#according to the editors this was relatively common in british english at the time but jfj is also the only one to use it in the book. so.

[dogmotifz]

apparently not everyone is aware of james fitzjames inshallah so.

#according to the editors this was relatively common in british english at the time but jfj is also the only one to use it in the book. so. #maybe it was just his youthful soul

[pinehub]

International Women’s Day 2020 - Mary Slessor

Source - Dundee Centre for Leisure and Culture

Born near Aberdeen, Scotland in the year 1848, Mary Slessor is regarded as one of the most important figures in the spread of Christianity in Nigeria. Her work in the Calabar region is remembered today for its success in converting several people living in the region and, notably, helping to end twin infanticide in the region. However, Slessor’s tenacity, sense of humor, and love for the people of Calabar are most notable of all.

Growing up, Mary was one of seven children born into the relatively poor, working-class Slessor family. Her mother, a skilled weaver, and her father, though a shoemaker by trade, both worked in the town’s mills. Slessor, too, would begin working at the age of eleven to help support her family, dividing her time between working part-time, attending school, and helping care for her household. By fourteen, however, she began to work full twelve-hour days as a jute worker.

After pneumonia killed her father and brothers, Mary was raised by her mother, a devout Presbyterian. Because of her, she was instilled with a deep respect and love for the Christian religion. As an adult, she trained to become a missionary in Edinburgh and left for Nigeria in 1876 at just 28 years of age.

Slessor arrived in Nigeria during a tense period of its history. The British had begun to further consolidate their power over the nation, having already been in Nigeria for almost half a century. The British policy of amalgamation which resulted in several ethnic and religious groups being forced to live together had caused internal tension in the then-colony.

Arriving in the Calabar region of Nigeria, Slessor learned of the local practice of twin infanticide. The practice was a fairly common one that stemmed from the belief that, if a woman gave birth to twins, it meant that one of the babies was evil. Since there was no way to determine which child was evil, both were left in the bush to die, exposed to the elements. Horrified, Slessor became dedicated to ending the practice. Not only did she speak out against it, but she also adopted abandoned children she found. She would even send fellow missionaries out with the sole purpose of finding and saving abandoned children.

Slessor was celebrated by fellow missionaries for her close relationship with the communities she worked with. She was noted to have begun eating the same foods as the natives - though mainly because she did not have enough money to purchase imported foods from the United Kingdom - which strengthened their bond. Most importantly, Slessor learned the local language, Efik, in order to better communicate with the people of Calabar while her companions oftentimes only spoke English.

Mary’s ability to speak Efik facilitated her missionary work. In an account by her contemporary W.P. Livingstone, her resolve to learn the language only grew when she learned how unreliable the interpreters. In one instance, the Biblical parable of Lazarus and an unnamed wealthy man in which the wealthy man suffers in the afterlife for his greed was so badly translated that, according to Livingstone, a local listening to the tale exclaimed he’d prefer to be the rich man. Many attribute the fact that she spoke Efik to be behind the genuine friendships with the people of Calabar to be therefore the reason behind her significant influence in Calabar.

Slessor’s contemporaries were also in awe of her patience. She took the time to interact and bond with the people she met and worked with, bolstered by the fact that she could communicate in the local language. “Christ was never in a hurry,” she wrote.

In 1888, Slessor traveled to the area of Okoyong, further north than where she had been previously stationed. Male missionaries had been killed by the people living in the area, so it was believed that sending a female missionary, especially one who was able to speak the language, would prove less threatening to the locals. She spent fifteen years working in the area. During this time, her proficiency in Efik improved and she became well-known for her close, personal friendships with those she worked with. Among her most important achievements during this time was the introduction of Western education and her successes in fighting against the practice of twin infanticide.

Throughout her time in Nigeria, Slessor temporarily returned to Scotland to recover from periods of deteriorating health due to bouts of malaria. She never, however, stayed permanently. After each health furlough, she returned to her missionary work. Near the end of her life, she was so weakened by years of malaria and severe fevers she could no longer walk unaided. Still, she continued her work. She died in January of 1915 and was given the colonial equivalent of a state funeral.

Throughout her time in Nigeria, Mary Slessor undoubtedly helped convert a large number of people to Christianity. Her greatest achievements, however, are the bonds she formed with the people of Nigeria. The dedication and passions she showed them was unmatched at the time, and inspired future generations of missionaries and religious leaders alike.

Blog Author - Daniela Casillas

Daniela Casillas was born in United States. As a student, she worked as an editor in her high school’s literary magazine, being published in the nationally-ranked magazine twice. She also started an after-school writing workshop for underperforming students at her former elementary school. She was awarded the AP Scholar with Distinction Award for academic excellence and for passing at least eight college-level AP exams. She hopes to cultivate her passion for writing and find opportunities to give back to the local community.

#internationalwomensday #internationalwomensmonth #internationalwomensday2020 #pinehub

[kitmcroninillustration]

‘Tackling the underrepresentation of women in media’ -  By Aneeta rattan, Siri Chilazi, Oriane Georgeac, and Iris Bohnet (2019)

Around the world, women are far less likely than men to be seen in the media. As subjects of stories, women only appear in a quarter of television, radio, and print news. In a 2015 report, women made up a mere 19% of experts featured in news stories and 37% of reporters telling stories globally. As behavioural scientists studying women’s underrepresentation in the workplace, we know that this gender-imbalanced picture of society can reinforce and perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes. It is clear that the media must change how it reflects the world – but who can change media itself?

For over two years, journalists and producers across the BBC have been tackling the gender representation issue by rethinking whom they put in front of the camera, with the goal of achieving 50:50 gender representation every month. “Outside Source”– Ros Atkins’ nightly primetime news program that started the effort in 2017 — took its representation of on-air contributors from 39% women to 50% within four months. Today, 500 BBC shows and teams have joined the so-called 50:50 Project. In April 2019, 74% of the English-language programs that had been involved in 50:50 for a year or more reached 50%+ female contributors on their shows.

How did an initiative that started in the news room (not the board room), by a white British man (not a D&I expert), come to thrive in an organization that has ongoing, public challenges related to gender equity (e.g., their gender pay gap)?

In order to understand how the 50:50 Project worked and what its effects have been, we conducted over 35 hours of interviews with more than 25 journalists, producers, presenters, and top leaders at the BBC. We’ve found three key lessons that are relevant for any manager or leader aiming to shake up the status quo and improve diversity, equality, and inclusion in their organization.

  1. Start with yourself

After more than 20 years as a journalist, Ros Atkins found himself stuck in a constant state of trying: “My colleagues and I accepted that representing women equally in our journalism was a desirable goal, but we had also accepted that it wasn’t possible. Year after year, we were making an effort while not making anywhere near the progress we desired.”

This problem is all too common in organizations. While many people might want to make a difference on issues of diversity, there is little concrete change. Shifting out of the sense that “things should be different” to asking “what can I do differently” is key. Psychologically, this is the distinction between bystanders and confronters. Bystanders observe a wrong but tend to be relatively unlikely to address it because they question whether they are the right person to act, whether it is the right time, or whether someone else will step up. Those who confront, on the other hand, act on the wrongs they see.

Atkins got his team to shift from bystander to confronter by focusing on what they were doing to contribute to gender bias in the media: “The very real obstacles to achieving gender-equal representation had morphed into justifications for not getting there… I wanted to prove that we could make our journalism better and more popular through fair representation.”

News shows typically have little control over the newsmakers featured in the day’s major stories, but they do control the array of contributors, experts, and reporters they turn to every day. By zeroing in on this aspect, Atkins was able to focus his team’s efforts on specific, changeable behaviors. All the team had to do was record the gender representation of contributors each day (initially on a post-it note, which eventually got entered into in a spreadsheet), and track their progress toward the goal of hitting 50:50 monthly. The golden rule remained to always put the best person on air, regardless of gender. What changed was that the team pushed themselves to find the women who represented the best and got them on air.

This is not to say that starting with oneself is easy. There are many social pressures that can arise; in this case, some within the BBC expressed initial skepticism of a gender diversity initiative headed up by a white male. However, our interviewees noted that the proof was in the numbers, which continued to balance out, and in the credibility Atkins had when he spoke about the 50:50 project goals.

2. Follow the data

Atkins waited until his show achieved equal gender representation for multiple months before telling anyone else about the project. As a result, he had evidence to counteract the concerns that were raised among other BBC teams. Whenever skeptics suggested that “there aren’t enough female experts,” or “this will add too much time and work for the producers,” or “this might reduce the quality of our journalism,” Atkins, producer and editor Rebecca Bailey, and editor Jonathan Yerushalmy had simple counter-arguments at the ready: proof that their team achieved the goal, happy producers, the experience of a hassle-free data gathering methodology, and a highly-rated show.

Across shows, the one universal insight echoed by everyone we interviewed was the value of collecting their own data and following it over time. We heard this from people who initially argued that they were already doing a good job of representing women on screen, only to find themselves at around 30% women after actually counting; from those who hit 50% women quickly, and then followed their data and found themselves backsliding; and from those who had yet to hit the mark. Data serves as an essential check on one’s gut instincts, countering overconfidence, sustaining motivation, and encouraging goal pursuit.

The 50:50 data collection method is simple, requires minimal effort, and is easy to embed in a daily routine. Because the data is self-collected, it enhances a team’s sense of control and ownership over their content. In addition, public monthly reporting and sharing of each participating team’s data taps into editors’ and producers’ competitive spirit, and creates accountability as no team wants other teams to see them stagnate or backslide.

  3. Believe in others’ ability to change their behavior

The 50:50 Project has grown to 500 BBC teams and to over 20 international media partners. How did that happen? According to Angela Henshall, the 50:50 Project’s external partnerships manager, “We weren’t trying to change anyone – we wanted to give them a tool to change themselves.”

From the outset, the 50:50 founders exhibited a growth mindset toward their colleagues, believing that people can change if they have the opportunity, tools and support to do so. Research finds that those who hold a growth mindset toward others are more likely to confront specific instances of bias and are more open to discussing inequality generally.

No team was mandated to join the project, but teams were instead invited to opt in. Teams decided what the “right” data to collect was for their show, and then reported their own data through a monthly BBC-wide dashboard. Most utilized the straightforward Excel spreadsheet that Outside Source started with. No teams were shamed or punished for their results. Progress was celebrated, and teams that struggled were offered support. Teams that resisted were reminded that they could opt out of the project anytime – so far only one team has done so.

Top leadership played a role, too. In April 2018, Tony Hall, the Director General of the BBC, issued the 50:50 challenge to report results publicly a year later, and the message was centered on encouragement to change, not a mandate from above. The number of teams joining the challenge increased afterward. However, the viability of the 50:50 project’s continued expansion is a constant question, as gaining organizational financial support is still a slow and ongoing effort.

