How early should I book a maternity shoot?
It is never too early to schedule your maternity shoot. We typically book our sessions 3-4 months out, and if you need a weekend appointment or require any kind of traveling, you should try to book as soon as you find out you're expecting!
When is the best time in my pregnancy to take maternity photos?
Maternity photos look best when you are 7 or 8 months pregnant, so that you have a full belly. Keep in mind that the closer you get to your due date, you might begin to get swollen in the face and feet, and a photo shoot might be a little uncomfortable to do.
Are stretch marks going to show in my pictures?
There is nothing more beautiful than a glowing mama-to-be. I know that you might be worried about stretch marks and feel wide all over, so I always use the most flattering poses, camera angles, and include photo retouching for any blemishes or stretch marks complimentary with your session. Just tell us what you're worried about beforehand and we'll take care of it.
Your bump should be the star of your maternity photos, so we recommend you wear form-fitting comfortable clothing and keep accessories simple. We have a collection of skirts, bandeaus, dresses and tops that are available for you to rent, and can also recommend several online shops if you tell us what style you're drawn towards.
Can I do my hair and makeup at your studio?
Yes, many of our clients book hairstylists and makeup artists to meet them at our studio an hour before their shoot. While we set up, you can get dolled up!
When should I book a newborn shoot?
Newborn sessions are best if done within the first 7-10 days after birth, since your baby will probably be fast asleep during most of the day and easy to pose. In order to make sure we can accommodate you during this small window, please contact us at least three months before your due date to book a tentative date, and then once again after you give birth to confirm the best possible time.
Do I need to buy anything for a newborn session?
You don't have to bring anything for the session, unless there is a specific toy or outfit you'd like to have in the photos. We provide all the props and outfits for your newborn.
What should I bring with me to the newborn photo session?
You should bring anything your baby needs during a four-hour timeframe. We recommend you bring pacifiers (a must, even if you don't normally give one to your baby), diapers, lots of milk (if you are breastfeeding, bring any necessary pillows to feed or if you are giving formula, please bring at least 2-3 more bottles), and soft blankets that won't mark your baby's skin.


The Piping Rock Club designed by Guy Lowell c. 1911 in Matinecock. Click HERE and HERE for more on the Piping Rock Club. Click HERE to see the club on google earth and HERE on bing.
Photos from American Architect & Architecture, 1912.
The awkward third floor contains guest rooms?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery---McKim, Mead & White's design 'The Orchard' for James Breese in Southampton, recycled as the clubhouse at Piping Rock, but with one of Lowell's courtyard plans. Always fascinates me to see how design ideas travel.
Very gracious and comfortable clubhouse. I can smell the faint mustiness of old money. Great plans. The grounds are also beautiful to drive through.
Does the club still have it's integrity....or has this also been "modernized".
No photos on the website for non-members, but the club etiquette does not appear to be "modernized."
After 6 p.m. gentlemen and boys over fourteen must wear jackets and ties.
But the rule I really loved is no cellphones/PDAs anywhere on the club grounds -- not just "not in the dining room" but nowhere on the grounds. I wonder if that's enforced.
" P.R.C." , say it in perfect Locust Valley lockjaw.


text:
5 Industries Destined for Technological Disruption
Zach Ferres
Executive Director at Coplex
Enjoying this article? Share it with your friends & colleagues.
We've heard tales of technological transformation for a while, and those stories are (finally) moving into their next chapters. The International Data Corporation suggests that 60% of global GDP will come from digital organizations by 2022. These players are taking advantage of big data, powerful analytics, artificial intelligence, and other key innovations to drive growth. Check out the industries that are destined for technological disruption.
You don't have to look far to hear people say that every company is going to be a tech company in the next 10 years.
Possibly what is meant is that every business that's interested in rising to the top of the corporate food chain will need some technology included in the business.
Technology will be a necessity for any business to survive.
Four of the five most significant organizations in the world are tech companies, and it's a category everyone is clamoring to dip into.
The technology category is easily seen in WeWork's 2019 IPO filing, which used some form of the word "tech" to describe the company 110 times. Clearly, leadership was pushing to show investors that it's much more than a real estate company and should be considered as a player in the tech world, too.
So Is Everyone Truly a Techie?
Until this point, the effects of technology have been far-reaching, and that's not slated to stop anytime soon. The difference is that now, traditional industries are about to be disrupted, too.
Here are five industries destined for technological disruption.
If you think everything is fine in the healthcare space, you probably haven't been to the doctor recently or looked at your medical bills.
The industry is plagued by inefficiencies and issues. For instance, manual processes that should be automated, like billing and scheduling, require the use of an ancient Egyptian invention called paper when done by hand but could be streamlined and optimized with tech.
On top of that, getting an appointment with your doctor can sometimes take months, and when your time slot finally rolls around, you have to sit in the waiting room for four hours while watching HGTV reruns and thumbing through old magazines.
The problems lie in the sheer complexity of the healthcare system and the fact that only a few players make its rules.
Healthcare has historically stood in the way of innovation, but companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google are entering the fray and changing that narrative.
Expect for blockchain medical records, on-demand care, and new drug development all driven by AI in the years to come.
2. Construction
The multitrillion-dollar world of construction hasn't changed much in the past century.
By and large, builders still rely on traditional materials and methods. But that might be changing seeing as an investment in construction tech startups grew by 324% between 2017 and 2018.
New potential technologies are shaking things up.
Self-healing and energy-generating building materials like solar shingles and AI-powered software that can instantly calculate the most efficient schedules for construction will soon become a regular part of operations.
Real estate is the largest industry in the U.S., which contributes $3.5 trillion to the GDP, is kind-of stuck in the dark ages.
It relies on real estate agents, title companies, pen and paper, and numerous service providers for every transaction.
But, like in many other industries, that's changing. Zillow has emerged to provide a wealth of information to prospective homebuyers and even uses a feature called 3D Home to let users conduct a virtual walkthrough of a house. And fancy tech features in the industry extend just beyond viewing homes.
For example, Built is a company that digitizes what has long been a manual loan management process for banks. As a result, the role of real estate agents is likely to become less in-demand as users are empowered to buy and sell on their own with the power of technology.
4. State and local government
Unbeknownst to many people, state and local governments comprise the second largest industry in the U.S.
Government is turning to technology to become more effective and efficient. San Francisco developed a chatbot called PAIGE that helps government departments facilitate and smooth out what used to be a complex IT procurement process.
An egg-shaped robot security guard patrols a gas station on a crime-ridden corner to help local police. As Internet of Things devices take hold, we can expect to see even more government investment in this technology.
Technology has the potential to make the governments functions and processes much stronger on the local, state and even at a national level.
5. Finance and insurance
Insurance and finance companies are some of the oldest businesses in the world — and in many cases, it shows.
In the finance industry, cash was always king until the advent of credit and debit cards. Now, mobile payments are on their way to someday reigning supreme. Some countries like Sweden and China are already moving toward being cashless societies.
Banks and cash will disappear, and mobile payments authorized by facial recognition will likely become the norm.
When it comes to insurance, major players are being forced to play the tech game, too. State Farm recently announced a new version of its Drive Safe & Save mobile app. Great, another way to charge us more insurance money.
The app analyzes data collected by sensors and Bluetooth from smartphones that have the app installed. Tech-driven personal information is already determining rates, and that information will become even more common and accurate with time.
Technology has been changing the way companies create value for a long time.
Technology still has changes that have yet to sweep across every industry. However, disruption is headed for sectors like construction, healthcare, and real estate. It's on par with the modernization of transportation and hospitality that we saw with the rise of Uber and Airbnb.
As investors look to be a part of the next big wave of innovation, rapid developments, and more innovations will leave slow-moving organizations behind if they don't get on board, too.
* This content was originally published on ReadWrite
MoreArticles.
Lost In Translation: How To Clear the Logjam Between Discovery and Validation
Harnessing the Power of AI in Healthcare
Eric Schaefer is Driving Innovation in Healthcare
© 2021 Coplex. All Rights Reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


At lunch today, Shana and I were talking about our respective cooking slumps and how hard it is for us both to find balance between work, home life, and other interests – and it occurred to me that maybe part of this slump is just my life shifting into a new balance, or back into balance period. For the last year and a half, I've been totally engaged in cooking, food, gardening, etc, and part of that has been because I've had little else to strongly draw my focus. These days I'm busy to the point of exhaustion between teaching and work, and I'm managing to exercise almost every day – so something's got to give.
Shane picked me up at 5 – an hour later than I'm normally at work – and while he worked out, I made asparagus risotto from Urban Italian. Instead of shredding, I stirred for 30 minutes. And then ate risotto that tasted like sunshine and springtime. And then did my best to stay awake. I consider it a successful evening, even if I don't manage to do anything else.
Warm the broth in a saucepan over medium heat. In another saucepan, bring several cups of generously salted water to boil. While the liquids are heating up, snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard. Cut off the bottom inch, and add to the broth. Cut off the asparagus tips about 3″ from the top and set aside. Reserve the middle portion of the stem.
When the broth nears a simmer, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for about a minute, then add the rice and stir so that all the grains are coated in the oil and butter. Add the vermouth, mixing well and stirring frequently until the boozey smell has evaporated. Add the broth one cup at a time, setting aside the asparagus ends, stirring the rice frequently, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and is tender but not mushy, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water while keeping an eye on the pot of salted water. When it boils, add the asparagus tips and blanch for 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and add to the ice water to stop cooking. Add the reserved asparagus stems and blanch for 3 minutes, then drain. Add the stalks, asparagus ends, basil, and parsley to your blender or food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a puree.
When the rice is finished cooking, stir in the asparagus puree, asparagus tips, remaining butter, lemon juice, and Parmigiano if using. The recipe as presented should make 3 entree-sized portions or 4-5 if served with a salad and a protein. We ate it right up with a fresh baguette.
Mm, risotto that tastes like spring sounds perfect. I'm bookmarking this to make once there's asparagus at the farmers market here! The recipe you used sounds very similar to this one – http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/dining/021mrex.html – which I've made before – but I like the sound of the lemon juice in yours.
I so totally relate to this, except I'm all consumed with housework, my business, and motherhood. Cooking has fallen further by the wayside than I'd like to admit.


