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Home Bloggers Chris Trotter Sour Fruit: Why I'm not pinning my hopes on ESRA
Sour Fruit: Why I'm not pinning my hopes on ESRA
IS IT TOO SOON to pronounce judgement upon ESRA? Economic & Social Research Aotearoa has only just been launched. So, surely, we should give it a little time to show us what it can do? Except that we already know what ESRA will do, because we already know what ESRA is. ESRA is a Far-Left "think tank" whose contribution to the formulation and implementation of broadly acceptable progressive policies will range from negligible to nil.
Unfair? I don't think so.
If I were to show you the first fragile leaves of a lemon sapling, and ask whether or not you wanted a lemon tree in your garden, I very much doubt that you would say: "Oh, let's not be hasty. That might not be a lemon tree after all. Or, if it is a lemon tree, it might prove to be one of a very special kind – one that does not bear sour fruit." More likely your answer would depend on how you feel about lemons.
If you like lemon trees, and lemons, you'd say: "Oh, by all means, let it grow." If you don't like lemons, you'd tell me to pull it out.
Well I don't like lemons. At least, I don't like lemon trees that take up space and consume resources I would much rather allocate to other plants.
The genetic make-up of ESRA reflects the personal histories of its creators. Its core inheritance comes from the Maoist Left of the 1970s. There are also genes from the unemployed workers and Maori nationalist movements of the 1980s. Still more hail from the pacifist, radical feminist and Green philosophies. Finally, there is a generous contribution from the academic Marxist gene-banks located in the political science and sociology departments of the nation's universities.
Perhaps the founders of ESRA are hoping to harvest some hybrid vigour from these waning ideological strains. Certainly their individual evolutions offer scant cause for optimism. The latest historical research paints Mao Zedong as a monstrous figure whose "Great Leap Forward" and "Cultural Revolution" cost the lives of millions of Chinese workers and peasants. The unemployed workers' movement collapsed in ideological and personal rancour even as Rogernomics and Ruthanasia were tearing the New Zealand working-class to pieces. The so-called "new social movements" (pacifism, anti-racism, feminism, environmentalism) proved easy meat for the assimilative/transformative powers of neoliberalism. Second Wave feminism was reduced to tallying-up the number of female company directors. Maori Nationalism turned into the Iwi Leaders Group. Green became the new Pink. And academic Marxism remained practically impenetrable to anyone not writing a doctoral thesis.
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It's not a whakapapa that inspires much confidence. Simply keeping so many unruly horses pulling in the same direction will require the wisdom of a sage and the patience of a saint. There are many on the Left, however, who'll happily attest to ESRA's founding mother, Sue Bradford, being over-endowed with both those qualities. All I'm prepared to say is: she'll need them!
Sue has called ESRA a "left-wing think-tank". Indeed, she wrote her doctoral thesis on the desirability and practicality of establishing just such a beast. Unfortunately for the NZ Left, (which desperately needs a think-tank of its own to match the Right's Maxim Institute and NZ Initiative) ESRA is nothing of the sort.
What stands out the most about the historical phenomenon of the think-tank is its unswervingly practical focus. At the end of World War II the Right stood discredited: its political leadership by their affinities with the defeated fascists and Nazis; its economic theories by the multiple lessons and legacies of the Great Depression. Social-democracy, on the other hand, armed with the economic and social insights of Keynesianism, was in the ideological ascendant. By the early-1970s, it was poised to put an end to capitalism as generally understood. Something had to be done.
The principal weapon of the Right's ideological fightback was the think-tank. Not only did it relentlessly critique the social-democratic assumptions of the era, but it produced a never-ending stream of practical suggestions for action. The process was as simple as it was effective: commission a report on an institution, or a practice, you wish to change. Release the report to the media and make its author available for interviews and public meetings. Arrange private meetings with sympathetic politicians and/or journalists where practical advice can be given and received. Repeat as required until a parliamentary majority is assembled in favour of your "reform".
After more than 40 years, the Right's refinement of the think-tank "weapon" has developed to the point where a body called the American Legislative Exchange Council is able to supply right-wing state legislators with pre-drafted "model" legislation. Committed to advancing the "fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public" ALEC makes the work of the Right's parliamentary foot-soldiers almost too easy.
If this was the sort of tree Sue and her comrades were planting this weekend, I'd be cheering them on. Sadly, they are committed to an organisational model that seeks to bring about radical economic and social change without enlisting ESRA as a skilled participant in the day-to-day, down-and-dirty, cut-and-thrust business of political influence-peddling. But that is what a think-tank is. It's what it does. Aspiring to be a think-tank that doesn't get its hands dirty, is like aspiring to be a prostitute who doesn't sell sex.
It's a tremendous pity, but ESRA is a lemon.
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Castro September 3, 2016 at 10:42 am
Just like Chris Trotter is right wing. Anyone with half a brain can see that Chris Trotter is a right wing wolf in sheep's clothing. Chris would try to save Marie Antoinette from the guillotine, on account of his being right wing.
Aw Braae September 3, 2016 at 1:09 pm
A comment about as insightful as the piece itself.
phillip ure September 4, 2016 at 8:26 am
trotter has clearly just had another of his premature-denunciations – and sprayed it all over the page..!
ew..!
Robin Aldridge-Sutton September 5, 2016 at 12:35 pm
hahaha nice one
Ovicula September 7, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Beautiful, Phil.
Frank Macskasy September 4, 2016 at 9:43 pm
I concur with 'Aw Braae' – not a particularly helpful comment, Castro.
In fact, a right-wing Wolf in left-wing Sheep's clothing might profer a similarly destructive attack, to discredit the target.
Point in fact, I also would try to save Ms Antoinette from the guillotine for the simple reason that I abhor the death penalty.
CLEANGREEN September 3, 2016 at 11:42 am
Sorry Chris you are not a farmer are you when you say this it is patently obvious.
"So, surely, we should give it a little time to show us what it can do?"
I have been managing a small farm 10 acres more or less and was like you a "condominium Commando" before this as you appear to be and now know what the sowing of seeds does to develop a big pruction picture so give the old tired "wait and let's see NatZ approach away please before our NZ is known as "Unclean-Ungreen NZ".
JR Murphy September 3, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Gee Chris I didn't see you there – and then to make such aggressive, insulting ignorant, uneducated statements as what I have just read.
I was there, I challenge you to debate science, justice, law and politics WITH ME ANY DAY – in a public forum so everybody can see you spiral into personal insults and radicalised ranting of neo-liberals.
I don't have the support of any of those above, I challenge them also, because I am an expert in stress disorders, inequality and constitutional law, etc. Been in politics a long time as well, don't have the extreme unbridled power you do of course but I made my voice heard in other ways.
If you knew what I did about ACC, NZ government, mental health services, violence, addiction, suicide and injustices against disabled minority groups you wouldn't be ranting on like you have above.
So how about it – meet with me, publicly debate what LEFT and RIGHT even mean. I dare you, I'm no threat to you, I'm an invalid rotting on a benefit I'm sure someone as stupid as me wouldn't be able to educate or change your mindset at all. Then there would be proof how superior, right and well informed you really are
phillip ure September 6, 2016 at 10:43 am
@ j.r. banks..
you could always go to the daily blog monthly drinks thing..and debate him there..
you will usually find him in a huddle with rolinson..
(planning their peters/nz first campaign – no doubt..)
Afewknowthetruth September 3, 2016 at 1:07 pm
The agenda of those in power is further raiding of the commons, further sanctioning of polluting activities, further transfer of wealth and power into the hands of opportunists, bureaucrats and enforcers, further reductions in liberties, further increases in surveillance, and further dumbing-down of the general populace.
ESRA won't change a thing.
Good on them for trying.
Peter Wheeler September 3, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Good God! Chris does it yet again…after reading his diatribe which just stinks of concealed jealousy and envy, Chris is angry not because the left is creating a 'Think Tank' but because they failed to include him in their plans… Chris detests the left because the left see through him, see him for what he is,"A talker not a doer".
Success for Chris is being read, being asked his opinion, his answers often go round in circles but they all end up back at the Status-quo, centre right, do nothing, he measures his success in platitudes and pretense. He ends his diatribe with what considers to be a smart comment.
"Aspiring to be a think-tank that doesn't get its hands dirty, is like aspiring to be a prostitute who doesn't sell sex.
This last comment clearly represents the behaviour of Chris over many years… I don't think Chris sees himself as a prostitute, at least not a working one but his behaviour speaks for itself.
Its sad really, but we've got over Douglas, Prebble so without doubt we will get over Trotter too, right-wing stooges come and go.
Strypey September 3, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Wow. A smear piece like this is beneath you Chris. I too am sceptical about the ESRA and many of its ideological underpinnings, but I have to ask why you are so keen to discredit it before it even gets going? In answer to this, you give us a questionable garden analogy. To tweak it slightly so that it more closely reflects the facts, you are trying to tell us whatever went into the compost heap determines what will grow in any garden where that compost is applied. One compost-related words for this; horseshit.
Meanwhile, you want us to believe the mature Labour lemon tree in your own garden "might prove to be one of a very special kind – one that does not bear sour fruit". Since we're talking about the genetic histories of political entities, one could ask why you think Labour has any chance of producing any result other than the neoliberalism that has consistently been its fruit since the 1980s, when Andrew Little is still keen to tell people they are a "free trade party". Again, I'm sceptical, but unlike you I'm willing to judge them on their record, rather than condemning any possibility of a seachange before the fact.
Paul September 3, 2016 at 2:24 pm
Anyone else noted that anything remotely independent and left wing gets the thumbs down from Trotter.
He represents the liberal wing branch of the
neoliberal establishment.
Andrew September 3, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Chris, an other excellent post. Thanks
You can bet that any organisation with "Aotearoa " in the title is likely to be a cock-up.
I think it was Blair who rightly pointed out that many on the Left today are more enamoured with the tools of left wing politics but have forgotten its original objectives.
So if this 'Think Tank' really wants to make some progress I suggest it winds back the crazy Far Left rhetoric and reconsiders it's original (good!) objectives, then consider how they may be practically supported in a 21st century economic environment.
Jeez, Andrew, are you unable to make a comment without inserting some sort of racist reference? You make a laughing stock of yourself, and the rest of your comment is simply dismissed out of hand.
cync September 3, 2016 at 6:57 pm
I notice you are not having some sort of bibliographic, wet dream, just stating your opinion. There is no need to dismiss his comment out of hand. 87.4% of New Zealanders (Aotearoans) Don't agree with Sue Bradford. There was a referendum about that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/…/New_Zealand_citizens-initiated_referendum,_…
87.4% of New Zealanders weren't voting on the use of the term Aotearoa.
Andrew September 4, 2016 at 8:16 am
Why do leftists have such a poor sense of humour?
mpledger September 4, 2016 at 9:23 am
Why are those on the right unable to make jokes that are funny?
I think they must have been bullies who people laughed *with* to avoid being pumeled. And the bully mistakenly learnt from this that being mean and snide got laughs.
Andrew September 4, 2016 at 11:50 am
You think?
You really think?
I seriously doubt it. Lighten up – you might enjoy life more.
[Andrew, you are perilously close to trolling. Kindly stick to the issues on this page or refrain from posting. Any further silliness on your part will earn you a month detention on the naughty mat. – ScarletMod]
"Don't worry, be happy"?
Is that your response to neo-liberalism's failures, Andrew? In which case, you haven't got much to offer, have you.
phillip ure September 4, 2016 at 1:06 pm
'mean and snide' is about the only manifestation of rightwing humour there is..
it usually takes the form of hard/brittle sneers at those they consider are inferior to them..
i almost feel sorry for them..it is such a grim/unfunny life – being a rightwinger..
..and/but they can't help it/themselves..!..the poor luvvies…
..it is their burden to bear..
Sam September 4, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Because Andrew is a plumber
phillip ure September 4, 2016 at 12:57 pm
has he got any good pipe-jokes..?
If only!
They earn a fortune.
hey andrew..give us a list of funny rightwing comedians..
(actually – one will do…and no dennis leary is not funny – and an unscripted 'fraser' crane is as funny as an ingrown toenail..)
