text:
The debate on school choice is underway in Tennessee Legislature and one measure, supported by Gov. Bill Haslam, is working its way forward.
Last week the Senate Education Committee approved the Tennessee Choice and Opportunity Scholarship Act, sponsored by Chattanooga Republican Todd Gardenhire, on a vote of 8-0.
Senate Bill 999 would provide scholarships for private-school tuition to low-income students in the state’s worst-performing public schools.
The total number of vouchers the state would award would gradually increase from 5,000 available scholarships in the 2015-16 school year to a peak of 20,000 from the 2018-19 school year forward. The fiscal note on the legislation indicates a cost of $125,000 for the Department of Education to implement the policy.
The House companion legislation — HB1049 — sponsored by Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, also easily cleared the House Education Planning & Administration subcommittee last week on a vote of 7-1, though not without debate.
Rep. Kevin Dunlap, a Rock Island Democrat who is also a teacher, said the “gains and strides” made in education the last few years would be endangered by potentially removing $70 million from local school district. Dunlap said he’s “very, very concerned about the future of public education” as a result.
Rep. Dunn said critics of school vouchers, like Dunlap, appear more interested in protecting the status quo and putting “the emphasis on the system” rather than focusing on academic achievement outcomes.
“I’d like to put emphasis on the student,” said Dunn.
The Tennessee Education Association, many local school officials across the state and most Democrats in the Legislature have steadfastly opposed enabling parents to spend public monies on private education for their children.
“You’re taking away funding from an already underfunded school and putting it in vouchers. I don’t think it’s productive for public schools or private schools,”said House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh told the Memphis Daily News in February.
A February 2013 MTSU Poll found that while 46 percent of Tennesseans oppose vouchers, 40 percent favor the idea and 12 percent were undecided at the time.
Dunn’s legislation is scheduled to be heard in full Committee next Tuesday. Gardenhire’s Senate bill is assigned to the Finance Committee, but has not been scheduled for a hearing yet.
Another school choice proposal, sponsored by Germantown Republican Brian Kelsey, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has not received as warm a welcome.
Haslam told reporters during a press conference last week that Gardenhire’s proposal was in line with what he’s indicated the administration would be willing to fund, and as such, he intends to fund that legislation rather than Kelsey’s more expansive plan.
http://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/12/columns-edge-blur.jpg270610Alex Harrishttp://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/07/logo_438x125.pngAlex Harris2015-03-09 13:18:142015-03-10 11:35:34School-Voucher Bill Moving Forward in Legislature
If you ask Bill Haslam to interpret the significance of recent Tennessee ACT scores that show the most impressive statewide gains in a decade, he’ll tell you it shows teachers are doing a great job.
That, and it’s more evidence much-resisted education reforms initiated and implemented by his administration are creating positive results. Despite difficult workplace transitions, Teachers are adapting adeptly, and deserve praise, he said Wednesday.
“I think it’s further verification that we have great teaching going on in Tennessee schools, and we’re seeing the results of that,” the governor said following an event at Antioch High School to promote a new state program offering free community college to any graduating senior in the state.
The governor noted Tennessee is one of only 12 states that require ACT testing for all students — meaning the sampling wasn’t biased toward college-bound students.
This year’s increase is also the biggest jump since Tennessee “began testing all students in 2010,” according to the department.
The ACT gains, coupled with Tennessee’s designation last fall as the country’s most improved state on the so-called “Nation’s Report Card,” have Haslam confident his reforms are working.
Results like that “don’t just happen,” he said.
The Department of Education’s news release indicated “gains correlate with recent academic growth in high school on the 2014 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP.” It adds that while academic improvement was evident across socioeconomic lines, the results “point to the continued need to close achievement gaps” among minority student.
Skeptics of the Haslam administration’s emphasis on wide-scale standardized testing — and his reforms in general — aren’t buying that the results mean Tennessee is on a sustainably productive path in public education.
“It’s great to see an improvement. But we need to be cautious about placing too much emphasis on those test scores,” said Barbara Gray, president of the Tennessee Education Association.
If the Haslam administration believes higher ACT and NAEP scores tell a complete story, many teachers “would disagree with that,” said Gray. Test scores don’t necessarily mean a better-educated student, she said.
“We know the students are being tested all year long, and they’re becoming better test takers because they’re being tested,” Gray said. “So, it’s important to me that we look at multiple measures of students’ achievement, to determine if the students really are achieving at a higher level.”
Despite a recent opinion by Tennessee’s attorney general offering legal cover to the state Department of Education for its decision to delay release of student test scores, critics of the agency’s embattled commissioner aren’t letting up on their demand that he be cut loose.
And they want Gov. Bill Haslam to make a decision sooner this summer rather than later in the fall after the general election, as he’s indicated he intends to do.
“I haven’t sat down and had that conversation with [any of the commissioners] about the next four years, because it’s not appropriate,” Haslam said on July 8. “I’m in the middle of a campaign right now, and we will — this fall, if I’m re-elected, we’ll sit down with all 23, and see if they want to continue, and if that works for us.”
Kevin Huffman has been a lightning rod for criticism from both the left and the right. But by the same token he’s got staunch defenders among both Republicans and Democrats as well. Two of his biggest fans have been Tennessee’s GOP governor and the Obama administration’s education chief, Arne Duncan.
Haslam has been emphasizing improvements in test scores that have come about under Huffman, including Tennessee’s status as the fastest improving education system in the nation. The fundamental test of his administration’s education efforts ought to be student performance, the governor said, and in his estimation kids in Tennessee’s publicly funded classrooms are “learning more than they ever have before.”
However, opposition to Haslam on education — in particular, his embrace of both Common Core and student-testing as a means of evaluating the job teachers are doing — runs deep both among educators and conservative politicians who fear the state is giving up control of its education system to outside forces.
Citing a “complete lack of trust” in the commissioner, as well as alleging the manipulation of test scores, a letter sent to Haslam on June 19 demanded Huffman be replaced. Fifteen Republican members of the Tennessee General Assembly — 13 lawmakers in the House and two senators, endorsed the letter, which declared that mistrust of Huffman stems from his “actions and general attitude,” and that he’s demonstrated a “failure to uphold and follow the laws of the state of Tennessee in this latest TCAP debacle we are currently witnessing.”
The attorney general’s opinion did little, though, to change the minds of Huffman’s detractors.
Sen. Joey Hensley, a Republican from Hohenwald, said he “wasn’t surprised” by the attorney general’s office opinion, and said it didn’t really carry any legal weight. And anyway, “there are a lot of different issues” on which Hensley said he’s had problems with Commissioner Huffman.
Hensley, a member of the Senate Education Committee, indicated he stands by the letter’s main thrust. Huffman should “go somewhere else,” he said. “I just feel like the commissioner doesn’t listen to the superintendents and the teachers and the principles, and he doesn’t listen too much to the Legislature, either.”
“The irony is Commissioner Huffman pushed for this, because he’s all about the testing, and when he doesn’t get the results he wants all of a sudden he wants to do away with that being factored in,” West said. “And let me say, if the Governor and the Commissioner were really as proud of TCAP scores as they want us to believe, it certainly would not have been announced during the Fourth of July.”
West said that she was not just in favor of Huffman’s resignation, but that he should be fired. West also said that part of the problem, and what was “more disturbing,” was that Cooper “seems to have forgotten that he is supposed to be the attorney for the people of Tennessee, rather than a servant of the Governor.”
“I think that part of the issue is the people of Tennessee don’t have a voice in who the Commissioner of Education is, and don’t have a voice in who the Attorney General is,” West said. “And for that reason they don’t feel, or they seem to act in ways that don’t show a lot of concern for what we believe, and truthfully for what the law seems to be.”
West described her group as not of any particular political perspective, but just people who are not “tolerating” what’s happening to their kids under Common Core or Huffman’s education department.
And regardless of the attorney general’s view on the controversy over the TCAP scores, those on the left wing of Tennessee’s political spectrum still think Huffman needs to go, too. The Tennessee Democratic Party has regularly called for Huffman’s ouster, on the grounds that he is aloof and unresponsive to local teachers and education officials.
The governor owes it to the people of Tennessee to declare whether or not he plans to keep Huffman around, said Democratic Party Chairman Roy Herron. That decision, Herron told TNReport, “is overdue, and should be both made and announced as soon as possible.”
“The commissioner has refused to listen to the teachers in public schools, and to the superintendents and schools boards who run those schools,” Herron said in a phone interview. “But the commissioner has united Tennesseans, from Tea Party Republicans to Tennessee Democrats, from 60 superintendents to thousands of teachers, who all agree it is past time for this commissioner to go back to Washington.”
“When looking at this job performance, it’s clear that [Huffman]’s just not working the way he should be; doing his job basically,” said Mancini. “He’s been difficult and unresponsive to legislators on both sides of the aisle. Somebody needs to hold him accountable, and both Republicans and Democrats have been trying to do that, and he’s been completely ignoring them, and unresponsive, and that’s not acceptable.”
“The policies were placed in that it would be anywhere between 15 and 25 percent of a student’s grade, and that it wasn’t ready at the end of school just threw a huge wrench into what is one of the most important things — which are final grades — for students, and especially for teachers,” Wrye said.
