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370-16(a) Box Volume Calculations

Last month's In Focus introduced box fill, with emphasis on Section 370-16(a)'s box volume calculations. Table 370-16(a) is used to determine the maximum number of conductors (for sizes No. 18 through No. 6) permitted within common-size metal boxes. The number listed under each conductor size is the maximum allowed within a box containing no fittings or devices, such as fixture studs, cable clamps, hickeys, switches, or receptacles. Two factors, not relevant to Section 370-16, are the conductor material and the type of insulation.

370-16(b) Box Fill Calculations

It is necessary to reduce the maximum number of conductors permitted in boxes containing fittings or devices. Detailed box fill calculation requirements are provided in Section 370-16(b)(1) through (5). Proper calculation depends upon understanding which items are counted and how much volume is required for those items. Fill is computed for the following items: conductors, clamps, support fittings, devices or equipment, and equipment grounding conductors. Locknuts, bushings, wirenuts, and other small fittings are not counted in box fill calculations.

370-16(b)(1) Conductor Fill

Each conductor originating outside the box, which is terminated or spliced inside the box (the most common installation occurrence within junction, outlet, and device boxes), counts as one conductor. Conductors entering boxes are typically cut and joined (spliced) to other conductor(s), device(s), equipment, lighting fixture(s), or any combination thereof. Once a conductor is cut, regardless of whether it is spliced or terminated, it counts as one conductor.

A second common situation exists, which does not involve conductor splicing. In these instances, conductors run through a box uncut, in the same manner that larger conductors are installed in pull boxes. A conductor passing through the box without splice or termination (unbroken) counts as one conductor. Caution is advised when cutting and splicing previously unbroken conductors within a box. This procedure could, depending upon the box size and the number of conductors, violate box fill requirements. For example, a 4-inch square box with a depth of 1-1/2 inches contains four unbroken No. 12 conductors (black, red, blue, and white).

Another red, blue, and white No. 12 conductor is added. The existing red, blue, and white conductors are cut and spliced with the new conductors. This now exceeds the maximum number of conductors permitted for this size box. The remaining unbroken black conductor still counts as only one. The three new conductors count as three conductors. Since the existing red, blue, and white conductors have been cut, they now count as six, bringing the total number of conductors within this box to 10. Table 370-16(a) allows only nine No. 12 conductors within a 4-inch-by-1.5-inch square box. The example just described, therefore, represents a Code violation. A possible solution, space permitting, is the addition of an extension ring.

Conductors that do not exit the box, such as equipment bonding jumpers and pigtails, are not counted.
Equipment grounding conductor(s) and four or fewer fixture wires (No. 16 and smaller), entering a box from a domed fixture (or similar canopy) and terminating within that box, can be omitted from box fill calculations. [370-16(b)(1) Exception]

When all conductors within the box are the same size, simply count the number of conductors. If the box is a metal box listed in Table 370-16(a) and all the conductors are the same size, the maximum number of conductors is furnished in the appropriate column.

Example-a metal junction box is needed for four conduits. Three No. 12 unbroken conductors exit one conduit, and with sufficient slack, enter another conduit. The other two conduits contain three No. 12 conductors, each of which will be spliced together. What is the minimum depth 4-in. square box required? (The box contains no fittings or devices.) Three No. 12 conductors running through the box without splice (unbroken) count simply as three conductors. Since three of the No. 12 conductors are to be spliced to three other No. 12 conductors, they are counted as six. The total number of No. 12 conductors then is nine. Per Table 370-16(a), the minimum depth required for a 4-inch square box enclosing nine conductors is 1.5 inches.

When the box contains different-size conductors, or the box is not listed in Table 370-16(a), each conductor's cubic-inch volume is needed. (Note: Some nonmetallic boxes are marked with the maximum number of conductors permitted within the box, according to conductor size. For example: 14/9, 12/8, and 10/7, which means nine No. 14's, eight No. 12's, or seven No. 10's.) Table 370-16(b) provides the cubic-inch volume for No. 18 through No. 6 size conductors. The total cubic-inch volume for conductors, fittings, devices, etc. must not exceed the cubic-inch capacity of the box (or assembled sections).

Example-a 4-inch square metal box with a depth of 1.5 inches presently contains four No. 12 conductors. How many No. 14 conductors can be added? (There are no fittings or devices in the box.) First, find the box's cubic-inch capacity from Table 370-16(a); in this case, 21 cubic inches. Next, find the cubic-inch volume for each No. 14 and No. 12 conductor. No. 14 = 2 cubic inches and No. 12 = 2.25 cubic inches (Remember, conductor insulation is not a factor.) The total volume for four No. 12 conductors is 9 cubic inches (4 x 2.25 = 9). Now, deduct the total volume of these No. 12 conductors. The space remaining for the No. 14 conductors is 12 cubic inches (21 - 9 = 12). Finally, divide the available space by the No. 14's cubic-inch volume (12/2 = 6). As many as six No. 14 conductors can be added within this box.

300-14: Length of Free Conductors at Outlets, Junctions, and Switch Points

At least 6 inches of free conductor must be left at each outlet, junction, and switch point to facilitate splices, or the connection of fixtures or devices. Although the 6 inches of free conductor has been a National Electrical Code (NEC) requirement for many years, prior to the 1999 edition no explanation was offered as to how the measurement should be made. The new wording states, specifically and clearly, that the measurement starts from the place in the box where the conductor comes out of the raceway or cable sheath.

Where the opening to an outlet, junction, or switch point is less than 8 inches in any dimension, conductors must be of sufficient length to extend a minimum of 3 inches outside of the opening. Satisfying this requirement eliminates the occurrence of very short conductors within deep boxes.

No minimum length is specified for unbroken conductors within an outlet, junction, or switch point. [300-14 Exception] Although no minimum is specified, it is a good idea to leave adequate length, so that an unbroken conductor can be spliced or terminated, and still comply with Section 300-14.

