Penguin Random House Publishes Three of Five Finalists for "The Tonight Show Summer Reads" – Vote for Your Favorite!
In WHAT THE EYES DON'T SEE: A Story of Crisis, Resistance and Hope in an American City (One World), Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha shares her powerful first-hand account of how an Iraqi-American pediatrician used science to prove Flint, Michigan kids were exposed to lead. In riveting detail, she takes readers into the heart of the crisis and how she successfully stood up against the government that accused her of spreading hysteria. But this book is not only about environmental injustice, it is a story of hope. It is about how each of us – no matter who we are, where we are, or how we ended up in this country – has the power to fix and change things.
Here Chris Jackson, Vice President, Publisher, Editor in Chief, One World, reveals how he first came in contact with Dr. Mona, the process of working with her to develop her story and experiences into book form, and ultimately publishing WHAT THE EYES DON'T SEE: "I met Mona Hanna-Attisha at the Ridenhour Prize ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, back in 2016. I was there to present an award to one of my authors, Jill Leovy, author of GHETTOSIDE: A True Story of Murder in America; Dr. Mona was there to receive the Ridenhour Truthteller Prize for her work in Flint, Michigan, where she was a key whistleblower in that city's devastating water crisis. Dr. Mona delivered a few remarks that day that moved me then and have stuck with me ever since. Mona spoke about whistleblowing being a 'choiceless choice' – that having seen what she saw, she had no choice but to risk her professional reputation and the wrath of her own state government to tell the truth she'd uncovered: that the state was poisoning its own children. She also generously dedicated most of her short talk to shining the spotlight on other heroes in Flint – activists, mothers, reporters, scientists – creating a portrait not of a singular, heroic savior, but of a community that came together to save itself. I approached her after her talk – wading through a crowd of other admirers – and asked her if she'd ever thought about writing a book. She took my card and six months later her proposal landed in my in-box. "Working with Dr. Mona has been its own process of discovery. At our first meeting back in Washington, all I knew about her was she was a pediatrician and a whistleblower. But in some ways, Dr. Mona had been preparing for her role in the crisis for her entire life. She was the child of Iraqi immigrants who came to this country fleeing a tyrannical dictator who poisoned his own people and by the time the crisis in Flint hit, she was an established pediatrician, researcher, and educator who had oriented her practice toward social justice. The book as we initially conceived it, wove these strands together – the immigrant story, the story of her incredible work before and after the crisis at the Hurley Pediatric Center, and, of course, the thrilling core narrative: the crisis and the bold detective work and outspoken advocacy that forced the whole country to pay attention. But the sum of the book had to be more than those three pieces. "A great book always needs to elevate its story with a theme that gives it deeper meaning – in other words, Dr. Mona and I had to figure out what the bigger story was that she was trying to tell. We didn't just want a riveting, thrilling story of rule-breaking citizen activism; and we didn't just want to provide much-needed information about lead and water. We realized that we wanted readers to be changed by the book – to see in the incredibly important story of Flint an even bigger story. Flint wasn't just an anomalous event or even a tragedy. It was a deliberate government-abetted crime that reflected a twisted set of values. And we wanted the book to show how a different set of values–fighting for justice, respecting science, caring for the most vulnerable, especially children, and choosing truth over personal security or careerism—might point us toward a different way, with different outcomes. Dr. Mona and others have used the crisis as an opening for incredible, creative work in Flint, where they are building models for how communities can recover from histories of policy-driven violence and deprivation. We wanted the book to be a creative model in its way, too. "Our goal was to get all of this into the book and I think Mona succeeded. The book is a thriller about a crisis – 'Grishamesque' is how O Magazine described it—but more than that, it's a book about the most urgent and timely challenges we're facing right now as a society. It's about how we must care for each other better. How we must tell the truth, even in the face of awful repercussions. And it's about how we – as citizens – don't have to wait for our politicians to get their acts together. We can fight for change where we stand, right now, because the stakes are too high to wait. "Dr. Mona will be appearing all over the media and traveling the country over the next weeks and months talking about her book and these deeper ideas. And just as Flint discovered in the water crisis, I think the country at large will find that our present crisis has met its ideal advocate: the daughter of immigrants, a driven scientist and caregiver, a passionate defender of children, and a powerful, fearless truthteller." See and hear Dr. Mona talk about WHAT THE EYES DON'T SEE in conversation with Chelsea Clinton tonight at Barnes & Noble Union Square in NYC beginning at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
Champagne corks were popping in Chicago on Tuesday night at the 2018 James Beard Foundation Chef and Restaurant Awards ceremony when it was announced that the Outstanding Chef Award went to Gabrielle Hamilton, chef/owner of Prune restaurant in New York's East Village and Random House author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, BLOOD, BONES & BUTTER: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, and her cookbook, PRUNE. Random House will publish her new memoir, KIND REGARDS, next year.
The bubbly flowed again when Fat Rice chef Abraham Conlon, co-author of THE ADVENTURES OF FAT RICE: Recipes from the Chicago Restaurant Inspired by Macau (Ten Speed Press), won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. Congratulations to Ms. Hamilton and Mr. Conlon as well as their editors and publishers. View the complete list of 2018 James Beard Foundation Chef and Restaurant Awards winners here.
Fiction Mohsin Hamid, EXIT WEST (Riverhead Books) Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction Jenny Zhang, SOUR HEART (Lenny / Random House) The Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose Winner Benjamin Taylor, THE HUE AND CRY AT OUR HOUSE: A Year Remembered (Penguin Books) Current Interest Nancy MacLean, DEMOCRACY IN CHAINS: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America (Viking/Penguin) Science & Technology Robert M. Sapolsky, BEHAVE: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst (Penguin Press) Congratulations to our award-winning authors, their editors and publishers. To view the complete list of this year's L.A. Times Book Prize winners, click here. The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were first awarded in 1980, with the idea of honoring literary excellence and celebrating the community of readers in Los Angeles. The inspiration of former L.A. Times book editor Art Seidenbaum, those first prizes included awards in four book categories – fiction, history, general nonfiction and poetry.
National Pet Day was April 11 and our new Igloo Book Buzz selection, Suzy Fincham-Gray's MY PATIENTS AND OTHER ANIMALS: A Veterinarian's Stories of Love, Loss and Hope, was published by Spiegel & Grau on April 10. Looking at her life spent in the company of animals, veterinarian Fincham-Gray invites readers into her personal world of loving, healing, and assisting with the loss of our beloved pets, while showing the many ways they change our lives. In her literary debut, she writes with the same tenderness she brings to her patients, whose needs she must meet with her mind, her hands, and her heart.
© Robin Dayle[/caption] "When I first considered writing a book," says Fincham-Gray, "I was determined not to write a memoir; however, as I explored the subjects that interested me, I returned again, and again, to the career I have pursued for almost thirty years. This journey has required that I take a deeper and clearer look at my role, as both a veterinarian and as a pet owner, and has helped me understand more about human-pet relationships. The stories in this book are the ones that demanded I write them, the cats and dogs who revealed, in a new way, what it means to care for the animals we love." The book was acquired and edited by Spiegel & Grau Editor Annie Chagnot: "When I first read Suzy's manuscript I was riveted by her ability to craft such suspenseful scenes (think Grey's Anatomy but with animals) and I was surprised by how much the material moved me. There's an intimacy and grace to her writing that makes it transcend the 'pet lit' category—which made sense when I learned that in addition to being a veterinarian, Suzy also has an MFA in creative writing, which makes her a rare breed! This is a book that any animal lover MUST read, but it's also so universal in its theme of how we care for the ones we love, that I can't imagine a reader who wouldn't be moved by it." In celebration of the release of MY PATIENTS AND OTHER ANIMALS and National Pet Day, this week several Random House and Spiegel & Grau colleagues' cats and dogs posed for the camera.
RICHARD NIXON: The Life by John A. Farrell (Random House) has won the New-York Historical Society's Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize, awarded annually to the best work in the field of American history or biography.
Named in honor of philanthropists Barbara and David Zalaznick, the prize includes an engraved medal patterned after a medal in the New-York Historical Society's collection, a $50,000 cash award to the author and the title American Historian Laureate. This prize, created "to encourage the general public to read works on American history," will be officially presented to Mr. Farrell on April 13 as part of the historical society's annual "Weekend with History" event.
The Story Prize runners-up – Daniel Alarcón for THE KING IS ALWAYS ABOVE THE PEOPLE (Riverhead Books) and Ottessa Moshfegh for HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD (Penguin Press) – were also honored and each received $5,000. Three independent Story Prize judges – Knopf/Vintage author and poet Susan Minot, critic and author Walton Muyumba, and Library Journal Associate Editor Stephanie Sendaula – selected the three finalists from among 120 submissions representing 93 different publishers or imprints, and then determined the winner. Warm congratulations to Ms. Strout, her editor and publisher.