Wrye, though admitting he’s not a lawyer, said that he found the AG’s opinion interesting because “the idea that you could be exempted from student assessments was something that was prohibited in that flexibility bill. It was something we had discussed at length during the legislative session.”
An overhaul of the state’s pension fund that changes the contribution system for future employees to one more closely resembling private-sector retirement plans has passed the Tennessee General Assembly.
The legislation, which goes into effect July 1, 2014, would require new state employees going forward to contribute a portion of their income to their pension fund. The employees can also decide whether to choose their own investments, or allow the state to continue managing the pension investments.
It applies to government employees hired after the law takes effect; current state employees and retirees would remain under the old plan.
“The fundamental goal of a hybrid plan is to require employers and employees to share in the investment risks and costs equitably,” McManus said on the House floor, after explaining the new contribution and benefit rates under the measure.
McManus added that another purpose of the bill was to allow Tennessee to continue to provide competitive benefits for “career public employees,” while protecting the state from “unfunded liabilities.”
The proposed change to the state’s pension fund received some pushback from Democrats on the House floor.
Although this legislation might be good for some states around the nation, House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh said that he did not think that it was necessary to make these changes to the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System.
“This is a $35 billion TCRS that we collectively, and through the years, have worked hard to maintain,” said the Ripley Democrat. “It is in good shape. And, if we had to do something to split it and start over with new-hires having only a partial defined contribution plan and a partial defined benefit plan, that would be fine. But ladies and gentlemen, at this stage in the game, we don’t need to do that.”
However, according to McManus, the desire to overhaul the pension program comes from several factors considered by the Treasurer’s office.
These factors include things such as the volatility of the financial markets, new federal requirements for pension fund reporting and the strain placed on these programs by the increased life-expectancy of Americans.
The changes to the pension fund are also opposed, for reasons similar to those voiced by Fitzhugh, by representatives from state employee advocacy groups, such at the Tennessee Education Association.
“It puts an employee’s retirement security in jeopardy,” said Jerry Winters, a former lobbyist for the Tennessee Education Association who now works on government employee retirement issues. “Again, the only good thing here is that the current participants are protected, but going forward, I think young people are going to have to really look at where they’re going to be 20 and 30 years from now.”
The bill passed the House 71-16., and passed the Senate 32-0.
It’s now headed to Gov. Bill Haslam for his signature.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In his “State of the State” speech last night before Tennessee’s General Assembly, Governor Bill Haslam devoted a lot of time to public education, but left the audience with a mixed message on his plans for our schools.
“While I am pleased that the governor devoted such a large portion of his address to public education, it is troubling to see his voucher agenda moving forward,” said Gera Summerford, Sevier County teacher and Tennessee Education Association president. “Gov. Haslam spoke emphatically about his commitment to public education. Then his next point was about taking money from our public schools to give to private schools. To me, that sends a very mixed message.”
“School voucher programs divert critical funding from public schools.”
Tennessee public schools have among the top graduation rates in the country and, at the same time, one of the lowest rates of funding per student, thereby demonstrating their efficient and effective use of taxpayer dollars. On the other hand, school voucher programs in other states have wasted taxpayer money by supporting substandard and unaccredited programs due to inadequate oversight.
“No credible study or research has ever proven the effectiveness of school vouchers or demonstrated any improvement in student achievement over public schools,” added Summerford.
“In addition to the financial drain, school vouchers leave many students behind – including those with greatest need – because vouchers divert tax dollars to private entities that are not required to accept all students nor offer the special services students may need,” the TEA president continued. “In the more than 50 years since school vouchers were first proposed, vouchers still remain controversial, unproven and unpopular.”
“We applaud the governor’s continued effort to direct more money to public schools, but let’s not take one step forward and two steps back. It is not the taxpayer’s job to support private entities. Let’s keep public money in public schools, supporting initiatives like the governor’s proposal to update technology and improve school safety,” Summerford concluded.
Republicans who laud government that stays close to the people are finding themselves in a pickle now that a local school board has bucked state law.
Metro Nashville Public Schools’ Board of Education ignored orders by the Tennessee Board of Education to usher the charter school Great Hearts Academies into the district last week — the second such rebuff in a month. The Metro schools board contends that the first of five schools, run by a Phoenix-based charter school operator, would lack diversity and pander to an affluent Nashville neighborhood.
The Great Hearts dispute has exposed Republican leaders to criticism that they espouse local control only when it suits their aims.
“This whole thing just flies in the face of Republican philosophy when you have the big bad state coming down telling the local school board they have to comply with the law,” said Jerry Winters, a lobbyist with the Tennessee Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, which has been resistant to the emergence of school choice.
Charter schools have enjoyed favorable treatment at the hands of GOP Gov. Bill Haslam and his education department. The administration’s agenda for reform has included tougher standards for teacher tenure, tying teacher evaluations to test scores and an expansion of charter schools.
Metro schools’ refusal to grant Great Hearts permission to open a school has sparked statewide debate over whether local approval is best. Great Hearts announced that it would not challenge the Metro schools’ decision.
“It’s really been kind of shocking to watch a government openly acknowledge and violate the law,” said Matt Throckmorton, executive director of the Tennessee Charter Schools Association.
Disgusted by the ongoing feud, Throckmorton and other charter school advocates are pushing for the state to assemble an outside agency to review and approve charter school applications, allowing charter operators to leap-frog over the local school district.
Details on how that system would operate are still in the works.
Throckmorton says local school districts should still be involved with discussions about pending charter schools. But politics are getting in the way of opening quality schools that could find more effective ways to teach children, he said.
Opponents of the idea say locally elected school board members — rather than a handful of appointed officials in Nashville — should decide whether a charter school is the right fit for the district and the community.
“I think people are wanting to make this an example to justify their intent to make a statewide authorizer,” said Lee Harrell, a lobbyist for the Tennessee School Boards Association which is opposed to charter schools skipping over local officials. “Often you hear the best decisions are made on the ground. (State approval) would totally fly in the face of that mentality.”
Several top state officials are staying quiet on the matter, including Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman, who in August said the state would take “appropriate action” to see to it that Metro schools approved the charter school.
He declined to comment on the latest denial for Great Hearts, although emails obtained by the City Paper indicate he was keenly interested in getting the application approved and has engaged in discussions about the need for a statewide authorizer.
The governor’s office has also been silent on the issue, although officials say they were waiting for Haslam to return from his economic development trip in Japan last week. Prior to Metro schools’ first rejection of the Great Hearts application, Haslam said he saw no need to develop a state panel to approve charter schools.
Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Dolores Gresham has also declined to comment.
“I am extremely dismayed that the Nashville School Board is focused on limiting parental choice and educational opportunity for children,” Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey told TNReport in an email. “It is unfortunate that the board seems mired in the old education politics while the rest of the state is moving forward.”
House Speaker Beth Harwell agreed, calling the decision by MNPS “simply a mistake for our children” and saying the Legislature “will revisit this issue” when they come back in January.
“We believe in local government and local school boards. But when they don’t give opportunities for our children, then that’s a problem,” she said.
Charter schools are privately-owned but publicly-funded. Supporters say they offer more flexibility to innovate and create choice and competition, while detractors say they drain public money and students, leaving traditional public schools with the students hardest to educate.
Charter school performance is generally mixed. Last school year, two charter schools ranked among the best performing institutions in the state, while five other charter schools reflected some of the worst student academic records statewide.
http://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/09/CharterSchoolsArt1.jpg00Andrea Zelinskihttp://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/07/logo_438x125.pngAndrea Zelinski2012-09-17 10:15:462012-09-21 22:36:31Pressure Builds Over State-Local Control of Charter Schools
Rep. Debra Maggart insists she’s a shoo-in to win her GOP primary against retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers.
But that’s not stopping the House Republican Caucus chairwoman from asking party bigwigs like Gov. Bill Haslam and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to take the time to campaign locally on her behalf.
While Haslam has indicated he’d probably be inclined to support any GOP incumbent this election season, Maggart in particular was “critical” to the administration’s legislative efforts this year — “really helpful,” the governor told reporters recently.
“As a caucus leader, sometimes when you’re the leader, you take a little added heat and pressure from folks. And we wanted to support her, and it worked out well,” Haslam said.
Over the past two years Maggart has deeply angered two influential constituencies that, while they may not typically be aligned politically, do share a recognized ability to get sympathetic Tennesseans to the polls on issues they hold dear.
Those two groups are stalwart gun-rights advocates and unionized teachers. And both would love to see Maggart spend the 2012 general election season wondering what she needs to do to make a political comeback in 2014.