who ya got..?
Because you Righties don't say anything funny.
CLEANGREEN September 4, 2016 at 8:49 pm
With the likes of you twisted sisters around we are having a real laugh Andy.
John W September 3, 2016 at 6:55 pm
Chris you have missed on this one.
History of China – how widely have you read outside of US diatribe.
NZ needs a conversation about principles and if it takes a "left wing" or "socialist leaning" group to spark that then we should welcome it.
Andrew is on form stuck in a groove that leads to greater inequity and poverty for the although he never seems to state that is what he wants.
So much for more of the same.
WILD KATIPO September 3, 2016 at 8:54 pm
I'm surprised you mentioned that right wing think tanks really ' took off' in the 1970,s…
In fact it was long before this .
In the 20th century we had the Mont Pelerin society – formed just after WW2 as a result of the rapid victory of the communists in China. Chiang Kai Shek was the right wingers choice to oppose Mao and he lost.
Took up residence in Taiwan I believe – along with all the other right wing criminal element that supported him.
And the Mont Pelerin society was formed from professors, philosophers economists, academics, bankers and the like…And who was their 1960's and 1970's golden boy ? none other than Milton Freidman himself.
And how many think tanks did they have globally ?
Over 200.
A society that was constructed for , by and from … vast wealth to preserve???
More vast wealth.
Margaret Thatcher herself even had a Mont Pelerin society 'adviser' a few doors down from Number 10 Downing.
You understand what I'm getting at. This was no small shoelace budget ran operation. This was a society formed by the rich and the powerful of the western worlds elite.
You also understand that Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson were/ are board members of the Mont Pelerin society. You understand also that the NZ Initiative is simply an extension of its parent organisation – as is the Maxim Institute.
I think what galls me most about your article, Mr Trotter , … is that you neglect to mention and explain in depth the real origins of the present day neo liberal ideology and then proceed to pit the external symptoms of the societal breakdown which we are all now witnessing against what is , and always will be ,… a populist and reformist movement such as the ESRA that has nowhere near the vast financial and political resources at its disposal as society's such as Mont Pelerin.
And one clear pitfall to your thinking in assuming this movement cannot grow and have influence locally , is that given time – time such as the Mont Pelerin society had ( try over 60 years! ) – it can actually have a lot of political influence .
And one think about think tanks in their infancy which you also neglected to mention is that they most often start out with many disparate groups and individuals – and yet given time ( again ) and the hammering out of policy's and objectives , – the action for change then begins.
Another thing : no successful revolution ever happened without prior planning and long term strategy.
All that remains is the form and shape of the tactics to be used .
Far from being a lemon – ( particularly in light of the issue which will ultimately bring down the Key led National govt – that being the housing crisis ) – this think tank has come at a very timely moment in being able to coalesce the objectives , goals – and the necessary course of action needed to be able to oppose this current neo liberal govt.
And it will not be particularly hard to hold up a mirror to the public to reflect back on 8 years of this govt's deceit and shortcomings.
You also remember the New Zealand Party , do you not , Mr Trotter?
The New Zealand Party, formed by Bob Jones for the express purpose of the overthrow of Rob Muldoons National party. It was not even a party that seriously considered entering parliament.
It was simply a construct by the NZ Business Roundtable ( NZ Institute ) of the time to help Roger Douglas and his Mont Pelerin society ideology to be ushered into this country.
A small group of people , backed by big business , and guided by a think tank.
We can see just how powerful the behind the scenes ' think tanks ' actually are when we know a little about how the right wing has manipulated affairs by using them ….
But lest you forget … the left also can do the same . Given time.
Jenny Olsen September 3, 2016 at 11:16 pm
ESRA is a great addition to our movement – the movement of people who are committed to social justice. We want to grow the alternatives to neoliberal politics that we need if we are ever to achieve social change.
Shame on you Chris! You could be an asset to the movement!
Afewknowthetruth September 4, 2016 at 12:35 am
'Mont Pelerin society – formed just after WW2 as a result of the rapid victory of the communists in China. Chiang Kai Shek was the right wingers choice to oppose Mao and he lost.
Chiang Kai Shek and his fellow fascists looted as much Chinese gold as they could get their hands on, invaded Taiwan, overthrew the Taiwanese government, killed anyone who resisted, set up a military dictatorship, and by doing so quickly achieved US favoured-nation status.
'….. the left also can do the same . Given time.'
Unfortunately that is not the case. Thinking things out logically using the best scientific and economic information is not what determines government policy; money and vested interest are what determines government policy. And 'the right' will always have a lot more money to throw at anything than 'the left'. And bigger vested interests to protect.
The other important aspect is that we have now run out of time. As you correctly point out, manipulation by the right has been going on for decades (actually centuries). Global collapse has already commenced.
Mike in Auckland September 4, 2016 at 12:55 am
I provided some links to info on a number of websites in comments under this post, which show how government and the right use flawed "evidence" and questionable science to justify certain "reforms":
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/09/01/waatea-5th-estate-child-poverty-summit-2016/
Perhaps we should give ESRA a chance before we judge them?
Afewknowthetruth September 4, 2016 at 9:54 am
It is standard practice for governments to completely ignore all the scientific evidence that refutes absurd the mantra of perpetual expansion [on a finite planet] of the business sector and increased consumerism.
Right wing think tanks likewise ignore all the scientific evidence that challenges the mantra of perpetual growth, and deliver reports along the lines of 'growth is good' and' greed is good' etc.
Anyone who wants to see an end to the destruction wreaked upon the Earth (and society) by governments, and see some attempt made at preserving life on this planet is marginalised and labelled 'a weirdo', 'an extremist' etc.
Thus, everything that matters gets made continually worse.
We should give ESRA a chance before we judge them. That said, the forces of destruction are so well funded (looting, polluting and exploitation are highly profitable whereas conservation isn't) it is unlikely ESRA will be heard above the cacophony of the business-as-usual mob.
Olwyn September 4, 2016 at 12:52 pm
I can understand your impatience Chris – it's like the right continue to take real-world bases while we go on acting as if this state of affairs could be changed with superior research and argument, rather than greater urgency and resourcefulness. But that is no reason to dismiss something just because it doesn't look to you to have the potential to be everything. A revival of the left as a viable political force will inevitably have many parts to it. ESRA, if it is able to establish itself, will be one of those parts. If it fails to establish itself, whatever follows it will be. We cannot win a class war by argumentation alone, but we cannot conjure a well-equipped, confident left out of thin air either.
PB September 4, 2016 at 2:45 pm
Chris, you could/should have reframed your piece and said"ESRA? Great! Now this is what ESRA must do."
Peter Bradley September 4, 2016 at 4:16 pm
I understand where Chris is coming from. It is a feeling of despair for the left and a sense that neo-liberalism is so deeply embedded in our political and economic thinking that it is impossible to overcome.
I think that Chris is also identifying a massive chasm between a collection of obscure activists/academics and the profoundly compromised NZ Labour Party. A party that is totally beholden to the middle class kiwi dream of low taxation and a second home. There is no desire to confront this on behalf of non middle NZ and Labour will be completely outflanked in the next election by National offering tax cuts.
A left wing think tank no matter how weak it may be and how out of touch its founders are is nevertheless a good thing. It has to be because it is all we have at the moment in NZ.
Mike in Auckland September 4, 2016 at 6:50 pm
What a disappointing post, Chris is discrediting a new organisation simply for the people being involved and even before they have been given any chance to present anything.
As for 'think tanks' the right dominates science and policy now, almost everywhere, as behind it is lots of money that pays for the reports that he kind of mentions. "Research" is not what it used to be, when it comes to a lot of it done these days, it is often done with the intention to prove things and to justify certain policies, even where there is no justification.
So data is treated selectively, hand picked and misrepresented, where it does not deliver as so desired by the vested interest holding "leaders".
Sue Bradford and the Alternative Welfare Working Group tried to present a counter balance to the government selected Welfare Working Group in 2010. Even though they presented enough findings and statistics, even research, it was simply ignored and never accepted. Instead we had such ones as Paula Rebstock present the reports and working groups Paula Bennett and John Key preferred.
This continues to this very day. Even when a scientist reveals what dodgy stuff goes on, they simply ignore the few that dare speak out, and continue as if nothing ever happened, no matter how much so-called "evidence" has been discredited.
https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/read-the-journal/all-issues/2010-2019/2015/vol-128-no-1425-20-november-2015/6729
https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/read-the-journal/all-issues/2010-2019/2016/vol-129-no-1430-19-february-2016/6822
Here is what was presented in 2010 or so, but they preferred Paula Rebstock and her reports.
http://www.caritas.org.nz/resources/publications/alternative-welfare-working-group-publications
In Vino September 4, 2016 at 8:09 pm
No, Mike.
I understood that Chris was criticising the new organisation because that is all it is – a new organisation with no ready-prepared outlets for propaganda, and no pre-organised campaign, no 'doomed to succeed' ideas with ready promotion. As he said, that is what all the right-wing think-tanks always had, and still have. The Left need to understand this disadvantage, and move to fix it. Railing against Chris telling the truth is dumb. And accusing Chris of being a secret Rightie is even dumber.
Mike in Auckland September 4, 2016 at 11:23 pm
"I understood that Chris was criticising the new organisation because that is all it is – a new organisation with no ready-prepared outlets for propaganda, and no pre-organised campaign, no 'doomed to succeed' ideas with ready promotion."
A think tank tends to behave as not providing "propaganda", even when it may be in a cunning manner. They like to dress up as "scientific", you know, so to talk about outlets being needed for "propaganda" is not going to be helpful, as that would make ESRA look unscientific.
And anything claimed to have some factual and scientific merits needs to be based on some research, some systematic, methodical kind of work. This cannot simply be tricked out of a hat.
Those "propaganda" outlets are usually the MSM, so are you suggesting they have to come at the same time with their own "media" network?
Here you go, "propaganda" outlet, Corporate Think Tank Media:
http://www.thinktankmedia.net/chw/nz/images/CHW2015NZ.pdf
Even showing our beloved Principal Health Advisor Dr Bratt in it too, the "benefit is a drug" preacher.
Do we expect ESRA to create a counter weight against such "media"?
Why is this marked as spam
[System glitch, Peter, and one that has to be regularly fixed with human intervention. Apologies. – ScarletMod]
Talk about sour fruit I can't post comments! Grrr.
I had the same issue last night, I think. Try again, perhaps it works now.
Ian September 5, 2016 at 11:59 am
Well, Chris… I usually find your posts quite interesting, if not always agreeable. This time however, it's little more than diatribe. You talk about lemons- it's not lemons that are the problem here, it's sour grapes!
save nz September 5, 2016 at 2:03 pm
I think ESRA will be a success.
Nick September 5, 2016 at 5:26 pm
Why learn from history when it is so much more satisfying to vilify those who try to do so?
To find a way to make State or communal intervention watertight, constructive, effective and sustainable is actually quite difficult. A realistic think tank blending the perspective of academics, the rigour of progressive accountants, the organizing ability of unionists and the public relations thrust of an appealing politician would maybe add something worthwhile to the nation.
What are the chances?
Alternatively, it is so easy to construct policy which strips the public sector away to the advantage of private interests. This is particularly simple when even to do nothing simply adds laissez faire to the natural advantage of capital and privilege.
The path is steep when the natural Left catchment of large processing plants and industries are rarer and employ far fewer workers in an increasingly fragmented economy. In this environment it is necessary to seek alliances on both left and right if we wish to form a majority sufficient to achieve government.
This unavoidable truth feels like treason to many who are wedded to a more historically purist political analysis. They would far prefer to form a radical grouping like ESRA and turn their backs on those who argue for incremental change citing realism.
Which, if either, model will prevail remains to be seen, but my fear is that fantasy and ineffectual gesture followed by rancour and dissolution will replace engagement for many whose efforts we will badly miss back here in the real world.