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Home » poverty
Understanding Forests' Contribution to Poverty Reduction
Argentina, poverty
Bringing Forest and Poverty into Focus in Argentina
The Chaco Eco-region in northern Argentina includes some of the country's poorest communities, many of which are dependent on forests for their livelihoods. The Chaco Eco-region also suffers from the highest rates of deforestation in Argentina. Between 2006 and 2011, more than 1.5 million hectares of natural forest were destroyed, with conversion to agriculture and uncontrolled (often illegal) forest exploitation causing deforestation at a rate of 1.2 percent per year. Biodiversity has also been lost, soil and water resources have been degraded, and carbon emissions have increased.
This activity will describe and quantify how the rural poor in the Chaco Eco-region depend on forest-derived income for their livelihoods. Evidence from other countries and contexts shows that similar populations tend to earn 25-35% of their income from the forest. However, no such analysis has been completed in Argentina. This study will seek to answer such questions as: Do forests provide opportunities for poor households to build wealth and a pathway out of poverty? Does dependence on forest resources reflect limited options available to the poor, trapping them in a vicious cycle? How have forest policies impacted deforestation? This activity will also investigate linkages between forest dependence and land tenure, market accessibility, and social inclusion. The primary groups to be surveyed include small and medium-sized forest owners and communities, mainly of indigenous and criollo origin, 70 percent of whom live below the poverty line.
This analysis will fill a critical knowledge gap. The Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) forest module will be used, and the Forest Poverty SWIFT tool will also be piloted to evaluate its utility and efficiency for data collection in the context of forests and poverty linkages.
In addition, this activity will evaluate the impact of the current Forest Fund Program in Argentina, adding new insight into the intervention's effectiveness in preventing forest loss and land-use change, and providing direction for future improvement. Community-based maps will be produced to strengthen land management and land-tenure within indigenous and criollo communities, and support the monitoring of natural resources in adjacent forest areas.
Key outputs will include:
A dataset on household characteristics, incomes, and natural resource dependence in the Chaco Eco-region;
Knowledge products describing the results from the impact evaluation analysis, and from the geospatial and econometric analysis of forest dependence and poverty linkages;
Community base-maps of land use, natural resources, and land tenure in at least two communities;
Dissemination activities including a South-South learning and exchange event, a published report, workshops, and BBLs.
This project has been completed.
This activity quantified natural resource dependence and poverty linkages in the Chaco Ecoregion; provided evidence on the importance of the forest sector for local communities in the Chaco Ecoregion and on the relationship between forest policies implemented in Argentina and deforestation. Main outputs include:
Quantification of natural resource dependence and poverty linkages. An in-depth analysis of the forest dependence of local communities in the Chaco Eco-region, through a mixed methods approach using quantitative and qualitative data collected from the Forests and Community Project beneficiary communities.
Impact evaluation of Forest Fund: An evaluation of the National Forest Fund impacts on deforestation was performed and presented to national authorities.
Land use survey and drone mapping: Community-based maps of land use, natural resources, and land tenure developed.
Findings disseminated: The preliminary econometric analysis exploring forest-poverty linkages in northern Argentina was published as part of Argentina's Country Environmental Analysis. The results of these analytical products analyzing forest and poverty relationship were presented to staff of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Findings of the impact evaluation of the Forest Fund have been presented to the National Forest Director. Public dissemination has not been authorized, so far.
Communications materials: 1 infographic; 3 animated videos, 4 documentary videos and 1 story map.
One important side contribution of this project was the generation of capacities for data management within the Ministry of Environment. First, through the Impact Evaluation, which faced the challenge of working with often incomplete and disorganized data, that needed extensive cleaning. The Bank team stressed the importance of maintaining clean and useable records in order to complete this, and future analyses of the forest law impacts, and in order to monitor the Forest Fund beneficiaries. The Ministry is now working with their provincial counterparts to develop a new platform with GIS capabilities to standardize how data is collected and provide more of the important details about each Forest Fund site (e.g. location and boundaries). This is expected to significantly improve the quality of any future analyses and will also make real-time monitoring feasible. Furthermore, the early engagement of government technicians in a horizontal and purely technical discussion, which helped building trust in the results.
Second, through the forest dependence analysis that used data collected by the Forests and Community PIU, this PIU and the socio-economic staff from the Ministry of Environment was trained in best practices for data collection and management, including taking into consideration gender aspects. As a result, a follow up was designed by Forests and Community PIU using best practices, including the systematization of data collection in KoBo Toolbox.
Trees and forests are key to fighting climate change and poverty. So are women
According to WRI's 'Global Forest Watch', from 2001 to 2017, 337 million hectares of tropical tree cover was lost globally – an area the size of India.
So, we appear to be losing the battle, if not the war, against tropical deforestation, and missing a key opportunity to tackle climate change (if tropical deforestation were a country, it would rank 3rd in emissions) and reduce poverty. A key question, then, is what can forest sector investors, governments and other actors do differently to reverse these alarming trends?
One way to speed up our efforts is to proactively include the role of women in the design of forest landscape restoration and conservation efforts. It is only recently that people developing forest restoration programs have thought about their impact on women, and the risks of failure that come with ignoring women's needs and potential contributions.
We know that men and women access, use and manage forests differently, with differing knowledge and roles in the management of forests and use of forest resources. Although there is still limited evidence of the magnitude and breadth of impacts achieved by implementing gender-responsive policies and practices in the forest sector, we are starting to see more evidence that taking into account gender differences could lead to behavioral changes that increase tree cover and improve the livelihoods of the poor.
Considering gender differences in the use of, access to, and benefits from forest landscapes has led to more fair and effective design of interventions and institutional arrangements that have maximized program results and successes in addressing deforestation in many countries.
For example, in Brazil, supporting women's non-timber forest product (NTFP) microenterprise groups resulted in increased incomes and empowerment, as well as a reduction in deforestation. In India and Nepal, increasing women's participation in community forest management groups led to improved forest conservation and enhanced livelihoods. In Uganda, a gender-transformative 'adaptive collaborative management' approach for communities resulted in tens of thousands of trees being planted by women for the first time both on-farm and in forest reserves, improved food security, and the election of 50% women leaders in forest management groups. In Kenya, the Green Belt Movement launched by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, with women's empowerment at its core, has planted over 51 million trees.
The thought of designing and implementing gender-transformative landscape initiatives of any type (projects, programs, policies, capacity strengthening efforts, etc.) can be daunting for development practitioners or decision makers without experience considering gender. It doesn't have to be.
A recently released paper from the World Bank's Program on Forests (PROFOR) examines the types of gender inequalities that exist in forest landscapes, and the gender considerations or actions that many countries are taking to address these gaps. It reviews and synthesizes a wide range of World Bank and partner projects and forest sector investments in different regions.
The PROFOR paper aims to stimulate greater understanding of potential opportunities by providing suggestions for gender-responsive actions that developers and leaders of forest projects, programs and policies can consider. Depending on which forest actor you are, applying and tailoring these suggestions to your context specific circumstances can ensure more effective and equitable impacts:
A developer or investor in forest landscape projects can consider establishing performance-based contracts with joint spousal signatures for planting and protecting trees on farms, as well as near and inside forests, or including budget line items for gender-targeted NTFP activities.
Governments, particularly forest-related agencies, can train forest personnel in the collection of sex-disaggregated data and inclusive, participatory engagement and forest landscape management planning processes, or facilitating registration for forest-related programs in easily accessible spaces where women already go (e.g. schools, health care centers).
Investors, development agencies and private sector actors can find ways in which to make direct payments to women (e.g. via cellphone) for forest restoration and agroforestry activities or supporting rural women's leadership capacity and strengthening activities.
PROFOR's paper, along with a guidance note for project designers, provide many more examples of how gender analysis and actions can contribute in forest landscapes and of how this research is already being applied on the ground. For example, the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) includes several countries that are using this tool to design REDD+ readiness and large-scale programs that ensure women are partners in the planning, operation, and deployment of climate finance.
The bottom line is that greater investment in forest landscapes and agroforestry will be critical in efforts to address climate change and rural poverty challenges in many countries. The success of these investments will be enhanced by considering gender-responsive activities and actions when designing and implementing forest landscape projects and programs.
This blog by Patti Kristjanson was originally published by The World Bank
Leveraging Agricultural Value Chains to Enhance Tropical Tree Cover and Slow Deforestation (LEAVES)
LEAVES Workshop
Global Landscapes Forum: Investment Case Symposium 2018
Food and forests: We can have them both
Agriculture provides most of the world's food. It also contributes the most to global deforestation. This does not mean, however, that we need to choose between feeding a rapidly growing population and protecting the forests that are so essential to our wellbeing.
While many countries have first depleted their forests before seeing a rebound in tree cover, this "business-as-usual" scenario is not inevitable. But changing it does require a paradigm shift. In part, it means redefining what "successful" pathways to sustainable development look like, so that they resonate with local leaders and reflect local realities – and thus gain political support. In addition, transitioning away from the status quo depends on forming new and creative partnerships between companies, communities, governments, and investors.
How to bring about this new food-and-forest paradigm? An ongoing study - funded by the Program on Forests (PROFOR) and led by the World Bank's Agriculture and Environment Global Practices along with experts from many agricultural and environmental organizations - is trying to find concrete answers. The team is focusing on six agricultural commodities: three that are heavily implicated in deforestation activities (palm oil, soy and beef), and three that could include planting trees in their cultivation (cocoa, coffee and shea butter). In an initial synthesis study, the researchers draw out some key lessons for removing deforestation from agricultural supply chains sooner rather than later, and for increasing the planting of trees in agricultural lands. Here are just six of their takeaways:
Success starts with the farmer. There are many agricultural practices which, if implemented at scale, can benefit crop yields while slowing deforestation or increasing tree cover. Not only must farmers be fully equipped with this information, but they should be consulted and supported in making the transition to sustainable production systems.
It is important to recognize and reward innovators. A system based entirely on punishing those who contribute to deforestation is unlikely to be effective in the long run. A more promising approach is to reward farmers who use creative, forest-friendly practices, while widely promoting the monetary and ecosystem benefits of these methods.
Corporations' sustainability pledges are important but not sufficient. A new and promising trend is the emergence of technical, commercial, and financial partnerships between companies, farmers, communities, and regional authorities.
Government policies and programs need to be updated. In many cases, existing regulations prevent farmers from harvesting and marketing trees, deterring them from planting trees in agricultural landscapes. Ministries of agriculture and of environment need to work together to revise these legal frameworks so that farmers can sustainably grow and harvest trees on their lands.
Regional action is critical. Efforts to combat deforestation in the agricultural sector sometimes fail because supply chains transcend national boundaries. Large-scale transformation is possible, but it needs to be backed-up by multi-stakeholder processes that lay out a shared vision for a region.
The costs of forest loss need to be communicated more clearly. Forest conservation is often viewed through the lens of foregone agricultural profits. Governments should do a better job of communicating why forests are so crucial. For instance, improved management of shea trees in Sahelian countries could strengthen economic returns and ecological stability, with possible knock-on benefits like sustained income generation, jobs for women and youth, and lower incidence of conflict and migration induced by poor access to natural resources.
Initial findings from the synthesis study, "Leveraging agricultural value chains to enhance tropical tree cover and slow deforestation (LEAVES)," will be shared at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF): The Investment Case in Washington, D.C. on May 30th. Its authors hope to start building momentum for their new approach to productive and sustainable agriculture.
"Although the private sector has been the main driver behind sustainability initiatives like Brazil's Soy Moratorium and Cattle Agreement, support from the World Bank was instrumental," said Dora Nsuwa Cudjoe, Senior Environmental Specialist, and Co-Task Team Leader of the LEAVES knowledge product at the World Bank. "The Bank can show the same level of engagement in the agroforestry commodities like coffee, cocoa, and shea, to help scale up private sector efforts. The opportunity is here."
Photo: Josephhunwick.com
Five reasons to celebrate forests
