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Archives for category: KIPP Charter Schools
Gary Rubinstein: More Reform-Funded Nonsense About KIPP Graduation Rates
Gary Rubinstein is the Myth-Buster of the Resistance. He has achieved this eminent position because of his intolerance for hype, propaganda, and lies.
In this post, he bust the myth that low-income charter school graduates have a dramatically higher college graduation rate than low-income public school graduates.
In fact, he shows, charter school graduates have the same college graduation rate as their mothers!
Education Reform propaganda at The74 would try to make you believe that while low income students generally graduate from college at a rate of about 9%, charter school graduates complete college at a rate of 3 to 5 times that.
The main flaw in any comparison between the college graduation rates of charter school graduates to low-income students, in general, is that the charter school students do not represent a random sampling of the general population of low-income students.
In The Alumni, Richard Whitmire says that charter schools that have 5 times the expected college completion rate are ones that only counted their students who persisted until 12th grade in their charter schools. Since for some charter schools, this only represents about 25% of the students who started in that charter school, this even more of a biased sample. But, Whitmire explains, the one network that has the most valid way of doing a fair comparison is the famed KIPP network. Since KIPP counts, in their data, any students who enrolled in KIPP, even if they left soon after starting. And he says that KIPP students, including ones who didn't persist at KIPP, graduate college 3 times the expected rate.
Reform supporting billionaire John Arnold commissioned Mathematica, a data analysis company, to study the college enrollment and college persistence of KIPP students. Instead of comparing KIPP students to the general population, they compared KIPP students to students who had applied to the KIPP lottery but did not get into KIPP through the lottery. This is a much more valid way of measuring the impact of KIPP. The big takeaway, as I wrote about in my previous post, was that students who applied to KIPP, whether or not they got into KIPP, had a college persistence rate of about 3 times the general low-income population and that students who applied but didn't get into KIPP had about the same college persistence as students who applied and did get into KIPP. So students to apply to the KIPP lottery are the ones who, on average, were much more likely to persist in college — something that Whitmire never mentions in The Alumni.
But this Mathematica report includes some other relevant data that I didn't pick up on when I wrote the last post. Fortunately there was a discussion among some readers who commented on the last post which pointed this out.
In 2018 the National Center For Education Statistics published a report called 'First-Generation Students College Access, Persistence, and Postbachelor's Outcomes.' In it they say that about 70% of students who have a parent who completed college also complete college compared to about 35% of students who do not have a parent who completed college. This confirms what most people would expect for so many reasons and this is why we celebrate when students are the first in their family to graduate college. It means that the descendants of those students will also be more likely to go to college…
At this point, Gary displays a graph from the Mathematica study.
Notice that last line. It says that of the students entering the lottery about 27% of them had mothers who finished college. This makes the fact that about 30% of the students in the study (which includes students who got into KIPP and also students who did not get into KIPP) have persisted in college through four semesters even less surprising.
Categories Accountability, Graduation rates, KIPP Charter Schools, Propaganda
Gary Rubinstein: That Misleading KIPP Research about College Completion
Gary Rubinstein has a deep aversion to hypocrisy, hypes, and propaganda.
He read a widely publicized report saying "research shows" that graduates of KIPP have higher college completion rates than their peers.
But then he discovered that the research shows no significant difference between KIPP students and their peers in college completion rates.
His post debunks Richard Whitmire's erroneous claim that KIPP students finish college at a rate three to five times greater than students who went to public schools. It is also a valuable lesson in reading and interpreting research findings or claims that "research shows."
He begins:
The way reformers misuse data follows a very simple and predictable plan: First they get some skewed data, then pick a 'researcher' to interpret the skewed data. The 'researcher' then writes a report which gets touted in The74, EduPost, and eventually even makes it into more mainstream publications like USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Since the report is filled with nonsense and half-truths, within a few weeks the truth comes out and the report is discredited, but not before the damage was done and the spin has made it into folklore. When this happens, the reformers will then 'move the goalposts' and get some more skewed data and start the process over again.
An example of this is the July 2017 report by Richard Whitmire called 'The Alumni'. Whitmire has written books about both KIPP and about Michelle Rhee so I think you get the idea of what his point of view is. In this poorly researched project he concludes that "Data Show Charter School Students Graduating From College at Three to Five Times National Average".
This was probably the easiest report I ever debunked. The biggest flaw was that for most of the charter schools, they were only counting the percent of graduating seniors who persisted in college and then comparing that percent to the overall percent of all low-income students — an apples to oranges comparison. Whitmire acknowledges this in another post about the methodology in which he says that only KIPP counts students who leave the school before they graduate and that their numbers are much lower, but still at 38% which is at least triple the expected graduation rate for low income students.
A second flaw, and this one is very difficult to compensate for, is that charter school students are not a random sampling of all students since many families choose no to apply to them. So you get a biased sampling even if you do count all the students who get into the charter school and not just the ones who make it to graduate from the charter school. And even though I and others have discredited his report, it is something that still gets quoted in the main stream media.
Just recently, however, I learned of a report generated by Mathematica and funded by the John Arnold Foundation. I think that Mathematica is a very reputable company and even though reformers often hire them to produce reports, sometimes those reports reach conclusions that reformers were not expecting.
In this case, the report called "Long-Term Impacts of KIPP Middle Schools on College Enrollment and Early College Persistence" , reached a result that completely contradicts Whitmire's claim that "Charter School Students Graduating From College at Three to Five Times National Average".
Read on to see just how overblown is the KIPP myth about the college success of their students
Here's the relevant summary of what they found:
Categories Accountability, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Education Reform, Graduation rates, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization, Propaganda, Research
D.C.: KIPP's Sweet Deal in the District of Columbia to Scoop Up Closed Public Schools
Parent activist Valerie Jablow is a whistle-blower about charter school abuse in the District of Columbia.
In this post, she describes the sweet deal that KIPP has worked out to its benefit.
It is a "game of insiders," she writes.
Ferebee-Hope is a perfect example of how the mayor on down is enabled by law and practice to ignore every member of the public regarding the future of DCPS school facilities. In the case of Ferebee-Hope, however, the consequence of that disregard to the poorest ward in the city is dire–and appears to accrue directly to the benefit of one charter (and mayoral benefactor), KIPP.
Destroying Ward 8 Education Rights
Between November 2013 and January 2014, and about 6 months after public comment ended, a clause was inserted in the Comprehensive Planning and Utilization of School Facilities Amendment Act of 2014 that allows the mayor to turn any DCPS school over for a charter at any moment. (Yes, really: see D(ii) of that link to the law.) As DC public school expert Mary Levy has noted, there was no discussion of this clause by council members at the bill's mark-up. Indeed, until the legislation was approved by the council in April 2014, no one in the public was aware at all of this provision (nor had a chance to object to it before it was approved).
In the case of Ferebee-Hope, it thus appears the mayor is simply exercising her right to turn the facility over for charter RFO without public deliberation.
But the loss of Ferebee-Hope as a school of right has far-reaching ramifications for Ward 8 DCPS schools of right, some of which are projected to be overcapacity in that area in less than a decade. Without Ferebee-Hope, there will be no way to accommodate those students in their schools of right in that area—which means that any student population in that area (currently very high and projected to grow 16% by 2025, per an August 8 community presentation by the deputy mayor for education (DME)) will inevitably benefit whatever charter school locates in Ferebee-Hope…
Charter schools in DC often complain that they struggle for facilities–but some appear a bit more, uh, equal to that struggle than others.
Indeed, this scheme ensures that whatever the public wants, or doesn't want, with respect to their DCPS facilities can ultimately get reduced to whatever a charter school wants or doesn't want–depending on how well-informed that charter school is, of course. Though we may never know the insider's game here fully, certainly DCPS deputy chancellor Melissa Kim knows well KIPP's ambitions, having worked for the charter before directly coming to DCPS as a central office administrator–and after showing no hesitation about the possibility of future DCPS closures.
Public facilities are simply closed and handed over without public involvement to private corporations. Anything wrong with that? Yes, everything. It is a theft of public property to give it away to a private charter corporate chain.
Categories Accountability, District of Columbia, Education Industry, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization
What Happened to the Students Who Began KIPP-Philly in 2003?
Marc Mannella opened the first KIPP middle school in Philadelphia in 2003.
He started with 90 students in fifth grade.
KIPP promised that students who stuck with the "no-excuses" regimen would go to college.
Avi Wolfman-Arent of WHYY in Philadelphia tracked down 33 of those students to find out what happened to them.
The former KIPPsters are now about 25.
Of the 90, 25 dropped out in the first year of middle school.
The students entered a world of incentives and punishments, of strict rules administered strictly.
It wasn't right for everyone.
Of the 90 students who enrolled in KIPP Philly's first middle school class, about half were boys. By the time 8th grade graduation arrived, enrollment was whittled down to 34 students — and only 11 boys remained….
Almost none of the KIPP alumni we interviewed did four years at one high school followed by four years at one college. All of them seemed to flounder or grow restless or get sidetracked somewhere along the journey up that mountain.
KIPP propelled them to high school — usually a Catholic school or a private school or a magnet school — but they didn't stick there. KIPP's lessons didn't always follow them out the door…
Here's what the numbers say.
Six years after high school graduation, 35 percent of the original KIPP Philly class had an associate's or bachelor's degree. At the seven-year mark, that number was 44 percent.
In Philadelphia, about a quarter of students who graduate high school earn a college degree by the six-year mark. That overall Philly number would be lower if you tracked students back to eighth grade, like KIPP does.
There's a prominent nationwide study that tracked students starting in 10th grade.
It found that eight years after high school graduation, about 14 percent of students from the lowest income quartile had a degree.
KIPP Philly students almost all came from poor neighborhoods, and the results suggest that they earned degrees at much higher rates — rates that are about the same as middle-income students.
"And that feels like we did something that was real," said Mannella, the school's founder.
There are serious caveats, though.
KIPP's number doesn't count all the kids who left over those four years. Some of those kids did graduate college. Some didn't. It's quite possible that the 34 who made it through KIPP were more likely to have long-term academic success for a whole host of reasons, no matter what school they attended.
Frankly this project is incomplete, too.
We talked with 24 of the 34 alum from the original class — as well as nine students who attended KIPP Philadelphia but didn't finish. The ten graduates who chose not to talk may have very different experiences than the 24 who did
The author wonders what is the best way to evaluate KIPP. Graduation rates? College entry? College persistence? Employment?
KIPP is now the largest charter chain in the nation.
One thing we learn from this piece is that its strict discipline code helps some students, turns off others.
Its methods are not a panacea. Most kids who enter do not persist. For some, it is a lifesaver.
Perhaps the same might be said of the public schools that were closed to make way for KIPP and the public schools that accepted the KIPP dropouts and pushouts.
Categories Accountability, Discipline, Education Industry, Education Reform, High School Graduation, KIPP Charter Schools, Philadelphia, Privatization
KIPP Co-Founder Sues KIPP for Defamation
Mike Feinberg, co-founder of KIPP in 1994, was swiftly fired in 2018 after two KIPP graduates accused him of sexual impropriety.
Now Feinberg is suing KIPP.
Valerie Strauss reports:
A founder of the KIPP charter school network who was fired in 2018 after being accused of sexual misconduct is suing the organization, saying the allegations were false and that his career and reputation have been destroyed by the actions of KIPP.
KIPP executives called the lawsuit filed by Mike Feinberg "baseless and frivolous," and said they "regret" that he is putting his accusers and the "entire KIPP community through further distress."
Feinberg, who in 1994 co-founded a Texas school that grew into the nation's largest charter network, filed the lawsuit Thursday and is seeking a jury trial and punitive and other damages. He has consistently denied an allegation that he sexually abused a student in the late 1990s. The allegation Since the Washington Post is triggered two investigations…
Feinberg's lawsuit says that he was never given "detailed information about the allegations" against him and that if he had, he could have "provided facts that would have disproved them."
"KIPP's public statements following Mike's termination were false and inflammatory," the lawsuit says. "KIPP knew that such a serious allegation would destroy Mike's career in education and be personally devastating to him, his family and friends. But KIPP didn't care. What mattered most to KIPP was that Mike be removed and his career be ruined. In that, KIPP succeeded."
Since the Washington Post is behind a paywall, here is another account, in a Texas paper, with more detail.
On top of punitive damages, Feinberg is suing for actual damages, including mental anguish, loss of society and loss of earning capacity.
Categories Accountability, KIPP Charter Schools
Betsy DeVos Funds IDEA and Kipp to Saturate San Antonio with Charter Schools
Texas Public Radio describes Betsy Devos's audacious plan to overwhelm San Antonio with charters created by two corporate chains: IDEA and KIPP.
Some of the new charters will open in middle-class areas with good public schools.
Apparently, DeVos just wants to torpedo public schools in a major Texas city.
Camille Phillips of TPR reports:
San Antonio's largest charter school network is gearing up for a fast-paced expansion over the next three years. IDEA Public Schools plans to add 15 schools in Bexar County by 2022, doubling its local enrollment to nearly 24,000 students.
It is part of an ambitious larger plan by the Rio Grande Valley-based charter network plan to add 120 schools in Texas, Louisiana and Florida by 2024. IDEA has gotten a big boost to help make that plan happen: four federal grants in five years worth more than $211 million combined.
This year, the U.S. Department of Education awarded IDEA its largest grant yet: $117 million to expand classrooms and launch new charter schools.
"We cast a vision for our growth plan, and then it has to be paid for somehow. So this just gives us confidence that what we envision in terms of growth will actually become a reality," IDEA regional director Rolando Posada said.
When Posada came to San Antonio seven years ago, he said he made it his goal to have an IDEA school less than 10 minutes away from every family.
"We realized that this was one of the biggest cities in the country with one of the biggest needs. And so my vision was to put a school everywhere on the map of the city of San Antonio," he said….
Several of IDEA's new schools will likely be located in the Northside school district, one of the region's wealthier and higher performing districts.
Northside Superintendent Brian Woods said he finds it interesting that charter schools are no longer limiting themselves to areas where the traditional public schools are struggling.
"If you have an area that's being served extremely well, why would you need to introduce a duplicative service?" Woods asked.
DeVos gave KIPP $88 million, and it too plans to expand its presence in Texas.
Mark Larson, chief external officer for KIPP Texas, said KIPP is creating a growth plan to determine where to expand next in the state, but "a sizeable chunk" of the $88 million awarded to the national KIPP Foundation is reserved for Texas.
"We have full intention to continue to grow and continue to grow in the San Antonio market," Larson said.
DeVos gave $15 million to another charter network to open new schools in Texas.
One of our readers, who identifies herself as Chiara, recently explained why charters rely on federal funding to expand.
She says they know they would never be funded by popular vote as public schools are. The purpose of the federal funding is not only to help charter schools (like KIPP, funded by billionaires like the Waltons), but to bypass democracy.
She wrote:
"The second of 20 San Antonio IDEA Public School campuses is headed to the South Side and and is scheduled to open in fall 2019.
"The new campus — which has yet to be named — will be built on an eight-acre plot of land on the corner of South Flores Street and West Harding Boulevard."
If IDEA had to go to the public and ask for facilities financing to build and operate each of 20 new public schools, the public would reject all or some of the new schools, because they would (rightfully) ask why they're replicating a system they already have. There would be a long public debate on public investment. They would have to scale back plans or scrap them completely.
Charters know this, so they use federal and private financing. If they used local facilities funding they would have to get the consent of the public.
When ed reformers say they want local facilities funding remember that if they had local facilities funding the approval process would have to go thru the public, and the public would object to funding 20 new school buildings that replicate schools they already have. That would make it impossible to plunk down 20 new charter schools.
Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Democracy, Education Industry, Funding, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization, San Antonio
Carol Burris: Federal Charter School Program is a Slush Fund
June 25, 2019 //
Back in March 2019, Carol Burris and Jeff Bryant released a study of the federal Charter Schools Program on behalf of the Network for Public Education.. That study, "Asleep at the Wheel," found that about a third of the charters that received federal grants in the $440 million program either never opened or closed soon after opening. The amount of money wasted was about $1 billion over several years. The Department of Education failed to monitor wherevthe Money was going and how it was spent.
Burris has been analyzing states that received federal charter money and has concluded that the initial estimates were understated. In the states she has reviewed, 40% of the charters were failures. Some had no name. Some were not even charters.
The extent of waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal CSP is appalling, as is the ED department's failure to pay attention to where the money goes.
The initial impulse for the CSP, created during the Clinton administration, was to jumpstart innovation. Now, it is a slush fund for Friends of Betsy and a ready supplier of millions to big corporate charter chains like KIPP (which recently got a federal check for $86 million) and IDEA (which has collected $225 million in two years). Neither of these corporate behemoths are start-ups. Neither is needy.
Congress should eliminate the federal Charter Schools Program. It feels no need, other than greed.
Next time you meet a candidate at a town hall, ask him or her if they will pledge to eliminate this wasteful slush fund.
Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Education Industry, Education Reform, Fraud, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization, U.S. Department of Education
EdWeek: Do Children of Color Need Harsh Discipline to Succeed in School?
This article in Education Week by two researchers—Joanne Golann and Mira Debs—ask why leaders of "no-excuses" charter schools think that children of color need harsh discipline. They interview parents and discover what they really want:
As researchers who have taught in and studied these schools, we found that parents' attitudes were not that simple. The Black and Latino parents we interviewed in a no-excuses middle school valued discipline, but viewed it as more than rule following. They wanted demanding academic expectations alongside a caring and structured environment that would help their children develop the self-discipline to make good choices.
Recognizing the peer pressures their children faced, these parents told us that they did not want their children to become "robots" or "little mindless minion[s], just going by what somebody says." Their concerns echo an earlier study that one of us (Joanne Golann) published in 2015, questioning whether the no-excuses model's emphasis on obedience adequately prepares students for the self-directed learning skills they need to be successful in college.
What their children actually get is boot-camp discipline, where parents are called for the smallest infraction, like laughing during a fire drill.
No-excuses students are typically required to wear uniforms, sit straight, with their hands folded on the table, and their eyes continuously on the teacher. At breaks, they walk silently through the halls in single-file lines. Students who follow these stringent expectations are rewarded with privileges, while violators are punished with demerits, detentions, and suspensions.
The researchers say that Montessori schools get good results without harsh discipline in a climate that encourages creativity and collaboration.
I have always wondered where the no-excuses charters found bright young college graduates willing to enforce their harsh rules. Many of them presumably studied in progressive schools and colleges. How did they learn to enforce harsh rules? This "special" and harsh treatment of children of color smacks of colonialism.
Categories Charter Schools, Discipline, Harlem Success Academy, KIPP Charter Schools, Parents, Teachers
Bernie Sanders Calls for Tough Restrictions on Charter Schools
CNN says that Senator Bernie Sanders will deliver a major address on education on Saturday.
He will call for a flat ban on for-profit charters.
He supports the NAACP's call for a moratorium on new charters.
Most important is this:
The Vermont independent also will call for a moratorium on the funding of all public charter school expansion until a national audit on the schools has been completed. Additionally, Sanders will promise to halt the use of public funds to underwrite all new charter schools if he is elected president.
That would mean elimination of the federal charter slush fund, which has wasted nearly $1 billion on schools that never opened or that closed soon after opening. This program, called the Charter Schools Program, was initiated in 1994 to spur innovation. It is currently funded at $440 million a year. Secretary DeVos used the CSP to give $89 million to KIPP, which is already amply funded by the Waltons, Gates, and other billionaires and is not a needy recipient. She also has given $225 million to IDEA, part of which will be applied to opening 20 charters in El Paso.
If Senator Sanders means to eliminate CSP, that's a very good step forward.
Every other Democratic candidate should be asked what they will do about the federal charter slush fund.
Categories Accountability, Betsy DeVos, Charter Schools, Education Industry, For-Profit, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization, U.S. Department of Education
Setback for Federal Charter Schools Program! DeVos Request for $500 Million Trimmed to $400 Million!
May 7, 2019 //
This is good news!
The House Appropriations Committee issued its budget report. Betsy DeVos requested an increase for the federal Charter Schools Program, from $440 million a year to $500 million. But the education appropriations subcommittee cut the appropriation to $400 million. This is a program that is riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse, as the Department of Education's own Inspector General pointed out in the past, and as the Network for Public Education pointed out in its recent report called "Asleep at the Wheel: How the Federal Charter Schools Program Recklessly Takes Taxpayers and Students for a Ride."
Thank you to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), chairperson of the education appropriations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. She is a deeply knowledgeable member of Congress who is committed to equity and works tirelessly to meet the needs of the American people for well-funded public schools
The NPE report found that one-third of the charter school funded by the federal government either never opened or closed soon after opening, costing taxpayers close to $1 billion in wasted funds.
Here is the report of the House Appropriations Committee. It increased the funding of well-respected programs that DeVos and Trump wanted to slash or kill, while cutting back on the Charter Schools Program (start reading at page 182).
Just in the last year, Secretary DeVos gave $116 million to a single charter chain, IDEA, which intends to flood the small El Paso district with charters; and she gave a grant of $86 million to KIPP. This concentration of funds in the hands of corporate charter chains was certainly not the intent of the program, which was meant to spur start-ups and innovation, not to enlarge established charter chains. KIPP, in particular, is amply funded by the Walton Family Foundation and a dozen other major foundations. It is hard to understand why this wealthy and powerful charter chain needs federal aid.
Charles Barone, the policy director of DFER (the hedge fund managers' organization that pretends to be Democrats), expressed disappointment!
The Democratic state parties in California and Colorado have denounced DFER as a corporate front that should drop the word "Democrat" from its title.
Real Democrats support public schools, democratically governed and open to all, not corporate charter chains or private management.
By the way, the NPE report had no external funding. It was produced by the research of our brilliant staff and written by Carol Burris and Jeff Bryant.
Categories Accountability, Charter Schools, Democrats for Education Reform, DFER, Education Industry, KIPP Charter Schools, Privatization, Resistance

