The Department of Labor (DOL) has targeted the H-2B program for termination. In one of its first efforts to dismantle the program, DOL issued a new prevailing wage rule. According to DOL, that wage regulation will increase the costs for H-2B employees by nearly $4.50/hour.
When the rule was first published, it had an effective date of January 1, 2012. However, pursuant to an amendment to the rule, DOL has now sped up the effective date to September 30, 2011.
Those clubs that use the H-2B program must prepare for this wage hike now. Not only will this new prevailing wage be in effect for those H-2B workers who begin work after 9/30/11, but that wage must also be used for those H-2B workers who are here now and are due paychecks after 9/30/11.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The US Swelters Under Torrid Heat Wave
Is this Déjà Vu all over again?
Headline:
It will be intensely hot again Thursday in many parts of the country. From the South and the Midwest to the East Coast, temperatures will soar again into the mid to high 90s and could top 100 at many locations.
Heat advisories were issued in at least 27 states. Officials say at least 22 people have died from heat-related illnesses. For many, it will likely remain hot and humid for several more days to come.
Heat-Related Deaths:
The heat turned deadly in some parts of the Midwest: In Kansas City, where the heat wave is entering its 10th day, Mayor Sly James said heat appears to be a factor in the deaths of at least 13 people.
"Generally, the folks who have died have been those who have been less able to protect themselves against the heat for lack of air conditioning, fans, cool places, those types of things," James said. "And those folks who are often elderly or concentrated in high rises, or in places where there are pockets of poverty."
The summer of 2010 is on a pace to break temperature records up and down the East Coast and along the Gulf of Mexico. For example, Washington, D.C. had 40 days of 90-plus-degree temperatures in June and July, more than typically occur in an entire average year (37). During the recent U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at The Country Club of North Carolina in the Village of Pinehurst, the heat index reached triple digits, topping out at 110.
Déjà Vu, 2010 USGA article:
Needless to say, this has put tremendous strain on golf courses and those in charge of maintaining them.
USGA Green Section agronomists consider it necessary and appropriate to practice defensive maintenance and management programs as long as these weather extremes continue. Obviously, extra care must be taken to pamper the grass through this difficult weather, and understanding from golfers is also a must to help get through the crisis. If everyone works together and does what is best for the grass, the summer of 2010 will one day be nothing more than just a bad memory.
By way of letters sent to USGA Member courses and via communication through the Green Section Record, the goal has been to alert golfers and turf managers alike about the extraordinary weather conditions and turf-loss-related matters. This extended period of heat and drought – followed by heat, humidity and thunderstorms – has caused and probably will continue to cause turf stress and turf loss throughout the affected areas of the country.
“No two golf courses are alike, having different grasses, soils, course features and golfer expectations,” said Stanley Zontek, director of the Mid-Atlantic Region for the USGA Green Section. “It is important that golf course superintendents use defensive golf course maintenance programs. That is, be conservative and pamper the grass. The turfgrass is under intense weather stress, which is compounded by an increase in disease pressure. Everyone should be more concerned about plant health than green speed.
“There is an old adage in our industry: Slow grass is better than no grass. This is not a joke. It needs to be taken seriously.”
Some suggested management programs include:
Maintain a solid fungicide program: With heat, humidity and thunderstorms, fungicides do not last as long and disease pressure is greater. There is no better money spent than in protecting the grass from disease. If the fungicide budget is being depleted, pull back in other areas. However, when conditions are this difficult, fungicides often cannot completely overcome disease incidence. It may well be a case of reducing disease injury rather than eliminating it altogether. The following steps are just as important as applying a good fungicide.
Raise mowing heights and use sharp mowers:
This can help the grass survive.
In an age of rising expectations for putting-green performance, the recommendation to raise the mowing height on bentgrass greens to promote better summer survival is not a popular one for golfers. Of course, failed putting greens in late August are not popular, either. However, science is on the superintendent’s side on this one.
The benefit of raising the mowing height in the summer can be explained by looking at the relationship between energy production (photosynthesis) and energy consumption (respiration) in the summer. As temperatures increase, the rate of photosynthesis in cool-season grasses (bentgrass) decreases, but the rate of respiration increases. Explained another way, energy production is slowing while energy consumption is increasing. This is not sustainable over the long term because, eventually, the plant is going to run out of fuel.
Chris Hartwiger, a USGA Green Section senior agronomist based in the Southeast Region, says that raising the mowing height increases the amount of leaf surface area, which increases the amount of potential photosynthesis. In essence, the higher mowing height is creating a bigger tank of fuel for the plant, and hopefully, the fuel will not run out until cooler temperatures return in the fall.
Mow less…roll more:
The goal is to reduce mechanical stress to the grass plant. Mowing is a stressful practice for bentgrass putting greens in the summer months. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found that, by mowing three days per week and rolling three times per week, green speeds would remain consistent throughout the week. In the field, we have observed this practice used in the summer months, and superintendents report favorable results with respect to turf quality. Therefore, if stress is high, reducing mowing frequency and substituting rolling is an option to consider for limiting stress.