Next month's issue of In Focus will conclude the procedures for calculating box fill. Specific items will include clamp fill, support fittings fill, device or equipment fill, equipment grounding conductor fill, and conduit bodies.

MILLER, owner of Lighthouse Educational Services, teaches custom-tailored classed and conducts seminars covering various aspects of the electrical industry. He is the author of Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code. For more information, visit his Web site at www.charlesRmiller.com. He can be reached by phone at (615) 333-3336, or via e-mail at charles@charlesRmiller.com.


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Not a fan: Forest campaigners hit hard at Mandarin Oriental hotels

A new campaign launched by Forest Heroes against luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental sheds light on its links to palm oil company Astra Agro Lestari, which has been accused of deforestation and habitat destruction in Indonesian rainforests.

Anti-deforestation group Forest Heroes on Monday launched a hard-hitting campaign against luxury hotel chain Mandarin Oriental, accusing the company’s owners - Jardine Matheson Holdings - of deforestation, elephant habitat destruction, and community rights violations in Indonesia.

With slick visuals that juxtapose the hotel’s luxurious interiors with ravaged landscapes, the ‘She’s not a fan’ campaign spoofs the Mandarin Oriental’s own marketing initiative - which plays on its logo of a paper fan by profiling celebrities as fans of the hotel - to draw attention to the irresponsible practices in Indonesia’s palm oil industry.

Campaigners - who have been protesting this week outside Mandarin Oriental hotels in London, New York, and Jakarta dressed as elephants - point out that Jardine Matheson, which owns Mandarin Oriental, is also the parent company of Indonesian palm oil firm Astra Agro Lestari.

Jardine is Bermuda-incorporated and is listed on the London and Singapore stock exchanges.

The three companies also share a common figurehead: Mandarin’s chairman, Ben Keswick, is also the Managing Director of Jardines and Astra’s commissioner, which is a position on the company’s board of directors.

Astra is carrying out deforestation in the Indonesian provinces of West Kalimantan and Central Sulawesi, and its operations in Sampoiniet, Aceh, are destroying the habitat of the Sumatran elephant, said Forest Heroes.

It pointed out that Astra is the biggest palm oil producer which is not yet a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an industry association that certifies sustainably grown palm oil and counts most of the world’s largest palm oil producers and traders as members.

Deborah Lapidus, director of the Forest Heroes campaign, said that “staying at the Mandarin Oriental sends profits to one of the most environmentally destructive corporations on the planet”.

A visual from Mandarin Oriental’s original campaign, which features actress Lucy Liu and declares that ‘she’s a fan’ of the chain. Image: Mandarin Oriental

“Mandarin Oriental’s chairman Ben Keswick needs to stop his company’s destruction of forests and elephant habitat,” she added.

Forest Heroes also released an investigative report as part of the campaign, based on research by Dutch consultancy Aidenvironment on behalf of Rainforest Foundation Norway, Indonesian conservation groups Warsi and Yayasan Merah Putih, and social justice campaigners

The report found that Astra, which is Indonesia’s second largest palm oil producer by area, has been responsible for more than 14,000 hectares (ha) of deforestation between 2006 and 2014, and the destruction of 27,000 ha of carbon-rich peat since 2009.

The latter activity has released 2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, equivalent to annual emissions from 830,000 cars.

It also noted that the company in 2008 had encroached on 250 ha of Sumatran tiger and elephant habitat in Aceh province.

It added that Astra’s plans to operate a new mill in the area, which were reported in the Indonesian press in September 2014, would destroy more of this important habitat.

Both the Sumatran tiger and elephant are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

An Astra subsidiary is also involved in land disputes with indigenous communities such as the Orang Rimba in Jambi, Sumatra, said the report.

Change, or else

While much of the palm oil sector has transformed itself through No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation commitments, Astra is the leading advocate for continuing to cut down forests.

Hanna Thomas, palm oil campaigner,

Investigators behind the report said that Astra and its subsidiaries should change its errant practices or risk being terminated as a supplier by palm oil giants such as Musim Mas, Wilmar and Golden Agri-Resources.

These companies together account for almost half of Astra’s revenue last year, and all have promised to ensure that their suppliers operate responsibly.

It is also Jardine Matheson’s responsibility to its shareholders to require Astra to adopt more responsible production and sourcing procedures, said the report.

It said that if this is not done, Astra’s parent company risks being excluded by the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund that has committed to avoiding investment in companies which cause environmental damage.

Hanna Thomas, palm oil campaigner with, noted: “While much of the palm oil sector has transformed itself through No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation commitments, Astra is the leading advocate for continuing to cut down forests.”

Single biggest obstacle

Protestors outside the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hyde Park, London. Similar demonstrations were also carried out in New York and Jakarta. Image: Climate Advisers

As evidence of this, the campaign pointed to statements made in 2012 by Astra senior director Joko Supriano, who also heads the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association, that it is “irrelevant” to link palm oil expansion to deforestation, and causing the deaths of orangutans.

According to an unnamed palm oil executive who spoke to the report’s investigators, “he (Supriyono) is the single biggest obstacle to progress by the Indonesian government”  on forest protection.

In an official statement, Jardine Matheson refuted the campaign’s claims, saying that Astra’s “sustainability practices are among the best in the industry”.

Astra has welcomed the new Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge (IPOP) and is “actively working towards signing up,” the company added.

IPOP is an agreement made last September by palm oil giants Asian Agri, Cargill, Golden Agri-Resources, and Wilmar, along with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to ensure that their operations do not destroy forest or peat lands, and that they work with the Indonesian government on policy reform.

Astra also issued a statement saying that it “takes environmental stewardship very seriously and has won numerous environmental awards”, adding that it complies with Indonesian laws and regulations, and has gone beyond them to implement practices that are outlined in an annual sustainability report.

Astra “only ever develops plantations on land designated” by the government for plantation use, and all its plantations are outside protected forests and conservation areas, said the company.