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Samsung Unveils Next Generation Smartphones at the Core of its Connected Galaxy Experience
Korea on February 22, 2016
Samsung Electronics announced the newest additions to the Galaxy family of products, Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Created for today's consumer lifestyle, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge lead the industry with a refined design, more advanced camera, streamlined software functionality and unparalleled connectivity to a galaxy of products, services, and experiences.
"We believe in a world that is brighter, sharper, more convenient, and more fun. We strive to deliver on that vision with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge by marrying elegant design with functionality and providing a seamless mobile experience," said DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. "We empower consumers with technology to help them get more out of life and will continue to push the frontier of what's possible."
Advanced Camera: High Quality Images No Matter the Time of Day or Location
Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge introduce the first Dual Pixel camera on a smartphone, delivering brighter and sharper images, even in low light. Thanks to the revolutionary Dual Pixel technology, brighter lens with wider aperture, and bigger pixel, the camera has a faster shutter speed and a more accurate autofocus even in low-light conditions. Motion Panorama, a new camera mode, brings movement to traditional panoramic photos, giving the user a completely immersive visual experience.
Refined Design and Function
The 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 edge are constructed with 3D glass and metal – all in a sleek design with durability and ergonomic curves for a comfortable grip. From work to play, the device's new Always On Display, gives users a simplified, zero touch experience where they don't need to worry about missing a call or important notification.
Without compromising design, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge both have increased utility with IP68 water and dust resistance. Edge UX, the advanced edge experience available on Galaxy S7 edge, provides convenience and increased efficiency by creating easy shortcuts to users' most loved functions such as email, selfie mode, panorama mode or third party applications.
Enhanced Performance: From Charging to Gaming
Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge deliver fast wired and wireless charging technology. Additionally, the hybrid SIM card tray allows users to insert a microSD card for up to 200GB of additional storage and in some select countries, the tray can be used with a dual SIM card.
Samsung also made significant hardware and software updates to optimize gaming performance on Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. The powerful processer and bigger battery capacity ensure longer playing time, and the internal cooling system keeps the device from overheating. Game Launcher, a new add-on for gamers, allows users to manage battery consumption and minimize notifications. Additionally, users can record their gaming experience or share their screen to play with others. Paired with Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, Vulkan API gives users the ability to play high-performance graphic games with lower battery consumption.
The Galaxy Experience
Samsung continues to push the boundaries of hardware, software and services to create devices that are designed to improve how consumers connect, share, organize and get more out of life. The company is redefining what is possible, beyond the limits of today's technology, by introducing a constellation of seamless mobile experiences.
Whether it's the seamless connection between Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge and the new Gear S2 Classic to monitor fitness, or connecting with Gear VR to "travel" the world – Samsung redefines what's possible for the mobile experience and beyond.
Beyond the phone, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge users can also get the best mobile payment service with Samsung Pay; it's secure, easy-to-use and accepted almost anywhere. Protected by Samsung KNOX, fingerprint scanning and advanced tokenization, Samsung Pay works with NFC (Near Field Communication), MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) and Barcode technology, making mobile payments available to more merchants and consumers than ever before.
Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will be available starting mid-March 2016.
Galaxy S7 Specifications
Galaxy S7 edge Specifications
For more product information, please visit http://www.samsungmobilepress.com or www.samsung.com/galaxy.
*All functionality features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.
TAGSGalaxyGalaxy S7Galaxy S7 edgeTheNextGalaxy
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※ All images attached in the press releases published on Samsung Newsroom are also available on Samsung Newsroom's Media Library.
Samsung-Unveils-Next-Generation-Smartphones-at-the-Core-of-its-Connected-Galaxy-Experience.pdf
[Infographic] Spec Comparison: Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S6
[Infographic] Spec Comparison: Galaxy S7 edge vs Galaxy S6 edge
[Hands-On] Power and Design Reimagined with New Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge
[In-Depth Look] Excellence in Every Detail: The Design of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge
[In-Depth Look] What Users Want: The UX of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge
[In-Depth Look] Setting a New Standard in Mobile Photography: The Camera of the Galaxy S7
[In-Depth Look] Keeping You Always on Track: The Always On Display of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge
[In-Depth Look] Taking Mobile Gaming to an Entirely New Level: The New Gaming Features of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge
[In-Depth Look] Water and Dust Protection in a Streamlined Form: The IP68 Feature of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge
[In-Depth Look] Seamless Integration to Enhance Your Style: The Accessories of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge


