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Percent respondents judged as being "confident"
|Jammu & Kashmir||59%|
I must have a fickle heart. I am in love again, this time with West Bengal. Last month’s passion Rajasthan seems a bit too vivid. Bengal with its muted tones and bursts of greenery seems like a whiff of the bygone era. Of course having grown up with Sharatchandra and Bankimchandra novels, I was ready to fall in love before I landed at the Kolkata airport. But really it was the taxi driver who gestured to me with an insouciant attitude to get into the taxi and find some place to stow my bag that won my heart as did the hotel desk clerk who handed me my key with full expectation that I will find a way of carrying my bag.
To my North Indian colleagues this comes as a rude shock; to me after the constant discomfort of people trying to carry my briefcase, it comes as a welcome relief. For someone who lives and breaths survey data, these impressionistic statements are odd. But I have come to realize that social stratification is so deeply ingrained that it seems to infuse even small gestures. In Uttar Pradesh, young colleagues are horrified if I try to carry my briefcase. In West Bengal no one expects anything else. In U.P. training hall, our interviewers would stand up every time some senior member of the training staff entered the room; in Punjab they barely bother to look up.
Having spent much of my life trying to document material basis of social stratification, I feel odd talking about social psychological aspect of social stratification but it would be silly to ignore the way in which social inequality is internalized. We had asked IHDS-I interviewers to rate the male and female respondents on their behavior with the interviewers and whether the respondent was confident in this interaction. Of course we recognize the dangers of such assessment. Does the respondent really lack confidence or is it simply the judgment of the interviewer who often comes from a socially and educational stronger vantage point? But regardless of where it stems from, it reflects how a representative of a formal system that is not a part of the respondent’s day-to-day life perceives the respondent.
The two graphs here present an interesting picture. First, my impressionistic observation seems to be dead on at least as far as West Bengal is concerned. Male respondents in West Bengal are most likely to be judged as being confident by the interviewers, although Tamil Nadu and Bihar don’t seem far behind in swagger (oops I meant, confidence!). Of course other state rankings don’t seem to quite match my personal impressions – possibly casting doubts on the validity of these observational data (or maybe on my perceptiveness!)
Education helps increase self-confidence but it does not seem to be enough. Centuries of inequality can strip individuals of their self-confidence. In a sensitive essay titled Passage to Adulthood: Perceptions from Below, Professor Sukhdeo Thorat writes about his early adulthood as a Mahar in a highly stratified village,
“…. my opposition to discrimination was largely emotional, but it had another feature also: I was often not very confident about my actions. I used to feel that my feelings were partly right and partly wrong. When, for example, I avoided the dinner at the Sarpanch’s house, I was sure that I did not want to go, still I felt that there might be something wrong in refusing to join when the entire village was participating. This definite but uncertain state of mind was due to the fact that I did not understand the social questions in their entirety.”
We also see it in interviewer evaluations respondents’ confidence by caste. Education helps increase self confidence, or at least appearance of self confidence to interviewers, but forward caste respondents are judged to be more “confident” than OBC, Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim respondents at almost all levels of education under class 12. Educated or not, a member of forward castes is judged to have plenty of confidence, but it seems to take education improve the self-confidence (or perception thereof) for the marginalized groups.
IHDS-II builds on this rudimentary assessment to include more interesting questions about social interactions, directly from the respondent’s vantage point. Young respondents aged 15-18 are asked several questions about their interactions with people holding generational power and strangers. These include:
• When a neighbour or some other older person asks you to do a task at a time when you are really busy finishing up your own work, do you tell them politely that you can't do this task at the moment or try to oblige them even if your own work suffers?
• When someone breaks in front of you in a line, do you ask them to go to the back of the line or do you let it be?
• [FOR GIRLS] If some men/man harass/es you or (eve) teases you on the street, do you usually speak up or ignore it?
• [FOR BOYS] When you see some girl being harassed or being (eve) teased by some man/men on the street. Do you try to stop them or ignore it?
I can’t wait to see the results. But until the IHDS-II data are ready for analysis, I am still charmed by my West Bengal taxi driver, at least until IHDS-II starts off in another state and I fall in love all over again!


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Drivers could get fined for blocking intersections in Baltimore.
City Council President Jack Young introduced a resolution at Monday night's council meeting to delay the "Don't Block the Box" campaign.
He called for the Department of Transportation to synchronize traffic lights before this initiative kicks off. Young said synchronizing traffic lights could create better traffic flow and hopefully help cut down on how often drivers block intersections.
Starting May 1, police will issue warnings to drivers who block intersections. After the warning phase, drivers would get fined $90.
Information regarding when work on the lights could start or how much it will cost the city has not been disclosed.