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Displaying items by tag: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Tuesday, 17 February 2015 19:54
Celebrating Star Trek: TMP, plus 3 new BD reviews, Hobbit: Five Armies FINALLY official & Big Eyes
[Editor's Note: Be sure to like TheDigitalBits.com page on Facebook for breaking news, site updates on the go, discussion with our staff and other readers, giveaways and more!]
All right, we've got a lot of content for you this evening here at The Bits.
First up, our own Michael Coate has just completed an exhaustive roundtable interview of Treksperts – some of whom are old friends of ours here – in honor of the 35th anniversary of Robert Wise's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and he presents that now in his History, Legacy & Showmanship column for all of you to enjoy. So click the link for that and we hope you find it a great read! [Read on here…]
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
History Legacy & Showmanship
Journey into the Pyramid
4 new Studio Ghibli BD/DVD reviews, plus final Hobbit: Five Armies BD art & details & more
All right, it's President's Day here in the States, so there's not much in the way of release news. But there's plenty going on around here at The Bits today…
First up, we have no less than four new disc reviews for you today, all connected to the fine animation of Studio Ghibli. Tim Salmons has taken a look at Ghibli's Pom Poko and Porco Rosso, both newly available on Blu-ray from Disney. And I've reviewed Ghibli and Isao Takahata's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, which streets on Blu-ray from Universal tomorrow. Finally, I've also reviewed a new documentary DVD release about Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki – The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness from Cinedigm. All are well worth your time, so do give them a look. [Read on here…]
Three Stooges, John Wayne, TCM, Call the Midwife: S4 and more announcement news
We've got a little more announcement news for you today...
Warner has set The John Wayne Western Collection for Blu-ray release on 6/2, including Rio Bravo, The Train Robbers, Fort Apache, and Cahill: U.S. Marshall. Of these, we believe that The Train Robbers and Cahill are new to the format.
Speaking of Warner, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies is now officially up for pre-order on Amazon with a street date of 3/24 on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo and DVD. We expect the official announcement any time now. [Read on here…]
The John Wayne Western Collection
Cahill: US Marshall
Batman Unlimited
Call the Midwife: Season Four
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About Bill Hunt
Bill Hunt is the Editor in Chief of The Digital Bits, and the co-author (with Todd Doogan) of the Amazon Top 50 selling book The Digital Bits: Insiders Guide to DVD. Hunt founded The Bits in 1997, in the early…
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text:
From Crossett to El Dorado
FIFTH IN A SERIES
In 1934, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service established the Crossett Experimental Forest.
"Large-scale lumbering in Ashley County followed the 1899 incorporation of the Crossett Lumber Co.," Don Bragg and James Guldin write for the Central Arkansas Library System's Encyclopedia of Arkansas. "By 1902, a growing CLC consumed incredible quantities of pine and hardwood. Lumbering continued unabated well into the 1920s when it became obvious that the virgin timber was running out. The CLC was facing the choice of either changing its practices and engaging in sustainable forestry or going out of business. Even with the help of Yale University professor Herman Haupt Chapman and the efforts of company foresters, too little was known about the silviculture of loblolly and shortleaf pine forests to manage the lands effectively.
"To address this lack of information, the CLC began working with the Southern Forest Experiment Station of the Forest Service. In July 1930, the experiment station hired Russell R. Reynolds, a recent University of Michigan forestry graduate, to conduct inventories and help landowners develop sustainable forestry plans. Two years later, Reynolds and the experiment station assisted the Ozark-Badger Lumber Co. of Wilmar, and Reynolds became familiar with the CLC. Around this time, Albert E. Wackerman, one of the first CLC foresters, came to work for the experiment station. Both the CLC and the experiment station recognized the opportunity for Reynolds and Wackerman to help manage the CLC's timberland, including their last 25,000 acres of virgin pine."
Reynolds moved to Crossett in August 1933 and enlisted the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps to inventory and market timber. He began studies on the use of trucks in logging and the partial harvests of Southern pines.
"As valuable as these initial studies were, an experimental forest was also needed for properly controlled long-term research," Bragg and Guldin write. "In the fall of 1933, Reynolds and Wackerman searched for a suitable location on the CLC's cutover land. About seven miles south of Crossett, the boundary of the new Crossett Experimental Forest was laid out in October 1933. This 1,680-acre parcel had been cut before 1920 by loggers from the Hickory Grove Camp of the CLC. The CLC agreed to a long-term arrangement with the experiment station that gave the Forest Service the land in exchange for the standing volume of the timber and a promise to conduct research continually on the site for the next 50 years. A warranty deed finally conveyed the property to the government on Aug. 2, 1934.
"Work on the CEF facilities began in late 1933 with help from civilian relief programs. A civilian work project to build roads on the CEF was granted by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration on Dec. 16, 1933, and construction started immediately. By September 1934, workers were building structures to lodge the CCC inventory crew, and sites for a house, filling station and garage were established. Construction of these buildings began in September 1935 under a new relief program, the Works Progress Administration. Along with other buildings, a log cabin-style home for Reynolds and his family was finished enough to permit occupancy on July 9, 1936. This remained their home for the next 33 years."
The initial round of construction ended in 1936. Buildings were later added by the CCC in 1939-40. Three of them are on the National Register of Historic Places.
"The primary objective of Reynolds and his staff at the CEF was to develop silvicultural principles and practices to manage the cutover second-growth loblolly-shortleaf pine-hardwood stands typical of the area," Bragg and Guldin write. "The challenge was whether it was possible to rehabilitate existing stands while simultaneously providing landowners with an acceptable return on their investment. If so, CEF research had considerable practical application not just for the CLC but also for other companies and landowners across the South."
Arson had become a problem in the area, and fire prevention was an early goal. Reynolds divided the experimental forest into 24 blocks of 40 acres each. Firelines were built between blocks by WPA employees.
Reynolds worked at the experimental forest until 1969.
"Cuts in the Forest Service budget prompted the experiment station to close the CEF on Aug. 9, 1974, after serving Crossett and the nation for 40 years," Bragg and Guldin write. "Shortly thereafter, it became clear that the CEF would revert back to the original landowner without an active research program. Even though the Forest Service had tried to close the CEF just a few years earlier, the imminent loss of the assets, including the historic buildings and the irreplaceable long-term demonstrations and studies, came to the attention of the Forest Service chief, John McGuire. He decided to re-establish the research unit. The newly rededicated CEF opened with considerable fanfare on Feb. 14, 1979."
We leave the Forestry Capital of the South and head west on U.S. Highway 82. We soon find ourselves in the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge covers almost 65,000 acres in parts of Ashley, Union and Bradley counties. It was established in 1975 in a wild, remote part of the state where the Saline River meets the Ouachita River. There are oxbow lakes, bayous such as Caney Bayou and creeks such as Big Brushy Creek in the refuge. The Felsenthal Lock & Dam on the Ouachita River forms what's known as Lake Jack Lee.
The refuge is a prime spot to see migrating waterfowl, eagles and even the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. The waterways are filled with alligators. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service operates a visitors' center right along U.S. 82.
Five years after Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge was established, the nearby Overflow National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect large tracts of bottomland hardwood in Ashley County. The refuge was designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. In 1991, about 8,000 acres of farmland were added to the original 6,500 acres and planted in hardwoods. Overflow Creek, a tributary of the Bayou Bartholomew, runs through the wildlife refuge. Land on either side of the creek is covered with bottomland trees — cypress, water tupelo, willow oak and overcup oak.
We cross the Ouachita River as we continue west. This river begins in the Ouachita Mountains near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border not far from Mena and then flows almost 600 miles before joining the Black River in Louisiana. The river flows through 11 of Arkansas' 75 counties and through five Louisiana parishes.
"The Ouachita is a river of diverse beauty," Glenn Gore wrote for the Ouachita River Foundation. "It begins as a small mountain stream near Eagleton in Polk County and flows eastward about 120 miles. It winds through lush mountain valleys, steadily building as it flows between huge boulders beneath mountain bluffs. It flows onward on its 600-mile course amid banks of moss-covered oaks and cypress trees in the swampy bottoms of Louisiana.
"The Ouachita is noted for its great fishing, especially bass and bream. Wildlife is prolific along the banks of the river. Deer, turkeys and even an occasional bear can be seen in secluded areas. Alligators and bald eagles have also returned to the area after having been driven out in the early 1900s. The Ouachita is also a major flyway for ducks and geese feeding and resting in the river's oak-laden backwater flats and cypress swamps, as well as in the rice and soybean fields along its banks."
Towns like Arkadelphia and Camden owe their existence to the Ouachita River.
"The Ouachita played a great role in the establishment of the towns for it was the river that provided access to these areas for buyers from as far away as New Orleans who were purchasing cotton. … In 1819, the first steamboat came up the Ouachita, making such a strange sound and presenting such a monstrous sight that it was described as a 'puffing dragon.' After that frightful debut, steamboats began to play an integral part in the colorful history connected with the Ouachita. From 1819-1910, the Ouachita was the great highway of commerce and transportation for the entire river valley. Steamboats came from as far away as New Orleans, reaching even Camden and Arkadelphia during times of high water. Steamboats began to vanish in the early 1900s with the proliferation of the railroads."
The famous novelist Charles Portis wrote a piece on the Ouachita River for the September 1991 issue of the Arkansas Times.
In a story titled "The Forgotten River," Portis wrote: "I grew up in south Arkansas and thought of the Ouachita only in local terms, certainly not as an outlet to the sea. It was a place to swim and fish. I knew you could take a boat down it from the Highway 82 bridge near Crossett to Monroe because I had done it once with a friend, Johnny Titus. It was shady a good bit of the way and we had the river pretty much to ourselves. The keeper at the old Felsenthal lock was annoyed at having to get up from his dinner table to lock through two boys in a small outboard rig.
"But I knew no river lore … and it came as a great surprise to me lately when I learned that there was regular steamboat service on this modest green river, as late as the 1930s, and as far up as Camden. I am not speaking of modern replicas or party barges, rented out for brief excursions, but of genuine working steamboats, with big paddle wheels at the rear, carrying bales of cotton down to New Orleans and bringing bananas and sacks of sugar back upstream, along with paying passengers.
"There were two vessels, the Ouachita and the City of Camden, and they ran on about a two-week cycle — New Orleans-Camden-New Orleans, with stops along the way. The round-trip fare, including a bed and all meals, was $50. Traditional steamboat decorum was imposed, with the men required to wear coats in the dining room. At night, after supper was cleared, the waiters doubled as musicians for a dance."
We cross the Ouachita on the U.S. 82 bridge and enter Union County, the state's largest in terms of square miles. Ninety percent of the county is forested. The Arkansas Territorial Legislature formed Union County in November 1829 out of parts of Hempstead and Clark counties.
"The next spring, the county court convened at the former colonial trading post of Encore Fabre (now Camden in Ouachita County) on a bluff overlooking the Ouachita River," writes noted Arkansas historian Ben Johnson of El Dorado. "In 1837, county officers anticipated that a pending division of the county would slice away the Encore Fabre region and approved the relocation of the county seat farther down the river to another port, Scarborough's Landing (later renamed Champagnolle). Over the following two decades, three counties and parts of six others were carved from the original Union County.
"Reflecting a changing economy, many residents in 1843 signed a petition requesting that the county seat be moved inland from the river floodplain and closer to major cotton farms. Three commissioners asked Matthew Rainey to surrender 160 acres he had preempted on a ridge that was the county's highest point, about 12 miles from the river. A surveyor platted the newly christened El Dorado, and officials approved $200 to build a courthouse on the town square."
With the soil depleted where they lived, settlers from Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi moved into the area during the 1840s to raise cotton. There were 12,288 residents of the county in the 1860 census, and more than half of them were slaves.
"About five percent of the landholders were planters (holding 20 or more slaves), and a third of the county's slaves labored on these larger farms," Johnson writes. "Besides raising cotton and corn, Union County was second in the state in the production of peas, beans and sweet potatoes. By 1833, Methodist circuit riders conducted church services in cabins while a Primitive Baptist congregation met in the southeast part of the county. About 1843, immigrants from the Carolinas who clung to their Scottish ancestry organized the first Presbyterian church."
No battles were fought in Union County during the Civil War.
"White landowners had enjoyed considerable wealth in antebellum Union County," Johnson writes. "While the war led to widespread devastation, prewar plantation families retained their land and position. Falling cotton prices throughout the late 19th century pushed many farmers into tenancy, but this was less pronounced in Union County than in other old plantation districts. Immigrants in the 1870s spurred a rise in black residents that exceeded the increase in the county's white population. The newcomers forged new lives in the midst of the faltering cotton economy. Black land ownership at the turn of the century exceeded state averages. In 1870, Rev. Joseph Henry became the first pastor of the El Dorado Baptist Church, which became the largest black congregation in the county."
The first passenger train arrived in El Dorado from Camden on July 4, 1891.
"The railroads created the local timber industry," Johnson writes. "In 1892, J.S. Cargile formed a partnership with some El Dorado businessmen to build a sawmill and a town for workers on Loutre Creek. The partners formed the Arkansas Southern rail company to extend the Iron Mountain line from El Dorado to the mill. This transit artery led to the founding of Smackover and Junction City as rail terminals. The Union Saw Mill Co. built a line in 1904 to the new mill site of Huttig, soon the county's largest sawmill community. This north-south network supplanted the east-west system between the old river landings and the interior region."
Oil leases were being bought in the county as early as 1914. The first test wells, however, were dry. But then came the 1920 arrival of Dr. Samuel Busey, a medical doctor and shrewd businessman who earlier had invested in oil leases in Bolivia. He arrived in El Dorado and bought not only an interest in an oil well but also a hotel since he was confident of a coming boom.
"On Jan. 10, 1921, his well erupted with a thick column of oil that soiled clothes on wash lines a mile away," Johnson writes. "The rural market center was unprepared to become a boomtown. Hotels and rooming houses overflowed, and tent-covered cot spaces, restaurants and shops went up along South Washington Street. A newspaper reporter noted that a person walking along what became known as Hamburger Row could 'purchase almost anything from a pair of shoes to an auto, an interest in a drilling tract or have your fortune told.'
"Smackover became the second oil boomtown when a discovery oil well confirmed in July 1922 what an earlier gas explosion at a well site had indicated: The Smackover field held tremendous reserves of crude. By 1925, nearly 3,500 wells were pumping 69 million barrels of oil, the greatest rate in the world. The influx of wildcatters and oil field workers overwhelmed local authorities."
Johnson notes that the drillers didn't worry about the environment. They also ignored basic recovery practices, leading to a drop in production by the early 1930s.
"The oil booms introduced a new industrial elite into a state where the alluvial cotton-growing region had been the traditional source of wealth," he writes. "For the rest of the 20th century, Union County was at the top of per capita income for the state. The county also was among the first to suffer from industrial pollution. The saltwater that surfaced with oil was released to turn surrounding creeks into undrinkable bogs and forests into a scorched landscape."
A visitor who arrived in Union County by train in 1937 said: "I wondered what I had come to. It looked like a moonscape."
El Dorado had about 4,000 residents when the oil boom began. By 1923, there were 59 oil contracting companies, 13 oil distributors and refiners and another 22 oil production companies in the city. Some estimated that the city had 30,000 people by 1925. The population had dropped to 16,241 by the 1930 census.
A rebound occurred in 1937 when Lion Oil financed discovery wells in the Shuler Field. Col T.H. Barton had acquired Lion Oil and become one of the state's top business leaders. He sold his company to the Monsanto Corp. in 1955. One company that didn't sell was Murphy Oil Corp., which is still controlled by the Murphy family.
"With the onset of World War II, Union County's industrial base attracted the attention of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers," Johnson writes. "Entering a unique partnership with Lion Oil, the Corps supplied $28 million for construction of the Ozark Ordnance Plant to produce ammonium nitrate. The private company oversaw the operation of the plant and acquired it for a fraction of the construction costs at the end of the war. In 1983, the enterprise became El Dorado Chemical, which continued to make explosives as well as fertilizer.
