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Friday, 28 December 2018 10:37

New Folly Beach Restaurant "Wiki Wiki Sandbar" Now Open

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The long-awaited Wiki Wiki Sandbar is now open at 106 East Ashley Avenue on Folly Beach.

The restaurant and bar is from Charleston restaurateur Karalee Fallert, who is also behind Taco Boy, The Park Cafe, and The Royal American, and her business partner April Bennett.

Executive Chef Jason DuPree has created a menu that offers slow-cooked meats accompanied by sides including rice, macaroni salad, greens, and starchy root vegetables.

The restaurant says stand-out dishes include the grilled kona kampachi, a variety of poke bowls, a pu-pu platter, Southern-fried coconut shrimp, and Spam sliders.

Wiki Wiki Sandbar resides in a 6,500-square foot space that incorporates local artists’ work that embody the facets of tiki culture.

The four dining rooms have different themes including: the Octopus Bar featuring the work of Jeff Kopish; the Sunset Room featuring a sunset mural by Suzanne Allen; the Wave Room featuring a massive sculpture made of Japanese glass floats by KHA; and a traditional tiki bar that resides on the top floor with views of the Atlantic Ocean and dioramas by artist Hirona Matsuda.

Visitors can expect South Pacific-themed dinners, festive drinks, live music, and weekend brunches served in each unique space.

Fallert recruited her partner from the Park Cafe, Xan McLaughlin, to develop the cocktail program with help from national rum connoisseur Daniel Parks of San Francisco’s Pagan Idol.

Long-time Charleston resident Roderick Groetzinger added his touch and will execute the cocktail program as bar manager.

Patrons can expect tropical drinks, full of fruits and spices, such as the signature pineapple incident, classic mai tai ,and the aloha from the edge.

“Wiki Wiki Sandbar is our love letter to Folly Beach," Fallert said.

"[It's] a quintessential celebration space that’s nice enough for family gatherings, and the perfect vibe for a friend-filled Sunday Rumday. Wiki’s food and drink reflects our travels to Hawaii and West Coast Hawaiian barbecue joints – and our beloved Southern roots. In exploring the delicious similarities between traditional Hawaiian plate lunches and the South’s meat-and-three, we’ve crafted a menu that we hope celebrates and honors both cultures.”

Wiki Wiki is now open for lunch and dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 11 am to 10 pm and Thursday through Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm. For more information, click here.

Original article by Christian Senger on behalf of ABC News 4

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Lost Dog - Dunn Loring: Mead Munchies!

  • 2729 Merrilee Drive Fairfax, VA, 22031 United States (map)

Come hang out with us and drink some mead! We'll have Hops & Ruby Red as well as some cans!

More details:

Earlier Event: April 20
Tasting: Food Plenty
Later Event: April 21
Guest Bartender: Julie Veratti

400 East Biddle Street
Baltimore, MD, 21202

407B East Preston Street
Baltimore, MD, 21202

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Chemistry LibreTexts

9.4 Hydration of Alkynes

  • Page ID
  • Objectives

    After completing this section, you should be able to

    1. write the equation for the reaction of water with an alkyne in the presence of sulfuric acid and mercury(II) sulfate.
    2. describe keto-enol tautomerism.
    3. predict the structure of the ketone formed when a given alkyne reacts with sulfuric acid in the presence of mercury(II) sulfate.
    4. identify the reagents needed to convert a given alkyne to a given ketone.
    5. identify the alkyne needed to prepare a given ketone by hydration of the triple bond.
    6. write an equation for the reaction of an alkyne with borane.
    7. write the equation for the reaction of a vinylic borane with basic hydrogen peroxide or hot acetic acid.
    8. identify the reagents, the alkyne, or both, needed to prepare a given ketone or a given cis alkene through a vinylic borane intermediate.
    9. identify the ketone produced when a given alkyne is reacted with borane followed by basic hydrogen peroxide.
    10. identify the cis alkene produced when a given alkyne is reacted with borane followed by hot acetic acid.
    11. explain why it is necessary to use a bulky, sterically hindered borane when preparing vinylic boranes from terminal alkynes.
    12. predict the product formed when the vinylic borane produced from a terminal alkyne is treated with basic hydrogen peroxide.
    13. identify the alkyne needed to prepare a given aldehyde by a vinylic borane.

    Key Terms

    Make certain that you can define, and use in context, the key terms below.

    • enol
    • keto-enol tautomeric equilibrium
    • tautomerism
    • tautomers

    Study Notes

    Rapid interconversion between tautomers is called tautomerism; however, as the two tautomers are in equilibrium, the term tautomeric equilibrium may be used. This section demonstrates the equilibrium between a ketone and an enol; hence, the term keto-enol tautomeric equilibrium is appropriate. The term “enol” indicates the presence of a carbon-carbon double bond and a hydroxyl (i.e., alcohol) group. Later in the course, you will see the importance of keto-enol tautomerism in discussions of the reactions of ketones, carbohydrates and nucleic acids.

    It is important to note that tautomerism is not restricted to keto-enol systems. Other examples include imine-enamine tautomerism

    imine-enamine tautomerism

    and nitroso-oxime tautomerism

    nitroso-oxime tautomerism

    However, at the moment you need only concern yourself with keto-enol tautomerism.

    Notice how hydroboration complements hydration in the chemistry of both alkenes and alkynes.

    hydroboration and hydration scheme of alkenes and alkynes

    Reaction: Hydration of Alkynes

    As with alkenes,hydration (addition of water) to alkynes requires a strong acid, usually sulfuric acid, and is facilitated by mercuric sulfate. However, unlike the additions to double bonds which give alcohol products, addition of water to alkynes gives ketone products ( except for acetylene which yields acetaldehyde ). The explanation for this deviation lies in enol-keto tautomerization, illustrated by the following equation. The initial product from the addition of water to an alkyne is an enol (a compound having a hydroxyl substituent attached to a double-bond), and this immediately rearranges to the more stable keto tautomer.

    Tautomers are defined as rapidly interconverted constitutional isomers, usually distinguished by a different bonding location for a labile hydrogen atom (colored red here) and a differently located double bond. The equilibrium between tautomers is not only rapid under normal conditions, but it often strongly favors one of the isomers ( acetone, for example, is 99.999% keto tautomer ). Even in such one-sided equilibria, evidence for the presence of the minor tautomer comes from the chemical behavior of the compound. Tautomeric equilibria are catalyzed by traces of acids or bases that are generally present in most chemical samples. The three examples shown below illustrate these reactions for different substitutions of the triple-bond. The tautomerization step is indicated by a red arrow. For terminal alkynes the addition of water follows the Markovnikov rule, as in the second example below, and the final product ia a methyl ketone ( except for acetylene, shown in the first example ). For internal alkynes ( the triple-bond is within a longer chain ) the addition of water is not regioselective. If the triple-bond is not symmetrically located ( i.e. if R & R' in the third equation are not the same ) two isomeric ketones will be formed.

    HC≡CH   +   H2O   +   HgSO4 & H2SO4   ——>  [ H2C=CHOH ]   ——>   H3C-CH=O
    RC≡CH   +   H2O   +   HgSO4 & H2SO4   ——>  [ RC(OH)=CH2 ]   ——>   RC(=O)CH3
    RC≡CR'   +   H2O   +   HgSO4 & H2SO4   ——>  [ RHC=C(OH)R'   +   RC(OH)=CHR' ]   ——>   RCH2-C(=O)R'   +   RC(=O)-CH2R'

    With the addition of water, alkynes can be hydrated to form enols that spontaneously tautomerize to ketones. Reaction is catalyzed by mercury ions. Follows Markovnikov’s Rule: Terminal alkynes give methyl ketones

    • The first step is an acid/base reaction where the π electrons of the triple bond acts as a Lewis base and attacks the proton therefore protinating the carbon with the most hydrogen substituents.
    • The second step is the attack of the nucleophilic water molecule on the electrophilic carbocation, which creates an oxonium ion.
    • Next you deprotonate by a base, generating an alcohol called an enol, which then tautomerizes into a ketone.
    • Tautomerism is a simultaneous proton and double bond shift, which goes from the enol form to the keto isomer form as shown above in Figure 7.

    Now let's look at some Hydration Reactions.

    Hydration of Terminal Alkyne produces methyl ketones

    Just as described in Figure 7 the π electrons will attack a proton, forming a carbocation, which then gets attacked by the nucleophilic water molecules.  After deprotination, we generate an enol, which then tautomerizes into the ketone form shown.

    Hydration of Alkyne

    As you can see here, the π electrons of the triple bond are attacking the proton, which forms a covalent bond on the carbon with the most hydrogen substituents. Once the hydrogen is bound you have a carbocation, which gets attacked by the water molecule. Now you have a positive charge on the oxygen which results in a base coming in and deprotinating the molecule. Once deprotinated, you have an enol, which then gets tautomerized.

    Tautomerism is shown here when the proton gets attacked by the double bond π electrons forming a covalent bond between the carbon and the hydrogen on the less substituted carbon. Electrons from the Oxygen end up moving to the carbon, forming a double bond with carbon and giving itself a positive charge, which then gets attacked by the base. The base deprotinates the Oxygen resulting in the more stable final product at equilibrium, which is a ketone.

    1. Draw the structure of the product formed when each of the substances below is treated with H2O/H2SO4 in the presence of HgSO4.
      1. $\ce{\sf{CH3-CH2-C#C-H}}$

      2. 3,3-dimethyl-1-alkyne

    2. Draw the structure of the keto form of the compound shown below. Which form would you expect to be the most stable?

      1. 2-butanone

      2. 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone

    1. cyclohexanone

      The keto form should be the most stable.