Trees may not seem like anything exceptional, but they perform a myriad of services that we rarely recognize. From making cities cleaner and cooler, to providing economic lifelines to millions of people, trees and forests are central to our environment as we know it.
Unfortunately, global forest loss is at an all-time high, and unless we act soon, we risk unprecedented (and possibly irreversible) ecological changes.
It's time to stop taking forests for granted. On this International Day of Forests, take a minute to enjoy the trees in your environment and to appreciate just how important forests are around the world. Here are five reasons to celebrate forests:
1. Higher incomes, more resilient communities
Across the world, trees and forests provide benefits to around 1.3 billion people, including as a source of food, timber, fodder, fuel, and habitat for biodiversity. A PROFOR study in five African countries found that trees on farms make up as much as 17 percent of rural households' gross annual income. And in Lao PDR, research shows that villages with greater access to forests are less sensitive to climate change because they can to turn to forests for resources during hard times. Ongoing PROFOR work is exploring the ways in which forests might also provide pathways out of poverty.
2. More jobs
Global demand for wood is growing rapidly. By investing in the forest sector, countries can create good jobs, support local artisanship, and formalize timber markets so that wood is sustainably harvested, and natural forests are protected. In Colombia, a PROFOR-supported study estimated that the forestry sector could reach a production value of over $4 billion and create 35,000 permanent jobs in forest plantations and industries. Another study in the Congo Basin found that urban timber markets already generate USD $15 million annually and employ at least 5,000 people.
3. More productive and cost-effective agriculture
Far from crowding out crops, trees can often improve agricultural yields by improving soil quality and regular water availability. PROFOR research in Malawi found that, instead of subsidizing fertilizer, the government could save about $71 million every year by encouraging farmers to grow trees in their maize fields. And agroforestry is not just an option for small farms; private enterprises like Fazenda da Toca in São Paulo are proving that large-scale agroforestry is viable and cost-effective.
4. Lower risk of natural disasters
Forests are a critical regulating force for our environment. A PROFOR study in the Philippines showed that higher forest cover ensures a more reliable water supply during the driest months of the years, while reducing the volume of floodwater during the wettest months. Forests also stabilize hillsides by decreasing the risk of soil erosion, helping to reduce the impacts of landslides and other natural disasters. Compared to man-made structures like dams and, maintaining forests is a much more cost-effective way to provide these benefits.
5. A more stable climate
Not only do trees help to cool our immediate surroundings, but by storing carbon they reduce the impacts of climate change. Unless, of course, we fail to protect them. An ongoing PROFOR activity finds that the southern Amazon Forest is under such stress from droughts and fires that it might soon become a net emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2). The good news is that it's not too late to start restoring a billion hectares of degraded forests worldwide. A recent report, funded by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and PROFOR, estimates that investing in forest restoration and increased use of wood products in six countries could result in more than 150 million tons of CO2 equivalent being sequestered.
Understanding the Role of Forests in Supporting Livelihoods and Climate Resilience (and Twin Goals) in the Philippines
Understanding the Role of Forests in Supporting Livelihoods and Climate Resilience
In the Philippines, forest investments offer significant returns
It's well understood that forests are worth more than the sum of their trees. As an ecosystem, forests provide an astonishing array of benefits, from the more obvious ones like timber, fruits and nuts, to the intangible ones like maintaining reliable flows of clean water. But how much are these benefits actually worth? And are forests really so much better at providing these services than, say, human-engineered technology?
According to a new study in the Philippines, reforestation and forest rehabilitation may truly be the most cost-effective option for producing valuable ecosystem services that many people depend on – especially given the uncertainties brought on by climate change.
With funding from the Program on Forests (PROFOR) and technical support from the World Bank, the Government of the Philippines studied three different areas to assess the value of certain "invisible" forest-derived benefits. The research found that healthy forests help reduce risks to climate variability by providing high-quality ecosystem services that contribute to more resilient communities.
For instance, the study showed that in the Upper Marikina River Basin – a degraded watershed upstream from Manila, where most inhabitants live below the poverty line - higher forest cover results in 149 to 167 percent higher water yields during the driest months of the year, ensuring a more reliable water supply during times of scarcity. Meanwhile, during the wettest months, forests can reduce the volume of floodwater in the watershed by 27 to 47 percent. Forests also stabilize hillsides and mountainsides in the region by decreasing the risk of soil erosion by 68 to 99 percent per hectare – helping reduce the impacts of natural hazards like flooding and landslides.
"These services are worth billions of pesos," emphasized Eugene Soyosa, Economist at the Philippines Forest Management Bureau. "Maintaining forests has a much lower cost than if you would build check dams or other erosion control measures."
Crucially from a sustainable development perspective, forest ecosystem services are integral to the well-being of poor communities in the Philippines. According to the findings at one pilot site, people obtain about 7 percent of their annual cash income from selling forest resources like bamboo, charcoal, fish, and bush meat.
"Poor households are very dependent on forests, especially for water provisioning services" said Maurice Andres Rawlins, Natural Resource Management Specialist at the World Bank and a lead author of the study. "If these services were lost and people had to pay for them, it could certainly set back poverty reduction gains."
"In the pilot site of Upper Marikina, forests have been degraded for charcoal-making and the water supply is decreasing; at other sites, the siltation is very pronounced," explained Soyosa. "When we first talked to communities, they perceive the idea of ecosystem services as too technical. But as the conversation moves on, it turns out that they know a lot about these benefits, and are being heavily impacted by the loss."
Forest ecosystem services become more important as the impacts of climate change intensify. The Philippines - being an archipelagic country that is naturally vulnerable to typhoons, earthquakes and storm surges– also ranks among the top 5 countries most affected by climate change. According to projections, all areas of the Philippines will get warmer, contributing to more frequent extreme weather events. Dry seasons will become drier, and wet seasons wetter. This study confirms that forests provide services that make communities more resilient to climate change shocks, including acting as a safety net against poverty.
The Government of the Philippines is already trying to reverse trends of severe deforestation and forest degradation across the country, and has been working on the valuation of ecosystem services with help from the World Bank-led Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) Global Partnership. This work is motivated by the recognition that documenting economic values of forest resources can help make forest investments more attractive, and thus improve the livelihoods of poor upland communities.
"The Philippines is committed to regreening," said Rawlins. "They don't want to just plant forests where there are none, but to undertake more strategic thinking about which areas to prioritize, and what kind of trees to plant. That's where measuring specific ecosystem services results is so important. The question now is, 'How do we mainstream these processes into planning?' The ability of the government to include this work in their regular processes is the true sign of success."
Findings of the study are intended to guide the Philippines' National Greening Program by including forest ecosystem services into land use planning processes. Results have also shaped the indicators in the country's Forest Investment Road Map (FIRM), which is the government's strategy for accelerating sustainable economic growth in the wood industry through private sector investment. The FIRM, in turn, is consistent with the Philippines Master Plan for Climate Change-Resilient Forestry Development, which aims to promote the development of forest plantations and increase the participation of the private sector, local government units, and organized upland communities.
"In the Philippines we have not yet established a national database on forest ecosystem services in terms of inputs into policies and programs," said Larlyn Faith Aggabao, Senior Forest Management Specialist at the Forest Management Bureau. "This study is a useful start to institutionalizing and formulating a coordinated effort among different agencies for data collection, data sharing, and analysis. This information would provide significant inputs to forestry plans because there are trade-offs to any policy, and these need to be managed."
(Photo credit: Gordon Bernard Ramos Ignacio)
Cambodia, deforestation, sustainable forest management, livelihoods, agriculture, poverty
Enhancing Capacity for Livelihoods Development in the Tonlé Sap and Cardamom Mountains Landscape in Cambodia
Over the last two decades, Cambodia achieved remarkable economic growth and graduated from a low- to a lower middle-income country. This growth has largely been driven by the country's rich and diverse natural capital, which supports the livelihoods of millions of Cambodians but is rapidly being degraded from unsustainable use. For instance, agriculture - which is heavily dependent on natural resources and ecosystem services - contributed to 30 percent of GDP in 2015, and the livelihoods of more than five million people. However, according to official estimates, forest cover declined by 21 percent between 2006 and 2014, mainly due to the conversion of forests to agriculture or rubber plantations within economic land concessions.
To counter the rapid decline in forest area, the Royal Government of Cambodia has adopted several policies, strategies and plans to encourage improved forest use and protection. While these changes are positive, many institutional, information and investment challenges remain. In particular, more comprehensive cost-benefit analyses are needed to assess potential investments in sustainable livelihoods and ecosystem services. In addition, implementation of an integrated landscapes approach to forest programming requires strengthening institutional capacities at the national and subnational levels, as well as improving information and decision-support systems.
The key components of this activity will be:
The development a national forest monitoring system. Efforts will be made to coordinate with complementary efforts by other development partners and NGOs, to bring together maps and data on forestry, land use, biodiversity, ecosystems, water resources, and soil conditions, to effectively inform decision-making at the local levels. Spatial mapping platforms and GIS resources will be used to compile an interface for informing suitable and sustainable livelihoods and projecting impacts from climate change and economic development.
Carrying out an institutional development needs assessment, at the national and sub-national levels. It will include the identification of implementation needs for operationalizing the government's new "corridors approach" for the integrated management of forest landscapes, as well as for anticipated reforms to the environmental code and the framework on the co-management of forests and natural resources.
Undertake an options assessment of investments in sustainable livelihoods and natural assets. This will help determine the various livelihoods options that could be implemented to build community resilience, protect natural resource assets, and promote a sustained and green growth pathway in the Tonle Sap watersheds and Cardamom Mountains landscapes. The PROFOR Forest Poverty Toolkit will be applied, building additional layers of detail specific to Cambodia, including through by using key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Based on these findings, policy recommendations will be generated on the way forward for landscape-level planning, programming, and investment typologies.
Key Outputs
Ecosystem services analysis: Time series analysis of trends in forest conversion and forest degradation were developed with spatial analysis of drivers of change; assessment of the erosion and sediment regulation services provided by the forest in the Cardamoms; and assessment of priority areas in the Cardamoms for water regulation were undertaken. Maps of erosion and sediment regulation, and water provisioning ecosystem services were produced. These results were discussed with the government and are being refined with additional observed data on water flow. The analyses are included as a report (sent to PROFOR), and the database of ecosystem service maps will be subsequently developed.
Stocktaking exercise: Stocktaking was undertaken on land use, non-timber forest product (NTFP) value chains, forest ecosystem services, and ecotourism in the CMTS. The aim of the stocktaking was to review and collate key findings, lessons and recommendations on work that had been done in Cambodia on these four topics. This stocktaking provided inputs for the subsequent ecotourism analysis, and the NTFP value chains analysis. The results of the stocktaking are included in a report that is the final report of the stocktaking activity. Report can be accessed at HERE:
Ecotourism analysis. Building on the stocktaking analysis on ecotourism in the CMTS, further analysis was undertaken on ecotourism, and the results of these have been developed as five reports which are described below. The results were discussed with the Cambodian government prior to finalization.
Priority Investments for Ecotourism Development in Cambodian Protected Areas – Report describes investments in skills building, capacity development, infrastructure and services that are needed to develop ecotourism in protected areas. Investments were determined based on stakeholder consultations including provincial governments, community organizations, and Ministries of Environment, Rural Development, and Tourism.
Ecotourism Development and Management Models in Cambodian Protected Areas – Report provides an overview of ecotourism in Cambodia, providing insight into the history of its development and the major strategies of the Cambodian government to develop ecotourism. The report also includes an assessment of existing models of ecotourism in Cambodia, and recommendations the type of models for ecotourism development in Protected areas for community groups, private sector, joint private and community ventures and PPPs.
Mapping and prioritizing sites for ecotourism development. Report describes the multicriteria decision analysis process that was used to prioritize sites for ecotourism development.
Review of the Legal and Regulatory Framework for Ecotourism. Report provides an assessment of the laws and policies supporting ecotourism development in Cambodia and provides recommendation on improvements needed in the legal and regulatory framework.
Enabling Private Sector Investment in Ecotourism. Report provides an overview of key markets segments for tourism and Cambodia; an assessment of the main challenges for tourism and ecotourism in Cambodia; assessment of the challenges and barriers facing private sector in tourism in Cambodia; and recommendations and preliminary strategy for enabling private sector in ecotourism in Cambodia. The work was developed through desktop research and consultations with private sector.