"World War II encouraged dramatic growth in manufacturing, and state lawmakers authorized local communities to provide financial incentives to attract industry. Union County established one of the first industrial development organizations, enticing Jess Merkle to build a large-scale poultry processing plant that became the largest employer in El Dorado. Beginning in 1965, Great Lakes Corp. processed the underground brine into a variety of brominated products, including flame retardants."
El Dorado's population has since dropped from a high of 25,292 in the 1960 census to about 18,000 today. The Union County population hit a peak of 55,800 in the 1930 census and is less than 40,000 these days.
El Dorado once was known as the Queen City of South Arkansas. It later became known as Arkansas' Original Boomtown and is now known for the Murphy Arts District (MAD for short) as the Murphy family spends more than $100 million to make the city a cultural attraction. The plan is not only to attract visitors but to make it easier for companies like Murphy Oil and Murphy USA to attract talented young employees to live in El Dorado.
From Lake Village to Crossett
FOURTH IN A SERIES
We head west out of Lake Village on U.S. Highway 82 and cross the Boeuf River, which is little more than a drainage ditch in this part of southeast Arkansas. The river, located between Macon Bayou and Bayou Bartholomew, begins in this part of the state and flows for almost 220 miles before entering the Ouachita River in Catahoula Parish in Louisiana.
We're still in the Delta as we cross into Ashley County and find ourselves at Montrose, which had a population of 354 people in the 2010 census. This was once cotton country. Now cotton must share space on the area's massive farming operations with rice, soybeans, corn and winter wheat.
"Although western Ashley County is noted for the timber industry, which is centered in Crossett, the eastern part of the county belongs to the Mississippi River Delta region, which was home to numerous cotton plantations before and after the Civil War," Steven Teske writes for the Central Arkansas Library System's Encyclopedia of Arkansas. "Dugald McMillan was the first landowner who registered a patent for the land where Montrose now stands. His plantation, like others in the region, employed a large number of slaves, many of whom remained after the war, working as tenant farmers for the same landowners. Consequently, African-Americans have outnumbered whites in the area from the time slavery ended until now."
W.T. Cone, a merchant from Hamburg, began acquiring land in the area early in the 20th century along with Sam Wilson.
"In 1922, with the national decline in cotton prices, Cone sold his land to Wilson and left the area," Teske writes. "Cotton remained the main crop through the 20th century. Around the beginning of the 20th century, the Iron Mountain Railroad built a line in the Mississippi River Valley that extended into Louisiana. It established depots at regular intervals where train engineers could obtain additional fuel and water. Many of these depots were named for railroad executives and employees. This is probably the case for Montrose, although no record of the namesake has been preserved.
"A post office was established at the Montrose stop in 1898. The Montrose depot became more significant when a team of investors created a short-line railroad — called the Mississippi River, Hamburg & Western Railway — to connect the Crossett area to Luna Landing on the Mississippi River. This line intersected the Iron Mountain line at the Montrose depot. Homes and businesses were quickly built around the depot, and Montrose incorporated as a second-class city in 1904."
Montrose has been losing population since the 1980 census, when there were 641 residents. All schools in this part of the county are now part of the Hamburg School District.
Ashley County was carved out of parts of Union, Drew and Chicot counties in November 1848. It became the state's 53rd county and was named for Chester Ashley, the third Arkansan in the U.S. Senate. In addition to Montrose, the communities of Parkdale, Portland and Wilmot also thrived in this part of the county when cotton was king and the bottomland hardwoods were being cut.
According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas: "After the Civil War, the county enjoyed prosperity until the Great Depression. The railroads that had developed in the late 1890s helped support the economy but were later supplanted by the growth in highway transportation. Communities in the eastern part of the county were supported by farming, while Crossett continued its growth as a manufacturing center. Ashley County was within the flood zone of the Great Flood of 1927. The greatest effect of the flood was felt in the low-lying Delta region of the county, while the upland wood-product manufacturing area experienced only minor disruptions of activity.
"Ashley County was home to an important federal experiment in the public health sector during this era. In 1916, a mosquito-eradication project was funded, which reduced the incidence of malaria by almost 80 percent using a system of drainage and poisoning. This system became known as the Crossett Project and was used as an example in other parts of the country. The county's population began to decline after World War II as agricultural workers were replaced by machines and other workers left for better-paying jobs."
Leaving Montrose, we soon cross Bayou Bartholomew, the longest bayou in the country. It begins near Pine Bluff and then goes through Jefferson, Lincoln, Desha, Drew, Chicot and Ashley counties before entering Louisiana and flowing through Morehouse Parish. Like the Boeuf River, Bartholomew empties into the Ouachita River. Before the railroads came to this part of Arkansas, Bayou Bartholomew was the main transportation corridor.
"The present bayou bed was formed by the waters of the Arkansas River during a period when it was constantly changing course," writes Rebecca DeArmond-Huskey, the foremost expert on the bayou's history. "About 1,800 to 2,200 years ago, the river diverted from the present area of the bayou, and the leisurely bayou began to develop in the old riverbed. The first inhabitants along the bayou were Native Americans, who left artifacts along the banks from its source to its mouth. French explorers crossed the bayou in 1687. Henri Joutel, a member of the ill-fated La Salle expedition, left Texas that year in search once again of the Mississippi River. Among the six men he chose to go with him was 'Little Bartholomew, the Parisian.'
"His party crossed the Saline River and the bayou and eventually found Arkansas Post, where Bartholomew stayed. It is likely that the bayou was named after this young Parisian. Spanish colonists also took note of the bayou. Don Juan Filhiol, commandant of the District of Ouachita in the 1780s, was impressed with its navigation potential as well as the good agricultural land around it. The colonists used the bayou for transportation as there were no good roads in the area. They used flat-bottom barges, propelled by poling, rowing, cordelling (towing with ropes) or by sails if the wind was favorable."
By the 1830s, there were steamboats on the bayou hauling out cotton and timber.
"All such commerce halted when the Civil War began but resumed soon after it was over," DeArmond-Huskey writes. "With the advent of the railroad in 1890, steamboat activity began a slow decline, though it continued in Ashley County until some point between 1906-12. Major ports along the bayou in Morehouse Parish were at Point Pleasant and at Lind Grove near Bonita. In southeast Arkansas, the major ports were at Poplar Bluff (present-day Parkdale in Ashley County), Portland, Thebes, Boydell and Baxter. All steamboating was a treacherous business, but according to Ben Lucien Burman, who boated on both large rivers and bayous, 'bayou steamboating was steamboating at its worst.' The bayou was much more narrow and shallow than the river, and pilots had to avoid sharp bends, shoals, snags and overhanging trees.
"Although steamboat trade was put on hold during the Civil War, the bayou remained for the duration of the war a significant transportation route for steamboats carrying troops and supplies. … After the war, cotton was the primary export shipped down the bayou until the railroad prompted the development of an extensive timber industry, backed primarily by Northern capitalists. Although locals had used the bayou for log rafting since the 1830s, shipment by rail was much more expedient. The timber companies devastated the fine timber stands and then moved out. Farmers followed by clearing the cutover timberland for farms, which today remain the dominant enterprise along the bayou."
Area residents had once used the bayou as their major recreation site. They drank water from it, fished in it, swam in it and were baptized in it. With the clearing of the timber, sediment polluted the stream, and it became jammed with logs.
Curtis Merrell of Monticello organized the Bayou Bartholomew Alliance in 1995 to bring the stream back to life. The group began monitoring water quality, planting trees along the bayou's banks, picking up trash and removing logs and other obstructions.
Before reaching Hamburg on our trip west, we leave the Delta and enter the Gulf Coastal Plain. They grow pine trees here rather than cotton, soybeans, rice, corn and wheat.
Hamburg was laid out in October 1849, soon after Ashley County was formed. The first courthouse and county jail were built in 1850 in an area at the center of the county that once had been known as the Great Wilderness. Hamburg provided troops to the Confederacy during the Civil War. After the war, there were highly publicized lynchings there in 1877, 1884 and 1891.
"Because it's near the county's geographic center, Hamburg in some ways is pulled in two economic directions," David Moyers writes for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. "Immediately east and west are prairie regions dedicated to the rice and soybean culture. A dozen miles east of Hamburg is the Delta, where cotton and soybeans dominate the economy. To the north and the south, the timber culture reigns. Many people in Hamburg work at the Georgia-Pacific mills in Crossett or in supporting industries. The city's economic base is thus divided among agriculture and forestry.
"Agriculture continued as the dominant force of the economy through the early 1900s, though lumber production became increasingly important in later years. After the Great Depression, the city underwent major social and economic shifts. Many small farmers gave up their attempts to subsist on their land and left the region or went to work in sawmills or paper mills. After World War II, continued pressures on small farmers led to increased consolidations of agricultural enterprises with the small family farms replaced by larger, more efficient units."
As the Delta declined and stores there closed, more residents from the eastern part of the county began coming to Hamburg to shop. The Hamburg School District increased in size as it consolidated with districts at Portland, Parkdale, Wilmot and Fountain Hill. Still, Hamburg's population fell from 3,394 in the 1980 census to 2,857 in the 2010 census. It's now estimated at less than 2,700.
"In the 21st century, the downtown square remains surrounded by retail businesses and professional offices, though the courthouse that occupied the center of town for more than a century is now a block away," Moyers writes. "A gazebo is now in the center of the square."
We leave Hamburg and head southwest to Crossett, the place once known as the Forestry Capital of the South.
The town was founded in the 1890s by three investors from Davenport, Iowa — Charles Warner Gates, John Wenzel Watzek and Edward Savage Crossett.
"In the last quarter of the 19th century, the demand for wood fiber for a growing country led lumbermen, investors and speculators into the vast forest that stretches from east Texas across the lower Mississippi River Valley to the Florida panhandle," wrote the late Bill Norman of Crossett. "Demand having outstripped the forest resources of the Great Lakes region, other sources for timber were sought. One result of the interest in the forestland of the South was the founding of Crossett.
"The land in western Ashley County was of the upland forest variety and was largely undeveloped and sparsely settled in this era as the terrain was unsuitable for farming. Towns that were formed, such as Fountain Hill, had populations of less than 500. As an established community with rail service, Hamburg would seem to have been the logical site for a new sawmill. However, company officials eventually decided that the better course would be to establish a new town, and Crossett was born. The site chosen was about 15 miles west of Hamburg. Of the three investors, Crossett and Gates were veteran lumbermen. Watzek was Edward Crossett's physician. Also considered a founder was Edgar Woodward 'Cap' Gates, Charles' brother. Cap Gates was sent to Arkansas to acquire timberland and to oversee construction of the sawmill and the building of the town."
The Crossett Lumber Co. was incorporated in 1899. Officials of the company formed close relationships with those at Yale University's School of Forestry. This resulted in the end of the cut-and-leave practice of clearing forests in Arkansas. The Crossett Co. soon was hiring Yale-trained foresters.
"Yale's initial research was later augmented by the studies at the 1,680-acre Crossett Experimental Forest, headquartered about seven miles south of town," Norman wrote. "Established in 1934 and still in operation today, the U.S. Forest Service's research program at Crossett focuses on the silviculture of naturally regenerated loblolly and shortleaf pine forests. Several of the buildings on the Crossett Experimental Forest are on the National Register of Historic Places."
The Crossett Lumber Co. owned all the land and homes in town in the early 1900s. Those not wanting to live in company housing settled in communities known as North Crossett, South Crossett and West Crossett.
"The Roaring '20s, the Great Depression and World War II came and went with little visible effect on the city," Norman wrote. "Demand for its products grew steadily, and unemployment was low. … The founders insisted on having a first-class school system. Seeing the advantages of the city schools in the 1940s, many rural one-room schools voluntarily consolidated into the city's school system, and an extensive busing operation developed. The Crossett School District was one of the smallest school districts included when it was accredited in the 1940s by the prestigious North Central Association.
"Crossett became a diversified forest products manufacturing center with the construction of a paper mill in the mid-1930s. A division producing and marketing specialty chemicals and charcoal followed. By 2006, employment in all paper operations was about 1,500 with an annual payroll of $160 million. Following a divisive labor strike in 1940, the workers in Crossett's manufacturing plants were granted the right to establish trade unions."
The Crossett Lumber Co. was purchased in 1962 by the Georgia-Pacific Corp. The company began producing plywood from Southern yellow pine at Crossett along with the chemical plant and the pulp and paper production facility.
Crossett has been hit hard in recent years by large layoffs. In September 2011, Georgia-Pacific announced that it was suspending operations at a sawmill and plywood manufacturing facility and laid off 700 people. In June 2019, Georgia-Pacific announced it was closing its bleached board mill and laying off another 530 people.
Despite all of the lost jobs, Georgia-Pacific remains a major employer in this part of south Arkansas. And the history of the Crossett Lumber Co., the Crossett Experimental Forest and their ties to Yale are fascinating.
When the company was founded, the three founders purchased 47,000 acres of land from the Michigan investment firm Hovey & McCracken for $7 per acre.
"At first, the company expanded slowly as new railroad connections were being built, and no commercial timber was sold until 1902, by which time investors had spent $1 million starting the company," Bernard Reed writes for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas. "Its first pine mill, built in May 1899, was an enormous operation with two band mills, dry kilns, a planer mill and other equipment to smooth and then distribute the lumber. In 1905, a second pine mill similar to the first was built, and the company was soon producing 84 million board feet annually.
"CLC continued to develop products that allowed company growth and added a paper mill, silo and chemical companies. These endeavors not only helped to eliminate waste but also allowed CLC to invest more in research and development programs to maintain the affordability of its products. These expansions spurred new railroad connections with the Crossett Railway Co., a non-company railroad, connecting Crossett and the settlement of Stephens (now Milo in Ashley County) 10 miles north. The company built houses, a school and a church for the workers and their families. In 1903, all of this was incorporated as the company town of Crossett."
Electric service soon became available, and the first church opened in 1904. A newspaper began publishing in 1906. Telephone service was added in 1907.
The company remained stable during the Great Depression and provided the government with large amounts of lumber during World War II.
"The standard logging procedure was a cut-and-get-out strategy that resulted in many acres of useless land," Reed writes. "However, because this cutover land was perfect for growing pine, CLC in 1926 hired a graduate of Yale's School of Forestry, W.K. Williams. He helped the company begin a program of sustained yield. This involved ceasing the practice of cutting down trees as fast as they were growing. He then left the healthiest trees in an area to repopulate the soil. These techniques kept the forests alive rather than destroying them. Such procedures were progressive at the time in American forestry and had previously only been used in Germany. Soon, a federal forest research station was founded, and CLC was tackling and solving problems in the 1930s that would not be regarded as environmental issues until the 1970s."
Edward S. Crossett's son, Edward C. Crossett, died in 1955. Family heirs began to consider the option of selling their stock.
"Many larger Northern lumber companies had expressed an interest in purchasing or merging with CLC, and stockholders were becoming worried about the company's stability," Reed writes. "Although millions of dollars were spent in the late 1950s to modernize the company and give the impression of vitality, one of its board members, Peter Watzek, a relative of John Watzek, was instructed to prepare reports on companies with which a merger was possible. He also traveled to New York to meet with several merger prospects. Despite Watzek's report that CLC was strong enough that a merger was not necessary, stockholders were still not satisfied.
"The announcement of a sale to Union Bag & Paper was made in May 1960, but by the fall of that year the plan had fallen through. For two years, business went on as usual at CLC with a rise in earnings in 1961. But a sale was still pursued."
The announcement that Georgia-Pacific had purchased the company was made on April 18, 1962.
There have been two major strikes through the years.
"The first one, in 1940, came several years after the company decided to recognize a local union but refused to let it open a union shop," Reed writes. "Workers commenced a 58-day strike that brought the community's economy to a near standstill until a compromise was reached with the help of a young pastor named Aubrey C. Halsell.
"The second strike occurred in 1985 during negotiations for a new contract that would force workers to work outside of their traditional job classifications. Workers disapproved of the changes, their pay and the work expectations. When they went on strike, Georgia-Pacific ordered that permanent replacements be sent in. This was the first time that permanent replacements had ever been used in the paper industry. Although it effectively ended the strike, it left many of the union workers bitter. The town was, and in many ways still is, divided because of these issues."
Posted in Traveling Arkansas | 1 Comment »


