Backhand is a spinoff of Blackjack that removes one key element from the game—the ability to stand! In Backhand, the goal is not to be the closest to 21 without going over, as it is in Blackjack. Instead, the player must keep taking cards until they’re sure the next one is going to make them bust. If they’re right, only then do they win the hand!

Backhand was created by Louis Ginns in 2016 as a way of practicing Blackjack strategy. Ginns found himself focusing on guessing whether or not the next card to come was going to cause a bust, and soon abandoned Blackjack altogether in favor of developing a whole new game around this concept of predicting when a bust was going to happen. Ginns has since created an entire series of games based on the Backhand concept, introducing elements such as head-to-head play against a house dealer or another player.

Object of Backhand

The object of Backhand is to accurately predict when the next card to be dealt will send the value of the player’s hand over 21.

Backhand is played with one or more decks of playing cards, such as Denexa 100% Plastic Playing Cards. One deck of cards is required for every two players in the game, so a three-player game would require two decks, a five-player game would require three decks, and so on.

Backhand can be played as either a betting game or simply to be the first to win a certain number of hands (or score a certain number of wins within a given number of hands). Ginns has also created a number of additional scoring systems to provide players with different challenges. If playing with betting, you’ll need something to bet with, like poker chips, and also to agree on maximum and minimum bets. Otherwise, you’ll need some way of keeping track of the number of hands each player has won. Pencil and paper works well for this purpose.

Players place the amount of their wagers in front of them (if playing with betting). Shuffle and deal two cards, face up, to each player. The remainder of the deck becomes the stock.

Game play

Before a player has the chance to act on their hand, any aces are discarded from the hand and replaced with a card from the stock. Aces are only discarded from the initial two cards dealt to the player; if an ace is dealt as a replacement card for a discarded ace, the newly dealt ace is retained. Players then evaluate the value of their hand. Aces are worth one point, face cards are worth ten, and all other cards their pip value.

The players act on their hands one at a time, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. When a player wins or loses their hand, their bet (if playing with them) is paid out at even money or collected by the dealer, respectively. Action then passes to the next player to the left.

Hits and backhands

If a player’s hand is valued at 11 or less, the player is dealt additional cards until they arrive at a score of 12 or higher. When a player has a score above 12, they may choose to hit or call backhand. Players choosing to hit receive one additional card. If the player’s new total exceeds 21, then they have busted, and the player loses. If the new total is 21 or less, the player has the option to hit again or call backhand, as before. Should a player hit to five cards without busting, they win the hand.

When a player calls backhand, one card is dealt face-up, but not added to the hand. (This card is not counted toward a possible five-card hand.) If this card would have made the player’s score higher than 21, the player wins the hand. Otherwise, the player loses.

Push hands

Special rules apply to hands with a score of 17 through 20 on the first two cards (after any aces have been replaced). These hands are called push hands. In this situation, a player cannot immediately call backhand. Instead, they have the option to either hit or push the hand away. (This is not to be confused with the meaning of push in Blackjack, which is to tie.)  If the player chooses the latter, the hand is discarded and two new cards are dealt. Any aces are replaced, as usual, and the hand proceeds as before. If the player is dealt another hand with a value between 17 and 20, they may push again, if desired.

A player may also choose to play the push, rather than push the hand. When playing the push, the player receives one additional card, as if hitting. If their combined total with this card remains at 21 or below, they win the hand. If they bust with this card, they lose the hand, as usual.

External link

Crash (Thirteen-Card Brag)

Object of Crash

Game play

The showdown

Special combinations

Ending the game

Porrazo (also sometimes called Porosso, Parosso, or Parear) is a fishing game of Mexican origin for two to five players. (Four players may play either in partnerships or singly.) Like the most well-known fishing game, Cassino, game play centers around playing cards to the table and then capturing them with cards from the hand of the same rank. However, in Porrazo, there are all manner of available bonuses for playing the right card at the right time.

Porrazo first appeared in American game books around the turn of the twentieth century. It experienced a couple of decades of popularity before being quietly dropped from the books and fading into obscurity in the 1920s.

Object of Porrazo

The object of Porrazo is to be the first player or partnership to score 61 points. Points are scored chiefly by forming pairs of cards between the cards on the table and the cards in your hand.

To play Porrazo, you’ll need a standard 52-card deck of playing cards. Hopefully, you’ve got a deck of Denexa 100% Plastic Playing Cards you can press into service for the occasion. You’ll also need something to keep score with. Because of the frequent scoring and the target score of 61 points, using a Cribbage board for scoring is a natural fit (see how to keep score with a Cribbage board). If you don’t have a Cribbage board, or you’re playing with more than three individual players (since most Cribbage boards have three scoring tracks at most), you’ll probably have to use pencil and paper or something like that.

Shuffle and deal three cards, face down, to each player. The rest of the deck becomes the stock.

Game play

Cards rank in their usual order, with aces low.

Rondas and rondines

Before any cards are played, the players look at their cards and may declare any pairs or three-of-a-kinds that they may have. A pair is declared as a ronda and a three-of-a-kind as a rondine. The ranks of the rondas and rondines are not declared. The hand is then played out, and the player with the highest ronda or rondine scores a bonus, as follows:

Rank Ronda Rondine
Kings 4 12
Queens 3 9
Jacks 2 6
10s–As 1 3

A rondine always outranks a ronda. That is, three aces, the lowest rondine, outranks a pair of kings, the highest ronda. Only the highest declaration scores a bonus; the others score nothing. Any ties go to whichever player is first in turn order, going clockwise from the dealer. The ronda/rondine bonus is not scored until the set of three cards is played out. This means it’s possible the game may end before the bonus is scored.

Play of the hand

After any declarations have been made, the player to the dealer’s left goes first. On their turn, a player must play one card, face-up, to the table. If there are any cards already on the table of the same rank, the player captures one card of that rank, and they place the captured card along with the card that they played in a face-down won-cards pile in front of them. (If there is a pair of cards on the board and a player holds a third card of that rank, they capture only one of the table cards, not both.)

A player can also capture a sequence of two or more consecutive cards if the card that they play to the table matches the lowest card of the sequence. For example, if a 7, 8, 9, and 10 are all on the table, a player may capture them all by playing a 7. For the purposes of sequences, aces are considered consecutive to kings, so if the table contained Q-K-A-2, it would be a sequence that could be captured by a jack.

If a player can make no captures, the card they play simply remains on the table. That card can then be captured by any player on a later turn. (Depending on the card being played, the card may score for being played in place, as described below.)

When the players have exhausted their hands, the dealer replenishes them by dealing three more cards to each player from the stock. Any cards already on the table stay there, and play continues.

Occasionally, a player may be able to capture all of the cards off the table in one fell swoop. This is called a limpia. The simplest limpia occurs when there is one card on the table, and the player captures it by pairing. If there are more cards than that, the only way a limpia can happen is if they all form a sequence.

A player making a limpia immediately scores the same point value as a ronda of the last rank of the sequence captured in the limpia (or the rank of the card captured, if only one card was involved). Note that the last rank is not necessarily the highest rank. For example, if a sequence of K-A-2-3-4 is captured as a limpia, it would only score one point. This is because the 4 is the last rank in the sequence. The fact that a king is involved, despite its higher rank, is irrelevant.

Playing in place

If a player places an ace through 4 on the table without capturing anything, and the pip value of that card matches the number of cards on the table, that card is said to be played in place. That is, a card is played in place if it is an ace played to an empty table, a 2 as the second card on the table, a 3 as the third card on the table, or a 4 as the fourth card on the table. A 5 or above cannot be played in place. Playing a card in place scores the player the pip value of the card.

If a card could both be played in place or capture a card, a player can choose to forgo the capture in order to play it in place. This is the only situation in which a player is not compelled to take a capture.

The tendido

Once per hand, after dealing three cards to the players, the dealer may deal a tendido (layout). This can occur after the first three cards have been dealt, or after any time the dealer replenishes the player’s hands. When the dealer chooses to deal their tendido, they deal two pairs of cards, face up in a horizontal row, to the table. The two cards in each pair may be swapped, but cards cannot be crossed between the two pairs.

The dealer counts from left to right or right to left, as desired, to find any cards that appear in their “correct” places in the tendido: an ace in the first position, a 2 in the second, etc. If any cards have been so dealt, the dealer scores the pip value of the card. Also, if any pairs, three- or four-of-a-kinds have been formed within all of the cards now on the table, the dealer may score for them. The points scored equal the same as a ronda or rondine of the appropriate rank. Four-of-a-kinds score twice as much as a rondine of that rank.

The cards of the tendido remain on the table after being scored and can be captured just like any other card on the table.

If a player places a card on the table without capturing anything, and the next player in turn plays a card of the same rank, it is called a porrazo. If the next player plays a third card of this same rank, then this is a counter-porrazo. If a porrazo is allowed to stand, that player immediately scores the same value as a ronda of the appropriate rank and captures the card, as normal. Should a player counter-porrazo, the original porrazo does not score, the counter-porrazo scores the same value as a rondine of the appropriate rank, and the player captures both the non-capturing card and the card played for the porrazo.

After a counter-porrazo has been played, the next player may be able to play the fourth card of that rank. This is called a san benito and scores the player the entire game! Therefore, especially in a two-player game, it may be better to simply let a porrazo stand rather than countering it and risking the san benito. (One can sometimes use players’ ronda declarations to deduce whether a san benito may be possible.)

