A landscape management company in the area just got an infusion of growth capital, thanks to an equity investor.

An undisclosed investor recently acquired a minority stake in Augusta-based Turf Works, according to Grand Rapids-based Calder Capital.

Turf Works co-owners Dave Konkle and Kevin Boucher approached Calder Capital earlier this year seeking advice on how to grow the companys customer base.

After consulting with Max Friar, managing partner of Calder Capital, Konkle and Boucher decided the best course of action was not to sell the company but instead to look for an investor willing to provide growth capital.

After a lengthy search, an individual investor was found who turned out to be a perfect fit, they said.

Calder Capital provided us with several quality investors, and after careful consideration, we are very pleased with our new partner and believe we have succeeded in beginning to take our company to the next level, the co-owners said.

When people think about mergers and acquisitions, they generally do not think about partner buy-ins; however, there are a lot of qualified investors interested in taking majority and minority positions in established and profitable companies like Turf Works, Friar said.

Taking on a partner is a sensitive issue, and we are very pleased it worked out so well for Kevin and Dave at Turf Works.

Ghazey Aleck, an associate with Calder Capital, served as the lead M&A adviser for Turf Works for this transaction.

This represented Calder Capital/Small Business Deal Advisors 21st transaction of the year.

Turf Works

Founded in 1991, Turf Works is a professional landscape management company offering a variety of lawn care services, including mowing, fertilization and turf management; tree and shrub trimming; snow removal services; and a 24/7 emergency hotline.

Turf Works serves industrial, retail, residential, education and municipal clients.

The business employs 10 core staff members and part-time/contract laborers as needed.

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Investor buys stake in landscaping company | 2019-12-26 - grbj.com

MILL CREEK Years ago, a dentist found a starving man in his apple orchard.

He gave him something to eat and nursed him back to health. The homeless man told him hed once been a guard at a New York bank, but hed been hit over the head in a robbery. The dentist let him sleep in a one-room shed behind his house on the outskirts of Mill Creek. He worked on the mans teeth and sometimes even asked him to babysit. His family rented out the house, telling tenants the neighbor in the shed came as part of the deal.

At least thats the strange tale gathered by authorities since Jan. 11, 2015, when a passerby found a body in an overgrown shack along North Creek Park.

Apparently police had come in contact with the man before, and written his name as Jerry Diggs, born in May 1945; or Jerry Deggs, born in December 1949; or Jeremy Diggs, born on New Years Eve 1950. All were close to the truth, but not near enough to lead to his family, to tell them he had died.

His real name remained a mystery until volunteers at DNA Doe Project cracked the case over the past 1 years. Amateur genealogist Jenny Lecus, 35, grew obsessed with the nameless man.

He was my first and last thought every day for 19 months, Lecus said Friday.

If she listened to music, shed wonder what songs he listened to. She wondered about his likes and habits, and what kind of stories he would tell.

In large part thanks to hundreds of hours of sleuthing by Lecus, the Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office is officially releasing the mans name Monday.

She still has many things she would like to know about Nathaniel Terrence Deggs.

A large family

On the East Coast, he went by Terry, not Jerry.

Hed been born to a teenage mother in Baltimore, the second of more than a dozen brothers, sisters and half-siblings. In his youth, he was taken in by a foster mom whose last name was Deggs. They moved to the Bronx.

Little is clear about this part of his life. The siblings knew of each other, but werent always in touch. One of his sisters told authorities shed visited him in New York City. She recalled seeing him in the uniform of a bank security guard. His foster mother died in 1984. Family believed he was extremely upset by the loss. Not long after that, he vanished.

His family searched for him over the years. Yet he existed about as far off the grid as a person can these days, in spite of being perhaps a half-hour drive northeast of Seattle. Why he came here, of all places, is an enigma.

The Mill Creek man discovered the cold, emaciated African-American man in October 1985, staying in a falling-apart barn near his home in the 17500 block of Bothell-Everett Highway. He became a part of the family, cooking for them.

The man went by Jerry. He was reclusive, rarely leaving the shed about 200 feet behind the home. Renters knew a man lived back there, but they learned little about his past.

James K. Prater, 57, a contractor now based in Clearview, rented the place for a year around 1996. He also knew his backyard neighbor as Jerry, a quiet guy who was kind of slow. Hed make childlike sketches of his surroundings in color. On holidays Prater would bring him a plate of food, and if Prater was chopping firewood, hed share the extra.

One day a small fire broke out on the roof of the small cabin. Prater grabbed a ladder and put out the flames. Firefighters would not allow Deggs to keep his wood stove, though. Prater gave him an electric skillet and a small heater, and ran the power cords out of his home business, a paintball shop.

Prater recalled Jerry did odd-jobs for the homeowner mowing the lawn and other landscaping work on the other side of the valley. For the most part Jerry just kept to himself. He liked to eat potatoes and he lived off the land, picking fruit from the orchard, on a quiet 6 acres, Prater said.

He just wandered around in those woods, he said. Theres birds, theres coyotes. Theyre developing it, which is ruining the luster.

Prater had given him seeds to try to grow a garden. Deggs wasnt very good at it. He joked that if he had to grow his own food, hed die. He had no phone and no running water. Once in a while hed walk to the house to fill up from the spigot.

After the dentists father died, the property was transferred to a company co-owned by his sons in 2007.

Several times after that, Mill Creek police documented a man walking along Bothell-Everett Highway. Officers scribbled quick reports when they talked with him, but he was never arrested, fingerprinted or caught in any serious trouble.

Prater continued to drive past the house on his regular trips to Snohomish County. Once, he said, hed even taken back some of the flowers he planted in his former garden.

I had no idea that the old man was still living there, Prater said.

A nameless man

Brambles covered the shed by the time the body was found in 2015, under blankets on a mattress made of pieces of foam. Inside it was undisturbed, with $20 left untouched, police reported.

The nameless man wore dark heavy wool socks. Hed dressed in a plaid flannel shirt, a black T-shirt with a high collar and tan pants. He was missing a tip of one finger. Authorities later learned Deggs had an accident while chopping wood as a boy. Foul play was never suspected in the death. Over several trips, police searched fruitlessly for some piece of ID.

DNA from the remains had been entered into the national database CODIS as early as 2015. There were no matches.

Death investigators took many approaches to find the mans name. They asked the state Department of Social and Health Services to look for records of food stamps that could be linked to him. But there was no evidence he used them.

Once investigators learned of the similar, inconsistent names in old police field reports, the medical examiners office gave those clues to Oregon genealogist Deb Stone. She uncovered a promising lead in an East Coast man, who shared one of the names and was born in the 1940s. But he was still alive.

A forensic dentist compared the mans teeth to those of missing people. But he struggled to narrow down a list of possibilities.

Cans and over 1,000 pieces of paper were recovered from the cabin in 2015, to be tested for fingerprints. Only two sheets came back with workable samples. And neither of the prints matched any person who was reported missing. Those prints may not have come from Deggs anyway, because his fingers were possibly too dry to leave behind a mark.

Articles in The Daily Herald showed a likeness of the mans face, a forensic drawing based on the mans skull. Every tip from the public led to a dead end.

The first step that led to an actual answer came in early 2018. A new DNA sample had been extracted from the mans femur, to be used by the nonprofit DNA Doe Project. The genetic profile was uploaded to the ancestry site GEDmatch, a database that has become a key resource in the fast-emerging field of forensic genealogy.

Researchers use near-matches on the site to track down relatives, and ultimately, they can pinpoint the person in question. Using crime scene evidence, police have worked with genealogists to crack high-profile cold cases over the past two years, including two long-unsolved killings in Snohomish County.

Genealogists have also helped the Snohomish County medical examiner to restore names to an unidentified man found dead in Yost Park in 2018; a piece of human skull caught up in the Skykomish River in 2017; a mostly complete skull recovered from the woods in the Tulalip area in 2016; and a skeleton uncovered near Lynnwood in 1978.

Some cases can be solved in a couple of hours by the DNA Doe Project. Often it takes months. This one took the most time, by far.

For about 1 years, the case became a puzzle for Lecus, a genealogy hobbyist from Franklin, Wisconsin. Shes been fascinated with ancestry since age 14, when she used her Christmas money to buy a family tree-building program.

