1) Choose one of the following products (MacBook, iPhone, a specific sneaker model) and create an annotated map showing where the material used in the product is from, where the parts were made and where it was assembled. Annotations must be 10-15 words, explaining WHAT the part is and HOW it is produced. Minimum of 12 annotations should be included and all annotations should be cited.
ComicLife can be used or you can hand write the annotations.
2) Name and research a single sweatshop and write a three paragraph summary of the working conditions in the sweatshop and the living conditions of its employees.
Include a variety of primary and secondary sources: witness accounts, news reports, pictures, official documents etc.


I hesitated posting this – the old me would have kept this to herself. She would have said, chin up. She would have smiled a smile in vain. And kept her emotions in check. Her broken heart hidden. But the spirit and soul that's resided within me all along; the one that I've finally tapped into, knows better now. I've come to realize. To truly understand. The bravest thing to do is to share my words so they can set me free.
I'm really not one to dwell on what I no longer have. Life would be vacuous and pointless. I've lived most of my adult life spinning skeins of multi-colored yarn into a warm blanket of love and understanding. Celebrating an acceptance of diversity, changing out the color and texture as necessary. Applying a delicate touch or a stronger hand according to my children's needs.
Tomorrow is Mother's Day. And every year on this day, my willful mind becomes a sojourner as my broken heart follows along.
It remembers all too well, the first Mother's Day after our son's death in December. Before I could even make it to the bathroom, tears plummeted from reservoirs deep within me that had apparently been stockpiling them for awhile. I'd rehearsed in vain, how this day would be; how I would be, but having ineptly practiced the art of grieving the loss of a child, I'd learned that we must first empty ourselves of seemingly all the tears we have, in order to be filled with love and healing again. Our tears fill the void until we're ready to drink from life's fountain ourselves. My version of strong that first Mother's Day without him, wouldn't hold the dam. Why should it anyway.
Outside it was a gorgeous, bright day that contrasted my emotions. How dare the day be so beautiful, I thought.
I gazed out the window at the pink and white peonies, whose heads were heavy in the morning sun. Brightly colored pansies lined the brick patio above. Usually my breathing space: not even my flowers could charm me today. They only served to remind me how hopelessly sad I was.
I wandered back to bed, trying to summon up a mere scrap of my former self to hold onto. Fighting hard for some semblance of light to keep me from being swallowed whole by the darkness of the grief monster. As I sat in bed feeling utterly absent amongst familiar surroundings, my husband walked in carrying a tray. On it were the usual accoutrements of a beautiful Mother's Day breakfast in bed. Eggs benedict and bacon, cappuccino and orange juice.
And a card made by my husband…from our son, Preston.
As I looked at the boy holding flowers, sans wheelchair, pieces of my heart slowly bled out until there was nothing left. Weak and drained, I'd given in to this piercing pain again. Through hazy, tear stained eyes, I gazed out the window to the blue sky above, once more. This bright and beautiful day made sense after all.
Thank you dear son, for sweeping the clouds away.
Yes, my beloved boy – you do live up there. Running, skipping and jumping. Free of the body that kept you trapped. Free from pain. And yes, you will forever live on in my heart, in my mind, in my actions and my deeds. Though you are gone from this earth, I will forever weave a tapestry of love; so thick and rich, so bright in color it can't be missed. Like that of the love you left behind. I'll wrap it in between and around all the people I love.
I promised you I'd be alright and to that I will hold true.
But…this Mother's Day will prove to be a challenge again. It will be my first one without any children. Our sweet daughter has a bachelorette party to attend. Who plans a bachelorette party on MD weekend when the wedding isn't until July, anyway? But I'm not (am) bitter.
I've always had her wit and humor to get me through the day. Her mere presence reminds me of the blessings that I have. As I write this, I silently whisper to her…miss you already. Her love is that soft texture to the touch I've come to count on oh so much. I realize I'm being a bit of a whiny baby right now. One day she will have her own children and our Mother's Day arrangements will fluctuate based on the needs of her own family. And that will be just fine.
Consequently, for this Mother's Day I've informed (threatened) my husband that he'd better have a HUGE day planned for me. It should include an amazing outing complete with some (a lot of) mimosas. I see deep dark chocolate in my future, as well, if he knows what's good for him.
And so, as we did throughout our son's life: I will meet and greet this day with an abundance of humor and love. And I will think of all the other moms who are in the same situation as me. The "new to the club moms," who are reluctantly celebrating their first Mother's Day minus a child to hug good morning, as they look out their window and wonder why.
I'll think of the moms who are preparing to say good-bye to a child, knowing this is their last Mother's Day with them, and I'll offer up healing meditations for us all. I'll be kind to myself and I'll remember what strength a tear can hold. And I'll be thankful that I have, still, a best friend in my wonderful daughter, and an amazing husband who will catch me if I fall.
This entry was posted in Inspiration, Motherhood, Women and tagged courage, daughter, death, Empty nest, family, healing, Inspiration, life, loss of a child, mother, Mother's Day, NESTpirations, Women, wordpress. Bookmark the permalink.
This was a special moment for me, Karen. It was one where I saw inside your heart, made me get teary eyed and did not shed the tears, held inside due to being in a library. I am so sorry for your loss of a son, I could not even imagine how it felt. I will someday lose my Mom or maybe a sibling, but will still not feel the inconsolable feelings of outliving a child. I am glad for your realizing that he is in a better place, hope you feel his presence. I look at the night sky and think of my Dad rearranging the stars.
I have two friends and two brothers who have been stepparents but never had children of their own. They have poured their heart into these relationships. I feel for them, on such days, since the stepkids tend to think of them as 'extra's' in their lives but not 'real' parents. I am so glad you have the love of a good man and daughter. This made me feel closer than ever, to you. Take care and Happy Mother's Day for all the blessings and memories of having your son, and your living daughter, too.
Aww- so glad it meant something special for you, Robin. That means so much to me to reach someone else's heart. It was an amazing journey with him, for which I will always be blessed to have experienced.
I love the imagery you wrote about your Dad rearranging the stars – I shall remember that my friend.
You're absolutely right- there are a lot of unsung heroes out there who never get the recognition they deserve.
I'm so glad you decided to write and post this, Karen. I have no doubt, it will help many who have not only lost their children, but have lost their mother this past year.
Preston is smiling down on you and probably wishing we could all be in such a glorious place.
Thank you so much, Jill! I am learning more and more, NOT to hesitate with my writing. If one sentence touches someone else's heart – it resonates again in mine.
I write on my phone as I sit in the car with Pop, Mum and Mr S. The sun shines through the car window on a chilly autumn day and a tear trickles down my cheek.
Tears filled my eyes as I read your eloquent comment. I pictured you in the car and I'd like to think that the warmth you felt truly were the words reaching across the universe from my heart to yours. That's really what it's all about – isn't it.
And thank you oh so much for attempting to re blog…how honored I felt. You know how much I respect you and your writing, dear Jen.
Mother's Day is such a difficult day for so many and you have expressed your feelings so beautifully in this post. I've never experienced the loss of a child, but the sense of loss must be devastating and constant. From what I've read of you on my blog, I think Preston was one lucky boy to have you as his mom. I have a hard time sharing what's in my heart and on my mind and appreciate the raw honesty that you have shown in this post. I think you are a very courageous and loving woman. And really, who does throw a bachelorette party on Mother's Day weekend????
I sincerely believe that one of the reasons I was 'gifted' Preston was to cause me to write and to feel in a manner that would have otherwise been unknown to me.
Right on – WHO throws a bachelorette party on MD weekend? Really!? My daughter wasn't happy, but had no choice.
Oh my heart is breaking for you. I'm glad it's a year behind (almost). I'm afraid to read your blogs from those early days.
Hi Jacqui – thank you for your sharing your sympathy. Preston died December 20, 2006. I was referencing my first Mother's Day in the post.
Eight years. You've come to some sort of peace. That's good.
So sorry for your loss and missing your son. What a lovely card and a beautiful post to share about your wonderful son.
Thank you for this beautiful post. Heartbreaking but also so eloquently honest. I know what it takes to write these posts. Draining and liberating at the same time. Hugs and love to you. Next time I drink a mimosa (hopefully on Sunday), I will think of you and your son.


