No pictures today, no food. I am heartsick. A blogger friend had her baby girl, Lillian Grace, earlier this week, at just 22 weeks, who took a few breaths before she left this world. Yet another reminder of just how tenuous this whole pregnancy thing is.
Just three and a half months ago or so, a while after I'd been diagnosed as IF by my ob/gyn, before I was pregnant myself, I'd sent Rebecca a package with tea for nursing mothers, and some Belly Bars, thinking positive thoughts about her pregnancy, maybe pinning my hopes on her new life if I wasn't going to be able to produce my own. I was happy for her, in a way that I wasn't even able to be happy for my first-time-pregnant colleagues, who were everywhere at the time. I followed her blog, watching her belly expand.
It was hard to read her news today. I still have a lump in my throat that I can't quite swallow.
Another (real life) friend, who reads this blog, had a stillborn baby before her two successful pregnancies. She is an amazing mother and a thoughtful, insightful, compassionate friend, and I thought about her this morning, too, and her own lost child, reading all of the outpouring of love and support for Rebecca, wishing again that I'd been a better friend to her back then, grateful for all of her support through my own losses and now my pregnancy.
Today, this is what I'm thinking: we need to be kind to each other. We need to be able to talk about (or at least be present to) sad, unimaginable things in the way that we celebrate the joyful ones, to remember the losses as we remember the birthdays, not because we should dwell on what is depressing, but because death is a part of life. We are such strange, half-invisible creatures sometimes, hiding our shadows.
Though the Bhagavad Gita tells us not to feel sorrow because death is inevitable, part of the great cycle of life, I believe that as much as we can cultivate detachment, we are still human. And to me, while maybe detachment is a good thing sometimes, part of living is also cultivating that connection to others that will allow us to feel joy and pain together, that makes us realize, perhaps a little bit differently, how we're part of the interconnected web of being that the Gita also describes.
Have you ever picked raspberries? I realize I talk about them a great deal on this blog, but you'd understand if you'd been swimming in them, too. I promise, it will end soon. The first harvest is already petering out.
My point, though, is that when you're picking raspberries, you can't just look for them from the top. That's where you start. But then you have to gently separate the canes, and finally, when you think you've found all of the ripe ones, you have to squat beneath them and look up. It's like a whole new world every time. All you need is a little change of perspective.
In my youth, I associated orzo with rice pilaf. I had no great love of rice pilaf. It came from a box, and somehow often had burnt onions in it. But when I arrived at graduate school at UCLA, where my fellow students introduced me to real creative cooking, I found salads of orzo studded with crisp bright vegetables, orzo with exotic spices ... suddenly I developed new appreciation for the humble little pasta shape. New perspective.
Though I've been cutting back on things like bread and pasta for a while now (almost never eating it for dinner), and when I do make pasta, it tends to be something in the whole wheat or spelt family, our CSA sent us this recipe, and I figured I'd give it a go. I made it last night for tonight's dinner (which is something I do pretty regularly, given that I rarely get home before 5:30 and we like to get dinner on the table by 6:00 so the night doesn't drag out too long for Ian), and found myself sitting in front of the mixing bowl, chowing down uncontrollably before I put it away. It turned out a little like risotto, but lighter; the lemon/garlic sauce was a perfect complement to the kale. The turmeric doesn't offer too much flavor (a little nutty perhaps), but makes the orzo a beautiful color. We went light on the nutmeg because Steve doesn't like it. But who can argue with fresh grated Parmesan? That, right there, is the reason I could probably never be a vegan.
Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil; sprinkle the turmeric over the boiling water and stir in the orzo; return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain. Scrape into a mixing bowl and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic in the hot oil for a few seconds until it begins to bubble. Stir the kale into the garlic, dump in a little bit of water to prevent the kale from crisping, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for about 10 minutes (checking occasionally to see how things are moving along). Remove the cover and continue cooking and stirring until the kale is tender, about 5-10 minutes more. Stir the kale mixture into the orzo along with the lemon juice, nutmeg, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Today I had a visitor from New York, a photographer named Megan Joplin working on a project called The Miscarriage Diaries (I hope she doesn't mind me linking to it here, since it's already been posted elsewhere on the internet). She hopes, through the project, to make miscarriage something more public, something we can talk about out loud, by someday having a gallery show, but also to help women to commemorate their losses. She lost four pregnancies before having her own son, so it is something she understands all too well. I found out about her project through a link on a website one day, and emailed her to tell her how much I admired her for doing this important work; somehow, we decided that I would participate, and we'd been trying to find a date to get together ever since. It was amazing to finally meet her, and she was everything I'd suspected her to be: smart, funny, warm, thoughtful, compassionate. We spent the morning walking to the farmers' market and talking. I confessed to her that I am pregnant, and she understood immediately how that felt; how it was both happy but not entirely real, how it might not even really be real until I held a live baby in my hands. I told her about being in the ob/gyn office, and we wondered together why health professionals don't seem to be trained to talk about pregnancy loss.
She took some pictures of me alone and with Ian (a few even with a Polariod camera) by our barn and our garden, and at the farmer's market. I held my son, a tomato, and a colander of just-picked raspberries. It was funny, thinking about myself this way, with the barns in the pictures behind me: how I've become part of the landscape of Hunterdon County, and how growing things and appreciating growing things now defines me, and in some ways defines my relationship to pregnancy, almost chronicles my own journey. She's clearly a talented photographer; the Polariods were really lovely, I felt completely at ease, and I felt like doing this really meant something. Like I was bearing witness, and asking the world to bear witness with me.
We made her stay for lunch (I couldn't send her back to Manhattan without feeding her, especially since she made a pilgrimage to Butterlane for me), and threw together a salad with roasted beets that we'd gotten in our CSA box this morning (thank you, Megan, for helping us with our little leafy greens problem). For dessert, of course, there was fresh raspberry pie.
I've now made three raspberry pies, we've eaten countless berries for breakfasts and snacks and desserts, and given away a few pints, and still the bushes are producing. I'm no longer picking two quarts per night, but there's enough to do something more with than simply eating. I'm almost out of muffins for my grab-and-go sort-of-queasy breakfasts, so I made some raspberry muffins that I could freeze (unfortunately, the picture doesn't do them justice like my photographs usually do). Though I didn't force muffins on Megan as she made her way out the door (I'd already given her lettuce and a small container of berries), I hope that her project, too, bears fruit in the way that our bushes have this year: that her photographs are on the minds and lips of many people, long after the growing season is over.
Heat oven to 375 F. Grease bottoms only of 12 muffins cups or line with paper baking cups. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and lemon peel; mix well. Add raspberries - mix gently with a fork. In a small bowl, combine agave nectar, milk, oil, vanilla and egg; blend well. Add to dry ingredients; stir gently just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Fill greased muffins cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with a little bit of extra sugar if you're going to do so. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from muffin cups. Serve warm.
Picking berries is oddly meditative. The sound of round ripeness dropping into the pail. Thunk, thunk, thunk. Looking to find next bunch, gently separating the canes to see better inside: pluck, pluck. You become connected to the bush, somehow. There is a rhythm to berry picking unlike anything else I've ever done.
Tonight, I kid you not, I picked two quarts of raspberries from the bushes in our back yard tonight. This in addition to the quart I picked yesterday, and the quart I picked the day before. We've been giving them away and eating them like mad, but with a long weekend trip coming up, I had to think fast.
Fresh raspberry pie, I decided. Uses the most raspberries, preserves them in their most pristine form, probably uses the least amount of sugar. If I were really doing this right, I would have found a sugar substitute, but sometimes you just have to go for the jugular.
For the crust, a shortbread.
Mix with a fork softened butter, salt, confectioners sugar, and flour. When it has the consistency of cornmeal, press it into a pie plate (I used 9.5 inch), prick with fork, and bake empty at 425 degrees 10-12 mins. Check at minimum time as this crust burns easily.
In a saucepan, crush berries. Add water; simmer for 3 minutes. Strain, reserving juice; discard pulp and seeds. Add enough water to juice to measure 1 cup liquid. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly stir in raspberry liquid. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool slightly.
Then, fresh raspberries. As many as you can fit into the shell. I think I mounded just about 1.5 quarts in there. Pour the glaze over, and chill 2-3 hours or until set. Lick fingers, pots, and bowls. Ponder with amazement the universe that made berry bushes.
The other day a neighbor from our block mentioned to me that she was going in for surgery last week to remove fluid in her chest. This is the second time she's had the procedure done. Before that, she's had treatments and finally surgery for breast cancer. She's truly an amazing woman, and last time she went in for surgery, I meant to bring down a meal to help out, but got swept away in my own calendar. This time I was determined to help out, and I was glad that she gave me the chance to do so.
I was trying to think about a meal that would feed her family of five (including three teenagers), but that would still be somewhat healthy, not too spicy (because sometimes when you're recovering you just don't want a plate of enchiladas), but still flavorful. I finally decided to make chicken piccata (the first non-veg meal I've made in quite some time, come to think of it), a zucchini risotto, and a bountiful salad (there's the lettuce), to get rid of some greens and radishes, and possibly the fennel bulb (which was too small to do much with besides put it in something else, anyway).
Chicken piccata was the first quasi-fancy dish I learned how to make entirely without a recipe book, so making it always makes me feel like a professional, especially when the wine hits the pan in the deglazing step. It occurred to me as I was cooking that it's been a while since I've made a meal like this for our family. I mean, sure, I make dinner all the time ... we rarely eat out ... but the three-course fancy starch with meat protein and vegetable seems to make an appearance less often at our table these days. I helped myself to some bits of the piccata and a spoonful of the risotto, savoring the creaminess on my tongue. It was perfect.
In the 2-quart sauce pan, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer. Keep it hot but not boiling.
