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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Edutopia: Emily Kaplan Interviews Mo Willems on the Lost Art of Being Silly

One of the things I miss most about transitioning to my position as a STEM teacher is the books we would explore in our old Infotech program. Although Infotech was primarily focused on technology, classes were held in the library and worked in all types of literature.

Mo Willems was one of those authors whose we explored the most. The Knuffle Bunny books are great examples of mixed media and we would often copy his style as kids would create their own characters that they would place into a scene.

In a recent interview for Edutopia, former 2nd-grade teacher Emily Kaplan gets to the heart of what makes Willems tick, his view that parenting should be a license for us grownups to cut loose and be silly with our kids, and that ultimately he just wants his books and characters to be launching pads for kids to generate more ideas and more questions.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Music Review: Justin Bieber "Yummy" (Country Remix) with Florida Georgia Line

The Waffle House can make just about anything better, even a really bad Justin Bieber song.

I recently posted that this blog wasn't going to get hung up on the profound. Well, there is nothing profound about All Good Days' first song review.

One thing I love about Spotify is how it at least tries to put new music in front of me that I might actually enjoy. So, in my 5:00 AM-ish music browsing of recent releases, I came across Justin Bieber's "country remix" of Yummy with Florida Georgia Line.

As I began listening, I immediately had this "I have no idea what to do with this song" feeling. Before I got too deep into the remix, I had to go find the original so I would have some kind of comparison.

Okay, so....wow. Had I known anything about the original, I never would've clicked on the remix. Three things stick out here for me.

  1. Beebs....eat brah. Find some actual food that's yummy, yummy, yummy or let's get you to a weight room.
  2. Innuendo is supposed to be hidden at least a little bit. The kid ain't talking about food in this song and the Jello molds from the video are memorable...even if you don't want them to be.
  3. There's a major lyric in here about eyes rolling and toes curling that frankly I really didn't need to now have stored in my head...and the associated visuals...yikes.
Okay, so I am not a fan of the original...and the remix, well I am still torn. It feels like a movie one might describe as "so dumb it's actually funny". Maybe it's more like some terrible accident in the booze aisle at the grocery store. Either way, there is a part of me that can't look away and may have trouble not continuing to play it. Here's the remix as published on Florida Georgia Line's YouTube channel.

My initial reaction was: Just when you think this thing can't any worse, Bieber kicks off with a really, really bad Southern accent, accentuated with a total rip off of Larry the Cable and a "Git-r-done".

Image result for larry the cable guy get er done
Luckily this IS a collaboration with Florida Georgia Line and Tyler and Brian join in to rescue it the best they can. Like an evening out or a road trip south, everything gets better when you mix in the Waffle House as these lyrics help the song immensely.

"I've been up in Waffle House but you my Chick Fil A.
I've been into waffle fries since our first date.
Ain't got time for playin'. I'm gonna clean your whole plate.
(Girl, I'm gonna lick it up)"

Does that save it completely? No. The innuendo is still pretty strong but at least they actually mention some food in this one. I do find it a bit creepy where they talk about "saying grace" then follow it with:
"Let me slide on over, girl, and get a taste (Let's roll)".

Overall, this song is pretty entertaining, even if it's not quite in the way Beebs or the FlaGa Boys had intended. I imagine there will be more ventures into country collaborations for Bieber though. He has been on top of the country charts for weeks now with the very good 10,000 Hours collaboration with Dan + Shay. Justin has been represented by Scooter Braun since he was 12, and it is Braun who recently purchased Big Machine Records.  BMR has a whole stable of artists that could remix Bieber songs with him. Personally, I think the kid needs to spend some time with Cheap Trick.

Bottom line: Every day can be a good day but not every song can be a good song. With Florida Georgia Line's help, this one at least gets a little better. It might make your teenager gag like it did mine, or if Bieber's your thing, you might actually like it. It actually kinda beats a lot of stuff out there.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Let's KILL It This Week In The Classroom

You may not be a fan of former NFL coach Rex Ryan...or of any sport for that matter. His approach to working with players though is worth noting.

In current Mississippi State head football coach, Mike Leach's book Swing Your Sword, Leach explained that he would visit Ryan's practices as often as he could because of the simple way he approached all activities he asked his players to do.

While still in the NFL, Ryan worked off of the acronym "KILL", short for "Keep it likable and learnable." He believed that people achieve more when they are enjoying what they are doing and new things are presented in ways that promote their understanding.

I think that is a pretty good way to creating experiences for our students.

Unprofessional Engineering Podcast: STEM Teacher Janet Andrade

Jake and Luke from the Unprofessional Engineering Podcast have taught me all kinds of things like the ways the Mayans and Egyptians built their pyramids, all of the foods we have today thanks to the Chicago World's Fair, the beginnings of companies like Ford and Boeing. Recently, the guys introduced me to an amazing STEM teacher in Janet Andrade and a program from Chevron that is helping fund STEM projects in several communities.

Janet teaches 8th grade at Bud Carson Middle School in Hawthorne, California and is a former Project Lead The Way California Teacher of the Year. In the episode, she shares how she has been able to use funding from Chevron's "Fuel Your School" program to complete several Donors Choose projects. Not only are students doing amazing things in her classroom, but they are also going on to pursue high-level careers like in aerospace engineering.

Whether you are a STEM teacher or not, there is a little inspiration for everyone as Janet tells her story. Give it a listen.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

40 Years Ago Today: Do You Believe in Miracles? Yes!

Forty years ago, the most formative sporting event of a generation happened...and hardly anybody saw it live. Although the game was played at 5:00 Eastern, it was taped-delayed until ABC's coverage started at 9:00 PM Eastern.

I was a second-grader watching the Maple Valley Lions play basketball when word began to make its way through the Vermontville, Michigan gym that the impossible had happened. The upstart United States Olympic hockey team had upset the Soviet's Big Red Machine. Even though most Americans already knew the outcome, the replay became one the most-watched television programs of 1980.

Image result for miracle on ice
Team USA celebrates its win over the vaunted USSR - ESPN.com photo

The dobbers in America were pretty low before that hockey game. Iran held 52 Americans captive. The only thing higher than gas prices was the interest rate...and those same Soviets were a press of a button away from wiping us off the globe with a barrage of nuclear missiles. Then, The Red, White, and Blue won a hockey game and it changed everything. Instantly, a nation united and collectively picked its chin up as it watched its hockey team on Sunday beat Finland and win the gold.

One hockey game launched a whole new outlook on a new decade...and that was the real miracle.

Now thanks to YouTube, you can watch the whole thing anytime you want.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Google Ups Commitment to #CreateWithChrome

As more and more educators call on colleagues to find more ways for their students to use Chromebooks for creative purposes, the Google Mothership is taking steps to make that easier.

Recently Google posted on its Chromebooks in Education page, that a creative bundle will soon be available in the administrative console that features six apps aimed at students producing content and not just consuming it.

The recent additions are:
While there are tons of sites that foster creativity with Chromebooks, these six are a great start to add to the console. Check out my special page The Chromebook Creativity Project for even resources.

Six apps that allow kids to #CreateWithChrome will soon be available for installation via the admin console.

5 Things Today's New Teachers Will Never Understand

Last week, I saw this tweet and it got me thinking about how old I feel in the teachers' lounge when I make a reference to something from my youth and all I get are blank stares from the young teachers born in the late 1980s and '90s, like when I made a reference to the movie Stripes.

So, here are a bunch of other things from my youth they will probably never understand.

Image result for rolling stone U2 cover
5. How cool you felt reading Rolling Stone.  For me, there was just something really exciting about discovering new music before everybody else did. Plus, the writing on every subject in it was some of the best available. One of my favorites was PJ O'Rourke, a political satirist who became their foreign affairs lead. He actually came to Hillsdale and spoke about covering the Clinton presidency. It was before anybody knew who Monica Lewinsky was, but it was still tremendously memorable. Rolling Stone is still alive and I check-in online every once in a while but there was just something special about poring over an article on the emerging Seattle-sound or a hot new band and its upcoming tour.

4. McDonald's Birthday Parties. I am not sure what it was that made McDonald's so icky in the eyes of our youth. Back in the late '70s and early '80s though, having your birthday party at Mickey D's was a pretty rad experience. I still remember when the richest kid in 1st Grade, Chucky Shrader, had his 7th birthday blow-out at the Three Rivers, Michigan McDonald's. Mind you, this was even before they started building their PlayPlaces. It was just trays and trays of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, shakes, and whatever that orange un-carbonated drink is. It was such a big deal, the Three Rivers paper even published a blurb on the society page. My mom still has the clipping. Apparently one can still book birthday parties at McDonald's.
Bill Frakes Photo: © Laura Heald
Bill Frakes photo by Laura Heald

3. Getting Sports Illustrated every Thursday in the mail. Just like Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated was a huge part of my adolescent reading consumption. Growing up in the '80s as a sports fan meant you could always rely on there being a new issue of SI in your mailbox every Thursday afternoon. SI featured the best sportswriters in America and equally great photographers. This was before instant in-depth coverage of every sporting event on earth. ESPN Sportscenter was a part of my morning routine, but you were still basically limited to 90 seconds of highlights and a score. The three most fun hours of my professional life came in 2011 when I became an Apple Distinguished Educator and SI photographer Bill Frakes not only was on hand to shoot headshots of all of us, he took us out into the desert to learn the art of nighttime photography called light painting. The instruction was awesome but I also ended up riding out to and back from the Salt River with Bill and long-time associate Laura Heald. For two hours in the car, they told twenty years worth of SI photoshoot stores. The most memorable stories were Bill recalling when John McEnroe came over to the photo pit at Wimbledon and started drinking Frakes' Coke in the middle of the match and Laura describing Chinese government officials being less than thrilled with them during the Beijing Olympics for accessing restricted areas of the Great Wall. What I found most amazing was that I could describe a picture from 20 years ago and Bill and Laura could not only remember it, but tell me who took it, and often its backstory. Yes, SI still exists, but the thrill of its weekly arrival will never be the same.
 Green Bay Packers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers. © Bill Frakes/Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated delivered sports in HD before 1080p was a thing. Bill Frakes photo

2. These three Walmart brands were once the essence of cool. A little tear forms in the corner of my eye every time I am in Walmart.......and.....I see Ocean Pacific, Bongo, or Starter logos.