NTFP Analysis: Value chain analysis of bamboo, cardamom and rattan were undertaken, and recommendations provided for enhancing these value chains are included in two reports for NTFP Value Chain Analysis. A working paper—Promotion of NTFP Value Chain in the CMTS Landscape was also developed drawing the value chain analysis; available here. Results of the value chain analysis were presented and discussed during meetings with the government in September 2019. Reports are here: "NTFP Value Chain Analysis" Phase II - Value Chain Studies and "NTFP Value Chain Analysis" Phase I - Prioritization of NTFPs
This activity was successful in providing the Ministry of Environment (MoE) with data and information that helps inform how they plan and develop activities for natural resources management and livelihoods development. The activity was also successful in building the capacity of MoE to develop such data and information, by keeping MoE staff closely involved in the process of developing and implementing the analytical works and providing close advisory support on how to use the data and information effectively in planning for natural resources and livelihoods. The work to develop ecotourism was high priority for the MoE and the government as ecotourism is a major development strategy for Cambodia, but is an area where the government is relatively inexperienced.
When Good Conservation becomes Good Economics : Kenya's Vanishing Herds
Kenya, protected areas, wildlife, Biodiversity, Jobs, poverty, tourism
Kenya Tourism and Sustainability
Nature-based tourism makes a significant contribution to exports, GDP, jobs, and poverty reduction in Kenya. But habitat loss, overcrowding at key tourist sites, depleting wildlife numbers, and the ever-present threat of terrorism have generated a perfect storm of problems for the sector.
Recent population monitoring shows that long-term declines of many of the charismatic species that attract tourists – including lions, elephants, giraffes, and impalas - are occurring at the same rates within the country's national parks as outside of these protected areas. This is partly because protected areas in Kenya are far too small to be sustainable. As a result, the wildlife depends as much on land adjacent to a protect area as on the protected area itself. Unfortunately, most of this adjacent land is being converted to other non-compatible uses. The implementation of "ecological easements" offer some promising solutions, but the feasibility of this approach depends upon economic incentives, and the opportunity costs of land.
This activity will focus on a critical and often overlooked threat to the survival of the key wildlife tourist attraction: habitat loss and the need to preserve corridors to assure the long-term sustainability of wildlife and mega-fauna.
First, the activity will investigate land related trade-offs. Is there more to be gained from building a tourism product or converting land to agriculture - in terms of GDP, jobs, and poverty impacts? Second, it will conduct a regional analysis in the Mara region to determine the scope for increasing the payoffs from tourism without undermining sustainability. The Mara has been chosen due to the pressures on this globally significant natural asset and its tremendous potential to generate further conservation-related economic benefits. Finally, the study will also identify the benefits and ecological costs of infrastructure throughout Kenya and thus assist in the planning of corridors and preemptive protection of habitats.
This project has been completed. A report titled When Good Conservation Becomes Good Economics was developed and launched in an event held in Nairobi on December 11, 2019, which was very well attended by a wide cross-section of stakeholders and government officials across numerous departments and ministries.
The report findings highlighted for the first time how wildlife loss causes economic loss in Kenya. It tackled the issue of whether there are trade-offs between wildlife and economic growth, especially given the intensifying pressures on land and natural resources. The report also outlined solutions and a way forward for Kenya to find that the balance between economic development without losing a focus on conservation. The evidence presented in this report suggests that there are wide opportunities to stop the dramatic collapse of wildlife populations and that investing in the tourism sector yields significant benefits which are especially pro-poor. The findings identified a set of tools, developed in this report, which can be used by the planners in order to consider the long-term implications of irreversible decisions and harness the full potential that the country's natural endowment offers. Following the launch of the report, the Government of Kenya submitted a formal request for technical and financial support to advance the dialog on enhancing protection of wildlife habitats and populations within protected areas and outside of the protected areas
The report findings were used to inform the preparation of Kenya SCD and will be used to provide inputs to the CPF (to be prepared this FY as well). The report was immediately recognized by the stakeholders as a useful tool for advancing the dialog on wildlife conservation with the Government and other stakeholders. As of a result of this analytical activity, the Government of Kenya has invited the Bank to help develop a wildlife strategy.
External Related Links
Society for Ecological Restoration
Ecological restoration, critical for poverty reduction
By Joaquim Levy, World Bank Group Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer
Why is ecological restoration so critical to the World Bank's mission of reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity? Quite simply, because environmental degradation is devastating to the most vulnerable communities and perpetuates poverty around the world.
Some 42 percent of the world's poorest live on land that is classified as degraded. The situation becomes worse every year, as 24 billion tons of fertile soil are eroded, and drought threatens to turn 12 million hectares of land into desert.
The costs associated with environmental degradation can be compared to the impacts of a natural disaster. In Indonesia, for example, a few months of peat fires created more economic damage than the Tsunami in Aceh.
Thankfully, there is still time to reverse this type of harm. Worldwide, about two billion hectares of degraded forest land could be restored, creating functional, productive ecosystems that can boost sustainable development. Governments and other stakeholders are motivated to make this happen – nothing was clearer from my participation in the 7th World Conference on Ecological Restoration, last week in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
So how do we take the next step and make large-scale environmental restoration a reality? We need to keep a few key principles in mind:
First, we need to think of a new forest economy. Environmental restoration at the scale we need requires going beyond conservation. It means integrating timber and food production, as well as energy and disaster risk management, particularly when it comes to water resources. We need to look at countries like Austria, Germany and South Korea, which have built entire rural economies on high-tech forest value chains that are not only highly productive, but also ecologically meaningful. The World Bank has supported this approach in several places, including China, where an erosion control project returned the devastated Loess Plateau to a thriving landscape that supports sustainable agriculture and the livelihoods of 2.5 million people.
Second, we need to find efficient, low-cost restoration solutions that can be brought to scale. This means investing in rigorously tested scientific methods, because we cannot afford to make large-scale mistakes. It also requires customized solutions capable of meeting the various restoration challenges, from evaluating whether native species are always the best choice, to considering a range of time horizons. Brazil's commercial restoration sector is a leader in this field, with cooperative, inter-company research contributing to the success of the commercial plantation sector.
Third, we need to ensure legal rights for forests. There can be no thriving forest economy without sound tenure rights, including for Indigenous and traditional peoples. Some countries are making progress on this front. In Nicaragua, for instance, all ancestral territories of Indigenous Peoples in the Caribbean Region are now mapped and titled thanks to legal, policy, and institutional reforms that began 15 years ago, with World Bank support.
Fourth, we need to better understand the value of our forest services. Adopting natural wealth accounting that values assets such as land, forests, and minerals as a companion to GDP would help state the economic cost of degradation and the benefits of restoration. Armed with such information, Ministers of Finance may become restoration champions, and governments would have the tools to develop a forest-smart approach that works across economic sectors and at the right scale. Consider the case of Costa Rica: by establishing forest accounts, the government documented that forests contributed close to 10 times more to GDP than was previously thought.
The last missing link is financing. We need to consider all levels of financing, starting with small and medium-sized enterprises. Forest development and integrated agriculture need to be made attractive to entrepreneurs , including women and the young.
In addition, tax and transfer systems must recognize the importance of environmental services. Providing strong governance and guidance on the use of environment compensation fees, such as Brazil's "compensaçao ambiental," ought to be a priority. Local solutions need to be discussed everywhere, along with international incentive systems.
Finally, when adequately-funded and accountable research starts to generate the right technology, sizeable financial resources will flow to restoration.
To recap: ecosystem restoration is critical for sustainable development and poverty alleviation ; there are significant opportunities for putting these approaches into practice; and we have a solid understanding of the core principles that contribute to successful restoration efforts.
At the World Bank Group, we stand ready to support countries' restoration efforts through our financing tools and partnership programs like the Program on Forests (PROFOR). Together, our efforts can have a transformative impact on improving the lives of the poorest and benefitting the environment.
Forest-SWIFT Methodology for High-Frequency Forest-Poverty data collection
New tool to deliver swifter, better data on forests-poverty linkages
Q: What's better than having accurate, detailed and widely representative data?
A: Data that is accurate, detailed, widely representative - and frequent.
In fact, frequent data allows us to create not just a snapshot of our world, but to tease out complex patterns developing over time, and to make predictions into the future. This kind of information has never been more important for forests, which are at the heart of many sustainable development efforts, from the Paris Climate Agreement to the Sustainable Development Goals.
We know that forest resources are crucial to some 1.3 billion people worldwide, and that forests store over a billion tons of carbon. But we also know that climate change, demographics, migration, economic trends, and many other factors have significant impacts on forests and the people who, directly or indirectly, rely on them.
Consequently, building an in-depth understanding of how poor communities depend on forest resources is critical to developing policies and programs that simultaneously enhance those benefits and conserve habitats. To go about this, the World Bank's multi-donor Program on Forests (PROFOR) previously partnered with a number of organizations to produce a "Forestry Sourcebook," a survey tool aimed at collecting detailed level data about how people use forest resources.
The one challenge of the sourcebook approach, however, is that its implementation relies on the rollout of national-level household surveys – a necessarily complex and costly undertaking that occurs every three years as part of the Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS). So in order to complement the information gathered through the sourcebook's forestry module, PROFOR is also funding the development of a quicker, cheaper tool: the Forest Survey of Wellbeing via Instant and Frequent Tracking (Forest-SWIFT). It combines statistical methods with in-person interviews to provide robust measures of forest dependence and poverty, and uses tablets or smart phones so that data can then be rapidly collated and analyzed.
"Compared to the LSMS, Forest-SWIFT can be carried out in less time in the field and at a fraction of the cost, since the questionnaire can be done in less than 30 minutes," explained Emilie Perge, a World Bank Economist leading the project. "The ultimate outcome of the Forest-SWIFT is to inform how forest projects are implemented, how to target beneficiaries, and how to monitor outcomes."
So far, the Forest-SWIFT methodology has been piloted in Turkey, where Perge worked with Senior Environmental Economist Craig Meisner to model poverty and forest reliance. Some 7 million people – 40 percent of the rural population - live in Turkey's forest villages, and while they depend heavily on forests for income, they also suffer from below-average poverty rates.
"Forest villagers are declining in numbers due to large-scale urbanization in Turkey," Meisner said. "We undertook a nationally representative survey of forest villages and found that forestry is a critical source of income for the poorest households, but is still a low-productivity activity. The results highlight the potential of forest cooperatives as a helpful tool for stemming migration, as well as the need to boost productivity and jobs in the forestry sector."
Findings from the Turkey activity have been aggregated into a Forest Policy Note for Turkey's national forestry agency, and will be used to revise the country's new five-year forest strategy.
There are also plans to implement the Forest-SWIFT in Argentina, as part of an activity led by Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist Peter Jipp. The activity will focus on the Chaco Eco-region, where poverty and deforestation rates are among the highest in the country. With 1.5 million hectares of forested land being converted to agriculture between 2006 and 2011, communities are losing valuable ecosystem services and sources of income.
"Evidence from other countries suggests that the poor rely on forests for 25-35 percent of their income, but there are no such statistics for Argentina," said Jipp. "This study will help fill that knowledge gap. Communities of indigenous and criollo origin will be a particular focus, as 70 percent of them live below the poverty line. The Forest-SWIFT will also support an impact evaluation of Argentina's Forest Fund, to assess how successful it was in preventing forest loss and land-use change."
In addition, there is the possibility of applying the tool to forest and poverty data from Mozambique, and hopefully to other interested countries as well.
"There are so many cash and non-cash benefits that poor communities get from forests," noted Werner Kornexl, Senior Environmental Specialist and PROFOR Manager. "This data can help us understand the real value of forests and improve policies to support poverty reduction efforts while also find new solutions for a more prosperous forest-based industry."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How make the input go from draging to pressing left and right Hello I don't really understand javascript well because I only use python typically. and I'm doing this javascript project and I want to make it where the input is not dragging and instead it is left and right.
So like when you move the lock all your have to do is press the arrow keys. Any help would greatly be very very nice.
JS

