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School of Engineering and Sustainable Development
ESCoBox: A set of tools for mini-grid sustainability in the developing world
sustainability-191828-revised.docx (2.526Mb)
Advani, Varun;
Wade, Neal;
Greenwood, D.;
Davison, P.;
Gammon, Rupert;
Boait, Peter John
Mini-grids powered by photovoltaic generators or other renewable energy sources have the potential to bring electricity to the 17% of the world’s population, mainly in rural areas, that are currently un-served. However, designing and managing a mini-grid so that it is reliable and economically sustainable is difficult because of the high variability of demand that arises from the small population of consumers. We describe an integrated set of four tools to assist mini-grid operators to predict and manage demand. These comprise a decision support tool to predict peak and average demand from a consumer population, a demand disaggregation tool that allows the key statistical properties of connected electricity-consuming appliances to be identified, a battery condition modeling tool which allows the impact on battery life of a planned operating regime to be predicted and a demand control sub-system which limits the operating time of high demand appliances to intervals when they can be supported. Results from application of the tool set to mini-grids in Kenya and The Gambia are presented. We conclude that accessible, usable and low cost tools of this form can improve mini-grid sustainability.
Collaboration with Newcastle University and other NGO and commercial partners. Open Access article
Citation : Boait, P. et al. (2017) ESCoBox A Set of Tools for Mini-Grid Sustainability in the Developing World. Sustainability, 9 (5), 738
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su9050738
Research Group : Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development
Research Institute : Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development (IESD)
School of Engineering and Sustainable Development [1783]
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AcademicsSchoolsMcAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal ArtsCentersCenter for Healthcare EthicsBioethics LecturesPrevious Kelly Lectures
Previous Kelly Bioethics Lectures
Professor Dr. Hub Zwart
Virus Novels and the Anthropocene : A Philosophical Diagnostics of the Present
Professor Dr. Hub Zwart (1960) studied Philosophy and Psychology at Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands) and defended his thesis (cum laude) in 1993. In 2000 he was appointed as full professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Science (RU Nijmegen). In 2003, he became director of the Centre for Society and Genomics (CSG) and in 2005, Director of the Institute for Science in Society. His research focuses on philosophical and ethical dimensions of the biosciences (synthetic biology, nanomedicine, brain research), addressed from a continental philosophical perspective (dialectics, phenomenology, psychoanalysis), while special attention is given to genres of the imagination (novels, theatre, poetry, movies) as windows into emerging techno-scientific research fields. He is co-editor-in-chief of the open access Springer journal Life Sciences, Society and Policy.
Dr. Zwart's presentation can be viewed by clicking here
Tom L. Beauchamp, Ph.D.
A Defense of Universal Principles and Common Morality in Biomedical Ethics
Dr. Beauchamp is Emeritus Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University. He received graduate degrees from Yale University and Johns Hopkins University, where he received his PhD. He later joined the faculty of the Philosophy Department at Georgetown. He also joined the sta of the National Commission for the
Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, where he wrote the bulk of The Belmont Report (1978). He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) in recognition of outstanding contributions and significant publications in bioethics and the humanities. Beauchamp also received Georgetown University's Career Recognition Award.
Dr. Beauchamp's presentation can be viewed by clicking here
Solomon (Solly) Benatar MBChB, DSc (Med), FRCP, FACP (Hon)
Bioethics and Ethics in a Globalized World
Dr. Benatar is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT). He was Professor of Medicine, Chief Physician, a practicing clinician from 1980-2007, and Head of the Department and Division of Medicine for 19 of these years. He led the development of Bioethics at UCT for 20 years as Founding Director of the UCT Bioethics Centre. Other professional positions included serving as Vice President of the College of Medicine of South Africa, President of the International Association of Bioethics, ethics advisor to UNAIDS, Médecins Sans Frontières and Family Health International and as the International Member on the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Standing Committee on Ethics. He has been a visiting Professor at many medical schools including Harvard University, where he spent the 1994/95 academic year as a Fellow in the Program in Ethics and the Professions. Since 2000 he has been an annually invited visiting scholar, teacher and mentor at the University of Toronto.
His academic interests have included respiratory medicine, health services, human rights, academic boycott, medical ethics and global health on which he has published over 250 peer-reviewed journal articles and 60 book chapters. Global Health and Global Health Ethics, co-edited with Gillian Brock, a New Zealand philosopher, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2011.
He is an elected Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Medicine and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected a Fellow of the University of Cape Town, the Royal Society of South Africa, the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London, and The Hastings Center in New York. He received the Hastings Center's Henry Knowles Beecher Award in 2011 in recognition of lifetime contributions to ethics and the life sciences and a career devoted to excellence in scholarship, research, and ethical inquiry.
Dr. Benatar's presentation may be viewed by clicking here
Calum MacKellar, Ph.D.
Human-nonhuman Interspecies Embryos: An Ethical Discussion
Dr. Calum MacKellar completed his Diplome d'lngénieure in bio-organic chemistry with the European High Institute of Chemistry and his doctorate in biochemistry with the University of Stuttgart in Germany. After, MacKellar began working as a post-doctoral research fellow synthesizing new kinds of DNA to be used as possible drugs against disorders such as AIDS. Later, Mackellar began teaching biological chemistry and bioethics at Queen Margaret University and would eventually serve as a senior civil servant with the Bioethics Division of the Council of Europe.
In 2003, he came back to Scotland as the Director of Research of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics. His continued association with the journal Human Reproduction and Genetic Ethics, now known as, The New Bioethics, has resulted in him becoming its associate editor. He also served as a member of a UK National Health Service Research Ethics Committee in Edinburgh for more than twelve years, as well as being nominated in 2010 as a Fellow of the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity based in Chicago, USA.
Dr. MacKellar's presentation may be viewed by clicking here.
Click here to access further information via Duquesne University's Gumberg Library.
F. Daniel Davis, Ph.D.
Integrating Bioethics: Challenges and Opportunities
Health care organizations-hospitals and systems-tend to be collections of siloes. And within them, bioethics is often just another silo (if it's present at all). What would bioethics look like-more important, how would bioethics function-if it rejected its assigned silo and adopted a posture of engagement and collaboration with colleagues in other siloes? Compared with more traditional approaches to bioethics, what are the features of a bioethics program that seeks to be highly integrated within a hospital or health care system? These (and related) questions will provide the focus for this presentation, which draws heavily on recent experience at one of the nation's largest rural health care systems, the Geisinger Health System headquartered in Danville, PA.
Dr. Davis' slide presentation is available here.
Maria do Céu Patrão Neves
The Role of Bioethics in Policy-Making in the European Union
Maria do Céu Patrão Neves is a Full Professor of Ethics, at the Department of Philosophy at the University of the Azores (Portugal), where she is also responsible for the teaching and research on applied ethics (mainly bioethics). She graduated in Philosophy in 1984. She then developed research on contemporary French philosophy, mainly on the philosopher Maurice Blondel, having studied at the Maurice Blondel's Archives, at the Catholique University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Both, her Master and Ph.D thesis were dedicated to Blondel's though under a theory of knowledge perspective. She also published several papers on this philosopher and two books: Studies on Maurice Blondel (1999), and A Problemática do «Pensamento» em Blondel. Esboço de uma teoria da Natureza e de uma doutrina do Espírito (2000).
From then on Patrão Neves focused in philosophical anthropology and ethics
She was the scientific and pedagogic coordinator for the area of Philosophy (2005-2009).
Eric Meslin Ph.D
The Impact and Future Role of Bioethics on Ebola (and vice versa)
Eric M. Meslin is the Associate Dean for Bioethics in the Indiana University School of Medicine, and is Professor of Medicine; of Medical & Molecular Genetics; of Bioethics and Law; and of Philosophy. In 2012 he was appointed as Indiana University's first Professor of Bioethics. Among his other leadership positions at IU he directs the Indiana University-Moi University Academic Research Ethics Partnership, an NIH-funded bioethics training program in Eldoret, Kenya; the Bioethics and Subject Advocacy Program of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute; and co-directs the Indiana University Center for Law, Ethics and Applied Research in Health Information. Dr. Meslin has more than 150 published articles and book chapters on various topics in bioethics and science and is a co-editor of the Cambridge University Press Bioethics and Law Series. He has been a member of several boards and including the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Ethical and Scientific Issues in Studying the Safety of Approved Drugs; the Ethics Subcommittee to the Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the Board of Directors of Genome Canada.
Dr. Meslin's lecture may be viewed here.
Ruth Macklin, Ph.D.
Ethical challenges in confronting disasters: Some lessons learned
Ruth Macklin is Professor of Bioethics in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. She received a BA with Distinction from Cornell University and an MA and PhD in Philosophy from Case Western Reserve University. She has more than two hundred sixty publications in professional journals and scholarly books in bioethics, law, medicine, philosophy, and the social sciences in addition to articles in magazines and newspapers for general audiences. She is author or editor of thirteen books, including Against Relativism (1999), Double Standards in Medical Research in Developing Countries (2004), and Ethics in Global Health: Research, Policy, and Practice (2012). Dr. Macklin is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science and serves as a consultant to the World Health Organization. She currently co-directs an NIH-sponsored Training Program on Research Ethics, which takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Dr. Macklin's lecture may be viewed here.
Ruth B. Purtilo, PhD, FAPTA
Moral Courage: An Unsung Resource for Optimizing Health Care Practices
Professor emerita, Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston
Moral courage most often is treated as a moral trait of individuals who speak up, step out or stand firm in situations that threaten moral values. But seldom do we view how it functions to help transform individual situations or alter basic institutional practices. In this lecture five "constituents of courage" that can act as guides promoting purposive action for the common good in health care settings and the role of spiritual formation as an aspect of empowerment for moral courage are presented for reflection and discussion.
Watch the Lecture
Thursday, April 18, 2013 | 1:00-2:30 p.m. | Duquesne Union, Room 613
Dr. Jan Helge Solbakk
Movements and Movies in Bioethics: The use of Theater and Cinema in Teaching Bioethics
Professor of Medical Ethics and Head of Research at Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway
Jan Helge Solbakk is trained as a physician and a theologian. He also holds a PhD in ancient Greek philosophy. From 1996-2011, he was also the adjunct professor of Medical Ethics at the Centre for International Health, University of Bergen. In 2007 and 2008, Solbakk served as Chief of Bioethics at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. At present, Solbakk is chair of ISSCR's Ethics and Public Policy Committee. He serves as an ethics expert for several international organizations (UNESCO, ISSCR, the European Commission, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership and the European Research Council). Solbakk has published extensively and is involved in several international research projects dealing with bioethics teaching, international research ethics and with the ethical implications of personalized medicine and stem cell research.
The Signs of the Times; from the Vatican II to the Birth and Development of Bioethics
Thursday, November 15, 2012 | 1:00-2:30 p.m. | 613 Union
Prof. Dr. Renzo Pegoraro
Professor of Bioethics, University of Padua
Renzo Pegoraro is Professor of Bioethics at the School for Obstetricians of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Padua.
In 1985, he graduated as doctor of medicine at the University of Padua, then studied philosophy and theology in Padua and in Rome, where he graduated with a degree in moral theology in 1990. In 1993, he became Professor of Bioethics at the Faculty of Theology of Northern Italy in Padua, and General Secretary of the Fondazione Lanza (a centre of advanced studies in ethics, bioethics and environmental ethics). Since 1998, he has been President of the Research Ethics Committee of the Medical Centre of Padua. Between 2000-2002, he was a member of the National Healthcare Council, and serves as an ethicist in several institutions. Since 2001, he has been President of the Fondazione Lanza. He was President in 2005-2007 of the European Society for Philosophy of Medicine and Health Care. In 2011, he was appointed Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life in Rome.
Renzo Pegoraro has published articles in journals and books on different issues in biomedical ethics, in particular, religion and bioethics, human experimentation, organ transplantation, and elderly care.
Ethics Consultation in Medical Innovation: Face Transplantation
Thursday, April 19, 2012 | 1:00-2:30 p.m. | Power Center Ballroom
George J. Agich, Ph.D.
National Science Council Visiting Professor
Department of Social Medicine
National Taiwan University College of Medicine
Professor (Retired) of Philosophy
Please follow this link to watch the lecture..
Medical Ethics in an Era of Bioethics
Edmund Pellegrino, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Medical Ethics
Center for Clinical Medical Ethics
Georgetown University Medical Center
The Ethics of the Medically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration
Thursday, November 11, 2010 | 3:00-5:00 p.m. | Power Center Ballroom
Founding Director of the Center for Healthcare Ethics
Center for Healthcare Ethics
Degrees and Programs
Pre-Degree Appointments
Alumni Placement
Student Academic Resources
Bioethics Lectures
Previous Kelly Lectures
Palliative Care & Ethics Conference
Normativity in Bioethics Conference
International Association for Education in Ethics
Bioethics Resources
300 Fisher Hall
Pittsburgh, PA USA 15282
Email: chce@duq.edu
Degrees in Healthcare Ethics
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Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (M&T Bank), Buffalo, New York, Assumes All of the Deposits of K Bank, Randallstown, Maryland
K Bank, Randallstown, Maryland, was closed today by the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (M&T Bank), Buffalo, New York, to assume all of the deposits of K Bank, except certain brokered deposits. Brokered deposit customers should contact their brokers directly about the status of their accounts.
The seven branches of K Bank will reopen on Saturday as branches of M&T Bank. Depositors of K Bank will automatically become depositors of M&T Bank. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage up to applicable limits. Customers of K Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from M&T Bank that it has completed systems changes to allow other M&T Bank branches to process their accounts as well.
This evening and over the weekend, depositors of K Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.
As of September 30, 2010, K Bank had approximately $538.3 million in total assets and $500.1 million in total deposits. M&T Bank did not pay the FDIC a premium for the deposits of K Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, M&T Bank agreed to purchase approximately $410.8 million of the failed bank's assets. The FDIC will retain the balance of the assets for later disposition.
The FDIC and M&T Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $289.0 million of K Bank's assets. M&T Bank will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-share transaction is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The transaction also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers. For more information on loss share, please visit: http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/lossshare/index.html.
Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-800-830-4697. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., (EDT); on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST); and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST. Interested parties also can visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/kbank.html.
The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $198.4 million. Compared to other alternatives, M&T Bank's acquisition was the least costly resolution for the FDIC's DIF. K Bank is the 140th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the fourth in Maryland. The last FDIC-insured institution closed in the state was Ideal Federal Savings Bank, Baltimore, on July 9, 2010.
Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 7,830 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars – insured financial institutions fund its operations.
FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet at www.fdic.gov, by subscription electronically (go to www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html) and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). PR-242-2010
Last Updated 11/5/2010 communications@fdic.gov
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Engage an EngineerFind Engineering JobsBlogFAQContactHome
Network Deployment Technician
Cable Providers
What's A Career In Technical Support And Help Desk Like?
Gary McCauley
Where you’ll find computer networks and IT systems in organizations, you will find technical support and help desk workers. They are the backbone of the IT team, offering support not just to fellow team members, but everyone who uses the IT systems in place.
Here, we’re going to take a closer look at what to expect from technical support and help desk roles. While the day-to-day work of the job can change from organization to organization, the role that it plays in the organization is consistent.
What does a technical support and help desk worker do?
As the name implies, workers in these roles play a fundamental part in lending support relating to anything to do with IT. This can include anything from dealing with forgotten passwords and email access issues to configuring networks, troubleshooting errors and eliminating malware.
Technical support and help desk workers are the front-line of the IT support team. They are the first people that others in the organization will come to when they have a tech problem. While you may work in a face-to-face capacity, more are working remotely over the phone or through help desk software connecting them to other team members.
Technical support workers, also known as help desk operators, technicians, and maintenance engineers, are vital to the efficiency of an organization using IT networks and systems.
[dotedLine]
Tasks and responsibilities
The different tasks that technical support workers do can change depending on the type of systems they’re working with. However, they regularly include:
Identifying IT system and network problems and offering advice.
Logging and maintaining records of queries and solutions.
Analyzing logs to see common issues so you can help find the underlying causes.
Creating and improving self-help guides so employees can troubleshoot and fix problems on their own.
Cooperating with field engineers on more serious problems.
Testing, configuring, and fixing equipment that isn’t working as expected.
Skills expected of technical support and help desk workers
Technical support workers of all levels of qualification can find opportunities to work, but are expected to have a minimum of a GCSE in IT, Science, English or Math. More qualified applicants with degrees in related computing subjects or who have earned qualifications from specialist courses like those run by the Helpdesk Institute can find more demanding and rewarding roles in support teams, too.
Technical support team members spend a lot of their time in communication with employees and clients. As such, they are expected to have a mix of soft skills to go with their hard skills. The skills include:
Assessing the IT competence of those seeking support.
Excellent communication skills.
Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Technical knowledge that’s up-to-date with systems used by clients and employers.
Accurate records keeping and analysis ability.
An ability to handle difficult callers.
What can you expect from a career in technical support and help desk?
Wherever there are IT systems and networks, there are technical support and help desk teams. As such, there is a huge range of opportunities for both those looking for entry-level positions and those with more experience, qualifications, and certifications.
Many technical support workers work as part of the internal IT support team of larger organizations. This means they field requests for support primarily from members of other departments. Other provide support for systems and services offered to clients, meaning they fill a customer service role on top of providing IT support.
As such, many technical support providers work in full-time roles, often with permanent placement. However, those with specific knowledge on certain systems and software can also manage a lucrative career as a freelancer.
To see which types of technical support roles are best suited to you, use FieldEngineer.com to upload your resume. It can match your skills with the job offerings most relevant to them. This is a great way to see what kind of work you can do as a freelance technical support and help desk worker.
What career opportunities can you expect?
If you’re working in a full-time role as part of a larger organization, then the natural progression is through the technical support team. This might mean developing a specialty in certain aspects of IT support, having a more senior role such as the manager of a support team, or becoming section or department leader.
Many employers provide growth opportunities internally for their technical support and help desk team. This can include training to become familiar with up-to-date technologies, access to specialist courses, and structured training schemes. All of this can help you boost your career through the support side of the IT team.
There are many potential branches for those who want to grow outside of a technical support role, as well. Others tend to specialize in certain skills such as programming, technical sales, systems administration, IT training, or customer satisfaction.
Is a career in technical support and help desk right for you?
With opportunities available for those at every level of training, qualification, and expertise, technical support and help desk is an easy to get your foot in the door of an IT/computer related career. There is always a need for IT support and plenty of room for growth.
Take a look at the technical support and help desk roles available at FieldEngineer.com. The search function returns the roles most relevant to your own resume, so you can immediately see what kind of responsibilities, wages, and working environments you can expect.
How Field Engineer is Spearheading 5G Deployments Worldwide
Malik Zakaria
System Integrators for Enterprise
Wireless Site Survey Engineers Guide to Success
Kaushik Bhaumik
Looking for Engineering jobs?
Get Started as an Engineer
Looking for On-Demand Engineers?
Get Started as a Customer
77 Water Street, Suite 7000
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Finance Watch announces Christophe Nijdam as new Secretary General
For press enquiries or to receive our press releases via email, please contact:
Charlotte Geiger
Senior Communications Officer
(FR, EN, DE)
charlotte.geiger@finance-watch.org
Brussels, 19 November 2014 – The board of Finance Watch, the independent organisation that defends the public interest in financial regulation, announces that it has appointed Christophe Nijdam as the new Secretary General of Finance Watch with effect from 1 January 2015. Mr Nijdam will replace Benoît Lallemand, Co-head of Policy Analysis, who has been Acting Secretary General since the departure in May 2014 of Thierry Philipponnat, Finance Watch’s first Secretary General (see press release).
A French national and former investment and commercial banker, Mr Nijdam, spent more than a dozen years as a senior executive at a number of large French banks in France and in the USA. In the early 1990s, he crossed to the investor side as a financial analyst, most recently working as a banking sector analyst for AlphaValue, Europe’s leading independent pan-European equity research firm, based in Paris.
Mr Nijdam comes to Finance Watch with a strategic understanding of the banking sector, an investor’s perspective and operational experience in bank management. This experience forms the basis for his strong conviction of the need to reform the financial sector.
Christophe Nijdam, Secretary General-designate of Finance Watch, said:
“I have seen at close quarters the financialisation of the economy and the rise of dogma about efficient markets. My experiences in the financial industry have helped me to understand the causes of the 2008 financial crisis and led me to the view that, despite the reforms carried out since then, not enough has been done to avoid a repetition.
“Finance Watch plays a key role in the re-regulation of the financial sector. Uniquely, it combines technical expertise with a diverse membership representing millions of European citizens and a detailed knowledge of the people and processes involved in European law-making.
“Society faces major challenges but the financial system today is disconnected from the needs of the real economy and of society at large. With this conviction, I offer my experience to Finance Watch and its mission: putting finance at the service of society.”
Monique Goyens, Chair of the Board of Finance Watch, said:
“After a thorough recruitment process and examination by our Committee of Transparency and Independence we are delighted to have secured Christophe Nijdam, an outstanding expert from the world of finance who brings his experience as a banker on both sides of the Atlantic and as a renowned financial analyst.
“I am extremely grateful to Benoît Lallemand, who has assumed responsibility as Acting Secretary General since May 2014 and who, with the rest of the team, has ensured the good functioning of the organisation.”
Benoît Lallemand, Acting Secretary General of Finance Watch, said:
“The team and I are thrilled to be able to work with Christophe. His expertise and critical vision will help us to confront the many obstacles that stand in the way of finance serving society, including the need to complete the essential missing pieces of financial regulation.”
For more detailed information or to interview Christophe Nijdam please contact:
• Greg Ford, Head of Communications at Finance Watch, on +322.880.0440 or +44 7703 219 222 or greg.ford@finance-watch.org
• Charlotte Geiger, Communications Officer at Finance Watch, on +322.880.0441 or charlotte.geiger@finance-watch.org
Christophe Nijdam in the press
“The analyst feared by bankers […], Christophe Nijdam is one of the foremost experts on the world of banking today and one of the most ardent advocates of the separation of bank activities. It has to be said: when it comes to banks, he knows all the secrets.”
