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These notes were updated following The Developing Group 5 August 2006
Using Symbolic Modelling as a
Research and Interview Tool
Penny Tompkins and James Lawley
Our aims are fourfold:
To collect a summary of existing research/interviewing projects that use Symbolic Modelling
To simulate the Minewater Project research as a context for learning
To self-model how facilitators use Symbolic Modelling to research/interview
To document the adjustment to the Clean Language protocols required for research/interviewing
We aim to learn from those who have already used Symbolic Modelling as a research/interviewing tool, and widen our appreciation of the various ways in which we can use Symbolic Modelling.
The following notes are in five parts:
1. Examples of Symbolic Modelling as a Research and Interviewing Tool
2. The Role of Symbolic Modelling in the Minewater Project
3. Learning from Developing Group Day
4. Appendix A: Background to the Minewater Project
5. Appendix B: Proposal - Towards a new mental model for sustainability
Below are some of the projects where people have used Symbolic Modelling and/or Clean Language as a method for conducting research and/or interviewing.
The common threads among these projects are:
To gather information 'cleanly' about the subjective experience of individuals and groups.
In some cases, to pay particular attention to the metaphors and symbolic representations of those interviewed.
To use and publish the information gathered with an intention to represent 'what is' without an intention to change the minds of the original interviewees (of course the interviewees may be changed by the experience, but that is not the intention).
RESEARCH INTERVIEWING
Kath Lowery and Nancy Doyle have identified ways to utilise a Clean Language approach within qualitative interviews. They are also looking to progress the potential of Clean Language as a tool to unbiasedly enrich data within qualitative interviewing. Kath is currently undertaking a research project to Evaluate the Impact of Home Treatment for Older People with Mental Health Problems. The qualitative arm of the project is to explore the experiences of a range of people - be it health, social care and service users - as well as close carers within the home treatment team. The interviews will be analysed both for their original purpose and with a secondary outcome to assess the impact of Clean Language.
Martin Snoddon has been using Clean Language in a variety of situations through his work as the Centre Director of the Conflict Trauma Resource Centre in Belfast. Two examples of him using Clean Language as a research interview tool are:
Research into the experiences of former members of the British Army. This research included 4 workshops where on each occasion upwards of 20 participants attended. It also included 12 individual interviews. During both the workshops and the interviews CLQ's (developing and moving time) were used to positive effect both acknowledging what had been said and to elicit more information. They also proved extremely useful when identifying the desired outcomes of the group and for developing a service model. The result was published as 'Legacy of War: Experiences of Members of the Ulster Defence Regiment" (CTRC, Nov. 2005)
Current research into the legacy of violent conflict on a small community in north Belfast. To date there has been one workshop with a group of women, and two individual interviews with leading male community activists. I have no doubt that CLQ's will continue to be a part of this process as it unfolds over the coming months.
ROLE DEFINITION & SKILL ANALYSIS
James Lawley, Louise Oram and Laura Ewing conducted a study into the role of Clinical Program Directors (CPDs) in a large pharmaceutical company in 2003. Each CPD headed a multi-national project team in the development and implementation of a strategic and operational plan for clinical trials, the approvals process and the launch of a new drug. The research investigated how CPDs actually achieve their function and identified the main skill-set needed to perform the job well. The research involved using Clean Language as the primary methodology to interview 15 people in three groups: 4 Vice Presidents, 5 CPDs, and 6 others involved in clinical development in both the US and UK.
Stefan Ouboter, Phil Swallow and others conducted interviews using Symbolic Modelling to gather information for a European Union funded project in 2006. Two ex-mining communities (one in Holland and one in Scotland) were selected as pilots to examine the social and economic viability and environmental effects of extracting geothermal energy from the water in former mines such that it can be used for district heating and cooling of residential and commercial areas. The Minewater Project will enable those involved to express their subjective experience so that these expressions have a place in the communication process and implementation plan. Symbolic Modelling was used in three ways:
Through interviewing key local people and focusing on their symbols (both conceptual and physical) a mapping of symbolic landscapes of the local community can be produced. Similarly the subjective experiences of initiators and managers of the Minewater project can be identified.
By sharing the symbolic landscapes of the local community and the initiators of the project, they can recognise the harmonic elements and the tensions in the network of symbols.
By blending the symbolic landscapes and adapting them to the mutual benefit of all involved parties these can be incorporated into the communication and implementation plans.
DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP RESEARCH
Wendy Sullivan has modelled clinicians with excellent doctor-patient relationships. As part of the project she interviewed each doctor and elicited a metaphor for the way they relate to their patients. When the clinicians were brought together they were invited to share metaphors and 'to try each other's on for size' and to agree on the common elements of their metaphors. One senior consulting physician was so pleased with the aptness of the metaphor that he immediately introduced it into his training of student doctors. www.cleanchangecompany.com
Sally Vanson has used Clean Language in her research to discover the perceptions of managers who get promoted very quickly to senior positions. www.theperformancesolution.com
Dee Berridge used Symbolic Modelling (among other modelling methodologies) to conduct interviews and construct a model of how public relation consultants gather information from the client, create solutions, and deliver solutions.
OTHER KINDS OF INTERVIEWS
Clean Language has been used as a recruitment interview method to find a fit between employers and potential employees by both Louise Oram and Dan Rundle. Louise has been involved in senior manager recruitment in the pharmaceutical industry and Dan in the social services sector.
Interviews by Health Workers
James Lawley and Penny Tompkins in 1996 taught nurses how to use Clean Language to interview Multiple Sclerosis patients so that the patients were able to describe the sometimes bizarre nature of their symptoms with metaphor. The nurses were surprised at just how relieved the patients felt when they could explain their symptoms in this way. Some patients said it was the first time they felt someone had really understood their illness.
Dr. Sheila Stacey uses patient's metaphors to save time and build rapport. Sheila waits for a patient to use a metaphor that sums up what the problem is like for them. She then uses their metaphor as a shorthand description in future consultations allowing her to make maximum use of the limited time available. Sheila also uses patients' metaphors to explain the effects that treatment methods will have on their illness.
Police Interviewing
The South Yorkshire Police Constabulary established a programme for training 80 of their officers in the specialised interviewing of vulnerable witnesses. This 2002 programme included training by Caitlin Walker in how to use Clean Language as a respectful and lawful way to gather information. www.trainingattention.co.uk
Chuck Holbink teaches Statement Analysis to policemen in the US. He says that "during interviews interviewers must obtain the 'pure version'. This means removing the main contaminant, which is the interviewer. In other words, you want the subject's exact words and you don't want your words contaminating their statement." Part of his method is to use Clean Language questions.
Journalist Interviews
Judy Rees in England and Francis Colnot in France have made use of Clean Language during their interviews as journalists.
Postscript (more resources):
Another article on Clean Language interviewing (2012) cleanlanguage.co.uk/articles/articles/317/
Video of a Clean Language Interview (2015) vimeo.com/174103094
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_language_interviewing
Adapted from reports written by Stefan Ouboter.
See Appendix A for an overview of the Minewater project
The place of the Innovative Communication in the overall project
The minewater project has the ambition to deliver a working minewater heating system.
Many people are involved in this new energy transition, all having their own perceptions about energy, their own priorities and their own expectations based on their own experiences. In the Minewater project it is assumed that when the initiators of the projects know the values and symbols of the community, they can incorporate them into the implementation of the project and the project will better serve the local society.
The Minewater project is divided in work packages. Most of the work packages are of a technical nature: a technical feasibility study and the technical design of the system. Other work packages are focussed on the environmental aspects, legislative issues, etc. Last but not least is the design of a management system and marketing plan for the energy supply system.
The innovative approach to community communication is defined as a specific work package that has to be connected on a continuous basis to two tasks of the overall Project Management Office: the communication strategy of the project and the dissemination of results of the two pilots. The first steps are two deliverables: the stakeholder analysis and the marketing plan.
The essence of this work package is the definition and demonstration of an innovative communication strategy based on the experiences in the pilots of the Minewater project. This communication is innovative because it takes into account the thoughts, ideas, feelings, frustrations fears and pride of the mineworkers communities, where more traditional communications strategies are based on non-personal information exchange and rational negotiations with stakeholder groups. One of the deliverables of this work package is a booklet with the working title: 'Past, present & future of the energy in Mining communities'.
This work, carried out within the Minewater project by Stefan Ouboter will address several methodological questions:
What kind of questions do we ask the community when we want to learn about things that are important for them?
We intend to use the clean language model, but how do we adapt the questions in order to use them for this purpose?
Our idea is to interview people that are 'network hubs', expecting them to know about the perceptions of community groups, but how do we know that the perceptions of those being interviewed are representative of the community?
How do we analyse the data (symbols, values, criteria, experiences, etc.) in such a way that the results can be inputted into the communication process and the design of the new energy system?
How does the whole approach of assessing the subjective experiences of the community (from beginning to end) be described as a model that can be used by other minewater projects?
Communication issues in the minewater project
1. Many different stakeholders are involved on several levels:
The Initiators (5 Partners):
- Local councils
- Technical experts
People from the local community:
- Potential consumers
- Potential direct beneficiaries (operators, employees, local commerce)
- The European Union (part sponsor)
- Private investors
- Energy supply companies
- Interested observers (other mining communities, universities, environmental agencies, etc.)
[Note from PT & JL: The environment could be considered as a stakeholder and some people allocated to be its advocate.]
The minewater project encounters a number of major issues:
a. Private investors are reluctant to invest in this system because of long time scales for return on investments and the fact that this kind of energy has a limited amount of options for delivery, and thus business opportunities.
b. Some stakeholders involved in energy supply may see the project as business competition.
c. The new systems will have to reach a minimum volume to become viable. Only when whole areas are connected can the system work. This means people in these areas cannot choose individually. New built areas are believed to be more suitable than adapting old areas.
d. Consumers may be scared away by experiences in the 1970's with community central heating systems.
e. Mining communities were monocultures, with the mines as a focal point in economic, social and even family life. When coal was exchanged for oil in a period of only a decade, workers lost their jobs, families lost their income, people lost their pride and positive perspectives of their future. Now, some decades after the closure of the mines this trauma is still tangible in many mining communities. The effects of the trauma could lead to an initial negative attitude toward the minewater heating system.
General approach towards community issues in the Minewater project
On the other hand, a successful Minewater project could help to reframe and heal the negative experiences of the past with a positive perspective of the future. To do so the project needs knowledge about the mental perceptions on a community level.
Apart from the regular communication activities needed in a large scale technical project like providing information, presentation of arguments that lead to clear decisions, and responding to the questions of the people involved, a major component of the Minewater project is that the project's communication should incorporate the subjective experiences of the local community.
Local council representatives have made a list of subjective experiences they expect from people in their communities
recognition of expertise about the mines, location of shafts, quality of the water, etc.
recognition of the identity of the community as a former mineworkers' community and at the same time the search for a new identity
acknowledgement of the pain that was caused by the closure of the mines
acknowledgement of the economic and social problems in the present that are still connected to the history of the mines (unemployment, physical health problems, brownfields, etc.)
the need for new perspectives for the future that do not deny the past and present situation.
The question for the minewater project is how the perceptions that take place in the minds of the local people can respectfully be taken into account in such a technical project. Symbolic Modelling was mentioned in 2003 by Stefan Ouboter as a promising approach (see Appendix B). His company NOK is one of the five project partners. His aim is to produce a model based on the experiences in the two pilots, but applicable to any other comparable situations.
Symbolic Modelling is in its essence a coaching tool, in which people are coached to model their own symbolic landscape, thus meeting their own goals. However, Symbolic Modelling could work for an enterprise like the Minewater project because the desired outcome of the initiators of the project is to incorporate the goals, concerns and expectations of the local communities. The local communities are not against the goals of the Minewater project, but their support is conditional (e.g. 'it should not cost more than traditional heating systems', 'I want control over the heating in my own house', etc.). Other perceptions cannot be dealt with in a rational negotiation process without knowing more about the symbolic landscape that is behind certain remarks (e.g. 'this will never work in a city like Heerlen, because nothing ever works here' or 'it will be the same as before, we are not important')
Incorporating Symbolic Modelling into the Innovative Communication of the Minewater Project
It is presumed that the need for an innovative communication of the Minewater project (let people express their subjective experience and give these expressions a place in the communication process) can be blended with the methodology of Symbolic Modelling in 3 steps:
1. Step one is mapping the symbolic landscapes of the local community and the initiators of the project. Through interviews with key persons of the local communities, focusing on their symbols and asking them what they would like to have happen and proceeding according to the clean language methodology.
From preliminary interviews it is concluded that two type of answers can be expected. Some symbols are conceptual, like the 'comradeship' that former mineworkers in Heerlen experienced in the mines and to which many of them refer to as the ideal of how people should work together; or the 'positive outcome of the business case' that the people from the council of Midlothian mentioned. Other symbols are part of the physical environment, like a monument, a former pit, or the Miners Museum.
The outcome of this step is a symbolic landscape of the local community, which includes stories, photographs, geographical maps, etc. which will be fed back to memebers of the community to gauge the degree of representativeness.
It is essential in this first step that the symbolic landscape of the initiators is also modelled in the belief that the only way to communicate the ins and outs of the project to people who are not directly involved is in a symbolic form (rather than talking the jabberwocky of their technical profession).
2. The second step is to connect the symbolic landscapes of the local community and of the initiators of the Minewater project, mostly authorities, project developers and energy supplying companies. Do they recognise the network of symbols of the local community, the harmonic elements and the tensions in it? And can they implement the most important elements of the symbolic landscape of the local people in their own conceptions of the project?
3. The third step is to utilise the blend(s) of symbolic landscapes, adapting it to the mutual benefits of all involved parties and to anchor it in the implementation. The most obvious aspect of the project where this blend could be explicated is the communication plan. But the implementation plan is even more important so that problems are addressed, monuments are taken care of, key persons of the local community are involved, etc.
Dear Stefan,
We spent the whole of Saturday 5th August simulating the interview stage of the Minewater Project.
Below is a copy of the brief we gave the 'Interviewers' (Proposed Method for Semi-Structured Interviews using Symbolic Modelling). The whole group had the pre-day reading which you have already seen.
In the morning seven participants took on the role of being interviewed with the assumption that the MWP was being implemented in their locality. In the afternoon a different seven were interviewed.
The overall learning from the day is that Symbolic Modelling can be very effective in an interview setting such as that proposed by the Minewater Project. Using Symbolic Modelling (Clean Language, metaphor and modelling) adds an extra dimension to the interview process compared to using Clean Language alone. The benefit is the broader range of information obtained, but it comes at the price of increasing complexity and skill required by the interviewer.
Below are the key points that came out of the day.
Our very best regards to you and your family,
James and Penny
Some of the learning to come out of the day:
- It is very important to set-up and the initial introductions of interviewer and interviewee. Although the interviewees were in role play, they reported that they could not relax into answering questions until the purpose and protocols of the interview had been fully discussed, including addressing any concerns the interviewee may have.
- Many of the interviewers said they felt the need to start with very simple questions that could easily be answered, rather than dive in with 'What would you like to have happen?'.
- Some interviewers who had a nice informal chatty start had some difficulty in moving the interview on to more specific topics.
- Some suggested that rather than you defining the starting point you could say something like "You've read the briefing, what stands out for you about what you've read?"
LENGTH OF INTERVIEW
- The interviews lasted for an hour and many of the groups reported this was not enough time to cover such a wide range of topics, so that either the scope needs to be limited or a second interview would be required.
- We realise you may interview for up to 1.5 hours which would help. However a few of the interviewees who were role playing older people felt that even an hour was quite a long time and that they would feel tired at the end of the interview because of the kinds of questions being asked.
WORKING WITH METAPHOR
- Generally the interviewers were able to gather high-quality information about the topics. But even though they were experienced Symbolic Modellers they struggled to develop metaphors when interviewing in a conversational mode. This seemed to be about (a) the potential for breaking the rapport that had been so carefully established; (b) the resistance/reluctance the facilitator felt at changing from an ordinary conversation to something metaphorical; (c) the need to keep in mind that developing metaphors is part of the interviewer's desired outcome.
- Where metaphors were identified, interviewers were unclear about how far to develop the metaphor. Do you have an idea of how much of a metaphoric description you need? (We suggested to the group that a metaphor has enough of an existence when you can refer to it throughout the interview,)
- We observed that metaphors in ordinary conversation have a very short half life. That is, if you don't refer to them immediately, the moment passes very quickly. Also the interviewer has to be very attentive to his/her questions to increase the chances of getting an answer in metaphor. If the question offers the interviewee the slightest chance of returning to the conceptual, they will, e.g.
Interviewee: "We need to build a bridge between the generations."
Interviewer: " What's important about building a bridge between the generations?"
Interviewee: "Our youth are leaving the community."
The interviewer would have had much more chance of developing the metaphor if they had asked:
Interviewer: "And what kind of bridge is the bridge we need to build?"
- To encourage the interviewee to stay with a metaphor took some persistence by the interviewer and a determination to return to the metaphor even if the interviewee gave conceptual answers. Eventually the interviewee began to 'get it' and answer from the metaphor.
- If an interviewee did not naturally respond to developing questions about a metaphor, then it was suggested that you make your request for a metaphor overt, explaining what a metaphor is if necessary.
- Even though the interviewers knew that sometimes the interviewees were making up the answers, they still had a tendency to get lost in the story and had to stay alert to those metaphors which were being used unconsciously by the interviewee. They also had to keep track of whether the interviewee had answered the particular question asked, no matter how interesting the story.
- You are going to get a mixture of sensory, conceptual and symbolic information. The interviewer needs to decide how much of each type of information they want. And it is particularly valuable when links between all three can be established. Also to remember that an example which sounds sensory and superficial can also be symbolic.
TO THINK ABOUT
- We noted that you will need to be clear about how you are going to handle questions from the interviewee. If they start asking you about the project, how much will you answer? One suggestion was that you tell the interviewee you will answer their questions at the end. (But you would need to plan time to do this.)
- Even though it was role play, several interviewees accessed quite deep emotional states and suggested you have a plan of how to handle such a situation, and potentially what to do if they need further support.
- A strong message from the groups was that you will need to prioritise the information you require so that the most important questions get asked, and if you run out of time it is the less important information that is missed.
POTENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Some suggestions of questions you might consider:
Do you have experience of anything like this project happening before?
(As well as What would you like to have happen?) And what would you like not to happen?
(At the beginning) What would you like this interview to be like?
(Or at the end) What was this interview like?