Both the Tennessee Firearms Association and the National Rifle Association have made their displeasure with Maggart widely known.
Maggart, along with other high-ranking House GOP lawmakers, prevented a bill from coming to the chamber floor that would have granted legal protections for certain government-licensed gun owners to keep a firearm stored in their vehicles parked on their employers’ property — even over the objections of the employers themselves.
The NRA and TFA described the legislation as necessary to ensure a gun-owning employee can enjoy a “safe commute” to work and not be subject to an employer’s demand that he or she choose between keeping a gun locked in the car or keeping a job.
Should such a powerful incumbent as Maggart fall in the primary, it would send a message to other Republicans that snubbing the NRA and TFA comes at a cost.
For the Tennessee Education Association, a Maggart loss in the primary would offer a glimmer of hope in what has otherwise been a dismal past couple of years legislatively.
The union is still fuming over Maggart’s instrumental leadership in eliminating collective bargaining for teachers in 2011 and would delight in playing a role in her ouster in 2012, said TEA lobbyist Jerry Winters.
The association has yet to endorse a candidate in the District 45 primary but is considering pointedly reminding Sumner County teachers that they’ll soon have a golden opportunity to cast a powerfully meaningful vote against Maggart, Winters said.
“We’ve got a lot of teachers who identify as Republicans, but I think that they are starting to be much more aware of how individual legislators vote on these education issues,” he said.
Primary elections are open in Tennessee, meaning that voters can cast ballots in whichever party primary they choose.
Rogers, Maggart’s primary opponent, told TNReport she likely herself would have gone along with moves to reduce the TEA’s influence in contract negotiations. But Rogers added that she is “concerned about our teachers” and believes it “important that teachers are taken care of and feel that they’re appreciated.”
The representative, who contacted TNReport after this article was posted, took issue with the suggestion she predicts she’s a “shoo-in” for re-election. But she stressed that she’s “confident” voters in her district will keep her in office because she’s been active in her community, worked hard to champion conservative issues in the Legislature and had been consistently involved in the Republican Party — credentials she says Rogers lacks.
“I have a good idea about what makes a legitimate candidate,” she said, adding Rogers had only $3,600 in her campaign war chest as of March. According to campaign finance records, Maggart had $86,000.
Maggart also said she’s long been active within GOP and said Rogers is new jumping on the Republican band wagon.
“I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to get involved in the Republican party,” Maggart said. “I believe the people in my district know that I’ve done a good job.”
But Maggart still asked Haslam to headline a reception and fundraiser for her last week and asked Ramsey to come, too, to attend and lend his support. He said “it felt good” to be there for Maggart’s event, adding there was a “huge crowd.”
“Obviously, for some reason, Debra became the focal point of NRA’s misplaced anger, and so it doesn’t surprise me at all that her opponent got the endorsement,” said Ramsey.
House Speaker Beth Harwell, says she, too, is confident in Maggart’s re-election and doesn’t take any issue with lawmakers soliciting primary election support from the governor.
“I think he wanted to indicate his support to Debra, who’s been supportive of some of his initiatives, and I think that was a very gracious use of his time,” said Harwell.
Haslam said he hasn’t gone through the list of Republican incumbents with primary challengers to determine which ones he’ll spend his time campaigning for.
“Right now, there’s certainly not an incumbent that we’re planning on working against,” he said.
Asked if she worries all the notable politicians lining up to support the incumbent will ultimately prove an insurmountable advantage for her opponent, Rogers said not really.
“I don’t think any one of them votes in this district,” she said. “I’ll just take it with a grain of salt.”
http://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/08/IMG_5760-1.jpg273610Andrea Zelinskihttp://tnreport.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2012/07/logo_438x125.pngAndrea Zelinski2012-06-19 12:10:122012-06-19 12:10:12Many Friends, Many Enemies
Tennessee’s in the throes of implementing various teacher- and classroom-focused reforms, but an area that’s fallen through the cracks is better training and support for school principals, reports an influential state education advocacy group.
Cultivating good principals and continuing to train them are among the top four education issues the state needs to focus on in the next year, concluded the State Collaborative for Reforming Education in the 2011-2012 installment of its “State of Education in Tennessee.”
Prominent education-focused lawmakers on Capitol Hill say they agree.
“Any school you go into, you’re going to find that that school is just as strong as that principal,” said Richard Montgomery, R-Sevierville, the House Education Committee Chairman.
Over the last year, SCORE says the state has made “little progress” on developing a strategy for grooming and developing people to lead schools, that “more work remains to ensure that there is a statewide pipeline of effective school and district leaders.”
“District partnerships with colleges and universities, as well as non- profits and businesses, provide opportunities for building leadership pipelines that can be leveraged to broaden the pool of candidates to lead schools throughout Tennessee,” the SCORE report’s executive summary suggests. “In particular, small and rural districts should consider creating a principal pipeline through consortia models in collaboration with institutions of higher education, as these systems often lack the personnel or capacity to build effective pipelines of their own.
Better prepping of principals is an issue Tennessee’s faced for several years, said Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, who heads the Senate Education Committee.
“It’s not fair to people to put them in positions that they’re not prepared for, and we want to make sure that our principals are prepared for the jobs that they must do, that we expect them to do,” Gresham said.
The lobbyist for the state’s largest teachers’ union agrees.
“You cannot have a good, strong school without a good, strong principal,” said Jerry Winters, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Education Association. “Particularly with the emphasis on teacher quality and evaluation, you’re going to have to have principals who know what they’re doing and have the time to do it, which is a huge problem right now.”
Other issues identified by SCORE include policy leadership, focused professional development for teachers and strengthening training for the state’s future teachers, according to the group’s report, issued Tuesday.
SCORE is soliciting feedback and data on the state’s new teacher evaluation system, in use for the first time this school year. The group’s study, which is due to the governor by June 1, is in response to anxiety among educators, who point to numerous weaknesses and concerns about how they’re graded.
Montgomery says the results of that study will also help determine how the state — including the Legislature — can give principals more of the tools they need.
“That’s going to help us and give us a lot of the information. Where are the weak links? Where do we need to really concentrate our effort to get the best bang out of our buck, so to speak?” he said.
The story looks at the challenge of using tests in evaluating educators when standardized tests don’t generally cover social studies or science, focusing instead on reading and math. There’s also the potential for parent revolt, as in the case of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ failed attempt to test every single kindergartner one at a time.
Here’s the Tennessee connection:
Memphis music teacher Jeff Chipman is part of a small group of teachers piloting the new assessment based on student portfolios, and he acknowledges the district’s challenges.
“We are about teaching kids to perform and experience art, and that cannot be measured with a pencil-and-paper test,” he said. “We want to be evaluated on how we help kids grow, but we don’t want to turn the arts program into a testing machine.”
The story carries a photo of another Memphis music teacher, Anthony Q. Richardson, at the piano against the backdrop of instructional posters on rhythm, and Tennessee’s education commissioner chimes in to put a positive spin on the state’s new teacher evaluation system.
“No system is perfect, but the question is whether the one we have now is better and more fair than the previous one,” Commissioner Kevin Huffman tells the Journal. “And the answer is, indisputably, yes.”
Lawmakers say they’re hearing concerns about the governor’s plan to authorize more local control on class size and teacher pay, but they predict the outcry will not be as heated as last year’s.
“We’re going to work real hard to get some consensus. Everybody may not agree 100 percent, but I think we’re going to be doing some moving here before we do anything to make sure everybody’s kind of on board and is fairly happy with it,” said House Education Chairman Richard Montgomery, R-Sevierville. “If everyone is unhappy with it, we may have even done a pretty good job.”
Gov. Bill Haslam wants to give local school districts the discretion to disregard existing pay scales based on longevity or degree accumulation and instead set their own teacher salary plan. He also wants each district to have the power to set class size restrictions for itself.
“The change in anything is painful. It is. I understand that. We’re in the middle of some of those growing pains right now. The worst thing in the world to do would be let our foot off the pedal,” Haslam told civic and business leaders in Cookeville Monday.
Lawmakers last year raised the bar on how teachers reach tenure, built in grading scales to measure teacher performance and eliminated mandatory collective bargaining over teacher contracts.
Senate Education Chairwoman Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, said members of her education committee haven’t dug through the governor’s new bills yet, but she’s heard some public criticism of the legislation centered on potential changes, in particular with respect to class sizes.
“Most teachers and parents are concerned about the classroom issue. They want effective teaching, and an effective teacher can just do more with fewer students,” said Senate Education Committee member Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga. “People see that more as a direct problem for results than the merit pay issue.”
The Tennessee Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, says it’ll push back against the governor’s latest initiatives as vigorously as they did with last year’s GOP-sponsored reforms. In 2011, the TEA held protests and rallies that turned out teachers by the dozens to sometimes thousands.However, the legislation they were protesting passed, albeit without much Democrat support.
“I think it’s a huge political battle that’s shaping up,” said Jerry Winters, the TEA lobbyist. “It caught us off guard. I think it caught a lot of legislators off guard.”