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text:
Martin, N, Wray, M, James, A, Draffan, EA, Krupa, J and Turner, P
The UK higher education (HE) sector is undertaking reforms to the Disabled Students'
Allowance (DSA), until recently the primary means of funding support for eligible disabled
students. (Operation of DSA is slightly different in Scotland but similar principles apply.) In a
government-commissioned report, embedding Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and
inclusive practices was proposed as an approach to reducing reliance on the DSA. This
research examines the circumstances in which UDL is currently operating in a cross-section of
English higher education providers with a view to contributing to a currently patchy evidence
base. Focus groups, interviews and questionnaires were utilised to collect data from four
universities and disability support staff. Pockets of good practice such as inclusive virtual
learning environments were identified, and it is noted that such strategies benefit all students
rather than just those who would have been entitled to DSA. Strategic engagement and
embedding UDL was thought to require joined-up thinking between various staff groups under
the direction of a named senior leader. Participants suggested that this did not happen
coherently. Students felt that systems in place to support their learning were hard to navigate.
Some staff were surprised that they were not communicating about this as effectively as they
thought. A sector-wide benchmark does not currently exist and would be a helpful tool for
creating a stronger foundation on which to build change.
Society for Research into Higher Education
https://www.srhe.ac.uk/downloads/reports-2017/Nicola-Martin-SRHE-Research-Report.pdf
Nicola-Martin-SRHE-Research-Report.pdf
https://openresearch.lsbu.ac.uk/item/8666q