L’Expansion : « Ces vigies qu’on n‘écoute pas assez », juin 2013
“With a career history switching regularly between Paris and New York, Christophe Nijdam (Sciences Po Paris, New York University) is without doubt one of the best experts on both French and Anglo-Saxon banking.”
Le nouvel Economiste : « Que les Etats ne commettent pas l’erreur d’orchestrer une austérité généralisée », septembre 2011
June 2008 – present: ALPHAVALUE (www.alphavalue.eu), bank sector analyst and team leader at Europe’s leading independent pan-European equity research firm, Paris.
1994-2008: CAPITALACTION™, Paris (www.capitalaction.com), co-founder and managing partner at independent equity research firm
1998-2008: Lecturer in Finance at Sciences-Po Paris (www.sciences-po.fr)
1992-1993 LE NOUVEL ECONOMISTE, Paris (www.lenouveleconomiste.fr), Vice-chair of the board responsible for financial affairs
1989-1992: CREDIT DU NORD (now part of SOCIETE GENERALE), US General Manager, New York
1983-1988: CREDIT COMMERCIAL DE FRANCE (now HSBC France), Director, capital markets and mergers & acquisitions, New York; Deputy-director and co-founder of interest rate and currency derivatives, Paris
1979-1983: CREDIT LYONNAIS (now CREDIT AGRICOLE C.I.B.), financial analyst and corporate banker, New York
New York University, Graduate School of Business Administration (Stern), 1982 (Advanced Professional Certificate in Corporate Financial Management)
Sciences-Po Paris, 1978 (Public law and economics)
French national Christophe Nijdam has spent more a dozen years in senior positions at several large French banks. He began his career in 1979 at Credit Lyonnais (now Crédit Agricole) New York as a financial analyst and corporate banker. In 1983 he joined the headquarters of the CCF (now HSBC France) as co-head of interest rate and currency derivatives, before returning to the US as a capital markets director. In 1989, he became US General Manager for Crédit du Nord (now Societe Generale Group) in New York.
Returning to France in the early 1990s, he decided to switch to the investor side by becoming a financial analyst. He also joined the team of Le Nouvel Economiste in 1992 as vice chair of the board in charge of financial affairs. He co-founded the independent equity research firm CAPITALACTION in 1994, where he was managing partner. A lecturer at Sciences-Po Paris from 1998 to 2008, he still teaches in the corporate finance and capital markets Executive Masters’ programme.
Immediately prior to deciding to join Finance Watch, Christophe Nijdam was a banking analyst at AlphaValue, where he worked since the firm was founded in 2008. AlphaValue, based in Paris, is the only independent pan-European equity research firm to compete with the major European brokers in terms of number of analysts and clients. The firm was awarded the Grand Prix de l’Analyse Financière l’Agefi in the category “Best independent research firm” in 2012.
As a volunteer, Christophe Nijdam coordinates a weekly guest column, “My dearest bank”, in Le Nouvel Economiste.
« Parlons banque en 30 questions », Jézabel Couppey-Soubeyran, Christophe Nijdam, La Documentation française, 2014
« Il faut remettre la banque au milieu du village, au service de sa communauté », Christophe Nijdam, Le nouvel Economiste, November 2014
« Produits dérivés : quelles banques sont des Fukushima en puissance ? », Christophe Nijdam, AlphaValue, December 2013
« Quelles réformes pour assurer la stabilité, la rentabilité et l’efficacité du système bancaire français ? », Christophe Nijdam, Revue d’Economie Politique, January 2013
« Le Shadow Banking, appendice opaque du système bancaire régulé », Christophe Nijdam, Analyse Financière, October 2011
« Lettre ouverte aux ‘Quants’, ces ingénieux ingénieurs financiers qui s’étaient fixé pour mission d’atomiser les risques et qui ont réussi à nucléariser les marchés », Christophe Nijdam, Le nouvel Economiste, April 2008
Fiscal Avoidance
Level : Regular
A Paradise for the 0.1%
Green Supporting Factor
Bank capital requirements and the case for a macroprudential approach to climate risks
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Russian Scam Artist Mavrodi to Relaunch Cryptocurrency on Ethereum
"Financial apocalypse is inevitable.”
Simon Golstein | News ( CryptoCurrency ) | Monday, 25/12/2017 | 12:09 GMT+1 2018-01-02 19:25:05
Photo: FM
World-renowned pyramid builder Sergei Mavrodi has announced that he is relaunching his cryptocurrency, the mavro, on the Ethereum blockchain on the 29th of December, according to Russia Today.
“The time for change is now! We can do a lot!! Financial apocalypse is inevitable,” he wrote.
Sergei Mavrodi is famous for a pyramid scheme called the ‘Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox’, or MMM. In the 1990s he managed to cheat millions of Russians out of an estimated $100 million. At least 50 people committed suicide after losing their money, and he was jailed. Released from prison in 2007, he wasted no time in beginning new schemes, often using Bitcoin.
Time reported on him in 2011 when he launched a scheme called MMM-2011, calling him Russia’s Bernie Madoff. Nairobi News lamented in 2016 that MMM recruiters were operating in Kenya, as did eNCA in South Africa.
According to Russia Beyond, public Facebook pages show that MMM is popular in India (150,000 followers), Nigeria (130,000), the Philippines (60,000), South Africa (30,000) and Brazil (10,000). Mavrodi’s success in the developing world comes through an enterprise called MMM Global, which strongly encourages investors to pay in Bitcoin.
Mavrodi claimed in a 2015 interview with FT Alphaville: “If I refuse using Bitcoin tomorrow, it will fall down.” This may not have been far from the truth, back in the day. The Financial Times reported in November 2015 on a Bitcoin price spike apparently caused by a rush of Chinese people buying bitcoins to join an MMM scheme. At the time, Bitcoin reached its highest in a year as a result of the rush. The article quotes a user: “Today, on October 31, I received 20 per cent interest and [a bonus] as a recommender, for a total of $7,750. I truly experienced the greatness of 3M and the sincerity of all the participants.” Seems legitimate.
In April 2016, a scheme called ‘Republic of Bitcoin’ collapsed in Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Investors would receive mavros in exchange for dollars and bitcoins, and the tokens could be converted back to dollars. A farewell message was publicised, informing investors that they will no longer be able to receive all of their money back. According to The Independent, Mavrodi went into hiding at this point as thousands were feared to have lost their savings.
MMM Global then re-emerged in all of these countries at the beginning of 2017, and is currently spreading rapidly, according to a report by Quartz. In the past, it has promised monthly returns of either 30% or 100%, depending on the locale.
Mavrodi is currently wanted for arrest in Russia.
Russia Today says that in Mavrodi’s newest project, he is offering to replace “outdated” cryptocurrency with his own coin, to be launched on the Ethereum platform. This writer thinks that this sounds like an excellent investment opportunity.
Tags: bitcoin / cryptocurrency / mavrodi / ponzi / pyramid / Russia
Huobi Burns 14 Million HT Worth $57 Million
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Home Religion Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps Thanksgiving Psalms
Thanksgiving Psalms
THANKSGIVING PSALMS , common designation for one of the *Dead Sea Scrolls. It was bought in Jerusalem in 1947 by Eleazar Lipa *Sukenik who, from the contents, designated the scroll Hodayot (Heb. הוֹדָיוֹת). Scientifically its registration is 1qh (Cave 1, Qumran, Hodayot). It is now in the Shrine of the Book, Jerusalem.
The Scroll
The leather scroll was in two separate parts. One consisted of three sheets, each with four ink-written columns, the other of approximately 70 fragments, of which 5 formed one sheet with 5 columns, while 3 were the main part of one column. When published in 1955 the text appeared in 18 more or less complete columns and 66 fragments. The length of the scroll is uncertain as is the original sequence of the columns. There are several holes in the leather, and the top and bottom of the columns have disintegrated. This sometimes leads to uncertainty about the length of the individual poems of which the text consists, because the end and beginning of poems may have been located in the weathered away parts. Often it is possible with reasonable certainty to reconstruct the missing text, especially by means of fragments from a second manuscript from Cave 4. The scroll was written by at least two scribes working more or less accurately. The change is distinct in col. 11:22. In several cases the text was corrected first by the scribes or by later correctors. The script is Hebrew square characters, except that El (God) sometimes is in the old cursive script. Paleographically the scroll is considered to date from the 1st century b.c.e.
Because of the Scroll's fragmentary character it is impossible to tell the number of poems it contains. In columns 1–18 something like 30–35 poems may be represented varying in length from 8 to 50–60 lines. There are no headings, the division being marked only by a blank space. The majority of the poems begin with the introductory formula: "I thank Thee, O Lord" (or: "my God"), the rest: "Blessed be Thou, O Lord." In col. 5:20 the words: "I thank Thee" have been corrected to "Blessed be Thou." To judge from the contents, the two formulas do not signify different psalm groups. The substance is thanks to God for the salvation He has bestowed upon mankind, which is perceived as totally distinct from God. Radically man is described as sinful by nature; he is formed of clay and kneaded with water (1:21; 3:21), and returns to dust (10:4, 12:36); he is carnal (15:21; 18:23), born of a woman (13:14). The concept of sin does not concern only the external side but comprises man's whole existence, even spirit and heart being perverted (3:21; 7:27). Man cannot justify himself (1:25), and has no right before God (7:28; 9:14ff.). Natural man cannot comprehend God nor proclaim His glory (12:30), his heart and ears being dust and uncircumcised (18:4, 20, 24). Man's destiny is entirely governed by God (15:13, 22), and he can do nothing apart from the will of God (10:5ff.). As distinct from man, God is the almighty creator (1:13f.; 15:13f.). From His foreknowledge and foreordination He has established the activities of creation (1:7), and appointed the destiny of man (15:13f.), even man's thoughts (9:12, 30). His wisdom is unlimited (9:17), though incomprehensible for natural man (10:2). Man's only possibility lies in the revelation of God. Those to whom God from His preordination has revealed Himself are able to get insight into God's mysteries (12:20), to sanctify themselves to God (11:10f.), and to praise His name (11:25). They are not identical with the people of Israel – "Israel" does not occur in the preserved text – but are the remnant who accept the revelation, not by their own will but by God's predestination (6:8); they have been cleansed of their guilt by God (3:21). Mankind is thus divided into two groups: the elected who belong to God and for whom there is hope (2:13; 6:6), and the ungodly who are far from God (14:21) and allies of Belial (2:22); with all their might they war against the righteous (5:7, 9, 25). Naturally salvation is only meant for the chosen, and it is significant that it is talked of as a salvation which has already taken place (2:20, 5:18). This concept of man's situation originates in the existence of the religious community in Qumran, and this becomes especially evident in comparing the poems with other Qumran writings, first of all the *Manual of Discipline with which the psalms have dogmatically close similarities. Acceptance into this community is in itself salvation (7:19f.; 18:24, 28). No wonder, therefore, that there is no clear distinction between this and the eschatological salvation. The idea of the resurrection of the righteous is found (6:34), but does not play a great part. Eschatologically the main subject is not the salvation of the righteous but the final destruction of the ungodly. Neither is any stress laid upon messianic expectations. The phraseology of col. 3:13–18 is greatly influenced by late Jewish messianic expectations, and is often believed to describe the coming into the world of the Messiah. But even here there is no description of any messianic activities, and the main point is the usual description of the ruins of ungodliness.
Relations to the Bible
The dependence upon biblical literature, which is significant for the Qumran literature, is especially valid for the Thanksgiving Psalms. They have sometimes been indicated as a mere mosaic of biblical quotations; this is a misinterpretation. Direct references to biblical texts and authors, as in the New Testament, are never found, and only col. 2:29f. can be called a proper quotation (Ps. 26:12). In some cases the wording is so general and frequently found that it is hardly due to literary dependence, but rather to usage of traditional religious language. But apart from this the poems often allude to and rely on biblical passages. Sometimes expressions of similar meaning or wording from scattered places in the Bible are combined into a meaningful piece of writing. This is no dull imitation, but indicates to how great an extent the community in Qumran felt itself tied to biblical tradition. The Bible was read and interpreted from the community's own existence; those enlightened by the revelation of God would understand that the holy writings originally referred to the community and its history. But this point of view should not be misinterpreted; it has often been assumed that from the wording of the texts one could extract an explicit account of the history of the community and its founder and leaders. Col. 4:8f., e.g., reads "But they have expelled me from my country like a bird from its nest, and all my friends and relatives have been driven from me, and they esteem me as a broken vessel"; this has commonly been taken to refer to the author's fleeing from Jerusalem under the persecution of the priesthood. The source in this case is evidently Psalms 31:12f., but similar expressions occur elsewhere in biblical Psalms as traditional material for portrayals of misery. One must avoid reading into the texts. Poetical literature should not be treated like historical or juridical literature; it follows its own regulations, and must allow for biblical phraseology being used to a wide extent as images and symbols. Naturally the poems first of all borrow from the biblical Psalms. Next come the prophetic writings, and especially Isaiah, whereas the Torah is used proportionally rarely. From a stylistic point of view the poems are dependent upon the biblical Psalms with their different motives of complaint, thanksgiving, confidence, repentance, and prayer, but there is a marked loosening of the classical composition, as is also the case in other late Jewish psalm literature, e.g., Psalms of *Solomon. The term "Thanksgiving Psalms" should not be confused with the biblical thanksgiving psalms, which belong in a specific situation and follow fixed stylistic rules. Most of the Qumran psalms may well be termed thanksgivings, or, even better, hymns, but they are strongly influenced by motives of misery, complaint, and prayer as a result of the dualistic attitude to life in the community.
Use of the Psalms
While it is nowadays commonly accepted that the biblical Psalms were originally created for cultic purposes in the Temple, it is mostly assumed that the late Jewish Psalm literature, including the Thanksgiving Psalms, had no such function, but was "private" poetry expressing personal misery or happiness, or else was meant for spiritual and didactic edification. This, however, is no necessary alternative; the biblical Psalms were in later times used for edification and instruction along with their use in the Temple service. One has to reckon on the possibility of the Qumran psalms, or at least some of them, being used in the divine services in Qumran. This is especially valid for the poems in cols. 14, 16, and 17, which seem to refer to the community's internal life in an almost "technical" way. They may have been used as liturgies in the annual feast for renewal of the covenant, at which also new members were initiated into the community, which is expressly stated in cols. 1–2 in the Manual of Discipline. It is significant that the dependence upon biblical literature is much less marked in these liturgies.
Literary Origin
Neither in the poems themselves, nor in the other Dead Sea Scriptures, is any direct or indirect information given as to the authorship of the psalms or of the time and place of their composition, and one therefore has to judge from the contents. Mostly the whole collection has been considered to be an original literary unit with a single author, whose identity was to be sought in the "I" constantly occurring as the subject, and whose history of misery and suffering was told in the poems (e.g., 2:10f., 4:8ff., 6:19ff). Frequently this person has been identified with the *Teacher of Righteousness, or, possibly, some other leading personality within the community. There are, admittedly, passages in which "I" is talked of in such personal modes of expression in relation to the community (e.g., 4:23f.; 7:20f.; 8:21ff.), that it is reasonable to interpret them in terms of some leading individual. But even in these cases there is no clear indication of such a person being identical with the Teacher of Righteousness. And generally "I" occurs in such a way that it hardly can represent any single historic person, but is to be understood collectively in terms of the community and its individual members. Again in this respect the Thanksgiving Psalms belong to a tradition which goes back to the biblical Psalms, in which the "I" is not to be understood as referring to an individual author but to those who at any time take the psalm into their mouth. Nothing indicates that "I" in these late psalms should not be understood in the same way.
It cannot even be proved either that all the psalms originate from the same author, or that they date from the same time and place. Study of these poems shows that their apparent uniformity is not substantial. They express the same doctrines, but in style, phraseology, and vocabulary, as well as in their relation to biblical literature there are so many variations that it is reasonable to assume different authors. The majority of the psalms seem to presuppose the existence of the community; but some of them are so general in their expressions that they could well date from a time when the pious individuals had not yet segregated themselves as a separate religious group in Qumran. The only certainty is that this manuscript dates from the first century b.c.e. But the existence of another manuscript in Cave 4 may indicate that this may not be an original, but copies of earlier manuscripts.
E.L. Sukenik, Dead Sea Scrolls of the Hebrew University (1955); J. Licht, Megillat ha-Hodayot (1957); Dupont-Sommer, in: Semitica, 7 (1957); S. Holm-Nielsen, Hodayot, Psalms from Qumran (1960); M. Mansoor, Thanksgiving Hymns (1961).
[Svend Holm-Nielsen]
"Thanksgiving Psalms." Encyclopaedia Judaica. . Encyclopedia.com. 16 Jul. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"Thanksgiving Psalms." Encyclopaedia Judaica. . Encyclopedia.com. (July 16, 2019). https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thanksgiving-psalms
"Thanksgiving Psalms." Encyclopaedia Judaica. . Retrieved July 16, 2019 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thanksgiving-psalms
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Cyber Security in the Manufacturing Sector
Emerging trends in technology have brought significant innovation in products, manufacturing processes and industrial ecosystem relationships.
Manufacturers are in the middle of one of the most exciting technological upheavals of recent years, in what has become known as the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0. Manufacturing is the key industry behind innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, sensor technology, automation and smart products.
The complex environments for manufacturers vary from on-premises network to mobile, cloud-based or hybrid infrastructure. However, this accelerating pace of change in manufacturing industry can have a huge impact on the complexity of cyber security risks associated with business processes.
Top Cyber Threats in Manufacturing Sector:
According to Kaspersky, manufacturing companies were the most vulnerable to cyber attacks in the first half of 2017. The majority of these manufacturing companies produced materials, equipment and goods.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) listed in its study that the average cost per cyber attack on UK companies was £1,570 for all companies and £19,600 for larger organisations. The top cyber threats facing manufacturing industry are as follows:
Theft of intellectual property
Phishing, pharming and other related variants
Increasing sophistication and proliferation of threats
Security breaches involving third parties
Employee errors and omissions
External financial fraud involving information systems
Employee abuse of IT systems and information
Mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets)
Attacks exploiting mobile network vulnerabilities
Security in Manufacturing Sector:
Manufacturing is a large and diverse sector. The five business objectives for manufacturing sector developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for identifying and managing cyber security risks can be identified as Maintaining Human Safety, Maintaining Environmental Safety, Maintaining Quality of Product, Maintaining Production Goals, and Maintaining Trade Secrets.
In the face of ever increasing cyber security issues, manufacturing firms must respond to threats and vulnerabilities to stay operational and protect information from unauthorized access. The manufacturing companies can take following measures to improve their security:
Increasing the cyber security awareness in top leadership and among workforce
Performing a risk assessment on enterprise, connected products and networks to identify the possible vulnerabilities and how they could be exploited to launch cyber attacks
Sharing the results of risk assessment with leadership and recommending strategies to secure critical assets for reducing the impact of possible attacks
Evaluating business investments in manufacturing technologies such as IoT and connected products to determine if appropriate cyber security measures are being taken
Protecting the data as it resides in the organization and evaluating its changing risk profile
Assessing the risks arising from industrial ecosystem relationships and third parties
Employing monitoring mechanisms that can be effectively deployed and used to monitor cyber security capabilities
Preparing for cyber threats by simulating possible attacks and focusing on incident preparedness
Responding and taking counter measures to restore the system to its working condition if a security breach occurs
Author: Muhammad Kazim, University of Derby
Muhammad Kazim is a doctoral candidate in Cyber Security at the University of Derby. His research interests include cloud security, networks security and distributed systems.
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Eastern welcomes new faculty members
Wilburton, OK (Aug. 29, 2014) - Three new faculty members have joined the staff at Eastern Oklahoma State College and are teaching classes this fall.
Kellye Semeski, an Eastern alumnus, is teaching computer information systems (CIS). Semeski has been an adjunct professor for Eastern for nine years, teaching computer applications at the McAlester campus. She earned a master’s degree in technology education from East Central University and previously taught technology engineering for McAlester Public Schools. Semeski began her career teaching web mastering and computer application courses at Centennial High School in Frisco, Tex. Semeski’s husband, Jason, is also an EOSC alumnus and they have a six-year-old daughter, Kynlee.
Crystal Ahrens is an instructor for the Agriculture Department where she will teach animal science. In addition to teaching, Ahrens also serves as a Livestock Judging Coach. After obtaining her bachelor of science degree in agriculture, food and life science from the University of Arkansas, Ahrens went to graduate school at Tarleton State University. At Tarleton, she received her master’s degree in agriculture and did research on the effects of mechanical tenderization on meat. Ahrens was a teaching assistant at Tarleton and was later an instructor at Garden City Community College. At Garden City, she was an animal and food science instructor and organized weekly training courses with business and community leaders.
Dr. Jennifer Edwards is teaching English in the Language, Humanities and Education Department. Dr. Edwards is a recent graduate of Oklahoma State University where she earned a Ph.D. in English. She also served as the associate editor of the literary journal “The Cimarron Review.” Previously, she earned her master’s degree in English and bachelor’s in English and French from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio from where she hails originally.
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Home About us ... Company 1918
Consequences of the merger with SAT
In the summer of 1918, L M Ericsson and Stockholms Allmänna Telefonaktiebolag (SAT) merged. The new company, Allmänna Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson, received a substantial capital contribution over the next few years, as the Swedish government paid nearly SEK 50 million for the telephone operations of SAT's subsidiary, AB Stockholmstelefon. This increase in capital was extremely important for the company, particularly in view of the fact that the huge losses in Russia were written off over the following years. According to one estimate, total losses in Russia for the newly merged Ericsson amounted to SEK 80 million.
The merger also enriched the business through the combination of other assets. Patents from the two companies were integrated, which had a major impact on the development of the 500-switch then in progress, for example. Expertise in both equipment manufacturing and telephone operations was also combined. This greatly benefited not only equipment manufacturing operations, but also for that part of operations undergoing rapid growth in the 1920s in which the company operated telephone networks under concessions.