    What alkyne would you start with to gain the following products, in an oxidation reaction? Keep in mind resonance.

    Propose a reaction scheme for the following compound starting from the alkyne and showing required reagents and intermediates.


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Chemistry LibreTexts

16.8: Chapter Summary

  • Page ID
  • To ensure that you understand the material in this chapter, you should review the meanings of the bold terms in the following summary and ask yourself how they relate to the topics in the chapter.

    Carbohydrates, a large group of biological compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, include sugars, starch, glycogen, and cellulose. All carbohydrates contain alcohol functional groups, and either an aldehyde or a ketone group (or a functional group that can be converted to an aldehyde or ketone). The simplest carbohydrates are monosaccharides. Those with two monosaccharide units are disaccharides, and those with many monosaccharide units are polysaccharides. Most sugars are either monosaccharides or disaccharides. Cellulose, glycogen, and starch are polysaccharides.

    Many carbohydrates exist as stereoisomers, in which the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of the atoms in space is the only difference between the isomers. These particular stereoisomers contain at least one chiral carbon, a carbon atom that has four different groups bonded to it. A molecule containing a chiral carbon is nonsuperimposable on its mirror image, and two molecules that are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other are a special type of stereoisomer called enantiomers. Enantiomers have the same physical properties, such as melting point, but differ in the direction they rotate polarized light.

    A sugar is designated as being a D sugar or an L sugar according to how, in a Fischer projection of the molecule, the hydrogen atom and OH group are attached to the penultimate carbon atom, which is the carbon atom immediately before the terminal alcohol carbon atom. If the structure at this carbon atom is the same as that of D-glyceraldehyde (OH to the right), the sugar is a D sugar; if the configuration is the same as that of L-glyceraldehyde (OH to the left), the sugar is an L sugar.

    Monosaccharides of five or more carbons atoms readily form cyclic structures when the carbonyl carbon atom reacts with an OH group on a carbon atom three or four carbon atoms distant. Consequently, glucose in solution exists as an equilibrium mixture of three forms, two of them cyclic (α- and β-) and one open chain. In Haworth projections, the alpha form is drawn with the OH group on the “former” carbonyl carbon atom (anomeric carbon) pointing downward; the beta form, with the OH group pointing upward; these two compounds are stereoisomers and are given the more specific term of anomers. Any solid sugar can be all alpha or all beta. Once the sample is dissolved in water, however, the ring opens up into the open-chain structure and then closes to form either the α- or the β-anomer. These interconversions occur back and forth until a dynamic equilibrium mixture is achieved in a process called mutarotation.

    The carbonyl group present in monosaccharides is easily oxidized by Tollens’ or Benedict’s reagents (as well as others). Any mono- or disaccharide containing a free anomeric carbon is a reducing sugar. The disaccharide maltose contains two glucose units joined in an α-1,4-glycosidic linkage. The disaccharide lactose contains a galactose unit and a glucose unit joined by a β-1,4-glycosidic linkage. Both maltose and lactose contain a free anomeric carbon that can convert to an aldehyde functional group, so they are reducing sugars; they also undergo mutarotation. Many adults, and some children, have a deficiency of the enzyme lactase (which is needed to break down lactose) and are said to be lactose intolerant. A more serious problem is the genetic disease galactosemia, which results from the absence of an enzyme needed to convert galactose to glucose.

    The disaccharide sucrose (table sugar) consists of a glucose unit and a fructose unit joined by a glycosidic linkage. The linkage is designated as an α-1,β-2-glycosidic linkage because it involves the OH group on the first carbon atom of glucose and the OH group on the second carbon atom of fructose. Sucrose is not a reducing sugar because it has no anomeric carbon that can reform a carbonyl group, and it cannot undergo mutarotation because of the restrictions imposed by this linkage.

    Starch, the principal carbohydrate of plants, is composed of the polysaccharides amylose (10%–30%) and amylopectin (70%–90%). When ingested by humans and other animals, starch is hydrolyzed to glucose and becomes the body’s energy source. Glycogen is the polysaccharide animals use to store excess carbohydrates from their diets. Similar in structure to amylopectin, glycogen is hydrolyzed to glucose whenever an animal needs energy for a metabolic process. The polysaccharide cellulose provides structure for plant cells. It is a linear polymer of glucose units joined by β-1,4-glycosidic linkages. It is indigestible in the human body but digestible by many microorganisms, including microorganisms found in the digestive tracts of many herbivores.


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School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Somali adults achieveSDSU Helps Somali Adults Achieve Self-Sufficiency

A unique English as a Second Language curriculum has been developed by SDSU faculty and students in the SLHS to improve the communication skills of seniors with limited English proficiency. The curriculum was recently adapted for seniors from Somalia, among the most recent immigrant groups to settle in San Diego.

Professor Henrike Blumenfeld is leading the effort through her Bilingualism and Cognition Lab. The ESL curriculum consists of thematically organized binders with visual cues and an iPad app that has been translated into Somali. The project is a partnership between SDSU and Somali Family Service of San Diego (SFS), a community organization that helps Somali and other East African families become self-sufficient, independent and contributing members of the San Diego community.

The first cohort of Somali seniors started the weekly program in September 2016 with assistance from a team of bilingual SFS staff as well as undergraduate and graduate students supported by a mini-grant for undergraduate research from SDSU’s Division of Undergraduate Studies. All the Somali participants have attended the classes, and their English-speaking skills have improved markedly, according to SFS staff. Student researchers from the Bilingualism and Cognition Lab presented a poster on the project at the Student Research Symposium.

“The seniors said they learned a lot more from this ESL curriculum than they ever had in previous adult ESL classes due to the one-to-one assistance and the focus on functional communication skills,” said SFS President and CEO Ahmed Sahid.

School Hosts 3rd Annual Speech-Language Awareness and Information Day

Members of the SDSU and greater San Diego community were invited to the 3rd annual Speech-Language Awareness and Information Day (SAID) hosted by the SLHS on May 1.

Lizbeth H. Finestack, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, delivered the keynote address, Exploring Grammatical Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Language Impairment. She is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota. Her long-term research aim is to identify efficient and effective language interventions for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, including children with primary language impairment, Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, or autism spectrum disorder.

The event opened with Ph.D. candidate Stephanie DeAnda presenting her research, How Two Languages Interact in Early Bilingual Language Acquisition. Participants then explored resources available for those with speech and language challenges during a Community Resource Fair featuring SDSU and community organizations.

Sign Language Project Wins Award

As many as two million people use American Sign Language (ASL) in the United States and Canada, and sign language researcher hope to learn more about the underpinnings of language in the brain.

Collaboration between researchers at SDSU, Boston University and Tufts University has created ASL-LEX, the first comprehensive lexical database for ASL. The project recently received the People’s Choice award in the Interactive category of the 15th annual National Science Foundation Visualization Challenge.

The ASL-LEX website combines written words and a short video that shows the corresponding ASL sign. A sidebar gives technical information about the sign’s frequency of use by signers; a score for its iconicity, or how much the sign resembles the action or object it represents; and a host of phonological and syntactic details about the signs. The site also offers a visual map of sign clusters organized by signs that share similar phonological properties, such as hand shape and movement. These details are valuable to linguists hoping to learn how signs relate to one another, as well as for neuroscientists hoping to understand how the brain processes visual-manual language differently from auditory-vocal languages, said Karen Emmorey, one of the project’s leaders and a cognitive neuroscientist at SDSU. “Almost everything we know about human language comes from the study of spoken languages,” said Emmorey, director of the SDSU Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Neuroscience. “However, only by studying sign languages is it possible to discover which linguistic rules and constraints are universal to all human languages and which depend on the modality of a language.”

Audiology Students Help With Young Scholars With Disability Awareness

slhs student with model earIn collaboration with Del Mar Heights Elementary School, the Student Academy of Audiology –

San Diego coordinated the participation of AuD students in an award-winning disability aware- ness program, Understanding Differences. The program was established in 2005 to foster empathy and teach understanding through science lessons, interactive simulations, and guest speakers.

audiology student teachingAlongside Deaf Community Service, the SDSU/UCSD AuD students created and led hearing loss simulator, tuning fork hearing screening, and hearing aid technology stations during the culminating event to conclude the month long exploration of hearing impairment and Deaf culture.


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Tag Archives: #spinalinjuryhen

Ashas recovery

4 months ago Korlia Schmidt who operates out George branch of Chicken Rescue and Rehabilitation SA rescued a mom and 7 chicks that were in trouble.

Mom and chicks have prospered in this protected environment. Just over ago, Asha (one of the chicks) suddenly developed splaying legs and  lameness.

See video below

The vet wasn’t entirely sure what was up but after some observation time felt it was mechanical damage from an injury.

Asha was put onto a strong anti inflammatory and bed rest. We added vitamin B complex and the homeopathic remedy  ‘opium’ which we have had huge success with before for spinal injury. Opium was suggested for use by our talented and experienced homeopath here in Johannesburg.

A week on and look at Ashas progress. Well done Korlia. O


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Children's Specialized Hospital

Mountainside, New Jersey

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Thank you Toyota Autoland!

We would like to extend our sincerest thank you to Toyota Autoland for their generous support of our NASH-FM Miracle for the Kids Broadcast! Call Toyota Autoland at 1-800-AUTOLAND when buying...