The 50:50 project solely acts on gender representation. It will not solve the problem of gender equality more broadly. But it shows that change can result from embracing a growth mindset, providing a simple and tangible tool for achieving change without mandating it, and giving colleagues agency and ownership over the process. We hope these insights inspire others striving to reduce bias and fix underrepresentation of women in their workplace.

https://hbr.org/2019/06/tackling-the-underrepresentation-of-women-in-media

[thursdayfilebuzz]

‘Youthquake’ Is Oxford’s Word of the Year. Sorry, Broflake. By Jennifer Schussler - December 14, 2017 Photo I: Young voters take selfies with Jeremy Corbyn, Britain's opposition Labour Party leader, in May. "Youthquake" first surged in coverage of Britain's June elections. - by Phil Noble // Photo II: reading the Oxford Dictionary of English --      Merriam-Webster chose “feminism.” Dictionary.com went “complicit,” while Cambridge Dictionary anointed “populism.”      Now, Oxford Dictionaries is announcing that its international Word of the Year for 2017 is … “youthquake”?      “Youthquake” — defined as a “significant cultural, political or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people” — triumphed over a politically pointed shortlist that included “Antifa,” “broflake,” “kompromat,” “white fragility” and “Milkshake Duck.” Katherine Connor Martin, the head of Oxford’s new words program, acknowledged that it was an unusual choice.      The former Vogue editor Diana Vreeland apparently coined “youthquake” in the 1960s, to describe the youth culture of Swinging London, and it maintained a modest if somewhat retro currency in conversations about style. But in the past year its frequency increased by about 400 percent, according to analysis of the Oxford English Corpus, which collects roughly 150 million words of spoken and written English from various sources each month.      It surged first in coverage of the British parliamentary elections in June, when a spike in voting by young people helped deal a blow to the Conservative Party, before spreading to political commentary in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and elsewhere.      “It has a very neat symmetry,” Ms. Martin said. “It originally referred to changes in fashion caused by baby boomers coming of age. Now, we’re seeing it emerge in an electoral politics context, as millennials displace the baby boomers.”      Some dictionary companies’ choices are based on frequency of look-ups. Oxford’s Word of the Year, Ms. Martin said, reflects not just social and political issues, but is also intended to highlight the ways language changes over time. (Its choice last year was “post-truth.”)      Some words on this year’s shortlist, like “kompromat” and “Antifa,” are foreign loan words that suddenly became part of common English vocabulary, thanks to current events. Others are coinages that reflect intersecting, long-developing language trends.      Take “broflake,” a derogatory term for a conservative man who is easily offended by progressive attitudes (even as he mocks progressives as overly sensitive “snowflakes”). It reflects the tendency, especially in online discourse, to reappropriate insults in highly ironic, self-referential ways.      It also reflects the way portmanteau coinages incorporating “bro-” and “man-” — “portmanbros,” if you will — have increasingly taken on a critical edge, in keeping with shifts in conversations around gender.      “How we get from relatively genial terms like ‘bromance’ or ‘man cave’ to more critical terms like ‘broflake’ or ‘manspreading’ is interesting,” Ms. Martin said. “It speaks to the way people are increasingly interested in questioning what they see as male privilege.”      Dictionaries are supposed to provide objective information about how words are used, Ms. Martin emphasized, not to weigh in on contemporary issues. But Oxford, in its announcement, did allow that “youthquake” is the rare emerging political term that sounds a “hopeful note.”      Of course, the fact that the dreaded millennials are taking over the language may not seem like good news to everyone. Ms. Martin, for the record, identified herself as a “Xennial,” as members of the micro-generation just behind Gen X are sometimes known.      “We considered ‘Xennial’ for the shortlist,” she said, “but it didn’t make the cut.” --------- Steven H MacDowall Join my Blog 'The Thursday File' every week. My next posting > December 21st > The Thursday File #704 - sign up today!

#tf english #new words #2017 word of the year #youthquake #feminism #complicit #populism

[cathrynstreich]

The Path to Global Diversity

LeadingRE’s Culturally-Inclusive Approach to Business, Abroad and at Home

Editor’s Note: This is the cover story in the April issue of RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine. Subscribe today. 

Simply having a presence in countries around the globe doesn’t necessarily mean you embrace cultural diversity. Truly understanding cultural diversity goes much deeper than that.

“When you have members in more than 75 countries encompassing so many different cultures, there’s a real art to doing business,” says Paul Boomsma, president and CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE). “Global opportunities involve dealing with someone who is not like you, and that’s what embracing diversity is all about—not just understanding your differences, but celebrating them, and helping people realize their dream of homeownership. If we don’t do this well, we won’t be successful.”

Clearly, LeadingRE is very successful at doing just that. The organization facilitated introductions into more than 100 countries over the last year, and, as members continue to strengthen relationships with network colleagues, the frequency of these introductions is expected to rise.

“There is a very high level of trust, which is essential when you are referring clients internationally,” explains LeadingRE member Berry Everitt, Group CEO of Chas Everitt International Property Group in Johannesburg, South Africa. “The LeadingRE events enable us to interact personally, learn about one another’s countries and real estate markets, and build friendships as well as business relationships. This further facilitates our mutual success in an increasingly global marketplace.”

LeadingRE’s 2018 Global Symposium was held in Barcelona, Spain at the Hotel Arts. Members from among the network’s more than 75 countries came together to connect, learn and celebrate accomplishments. (Credit: AJ Canaria of PlanOmatic)

But for LeadingRE, cultural awareness is not just about doing deals across borders; it’s about a commitment to doing business in a way that recognizes—and encompasses—diversity, no matter where you are in the world, including right here in the U.S.

To that end, LeadingRE makes sure cultural diversity is not just a principle that sits atop the organization, but a pulse that beats throughout the entire network. Through a series of events and training, the organization makes cultural awareness and sensitivity part of its DNA.

LeadingRE President & CEO Paul Boomsma leads an exchange on the trends impacting the industry at the network’s 2019 conference with (L to R) LeadingRE Chief Economist Dr. Marci Rossell; Mike Pappas, The Keyes Company; Carol Bulman, Jack Conway & Co.; Chris Dietz, LeadingRE; Lennox Scott, John L. Scott Real Estate; and (not pictured) Steve Harney, Keeping Current Matters.

“We host ‘The World of Real Estate’ series at our global events to introduce people to the real estate practices of other countries and cultures,” says LeadingRE EVP of Global Operations Chris Dietz. “We have our cross-border introduction service to make those personal connections and help our people understand the nuances of this type of business. We also offer courses through Institute, our 24/7 online learning platform. And, our recent general session speaker at our annual conference was Professor Erin Meyer, author of ‘The Culture Map,’ whose presentation focused on the importance of cultural sensitivity.”

LeadingRE’s luxury home marketing division, Luxury Portfolio International®, extends this education with an emphasis on high-net worth individuals around the world. A recent whitepaper, “Luxury Real Estate: What Matters Most to Today’s Global Elite,” revealed differences—and commonalities—among affluent consumers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. According to Luxury Portfolio President Stephanie Anton, “being able to offer deep, research-based insights into the global, affluent consumer helps our members deepen their relationships and better serve their customers.”

This widespread investment in varied and consistent cultural diversity education is a proven factor in the success of LeadingRE’s members. As Dima Lorenz, managing director of Ark Properties in Shanghai, says, “There is no question that most of our markets are becoming more global, and with a well-documented increase of non-local buyers in almost all key international markets, a certain amount of cultural sensitivity is a foundation for moving forward.”

And, while LeadingRE’s global diversity training prepares members to do business around the world, it also helps American members embrace diversity at home.

Brokerage leaders from around the world recently gathered at LeadingRE’s Conference Week in Las Vegas (L to R): Jeremy Hurst, IRG Intl. Realty Group, British West Indies; Dima Lorenz, Ark Properties, Shanghai, China; Benedetta Viganò, Giorgio Viganò Real Estate, Milan Italy; Chris Dietz, LeadingRE; Berry Everitt, Chas Everitt Intl. Property Group, Johannesburg, South Africa; Frank Morrice Arias, Servmor Realty, Panama City, Panama (Credit: AJ Canaria of PlanOmatic)

“When you open your mind, you start to see how many global cultures exist right here in the U.S.,” explains Boomsma, concerned that many real estate professionals overlook the impact and the opportunities. “Currently, 350 different languages are spoken in the United States, and 22 percent of the population speaks a language other than English at home,” he explains. “There are more non-English speaking people in New York City than there are in London. The bottom line is that diversity of all kinds is around us wherever we are, and we all need to pay attention to it.”

For Boomsma and the team at LeadingRE, cultural diversity is not just another bullet point in their value proposition…it’s fundamentally who they are. “It’s a key part of what we do,” he says. “We’re introducing someone, somewhere in the world every few minutes, so we see the amount of movement happening globally. We’re open-minded and ready to embrace someone everywhere in the world at all times.”

Ambassadors of Global DiversityCarrying out the mission to embrace global diversity is LeadingRE’s network of 565 brokers located on six continents. Each day, they’re looking beyond borders to build business and, more importantly, lifelong relationships. Here, five members from various corners of the globe share how diversity has led their business, their markets and their mindsets toward important growth.

Having grown up in his family’s real estate business, Berry Everitt officially joined Chas Everitt International in 1990 and bought the firm from his father, Charles, in 1997. What started as a relatively small, family-owned company in Johannesburg has grown into the fourth-largest real estate company in South Africa, with what Everitt describes as “154 points of presence across the country” and about 1,300 agents.

According to Everitt, his company thrives in one of the most culturally-rich areas of the globe.

“Known as the ‘Rainbow Nation,’ South Africa really is one of the most diverse, cosmopolitan countries in the world, a melting pot that continues to surprise outsiders with its high level of acceptance and tolerance for different languages, ethnicities, cultures and beliefs—and to attract more immigrants as its democracy matures,” says Everitt.

Embracing cultural diversity will be critical for real estate firms to succeed today and into the future, says Everitt. “Investors everywhere seek the best returns,” he explains. “However, the investors bring their own perspectives, with likes, dislikes and beliefs that are grounded in their own experiences and environments. Thus, it is vital for real estate companies to have the intercontinental cultural savvy—or access to local experts in an organization like LeadingRE—to make their offering compelling to widely diverse investors in different locales.”

Dima Lorenz started Ark Properties in Shanghai in 2005 with his business partner and now wife, Kate.

When it comes to doing business in a global environment, Dima and Kate Lorenz embody the very definition of cultural diversity. “I myself am a German passport holder, born in Hong Kong to a Russian emigrant family, but grew up in Germany and was educated in the UK. My wife comes from a British expatriate family, but had her entire upbringing abroad, in Africa and the Middle East. We now live in Hong Kong and commute between Hong Kong and Shanghai. This set-up alone is grounds for enough cultural confusion,” laughs Lorenz.

However, it has given the Lorenzes an intimate understanding of the importance of embracing global diversity. “We are dealing with clients from the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia and putting them together with Chinese landlords on any given day,” he explains. “My wife is a certified cross-cultural trainer and executive coach. We conduct sessions and workshops regularly for our team to make sure they have the right skills—or just general awareness to deal with clients from various backgrounds.”