- A simple question to get sensory question information is "And can you give me an example of ...".
- The use of 'When...' is still important for helping to set the context for the question, even during a conversational interview.
OUR EXTRA OBSERVATIONS
- Unless the interviewer is aware that to a large degree the answers they are getting are a direct consequence of the questions they ask, then they may think that if they are do not get the information they require, it is the fault of the interviewee. (Rather than where and how they are directing the interviewee's attention.)
- When an interviewee had a tendency to describe a very wide range of experiences, sometimes moving from one to another without a pause, the interviewer had to be very clear about their outcome for the interview so they could pick out the relevant bits from all of the interviewee's responses.
- When the interviewer asks the 'Like what?' question of is vital. Generally asking 'Like what?' of something that exists physically gets a look of confusion. Also asking 'Like what?' of a highly abstract concept does not work well either. What did work was asking 'Like what?' when the interviewee couldn't easily find an ordinary answer.
- The interviewer needs to take into account the verbosity of the interviewee. Sometimes just repeating back a few words was enough to prompt the interviewee to launch into another monologue. This is fine if they are giving relevant information. But if they are not or they are repeating themselves the interviewer needs to take more charge of the interview by asking more directed questions and even respectfully interrupting.
Proposed Method for Semi-Structured Interviews using Symbolic Modelling
1. Ask a question to get the interviewee's attention on a relevant topic (CONTEXT).
2. Clean Language questions to develop and expand that information.
3. And to pick up on metaphors/symbols:
If a metaphor is not forthcoming, to ask for one and develop that.
4. Then, either naturally slide into another topic (on the list).
Or, direct attention to another topic when you have enough information.
5. If go outside the context, direct attention back to one of the topics.
Notes for Interviewer
Keep the interview conversational.
Whenever possible:
keep asking 'Is there anything else about...'.
Identify what role the person is taking to answer the question, e.g. parent, potential consumer, local tradesperson, local representative, ex-miner, etc. (PERCEIVER)
Elicit symbols - physical and imaginative. (PERCEIVED)
Explore RELATIONSHIP between symbols of the mind and physical symbols in the locality.
Elicit RELATIONSHIP between the person and project implementation, aim/plan, personnel, etc.
Notes for Observer
Take down questions exactly.
Take down brief notes or just the kind of answer given.
Ask for a time-out if interviews goes outside the remit of the exercise.
Where do you live = town.
How long have you (your family) lived in [town]?
What is, or has been, your job?
1. TOWN/COMMUNITY
What do you think about the physical environment of [town] as a place to live?
How would you sum up your local community?
What local building or monument most sums up your town or it's people,
What is important to you about living in [town]?
Since you've lived in [town], what changes have you noticed?
How have these affected the local people?
What has been important to you personally about those changes?
What are your hopes/aspirations for your town and the people in it?
What would you most like to have happen locally?
What would need to happen for [answer to previous question]?
2. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
What does 'ecological' mean to you?
What is your opinion of what's happening to the local environment?
Do you have any experience of community environmental projects? [eg recycling]
How have you been involved in these projects?
What do you think of them?
Have you done anything personally to be more environmentally friendly?
3. MINEWATER PROJECT (MWP)
What do you know about the Minewater Project?
Is there anything else you would like to know about the Minewater Project?
What do you think people in this town generally think about the MWP?
Who do you think is organising the project?
What, if any, contact have you had with the project organisers?
What is your opinion of how the project has been organised so far?
Do you think it is viable for the mine water to be used as a source of energy for
heating and cooling the town's houses and offices?
If the MWP is fully implemented, what effect will that have on the town?
Is there anything you would like to see happen in relation to the MWP?
How would you like other ex-mine working communities to view the project?
Are you interested in finding out about the progress of the project?
(If 'yes') How would you like the organisers to keep you informed?
Is there anything you'd like to ask me before we finish?
(Extracted from www.minewaterproject.info July 2006)
Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) has brought prosperity and comfort to people across the globe. But today we know that burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The build-up of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere is changing the climate of the whole planet - with potentially devastating consequences. For example, scientists have predicted that the countries of Northern Europe are likely to face hotter summer temperatures, much stormier winters, flooding of low-lying areas, and loss of land caused by rising sea levels.
The need for innovation
Many national governments now agree that climate change is one of the most important threats facing the planet, and they are taking steps to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases. As well as encouraging people to cut down on energy usage, governments and their agents are looking for innovative and 'green' ways to generate the heat and power we rely on. Using mine water is one such innovation.
Regeneration of old mining communities
For centuries the people of Europe have relied on coal as a source of energy and of economic prosperity. But since the 1970s, we have all become more reliant on gas and oil for energy, and economic forces have led to wide-spread mine closures. This has badly affected the lives of people who relied on the coal-mining industry. Formerly strong mining communities have struggled to survive; and this has had an effect on other local jobs and services. In addition, local environments have suffered from neglect, resulting in pollution and safety problems.
The Minewater Project
In the towns of Heerlen (Netherlands) and Dalkeith (Scotland), mining was the largest employer and it was the main reason for the growth of both towns. Although the mines are now closed, research suggests that they can once again be the source of useful energy. The Minewater Project aims to use the water in disused mines as a source of renewable energy that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan is to extract the warm water that is flooding the old mine workings and circulate it to homes and work-places through a district heating system. This is done by means of a district heat network.
Mine water has already been used on a small scale for heating, but this has generally involved single buildings and a fairly small heat pump. In the proposed pilot projects the scale is larger, using a large heat pump. Instead of heating just one building, the system will supply heat for a district heating system. In this way the heat is supplied to a large number of buildings.
The Minewater Project will be a major contribution to the regeneration of the two former collieries, and the lessons learnt here will carry forward to other mining areas across Europe. The Project began work in March 2005, and it will run until June 2008.
The benefits of using mine water
Buildings that use mine water energy will need much smaller amounts of fossil fuels to meet their energy needs
Emissions of greenhouse gases are reduced
It is a local source of energy, so it can be delivered to local buildings very efficiently
Transmission losses are reduced (i.e. most of the energy reaches the point of use)
Using local resources means that new jobs will be created
Better employment opportunities have a positive effect on people's lives and their environment
Mine water is pumped, cleaned and released elsewhere
Risk of flooding - and the pollution that this causes when mines close - is reduced
Redevelopment of industrial areas as part of an overall regeneration strategy
Sustainable regeneration of places and communities
The Minewater Project is supported by a grant from the European Union. There are five project partners and numerous European observers who are contributing their expertise and knowledge. Most important of all, the people of the mining communities are being encouraged to be involved in the process, through local meetings, workshops, events, publications, and this website.
Primary objective
The Minewater Project, based in Heerlen (The Netherlands) and Midlothian (Scotland), aims to reduce the ecological footprint of these ex-mining communities by demonstrating that it is economically viable and environmentally sound to extract geothermal energy from the water in former and closed mines on a large scale such that it can be used for district heating and cooling of residential and commercial areas.
Secondary objectives
It also aims:
To build new urban areas within old mining communities to improve spatial planning, environmental effects, and economic performance of the area.
For an environmental solution in place of an environmental problem
the dissemination of information about this new renewable energy resource for replication throughout North-Western and Eastern Europe.
Rocks deep below ground-level store heat, and stay at a fairly constant temperature. This heat is called 'geothermal energy'. Water that has flooded disused mines is warmed by the heat of the rocks. The idea of using geothermal energy is not new - the Romans used hot springs for heating.
Heat pumps are already used in many buildings around the world. Basically, the heat pump is the reverse of a domestic refrigerator. In a refrigerator heat is pumped from the inside (where the food is stored) and released at the back. In so-called 'ground source' heat pumps, pipes are laid in the ground below or close to a building, and are then able to collect much more heat than is contained inside a refrigerator. Enough heat can be pumped from the ground to heat the building.
Heat pumps like this can also pump heat from a body of water such as a lake, a river ... or a flooded mine. The mine water has the additional advantage of being warmer to start with. Heat pumps typically generate three times as much energy as you put in - using the warm minewater increases this still further.
The newness of the two proposed Minewater schemes mean that there are many technical issues that need to be addressed. There are some fascinating facts to be discovered: how much energy is there and how can it be used? How easy will it be to integrate the mine water with existing energy efficient technologies like combined heat and power (CHP) and heat pumps? The schemes also raise some tricky questions like who owns the mine water? Who can give permission for the project to proceed? How can the threat of pollution be addressed? What environmental responsibilities may have to be taken on?
The Minewater project is focused around two former coal mines that will once again be used as a source of energy. The mines are located at Heerlen, in The Netherlands in Midlothian, Scotland.
The communities in Heerlen and Midlothian, like many mining communities, experienced severe economic and social deprivation when the mines closed. They had shared an economic dependence on the mines and a very strong associated social and cultural structure.
The difference is that the available energy will now be used locally for the benefit of the immediate communities. So the project is a potent symbol of regeneration, using the same mines as a local solution for sustainable energy systems. Mines that once powered the industrial revolution can now be focal points for a post-industrial renewable energy-based society.
There are many mining communities across Europe that will be watching the progress of these two schemes. They too could develop similar systems.
The scheme in Heerlen will be located at two areas of redevelopment in the town at Heerlerheide Centrum and Stadpark Oranje Nassau. These sites are 3.5 km apart situated to the north of the town and in the centre of the town, respectively. The two sites will be part of one system that will be able to both heat and cool buildings! Both the sites will involve drilling into the mines because they have been filled in since mine closure - in this respect they differ from the Monktonhall mine in Midlothian, Scotland (see below).
The new developments will revitalise the areas they are in, comprising a mixture of new housing with public and commercial buildings. Those moving in will be joining a community of the future!
The first drilling at Heelerheide commenced in May 2006. Two wells are being drilled to a depth of 825 metres. Nearly a kilometre beneath the town water can be found at about 35°C, like a warm bath. This task will not be easy and is likely to require 350 hours of continuous drilling!
The scheme in Midlothian will be sited in and developed as part of a completely new community called Shawfair. The intention is that if the pilot scheme proves successful, the whole of Shawfair, comprising several thousand dwellings and many commercial and public buildings, will eventually be supplied by the new minewater heating system.
Once legal issues have been fully addressed in Midlothian, and the business case has been fully approved to proceed, the water emerging from the Monktonhall mine will be used. This water can be used directly because the mine was never filled in. In fact water is already being pumped from the Monktonhall mine to prevent flooding and associated environmental pollution.
This water in this mine has a temperature of approximately 13°C. Of course this is not warm enough to heat the buildings directly as at Heerlen, but it is warm enough to supply the first phase of the Shawfair development. The water will supply a system designed specially for this development. If it is successful, not only can it be extended to supply other areas of Shawfair as they are built, but it could also be copied at other similar mines across Europe.
The system designed for Shawfair includes two items of energy efficient technology as well as the warm minewater: a heat pump and a combined heat and power engine.
5. Appendix B - Sustainability Proposal
Proposal by Stefan Ouboter to NICOLE in the summer of 2003
NICOLE is a leading forum on contaminated land management in Europe, promoting co-operation between industry, academia and service providers on the development and application of sustainable technologies. www.nicole.org
Stepfan's proposal, reproduced below, was to make the fuzzy concept of 'sustainable land management' more concrete using Symbolic Modelling to clarify the network of mental frames held by experienced land management practitioners and strategists.
Towards a new mental model for sustainability
From risk based land management towards sustainable land management
In the Barcelona meeting, March 2003, the NICOLE network had the aim to make a new strategy for the next years, based on the concept of 'sustainable land management'. There was a general agreement on at least two major issues.
First, the concept of 'risk based land management' is too much focussed on the negative impacts of contaminated soils. Risk based land management is an adequate but not complete strategy and should be incorporated in a wider perspective that has a driving force towards a goal instead of away from a risk. 'Sustainibility' is an appropriate term for the ultimate goal, but has the disadvantage that it is a 'fuzzy' word or a 'container expression'. During the meeting many ideas were put forward to specify the concept of sustainability in the daily practice of land management and soil quality control.
The second conclusion was that the three P's (Planet, People, Profit) should be the basis for any definition of sustainable land management and that therefore NICOLE should widen its perspective. Many people thought that it is essential for NICOLE-members – most of them originating from a technical scientific expertise and still considering themselves as technical experts – to have comprehensive discussions with other groups such as spatial planners, financial experts and people with a social and economic scientific background.
Though the agreement on this direction of NICOLE is a great step forward, the question still is how sustainable land management can be put into practice. Or in other words, 'how to develop sound management options which are technically and financially viable, and which take country specific conditions into account' – as the NICOLE discussion paper on sustainable land management puts it.
How to bring the abstract concept of sustainability a step forward
Cognitive science and mental frames
Where most sciences are intended to develop our knowledge of nature, processes or human beings, cognitive scientists study the way we know. One of the outcomes of recent research is that there is an underlying structure of our conscious thinking that makes it possible that we can think and communicate rational. This subconscious level is believed to be a network of mental frames or mental spaces that are connected through analogy. To give an example: When somebody refers to 'buying a beer in a restaurant' we can understand that because we connect our conceptual frames of beer, buying and restaurant and combine it with our own experience of beer, buying or restaurants. The same applies to our understanding of 'buying'. This single word transfers in our Western world a frame with input frames like money, markets, goods, etc. At the end of the line are basic frames like 'small/big' 'close/far', etc.
The same structure of subconscious networks of frames can be found in expert language. The concept of 'human risks of contaminated soils' is built on input frames of toxicity, chemical substances, exposure routes and effects. For soil experts this concept is so evident that they are not aware anymore that only 20 years ago many conferences were needed to reach this level of general understanding.
This proposal wants to make the fuzzy concept of sustainable land management more concrete, using relative new methods of the cognitive sciences to clarify the network of mental frames that gives meaning to abstract concepts. The concept of sustainable land management does not have such a general accepted network of frames yet, as is e.g. the case with the concept of risk based land management. Many people still have no clear (mental) picture of sustainability but refer to it as a vague expression. However, if some people say that they are putting sustainable land management into practice, they must have a mental map of the fuzzy concept of sustainability. The idea of this proposal is to elicit those mental maps from people that work in soil management in different countries, using the new methodology of the cognitive scientists.
This proposal is an alternative for the methods we are more familiar with: through debates, discussions and negotiations trying to make a definition that is acceptable for the majority in the NICOLE network. Where this traditional discussion methodology very much depends on the use of a shared language, the alternative methodology to focus on a network of associated frames focuses on mental images evolved from people with experiences in soil and land management. We presuppose that the mental images can be more effective to reach a general understanding than the definition in a language that is not the mother tongue of most people.
The core of the proposal
A multidisciplinary team of cognitive scientists and communication experts interview 12 soil experts in 4 countries (UK, Netherlands, Belgium & France) that are known to have practical experiences in soil management in a way that could be described as 'towards sustainable land management'. The outcome of the interviews is a mapping of their mental frames in sketches, schemes or description of the mental pictures they use in solving day to day problems of soil management. This material will be documented and further developed in a workshop with sponsoring NICOLE members.
Both the basic material (the mental pictures connected to the real world problems) and the outcome of the developing workshop will be reported in a booklet of visual mindmaps. It is the aim to present the booklet on the NICOLE workshop in Lille, November 2003.
The Developing Company from London developed a methodology (Symbolic Modelling) by observing the work a psychotherapist from New Zealand, David Grove. He used a specific way of questioning to invite people to become aware of subconscious mental frames. Traumatized people (e.g. Vietnam veterans) often had no direct access to their traumatic experiences, but were able to describe their experiences in symbols and metaphors. Clients that were able to change their mental frames often also could solve their troubles connected to their traumatic experiences. The means of David Grove were modelled by Penny Tomkins and James Lawley into a methodology called symbolic modelling. Nowadays it is still used as a psychotherapeutic methodology, but parts of the methodology also proved to be valuable for a variety of other processes where subconscious patterns play a role. Examples vary from developing business strategies, complex communication processes to education strategies. Courses in symbolic modelling are given in the UK, US, Italy, France and the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, Stefan Ouboter is working in the Wageningen University on the potentials to adept the method in participatory processes in the environmental field. There it could fill the gap between the rational action planning on which most participatory processes are based and the subjective and emotional perception of people.
This proposal needs three kind of skills. The first skill is the ability to model the subconscious mental maps that people use to put abstract concepts into action plans. The methodology that will be used is Symbolic Modelling and Clean Language. We call the people that have this first skill the modellers. The second skill is the ability to put sustainable land management into practice in a real world environment. We call the people that have that skill the practitioners. The third skill is the ability to understand and develop the mental maps from individuals into a scheme that can be used to further develop the concept of sustainable land management. We call the people that have this third skill the strategists.
With this proposal we want to form the following team of people:
Modellers Practitioners Strategists
Number 3 to 4 from 3 countries 12 from 4 countries 4 - 6 from NICOLE
activities Interviewers Interviewed on a specific situation Developing
Background Capable of the Clean Language interview technique and interested in environment Experienced in land management and aiming for sustainability Member of NICOLE Industrial group or Service providers Group
needed 2 days per interview + workshop day = 5–7 days per interviewer
1 or 2 sessions of 2 hours
1 workshop + feed back on outcome papers
names Stefan Ouboter (NL) James Lawley (UK) Penny Tompkins (UK) ano (Fr)
Representatives from: Shell, ICI, Tauw France, TNO …
The secretary of the industrial group and Stefan Ouboter will perform the project management tasks and the reporting. A professional quick drawer will be part of the team to visualize the mental maps, schemes, etc. Interviews will be recorded on tape and/or video. Interviewed people should realize that the interview technique differs from a traditional conversational interview. Preparation is not needed, but it is important that a focus on subconscious mental processes asks for a tranquil environment, an open mind and a good concentration.
Planning of the project
The project is scheduled to be very compact. It could give the Lille workshop some extra input when the developing workshop is planned just before in October 2003. The interviews could be organised in August and September.
URL: https://cleanlanguage.co.uk/articles/articles/226/1/Using-Symbolic-Modelling-as-a-Research--Interview-Tool/Page1.html
Penny and James are supervising neurolinguistic psychotherapists – first registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy in 1993 – coaches in business, certified NLP trainers, and founders of The Developing Company.
They have provided consultancy to organisations as diverse as GlaxoSmithKline, Yale University Child Study Center, NASA Goddard Space Center and the Findhorn Spiritual Community in Northern Scotland.
Their book, Metaphors in Mind was the first comprehensive guide to Symbolic Modelling using the Clean Language of David Grove. An annotated training DVD, A Strange and Strong Sensation demonstrates their work in a live session. James has also written (with Marian Way) the first book dedicated to Clean Space: Insights in Space. Between them Penny and James have published over 200 articles and blogs freely available on their website: cleanlanguage.co.uk.


