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The Degree of Charity Required for an Ecologically Healthy Society
by Samuel Shephard February 17, 2022
The metal Iridium is extremely rare in the crust of the Earth, but abundant in comets and asteroids. Scientists have found that a thin layer of this element was deposited across the globe about 66 million years ago. It is thought that this geological signal records the impact of a vast asteroid that left a crater spanning 112 miles of the Mexican Yucatán Peninsula. The collision ejected enormous volumes of material into the atmosphere, initiating an impact winter that is likely to have changed the global climate for centuries. This brief period in the Earth's history marks the massive Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) extinction event in which the large dinosaurs and about three-quarters of known animal and plant species abruptly disappeared from the fossil record.
In 2015, the leading scientific journal Nature published a landmark paper by scientists from Stanford, Princeton, and other prestigious universities. This study explored the emerging idea that Earth is now entering another mass extinction event. The analysis concluded that the number of species becoming extinct in the last century should typically have taken, depending on the vertebrate taxon, between 800 and 10,000 years to disappear. In other words, human activity is currently driving species loss at a rate many times greater than in the long-term geological record, and closer to dramatic events like the K-T extinction.
The idea of mass extinction has provided the tag line for a loose coalition of environmental campaigners oriented around a group called "Extinction Rebellion" or "XR." XR describes itself as an international "non-violent civil disobedience activist movement," and is principally concerned with climate change. The movement hopes to illicit a global sense of urgency on this issue, and uses the symbol of a circled hourglass to warn that time may be running out for many species.
The activists of XR have participated in an ongoing series of protests in major cities. This "Mass Resistance" mostly involves peaceful roadblocks, but extends to so-called "escalation strategies" such as breaking windows. These actions have met strongly contrasting responses; wide fashionable approval (especially on social media) has been offset by the anger of delayed commuters and frustrated businesses on the ground. The Metropolitan Police in London briefly initiated a ban against XR gatherings on the basis that they caused unacceptable disruption to the life of the community. This ban was subsequently ruled unlawful, but not before hundreds of arrests occurred as activists continued their public protest.
The early focus of XR was on encouraging governments to implement radical pro-climate legislation, built around the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. This approach reveals something about the political perspective of the leadership, and how they (at least initially) viewed responsibility for both inducing and solving the problem of anthropogenic climate change. Teenage activists, including the now-iconic Greta Thunberg, tend to place both blame and power in the hands of the establishment. XR claimed in 2020 that "our leaders are failing in their duty to act on our behalf." The apparent conclusion was that effective change in climate-related behavior must be externally imposed and legally enforced.
The leaders of XR did not define exactly how governments should fulfil such extremely onerous environmental demands. Their model comprised strong actions by central government, mediated through a citizen's assembly which could leverage "the common sense of citizens." The weight of scientific evidence for rapid and potentially catastrophic climate change is compelling. In theory, such assemblies would react by recommending appropriately radical action—what XR leaders call a "miraculous" response. Citizen's assemblies remain at the heart of XR strategy, but it is unclear whether such loosely democratic collectives can or will make the desired choices. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2025 would require almost complete cessation of "recreational" (e.g., vacation) flights and the rapid development of vast new areas of renewable energy generation (solar and wind farms). The likely trade-offs are obvious: "my foreign holiday vs. reduced emissions," or "my countryside panorama vs. renewable energy." This awkwardly ascetic reality will impose on any citizen's assembly a highly personal carbon dilemma, which has potential to parse and weigh the philosophical drivers of XR-style activism. This tension was exemplified in 2020, when celebrity XR supporters admitted in an open letter to being "hypocrites" over their own high-carbon lifestyles.
Climate politics have moved rapidly over the last two years, driven partly by top-down cultural forcing associated with COVID-19. The 2022 strategy of XR in the UK now reveals explicit opposition to concentration of power in "markets, corporations or the state" and a new emphasis on public participation in governance. This "love and rage" shift is perceptive, in that it comprises a call to personal responsibility as well as the rejection of elite hypocrisy. Successful environmental policy change is grounded in personal decision making, because repeated choices on individual resource use and consumption cumulatively drive large-scale outcomes. Substantive social change may occur when new altruistic behaviors are activated through a sense of moral obligation and normalized as part of individual and group identity. This is a predominately bottom-up process.
The activists of XR certainly desire sweeping change. They "imagine a world where love, care, freedom and justice are truly centered." The challenging (and clearly perennial) question is how to realize such as vision? The personal motivations and moralities underlying secular environmentalism are not often rigorously articulated. A senior offshoot of XR calls itself "Extinction Rebellion Grandparents," and has slogans such as "We are rebelling to save our children." This perspective has much in common with the teenage theme that the CO2 emissions status quo will ultimately deny today's youth their legitimate future. In both cases, the ultimate concern is effectively utilitarian. In other words, the Earth provides some set of goods and services that should be exploited in accordance with the concept of sustainable use, i.e., to meet our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
In contrast to this apparently pragmatic approach, there is a spectrum of philosophic frames that tend progressively towards the esoteric. The vegan movement radically anthropomorphizes animals, at least for advertising purposes. In this mode, dairy farming has been condemned because it separates young cows from their mother (cattle are people too). Such mutualist values have been invoked to grant certain animals or even habitats (for example a river in New Zealand) the status of legal "personhood" or "dignity" that is susceptible to human interference. There is also a strong neo-pagan strand in western environmentalism, in which the Earth is seen to have an explicitly divine dimension. This phenomenon differs from authentic indigenous practice in being a complex of "rediscovered" (and largely fabricated) pre-Christian ideas. Fora such as the "Pagan Earth Alliance" comprise a diverse list of parties, including "Witches, Wiccans, Druids, Shamans, Goddess Worshipers, Pantheists, and Animists." This constituency consider the Earth to have some inherent and transcendent value that extends beyond sustainable use, and which is being desecrated by overexploitation and pollution.
There may be considerable underlying (and perhaps unconscious) commonality between the broad sustainable use and pagan perspectives. Perhaps few secular activists would state their biodiversity motives in strictly utilitarian terms, even if they were reluctant to elucidate their suspicion that the Earth seems to be more than just the sum of its resources. This is an inevitable paradox of de facto atheism, in which the subject has no convincing framework to explain their own spiritual and nurturing response to the persistent wonder of creation. The pagan community are in an easier psychological position, phrasing an amorphous spirituality in largely flexible terms. They may even contrive an explicit rubric for justifying some right to derive physical goods (apparently including "eco-ritual bath products") from their spiritualized planet. Such implicit overlap becomes evident in its "fruits," here in proposed strategic responses to climate change and to other environmental problems.
The philosophical contradictions between these two parties could ultimately converge in similar management outcomes. Pagans may fail in practical implementation of climate change mitigation because their world view is largely subjective, i.e., focused on individual self-realization rather than responding to objective truth. Pagan Earth Alliance claim to be a movement that "exists in the heart of every Pagan and Nature-centric spiritualist: A visceral desire to save the Earth." This "visceral" but nebulous framework results inevitably in problems with integrating such tenuous faith with reason, especially when reason is expressed through definitively anti-esoteric science and the hard end of western technology. More seriously, the pagan construct tends to render humanity as indistinguishable from other creatures: "you and your Pagan gatherings can live and practice with and for the Earth." Christianity realizes that humans are both integral to ecology, and set apart. This understanding differs from the pagan subservience to mythic demigods which can explain vocal concern about desecration of nature, but does not naturally impart the mode of personal and weighty responsibility for creation that may be necessary to invoke behavioral change.
Different mechanisms impose vulnerability on utilitarian actors in the environmental forum. When nature is defined as a common pool of resources, then a tragedy of the commons can emerge in which some players maximize personal gain by taking or wasting more than their share. The climate change version of this game is exemplified by the celebrity XR supporters mentioned above. They implement a winning strategy by nobly admitting to a disproportionate ecological footprint, while simultaneously inciting others to endure a parsimonious low-carbon lifestyle. The obvious difficulty is that immediate goods, e.g., an overseas vacation, must be directly traded against the more abstract good of future climate stability. The utilitarian mindset emphasizes fear—my resources may be compromised by climate change (or by you)—but establishes a bartering platform in which altruism is easier (and more profitable) to fake than achieve.
The classic example of convergence between utilitarian and pagan environmental philosophies is the tendency towards human exclusionism. This zero-sum logic concludes that the problem of anthropogenic impacts on nature can be simply resolved by removing humans. Some associated policy proposals are uncomfortably ironic. There are on-going suggestions by western politicians that climate change can be mitigated by population control in sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, pre-COVID data from the World Bank indicate that annual per capita carbon emissions in the USA are around 16.5 metric tonnes, while the figure for South Sudan is 0.1t. In other words, the carbon footprint of one North American equates to that of about 165 South Sudanese. This imbalance aptly expresses the goods trading (and blame-gaming) that characterizes utilitarian environmentalism, especially on a global playing field.