And despite their personal backgrounds and accumulated expertise in cultural diversity, the Lorenzes describe joining LeadingRE as an “eye-opener.”

“Having access to privately-owned leading brokerages that share the same passion for their clients and local communities has given us the opportunity to really understand the cultural norms displayed in other real estate markets,” explains Lorenz.

Founded in 1960, Giorgio Viganò Real Estate is headed by 29-year real estate veteran Benedetta Viganò.

The company enjoys a healthy, active market in Milan. According to Viganò, since the 2015 EXPO—a universal, six-month exposition—Milan has become the point of reference for residential and commercial real estate investments.

Being prepared to do business in a global environment is critical to Viganò’s success, she explains. “Italy has signed the Reciprocity Act; therefore, almost anyone can buy here, if an Italian can buy in their countries,” she explains. “Opportunities are many, and surely, the most important (factor) is word-of-mouth. If you sell a property to a foreign buyer, he or she will certainly refer your company to their friends and clients because they know you are an expert, and they trust you because you respect their culture.”

The importance of embracing global diversity—and the role that LeadingRE plays—cannot be underestimated, says Viganò. “Clients who want to move to other countries need to be understood and respected. It is always scary to buy where you are a foreign citizen, as it might take years before you are able to embrace another culture. Our long history with LeadingRE has helped us to know the cultural differences of other countries, and the relationships we have built allow us to introduce our clients to people we know personally.”

Thriving in the ever-growing Philippines real estate market, Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services, Inc. is led by Michael Mabutol, with 18 years in the real estate business. With two offices, 150 full-time employees and more than 800 co-brokers across the nation, Mabutol helps the firm navigate important market trends, such as co-working spaces, income-generating properties and township projects.

According to Mabutol, “the Philippine market has been continuously diversifying. A few years ago, service offices and co-working spaces were virtually unheard of, but now, there are more than 150 players in this space. The retail market is equally buoyant despite heavy competition from the e-commerce industry. The government has cleared some roadblocks for the implementation of REITs, which will provide local and foreign investors more options to park their capital.”

Michael Mabutol shares insights with fellow members during LeadingRE’s Global Symposium. (Credit: AJ Canaria of PlanOmatic)

All of this is leading to an increasingly global landscape. “We’re living in a global market,” explains Mabutol. “Opportunities are coming from different parts of the world. Borders are also becoming increasingly porous, enabling much-needed capital to cross borders more efficiently. For instance, the ASEAN region is slowly integrating into a single market, and companies that embrace diversity and are well-equipped to work with other nationalities will find success in every market they venture into.”

This is where LeadingRE is an invaluable asset, allowing Mabutol to learn from fellow members and share information and best practices. “Being part of LeadingRE has opened doors for us and enabled us to tap into other markets.”

Frank Morrice Arias has been the broker/owner of Panama’s Servmor Realty since 2001. Servmor has been the largest firm in MLS production for Panama since 2012.

With an overstock of inventory in the mid- to high-residential market, Morrice currently finds himself in a buyer’s market. However, he expects an improvement in Latin American economies to help absorb excess inventory in the years ahead. “Panama’s GDP has grown over 5 percent in recent years, and 2019 is forecasting a 6.3 percent increase in GDP, so our general fundamentals are okay,” he explains.

According to Morrice, one of the main challenges for firms outside of the U.S. is a “lack of adequate policies to regulate the industry, develop new agents and implement an MLS, which has an impact on the level of professionalism. We started an MLS in 2012, which has been a catalyst to increase the level of transparency and professionalism in our industry, but it is a culture change. We expect it will take several more years for it to be the norm.”

In the meantime, Morrice is able to take advantage of different opportunities and educate himself on how to increase business through his involvement with LeadingRE. “I do believe real estate is local, but being able to have access to relationships and understanding the global marketplace through our affiliation with LeadingRE has lots of value. It is critical for undeveloped markets like ours to learn from more developed markets like the U.S. so we can establish strategies on how we can be better and create more value for our customers.”

A World of Possibility Ultimately, LeadingRE’s roadmap is focused on driving opportunities to its members worldwide and providing systems, connections and education to support their success—including the insights that come from being part of a truly global organization.

“We are uniquely positioned to benefit from the diversity that comes from having members in all corners of the world,” says Boomsma. “Whether working with a client from another country or within your own diverse community, tapping into what we can learn from one another is incredibly powerful.” 

For more information, please visit www.leadingre.com.

Maria Patterson is RISMedia’s executive editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at [email protected].

The post The Path to Global Diversity appeared first on RISMedia.

The Path to Global Diversity published first on https://thegardenresidences.tumblr.com/

[josephkitchen0]

12 Days of Christmas — Meaning Behind the Birds

By Christine Henrichs – Understanding the 12 Days of Christmas meaning adds something special to this favorite traditional carol. Its repeating verses make it fun to learn the list of traditional gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese a-laying, seven swans a-swimming, eight maids a-milking, nine ladies dancing, 10 lords a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming, all reflect things that were familiar to life in 18th century England and France.

In a nutshell, here’s the 12 Days of Christmas meaning: In the Christian religion, the 12 Days following Christmas are the time it took for the three wise men to make their journey to the stable where the Jesus was born. January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. Religious meanings have been imputed to each day’s gift, but there isn’t any historical documentation for that. To me, it’s interesting because it tells us about what life was like back then.

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The 12 Days of Christmas meaning is interesting to explore through a historic lens. The song lists many wild and domestic birds that brightened life in those days of political upheaval and revolution. It was first printed in the 1780 children’s book, Mirth Without Mischief, but it was already old then. It may have originated in France, as three French variations exist. The First Day’s signature partridge was introduced into England from France in the late 1770s, shortly before the carol was formalized in print and published.

The Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge is a colorful choice for the first gift. Partridges include lots of different species with bright plumage on their rotund bodies. The gray or English partridge, a Eurasian native, was known in England then. It came to North America around the turn of the 20th century, directly from Eurasia. It has adapted well and is now fairly common in North America. They are hardy birds, able to survive cold winter conditions in the Midwest and Canada. They aren’t much for flying, with a stocky body and short, round wings. Most flights are low, at eye level and shorter than 100 yards. They are 12 to 13 inches long with a wingspan of 21 to 22 inches and weigh about one pound.

The hens may lay as many as 22 eggs in a clutch and hatches of 16 to 18 are common. They are not usually raised as domestic birds.

Among modern chickens, the name Partridge survives today as a recognized color variety in both large fowl and bantam Cochin, Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Chantecler, and Silkie breeds. It is similar to the Black Red pattern, the name more appropriately applied to game birds, according to Dr. J. Batty in his Poultry Colour Guide of 1977. Males and females differ, with males have rich red plumage on their heads, backs and wings, glinting with lustrous greenish black. Females are more subdued, mostly reddish bay with distinct penciling. The Standard of Perfection details the requirements of the Partridge color pattern description.

Two Turtle Doves

Turtle Doves are a wild breed of European doves, similar to North American Mourning Doves. They would have been common in England and France during the spring, summer and fall as they migrated through to enjoy a warm winter in southern Africa. They have a long history of domestication by humans.

Doves carry a message of peace and hope, appropriate for the holiday season. Their symbolism transcends religious divisions: In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the dove was the messenger of revival to Noah on the ark in the Old Testament and the embodiment of the Holy Spirit descending on Christ at his baptism in the New Testament. In India, gods take the shape of doves. In Islam, Mohammed was attended by a spirit in the form of a dove.

In the U.S., doves and pigeons — the terms are used interchangeably, although sometimes there’s a suggestion of size, smaller birds being doves and larger ones pigeons — are very popular. Their small size puts them within reach of those who live in small homes or even apartments. Literally hundreds of colors and types of pigeons have been developed by fanciers. Stephen Green-Armytage has documented many of them in his photographs, Extraordinary Pigeons, www.abramsbooks.com. The gift of two Turtle Doves confers both the spiritual and the earthly virtues, their beauty reflecting their spiritual power.

In creating the American edition of Harrison Weir’s The Poultry Book in 1912, editors Willis Grant Johnson and George O. Brown decided to include a chapter on pigeons even though the English Weir had overlooked the species in the original. “There is an awakening of interest among fanciers for the fancy breeds, while squab-raising has become an important business in many sections,” they explain. They invited J.C. Long of New York to write the chapter, describing him as, “one of the oldest and best-known pigeon experts in the country.”

Three French Hens

Three French hens could be selected from the three old French breeds recognized by the APA for exhibition. Houdan, LaFleche and Crevecoeur were all in the original APA Standard published in 1874. They have long histories, as far as the 15th century in the case of the La Fleche, the 17th century for the others. All are large birds, topping out at 8 pounds for roosters and 7 pounds for hens. All are white egg layers.

Houdans have been known as Normandy fowl. They are a crested breed, recognized in mottled-black and solid-white varieties. Solid black, blue mottled and red mottled varieties have existed in the past and may be raised by fanciers yet.

In the U.S., Houdans were a popular dual-purpose production breed in the 19th and early 20th century. They have five toes like the Dorkings.

The La Fleche, which may be the oldest of the three, was selected and managed for egg production in Britain and North America. They take their name from the town of La Fleche, around which production was centered in the early 19th century. They probably resulted from crossing Polish, Crevecoeur and Spanish birds, which gave them their white earlobes.

Their unusual horned V-shaped comb is remarkable, in the past causing these birds to be called the Horned Fowl. Although now clean-headed, some breeders report occasional offspring with small crests or tassels. The French standard requires a crest.

Although recognized now only in black, they were bred in other colors in the past. In 1580, Prudens Choiselat wrote that blacks, reds, and fawns were the best. Blue and white strains have existed in the more recent past.

The Crevecoeur is sometimes compared to the Dorking, which has history on both English and French sides of the Channel. They also have V combs, although earlier in history they also had leaf combs. Currently recognized only in black plumage, white and blue ones were raised in the past.

The Crevecoeur was also used as a production fowl in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Left, the illustration of Partridge Wyandottes is from Dr. J. Batty’s book. Right, two of the three Houdan hens in a reproduction of Lewis Wright’s Poultry, published in 1983 by Dr. J. Batty.

Four Calling Birds

On Day Four, the “calling” birds were originally “collie” or “colley” birds, meaning black-as-coal blackbirds. My poultry mind wants to stretch and consider that they could have been black domestic fowls, such as the old French breeds, all of which were often black, or black Spanish chickens. Black turkeys also were popular in the 18th century in Europe.

Black fowl lost favor because the dark feathers show up in the skin of the bird prepared for the table, unlike white feathers. In the 19th century, white birds lost popularity because they were thought to be constitutionally weak. Fashions in food are as variable as fashions in dress.

Many breeds have modern black color varieties. American breeds such as Javas, Jersey Giants, sometimes called Black Giants, and the English Orpington have black heritage. Asian breeds such as Cochins and Langshans have a strong history of black plumage. Sumatras are always black. Black varieties of Orientals are relatively recent, such as Malays and Cubalayas. Among Mediterranean breeds, the White-Faced Black Spanish is an old breed. Minorcas were originally an entirely black breed called Red-Faced Black Spanish.

