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Kaye Liautaud
the Actor, the Blogger, the Wanderer
Instaworthy Exhibit Designed For Hashtags
Kaye / May 22, 2019 / 2 Comments
Photo by Kaye Liautaud
A life size egg carton filled with giant styrofoam eggs.
Social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram are notorious for photo sharing and using hashtags. When it comes to getting likes for photos by using hashtags, Instagram holds the torch. The photo sharing app has even earned its own verb. "Instagramable". Meaning that a photo is worth posting on Instagram to get plenty of likes. Society has become so reliant on getting likes on their pictures for the sake of instant gratification that they are willing to pay for it. Not just by purchasing followers.
Ellis the Egg sleeping in her New York apartment and dreaming about success in the big city.
The Egg House is a pop up exhibit that opened in downtown NYC was meant to attract visitors with props for them to share photos and use the proper hashtags. The purpose of the hashtag is for app users to to become aware of the exhibit and purchase tickets to the exhibit.
Ellis the Egg in her reality. A tiny plastic egg on a doll sized bed inside of a hole in the wall.
Unlike most art exhibits, The Egg House didn't have any valuable substance. It was a venue that was literally designed for guests to take pictures for social media. The entry fee was $20. It will cost you $20 to take tacky photos in front of plastic props to get more notifications on your phone. It's ironic that millennials in particular will spend money to go out for the sake of being able to spend more time looking at their screens.
The hole in the wall that cost $20 to look at a plastic egg.
Photographer Adeos Yeboah told me he does not find any benefit in taking photos at meaningless exhibits that claim to be art. "I feel like that's kind of sad. It's not something that I would personally do but you can't control what people want. It's their phone."
Ellis the Egg on screen. I giant egg rolling around on pavement.
The colorful props do create more content for social media pages but, the digital age has a reputation for making society more narsacisstic. The idea of getting dressed up to pose for social media photos is society's new norm that has most app users craving that instant gratification through a double tap on a screen. Purpose over popularity. Guests are unlikely to question the purpose of why they are taking photos. They will use hashtags to gain popularity for their photos by counting the number of likes. The apps on our phone screen have control over society because most people fail to recognize the purpose behind a photograph. Most of these pictures are fabricated in order to portray a false image for popularity based on numbers.
Striped wall with furniture props for taking pictures.
Going to a cheesy "art" exhibit to take pictures for social media isn't a crime. Charging an exorbitant amount for entry to these exhibits should be thought out more carefully before you buy tickets. Some of these exhibits can inspire people to get creative with their photo taking and editing skills. Before dropping your hard earned cash on these pop ups, make sure you are getting an experience worthwhile and not another cliche photoop to mark yourself "here" in a social media post.
I'm an actress habituated with train delays in my favorite heels, and proud of it. I use fashion as my script. Wearing contrastive styles gives me a chance to perceive an unfamiliar character. If putting on a new pair of shoes and adding new styles to your wardrobe makes you feel more confident, then you'll revel in my blog!
Kaye / April 30, 2019 / No Comments
An inside look at NYC's colorful haven.
Entrance to Color Factory
Color Factory is a pop up exhibit in downtown NYC that takes visitors through rooms with different activities that are designed around color themes. Visitors get an experienc that is interactive and educational. Each room let's you explore colors through sight, taste, sound, and touch. Keep scrolling through this photo gallery to explore more of my Color Factory experience.
A low ceiling of streamers in various shades of the color spectrum. Visitors gather under these streamers before entering the exhibit. They are also given a piece of mochi ice cream with flavors that have colors matching the color scheme of streamers.
This colorful hallway has magnetic walls with pins attached. Guests can pick a round pin off the wall as a souvenir to keep. Guests are encouraged to choose a color that resonates with their mood (or any color they like) and wear it throughout their visit.
The color of the Macaron you choose, might not be the flavor you are hoping for. CHOOSE WISELY! The flavors are unknown until you take a bite.
Put the phone down. Sit at the station with your partner across from you. Put on the headphones provided and carefully listen to the instructions on what to draw in the circle. Exchange drawings with your partener. AWESOME! Once you're done, please enjoy sour candy for your job well done!
K is for Khaki. Pull on the knobs to reveal the name of the color in accordance with it's given letter. The color description is on the reverse side.
Take a spin on the giant color wheels. I promise, you WILL get dizzy.
Photo by Adeos Yeboah
The contrast between cool tone and warm tone colors. Red and blue are nearly opposite of each other on the color wheel. When opposites attract, take a dip inside an adult sized ball pit.
The ball pit is an interesting shade of aquatic blue. It appears to mimic the look of an actual pool. The room strangely smelt like chlorine water (but that could probably be my weird sense of smell). This made me feel like I was really at an indoor pool party.
Thank you for visiting Color Factory. Please exit through the colorful hallway. Don't forget to enjoy complimentary ice cream and treats on the way out.
Complimentary souvenirs!
Ice cream after the ball pit.
Pink Tax
The "WTF" moment when you realize your paying more for pink frills.
The decor at Pietro Nolita just screams how we should all feel about Pink Tax.
A gender based pricing known as "Pink Tax", is a surcharge toward women for the same hygiene products used by men. While floral scents and packaging colored in different shades of pink distinguish women's hygiene products from men's, the price tag is also a major difference. Razors, body wash, hair shampoo, and specialty sized clothing will cost women a significantly higher percentage than men. It isn't exactly clear when Pink Tax started but chances are women have probably been charged since birth. Throughout my research I found that even identical children's toys with similar functions are priced higher for girls than boys. This discriminatory tax is only excluded in 12 states.
In a study of gender based pricing done by the New York City Department Of Consumer Affairs in 2015, the agency found that women pay seven percent more for similar products than men. According to the DCA, about 800 products of male and female versions were compared from two dozen New York City retailers online and in store. The study of comparing products included: children's toys, adult personal care products, home health care products, and clothing. The DCA specifically found that girl's toys cost seven percent more than boy's toys, 13 percent more for personal care products, and eight percent more for clothing.
A clear example of gender based pricing in a study done by Jezebel, which was a comparison of a children's self-riding car being sold by the company Fisher Price. This article was surprisingly accurate. Fisher Price sold their Power Wheels Jeep Wrangler self-riding car at $206.54 for the blue Hot Wheels version for boys and the pink Barbie version for girls at $214.88. Both of the toy cars have the same functionalities. The cosmetic difference is where the consumer gets an increase in price. According to Jezebel, product marketing director at the consumer data firm Index Jenn Steele says "If you're finding consistently that pink sippy cups are more expensive than the exact same sippy cup in blue, then the marketplace could be putting pressure on sellers to drop the prices of the blue ones more."
Business Entertainment/ Entrepreneur/Educator, Ebonie Jackson find told me that she, like many other women, deal with Pink Tax. Jackson told me that she does notice a change a difference in taxes for things like shaving cream, razors, shampoo, and lotion. Jackson said, "The ones that are geared toward women are a lot more expensive than the ones that are geared toward men, even though they complete the same function." Jackson told me that feminine products are essential items and are not luxury items. I'm sure plenty of women like Jackson, would agree that they shouldn't be paying more for items that are essential.
Deal News did a comparison of men and hygiene products. In the study a woman's razor from Walmart cost $4.49 while a man's razor cost $4.27. Their study also showed that women's body wash from Olay cost $0.33 per ounce while men's body wash from Old Spice cost $0.23 per once purchased from Target.
Jackson is also the mother of two teenagers. I wanted to know if they were ever instances where she had to refrain from buying pink packaged items when it comes to her daughter. "I have two teenagers at home. One's a boy and one's a girl. We all use the same stuff." Jackson told me that her daughter wants the pretty pink stuff and the packaging but it doesn't make sense financially.
I spoke with Brianna Daquin, a recent graduate from Stoney Brook University who says she's always stealing her boyfriend's razors, literally. Daquin says that she purchases her Gillette razors from Amazon to save money a broke college grad's budget. She shares her Amazon account with her boyfriend and noticed that the cost of his razors were lowers than hers yet, they were purchased from the same company. "I feel like I use more razors than he does. Just because men can skip shaving sometimes it isn't fair that they get to pay less than we do," said Daquin. I wanted to know if Daquin has an alternative to paying higher prices for women's hygiene products. She said "From now on I'm buying all my razors and body washes in the men's section. I don't care about smelling like a man. It actually smells better to me" she said laughing.
Pink Tax certainly feels like punishment. The crime? Being born of female gender. All women should have the freedom to live unapologetically as females. As far as the pink packaging on women's essential items; the the Pink Tax needs to be removed without a doubt but, the packaging should still remain pink as fluff.
Keeping it in The City
Kaye / April 9, 2019 / No Comments
As a New Yorker born and raised in Queens, I'm always looking for an outlet to get local news about my city. Grabbing a newspaper on my commute into the other boroughs isn't always as convenient as having the news on my phone. The City is a non profit news site that brings direct reporting to New Yorkers. Before I even read any of the articles, I was quite impressed with their Pigeon logo. Some New Yokers are too embarrassed to admit that the Pigeon is the official bird of NYC. IT IS. The City site covers stories in all boroughs in New York. Check out the links below for some of the articles I found most interesting. These articles include NYC classrooms, subway delays, and budgets for construction.
NYC Classrooms With No A/C
https://thecity.nyc/2019/04/thousands-of-nyc-classrooms-still-dont-have-air-conditioning.html
Subway Graffiti Costs & Delays
https://thecity.nyc/2019/04/subway-graffiti-costs-and-delays-up.html
Developers Donate to Queens DA Candidate
https://thecity.nyc/2019/04/developers-back-katz-for-queens-da-despite-crackdown-vow.html
Alex and Ani Harry Potter Time Spinner Necklace
Kaye / March 16, 2019 / No Comments
"Three turns should do it" said Albus Dumbledore in "Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban." The ever risky Time Turner worn by Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) had the ability to make wizards and witches go back in time to alter past events. Or in Hermione's case, take an extra potions class.
Alex and Ani Harry Potter Time Turner
Photo by: Kaye Liautaud
I love when I can get my hands on a unique piece of jewelry that reflects my interests and who I am. Since I'm a major fan of the Harry Potter series (books & movies) it was only fitting that I have Hermione's time turner from the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Alex and Ani is my go to source for jewelry when I'm looking for a piece that resonates with me. From birthstones to zodiac signs, you can count on Alex and Ani to have jewelry that fits an array of personalities and beliefs. To be honest, I never expected to find my beloved fan fiction series as themed jewelry, like the time turner (which I've been wanting for a long time) at Alex and Ani. But I'm so happy I did!
The Alex and Ani Harry Potter Time Turner has a unique design that differs from the one used in the film. Made with rafaelian gold and Swarovski Crystal, the necklace has a delicate look that adds a statement to a casual outfit. If you know Hermione Granger, then you know she's not one to strut in heels wearing the latest trends. After all, you can't be occupied trying to dress for the runway when you're casting spells at Hogwarts, or flying away from creatures in the Forbidden Forrest.
The Time Turner has the function to spin like it does in the movie. The knobs on the outer ring however do not turn. It's placed there to add detail to an already stunning piece. The Swarovski Crystals mimic the look of a miniature hourglass. Around the hourglass is an inscription that reads "I mark the hours. Every one. Nor have I yet outrun the sun." The chain itself features an adjustable strap to control the length of the chain. Keep in mind you have to pull this necklace over your head since there is no clasp.
Alex and Ani Hermione's Time Spinner / Harry Potter Collection
What makes the Alex and Ani Time Spinner different from the movie version and the ones being sold at Barnes and Noble, is that it's origins are less easier to spot. At first sight you wouldn't know that it's a replica inspired from the Harry Potter series. Instead, it gives the impression of a time spinner that could have easily been your grandfathers but amplified to be more fashion forward. Barnes and Noble actually carries a replica in their Noble Collection line of Harry Potter products that is nearly exact to what is shown in Prisoner Of Azkaban. Of course it's larger, bulkier, and easier to spot because it was made to be just like Hermione's Time Turner from the film. There are also a lot of fakes of the Noble collection being sold on eBay for much cheaper prices with lesser quality.
Noble Collection Harry Potter Time Turner
Photo: Barnes and Noble website
Wether you like the exact replica from the Noble Collection or the cheap fakes being sold online, the Harry Potter Time Turner is a must have for any Potter fan. The Alex and Ani version is a more wearable piece that doesn't distract from the outfit, though it is still a conversation starter for being so unique and pretty. The Alex and Ani Time Spinner is a beautiful necklace to have for anyone who appreciates the meaning of the time turner as described in the books and movie. Any Potter fan would be ecstatic to have one. The fact that it's Alex and Ani though, makes it even more special.
Alex and Ani Hermione's Time Spinner / Harry Potter Colection
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Special occasions call for special apparel. For weddings, galas, award ceremonies, or even proms, we offer tuxedos and the necessary accessories—cummerbund sets, bow ties, tuxedo shirts, cuff links and shoes--to have you looking effortlessly elegant from head to toe. We welcome your entire wedding party.