In the 3-quart sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sauté slowly until soft. Add the zucchini and garlic and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes (you can also add the zucchini towards the end, about 2 broth additions before the cheese, but it's up to you). Add the rice and stir until the rice is translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Reduce temperature to low. Add wine and stir until almost absorbed. Add the hot broth to the rice mixture one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth. Midway during cooking, add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until all the broth has been added.
Test the risotto to make sure it's al dente, but not too hard. If it's still a little crunchy, add a ladleful of water and continue stirring. When risotto is ready, remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the cheese. Serve!
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pan. Dredge chicken in a mixture of flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. Working in batches, brown chicken on both sides, and remove them from the pan.
When you're done cooking the chicken, pour some wine into the pan. It should be about a 1/4 inch deep, depending on how big your pan is. The wine will make a lovely sizzling noise and if you put your nose over the pan, you'll get to appreciate the wine vapors. Add the lemon juice, and stir to combine. Add the butter (perhaps 2 T., but start with less and add as you need to). Once it no longer tastes too acidic, return the chicken to the pan. You'll notice the sauce start to thicken and turn creamy. Add your capers, make sure that the chicken is cooked through and that each piece has had a chance to swim in the sauce, and serve.
I could have pretended I wasn't anxious, but it wouldn't have made a difference. Today was my long-awaited appointment with the Ob/Gyn.
I was prepared for the worst. No heartbeat. Ectopic pregnancy. Irregular heartbeat. Chemical pregnancy.
But there it was on the ultrasound, a little heart beating away steadily at 133bpm. Wow, I said, under my breath. Just wow.
I was not an easy patient today, I think. The perky, chatty nurse took me into the examining room, and told me to pee in a cup "to verify the test." I told her I'd just seen a heartbeat on the ultrasound monitor, and asked her if that were really necessary. She demurred.
Then she proceeded to ask me for my email address for some enfamil and similac promotions. I asked her, "is this so they can start to spam me?" She laughed. I put down the pen. "Did you know," I said, "that sometimes these companies can not or will not take someone off a mailing list immediately if they have a miscarriage? That the woman has to endure constant reminders of her loss and everyone else's expectation until they can get their technology together?" She looked a little surprised. "I don't hold it against you personally," I said, "but not every pregnancy ends happily. Maybe this practice might want to think about how to be more sensitive to that fact, and perhaps wait a bit longer before connecting people with advertising aimed at newborns."
She had less to say after that, and proceeded to hand me the same paperwork I'd been handed three times before in my life. I could have told her what it all said.
While I'm cautiously optimistic, it's become clear to me just how limited people's perspectives are when it comes to issues of loss and infertility, even inside the doctor's office.
Luckily, my neighbor was coming over for dinner tonight to keep me and the boy company, so I came home and quickly lost myself in the preparation of zucchini crusted pizza. (Thank you, CSA, for sending something besides lettuce.) The original is from the Moosewood Cookbook, but it's been tinkered over the years; it's good summer comfort food. And it went really well with the mini ice cream cake my neighbor brought. I think she has a sixth sense.
Tell us: what's YOUR favorite topping?
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously oil a 10 inch pie pan and coat lightly with flour. Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs and 1 T olive oil in a bowl and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minues or until golden brown. About halfway through the baking, brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil[optional].Remove from oven. When it has cooled for about 10 minues, use a spatula to loosen the crust from the pan so it won't break later. Top with your favourite pizza items and bake at 400 F until heated through.
Though the other gluten-free baked goods I've tried so far have all been almost a little too moist, here, the moistness was perfect; the brownies were light, but fudgy at the same time. You could pretty easily make a vegan version of these by using egg replacer (like EnerG) or a half a banana for each egg (if you don't mind a very banana-tasting brownie ... which could be excellent!).
They are particularly delicious when paired with fresh raspberries from, say, the bush in your back yard. Yes, the berry bonanza has begun! Every night we go pick some for dessert. I confess, tonight Ian and I probably ate about a pint between the two of us. Shameful. But so, so good.
In a saucepan at low heat, blend together butter and cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add cooled cocoa mixture. Whisk coconut flour into batter until there are no lumps. Fold in nuts. Pour batter into a greased 8 x 8 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
This is really becoming quite ridiculous, people. What is in the water? I've just found out that two more of my colleagues are pregnant: one--with twins!--who works in my building, the other who works in another office. Both of them due November/December. This makes six people at work, two people outside of work. Granted, I am now part of this happy sorority, but I feel my competitive spirit stirring. I see other people running the marathon in front of me, and I'm running, too. I want to finish the race, too, this time. It's is a twisted way of looking at it, I'm sure, but that's how my brain is wired. Now you understand why I need yoga.
I've blogged before about the connection between fertility and black beans. Whether or not this is really true is anyone's guess. But you can be sure that I'm eating my share of the lovely legume, both because it's good vegetarian protein, and because, well, why not?
Last week's CSA share included only 3 heads of lettuce (heaven be praised), arugula, spinach, chard (which got made into a frittata, so I didn't bother blogging about it), kale, and peas. Ian insisted that I do something different with the greens this week. No more stir fry, he protested. Not another frittata. So I came up with this concoction, involving black beans, which was happily devoured by both Y-chromosomed individuals in our house. And me.
I suspect you could use just about any mid-flavored greens in place of spinach; this week, I think I'll try it with chard. Experiment and tell us how it went!
Fill tortillas with the bean mixture and your choice of toppings (cilantro through cheese) . Fold tortilla in on both sides, then fold up the bottom. Lastly, fold down the top and press lightly. The steam from the hot filling with seal the tortilla.
The first time I was pregnant, with Ian, I started to think a lot about nutrition. Though I'd been a pretty healthy eater before, I found myself seeking out more recipes with whole grains, cutting back on refined sugars, and eliminating caffeine entirely (even chocolate, for which I had an aversion during those nine months). I was lucky enough to be spared morning sickness entirely that first time, but I struggled to eat breakfast more regularly, which wasn't easy for a woman always on the run.
Little did I know then what being on the run really meant.
Now, as I dash out the door with my decaf latte (thank you, new espresso maker, for making milk drinkable), having made the lunches and breakfasts for the rest of the family and gotten Ian dressed and ready for school, I usually grab some fruit for the road. (Green smoothies just don't do it for me: I gave them a fair shake, but there's something unpleasant to me about the consistency.) The past two mornings, though, I've been feeling a little queasy, and my stomach clearly wants carbs.
These muffins are a reliable stand-by in my recipe book: I often make them for people I know are on the go, but they're good for just about anyone. If you make the fruit juice version (and be careful about the labels on your dried fruits), you can avoid refined sugar entirely, and there's plenty of whole grain. They freeze well, so you can bake up a batch and toss one in the microwave in the morning. If you do happen to be pregnant, you've got something a bit more substantial than saltines to munch on.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in oats, dates, raisins, and cranberries. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in boiling water. Let batter stand 15 minutes.
Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.
Why I am telling the blogging world about this when I won't even tell my own mother for at least another month or more, I don't know.
But late last week I found out that my BFN ... wasn't.
I almost don't know what to feel right now. I want to feel excited. But instead, it's like I'm waiting for it to go wrong, like it's only a matter of time before it goes wrong again. Am I doing this to protect myself?
The timing couldn't have been more ironic: I'd barely started to adjust to the new medication, I'd just made the decision to start yoga teacher training in September, the due date will be at the beginning of the three busiest months of my work calendar (which means a leave that will be more working from home than actual leave time).
You are all hereby sworn to secrecy. But I'm glad to have some people sending positive energy. We have a long way to go, and there are very few people who know me in "real life" that I can trust with this right now.
The heroic effort to eat all of the CSA lettuce continues. Ian helped me to make this salad, some of which he wanted to bring to school for lunch: small white beans, avocado, sun-dried tomato, toasted pine nuts, grated jack cheese (this at Ian's insistence) and a splash of good balsamic vinegar.
The great thing about salad is that you can throw things together, intentionally, but not thinking about the end result, and have it turn out well. Flavors that might conflict actually end up complementing each other. You don't need to worry about proportions. The ingredients are individuals, but somehow they are also part of a larger whole. There is no right and wrong. Sometimes you surprise yourself.
I've been reading Stephen Mitchell's introduction to the Bhagavad Gita and came across this: "The idea that there is a goal ... is wrong. We are the goal; we are always peace. To get ride of the idea that we are not peace is all that is required."
While it's a leap to go from philosophy to salad, there is sort of a connection. Our small lives are so full of conflict, aren't they? Real or imagined, predetermined or manufactured. What would happen if we could simply let go of all of that conflict? Simply accept the end result, and observe and appreciate the flavors as a whole?
This weekend we went away to Washington, D.C. to visit friends. We had a wonderful time gaping at dinosaur bones, standing in spacecraft, taking a tour that broke down half way through, playing in two fountains, sunning ourselves at the playgound, and riding the Metro. It was the sort of three day weekend that makes you wonder why you don't take more three day weekends. When we got back, our CSA box was waiting at our neighbor's house. We'd begged her to help herself to the bounty of greens, but alas! she did not. This weeks' catch: 4 heads of lettuce, 1 pound of spinach, a half pound each of collard and kale, 1/2 pound of arugula, 2 bunches of radishes, and a bok choy.
So I've been cooking like a madwoman. Last night I roasted radishes, some of which I slipped into Ian's lunchbox this morning (lo! they were eaten!), and made chickpeas and collards (a variation on this dish), while Steve made a tortilla with the kale. Tonight, I made these little spinach cakes, which I've been meaning to try for some time. The things I'm making this week have to be freeze-able because we got home too late to cook and eat on Monday, we're dining out tomorrow for our anniversary (is it sick that I almost want to stay home and eat salad?), and on Friday I'm hosting a barbecue at work for the summer research students, which means three days we're not chipping away at the green mountain.
I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think I may need to learn how to put up my own vegetables this summer.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
Coat 8 cups of the muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full). Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 20 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.