// make dial draggable
Draggable.create(".dial", {
  type:"rotation",
  throwProps:true
});
// values 40 or above will be set to 0
const combo = [20, 5, 30],
      findCombo = function(comboArr){
        let dial = $(".dial"),
            dialTrans = dial.css("transform"),
            ticks = 40,
            tickAngle = 360 / ticks,
            numOffset = 0.5, // how far red arrow can be from number
            // break down matrix value of dial transform and get angle
            matrixVal = dialTrans.split('(')[1].split(')')[0].split(','),
            cos1 = matrixVal[0],
            sin = matrixVal[1],
            negSin = matrixVal[2],
            cos2 = matrixVal[3],
            angle = Math.round(Math.atan2(sin, cos1) * (180 / Math.PI)) * -1;
        // convert negative angles to positive
        if (angle < 0) {
          angle += 360;
        }
        // check numbers found, stop loop if at first number not found
        for (let i = 0; i < comboArr.length; ++i) {
          if (!$(".num" + (i + 1)).hasClass("found")) {
            if (angle > (comboArr[i] - numOffset) * tickAngle &&
              angle < (comboArr[i] + numOffset) * tickAngle) {
              // make numbers green when found
              $(".num" + (i + 1)).addClass("found");
              // on unlock
              if (i == comboArr.length - 1) {
                $(".shackle").addClass("unlocked");
                $(".top").addClass("pivot1");
                $(".inner").addClass("pivot2");
                $(".left").addClass("moveRight");
                $(".dentL, .dentR").addClass("moveLeft");