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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And that's when the real chaos started… April is fixated on earning a Mirage star for the spa and is willing to do any- and everything to get one! Sally doggedly insists April isn't as bad as she looks. I'm sorry, but if it looks like a snake and slithers like a snake, well… but that's just MY opinion!
Please come help me talk some sense into Sally. With your help, I'm sure it will be okay in the end!
Enjoy this salon time management game brought to you by GameHouse Original Stories, the creators of the Delicious and Heart's Medicine series!
Try the first few levels for free. Then choose to unlock the full game with an in-app purchase, or subscribe to a free trial of our subscription plan.


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✏ Your Actions Must Match Your Ambition
As a #ThrowbackThursday treat, we invite all our new fans — as well as our long-time loyalists — to enjoy this encore publication of one of Charge Up's Top 5 most-popular blogs of all time!
Leadership, like life, is largely a matter of paying attention. It's the small steps, not the big ones, that matter most. The key is to always move forward. If you have ambition, these steps will add up to success only if you have the actions to match. That's where the work comes in.
Are you still paying attention?
"Ambition is the first step to success.
The second step is action."
There are plenty of people with incredible ideas and dreams of success. The problem is, they're all bark and no bite. The majority don't act upon their ambitions, because it takes work — and a lot of it. Success is the result of blood, sweat and tears.
It's the action that separates the weak from the strong. And successful leadership isn't for the weak. It's not for those who have insufficient ability and stamina to drive through the adversity of the long journey.Those folks are blinded by the quick win, who are constantly looking for shortcuts to success. They are also lacking in the most important trait of all, patience. Without patience, you don't gain experience. Without experience, you only have ideas. And ideas without action will never become reality.
The Art Lies in the Execution
This is where qualities such as courage, bravado and vulnerability come into play. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your ambition? Do you understand the risks involved? Your actions may not be popular in the moment, but you must have the confidence to stick to a well-crafted plan.
Being a strategic thinker will aid you in your quest. Thinking things through and evaluating all possibilities will solidify your actions. Entrusting the right people and empowering those with the necessary skills will also increase the odds of success.
Beware Though — You Will Fail
Those with ambition are willing to fail. They see the lessons within, and will keep trying until they find the solution. They are relentless in their pursuit, and their actions speak louder than words. Others see this, and are motivated to jump in and assist. Teamwork has now come into play — and a leader is born.
Leaders are drawn to leaders. We are a product of who we interact with. If we surround ourselves with ambitious people, it inspires us to go further. And when we recognize the opportunity to contribute to someone else's success, without regard to our own egos, big things can happen. Either way, allow yourself to eliminate the fear of failure, and the distractions of barriers to reach your end goal. That said, it's okay to show vulnerability and be human.
Leadership can be lonely at times, but when your actions provide the example and you earn the trust and confidence of the team, respect from your team will be the reward.
Take another step forward; just make sure you are paying attention.
#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #fail #learnfromfailure #bounceback #failure #success #moveforward #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #empower #motivate #inspire #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty #ambition #action #stepforward
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©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry). Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.
Victor Pisano✏ Your Actions Must Match Your Ambition 03.05.2020
► Fear is the Lesson
Fear of failure has become a paralyzing epidemic, from boardrooms to locker rooms. But there is no innovation or breakthrough without risk and the accompanying fears — so how do you push through and achieve? Find out how to you can take control instead of fear controlling you in this Power Cast podcast.
#failure #fear #podcast #ChargeUp
If you enjoyed this Power Cast podcast from Victor Pisano, be sure and visit the Charge Up Power Cast archives for our full library of past broadcasts. From the importance of character and taking action, to developing leadership skills and finding the right mindset — we cover the topics that help you venture, lead and prosper, through reflection, inspiration and empowerment. Catch up on what you've missed — it's all available right here.
Victor Pisano► Fear is the Lesson 10.10.2019
This is where qualities such as courage, bravado and vulnerability come into play. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your ambitions? Do you understand the risks involved? Your actions may not be popular in the moment, but you must have the confidence to stick to a well-crafted plan.
✏ The Roots of Leadership
Is your leadership secure in its roots and healthy enough to withstand any storm?
The tallest tree in the world is a sequoia in northern California. It stands at 379 feet tall, which is about 7 stories higher that the Statue of Liberty. The tree is named Hyperion, and is estimated to be over 800 years old.
Like any other tree, when it first started to grow, Hyperion was small, and didn't look much different than any other tree in the forest. But over time, it grew. New wood layers, new tree rings, new growth. It grew, and grew, and grew — until it towered over the forest.
"Leadership is the companion of wisdom."
– Augustine of Hippo (354 AD)
It is within this metaphor that I want you to think of leadership. The tree grows DOWN first, and establishes its roots before it can begin its growth pattern upward. This process takes a tremendous amount of time, but it is the only way to ensure that the tree has the power and strength to stand up to even the roughest of wind and storms.
"When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."
– Chinese Proverb
We now live in a time where leaders want their tree to grow UP before giving it a chance to establish roots. What tends to happen is that when the first storm hits (we can refer to this as adversity), with heavy winds (more adversity), the tree gets knocked down. How will the tree survive if drought hits? What are the implications if the tree is infected with disease because it doesn't have the resiliency to fight it off on its own?
But look at the tree standing proudly nearby. Absolutely no damage with the exception of a few leaves blown off. Always healthy, regardless of weather. And strong enough to withstand any disease. Why?
This tree was planted years ago; nurtured very slowly and fed regularly to ensure a solid root system. Every year, dead branches or clumped growth were trimmed in an effort to keep the tree healthy. Over the years, the tree grew both in diameter and height. This tree was well-maintained. This tree was cultivated to be able to remain upright regardless of the adversity it may face.
Now compare those two trees to the way you have invested in your leadership skills, abilities and knowledge. Have you devoted the patience, integrity, and endurance to the process? Are your roots firmly established? Do you know your purpose? Are you – and your team – willing to withstand the storms of adversity and change?
Leadership is an internal quality, not an external one. All of your growth will occur "within". Invest the effort in yourself to build your character and confidence, and as a result . . .
The Devil whispered in my ear, "You're not strong enough to withstand the storm."
Today I whispered in the Devil's ear, "I am the storm."
#chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #areyouready #leadandfollow #mentorship #mentor #treeroots #venture #learn #prosper #storm #withstandthestorm
Victor Pisano✏ The Roots of Leadership 07.27.2018


14 years ago Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) articulated a bold vision and a promise to free people from extreme poverty and multiple deprivations. WAGGGS, as the leading movement for girls and young women, committed to working on MDGs in 2008 by introducing our Global Action Theme focusing on the MDGs: 'girls worldwide say, "together we can change the world".
Ever since then WAGGGS and Slovenian Girl Guides and Boy Scouts as a Member Organization have been working to help achieve the MDGs - through innovating projects, non-formal education programmes, and community and advocacy work. ZSKSS is trying to change the world not only in our local communities but also on a global level.
With about 500 days left to the 2015 new years' day (target date for achieving the MDGs), it is time to ask ourselves – have we succeeded? Has there been any progress in Slovenia and globally that was affected by our scout work?
Slovenian Girl Guides and Boy Scouts decided to join the idea to share messages of achievement, to scale up our work on MDGs and to encourage decision makers in Slovenia and Europe that more needs to be done and can be done with our contribution. So what have we done to change the world in the past years? What have we done as Slovenian scouts (as an organization or individually) to help the world to achieve Millenium development goals?
Send us your story!!! Help us to scale up our work!!!


Lots of fun excerpts and Top 5 posts this week. We're gearing up for a super amazing Tour of the Universe in September - featuring some of today's hottest sci-fi authors. Look for the big announcement with a list of authors next week!


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Pennsylvania Trivia
Pennsylvania History Trivia
How Well Do You Know the Liberty Bell in Allentown?
Elmira | 19 - 06 - 2021
Updated: June 19, 2021 11:00 pm IST
The Liberty Bell is a symbol of American independence(freedom). On July 8, 1776, it was rung while the Declaration of Independence was read. This bell was cast in England in 1751 and shifted to Philadelphia in August 1752. The Bell was once known as the Pennsylvania State House bell. Participate in our engaging and informative quiz to learn more about Allentown where America's most famous symbol of freedom was kept hidden. How did the bell crack? Where was the Liberty Bell hidden from the British? Get all your questions answered with our Liberty Bell shrine quiz. Learn more about the fascinating rescue mission in American history with our latest Liberty Bell in Allentown quiz.
1. Where Was the Liberty Bell Hidden in Allentown?
Woodlands Church
Calvary Albuquerque
Cornerstone Church
Zion Reformed Church
The Liberty Bell was transferred from Philadelphia to Allentown, escorted by soldiers. It was stored at Zion Reformed Church along with other important bells, underneath the church floor.
2. When Was the Liberty Bell Kept in Allentown?
On September 1, 175, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia but it was not hung till March 10, 1753. It was cast in England in 1751.
3. When Was the Liberty Bell Built?
The Liberty Bell was constructed in 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. It is made to hang in the new State House which is now known as the Independence Hall In Philadelphia.
4. When Was the Liberty Bell Moved to Allentown?
The Liberty Bell was brought to Allentown in 1777. It was kept in Zion Reformed Church and the bell kept hidden in the church until June of 1778. Then it was returned to Philadelphia.
5. When Did the Liberty Bell Crack?
The bell was cracked when it was rung on President's Day(celebrated on Washington's birthday) in February 1846. It stopped ringing due to the damage.
6. How Many Liberty Bell Replicas Are There?
There are fifty-seven Liberty Bell replicas were made. The original Liberty Bell is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
7. What Caused the Original Liberty Bell to Crack?
Made with Wooden
Metal was too Brittle
Soldiers Destroyed
The metal was easy to break. When the bell came to Philadelphia in 1752 it cracked during a test strike and was repaired twice.
8. Why Did They Hide the Liberty Bell?
To Sell it later
To Protect from British
Don't Want to Sell
As per the government order, Liberty Bell and other prominent bells in Philadelphia were removed from the city to prevent the British from melting these bells to make weapons.
9. How Old Is the Liberty Bell?
The Liberty Bell is around 270 years old. The bell was made in 1751.
10. What Does the Liberty Bell Symbolize?
The Liberty Bell is considered a symbol of freedom in the United States. It was made for the Pennsylvania State House in 1952.
11. The Liberty Bell Was Returned to Philadelphia in June 1778.
It was restored in June 1778 to Philadelphia when the British left the city.
12. How Long Did the Liberty Bell Keep Hidden in Allentown?
The Liberty Bell arrived in 1777 to Allentown and stayed hidden until the British left in June 1778. Along with the Liberty Bell, 11 more bells were kept under the basement of the church.
13. Where Is the Liberty Bell Located Today?
National WWI Museum
Independence National Historical Park
The Liberty Bell was placed on the roof of the Independence Hall. It is located in the Independence National Historical Park.
14. How Many Liberty Bells Are There in the US?
There are fifty-four liberty bells in the United States.
15. Who Misspelled Pennsylvania on Liberty Bell?
Benedict Arnold
Hamilton wrote, "Pensylvania" instead of "Pennsylvania" on the US Constitution.


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Pre-emptive vaccination can prevent or limit vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in healthcare workers and in the general population.
Key Evidence: In a study of a 2003 outbreak of pertussis in the U.S., including 17 cases among healthcare workers, researchers estimated that vaccinating healthcare workers would prevent nearly 50% of disease exposures by healthcare workers per year.
Calugar A, Ortega-Sanchez I, Tiwari T et al. 2006. Nosocomial pertussis: Costs of an outbreak and benefits of vaccinating health care workers. CID. 42.
Key Evidence: Using data on the spread of Ebola from person to person during historical Ebola outbreaks to compare vaccination strategies, researchers found that prophylatically vaccinating all healthcare workers would have decreased the number of disease cases in the 2014 epidemics in Guinea and Nigeria by 60-80%.
Coltart CE, Johnson AM, Whitty CJ 2015. Role of healthcare workers in early epidemic spread of Ebola: policy implications of prophylactic compared to reactive vaccination policy in outbreak prevention and control. BMC Medicine. 13(271).