It also confirmed to Eco-Business on Tuesday that “there is no plan to open a palm oil mill in Sampoiniet, Aceh”.

Mandarin Oriental, in a separate statement, sought to clarify that it is a separate public company from Astra, and that its own sustainability practices are “among the best in the hospitality industry”.

Opaque operations

Astra has a long record of obstructing these efforts, but we hope they can put that legacy behind them and become a leading champion of conservation.

Joel Finkelstein, communications director, Forest Heroes

Joel Finkelstein, communications director, Forest Heroes, told Eco-Business that Astra’s announcement that no new mill would be built in Sampoiniet was “great news”, but pointed out that given the media coverage last year, it was clear that “they very recently had plans to do so”.

The new decision merely reflected a change in the company’s plans, he said. When asked to comment on this, Astra declined to elaborate on the timeline or details of the decision process regarding the milll.

Finkelstein also said that Astra’s plans to sign onto IPOP was a positive development, as it would require them to promise ‘no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation’, a commitment the company has not yet explicitly made.

But Astra’s conspicuous absence RSPO remains a problem, because “the company’s operations are very opaque, in part due to the fact that it is not an RSPO member”, said Finklestein.

He urged Astra “to immediately disclose all of its plantations and subsidiaries’ plantations as well as full information on its third party suppliers”.

The company should also certify that it has stopped clearing land that is forest, peat, or has a high conservation value, and has resolved any community conflicts, he said.

He added that Astra also had an “ethical obligation” to restore as much forest and peat as it had destroyed in the past.

Astra “has a long record of obstructing these efforts, but we hope they can put that legacy behind them and become a leading champion of conservation”, said Finkelstein.

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From Zig to Zag

Posted in Issues

With the US election just a year away, books that seek to explain the next long-term zig in terms of the last long-term zag are piling up. For example, there is Jonathan Chait’s The Big Con: The True Story of How Washington Got Hoodwinked and Highjacked by Crackpot Economics. Or Paul Krugman’s The Conscience of a Liberal, with its echo of Barry Goldwater’s title of nearly fifty years ago. Both authors are unable to tell the whole truth, or even all the truth they know: Chait is constrained by the depth-of-field of his magazine focus (he is a senior editor at The New Republic); Krugman, by his dual citizenship as newspaper columnist and leading professional economist.

For that reason the most interesting of these campaign histories may be Michael Perelman’s The Confiscation of American Prosperity: From Right-Wing Extremism and Economic Ideology to the Next Great Depression. Perelman, professor of California State University at Chico, author of 17 cranky and original books, is the most completely unrepentant populist economist around, a regular Howard Zinn for the economics class. He has little reason to hold back.

For Chait, the story of the last 25 years is all about journalists Jude Wanniski and Robert Bartley, economists Arthur Laffer and Robert Mundell, intellectuals George Gilder and Irving Kristol. The more mainstream Martin Feldstein appears but twice, fleetingly, in Chait’s pages, and Milton Friedman barely once. He writes, “American politics has been high-jacked by a tiny coterie of right-wing economic extremists, some of them ideological zealots, others merely greedy, a few of them possibly insane. The scope of their triumph is breathtaking. Over the course of the last three decades, they have moved from the right-wing fringe to the commanding heights of the national agenda.” It is hard to take that statement seriously.

Krugman takes a longer view, going back to William F. Buckley, who wrote God and Man at Yale in 1951 and founded The National Review in 1955, and Barry Goldwater, who was the Republican presidential nominee in 1964, to locate the beginnings of “movement conservatism.” (Ronald Reagan’s speech on Goldwater’s behalf in October 1964 was the breakthrough moment in Reagan’s political career.) Strident anti-union sentiment in the business community contributed too, he says, though he doesn’t mention any names. So did University of Chicago economists and sociologists associated with the quarterly The Public Interest. Race was an important issue. “White backlash against the civil rights movement is the reason that America is the only advanced country where a major political party wants to roll back the welfare state.”

With Perelman we get a description of what he calls “the great capitalist restoration” that is at once more nuanced and more free-wheeling. His version of “the Plot” to overturn the “Golden Age of Capitalism” that followed the New Deal began as long ago as the Taft-Harley Act of 1947, which cut back on the organizing power of unions.  For him a key event was the memorandum that attorney Lewis Powell completed for the US Chamber of Commerce (“Attack on the American Free Enterprise System”)  in August 1971, two months before he was appointed to the US Supreme Court (“this short piece set off a movement that changed the face of the world,”)

Developments such as the founding of the Federalist Society by a trio of law students in 1982; or the emergence of Harvard’s Feldstein, as the nation’s most prominent conservative economist after 1977, when he became president of the National Bureau of Economic Research, play a prominent role in Perelman’s story. He is certainly correct that technical economists played a leading role in justifying many of the changes that took place:  deregulation, restructuring and the like. Unfortunately, he has nothing to say about the parallel changes occurring in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, its satellites, and the People’s Republic of China. What’s needed now in the US, writes Perelman, is a liberal version of the Powell memorandum, a long-term strategy for taking back the initiative in the task of building a less risky, more humane society. (Presumably that is the document that Krugman set out to write; the goals he proclaims are guaranteed basic health care and a more equal distribution of income.)

(Perelman is an inventive fellow, always worth listening to. In an earlier book, Railroading Economics, he showed how the economists who studied railroads in the late 19th century and early 20th century achieved an understanding of businesses with high fixed costs and low marginal costs that, though generally neglected, is highly relevant to understanding economics of the high-tech age.)

The problem with each of these books, at least for my taste, is that none goes deep enough to constitute a persuasive story about what happened in the 1960s, ’70s, ’80 and ’90s, and therefore, none is very persuasive about what to expect next.  For example, none of the three has any discussion of the significance of Paul Volcker, the conservative Democrat who as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board brought double-digit inflation under control. Krugman mentions the conquest of inflation only in passing. And the emphasis on fiscal discipline and tax simplification that was at the heart of so much of political debate these last 35 years, West and East, is ignored altogether.

