Sunday, September 26, 2004

Summer Reading 8

Lysis, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito by Plato
Memorabilia by Xenophon

My first time reading Lysis and Memorabilia.

My first time really thinking about the Apology of Plato. The Apology poses this central question to the reader: Is the apology of Socrates successful? If you know the story, you know that Socrates is condemned to death, but I do not think that indicates a failure on Socrates's part. (It may or may not indicate success. I don't know.) A limitation, perhaps, but not necessarily a failure. Why? Well, let us ask the following: Could Socrates have been successful and yet lost his court case and been condemned to death? [NB: the decision to find Socrates guilty is distinct from the decision to condemn him to death.] This forces us to ask what success would mean to Socrates, and thus we are forced to answer the question What is the good life? I think that is what the Apology is about. Is the good life the philosophical life? The religious life? The political life?

The good (and oft infuriating) thing about reading Plato is that one leaves with questions and not answers. But one hopes that one has learned to ask better questions.

The good thing about reading Xenophon is that it's not Plato or "Plato's Socrates." Xenophon gets bad press, undeservedly, because he seems dull. Is Xenophon as stupid as he seems? That's the million-dollar question.

BMCR has a review of the edition of Memorabilia I read. I couldn't find a peer-reviewed review of the translation of Apology, Euthyphro, and Crito, but the comments from the readers at Amazon were quite insightful. I could find no peer-reviewed or Amazon-reviewed reviews of the translation of Lysis I read.

One last thought for now. The Apology is a text usually taught in introduction to philosophy courses as an example of Plato's writing and thought, but the Apology is highly atypical in Plato's corpus. It is one of the few Platonic writings that is not really a dialogue. It is (for the most part) a Socratic monologue. To present it to first-time readers of Plato as representative of his work is misleading. Perhaps it's better to start with something like the Lysis, though that suggestion is not likely to get far in philosophy departments since the Lysis has no overt philosophical content. Perhaps this is to the detriment of philosophy departments.

Summer Reading 7

The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura

At first glance this book looks like ancient Chinese or Japanese wisdom literature. It's not. It was written in the mid-nineteenth century in English by Okakura, a Japanese man, who was curator of Chinese and Japanese art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. This is not to denigrate Okakura, but the book cannot really hold a candle to, say, Confucius. Of course, Okakura gladly admitted this. His goal in writing the book was to preserve and defend the Japanese heritage of art. He does this by presenting the Japanese aesthetic as ornamently and plainly as possible. The proper path between ornament and plainness is where one finds the Japanese aesthetic, at least the Japanese aesthetic of which Okakura speaks.

The Japanese aesthetic is essentially one of refined taste. The tea ceremony, with its understated elegance, is the central symbol of the text, but, as Okakura admits, the tea ceremony exists for the tea master. It is the tea master who has the proper aesthetic knowledge of art and other beautiful things. The many, who have unrefined tastes, are completely ignorant of the serenity and beauty with which the tea master is in daily communion.

Saturday, September 25, 2004

Summer Reading 6

The Unity of Philosophical Experience by Etienne Gilson

This book was recommended to me by a former professor. I had asked him what constitutes a knowledge tradition, and he recommended this book, among others, as a starting place. The book takes the form of a selective history of philosophy beginning with Medieval philosophy and ending with commentary on the state of the art as it looked in 1937 when Gilson wrote the book. The book has four main parts. The first three cover "The Medieval Experiment," "The Cartesian Experiment," and "The Modern Experiment." A concluding chapter ("The Nature and Unity of Philosophical Experience") ties together the themes of the book and explains Gilson's selectivity in his history of philosophy.

There are two main thoughts developed in the book. First, that there is a unique philosophical experience. Second, that there is something that unifies that philosophical experience.

What is philosophical experience? First, it's an experience. (Duh.) Now think of an experience of seeing a red book. It is a perceptual experience, and there is something to the experience that singles it out from all other experiences. What that something is is a matter of debate among philosophers, but that's not of interest to us here. Now think about what it might mean to have a philosophical experience instead of a perceptual experience (or an auditory experience, or gastronomic experience, or religious experience, etc.). What sorts of things are going to be involved in a philosophical experience? In the perceptual experience, things like color and shape and vision are parts of the experience, and we would say that the central part of the perceptual experience is that you experience the seeing of something. What brings together all the parts of that experience into one experience is your seeing the red book.

But now what is the unity of philosophical experience? Gilson says that it is Being. It is Being because only Being can be the "cause" of the laws (or, to put it another way, justify the conclusions) that can be inferred from Gilson's survey of philosophical experience. There are a number of these laws or conclusions. I'll just quote from Gilson (his words are in blue).

Philosophy always buries its undertakers.

By his very nature, man is a metaphysical animal.

Metaphysics is the knowledge gathered by a naturally transcendent reason in its search for the first principles, or first causes, of what is given in sensible experience.

As metaphysics aims at transcending all particular knowledge, no particular science is competent either to solve metaphysical problems, or to judge their metaphysical solutions.

The failures of the metaphysicians flow from their unguarded use of a principle of unity present in the human mind.

Since being is the first principle of all human knowledge, it is a fortiori the first principle of metaphysics.

All the failures of metaphysics should be traced to the fact, that the first principle of human knowledge has been either overlooked or misused by the metaphysicians.

Since philosophical experience is an experience, it cannot be adequately captured in words (just like I could not really capture the perceptual experience in words). The bulk of Gilson's book is designed to illustrate the philosophical experience by tracing the fate of certain philosophical ideas through history. He argues that the three greatest metaphysicians--Plato, Aristotle, and St. Thomas--came closest to expressing a pure philosophical experience in their philosophy because they understood that philosophy must be done philosophically. That might sound like a truism, but Gilson's history illustrates how easy it is to miss that truth. Descartes, for example, missed it when he attempted to solve philosophical problems by mathematical method. As soon as Descartes tried to substitute mathematics for philosophy, his failure was certain. The same was true for Ockham's use of logic, Kant's use of physics, and Comte's use of sociology. Each of them tempered the philosophical experience with some other kind of experience--the mathematical, logical, etc. The result of this tempering led Descartes, Ockham, et al. to neglect Being, to the detriment of their philosophy. This is not to say that Descartes's philosophy is not philosophy at all, but that his philosophy is flawed because it neglects the unifying principle of philosophy, namely, Being.

I think, when supplemented with some primary texts in philosophy, this would make an excellent book for an introduction to philosophy class. It is not a comprehensive history, but I don't think a comprehensive work would necessarily be the best work for such a class. In fact, such a work might even neglect Gilson's lesson.

Summer Reading 5

John Taylor Gatto was New York State and City teacher of the year about ten years ago. Then he quit teaching, after thirty years, because he was fed up with the public school system. I picked up this book because (a) it was recommended to me by a respectable person, and (b) some day I will probably have children who will need to be educated. I've always had suspicions about the public school system, but Gatto's book is an eye opener. If even half of what he argues for in UHAE is true, I will never send my children to a public school, even a good one. This isn't to say that Gatto is a sloppy thinker or doesn't support his argument. It's just that what Gatto argues for really goes against the grain of conventional wisdom about schooling.

So what is Gatto's thesis? There are actually a number of them, and what follows is not exhaustive.

(1) Public schooling was designed (that's important, it was designed) to "remove all significant functions from home and family life except its role as dormitory and casual companionship" (p. 380). In other words, public schools were designed to erode the natural bonds between parent and child and replace them with artificial bonds between the state and the child.

(2) The motivating thesis of compulsory schooling, that "the certified expertise of official schoolteachers is superior in its knowledge of children to the accomplishments of lay people, including parents," is false (p. 384).

(3) Schooling is both very expensive and results in dispirited children; education is practically free and results in free, independent human beings. The difference between schooling, which may or may not coincide with education, and education, which can be done without schooling, is enormous. The degree in "education" that is so eagerly obtained in many colleges and universities is really a degree in "schooling." I cannot spell out the full difference between education and schooling here. Read the book.

(4) "Mass dumbness first had to be imagined, it isn't real" (p. xxxi). School makes people dumb, not smart.

(5) The way things are now is not the result of some vast conspiracy. Instead, "we are held fast by a form of highly abstract thinking fully concretized in human institutions which was grown beyond the power of the managers of these institutions to control" (p. xxxiii).

Gatto gives a plausible argument for each of these theses by drawing on materials available in mainstream scholarship. I think it helps his case that he doesn't refer to very many, if any, "conspiracy books" to make his case. He pins most of the blame on Carnegie, Rockefeller, and Morgan for financing the compulsory school experiment with the full knowledge of what the schools would produce: dumbed-down assembly line workers with little independent spirit.

UHAE is about 400 pages long. I'm still thinking over the main arguments of the book and reading certain sections over again, so I cannot offer very many criticisms of it. One thing that I will say is that Plato draws a lot of fire from Gatto for providing the ideology of an organized, planned state. I think he's missed the boat on Plato there, but so did the people Gatto criticizes (like Carnegie, et al.). I think Gatto may realize this, or at least he would if he reflected on a quotation from Plato he includes in the book: "Nothing of value to the individual happens by coercion" (p. 384). This quotation runs contrary to all the other citations of Plato in UHAE, and Gatto must surely have noticed this. John Calvin also comes in for a lot of criticism, some of it unjustified in my opinion.

Dumbing us Down is a collection of lectures and papers given by Gatto and one time or another. Much of it is reprinted almost verbatim in UHAE, but UHAE is much more comprehensive in its attempt to understand the history of American schooling. Dumbing us Down can be read in a few hours and is more readily available in stores than UHAE. Read one or both of these books if you want to educate your children well. (The full text of UHAE is available online.)