Lecus has traced her own bloodlines back to the 1700s in Germany. She submitted her own DNA to Ancestry.com in 2016, and instantly she was hooked by a new approach to a lifelong passion. She has volunteered with the DNA Doe Project since it was founded in 2017.

For about a year, there were no close family matches for the person known as the Mill Creek Shed Man. Generally it takes a second cousin or closer to build a tree from scratch. All of this John Does matches were around the fifth-cousin level, back in 2018.

On GEDmatch, users can click a box to let researchers or police view their genetic profile, a recent policy change reacting to concerns over genetic privacy and informed consent. On the downside, it made things much harder for forensic genealogists, and Lecus encouraged anyone signed up for the site to opt in, to help solve cases like this one.

Each day Lecus logged in to check up on handful of profiles shed been monitoring on GEDmatch, to see if close relatives would pop up. Then one morning in February, a half-cousin shared her profile. She was a blood relative of Deggs mom.

A mystery in a mystery

In public records, the name Terry or Jerry or even Nathaniel Deggs is about as elusive as the man himself.

One relative had his Social Security number, but it proved to be little to no help.

The family had hired a private detective at one point, and tried their own internet searches.

His birth certificate still has not been found that particular year was missing in Baltimores public records when Lecus went looking for it, she said. Deggs was likely nearing 65 years old when he died.

One obituary of a brother called him Nathaniel Davy in 2017. Nathaniel was listed as a survivor. Another obituary gave the last name Davis. Since then, some family members have suggested it was a combination of the two. In spite of the confusion, if his siblings hadnt published those names, researchers would still be guessing, Lecus said. The DNA Doe Project volunteered over 1,900 hours in search of the name, affixing thousands of branches to hundreds of family trees. Once Lecus had the half-cousins name, she was able to discover pieces of his ancestry. It led her to the obituaries.

Everyone on that long list of siblings could be found without much trouble except for Nathaniel. Later, DNA from one of the sisters would confirm Deggs was the man in the shed.

I still check every day for new matches, Lecus said. I do hope to have some more of his tree filled in. Its a personal thing.

One night in August, one of Deggs half-siblings answered a phone call from a strange number out of the Seattle area.

There was a bit of an edge in the womans voice, the kind of tone you might give a rude telemarketer, recalled Jane Jorgensen, the investigator at the medical examiners office. It was only 7 p.m. on the West Coast, but it was hours later on the other side of the country.

Then Jorgensen told her why she was calling. The womans voice softened. Shed been waiting a long time for this.

Caleb Hutton: 425-339-3454; chutton@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @snocaleb.

This story has been modified to more precisely describe the nature of the change of ownership of the house in 2007.

Gallery

In January 2015, an unidentified mans body was found in this shed behind a home in Mill Creek. (Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office)

A man who went by the name Jerry lived in the shed about 200 feet behind this home in Mill Creek. (Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office)

Brambles covered the shed by the time the body of Nathaniel Terry Deggs was found in 2015. (Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office)

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The mystery of the man in the Mill Creek shed is solved - The Daily Herald

By Prakash Mallya

If there is one thing that continues to redefine the way we live -- with an impact greater than any other since the dawn of evolution -- it is technology. Relentlessly playing the role of an alchemist -- transforming science fiction and fantasy into reality, technology is the artist that holds our attention while working behind the scenes. It is an enabler that can fulfill our wants and needs, and enrich our lives with comfort, convenience, entertainment, good health and even prosperity. And going by the trends, it seems like we cant get enough.

Our growing demand for compute and connectivity on the go led to tremendous innovation in mobile devices; our need for safer, greener and intelligent travel led to the invention of smart, autonomous and electric cars; and our need for carrying out real-time monetary transactions led to the electronic banking facility. Technological innovation seems to almost emulate the change constant of life. Heres a look how this evolution continued in the past year:

Artificial Intelligence (AI)AI continued to top the innovation chart this year. Our demand for safer cities, a safer driving experience and improved healthcare has resulted in a spate of innovations and a paradigm shift in the way we use intelligent data. We have seen AI and machine learning (ML) gradually move out of the cloud and closer to edge devices where analytics happen in real-time. This is because data transmission delays (latency) associated with the cloud can adversely impact mission critical outcomes. In order to keep AI-powered devices, such as those in smart city surveillance systems, autonomous cars and healthcare systems responsive enough, the data needs to reside as close as possible to the source. This shift has also been possible due to System-on-Chip (SoC) processors that lend more computing power to edge devices.

Apart from urban denizens and patients, farmers too have started harnessing the power of AI and technology for improving food security and farming practices. Through AI-powered apps, they are monitoring soil and growing conditions, determining crop choices, predicting the weather and temperature, and improving water utilization, crop quality and output (precision agriculture). Developers in India are putting a plant disease detection solution in the hands of farmers to give them greater control over the health of their crops.

And finally, a discussion in AI would not be complete without talking about AI assistants (what we know as voice assistants), and this year, we saw several new ways we could interact with them. Mercedes for example, integrated both Amazon Alexa as well as Google Assistant into its cars, allowing users the comfort and convenience of using their favorite assistant while driving. Fitness buffs could chat with Nike Coach, a digital performance expert using Google Assistant, to find the sneaker that would augment their workout routine. And pizza lovers could order from Dominos not just via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, but also by using Dom -- Dominos own voice assistant. In India, weve seen regional language AI assistants enabling greater reach for digital services. For those who still miss the human touch in these interactions, theres good news coming their way going by Apples recent announcement, Siri will soon sound more like a person and less like an AI bot.

Gaming

The world of gaming is constantly evolving, providing mind-bending and exhilarating experiences to avid gamers with each generation of development release. Games from the 1980s to the 90s ran on 8-bits and the Color Graphics Card (CGC) had just 16 KB of video memory. From the 1990s till the first decade of the new millennium, the market was dominated by the fifth generation of games -- running on 32 and 64 bits.

By 2019, a gaming culture has already marked its presence, which manifests itself today in peoples passion for serious gaming and gaming competitions that make front page news. With the worlds largest youth population, India is one of the fastest growing gaming markets in the world. Recent reports have estimated significant growth in the number of gamers and game developers in the country resulting in increasing gaming revenues. The number of professional esports athletes and streamers in India are also on the rise. Technologies like cloud, ML AI, data-analytics are already disrupting the gaming ecosystem - not just at the development stage but also improving the user experience to a never before seen extent.

Internet of Things (IoT)Gartner forecasts that there will be 20 billion internet-connected things by 2020. While the list of IoT gadgets for consumers may seem unending, ranging from smart and connected gadgets and appliances such as smart refrigerators, air conditioners, watches, fire alarms, door locks, bicycles, medical sensors, fitness trackers, security systems, etc., there were some that particularly caught our attention this year. Like a specially designed watch with IoT integration for people suffering from dementia, Alzheimers disease or autism, allowing the patient and the caregiver to stay connected round the clock. And an automobile gadget with smart features, such as emergency and panic buttons, automatic crash detection, notification of crash to family, and GPS-based location tracking. Amongst other popular IoT products were intelligent thermostats and smart lighting systems used in homes.

Several automation products have IoT integration such as the home automation range of connected smart devices, including those catering to the users light and music preferences. This year saw several of these devices offering users a hands-free, voice-enabled experience rather than touch screen. In India, weve seen applications across retail, education, smart city initiatives, healthcare, among others. From self-service kiosks to smart classroom solutions to remote patient monitoring to surveillance applications, India has seen both product innovation and implementations with potential to scale.

Virtual (VR), Augmented (AR) and Mixed reality (MR) Taking things up a notch, Extended Reality (ER) is another trend that will make headlines in 2020. It can be explained as a term that covers several new and revolutionary technologies that create more immersive digital experiences. To break it down, this refers to virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. We have all seen or experienced the digitally immersive experience of a computer-generated world that we can experience using headsets that cut out the real world. This is popularly known as Virtual Reality (VR). Augmented Reality (AR) on the other hand, overlays digital objects and portrays them in the real world via smartphone screens or any other display. Mixed Reality (MR) is an elaborate version of AR, where users can interact with digital objects in the real world. For example, a user could play holographic drums via an AR headset. The concept of Extended Reality is that of experiences.