A porrazo (or a counter-porrazo or san benito) must take place with cards all from the same deal. That is, if the players run out of cards and new cards are dealt, it interrupts the sequence of play, and any porrazo cannot be declared using cards from before the hands were replenished.

Ending the hand

If playing with an even number of players, the deck will, at some point, be exhausted. If playing with an odd number of players, there will be three odd cards left in the deck. These three cards are placed face up on the table immediately after the last three-card hands are dealt to the players. They do not count as a tendido for the dealer.

After the players’ hands are exhausted, on the dealer’s last turn, they automatically capture all of the cards remaining on the table. This does not count as a limpia, even if they would have been able to legitimately capture it as one.

Each player or partnership counts the number of cards in their captured-cards pile. Whoever has the highest number of captured cards wins the hand. They score the difference between the number of cards they captured and that of their next-closest opponent.

The deal passes to the left, and new hands are dealt. Game play continues until one player or partnership reaches a score of 61 or more points. Play immediately ceases—even if it happens in the middle of a hand—and that player is the winner.


Proprietary Imperative

victory The mason bees are back! I checked their little house recently and found a female busily filling one of the tubes with mud to seal up her freshly laid eggs. It feels like a small victory, even though I’ve been worried the little fellows won’t have enough to eat since it’s been so warm but the flowers aren’t really out yet. I hope they haven’t hatched too early.

They probably know what they’re doing, and all my worry is for naught. Still, I can’t help but feel proprietary.

Cormorant proceeds apace. Why is it that a book only heats up when I have fifty million other things going on? It’s like the Muse only wants to show up when she knows you only have a few minutes to steal, because time you’ve specifically set aside is so boring. Everyone has that time, but it’s the heart-in-mouth, slightly sweating, sneakthief moments she’s after. Maybe she’s only attracted by that heart-pounding sense of doing something forbidden.

She’s a bitch, but she manages to get the job done.

So we’re down to just the characters for the last half of Cormorant‘s third section, and as far as I can tell, the book is just about to heat up to the point where I can’t think of anything else, the point where I lunge for the end of the zero draft and pretty much everything that isn’t writing (or dealing with children’s critical needs) gets tossed out the window. This book would choose the week we have an exchange student and several events that require my complete (and maybe somewhat grudging) attention.

I keep telling myself I can just stick to the wordcount for each day and not go over, just get up and walk away when I’m finished with the day’s minimum quota, but that never happens in the last third of a book. The goddamn things worm inside my head and beat in time to my pulse, a swollen-sweet pain.

I wonder if that’s how the bees feel when it’s time to hatch. An imperative, so to speak. There comes a time when one has to struggle out of a mud-caked hole and fly, and when that time comes, nothing but testing your wings will do.

There’s no point in staying safe when there’s living–and writing–to be done.

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Wolf Lahti
Wolf Lahti

I certainly got a lot more writing done when I had a full-time job; the moments I could steal to dedicate to that process were all the more precious for being rare.

―Duke Ellington (1899–1974)


Increasing Number of Fleaborne Diseases Seen in Texas (EID)

Highest attack rate among children, researchers found

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Texas experienced an increase in the number of cases of flea-borne rickettsial diseases in an expanded number of geographic locations, said CDC researchers.

These infections are transmitted through contact with animals who have fleas, such as dogs, cats, wildlife, and rodents. Writing in Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers found that rickettsial diseases expanded into areas of the state where they were not considered endemic. The highest attack rate was among children ages 5-19 years. Children with rickettsial diseases were significantly more likely than adults to have the "classical triad" of symptoms (fever, headache, and a rash).

They concluded that these results indicate the importance of public education on flea-bite diseases, and that clinicians should be increasingly aware of these diseases so they can identify new cases, particularly in children.


Final Average Salary (FAS) Cap

PEERS uses a 20% cap or limit on increases in salary during the period that is used to calculate your Final Average Salary. The cap helps prevent salary spiking at the end of one's career for the purpose of increasing a retirement benefit.

This cap does not apply to increases in salary that are due to a genuine change in position or employer, increases required by state statute, or district-wide salary schedule adjustments for previously unrecognized education-related service. If you have questions about what constitutes a change in position or employer, please have your employer's business office contact their PSRS/PEERS Employer Service Representative (ESR).


Language Proficiency – How much English does a teacher need?

The issue of proficiency is always at the forefront for English language teachers. As English language teachers, we need a certain level of proficiency in the language to teach it so we can serve as models for our students, and provide them with valuable language input that can help them learn. However, there is still no agreed upon level of proficiency that an English language teacher needs to teach effectively, and there may never be. Different contexts, different needs, and the development of English as an international language (EIL), all make the standardization of proficiency levels across contexts somewhat superfluous. For example, an elementary English language teacher in Korea does not require the same type of proficiency as an EAP teacher in Ontario. The contexts are vastly different.

 Recently, the development of English-for-teaching (Freeman et al., 2015), or specific English teacher language, has grown in prominence. In other areas, for example medicine or engineering, there has long been the realization that these fields have specialized language that professionals will need to learn. Thus, when someone in medicine needs to learn English, this focus on medical English in the classroom can help them learn the language they need to succeed in their professional lives. English-for-teaching is essentially the same thing, but for English teachers.

In a wide-reaching project, researchers set out to determine what words and phrases are most commonly used by English language teachers. Drawing on data from contexts around the globe, they were able to discover what language teachers need to teach in English. This is an important development considering the state of English language teaching. More and more teachers are now required to teach English in various EFL contexts, despite this not being their area of teaching. Often, these teachers are thrust into the English language classroom and asked to teach, whether they are ready or confident.

It should be noted that the English-for-teaching project is focused on teachers in EFL contexts who are teaching beginner and intermediate proficiency speakers. However, the issue of separating language that is specific to teaching from overall proficiency is somewhat difficult as many of the words and phrases could be considered common daily language. While medical English has a highly specific vocabulary that most speakers will never need to know, the words English teachers use in the classroom are much more common. While there certainly is crossover, separating specific teaching language away from overall proficiency is an important step for some English teachers. Expecting teachers to acquire a high overall proficiency in some EFL contexts is not possible, and many times, not needed. English-for-teaching serves as a smaller subset of language that is much more achievable for teachers to learn and allows them to manage their classrooms in English and still provide their students with valuable language input.

For more information on English-for-teaching, check out the article below, or have a look at the ELTeach website here.

Freeman, D., Katz, A., Gomez, P.G. & Burns, A. (2015).  English-for-teaching: Rethinking teacher proficiency in the classroom.  ELT Journal, 69(2), 129 – 139.

6 thoughts on “Language Proficiency – How much English does a teacher need?”

  1. You make a very good point that the level of proficiency required varies widely depending on the level and type of English taught. After only one year of intensive language study in Japan, I was roped into teaching that language and the culture at a very basic level in both a public school paid position and as a volunteer on Saturdays. Teaching basic greetings, giving 30-40 TPR commands, and teaching these young learners to write and read Hiragana was well within my comfort zone, but that is as far as I would have tried to go as a teacher of Japanese.
    I’m very pleased to be part of a department that includes many non-native English as a Second Language teachers. We complement each other nicely and each bring something different to the team. Since students sometimes mistakenly assume that a native speaker is a better ESL teacher, I always make it known to them when I consult my Romanian-born colleague on a tricky advanced grammar question.

    1. I think there are discrepancies between the proficiency required fir teaching a language as a “foreign language” and as an “additional ” or second language – and between teaching children and adults . This article talks about EFL – and then goes on to discuss English for specific fields (we used to have “Specialized Language Training”. Do we still? Bridging prigrams?)
      The vocabulary and language functions children encounter in their daily lives is more limited than that of adults. Keeping “one step ahead of children” can be done (but still nerve wracking). How do you feel about ESL/LINC teachers keeping “one step ahead” of adults? Teaching literacy or low level learners is often given to teachers with acknowledged lower levels of proficiency ( or experience – new NESTs usually – but not always! – teach lower level at first. I started with a Two. ) But in many ways these are the levels where a thorough grasp of the target language, the understanding of (hehe) grammatical,textual, functional, sociolinguistic, strategic competence issues of a language help in setting the foundation. If someone were teaching me (and I was paying – as I did for Mandarin lessons – I look for more than grammatical proficiency.) I agree that there shoukd not be discrimination in hiring -but I wonder if in pushing for equity we hsve developed a tolerance for lower proficiency in NNESTs tgstvwe woukd nit acceot in NESTs. . Perhaos the question needs to be asked “At what point do you say a person’s proficiency is too low?” How do you measure this?
      In a unionised environment teachers that are “bumped” then move to other positions based on seniority, not proficiency (or teaching skills which is an even more important part of the equation than language proficiency imo) They cannot be removed. Perhaps this partly explains the embrace of PBLA by managers (and frustrated co-workers). A “secondary” perceived ” gain” is to provide “”PD” to those in hopes of bringing them up to speed and/orto provide evidence of just how incompetent they are ( the “teacher accountability” aspect. So the teacher will either give up and resign, or can be let go….

      1. Hi Claudie,

        Thank you for your response. You bring up a lot of good points. The Freeman et al. (2015) article is about EFL teachers who teach beginner and intermediate children, but it does not explore English-for-teaching with adults or higher level students. Logically, as students’ language levels get higher and higher, and language becomes more unpredictable, English-for-teaching would only be useful to a certain point. This gets at the potential need for overall proficiency. However, there is still no link to show that teachers need a high overall language proficiency level for students to learn English. Language teaching requires specialized knowledge and skill; proficiency is certainly part of it, but each context will have different requirements.