So why not learn how to make some fashionable bags yourself? Handmade tote bags also make for a great way to wrap presents for parties or as an inexpensive but thoughtful thank you present that you can customize. Even if you're a beginner sewer, you can make a DIY tote bag that looks professionally made in a short time.
It's time to give those old sweaters a new life. And turn them into something new. Repurposing is so much fun. This little tote bag that you create its converted from an old sweater. So next time think twice before throwing away your old sweater.
This two toned tote is easy to make and it's a great look with its contrasting colors. This bag is not small and pretty much big enough to carry your essentials.
The most functional yet basic of bag designs. A book bag, a market carry-all, the perfect everyday tote. Carry in your hand, on your shoulder or across your chest. Brings home everything from a laptop to groceries.
This little wallet style tote is really adorable and it's pretty easy to make. You'll have three basic steps which include assembling the wallet, assembling the outside bag, and making the lining. The tote bag zips up into a really neat wallet size so you can stick this in your purse and go. When you need it, just unzip and you have a full sized tote bag to carry all your stuff.
This is an extra large weekender multi-purpose tote bag, and it's fairly easy to put together. This fits laptop, camera, phone, books, knitting, clothes, sleeping bag, toiletries, wallet, travel documents, and with room to spare. It would probably work well as a travel-all diaper bag, beach bag, etc. Basically, it's whatever you want it to be.
This would be a great library bag. It's got a huge pocket in front and one that easily holds a pencil or pen. There are so many cute bag patterns out there, but most of them come from this same basic pattern. You can change up the shape a bit, make it smaller or larger, add a button or more pockets, and you'll never need to buy a bag pattern again.
Don't let the zipper on this cute bag scare you – you can easily make this! t's small enough to be handy to carry around by big enough to fit just what you need. Again it's quite easy to make!
Tote bag projects are great and making them becomes easy when there is no sewing required, right? This t-shirt tote bag doesn't need to be sewn at all. You can easily make it under one hour or so. These tote bags are so inexpensive and cute to gift someone.
Tote bags with leather straps, especially canvas bags look so classy. You can easily make one yourself with this pattern. You can create this tote bag in less than 3 hours. The bag has pretty room to keep lots of stuff.
A good heavy-duty tote bag is worth its weight in gold. You can use this to carry books home from the library, to hold cosmetic bags and hair accessories while traveling, as a reusable grocery bag, a gym bag, and the list could go on forever! Plus they are so easy to make it's kind of crazy! They make a fabulous gift for your friends and family, so pick out some amazing fabric and make a whole slew of them!
This is the perfect project if you're new to sewing as it will take you less than 30 minutes from start to finish. And eventually once you get the hang of each step, I bet you could whip them up in 20 minutes.
Did you know that you could get a great canvas and leather bag without sewing? You can! This huge bag is perfect for anything you need to carry and again, it's a no sew project. Instead of dragging out the sewing machine, you use fabric glue or liquid stitch on this one. The leather handles are great and really make it look fancy, and even those don't have to be sewn on. If you want an easy leather and canvas bag, this is about as easy as it gets.
If you need a big diaper bag or you just want a tote bag that's big enough to double as a diaper bag, this is a great project to try. Plenty of room, lots of pockets, PUL lining, adjustable strap… this diaper bag has it all. Plus, most importantly for a bag that's your constant companion for months: it's GREAT looking! In fact, it might be hard to give up this pretty bag once your baby has become a more compact traveller.
This cute bag is super easy to put together and it's accented with leather trim and these great pockets all the way around the bag! It has enough room to hold everything you need like wallet, phone, and keys or you could use it as a small diaper bag or even store your tablet in it. It is so stylish with its leather trim and there are pockets all the way around.
This is a beautiful tote bag. Due to the material that they've used, gives it such a wonderful beach vacation look. If you decide to DIY this tote bag, you can actually complete it in about an hour. It takes one yard of fabric – hence the name. Its a perfect summer bag if you use lighter fabric. On finishing, you get 16 inches deep and 19 inches wide bag.
We hope you liked this collection of DIY Tote bags and you are going to make one of these.


Jin Zhou and WiMNet Ph.D. student Jelena Marasevic (advisor: Prof. Gil Zussman) Jelena Marasevic have received a 2015 Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship. Jelena and Jin are among 8 winning teams selected from 146 proposals submitted from 18 universities. Their project is titled "Realizing the Full-duplex Potential of OFDMA-based Networks: From Circuits to Networking". It builds on their ongoing collaboration and recently published results (Qualcomm, SEAS).


South Coast based retailer Urban Industry have taken it upon themselves this season to create a set of lookbooks, showcasing some of the product available for Fall and Winter 2011. A few weeks back the showed us some outerwear from Penfield, and now we get a look at some excellent new product from Carhartt.
Carhartt have made staple pieces of workwear turned casualwear for years, and each season we see the brand return with variations on their classic styles. The black chore jacket below is one such piece, paired with the striped Risdon shirt, it's a very simple look but equally strong. All of the shirting is great in fact, the Gordon, Job, Howdy and Keeler. The lookbook itself, nd the impeccable styling, are great opportunities to see how each piece looks when worn. Most of the items would have passed me by in the usual product shots, but this really puts them in a new light. The bronze Fort pant is a particular winner for me.
Top marks to Urban Industry on this one. You can view all of the shots in more detail here, and pick up the new product here.


Riu, Riu, Chiu , arr. Ben Allaway | Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Inc.
A new setting of this favorite featuring exciting, virtuoso flute and harp accompaniment. It utilizes the original Catalon language and includes guidelines for pronunciation plus a pronunciation underlay, and an English translation. No. 2 of Tres Villancicos, arr. Allaway.


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Patient Self-Management
In Conversation with...Geri Amori, PhD
Risk Management and Patient Safety, December 2010
Geri Amori, PhD, is Vice President for the Education Center at The Risk Management and Patient Safety Institute, and a popular writer and speaker.
How to avoid falling victim to a hospital mistake.
Cohen E. Empowered Patient. CNN.com. November 13, 2009.
This news story describes an incident of patient misidentification and offers tips to help patients confirm their care during a hospitalization.
Adverse events in hospitals: the patient's point of view. Get Citation
Massó Guijarro P, Aranaz Andrés JM, Mira JJ, Perdiguero E, Aibar C. Qual Saf Health Care. 2010;19:144-147.
This systematic review evaluates the published literature on patients' perceptions of safety in hospitals, the ability of patients to detect adverse events, and their views on error disclosure. A Patient Safety Primer discusses these and other aspects of the role of patients in safety efforts.
The faces of medical error...from tears to transparency.
The Empowered Patient Coalition; 2010.
This video series uses two real cases of patients who died due to preventable errors after elective surgery to illustrate fundamental concepts in patient safety and provide lessons for patients and families in engaging in their own care. The circumstances leading to the death of Lewis Blackman, one of the patients discussed in this video series, are discussed in more detail in a separate article that analyzes his death as an example of failure to rescue.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The colours and position of the stripes were carefully picked by our in-house fashion designer to create the Riley pants. Detailed with an invisible side seam, high waist straight cut and silk screened stripes. Get the look with the Riley Striped Halter Top.
Thigh Width 11.75" 12.25" 12.75" 13.25"
Hem Width 11.75" 12.25" 12.75" 13.25"


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D1, partners install fiber optics to improve connectivity of assets
Years after installing conduit throughout the region, District 1 initiated partnerships this past construction season to fill the conduit with fiber optics—an investment in infrastructure that will enhance connectivity, help ITD diagnose and solve transportation issues more efficiently, and ease the transportation of goods and services to further the economic opportunity of the area.
D1 worked with Syringa Networks and Fatbeam LLC to install 56 miles of fiber optics along Interstate 90 and state highways, allowing for the future connection of signals, interchanges, cameras, traffic counters, dynamic messaging signs and maintenance sheds.
Before these partnerships, the district only had fiber optics along 7.5 miles of highway, D1 GIS analyst Rob Beachler said.
Connecting the entire district via fiber optics will enable engineers to observe traffic flow and to remotely adjust the timing of signals, eliminating the need for ITD electricians to be on site. Traffic engineers can also scan for crashes and coordinate with other agencies through fiber optics to respond in a more timely manner, Beachler said.
Beachler said the communications providers outfitted the Cedars and Wolf Lodge maintenance sheds on I-90 with internet for the first time, and although D1 still has 40 miles of fiber optics to install and two sheds along I-90 to connect, the district is on the verge of developing a network capable of potentially supporting a regional traffic center in the future.
"We would then have the backbone to connect signals in the entire Kootenai County metro area," Beachler said. "The ITD fiber backbone could serve a regional traffic center."
Improved connectivity comes at no cost to the district, which had the foresight to install empty conduit along major highways during earlier construction projects. D1 initiated long-term shared resource agreements with the communications providers to populate its empty conduit with fiber optics. The district increased connectivity in the metro area, and the providers now offer high-speed internet services to other organizations by extending beyond the primarily line, Beachler said.
Through this partnership, Fatbeam has been able to offer high-speed internet to rural schools along US-95 and Idaho Highway 54, and Syringa Networks has connected to the Idaho Department of Labor and DMV in Post Falls along I-90. With the help of ITD, both providers have advanced the economic opportunity of the area by offering essential services that were previously not available to local businesses, Beachler said.
D1 will continue to partner with communications providers in coming years to achieve complete connectivity capable of improving traffic management.