At least since Henry Adams, it’s been a commonplace that a reliable cycle is to be observed in American politics.  Adams described a periodicity of around 36 years, alternating between centralization and diffusion of power. Nearly a century later, historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., following his father, considered that the swing was between liberalism and conservatism, “between periods of concern for the rights of the few and periods of concern for the wrongs of the many.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson earlier had seen the pattern differently, in terms of periods of social innovation followed by interludes in which consolidation gained the upper hand:  “The castle which conservatism is set to defend is the actual state of things, good and bad…. Conservatism never puts the foot forward; in the hour when it does that, it is not establishment, but reform.”  And in these terms, it is easy to understand the political tide that reached full flood with Ronald Reagan in 1980 in its own terms, as reform — the national foot put forward in one direction (from which standpoint Presidents Nixon and Ford appeared to have been cautious defenders of the status quo), nearly forty years after Franklin Roosevelt had stepped out boldly in another. In other words, a great long zig followed by a comparable zag.

So for many reasons, the wisest treatment of these matters that I know remains the one that Robert J. Samuelson, the economic journalist, published in 1995 — The Good Life and Its Discontents: The American Dream in the Age of Entitlement 1945-1995.  Samuelson’s book about the economic, political and social evolution of the US in the half-century after World War II is a dozen years old now — twice that, if dated from his initial impulse to write a book — but it reads even better today than when it first appeared.  Its organization alone — “The Entitlement Society,” “The New Capitalism,” “The Politics of Overpromise,” “After Entitlement” — sets out to tell a more satisfying story than any of the three new books. If ever a political essay wanted a second chance in a new edition, it is this one.

(Some of the book’s more topical sections have dated, it is true, but in such a way as to demonstrate the author’s sagacity. In the penultimate chapter, “Responsibility, Not Entitlement,” Samuelson wrote, “The first requirement is to balance the budget. It is not that balancing the budget is the country’s only problem, or, in some ways, even its most important.  But it is something that elected officials can affect, and their refusal to do so condones and perpetuates overcommitted — and irresponsible — behavior.”  It was a sound judgment in 1995, at a time when Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich were tossing back and forth responsibility for the federal budget as if it were a hot potato.)

For Samuelson, as for Emerson, the tendency of Americans to tack in one direction for a generation or two, then in another, is less important than is the nation’s fundamental impulse to act upon its “unchanging ideals.” The real cycle, he writes, “is one of exertion and exhaustion, of romantic assault and ugly accommodation. This is hardly the sum total of our history, because the history of any country or people is a mosaic of blinding complexity….[but] The understanding of history involves the selective viewing of the mosaic in an effort to discover some order and pattern, and the existence of these broad rhythms — driven by contradictions between ideal and reality — is one such recurring pattern.” That seems true, as far as it goes. But among  our most deeply cherished ideals may be some sufficiently incompatible that they can only take turns at the head of our agenda — liberty and equality, love and justice, individuality and communal solidarity. Hence the zig-zag of American politics.

A powerful backlash is obviously building against the Republican Party, and the vague but broad mandate for change under which it has operated for thirty years. The country seems poised to step off in a new direction, if only tentatively. The trick will be to hold to the real gains in self-understanding that have been made in the past thirty years, as the next bold push into the future gains momentum.


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Author: Sachin

Sachin is a freelance writer, writing on various topics.

Once you’ve got the travel bug, it’s almost impossible to cure yourself. You begin with a few destinations in mind, and soon enough you’ve got a document the size of a novel with all the Jimbaran hotels, Marrakech souks, Buenos Aires clubs...

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How to Build Your Confidence

We all get nervous from time to time and wish we had more self-confidence. It could be just a general feeling, or when meeting new people, when in unfamiliar situations or in certain aspects of our jobs. Here are some ways that will help you... read more »

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Australians have lots of common slang words or sayings that often sound peculiar to those coming to live, visit or study English here. Aussies are very unique in both their English dialect and the many phrases and sayings they have to communicate... read more »

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I bet when you first read this title, you thought of all the cigarette addicted want-to-be quitters out there who simply can’t give up no matter how hard they try. But the fact of the matter is, with so many chocolate bars, ice creams, bakeries... read more »

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Steel kit homes are increasingly popular all over developed economies. If you have ever owned a steel frame home, you will know how practical they are, and how well they stand up. After 7 years of home ownership, I am completely amazed at the... read more »

Why architects, developers and quantity surveyors are selecting stainless steel for constructing balustrades and handrails?

With changing trends, architects, developers and quantity surveyors are looking for balustrades and handrails that are the best  quality as well as have attractive designs. There are numerous options available for constructing balustrades a... read more »

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Red Cross aid tally to reach $14.5 million

Monique Muise, THE GAZETTE

Red Cross aid tally to reach $14.5 million

The Red Cross has also set aside some funds to help improve Lac-Mégantic’s existing emergency-response programs and to assist other non-profit organizations working in the municipality.

Dario Ayala / The Gazette

MONTREAL — The Red Cross says it has spent nearly $9 million on reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in Lac-Mégantic in the 12 months since a runaway train smashed into the municipality's downtown core and exploded.

At a news conference Thursday morning, officials announced that the town's 6,000 residents will benefit from another $5.6 million in the coming months — bringing the total spent by the agency to $14.5 million.

The money has been, and will continue to be, used for everything from health initiatives to job-creation programs, according to the organization's director, Michel Léveillé. The Red Cross has also set aside some funds to help improve Lac-Mégantic's existing emergency-response programs and to assist 16 local non-profit organizations that were affected by the disaster.

Just under $680,000 of the $14.5 million total has been set aside for administrative purposes.

Léveillé said that half the town's residents have benefited directly from Red Cross aid since July 6 of last year.

Red Cross

"That's major. One out of two people," he said. "There were people who were directly affected right away — whose homes were destroyed or who lost their jobs — but there were also people and families in nearby neighbourhoods who had to be evacuated."