                // then lock again
                setTimeout(function() {
                  $(".shackle").removeClass("unlocked");
                  $(".top").removeClass("pivot1");
                  $(".inner").removeClass("pivot2");
                  $(".left").removeClass("moveRight");
                  $(".dentL, .dentR").removeClass("moveLeft");
                  $("body").attr("style","background: black;");
                  $(".sitelocker").attr("style","display:none;");
                  $(".mainsitebody").removeAttr("style");
                  for (let j = 0; j < combo.length; ++j) {
                    $(".num" + (j + 1)).removeClass("found");
                  }
                }, 2400);
              }
          }
            break;
          }
      }
    };
// dial interaction (mouse)
$(".dial").on("click",function(){
    findCombo(combo);
});
// dial interaction (touch)
$(".dial").on("touchend",function(){
    findCombo(combo);
});

CSS
.sitelocker {
  counter-reset: inc -5;
  font-family: Open Sans, sans-serif;
  display: flex;
  display: -webkit-flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  -webkit-flex-direction: column;
  justify-content: center;
  -webkit-justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  -webkit-align-items: center;
  height: 100vh;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.container {
  margin-bottom: 18px;
  position: relative;
  height: 270px;
  width: 180px;
}

.lock, .dial {
  border-radius: 50%;
}

.arrow, .dial {
  margin: auto;
}

.shackle, .dial, .tick {
  position: absolute;
}

.lock {
  background: #aaa;
  position: absolute;
  bottom: 0;
  height: 180px;
  width: 180px;
}

.shackle {
  bottom: 108px;
  right: 22.5px;
  width: 135px;
  height: 168.75px;
  will-change: transform;
  z-index: -1;
}
.shackle div {
  background: #999999;
  position: absolute;
  will-change: transform;
}
.shackle .top {
  border-radius: 135px 135px 0 0;
  height: 67.5px;
  width: 135px;
  transform-origin: 100% 0;
}
.shackle .inner {
  background: #fff;
  border-radius: 50%;
  top: 33.75px;
  left: 33.75px;
  height: 67.5px;
  width: 67.5px;
}
.shackle .left, .shackle .right {
  top: 66.5px;
  width: 33.75px;
}
.shackle .left {
  border-radius: 0 0 6.75px 6.75px;
  height: 94.5px;
  overflow: hidden;
  position: relative;
}
.shackle .left .dentL, .shackle .left .dentR {
  position: absolute;
  bottom: 16.875px;
  z-index: 2;
}
.shackle .left .dentL {
  border-top: 15px solid transparent;
  border-bottom: 5px solid transparent;
  border-left: 15px solid #fff;
  left: -30px;
}
.shackle .left .dentR {
  border-top: 15px solid transparent;
  border-bottom: 5px solid transparent;
  border-right: 15px solid #fff;
  right: 0;
}
.shackle .right {
  right: 0;
  height: 135px;
}

.arrow {
  border: 7.5px solid transparent;
  border-color: #a00 transparent transparent transparent;
  margin-top: 11.25px;
  margin-bottom: 3px;
  transform: translateY(7.5px);
  height: 0;
  width: 0;
}

.dial {
  background: #333 radial-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 30px, #1a1a1a 30px, #1a1a1a 32.25px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 32.25px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0));
  font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  bottom: 7.2px;
  position: absolute;
  height: 144px;
  width: 144px;
  transform: rotate(0deg);
  will-change: transform;
  z-index: 1;
}

.tick {
  background: #fff;
  color: #fff;
  font-size: 15px;
  top: 72px;
  left: 70.5px;
  width: 3px;
  height: 9px;
  transform-origin: 50% -63px;
}
.tick::before {
  display: block;
  margin: -18px -18px 0 -18px;
  text-align: center;
  transform: rotate(180deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(1) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(180deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(180deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(1)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(2) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(189deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(3) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(198deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(4) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(207deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(5) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(216deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(6) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(225deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(225deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(6)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(7) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(234deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(8) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(243deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(9) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(252deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(10) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(261deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(11) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(270deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(270deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(11)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(12) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(279deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(13) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(288deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(14) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(297deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(15) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(306deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(16) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(315deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(315deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(16)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(17) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(324deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(18) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(333deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(19) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(342deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(20) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(351deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(21) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(360deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(360deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(21)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(22) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(369deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(23) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(378deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(24) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(387deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(25) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(396deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(26) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(405deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(405deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(26)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(27) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(414deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(28) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(423deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(29) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(432deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(30) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(441deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(31) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(450deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(450deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(31)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(32) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(459deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(33) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(468deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(34) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(477deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(35) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(486deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(36) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(495deg);
  height: 18px;
  transform-origin: 50% -54px;
  transform: translateY(54px) rotate(495deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(36)::before {
  counter-increment: inc 5;
  content: counter(inc);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(37) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(504deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(38) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(513deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(39) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(522deg);
}
.tick:nth-of-type(40) {
  transform: translateY(63px) rotate(531deg);
}

.combo {
  font-size: 22.5px;
  text-align: center;
  display: none;
}
.combo span {
  background: #ccc;
  display: inline-block;
  line-height: 30px;
  padding: 7.5px;
  width: 30px;
  height: 30px;
  vertical-align: middle;
}
.combo span.found {
  background: #ccc;
  color: #fff;
}

/* Animation classes */
.unlocked {
  animation: moveUp 0.2s linear forwards, moveUp 0.2s 2s linear reverse forwards;
}

.moveLeft {
  animation: moveLeft 0.5s 0.4s linear forwards, moveLeft 0.5s 1.2s linear reverse forwards;
}