Trevor Mau won Saint Louis' only gold medal, setting a record in the long jump with 23 feet, 8 inches.
KEA'AU, Hawai'i — Ten was enough for a team, and a final burst of energy in the meet's final event secured the title.
Saint Louis' 10-member squad won its first Island Movers/HHSAA State Track & Field Championships last night thanks to a last-moment lean for third place in the 4x400-meter relay.
The Crusaders totaled 44.33 points to edge Punahou, which had 43.83.
"We have small numbers. We'll probably never win an ILH title, we're limited to four events in the ILH, we don't have enough bodies," said Saint Louis coach Geoff Garvin, who started coaching most of his athletes when they were in intermediate school. "But the state meet is quality, we have quality, and we had just enough and played it just right."
Saint Louis, which scored points in just seven events, led the team standings with 38.33 points to Punahou's 33.83 heading into the 4x400. The Crusaders were well aware they needed to finish third or higher to beat the Buffanblu.
Punahou won the relay in 3:24.34, and Saint Louis was in second coming down the final 100 meters before Radford and Kamehameha made a late charge.
"I knew they were coming up, the crowd was screaming," said Taylor Spencer, Saint Louis' anchor leg. "It was coming down to the last moment."
In a final lean at the finish, Radford was second in 3:26.46 and Saint Louis third in 3:26.51, just 0.02 seconds ahead of Kamehameha.
Running on Saint Louis' 4x400 were Trevor Mau, Zach Kawamoto, Michael Martin and Spencer.
"That was huge," said Mau, who broke the meet record in the long jump for his team's only gold medal. "I was standing right next to the finish line and I couldn't even tell. That's how close it was."
The final result for Punahou was a bit surprising considering how its season began.
"I'm so proud of our boys," Punahou coach Micah Pavich said. "The beginning of the year, no one thought we would be close. We came in and made a solid competition out of it."
Three records were broken — 1,500, 3,000 and long jump.
Bryce Jenkins of Leilehua broke the 3,000 record twice. He set a new record in Friday's trials with a time of 8:57.04, then broke that mark last night with 8:52.90.
"I told myself this was my last high school race," said Jenkins, who had a queasy stomach during the race. "There's so many great runners out here. This is a dream come true. I really enjoyed it."
Jenkins had the top time in the 1,500 trials, but scratched from yesterday's championship heat.
"I had a sudden change of heart," Jenkins said. "I'm a Christian, I had an overwhelming feeling someone didn't want me to run that race. I trusted my gut."
Mau broke the long jump record in Friday's trials with a leap of 23 feet, 8 inches. Trials marks for field events are carried over to the finals, and that held up for Mau after yesterday's finals.
"I'm happy I broke it, not satisfied though," Mau said. "I thought I could've jumped better."
Reid Hunter of King Kekaulike broke the 1,500 record with a time of 4:03.98. He also won the 800 in 1:58.13.
Chauncy Makainai of Kailua won the discus (156-11) and shot put (58-8 3/4), and Ka'u's Jacob Edwards won the boys 110 hurdles (14.93) and 300 hurdles (39.34).


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Advantages Provided By Cabo Yachts Charter
Maria Edwards April 27, 2021 April 27, 2021 Boat
While traveling to a new place we sometimes like to take the sea route. In fact, yacht traveling is usually considered to be extremely exciting irrespective of whether you are venturing out on a business trip or a holiday trip.…
Things to Know About the Best Schools in Tampa Florida
Maria Edwards April 24, 2021 April 24, 2021 Education
Tampa, located on the Florida Gulf Coast on Tampa Bay, is the most thrilling city of Florida. It is known not only for its beaches and tourist attractions but also for some of the best school districts of Florida. So…
Sugar Land Criminal Defense Lawyer – Facts You Need to Know
Maria Edwards April 23, 2021 April 23, 2021 Lawyer
Are you searching for any criminal defense attorney in Sugar land? If yes, then you have arrived at the perfect spot. Whether you have stood for an offense against someone (like murder or murder and assault), an offense against the…
A Complete Guide To Roofing In Norman Oklahoma City
Maria Edwards April 22, 2021 June 5, 2021 Roofing
The roof of the house always protects the house and the people living inside from unwanted situations, climate change and, even dangerous disasters. Roofs are made in a way that always protects us but we often forget to maintain our…
What Are The Benefits of Car Detailing
Maria Edwards April 20, 2021 May 14, 2021 Automotive
You can be a new car owner or have owned cars for a long time, you need to keep your vehicles in perfect condition. No matter the type of car you have, once you liked the model and bought it.…
How to Make the Cost of Braces Affordable?
Maria Edwards April 8, 2021 Dentist
To improve your smile and taking care of overall oral health a complicated medical procedure of braces is performed. The cost of these braces can considerably vary depending on various factors. Factors influencing the cost of braces The braces cost…
Top 4 Benefits Provided By a Pregnancy Chiropractor
Maria Edwards April 8, 2021 Chiropractic
Pregnancy is considered to be a fantastic experience in the life of a woman. A woman who is pregnant will be developing a precious small human inside her. Nevertheless, it can be quite uncomfortable and painful as well. The body…
Choosing one of the best nursing homes in Long Island
Maria Edwards April 8, 2021 April 21, 2021 Assisted Living
It is a challenging task to choose one of the best nursing homes in Long Island for a loved one. It happens to be a very emotional time. Families want to make sure that their loved ones have been taken…
What Are Thermal Windows?
Maria Edwards April 1, 2021 April 14, 2021 Home Improvement
The rate of loss of energy is higher in most of the standard windows. To decrease the rate of energy loss thermal windows are designed. The speed of energy loss is also known as U-factor. A window will be more…


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Join us 'behind the scenes'
Our free guided tours are an excellent opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at how our shelters, kitchens, and various areas of service operate. On our tours you'll also get to meet some of our guests, volunteers, and staff and find out more about how you can be a part of Gospel Rescue Mission's life-changing services to Tucson's neighbors in need.
All tours are by reservation only. Please call us to make your reservation today at 520-740-1501 extension 7032.
Frequently asked questions about our tours
Can anyone take a tour?
Yes and our tours are also the first step in becoming a volunteer, but you don't have to commit to becoming a volunteer to take a tour.
What locations can I tour?
Tours are available at all three of our locations:
Women's Recovery Center at 707 W. Miracle Mile Rd., Tucson, AZ 85705
Community Ministries Department and Volunteer Office at 338 W. 28th Street, Tucson, AZ 85713
H.S. Lopez Family Foundation Center of Opportunity at 4550 S Palo Verde Rd, Tucson, AZ 85714
Women's Recovery Center Tour: parking is available in the front of the building.
Community Ministries Department and Volunteer Office: the tour starts at the Volunteer Office located at 338 W. 28th Street. Parking is along the street in a residential neighborhood. Please do not block any driveways or mail boxes.
H.S. Lopez Family Foundation Center of Opportunity: there is ample parking in the front of the building and on the north side near Michigan Street.
Is there a lot of walking on the tour?
Yes, the tour is a guided walking tour and our facilities are handicap accessible.


Nice gear man! I bet it sounds great.
i bet it sounds great...but... for real? tommy mounted your amp like that?
Are the rear batteries secured down?
And i've seen a coffee cup go halfway through a winshield in a 35 mph impact... Just saying it's better safe then sorry to secure things.
no gaskets sold with those KOB's?
what is a gasket exactly ?
Don't worry about it, there just a bunch of haters, mad cause your loud. I don't even have my seats bolted down in my car!
What kinda #s does it put up?


For over thirty years, With Song has provided artists with proper technique, creativity guidance and performance opportunities. We offer songwriting classes, full production for original songs, digital recording lessons in Pro Tools, singer demos, harmonies, & acapella classes, audition prep, proper technique for musical theater, pop, & classical genres, keyboarding, and sight-singing.
Rene created the Singing With Ease instructional videos cerca 2001 in order to share the basic techniques of learning to develop your own voice to express yourself.
It is now available on YouTube for free.