        One major issue is with proficiency assessment. There are teacher language assessments, but like many proficiency tests, these are controversial and are not always accurate. Further complicating matters is the development of English as an International Language (EIL). EIL acknowledges the growth of English and the fact that the vast majority of people who speak English are non-native speakers. With EIL, the emphasis is not on native speaker norms or standards, but on how English is used across the globe. When thinking about teachers, if we simply compare to native speaker norms, then we will view those who do not meet the standards as having a deficit. However, from an EIL perspective, this can be considered more of a locally developed English that suits local needs, and not a lack of language ability.

        In Ontario, clearly, there are a lot of proficient speakers. Teachers need to have the specialized knowledge and capabilities to teach English, and proficiency is part of this. However, it is only one part of it. While a teacher may lack proficiency in comparison with native speaker norms, enhanced pedagogical abilities and knowledge may be more important in that context. There is no ‘correct’ answer, but each context will have its own requirements. In some contexts, higher proficiency may be needed, while in others, a greater emphasis on pedagogical (content) knowledge may be required.

  2. Thanks for a great article written by you. Would you please email me on the wide-reaching project you mentioned? What is it? Great thanks!

    1. Hi Amilie,

      Thanks for your compliment! Here is the link to the ELTeach project:

      On the site, click on the ‘Resources’ section and there are lots of great studies and reports about the project. Hope that helps!

  3. Hi Michael,
    Thank you very much! It is very helpful and I will read it through carefully.

    Have a very nice day!

Leave a Reply


A blonde's year in review: (jokes) 1. January - Took new scarf back to store because it was too tight.

2. February - Fired from pharmacy job for failing to print labels....."duh".....bottles won't fit in the typewriter!!!

3. March - Got excited.....finished jigsaw puzzle in 6 months.....box said "2-4 years!"

4. April - Trapped on escalator for hours.....power went out!!!

5. May - Tried to make Kool-Aid.....8 cups of water won't fit into those little packets!!!

6. June - Tried to go water skiing.....couldn't find a lake with a slope.

7. July - Lost breast stroke swimming competition.....learned later, other swimmers cheated, they used their arms!!!

8. August - Got locked out of car in rain storm.....car swamped, because top was down.

9. September - The capital of California is "C".....isn't it???

10. October - Hate M &M's.....they are so hard to peel.

11. November - Baked turkey for 4 1/2 days.....instructions said 1 hour per pound and I weigh 108!!!

12. December - Couldn't call 911....."duh".....there's no "eleven" button on the phone!!!

What a year!!


• Internship Opportunities at Production Club

    We are currently accepting applications for internship positions. Please provide us with the information below; we're always looking for talented, driven, and creative people to join our team.

  • Instructions: Please answer each question in 100 words or less, and submit all your answers together as one PDF. Feel free to be creative in how you format and design your PDF.

    1. What about Production Club interests you?

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    3. What are the 3 most relevant achievements, works or projects that you have worked on, and what was your involvement in them?

    4. What are your professional goals?


Depiction of Virgil, 3rd-century CE,[1]
from the "Monnus-Mosaic", Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier.

Publius Vergilius Maro (October 15, 70 BCE -September 21, 19 BCE), usually called Virgil or Vergil (pronounced: /ˈvɜrdʒəl/) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues (or Bucolics), the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid. A number of minor poems, collected in the Appendix Vergiliana, are sometimes attributed to him.

Virgil is traditionally ranked as one of Rome's greatest poets. His Aeneid has been considered the national epic of ancient Rome from the time of its composition to the present day. Modeled after Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, the Aeneid follows the Trojan refugee Aeneas as he struggles to fulfill his destiny and arrive on the shores of Italy—in Roman mythology the founding act of Rome. Virgil's work has had wide and deep influence on Western literature, most notably The Divine Comedy of Dante, in which Virgil appears as Dante's guide through Hell and Ppurgatory.

Life and works

Birth and biographical tradition

Publius Vergilius Maro1

A bust of Virgil in Naples.

Virgil's biographical tradition is thought to depend on a lost biography by Varius, Virgil's editor, which was incorporated into the biography by Suetonius and the commentaries of Servius and Donatus, the two great commentators on Virgil's poetry. Although the commentaries no doubt record much factual information about Virgil, some of their evidence can be shown to rely on inferences made from his poetry and allegorizing; thus, Virgil's biographical tradition remains problematic.[2]

The tradition holds that Virgil was born in the village of Andes, near Mantua[3] in Cisalpine Gaul.[4] Scholars suggest Etruscan, Umbrian or even Celtic descent by examining the linguistic or ethnic markers of the region. Analysis of his name has led to beliefs that he descended from earlier Roman colonists. Modern speculation ultimately is not supported by narrative evidence either from his own writings or his later biographers. Macrobius says that Virgil's father was of a humble background; however, scholars generally believe that Virgil was from an equestrian landowning family which could afford to give him an education. He attended schools in Cremona, Mediolanum, Rome and Naples. After considering briefly a career in rhetoric and law, the young Virgil turned his talents to poetry.[5]

Early works

According to the commentators, Virgil received his first education when he was five years old and he later went to Cremona, Milan, and finally Rome to study rhetoric, medicine, and astronomy, which he soon abandoned for philosophy. From Virgil's admiring references to the neoteric writers Pollio and Cinna, it has been inferred that he was, for a time, associated with Catullus' neoteric circle. However schoolmates considered Virgil extremely shy and reserved, according to Servius, and he was nicknamed "Parthenias" or "maiden" because of his social aloofness. Virgil seems to have suffered bad health throughout his life and in some ways lived the life of an invalid. According to the Catalepton, while in the Epicurean school of Siro the Epicurean at Naples, he began to write poetry. A group of small works attributed to the youthful Virgil by the commentators survive collected under the title Appendix Vergiliana, but are largely considered spurious by scholars. One, the Catalepton, consists of fourteen short poems,[6] some of which may be Virgil's, and another, a short narrative poem titled the Culex ("The Gnat"), was attributed to Virgil as early as the 1st century CE.

The Eclogues

Page from the Eclogues in the 5th-century Vergilius Romanus

The biographical tradition asserts that Virgil began the hexameter Eclogues (or Bucolics) in 42 BCE and it is thought that the collection was published around 39–38 BC, although this is controversial.[6] The Eclogues (from the Greek for "selections") are a group of ten poems roughly modeled on the bucolic hexameter poetry ("pastoral poetry") of the Hellenistic poet Theocritus. After his victory in the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE, fought against the army led by the assassins of Julius Caesar, Octavian tried to pay off his veterans with land expropriated from towns in northern Italy, supposedly including, according to the tradition, an estate near Mantua belonging to Virgil. The loss of his family farm and the attempt through poetic petitions to regain his property have traditionally been seen as Virgil's motives in the composition of the Eclogues. This is now thought to be an unsupported inference from interpretations of the Eclogues. In Eclogues 1 and 9, Virgil indeed dramatizes the contrasting feelings caused by the brutality of the land expropriations through pastoral idiom, but offers no indisputable evidence of the supposed biographic incident. Readers often did and sometimes do identify the poet himself with various characters and their vicissitudes, whether gratitude by an old rustic to a new god (Ecl. 1), frustrated love by a rustic singer for a distant boy (his master's pet, Ecl. 2), or a master singer's claim to have composed several eclogues (Ecl. 5). Modern scholars largely reject such efforts to garner biographical details from fictive texts preferring instead to interpret the diverse characters and themes as representing the poet's own contrastive perceptions of contemporary life and thought.

Thematically, the ten Eclogues develop and vary pastoral tropes and play with generic expectations. 1 and 9 address the land confiscations and their effects on the Italian countryside. 2 and 3 are highly pastoral and erotic, discussing love, both homosexual (Ecl. 2) and panerotic (Ecl. 3). Eclogue 4, addressed to Asinius Pollio, the so-called "Messianic Eclogue" uses the imagery of the golden-age in connection with the birth of a child (who the child is has been highly contested). 5 and 8 describe the myth of Daphnis in a song contest, 6, the cosmic and mythological song of Silenus, 7, a heated poetic contest, and 10 the sufferings of the contemporary elegiac poet Cornelius Gallus. Virgil is credited in the Eclogues with establishing Arcadia as a poetic ideal that still resonates in Western literature and visual arts and setting the stage for the development of Latin pastoral by Calpurnius Siculus, Nemesianus, and later writers.

The Georgics

Sometime after the publication of the Eclogues (probably before 37 BCE),[7] Virgil became part of the circle of Maecenas, Octavian's capable agent d'affaires who sought to counter sympathy for Antony among the leading families by rallying Roman literary figures to Octavian's side. Virgil seems to have made connections with many of the other leading literary figures of the time, including Horace, in whose poetry he is often mentioned,[8] and Varius Rufus, who later helped finish the Aeneid.

Przygotowanie narzędzi rolniczych

Late-17th-century illustration of a passage from the Georgics by Jerzy Siemiginowski-Eleuter.