.moveRight {
  animation: moveRight 0.5s 0.4s linear forwards, moveRight 0.5s 1.2s linear reverse forwards;
}

.pivot1 {
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HTML

  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Combination Lock</title>
  <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Kaushan+Script|Satisfy" rel="stylesheet">
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      <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/sitelocker.css">
      <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/mainsite.css">

  MSFT.

online

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Michelle McLachlan is living proof that perseverance and passion will overcome adversity. The 46-year-old mother of three teenagers is studying nursing at Federation University to fulfill a dream she has held all her life to become a nurse. As if balancing family and study isn't a big enough juggle, Ms McLachlan is also undergoing radiation treatment for cancer and recovering from a stroke she suffered earlier this year. But Ms McLachlan is not letting any of that stand in the way of her studies. "I always wanted to be a nurse but unfortunately with three children and a police officer husband I was never able to fulfill that dream because of everything when the kids were young," she said. "About four years ago I delivered a friend's baby by the side of the road which gave me the push to say 'I want to do this' and become a nurse." Soon after the birth she enrolled in Federation University's online Bachelor of Nursing course which she has been studying from her home in Donald and the university's Wimmera campus in Horsham, with occasional trips to Ballarat to attend the Mount Helen campus. "When I first told my family I got in to uni, my middle son thought it meant I was leaving to go to uni, so I had to explain to him I would be studying online ... and he was quite relieved," she said. "Once I started studying I realised this was a good way of showing my kids that you can go back and achieve anything you want to be in life - there's no age limit." It was in 2016, not long after she started studying nursing, that Ms McLachlan was diagnosed with cervical cancer after what she now realises were years of symptoms. She took six months off studying to concentrate on her cancer treatment. Ms McLachlan resumed her studies in 2017 and continued to work part-time to support her family and cover the cost of her medications until the strain of illness and frequent hospital visits forced her to leave her job in the local supermarket. Last year she received the crushing news that the cancer had spread to the outside of her bowel. "The doctor and a nurse came in my room, closed the door and then sat on the chair next to me. I knew something was not right and then I was told my cancer has spread. I was devastated," she said. "I had to make a decision whether to continue to study or not ... but I want to show my family that cancer doesn't mean that you put your life on hold. "I want to show them that you can do anything at any age. Nothing can stop you from what you want to do and there's always options." Her resolve to continue was further tested earlier this year when she suffered a stroke as a result of her cancer treatment and medications. The stroke left her paralysed down her left side, which she has almost overcome, and memory loss. "I think of something then it just completely goes. I'm trying to balance those sort of things but in saying that, university has been an absolutely fantastic support with everything I need to continue and be successful. "There are horrible side effects as far as medications are concerned so it's a matter of trying to be strong and having a passion, but nothing is going to stop me from doing what I want to do." With no job and Ms McLachlan relying on a non-PBS listed medication costing $3000 a month to keep her on top of her cancer fight, "it doesn't leave a lot of money at the end of the month for anything, let alone study", she said. Ms McLachlan was this week awarded one of 25 Federation University Foundation Scholarships to support students in financial hardship. The scholarships range in value from $1000 to $7000. "I had to look at what was available out there to help me to keep my study going, which is why I applied for the scholarship. I'm extremely thankful I was accepted. "It will help me out tremendously with books and everything else that goes with fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse. Financially for us it's extremely difficult trying to make ends meet." RELATED STORY: Staff and students at Fed Uni will refill reusable water bottles as the uni bans single-use plastic water bottles to do their bit for the environment. Her son Callum, 17, travelled to Ballarat with her for the award ceremony. "I realised there how proud my son was of his mum," Ms McLachlan said. More than 25 Federation University students this week received scholarships from the uni to enable them to continue their studies. "Far too often we see intelligent and determined students dropping out because of financial pressure. This is a great loss to the student, the university and society as a whole," said Fed Uni vice-chancellor and president Professor Helen Bartlett. "Our Foundation Scholarships will provide much needed help, allowing our students to pursue their studies without stressing about finances. We want our scholarship recipients to follow their passion and take every opportunity offered to them." Have you signed up to The Courier's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/michelle.smith/86b8f716-7efd-4c03-a1e5-cc4150c86c99.jpeg/r660_404_6192_3530_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
May 3 2019 - 5:30AM
Cancer no match for Michelle McLachlan studying nursing at Federation University
PROUD: Callum, 17, and mum Michelle McLachlan after the scholarship ceremony at Federation University this week.
Michelle McLachlan is living proof that perseverance and passion will overcome adversity.
The 46-year-old mother of three teenagers is studying nursing at Federation University to fulfill a dream she has held all her life to become a nurse.
As if balancing family and study isn't a big enough juggle, Ms McLachlan is also undergoing radiation treatment for cancer and recovering from a stroke she suffered earlier this year.
But Ms McLachlan is not letting any of that stand in the way of her studies.
"I always wanted to be a nurse but unfortunately with three children and a police officer husband I was never able to fulfill that dream because of everything when the kids were young," she said.
"About four years ago I delivered a friend's baby by the side of the road which gave me the push to say 'I want to do this' and become a nurse."
Soon after the birth she enrolled in Federation University's online Bachelor of Nursing course which she has been studying from her home in Donald and the university's Wimmera campus in Horsham, with occasional trips to Ballarat to attend the Mount Helen campus.
TOUGH: Despite undergoing cancer treatment and recovering from a stroke, Michelle McLachlan is studying nursing at Federation University. Picture: Matthew Freeman
"When I first told my family I got in to uni, my middle son thought it meant I was leaving to go to uni, so I had to explain to him I would be studying online ... and he was quite relieved," she said.
"Once I started studying I realised this was a good way of showing my kids that you can go back and achieve anything you want to be in life - there's no age limit."
It was in 2016, not long after she started studying nursing, that Ms McLachlan was diagnosed with cervical cancer after what she now realises were years of symptoms.
She took six months off studying to concentrate on her cancer treatment.
Ms McLachlan resumed her studies in 2017 and continued to work part-time to support her family and cover the cost of her medications until the strain of illness and frequent hospital visits forced her to leave her job in the local supermarket.
Last year she received the crushing news that the cancer had spread to the outside of her bowel.
"The doctor and a nurse came in my room, closed the door and then sat on the chair next to me. I knew something was not right and then I was told my cancer has spread. I was devastated," she said.
"I had to make a decision whether to continue to study or not ... but I want to show my family that cancer doesn't mean that you put your life on hold.
"I want to show them that you can do anything at any age. Nothing can stop you from what you want to do and there's always options."
Her resolve to continue was further tested earlier this year when she suffered a stroke as a result of her cancer treatment and medications. The stroke left her paralysed down her left side, which she has almost overcome, and memory loss.
"I think of something then it just completely goes. I'm trying to balance those sort of things but in saying that, university has been an absolutely fantastic support with everything I need to continue and be successful.
"There are horrible side effects as far as medications are concerned so it's a matter of trying to be strong and having a passion, but nothing is going to stop me from doing what I want to do."
Federation University vice chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett
With no job and Ms McLachlan relying on a non-PBS listed medication costing $3000 a month to keep her on top of her cancer fight, "it doesn't leave a lot of money at the end of the month for anything, let alone study", she said.
Ms McLachlan was this week awarded one of 25 Federation University Foundation Scholarships to support students in financial hardship. The scholarships range in value from $1000 to $7000.
"I had to look at what was available out there to help me to keep my study going, which is why I applied for the scholarship. I'm extremely thankful I was accepted.
"It will help me out tremendously with books and everything else that goes with fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse. Financially for us it's extremely difficult trying to make ends meet."
RELATED STORY:Staff and students at Fed Uni will refill reusable water bottles as the uni bans single-use plastic water bottles to do their bit for the environment.
Her son Callum, 17, travelled to Ballarat with her for the award ceremony.
"I realised there how proud my son was of his mum," Ms McLachlan said.
More than 25 Federation University students this week received scholarships from the uni to enable them to continue their studies.
"Far too often we see intelligent and determined students dropping out because of financial pressure. This is a great loss to the student, the university and society as a whole," said Fed Uni vice-chancellor and president Professor Helen Bartlett.
"Our Foundation Scholarships will provide much needed help, allowing our students to pursue their studies without stressing about finances. We want our scholarship recipients to follow their passion and take every opportunity offered to them."
Have you signed up to The Courier's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
Watch firefighters battle the Allendale and Broomfield fire | video
Ballarat's Jeanswest store spared as dozens close down
'Completely speechless': Craftsman creates new crozier for Anglican bishop after car fire
Police step up patrols on what is our most treacherous long weekend


text:
https://www.britishpathe.com/search/query/dAmpezzo/search-field/record_keywords/order/oldestfirst/colour/Black++White
Cortina (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Women's slalom skiing action
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Men's ski jumping action
Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, USSR clinch...
Olympics Skating (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Pairs figure skating...
Winter Olympics Bobsleigh (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Italy take...
Olympics - Women's Cross Country Skiing (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo,...
USA Win Figure Skating Gold (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, USA win...
Sailer Wins Downhill Gold (1956)
1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sailer wins...
Winter Olympics Bobsleigh In Switzerland (1956)
Men's Downhill Olympic Skiing (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Men's...
Men's Olympic Speed Skating (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Men's speed...
Olympic Cross Country Skiing (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Cross country...
Men's Fours Bobsleigh At Olympics (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Four...
Winter Olympics In Cortina D'ampezzo (1956)
1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy,...


text:
Q: What are some good ways to do intermachine locking? Our server cluster consists of 20 machines, each with 10 pids of 5 threads. We'd like some way to prevent any two threads, in any pid, on any machine, from modifying the same object at the same time.
Our code's written in Python and runs on Linux, if that helps narrow things down.
Also, it's a pretty rare case that two such threads want to do this, so we'd prefer something that optimizes the "only one thread needs this object" case to be really fast, even if it means that the "one thread has locked this object and another one needs it" case isn't great.
What are some of the best practices?