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Ocean First Bank & Foundation supports annual 92.7 WOBM Radiothon

Thank you Ocean First Bank and Foundation for donating $2,o00 to Shawn & Sue’s Making Miracles Radiothon with 92.7 WOBM! 100% of their contribution supports local children being treated at...

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Spirits Unlimited supports WOBM 92.7 Radiothon!

  Thank you Spirits Unlimited for donating $1000 to Shawn and Sue’s Making Miracles Radiothon at WOBM 92.7! This donation will support the Children’s Specialized Hospital Benefit Fund. Each year,...

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Isabel, nicknamed, "Izzy Warrior Princess" was diagnosed with a noncancerous spinal cord tumor known as ganglioglioma just two weeks after her first birthday. She completed 42 rounds of chemotherapy to reduce the size of the tumor and to keep it stable, and started physical and occupational therapies at Children's Specialized Hospital. In the beginning, Isabel was very resistant. Now she's a completely different patient. Izzy not only walks, but runs, skates, participates in ballet and tap classes, and continues to achieve anything she puts her mind to! Her tumor remains stable, and Izzy is a true fighter and champion!

Children's Specialized Hospital located in Mountainside, NJ

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The Wedding Singer

17 Oct

Director Garrick Smith is absolutely right to say that The Wedding Singer is not Shakespeare, but whatever it’s not, it is a lot of fun.

It is possible that opening night nerves got to the cast when I saw it; the first half hour or so was laboured and difficult to relate to, but then one of those great moments in theatre occurred, and the tenor lifted. It is a sign of a strong and talented cast when you see such a strong injection of energy in the middle of the first act. Before long I was tapping away and having a ball.
For those who don’t know, the musical version of The Wedding Singer is substantially different from the film of the same name. In this, it is the musical numbers that drive the emotional essence of the plot, and the most poignant of these are delivered beautifully by the magnificently talented heroine, played by Rebecca Franks, and her equally talented offsider played by Amy Dunham.
The musical is also funnier than the film, as I remember it, and Tim Sekuless’ timing is excellent. In my humble opinion, though, the best moment is when Boy George wannabe, George (played by Jeffrey van de Zandt) bursts into a rendition of an 80s pop song in perfect Hebrew. Gold.
No, it’s definitely not Shakespeare, but it’s a great night out.
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Posted by on Friday, 17 October 2008 in Supa Productions, The Street Theatre

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Lot 373

Hermes Moka Ostrich Birkin 30, c. 2011, brown ostrich skin with gilt hardware, 30cm wide, 24cm high, 10cm handle drop Includes padlock, keys, cloche and dust bag Condition Grade B+ Please refer to department for condition report Please note there are import restrictions on this item outside of the EU

Estimate: £8,000-£12,000


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21 st July '13

July 21, 2013 at 11:30 PM

Goodbye Mark and Sarah

Today we say goodbye to Mark and Sarah  Berthelemy who  have been part of Church in the Peak for the last ten years.  We would like to thank them for they have done  in faithfully serving us over the years in many different areas of church life, and we pray that as they go to be part of Belper Community Church  we pray that God will bless them as they have blessed us.

Newday 2013

Next Sunday 28th July some of the leaders will travel to Norfolk to set up, and on Monday we look forward to welcoming the rest of the leaders and our young people.  We are really looking forward to  what God is going to do in the lives of our young people and we ask that as a church you remember the young people and leaders in your prayers while they are away.

On a practical note if you have not given your food money to Marion or your coach money to Chris can  you do that ASAP.  Also the young people and the leaders love cakes, so it would be a real blessing  if you could send cakes with your young person, or if you are not going to Newday give them to Pamela next Sunday 28th.  Although it is hot and you may not feel like baking, it will be nothing compared to the marquee with two urns.

We thank God for the last Alpha, for stories of salvation, healings and peoples lives being changed.

We will be running another Alpha starting on Monday 23rd September, this time in Matlock.  Please start praying and asking God about who you should invite.

If you would like to be involved in praying for the youth, can you please sign up  today on the list on the  information  table.

Sunday 21stjuly

Newday Meeting

Just a reminder that following church today, there will be a bring and share lunch and meeting for those attending Newday and their parents at the  Riverside.

Wednesday 24th July

Jigsaw Café

14:00-16:00 @ The Riverside, Matlock

Friday 26THjuly

Prayer meeting

08:00-09:00 @ The Riverside, Matlock.

Friday 2nd August

18:30 onwards @  Bakewell

This will on the croquet lawn Bakewell park, which is on your right hand side as you enter Bakewell from Matlock.  The cost will be £1.00 to play followed by drinks at the nearby hostelry.

If you would like to join us then please sign up on the "sign up " sheet on the information table. You are welcome to bring your friends along.

Numbers are limited to 16 so if you want to come please sign up asap.

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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Secret Transcript of President Obama's Meeting with Trump!

We have obtained a secret recording of the meeting between President Obama and Donald Trump last week, and here is a portion of the transcript with notes.

Trump walks in stiffly with his handlers and attendants. The President and V-P Biden greet Trump and crew.

President Obama:  “Everybody out, except Trump and Biden.”

Recalling that Biden threatened to “kick Trump’s ass out behind the gym” and that Obama is a black guy, Trump looks worried and watches as his PR flack and Secret Service people leave him unattended.

Obama and Biden bust out laughing and slap hands.

“L-M-A-O, dude,” Obama chortles.

“You heard the expression, Be careful what you ask for?  This is it,” Biden says.

Trump:  “Uh, uh, well….”

Obama and Biden can’t stop laughing.

“I didn’t really expect to win, you know,” Trump says.

“You’re fucked,” Obama says.

“Royally screwed,” Biden adds.

“You think everybody was up your ass while you’re a candidate, once you get to the big-boy chair, somebody is trying to take your head off every minute,” Obama says.

“Yeah, some ass hole like you.  How you gonna like that, a sensitive fellow such as yourself, having millions of you on your case night and day?  You’ll get arthritis in your fingers from tweeting angry comebacks,” Biden says.

“Oh, boy.  What should I do?”  Trump asks.

“Try not being a lying, white supremacist shit head, for starters,” Obama says.

“If you screw up, admit it quickly and put it behind you,” Biden says.  “The more you try to deny and dance around it, the worse it gets.”

“I said I could shoot somebody in the middle of Fifth Avenue, and it wouldn’t cost me a vote,” Trump says.

“That was then, this is now,” Obama says.

“Apologize publicly to the President, that would be a good start, if you actually want to bring people together,” Biden says.

“Sure, I will, and I apologize now, to you Mr. President, for all the crazy birther and Muslin shit I said. “

“Well, you’re way late for that.  But, tell you what you could do.  You could tell Congress to quickly approve Merrick Garland for SCOTUS and approve my backlog of judge appointments,” Obama says.  “The Republicans were nagging me to appoint Garland, then when I said, OK, they turned against it, just because it was my idea.”

“That is fucked up, I know,” Trump says.  “What else can I do?”

“This side of climbing up the Washington Monument and jumping off?” Biden asks.

“Joe, Joe, we’re not going to be like that,” Obama says.  “We talked about this.”

“How about saying you didn’t really mean that crazy shit, like hating on women, black people, refugees, Muslims, Mexicans -- you know, your laundry list of people to blame for old white people’s problems and insecurities,” Biden says.

“Can I wait and do that at the inauguration speech?  I want these Republicans to keep kissing my ass a little longer;  they doing back-flips to kiss the ring.  It would be sickening if it wasn’t so delicious,” Trump says.

Obama and Biden look at each other.

“Nope, you gotta do that quickly, before the people burn down Trump Tower with you in it.  We’ve heard there is a well-coordinated plot to do just that,” Obama says.

“A plot!  Why didn’t my Secret Service people -- and they are great folks, by the way, they really are -- why didn’t they say anything?” Trump asks.

“They didn’t tell you about the multiple plots to burn you out?  Dude, they must already hate you,” Biden says.

“How’s the intern tail around here?  I heard it’s terrific.” Trump asks.  “JFK, Clinton, everybody else but Nixon, probably, has dipped into the intern pool.“

“That’s a myth anymore.  Ken Starr ruined it,” Obama says.  “Once in here, nobody gets laid.  What with the long hours, the constant stress, listening to butt holes such as yourself and the Republicans in Congress, there’s no going down, going down.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be at least four years before you grab any pussy,” Biden says, “and by then, you’ll either be dead or unable to get it going.”

“And your fake hair will turn white and fall out,” Obama says.

“Damn,” Trump says.

“That doesn’t go for Melania,” Biden says.  “She’ll be bonding with her bodyguards and driver.”

“Shit.  This is sounding worse by the minute,” Trump says.

Obama:  “Well, you could request that she has female guards and drivers.”

Trump:  “Melania swings both ways, you know.  Actually, I could watch, and…”

“Oh, look at the time,” Obama says.

“Can we do this again?  I really need help,” Trump says.

“We’ll call you,” Biden says.

“I think this went well, don’t you?” Trump asks as they get up to leave and shake hands.

“Yeah, a blast,” Obama says.

“When I talk to the press, I want it to look like things went well.  Is it OK if I call you my nigga?” Trump asks.

“Is it OK if we call you Little Putin?”

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Abstaining From Abstinence-Only

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Ten fifth-grade boys sit by their mothers and other kin in a South Bronx school auditorium, listening to a man explain why it’s vital to talk with kids about sex. The discomfort in the room is palpable. A grandfather shoos his grandson to the refreshment table for chips. Other adults stare stonily ahead. Some boys slouch lower in their seats.