Money seized from criminals will be donated to organisations that help reduce reoffending, say police chiefs.
Today, police and crime commissioner Anthony Stansfield and chief constable Francis Habgood will begin their search for voluntary and community groups to give up to £100,000.
Projects that may be considered include offender rehabilitation programmes and drugs and alcohol services.
However, all applications will be required to submit clear evidence of how their project or activity already contributes towards reducing crime before they make their final decision next year.
Chief Constable, Francis Habgood said: "Today we are launching the Police Property Act Fund.
"The fund will make an important contribution to community and voluntary groups who work tirelessly with limited resources to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our region and who support the Force in reducing crime and disorder.
The fund, which is jointly managed by the PCC and the Chief Constable, is created from money recovered by the police and the proceeds from the sale of items that cannot be returned to identified owners, which includes seizures from criminals.
In April, the PCC and Chief Constable jointly awarded grants amounting to £158,105 to 34 separate organisations, with the objective of Protecting Vulnerable People in order to reduce or help detect crime.
This is the second round of applications for 2015/16 and the PCC and Chief Constable expect to allocate around £100,000 in this round.
The closing date for this round of applications is 5pm on Thursday, December 31.
Police and Crime Commissioner, Anthony Stansfeld said: "I am delighted to be able to offer the opportunity of funding to those smaller community and voluntary groups that support police in reducing crime by reducing reoffending.


The Echo serves as the all-around centerpiece of smart home devices. It can basically control your whole house! The Echo is a high-quality speaker, housed in a water-bottle sized black cylinder. It works like this: you say its "wake" word ("Alexa", "Amazon", or "Echo"), and then tell it what to do. It can do quite a lot, and the list is growing. It can play music for you, or podcasts or audiobooks, read you the news, give you weather/traffic reports, give you facts, do calculations, set timers, hail a ride from Uber, stream music from Spotify or order pizza from Domino's.
Depending on what "skills" Alexa has (basically apps synced with the device), "she" can also walk you through cocktail recipes, tune your guitar, or help you with Minecraft. Echo also syncs and integrates with other smart home devices, such as lights, thermostats, garage-door openers, security systems, etc.
The Echo Dot is half the price of the full-sized Echo, and much smaller: about the size of a hockey puck. It does everything the Echo does, with smaller speakers. You can sync it with your own sound system however, making this possibly the best smart home device deal on the market right now.
This device is small and simple. Plug it into any electrical socket, then whatever you plug into it you'll be able to control from your smartphone, with the free WeMo app. Using the app, you can turn devices off and on remotely, schedule them to turn off/on at certain times, or program them to turn off/on when the motion sensor is triggered.
The WeMo switch also features full IFTTT integration. IFTTT (If This, Then That) is free online tool that allows you to link apps, Web services and smart devices together. The sky's the limit here. Using IFTTT integration, you could set it up so that you get a text alert every time someone walks by the motion sensor, or when the kids turn on the Xbox.
At its most basic, the Nest is a smart thermostat that syncs to an app on your smartphone, allowing you to control the temperature remotely. You can set maximum and minimum temperature ranges while you're out of the house and program temperature changes at specific times of the day. Nest helps you save energy and money by monitoring your daily energy usage, air humidity, and informing you (with a small green leaf in its beautifully designed display) when you're in a temperature range that will save you money. The Nest will also learn your habits over time, eventually making temperature changes for you.
For more of the best smart home devices, make sure to check out part 2 of this series!


Sunday has evolved over the years. When I was a kid there was church and Sunday school. I didn't hate these activities per se, just the fact that someone was making me wake up early to go do them (my least favorite thing in the world). Then there was a big lunch out somewhere and finally home. In my twenties Sunday suddenly became very fashionable and there was lots of brunch to be had. We thought this made us glamorous and grown up because only adults got to drink before noon.
Sometimes I find myself at church (sorry mom:)) and I still love a good mimosa, but today I prefer Sundays to be a bit more quite. Yesterday was a quite Sunday. A little too quite actually. Ok, I was bored. You know one of those days where you start to clean out your cupboard but get side-tracked seeing if you can make an igloo from sugar cubes. By the time you realize that this architectural feat is best left to the professionals, you've wasted so much time that cleaning seems futile. So you put everything back in the cupboard and vow to tackle it tomorrow.
At one point I started walking around the house taking random shots, which you see before you. Yea it got that bad. Oh well...at least I got a few cute ones of Miss A fighting not to go to sleep.
Wake up (late) to the smell of french-pressed coffee being brought to me. This would be followed by breakfast on the porch that overlooks the giant body of water we're staying on. I don't care if it's a lake, river, ocean or whatever as long as there's water and no one else around for miles.
I'm not really sure I'd move from the porch for the next few hours, except to make another mimosa, so this is the non-exciting portion of the day.
Then there's boats to paddle, walks to take and naps to savor.
The sun will be setting by this point so it's basically mandatory that we find ourselves back on the porch - wine in hand.
Don't worry I'll make dinner:).


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Q: In WordPress, do I need multiple WP_Query objects to display multiple category AND custom type post in the front page? First thing, English is not my native language, and I am pretty new to programming, PHP and WordPress, so please be patient and very simple in your answers :)
I am creating a custom theme for a multi-feature blog displaying videos, articles, movie reviews, image galleries, events and a shopping area where visitors can buy and download some e-books.
In the front page I want to show a sort of general summary of last entries, including:

*

*last 3 entries for each of 3 different blog-post categories (articles, movie reviews, videos);

*next 3 incoming events

*last 3 past events

*last 3 published galleries

*last 3 downloadable e-books

My question is: do I need to call 7 different WP_Query objects to have it working, one for each category/post_type, or are there better ways to get it done?
Maybe using the pre_get_posts hook, or some conditional tags like get_post_type() or is_category()? I tried those and some other ways but my lack of programming skills got me nowhere. Any suggestion is very welcome.
(added the relevant parts of code I am actually using)
<!-- // start Front Page contents - BLOG-->
    <!-- start tab dei post -->
        <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
        <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','category_name' => 'post' ) ); ?>
            <!--// seleziona risultati per categoria - POST -->
            // here is included the Loop for - POST
        <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
    <!-- end tab dei post -->
    <!-- start tab rece -->
        <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
        <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','category_name' => 'rece' ) ); ?>
            <!--// seleziona risultati per categoria - RECE -->
            // here is included the Loop for - REVIEWS
        <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
    <!-- end tab rece -->
    <!-- start tab video -->
        <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
        <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','category_name' => 'vide' ) ); ?>
            <!--// seleziona risultati per categoria - VIDE -->
            // here is included the Loop for - VIDEOS
        <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
    <!-- end tab video -->
<!-- // end Front Page contents - BLOG-->
<!-- // start Front Page contents - GALL-->
    <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
    <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','category_name' => 'gall' ) ); ?>
    <!--// Start our WP Query-->
        // here is included the Loop for - GALLERIES
    <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
<!-- // end Front Page contents - GALL-->
<!-- // start Front Page contents - BOOK-->
    <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
    <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','post_type' => 'download' ) ); ?>
    <!--// seleziona risultati per categoria - BOOK -->
        // here is included the Loop for - DOWNLOADS
    <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
<!-- // end Front Page contents - BOOK-->
<!-- // start Front Page contents - EVEN-->
    <!-- start tab EVENTI FUTURI -->
        <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
        <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','post_type' => 'event','scope' => 'future' ) ); ?>
        <!--// Start our WP Query-->
            // here is included the Loop for - Incoming Events
        <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
    <!-- end tab EVENTI FUTURI -->
    <!-- start tab EVENTI PASSATI -->
        <!-- // Define our WP Query Parameters-->
        <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => '3','post_type' => 'event','scope' => 'past' ) ); ?>
        <!--// Start our WP Query-->
            // here is included the Loop for - Past Events
        <?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
    <!-- end tab EVENTI PASSATI -->
<!-- // end Front Page contents - EVEN-->