All three brands at one time were the gold standard of cool. OP burst on the scene in the early '80s as the popularity of surfwear grew. Growing up in Arizona meant we were the first stop eastward for trends coming out of California. Never before had I been such the envy of my Michigan cousins than when I came to visit in head-to-toe OP and they were scrambling in the Midwest to find stores that carried it. Even though the inseam length of OP corduroy shorts made them darn near obscene, they were insanely popular. So was Magnum P.I. and other than Larry Bird, nobody rocked the short shorts like Tom Selleck. Bongo Jeans was just one of many denim brands to be popular throughout the late '80s. At Casa Grande Union High School, the Bongo denim skirt was exceptionally well-liked from 1986 through the end of the decade. Starter came along at the end of the '80s and made an epic ascent in the world of NCAA and professional sports team apparel. As fans flocked to buy gear from establishment-challenging teams like UNLV, the LA Raiders, and Michigan's Fab Five, hip hop artists further fueled a craze by wearing Starter gear on stage, but especially in their music videos. Things got so intense that lives were even tragically lost in robberies involving Starter jackets. Popularity is terribly fickle and Walmart has long made it a practice to swoop in and buy once-popular yet struggling brands. The mega-chain slaps those labels on their own lines of apparel and the results are rarely pretty. Just look at how lame this current line of OP gear is.
If you were lucky enough to hang onto your original OP, Bongo, or Starter gear it could fetch you up to three-figures on the vintage market.

1. Junior high and dances in the dark. Maybe this one should just be the concept of "junior high" in general because the vast majority of U.S. school districts have switched to the middle school concept. Our junior high was just 7th and 8th grade as opposed to modern middle schools that span from grades five or six through eight. It was basically early high school. We started every day in homeroom and then switched for six more class periods just like a high school schedule. I am pretty sure that our current middle schools take better care of kids, but we sure felt like big shots getting our locker assignments and picking up our schedule of classes. The big time pep assemblies with the band playing and cheerleaders making a tunnel for us game-jersey-wearing football players were only topped by the Friday night dances...in the dark. I know that horrifies a lot of people to visualize 12 to 14-year-old trying to make "some front-page teenage news". Yes, most dances started out with girls on one side of the cafeteria staring across at the boys staring across at the girls but the right fast song like say, Prince's Let's Go Crazy, would get everybody on the floor. I can still remember the screams of girls running to the dance floor when they heard that organ and  "Dearly beloved-loved-loved...We are gathered here today..." Follow that up with a slow one like You're The Inspiration by Chicago and it would officially be a party. Maybe the concept of the junior high dance isn't that hard to fathom thanks to Stranger Things 2 and the excellent closing "Snow Ball" scene. The gym may have been a little over-decorated in the Netflix gem, but for the most part, producers really nailed the look and feel of the junior high dance.

Were there awkward and scary moments? Absolutely, but we all survived even when your huge crush ended up sneaking away to the baseball field bleachers with someone else. It's not like it still bugs me or anything, really.

Someday all of the new teachers will be the old coots in the lounge getting blank stares from the newbies every time they say something like, "I was so in love with Troy Bolton." or "I still have no idea how I ever taught the morning after that Lions Super Bowl parade." Okay, maybe that's a little too far-fetched.

Don't take this just as a "back in my day" post. Yes, it's full of nostalgia but think of it as a little bit of motivation to slow down and really enjoy the "now" because we don't naturally do that enough. I don't know who said it, but I recently heard somebody say, "Wouldn't it be great if when we were in the good old days, we knew they were the good old days?"

 Here's to making all days the "good old days".

Good Morning America...It's Friday

Throwing it back to 1992. Happy Friday!

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Free Writers' Mindsets with Design Thinking

When I was a kid there was no bigger buzzkill to my writing joy...and ego than the red pen of one Mrs. Pamela Runner at Cottonwood Elementary School in Casa Grande, Arizona. This was before the days of "writers workshop" and having kids make multiple revisions. Nope, wrong was just wrong and I took her grading pretty hard. Despite all of that I still get enjoyment from putting words together, but it would take me 35 years to really find what works for me.
Potter's Wheel by [Losik, Andy] In the early 2000s, I wrote a novel. It was a long process and nobody wanted to publish it, but I still had fun accomplishing a goal I had set somewhere in junior high or high school. You can even read Potter's Wheel for free at Amazon. Starting in 2011, I would go on to write another book, this time a biography of NFL offensive tackle Jared Veldheer. Stay in the Game was a joint venture with Jared's parents. They wanted to share their son's journey from brainy and awkward middle schooler to a 3rd round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders. They also wanted to give other parents of potential draft picks a bit of a roadmap. As an elementary teacher, I wanted it accessible to kids as well as general sports fans. Combining all of these "wants" was no easy task.
Right about the time we were trying to get Stay in the Game going, I began learning more and more about design thinking and looking at ways to teach it in the classroom. Instead of getting really caught up in the minutia of pure design thinking, I simplified it for my students.
  • Ask: What are we trying to solve or what are we trying to create? Who are we creating this solution or thing for? What already exists that is similar?
  • Imagine: What is possible? What's our dream result?
  • Plan: What's it going to take to accomplish the goal? Create a road map and a to-do list.
  • Create: Jump in and get putting together your best effort. Don't be afraid to guess at ways to do things.
  • Test: How does that first attempt's "prototype" perform? Look for little things to improve.
  • Fix: Re-engineer the failure-points or make changes to the solution or project that you feel makes it better.
  • Repeat: Fix and test. Test and fix until each little imperfection is polished away.
I can't tell you when it all "clicked" for me, but when I realized that if I approached this book project through a design thinking mindset, even the simplified version from the classroom, that I could write with a lot more clarity and a lot less self-imposed anxiousness over picking the write words on the first draft. Even though the book took way too long to complete, mainly because Jared kept achieving new things in his career, it really came together. Like EnVogue taught us back in the day, "Free your mind and the rest will follow".

This new approach to writing got me thinking about how we teach writing. Admittedly as a "specials teacher" I am pretty ill-informed when it comes to the specifics of how writing is being instructed in the classrooms around me. I hear things like "Lucy Calkins", "Teachers College", and "units of study" but I am not quite sure what any of those means. What I do know is that my colleagues teach their tails off and that our kids continue to improve, writing at impressive levels. I also know that regardless of the individual techniques, just about any writing instruction can benefit from a design thinking mindset. It just relieves so much pressure and it decreases the sensitivity to feedback. Kids will relate it to other fun activities that involve design thinking.

If you have never done any "D-thinking" with your students, it's easy. Seriously, just run a piece of fishline across your classroom and declare it a zip line and give them some parameters of what materials they can use to create a vehicle for it. We use Technic Legos but you can get inventive with any loose parts in your classroom. On a piece of paper have students write out their thoughts for the ask and imagine steps. Have them sketch a plan and then turn them loose to create. On the back of the paper have them make a log of all of the improvements. Pretty soon you will see a constant cycle of fix and test, fix and test. All you have to do next is show them that revising their writing is no different than revising whatever creation they sent down the zip line.

I just wish Mrs. Runner had known about design thinking back in 1981...or at least had strung a zip line across her classroom.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

All Good Days! Welcome to the Relaunch

I love to write. I love to create. I love to share things I love and I love to at least try to make people laugh.

I have had a blog in some form or another for at least 20 years but the thing that holds me back from writing more is that I've always felt it had to be something profound or earth shattering. Well, for this relaunch and my commitment to blog and share more I'm not going to let myself get hung up on being too profound.

The "All Good Days" concept started last winter while trying to shake off the long days of gray skies and cold. Dating all of the way back to junior high (1985ish) I have been obsessed with skate and surfware. My cousin Ben and I even had big dreams for "WayRad Skate Designs". Even though we never did anything with that, I actually sold jams shorts at school in 8th grade. I would pick out, pin, and cut the crazy material and my mom would sew them. I made enough money in a couple of months to cover my flight and the cost of attending Michigan's football camp. Fast forward 33 years and I started getting creative with designs and put a bunch of stuff up on CafePress. com in my own virtual surf shop. I also started an Instagram account designed at not just promoting the stuff for sale at CafePress but by sharing beautiful royalty-free photos of places sure to brighten any day.