domain: sociology


An early morning car jacking and assault in Colorado Springs and the suspects are still on the loose.
Police say it happened as a man was driving his girlfriend to the 7 Eleven store at the 1760 Shasta Drive on the south side of town near Circle.
The victim says he was arguing with his girlfriend when she pulled out a knife and cut him on the hand. Then he says two guys showed up, hopped in his truck assaulted him and hijacked the truck with him inside.
The victim says he was able to jump out of the car near Airport and Murray Boulevard and police as of Friday morning they are still searching for the truck. The truck is described as gray 1968 Chevy pick-up.
If you see the truck or know anything about the crime call crimestoppers at 634-STOP.


When It Happens Panel Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
Government grant set to speed up house building
HOUSE building in Wallingford could be speeded up thanks to £525,000 of Government money.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District councils have been given a combined £1.025m to increase housing growth by 30 per cent in 2013 and 2014.
And if they succeed, they will be given the same amount the year after to do the same thing.
South Oxfordshire District Council agreed that 550 homes should be built at Slade End Farm off Wantage Road, Wallingford, two years ago.
But a planning application has yet to be submitted.
Wallingford mayor Bernard Stone said: “There is a huge housing need in Wallingford.
“Talking to local employers, there are a number of people around here who have to travel to work because of the lack of housing.
“I would welcome any positive move to speed up housing growth.”
The district councils will spend the money on employing new staff and consultants, seeking specialist advice and marketing the Science Vale area to prospective housing developers.
But Mr Stone questioned how the money would force developers to build homes any quicker at sites whether they had already effectively been given permission.
He said: “They are going to want to build at such a pace to maximise the value of the properties as they come to the market.
“Developers are quite clever in that sense.”
He said he believed that the St Edwards planning group which has been working with SODC on the Slade End Farm proposal had indicated it might begin building in two years time at a rate of 70 homes a year.
He said he was expecting the planning application to be submitted shortly.
South Oxfordshire district councillor for Wallingford South Mark Gray agreed with Mr Stone.
He said he would welcome the scheme “if it makes the developers get on and start building, because they are good at getting planning permission and then sitting on that permission.”
He said: “They get permission then go looking for other sites.”
The pledge of £2.05m funding comes from the Government’s Large Sites Programme Capacity Fund.
The entire 2013/ 2014 grant must be spent or committed to projects by 31 March 2014.
South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils will agree on how to spend the funding at a cabinet meeting at SODC offices in Crowmarsh Gifford tonight.
Comments are closed on this article.


text:
In preparation of Somalia universal elections, the first since 1969, the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), supported by the UN Joint Programme for Electoral Support, concluded discussions with key national and subnational stakeholders on a feasibility study evaluating all aspects related to the introduction of a new voter registration system in Somalia.
The study examined different voter registration options and methodologies that could be applied to the specific context of Somalia, where there has not been any nation-wide registration of people in decades.
Key government partners of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS), as well as different stakeholders including civil society offered their guidance to the study, which aims to inform the NIEC of the voter registration methodology to be decided and accepted by 2018.
This process aligns with the NIEC strategic plan to commence the actual voter registration in Somalia in 2019.
Various stakeholders sent preliminary feedbacks and comments related to issues of accessibility (including security), the wider electoral legal framework, and to the need of a political agreement on crucial constitutional issues. Other issues raised relate to the internally displaced persons (IDPs), nomadic population and the unknown size of the total population.
The citizenship law, which is soon to be finalized the next period, is expected to be an important piece of legislation and a step forward to define eligible voters in Somalia.
The overall strategic objective of the UNDP/UNSOM Joint Programme for “Support to the Electoral Process to the Federal Republic of Somalia” is to prepare the country for universal elections through institutional capacity development of the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), the development of the legal framework for elections, and support to promote better understanding of electoral processes.

domain: law


text:
- Your Cart
- Check out
- order complete
Bergner Vertigo 33 Pcs Dinner SetSku Code : BG-10408
0 out of 5 based on 0 customer ratings(0 customer reviews)
Out of stock
- Bergner’s 24K gold fine china collection is a sophisticated choice for every dining occasion. The high quality collection combines luxury and timeless elegance. The collection has multiple design series that present a fashionable take on European appeal to delight your family or guests in different settings.
- Featuring classic shades of navy, the Vertigo series is the perfect choice for the cool-headed host.
- 6Pcs Dinner Plate / Full Plate – 27.4 cm
- 6Pcs Dessert Plate / Snack Plate – 21 cm
- 6Pcs Soup Bowl – 14 cm
- 6Pcs Veg Bowl / Katori – 11.5 cm
- 6Pcs Soup Spoon
- 2Pcs Serving Bowl – 23 cm
- 1Pc Oval Plate / Rice Platter – 35.5 cm

domain: design


text:
On the occasion of the educational program "BOOK: pages that speak", children and teachers will have the opportunity to explore the history of books at the Kalambaka Library.
From the age of rock paintings to today's digital eBooks, the book is still the most important means of communication.
It tells stories of people from the past, records scientific discoveries, carries history and culture on its back, spreads ideas and dreams.
What, after all, is a book? What stories do we find in it? How can a book change the world?
With the help of the museum kit, we invite you to discover the value and importance of the book as an object through the ages.
Guided by history itself, we explore the role of the book in each time period and how it has influenced events in world history: from the invention of the alphabet and paper, the development of illustration in the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment and the printing revolution, to the political upheavals of the Nazis, the evolution of Darwin's genres and digital applications.
The program is aimed at 4th, 5th and 6th graders, but is not limited to younger children. The activity is implemented under the auspices and support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and under the auspices of the Hellenic Centre for Cultural and Museum Education. The main communication sponsor is ERT.

domain: history


text:
We would like to try to accommodate and compensate you for your negative experience.
Please fill out the review form below or call us now at (718) 821-0170 to discuss compensation.
Submit Your Review & We Well Get Back To You Shortly
Award-Winning Dental Practice Near You
Thank you for visiting Glendale Boutique Dental online! Dr. Yelena Mullakandova and our dental team are thrilled to treat patients living near Woodhaven, Ridgewood, Howard Beach, Kew Gardens, Middle Village, Cyprus Hills & Forest Hills NY. Our medical practice is conveniently located on Myrtle Avenue. The one-stop for all your dental needs whether it be cosmetic or fillings, cleanings, and treatments. We do it all and welcome you to make an appointment and visit our central office. The time has come for you to have the healthy beautiful smile you deserve!
Glendale Boutique Dental 68-35 Myrtle Ave, Glendale, NY 11385
Contact Us Today!

domain: medical


Regulators and health professionals worldwide are asking all of us to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, businesses are at risk. But, more importantly, lives are at risk. Business communications and associated operations must reflect that now more than ever.
The top three things to remember when you communicate inside and outside your organization are:
1) Health and safety come first.
Health and safety must be your top line message if your employees and customers are going to believe that you take it seriously. People are worried and the crisis has just begun. Avoid explaining points about health and safety in terms of business concerns. If you have to address business concerns, put the health and safety message first.
Make sure your social media posts and other messages don’t switch from an earnest health-and-safety message to a business-as-usual pitch about your services. This could come across as tone deaf.
2) Prioritize long-term reputation over short-term business outcomes.
Be as transparent as you can. Customers and partners should understand if you or one of your employees becomes infected. However, they will not understand if your company knows that information and doesn’t share it or isn’t prepared to handle it.
Mind the say-do-gap. Make sure to check regularly that your business actions are consistent with your message. That may mean delaying a product launch you’ve been anticipating until the crisis is over (assuming the new product does not assist the community in need). If your communications rightly emphasize the need to aid your employees and your community, your actions should match that – even if that comes at a short-term cost.
3) Focus on people. Now more than ever, put yourself in the shoes of your reader, whether that’s a reporter, a customer, an employee or their family. When relevant, mention in external messaging what you’re doing to help internal staff (and vice versa).
Of course, you should also follow classic crisis communications principles.
- Deliver timely, consistent communications. The situation is evolving rapidly, and your audiences may want updates. Make sure your messages set expectations for frequency of updates and avoid unexplained long lags. At the same time, be sensitive to overloading your audience.
- But, don’t guess or predict. There is enormous pressure to reassure your employees, suppliers, customers and partners. But, do not be tempted to make guesses or predictions. There’s a good chance you’ll be contradicted by fast-changing facts, and that can badly damage your credibility. Instead, sympathize with the need to be informed, and point or link to credible, official sources of information like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization and state and local government announcements about closures and restrictions.
- Brevity and clarity. Keep your messages as short and clear as you can. Use headings to break up information so audiences can skim. Avoid jargon and irrelevant information. Long walls of text can be frustrating to pick through when a reader needs information now. That’s especially true if someone is reading the message on the small screen of a smartphone.
- Plan ahead for communicating about possible scenarios. There’s a good chance someone in your business is going to get COVID-19. If you haven’t already done so, you may have to institute a telework policy or even to suspend operations. Plan out these messages with your advisors. Look ahead and have these messages in reserve so you can add necessary details when the time comes, instead of scrambling to get the whole message together.
This is a difficult time for everyone, but it is also an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their values and show heart. The COVID-19 pandemic affects us all. Now is a time to help people, and to put community before business.


Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
Godzilla: King of the Monsters introduces updated take on the "Burning Godzilla," the fan-favorite form that debuted in a 1995 Toho film.
Godzilla's ancient home is discovered in King of the Monsters -- and while it's never outright stated, it's implied to be a mythological location.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters has surpassed several other popular monster films at the box office, but not its 2014 predecessor.
Godzilla: Aftershock reveals the background of the Orca, the technology used in Godzilla: King of the Monsters to communicate with the Titans.
The King of the Monsters prequel comic reveals whose carcass the scientists found themselves inside of in 2014's Godzilla.
The post-credits scene of Godzilla: King of the Monsters provides a tantalizing clue about the future of two characters, and the MonsterVerse.
Godzilla: Aftershock reveals a brand-new power the titular kaiju may display in the King of the Monsters brawl to come.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is on track to take the top spot at the global box office by a considerable margin its opening weekend.
Godzilla: Aftershock expands Legendary's MonsterVerse by revealing a new Titan with deadly ties to the King of the Monsters and his species,
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is packed with Titans powerful enough to snuff out humanity. But does the film have a post-credits scene?
Godzilla: King of the Monsters honors the franchise legacy while contributing to it. But many of the film's human characters are lacking.
Like the buildings in a kaiju battle, Godzilla: King Of The Monsters is getting demolished by critics, at least judging by the film's early RT score.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters pits the titular kaiju against King Ghidorah., the latest clash in the two titans' decades-long grudge.
A pair of electrifying new posters for Godzilla: King of the Monsters showcase the carnage to come when Godzilla and King Ghidorah face off.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Michael Dougherty addresses the differences between his monster and King Kong.
A new Godzilla: King of the Monsters. teaser showcases the winged fire monster, Rodan, as one of the scarier kaiju in Legendary's MonsterVerse.
A new promo for Godzilla: King of the Monsters centers on Mothra and offers a full-view shot of the kaiju's face.
Two new international posters for Godzilla: King of the Monsters puts the giant lizard in a very precarious position against King Ghidorah.