Then speaker Doug Watterson matter-of-factly announces that puberty will bring great change to these young men–change simultaneously wondrous and frightening, change filled with promise, danger, but above all, he intones, significance. At this, many boys steal careful glances at their moms, appraising their reactions, and looking visibly proud.

Project Straight Talk is a sex ed course unlike any other in New York. Due to federal funding limitations attached to New York State’s Abstinence Education and Promotion Initiative, virtually all public money available to teach young people about sex carries an extreme restriction: They must be taught to abstain from sex before marriage. So the organization sponsoring these Bronx sessions, Inwood House, looked for another way to teach young people about sex–without leaving out essential topics like extra-marital intercourse, protection against STDs and birth control. The organization considers such knowledge to be kids’ best ammunition against AIDS and unwanted pregnancy.

The program’s secret weapon is the boys’ own families. Watterson aims to get parents and other caretakers accustomed to opening up with their pre-pubescent children about sex. “For your kids, there are going to be hundreds of talks about sex from people on the streets,” he explains to the Straight Talk parents. “We want to be the ones to get them the right information.” Eventually, the hope is, parents will start providing this information at home, about the very facts of life that federally funded sex education programs, like Straight Talk, cannot teach.

Last year, Project Straight Talk finished its fifth year at Morrisania’s Community School 198, where about 85 percent of the kids are poor enough to be eligible for free lunch. This school year, it left Morrisania and moved to P.S. 33 in the Fordham neighborhood. The ratio of people living with HIV or AIDS in both areas is about three times that of New York City as a whole. These neighborhoods also have some of the highest percentages in the city of teen girls giving birth.

Through Straight Talk, explains Doreene Bryan, who coordinated the program at C.S. 198, “We’re trying to pull the babies more into the homes…before the streets catch them.”

During the last two decades, funding for “comprehensive” sex education–teaching teens about birth control as well as abstinence–has gotten increasingly hard to find. Since George W. Bush became president, abstinence-only sex education is all the rage in the White House. Federal guidelines now dictate that to get government money for sex ed, programs must present sex outside of marriage as potentially physically and psychologically harmful and discuss contraceptives only in terms of their failure rates. Homosexuality cannot be mentioned. As a result, organizations committed to comprehensive sex education have had to think outside the box to save programs they believe in.

Inwood House’s pregnancy prevention program, Teen Choice, has brought comprehensive sex ed to a handful of New York City schools for over 20 years. Once, it subsisted largely on federal money. But due to today’s rigid rules dictating what educators can and cannot tell teens, Teen Choice has had to turn to private foundations–and so has every other comprehensive sex-ed program. The competition, according to Rebekah Diller, director of reproductive rights at the New York Civil Liberties Union, has led to a severe funding crunch for organizations providing comprehensive sex ed.

Teen Choice used to expand to one or two new schools a year. Now it’s trimming–down from 14 schools two years ago to only 11 today. “We have less access to money, and less schools, because we won’t do abstinence-only education,” explains Gladys Carrion, Inwood House’s executive director.

A recent report by Assemblymember Scott Stringer suggests that schools aren’t picking up the slack. It found that 63 percent of New York City schools failed to meet the city’s requirement that grade-school and middle-school students receive sex-ed classes from teachers certified in health education. Nor were most schools giving these students the required five to six lessons a year on HIV and AIDS prevention.

Carrion has a reputation for speaking bluntly, even when her views contradict those of Inwood House’s funders. She fiercely believes that learning how to make informed personal decisions–what she calls “emotional literacy”–extends to young people’s sexual lives, and should be taught along with reading, math and science.

It wasn’t an accident that Project Straight Talk ended up singling out boys for special attention. Inwood House’s research of its programs showed that while its Teen Choice pregnancy prevention program influenced girls of all ages to analyze their sexual behavior in light of their own welfare, the program had little impact on older boys. “Even though the boys had acquired knowledge, they didn’t act on that knowledge,” says Carrion. “Once they’ve engaged in sex and risky behavior, there’s no turning back, unlike girls, who sometimes change their mind.”

To reach boys, Carrion and Teen Choice Director Pat Maloney realized they’d have to work with them at younger ages. On reflection, it occurred to them that fifth-grade boys generally have little need for condoms or instruction in how to have intercourse safely–because virtually none of them are having intercourse yet. That meant Inwood House could still get funding from an unlikely source: the government and its abstinence-only grants. In 1999, Project Straight Talk was born, with Maloney as executive director.

Straight Talk instructor Watterson, whose warm mix of authority, encouragement and joshing captivates the boys, believes that the ban on discussing birth control and homosexuality just isn’t an issue when working with fifth graders. And anyhow, abstinence-only rules do let him answer the boys’ questions–he just can’t bring up certain subjects himself. So at his weekly workshops, they write anonymous queries–most of which still have one foot in the age of innocence. A sample: “Why do we get body odor so fast?” “Why do girls like boys?”

Some experts say that it can be harmful even at the grade-school level to limit what a sex-education teacher may talk about. In elementary school, points out Joshua Lamont, communications director at the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, kids are already using homophobic terms like “faggot.” Teachers who can’t confront these slurs and explain what they actually mean are put in a confusing position.

The people behind Project Straight Talk are betting that parents will pick up the slack. After being taught to be frank with their kids, they can give the children information–even, hopefully, about gay sexuality–that government funders muzzle Straight Talk from providing.

To help parents get comfortable with this role, the adult-child workshops combine sex information that reflects the program’s name with activities that seem random, even goofy. At one session, parents and sons viewed a Planned Parenthood cartoon video, with a boy asking his red-faced dad questions like “What’s a period? What’s a wet dream?” This was followed by an optical illusion game perhaps more suitable for Sunday school: Copies of an ink blot were distributed, which, when stared and blinked at intently, conjured a blurry image of Jesus.

When Sandra Lopez asked for help from Straight Talk, sex education for her son Jeremy was the last thing on her mind. Her immediate concern was that Jeremy seemed out of control. Each morning at school, he would rush down the hall ripping off posters, kicking doors, cursing at people, and refusing to go to class.

“He just would not stop,” remembers Doreene Bryan, who was P.S. 198’s parent coordinator, and also the school’s parent liaison to Straight Talk.

At Sandra Lopez’ request, Bryan began working with Jeremy. She gave him a notebook and encouraged him to count to 10, then write about his feelings when he felt angry. Sometimes she asked permission to read his journal. Sometimes he let her.

Jeremy’s tantrums subsided. He started attending class and doing his homework. He made what his teachers described as “a complete U-turn.” He even emceed at his Straight Talk graduation last spring.

While Jeremy was learning to express his feelings, his mother was learning to listen–even when the subject was sex. Like many parents in Straight Talk, Sandra Lopez was afraid of her son’s budding sexuality–and especially of the trouble it might bring him with disease and premature fatherhood. She hadn’t expected to feel less anxious when the TV showed couples kissing and her two sons were around. But that turned out to be a pleasant and unexpected perk of Straight Talk. Before she attended the program, “every time one of them had a question, especially if it had something to do with change or puberty, I’d send them to their father,” remembers Lopez. “I just couldn’t deal with it. I was seeing them as my babies and my babies shouldn’t be asking these questions.”

Listening to the other kids and parents in Straight Talk, Lopez learned that her kid wasn’t the only fifth-grade boy curious about sex. She also started venturing to answer some of his questions herself. Now Bryan and Lopez share the same hope: that Jeremy’s curiosity for the facts about sex will continue as he becomes a teen, and that he’ll turn to his parents for answers.

But is the program enough to keep boys like Jeremy on the straight and narrow through their teen years, when they live in some of the city’s most distressed neighborhoods? “Straigh Talk is a beginning,” says Carrion. “It’s a good foundation.”

Kendra Hurley is an editor of Represent,the magazine by and for teenagers in New York City’s child welfare system.

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New Year & Holiday Networking Celebration (White Plains, NY)

January 21, 2015 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Join Westchester Networking for Professionals as we celebrate a New Year for an evening of networking, mingling with friends, making new connections, some laughs and great conversations with business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs while enjoying open bar, appetizers and a GOOD TIME.

For event information visit http://www.wnfp.org

Come solo or bring a friend, all are invited! Bring plenty of business cards.

Early Bird Registrations
$25.00/Privileged Card Members
(Not a Privileged Card Member? JOIN TODAY!)
$35.00/Non-Privileged Card Members & Guests
Paying at the door? $45.00 (Cash Only)

For online tickets and event information visit us online: http://bit.ly/1yw9G6Q
Online registrations end 01/16/15

Admission includes:
Open bar & Appetizer
(Arrive early and enjoy all you can eat and unlimited drinks from 6:00pm – 7:00pm)
Networking & Great Conversations
Raffle Giveaways
Food Drive: Donation of a non-perishable food donation for the Food Bank for Westchester
The Food Bank for Westchester serves as the backbone of the emergency food distribution system in Westchester County, supporting over 265 front-line hunger relief programs.

Dress code: business casual attire.

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2015 Event Sponsorships are now available. Click here the link below for more information or send email to ads@wnfp.org

Welcome Bags Insertion: Include your company messages, business cards, flyers etc as an insertion in our welcome bags. (given to all attendees).
Raffle Prizes Donation: Donate a sample product or service discount to our raffle prizes.
Invite a Guest: Bring a client or potential client to join you at our event.

January 21, 2015
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
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Vintage Lounge & Restaurant
White Plains, New York

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Action Path: A Location-Based Tool for Civic Reflection and Engagement

This is the talk I delivered for the “Civic Media Geography: Experiments In Cosmopolitanism, Citizenship and Accountability” panel I organized at Place, (Dis)Place and Citizenship: Eleventh Annual Conference in Citizenship Studies at Wayne State University, Detroit, MI on March 21, 2014.