For gamers, theres Super Mario Odyssey and Legend of Zelda included in the list of VR-compatible games introduced by Nintendo this year. And with the much awaited launch of Chrome AR, we can expect our web browser to deliver newer experiences.

RoboticsPowered with advanced AI technology, consumer robots will soon play a defining role in our daily life, assisting us with vacuuming the house, mowing the lawn, and cleaning the pool. Unlike cleaning robots, the social ones will serve as companions and care for us -- they will remind patients of Alzheimers disease to take timely medication, call family members, and take walks. They will socially interact with us at an advanced level with their ability to recognize faces and common human emotions. They will respond to their names, and even love to be petted. Armed with robot SoC, collaborative mini robots will be able to enhance rescue operations by working in a team without a central server, navigating a map, detecting obstacles and finding paths.

Advanced computer vision is also transforming the way drones operate. For example, drones equipped with Vision Processing Units can be controlled to get close-up images from the correct angles and, combined with AI technology, can help detect structural damage in buildings. One such solution is being used for a restoration project for a section of the Great Wall of China. Drones with neural compute chips are allowing deep-learning calculations and image-detection to be performed locally, without internet connection. These are alerting lifeguards about possible shark attacks or trouble faced by swimmers out at sea. AI-powered thermal cameras within drones are also helping scientists study the effect of climate change on polar bears and snow leopards without subjecting researchers and animals to any risk or stress. In India, weve seen etailers like Filpkart use robotics to automate their supply chain for more efficient customer deliveries.

The world of technology is limitless and the list of technological innovations seemingly unending. Theres never a dull moment for technology enthusiasts, and the best is always yet to come.

The author is VP and MD - Sales and Marketing Group, Intel India

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETCIO.com does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETCIO.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organisation directly or indirectly.

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Technology innovations that shaped 2019 - ETCIO.com

If youve ever had a plant then you know its pretty much like having a child or a pet in terms of how much you care for them. You want to ensure that theyre well fed and that theyre put in a safe place, and that you keep them alive for as long as you can. Many people talk to and play music for their plants, and apparently it really does make a difference.

Some people have just a couple of indoor plants, while others have gardens full of plants and even trees because they love nature so much. Generally, its easier to care for a garden by having professionals coming in to do the mowing at least. Professional lawn careers at MyLawnCare suggest you pick known local companies that can offer an array of services from simple lawn mowing, hedge trimming, even up to regular gardening. This is great for busy people who do not have the time to get their hands dirty, but want to maintain a lawns aesthetics.

If you dont know how to care for your plants in the winter, then its most likely that they will die. This is why were going to give you a couple of tips to help you take care of your plants in the winter time.

In the winter the plants do consume as much water, and this is because they are mostly dormant, so you need to lessen the amount of water provided, and how often you do it. The best way to tell is to check if the soil is dry- if its more than an inch dry, then you need to water it. Its very important that you dont over-water your plants because by doing do you are literally drowning them. You get the roots to grow fungi and by doing so, youre pretty much killing them, not the cold!

Because being able to get warmth and heat through the suns rays are so hard during the winter time, its important that you keep the plant clean from the layers of dirt and dust that tend to collect on the surface. By doing so, its much easier for the plant to absorb what it needs from the sunlight.

Plants require up to 50% humidity, and we know that in the winter, theres barely any humidity at all. You should get a humidifier for your plants because this will go a long way in getting through the cold weather and winter months. Plants need the moisture from the humidity to survive, so this is an extremely important factor. If all else fails and you dont have a humidifier, consider keeping your plants in the warmest room in the house, which will most likely be the kitchen or perhaps in the living room where theres a fireplace on.

Winter is known for its miserly amounts of sunlight, and this is something that is essential for plants to grow. This is why its important that you find an alternative method to provide your plants with the light that they need. Invest in some full-spectrum bulbs and have them directed at your plants for a couple of hours every day. Ideally, for your plants to get the amount of light that they need, you should have the lights on them for between 12 to 14 hours a day.

Plants get affected by the cold weather- the cold breeze affects them in a negative way because weve already established that they need warmth. All the efforts that youre making to create a warm atmosphere with lighting and humidity will go to waste if theres a breeze coming in from anywhere. This is why you need to ensure that the doors and windows are sealed tight to not even let the smallest hint of wind get in.

Ensuring that your plants stay alive through the whole year requires some work. And especially when it comes to the winter time and cold and gloomy weather in general, its important that you take the necessary precautions so that youre well prepared. You need to make sure that you keep the tips mentioned above in mind, and also learn more about the kind of plants that you have. Different plants require different amounts of water and certain care that you need to be aware of, such as what kind of soil they use and whether they require lots of light or if they can survive with less.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Claritas only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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How To Make Sure Your Plants Survive The Winter - KHTS Radio

FiveAustin companies collectively raised close to $70 million in venture capital this month. Read below to learn about the top November funding rounds.

Cloudsnap helps businesses integrate their important applications through technology and automation engineers. In addition to gaining new funds, they appointed Matt Bradley as CEO. The company hopes his experience leading high-growth business willfuel Cloudsnap's continued growth.

Founded in 2005, the Austin-based app, server and network monitoring system has raised a total of $45.6 million thus far, according to Crunchbase. Their primary offerings are open-source Zenoss Core, commercial software Zenoss Service Dynamics and Zenoss as a Service.

Pensa Systems creates retail drones that monitorshelves and alert employees in real time when something needs to be restocked. The November seed funding brings its total investments to $17.2 million. They'll use the additional funds to roll out the drones to more retailers.

On the LawnStarter app or website, users can search and book a variety of lawn care services, from mowing to irrigation to landscaping. Currently, they operate in over 120 markets in the United States. They'll use the growth investment from Edison Partners to add more services.

The online real estate brokerage platform uses artificial intelligence and big data to connect home buyers and sellers. With a total funding of $115 million, they plan to go public. They're currently on track to hit a 300 percentyear-over-year growth from 2018 to 2019.

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These 5 Austin Companies Raised Nearly $70 Million Total in November - Built In Austin

DUBLIN, Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Garden and Lawn Tractors Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global garden and lawn tractors market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 3% during the forecast period 2018-2024

The global garden and lawn tractors market has witnessed significant growth in the last few years. The increasing number of golf courses, coupled with the growth in the green space, is expected to drive the demand for garden and lawn tractors favorably. With the increase in consumer spending toward landscaping services and other recreational activities, the demand is expected to increase during the forecast period. Moreover, government initiatives for improving the green space, which includes developing parks, garden areas, recreational areas, are further expected to propel the demand for gardening equipment.

One of the key focus of the landscaping management and construction industry includes the implementation of environmental-efficient practices and equipment. With the increasing need to follow sustainability practices, key vendors are engaged in offering solutions such as hybrid fleet, integrated pest management, soil and water conservation techniques, eco-friendly landscaping processes, along with the increasing usage of battery-powered equipment. With the rising interest in landscaping services, consumers are expected to spend on landscaping equipment, thereby propelling the demand for outdoor power equipment or tools.

Garden and Lawn Tractors Market: Segmentation

This research report includes detailed market segmentation by products, fuel type, application, drive type, horsepower, and geography.

Increasing investments in landscaping services and sports and recreational activities are expected to increase the demand for garden and lawn tractors in the commercial outdoor power equipment segment. Factors such as changing consumer behavior, technological advancements, along with regulations are expected to impart fundamental changes, thereby propelling lawn care and landscaping services to change accordingly. With the advent of technology, equipment such as garden and lawn tractors are expected to witness demand during the forecast period.

Garden tractors are expected to witness significant growth in demand during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing progression in technology, which is offering several functions and operations (spreading fertilizer, mowing process, sweeping leaves, and removal of snow). These machines are being preferred for heavy-duty tasks owing to their easy maneuverability features.

Vendors are introducing equipment that offer excellent cutting performance, grass handling options along with superior cutting quality. Garden and lawn tractor equipment are gaining prominence among professionals and semi-professionals as they offer better handling capabilities.

