Stanley Stoutamire, Jr., a resident of Calera and senior at John Carroll Catholic High School, spent March 4 – 11 in Washington D.C. as one of two delegates from Alabama to the U.S. Senate Youth Program. This prestigious program selects two outstanding young leaders from each state, plus the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Schools. Selection for the program is based on leadership abilities, commitment to volunteer work, and academic achievement, along with recommendations from school officials.
Young Mr. Stoutamire was the guest speaker at a recent meeting of the Shelby County Democratic Party. With poise and eloquence unusual in someone still too young to vote, Stanley entertained an enthralled audience, in person and on Zoom, with his description of the arduous application and selection process, his whirlwind week of meetings with government officials, tours of government buildings and national monuments, plus becoming friends with other high school seniors from all over the country.
The most memorable public figures with whom he met were Senator John Hickenlooper and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, both of whom spoke in depth of their own paths toward a life of public service, and who encouraged the young leaders to embrace unexpected opportunities. Stanley and Ella Duus, the other Alabama delegate who is from Huntsville, were also scheduled to meet with Alabama’s senators; Senator Tuberville was in a meeting at the appointed time, but they enjoyed a lively conversation with the personable Senator Katie Britt.
Stanley Stoutamire, Jr. is now back at home in Calera, where he lives with proud parents Stanley, Sr. and Clarissa, with loads of photos and memories, and a renewed appreciation of the effort that goes into making government work for all Americans. Although his sights are set on medical school at this time, who knows what opportunities might arise for this talented, promising young man.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Questions about your state’s delegates, alternates or state selection process:
Dr. Carolyn A. Jones at cajones@alsde.edu or (334) 694-4768.
For general information about the United States Senate Youth Program:
Program Director Ms. Rayne Guilford at rguilford@hearstfdn.org or (800) 425-3632.
Alabama Students Selected for United States Senate Youth Program
Students Headed to Washington, D. C. and to Receive $10,000 Scholarship
January 10, 2023, Washington, D.C. —The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) announces that high school students Ms. Ella Ryan Duus and Mr. Stanley Jerome Stoutamire, Jr. will join Senator Tommy Tuberville and Senator Katie Britt in representing Alabama during the 61st annual USSYP Washington Week, to be held March 4 — 11, 2023. Ella Duus of Huntsville and Stanley Stoutamire of Calera were selected from among the state’s top student leaders to be part of the 104 national student delegation. Each delegate will also receive a $10,000 college scholarship for undergraduate study.
The USSYP was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and fully funded by The Hearst Foundations since inception. Originally proposed by Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey, the Senate leadership of the day, the impetus for the program as stated in Senate testimony is "to increase young Americans’ understanding of the interrelationships of the three branches of government, learn the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and appointed officials, and emphasize the vital importance of democratic decision making not only for America but for people around the world."
Each year this extremely competitive merit-based program provides the most outstanding high school students - two from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity - with an intensive week-long study of the federal government and the people who lead it. The overall mission of the program is to help instill within each class of USSYP student delegates more profound knowledge of the American political process and a lifelong commitment to public service. In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each student with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs. All expenses for Washington Week are also provided by The Hearst Foundations; as stipulated in S.Res.324, no government funds are utilized.
Ella Duus, a senior at New Century Technology High School, serves as the president of the Student Government Association.She is a National Merit Semifinalist, a two-time national qualifier in Congressional debate, and a RISE Global Winner. She is also the co-founder of Datakata LLC, a machine learning startup that has contracted with NASA, and has won first place in the 2022 Alabama Economics Challenge. Additionally, Ella is the Speech and Debate captain, Model United Nations founder and head delegate, and Academic Team captain for her school. Ella served as the Federalist chair at Alabama Girls State.
She plans to enroll in a Bachelor’s and Master’s program in public policy and computer science. Upon graduation from college, she intends to seek hands-on experience in the technology industry before entering a public service career field.
"Our crew had a wonderful time in Helena at the annual Christmas Parade. What a great crowd and huge parade! Great job City of Helena-Helena, Alabama!"
For all the attention on flashy new artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, the challenges of regulating AI, and doomsday scenarios of superintelligent machines, AI is a useful tool in many fields. In fact, it has enormous potential to benefit humanity.
In agriculture, farmers are increasingly using AI-powered tools to tackle challenges that threaten human health, the environment and food security. Researchers forecast the market for these tools to reach US$12 billion by 2032.
As a researcher studying agricultural and rural policy, I see three promising developments in agricultural AI: federated learning, pest and disease detection and forecasting prices.
Pooling data without sharing it
Robotics, sensors and information technology are increasingly used in agriculture. These tools aim to help farmers improve efficiency and reduce chemical use. In addition, data collected by these tools can be used in software that uses machine learning to improve management systems and decision-making. However, these applications typically require data sharing among stakeholders.