Today, I’m going to talk about a tool I’m building. It’s a smartphone app called Action Path. But it hasn’t been deployed yet, so I can’t tell you how it’s revolutionized civic learning or engagement. But I can tell you about my motivation for building it. Specifically, I want to talk about the theories of citizenship which inspire me and what I see as currently missing in the landscape of approaches to civic technology, and even civic engagement more broadly.

The Good, The Monitorial, and The Effective
In his book The Good Citizen, Michael Schudson talks about different eras in America that idealized different types of citizenship (1998). What it meant to be a good citizen at the dawn of American democracy differs substantially from whatever it means now. In particular, Schudson talks about how the ideal of the “informed citizen” dominated the discourse of the 20th century and was deeply intertwined with the role journalism played in society.

However, we are at a point where journalism’s role is fraught in society and where the range of information necessary to be a fully realized participant in democracy, according to these ideals, is impossible. There is too much to know and too much to have an opinion on. Schudson argues that we need a new framework, a new kind of citizenship for contemporary times.

One model he proposes is the “monitorial citizen.” “Monitorial citizens scan (rather than read),” in Schudson’s words (1998, 310). And they integrate their civic duties into their daily lives: watching their kids, keeping abreast of important consumer recalls, noting how weather affects the cost of groceries or their ability to check in on family members’ safety. In aggregate these might give us the omniscience necessary to fully participate in Walter Lippmann’s opinion, that is according to Lippmann’s books The Public Opinion (1922) and The Phantom Public (1925). So rather than rely on individual specialist and experts, we might crowdsource expertise among monitorial citizens—to use contemporary jargon.

This can be a year-long, rather than a season-long practice of citizenship, argues Schudson. We can’t and don’t need to expect the kind of participation that only emerges during the fall of a Presidential Election year.

Where I think we can go one step farther than Schudson is by saying that monitorial citizens are gathering useful information rather than simply watching. Mobile phones and social media give us a trail of data that might be convertible into civic utility.

My advisor at MIT, Ethan Zuckerman, has been thinking about whether there might be such a thing as an “effective citizen” rather than the “good citizen” (2013). In his blog post, he talks about Schudson in relation to Lawrence Lessig and his book Code: And Other Laws of Cyberspace (2006). Lessig sees four ways by which complex systems are regulated: laws, norms, markets, and code or other similar architectures. Similarly to Schudson, Zuckerman sees Lippmann’s challenge to produce omniscient and omnicompetent citizens as far out of reach. But perhaps, we just need to find citizens effective at working with one of the four means of regulation Lessig outlines.

Effective change campaigns are typically multifaceted in a way in which they can work on multiple fronts: pushing for legislative change, while also working on public opinion to change norms, and introducing boycotts or buycotts to change the flow of money through political networks. With code, we are seeing activists work on new means for secure communications in order to change the architectures through which we ourselves can monitor or be monitored. These are particularly pressing examples in the wake of the Snowden revelations.

What might be needed then, in Zuckerman’s estimation, is the ability to assemble teams of effective citizens to take on particular issues using particular theories of change.

But must we all be such “justice-oriented” and “participatory” citizens, to use Joel Westheimer and Joe Kahne’s terms (2004), or “actualizing” citizens to use Lance Bennett’s (2008)? What is left for the “personally responsible” and “dutiful” citizens, or the disengaged—to use a term suggested in the Civic Education panel yesterday? Can they also be effective?

This is what brings me back to the concept of the monitorial citizen. You can imagine a very proactive version of the monitorial citizen, which Jude and Alexis will talk about, but I’m interested in the more passive version, the one that represents most of us, most of the time. That’s whom I want and need to design for.

So what will this tool I’m building actually do?

User Experience Walkthrough
Imagine you’re walking to work, not really paying attention, not feeling particularly civic. Your phone vibrates with a notification because you just walked into a geo-fenced civic opportunity. Geo-fences are virtual borders at a given radius, centered around GPS coordinates—in this case the location of a planning poll. The push notification on your screen reads:

Planning Poll
110 yards ahead
10 seconds
Do you want to participate?

You think, “Yeah, I have 10 seconds.” So you accept, and follow the walking directions until you’re in front of a vacant storefront. The app asks:

What do you wish were here?

  • Grocery store
  • Day care center
  • Co-working space
  • Something else

You think for a bit, and decide it would be nice to grab fresh produce on the way home. You click “grocery store” and submit. The app thanks you and fades away. And you continue onto work.

Or how about a different case. It’s the weekend and you’re walking down Warren Avenue. Your phone vibrates, and the notification reads:

Document a Rally
30 meters ahead
30 seconds
Do you want to participate?

You think, “Yeah, I’ll check it out.” The walking directions take you to the rally, where a handful of activists are waving signs and chanting. It’s about something you agree with—worker’s rights—but wouldn’t normally protest about. Maybe protesting is not your style, or maybe you are just less confident about the issue. The app simply asks you to “Take a photo.” You try to capture as much of the crowd as you can with your phone’s camera. The app asks if you want to add a caption or comment. You type, “Yes to Worker’s Rights!” and submit.

Upon submission, there is an option to learn more about the protest when you submit and follow the issue or similar ones from the organizers. At this point, you are already at the rally, and you actually have the choice to join in or not. There’s the chance that you might engage in a “thicker” form of participation now or down the line. Or you can continue on to the shops, and feel satisfied you contributed.

Pain Points
In technology design, we often speak of pain points, which our designs will address. Well my comes down to the question of “How can opportunities for civic engagement and civic learning be more seamlessly integrated into our daily lives?” We start with the Town Hall Meeting…

Taking people out of their routine spaces, and in some cases forcing them to work synchronously, represents a high barrier to entry for many would-be active citizens. The merits of synchronous, non-routine forms of engagement are many, of course. Community-building requires that people stop and pay attention to each other, finding and perhaps literally inhabiting common ground. However, this limits engagement to those that enjoy the freedom to make such commitments. In particular, it can exclude the voices of youth who may be marginalized within certain spaces as well as middle aged citizens who may lack flexibility in their schedules due to career-building activities and child rearing. Furthermore local civic engagement is not simply inconvenient in these cases but also struggles with relevance for citizens in terms of immediacy, personal connection, and the context of the actual urban landscape.

Related Technologies
Many platforms for civic engagement, whether online or offline, require that citizens leave the places they normally inhabit physically or virtually and commit to a separate space and set of processes. We’ve already talked about town hall meetings, occurring during specific times and in specific places.

But there also virtual town halls like MindMixer, where deliberation occurs within yet another profile-based website that you need to sign up for and regularly return to in order to participate.

Petition sites like work more like push notifications via social media spread and ease of use, but they are disconnected from the issues they represent and easily forgotten.

Finally, “Report a Pothole” 311 service apps like Citizens Connect have already taken advantage of the strengths of mobile devices to serve as location-aware data collection tools, snapping photos of street-level problems, geotagging reports, and uploading them to a central service to help increase the speed and efficiency of government service provision. We could critique these apps in terms of smartphone ownership patterns and how that skews the data toward richer neighborhoods (Crawford 2013), but for me the longer-term issue of what’s missing from most of these services is the ability to reflect more deeply on how to improve the community and take action collectively rather than individually, pothole by pothole. As Peter Levine stressed this morning in his keynote, “Not only are we more effective together, but we lead deeper and richer lives when we strive together.” And, of course, these apps only work if you remember to open them up and use them.

Goal for Civic Technology Design
I believe there is a need for civic engagement platforms that are lightweight and compelling enough to enjoy continued use without resorting to simple point-based gamification. A good paradigm for lightweight civic engagement and community-building to me looks like the creation and sharing of political memes like those seen during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign (Graeff 2013).

Though critics of such “thin” forms of civics—to use Zuckerman’s terminology (2013)—have derided such activities as “slacktivism” or “clicktivism” (Morozov 2009; White 2012), they can serve as gateways to thicker forms of engagement as well as important contributions in and of themselves (Kahne, Lee, and Feezell 2013), especially when seen as fitting in among different roles of citizens necessary for successful functioning of society, as Westheimer and Kahne’s categories imply. The key is enabling dutiful, but lightweight citizen contributions that travel with you and encourage a moment of deeper reflection during action.

Let’s start with the traveling around part.

Theories of Citizenship and Civic Action at Work
Walking, especially along routes you don’t take everyday, can and should be a public service in itself. The Jane Jacobs Walk organization enshrines this principle of Jane Jacobs’ work as a community organizer and scholar, using the art of observation in urban spaces “to see how cities actually work through experience, to go out and see what makes a neighborhood thrive, or to see what makes a neighborhood struggle,” to quote their About page. This approach honors the unique qualities of different cities—communities need home-grown solutions born of local experience.

This is one of Jacobs’ key contributions to urban sociology and planning: the need for what she calls “eyes on the street” (1961, 35). In her seminal book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, she refers to this in connection to safe streets being a function of their level of vitality capable of attracting people and their eyes, whether it’s from windows above the street or benches along it or at the thresholds of businesses, where proprietors and customers interact with the street. This isn’t merely surveillance though, it’s also the study of public life. Jacobs insights in book are based on the observations she made on her home street in Greenwich village and similar streets in cities across the United States. Moreover, it powered her arguments as a civic activist. This is the quintessential case of monitorial citizenship in Schudson’s definition.