The gas-powered garden and lawn tractors dominated the market in 2018. The rise in the yard landscaping services in different regions is increasing the demand for this equipment. Professionals and semi-professionals prefer Gas-powered equipment due to their enhanced features and capabilities. These tractors take less time to mow yard areas. Therefore, these machines are expected to perform significantly well on rugged and challenging terrains. Reducing energy prices is also expected to propel the demand for gas-powered tractors.

The electric-powered garden and lawn tractors segment is expected to witness growth at a considerable rate during the forecast period. The increasing demand for sustainable or eco-friendly solutions in the gardening sector is another driver for market growth. With low maintenance, the demand for electric-powered equipment is expected to increase.

Further, the segment is likely to observe considerable sales growth during the forecast period as these machines offer more cost-saving benefits than gas-powered models. The demand for sustainable and environment-friendly equipment is growing among professional landscapers, which is expected to witness a significant rise during the forecast period.

Residential users opt for lawn and garden tractors as they offer comfort, convenience, and enhanced performance. Therefore, factors such as storage, portability, and safety are usually the deciding factors for residential end-users. The usage of battery-powered and electric-powered tractors is also expected to witness considerable demand among household users in developed countries. Moreover, the introduction of productive and profitable lawn and garden products is likely to contribute to market growth.

2-wheel tractors perform different types of tasks and are the most viable option in the residential sector. As these tractors offer enhanced productivity, and the ease of operation, the demand for two-wheel drivers is likely to increase during the forecast period. Furthermore, these equipment perform multiple tasks, which increase their popularity and acceptance among end-users, thereby impacting the overall sale. The 4-wheeled drive segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 3% during the period 2018-2024

Garden and lawn tractors are delivered via manufacturers, dealers & distributors, retailers, and online stores. A majority of manufacturers do not sell their products directly to end-users. They rely on retailers, representatives, distributors, sales agents, and intermediaries. Distributors account for the majority share in the market. Distribution channels are expected to impact the sale of products.

Manufacturers are also engaged in selling their products through retail distribution, via independent distributors and dealers, mass merchants, and consumer home centers. The entry of new market players offers an opportunity for retailers to capture the distribution channel. Major market players focus on retailers to reach the customer base. In a few countries, the residential segment products are mainly sold via distributors. However, with advancements in technology, online distribution channels are expected to gain prominence during the forecast period.

Key Vendor Analysis

The global garden and lawn tractors market is currently highly concentrated with several local and global players in the market. The rapidly changing technological environment could adversely affect vendors as customers expect continual innovations and upgrades in the garden and lawn tractors domain.

Market players are emphasizing the adoption of energy-efficient products due to the increasing trend of low carbon emission. Manufacturers are identifying market opportunities, thereby setting up certain goals to achieve productivity. Vendors are to alter and refine their unique value proposition to achieve a strong market presence.

One of the key strategies implemented by market players includes the introduction of differentiated products and solutions. Hence, companies strive to offer differentiated channels for distribution and better product mix, thereby catering to the changing needs and requirements of the target customers in the market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Research Methodology

2 Research Objectives

3 Research Process

4 Scope & Coverage4.1 Market Definition4.2 Base Year4.3 Scope of the study4.4 Market Segments

5 Report Assumptions & Caveats5.1 Key Caveats5.2 Currency Conversion5.3 Market Derivation

6 Market at a Glance

7 Introduction7.1 Overview

8 Market Dynamics8.1 Market Growth Enablers8.1.1 Increasing Marketing and Promotional Activities8.1.2 Growing Number of Golf Courses8.1.3 Increasing Adoption of Green Spaces8.2 Market Growth Restraints8.2.1 Increasing Drought-tolerant Landscaping Conditions8.2.2 Increasing Artificial Turf Usage8.2.3 High Shortage of Skilled and Qualified Labors8.3 Market Opportunities and Trends8.3.1 Innovations in Technology8.3.2 Growth of the Landscaping Industry8.3.3 Development of Sustainable Cities

9 Market Landscape9.1 Market Size & Forecast9.2 Five Forces Analysis

10 Value Chain Analysis10.1 Overview10.2 Value Chain Analysis10.2.1 Raw Materials and Component Suppliers10.2.2 Manufacturers10.2.3 Dealers/Distributors/Retailers10.2.4 End-users

11 Distribution Channel11.1 Overview11.1.1 Manufacturers11.1.2 Distributors in Channel Network11.1.3 Retail Distribution11.1.4 Online Distribution Channel Network

12 By Product12.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine12.2 Market Overview12.3 Garden Tractors12.4 Lawn Tractors12.5 Zero-Turn Lawn Tractors

13 By Fuel Type13.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine13.2 Market Overview13.3 Gas-Powered Garden and Lawn Tractors13.4 Electric-Powered Garden And Lawn Tractors13.5 Battery-Powered Garden And Lawn Tractors

14 By End-Users14.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine14.2 Market Overview14.3 Residential Users14.4 Professional Landscaping Services14.5 Golf Courses14.6 Government & Others

15 By Horsepower15.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine15.2 Market Overview15.3 <_8 />15.5 > 24 HP

16 By Drive16.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine16.2 Market Overview16.3 2-Wheeled DRIVE16.4 4-Wheeled DRIVE

17 By Geography17.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine17.2 Market Overview

Competitive Landscape

Market Vendor Analysis

Key Company Profiles

Other Prominent Vendors

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b2xl3m

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

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Global Garden and Lawn Tractors Market Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024: Increasing Marketing and Promotional Activities / Growing Number of Golf...

Sometimes the greatest truths make no sense. Thats not just a paradox, its also the definition of one.

Finding the truth at the heart of certain contradictions may be the best way to move forward.

Here is a list of paradoxes about the modern world of technology and work. Besides providing work-type entertainment, this list is intended to make a larger point about contending with the great technological changes of our time: When youre in a landscape of technological novelty as dramatically different as ours is from even the recent past (Pocket computer smartphones! Cloud computing! Artificial intelligence!), locating the major landmarks can be a challenge. Some features are too novel to be well comprehended or applied. Language that described the previous world struggles to describe interactions of the new.

Finding the truth at the heart of certain contradictions may be the best way to move forward. Here are some attempts at new ways of seeing, via illuminating paradoxes:

1.The worlds biggest computer is also the most personal.

The big clouds are global computing systems with over a million servers apiece, cleverly networked to represent millions more computers. At any given time, millions and billions of people are diving in and out of these systems, enjoying their email, their version of the internet, their business experience, etc. No two users are the same, and a service like Google Cloud strives to anticipate particular business and personal needssome configured by the user, some utilize artificial intelligence agents that enable people to write and find documents more effectively.

By comparison, servers and PCs, sold individually by the millions, have traditionally deliveredimpersonal experiences. The more individualized experiences that we enjoy through these devices today derive largely from the connection of servers and PCs to the cloud, infusing what was limited and cold with unbounded potential for customization.

2.In a digital world of eternal storage, vanishing analog moments rule.

A couple of years back, I calculated that 100 years ago, it cost about $30 in todays money both to see the opera star Enrico Caruso and to buy one of his records. These days, recorded music is basically free on YouTube or other services, and the average price of a ticket for Springsteen on Broadway was almost $1,800 on the open market.

I believe that the reason for this, and the reason for the explosion of conferences and live business events, is that as the number of digital moments has exploded, authentic human moments have become relatively scarce. Adding to the irony, we are seeing smart ways companies are using digital technology to make the human experience more vivid, like when a sports company offers an app for a better experience navigating a sports stadium.

This observation brings me to the next paradox.

3.The jobs are going! Here come the jobs!

Theres significant concern that millions of people will have their lives turned upside down by robots and artificial intelligence (AI). Maybe so, though predictions are mixedthis well-researched McKinsey study projected both major job losses and major job gains.

While weve seen some robots doing relatively simple tasks, like moving things around warehouses, the impact on manual labor so far has been relatively smalland for good reason. Jobs like mowing a lawn or driving a truck turn out to require a lot of contextual judgement.