Léveillé noted that the Red Cross' involvement in Lac-Mégantic has extended far beyond the usual aid accorded after a fire or other disaster. One year after the accident, there are still 150 Red Cross volunteers in the town on a weekly basis. A special committee, made up of representatives from the town of Lac-Mégantic, also remains in place to assist the Red Cross as it attempts to determine how best to use the millions in donations that came pouring in after the accident.

"I want to highlight and thank the consultation committee for their work," Léveillé said Thursday. "For us, that was very important."

The Red Cross' contribution to Lac-Mégantic's recovery is part of a much broader effort to assist the town's residents and to rebuild its flattened downtown core. The provincial and federal governments have pledged tens of millions in emergency aid over the past year. Two weeks after the train derailed and exploded, Ottawa announced it would match the province's $60-million aid package for cleanup and economic redevelopment. Then, shortly before Christmas, another $95 million was promised to help pay for the decontamination of the soil near the accident site.

In some cases, the Red Cross has become a sort of last resort for business owners and residents who haven't received the immediate help they need from other sources over the past year. Yannick Gagné, who is trying to rebuild his Musi-Café bar at a cost of $1.3 million, has been unemployed for a year and has relied on the Red Cross for support during that period, for instance.

People who lost family members, homes and businesses have also turned to Canadian and U.S. courts for financial compensation, but the progress in those cases has been slow.

- - - By the numbers - - -

Total aid: $14.5 million (Money spent to date: $8.9 million)

Emergency aid and ongoing support of those directly impacted: $4.21 million

Economic support (Relocating small businesses or job-creation programs, for example): $2.6 million

Rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts: $2 million

Health initiatives: $1.8 million

Aid for small business owners: $1.28 million

Aid for non-profit organizations: $1.18 million

School-based initiatives: $400,000

Improvements to emergency response programs: $200,000

Community support (Support for holiday activities, festivals): $100,000

Administrative fees: $677,000

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Another in a series of our "virtual staff lounges"

This week we listen to more tunes from Derek K. Miller of Penmachine.com

We also talk about plans for webcasting of New Media Literacies in Learning Landscapes conference.


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CFE023 Understanding Islam

CFE023     Friday 12th May 2017, 1.00-4.00pm, Esk Room 2, Brunton Hall, Musselburgh

Designed for: Everyone who works with young people

Outline of Programme:

  • This session is an opportunity to learn more about Islam and the basic beliefs, practices and customs of Scotland’s diverse Muslim communities. This knowledge can make a real difference in building relationships and responding to the particular needs of Muslim pupils in our schools.
  • An opportunity to talk about local experiences of teaching world faiths in our schools

Tutor: Dr Khadijah Elshayyal and Tom Lea – The Alwaleed Centre, University of Edinburgh

To book a place please email: quoting reference CFE023

Your Guide to Career Long Professional Learning for Education in East Lothian


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Published in Print: February 6, 2002, as Tangled in Politics, Statistics Position Remains in Limbo

Tangled in Politics, Statistics Position Remains in Limbo

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The job, in theory at least, is supposed to be above politics. The basic data of education, the thinking goes, are too important to be subject to partisan pressure and whims.

But politics by most accounts resulted in the forced departure in 1999 of the last permanent U.S. commissioner of education statistics, and have been no small factor in the job, which has remained in the hands of an interim commissioner since then.

Now, some researchers are wondering why the Bush White House, in its 13th month in power, still has not named a new head for the National Center for Education Statistics.

The commissioner, who in the regular course of events would be appointed by the president to a four-year term and confirmed by the Senate, oversees a wide variety of education data- gathering, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The job is typically held by a veteran education researcher, sometimes as a capstone to a career.

But the NCES could be at risk of losing prestige if a new commissioner is not appointed soon, some scholars and other observers say.

"Not having a director is really difficult for an agency, and potentially devastating," said Andrew Porter, the director of the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "I'm very, very worried."

The American Educational Research Association has urged the administration to take action on the post, but has gotten no response, said Gerald E. Sroufe, the interim executive director of the 23,000- member,Washington-based organization.

"We've tried to get people to take an interest in it," he said of the absence of a nomination. "It is a great vacuum and has been since [former Commissioner Pascal D. Forgione Jr.] left" in June 1999.

The NCES commissioner, who reports to the Department of Education's assistant secretary for educational research and improvement, oversees the main federal databases in education. Since Mr. Forgione's departure, Gary W. Phillips, a career employee of the department, has filled the position on an acting basis.

The Education Department will provide more information on its plans for the job in the coming weeks, when Congress begins hearings on reauthorizing education research programs, said Daniel Langan, a spokesman for Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

Mr. Langan added, "I will simply say that every appointed position is a priority, and we will work to fill those positions as soon as possible."

Politics of Data

Although the job is intended to be insulated from politics, the commissioner undergoes the same process of background checks, nomination, and confirmation as other top-level political appointees. Anyone nominated for the job must be approved by the Senate, which in many cases is a long and arduous process.

And Mr. Forgione, for one, would quibble with the idea that the job is—or can be—removed from politics. Politics, in fact, had a lot to do with his being available in 1999 to take his current job as the superintendent of the 78,000-student Austin, Texas, school district.

Mr. Forgione, a respected researcher and former state schools chief in Delaware before becoming commissioner, was popular with the research community. But he squabbled with the Clinton administration on how to release data, most notably after then-Vice President Al Gore in 1998 announced new scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress at a high- profile event.

Mr. Gore's actions led to allegations from Congress, Mr. Forgione, and others that the Clinton administration was improperly politicizing the data. The Clinton administration later blocked Mr. Forgione's renomination after it was discovered that he had filed federal income-tax returns late. ("Renomination Blocked, Forgione To Depart," May 26, 1999.)