Start Your Engines! Walmart Offers NASCAR savings!
Do we have any racing fans here? If so, we've got fun news for families that want to save money at the track. Walmart has announced its Race Time promotion, which helps you stretch a buck and give your family a fun day at NASCAR events across the country.
There will be a number of NASCAR promotional events at Walmart parking lots this summer, including car shows and simulators. The full schedule can be downloaded here.
You can also find loads of NASCAR officially licensed products both online and in-store. Items include NASCAR 2011 video game for the Wii and this Tony Stewart adjustable cap!
Snag some yummy recipe ideas from The Racing Chef!
Are you fans of NASCAR? What will you do to celebrate the racing season this year?


I think most woman nope... Scratch that... ALL woman want's longer, thicker and fuller lashes right? There's a lot of Eye Lash Serum out there in the market and the price range is sometimes too fantastic and definitely way over budget. I've seen one with a USD100 price tag!! R U FREAKIN KIDDING ME!! It's too expensive!! Well if you're looking for a longer or thicker lashes you can try Castor Oil!! Castor Oil or "Minyak Jarak" has been used to treat hair loss and I use it myself for oil cleansing and hair treatment. Here's how my eye lashes look after using Castor Oil.. I forgot how long it took but I reckon it's more than a month.
I bought Castor Oil in bulk so I transfer it into a small pump bottle for easier use.
To apply the Castor Oil on my eye lashes I use this mascara brush from a dried up mascara that I don't even use #LOL.
To use the Castor Oil just put the oil on the brush and apply it on eye lashes like a regular mascara. I prefer to use it at night and only in moderate amount. Otherwise my eyes will feel oily and weird.
P.S: if you're looking for other uses of Castor Oil you can visit my Castor Oil 101 Post.


On April 24, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy held a public meeting to present and receive comments on overall program direction and in anticipation of its future residential code development activities.
During the meeting DOE solicited discussion and feedback surrounding the information presented, including a draft framework document to provide guidance for all BECP activities. Comments received have since been incorporated into the current version of the BECP Activities Framework.
Following the Stakeholder Meeting, DOE published a Notice in the Federal Register regarding the opportunity for interested parties to submit additional comments, which are now available in a public docket. The Regulations.gov website contains instructions on how to access all documents in the docket.


Great admirer of Linus Torvalds.
17 How to create a Tcp Connection in spring boot to accept connections?
14 What does the gather function do in pytorch in layman terms?
9 Purpose of PreAuthenticatedAuthenticationToken in Spring Security?
5 How to run spring-boot as a client application?
5 What is the difference between /* and /** pattern in Spring boot?


UIC Sociology ranked as the 2nd best sociology department for "Return" on Public Funding and Presence in the Public Media. This is empirical validation that we have developed one of the best public sociology departments in the country. Our mission is to do important social science and use it for the public good, and our engagement with the media is getting notice!


This hybrid matures early and has medium length vines. Cylindrical fruit has mottled green skin, grows to 4" x 9" and weighs up to 2 pounds. Flesh is tender and thick.
Cultivation: Prepare fertile, well-drained soil. Sow seeds in spring/ summer after last frost in a warm, sunny location. The seed coat is hard and should be soaked in warm water for 24 hours. Hill planting: Form soil into a 1-ft. diameter mound 3-4" tall. Space mounds 4-6' apart. On each mound plant 1-2 seeds. Row planting: See spacing info in chart. Keep soil moist. Fertilize as needed. Hand pollination may be necessary. Train to climb a vertical support for better air circulation and ease of harvest or leave vine on the ground. Fruit can be stored in a dry, cool environment during winter months (avoid direct contact with concrete).
Culinary tips: Delicious in soups and stews. Cut gourd open, scrape out seeds and cut into cubes to cook.


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By Zen Terrelonge - Published July 15, 2015
Women have little faith the gender pay gap will be closed
It comes following prime minister David Cameron's plan to tackle the ongoing gender pay gap "scandal", which he aims to solve by demanding that businesses with more than 250 employees share the salary details of staff.
The PM sets out his ambition to close the #GenderPayGap within a generationhttps://t.co/pC9rhVKi9C
— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) July 14, 2015
However, some hit back, remarking that female staff at smaller companies will be left unsupported.
"Women are more likely to be in low-paid jobs such as 'the five Cs' – clerical, catering, caring, cashiering and cleaning – leaving them trapped in a cycle of in-work poverty that many never escape," said Kathryn Nawrockyi, gender equality director, Business in the Community.
Ann Francke, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, backed the comment from Nawrockyi and said businesses should reveal more than just pay rates.
"Given that the gender pay gap is widest at the top, it is vital that companies track pay across different job levels," Francke explained. "The pay gap isn't the only problem facing women at work, as the lack of women in senior roles is still a huge problem."
That's particularly true for the financial sector as young women are convinced the industry can't offer them career progression. PwC found women are abandoning their finance posts to find opportunities elsewhere, while others avoided the space entirely for better chances of advancement. A spokesperson for the company called it a "wake-up call".
Despite Cameron's efforts, which may very well change the outlook in time, his announcement has been made alongside Glassdoor research that highlights the need for more equally spread support in the job market. The recruitment channel revealed that just 27 per cent of women believe they'll receive a pay rise in the next 12 months, which spiked to 40 per cent for male counterparts.
Looking deeper into the research showed that things have only gotten worse over time, with pay rise positivity among females declining by three per cent on the previous quarter.
Elsewhere, 32 per cent of women think it's likely they'll be able to find another job if they lost their current position – a feeling that was shared by 37 per cent of men.
Read interviews with female business leaders:
How cosmetic doctor Leah Totton made a success of her appearance on The Apprentice
Defining Britain's sharing economy with Hassle's CEO and Sharing Economy UK board member
Caprice: I was too naive and American when I started
As such, 63 per cent of women like a line manager to be supportive, a trait less desired by men with just 52 per cent appreciative of the quality. Additionally, the study showed 53 per cent of women want to feel valued by their boss, which fell to 45 per cent of men.
"Salaries are starting to move up but women risk getting left behind if more men than women get a pay rise. While the economic news generally is more positive, this is a worrying development if it means that female employees are being held back in their career and men are being treated more favourably," said Jon Ingham, Glassdoor career and workplace expert.
"This is particularly concerning since it is widely accepted that women are less likely to be as assertive in negotiating when they get a job offer, so if they start low and stay low, then we've got a serious case of workplace inequality on our hands that is only going to get worse."
With equality in mind, just 14 per cent of employees would like to have a female boss, which climbed to 25 per cent for a male boss – though 61 per cent had no preference.
Read more on gender inequality:
Made in Dagenham 21st century style: Sainsbury's and Asda face wrath of women for unequal pay
Female job seekers less likely to be shown high-paying job ads from Google than males
Boris Johnson may be in breach of discrimination laws, warns MP
Changes are gradually being made though. Deloitte promoted 75 members of staff to partners in June and almost of third of them were women.
"25 per cent of both the firm's executive and board are female and we are committed to continuing to do more to create more opportunities in Deloitte for women at a senior level," said CEO David Sproul.
Seemingly though, salary isn't everything for female workers – something Cameron may want to recognise. The Glassdoor study found that a low salary was a major factor for 30 per cent of women to find a new job, lower than 39 per cent of men who left for more pay.
If women – who lead the way for independent professionals – can improve their confidence levels then there will be no holding them back. A report in February highlighted that females are absolutely capable of securing senior roles, but are failing to harness the leadership skills they already possess in order to do so.
By Zen Terrelonge
Amazon's attempt to eclipse Black Friday isn't going well, according to Twitter
A CFO's take on how to really value a SaaS business


In a world leaning towards eco-friendly trends, our actions and energy use are more important than ever. Something as simple as forgetting to turn the lights out can kill tons of energy and increase our bills, and many places have moved to automated light switches. However, the installation of these projects is typically 60-80% of the total cost. Michael Wong (W'18) and Dayo Adewole, a Bio-engineering Ph. D. student, have developed a solution: InstaHub.
Instahub is a snap on automation solution which aims to simplify light automation to make it more affordable to everyone. This product simply snaps on to light switches and turns the lights on when people enter and off when people leave, and starts to learn occupant's habits to operate according to their needs. InstaHub requires no external connectivity or phone and is a simple, fast solution to our automation problem.
InstaHub is currently working on a large-scale pilot in Harnwell, Dubois, Stouffer, and Mayor to test the product through a partnership with Residential Services. They are also partnering with Wharton Operations and hoping to reach out to boutique hotels for pilots, and then eventually will begin selling the product.
Michael and Dayo have utilized many on-campus resources, such as Weiss Labs, VIP, and Youth Hack. They've been able to accumulate grants, funding, and support through these resources. Michael also has concentrations in OID, Finance, and Entrepreneurial Management, and he says his course-work has contributed to his success in his venture. They are also a Green Fund Project here on-campus.