So much for sustainable use and soy-based pagans. Importantly, there is a third group in the XR mix, comprised of members of the major world faiths and including a strong Christian component. This group seems to have a different approach to climate action: "we are not coming to ask for change, we here to claim change; we are here to be the change." They explicitly propose personal responsibility as "stewards of this beautiful Earth." This rhetoric reflects the broad aspirations of secular XR, who cry out for "moral leadership" and "real democracy," but it has a fundamentally different foundation. Christian stewardship is derived from the Genesis mandate for humanity to have "dominion . . . over all the earth." It is an error to interpret such dominion as a carte blanche for domination or tyranny. The Garden of Eden expresses God's plan for the dynamic between humanity and the natural world: Adam's just dominion combines loving nurture of lower creatures with joyful submission to the Father above.
Biblical commentators have extensively unpacked this coherent hierarchical model for right relationship between creator, man and nature. The Genesis narrative affirms repeatedly that God saw his creation to be good, but ultimately that humanity is "very good." God made man in his image and likeness, thus "Human beings are someone, not something" (Pope Francis in Laudato Si). We are distinguished from the rest of material creation by "intellect, love and freedom." In turn, "Creation has more meaning than nature, for it has to do with God's loving plan in which every creature has its own meaning and significance" (Cardinal Ratzinger in Communion and Stewardship). Christianity thus surpasses the utilitarian view that nature is effectively a finite pool of resources, by recognizing that Creation has a sacramental dimension. However, by separating Creator and creation, the earth is simultaneously de-mythologized, which "emphasizes all the more our responsibility" (Laudato Si). Instead of consuming or worshipping nature, humanity can "participate in the divine governance of creation" (Communion and Stewardship).
Christian stewardship thus offers a robust response to the complexity of current ecological crises by proposing the image of the wise and loving servant king. This intellectual and spiritual framework can succeed where the movements of secular environmentalism have proved inadequate. Two dimensions of stewardship underpin this hope: personal responsibility and divine accountability. The subservience of paganism works against the necessity to assume a legitimate lordship of creation. Man has been divinely granted an awesome responsibility that operates at individual and corporate level; each of us has been appointed to a leadership consistent with the abundance of our God-given talents.
This mandate is also in radical contrast to the utilitarian balance between personal and societal goods relying on a moral feeling that cannot emerge from the system itself, and which may be insufficient for the degree of charity that is required for an ecologically healthy society. Critically, the hierarchy of human authority is then ultimately accountable to God. We are going to be judged on whether our stewardship was that that of a "good and faithful servant" who multiplies his talents in honest service to his master.
This biblical framework founds environmental stewardship firmly in the development of virtues, i.e., good habits oriented towards happiness and human flourishing. Individual pro-environmental behaviors—virtues stimulated by an "ecological conscience"—are the appropriate response to awareness of both anthropogenic impacts on nature and our divinely appointed responsibility (and capacity) to mediate the situation. If we adopt virtue as our stewardship mode, we can shepherd nature as it "groans in the pain of childbirth." Importantly, the requirement for virtue and the inevitability of sin reaffirms our dependence on the Creator. Only conversion to Christ, the way, the truth and the life, can derive sense and success from the good intentions of environmentalism. Achieving the Christian dynamic of responsibility and accountability demands daily prudence and self-control that is informed by a pressing but hopeful eschatology.
So now we are faithful and virtuous, what next? It is a practical requirement of successful stewardship that we comprehend the rhythms of the earthly garden that we have been asked to tend. The Adamic labor of naming the animals was a call for him to know them and to understand their place in God's creation. This call to fuller understanding endures, and the appropriate tool for investigating the material world is the scientific method. Science reveals that the universe is rational and intelligible, pointing towards an underlying creative mind.
Scientific research imparts the technical knowledge that is required to correctly inform our calling to "lead all creatures back to their Creator" (Laudato Si). Humans now intervene in nature at a massive scale via industrial fisheries, forestry, and agriculture. These activities are often justified, as we legitimately derive sustenance from the Earth, but they demand careful and intelligent management. We must predict and comprehend how our actions will propagate through the ecosystems that we use. The need for scientific comprehension of the world thus follows logically from a stewardship that is implemented through the mandate for wise and loving dominion. Developing this reasoned technical capacity, at the service of Christian stewardship, is the correct realm of science.
Here emerge some political implications. To propose and uphold Christian stewardship in the public square, we need to maintain intellectual credibility in the realm of science. It is unfortunate that much social discourse in the US has declined towards intractable polemics. Part of the problem is a straightforward a priori rejection of the other; not just their ideas, but their entire personal or intellectual space. This rejection is expressed on the political left by unwillingness to consider inconvenient research on the development and learning of the unborn child, or to criticize the marked lack of objective scientific evidence for gender ideology. Unfortunately, there is also a growing conservative denial of science, initially concerning evolutionary theory but extending latterly to climate change research.
Abstention from science is a retreat from reason that will be counter-productive, partly because it impairs Christian credibility in the ecological debate. In the familiar words of St. John Paul II, "Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth." Reason, and its expression in natural science, is a tool that belongs to Christendom and that we cannot concede to secular environmentalism. Christianity that accepts, understands and leads in the field of science is an irrepressible force for tackling global environmental challenges as it credibly proposes Christ as the ultimate solution. Faithful, dogmatically orthodox Christians can use prestige in the professional apostolate of science as what St. José Maria Escriva called their "bait" as fishers of men. This is part of how failing secular environmentalism and confused esotericism can be converted to Christ.
On this theme, credible participation in the public sphere also allows Christians to help shape broad-scale narratives around culture and politics. Current trends in marriage and family make it easy to see how little social influence is imparted by so-called rational debate relative to accessible and compelling fairy tales. If we want to write futures that diverge from the metaverse or the World Economic Forum, we need to have a visible presence and a powerful voice. Thankfully, we already have a narrative. In fact, it is the greatest story ever told. We must also have faith: if the Church is right on family and social policy, she is also right on stewardship of nature!
Scientific fluency thus provides Christians with credibility in social discourse. It also provides the appropriate theoretical framework for evaluating the concerns driving (predominately left-wing) eco-activism. We need not agree with the climate solutions proposed by groups like XR, but we must fairly evaluate the research on which they base their calls for climate emergency on the planet for which we claim divinely endowed responsibility. Summary conclusions can be derived from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which assesses the science related to climate change. Thousands of international scientists volunteer their time to assess the numerous research papers published each year, and to provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks. Many Christians are justifiably angered by the UN for using human rights committees to advance family and population policies that are contrary to the dignity of human life. However, the IPCC differs substantially from these internal committees in being a much more neutral forum for independent scientists working across countless institutions and scientific disciplines.
Physicist John Tyndall recognized in the 1860s that the Earth experiences a natural greenhouse effect, and suggested that slight changes in atmospheric composition could induce climatic variations. The IPCC now estimates with high confidence that human activity has caused about 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels. Continued warming at the current rate is likely to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2050. It is tempting to hope that these temperature shifts are simply part of natural climate cycles. Indeed, a cycle of warming and cooling is evident over the millennia, with the most recent little ice age following a medieval warm period. However, the anthropogenic effect is imposed on such background climate dynamics. Scientists can use polar ice cores to place the rapid 1.0°C shift within the context of very long-term change in the global climate. Successive years of snowfall become compressed in the polar ice caps, trapping bubbles of CO2 as well as dust, ash, pollen and trace elements. These ancient air pockets provide samples of what the atmosphere was like when that layer of ice formed. Ices core samples provide a time-series back to about 800,000 years ago, and show a long-term atmospheric CO2 profile about half the present level.
Likely environmental effects of climate warming can be predicted from empirical outcomes in countless study ecosystems. In the probable 1.5°C scenario, biophysical impacts will include accelerated land degradation and desertification, and consequent food insecurity. The U.S. EPA reports that higher CO2 levels may temporarily increase plant growth, but that other factors such as changing temperatures, ozone, and water and nutrient constraints can counteract potential increases in yield. University of Washington scientists published a 2019 paper in the journal Lancet Planetary Health that showed how elevated CO2 worsens the nutritional quality of food crops by decreasing protein and mineral concentrations. A warming climate will push many marine species to higher latitudes, with reduced productivity in fisheries and aquaculture. Numerous studies across global food systems from tropical to polar environments, show similar serious results. Each of these impacts will be strongly exacerbated if anthropogenic carbon emissions drive warming above 1.5°C.
China is currently the largest carbon dioxide emitter, but most of the observed historical increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has been driven by western nations, especially Europe and the USA. A compelling injustice is that the human populations at disproportionately higher risk of adverse climate consequences tend to be in the developing world. It is disadvantaged and vulnerable societies, some indigenous peoples, and local communities dependent on agricultural or coastal resources who will suffer earliest and most severely.
These conclusions impose pressing concerns for Christians who take seriously the idea of biblical stewardship. It is possible to find reasons to deny the science: the global climate system is definitively complex, and modeled ecological projections rapidly accumulate statistical uncertainty as they integrate numerous parameters. However, the evidence for anthropogenic climate forcing is broad and conclusive. Importantly, for Christians who are suspicious of political motivation in climate science, the ecological pressures and solutions involved in climate mitigation are closely tied to much more tangible aspects of our stewardship responsibilities.
The IPCC confidently identify five options that have large potential for mitigating climate change, without adverse impacts on the other familiar social-ecological challenges. These options are increased food productivity, reduced deforestation and degradation, increased soil organic carbon content, fire management, and reduced post-harvest losses. The significance here is that each relates to ecological concerns which are all too familiar across the globe, which disproportionately affect the poor, and which are easy to relate directly to our failure to justly tend God's creation.