If farmers can be persuaded to share their data this way, they can contribute to a collaborative system that helps them make better decisions and meet their sustainability goals. For example, farmers could pool data about conditions for their chickpea crops, and a model trained on all of their data could give each of them better forecasts for their chickpea yields than models trained only on their own data.
An AI-driven giant robot armed with lasers is a major threat – to weeds.
Detecting pests and disease
Farmer livelihoods and global food security are increasingly at risk from plant disease and pests. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that worldwide annual losses from disease and pests total $290 billion, with 40% of global crop production affected.
Reducing the amount of chemicals used is therefore paramount, and AI may be part of a solution.
The Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers has created a mobile phone app that identifies pests and disease. The app, “Tumaini,” allows users to upload a photo of a suspected pest or disease, which the AI compares with a database of 50,000 images. The app also provides analysis and can recommend treatment programs.
If used with farm management tools, apps like this can improve farmers’ ability to target their spraying and improve accuracy in deciding how much chemical to use. Ultimately, these efficiencies may reduce pesticide use, lessen the risk of resistance and prevent spillovers that cause harm to both humans and the environment.
AI can help reduce this uncertainty by forecasting prices. For example, services from companies such as Agtools, Agremo and GeoPard provide AI-powered farm decision tools. These tools allow for real-time analysis of price points and market data and present farmers with data on long-term trends that can help optimize production.
This data allows farmers to react to price changes and allows them to plan more strategically. If farmers’ economic resilience improves, it increases the likelihood that they can invest in new opportunities and technologies that benefit both farms and the larger food system.
These uses for AI in agriculture are a cause for optimism among farmers. If the agriculture industry can promote the utility of these inventions while developing strong and sensible frameworks to minimize harms, AI can help reduce modern agriculture’s impact on human health and the environment while helping improve global food security in the 21st century.
Imagine you’re a farmer searching for eggs in the chicken coop – but instead of a chicken egg, you find an ostrich egg, much larger than anything a chicken could lay.
The smaller star, called an M star, is not only smaller than the Sun in Earth’s solar system, but it’s 100 times less luminous. Such a star should not have the necessary amount of material in its planet-forming disk to birth such a massive planet.
The Habitable Zone Planet Finder
Over the past decade, our team designed and built a new instrument at Penn State capable of detecting the light from these dim, cool stars at wavelengths beyond the sensitivity of the human eye – in the near-infrared – where such cool stars emit most of their light.
Attached to the 10-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope in West Texas, our instrument, dubbed the Habitable Zone Planet Finder, can measure the subtle change in a star’s velocity as a planet gravitationally tugs on it. This technique, called the Doppler radial velocity technique, is great for detecting exoplanets.
“Exoplanet” is a combination of the words extrasolar and planet, so the term applies to any planet-sized body in orbit around a star that isn’t Earth’s Sun.
Thirty years ago, Doppler radial velocity observations enabled the discovery of 51 Pegasi b, the first known exoplanet orbiting a Sunlike star. In the ensuing decades, astronomers like us have improved this technique. These increasingly more precise measurements have an important goal: to enable the discovery of rocky planets in habitable zones, the regions around stars where liquid water can be sustained on the planetary surface.
The Doppler technique doesn’t yet have the capabilities to discover habitable zone planets the mass of the Earth around stars the size of the Sun. But the cool and dim M stars show a larger Doppler signature for the same Earth-size planet. The lower mass of the star leads to it getting tugged more by the orbiting planet. And the lower luminosity leads to a closer-in habitable zone and a shorter orbit, which also makes the planet easier to detect.
Planets around these smaller stars were the planets our team designed the Habitable Zone Planet Finder to discover. Our new discovery, published in the journal Science, of a massive planet orbiting closely around the cool dim M star LHS 3154 – the ostrich egg in the chicken coop – came as a real surprise.
LHS 3154b: The planet that should not exist
Planets form in disks composed of gas and dust. These disks pull together dust grains that grow into pebbles and eventually combine to form a solid planetary core. Once the core is formed, the planet can gravitationally pull in the solid dust, as well as surrounding gas such as hydrogen and helium. But it needs a lot of mass and materials to do this successfully. This way to form planets is called core accretion.
A star as low mass as LHS 3154, nine times less massive than the Sun, should have a correspondingly low-mass planet forming disk.
An artist’s rendering of LHS 3154b. Video Credit: Abby Minnich.
A typical disk around such a low-mass star should simply not have enough solid materials or mass to be able to make a core heavy enough to create such a planet. From computer simulations our team conducted, we concluded that such a planet needs a disk at least 10 times more massive than typically assumed from direct observations of planet-forming disks.