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Q: How to append to a drowdownlist with Jquery inside a ASP.NET Datagrid? The following function in my 'aspx' page is working, but the 'dropdown' inside the GridControl is getting copied... from the original row.  It is not being changed from the appended rows.  You can see the line I have attempted, but I'm not sure what to put there.  I have also posted the Grid-Control itself.  I don't think you need the webmethod, nor any code-behind here.  A scripting wiz should be able to just tell me what I need I believe.
FYI... This is using Load-On-Demand from aspsnippits dot com -- at least a concept there-of.
 //Function to receive XML response append rows to GridView
function OnSuccess(response) {
    var xmlDoc = $.parseXML(response.d);
    var xml = $(xmlDoc);
    pageCount = parseInt(xml.find("PageCount").eq(0).find("PageCount").text());
    var customers = xml.find("Customers");
    $("[id$=GridView_MyCustomers] .loader").remove();
    customers.each(function () {
        var customer = $(this);
        var row = $("[id$=GridView_MyCustomers] tr").eq(0).clone(true);
        $(".ID", row).html(customer.find("id").text());
        $(".Name", row).html(customer.find("customername").text());
        $(".company", row).html(customer.find("company").text());
        $(".email", row).html(customer.find("email").text());
        $(".phone", row).html(customer.find("phone").text());
        $(".address", row).html(customer.find("customeraddress").text());

        $(".projeng", row).val(customer.find("usproengineer").text()).change(); //does not work

        $(".regdate", row).html(customer.find("registrationdate").text());
        $(".payterms", row).html(customer.find("paymentterms").text());
        $(".country", row).html(customer.find("country").text());
        $("[id$=GridView_MyCustomers]").append(row);
    });

    //Hide Loader
    $("#loader").hide();
}

 <%--My Customers«e¥x¬É±--%>

My Customers

     <asp:LinkButton ID="jqlbtn_8" runat="server" OnClick="lbtn_MyCustomers_Click" CssClass="linkbutton-customer"
         >My Customers</asp:LinkButton>

        <asp:Button ID="export_customer" runat="server" Width="150px" Height="25px"
            Text="Export Customer List" onclick="export_customer_Click" />

     <input id="hidden_8" type="hidden" runat="server" value="0" />
     <asp:Button ID="btPrev" runat="server" Text="<-" />
     <asp:Button ID="btNext" runat="server" Text="->" onclick="btNext_Click" />

     <asp:GridView ID="GridView_MyCustomers" runat="server" AllowSorting="true"  OnSorting="Customer_Sorting"
        AutoGenerateColumns="False" CssClass="GridViewStyle"
        onrowdatabound="GridView_MyCustomers_RowDataBound" DataKeyNames="usproengineer" OnPageIndexChanging="GridView_MyCustomers_PageIndexChanging"
        onrowdeleting="lbtn_CustomerDelete"
              PageSize="500" >
      <Columns>
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="ID" DataField="id" ItemStyle-CssClass="ID" />
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Contact" DataField="customername"  SortExpression="customername" ItemStyle-CssClass="Name" />
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Company" DataField="company"  SortExpression="company" ItemStyle-CssClass="company" />
        <asp:templateField HeaderText="Email" SortExpression="Email" ItemStyle-CssClass="email">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:LinkButton ID="lbtn_customeremail" runat="server" OnClick="lbtn_customeremail_Click" Text='<%#Eval("email") %>'
                   ></asp:LinkButton>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:templateField>
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Phone" DataField="phone" ItemStyle-CssClass="phone"/>
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Address" DataField="customeraddress" ItemStyle-CssClass="address"
              ItemStyle-Width="150px" >
            <ItemStyle Width="150px"></ItemStyle>
          </asp:BoundField>
        <asp:templateField HeaderText="US Project Manager" ItemStyle-CssClass="projeng">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:DropDownList ID="ddl_customerproeng" runat="server" OnSelectedIndexChanged="customerproeng_SelectedIndexChanged"
                     AutoPostBack="true">
                </asp:DropDownList>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:templateField>
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Registration Date" DataField="registrationdate" ItemStyle-CssClass="regdate"/>
        <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Note" DataField="paymentterms" ItemStyle-CssClass="payterms"
              ItemStyle-Width="150px" >
                <ItemStyle Width="150px"></ItemStyle>
          </asp:BoundField>
        <asp:TemplateField HeaderText="Delete">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:LinkButton ID="lbtn_customerdelete" runat="server" CommandName="Delete" OnClientClick="{if(confirm('Are you sure to delete this customer?')){ return true;}return false;}" Text="Delete"></asp:LinkButton>
            </ItemTemplate>
       </asp:TemplateField>
       <asp:TemplateField Visible="false" HeaderText="?吼country" ItemStyle-CssClass="country">
            <ItemTemplate>
                <asp:Label runat="server" ID="lbl_country" ReadOnly="True" Text='<%#Eval("country") %>'></asp:Label>
            </ItemTemplate>
        </asp:TemplateField>
    </Columns>
    <RowStyle CssClass="RowStyle" />
    <FooterStyle CssClass="FooterStyle" />
    <PagerStyle CssClass="PagerStyle" HorizontalAlign="Center" />
    <SelectedRowStyle CssClass="SelectedRowStyle" />
    <HeaderStyle CssClass="HeaderStyle" />
    <EditRowStyle CssClass="EditRowStyle" />
    <AlternatingRowStyle CssClass="AltRowStyle" />
 </asp:GridView>

I should add: In my debugging and debugging.  I can see the value change in the DOM, and it seems that row's cell does have the correct value, that gets appended into the grid.  But it still does not show on the screen, and still says the wrong person selected in the drop down in the end.

A: Your class $(".projeng", ...) isn't on the dropdownlist, it's on the template. Try moving the class to the ddl first.
To select a dropdown item by text you can try this:
$("#ddl_customerproeng option").filter(function() {
    return ($(this).text() == "the text"); // does current option's text = "the text"?
}).prop("selected", true); // select the option.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The head of Bangladesh's central bank, Atiur Rahman, has resigned after cyber-thieves stole more than $100m from the country's foreign currency reserves.
To commit the attack, the gang spent time studying the internal processes of Bangladesh's central bank, so they could convincingly pose as officials when requesting the transfers.
However, the sheer number of transactions and a spelling mistake helped alert bank staff to the theft.
An incredible story. Even more so because it emerged that unknown hackers had stolen the money from the Bangladesh's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Older PostIf not monetary policy, then what?