Some of the functionality described on this reference page extends the ISO C standard. Applications shall define the appropriate feature test macro (see the System Interfaces volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Section 2.2, The Compilation Environment) to enable the visibility of these symbols in this header.
As described in <stddef.h> .
An integer type capable of storing any valid value of wchar_t or WEOF.
A scalar type of a data object that can hold values which represent locale-specific character classification.
An object type other than an array type that can hold the conversion state information necessary to convert between sequences of (possibly multi-byte) characters and wide characters. If a codeset is being used such that an mbstate_t needs to preserve more than 2 levels of reserved state, the results are unspecified.
As described in <stdio.h> .
As described in <stdarg.h> .
The implementation shall support one or more programming environments in which the width of wint_t is no greater than the width of type long. The names of these programming environments can be obtained using the confstr() function or the getconf utility.
The maximum value representable by an object of type wchar_t.
The minimum value representable by an object of type wchar_t.
Constant expression of type wint_t that is returned by several WP functions to indicate end-of-file.
The tag tm shall be declared as naming an incomplete structure type, the contents of which are described in the header <time.h> .
Inclusion of the <wchar.h> header may make visible all symbols from the headers <ctype.h>, <string.h>, <stdarg.h>, <stddef.h>, <stdio.h>, <stdlib.h>, and <time.h>.
The iswblank() function was a late addition to the ISO C standard and was introduced at the same time as the ISO C standard introduced <wctype.h>, which contains all of the isw*() functions. The Open Group Base Specifications had previously aligned with the MSE working draft and had introduced the rest of the isw*() functions into <wchar.h>. For backwards-compatibility, the original set of isw*() functions, without iswblank(), are permitted (as an XSI extension) in <wchar.h>. For maximum portability, applications should include <wctype.h> in order to obtain declarations for the isw*() functions.
In the ISO C standard, the symbols referenced as XSI extensions are in <wctype.h>. Their presence here is thus an extension.


If you're throwing in a bunch of PBN / Contextual links to your website and you do not even have a single social signal? It's will seem very fishy for Google, as with the rising use of social media today, social signals has become part of the ranking strategy today.
As you should have know Twitter migrates to another platform and that is why they will 'shut down' the endpoint which is used by all URL-checkers to check and display the amount of Twitter signals which the corresponding URL has. The new design of the Twitter button won't have a counter anymore.
Because of this, the only thing that could serve as a proof of work is a link to a Tweet. And since I'll be providing a link to the Tweet itself, I decided to add both Retweets and Favorites/Likes on that Tweet. For an example, for the $5 -service you should receive 300+ Twitter signals, now that means you will receive a Tweet (with the client's URL in it of course) which will receive 150+ Retweets and 150+ Favorites/Likes, all of these 300+ should be considered as backlinks too btw, hence they will be publicly accessible (... and therefore eventually accessed by Google). For some bigger orders for 1 URL there will be some more Tweets created, I can't and won't put "all the eggs in 1 basket".


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lovable language
Brand and tone of voice
Personal tales
Nick Hanson
Acapella to Byt
Caboodle to Euphonious
Fabbro to Hypnopompia
Iagoo to Lyrical
Maboule to Owl-light
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Getting to the heart of your brand and bringing it to life…
I help define brands and provide guidance on how best to communicate them. This is one of my core areas of experience and expertise.
My work includes:
defining the personality and values of a brand
setting communication principles, from the core principles through to tone of voice
developing brand, identity and tone of voice guidelines
creating best practice examples
writing brand stories
I've worked on brand and tone of voice projects for many different clients over the years – from Age Concern to Uth Fashion, not forgetting ADtranz (ABB-DaimlerBenz Transportation), Alfa Laval, Amorim, BAE Systems, BearingPoint, BP, BT, Cadbury Schweppes, Fortis, Lewis Silkin, Merck, Moto, Nationwide, Powergen, Puma Energy, Sabic, Shell, Vodafone, Xstrata, Zurich Insurance and more.
Here are three examples…
1. BearingPoint's journey
I structured and wrote BearingPoint's core brand story. Conceived as an ongoing journey, it takes you from the firm's creation through its core purpose and culture and on into the future. The project included interviewing senior partners to get their own particular take on the story and working with designers to help them visualise the story.
We produced the story as a limited edition hardback book and as an interactive online journey.
2. A Merck brand story
I wrote the following story for Merck KGaA to help mark the relaunch of their brand. It revolves around the extraordinary endeavours of the Piccard family, who for Merck embodied the spirit at the heart off their brand…
Diving deeper, flying higher, going further…
On the Pacific Ocean bed 338 kilometres southwest of Guam, the Mariana Trench plunges 11 kilometres down into the earth's crust. This is the Challenger Deep, the deepest place on earth. It is so deep it could swallow up Mount Everest and leave a couple of kilometres of clear water between mountain-top and ocean waves. On 23 January 1960, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh became the first, and still the only, people to explore its depths.
They made their record dive in the Trieste, a bathyscaphe invented and built by Jacques and his father, Auguste Piccard. No stranger to adventure, on 27 May 1931, Auguste had made the first of a number of record-breaking balloon ascents in a pressurized cabin, another of his inventions. On 11 March 1999, Bertrand Piccard, Jacques's son, flew over the Mariana Trench. Together with his co-pilot Brian Jones, he was a third of the way through the first successful non-stop round the world flight in a balloon. "I was delighted to find that the line of my horizontal adventure was crossing the site of my father's great vertical endeavour, and I phoned him there and then to tell him." Diving deeper, flying higher, going further, achieving more than anyone has before – for generations, the Piccard family has embraced the adventure of exploration. As Bertrand put it in his diary as he headed out across the vast blue of the Pacific: "Adventure is something out of the usual pattern, a point at which you cannot avoid confronting the unknown, so that you have to dig inside yourself to find the courage and resources to deal with what may lie ahead, and to succeed."
3. Brand building story cards for BP
I began working with BP when the company first went 'Beyond Petroleum' with its new Helios mark at its heart. My work included writing key areas of the brand intranet site; tone of voice guidelines; launch, promotional and event materials for the Helios Awards; brand books for various parts of the business; and success stories from around the world.
To encourage BP's 100,000 people in 100 countries to share their experiences, I wrote a series of story cards highlighting achievements around the world. Story cards such as this one:
fuelling…
The most abundant substance on the planet, capable of being turned into nothing but pure energy and water – no wonder hydrogen is potentially the wonder fuel of the future. The trouble is, it's devilishly hard to get hold of. And then you have to store and transport it. None of it's easy, but we're doing all we can to make it happen. We're working on producing hydrogen from hydrocarbons without letting the carbon dioxide enter the atmosphere. We're exploring the use of renewable energy to turn water into hydrogen and on into more energy. We're collaborating with the major auto companies to work out how best to transport hydrogen. Just three examples of our determination to make the dream of hydrogen fuel a reality.
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Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake 8/18
By James Kahla
The Dynamo might be looking at a must-win game in the playoff race this Saturday when they host Real Salt Lake. Real Salt Lake currently occupy the last playoff spot while Houston is mired in 10th. But the playoff race in the Western Conference is a dogfight so that only represents a six point difference. So both teams will be ready to scrape and claw for these three points.
(Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle)
Houston lost last Saturday facing the Crew in Columbus, conceding a goal in injury time of the second half to lose 1-0. But there are a lot of positives you can take from the game as a whole. I mean the simple fact that the Dynamo managed to keep a road game tied into the final moments of the game is an improvement. Especially since Wilmer Cabrera was serving a touchline ban and Elis, Ceren, and Fuenmayor were serving suspensions. Maybe someday soon we'll talk about VAR.
Meanwhile, RSL will be visiting Houston on short rest, losing to a slumping LAFC 2-0 yesterday. Quoting the RSL twitter feed, "it just wasn't our night". Christian Ramirez scored a first-half brace against an RSL backline made of swiss cheese. Nick Rimando, a consistent presence in goal, also left at the half with a hamstring issue. However, the performance is more or less in line with Salt Lake's road performance this season. I did see a lot of comments on the Twitterverse that the officiating was dodgy, while I can't outright confirm that there were five yellows issued to RSL and only one to LAFC.
The Teams So Far
As I already mentioned, Real Salt Lake have been bad on the road, as in one win all season bad. On the other hand, the Dynamo have lost three straight home games and generally have been all over the place recently. Both of these teams are, at this point in the season, fringe playoff contenders at best. Sure, RSL currently occupies a playoff spot but it's far from comfortable. With the White Caps just two points away and the Sounders three points away, there's no time to waste for Salt Lake. In my opinion, both Seattle and Vancouver have stronger squads than Salt Lake and more consistent squads than Houston. And yes, I realize the latter isn't really a tall order. None of this to say that these two teams aren't competitive, but that both teams really need this win to start a true push towards the playoffs.
Things To Watch For
Houston got a full week of rest, so Wilmer Cabrera won't be benching any potential starters. I'm curious to see whether or not Fuenmayor gets the start and how he plays if he does. Over his last two starts, he's been hyper-aggressive at times. No matter what your opinion is, referees have seen Fuenmayor's general play as over the line. On some level, that quality is a liability to the Dynamo's success right now. Generally, I'll be interested in how the Dynamo adjusts to the recent circumstances because while it may be true that some of the reds could've been (maybe should've been) yellows, they weren't. It doesn't seem as though Houston will be given the benefit of the doubt on those borderline calls.
On the other side of the ball, It'll be interesting to see whether or not Nick Rimando starts in goal for Real Salt Lake. As I mentioned earlier, he left after 45 minutes yesterday with a "left hamstring injury", and though Andrew Putna did an admirable job filling in for him, he's also their fourth-string goalkeeper. But, RSL's story of the match will be the potential to improve their awful road record (1W-2D-10L).
James Kahla
MLS Soccer2019.02.28Preview: Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake 3/2/19
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Bonus2018.09.27Houston Dynamo Win the U.S. Open Cup with 3-0 win
Bonus2018.09.24Preview U.S. Open Cup Final: Dynamo vs. the Union
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QRG Appliance is proud to offer outstanding services for air condition repair and air conditioner installation in Ashburn, Va since long. Trusted solutions, 100% guarantee, exceptional customer services and low prices are the hallmarks of our success. Our aim is to provide complete satisfaction to the customers during all the phases of project. Nothing is too big or too small for our experts. Our technicians can deal in all brands and models of air conditioners. They are honest, trustworthy and qualified. They give great emphasis to provide personalized services to everyone. They listen to the problems of customers very carefully and offer the best solution in accordance with their budget and needs. They work extremely hard to get their jobs done in time. From the installation in apartment or in the office building, they offer one stop solutions for them. If you get in trouble with the fault in HVAC system of your house or apartment, our team will be glad to provide you complete assistance. They are dedicated to provide 100% satisfaction to the customers. Our crew members are well versed in latest tools to offer cost effective solutions. We are sure that you will be happy to utilize our experienced resources.