A different planet formation theory, gravitational instability – where gas and dust in the disk undergo a direct collapse to form a planet – also struggles to explain the formation of such a planet without a very massive disk.
Astronomers know, from discoveries made with Habitable Zone Planet Finder and other instruments, that giant planets in close-in orbits around the most massive M stars are at least 10 times rarer than those around Sunlike stars. And we know of no such massive planets in close orbits around the least massive M stars – until the discovery of LHS 3154b.
Understanding how planets form around our coolest neighbors will help us understand both how planets form in general and how rocky worlds around the most numerous types of stars form and evolve. This line of research could also help astronomers understand whether M stars are capable of supporting life.
When does lawful protest become criminal activity? That question is at issue in Atlanta, where 57 people have been indicted and arraigned on racketeering charges for actions related to their protest against a planned police and firefighter training center that critics call “Cop City.”
Racketeering charges typically are reserved for people accused of conspiring toward a criminal goal, such as members of organized crime networks or financiers engaged in insider trading. Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr is attempting to build an argument that seeking to stop construction of the police training facility – through actions that include organizing protests, occupying the construction site and vandalizing police cars and construction equipment – constitutes a “corrupt agreement” or shared criminal goal.
As scholars who study environmental change and social justice, we believe the charges seek to suppress typical acts of civil disobedience. They also target grassroots community organizing models and ideas rooted in the practice of mutual aid – people organizing collective networks in order to meet each other’s basic needs.
The RICO indictment against ‘Cop City’ protesters describes the accused protesters as ‘militant anarchists.’
The ‘Stop Cop City’ movement
“Cop City,” officially known as the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, was first proposed in 2017. The facility is expected to cost US$90 million and is located on 85 acres of public land in the Weelaunee Forest, once home to the Indigenous Muscogee Creek peoples. The site is owned by the city of Atlanta but sits on unincorporated land in DeKalb County, just outside the city.
Members of Defend the Atlanta Forest, a decentralized movement of grassroots groups and individuals, argue that the threatened forest provides essential ecological services – filtering rainwater, preventing flooding, providing habitat for wildlife and cooling the city in a time of climate change.
Activists have led protest marches, written letters to elected officials and organized a referendum for the public to decide the future of the property. Some have camped out in the Welaunee Forest – a method that radical environmental defense groups like Earth First! have used to delay or prevent logging. In one instance, activists reportedly set construction equipment on fire.
Georgia’s 109-page indictment of “Cop City” protesters paints a broad – and, in our view, troubling – picture of the actions and beliefs that allegedly contributed to what it describes as a corrupt agreement.
The indictment cites the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police as the event that sparked the “conspiracy.” It refers to the Atlanta-based movement as the Defend the Atlanta Forest “Enterprise” and describes participants as engaging with “anarchist” ideas and practices such as “collectivism, mutualism/mutual aid, and social solidarity.”
Protesters use these practices, the indictment asserts, to advance their goal of stopping construction of the training center. As evidence, it cites examples, including posting calls to action on online blogs, reimbursement for printed documents and transferring money to activists for materials such as camping gear, food, communications equipment and, in two instances, ammunition.
Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr has filed a sweeping RICO indictment against dozens of activists protesting the planned police training site.AP Photo/John Amis, File
Threatening First Amendment rights
As we see it, these activists are being criminalized for their political beliefs and for engaging in activities protected by the First Amendment, such as exercising free speech. Throughout the indictment, the Georgia attorney general uses the term “anarchist,” we believe, as a synonym for “criminal.”
Such language echoes the Immigration Act of 1903, also known as the Anarchist Exclusion Act. This law targeted anarchists for exclusion from the U.S. solely based on their political beliefs. Section 2 of the law states that “anarchists, or persons who believe in or advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the government of the United States or of all governments or all forms of law, shall be excluded from admission into the United States.”
This wording reflects a widespread view of anarchy as a state of violent disorder. In fact, however, many anarchist thinkers actually proposed to organize society on the basis of voluntary cooperation, without political institutions or hierarchical government.
The Black Panther Party created extensive community survival and mutual aid programs for Black communities at a time of ongoing government neglect. Offerings included free access to medical and dental clinics, ambulance service and buses to visit friends and relatives in prison.
The Black Panther Party organized dozens of social programs to directly meet local needs in underserved areas like New York’s South Bronx.
The Black Panthers’ free breakfast for children program fed thousands of children across the country. In Chicago, local police destroyed food the night before the program was set to begin operations. A memo by an FBI special agent called the program an attempt to “create an image of civility” and “assume community control,” thus threatening the centralized authority of the U.S. government.
Federal agencies relied mainly on covert tactics to surveil, infiltrate and discredit the Black Panther Party. Like the Cop City protesters, the Black Panthers also engaged in direct confrontations with police.