Mr. Forgione says that the release of data, not the design or collection, has perennially been the most politically combustible element of his former post. The job, he said in an interview last week, is intrinsically tied up in politics because the commissioner must work with both elected officials and educators to determine what education statistics are needed and how to collect such data. But he said the commissioner must stand firm and control the release of the numbers.

Administration officials "have to know you will not give in," he said. "And that can be lonely at times, when you want to be on the team."

During the Clinton administration, Mr. Forgione said, he often collected data that would be used to design a new program or propose changes to an existing law. But, he said, to preclude the administration from allowing its political priorities to color the data, he tried to present the results before the administration had designed its proposals.

"Collecting data is part of the game," he said. "If it's objective and done with integrity, people will accept that."

Marshall S. Smith, who served as undersecretary and acting deputy secretary of education in the Clinton administration, agreed that the commissioner's post is affected by politics, but denied that the administration ever tried to politicize data. And the administration's decision not to renominate Mr. Forgione, he said, did not grow from the incident with Mr. Gore.

President Clinton, after Mr. Forgione's departure, attempted to fill the position, nominating testing researcher Lauress L. Wise II for the job in February 2000. But the Senate education committee, then under the control of Republicans, did not take action on the election-year nomination.

Mr. Wise said in an interview last month that he had been warned that it was difficult to get nominations approved at the end of a presidential term, and that he was not surprised by the inaction. Instead, Mr. Wise said, he suggested that Mr. Phillips be nominated, given his expertise and experience.

But now, with less than two years remaining in a term that began June 21, 1999, it appears to have grown increasingly difficult to persuade someone to take the job. The appointee can be renominated at the end of the term, but candidates nonetheless have shied away.

"There were some very fine people willing to consider the position, but as it didn't get filled, they withdrew their names," Mr. Sroufe of the researchers' association said.

Although Mr. Phillips, the acting commissioner, is widely praised by his colleagues in the research community, they contend that an acting director does not hold the same clout as someone who has gone through the appointment and confirmation process.

For instance, they say, an acting head of an Education Department office has a more difficult time setting long-term priorities and negotiating for internal funding and staffing than would a full-fledged appointee.

Chester E. Finn Jr., the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, was an assistant secretary for research during the Reagan administration and is credited by many observers with improving the quality of the data the NCES produced. Mr. Finn said that research and compilation of statistics are the most important federal functions in education. Despite the White House's inaction on the commissioner's post, he believes many Bush administration officials agree.

"If you asked President Bush, he would give you a very earnest statement that this is of top importance," Mr. Finn said. "There's a bit of a paradox [in the delayed appointment], and I can't explain it."

This spring, Congress will begin work on a bill to reauthorize the federal law governing the department's research, and that measure potentially could restructure the NCES.

Rep. Michael N. Castle, R-Del., plans to reintroduce a proposal that would extend the term of the commissioner to six years and give the commissioner more authority in hiring staff and collecting data.

As the chairman of the House subcommittee on education reform, Mr. Castle has been concerned about the quality of research coming from the NCES, according to an aide, and he plans to put the research reauthorization on a front burner this year.

Aside from the commissioner's post, the Bush administration is still awaiting Senate confirmation of Gerald Reynolds, nominated to become the assistant secretary for civil rights, and Jack Martin, nominated to be the agency's chief financial officer. The administration also has selected William Leidinger to be the assistant secretary for management and Sally Stroup to be the postsecondary education chief, but has not yet filed the paperwork officially nominating them.

Coverage of research is underwritten in part by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.

Vol. 21, Issue 21, Page 8

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Yoda Stories for Game Boy Easter Eggs

Goofy Ending (***Warning: Spoiler***) - 6.4/10 with 25 votes
Beat the game, go out the back exit from the cloning chamber. One of those "grey" aliens like in the movies is back there (haha). Talk to him, go with him in his ship, and there you will meet Indiana Jones, from LucasArts' other Desktop Adventure... more
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Submotion Orchestra (performer's page)

Submotion Orchestra @ Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2015
Submotion Orchestra @ Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2015

Forthcoming Festivals

Previous Festivals
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The Funk & Soul Weekender 2017

Friday 12th to Sunday 14th May 2017
Camber Sands Holiday Centre, New Lydd Road, Nr. Rye, Camber Sands, East Sussex, TN31 7RL
confirmed for: unknown day
cost: early bird from £109 per person
buy tickets now > confirmed for

Farr Festival 2017

Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th July 2017
Bygrave Wood, Newnham, Hertfordshire, SG5 2LA
confirmed for: unknown day
cost: early-bird £90 weekend

Forthcoming Gigs

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Instructions for Building Houses Out of Toothpicks & Popsicle Sticks

Written by michelle watts
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Instructions for Building Houses Out of Toothpicks & Popsicle Sticks
Popsicles are fun to eat, and you can use the sticks for wonderful crafts. (Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images)

Craft projects, such as building your own miniature house, are a great way to keep the children productive and entertained during inclement weather or just a great stress-buster for anyone at any time. You may buy craft sticks and toothpicks at a craft store. However, in the world of today, where going green and recycling are popular, you may wish to have your family eat a lot of Popsicles and save the sticks!

Skill level:

Things you need

  • Newspaper (optional)
  • Vinyl tablecloth (optional)
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Books (optional)
  • Ruler (optional)
  • Toothpicks
  • Craft glue
  • Craft knife (optional)
  • Shears (optional)
  • Boxes (optional)
  • Pencil (optional)

Show MoreHide

  1. 1

    Protect your work surface with your choice of covering, such as newspaper or an old vinyl tablecloth you have designated for using only at craft time.

  2. 2

    Lay out Popsicle sticks, running vertically, touching side-by-side. Slide the bottom of them up against something straight, such as a book or a ruler, to be sure the tops and bottoms of the sticks will line up perfectly. Glue toothpicks across the Popsicle sticks, horizontally, attaching them together. Allow the glue to dry and turn the panel over. This will be the floor.

  3. 3

    Repeat this process twice to make two panels for a peaked roof.