But combining the two companies also meant the start of new problems. When SAT's founder H T Cedergren died in 1909, ownership of SAT was transferred in large part to a foundation and to his family. With the merger in 1918, this ownership block came to have a controlling interest. Furthermore, the shares had in turn been pledged as collateral for participation in new share issues. When the Ericsson share was then written down as a result of losses in Russia, the loans became burdensome for the foundation and for Cedergren's family. These economic pressures resulted in the sale of these shareholdings in 1925 to Karl Henrik Wincrantz with Ivar Kreuger as a silent partner and owner. In this manner, Ericsson in late-1920s was increasingly drawn into Kreuger's financial sphere, which would later create considerable turmoil in the company.
Finally, the merger can also be seen as an important event from an even longer perspective. SAT's sale of telephone operations in Stockholm and the simultaneous merger with Ericsson was important because it created a more consolidate structure in the Swedish telephone industry. On the one hand, there was now Televerket, the Swedish PTT, which in principle had a monopoly on telephone services in Sweden, while the newly merged Ericsson was a company that manufactured telecommunications equipment and was active as a telephone operator outside Sweden.
This meant less competition between Ericsson and Televerket. Instead, Televerket became a more important customer for Ericsson, with intensive joint development work as a result. The events in 1918 thus laid the foundation for a long period of development cooperation with the state-owned monopoly in Swedish telephony that followed. This was an era that would only slowly close during the final decades of the century.
Author: Claes-Fredrik Helgesson
Minutes from the statutory shareholders meeting of Allmänna Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, held on the premises of the Association of Swedish Technology Students, 19 Jakobsgatan, Stockholm on the 18th of July 1918.
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Nepal's Sher Bahadur Deuba. File photo by Ashishlohorung, Wikimedia Commons.
Nepal: Delaying Tactics Of Deuba Unjustified – Analysis
January 16, 2018 SAAG 0 Comments
By SAAG
By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan
It is more than a month since the elections under the new constitution took place. Still, there appears to be no immediate chance of the new government being formed. It may take another month or even more and as one commentator said that perhaps it may need a third Andolan to get a federal government in place.
The problem is two fold
First, is the built in procedural difficulties in forming the new government with both the parliament and the national assembly in place to elect a new Prime minister and
Second, is the apparent reluctance on the part of present Prime Minister- Sher Bahadur Deuba to leave office soon after the elections and instead stay as long as possible using the current provisions in the Constitution which unfortunately are too complicated!
What is more, it is noticed that the Nepali Congress is using this time in trying to form an alternative government other than UML which has convincingly won the elections, by approaching Maoist Centre Chief Dahal to head the government. For once, Dahal appears to have respected the popular will and verdict of the electorate. He declined to leave the Leftist Alliance and surprisingly, he said that it will not be appropriate morally as well as politically.
Talking of morals, it cannot be denied that the Nepali Congress had once upon a time set up high standards of morals in Nepali politics. I recall B.P.Koirala much to the consternation of many of his admirers, in taking no time in welcoming the verdict of the referendum held for the people to choose between multi party democracy and the Panchayat system with appropriate reforms. Koirala knew and everyone else knew that the election in the referendum was rigged to favour the Panchayat system and yet he followed the rules.
It is not without reason that some of the stalwarts in the Nepali Congress like K.P.Bhattarai, Ganesh Man Singh or the then youth leader Marshal Zulum spent years in jail fighting for democracy. Yet Deuba and some of his advisers of the Nepali Congress do not seem to be following the democratic norms in handing over charge peacefully, once the electorate had rejected them.
Built in Delays
First, is the delay in forming the National Assembly. Since it is the first time that the assembly is being formed under the constitution, 56 members are to be elected for two, four and six years ( terms to be decided by a lottery initially). There was delay in the President approving the ordinance that recommended the mode of election by SVT ( single vote transfer) and that would favour the Nepali Congress. With the ordinance having been approved, it now appears that the Election Commission would need at least a month to conduct the elections. February 7 th has been tentatively fixed for the elections.
Separately, the Election Commission will have to declare the elected representatives under the PR system. Some of the parties have just sent the list and adjustments will have to be made for proper gender representation, etc.
Infrastructure Arrangements for Provincial Assemblies not in Place
More important, no proper infrastructure arrangements have been made for the seven provincial assemblies. First will be the appointment of Chief Executives fo the provinces and only then can the Election Commission send the list to the respective executives for the elected members to take charge. Then comes a more tricky and controversial issue- selecting temporary headquarters for the new provinces.
Deuba without consulting the other four political parties is said to have decided on the temporary capitals but someone in his office leaked the details. Result- violent protests and serious law and order in some of the places left out in this selection!
The decision of the committee formed by Deuba are said to be:
Province 1. Gothgaum of Biratnagar. (Not Dhankuta as many wanted )
Province 2. Janakpur
Province 3. Thimi
Province 4. Pokhara
Province 5. Dang
Province 6 Surkhet
Province & Deepayal ( not Dhangadi as many would like to have)
Deuba had a meeting with the representatives of other political parties for the first time on 4th January. Since no consensus was reached, it is said that Deuba would go ahead unilaterally in appointing the chief Executives of the provinces and in deciding the temporary capitals for the provinces. This will give rise to further protests affecting seriously the law and order situation. It should be possible to reach a consensus.
Merger Blues
As expected, the merger process of the two leftist parties is taking time. The rank and file of the UML appear to be in no position to accept Dahal as the chairman of the new party. The two senior party leaders Oli of UML and Dahal of Maoist Centre have been entrusted with the task of merger and decide on the merger road map.
Earlier, the two parties had decided to a “Joint Mechanism” for unification led by Dahal with both parties remaining in tact- The mechanism would decide on the unification process and other joint decisions of the alliance wherever necessary.
It was only on 8th January that the two leaders met ( Oli and Dahal) to discuss the modalities of unitfication. It is not known yet as to what transpired between them but what is said is that the merger process will be decided very soon. This means that there are differences between the two on the unification process! While there may not be any problem in power sharing, it looks that actual merger of the two parties is not going to be easy. It may end up in two distinct units working in unison in running the government.
The Madhesi Parties
It is not clear as to what both the Madhesi groups FSPN and RJPN are up to. On the one hand, both groups along with the Nepali Congress leader K.P. Situala had approached the Maoist leader Dahal to form a government with their support. Situala was the Home Minister during the turbulent days in post Jana Andolan 2 period and had dealt with the Maoist leaders in that capacity. Upendra Yadav of FSPN is also said to be close to the Maoist leader Dahal. But both the parties have not distinguished themselves well in trying to go against the people’s mandate and take away what is due to the UML to lead the government
With Dahal having declined the offer, both the Madhesi groups have now approached the UML to take a softer stand towards constitutional amendment in return for support to the government led by UML. By such contradictory approaches the groups may fall between the two stools and get nothing finally!
The Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress having lost the elections appear to be in a desperate situation. The leaders are disappointed and many of the stalwarts lost the elections from constituencies which have elected them regularly. They were perhaps overconfident.
The Nepali Congress has a long history with democratic credentials in spite of being dominated by the Koirala family. There is an enormous reservoir of goodwill for the party from the people. Their share of voting from the point of view of percentage has not dwindled and the present decision of the electorate to opt for a leftist alliance should be taken more as an aberration and there is scope to survive and emerge stronger in the days to come.
The party lost the election by poor leadership, absence of a workable strategy and above all by poor performance when in power. Internally they were not united.The party needs an introspection and a thorough re haul and senior leaders who have lost their relevance should give way to younger and more active elements in the party. The party will continue to be relevant.
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SAAG is the South Asia Analysis Group, a non-profit, non-commercial think tank. The objective of SAAG is to advance strategic analysis and contribute to the expansion of knowledge of Indian and International security and promote public understanding.
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Final Crisis #2 of 7, by Grant Morrison & J.G. Jones (DC)
Madame Xanadu #1, by Matt Wagner & Amy Reeder Hadley (DC/Vertigo)
Hulk #4, by Jeph Loeb Ed McGuinness & Dexter Vines (Marvel)
Fire and Brimstone #1 of 3 (?), by Richard Moore (Antarctic)
The Clockwork Girl #4 of 4, by Sean O’Reilly, Kevin Hanna & Grant Bond (Arcana)
B.P.R.D.: The Ectoplasmic Man, by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi & Ben Stenbeck (Dark Horse)
Final Crisis #2 is getting some great reviews in the blogosphere. Which just goes to show how much tastes differ, since two issues in I’m pretty well bored with the series. Certainly the book being grounded in Jack Kirby’s Fourth World characters doesn’t help, since as I’ve said before I’ve never found them interesting, and this story has all the hallmarks of yet another scheme by Darkseid.
This issue opens with a tedious sequence in Japan, which nearly put me to sleep during the montage on pages 2 and 3. The rest of the scene felt like a warmed-over scene from one of Warren Ellis’ Stormwatch issues, truly a scene where it felt like Morrison was phoning it in, yet other bloggers enjoyed the scene immensely. This is followed by a series of 1- or 2-page scenes: Terrible Turpin on the trail of some missing kids, a completely pointless triptich page with the JLA at the funeral of the comrade who was killed in issue #1, the villain Libra trying to persuade other villains to join him, and concocting his next scheme.
Then we get to the other extended sequence, in which the JLA, Green Lanterns and an Alpha Lantern investigate the death of the New God Orion, in which the murderer is suggested (using the clichéd “You think you know who it is but their face is obscured you you can’t be sure” mechanism), followed by an encounter between Batman and the apparent link to Darkseid which goes badly for Bats. This sequence would be the high point of the issue if the Darkseid element hadn’t intruded on it, making me lose interest all over again. This leads into another Turpin scene in which he ends up at the villains’ base, which ties the Darkseid threads together, and then a scene with the execution of Libra’s new scheme.
The final scene involves the Flashes (Jay Garrick and Wally West) investigating a clue in Orion’s murder, which leads into the issue’s big reveal and cliffhanger, although one that’s been well-known on the Web for weeks. Unfortunately the natural reaction to this for anyone who’s read many DC comics over the last 15 years is, “What, this again???” A big shrug is in order at this point, along with the thought that there are only 5 issues left, which might be 3 too many.
Final Crisis so far could be summed up as “big ideas writ small”; it’s Morrison taking his “big threats for big heroes” approach to writing JLA and shrinking them down, sucking the drama and excitement and fun out of them, and sprinkling them in small scenes to rob them of any remaining sense of wonder they might have. Artist J.G. Jones is quite good, but his strength are his character renderings, which are far more suitable for a character-and-dialogue-driven book, not a superhero “event” series, which makes the book have a subdued look to go along with its low-impact story.
I can’t figure out what DC Editorial or Grant Morrison were thinking in putting this together. It seems like the best-case scenario for Final Crisis is that the first two issues turn out to be largely superfluous and that the series heads off in some different, more exciting direction for the last 5 issues. But so far this series is making its predecessor Infinite Crisis look like a well-written, well-considered landmark event. It’s bad stuff.
Madame Xanadu is the new Vertigo title, whose heroine is an obscure DC character. I picked it up mainly because Matt Wagner is writing it, and because the art by Amy Reeder Hadley looks pretty nifty. I’d expected it would cover some of her backstory but otherwise work with the character in the present day and move her story (whatever it is) forward. However, the whole issue concerns the character’s earliest origins, in which she’s a figure in the King Arthur stories. It’s not a bad story, and the art is quite nice, but these days stories focusing on looking backwards at a character’s past don’t really interest me (I skip Wagner’s Grendel stories featuring the Hunter Rose character for much the same reason). So if that’s all this series is going to be, I’m not going to stick with it for long.
Fire and Brimstone is the new series by Richard Moore, who I guess is taking a break from Boneyard. The premise is that there’s an angel-and-devil due who have been tasked with bringing back to hell a host of demons they inadvertently released into the world millennia ago. Basically, a supernatural odd couple. Moore’s art is spot-on as always, and he’s always a charming writer, but this first issue feels like fluff. Amusing, but lacking the weight of Boneyard or his earlier series, Far West. But maybe Moore will surprise me with the rest of the series.
I was pretty enthusiastic about The Clockwork Girl when it started, but it ended up being much lighter than I’d expected. It focused far more on Huxley the “animal boy” than it did on Tesla the clockwork girl. The concluding issue of the mini-series features a clichéd life-threatening situation, a noble sacrifice, and an improbable reconciliation between the two main characters’ creators. It felt like a mid-grade Disney film, actually. I guess the book is really aimed at kids, and I can see that they might enjoy it, but it didn’t deliver much nuance for adult readers.
Really nice artwork by Grand Bond and Kevin Hanna, though.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 28 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Comic BooksTags Final Crisis, Fire and Brimstone, Madame Xanadu, The Clockwork Girl1 Comment on This Week’s Haul
George Carlin on Baseball vs. Football
This will come as no surprise to anyone, but my favorite routine by the late George Carlin is his bit on baseball vs. football.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 23 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Baseball, HumorLeave a comment on George Carlin on Baseball vs. Football
The Brave and the Bold #14, by Mark Waid & Scott Kolins (DC)
Ex Machina #37, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris & Jim Clark (DC/Wildstorm)
Tangent: Superman’s Reign #4 of 12, by Dan Jurgens, Jamal Ingle & Robin Riggs, and Ron Marz, Fernando Pasarin & Matt Banning (DC)
Guardians of the Galaxy #2, by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Paul Pelletier & Rick Magyar (Marvel)
RASL #2, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
Sparks #1 of 6, by Chris Folino & J.M. Ringuet (Catastrophic)
Dynamo 5: Moments of Truth vol 2 TPB, by Jay Faerber & Mahmud A. Asrar (Image)
Several clever things in Guardians of the Galaxy #2: First, a nice bit of redirection regarding what Captain America’s shield is doing in an ice meteor in the middle of space. Second, a nifty explanation of why the team is going to be named “Guardians of the Galaxy”, even though the term was originally applied to a team in the future. Ending up with a face-off with the guys I presume will be the main heavies in the title, at least to start with. Pretty good stuff, and not too heavy-handed. This title is looking better than I’d thought a month ago
If RASL #1 was disappointing for being nothing but set-up, issue #2 is a huge step forward in advancing the story and explaining what’s going on. We find out what RASL is (although not what it means), what the main character is doing (he’s moving between dimensions), and get some hints of both his backstory and who’s chasing him. So it’s got me hooked and I’m looking forward to where Smith takes all this. Bone was uneven at times, but ultimately it was a lot of fun even if it dragged in places. RASL is shaping up to be a completely different sort of story, and it’s exciting to see an artist as talented as Smith following up on his magnum opus with something that looks equally promising (quite different in that regard from Dave Sim’s Glamourpuss).
Sparks is the first book from Catastrophic Comics, which seems like a “tempting fate” name for a company, but it’s also founded by William Katt, who played the title role in the old TV show The Greatest American Hero. Although it seems like Catastrophic’s publicity has mainly revolved around Katt’s name, he’s neither the writer nor the artist (nor, for that matter, the editor), although he is credited as the creator of the series, along with writer Chris Folino.. But it’s not clear what his involvement is beyond that. Still, small matter.
The story concerns the titular character, who grows up believing his calling is to be a superhero, but who has no superpowers. The issue also opens with Sparks showing up at a police station where he says, “I want to report my murder”, though it’s not clear whether he’s actually dead, or just very badly beaten. The rest of the issue is in flashback, where Sparks embarks on his heroing career, finding true love with a superheroine. And then things turn bad.
I’m not quite sure what prompted me to order this book, although I might have just been intrigued by the notion of a dead hero trying to find his own killer. The first issue is okay, though it’s entirely the set-up for the rest of the mini-series. f J.M. Ringuet’s art style is not my thing, I’m afraid; it’s dark and muddy and angular, just not polished or detailed enough for my tastes. So I think any chance this series has to be really good will rest on the story being surprising and fresh. We’ll see.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 22 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Comic BooksTags Guardians of the Galaxy, RASL, Sparks3 Comments on This Week’s Haul
Another Brutal Heat Wave
The Bay Area is suffering through another brutal heat wave. It arrived on Thursday today it only lessened slightly; rather than hitting the high 90s, it peaked at around 92 and stayed there. The only respite has been the occasional cloud that passes over, but it’s still sweltering outside. I actually set ten pounds of ice in a big bowl and put it behind our box fan, and that helped a little bit, but even in our relatively-insulated downstairs it’s in the mid-80s. Upstairs it’s in the 90s, at least.
This would be bad enough, but on top of that Debbi’s still sick. She was laid low by a cold or something on Tuesday, missed two days of work, and although she’s got some of her energy back and her sore throat is gone, she’s now got a terrible cough along with some congestion. We’d though of going to see a movie today (to get their air conditioning), but Debbi was afraid she’d have a coughing fit in the theater. And she’s spent a chunk of the afternoon asleep on the couch.
To add insult to injury, I realized the Red Sox were on TV today, but Daisuke Matsuzaka melted down in the first two innings and the Sox lost to the Cardinals 9-3.
So, a pretty brutal Saturday. I’m hoping it will cool off a little earlier tonight, and that the heat wave will pass tomorrow. Of course, yesterday the weather report thought it would pass today, so I don’t know. Hopefully soon, though.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 21 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories PersonalLeave a comment on Another Brutal Heat Wave
The VORP Flap
There’s a little controversy in the baseball blogosphere regarding the value of the statistic VORP. VORP is a sabermetric statistic which strives to provide a “single number” answer to the question “How good was this baseball player in this season?”
Prompted by an article in the Washington Post, J.C. Bradbury, whose blog Sabernomics I read and enjoy, doesn’t understand why it’s more useful than other metrics, and questions the need for the concept of “replacement level”. Moreover, he finds VORP to be socially exclusive:
I view VORP as an insider language, and by using it you can signal that you are insider. It’s like speaking Klingon at a Star Trek convention. I can signal to others who speak the language that I am one of you. But, the danger of VORP is that once you bring it up the discussion goes down the wrong path as the uninitiated have reason to feel they are being told they are not as smart as the person making the argument. It’s like constantly bringing up the fact that you only listen to NPR or watch the BBC news at dinner parties. The response is likely going to be the same, “well fuck you too, you pretentious asshole!”
I don’t really understand why he finds this such a big deal, especially since in the very same article he tosses out a couple of similarly-advanced concepts, OPS+ and MRP. OPS+ is a very useful stat, but I’d hazard that most people who know what OPS+ is will also be familiar with VORP. (Conversely, if your casual baseball fan doesn’t know what VORP is, it may be a stretch to expect him to know what OPS is, never mind OPS+.)
Like any stat, you don’t so much need to understand the finer points of VORP as just have a feel for what it represents and what its values mean. The key concept is that a VORP of 0 indicates that a player’s hitting is only minimally valuable at his position, and if it were any lower his team would be better off releasing him and calling up practically anyone from the minors instead.
Others have written some excellent posts in response to Bradbury. I especially liked this one by Tangotiger, but this one by Phil Birnbaum has an excellent perspective by putting VORP in economic terms, which is Bradbury’s stock-in-trade.
Admittedly, VORP and other advanced stats are relatively geeky, in that you’re not likely to care unless you’re pretty seriously interested in baseball research. But then, Bradbury’s blog is all about baseball research, so it seems to me that he ought to be comfortable using the more common advanced stats. I guess we all have our limits of how far down the path we want to go – my own eyes start to lose focus when we get around to WXRL – but picking on VORP seems silly to me, since I think it’s a pretty straightforward and intuitive stat. It has its flaws, but then, they all do.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 19 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories BaseballTags SabermetricsLeave a comment on The VORP Flap
Wednesday Gaming
With Subrata busy being a new Dad, we haven’t had gaming for a few weeks. So Monday I sent e-mail to the gang offering to host, and tonight Josh, Ziggy and Valerie came by for our first post-baby gaming session. We played a game of Antike which Josh won, followed by a game of Res Publica which Josh and Ziggy tied at.
I realized as I was bringing down Res Publica that these two games are sort of the two halves of Civilization: Antike is the building-cities-and-moving-armies part, while Res Publica is the acquiring-cards-and-trading part. I find the trading to be the most interesting part of the game, so I have a preference for Res Publica; I think I’d like Antike a little more if it featured a little more conflict than it does. (For what it’s worth, I’ve never really cared for Civilization.)
Whump came by later in the evening to say hi since he was heading home after hitting the comic book store. And the cats came down and said hi to people, especially Josh, whom they know has fed them in the past. So a good time was had by all. I might try hosting every other week for a while, barring other commitments.
On the down side, Debbi has been hit with a nasty illness, with a sore throat and a bad cough, and has been laid up for a couple of days. It really sucks, she’s been miserable. (Though she did get a few hours of Roulette lying on her lap, which is a rarity indeed!) Hopefully another good night’s sleep and she’ll be just about back to normal, but unfortunately it might be a couple more days.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 18 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories PersonalLeave a comment on Wednesday Gaming
Good Time to be a Boston Sports Fan
Last November I had dinner with my friend Bruce, and he told me that he’d bought a 5-game package of Celtics tickets. He said his friends asked him, “What the heck did you go and do that for?” The Celtics have been a mediocre team for a long time, and didn’t seem to have prospects of getting much better anytime soon.
By the time I saw Bruce, the Celtics had already completed the trade for Kevin Garnett, and Bruce said his friends then were saying, “You know, if you don’t think you’re going to use all those tickets, I could take some of them off your hands…” Bruce assured them that he’d be just fine with them.
Seven months later, the Celtics are NBA champs, ending a 22-year drought. I know Bruce got to at least one playoff game, and that he’s a happy guy, a true Boston sports fan. No doubt my friend Rob is a happy camper, too.
I’m not a basketball fan, but when we saw the Celtics were up 30 points (!!) in the third quarter, we ended up watching most of the rest of the game. Even if it’s not your sport, you don’t often get a chance to see a team from your city win a championship.
Well, unless it’s the 21st century and you’re from Boston. With 6 titles among the 4 major sports in this century, it’s a good time to be a Boston sports fan.
Now it’s time for the Bruins to represent, right?
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 17 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories PlacesTags BostonLeave a comment on Good Time to be a Boston Sports Fan
Gunnerkrigg Court
I’m really digging the webcomic Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell. Despite its dark mood, it’s got a great blend of warmth and humor along with some imaginative storylines.