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Most Cited Library & Information Science Research Articles
The most cited articles published since 2011, extracted from Scopus.
"If it is too inconvenient I'm not going after it:" Convenience as a critical factor in information-seeking behaviorsLynn Sillipigni Connaway | Timothy J. Dickey | Marie L. Radford
Volume 33, Issue 3, July 2011, Pages 179-190
In today's fast-paced world, anecdotal evidence suggests that information tends to inundate people, and users of information systems want to find information quickly and conveniently. Empirical evidence for convenience as a critical factor is explored in the data from two multi-year, user study projects funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The theoretical framework for this understanding is founded in the concepts of bounded rationality and rational choice theory, with Savolainen's (2006) concept of time as a context in information seeking, as well as gratification theory, informing the emphasis on the seekers' time horizons. Convenience is a situational criterion in peoples' choices and actions during all stages of the information-seeking process. The concept of convenience can include their choice of an information source, their satisfaction with the source and its ease of use, and their time horizon in information seeking. The centrality of convenience is especially prevalent among the younger subjects ("millennials") in both studies, but also holds across all demographic categories-age, gender, academic role, or user or non-user of virtual reference services. These two studies further indicate that convenience is a factor for making choices in a variety of situations, including both academic information seeking and everyday-life information seeking, although it plays different roles in different situations. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Use of library space and the library as placeSvanhild Aabø | Ragnar Audunson
Volume 34, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 138-149
Citizens' use of the public library in their local community is explored, focusing on social activities and how the libraries function as meeting places. The findings are important because of the need for meeting places across cultural, ethnic, generational, and social lines in a complex multicultural and digitized society. How library visitors use the library space and services, so that the overall societal goals of the library and the local community are obtained, is still rarely examined. An in-depth observational study was conducted in three library branches of Oslo, combined with interviews with patrons to establish the context and purpose of their library activities and to which life spheres they are linked. The research used concepts from social theory. The overall finding is that the public library use is very diverse. Patrons move easily between high and low intensive activities and float between life spheres and roles-student, family member, friend, neighbor, and citizen. The library is a complex arena. It is a public realm, in the sense that most of the visitors are strangers to each other; most of the individual uses belong to a private realm, and the library's community activities constitute it as a parochial realm. In the library, users are exposed to the plurality of the community and learn about otherness. People are not categorized by profession or as being unemployed, a patient or a client, but are all library users. This quality of the library contributes to social inclusion. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Trends in information behavior research, 1999-2008: A content analysisHeidi Julien | Jen J L Pecoskie | Kathleen Reed
Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 19-24
A content analysis of articles published between 1999 and 2008 in the area of information behavior yielded results directly comparable to previous research and demonstrated little change in research methods employed, relative interest in particular user groups, or attention to affective variables. However, interdisciplinarity of the literature has increased, and it appears that the proportions of researchers and practitioners contributing to the literature in this area have reversed: now a majority of authors are researchers. This suggests an increase in scholarly activity in the area, a finding consistent with other recent reviews. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
International students' everyday life information seeking: The informational value of social networking sitesSei Ching Joanna Sin | Kyung Sun Kim
Volume 35, Issue 2, April 2013, Pages 107-116
Sojourns to other countries, such as for studying abroad, are increasingly common. However, adjusting to life in a different country can be stressful and require significant effort. Sojourners need to not only maintain and expand their social networks, but they also continuously seek information about their new environment. While international students are a sizable group, their daily information behavior is not well understood. This study posits that social networking sites (SNS), such as Facebook, may play an important role in international students' everyday life information seeking (ELIS). Using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM), the study analyzed international students' everyday life information needs, their usage of SNS for ELIS, and the relationships among demographics, personality traits, SNS usage, and perceived usefulness of the acquired everyday life information. Findings indicate that a majority of the respondents frequently used SNS for ELIS. Younger students, undergraduates, and extroverts were more likely to use SNS for ELIS, while no gender difference was found. Notably, among the nine user characteristics and behavior factors, SNS usage emerged as the only positive predictor of perceived usefulness of acquired information in meeting daily needs. This indicates that SNS serve as a valuable channel for purposeful everyday life information seeking. Beyond its social support value, the ELIS value of SNS is a fruitful area for future research. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Librarians' experiences of the teaching role: A national survey of librariansHeidi Julien | Shelagh K. Genuis
Volume 33, Issue 2, April 2011, Pages 103-111
A Canadian national survey of 788 library staff doing instructional work revealed that most participants expected to be doing some teaching in their workplaces, and the largest proportion of participants have been teaching for more than 10. years. Most instruction continues to take the form of short presentations to groups of learners. On the whole, preparatory experiences are informal-on-the-job experience, reading professional literature, and attending workshops. The majority of respondents identify instructional work as integral to their professional identity, but nearly one-third see this work as a duty or expectation, and a small proportion view it as an imposition. The study results have implications for design of programs that prepare library staff for the workplace, and for library managers who need to support effective instructional practice. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Innovation in academic libraries: An analysis of university librarians' perspectivesRonald C. Jantz
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 3-12
Through a series of structured interviews, university librarians at six institutions provided their perspectives on innovation in academic libraries. The literature on leadership styles and organizational change provides insight into the roles of these leaders in the innovation process. Leadership was cited by many researchers as being a critical factor for organizations to innovate. University librarians revealed a commitment to innovation, some distinctively nontraditional innovations, and a concern for how to encourage risk-taking behavior. Further insight into the innovation process was sought by interpreting the interview data within a larger theoretical context. Although leadership and management can foster innovation in a library, researchers have reported other factors that can influence the ability to innovate, including organizational aspects - size and complexity - and environmental factors. Beyond the organizational aspects, the individual and the norms of the profession appear to create a framework with certain boundaries, some of which may impact the ability to innovate. © 2011.
Using collaborative teaching and inquiry project-based learning to help primary school students develop information literacy and information skillsSamuel Kai Wah Chu | S. K. Tse | Ken Chow
Volume 33, Issue 2, April 2011, Pages 132-143
Information literacy and information technology (IT) skills have become increasingly important in today's knowledge society. Many studies have shown that students from primary school to postgraduate lack crucial information literacy and IT skills, hence there is a need for an effective pedagogical approach that will develop these skills. This study investigated the effect of combining a collaborative teaching approach with inquiry project-based learning (PjBL) on the development of primary students' information literacy and IT skills. Students in a Hong Kong primary school completed two inquiry-based group projects. A collaborative teaching approach involving three teachers in different subject areas (general studies, Chinese, and IT) and the school librarian was adopted in guiding students through the two projects. Results indicate that this program had a positive impact of on the development of different dimensions of the students' information literacy and IT skills. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Using emotion recognition technology to assess the effects of different multimedia materials on learning emotion and performanceChih Ming Chen | Hui Ping Wang
Volume 33, Issue 3, July 2011, Pages 244-255
With the gradual adoption of multimedia technologies in curriculum designs, the need has increased for in-depth studies that explore how different presentation techniques for multimedia materials affect learner emotions and learner performance. This study employed the emWave system, a stress detector for emotional states that was developed by the Institute of HeartMath for measuring changes in learner emotional states when presented with different multimedia materials with the same learning content. By analyzing the collected emotional data and assessment of learning performance, this study explores how different multimedia learning materials affect learning emotions, and ultimately, learning performance. Preliminary results show that the video-based multimedia material generates the best learning performance and most positive emotion among three types of multimedia materials assessed in the study. Moreover, a partial correlation exists between negative learning emotion and learning performance. This study confirms that simultaneously considering pretest score and negative emotion can predict learning performance of learners who use video-based multimedia material for learning. It also finds significant gender difference in learner emotional states while using different multimedia materials for learning: female learners in this study are more easily affected by different multimedia material than male learners. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Academic library use and student retention: A quantitative analysisGaby Haddow
Volume 35, Issue 2, April 2013, Pages 127-136
A key component of Vincent Tinto's model of retention is the importance of student integration in the academic institution. Library use can be regarded as a form of integration within such institutions. A quantitative approach was applied to demonstrate how institutional data can be combined to examine library use and retention at a single institution. Undergraduate student and library use data were analyzed to identify results that suggested associations between library use and student retention. Library use was measured by log-ins to electronic resources, as well as borrowing from the library. The undergraduate students enrolled for the first time in 2010 comprised the population, Sub-group student characteristics, age and socioeconomic status, underwent further analysis. The findings show retained students log-in to authenticated resources and borrow from the library at higher rates than withdrawn students. Mature age students withdraw from the university at higher rates than younger students. Log-ins to authenticated resources increase as students progress over time through their university programs. No notable associations were found among socioeconomic background, library use, and retention. For the institution, these findings can inform the development of library services to target specific student groups on the basis that higher library use may lead to improved integration and retention. In addition, the study describes a research design that is replicable in other institutions and contributes to library use and retention literature. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Public libraries: A meeting place for immigrant women?Ragnar Audunson | Sophie Essmat | Svanhild Aabø
Volume 33, Issue 3, July 2011, Pages 220-227
The potential role of the public library in the lives of immigrant women is elicited by in-depth interviews with nine female immigrants to Norway from Iran, Afghanistan, and Kurdistan. The research utilizes social capital theory, the concepts of communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation, as well as the concepts of high intensive versus low intensive meeting places. The results indicate that the library plays different roles in the different stages in the respondents' experiences as immigrants. It allows for legitimate peripheral participation when the immigrants move from observing at a distance to more active participation. The library functions as a high intensive as well as a low intensive meeting place and seems to contribute to building social capital in a variety of ways. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Cultural influences on seeking quality health information: An exploratory study of the Korean communityYong J. Yi | Besiki Stvilia | Lorri Mon
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 45-51
Consumer health information-seeking behavior of members of a local Korean community in Tallahassee, Florida, was explored through semi-structured interviews. Questions explored how this community assessed the quality of health information, and what cultural values influenced their understanding of its quality. Accuracy and reliability were identified as the two most valuable quality characteristics. A commercial type of webpage was considered as a negative indicator for reliability, while information described in detail or displayed reiteratively was a positive indicator. In addition to functional quality criteria, nonfunctional characteristics such as sympathy were found. Above all, findings highlighted that cultural differences limited the use of health information. Quality based selection of information is an important part of a health information seeking process. Findings can give the designers of Web-based consumer health information systems important insights into how to support evaluation of the quality of health information by consumers, and how to reduce barriers to health information seeking and use caused by cultural differences. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Google Scholar acceptance and use among graduate students: A quantitative studyTanya Cothran
Volume 33, Issue 4, October 2011, Pages 293-301
Adding the external variables of satisfaction and loyalty to Fred Davis' technology acceptance model (TAM), this study examined the extent to which graduate students perceived Google Scholar to be a resource that is useful and easy to use. A survey of 1141 graduate students at the University of Minnesota asked questions exploring their perceptions of Google Scholar as part of their research process. Seventy-five percent of survey participants had used Google Scholar at least once before, and a statistical analysis of the responses found that perceived usefulness, loyalty, and, to a lesser extent, perceived ease of use, were positively and significantly related to the graduate students' intended use of the information resource. This research showed that TAM is an applicable model for predicting graduate student use of Google Scholar, which can help academic librarians seeking to understand graduate student acceptance of new information sources. Additionally, this study provides information about how librarians might best promote Google Scholar and other library resources to graduate students. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Re-framing information literacy: Problem-based learning as informed learningAnne R. Diekema | Wendy Holliday | Heather Leary
Volume 33, Issue 4, October 2011, Pages 261-268
This study explores an online information literacy module that uses problem-based learning (PBL). The goal was to enable students to experience information literacy in a richer way, by moving away from a focus on locating information sources to one of information use in the construction of knowledge. A content analysis of the research journals and reflection papers of students (N=15) in a distance education school library media administration endorsement program suggests that PBL was an effective approach for some students, but not others. Some students were motivated by working on authentic problems, and at least half the students engaged deeply with information and discovered new questions and angles for research during the process. These students applied more sophisticated evaluation strategies and were more metacognitive in their thinking, assessing their progress and shifting strategies as they progressed through the module. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Gracious space: Library programming strategies towards immigrants as tools in the creation of social capitalAndreas Vårheim
Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 12-18
Recent research on the generation of social trust and social capital gives public institutions prominent roles as instruments for creating social capital, the trust and connections between community members that yield collective action. Less is known about specific institutions and the mechanisms involved in creating social capital. In this paper, public library programs directed towards immigrants are explored as one possible mechanism for generating social capital. The data are unstructured interviews with U.S. library directors on strategies for immigrant programs and the creation of social trust. The interviews are analyzed and discussed, and they contribute to research on social capital formation. The programming activities in the libraries studied, which included classes in English as a second language (ESL), computers, and civics, attracted target immigrant populations. According to the library directors interviewed, these classes, which were carefully designed for these populations, were successful in generating trust and social capital: People "come back" to the library. Public libraries are promising arenas for generating social trust, and follow-up studies looking at the attitudes of immigrants who participate in these programs are important for increasing our knowledge on the mechanisms creating trust and social capital-that is, for theory development and for library practice. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
Perceived outcomes of public librariesPertti Vakkari | Sami Serola
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 37-44
The outcomes of public libraries as perceived by individuals in the major areas of their lives are analyzed and the benefits as outcome types are systematized. The data are based on a representative sample of 1000 Finnish adults, ranging in age from 15 to 79. The results give a systematic account of the benefits in 22 areas of life that adults derive from using public libraries. These 22 benefits were reduced by factor analysis into three major outcome types: benefits in everyday activities, cultural interests, and career. The association of these outcome types with gender, educational levels, and age is also explored. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
How do public libraries create social capital? An analysis of interactions between library staff and patronsCatherine A. Johnson
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 52-62
In this qualitative study exploring the content of social interactions between library staff and patrons, interviews were held with 15 library staff members in three neighborhood branch libraries in a large American midwestern city. An analysis of the interviews suggests that public libraries may contribute to social capital through the relationships and interactions that occur between staff and patrons. Some of the ways in which these relationships and interactions may contribute to social capital include: building patrons' trust in the library and its staff, connecting people to both community and library resources, providing social support for patrons, reducing social isolation, helping patrons gain skills to function in an increasingly online world, and providing a positive place for neighborhood residents to gather. The kinds of social interactions occurring in libraries that may help to build social capital are highlighted. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Fusing research into practice: The role of research methods educationLili Luo
Volume 33, Issue 3, July 2011, Pages 191-201
A survey was conducted among library and information science (LIS) practitioners to examine the effect of the research methods course on LIS practitioners' work. Findings suggest the research methods course is a valuable component of the master's in library and information science (MLIS) program. Taking the research methods course increases LIS practitioners' research interest and assists them by helping them critically evaluate published literature and apply it at work, provide better assistance to library patrons, produce valid and reliable data to facilitate decision making, identify problems at work and design and implement studies to solve them, and write grants and for publication. Suggestions are made to improve the research methods curriculum and enhance the educational experience for LIS practitioners. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Users' perceptions of university library websites: A unifying viewYong Mi Kim
Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 63-72
University libraries have invested a large amount of resources into digitizing information for the Web, yet scholars and practitioners question the value of this investment due to a lack of use of university library website resources (ULWR). Addressing this concern, researchers have investigated the use of ULWR and offered insights into the problem. However, studies have employed a single perspective rather than a comprehensive approach; as a result, the findings shed light on only part of the use issue. Also, existing studies have consistently reported that users with different academic roles have distinct usage patterns of ULWR and information sources. But they have not considered a wide range of users or systematically investigated such differences. This study examines these differences. This study examines (a) the user perspective, derived from technology adoption literature; (b) the website design perspective, embedded in human computer interaction literature; and (c) the library service quality perspective, based on information science literature. The second area is addressed by surveying a wide range of users, categorizing them based on their academic role differences, and then comparing their use of ULWR and information sources, thereby highlighting distinctive usage patterns. Research based on the responses of 315 participants shows that while users favorably rated factors derived from the perspectives of user and library service qualities for ULWR use, they perceived university library websites as somewhat difficult to use. Also, distinct user patterns are observed in this dataset. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
Capturing business intelligence required for targeted marketing, demonstrating value, and driving process improvementBrian L. Cox | Margie Jantti
Volume 34, Issue 4, October 2012, Pages 308-316
The University of Wollongong (UOW) in New South Wales, Australia, has undertaken an innovative and collaborative research project to demonstrate the value that can be provided by academic libraries through a tool called the "library cube". The library cube consists of two major components: a backend system containing a multidimensional data warehouse linking student borrowing and use of electronic resources to students' academic marks (grades); and a frontend system that allows users to quickly and easily create cross tabulated data views, such as average student marks by frequency of library resource usage and gender. The project is different from the efforts of other institutions to link usage to student outcomes, in that the library cube is not an isolated research project, but is now an ongoing part of UOW's systems and performance reporting. The library cube represents a fundamental shift in evaluating the student experience through the integration of discrete systems and datasets. It has revealed a very strong relationship between student library usage and academic performance. This information will improve UOW library's ability to demonstrate value to clients and stakeholders. The library cube has also delivered some anticipated and unexpected findings on the relationship between social variables, such as gender, age, and citizenship, and library usage behaviors; and in doing so has also identified potential target audiences for library promotions and engagement strategies. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Measuring public library accessibility: A case study using GISSung Jae Park
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2012, Pages 13-21
Physical accessibility is considered a fundamental measure of freedom to attend activities. Although several accessibility analyses have been conducted of public libraries, these studies tend to measure the distance from the users' homes to the library using straight lines. This generally serves as a poor measurement of actual travel distances. In order to provide more realistic analysis, and measure patterns of library access more accurately, this study employed geographic information systems (GIS), including descriptive and statistical analyses, and a road network-based distance measure. One finding from the GIS analyses was that distance was a determining factor for library use. Specifically, the evidence shows that distance affected a considerable number of registered users who lived within the areas that were defined through Thiessen polygons. Another finding was that there was a difference in the travel distance between ethnic groups: Caucasians went further to access public libraries than other ethnic groups. Finally, in terms of the relationship between distance and demographic data, household characteristics relative to children and education level were significantly related to the travel distance of users. To improve the accessibility of public libraries, this study recommends librarians define service areas for libraries, develop library programs and services for susceptible user groups, and evaluate user groups' needs. © 2011 Elsevier Inc.
A survey of the use of ethnographic methods in the study of libraries and library usersMichael Khoo | Lily Rozaklis | Catherine Hall
Volume 34, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 82-91
A survey and analysis of the use of ethnographic methods in studies of libraries and library users identified a total of 81 studies. Five main types of ethnographic research methods were identified: observation, interviews, fieldwork, focus groups, and cultural probes. The survey shows a recent increase in the use of ethnographic methods in libraries, and identifies an emerging genre of studies associated with library planning that uses rapid ethnographic methods to investigate libraries and their users as part of planning processes. The survey supports comparison across ethnographic studies, settings, and methods; enables the growth of ethnographic methods as a research method in libraries; and provides material for library and information science curriculum development in this area. A bibliography of the studies used in the analysis is provided in Appendix A, and includes a number of gray literature reports and online publications. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Measuring social capital through network analysis and its influence on individual performanceAlireza Abbasi | Rolf T. Wigand | Liaquat Hossain
Volume 36, Issue 1, January 2014, Pages 66-73
Studies of social networks highlight the importance of network structure or structural properties of a given network and its impact on performance outcome. One of the important properties of this network structure is referred to as social capital, which is the network of contacts and the associated values attached to these networks of contacts. This study provides empirical evidence of the influence of social capital and performance within the context of academic collaboration (coauthorship) and suggests that the collaborative process involves social capital embedded within relationships and network structures among direct coauthors. Association between scholars' social capital and their citation-based performance measures is examined. To overcome the limitations of traditional social network metrics for measuring the influence of scholars' social capital within coauthorship networks, the traditional social network metrics is extended by proposing two new measures, of which one is non-weighted (the power-diversity index) and the other (power-tie-diversity index) is weighted by the number of collaboration instances. The Spearman's correlation rank test is used to examine the association between scholars' social capital measures and their citation-based performance. Results suggest that research performance of authors is positively correlated with their social capital measures. The power-diversity index and power-tie-diversity index serve as indicators of power and influence of an individual's ability to control communication and information. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.
A case study on the appropriateness of using quick response (QR) codes in libraries and museumsMichelle Kelly Schultz
Volume 35, Issue 3, July 2013, Pages 207-215
Libraries and museums are increasingly looking to mobile technologies, including quick response (QR) codes, to better serve their visitors and achieve their overall institutional goals; however, there is a lack of information regarding patrons' perceptions of QR codes - information essential to successful implementations. This case study explored staff members' and patrons' perceptions of QR codes at Ryerson University Library and the Museum of Inuit Art in order to determine the extent to which QR codes are appropriate for use in libraries and museums. Observations and 56 patron and staff interviews were conducted to obtain data on usage, knowledge, reactions and expectations regarding QR codes in these institutions. It was found that QR code usage was low, but that there was potential for use, with patrons' reactions being generally positive. Three themes were identified from an analysis of the results: an assumption that young people and smartphone owners use QR codes; that QR codes are only used for one-way provision of information, not to initiate a conversation; and that QR codes can be used to personalize a visit to an institution. Libraries and museums are advised that based on these findings, QR codes can provide a cost effective and potentially powerful tool, but patrons should be first surveyed to tailor these initiatives to their wants and needs. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
"I did not realize so many options are available": Cognitive authority, emerging adults, and e-mental healthDiane M. Neal | Andrew J. Campbell | Lynne Y. Williams | Ye Liu | Doris Nussbaumer
Volume 33, Issue 1, January 2011, Pages 25-33
Approximately one in five people in developed countries such as Canada and Australia will experience mental illness during their lifespan, and this statistic may be even higher for people between the ages of 18 and 25. Due to widespread stigma and other issues, access to mental health care is limited. However, given the heavy online use by people in this age range as well as the prevalence of existing online health information, it is possible that "e-mental health," when delivered in an efficacious and engaging format, could be a viable dissemination option. A quantitative and qualitative online survey was distributed to university students in order to determine their opinions of currently available e-mental health resources. Within the sample (n= 1308), text-based searching on Web sites such as Google as well as reading informational Web sites were the most highly preferred and utilized methods. However, a significant knowledge gap regarding the existence of other e-mental health formats was noted. Suggestions for future research include search engine optimization changes and continued development of e-mental health resources. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.
Modeling the impact of individuals' characteristics and library service levels on high school students' public library usage: A national analysisSei Ching Joanna Sin
Volume 34, Issue 3, July 2012, Pages 228-237
Information behavior (IB) and public library usage studies seldom simultaneously analyze individual-level characteristics and community-level information service factors. Thus, it is uncertain whether changes in community-level factors, such as an increase in public library funding and service level, make a difference in an individual's library usage after differences in personal characteristics are accounted for. Applying the person-in-environment (PIE) framework designed to integrate individual agency and sociostructural factors in IB research, this study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the factors influencing a student's frequency of public library usage for schoolwork, leisure, and Internet access. It mapped and merged a nationally representative survey of 13,000 U.S. 12th graders with census tract data and public library statistics. The SEM findings indicate that school information environment, frequency of school library use, race/ethnicity, and home computer availability were among the top three factors affecting public library usage for schoolwork, leisure, and Internet access. More importantly, library service levels had a positive impact on students' library usage in terms of frequency of use. Specifically, even after personal differences such as each student's socioeconomic status and achievement motivation were controlled for, higher service levels in the student's neighborhood public library contributed to more frequent library usage. The findings pinpoint the benefits for individual-level IB study to incorporate etic measures of community-level factors. The findings also suggest that continuous effort to fund high levels of public library services-particularly in disadvantaged areas-is worthwhile. Such efforts should be encouraged. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