At Maecenas' insistence (according to the tradition) Virgil spent the ensuing years (perhaps 37–29 BCE) on the longer didactic hexameter poem called the Georgics (from Greek, "On Working the Earth") which he dedicated to Maecenas. The ostensible theme of the Georgics is instruction in the methods of running a farm. In handling this theme, Virgil follows in the didactic (instructive) tradition of the Greek poet Hesiod's Works and Days and several works of the later Hellenistic poets. The four books of the Georgics focus respectively on raising crops and trees (1 and 2), livestock and horses (3), and beekeeping and the qualities of bees (4). Significant passages include the beloved Laus Italiae of Book 2, the prologue description of the temple in Book 3, and the description of the plague at the end of Book 3. Book 4 concludes with a long mythological narrative, in the form of an epyllion which describes vividly the discovery of beekeeping by Aristaeus and the story of Orpheus' journey to the underworld. Ancient scholars, such as Servius, conjectured that the Aristaeus episode replaced a long section in praise of Virgil's friend, the poet Gallus, who was disgraced by Augustus and committed suicide in 26 BCE. Augustus is supposed to have ordered the section to be replaced.

A major critical issue in considering the Georgics is the assessment of tone; Virgil seems to waver between optimism and pessimism, sparking a great deal of debate on the poem's intentions.[9] With the Georgics Virgil is again credited with laying the foundations for later didactic poetry. The biographical tradition says that Virgil and Maecenas took turns reading the Georgics to Octavian upon his return from defeating Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE.

The Aeneid

Terracotta Aeneas MAN Naples 110338

A 1st-century terracotta expressing the pietas of Aeneas, who carries his aged father and leads his young son

The Aeneid is widely considered Virgil's finest work and one of the most important poems in the history of western literature. Virgil worked on the Aeneid during the last eleven years of his life (29–19 BCE), commissioned, according to Propertius, by Augustus. The epic poem consists of 12 books in dactylic hexameter verse which describe the journey of Aeneas, a prince fleeing the sack of Troy, to Italy, his battle with the Italian prince Turnus, and the foundation of a city from which Rome would emerge. The Aeneid's first six books describe the journey of Aeneas from Troy to Rome. Virgil made use of several models in the composition of his epic;[7] Homer the preeminent classical epicist is everywhere present, but Virgil also makes especial use of the Latin poet Ennius and the Hellenistic poet Apollonius of Rhodes among the various other writers he alludes to. Although the Aeneid casts itself firmly into the epic mode, it often seeks to expand the genre by including elements of other genres such as tragedy and aetiological poetry. Ancient commentators noted that Virgil seems to divide the Aeneid into two sections based on the poetry of Homer; the first six books were viewed as employing the Odyssey as a model while the last six were connected to the Iliad.[10]

Book 1[11] (at the head of the Odyssean section) opens with a storm which Juno, Aeneas' enemy throughout the poem, stirs up against the fleet. The storm drives the hero to the coast of Carthage, which historically was Rome's deadliest foe. The queen, Dido, welcomes the ancestor of the Romans, and under the influence of the gods falls deeply in love with him. At a banquet in Book 2, Aeneas tells the story of the sack of Troy, the death of his wife, and his escape to the enthralled Carthaginians, while in Book 3 he recounts to them his wanderings over the Mediterranean in search of a suitable new home. Jupiter in Book 4 recalls the lingering Aeneas to his duty to found a new city, and he slips away from Carthage, leaving Dido to commit suicide, cursing Aeneas and calling down revenge in a symbolic anticipation of the fierce wars between Carthage and Rome. In Book 5, Aeneas' father Anchises dies and funeral games are celebrated for him. On reaching Cumae, in Italy in Book 6, Aeneas consults the Cumaean Sibyl, who conducts him through the Underworld where Aeneas meets the dead Anchises who reveals his Rome's destiny to his son.

Book 7 (beginning the Iliadic half) opens with an address to the muse and recounts Aeneas arrival in Italy and betrothal to Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus. Lavinia had already been promised to Turnus, the king of the Rutulians, who is roused to war by the Fury Allecto and Amata Lavinia's mother. In Book 8, Aeneas allies with King Evander, who occupies the future site of Rome, and is given new armor and a shield depicting Roman history. Book 9 records an assault by Nisus and Euryalus on the Rutulians, 10, the death of Evander's young son Pallas, and 11 the death of the Volscian warrior princess Camilla and the decision to settle the war with a duel between Aeneas and Turnus. The Aeneid ends in Book 12 with the taking of Latinus' city, the death of Amata, and Aeneas' defeat and killing of Turnus, whose pleas for mercy are spurned.

Reception of the Aeneid

Virgil Reading the Aeneid

Virgil Reading the Aeneid to Augustus, Octavia, and Livia by Jean-Baptiste Wicar, Art Institute of Chicago.

Critics of the Aeneid focus on a variety of issues.[12] The tone of the poem as a whole is a particular matter of debate; some see the poem as ultimately pessimistic and politically subversive to the Augustan regime, while others view it as a celebration of the new imperial dynasty. Virgil makes use of the symbolism of the Augustan regime, and some scholars see strong associations between Augustus and Aeneas, the one as founder and the other as re-founder of Rome. A strong teleology, or drive towards a climax, has been detected in the poem. The Aeneid is full of prophecies about the future of Rome, the deeds of Augustus, his ancestors, and famous Romans, and the Carthaginian Wars; the shield of Aeneas even depicts Augustus' victory at Actium against Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII in 31 BCE. A further focus of study is the character of Aeneas. As the protagonist of the poem, Aeneas seems to constantly waver between his emotions and commitment to his prophetic duty to found Rome; critics note the breakdown of Aeneas' emotional control in the last sections of the poem where the "pious" and "righteous" Aeneas mercilessly slaughters Turnus.

The Aeneid appears to have been a great success. Virgil is said to have recited Books 2, 4, and 6 to Augustus;[7] and Book 6 apparently caused Augustus' sister Octavia to faint. Although the truth of this claim is subject to scholarly scepticism, it has served as a basis for later art, such as Jean-Baptiste Wicar's Virgil Reading the Aeneid.

Unfortunately, some lines of the poem were left unfinished, and the whole was unedited, at Virgil's death in 19 BCE.

Virgil's death and editing of the Aeneid

According to the tradition, Virgil traveled to Greece around 19 BCE in order to revise the Aeneid. After meeting Augustus in Athens and deciding to return home, Virgil caught a fever while visiting a town near Megara. After crossing to Italy by ship, weakened with disease, Virgil died in Brundisium harbor on September 21, 19 BCE. Augustus ordered Virgil's literary executors, Lucius Varius Rufus and Plotius Tucca, to disregard Virgil's own wish that the poem be burned, instead ordering it published with as few editorial changes as possible.[13] As a result, the text of the Aeneid that exists may contain faults which Virgil was planning to correct before publication. However, the only obvious imperfections are a few lines of verse that are metrically unfinished (i.e., not a complete line of dactylic hexameter). Other alleged imperfections are subject to scholarly debate.

Later views and reception

In antiquity

A 3rd-century Tunisian mosaic of Virgil seated between Clio and Melpomene (from Hadrumetum [Sousse])[14]

The works of Virgil almost from the moment of their publication revolutionized Latin poetry. The Eclogues, Georgics, and above all the Aeneid became standard texts in school curricula with which all educated Romans were familiar. Poets following Virgil often refer intertextually to his works to generate meaning in their own poetry. The Augustan poet Ovid parodies the opening lines of the Aeneid in Amores 1.1.1–2, and his summary of the Aeneas story in Book 14 of the Metamorphoses, the so-called "mini-Aeneid", has been viewed as a particularly important example of post-Virgilian response to the epic genre. Lucan's epic, the Bellum Civile has been considered an anti-Virgilian epic, disposing with the divine mechanism, treating historical events, and diverging drastically from Virgilian epic practice. The Flavian poet Statius in his 12-book epic Thebaid engages closely with the poetry of Virgil; in his epilogue he advises his poem not to "rival the divine Aeneid, but follow afar and ever venerate its footsteps."[15] In Silius Italicus, Virgil finds one of his most ardent admirers. With almost every line of his epic Punica Silius references Virgil. Indeed, Silius is known to have bought Virgil's tomb and worshipped the poet.[16] Partially as a result of his so-called "Messianic" Fourth Eclogue—widely interpreted later to have predicted the birth of Jesus Christ—Virgil was in later antiquity imputed to have the magical abilities of a seer; the sortes Virgilianae, the process of using Virgil's poetry as a tool of divination, is found in the time of Hadrian, and continued into the Middle Ages. In a similar vein Macrobius in the Saturnalia credits the work of Virgil as the embodiment of human knowledge and experience, mirroring the Greek conception of Homer.[17] Virgil also found commentators in antiquity. Servius, a commentator of the 4th century CE, based his work on the commentary of Donatus. Servius' commentary provides us with a great deal of information about Virgil's life, sources, and references; however, many modern scholars find the variable quality of his work and the often simplistic interpretations frustrating.

Late antiquity and Middle Ages

A 5th-century portrait of Virgil from the Vergilius Romanus.

Even as the Western Roman empire collapsed, literate men acknowledged that Virgil was a master poet. Gregory of Tours read Virgil, whom he quotes in several places, along with some other Latin poets, though he cautions that "we ought not to relate their lying fables, lest we fall under sentence of eternal death."

The Aeneid remained the central Latin literary text of the Middle Ages and retained its status as the grand epic of the Latin peoples, and of those who considered themselves to be of Roman provenance, such as the English. It also held religious importance as it describes the founding of a "Holy City".