Monday, September 20, 2004

Does anyone have any advice on how to properly fold a fitted bedsheet? I just finished the laundry, and everytime I try to fold a fitted sheet it just looks like a big, lumpy ball.

Leo Strauss, Born September 20, 1899

"The flight to immortality requires an extreme discretion in the selection of one's luggage." (Persecution and the Art of Writing)

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Summer Reading 4

The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays on Postmodern Culture edited by Hal Foster

Another book on a class reading list; this one is a collection of nine essays with a preface by the editor.

Since I'm not a big fan of things with the postmodern label, I would not have picked this up on my own. As presented by the contributors to this book (with the exception of Habermas), postmodernism is a critique of modern ideals of rationality. While reading the book, I had the occasional thought that "Well, I could be wrong about the importance and high value of reason. But really? Hard to think so."

I am thankful for the challenges the book presented, but I have two competing beliefs about postmodernism. The first is that since postmodernism in general (if there is such a thing) seems to be the best contemporary challenge to philosophy as conceived by Socrates and therefore merits serious study and attention in order to meet that challenge. The second belief is that postmodernism is positively irrational and therefore hard to take seriously. Of course, these two beliefs are connected by the nature of postmodernism as a philosophy or ideology or archeology or whatever that subverts modern (and ancient and medieval) rationality. Note that this last sentence itself expresses the controversy, since most postmodernists deny that things have real natures.

Since I don't get the appeal of postmodern writing style, I'll just describe some thoughts on Craig Owens's article, "The Discourse of Others: Feminists and Postmodernism."

In Owens's chapter, it's difficult to tell if Owens is making an argument, trying to make an argument, or just opining. For example, this is what I think is Owens's summary of his chapter:

Here, we arrive at an apparent crossing of the feminist critique of patriarchy and the postmodernist critique of representation; this essay is a provisional attempt to explore the implications of that intersection.

In the first part of this, we have two things before us: the feminist critique of patriarchy and the postmodernist critique of representation. It seems highly unlikely that there is only one feminist critique of patriarchy and only one postmodernist critique of representation, but the definite articles modifying those phrases seem to indicate that there is only one of each. As to the merits or demerits of the feminist critique of patriarchy and the postmodernist critique of representation, we are left in the dark. There are some claims made before this statement about these critiques, but no defense of the claim that they are defensible or even sensible critiques. Also note that the crossing of these two things is "apparent." This indicates that Owens is hedging his bets about his thesis. This becomes clearer when you look at the next part, which includes the assertion that the two critiques intersect. We have gone from an apparent crossing to an intersection without an explanation of why the crossing was only apparent in the first place or why it is no longer so.

Notice that when the essayist should be at his clearest, the point where he states the purpose of the essay, Owens utilizes metaphors and provides only a vague sense of what his purpose is. Consider it this way. Owens says that he has written an "essay," which is a "provisional attempt" to "explore" the "implications" of the "intersections" of the feminist critique of patriarchy and the postmodernist critique of representation. Now an essay is something with which I have some familiarity, but what about the other phrases? Well, I know what all of the other words mean, and in other contexts their meaning is fairly clear. For example, if my friend asks me to go "explore" a cave, I have a good idea what to expect if I agree. There may be some variations (e.g., we might just walk about a cave, or we might need more serious spelunking gear such as ropes and headlamps), but what we'll be doing is fairly clear. We won't, for example, be skydiving. I think Owens is being metaphorical with his use of "explore," which is fine, but when what we are exploring are "implications" of an "intersection" of two sets of opinions held by Owens to be a critique of "patriarchy" and "representation," a little clarification would be appropriate (if the goal is to communicate clearly with the reader).

I comment on this because such vagueness is characteristic of the writing in the book, to greater and lesser degrees in each author, and although unclarity does not plague only postmodern writing, the cynic in me wants to say that unclarity is a necessary condition of postmodern writing.

I also found curious the inclusion of a chapter by Edward Said, whom I would not have considered to be postmodern. (Is Noam Chomsky postmodern then, too?) Contrary to the other chapters, I found the chapter by Said particularly lucid, though that may itself be because Said's chapter was right after a bunch of mumbo-jumbo (that's a technical philosophical term) by Jean Baudrillard.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Michigan Football

Just watched Michigan get trounced by Notre Dame. Ouch. The final score wasn't too bad, but watching Notre Dame come from behind in the third quarter was awful. As always, there's still the Big Ten championship to shoot for, but you know when Michigan fans start saying that that it wasn't a good game.

Summer Reading 3

Art and Nonart and Basic Issues in Aesthetics by Marcia Muelder Eaton

The second of these books was on a reading list for a class I'm taking this fall. I picked up the first book just to see what else Eaton had written. I'll discuss Art and Nonart since the other is only a survey.

Art and Nonart appears to be some form of Eaton's dissertation. It reads like a dissertation (i.e., a bit dry) and is structured like one, too. The basic task of the book is to find a definition of art that will allow us to make a principled distinction between art and nonart. Eaton surveys a number of different ways to try to define art, and she finds each of them lacking. This material is presented in greater length in Basic Issues in Aesthetics, which provides a good survey of the field as it stood in 1987.

In Art and Nonart, Eaton's definition of art is as follows:

"x is a work of art if and only if (1) x is an artifact and (2) x is discussed in such a way that information concerning the history of production of x directs the viewer's attention to properties which are worth attending to."

(1) is accepted by pretty much everyone. Even though sunsets are beautiful, most people do not consider them to be works of art. There are some issues to be cleared up on this topic (e.g., when, if ever, can artifacts such as sticks or stones be considered art?), but for the most part (1) is noncontroversial.

(2) is where the philosophical action is at. There are four basic parts to (2).

(a) x is discussed
(b) information concerning the history of production of x
(c) directs the viewer's attention
(d) properties which are worth attending to

Regarding (a): This seems to be Eaton's innovation in philosophical aesthetics. She places quite a bit of emphasis on the fact that x must be discussed in order for it to be considered a work of art. On this issue, she makes a good response to the critic who says that her definition entails that history and criticism are more important than creation. Not at all, says Eaton: "no claim about importance is being made at all. A feature of an organism may not be the most important or interesting thing about it, but nevertheless may serve to distinguish it from other organisms" (p. 116).

Regarding (b): By bringing in "the history of production" to her definition, Eaton casts her lot at least partially with what is called the "contextualist" camp. Like the name implies, contextualist theories of art make reference to a context in order to define a thing as a work of art. Contextualist theories are in general opposed to formalist theories (i.e., theories in which only features of the work of art itself figure prominently in a definition of art). So, for example, in thinking about a painting, according to Eaton we should take into account "information concerning the history of production."

Regarding (c): Eaton says relatively little about what she means by "direct the viewer's attention." Perhaps she thinks it is obvious what is meant. Perhaps it is, and right now I have nothing to criticize her theory on these grounds. But I suspect more could be said and that this could turn into a really sticky issue.

Regarding (d): The information about the history of production must direct our attention to "properties which are worth attending to." These properties which are worth attending to must be intrinsic to the work of art; that is, they must be perceivable. So Eaton's definition is not solely contextualist; it stipulates that the context must direct our attention to intrinsic properties of the work of art. These intrinsic properties in turn must be "worth attending to," a phrase that, for Eaton, essentially boils down to "gives us aesthetic satisfaction," and these properties are not necessarily fixed. They can vary from tradition to tradition.

One upshot of Eaton's definition is that something like Duchamp's urinal should be considered a work of art. She states, "Not everyone sees the urinal as a work of art. But when enough people do, it becomes one. The important thing here is not to try to decide what the precise point is when an object or event becomes a work of art, but to realize that being seen as a work entails that we discuss it in certain ways, and look at it in certain ways, upon learning something about its history of production. Why are football games not works of art? Because they are not discussed mainly in aesthetic terms. They could be, and if they were, they would become works of art" (p. 118).

This strikes me as a defect in her view. My common sense position is that urinals are not works of art regardless of the manner in which they are discussed. People who discuss urinals as if they were works of art are behaving very silly. I have no defense of this view right now and am willing to admit that, in light of the absence of such a defense, that Eaton is probably correct.

Art and Nonart closes with a chapter on distinguishing good art from bad, or better from worse. It includes a case study comparing Jan Vermeer with Norman Rockwell, in which Eaton concludes that Rockwell's art (and she thinks it is art) is not as good as Vermeer's because its affect is "cheaply achieved" (p. 149) (i.e., his symbolism is direct and obvious).

Monday, September 06, 2004

Summer Reading 2

The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum

I decided to read these books because I really liked the movie versions of the first two. (Will there be a movie version of the third? Who knows.) Also, I needed some mind candy kind of reading stuff, and this provided it. Blowing through a 500 page book in a day or two really boosts the reading confidence. It's a great contrast to laboring over ten pages of Plato a day.

Having said that, Robert Ludlum has got to be one of the worst best-selling authors of all time. Here's a blurb from Publishers Weekly:

"The literary faults and stylistic excessesthat characterized The Icarus Agenda, The Gemini Contenders and other of Ludlum's works are present in his latest mammoth thriller, but fans will nonetheless cheer the return of his most popular character, David Webb, aka Jason Bourne, the assassin who never was. . . . The Ludlum trademarks are present: improbable bloodbaths, repetitive action, stilted and off-the-point conversations and--most annoying--the use of italicized words or entire paragraphs to simulate passion. This is formula writing that delivers even less than its meager promise."