Esfre Trading is involved mainly in supply of quality products to water supply and irrigation projects and has successfully supplied materials and equipment's to projects which are completed and handed over projects undertaken by public and private institution throughout Ethiopia. The products we distribute ranges from water work related tools and equipment, water distribution items (pipes, pumps etc.), and water storage equipment, to water treatment chemicals and hygiene and sanitation products. An interesting development was the intention of introducing of solar powered submersible pump units and Bat-wielding services, especially for Ethiopia.
From our beginnings in 2009 we built our name and following by providing innovative solutions to customers' agricultural, irrigation machines and pumps in Ethiopia. Today, this rich legacy continues as we strive every day to import and introduce exciting new products and services that deliver the ultimate in performance, productivity and convenience customers have come to expect from Esfre, providing quality products and professional services in the field of water supply.
Esfre Trading has undertaken a combination of activities involving supply of water and sanitation related products to public and private commercial or residential buildings, irrigation and water supply projects, It continues to offers innovative products, competitive pricing and professional sales experience to Ethiopia Economy.
Esfre trading is registered under the Ethiopian commercial code and licensed by Addis Ababa City Administration Trade, Industry & Tourism Bureau.
To improve and strength the national economy in agricultural sector and the materials supply sector in particular by introducing modern and appropriate materials technology and upgrading the quality of the required technical services with high standard services of material/equipment supplies to the various economic sectors of the country so that the much needed sustainable development is achieved within a very short period of time.
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Replacing hand equipment's in to different machineries in order to make the agriculture sector more productive in all seasons.
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It has a rental Villa House on Bole road, in front of Bole Michael church, which has sufficient rooms for offices and the compound very much convenient for our customers in terms of location and parking area.
It has a rental head office and shop around kazanchis, with a total area of 200 m2 which is also convenient for our customers.
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Home Asia News Pakistan Tribute to Asma Jahangir
Tribute to Asma Jahangir
Asianlite Newsdesk
Tribute to Asma Jahangir, Speech of Dr Shabir Choudhry in The UN Human Rights Council 37th Session in Geneva
Mr Chairman,
Asma Jahangir was a voice of the voiceless people of Pakistan; and sadly, that voice is no more. To write a tribute to such a great personality with international reputation is extremely difficult.
Asma was very prominent human rights activist, who was courageous and ardent critic of anti-democratic forces. Time and again she fearlessly challenged forces of extremism. She also challenged the might of the military junta and defended fundamental rights of all citizens of Pakistan.
As a human rights lawyer, she defended the rule of law; and was always at the forefront in defending minorities, women and the marginalised people. She was extremely concerned about honour killing, disfigurements, and the prevailing slavery like conditions in parts of Pakistan.
Asma Jahangir did not want her fellow citizens to live in fear and sub human conditions. She once said, "Look, crime takes place in every country. "But it becomes abuse when the state is unwilling and unable to protect the life and honour of its citizens. That is the shocking part of it."
Asma Jahangir was the founding Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent group, which has done tremendous work in promoting fundamental rights of all citizens and opposing anti – democratic forces.Through consistent work and pressure the HRCP, hundreds of missing people were freed.
While defending rule of law and promoting fundamental rights of all citizens, irrespective of their religious or cultural backgrounds, she was always bold and proactive; and never minced words.
For her work and dedication, she was arrested and imprisoned. There were even threats to her life from various quarters, but she never hesitated to challenge the might of the military establishment and secret agencies. Throughout her life she championed the cause of weak and religious minorities; and was rightly won international awards. She was a trustee of the International Crisis Group; and served as the United Nations rapporteur on human rights and extrajudicial killings.
Like so many others, she was also accused of being a 'traitor' and an 'agent' of India by certain quarters, whose job it is to target those who promote peace and harmony in the region; and who preach tolerance, justice for all and equality.
In the wake of serious threat to her life, a suggestion was made that she should leave the country she said:
"I will not leave. My ancestors are buried here, and my life is here."
Dr Shabir Choudhry
When the establishment and right wing parties criticised her for not speaking about the plight of Kashmir people she said and I quote:
"Yes, I am very unhappy, extremely anguished at human rights violations against Kashmiris in India or against Rohingyas in Burma or, for that matter, Christians in Orissa, but obviously, I am going to be more concerned of violations taking place in my own house because I am closer to the people who I live with. I have more passion for them. I think it sounds very hollow if I keep talking about the rights of Kashmiris but do not talk about the rights of a woman in Lahore who is butchered to death."
Mr Chairman, in this statement, Asma Jahangir left a message for people of former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir who live on the Pakistani side of the divide as well.
She meant, how can you show concern about the plight of the people on the other side of the divide; while you continue to ignore the sufferings of the people on this side of the divide.
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Auch wenn die chinesische Panda Serie seit 1982 geprägt wird, ging das Silbersortiment erst im darauf folgenden Jahr 1983 in Produktion, 1986 wurde außerdem übersprungen. The giant panda is widely regarded to be one of China's national treasures, take your piece of the treasure home and diversify your portfolio with a 30 g 2018 Chinese Panda Silver coin today.
30 g Silbermünze chinesischer Panda 2018 When you visit our store and order a 30 g 2018 Chinese Panda silver coin, we'll give you the best prices on the net. This coin takes its place among a long running and remarkably popular series, the Chinese Panda range, minted at several of China's leading mints and enjoyed by collectors since 1982. The reverse design, which has a fresh face with every year's release, is an endearing portrayal of an adult giant panda, at home in the forests of central China, about to munch on a bamboo shoot, his favorite indigenous foliage. Also on the reverse is the coin's denominational value of 10 Chinese Yuan, as well as its purity and weight, which is now shown in metric to cater to the international market. The obverse feature is a familiar sight to collectors of the range, as it's been the same since 1982; a meticulous etching of the 'Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests' in Beijing, located at the 'Temple of Heaven.' Included on the obverse is the legend of 'the People's Republic of China,' displayed in the native script; as well as the coin's year of release, 2018. Auch wenn die chinesische Panda Serie seit 1982 geprägt wird, ging das Silbersortiment erst im darauf folgenden Jahr 1983 in Produktion, 1986 wurde außerdem übersprungen. The giant panda is widely regarded to be one of China's national treasures, take your piece of the treasure home and diversify your portfolio with a 30 g 2018 Chinese Panda Silver coin today.