Black East Indies ducks are an old breed, although whether they date back to the 17th century is a matter of discussion. Some authorities trace their history back only as far as the 19th century. Cayuga ducks are always black. The recognition of the breed dates back to the 19th century, but it originated from wild American Black ducks crossing with domestic ducks. A black variety of Runner ducks is recent, 20th century. Black ducks could fit the description of “colley” birds.

Black turkeys were popular in Europe, and after Columbus introduced the wild turkey, American colonists crossing the Atlantic brought domesticated black varieties with them. Turkeys were often known by their origin as well, such as the Norfolk Black and the Black Spanish.

In domestic poultry, black plumage has an iridescent quality that gives it a greenish sheen, sometimes complemented with violet. The feathers are truly beautiful and eye-catching, suitable for a gift that would honor the season.

Five Gold Rings

The 12 Days of Christmas meaning behind the Day Five — Five Gold Rings — may have referred to Ring-Necked Pheasants, or perhaps to Golden Pheasants. Those original meanings unify the verses around a bird motif.

Both of them are natives of Asia but have long had successful populations in Europe and the British Isles. The Romans probably introduced them to Europe during their Empire. Pheasant were accepted residents of Britain by the 10th century.

Ring-necked pheasants were introduced to North America in the late 19th century in Oregon, where they succeeded on the second attempt, and after, were introduced in other states. They are now the state bird of South Dakota. They flourish in the wild and are one of the most hunted birds today.

Golden pheasants are successful feral residents in England, but they probably were not introduced there until later than the carol, perhaps as late as the mid-19th century. Their astonishingly beautiful plumage could certainly have inspired songs about golden birds!

They can be raised for meat or for stocking hunting ranges. A white variety eliminates the issue of dark pinfeathers on meat birds. Pheasant tail feathers are in demand for costumes and other decorations.

Six Geese A-Laying

Geese certainly were part of English and French life in the 16th century and long before. Geese have been hunted and tamed and domesticated since the early days of settled agricultural life. West of England Geese, also known as Old English geese, may well be the breed that came over with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. They were an important American regional breed, particularly in New England.

Goose is the traditional festive bird for the holiday feast. When raising geese for meat, it’s important to note that geese do not thrive in the intense husbandry conditions of modern agriculture, so they are not as plentiful as they were in the 18th century when every farm had some. Most American cooks have never roasted one, so recipes have disappeared. Prominent chef Nigella Lawson is a champion of goose. Because they are waterfowl, they have a layer of fat under the skin. When you roast goose, it naturally bastes itself. The fat is flavorful and can be used to toast vegetables and other meats. Food critic Bonny Wolf calls goose fat “the creme de la creme of fat.”

The two main types of domestic geese are those descended from the European Grey Lag Goose and those from the Asian Swan Goose. The European line gives us the domestic Embdens, Toulouse and all their American descendants, such as Pilgrim Geese. The Asian line gives us the African and China breeds, with their distinctive knobs.

Wild geese have lived closely with humans for centuries. Even as little as a century ago, they were maintained as semi-wild livestock in England. Villagers let their geese forage and live on the River Cam. The geese spent the spring and summer on the village green, then migrated to the river for the winter.

In February, the owners would call their geese, which responded to their voices and returned home to nest and rear their young. Those offspring were a significant contribution to the villagers’ income. Those Geese A-Laying were valued not only for the eggs themselves, but for the additional birds into which the eggs would hatch.

Despite centuries of domestication, geese remain seasonal egg layers. Some modern breeds such as the China goose have been selected for laying, bringing their production of eggs up to 70 or more annually. Some breeds of ducks have become more productive egg layers with selective breeding over time.

The eggs are reputed to be superior for baking. The albumen is thicker than that of chicken eggs, making it unsuitable for whipping into meringue. The higher fat content of the yolk makes them desirable for baking. The good news about having Geese A-Laying would be that the goslings would soon follow. Geese are excellent parents and protectively raise their young.

This graphic from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows the differences in the heads and bills of three types of swans.

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Swans are one of the most charismatic birds. Their graceful flight and peaceful beauty as they glide across the water have inspired humans to find spiritual meaning in them. Iron Age Britons, eighth century BC and later, considered them supernatural. Mute swans are the traditional birds of folklore. Although migratory, they became semi-domesticated in Britain by the 10th century.

Richard the Lionhearted is often credited with bringing swans to England on his return from the Crusades in the 12th century, but some documentation shows swans being kept as far back as 966, during the reign of King Edgar.

It was in the 12th century that the Crown claimed ownership of all swans. In the 15th century, swan ownership was shared with the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Companies. That continues today, with an annual ceremony called Swan Upping, in which cygnets, baby swans, are captured, weighed, checked for health problems, banded and released.

So, the 12 Days of Christmas meaning behind Seven Swans-A-Swimming would have had royal as well as spiritual connotations.

In the 17th century, Mute Swans were semi-domesticated in England. In the Netherlands, they were farmed, for their down, their meat and as ornamental birds, according to Sylvia Bruce Wilmore, in her book, Swans of the World. In the Netherlands, those practices continued until after World War II. Because all swans in England belong officially to the Royal Family, swans given as gifts would have been marked on the upper part of their bills. Their markings identified the person who had responsibility for them and thus could benefit from them. Marks date back to 1370.

Today in the U.S., migratory waterfowl are protected by state and federal laws. Permits are required to keep wild birds legally. If you are in any doubt about birds you are considering acquiring, check with the state department of fish and game, parks and wildlife or natural resources.

Mute swans are controversial residents along the East Coast, where they have displaced local Trumpeter swans. Mute swans have been acquired as decorative waterfowl for parks and estates, but easily escape and become feral. They are now regarded as unwanted invaders, trashing the fragile wetland habitat in which they live and chasing out native birds. To avoid those problems, the state of New Hampshire requires by law that Mute swans be pinioned, an operation done on young cygnets to remove the distal joint of the wing, making flight impossible. They retain their mythic grip on people, touching the hearts of those who glimpse them gliding across a misty lake. This dichotomy confounds wetlands managers who want at least to control Mute Swans, if not eliminate them entirely.

“They are a beautiful form of biological pollution,” said Jonathan McKnight, associate director for habitat conservation at Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Others disagree, citing Mute Swans’ circumpolar migratory route, and claim that they have a historic presence in North America.

Current wildlife control professionals hunt them to reduce the population, which has been successful. Tundra and Trumpeter Swans are unquestionably native birds to North America. They remain protected.

I haven’t found any evidence that swans were ever raised commercially in North America. They are wild birds, the largest flying bird, and formidable aggressors willing to protect their nests. Swans-A-Swimming remain a lovely image, but one not practical for domestic production.

Eight Maids a-Milking

In the 16th and 17th centuries, cattle breeds were as different from modern cattle as poultry breeds are. Devon cattle were among the breeds that the maids may well have been milking.

The American Milking Devon was developed from the breed named for the county Devon in England. It retains good production in milk as well as meat. This Devon heifer, “Fashion 5th,” is an illustration from Livestock and Complete Stock Doctor: A Cyclopedia, by Jonathan Periam and A. H. Baker, published in 1910. The breed is known for fast walking, which allows it to cover fields efficiently. It is a desirable breed for oxen as well as food production.

The Milking Shorthorn, which traces its history back at least to the estates of the nobility of Northumberland in England of those days, would also be a candidate for the hands of those maids.

Significant points for good dairy cows, according to the Stock Doctor, are: “… a small neck, sharp shoulders, small brisket and small bone. Moreover, small bone usually accompanies thrift, and is universally found in improved breeds.”

Milkmaids were associated with good skin at this period of time because they were likely to avoid the smallpox that scarred so many. Because of their close association with cows, they were exposed to cowpox, a much less serious disease that made them immune to smallpox. Edward Jenner relied on this observation to develop the first “vaccine,” a word that comes from the Latin word for “cow.”

12 Days of Christmas Meaning Behind Ladies, Lords, Pipers, and Drummers 

The nine ladies dancing, ten lords a-leaping, eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming also reflect aspects of life in the 18th century. The social system placed Lords and Ladies above the common people living on the farms, the Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming who entertained them. Their performance would have been an expression of military strength as well as general festivities, dancing and making merry. They all would have appreciated the birds that came to the feast.

Now you know the 12 Days of Christmas meaning and history. Isn’t it fascinating? While we’re on the subject of Christmas carols, what’s your favorite?

Christine Heinrichs is the author of How to Raise Chickens and How to Raise Poultry, Voyageur Press. Both books focus on raising traditional breeds in small flocks. 

Originally published in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Backyard Poultry.

12 Days of Christmas — Meaning Behind the Birds was originally posted by All About Chickens

[harryandmeghan0-blog]

Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton: Why royals are so ‘different’ - NEWS.com.au

New Post has been published on https://harryandmeghan.xyz/meghan-markle-kate-middleton-why-royals-are-so-different-news-com-au/

Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton: Why royals are so ‘different’ - NEWS.com.au

There’s been plenty of talk lately about some “big rift” between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

It certainly hasn’t helped that amid reports of the pregnant Duchess of Sussex’s “difficult, demanding” behaviour, Kensington Palace suddenly announced that she and Prince Harry are moving to Frogmore Cottage, more than 20 miles away from their current neighbours — Prince William and Kate Middleton.

It’s somewhat devastating for royal fans who have been heavily leaning into the idea of the new “Fab Four” — William, Kate, Meghan and Harry — but let’s face it: sometimes in-laws just aren’t best buddies.

According to The Sun, there’s even been “a bit of tension” between the brothers in recent months.

After Meghan’s relationship with Harry was first revealed, it was widely reported that the American star was relying on Kate for advice and support as she transitioned into her new life. The pair even enjoyed a day out at Wimbledon earlier this year, and were all smiles as they bonded over the tennis.

But according to the Daily Mail ’s royal reporter Rebecca English, Kate and Meghan are “very different people”, although she’s quick to point out that “sources insist there has been no dramatic falling out”.

Whether or not reports of the frosty relations are accurate, it’s true that the women don’t seem to have all that much in common — obviously besides the incredibly unique positions they’ve found themselves in.

FAMILY LIFE

Kate and Meghan had very different upbringings.

While Kate, as William’s first serious girlfriend, spent most of her adult life being groomed for a royal role and adapting to the scrutiny, Meghan — an accomplished and politically outspoken actor in her mid-30s — had to adjust her public behaviour and undergo a crash-course in protocol when she started dating Prince Harry in 2016.

Kate was born into an upper-middle-class family with parents who founded a party supply business now estimated to be worth around $53 million. Michael and Carole Middleton, and Kate’s siblings Pippa and James, appeared to ascend their places in Britain’s high-class society with ease after the Royal Wedding in 2011.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Meghan had a pretty typical American working-class upbringing. Her parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle Senior, divorced when their daughter was six years old, and Meghan told Esquire in 2013 that “every day after school for 10 years” she would hang out with her TV lighting director dad on the set of Married … With Children.