A: If you want to synchronize across machines you need a Distributed Lock Manager.
I did some quick googling and came up with: Stackoverflow.
Unfortunately they only suggest Java version, but it's a start.
If you are trying to synchronize access to files: Your filesystem should already have some wort of locking service in place. If not consider changing it.

A: I assume you came across this blog post http://amix.dk/blog/post/19386 during your googling?
The author demonstrates a simple interface to memcachedb which it uses as a dummy distributed lock manager. It's a great idea, and memcache is probably one of the faster thing's you'll be able to interface with. Note that it does use the more recently added with statement.
Here is an example usage from his blog post:
from __future__ import with_statement
import memcache
from memcached_lock import dist_lock

client = memcache.Client(['127.0.0.1:11211'])
with dist_lock('test', client):
   print 'Is there anybody out there!?'

A: if you can get the complete infrastructure for a distributed lock manager then go ahead and use that. But that infrastructure is not easy to setup! But here is a practical solution:
-designate the node with the lowest ip address as the the master node
(that means if the node with lowest ip address hangs, a new node with lowest ip address will become new master)
-let all nodes contact the master node to get the lock on the object.
-let the master node use native lock semantics to get the lock.
this will simplify things unless you need complete clustering infrastructure and DLM to do the job.

A: Write code using immutable objects. Write objects that implement the Singleton Pattern.
Use a stable Distributed messaging technology such as IPC, webservices, or XML-RPC.
I would take a look at Twisted. They got plenty of solutions for such task.
I wouldn't use threads in Python esp with regards to the GIL, I would look at using Processes as working applications and use a comms technology as described above for intercommunications.
Your singleton class could then appear in one of these applications and interfaced via comms technology of choice.
Not a fast solution with all the interfacing, but if done correctly should be stable.

A: There may be a better way of doing this, but i would use the Lock class from the threading module to access the "protected" objects in a with statement, here would be an example:
from __future__ import with_statement
from threading import Lock

mylock = Lock()
with mylock.acquire():
    [ 'do things with protected data here' ]
[ 'the rest of the code' ]

for more examples about Lock usages, have a look here.
Edit: this solution isn't suitable for this question as threading.Lock is not distributed, sorry


Citizens of the European Union should be able to travel freely.
But that is hard for many people with disabilities.
Because they don't get the same services as they would get at home.
The European Commission is trying to change that.
They have thought of a European Disability Card.
get services in different European countries.
but that more could be done for people with intellectual disabilities.
The free movement of persons is one of the basic rights guaranteed by the European Union to all its citizens. Still, people with disabilities are often prevented from traveling freely by the lack of recognition of their disability status, and by their inability to access services they would normally be entitled to in their home countries.
Fortunately, as a result of discussions with the disability movement, the European Commission is taking steps to remedy this situation by introducing a European Disability Card as a means to mutually recognise the rights and benefits of people with disabilities in the European Union Member States. The announcement was made by Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, at a European Parliament event on 30 June. "Mutual recognition of a person's identity and status is an essential element of this right to free movement," Thyssen said. "This counts in particular for people with disabilities," she added.
The European Commission has pledged to allocate €1.5 Million to support the 17 Member States that will pilot this initiative by early 2016. The European Disability Card will allow Europeans with disabilities access to the same benefits in the areas of culture, leisure, transport and sport at home and abroad.
While Inclusion Europe welcomes the European Commission's initiative to introduce the European Disability Card, we hope that persons with intellectual disabilities will be able to truly benefit from it, as the Disability Card will only affect a small number of areas. However, we know that persons with intellectual disabilities face significant barriers in other matters related to free movement, such as accessing public services and information, education, employment, social and health services. Thus, we advise the European Commission to see the introduction of the Disability Card as only a first step, with a view to eventually expanding the scope of the Card and ensuring persons with disabilities can travel throughout the European Union on an equal basis with other European citizens.
Inclusion Europe also urging those Member States that have not joined the initiative yet, to commit to supporting the freedom of movement of their citizens with disabilities, and recognise the European Disability Card as a tool for equal treatment.
While the European Union has removed the physical barriers to free movement, its next challenge is breaking down the administrative ones as well. We are happy to see they are taking steps to make this happen.


All of these photos were taken by Marcia Erickson. For those who have been reading you know that Marcia is one of the leaders of Providence Ministries in Haiti and a close family friend. (Also the Mom of our favorite nanny and friend Tess.) We love our Ericksons SO much. Thank you Marcia and Greg for coming to Florida to help make this a perfect day. We are so thankful that Haiti brought us together.
Britt was escorted down the aisle by both of her Dads. The entire ceremony was so lovely. They wrote their own vows and had Troy sing one song. Chris's Dad is a Pastor and performed the ceremony.
The fact that our sweet Britty girl is off and truly beginning her life as an adult feels surreal to us. We are so proud of her and know that she and Chris will work hard to grow together in life and in faith. We're excited to watch and cheer! Congratulations to newest Mr. & Mrs. Bernard!


We're excited to announce that, beginning today, even more BigCommerce merchants can take advantage of Buyable Pins on Pinterest, providing shoppers the ability to browse and purchase products directly on Pinterest. The feature will be rolling out to all stores in the U.S. beginning today and will appear in the control panel when available.
As you may recall, Buyable Pins, which were announced last year, enable more than 100 million monthly active Pinners to purchase eligible products directly on Pinterest's mobile apps providing a seamless checkout experience without the need to leave the app. Since first partnering with Pinterest in October to bring Buyable Pins to a select group of merchants, we've seen Buyable Pins help businesses reach new customers, improve mobile conversions and drive incremental website traffic.
Just like Regular Pins, Buyable Pins show up right in Pinners' feeds based on their interests but also include pricing information making them instantly identifiable. Also worth noting, Pins with prices get 36% more engagement than those without. Once selected, Pinners have the option to either save or click the blue 'Buy It' button to purchase in as little as two clicks. Buyable Pins also appear in Pinterest's dedicated Shop section, which is accessible by clicking the explore icon, then tapping Shop.
According to a broad survey of U.S. consumers conducted by BigCommerce and research firm Kelton Global, 30% of all online shoppers say they would be likely to make a purchase directly on social platforms. Additionally, more than 1 in 5 consumers are now following and engaging with brands on Pinterest. According to the research, younger shoppers — specifically Gen Xers and Millennials — are particularly fond of using Pinterest for both product discovery and shopping, with 26% saying they would likely purchase a product directly on Pinterest if provided the option.
To begin using Buyable Pins, you'll first need to connect your store to Pinterest in the BigCommerce control panel using your Pinterest business account. If you don't yet have a business account with Pinterest, you can either create one or convert an existing account into a business account. Creating a business account has the added benefit of providing access to other great tools such as Pinterest Analytics and Pinterest's ad product, Promoted Pins.
Once you've completed setup, you'll then be able to send your BigCommerce product catalog to Pinterest along with your listing application. Please note, the application process can take up to a week (five business days).
After your store has been approved, your Pinterest profile will automatically be updated with a "Shop Pins from" button and existing product Pins will begin appearing blue, showing customers they can now purchase them directly on Pinterest.
For now, Buyable Pins are only available to merchants selling in the U.S. that meet Pinterest's policies and advertising guidelines for merchants. You'll also want to review other requirements for Buyable Pins, such as eligible payment gateways (currently Buyable Pins are limited to merchants using PayPal powered by Braintree; support for additional gateways will be added in the coming weeks).
For merchants that are just starting selling online and interested in using Buyable Pins with BigCommerce, now is the perfect time to create an online store.