It’s the story of Antimony Carver, a girl who starts school at Gunnerkrigg Court, and the adventures she has. It has robots, ghosts, gods, heroes, faeries, and schoolwork. Annie’s laid-back demeanor is an effective counterpoint to the fantastic things she witnesses. At first I was a little doubtful about Siddell’s artistic chops due to the prdominantly simplistic art style, but this sequence put those concerns to rest. Creepy!
It’s also going to be collected in hardcover, assuming the publisher’s financial problems don’t deep-six it.
A few of my favorite pages in the strip:
This freaky sequence about Zimmy and Gamma, two strange girls I haven’t figured out yet
Antimony and Reynardine sneak into a robot complex
Annie and Kat meet a wizard of some familiarity (guest strip by Ali Graham)
A faerie learning how to be human
Anyway, fun stuff. Check it out.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 17 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Comic StripsTags Gunnerkrigg Court2 Comments on Gunnerkrigg Court
A little late this week:
Action Comics #866, by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank & Jon Sibal (DC)
Booster Gold #10, by Geoff Johns, Jeff Katz, Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund (DC)
Salvation Run #7 of 7, by Matt Stuirges, Sean Chen, Walden Wong & Wayne Faucher (DC)
newuniversal: shockfront #2 of 6, by Warren Ellis, Steve Kuth & Andrew Hennessey (Marvel)
B.P.R.D.: War on Frogs #1, by John Arcudi, Herb Trimpe & Guy Davis (Dark Horse)
Locke & Key #5 of 6, by Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
Invincible #50, by Robert Kirkman & Ryan Ottley (Image)
Geoff Johns’ next major story in Action Comics is “Brainiac” – but which one? Honestly I gave up reading Superman in the early 90s before they had really figured out who the post-Crisis Brainiac was. But it seems like Johns’ goal with his run on this book is to redefine some elements of the Superman mythos. So it looks like Brainiac is back to being an alien who captured the Kryptonian city of Kandor years ago. He appears to be a green alien who operates out of a skull-shaped metal ship. But he also appears to have tangled with Superman before, and operates through robot proxies.
My bet? That the alien in the ship isn’t really Brainiac – he’s probably been captured by the ship itself. Who has Superman fought before? Beats me. Maybe offshoots or other instances of the ship – if it’s a machine who says there has to be only one?
The issue has a fun interlude in which the Daily Planet staff has a meeting. Some of it feels a little forced (okay, mostly I haven’t really liked any portrayals of Steve Lombard since Julie Schwartz retired), but has some funny moments, especially the interplay between Lois and Clark afterwards. (I’m also really glad Lois is back to having black hair; I thought it was ridiculous when John Byrne turned her hair brown.) Superhero comics spend so much time on the action and so little on the characters these days, especially the ones who have secret identities.
As usual, Gary Frank’s art is nifty, although also as usual the backgrounds feel rather sparse. I enjoyed his renditions of the Brainiac robots the most, he’s taken the old Gil Kane designs to a new level.
Salvation Run ends – not really a surprise – with a whimper and not a bang. Several fourth-string super-villains bite the dust, Luthor gets his mad on, and the status quo is restored, except for one character who’s left hanging at the end. It doesn’t mesh very well with Final Crisis, but it also slipped until it shipped after the first issue of that series. Grant Morrison pretty much says that he didn’t factor Countdown or its spin-offs into Final Crisis, which mostly makes DC editorial look like a bunch of chumps, although it’s difficult to shed any tears over Countdown, which as I’ve said was pretty much a complete disaster of a series. It makes the end of Salvation Run seem even more superfluous.
I’ve been an admirer of Sean Chen’s artwork in the past, but his work on this series was pretty mediocre: Not much detail, and I don’t think his renditions of Luthor and the Joker are very true. I don’t know if he was rushed, of if his inkers were just not good matches for him, but it was pretty disappointing. Especially since he left Nova to do this series. Sadly, with the art factored in, this series ended up being pretty much a waste of time.
This ClanDestine mini-series felt like a straightforward continuation of the old series, which is awkward since it’s been over a decade since the first series came out, and it didn’t last very long, so I imagine there weren’t many people scrambling on board to read it. And I guess it didn’t do very well in the sales department. Moreover, it brought back the old Alan Davis X-Men team Excalibur and otherwise rehashed a villain from the first series, and also the background of Adam Destine, complete with the requisite deus-ex-machina (since Adam is pretty much a walking deus-ex-machina).
All of which made this series something of a “shrug”, albeit an extremely well-drawn “shrug”. It ends with a teaser for a third series which I’d be much more interested in reading, but I bet the sales won’t cause Marvel to rush out to publish it. Alas, I think the time for ClanDestine passed some time ago.
The Twelve is shaping up to be one of J. Michael Straczynski’s best comics works, behind Midnight Nation. This is not strong praise on its own, since you may have noticed that I’ve been lukewarm-at-best towards all the other Straczynski comics I’ve read, but in this case I’m actually enjoying the book quite a bit. It helps that the art team of Weston and Leach have given the book a visual look unlike most other mainstream comics, with details and character designs few other artists at the big two can match.
The first six issues of the series have mostly been character spotlights, showing what makes each member of the Twelve tick, and how they react to being thrown from the end days of World War II to the 21st century. Not all of the characters are interesting – Mister E, for instance, is pretty much a nonentity – but some of them are quite good, and Straczynski has thrown in a few enjoyable twists, especially regarding Dynamic Man and – in this issue – Rockman. I was also satisfied with the explanation for my concern about Electro, which I expressed in my review of issue #1.
I think these first six issues have set the tone for the series and put all the pieces in place, and now I expect the second six will bring things together into a unified story, presumably as one or more of the characters either end up being a threat, or being not what they seem to be. Or maybe in some other way. Regardless, pulling everyone into a single story and not leaving them with twelve separate threads will be the difference between the success or the failure of this series, I think. Although admittedly Straczynski could surprise us all and do something unexpected yet still fascinating. His track record in comics writing doesn’t suggest that that’s likely, however.
Really, The Twelve is the latest series to follow the Watchmen approach to super-team storytelling: Take us through the backgrounds and circumstances of a group of individual characters, and then bring them together at the end. James Robinson’s The Golden Age worked in a similar manner. Even after 20 years, it’s still not a very common approach to superhero comics, so it still feels relatively fresh whenever it pops up. That’s probably a big part of why I’m enjoying The Twelve.
Invincible really might be the best superhero comic being published – as it pretty much claims on the cover – even on the erratic schedule it’s been on recently. It reaches #50 this month, marking another turning point in a series which has had plenty of them, as Invincible cuts ties with his government boss in a rather bloody manner.
Invincible is great for so many reason: The main character is a through-and-through hero, which is refreshing these days, even if he does have his flaws and foibles. He means well, and he usually does well, and people respect him for that. The supporting cast vary widely, and few of them are out-and-out villains, usually with personal motivations which make them sometimes do good, and sometimes behave suspiciously. Alliances shift, and characters change and develop. And that’s the best thing: Even though it’s an ongoing, open-ended story, there’s a definite sense of change and progress unlike almost any other superhero book out there. You never know what’s going to happen next, but when it does it’s usually both exciting and it makes sense.
Artist Ryan Ottley keeps up with Kirkman’s script wonderfully, with dramatic action sequences, different-looking characters, and a colorful world. In some ways his art reminds me of Michael Avon Oeming (of Powers), but I think Ottley balances the realistic and the cartoony much better.
50 issues under their belt, and Kirkman still has plenty of irons in the fire for this character. Here’s hoping the next 50 are just as much fun.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 16 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Comic BooksTags Clandestine, Invincible, Salvation Run, Superman, The TwelveLeave a comment on This Week’s Haul
Alastair Reynolds: House of Suns
House of Suns
by Alastair Reynolds
HC, Gollancz, © 2008, 473 pp, ISBN 978-0-575-07717-1
Another year, another novel from Alastair Reynolds – which would be a blithe comment without also mentioning that whenever he publishes a new book, I buy the UK hardcover and drop whatever else I’m reading to read it. Yes, he’s that good: Even his weakest novels are packed with evocative settings and cool ideas. House of Suns is one of his better novels.
A framing sequence (of sorts) set hundreds of years in the future sets the backdrop, in which some rich and inquisitive humans cloned themselves a thousand times and set up family “lines” by sending each clone (“shatterling”) out on their own starship, in advance of the rest of humanity reaching the stars. The bulk of the novel takes place millions of years in the future: There’s no faster-than-light travel, but ships can near lightspeed, which combined with life-extension and hibernation technologies means that the members of the lines have lived for centuries (maybe millennia) of personal time, stretched to those millions of years via their travels.
The protagonists of the story are two members of the Gentian Line, Campion and Purslane, who have violated their line’s conventions by travelling together and becoming romantically involved (heterosexual – the clones are not exact). Campion is impulsive while Purslane is more measured and thoughtful. The Gentian Line travels the galaxy gathering information, and meets once every galactic cycle (!) to exchange that data. In between they accumulate wealth by constructing “stardams” – manipulating ringworlds left by the Priors – an extinct earlier civilization – to enclose dangerous objects – like exploding suns – for the protection of others. The backdrop also includes the Vigilance – a computer swarm observing the galaxy on its own – and the Absence – a black spot where the Andromeda Galaxy used to be.
Campion and Purslane are late to the line’s next gathering, which is good for them since someone else decided to come in and obliterate the Gentian Line. The survivors retreat to a world called Neume. Campion and Purslane had taken on a robot companion named Hesperus who had helped them during the disaster, but who was badly damaged. Two other robots, Cadence and Cascade, are also present as guests of the Line, and are doubtful he can be repaired, but Hesperus had left a final request to be given to the Spirit of the Air, a powerful machine entity which lives on Neume.
Their personal considerations aside, Campion and Purslane also get caught up in the Line’s family politics, which have become especially messy in the wake of the disaster, especially with prisoners to interrogate. Their only clues are the name “House of Suns”, a reference to a Line no one’s ever heard of, and the indication that Campion is somehow the catalyst of the attack, though no one can understand how.
As you can see, House of Suns starts out big and just gets bigger from there, with massive technology at the hands of the heroes, but even more massive technology out there to be discovered. Little of this tech is particularly new to a science fiction reader, but Reynolds deploys it in new combinations and in interesting ways; the wonder in the novel is much more about scale than about kind, and a reminder that sheer scale can still be amazing even after all the SF that’s been written before. (Of course, this does beg the question: After using ringworlds as merely materials in a larger project, and making galaxies disappear, can Reynolds come up with an encore in the theme of scale? It might be wiser if he doesn’t try.)
The “framing sequence” which opens each of the book’s parts is eerie but somewhat disappointing. It provides some insight into how the Gentian Line got started, and is also an allegory of sorts for the main story, but I found the connection between the two to be too tenuous to be really satisfying. I’d hoped for something more concrete linking the two stories.
But that sequence is a small part of the whole book, and the main story is much more rewarding. The focus is on political machinations and the mystery and suspense of the attack on the Line rather than on depth of character, but I also felt there was enough characterization to feel realistic. In particular, the loyalty of Campion and Purslane to Hesperus was at times touching, and Campion’s friction with the other shatterlings feels realistic. Although the narration alternates between the two, Campion always feels like the more interesting of the pair, probably because he has more foibles in his personality. The book might have had additional depth had it been written as a rite of passage or growth for Campion’s character, although that would have left out many excellent scenes which are seen only by Purslane.
The world building is excellent, as it usually is in a Reynolds novel: The sense of history and of a myriad of human cultures, and of their comings and goings as perceived by the Shatterlings is all very well portrayed. The Lines naturally feel a little superior to everyone else since they tend to outlive them, but are occasionally reminded that they’re not the only sharks in the sea, and they’re not perfect either. Though it takes a while for the mystery to draw out, there’s plenty of stuff happening and being revealed to keep the reader entertained; although the book is long, it’s rarely dull.
I found the ending to be a satisfying wrapping up of all the various threads, even if the final chapter did end rather abruptly. Reynolds also comes up with a satisfying rationale for the actions of some of the superhuman entities flying around, one which suggests that sometimes our fears are worse than the reality, but that we’re rarely willing to go out on a limb and risk finding out if that’s really true.
Although I didn’t find House of Suns to be quite as good as Chasm City, or its universe to be quite as richly textured as the Revelation Space universe, I still think it lands in the upper echelon of Reynolds’ novels. Although the sheer sense of wonder is its big selling point, it holds together as a story, too.
Author Michael RawdonPosted on 13 June 2008 1 December 2009 Categories Reviews, Science Fiction & FantasyTags Alastair ReynoldsLeave a comment on Alastair Reynolds: House of Suns
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#FFC62C
10 Eco-Friendly Business Practices
Going green is bringing small businesses major cost savings on monthly utilities and other expenses, and it’s easier than ever to get started. Even small initiatives can have big returns for the business and the environment.1 A 2014 study by the McKinsey Institute found that, though the dollars-and-cents ROI of going green might be difficult to quantify because cost-savings are spread out across departments, the real benefit lies in how acting to conserve resources changes both your public image and internal culture. About 44% of surveyed business owners said within the first year, they were already reaping the benefits of environmentally conscious actions.2
The even better news is, you can start small; you don’t have to have a state-of-the-art eco-friendly office to make a difference for both the environment and your bottom line. Whether you’re a longtime eco-warrior or just looking to conserve a budget, consider implementing these ten practices to go green and save green as a small business.
1. Start Recycling
In the average office workplace, 80 to 90% of waste, from paper to plastic, is recyclable.3 Beginning an office recycling program not only means you’ll be dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of your business, but in twenty-five states, you’ll also be able to save money through tax incentives, credits, or both.4 But, even if your state doesn’t offer benefits for recycling, some recycling facilities will pay for certain grades of office paper. Plus, recycling often leads to reduced spend on waste disposal.5
2. Throw Out the Keurig
In 2014, Keurig Green Mountain produced and distributed over 9.8 billion K-Cups, enough non-recyclable pods to circle the earth 10.5 times.6 Although there are sustainable alternatives to the Keurig brand K-Cup, any Keurig machine made after 2009 isn’t compatible with competitor K-Cups. If your office uses a Keurig, choosing a more sustainable option is a great first step to cutting down on waste and cost.
3. Eliminate Bottled Water
Bottled water is 30,250% more expensive than tap water.7 If your office eliminates bottled water, you’ll be saving a lot of money. Simply recycling the bottles isn’t enough. In fact, there were over 50 billion plastic water bottles made last year, but only 23% of those were recycled.8 There are plenty of more sustainable ways to source pure water for the office, like water coolers or filtered dispensers.
Companies that demonstrate environmental stewardship or create green products increase their market share and build brand loyalty in younger consumers.
4. Telecommuting
Telecommuting is an employee favorite, but it can also have a strong impact on the environment and your business expenses. If the 50% of the American workforce who can work from home did so only part-time, it’s estimated that 54 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced a year; and, we’d save 640 million barrels of oil.9 That’s enough to fuel the whole country for a month.10
Telecommuting won’t work for certain businesses, either because the industry is highly regulated, or because the work requires in person service. When it is an option, telecommuting can also help businesses save as much as $1,800 per employee each year through reduced impact of unexpected absences.11 About 78% of employees call in sick because of stress or personal issues that they might be able to resolve more handily if they had more flexibility in their schedule and location.
5. Green Lighting
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) were designed to replace traditional incandescent bulbs—they use less energy and last longer, leading to cost savings for those who use them. However, they do contain mercury, which makes disposing of them more complicated than just throwing them in the trash. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, another green lighting option, are non-toxic and last three times as long as CFLs, but they require a bigger up-front investment from the property owner.12 Consult with experts like green contractors, lighting companies, and your utility provider to get perspective on a strategy.
6. HVAC
HVAC systems consume around 40% of a typical building’s electricity, though technology is making them more efficient. Businesses can save as much as 20% on cooling costs by replacing an air conditioner as new as 10 years old.13 Aside from those savings, you can also earn as much as $1,000 in Federal tax incentives for installing green HVAC hardware, including:
Advanced main air circulating fans
Central air conditioning (CAC)
Gas, propane, or oil hot water boilers
Natural gas, propane or oil furnaces14
Your state may also offer initiatives, so ask an expert to make sure you’re getting the biggest returns. If you’re looking for a more immediate strategy to save on energy costs, auto-programming thermostats to give the system a break when no one is around can help, especially over the weekends.
7. Go Paperless
With the advent of the cloud, going paperless is more possible than ever. Even if a business only moves a small portion of its paper usage into the cloud, it is still substantially cutting waste and cost. Paper takes up 26 million tons of landfill space every year in America. When the average office employee is using over 10,000 sheets of paper a year, changing your practices around paper consumption can make a big difference.15
8. Green Office Furniture
Everyone has heard about green office supplies like recycled paper products or hand powered paper shredders, but did you know one of the biggest pollutants in your office is probably the furniture? For example, a mass-produced desk chair is likely made of mixed materials that can’t be recycled when it’s time to replace the chair. Plus, materials like plywood, polyurethane, paint, and varnish can contain harmful chemicals like formaldehyde that present a hazard to human health.16 Choosing furniture made from sustainably sourced lumber and non-toxic materials means your employees aren’t exposed to those chemicals while they’re at work all day. Companies like RSI Systems Furniture and Evolve, among others, provide a variety of eco-friendly and stylish options. Making sustainable choices leads to fewer health risks for employees, and reduced spend on absences or health care for you.
9. Disposal of Electronics
Less than 30% of electronics are recycled properly, typically because electronics contain materials that need to be handled professionally, meaning they shouldn’t just be put in the trash. Yet often, they are.17 Recycling electronics is especially important not only because they can pollute groundwater when buried in landfills or the air when burned,18 but also because of the resources used to make them. Recycling one million cellphones generates 50 pounds of gold and 550 pounds of silver.19 That might sound like a lot of phones, but roughly 40 million tons of electronics are produced each year, and only 13% of them are recycled.20
If something like a computer or printer has reached the end of its lifecycle, instead of leaving these for the trash, see if there’s an electronics recycling center near you. If not, some companies like Panasonic, Samsung, and Staples offer programs that could provide an alternative way to dispose of the electronics responsibly.21
10. Plant a Tree
There’s a host of reasons why planting a tree is a great idea beyond improving your company image: they produce oxygen, they reduce air pollutants, and according to a study at the University of California, they might even reduce crime. Horticulturalist Ted Stamen found that planted urban areas had a 90% less chance of being tagged with graffiti.22 Planting a tree is a step beautifying your space and contributing to the well-being of your neighborhood.
These 10 tips are only the beginning of the innovations, services, and technologies available to help small businesses reduce their waste, conserve resources, save money, or try to help the environment. Many of these goals can even be achieved at the same time with the right strategies. Green initiatives save your small business money on utilities, earn you rebates and tax incentives, and improve your company culture. Plus, the community and ecosystem benefit too.
1 https://njbmagazine.com/monthly_articles/going-green-saving-green/
2 http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-resource-productivity/our-insights/profits-with-purpose-how-organizing-for-sustainability-can-benefit-the-bottom-line
3 https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/start-office-recycling-program.html
4 http://smallbusiness.chron.com/tax-benefits-company-recycles-18031.html
5 https://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/business/documents/PSBJ_Article.pdf
6 https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/03/the-abominable-k-cup-coffee-pod-environment-problem/386501/
7 https://www.waterlogic.com/en-us/resources-blog/cost-of-bottled-water/
8 https://www.banthebottle.net/bottled-water-facts/
9 https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245296
10 https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.php?id=33&t=6
11 http://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/resources/costs-benefits
12 https://www.earthled.com/blogs/light-2-0-the-earthled-blog-led-lighting-news-tips-reviews/35906628-led-light-bulbs-vs-cfl-light-bulbs-which-is-best-for-me
13 https://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/small_business/sb_guidebook/smallbizguide.pdf
14 https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits/heating_ventilating_air_conditioning
15 http://www.thepaperlessproject.com/facts-about-paper-the-impact-of-consumption/
16 https://www.rit.edu/gis/ssil/Chair%20green%20design%20exec%20summary%20report%2005-07-14.pdf
17 http://www.electronicstakeback.com/wp-content/uploads/Facts_and_Figures_on_EWaste_and_Recycling.pdf
18 http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2013/e-waste.aspx
19 https://www.epa.gov/recycle/electronics-donation-and-recycling#whyf
21 https://www.cta.tech/Consumer-Resources/Greener-Gadgets/Recycling-Responsibly.aspx
22 http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb3/downloads/resources/NYC%20Street%20Tree%20Overview.pdf
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12 Years of the Royal Academy Summer Preview Party
The Summer Exhibition plays host to over 1,300 hand picked aftworks in array of mediums by internationally renowned artists and immerging talent. Almost all artwork is available for purchase with funds contributing towards the Academy’s non-profit-making activities which include educating the upcoming generation’s artist within the Royal Academy Schools.
The preview event is the highlight of London’s social calendar and attracts a star studded list of home grown and international stars. Guest have an opportunity to see the artworks before the display is available to the public, while enjoying champagne, canapés followed by live music in the courtyard.
In 2018, we were tasked with launching the biggest ever Summer Exhibition preview to celebrate 250th anniversary of the RA. With Grayson Perry as the curator, the exhibition was set to be the “biggest, brightest and most colourful exhibition yet.”
Over the years we have built some spectacular food stations and bespoke bars for the event with food-based still life replicas, a mirrored forest oyster bar, a caravan dessert station and a turning Ferris wheel of eclairs.
The courtyard sees production and build coordinated around the central artwork, which in 2018 was a monumental sculpture by Anish Kapoor Symphony for a beloved daughter. This grand entrance creates a back from for press to capture the arrival of the celebrity guest list.
The preview party is the hot ticket of the season, with a much sought after guest list. Over the last 12 years performers have included Laura Mvula, ABC, Jesse Ware, Beth Ditto and the Kaiser Chiefs. For 2018 A live performance by Anne Marie marked an incredible finale to the evening.
Bespoke build
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Five Borough Bucket List
#FiveBoroughBucketList #5: Visit the Unisphere
Brooklyn has its Bridge. Manhattan has its skyline. Here in Queens, we also have an iconic symbol: the Unisphere.
