald Dahl-style books!
This article talks about Kanye West's latest album, and makes some great points while also referencing George Lucas and Star Wars. Definitely worth a read.
I live not too far away from 'Pity Me', a place mentioned in this BBC article that uncovers some really interesting origins of the names of towns, villages, and streets!
Like many people, I've been watching Season 4 of House of Cards this week. We didn't get to binge watch as much as we'd like, as I was away for three nights.
It's excellent television, it really is — and it stops to make you think about the whole corrupt system.
This newsletter ireleased under a CC0 (public domain) license, except the logo which is CC BY-ND Bryan Mathers. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.


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An enjoyable stay in a unique facility. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The courtyard provided a wonderful place to relax. While the reception desk was not open all day, when it was it provided beverages and a cappacino at truly modest prices. The restaurant affiliated with the facility was excellent and I highly recommend the pollenta appetizer.