I recently sent out a quick survey to people on my list. The survey results were very interesting. I love statistics and likewise, this has really helped to show me how I can best help others.
Even though this was not a multiple choice question, 100% of respondents said that they were struggling with either time, money, website traffic, or leads.
Out of 15 Internet Marketing Topics, the top 5 topics of interest were clearly visible.
This is a bit surprising since SEO and Email marketing have been around for over 15 years. I can only surmise that people realize that SEO and Email marketing are absolutely essential to success online. Fortunately, both are now being helped tremendously by Facebook and Twitter.
It's interesting to note that YouTube Marketing didn't make the top 5, since video marketing is one of the best ways to get ranked in Google. Don't worry, it came in sixth at 43%.
71% said they would attend at least once a month.
33% said would attend weekly.
Of the 71% that said they would attend at least once a month, 100% of them said they would only participate if it was free. Now keep in mind, I made no attempt to prove value. However, about 25% freely added a comment that essentially said they would consider paying to join a mastermind if they saw value in it.
What do you think about these results? How do they correspond with you? Leave a comment below and let me know!
3 Replies to "Marketing Mastermind Group Survey Results are Revealed"
It's true that facebook is huge right now. In fact it shows up twice in your top 5 survey results. I believe that we all know that facebook is the answer, we are just having trouble forming the right questions.
Can use a hand with a new import export Co.


A big debate in the world of family finance is the age-old question of whether or not it's a good idea to pay our kids for completing chores around the house.
Some have explained that, when paid for chores, their kids demand money every time they're asked to complete menial household tasks.
If we pay our kids for every chore under the sun, they could start expecting payment for everything. On the flip side, giving them an allowance that's not contingent on work teaches budgeting but fails to show them that money is the result of effort. Without that crucial ingredient, kids are prone to think money just flows from the ATM, your wallet, or Apple Pay– as if by magic.
We've got a dilemma on our hands— Is there a middle ground here where we can teach kids the connection between money and hard work, and impart good saving habits while we're at it?
A good solution lies smack dab in the middle: create a system where you pay your kids for some chores, but not others.
Make a baseline, "just-because" level of chores that your child completes as their contribution to the home. In turn, you can give monetary rewards for going "above and beyond." This motivates your kids to go the extra mile to earn money towards the video game or new bike they're working towards— and your house will be a little bit cleaner at the end of the day, too!
Whatever your chore philosophy, Jassby makes it easy to reward your child for completing tasks around the house! With our iOS and web app, parents can safely give their teens money for rewards, accomplishments, gifts and more; teens can learn money management by saving or shopping from an parent-approved list of online vendors. When it comes to money matters, Jassby is part of the family!