Switching from grooved rollers to solid rollers will also protect collars from the turning of mowers.
Carefully monitor course traffic:
Traffic causes additional stress when grasses are already weakened by high temperatures. During these difficult economic times, every golf course wants as much play as possible, but traffic patterns need to be managed carefully. “During these stress periods, we emphasize the importance of using ropes and stakes to manage traffic flow on and off greens. In some cases, weak putting greens may need to be closed,” said Bud White, director of the Mid-Continent Region.
Spoonfeed the grass:
Bob Brame, director of the North-Central Region, emphasizes the importance of staying consistent with a light and frequent foliar feeling. Excessive grass growth depletes carbohydrates (plant food). Iron (to keep the grass green) and growth regulator applications will be part of this mix.
Air movement: On shaded or pocketed greens, prune tree limbs, use fans, and generally keep the air moving. When you are hot, you stand in front of a fan to cool yourself. When the grass is stressed, it needs good air movement as well. Drier turf is also less prone to disease.
“Fans have proven in research trials and in the field to be a valuable bentgrass life support tool,” said Hartwiger. “Fans should be running 24 hours a day right now. If portable fans are available, use them and rotate them throughout the property as needs dictate.”
Do not over-water:
Manage water applications carefully, and hand-water if possible. Lightly syringe the turf with the nozzle. If you are wetting the soil, it’s too much. Any midday watering should be focused on cooling the turf canopy. Remember, you can always add more water, but wet, saturated soil can damage roots, increase disease and contribute to turf loss via wet wilt. If corrective watering needs to be done to curtail dry spots, the extra water should be applied in the early morning or late in the evening. Do not over-water the grass in midday heat.
Watch the putting greens carefully and add supplemental water as often as needed to prevent shallow-rooted bentgrass from wilting.
Surface aerate the greens:
This allows the soil to breath, excess moisture to escape, and roots to re-grow, thereby helping the grass to survive.
Venting the putting greens is another way to properly maintain turf. Venting is a term that applies to the practice of creating small, non-disruptive holes in a putting green for the purpose of improving gas exchange, increasing water infiltration, and stimulating new root initiation. The term venting is used instead of aeration because of the negative connotations golfers associate with the term aeration. Venting is a golfer-friendly practice.
Dr. Robert Carrow, of the University of Georgia, found that the ideal venting frequency in his research plots was every 21 days throughout the summer months. For the summer of 2010, the Green Section recommends venting greens every two to three weeks until fall core aeration arrives.
None of these suggestions by themselves will make the difference between putting green survival and serious injury. It is important to implement all of these suggestions to the greatest degree possible. Although you can’t do much to control the weather, these are steps that will help in the long run.
Meteorologist Allan Dunham with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., said the high dew point level, combined with hot temperatures, will drench the North Atlantic states in Florida-like conditions.
"This is going to cover basically all of southern New England, getting up into southern New Hampshire all the way back towards New York and down along the Mid-Atlantic Seaboard," he said.
Sound familiar? Parts of the above appeared in last year’s USGA Green Section Report, August 4, 2010.
Friday, June 10, 2011
What’s a Trillion Dollars?
Anytime the federal government talks about a billion dollars; that’s about $4.00 for each of us. When our government talks about budgets and deficits in the terms of a trillion dollars; that’s about $4,000.00 to the taxpayer. I hope that put some light on what a trillion is, now, like the great Paul Harvey used to say “Here’s the rest of the story”.
Not too long ago, then, President Bush requested $87 billion for us to fund and manage two wars. That would have cost you $348.00 dollars.
Consider the news when the awful president Bush was proclaimed the “Worst President Ever” with a deficit of $420 billion, that’s about $1,680.00 cost to you, the taxpayer. Even though Bush with the GOP congress have survived the DOT.COM bubble, two wars and the tragic attracts of 9/11.
Remember the 2003 tax cuts, they did what they were supposed to do, like they always do, they increased federal revenue and decreased the deficit by $120 billion – or $360.00 to us taxpayers.
The national debt when Bush took office was $4 trillion dollars. That’s a staggering $16,000.00 for you. In Bush’s first six years his administration added $2 trillion to the national debt, he was harshly criticized, and rightfully so, that’s a total federal debt of $6 trillion, or, $24,000 for each of us citizen taxpayers.
The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States Federal Government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. The Democratic Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995. Democrat Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House and Harry Reid was Majority Leader in the Senate.
In two years of the 110th congress the Democratic controlled body of government increased the debt by $5 trillion, that congress borrowed more in two years than all 42 presidents before Bush, COMBINED. They successfully increased the national debt more in two years than the 224 years of the United States of America. That a $5 trillion increase that brought our debt to $14 trillion, that’s an amazing $56,000.00 for each man, woman and child in the USA!
This year’s deficit alone is $1.7 trillion, or $6,800 to you. Our government is deficit spending almost $7,000 for every person in the country. That means that after spending every dollar the government actually collects in taxes, they keep spending and borrowing at this ridiculous level.