Uncounted Christian missionary projects have improved the lives of the poor through practical sustainability interventions in the developing world. It remains useful to consider the five broad IPCC options in the context of Christian duty and evangelization. For example, reducing deforestation allows trees to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide, but also provides food security to vulnerable rural societies. Small-scale tree planting projects in Africa accumulate soil, produce animal fodder and fuel, and yield income for subsistence farmers. Additional trees stabilize and fertilize the soil, increasing its ability to sequester carbon. Soil improvement is further enhanced by projects focused on optimizing fertilizer use, including the reuse of manure. Within the realms of subsistence agriculture, there are now exciting initiatives in micro-scale solar irrigation. These tools improve farming infrastructure and water use in rural Asia and provide incidental cash income, while decommissioning many thousands of inefficient diesel pumps. Numerous similar interventions connect very local welfare of the poor to global-scale climate mitigation.
There is appeal in such ground-up entrepreneurial enterprises that enhance local communities while driving environmental sustainability. Perhaps this is an opportunity for fiscally conservative Christians to help establish local economies with genuine trickle-down benefits. It certainly seems preferable to support autonomous environmentally sensitive food and energy projects than to perpetuate a centralized aid culture which frequently imposes western ideologies of sexuality and family. The point is that truly Christian social-ecological partnerships from village to international scales will emanate into reduced carbon dioxide emissions, even if the climate debate is not explicitly invoked.
The activists of XR are reacting to very real environmental issues with a set of philosophical assumptions that are largely inadequate. Nonetheless, well-publicized rebellion and certain positive outcomes of secular environmentalism are currently defining public perception of how we should respond to ecological crises. This situation is partly because of the fundamentalist retreat from science and an unwillingness to accept and engage with the good work of political opponents. It may also reflect loss of public confidence among ecologically aware Christians that Christ is also the Way in questions of environmental stewardship. Many believers already implement personal stewardship behaviors to act in concert with God's plan for creation. There is an imperative here to participate in ecological discussions and solutions in a way that tests and converts secular efforts and actively proposes the Christian option. We have the responsibility, the fullness of faith and reason, and the eschatological motivation to succeed where others cannot.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The author would like to note that this article was informed by discussions with Dr. Thomas Black (University of Nottingham), Dr Jason Baxter (Wyoming Catholic College) and Anna Shephard.
Featured Image: Extinction Rebellion Sverige, Greta Thunberg participating in an Extinction Rebellion event in Stockholm, CC BY 2.0.
Posted in Science and Religion
Samuel Shephard
Samuel Shephard is an ecologist and Catholic convert who has published numerous international peer-reviewed scientific articles. Samuel is currently Senior Researcher at an environmental State Agency in Ireland.
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Long before the internet was a public resource, people connected their computers together in ad hoc networks in order to access bulletin board systems (BBS). Today, a website hosting similar content would be known as a forum.
bbPress (the name is a portmanteau of bulletin board + WordPress) is a piece of open source free software that can be used to add a forum to a WordPress website. Perhaps the best way to think of a forum is that it is entirely made of comments rather than posts (articles) written by one author (or a small number of authors) that then generate comments. In a forum, the content is entirely provided by visitors and administrators leaving comments.
bbPress is a plugin, making it very easy to install and administer. bbPress also allows you to customize the template and comes built-in with spam prevention tools. bbPress can also be connected to multiple websites.
bbPress was created in 2004 to replace an older, similar piece of software called miniBB. bbPress is a great addition for any WordPress website that has an active community and wants to encourage further discussion. Once activated and installed, the easiest way to alert users that you now have a bbPress-powered forum is by including a link to it in your main menu.
bbPress is designed to be very user-friendly and easy to use. bbPress is an official WordPress product, so it works in a very similar way and is completely compatible with WordPress. bbPress can also be tailored in order to match your WordPress website's theme.
Note: As you might expect with a piece of software to host forums, bbPress has its own forum, a great resource for any concerns or problems that you might have with bbPress.


• Uses the conductive properties of micro-diamond technology to help move heat away from your body to help maintain an ideal sleeping temperature** ** In a laboratory test measuring dynamic thermal conductivity.
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The wonderful rambling Lingmoor Fell, bisecting the Great Langdale and Little Langdale valleys covered in crags, heather and bracken clad slopes is a stunning viewpoint over the higher fells on either side.
To the north the view over the rugged Crinkles, Bowfell and Langdale Pikes are impressive and to the south Wetherlam makes another great backdrop.
The views east towards Windermere are also of merit, the low rolling wooded countryside rolls down to the shores of Windermere.
From Blea Tarn we will descend slightly to meet the track traversing the southern slopes of Lingmoor Fell, above Little Langdale. The path traverses with fine views over Little Langdale until it meets an old mine track, climbing the southern slopes of the fell in broad zig-zags to reach the main ridge.
An interesting climb along the ridge, around many long disused quarry workings with stunning views to the south throughout until the path reaches the summit of Lingmoor Fell.
Upon reaching the summit the view to the north is dramatically revealed with breathtaking views over the Langdale Pikes and across to the Crinkle Crags and Bowfell.
From the summit of Lingmoor Fell we will descend to the north to Lingmoor Tarn, a beautiful tarn nestled into the northern slopes of Lingmoor Fell.
A good path leads from Lingmoor Tarn west too rejoin the ridge as it descends to Side Pike, a rocky outcrop of rock where at first no obvious route to the summit will be seen, but with a little ingenuity a good path will be shown.
A short descent from Side Pike and we will be at Blea Tarn, Wordsworth's Solitary Abode, is a short distance away, and we will follow the path around the western shores of the tarn returning to our start point.
From Ambleside: Leave on the A593, signposted to Langdale and Coniston, follow this road until the junction at Skelwith Bridge, turn here, signposted to Chapel Stile and Langdale. Follow this road through the village of Chapel Stile and continue past the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel when the road bends to the left and climbs the hill continue to top of hill, over Cattle Grid, pass the house until National Trust car park is seen on the left, we will meet here. Please note that the car park is Pay and Display (£6 in 2010).
Blea Tarn is not on a bus route, the nearest bus stop is the Old Dungeon Ghyll which is serviced by the 516 bus route, the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel is 2.3km away.


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It was time, probably even past time, for Tom Brady and the Patriots to go their separate ways.That doesn't mean Brady's departure will be easy to...
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MANCHESTER – The Concord High boys' hockey team hasn't been to the Division I championship since 2017 – when captain Matt Hauschild was a freshman...
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Her team took an eight-point lead in the first minutes of Wednesday's Division II girls' basketball semifinals, but it didn't feel right to Bishop...
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We were called in by Simeral Construction to build some custom trusses from hemlock beams taken out of a barn on the property of a house they were constructing. After several weeks of shop time, we delivered these pre-finished trusses to the site where they were installed by some very brave men. Each truss weighed in at close to 1000 pounds. True mortise and tenon joinery with pegs complete the look. A fun project, and the pinnacle of our 2015 summer for sure.


Avoid crowded places – Woooooaahhh, stop the presses!! Airports, hotels and convention centers are once again in our very near future, because of the work we are privileged to do, thanks to our publisher and dear friend, Jeff Jones and the entire Solution Tree family.
Since the publication of the first Professional Learning Communities at Work TM book in 1998 by Rick DuFour and his best buddy, Bob Eaker, Solution Tree has hosted events to support and promote the PLC process. I was honored to join Rick (in more ways than one) and Bob in 2002, and today we are joined by an international team of almost 100 associates who have lead the PLC process in their own schools and districts. We have all been truly amazed by how educators across the world have brought the PLC process to life in a variety of settings and cultures. And yet, there's so much more work to be done!
In addition to the ongoing training and events that Solution Tree and our PLC team provide, we have a big dream that involves Rick's latest book, In Praise of American Educators: and how they can become even better. You may recall that Solution Tree is generously donating one dollar from every copy sold to StandUp2Cancer. Rick and I are big supporters of the organization, "a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now." One of the things that impresses us most about this organization is that it creates interdisciplinary "Dream Teams" of doctors and scientists from around the world to collaborate on better ways to fight, and ultimately cure, this dreaded disease.
Our dream, along with that of our "PLC Dream Team," is to get the ideas in Rick's new book into the minds of policymakers at every level – educators, parents, Boards of Education, union leaders, and state and national legislatures – so that students and adults alike will have greater opportunities to grow and learn at high levels.
This is where we need your help. If you've read In Praise… and have not yet written a review, please do so here.
Many of you have asked, "What can we do for you?" So this is it: Help us fight cancer and transform schools for the sake of current generations and those yet to come.
Keep on keepin' on Rick! Educators stand strong behind you and your selfless efforts to ensure all students' lives matter!
Many educators have been touched and inspired by your work in education. And will forever be changed!
We admire your courage! Godspeed!


Cranky Fitness: Happy December 25th!
It's a religious holiday, at least for those of you who do the religion thing. And it's a lovely chance to hang with family and/or friends, eat gargantuan meals, and enjoy festive gatherings where everyday worries and concerns are set aside in a spirit of joy and peace.
(Or heck, it could be a time to trade sarcastic digs and bicker about petty resentments and keep grousing and sniping until finally the day ends with regrettable insults and sobbing and hurled objects and door slamming. If that's how you and your loved ones like to roll on a holiday, yikes, sorry! Some of us got a bit luckier in the family department).