So, today I am rolling all of these varied interests I have from teaching to graphic design, to music, to stuff I think is funny, to 80's and 90's nostalgia and basically giving the Internet all of me. I work hard to look at every day as a good day. I am so blessed by a wonderful family and the opportunity to teach STEM for 7 hours each day with joyous 5 to 10-year-old!

Here's to celebrating #AllGoodDays. I hope you'll check in often and more importantly I hope you find something that can make no matter what kind of day you're having, a good day.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Create Truly Authentic Learning with Google Tour Builder

My grandma is 98 and every second spent with her is special. About a year ago, she gave me something also very special. It was a book that had belonged to my grandpa Rex Cooper, who passed away nearly 23 years ago. It wasn't just any book either; it was a book awarded to him by the 103rd Cactus Division's 409th Infantry Regiment shortly after the end of World War II. That book in conjunction with Google's TourBuilder would, over the course of the next six months, provide me with one of the most authentic learning experiences of my life and allow me to deepen my love and respect for my grandpa decades after our last conversation.

Rex Cooper and the 409th Infantry in World War II - Tour Builder with Google

Like many veterans who served in the Pacific, Africa, and Europe during the war, my grandfather spoke little of his experiences. According to my grandma, the most he ever opened up about his time in the Army was when he was a guest speaker in history classes for both my sister and me. This small 75-year-old hard-bound book called The 409th Infantry in World War II  (also accessible digitally) is a day-by-day retelling of arduous marches, fierce fighting, heartbreak, and triumph. It essentially tells the story for all of the vets who found it too painful to do so themselves.

I absolutely devoured every account and dug deep into the web for more information on each location, battle and other Army divisions referenced. What allowed me to organize links, photos, videos, and locations was TourBuilder. It was fascinating to find in the French mountains, the actual hairpin turn being used as a German road that is referenced in the text of the book.

Not only did this project draw me closer to my grandpa's journey through Europe, it tremendously deepened my understanding of World War II and other heroes from other brigades who fought alongside the 409th at times. One such group was known as Patton's Panthers.

From my tour: Joining the 103rd at Reisdorf was Charlie Company of the 761st Tank Battalion. This all-African American unit of tank commanders proved to be some of the best of the best despite having to endure tremendous prejudice along the way. As Charlie fought with the Cactusmen, more companies of the 761st would soon join them.

Because TourBuilder allows for the inclusion of media, I was able to include the following YouTube video to better tell the story of the Panthers and how important they were, not only in assisting the 409th but also in their total contribution to the victory over Nazi Germany.

There were many late nights this summer as each segment of the book opened up another deep dive into events of 75 years ago. It is one thing to get lost down a rabbit hole of something on the Internet. It sure feels a lot more worthwhile when that rabbit hole is your own family's history. Even at 48 years old, I was able to experience some of the most authentic learning of my lifetime.

Just think about all of the authentic learning experiences that we can foster for kids by combining their own personal history with Google's TourBuilder. Many other regiments created similar accounts documenting their soldiers' time in the war and many of those can be found in digital form across the web. Students with great grandparents who served can create the same kind of tour I did. What if students traced their ancestors' journeys to America with TourBuilder? Think about how powerful and empowering it would be for a student new to the United States to tell their journey's story in TourBuilder.

As digital tools continue to evolve, TourBuilder with Google is one that can be utilized to create deep and truly authentic learning experiences.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Making a Difference with VAEI Blue Apple's "What's In Your Water?"

Recently my 4th graders at Blue Star Elementary school completed the "What's in your water?" project-based learning unit.

Students learned about and traced our local watershed and the drain that empty our school parking lot leads to Lake Michigan. They tested several local bodies of water and learned about water scarcity on the Navajo Indian Reservation. As a culminating challenge, students created a fundraiser to support DigDeep and the Navajo Water Project. Students even planned and hosted a full-school kickoff assembly to raise awareness that people in the United States struggle to have access to water. In the end, Blue Star raised $275 for the charity.

As a teacher, I would highly recommend exploring this and other Blue Apple units of study from Van Andel Education Institute. Not only are the units well written and come with a full set of supplies, but the real-human support that Van Andel provides teachers using their curricula is tremendous.

Check out the video shot and produced by VAEI. The video really makes me proud to step back and not just think about the content mastered by these kids but the ways in which we see them interacting and going about that learning.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Send kids on a big city scavenger hunt with Google Earth

One of the most fun and engaging activities I have developed this school year is the "Big City Scavenger Hunt" in Google Earth. Basically I give students ten things to locate in a given city and they can use all of the tools within Google Earth find them. A Google Slides document is used for curating each found item in the form of a screenshot and a location.

As a way to get to know New York City for an upcoming cardboard skyscraper construction project, teams took on the challenge pictured above.

You can make your own copy of the template slide by clicking here. You'll be able to changes the items to find and make it for any city you'd like.

I tried to use a combination of ones that could be simply searched like "baseball stadium" but also included some that will really pull at reasoning like "Where in New York City are we going to find a ranger from the National Parks Service?". Some are just totally random like "hot dog cart" that they just have to get lucky searching the streets...although hot dog carts in Manhattan are pretty easy to spot.

There are a ton of curricular adaptations that can be made from this one simple activity:

  • When studying states in a region, simply duplicate the first slide several times, make each one a different capital city of a state in that region and have kids divide and conquer using the Iron Chef Eduprotocol. While we are talking Eduprotocols, have groups create a CyberSandwich to compare and contrast their cities and then compare and contrast things other regions found.
  • Use the same idea above but have kids explore regions of the world or countries that make up a continent.
  • Make the scavenger hunt about famous landmarks around you. Instead of recording the address or location, have them list historical importance.
  • Search for evidence of different biomes or landforms around the globe.
From Young Fives through fourth grade, there really isn't an app that is more universally (pun unavoidable) beloved than Google Earth. My students are enthralled every time they get to explore. It's an easy hook and a great way to make them deeper thinkers and digital explorers.

This activity works well on both Chromebooks and iPads.


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text:
December 28, 2009

This prayer is from a StandFirm post on the affiliation of TEC with RCRC, a subject of great anguish for me. When I hurt, I write prayers. I don’t know if this makes sense. The best way I can explain it is that the closer I draw to God, the less conscious I am of the anguish.

Jeremiah 31:11-12 (NLT)
For the Lord has redeemed Israel
from those too strong for them.
They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.
They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts–
the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil,
and the healthy flocks and herds.
Their life will be like a watered garden,
and all their sorrows will be gone.

My joy is in You, Father. From my mustard seed of faith, O kingdom of heaven, take root in my spirit. O river of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, water my seed of faith. O tree of life, grow.

My joy is in You, Jesus, and my times are in Your hands. Like Zaccheus climbing the sycamore tree to get a clearer view of You, I climb out of my circumstances to look into Your face. I rest on that well-watered tree of life and eat its ripe fruit, a different fruit in each season. I lean over and drink of the water of life. I brush against the leaves and am healed, a different healing from each leaf.

My joy is in You, Holy Spirit, and I come to Your kingdom. Like the birds of the air lodging in a great mustard tree, I sing.

Mark 10:13-16

December 28, 2009

Then they brought little children to him, that he might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. (Mark 10:13)
      Father, please help us welcome families with young children.

But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14)
      Jesus, help us do what pleases you.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” (Mark 10:15)
      Holy Spirit, help those parishes repent that value having elaborate music programs more than little children with their noise and confusion.

And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:16)
      Jesus, help us bless what you bless and shun what you shun. Thank you.

      A word received: You are in my care; look to me for each day’s bread and provision.

Holy Innocents: December 28: 2, 26 or 19,126; Isaiah 49:13-23 or Isaiah 54:1-13; Matthew 18:1-14 or Mark 10:13-16
Dec. 29: 18:21-50; 2 Samuel 23:13-17b; 2 John 1-13; John 2:1-11

Albany Intercessor

Adoration x 7

December 28, 2009

A collection of seven of my prayers of adoration from the past year. JW

O Lamb that was slain
With head full-crowned,
Your eyes full-discerning
My heart full-sinned.
By Your blood full-poured out
Make my heart full-renewed.
May my praise full-resound
To the fullness of I AM.