  4. 4

    Repeat this process, twice more, using the same number of sticks, to make two walls. You can cut some of the middle sticks to create openings for windows and a door, if desired. Only a grown-up should do this, as a craft knife or shears will be needed.

  5. 5

    For the last two walls you will use the same method, but you may have to adjust the number of Popsicle sticks you use, to make them the right length to fit the floor. If you have made your floor square rather than rectangular, all four walls will be exactly the same size as the floor.

  6. 6

    Place the four wall panels in position around the floor. Glue them all around the outer edge of the floor panel. Prop the walls up to hold them in place until the glue dries, if necessary. You can use any items you have handy, such as boxes or a stack of books. Glue vertically in each of the corners, where wall meets wall, to reinforce the structure. Allow the glue to dry.

  7. 7

    Hold the two roof panels on top of the house to see how the roof fits. If the roof peaks too high or has too much overhang, you can cut the panels to your desired length. Again, only an adult should do this, as a craft knife or shears will be needed. Determine exactly what point on the roof panel will be glued to the top of the wall. Reach up underneath the overhang and mark inside the roof along the length of the wall with a pencil, if you like. To give your roof something to rest on and hold it in place while the glue dries, first glue a Popsicle stick on the inside of the roof panel just above that line and allow that glue to dry. Then glue the roof panels to the tops of the walls and glue the roof panels together at the peak. Allow the glue to dry.

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How to Listen Through a Wall With a Glass

Written by kenneth crawford
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Ever wonder what's going on in the next room? Do you want to know what your kids are talking about on the phone in their rooms when they think you cannot hear? Listen through a wall with a glass. Drinking glasses are a good conduit for listening, as they funnel the sound waves coming through the wall to your ear. Just remember, you may hear things you do not want to know.

Skill level:

  1. 1

    Get a drinking glass. An 236ml. drinking glass works well for listening through a wall. A wine glass is a good alternative if the room you are in is relatively noise-free.

  2. 2

    Locate the area on the wall where the sound on the opposite side is most audible. The closer you are to the source on the other side, the more likely you are to hear exactly what is being said.

  3. 3

    Place the rim of the glass on the wall. Position the glass gently so that you do not alert those talking to what you are doing.

  4. 4

    Position your ear next to the bottom of the glass and listen, while holding it on the wall with your hand. Keep a firm grip on the glass so that it does not slide on the wall as you are listening.

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How to Be a Good Puritan

Written by alane michaelson
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How to Be a Good Puritan
The Puritans believed unquestioningly in the teachings of the Bible. (Jupiterimages/ Images)

The Puritans were a group of religious dissenters who formed out of opposition to the Church of England in the 16th Century. They believed in a literal and strict interpretation of the Bible and regarded it as the true law of God. Politically persecuted in England, many Puritans settled in America in the 1600s. Though the age of the Puritans was over by the 18th Century, their teachings and beliefs can still hold relevance for modern Christians.

Skill level:

Things you need

  • Holy Bible

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  1. 1

    Be passionate in your love for Jesus Christ. The Puritans believed strongly that the Gospels were the absolute truth and took an active role in spreading the teachings of Christ. For Puritans, it was an individual's responsibility to defend and promote their beliefs.

  2. 2

    Ensure that you are living your life within the framework taught by the Bible. Puritans believed that it was important to always look for ways that their lives might be out of line with the teachings of Christ. Whether it is work, family or social life, constantly evaluate your choices and make changes as necessary.

  3. 3

    Adhere strictly to the doctrine of the Bible. Puritans believed that the Bible was God's law, and that there was no room to deviate from its teachings.They held to the notion that it was fundamentally important to remain true to the teachings of the Bible, even when it was difficult to do so. The Puritans opposed softening the teachings of the Bible to conform with societal changes.

  4. 4

    Read the Bible and pray every day. Because the Puritans believed that it was everyone's individual responsibility to maintain a personal connection with God, daily prayer and Bible study was considered mandatory. The Puritans believed that spirituality came from understanding the teachings of the Bible.

  5. 5

    Raise your children to believe in the teachings of the Bible. Puritans believed that parents should be good role models for their children, and set examples on how to live. Raising children to have Puritan values should be regarded as important work, and parents should be willing to put forth considerable time and effort to achieve that goal.

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How to Make a Person Thinner in a Photo

Written by mark spowart
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How to Make a Person Thinner in a Photo
Use a digital photo editor to make someone look thinner in pictures. (Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images)

Digital pictures are like any other digital file. The image is made up from millions of small bits of data. You can edit, alter or change a digital picture in ways you couldn't with traditional photography. Using a photo editing program, you can make a person appear thinner in a digital picture by altering the data that creates the picture. Not all programs give you this option; advanced editors like, GIMP or Adobe Photoshop contain effects and tools where this type of editing can be accomplished.

Skill level:
Moderately Easy

Things you need

Show MoreHide

  1. 1

    Open one of the three programs mentioned above on your home computer. Click "File" in the navigation bar and select "Open" from the drop-down menu. Locate the picture you want to edit, highlight the picture and click "OK." The image will appear on screen.

  2. 2

    Click "Layer" in the navigation bar and select "Duplicate layer" from the menu. A layer is similar to a see-through sheet of film placed on top of the original picture. Creating a duplicate layer makes a sheet that looks the same as the picture. You can make adjustments to this sheet and when "Merged" or "Flattened" at the end, the program will change the underlying picture. You can also delete the layers if you don't want to use them in the final picture.

  3. 3

    Select "Filter" in the navigation bar and select "Liquify" from the choices. In the tool bar portion of the window, increase the size of the tool to "150 pixels." Using a larger tool will make it easier to change the size of the person.

  4. 4

    Place the tool on one side of the individual and move the cursor along the side and towards the middle of the person. Repeat this stroke on the other side of the person, and gradually the person will start to appear thinner in the picture.

  5. 5

    Click "Layer" and select "Flatten" or "Merge down" so it can be saved. Click "File" and select "Save as." Give your edited image a new name or title and save the image to your hard drive.