Did any of you happen to receive an ebook reader or a gift certificate for Amazon or some cash or otherwise find yourself with a desire to check out new reading material?
Well, here are a few blogger-friendly ideas if you're looking for some!
For those of you who haven't already bought it, Carla at Mizfit has a brand new ebook out, hooray! Lots of great advice and common sense and fun, as you would expect from one of the world's most inspirational fitness bloggers.
And yeah, sorry, I couldn't make the pictures clickable, so here is a link to the very cool MizFit ebook.
And there's some great news for you Primal/Paleo folks: the awesome Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier of Mark's Daily Apple has a new Primal Blueprint book out, and this one definitely looks fun: Primal Blueprint Healthy Sauces, Dressings, and Toppings. The recipes use no gluten, grains, legumes, added sugar, or trans or polyunsaturated oils.
Another intriguing title is Karen C. L. Anderson's book, After (the Before and After).
It's a chronicle of her journey of "weight loss, weight gain, and weightlessness through total acceptance." Check out this link at her website to get more info and buy her book about self-acceptance and weight loss. Self-acceptance seems in awfully short supply among women with concerns about their weight, so let's bring on a little more of it!
And rumor has it some other fitness and weight loss bloggers have books coming out too, so I'll be sure to keep you posted.
Despite the many complaints I have about the holidays, it's hard not to be at least a little warmed and cheered by the notion that many families and friends and even strangers are taking a few moments today to try to be generous, forgiving, loving, and grateful.
And I'm feeling particularly grateful for all the wonderful people who I've met through this silly blog! May you all have a wonderful December 25th, and may there be peace on earth, at least for a few freakin' hours.
Hope you are safe, happy, warm, hopeful, and full of love and joy today! Merry Christmas and/or Happy December 25th!
Crabby, Merry Christmas. All the very best of the season to you and yours.
Thank you, and hope you have a wonderful Christmas Leah!!!
Merry Christmas to all at Cranky Fitness! I'm on lunch after a surprisingly peaceful, not too messy morning at the kennel, and after the afternoon work I get to see my Best Friend the Doctor, who managed to come to Kentucky for the day, before heading back to her patients tomorrow. In the snow. Tomorrow I shall celebrate mightily, for I have A Day Off.
Sounds like a wonderful day Mary Anne, and three cheers for a day off tomorrow! Thanks so much for stopping by on your lunch hour!
Aw, you are so sweet Jody--and hope you are having a wonderful December 25th!
Bob Ben, I may be a tad jealous, but am very happy for you! Hope you have an awesome cruise, it sounds like a lovely adventure. Happy holiday!
Merry Christmas, to you!!! I hope you had a great time with family (and got a few great presents as an added perk!!!).
I've been having a wonderful time, have gotten some great presents, and there is still more good stuff coming after this brief internet break. Hope your Christmas is great too!
Or Happy Isaac Newton's Birthday -- roll with what you love.
Hope whatever you celebrate, it's with joy and peace.
I hope that you, the Lobster and your family had a wonderful Christmas, Crabby.
Thank you Hilary, and I hope your Kwanzachristmakah was wonderful as well!
Safe travels and hope the move is miraculously stress free!
I went out looking at all the house lights and watched my favorite Christmas movie, "Miracle on 34th Street."
Merry Happy to you too Dr. J! But must have been tough stuffing all those reindeer somewhere in that small plane!
Thanks Sherri, and have a great New Year's!
We did, Reb! And hope yours was lovely as well.
I am soooo behind on blog reading...and that is why I haven't said THANK YOU!!! for mentioning my book here!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!


Snap out of it! With all due respect you are an upstart. You are impatient, a know-it-all, quick to anger, often lacking in critical judgement before rushing in with your loud-mouthed arguments, often embryonic to the point of uselessness.
You are severely lacking in social skills, and you are of the opinion – of course you are! – that it is everyone else who is wrong, and not you. Not poor, sweet, kind, innocent you.
You feel as though your peers are beneath you, and there are tiny salient threads of truth to these thoughts, but as you will find out in time, it is this superiority complex that is your greatest downfall when it comes to making friends. The people you share classrooms with, these Alien, spectral figures who leave you be for the most part, these things that seem to vanish altogether the moment you leave the classroom only to magically reappear, coalesce in to their belligerent, disruptive, corporeal forms again at the start of every school day; they could be of such infinite value to you if you only start treating them as equals. Give it some thought, will you?
I have little else to say on social matters – what is there to discuss? I have only one more point to make, and it is this – in a week, your (own?) parents will move you from your fancy private all boys school, to the sixth form down the road. I remember well the anxiety of these transitional months; the horror stories you will conjour up of falling foul of some illegitimate gang of youths and winding up in a gutter somewhere. Let me tell you now, not to worry. It will be the sudden cultural displacement that will ultimately lead to many a miniature epiphany on your part. Without wishing to spoil the journey for you too much, you'll learn that people will almost always respect you if you respect them. You'll learn that people who over the years you've shunned for being on some lower spiritual plane than you were actually people you could have been great friends with (and you'll realise how awful it was of you to even think like that). You'll learn about girls. You'll learn that they aren't looking for some mythical 'nice guy', and you'll realise that they just want to be treated like (gasp!) ordinary people. You'll learn about boys, too. You'll start meeting ones you like, and as time goes on, you'll meet people who like you back. You'll have girlfriends. You'll grow into a much kinder, more considerate person, made all the better by another in what will be a never-ending stream of epiphanies – the realisation that you will always be inconsiderate by nature, and being a decent person is a constant struggle. Right now, you wish you could immerse yourself in the adult world, because you feel you are ready to take your place there. Know this – the more you learn about yourself, the more you'll realise that your path to adulthood is only just beginning, and you know what? I still don't know when it's going to end.
This entry was posted in Readers' Letters and tagged 16, Dear Me, diary, indigo, letter, Milsom, teenage, Tom, Tom Milsom by JGalliano. Bookmark the permalink.
I, personally think this is amazing. That may be biased because its TOM FREAKING MILSOM OMFG LEFJHEFVH (Tom, if you read this, your handwriting is BEAUTIFUL, I'm jealous). Apart from that I don't know quite why it is amazing. But I would read books written in that style, it's exquisite.
I also have the vinyl. Regrettably, I didn't purchase it in time to get an insert, but even so, it's one of the most precious things I own.
I'm pleased to boast that I got an insert!


text:
Online Supplement
Energy Law Issues
Morrow Essay Contest
Vol 6, No 1 /
Outraged Dignity - Do We Need a New Tort?
H. J. Glasbeek
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29173/alr1969
Professor Glasbeek discusses the problem of redressing mental suffering caused through insult or intrusion on a plaintiff's peace of mind. He examines the American solution based on the nominate tort of invasion of privacy, and concludes that if the movement in our Canadian Courts continues they will be able to compensate mental injury without having to make the American leap from established torts.
Glasbeek, H. J. (1). Outraged Dignity - Do We Need a New Tort?. Alberta Law Review, 6(1), 77. https://doi.org/10.29173/alr1969
Vol 6, No 1
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Author(s) grant the Alberta Law Review permission to post the titled work on the Alberta Law Review website and/or related websites.
Author(s) agree that the titled work may be used for educational or instructional purposes and/or in educational or instructional materials. The author(s) acknowledge that the titled work is subject to other such "fair dealing" provisions and applicable legislation.
Author(s) grant a limited license to those accessing the titled work from an electronic database or an Alberta Law Review website to download the titled work onto their computer and to print a copy for their own personal, non-commercial use, subject to proper attribution.
To use the journal's content elsewhere, permission must be obtained from the author(s) and the Alberta Law Review.
Welcome to the Alberta Law Review
The Alberta Law Review (ALR) is a student-run publication whose primary purpose is to enhance discourse on Canadian legal issues. Founded in 1955, the ALR is published by the Alberta Law Review Society, an organization consisting of law students at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. Built upon the hard work of student editors at both law faculties, the ALR is published every quarter and has roughly 1,000 pages per volume.
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Jonathan T. Capehart (born July 2, 1967) is an American journalist and television personality. He writes for The Washington Post's PostPartisan blog and is a contributor for MSNBC.
Capehart grew up in Newark, New Jersey, and attended Saint Benedict's Preparatory School. He is a graduate of Carleton College.
Before his work with The Washington Post and MSNBC, Capehart was a researcher for NBC's The Today Show. Subsequently, he worked for the New York Daily News (NYDN), serving as a member of its editorial board from 1993 to 2000. At the time of his hiring, Capehart was youngest-ever member of that newspaper's editorial board. In 2000, he left the NYDN to work at Bloomberg News and afterward, he advised and wrote speeches for Michael Bloomberg during Bloomberg's 2001 run for the mayoralty of New York City. In 2002, he returned to the NYDN, serving as deputy editor of the editorial page until 2004. In December 2004, Capehart joined the global public relations company Hill & Knowlton as a Senior Vice President and senior counselor of public affairs.
He joined the staff of The Washington Post as a journalist and editorial board member in 2007. He currently serves in that capacity, in addition to being a contributing commentator for MSNBC.