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The New 'New Moon' Trailer Is What You Expect And More
As sometimes happens when fans of a film are as fanatical as those who love The Twilight Saga are, trailers and other promotional materials tend to get "leaked" online before their official premieres. Once again, it has happened with the latest trailer for the upcoming The Twilight Saga: New Moon — now featuring, as the embedded link points out: "no fan girl screaming." Thank goodness for that.
In this new trailer we get a lot of the familiar stuff fans of these films know and love: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and lots of fighting, skin, sad faces, teen angst and the first real glimpse of the fabled Volturi. In other words, the trailer is everything you can hope for and more — especially if you're a big fan of these books and movies.
Check out the trailer after the break. Of course, as if you didn't already know, The Twilight Saga: New Moon hits theaters on November 20th. That's only 67 days away. Don't worry, you can make it.
Kristen StewartRobert PattinsonTaylor LautnerThe Twilight Saga: New MoonTwilightVolturi
Listen to my first Twilight podcast today….one word….BRUTAL.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home Research Materials
Microwave harvester converts wireless energy into direct current with solar cell-like efficiency
in Materials, News, Research, Science
This five-cell metamaterial converts stray microwave energy, as from a WiFi hub, into more than 7 volts of electricity with an efficiency of 36.8 percent—comparable to a solar cell. (c) Duke University
Using a range of cheap materials arranged in a specific manner, researchers at Duke University have demonstrated a device that captures microwave signals, such as those relayed by WiFi or even satellites high up above in Earth's orbit, an converts this free, lost energy into electrical current. The harvesting and conversion efficiency of the device is on par with currently photo-voltaic solar panels. In the future, such circuits could be used to always wirelessly power your phone when it's not in use or charge a battery in your home.
It's enough to open your notebook just about anywhere downtown in a developed city to spot tens and tens of public WiFi hotspots. There are maybe tens of thousands of WiFi networks in a developed city, and all of these waste energy by constantly relaying microwave signals. The same applies to satellites, sound signals and other sources. What if you could harvest and cut the waste a bit?
This is what the Duke team of engineers, comprised of undergraduate engineering student Allen Hawkes, working with graduate student Alexander Katko and lead investigator Steven Cummer, set out to do. Using simple materials like five fiberglass and copper energy conductors wired together on a circuit board to form a five-cell metamaterial array. The resulting device harnesses microwave energy and converts it into direct current 7.3V electricity. For reference, your Universal Serial Bus (USB) charges small electronic devices with 5V, so a system coupled with the Duke metamaterial circuit could provide free charging for your mobile devices.
"We were aiming for the highest energy efficiency we could achieve," said Hawkes. "We had been getting energy efficiency around 6 to 10 percent, but with this design we were able to dramatically improve energy conversion to 37 percent, which is comparable to what is achieved in solar cells."
"It's possible to use this design for a lot of different frequencies and types of energy, including vibration and sound energy harvesting," Katko said. "Until now, a lot of work with metamaterials has been theoretical. We are showing that with a little work, these materials can be useful for consumer applications."
Microwave harvester
Another application could be to improve the energy efficiency of appliances by wirelessly recovering power that is now lost during use.
"The properties of metamaterials allow for design flexibility not possible with ordinary devices like antennas," said Katko. "When traditional antennas are close to each other in space they talk to each other and interfere with each other's operation. The design process used to create our metamaterial array takes these effects into account, allowing the cells to work together."
A metamaterial coating could be applied to the ceiling of your living room, for instance, to harvest free energy from microwaves that litter space all around us. A more interesting, and maybe more practical, application might be coating smartphones with a thin layer of mematerial directly, so your phone charges constantly with significant benefits for your battery life. It's unclear though how much voltage a thin and small surface metamaterial circuit might provide.
"Our work demonstrates a simple and inexpensive approach to electromagnetic power harvesting," said Cummer. "The beauty of the design is that the basic building blocks are self-contained and additive. One can simply assemble more blocks to increase the scavenged power."
In remote locations, like in the desert or the middle of the wilderness, a series of power-harvesting blocks could be assembled to capture the signal from a known set of satellites passing overhead. The generated power would be far from impressive, of course, but it might still be enough to power a small array of sensors, the researchers believe.
Their device and findings were reported in the journal Applied Physics Letters.
Tags: energymetamaterialmicrowavewireless