However, we see the current use of RICO charges to address political activism and protest activities as a new tactic.
Future implications
In our research, we have explored how mutual aid groups establish networks of care and survival in the face of climate change. We expect mutual aid to become even more important for Black and Indigenous people of color as environmental disasters become more frequent.
From our perspective, efforts to stop Cop City demonstrate the interconnection between two critical issues: overpolicing of communities of color and climate change. We see Georgia’s RICO indictment as an attempt to repress social movement activity, using the state’s tools of legal interpretation and enforcement.
Criminalizing collectivism, mutual aid and social solidarity is particularly concerning for historically marginalized populations, who often rely on these tactics for survival.
Seeking to use the state’s political processes, organizers recently collected over 116,000 signatures supporting a ballot referendum that, if approved, would cancel the lease of the city-owned site for the training center.
However, Atlanta officials have refused to verify those signatures as they await a federal court ruling on whether the organizers missed a key deadline. Meanwhile, Atlanta is already clearing land for construction at the training site.
The declaration is thin on concrete actions to adapt to climate change and reduce emissions, but it draws attention to a crucial issue.
The global food supply is increasingly facing disruptions from extreme heat and storms. It is also a major contributor to climate change, responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions from human activities. This tension is why agriculture innovation is increasingly being elevated in international climate discussions.
At present, agriculture provides enough food for the world’s 8 billion people, although many do not have adequate access. But to feed a global population of 10 billion in 2050, croplands would need to expand by 660,000 to 1.2 million square miles (171 million to 301 million hectare) relative to 2010. That would lead to more deforestation, which contributes to climate change. Further, some practices widely relied on to produce sufficient food, such as using synthetic fertilizers, also contribute to climate change.
Simply eliminating deforestation and these practices without alternative solutions would decrease the world’s food supply and farmers’ incomes. Fortunately, innovations are emerging that can help.
I’m an agriculture economist and executive director for the commission. Three innovations in particular stand out for their ability to scale up quickly and pay off economically.
Accurate, accessible weather forecasts
With extreme weather leaving crops increasingly vulnerable and farmers struggling to adapt, accurate weather forecasts are crucial. Farmers need to know what to expect, both in the days ahead and farther out, to make strategic decisions about planting, irrigating, fertilizing and harvesting.
Yet access to accurate, detailed forecasts is rare for farmers in many low- and middle-income countries.
Our assessment shows that investing in technology to collect data and make forecasts widely available – such as by radio, text message or WhatsApp – can pay off many times over for economies.
Forecasts by text message can help farmers prepare for extreme weather and time their planting and harvesting.Wikus de Wet/AFP via Getty Images
For example, accurate state-level forecasts of seasonal monsoon rainfall totals would help Indian farmers optimize sowing and planting times, providing an estimated US$3 billion in benefits over five years – at a cost of around $5 million.
If farmers in Benin received accurate forecasts by text message, we estimate that they could save each farmer $110 to $356 per year, a large amount in that country.
More sharing of information among neighboring countries, using platforms like the World Meteorological Organization’s Climate Services Information System, could also improve forecasts.
Soybean farmers in Brazil have been using a rhizobia-based microbial fertilizer for decades to improve their yields and cut synthetic fertilizer costs. But this technique is not as widely known elsewhere. Scaling it up will require funding to expand testing to more countries, but it has great potential payoff for farmers, soil health and the climate.
Reducing methane from livestock
A third innovation priority is livestock, the source of roughly two-thirds of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. With demand for beef projected to rise 80% by 2050 as low- and middle-income countries grow wealthier, reducing those emissions is essential.
Several innovative methods for reducing livestock methane emissions target enteric fermentation, which leads to methane belches.
Adding algae, seaweed, lipids, tannins or certain synthetic compounds to cattle feed can change the chemical reactions that generate methane during digestion. Studies have found some techniques have the potential to reduce methane emissions by a quarter to nearly 100 percent. When cattle produce less methane, they also waste less energy, which can go into growth and milk production, providing a boost for farmers.
The method is still expensive, but further development and private investment could help scale it up and lower the cost.
Helping farmers and communities implement better rainwater harvesting.
Lowering the cost of digital agriculture that can help farmers use irrigation, fertilizer and pesticides most efficiently.
Encouraging production of alternative proteins to reduce demand for livestock.
Providing insurance and other social protections to help farmers recover from extreme weather events.
While promising agricultural innovations exist, commercial incentives to develop and scale them up have fallen short, leading to underinvestment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Providing farmers with information and technology that can increase their resource efficiency are common themes in agriculture innovation.Patrick Meinhardt/AFP via Getty Images
However, innovation funding has a track record of generating very high social rates of return. This creates an opportunity for public and philanthropic investment in developing and deploying innovations at a scale to reach hundreds of millions of people. Of course, to be effective, any potential innovation must be consistent with – and driven by – national strategies and planned in conjunction with the government, the private sector and civil society.