Our federal budget is $3.5 trillion per year, $14,000.00 for each of us. $2.2 trillion is entitlement spending. Entitlements represent transfer of wealth, from the people who work to the people that don’t to the tune of $8,800.00 per taxpayer; and of course, that includes money to pay the interest on financing the whole scheme.
In the latest skirmish on Capitol Hill the senate cannot agree to cut the $3.5 trillion budget by $100 billion, $400 bucks to you and I. The debt ceiling vote is gridlocked for bargaining proposes between the House and Senate.
What’s the end of this story sound like to you?
Not too long ago, then, President Bush requested $87 billion for us to fund and manage two wars. That would have cost you $348.00 dollars.
Consider the news when the awful president Bush was proclaimed the “Worst President Ever” with a deficit of $420 billion, that’s about $1,680.00 cost to you, the taxpayer. Even though Bush with the GOP congress have survived the DOT.COM bubble, two wars and the tragic attracts of 9/11.
Remember the 2003 tax cuts, they did what they were supposed to do, like they always do, they increased federal revenue and decreased the deficit by $120 billion – or $360.00 to us taxpayers.
The national debt when Bush took office was $4 trillion dollars. That’s a staggering $16,000.00 for you. In Bush’s first six years his administration added $2 trillion to the national debt, he was harshly criticized, and rightfully so, that’s a total federal debt of $6 trillion, or, $24,000 for each of us citizen taxpayers.
The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States Federal Government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the second term of President George W. Bush. The Democratic Party controlled a majority in both chambers for the first time since the end of the 103rd Congress in 1995. Democrat Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House and Harry Reid was Majority Leader in the Senate.
In two years of the 110th congress the Democratic controlled body of government increased the debt by $5 trillion, that congress borrowed more in two years than all 42 presidents before Bush, COMBINED. They successfully increased the national debt more in two years than the 224 years of the United States of America. That a $5 trillion increase that brought our debt to $14 trillion, that’s an amazing $56,000.00 for each man, woman and child in the USA!
This year’s deficit alone is $1.7 trillion, or $6,800 to you. Our government is deficit spending almost $7,000 for every person in the country. That means that after spending every dollar the government actually collects in taxes, they keep spending and borrowing at this ridiculous level.
Our federal budget is $3.5 trillion per year, $14,000.00 for each of us. $2.2 trillion is entitlement spending. Entitlements represent transfer of wealth, from the people who work to the people that don’t to the tune of $8,800.00 per taxpayer; and of course, that includes money to pay the interest on financing the whole scheme.
In the latest skirmish on Capitol Hill the senate cannot agree to cut the $3.5 trillion budget by $100 billion, $400 bucks to you and I. The debt ceiling vote is gridlocked for bargaining proposes between the House and Senate.
What’s the end of this story sound like to you?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
God’s Thoughts on Lawns:
I ran across this short story last week; I thought I’d pass it along.
God: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happen to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil; withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of song birds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
Saint Francis: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds” and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
God: Grass? But it’s so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and soil worms. It’s sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
Saint Francis: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great lengths to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
God: The spring rains and warm temperatures probably make the grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites very happy.
Saint Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it – sometimes twice a week.
God: They cut it? Do they bail it like hay?
Saint Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them bag it up or rake it.
God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
Saint Francis: No sir, many of the Suburbanites pay to have it removed.
God: They fertilize grass so it will grow. When it does, they cut it off and pay to throw it away.
Saint Francis: Yes Sir.
God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
Saint Francis: You aren’t going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
God: What nonsense. At least they kept some of trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide shade and beauty in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and shrubs. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form a compost to enhance the soil. It’s the natural circle of life.
Saint Francis: The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
God: No! What do they do to protect the bushes and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
Saint Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make mulch.
God: I don’t want to think about this anymore. Saint Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
Saint Catherine: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It’s a real stupid movie about…..
God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from Saint Francis.
God: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happen to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil; withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of song birds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
Saint Francis: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds” and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
God: Grass? But it’s so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and soil worms. It’s sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
Saint Francis: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great lengths to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
God: The spring rains and warm temperatures probably make the grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites very happy.
Saint Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it – sometimes twice a week.
God: They cut it? Do they bail it like hay?
Saint Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them bag it up or rake it.
God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
Saint Francis: No sir, many of the Suburbanites pay to have it removed.
God: They fertilize grass so it will grow. When it does, they cut it off and pay to throw it away.
Saint Francis: Yes Sir.
God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
Saint Francis: You aren’t going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
God: What nonsense. At least they kept some of trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide shade and beauty in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and shrubs. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form a compost to enhance the soil. It’s the natural circle of life.
Saint Francis: The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
God: No! What do they do to protect the bushes and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
Saint Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make mulch.
God: I don’t want to think about this anymore. Saint Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
Saint Catherine: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It’s a real stupid movie about…..
God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from Saint Francis.
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