When I signed my lease to move to Queens, I immediately checked out a map to see what was nearby. Truth be told, I should have done that first, but I was just excited to come back to New York at that point. I saw that Flushing Meadows-Corona Park looked close on the map, and I got really into my plan to visit all of the park's famous sites. Number one on that list was the Unisphere, or as I called it, that big ball thing. Turns out, the park is miles away, and taking a subway there is kind of a pain. However, it's a great destination for a run, so I made my way to visit the iconic landmark as the midway point during my workout.
Built during the 1960s, the Unisphere was constructed as a symbol for the 1964 World's Fair, which was held right here in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. What the heck is the World's Fair? It literally was a fair made up of restaurants, exhibits, and attractions from 80 nations around the world. Things like telephone modems, automobiles, and even candy were on display for the more than 50 million visitors who came to the park. My mom was one of the visitors, and she said the whole thing was incredible for a kid to see. Imagine seeing computers back in the 1960s!
The Unisphere was built to represent the theme of global interdependence that took over the fair. There is a plaque on the landmark that states the Unisphere is dedicated to "Man's Achievements on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe." The big ball weighs more than 700,000 pounds, and is made from stainless steel. The three rings around the globe are said to represent the orbits of Yuri Gagarin (the first man in space), John Glenn (the first American to orbit the Earth), and Telstar (the first active communications satellite).
Back during the World's Fair, the Unisphere was the landmark center of the park. Surrounded by flags of all of the participating nations, the Unisphere really stood out. Today, it is another landmark for the park, and one of the most recognizable sights in Queens. During the Queens 10K, we finished the race with a quick lap around it! It has been featured in Men in Black, Iron Man 2, and even the opening to the sitcom The King of Queens.
The Unisphere is definitely a sight that all New Yorkers should see. But, here's the thing - all you can do is see it. As far as "awesome things to do," I recommend filling up your time at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park with some of the other landmarks, like the Queens Museum. For me, this was a perfect sight, and it was a great halfway point during my run. I'll be back to the park soon to explore the other Queens landmarks!
#FiveBoroughBucketList
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Is Microsoft Already Too Late to the Smart Home Speaker Market?
Amazon was first, Google is smartest, and Apple has its fanboys and fangirls. With no clear advantage or killer app to differentiate it, why is Microsoft joining the fray with a "me too" smart speaker?
Danny Vena
(TMFLifeIsGood)
The smart speaker market didn't exist until late 2014, with the debut of the Echo home smart speaker by Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN). Since then, potential competitors have been scrambling to catch up. For the last several years, Amazon has had the market of voice-controlled wireless speakers to itself, but competition has recently ramped up. In November 2016, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) released the Google Home, and last month, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) announced its HomePod, which will be in stores in December. A number of smaller players will also be releasing competing devices.
Each of these devices is powered by a virtual assistant and possesses the ability to check the weather, play music, read the news, and manage connected smart home devices. They can also provide assistance with credit card statements, schedule ride-hailing, or order a pizza. Each company has taken a slightly different approach, hoping to differentiate their product in what is quickly becoming a crowded field.
To almost no fanfare whatsoever, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) announced that it will release the Invoke speaker in partnership with Harman Kardon, a division of Samsung Electronics (NASDAQOTH:SSNLF), which will check traffic, play music, and deliver the latest headlines. Sound familiar? Why is Microsoft delivering what seems like an also-ran product without anything to set its device apart?
Harman Kardon Invoke Intelligent Speaker with Cortana from Microsoft. Image source: Harman.
Cortana everywhere
Microsoft has serious market share for its Cortana voice-activated virtual assistant when it comes to PCs, by virtue of its Windows operating system, but it loses any advantage in the mobile market to Google's Android and Apple's iOS, which together account for 99% of new smartphone sales. These run Google Assistant and Siri, respectively, which affords Microsoft very little chance to get a toehold in the market. Being tethered to the desktop isn't doing the company any favors.
Microsoft is trying to augment its position in the office and reach into other areas of consumers' lives by deploying Cortana across a variety of devices, thereby making up for its missed opportunity in the smartphone market. Outside of its desktop stronghold, Cortana can be found on the Invoke speaker and the Xbox, and Microsoft has partnered with various automakers to integrate Cortana into cars via its Connected Vehicle Platform. The company also released a software development kit for Cortana, giving manufacturers the opportunity to embed Cortana into any number of connected appliances and Internet-of-Things devices, which will allow them to respond to voice commands.
To each his own
Amazon has relied primarily on the advantage of being first to market and currently boasts 15,000 "skills" or commands for its Echo family of products powered by its Alexa virtual assistant. While it has no specific phone to call home, Alexa is available via the Amazon app and has found its way into a number of cars, appliances, and smart home devices. It appears to be working, as Amazon controls an estimated 70% of the smart speaker market, according to eMarketer. The other advantage for Amazon is the potential for voice-driven shopping from its e-commerce website. A survey by RBC Capital Markets found that 17% of Amazon customers already use the Echo family of devices to order products.
Google Home is relying on its massive installed base of Android devices and the strength of the company's underlying artificial intelligence and search capabilities for its advantage, which appears to by paying off. In a recent test by 360i Data of Google Home and Amazon Alexa, Home was six times more likely to provide an answer than Alexa. According to eMarketer, despite the short time it has been available, Google Home has quickly garnered 24% of the smart speaker market.
Apple's advantage will be its focus on quality, the legion of diehard fans of its products, and the strength of its ecosystem. It will also emphasize the pairing of its speaker with an Apple Music subscription. Meanwhile, its virtual assistant, Siri, made the leap from the iPhone and has been deployed into the iPad and Apple Watch, as well as the company's laptop and desktop computers. HomePod is another way for Apple to expand its presence in its customers' lives.
Smart speakers establish a beachhead in the home. Image source: Harman.
What's the point?
The appeal of these speakers to their big tech creators is not necessarily the income that will be derived from the sale of the devices, but the information the companies will glean about their consumers. Additionally, the AI-based virtual assistants that underlie these speakers become smarter and more useful the more they are used, so getting them in front of as many consumers as possible is essential.
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Is Microsoft Already Too Late to the Smart Home Speaker Market? @themotleyfool #stocks $MSFT $SSNLF $GOOGL $AMZN $GOOG $AAPL Next Article
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Deepfake: What You Need To Know
Tom Taulli Contributor
I write about tech & finance.
Robot hacker
During the 1970s and 1980s, Memorex ran a string of successful commercials about the high quality of their audio cassettes. The tag line was: "Is it live, or is it Memorex?"
Yes, it seems kind of quaint nowadays. After all, in today’s world of AI (Artificial Intelligence), we may have a new catch phrase: “Is it real, or is it deepfake?”
The word deepfake has been around only for a couple years. It is a combination of “deep learning” – which is a subset of AI that uses neural networks – and “fake.” The result is that it's possible to manipulate videos that still look authentic.
During the past couple weeks, we have seen high-profile examples of this. There was a deepfake of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg who seemed to be talking about world domination. Then there was another one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in which it appeared she was slurring her speech (this actually used less sophisticated technology known as “cheapfake”).
Congress is getting concerned, especially in light of the upcoming 2020 election. This week the House Intelligence Committee had a hearing on deepfake. Although, it does look remote that much will be done.
“The rise of deepfakes on social media is a series of cascading issues that will have real consequences around our concept of freedom of speech,” said Joseph Anthony, who is the CEO of Hero Group. “It’s extremely dangerous to manipulate the truth when important decisions weigh in the balance, and the stakes are high across the board. Viral deepfake videos don’t just damage the credibility of influential people like politicians, brands and celebrities; they could potentially cause harm to our society by affecting stock prices or global policy efforts. Though some people are creating them for good fun and humor, experimenting with this technology is like awakening a sleeping giant. It goes beyond goofing off, into manipulative and malicious territory.”
Now it’s certainly clear that deepfake technology will get better and better. And over time, this may make it difficult to really know what’s true, which could have a corrosive impact.
It’s also important to keep in mind that it is getting much easier to develop deepfakes. “They take the threat of fake news even higher as seemingly anyone can now have the ability to literally and convincingly put words in someone else’s mouth,” said Gil Becker, who is the CEO of AnyClip
So what can be done? What can we do to combat deepfakes? Well, one approach is to have a delay within social networks to evaluate the videos before they go viral. To this end, Anthony recommends a form of watermarks.
AI is also likely to play a key role. "The process of detecting between real and fake footage requires analysis of the output footage where inconsistencies can be identified in the low-level features," said Guy Caspi, who is the CEO of Deep Instinct. "Deep learning classifiers fit this task, due to their ability to inspect the raw features of the image to detect tell-tale signs of fake images or videos. However, like in the cyber security domain, the first step towards the solution is the understanding of the problem and its ability to affect us. Once we know about the risk of deepfakes, the same way we know about the risk of malware, we can look for deep learning experts to assist us in implementing solutions that outperform human capability and solve this challenge."
Yet despite all this, the fears about deepfakes may still be overblown. If anything, the recent examples of Zuckerberg and Pelosi may serve as a wake-up call to spur constructive approaches.
“Currently, there is a lot of sensationalism on the use and implications of deepfakes,” said Jason Tan, who is the CEO of Sift. “It is also very much fear-based. Even the word sounds sinister or malicious, when really, it is 'hyper realistic.’ Deepfakes can provide innovation in the market and we shouldn’t blatantly dismiss the technology as all bad. We should be looking at the potential benefits of it as well.”
Tom (@ttaulli) is the author of the upcoming book, Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction.
Tom Taulli
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Samsung Galaxy S6 Cases Appears On Amazon
11:26 am January 28, 2015 By Roland Hutchinson
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to be made official at Samsung’s Mobile World Congress press conference on the 2nd of March, and now an accessory manufacturer has listed a case for the device on amazon.
The photos show this new case which is apparently for the new Samsung Galaxy S6, and the case shows a different arrangement for the HR sensor and the LED flash over the Galaxy S5.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is rumored to come with a 5.1 inch Quad HD display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.
The device is said to be powered by the new Samsung Exynos 7420 eight core processor and will apparently come with 3GB of RAM.
Samsung will also update the cameras on this new smartphone, the front camera is said to feature a 5 megapixel sensor and the rear camera is said to come with a 20 megapixel sensor.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 is also expected to come with a fingerprint ssensor and the device will come with Android 5.0 Lollipop.
As well as the Galaxy S6 we are also expecting to see the new Galaxy S6 Edge at Samsung’s event, the handset could possibly launch s the Galaxy S Edge.
Source Amazon, GSM Arena
Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Top News
Realme X smartphone launched in India
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Where is The Stocks?
The Stocks is located in the county of Kent, South East England, four miles south of the town of Tenterden, 12 miles north-east of the major town of Hastings, and 51 miles south-east of London. The Stocks lies just east of the East Sussex border. The Stocks falls within the district council of Ashford, under the county council of Kent. It is in the TN30 postcode district. The post town for The Stocks is Tenterden.
The Stocks on a map
Bounding box showing extent of The Stocks
Location of The Stocks within the UK
Which county is The Stocks in?
The Stocks is in the ceremonial county of Kent, the historic county of Kent, and the administrative county of Kent.
Where is The Stocks in Kent?
The Stocks is situated towards the southernmost extremity of Kent, and roughly centrally between the easternmost and westernmost extremities of Kent.
Location of The Stocks within Kent
What is the postcode for The Stocks?
The nearest postcode to the centre of The Stocks is TN30 7EJ.
Where is The Stocks in TN30?
The Stocks is situated towards the southernmost extremity of the TN30 postcode district, and roughly centrally between the easternmost and westernmost extremities of the TN30 postcode district.
Location of The Stocks within TN30
What is the post town for The Stocks?
The post town for The Stocks is Tenterden. The Stocks is in the TN30 postcode district, which corresponds to the post town of Tenterden.
What is the latitude and longitude of The Stocks?
The centre of The Stocks is located at position 51.0128° latitude and 0.71547° longitude.
51.0128°
0.71547°
What is the easting and northing of The Stocks?
The centre of The Stocks is located at the grid reference easting 590578 and northing 127222 within the British National Grid (OSGB36) system.
What are the nearest towns to The Stocks?
Position of The Stocks relative to nearby towns. Distance is measured from the centre of The Stocks to the centre of the town.
The Stocks is 4 miles south of Tenterden
The Stocks is 4 miles north of Rye
The Stocks is 9 miles north-west of Lydd
The Stocks is 10 miles west of New Romney
The Stocks is 12 miles south-west of Ashford
The Stocks is 12 miles north-east of Battle
The Stocks is 12 miles north-east of Hastings
The Stocks is 16 miles north-east of Bexhill
The Stocks is 17 miles west of Hythe
The Stocks is 17 miles east of Wadhurst
What are the nearest cities to The Stocks?
Position of The Stocks relative to nearby cities. Distance is measured from the centre of The Stocks to the centre of the city.
The Stocks is 24 miles south-west of Canterbury
The Stocks is 40 miles east of Brighton and Hove
The Stocks is 49 miles south-east of City of London
The Stocks is 50 miles south-east of City of Westminster
The Stocks is 50 miles south-east of London
The Stocks is 51 miles south of Chelmsford
The Stocks is 66 miles east of Chichester
The Stocks is 69 miles south-east of St Albans
The Stocks is 80 miles east of Portsmouth
The Stocks is 86 miles south of Cambridge
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Medici Land Governance Signs MOU with Lusaka City, Zambia to Develop and Deploy a Land Governance Platform and Support Property Title Issuance
May 22, 2019 09:00 ET | Source: Overstock.com, Inc.
SALT LAKE CITY, May 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) announced that Medici Land Governance (MLG), its blockchain subsidiary focused on land administration, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lusaka City Council (LCC) that will lead to the issuance of no fewer than 250,000 certificates of title related to real property under the jurisdiction of LCC in and around the capital city of Zambia.
In addition to establishing a simplified, time-sensitive, and streamlined titling process that builds on the 50,000 homes upon which MLG collected governance information in the fall of 2018, the MOU calls for developing and deploying a land information management system to handle title transfers, title searches, and other transactions.
The MOU stipulates a revenue sharing arrangement between the Lusaka City Council and MLG. Under the terms of the MOU, the parties will work together to execute a definitive agreement within 90 days. The agreement is open ended, subject to review every two and a half years.
Data related to issuance of occupancy licenses, deed titles, payments and other revenue-generating transactions will be posted on a blockchain. The data will be accessible on an open source mobile platform to land owners, government agencies, local authorities, and private sector interests.
MLG recently completed a proof of concept project with Zambia’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources which has facilitated the subsequent process, currently underway, of issuing 50,000+ certificates of title related to real property in and around Lusaka. One of the fastest growing cities in southern Africa, Lusaka has a population of at least 2.5 million in its metropolitan district.
“We are thrilled to extend our collaboration with the leaders of Lusaka, especially the city council and the mayor, who have graciously placed their confidence in this groundbreaking initiative,” said Ali El Husseini, PhD, CEO of Medici Land Governance. “Last year, Lusaka was the site of our first project and we look forward to working with city planners to show how blockchain and a digitized land administration system can transform the ways governments (especially local governments) and businesses operate along with giving individuals new opportunities for economic mobility and empowerment.”
“There is no more noble fulfilment to me than being part of a project that will empower Lusaka residents with housing ownership,” said Miles Sampa, Mayor of Lusaka. “While partnering with Medici Land Governance, we shall not leave anyone behind in the drive to create real sustainable wealth for families.”
Overstock CEO and founder Patrick M. Byrne said, “I believe this is a very big deal. Rule of Law begins with good land governance, which permits capital to come into existence, which is the first step of the process by which Less Developed Countries can emerge from poverty. It also permits local governments to develop their first proper tax revenue base to support the services which their citizens desire. This agreement with Lusaka City Council will allow Medici Land Governance to implement its world-leading blockchain land governance technology to accelerate economic growth in Zambia’s capital through proper, accurate, inexpensive land governance. As importantly, for us it is a demonstration project to show not just Lusaka, but Zambia, the rest of Africa, and beyond, the benefits of land governance.”
Medici Land Governance was founded in 2018 to put the power of property ownership and equity into the hands of citizens by applying blockchain and other technologies to provide low-cost, easy-to-use land titling and administration systems. MLG is a subsidiary of Medici Ventures, Overstock.com’s wholly-owned blockchain accelerator. Medici Ventures’ mission is to introduce blockchain technology to existing markets to democratize capital, eliminate middlemen, and re-humanize commerce.
Today, Medici Ventures oversees a global keiretsu of companies building the foundation of a technology stack for civilization based on trust systems that utilize blockchain and other technologies to reduce transactional friction. Medici Ventures’ network of companies are introducing blockchain technologies to industries such as capital markets, money and banking, identity, property, voting, and supply chain.
About Overstock.com
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Frontiers in ICT
Active Learning: Theoretical Perspectives, Empirical Studies and Design Profiles View all 14 Articles
Nathaniel Lasry
John Abbott College, Canada
Chandralekha Singh
University of Pittsburgh, United States
Rachel E. Scherr
Seattle Pacific University, United States
Front. ICT, 24 May 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fict.2018.00010
Toward a Neurobiological Basis for Understanding Learning in University Modeling Instruction Physics Courses
Eric Brewe1*†‡, Jessica E. Bartley2†‡, Michael C. Riedel2, Vashti Sawtelle3, Taylor Salo4, Emily R. Boeving4, Elsa I. Bravo4, Rosalie Odean4, Alina Nazareth5, Katherine L. Bottenhorn4, Robert W. Laird2, Matthew T. Sutherland4, Shannon M. Pruden4 and Angela R. Laird2
1Department of Physics, School of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
2Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
3Lyman Briggs College, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, United States
4Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
5Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Modeling Instruction (MI) for University Physics is a curricular and pedagogical approach to active learning in introductory physics. A basic tenet of science is that it is a model-driven endeavor that involves building models, then validating, deploying, and ultimately revising them in an iterative fashion. MI was developed to provide students a facsimile in the university classroom of this foundational scientific practice. As a curriculum, MI employs conceptual scientific models as the basis for the course content, and thus learning in a MI classroom involves students appropriating scientific models for their own use. Over the last 10 years, substantial evidence has accumulated supporting MI's efficacy, including gains in conceptual understanding, odds of success, attitudes toward learning, self-efficacy, and social networks centered around physics learning. However, we still do not fully understand the mechanisms of how students learn physics and develop mental models of physical phenomena. Herein, we explore the hypothesis that the MI curriculum and pedagogy promotes student engagement via conceptual model building. This emphasis on conceptual model building, in turn, leads to improved knowledge organization and problem solving abilities that manifest as quantifiable functional brain changes that can be assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We conducted a neuroeducation study wherein students completed a physics reasoning task while undergoing fMRI scanning before (pre) and after (post) completing a MI introductory physics course. Preliminary results indicated that performance of the physics reasoning task was linked with increased brain activity notably in lateral prefrontal and parietal cortices that previously have been associated with attention, working memory, and problem solving, and are collectively referred to as the central executive network. Critically, assessment of changes in brain activity during the physics reasoning task from pre- vs. post-instruction identified increased activity after the course notably in the posterior cingulate cortex (a brain region previously linked with episodic memory and self-referential thought) and in the frontal poles (regions linked with learning). These preliminary outcomes highlight brain regions linked with physics reasoning and, critically, suggest that brain activity during physics reasoning is modifiable by thoughtfully designed curriculum and pedagogy.
Active learning is neither a curriculum nor a pedagogy. Active learning is a class of pedagogies and curriculum materials that strive to more fully engage students and promote critical thinking about course material. Students learn more effectively when they engage in investigations, discussions, model building, problem solving, and other active explorations (National Research Council, 2012; Kober, 2014). However, typical university instruction in physics (and other Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [STEM] fields) has been lecture-based. While lectures can be interesting, and some students clearly have been trained to become engaged during lectures (Schwartz and Bransford, 1998), for the majority of students, lectures are passive activities. This mismatch between the ways that students learn and the way many classes are taught is the primary motivation for the transformation of STEM instruction. When classrooms are transformed, the evidence is overwhelming; students learn more and are more likely to succeed in active learning settings (Freeman et al., 2014).
Multiple transformative curricula and pedagogical approaches have been developed for introductory physics to promote active learning. For example, Peer Instruction emerged to enhance standard lecture-based approaches by incorporating conceptual questions for discussion and, in turn, facilitated development of personal response systems (Crouch and Mazur, 2001). Tutorials in Physics were developed to supplement standard lectures through use in recitation sections (McDermott and Shaffer, 2001). Other materials such as Student Centered Active Learning Environment with Upside-down Pedagogies [SCALE-UP] (Beichner and Saul, 2003) and Investigative Science Learning Environments [ISLE] (Etkina et al., 2006; Etkina and Van Heuvelen, 2007) implement a studio-format that integrates lab and lecture, including greater amounts of conceptual reasoning and greater emphasis on exploration. Modeling Instruction (MI) is an active learning approach (Brewe, 2008) similar to SCALE-UP and ISLE in that it is a complete course transformation integrating lab and lecture components into one studio format class. However, MI is distinct from other reforms in that it was built around an explicit epistemological theory of science, and this foundation is one of the motivations for using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study how learning physics may impact brain network development.
Hestenes (1987) avers that science by its very nature is a modeling endeavor. Science proceeds by developing models that describe and ultimately predict phenomena. As a model is developed, it is validated through the interplay between the predictions generated by the model and the evidence that emerges supporting such predictions. Once a valid model has been developed, the model is deployed to new situations. This is a process which Kuhn (1970) called “normal science,” whereby scientists use existing prevalent models to explore the models' limits of applicability and search for places where the models give rise to predictions in contrast with evidence. Ultimately, models reach their limits of applicability and need to be revised or in some cases abandoned entirely, beginning what Kuhn called “revolutionary science.” When this happens, a new model is proposed, and the cycle begins anew.
The modeling theory of science is the theoretical and epistemological basis of MI. This, however, is a theory of science, not a theory of science instruction. It translates to instruction through the premise that, if modeling is how science proceeds and we believe students should be engaged in authentic scientific practices, then instruction should be designed to engage students in the process of modeling. Wells et al. (1995) describe the Modeling Cycle as the recursive process of engaging students in model development, validation, deployment, and revision.