text:
FROM Mary Benson
A Second Look at Neighborhood Councils Created by charter reform eight years ago, eighty-nine neighborhood councils have been formed to encourage participation in civic affairs. Without any authority to make policy, they’ve fought a losing battle against bureaucratic inertia and struggled to make any impact on the fifteen members of the City Council. One very basic issue is who gets to sit on neighborhood councils. Last week, the Council began looking at the recommendations of a Review Commission.
Will the march for science politicize objective research? Protesters are gathering all over the country for tomorrow's Earth Day March for Science. Since President Trump has proposed massive cuts in basic scientific research, will the movement be perceived as partisan politics — whether scientists themselves like it or not?
The flight bumping heard around 'round the world Recent video of a passenger forcibly removed from a United Airlines plane is a worst-case example of what's happened since consolidation into just four US-based carriers. Management seems to be tone-deaf to a decline in service — and even abuse — of passengers.
Truth and Lies in Trumpland Donald Trump is using mis-information like no President has before him. It's an unprecedented challenge to the news media, and a potential threat to democracy. We hear how the "leader of all the people" is dividing Americans and confusing the rest of the world.


text:
my favorite scene ever
Still makes me laugh
If you think instrumental music is stupid you can decrescendo out of my life
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) Directed by David Fincher
“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”
"So I looked away for a second and I said ‘Hang on ! Hang on ! Hang on, let me just… like relax for a bit’, so I was just looking out the window and she got me."
know this will sound cheesy, but i hope u have a grate day!!!
you know when you accidentally fall asleep for an hour without meaning to
and then you wake up and everything feels ever so slightly off, like you woke up in an alternate dimension?
the butterfly effect (2004)
→ ”it has been said that something as small as a butterfly’s wing can ultimatley cause a typhoon halfway around the world” - chaos theory

domain: artistic


text:
not all cbd products are the same
By now you probably have heard lots about CBD Oil and CBD tinctures. While that isn’t surprising, it may surprise you that there are differences between these two, and that can be a little confusing when you are shopping for CBD products. That’s because the two terms often go hand in hand. Critically, though, they are not the same. It depends on the content of the bottles, so let’s dive into the similarities and the differences between CBD Oils and CBD tinctures.
What Is CBD?
There are 100+ known cannabinoids naturally found in hemp. While CBD (also known as Cannabidiol) is rapidly growing in preference, other known cannabinoids include the likes of THC, CBC, CBDa, CBDV, CBG and CBN.
Science is showing how CBD works through its interaction with the body’s endocannabinoid system to help restore balance and homeostasis. While there are specific health benefits associated with the cannabis plant’s isolated Cannabidiol (CBD) compound, the majority of scientific studies show the greatest range of potential therapeutic benefits occurs when multiple cannabinoids—including CBD, CBDa, CBDV, CBG, CBC and THC—and terpenes work together in a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Oil.
Furthermore, depending on the type of extraction and other ingredients used to create the end product will determine whether it is an oil or a tincture.
why does CBD need to be extracted?
With most plants, you can enjoy the fruit, vegetable or nut by merely plucking it off the plant and eating it. However, unlike these plants, cannabinoids like CBD can’t be plucked from hemp. Instead, the beneficial hemp compounds need to be extracted first from the plant before they can be safely consumed.
Top CBD companies usually use one of three methods—solvent extraction, CO2 extraction or steam distillation—to remove the beneficial hemp compounds so that they can create a CBD Oil or CBD tincture.
It’s in this CBD extraction method that helps to determine whether the product is an oil or tincture. Let’s dive into the differences as we shine a spotlight on oils versus tinctures.
difference between Cbd oil and cbd tincture
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD Oil is produced through a CO2 extraction, steam distillation or solvent extraction process. What’s the difference?
In CO2 extraction, carbon dioxide is administered to separate the cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids from the hemp plant. The pressurized CO2 is pumped into a chamber containing the raw hemp plant. Here the CO2 strips the valuable oils from the plant material and the CO2 and oils are transferred into another chamber, where the CO2 evaporates. The end result—a pure CBD extract or full spectrum hemp extract that is of the highest concentration. CO2 extraction, while being the most expensive method, is the safest and yields the most potent results. At Veré, we utilize this method to create our high-quality CBD Oil.
Steam distillation, while it may be one of the oldest methods used, isn’t as potent or efficient. This process includes soaking the raw hemp plant in water and introducing heat to the tank. The hot water generates steam that carries the cannabis oils to the top, passing through a condenser. This creates a mix of water and oil. With another distillation, the water and oil are then separated, resulting in a CBD Oil.
Thirdly, a CBD Oil may be produced through a solvent-based extraction method with butane, propane or alcohol. This process involves washing the cannabis in the solvent to release the natural waxes and oils from the plant into the solution. The alcohol is then removed, leaving only the cannabis oil itself. Take note, that the alcohol (solvent) is entirely removed here, whereas we will discuss how this specifically differs in a tincture.
Regardless of extraction methods, CBD Oil comes packaged with a carrier oil to improve the bioavailability, disguise the hemp taste and make it more palatable. MCT Oil is a great carrier oil for CBD.
What Is CBD Tincture?
CBD tinctures may be produced via a solvent-based extraction method. Here, alcohol, and more specifically ethanol, may be used. This process involves washing the cannabis in cold ethanol to release the natural waxes and oils from the plant into the solution. The alcohol is not removed in this instance.
The subject of CBD tinctures can be a little confusing because some brands market CBD Oils as CBD tinctures. But these usually contain CBD Oil plus a carrier oil.
By contrast, true CBD tinctures retain the ethanol used in extraction, instead of removing it, as in the case of most CBD Oils. Many tinctures contain 60 to 70 percent alcohol.
similarities between Cbd oil and cbd tincture
how are oils and tinctures alike?
Both oils and tinctures may come in small glass bottles with a pipette built into the lid (usually in the form of a screw top). On most CBD Oils and tinctures, you squeeze the rubber top of the pipette and then place a few drops under your tongue to absorb.
Most brands combine CBD with flavoring compounds, such as sweeteners or essential oils, to mask any bitterness of hemp to encourage daily consumption.
Both oils and tinctures can be either isolated or Full Spectrum CBD. Isolated CBD or Pure CBD means that the extracted oil has gone through an additional fractionalization processes to separate and isolate the CBD cannabinoid. Full Spectrum is less processed and, currently, the more popular version.
However, you should note that both Full Spectrum and Pure CBD products can contain other ingredients. The term “pure” only refers to hemp-derived compounds, not the other substances that might be present in the product. So, for instance, the ingredients in a Pure CBD tincture might be 70% alcohol, 29% Pure CBD, 1% flavorings. And the ingredients in a Pure CBD Oil may be 65% MCT Oil, 34% Pure CBD, 1% essential oil.
Which Is Best?
Which is best—a CBD Oil or tincture—depends heavily on your taste preferences and preferred delivery mode.
If you take CBD Oil in capsules, then taste and flavor properties don’t matter because the active ingredients don’t come into contact with your tongue. Your stomach acids break down the capsule shell and oil passes through your digestive tract into your body.
However, if you take oil sublingually (under the tongue), then flavor and taste qualities do make a difference. For this reason, some CBD brands use flavorings and other ingredients to make their products taste better, encouraging a daily routine.
But please note that CBD tinctures may refer to two different things:
- CBD mixed with carrier oils
- Suspension of hemp cannabinoids in alcohol (which we covered above) while retaining the alcohol in the bottle
So why choose an alcohol-based CBD tincture over a regular CBD Oil? Many people do it for the shelf-life. CBD held in 60 to 70 percent alcohol has a shelf-life of three to five years, whereas regular cannabis oils usually only last for one or two years.
The reasons for this relate to alcohol’s chemistry. Alcohol is a powerful antiseptic (it’s the main ingredient in most hand sanitizers). So bacteria and other forms of life can’t grow or reproduce in solutions above 60 to 70 percent. This helps to preserve the cannabinoids in suspension, preventing them from breaking down over time.
Oil is also a good preservative, but it isn’t as good as alcohol. Eventually, over time, it breaks down and turns rancid, giving your CBD Oil a bad taste.
Despite this, many CBD users see oil-extraction as more natural. The alcohol content of CBD tinctures puts them off, especially if they are in recovery.
However, you should note that manufacturers can still make CBD Oils using the alcohol-based methods. In this case, they remove the alcohol before bottling or packing the final CBD Oil, whereas tinctures retain the alcohol in the bottle.
buy cbd oil from veré
We have cultivated a concise line of award-winning CBD Oils and Gummies
to help you feel your best. All are third-party tested to ensure purity and efficacy.
How Should You Take CBD Oils And Tinctures?
Usually, people take CBD Oils either orally via a capsule or sublingually. With a capsule, it takes around one to two hours for active cannabinoids to get into the body’s system and start taking an effect. Whereas, when people use CBD Oil or tinctures sublingually, under the tongue, the cannabinoids are absorbed rapidly and efficiently, usually entering the body in less than a minute.
While you can take both CBD Oils and CBD tinctures alone, you can also add them to foods and beverages.
Depending on the type of carrier oil, you can apply some CBD Oils topically. That means that you can rub them into your skin for relief on specific parts of the body. Many people find that rubbing CBD products into specific areas has a greater effect than taking the substance orally.
Applying CBD tinctures as a topical, however, won’t work. That’s because alcohol will not pass through the skin.
How To Find Great CBD Oils And Tinctures
As we’ve seen, there are some important differences between CBD Oils and tinctures. Which you choose depends primarily on your personal preferences. Oils are easier to add to other foods and blend into your diet. You can also apply them to the skin. Tinctures, on the other hand, are great for getting CBD into your body fast and have a longer shelf-life.
No matter what kind of CBD product you choose, you should always use products from a reputable manufacturer—not just the first ones you find. So, this begs the question: what to look for when buying CBD Oil?
When choosing a CBD Oil or tincture, first check whether its certificate of analysis is recent. All vendors should subject their products to regular independent testing to verify purity and composition. Testing should highlight any heavy metals, molds or pesticides present in the product, so check for these too.
You’ll also want to consider the cannabinoid profile. As discussed, some CBD Oils and tinctures are isolates. However, many are Full Spectrum and may contain other cannabinoids like 0.3% THC.
Lastly, you’ll want to check the potency of the product. This refers to the amount of cannabinoids in each serving.
the bottom line
People will often use the terms CBD Oil and CBD tincture interchangeably. However, they are, in reality, different products. CBD tinctures are alcohol-based extracts while CBD Oils are mixed with a carrier oil.
Which is right for you depends on your preferences. Most CBD users experiment with both and continue using each to some degree. However, you may prefer to settle on one or the other. Those wanting fast-acting CBD should use tinctures while those looking for slow release may prefer oils.
Finally, whenever you shop for CBD, always choose reputable brands and check the certificate of analysis. Always look for companies offering the purest and most reliable products.
More articles related to CBD
CBD edibles are a tasty and delightful way to ingest high-quality CBD, and because of the way it is absorbed into the body, they provide long-lasting effects. The molecules in CBD are absorbed by your liver, resulting in an extended-release action that permits the CBD to stay in your system for long. CBD edibles usually come in versions with no THC or less than 0.3%, making their effects gentler and more approachable for those who aren’t interested in the euphoric effects of cannabis. Let’s further discuss what CBD edibles are and the five things you should know about them.
As stress and anxiety become integral elements of the modern lifestyle, mental health emerges as a critical concern for people of all ages. The biggest challenge is that you may not even realize that you have a problem before it escalates and becomes difficult to treat. You may end up with a complicated treatment that includes antidepressants and expensive therapies, which can make things even more stressful. Thankfully, CBD may come to your rescue as a natural, safe, and effective therapeutic option. Let us discuss in detail what makes it a great medicine for mental health.
CBD needs a carrier oil for bioavailability. The fat-soluble cannabinoids like CBD bind with the fat molecules of MCT to quickly absorb into the liver, while bypassing the digestive system. This is just one of the many reasons MCT Oil is an effective carrier oil for CBD Tinctures. Moreso, the antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of MCT further complement the therapeutic benefits of CBD for your well-being and health.