Virgil's fourth Eclogue was often seen as a prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ. It has been argued that this originated in a need on the part of medieval scholars to reconcile Virgil's non-Christian background with the high regard in which they held his works, who were thus forced to make him a prophet of sorts. This view is defended by a few scholars today, notably Richard Thomas (see below, under links). Cicero and other classical writers too were declared Christian due to similarities in moral thinking to Christianity.

Dante made Virgil his guide in Hell and the greater part of Purgatory in The Divine Comedy. Dante also mentions Virgil in De vulgari eloquentia along with Ovid, Lucan and Statius, as one of the four regulati poetae (ii, vi, 7).

The best-known surviving manuscripts of Virgil's works include the Vergilius Augusteus, the Vergilius Vaticanus and the Vergilius Romanus.

Mysticism and hidden meanings

In the Middle Ages, Virgil was considered a herald of Christianity for his Eclogue 4 verses concerning the birth of a boy, which were read as a prophecy of Jesus' nativity.

Also during the Middle Ages, as Virgil was developed into a kind of magus, manuscripts of the Aeneid were used for divinatory bibliomancy, the Sortes Virgilianae (Virgilian lottery), in which a line would be selected at random and interpreted in the context of a current situation (Compare the ancient Chinese I Ching). The Old Testament was sometimes used for similar arcane purposes.

Virgil's tomb

Vergil tomb inscription

The verse inscription at Virgil's tomb was supposedly composed by the poet himself: Mantua me genuit, Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc Parthenope. Cecini pascua, rura, duces ("Mantua bore me, the Calabrians snatched me away, now Naples holds me. I sang of pastures, countrysides, leaders").

The structure known as "Virgil's tomb" is found at the entrance of an ancient Roman tunnel (also known as "grotta vecchia") in the Parco di Virgilio in Piedigrotta, a district two miles from old Naples, near the Mergellina harbor, on the road heading north along the coast to Pozzuoli. (The site called Parco Virgiliano is some distance further west along the coast.) While Virgil was already the object of literary admiration and veneration before his death, in the following centuries his name became associated with miraculous powers, his tomb the destination of pilgrimages and veneration. The poet himself was said to have created the cave with the fierce power of his intense gaze.

It is said that the Chiesa della Santa Maria di Piedigrotta was erected by Church authorities to neutralize this adoration and "Christianize" the site. The tomb, however, is a tourist attraction, and still sports a tripod burner originally dedicated to Apollo, although the tripod is not original to the site.

Name in English

In the Late Empire and Middle Ages Vergilius was spelled Virgilius. Two explanations are commonly given for this alteration. One deduces a false etymology associated with the word virgo ("maiden" in Latin) due to Virgil's excessive, "maiden"-like (parthenías or παρθενίας in Greek), modesty. Alternatively, some argue that Vergilius was altered to Virgilius by analogy with the Latin virga ("wand") due to the magical or prophetic powers attributed to Virgil in the Middle Ages (this explanation is found in only a handful of manuscripts, however, and was probably not widespread). In Norman schools (following the French practice), the habit was to anglicize Latin names by dropping their Latin endings, hence Virgil. In the 19th century, some German-trained classicists in the United States suggested modification to Vergil, as it is closer to his original name, and is also the traditional German spelling. Modern usage permits both, though the Oxford guide to style recommends Vergilius to avoid confusion with the 8th-century grammarian Virgilius Maro Grammaticus. Some post-Renaissance writers liked to affect the sobriquet "The Swan of Mantua".

  1. Ziolkowski, Jan M. (2008). The Virgilian tradition. Yale University.
  2. Don Fowler "Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro)" in The Oxford Classical Dictionary, (3.ed. 1996, Oxford), pg.1602
  3. The epitaph on his tomb in Posilipo near Naples was Mantua me genuit; Calabri rapuere; tenet nunc Parthenope. Cecini pascua, rura, duces ("Mantua gave birth to me, the Calabrians took me, now Naples holds me; I sang of pastures [the Eclogues], country [the Georgics] and leaders [the Aeneid]").
  4. Map of Cisalpine Gaul
  6. 6.0 6.1 Fowler, pg.1602
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Fowler , pg.1603
  8. Horace, Satires 1.5, 1.6, and Odes 1.3
  9. Fowler, pg.1605
  10. Jenkyns, p. 53
  11. For a succinct summary, see
  12. For a bibliography and summary see Fowler, pg.1605–6
  13. Sellar, William Young; Glover, Terrot Reaveley (1911). "Virgil". Encyclopædia Britannica. 28 (11th ed.). p. 112. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
  14. [[File:Virgil-Mosaic-Tunesia.jpg|A Tunisian stamp featuring the mosaic]].
  15. Theb.12.816–7
  16. Pliny Ep. 3.7.8
  17. Fowler, pg.1603

Further reading

External links

  • Collected Works
    • Works of Virgil at the Perseus Digital Library
      • Latin texts, translations and commentaries
      • Aeneid translated by T. C. Williams, 1910
      • Aeneid translated by John Dryden, 1697
      • Aeneid, Eclogues and Georgics translated by J. C. Greenough, 1900
    • Works of Virgil at Theoi Project
      • Aeneid, Eclogues and Georgics translated by H. R. Fairclough, 1916
    • Works of Virgil at Sacred Texts
      • Aeneid translated by John Dryden, 1697
      • Eclogues and Georgics translated by J.W. MacKail, 1934
    • P. Vergilius Maro at The Latin Library
      • Aeneid translated by E. Fairfax Taylor, 1907
      • Aeneid, Georgics and Eclogues translated by (unnamed)
      • Moretum ("The Salad") Scanned from Joseph J. Mooney (tr.), The Minor Poems of Vergil: Comprising the Culex, Dirae, Lydia, Moretum, Copa, Priapeia, and Catalepton (Birmingham: Cornish Brothers, 1916).
    • Virgil's works: text, concordances and frequency list

The article above was originally sourced from Nupediaand is open content.

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Virgil. The list of authors can be seen in the page history.


In the next few months, there will be many AGMs for shareholders to attend to learn more about the recent financials and future plans of the company.

As some users have suggested, it would be nice to have a venue to learn when and where these AGMs are happening. And perhaps more interestingly, to be able to share thoughts, consolidate questions, or simply to know who else would be attending them.

Therefore, I have created a page and added numerous upcoming AGMs and you can see them
here. As I added them manually, it is in no way a comprehensive list, so there is also a function for user to to add upcoming AGMs via this link. Please go ahead and add any AGMs that you find missing!

For every AGM created, you will be able to interact with others just like you could with a cafe post (e.g.


ImageBirds are no doubt a great creation of the world. Birds have different kinds of colorful wings and feathers. They generally utilize their colorful feathers during the meeting time. Peacock is the best example of this behavior. This kind of attracting behavior is also seen in Amazonian Royal Flycatcher.

This bird is equally very impressive according to its colorful feathers. The Latin name of this amazing bird is Onychorhynchus coronatus coronatus.The Amazonian Royal Flycatcher is very small in size. It is about six and half inches in length (16.5 cm). These cute birds are generally found at the Amazon jungle of South America and this is because of giving such name to this beautiful bird. While most bird species displays vibrant color during their sex mostly the male birds. But both the Amazonian Royal Flycatchers display their colorful feathers at the top of their head. While the female have usually the yellow color, male have the fiery orange red color.

The Oarfish is thought to be the world’s longest bony fish, a group that includes almost all fish except sharks and rays (whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean). These fish can reach a length of over 50 feet (15 meters) and weigh as much as 6oo pounds (272 kilograms).The silvery fish are sometimes called the “king of herrings” because of their superficial resemblance to the smaller fish, but they are named oarfish because of their long pectoral fins, which resemble oars.

The Mysterious Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko

The Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko is a mysterious creature. These kinds of creatures are generally found in Madagascar Island. The generic name of this creature is Uroplatus which is taken from two Latin words “oura” meaning “tail” and “platys” meaning “flat”. This species was first discovered by George Albert Boulenger in 1888.It is very small in size. Its full size with tail is about 2.6 to 6 inches. The leaf like structure is generally seen in ebenaui complex. It has spines on head, body and trunk.


Asphalt Paving

West York offers asphalt paving services for a variety of purposes, including:

Advantages of Asphalt

Asphalt is cost efficient

It has low initial costs and lasts long. Asphalt paving projects are also relatively quicker to complete, reducing losses associated with time spent on constructing.

Asphalt can be shaped and molded to serve the purposes it’s intended to. It can also be configured to be optimized for various needs, including various outdoor temperatures and weight loads

Asphalt is smooth and quiet

Asphalt ensures a smooth, quiet, and comfortable drive

Resources / Information: Asphalt Paving

The impact of weather on Asphalt paving

Asphalt is extremely durable, but similar to most materials, asphalt also needs proper protection from harsh weather conditions. Conditions ranging from jarring sun rays to heavy rains can cause deterioration in the asphalt’s structure. Routine asphalt resurfacing and...

Things to keep in mind before you start paving

Before you embark on your first paving landscape project that involves paving around your home, you need to keep a few things in mind to ensure the end project will look great and be high-quality. Deciding on a space to pave Consider the form and dimensions of the...

Asphalt Mixtures and Their Noise Reducing Qualities

More and more houses are being built next to traffic areas such as parking lots. These homes are usually in high demand since they are near city centers or major shopping areas. However, some detractors for these locations are noise pollution caused by the endless...

Types of Road Surfaces

Let’s face it, the construction of roads has been an engineering challenge basically since the wheel was invented. And while there have been some incredible strides made in the development of roads, road construction and repair are still topics that are spoken with...