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Tag: SDG
Forests and agroforestry taking its place for climate adaptation
New FAO-FTA supplementary guidelines on NAPs
The potential of forests and trees to mitigate global warming has long been the main focus of climate change discussions. But forests – and the livelihoods of the 1.6 billion people who depend on them – are also greatly threatened by increasing variability in temperature and precipitation, storms, pest outbreaks and more frequent and intense fires. In fact, the ability of forests and trees to adapt to these impacts will influence their ability to mitigate climate change.
Moreover, forests and trees provide so called nature-based solutions for adaptation helping other sectors build resilience. Thanks to their crucial ecosystem services, forests support crops, livestock, and fisheries, as well as prevent flooding and erosion that can threaten infrastructure, economies and people.
Addressing Forestry and Agroforestry in National Adaptation Plans: Supplementary guidelines [pdf here]
To help countries integrate these considerations into adaptation planning, the CGIAR Research Program on Forests Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) joined forces and developed the Addressing forestry and agroforestry in National Adaptation Plans: Supplementary guidelines. This brand new publication complements the NAP Technical Guidelines prepared in 2012 by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A few years later, in 2017, FAO issued the publication Addressing agriculture, forestry and fisheries in National Adaptation Plans – Supplementary guidelines, which introduces the sector perspective and opportunities on NAPs. FAO also launched the Addressing fisheries and aquaculture in National Adaptation Plans – supplementary guidelines shortly after the Forestry guidlines in 2020. All guidelines build upon the lessons learned in countries and through the Integrating Agriculture in National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) programme, co-led by FAO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the German Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety through IKI, which aims to address climate change adaptation concerns related to the agriculture sectors in 11 partner countries' national planning and budgeting processes implemented 2015-2020.
The new forestry guidelines highlight the importance of forestry and agroforestry for adaptation.
As climate change impacts forests, adaptation measures are needed to reduce negative impacts and maintain ecosystem functions and its biodiversity. Also forest ecosystems contribute to adaptation by providing local ecosystem services that reduce the vulnerability of local and indigenous communities and the broader society to climate change. The potential of forests and trees is overlooked in both rural and urban areas. Forest adaptation will be crucial as part of COVID-19 green recovery, and a more resilient and sustainable future, says Julia Wolf, co-author and Natural Resources Officer, FAO.
Potential contributions of forests, trees and agroforestry to the adaptation of other sectors/systems
In the global agenda
Recognizing the multiple links of forests, trees and agroforestry with other activities and sectors, and the contributions they make to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the guidelines takes a systemic approach based on the Integrative Framework for NAPs and SDGs defined by the LEG, allowing for a more explicit consideration of how to address the SDGs through NAPs.
The UNFCCC established the NAP process for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and for other developing countries to identify and address their medium- and long-term adaptation needs. It is the main instrument for countries to deliver on their adaptation priorities and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, as well as aligned climate resilience and disaster risk management measures under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. By taking into account interactions between all sectors in a coordinated way, the NAP process can foster a more holistic approach to land use and landscapes.
Sample process to formulate and implement NAP
These guidelines came out in response to a call from the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) in 2018 encouraging countries to incorporate forests into their NAPs, develop policies for adaptation through forests, take action to improve forest health and to restore degraded forests and landscapes. They mobiliz the existing body of knowledge related to forest management, vulnerability assessments and climate change adaptation, building on lessons learned in addressing climate change adaptation related to the agriculture sectors. They aim to provide guidance for policy- and decision-makers on adaptation planning and climate financing as well as multiple actors in the forestry and agriculture sectors, in their engagement and contribution to the NAP process at national and local levels.
Possible process flow for addressing the agriculture sectors in the formulation and implementation of NAPs
To address the needs of countries more effectively, the guidelines draw on an analysis of already published NAPs, along with related documents prepared by developed countries or subnational authorities. They also draw on consultations with technical experts and key stakeholders from civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and international organizations, and from the NAP-Ag guidelines and the recommendations of the UNFCCC Least Developed Country Expert Group.
Forests at the heart of climate action
The guidelines invite countries to review the vulnerabilities of forests and forest dependent people. They can rely for this on another joint FAO-FTA publication, Climate change vulnerability assessment of forests and forest-dependent people: A framework methodology, released at CoP 25 in Madrid in 2019 in response to urgent calls for simple, effective approaches to conducting vulnerability assessments. It provides flexible, step-by-step guidance on how to undertake these assessments, with the aim of ramping up efforts to improve conditions for forests and people.
With the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, the international community has pledged to ambitious collective objectives. Land use is key to all of these ambitions, especially to the commitments made by countries as set out in their NDCs. Due to their important role in mitigation, for adaptation, for sustainable management of natural resources and for food security, forests and trees are at the heart of such an integrated approach.
UN Women's evaluation of gender in the SDGs: What''s the role for the CGIAR?
UN Women's evaluation of gender in the SDGs: What''s the role for the CGIAR?
The UN Women's 2018 report on gender equality within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscores the importance of monitoring the SDGs in order to: translate global commitment to results, foster public debate and democratic decision-making, and strengthen accountability for actions or omissions.
The report serves to demonstrate the inadequacies of the current Global Indicator Framework for gender responsive monitoring of the SDGs. It highlights that women and girls face multiple forms of disadvantage and calls for recognizing, redistributing and reducing the paid and unpaid burdens women face, so as to overcome structural barriers to gender equality.
The CGIAR gender research community is uniquely positioned to contribute by tracking progress against the goals, identifying achievements and gaps, and highlighting implementation challenges. However, the report does not significantly showcase CGIAR gender research and research publications.
Looking forwards, the CGIAR can play a bigger role in the 2030 Agenda by leveraging its globally comparative, high-impact and innovative research to contribute to global and national efforts to monitor the SDGs. This will necessitate seizing opportunities to inform future reports as well as consolidating and harmonizing our research and findings to have a bigger voice and effect.
Gender lessons for climate initiatives: A comparative study of REDD+ impacts on subjective wellbeing
Although REDD+ is primarily a mechanism for reducing carbon emissions from forests, concerns regarding social benefits, wellbeing and gender are increasingly part of its mandate. This is consistent with the Paris Declaration as well as SDG 5 on gender equality and women's empowerment. Critics have argued, however, that REDD+ design, both in policy and projects, does not take gender into account effectively, rather marginalizing women from decision making processes and exacerbating inequalities. Most of that research has been site specific or on single countries. This article uses data from a longitudinal study of subnational REDD+ initiatives in six countries to analyze their gendered impact on perceived wellbeing. Comparative research on subjective wellbeing was conducted at 62 villages participating in 16 REDD+ initiatives and 61 control villages at two periods in time, using a before-after-control-intervention (BACI) design. Focus groups with villagers (68% male) and women (100% female) permit a gendered comparison of definitions of wellbeing and outcomes of initiatives. The results highlight that while definitions of wellbeing overlapped between the two groups, almost half of the women's focus groups thought that having their own source of income was important. Outcomes regarding wellbeing change suggest that perceived wellbeing decreased in REDD+ villages both for villagers as a whole and for women, relative to control villages, but the decrease was much worse for women – a decrease that is significantly associated with living in a REDD+ village. These declines may be due to unrealized expectations for REDD+, combined with little attention to gender in REDD+ initiatives, in spite of an important portion (46%) of specific interventions that women view positively. These interventions provide insights into potential ways forward. Overall, however, REDD+ initiatives appear to be repeating past mistakes, with insufficient attention to gender equality and safeguarding women's rights. More effort needs to be paid to ensuring that gender is an integral part of future initiatives to combat climate change in rural communities.
Halting deforestation is 'everyone's fight'
Mau Forest and tea plantations are pictured in Kenya's Rift Valley. Photo by P. Shepherd/CIFOR
A paddy field and palm oil plantation area is seen from above in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Photo by N. Sujana/CIFOR
Halting and reversing deforestation are key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the objectives of the Paris agreement on climate change.
Within SDG 15 on life on land, Target 15.2 calls for halting deforestation by 2020, while the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) adopted in 2017 by the UN General Assembly calls for reversing the loss of forest cover and increasing forest area by 3 percent worldwide by 2030.
The Collaborative Partnership on Forests organized a conference titled "Working across sectors to halt deforestation and increase forest area" on Feb. 20-22 to discuss with various actors and stakeholders the possible ways of meeting these targets.
The conference aimed to provide substantive input to the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), the United Nations' central platform for follow-up and review of the SDGs, that will this year have a particular focus on SDG 15. The objective was thus to identify ways to help halt deforestation and increase forest cover and to engage actors in this objective. The chairs' summary of the conference has now been released.
At the conference in Rome, the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) led the organization of a session on stakeholders, and coorganized with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) a session on science and research. Scientists from FTA also participated in various other sessions, on areas such as landscape management, agroforestry, restoration, sustainable agriculture, governance and finance.
"The role of different stakeholders" session was jointly hosted by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), IUFRO and FTA. It was grounded in the fact that most drivers of deforestation lie outside the forest sector, are rooted in wider social and economic issues, and are related to the interaction of numerous factors at local and global levels. Deforestation and forest degradation, in turn, affect a wide range of actors, threatening incomes, livelihoods and ways of life for forest-dependent populations and compromising the provision of ecosystem services.
Timber production is seen in Tanzania. Photo by N. Mtimgwa/CIFOR
The session gathered an impressive set of panelists, with a considerable range of experience, while I had the pleasure of moderating the discussion. The Honorable Lamin B. Dibba, The Gambia's Minister of Forestry, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, delivered a keynote on policies implemented in The Gambia. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Regional Vice President of Conservation International, Conservation Biodiversity's Regional Director for Mexico and Central America and former environment minister for Costa Rica, retraced the implementation of policies to protect forests in his country.
Cécile Ndjebet built on her broad experience in civil society organizations, including as founder of the African Women's Network for Community Management of Forests (REFACOF), to recommend facilitating the engagement of all actors. Petra Meekers, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development at Musim Mas Group, explained how the private sector is increasingly concerned and engaged.
In addition, Salina Abraham, President of the International Forestry Students' Association (IFSA) and youth coordinator for the Global Landscapes Forum emphasized, the importance of youth as a vector of innovation and change. Marco Albani, Director of the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, and member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum, highlighted the synergies between government and private sector action.
Participants emphasized the importance of having all actors involved, recognizing the crucial role of governments to ensure the coordination of policies and to create an enabling environment and mechanisms for actors to fully play their roles and engage with one another. Deforestation is a global phenomenon which requires global, regional and national efforts to address it. It calls for the coordination of efforts of all stakeholders along two dimensions: vertical along value chains; and horizontal, across scales, particularly at landscape level.
The example of Costa Rica shows the potential of effective coordination between policies, grounded on clear shared recognition of the value of natural capital. National policies and the rule of law are the basis, which require transparency and good governance.
Voluntary standards and corporate responsibility are insufficient by themselves but they can also play a role in facilitating the adoption of rules. The private sector, to answer demand, and civil society as triggering it, have thus a fundamental role at both global and national levels. Sustainable production and production (SDG 12) can strengthen this movement.
Value chains have many actors, all along the chain. It is essential to have all these actors, men and women, at the center of actions and activities. Their roles and contributions need to be properly recognized and rewarded. They need to be supported, through capacity building and financial support, so that they can engage with one another and with the private sector. There is considerable untapped potential in women, youth, and more broadly in civil society.
The private sector is increasingly willing to act, taking seriously its responsibilities. It is not always easy. It is important to have an entry point to engage with local communities, like sustainable land use, and to have the engagement of local government. There is a need for different business models. We must give back more to communities, taking into account social issues, gender dimensions, and food security and nutrition. Academia can help a lot.
The example of The Gambia shows how community management, with a return of income from forests to forests and communities, can be a powerful mechanism for sustainable forest management and rural development.
Ensuring coordination between sectors requires appropriate mechanisms, some of which have already shown their merits. For instance, the Forest Forum in Finland has for 21 years been engaging decisionmakers not only from the forestry sector but also from connected sectors, raising awareness and learning from each other. This mechanism is now being adopted in other countries.
In various countries there are already mechanisms to organize the participation and coordination of actors, at local, subnational and national levels. They are often linked to a clear jurisdictional level, which facilitates implementation. There are opportunities to improve their efficiency, to bring in new actors, and to give them more meaningful representation. In that regard the participation of civil society, women and youth can bring new perspectives and trigger action on the ground.
The private sector is willing to be part of these collective dynamics and can make a key contribution to the implementation of the SDGs.
From these exchanges the following key points can be deduced:
We need coordination of efforts between all stakeholders along value chains, and across scales, particularly at landscape level.
Governments play a crucial role in ensuring coordination of policies and in creating the enabling environment and the mechanisms for actors to fully engage.
The private sector, to answer demand, and civil society as triggering demand, have fundamental roles in shaping enabling environments at both global and national levels.
The different roles and contributions of all value chain actors, both men and women, need to be properly understood, recognized and rewarded. There is a considerable untapped potential in women, youth and broader civil society.
The private sector is increasingly willing to act, and is taking its responsibilities seriously.
Community management, with the return of revenues from forests to communities, can be a powerful mechanism to foster sustainable forestry management and rural development.
Coordination between sectors requires appropriate mechanisms. Some countries already have mechanisms to organize the participation and coordination of actors at local, subnational and national levels.
Private sector actors and large corporations, especially large-scale crop plantations, can act as role models in enforcing zero-deforestation commitments throughout their operations, and in taking care of environmental and social concerns.
To improve interactions between stakeholders, quality governance is key to genuinely confront multiple objectives and demands, agree on priority actions and align solutions informed by scientific evidence, shaping integrated zero-deforestation policies and enabling environments.
Deforestation is a problem for everyone, and fighting against deforestation is everyone's fight. Zero-deforestation should be an essential element of SDG12 on responsible consumption and production, including outside the forest sector in food, feed and bioenergy.
By Vincent Gitz, CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) Director.
For more details about the Halting Deforestation conference, view the conference program or watch recordings of the plenary sessions.
This research forms part of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry, which is supported by CGIAR Fund Donors.
Unlocking private finance for climate and sustainable development
Rice fields and forest plantations are integrated in the landscape in Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. Photo by Louis Putzel/CIFOR
Wind turbines generate renewable energy in Adama, Ethiopia. Photo by Ollivier Girard/CIFOR
As the challenges of climate change come into clearer focus, international initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals lay out ambitious targets to shift humanity's course to a less-destructive trajectory.
But change requires financial investment as well as political will, and there's a significant funding gap between what's been committed and what's actually required to achieve these aims. Private finance presents a powerful – and oft-cited – possibility to close the gap, with trillions of dollars of investment apparently available to be deployed for the purpose.
So why isn't the money coming in yet? Given the nature of the private sector under capitalism, if these investment opportunities were available and viable, "you wouldn't actually need to unlock them – the finances would already be flowing," says Robyn Clark, a consultant for the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and lead author of a new policy brief and paper on the topic.
"That made me start asking the question: what's hindering the sector from being unlocked in these types of investments, if we're saying there's trillions of dollars just sitting there and waiting?"
Read also: Green Climate Fund steps up to reduce deforestation and forest degradation
SCATTERED DATA
Embarking on the research, Clark quickly discovered one of the key barriers holding these investment flows back: availability of information. Even with her finance background, she and her co-authors "really struggled" to find an empirical evidence base or concrete information regarding projects, would-be investors and existing financial flows.
"So I can't even imagine how difficult it is for projects or their investors to find the information," she says. "The projects are saying 'we can't find money', and then the investors are saying 'we can't find projects'." The lack of information and transparency makes it difficult for investors and financial institutions to comprehensively adjudicate and mitigate risk.
This also makes the bigger picture – what financial mechanisms are out there, and what's happening to achieve global goals – decidedly difficult to envisage and assess. "Everyone's working on their own specific niche," says Clark, and not enough reporting and information-sharing is happening to keep track of the cumulative effort. "You can't actually pinpoint what resources are going where, especially given that most projects have multiple objectives, which can lead to overstated investment figures."
While there's plenty of momentum around the topic at the moment, Clark is concerned that decisions are being made on the basis of limited and incomplete data, which makes for a vulnerable financial system. "So there's a ton of research still to be done."
A key recommendation of the policy brief, then, is the establishment of a centralized convening body to connect people and resources. "I think that would be a great starting point," says Clark, "and it would also help push the bigger policy changes and recommendations."
PLAYING THE LONG GAME
One major policy shift that would help make low-carbon and environmentally friendly investments more attractive than others, entails valuing natural capital – the world's stocks of natural assets, including geology, soil, air, water and all living things – more accurately.
When companies are not obliged to cover their negative externalities, such as the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of their production processes, "it creates a false economy," says Clark. If policies took natural capital into account, many high-carbon activities would no longer be cost-effective, and investment would flow to lower-carbon activities instead, she says.
Policy and institutional shifts are also required to encourage long-term investment decision-making. Cost is frequently cited as a barrier to transitioning to a low-carbon economy. However, when a longer-term view is taken, a low-carbon model often works out just as cost-effective as continuing the status quo – if not actually cheaper, as one Citibank study found.
"So not only are you achieving those goals, and staying below the threshold that we need for climate change, but it's actually more financially feasible as well," says Clark. "It's not that it's not possible, it's just that we're still in the mindset of thinking about short-term profit."
Relying on voluntary commitments to the global goals, she says, is not enough. "It requires a shift in policy to create a political and economic environment that really redirects the bulk of private finance. You can't just rely on things like green finance or corporate social responsibility, which are maybe 1 percent of the whole market."
Read also: What's causing the holdup in REDD+ results-based finance?
A NEW PARADIGM
What this report calls for, then, is nothing short of a paradigm shift.
"We can't operate under existing business models, continuing business-as-usual, and expect transformational change to happen," says Clark.
To unlock private investment, she reiterates, "we just need to create the enabling conditions that would make that a viable choice over the environmentally degrading activities which are currently incentivized."
And it's possible, she says: "just not within the current system. We need to make major changes, in order to see major changes. We can't do the same thing and expect different results."
By Monica Evans, originally published at CIFOR's Forests News.
For more information on this topic, please contact Robyn Clark at robynclark31@gmail.com.
This research was supported by USAID and UKAID from the UK government through their Knowledge for Forestry Program.