text:
Q: Why does Integrate return an unexpected imaginary solution? When I calculate the value of the following integral using Integrate, I receive an unexpected imaginary solution. I am using Mathematica 11.3.0.
Integrate[
  9.257208212146324`*^14 Cos[6.0415243338265245` x] Cos[30.207621669132624`x]
    Sin[42.290670336785674` x] U[5, 0] U[7, 0],
  {x, 0, 0.52}
]
(* Out: (1.15009*10^14 - 0.0425289 I) U[5, 0] U[7, 0] *)

A: This is due to precision issues with the floating-point math. Always use exact numbers with exact commands such as Integrate, else it might use numerical methods internally.
integrand =
  9.257208212146324`*^14 Cos[6.0415243338265245` x]
    Cos[30.207621669132624` x] Sin[42.290670336785674` x];
integrand0 = SetPrecision[integrand, Infinity]

 Integrate[integrand0 , {x, 0, 52/100}]

N[%]
(* Out: 1.15009*^14 *)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
environmental reclamation services
Scottish land remediation specialist becomes employee-owned company
Contaminated land remediation specialist Environmental Reclamation Services Ltd (ERS) has become Scotland's latest employee-owned business with all 28 employees now having a stake in the firm.
With offices in Bishopbriggs, Edinburgh and Inverness, ERS delivers innovative solutions for the identification, assessment and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater in the UK.
The company also comprises engineers, scientists and support staff, working from offices in Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and Jersey and has a turnover in excess of £3 million.
ERS was formed in Scotland in 1994 and became a subsidiary of an American company. In 2003 managing director Andrew Mackenzie led a management buyout and ERS became a successful independent, Scottish-based business.
Mr Mackenzie said: "We are a team at ERS and I wanted to find a more equitable business model that involved all employees in the firm. We work together to devise innovative and workable solutions for our clients so it was important to me that everyone shared the company.
"I had been attracted to the idea of employee ownership and spent some time researching the structure."
Andrew attended a number of events held by Scottish Enterprise and Co-operative Development Scotland designed to support business owners considering employee ownership before making the decision to transfer.
Andrew has sold his shares to an Employee Ownership Trust which will hold them on behalf of the employees. The deal is financed by a vendor loan, repayable over seven years. Andrew will remain as managing director.
Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS), Scottish Enterprise's employee ownership support arm, guided and supported ERS' transition to employee ownership, providing advice on the implementation of the new ownership structure.
CDS director Sarah Deas added: "It is fantastic news that ERS has joined what is becoming a long and fast growing list of Scottish-based employee owned businesses. Employee ownership not only delivers proven benefits for the company and the employees, but also helps strengthen the local and national economies.
"Employee Ownership Trusts are fast gaining popularity as an ownership structure. This is an effective means to align workforce with corporate goals, and harness the creativity and effort of employees to deliver an excellent service."
As part of the move, the ERS board of directors has been expanded and will report to the company's Employee Ownership Trust, governed by three Trustees including an employee representative and Carole Leslie, an employee ownership specialist who will serve as an independent Trustee.
Carole Leslie said: "There is a growing interest in employee ownership and this is the third employee buyout I've supported this year. ERS is a superb example of a successful company adapting its structure to best meet the aspirations of the employees and to secure the future of the company."
Andrew Mackenzie believes there is significant growth potential in the business.
He added: "This is the start of a new journey for the firm. Most companies, especially in the service sector, are only as good as their employees, and employees are more engaged when they share in the company's progress. All we've done is find a way to formalise what I've always considered to be an essential part of ERS."
ERS was advised on the legal requirement of the move by solicitor, James McGinn, and on the financial aspects by tax specialist John Todd of Johnston Carmichael.
Contractor chosen to begin groundwork for Haudagain bottleneck
Construction materials research survey from Zero Waste Scotland
McLaughlin & Harvey awarded Peterhead harbour deepening contract

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Our Streaming Future
Behind the Paramount+ Brand Name and Logo
How ViacomCBS created a brand for the streaming era.
For more than 100 years, the Paramount Pictures brand identity—the name, the mountain, the halo of stars—has signaled a world-class entertainment experience. Now, a digital-first reinterpretation created for ViacomCBS' streaming service builds on the innovative legacy of the Paramount brand and carries it into the streaming era.
The Paramount+ streaming service will launch in early 2021 as a rebrand of the company's current streaming service, CBS All Access. It will feature content from ViacomCBS' portfolio of broadcast, news, sports, and its popular entertainment brands, like MTV, BET, Comedy Central, CBS, Nickelodeon, and Smithsonian Channel. Additionally, the service will feature movies from Paramount Pictures. ViacomCBS will also bring Paramount+ to international markets with an initial debut in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics.
"The Paramount brand is known and loved all around the world, and is synonymous with great entertainment. It's always brought people together, which makes it a perfect fit for a streaming service that's uniquely positioned to do the same," says Josh Line, chief brand officer, ViacomCBS. "The Paramount+ streaming service will elevate ViacomCBS' iconic family of brands."
According to Domenic DiMeglio, EVP, head of operations and chief marketing officer for ViacomCBS Digital, the Paramount name will lift expectations of entertainment, content range, and quality—and build interest in the service's originals.
"We recognize that we're asking people to pull out their credit card and subscribe to our service. The Paramount brand, which audiences strongly associate with creativity and great storytelling, helps signal it's worth the price," says DiMeglio. "Being able to say something is a Paramount+ Original will give it instant credibility in the eyes of consumer: 'Oh, that's associated with the Paramount brand, that's going to be quality content.'"
Some of the originals announced include Lioness, a spy drama created by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, a new edition of Behind The Music, a revival of BET's The Game, and The Real Criminal Minds, a docuseries based on the hit CBS Television series. Paramount+ will also feature The Offer, a scripted series based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy's experiences making The Godfather. The 10-episode limited event is written and executive produced by Oscar and Emmy-nominated Michael Tolkin. Ruddy will also serve as executive producer alongside Emmy-winning producer Leslie Greif, who will also serve as a writer on the series.
"The Paramount brand is known and loved all around the world, and is synonymous with great entertainment. It's always brought people together, which makes it a perfect fit for a streaming service that's uniquely positioned to do the same."
Josh Line
Chief Brand Officer, ViacomCBS
The brand has been proven to resonate with consumers around the world. According to internal brand research, Paramount has near-universal brand recognition and high affinity. For example, according to survey results, 99% of people in Spain, 98% of people in the U.K., 96% of people in the U.S., and 90% of people in Mexico are aware of Paramount. In the U.S., Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Spain, the U.K., and Australia, well over 90% of people said they had a positive view of the brand.
A Future-Forward, Digital-First Design
For the Paramount+ logo, ViacomCBS wanted to leverage the recognizable elements of the Paramount Pictures logo while ensuring it would come across clearly on digital platforms.
"The goal was to ensure we would still have that recognition and the benefits and equity of the legacy Paramount brand but update it so it can stand on its own to represent the new service. It was important that the new logo be reductive enough to work across digital platforms and applications to carry the Paramount identity forward into the streaming space," says Tammy Henault, SVP of consumer marketing for ViacomCBS Digital.
The DNA of the Paramount logo is made up of four main elements: The stars, mountain, script, and color. Each of these elements was retained and modernized for Paramount+.
The number of stars was reduced to 13—a star for each letter used when spelling "Paramount Plus." The size of the stars has been increased slightly to come across more clearly on phone apps, push notifications, and other digital applications, according to Sarah LaBrache, who serves as the SVP of creative marketing for Viacom CBS Digital.
Other changes that were made when considering digital applications of the logo, included the detailing on the mountain, or even the spacing between the classic Paramount script. LaBrache explained that keeping the mountain similar to the one in the curtain raiser video, which plays as the introduction before every Paramount Pictures film, was important, so designers traced the outline of the mountain and altered the shadows in order to create the most optimized version.
"We created a shadow that holds true to that original Paramount heritage, and that also reads clearly at various sizes across all applications," says LaBrache.
As for the bright Paramount+ blue, it is a defining shade that's an evolution of the blues of CBS All Access, ViacomCBS, and Paramount Pictures. Blue is also America's favorite color, and hasn't been used by streaming competitors.
The "plus" in Paramount+ is an indication that the service's vast content library will extend well beyond Paramount Pictures' roster of films to include content from the entire ViacomCBS portfolio of brands. It also serves to indicate how the service will carry the legacy brand forward into the streaming space, as consumers are familiar with the suffix being used in other services.
"No other pure-play SVOD service offers championship-level live sports from the NFL to SEC football, to UEFA Champions League, March Madness, and the Masters. Plus, it includes one of the most trusted brands in news with CBS News. That combination of live sports, breaking news, and what we call in the description as 'a mountain of entertainment' really differentiates us in the space," says DiMeglio. "We have stretched the Paramount brand to really reflect the unique, broad-based offering that we're bringing to market."
Building on a Mountain of Brand History
William Wadsworth Hodkinson, co-founder of Paramount Pictures, decided on the name Paramount in 1927 after seeing it on the side of an apartment building, says Andrea Kalas, SVP of archives for Paramount Pictures. As for the famous mountain logo, Hodkinson drafted it himself while sitting at his desk. Kalas said that the stars were included in the doodle, but the meaning behind them has always been a subject of lore in the industry. (Some have said the 24 stars in the initial logo were meant to represent the first 24 actors tied to the studio. The current logo features 22 stars.)
Under the guidance of Adolph Zukor, the company went from a handful of nickelodeons to worldwide distribution of motion pictures in a short 10 years thanks to the innovation of exhibiting a film with a known star—Sarah Bernhardt in Queen Elizabeth (1912). The pioneering spirit of the studio continued throughout its history, with forays into the future of entertainment that included the renaming of Desilu Studios to Paramount Television in 1967, following the company's merger with Gulf+Western. Paramount Television was behind some of television's biggest hits like I Love Lucy, Happy Days, and Star Trek. Early in Paramount's history, the company opened a string of Paramount theaters across America—many of which still exist today. Later, the studio entered the at-home video market in 1970. In the '80s, Paramount also purchased a string of local TV stations.
Meanwhile, its identity became synonymous with premium content thanks to movies like Sunset Boulevard (1950), War of the Worlds (1953), The Ten Commandments (1956), The Godfather (1972), Forrest Gump (1994) and Titanic (1997), Selma (2014), and the Indiana Jones franchise. At one time the studio used the tagline: "If it's a Paramount movie, it's the best show in town."
So, when the metaphorical curtain rises in 2021, the future of entertainment that has defined the trajectory of Paramount Pictures over the decades will live on through a streaming service.
"Paramount has always been at the forefront of storytelling," says Line. "It's only fitting that the Paramount name will now also be associated with premium content for a streaming audience."
Content and Experiences
CBS Movie Night: A Preview of ViacomCBS' Cross-Platform Content and Streaming Strategy
By Nicole Bitette
Early Hints of CEO Bob Bakish's Vision for ViacomCBS
By Lauren Streib
ViacomCBS' Streaming Strategy Reaches Major Milestone
By Kelby Clark
Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
The leading global brands in entertainment
Distinctive brands, unmatched reach
We tell rich stories that are highly relevant to our audiences
Our employees are our biggest stars
Life @ Paramount
Paramount Careers
Paramount Internships
Evolving our business for the future
Earnings Materials
Copyright © 2022 Paramount – All Rights Reserved.