The Virgin Islands Supreme Court has issued its opinion in In re Holcombe, striking down the system of involuntary court appointments of counsel in indigent criminal cases. The Virgin Islands Bar Association appeared as amicus curiae in that case, supporting Attorney Holcombe's challenge to the existing system, and advocating for a strictly voluntary method of appointments through a panel system, which we argued was required by the Virgin Islands Code. The Bar was represented on appeal by Attorney Ed Barry. See the Opinion here, and the Bar's Amicus Brief (as amended) here. The Bar has sought reform in this area for many years, and is of course very pleased with the ruling of the Supreme Court.


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Former Louisville star Terry Rozier gets PAID on first day of NBA free agency
Terry Rozier has talked a big game this summer, and it appears to have paid off – literally. He'll make $58 million with the Charlotte Hornets.
Former Louisville star Terry Rozier gets PAID on first day of NBA free agency Terry Rozier has talked a big game this summer, and it appears to have paid off – literally. He'll make $58 million with the Charlotte Hornets. Check out this story on courier-journal.com: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2019/07/01/nba-free-agency-boston-celtics-terry-rozier-charlotte-hornets-huge-contract/1615386001/
Lucas Aulbach, Louisville Courier Journal Published 7:19 a.m. ET July 1, 2019
Looks like former Louisville guard Terry Rozier is finally going to get to show what he can do as a starting point guard in the NBA — and he'll be paid like a starting point guard as well.
Rozier was sent to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday after a four-year stint with the Boston Celtics. The move was part of a sign-and-trade to send former Hornets point guard (and UConn great) Kemba Walker to Boston for the upcoming season.
Rozier fills a void in Charlotte's starting lineup, which is nice for the former Cardinal, who made it very clear he felt he was misused in his final season with the Celtics. But if that's not good enough, check out the terms of the deal — three years and $58 million, all fully guaranteed, according to The Athletic.
All three years and $58M will be fully guaranteed for Terry Rozier in Charlotte, league sources said. https://t.co/1DjsUGzHcn
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2019
Rozier was a star in two seasons at Louisville, helping the Cardinals reach the Elite Eight alongside Montrezl Harrell as a sophomore in 2014-15. But he'd made it clear he was ready to move on from Boston this offseason, saying he "might have to go" if the current roster stayed intact. (It didn't – Boston's star point guard Kyrie Irving moved on to the Brooklyn Nets over the weekend as well.)
In Louisville: How Yacine Diop's long journey to play for U of L began in Senegal
You may like: After idolizing Erin Andrews as a kid, former Cardinal Katie George gets national shot with ACC Network
So Rozier, who was critical to the Celtics' deep playoff run last season after Irving was injured, will finally get a chance to show he belongs as a starter. That's the good news.
The bad news? He may not see the playoffs for a while. The Hornets aren't exactly brimming with star power these days, though they do have a few more local connections with former Kentucky players Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Malik Monk and PJ Washington on the roster. And he's playing for a team owned by Michael Jordan — hey, no pressure, right?
Rozier has talked a big game this summer. He'll get a chance to back it up next season.
Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbachCJ. Support strong local journalism and subscribe: www.courier-journal.com/lucasa.
Louisville's David Johnson expected to play Wednesday vs. Georgia Tech
Reds prospect Hunter Greene on the mend, looking toward healthy season
Derek Nicholson is returning to Louisville football as inside linebackers coach