O Lord, so much life saved at a window!
Noah released the dove through a window in the ark to discern whether he could go forth on the earth. Rahab let a scarlet cord out of her window to save all the members of her father’s household. Michal let David out a window in their home so that he could escape death at King Saul’s hand. Paul escaped the governor of Damascus through a window in a basket let down by the wall. Eutychus fell a great distance from a window to his death, but Paul threw himself on him, put his arms around him, and brought him back to life.
May my love for You open the window of my mind, my will, and my emotions to Your Holy Spirit.
We see through a glass darkly. Open the window of my soul to the illumination of the mind of Christ. In Him there is no darkness at all. He is the Truth. O Lord, prop the window open that I may continue in His word.
By the grace of Christ Jesus, open the window of my soul to Your light, Your love, Your glory. You are my heart’s desire. Amen.
Genesis 6:16, Joshua 2:16-21, 1 Samuel 19:12, 2 Corinthians 11:33, Acts 20:9, John 8:31-32

O Lord,
You speak and the firmament of heaven comes forth. You determine the number of the stars and call each one by name. Your word creates the light and mass, identity and relationship of 40,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars. O God of abundance, Source of all blessing, we praise You. Amen.
Genesis 1:14, Psalm 147:4, Isaiah 40:25-26

Dear Lord,
When Jacob saw Rachel, his heart was so transformed by his love for her, a huge stone proved no barrier to uncovering the well of water. When he served Laban seven years for Rachel, they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Oh, that our love for You would prove so passionate–that our love would transform our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and uncover wells of living water. Oh, that our days would be so filled with adoration that time would loose its grip on our our imaginations. Creator of heaven and earth, of space and time, may we live and move and have our being in You. Amen.
Genesis 29, Ezekiel 36:26, Acts 17:28

O Lord Jesus,
You walk through the firmament of heaven, sowing stars and galaxies, and over the earth, scattering life in Your wake. Before Your resurrection You walked on water, and after You walked through walls.
Yet in all of Your grandeur, You chose to walk on the dusty roads of Palestine, in the busy marketplaces, and into the homes of fishermen and tax collectors.
We are not worthy, Lord, but we thank You. We join our voices with the hills and valleys, the meadows and the firmament of heaven, and sing praise to Your name. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. Amen.
Psalm 65:11-13, 104:1-3

Christ Jesus,
Our identity is in You. You made us. You redeemed us. You are saving us. We are not defined by our triumphs; nor by our disasters. Our identity is in You. You are the Alpha and the Omega, our sure and certain hope, and our anchor in the storm. Amen.

O Lord,
Would that my spirit was one with Yours.
Would that I had the courage of the lion, the vision of the eagle, the strength of the ox, and the heart of a man.
Would that I did as You commanded, without turning to the right or the left.
Would that the light of Christ shone so brightly in my life, it touched other peoples’ hearts.
Would that my Spirit was one with Yours. Amen.
Ezekiel 1:10-13

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A Poem for Good Friday – Amy Carmichael: Lest We Forget

April 3, 2015

I know I p0sted this last year, but I think it is my favorite Good Friday poem of all time. We have so many questions, there is so much we don’t understand about suffering and pain, but Calvary has the power to still all our questions with the truth that Christ suffered more than we ever will, and in His death is our life.

Lent & Beyond

I’ve been re-reading a bunch of Amy Carmichael’s poetry from her books Toward Jerusalem, and Mountain Breezes, this Lent.  Here’s one of her poems that’s appropriate for Good Friday.  I particularly like the last line… it reminds me to pray for those who are lost and wandering, that they would find their home, rest and joy in Christ.  How incredible that Christ’s pain was for our joy, and His death became our life – fullness of life for now and eternity.

Home of our hearts, lest we forget
What our redemption meant to Thee,
Let our most reverent thoughts be set
Upon Thy Calvary.

We, when we suffer, turn and toss
And seek for ease, and seek again;
But Thou upon Thy bitter cross
Wast firmly fixed in pain.

And in our night star-clusters shine,
Flowers comfort us, and joy of song;
No star, no flower, no song was Thine,

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Men chanting and singing during a church ceremony in Lalibela

I’ve now spent about three weeks in Ethiopia and one thing is for sure.  This is unlike any country I have been to in Africa.  It is a confounding place – it is both claimed to be more purely African than any other nation – since it is the only country on the dark continent that managed to escape the atrocities and impacts of European colonization.  On the other hand, it doesn’t feel like Africa at all – at least, to me.  So, I must state as my opening caveat to this post – these are merely my opinions and my impressions of this – my 21st African country.  Other tourists here may have totally different experiences, in fact, I hope they do.  These are just my own personal experiences, and I grant you – they might have felt different if this were the only country I was visiting on this trip.  Since we came here after having spent almost two months in West Africa, it was far easier to compare the people with those we had just had experience with.

Ethiopia is a staggeringly beautiful country – the geography is interesting and diverse and the history is rich and there is so much to learn and see for a history lover. It is an archaeologist’s paradise – ancient civilizations that have only just started to be excavated.  The potential for tourism, therefore, is immense and from what I can tell – there is an established tourist circuit in the north, and wherever we traveled – we met a lot of tourists.

Having said all of that – I would recommend to anyone wanting to visit Ethiopia to consider coming here on a package tour that is organized and paid for by a western company – OR – be prepared to need nerves of steel.  In order to fully appreciate each and every day, it is important to have a “separation” from needing to deal with local tour operators, guides, and almost any type of service staff.  The reason for this is there is more hassle, difficulties, price-gouging, unfair treatment, lying and horrible service here than anywhere else I have traveled.  Some of it, of course, can be attributed to the language barrier – but this does not explain all of it.

Stunning landscapes and beauty of Ethiopia

Before I launch into descriptions of the struggles Mike and I have faced, I would like to point out that we did have a handful of positive local interactions.  Our driver in Tigray was a 22 – year old called Sneetchie (spelling?) and though he didn’t speak English, he was always cheerful and helpful.  In the Danakil, our driver was the exact opposite of everything I’m going to describe here – but to the extreme.  Sisay, constantly asked if we were okay, did we want the windows down or AC?  Did we want to stop for a photo?  When we responded, he would verify our answer by re-asking the same question 3 or 4 times.  It was overkill – but at the very least, he was extremely caring.  I will give him a great review on Trip Advisor – because these two individuals were absolutely the exceptions to the general rule.

Just last night, at our hotel in Bahir Dar, I decided to order the same dinner I’d had the night before because it had been so delicious.  It was a chicken breast with a mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes.  The meal arrived but it was a chicken thigh and leg served with rice.  Looking at the menu, it was a totally different meal.  The waiter came over and I asked if it would be possible for him to bring me some mashed potato?  He said “of course” and went away.  Fifteen minutes later, a woman arrived (who I presumed is the restaurant manager) and asked me “what is the problem?”  I said, “there is no problem, it’s just that I got a different dish to what I ordered and could I have some potato?”  She pointed at the menu and told me that I had the dish I ordered.  I said, “no” – this isn’t a chicken breast.  To which, she responded “Yes, this is chicken breast – it has just been flattened out.”  I laughed because I thought she must be joking.  “No, this can’t be a chicken breast because there are bones.”  “No bones, madam.” “Yes, bones…look!” I said, holding the chicken leg up for her to see, “…this is a chicken leg, right?”

“No,” she replied, “this is not a chicken leg. It is breast.”

This went on for a few hilarious minutes while she continued to deny that what I had on my plate was a chicken’s thigh and leg.  I told her I didn’t care about the chicken (I had only wanted some mashed potatoes instead of rice) but what I did care about was her lying to my face that the chicken leg was breast meat.

She simply didn’t care, and walked away.  The waiter also just walked away.

I sighed and ate my meal.  Then, without being told anything, 20 minutes later a fresh plate of food arrives – and it is the dish I had ordered and the one I’d eaten the night before.  Of course, now, I wasn’t hungry – just exasperated.  I thanked the waiter and told him that next time, it might be a good idea to TELL the customer that you are planning to replace a dish.

Traditional Ethiopian coffee being served street-side

This is an extreme example, but Mike and I experience hassle and trouble here with logistics and site-seeing on a daily basis.  Vendors pester us with a persistence that is mind-numbing – you can say “no” 15 times and they still come after you to buy whatever it is that they’re selling – even super strange things like, in Axum, a round rock split in two filled with purple-looking gemstones.  Or wooden flutes.  Or strange-looking hats with a giant pointy bobble on top that we are told are “traditional Ethiopian hats” – yet we haven’t seen a single person wearing them other than the vendor pressuring us to buy them.

Even with the kids.  We have come across kids selling items and/or begging all across West Africa.  Here, they follow you, not taking no for an answer.  It goes like this: “Sir, you buy?  I give you good price?  Please.  Sir, you buy?  You want this?  Sir?  Madam?  Where you from?  You have pen?  Give me pen.  Pen. Pen.  I want pen.  Money.  Give me money.  Hey, money!  You.  You.  You give me pen?  Money. Pen. Pen. Pen.  Sweets?  You have sweets?  Madam, Madam, Madam….” This entire time, you’ve been walking away, fast, and they keep up with you, not tiring out.  I have had to take to stopping, looking them in the eye, and yelling “NO!!!!!” to get them to stop.  The other day, while visiting the Blue Nile Falls, a young girl no older than six, actually hit me in the legs with her bag of wooden flutes when I told her “sorry” but that I didn’t want to buy one.  Mike had rocks thrown at him.  Today, a school boy hit me in the small of my back as I rode past him on a bicycle.  It is really, really sad situation – that I’m actually afraid of groups of children here.

Thank God for Mike – he saved me from most of the hassle and dangers I would have faced if traveling here solo

As for issues with money and pricing for all things needed to see this country – I don’t even know where to begin.  As a foreigner, we are called “Faranji” (or even more hilariously, “China”) and everywhere you go, service providers will name a sky-high price that is sometimes 3 or 4 times what the standard price for a service should be, just on the off-chance that you don’t know this and you’re a stupid tourist who will fall for the quote.  In Lalibela, I was quoted 100 Birr for a tuk-tuk ride that I knew to be 30.  In Gonder, we wanted to buy a beanie hat for the mountains, and they asked us for 700 Birr.  That’s over $25!   We laughed and walked away.