The only thing these books have going for them is plot. (Character development? What's that?) The plot of the BI and BS are better than the contrived BU. I found BS to hold up the best, since it has a pretty fast, intriguing, and believable plot and also lacks the most annoying scene in the Ludlum corpus, which occurs right in the middle of BU, a horrendous scene where Bourne's wife, allegedly a "strong female character," appears in Paris to help Bourne--she's supposed to be in a CIA safe house--and only succeeds in foiling Bourne's mission and getting his partner killed. And then everyone seems to just forget about what a moron she was.

Note to people who liked the movies: The plots deviate wildly from the books.

Summer Reading 1

Interpreting Plato by E. N. Tigerstedt (Uppsala, Sweden: Almquist & Wiksell, 1977)

I had hoped for more from this book since it was recommended by a scholar of Greek philosophy in response to my concern that I don't really know enough about the history of Plato interpretation. I was hoping for a comprehensive history of how Plato's writings have (or, in some cases, have not) been interpreted since ancient times. The book is, from what I can tell, an excellent book, but it does not aim to give such a comprehensive history. It focuses primarily on Plato interpretation of the last two hundred years, especially in English and German, with a few nods to French scholarship. Discussion of ancient and medieval interpretations of Plato are almost nonexistent in this book, though I should note that Tigerstedt has written another book, The Decline and Fall of the Neoplatonic Interpretation of Plato that may deal with those periods in detail. I have not read it, but plan to. I should also note that the book was written almost thirty years ago. One major strand of interpretation that Tigerstedt does not address is that of Gregory Vlastos and his progeny. Since Vlastos's writings on Plato have cast a very long shadow over Plato studies in the second half of the twentieth-century, it is unfortunate Tigerstedt's book does not discuss him.

The book is organized into seven chapters and a preface. Tigerstedt begins with "the problem" of interpreting Plato and then tracks and critiques proposed solutions to the problem. "The problem" turns out to be: it's really hard to figure out what the heck Plato's writings mean. Of course, this is true of many great philosophers (and nonphilosophers, too), but, says Tigerstedt, "The interpreters of, e.g., Aristotle, or Kant, or Hegel by no means always agree. But the controversies about Plato are far more radical and fundamental. What some scholars regard as a faithful picture of Plato the man and his philosophy, is to other scholars an outrageous caricature or a pure invention. The dispute between the various schools of Platonic interpreters is not confined to judgement and evaluation but concerns the very essence of Platonism" (p. 13).

There have been, in the past two hundred years, five basic approaches to Plato's texts. Tigerstedt in general finds fault with all of them, though he does have praise for a number of individual interpreters and interpretations.

The first approach is to decide that some of the dialogues are spurious. It's a pretty self-explanatory way of dealing with "the problem." Get rid of the dialogues that seem to cause the problem by arguing they are not genuine. Even though this approach hides behind scientific sounding methods of linguistic analysis, e.g., "stylometric analysis," there are many problems with the presuppositions of the analyzers.

Approach number two: admit that the "contradictions, gaps, obscurities, and ambiguities that worry the interpreters of Plato" (p. 22) are real, but attribute them to the fact that Plato could not reason logically or coherently (not least because Plato did not know about his most famous student's system of logic). Seems a bit overly simplistic. Tigerstedt gives a brief refutation of the two main proponents--Richard Robinson and I. M. Bochenski--of this view.

One of the most popular proposed solutions to the problem is, thirdly, the "genetic approach." Here's how it works: first assume that Plato's thought developed, roughly along the same lines of his biography, then chalk up the contradictions, gaps, obscurities, ambiguities, etc. of the dialogues to the fact that Plato's philosophy changed (and, according to most opinions, improved) as he got older. This solution stands in opposition to Schleiermacher's, which holds that Plato was in command of his entire philosophy from his first dialogue and only expounded it gradually for the sake of his readers/students. The genetic approach seems to be prevalent today under the influence of Vlastos. Tigerstedt's analysis of this approach alone makes the book worth reading, if only to make one aware of the faults of the genetic approach that go unchecked today.

The fourth proposed solution is to suggest a unity of Platonic thought. The unity can mean "the recurrence of certain fundamental problems whose solutions, however, may vary greatly, even change radically," or "the profession of certain general ideas, a Weltanschauung which does not exclude even important variations, contradictions, inconsistencies," or "a real, close-knit system" (p. 52).

Lastly, Tigerstedt dissects the Esoterists' approach. Like the name suggests, these interpreters seek to find the secret teaching of Plato, primarily through the use of secondary sources such as Aristotle, Albinus, Numenius, or later Platonists. There is some support for the claim that Plato had two teachings--one for the many and one for a few, trusted pupils--in the Phaedrus and the second and seventh letters, but one difficulty with this approach is that by focusing on the testimony of, say, Aristotle, it seems to ignore the dialogues themselves. It is important to note that today's so-called Straussian interpretations of Plato would not count as Esoterist according to Tigerstedt since they, for the most part, attempt to derive the hidden teaching of Plato by reading the dialogues and not by examining secondary sources. (One should also note that Tigerstedt favorably cites Strauss's essay, "On a New Interpretation of Plato's Political Philosophy," two or three times.)

Tigerstedt closes his book by suggesting that interpretation of Plato keep in mind a number of things. (1) Platonic irony. (2) The fact that there are two dialogues going on in any dialogue--one between the interlocutors (usually one of them is Socrates) and one between Plato and the reader. (3) The fact that Plato chose to write dialogues, as opposed to some other kind of work. (4) The fact that the author of the dialogues is officially anonymous, though unofficially everyone seems to have known it was Plato. (5) "Plato's works being what they are, there will always remain a margin of subjective interpretation, of error, far larger than in most other works. It is vain and dishonest to try to conceal this difficult from ourselves and others" (p. 107).

The footnotes of this book are very good even if unavoidably a bit dated.

The ISBN of this book is 9122000909, and I give it because it may be difficult to track the book down by title.

Sunday, September 05, 2004

Summer Reading Recap

In the next few weeks, my posts will cover some of the books I've read this summer. My reading list for the summer didn't turn out just as I wanted it to, but I don't think I was a complete slacker. I won't rate the books by stars or thumbs-up, and my thoughts won't be presented as comprehensive book reviews.


More About Clahvay

Clahvay was founded in Smyrna, Georgia during the Fall of 2012 with a vision to share our love and passion for Cuban dance and music.  The leaders are not Latin, but are profoundly inspired by the Cuban culture.  Cuban dance, specifically Casino, has the biggest influence on the dance form taught at Clahvay, and Timba is the music of choice.

Clahvay provides both weekly group lessons and a social for students to practice what they have learned. At our weekly social events, we clahvay 14081701 2entertain a variety of dance styles and music including salsa, bachata, merengue, and kizomba.  However, the majority of the night is dedicated to Cuban music.
 Timba is seldom played in Atlanta.  In contrast at Clahvay, we focus on the complexity and big band feel of Timba.

Clahvay creates a safe and fun place for you to engage in physical activity and socialize with people from various cultures and walks of life. Our main aspiration is to spread our love for dance and music throughout the community.

Like and Follow Us!

Keep up with upcoming events and view the latest event photos by visiting the following link and pressing "Like" on our Facebook Page and/or Follow us on Google+.

Helpful terms within the Salsa Casino community.

  is a rhythmic pattern heavily present in Afro-Cuban music. Clave, which means “key” in Spanish, is the heart of Latin music. The plural form of the word, claves, is a percussion instrument traditionally made of two cylindrical wooden sticks.

CASINO is a form of salsa dance that originated in Cuba. This form of dance can be performed with a group of couples in a “rueda,” with one partner, or solo, also known as “suelto.” Casino is a major part the Cuban culture and can be seen at any number of Cuban social events. Casino dancers often combine movements and gestures from Afro-Cuban folkloric dance and improvise according to the changes and breaks in the music.

RUEDA DE CASINO was developed in Havana, Cuba in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It is a fun and energetic form of salsa that requires pairs of dancers to form a circle or “rueda” and a caller will signal the moves and partner changes

TIMBA is a popular form of Cuban music which has many different musical influences such as Afro-Cuban folklore, jazz, and funk. This form of music can be very complex. The layers of beats and rhythms in each song allows dancers to explore infinite possibilities of body movements and dance patterns.

Contact us for hire


5. Remember You're Not Perfect

While not all hypocrites think they're perfect, many do. They're ready to call out others on every mistake, but somehow they forget about all the mistakes they've made. Honestly, call a hypocrite out and watch how quickly they seem to have developed amnesia. Before you start condemning others, think about the skeletons in your own closet. No one is perfect and remembering that helps you stop being a hypocrite.

Accept Responsibility
Explore more ...


Private tours are available

Tel: +353 (0) 87 718 9550

GPS: N 53.48381 / W 007.55606

The Hill of Uisneach in Co. Westmeath has played a part in just about every significant Irish event, be it political, cultural, religious, mythological and geographical. The centre of Ireland in many ways, the enigmatic hill is one of the most sacred and historic sanctuaries in the world.

Although it stands just 596ft above sea level, the summit of Uisneach commands extensive panoramic views over the central plain, with no less than twenty counties visible on the horizon. In every direction hills and mountains animate a horizon where green melts into blue, hinting at seas and complete encirclement. It is difficult to match in Ireland the range of prospect from the top. It’s also difficult to quantify Uisneach’s remarkable history.