Together with the arrival of Amazon Prime Stations in the uk, it is a great time to have a peek with a few of your telly choices away inside the normal Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media. Dig a lttle bit deeper and you'll be able to get some real gems.
An incredibly reasonably priced box which lets you watch every one of the key channels and catch-up services with this particular satellite cable which the previous occupant of one's residence left out. iptv sverige provides more channels than Freeview, whilst there is some lack of parity, you can find almost all you'll need that you don't must pay for anyway. The Humax interface is pretty appealing, amazingly intuitive and comprises some attributes that individuals want the opposite platforms will hear, like warning you if you have an HD type of the station you're watching.
Regrettably, this version is just a single tuner, however it will still have an alternative to include a hard drive via USB to get an extremely cheap DVR meaning you may also pause, rewind and fast toward what it is you are watching. But, there are various versions within the scope that start using a dual cable, which frees you approximately record something watching something else. Built-in WiFi means you've also got entry to a selection of catch-up services and subscription streaming such as Netflix and Curzon.
Greatest for a bedroom, however a fantastic baseline box making us want to find out what else are at the scope.


text:
Home Dog News Cross-Breeding of Dogs and Wolves Has Forever Changed Wolf's Gene Pool
Cross-Breeding of Dogs and Wolves Has Forever Changed Wolf's Gene Pool
Samuel Walker, MSc
A new study found that mating dogs and wolves over the last few hundred years has forever changed the wolf's gene pool.
Let me tell you a quick and relevant story first. A friend of mine has four Siberian huskies. Not one, not two, but four. She also has four kids, so you could say that each of her kids has one wolf-tempered dog as its pet. There's a reason why we jokingly call them the Starks, like the character from Game of Thrones.
One day when we've rented a cabin in the winter, two of the four Huskies took off into the night. A whole search party was formed to look for them and, in the end, when they got hungry, they came back on their own, with pretty much no outside prompting. And they were just 2 and 4 years old, too – so not old and experienced dogs by any stretch of imagination.
Now, new research into Siberian Huskies and Wolfdogs in general revealed that this behavior of our dogs wasn't that uncommon. Just like any Wolfdog, Siberian Huskies are equal amounts of fiercely loyal and ridiculously hard-headed. They can be lap dogs just as easily as they can be sleigh dogs – and it all comes from their wild origins.
In fact, breeding between wolves and dogs goes both ways. This new study from the University of Lincoln in the UK has shown that the Eurasian grey wolf's gene pool has now been permanently marked by cross-breeding with domestic dogs, such as Huskies, Alsatians, Malamutes, etc. The study findings were published in Evolutionary Applications journal (full study paper here).
"A large number of wild wolves in Eurasia carry a small proportion of gene variants derived from dogs."
It goes so far that researchers are now arguing that "genetically pure" wolves don't really exist anymore.
Years and years of cross-breeding has affected domestic dogs and taken its toll on the wolf genome, too.
RELATED: 25 Wolf Dog Breeds
The new study also sheds a new light on just how common cross-breeding between wolves and dogs has been throughout history. We probably could have gathered this ourselves, considering the amount of wolf-like domestic dogs that now exist. But there's a big difference between a dog with a wolf gene and a dog that has been manufactured to look like a wolf.
Markings maketh not the dog, and this is very much the case with wolves and dogs. Wolfdogs – such as my friend's Siberian Husky – have a proven genetic link with wolves. Other dogs may have similar markings to those of Wolfdogs, but they might just be a mix of other Wolfdog breeds, such as Alsatians, Malamutes, and Huskies.
Dog and wolf cross breeding study results. Chart of ancestry block analysis in LAMP for two chromosomes. Dog ancestry is marked in red and wolf ancestry in yellow.
The big difference though comes in the temperament. Manufactured Wolfdogs have been bred to be more suited to a domestic lifestyle. You can't mistake a real Wolfdog's temperament – they're hardheaded, vocal, high in energy and very anxious about being left alone.
What are the consequences of this for the Eurasian grey wolf?
The Eurasian grey wolf is what's known as a "keystone species" – its existence very much determines the viability of its habitat. Lack of regulation in the breeding of Wolfdogs, especially in Eastern and Northern Europe, is what has led the grey wolf into this situation in the first place. That's why the study shows that more control is needed over irregular hunting, small wolf packs, and roaming dogs.
"But I still want a Husky because they're pretty!" you or your friend might say.
That's fine, and, as long as the Husky has a clear heritage, you're safe to get one. But always make sure to research your pet's pedigree, because breeding some dogs causes a lot more damage to habitats and nature than you might think.
As for my friend's Siberian Huskies, they come from a long line that has been very well-documented, but you can see their wolfishness still. So, don't worry, you'll still be getting that taste of the wild, without having to destroy any habitats at all.
READ NEXT: Study Comparing Wolves and Dogs Explains Why Canines Are Our Best Friends
Study Reference:
Adrián Castro-Insua, Carola Gómez-Rodríguez, Jens-Christian Svenning, Andrés Baselga. A new macroecological pattern: The latitudinal gradient in species range shape. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2018; 27 (3): 357 DOI: 10.1111/geb.12702
Cross-Breeding
Wolf Dogs
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so I am currently working on an project where I have to give the user the possibility to download and use the downloaded files during runtime of the software. The files the user can download are primary 3d-Models, but as some Information has to be attached to those Models, it makes more sense to me to store those as prefabs.
I am aware of assetbundles, but I wasn't sure if those bundles have to be loaded before runtime or at the beginning of runtime, or if it is possible at any point to load an assetbundle into the software during runtime.
That's the reason I am asking here.
Are Assetbundles in my case the solution, or should I use something else? I don't really want to embed every downloadable content into the software before building. Instead I want to keep the size of the software small and give the user the possibility to deide which content he wants to add to his software.
The last 4 lines on your question are the description of AssetBundles, or at least what I used them for. So yeah, explore that.


Located in an ancient, restored wine cellar, the restaurant is the ideal setting for dinners and parties during your stay in Matera. The menu offers a wide variation of typical regional dishes. Traditional recipes are accompanied with excellent regional wines, all in a relaxing and evocative Sassi atmosphere.


LANDMASS finds Roach building a compelling and varied ambient travel log for internal landscapes and alien worlds, dropping down along its nearly 70 minute arc in beat-bound, hypnotic and deep ambient sound worlds.
Throughout the album's six tracks, Roach really manages to capture the feeling of travelling, both physically and mentally. The journey starts off with the first track "Transmigration" which really brings to mind walking across a fabulous and strange sunlit montainscape; at first slowly then getting your walking pace up. Roach conjures up a building, hypnotic and subtle tribal-beat ambient track built with guitar elements, synth textures and beats, having an almost hazy dub reggae feeling without the bass line. Later on, "Monuments of Memory" feels like you've drifting into yourself (possible on a rest stop) as Roach produces deeply soothing yet vertigo-inducing deep ambience that gives the feeling of swirling down and down though a tunnel of clouds. The rest of the tracks fit nicely between the two sonic disciplines of beat-bound or buoyant ambient texturing, to deep, lush ambient freefalls or drifts.
Another very rewarding and involving long form ambient trip from Mr. Roach, which touches down in all sides of his ambient mastery. LANDMASS will easily whisk your body and mind off to strange and wonderful lands that you won't want to come back from.