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Review: 'A View from the Bridge' is a beautiful, dark change of scenery
Written by Marin Heinritz
Summer in Southwest Michigan is when and where folks come to play, and in the world of live entertainment, a land of musical theater where one is hard pressed to find stage drama of the classic variety, much less a tragedy — perhaps for good reason.
But when one comes upon a riveting drama, it provides almost a strange relief; a heightened catharsis, even. This is the powerful effect of seeing Hope Summer Repertory Theatre's production of "A View From the Bridge," Arthur Miller's 1955 tragedy that has had several recent critically-acclaimed, award-winning revivals on Broadway and the West End.
The story revolves around the extraordinary tragic hero Eddie Carbone, an Italian-American longshoreman in Red Hook, Brooklyn, "the gullet of New York swallowing the sewage of the world." He and his wife, Bea, have raised their orphaned niece, Catherine, who's quickly becoming a woman, and they've agreed to put up Bea's cousins from Italy: one desperate to make money to feed his starving kids and wife and quickly return to them, and one who has American dreams of citizenship and becoming a singer. Their entrance into the Carbone's household incites an incestuous love triangle and power struggle from which nothing good can come.
A one-man Greek Chorus, in the form of community lawyer and Italian immigrant Alfieri, poetically provides insight into the context and motivations of the characters and action throughout the play, making his entrances and exits through audience in the DeWitt Theater aisles.
Everything about this excellent production, directed with a steady hand by David Colacci, communicates a compelling truth: What's twisted and repressed in the heart of one man will ultimately affect the lives of everyone around him.
Steve Cardamone gives a galvanizing performance as Eddie, the overprotective father figure "with eyes like tunnels" who turns obsessive and lustfully violent. He expresses a vast range and intensity of emotion that runs the gamut from fury to sorrow. His accent is more South Philly than Brooklyn, but only those with East Coast roots are likely to notice, and the depth and honesty of his characterization is untarnished by this flaw.
Susan Ericksen offers a subtle yet powerfully loving Beatrice, showing her impressive range; Chip DuFord as Alfieri, who serves as the bridge — between cultures and between audience and action — is, as ever, in command of his character and the audience; Lea Sevola shows remarkable change from innocence to ferocity with her Catherine; Mischa Aravena embodies tremendous pride and strength in symbolic lynchpin moments as Marco; and Skye Edwards' guileless Rodolfo does an extraordinary dance with both Catherine and Eddie.
In support of these uniformly strong performances and the literary quality of the play, the technical elements work together beautifully to create the neighborhood and its culture. Jeffrey Levin's sound design creates place with gulls, boats, waves, traffic, dogs, and moody transitional music. Joseph P. Flauto's set provides an indoor/outdoor space that illustrates the lack of boundary between family and community; what happens in the home happens in the street and vice versa. Peter Sargent's lights are at turns warm, sinister and melancholy. And Jodi Ozimek's costumes elegantly express class as well as period.
The view from this bridge is appropriately dark and harrowing, and yet it's so beautifully rendered, it's worth taking a break from all the lightness of summer to go to the depths with this fine production.
A View from the Bridge
Hope Summer Repertory Theatre
July 21-August 10
hope.edu
Published in Theatre
More in this category: « Review: 'Fully Committed' impresses and delights	Review: Powerful performances make 'Lion in Winter' a hit »