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Rob & Joss
Rob & Joss: The Car is Alive
They have souls. You should give them names. They are living. This is what Joss believes. Rob thinks they are hunks of metal. People belive one way or another...
Rob & Joss 9 to 5!
Rob and Joss work 5 to 9, so we wanna see what YOU do from 9 to 5! We want to come to your workplace, meet you and your co-workers, and then DO YOUR JOB! Seriously! Whether you do data entry, spreadsheets, work in a lab, work at a construction site, a restaurant, a bar or a farm - Rob and Joss want...
Rob's High School Transcript
You heard the story about the scandal involving Felicity Huffman, Lori Laughlin and 48 other Hollywood hitters and rich people and how they were in a scheme to buy their kids way in to college. We talked about this crazy scheme this morning and talked a bit about Rob's high school transcript...his...
Rob & Joss's Disneyland Adventure
OK – This is Joss writing this blog – cuz I am more apt to write a long winded, very detailed story about what we do on the weekends…so here's what we did in the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH! I woke up right at 6 – ready to put my purple Mini-ears on and go to DISNEYLAND! I got the coffee ready and took...
Rob & Joss - Suggestions for Disneyland
We're going to DISNEYLAND! It's been a SHAMEFULLY long time. There's lots of people in San Diego who LOVE Disneyland, so we needed some help planning our big day at Disneyland Resort! Here's your suggestions!
Rob & Joss - NKOTB "The Right Stuff Game"
To grab your tickets to the "Mixtape Tour" we did some SUPER FUN GAMES this week! This time around, Peter played "The Right Stuff Game" all about driving on the "right or left" side of the road. Wait til the end where Peter tells a funny story of how he was STUCK listening to us back in the day...
Rob & Joss Step by Step Game
Each day for your tix to The Mixtape Tour for May 23 at Viejas Arena Rob and Joss play one of Rob's absurd games based on NKOTB song lyrics. On this day it was "Step by Step." Rob gives you the name of a celebrity and you decide...do they secretly know how to dance? Listen and play along.
Rob & Joss the Hangin' Tough Game
Each day for your tix to The Mixtape Tour for May 23 at Viejas Arena Rob and Joss play one of Rob's absurd games based on NKOTB song lyrics. On this day it was "Hangin' Tough." Rob gives you the name of a celebrity - did they do hard time? Listen and play along.
Guy Fieri Spotted At Hodad's in Ocean Beach
TOMORROW! It's our one celebrity friend and he's hanging out here in San Diego filming Diners, Drive Ins and Dives! It's Guy Fieri - he joins us (Rob and Joss) tomorrow morning at 7:40 on KyXy! Ya wanna listen - click here . He brought the adventures of Diners, Drive In's and Dives to the Ocean...