text:
Salento Honey (Apulia, South-East Italy): A Preliminary Characterization by 1H-NMR Metabolomic Fingerprinting
Spatial Knowledge: A Potential to Enhance Public Participation?
Pricing Decisions on Online Channel Entry for Complementary Products in a Dominant Retailer Supply Chain
Street Network Resilience Put to the Test: The Dramatic Crash of Genoa and Bologna Bridges
Li, Q.
Open AccessReview
Resilience Thinking as a System Approach to Promote China's Sustainability Transitions
Qirui Li
Climatology Research Group, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Water and Soil Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, 01279 Dresden, Germany
Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5008; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125008
Received: 22 April 2020 / Revised: 12 June 2020 / Accepted: 13 June 2020 / Published: 18 June 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Planning Techniques)
Urban regeneration and rural revitalization are becoming major policy initiatives in China, which requires new approaches for sustainability transitions. This paper reviewed the history of policy reforms and institutional changes and analysed the main challenges to sustainability transitions in China. The urban-rural systems were defined as a complex dynamic social-ecological system based on resilience thinking and transition theory. The notions of adaptation and transformation were applied to compose a framework to coordinate "resilience" with "sustainability". The findings indicate that China's urbanization has experienced the conservative development of restructuring socio-economic and political systems (before 1984), the fast industrialization and economic development leaned to cities (1984 to 2002), the rapid urbanization led by land expropriation and investment expansion (2002 to 2012), and the quality development transformation equally in urban and rural areas (since 2012). The sustainability transitions have been challenged by controversial institutional arrangements, concerning population mobility control, unequal social welfare, and incomplete property rights. A series of policy interventions should be designed and implemented accordingly with joint efforts of multiple stakeholders and based on the combined technocratic and bottom-up knowledge derived from proactive and conscious individuals and collectives through context-dependent social networks. View Full-Text
Keywords: urbanization; rural-urban development; social-ecological systems; transformative changes; adaption and mitigation urbanization; rural-urban development; social-ecological systems; transformative changes; adaption and mitigation
Figure A1
Li, Q. Resilience Thinking as a System Approach to Promote China's Sustainability Transitions. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5008. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125008
Li Q. Resilience Thinking as a System Approach to Promote China's Sustainability Transitions. Sustainability. 2020; 12(12):5008. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125008
Li, Qirui. 2020. "Resilience Thinking as a System Approach to Promote China's Sustainability Transitions" Sustainability 12, no. 12: 5008. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125008
Sustainability, EISSN 2071-1050, Published by MDPI Disclaimer
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal Sustainability are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.


Also a correction in the Womens' standings as Sarah Dunn and Jenny Peel had mysteriously disappeared from the JK Long results as I uploaded them and had therefore not got their points from that race. Hopefully all sorted now.
A reminder to check that your year of birth is correctly listed, particularly if you are a junior or veteran, as otherwise you won't be recognised as such!