Action Path is also meant to connect Jane Jacobs-style urban exploration with Harry Boyte’s theory of “public work,” which attempts to undo the separation between civic engagement, public service, or other variations of do-goodery from normal life and work (2011). Peter Levine mentioned this idea earlier. Boyte argues that the relegation of civic work to the voluntary sector has also led to the professionalization of politics. Instead, many things we already do also have public service implications—one example being the work of builders who might be engaged in the effort to create a public building or space that betters the community rather than something functional in only a strict sense. In line with the ideal of public work, prompts for civic engagement should arise naturally from what you already do, which is how location-triggered push notifications represent an experiment for creating a low-friction opportunity to reflect on a civic issue and take action.

Another motivating concept that brings us back to civic education is what Markus Prior calls “by-product learning,” which is when people “learn politically relevant facts as a by-product of nonpolitical routines” (2007, 4). Prior focuses on the “efficiency” of citizens’ media environments, and argues that less efficient systems like old-school broadcast television actually produce high levels of by-product learning because exposure to political information was high when so few channels and programming options existed. I’m interested in thinking about how to promote by-product learning through the nonpolitical routine of walking through the city. The city as a routine experience is generally perceived of as nonpolitical, and yet it is of course teeming with political realities that could be exposed through Action Path prompts.

Theories of Learning Made Civic
My hope for studying this learning process is in the form of Donald Schon’s concept of the “reflective practitioner” (1983). I want to show that civic expertise can arise through quick moments of thinking on your feet or “reflecting-in-action” in Schon’s terms. By having a body of these actions saved up, as wel as the means for returning to issues through follow-up, you also gain what Schon’s calls a “repertoire” consisting of notes, images, and contributions that enable “reflecting-ON-action,” whereby practitioners can develop new theories and questions about their work, which feed back into their future practice. This is the development of expertise. And while it seems obvious—as in how all learning proceeds—there is a deeper concept behind Schon’s insights, which is its critique of “technical rationality” (all problem-solving is a linear and logical process).

Schon’s work on reflective practice and critique of technical rationality is motivated by his earlier work, published in Beyond the Stable State (1971), wherein he diagnoses mid-twentieth century society as one in which we can no longer rely on the stable state and its institutions in the same way we once could because they are in a continuous process of transformation. He argues that contemporary companies, social movements, and governments need to be “learning systems.” He says that learning happens at the periphery in response to technological progress, and then should ideally be absorbed into the core over time, through what he calls “dynamic conservatism,” which allows institutions to learn and transform while continuing to maintain some semblance of stability by continuing to perform the essential functions that keep them from collapse.

I’m curious to see if we can’t unlock Donald Schon’s concept of “government as learning system” from its paternalistic, top-down approach by re-emphasizing Schon’s own arguments about learning happening at the periphery. The periphery aren’t just young, savvy bureaucrats. They are also private citizens who can participate in this process as reflective actors and contribute to policy designs at the core.

To give you a research hypothesis: the reflection of civic issues in context might allow Action Path users to gain expertise and become more effective citizens themselves.

The thinker who pushes these ideas further is Ivan Illich. Similar to Schon, Illich is aiming for the learning society, but where they differ is over the role and location of expertise. In his book Tools of Conviviality (1973), Illich takes a Marxist view in that the control of the means of production in industrial institutions reduce people to mere consumers, deprived of the essential freedom to have a say in how things are made and what can be done with them. His greatest fear is a pure technocracy.

His antidote is the pursuit of tools and social processes of “conviviality,” which he defines as the “autonomous and creative intercourse among persons, and the intercourse of persons with their environment” (Illich 1973, 11). These tools and processes would ensure individual freedom through personal interdependence by being in the public interest and guaranteed so by being controlled by the public, in other words, by political processes.

It’s ideas like these, which make Illich an intellectual hero of the “maker” movement and constructionist educators. In many ways, the internet—in its purest form—is the ultimate tool of conviviality. And the promise of the internet and associated digital media has been one of a return to the Agora of Ancient Athens, where direct democracy can be practiced with equal distribution of responsibility and at least the potential for expertise.

Of course, there are realities to contend with around access and ability in both cases. Few residents of Athens were allowed to be voting citizens, and the those skilled in rhetoric had more power than those less skilled. The contemporary versions of this are the digital divide and the “participation gap” (Jenkins 2006), rendering those without access to tools or without the ability to participate fully in the creation of effective digital media are disempowered.

It’s possible there will always be a periphery disempowered through some means. Smartphone ownership trends in the developed world suggest that at the very least access to that technology may not be a barrier (Smith 2013), but execution is still critical to succeeding with conviviality.

What does success look like?
Yesterday during his keynote, James Holston also discussed the enfranchisement of the periphery, and the open questions who asks about the new digital tools of democracy and their ability to help bring to bear a sustainable “peer-to-peer urbanism” that might represent a new digital citizenship:

  • Do new direct democratic strategies give us the associational forms necessary to realize a true new digital citizenship?
  • Are these new digital means simply conveniences?
  • Does a digital method of peer-to-peer urbanism give us a new rhetoric for political life in the classic Athenian sense: to turn normal citizens into public and political ones?
  • Can crowdsourcing direct democracy sustain membership and define citizenship in a digital demos rather than merely a digital hoi polloi?

So how does the tool or genre of tools I’m proposing today stack up against Holston’s demands?

Empirically, we still don’t know—and won’t for a few more months in terms of my project. But I like to think that Action Path can be both a convenience as well as a convener for a more participatory democracy, one in which we collectivize power and work through, as well as against institutions. But I also know it’s not perfect, nor will it be. It certainly won’t ever live up to the comprehensive model Peter Levine proposed earlier for civic renewal. Once again, though, it’s a question of execution. A lot more thinking needs to go into designing the side of the tool that enables users to create their own geo-fenced actions. But hopefully it’s another step in the right direction.

The power and potential of both active and passive forms of monitorial citizenship have been demonstrated by projects like FixMyStreet and related 311 apps like I already mentioned, which crowdsource demands for government service provision and offer follow-up, as well as Ushahidi, using SMS to centralize eyewitness reports during crises, OpenStreetMap, which has been used in places such as the Kibera Slums of Nairobi to crowdsource a digital geographic record where institutions failed, and SafeCast, which developed an inexpensive Geiger Counter after the Tsunami and Fukushima disaster and mapped radiation levels across Japan with truck drivers willing to put them out their windows as they drive their routes. And I’m excited about the work of my colleagues on Promise Tracker, another smartphone app, which you will hear about next.

The hardest thing to design is not the technologies themselves but the social processes that surround them—this is why Illich believes we must invert our institutions first—establish a norm that connects individual efforts to official outcomes. That’s why I agree with Holston’s point that the project is the “making of the city,” which is a social project rather than simply one of material construction. People are at the heart of these projects. It’s important that we design in collaboration with the real stakeholders, and that we negotiate and establish our values and expectations upfront. You could say we practice deliberation for the exact reason that Peter Levine stressed that civic activity earlier.

My final inspiration in this work comes from Bent Flyvbjerg. Flyvbjerg has been developing his concept of “phronetic social science” for the past decade, taking the best from action research and mixed method case studies to develop social theories tailored to real world application (2001). He uses the Greek concept of phronesis from Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, which refers to a knowledge of the value of something, which requires an understanding of context but also the projection of the usefulness of research and what impact might look like to all the stakeholders, including the researcher. There is a bit of experimentation in here, and perhaps grounded theory, in letting things emerge through the application of different critical lenses on a given situation or phenomenon.

Furthermore, Flyvbjerg argues that it’s the responsibility of the contemporary social scientist to ensure they keep impact in mind when doing their research, such that when papers are published and accounts are given, they can inform an audience of politicians, designers, urban planners, activists, etc. about what worked and what didn’t, and how that was a function of the context, giving them the ability to iterate and do better subsequently.

I think all of us who practice social science believe that this is what we are doing, or it’s what we aspire to do. But we quickly get wrapped up in the insular tendencies of our disciplines, and present incomprehensible research to each other on more than a few occasions.

I’m hoping as I see this project through that I don’t get too wrapped up with my own theoretical hopes and dreams. That as a designer of civic technology, I don’t confuse learning with education, or confuse efficacy with information. And that I can produce a contribution to theory and practice that helps us answer some of James Holston’s questions, but more importantly perhaps: helps some citizens write their own questions.

  • Bennett, W.L., 2008. Changing Citizenship in the Digital Age. In W. L. Bennett, ed. Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage Youth. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • Boyte, H.C., 2011. Constructive Politics as Public Work Organizing the Literature. Political Theory, 39(5), pp.630–660.
  • Crawford, K., 2013. The Hidden Biases in Big Data. Harvard Business Review Blog Network, April 1.
  • Flyvbjerg, B., 2001. Making social science matter: Why social inquiry fails and how it can succeed again, New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Graeff, E., 2013. Binders Full of Election Memes: Expanding Political Discourse. Presented at Digital Media and Learning Conference, Chicago, IL, March 14.
  • Holston, J., 2014. [Keynote]. Presented at Place, (Dis)Place and Citizenship, Detroit, MI, March 21.
  • Illich, I., 1973. Tools of Conviviality, New York: Harper & Row.
  • Jacobs, J., 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities, New York: Random House.
  • Jenkins, H., 2006. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century.
  • Kahne, J., Lee, J.L. and Feezell, J.T., 2013. The Civic and Political Significance of Online Participatory Cultures among Youth Transitioning to Adulthood. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 10(1), pp. 1–20.
  • Levine, P., 2014. Civic Renewal in America. Presented at Place, (Dis)Place and Citizenship, Detroit, MI, March 21.
  • Lessig, L., 2006. Code version 2.0, New York: Basic Books.
  • Lippmann, W., 1922. Public Opinion, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.
  • Lippmann, W., 1925. The Phantom Public, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.
  • Morozov, E., 2009. From slacktivism to activism. Net Effect, September 5.
  • Prior, M., 2007. Post-Broadcast Democracy: How Media Choice Increases Inequality in Political Involvement and Polarizes Elections, New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Schon, D.A., 1971. Beyond the Stable State, New York: Random House.
  • Schon, D.A., 1983. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, New York: Basic Books.
  • Smith, A., 2013. Smartphone Ownership 2013, Pew Internet & American Life Project.
  • Westheimer, J. and Kahne, J., 2004. What Kind of Citizen? The Politics of Educating for Democracy. American Educational Research Journal, 41(2), pp.237–269.
  • White, M., 2010. Clicktivism is ruining leftist activism. The Guardian, August 12.
  • Zuckerman, E., 2013. The “good citizen” and effective citizen. …My heart’s in Accra.