We had no problems negotiating the Zion tunnel, just paid our $15 and that was it. The woman who took our money didn't even question our length (no more than 50'), but when we got to the tunnel the employee there asked if she had measured us, since we looked quite long. We told them our RV was 30' and our car surely wasn't 20', but he warned us about the winding road and Jim said it wouldn't be a problem. Fortunately it was not. When we went through it in 2009 from the west we did not hook up the car so no questions asked.
Jim said this was a record for taking too much time to find a suitable campsite. Mark and Bobbie ended up down the road a mile or so, but we liked this spot since we needed to make room for at least four RVs. Laurelee caught up to us before we made our decision, and we all concluded this was the best area. A couple hours later and we were settled in. Coincidently Jim and Allison, who are at the nearby RV park, were riding their bikes on the road so they stopped to chat.
And just so happens some other Lazy Daze friends are camped nearby, and we didn't even realize they would be here. It's a small world.
But there is plenty of room for everyone, and this is our view.
I went for a bike ride around the neighborhood the day we arrived, then yesterday we took the bikes up to Gooseberry Mesa. Don't go up this road without a high clearance vehicle. Got lost trying to find the trailhead but we finally made it and rode one of the easy trails. Not so easy for us, and Jim's chain came off on a rocky uphill section which caused him to stop abruptly and fall over. He was fine, but it cut our ride a little short. He thought he was going to have to walk back but managed to get the chain back on. Problem was it wouldn't shift so he rode back a few miles in one gear. Apparently Mark and Bobbie found some other good trails up there. The views are incredible. We even came to a small pond.
After we got back Jim worked on his bike and it now seems to be shifting fine. Then he worked on the generator, which had a new fuel pump and filter put on in Bend, OR in July. We had been smelling gas occasionally and he figured out there was a small leak from the fuel filter. He spoke with the guy who repaired it and he said around the time he repaired ours he has since had two others that had defective fuel filters that were also leaking. He told Jim how to replace it, so we found one at an RV place in St. George yesterday. We'll see today if Jim can put the new one on and it solves the problem. While in town we also went to the state liquor store, pet store, and Walmart. Didn't get home until 7:30, and we were happy to see that Suzanne had arrived and settled in just down the road.
Today we're back to hiking with the group.
With temperatures still being a bit too warm in the Virgin area, we all decided to spend a couple nights at the East Zion Riverside RV Park at Mount Carmel Junction, where Hwy 89 intersects with Hwy 9, leading to the east entrance of Zion National Park. This is certainly not a destination park, but we were lured by the wifi, which is typical of most RV parks, sometimes it's great and other times we can't even open an email. Still better than what we've had for the past several weeks near Capitol Reef.
We have full hookups here for $20/night and we're backed up to the East Fork of the Virgin River. This is part of the Best Western across the street, so guests can use their laundry and pool. Not a bad place to spend the night as long as you can ignore the highway noise.
We are about 10 miles from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, so Jim and I took an early evening drive to check it out.
The dunes weren't as big as we were expecting and it looks to be mainly a place for riding ATVs. The sand is extremely fine and hard to walk through.
Yesterday we all went for a hike on the East Mesa Trail in Zion National Park to Observation Point.. We hiked this trail through the snow with Chuck and Carla back in April 2009, but it was actually a trail that Mark and Bobbie had never been on before. And we thought they had hiked them all!
The good thing about it is that you get most of the climbing out of the way in the car, instead of hiking up from the canyon floor. It was 3.3 miles one way to the point, where we encountered quite a few people. This is another back door trail that not many people seem to know about.
Lots of people on top of Angels Landing, too.
Today we brave the tunnel through Zion as we move on to Virgin where we hope to find a good place to boondock. The weather looks perfect for the next week or so.
Since we were so close to Bryce Canyon we decided to spend another night at Kodachrome to take a hike in the national park. Mark and Bobbie inquired at the coffee shop in Tropic and found if you head west on Bryce Way (right in town), at the end of the road is the trailhead for the Tropic Trail, which enters on the eastern border of the park. Interesting that there is no sign and no entrance fee. It almost felt like we were sneaking in the back door.
The trail is a gradual climb of 600' through the Bryce Wilderness (we finally came to a sign), and along the way we were getting glimpses above the trees of what was to come. We were all alone on the trail except for large amounts of horse poop.
After 1.8 miles we came to the junction of the 3 mile Peek-A-Boo trail and decided to go right. It really wouldn't make any difference which way you do the loop, as we soon encountered others going both directions, and it was ups and downs the entire way.
Now this is what we came to see. Although we had all been here before, the scenery was just as fascinating as the first time.
It took us about 4 hours to do this hike since we stopped frequently for photo-ops, and once for lunch.
Even the outhouse was scenic.
Besides windows, we thought we saw the shapes of faces, animals, chess pieces, ancient buildings, gnomes, lamp finials, and even electric toothbrushes in the rock formations. Maybe all this hiking is affecting our brains.
Or is all this fresh air just stimulating our imaginations? Doesn't matter, it was another fine day on the trail.
We ended up spending three nights at Kodachrome Basin State Park, near Cannonville, Utah. Although we tried to find some dispersed camping on nearby BLM land, there were quite a few RVs on the choice sites, probably hunters, and the only spots open were not level and not very attractive. We are in the no-hookup sites for $19/night, a bit pricey for dry camping but the showers are quite nice. There are about 10 full hookup sites for $28 and they were all reserved each night. Build them and they will come.
The one downside to this area is there is no cell service at all. When we were here in 2009 they had wifi at the office, but that is no longer available to the public. So we made a couple trips to the coffee shop in Tropic to check email and publish blogs. The even smaller town of Cannonville is a few miles closer but we didn't find wifi and only had a bar or two of 1X Verizon, too slow to be useable.
We did some hiking in the park the first two days, then yesterday we paid a visit to beautiful Bryce Canyon, which requires a post all its own.
Photogenic and colorful Kodachrome Basin.
With all these unusual rock formations.
She doesn't have the prettiest leg.
Inside "Cool Cave". It was very cool.
And finally Panorama Point, with Jim, Mark and Bobbie admiring the views.
Next up, a day in Bryce Canyon.
On Sunday we did our last Capitol Reef hike. The previous week we hiked not quite halfway into Spring Canyon from the Chimney Rock trail, so this time we started a few miles east of the visitor center on the lower end. There is a paved pull-off for a few cars but we were the only ones there. The problem with this hike is there is no official trail, and to get in the canyon you have to cross the Fremont River, which means wading through about 10 feet of knee deep water. So we wore our water sandals in preparation but didn't realize it would be so hard to locate the river crossing.
You can barely make out Bobbie in the brush. Yes, we walked through this wearing sandals. Both Jim and Bobbie had bloody legs by the time we got to the river. Some of us may have been having second thoughts.
Mark finally found a somewhat easy way to get down to the river, and he hurried across, shoes and all. He said he doesn't mind hiking with wet feet. The rest of us followed along with no problem, other than very cold toes.
Once across, now we had to put on our socks and hiking shoes, not an easy task with no good place to sit. By this time almost an hour had passed since we parked the cars.
But after bushwacking our way through more heavy brush we entered Spring Canyon, a mostly level, wide, very scenic canyon filled with cottonwood trees, many of which were a brilliant shade of yellow.
Bobbie was trying to keep everyone quiet in hopes of seeing wildlife, but with our group of six that just wasn't happening. We did see bighorn sheep and mountain lion tracks in the sand.
And colorful art in the water pools and mud.
We hoped to get close to where we turned around at the other end, but after almost six miles we still hadn't come to the slot canyon we found from the other side. We kept thinking it was just around the next bend so we kept going.
When we came to a view of these rock spires we decided it was a good place for lunch and a good turn around point.
Since I forgot to make sandwiches and we had already eaten one of our Clif Bars, Jim and I went a little farther to see what was ahead while the rest of the group rested and ate. The wash became much rockier and we knew it was already going to be a long hike back so we didn't continue on.
If Jim's GPS was registering correctly we ended up with just over 13 miles. Except for tired feet and legs, we were all able to go that far because the canyon is a relatively easy place to hike. Much more like a walk in the park than Little Wild Horse. There were a few areas of soft sand and some rocks to scramble over but nothing too difficult. Well, there is that little issue of crossing the Fremont River, but it felt good taking off our shoes and going back through it on the way out.
And on the drive home we saw this herd of sheep not far from the road. We've been looking for them since we got to Capitol Reef.
What a nice way to end our stay here.


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Karadjé ist ein Stadtviertel () im Arrondissement Niamey V der Stadt Niamey in Niger.

Geographie

Das Stadtviertel ist an drei Seiten von den Arealen verschiedener Einrichtungen umgeben: im Norden liegt die Abdou-Moumouni-Universität Niamey, im Osten das Centre Régional AGRHYMET und im Westen das Hauptzollamt. Im Süden verläuft entlang der Nationalstraße 6 die Grenze zum Stadtviertel Banga Bana. Karadjé erstreckt sich einschließlich des Hauptzollamtes über eine Fläche von etwa 160,4 Hektar.

Im Stadtviertel gibt es zwei kleine temporäre Seen, der eine beim Hauptzollamt, der andere in einer ins AGRHYMET-Gelände übergehenden Niederung. Karadjé liegt auf einem Alluvialboden, der überwiegend eine Einsickerung ermöglicht. Dort ist das Grundwasser gefährdet verunreinigt zu werden. Im Norden ist der Grundwasserspiegel hingegen so hoch, dass keine Einsickerung möglich ist, was wiederum die Überschwemmungsgefahr erhöht.

Das Standardschema für Straßennamen in Karadjé ist Rue KR 1, wobei auf das französische Rue für Straße das Kürzel KR für Karadjé und zuletzt eine Nummer folgt. Dies geht auf ein Projekt zur Straßenbenennung in Niamey aus dem Jahr 2002 zurück, bei dem die Stadt in 44 Zonen mit jeweils eigenen Buchstabenkürzeln eingeteilt wurde.

Geschichte
Die Siedlung bestand bereits vor 1937, dem Jahr, als in Plateau am anderen Niger-Ufer die Herausbildung verschiedener Stadtviertel in Niamey begann. Karadjé wurde in den 1970er Jahren, nach der Errichtung der Kennedybrücke über den Fluss Niger, die eine Ausdehnung der Hauptstadt auf das rechte Niger-Ufer begünstigte, in Niamey eingemeindet. Während des Uran-Booms von 1977 bis 1980 wurde das Stadtviertel restrukturiert und bis zum Hauptzollamt erweitert. Am nördlichen Rand von Karadjé entstand in einem Altarm des Flusses Niger die informelle Siedlung Banguisto. In den 1980er Jahren war Karadjé verwaltungsmäßig vorübergehend mit Lamordé zu einem Stadtviertel zusammengeschlossen. Bei der Flutkatastrophe von 2010, die Niamey in der Nacht von 5. auf 6. August ereilte, gehörte Karadjé neben Kombo, Kossey, Lamordé und Zarmagandey zu den am stärksten betroffenen Stadtteilen. In Karadjé wurden 17 Häuser überflutet und 19 weitere als einsturzgefährdet deklariert. Die Umsiedlung von rund 750 von erneuten Überschwemmungen im Jahr 2012 betroffenen Haushalten aus den Stadtvierteln Karadjé, Lamordé, Kirkissoye und Nogaré in das neue Stadtviertel Séno wurde im Februar 2013 abgeschlossen.

Bevölkerung

Bei der Volkszählung 2012 hatte Karadjé 22.364 Einwohner, die in 3680 Haushalten lebten. Bei der Volkszählung 2001 betrug die Einwohnerzahl 22.466 in 3430 Haushalten und bei der Volkszählung 1988 belief sich die Einwohnerzahl auf 9759 in 1680 Haushalten.

Infrastruktur
Den Südwesten des Stadtviertels nimmt das 3,2 Hektar große Marktgelände des Marché Harobanda ein. Der Markt besteht seit dem Jahr 1970 und wurde in den Jahren 1994 und 2001 umgestaltet. Seine Strahlkraft erstreckt sich über das gesamte Stadtgebiet von Niamey. In Karadjé befindet sich ein Gesundheitszentrum (Centre de Santé Intégré), das 2014 für die Versorgung von rund 28.000 Menschen zuständig war. Die öffentliche Grundschule Ecole primaire de Karadjé wurde 1987 gegründet.