A: Yes, you have to query everything on separate ways if they are in different post types.
In the blog categories case you can do something like:
$pp = 3;
$cats = ("post","rece","gall",...);

foreach($cats as $cat){
    $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'posts_per_page' => $pp,'category_name' => $cat ) );
    //Loop in here
}

This way you can save lines and time, besides you can apply same logic on post type queries if they are the same post type.
Let me know if this works for you!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Archive for November 29, 2016
5 QUESTIONS with AARON BECKER, creator of "JOURNEY"
November 29, 2016 / jimmy / No comments
Greetings, Aaron. Let's talk about your book, Journey. You do a masterful job in that opening spread, making full use of the copyright page, establishing the core elements of the story to come. Journey begins with a bored girl on her front stoop. Inside her home, through a cutaway device, we see her father looking at the computer, her mother talking on the phone, her sister staring at an electronic device. The world is dull and monochromatic –- except for one red scooter and, off to the side, almost unnoticed, a boy with a purple piece of chalk. Is that how this story started for you? As a reaction against our hyper-involvement with technology?
Yes, to the extent that much of my childhood was spent hoping my Dad would get off the home computer. I never saw the computer as an answer to life's biggest questions; to me it was clear that there was more value in my imaginary play than anything I could gain on a machine's screen.
Next comes what I consider the essential illustration to the story. And my favorite. The girl is alone in her room: bored, bored, bored. I love that critical moment, because I'm a huge believer in the positive value of boredom. Most people have an aversion to empty space –- on the radio, silence is called "dead air." Thanks to technological progress, we can now pick up a phone and scroll through Instagram at the first momentary lull. Crisis averted. Many of us seem to have lost our ability to work our way through (and beyond) that boredom.
This is the crux of it. It's interesting too, because during the lead up to the election, I depended a lot on the internet as a source of comfort to ease my concerns for the outcome that I feared. I was aware of this, and even went so far as to go on a writing retreat away from the news cycle the week before the vote. Now that we're on the other side, I can see so clearly that these tools were a false comfort to begin with. It's been much easier for me to stay off social media and news websites this past week, and not just because I don't want to see evidence that we have a new President. It's more that I realize there's no use in building one's sense of reality on something that is so removed from our actual physical existence on Earth. In a sense, I felt betrayed by technology once again. It's a lesson I hope to remember.
I'm sorry, what, were you talking? I was just checking my . . . [puts away phone]. It occurs to me that if you gave your central character an iPhone, she would have never gone on that journey. You would have lost an entire trilogy.
I do think there's a loss. When I was a kid, I watched way too much junky TV after school (which, I would like to add was brought on by actual policy from Reagan's FCC that allowed toy makers to create half hour commercials as entertainment for children) and I often think this hampered my brain's ability to function as an adult. But I'm also not entirely convinced that we were that much better off before. People have a lot more access to different types of storytelling (and stories) than they ever have. It's a busy landscape to navigate and I'd like to think that the children out there today that can manage the overload will come out with some pretty amazing stories to tell. That said, I'm not sure I could survive it. When my friends were all moving onto advanced gaming consoles, Pac Man was about all I could handle. One joystick and no buttons.
I think when people are bored, they ultimately have two choices: 1) Stay bored (and become boring themselves), or 2) Get creative, do stuff, make things happen. Quick story: I witnessed this dynamic when we took our kids on vacations in the Adirondacks. We often rented a cabin on a lake with no Wi-Fi, no TV, no town, no stores. For the first half hour, every year, they were lost. What now? Then, you know, they got busy. They built forts, went fishing, swam out to the pier, played cards, explored the grounds, looked for frogs, read, drew. All thanks to that wonderful boredom!
I was bored for most of my childhood. School was excruciatingly boring. At home, my family was of the serious academic variety and I was the only one interested in play. So I had to figure it out on my own. I didn't need the Adirondacks; it was like that for me 24/7. I was industrious. I used the Styrofoam from my Dad's computer boxes to build stuff. And in 5th grade, I moved down into the basement to decorate my own universe. I should also add that three of my close friends from elementary school in Baltimore, who suffered the same boredom as I did on all fronts, have gone on to distinguished careers as writers including a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a New York Times staff writer, and a children's book author. Go Baltimore City Public Schools!
Stuck in a room, another famous children's book character had to imagine his escape from boredom. Illustration by Maurice Sendak from WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE — but everybody knows that.
In the girl's bedroom, you scatter little clues about her character. The air balloon hanging from her ceiling, the drawings of the pyramids, the map of the world on her wall –- and even, very small, a plane flying outside her window. That's important to you, isn't it? The sense that we're living in a great big world.
I think I've always been looking for a way out, and so to that end the world offered possibilities. It's not that my home life was terrible. I just wasn't getting what I needed so I looked beyond it for an answer. I'd imagine most of us can relate to that!
Obviously, your book owes a debt to Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon. The device, the crayon, is the same, but the execution could not be more different. Also, the basic plot is timeless: using the imagination as escape, as a way to explore new worlds. Were those books important to you as a child?
Actually, I was never a big fan of that book! I think the drawings bugged me somehow. But I do remember that when I finished Journey someone mentioned the similarity and so I looked at it as an adult. I was amazed at the similarities in the story! I probably would never have made Journey if I was aware that there was something so similar already out there!
Yes, I hear that. I was talking about this issue with Jessica Olien recently. There's a freedom in not-knowing. I mean, I'm aware of authors who avidly read Publishers Weekly and stay up-to-the-moment about what's being published. But I'm the opposite, because my tendency is the same as yours: "Oh, rats, it's already been done." Creatively, I feel better off not knowing too much. A little bit goes a long way. I'm not a librarian or a publisher; I'm a maker. Our work has different requirements.
I'm a big fan of picture books and illustration in general, so I'll often go to stores that do a nice job of curating their shelves (like the one at the Eric Carle Museum here in Amherst) and pick out a few books to take home that I like. But I've never been interested in following trends or trying to interpret the market of what sells or is popular with critics. I feel like I have this chance with the books I make to create something akin to actual fine art, in that I feel like I'm making something entirely fueled by my own curiosity and interests. The minute I start to create books that I think will sell well is the minute I might as well go back to working as a hired gun for advertising or film.
Amen, brother! During her journey, our female protagonist experiences great beauty in the natural world. But there are also dark forces at work. The soldiers and guards who seek to capture and control. Are you saying, in effect, that there are forces that conspire against our imagination?
I've always thought that the emperor and his soldiers are interested in capturing the purple bird because it represents something they can't understand or access. They're aware that the bird has some sort of magical quality to it and it frightens them. But the girl just wants to set it free. She doesn't hesitate. The emperor represents that force inside of us that might more against that spontaneity of creation. Self-doubt, jealousy, envy, fear. We all have it.
We hate what we do not understand. Except for your art! I have no idea how you do it, Aaron, but I love your work. What materials do you use to create these illustrations? Smoke and mirrors and what else? Forgive me, I'm no Julie Danielson; I'm a little lost when it comes to talking about artwork.
Pencil sketch, opening spread.
I start with pencils until the story is working. Then I build some 3D models in the computer to aid in the perspective of the architecture; these models get printed lightly out onto paper and I do another, more detailed pencil drawing for each spread. Then I scan that pencil in the computer so that I can print it out very lightly onto watercolor paper as the basis for my ink drawing. From there, it's just like a traditional water color painting. Journey took me about a year and a half to produce. It's laborious but it's the only way I know!
This is a wordless book, and your very first. Congratulations on such a jaw-dropping accomplishment, for it is a debut book that announced the arrival of an exciting new voice. I enjoyed thinking about your story long after I first encountered it in the wild. Did it have words in early iterations? The wordlessness seems to open up the potentialities of story in ways that wouldn't be possible if it included text.
Thanks. I do feel like I made the book I wanted to make and the success that has followed has been just one giant blessing. I didn't plan on it being wordless. But my when I fished my first draft, which was literally a series of small thumbnail sketches on one big sheet of paper, I realized that adding words would only be redundant. The story was already there.
There are currently three books in Aaron Becker's "Journey" Trilogy: Journey, Quest, and Return. If readers are feeling bored, you can find Aaron's website by searching high and low on the interwebs. It might inspire your imagination.
ABOUT THE "5 Questions" INTERVIEW SERIES: It's a little project I've assigned myself, hoping to reach 52 authors & illustrators in the course of a year, always focusing on one book. I almost called it "Author to Author" but I didn't want to push myself to the front of it, though that is part of what makes these interviews unique. We're in the same leaky boat.