Myths About Asphalts

There are a lot of strange myths surrounding asphalt, and most of them have no rhyme or reason but are firmly entrenched in the minds of those who believe them. Asphalt gets a bad rap because of these beliefs, and it's one that it doesn't deserve. Here is a...


Project Brief: The project aims to improve the total education environment in the panchayat through the implementation of Community Based Education model and Self-Governance
Project Type: Community Based Interventions (description)
Primary Focus: to go to formal school (description)

Secondary Focus: health and cleanliness

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact: Yale
Status: completed - requirements ended
Project Steward: Ajay Dalmia
Project Partner(s): Dr. Motilal Dash
Other Contacts: Naresh Devnani
Project Address: , ,,Jherli,
Stewarding Chapter: Yale

Asha Stars, if any:

Ajay Dalmia

Oct 2002ColoradoUSD 1000
Oct 2002Work an HourUSD 7300
Dec 2002YaleUSD 2000

Total = $10300

Jherli is one of the most backward and underdeveloped Gram Panchayats of Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan. It consists of three villages - Jherli, Raila and Garinda. The total population of these villages is more than 5,000 including 419 school going children. The basic occupations of the villagers are cultivation, daily-wage labor and small business. Unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, low status of women and lack of accessibility to basic facilities are some of the major indicators of backwardness visible in these villages. Even though most of the villagers understand the need for educating their children for a better future dilapidated school buildings, lack of sufficient number of teachers, absence of basic amenities and proper environment for learning deters them from sending their children to school.
The primary objective of the project is to improve the quality of primary and secondary education. The project is led by a team from BITS, Pilani in India. Project governance ensures funds transparency and periodic updates.
The major objectives of the Gyanganga project are to:

1. Improve school infrastructure, curriculum and quality of education
2. Increase water availability in the Jherli Panchayat
3. Reduce incidences of illness due to communicable diseases
4. Increase income generated per household
5. Increase availability of electricity per household

Impacts 419 children (of which 199 are girls)
The organization is an Asha Chapter at BITS and is part of the NSS on BITS campus. The National Service Scheme (NSS) was evolved and introduced by the Government of India in the year 1969. It aims at developing amongst students a sense of participation in nation building through Social Work. Some of NSS activities include routine health camps, running vocational school & informal primary school, blood donation camps, etc.


"The Earth community as a whole is our starting place ~ our womb, our home." ~ Brian Swimme

From the beginning of time, the philosophies of people on this Earth focused on and related to the creation and order of the Universe. And, there was a sacred relationship between humans and the natural world. And, so they lived in harmony with animals, plants, and the elements around them. And, each peoples seasonal celebrations were an interpretation of where they were located on this Earth. People from different locations on the globe are not a threat to each other in the greater understanding of the Universe. They have simply told their stories about the cycles and rhythms of life from where they stand. There is so much to learn from each other and nature.

"We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." ~ T. S. Eliot

Submitted by: www.spiritualearthcoalition.com


Bugs as treatment: coming to a clinic near you…

Maggots and leeches have been used for decades and are still supplied to hospitals for speciality treatments. Researchers are now investigating whether hookworms can allow people with coeliac disease to safely consume wheat.

Leeches and maggots

Creepy crawlies have long been used for various types of treatment. Historical references from ancient Greece show that leeches were used as far back as 270 BC, probably for bloodletting.

Over the years, leeches have been used for many purposes. With their potent secretions, leeches make microsurgery or plastic surgery more successful by preventing venous blood from collecting.

Maggots secrete a host of factors to dissolve dying tissue. AijaK/Shutterstock

The modern story of the maggot in wound healing is that one fortunate solder in the First World War was found to have survived a life-threatening wound apparently because it was covered with maggots. The maggots ate the dead and dying flesh and helped to keep the wound from becoming fatally infected.

Today, wound healing is still an issue where modern medicine is not available, or where conventional therapies are ineffective, as with Bairnsdale Ulcer (Buruli ulcer) in Victoria, Australia, where “mighty maggots” are being trialled as a better treatment.

Although maggots are still used in some hospitals today, your chances of having a typical wound heal with or without maggots is about the same.

Worms and bacteria

Researchers first noticed that parasitic infection reduced the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in the 1980s and it’s now an area of active research. At the time, the researchers didn’t know why this would be the case and a number of other factors (such as diet and living conditions) made it difficult to establish a clear cause and effect.

As we learn more about how parasites work, it is becoming obvious that successful parasites came prepared with a full toolbox of chemicals. With the creepy crawlies, these tools do things like thin blood so that the leech – or mozzie – can get a better feed.

Leeches release a combinations of blood thinners and anaesthetics. gbohne/Flickr, CC BY-SA

In the parasites, they also include molecules which interact directly with the human immune system. A parasite wants to live with you, and to do that it needs to convince your body’s immune system to ignore it.

Parasites that cause chronic infections have evolved ways to manipulate the immune system by switching it from high inflammation and “attack” mode, to low inflammation and “damage control mode”. This switching may have an incidental calming effect on inflammatory diseases like IBD and coeliac disease.

Interestingly, this is a similar argument for why the bacteria H. pylori is good for you in that it may reduce the severity of IBD. But while it could potentially be used as an edible vaccine, the down side is the risk of gastric cancer (in addition to ulcers), so there are good reasons to heed the warning “the only good Helicobacter is a dead Helicobacter”.

Hookworms to treat coeliacs

Coeliac disease is a problem where the body’s immune system attacks fairly innocuous proteins from wheat. This attack also damages the intestine and causes serious problems for sufferers, giving them few options but to avoid gluten altogether.

The immune system attack in coeliac disease is similar to what happens in IBD – ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease – and all three problems are often put together under the general heading of autoimmune diseases.

Michael Mosley ingested a tapeworm for his BBC documentary Michael Mosley.

Recently, the hookworm has been shown to release substances that calm the immune system, allowing the parasite to live peacefully in your gut. This calming effect may be helpful for IBD and recently it has been investigated against coelic disease.

Researchers at Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital tested the idea that the immune-calming effect of the hookworm could help people with coeliac disease during a small but well-designed clinical trial. While a previous study had not found an improvement in gluten tolerance, the new study was careful to slowly increase the levels of gluten.

As the researchers point out, the level of increased tolerance achieved was not enough to allow their patients to eat a whole meal of gluten, but it was enough that accidental (or incidental) ingestion of gluten would not cause problems.

Is it worth it?

Maggots secrete a host of factors to dissolve dying tissue. But it’s the actual action of the maggots eating the dying tissues that does the work.

With leeches, they release blood thinners and anaesthetics in a combination that has been difficult to replicate, though I believe this will be possible in the near future.

With parasitic infection of the gut, do you need the actual bug – or could you take a pill containing something that the bug secretes?

A handful of studies have identified molecules with immune-altering effects. But these proteins are “foreign” to the human immune system and may cause inflammation or other problems in own right. So far these molecules are showing promise as vaccines against neglected parasitic infections, but other applications may be some time off.

Personally, I hope these problems can be solved because the alternative – using the whole parasite – is not only distasteful, it also comes with the risk of disease.


Data Investigation Week 1 Reflections

a. Considering the readings, your thoughts on data, and the activity, what are important skills and understandings for students to develop around data? Why are they important?
b. Which of these are students working on in your class? And which of these would you like them to work on?
c. Can you see working with an interdisciplinary partner to make this data investigation an interdisciplinary effort? If so, what would that look like? If not, what resources and supports would you need to make it possible?
d. What are you excited to get out of the next few weeks?

Based on my experience this year, using the Graph Choice Chart with my students, I think I need to target the relationship between the research question or experiment, the type of data collected, and the best way to represent that data in a graph. Over the course of the year, I've noticed that my students (high-school junior and seniors) will default to a bar graph when given the task of choosing, even after reviewing the Graph Choice Chart. There is also a desire to link the data to the question on the thinnest of premises, likely because the students aren't used to thinking about this question.

I think it's very important for students to learn how to select what data to collect based on the question asked; how to develop good questions, and how to sort out data that is unnecessary or irrelevant to the question asked. In talking with individual students, I learned that they remembered creating dot plots and histograms in middle school, but hadn't really used them since.

I'm eager to find ways to model with students the more abstract concepts of variability, diversity, etc., and to clarify the connection between how and what and why we sample.

I'm curious if after week 2 activities you think some of those activities might help your students think about variability and how to visualize a distribution of data.

One thing I have heard many times and read in some of the research is that students are quick to try to discount variability in the data as coming from human error instead of recognizing that (in addition to human error) there is natural variability which can help us think about what is really happening in a system. Do you find that as well?

I was pleasantly surprised after the readings and videos I watched that I will be able to use a lot of the material with my class of 3rd grade students. In particular, I loved watching the video from the teacher in Wells, ME who did the missions on finding Native Species in Maine with his 3rd and 4th graders. This seems like a good place for me to start, and I will aim to upload data on yellow birch and a couple of other natives in our forests.

I also really enjoyed watching the Biodiversity video by Bill Nye- I had never heard of him before, what a great resource for science students of any age! I am excited to do the Jenga activity with my students- they have been building a background in ecology, and this will push their thinking even further.

Always a kid pleaser and many of his videos out there have worksheets/quizzes or activities that someone has made to go with the videos. Gross Science is also a hit with my 6th graders.

I am glad you saw so many opportunities for VS in your 3rd grade classroom! I look forward to hearing more about how you plan on bringing data to your students; it is so important that they have these positive and empowering experiences early on.