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Bullit Hero

Bullit Motorcycles Continues UK Expansion Ahead Of New Model Launch

Bullit_HuntBullit Motorcycles has continued its expansion in the UK, appointing Suffolk-based Fastec Racing as its latest dealership. Since launching in the UK in 2015, the classic and custom styles Bullit offer have proven incredibly popular with British riders, with Fastec the 35th dealer in UK. The continued expansion of the network comes ahead of the launch of a new 250cc version of the popular Hero machine, which will be officially unveiled later in the year.

Fans of custom motorcycles or racing will need no introduction to Fastec Racing, with the company forming in 2010 having grown out of Fastec Engineering; a precision engineering company specialising in CNC machining. Renowned for designing and manufacturing high-quality parts for almost every make and model of machine, Fastec Racing products are used by top race teams, custom bike builders and even normal road riders.

Bullit HeroWith a popular online shop offering clothing, helmets, bolt-on accessories and custom parts, Fastec are expanding further by opening a motorcycle showroom, with Bullit Motorcycles their first manufacturer. This will be the 35th dealer in the UK for Bullit, cementing the popularity of the three 125cc models currently on the market; the Hero, Spirit and Hunt. The growth of its dealer network comes ahead of a brand new Bullit machine being launched later in the year; a 250cc version of the popular Hero model. Alongside increasing its dealer network, this summer Bullit has been working closely with journalists and at events such as The Bike Shed’s Cafe Racer Cup to bring its range of machines to a new audience.

To celebrate the new partnership Fastec Racing will be using their experience and expertise to produce a special one-off custom Bullit Hero, which will be unveiled later this year.

Speaking about the appointment, Henry Maplethorpe Bullit UK Brand Manager said, “We’re very pleased to be welcoming Fastec Racing to our dealer network. We’ve seen first-hand their enthusiasm alongside the stunning machines they build themselves so this feels like a natural fit for both brands. The addition of Fastec also places us in a stronger position ahead of the launch of the 250cc Hero, a machine many people have asked us to build!”

Bullit SpiritDanny Starmer, M.D. of Fastec Racing added, “When looking into opening our showroom, we thought long and hard about the brands we wanted to work with. The fact that Bullit were considering other models & engine sizes to add to their brand, meant we knew that they were in it for the long haul and could utilise our machining experience too. There are many ideas in place and designing has begun on the Special and we can’t wait for the unveil”


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Royce Bayer’s ‘Bello’

October 26th, 2018|Tags: , , , |

In a ceremony that would be a match for even the most exotic and modern car launch, Royce, in front of family and invited friends, pulled the covers off a very special creation: his own hand-created ‘Bello’ single-seater racing car, one made in the mould of racers from the 1950s, a time when engines were [...]

  • Louvres and spokes – the exquisite style of Ettore Bugatti

French Blue

October 25th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , |

After the brief mention of Thomas Pitt Cholmondeley-Tapper in the last issue of NZ Classic Driver I was astounded to receive a message from Andy Datlen at Auto Restorations in Christchurch: “We have the Bugatti here, do you want to have a look at it?” So, on a late September Saturday morning, I squeezed into [...]

  • His skills as a driver trainer are almost black magic. Today he’s given up racing, but continues to train the world’s top drivers – and play music!

The Huapai Kid – Classic Racer

September 10th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , |

The international motor racing world knows him as ‘Rob Wilson’, but to me he is Robert Wilson – and always will be. I make no apologies for referring to him as Robert in this story. He left New Zealand for the UK in 1972 at the age of 20, having owned just one car (an [...]

1961 Cole-Baker Special

September 9th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , , |

We trace the history of a unique, locally built special that started off life with a Morris Minor engine before finally gaining Rover V8 power. Like virtually all Kiwi specials, this car was put together on a shoe-string budget by one man – in this case Dan Cole-Baker, a teacher from Raglan. In 1959 when [...]

  • Haig wrestles the ex-Dawson Camaro around the old hairpin at Ruapuna. It was a big, heavy, difficult car that was hard on brakes and not particularly powerful (Photo Terry Marshall)

Classic Racer – Journeys with Johnny Cash – Part Two

June 27th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , |

After making his racing debut in his road-going Zephyr-Corvette and blowing up the gearbox, Kevin decided any future racing would be in a dedicated competition car. But racing was about to take a back seat. The wide world intervened. “I joined the Dunedin exodus to Wanaka that Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” says Kevin. “Over [...]

  • At the Levin International the week after Baypark, Haig and Riley had two comings together. The front of the Mustang is worse for going under a wire hawser barrier. That’s Trevor Crowe behind in the Starlet V8 (Photo Terry Marshall)

Travels With Johnny Cash

April 24th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , |

It was Kevin’s second season with the Mustang, a 1968 car built by Shelby for TransAm but never raced until it was bought by Kiwi Bob Kennett, who ran it in the USA before it was bought by Dexter Dunlop. Dunlop spent an unhappy season with the car before Kevin Haig arrived on the scene [...]

  • Jeremy and an old friend

Jeremy Stace’s Jaguar E-Type

February 21st, 2018|Tags: , , , |

The common expression ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ can certainly be attributed to Enzo Ferrari’s thoughts on Jaguar’s E-type as, on first sighting the car, il Commendatore was reported to have called it “the most beautiful car ever made”. He wasn’t the only one that had these thoughts after the original E-type [...]


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Military backpacks include first aid kits.

A military backpack, also called a MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment, pronounced like the name "Molly"), is designed to adjust the amount of equipment a soldier carries. The contents of a MOLLE are similar to what a backpacker would carry but differ depending on the location of the soldier, the length of the assignment and the soldier’s mission.

Hydration Packs

Every MOLLE has a hydration pouch that soldiers can fill with water to supplement their canteens. The hydration packs can carry up to 2 liters of water that soldiers can quickly access with a tube attached to the pouch of water. According to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, the hydration pack does not filter out water contaminated with chemical or biological hazards, but the Army is working on one that will be safe in any condition. A hydration pack can last a soldier up to 72 hours.

Soldiers carry MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) in their MOLLE packs. These food rations come in packets that are self-heating so soldiers can eat if they are in the field and are kept in a “sustainment pouch” on the MOLLE, according to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center. In addition to MREs, a sustainment pouch has enough room for a soldier to pack extra snacks such as power bars or energy drinks. The food in a MOLLE is enough to last a soldier 72 hours.

Survival Essentials

The U.S. Army provides soldiers with survival essentials should they need to survive in the wilderness for up to 72 hours. These items include sunscreen, a first aid kit, medications, fire kit with a fire starter, space bag, extra socks, sunglasses and a flashlight. In addition, under the rucksack of a MOLLE is a compartment especially made for a sleeping bag.

Weapons and Communication

According to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, a MOLLE contains a claymore and antipersonnel mine in the front pocket of a rucksack. The backpack also has a bandolier that can hold up to six magazines with 30 rounds in each as well as a survival knife. A MOLLE also contains a tactical radio in a removal pocket in addition to a GPS unit, satellite phone, cellular phone and/or a laptop so it is easy for soldiers to communicate with each other.

Personal Items

In addition to items essential for survival and combat, a MOLLE may contain a soldier’s personal items such as an MP3 player, photographs, a small book and a pen and notepad.


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Alaska Unleashed: 16 Day Itinerary

There are so many options for creating your own Alaska itinerary. I’m sharing where we went because we saw everything that we wanted to see and so much more. I highly suggest that you do a lot of research before you go and narrow down the experiences that are important to you. Everyone wants something different, so simply use this as a suggestion for what could be a great trip.

Day 1: Fly into Anchorage from your home city, rent a car and spend the night

  • Anchorage isn’t a very beautiful city, but it’s not a bad place to start your trip. Pick up any last minute necessities, as this city has a Target and other stores we are familiar with in the Lower 48.
  • Recommended B&B: Alaska Frontier Garden Inn; about 20 minutes from downtown.

Day 2: Drive from Anchorage to Seward

  • This 115 mile scenic drive takes about 2.5 hours, but be prepared for it to take much longer.
  • Here you’ll get your first glimpse of glaciers (Spencer and Portage), beluga whales if you’re lucky and mountains as far as the eye can see. If you have time, drive to Exit Glacier and take the short hike to the base.
  • Recommended B&B: Alaska Paddle Inn; located off a dirt road at the end of town, this gem is definitely worth the drive. The inn overlooks Resurrection Bay, which is breathtaking.