Two decades ago, global leaders, frustrated that lifesaving vaccines were not reaching hundreds of millions of people who needed them, created Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. They invested billions of dollars to scale up these innovations, helped to immunize over 1 billion children and halved child mortality in 78 lower-income countries.
This year, officials at COP28 are aiming for a similar global response to climate change, food security and agriculture.
For most homebuyers, their dream homes are not something they’re likely to find already on the market. With a unique vision of your dream home’s look, location and features, building a custom home is generally the easiest way to make that dream a reality.
To keep things moving as smoothly as possible amid what can be a complicated process, consider these tips as you embark on the journey.
Set a Realistic Budget
You’ll need to start by determining how much you can spend on your house. Typically, the cost of building a home is around $100-$200 per square foot, according to research from HomeAdvisor. You’ll also need to account for the lot price as well as design fees, taxes, permits, materials and labor. Materials and labor should make up about 75% of the total amount spent, but it’s wise to build in a buffer for price changes and overages. While building your budget, consider what items and features are “must-haves” and things that should only be included if your budget allows.
Identify the Perfect Location
Think about where you’d like to live and research comparable lots and properties in those areas, which can give you a better idea of costs. Because the features of many dream homes require a wider footprint, you may need to build outside of city limits, which can make natural gas more difficult to access. Consider propane instead, which can do everything natural gas can and go where natural gas cannot or where it is cost prohibitive to run a natural gas line. Propane also reduces dependence on the electrical grid, and a propane standby generator can safeguard your family if there is a power outage.
“As a real estate agent and builder, I have the pleasure of helping families select their dream homes,” said Matt Blashaw, residential contractor, licensed real estate agent and host of HGTV’s “Build it Forward.” “The homes we design and build are frequently in propane country, or off the natural gas grid. Propane makes it possible to build an affordable and comfortable, high-performing indoor living spaces and dynamic outdoor entertaining areas.”
Keep Universal Design Principles in Mind
Many homebuyers want to ensure their space is accessible to family members and guests both now and for decades to come. As the housing market slows and mortgage rates rise, buyers may look to incorporate features that allow them to age in place. Incorporating principles of universal design – the ability of a space to be understood, accessed and used by people regardless of their age or ability – can make it possible to still enjoy your home even if mobility, vision or other challenges arise as you age.
For example, the entryway could have a ramp or sloped concrete walkway leading to a front door wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair with a barrier-free threshold. Inside, wider hallways and doorways, strategic lighting and appliances installed at lower heights are mainstays of universal design. Counters of varying heights, drop-down cabinet racks and roll-under sinks in kitchens and zero-entry showers, slip-resistant flooring and grab bars in bathrooms offer enhanced accessibility.
Consider Alternative Energy Sources
With today’s electric grid, more than two-thirds of the energy is wasted; it never reaches homes. Unlike electricity, propane is stored in a large tank either above or below ground on the property. A 500-gallon tank can hold enough propane to meet the annual energy needs of an average single-family home – enough to power major systems in a home.
Propane pairs well with other energy sources, including grid electricity and on-site solar, which makes it a viable option for dual-energy homes. Like natural gas, propane can power major appliances such as your furnace, water heater, clothes dryer, fireplace, range and standby generator. Often, propane works more efficiently with fewer greenhouse gas emissions than electricity, meaning your home is cleaner for the environment.
Propane can even power a whole-home standby generator, which is often a big selling point. When a homeowner purchases a standby generator, a licensed electrician installs the unit outside the home and wires it to the home’s circuit breaker. When a power outage occurs, the generator automatically senses the disruption of service and starts the generator’s engine, which then delivers power to the home. From the warm, comfortable heat of a propane furnace to the peace of mind offered by a propane standby generator, many homeowners trust propane to provide a safe, efficient, whole-home energy solution.
Build a Team of Experts
Hiring the right people can make the process of turning your dream into reality go much smoother. Start by researching reputable builders, paying special attention to the types of homes they build to find a style that matches what you’re looking for as well as price ranges for past homes they’ve built. Consider how long the builders have been in business and if they’re licensed and insured.
Depending on your builder’s capabilities, you may also need to hire an architect or designer. In addition to your real estate agent to assist with purchasing the lot and selling your previous home, you may need assistance from other professionals, such as a real estate attorney, landscape architect and propane supplier. A local propane supplier can work with the builder to install a properly sized propane storage tank either above or below ground and connect appliances.
Find more ideas for building your dream home at Propane.com.