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Pyramiden, Spitsbergen
A ghost town on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, that used to be the remote settlement surrounding the Russian coal mine of the same name. Abandoned in 1998, the place is now a time capsule of "USSR-ness", including the world's northernmost Lenin bust and various other relics of the Soviet era. The location and glacial backdrop are unique too. Independent travel to this remote place is theoretically possible, but adventurous and restricted. However, in the summer season you can go quite comfortably on regular, organized boat excursions from Longyearbyen, which include a guided tour on the ground that takes visitors around this most magical Arctic ghost town for a good two hours or so. An outstanding experience!
More background info: Don't be fooled by the name: Pyramiden (or "Piramida", if transliterated from the Russian) has nothing at all to do with ancient Egyptian architectural monuments, but takes its name simply from the shape of the mountain it is located next to. What's inside this mountain also provided the reason for a settlement to be built here in the first place: coal mining.
Pyramiden was one of those Soviet coal mining communities that Norway (under whose sovereignty Svalbard is) allowed the Russians to maintain here, as agreed under the Spitsbergen Treaty of 1920. A Swedish company was there first but was soon bought out by the Soviet Union. Unlike the other big Russian mining town Barentsburg (see under Svalbard) Pyramiden escaped destruction by the Germans in WWII, and in the post-war years was further developed into the most important place of its kind in the whole archipelago.
During the Cold War, the Soviets turned their outposts on Svalbard into socialist "model villages". Well-funded by the Kremlin, Pyramiden was regarded as the most splendid of them all. During its heyday more than a thousand inhabitants populated this enclave and enjoyed all manner of privileges and wages way above average compared to the Soviet mainland.
After the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, this level of support largely ended too, since the propagandistic value of keeping such an outpost going had diminished as much as the funds had. At the same time, coal mining at Pyramiden became less and less economically viable too so the place was doomed.
In 1998, the state-owned ex-Soviet, now Russian coal mining company Arktikugol ('Arctic Coal') gave up Pyramiden for good. The settlement was quickly abandoned, leaving behind the empty ghost town of today. It is still under Russian lease though.
Over the two decades or so since its closure, empty Pyramiden became an increasingly popular destination for curious tourists, however. And trips to this mysterious ghost town are now a regular fixture amongst the offerings of tour operators in Svalbard.
Indeed, travellers' interest in Pyramiden prompted the Russians to consider developing the town more for tourism and for this reason it even has a few permanent residents again. The former hotel of the town is said to be under refurbishment and may reopen at some point. Already you can visit the bar and have a (cheap) Russky vodka in front of a Russian flag and all manner of other Russian-ness. [UPDATE: the hotel has meanwhile indeed opened, so you can now stay overnight if you so wish, though I presume you will be either bound to stay indoors, due to the risk of encountering polar bears outside, or, as in the rest of Svalbard, will have to have your own bear-grade gun and proof that you know how to use it!]
What there is to see: The mining ghost town of Pyramiden is without any doubt one of the most intriguing places of this type in Europe. Not only is it an abandoned place, its location is also extremely remote and at the same time incredibly scenic given the glacial backdrop.
The mine itself is unusual, by the way, in that the actual coal mine shafts enter the mountain high up on the slope more than halfway towards the summit. This explains the curious structures going up the mountainside diagonally like some kind of covered funicular – which it basically is – to reach the actual mine shaft entrances. The whole set-up looks very surreal, almost sci-fi-like.
You can see this iconic diagonal structure on the mountain from afar as you approach the place by boat. As you get closer you can make out houses and the harbour pier. The latter still has the huge coal-loading bridge, now slowly rusting away. Further north stands the former power station for the town and mine, now silent. On the pier there is the first Soviet-style marker spelling out the name of the place in Cyrillic. Also on the pier there are a couple of blue containers with windows – these are for temporary lodging … some hardened adventurers can rent bunk beds here (see below).
If you are on an organized day return tour, like most visitors to this remote place, then you will be met at the pier by a Russian guide and a small bus. The latter is needed to take you into the town itself, which is quite a distance from the pier.
The first stop is by the much-photographed memorial stele near the edge of town. This spells the name out in both Cyrillic and Latin script and at its base stands a coal trolley containing what the Russian inscription on the side claims is the very last load of a ton of coal extracted at Pyramiden on 31 March 1998 just before the mine was closed for good.
Then you are walked into the ghost town proper. The first highlight is that famous Lenin bust in the square in front of the sports and cultural centre. Our guide, too young to possibly have many active memories of the USSR himself, quipped: "I want you to meet my old friend Vladimir!"
This is no ordinary Lenin bust – it is the world's northernmost … the very furthest outpost of Marxist-Leninist communism, at least symbolically speaking. In the vicinity of the great old man's head are also some more examples of old-style Soviet symbolism, hammer and sickle and all. And one big "Arktikugol Spitsbergen" sign with a polar bear on top proudly proclaims the location as 79 degrees north (well, it's nearly correct, just not quite).
The next – and in my memory the best – highlight is entering the former cultural centre. This is an urban-explorer-cum-Soviet-relic-hunter's paradise. I loved it. There were old socialist realist propaganda posters, garish but now crumbling 1970s style decorations, balalaikas on the wood-panelled walls, as well as photos from the glory days, when theatre and concert performances were a regular treat for the inhabitants. Now the grand piano on the stage of the main auditorium stands silent and forlorn on the empty stage in front of empty seats. You will have guessed it: this is the world's northernmost grand piano!
Poking around in the deserted rooms upstairs more relics from the olden days could be found amongst the dead plants and general rubble. For instance I found some photos and magazines celebrating the first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (after whom the centre was named). Very endearing was also an old sign praising the good neighbourly relations of the USSR with the Norwegians.
I could have spent hours in this building alone. But after only ca. 20 minutes or so, we were hastily ushered outside again by the guide to continue the tour. Now walking back along the main square/street towards the sea we passed several old-style buildings of decidedly Russian character … these could have been in Siberia, or indeed anywhere in Russia. Other buildings, in contrast, could have been just anywhere in the world. These are the more modern three- or four-storey former residential apartment blocks. And these are pretty faceless – except for the odd feature that all the four corners of the outside walls are rounded. That's because of the frequent high winds in these parts, so it was explained to us.
The exteriors of most of the buildings of the former settlement look remarkably intact, by the way. This is probably due to the fact that decay is slow in these Arctic climatic conditions. You also notice that all the houses are built on stilts, i.e. they do not otherwise touch the ground. This is because of the permafrost: if the buildings were built straight on the ground rather than on these stilts that are driven deep into it, then the heating coming from the houses would slowly melt the frozen soil below and they would eventually disappear into the ground …
The residential apartment blocks are as empty as almost all other buildings here too – but the windows have new occupants: hundreds of seagulls who use the windowsills for nesting. At the time of my visit (1 August 2012) many of the chicks were just about ready to start flying, flapping their wings in preparatory practice … younger ones just poked their head out of the nest or were being fed by their parents. Avian family life in an otherwise lifeless place.
What would have been a centre of social life for the human inhabitants of Pyramiden in its active days is the former canteen, which was the next port of call on the guided tour. Again, the place was full of wonderful discoveries to be made: from the large Arctic-themed mosaic in the central staircase to the empty food counters or the huge abandoned ex-kitchen.
Finally the group is led to the only place where there still is life in this ghost town: the Pyramiden Hotel, which is where the current few residents looking after the place live. It also functions as a post office – tourists can send postcards with Russian stamps from here.
On the ground floor is also the bar – which is possibly the liveliest, no: the only lively spot in Pyramiden today. You can buy relatively cheap drinks here (compared to Norwegian price-levels everything here was certainly a bargain) such as Russian vodka or international-brand beers etc. and also a few snacks and sweets. Some typically Russian souvenirs were on offer too, including the unavoidable matryoshka dolls. The national flag of Russia was flying at the bar as well!
In the rooms behind the bar area is a stuffy old museum of sorts that visitors can freely wander around in. It mostly contains collages of faded photos from the great old Soviet glory days of the mine, but also a few stuffed animals, including, predictably, a polar bear.
Far less predictable was something that was actually still alive – it was pointed out to me by one of the Russians who was standing at the bar when we got there. He took me to a secluded corner-window of the room and there it was: surely the world's northernmost tomato plant. It was bearing exactly one red ripe tomato fruit. Like some last beacon of the communist endeavour in this forlorn outpost … – holding up the Soviet colour against the stream of history …
Then it was time to leave, and we went outside again with cheeks still glowing from all this endearing weirdness … or maybe just from the heating indoors being cranked up so high. Russians do like it overheated!
The bus then took the visitor group back to the pier and soon we were sailing off again leaving Pyramiden behind as we headed towards Nordenskjøld glacier (see below).
All in all: in my memory Pyramiden ranks as one of the coolest places I have ever been to – a definite highlight of all the travels I undertook that year (and there were some serious contenders in that year such as Uyuni, Chacabuco or the Titan Missile silo!). No doubt, it is quite an extreme destination and not at all cheap to get to. But I found it was worth every penny.
Location: a good 30 miles (50 km) up the Isfjorden and Billefjorden bay north of Longyearbyen, at roughly 79 degrees north (!), on Spitsbergen, Svalbard.
Google maps locator:[78.67,16.42]
Access and costs: very remote indeed, but regular boat tours to the place are offered during the summer season from Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Otherwise it's an adventure getting there overland. Either way not cheap.
Details: There are tour operators on Spitsbergen that regularly offer excursions to Pyramiden, even ones including overnight stays in the place, but that's much more the exception than the rule.
Otherwise, and most comfortably, you can go on a day return excursion by boat from Longyearbyen in the summer season (see Svalbard). The ca. ten-hour trip also takes in the bluish icy glacier front of the Nordenskjøldbreen. When I went in August 2012, I did so with the MS "Polar Girl" operated by Polar Charter – and booked through Spitsbergen Travel. The cost for the trip is currently (as of 2019) 1800 NOK per person, including pick-up and drop-off at your hotel/guest house, the English-language guided tour in Pyramiden, plus another Russian but English-speaking guide accompanying the group on the boat pointing out various things to look out for on the way … oh, and also included is a warm lunch on board. There's also a bar in the saloon on the boat, but drinks are not included in the price. You don't have to buy anything, though, and can use this indoor seating area simply for warming up. By the way: you'll need warm and preferably waterproof clothing, a warm hat and good boots, not just for being on deck but also for Pyramiden itself!
Note also that these trips take place only on about three days of the week, so check ahead to co-ordinate it with other activities and excursions while in Svalbard.
Incidentally: if for an alternate day you book the boat tour to Barentsburg (see Svalbard) with the same company, then you may qualify for a discount – we got 300 NOK off the second trip per person (in 2012). In any case it is advisable to book well in advance especially if you do not have much flexibility with your time. Tours may be booked up early – or not run at all because there aren't enough takers (12 is officially the minimum number) or if the weather doesn't allow it.
Longer trips to Pyramiden can also be made by snowmobile when snow and ice conditions allow for it (i.e. not in summer). Now that the hotel has opened, there's even relatively comfortable accommodation to he had here (recently renovated en-suite rooms and also more rustic old Soviet-era rooms with shared facilities). More basic bunk-bed accommodation is also provided for by those blue containers by the pier and places can be booked as part of such overnighting trips or independently, if you have a group of your own. While the bunks as such may be comparatively affordable, the whole package including transport and guiding is anything but cheap. Prices I found quoted included a 1250 EUR per person package for a three-day excursion to Pyramiden from Longyearbyen … (that is: on top of the significant travel and accommodation costs incurred there).
In theory there's nothing to stop you making your own way to Pyramiden – provided you have the means (most likely a boat, or, in winter, snowmobile) and the prescribed armament: for any independent excursion beyond Longyearbyen you need to have a suitable large-calibre rifle that you know how to use, and you have to have this officially approved by the governor's office.
However, such an individual adventure is hardly advisable. Polar bears are a much greater danger in the built-up environs of such a ghost town where they cannot necessarily be spotted from a distance (and they have been reported to occasionally poke around inside Pyramiden's buildings too, and one even broke into the hotel bar). Many of the decaying buildings themselves also pose risks as they may be structurally unsafe – and there is apparently no liability insurance to cover you, neither on the part of the Arktikugol company nor the Russian or Norwegian governments, if you simply go on your own.
You are not allowed to enter any buildings of your own accord anyway. And some vandalism that has occurred in recent years further underscores why that has to be so. So unless you are a) an experienced Arctic explorer with a big gun and no fear of polar bears, and b) are willing to poke around on your own and thus go against the wishes of the Russian owners (and the few residents there), then you will have to go on one of those organized tours described above. Most tourists will anyway. These last few paragraphs are just meant as a word of caution for the more adventurously minded.
Time required: The regular boat tours last ca. ten hours, with ca. two to three hours spent actually in Pyramiden town. Overland trips by snowmobile take significantly longer, of course, and even require overnight stopovers. But that way you may be able to explore this fantastic place in more detail than on the regular guided tour by boat.
Combinations with other dark destinations: the other large Russian mining town on Svalbard is Barentsburg, and the same companies offering Pyramiden tours also go there as part of a different excursion. You can also get there independently, in theory, and even stay over in its hotel/guest house. Unlike Pyramiden, Barentsburg is not (yet) a ghost town, although its population is also drastically down from what it used to be and continues to shrink. The place too features a Lenin bust and various relics of socialist realism propaganda from the Soviet days – though it can't quite compete with Pyramiden for atmosphere. For more see under Svalbard.
Combinations with non-dark destinations: in general see under Svalbard – the regular boat trips to Pyramiden also include a dip further north still, namely to the front of the Nordenskjøld glacier, which is a cool sight as well … cool in more than one way, in fact! Not only is the blue wall of ice a mesmerizing sight to behold. At almost 80 degrees north this is also probably the northernmost that any regular tourist will ever be able to go … beyond lies truly Arctic expedition territory, out of the reach of tourism proper (other than those extreme Arctic "cruises", one of which even goes to the North Pole itself – see under Murmansk!)
In the fjord's northern end, in and around the waters by the glacier, you also get a good chance to spot some wildlife – we saw bearded seals (the largest in the northern hemisphere), spotted seals, and plenty of birds … but neither killer whales nor polar bears.
Speaking of polar bears … many people wish they might see one or two of these mighty beasts of the Arctic on such a trip. Don't! The guides carry guns for a reason! No close encounter with a polar bear is ever a good thing, for either side – see under Svalbard! In fact, it absolutely has to be avoided. When I was in Pyramiden, they said that two polar bears had been sighted only a few miles away the day before, and that was just about deemed safe enough. However, the manager of the boat charter company that I got talking to on the way back said that there had recently been a tour that couldn't even land in Pyramiden, because two polar bears paraded up and down the very road that tourist groups have to take to get from the harbour pier to the town. And the operators wouldn't take the risk. So the boat had to return.
So – if you're after seeing Pyramiden, then wish for the absence of polar bears. And if you really want to see polar bears in the wild, then rather travel to Canada instead – there are special polar bear safaris offered from Churchill on the Hudson Bay.
Pyramiden 01 - seen from the fjord
Pyramiden 02 - arrival at the pier
Pyramiden 03 - map
Pyramiden 04 - first sign by the pier
Pyramiden 05 - main marker
Pyramiden 06 - the last batch of coal mined
Pyramiden 07 - the coal mine
Pyramiden 08 - near the top of the hill
Pyramiden 09 - derelict
Pyramiden 10 - old mine entrance
Pyramiden 11 - fitting for a ghost town
Pyramiden 12 - the northernmost Lenin bust in the world
Pyramiden 13 - armed guard looking out for polar bears
Pyramiden 14 - in the old cultural centre
Pyramiden 15 - glory days
Pyramiden 16 - abandoned most northern grand piano
Pyramiden 17 - good old neigh-bear-ly relations
Pyramiden 18 - past glories of the Soviet era
Pyramiden 19 - this plant has not been watered in a long while
Pyramiden 20 - empty buildings, derelict mine
Pyramiden 21 - bear territory at 79 degrees north
Pyramiden 22 - glacial backdrop
Pyramiden 23 - old apartment blocks only inhabited by seagulls these days
Pyramiden 24 - nesting seagulls
Pyramiden 25 - crumbling
Pyramiden 26 - former canteen
Pyramiden 27 - no more food
Pyramiden 28 - the kitchen remains cold
Pyramiden 29 - but the bar is open and operational
Pyramiden 30 - a pocket of Russia with cheap booze
Pyramiden 31 - the northernmost tomato plant in the world
Pyramiden 32 - old museum next to the bar
Pyramiden 33 - back at the pier
Pyramiden 34 - departure