In this paper, we first provide an overview of the theoretical background, development process and critical features behind MI as a transformative curricula and model-building endeavor. This overview serves to motivate why scientific model development in students resulting from university instruction warrants further investigation not only at the academic (e.g., grades) and social level (e.g., social networks) but also at the neurobiological level as a putatively measurable phenomena that occurs within the brain. Then, we shift focus to present results from a fMRI study in which we measured brain activity among students engaged in physics reasoning and model use before and after they completed a MI course. We subsequently discuss the results which show distinctive brain activity related to physics reasoning and that instruction consistent with a Modeling theory of science modifies brain activity from pre to post-course.
Role of Conceptual Models in Introductory Physics Curriculum
Building instruction around modeling necessitates a working understanding of models. To date, research in the MI context has focused on conceptual models, which are instructionally useful, rather than mental models, which have been difficult to directly observe. Herein, we seek to expand upon existing research by adopting neuroimaging techniques to interrogate mental models among students receiving instruction via an explicit conceptual modeling approach (i.e., MI). We operate from the following definition of a conceptual model: conceptual models are purposeful coordinated sets of representations (e.g., graphs, equations, diagrams, or written descriptions) of a particular class of phenomena that exist in the shared social domain of discourse. This definition has several features worth elaborating. First, it fits on a t-shirt. Second, this definition establishes the domain, purpose, and composition of conceptual models, which we expand upon below. Finally, this definition of conceptual models has helped us design research to look for evidence of the modeling process in classrooms. Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between conceptual and mental models.
Figure 1. Schematic of the relationship between conceptual and mental models in physics curriculum.
Attempting to synthesize the many definitions and descriptions of models is not our purpose. Instead, we aim to highlight some of the features of our definition that were relevant to the development of the MI approach based on building, validating, deploying and revising models. These features (i.e., the composition, purpose, and domain of conceptual models), then will be used to structure the investigations into the nature of student's mental model formation as measured via brain-based fMRI data.
Conceptual models are composed of representations. Representations are human inventions/constructs that stand in for the phenomena (Morgan and Morrison, 1999; Giere, 2005; Frigg and Hartmann, 2006; Windschitl et al., 2008; Schwarz et al., 2009). In physics, common types of representations include graphs, vector diagrams, equations, simulations, words, and pictures (Krieger, 1987). From the MI perspective, this means that instruction should focus on helping students to identify, use, and interpret representational tools that are useful in describing physical systems. Instruction around model building necessarily focuses on what representations are common to a discipline, how they are used, and how information can be extracted from them. Further, the coordination of these representations helps to build a more robust model, and provide a variety of ways to extract information from the model (Hestenes, 1992; Halloun, 2004).
Morgan and Morrison (1999) described mental models as mediators of thought, autonomous from, but in correspondence with the system they represent. This mediating function of models establishes the roles that models have within science as the center of thought, explanation, and prediction (Craik, 1943; Johnson-Laird, 1983). For example, Craik (1943) stated, “If the organism carries a ‘small-scale model’ of external reality and of its own possible actions within its head, it is able to try out various alternatives…” Instructionally, if models fill this role of mediators of thought, then models should structure the organization of the curriculum. Models also allow students to address new phenomena (Odenbaugh, 2005; Svoboda and Passmore, 2011; Gouvea and Passmore, 2017). This purpose is built into the instructional modeling cycle where students are encouraged to understand new phenomena by deploying existing models to extract information about and characterize the phenomena. When existing models do not work, students are expected to adapt or redevelop models that can account for these new phenomena.
We propose a distinction between scientific conceptual and mental model domains and place conceptual models in the shared social domain of discourse. This perspective differs from other conceptualizations where mental models within individuals' minds/brains are implicitly or explicitly the center of focus (Greca and Moreira, 2000, 2001). Specifically, to infer the status of a student's mental model, investigators typically assess students' actions or behaviors, such as writing, speaking, drawing, predicting, or arguing (Halloun, 1996a; Justi and Gilbert, 2000; Lehrer and Schauble, 2006). Thus, evidence of model-based reasoning exists external to the individual and is contingent on an external evaluation. Instructionally, our efforts have been to help students develop models as a distributed cognitive element. Meaning that each individual student will have an instantiation of the shared model, but the visible elements of the model exist external to individuals through writing, speaking, drawing, diagraming, predicting, and/or simulating. This notion of shared models improves team performance and the learning process (Mathieu et al., 2000). As such, the design of the MI curriculum and pedagogy focuses not on mental models per se, but on the social construction of a model. In other words, we focus students on using consistent representational tools to build models of phenomena in an interactive team environment. Models are shared among class members and agreed upon before deploying these models to analyze new situations. We provide a more detailed description of the classroom setting in section “Features of MI Learning Environment” but much of class time is spent in small groups developing models of specific phenomena on small portable whiteboards, which are then presented at larger “board meetings.” The interplay between smaller and larger groups provides a vehicle for students to use diagrams, equations, or graphs to represent elements of the model.
We do not reject that individuals have internal mental models, or that these mental models include connections between representations and concepts, or interactions between mathematics and intuition, for example. As Rogoff (1990) points out, cognitive functions are essential components of purposeful action. We are aligned with the notion that scientific conceptual models are distributed cognitive elements, which are then appropriated by individuals. During the appropriation, students construct the mental models in correspondence with the scientific conceptual models. Rather our point is that assessing external behaviors speaks to the conceptual model domain and assessing the mental model domain would benefit from directly considering the brain.
Role of Conceptual Models in Instruction
For instructional purposes, models represent an appropriate and accessible level of abstraction (Halloun, 2004). Within a larger context, models occupy the middle level of a conceptual hierarchy (Table 1; Halloun, 2004; Matthews, 2007) which is best illustrated by a representative example (Lakoff, 1987). Veterinarians are not likely to study the superordinate category of animals, which is too broad a categorization to be useful. Nor are they likely to study the subordinate category of retrievers; this is too specific to be broadly useful. Instead, dogs are likely to be the level of focus. This level is referred to as the “basic” level and is considered the ideal focus for instruction (Halloun, 2004).
Table 1. Conceptual and Categorical Hierarchies.
In the MI classroom, building basic conceptual models begins with considering a specific phenomenon to be described. Once a target phenomenon is established, the next step is to characterize the phenomena through relevant representational tools. For example, using velocity vs. time graphs to represent the motion of a moving object. As students create representations of the object's motion, a model of this specific phenomenon is being developed, or what we call a specific model. These specific models are not generally applicable, they pertain to the specific details of the situation being considered. By necessity, specific models are predecessors to basic models. Specific models are made more robust as additional representational tools are introduced and integrated with existing ones. Introduction of representational tools and the subsequent negotiation of their use and interpretation are motivated by specific phenomena to be modeled, so the models created are always specific models.
However, a desirable scientific skill is to reason based on general models (Nersessian, 1995, 2002a,b). As such, the MI curriculum and pedagogy is specifically designed to facilitate the students' transition from specific to basic models. Basic models, which are general and represent entire classes of phenomena (such as a constant acceleration model), are abstracted from a collection of specific models (Halloun, 1996b, 2004). For example, the general features of a basic constant acceleration model can be abstracted from specific models of objects undergoing constant acceleration, such as objects in free fall, or uniformly slowing down. This is achieved in the MI classroom by having students consider a number of specific models, and then identifying the features that are similar to all such models. For example, all constant acceleration models include a linear velocity time graph. These similar features are then compiled into one model that can be used for all situations, a basic model. Basic models are useful because they are not tied to a specific phenomenon, much like the Standard Model is a basic model built up and abstracted from the specific models of atomic collisions, particle interactions, etc. Basic models are essential in science as they promote abstract reasoning about novel phenomena (Nersessian, 1995); when physicists seek to understand interactions of atomic particles they start by using the Standard Model.
Once a basic model is established, students deploy the model in a variety of settings. This deployment phase is most aligned with the standard problem solving that happens in physics classes. The purpose is to develop skill at adapting the representations that make up the model to new situations and extracting information about the situation from the representations.
The final stage in the MI instructional cycle is revision. Revision of a basic model happens when students encounter a phenomenon that does not fit with the model's assumptions. An example often encountered comes when students attempt to generate a specific model of two-dimensional motion on the basis of a one-dimensional constant acceleration model. The one-dimensional case is inadequate without modification to understand motion in two dimensions, and thus must be revised. In some cases, revision involves a simple modification of the representational tools, and in other cases, it requires starting with an entirely different model.
In summary, the modeling cycle of MI describes the progression of course content. In addition, MI also interweaves social interactions designed to facilitate discourse in the service of building conceptual models. Next, we more fully describe the precise aspects of the MI learning environment that support the development, validation, deployment, and revision of models.
Features of MI Learning Environment
Basic conceptual models are often well-developed for scientists and course instructors, yet these models are not well-developed for the students in introductory physics courses. Accordingly, the first contextual feature of the MI classroom is to support students in re-developing constituent basic models within their own learning environment. The MI instructor's role is thus to guide students through the development of these basic conceptual models by establishing activities and providing scaffolding to manage student discourse and promote model building and deployment. In this way, the MI curriculum and pedagogy can be considered a guided inquiry approach. Students are not expected to discover physical laws without strong instructor guidance who chooses activities, introduces representational tools, and guides students toward their appropriate use and interpretation. In this way, the instructor is a guide to the disciplinary norms and tools.
Student Participation in a Model-Centered Learning Environment
Accomplishing this fundamental re-development of basic conceptual models requires students to be active and engaged participants in the learning environment. Accordingly, there are specific ways MI students are expected to participate in the re-development of basic conceptual models. First, students are expected to be involved in identifying the way that tools such as pictures, diagrams, graphs, and equations are used to represent phenomena. They are not expected to invent or discover these tools, but instead to determine with instructor guidance how these tools are used and how to interpret these representations. For example, how does a vector representation of forces describe interactions the object is involved in, and what do these forces allow us to infer about the current state of the object and its future behavior? Second, students are expected to be involved in the interpretation of these representational tools and drawing inferences from them as they pertain to physical laws. Third, students are expected to then deploy these established basic conceptual models by extending them to novel situations. Finally, students are expected to communicate basic conceptual models. This promotes greater expertise with the models when presenting to others and facilitates competence in scientific communication skills.
Studio Format
MI is designed for implementation in a studio-format classroom. In studio physics classrooms students are able to flexibly engage in various types of activities, which may include labs, conceptual reasoning, or problem-solving activities. At Florida International University (FIU), the MI classroom integrates both the lecture and lab components of the introductory physics course and meets for a total of 6 h per week across 3 days. Typically, students work in small groups of three to complete in-class activities. This small group work is summarized on small portable whiteboards. These whiteboards are then presented in larger group “board meetings” where all students in the class actively participate.
Small Group Participation
During the small group component, students work on model-building activities. In these groups, students begin the process of reaching consensus by creating whiteboards for sharing or “publishing” their lab results and/or solutions to problems. The instructor's role is to circulate through the classroom, asking questions, introducing new content, and examining the whiteboards that are being prepared. This small group work allows students to work together on a model-building activity, generate conceptual models, and practice communicating scientific information in a relatively “low-stakes” setting.
Large Group Participation: The “Board Meeting”
The practice of having students first work in small groups and then present their outcomes to a larger group provides students with multiple opportunities to negotiate the use of conceptual models. The board meetings involve all students in the class gathering in a circle such that every member can see every other member and every groups' boards. During the board meeting, the instructor assumes the role of disciplinary expert and guides the discourse toward a shared conceptual model. Facilitating the discussion involves moderating the groups' whiteboard presentations, addressing student questions, and helping groups clarify their presentations and understanding. The instructor's guidance during the board meetings relies heavily on providing student groups with formative feedback. The explicit goal of these board meetings is to reach consensus regarding the conceptual models. In addition to the explicit goals, tacit goals include establishing the norms of a discourse community and encouraging students to utilize scientific argumentation strategies (Passmore and Svoboda, 2012). These strategies include supporting claims with evidence and reasoning based on the shared conceptual models.
Pairing Large and Small Group Interactions
The combined interaction structure is designed to elicit target conceptual models. The structure of these interactions also mimics the structure of science in general and physics in particular as practiced in a research setting. Students work in small research groups, building up and synthesizing the conceptual model that is subsequently ‘published’ at the board meeting, much like a scientific meeting. Both the small and large group settings rely on the pedagogical skill of the instructor. In MI-like environments (which are less “instructor-centered” than traditional classrooms), the trajectory of the learning takes varied paths based on the input of the participants. For this reason, the curriculum and pedagogy of MI are less like a script for an actor to follow, and more like a set of guidelines for an improvisational comedienne.
Impact on Student Outcomes
The combination of curriculum materials designed to recursively implement the modeling cycle and a learning environment and pedagogy that are similarly supportive have been shown to be effective at promoting learning. Like other transformed curricula in university physics, MI promotes both conceptual understanding and student success in introductory physics (Brewe et al., 2010b). A survival analysis suggests that the increased success rate in introductory physics is not a result of lowered standards, as students from MI classes showed equivalent likelihood of success in completing a major in physics as students from lecture classes (Rodriguez et al., 2016). MI students also report improved attitudes about learning physics (Brewe et al., 2009, 2013) and these attitudinal shifts are equitable in terms of ethnicity (Traxler and Brewe, 2015). The group interactions in a MI class promote more well-developed classroom networks (Brewe et al., 2010a), and these networks are known to facilitate retention in physics courses (Zwolak et al., 2017). Positive shifts in self-efficacy associated with participating in MI have been documented, (Sawtelle et al., 2010) although not consistently (Dou et al., 2016). We are in the process of studying qualitatively the construction of a conceptual model in MI (Brewe and Sawtelle, 2018) and investigating students' representational choices in problem solving (McPadden and Brewe, 2017). These studies are consistent with students constructing and using conceptual models to solve problems and analyze physical systems. The successes coming from the MI classroom motivate our current research into the neurobiological mechanisms of reasoning in physics.
Investigating Mental Model Development Using Neuroimaging
While prior assessments of MI's impact on students has typically focused on the social construction of conceptual models (Brewe, 2008, 2011; Sawtelle et al., 2012), here we consider MI's potential impact on mental models using brain imaging techniques. This study aimed to investigate brain activation during a physics reasoning task and changes in brain activation after MI course instruction relative to before such instruction. Previous neuroimaging studies have localized brain activity associated with reasoning across various modalities (e.g., mathematics, formal logic, and fluid reasoning; Prabhakaran et al., 1997; Arsalidou and Taylor, 2011; Prado et al., 2011), but no investigations have probed for such brain activity in the field of physics or across physics classroom instruction. Because of this, no standardized tasks have been adapted for the MRI environment to examine such brain activation. Therefore, as a first step, we sought to develop a novel neuroimaging paradigm to probe brain activity during physics reasoning. We focused the development of this task on mental model use during physics reasoning, as previous research has provided evidence that students' use a variety of mental models during conceptual physics reasoning (Nersessian, 1999; Hegarty, 2004). Thus, we adapted items from the well-known Force Concept Inventory (FCI; Hestenes et al., 1992) which is known to engage conceptual physics reasoning. FCI questions were modified to fit with the parameters of the MRI data collection, and to investigate physics reasoning, (see section “Physics Reasoning Task” for further details. Simultaneously, to facilitate formation of neuroanatomical hypotheses regarding the brain networks we might observe during physics reasoning, we conducted a neuroimaging meta-analysis (Bartley et al., in press) of fMRI studies that investigated problem solving across a diversity of representation modalities. Briefly, the primary outcome of that meta-analysis was that similar reasoning tasks using mathematical, verbal, and visuospatial stimuli involving attention, working memory, and cognitive control, activated dorsolateral prefrontal and parietal regions. Participants completed this physics reasoning task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning, both before (pre) and after (post) completing a physics course in order to investigate the putative impact of physics instruction on brain function. Driving this neuroeducation project were two main hypotheses: (1) This novel physics reasoning task would induce increased activity in brain regions previously associated with attention, working memory, and problem solving (e.g., lateral prefrontal and parietal regions), and (2) Activation patterns would differ from pre- to post-course, indicating that brain activity can be modified as a result of physics instruction.
A few prior studies have demonstrated that short- and long-term course instruction can impact brain function. Differences in brain function have been observed from pre- to post-course among students enrolled in a 90-day Law School Admission Test preparation course (Mackey et al., 2013). Mason and Just (2015) showed that providing information to research participants about mechanical systems while in the MRI scanner, which they called physics instruction, led to changes in knowledge representation during successive stages of learning. In a separate study, they were also able to use machine learning and factor analysis to identify neural representations of four physics concepts: motion visualization, periodicity, algebraic forms, and energy flow (Mason and Just, 2016). However, to our knowledge, this is the first neuroeducational study to consider the impact of a full, semester-long physics class on the brain.
Brief Primer on Neuroimaging Studies
This manuscript is intended for an educational research audience, with the expectation that readers have not had extensive experience with neuroimaging as a research methodology. As such, this section provides a brief overview of neuroimaging studies, particularly fMRI. In neuroimaging studies, researchers develop an experimental task to isolate mental operations of interest that participants perform lying in a MRI scanner while a series of three-dimensional brain images are acquired. Typically, these brain images are acquired approximately every 2 s and are composed of small volume elements called voxels, which in this study measured 3.4 mm3. Within each voxel, the blood's changing oxygen levels (known as the blood-oxygenation level-dependent [BOLD] signal) are measured. Task-related changes in the BOLD signal provide an indirect measure of brain activity. In one implementation of fMRI experimental design, brain images are collected in blocks. During ‘active task’ blocks, participants are presented a stimulus (e.g., a physics question) engendering cognitive processes of interest (e.g., physics reasoning) and are instructed to make a response using a MRI-compatible keypad. During carefully constructed ‘control task’ blocks, participants are also presented with stimuli and give responses; however, the stimuli presented do not engender the cognitive processes of interest. Contrasting active blocks with control blocks presumably isolates task-related brain activity associated with the cognitive processes of interest and excluding those common to both conditions (e.g., visual processing, word reading, button pressing).
Following data collection, fMRI data are processed to correct for in-scanner head movement and fitted to a standardized brain template to enable averaging over a group of participants. BOLD time series from each voxel are input into a general linear model (GLM) including distinct regressors for various task events (and other known sources of noise) to characterize the degree to which variability in the BOLD signal correlates with those task events. Resulting beta weights from active and control task blocks can then be contrasted and significant differences are interpreted as differences in brain activity between blocks. This procedure is repeated for the BOLD time series across all voxels in the entire brain. Additional multi-level modeling can be performed on these results, as was done in this study, to test for changes in brain activity across repeated measures (i.e., from pre- to post-instruction).
Participants were drawn from MI classes at FIU over the course of 3 years (academic years 2014–2017). We recruited 55 students (33 male, and 22 female) in the age range of 18–25 years old (mean ± SD: 20.1 ± 1.4). All participants were screened to be right-handed, not using psychotropic medications, and free of psychiatric conditions, cognitive or neurological impairments, and MRI contraindications. Volunteers invited to participate had not previously taken a college physics course and met either a GPA (>2.24) or SAT Math (>500) inclusion criteria. These criteria were implemented to minimize between-participant variability that could confound brain measurements associated with the experimental conditions. Written informed consent to a protocol approved by the FIU Institutional Review Board was obtained from all participants. Imaging data were collected on a General Electric 3-Tesla Healthcare Discovery 750 W MRI scanner located in the Neuroimaging Suite (NIS) of the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL). Each participant completed a 90-min MRI scanning session at both a pre- and post-instruction time point. The pre-session scans were scheduled within the first 4 weeks of the semester and the post-session scans were completed in the first 2 weeks following the semester. All participants were compensated for their time participating in the MRI assessment ($50 for pre- and $100 for post-scans).
Physics Reasoning Task
We adapted a set of questions from the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) for presentation in the MRI scanner (Figure 2A). The FCI was chosen given the substantial amount of extant data from students in MI at FIU on this measure (Brewe et al., 2010b), established reliability measures (Lasry et al., 2011), and known time requirements (Lasry et al., 2013). The FCI is a 30 question, multiple choice conceptual survey of students understanding of Newtonian mechanics (Hestenes et al., 1992). Each question has five multiple choice options, one correct and four distractors which were originally generated from student responses to open-ended versions of the same questions. The questions present “every-day scenarios,” do not require any mathematical calculations, and are presented as text describing the scenario accompanied by a representational diagram. To ensure that MRI data collection sessions were manageable and well-tolerated by participants, we reduced the number of FCI questions from 30 to nine (FCI 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, 14, 27, and 29). These nine questions were selected to span a range of difficulty levels that were simultaneously challenging enough to tax the mental resources of participants, but not necessarily the most difficult items in the FCI, as determined by item response curves in Morris et al. (2012) (Table 2). Additionally, because measurement of brain networks via fMRI require the repeated observations across multiple yet similar experimental trials, we sought to narrow the broad range of physics-related cognition being probed in this task and selected questions that required students to determine the trajectories and motion of objects as resulting from different scenarios and combinations of initial velocities and/or force configurations. Given technical constraints associated with the use of a four-button MRI-compatible keypad, the questions were modified by removing the least chosen of the five multiple choice options, as indicated by the item response curves of Morris et al. (2012). In the current neuroimaging task implementation, each question was parsed into three self-paced presentation phases; participants were allowed to control the timing of these phases. The first phase of the question involved presentation of the text describing the phenomena and an accompanying diagram. The second phase posed the question, and the third phase presented the multi-choice answer options. FCI responses were assessed for overall and item-specific accuracy.
Figure 2. Example items from the physics reasoning fMRI task. (A) FCI questions described a physical scenario using pictures and words and then asked a physics question followed by four potential answers. (B) Control question shared basic visual and linguistic features with FCI questions, however control questions did not ask students to engage in physics reasoning.
Table 2. Overall and individual item accuracy for pre and post instruction FCI questions in the scanner.
In addition to FCI questions, participants answered a series of “control questions” (Figure 2B), each of which had similar characteristics to the FCI questions in terms of reading requirements, visual complexity, and overall design. However, control questions did not inquire about physics-related content, instead these questions focused on reading comprehension and shape discrimination. Control questions allowed us to isolate cognitive processes presumably related to physics reasoning when contrasting FCI (“active task”) vs. control questions (“control task”).