It was a comfortable childhood, and one Meghan has described as “loving”, but since she stepped into the spotlight as Harry’s girlfriend, the Markle family’s dysfunction has been cranked up to a deafening roar.

The former Suits star’s relatives have given her and the royal family plenty of headaches since she announced her engagement last November.

Her estranged half-siblings Thomas Markle Jr and Samantha Markle have been on the attack with alarming regularity. Thomas has publicly referred to his younger sister as a “jaded, shallow, conceited woman that will make a joke of … the royal family heritage”, while Samantha has called Meghan a “narcissistic social climber”.

She’s also set to release her memoir, The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister, in the coming months.

Unsurprisingly, there were no Markles at the royal wedding.

And while his intentions may be more pure, Meghan’s once-beloved father has frequently used the media to try and reach out to his daughter since bailing on walking her down the aisle in May.

As the Palace maintained its radio silence this year, Thomas’ attempts became increasingly desperate, and — perhaps inadvertently — resulted in him criticising the royal family and spilling personal details of his interactions with Harry to the tabloids.

Fortunately, Doria has proven to be a constant source of support and strength to her daughter amid all the drama — and even scored herself an invitation from the Queen to join the royals for Christmas this year.

CAREERS

Kate completed a History of Art degree at St. Andrew’s College — where she met Prince William — in 2005. After graduation, she briefly worked for her parents’ company Party Pieces before landing a part-time job as an accessories buyer for London-based clothing store, Jigsaw Junior.

During that time, she was constantly hounded by the paparazzi, who were desperate for details about the woman who’d stolen William’s heart.

At one point in her early 20s, Kate was reportedly considering being a photographer, but that got waylaid in 2010 when she and William announced their engagement.

While Kate was around 21 when she started dating William, Meghan was 35 at the time she met Harry, giving her many more years outside the royal bubble than her sister-in-law.

In the early days of her career, she worked as a freelance calligrapher to support herself between acting jobs, and had small guest roles on a few TV shows, including a stint on US game show Deal or No Deal .

She finally got her big break in 2011 when she joined the cast of Suits as leading character Rachel Zane, and stayed on the show until she moved to the UK to be with Harry in 2017.

During her Suits years, Meghan was also editor-in-chief of her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig, a counsellor for international charity One Young World, a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and worked with the United Nations on issues relating to gender equality.

However, according to the Daily Mail, it’s these pre-Harry successes which have made Meghan’s adjustment into her new life more difficult.

“She’s a woman who has lived life into her 30s in her way, she’s been a relatively successful actor, has her own humanitarian interests and her own circle of friends,” a source told the publication.

“She is very self-sufficient. Understanding the Palace way, the deference, the politics and the fact that there’s a pecking order, is taking a while for Meghan to get her head around.”

PDAs

Harry and Meghan have become famous for their affectionate public displays since first stepping out as a couple.

Everyday gestures like hand-holding, hugging and kissing are extremely rare sights from members of the royal family, and something that we’ve not seen much of from Harry’s brother and his wife over the years — even in the months after their 2011 wedding.

As second-in-line to the British throne, it’s likely William and Kate’s formality is due to a slightly heightened sense of professionalism, given that he’ll one day be the King of England.

Meanwhile, sixth-in-line Harry’s relaxed attitude toward PDAs with new wife Meghan is likely the result of the fact he’s pretty far down the list of heirs, so has a little less pressure to strictly adhere to royal protocols.

Source: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/why-meghan-markle-and-kate-middleton-are-so-different/news-story/32838385e89ff33084d83f96b0b48ead

[easyweight101]

Ginkovital Review: Don’t Buy Before You Read This!

What is it?

Ginkovital is a nootropic supplement that is designed to improve users’ mental performance. Its manufacturers say that Ginkovital can help users store and recall information, think faster, and make better decisions.

It is thought to be useful for increasing circulation to the brain and throughout the body and may be useful for treating a number of nervous conditions. Ginkovital is also advertised as a neuroprotectant capable of helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and the general effects of cognitive decline.

According to our panel of health and wellness experts, the top nootropic product on the market is Memotenz. It has a high-potency blend of mental performance aids that has demonstrated in our expert’s analyses that it is the nootropic that will have the most beneficial effects for the highest number of people. Click here to learn more about the value of Memotenz.

Do You Know the Best Brain Enhancement Supplements of 2017?

Ginkovital Ingredients and Side Effects

There is only one active ingredient in Ginkovital. There are several inactive ingredients that act as fillers and humectants, however the one product that gives its beneficial effects is:

Ginkgo Biloba 50:1 Extract

Ginkgo Biloba 50:1 Extract: One of the most effective and well known nootropic ingredients on the planet. It has been used by humans for thousands of years.

Ginkgo biloba is a large tree with bi-lobed leaves, hence its name (bi-loba). “Ginkgo” is actually a mistranslation of the Japanese words for “silver apricot,” in reference to its orange-colored fruits that are dusted in a fine white fuzz on the outside.

Ginkgo originally comes from China, however it quickly spread to Japan and Korea, where it became an integral part of many Buddhist religious ceremonies. It has since spread into global use, as ginkgo trees can be easily transplanted and take well to urban and even indoor growing environments.

Ginkgo trees are remarkably hearty and long lived. They can live for hundreds of years, and there is even thought to be a tree in Kamakura, Japan that is over 1000 years old. Ginkgo trees are also among the only living things to survive the atomic blast at Hiroshima.

Its seeds are considered poisonous to humans, however the leaves contain a number of different active chemicals that can be useful to humans including:

Quercetin

Phenolic acid

Proanthocyanids

Myricetin

Kaempferol

The leaves also contain the unique terpene trilactones ginkgolides and bilobalides. Because of this, the leaves have been used for a number of purposes medicinally and therapeutically. Among the conditions that ginkgo is thought to help treat are:

Anxiety

Dementia

Glaucoma

Peripheral vascular disease

Schizophrenia

Tardive dyskinesia

Vertigo and other balance disorders

The most common usage for ginkgo historically is as a memory and mental performance booster. People have used ginkgo to improve memory and cognition since the 15th century, although it wasn’t until the 1960’s that anyone actually started collecting clinical data about its effects.

Ginkgo has pro-circulatory effects, improving blood flow throughout the body, even to the extremities, eyes, and brain. Improved cerebral blood flow is beneficial for improving both current-day performance and for preventing future cognitive decline. It helps prevent the oxidation of the brain that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and other mental function disorders.

Ginkgo’s most known effects are the benefits that it can have on subjects’ memory function. There has been a reliable link established between ginkgo consumption and improved short-term memory and free recall abilities, even in healthy adults.

Some nootropic supplements, such as Alpha–GPC or choline, are most useful in the elderly and individuals with acute chemical deficiencies. Ginkgo has demonstrated its positive effects in studies featuring average adults of both genders and of all age ranges.

Ginkgo has also been linked to improved facial recognition, reduced anxiety levels, and increased levels of calmness and subjective well-being. It has also been shown to improve sleep efficiency in patients, helping them stay asleep longer, waking fewer times throughout the night, and rising more rested.

This can also contribute to the mental benefits of ginkgo, as well-rested people tend to perform better in cognitive function tests. People taking ginkgo have performed well in tests that measure processing speed, processing accuracy, and reaction time. It is also considered an adaptogen, helping people perform well mentally even in stressful situations.

Ginkgo Biloba is also useful for helping regulate blood sugar and blood pressure levels. It has also been linked to improving visual acuity and ocular function, and may even improve skin texture and reduce wrinkles when applied topically.

The 50:1 ratio of the ginkgo extract means that it is a highly concentrated form of the drug, and that each 100 mg. capsule contains 5000 mg of extracts. This is a fairly standard concentration and dosage amount for supplements of this type.

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EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this product with a proven brain enhancement supplement such as Memotenz for better results.

Ginkovital Quality of Ingredients

Our panel of health and mental performance experts rank ginkgo as one of their top ingredients for nootropic supplements. It has benefits for mental performance across the board and is useful and effective for the vast majority of healthy adult humans.

It has been shown to help improve memory, processing ability, problem solving skills, mood, and a number of other mental and physiological skills. It is especially helpful for decreasing the effects of cognitive decline and preventing the accumulation of oxidation of the brain.

While ginkgo is about as beneficial as any one ingredient can be, most supplements choose to pair it with other nootropics for increased potency. Different individuals also react differently to additives, so most brads tend to use a variety of herbs and chemicals to ensure that everyone gets as many positive effects from the supplement as possible.

There are some people that will not find Ginkovital to be useful for them, or not as useful as they may have hoped. Additionally, different chemicals effect the body in different ways.

Loading up on ginkgo only enhances the specific ways that ginkgo effects the body, whereas using a variety of different ingredients means that different biological responses and processes are engaged. There is nothing wrong with single-ingredient supplements, however users should be aware that they will rarely be as potent as those with broader ingredients profiles.

Follow this link to see how all of the top nootropic supplements compare to one another when measured head to head.

The Price and Quality of Ginkovital

Ginkovital is a British product and is available through several English distributors, as well as through their own home page. It is also available from US distributors through Amazon, where this was the last posted price before this article’s publication:

1, 30-count bottle of Ginkovital powdered ginkgo biloba capsules: $12.43

This is a relatively low price for a nootropic supplement and one that reflects the limited selection of ingredients in Ginkovital. It is possible that many users will choose to add a secondary nootropic supplement in addition to Ginkovital in order to feel more of an effect.

To learn more about the safest and most effective ways to boost your mental performance through the help of nootropic supplementation, just click on this link.

Business of Ginkovital

Ginkovital is manufactured and distributed by the British supplements and pharmaceuticals company HealthAid Limited. The contact information that they post on their website is as follows:

Phone Number: [phone]

Address: Marlborough Hill

Harrow, HA1 1UD, United Kingdom

Email: HealthAid does not publish an email address, however they do have an electronic comment form that customers can use on the contact page of their website.

For data about the best nootropic products for increasing memory function and problem solving skills, follow this link.

EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this product with a proven brain enhancement supplement such as Memotenz for better results.

Customer Opinions of Ginkovital

The online reviews of Ginkovital are somewhat mixed. Some people have had good experiences with it, whereas others were disappointed by it. Here are some of the responses from former Ginkovital users:

“Not the best supplement, not the worst. I’d heard great things about ginkgo, so I guess I was a little disappointed.”

“From the way my friend was talking I assumed that starting to take ginkgo would be life changing. I guess I noticed some benefits, but not nearly as many as I expected.”

“Not that useful for me. Next time I may get a ginkgo blend with some other stuff to boost it.”

There were no complaints of side effects and some customers were pleased with their experiences, however the most frequent response was that people expected more out of the supplement.

Click here to read more reviews of the top nootropic supplements on the market today.

Conclusion – Does Ginkovital Work?