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Copyright © 2020, PB Monthly | CA Notice of Collection
Planners OK 4 housing projects, hear issues updates
PB Planning Group next meets 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the library, 4275 Cass St.
(File)
By Linda Hutchison
The Pacific Beach Planning Group had a full agenda for its Aug. 28 meeting at the Pacific Beach Library. The group discussed and approved four new development projects. They also listened to reports on the Mission Boulevard Plan, Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan, Community Plan and recent developments regarding electric scooters.
4530 Ingraham St.: Approved: The demolition of an existing dwelling unit and construction of 13 residential apartments totaling 9,682 square feet, (although some objected to the small number of parking spaces). The project will use an affordable housing density bonus to increase from 8 to 13 units. It will include three studio apartments (one designated as low-income), six one-bedrooms, four two-bedrooms, seven parking spaces, solar panels and landscaping.
1436 & 1438 Hornblend St.: Approved: The demolition of an existing duplex and construction of four apartment units in two duplex buildings. Located in an R-2-5 zone, the buildings will be designed in the Modern Craftsman style and offered as long-term luxury rentals using quality materials, natural light, solar panels landscaping. There will be three two-bedroom apartments and one three-bedroom, with two parking spaces for each unit. Presented by Ryan Cloud.
3943 Ingraham St.: Approved: Construction of a detached, two-story companion unit of 734 square feet with two bedrooms and one bath. Presented by Moises Villegas.
1836 Reed St.: Approved: Demolition of an existing single-family residence and construction of two single-family homes with detached carports, on two separate lots. Presented by Greg Goertzen.
Streets & Sidewalks Subcommittee
Eve Anderson, chair of the Streets & Sidewalks Subcommittee, summarized the Aug. 14 meeting, where Gary Chui, City senior traffic engineer, gave a presentation, with suggestions on how to prioritize neighborhood safety issues and improvement projects. She also proposed PBPG recommend prioritizing sidewalk installation in the 800 block of Agate Street. Residents in the area spoke in favor of a sidewalk, especially since it is near the Sunrise of La Jolla assisted living facility and Bird Rock Elementary School. Planners voted to prioritize the recommendation. Note: No subcommittee meeting in September.
Mission Boulevard Plan Update
Elizabeth Ocampo Vivero, City senior planner, presented final concepts in the Public Spaces & Active Transportation Study funded by SANDAG, and answered questions about implementation. (A Community Open House on the topic took place at the library from 4:30 to 6 p.m., before the Planning Group meeting.)
The plan covers improvements to the area bounded by Mission Boulevard, Pacific Beach Drive, Diamond Street and Ocean Boulevard. It includes community feedback from two workshops, held in September 2018 and May 2019, and specifies improvements to public spaces, parking and bike paths. In the area between Mission and Ocean Boulevards, the plan recommends widened sidewalks and pedestrian plazas with more trees and lights on the side streets, such as Grand, Garnet and Thomas. It also recommends a roundabout at Pacific Beach Drive and Mission Boulevard.
—To see the plan, visit: bit.ly/boulevardplan
Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan
Carolyn Chase reported on the Aug. 1 meeting during which the City Council voted to adopt the Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan despite objections from the PB Planning Group. She proposed a follow-up letter to the Council to reflect current concerns and stressed the importance of staying on top of key priorities. There will be a second City Council hearing on the issue in September.
Planners voted to approve a letter requesting the addition of the following to the plan:
• Make widening of bike paths and pedestrian walkways under the I-5 and Balboa underpass a priority, to be in place when the trolley station opens.
• Designate lower Rose Creek as parkland.
• Advance study of overpass for bikes and pedestrians over the I-5 or alternative approaches, such as tunnel, bridge, aerial tramway.
• Improve transit services (increased frequency and reliability) and add low/no-emission shuttles from the station to the beach.
• Implement Vision Zero and PB EcoDistrict principles.
• Actively pursue grants to support implementation of all projects.
Updating Community Plan
Michael Prinz, City community planner, discussed the City's procedures for updating community plans, and advised the Planning Group on the timing for updating the Pacific Beach plan. The PB plan has not been updated since 1995. It is currently in the second tier of communities slated for review, meaning it will not be reviewed for at least a year or two. Although planning groups can start to identify priorities before the update, Prinz said the Planning Department discourages premature changes that do not reflect up-to-date information such as parking and housing prices.
—To see the PB Community Plan, visit: pbplanning.org/reference-materials
Scooters Moratorium Issue
Bill Zent reviewed recent developments concerning electric scooters, including District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry's call for a moratorium. He has launched a website (scooterban.com), which includes a petition to ban scooters in San Diego.
Rose Creek Events
Karin Zirk of Friends of Rose Creek announced two upcoming events: Coastal Cleanup Day, 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Sept. 21. Rose Creek volunteers will meet in the Mission Bay High School east parking lot (see cleanupday.org for other locations). 3 Bridges Nature Walk, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, meeting at MBHS parking lot.
—PB Planning Group next meets 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the library, 4275 Cass St. pbplanning.org
Linda Hutchison
Sign-ups underway for Mission Bay Youth Baseball—Opening Day: Saturday, Feb. 29
Recreational baseball and travel ball leagues each have their advantages.
Pacific Beach Crime Report January 2020
The San Diego County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team tracks all domestic violence-related homicides, with San Diego County averaging 13 a year.
Editor's Notebook: So much is new for 2020
Not only have we just ushered in a new year, but we've welcomed a new decade as well!
New director takes the helm at Beach & Bay Family Y in Pacific Beach
In relating her path to her new position as executive director of the Beach & Bay Family YMCA on Ingraham Street, Leane Marchese recalled she was 10 years old when her mom first sent her to the YMCA — the one in Encinitas.
Pacific Beach News Briefs for January 2020
Postcards are showing up in the mailboxes of 1.8 million registered San Diego County voters alerting them to political party rules on voting for president in the March 3 primary election.
Non Toxic San Diego seeks residents' support at Pacific Beach Town Council meeting
More than half a century since the publication of Rachel Carson's environmental science book, "Silent Spring," exposed the menacing consequences of pesticide use, their haphazard application to San Diego public lands today was the subject of a recent Pacific Beach Town Council meeting.
San Diego City Council sets limits on billboards selling marijuana, pot and cannabis: Ban within 1,000 feet of some sites not enough, critics say
San Diego cracked down on marijuana billboard ads Monday, Jan. 13, 2020 after many months of analyzing the issue, but critics say the City isn't going far enough. The City Council unanimously approved banning marijuana billboard ads within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, day care centers, youth centers and public parks with playgrounds. Critics said the ads, which have become increasingly common in San Diego since state voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, should also be banned near libraries, churches and other places where young people typically go.
San Diego may spend $100 million on sidewalk repairs; City leaders urge shift to financial solutions as injury payouts mount
San Diego officials have unveiled a new plan to spend $90 to $100 million over the next decade to complete a backlog of more than 81,000 City sidewalk repairs to stem a recent tide of large injury payouts. Solving the problem of crumbling sidewalks with a large influx of cash is a significant shift for San Diego officials, who have spent the last several years exploring policy changes as potential solutions.
La Jolla Light E-Edition
PB Monthly E-Edition