FCI and control questions were presented in pseudo-random orders within three task runs. Each question was followed by 20 s of “rest,” during which participants maintained their gaze on a fixation cross centrally projected on the screen. These three runs lasted approximately 6 min each. Participants received instruction and practice on the task in a carefully managed mock scanner training session to ensure correct performance during the MRI session. In addition to acquainting participants to the task, the mock scanner also allows participants to experience what the actual MRI scan will be like.
Details on fMRI data acquisition parameters can be found in the Supplementary Materials. Prior to analysis, the data were preprocessed using commonly used neuroimaging analysis software packages: FSL (FMRIB Software Library, www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl) and AFNI (Analysis of Functional NeuroImages, http://afni.nimh.nih.gov/afni). Standard fMRI preprocessing procedures involved motion correction to remove signal artifacts associated with head motion, high-pass filtering to remove low frequency trends in the signal associated with non-brain noise sources (i.e., cardiac or respiratory), and spatial smoothing to increase signal to noise ratio during analysis. The data were then mapped to a standardized brain atlas (MNI152) to allow for group-level assessments.
We conducted two primary analyses to identify: (1) brain regions linked with physics reasoning (task effect) and (2) changes in brain activity associated with physics instruction (instruction effect). To delineate brain regions linked with physics reasoning at the pre-instruction time point, each preprocessed fMRI data set was input into a voxel-level General Linear Model (GLM) including regressors for the FCI and control task conditions (and various nuisance signals). Contrast images were created for each participant by subtracting the beta weights associated with the control questions from those for the FCI questions representing the degree to which each voxel responded more during physics reasoning as compared to the control condition (FCI > Control). These participant-level contrast images were then input into a group-level, one-sample t-test and significant physics reasoning-related brain activations were defined using a threshold of Pcorrected < 0.05 (Pvoxel−level < 0.001, family-wise error [FWE] cluster correction). To delineate brain regions showing physics reasoning-related activation changes following a MI course, the participant-level FCI > Control task contrast images (described above) from the pre- and post-instruction data collection sessions were input into a group-level, paired samples t-test. Both Pre > Post and Post > Pre contrasts were computed and significant instruction-related brain activity changes were defined using a Pcorrected < 0.05 threshold (Pvoxel−level < 0.001, FWE cluster correction). Follow up correlational analyses were also conducted between the BOLD signal change across instruction (Post > Pre) in the four largest significant clusters (≥1,000 voxels) identified in the instruction effect analysis described above and accuracy post-instruction on the FCI using P < 0.0125, Bonferroni corrected,. Because the clusters probed showed significant extent across multiple brain areas, BOLD signal was extracted from spherical seeds centered at the peaks z-score of each cluster.
Table 2 includes the accuracy results of student responses for the nine questions in the pre and post-instruction scans along with item difficulties based in classical test theory, Morris et al. (2006). A paired-samples t-test was conducted to compare post- vs. pre-instruction means. Cohen's d, was calculated to identify the magnitude of the effect, and 95% confidence intervals on the effect. The results of the t-test [t(55) = 6.31, p < 0.001] and Cohen's d (d = 0.84) with a 95% confidence interval of 0.45–1.23 indicated with a high degree of confidence that response accuracy increased after instruction. These results are consistent with prior results examining increased FCI accuracy after course instruction (Brewe et al., 2010b). Furthermore, these accuracy results from participants in the scanner are in line with the classical test theory item difficulty (outside the scanner performance), where difficulty is calculated as the average score on a particular item.
Task Effect
MI students exhibited physics reasoning-related brain activity (FCI > Control) at the pre-instruction time point in four general brain areas, the prefrontal cortex, the parietal cortex, the temporal lobes, and the right cerebellum (Figure 3, red; Supplemental Table 1). More specifically, in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), activation peaks were observed in the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC), bilateral dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC), inferior frontal gyri (IFG), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Within the posterior parietal cortex, brain activity was observed bilaterally in the supramarginal gyri, intraparietal sulcus (IPS), and angular gryi (AG). Large bilateral clusters of activation during physics reasoning were also observed in middle temporal (MT) and medial superior temporal (MST) areas. These same patterns of task-related brain activity from the pre-instruction stage were also observed when performing a similar assessment at the post-instruction stage (data not shown).
Figure 3. Group-level fMRI results. (Red) Task effect: Brain regions showing increased activity during the physics reasoning task (FCI > Control) at the pre-instruction stage. (Blue) Instruction effect: Brain regions showing increased activity at the post- relative to pre-instruction (Post > Pre) scan during the physics reasoning task.
Instruction Effect
Significant increases in brain activity following instruction (Post > Pre) were observed within prefrontal and parietal cortices (Figure 3, blue; Supplemental Table 2). In particular, three clusters of increased PFC activity were identified in the left dlPFC along the inferior precentral sulcus, and bilaterally in the frontal poles. Parietal areas demonstrating increased activation after instruction were located in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) extending into retrosplenial cortex and the precuneus and in the left angular gyrus. No brain regions showed significantly more task-related activity at the pre-instruction stage as compared to post-instruction (Pre > Post). Follow up correlation analysis between the left PCC, left angular gyrus, left orbital frontal pole, and left DLPFC and accuracy on the FCI yielded no significant correlation (rpcc = −0.12, pcorrected = 1; rag = −0.07, pcorrected = 1; rofc = −0.01, pcorrected = 1; rdlpfc = 0.02, pcorrected = 1).
This neuroeducational study represents an initial effort to understand how physics reasoning may translate to the level of brain function assessed by fMRI and how instruction brings about changes in brain activity. To this end, we have provided fMRI results of brain activation from two main assessments. First, we observed that the physics reasoning task (FCI > Control questions) was associated with increased brain activity notably in lateral prefrontal and parietal regions. Second, we observed that students who completed the MI course showed increased activation during the physics reasoning task after the course in the posterior cingulate cortex and frontal pole regions.
Accuracy and Physics Reasoning
Participant responses to the FCI questions in the scanner show accuracy that is in line with published item difficulties and post course improvement in accuracy are consistent with Brewe et al. (2010b). This suggests that the MRI version of the task we developed is prompting physics reasoning that is consistent with that observed out of scanner environment. Effect sizes from pre- to post-instruction indicate similar performance on this task with modified FCI questions as on the full FCI. This improvement is indicative of a shift in physics reasoning as a result of instruction. We do not interpret these changes as recall effects for two reasons, the results of the FCI were not discussed with students, and the task itself was not identified as being derived from the FCI. Further, Henderson (2002) has shown that recall effects over the duration of a full semester are minimal. While accuracy is important for characterizing and to some degree validating the task that was developed for the fMRI environment, we did not expect accuracy to correlate with brain activity. Instead, physics reasoning, regardless of accuracy, is linked to brain activity.
Task Effect: Brain Activity Linked With Physics Reasoning
Our initial analysis identified brain activity among college students associated with physics reasoning (FCI > Control) in lateral prefrontal and parietal regions. One interpretation is that activity in these regions supports cognitive processes critical for answering physics reasoning problems such as attention, working memory, spatial reasoning, and mathematical cognition. More specifically, the lateral PFC's role in executive functions such as working memory and planning are well-characterized (Bressler and Menon, 2010) and these areas are important in manipulating representations in working memory and reasoning (Andrews-Hanna, 2012; Barbey et al., 2013). Lateral parietal regions are involved in motor functioning as well as spatial reasoning, mathematical cognition, and attention (Wendelken, 2015). Such an interpretation is reasonable in the context of the current task which likely involves generating mental simulations and representations in the service of identifying the correct answer choice. From a large-scale brain network perspective, the brain regions showing physics reasoning-related activation resemble one commonly observed functional brain network known as the central executive network (CEN). The CEN, consisting of lateral prefrontal and parietal regions (Bressler and Menon, 2010), is generally associated with externally oriented attentional and executive processes (e.g., working memory, response selection, and inhibition; Cole and Schneider, 2007; Seeley et al., 2007).
The task-related brain regions we observed were generally similar when separately considering data collected during the pre- and post-instruction scans. While speaking to the consistency of such brain activity, this analysis is not intended to determine which brain regions differ as a function of completing a MI course (see below). We suspect that such task-related brain activity would be similar among students in other instructional environments.
Instruction Effect: Changes in Brain Activity Post-instruction vs. Pre-instruction
Our second analysis identified increased brain activity among students completing the physics reasoning task after taking a MI course (Post > Pre) in the posterior cingulate cortex, frontal poles, dlPFC, and angular gyrus. These brain regions (PCC, angular gyrus) overlap with regions of another commonly observed large-scale functional brain network known as the default-mode network (DMN). The DMN, consisting of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), angular gyri, medial PFC, and middle temporal gyri (Raichle et al., 2001; Laird et al., 2009), is generally associated with internally oriented cognitive processes (i.e., self-reflection, mind wandering, autobiographical memory, planning; Buckner et al., 2008). However, other lines of evidence also implicate DMN involvement in complex tasks such as narrative comprehension (Simony et al., 2016), semantic processing (Binder et al., 2009; Binder and Desai, 2011) or the generation and manipulation of mental images (Andrews-Hanna, 2012). In the context of the current task, one interpretation is that students may generate mental images to simulate events and formulate predictions. Additionally, post-instruction increase in DMN activity was observed during physics reasoning (which we show is supported by the CEN), and such coupling between the DMN and CEN during cognition has been hypothesized to arise during controlling attentional focus, thereby aiding in efficient cognitive function (Leech and Sharp, 2014).
Other brain regions showing greater activation during physics reasoning after the MI course included the dlPFC and the frontopolar cortex. The frontopolar cortex is a component of a decision-making network often involved with learning (Koechlin and Hyafil, 2007). The dlPFC is critically linked with the manipulation of verbal and spatial information in working memory (Barbey et al., 2013). Given previous links with, for example, mental simulation, working memory, mathematical calculations, and attention, we speculate that post-instruction increased activity in the PCC, angular gyrus, dlFPC and frontal pole may reflect enhanced mental operations and/or models involved with physics reasoning and/or generation of predictions about physical outcomes.
The PCC, left angular gyrus, left frontal pole, and left DLPFC were the four regions of greatest extent to show increased activity (Post > Pre), however, we did not see correlation between change in activity within these areas and accuracy on the FCI after instruction. The FCI is a cognitively demanding task which includes intuitive but wrong answers. Thus, it may simply be that even wrong answers on the FCI require significant mental effort. Inaccurate physics reasoning likely still involves many of the same mental operations successful physics reasoning does (i.e., mental imagery, visualization, prediction generation, and decision making, to name a few). Measures of accuracy in and of themselves may not display a simple one-to-one relationship with changes in brain activity across instruction. Rather, these changes in brain activity may be related to more complex behavioral changes in how student's reason through physics questions post- relative to pre-instruction. These might include shifts in strategy or an increased access to physics knowledge and problem solving resources.
We posit that the observed pre to post-instruction changes in brain activation during physics reasoning are consistent with what one may expect to observe as students develop refined mental models during classroom learning. Physics reasoning, regardless of an individual's familiarity with the material, is a process continually scaffolded by mental model use (Nersessian, 1995, 1999, 2002a,b; Giere, 2005; Koponen, 2006), and effective physics learning is engendered by building and deploying strategies to appropriately implement mental models during reasoning (Hestenes, 1987). In this study, we framed our exploration of learning-induced changes in brain activity in the context of the MI classroom because this pedagogical approach has been shown to effectively encourage the development and flexible implementation of models during physics reasoning (Brewe, 2008; Brewe et al., 2010b). Our experimental results do not go as far as to implicate MI as any more or less effective than other instructional strategies at supporting instructional-related changes in student's brain networks. However, if we accept that physics reasoning inherently relies on mental model use, we can begin to consider a more truly neuroeducational interpretation of physics learning in which shifts in network engagement across instruction bring about student conceptual change. Characterizing these neurobiological changes may ultimately help researchers and educators understand which instructional strategies may best support successful model development. We hold that the mental models student's deployed at the beginning of the semester during reasoning, upheld by a variety of CEN-supported attentional and executive processes, shifted after instruction, as evidenced by student's overall increased accuracy during reasoning. This instruction-induced shift in model use promoted increased involvement from key DMN and CEN regions within reasoning. This study represents an initial step in neuroeducational research demonstrating that such shifts, indicative of learning, are measurable and detectable using non-invasive brain imaging techniques. Additional work is needed to understand the relationship between external conceptual models as studied in science education, with mental models and related cognitive constructs as studied in neuroimaging literature.
This project has several limitations. First, we focused on the MI class and did not assess the brain activity of students from traditional lecture course sections or other active learning environments. Based on the data presented, we do not make claims that MI is a better or the only instructional tool capable of inducing brain network alterations. Rather, in the current study, we used MI as an exemplar case. It remains to be determined if different pedagogies differentially influence how physics reasoning-related brain networks develop. As noted above and consistent with recommendations (Freeman et al., 2014), we will explore this in the future and a future direction could investigate differences among active learning formats. Second, these analyses addressed brain activation and did not consider correlation with other behavioral measures, such as mental rotations, science anxiety, or academic performance measures which could further aid in the interpretation of these fMRI outcomes. Third, consideration of potential differences between female and male students remains for future investigations.
Notwithstanding these limitations and future direction, these preliminary outcomes implicate brain regions linked with physics reasoning and, critically, suggest that brain activity during physics reasoning is modifiable over the course of a semester of physics instruciton. Further work should investigate differences between MI and lecture instruction, as well as addressing differences among different active learning strategies across disciplines. Studying active learning broadly has the potential to more clearly elaborate how these pedagogies impact student learning and brain function.
This study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of Florida International University's Institutional Review Board with written informed consent from all subjects. All subjects gave written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The protocol was approved by the FIU IRB.
EB, JB, and AL had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: EB, JB, MR, RL, MS, SP, and AL. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: EB, JB, MR, VS, TS, ERB, EIB, RO, AN, KB, RL, MS, SP, and AL. Drafting of the manuscript: EB and JB. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: EB, JB, MR, VS, TS, ERB, EIB, RO, AN, KB, RL, MS, SP, and AL. Obtained funding: AL, EB, and SP. Administrative, technical, or material support: EB, RL, MS, SP, and AL. Study supervision: AL, MS, SP, MR, and EB.
Primary funding for this project was provided by NSF REAL DRL-1420627 (AL, EB, SP, and JB). Contributions from co-authors were partially provided by NSF 1631325 (AL, MR, and TS), NIH R01 DA041353 (AL, MS, and MR), NIH U01 DA041156 (AL, MS, MR, KB, and ERB), NSF CNS 1532061 (AL), NIH K01DA037819 (MS), NIH U54MD012393 (MS), and FIU Graduate School Dissertation Year Fellowships (AN and RO). Additional thanks to the FIU Instructional and Research Computing Center (IRCC, http://ircc.fiu.edu) for providing HPC and computing resources that contributed to the research results reported within this paper, and to the Department of Psychology of the University of Miami for providing access to their MRI scanner. Lastly, special thanks to the FIU undergraduate students who volunteered, participated, and contributed to this project.
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fict.2018.00010/full#supplementary-material
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Rodriguez, I., Potvin, G., and Kramer, L. H. (2016). How gender and reformed introductory physics impacts student success in advanced physics courses and continuation in the physics major. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12:9. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.12.020118
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Sawtelle, V., Brewe, E., Goertzen, R. M., and Kramer, L. H. (2012). Identifying events that impact self-efficacy in physics learning. Phys. Rev. Spec. Top. Phys. Educ. Res. 8:20111. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.8.020111
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Zwolak, J. P., Dou, R., Williams, E. A., and Brewe, E. (2017). Students' network integration as a predictor of persistence in introductory physics courses. Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13, 1–14. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.13.010113
Keywords: modeling instruction, physics reasoning, mental models, force concept inventory, fMRI, STEM learning, brain network, neuroeducation
Citation: Brewe E, Bartley JE, Riedel MC, Sawtelle V, Salo T, Boeving ER, Bravo EI, Odean R, Nazareth A, Bottenhorn KL, Laird RW, Sutherland MT, Pruden SM and Laird AR (2018) Toward a Neurobiological Basis for Understanding Learning in University Modeling Instruction Physics Courses. Front. ICT 5:10. doi: 10.3389/fict.2018.00010
Received: 29 October 2017; Accepted: 26 April 2018;
Nathaniel Lasry, John Abbott College, Canada
Chandralekha Singh, University of Pittsburgh, United States
Rachel E. Scherr, Seattle Pacific University, United States
Copyright © 2018 Brewe, Bartley, Riedel, Sawtelle, Salo, Boeving, Bravo, Odean, Nazareth, Bottenhorn, Laird, Sutherland, Pruden and Laird. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Eric Brewe, eric.brewe@drexel.edu
†These authors have contributed equally to this work.
‡co-first author.
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Distancing itself from financial meltdown, Citigroup agrees to $7B settlement over mortgages
Published July 14, 2014 Economic IndicatorsAssociated Press
Citigroup will pay $7 billion to settle an investigation into risky subprime mortgages, the type that helped fuel the financial crisis.
The agreement announced Monday comes weeks after talks between the sides broke down, prompting the government to warn that it would sue the New York investment bank. The bank had offered to pay less than $4 billion, a sum substantially less than what the Justice Department was asking for.
The settlement stems from the sale of securities made up of subprime mortgages, which fueled both the housing boom and bust that triggered the Great Recession at the end of 2007.
Citigroup and other banks downplayed the risks of subprime mortgages when packaging and selling them to mutual funds, investment trusts, pensions, as well as other banks and investors. The securities, which contained so-called residential mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations, plunged in value when the housing market collapsed in 2006 and 2007. Those losses triggered a financial crisis that pushed the economy into the worst recession since the 1930s.
The bank separately agreed in April to pay $1.13 billion to settle claims by investors seeking that the lender buy back billions of dollars in residential mortgage-backed securities.
In the deal announced Monday, Citigroup will make a $4 billion civil monetary payment to the Justice Department, and another $500 million in compensatory payments to state attorney's general and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The bank will provide $2.5 billion in consumer relief, which will include financing for construction and preservation of affordable housing, as well as principal reduction and forbearance for residential loans.
"The comprehensive settlement announced today with the U.S. Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and the FDIC resolves all pending civil investigations related to our legacy RMBS and CDO underwriting, structuring and issuance activities, said CEO Michael Corbat. "We also have now resolved substantially all of our legacy RMBS and CDO litigation."
The bank will take a pre-tax charge of about $3.8 billion during its second quarter.
Shares of Citigroup Inc. rose more than 1 percent before the opening bell Monday.
The Citigroup settlement comes months after a similar — but much larger — deal between the Justice Department and JPMorgan Chase & Co., the nation's biggest bank. After months of negotiations, the bank last year agreed to pay $13 billion after an investigation into toxic mortgage-backed securities.
As part of the deal, which included settlements with New York, California and other states, JPMorgan agreed to provide $4 billion in relief to homeowners affected by the bad loans. The bank also acknowledged that it misrepresented the quality of its securities to investors.
That deal was seen as a possible template for settlement with Citigroup and Bank of America Corp., which was accused in a government lawsuit last summer of failing to disclose risks and misleading investors in its sale of $850 million of mortgage-linked securities. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a related lawsuit against Bank of America.
Josh Boak and Marcy Gordon in Washington contributed to this report.
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Man, teen charged in fatal shooting of gas station attendant
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police in Tennessee have charged a man and a teenage girl who was the subject of an Amber alert in the fatal shooting of a gas station attendant.
Nashville police said in a statement 28-year-old Daniel Clark and the 15-year-old are charged with criminal homicide, especially aggravated robbery and attempted auto theft. Police think the two tried to force the attendant, 58-year-old John Daniel Stevens, to give up his car keys Tuesday night so they could flee after their vehicle ran out of gas.
They left on foot and were arrested Wednesday.
Online jail records don't indicate whether Clark has an attorney.
Police began looking for the two, from Dayton, Tennessee, after the girl was reported missing.
Police focused their search in Nashville after they were captured on the station's surveillance video.
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Iran Keeps Lights on to Keep Tempers Cool
FILE: Elecricity lines in Iran. (AFP)
Iranians, fed up with the high cost of living, are expressing their anger by refusing to pay their electricity bills, even as summer temperatures in the country reach 100 degrees.
Fresh off the Arab spring, the government is keeping the lights and air on for the people, in part, to keep tempers from flaring and protesters off the streets.
Utility prices spiked drastically as a result of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Subsidy Smart Plan, which he announced in January, to dismantle a $100 billion government subsidy system that cost the Iranian government about a quarter of its GDP to stabilize food, fuel and electricity prices. As a result, gasoline prices have spiked by 75 percent and increased utility bills five times to 20 times the average, making basic electricity out of reach for up to 70 percent of Iranian families.
Also on the rise is the cost of food and clothing. A Tehran resident posted online that her two-month bill increased from 80,000 rials (about $80) to 5 million rials ($5,000). “Out of every 10 people you ask, six to eight say they haven’t paid their bills,” a blogger from Tehran wrote.
“The government has promised to make monthly installments possible. But how do you do that for a monthly bill? How can those who can’t pay their gas bill this month pay it in the coming months?”
Apartment complexes frequently have one meter and one bill for the building, prompting unfriendly exchanges between neighbors who say they are conserving and refuse to pay for those who waste.
Yet, circulating news about individuals refusing to pay their bills has emboldened many apartment dwellers who have banded together to collectively refuse to pay the high bills.
“It’s mouth to mouth, neighborhood to neighborhood,” said a businessman working in the oil pipeline contracting business in Tehran who spoke to FoxNews.com on the condition of anonymity in an exclusive interview. “So far we are witnessing a passive demonstration, which can easily become an active one.”
The exact extent of the boycott is unknown since the regime is ignoring the non-payments and very little media attention has been given to the issue. Citizens, however, are talking among themselves and even encouraging one another to stop paying the bills.
Political analysts are speculating that high utility bills and subsidy effects may encourage poorer Tehranis, many of whom have been government supporters, to join middle- and upper-class Iranians in protest against the regime. It would not be unusual for Iranians to protest or strike against the subsidy cuts.