While visiting the Rock-Hewn churches of Tigray, we negotiated with a scout who told us we needed his services to get up the steep trail to the church Abuna Yemal.  Our driver had told us we should pay no more than 100-150 birr in total.  This scout tried to charge us 300, but we managed to negotiate him down to 200 birr, with him explaining that entrance to the church was separate at 150 Birr each.  After carefully repeating this back and confirming that there would be no additional fees or costs, we agreed to head on up the trail.  At which point he asked us if we wanted him to bring a rope?

“A rope?  What for?  Do we need it?” we asked.

“If you want, I can bring” his response.

“But will we need it?”

“It’s up to you.”

“But we haven’t seen the trail – do most tourists use the rope?”

“Some do, some do not.”

“Ok, well, then, let’s bring it and then we will have it if we need it.”

“Then that is extra 100 Birr.”

“Oh. Isn’t it your rope?”

“No, you have to rent the rope.  It’s 100 Birr.”

Mike and I look at each other, exasperated.

“Ok, but if we pay you another 100 Birr, that is EVERYTHING, right?”

“Yes. Everything”

So.  We pay him the 100 Birr for the rope and move to get going.  He then stops and says:

“No, it’s 100 Birr EACH to use the rope.”

“What on earth?  Why would it be 100 each?  It’s one rope!  You said we have to rent a rope. You can’t charge per person for a rented rope! That’s just ridiculous.”

“You pay each…”

Me, ascending sans rope to the Rock Hewn church of Abuna Yemal

And so it went on.  Mike walked away, his energy for talking to this guy having evaporated.  I told the guy, we’d pay for the rope, and I would see if I needed to use it.  In the end, I climbed without the rope and Mike used it, however, the whole “rope rental” cost was a total fabrication because our scout LEFT the rope up there for other tourists to use who came by.  Other clients who shared our car in the Danakil told us they were charged 150 birr each for the rope going to this church.  It feels like those who work with tourists simply pull prices out of the sky whenever it suits them – depending on just how much they think they might get away with charging.

So, you can see, it is quite tiring having to negotiate for each and every little thing.  Everything is a discussion.  Everything.  Nothing is simple.  Nobody ever apologizes.  Ever.

We have had some very shady/incompetent/mendacious tour guides during our time here.  The owner of the tour operator we booked with to go to the Simiens got into an argument with me when he claimed that almost no-one ever suffered symptoms of altitude sickness while hiking to 4500 meters – I told him that not only was he wrong, but that saying that to less experienced hikers could actually be dangerous.  On our first night – over half of our camp had symptoms of AMS.  The same guy who promised our main luggage would be stored safely for us and returned to us, at no additional cost per his website (our trip cost us $300 each) – had the audacity to yell at me on the phone and tell me that he had never claimed our bag storage would be free and that we would have to pay 120 birr to the hotel manager to get them back.  He had never mentioned this additional cost and we were lucky that we had spare cash on hand at the end of our 4 day trek – but seriously?  Why would you argue with a client who’s just paid you $600 for a four-day tour over $4?  On the last day when we were scorched, dirty and exhausted?

On our boat trip to the Zege Peninsula in Bahir Dar – we negotiated to pay 1500 birr to visit two monasteries on the peninsula, then visit one of the islands, and the outlet to the Blue Nile on the way back.  After we’d finished the second monastery- our boat captain informed us we were “going back to hotel now” – and when we pointed out that we’d only covered ½ of our promised itinerary, he rolled his eyes and started getting pissy.  We called our hotel, who had arranged the trip, and explained that if we were going to be taken directly back, we wanted a discount (thank goodness I had refused to pay the full 1500 Birr before the trip, stating that a tourist typically pays for a day trip at the end.  They finally agreed to letting me pay 1000 up front and I would owe 500 at the end.)

Me and our lovely driver, Sissay, in the Danakil Depression

At this point, the trip was ruined anyways and we didn’t want to visit any more places with a boat captain in a foul mood.  The guy from our hotel asked to speak to the boat captain who proceeded to start yelling into the phone for a good five minutes while we tried to calmly enjoy a coffee at a tranquil lakeside location.  After giving us the phone back, our hotel person said that there was “no problem, and he would take us to all the promised places now, no problem” to which we explained that “yes, there was a problem in that we didn’t sign up to have to listen to him arguing about giving us the service we’d agreed upon.”  There was more yelling and calls back and forth, and we had to insist he just take the boat directly back to the hotel, whereupon we got out giving him 300 Birr less for the hassle we’d suffered.

In the Danakil, we stayed for one night in a hotel, and after several days in the hot dusty desert, I was eager to take a shower.  I didn’t have a towel with me as we’d been told we’d be camping for each of the 3 nights.  But the hotel gave us a double room, which, unfortunately, only had one towel on the bed.  I took the towel to the manager, and asked if I could possibly get another towel?  He said he would go get one for me.

Half hour later, I still didn’t have a towel.  I went out of the room looking for the manager.  I spoke to five housekeepers, showed them the towel, and asked for another towel.  “You want water?”  “No, just a towel.  A TOWEL.”

Five women commence a long and loud conversation in Amharic.  It goes on and on and on and on.  Eventually, they point me to the restaurant where I see the manager sitting and eating a meal and having a beer.  All five women follow me into the restaurant.  I ask the manager for a towel, again.  He just stares at me.

Then, his phone rings.  He leans back in his chair and takes the call, completely ignoring me.  I look at the women, who start to laugh.  I ask them again, pleading, “Please?  May I have a towel?”  One of them says “Office is closed.”

Oh, God.

I’m about to lose it, when a GUEST of the hotel who has observed this whole fiasco, gets up from his meal, apologizes to me, says something to the douchebag still on his phone, then something to the five housekeepers still standing there gawking at me and laughing, and proceeds to go behind the counter of the reception, grabs a key hanging from a hook, saying “Come with me.”

We walk down the hall to another hotel room, he unlocks the door, grabs the towel from the bed and hands it to me.  I thank him profusely.

Guys being guys in Ethiopia – Friday night cuddles in the bar

These situations – unfortunately, have become very common interactions for us as independent travelers.  The bigger downside, is, however, that I feel I have my back up, and I’m already on the defensive whenever someone approaches us, or offers us a good price for something we are actually interested in doing.  When most of your experiences with vendors is bad, one can’t help tensing up, anticipating getting lied to or ripped off.  The problem then becomes that I can inadvertently come across as hostile or nasty to someone who genuinely wants to help.  I admit that – the effect of this daily hassle has been cumulative and I’ve almost reached my breaking point.

It is a real shame, because as I said earlier, this is a stunning country with so much that is worthwhile to see and visit.

That covers what it feels like to be here in Ethiopia as a tourist. Let me tell you a little bit about how it feels to be here as a woman.  First, I have been hassled, ogled, stared at, whistled at, called after, yelled at, and grabbed (once) during my three weeks here.  It has been the worst in terms of unwanted male attention compared with anywhere else in Africa.  I get this attention even when I am out with Mike walking along the street together.  If I am separated from him, it gets much worse – to the point that I would probably advise any white woman thinking of traveling to Ethiopia alone – to not.  I even got hassled when riding a bike today.  Almost every 20 meters, a guy or group of guys would call out, ask me where I was from, tell me I was beautiful, stare and say “hey, Baby!”, and the funniest of all…every tuk tuk would pull over next to my bike, even on a crowded bridge where driving close to a bike could be dangerous, and the driver would try and get my attention in any way possible.

It is exhausting and a little unnerving, even if it is flattering – which I’m not even sure about.

The shirt I should have worn every day in Ethiopia to ward off unwanted male attention

I was grabbed in a park a few nights ago in Bahir Dar and the guy said he wanted to spend the night with me and would I let him bite my butt?  I mean, what the hell? Luckily, I swiveled around kicking him and told him to “fuck off” sharply and loudly enough that he let go – but it was in a crowded place and no one even noticed.

From Gonder to Debark, from Axum to the Danakil – everywhere we went – whether in the cities or in rural areas (though it is worse in rural areas) – men are abundant in number, be it on the street, in restaurants, bars or cafes.  Men are everywhere.  Women ? – not so much.  Yes, there are a few, and definitely more in the markets selling goods.  But for the most part there are at least 10-15 men out to every 1 woman.  In Debark, we went out to the bars after our hike through the Simiens and got to witness the famous “shoulder dancing” of the north – but it felt super strange to me because all the men were only dancing with other men.  Some even “coupled up” and never once broke eye contact as they gyrated their shoulders and bodies in time with one another.  I asked our guide where all the women were – he remarked that since the next day marked the first day of their 55-day fasting schedule – the women were probably at home preparing food for the family and caring for the kids.  Whatever the reason, women simply are not out in public as much.

Men getting it on, I mean “dancing”, on the dancefloor in Debark

Incidentally, the shoulder dancing is really something to see.  It reminds me of “pop and lock” dance – which I’m sure was influenced by this very traditional form of dancing.  When it is just guys – like it was that night in Debark – I find it altogether very strange.  And, of course, it just looks so different to me as dancing is such a culturally below-the-waist activity (for me) – and in Northern Ethiopia, the movement is concentrated above the waist.  We did go see some traditional dancing in Bahir Dar and this was far more enjoyable to watch – the movements are so intricate and fast it almost defies belief.  I will try to upload some video to YouTube! so you can see what I’m talking about.