Meantime, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says there are now about 357,000 personal trainers in the U.S., and the category is expected to grow at 13% over the next decade, faster than the average job. There are 160,000 massage therapists, growing at 22%. And 55,000 marriage and family therapists, growing 22%. You get the picture: Were putting more money toward people who look at us, touch us, and listen to us the way machines dont.

And thats before we get to the jobs that didnt exist 15 years ago: drone pilot, mobile app developer, social media manager, machine learning specialistyou get the idea.

4.Specialize, especially by focusing on general relationships.

In our new data-centric world, software developers who are also experts in a companys core business are often highly valued. Thats because connected products, the digital expression of that core business, now collect information about the products performance in real time, and developers can build in adjustments based on user demands or changing market conditions.

As AI becomes more important, domain-specific data plays an increasingly critical role in how products are built and optimized. The most successful developers have not just the domain expertise of a specialist, but an understanding of what data around that domain matters most, how its collected, and how to keep it free of bias. Its the reason that big technology companies increasingly employ experts in healthcare or transportation or retail, for example, rather than simply hiring engineers with generalized skill sets. No data stands alone, and how things relate matters too.

5.Information is easy. Questions are hard.

A related point to the above: AI can move through unimaginable amounts of data, finding previously unknown patterns and insights. That doesnt mean the patterns are valuable, as this entertaining chart shows. If you take all of your companys data, petabytes of it, and only focus on demanding that it make you more money, youre likely to end up with garbage.

Ask specific questions, however, prioritized based on a companys core competitive advantages and the best-quality data, and youll likely get the most useful results. This can be difficult, but is critically important to deriving real value from data.

6.The only certainty is approximation.

Im lifting this one from an observation by Jeff Dean, the head of Googles research and AI efforts. He notes that advanced AI, like deep learning, doesnt indicate decisions based on certainty, but on likelihood (what he terms gradient points in the direction of improvement). Moreover, given the many layers and sequences of a deep learning system, sometimes its hard to figure out exactly how the system came to its conclusion. Its a machine that isnt always good at explaining itself, unlike, say, a car engine, which can be observed and understood with a lot of certainty (a little bit of gasoline is ignited by a spark plug, causing a piston to move).

In a world increasingly dependent on statistical approximation, many of our existing legal and social rules, which are premised on an illusion of certainty, may be challenged.

7.In an uncertain new world thats full of cutting-edge technology, the best advice can be found in an 85-year-old religious poem.

T.S. Eliot nailed our situation in one of the choruses from The Rock: They constantly try to escape / From the darkness outside and within / By dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good.

In other words, no matter how much we understand and perfect the world, well all still have the hard work of trying to be good. Machines dont fix that.

Read the original here:
The New Paradoxes of the Cloud Computing World - Forbes

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As a kid, I would park myself in front of the TV to play games,usually close enough that I could reach out and put my grubby hands on the screen.My father, probably frustrated that he couldnt watch TV for dads, like extremeprofessional lawn mowing tournaments or something, always said that when I grewinto an adult, I wouldnt care about playing games anymore. How very wrong hewas.

Im sure youre with me. Not only do I still play games, I stilllove to play some of the same ones I did back then (Halo: Reach anybody? Age ofEmpires II?). I play games based on cartoons; I make Spotify playlists ofbest video game soundtracks (which reminder! You can get 6 months of SpotifyPremium, and 1 month of EA Access and 3 months of Discord Nitro with your XboxGame Pass Ultimate membership right now), and I still sometimes put my grubbyhands on the screen.

Enough withmemory lane, lets get to the games!

December 5

My Friend Pedro (ID@Xbox)A violent ballet about friendship, imagination, and one mans struggle to obliterate anyone in his path at the command of a conscious banana. The strategic use of split aiming, slow motion, and the stylish window breach create one sensational action sequence after another in an explosive battle through the criminal underworld.

Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi StrikerThe Naruto franchise is back with a brand-new experience in Naruto to Boruto: Shiobi Striker! This new game lets gamers battle as a team of four to compete against other teams online! Shinobi Striker is built from the ground up in a completely new graphic style. Lead your team and fight online to see who the best ninjas are!

December 6

Demons Tilt (ID@Xbox Day One Launch)A tribute to 90s video pinball games, featuring modern effects and mechanicsincluding bosses, secrets, and unprecedented depth to please video gamers and hardcore pinball enthusiasts alike. Now with bigger sprites, more baddies, more secrets, and more bullets! Demons Tilt pushes the limits of the video pinball genre with Shmup & Hack N Slash elements.

Wandersong (ID@Xbox Day One Launch)A musical platforming adventure with an emotional story. Play as a silly bard and use music to interact with everything on a journey around the world. Along the way youll explore, solve puzzles, and meet a huge cast of characters.

December 12

eFootball PES 2020 Experience the most realistic and authentic soccer game with eFootball PES 2020! Play with the biggest teams in world soccer, featuring Spanish champions FC Barcelona, global giants Manchester United, German champions FC Bayern Mnchen, and Italian champions Juventus featured exclusively in PES!

Overcooked! 2 (ID@Xbox)Overcooked returns with a brand-new helping of chaotic cooking action! Journey back to the Onion Kingdom and assemble your team of chefs in classic couch co-op or online play for up to four players. Hold onto your aprons its time to save the world (again!)

Pathologic 2 (ID@Xbox Day One Launch)A narrative-driven dramatic thriller about fighting a deadly outbreak in a secluded rural town. Face the realities of a collapsing society as you make difficult choices in seemingly lose-lose situations in this groundbreaking open-world horror RPG.

Tom Clancys The DivisionA revolutionary next-gen experience that brings the RPG into a modern military setting for the first time. In the wake of a devastating pandemic that sweeps through New York City, basic services fail one by one, and without access to food or water the city descends into chaos. As an agent of The Division, youll specialize, modify, and level up your gear, weapons, and skills to take back New York.

In Case You Missed It: Even More Games

Coming as a complete shock to no one, we added more games earlier this month too! You might have missed it between the absolute monster bucket of games we announced at X019, and now. Heres our latest drop:

November 19

Munchkin: Quacked Quest (ID@Xbox Day One Launch)A dungeon crawler with all the humor, puns, and ducks from the hit card game Munchkin by Steve Jackson. Take down your enemies and your allies while gathering gold and get to the top by sacrificing foes (and friends) in pits. Grab your Rat-on-a-Stick or a Flare Gun and prepare for the rampaging hordes of monsters and friends you may have just thrown into a sacrifice pit.

November 26

The Escapists 2 (ID@Xbox)Craft, steal, brawl, and escape! Its time to bust out of the toughest prisons in the world as you return to the life of an inmate in The Escapists 2. Explore the biggest prisons yet with multiple floors, roofs, vents, and underground tunnels. Live by the prison rules, attending roll call, doing prison jobs and following strict routines, all the while secretly engineering your bid for freedom!

December 3

Halo: Reach (Console and PC)Halo: Reach for Halo: The Master Chief Collection comes to the Xbox One and for the first time ever: Windows 10 PC. Looking better than ever Halo: Reach includes up to 4K UHD resolution and HDR on Xbox One X consoles. Experience the tragic and heroic story of Noble Team, who through great sacrifice and courage saved countless lives in the face of impossible odds. Enjoy iconic Halo multiplayer experiences with generation-defining player customization, unforgettable maps and classic game modes.

Member Benefits & Game Updates

Xbox Game Pass Quests

You were going to play the games anyways, time to get some extra points for it. You can open the Microsoft Rewards app and youll see a green checkmark with any Quest youve completed. Heres what is on deck for your next quests:

Game Pass Quests from December 2 through January 6 include

Leaving Soon

Its sad to see games go as we bring in new ones, we know. If you love these games and arent ready to say goodbye, you can buy any game thats leaving soon before they leave on December 13 at up to 20% off.

Inclosing: A bucket of games coming soon to our library (many you can play right nowby using the Xbox app to download fromwherever you are for both console and PC), discounts on games, free updates toothers, and quests to earn points in games you were probably going to playanyways (might as well get some rewards out of it). Anything not in that list,well make a meme of it on Twitter or Instagram.

Ifyoure not a member yet, but want to check out the these great games, try your first three months of Xbox Game PassUltimate for just $1. Good luck getting through all these games!