Coming next week, my great pal Matthew Cordell (Wish) You can hit the "SUBSCRIBE" icon and, hopefully, it will work. Scheduled for future dates, in no particular order: London Ladd, Lizzy Rockwell, Matthew Phelan, Bruce Coville, Jeff Mack, Jeff Newman, and more. To find past interviews, click on the "5 Questions" link on the right sidebar, under CATEGORIES, and scroll till your heart's content. Or use the handy SEARCH option.
Guest so far:
1) Hudson Talbott, "From Wolf to Woof"
2) Hazel Mitchell, "Toby"
3) Susan Hood, "Ada's Violin
4) Matthew McElligott, "Mad Scientist Academy: The Weather Disaster"
5) Jessica Olien, "The Blobfish Book"
6) Nancy Castaldo, "The Story of Seeds"
Category: 5 Questions / Tags: 5 Questions Preller, Aaron Becker, Aaron Becker Interview, Aaron Becker Trilogy Series, Boredom and Creativity, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Hudson Talbott, James Preller, Journey Aaron Becker, Julie Danielson, Nancy Castaldo, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Susan Hood, working past boredom
Six Critical Life Messages That Every Child Should Hear, by Barbara Coloroso
UPDATE: I originally posted this in April of 2010, as a tribute to the influence I felt from Barbara Coloroso while writing the book Bystander. In these troubling times, I felt it was time to remember her wise words, which she delivers in 90 seconds.
In previous blog entries, I praised this book by Barbara Coloroso . . .
. . . a title that has informed, enlightened, and guided my own work as a writer, coach, and father.
She's awesome, that's all there is to it.
I came across this short video this morning. In less than 90 seconds, Barbara delivers a message that every teacher and parent needs to hear and remember — so that the children in our world hear those same things from us.
Category: Bystander / Tags: 6 critical life messages that every child should hear, Barbara Coloroso, Books on Bullying, James Preller, the bully the bullied and the bystander
BANG: 30 Songs About Guns
I've made mixes all my life. Still do, though now we call 'em playlists. In this case I went thematic. I can't say why, it just worked out that way. I'm passing it along for your (possible) enjoyment. And, of course, as document. Feeding the interweb's gaping maw.
Note: As with any playlist, I created it for my own listening pleasure. There are some obvious songs I didn't include here — "Saturday Night Special" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, for example — and entire genres that I ignored in the interest in continuity. Also, there's simply a lot of songs I haven't heard or didn't think of. If you'd like to add a song, make a comment. Sonically, I think it holds together pretty well through the first 20 tracks, then it gets kind of wobbly after that. But it's an interesting subgenre. Guns & America. Let's get it started with a banjo . . .
Time To Get a Gun, Fred Eaglesmith
Miranda Lampert covered this song, which I gather was good news for Fred Eaglesmith and his bank account. For my mix, I'll stick with the man who wrote the song.
"Time to get a gun.
That's what I've been thinking.
I could afford one,
if I did just a little less drinking.
Time to put something,
between me and the sun.
When the talking is over
it's time to get a gun."
Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Cash
This song had to be here, so might as well get it out front.
"When I was just a baby
My Mama told me, "Son,
Always be a good boy/
Don't ever play with guns,"
But I shot a man in Reno
Just to watch him die."
The Devil's Right Hand, Steve Earle
Another song that begins with a Mama's warning, unheeded.
"My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt,
Shoot as fast as lightnin' but it loads a might slow.
It loads a mite slow and I soon found out
It can get you into trouble, but it can't get you out."
Put Down the Gun, Peter Case
He was the leader of the mighty Plimsouls for crying out loud. The man is a legend. And he's a legend, too, for writing this song.
""I don't want to swear it/ But it's something that I've heard/ A gun in the first act/ Always goes off in the third."
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), Nancy Sinatra
Written by Charles Harmon, Shaffer Smith, and Mr. Sonny Bono. To me, Nancy Sinatra forever owns this song. Quentin Tarentino used it to great effect in the film, "Kill Bill."
"Bang bang, he shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down."
Bang Bang Bang, Ellen Jewell
Ellen Jewell offers a new take on Cupid, who in this version has upgraded his weaponry.
"He fired off a few hot rounds
Right into the sorry crowd.
No blood, no gore, no one hit the ground.
They all just fell in love
With whoever they happened to be around.
It's funny, till it happens to you,
But be sure you stay well out of his way.
Love is careless, random and cruel,
He don't take aim he just —
He don't take aim he just bang bang bang."
Gun, Uncle Tupelo
More gun as metaphor than actual gun, but a great tune and one of Jeff Tweedy's best Uncle Tupelo numbers.
"Don't tell me which way I oughta run
What good could I do anyone.
'Cause my heart, it was a gun,
But it's unloaded now. . ."
That's When I Reach for My Revolver, Mission of Burma
Punk anthem, 1981.
"Tonight the sky is empty
But that is nothing new
Its dead eyes look upon us
And they tell me
We're nothing
But slaves (That's when I reach for my revolver)
Just slaves (That's when I reach for my revolver)
That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when I reach for my revolver."
Guns on the Roof, Clash
From the great "Give 'Em Enough Rope" LP.
"Guns guns, a-shaking in terror
Guns guns, killing in error
Guns guns, guilty hands
Guns guns, shatter the lands."
The Eton Rifles, Jam
Written by Paul Weller, who is awesome, in 1979.
"Sup up your beer and collect your fags,
There's a row going on down near Slough,
Get out your mat and pray to the west,
I'll get out mine and pray for myself."
Bullet With My Name on It, The Dream Syndicate
I finally caught these guys live at Solid Sound, 2013, but I can still remember the first time a friend introduced them to me, on vinyl, in his East Village apartment.
"If you ever saw me
swear I'd try to disappear
I wouldn't make a sound
Then something
got me on the run
it's gonna be the last time
I let you hold my gun."
Shoot Out the Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson
Thompson matches the gun's menace note for note with his slashing guitar riffs.
"In the darkness the shadows move
In the darkness the game is real
Real as a gun
As he watches the streets of the city
As he moves through the night
Shoot out the lights."
99 Year Blues, Hot Tuna
Originally written by blues musician Julius Daniels, this song appeared on the famous Anthology of American Folk Music box set. This "Burgers" LP was just huge with my friends and me back in high school. Jorma, man.
"Well, now give me my pistol, man
And three round balls
I'm gonna shoot everybody
That I don't like at all."
Bring Me My Shotgun, Lightnin' Hopkins
Another "my woman done me wrong" song — with a nice twist at the end.
"Go bring me my shotgun,
You know I just got to start shootin' again.
You know I'm gonna shoot my woman,
Cause she's foolin' around with too many men."
Billy, Green on Red (Dylan Cover)
Nice cover by Green on Red of a minor Dylan classic off the underrated "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" soundtrack. Gillian Welch also covers this tune in a way that's worth hearing.
"They say that Pat Garrett's got your number
So sleep with one eye open when you slumber
Every little sound just might be thunder
Thunder from the barrel of his gun."
Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Bob Dylan
Live by the gun, die by the gun. Sticking with the same LP, here's the tune everybody knows — and everybody, it seems, has covered.
"Mama, put my guns in the ground
I can't shoot them anymore
That long black cloud is comin' down
I feel like I'm knockin' on heaven's door."
Me and Billy the Kid, Joe Ely
One more in our Billy the Kid trilogy. Here's a classic take by the great Texas songwriter Joe Ely.
"Yeah, me and Billy The Kid never got along:
I didn't like the way he buckled his boots an' he wore his gun all wrong.
One day, I said to Billy: "I got this foolproof scheme.
"We'll rob Wells Fargo, it's bustin at the seams."
I admit that I framed him. I don't feel no remorse.
It was just my way of gettin' even with the man who shot my horse."
The Rifleman, The Minus 5
Scott McCaughey's pop collective out of Seattle. Maybe it would have been brighter if I grabbed something of their 2006 release, "The Minus 5", AKA "The Gun Album," but I don't know it that well. Sorry. So shoot me.
"Did you see the rifleman, did you see that episode?
Every Crawford in the country got to see his little head explode.
Just a loaded Texas tin star who tried to fill his boots
With bullets from a stocking Christmas morn'"
Shoot Out on the Plantation, Leon Russell
Another fallen legend, Leon died on 11/13/16. I'll always love him best for his work leading Joe Cocker's sprawling band, Mad Dogs & Englishmen.
"Yeah, the drummer's got the drum, the colonel's got the gun,
And Junior's only got a knife, he'd better run."
I Wanna Be Your Gun, The Mayflies USA
Sonically maybe not the best fit for this playlist, but I've long had a soft spot for this NC band's melodic power pop and vocal harmonies. Their first two CDs were produced by the great Chris Stamey, so there's your bona fides.
"I don't want a shot, I just wanna be your gun."
Tommy Gun, Clash
The only band that gets two songs on this playlist, breaking all the rules. Boy, they seem to matter now more than ever. We miss you Joe Strummer!
You ain't happy less you got one
Ain't gonna shoot the place up
Maybe he wants to die for the money
Maybe he wants to kill for his country
Whatever he wants, he's gonna get it!"
Hand of Fate, Rolling Stones
Pretty good band. They might make it someday.
"My sweet girl was once his wife
He had papers the judge had signed
The wind blew hard, it was stormy night
He shot me once, but I shot him twice."
Jeannie Needs a Shooter, Warren Zevon
The man, the myth, the legend.
"The night was cold and rainy down by the borderline
I was riding hard to meet her when a shot rang out behind
As I lay there in the darkness with a pistol by my side
Jeannie and her father rode off into the night."
With a Gun, Steely Dan
"I could be wrong but I have seen your face before
You were the man that I saw running from his door
You owed him money but you gave him something more
With a gun
Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Beatles
Another song where they are not really singing about a gun, but there's a lot of shooting going on. "She's not a girl who misses much."
"Happiness is a warm gun (bang bang shoot shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, mama (bang bang shoot shoot)
When I hold you in my arms (oh, yeah)
And I feel my finger on your trigger (oh, yeah)