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How to Eat Radish Pods

Most radishes are grown for their edible roots, which may be mild or pungent and are eaten raw or cooked in a variety of cuisines. The seed pods of radishes are also edible, and one family of radishes - Raphanas caudatus, often called "rat-tailed radishes" - is grown especially for its seed pods. These are a fascinating garden plant, and enjoyed a notable vogue during the 19th century. They have a pungent radish flavor when eaten raw or lightly cooked, and grow milder the longer they are cooked.

Things You'll Need

  • Radish pods
  • Colander
  • Paper towel
  • Steamer
  • Pot
  • Wok
  • Rinse the radish pods under cold running water in a colander. Allow the pods to drain for five minutes, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Pinch off the stem ends, if woody.

  • Add the radish pods raw to salads or plates of fresh vegetables for dipping. They have a fresh, pungent radish flavor with a distinct heat, but with more complexity than a conventional radish. They make an excellent foil for strongly flavored greens and vinaigrettes, and also complement strong cheeses such as feta or goat.

  • Steam the pods lightly as a side dish, or boll them in a pot of salted water. Steamed pods will retain more pungent radish heat than boiled pods, but both will mellow as they are cooked longer. Serve warm with butter or cold with olive oil and lemon or a light vinaigrette.

  • Stir-fry the pods on their own as a side dish, or add them to your favorite Asian stir-fry or pad Thai. The pods retain much of their pungency when lightly cooked, making them an alternative to mild chilies in many dishes.

Tips & Warnings

  • Pick the seed pods as soon as they fill out, but before they become dry and leathery. The seeds may be shucked from mature pods and eaten separately. The mature seeds are very strong, and should be boiled or steamed to moderate their flavor. They may be added to a dish of boiled or steamed peas for an interesting flavor combination.

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  • When to Plant Radish Seeds

    If you've never grown vegetables before, start with radishes. They take up little room making them suitable for container gardens, grow easily...

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    Botanically, the radish is called Raphanus sativus and it is part of the mustard family. The leaves grow to between 1 and...

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Free Small-Business Checking Accounts

Small businesses usually live in a kind of different world from large businesses -- with a much lower frequency of bank transactions, it often does not make sense for them to pay the same kinds of financial charges as would be expected of a large corporation. Recognizing this, banks across the country have decided to offer free checking accounts to qualifying small businesses. Being aware of some of these opportunities -- and their specific qualifications -- is important for any business manager looking to save money on her banking needs.

  • Small businesses usually have different banking needs than larger corporations. This is because they conduct fewer transactions and finance more of their operations from personal resources rather than lines of credit. As a result, the effect of banking fees and minimum balances on small businesses can be more severe as they constitute a higher percentage of their gross income. Small businesses can usually get free checking accounts if they conduct relatively few monthly bank transactions and make relatively small cash deposits. Even for free small-business checking accounts, fees are usually applied to specialized transactions like wire transfers, cashier's checks and out-of-network ATM transactions.

U.S. Bank Free Small Business Checking

  • One example of a free small-business checking account is the Free Small Business Checking option available from U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank allows its small-business clients to make deposits without fees if they maintain fewer than 150 monthly bank transactions. Their free small-business checking account comes with no minimum balance. By contrast, U.S. Bank's normal business checking accounts come with a monthly maintenance fee or require minimum balances in excess of $2,000.

Capitol One Completely Free Small-Business Checking

  • Another bank that offers a free small-business checking account is Capitol One. Like its competitors, its free checking accounts are subject to monthly transaction limits. While these limits may vary by market according to Capitol One, it also advertises free checking accounts for businesses with up to 200 maximum monthly transactions. Transactions beyond this minimum are allowed for a fee of $.50 per transaction. In addition, Capitol One limits the cash deposits on its free business checking account to $5,000 per month.

BECU Small-Business Checking Account

  • Commercial banks are not the only financial institutions that offer free checking account options for small businesses. The Boeing Employees' Credit Union is an example of a credit union that also cuts a discount for its small-business clients. Unlike Capitol One and US Bank, BECU and other credit unions are entirely owned by their banking clients. Similar to for-profit banks, BECU's small-business checking accounts are subject to monthly transaction minimums. The number they allow is much lower at 50 debit transactions and 150 deposits per month, but the fees charged for transactions in excess of the minimum are also lower.

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22nd Year Wedding Anniversary Ideas

Making it to your 22nd year of marriage is a remarkable feat in this day and age. To mark this occasion, plan for a special evening with symbols and gifts relevant to your 22 years together.

Wedding ceremony
(Urilux/iStock/Getty Images)

Copper is the contemporary symbol of the 22nd anniversary. Copper jewelry can be found in specialty stores throughout the country and at arts and crafts festivals. If you want something more grandiose, visit specialty furniture stores to find copper sculptures. Ranging from small to dramatically large, such sculptures make a lovely addition to your home and are a striking remembrance of your anniversary.

Copper is the contemporary symbol of the 22nd anniversary.
Konstantin Chernobay/iStock/Getty Images

Spinal is the gemstone of the 22nd anniversary. Available in bright, rich reds and vibrant colors, spinal is similar to a ruby. It is rare but also inexpensive. Jewelry for both you and your significant other in spinal will mark this milestone with a modern symbol of 22 years.

Spinal is the gemstone of the 22nd anniversary.
Azahan Rosedy/iStock/Getty Images

For the 22 days before your anniversary, give a small surprise to your significant other every day leading up to the actual anniversary. You both can participate with small gift exchanges. These could include cooking dinner, a coupon for a massage, giving your special someone 22 flowers or 22 chocolates or giving a special card. Although this will take some effort, you can give inexpensive gifts and items that do not cost any money at all, such as a love note posted on the mirror or a letter on 22 reasons you love your spouse.

Give small surprise gifts for the 22 days leading up to your anniversary.
Monkey Business Images/Monkey Business/Getty Images

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