domain: chemistry


text:
Doing our best to eat locally and sustainably, raising our own food on a small lot in the city, making hand-crafted cuisine, and keeping it real.
Good idea! Now I just need a new range so I can pressure can (glass top)...
I've been pressure canning on a glass top for quite a while...actually it's the only way I've ever done it.
You need to use a flat bottom pressure cooker to can on glass top . Presto makes one available at ace hardware

domain: hobby


How do you make a point-and-click game in game Maker?
All right so the first step is to make the puzzles. And environments of course you don’t need puzzles it can be entirely experiential.
How long does it take to make a point-and-click game?
You mentioned Adventure Creator and the Dialogue System for Unity. For a traditional point-and-click adventure, the programmer would have to do very little, if any, programming. Six months is entirely reasonable for the technical integration, assuming the programmer is already familiar with using Adventure Creator.
How do you make a point-and-click game in unity?
All you need is one sprite in this example the car and the script. Let’s assign a target position variable of type vector 2 and a speed variable of type float.
What is a point-and-click games?
Point and click refers to a type of adventure game, in which the user interacts mainly with the mouse or any pointing device (be it a finger on mobile phones).
Is Diablo a point and click?
That is not the case in Diablo. Movement is handled entirely via clicking somewhere in the game world. Click a specific point to move your character in that direction, or hold your click down to make your character chase after your cursor. You’re not going to be using WASD at all.
How much does adventure creator cost?
How much does it cost, and what’s the legal? AC licenses are sold for $80 + VAT.
How do you make a 2d point and click game in unity?
EASY 2D Point & Click System | Unity C# – YouTube
How do you make a game without coding?
How to make a video game without any coding experience
- Create in Unity without code.
- Visual scripting with Bolt.
- Visual scripting with PlayMaker.
- Visual scripting with Adventure Creator.
- Learn basic coding in Unity.
- Unity for artists and designers.
Is Unity for free?
Conclusion. Unity is indeed free of charge to use. It won’t cost you anything for using Unity Editor to create and build your games. You can start as many projects as you want.
Are point and click games still popular?
While point & click games were a product of their era – and guided by limited technology – the genre is now more popular than ever, thanks to a modern, nostalgia-driven revival. It means that while there’s certainly classics to enthuse about, there’s also just as many modern titles holding the genre torch.
Who invented point and click?
Is Diablo 3 a point and click game?
We have you covered. The core of Diablo gameplay is the mouse click. You do everything from combat to looting to movement with your mouse, and your interactions with your keyboard are extremely minimal overall.
How much money has Diablo made?
Diablo Immortal has earned over $100 million in just two months despite being free-to-play, a revenue total that will undoubtedly frustrate those who have left the game behind. Blizzard’s controversial game has been a hot topic of discussion since its launch due to its abundance of microtransactions.
Is learning Unity hard?
It’s also an amazingly complex game engine, but how long does it take to learn and is it difficult? Learning the Unity software can take around one to three weeks. Unity is easy to use and presents to the developer many tools to create from the beginning of a game.
Is Unity using C++?
Both Unity and UnrealEngine utilize C++ in their source code: Unity is partially written using C++ and C#, whereas Unreal Engine is written in C++ entirely. C++ is widely used to develop high-tier game engines and critical service applications where optimal resource utilization and performance are a priority.
Can I sell a game made with Unity free?
Can we sell games and make money with the free version of Unity? Yes you can create and sell a game with the free version of Unity, without paying royalties or any revenue share.
Is life is strange a point-and-click?
Life is Strange is a point-and-click game that will remind players of the Fighting Fantasy and Choose Your Own Adventure books – well, those who old enough to remember them.
What was the first adventure game?
Colossal Cave Adventure
Colossal Cave Adventure is identified as the first such adventure game, first released in 1976, while other notable adventure game series include Zork, King’s Quest, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Myst.
Which computer part can you point-and-click with?
Point and click
Pointing device – a device used to control the movement of the pointer (cursor) on the screen. The major pointing devices in use today are the mouse, trackpad or touchpad (laptop), touch screens, etc.
What was the first point-and-click game?
Silicon Beach Software released Enchanted Scepters, the first point-and-click adventure game, in 1984, with drop-down menus for selecting player actions and a text description displayed in a separate window from the static graphics.
Why is Diablo 3 so addictive?
Whether it be extra experience point gains for the most enemies killed at once or the copious gifts released by a boss’s death, the cause-and-positive-effect aspect of Diablo 3 is truly addictive. The combination of progress, leveling up and a storyline speaks to the part of us that wants things simple again.
What engine does Diablo 3 use?
Diablo III uses a custom 3D game engine in order to present an overhead view to the player, in a somewhat similar way to the isometric view used in previous games in the series. Enemies utilize the 3D environment as well, in ways such as crawling up the side of a wall from below into the combat area.
Is Diablo Immortal banned in China?
The post, which came from the official Diablo Immortal Weibo account, reportedly alluded to Winnie the Pooh, who has been banned from the internet in China because he is used to make fun of the president. Bloomberg says the account has since been suspended for “violating relevant laws and regulations.”
Is Diablo pay-to-win?
Diablo 3 was pay-to-win just like Diablo Immortal. The microtransactions in Diablo Immortal, the recently released and mobile-first iteration of the series, are predatory, obnoxious, and make the game pay-to-win. Diablo fans and the wider community have been up in arms about the game’s monetization strategy.
Should I learn Unreal or Unity?
If you’re a beginner looking to publish your first title, Unity’s user-friendliness and royalty-free pricing structure is an attractive option. However, if you’re looking to feature superior graphics within your game and have access to a wide knowledge base, Unreal is a better fit.


text:
Results 1 to 15 of 36
December 14th, 2008 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- LA, CA
- Thanked 16 Times in 4 Posts
Work stuff + School Stuff + Updated mini tutorial
What a crazy term at school. I here are all the works I did in the past couple of weeks. These three pieces are for a personal project I'm currently working on; creating unique alien worlds.
I recently got the permission to post some of the pieces I've done at Crystal Dynamics last year. Here are some samples of the unannounced projected I worked on.
Finally, some more light heart-ed subject matter for a change from all these nasty things I've been working on.
I'm also currently open for full time freelance work. Feel free to contact me for future oppertunities.
Last edited by xHUNTERx; December 18th, 2008 at 01:47 PM.
Hide this ad by registering as a member
December 14th, 2008 #2
December 15th, 2008 #3
December 15th, 2008 #4
December 16th, 2008 #5
December 16th, 2008 #6
December 16th, 2008 #7
wat an ace...
dude you just blew my brains out..
seriously awesome work...do they pay you for this or is it like" there's no price for awesomeness"
My fave stuff is the space scape in the beginning..
append more...do it now!!!
and do stroll into my sketchbook..
got something there as well...There is but one short cut to success...apparently its called Hardwork.
The Great Indian Mythology Character Design Trick - ( please do leave your comments on this sketchbook) http://www.conceptart.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=142727
December 16th, 2008 #8
December 16th, 2008 #9
holy sh*t Alex your stuff blew me away. Freaking amazing. Love the one on the top the most.
December 16th, 2008 #10
wow.. I really like your personal stuff. The first image is just pleasing to look at.
Also the stuff you did at Crystal Dynamics.. I love the line work you have in them with saturated color shapes. That flat TV is sexy!! Thanks for posting,
December 16th, 2008 #11
Great range of amazing work!
December 16th, 2008 #12
awesome, thanks for sharing.
December 16th, 2008 #13
December 16th, 2008 #14
Great imaginary stuff. Those enviros took me away to a most charming place
December 16th, 2008 #15
By JordyLakiere in forum ARTIST STREAMING VIDEO CHANNELSReplies: 10Last Post: May 20th, 2013, 03:40 AM
By jerry0wilson in forum FINISHED ART & ARTWORKReplies: 18Last Post: January 15th, 2013, 11:38 PM
By kent kidwell in forum 3D ART, SCULPTURE ART & TOY ARTReplies: 285Last Post: April 2nd, 2011, 04:37 PM
By Dutton in forum FINISHED ART & ARTWORKReplies: 19Last Post: September 26th, 2006, 08:44 PM


text: Gold is such a wonderful and diverse metal, it's not just used for some of the most incredible jewellery but is actually reserved by countries all over the world. Why? Gold is reserved as a sort of back up, should a country be down on money (essentially). It's like a long term investment, so if the price of gold rises they can trade some of their gold for cold hard cash. Below is an infographic that looks as a handful of countries, known for their gold reserves, showing how much they actually have with an interesting fact or two about gold itself. It is interactive so have a look and click on the countries. Who do you think has the most gold?