Propane-Powered Appliances
You may be surprised to learn propane can power major appliances, which can increase the value of a home because of their high performance, efficiency and reduced dependence on the electrical grid.
Furnace
A propane-powered furnace has a 50% longer lifespan than an electric heat pump, reducing its overall lifetime costs. Propane-powered residential furnaces also emit up to 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than electric furnaces and 12% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than furnaces running on oil-based fuels.
Boiler
Propane boilers have an expected lifespan of up to 30 years, but many can last longer if serviced and maintained properly. High-efficiency propane boilers offer performance, space savings and versatility as well as a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to those fueled by heating oil.
Standby Generator
Propane standby generators supply supplemental electricity in as little as 10 seconds after an outage. Plus, propane doesn’t degrade over time, unlike diesel or gasoline, making it an ideal standby power fuel.
Clothes Dryer
Propane-powered clothes dryers generate up to 42% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to electric dryers. They also dry clothes faster, which can reduce energy use and cost.
Range
With up to 15% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to electric ranges, propane-powered ranges also allow for greater control of heat levels. Plus, their instant flame turnoff capabilities help them cool faster.
Tankless Water Heater
Propane tankless water heaters have the lowest annual cost of ownership in mixed and cold United States climates when compared with electric water heaters, heat pump water heaters and oil-fueled water heaters. They also only heat water when it is needed, reducing standby losses that come with storage tank water heaters.
Many faculty members starting a new tenure-track job may find themselves in the unenviable position of struggling to manage aspects, or even the overall circumstances, of their new role. Maybe there are service requirements that were not made clear or seem to be continually added. Maybe there is a lack of support for sabbaticals or other types of leave. Maybe the tenure guidelines seem to change constantly. Or, perhaps the institution is undergoing some turmoil over enrollments or budgetary decisions. Whatever the unfortunate scenario, it is vital that job applicants take time at every step of the job search to evaluate their fit at the new institution. In fact, many of the elements in the initial job posting can help applicants determine their fit. This article will outline some of the major considerations that faculty should entertain before pursuing and accepting a new role.
Do some careful research and consideration before applying. The kind of language used in the job advertisement will usually predict the demands of the role. Is there a long list of service requirements? Does the ad specify that you will perhaps be asked to work on nights and weekends? How many courses are required to be taught? If the list of duties and the courseload appears unmanageable, or does not suit your expectations or plans for research, then don't apply to the job. If, on the other hand, you do not mind a high courseload and would rather teach than conduct a lot of research, then a higher workload might suit your needs. A quick look at the institution's Wikipedia page might clue you in to its priorities, its direction, and any controversies. Looking at employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor could be helpful in getting a sense of what employees value or dislike about the institution. Looking at who makes up the department, and faculty's educational and research backgrounds, might be helpful in getting a sense of values and expectations. Dr. Amanda Licastro, a digital scholarship librarian at Swarthmore College who has successfully fielded tenure-track and alternative academic job offers, advises applicants to "think about the job market holistically in terms of overall quality of life. Consider the location, salary range in relation to cost of living, financial health of the institution, and political climate of the place and institution."
Don't be afraid to ask some probing or difficult questions during the initial interviews and the campus visit. The interview and visit process isn't just about proving your fit to the hiring committee; it is also your opportunity to gauge whether the locality and the institutional and departmental cultures are good fits for your desired career path. Dr. Licastro notes that during a campus visit, "It is absolutely okay, and sometimes even respectable, to ask administrators to discuss the financial health of the institution, the resources for travel and professional development, and salary scale or process for applying for raises…don't be afraid to ask how the institution is supporting your discipline/department in terms of recruitment and retention, or if the administration has a plan to grow or shrink your department in the future. If you have one-on-one time with faculty who match your gender/sexuality/race, ask them about their experience and if they have felt supported. These questions matter to your mental, physical, and emotional health."
Do not accept a verbal offer. Ideally, make your demands clear in the initial conversation, or at least ask for the various details of the offer in writing. It is never advisable to accept anything less than a detailed written offer. By the point in which you receive a verbal offer, you should have already discussed many of the details of the service and courseload requirements with the members of the hiring committee. It is, therefore, incumbent upon you to reiterate these details along with your personal preferences and to ask for them to be submitted in writing. Dr. Karen Kelsky, a professional faculty career coach, recommends that a potential faculty member should never accept an offer, whether it is verbal or by email, within the same day: "All offers have room for negotiation. You should first see what the formal offer is in terms of salary, summer salary, teaching load, leave time, research support, expectations for tenure, graduate student funding, service expectations (particularly if it is a joint appointment), support for a spousal hire, and other matters. Until you have these in writing, you cannot make an informed response." Usually, full-time faculty are automatically entitled to additional benefits, from health care and on-site daycare to retirement funding, but it is a good idea to ask that a reference to these benefits be included in the offer letter. One of the most important details to ask for in an offer letter is the expected service requirements -- ideally, these requirements should be as detailed in terms of hourly commitments as the teaching requirements.