In 2018, Capehart began guest hosting the WNYC radio show Midday on WNYC (formerly The Leonard Lopate Show).
Capehart was a key contributor to a New York Daily News editorial team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 for Best Editorial Writing. The award was for a series of editorials regarding Harlem's Apollo Theater.
He was a 2011 Esteem Honoree, a distinction given to individuals in recognition of efforts in supporting the African American and LGBT communities in the areas of entertainment, media, civil rights, business, and art.
In February 2016, Capehart published a false accusation against presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, alleging that the Sanders campaign had been misrepresenting a photograph showing Sanders speaking at a civil rights sit-in in the 1960s. Capehart wrote that the Sanders campaign should "stop physically placing him where he existed only in spirit," arguing that the photo showed another activist, Bruce Rappaport. The photographer/documentarian of the event, Danny Lyon, refuted this claim and revealed other photos of Sanders from the sit-in, which are not in dispute and show Sanders wearing identical clothing and eyeglasses. Many people expressed frustration with Capehart, accusing him of staging a "smear" of Sanders. Capehart never recanted his accusation, instead writing a follow-up article titled, "Bernie Sanders and the Clash of Memory." In the article, Capehart juxtaposed Lyon's testimony and photographic evidence with testimony from Rappaport's friend Bruce Stark, who is pictured in the photo, and from Randy Ross, who wasn't at the event but was married to Rappaport for 5 years.
In May 2016, Capehart became engaged to his boyfriend of over five years Nick Schmit, assistant chief of protocol at the State Department. On January 7, 2017, Capehart and Schmit were married by former U.S. attorney general, Eric Holder.
^ "Happy Birthday Mr. Capehart". MSNBC.
^ "Carleton College". Media Relations.
^ "Jonathan Capehart: Opinion Writer". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
^ Seiden, Jane. "Jonathan Capehart Will Speak at the Newark Public Library", Newark Patch, January 22, 2016. Accessed February 8, 2016. "Mr. Capehart, a Washington Post editorial board member, PostPartisan blogger, and MSNBC contributor, was born and raised in Newark and graduated from St. Benedict's Preparatory School."
^ a b c d e "Profile: H&K's Capehart climbs ladder with help from friends". PR Week via HighBeam Research (subscription required). July 18, 2005. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
^ "Alumni Pages:Capehart, Jonathan. Class of 1990". Carleton College. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
^ a b "Click:Jonathan Capehart". Politico. 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
^ a b "Jonathan Capehart". David Patrick Columbia's New York Social Diary. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
^ a b Bugg, Sean (November 4, 2010). "Man in the Middle:Jonathan Capehart charts his own course as one of Washington's leading opinion-makers". Metro Weekly. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
^ Gordon, Meryl (November 19, 2001). "The Winner's Circle". New York. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
^ "Jonathan Capehart". Center for American Progress. June 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
^ a b "2011 Honorees". The Esteem Awards. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
This page was last edited on 16 February 2019, at 16:55 (UTC).


Our bird photography gear includes a modern DSLR camera and a prime telephoto lens. Trevor uses a Canon EOS 7D with a 300mm F/4L lens and 1.4X teleconverter. Ashley uses a Canon EOS 7D Mark II with a 400mm F/5.6L lens. This camera equipment allows us to capture close-up images of our favorite species of birds.
The catalyst for our entire bird photography adventure that awaited us was purchasing a DSLR camera with a detachable camera lens. That's right, the camera actually coaxed us into the rewarding hobby of photographing birds, and birding in general. Needless to say, choosing the best camera for bird photography is a tall order, and never have there been so many choices.
With some practice and a lot of patience, Point and shoot digital cameras can provide some truly remarkable results when it comes to birds. The impressive zoom capabilities of the latest Canon and Nikon models make these affordable cameras an attractive option for beginners. However, the act of photographing a quick-moving subject like a bird has a way of demanding the most out of your camera gear.
For this reason, we believe a DSLR camera with an interchangeable prime lens is the best possible option. These days, we shoot with a Canon EOS 7D, and 7D Mk II with 300mm and 400mm prime lenses. This did not happen right away, as we spent years making our way through different camera lenses for the purpose of bird photography.
In the video above, we describe how far we have come with our bird photography equipment. From the early days of digiscoping through telescopes to our current gear that includes prime telephoto lenses.
For a more in-depth explanation of the bird photography gear we have used over the years, please continue reading.
The first camera we purchased was a Canon EOS Rebel Xs (1000D). This is an entry-level, beginner camera body that could utilize a sea of Canon EF interchangeable lenses. The camera came as a kit, that included a padded carry case and more importantly, a small zoom lens.
The Canon Rebel series DSLR's are one of the most user-friendly options for beginners, and a common entry point into the hobby. Without a positive experience early on, your plans for nature photography may be put on hold as it is easy to become discouraged. Luckily, the Canon 1000D we started with not only inspired us to keep shooting but propelled us further towards the images of birds we were hoping for.
You really can't go wrong with an entry-level Rebel series Canon DSLR. These cameras will open the doors to countless nature photography opportunities no matter which lens you use. The first kit we bought including what photographers call a "kit lens", as it's usually an inexpensive all-purpose lens to get you started. In our case, it was the ever popular Canon EF-S 18-55mm F/4-F/5.6.
As limited as the Canon 18-55mm Kit lens was, it was enough to spark the passion for bird photography in both of us. This lens certainly has its uses and is worth keeping in your camera bag. For landscape images, simple video work and basic daytime travel photography, the 18-55 kit lens is dependable and to-the-point. The IS version of this lens is a nice upgrade if you have the option.
We also had a brief stint using a Canon EF-S 18-200mm lens for bird photography, with the maximum zoom of 200mm used at all times. This lens is considered by many to be a useful "walk around" lens for nature photography and landscapes.
There was a time when using a 200mm lens for bird photography was our maximum reach. This lens was not prime, and had a limited focal length of 200mm (equivalent of 320mm with our crop-sensor DSLR's). It was far from ideal for capturing close-ups of small birds, but it did include an image-stabilization mode, which both of our current lenses do not have.
A focal length of 200mm is not enough to capture small, fast-moving subjects such as warblers. These birds do not usually let you get very close to them, meaning extra magnification is needed to pull them in. Backyard birds were a little more obtainable with this lens, as we would often photograph Cardinals and House Finches at the bird feeder.
In the end, we found that the 18-200mm zoom lens like this was best suited for larger birds such as the Great Blue Heron. The image stabilization also made in-flight shots of hawks possible, although they were often quite small in the frame. It was clear that we needed a camera lens with more reach.
The thrill of discovering birds to photograph set in, and we knew it was time to invest in a camera lens with a longer focal length. Enter, the Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 lens. Surely at 300mm, we would be able to capture stunningly sharp photos of all kinds of bird species now. Boy, were we wrong.
The lack of IS (Image Stabilization) is intensified when shooting at 300mm. The rather slow aperture of F/5.6 means a slower shutter speed must be used to. Good luck trying to photograph a Chickadee on a cloudy day!
Above: This Bluejay was one of our better photos using the 75-300mm lens. It lacks the sharpness and overall image quality we have come to expect.
We used refractor telescopes for lenses!
Seeing as how Trevor was beginning to get right into deep-sky astrophotography, we utilized his high-quality telescope to photograph birds. And why not? An apochromatic refractor telescope such as the William Optics Zenithstar 72 or Explore Scientific ED80 have some impressive specs for daytime nature photography.
Above: Ashley using the digiscoping technique through a telescope for bird photography.
That's right, 480mm! Go ahead and see how much a Canon lens in the 500mm focal length runs for, ($5K+). We had to at least give it a try, and we were delighted with the results. The process is called digiscoping and is usually done with a spotting scope.
Of course, a telescope was not designed for nature photography, and focusing quickly can be a nightmare. The telescope was also very heavy, carrying the ED80 around hand-held was not an option, so a monopod had to be used. With a little patience and a lot of luck, we were able to capture some brilliant photos of birds using this telescope including this image of a Black-throated blue warbler at Point Pelee.
Sharing one telescope between the two of us was not ideal. It was time for me to get a "poor mans telephoto lens" of my own, a refractor telescope. The model I chose was a William Optics Z72 F/6 Doublet refractor. I could connect my Canon XS directly to the telescope using a t-ring and adapter for prime focus nature photography. I was thrilled to see my early images were as crisp and beautiful as the photos using the slightly larger ED80.
Trevor and I would lug these heavy optical instruments around in search of new bird species to photograph. This was quite the spectacle when visiting busy parks like Point Pelee during migration. We would often get stopped to inquire about our interesting "camera lenses". As odd as we may have looked, our results spoke for themselves.
The high-quality optics of these instruments produced razor sharp images of birds that more expensive zoom lenses could not match. However, we were definitely missing a lot of shots due to slow and manual focusing. Pointing these heavy telescopes was nearly impossible, further limiting our ability to capture birds in many situations.
The cameras we currently use for bird photography are by no means the top of the line. Even within the Canon line up of cameras, there are better and newer models available. However, if you are looking to replicate the types of images you'll find in our photo gallery, these cameras will serve you well.
Trevor shoots with a Canon EOS 7D Camera and prime 300mm telephoto lenses. We consider the Canon EOS 7D to be one of the best choices for bird photography, largely because of the impressive 8-frames per second continuous shooting. The original 7D uses 19 cross-type autofocus points, which is extremely useful when trying reach focus on an active bird.