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In anticipation of the USC Days 2015 commencing Saturday, the School of Engineering (SOE) held its annual “Engineering Pride” kick-off event the morning of August 20, 2015 at the lobby of Talamban Campus’ Bunzel building, with an open invitation to all Engineering students to show support for their “athletes and heroes” participating in this year’s Intramurals.
The event opened at 9:30 a.m. with a mass and a prayer for the safety, well-being, and blessing of the representative competitors, held in the yellow-and-black decked Bunzel lobby. Glimpses of the athletes in training were featured in a teaser video screening. Engineering students wore yellow in connection with the prelude to USC Days, and excuse letters were given out on request to those missing morning classes to support their college’s representatives.
Students representing the 7 engineering branches — computer, mechanical, chemical, industrial, civil, electric, and electronics and communications — were picked from the audience to unfurl banners symbolizing the college’s pride.
Among those officially speaking for this pride were the school’s candidates for Mr. and Ms. Intrams 2015, as well as their resident solo and duet singing talent, champion cheerdance troupe, chess team, and sports teams in both men and women’s categories for badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming, and basketball, all of whom were summoned and introduced in a bid for increased support. A performance from the much-celebrated dance group Kinesyx brought even non-SOE students into the audience.
Sparking the school’s competitive spirit were their slogans “We Shall Never Yield” and “Rise or Die Trying” printed on team T-shirts.