The burial site of the Earth Goddess Ériu & the Sun God Lugh and as such was regarded as sacred ground. Uisneach was seen as a gate to the mythical fifth province, Mide, which held the four more familiar provinces together. For centuries, the fifth province was accessed at ‘Aill na Mireann’ (the Stone of Divisions) a sacred, fissured and fragmenting limestone boulder on the south west slope of the Hill. A Glacial erratic, this huge six metre, thirty tonne boulder symbolises Ireland united in its divisions. It has also been known as ‘Umbilicus Hiberniae’, ‘Axis Mundi’, and ‘the Naval of Ireland’. Today, it is the most famous of over forty surviving features on Uisneach, although it is more commonly known as the ‘Catstone’, named so because it resembles a cat watching a mouse. It is under the ‘Catstone’ that Ériu is resting.

It was only natural that Uisneach became the seat of the High Kings in later years and ancient texts state it became customary for the claimant to the high throne of Ireland to ‘marry’ Ireland’s founder Ériu at a ceremony on Uisneach. It was said in ancient times that Uisneach divided Ireland into ‘knowledge in the West, battle in the North, prosperity in the East, music in the South and Royalty at the Centre.’ When Tara later became the seat of the High Kings, Uisneach was still the royal centre of Ireland – the meeting point of the ancient provinces where laws were struck and divisions agreed. It was linked to Tara by a ceremonial road, a section of which remains today.

The conjoined ring fort known as The Palace confirms Uisneach’s royal legacy. One of the palaces’ of King Tuathal Techtmar in the First Century AD, as well as the O’Neill and Colman clans in later years, it was revealed to be an opulent palace during archaeological digs in the 1920′s.

Dagda, the good God and leader of the Tuatha De Dannan, also lived here, and one of the most extraordinary finds on Uisneach was the stable of his ‘solar horses’. These stables lie on the north flank of the hill, under a wheel-shaped enclosure which concealed two astonishing souterrains beneath a paved floor-one in the shape of the divine Mare, pursued by a galloping Stallion, their forms similar to the famous White Horse in Berkshire, England.

Noted Irish figures such as the legendary warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill visited the hill. Indeed a well was named in his honour. Coins (including some from ancient Afghanistan) and other artefacts found near the hill suggest that it was an important place of assembly, something its later fairs and festivals confirmed.

The hilltop lake, Lough Lugh, is said to be the spot where Lugh met his mortal end.The nearby prominent mound “Carn Ludach” is known as the place of his burial. Revered as the Harvest God, he is said to have commenced the harvest celebration Lughnasadh (Lunasa) which was held each August. The names of both London and Lyon have their origins with Lugh. His festival was one of the four most important festivals of ancient Ireland, the others being Bealtaine, Samhain and Imbolc.
It was in the fifth century that Uisneach was visited by St. Patrick, intent on establishing a church on this most sacred of sites. He was opposed in his mission by the O’Neill clan but he did manage to put a curse on the stones of Uisneach. They have not been of any use  heating, washing or building since.Patrick also had a well named in his honour. Christianity made a further important mark on the hill in the 12th Century when it was chosen, in 1111, as the meeting place for an important synod which divided Ireland into the Diocese’s still known today.

In more recent years it became a site of political rallies, with Daniel O’Connell, De Valera and Padraig Pearse addressing the masses from Aill na Mireann. James Joyce was a regular visitor, enthralled by Uisneach’s many stories and links to the modern world. Chiefs from Native American tribes have spoken reverentially of Uisneach.

World Heritage Ireland
Heritage Ireland

Uisneach, Horses Uisneach, lugh trsi Uisneach, High King Flag Uisneach, Dagda Uisneach, Bugke Fire Uisneach, Catstone


Patent Number: 8,585,267

Title: Head lamp attachment structure

Abstract: A head lamp attachment structure includes projecting portions 30 that are projected from the head lamps 2, and receiving parts 15 that are provided on a radiator core support 1 and have guide grooves 16. After the head lamps 2 are moved backward of a vehicle along a predetermined trajectory by being slid along the guide grooves 16, the projecting portions 30 are disengaged backward out of the guide grooves 16 of the receiving parts 15 in such a way that the head lamps 2 are fixed on a vehicle body in a state where a certain clearance H1 is formed below the projecting portions 30.

Inventors: Nakagawa; Keiichi (Saitama, JP)

Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation

International Classification: F21V 33/00 (20060101)

Expiration Date: 1/19/12018


"Contentment" - a word we will need to live out in 2013

"But godliness with contentment is great gain..."- 1Tim 6:6

Contentment is being satisfied with circumstances and position in life; it means that we are satisfied with what we get from life. We don't need more (finances, recognition, relationships, success, health, etc.) to live a full life. Our contentment doesn't depend on circumstances, or on other people's appreciation, or on having our customs and routine in life in place, or on any financial well-being, or on our health. This kind of contentment is really a great gain, a tremendous profit in life. The source of this kind of contentment is God himself who is unchanging, so this kind satisfaction can be stable and independent from circumstances. Circumstances, situations, positions, relationships, health, finances and people are changing. If our contentment depends on those things than we will be continually dissatisfied; and we will become addicted idol-worshipers: we will always need something other than God to satisfy our "thirst" and to make us content. If our contentment depends on the One who is unchanging than our contentment will be free from the circumstances, from our position in life, from our relationship with others, etc. That's why we can be satifsfied when we don't get what we wish to get from life. We can be content when we don't get the relationships we wanted, the finances we desired for, the health we wished to have, the success we have worked for. That's why we can be content when our plans and days and well inteded routines are fragmanted by crises and unexpected interruptions. That's why we can be satisfied when we feel the pain of being disappointed in people. That's why we can be satisfied in God even when our well-inteded and needed quite times with him are interrupted by the needs of our children. God allows situations like that so we would learn to depend only on Him and not on anything we do or want from life. God's resources are the same and available to us even when we loose control over our own life, time, health, etc. And when things are not as we planned then we don't have any reason to be unpatient or upset or to be dissatisfied. When we expect satisfaction from something or someone else other than God then we will become upset, angry, disappointed and disillusioned when our expectations from life are not met. Contentment is not something that we need to achive, it's something we can already have.
2013 will be full with unexpected changes, with unwanted crises and most likely with undesired disappointments in people and in life. We need to remember: God is ENOUGH to make us fully content.


Self-Motivation and How To Stay Motivated

self motivation

Self-motivation is a big part in anyone’s life nowadays, especially when technology offers us so much convenience as well as distractions. Being self-motivated not only enables us to stay focused on our goal but also serves us as a guiding force in accepting new opportunities and trying new things to improve the quality of our life.

As the saying goes, life is a journey. O n the journey to achieving our goals, we may experience hard-work, tiredness, boredom, frustration and disappointments. Motivation is like the fuel to keep us going. Stating motivated is the key for having an extraordinary life and becoming more inspired, productive, and committed to feel in charge of your life.

Here are some tips to stay motivated

You success or failure partly depends on your drive and motivation. So how do you maintain the level of “hunger”?

1. Eliminate Any Negative Thoughts

Think positively about the outcome and stop yourself from thinking negative and destructive thoughts.

2. Be Happy and Efficient

self motivation

Nothing is as great as being able to do what you love because it inspires you  and keeps you motivated even when the journey gets tough. Being open to discovering and developing new skills helps you become more proactive and efficient to tackle the challenges ahead.

3. Use Visualization

Besides thinking positively, visualization is a powerful tool for staying motivated. We can choose what we want to see in our mind, so why not choose to see the best life is waiting ahead for us?

Successful people visualize themselves as being successful. These actions can only be done properly if you stay motivated. So stay motivated!

Want to learn more about the psychology of self motivation? Watch this Ted video below. I am a big fan of these Ted videos.


The path that led me to a life with flowers was more of a scenic route. It was never obvious to me from a young age that this is where I would end up, and I've been told often that it seems like I have led a thousand lives.

But when I think about it, flowers have always played a part in some of my fondest memories. My childhood home was on a street named after a flower. I remember buying fragrant garlands of jasmine in the Philippines, and I will never forget the smell of lilies in my grandmother's room, the one with the wallpaper of yellow roses.

With a background in studio art and a lifelong love of design, I always knew that I was meant to work with my hands. Deciding to work with flowers was like reuniting with an old friend. My work aims to honour that friendship with flowers, by approaching floral design in a way that highlights the understated details and paying homage to the seasons.

white anemone 2487.jpg

Rosalie Villanueva ©2018. All rights reserved.


Impact and High-Growth Create a Modern, Best-in-Class Edtech Company- Reflecting on SchoolMint’s Journey

By Shauntel Poulson

It seems like only yesterday I wrote Why We Invested in SchoolMint and today I am excited to share that SchoolMint has been acquired by Hero K12. This milestone is a great achievement for the SchoolMint team and validation that a high impact company can scale and create tremendous value.

I have enjoyed working with founders Jinal Jhaveri and Forum Desai over the past 4 years and have admired their passion, persistence, and execution. After experiencing the headache of enrolling their own daughter in pre-school, Jinal and Forum set out to build a best-in-class student enrollment solution that supports school leaders, empowers families, and strengthens communities.

Today, thousands of schools, serving over 2 million students, are using SchoolMint to streamline the enrollment process. SchoolMint provides a transparent and efficient experience for millions of families across the US. In cities like Cleveland, Camden, Chicago, and Oakland families now have better information to enroll their children in the best fit school for them.

SchoolMint’s success to date is the result of a multitude of factors, including key operational decisions at critical growth junctures. From my perspective as an early stage edtech investor, the following three decisions stand out as unique to SchoolMint’s ability to weave impact and high-growth together to create a modern, best-in-class company.