This diagram shows the percentages of websites using Tiny Counter broken down by server-side programming languages. See technologies overview for explanations on the methodologies used in the surveys.
Tiny Counter is used by less than 0.1% of all the websites whose traffic analysis tool we know.
Tiny Counter is used by less than 0.1% of all the websites whose traffic analysis tool we know and that use PHP as server-side programming language.
You can find ranking, usage and market share data for Tiny Counter within all 21 server-side programming languages in our Tiny Counter market report and in our server-side programming languages market report.


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iBall Andi4 IPS Tiger Now Available In India For INR 6,299
iBall Andi4 IPS is now available on eBay at an initial price of INR 6,299 in black colour and it is expected to be officially announced soon. Earlier Motorola launched the Moto E at a stunning price tag of INR 6,999 and to threaten the sales of Moto E, Micromax launched the Unite 2 A106 at the same price tag of Motorola Moto E.
On the specifications front, iBall Andi 4 IPS Tiger features a 4-inch WVGA touch screen IPS display with resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, powered by 1.3GHz quad-core processor which is coupled with 512MB RAM and it runs on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
On the imaging front, it features a 5MP rear-camera with LED flash and a front-facing VGA camera. On the storage front, it has 4GB onboard storage which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD card.
It is fuelled with 1300mAh battery and has usual connectivity options like 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and GPS. It has dual SIM (GSM + GSM) support with dual standby.
iBall Andi4 IPS Tiger specifications
Features iBall Andi4 IPS Tiger
Display 4-inch touch screen IPS display with resolution of 480 x 800 pixels
Processor 1.3-inch quad-core processor
Operating System Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Memory 512MB RAM, 4GB internal memory which is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card
Camera 5MP rear-camera with LED flash and front-facing camera
Connectivity Features 3G HSPA+, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, GPS
Categories: Mobile Phones