Literatur

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Niamey V
Ort in Niger
Ort in Afrika

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Idaho plan to manage wolves like other large predators has advocates freaking out
Home /endangered species, Extreme Greens, latest_news, Local/Idaho plan to manage wolves like other large predators has advocates freaking out
endangered species,Extreme Greens,latest_news,Local |
The document sets a threshold of 15 wolf packs. Above that number, wolves will be managed like other predators in the state. When the population falls below the threshold, management becomes more conservative, with an eye toward preventing animals from reverting to federal protection.
Eric Barker
Lewiston Tribune
Idaho draft wolf plan has predator's fans, foes howling
A process to update Idaho's wolf management plan has rekindled the sort of hot emotions scarcely seen since the days the animals were still protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Officials at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game are likely to release a draft of their plan next month, and wolf critics claim the agency is going soft on the animals, while wolf advocates say the state is putting too much pressure on them.
Both sides are upset the agency no longer intends to count wolves the way it has for the past 20 years – with the annual release of a minimum population, pack and breeding pair estimates.
Critics are steamed the new plan is not likely to include an official population goal that matches management objectives that grew out of the state's 2002 Idaho Wolf Management and Conservation Plan. The document sets a threshold of 15 wolf packs. Above that number, wolves will be managed like other predators in the state. When the population falls below the threshold, management becomes more conservative, with an eye toward preventing animals from reverting to federal protection.
The 2002 plan doesn't mention a population goal of 150 wolves, but over time it became understood the state would strive to maintain a minimum of 15 packs and 150 animals as a way to prevent the population hitting the threshold of 10 breeding pairs and 100 animals established as a recovery goal when wolves were reintroduced to Idaho in the 1990s.
Wolf critics want the new plan to adopt the 150 goal and for the state to aggressively manage the animals until it is met. Without the goal, they say wildlife managers won't keep pressure on the animals.
Butch Suor of Stites acknowledges the wolf population isn't likely to dip to 150 animals, but he still wants that to be the stated goal.
"We are not even going to be close to that, but the goal still has to be 15 and 150 – period," he said.
Jim Hagedorn of Viola is accusing wildlife managers of aiming for a higher wolf population so the department can continue to sell wolf tags.
"They don't want to have any limitations on the number of wolves, and that won't fly," he said.
Wolf advocates sounded the alarm last week when the department asked for public comment on a rule change that would allow hunters to use bait such as road-kill deer and elk to lure wolves into shooting range.
"It's just horrific, the ideas that have come out in terms of how people in Idaho want to manage wolves," said Suzanne Stone of Defenders of Wildlife at Boise. "They seem to have forgotten about fair chase and any sense of ethics in hunting. Those things seem to go out the door when people talk about wolves."
Idaho also allows baiting for bears.
At the end of 2015, the state had an estimated minimum wolf population of about 780 wolves. Stone said Idaho may be underestimating the number of wolves killed illegally and thus underestimating the population.
Hagedorn suspects the population is much higher – perhaps 1,500 to 2,000.
Idaho no longer is required to submit an annual wolf report to the federal government, as it was for five years following the animal's removal from the endangered species list. The state did not release an estimate for wolf numbers at the end of last year. Jim Hayden, the state's lead wolf manager, said the revised plan is unlikely to call for annual wolf population estimates and will instead aim to keep tabs on population trends through things like harvest information and remote monitoring through a system of game cameras.
Nor is the plan likely to have a population goal. Instead, he said the department's management goal will be to reduce conflict.
"What we have seen is a decrease in the number of wolves in Idaho," Hayden said. "We want to make absolutely sure they remain a state animal and are not relisted and manage the population to minimize depredation on livestock and ensure predation on ungulates is not unreasonable, particularly in those areas that ungulates are not meeting management goals."
Deputy Director Ed Schriever at Boise said monitoring wolves the same way it did during the first five years following delisting would drain resources. Instead, he said the department is managing wolves much like it does black bears and mountain lions.
"It's a question of prioritization. We would rather utilize those resources to really learn and understand the impacts that wolves might be causing more than an absolute number with a confidence interval around it," he said. "By knowing what is going on with our deer and elk herds and determining the specific causes of those mortalities, we can know if we have an issue. Just knowing the number of wolves doesn't let you know what their relative impacts are."
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is scheduled to hear from Hayden about wolf management at its meeting in Bonners Ferry July 26-27. Commissioner Dan Blanco of Moscow said he intends to fight for a population goal of 150 to be included in the plan. He said doing so is important to the hunters who recently supported the department's fee increase legislation.
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Popworld Reading, night club, listed under "Night Clubs" category, is located at 110-117 Friar Street Reading Berkshire, RG1 1EP, United Kingdom and can be reached by (01189) 595395 phone number. Popworld Reading has currently 0 reviews.
Browse all Night Clubs in Reading Berkshire.


CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard baseball sophomore, Quinn Hoffman, was recently featured in Harvard Magazine.
Triple Play: For Quinn Hoffman, baseball is the family business.
"Quinn Hoffman, a Harvard freshman on a 13-game hitting streak, stepped up to home plate at Fenway Park.
Batting second in the 2017 Beanpot baseball championship against Boston College, he looked out at the pitcher's mound, where his father, Trevor Hoffman, had pitched in the 1999 All-Star Game. Beyond the mound, the shortshop was standing where his uncle, Glenn, had played with the Red Sox from 1980 to 1987.
Now, with the first pitch, it was his turn. "I was just able to get a good pitch, and put a good swing on it," he recalls, "and I didn't realize I was going to be able to hit it out." The ball shot off Hoffman's bat, over left field, toward Fenway's Green Monster—and cleared the 37-foot wall for his first college home run.


IT'S 2016. TIME FOR SOME BEARD WASH TALK.
It's 2016 and you are still using shampoo to wash your beard? What gives guys? While there are some great products out there to wash your head hair, times have changed and there are now specific products designed for your beard. In our opinion, The Rustic Beardsman Beard Wash is the best out there (naturally, of course).
This answer is somewhat simple. Regular shampoos are designed for your head hair and scalp. Your scalp produces something called sebum, from the Sebaceous glands. This is an oily or waxy substance that lubricates and waterproofs the skin on you head and face (sebaceous glands are microscopic and in nearly all areas of your skin). These glands occur in the greatest quantity on your scalp, which requires a much harsher cleanser to attain a clean surface. This is what shampoos are designed for. They are made with a much higher quantity of surfactants, or cleaners than a beard wash specifically designed for your beard would be made with. A premium beard wash will love and support your bearded face.
A PREMIUM BEARD WASH WON'T CONTAIN HARSH SURFACTANTS.
A surfactant is a Surface Acting Agent. It is a compound that will lower the surface tension between liquids and solids. Basically, it is a detergent. Because shampoos are designed for your head hair and scalp, they tend to have harsher surfactants. The surfactant SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) is one particular surfactant you want to avoid in a beard wash. When a beard wash has an extremely high amount of lather, that typically means it has a high amount of surfactants in it. The lather is more of a visual queue for the consumer to know that it is working. The Rustic Beardsman Beard Wash has a gentle, mild lather.
YOUR BEARD DESERVES THE BEST.
We truly believe your beard deserves the best, and that is why we choose to use organic ingredients. If we didn't believe that, we wouldn't be using them ourselves. Your beard is the first thing that most people notice about you, and we want to make sure you have the best looking beard possible. A beardsman will stoke his beard, on average, nearly 700 times a day, and your mustache is directly under your nose. You feel and smell your beard all day long. It's important to take care of the most prominent part of your appearance, so investing in a premium beard wash is important, and will save you from dealing with a damaged, dull, and brittle beard.
Click here to check out our new beard wash and make sure to visit our Facebook page for contests and giveaways!
Have something to say? Leave a comment below!