text:
Board index Harlan Ellison General
Frank Church's news corner, the sequel.
General discussions of interest to readers and fans of Harlan Ellison.
Re: Frank Church's news corner, the sequel.
Postby cynic » Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm
FrankChurch wrote: Mike, that was a highly uninformed opinion about Chomsky's views. He tends to see the glass as half full, as I do.
half full? you poor wretched soul.
your eyes are closed, half in a dream.
keeping you're mind trapped in a nightmare of your own obsessions.
seeing only the evil and depraved, spreading only news of bitterness and despair.
while every day we struggle, and manage to make things better every day.
people everywhere live longer and wiser every day.
while the aggression seems unending, fewer people die in our wars every generation.
as those groups of people grow wiser they bring fewer unfed children to the world.
whether our race ends the battle with itself, before we damage our home irreparably,
is surely another call to address our excesses.
we are indeed in a race against ourselves, and you are right to feel that nipping at your heels.
but we seem to be gaining.
follow your bliss,mike
how odd..
hey barber, look up at my quote of frank's 4:01pm post..how did that happen?
did i bust it, or is there some kinda time-space glitch?
oh noooooo
bulletin board busted!
i'm trapped in a loooop
what were we doing on Wed Dec 31, 1969 6:00 pm that needs to be redone?
FrankChurch
Postby FrankChurch » Wed Mar 22, 2006 8:13 pm
You know I had to start with this.
""An academic study that appeared right before the presidential election reports that less than 30 percent of the population was aware of the positions of the candidates on major issues, though 86 percent knew the name of George Bush's dog. The general thrust of propaganda gets through, however. When asked to identify the largest element of the federal budget, less than one fourth give the correct answer: military spending. Almost half select foreign aid, which barely exists; the second choice is welfare, chosen by one third of the population, who also far overestimate the proportion that goes to blacks and to child support. And though the question was not asked, virtually none are likely to be aware that `defense spending' is in large measure welfare for the rich. Another result of the study is that more educated sectors are more ignorant - not surprising, since they are the main targets of indoctrination. Bush supporters, who are the best educated, scored lowest overall."
Noamie got skills.
Postby Eric Martin » Wed Mar 22, 2006 9:15 pm
People get the government they deserve, Frank. There's no demon in the box here, just good old fashioned apolitical humanity.
If you want to wipe 100 million asses, and hope that it makes a difference, power to you.
Postby Duane » Wed Mar 22, 2006 10:12 pm
I'm surprised he missed the news of that "study" out of Berkeley that came to the conclusion that well-adjusted children grew up to be "liberals" while children who grew up with a lot of self doubt and uncertainty grew up to become "conservatives."
I suppose if by "liberal" they mean "able to empathize and see issues from others' viewpoints" you could call me one. I've met "conservatives" of all political stripes. Some on this very board.
Postby rich » Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:27 am
FrankChurch wrote: An academic study that appeared right before the presidential election reports that less than 30 percent of the population was aware of the positions of the candidates on major issues...
And as Eric pointed out, Frank, which candidate is to blame for this? I'm rereading V FOR VENDETTA and was wondering what the American public's response would be if V took over a major network today, and said the same things that Moore has the character say in the book?
My guess is that the majority of Americans would feel insulted, and turn the tube off, eager to maintain their own prejudices and beliefs 'cause it's so much easier to do so. Everything takes the path of least resistance, and most people do so.
FrankChurch wrote: Noamie got skills.
I'm sure he does, but not evidenced by the quote above which is simplistic propaganda in its own right.
Location: Köln
Postby Jan » Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:34 pm
Am I hearing a slight contempt by Americans for Americans?
I've been hearing more of that - did this originate before Bush and the war? Is a new generation asserting itself?
AFAIK, Americans used to be more proud and full of illusions. Perhaps it's just the age group here.
Postby Duane » Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:10 pm
In my specific case, I occasionally get defensive when I should just and move on.
In the larger case, it's cyclical. I'm making the grandest of understatements when I say that Bush is one of the most divisive American leaders ever, and I voted for the guy twice. Unlike Reagan, who could draw upon broad based support (whatever one's opinion of his policies), Bush doesn't care if you love him or hate him; in fact, I think he thrives on opposition.
When Clinton was in office, there was a large upswelling of "Clinton hating" in the country, but it was pretty much limited to (but not all of) the "religious Right." Like Reagan, he knew how to "work the camera," as it were, and make a good impression. I was fairly indifferent, but my 401k loved the guy.
President Bush has no such talents. If he had even a tenth of either Reagan's or Clinton's people skills, Michael Moore wouldn't have made the fortune he made with his movie. In addition to that, 9/11 happened when he was in office, putting him in the middle of a pivotal moment of history.
I'm really hoping for a less divisive president in 2008, regardless of party. Either Giuliani or McCain for the Republicans or Bradley or Lieberman for the Democrats. As interesting as Hillary would be, I think she would be only a little less divisive than Bush was.
It's just typical political shower room ass-grabbing, Jan. Lose the towel and jump in!
Chuck Messer
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Postby Chuck Messer » Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:55 pm
I don't think it's a contempt for America so much as it's doubts being aired about the policies and approach of the president and his cabinet. All the "Hail to the Chimp" jokes aside, people; Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative alike are starting to wonder if the initial policy toward Iraq leading to the invasion and occupation was a total cluster-fuck.
I'm a Democrat and I'm not too fond of Bush, but I'd like SOMETHING good to come out of what's happening in the middle east. But when you've got people like George Will wondering aloud what the hell's going on in Iraq, one does get the impression of the afore-mentioned cluster-fuck.
I'd had a bad feeling from John Aschcroft from the beginning, when word of an arrogant, "Don't bother me with you advice, little man, I know what I'm doing" vibe came from the defense department. He just reminds me too much of Robert MacNamara. Way too much.
It's not America that people are voicing doubts about, it's national policy.
Some people are wedded to their ideology the way nuns are wed to God.
Postby rich » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:45 am
What Chuck and Duane said.
I honestly think that the 2004 election was more about not wanting to vote for Kerry and switching "generals" in a war than any real groundswell of support for Bush. I think moderates voted for Bush 'cause they already knew what they had so why take a chance on a guy that can't speak without putting you to sleep.
Having said that, it was Katrina that did Bush and his administration in. Iraq was losing support from most Americans, but most Americans, again following the path of least resistance, were kinda buying the "making progress in Iraq" rhetoric. At the very least, we took some small comfort that these guys might know what they're doing. After all, we voted for 'em.
But, the administration's response to Katrina showed even the moderates that maybe these guys really didn't know what they were doing. So you've got an administration that couldn't get it done with Katrina, and we're seeing the same thing in Iraq. Add some wiretapping, your VP shooting someone in the face, and it's like we've got the Marx brothers in the White House.
Postby Eric Martin » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:13 am
I think most Americans are apolitical, or one-issue voters. I count myself among them...I pretty much vote for the environment. I really don't care about foreign policy, jobs creation, abortion rights, etc. Those and others are all important issues, and people should lobby for what they want...I'm just not one to read a campaign platform. Since I'm a tree-hugger, I usually vote Democrat, although not always...for some reason I vote for Republican governors in Illinois, maybe because the Dems have such lousy ones.
I'm also a big Bill of Rights person, which puts me in bed with both parties...the left defends the first and fourth amendments, the right defends the second . I don't believe in compromise on any of them. I'm a member of both the ACLU and the NRA.
I think in the past few decades we have monarchized the Presidency a bit, at least in our social consciousness. A while back it was Clinton this, Clinton that...now it's Bush Bush Bush. Blaming one individual (and his small handful of staff) makes it easier for we the people to not take responsibility for our democracy. Bush didn't fuck up Katrina...WE fucked up Katrina. Until all of us take some ownership of what goes on this country, and not sit back and point fingers at a few civil servants, nothing is going to change.
It's not a hard attitude to embrace...good sports teams do it all the time. When the team loses, it's a team loss...you don't blame the coach or the quarterback.
I've done a lot of traveling, and lived in Germany for almost a year. It's no better anywhere else. In some places, it's a hell of a lot worse. There are small aspects of Europe that are more pleasant...given the opportunity, I would probably spend a good chunk of my year in the south of France...but I have yet to see a government that could be called more loveable than America's. It's pretty much the same everywhere, in the West at least...a lot of not very imaginative B- students running bloated bureacracies. The witty and interesting characters tend to hide in the universities, or go for the bucks in private business.
Contact Moderator
Postby Moderator » Fri Mar 24, 2006 12:53 pm
Late to the party (pun intended), but I have to weigh in....
There are several dynamics in play here, not all of them good ones. We are seeing more and more Americans becoming complacent and cynical about the presidency. What Reagan and Clinton brought to the office, more than any presidents since Kennedy, was the "electrification" of the office. They were both profound communicators, and each of them understood the roles of the office and the other elements of the government (judicial and legislative).
Bush is a horrific communicator. His staff are also inept when it comes to motivating anything beyond their core far right base. The Republican-led Congress have largely abdicated their responsibilities in a "don't mess with us and we won't mess with you" relationship (though this is changing). Both ends have become almost dictatorial in their approach to debate.
What needs to happen -- and I'm both hopeful and afraid -- is Americans need to understand how bad it really is. Part of the reason Kerry lost the election was that many Americans truly wanted to believe Bush when he said "It's all good, trust me", rather than having to figure the situation out for themselves. We've become, by and large, a Gerber's spoon-fed society.
What is lacking, right now, in the Democratic party, is someone of lightning-rod proportions who can galvanize and motivate the masses. In my mind, what makes this a truly unnerving time is that the opposition party cannot seem to find its ammo when the fish are in a progressively smaller barrel.
It's not simply a matter of dismissing the American people, it's a matter of the sense of the majority of Americans of false security and personal (and childlike) need for reassurance rather than an admission that we f***ed up really badly. Many signs are there of what we may be in the process of creating, and they're pointing in the direction of 1928 Germany if we're not careful. I'm not suggesting Bush is Hitler, he lacks the personality and skill to carry off the complete subjectification of our culture -- but he's opened the door more than a crack for someone who does have what it takes and can take advantage of it.
- I love to find adventure. All I need is a change of clothes, my Nikon, an open mind and a strong cup of coffee.
Postby David Loftus » Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:15 pm
Barber wrote: Bush is a horrific communicator.
You know, I'm not so sure that's accurate. If you're talking about putting across nuanced, complex ideas and programs, then yes, he's awful. But for doing what he needs to do -- reassure and hold his base, confuse and surprise the opposition -- he's does a damn good job. I didn't buy that "Great Communicator" shit about Reagan, either; he was a moron, if we speak of substantive content. But both of them, each in his own way, are great at making their fans feel that everything is gonna be all right, we're in control, and America can and will continue to "stand tall," whatever the fuck that means.
Barber wrote: His staff are also inept when it comes to motivating anything beyond their core far right base.
Yes, well, that's been all they've had to do, isn't it? And I don't think their core far right base is all that's put Bush in office and kept him there, sad to say.
Barber wrote: What needs to happen -- and I'm both hopeful and afraid -- is Americans need to understand how bad it really is.... We've become, by and large, a Gerber's spoon-fed society.
And that's because so many of us are content to do little more than buy and sell each other toys and grub to distract and anaesthetize ourselves and one another.
Barber wrote: what makes this a truly unnerving time is that the opposition party cannot seem to find its ammo when the fish are in a progressively smaller barrel.
Nicely put.
Barber wrote: It's not simply a matter of dismissing the American people, it's a matter of the sense of the majority of Americans of false security and personal (and childlike) need for reassurance rather than an admission that we f***ed up really badly. Many signs are there of what we may be in the process of creating, and they're pointing in the direction of 1928 Germany if we're not careful. I'm not suggesting Bush is Hitler, he lacks the personality and skill to carry off the complete subjectification of our culture -- but he's opened the door more than a crack for someone who does have what it takes and can take advantage of it.
I'm not even that concerned about our domestic political culture. Even if the Democrats did manage to find another FDR or Truman (or even JFK, sorry as he turned out to be, policy-wise), we may still not wake up to the fact that we are poisoning ourselves and our planet such that even the best international political intentions and agreements will not be sufficient to prevent the stress and rancor when resources get slim.


text:
2019 budget policy statement: Debt, debt, debt
Kevin Davie
Moody's economists see strong rand in medium term (Photo Archive)
Just one word sums up Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's medium term budget statement: debt.
And if there's something which was widely expected to be included in the statement, a financial fix for the biggest single risk the country faces, Eskom, it's not there.
Rather, Mboweni, kicked for touch again, the medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) saying that a sustainable plan for state-owned companies is required which should include the disposal of non-core assets and options for private sector participation.
"These measures require difficult decisions that will affect the economy and the distribution of public resources." These measures will be announced in the 2020 budget, Mboweni said.
The debt-to-GDP ratio is now forecast to balloon to 71.3% over the three-year MTBPS period. An indication of how rapidly the country's public finances are deteriorating is shown that the 2019 budget projected this to be 59.7%.
Expressed in numbers rather than percentages, this is how Mboweni put it: "This year the national debt exceeded R3-trillion. It is expected to rise to R4.5-trillion in the next three years.
"Clearly, we need to do things differently… this is a serious position to be in."
Growth, as projected in the budget this February, was put at 1.5%. It is now revised down by a whole percentage point to 0.5%.
Weaker growth is playing havoc on the public purse. "We now expect to collect R1.37-trillion this year. This is R53-billion, or 4%, less than we expected," Mboweni told Parliament.
As things stand, treasury is revising down its tax revenue predictions for 2020/21 and 2021/22 by R84-billion and R114-billion respectively.
South Africa's debt-to-GDP ratio has increased by 30% over the past ten years, nearly three times the average of peer countries. Only Argentina, Croatia, Ukraine and Zambia have worse figures.
Ballooning debt, the MTBPS says, means that by "by 2022/3 debt service costs are expected to exceed spending in areas such as health and economic development".
The MTBPS acknowledges that "significant tax increases over the past several years leave only moderate scope to boost tax revenues at this time. Given the size of the required adjustment, however, additional tax measures are under consideration."
Mboweni aims to achieve a primary balance — revenue equal to non-interest expenditure — of the main budget within the present three-year cycle. This will be through spending reductions of about R20-billion a year in goods, services and transfers, as well as limiting non-interest expenditure in line with inflation.
"That said," Mboweni told parliamentarians, "we will need to find additional measures in excess of R150-billion over the next three years, or about R50-billion a year.
"We will need to deal with the challenges of the wage bill, state-owned companies, executive remuneration and benefits and fiscal leakages."
He said the average wage bill increase across government was 6.8% in 2018/19, or 2.2% above inflation. After adjusting for inflation, the average government wage has risen by 66% in the last ten years."
A review accompanying the MTBPS shows 29 000 public servants, plus members of the national executive, MPs and members of the provincial executive who all earned more than R1-million last year. "After adjusting for inflation, this is more than double the number of civil servants earning more than R1-million in 2006/7."
We are all in this together, the state-owned companies, public entities and private sector, the finance minister said, the message being that board and executive management compensation and benefits should be reduced.
Mboweni said President Cyril Ramaphosa had agreed to guidelines that for the foreseeable future cabinet, premiers and MEC salaries will be frozen at current levels, with the likelihood of an adjustment downwards; the costs of official cars will be capped at R700 000; a new cell phone will cap the amount claimable; all domestic travel will in economy class; and there will be no longer payment for subsistence and travel for both domestic and foreign trips.
"I encourage the leadership in parliament to think about how they can further contain their compensation and benefits," he said.
But is clear that work, in the form of negotiations with public sector unions, still has to be done on this front.
Mboweni sees growth coming from reforms mooted in his economic transformation document released earlier in the year, an updated version of which was due to be made public during his speech to Parliament.
The mooted reforms include lowering barriers to entry, diversifying power generation by granting licenses for small-scale generation, expanding telecommunication services by allowing the rapid expansion of fibre infrastructure and prioritising job-creating sectors such as agriculture and tourism.
"We can do some of these things quickly. Already, the new integrated resources plan charts a greener course forward on energy. We can accelerate spectrum licensing and a move towards 5G. We can make it easier to do business."
While some kind of big fix for Eskom was widely expected, Mboweni said little in this respect. He said "we must wean state-owned enterprises off the national budget. They must learn to stand on their own feet."
He said the government cannot continue to throw money at Eskom. For the sizeable support it requires (R230-billion over ten years), it cannot be business as usual. Eskom must run its current plant and equipment better, must achieve operational efficiencies, including better cash management and fast track the separation of the utility into three parts as endorsed by its political principals.
Treasury's stick it will now use is that cash flow support will no longer be as equity [a bailout] but in the form of loans.
"Once I am convinced that the Eskom board and management has made an irrevocable commitment to implement government's decisions and there is enough progress, we will negotiate the appropriate size of debt relief.
"Eskom is a business and should be run that way."
This remains to be seen. When Eskom has previously run out of funds and threatened to self-implode, taking the country down, treasury has come up with the necessary life support.
But equally, if there is a plan to sell part or Eskom or refinance it in some constructive way this is only possible when the new investors, private or public, have enough confidence that they are not throwing good money after bad. As the rest of the country is doing at present.
Kevin Davie is M&G's business editor. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has worked in senior positions at most major titles in the country. Davie is a Nieman Fellow (1995-1996) and cyberspace innovator, having co-founded SA's first online-only news portal, Woza, and the first online stockbroking operation. He is a lecturer at Wits Journalism. In his spare time he can be found riding a bicycle, usually somewhere remote.
Medium Term Budget Policy Statement
Tito Mboweni
Solidarity vs University of Free State in vaccine mandate court case
NPA fails to deal with R7.8bn in Covid-19 corruption
Not 'trial ready': 386 Special Investigating Unit referrals lead to just one case in court so far