1. An Unwavering Commitment to Serve All Populations

From day one, the team made intentional product design choices to ensure SchoolMint was accessible. They prioritized a mobile first and multilingual solution (20+ languages) so that families of all backgrounds could quickly and easily enroll their children in school with a few clicks on a smartphone. Currently, close to 47% of customers only use mobile to access the system. As a result of these design choices, SchoolMint serves a significantly higher proportion of low-income families (>70%) and families of color (>80%). This focus on access has not only expanded their impact, but also has led to increased sales. Many schools and districts, especially large urban districts, cite accessibility as the top reason for selecting SchoolMint over other solutions in the market.

2. The Development of A Product That Meets the Needs of Both Charters and Districts

Like many edtech companies, SchoolMint’s early customers were charter schools who often want idiosyncratic custom designed solutions. Instead of designing a product tailored exclusively to these early adopters’ needs, SchoolMint built a flexible product suitable for a variety of customer profiles. The platform was built for parent outreach, choice and enrollment and fully integrated communications. This critical decision allowed them to cross the chasm from charter to district customers and diversify their user base to ~60/40 district/charter today. SchoolMint is now a leading provider of citywide school choice enrollment solutions and serves more than 10 out of the top 100 districts including Chicago Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District.

3. A Focus on Building A Diverse and Inclusive Organization

SchoolMint was one of the first organizations to sign onto Kapor Capital’s Founder’s Commitment as the founders recognized the importance of building a diverse team to reflect their user demographics. The staff is over 63% women, over 40% people of color, and represents over 7 countries bringing diverse viewpoints to the culture, values, product development, and customer service. Dual language employees, for example, are able to provide multilingual email and phone support to families. Beyond just hiring for diversity, the founders also prioritized building a welcoming and inclusive culture. Their core values such as “No Jerks- Period” and “Bring Your Whole Self To Work” are evident in every interaction from office visits to team BBQs. This focus on diversity and inclusion has helped the company attract and retain top talent.

These are just a few of the reasons that SchoolMint has reached today’s significant milestone. This is only the beginning and I look forward to SchoolMint’s continued journey and incredible impact as they join forces with Hero K12, a leading student behavior platform to support schools in creating a positive culture and climate. With thousands of schools across over 40 states, Hero K12 will further expand SchoolMint’s footprint and help them reach more families in more communities. The combined platform will further empower educators and families to work together to help students reach their full potential.

One clap, two clap, three clap, forty?


I am not much of a one for writing on objects. t-shirts, mugs, inspirational posters. I tend to become visually bored with any message very quickly. this one is the exception that proves my rule, but even so I do not have it up on the wall of my house. I keep it tucked in that corner of my heart where I retreat when my back is as right up against the wall as it can possibly be. bring it out, gasping, when the rising waters of panic or despair lap at my chin. rest on it awhile until I am strong enough to start treading water again, and then to swim on.

I saw it first on Glennon Doyle’s blog, Momastery. it is probably a signal that I’ve been blogging for a while now that I think: I know I’ve recommended her before, but I don’t care, this is my blog and I can repeat myself as much as I like 🙂 in particular if Glennon can repost one of her landmark posts on depression and getting sober, then I can jolly well repost it too!

a few thoughts on the mantra, now: I love it because it is so short but brings in so much.

hard things: because there is no escaping from the hard things of life. try as we might to do so with alcohol, or drugs, or food, or shopping, or television, or the Internet. those hard things will still be there when we get back. except that while we have been away, numbing ourselves, those things will have set seed like the most thorny and resistant of thistles, blowing over the gardens of our lives. one year’s seed is seven years weed…

can: we have a choice. we always have a choice. can or cannot? which will it be for you, today? if one person can, if those inspirational others ahead of me on my blogroll can, if I can, ffs, then you can. and there are people who were much further down the road of addiction than I was who have made it home. it is possible. to quote another highly useful and terrifically short mantra, our feelings are not facts. we may feel that the circumstances facing us are an impossible cliff. that we are too weak, and small, and broken to climb that cliff. but those are feelings. the fact is that the cliff is possible to climb. the rock face is capable of being scaled, the question is whether we have equipped and trained ourselves to be able to do so.

do: you know me, from previous posts on this blog. I am all about the doing, the lists, the goals, the plans. and that is because what we do is what changes our lives. because sitting on a sofa with a glass of wine in our hand never got anyone sober. buying running shoes never got anyone fitter. writing revision plans never passed anyone any exams. and yes yes yes we need to inspire ourselves, to take mental leaps of faith to prepare us to climb the cliff. but at the end of the day, as physical beings, action is how we incorporate those leaps of our souls into our outer lives. we need to do. whether it is sobriety, our marriages, our parenting, our careers. moving from foothold to foothold, looking for new routes if our first attempts fail. conquering our cliffs and our fears one day at a time.

and now, my favourite word of them all. we. we can do hard things.

because I am not called to do this on my own. we are meant to live and work in families, in groups, in community with one another. so the reason this is too hard to do on our own is that we are not supposed to try and do it on our own. like a team of mountaineers, we all have our roles, supporting those behind us and relying on those ahead of us.

which is why this soberverse shivers and shakes when one of our number falters or falls by the wayside. because we are all connected and any loss diminishes us all.

but we can hold this in our minds, too: we don’t shoot our wounded. we nurture them and support them for as long as they wish to be supported. and the wounded are many and heartbreaking. I ache for those who have disappeared from the climb I have been on for the last year. many times they reappear, find a new foothold, change something about what they have been doing or something about how they have been thinking, and forge ahead. because that is possible.

this is a hard mountain: but the view as we climb higher and higher makes it all worthwhile.

6 days to go to one year.


Institute for Mathematical Sciences

Preprint ims94-9

T. Bedford & A. Fisher
Ratio Geometry, Rigidity and the Scenery Process for Hyperbolic Cantor Sets

Abstract: Given a $C^{1+\gamma}$ hyperbolic Cantor set $C$, we study the sequence $C_{n,x}$ of Cantor subsets which nest down toward a point $x$ in $C$. We show that $C_{n,x}$ is asymptotically equal to an ergodic Cantor set valued process. The values of this process, called limit sets, are indexed by a H\"older continuous set-valued function defined on D. Sullivan's dual Cantor set. We show the limit sets are themselves $C^{k+\gamma}, C^\infty$ or $C^\omega$ hyperbolic Cantor sets, with the highest degree of smoothness which occurs in the $C^{1+\gamma}$ conjugacy class of $C$. The proof of this leads to the following rigidity theorem: if two $C^{k+\gamma}, C^\infty$ or $C^\omega$ hyperbolic Cantor sets are $C^1$-conjugate, then the conjugacy (with a different extension) is in fact already $C^{k+\gamma}, C^\infty$ or $C^\omega$. Within one $C^{1+\gamma}$ conjugacy class, each smoothness class is a Banach manifold, which is acted on by the semigroup given by rescaling subintervals. Conjugacy classes nest down, and contained in the intersection of them all is a compact set which is the attractor for the semigroup: the collection of limit sets. Convergence is exponentially fast, in the $C^1$ norm.
View ims94-9 (PDF format)


Email Address

Volpaia is a medieval village and castle on a hill top on the border between the provinces of Siena and Florence, a few kilometres from Radda in Chianti. It is mostly still intact and can be considered one of the Chianti jewels, a village that must be visited for its medieval charm and character.

Essential Volpaia Information

Experience an official tuscany tour with

Experiences in the Tuscan countryside

A private full day experience in the famous countryside of Tuscany. We'll meet our private driver with his luxury minivan car at the lobby of your hotel and we'll start our tour the Chianti-shire, we'll visit little villages before to reach a fantastic winery in a century-family run farm. You'll taste their wines and, after, we'll have a typical lunch served in their "Osteria". After lunch we'll drive to Siena for a short walk and shopping-time before to drive back to Florence.

from 439,21 US Dollar

Carrara marble quarries Cinque Terre PRIVATE TOUR from Livorno port

- Follow in the Master's footsteps as you trace Michelangelo's tracks to the marble quarries of Carrara. Carrara is where he went (250 miles was no small feat then) to hand pick his marble for his Pieta' and from which came the marble for, yes, the David.

- Nowhere in the world is like the "Cinque Terre" or "Five Lands", two of which are included in this tour; Vernazza and Manarola. These quaint, colorful seaside towns combine with the blues and greens in nature to create a stunning, scenic palette. Take this all in with both walks around town and a drive down a panoramic road. The entire area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

- Enjoy typical Tuscan cuisine in Colonnata, world renowned home of Lardo di Colonnata, a local delicacy of pork fat aged in marble vats.

Contact me to plan your private, customized culinary-sightseeing tour in Tuscany together!

from 420,39 US Dollar

Electric Bike Night Tour of Florence with Gelato

Cruise around the streets of Florence on two wheels during a 2-hour electric bike tour through the city. Zip up hills and down medieval streets in the company of a local guide who delves into Florence's unique history as you go. Cross the Arno River and take in some of the city's top attractions, including its iconic piazzas and Renaissance sculptures from the comfort of your battery-assisted 'bicicletta.' Then cap off the evening with some delicious gelato while reveling in your surrounds.

from 56,47 US Dollar

Full-Day Private Day Trip to Orcia Valley and Montepulciano from Siena

The countryside of the Orcia Valley is known for its small villages and gastronomic specialties. On this 10-hour private day trip, visit the picturesque villages of the valley including San Quirico, Bagno Vignoni, Rocca d'Orcia and Monticchiello before heading to Montepulciano. Orcia DOC wine, savor a typical Tuscan lunch and take part in a guided tasting of Nobile di Montepulciano wine.

from 237,17 US Dollar
Villa finder


Alien’s Story: no magnetic field

Jadhav, Ghanshyam Harishchandra

Mechanics / Electrodynamics

Date Published:

June 30, 2013

On 21 April 1820, during a lecture, Ørsted noticed to his surprise that a compass needle was deflected when an electric current from a battery was switched on and off. That finding leaded to a conclusion that the current carrying wire must be producing a magnetic field which must be applying a magnetic force on the magnetic needle. In perception of that one can easily guess that if a current in a wire exerts a magnetic force on a compass needle, then two such wires also should interact magnetically. This was guessed by Andre Marie Ampere and confirmed experimentally too. These findings leaded to the rapid development of the classical electrodynamics. In the rapid development one question left to be answered yet is that why a current carrying wire is producing a magnetic field. If the nature of the magnetic field, what we suppose today, is the real nature then why magnetic monopoles are absent in the universe. Suppose one could have found the interaction between two current carrying wires before Ørsted’s finding then what he could have guessed about the cause of interaction. At first he might have guessed the cause of interaction as an electric force and might have tried to solve the problem. Today’s picture of electricity might be different. The Ørsted’s finding forced people to think about the magnetic force as the cause of the interaction.