The country as a whole is predominantly Christian and very very religious at that.  Women, however, are even kept seated in a whole other section of the church during mass, many churches don’t allow women inside (because they might be menstruating – oh the horror!!!) and choirs that sing during mass are all made up of men only.  So, there’s discrimination even in the practicing of their faith.

In Mekele, after our trip to the Danakil, I went to get a haircut and met a group of six female students from the university there.  One of them spoke very good English and asked me what my general impression of Ethiopia had been.  When I mentioned this lack of women, and also how men had treated me here – she immediately sympathized and nodded with understanding.  She agreed that a female is still treated as a second class citizen in much of the country – but she was positive that change was coming.  She explained that a large portion of girls, especially those in the countryside, don’t get educated much past the age of 12 and often are married and starting a family by the time they are 14 or 15 years old.  She said that many women just accept what men expect of them – that they belong inside the house and nowhere else.  Again, she said she was happy to be getting her masters’ degree because it meant she at least had the chance of getting her own job so that she wouldn’t have to get married just to be supported.  We talked about how educating girls was the key to progress – and she assured me that even though it was difficult, women were starting to be able to compete for jobs.  Twenty years ago, she said there were almost no jobs available to women.

I hope she was right and that things are improving for women here.

Yummy traditional food

On a final note – I’d like to tell you about the food here.  For the most part, it has been quite delicious, though typically very hot & spicy – notably our first meal in Gonder at a restaurant called the Four Sisters – it was a vast array of traditional foods like Ndjera that was served with Lamb Tibs, lots of different sautéed vegetables and a variety of side dishes.  However, on the day after we completed our trek through the Simiens – Ethiopian Christians began their 55-day Fast for Easter/Lent – and this meant that many restaurants now would only serve “fasting food” – which is a paradise for vegans or vegetarians because all the dishes did not contain any animal products whatsoever.  So, no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no butter.  Meaning, rather bland vegetable based dishes only.  As a consequence, we have had to seek out non-fasting restaurants or stick to more touristy places where we can satisfy the unavoidable cravings for food from home, such as pizza or a burger.

Oh!  You can buy delicious juices everywhere here too – that has been a huge hit with Mike and I.  We love the avocado, guava, mango and banana combinations!

Coffee has a very long history here, and it is served everywhere on the street and at makeshift huts lined with grass on the floor and always a little stool where a woman boils the coffee in a traditional pot over hot charcoal before pouring out an espresso sized blackest of black liquids into a tray of waiting cups.  I’ve grown more accustomed to taking one of these strong black coffees in the afternoon, but in the morning, I still crave my coffee a little less strong (I just add hot water) and with some milk.

It has been quite a feat trying to get all 3 items in the morning when we aren’t at a hotel serving a breakfast buffet.  I bought packets of powdered milk which I use sometimes, but even in a 4-star international hotel, when I ask for one coffee, and some hot water on the side – the servers just stare at me and begin a debate with all of their co-workers that lasts at least 15 minutes.  Eventually someone brings me a coffee and then I pour it into my to-go bottle and ask again, with different hand gestures for more water?  They just stare at me and laugh.  What is this woman doing with her coffee? – they must be thinking.   Hahahaha…I guess it would be easier for me just to learn to take my coffee strong and espresso sized.

My remedy at the end of a day being a woman and a tourist in Northern Ethiopia

The language barrier has also been difficult – moreso with guides who claim they can speak “very good English” but, as it turns out, they can speak English but they cannot understand it spoken to them, and cannot answer the simplest of questions.  So, communication has been a little bit of a struggle.  My favorite exchange was in Bahir Dar with the aforementioned mean boat driver (before he got mean).  I asked him where he lived, and his response was simply:


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Luxury Men’s Hair & Beard Shampoo To wash hair, only a small application is required for an exceptional wash. Wet hair, apply the shampoo, rinse. Repeat if desired. Please note that the shampoo is suitable to use daily as a beard wash. Men's Hair & Beard Oil infused with Intense Oud Apply 6 pumps 3x per week on dry hair and scalp, massage well and leave overnight.Wash and condition as normal the following morning. We recommend that you use the Anne's Shampoo and Conditioner. Once towel dried your hair and beard, apply 1 pump of the oil on damp hair and style/groom as normal. On damp beard, apply 1 pump of the oil, massage well and groom your beard as normal.

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Picacho Peak Hike: December 30, 2016

The view of Picacho Peak heading west on I-10.  Like most peaks it looks different depending on the viewing angle.  This is the most dramatic view.

As we approached the entrance gate to Picacho Peak State Park a nice twenty something ranger greeted us. “Good afternoon, do you have a reservation?” “Yes, Harris, site B-4, two nights.” “Hold please,” a few moments later, “Got it, please hang this from your rear view mirror, and here’s a brochure.” Looking for something to do in the afternoon I asked, “Do you have any hikes here?” He lit up with that question. “Oh yes, my favorite is Hunter Trail.  It’s two miles to the summit.  There are cables but they are mostly for balance so bring gloves.  I did it with my buddies from college just yesterday, on my day off of course. Let me show you where it is on the map.”

As we were driving to our site we decided that sounded like a nice little afternoon hike.   Next thing you know it was 3pm and I said, “We better get going or we’ll be chasing daylight.” So we gave chubby Sara a kong with kibble and peanut butter, jumped in the truck, and drove the mile to the trailhead.  We filled our camelbacks, grabbed our biking gloves, and started hiking.

Here’s the view of the peak from the Hunter Trail trailhead.

We were less than a half mile into the hike and we started seeing cables.  We didn’t put on our gloves, hell we didn’t even grab the cable.  I’m thinking what’s the big deal, granted it’s steep and the quads are getting worked, but there’s no need to use the cables.

This is after the initial cables.  And about when Amelia let out a “Damn, I have my zumba shoes on, not my hiking ones.”  I’m thinking how many shoes do you have…

The view of I-10 before the saddle.

The mass majority never make it to the peak.  They turn around at the saddle when they see you have to suddenly descend a long way with cables, and then obviously go up again to get to the peak.  We started the initial descent, but yielded to an energetic 12 year old kid who was coming up.  Wondering what lies ahead, we asked the kid.  He responded all wild-eyed, “Craziest hike ever, good luck.  Some parts are straight up and super scary, good luck, good luck.”  Five minutes later we ran into his parents.  My thoughts were, ok, if they did it we certainly can, even if they are twenty years younger!

The descent brings you down the backside to this intersection.  Now the fun begins.

Fun?  Amelia is seriously pondering turning around.  As you go up you can’t help but to think, damn I have to go down this.

Nice little healthy grove of saguaros between the two steep cabled sections.

Here’s the next precarious section.  And this picture does not give you the true steepness.

The catwalk.  White knuckling the cable.

Southern view, still not at the top yet.

We are finally getting close to the peak and both pondering how we are going to get down.  Do you go down backwards like on a ladder?  One more corner, here we go, the summit!  And bam!  All I see is a big breast full of milk with a 6 month old latched on.  We both try to be polite and look away.  Mom continues to milk and starts chatting us up.  So does the father of her child.  What a couple they were!  It’s just another day for them.  They do the hike all the time.  Last year before the kid, they summited with all three of their dogs, not little dogs, big dogs.  He would load one dog up at a time on his back, get through the treacherous cables and catwalk, go back down to get the next dog, then repeat again. Holy f’n cow!

View of the Catalina Mountains from the summit.

Photo courtesy of the guy that puts dogs on his back and summits.

Ominous clouds in the south.  The dogs on his back guy takes nice photos.

He also likes stacking cairns!

And now it’s time to descend.

Being limber and strong helps. There’s a lot of stretching to reach the next foothold.

The descent was easier than our minds worked it up to be, but it was still scary steep.

Luckily it was dead calm.  Strong winds would have really scared the poop out of us!

Chasing daylight!  We are off of the steep descent, up next the steep ascent to the saddle.

Amelia and her zumba shoes, pulling on the cable up to the saddle.

It was dark when we finally got down.  It’s been about twenty years since I did Angel’s Landing in Zion.  My recollection isn’t totally clear, but this hike seemed a lot more difficult and hairy.  The peak is only 3,374 ft, but can be seen from downtown Tucson 45 miles away.  Total elapsed time for the less than 4 mile hike was 2 hours and 40 minutes, with 2,403 ft of elevation gain.  Once a peak has been summited you look at it in a totally different light.  Doesn’t matter the peak, Whitney, White, Elbert, even Iron, Woodson and Black Mountain in San Diego County.  There’s a real satisfaction and smile when looking up at it.  The entire next day I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Picacho.

6 thoughts on “Picacho Peak Hike: December 30, 2016

  1. Ye gads, you both must be in top physical shape to do that hike. Next time listen to the guide telling you about the cables. Wow what a view you all had by the time you got there.