Related:New with Xbox Game Pass for PC: Halo: Reach, My Friend Pedro, and MoreXbox Insider Release Notes Delta and Omega Ring (1911.191202-1836)Xbox Insider Release Notes Beta Ring (1911.191202-1836)

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Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for Console: Halo: Reach, Tom Clancys The Division, and Many More - Blogdottv

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

Whatever other criticisms people may direct his way, Brian Sims is no shrinking violet. The outspoken Pennsylvania state representative from the City of Brotherly Love is assured of his opinions when it comes to the political and social issues of the day.

Im very comfortable and confident in both the morality of my ideology, but also in the breadth of it, he says. And I know that a majority of Americans agree with me, a majority of my constituents agree with me, and I believe a majority of my colleagues do.

Sims became the first openly gay legislator elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2012, and is currently one of two out LGBTQ legislators in the body. Upon his first election, the historic nature of his win assisted by his football player build, neatly trimmed beard, and piercing blue eyes instantly propelled him to celebrity status. It also gave the freshman Democrat a national platform that would not be afforded to most other state representatives, regardless of the length of their service.

Its a platform that the 41-year-old is mindful to use for moral causes: promoting social justice, advocating for equality for historically disenfranchised groups, and asking others to use their relative privilege to donate, volunteer, or vote.

There was a Latinx out gay man who ran for city council in Philadelphia last year, says Sims. He used to often say, Dont give a voice to the voiceless. Give them a microphone. I value that immensely.

Sims is also not content to stand on decorum or censor himself for the sake of civility, if it means compromising principles. If he believes something ardently, hell voice his sentiments. Take a viral photo last year of Sims sticking up his middle finger to welcome Vice President Mike Pence to Philadelphia for a political fundraiser. Sims was criticized by some, but his message to Pence and the Trump administration overall was clear. Were a City of soaring diversity, he wrote in a Facebook post accompanying the photo. We believe in the power of all people to live and to contribute: Black, Brown, Queer, Trans, Atheist, Immigrant, we want you and well respect you.

Sims has directed his harshest criticisms at Republican leaders in Harrisburg whom he sees as illegitimate, given the gerrymandered nature of Pennsylvanias legislative districts for pushing bills to restrict abortion, hinder police accountability, and end assistance programs for needy residents, and for killing progressive legislation calling for LGBTQ equality, a higher minimum wage, environmental protections, and gun reform measures.

A self-described Army brat raised by two lieutenant colonels, Sims moved around a lot as a child before his parents retired in Southeast Pennsylvania. The experience instilled a love of adventure in Sims, who was never shy to embrace new experiences.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

After graduating from Bloomsburg University where he was an all-conference defensive lineman for the football team Sims pursued a law degree at the Michigan State University College of Law. Following graduation, he worked as counsel for the Philadelphia Bar Association, a senior law clerk for the Environmental Protection Agency, and as a civil rights attorney. During that time, he also served as president of the board of directors of Equality Pennsylvania and chair of GALLOP, the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia.

Appropriately enough, one of Sims heroes is Benjamin Franklin, the quintessential Philadelphian, whose First District in the Pennsylvania Assembly overlaps Sims current House district. Hes such a Franklin fan that he even has a tattoo of one of the Founding Fathers quotes on his arm.

When I was a little kid, I had a lawn mowing service. And my parents had told me that I needed to have a business card. My mom helped me take a brown paper bag and cut it up into little business card sized pieces of paper. On one side I put my name, my parents address, and their telephone number. And on the other side, they told me I needed to put the name of my business or a quote.

We had an Encyclopedia Britannica at the time, and I pulled it out, dug through, and found this great Ben Franklin quote. Be civil to all, sociable to many, familiar with few, friend to one, enemy to none. That quote has followed me my entire life. It wasnt until after I got sworn in that our house parliamentarian came up and told me, You know, youre in the old Franklin seat. It was one of those complete kismet, full-circle moments of my life.

Brian Sims Ben Franklin tattoo Photo: Todd Franson

Unapologetically liberal, Sims says his fellow Democratic party members would do well to embrace and stand firm on progressive principles.

I dont think we serve ourselves well as Democrats by watering down the best of our ideologies. We should always be staunchly pro-choice. We should always be staunchly pro-equality. We should always recognize the power, the influence of immigrants. Those are things that I dont think that we should ever be quiet on, that we should ever back off on. Frankly, the Democratic party is the only party thats ever occupied the White House and balanced the budget. We should be loud and proud about those things.

He also bemoans the fact that legislatures often dont look like the constituents they represent, and wants to encourage other ordinary people to run for office if they seek to change things, as he did.

Im a civil rights attorney that got mad at my government and got mad at the people who were making bad decisions and ran for office, he says. Being an elected official was not the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me.

I tried for a couple of cycles to elect an out person to our legislature, and it just wasnt happening, and my friend sat me down and said, Maybe youre the person. And its not that they had to convince me. Its that I thought, All right. Can I do this better? I think I can.'

METRO WEEKLY: Lets start with your upbringing.

BRIAN SIMS: I come from a military family. My siblings and I are all Army brats, as are my parents. My mom and dad met during the Vietnam War. My mom enlisted and my dad was drafted. Both served in the Army. And after getting married right after the war, stayed active duty military for the remainder of my young life. I have an older brother, a twin brother, and a younger sister. And my family, as all Army families or military families do, moved around quite a bit. I was born in Washington, D.C. at Walter Reed, but moved states about every two or three years until I got to high school. I lived in places like Kansas and Alaska. I lived at West Point, New York, the Military Academy, a little bit of everywhere, and really loved it.

I ended up going to Bloomsburg University, which is a state school, in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, up in the Poconos. I went there to play football, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I was the captain of the team my senior year. That was the year that I came out of the closet.

I got the benefit of both having a really strong family and really strong friends when it came to my coming out. I didnt have to turn to the other because I lost one or the other. My family was very supportive of me and my team was very supportive of me when I came out.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

MW: You came out in college, but when did you first know that you were gay?

SIMS: I knew that I wasnt straight long before I knew that I was gay. And I know that sounds like splitting hairs to some people, but I think it was clear to me in measuring the differences between how I was interacting with girls when I was a young teenager and how my friends, my male counterparts, my brother, how they were interacting with girls. Anybody who knows me will tell you that I have a beyond healthy respect for women. Im just not sexually attracted to women.

I dont know when I actually finally figured out that that meant I was gay. I was probably 16 or 17 when it occurred to me that I definitely wasnt straight or bisexual; that I was a gay man. It would be another four years before I came out of the closet, but I didnt have one of those experiences, Im very proud to say or lucky to say that I didnt have a really haunting closeted experience.

Football was a huge part of my life, as were academics, and I was able to bury myself in those things, which is something I hear from a lot of people about their lives before they came out of the closet. And it was true for me.

I dont remember having years where I hated myself or I hated my sexuality. I remember being very confused about it at times, but I dont ever remember any moments of self-hatred, or self-loathing, or really being fearful in the closet.

MW: After college you went to law school. Was that always the plan?

SIMS: When I was 21 years old, I got accepted to law school. My parents sent me a plaque, and on it is this quote by Lyndon Johnson on the scales of justice. Its this quote about law giving man mastery over himself. The quote itself is good, but not all that particularly interesting. What was so interesting for me was on the back of it was a note my parents wrote for me when I was in my early teens, about knowing that I wanted to become a lawyer.

When I was a little kid, when I was 10, 11, and 12, if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I was going to tell you I was going to be a feminist lawyer. That was my line. As a little kid, I remember distinctly. And my friends like to razz me about this because its something they remember as well. I used to tell people I was going to be a feminist lawyer. As I got older, I knew that that meant womens and reproductive rights, but for most of my teens, thats just what I thought I was going to be for a couple of different reasons. And as I look back on those reasons now, I dont know if they were as solid in my mind as they are now, but I grew up in a household that had one of the highest-ranking women officers on any base that I was ever living in. That was my mom.