Day 3: Seward, Alaska

  • Kenai Fjords Boat Tour. Take the motion sickness medication no matter what they say; you go out to open sea and it can get rough. This tour gives you the opportunity to see many glaciers, most noteworthy is Northwestern Glacier. During the cruise you also look for whales, seals, eagles, puffins and more.

Day 4: Seward to Talkeetna

  • We spent the morning hiking to the Harding Ice Field, which is possibly one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever completed. The first four miles are straight up, with lots of climbing natural stairs. At the top you are greeted with ice and snow as far as the eye can see, as the Harding Ice Field supplies 40 glaciers with ice/snow.
  • After that we got on the road and made a pit stop in Anchorage at the Moose’s Tooth, a great little pizza place.
  • Recommended B&B: Denali Overlook Inn. They have fabulous breakfasts every morning and if you are lucky you will actually see Mt. McKinley from their living room windows.

Day 5: Talkeetna, Alaska

  • If you are going to fly around Mt. McKinley, do it out of Talkeetna. We flew with K2 Aviation and landed on Ruth Glacier during our flight. It costs a small fortune, but it is not something that you will ever live to regret. It’s stunning.
  • We spent most of this day relaxing outside and then dining in “downtown” at the Wildflower Cafe.

Day 6: Talkeetna to Healy, Alaska (Denali National Park)

  • This was our base for going to Denali National Park, which we visited once we got into town. We saw moose during the first 14 miles that you are permitted to drive in the park. We also took a short hike at Salvage River.
  • Recommended B&B: Denali Dome Home. Just make sure you request a room that attaches to the main part of the house. Some of them have a separate entrances that are only accessible from the outside.

Day 7: Healy, Alaska

  • Take the shuttle bus into Denali National Park. There are two options for doing this; the national park’s shuttle buses (which are green and cost about $50) that go all the way into the park or the tours (which are tan buses and cost about $150). I would recommend the park shuttle buses for $50 because they still give you narration and stop for wildlife just like the other tour buses. The national park was beautiful and we saw grizzlies, caribou, moose and sheep.

Day 8: Healy, Alaska to Anchorage

  • This is a heavy driving day (it takes about 5 hours), so we broke it up by stopping back in Talkeetna for dinner at the Denali Brewing Company.
  • Definitely a gorgeous drive and keep your eyes out for wildlife. Or you could be like us and not see any until we got back into Anchorage where a mom and two baby moose were right at the end of the street where we were staying.
  • Recommended B&B: Alaska Frontier Garden Inn. It was really great starting and ending our land portion of the trip at the same place. Plus we had the added perk of being able to do our laundry at the B&B before boarding the cruise ship.

Day 9: Board Cruise Ship

  • We returned our rental car and took a bus from Anchorage back down to Seward. We booked it through the cruise ship so that we wouldn’t have to worry about our luggage. There aren’t any rental car returns in Seward, otherwise we just would’ve drove ourselves.
  • We chose Holland America for our cruise line. It was nice enough, but not really for me. However, I feel like you need to take a cruise to see certain parts of Alaska.  Keep in mind that the average age on these cruises is around 75 years old.

Day 10: Day at Sea

  • It takes a while to get to Glacier Bay National Park. The whole day was at sea, where I attempted to not feel seasick.

Day 11: Glacier Bay National Park

  • Holland America and Princess Cruise lines are the only ships that can go into Glacier Bay National Park. A ranger from the park boards the ship for the day as you travel from glacier to glacier, pointing out wildlife and other important areas of the park. It was a really beautiful experience and the boat turns around many times while at Margerie Glacier so everyone has a good view of the calving glaciers.

Day 12: Haines, Alaska

  • Perhaps my favorite stop on the cruise ship and for good reason; I got to see a grizzly bear eating salmon in the river. So let me back up. We rented bikes for $20 from a shop right off the cruise dock and biked 9 miles to Chilkoot Lake. This is where we saw bald eagles soaring up above and a grizzly bear. Highlight of the trip for sure. Plus the bike ride was stunning and there was very little traffic on the road so it was relatively safe.

Day 13: Juneau, Alaska

  • I didn’t really get to see very much of Juneau because I booked an excursion with Above & Beyond Alaska to hike to Mendenhall Glacier, hike on the glacier, and then visit the beautiful ice caves that exist beneath the glacier. I can’t guarantee that the ice cave will continue to exist after this year due to the melting glacier, but for now it is breathtaking.

Day 14: Ketchikan, Alaska

  • I would say that this was my least favorite port but that is only because this was the one day that it rained on our vacation. Otherwise we were extremely lucky. It’s actually a really adorable town with colorful buildings built on wooden stilts. We spent the day taking it easy and exploring the town. Some people we know went fishing out of Ketchikan and loved it.

Day 15: Cruising on the Inside Passage

  • Having one final day on the boat to relax and pack is a great idea. We felt totally relaxed and ready to go when the time came. Plus we saw orca and humpback whales on the Inside Passage, although not as many as we had anticipated. It’s a good idea to do an actual whale watching trip if you want to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.

Day 16: Vancouver, B.C.

  • I’ve already marked Vancouver as a place that I need to return to. It is such a cool city. We took a big pink bus tour, just to get a general sense of the city. Plus they delivered our luggage to the airport so we wouldn’t have to deal with it during our visit. Definitely check out Granville Public Market and Gastown. I’m sure there are other great areas, but that is all we had the opportunity to see.
  • I would recommend staying a day or two there if you can, but 16 days is already kind of a lot. We had to fly home that evening, so that is why we choose what we did.

This concludes my mini travel series on Alaska. This week, back to Cleveland!

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Ceska Sin Sokol Hall

The Birthplace of Northeast Ohio College Gymnastics

In the early 1940s, before he was even old enough to cross the street, young Joe Bachna gazed at Ceska Sin Sokol Hall from his father's photography studio at 4203 Clark Avenue. The three and one-half story building located down and across the street at 4314 Clark Avenue, loomed large, both in the immediate neighborhood and in his imagination. Joe dreamed about the day when he too, like his older brothers Alfred, Rudy and Gilbert, could go to the Hall and become a Sokol member, a gymnast.

At the time that Joe Bachna was growing up in this west side neighborhood of Cleveland which was then heavily populated by Czech, Slovak and German-Americans, Ceska Sin Sokol Hall had been home to a number of west side Sokol organizations for nearly 40 years. The Sokols ("Falcons"), a physical education and cultural program founded in Prague in 1862 to promote national solidarity and pride, was part of the culture that Czech immigrants brought with them to America in the second half of the nineteenth century. The first Sokol in America was organized in St. Louis in 1865, and by the 1870s Sokols were being founded among the growing Czech population living in Cleveland.

In the 1890s, Cleveland's west side Czech Sokols--Nova Vlas ("New Country") and Ceska-Zbavny ("Czech Entertainment")-- began purchasing property and building gyms in the Clark-Fulton area. In 1903, they and a number of lodges, clubs and other men's and women's ethnic organizations pooled their resources for the purpose of acquiring a single large hall for all of their activities. Forming a patronat ("board of managers"), they purchased Hungaria Hall in 1907. The hall, which had been built in 1890 by wealthy Hungarian-American magnate Theodore Kundtz, was renamed Ceska Sin Sokol Hall.

During the the years that followed the purchase, thousands of west side neighborhood boys and girls undertook gymnastic training at Ceska Sin Sokol Hall. They also imbibed the Sokol creed of developing strong minds and sound morals to go along with their strong bodies. They practiced, put on exhibitions, engaged in competitions, and, on special occasions, participated in slets (literally "rallies," but actually festivals), where hundreds and sometimes even thousands of Sokol members performed elaborately choreographed gymnastic routines. The Bachna family became involved in these and other Hall activities starting in the 1920s. Joseph Bachna, Sr. and his wife Angela, immigrants from what became Czechoslovakia, were members of a number of clubs and other organizations at the Hall, and their boys at early ages became members of the Slovak Gymnastic Union Sokol.

While all of the Bachna boys developed life-long relationships with Sokol organizations and with Ceska-Sin Sokol Hall, the relationship that one of them developed was to have an enormous impact on the development of college gymnastics in northeast Ohio. Rudy Bachna, whose competitive career was derailed at age 9 when he suffered a crippling injury to his left hand, founded the gymnastic program at Kent State University in 1959. It was the first such college program in northeast Ohio and it quickly became successful, serving as a model for college gymnastic programs across the country. Rudy trained a number of Pan-American and Olympic gymnasts, including Betty Jean Maycock, who won a gold medal at the 1960 Pan-American games and participated in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. In 1980, in recognition of his contributions to college gymnastics, Rudy Bachna was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. In 1993, two years after his retirement, he and his wife Janet, also a gymnastics coach, were inducted into the Kent State University Hall of Fame.

Today, Sokol gymnasts still train at Ceska Sin Sokol Hall and are still competitive, much like the Bachna boys were more than a half-century earlier. And while their numbers are smaller, these Sokol-trained gymnasts have continued over the years to contribute to northeast Ohio, sometimes in fields other than gymnastics. In 1969, when 17-year-old Peter Sikora, a west side Sokol member of Ceska Sin Sokol Hall, suffered a trampoline accident at St. Ignatius High School that left him a quadriplegic for life, his days as a gymnast were over. But in the Sokol tradition of developing a sound mind as well as a sound body, Peter went on to college and then to law school. He became a lawyer and then a Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court judge in 1989, where he served for 23 years until his death in 2012. Like Rudy Bachna, Judge Sikora too found a way to contribute to his community despite his physical limitations, just as his early gymnastic training at Ceska Sin Sokol Hall would have taught him to do.