The focus of this research group is thematic as well as object-based. It will study the complex and multifaceted relationship between nature and culture from the early modern period to the present. The historical, archival, art historical and scientific collections of the Artis Library and the Artis Zoological Garden will form the breeding-ground for current and new research. The rich and diverse holdings of these collections are the point of departure and catalyst for new questions; however, the scope of research will transcend the particularities of these collections. A thematic focus will show how humans through the ages have shaped, researched, represented, modified and imitated nature in all its facets. This will be studied from different fields of interest, such as scientific research, visual arts, literature, landscape design and landscape art, media and (popular) culture. These fields are not viewed as separate. On the contrary, the focus on the relationship between art and nature will lead to interdisciplinary research and to attention for blind spots in the border regions of modern disciplinary classifications.
J. Bakels, Wu Wen en Xeng Ya gaan logeren. Uitgeverij Rubinstein, Amsterdam. Goudenboekje over de komst van de twee panda's als diplomatiek geschenk naar Nederland, met aandacht voor de culturele tradities van beide landen.
2016 (november) Veldwerk in Bardiya National Park in Nepal naar de culturele tradities rond de tijger. In samenwerking met de Himalayan Tiger Foundation en ter voorbereiding van een schoolboekje voor Nepal.
2016 (3 december) Paneldiscussie in London Zoo, Arcus Foundation, over Culture and Conservation.
2017 Voorbereiding expositie Teylers Museum over Cryptozoologie; onontdekte dieren tussen wetenschap en fantasie (opening februari 2018).
2017 Voorbereiding expositie Kunst en Cultuur van Mentawai, Museum voor Wereldculturen Leiden, inhoudsontwikkeling (opening 20 oktober 2017).
Dulk, S. den, 'Een mensenpark: van dierentuin naar stadspark.' in Cascade 25, nr. 2 (2016): 35-52.
Dulk, S. den, 'Sparrentorens voor de stadsmuur van Amersfoort. Een zeventiende-eeuws stadsparkje uit de archieven gehaald.' in: Does, A. van der, J. Holwerda, red. Tuingeschiedenis in Nederland II. Denken en doen in de Nederlandse tuinkunst 1500-2000. Ulvenhout: Stichting Tuinhistorisch Genootschap Cascade, 2016: 35-43.
Organisatie:Microscopic practice and visual culture in the 17th and 18th centuries(Museum Boerhaave, Artis Bibliotheek en ARTIS-Micropia), Amsterdam, 2 November 2016.
"Brieven over kleine 'dierkens' van Antoni van Leeuwenhoek". Tijdens. Een avond met Wim Brands in de Artis Bibliotheek, Amsterdam, 23 maart 2016.
"Read those books! Successful attempts to use the collections of Artis Library in education and research". Tijdens: Connecting Collections XVII Universeum Network Meeting (University of Amsterdam & Utrecht University), Amsterdam, 9-11 June 2016.
"De ontdekking van de kleine wereld". Tijdens:Summer School History of the Book(Bijzondere Collecties, UvA), Amsterdam, 30 augustus 2016.
"Pieter Lyonet and Johannes Schepens". Tijdens: Microscopic practice and visual culture in the 17th and 18th centuries(Museum Boerhaave, Artis Bibliotheek en ARTIS-Micropia), Amsterdam, 2 November 2016.
Gastcollege: "De geschiedenis van de evolutietheorie" (studenten geneeskunde UvA) (23 november 2016).
"Who printed the texts of Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensiumand Der rupsen begin, voedzel en wonderbaare verandering?", Merian conference: Changing the Nature of Art and Science. Intersections with Maria Sibylla Merian, KIT Amsterdam, 8 juni 2017.
"Maria Sibylla Merian: leven, werk en navolging". Tijdens: Summer School History of the Book(Bijzondere Collecties, UvA), Amsterdam, 29 augustus 2017.
Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium = Verandering der Surinaamsche insecten = Transformation of the Surinamese insects: 1705 / Maria Sibylla Merian ; onder redactie van Marieke van Delft & Hans Mulder (Tielt, 2016).
"Voorwoord: een interview met Redmond O'Hanlon".In: Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium(M.S. Merian, 1705),Marieke van Delft & Hans Mulder (red.) (Tielt, 2016).
(with Marieke van Delft) "De productie van Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium"In: Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium (M.S. Merian, 1705),Marieke van Delft & Hans Mulder (red.) (Tielt, 2016).
B. van de Roemer i.s.m. Brigitte Wirth en Carlijn van der Baan, 'Letters by Maria Sibylla Merian' en algeheel onderhoud webiste Maria Sibylla Merian Society (http://www.themariasibyllameriansociety.humanities.uva.nl/sources/letters/).
C. Weeda, 'The fixed and the fluent: geographical determinism, ethnicity, and religion c. 1100-1300 CE', in Rebecca Futo Kennedy and Molly Jones-Lewis (eds), The Routledge Handbook of Idenity and the Environment in the Classical and Medieval Worlds(London and New York, 2016), pp. 93-113.
The debate about the relation between nature and manmade culture is just as relevant today as it was in the past centuries, even though the content and form of this debate changes constantly. We need only think about the discussions about genetically modified food, biodiversity, landscape architecture, or the new Dutch political Partij voor de Dieren. The primary aim of this research group is to feed these current debates from a more theoretical and historical perspective. A second aim is to create more awareness and interest for the versatile collection of the Artis Library and the Artis Zoo. This unique cultural heritage compels us to preserve, maintain, process, study and interpret it in a way from which future generations will benefit. In doing so, we seek our audience in different target groups. The projects concerning the digitization of source material and the publication of monographs are designed for a scholarly public. They will render research material accessible and contribute to the scholarly debate. In collaboration with the Rijksacademie van Beeldende Kunsten the collection will be used by contemporary artists who relate to the theme of this research group. The projects concerning in exhibitions are aimed at a broader and a more general audience. In these exhibitions the insight gained in the research projects will be translated into accessible and stimulating presentations.


Guesthouse Paradisio i Roma, Italia: Bestill nå!
Guest House Paradisio has an ideal location near the Termini train station in central Rome. There are 3 brightly decorated guest rooms - one double or twin room, and 2 triple rooms, one with shared bathroom, and one with private bathroom; Wi-Fi, air conditioning, heating, microwave and hairdryers.
Guest House Paradisio is conveniently situated next to Rome's biggest transport hub, and with excellent transport links across the city. You can be at the awe-inspiring Pantheon or the glorious Trevi Fountain in just a few minutes.
Fun and friendly B&B in central Rome!
**Breakfast is not included but we offer FREE Coffee & Croissants every morning!!


As promised, I've done a lot of traveling and not a lot of writing. Not as promised, I haven't done a lot of reading: I spent a surprising amount of my six hours of airport time and two hours of flight time this weekend talking to strangers instead of reading. Who even am I?
I am slowly working through Just Mercy for the Social Justice Book Club. It's an incredible, rage-inducing book, and I find that I have to put it down every chapter or so to catch my breath and digest what I've been reading. Highly recommend. I still have Challenger Deep on audio--it's proving an interesting tale of mental illness and perspective--and am enjoying my re-read of The Name of the Wind, though there is no way I'll finish it in time for tomorrow's book club discussion.
For review copies, I couldn't get into Jensen Beach's short stories (a classic case of "it's not you, it's me"), so I'm looking ahead instead to Champagne Uncorked.
What's on your reading stack this week?


To extend students musical skills from their previous learning in Year 9. Students who have not completed Year 9 Music course may apply under special circumstances.
An Intermediate: This half year course is for students who have learnt an instrument for one year (in Year 9 or from an outside teacher) and would like to further their playing skills as a musician. Students will also have an opportunity to make music with technology and learn theory, to prepare them for Year 11.
A Master Class: This half year course is for students who already play an instrument, having had at least two year's tuition. Students will partake in class bands, ensembles and performance opportunities will be given such as Rockquest/Chamber Music contests. Students will learn to use technology and advance their theory skills, to prepare them for Year 11.
Achievement based on composition and performance skills.


Is This PSU Compatible With This Motherboard?
I'm looking to buy the 'Corsair RMx Series RM1000X' PSU.
I have an ASRock 990FX Extreme 3 motherboard.
Will this be okay? The only reason I ask is because the motherboard manual states it has a 'ATX 12v (ATX12V1)' power connector.
A quick response would be much appreciated!
Re: Is This PSU Compatible With This Motherboard?
By the way, do you already own that motherboard or are you planning on buying it?
It's one I already have. Why's that? I'm assuming you'd be recommending a different one if I was buying.. for which reason might I ask?
You may also see 'SFX' power supplies, these are small form factor physically but will still work with an ATX or ITX motherboard 99% of the time.
Depends what you're doing obviously, but unless you're operating a massive overclock and a top-end GPU or SLI/Crossfire you can probably save some money with a lower wattage variant of the same PSU. 650-750W of Corsair 80PLUS gold power is fine for 80% of systems.
Basically because the platform is outdated, not because it's a bad motherboard, on the contrary, it's a really good one, but AM3+ is too old to be investing in it today. If you already have an AM3+ setup then it's perfect.
That. I forgot to ask.
On that^ note, benchmarks have shown that the FX8xxx CPUs are really not competitive anymore since the launch of Ryzen 5. The 8350 benches so far below even the R5-1500X in most workloads it's not really even worth considering buying one now.
My main reason for getting it is because I'm running 2 x 290Xs in Crossfire.. which I've been told probably has limited it's performance potential by quite a bit as they're currently running on a 10 year old or so 600/650W PSU.
Plus.. if I upgrade further components in future I know I've already invested in a good PSU so I needn't worry about it in future as I can use for the next build!
PS I have an FX8350 Black Edition.. so I can look to overclocker her now!
Overclocking depends on your cooler and motherboard too. You motherboard is good though.
Give us a list of all your components.
I can't remember the CPU cooler off the top of my head.. but it's a very popular one used for over clocking I know for sure.
But overall I feel the PSU would benefit the system and can certainly be used for a future upgrade?
400W for the cards, 150W for the 8350 (overclocked), 50W the motherboard, plus RAM, drives, fans... That should be around 700W... I think you can get away with a 800W-850W PSU. Getting a higher quality, lower wattage PSU is the best choice, if you agree that it would be enough.