domain: economics


LYSANDER, NY – Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh announces that his office is investigating a fatal car accident that occurred this afternoon (Nov. 15) on Pendergast Road in the town of Lysander involving one vehicle.
At approximately 1:50 p.m., sheriff’s deputies and Phoenix Fire Department members responded to a vehicle crash reported at 9448 Pendergast Road.
A maroon 2003 Hyundai sedan travelling south on Pendergast Road was being operated by Shawn C. Fatcheric, 34, of Lock Street in Phoenix, police said.
Fatcheric was the only occupant in the vehicle.
Fatcheric’s Hyundai crossed over the oncoming lanes and drove onto the opposite shoulder of the road striking a tree head-on and causing the vehicle to become fully engulfed in flames, according to the accident report.
Fatcheric became trapped inside as a result of the crash and was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The cause of the accident is unknown at this time and is still under investigation.
A portion of Pendergast Road north of Lamson Road has been closed and will remain closed while Sheriff’s Accident Investigation Team members continue their investigation.


text:
Monica Carfora, deputy head of the emergency of the Santo Spirito Hospital, which now has a separate emergency for possible covid patients, holds a chocolate Easter egg as she takes a break with her team for a small Easter celebration outside the entrance to the emergency, in central Rome, Sunday, April, 12, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 431 on Sunday, down from 619 the day before, and the number of new cases slowed to 4,092 from a previous 4,694.
The tally of deaths was the lowest daily rise since March 19.
The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 rose to 19,899, the Civil Protection Agency said, the second highest in the world after that of the United States.
The number of officially confirmed cases climbed to 156,363, the third highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.
There were 3,343 people in intensive care on Sunday against 3,381 on Saturday -- a ninth consecutive daily decline.
Of those originally infected, 34,211 were declared recovered against 32,424 a day earlier.

domain: news


A Guide To Infusing Green Practices Into Event Production
What’s new: The event industry is embracing a much-needed shift toward sustainability. At the same time, we’re also on the verge of exponential growth, fueled by rising demand for corporate events.
What that means for you: Events have gone green. Integrating sustainability into your event marketing strategy now will set your business up for success by reducing waste and boosting the impact of your events program.
Keep reading to see how TalkingTree Creative can support your green initiatives by orchestrating eco-friendly events without compromising on creativity or quality.
Mindful preparations and event design let you plan for hidden waste
From small startups to industry giants, businesses are trying to reduce their carbon footprints. Starting your event production process with a firm foundation is essential in minimizing your environmental impact.
Every event has unique, ever-changing quirks. After spending years on stage, backstage, and everywhere in between, we understand corporate theatre from every angle. We know all the hidden waste they can produce.
Intuitive resource management
Balancing waste while pursuing attendance goals may seem impossible at first. But our experience has been that once you start being mindful of your environmental impact, other places to reduce your impact become obvious.
When setting sustainability goals for events, galas, parties, and other in-person experiences, start with mapping out your current waste points (food, electricity, printed paper, dish cleaning, etc), then use small metrics to make incremental changes. Sustainability can seem daunting, but the moment you start measuring what goes to waste, you’ll see places where sustainability naturally fits within your process.
High-impact waste reduction
Craft sustainable events with TalkingTree Creative
Sustainability in event production isn’t just a passing trend. It’s an opportunity for businesses to reimagine their event program for a healthier planet as well as audience impact. TalkingTree Creative’s agile, collaborative approach to event production enables you to reduce waste while delivering unforgettable experiences. Get started.