Does Poppies make London's best fish & chips? One of the Londonist crew thinks so, and he's from Grimsby, so knows whereof he speaks. Happily for him (and indeed anyone fond of a fried spud) they're opening a new restaurant in Camden on Good Friday.
Poppies first opened its doors in Spitalfields in 2011, but the owner, 'Pops' Newland, is well marinated in the ways of the fryer, having been serving east-enders since 1945. The new Camden restaurant, in Hawley Crescent, is a two-storey affair, and like its Spitalfields sister will be chock full of retro 1940s touches including an old jukebox, cinema seating and a piano upstairs which will be available for anyone to bust out their rendition of Knees Up Mother Brown.
Not that you'll need to on the opening weekend at Camden, where a bevy of musicians will be on hand to entertain punters.
Poppies is at 30 Hawley Crescent, London NW1 8NF. Follow them on Twitter @popsfishnchips.


Polymer T-Handle ergonomically designed for comfortable four-finger & palm grip.
12mm wide Zinc shaft has 50% thicker walls – stronger than other Torque tools.
Height: 64.5 mm, 2 1/2 inches.
Width: 81 mm, 3.18 inches.


text:
About Our Board Meet the JACKS team
Why JACKS? Our purpose & success
Our Partners Trusted Relationships
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$300M Bridge Park Development Unveiled along Riverside Drive in Dublin
Crawford Hoying Development Partners is unveiling plans to invest up to $300 million in a mixed-use project that would transform 25 acres along Riverside Drive in Dublin, and provide a key building block to the city's Bridge Street Corridor effort.
The proposed Bridge Park project on the east side of the Scioto River calls for 1,026 apartments, 136 condominiums, 140,000 square feet of commercial office space, and a 196-room hotel with an attached conference center that can host up to 800. The Dublin-based developer also expects to attract a 19,000-square-foot specialty grocer, nearly 31,000 square feet of additional retail, and numerous restaurants that will fill 40,000 additional square feet of commercial space.
Crawford Hoying Principal Brent Crawford told me pent-up demand from young professionals working in the nearby Wendy's Co. and Cardinal Health Inc. office campuses, plus empty-nester older adults seeking to downsize their Dublin residences, should provide initial demand for some first-phase residential projects.
"We'll be able to keep a lot of those people in Dublin," he said.
"Our goal is to break ground in September and build out the project in three to four years," Crawford said.
The mixed-use project with several separate buildings will allow the developer to build in multiple phases as demand allows, especially as it relates to the multifamily residential component, he said.
Crawford Hoying in early June bought the Bridge Pointe shopping center at Riverside and Route 161 for $5.5 million after agreeing to sell off about a third of the property to Dublin for a roundabout and the rerouting of Riverside Drive for a public park.
The developer paid another $4.3 million in August for about 15.1 acres north of Dale Drive. Crawford said the development company has a couple of more smaller parcels to acquire to round out its assemblage.
He said the city's commitment to an urban redevelopment standard attracted the developer.
"We're Dublin guys and a Dublin-based developer." he told me. "We've been searching for the right opportunity in Dublin."


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Maryland Men's Basketball
Maryland basketball season review: Jake Layman
We continue our series with the Terps' small forward, one of the more hyped players in the country before the season.
By Brendan Darr Apr 23, 2014, 10:00am EDT
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Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
(#10, 6'8, 205lbs, guard/forward)
Much was expected out of Layman this season (did you hear there is a lot of Chandler Parsons in him?) as he was placed on numerous "breakout players" lists to begin the season. He was known as an athletic player with a nice jump shot, and for the most part that's what Maryland got this season.
The rising junior is still probably the second-most talented player on the team, even if he does have a tendency to disappear. When Jake is on, he's a player who can dominate on the offensive end, and is fully engaged on the defensive end. One thing that can be said, despite not quite taking the jump we all expected offensively: his defense improved mightily.
Layman finished the year averaging 11.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 0.9 assists and 0.8 blocks. His shooting line was as follows: 40.1 percent on field goals, 36.5 percent from three and 70.1 from the free throw line.
He finished third on the team in scoring and rebounding, and tied for the team lead in blocks. His shooting numbers were, shockingly, up across the board, but not by much. He doubled his points this year (5.5 to 11.7), his rebounding was up (3.2 to 5.0). Layman saw a big minutes increase (he led the team), but only a minimal usage increase. He was only used on 18.2% of Maryland's possessions, a curious offensive strategy given his offensive rating (112.1 according to sports reference or 109.7 on KenPom).
Either way, he's second on the team in offensive rating and wasn't used nearly enough -- not sure if that's a coaching issue or a player issue, but I know I saw way too many of his possessions with him cutting to the free throw line and curling for a shot on the elbow. Long two's aren't nearly as effective and are a lower percentage shot in the modern game. That might have something to do with his true shooting percentage being just third on the team.
There wasn't a late-season game that really stands out, and his early season highlight was his career-high 27 points against Morgan State. It's tough to give that to him as his season high point, but he went 7-for-10 from behind the arc and had his career-high total.
There wasn't much to see outside of his 27 points, he had just three rebounds and two assists and blocks, but his offensive rating for the game was an off-the-charts 208 thanks to the proficiency from behind-the-arc.
Ohio State. Oh god that Ohio State game. 1-for-9 from the floor and missed all five of his attempts from three. The game itself was ugly, and so was Layman's performance. If his 208 offensive rating made you say wow, his 38 against Ohio State should bring you back down to Earth. Those two games back-to-back are basically Layman's season in a nutshell.
2014-15 Outlook
I think it's safe to say Layman's hype will be significantly less heading into Maryland's first season in the Big Ten. He probably won't be showing up on many preseason breakout lists and hopefully the comparisons to Chandler Parsons are over with until something substantial changes on the floor.
I'm not against giving Layman hype, we saw flashes of a great player in 2013-14, and there's no reason Layman couldn't take the step this year that everyone was expecting last year. Even with the loss of Nick Faust, however, minutes will be at a premium -- he may be favored to start, but it's certainly up in the air. As we noted, he led the team in minutes this year, but I wouldn't expect a repeat performance in 2014-15.
He'll be a key cog whether he starts or not just about every night, but the wing will be packed this year with the additions of Dion Wiley and Jared Nickens as well as the returns of Dez Wells and Evan Smotrycz.
As far as improvements, Layman did a great job not letting his shooting affect the rest of his game, but his shooting needs to get more consistent. Another facet of his game that could use improving is his aggressiveness with the ball. He can handle the ball and could stand to drive to the basket to take advantage of his athleticism more often.
Layman should be a guy who could threaten an honorable mention All-Big Ten team nomination if everything goes his way next year. He certainly has the talent, he just needs the consistency.
Maryland basketball player season reviews
Basketball season review: Varun Ram
Season review: Seth Allen