I know nobody can do me no harm (oh, yeah)
Because, (happiness) is a warm gun, mama (bang bang shoot shoot)
Happiness is a warm gun, yes it is (bang bang shoot shoot)"
Ray's Automatic Weapon, Drive-By Truckers
A man slowly losing it . . . with a gun in his possession. Songwriting Patterson Hood style.
"I got to tell you
You got to take that gun back
Cuz these things that I been shooting at are getting all too real
Don't want to hurt nobody, but I keep on aiming closer
Don't think that I can keep it feeling like I feel."
Ten Cent Pistol, Black Keys
A scorned woman with a gun. That's a combo for you. Hell, the song practically writes its darn self.
"There's nothing worse
In this world
Than payback from a
Jealous girl
The laws of man
They don't apply
When blood gets in
A woman's eye."
Pray for Newtown, Sun Kil Moon
Mark Kozelek was at his shambolic, idiosyncratic best on the 2014 CD, "Benji." This is one of the songs on a weird, great disk.
"December twenty-fifth, and I was just laying down
I picked up a pen, I wrote a letter to the guy in Newtown
I said I'm sorry bout the killings, and the teachers who lost their lives
I felt it coming on, I felt it in my bones and I don't know why.
So when Christmas comes and you're out running around
Take a moment to pause and think of the kids who died in Newtown.
They went so young, who gave their lives
To make us stop and think and try to get it right
Were so young, a cloud so dark over them
And they left home, gave their mom and dad a kiss and a hug.
So when your birthday comes and you're feeling pretty good
Baking cakes and opening gifts and stuffing your mouth with food
Take a moment for the children who lost their lives
Think of their families and how they mourn and cry."
Shots, Neil Young
One of those great Neil songs it's easy to miss, because this hidden gem is off the 1981 "Re-ac-tor" LP, which is about when I began losing some enthusiasm for Neil who wandered lost in the 80s wilderness until he surprised us with "Freedom" in 1989. I went with the electric version here, though there's some really nice solo acoustic versions floating around the interwebs. If I was feeling clever, I could have started this thing off with the acoustic and then closed it out with the visceral noise of Neil and Crazy Horse kicking up a storm.
I hear shots, I keep hearing shots
I keep hearing shots
I hear shots."
Two Gunslingers, Tom Petty
Off the "Into the Great Wide Open" CD. My last song for this set, and I hope a fitting way to close it out.
"Two gunslingers walked out in the street and one said
"I don't want to fight no more"
And the other gunslinger thought about it and said
"Yeah, what are we fighting for?"
Category: Music / Tags: 30 Songs about guns, best gun songs, Best tweddy song Uncle Tupelo, Ellen Jewell, Mark Kozelek, Mayflies USA, Neil Young shots, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Patterson Hood, Peter Case, Pray for Newtown, songs with guns, time to get a gun
QUOTE FOR THANKSGIVING: For Teachers & Everyone Else
We've all heard a lot about the "echo chamber," the perils of hearing only a narrow field of opinions, calcifying our unchallenged opinions into dogma.
On the other hand, there's Thanksgiving dinner with the relatives!
"What was that you said, Uncle Frank?"
Anyway, I came across a great quote by journalist Walter Lippmann and wanted to share it. Actually, I had to track it down to its source, a book titled The Stakes of Diplomacy (page 51). When I first googled the quote, I kept coming across variations, all credited to Lippmann. It got to the point where I wondered, "What did he actually say?" No one seemed to care.
A good thought for all of us to keep in mind. I actually saw it in an article I edited many, many years ago for a Scholastic educational catalog. It was about cultivating higher-order thinking skills in the classroom. Ideas about convergent and divergent thinking, and so on.
It was a good concept then, and necessary today. Public discourse — democracy — thrives when shaped by a variety of informed opinions.
Category: In the Classroom / Tags: no one thinks very much, Scholastic catalog, teaching higher-order thinking skills, the echo chamber, The Stakes of Diplomacy, Walter Lippmann, Where all think alike
5 QUESTIONS with NANCY CASTALDO, author of "THE STORY OF SEEDS"
Nancy Castaldo, international jet-setter, thank you for stopping by. You know, I'll be honest. I already read Ruth Kraus's The Carrot Seed. I figure it's one of the most perfect books ever created. When it comes to seeds, she pretty much said it all: dirt, water, sun, and hope. Then you come along and blow my mind. In all seriousness, I didn't realize there was a much, much bigger story to tell –- and yet, you found it. How'd that happen?
Ah, The Carrot Seed! That's a great one. My favorite as a child was What Shall I Put In the Hole that I Dig? I think the subject of seeds has been with me ever since. But, like you say, The Story of Seeds goes a little deeper. I was bombarded by a bunch of news back around 2008 about heirloom vegetables, seed banks, and GMOs. I started to become aware of a global concern – crops were going extinct. I had no idea that could even happen! Then I learned about seed scientists who have risked their lives to protect these valuable treasures. I knew I had to spread the word.
Why is biodiversity important?
Let's chat about potatoes. The Great Famine in Ireland occurred mainly because there was a lack of diversity. Once the potato crop died, there wasn't any more food. Biodiversity gives us options. In the Andes Mountains in South America there are countless varieties of potatoes. If one suffers from a blight, another might still flourish. Biodiversity insures a healthier planet.
Your book has a decidedly global outlook. We hop around from Russia to Norway, India to Iraq, to places all over the United States. You must have put a ton of work into this – and it shows in all 136 pages. Tell us about your research. And don't worry, we have all day here at James Preller Dot Com. Most of my readers are unemployed. I mean, both my readers.
Well, you might have all day, but I have to keep writing! LOL. But actually, I could talk all day about the research. I am a research junkie. It's the best part — part scavenger hunt, part Indiana Jones. I wish I could have traveled to all of the places in my book, but some were off the table — like Iraq. Those places I had to visit by the magic of technology. I did, however, travel to Russia and many wonderful farms and seed banks. Russia was by far a place I never thought I would visit. Due to the seed scientists' schedules and our calendar, and my deadline, I ended up visiting in the dead of winter when it is the coldest and darkest. I felt like I really experienced Russia! I was able to use that experience to understand more of what went on during the Leningrad Siege I was writing about.
You put a spotlight on what you call "Seed Warriors." Did you create that term? How did that narrative strategy come about?
I stole it from myself! I highlighted people who are champions of the environment in my book In Keeping Our Earth Green, by calling them Earth Heroes. I wanted something similar for this book and since this feels like a battle I used the word warrior to describe these scientists.
Here's comes a two-parter, so I hope you're sitting down. Who do you think reads a book like The Story of Seeds? And also, were you once that kid?
That's a good question.
I would hope that teens are my first readers. They can do great things when empowered. I have faith in them. I also have lots of adults who are readers.
I loved reading books about the environment when I was a kid, like that picture book I mentioned earlier. When I was older I loved reading the essays and books by John Burroughs, Rachel Carson, John Muir and others who wrote about our world. I still draw inspiration from them. (Of course, I also read books about investigator, mystery-solver Nancy Drew!)
I loved that the book concluded with a five-page "Call to Action," where you offer practical ideas for motivated readers who want to make a difference. I identified with that, because I recently wrote a fictional, middle-grade book set in that near future that touches on some of the negative effects of climate change. It can bring us, writer and readers both, to some dark places. Did you feel it was important to leave your readers with a sense of hopefulness? Or at least, purpose?
Like I said — my readers can make a difference. I just want to give them some tools to help them do that!
I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you about your work with SCBWI. I know you are busy with that organization. First, how do I pronounce that word? Is it a kind of fish? Like scrod? I'm confused.
SCBWI stands for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and you are right, it's a mouthful! I am the regional advisor for the Eastern NY region. So, that means that when I'm not writing, I'm planning events and meet-ups for other writers and illustrators. I love it! It's a great organization for both published and aspiring children's book creators. Just take a look at the website scbwi.org — it's chock full of info on creating kids books!
I know that SCBWI has been a great source of perspiration — wait, strike that, inspiration! — for many aspiring authors and illustrators. As always, Nancy, I'm somewhat awed by all the good work you do. The Story of Seeds stands as an important, meaningful book. It's what our world needs, now maybe more than ever.
Hey, thanks Jimmy Preller, for this great chat. It's been fun. I can't wait to read your latest eco-fiction title! Climate change is a big topic. It's really frightening, but there's hope!
Hope is not my strong suit, Nancy, but I'm working on it! If your comment makes any readers curious about that book, Better Off Undead, they can click here.
NANCY CASTALDO is the author of several nonfiction books, including Sniffer Dogs, Keeping Our Earth Green, The Race Around the World, and many more. She lives in the Hudson Valley but she cares about the whole dang planet.
Coming next Monday, Aaron Becker (Journey). After that, my great pal Matthew Cordell (Wish) You can hit the "SUBSCRIBE" icon and, hopefully, it will work. Scheduled for future dates, in no particular order: London Ladd, Lizzy Rockwell, Matthew Phelan, Bruce Coville, Jeff Mack, Jeff Newman, and more. To find past interviews, click on the "5 Questions" link on the right sidebar, under CATEGORIES, and scroll till your heart's content. Or use the handy SEARCH option.
Guests so far:
3) Ann Hood, "Ada's Violin
Category: 5 Questions / Tags: 5 Questions Preller, 5 Questions with Nancy Castaldo, Aaron Becker, James Preller 5 Questions Project, James Preller Interview, Matthew Cordell, Mendel's Garden, Nancy Castaldo, Science books for middle school, Seed banks, Seed Warriors, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Carrot Seed, The Story of Seeds, What is SCBWI?, Why is biodiversity important