As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
1. HeiyRC #ad
8pcs Propeller for DJI Spark Drone,4730F Quick-Release Folding Blade Props for Spark,CW CCW Propellers #adHeiyRC #ad
- 8 pieces quick release folding Propellers for DJI Spark drone,. Foldable design convenient to carry,. Quick-release design easy to use,. Replace the broken blade directly,. Product include: 8 pieces propellers 4 CW + 4 CCW, Dose not include the drone.
|Warranty||1 Year Warranty Against Manufacturer Defects|
2. DJI #ad
White, powered by DJI, Ryze Tech Tello, Mini Drone Quadcopter UAV for Kids Beginners 5MP Camera HD720 Video 13min Flight Time Education Scratch Programming Toy Selfies #adDJI #ad
- What you get: ryzetech tello powered by dji, micro USB Cable, 4x Propellers Pair, Battery, Propeller Guards Set, Propeller Removal Tool. Equipped with a high-quality image processor, the tello drone shoots incredible photos and videos.
Even if you don’t know how to fly, you can record pro-level videos with EZ Shots and share them on social media from your smartphone. Flying has never been so fun and easy.
Tello has two antennas that make video transmission extra stable and a high-capacity battery that offers impressively long flight times. Camera features 5mp 2592x1936 photos and HD720 videos at a maximum flight time of 13 minutes. Thanks to all the tech that tello’s packing, like a flight controller powered by DJI, you can perform awesome tricks with this mini drone. Video capture resolution: HD 720p.
3. DJI #ad
DJI Mavic Mini Drone FlyCam Quadcopter with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time Renewed #adDJI #ad
- Required operating system: ios v100 or later. Just select your quickShot and Mavic Mini will execute an elaborate preset motion while recording. Android v6. 0 or later - weighing under 250 grams, Mavic Mini is almost as light as the average smartphone.
Enjoy up to 30 minutes of flight time with a fully-charged battery. In the box: dji mavic mini, intelligent flight battery, rc cable usb-c connector, gimbal protector, Micro USB Cable, Remote Controller, RC Cable Micro USB connector, RC Cable Lightning connector, Pair of Spare Control Sticks, 6x Spare Screw, pair of Spare Propellers, Screwdriver.
Mavic mini supports 12mp aerial photos and 2.
7k quad HD videos. Mavic mini’s weight allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer FlyCams on the market. A 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and ensures clear, ultra-smooth footage. Shots that look like they came from a hollywood film set are just a few taps away with Mavic Mini’s QuickShot modes, Helix, which include Dronie, Circle, and Rocket.
|Warranty||90 days limited warranty|
4. Behorse #ad
12pcs Propeller for DJI Spark Drone,Blade Zoom Spare Propellers Quick-Release Folding Blade Props for Spark Drone Accessories Low Noise Propellers #adBehorse #ad
- Lightweight and easy to install, Foldable design convenient to carry, Quick-release design easy to use, Replace the broken blade directly.
With low noise design each blade has undergone a precise dynamic balance test, lower power consumption, higher aerodynamic efficiency, resulting in less flight noise, and improved endurance.
Deliver a quieter flight with increased efficiency and extended flight time. These propellers also feature a quick release design to help make changes quick and easy. Product include: 12 pcs * Propellers. Specifically designed perfect match blade propellersfor DJI Spark UAV Accessories.
5. LKTOP #ad
LKTOP Intelligent Flight Battery for DJI Spark Drone 1480 MAh 16Mins Flight Time #adLKTOP #ad
- Service support30-day refund guarantee and 24h/7 full time customer service. If you any question, please contact us, We will do our best to help you solve your problem. Dji spark battery charger enables 16 minutes of flight on a single charge.
Additionally, dji spark drone battery estimates remaining flight time, letting you know when to land in real-time. Packbagethis includes 1* Intelligent Flight Battery for DJI Spark Drone.
Capacitythe battery has a capacity of 1480 mah and a voltage of 11. Intelligent protectiondrone battery for dji Spark has 12 intelligent protection functions help deliver safe flight. Optimal performancebattery for dji spark uses a high energy density LiPo battery for optimal performance. Easy installthe drone battery for DJI spark lightweight and easy to install, check flight time left in real-time. 4 v.
6. Hanatora #ad
Hanatora Battery Charger with LCD Display for DJI Spark Drone,4 in 1 Rapid Multi Parallel Charging Hub Accessories #adHanatora #ad
- Product features split design, the charging process can be monitored. It can display the charge voltage, lower charging temperature. With lcd display, current and overall battery status.
What you get 1 x multiple lcd chargernote:dji batteries not included. After-sale-service your 100% satisfaction is promised. 1-year warranty, money back or a free replacement if the product damaged during this period. Built-in smart charging protection chip, safety during charging.
Fast charging approx. 60-70 minutes for 3 or 4 batteries. 50-60 minutes for 1 or 2 batteries, approx. Intelligent current distribution and protection input: 100-240v, 6a max. Built-in intelligent charging protection Module against Overcharge, Short-circuit, 50/60Hz, Overvoltage, Output: DC 13.05v, overcurrent, Overload, and Overheating. Hanatora 4-in-1 battery Charger Perfectly work with DJI Spark Drone.
7. DJI #ad
First-Person View Drone UAV Quadcopter with 4K Stabilized Video, Built-in Propeller Guard, HD Low-Latency Transmission, Super-Wide 155° FOV, DJI Avata Pro-View Combo DJI Goggles 2 #adDJI #ad
- Flight has never been easier: with the dji motion Controller, intuitive flight is in your hands. Palm-sized and agile: the lightweight and compact design of Avata makes it easy to carry and more capable of agile maneuvers. When you combine Avata with the goggles and motion controller, flight becomes accessible to all.
Dji goggles 2 and dji motion controller provide an immersive sensory experience with intuitive control by hand and head movements. Enjoy next-level imagery with the 1/1. 7-inch sensor, 155° FOV, and flagship stabilization. Fly between gaps, though branches, and take it with you on any adventure.
Be bold, it can handle minor contact, fly far: avata offers an impressive 18-minute flight time and upgraded safety. Squeeze the trigger and bolt forward or turn a corner with the swivel of your wrist. Ultra-smooth 4k footage: avata features an upgraded camera system so that no extra attachments are needed.
With the built-in propeller guard, stay in the air, and keep on flying. Experience the thrill of flying: enjoy total immersion and intuitive control with DJI Avata. Change the way you fly: dji avata is compatible with dji goggles 2, DJI FPV Remote Control 2, and DJI Motion Control, DJI FPV Goggles V2, which each unlock different possibilities. Backed by flagship transmission: get a sharp and responsive HD live feed with DJI O3+ video transmission at distances of up to 10 km.
|Warranty||DJI Warranty Applies|
8. DJI #ad
DJI Mavic Mini Combo, Drone FlyCam Quadcopter UAV with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal GPS 30min Flight Time, less than 0.55lbs, Gray #adDJI #ad
- Weighing less than 0 55lbs / 250 grams mavic mini is almost as light as the average smartphone In the United States and Canada you can fly this camera drone without the need to register your drone with the government. Mavic mini supports 12mp aerial photos and 2 7K HD videos A 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and ensures clear Ultra-smooth footage.
What you get dji mavic mini remote controller 3x intelligent flight battery 3x pairs of spare propellers 2x micro usb cable gimbal protector rc cable micro usb connector rc cable usb-c connector rc cable lightning connector pair of spare control sticks 18x spare screw screwdriver 360° propeller guard two-way charging hub dji 18w usb charger carrying bag.
Dji fly app requires ios v10 0 android v6 0 or above compatible devices include iphone 11 pro max 11 pro 11 xs max xs xr x 8 plus 8 7 plus 7 6s plus 6s 6 plus 6 samsung galaxy s10+ s10 s9+ s9 s8+ s8 s7 edge s7 s6 note9 note8 huawei p30 pro p30 p20 p10 mate 20 pro mate 10 nova 5 nova 4 nova 3e nova 2 Honor 8X 10 9 20 Pro Magic 2 Mi 8 MIX 2S MIX 2 Redmi Note 5 Oppo Find X R15 Vivo NEX X27 X21 X20A OnePlus 7 6T 5 Pixel 3 XL 2 XL 2 LG V20 LG G6.
The compact yet powerful mavic Mini camera drone is the perfect creative companion capturing your moments in a way that effortlessly elevates the ordinary. Mavic mini's weight allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer FlyCams on the market Enjoy up to 30 minutes of flight time with a fully-charged battery.
|Warranty||DJI warranty applies|
9. KINBON #ad
Drone Landing Pads, KINBON Waterproof 30'' Universal Landing Pad Fast-fold Double Sided Quadcopter Landing Pads for RC Drones Helicopter DJI Spark Mavic Pro Phantom 2/3/4 Pro Inspire 2/1 3DR Solo #adKINBON #ad
- Double sided high-precision printing, easy to fold and fast-fold. 3 land nails fixed to the landing pad on the ground firmly, helping the landing pad work perfectly in windy environments. Fast-fold & portablefast-fold and portable landing pad for mavic pro. Waterproof premium materialmade of high quality waterproof nylon material with lightweight, and sun protection, Open Size: 30''/75cm, not easy to fade.
Double sided and double color with blue and orange 2 colors, please see the last picture. Compatible for wide range of dronessuitable for all drone models. Note: please un-fold in an Open Space and Keep Away From Your Face.
8 reflective straps & 3 land nails with rich accessories：1* landing pad + 1*carring bag + 8*reflective strips + 3*landing nails. 8 reflective strips are used for night flying, pasting them to the outer of the printing circle. They will provide clear location for drone in darkness.
And also highlight the clear location of the landing place. Very waterproof and durable for use, Fold Size: 11''/28cm. Note: specific folding ways, easy to carry and store it into the bag with zipper. Universal drone landing padthe 30" universal drone landing pad with double sided, 3dr solo drone, DJI Inspire 2/1, Gopro Kama, DJI Mavic Pro Phantom 2/3/4/ Pro, which is perfectly fit for RC Drones Helicopter, PVB Drones, Parrot drone, Antel Robotic X-star, and more. With elastic material of one side, are applied for different occasions.
10. DecalGirl #ad
Controller Skin and 1 Battery Skin, American Tribe Decal for Drone DJI Spark Kit, Includes Drone Skin #adDecalGirl #ad
- Made in the usA since 2003. Does not interfere with radio signal. No sticky residue when removed. Thin & lightweight vinyl does not affect flight time. Easy, bubble-free installation and goo-free removal.


When people think of Florida or visiting the sights, what do they think of?
For most people, it’s some combination of alligators, flamingos, manatees, and sea turtles with a sprinkling of Disney World, Kennedy Space Center, and the beaches.
This episode explores the truth about iconic Florida.
New Episode from Naturally Florida
Naturally Florida (a podcast about Florida’s natural areas and the wild things that live here) recently released a new episode about the many symbols and icons used in Florida advertising and in the media.
For instance, we see flamingos everywhere on Florida merchandise and in media about Florida … but have you ever seen a wild flamingo in Florida?
Check it out, below on Spotify, or on your favorite podcast platform.
If you enjoyed this episode about Florida’s icons, please consider sharing it with a friend.
You can find all the podcast platforms where Naturally Florida is published, submit feedback, or request future topics at www.naturallyfloridapodcast.com
- American Flamingo – https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterbirds/american-flamingo
- All About Manatees- https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/facts-and-information
- All About Sea Turtles- https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/sea-turtle/where-to-view/
How You Can Help:
- View Manatees Responsibly – https://myfwc.com/education/wildlife/manatee/viewing-guidelines/
- Help Keep Our Sea Turtles Safe – https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/florida/faq/.
- Visit Real Florida When Vacationing or Staycationing:
Sources for this Episode:
- John Audubon’s journal entries – www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/american-flamingo
- George Archibald McCall – (TW: graphic discussion about the culinary uses of flamingo meat) www.google.com/books/edition/Letters_from_the_Frontiers/bA0EZPPKc_QC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=flamingo
- Kennedy Space Center – www.kennedyspacecenter.com/blog/07/the-wild-side-of-kennedy-space-center
- Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island/visit-us/activities
- Disney Wildnerness Preserve – www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/the-disney-wilderness-preserve/
- UF/IFAS Assessment: Coconut Palm – https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/assessments/cocos-nucifera/
Learn about other episodes from Naturally Florida by Clicking Here.
University of Florida IFAS Extension is committed to diversity of people, thought and opinion, to inclusiveness and to equal opportunity.
UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.
Source: UF/IFAS Pest Alert
Note: All images and contents are the property of UF/IFAS.


text:
Bangalore, Jan 18(UNI) Bid and Hammer Auctioneers (P) Ltd, a full service art and antiques auction house and newer entrant in the Indian art auctioneering scenario will host its first auction in the city on January 24, Company Chairman and Managing Director M Maher Dadha said today.
He said in a press release here, that over Rs 10 crore worth of art and artifacts would up for sale in the painting category which comes in a mixed bag of 131 works with prices starting at Rs 30,000 and going up to Rs 50 lakh. It includes rare works of artists such as Jamini Roy, M V Dhurandhar, Gaitonde and F N Souza besides a host of other young contemporary artists.
The other section comprising 58 lots are the 'works of art' from the Rococo, art noveau, art deco and colonial periods and include porcelain, silver, glass, frames and furniture from renowned makers such as R Lalique and faberge amongst others with prices starting from Rs 20,000 and going upto Rs 35 lakh.
The entire collection for the inaugural auction would be unveiled for preview on January 21 at Hotel Oberoi and the entire board of directors and advisors of the company would be present on the occasion. The board of directors included luminaries and art connoisseurs like Maharaja of Jodhpur Gaj Singh II, Rukmini Varma (Artist and grand niece of Painter Prince Raja Ravi Varma), Savita Apte, Deepak Chopra and Pradeep Das.
Stating that the company also has plans to increase its size of offerings from the second auction onwards with a targeted turnover of Rs 60 crores for the year 2008-09, Mr Dadha said that "India is now ready for an auction house that will conduct generalist as well as specialist sales on a regular basis and across cities." The Bid and Hammer, established in 2006 was a full service auction house whose sales will cover all the major categories of fine and decorative art and antiques, the release added.
UNI MV MSP RKN1545