  2. Most impressive hike!  We would never do that one, not even in our prime.  Gold stars for you both!Helen Nolte(Bill’s mom)

    From: Greg & Amelia’s Airstream Adventures To: bill_ethyl@yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, January 5, 2017 12:15 PM Subject: [New post] Picacho Peak Hike: December 30, 2016 #yiv6191035262 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv6191035262 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv6191035262 a.yiv6191035262primaryactionlink:link, #yiv6191035262 a.yiv6191035262primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv6191035262 a.yiv6191035262primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv6191035262 a.yiv6191035262primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv6191035262 WordPress.com | anotherboldmove posted: ” As we approached the entrance gate to Picacho Peak State Park a nice twenty something ranger greeted us. “Good afternoon, do you have a reservation?” “Yes, Harris, site B-4, two nights.” “Hold please,” a few moments later, “Got it, please hang t” | |

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Australian news, and some related international items

Julian Assange’s health in danger- but he lacks medical care

Assange’s Defense Attorney Denounces Risks to Client’s Health

30 September 2018 Assange’s lawyer decried the WikiLeaks founder’s wavering health which the Ecuadorean embassy is failing to properly address.
WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange’s health is at risk after being held without medical attention in the Ecuadorean Embassy in the U.K. since 2012, defense attorney Jennifer Robinson said Saturday.

“We are very concerned about his health: he has been locked up in the embassy for more than six years, without proper access to medical care,” said Robinson during an interview with the Catalan publication, Nacio Digital.

The lawyer stressed her client’s wavering health, which, she said, the embassy is unable to properly moderate due to lack of proper medical equipment and facilities.

“The embassy is not equipped for prolonged detention to provide a reasonable environment … the prolonged uncertainty of indefinite detention deeply affects the psychological and physical trauma above and beyond the expected stressors of incarceration,” the Australian lawyer said.

Robinson also showed concern over the “very serious” threat of Assange’s extradition to the United States for trial. “If Assange faces a trial in the US, he can not benefit from the first amendment of the Constitution, which refers to freedom of the press.

“We can not forget that he is only an editor who published material of public interest,” Robinson said.

The defense lawyer also explained the recent change in Ecuador’s administration has only served to complicate the case, which she described as a 180-degree change in political position between President Rafael Correa to his successor, the incumbent President Lenin Moreno, particularly in regards to bilateral relations with the United States.

On Mar, 28, just days after hosting a delegation of the United States Southern Command (Southcom), Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno decided to cut his guest’s communications with the outside world, denying him access to the internet and banning visitors who are not part of his legal team.

Julian Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy in the U.K. in 2012. Assange faced extradition to Sweden from England, over allegations of sexual assault on two women, which he categorically denied.

Although the judicial process for the alleged sexual crimes in Sweden was lifted, he fears that if he is given to British authorities he could face prison for skipping bail and face extradition to the United States, where he would be tried for espionage and could be sentenced to death for exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

October 3, 2018 - Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, civil liberties

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Consumer Products / Retail

Check out the IndustrySource for industry and product news!  Articles »

Apache Retail Packaging

With Apache, a single PO can cover multiple product lines, helping reduce overhead and paperwork. As your single-source supplier, Apache will save you time, money, and energy.

Display CollageIt takes more than great products to get your customers’ attention. Our full, go-to-market retail program engages your customers and increases your sales. Together, we’ll increase your sales velocity, grow the return on your investment and move your business forward.

Plan-O-Gram for Success

To get the most out of every square foot of your selling space, we offer plan-o-grams in various configurations for each of our product lines. Our displays are easy to set — and easy for customers to understand. Displays include the following product categories: Of course, we understand that retailers have unique needs and there are times when standard displays may not be the perfect solution. No problem. We'll work with you to develop a customized plan-o-gram that fits your sales floor, and your goals for product turns and profitability.

Attract & Inform

Apache also offers point-of-sale materials to help quickly guide shoppers to the right products during the process. These include:

Tap into Apache Support

From outside sales to inside customer service, your Apache team is here for you. We make adding new products easy with detailed product worksheets, and we'll even fill out your new product templates for you. Need training? We can provide that too:

Your retail customers come to you for solutions. They have projects to do. Repairs to make. Work to get done. Their time is valuable. They don’t want to run from store to store searching for what they need. And they sure don’t want to spend their time returning the wrong items or ones that fail.

Apache is your single-source supplier of OEM-grade:

We're a global solutions provider based in the heart of the Midwest — always on the lookout for smarter, stronger, tougher products that are made to last.

Discover Broad Channel Expertise

Whether you're a national chain serving specialty markets or a local/regional store offering a little bit of everything, Apache brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping our retailers deliver the right product mix to their customers across a variety of categories:
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Industry Categories

We closely monitor industry developments, and identify growth areas while keeping a watchful eye on the competitive landscape. Keeping on top of current pricing trends through our extensive database. We understand the importance of getting the maximum revenue out of every square foot of floor space.

No other company sells across all channels that Apache does. Our diverse product line means you'll have what your customers need when they need it.

Designed to Perform

Regardless of whether those products come from across the street or halfway around the world, no product earns the right to be called Apache until it’s been tested to ensure it meets our rigorous quality standards as well as the toughest standards of all — your customers’:
  • Burst tests
  • Tension checks
  • Industry certifications
We pride ourselves on meeting your needs and doing a job well done, it’s for these reasons and more that Apache can claim some of the lowest return rates in the industry. And that means more profit, and less headache, for you.

Redefining the Apache Brand

Apache has always been at the leading edge of retail packaging design, from innovative ways to display products to often-imitated color-coding systems. We continue to set the pace with a vibrant new shelf presence:
  • Big bold type for ease of shopping
  • Strong color choices to differentiate brands
  • Adaptable design for all sized packages
  • Cohesive look across product lines
  • Continued color-coding for complex lines

Consumer Products Packaging


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Retaining Wall Block

Retaining walls can sometimes be a necessity as they stabilise sloping land and prevents damage to your property. They can also provide an extra form of privacy, block undesirable views, or be a framework for your garden.

Retaining walls are a fantastic way to add value, character and appeal to your home. Not only will they accommodate to sloped areas in the garden – they can turn a spare piece of your garden into an extension of your living environment.

Want to take on this DIY project yourself? Visit our Knowledge Centre for tips & tricks on the job!

  • Smooth finish & contemporary colours
  • Interlockable – no need for mortar
  • Easy to handle
  • Low maintenance

Suitable For

  • Retaining walls
  • Garden walls
  • Straight and curved walls
  • Corners and steps

Maximum wall height: 1,200mm (3m when engineered). Please check with your local council regarding engineering requirements.

Australian Paving Centre will beat any competitors price on the same or similar products in South Australia. See our full terms and conditions here.

Colour Range

Colours swatches and finish are a guide only and may present differently online. Please obtain the latest product samples before ordering by contacting your local store.

Specifications Finish Size No. per m2 Weight per unit Units per pallet
Retaining Wall Block Standard Unit 390 x 245 x 198mm 13 24Kgs 60
Retaining Wall Block Universal Corner 160 x 360 x 198mm - 17.2Kgs 36
Retaining Wall Block Capping Unit 390 x 245 x 90mm - 16Kgs 96


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PROJECTNew Istanbul
CLIENTThe Mena Group
SCOPEPlanning + Illustration
LOCATIONIstanbul, Turkey
STAGEMaster Plan

New Istanbul is a new town located outside of Istanbul that will create homes for 50,000 residents. The town was designed to include a central downtown district built around a circular canal promenade and park which will provide an entertainment complex and a retail center nestled among office and residential towers. Outside of this inner circle, residential developments were designed to accommodate a variety of residence types, from single family homes to multi-family residential towers. Each community will provide recreational amenities and parks for the residents. The town’s roadway systems were designed to create a hierarchy of streets to accommodate traffic flow and a shuttle bus system. Community services such as schools, police, fire stations, and post offices were integrated into the community.


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HC Deb 25 January 1961 vol 633 c33W
Captain Kerby

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how many Africans were executed in Basutoland during 1960 for ritual or medicine murders; how many had their death sentences commuted; and how these figures compare with those of 1956 for this British High Commission Protectorate.

Mr. Sandys

In 1960 14 Africans were executed in Basutoland for ritual murder, and 7 Africans convicted of such murders had their death sentences corn-muted. The corresponding figures for 1956 were 7 executed and 11 commuted.

Forward to


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APICS_San_Diego_CSCP Module 1 - SCD [Book 1] Module 1 - SCD [Book 2] Module 2 - SCPE [Book 1] Module 2 - SCPE [Book 2] Module 3 - IBP

APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Program

Validate your ability to lead

Supply chains drive growth and are proving to be the central nervous system of a business. Good leaders are key to ensuring the supply chain organization is performing at its peak and contributing to the health of the business. The APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification program helps professionals demonstrate essential knowledge and organizational skills for developing more streamlined operations. Designees demonstrate mastery of supply chain management best practices and are distinguished as industry experts with specialized, high-level knowledge and skills.

Since its launch in 2006, more than 25,000 professionals in 94 countries have earned the APICS CSCP designation. The CSCP designation is the most widely recognized educational program for supply chain management professionals around the globe and is a credential valued by employers and recruiters.