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Mission: Complete. George H.W. Bush's dog set for next assignment after serving the president
Written by Beth Ann Mayer on December 19, 2018
The picture of president George H.W. Bush's dog lying in front of his casket reminded the world of dogs' unwavering loyalty. Sully, who came to the Bush family from America's VetDogs, is one extraordinary canine being. Beth Ann Mayer profiles the charity and Sully's life so far
On Sunday, 2 December, a dog named Sully showed the world something about unconditional love. His handler, former president George H.W. Bush, had died on Friday, Nov. 30 at the age of 94, and Sully lay in front of his casket — by his side through the end. Bush's spokesman Jim McGrath tweeted a photo with two simple words: "Mission complete."
Each year, about 70 dogs begin missions like Sully's as part of America's VetDogs. Founded in 2003, the non-profit provides highly trained assistance dogs to help veterans lead their lives without boundaries. The dogs and their veteran companions work in tandem every day. The animal can perform tasks such as opening doors and retrieving items off the floor, which applicants may have difficulty doing for themselves because of illness or disability. Unlike pets or emotional support dogs, assistance dogs are generally permitted inside public places under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which Bush passed in 1990. The result is a relationship that is so in-sync, a reaction like Sully's came as no surprise to America's VetDogs chief programme officer Brad Hibbard.
"It's…the bond," Brad says. "I see things out there people talking about dogs being an 'employee'. That's not what Sully was, that's not who Sully is, and it's not what dogs like him are. It's a very strong relationship. You can't make a service dog be a service dog. They have to have that nature, they have to have that desire to do something for people."
Training starts in prison
The training process ensures the dogs are all in. They are bred to be adaptable, flexible, trainable and healthy. At 15 weeks, the dogs begin a hybrid of prison programmes and weekend puppy raising with a volunteer who is not incarcerated. Thirteen prisons across the eastern seaboard in states including Maryland (where Sully was placed), Florida and Pennsylvania allow inmates to work with a dog along with a professional trainer.
"For some, it may be the first unconditional love they're receiving," Brad says. "For others, it's giving them a purpose. They did whatever they did to land them in that circumstance, but it doesn't have to define them for the rest of their life."
On the weekends, a raiser takes the animal to allow it to get used to everyday happenings such as work and restaurants. These are volunteers who are willing to take on animals as their own for more than a year, and what Brad describes as America's VetDogs' biggest need: they need these volunteers to help the dogs learn how to react around people and food, so they can act appropriately in public places.
When the dogs reach 15 months, they come to America's VetDogs' campus in Smithtown, New York, for formal training. During an approximately 12-week period, they'll build on the strong foundation they formed with the inmates.
"They may have a fundamental knowledge of retrieve, but then we take that to a whole new level," Brad says.
Sully and president Bush on a gentle walk
In one test, dogs have to pick up 20 articles, such as hammers and items made of paper, cloth and metal. About 60% of the animals make it through to the next phase: matching. Those who don't often go into MSA security, become a guide dog or begin a programme with another assistance dog organisation. The dogs who do move on are primed to be matched with veterans.
"The real magic is matching," Brad says. "Matching is the most important thing, because if you don't give someone the right dog, then the chances for success are lower than if you do."
America's VetDogs has about 150 people on its waiting list. Brad says the organisation tries to start with those who have been on it the longest and go from there while keeping in mind the dog's skills and veteran's needs and lifestyle. For Bush, Sully was clearly the one.
A dog worthy of a president
"A lot of things lined up in a perfect way and having Sully available was good," Brad says. "We already knew he was a super-responsive, super-easy-to-control dog. He was a very easy dog to manage, very low energy, very responsive to voice primarily. We knew the president was using a wheelchair at the time, so we knew some of the things Sully would need to be able to do."
This included having a strong retrieve trait, which Sully was a pro at. Another plus: he was great with guests, and the Bush family often entertained. The two were matched. Typically, veterans come to the New York campus for a training period with the dog, but for security reasons, Brad was part of the team to take Sully – then two years old – to Bush. America's VetDogs also does this for veterans with medical needs, such as needing to be close to a particular doctor.
Sully at the service for George H.W. Bush (all images: America's VetDogs)
But before H.W. Bush even met Sully, he was already thinking about the day they would not be together. Knowing his pup would likely outlive him, Bush wanted to have a plan. He was taken by the work of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Though, as the owner of Sully, he could do whatever he wanted with him, he knew what it felt like to be born to serve.
After the holidays, Sully will join fellow America's VetDogs Dillon and Truman on his next mission, where he'll help wounded soldiers and active military on their roads to recovery.
"It tells you the character of the man, he was already thinking about what would happen to Sully," Brad says. "He really felt Sully could then have an even bigger impact because he'll be working with many, many veterans."
To find out more about America's VetDogs' work and to donate, visit vetdogs.org
America's VetDogs Assistance dogs
Meet Paws 4 Survival's Nicole DiPaolo, the woman saving strays across Puerto Rico
California leads the way: pet retailers can only sell rescue dogs, cats and rabbits