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Sally Ann Seaman Nickerson passed away on January 8, 2019 at her home in Harpursville, NY.
Sally was born on April 20, 1958 in Binghamton; daughter of the late David and Sarah Tefft Seaman.
Sally married Howard Nickerson in 1980, who survives. They had two sons, Jesse (Cliff Montero) Nickerson and Ryan (Jenn Shiner) Nickerson. They were blessed with three grandchildren, Aiden, Damien and Charley Rose. She is also survived by her siblings, Crockett (Gelenda) Seaman, Lori (John) Twomey, Lana (Michael) Clark and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She graduated from Oxford Academy & Central School in 1976, SUNY Oneonta in 1980 and received her Master's Degree from Binghamton University in 1994. During her high school years, Sally was very active with the Oxford Blackhawks Color Guard and lifeguarding for the Village of Oxford. She enjoyed bird watching and sharing this joy with her grandchildren. Sally also enjoyed singing with her family and at karaoke.
Sally was employed with multiple organizations; always with the goal of helping others and serving her community. She had an amazing talent of creating masterful decorations for weddings, birthdays, and many other occasions; the outcome was always spectacular. Sally dearly loved her family and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. Throughout her 60+ years, so many people have been on the receiving end of her kindness and helpful nature.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Merkel Cell cancer research online at https://merkelcell.org/join-the-fight/donate/ or to any location of the American Cancer Society.
We offer a warmly decorated home that was built in 1846, with two areas available for services, full handicap accessibility, and a play room for children with games, TV, etc. The entrance from our large parking lot is covered by a large canopy, including the handicap ramp. We have a large selection room for caskets, vaults, urns and personalization items, such as flag cases and memorial packages.


Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer. It's still two weeks away, September 5th. The official end of summer is marked by the Fall Equinox, on September 22. But for millions of families like mine, today August 22 marks the real end of summer.
There is very little about my job that is tied to the seasons. Our call volumes go up at certain times of the year. There are holiday parties in December. People typically take more time off during the summer. But, for the most part, anything that we do in August, we could just as easily do in February. Any line of business that launches in June, could just as easily launch in January.
Our call centers are located all across the country; Kentucky, Virginia, Utah and Louisiana. (Fortunately, not near the flooding. Click here to support the relief efforts.) We have centers that are impacted by snow, or hurricanes, or tornados. It doesn't really make much of a difference which part of the country we operate in.
As employees, we generally don't focus on the date, other than to tie it to projects. I have a big project starting in September and rolling out in January, finishing up in March or April. I'm not concerned about what the weather will be like during my project rollout.
So, what marks today, Monday August 22, as the real end of Summer? The other 9 people who share my house. Today is the first day of school in Utah. My kids are attending grades 8 through 11. My lovely wife is a teacher's aid in a special needs classroom. Today is the day that a new year starts.
We don't have a lot of traditions around back to school. We buy the kids a new set of school clothes. This despite the fact that we buy them clothes all year long. But, the back to school clothes are a little special. We give each child a special blessing, or family prayer. I offer it while my lovely wife types it up. We then print it out and the kids have it to refer to throughout the year.
This year we added a new tradition. We changed all the wifi settings. We had a family meeting yesterday to decide what the home wifi schedule should be. It turns on at 6:30am then off at 8:00am. It comes back on at 2:30pm and then off at 10:00pm. Weekend times are expanded slightly. For example, we don't turn it off in the middle of the day except on Sunday during church.
The kids accepted the new schedules with the typical amount of grumbling and negotiation.
I think the wifi should turn on at 4:30am.
Because I might need to write a paper before school and I'll want to get up early and work on it.
You can let us know if you need to get up early and we'll turn it on early that day.
But, I wouldn't want to wake you up.
Yeah, we know. Plan ahead.
We got similar arguments for why it should be on late at night. It's amazing that kids who have not yet missed a single homework assignment are concerned for their ability to get online after hours. Their dedication to their education is admirable and highly suspect.
As an IT professional and someone who has seen 4 children through high school graduation so far, I was unconvinced by their pleas for access to greater academic resources. Like I said, it was the typical grumpiness and negotiations. We pushed the morning start time back a half hour and agreed to turn it on in the afternoon shortly after the first kids get out of school, but stopped short of turning it on before school officially let out.
Each summer is the last of it's kind. This summer we still have eighth graders. Next year the oldest of them will be preparing for their senior year. I'm sure at that point they'll have a whole new set of arguments for greater wifi access and of course a new set of clothes.
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