Our team of nootropics experts rate ginkgo biloba in general as one of the most beneficial herbs for mental performance. It is considered a highly effective memory enhancer that can also improve thinking speed and accuracy, circulation, and help prevent the damaging effects of cognitive decline.

As useful as it is, however, ginkgo is still just a single herb. It will be far more potent when used as part of an ingredients blend that supports its benefits with other useful complementary additives. There will certainly be less effective supplements on the market than Ginkovital, but it will also be easy for most of our readers to find more effective ones as well.

The most potent nootropic on the market is Memotenz. Their ingredients blend includes ginkgo, but as suggested it also rounds out their formula with other top nootropics.

In addition to ginkgo it includes Acetyl L-Carnitine, glutamine, and bacopa monnieri, three well known cognitive performance enhancers, and other helpful additives. Click here to see Memotenz’s full ingredients panel and dosage amounts.

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[silkysonia-blog]

#MyDubai: The Rise of Highbrow PR Practices

BACKGROUND

The United Arab Emirates is comprised of seven emirates that were freed from British occupation in 1971. Royal tribal families maintained their ownership of power during British rule so the Sheiks were in a position to think about their country’s future with a clear head because no one questioned their right to rule. Resulting in this, the UAE reflects the innovative nature of the monarchy and its innate trust with its public. They are a beautiful example of combining the East and West mannerisms and traditional and modern politics. The official language is Arabic and English is secondary.

            Geographical characteristics include only desert and shoreline. Materially speaking, they are extremely limited in resources with only having oil. The Sheiks realize this and leveraged that opportunity to build up an economy of knowledge and hospitality instead of the traditional tangible based economy like the rest of the world. They are located right in the center of North Africa, Middle East, and Asia which makes them strategically the common center view and reach of all Arabs. This adds a layer of being the Arab face to their already unique niche. This caused the monarchy to value the function of PR in a way never embraced in the Arab world before and is therefore become a highly utilized sector to strategically position their international image and attract business.

POLITCAL ATTRACTORS

            Though they are a monarchy, they have a constitution that outlines the functions of each government sector, goals, and gives each seven sultans individual freedom to rule in their style. Interestingly, on their own they recently added an electoral college so that the public can now take political positions in the parliament. Technically, the government owns every sector in society, but it does not feel so suffocating because businesses have easy entry.

            Demographics of UAE are peculiar in that only 10% of the population is local Emirati’s. The 90% of expats are Indian, Pakistani, European, and more all of whom can never gain citizenship or attain any political rights. This is clearly a result of successful government PR in attracting international business in their knowledge-based economic structure. It’s remarkable considering the political turmoil unfairly projected towards all Muslims in the media these days. Something the Sheiks are determined to fix.

            Vision 2021 is the governments strategic plan to project themselves as “one of the best countries in the world by 2021.” They use PR to meet the objectives of achieving a sustainable socio-economy, maintaining a common destiny and balanced development, creating a knowledge-based economy, and ensure prosperity for locals.” PR has heavy value because they believe that a democratization of information to enhance transparency and accountability of the government is the key to a cohesive, highly educated, competitive knowledge economic, sustainable society, according to their UAEinteract government website. They nailed it because Dubai is considered a hospitality, media, technology, and tradeshow hub representing the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) and international business.

            The Freedom House denies them press freedom status as they have the most restrictive media laws in the region. However, they are trying to allow more freedom so international media outlets will want to move their headquarters into their media cities. The National Media Council “provides the appropriate regulatory framework, assisted by a consulative council of academics and representatives of media organisations” which technically allows free speech but it is highly regulated to maintain public order. Defamation of royalty, Islam, and social norm results in harsh punishments, which has ked to heavy self-censorship among journalist, editors, and so on. However, their media sector is relatively free politically, economically, and legally.

            Media Free Zones are media hubs that attract business with very pro-business policies. Example are Dubai Media City and Twofour54 Abu Dhabi. Companies are totally internationally owned and the only catch is that the UAE has to be the middleman between the business and customers. The provides the sphere for PR to make visible its vitality.    

  CULTURAL ISSUES

PR practitioners need to be acutely aware of the cultural assumptions to avoid deportation; family honor, sense of family is extended past nuclear unit, strong personal relationships, return hospitality, group stability, understand humans do no control events, and submission to Allah. It follows that they have high power distance, collectivistic, neutral masculine values, and high uncertainty avoidance. The high power distance means PR is used to reinforce power. High uncertainty avoidance means PR promotes stability. Being collectivistic means PR needs to appeal to social relationships. Their communication style is high context, indirect, expressive, and analogous. All according to Geert Hofstede.

Their business styles were studied by IORworld. Problem solving is based on intuition, vision, or insight instead of methodology. Source of motivation is honor and conformity. Praise is informal and personal. Expectations are on group harmony, subjective, social, and economic concerns. Negotiating looks more combative than it is because they are expressive. Business meetings last longer than time set, do not stay on agenda, and get interrupted. Meeting are information giving. Relationships, networks, and obligations are counted.   

PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Historically, PR has been a major function for the “teachings of Islam as a way to disseminate a new way of thinking, behaving, and living peacefully with other when PR was perceived and conceived within the confines of Islam, democracy, and the respect of man and other people and nations no matter what their color, race, and religion” (Kirat 1). However, the past 30 years of PR followed the Press Agentry Model and that was a tough threshold to pass. Issues included executive management ignoring PR’s input, strategic use, understanding its tasks. Issues provided by the practitioners included lack of study, quality of manpower, and lack of resources (Kirat 4). That being said, UAE has gone beyond that and passed a threshold the U.S is in too.

Their PR is seen through a relationship-oriented and content-oriented lens and actively trying to go away from mass production style PR like the U.S mostly uses. Their key is strategic engagement instead of mass exposure for they “always hand-pick our media to make sure that we maximize impact of any media opportunity we work on. We look at the medium that we want to penetrate and tailor our stories accordingly” (Weber Shandwick). They pitch only to journalists that have their key target audience and research what they write and are interested in lately. It’s on PR’s shoulders to pitch the right story, not the journalist to decipher through a list of emails. Pitching the story is tailored according to the outlet used. Being that most of the audience is online; “this has helped us to be more creative in how we engage. We now look at creative campaigns that touch these people’s lives… we begun to advise our clients to stay way from sending out news releases and consider a focused approach…” (Weber Shandwick).     

The key to engagement is maintaining good relations with the media. They only have one news source, the government’s official news agency, so they is a lot of space for them to fill space with new ideas and messages to stay fresh. The relationship is based on learning about them and their business goals. From there they offer their own client’s input or angle based upon what that outlet or channel needs. Recovering from being spin-doctors, the focus is on “transparency about processes and delivering on promises in a timely manner” (Weber Shandwick). The media and business professionals value personable interactions and a physical presence. They understand the value of meeting in person because it shows respect by giving individual attention. This is reflected in the fact that they are the expo and tradeshow hub of the world (Dubai Expo, Global Village). Media outlets operate in Media Free Zones in each Emirate.      

Emirati’s and expats have almost 100% Internet penetration, with 56% having social media accounts. A significant amount even own multiple smart phones. Twitter is considered the most prominent. So much so, there was a study specifically dedicated to studying the Twitter use of local Emirati woman, as they are expected to become the new wave of leaders and are seen as the model Arab woman, according to the Strong’s Social Media Fashion among Digitally Fluent Young Arabic Women.

Case Study

            #MyDubai is a PR campaign studied by MEPRA, Middle East Public Relations Association. This campaign reflects their trend and demand of more locally generated content. Conducted by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the Crowned Prince wanted to “increase the awareness of Dubai to global audiences and attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate”, says the article. The concept is “creating the world’s first autobiography of a city” and was launched on Instagram. The people of Dubai are to share their lives, culture, and soul of the city. After 12 hours 25,000 had the #MyDubai tag and in 6 months it hit 1 million. It now incorporates other social media like Twitter, FaceBook, and YouTube. Even international brands and businesses are using this to promote their business. It inspires communal activity, interests, and competitions to promote and celebrate its people. In celebration of success they even display a giant LED screen to showcase the most compelling images.

The Prince utilized his anointed centralized power to reinforce his economic objective using the advantage of the high social media penetration. (cp 75). Their technique utilized the social structure to attain local content, thought-leaders, and crowd-sourcing (cp 76). The used Instagram first because a high context society already understands the need for context and demands it to feel authentic. Social media allows them to behave naturally because the egalitarian nature of social media allows for non-linear thinking (cp77). The unlimited amount of hastags allows them to express many ideas and feelings regarding their post. It does not feel like “simultaneous bombardment and processing of a variety of stimuli” that “to the linear individual may appear random or chaotic” as the article insensitively puts (cp77). This campaign is the mascot for their emphasis of interpersonal communication having the highest value.

[jackson38toh]

When “old chestnut” was new

Q: You’ve used the expression “old chestnut” on your blog, but you never explain its origin. Where does it come from?

A: There’s no definite answer here, but all the evidence points to an origin in 19th-century show business.

Before going on, we should mention that the word “chestnut” was spelled “chesnut” for much of its life, but we’ll use the modern spelling except when quoting an early source.

Since the 1800s, the Oxford English Dictionary says, “chestnut” has been used figuratively to mean “a story that has been told before, a ‘venerable’ joke.”

In extended use, the dictionary says, a “chestnut” means “anything trite, stale, or too often repeated.” The adjective “old” was added along the way for emphasis.

But what’s the literal connection? Did the stale old “chestnut” originally refer to the tree, to the nut, or perhaps to a chestnut-colored horse?

The OED’s formal answer: “origin unknown.” However, the dictionary offers a possible explanation.

The usage may have been inspired by an early 19th-century melodrama, William Dimond’s The Broken Sword, which includes a scene featuring a chestnut tree.

The comic relief in the play, first performed in London in 1816, is provided by Captain Zavior, a character who monotonously retells his old exploits, much to the chagrin of his long-suffering servant Pablo, who knows them by heart.

Here’s the scene involving the chestnut tree (we’ll expand the OED’s citation):

Zavior: Let me see—aye! it is exactly six years since, that peace being restored to Spain … I mounted a mule at Barcelona, and trotted away for my native mountains. At the dawn of the fourth day’s journey, I entered the wood of Collares, when suddenly from the thick boughs of a cork tree—

Pablo: (Jumping up.) A chesnut, Captain, a chesnut.

Zavior: Bah! you booby, I say, a cork.

Pablo: And I swear, a chesnut—Captain! this is the twenty-seventh time I have heard you relate this story, and you invariably said, a chesnut, till now.

Zavior: Did I? Well, a chesnut be it then. But, take your seat again.

Pablo: Willingly—Only out with the cork, and I’m your man for sitting.

Zavior: Well then—from the thick boughs of a chesnut, suddenly slipped down a little boy, who cast himself on his knees in the path before me. … I dismounted, fasten’d my mule to the—the—

Pablo. (Eagerly.) Chesnut.

Zavior. Well, well, the tree that stood next me.

The play, forgotten now, was very popular in its day. It got rave reviews, had long runs in London and New York, and was a favorite with touring theatrical companies.