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Branch: British Cavalry
Douglas was born around 1898 in Somerset, England. He joined the Cavalry in England while still underage and served in World War I. He served in Mesopotamia, and after the war spent two years in India. In 1921, Douglas came to Canada and joined his brother William, who had homesteaded in the area in 1912. Douglas’s land was located at SE 13-74-6-W6 and SW 3-75-5-W6. He married Edith Ward in the early 1920s. They had six children. Douglas also served in World War II, but was discharged in 1944 due to a weak heart and high blood pressure. Douglas died in Grande Prairie on June 12, 1946.
Sources: Buffalo Trail 196, 261; Wagon Trails Grown Over p. 1148

domain: history


text:
Integrating gender considerations into Lao PDR’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
On 4 and 5 September, 38 representatives across government ministries, academia, civil society and international organisations attended the “Elaboration of the Gender Roadmap for Laos NBSAP [National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan]” workshop in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The two-day event resulted in a draft national roadmap for implementing gender considerations in Lao PDR’s NBSAP. This marks an important step towards gender equity in regional biodiversity management.
Photo: Oulaykham Phommachak / IUCN
The objectives of the workshop were to build participants’ understanding of the links between gender and biodiversity and of how international and national legal frameworks influence gender equality in biodiversity management; to identify entry points for gender considerations in the Lao PDR NBSAP; and to develop a roadmap for implementation.
“National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans offer opportunities to promote women’s empowerment and to integrate gender equality considerations in biodiversity planning and management,” said Annette Wallgren, Gender and Environment officer for UN Environment in Asia and the Pacific.
“The workshop is the first step towards incorporating gender related issues into the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP),” said Dr Inthavy Akkarat, Director of Water Resources for the Department of Forest Resources and Management, and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) National Focal Point.
The workshop first focused on developing participants’ understanding of the role of gender in biodiversity, first looking to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) international frameworks, and then investigating the national context of Lao PDR’s NBSAP. Presenters included the Lao Women’s Union (LWU) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), who explained the gender roles assigned to men and women and how these roles impact their relationship with the environment. Participants discussed how and where an understanding of these gendered relationships can be integrated into the national NBSAP.
“Women and men can rely on the exact same ecosystem, but the way they interact with it may be completely different because of the way that gender roles are defined,” said Phoutsakhone Ounchith, Head of the IUCN office in Lao PDR. “So it’s important that women also have a say in conservation planning, because they offer a new perspective from the one that men have.”
Participants also developed and discussed recommendations for mainstreaming gender not just into biodiversity management through the NBSAP, but also into policy, with an emphasis on building capacity for implementation. Participants agreed that stakeholders at three different levels – systemic (policy-making), institutional (at the organisation or ministerial level) and human resources (individual) – needed to be targeted for capacity-building interventions.
The workshop was a flagship event for gender mainstreaming in the region, and the participating organisations will continue to elaborate on the roadmap.
IUCN Asia, in close cooperation with UN Environment, UN Women, GIZ, the Secretariat to the CBD , and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, have been working to support the promotion and integration of gender considerations in biodiversity policy and management, and have adopted a coordinated approach to incorporating gender into NBSAPs across the Asia region. Lao PDR was chosen as a pilot case for this on-the-ground activity due to the country’s previous engagement with gender-responsive policy, and willingness to participate in ongoing gender related initiatives.
Download the workshop report by clicking the link on the right-hand side.