Negotiate, but do not draw out the process longer than necessary. Usually, institutions are required to extend an offer for a certain amount of time, without the ability to rescind that offer (though, anecdotally, Dr. Kelsky has observed that it is increasingly common for some offers to be taken back). A time period for consideration should be included in the offer. While this is the potential faculty member's one opportunity to negotiate, it is in everyone's best interest that the negotiations do not become protracted or acrimonious. Dr. Kelsky says that it is important for potential faculty members to be aware of what is usually negotiable -- salary, summer teaching/salary, funding for graduate student assistants, research/conference/travel support, guaranteed research leave, and spousal hires, for example -- and what is usually not negotiable, such as health benefits, retirement benefits, or family leave.
Overall, consider what you are willing to sacrifice for the position. In what is a challenging job market for most disciplines, as well as a challenging fiscal environment for many institutions, it is important for potential faculty members to be aware that most jobs will require some degree of sacrifice. If, for example, you wish to prioritize your research, you might consider negotiating for a lower salary along with a lessened teaching load, if that is even a possibility.
This article is republished from HigherEdJobs® under a Creative Commons license.
When the winds howl and the chill of changing seasons brings a crispness to the air, one way to warm up from the inside out is with favorite foods. Filling up on comforting recipes like hearty soups and stews can be the solution you need to fight off cold temperatures.
Consider quick and easy ingredients that add a little warmth to your plate as the cravings for comfort kick in.
Cheese
A family favorite in recipes year-round, ooey-gooey cheese is a hallmark of cool-weather recipes. Consider creamy mac and cheese mixed with your preferred protein, homemade Mexican cuisine topped with melted chile con queso or an appetizer plate with options like brie, Manchego, aged cheddar, Parmesan and more.
Rice
If you’re craving a meal that’s big on flavor but short on prep time, it’s hard to top the classic comfort food combo of chicken and rice. This Parmesan Chicken and Rice with Spinach and Artichoke starts with the homestyle taste of fully cooked Minute Chicken & Herb Seasoned Rice Cups with carrots, onion and garlic. The BPA-free cups offer a quick and flavorful option for an on-the-go power-up loaded with chicken, vegetables and herbs paired with hearty rice. Ready in only 1 minute, you can enjoy the flavored rice right out of the cup or prepare it as part of this 5-minute recipe on a busy weeknight.
Pasta
Whether you prefer spaghetti or penne, bowtie or stuffed shells, pasta provides a simple base for delicious meals loaded with comforting ingredients. For an easy weeknight meal, just choose a type of pasta, sauce and protein to put dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.
Curry Paste
Available in many varieties, curry paste is a common ingredient in South Asian dishes. It typically consists of ingredients like garlic, chiles or peppers, ginger and lemongrass. When you’d like to add some spice to your menu without bothering with takeout, this Thai Chicken and Rice Soup calls for green curry paste, which is generally spicier than red or yellow versions, but any can be substituted based on your heat tolerance. You can take the dish up a level with lightly seasoned Minute Cilantro & Lime Jasmine Rice for zesty flavor in a BPA-free, microwaveable cup for a simple solution when life gets hectic and preparing a time-consuming meal becomes challenging.
Cayenne
Serving up a touch of spice in a wide variety of favorite recipes can be as easy as adding ground cayenne. Made of dried cayenne peppers finely ground to a powder, it’s commonly used in dishes ranging from deviled eggs and pastas to shrimp and barbecue as an easy way to add a warming kick to cold-weather meals.
While you may look at your dogs and see the same little puppies you brought home years ago, the reality is they age the same way people do, and if you count in “dog years,” sometimes even faster. The aging process for dogs can mean graying whiskers and less ball chasing, but it may also mean adjusting to changing health needs.
As dogs approach their late adult and senior years, it’s important to adapt the ways they’re cared for so they can enjoy happy and healthy lives. To fully support your dog’s lives as they age, consider this advice from the pet experts at Zesty Paws.
Enjoy Enrichment and Exercise
Whether your furry friends prefer a friendly game of fetch or a long walk around the neighborhood, exercise is key for dogs of all ages. As dogs mature, some of the high-energy bursts may fade, but continuing with low-impact exercises can help them stay in shape both physically and mentally.
Stay active by walking to support joint health and mobility and keep regular grooming appointments to support healthy skin and coat. Don’t forget enrichment activities to help stimulate their minds, too. Try hiding food or treats in puzzles or toys, or schedule play dates with other dogs so they can get active and socialize.