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


CREPE shirt featuring a fluid line, collar with gathering motif, long raglan sleeves and concealed button closure.
Wear this shirt when creating DAY & NIGHT outfits, matched with MINI SKIRTS and SKINNY JEANS.
It will give you a FRESH and FEMININE look.


The wind did some severe damage to the mountain as everyone found out when Tenjin opened yesterday.
2nd morning in a row without snow to clear and I'm pinching myself.
Looks like the possibility of some snow during the day and we have a significant snowfall coming this evening.


Formula E provides an excellent platform to tell customers about what Shell is up to, but it goes further than that. "Formula E is a very important part of the electric mobility journey that we are on," he said, adding, "It's very similar to the journey we had with fossil fuels - Formula 1, Nascar, Supercars, DTM; all these great racing series helping customers to feel emotionally attached to cars.
Formula E is a fantastic platform to make sure that customers can get emotionally attached to their electric cars." Nissan has a similar ethos when it comes to the firm's Formula E activities. "Being in city centres, being exposed to so many people - we think is it's going to be the ideal place to teach people them about all these great things we're doing," Nissan Global Motorsports Director Michael Carcarmo says.
And yes, the tech angle is crucial too. "The batteries, the development in high-performance motors - the learnings will come to road cars," Nissan Global Head of Marketing Roel de Vries confirms. Season Five of Formula E kicks off on 15 December at Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Street Circuit.


text:
The PMD Critical List: Do Doctors Bleed Blue?
Greg Kelly
A new survey finds physicians are shifting their political loyalties. Meanwhile, doctors in one US city are testing the effect of prescribing outdoor time for patients with chronic mental illness and the overweight. Those stories highlight this week's list of must-read news articles for physicians.
A new survey finds physicians are shifting their political loyalties. Meanwhile, doctors in one US city are testing the effect of prescribing outdoor time for patients with chronic mental illness and the overweight. Those stories highlight this week's list of must-read news articles for physicians.
• US Physicians Starting to Favor Democrats (Reuters)
A recent American Medical Association survey finds that doctors are giving more of their political donations to the Democratic Party. The shift maybe due to more women physicians and a changing job market for doctors, with more physicians ending up at nonprofits, rather than in private practice.
• Doctor's Orders: A Walk in the Park (San Francisco Examiner)
As part of a pilot initiative, a great many Golden Gate City doctors are writing "park prescriptions." The "outdoors medicine" is proving beneficial for patients with chronic or mental illness and the overweight.
• Nepal Earthquake: Doctors Operating in Tents (The UK Independent)
Volunteer doctors from around the world struggle to aid survivors from a horrific earthquake in Nepal on April 26. "The worst earthquake to hit the area in 80 years has killed more than 3,200 people and injured more than 6,500."
• Many Factors Cause Long Waits at the Doctor (El Paso Times)
Here's some real wisdom from a Texas doctor about the issue of patient wait times. There's too much preoccupation with computers and data, he says, and not enough focus on profound communication between patient and physician.
• What if Doctors Didn't Have To Memorize? (NPR.org)
The "entire body of medical knowledge doubles every 3 or 4 years," writes this physician, the new interim president at the University of Oklahoma—Tulsa, and "information quickly becomes outdated." Instead, medical education must get serious about the importance of social determinants in healthcare.
• Doctors Throwing Fits (Slate.com)
Some hard-hitting observations from the best-selling author of a new book, "The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles with the Heroes of the Hospital." "Only some doctors exhibit such behaviors, and incidents should be viewed in context," Alexandra Robbins explains.
• More Doctors Demanding Payment Before Visits (WCPO Cincinnati)
Here's a patient's perspective report on "how high-deductible health plans mean that people are responsible for the first $2,000 or $3,000 of care each year." Bloomberg News reported the "new trend" with physicians.
• ACP Publishes New Fenway Guide to LGBT Health (LGBT Weekly)
One of the nation's leading physician groups has come out with an updated version of its textbook on treating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients. The mission: "delivering high quality care in an environment that is welcoming and inclusive."
• Dr. Oliver Sacks: A Memoir (New York Post)
A pithy review of a new autobiography written by the renowned New York neurologist and author. Dying of cancer, the 81-year-old physician puts "his own characteristic brilliant and sober punctuation on a vibrant life."
• The Science of Telemedicine (Wired)
Although it precludes the classic doctor's diagnostic touch, medical professionals say telemedicine has a place in modern healthcare. "For patients with severe chronic conditions, telemedicine allows long-term monitoring that can decrease or prevent complications."


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Five things we learned from Joel Osteen's visit
By Eric Marrapodi and Dan Gilgoff, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor
Washington (CNN) - Joel Osteen, the pastor of America's largest church, swung by the offices of CNN's Belief Blog on Tuesday. He's in town for a "Night of Hope" event at Nationals Park baseball stadium this weekend, which is expected to draw thousands of worshipers who wouldn't otherwise step foot in a church.
Before taking batting practice with the Washington Nationals and delivering the opening prayer in Congress, Osteen sat down for a freewheeling interview with us. Five things we learned from his visit:
The Editors - CNN Belief Blog
Filed under: Belief • Christianity
Catholic groups spar with Paul Ryan over budget
By Charles Riley, CNN Money
Rep. Paul Ryan is scheduled to deliver a speech at Georgetown University later this week, but he is unlikely to receive a standing ovation from some members of the faculty.
Almost 90 faculty members at the prestigious Jesuit school have signed a letter to Ryan that claims the Republican budget guru is misinterpreting Church doctrine as it relates to the role of government in public life.
"We would be remiss in our duty to you and our students if we did not challenge your continuing misuse of Catholic teaching to defend a budget plan that decimates food programs for struggling families, radically weakens protections for the elderly and sick, and gives more tax breaks to the wealthiest few," the letter says.
The Ryan budget, which has passed the House but stands no chance in the Senate, calls for massive spending cuts over the next decade when compared to the president's plan. The non-security discretionary part of the budget, which contains many social welfare programs, would be hard hit.
Read the full story on CNN Money.
Dan Merica - Dan Merica
Filed under: Catholic Church • Politics
Osteen: Romney is a Christian
By Ashley Killough, CNN
(CNN) – Famed pastor Joel Osteen reiterated his position that Mitt Romney is a Christian on Tuesday, saying as long as the likely GOP presidential nominee believes that Jesus is the Son of God then he subscribes to the Christian faith.
"When I hear Mitt Romney say that he believes that Jesus is the Son of God–that he's the Christ, raised from the dead, that he's his Savior–that's good enough for me," Osteen said in an interview to air on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
While Osteen described the Mormon faith as "not traditional Christianity," he said he believes Mormons fall under the Christian tent.
"Mormonism is a little different, but I still see them as brothers in Christ," the pastor argued.
Romney's faith has largely remained an outlier in this presidential cycle, though some have expressed skepticism at the likely Republican nominee's religious views.
Read the full story on CNN's Political Ticker.
Filed under: 2012 Election
Belief Blog's Morning Speed Read for Tuesday, April 24
By Laura Koran, CNN
Here's the Belief Blog's morning rundown of the top faith-angle stories from around the United States and around the world. Click the headlines for the full stories.
CNN: Priest's guilty plea throws wrinkle into Philadelphia sexual abuse trial
Attorneys in the child sexual abuse and conspiracy trial of two Philadelphia priests debated Monday over which potential witnesses jurors would be allowed to hear regarding a third defendant who pleaded guilty to molesting boys just days before opening remarks.
CNN: Liberty University responds to Romney controversy, angers online students
Liberty University reacted over the weekend to a brewing controversy over the fact that the evangelical school has selected Mitt Romney, a Mormon, to speak at the school's graduation. In a statement from Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr., the school says that the complaints have significantly died down and that many of those complaining "had no affiliation with the university."
- CNN's Laura Koran