text:
Q: How can my Cocoa application be notified of NSScreen resolution changes? I am making a Cocoa application with a floating window. The floating window is supposed to be centered on the main screen, at a size which is 1/4 of the main screen. The following Swift is the essence of my application:
import Cocoa
@NSApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
    var panel: NSPanel!
    func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ aNotification: Notification) {
        let screenRect:CGRect = NSScreen.main()!.frame
        panel = NSPanel(
            contentRect: NSRect(
                x: screenRect.width/4,
                y: screenRect.height/4,
                width:  screenRect.width/2,
                height: screenRect.height/2
            ),
            styleMask: NSWindowStyleMask.nonactivatingPanel,
            backing: NSBackingStoreType.buffered,
            defer: false
        )
        panel.alphaValue = 0.5
        panel.backgroundColor = NSColor.red
        panel.level = Int(CGWindowLevelForKey(CGWindowLevelKey.maximumWindow))
        panel.orderFront(nil)
    }
}

This produces a panel like this:

The problem arises when the main screen resolution changes. One way to show this is to go to System Preferences > Displays and set the resolution to "Scaled" and "More Space". After doing so, the panel looks like this:

As you can see, the position of the panel is incorrect after the resolution is changed. I wish for the panel to maintain its position: centered and 1/4 the size of the screen. To do so, I to detect when the screen resolution (i.e., the frame property of the NSScreen) changes, so that I can change the size and position of the panel.
Is there some event which is fired when the frame property of an NSScreen changes? Or is there a different way to deal with this problem?

A: With the help of @Adolfo, this works:
import Cocoa
@NSApplicationMain
class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
    var panel: NSPanel!

    func getPanelRect() -> NSRect {
        let screenRect:CGRect = NSScreen.main()!.frame
        return NSRect(
            x: screenRect.width/4,
            y: screenRect.height/4,
            width:  screenRect.width/2,
            height: screenRect.height/2
        )
    }

    func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ aNotification: Notification) {
        panel = NSPanel(
            contentRect: self.getPanelRect(),
            styleMask: NSWindowStyleMask.nonactivatingPanel,
            backing: NSBackingStoreType.buffered,
            defer: false
        )
        panel.alphaValue = 0.5
        panel.backgroundColor = NSColor.red
        panel.level = Int(CGWindowLevelForKey(CGWindowLevelKey.maximumWindow))
        panel.orderFront(nil)

        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
            forName: NSNotification.Name.NSApplicationDidChangeScreenParameters,
            object: NSApplication.shared(),
            queue: OperationQueue.main
        ) { notification -> Void in
            print("screen parameters changed")
            self.panel.setFrame(self.getPanelRect(), display: true)
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Former Clarksdale High star Jenkins named top lineman in state
By Staff Reports , READ MORE > 1,630 Reads
On Wed, 12/05/2018 - 06:15 PM
JACKSON — Elgton Jenkins, a 2014 Clarksdale High School graduate and senior center for the Mississippi State football team, has been named the 2018 Entergy/Kent Hull Trophy winner signifying the top offensive lineman in Mississipi.
The 6 foot, 4 inch, 310 pound Clarksdale native was chosen by a panel of NFL scouts working the state.
"There were several good O-linemen this time but Elgton was by far and away the best this year!" according to one scout.
Jenkins got his first start back in 2015 as a red-shirt freshman at left guard blocking for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Since switching to center, Jenkins and Bulldog quarterback Nick Fitzgerald have formed a tandem that has taken MSU to three bowls and will soon add a fourth postseason appearance to the list.
This will be the sixth time the Hull Trophy has been awarded and the second time under the sponsorship of Entergy.
The award was named after the MSU and NFL great lineman Kent Hull. Previous winners have gone on to the NFL.
Jenkins will be the fourth Mississippi State player to win the trophy with two of the awards going to Ole Miss players.
The Kent Hull Foundation started this award in 2013 to highlight players that get little attention but are important to the team's success.
The foundation raises funds for the Candlelighters of UMMC. Since Entergy signed on with the award, those contributions have increased.
"Kent spent his entire career on the offensive lune providing protection and openings for his teammates and we are proud to highlight the work of those that do the work in relative obscurity," said Hull's wife Kay.
The trophy was presented Tuesday during the C Spire Conerly Trophy banquet at the Country Club of Jackson.
Deuce McAllister, a former C Spire Conerly Trophy winner and current New Orleans Saints radio analyst, was the featured speaker.


Soul Born update. New version. New Release. All SOON!
SOUL BORN is back! And I spent this summer editing it with the publisher. And now it is in the final proofread stage. It will be available for pre-orders soon.
You know me. I wanted this to happen and when it did I have a few concerns. Get it re-edited nice and clean. AND, if new cover art was needed, I wanted to pick the artist.
So, I can't wait to show the new cover off. I have only seen a few samples. It's great!
Anyway, Soul Born will be back and I will be supporting it at book signings and blogs and such.
I need you guys, the faithful fans of it, to help support this new version. I want to get BLOOD DIVIDED out to you after...and most importantly the two unpublished sequels.
Finally everyone will be able to read how the story ends!!!


..We conclude that IGF-I stimulates REDD1 expression in skeletal muscle and myotubes but under these conditions the REDD1 response is not sufficient to repress protein synthesis. ..
..Our data demonstrate that the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway plays an important role in the regulation of IGFBP-1 synthesis by IL-1beta. ..
..Yet, only SP-600125 and not MG-132 blocked LPS-induced IL-6 mRNA expression. This suggests that IL-6 gene expression is a downstream target of JNK in C2C12 myoblasts. ..
..The data suggest that skeletal muscle and muscle cells recognize pathogen-associated molecules with specific TLRs to initiate an IL-6 transcriptional response. ..
..Lipophilic pyruvate derivatives and antioxidants show promise at rescuing mTOR activity and muscle protein synthesis by maintaining IGF-I sensitivity in this model. ..


Buy the best Samsung galaxy s mobile phone Mobile Phones when you compare prices and read Samsung galaxy s mobile phone Mobile Phones reviews at Bizrate.co.uk. Shop for Samsung galaxy s mobile phone Mobile Phones at Bizrate.co.uk you can compare models and prices from hundreds of of Bizrate.co.uk shopper certified Electronics stores. Looking for a discount price on Samsung galaxy s mobile phone Mobile Phones? Bizrate.co.uk has the information and product reviews to help you find the best deal for you.


oooh, look at all the parking spaces!
In my town we are in the process (not exactly welcomed, I might add) of ripping out all the parking lots and putting up new buildings. I rather liked those large blocks of space.


On Hwy 101 north of Leggett is one of the most beloved roadside stops along the Redwood Highway. Across from Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area, the 'Peg House' features a gourmet deli, espresso bar, gift shop, general store complete with picnic and camping supplies, an outdoor organic grill and a gas station. Owners Diana and Gary Ballard-Doll have it all—right in the middle of nowhere and on the way to everywhere.
Diana's award-winning jams, jellies, salad dressings, candies, brownies and cookies make a simple coffee break an event. Try the 'Mendo Mookie'—a cross between an oatmeal muffin and a cookie. The Peg House has some of the coolest gifts on the road. More collector items than tourist fodder, it features unique postcards, books, signs, locally-made designer jewelry and other classy gifts and gear. Open from 7:30 a.m. 'til sunset, hours varying with the seasons.