domain: sociology


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NEW DELHI: The race to acquire India’s largest e-commerce player Flipkart might well be over, with multiple reports stating on Friday that a deal with Walmart is just days from being finalised and that broad contours of it have already been agreed to.
According to a Bloomberg report, which quoted sources close to the negotiations, Flipkart’s board has approved an agreement to sell around 75% of the company to a Walmart-led group for approximately $15 billion. This would hike the total valuation of the company to close to $20 billion - way above last year’s $12 billion - making it the most valued Indian startup.
Separate reports by wire agencies also claim that a deal is close to being finalised, with Walmart expected to acquire nearly 72-73% stake in the company. Under the proposed deal, Softbank Group Corp - the largest shareholder in Flipkart - will sell all of its over 20% stake in Flipkart. At a valuation of $20 billion for the company, Softbank’s stake is expected to net it a cool $4 billion - a tidy profit in just a year. Softbank had invested around $2.5 billion through its Vision Fund at the earlier valuation. Flipkart has not responded to emailed queries on the deal.
It is also likely that Google-parent firm Alphabet Inc. will participate in the investment with Walmart, pumping in around $1-2 billion as the global giants seek to halt Amazon’s rampage around the world.
If the Walmart deal comes through, Flipkart will receive some much-needed fiscal muscle. Amazon has been rapidly catching up with Flipkart’s volumes, with both players neck-and-neck currently. While managing to hold its own, Flipkart has been seeking funds to compete with Amazon, whose founder Jeff Bezos has committed $5.5 billion to the country.
As for Flipkart’s founders, Sachin and Binny Bansal, it is reported that the former might exit the company if the Walmart deal goes through.


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Flagstaff in Arizona was found under the heap of snow from late Wednesday, February 20 up till Friday, February 22. The mountain city witnessed almost half of their yearly snowfall in a matter of few days. On Friday, the city’s Airport measured 40.3 inches of snow against the average of 102 inches. However, in last winter season, Flagstaff recorded only 42 inches of snow.
February 21 witnessed all time daily record for snowfall in Flagstaff with 35.9 inches of snow breaking the previous record of 31 inches on December 30, 1915. Not only this, it has also surpassed February’s all-time daily snowfall record of 25 inches that was set on February 2, 1901.
The snow storm began on Wednesday when it spread turbulent snow over the North Sierra Nevada, inclusive of Donner Summit, California, before shifting its path to interior southwestern United States.
This storm brought blizzard conditions and the travel was shut down over the mountains of Arizona, New Mexico and southwest Colorado. As per the records, the biggest storm in Flagstaff brought 64 inches of snow which ended on January 17, 1985.
The actual temperatures are expected to dip into the single digits and even below zero over the mountains on Saturday morning and later part of Saturday night. The storm is further expected to evolve into a severe snowstorm with strong winds from the Central Plains to the Upper Midwest this weekend.
It is predicted that lower Mississippi Valley would be affected with tornadoes and would create high winds and power blackout from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes and Northeast. The storm is likely to bring all or mostly rain to Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri.
Image Credit: 12NEWS
Please Note: Any information picked from here must be attributed to skymetweather.com

domain: geography


text:
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
For seventeen years, Bevel Dom has been the author of his own story. Or, rather, he's been the author of The Tales of Kintyre Turn, the illustrated scrolls chronicling his adventures as first the squire, then the colleague, and then finally the friend of legendary hero Kintyre Turn. But there are some stories that Bevel doesn't write down, doesn't tell to eager audiences of bright-eyed boys and sighing bar wenches in taverns. Some he simply folds into his heart and keeps. This is one of those tales.
In this prequel novella, fans of The Accidental Turn Series are offered a glimpse into the lives of Bevel Dom and Kintyre Turn shortly before their arrival at Turn Hall and the events that follow, further expanding upon the world and characters seen in The Untold Tale and the the upcoming sequel, The Forgotten Tale, coming Summer 2016.
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There has been a lot of bookish raving from my side about "The Untold Tale", the high fantasy meta-fiction novel by J. M. Frey. This is a book I would love to see very much turned into a TV series, just like "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas.
I have used it in the Feature & Follow Friday and sometimes I am having an Internet/Tumblr/Pinterest expedition just to find pieces of fanart.
"Ghosts" is the prequel novella which follows the duo of Kintyre Turn and his friend Bevel. Kintyre is the older brother of Forsyth, the main character from "The Untold Tale", and he relishes on his fame as this world's hero.
Told by Bevel's POV, who writes down their adventures, we take a peek into his inner world and the strife he feels for both the adventures he has with Kintyre as also his feelings for him. If you have read the first book you will understand how perfecty Frey brings the 'labels' of society into her own story and moreover through the scope of a high fantasy world.
True, there were many emotional moments and sarcasm in Bevel's voice. He is the voice of reason when Kintyre is too stupid to realize and I found the turn of events in this novella quite funny. Though I don't usually review the novellas I read, I believe that this one is the best break you can have until the release of the next book of the series!
And don't miss the first book of the Accidental Turn series, "The Untold Tale"! Read my review for the book too!
Forsyth Turn is not a hero. Lordling of Turn Hall and Lysse Chipping, yes. Spymaster for the king, certainly. But hero? That’s his older brother’s job, and Kintyre Turn is nothing if not legendary. However, when a raid on the kingdom’s worst criminal results in the rescue of a bafflingly blunt woman, oddly named and even more oddly mannered, Forsyth finds his quaint, sedentary life is turned on its head.
Dragged reluctantly into a quest he never expected, and fighting villains that even his brother has never managed to best, Forsyth is forced to confront his own self-shame and the demons that come with always being second-best. And, more than that, when he finally realizes where Lucy came from and why she’s here, he’ll be forced to question not only his place in the world, but the very meaning of his own existence.
Smartly crafted, The Untold Tale gives agency to the unlikeliest of heroes: the silenced, the marginalized, and the overlooked. It asks what it really means to be a fan when the worlds you love don't resemble the world you live in, celebrates the power of the written word, challenges tropes, and shows us what happens when someone stands up and refuses to remain a secondary character in their own life.
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domain: literature