Morning Pete, Morning all, the weather here in Wiltshire is back to CRAP once again !!
Cold here too. and Drals gone round the house switchin heaters off. Justturned em all back on again.
Danny.. cold in Cyprus?? I don't believe ya!
Weather is crap here too.
You'll be glad to hear that i've got another job now, driving for my uncle. Luckily my dad works for him, so have to go to their work place tomorrow to sort of the wages etc.
I thought for a while that i might have to get rid of the scooby. Thank god i don't.
I know, its poo. Darla reconed it was hot but it wasnt.
Luckily for me as well, this job is weekly pay as well, which is what i prefer.


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May 5, 2014 By Jeevan Thomas
Glastonbury & Lo, and Painting weds sounds
Glastonbury 2013: For music buffs, I update two tidings, one sad mixed with one really good. Glastonbury 2013 is under way. For those who have not heard about Glastonbury for the first time, I would like to spare the Wikipedia break by simply explaining it:
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is a festival of music, dance, circus, theatre and other arts, being held. Also called Pilton Festival, it is being held in the open space, often relying on the weather forecast.
Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis said he believes the weather, combined with the line-up, means this year's festival will be "unusually good". "The whole thing is fantastic," the 77-year-old farmer said. "There are 1,000 acres of creativity on a massive scale and to a very, very high standard. You won't see anything else like this in the whole world."
The festival takes cue from the Hippie living culture: travelling with not any purpose about where to, pitching tents, and submitting themselves to the life of music and arts. But the flamboyant, nonchalant spirit of the festival has been lost, it the hippie format leaving space for corporate takeover. Paul Weller, Musician and lyricist decried the abandonment of the hippie culture and how 'it became a perfect cultural barometer for British culture'
So the tents being pitched as part of the festival might be a post-modern exhibitionism of the hippie past, while it remains a space for corporate profit-mongers who decide the terms of contemporary culture.
To read more about the corporate takeover of the festival, visit http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2002/06/33350.html
How can frames be rendered to tones
Richard Egarr is a British keyboard performer, a virtuoso in harpsichord and fortepiano. With a discography of around 30 titles, his range extends from the European classical tradition. Some of his singular performance can be enjoyed at https://myspace.com/richardegarr. He is the director of the Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) which is committed to energizing baroque and classical music, which speaks volumes about his classical orientation (visit http://www.aam.co.uk/#/who-we-are/directors-soloists/richard-egarr.aspx).
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer is a Dutch painter who is noted for sketching the interior of Dutch Middle Class homes. He was born in 1632 and dies in 1675. Among his most celebrated paintings are the ones touching music: Guitar player and Woman seated at a virginal.
What attracted Richard Egarr to Vermeer is the time in which the latter lived. Egarr says: 'The first half of the 17th century saw the dense, complex contrapuntal works by the 16th century composers such as Palestrina', which, 'gave way to an expressive and freer art form, music based on single clear lines with a highly emotional impact.'
Egarr ventures out to render the music depicted in Vermeer's paintings to life. According to Guardian: 'Music from instruments such as the harpsichord, viola da gamba and violin will echo around the rooms of the National Gallery's Sainsbury wing to add atmosphere to a new exhibition exploring the importance of music in 17th-century Dutch art and society.' Egarr says: 'Period performance means using instruments as close as possible to the period when the music was written. With them we aim to create a sound as near as we can get to that which the composer would have heard, but what's more important is the sensibility of the time – the freedom. This music has to be passionate and free, and that is what we hope to convey as we play in the gallery alongside these Vermeers.'
To read more visit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/jun/25/national-gallery-vermeer-show-music
And http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/jun/26/vermeer-academy-ancient-musi…
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NORMAN – Oklahoma men's golf head coach Ryan Hybl and Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione announced the Sooners' 2018-19 tournament schedule on Thursday.
For the fifth straight season, the Sooners open their fall slate at the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Aug. 31-Sept. 2. OU heads back to the Gopher Invitational on Sept. 10-11 looking for their third title in the last four years at the event.
OU will look to defend its Nike Collegiate Invitational championship as it travels to Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 1-3, at Colonial Country Club.
The Sooners will match up with the rest of the conference for the inaugural Big 12 Match Play Championship. The three-day event will take place at The Golf Club at Houston Oaks, Oct. 12-14.
To wrap up their fall slate, the Sooners will travel to the Ka'anapoli Classic in Maui, Hawaii which runs Nov. 2-4. OU last played in the event in 2016.
OU begins its spring schedule at the Puerto Rico Classic on Feb. 17-19 at the Rio Mar River Course in Rio Mar, P.R. The Sooners finished as the runner-up at the event last season.
The Sooners' spring slate includes a trip to Las Vegas, Nev., for the highly competitive Southern Highlands Collegiate, March 3-5. OU will also compete at the N.I.T. at Omni Tucson National on March 18-19 in Tucson, Ariz.
The Sooners head out west and look to repeat as champions at The Goodwin in Palo Alto, Calif., March 28-30, before wrapping up their spring schedule at the Boilermaker Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind., on April 13-14.
The 2019 Big 12 Championship will be played April 26-28 at The Greenbriar in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. The Sooners won the postseason crown last season at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., claiming their first Big 12 title under Hybl.
The 2019 NCAA Championships will run May 24-29 at the Blessings Course in Fayetteville, Ark. OU advanced to the match play competition for the third consecutive at last year's NCAA Championship at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla.


I like the word "intention" better than "resolution." It implies something to work toward, move toward, rather than something at which you either succeed or fail.
Find an agent; find a publisher; deliver a manuscript worth publishing, worth reading.