Most of my friends, their fathers were soldiers or officers, and their moms were homemakers or maybe teachers. I consider my parents relatively alpha people. They went on to become lieutenant colonels. But never, ever do I remember my parents treating each other or treating anybody else differently because of their gender. Nor do I ever remember the power dynamics of male and female power differences in this patriarchal world ever seeping into my own household. And so, it was around my early teens when I started really seeing how differently the girls in my class were treated, how differently women in general were treated, how my friends moms were treated differently.

So, I knew what I wanted to do. All through high school and college, everybody that I interacted with knew what I was going to do with myself. I took my LSATs I think the first time when I was 16 years old. So when I went off to law school, it was much more of a fulfillment of a lifelong dream than, say, getting elected to office was.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

MW: Are you in a relationship right now?

SIMS: I got out of a long-term relationship about a year ago, and now Im dating.

MW: Are there any other relationships in your life that are particularly meaningful to you?

SIMS: Yeah. I have a group of three women that Im extremely close with. A lesbian woman who is the former LGBTQ liaison to Philadelphia and a trans woman who is the highest LGBTQ vote-getter in Philadelphia history. She ran for City Council last year, and although she didnt win, she is perhaps one of the most notable LGBTQ activists in my city. The third is a straight cis woman who lives in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, who was one of the lead organizers of the Womens March on Philly.

Whats so unique about them is, in my life and in their lives, we all interact with people just like us all the time. I interact with advocates and activists, and they interact with elected officials, and we all interact with organizers. But the four of us have formed this very tight-knit group. Theres not a day that goes by that were not talking about each others jobs, talking about each others interactions, professionally and personally. And I have found it to be a group of advisors in my life that have had a tremendously positive impact on me.

MW: Is there anyone in politics that youre close with? Or is it different in Harrisburg because people have sharp elbows?

SIMS: Id say its a lot like it is in almost all workplaces. People will find themselves in a particular business unit, where they kind of have to get along with all their co-workers, but within that group therell be people they like more, and people they like less, and theyll probably have a couple of close work friends, and theyll probably develop a friend or two out of that group that is more than a work friend. And thats been the case for me. I have a couple of colleagues that I consider authentic, true friends that I will have long beyond my time in office. I have a whole bunch of colleagues that were cordial because we work together and we have common goals, and then of course I have colleagues I dont get along with.

Whats different about my workplace is that us not getting along often has to do exactly with the issues that were talking about at work. While there are certainly personality differences, I also work with people who think that I should be a second-class citizen or that I dont deserve civil rights. And so, its one thing to not like the food that somebody is microwaving at lunch, or not like how often theyre stepping out for a smoke break and leaving the door open. Its another to work alongside somebody who is actively trying to promote discrimination towards you.

MW: Youve infamously clashed with Rep. Daryl Metcalfe.

SIMS: Yeah. Chairman Daryl Metcalfe. He is without a doubt, in my now-going on eight years in office, the most racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic bigot that has served in government in Pennsylvania. And I dont say those things lightly.

When I joined the legislature, I knew who he was, although everything I say about him is based on my personal experiences with him. I knew who he was at the time, and I knew that he was all of those things, but I was uncomfortable using those words, in part because I was afraid about how it would reflect on the General Assembly, how it would reflect on me as a legislator.

But I dont ever want to let decorum get in the way of substance. And I think people like him, bigots like him, get a pass because of decorum. And I think he counts on getting that pass to get his message across, and I dont want to be one of those people that buys into that. The word racist has definitions, and I think hes a racist because of his public statements and the legislation that hes put forward. Being a xenophobic bigot isnt subjective. I think it is based on who he is and what he has said and done, and I think those things are important to talk about.

MW: Pennsylvania House lawmakers were brought up by Democratic and Republican leaders, saying We need to be more civil, and using you and Rep. Borowicz and Rep. Ellis as examples of bad behavior. Do you ever worry about offending people so much that they cant work with you?

SIMS: Of course I do. Yes. And I wouldnt be doing my job if I didnt. Its one thing to be politically minded. Its one thing to have strong values and to know how to use your voice. All of those things are great. And I work with activists and advocates like that every day. Im also a legislator. I have a job. I have a duty to move forward these things that we share values about. While I think its really important that people who have values loudly share them if they can do so with respect, I think its equally important that we dont pretend that these things are two sides of the same coin.

Stephanie Borowicz standing up in front of the first African-American Muslim woman being sworn into the house in front of her imam and talking about how theres only one true God in front of her, thats very different than me standing up and saying, Enough of the hypocrisy. Enough denying people equality. I want to make sure that I push back against this sentiment that were just talking about: Its the same kind of rationale, just on the left, as some on the right. Thats not whats going on here.

Conservative members of my legislature have gerrymandered the legislature more than any in America. Its illegal, and its unconstitutional, and it hasnt stopped yet. And it will soon, as evidenced by the [redistricting] ruling from our federal courts. But until then, theyre trying to do everything they can to undermine equality. Equality of opportunity, equality for LGBTQ people, equality for African-American people, equality for women, equality for immigrants, equality for all people. Thats a far cry from loudly demanding equality for all people.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

MW: Some people have criticized you for being more show horse than workhorse. How do you feel when you hear those criticisms directed towards you?

SIMS: First of all, Ive introduced 17 major pieces of legislation. I serve on four separate committees in the state house. I also serve on the policy committee. Im the chair of the LGBT Caucus. Im the co-chair of the State System of Higher Education Caucus, and I hold a town hall roughly every 45 days or so. Im a workhorse. As for a show horse, I dont know what that means. What I do know is that my colleagues view power in three different ways: the ability to get votes, which we can only do every couple of years; the ability to raise money, which most of us only have to do every couple of years; and the ability to get your message heard. And I have a disproportionate ability to get my messages heard.

I have a platform unlike any other state legislator in the country. And it was a part of this platform that I brought to the campaign trail and said, This is among the things that I can offer. Im not just going to sit here and be a freshman, sophomore, or junior member that sits in my office or sits in the Capitol and hopes for change. Im going to do everything with the power I have to make that change. I have a very unique ability to draw attention to issues. And as someone who is in the minority party in a gerrymandered state, from the least-liked city in my state by Republicans, having this platform is an antidote to their unethical, immoral, and I believe unconstitutional control of my legislature.

MW: You were involved in a recent controversy where you filmed a video of yourself confronting protesters outside a Planned Parenthood Clinic, leading to a backlash from pro-life groups. Republicans brought a censure resolution against you, although they have since withdrawn it. Did you learn anything from that incident?

SIMS: Ive lived across from that Planned Parenthood almost my entire time in Philadelphia, and it is perhaps the most heavily protested Planned Parenthood in America. It was the Planned Parenthood that took a U.S. Supreme Court case that decided the trimester system back in the 80s. It is what I consider to be one of the most racist corners in my district. And what I mean by that is, on any given day, you can go there and youll see a couple of people lined up, or just one person, making sure that every person of color that goes in and out of that Planned Parenthood for health care hears about why its shameful, or hears a bible verse yelled at them, or gets handed a small, black plastic fetus that they hand out there.

The horrendousness of it is something that will impact the rest of my life. I will never unsee or unknow the things that I saw living next to that Planned Parenthood. As a patient escort there for seven years, I had to stand there and really see it all firsthand. But I am also extremely well-trained in why not to interact with them in the way that I did. I had watched them harass two young girls of color, I had walked away, and I got very mad at myself for doing it.

I spend so much of my day and my time and my life trying to ask people who have privileges that I dont have to do something with that privilege. Were always asking men to be better allies to women and actually defend women. And what I thought I was doing was using my white privilege, my male privilege, to voice up and defend people who were not being defended at the time. And I know better now.

There are hundreds of better ways to use that energy, that ideology, and while I do believe that bullies need to be pushed back against, and thats not going to change and while I do believe that driving into inner city Planned Parenthoods so that you can harass young girls who are seeking health care, young girls of color especially, is heinous and wicked I also know that sometimes when youre a fighter, everything looks like a fight, and thats not the case. And in this case, I was wrong.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

MW: You did apologize, not only to the protesters, but to Planned Parenthood because it prompted anti-abortion protesters to hold a rally outside the clinic.