I know we may be the only ones anywhere, but we started school yesterday. I have a third and first grader, so I am at home with my four-year old until she begins preschool at the end of the month. Everything outside tells me it is still summer, but going back to a school routine tells me fall is here, or at least quickly approaching. Either way you look at it, there is still plenty of time for barbecues and picnics.
In a large serving bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.
*Recipe from Taste of Home Magazine Feb/March 2008.


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Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Effective Lawmaking, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Professional Research Staff
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The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral research position. The position is offered for one year starting in July 2023. In addition to carrying out his or her own research, the appointee will collaborate with a Batten faculty member, Craig Volden, on research related to the Center for Effective Lawmaking, and will have the opportunity to teach one class in the Batten School.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking seeks to advance the generation, communication, and use of new knowledge about the effectiveness of individual lawmakers and U.S. legislative institutions. We envision a Congress comprised of effective lawmakers, strong institutional capacity, and the incentive structure needed to address America's greatest public policy challenges. To learn more about the Center please visit: https://thelawmakers.org/ .
A PhD degree in Political Science or related disciplines is required. Strong quantitative, communication, and project management skills are also required. UVA offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits to its community of postdoctoral researchers and scholars.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We believe that diversity is a critical component of academic excellence. The position includes mentorship, access to resources and research infrastructure, opportunities to collaborate with faculty at a truly interdisciplinary school, and connections to the policy world and to a robust network of diverse scholars.
Apply online at https://uva.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/UVAJobs search for requisition R0040840. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile. Complete the application, and upload the following Required materials:
A two-page proposal on how you would like to contribute to the Center for Effective Lawmaking
Contact information for 3 references
Graduate school transcript
***Please note that multiple documents can be uploaded in the CV/Resume box or you can combine them into one PDF. You MUST upload ALL documents into the CV/Resume box. Applications that do not contain all of the required documents will not receive full consideration.***
For immediate consideration, please apply by November 1st, 2022. The position will remain open until filled.
For questions about the application process please contact Marcus Rozier, Academic Recruiter, hjv5vm@virginia.edu .
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Tom Petty is to me the very purest representation of Rock & Roll.
The work ethic, the lack of compromise, the commitment, the rebellious streak, the melodic sensibility. His vision of how rock bands were supposed to sound and behave on stage.
They were the greatest live band I've ever seen.
He may always be the most underrated songwriter of the genre in any era.
I'm glad I got to see him front row, and meet some of his people. Glad I got to have his drummer on two tracks on Postcards in Real Time, and record my guitar parts with Tom's pick from the Lucca Italy gig. Glad that Mike Campbell humoured me with the Unquiet Nights badge when I was probably being annoying. Glad Tom Petty existed to shape popular music as he did.


text:
LaPointe, Wisconsin
History of the Diocese of Superior
The history of the Diocese of Superior dates back to the 17th century. Our Journey Through Faith offers a glimpse into the historic events that played a role in the growth of Catholicism in Northern Wisconsin.
Our Journey through Faith: A History of the Diocese of Superior,
Diocese of Superior - Statistics
View the summary from the last Parish self-assessment questionnaire conducted in 2012.
Read the 98-page Executive Report 2013 (PDF)
Bayfield | Cornucopia | La Pointe | Red Cliff | Washburn
Parish History - Overview
The oldest Catholic church in Wisconsin, St. Joseph was founded in 1669 when Catholic missionaries Fr. Claude Allouez and Fr. Jacques Marquette visited the La Pointe area in September. On July 17, 1835, Fr. Frederic Baraga, the famed "snowshoe priest," came to La Pointe and re-established the Catholic mission in response to the needs expressed by Native Americans and French traders. La Pointe was Fr. Baraga's headquarters from 1835 to 1843. Following the signing of the Treaty of 1854, much of the Ojibwa population relocated from La Pointe to Buffalo Bay (Red Cliff). The first church was built of logs and dedicated to St. Joseph. In 1838, a new, larger church welcomed Bishop Frederic Rese of Detroit, who confirmed 112 adults during his visit. This church was destroyed by fire in 1901 and the current church replaced it in 1902.
REFERENCE: Our Journey through Faith: A History of the Diocese of Superior,
by Sam Lucero, 2005.