By Bruce BuckIn spite of the somewhat similar names and humpback look, Browning’s new A5 Sweet Sixteen inertia-driven autoloader is very different from the old Auto-5 Sweet 16. The original Auto-5 was designed by John Browning in 1902 and was the first truly functional semi-automatic shotgun. Fabrique Nationale, in Belgium, made the Auto-5 for 75 years, and then production moved to Miroku, in Japan, for the next 23 years. Auto-5s were made in 12, 16 and 20 gauge, but the version that got the press was the Sweet 16, a gauge that was blithely claimed to carry like a 20 and hit like a 12. The Auto-5 kept going until the last run of commemorative guns was sold in 2000.
The original Auto-5 was very popular, and everyone recognized its unique humpback profile. Its long-recoil action with the moving barrel was reliable, and it seemed as though just about everyone owned one or knew someone who did. As the Auto-5 aged, Browning introduced a more modern inertia-operated gun, the A500, which later was renamed the A500R. It had a cosmetic humpback to promote the comparison, but production lasted only from 1987 to ’93.
Browning had tried numerous entries into the gas-operated auto market with its discontinued B2000, B80, A500G and current Gold, Silver and Maxus, but the company didn’t forget about the inertia-auto market. In 2012 Browning took another try with a gun it called the A5. The A5 was introduced in 12 gauge, but four years later, at the 2016 SHOT Show, it debuted in 16 gauge as the A5 Sweet Sixteen—a name sure to bring back memories. This new Sweet Sixteen is the subject of this review.
The A5 has an inertia action that Browning calls “Kinematic Drive.” It is actually close to the current Benelli system, invented by Bruno Civolani in 1940 and improved since then. Instead of having recoil move the barrel to the rear and push the bolt back as on the original Auto-5, the A5’s recoil moves the gun to the rear while inertia keeps the outer bolt housing in place. This compresses an interior bolt spring, which then powers the bolt rearward, twisting the rotary head free of the barrel, cocking the hammer and ejecting the hull. Then the spring in the stock forces the bolt forward to chamber the new shell and close the bolt.
The A5 is 100-percent Browning. It was designed by Browning. Parts are made by Browning’s parent FN Herstal, in Belgium, and assembled in the Browning plant in Portugal. Paperwork included with our early production sample showed that it was subjected to almost 250 test shots before being released. I doubt if this amount of test firing will continue in later-production guns, but it is comforting to know that the early guns were carefully vetted.
The Auto-5 16 was all steel, and its weight reflected it, coming in at slightly more than 7 pounds. Our test A5 Sweet Sixteen has an aluminum receiver sized to the gauge and weighs 5 pounds 12 ounces with its 28" barrel. (Even the forend nut is aluminum.) This is exceptionally light and will be delightful to carry afield. The 12-gauge A5 weighs a pound more.
The inertia action, like the Benelli’s, should prove reliable even in difficult hunting conditions. Because gas does not operate the action, cleaning should be minimal. Browning certainly has faith in it. The gun comes with a 100,000-round or five-year guarantee. The claim is that the A5 will function with the complete range of 16-gauge shells, from 1¼ to 1 oz.
The trigger is easily detached by pushing out two cross pins and giving it a yank. The trigger housing is aluminum, as is the trigger blade. The push-through safety button is at the rear of the trigger guard. In front of the trigger guard is the bolt latch, which allows the slide assembly to be locked open when the magazine is empty. It also can release a shell from the magazine to be loaded into the chamber.
There are two ways to load the gun. First is the usual one for semi-autos: Drop the shell into the ejection port and push the bolt-closing button, then put the next shell in the magazine. The second approach is Browning’s patented “Speed Loading Plus.” When the first shell is fed into the magazine, it is automatically chambered and the bolt is closed. The original Auto-5 had this feature (invented by Val Browning) added in the 1950s.
The barrel comes only in 28", and the chromed forcing cone on our gun was a fairly long 13⁄8". The bore was pretty standard for the gauge at .666".
The gun comes with three of the new Invector DS screw chokes. These are flush-mounted and 2-7⁄8" long. I always have felt that longer screw chokes like these were better, as they more gradually compress the shot to avoid deformation. The “DS” stands for “double seal,” referring to the choke’s brass-banded seal at the rear and front threading at the muzzle. Usually I don’t like screw chokes threaded at the muzzle, because they can allow carbon to build up between the choke and the bore. The Invector DS brass rear seal nicely precludes this.
The chokes came in Improved Cylinder, Modified and Full. At least that’s what they were stamped. The IC measured .007" constriction (almost right), the M was .011" (too open) and the F was a whopping .045". That would be very tight in a 12-bore, much less a 16.
The barrel rib was low, ventilated and flat. It was ¼" wide and untapered breech to muzzle. It had a red plastic bead up front and a white target-style bead in the middle.
Browning lists the wood on the Sweet Sixteen as “Grade 1.” The wood on our gun had a little bit of figure, but more important, it was nicely stained and finished in a high-gloss synthetic. Checkering was machine-cut but well executed in an attractive 18-lines-per-inch pattern.
The forend on this gun is extremely slender. It is perfect in lending the gun an air of light handling and mobility. The stock has a competition-style, large, vertical pistol grip, but something more relaxed might be appropriate in the field.
In theory the stock can be adjusted to fit the shooter. It has ¼" and ½" spacers that fit between the recoil pad and the butt. This permits lengths of 14-1⁄8" to 14-7⁄8", which should accommodate most people. The recoil pad is Browning’s Inflex II. It is just slippery enough to avoid hanging up on your hunting jacket.
The stock is adjustable for height and cast with six shims that fit between the head of the stock and the rear of the receiver. Three adjust only height, and three adjust height and cast. This would be great if it worked, but it didn’t. With a neutral shim, the stock height is a pretty standard 2¼" at the heel and an abnormally low 1¾" at the nose. The original Auto-5 also had a low stock, so this isn’t new. A fairly typical off-the-shelf shotgun stock measures 1½" at the nose today. Believe me, that ¼" makes a huge difference in whether you can look down the rib or simply stare into the back of that humpback receiver.
But it has height-adjustment shims, so there shouldn’t be any problem, right? Nope. The supplied shims didn’t move the barrel up enough to measure. Even when I stacked two stock-raising shims together, the effect wasn’t noticeable.
The cosmetics of the gun are quite nice. It is definitely good looking, once you accept the signature humpback. The aluminum receiver is a dignified gloss black with no engraving and just a little dark lettering, with “A5 Sweet Sixteen” on the right side and “Browning Sweet Sixteen” on the left. The original Auto-5 was beautifully hand engraved, which would add a prohibitive cost today. The Sweet Sixteen’s barrel is nicely gloss-blued, while the rib is appropriately matte. The medium stain of the walnut and gloss finish fit in perfectly.
Shooting the Sweet Sixteen
Shooting the gun was interesting. As usual, it was a pain to get 16-gauge shells. I found some Fiocchi 1-oz No. 8s at 1,165 fps. Sixteens can take up to 1¼ oz, so these were on the light side. I shot the gun clean and dry, as it came from the box. Too dry. After a bit it started to fail to fully cycle these light shells until I gave it a few squirts of oil. That solved that, and it was flawless from then on. Ejected hulls flew five feet, about perfect. Loading the gun was convenient using the Speed Loading Plus feature. Recoil was about what you would expect of a gun of this weight if it were an over/under. A gas gun would kick less.
The trigger pull was heavy at 6¼ pounds. It’s never good to have the trigger-pull weight exceed the weight of the gun, but it wasn’t unbearable. The trigger also had a bit of creep. Normally that’s bad, as one wants things crisp. But in this case, with such a heavy pull, the creep actually made the trigger feel softer. A crisp trigger of that weight somehow feels heavier to me. None of the others who shot the gun commented on the pull.
What people did comment on was the stock fit. A drop of 1¾" at the nose may fit those with full faces and short necks, but it forces the rest of the world to lift their heads off of the stock to see over the hump. Browning definitely needs to supply this gun with more-aggressive shims, so that it can realize the claimed “Humpback Acquisition Advantage” of a longer sighting plane.
Fit aside, the gun handled beautifully. It was nicely balanced and, in spite of being delightfully light for field carry, didn’t whip about when being shot, thanks to the longish barrel.
The retail price of Browning’s Sweet Sixteen is $1,699. This puts it in with other good-quality semi-autos like Berettas and Benellis, were those companies to make 16s today. Which they don’t. The Sweet Sixteen comes in a black ABS takedown case that is OK for the car but not for serious travel. It contains the two extra chokes and wrench, the two stock-length spacers, the six height shims, a cable trigger lock and the manual. Unlike most gun manuals, this one is quite informative and definitely worth a read on assembly and disassembly, which is not intuitive.
For those who like to carry an autoloader in the field and have been smitten by 16-gauge lust, the Browning Sweet Sixteen delivers. It really does carry like a 20 and shoot like a 12.
For more information, contact Browning Arms, 800-333-3288.