SIMS: Absolutely. Planned Parenthood is perhaps the organization, other than The Victory Fund in this country, that I most closely align myself with. I feel like I know virtually every single person that works at that Planned Parenthood. I certainly know every volunteer that had to show up that day and put on a yellow jacket and stand out there and protect patients that were coming and going because of something that I did. I know them very well, and I am very, very sorry to them for how this played out. And it was something I shouldve foreseen and would never do again.

MW: Were you ever worried about having a civil suit brought against you?

SIMS: No. Im a lawyer, and I know better.

MW: Youve spoken before about having received death threats or having people call you a fag. Does your sexual orientation still rankle the average person in the way that it did when you were first elected?

SIMS: A little bit more. Actually, Im not going to lie. Not a little bit more a lot more.

MW: Why do you think that is, especially since youve been around for a while?

SIMS: I think thats the reason why. It didnt make me go away when I started. Seven years ago, getting my first round of death threats at my office was scary. It was scary for my staff, it was scary for my family, and I moved, and I moved offices. And as it continued to happen, I learned more about it. The police around me learned more. My staff learned more. And I learned how to approach it. Here I am, now in my fourth term in office, running for a fifth term, and I think that there are more people with whom my messages are resonating. And I think theres more people realizing that Im not somebody that gets bullied or that takes well to it.

Im here to do a job, and one of the side effects of having to do this job in this era, in this time period, is that I have to do deal with an inordinate amount of hate. You probably dont know anybody that gets called a faggot as much as I do. You probably dont know anybody, and youve probably not spoken to anybody that actually gets as many death threats as I do. Thats not something I take any pride in whatsoever, but I will tell you that its not because Im sitting on my ass and doing nothing.

Brian Sims Photo: Todd Franson

MW: Two things that come up when others talk about your personality is that you get very excited and passionate about what youre dealing with or talking about, and the other is something you said back when you first ran for the legislature, which is you have a mouth like atruckdriver.

SIMS: By the way, I used to say that all the time, but when you say it to a gay crowd, it always sounds different. [Laughs.]

MW: That definitely has a different connotation. On that point, though, have either of those traits been a help or a hindrance to you?

SIMS: Maybe theyre a hindrance. Theres no question that there are certain audiences that Im in front of that hear me say Oh, fuck who dont want to hear that. But by and large, Ill tell you why I think its helpful. Maybe I should spend more time thinking about this and have a better answer, but I dont think theres anybody who walks away from meeting me, or hearing me speak in front of an audience, who doesnt think, That guy believes in the things that hes doing. He cares deeply about making sure that those things happen in this world, and Im a lot more like him than I would think that I am.

Yeah, I curse sometimes, but you know what? Most people curse sometimes. Ill tell a crowd: I want you all to run for office, or, Look around, and if its not you, you know somebody that should. I cant tell you the number of people who will come up to me afterward and say, I really would love to run for office, or, My friend really should run for office, except that they arent a lawyer, or they dropped out of college, or theyre a single mother, or they have a history of addiction, or theyre in recovery.

All of these things that somehow people think are negatives, I know, both in real life and statistically, make people more relatable. Nobody reads a list of your accomplishments and thinks, Im just like that person. They do feel that when they hear about your struggles, your foibles, the things that youve had to overcome.

I talk a mile a minute. Ive got kind of a foul mouth sometimes. But I dont think anybody thinks Im anything other than who I say I am and if nothing else, thats a bit refreshing in politics these days.

Follow Brian Sims on Twitter and Instagram. Learn more at http://www.sims4pa.com.

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Brian Sims has dedicated his life to achieving equality and he wont stop until it happens - Metro Weekly

Herds of bison milling through Yellowstone National Park may seem aimless to the average visitor, but a new study reveals the animals are hard at work engineering their ecosystem. By rigorously mowing and fertilizing their own patches of grassland, the big herbivores essentially delay spring until late summer.

Researchers suggest that most ungulates in the western United States, including elk, mule deer and pronghorn, migrate during the spring following the green wave, when plants and grasses awake from their winter sleep and sprout up. This allows the animals to have a constant supply of newly emerged vegetation, which is often the most nutritious. Mule deer can migrate up to 200 miles in the spring as they surf the wave, following the greener grass into higher elevations and higher latitudes.

For the new study on bison in the journal PNAS, researchers wanted to follow bison as they surfed the green wave in Yellowstone National Park. Scientists began tracking the herds movements using GPS collars in the mid-2000s. But researchers noticed something odd about the 4,500 bison in Yellowstone: tracking data showed that while other ungulates moved with the wave to higher elevations, the bison lingered behind, reports Tom Bauer at the Missoulian.

They surf the green wave early in the spring, co-author Jerod Merkle, a migration ecologist at the University of Wyoming says, but at some point, they stopped. [M]any bison did not reach their highest summer ranges until well after the green wave had passed.

Even more surprising, when researchers analyzed the bison dung, they found that the animals experienced no nutritional deficits when letting the green wave wash by them. It threw us for a complete loop, study co-author Chris Geremia, a National Park Service scientist, tells Ed Yong at The Atlantic. How can they fall behind but still have an incredibly high-quality diet?

For the new study, researchers analyzed 13 years of GPS data, measured the plants the bison ate and inspected the bisons dung. They found that when bison stop chasing spring, they actually create their own "green wave." By constantly mowing down the emerging vegetation and fertilizing it with their dung and urine, they ensure a steady stream of young, nutritious shoots growing through May, June and into July, reports The Associated Press.

We knew that bison migrated, we figured they followed the green wave, but we didn't know that their influence on the landscape could affect the entire way that spring moves through the mountains and valleys of Yellowstone, Merkle says in a press release. They are not just moving to find the best food; they are creating the best food. This happens because bison are aggregate grazers that graze in groups of hundreds, or more than a thousand animals.

Yong reports that bison herds massive size that can number in the thousands are what make the endless spring possible. Other grazers, like mule deer, simply dont gather in large enough numbers to have the nibbling power to prolong spring time growth.

While it might seem like getting constantly nibbled would weaken the grasses the bison graze over time, thats not the case. The team set up exclosures, or areas where the bison were not allowed to graze, and compared the vegetation to the area that was heavily impacted by the bison. The mowed-down forage had higher ratios of nitrogen to carbon, a standard measure of nutritional quality, says co-author Matthew Kauffman of the U.S. Geological Survey based at the University of Wyoming.

When the bison do finally move into the higher elevations in August, their grazing lawn is allowed to enter a belated spring. The study shows that by the end of the summer those heavily grazed plants contain 50 to 90 percent more nutrients than the grasses allowed to grow untouched. They also survive longer into the fall.

Yong reports that this has long-term impacts; when the green wave returns the following year, the heavily grazed areas have a more intense spring that lasts longer than in other areas. According to the press release, the effect is so pronounced that researchers can see the difference between heavily grazed and lightly grazed grasslands on satellite maps.

The impact of the bison herd is so profound, it raises questions about how grassland ecosystems worked in pre-settlement times. At one point, its estimated 30 to 60 million bison roamed between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. By 1884, unrestricted hunting reduced that number to just 325 wild animals, including 25 in the Yellowstone region.

It makes us think a lot about how this grassland system worked at continental scales, when we had tens of millions of bison roaming around, co-author Mark Hebblewhite, an ecologist at the University of Montana, tells Bauer.

Hopefully, people will be able to see some of the landscape-wide effects bison can have over the next few decades. Hannah Osborne at Newsweek reports that there are currently half a million bison in the United States, though less than 15,000 are free-ranging.

Thats starting to change, with bison reintroduction projects happening across North America. Just last month, Badlands National Park opened 22,000 new acres to bison. In 2017, Banff National Park returned bison to the area after a 130-year absence. In 2016, the Blackfeet Nation re-introduced the descendents of the last wild bison in Montana, which were sold to the Canadian government in the 1870s.

Today there is growing effort to restore bison to habitats they once roamed, Geremia tells Osborne. As we seek to reestablish bison, this study shows us what large bison herds are capable of when they are allowed to seek out the best forage and move freely across large landscapes.

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Yellowstone Bison Engineer an Endless Spring to Suit Their Grazing Needs - Smithsonian.com