Explore the Benefits of Functional Pet Supplements Dogs, just like humans, have a molecule in their bodies called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which supports cellular function, energy and repair mechanisms. NAD+ levels naturally decline throughout the aging process, but to help negate these effects and support cellular health regeneration in dogs, Zesty Paws created a supplement to support healthy aging for dogs.
Powered by Niagen to help reinvigorate cellular energy, the Healthy Aging NAD+ Precursor system brings a little of their puppyhood back through support of normal cellular, metabolic, brain and heart, skeletal and muscle health. This innovative system of supplementation offers pet parents a fun and unique way to support their dog’s golden years.
Adapt Your Dogs’ Diets to Match Life Stages
A healthy and balanced diet is important for dogs of all ages. With that in mind, there are subtle nuances at different life stages that call for ingredients and food blends to match dietary needs. For example, puppies typically require foods with more protein and fats to help fuel their growth.
Adult dogs may need food that is more focused on addressing issues like gut health, weight control, dental hygiene and other needs. Then, as pets mature into their senior years, you may need to consider foods with added support for their hips and joints or a lower-calorie diet to help alleviate weight concerns due to decreased activity.
Be Diligent About Regular Vet Appointments
While pet parents already know the importance of keeping up with routine veterinarian visits, these check-ins with a health professional can take on increased significance for aging pets.
It’s recommended to schedule regular appointments with your vet so he or she can conduct physical examinations to monitor your pet’s well-being, and this time also provides an opportunity for you to discuss any changes you’ve noticed in your pet’s routines. Just like you, your adult dogs should have a complete examination at least once a year.
Stick to Routines
Just as you have certain things you do each day, like brushing your teeth and making your morning coffee, dogs can also benefit from having their own routines. Whether it’s a morning walk or weekly bathing, having a routine can reinforce previous training for adult dogs and help them continue to learn new behaviors.
Routines based on exercise, enrichment, training and grooming can help ease the tension of other life changes such as travel, moving or new house guests and allow dogs to feel more confident and comfortable. For these aging pets, having and maintaining a routine can also be helpful for consistency and reducing nervousness.
To learn more ways to support your pet’s health and well-being, visit ZestyPaws.com.
Although most school districts have implemented technology that makes it easy to connect with teachers, you may still wonder how to create dialogue within your district about larger scale issues than your child’s homework assignments.
One example is sustainability, which is an issue many parents feel strongly about. Opening conversations with leaders in the school district can result in many kinds of eco-friendly changes, such as a greater commitment to recycling and teaching kids about the importance of protecting the environment. Transportation is another area where districts can make more sustainable choices, which can also save money over time.
Most of the school buses on the road today run on diesel, which is known to cause respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis. There are two primary energy alternatives to diesel for clean student transportation: propane and electric. While both can achieve clean transportation, the cost to do so is not equal.
Propane is a fraction of the cost for the initial bus purchase and infrastructure is affordable, scalable and available in communities across the country. What’s more, propane has a range of 400 miles, allowing a sizable vehicle like a bus to reliably travel long distances without stopping to refuel.
If you’d like to talk with your school district about reducing emissions in your community and saving money for your district’s budget, consider these tips:
Compile Information to Share
Your concerns are more likely to attract attention if you collect meaningful details and data to support your request. In addition to statistics and research that explain why your school district should reconsider traditional diesel transportation, you might also gather information on the district’s transportation expenses. You can make your points more relevant by learning about how other districts in your area are making sustainable choices like choosing propane buses.
Write a Letter to District Officials
Once you thoroughly research and organize the details most relevant to your community, you can begin to share it with others. One important step is a letter to the school district that documents your concerns and conveys the importance of clean, safe, healthy transportation for children. The key is to not only spell out the harm being caused, but also to provide a viable solution.
Educate District Officials
Once you’ve gone on record with a letter, you can work to educate leaders in the school district about clean energy buses. Often, a school board meeting is the most efficient way to open this dialogue because you can address the entire board at once. An added benefit is other members of the community who are deeply interested in school operations are likely to attend, and reporters covering the school district may also hear and report on your information, which can spread word to the larger community.
Call a Parent-Teacher Meeting
Working together, parents and teachers have a strong voice within the school system. A meeting among like-minded parents and teachers can be a forum for you to collectively develop a strategy for gathering further support for your cause, educating about the importance of the issue and ultimately driving change for your community.
Visit BetterOurBuses.com to find resources to talk to your school district about important matters like switching to propane school buses.
Furnace
Dogs, just like humans, have a molecule in their bodies called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which supports cellular function, energy and repair mechanisms. NAD+ levels naturally decline throughout the aging process, but to help negate these effects and support cellular health regeneration in dogs, Zesty Paws created a supplement to support healthy aging for dogs.