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A little chat with GO WEST's, Richard Drummie - October 2020
Brit Award winning pop duo, Go West, are celebrating 35 years since they reached No.5 in the UK Singles Chart with their first big hit, 'We Close Our Eyes.' With the tour postponed until 2021, I caught up with Richard Drummie to talk gigs, lockdown, fans and that 'trademark' star top....
Pic: Newark Festival 2018
So, 35 years - CONGRATULATIONS! Like all music events, your celebratory tour has had to be moved to next year - do you think it will be even more special then?
Can I be really honest? Myself and Pete aren't the ones going, 'It's the 35th anniversary, let's tell everyone about it...' Our management thought it was a good idea to hang things on it - but that's what managers are there for. It IS special, not the tour necessarily - although that will be great, but being able to stay in business that long.
How is it for artists in the current economic climate, trying to plan ahead with the pandemic still with us?
It's hard. No one has got any idea what will happen. We just decided a few months ago, when some people were moving their shows to later in the year, that we can't just keep moving these things because eventually the money runs out and someone goes out of business. So everything has been moved back to pretty much the day, 2021. The tour has been postponed one year, but my bills haven't been postponed (laughs), but we will get through.
If things go as scheduled at the moment, then the first thing we will be doing is a gig with a full orchestra, at Birmingham Symphony Hall.
You've been very quiet on social media for the last few months, how did you find lockdown?
Well, I have been indoors since January, as I had a minor operation (laughs and goes on to explain how he could have done the procedure with a pen knife on his own!), but I didn't mind. I'm fortunate that my house is big enough to rattle around in and it's got a lovely garden - and that makes all the difference. I'll tell you something about lockdown, I didn't call anybody. Everyone was asking, 'Is Rich alright? Have you heard from him?' I thought I'd spend the time alone, finding myself, but now I've found myself, I can't get away from myself! (laughs)
Did you have your children at home with you?
Dominic was here - he still lives here. He's working from home at the moment and is involved in music, the publishing side. It's quite hard for people like me, that have been doing it for 35 years, to find a way forward, so I think he's realised it's not as easy now as it was back when we were doing it. If you want to be an astronaut, actor or musician, you'd better set yourself up for a few knocks, because everyone else wants to do it too.
Do your children think you're amazing to still be in a band after all these years?
Ha! The novelty has well and truly worn off for them now. It was the main reason we did it again though. We'd split up and initially I didn't really want to go back in to Go West - I was doing alright, songwriting and doing my own stuff.
It's quite impressive that you and Peter have kept the same line-up through the years, as I can imagine in a duo it must get quite intense at times?! Do you ever wish you'd been part of a bigger band and if so, just for fun, which one?
There's a lot of hierarchy in the bigger bands. Being undiluted and original makes a huge difference. I've seen Earth, Wind and Fire, they just had the original guitarist - they were still brilliant, but I'd been so looking forward to seeing them all. Would I have preferred to have been in a bigger band? No, not really, as I do like being in a duo. It does make it very difficult as Peter and I are famed for not agreeing what colour the sky is and we both write lyrics, and both write music. There's a lot of 'what do you mean? How can you you not hear that's a better one??!'
As for which band - probably U2.
Whenever I've seen you guys, I've been very impressed by how you treat your fans - they've stayed with you a long time...
We just treat them like people, they are people. You do get some that aren't like that - very occasionally we've had to leave a gig without an explanation before and it's a horrible feeling. I remember a fan crossing the road and ripping the programme in half, but it doesn't happen a lot. The funny thing is now is that if we are in a city doing a gig and go walking around, they'll (fans) go, 'Alright' and we'll go, 'Alright!' They sent us this book recently and basically what came across is how many friendships had been made because they liked the band. So, they go to these things and they don't want to sit down and talk to me for half an hour, they're with their mates. They will come and see us later, talk to us for a couple of minutes and then see us next time. We have one fan, Dan, he's been to an incredible 62 Go West gigs!
I know Peter often gets asked about his white shirt, you've got a bit of a 'trademark' star top that you always wear now - how did that come about?
I bought one recently and a lot of people commented on it, saying they liked it, so I thought I'd get another in a different colour. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't have about 25 of them in total, now. They're 'Agnes B' and cost the bl**** earth as they're really good and don't fall apart.
Have you thought about approaching them to sponsor you?
Ha! They're French, they'd probably look at me with disdain and go, 'Urrrgh', or whatever. No, I've never done that with anyone, not with guitars or anything. A lot of bands do get guitars half price, etc. I'm not really driven by money - as long as I've got enough, as long as I make sure I spend a pound less than I earn, I'll be alright.
Finally then, please can you finish this sentence? 'The best thing about being in Go West is....'
(Bursts out laughing) ME!! No, seriously, the best thing about being in Go West is that it's what I've always wanted to do.
To see GO WEST live in 2021, visit: http://www.gowest.org.uk/tour.htm
Tags: #80s #80sMusic #GoWest #RichardDrummie #WeCloseOurEyes
← Back to Interviews


If your tomato plants look like mine, they will be getting nice and tall, if not a bit unstable in their growbags. But this year I have the perfect solution with these Cane Growbag Frames.
So simple yet so sturdy, they will provide all the additional support needed to keep the plants nice and stable as they begin to produce fruit. The perfect solution to a perennial problem!


Korea's Information Society: Language Limits Search!
The Korea Times last week published an article entitled "Search Engines Dig Deeper, Wider." The article noted, in part that "The so-called ``specialized searching'' is the hot trend in the Internet search industry here. Due to meticulous demands from Internet users and fierce competition among Web sites to win advertisers, portals are continuously upgrading their searching techniques into a level that excels Google and other foreign engines, at least for Korean-language sources." The last three words, "Korean-language sources" are crucial for an understanding of the whole article. On the one hand, the amount of Korean language content on the web is increasing, and being made available in a format that users can appreciate. On the other hand, this article underscores clearly how language places limits on use of the internet and search activity. While Koreans may enjoy having more content available in their native language, they need to appreciate that these "deeper and wider" searches by Naver and Daum do not constitute searches of the "World-Wide Web." Instead, they search only one province of the web, that which consists of Korean-language pages. For many purposes, Koreans might want to go beyond this and explore what people from other nations and cultures have posted on the web. Those seeking such a more comprehensive search would be well advised to use Google, with the understanding that its translation services are only a rough guide to the real meaning of web pages in English and other languages.


This was a GOOD month for thrifting! Hit the play button for some big news and even bigger thrift finds.
Despite finding many things this month from my thrifting wishlist (cami, colored jeggings, just to name a few!), I've still got lots of things on it! Here's a few more things I'm looking for in April while thrifting.
• Leopard print belt – I'm hoping to 'spot' one of these thrifting very soon.
• Red shirt – It feels like I'm always trying to fill a colorful gap in my wardrobe. This time I'm in need of a red top!
Thank you for joining me for another monthly thrift haul video. Let me know in the comments what your favorite item was and what you're hoping to thrift next month!
Also, don't forget to Pin this post or share it with your favorite thrifting partner in crime!


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MAJ Damon Jesse Gause ID: 2542
First Name: Damon
Last Name: Gause
Birthplace: Fort Valley, GA, USA
Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces (1941 - 1947)
Middle Name: Jesse
Date of Birth: 17 June 1915
Date of Death: 09 March 1944
Damon Jesse Gause
Major, U.S. Army Air Forces
Damon Jesse Gause was born on 17 June 1915 in Fort Valley, GA. He graduated from the Martin Institute High School, and attended the University of Georgia. Nicknamed "Rocky," his colleagues and friends considered him a warm, caring person, with a good sense of humor, quick to accept a challenge, and one who championed an underdog. Finding college studies boring, he liked to spend his afternoons at the local airfield, where he began to take flying lessons.
After one year of college, he dropped out and enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, serving as a Radioman on the USCG Cutter Argo. After three years, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served in Panama. Three years later, he left the Army to work for the Texaco Oil Company in its oil fields in Columbia, until 1939 when he returned to Georgia.
In early 1941, he enlisted again in the Army Air Corps (which became the Army Air Forces on 20 June 1941), this time qualifying for flight training. He received his wings as a pilot and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant at Kelly Field, TX, and assigned to the 27th Bombardment Group in Savannah, GA, where he trained on A-24 dive-bombers.
In late November 1941, the 27th Bomb Group was reassigned to the Philippine Islands, arriving just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December. When American forces abandoned Manila, he went with them to Bataan. Lacking aircraft, he was given command of a machine gun company. When Bataan surrendered, he was taken to a POW camp, where he escaped after killing a guard, and swam to the American-held island of Corregidor. When Corregidor fell to the Japanese on 6 May 1942, Gause and a fellow Filipino pilot swam for the Luzon shore, six miles away.
Only Gause made it and, with the aid of Filipino natives, he continued his escape. Joining another American, Captain William Lloyd Osborne, the two men stole a boat from the Japanese and sailed 3,200 miles to Australia. After a year of promoting war bonds and being hailed as a hero, he volunteered to return to active service at the front lines. In 1943, he was assigned to the 365th Fighter Group, and was shipped to England. Given P-47 Thunderbolt fighters, they trained for low altitude dive-bombing missions in preparation for the upcoming Normandy Invasion. On 9 March 1944, Major Gause was killed while test-flying a modified P-47 south of London near the Isle of Wright. He was testing the plane for its future mission in close air support for the Allied Invasion of Normandy.
Distinguished Service Cross
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal
While in Savannah, GA, Gause met and married Ruth Evans on 11 October 1941; they had one son, Damon Lance Gause.
Major Damon Jesse Gause died on 9 March 1944 in England. He is buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Coton, Cambridgeshire, England.


text:
NPA Career Resources
Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology
Our mission is to research and teach how the collective behavior of molecules and cells forms the basis of life. We are driven by a passion for discovery and education and supported by cutting-edge research centers and state-of-the-art facilities on Harvard's Cambridge campus.
Areas of research within MCB are highly diverse, ranging from the study of RNA structure, chromosome movement and cell wall synthesis, to membrane biogenesis, organ development and odor sensing. Our experimental systems are equally varied, ranging from viruses, bacteria and yeast, to Drosophila, C. elegans, zebrafish, and mouse.
Parent: Harvard University
Industry: Education / Teaching / Administration
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
This company currently has no jobs posted.
Click here to search for jobs.
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The NPA is the voice of the postdoctoral community of more than 70,000 scholars and 300 research institutions.
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McDonald's is a little burger chain out of Chicago that we had the pleasure of working on for a few years. We created everything from national TV commercials to digital campaigns to tray liners for this iconic brand. Our special sauce: A combination of simple executions, delicious looking food, a little smile and a lot of lovin'.
We know how u feel. https://t.co/0zilEbQxqK MT @BreeMoss19: #McCafeBecause the sun is shining bright & my car's air conditioning is broken.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This little table runner is the perfect project to spruce up your space. Just nab your favorite-ist charm pack and you are on your way.
Lucky Charms measures 17 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches.
***project shown uses Summer on the Pond by Holly Taylor for Moda Fabrics.