When it was first introduced, the 7D was considered by many to be the best APS-C sized sensor DSLR Canon had ever produced. Considered to be a "professional cropped sensor DLSR", it's 18 Megapixel sensor has aged quite well considering it was launched way back in 2009. In fact, the 7D holds the title of the EOS body with the longest product cycle (5+ years) without a replacement.
Perhaps our absolute favorite feature of the Canon 7D is the impressive buffer rate that comes in to play when shooting in high-speed continuous mode. Coming from a background using an outdated entry-level body really made us appreciate this quality. Trevor can reliably shoot in bursts of 8 frames at a time whenever the situation calls for it. This means that he is never held back by the speed of his equipment, and all of the pressure lands on his ability to track the subject.
I shot with a Canon 70D for a short period of time, which was actually an excellent choice for bird photography. This camera was tragically stolen by someone who decided that they were more deserving of my gear. Thankfully, we quickly recovered from this setback. In 2014, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II was introduced, and we took notice.
The Canon 400mm F/5.6 is very solidly built and lightweight. I have no issues carrying this lens around for a full day of shooting. This is a prime lens, meaning the focal length is fixed at 400mm, without the ability to zoom in. In general, a prime lens will produce sharper images than their zoom-telephoto counterparts.
The Canon 400mm F/5.6L USM LensThe slide-out lens hood is convenient and does a great job of improving contrast in our images and blocking stray light. Canon lists this lens as "partially weather sealed", so you need not worry about it getting caught in the rain. But you won't normally find us out shooting on those days anyway!
This is an L series lens, which means that build quality and performance are the best Canon has to offer. When it comes to bird photography, It compliments my Canon 7D Mark II very well. The versatile nature of this lens makes shooting birds in flight a pleasure.
The 400mm focuses extremely fast (and quiet) thanks to its internal USM (ultrasonic motor). Autofocus stays on for 95% of our bird photography, only using manual when we want to get creative. The freedom and versatility of a lightweight telephoto lens make bird photography during spring migration a wondrous experience.
There is no need for a tripod or monopod with this lens. Yes, an extra 100mm would be nice, but in most situations, the 400mm focal length is just right for our subjects. In the case of the Blue-winged warbler below, a 500mm lens would have been much too long for this situation.
Chromatic aberration is virtually non-existent, and the images are clear and contrasty. Where this lens really excels is sharpness. Even wide open at F/5.6, a crisp shot through the 400mm is razor sharp to the edge of the frame. Although for most photos we're just looking for a sharp subject, with a nice background bokeh.
The lack of IS (image stabilization) is noteworthy, and perhaps the only reason this lens is so affordable. In our experience, handheld shots in good lighting conditions are superb, making IS a non-issue. Adjustments to ISO and selective shooting compensate for this missing feature, and in all honesty – we likely do not miss many photos due to camera shake.
The Non IS version of the Canon 300mm F/4L is a tremendous value if you can find one in the used market. At its native focal length, it is a useful lens for capturing a variety of birds – as long as you're able to get close enough. For our style of shooting, Trevor felt a little extra reach was needed, so he added a Canon 1.4x teleconverter.
The teleconverter brings the focal length of the lens to 420mm, which in our opinion is more useful for bird photography. This comes at a cost, however, one exactly one stop of light. This brings the lens down to a respectable F/5.6, which is not an issue for Trevor.
Another problem the teleconverter introduces (when used with this lens) is noticeable chromatic aberration, especially on bright, sunny days. Trevor has come to expect these artifacts, and we can remove them quickly and easily during post-processing. We felt it was worth noting this to anyone looking to replicate Trevor's equipment setup.


text:
3 Inches Of Blood - "Here Waits Thy Doom" (CD)
"Here Waits Thy Doom" track listing:
1. Battles and Brotherhood
2. Rock in Hell
3. Silent Killer
4. Fierce Defender
5. Preachers Daughters
6. Call of the Hammer
7. Snake Fighter
8. Great Glacier
9. All of Them Witches
11. Execution Tank
Reviewed by buickmckane on August 27, 2009
"For those of us who weren't around in the glory days of thrash, we have some bands who are willing to help us know what it was like; one of the best being 3 Inches of Blood."
Remember the days of denim and leather? When the extreme amount of hairspray used caused a hole to open in the ozone layer? Remember when rock rocked? Well I don't. I was born in 1988 when all of this was happening, and so were many of you reading this. For those of us who weren't around in the glory days of thrash, we have some bands who are willing to help us know what it was like; one of the best being 3 Inches of Blood.
Images of Accept spring up in my mind as the album begins with "Battles and Brotherhood." Cam Pipe's pipes are very reminiscent of Udo Dirkschneider. He growls at a very high pitch, but it's not girly, it's very manly. The backup vocalist and guitarist Justin Hagberg lends his more death metal vocals in some songs, including "Silent Killer," to break up the extreme pitches Cam hits. Each word is clear and understandable from both vocalists, which makes this a great album to pull quotes from. Some of my favorites are "Will you be there to rock in hell?" from "Rock in Hell" and "On ourselves we rely/ find the courage/ to last another day" from "Fierce Defender."
The most interesting aspect of "Here Waits Thy Doom" is the different types of songs they make. The first four songs are a mixture of thrash metal music and power metal lyrics and vocals. These songs were a bit less chaotic and more carefully constructed than they were in "Fire up the Blades." The fifth song "Preachers Daughter" was a bluesy rock song about a bad girl corrupting the men folk of the town. To some, it may seem corny. To me and others who love rock n' roll and not just metal, it's great. I miss plain ol' rock n' roll sometimes and I enjoy hearing the occasional rock song by a new band, instead of listening to the old rock songs on the radio over and over again.
The next four songs "Call of the Hammer," "Snake Fighter," "Great Glacier," and "All of them Witches" (named after a book in the film Rosemary's Baby) are more thrash metal than power metal. They are definite head bangers. The guitars shred up and down. The solos are amazing and really show off the talents of guitarists Justin Hagberg and Shane Clark. I was actually disappointed that the guys didn't do more shredding. The riffs were great, but the solos were awesome, and we were left hungry for more. "1234" was an all acoustic, slow jam. It was an unexpected treat from an extreme band. The album ended with a bang on "Execution Tank."
3 Inches of Blood will make you remember the birth of the thrash that they play. No, it's not the scariest shit on Earth, and they don't want it to be. This music was made for rockin' out, which is something that's taken for granted these days while everyone is just trying to impress you with deep thought or Satanism. Rock out with your cock out (Please don't take that literally.)
Highs: Good ol' fun rock music with extreme undertone that doesn't overpower.
Lows: The guitars had some great moments, but could have done more.
Bottom line: A great listen if you're not all about really dark metal.
Get more info including news, reviews, interviews, links, etc. on our 3 Inches Of Blood band page.
"Advance and Vanquish" (CD)


text:
The Nationals WA
The Nationals are the only party dedicated to fighting for the communities of regional WA
2021 State Election
Policy Discussion Papers
State Conference 2020
The Young Nationals
Contact Millie Hills
millie.hills@nationalswa.com
Millie Hills
Candidate for Kimberley
Millie is a proud Bunuba-Kija woman born and bred in Halls Creek where she still lives. Her mother was a Bunuba woman from the Fitzroy Valley and her father one of the Kija people from the Kimberley ranges.
She currently works in domestic services and has a long history working and volunteering in the Kimberley region. Millie has experience working in local government, construction, education, community services including helping families and children in crisis and has volunteered in the Aboriginal health and medical sector for decades.
A dedicated worker and problem solver, Millie is Chairperson of the Yuri Yungi Aboriginal Medical Services, an organisation she has been associated with since 1984. She also currently serves on the executive of the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service and is a board member of the Halls Creek Aboriginal Corporation.
One of 12 children (including seven brothers and four sisters who all still live in the Kimberley), Millie was encouraged towards politics by friends and family who saw she was a change maker.
Millie is keen to deliver greater training opportunities and employment pathways for people in the Kimberley, particularly Aboriginal people. She wants to improve remote health including better education about hygiene and access to healthcare, promoting responsible drinking and improving diet.
Millie, her husband of 36 years, three children and four grandchildren all live in Halls Creek.
Outside of work and family her passion is fishing for barramundi, camping out on country, enjoying the bush life while trying to catch "the elusive $1 million barra."
Contact | Privacy | Accessiblity
Authorised by S Blyth, 1 Graylands Road, Claremont WA 6010


So I had an idea for a new series….nothing groundbreaking, but I want to start ranking my makeup. I do reviews and reviews and reviews, and I think some days, as readers (even me of other blogs), we wonder how these items rank. Which is your favourite? What do you own and what do you reach for the most? I thought I'd do these posts with my primers, eyeshadow palettes, foundations (shocker) and then some other odds and ends. If it's something you're interested in, and if you have suggestions for a category you'd like to see, let me know in the comments below.
So I already kind of gave this away in the title I guess, but today we're talking about foundations. I'll run through what I usually grab, why, how it wears, and where possible, I'll direct you to a full review of the foundation. This is NOT a review post.