Students should be able to gather, organize, analyze, and interpret data. I find that my students are very adept at gathering data and even organizing data in tables and graphs but often they stop there. The analysis and interpretation of the data is limited and often directly given to my students. I want my students to be able to find their own answers based on solid evidence.

I am hoping to be able to have students begin to delve into the analysis over data beyond just yes or no answers. We just completed a climate change investigation and my students were able to make a line of best fit and say that a particular indicator has changed over time but they struggled with a numerical analysis even one as simple as Seas Surface Temps have increased by 1.5 F since 1900. My kids say SST have risen... They also are not able to extrapolate the data which is one of the things I would really like my students to learn to do effectively to help predict future changes.

I am excited to have hands on experiences with my students. Kids need to connections to their lives and this is a great way to do this!

I agree with your comment that students need to move beyond yes or no answers around data analysis. I've also noticed the trend I think you're describing in that students aren't able to take the analysis very deep or to a very specific level. I think that skill takes deliberate structure and training. I think that next year, I will use resources from the Data Literacy Project to expose students to these type of questions more often, and to develop better analysis skills.

Adding on to your hope of students being able to extrapolate data, I would say that I hope students will also see scientific data as probabilistic rather than black and white and understand variability. I look forward to seeing how this curriculum works towards these goals. Thank you for sharing.

Wow! I am excited to see how far Vital Signs has come since I last looked at it. I have always believed that kids learn best when they see purpose and authenticity to concepts learned in class. In my mind math, science and languages arts are interwoven into every aspect of life and am excited to see a new way to make statistics real and meaningful to my students. Students need to be wise consumers of data instead of passively accepting things at face value. I am excited for another way to get kids curious and asking questions. They need to be able to recognize when data presented has true meaning and when there are flaws or shortcomings. The lessons presented in Vital signs will help students evaluate data in other areas so they can make informed decisions.

In my classroom students are still struggling with going past really surface level analysis of texts they read, charts they see and making arguments and claims based on data presented or result of experiments. They are just beginning to truly observe when performing experiments or describing attributes of items. It's truly been baby steps to sparking their curiosity. With the exception of about a fourth of my student, the rest are very passive learners and see little reason for connecting or retaining information. In reviewing NGSS and GAISE my student fall into the grade 3-5 skills set as they have very little experience with data and analysis prior to grade 6. That is changing in my school but it is a slow process and will take a few years before sixth graders are ready to hit the ground running with level B entry skills.

I am looking forward to getting prepared and familiar with Vital Signs curriculum and planning for a mission come May. Not sure how in depth I can get with all the year end grade six interruptions, but I will get my feet wet and can plan for th start of next school year. My hope is to at least get data collected and have it available for further analysis in the Fall.

I agree with you! Math, science, and language arts are most definitely part of all we do, they are not meant to be done on their own or with no overlap. I think that this curriculum will be useful in getting your students to go beyond the surface. I also think that you will find that some of the activities will be able to help your students expand their abilities around statistical knowledge and data analysis. I look forward to hearing more about how this data investigation works for you and your students.

Statistics was placed on the math curriculum for tail end of the year in our curriculum a few years ago. Other than bare bones of calculating measures of center and range with a quick beginning of year activity, my students have little exposure.

a. In consideration of the readings, statistical question and thoughts on data, one of the important skills students learn through our grade 7 math probability target is how to organize data by creating a sample space using a table.

b. The students use dice, colored tiles in a bag and coin toss experiments to explore different questions that can be answered with unlikely, likely and most likely when thinking of the probability of different events. These simple probability experiments lead then to learning how a sample space is a way to organize data which leads to conclusions. This teaches students a method for the collection and organization of data which can be used in their science research of various species populations.

c. I am excited to begin my probability target and consult the science teacher on my team,Pat Parent, on the connections that could be made for math and science targets as I teach the students about sample spaces and how they are used in math and science.

I'm excited to see how this curriculum fits into what you already do and also (hopefully) how it adds to your "toolbelt".

a. I am guilty of often seeing the connection between math and science in this context: science investigations generate data and math is needed to sort/interpret/quantify/qualify the data, which then needs to be interpreted in a scientific way. If that makes sense, I have been viewing science and math as "related" but not as integrated as they really are. Students need to see these two disciplines as seamless. I really appreciated the reading that explained the differene between statistics and mathematics. Understanding how to investigate problems and what types of data need to be collected is more than just a "math thing" or a "science thing" takes both.

b. Framework practices 1-8 are becoming more and more relevant in my daily teaching. My students are currently in the final stages of science fair projects. Interpreting and making sense of their data is always the hardest part for them. We spend a lot of time evaluating the best way to communicate their results and for middle schoolers, even after the project is "complete", many don't truly understand what some of their data means. We are also spending a lot of time in Practice 7- Engaging in Argument from Evidence. Using data or evidence to support an idea or to make a claim is a lifelong skill that I try to instill in my students, as it will lead to acceptance of ideas and will make their arguments stronger.

c. I am looking forward to truly integrating with my math partner. I am excited to collaborate on a project that our students will find engaging from both disciplines, which will make data and data collection more meaningful and engaging.

Hi clewey,

I think we all can be guilty of seeing science and math as these two separate things. I am excited to see how you and your colleague integrate these two subjects while doing Vital Signs with your students.

a. I have looked over the Next Gen. Standards many times for several years now. I've always glanced over practices 4 (analyzing and interpreting data) and 5 (using mathematical and computational thinking) feeling that they were "a math thing". They are, after all included in the Next Gen. SCIENCE Standards and they are essential in answering questions (science) and solving problems (engineering). I've got to spend more time with those. I also noticed it is suggested that all 8 practices should be used each year (4 and 5 included).

b. I tend to involve students with many opportunities to collect data but don't always take the time to make sense of it or use data in a more meaningful ways (math thing). With this background I look forward to finding more meaningful data to help answer questions Sometimes this data can be used to generating good science questions in the first place.

c. Looking forward to learning how to answering questions with collected data and incorporating more math in my science class. Also looking forward to working closely with my team math teacher to find ways to use data students are familiar with to make more meaning of it all.

Have your students done data collection from home? If so what technology did they have access to? My students aren't in middle school and my district has not provided sixth graders with personal laptops. I am wondering if it would be possible to get reliable data from home. I know for a fact many of my students live in areas with lots of the Japanese knotweed/bamboo and loosestrife but I don't think there is any on school grounds and we have no sidewalks to safely get to areas that are close by the school.

They certainly can collect data from home. As 7th graders, my kids have iPads that they can use. but to gather evidence to back up their claims, all they really need is a camera of some sort and some idea of where they found the species. They can find the exact locations by looking at Google Earth later when they get ready to submit their finds on Vital Signs. To submit their off campus findings they will need to have home accounts though. There is an age requirement of 13, I think.

In order to post from home they will need a citizen scientist account rather than a student account. If the students are under 13 then they will need a valid parent email to use for their account.

The alternative is that the teacher has to create a unique trip for individual student team accounts (assigned to individual students) for each home investigation. That's pretty daunting.

The value in getting parent permission, and a parent email address for students to have their own, home citizen scientist accounts (or why not a shared family citizen science account) is that it both lets the parents know what is going, and also enables students to continue to collect data long after the unit is over. Pparent has his students graduate to citizen scientist accounts and it results in some pretty amazing contributions over time. I just noticed that Massabesic student 65AL56H is up to is up to 17 observations - across many species and many Maine towns. That's pretty cool!

I think we had a draft permission form that you could use as a starting place to send to parents. I can look into it if people are interested.

To get over the tech hurdle for in school investigations, we can potentially lend you more cameras for shorter chunks of time. Let us know what your equipment needs are and we can see what we have and how we can help.

-Sniffly aka Christine

Thanks for clarifying HeronThere.

This is so exciting, Pat!! You and your students alone have collected so much data over time, that I think you will uncover much that you and your team math teacher can do. In fact, you might notice in week 3 that the dataset that we pretending is our class dataset is actually largely data collected by your students! :)

I also love your comment about how data can be used to generate an interesting scientific question to begin with. So true!!

As always, I'm excited to hear your ideas, and to see what next new thing you and your students do.


Supreme Court Hears Federal Firearm Case Appeal

Federal Federal Firearm Case Reversed Based On Incorrect Jury Instruction

In Rosemond v. United States, Docket No. 12-895 the United States Supreme Court considered the proof required for a Federal firearm case under 18 U.S.C. § 924, which prohibits using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking crime.  The opinion was issued March 5, 2014.

In this federal firearms case, the Government argued that it had established that the defendant aided and abetted another person in violation of §924 by showing that the defendant had actively participated in the underlying drug trafficking or violent crime offense, and that the defendant had advance knowledge that the other person would use or carry a gun during the crime’s commission.

The Supreme Court held that the trial court’s jury instructions were not correct because they did not require the jury to find that the defendant knew in advance that one of his cohorts would be armed. The trial court simply instructed the jury that they had to determine whether the defendant “knew his cohort used a firearm.” The Supreme Court held that this instruction did not direct the jury to determine if the defendant had the requisite knowledge of the gun, meaning whether he knew of the gun in sufficient time to withdraw from the crime. The case was remanded to the Tenth Circuit to address whether the defendant’s objection properly preserved the error and whether any error was harmless.