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Old and New Loves?
Posted by gregprescott on September 18, 2017
"Writing is good, thinking is better. Cleverness is good, patience is better."
― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
Believe it or not, this blog is not my first attempt at being published. To this day, I have always had two true sporting loves: baseball, and track & field. My love for baseball is well documented with this blog. My love for track and field, while it has ebbed and flowed over the years, is just as strong. I started my track and running "career" back in middle school, and continued through high school. While not nearly the fastest member of the team, I was always good enough to land a spot somewhere on the 4×440 team, or could be thrown into just about any event in a dual meet just to pick up a point or two. In one meet in my senior year, against a very small school, my coach even had me "ride the pole" to clear the opening height in the pole vault (the opening height was ridiculously low) and even did the 120 yard hurdles to pick up another point. I continued running after high school, competed in an intramural meet at FSU, ran a few marathons and half marathons, and even drove from Asheville,NC to Knoxville, TN while on vacation after my senior year in high school just to see the opening day of the USA Track & Field Championships! One constant in my love for track from the late 70s through the 90s was the magazine Track & Field News (T&FN)- the Bible of the Sport since 1948!
Here's a photo from the 1982 National Championships that I took of Carl Lewis in the 100m prelims:
I picked up my first copy in my track coach's office my freshman year, and was hooked. The only place to find it on the rack was at the Athletic Attic in Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg. I always found a way to get my mom to drive me over once a month to pick up a copy. Later on, I took out a subscription, and at one point, I had probably 10 years of back issues sitting in a closet. On my runs, I would envision myself "racing" against the greats of the day: Alberto Salazar, Craig Virgin, Sydney Maree, and others.
When I was in grad school at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, I would jog on their indoor track after work before going to class. There I saw one of GMU's pole vaulters working out. His name was Istvan Bagyula.
Bagyula was recruited by then coach John Cook, who was building a great track program with many "import" athletes. As I circled the track many nights, I'd see him working on his craft. I researched him a bit, found out he was a silver medalist at the 1991 World Championships! And here he was, practicing while I was plodding around the track!! I went back to all my editions of T&FN, and discovered that they had never done an article on him! My creative juices kicked in, and I contacted T&FN to see if they would be interested in getting an interview. I mailed a note to T&FN, and much to my surprise, they thought it was a great idea! (Note: remember this was 1992, before the net, so communication was done via mail and fax!). Here's the response I received from Jon Hendershott, Associate Editor:
I was giddy with excitement! Other than random letters to the editor, I had never been published! Jon was great, he included all kinds of background material in his package, and so one night, I approached Bagyula and told him I was an MBA grad student and would like to do an interview with him for T&FN. To my surprise, especially since Jon had said they had pretty much gotten the cold shoulder from him, he agreed. We set up a time to meet, and he was awesome! I had my notes and questions ready, and I secured a micro tape recorder to make sure I didn't miss anything. We chatted for a while in the stands, and he gave me plenty of his time. Just a down to earth kind of guy.
It's funny how hero worship works with famous athletes. I recently befriended a famous athlete from my past on Twitter, a former professional wrestler, who I loved watching growing up: Gerald Brisco, who wrestled professionally in the Florida and Mid Atlantic territories in the 70s and 80s, and later was famous in the WWF (now WWE). Gerald is a WWE Hall of Famer, as well as being a member of the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame with his late brother, Jack. I "met" Gerald on Twitter, first following him, then exchanging a few messages with him directly. It's amazing how open and just regular guys these folks are once you reach out to them. I had the pleasure of sharing breakfast with Gerald, and his son Joe, last weekend in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. That conversation alone is fodder for another blog post! The gist is, our "heroes" most of the time just turn out to be great guys and someone you'd love to share a cup of coffee with!
Gerald Brisco and me:
Back to Bagyula
I wrote up my article, and sent it off to Hendershott. Here was my chance: to be a published writer! Even though I was (am) a finance geek, I couldn't wait to be published in my favorite magazine!! Then the bad news came. They couldn't publish my article. Hendershott let me down easy, saying it was a matter of space. I was devastated. I held out hope, as his fax said, that it would be published later, but alas, it never was. I think I knew the real reason. When you are writing for the "Bible of the Sport" it had better be good! Re-reading it after all these years, it was more like a piece for US Weekly than the Bible!!
But here's the kicker. Now I have a blog! I can publish anything I want! I don't hold any ill will against T&FN. I continued to read them for many years after that, and still follow them on Twitter and Facebook. They have been doing their thing for almost 70 years! But now I have my own voice, my own pulpit. It's now pretty easy to self publish! So, 25 years later, here's my, um, masterpiece that was never published. And if you make it to the end, I'll provide a post script!
My article from 1992
At age 7, Istvan Bagyula was already an experienced polevaulter with a PR of 1.90 meters. "It seemed like a very interesting thing to do to for a 7 year old kid." He had no idea that 16 years later he would be jumping in the US at George Mason University, have 5 NCAA titles, (3 indoors,2 outdoors) to his credit, own the collegiate record with a PR of 19-5, with a World Junior Record thrown in along the way, and to top it off, a silver medal at the Tokyo edition of the World Championships.
Istvan came to the US to be reunited with his coach of 8 years, Engre Gagyi. Gagyi left Hungary when Istvan was 15, and Istvan remained in contact with Gagyi, and upon finishing secondary school, they sought out a club or university to continue his training. Mason coach John Cook offered Istvan a scholarship, and Gagyi a coaching position, and over the last 4 years, that investment has paid high dividents for all parties involved.
Although last summer was a busy one for Istvan, and quite different from most of his fellow economics majors at GMU, he did get to go home over the summer. Istvan will be back at George Mason in the fall to finish his degree, but he has no plans on staying in the States. While he enjoys living here on on temporary basis, his family and home are in Hungary. "If I stayed here permanently, it would be bad. I'm going to have a degree in economics when I am finished. I really don't know what to do with it, " he laughed. Istvan is sure of one thing: he has no desire to to be a coach. "I'm 100% sure I don't want to coach. I don't have the paitence for it."
At this point, Istvan has no other outside interests when he's not in schoo or vautlting. When asked what he does to relax, to take his mind off of schoo and vaulting, Istvan replied, "I really don't want to take my mind off vaulting right now. I never really did wan to to do that." He does confide, however, that when he does go home, h want's to get a motorbike. He had a motorbike once before, which he is reminded of everday by a small scar still visible on his chin.
Istvan's 1992 campaign has been slowed by a nagging back injury that flared up prior to winning his fifth NCAA title. He has competed sparingly this season, with one of those meets resulting in a 19-1/4 effort, good enough for a second place in the European Indoor Championship. But he has not competed since the NCAA meet in Indianapolis. "My first competition would have been the IC4As anyway. During that two and a half months we would have trained very hard. But I haven't been doing anything since the NCAAs basically. I wish I could do run throughs, but I can't even run. As soon as I lift my knees a little bit more intensely, (the pain) kicks in."
But Istvan is still dreaming of hardware in Barcelona, and maybe of the big prize. "Well, you can dream, but if you just dream, it's not going to get you anywhere. Now, if you wan to be reasonable, you just go for second place if (Sergey) Bubka is there. you can dream, but what's the point?"
But whether it's the Olympics or a collegiate dual meet, Istvan is the consumate competitor. "It counts whether it's a college meet or a high level meet, but those are not the only things that can motivate a pole vaulter. If the circumstances are good, which is the case most of the time here in the US, it can motivate you. Such as a nice tailwind, nice weather; that can be a motivator too because you know the circumstances are right for a good jump or doing close to your PR." For Istvan, there's always something to jump for. Including a medal in Barcelona!
I seemed to have caught Istvan just after his peak. In the 1992 NCAA outdoor champs, he failed to make the finals of the pole vault. In the 1992 Olympics he placed ninth with a vault of 5.30 meters (17-4). He later jumped 5.70 meters (18-7) at the 1993 World Champs (10th place) and won the Universlade Games in 1995 with the same height, but never won a medal at the higher level. 😦
The upside is after my breakfast with Gerald Brisco, I might be following GMU wrestling. George Mason Univsity recently hired coach Frank Beasley from North Carolina State University as their new head coach. Mr. Brisco encouraged me to follow NCAA wrestling, and since GMU is a mere 4 miles from my home, maybe I will have a new love and blog post material during the baseball off season!
tracktrack & fieldtrand & field News
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David Goff says:
Great read. Doubt there are many sports articles out there with both Gerry Brisco and T&F News in the same story!
gregprescott says:
If anything my blog is eclectic!


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RBA makes September cash rate call
By Adam Zuchetti
The Reserve Bank of Australia has made known its monthly verdict on official interest rates, after a series of independent rate hikes from Australian lenders.
Increases over the last week by the likes of Westpac and Suncorp were a factor in the RBA's decision to leave official rates on hold for yet another month at 1.5 per cent. It marks the longest ever run of interest rate stability in Australia, with the last movement (a cut) happening back in August 2016.
During its last meeting on 7 August, the RBA board had examined an economy in generally good health, with steady growth in retail sales and employment, housing prices continuing to come off the boil (except in the booming Hobart market) and overall growth expected to sit just above 3 per cent in 2018 and 2019.
Of concern, though, is the ongoing drought gripping NSW and much of Queensland, which is impacting agriculture production and exports.
Inflation – the key driver of interest rate movements – remains relatively subdued at 2.1 per cent, and is expected to remain subdued for some time to come.
"Strong competitive pressures and low growth in wage costs had been placing downward pressure on retail prices for some time," the board noted in its minutes.
Decision widely anticipated by industry
The decision to keep rates on hold for yet another month had been widely anticipated, particularly since lenders have started hiking rates of their own accord – effectively blocking the RBA from doing so even if it had wanted to.
On Wednesday (29 August), Westpac became the first of the majors to raise rates, increasing all of its standard variable rates by 14 basis points. Suncorp followed suit two days later with a 17-basis-point increase on variable home loans, and a 10-basis-point rise on small business loans.
"There are plenty of factors keeping interest rates on hold, but top of mind is the fact that mortgage rates are already edging higher as lenders look to balance their profit margins against higher funding costs and a smaller deposit base," noted Tim Lawless, head of research of property data firm CoreLogic.
"With the first of the big four banks announcing an out-of-cycle rate hike, the prospects for a higher cash rate have likely been pushed back even further; we could even see debate for a lower cash rate becoming more prominent."
Likewise, it was unanimously expected by all 30 panellists from the finder.com.au RBA survey that official rates would remain on hold.
"The belief that the cash rate won't budge combined with increased funding pressure from overseas has spurred Westpac, Suncorp and other major banks to hike mortgage rates out-of-cycle," the comparison site's insights manager, Graham Cooke, said.
"We expect this trend to continue, with the remaining of the big four and other lenders likely to follow suit in the coming days.
"Mortgage holders should brace themselves for higher interest rates – it's not a matter of if, but when."
Last Updated: 04 September 2018 Published: 04 September 2018
Toyota returns $18m in JobKeeper payments
Aussies spend up big during pre-Christmas sales
Aussies unlikely to splash the cash following pandemic
An unexpected surge in sales in 2020 has inspired car manufacturer Toyota to write an $18 million check to the government, returning the amount it received in JobKeeper subsidies and touting the move...Read more
Consumers have taken advantage of new freedoms post-lockdown and pre-Christmas discounts as retail sales soared in November, official figures have revealed. ...Read more
Australian consumers are likely to cut back on discretionary items in 2021 with many re-evaluating their spending habits following the COVID-19 pandemic, new research has revealed. ...Read more
'It's back': SA unveils second Great State Voucher
South Australian residences or those planning to travel to the state could save up to $150 as the government continues its support for the local tourism sector. ...Read more
Rise in health premiums at 20-year low, but there's a catch
While the Australian government's health insurance reforms have resulted in the lowest annual average premium change since 2001, according to experts consumers could still see a "whacking" prem...Read more
Young Aussies pressured to buy love this Christmas
Younger Australians are likely to spend more this Christmas as they equate expensive gifts with love, a researcher has found. ...Read more
Buying local this Christmas could raise over $1bn for small business
New research suggests that Australians could deliver an estimated $1.12 billion to the small-business sector this Christmas just by buying one more gift from their favourite local business. ...Read more
WFH sees CBD pubs' profits halve
Despite a lift in consumer spending, the easing of restrictions has not translated into a boom for the hospitality sectors in NSW and Victoria, a big four bank has revealed. ...Read more


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The Original iPhone Review 10 Years Later [WSJ]
by Usman Qureshi – Fri, June 30, 2017
While the original iPhone was certainly ground breaking and revolutionary back in 2007, using the same phone in 2017 is actually "heartbreaking", according to The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern, who locked up her iPhone 7 and attempted to live with the original for a week but couldn't make it through the day. "I made it 12 hours—12 full hours of complete frustration and complete amazement. I urge you to try it yourself", she writes.
Below is a brief excerpt from the WSJ's lengthy original iPhone review redux:
In 2007, the iPhone was truly a technological wonder. Today, it is truly terrible. Actually terrible. When I called my mom, it was so muffled I wondered if she was in an airplane lavatory at 30,000 feet.
Speeds. You like your 4G LTE? Pfft, the original iPhone didn't even have 3G. It ran only on a 2G EDGE cellular network. It takes nearly a minute to fully load our president's Twitter feed in the old iPhone's Safari browser (with an iPhone 7 on LTE, it takes just 5 seconds).
Screens. If the iPhone 7 Plus had a kangaroo pouch, it could easily carry around the original iPhone. The larger screen feels like a 5.5-inch Texas next to a 3.5-inch Oklahoma.
Stills. The 2-megapixel camera takes surprisingly decent shots when the lighting is good. (I mean, I'd still carry a point-and-shoot.) But want to take a shot where the light isn't great? Don't even try.
Software. It was touch-screen magic! A screen that becomes a keyboard! Pinch to zoom to see the details of a photo! Swipe through the colorful album covers! But there are no emojis, predictive text or Siri. No third-party apps to share or edit photos. Heck, you can't even text a photo, or load most websites. No Apple Music or Spotify.
Stamina. When you think about how little this iPhone can do, it's pretty nuts that I still had to charge it by lunchtime. This battery may be old, of course, but people who owned the first iPhone remember the midday top-up.
Check out Stern's day-in-the-life video below and tell us what you think:
Former Apple UI-Designer Shares the Story Behind iPhone's "Slide to Unlock"
Fri, June 30, 2017