Drew it old school style - using Paint!
I get that my style of communication is often more forward that not, especially for the more laid-back west coasters I live with over here. My own sibling often gives me feedback that my style is harsh for him to deal with sometimes - but it always comes back to intent. The people that I consider to be in my inner circle have built that trust up with me - I know that no matter how difficult or shocking something they may say is, without a doubt their intention is good and genuine. I have to assume that to begin with. My brother and I always clarify this with each other now as we've gotten better at communicating as "adults". I love my family and close friends - and I know they love me. I want to protect and take care of my family and close friends - and I know they want to protect and take care of me. It's interesting the kinds of variety of communication one can have when it comes to giving and receiving feedback - and the kinds of roles people prefer to play.
Giving Feedback: Everyone wants to play the role of the person giving the feedback. Unfortunately, usually that is a right that has to be earned with trust. Of course, even with a trusting relationship, there are better ways of giving feedback and not-so-great ones. I'd suggest spending a little time framing the feedback conversation before giving it.
Framing: is to set the mood, the stage, the tone for how the conversation will go.
Breathe and focus - Focus on the other person, the receiver of the feedback. Put them before yourself. Relay that intention.
Be open - Have self confidence to understand the entire story first before pressing in deep with the feedback.
Understand that feedback addresses actions of the person, not the person - Understand that there's a major difference between feedback and no-back/criticism. Feedback address the external factors of the issue: a person's actions, behaviors, or the lack of. Criticism/no-back talks about the person's character, personality, his or her values. When I say no-back, that means do not deliver this unless you are prepared for a big fat "no" thrown in your face. You're really not going to get much out of it - because no-backs are internal to a person and have to be self-initiated. [Also note: as the receiver, listen carefully to the intent and the the action that is being addressed - it's really not always personal].
Assume good intention from the person who's speaking. The feedback giver cares, that's why they are going out on the limb and sharing feedback with you. If they didn't care, in general, they wouldn't bother.
Be open - have the self confidence and security to assume good intention between you the receiver, and the feedback giver. In general, if it's family or a close friend, they aren't trying to make you feel bad and they aren't saying you are a bad person. Are they feeling hurt/confused/upset by your actions? What actions specifically? What actions can you take to address it? Why are they bringing the issue up?
Kick the ball back and forth - I think I first heard/saw this imagery when I listened to a talk by Dr. Gottman (who is amazing btw). It's exactly the way I'd picture a healthy dialogue to happen between two respectful people. I say, "I don't like waiting for more than 10 minutes." You say, "I really have trouble with keeping track of time". I say, "when people are late, I feel like they don't value my time." You say, "I value you. I should get a watch." I say, "What about using the timer/alarm clock on the cell phone more often?" You say, "Oh yea, good idea". I say, "Thanks for caring." ---> easy, breezy, pleasant kicking the "ball" back and forth. No character attacks. No self-deprecating implosion. No drama. It's okay to respond with clarifying questions: "why is that?", "why do you think that?", "what would you like to see happen?" DO NOT respond with, "I'm an awful person and you shouldn't bother waiting for me", "Fine, I don't value your time", "Fine, whatever, I don't care", "I shouldn't have bothered showing up", "Whatever, you're not always on time", "You're so perfect, I am garbage", ... Contempt and defensiveness = that's a lose-lose game always in the world of relationships.


Let me be absolutely, positively, crystal clear before I go any further: I loathe running. I hate it with a fiery revulsion typically witnessed only by four year-olds staring down a bowl full of peas, or Republicans confronted with a full case of "Yes We Can" bumper stickers.
To be fair, running doesn't much like me either. It usually results in a quivering, gasping Puddin, crimson-faced and dripping with sweat. At which point I turn around at the mailbox and go back inside the house to nurse the inevitable shin splints.
I don't look like this when I run (image via Wikimedia Commons).
It's pretty much always been this way too. In high school, during my brief 4-month football career, we had to be timed at both at runs of 40-yard and later 1-mile distances. If I recall correctly, at the theoretically peak of my physical fitness, I ran 5.9 second 40-yard dash and something ridiculous like a 12-minute mile.
Which is to say, odds are pretty darned good that those green, gloppy aliens from The Simpsons can run a faster mile than yours truly.
See? Running has never been my thing. Well, with the exception of a few instances during the kind of truly regrettable night a twenty-something might be familiar with, that is. I'd accidentally be a good half-dozen sheets to the wind at 10:30 on a Saturday night, and finding myself meaning to say, "puppy," which for some reason kept coming out "poughkipthee." On such occasions (lo, those many years ago), I was known to have a tendency to start running up and down streets in hopes a little physical activity would correct my diction. You know, because I really wanted to say "puppy." And not have the spins.
Barring those occasions, though, I've never liked running.
And yet, I've decided that come Hell or high water, I'm going to run a half marathon some time in the next 18 months.
I know what you're thinking: "Puddin, Why?" Or, more likely, "Sweet, temporary insanity, Man, that's crazy talk! What the H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS has gotten into you?
Well, the thing is that I'm coming up on 40. And if I know anything, I know that It won't be but the blink of an eye before I'm 50 and sending the kids off to college. After that…you know, like 3 days later…I'll be 60 and expecting grandkids or something. I'll probably want to be able to play with them, I reckon, without the inconvenience of getting winded by rolling myself out of my automatic lift chair.
Being young and irresponsible with one's physical fitness is one thing. A twenty year-old body can take a good bit of pounding and still recover. But at twice that age, that recovery part gets to be a little more illusive, especially when one's been treating his corporeal form more like an amusement park than an cherished temple for four decades.
Look, already, my knees whine at me daily, I've got a touch of plantar fasciitis that makes getting out of bed every morning a real treat, and I don't remember what it's like for my lower back not to be perpetually at least a little sore. Which all goes along pretty well with being a middle-aged guy with a largely sedentary career and a tendency to enjoy life with, um, consumables of questionable nutritive benefits.
You might recall that I wrote no less than three posts last week about M & M's, and I contribute weekly to a beer blog. See what I'm saying?
The long and short of it is that I really, really want to go into the older portion of my years like my father, who's in his 60s and is probably in better physical condition than I am at the moment. He'd argue that he's falling apart, of course, but the fool was running on a treadmill backwards last week, you know, to stave off boredom. Anybody else think they could pull that off today?
If I want to be something even resembling healthy later in life, or rather, if I want to look more like Jack Lalanne and less like Jabba the Hutt when I hit 60, the time to start making changes is the present. That's not, of course, to say that I'm swearing off either chocolate stouts or dark chocolate M & M's, which is why it's time to start getting a good deal more exercise.
And I can't think of a better way to get there than by getting my pudding out of the recliner and into a 5000-meter run. Which, you know sounds a lot more impressive when one's typical "run" starts with the word "beer".
Once I've accomplished that, then I'll figure out how to stretch that 3.1 miles to 13.1.
So, mark it down on your calendars, kids. Puddin's gonna run a half marathon by February 2014.
Your tips and suggestions are obviously welcome.
I could probably use some prayers too.
And maybe some new shoes. Can you run in steel tips?
The only comment this 65 year old has is, "you have chosen the right path grasshopper." Deny yourself nothing but limit the quantities….running ugh. Consider taking up Judo , I'm sure you look great in a bathrobe (can't spell ghee); and you have two sons to practice with. Perhaps they could act as Cato. Judo keeps you close and looks so cool in the movies….
Seriously, if you're set on this run….I have a workable exercise bike we no longer use and it would be ideal for those times you need to shape up for the run without going out in 100 degree temps with 90 per cent humidity. It's small enough to be moved easily…..just a thought.
BTW, the song "Running on Empty" is more or less my anthem. Often it's playing in my head to keep me moving…..Have you such a tune?
I have absolutely no doubt you can do it if you set your mind to it. I took up running a couple years ago to help me kick smoking. I've run a couple races (only 5 and 10ks), but I primarily do it to stay healthy and in shape.
My advice would be to start slow and don't push yourself too hard (but DO push yourself some!). I've fallen off some recently with the new baby and catching mono a couple months ago, but it was very rewarding to go from barely being able to finish three miles to running 10 miles at under an 8:00 pace. It was a long, long haul to get to that point, but once you're there, nothing feels better than finishing a nice, long run on a cool, sunny morning.
Not to mention, it makes you feel a little less guilty when you eat those M&Ms or have that second (or third) beer.
I have seen you do the drunk runs, they are impressive and amusing. Of course not as amusing as you on a trampoline in such a condition. I like your noble goal and I think you can do it. I have been around for such declarations in the past and I now "play" hockey with you so I know you have that sticktoittivness. I would love to join you on such an escapade but my doctor has forbid it. Thank God!!!. Just keep working. Even if you don't make the whole distance, if you make it past the mailbox you won. Also, I am looking forward to the victory party. We should brew something special for that.