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South Carolina marijuana laws
Is marijuana legal in South Carolina?
Current federal status
Cannabis is illegal under state law.
Marijuana is not legal in South Carolina. Recreational use is prohibited. Low-THC/high-CBD oil is legal, though growers and processors must go through a licensing and permitting process.
Patients suffering a small number of epileptic conditions who have not responded to traditional treatment are eligible for medical cannabis containing no more than 0.9% THC.
The penalties for marijuana in South Carolina are relatively steep:
- Personal possession of under one ounce of raw marijuana flower can result in a misdemeanor conviction, up to 30 days in jail, and fine of up to $200
- A second conviction for personal use is also a misdemeanor, with penalties starting at one year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000
- Personal possession of more than one ounce of raw marijuana flower is viewed as intent to distribute and results in felony charges
- A first time conviction may result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000
- Cultivation penalties are based on the plant’s entire weight—which can mean mandatory jail time for a single plant
- You can get a $500 fine just for a pipe
- Possession of concentrates can result in a jail sentence of up to 30 days and a fine of up to $200
South Carolina had 34,229 marijuana arrests in 2018, the second highest in the country.
South Carolina recreational and medical marijuana legalization efforts
South Carolina recreational and medical legalization efforts are slow going. Changing the law requires an act of the legislature, which meets once a year. It may occasionally reconvene more than once a year to address specific legislation. The state does not have a ballot initiative procedure.
Current law allows for prescription as treatment for a handful of severe epileptic conditions. The bill was substantially weakened in the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, notably dropping the legalization of actual cannabis flower for medical use. That version did not meet the April 2019 deadline for passage to the House.
Progress stalled in 2020, with two key committee hearings cancelled due in part to COVID-19. It is unlikely that the legislation will see any forward momentum until 2021. Governor Henry McMaster has signalled his intent to veto the legislation, raising the bar for both House and Senate support. The act would need two-thirds support in both chambers to override a veto.
Previous attempts at medical marijuana legislation failed. The Medical Marijuana Program Act (H. 4037, S. 672) introduced in 2015 was killed in the Senate Medical Affairs Committee. A version of the Compassionate Care Act introduced in 2017 also stalled.
Julian’s Law, which allowed for medical use of CBD (cannabidiol) containing less than 0.9% THC for epileptic conditions, took effect in June 2014. Legislation in 2017 clarified that CBD containing 0.3% THC was legal for over-the-counter sale.
2020 US Senate incumbent Lindsay Graham (R) is strongly against legalization. However, his Democratic opponent Jaime Harrison has called for full legalization. Several candidates for the 2020 House elections have expressed support for medical marijuana, notably opponents for the first district Joe Cunningham (D) and Nancy Mace (R). Cunningham has also expressed vague support for state-level decriminalization.
South Carolina residents can register to vote here.
South Carolina cannabis DUI laws
Even in medical-use and adult-use states, it is illegal to drive while under the influence. Cannabis is a controlled substance in South Carolina, and you can’t drive intoxicated on a controlled substance. “Intoxicated” is defined as “not having the normal use of mental or physical faculties by reason of the introduction of … a controlled substance.”
A person who drives a motor vehicle in South Carolina is deemed to have given consent to chemical tests of breath, blood, or urine to determine presence of alcohol or drugs. A refusal to submit to such a test shall result in immediate driver’s license suspension, although the driver may request additional independent testing.
Cannabis DUI penalties
- First offense: Between 48 hours and 30 days in jail and a $400 fine, although judge may order 48 hours of public service employment in lieu of jail time. Judge may require offender to attend Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Plan.
- Second offense: Between five days and one year in jail, and a $2,100-$5,000 fine, of which all but $1,100 may be suspended if the judge so chooses. Offender shall be required to attend Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Plan.
- Third offense: Between 60 days and three years in jail, and a $3,800-$6,300 fine. Offender shall be required to attend Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Plan.
- Fourth and subsequent offenses: 1-5 years in prison. Offender required to attend Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Plan.
For more information, please refer to SC Code Ann. § 56-5-2930.
Common questions about marijuana legalization in South Carolina
Are edibles legal in South Carolina?
No. Edibles (like pot brownies) are illegal. In 2019, regulators clarified that CBD edibles are also illegal. However, pending legislation that would legalize medical cannabis provides for edibles purchased from a licensed dispensary.
Is South Carolina a legal recreational state?
No, South Carolina is not a recreational weed state. It’s an extreme prohibition state.
Is CBD legal in South Carolina?
Yes, CBD is legal in South Carolina if it has less than 0.3% THC. This was first established in 2017 legislation and reinforced by federal legislation in 2018. CBD products from the national market are widely available, but loosely regulated. CBD edibles are not legal. Medical use for epileptic conditions is legal; the derivatives used for such treatment must contain 0.9% THC or less.
Is smokable hemp allowed in South Carolina?
No. In 2019, the South Carolina attorney general issued an opinion stating that sale of raw hemp to consumers was illegal.
Can you get a medical marijuana card in South Carolina?
Yes. Sale of derivatives containing less than 0.9% THC is restricted to patients suffering from a narrow range of epileptic conditions. Further legislation is pending as of 2020.
What are the conditions covered under the existing medical marijuana program?
- Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome
- Dravet Syndrome
- Other forms of severe epilepsy
Learn more about marijuana legalization in South Carolina
Learn more about the regulations and laws surrounding cannabis policy in South Carolina:
Keep up with the latest news about legalization in South Carolina
Stay current on South Carolina’s fast-changing laws by bookmarking Leafly politics and signing up for our newsletter.

domain: law


text:
Inspired by natural beauty, refined to perfection. This TV stand reflects your warm and inviting approach to urban aesthetics. Its storage cabinets and shelves suit a variety of media needs. And to double down on cozy outdoor vibes, pair this TV stand with the compatible fireplace insert (sold separately).
- Made with engineered wood (MDF/particleboard/plywood) and decorative laminate for the right balance of affordability and durability
- Golden rustic finish over replicated oak grain with authentic touch
- Decorative laminate replicates natural or man-made material surfaces with consistent color, pattern and texture
- Handles in antiqued gunmetal finish
- 2 storage cabinets, each with adjustable shelf
- 2 open shelves
- Adjustable center shelf
- Compatible with W100-101 and W100-02 fireplace inserts (sold separately)
- Minor assembly required
||Signature Design by Ashley®
||63" TV Stand
||LG TV Stand w/Fireplace Option
|Item Color Key
||Hyanna 63" TV Stand
|Item Series Name
|Item Weight Kg
|Item Weight Lbs
|Manufacturer Warranty Days
|Number of Doors
||Console TV Stands
|Unit Depth Inches
|Unit Depth Mm
|Unit Friendly Dimensions Inches
||64''W x 20''D x 26''H
|Unit Friendly Dimensions Mm
|Unit Height Inches
|Unit Height Mm
|Unit Width Inches
|Unit Width Mm
Cabinets / Consoles
Professional delivery and installation is available for every product we sell. We would be happy to coordinate delivery and installation for you.
Extended warranties are usually very inexpensive and can save you thousands in the future.
It's simple and inexpensive to purchase extended warranties and one of the smartest ways to protect your investment.
can be large, heavy and expensive. You probably don't have the special tools or expertise needed to fix them in a crisis. If you can spare a few thousand dollars without batting an eyelash for new
should they break tomorrow, don't buy a warranty. But if you're like most of us, protect yourself by purchasing inexpensive extended warranties when you buy a new product and save yourself big money in the long run.