I actually live in Jackson and have Celiac Disease. The Jackson Whole Grocer has about anything you would want in gluten free. They have dozens and dozens of breads, desserts, entrees, pastas, crackers, cookies, etc. The deli makes gluten free soups and prepared foods and the in-store bakery makes gluten free muffins, brownies, ginger bars, cookies and even pies and cakes upon request.


Katie Scheller was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin. After her fall from the corporate ladder and subsequent time in prison, she felt led to establish The Vivian Foundation which is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children of incarcerated parents. Her goal is to positively impact and improve the quality of life for each one of the 2.7 million children who have a parent in prison. When Katie is not writing or managing The Vivian Foundation, she enjoys spending time with her family, especially her three children and grandchildren.


text:
University Professor receives two top honours in one day
Ambassador Huhtaniemi, Mrs Anna Ingold, Susanna Ingold, Professor Tim Ingold, Mrs Huhtaniemi
A University of Aberdeen academic recently celebrated receiving two prestigious honours in the same day.
Last month, Professor Tim Ingold, Chair in Social Anthropology, was made Knight, First Class, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
Professor Ingold received this honour, the highest that can be awarded to a non-Finnish national, for his service to UK-Finnish relations, especially in the field of higher education. He was presented with his medal by the Finnish Ambassador, Mr Pekka Huhtaniemi, at the Amassador's residence in London.
Later the same day, at the British Museum, Professor Ingold also received the Huxley Memorial Medal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, the highest honour that the Institute presents. In addition to receiving his medal, he also delivered the annual Huxley Memorial Lecture to an audience of fellow academics and members of the public.
It is a tremendous honour to receive one award, not to mention two. I am thoroughly delighted to have been recognised by my distinguished peers and it is lovely to have my 40 year career honoured in this way. " Professor Tim Ingold
Professor Ingold said: "It is a tremendous honour to receive one award, not to mention two. I am thoroughly delighted to have been recognised by my distinguished peers and it is lovely to have my 40 year career honoured in this way."
Professor Margaret Ross, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, added: "I am absolutely thrilled that Professor Ingold has been recognised for his tremendous service to academia over the last 40 years.
"He is an extremely worthy recipient of these awards, and the contribution he has made in his field is hugely significant.
"The University community is extremely proud of these accomplishments."
Professor Tim Ingold
Laura Mccombie


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Q: Find the angles formed by a line with the coordinate axes Determine the angles formed by the given line with the coordinates axis
$ (D): { x-2y-5=0}
 / {x-3z+8=0 } $ ( this is a system of 2 equations, I don't know how to format it properly )
I know the directionals are ( 1, -2 , 0) and (1,0,-3) but I don't really know how to continue it.

A: just a hint to finish
The line $(D) $ can be defined by following parametric equations
$$x=x $$
$$y=(x-5)/2$$
$$z=(x+8)/3$$
thus the vector director of $(D) $
is
$$\vec {u}=(1,1/2,1/3) $$ or
$$(6,3,2) $$
use
$$\cos (\vec{u},\vec{v})=\frac {\vec {u}\cdot \vec{v}}{||\vec {u}||||\vec {v}||} $$

A: The system of equations describes the line as the intersection of two planes. It must therefore be perpendicular to the normals of both planes, so its direction vector is $(1,0,-3)\times(1,-2,0)=(6,-3,2)$. The corresponding unit vector is $\left(\frac67,-\frac37,\frac27\right)$. Since $v\cdot w = \|v\|\,\|w\|\cos\theta$, the components of this vector are the cosines of the angles it makes with the coordinate axes.

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On behalf of Cranwell & Moore P.L.C., Attorneys at Law posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, June 28, 2018.
Whether someone is driving around curves or traveling on one of Virginia's straightest stretches of highway, there is the possibility of a head-on collision. According to Roadtrip America, these accidents don't happen as often as rear-end collisions and t-bones, but when they do happen, everyone in both vehicles faces a high risk of fatal injuries.
On behalf of Cranwell & Moore P.L.C., Attorneys at Law on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
When a healthcare provider makes a mistake, the effects on your life can be serious. If the provider commits medical malpractice, the patient may have grounds for a lawsuit to recover for the considerable damages that often ensue in such cases.
Was the driver who hit you running late for a lunch date?
On behalf of Cranwell & Moore P.L.C., Attorneys at Law on Monday, June 11, 2018.
Speeding has been a major factor in fatal vehicle crashes in our country for more than two decades.
On behalf of Cranwell & Moore P.L.C., Attorneys at Law posted in Brain Injury on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.
Anyone in a motor vehicle accident in Virginia, whether a car occupant, a motorcycle rider or even a pedestrian or cyclist, may sustain a traumatic brain injury. In fact, TBIs can occur even if there is no blow to the head. According to MedicineNet, even if a person never loses consciousness, the trauma of a car accident can cause initially minor issues that could turn into life-threatening injuries.


Here is my initial sketch onto a 30" x 48" stretched canvas. This summer I was honored to be the Artist In Residence at the Idaho Art Lab. I had a great trip out, a great time as resident artist, and a great trip back home. Traveling out west you get the opportunity to see the many herds of bison in the Badlands, Custer State Park, Yellowstone National Park, and many other areas along the way. I already finished one large bison painting (Bison Highway, Acrylic, 30" x 40")and want to continue to capture more images of bison on canvas.


At Wells Fargo, we have one goal: to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them achieve their dreams. We're looking for talented people who will put our customers at the centre of everything we do. Join our diverse and inclusive team where you'll feel valued and inspired to contribute your unique skills and experience.
Wells Fargo Asset Management, a division of Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management, strives to help clients achieve their financial goals through top-tier investment options managed by specialized investment teams that are supported by independent risk management and backed by superior, collaborative service. With more than $504 billion in assets under management as of January 12, 2018, Wells Fargo Asset Management has 29 autonomous investment teams with specialized expertise and proven processes, more than 500 investment professionals, and a global reach with offices and clients around the world.
Within WFAM, The International Business Team delivers holistic solutions and thought leadership to our clients, with a focus on international asset owners and intermediaries. The team employs a consultative approach to understanding the needs of the client in order to offer the best solution, utilizing the vast array of capabilities offered across Wells Fargo Asset Management. To deliver these capabilities to our clients, the team employs a regional territory model whereby sales directors and relationship managers work collaboratively to develop, retain, and grow relationships with institutional clients within the region. While each role in the region has specific responsibilities, the team-focused approach ensures that there is alignment in deepening relationships and growing our presence.
The Regional Territory Leader is critical to the success of the region. This leadership position will primarily be focused on developing new business within the region, while also having responsibility for the overall results of the region, as well as the management of the members of the regional team.
This role is primarily focused on developing new business within Austria and Germany. Core responsibility for the overall results within their area, as well as, the strategic planning for the region/channel. Key responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to, participation in developing and executing the strategy to drive positive net revenue within Austria and Germany; engaging in the most complex, critical, and strategic relationships within their area to develop, grow, and retain those relationships; maintaining thorough, direct dialogue with clients, understanding their needs, and delivering solutions; understanding and staying current on Wells Fargo's business strategy in order to drive firm-wide initiatives; developing the area's presence by developing client-focused events (i.e. a symposium, seminar, etc.) that can develop and reinforce our brand of being a holistic solutions provider. As a co-leader, you will partner with functional managers to ensure talent is aligned to the best opportunities, activities of each team member are aligned to maximizing net new revenue within their area; coaching and developing new team members to grow and advance in their roles; and partnering with the International Leadership team to hire as needed to strengthen the team.
A deep understanding of the German and Austrian institutional market is expected.
Within the institutional market, the candidate should be familiar with the German/Austrian corporate sector and have deep industry contacts into this space.
Experience within the German and Austrian Financial Institutions/Intermediary space is helpful. This would include experience with German regulatory set up as it pertains to pension funds, but also to insurance companies.
An insurance specific background and/or years of insurance specific working experience in providing asset management solutions to insurance clients would be viewed as beneficial.
Extensive knowledge of the asset management industry, trends, as well as products and solutions.