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Senator Mithika Linturi Accused Of Sneaking Into Couple's Hotel Room, Pretending To Be Woman's Husband To Get Sex
Meru Senator Mithika Linturi is in trouble for allegedly sneaking into a couple's hotel room and pretending to be the woman's husband before jumping into bed.
Linturi, who is facing a nasty divorce case that has gotten public attention, is being accused of attempted rape and has moved to court to block the case.
According to police documents, the woman reported that she was with a husband and friends at Maiyan Villas Resort Nanyuki on January 29 2021.
She said that she retired to bed early that night but did not lock the room because hubby was still out. At around 3 am, with the lights off, a man came in and joined her in bed.
Because the lights were off, she assumed it was her hubby as the man started touching her.
However, according to the woman, the man she thought was her husband, never uttered a single word while he inappropriately touched her and later, they both fell asleep.
READ ALSO: Furious Kisii Businessman Burns 3 Houses After Gym-Instructor Impregnates His Wife
"Thirty minutes later she heard a knock on the door and went to open the door only to find her husband standing at the door prompting her to switch on the lights since she was confused who was in her bed whom she thought was her husband," the statement reads in part.
The hubby was angry and started a commotion which attracted other people in the hotel.
Their friends who were with them in the hotel came to investigate and one of them identified the stranger as Linturi.
It was established that the senator was also a guest in the resort and had a room adjacent to the couple's room and it's not clear if the legislator confused his villa with that of the couple.
The woman further claimed that the politician decided to settle the man by giving them Ksh 200, 000 in cash and a cheque of Ksh 800,000 but later reported them for extortion.
The couple decided to file their complaint of attempted rape and indecent act with an adult against him which he may be charged with if the DPP approves the charge sheet.
In this article:Meru County,Meru Senator,Mithika Linturi


Baby Animals Pictures Images Animal ~ Baby Animals for HD 16:9 High Definition 1080p 900p 720p Wide 16:10 5:3 Widescreen WUXGA WXGA WGA Standard 4:3 5:4 Fullscreen UXGA SXGA Other 3:2 DVGA HVGA Mobile VGA WVGA iPhone iPad PSP Mobile Phone QVGA PocketPC GPS WQVGA Smartphone HVGA iPod Zune HD 1024x768. iPhone 5 - 5S. 1440x1080. 384x240. 480x360. HTC Evo 4G. iPhone 3G - 3GS. Tablet 7". 960x600. iPad Mini. 768x480. 1440x900. 1024x640. 800x600. 640x360. 1152x720. 1600x900. 960x540. 1280x1024. 1600x600. 1600x1200. iPhone 4 - 4S. 1280x720. 1280x800. 1366x768. 320x240. iPad 1 - 2. 854x480. 1152x864. 960x720. Samsung Galaxy S2. 1600x480. 1024x576. 1280x960. 1400x1050. 640x480.


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The Restaurants du Cœur (literally Restaurants of the Heart but meaning Restaurants of Love), commonly known as the Restos du Cœur, is a French charity, the main activity of which is to distribute food packages and hot meals to those in need. The association targets homeless and those with a low or a very low income (single families, old people with a low pension, young adults...). The association also helps people to find housing and supports other projects. This not-for-profit association has the "reconnu d'utilité publique" (recognised as being of public interest) status which exempts it from specific taxes. The association, highly respected in France, is known for its huge number of volunteers (66,000 in 2015) and its original fund-raising method.

History
The comedian and actor Coluche launched the idea of the Restos du Cœur on 26 September 1985. "I have a little idea, a bit like this... If there are people who would be interested in sponsoring a free soup kitchen, we'd start first in Paris and then spread to France's big cities." The first Resto du Coeur opened on 21 December and soon multiplied all over the country. The goal of the founders was to give away 2,000 to 3,000 meals per day; 8.5 million meals were distributed in the first winter alone. In 2018, 130 million meals were served.

The initiative was supported by a song written by the songwriter and singer Jean-Jacques Goldman called les Restos du cœur, which included some of the lyrics being sung or read out by other celebrities. A televised show allowed the organisation to collect several million francs.

Coluche pleaded for the Restos' cause at the European Parliament in February 1986 after learning that surplus products cost more to store than to distribute free to the poor; his plea was heard and in 1987 the surplus was made available to four organisations.

Operation

Structure and Organisation
The Restos du Cœur consists of one national organisation and 119 departmental organisations.

The National Organisation
Founded by the comedian and actor Coluche in 1985, "Les Restos du Cœur - Relais du Cœur" is a voluntary association as defined by the French association law of 1901. Recognised as being of public interest, its goal is to help the neediest and to fight social marginalisation.

It is a founding member of the Committee of the Charter of Deontology of Social and Humanitarian Organisations, a group of associations committed to financial transparency. It owns the name and logo of the Restos du Cœur.

Every year, the general assembly elects its governing body, which in turn chooses the president and the board from its members. The board enacts the policy of the Restos, as defined by the general assembly, at weekly meetings. The national organisation's goals are:
to centralise purchases of food and to supply it to the departments;
to encourage the departmental organisations to be involved in the reintegration of their beneficiaries into society, and to support them in their endeavours using technical and financial support;
to ensure the training of volunteers;
to oversee, using policy officers, the consistency of their messages;
to control and consolidate the accounts of the departmental organisations, to look after their well-being, and to ensure their respect for the rules;
and to maintain communication between the Restos.

The Departmental Branches
The 113 departmental organisations can be found throughout 96 departments. Although they are legally autonomous, they operate using the same principles as the national organisation (general assemblies, governing bodies, boards), and are bound to them by a contractual agreement.

The departmental organisations manage, activate and coordinate activities on the ground with 40,000 volunteers in almost 2,500 Restos, which together welcome 600,000 beneficiaries a day. Their aims are to provide food aid, lodging, workshops (such as the Jardins du Cœur - "Gardens of the Heart") and cultural activities.

All these reintegration programmes exist to help beneficiaries to become normal citizens. Under the heading of "reinsertion into society" are several different kinds of activities:
from workshops to gardens;
from trucks doing nightly rounds in the big cities to long-term lodging solutions;
and from cultural activities to picnics.

Though the soup kitchens remain the most visible face of the Restos, they alone cannot ease the exclusion of those benefiting from their existence. Reinsertion is therefore considered top priority.

The "Les Restos demain" ("The Restos Tomorrow") survey, which polled more than 13,000 beneficiaries and volunteers in 1998 and 1999, confirmed the need to evolve and reinforced the will to extend the beneficiary-volunteer partnership.

A Need for Clarity
The Restos du Cœur are attentive to the good use of the funds. As an organisation essentially financed by private donors, public funds and public organisations, and with its activities carried out by volunteers, its overheads are generally very low (around 8% of resources), and unnecessary expenses are eliminated. Invitations to tender ensure that best value for money is obtained. Consequently, 90% of financial resources are devoted to activities.

In line with the organisation's legislation, the accounts of the organisation are inspected by auditors. Occasional discrepancies by some local groups are sanctioned and transmitted to the courts.

Voted on and passed in 1988, the loi Coluche ("Coluche law") permits small donors (the largest segment of funders) to benefit from the same tax breaks as big donors. A later amendment permits donors to get a tax break of 75% for donations up to €470. Above that, and within a limit of 20% of income, the tax break is 66%. Each donor receives a tax form on which an accountant confirms all the necessary calculations for the tax break, and a document stating how the money donated will be used by the Restos.

Since 1987, the Restos du Cœur have benefited financially from the European Plan to Help the Neediest (Plan européen d'aide aux plus démunis, or PEAD).

The People

Donors
There are many different kinds of donors:
From children to the elderly, from artisans to multinationals, from housewives to stars, individuals are, in various ways, the most reliable supporters.
Those who generously give their services (loan of buildings, transport, printing...) or participate in authorised protests, which are strictly regulated financially and legally.
Those who give money by buying an Enfoirés CD (les Enfoirés - "The Tossers" or "The Bastards" in English - is the name of an annual concert to raise money for the cause), by bequeathing their goods or money, or by giving up their copyright over a work.
Those who give goods (books, clothes, food, hygiene products...).

However, the following are all forbidden:
fundraising or garage sales;
commercial operations without the consent of the Restos du Cœur;
and direct mailing canvassing financial donations, apart from those from the organisation itself.

Volunteers
The first campaign for the Restos du Cœur in 1985 netted 5,000 volunteers. Today, there are more than 63,000 of all backgrounds with one point in common: generosity devoid of political or religious points of view. Their actions are based on the Volunteers' Charter, whose six guiding points guarantee the good working order of the organisation. To fulfil their mission well, each volunteer undergoes a training period enabling them to learn the techniques necessary for their mission. Two professional trainers and some experienced volunteers give seminars where volunteers from all around France gather. Classes about the following subjects are held:
managing a Resto;
welcoming people who no longer try for or want to get help;
accompanying those who ask for moral support;
helping those who have trouble paying rent on the homes they have finally found;
and teaching at a workshop or a garden.

Artists
Coluche knew that the best way he could help the Restos was to present his own image and those of his friends. In one winter, he created the Enfoirés around this idea.

On 26 January 1986, Coluche presented a show on national television that lasted all afternoon. An exceptional group of people gathered together: politicians of all stripes, presenters from all the TV channels and radio stations, and all kinds of artists and sports stars.

Since then, every year an Enfoirés concert has been held to encourage people to donate to the Restos du Cœur. It has become a very popular event. Each year, the media explain the goals of the organisation and remind people of where they can donate or volunteer. The Enfoirés themselves support the Restos by giving up the profits from the concerts and albums of these concerts.

There was also a charity song about it on TF1 (2012 appel aux dons spot), beautifully accompanied with the music of the Spanish band PLOU .

The Restos Abroad

Belgium: 1986
There are 16 Restos in Belgium: 12 in Wallonia, 2 in Flanders and 2 in Brussels. Coluche inaugurated the first one, at Liège, on 22 February 1986. It was immediately decided to leave it open all year long, and as elsewhere, the services provided were quickly swamped.

The Belgian Federation of Restos currently offers many services (social, legal, reinsertion...), and help (administrative, financial, medical, lodging...).

Germany: 1997
One can also find Restaurant des Herzens in Germany, specifically in Erfurt and Leipzig.

In Erfurt, there is a cultural programme with theatre and music, and even a Father Christmas for the children. In 2004, however, dwindling donations resulted in reduced opening hours.

In Leipzig, the beneficiaries have to pay 50 euro cents per meal, otherwise the distribution of food would be impossible to finance. Nevertheless, a free minibus service operates between the central railway station and the restaurant.

References

External links

 Official site
 Daily Telegraph,Dec 25, 2005

Charities based in France
Homelessness charities
Hunger relief organizations
Soup kitchens