No saving the best for last, I'm starting with numero uno! This foundation needs no introduction, and I've actually done a review recently in THIS post. This is the foundation I grab automatically if I have an event, a date or I just want flawless makeup. I have had to stop myself from using this for work everyday, as this is literally all I want to use, all day, everyday.
This foundation wears well, looks airbrushed and also has the added benefit of containing an SPF. Go check out the full review and you'll get some more info on why I love it.
So I am easing back on the Double Wear, because I ain't Kim K and I can't afford to replace my Double Wear monthly….The L'Oreal Infallible 24Hr-Matte foundation is the next one that I reach for. This foundation has been a firm favourite on the blog since I started this blog. I will repurchase this every time I run out.
This is matte, it looks really good on the skin and it lasts for a full day of wear. I do experience some seperation on the chin towards the end of the day, but that is a problem area for me, and for the most part everything else is perfect. If you're looking for a budget matte foundation, and you find your shade, this is the one!
This foundation, technically I only use in conjunction with another foundation. The shade is a bit too dark for me, and I do find this one doesn't control my oil as well as my L'Oreal Foundation. However, mixed with the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr-matte foundation, I think it's an amazing combination. I don't recommend that you head out to buy 2 foundations to mix, but it works for me when I buy the wrong shades, if they play well with others.
In Summer, the L'Oreal is a tad bit too light for me, so I always mix it with something a bit darker…this being my mixer of choice. Head on over to THIS post for a full review on the Maybelline Fit Me! foundation.
This foundation technically should come in jointly with the L'Oreal foundation at number 3. Why doesn't it? The shade doesn't suit me at all, so I rarely use it. I find the formula is almost identical to the Infallible 24Hr-matte foundation, with the added benefit of tea tree to combat acne prone skin. If only I could find my perfect shade, I'd be able to wear this more often. I technically don't reach for it, unless I need a mixer with another foundation.
This is an excellent foundation though and if you want a full review, check THIS post out.
This foundation launch was something I was VERY excited about. However, as they were released I found there were not many shades available wherever I went. When you want to buy a newly released foundation…..patience is not a trait a Beauty Blogger displays. Eventually I found a shade that I knew was definitely going to be too dark for me, but I was desperate.
Shade not matching aside, this foundation applies beautifully! When I apply it, I am amazed at how good my skin looks! Full coverage, matte and flawless! However, by about the 6hr mark, the foundation seems to lift and is sitting on top of my skin….which is not how it looks in the morning. I also become very oily from the 6hr mark.
NOTE THOUGH: My skin is currently oilier than normal, not sure if that's related to skin care I'm testing, but for now I'll add this to the ever growing list of foundations to mix and use it in Winter.
This foundation, I go back and forth with. In Summer, it's a BIG NO for me… I find this really greases me up and makes my pores look enormous. However, in Winter, this foundation will go from number 6, to number 1. So bear that in mind, it doesn't work for me personally in warmer weather, but in cooler weather, it's much kinder to my face. It's a beautiful foundation and many beauty gurus claim it's the best from the drugstore….they can't all be wrong….right?
Just to clarify, it doesn't mean because the foundation is ranked 6th, it's the crappiest foundation in the world. This is just in order of preference, what I'd grab first, then 2nd, then 3rd, etc. Depending on my skin at the time: Is my skin more dry, oily, am I tanned, not tanned, etc.
Let me know if you've tried any of these foundations, what you think….and also which other makeup products you'd like me to rank next.
Sadly I also have to ration my Double Wear and save it for the special events LOL- R600 is getting steep these days!
Loved the post and love most of these foundations. Now that I finally have my perfect shade in the Estee Lauder, I can purchase a full size. So excited to have this in my collection. Another absolute favourite is the Maybelline superstay, pity SA doesn't have natural beige because that's my perfect shade.
Love this series! Would like to see some skincare too, maybe masks and cleansers?
I have only tried the Milani from here, but have a few on my list!
Totally loving the series idea and once again I'll be Hunting for my shade from your list given. As much as I'd love the double wear right now it's not in the budget but I'm definitely using this list as my guide on which ones I'll test.
The fit me I have the wrong shade though.


This is the most recent information about Ashley Tisdale that has been submitted to amIright. If we have more information about Ashley Tisdale, then we provide a link to the section where it appears (the actual page whenever possible).
Known informally as: A . Submitted by: Robert D. Arndt Jr.
"It's Alight, It's OK" originally "It's Alright, It's OK"
"Tim's Up" originally "Time's Up"
As in up to bat, perhaps?
"Be Goo To Me" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be God To Me" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good To Meg" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good To Mel" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good To Mae" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good To Moe" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good To Men" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Tile's Up" originally "Time's Up"
"Tide's Up" originally "Time's Up"
"Lime's Up" originally "Time's Up"
"Mime's Up" originally "Time's Up"
"Be Wood To Me" originally "Be Good To Me"
It's alright it's okay, the sun looks better without you!
It's alright, okay, I'm so much better without you.
Alright, okay, so don't you butter where I do.
I want return, I reach that bun town.
Alright, okay, I'm so much better without you.
Alright, okay, so don't you bother what I do.
I won't return, our bridge has burned down.
i luv this song like sooo much!
"Be Good Tome" originally "Be Good To Me"
"Be Good, Tom E." originally "Be Good To Me"
"He Said She's Aid" originally "He Said She Said"
"He's Aid, She Said" originally "He Said She Said"
She owns items of said material?
"I'm Upset" originally "Time's Up"
"She Rigs Kilt" originally "Kiss The Girl"
"The Girl Skis" originally "Kiss The Girl"
"He Said Sea Shed" originally "He Said, She Said"
"He Said See Shed" originally "He Said, She Said"
"See Head, She Said" originally "He Said, She Said"
Ash Tea, Liz Dale originally "Ashley Tisdale"
Lash Dee, 'Tis Ale originally "Ashley Tisdale"
Dash Lee, 'Tis Ale originally "Ashley Tisdale"
Dashley Is Tail originally "Ashley Tisdale"


Leaders provide guidance in identifying and developing an understanding of the core beliefs and mission of the organization. The core beliefs guide the work and all decisions of the organization. Consensus among faculty and staff about students and the school's role in student learning is critical to maintaining the focus of the organization.
Leaders build a community of learners and supporters through knowledge sharing with faculty, staff, and community. Ongoing informal and formal communication surrounding the status of the school, including successes and challenges, encourages productive discussions and fosters collaborative development of practices to enhance the effectiveness of the school and continuously increase student learning.
Leaders share with all stakeholders critical data related to student learning and school effectiveness. Gaining a solid understanding of data analysis through thoughtful conversations with parent groups, faculty, and staff encourages careful examination of student performance in response to instructional practices.
Leaders protect time, allocate resources, and support personnel in creating and maintaining a focus on improving instructional practices that result in high levels of learning for all students. Safeguarding routine faculty collaborative time for lesson design and analysis of student work promotes student-centered practices.
Leaders model life-long learning and provide routinized time and resources for faculty and staff to learn, collaborate, and reflect on student learning and the implications for instructional practices. Leaders challenge and support faculty and staff as they innovate and examine barriers to meaningful change. Leaders also create a sense of immediacy of the need for improvement in all areas of learning.
* For the Standards and Indicators of each Critical Practice, go to the Navigation Bar at the left.
Download the full Five Critical Practices Outline.


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HomeHealth & LifestyleQuarantined Cruise Ship In Japan Became Incubator For Coronavirus
Quarantined Cruise Ship In Japan Became Incubator For Coronavirus
February 18, 2020 Admin Health & Lifestyle 0
TOKYO (AP) — As an extraordinary two-week quarantine of a cruise ship ends Wednesday in Japan, many scientists say it was a failed experiment: The ship seemed to serve as an incubator for the new virus from China instead of an isolation facility meant to prevent the worsening of an outbreak.
Since the virus was identified late last year in central China, it has sickened tens of thousands of people and killed more than 1,800.
As of Tuesday, 542 cases of the virus, known as COVID-19, have been identified among the 3,711 quarantined passengers and crew, making the ship the site of the most infections outside of China. The Diamond Princess cruise ship is also the only place where health officials have seen the disease spread efficiently beyond China.
The question now is: Why?
Two buses leave a port where the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship is docked in Yokohama on Saturday, Feb. 15.
The Japanese government has repeatedly defended the effectiveness of the quarantine. But some experts suggest it may have been less than rigorous.
In a possible sign of lax quarantine protocols, three Japanese health officials who helped in the quarantine checks on the ship were also infected.
"There are sometimes environments in which disease can spread in a more efficient way," said Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's health emergencies program. Ryan said cruise ships in particular were known to occasionally accelerate spread.
"It's an unfortunate event occurring on the ship and we trust that the authorities in Japan and the governments who are taking back people will be able to follow up those individuals in the appropriate way," he said.
Japan's health minister, Katsunobu Kato, told reporters Tuesday that all passengers who remained on the cruise ship have had samples taken and that those who tested negative would start getting off the vessel beginning Wednesday, when their required 14-day quarantine is scheduled to end.
A passenger stands on the balcony of the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess on Sunday, Feb. 9.
"They all want to go home as early as possible, and we hope to assist them so that everyone can get home smoothly," Kato said.
The process is expected to take until Friday because of the large number of people involved.