So it’s “plausible,” as the OED puts it, that “chestnut” became show-biz slang for a worn-out story and, by extension, anything trite, stale, or too often repeated.

Unfortunately, the dictionary’s first citation for the figurative use of “chestnut” doesn’t appear until many decades later—1880.

But we’ve found what might be an early figurative use—a pun from 1826 playing off the “chestnut” that’s a joke against the “chestnut” that’s a horse.

Here’s the passage from Charles Dibdin’s comic poem “My Kingdom for a Horse,” which italicizes words for horse colors that have other meanings:

“No critic can carp at the bays, Though jokes on each chestnut he cracks, And, should he look blue at the grays, Molineaux will stand up for the blacks.”

(From Universal Songster: Or, Museum of Mirth, London, 1826. Tom Molineaux was an African-American prizefighter who toured professionally in Britain in the early 1800s.)

And we’ve come across an anecdote, supposedly from 1867, that was reported in a California newspaper, the Daily Alta, in its issue of April 27, 1885:

“Hanley, Harrigan & Hart’s old theatrical manager … says that the term originated eighteen years ago. He alleges: ‘In 1867 I was traveling through New York, putting an old play called ‘The Broken Sword’ on the stage with Marietta Ravel as leading lady.”

Here the manager summarizes the comic chestnut-tree routine from 1816, with Captain Zavior and Pablo, that we quoted above. He then continues:

“ ‘After the performance in Rochester, P. Connelly, dead now, was in one of the dressing-rooms with others of the company, and he started to get off a funny story. Everybody interrupted with shouts of ‘Chestnut!’ It clung to the company all season, and, of course, was soon caught by the profession.’ ”

The OED’s earliest example for “chestnut” used to mean something that’s repeated too often is from a May 27, 1880, American diary entry that also has a theatrical connection:

“When he said that the song was ‘Nancy Lee’ we girls nearly fainted! … Really, I thought we should choke with laughter and dismay. Think of doing that awful old ‘Nancy Lee’—such a chestnut!—in a romantic Portuguese opera, and following it up with that hoppy, romping dance!” (From Diary of Daly Débutante, first published in 1910 and written by Dora Knowlton Ranous, an actress in Augustine Daly’s theatrical company.)

And this 1889 example nicely meshes with the 1867 anecdote above. In Reminiscences of J. L. Toole (1888), by Joseph Hatton, the American actor Joseph Jefferson is quoted on the origin of “chestnut.”

After repeating the relevant lines from The Broken Sword, Jefferson continues:

“William Warren, who had often played the part of Pablo, was at a stage-dinner a few years ago, when one of the gentlemen present told a story of doubtful age and originality. ‘A chestnut,’ murmured Mr. Warren, quoting from the play, ‘I have heard you tell the tale these twenty-seven times.’ The application of the lines pleased the rest of the table, and when the party broke up each helped to spread the story and Mr. Warren’s commentary.”

From 1880 onward, the OED has citations for this figurative “chestnut”—and the more emphatic “old chestnut” (from 1886)—extending into the late 20th century. The expression has been used for everything from an old repertory piece to a stale idea for advertising copy.

Given the popularity of that old melodrama, it’s reasonable to suggest that the usage began among actors and spread into general usage.

However, another expression involving chestnuts was in the air when William Dimond’s play came along, and it might have given the figurative “chestnut” usage a boost.

This older expression, very popular in its day, was a catch phrase to the effect that a “horse chestnut” is not the same as a “chestnut horse.”

We’ve found scores of published examples, the earliest from an entry in the journal of Sir Nathaniel William Wraxall in reference to the 1808 session of the House of Commons. (The entry was included in his memoirs, published posthumously in 1836.)

Here’s the journal entry, from a passage largely devoted to parliamentary business:

“Mr. Matthew Montagu seconded the address to the throne. It was of him that General Montagu Mathew, brother to the Earl of Landaff, said in the last house of commons (upon some mistakes arising relative to their identity, produced by the similarity of their appellations), ‘I wish it to be understood that there is no more likeness between Montagu Mathew and Matthew Montagu, than between a chesnut horse and a horse chesnut.’ ”

When the story was picked up by a Philadelphia literary digest in 1809, it was embellished a little:

“There are two members in the house of commons, named Montagu Mathew, and Mathew Montagu; the former a tall handsome man; and the latter a little man. During the present session of parliament, the speaker, having addressed the latter as the former, Montagu Mathew observed, it was strange he should make such a mistake, as there was as great a difference between them as between a horse chesnut and a chesnut horse.” (From Select Review, and Spirit of the Foreign Magazines.)

That same parliamentary anecdote inspired a humorous poem that ran in the November 1808 issue of The Sporting Magazine, London.

The anonymous poem, “A Chapter on Logic: Or, the Horse Chesnut, and the Chesnut Horse,” was described by the editors as “occasioned by” the incident in the House of Commons.

It’s too long to quote here, but we’ll give you the gist. A young “Eton stripling” who’s a student of logic is invited to spend a fortnight at the estate of his uncle, who is something of a practical joker.

Sir Peter, promising to give his nephew a “chesnut horse,” leads him to a tree, shakes from its branches “a fine horse-chesnut,” hands it to the youth and says, “saddle it and ride.” By the rules of logic, he tells the boy, “a horse-chesnut is a chesnut horse!”

The poem became a popular recitation piece, remaining in print through most of the 19th century.

But apart from its humorous use, the motif of the horse chestnut versus the chestnut horse cropped up frequently in serious 19th-century British and American writing as a rhetorical device for contrasting and comparing. Here’s an example:

“No two things in nature, not a horse-chestnut and a chestnut-horse, could be more different.” (From Maria Edgworth’s novel Harrington and Ormond, 1841.)

As for the etymology of “chestnut,” the word for the tree in Old English, cistenbeam or cystbeam, was derived from Germanic sources.

But the term evolved in Middle English under the influence of Middle French. The Gallic word for the tree (chastaigne) gave Middle English a word spelled various ways, including chesteine, chasteine, and chesten.

In 1519, according to the OED, the term “chesten nut” showed up, meaning the nut itself. Later in the 1500s the word “chesnut” appeared in reference to both the tree and the nut.

As the dictionary explains, “Chesten-nut was soon reduced to chestenut, chestnut, and chesnut: the last was the predominant form (82 per cent. of instances examined) from 1570 to c1820.”

The “chestnut” spelling, which was adopted by Samuel Johnson in his dictionary of 1755, “prevails in current use,” according to the OED.

Current standard dictionaries no longer include the old “chesnut” spelling.

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from Blog – Grammarphobia http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2017/01/old-chestnut.html

[josephkitchen0]

12 Days of Christmas — Meaning Behind the Birds

By Christine Henrichs – Understanding the 12 Days of Christmas meaning adds something special to this favorite traditional carol. Its repeating verses make it fun to learn the list of traditional gifts: A partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five gold rings, six geese a-laying, seven swans a-swimming, eight maids a-milking, nine ladies dancing, 10 lords a-leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming, all reflect things that were familiar to life in 18th century England and France.

In a nutshell, here’s the 12 Days of Christmas meaning: In the Christian religion, the 12 Days following Christmas are the time it took for the three wise men to make their journey to the stable where the Jesus was born. January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. Religious meanings have been imputed to each day’s gift, but there isn’t any historical documentation for that. To me, it’s interesting because it tells us about what life was like back then.

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The 12 Days of Christmas meaning is interesting to explore through a historic lens. The song lists many wild and domestic birds that brightened life in those days of political upheaval and revolution. It was first printed in the 1780 children’s book, Mirth Without Mischief, but it was already old then. It may have originated in France, as three French variations exist. The First Day’s signature partridge was introduced into England from France in the late 1770s, shortly before the carol was formalized in print and published.

The Partridge in a Pear Tree

The partridge is a colorful choice for the first gift. Partridges include lots of different species with bright plumage on their rotund bodies. The gray or English partridge, a Eurasian native, was known in England then. It came to North America around the turn of the 20th century, directly from Eurasia. It has adapted well and is now fairly common in North America. They are hardy birds, able to survive cold winter conditions in the Midwest and Canada. They aren’t much for flying, with a stocky body and short, round wings. Most flights are low, at eye level and shorter than 100 yards. They are 12 to 13 inches long with a wingspan of 21 to 22 inches and weigh about one pound.

The hens may lay as many as 22 eggs in a clutch and hatches of 16 to 18 are common. They are not usually raised as domestic birds.

Among modern chickens, the name Partridge survives today as a recognized color variety in both large fowl and bantam Cochin, Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Chantecler, and Silkie breeds. It is similar to the Black Red pattern, the name more appropriately applied to game birds, according to Dr. J. Batty in his Poultry Colour Guide of 1977. Males and females differ, with males have rich red plumage on their heads, backs and wings, glinting with lustrous greenish black. Females are more subdued, mostly reddish bay with distinct penciling. The Standard of Perfection details the requirements of the Partridge color pattern description.

Two Turtle Doves

Turtle Doves are a wild breed of European doves, similar to North American Mourning Doves. They would have been common in England and France during the spring, summer and fall as they migrated through to enjoy a warm winter in southern Africa. They have a long history of domestication by humans.

Doves carry a message of peace and hope, appropriate for the holiday season. Their symbolism transcends religious divisions: In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the dove was the messenger of revival to Noah on the ark in the Old Testament and the embodiment of the Holy Spirit descending on Christ at his baptism in the New Testament. In India, gods take the shape of doves. In Islam, Mohammed was attended by a spirit in the form of a dove.

In the U.S., doves and pigeons — the terms are used interchangeably, although sometimes there’s a suggestion of size, smaller birds being doves and larger ones pigeons — are very popular. Their small size puts them within reach of those who live in small homes or even apartments. Literally hundreds of colors and types of pigeons have been developed by fanciers. Stephen Green-Armytage has documented many of them in his photographs, Extraordinary Pigeons, www.abramsbooks.com. The gift of two Turtle Doves confers both the spiritual and the earthly virtues, their beauty reflecting their spiritual power.

In creating the American edition of Harrison Weir’s The Poultry Book in 1912, editors Willis Grant Johnson and George O. Brown decided to include a chapter on pigeons even though the English Weir had overlooked the species in the original. “There is an awakening of interest among fanciers for the fancy breeds, while squab-raising has become an important business in many sections,” they explain. They invited J.C. Long of New York to write the chapter, describing him as, “one of the oldest and best-known pigeon experts in the country.”

Three French Hens

Three French hens could be selected from the three old French breeds recognized by the APA for exhibition. Houdan, LaFleche and Crevecoeur were all in the original APA Standard published in 1874. They have long histories, as far as the 15th century in the case of the La Fleche, the 17th century for the others. All are large birds, topping out at 8 pounds for roosters and 7 pounds for hens. All are white egg layers.

Houdans have been known as Normandy fowl. They are a crested breed, recognized in mottled-black and solid-white varieties. Solid black, blue mottled and red mottled varieties have existed in the past and may be raised by fanciers yet.