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Listings are subject to change. Please call the venue in advance. To submit items to the calendar, go to newssunonline.com/community
Lake County Civil War Round Table: This event covers the most significant battlefield photographs of the Civil War, with speaker Lawrence Lee Hewitt, a native of Louisville, Ky. Mr. Hewitt explains why they deserved to be so regarded — images taken in action during the siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana and more. 7 p.m. Thursday, Grayslake Historical Society and Museum, 164 Hawley St., Grayslake, free
Libertyville Farmers Market: Now in its 36th year, the annual market features fresh produce, meat, bread and goods for sale, as well as special weekly events such as balloon sculpting, live music, juggling and magic. 7 a.m. Thursday, Downtown Libertyville, 100 E. Church St., Libertyville, free, 847-680-0336
Cycling 101: Are you new to the world of cycling? If so, Greg Balmes, owner of Deerfield Cyclery can get you started. Discuss the evolution of the bicycle, different models of bicycles and their applications, new technologies, what it means to be road-ready, what you need to be self-sufficient on rides, and the necessary apparel and accessories to take along. 7 p.m. Thursday, Libertyville High School, 708 W. Park Ave., Libertyville, $19, 847-247-4576
Make and Take Fall Floral Decorations: Come join Nell Rice, owner of Debbie's Floral in Mundelein, and make your own fun fall arrangement to take home after class. Please bring one pair of scissors for cutting ribbon and one pair of garden snippers for working with your flowers. The cost of all other supplies provided in class are included in the tuition. No discounts or vouchers are accepted. 7 p.m. Thursday, Debbie's Floral Shoppe, 421 N Lake St., Mundelein, $45, 847-247-4576
Adult Coloring: Coloring for adults is a popular way to reduce stress and relax. Coloring sheets and colored pencils will be provided to both children and adults, and there will be refreshments. 6 p.m. Thursday, North Chicago Public Library, 2100 Argonne Drive, North Chicago, free, 847-689-0125
Har Shalom's Shabbat Service: All are welcome to Har Shalom's weekly Shabbat Service each Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.Join our email list for details about monthly special Shabbat program for young families and other events. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Har Shalom at Lakeside, 1221 Lake Cook Road, Highland Park, free, 847-814-7456
Lake Bluff Farmers Market: The annual market features summer flowers, baked goods, fresh fruits, veggies and more for sale. 7 a.m. Friday, Village Green, 1 E. Scranton Ave., Lake Bluff, free, 847-234-0774
Lunch at the Foglia YMCA A Speakers Series: "Anxiety, Emotions and Happiness. Living Life to the Fullest" Dr. Shana Doronn, LCSW, PSY.D, shares her work in treating children, adolescents, and adults diagnosed with OCD and other anxiety disorders, as well as patients with chronic and terminal illnesses. She was a featured therapist on A&E's documentary "Obsessed." This is open to the community, the feeincludes a box lunch and child care as needed. 12:15 p.m. Friday, Foglia YMCA, 1025 Old McHenry Road, Lake Zurich, $15 per person, 847-438-5300
Terror at the Bay Haunted House: Dare to enter the crazy asylum that was once Barefoot Bay? Be prepared for a terrifying experience as you are haunted by the tormented souls and mad demons that inhibit the Bay in October. 7 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday, Barefoot Bay Family Aquatic Center, 1461 N Midlothian Road, Mundelein, $10, 847-566-8661
Art of Time Ensemble: Steven Page (founder and former lead singer of the iconic band Barenaked Ladies) joins an ensemble of singers including Andy Maize (Skydiggers) and Craig Northey (The Odds) in a reimagining of the Beatles' groundbreaking album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The singers and Art of Time's world class orchestra collaborate for an incredible night of music — with a couple of surprises to round out this historic performance. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan, $27.50-$55, 847-782-2366
The [in]VISIBLE Ones: Understanding the Spanish Galgo: "Yo Galgo," is a documentary film about the Spanish Galgo, probably the most mistreated breed of dog to date. Join us for a screening and Q&A with the filmmaker and help raise funds to transport Galgos safely to the U.S. for adoption. 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Ristorante Abruzzo, 483 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, $30
Deerfield Farmers Market: Shop for locally grown fruits and vegetables, plus flowers, potted plants, bread, cheese, maple syrup and honey. 7 a.m. Saturday, Deerfield Road and Robert York Ave., 860 Deerfield Road, Deerfield, free
Lake Forest Open Lands Native Tree Sale: Lake Forest Open Lands Association and the City of Lake Forest are partnering to offer a Native Tree Sale with10-12 native tree varieties to beoffered. A portion of the proceeds go to plant trees and re-green the community's open spaces. For more information or to pre-order,visit www.LFOLA.org. 8 a.m. Saturday, Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, free, 847-234-3880
Unplugged on the Lake: This event features singer-songwriters who write their own songs. Songwriters share the original songs as well as the stories and inspirations behind the song. This is a unique singer-songwriter acoustic showcase of amazing talent. 6 p.m. Saturday, Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, free
Pulsation Yoga Presents Intro to Yoga Series: For those who wish to delve deeper into their practice, or beginners who want to learn from the ground up. Preregistration is required. Noon Saturday, Pulsation Yoga, 729 W State Rte 22, Lake Zurich, $75, 847-989-7792
Shoreline Dance Club: Couples are invited to monthly dances on the third Saturday of each month fromSeptember-November and January-May. The suggestedattire is dressy/casual. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Lakeview Fitness Center, 700 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills, $25 per couple, 847-566-2177
Psychosis Haunted House: Experience Illinois' most interactive haunted house and help support The Buddy Foundation, Elgin's YWCA and more. 7 p.m. Sunday, 8 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday, Psychosis Haunted House, 882 Anita Ave., Antioch, $20-$27
PAWS Chicago's Annual Angels with Tails Highland Park: This Second Annual Angels with Tails Highland Park, is presented by the Petco Foundation and sponsored by Merrick Pet Care.This is an opportunity to stroll the sidewalks and experience the joy a pet can bring to your life. PAWS Chicago, the city's largest No Kill humane organization, along with several local shelter and rescue organizations, bring the faces of Chicagoland's homeless animals to the Highland Park community for a life-saving adoption event. noon Sunday, Petco, 1616 Deerfield Road, Highland Park, free
Fort Sheridan Historical Society Dinner: The new Fort Sheridan Historical Society is putting on its first fundraising dinner, "La Bella Italiana" at Ginger's restaurant. Guest speaker Mark Rooney, Lt. Col., Retired, gives a talk on the history of Fort Sheridan. Also anew video on the history of the Ft. Sheridan Water Tower is screened while all enjoy their Italian dinner. 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Ginger's of Highwood, 254 Green Bay Road, Highwood, $20 per adult; $10 per child, 847-433-4333
Loopy Ladies Rug Hooking Guild: Our guild is a group of women practicing the traditional art of rug hooking. We meet the third Sunday of every month. 12:30 p.m. Sunday, St. Lawrence Episcopal Church, 125 W. Church St., Libertyville, free, 847-331-3245
[Most read] Column: A Catholic pastor speaks out about Trump. Some parishioners walk out. »
Church Street Market: Join in for thefarmer's market, artisan craft sale, baked goods, holiday items, food from Grateful Bites and Pizzeria DeVille, drink from Karma Kombucha and live acoustic music. 11 a.m. Sunday, St. Lawrence Episcopal Church, 125 W. Church St., Libertyville, free, 847-362-2110
Phantom Sounds of the Season: The Round Lake Community Band performs a concert of seasonal music for fall/Halloween. Also performing will be the Big Band ensemble of the Round Lake Community Band. 2 p.m. Sunday, Robert W. Rolek Community Center, 814 Hart Road, Round Lake, free, 847-546-8558
Peppa Pig Live: Based on eOne's popular "Peppa Pig" television series, "Peppa Pig's Big Splash" is a fully immersive musical production featuring a dozen familiar and original songs, as well as a sing-a-long. 2 p.m. Sunday, Genesee Inn, 36 N. Genesee St., Waukegan, $35-$125, 847-336-0558
Pinball Expo: Hear from experts, enter contests, get a factory tour and more during this annual pinball celebration. 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Westin Chicago North Shore, 601 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, $30+
Haunted Houses (attractions)
Latest Lake County News-Sun
Drive-thru indoor facility opens at Lake County Fairgrounds for faster COVID-19 vaccinations
Northwestern Medicine Gurnee Outpatient Center opens; 'an easy-to-access alternative to waiting in an emergency room'


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Today's blog will be shorter than usual because the CopyCats are very busy at the moment with various things including some temporary work on newspaper archiving for the PoezieCentrum in Ghent. It was here that I overheard one of the workers saying that sales of poetry books accounted for something like 0.06% of the overall book sales in Flanders, Belgium. And Belgium is a country that is proud of its poetry and one that celebrates its poets and puts their work in very public places.
You might think Corso is just being a reactionary snob, purist or elitist, but he has a point. At the PoezieCentrum they are unsure about whether or not to consider Dutch 'kleinkunst' music as poetry, and rap presents a similar problem (and we all remember what Seamus Heaney had to say about rap).
Why do people not want to support poetry but still want to be associated with it? Corso's explanation is a bit superstitious and mystical and I'm not sure I believe him. There is something to do with poetry's presumed closeness to 'truth' – that even if it is fictional and based on artifice, it is supposed to get close to some form of emotional or existential truth. Is that the reason? It seems that if you do something creative very well, then you run the risk of being dubbed a poet. This reminds me of Norman MacCaig saying that a good chair-maker was as much of a poet as he, because they both made something that wasn't there before.
Is it that we live in an interdisciplinary age? That academic departments are all being merged and encouraged to straddle different disciplines – is that why a footballer can be called a poet? No, I don't think it's that.
I went to see the film Manchester by the Sea recently and loved it. I heard people describe it as 'poetic'. The film is filled with death, drama, suffering, some redemption and an ambiguously unresolved ending – is that what most poems are all about as well? I suppose they are… but that's still not it.
I'm afraid my explanation is a rather dull one. I think the reason why poet/poetry/poetic have become hot property in the language is based on marketing and economics. Using 'poetic' as an adjective to apply to something other than poetry is a lazy, shorthand way of describing something (that is perhaps difficult to describe). I think it's a word much exploited by marketing people to sell a product. Poetry generally cannot by bought at any price – it is above money, even though most poets are skint – but that does not prevent cynical people from misappropriating the word in order to package a product in a tempting or attractive way. Take for instance the word 'epic' – incidentally originally a word used to describe a long poem with fighting / war in it – what does that word mean nowadays? And how many times have you heard a new film described as 'epic' or an experience that you have to pay for (such as a holiday)?
The counter argument would be that people might use these words privately to describe private things and private experiences (where no selling or money is involved), but I'd maintain that they heard these words first in a marketing context and then they slipped into general, colloquial (automatic – how many times do you use 'literally' in speech without thinking?) language and usage. One grey area is when poetry is used explicitly to sell something – such as a poem for a bank advertising campaign. This certainly blurs things, but like many poems written (under duress? on sufferance? for money?) for an occasion, the poem does not quite ring true and strays far from that idea of emotive truth within the artifice of poetry. I might listen to such a poem and not think of the word 'poetic' but 'economic' first.