Why you need to earn the APICS CSCP designation

APICS CSCP education is essential if you are:

  • Interested in increasing your knowledge and expertise in the field of global supply chain management, specifically in the areas of customer relations, international trade, information technology enablement and physical logistics
  • Consulting or facilitating supply chain functions or working with enterprise resources planning (ERP) systems
  • Creating a common standard of understanding, vocabulary, resources and frameworks within your company to address your supply chain challenges and opportunities

An APICS CSCP designation will help you:

  • Master the necessary tools to effectively manage global supply chain activities, including suppliers, plans, distributors and customers around the globe
  • Acquire the skills you need to create consistency and foster collaboration through best practices, common terminology and corporate communication
  • Understand how to use ERP systems and other technologies to improve the entire supply chain process
  • Maximize your organization’s ERP investments by millions of dollars
  • Increase your professional value and secure your future

How to get there

The APICS CSCP exam consists of three important modules and one comprehensive exam. The exam reflects critical changes in the marketplace and in the evolving roles and responsibilities of operations and supply chain managers. For accreditation, you must master each of the following:

Supply Chain Design

Supply Chain Planning and Execution

Supply Chain Improvement and Best Practices

Body of Knowledge
Becoming A CSCP Candidate
CSCP Exam Preparation
Study Options
Class Registration
Schedule An Exam

The APICS CSCP designation

  • is the most widely recognized educational program for operations and supply chain management professionals around the globe
  • is a designation that is sought by thousands of employers and recruiters
  • provides you with a mastery of supply chain management best practices and distinguishes you as an industry expert with specialized, high-level knowledge and skills

APICS CSCP program highlights:

  • Topics cover end-to-end supply chain requirements from the first supplier to the end customer—the only certification of its kind in the industry today.
  • Helps supply chain professionals handle much more than ever before.
  • Get frequent updates based on current regulations.

New CSCP eligibility requirements:

To be eligible for the APICS CSCP, a candidate must meet ONE of the following criteria:

  • 3 years of related business experience, OR
  • Bachelor’s degree or the international equivalent* OR
  • CPIM, CFPIM, CIRM, SCOR-P, C.P.M., CSM or CPSM designations

*APICS defines the international equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree as the level of study that would qualify an individual for a graduate program in the country where the undergraduate degree was earned.

APICS video testimonial:

Celeste Ayers, CFPIM, CSCP discusses her certification experience.
APICS Gold Rush Chapter President
Division Sourcing and Procurement Manager at Parker Hannifin


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Block Strike

Block Strike

Exciting game already on Android.

Game info

Android 4.1+
Get Block Strike for Free on Google Play

Game description

Play a fascinating dynamic first-person shooter with friends and other players online. Gather with friends in your team, create a clan and win together in dynamic battles.
Buy weapons, upgrade it, change the look of your weapons and character.

** Modes **

Game has more than 15 different game modes from which you can select:

- Team Deathmatch
- Death Run
- Gun Game
- Hunger Games
- Zombie Survival
- Bunny Hop
- Surf

** Maps **

More than 60 different maps, in which every day there are dynamic battles.
From small maps to a small group of friends, to large maps on which you have to work hard to win.

** Weapons **

More than 40 types of weapons like pistols, submachine guns, machine guns, shotguns, machine guns, rifles and melee weapons.

** Skins and stickers **

Change your appearance of your weapons with skins and also don't forget to stick the sticker.
All this you can get in cases for free and in-game currency, which you can get for the fights. Create your unique look weapons, to be envied by even your friends.

Ratings and reviews

1,434,703 total
5 932,137
4 164,854
3 83,809
2 46,992
1 206,909

Total number of ratings

Total number of active users rated for: Block Strike

Total number of installs (*estimated)

Estimation of total number of installs on Google Play, Approximated from number of ratings and install bounds achieved on Google Play.


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Related topics

Sandoval for a second D7 term

April 13, 2019 GMT

District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, with much expertise on the issue given previous jobs, has used her first term to bring more awareness of climate change to the city. And the city now has a climate action plan on the table.

We see in this a pattern — a good one.

Sandoval is a strong advocate for her district but is also a big-picture council member. And this works out in micro fashion for her district and for the city as a whole because one of the big pictures for San Antonio is how entrenched and endemic poverty is. In pockets, it is a problem for her district as well. She has worked to bring infrastructure improvements to the district and has been a valuable voice on the council for the need for affordable housing — also a citywide issue.

We recommend Sandoval for a second term because she is generally a voice for compassion and attention to some of the negative currents that affect the city.

The complaints from her challengers center on lack of transparency and responsiveness in the city. But, to her credit, Sandoval acknowledges that at least the perception of this is what drove city voters to approve two of the three charter amendments in an election last year.

The problem is that though these amendments can be reasonably attributed to this perception, they were antithetical to good city governance generally. We view votes on these as something of a litmus test because their consequences for the city will be so negative.

Sandoval was on the right side of that issue. The challenger conventionally viewed as her toughest contender — public relations executive and Marine Corps veteran Trevor Whitney— was not on two of the three.

Sandoval voted no on all three. Whitney voted for two of the three — capping the city manager’s pay and tenure though it didn’t affect the target, Sheryl Sculley, and allowing the fire union to unilaterally take contract negotiations into arbitration.

The charter amendment didn’t even affect City Manager Sculley’s salary at the time, which was not, despite the criticism, out of line for a city this size and what the job entailed. Erik Walsh is the new city manager. What if he is a doing a great job at the end of eight years? Should he be forced out anyway?

And allowing the firefighters union to force arbitration turns the collective bargaining process on its head and invests too much power with a public-employee union. This might have dire budget consequences that will actually mean fewer resources for firefighters.

We differ strenuously with Sandoval on her vote to not allow Chick-fil-A into the city’s airport. But she seems to be open to giving the restaurant another chance in any upcoming request for proposals and notes that the restaurant’s name was thrown into the hat with little notice to the council and also the city staff’s role in the process.

Despite this vote, we see her first-term tenure as generally successful and view her as preferable to her challengers.

Her other challengers — Will McLeod, who has run for office unsuccessfully previously, and Kimberly Grant, a relative newcomer to the city — also echo the city’s lack of transparency and responsiveness. Whitney, who also serves as regional director for one of the scooter companies in the city, additionally proposes a focus on homeless veterans. We find that goal admirable.

But in Sandoval, with degrees from MIT, Stanford and Harvard, we see someone who has a successful first term under her belt and is deserving of a second. She is good for her district — and for the city.


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Revelation Chapter 3 Part (C)

It is now time to talk about the final church. This is church number seven, and it is the church of Laodicea.

  1. Laodicea – Things Jesus liked – Rev. 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Things Jesus did not like – Rev. 3:15-18 – 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Jesus said that I correct and discipline all who I love. So be diligent and repent. Jesus said that the thing He doesn’t like about the church of Laodicea is that based on their works they neither have complete love for The lord and they don’t have complete hate for The Lord. The church of Laodicea are in the middle of the love, hate spectrum. Jesus said I would prefer that you were either hot or cold, that you loved me with all of your heart or you hated Me, but because you are lukewarm I will spit you out of my mouth. The people of the church of Laodicea are physically rich they have a lot of money, a lot of possessions, and they like to think to themselves that they need nothing else. Jesus says, that because you are blinded by your wealth, you don’t see that you are miserable, spiritually poor, spiritually blind and spiritually naked. Jesus says that what you need to do is buy from me gold tried in the fire, so that you become spiritually rich. What happens to gold that is tried in the fire? It gets rid of all of the impuities/sin. Jesus added that the church of Laodicea needs to put on white raiment so they are not naked. The white raiment signifies this church going to heaven to be with the Lord forevermore. Jesus Christ continues and advises that this church also needs to get ointment and apply it to their eyes, so that they are no longer spiritually blind.

Jesus Christ was not very impressed with this church’s works. Jesus advised this church to repent and get back on track or He will spit them out. Yet, with all of the shortcomings Jesus still loves this church. That was the first thing Christ said to this church. I love you that’s why I rebuke/correct you. So, that you may spend eternity with Me. I am very excited  for my next post. I am going to discuss how the seven churches are important? Why they are important? And why we should be concerned? The title of the post will be Seven Churches Conclusion Part (A). Stay tuned, and as always you can follow me on twitter:

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O Club Los Cabos

Friday, February 7, 2020 9:00 PM

Guest List

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Table Reservations are closed for this event.
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Main Room Table

4 GUESTS | MX$1,750.00 MIN

Table for up to 4 guests.

Large Table

8 GUESTS | MX$3,500.00 MIN

Large table in the main room for up to 8 guests.

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O Club

Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas
Los Cabos, B.C.S. 23469
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296-307-12050  <<  296-307-12055 >>   296-307-130

(Effective until February 3, 2020)

PDFWAC 296-307-12055

Emergency assistance—Standards for workers—40 C.F.R., § 170.160.

If there is reason to believe that a person who is or has been employed on an agricultural establishment to perform tasks related to the production of agricultural plants has been poisoned or injured by exposure to pesticides used on the agricultural establishment, including, but not limited to, exposures from application, splash, spill, drift, or pesticide residues, the agricultural employer shall:
(1) Make available to that person prompt transportation from the agricultural establishment, including any labor camp on the agricultural establishment, to an appropriate emergency medical facility.
(2) Provide to that person or to treating medical personnel, promptly upon request, any obtainable information on:
(a) Product name, EPA registration number, and active ingredients of any product to which that person might have been exposed.
(b) Antidote, first-aid, and other medical information from the product labeling.
(c) The circumstances of application or use of the pesticide on the agricultural establishment.
(d) The circumstances of exposure of that person to the pesticide.
[WSR 97-09-013, recodified as § 296-307-12055, filed 4/7/97, effective 4/7/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040, [49.17.]050 and [49.17.]060. WSR 96-20-082, § 296-306A-12055, filed 9/30/96, effective 11/1/96.]
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