"Obviously the quarantine hasn't worked, and this ship has now become a source of infection," said Dr. Nathalie MacDermott, an outbreak expert at King's College London.
She said the exact mechanism of the virus' spread was unknown. Although scientists believe the disease is spread mostly by droplets — when people cough or sneeze — it's possible there are other ways of transmission.
"We need to understand how the quarantine measures on board were implemented, what the air filtration on board is like, how the cabins are connected and how waste products are disposed of," MacDermott said.
"There could also be another mode of transmission we're not familiar with," she said, noting the possibility of environmental spread and the importance of "deep-cleaning" the entire ship to prevent people from touching contaminated surfaces.
Medical workers in protective suits lead a passenger who tested positive for a new coronavirus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
During the 2002-2003 outbreak of SARS, a related virus, more than 300 people were infected through a defective sewage system in a Hong Kong housing estate. MacDermott said it was possible there was a similar issue aboard the Diamond Princess.
"There's no reason this (quarantine) should not have worked if it had been done properly," she said.
Cruise ships have often been struck by outbreaks of diseases like norovirus, which can spread quickly in the close quarters of a boat and among elderly passengers with weaker immune systems. But MacDermott said it would be highly unusual for an entire boat to be quarantined.
"They might quarantine the people affected in their rooms until they're 48 hours clear of symptoms, but certainly not all passengers," she said.
Some passengers on the Diamond Princess described the ship as a "floating prison" but were allowed to walk on the decks every day while wearing a mask and were told to keep their distance from others.
"I suspect people were not as isolated from other people as we would have thought," said Dr. Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia in England. He said the continued spread of the virus could be due to compliance problems.
Japanese health officials are conducting extensive medical checks on all 3,700 passengers and crew of the cruise ship that returned to Japan after one passenger tested positive for the new coronavirus.
"It's difficult to enforce a quarantine in a ship environment and I'm absolutely sure there were some passengers who think they're not going to let anyone tell them what they can and cannot do," he said. He suggested that if the passengers had been quarantined on land, having more space might have allowed for better infection control procedures. But he acknowledged that attempting to quarantine more than 3,700 people was logistically challenging.
Hunter said it was "a huge disappointment" that the quarantine hadn't curbed the spread of the virus and that it was unfortunate some passengers returning to their home countries would now face a second period of isolation.
"Given how the virus has continued to spread, we have to presume everyone leaving the ship is potentially infected, and therefore they have to go through another two-week quarantine period," he said. "Not to do so would be reckless."
Japanese health officials say a 14-day quarantine on the ship is adequate, noting that all but one of more than 500 Japanese returnees from the epicenter of the virus in China who initially tested negative were found to be virus-free at the end of their 14-day quarantine.
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab.
Those officials also defended precautions taken on the ship. About 1,000 crew members were told to wear surgical masks, wash their hands, use disinfectant sprays and stop operations at restaurants, bars and other entertainment areas after Feb. 5, when the first group of 10 infections was reported and the start of the 14-day quarantine was announced.
Passengers were instructed to stay in their cabins and not walk around or contact other passengers. Those in windowless cabins could go out on the deck for about an hour each day.
The quarantine was largely for passengers because crew members kept sharing double rooms and continued to serve guests by delivering food, letters, towels and amenities, and entering passenger cabins for cleaning. Crew members also ate in groups in a crew mess hall.
"Unlike passengers, crew members share their rooms, they share food, and that's why some of them are infected even after the quarantine started," said Shigeru Omi, a former regional director for the World Health Organization.
Patients infected with the coronavirus take rest at a temporary hospital converted from the Wuhan Sports Center in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province on Feb. 17.
Omi said quarantine is one of the measures considered effective early on. But the virus has already made its way into local communities across Japan, where untraceable cases have been popping up, he said.
At this stage, "the spreading of the virus will be inevitable, and that's why quarantine is out of the question," Omi said.
He said the focus now should shift from border control to preventing the spread in local communities.
Other scientists said that passengers should have been removed from the ship from the beginning.
"Boats are notorious places for being incubators for viruses," said Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics at the New York University School of Medicine. "It's only morally justified to keep people on the boat if there are no other options."
Caplan said that a second quarantine was warranted, but that officials had done a poor job of explaining what would happen if their original plan failed.
"It's never good to lose your civil liberties and your rights of movement, but two more weeks of quarantine is not an undue burden if you're trying to protect spread of a disease," he said.
Cheng reported from London. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.
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MARCH 2020 GLOBAL ASTROLOGICAL OVERVIEW
A significant astrological shift is occurring this month. Saturn is moving out of Capricorn and into Aquarius on the 22nd. This is a temporary toe dipping exercise till the beginning of July, when he moves back into Capricorn, in order to finalise his work in that sign, completed by mid December 2020. He then commits to Aquarius to test the principles of that sign till March 2023.
On an individual level when Saturn is in Aquarius, natives of that sign, also Leos and to some extent, Taurus and Scorpio, will go through significant learning curves and reality checks, which ultimately are strengthening. Initially however between late this month and till early July, it will only affect people born around the 22nd of January, July, April and October.
Saturn is a benevolent despot, or can be described as a karmic schoolteacher.
On a global level, from Capricorn, which Saturn rules, he has continued to show us the downside of the validity of the prevailing socio/economic and political system and the current establishment. (Especially for Capricorn ruled England and Cancer rued USA) and makes evident the fallout of the ruthless pursuit of economic growth at all costs, even in the face of existential issues such as climate change. Saturn brings a certain nemesis to bear, but the establishment figures cling on furiously to this model (Saturn, negatively, tends to stick to the perceived safety of old habits)
From the air sign of Aquarius, (ruled by Uranus and sub ruled by Saturn) Saturn, will force a wake up globally to the more powerful karmic fallout from the power of technology and its abuse. (Uranus rules Aquarius and is very linked to technology and futuristic issues for good or ill and is also a humanitarian sign). From Aquarius, the system will be forced, maybe uncomfortably so, to look outside the box and recognise alternatives to our habitual value system. Positively, when we face certain problems that Saturn always flags up, we are, during his Aquarian journey, forced to work hard, out of necessity and often reluctantly, to combat and change things that have gone wrong with our thinking (Air signs relate to the mind and Aquarius enables the need to think out of the box/divergently). Saturn in Aquarius will point out undeniably, how we need to use technology for only the greater good.
It will cause basically a clash between the ongoing desire to pursue technological power for selfish, monetary/political gain, and the realisation that out of urgent necessity (Saturn) we have to direct technological progress (Aquarius) to develop more quickly, for the greater good of humanity and our planet.
We will have to find more new ways, of necessity, to change sources of energy and to apply many new technological abilities and breakthroughs to make headway to reverse, or stop the ongoing impact of our abuse of the environment, that has been underway over many decades. It will also bring a need to recognise a need to be free from the same old, systematic patterns of how we use power, and what power means.
Uranus the ruler of Aquarius, now in Taurus (May 2018 till May 2026)
is seriously waking us up and shocking us (the job of Uranus) to the fragility and value of our natural world and environment (Taurus), as chaos on our planet (floods, fires, drought) run amok, largely as a result of misuse and abuse of human power over it. .
Saturn from Aquarius will also be squaring Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) strongly in 2021 and that will really be a true clash of the titans. However because Saturn will be in Aquarius (ruled by Uranus and co ruled by Saturn), the need for freedom from old outworn systems and values, versus the desire to stick with the old power systems, (especially as championed by many of our increasingly despotic leaders) can really become a serious battlefield. The clash between freedoms to do as we individually wish, versus our collective responsibility to the planet, will be very real. However this combination will likely evolve, so as to only allow us to have freedom (Uranus), when it is combined with a huge sense of global responsibility (Saturn). This may even become a matter of global acceptance, as it becomes so obvious and in all our faces.
Scientific achievements will bring huge breakthroughs that are not related to the power of mere wealth. There will be a realisation of the need to set aside ego and see things in the light of impartial, impersonal law. A need for a sense of global responsibility will become undeniably apparent.
Neptune still in Pisces till April 2025 is bringing to our attention the lack of boundaries that a globalised world has and how what happens in one part of the world affects us all in some way now, not least the impact of climate change, technology and globalised capitalist economic forces. Neptune knows no boundaries and in Pisces, his own sign, his invisibility and permeability are extra strong, so this is totally underlined now. The Corona Virus (Covid 2019) issue is a classic manifestation… and its global affects on the economy. To try to separate ourselves from a globalised world is impossible now.
The idea of setting a nation up as an independent power, cutting off from many other countries, is totally a rebellion against an inevitable need to work together in a very interrelated world, in order to combat huge globalised problems,
I have talked a lot previously about the significance of the current Saturn conjunct Pluto and that continues on and off for most of the year. This rare combining in Capricorn, of necessity also forces us to rethink our lives and to differentiate between what we want and what we need. It puts us all to the test, both individually and socio-politically/economically… about our choices of how we live, with repercussions that are existential, as never before, in their fallout.
Mercury remains retrograde till March 10th, so there remains till then a sense of uncertainly, confusion, delay and blockage, but actually it is really a time to stop, take stock and reconsider issues; a necessary and important pause for reflection, both personally and globally.
The Moon is full on the 9th at 19 degrees of Virgo; and is new on the 24th at 4 degrees of Aries.