<<< Back


Herb Formulas Notebook

Shen Shu Jiu

(Ginseng and Zathoxylum Wine)

<< Close Window

Source: Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixirs (2008)
Author: Various

Category: Formulas that Tonify Yang

Pattern: Spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency

Key Symptoms: Loss of appetite, diarrhoea, fatigue, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees with cold extremities, dizziness and blurred vision, ashen white complexion.

Ren Shen 30g
Hua Jiao 120g
Fu Ling 30g
Zhu Sha 20g
Bai Jiu 1.3L

Zhu Sha is prohibited from use due to toxicity. The standard replacement is Hu Po.

Preparation: Crush the herbs in a pestle and place them in a jar with 1.3L of alcohol for 5 days in spring and summer and 7 days in autumn and winter. Open, remove the dregs and store for use. Take one small teacup warm on an empty stomach before meals.

Actions: Fortifies the Qi and harmonises the Middle Jiao, strengthens the Kidneys and calms the Shen.

Contraindications: Damp-Heat conditions and long term use in the young due to the harmful effects on continuous alcohol consumption.

Research Links:
Science Direct
Google Scholar
Journal of Chinese Medicine

Reference Notes: (click to display)


TDSS Target Selection

The Time-Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) is SDSS-IV eBOSS subprogram to systematically obtain follow-up spectra of ~200,000 photometrically time-variable sources. Target selection for TDSS in SDSS-IV is detailed in Morganson et al. (2015).

TDSS targets come from two types of observing programs: (1) a Single-Epoch Spectroscopy (SES) program encompassing ~90% of all TDSS fibers and aimed at obtaining initial single-epoch discovery spectra of photometrically variable objects, and (2) Few-Epoch Spectroscopy (FES) programs encompassing the remaining ~10% of TDSS spectra and consisting of various smaller projects involving multi-epoch spectroscopy of special targets. While targets for FES programs are selected with a variety of methods to address specific science questions, SES targets are selected based on a uniform algorithm, briefly summarized below.

Target selection for TDSS SES spectra in the SDSS-IV are selected based on photometric gri light curves of point sources constructed using a combination of SDSS Data Release 9 single-epoch imaging and PS1 3$\pi$ survey multi-epoch imaging. Photometrically variable objects are selected based on their (1) long-timescale (~10 years observed-frame) variability, (2) shorter-timescale (~2 years observed-frame) variability, and (3) median PS1 magnitudes. The long-timescale variability is measured as the difference in magnitude between the SDSS and median PS1 epoch magnitudes (where the SDSS magnitudes are color-corrected to match PS1 filters). The shorter-timescale variability is measured as the variance in the PS1 light curves. The median PS1 magnitudes are included in the target selection procedure primarily to take into account the increase in required variability for fainter objects to enter the sample due to increased photometric uncertainties, and do not involve color information. These three parameters for each object are input into a 3-dimensional kernel density estimator (KDE) trained on the SDSS Stripe 82 variable object and standard star catalogs. The KDE assigns a probability that each object is variable based on the efficiency E with which variable objects are selected in its region of parameter space using the training sets. Candidate variable objects with E above some threshold are then selected as `variable’. To ensure a uniform sky density of targets across the survey footprint of 10 deg$^{-2}$, this E threshold is calculated independently for different sky regions (each typically 4 deg$^2$) and is thus non-constant.

Many TDSS targets selected using the above procedure have previous SDSS spectra (~100,000 objects) or are also selected for spectroscopy in SDSS-IV by other eBOSS programs (e.g. the majority of TDSS quasars are also targeted by eBOSS). TDSS does not obtain new spectra of targets with previous spectra, while objects also targeted by eBOSS are `free’ and do not count towards the 10 deg$^{-2}$ sky density of TDSS fibers.

TDSS fibers are also included as part of the SEQUELS survey in SDSS-III. Differences in the target selection between SDSS-IV and SDSS-III SEQUELS are small, and detailed in Ruan et al. (2015).


China's central bank continues to inject funds into market

Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-23 14:44:54|Editor: Yang Yi
Video PlayerClose

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank made a net cash injection via open market operations for the fifth consecutive day Monday in an effort to ease a temporary cash strain.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) pumped 200 billion yuan (about 30 billion U.S. dollars) into the market through reverse repos, a process by which the central bank purchases securities from commercial banks through bidding, with an agreement to sell them back in the future.

The operations included 110 billion yuan of seven-day reverse repos priced to yield 2.45 percent, and 90 billion yuan of 14-day reverse repos with a yield of 2.6 percent.

The injection saw a net 140 billion yuan pumped into the market Monday, offset by 60 billion yuan in maturing reverse repos.

The move is to "keep liquidity basically stable" in response to spiking liquidity demand due to seasonal factors such as tax payments, the PBOC said in a statement on its website.

China has decided to pursue a "prudent and neutral" monetary policy in 2017, applying a full range of policy instruments to maintain basic stability in liquidity and hold interest rates at an appropriate level.


Page 1

PORTFOLIO christina b. hackett bachelor of architecture\\2012

college of architecture & environmental design\\california polytechnic state university, san luis obispo

ccs at ucsb

resort at shell

research facility

STORAGE WITHASTORY a dresser made from found drawers

“The creative reuse of existing materials is central to the new movement that is driven by an appreciation for the often overlooked beauty that can be found in the things other people throw away.”

Upcycling is a new trend that is becoming more popular in design. As a wasteful society, we easily throw away objects when a new version is released in the market. For the vellum furniture show, I wanted to find thrown away objects and reuse them to give them new life and beauty. At the ground floor of the architecture building, an old metal teacher’s desk was left to be thrown away. I saw the desk as an opportunity to create a dresser made of found drawers. I took a few of the metal drawers, and found others around campus to create a dresser made of found drawers. I cut the drawers to size, so they would fit in the dresser

frame that I made out of plywood and then made backs out of scrap wood for each of the modified drawers. The design of the dresser was to create a space for storage for a variety of other objects such as books and plants that could fit in the various cubbies. The dresser made of found drawers is a look at reusing old objects to create a more sustainable way of living. The beauty of reusing old found objects is that each part of the whole has its own story and memory associated with it. Each drawer has its own story and through the process of constructing the new home for the drawers, a sentimental connection was created along with a valuable learning experience.

07 dresser

-Marcus Fairs

ABSTRACT\\The act of having relationships and forming bonds between one another, between one and nature, between one and architecture defines interconnectivity. This connection creates not only a mutual understanding but also consoles the feeling of belonging and place— the feeling of purpose in an elaborate web of society, technology and nature. Today, we are struggling to establish equilibrium in our technologically advancing communities with the preservation of our natural resources. Our architecture is no exception in this struggle, for our buildings are responsible for at least 50% of CO2 emissions generated. As Michael McDonough said, “Every building has connections to the sky, ground and community, but these could be appreciated and utilized much better.” Architecture throughout the United States is essentially static everywhere, for the most interaction users will typically have, consists of opening a door or closing a window. Buildings have become permanent entities to accommodate the settled existence the majority of the population has grown accustomed to. The fixed architecture of today far from represents the everchanging lifestyles of its occupants and the changing needs of a digital society. Unfortunately, our buildings today negatively impact the environment. High rises and corporate buildings from city to city, even country to country, look the same: large glass boxes that allow extensive views and an abundance

of daylight to penetrate into the interior spaces; large glass boxes that are extensively heated and cooled by electricity. The nonexistent interconnectivity between architecture and its users jointly affects the interconnectivity between architecture and the environment, and the environment and people. By enhancing the relationships between the user, architecture and environment, the result will be a structure that redefines and strengthens our connection with the natural and built environments. Architecture should have the ability to adapt to new living conditions rather than stagnate users, it should be able to transform rather than restrict users, and most importantly, architecture should have the ability to interact rather than restricts users. As Nitschke said, ‘Place is the product of lived space and lived time.’ In other words, buildings should have a significant degree of adaptability, flexibility, and have the capacity to change with and for the users. These connections will be used to influence a design that helps educate its users and residents of the community about sustainable living. Not only will the design act as an educational device for society, but it will also be a responsive tool that has the ability to adapt to human needs and change throughout the seasons of the year, for architecture should have the possibility of being developed and redeveloped as efficiently as possible.