text:
FiiO M3 review
This portable hi-res music player is small in stature, but big on sound quality... Tested at £50
A tiny but talented music player for those that don't want to clog up their smartphone with tunes
Expandable microSD storage
Detailed sound
Hi-res support
Small controls won't be for everyone
The last portable music player we saw from FiiO (the X5) was demonstrably big.
Either the Chinese brand has taken our size-ist criticisms to heart or was simply up for the challenge, because the M3 is around the size (and weight) of a matchbox.
MORE: Best portable music players 2016
Features & build
It's almost too portable, in the same way a wedding cake can be too pretty to eat. But size aside, it's hardly a music player of humble stature. For £50 you get a player that can handle hi-res music – WAV support goes up to 24-bit/96kHz, while FLAC is limited to 24-bit/48kHz.
There's 8GB internal storage onboard – enough for over 200 MP3 albums, or around ten hi-res albums – and that can be expanded with a microSD card up to 64GB that slots into the bottom of the unit.
MORE: 5 of the best iPod alternatives
Just alongside it, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microUSB slot for charging. A 2.5 hour-charge gets you 24 hours playback time, only slightly longer than it took our team to attach the M3's lanyard accessory.
Despite its fiddly nature, the attachment comes in handy, particularly considering the FiiO's minute size.
Apart from the power button, and a hold switch to prevent any accidental button-pressing inside your pocket (they sit on the edges), most controls are backlit buttons underneath the display.
They're unsurprisingly close together – more fitting for a Borrower than someone with big-thumb syndrome – so we'd prefer the volume buttons to be moved to the side.
Switching from an Apple iPhone 6 Plus to the FiiO, with its 2in screen, feels a bit weird but the display is bright and coherent, and uses its real estate wisely.
During playback it's mostly taken up by album art, and there's track and album title on display too. Curiously, bit- and sample-rate show only when album art is absent, as a kind of replacement.
Still, holding down the menu button takes you to the settings, where you can see track info, as well as add tracks to playlists, select EQs and make general playback changes.
The interface is clean and, once you've got a grip on its symbol-centric design, it's pretty intuitive too. Your music library can be displayed by track, artist, album or folder.
MORE: Best portable music player 2016
Drive and ardour are very much the FiiO's sonic fibre, so we kick things off with Animal Collective's The Burglar (16-bit/44.1kHz).
The psychotropic synths are communicated with welcome chutzpah, and the FiiO has the clarity and precision to avoid tripping over the song's experimental rhythms and unconventional structure. You get the chance to hear (if not entirely follow) what's going on.
Onto Lubomyr Melnyk's Pockets of Light (24-bit/44.1kHz) and there's detail where it counts, each piano note distinct and cohesive – even if a great deal of the 19-minute piece's dynamic variance is largely overlooked.
A pleasing degree of tonal balance and weightiness helps the M3's case too.
We find the presentation of rivals from Sony (NW-F886) and LG (G5) a bit more spacious though, which becomes a crucial asset when the layered melodies become more convoluted and the vocal washes over the top.
The bottom line is, if you're pursuing hi-res audio – above CD-quality music – you'd be better off getting a loftier (in quality and price) smartphone or even a hi-res music player from the likes of Sony and Astell & Kern.
The buds in the box aren't particularly ergonomic, nor are they good enough to make the most of the FiiO's talents. We'd file them under 'emergency only' and employ something like the SoundMagic E10S at the bare minimum.
MORE: LG G5 review
The FiiO M3 will appeal to those who don't want their music collection clogging up storage space on their phone, but aren't prepared to fork out a significant amount for a separate device either.
That kind of approach to music on the move may be more of a minority interest now than it was five years ago, but nevertheless it will have its fans.
For everything the FiiO offers at this price, it deserves recognition.
Buy the FiiO M3 here
Manufacturer Website Address http://www.fiio.com.cn
Brand Name FiiO
Product Type Flash MP3 Player
Manufacturer FiiO Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.
Manufacturer Part Number M3
Product Name FiiO M3
Product Model M3
M3 8GB Flash MP3 Player
Open Earbuds
Environmental Certification WEEE
Audio Formats APE
Battery Run Time 24 Hour
Depth 9.1 mm
Weight Approximate 40 g
Dimensions 74 mm (H): 39.7 mm (W): 9.1 mm (D)
Display and Graphics
Screen Size 5.1 cm (2")
Flash Memory Capacity 8 GB
Memory Card Supported microSD
Limited Warranty 1 Year
Save 27%! Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earbuds now at lowest-ever price
Australian Open live stream: how to watch the 2020 tennis
Apple may be forced to abandon its Lightning connection


Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins and they usually occur on the legs. They affect both men and women equally. Varicose veins may be blue or dark purple and very often they are lumpy or twisted in appearance. Around 25 percent of adults have varicose veins.
Beside their obvious appearance, other symptoms for varicose veins are heavy and uncomfortable legs, swollen feet, muscle cramp in your legs, thin skin over the affected vein, aching etc.
For people who have varicose veins, exercise is something what they must to do every day. Weight is something that need to be maintained and healthy diet is a must, plus you must to pay attention on what you wear (avoid high heels). Also long periods of standing and even sitting need to be avoided. Beside all this self-management treatments, natural remedies are another thing that may help when it comes to varicose veins.
Calendula, also known as marigold is a extremely beautiful plant, native to southern Europe and southwestern Asia. This edible flower, beside in culinary it's also used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
When it comes to medicinal uses, calendula is used in many natural remedies, tinctures, herbal ointments, teas etc. for more than a century.
Cuts, bruises, burns, blisters, muscle spasms, fever, sore throat, inflammation, varicose veins, stomach ulcers, menstrual cramps etc. are some of the health problems that are threatened with help of calendula.
Beside all this health benefits, it has been found that this plant has the ability to purify the blood vessels, relax and increase their lumen, as well to reduce high cholesterol level in the blood, especially when is in combination with dandelion and hawthorn. Some researches have found that beside ability to reduce blood pressure, it also acts as a mild sedative because it relieves blood vessels and increases their lumen as we said, which is why it is recommended for angina pectoris (stable angina).
In this article we present one remedy, an ointment for varicose veins.
First, in medium size pan, melt the lard on low heat. When lard is completely melt, add the calendula flowers together with chestnut shells and stirl well for few minutes. After few minutes, remove the pan from heat and let it stand for 5-6 minutes and stir constantly for all that time. After this cover the pan and let it overnight. The following day re-put on low heat with constant stirring until it melts completely and when everything is melted well, drain the liquid into a glass jar through sterile gauze and keep the jar in dark and dry place.
Use this cream once per day. Massage gently into affected areas.
If you are vegan you can also prepare calendula oil for varicose veins following the same recipe and procedure, just swap the lard with some vegetable fat, such as olive oil. Everything else is same.
If you find this article useful, don't forget to share with your friends and family, keep in mind Sharing Is Caring.


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Home > Immigration > Wall or No Wall: President Trump's Border Crisis
Wall or No Wall: President Trump's Border Crisis
President Donald Trump has promised to build a "big, beautiful wall" along the Mexican-American border since the beginning of his presidential campaign. Building a border wall was one of the promises that got him to the White House. As his presidency has continued, chants of "build the wall" have turned into "finish the wall," and Trump has made move after political move in order to continue construction.
But how much of the wall has been built, and has Trump stuck to his original promise?
Trump's border wall has been a sticking point between Democrats and Republicans since the election. Some of the most talked-about legal fights against him have centered on wall construction, including land rights, environmental effects and home rule. But what progress has been made and what promises have been kept since he entered office? The issue has remained murky as Trump and the media clash on defining his promises and progress.
The President's Initial Campaign Promise
When Donald Trump first launched his presidential campaign in June 2015, he immediately began by highlighting the issue of illegal immigration, especially the presence of Mexican immigrants in the country. He immediately promised to build a large, concrete border wall at least 30 feet tall that would span at least 1,000 miles of the border between Mexico and the U.S.
The remaining border would not need a wall, he said, due to natural barriers that exist along the border. The president argued that his real estate background made him the ideal candidate to accomplish this goal: "No one builds walls better than me."
Who was going to pay for it?
President Trump insisted that the border wall cost would be shouldered by the Mexican government, not the American government. He claimed Mexico should cover the cost of the wall since the issue at hand was linked to the Mexican government.
When it became clear that a direct payment form Mexico for the new border wall seemed unlikely, the president argued that Mexico would pay for the wall through cutting off the ability for Mexican immigrants to send money back home.
"Build the wall," became a common chant at his rallies, and despite starting out as an unlikely candidate, he soon surged in popularity among Republicans, eventually landing the Republican nomination. In November 2016, he was elected president, losing the popular vote but winning the Electoral College.
Trying to Start the Border Wall
Five days after taking office, President Trump signed presidential executive order 13767, which directed the American government to begin constructing his promised Rio Grande border wall. He attempted negotiations with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, but the Mexican president issued another public statement reaffirming that Mexico would not pay for the wall and cancelled the meeting.
President Trump Shifts His Stance
Since Mexico would not pay for the wall, the president requested a $3 billion budget for border security in the 2017 fiscal year budget session. He also shifted his language, promising instead that Mexico would "reimburse" the United States for the cost of the south border wall. He also began softening his stance on concrete, saying that using steel slats could ensure that the border wall is interactive and Border Patrol could monitor the other side.
Little progress was made on the proposed border wall until March 2018, when he received $1.6 billion toward building the wall. That funding covered 90 miles of the promised 1,000 miles of wall. At the end of December, clashes over wall funding shut down the government.
Government Shutdown and National Emergency
The government stayed shut down for 35 days, making it the longest government shutdown in American history. It reopened in January 2019 on the promise of continued negotiations for the border wall, but no promises for a specific dollar amount.
In February 2019, when Democrats refused to budge on the proposed border wall funding, the president declared a national emergency at the southern border. As a result, he had access to additional pools of money from Department of Defense (DOD), military construction accounts and more. Although both houses of Congress passed bills rejecting his declaration of a national emergency, he vetoed their bills and maintained the state of emergency.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have received just over $6 billion to date of the estimated $25 billion needed for both replacement and new border wall construction. Thus far, the administration has replaced 60 miles of barrier. However, no new wall has been built. Part of that is due to opposition from local leaders and environmental groups.
Opposition to Building the Wall
There has been significant pushback against the border wall cost and construction. Numerous citizen protests against the border wall have sprung up since Trump took office. Some anonymous protesters even constructed a wall around Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
However, along with citizen protests, numerous local and state governments, as well as environmental groups, have resisted Trump's border wall. For example, a federal judge halted construction along the California and Arizona borders after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) brought a case on behalf of the Sierra Club, arguing that construction would impact the local environment and wildlife. Similar challenges halted construction along the Arizona-Texas border.
According to the New York Times, Trump has begun joking that aides should seize the land, build the wall and seek a pardon later in order to circumvent legal obstacles and make progress.
Part of the opposition to the border wall involves the cost of the border wall per mile, and the total estimated cost of the border wall. Based on current funding and construction, some statisticians estimate that the wall could cost as much as $25 million per mile to construct, which would balloon the total cost to as much as $70 billion.
The Recent Supreme Court Ruling
At the end of July, the Supreme Court gave the president the green light to use up to $2.5 billion in military funding to construct part of the border wall along a portion of the wall. Although the legal battle has not finished, the Supreme Court decision means the status of the border wall could change soon.
The ruling means groups like the Sierra Club may not be able to bring lawsuits against the construction of the border wall since they do not suffer personal damage. Although Trump has not finished his legal battles, the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling could be a key turning point in his battle to fulfill his campaign promise and build the wall.
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