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Litigation funders: Consumer Rights Act class actions could have "far-reaching consequences"
Posted by Dan Bindman
Edwards: Act will make group actions easier
Litigation funders have predicted far-reaching changes following the introduction of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which comes into force today, particularly as a consequence of the collective redress regime that it ushers in.
Among other changes, schedule 8 of the Act for the first time makes available opt-out competition law class actions in England and Wales. This means cases can be brought by a defined group of people with similar claims either as follow-on or standalone actions, once they are certified by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
The tribunal also has powers to order them to be opt-in, will subject them to a preliminary merits test, and will have to approve any settlements. It will not be able to award exemplary damages – although it can award damages without quantifying the loss of each individual claimant – and actions cannot be brought under damages-based agreements.
Litigation funders suggested the Act would have a significant impact on litigation. Rosie Ioannou, senior counsel at Vannin Capital, predicted the advent of UK class actions could have lasting implications if such actions were deemed successful and were extended beyond the competition sphere.
She added: "There has been much academic debate about the legislative nuances of the Act and how the new class action regime will work in practice. What is clear, given experiences in other jurisdictions where class actions now operate, is that funding will be key to their success.
"Litigation funding has already seen exponential growth in recent years and since it is well suited to supporting class actions, I would expect to see this continue at an even faster pace as class actions in the UK gain traction."
Fellow litigation funder, Jeunesse Edwards, engagement manager at Augusta Ventures, said the new Act would improve the difficult balance involved in a group action under the previous system.
"As a funder you won't have an endless recruitment process to try and hit that critical mass in terms of number of claimants and what quantum they signed up for…
"You'll know at the point you're successful that the other side have to pay for all the costs of paying people out and categorising them, getting them on the system and dealing with them…
"I think it's going to make it easier to get group actions off the ground. That makes it much more attractive for us to be able to get involved, and it also makes the process much slicker for everybody, which is what we always try to achieve."
Leading group action lawyer Mark Harvey, a partner at Hugh James and head of its claimant division, observed that it seems the government has not pursued its original plan to bar lawyers or third party funders from acting as the representative.
He regretted the fact that contingency fee arrangements were prohibited, however. "A shame as this would have made these representative claims even more viable."
Mr Harvey said the Act would make such actions as the PIP breast implant litigation – in which he is the court-appointed lead solicitor – "tidier and easier to follow, especially for the consumer".
He added: "However, from my perspective the largest impact will arise from the collective redress regime it improves."
Claimant lawyers Leigh Day suggested the Act would not bring about an increase in claims. Jill Paterson, a partner in the firm's consumer law and product safety group, said: "The new legislation consolidates and simplifies pre-existing legislation, clarifies timescales for redress, and extends the range of remedies for consumers, such as ADR.
"A notable addition to rights brought in by the Act is the inclusion of 'digital content', signifying a much needed move with the times.
"Anything that makes matters simpler for consumers can only be a good thing, and we welcome the legislation."
Consumer Rights Act
litigation funders
Find out more & download
Sparkle Capital Ltd
AxiaFunder
Pay as you go? Not quite
The Court of Appeal recently reaffirmed the statement of the general rule in the White Book that the costs of an application for an interim injunction will, absent any special factors, be reserved.
Disbursement funding for commercial disputes – all about the price tag?
Insolvency update: Move fast and settle things


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Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network
Inventory & Monitoring at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Endangered ae'o (Hawaiian stilt) at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
For generations the coral reefs and bays of Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park on the western shore of Hawai'i Island have been and continue to be, used for fishing and traditional aquaculture. The park protects cultural legacies such as two fishponds and a fish trap built by Hawaiians many generations ago. Brackish water ecosystems called anchialine pools dot the lava fields, and coral reefs lie just off the shoreline.
What's Monitored Here
Anchialine Pools, Benthic Marine Communities, Climate, Groundwater, Marine Fish, Plant Communities, and Water Quality
Additional Climate Information
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park Climate Station Updates (Station ID = KHOH1)
PACN I&M Inventory and Monitoring Reports, Protocols, and Articles from Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Natural & Cultural Resources Studies
Reports, data, and other published studies pertaining to the natural and cultural resources at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Park Species List
Discovering species in our parks
The value of, and threats to, groundwater at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. Click on image to download a PDF version of the full size poster.


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Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Montana
There are several companies selling Medicare Advantage plans in Montana. See which ones have plans that come out on top.
By Kate Ashford, CSA®
Kate Ashford, CSA®
Lead Writer | Medicare, retirement, personal finance
Kate Ashford is a writer and NerdWallet authority on Medicare. She is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and has more than 18 years of experience writing about personal finance. Previously, she was a freelance writer for both consumer and business publications, and her work has been published by the BBC, Forbes, Money, AARP, LearnVest and Parents, among others. She has a degree from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. Kate has appeared as a Medicare expert on the PennyWise podcast by Lee Enterprises, and she's been quoted in national publications including Healthline, Real Simple and SingleCare. She is based in New York.
Edited by Dawnielle Robinson-Walker
Dawnielle Robinson-Walker
Assistant assigning editor at large | McGraw Hill, Hallmark Cards, Forbes Health
Dawnielle Robinson-Walker spent 16 years as a college English instructor, teaching creative writing and African-American literature before she began writing and editing for various companies and online publications. Prior to joining NerdWallet, she was an editor at Hallmark Cards and a contributing writer at Forbes Health.
Nearly 250,000 people in Montana are signed up for Medicare
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Fact Sheet. Accessed Nov 28, 2022.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older. Medicare Advantage is a bundled alternative to Medicare sold by private insurance companies. It offers all the same benefits and usually some extras, such as cost savings on dental and vision coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans offer more benefits than Original Medicare, and they can be cheaper than paying for Medicare and a Medicare Supplement plan. However, they have less flexibility since you'll need to get care from within the plan's network of providers. Weigh your options to determine which plan best suits your needs.
» MORE: Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: Which should I choose?
What to know about Medicare in Montana
About 1 in 5 people in Montana are 65 and older, and there is a variety of Medicare Advantage plans in the state
U.S. Census Bureau. QuickFacts, Montana. Accessed Nov 28, 2022.
The average monthly premium in 2023 for a Medicare Advantage plan in Montana is $23.06. (It was $29.28 in 2022.)
There are 26 Medicare Advantage plans available in Montana in 2023. (There were 24 plans in 2022.)
All Medicare-eligible people in Montana have access to a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan.
Medicare Advantage companies in Montana
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana.
Humana.
Lasso Healthcare.
PacificSource Medicare.
UnitedHealthcare.
Top-rated Medicare Advantage plans in Montana
Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, awards every Medicare Advantage plan a star rating on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a top-rated plan. Below are companies with at least one plan that received top marks in Montana for the 2023 plan year
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 2023 MA Landscape Source File (v 10 14 2022). Accessed Nov 28, 2022.
. (Get more information about Medicare star ratings.)
4.5-star plans
There are no companies in Montana with plans rated 5 stars in 2023. The company below offers plans in Montana that are rated 4.5 stars out of 5 by the CMS:
4-star plans
The companies below offer plans in Montana that are rated 4 stars out of 5 by the CMS:
» MORE: Best Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare resources in Montana
Montana State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP: Offers free counseling for people with Medicare, their families or caregivers.
Montana State Auditor: Provides information and advocates for Montanans on retirement insurance.
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services: Shares information on various health and assistance topics.
Find the right Medicare Advantage plan
It's important to do your research before selecting a Medicare Advantage plan for yourself. Here are some questions to consider asking:
What are the plan's costs? Do you understand what the plan's premium, deductibles, copays and/or coinsurance will be? Can you afford them?
Is your doctor in-network? If you have a preferred medical provider or providers, make sure they participate in the plan's network.
Are your prescriptions covered? If you're on medication, it's crucial to understand how the plan covers it. What tier are your prescription drugs on, and are there any coverage rules that apply to them?
Is there dental coverage? Does the plan offer routine coverage for vision, dental and hearing needs?
Are there extras? Does the plan offer any extra benefits, such as fitness memberships, transportation benefits or meal delivery?
Medicare Advantage providers
Get more information below about some of the major Medicare Advantage providers. These insurers offer plans in most states. The plans you can choose from will depend on your ZIP code and county.
AARP Medicare Advantage plans.
Aetna Medicare Advantage plans.
Anthem Medicare Advantage plans.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans.
Cigna Medicare Advantage plans.
Humana Medicare Advantage plans.
Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage plans.
UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans.
Wellcare Medicare Advantage plans.
If you have additional questions about Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227, TTY 877-486-2048).
About the author: Kate Ashford is a certified senior advisor (CSA)® and personal finance writer at NerdWallet specializing in Medicare and retirement topics. Read more
What Are the Parts of Medicare? Parts A, B, C and D Explained
Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Wisconsin
Best Medicare Advantage Plans in Virginia
CarePlus Medicare Advantage 2023 Review
Dive even deeper in Medicare
Best Medicare Advantage Plans in 2023
Medicare Open Enrollment 2023: What You Need to Know
What Is Medicare, and What Does It Cover?
by Liz Weston, CFP®, Kate Ashford, CSA®
Explore Medicare
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