A Federal firearm case is an extremely serious charge which carries serious jail time due to mandatory minimum sentences. If you are facing a federal firearm case, or any federal criminal charge, seek the assistance of an experienced federal criminal defense attorney immediately.

William K. Bradford and Amber L. Ladner of Bradford Ladner, LLP. are experience Alabama criminal defense lawyers with over 30 years of combined experience handling state and federal criminal cases throughout Alabama.

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Instruct us

Amman, Jordan

When storing expensive pharmaceutical products, risk analysis of storage conditions becomes essential before insuring a warehouse. Insurers in Jordan instructed CEERISK to perform a specialised risk survey of warehouses located in Queen Alia International Airport, that are specifically used to store pharmaceutical products on their way to the Republic of Iraq. With its experience, CEERISK was able to review the equipment and buildings used and make specific recommendations to help improve risk profile and give insurers peace of mind to insure the property.


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23-Sep-2017 03:19

In 1745, at Fontenoy in the Austrian Netherlands, a French army under the redoubtable Marshal de Saxe, clashed with a Anglo-Dutch-Hanoverian force.The battle was an extremely bloody one, with eventually the French left holding the field against a massed infantry assault by the British and their allies.If he could beat the French, control over the Indian Ocean would pass to the Royal Navy, and the French would have to withdraw.Pondicherry would almost certainly fall, and the French would no longer have a base in India.Despite this, Maria Theresa succeeded to most of her father's possessions, and there was an understanding among many German princes that her husband could be elected Emperor.Frederick II of Prussia, however, used the dispute to invade Silesia in 1740 to enhance Prussian power and prestige.

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Opponents: v Year: 1745 Battle type: Land Introduction The War of the Austrian Succession had its roots in the ancient Salic law that said no woman could inherit the Holy Roman Empire.Now, how will Frederick face the fast approaching Allied forces?Faced with such odds, will the Prussians regain their reputation as an invincible army?The British defeat encouraged the French to stir up rebellion in Scotland, leading directly to the landing of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite rising of "the '45".

Opponents: v Year: 1759 Battle type: Sea Introduction As so often in 18th Century warfare, French plans to invade England during the Seven Years War were reliant on ships from the naval base at Toulon joining ships from Brest.Historically, the French fleet separated and Boscawen’s fourteen ships defeated seven French ships.


Sui (Following)

I Ching Hexagram 17
Sui (Following)

Action: Show by Example

Hu Gua (hidden influence) 53 Development: Flower

Zong Gua (underlying cause) 18 Decay: Remedy

If you return from the darkness with gold,
others will naturally follow.

the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. –Plato

in your

visionary cave.

“Where there is enthusiasm, there is sure to be a following.” Observing nature as your role model, you can begin to lead others by emulating its ways. The sage who had become master of the self and the pathway was encouraged to develop “harmony in one’s larger relationship to life.” Transcending your personal journey, you are called to lead others as a pathway to growth.

The master said: “if you are a model to the empire, then the constant virtue will not be wanting. To benefit others without extracting gratitude, and to steward without exercising authority is virtue.”

Your object of enquiry may require that you take the initiative so that others believe in what you are doing enough to follow your lead.

The Arousing Thunder rests within the middle of the Joyous Lake, representing a calm withdrawal and the image of delegation. When winter gave way to spring, the electricity of the lightning was believed to withdraw into the earth to regenerate the unseen seeds below. In the image of withdrawal and retreat, it is time to cultivate the unseen talents of those that follow. Empowering those you lead, you can nurture each individual to build the strength of the group. Sui is the image of how footsteps naturally follow each other.

Sensing the appropriate time when things are in their proper place, you may leave what you have built in the hands of those that follow. “Desiring to lead the people, one must, in one’s person, follow behind them. One takes the place ahead of the people, yet causes no obstruction. That is why the empire supports the leader joyfully and never tires of doing so.” Firm like a Mountain, you can inspire and not impede. Gentle like the Wind, you can bring projects to completion by trusting others to carry forward your vision.

As a leader, you may operate from insecurity, threatened by the strengths of others; or, you can cultivate the talents of those that follow in a way that you are lifted to a higher level. Only by delegating, can you be made stronger.

The empire or enterprise will only support the leader who nurtures others in this way. You can take your place ahead without causing any obstruction behind. To lead in a way that others follow joyfully, is the sign of true leadership. “When the task is finished and the work done, the people all say, ‘it happened to us naturally.’” A leader, guided by the laws of nature will not be worn down by failing to rely on the strengths of others.

Thus, when you master something, you naturally develop a following. The message of Sui can also lead you to explore commitment. If you are having difficulty getting support for what you are doing explore your level of commitment. The universe is always manifesting your desires. The question is: is this really what you want?

Unchanging: There is nothing to follow = if you don’t open the door. Because of the lack of movement in the lines, following has a message more related to non action in its unchanging form. You are being asked to learn how to gain deeper insight into others. This means listening and being there to support one another. You may find yourself in a situation where you have to make a choice to follow of stay. Following your heart will leave you without blame. However, following the mind can get you into trouble. The heart is motivated by the passion that the trigrams Joy and Thunder inspire. The head can be susceptible to fear which only makes you go in circles. Take a chance and open to intimacy. At the same time the message can be: don’t be a bully but be magnetic, you will get more bees with honey. Or, don’t push – give someone time. If you are unhappy with another’s response, do nothing because this waiting period throws them back upon themselves and often brings the other to a change of heart. Finally, the question this hexagram presents is: what are you following and why? Pause and reflect. You may need to look long and hard at your motivation. The idea of others following, or you following them is at play so examine their motivation and yours. Is it real intimacy or simply an opportunity to meet each other’s basic needs for survival? Are both situations acceptable to you?

Line 1 The situation has changed and minds have changed = impulse rising, going out of the gate. Changes to (45) Gathering Together. Adapting to a change requires new approaches that can only be explored by leaving the familiar. Allow the time to reveal itself in the changed minds of others. Be open to input. There are consequences that affect all involved. A discussion or meeting brings people together to make amends. Influence is an outer prompting while impulse is an inner sense. Allow someone the space to discover the impulse rather than attempting to influence or push.

Line 2 Attached to the child = ignoring mature aspects. Changes to (58) Joy. In making a decision, an element of self indulgence is at play. Perhaps you are attempting to re-ignite the passion and carefree attitude of youth. Clinging to an outmoded path stems from immaturity or a lack of wisdom. You may need to connect with the child in some way to ignite passion in maturity. However, there is a danger of being influenced by inferior people. A lack of growth can occur if you follow another, but it can certainly be fun. Examine that which you follow to see if it aligns to the person you want to become.

Line 3 Attaching to maturity = ignoring the child and following what one seeks. Changes to (49) Molting/Revolution. In making a decision, you are exploring whether or not to follow another. It seems that they can teach you something that will allow you to evolve. The logical pursuit of goals is fine as long as you can recognize the need for passion. You make a more mature decision following logic rather than fantasy. Following in this way will lead to transformation.

Line 4 Persevering but trapped = following leads to success. Changes to (3) Difficult Beginnings.A flattering situation has trapped you. While it seemed perfectly okay to follow, you need to examine your motivation in following or another’s motivation in seeking your company. Sincere actions are fruitful. Gratification brings illusion. Be true to yourself and look at the real foundation of this situation.

Line 5 Confidence and appreciation = all goes well. Changes to (51) Shocking. A decision needs to be made whether to follow what other’s want or to follow your intuition. A bolt out the blue type of insight or a Shocking event may have changed your attitude. Only you know what is right for you. If underappreciated, confidence grows anyway as a sudden feeling that awakens you to your real path.

Line 6 Rewarded for wisdom = other’s cling to you. Changes to (25) Innocence. Your wisdom and conscientiousness have been recognized. After retreating from a situation you have the opportunity to return with a fresh perspective. Your willingness to help those in need is appreciated. Others seek you out because of your steadfast character and willingness to provide guidance.

*This page provides insight on the following combinations: Hexagram 17 unchanging Hexagram 17.1 Hexagram 17.1.2 Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram 17.2 Hexagram 17.2.3 Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram 17.3 Hexagram 17.3.4 Hexagram Hexagram Hexagram 17.4 Hexagram 17.4.5 Hexagram Hexagram 17.5 Hexagram 17.5.6 Hexagram 17.6


In order to reform our criminal justice system, we must first humanize and empathize with those who are impacted by it. This includes crime survivors and those who have committed crimes.

There are thousands of people - mothers, daughters, children - who have stories to tell.

TAKE ACTION: Join the 2018 National Day of Empathy!

The Day of Empathy shines a light on people impacted by the criminal justice system, uplift their voices, and win over hearts and minds towards the idea that transformation is possible.

  1. On March 6th, organizations across the country activate for a single day of action to spotlight their local efforts and unite under a unified banner to highlight the strength of the bipartisan criminal justice reform movement.

  2. "Ambassadors of Empathy" meet with elected officials in State capitols and Governors' offices across the country. They share their experiences and how they have been impacted by the criminal justice system. Legislators gain first-hand experience of the human consequences of a criminal justice system that has gotten too big, too unfair, and too brutal.

  3. The Day of Empathy features storytelling, digital media, and virtual reality content to humanize formerly incarcerated people, survivors of violent crime, and millions of others. By delivering a set of powerful, emotional experiences to lawmakers and fellow Americans, the Day of Empathy accelerates the bipartisan drive to create more effective, efficient, and humane criminal justice system.

Visit our National Day of Empathy site here!