\\demonstration of thesis

01: MUSEUM \\gallery and exhibit space on the history of the park \\ history 02: THEATER \\theater to observe nature \\ theater for community use such as concerts and plays 03: CLASSROOMS \\provide educational facility for students \\ opportunity to learn about natural ecology of the park 04 : CAFE \\attract tourists, locals and students \\ tied in with outdoor decks for views of the park 05: BRIDGE \\connection to Strawberry Hill \\ allows other circulation to experience building

MUSEUM spaces attracts visitors to the building allowing for people to learn about the history of the park. While the museum is oriented for tourists, it also provides an opportunity for locals to learn about the history of the infamous park that was transformed from sandy dunes to a lush oasis. THEATER space attracts both tourists and visitors as an opportunity to watch nature at the park with views focused on Strawberry Hill, one of the few natural aspects at the park. It also provides the opportunity to host local events such as concerts and plays that showcases local arts. CLASSROOM spaces bring in another social group, students, giving them the opportunity to use the building as a tool for learning about the site, how the transformation from dunes to grass changed not only the soil, but also the vegetation. CAFE space provides an opportunity for locals, tourists and students to interact in the same setting, allowing for the sharing of knowledge BRIDGE to Strawberry Hill connects different circulation routes to the building, drawing in different social groups.

Chinese pavilion on Strawberry Hill at the Golden Gate Park.

research/educational facility

theater for nature lecture hall bookstore/coffee shop

PROGRAM\\The program of spaces within a building should allow for flexible use by creating an interactive environment with a constant flow of people among the different spaces. I created an open floor plan that can host community events throughout the center so that there can be installations of public art and crafts to be

displayed and shared with visitors. As exhibits change and functions change, the spaces can be rearranged to allow for a more suitable plan that also allows for interaction with the building, for users have control of the structure.

\\level -1

stow lake, golden gate park, san francisco, california \\level 1 .

high school

elementary school

middle school

\\level 2

11 museum

\\level 3

Create an axis for circulation using Focus building outward to bring existing pathways to draw in users nature into the building, creating interconnectivity between the building and the site

A central axis for circulation that ties all spaces together, bringing all users to a communal area

\\level 3.5

\\level 4

13 museum

[roof glazing] Roof glazing provides natural day lighting throughout the atrium, which also allows for day lighting to penetrate throughout the museum and educational facility.

[spider clamps] The use of spider clamps allows for a frameless glazing system which opens up the facade to allow the structural system to be a part of the architectural aesthetics.

[roof structural system] The roof structural system allows for the use of spider glazing on the roof to bring in natural day lighting throughout the whole building

[truss structural system] The truss system allows for a large open columless space that connects to the other programmatic spaces

[tension cables]

[dendritic columns] Dendritic columns serve as a secondary structural system which provides biomimichry that looks man made, just like the Golden Gate Park and Stow Lake

[circulation through atrium] The atrium serves as the central hub that users can connect to all parts of the building such as the museum, educational facility and cafes.

[atrium level] The atrium serves as a central point that allows for users to have chance meetings with locals, tourists, and students.

By refining the interconnectivity between the people, architecture and the environment, this will create a space that not only benefits the environment, but also betters the quality of the community as a whole. The advancement in technology should be integrated cohesively together with architecture so that they work together to create a more comfortable indoor space by working with the climate of the site rather than just using air conditioning or heating and electrical lighting. It is important for architecture to be designed so that the building responds to the client and occupants, but also so that it responds to its site and the climate. Kinetic architecture, architecture that physically transforms to accommodate different functions and uses, is a strong solution for an architecture that has the ability adapt rather than stagnate.

15 museum

ISSUE\\Today architecture is stagnating and it typically inhibits users from living their lives that are constantly changing. It is important for designers to break away from the typical architecture that has become the norm, architecture that is made of large spaces that do not have the capacity for change, architecture that is nonresponsive.

WHITE Studio 400 thesis book show installation

“White” was a gallery installation produced by the 20 students of Studio 400, a fifthyear architectural design studio at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The installation, which served to present each of the student’s research books, was designed, developed, fabricated, and installed by the studio in a collaborative effort. The students developed the design over a period of about a month, with fabrication and installation occurring over a five day period. 80,000 square feet of plastic sheeting was sliced, loomed, woven, stapled, taped and tied to provide a climbable and malleable surface in the 4,500 square foot gallery. “White” supported a variety of interactive experiences above and below this dynamic surface, opening and exploring the relationships between book, user, material, space, and collective group.

FABRICATION_INSTALLATION\\Students participated in a collaborative, two-day effort to construct the components for the piece. Circular and straight weaving looms (assembled from re-used materials) allowed for the quick and precise weaving of the columns and panels. Round steel rod was hand-bent into five foot diameter rings that provided a transitional structure between the gallery space and the woven vertical columns. The foresight of using of pre-fabricated elements allowed the piece to be custom-fitted to the gallery space within a three-day time period. Installation began with placing the vertical columns where the existing structure of the gallery could support them, creating a staggered plan. A sheet of plastic was then hung from the ceiling, the first piece of several that would entirely wrap the gallery space, effectively separating the piece from the distinct characteristics of the Brutalist-style gallery. The pre-constructed infill panels were then woven between the vertical columns, fitted to provide the desired tension and surface form. When the surface was finally installed, the remaining walls and floors of the gallery were covered in sheet plastic. Videos of student work could also be projected onto one of these walls and extra plastic sheeting was woven into various shapes and sizes of pillows that were used as seating under the surface and beneath the vertical columns.

19 white

DESIGN INTENT\\The installation design began with a brainstorming session that involved direct participation by each of the studioâ€™s 20 students. After proposals were presented, it was decided that a climbable surface would divide the space, providing seating for the comfortable reading of the books. An exploration of materials looked at rope, tape, and plastic to create the surface; sheet plastic was ultimately chosen for its flexibility and strength, economic viability given the large space, and its abilities to be easily modified and reused. Once the material was chosen and acquired, studies of traditional weaving methods and full scale mock-ups helped determine the characteristics of the surface. This resulted in a woven surface that could hang in the gallery as well as support the weight of users on it. It was determined that a flexible system of pre-fabricated hanging columns and infill panels would allow the surface to form to specific constraints of the gallery site.

21 white The opening of “White” was a great success. Students and faculty were introduced to the studio’s research books in an interactive and novel environment. As one faculty member stated, “[White] effectively separates the book show from the gallery. Where other shows seem to be installations occurring within the distinctive gallery, this one seems like a totally different space.” Users were encouraged to crouch or crawl under the surface, rising into the vertical columns where the books were located. They could then engage the books in the intimate space under the surface, or take the books to the more socially interactive space created above the surface.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA, COLLEGE OF CREATIVE STUDIES The design proposes 3 structures connected by terraces on the site south of Ucen Road. These structures will house approximately 39,000 sq. ft. of classrooms, faculty offices, studios, labs, administration, and public spaces dedicated to showcasing the College of Creative Studies and student work. The college will also provide about 2,500 sq. ft. of housing to accommodate 42 beds. The design goes beyond the IBC and ADA codes to provide comfort and safety. This site will utilize energyefficient HVAC systems, take advantage of natural ventilation, and be partially covered by photovoltaic panels. These innovations reduce building energy use and will improve occupancy health with higher-quality indoor environments. In addition to the CCS, the parking lot north of Ucen Road will be resurfaced to accommodate 144 vehicles. This reduction in vehicles emphasizes the universityâ€™s LRDP of creating a more pedestrian-friendly campus. The parking lot will be framed with a plaza that connects the CCS with the university library.

From even the earliest schematic designs, I wanted to incorporate these elements into the College of Creative Studies: Exterior building circulation\\Enclosures that sustain porosity to connect the CCS to the university\\ Architectural bio-mimicry\\Integrated classrooms with faculty offices\\Vegetative or photovoltaic roof systems With these design goals in mind and constant collaboration between the interdisciplinary team members and the CCS, a design was achieved that fulfills the requirements of the RFP, while responding to specific requests and suggestions from the clients. The proposed project will provide a combination of administration, classrooms, labs, studios, music facilities, student housing, a gallery, theaters, and excellent indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy the Santa Barbara lifestyle. This cost-effective, high-quality project for the College of Creative Studies is designed to boost the integrated education of highly motivated students.

The proposed design for the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara embodies the organic nature of art and music with the geometrical essence of math and science. The contrasting landscape and building design work together to create an environment that symbolizes the diversity of the CCS. With energy-efficiency in mind, the building integrates sustainability features, such as solar panels and horizontal louvered wood paneling, as a key feature of the architectural aesthetics. All buildings are designed to be one classroom wide to create narrow spaces that will allow controlled, natural light to penetrate all rooms. Exterior circulation influenced the form of the buildings, which are three separate structures connected with terraces and catwalks. The use of exterior circulation reduces

heating/cooling of non-assignable spaces to save energy and also acts as shading devices for lower levels. Exterior circulation is a cost-effective feature of the building that allows exterior lighting systems to serve for site security and circulation illumination. Terraces are used primarily to bridge the structures together, but also framing the interior courtyard. These terraces, located on each floor level of the structure, allows students, faculty, and visitors to enjoy the outdoor environment and the views of the surrounding university and lagoon. Programmed spaces are designed to take advantage of daylighting schemes and to create a functional flow of learning spaces. Studios on the northern part of the site

take advantage of indirect daylighting for unobtrusive natural lighting and ventilation. Integration of the staff office, classrooms, and labs were also important in the design of the CCS. Staff offices are flanked by classrooms, allowing students and faculty to intermingle and communicate openly among the college. The varying spaces from studios, to computer labs, to science labs and classrooms are spread out among the buildings to effectively integrate the majors of the CCS without compromising functionality of learning spaces.

25 ccs

The structure is also an integral part of the design, which is seen by the exposed moment and braced frames in not only the buildings, but also the solar panel canopy and the shading devices. The modulated design not only brings costs down, but it also allows for different functions to be placed within the spaces.