domain: design


text:
Brett had a great time at his conference in Paris! He gave an awesome presentation on his work, Illumiroom, at the CHI2013 conference. This was the first time that actual details on the technology behind the project were released. (A teaser video was released a little while ago and we shared it with you here).
If you’re interested in watching any of the interviews with the tech world press, here is one from Engadget and one from PC world (I think there are a lot of these flying around but those two are good examples) 🙂
If you would like to watch the research video and/or the video that Microsoft Research released as a teaser you can check it out on Brett’s research website here. Brett’s research website in general is pretty cool…it details each one of his projects and shows the cool videos for each one 🙂 Enjoy!
When Brett and I arrived in Paris we hauled ourselves off the plane, wound our way through the airport, bought metro passes for the week along with RER tickets from and back to the airport, and headed into the heart of Paris. After an RER ride and some walking (along with a necessary, ‘about face’, to reoriente ourselves in the correct direction haha), we found our apartment!
(normally the shop fronts on either side of the entrance door were open and the area looked quite nice 🙂 )
We were a bit early so we went and grabbed un café (actually we had deux café cremes….I really don’t like plain espresso) 🙂
and then went to meet the owner of the apartment we were renting for the week. That day we decided to explore our neighborhood and to see whatever we could see by walking in random directions. We ended up traversing most of the city and found this cool gallery area near Montmartre
We went back to our apartment around 5 pm and were exhausted. Brett even started falling asleep on the couch around 6 pm…but our ‘landlord’ was supposed to drop off more towels for us around 8 and I just couldn’t have us sleeping in the other room as early as 8 pm when he came by! So we headed out for a dinner near the modern art museum, le Centre Pompidou, complete with wine 🙂
By the time we got back to the apartment is was near 10 pm and we headed to bed. Here is where the trouble started….we didn’t set an alarm. 🙂 We figured that we’d spent so much time traveling, hadn’t slept very much on the plane, and just needed to get some sleep. The next day we woke up at noon… That seems fine enough for a vacation, I guess…, but we had SO much trouble getting to bed the next night and slept quite poorly. (its really not fun having sleep issues on vacation) We also had an issue with our alarm that next morning and slept until noon again!
The following night we were both up until around 3 am trying to fall asleep…I even put my phone next to me that night so that I would definitely hear the alarm the next morning. The next day we woke up a little after 6 to catch a train to Compiègne, the city where I lived for over a year. We were sleepy on the train but recovered and had a great day. From then on our hours were much better. We learned our lesson though….when trying to reorient yourself to a new time system…14 hours of sleep and sleeping until noon isn’t necessary 🙂
Brett and I had a lot of fun on our trip to Paris. Brett was busy the entire time taking pictures and I, while I carried my nice camera around a few of the days we were there, mostly served as the ‘general photo/iPhone photo taker’ to balance out his more ‘artsy’ approaches 😉 Here are some of our self portraits taken from my phone (Brett’s is still in France so I can’t use those yet haha)
Brett and Mallory, sitting on the edge of la Seine (the river running through Paris)…Brett was sure that I was going to drop my phone in the river 🙂
This picture is taken in the evening, outside of the entrance to le Louvre
After a long day of walking, we very much enjoyed relaxing on the couch in our rented apartment
This picture was taken in the Jardin du Luxembourg
Here we are around Montmartre and Sacré Coeur
and in the Musée d’Orsay (my favorite museum so far) 🙂 (we are a little tired and hungry in this one hehe)
I find self portraits to be an interesting experience…you’re taking a picture, often from a weird angle because the camera is attached to part of the person still in the photo, and yet you want to get some sort of your surroundings included. We had fun taking them though 🙂
Traveling to Paris meant trying out some new hairstyles 🙂
I found a fun new hair bun to try out a little while back but have just recently had enough hair to do it correctly! This blog shows exactly how to style this lovely bun in under 3 minutes 🙂 The secret is the sock hidden underneath that gives the bun volume and structure.
All you’ll need are a sock with the toe cut off and rolled upon itself (seriously, watch the video of the link I gave at the start of this article…its so easy!), a hair elastic, and some bobby pins.
That day in Paris, among lots of other things, Brett and I went up La Tour Eiffel and it was quite windy. The bun lasted all through our crazy Paris sightseeing day. I brought along another hair rubber band just in case something drastic happened with my coiffed hair. As you can see though, from our evening relaxing picture, the bun successfully survived the day!
Do you have any ‘go to’ hair styles for an elegant, yet super fast look? 🙂

domain: travel


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- Gift Vouchers are ACCEPTED at all Listed Outlets.
- Gift Vouchers CAN be used during Sale.
- A maximum of 7 Gift Vouchers CAN be used in one bill.
PhonePe is a payments app that allows you to use BHIM UPI, your credit card and debit card or wallet to recharge your mobile phone, pay all your utility …
PhonePe is an Indian digital payments and financial services company headquartered in Bangalore, India. PhonePe was founded in December 2015, by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari and Burzin Engineer. The PhonePe app, based on the Unified Payments Interface, went live in August 2016.

domain: economics


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The due diligence stage aims to build an externally tested understanding of the social issue and your proposed solution.
We will be looking for evidence of:
- how well your proposed solution meets the need
- your capability and track record
- charity and social enterpirse demand for the amount and type of capital you are targetting
- the profile and likelihood of your identified co-investors
This leads up to presentations to our Investment Committee, which meets most Wednesdays. They will often ask for further diligence on specific areas.
By the point at which a final decision to invest is made we will have worked with you to:
- identify the legal structure and terms of the investment
- agreed a social impact framework, which sets out your approach to assessing and measuring social impact
This will lead to approval of a draft Heads of Terms, which set out the basis upon which we will invest.
What do applicants need to provide?
To start the process, you will be asked to submit the following materials:
- Business plan
- Financial model including sensitivities
- Social impact plan
Throughout the process you will likely receive requests for further information from the investment team member working with you. This is in order to validate assumptions and provide evidence of track record.
What will Big Society Capital do?
The investment team member responsible for the application will arrange a kick off meeting to explain the process. This will be followed by management meetings so we can get to know the team and the proposal in more detail.
You will also be asked to meet with Big Society Capital’s Investment Committee during the process. This meeting allows the Investment Committee to learn more about your organisation and team – but it is also an opportunity for you to get to know us as a strategic partner and to explore how we can support you as an organisation.
Find out more about what we do during assessment and co-development.
How long will it take?
It can take between 3 and 6 months to complete due diligence. In practice, we find that the timelines vary considerably depending on the extent proposals change or the need for additional evidence.
We recognise that all elements of a proposal may not be fully formed at the point of application and often co-develop investments along with an intermediary. For example, we typically work closely with intermediaries to develop their impact screening and measurement methodology before we will make an investment commitment. Also, given the importance of co-investment, there are likely to be periods during the process when you are focused more on engaging with other investors than with us.
The next application stage is then completing the legal documentation.


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Recently a few stories have been discussing the Samsung Galaxy S IV’s eye-tracking function that allows users to scroll through pages using their eyes. There was some concern raised about the privacy implications of this technology if it did, indeed, track eye movement. However, it appears that such concerns are somewhat unwarranted. Mashable reports that the eye-scrolling feature relies more on “facial recognition and tilt” and can pause video when your head turns away. Eye-tracking this is not–or at least, a very primitive form of eye-tracking.
Eye-Tracking and Reading Research
So it’s a false alarm. But the idea of eye-tracking software is not too far-fetched, as it appears Swedish Tobii may be developing other forms of the technology. The issue of eye tracking could have multiple uses, and at some point someone is going to suggest it can cure reading problems. Eye movement studies in reading date at least back to Huey, almost a hundred years, although thankfully we’ve moved on from the “dark ages” form of reading research. Huey tracked eye movement by placing a “cup” made of plaster of Paris on the cornea (numbing the eye with cocaine to alleviate discomfort) and attaching a thin aluminum “pointer” to the cup, which then transferred the movements to paper. Samsung’s limited eye movement technology just takes your picture.


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35510 Tías, Spain
The Villas Salinas are in a quiet area in Matagorda, 300 metres from the beach. Each villa has a large outdoor swimming pool and a sun terrace. The Villas Salinas de Matagorda are in the Puerto del Carmen resort of Lanzarote. There are many restaurants and shops within 600 metres. Free private parking is available onsite. Car rental is also available. The pool can be heated for an extra charge. All villas have 2 or 3 bedrooms with built-in wardrobes. There are also 2 bathrooms, including 1 en suite bathroom. There is a practical kitchen. There is a lounge with satellite TV and a DVD player. This room opens onto the large terrace. BBQ facilities are included.
Since reception is not open 24 hours, guests are requested to contact the property in advance with their estimated time of arrival and to receive their entry code.