In the U.S., Houdans were a popular dual-purpose production breed in the 19th and early 20th century. They have five toes like the Dorkings.

The La Fleche, which may be the oldest of the three, was selected and managed for egg production in Britain and North America. They take their name from the town of La Fleche, around which production was centered in the early 19th century. They probably resulted from crossing Polish, Crevecoeur and Spanish birds, which gave them their white earlobes.

Their unusual horned V-shaped comb is remarkable, in the past causing these birds to be called the Horned Fowl. Although now clean-headed, some breeders report occasional offspring with small crests or tassels. The French standard requires a crest.

Although recognized now only in black, they were bred in other colors in the past. In 1580, Prudens Choiselat wrote that blacks, reds, and fawns were the best. Blue and white strains have existed in the more recent past.

The Crevecoeur is sometimes compared to the Dorking, which has history on both English and French sides of the Channel. They also have V combs, although earlier in history they also had leaf combs. Currently recognized only in black plumage, white and blue ones were raised in the past.

The Crevecoeur was also used as a production fowl in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Left, the illustration of Partridge Wyandottes is from Dr. J. Batty’s book. Right, two of the three Houdan hens in a reproduction of Lewis Wright’s Poultry, published in 1983 by Dr. J. Batty.

Four Calling Birds

On Day Four, the “calling” birds were originally “collie” or “colley” birds, meaning black-as-coal blackbirds. My poultry mind wants to stretch and consider that they could have been black domestic fowls, such as the old French breeds, all of which were often black, or black Spanish chickens. Black turkeys also were popular in the 18th century in Europe.

Black fowl lost favor because the dark feathers show up in the skin of the bird prepared for the table, unlike white feathers. In the 19th century, white birds lost popularity because they were thought to be constitutionally weak. Fashions in food are as variable as fashions in dress.

Many breeds have modern black color varieties. American breeds such as Javas, Jersey Giants, sometimes called Black Giants, and the English Orpington have black heritage. Asian breeds such as Cochins and Langshans have a strong history of black plumage. Sumatras are always black. Black varieties of Orientals are relatively recent, such as Malays and Cubalayas. Among Mediterranean breeds, the White-Faced Black Spanish is an old breed. Minorcas were originally an entirely black breed called Red-Faced Black Spanish.

Black East Indies ducks are an old breed, although whether they date back to the 17th century is a matter of discussion. Some authorities trace their history back only as far as the 19th century. Cayuga ducks are always black. The recognition of the breed dates back to the 19th century, but it originated from wild American Black ducks crossing with domestic ducks. A black variety of Runner ducks is recent, 20th century. Black ducks could fit the description of “colley” birds.

Black turkeys were popular in Europe, and after Columbus introduced the wild turkey, American colonists crossing the Atlantic brought domesticated black varieties with them. Turkeys were often known by their origin as well, such as the Norfolk Black and the Black Spanish.

In domestic poultry, black plumage has an iridescent quality that gives it a greenish sheen, sometimes complemented with violet. The feathers are truly beautiful and eye-catching, suitable for a gift that would honor the season.

Five Gold Rings

The 12 Days of Christmas meaning behind the Day Five — Five Gold Rings — may have referred to Ring-Necked Pheasants, or perhaps to Golden Pheasants. Those original meanings unify the verses around a bird motif.

Both of them are natives of Asia but have long had successful populations in Europe and the British Isles. The Romans probably introduced them to Europe during their Empire. Pheasant were accepted residents of Britain by the 10th century.

Ring-necked pheasants were introduced to North America in the late 19th century in Oregon, where they succeeded on the second attempt, and after, were introduced in other states. They are now the state bird of South Dakota. They flourish in the wild and are one of the most hunted birds today.

Golden pheasants are successful feral residents in England, but they probably were not introduced there until later than the carol, perhaps as late as the mid-19th century. Their astonishingly beautiful plumage could certainly have inspired songs about golden birds!

They can be raised for meat or for stocking hunting ranges. A white variety eliminates the issue of dark pinfeathers on meat birds. Pheasant tail feathers are in demand for costumes and other decorations.

Six Geese A-Laying

Geese certainly were part of English and French life in the 16th century and long before. Geese have been hunted and tamed and domesticated since the early days of settled agricultural life. West of England Geese, also known as Old English geese, may well be the breed that came over with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower. They were an important American regional breed, particularly in New England.

Goose is the traditional festive bird for the holiday feast. When raising geese for meat, it’s important to note that geese do not thrive in the intense husbandry conditions of modern agriculture, so they are not as plentiful as they were in the 18th century when every farm had some. Most American cooks have never roasted one, so recipes have disappeared. Prominent chef Nigella Lawson is a champion of goose. Because they are waterfowl, they have a layer of fat under the skin. When you roast goose, it naturally bastes itself. The fat is flavorful and can be used to toast vegetables and other meats. Food critic Bonny Wolf calls goose fat “the creme de la creme of fat.”

The two main types of domestic geese are those descended from the European Grey Lag Goose and those from the Asian Swan Goose. The European line gives us the domestic Embdens, Toulouse and all their American descendants, such as Pilgrim Geese. The Asian line gives us the African and China breeds, with their distinctive knobs.

Wild geese have lived closely with humans for centuries. Even as little as a century ago, they were maintained as semi-wild livestock in England. Villagers let their geese forage and live on the River Cam. The geese spent the spring and summer on the village green, then migrated to the river for the winter.

In February, the owners would call their geese, which responded to their voices and returned home to nest and rear their young. Those offspring were a significant contribution to the villagers’ income. Those Geese A-Laying were valued not only for the eggs themselves, but for the additional birds into which the eggs would hatch.

Despite centuries of domestication, geese remain seasonal egg layers. Some modern breeds such as the China goose have been selected for laying, bringing their production of eggs up to 70 or more annually. Some breeds of ducks have become more productive egg layers with selective breeding over time.

The eggs are reputed to be superior for baking. The albumen is thicker than that of chicken eggs, making it unsuitable for whipping into meringue. The higher fat content of the yolk makes them desirable for baking. The good news about having Geese A-Laying would be that the goslings would soon follow. Geese are excellent parents and protectively raise their young.

This graphic from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows the differences in the heads and bills of three types of swans.

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Swans are one of the most charismatic birds. Their graceful flight and peaceful beauty as they glide across the water have inspired humans to find spiritual meaning in them. Iron Age Britons, eighth century BC and later, considered them supernatural. Mute swans are the traditional birds of folklore. Although migratory, they became semi-domesticated in Britain by the 10th century.

Richard the Lionhearted is often credited with bringing swans to England on his return from the Crusades in the 12th century, but some documentation shows swans being kept as far back as 966, during the reign of King Edgar.

It was in the 12th century that the Crown claimed ownership of all swans. In the 15th century, swan ownership was shared with the Vintners’ and Dyers’ Companies. That continues today, with an annual ceremony called Swan Upping, in which cygnets, baby swans, are captured, weighed, checked for health problems, banded and released.

So, the 12 Days of Christmas meaning behind Seven Swans-A-Swimming would have had royal as well as spiritual connotations.

In the 17th century, Mute Swans were semi-domesticated in England. In the Netherlands, they were farmed, for their down, their meat and as ornamental birds, according to Sylvia Bruce Wilmore, in her book, Swans of the World. In the Netherlands, those practices continued until after World War II. Because all swans in England belong officially to the Royal Family, swans given as gifts would have been marked on the upper part of their bills. Their markings identified the person who had responsibility for them and thus could benefit from them. Marks date back to 1370.

Today in the U.S., migratory waterfowl are protected by state and federal laws. Permits are required to keep wild birds legally. If you are in any doubt about birds you are considering acquiring, check with the state department of fish and game, parks and wildlife or natural resources.

Mute swans are controversial residents along the East Coast, where they have displaced local Trumpeter swans. Mute swans have been acquired as decorative waterfowl for parks and estates, but easily escape and become feral. They are now regarded as unwanted invaders, trashing the fragile wetland habitat in which they live and chasing out native birds. To avoid those problems, the state of New Hampshire requires by law that Mute swans be pinioned, an operation done on young cygnets to remove the distal joint of the wing, making flight impossible. They retain their mythic grip on people, touching the hearts of those who glimpse them gliding across a misty lake. This dichotomy confounds wetlands managers who want at least to control Mute Swans, if not eliminate them entirely.

“They are a beautiful form of biological pollution,” said Jonathan McKnight, associate director for habitat conservation at Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. Others disagree, citing Mute Swans’ circumpolar migratory route, and claim that they have a historic presence in North America.

Current wildlife control professionals hunt them to reduce the population, which has been successful. Tundra and Trumpeter Swans are unquestionably native birds to North America. They remain protected.

I haven’t found any evidence that swans were ever raised commercially in North America. They are wild birds, the largest flying bird, and formidable aggressors willing to protect their nests. Swans-A-Swimming remain a lovely image, but one not practical for domestic production.

Eight Maids a-Milking

In the 16th and 17th centuries, cattle breeds were as different from modern cattle as poultry breeds are. Devon cattle were among the breeds that the maids may well have been milking.

The American Milking Devon was developed from the breed named for the county Devon in England. It retains good production in milk as well as meat. This Devon heifer, “Fashion 5th,” is an illustration from Livestock and Complete Stock Doctor: A Cyclopedia, by Jonathan Periam and A. H. Baker, published in 1910. The breed is known for fast walking, which allows it to cover fields efficiently. It is a desirable breed for oxen as well as food production.

The Milking Shorthorn, which traces its history back at least to the estates of the nobility of Northumberland in England of those days, would also be a candidate for the hands of those maids.

Significant points for good dairy cows, according to the Stock Doctor, are: “… a small neck, sharp shoulders, small brisket and small bone. Moreover, small bone usually accompanies thrift, and is universally found in improved breeds.”

Milkmaids were associated with good skin at this period of time because they were likely to avoid the smallpox that scarred so many. Because of their close association with cows, they were exposed to cowpox, a much less serious disease that made them immune to smallpox. Edward Jenner relied on this observation to develop the first “vaccine,” a word that comes from the Latin word for “cow.”

12 Days of Christmas Meaning Behind Ladies, Lords, Pipers, and Drummers 

The nine ladies dancing, ten lords a-leaping, eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming also reflect aspects of life in the 18th century. The social system placed Lords and Ladies above the common people living on the farms, the Pipers Piping and Drummers Drumming who entertained them. Their performance would have been an expression of military strength as well as general festivities, dancing and making merry. They all would have appreciated the birds that came to the feast.

Now you know the 12 Days of Christmas meaning and history. Isn’t it fascinating? While we’re on the subject of Christmas carols, what’s your favorite?

Christine Heinrichs is the author of How to Raise Chickens and How to Raise Poultry, Voyageur Press. Both books focus on raising traditional breeds in small flocks. 

Originally published in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Backyard Poultry.

12 Days of Christmas — Meaning Behind the Birds was originally posted by All About Chickens