Executive Conference with views facing south, looking over at the ocean

Catwalks allow for exterior circulation, ensuring conservation of energy so that heating and cooling is not wasted on hallways. Both the second and third level have terraces, so the students and faculty can enjoy the nice Santa Barbara weather and the views.

STUDIOS/LABS/OFFICES The design incorporates full integration of staff offices and classrooms/labs, allowing for interaction between students and professors on a daily basis when walking around the site. All buildings are one classroom wide to allow for all interior spaces to have natural lighting and ventilation. The design also incudes all exterior circulation among catwalks to ensure that no energy is wasted heating and cooling unnecessary spaces.

GROUND LEVEL The three buildings are placed in a position to create an interior courtyard for the College of Creative Studies. The courtyard is partially shaded by a solar panel shading canopy that integrates the panels as a part of the architectural aesthetics. Placed on the southern part of the site, the buildings draw pedestrians into the courtyard coming from the core of campus to housing, and on campus residents walking onto campus.

The Sculpture garden consists of raised planter beds to display student sculptures LANDSCAPE DESIGN The organic landscape, is designed to contradict the geometrical design, which brings the arts and maths and sciences together. The sculpture garden is placed outside of the gallery and near the theater lobby, creating strong indoor and outdoor relationships among all the different spaces called for in the program. The site is also designed to allow for easy accessibility to all interior and exterior spaces from the interior courtyard.

The working sculpture yard is located near both the wood/metal shop and the sculpture studio to allow for closeness in proximity

UCenn road will be paved to create a more pedestrian walk way that is safer for occupants. The paving will also still allow for service and emergency vehicles to access other parts of the sites.

Service vehicle parking is located on the west side of the site where it is currently located. The location of the parking is near the theaters and administration for convenience.

The structural design is based on a simple grid system that reflects the building’s linear form. The structural system is integrated with the architectural design intent and space programs; maximizing beam spans allow for open floor plans and avoiding the use of load-bearing walls allows for program changes based on the College of Creative Studies’ future development.

27 ccs

Steel is the project’s structural framing material. Comprised of recycled content, steel is an appropriate choice for an environmentally-conscious project, and is readily available, and allows for a relatively fast construction process. The structure was designed to frame vistas and view corridors from the site; a steel structural system consisting of moment frames and braced frames will be used to resist lateral forces in the building. This will allow for an open and inviting space that isn’t constricted by shear walls. Moment frames will resist the longitudinal lateral loads of each building, while braced frames will resist the transverse lateral loads.

RESORT ATSHELLBEACH Located on a cliff in Shell Beach overlooking the ocean, views were very important in the design of the resort. All rooms have large glass curtain walls facing the ocean for occupants to enjoy the serenity of the central coast. The landscape design was also a critical part of the design. The incorporation of an infinity pool creates a feeling as though the water in the pool merges and becomes a part of the ocean as one continuous entity, creating a strong connection with the ocean in the near distance. Rooms on the ground level have decks connecting to the pool, and appear as though the ocean is right outside their room.

Very different from the typical studio, this project was definitely one of my favorites to design and work on. The teacher forced students to think differently about design, enforcing the importance of the structure as a part of the architectural aesthetics. The teacher also strongly encouraged students to design by the use of

small conceptual models. Once a conceptual design was finalized, he had students move on to the final model, so that they design as they build. The Hong Kong and Shanghai HSBC Bank designed by Norman Foster greatly influenced my design. The bank has a strongly expressive structural system, that is also used the main façade design. The way I went about designing the project, was designing a structural module that could be used to build the whole project, while still creating architectural interest. I used a “Z” like shape that was used to create the structural system, which also influenced the footprint of the building. The balconies are made from the negative space formed by the “Z” shape. The same shape is also used to connect all the modules together and while tying in the ornamental façade structure that is influenced by Spanish thinshelled roof structures.

31 resort

The programmatic requirements for the resort at Shell Beach were very minimalistic, allowing students to be as creative as they desire while having full reigns over the project. The only requirements were that the design should have around 14-20 stories, include parking lots, incorporate an innovative curtain wall system with shading devices, build a 1/4 inch physical model of the design and finish it before the last day of the quarter. Very little direction was given by the instructor throughout the quarter, allowing students to use studio time as their own, and forcing them to manage their time wisely to complete the project by the due date.

Once the modulated system was designed, which uses the same pieces for many functions, the actual building of the final physical model was fairly simple. I created an assembly line to construct the project, by first cutting out all the structural â€œZâ€? pieces, and then assembling them into the modulated components. The remaining pieces that were left over from the negative space of the shape were then used to create the shading devices for the resort, while also acting as a part of the structural assemblage of the ornamental facades. By doing this, the

While the design of the building is very geometrical, the landscape is designed to offset the rectilinear forms by being organic, and connecting the site to existing pathways along the cliff side to nearby hotels. Curves from partial circles are used to create pathways along the site, while also complimenting the free form infinity pool. These intersecting sidewalks also create many different

green spaces for people to lounge around privately. The parking lot design was also carefully considered. I thought about how the road met with the site of the project and decided that a green space would create more privacy between the road and the building, rather than the typical road, sidewalk and then parking. An organic sidewalk is placed in the green space, which is outlined by palm trees, creating a beach like ambiance.

33 resort

amount of waste was minimized, creating a more sustainable project.

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE\\ The inspiration for this project was a modern interpretation of the classic ranch style. I focused on using many of the materials and forms that could be found in this type of a setting, in a new and creative way. However, I did respect the existing buildings on site, and incorporated them into the new buildings. The form is dominated by simple geometric shapes arranged around a central courtyard. The courtyard is important for the design because it is a place for interaction between the two spaces for work. The design is meant to foster creative energy through interaction of the people and the environment. It was partly inspired by an atom, because of its fundamental connection to all forms of science. The tree at the center is the nucleus, it is fairly static, with its roots anchoring the development, while the various objects revolve around it, like the electrons. It also encourages visitors to look out towards the amazing views to the east that the site has to offer, further connecting the people back to the environment

THE PROGRAM The major design elements were influenced by the relationship of the living and research precincts. I wanted to have separated areas to create a division between work and rest, yet have the two fundamentally linked by multiple means, as it is important to have the two elements properly support each other. The Research area is located in a scenic zone to inspire the scientists and researchers, and to remind them of the importance of what they are doing. The area around the major facilities was designed with a sundial in mind with 12 defined area sections and being primarily circular. As a result, the expanding zones are also circular with multiple patterns starting from the tree focal point. It is designed to allow for easy access into the courtyard and into the surrounding areas. There are also plenty of resting areas and an educational gathering area on the opposite side of the entrance. \\RESEARCH PRECINCT BUILDINGS: Two separate buildings were designed\\ The two buildings create a courtyard\\The buildingsâ€™ architectural styles match each other and are a more modern style of the existing ranch buildings SITE USERS: School age children K-12 will be coming to use the site\\ Researchers will be coming to use the site\\Hikers may be coming to view the site ACTIVITIES: RESEARCH: The area has many natural vegetation types that is useful in research\\Researchers will have access to the area to perform experiments and test different theories

IMMERSION: The reserve will be a place for individuals to come and immerse themselves in the outdoors with a guide to direct questions\\The reserve will be a place for people to come and hike through the natural landscape

37 research

TEACHING: The reserve will be used as a large classroom\\The reserve will allow students to expand their knowledge of the outdoors

HEAT ISLAND MINIMIZATION: Whereas many roofing options trap heat from the sun and radiate excessive heat into the atmosphere, light colored metal roofs reflect rather than absorb a large portion of sunlight back into the atmosphere, thereby significantly reducing the heat island effect. THIN FILM SOLAR ROOFING\\An alternative to conventional solar panels, thin film solar roofing provides a more aesthetically pleasing way to generate clean energy. EASE OF INSTALLATION: Panels install easily onto a standing seam metal roof by sitting flush on the surface between the seams of the roof. LIGHT WEIGHT: With reduced panel weight compared to conventional panels, structural loads on a building become significantly reduced. FIBER CEMENT SIDING\\This cost effective and attractive cladding solution utilizes Portland cement, fly ash, and wood fibers to replicate the look of solid wood with added benefits of improved durability, reduced maintenance, and better insulating qualities. Given its high use of recycled materials, this siding option proves to be an environmentally friendly choice. PROCELL BUILDING INSULATION\\This spray in insulation is comprised of recycled newspaper, adhesives, and fire retardants. The material dries quickly and is completely resistant to mold, insects, and rodents.

DURABILITY: Compared to conventional asphalt shingles which often require replacement in 15 to 20 years, metal roofs can easily last well over 50 years. Plus, when the roof does require replacement, the material can be recycled rather than sent to a landfill.

WATER EFFICIENCY\\With a growing shortage of water throughout California and the rest of the country, water conservation has become a necessity. By utilizing only low flow plumbing fixtures (sinks, showers, toilets, etc.), water consumption can be greatly reduced. Additionally, not all tasks require the use of potable water. Recycled water from showers, sinks, or washing machines can be used to flush toilets. Rain water storage basins provide a water source for landscaping.

39 research

STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF\\Available with a significant amount of recycled metal, standing seam metal roofs provide an earth friendly and aesthetically pleasing alternative to other roofing materials.

-TROP OILOF ttekcah .b anitsirhc 2102\\erutcetihcra fo rolehcab

latnemnorivne & erutcetihcra fo egelloc etats cinhcetylop ainrofilac\\ngised opsibo siul nas ,ytisrevinu

Christina Hackett
Christina Hackett

architecture portfolio of work at Cal Poly