In July 2010, shopkeepers and traders in Tehran’s bazaar went on strike for a week to voice disapproval against a government attempt to increase the annual income tax by 70 percent. But many say these cuts are hitting people hard and are exacerbating problems for a country that faces real economic problems.
Four rounds of U.N. sanctions, as well as other targeted sanctions from individual countries over its contentious nuclear program, have crippled Iran’s oil-dependent economy. Unemployment is now exceeding 15 percent and wages are low, requiring many Iranians to work two or three jobs solely to survive.
Now residents are faced with having to do without government subsidies, which have been a signature mark of the Islamic Republic’s three-decade reign, and have traditionally totaled up to $4,000 a year for a family of four, which is more than the yearly income of many Iranians. The cuts to subsidies are part of a five-year subsidy phase-out plan that will end by 2015 and will affect government payouts on fuel, electricity, water, wheat flour and bread, rice, cooking oil, milk and sugar.
As price increases, especially for fuel and common food items, went into effect, the government’s central concern was public reaction. A pivotal cornerstone of the subsidy cuts was therefore to placate the people through individual cash subsidies of about $40 per month, for those who qualify.
Historically, the Iranian regime has kept the lower and working classes of its population satiated and on its side.
“It is common for unpopular governments to buy the loyalty of certain segments of the population through subsidies, and when the subsidies go away, it’s natural to see unrest in those markets, said Christopher Thornberg, principal at Beacon Economics, a California research and economic forecasting group.“It’s the country folks, the political base of President Ahmadinejad, who will be most affected by this and must therefore be most feared in this case.”
Now the concern is that the economic pinch will likely cause the working class to turn on the government and join the opposition -- which is comprised mainly of middle- and upper-class Iranians.
In fact, some believe that recently reported tensions between President Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei over the arrest of Ahmadinejad's political allies could be an attempt by the Iranian government to divert the people’s attention from the rising prices and steadily worsening economy.
So far there are no talks of riots or uprisings. But those who experienced other protests in Iran, including the 2009 demonstrations disputing Ahmadinejad's fraudulent presidential election ing 2009, say that just because the people have not protested yet, doesn’t mean they won’t.
“Everyone is fed up,” the businessman said. “So far there haven’t been riots, but riots don’t usually start because of a specific cause, like high prices. Once there is an unrelated issue, then people will probably not hesitate to rise up against the government.”
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Home > Press Room > News > Food Research & Action Center’s Annual Benefit Dinner Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Two Landmark Child Nutrition Programs
Food Research & Action Center’s Annual Benefit Dinner Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Two Landmark Child Nutrition Programs
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) at FRAC’s 28th Annual Benefit Dinner.
WASHINGTON, June 8, 2018 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) held its 28th Annual Benefit Dinner on June 6 in Washington, D.C. This year’s dinner celebrated the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Through SFSP, sponsor organizations in communities across the country serve nutritious meals to low-income children during the summer. CACFP provides meals and snacks to over 4 million children in child care centers, home day care, Head Start programs, and afterschool programs.
FRAC welcomed over 300 guests to this year’s event. Speakers included Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Judy Whittlesey, board chair of FRAC, and Jim Weill, president of FRAC.
In a rousing speech, Rep. McGovern excoriated Members of Congress who voted “Yes” on the House Farm Bill, H.R.2 — a bill that would “cause millions of people to lose their SNAP benefits and as a result struggle more than they already do to put food on the table for themselves and their children.” McGovern continued, “How could anybody in good conscience vote for this bill? The American people deserve so much better.” McGovern commended FRAC and anti-hunger advocates across the country for their efforts to beat back H.R. 2, but warned that it is “like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, it keeps rearing its ugly head.”
Turning back to the theme of the evening, journalist Eleanor Clift of The Daily Beast and The McLaughlin Group moderated a panel featuring Jodi Grant, executive director, Afterschool Alliance, and Lynette Fraga, executive director, Child Care Aware of America. The panel discussed the two programs celebrating their 50th anniversaries, and the need for more investment in in quality child care and out-of-school time programs to help ensure children receive the skills, knowledge, and nutrition they need to learn and thrive.
Eleanor Clift (L), Lynette Fraga, and Jodi Grant
FRAC also honored retiring board members Dagmar Farr of the Food Marketing Institute, Louise Hilsen, formerly of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, and Marshall Matz of OFW Law for their leadership and service in the fight against hunger.
The dinner benefits FRAC’s Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, which began in 1991 and has achieved huge gains in feeding low-income children in communities across the U.S. The campaign plays a key role in expanding the availability of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school meals, afterschool and summer meals, the Special Supplemental Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and CACFP.
The Food Research & Action Center is the leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States.
Free Summer Meals Help Reduce Hunger When School is Out, Report Finds
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2019 — Too many children across the country are missing out on the nutrition they need during the summer months when the school year — and access to school breakfast and lunch — ends, according to a new report from FRAC. Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report finds that only 1 in 7 of the low-income children who participated in school lunch during the 2017–2018 school year received a summer lunch on an average weekday in July 2018.
Food Research & Action Center Lauds Bills That Address Child Summer Hunger
The Food Research & Action Center strongly supports legislation that was introduced this week to ensure low-income children across the country have access to the nutrition they need during the summer months when they lose access to healthy school meals.
Food Research & Action Center Endorses the No Shame at School Act
WASHINGTON, June 20, 2019 — FRAC announced its support of the No Shame at School Act, introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Tina Smith, both Democrats from Minnesota. The bill would ban any kind of identification of students who cannot pay for lunch at school, like wristbands or hand stamps, and not allow schools to publish lists of students who owe money for school meals or use debt collectors to recoup meal fees.
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Great Hill Partners
PlanSource Announces Acquisition by Vista Equity Partners
Explore this investment 03.25.19
Investment and expertise from Vista will fuel next stage of growth and further advance the company’s goal of building a better benefits experience for employees, employers and the brokers that support them
ORLANDO, Fla., March 25, 2019 — PlanSource, a leading provider of cloud-based benefits administration technology, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Vista Equity Partners (Vista), a leading investment firm focused on enterprise software, data and technology-enabled businesses. Vista partners with management teams to foster operational excellence, paving the way for sustainable growth opportunities, innovation and impact in the markets they serve. Vista’s acquisition of PlanSource marks the beginning of a new phase of growth for the software provider.
“This deal is a landmark moment for our company, and a clear validation of our strategy and business model,” said Dayne Williams, CEO of PlanSource. “Since our founding, our mission has been to revolutionize the way benefits are bought, sold and managed. Vista’s investment and deep commitment to building and scaling world-class software companies takes us one step closer to making our vision a reality.”
The acquisition by Vista comes after a period of rapid growth for PlanSource. In 2018, the company experienced a 25% increase in annual recurring revenue, and more than 750 new employers started using PlanSource to manage their benefits programs. PlanSource also cemented several partnerships in 2018 with insurance carriers, brokers and technology providers that expand its benefits offerings and provide access to new markets. In addition, PlanSource recently launched a number of product innovations, including a first-of-its-kind self-service renewal tool, new mobile-responsive user experiences for employees and HR teams, and API-based integrations with HCM providers and insurance carriers.
With backing from Vista, PlanSource intends to accelerate its product roadmap and build on its innovative partnership programs. Key areas of investment include real-time integrations with insurance carriers, insightful analytics for all stakeholders, and intuitive tools for self-service, personalization and communications that simplify the benefits experience for employees and HR teams.
“We are thrilled to welcome PlanSource to the Vista family,” said Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners. “Their reputation as a leader and innovator in the benefits technology arena is well-earned, and their solutions are helping companies simplify the important process of managing the benefits employees depend on. We look forward to partnering with Dayne and the leadership team to accelerate the company’s growth.”
PlanSource was founded in 2008 and its early growth was spurred by funding from Lemhi Ventures and Timucuan Asset Management. In 2015 the company raised $70 million of Series C funding with an investment from Great Hill Partners.
“It’s been a great pleasure working with the PlanSource team,” said Chris Busby, Partner at Great Hill Partners. “We appreciate the tremendous performance by Dayne Williams and the entire management team. Our approach has always been to partner with talented executives to accelerate growth and expand market leadership. PlanSource is extremely well positioned for continued success in the years to come.”
PlanSource will continue to operate independently. The transaction is currently expected to close in the coming weeks and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
For Great Hill Partners:
Alex Stanton
Stanton Public Relations
astanton@stantonprm.com
For PlanSource:
Bill Fryman
About Great Hill Partners
Great Hill Partners is a private equity firm that has raised over $5 billion in commitments since inception to finance the expansion, recapitalization, or acquisition of growth companies in a wide range of sectors in business-to-business and business-to-consumer industries including software, financial and healthcare technology, digital media, eCommerce, and internet infrastructure. Great Hill targets investments of $25 million to $200 million. For more information, visit www.greathillpartners.com.
About PlanSource
PlanSource is a technology company driven to create a better benefits experience for employees and the HR teams that support them. Nearly 4.5 million consumers receive their benefits through the PlanSource platform, which provides flexible and intuitive software and services for benefits administration. By combining industry-leading software and a full suite of technology-enabled services, PlanSource provides companies of all sizes with a complete solution for benefits shopping, enrollment, billing, compliance and administration. Learn more at www.plansource.com.
PlanSource is a registered trademark of PlanSource, Inc., and PlanSource owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
200 Clarendon St., 29th Floor,
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Woods set to chase more major glory after Masters win
An ecstatic Tiger Woods after sinking his putt on the 18th green to win the Augusta Masters on Sunday. Agence France-Presse
Tiger Woods ended his 11-year wait for a 15th major title at the Masters. Now the golf world is wondering whether the hunt to overhaul Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles is back on.
The cheers and raw emotion of Woods’ victory at Augusta National on Sunday had barely subsided before the 43-year-old was asked about whether he would now resume his chase for Nicklaus’s record.
“You know, I really haven’t thought about that yet,” Woods said. “I’m sure that I’ll probably think of it going down the road.
“Maybe, maybe not. Right now, I’m just enjoying 15,” he said.
Nicklaus, however, believes the record is back in play, noting that two of this year’s remaining majors -- the US Open and US PGA Championship -- will be staged at courses where Woods has won before.
“I thought for a long time that he was going to win again,” Nicklaus told the Golf Channel.
“The next two majors are at Bethpage, where he has won and at Pebble Beach, where he has won.
“So, he has got me shaking in my boots.” Brooks Koepka, the three-time major champion who finished one shot adrift of Woods on Sunday, also believes Nicklaus’s benchmark could be under threat. Eighteen is, I think, a lot closer than people think,” Koepka said.
“I would say that’s probably what all fans, what we’re thinking. That he’s definitely back and 18’s not far.”
“To witness that, a handful of years ago I don’t know a lot of people believed that Tiger would win another major,” said Tony Finau, who played alongside Woods and Molinari.
“From what I saw today, obviously he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Last year he went from strength to strength, contending in both the British Open and PGA Championship before seizing a breakthrough US PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship in September. The revamped global golf schedule may now assist Woods on his quest for more major glory, with the PGA Championship, at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, moved up in the calendar to May 16-19.
When Woods won the 2002 US Open held at Bethpage he was also coming off a Masters win that year.
Woods was the only player to finish under par on the long, testing course, his three-under total of 277 giving him a three-shot win over Phil Mickelson.
The US Open in June will be held at Pebble Beach -- where Woods won by a stunning 15 strokes in 2000. Doubts that Woods would ever win another major, or even another tournament, long centered on two issues: the crowd of young, talented, super-fit and long-hitting players he inspired and the demands majors put on his own aging and often injured body. Assessing his impact on the game on Sunday, Woods noted that attention to physical fitness exploded in the sport thanks largely to him.
“A lot of the guys are training,” he said. “They are getting bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, a lifelong golfer and owner of golf resorts, announced Monday he’ll be awarding Tiger Woods the country’s highest civilian honor after his Masters victory.
“Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters,” Trump tweeted.
“Because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!” Trump said.
Heroic comeback
I was forced to give the news channels a break today because there was something earth shaking happening at Augusta. The green jacket over the red, and Tiger Woods was crowned a Masters champ once again, something so many of us thought would never happen.
Park world No.1 post Arkansas win; first PGA title for Lashley
Los Angeles: Park Sung-hyun’s one-shot win at the NW Arkansas Championship at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas, on Sunday, has taken the South Korean star woman golfer to the top of the world rankings after her seventh LPGA title Park, 25, who birdied the final hole to notch her second win
Worldwide plaudits roll in as Tiger ends years in wilderness
President Donald Trump and Barack Obama were among those hailing Tiger Woods on social media after his 11-year major drought was ended by a thrilling and emotional Masters victory on Sunday.
England’s Wallace risks Masters curse with Par-3 victory
England’s Matt Wallace defeated Scotland’s Sandy Lyle in a playoff to win Wednesday’s Par-3 Contest on the eve of the Masters and risk the winner’s curse at Augusta National.
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Dibba keep survival hopes alive with win over Kalba
Dibba and Ittihad Kalba players in action during their matchweek 25 AGL game on Thursday.
Dibba have kept their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Arabian Gulf League alive after their valuable 3-1 away win over Ittihad Kalba in matchweek 25 on Thursday.
Giovanni Sio opened the scoring for the home side from a powerful long-range strike in the 24th minute. Six minutes before the break, Yousef Al-Rawashdeh leveled the scoreline for the Sailors.
Three minutes after the one-hour mark, Driss Fettouhi completed Dibba’s comeback, as he converted the ball into the back of the net off a corner kick to put the guests 2-1 up.
Diogo da Silva sealed the win for the Sailors after finding the back of the net in the second minute of injury time.
Following the win, Dibba remain at the bottom of the table but raised their tally to 16 points and reduced the gap with Emirates Club and Fujairah to two points. Meanwhile, Kalba remained 11th on 24 points.
At Ajman Stadium, relegation-threatened Emirates Club fell to a 4-1 defeat against Ajman, with all goals coming in the second half.
Hussain Abdulrahman opened the scoring in the 62nd minute after sending a powerful strike from inside the box and Hassan Zahran doubled their lead three minutes later through an accurate header.
Hassan Abdulrahman made it 3-0 in the 78th minute, before Saad Surour pulled one back for the Falcons in the 85th minute. Only three minutes from time, Mame Thiam added a third goal to seal the win for the Oranges.
Relegation rivals Fujairah failed to capitalize on Emirates’ defeat as they fell to a 3-0 home loss against Al Nasr.
After a goalless first half, Alvaro Negredo found the back of the net in the 67th minute. Mohamed Al Akberi doubled the Blues’ lead only five minutes later and Masoud Sulaiman made it 3-0 deep into injury time.
Emirates Club and Fujairah remain tied on 18 points in 12th and 13th places, respectively. Meanwhile, the Oranges sit seventh on 34 points, one above eighth-placed Al Nasr.
Sheikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, congratulated His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for the achievement of the Sharjah Club, for winning the Arabian Gulf League title for the sixth time in its history, its first since 1996.
Sheikh Nahyan stressed that the club’s success in winning the 2018-2019 title is due to support of Sheikh Dr Sultan while stressing that the team deserved to win the league. He congratulated the club, the Sharjah Sports Council and the Football Company, as well as the club’s technical and administrative staff, and its players and fans.
He added that the club won the title due to its professionalism and the support of the administration and fans, and praised its effective planning and confidence in Abdulaziz Al Anbari, who became the first Emirati manager to win the league.
“We are proud of the club’s achievement and its comeback, which will raise the level of competition between other teams next season and support the development of the Arabian Gulf League and Emirati football in general,” Sheikh Nahyan said in conclusion.
Meanwhile, Sharjah’s winning coach Anbari, who took over the reins from Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro in October 2017, not only ended The King’s 23-year-old title drought but also etched a new path for homebred coaches.
“I love Sharjah because it introduced me to the sport and allowed me to glow through them as a player. So, I did not hesitate to take over as I had done so in 2015-16 season as well. The challenge at the beginning was like a long journey in the house where I grew up and learned the crafts of the game,” said a beaming Al Anbari adding that the title was the most important dream he has achieved as a player and as a coach.
“This is like a dream that has turned into reality. We have been together in the past and standing behind us were strong supporters. Many thanks to His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his support,” revealed Anbari, emphasising it was tough as the foreign players left without completing their contacts.
“The management and the players managed to stick together at critical times. In two years, nine foreigners were changed and that was hurting the team badly when I took over.”
Show no tolerance towards intolerance
The world community needs to join hands and send out a clear and loud message that racism, bigotry and xenophobia are a bane that have no place in a sane society.
Poor pensions take dignity from football players
My late husband John Mackey dedicated his life to the game of football. After being selected by the Baltimore Colts in the second round of the 1963 NFL Draft, John went on to play nine seasons for them and one for the San Diego Chargers.
Tebas fears Neymar return would damage image of Spanish League
Madrid: La Liga president Javier Tebas has said he would prefer Neymar does not return to La Liga if he cannot improve his behaviour. Neymar left Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain for a world record fee of 222 million euros in August 2017, but could make a surprise move back to Camp Nou this summer.
Salah scores as Egypt maintain perfect Cup of Nations record
Mohamed Salah scored from a free-kick as host nation Egypt defeated Uganda 2-0 in Cairo Sunday to win Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations with a perfect three-win record. Pre-tournament favourites Egypt will remain in Cairo for the round of 16 and play one of the best four third-place finishers next Saturday.
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Netanyahu Has Become a Fault Line in the 2020 U.S. Election Campaign
Netanyahu's pledge to annex the West Bank divides Republicans and Democrats alike
JTA
Ron Kampeas
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during their meetings at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2019.\ CARLOS BARRIA/ REUTERS
Netanyahu? Gantz? Who would American Jews vote for in Israel’s elections?
Netanyahu 2019: Radicalized by Obama, unleashed by Trump
Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke bashes ‘racist’ Netanyahu before Israel election
The latest 2020 election fault line between Republicans and Democrats, and to a degree among Democratic presidential candidates, is Benjamin Netanyahu.
At least five of the Democratic presidential candidates, ranging from the Israel-critical to the AIPAC-aligned, have rebuked the Israeli prime minister just days ahead of his re-election bid on Tuesday after he pledged to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Beto O’Rourke went so far as to call Netanyahu racist.
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“The U.S.-Israel relationship is one of the most important relationships we have on the planet,” O’Rourke said while campaigning in Iowa this weekend, “and that relationship, if it is successful, must transcend partisanship in the United States, and it must be able to transcend a prime minister who is racist.”
Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders also criticized Netanyahu’s annexation pledge while claiming it doesn’t make them anti-Israel. President Donald Trump, meantime, held up his friendship with Netanyahu as a reason that Jewish voters should leave their traditional Democratic Party home.
Netanyahu has also raised liberal ire recently by embracing several authoritarian leaders from other countries and retreating from support for a two-state solution. Many liberals believe his efforts to push Trump to recognize Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights have also harmed the Middle East peace process.
>> 'Your Prime Minister Netanyahu': Watch Trump's very awkward speech to American Jews
How the Democrats treat Netanyahu is indicative of the emerging Israel fault line within their party between progressives who have become increasingly bold in denouncing the Israeli leader and his hawkish policies and moderates who do not want to give President Donald Trump any help in his bid to depict Democrats as anti-Israel.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., campaigning in Nevada, a key caucus state, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that she was unhappy with Netanyahu’s West Bank announcement but also emphasized her pro-Israel credentials.
“I’m for the two-state solution and I don’t favor what Netanyahu did this weekend,” she said. “I don’t favor the annexation; I think we should have a two-state solution.”
An older man interrupted her meeting with local Democratic activists in suburban Las Vegas on Sunday, saying “Israel oppresses Palestinians.” But Klobuchar cut him off, saying “We’ve talked about that.”
Klobuchar’s impatience with the activist underscored the difficulties moderate Democrats may face in handling the party’s progressive base, which has grown increasingly hostile to Netanyahu, a villain for the Democratic left at least since 2015 when he worked behind the scenes with Republicans to speak in Congress against President Barack Obama’s Iran nuclear deal.
MoveOn, the progressive advocacy group, called on Democratic presidential candidates to boycott last month’s American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, in part because Netanyahu was a featured speaker. Klobuchar, perhaps the Democratic candidate closest to AIPAC, met with a delegation from the Israel lobby that came to her office during the conference.
“I met with my local AIPAC group, I was proud to do that, and I was proud to be a strong supporter of Israel, my voting record has shown that,” she said.
Trump, appearing here this weekend at the annual conference of the Republican Jewish Coalition, played up his relationship with Netanyahu, noting how the prime minister stood at his side as Trump signed the proclamation recognizing the Golan as Israel’s sovereign territory.
“I stood with your Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House to recognize sovereignty over the Golan Heights,” he said to cheers. “How’s the race going?” he asked, referring to Tuesday’s Israeli election.
>> Gantz casts vote as Israelis head to polls in election seen as a referendum on Netanyahu || LIVE UPDATES
Trump has been seen as boosting Netanyahu ahead of the election through the Golan recognition, a high-profile visit to Israel by his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and by sharing a Netanyahu election ad on social media.
Trump and other speakers at the RJC conference urged those attending to persuade Jewish Democrats to leave the party, saying it is giving voice to anti-Israel activists. Klobuchar said Democrats must resist Trump’s efforts to make Israel a partisan issue.
“I just spoke at a major Jewish gathering in Los Angeles about this, and I did it with [Nebraska Republican Sen.] Ben Sasse to make the point we have to get through all of this,” she said. “I do not like how the president has been using Israel as a divide because you’re going to start losing the bipartisan support that is so important. Israel is our beacon for democracy in the Mideast.”
Buttigieg — the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who is surprising many with his successful upstart campaign — like Klobuchar is a moderate with a close relation to a pro-Israel group. In his case it’s the American Jewish Committee, whose Project Interchange hosted Buttigieg in Israel last year.
“This provocation is harmful to Israeli, Palestinian, and American interests,” Buttigieg said Saturday on Twitter, referring to Netanyahu’s annexation pledge. “Supporting Israel does not have to mean agreeing with Netanyahu’s politics. I don’t. This calls for a president willing to counsel our ally against abandoning a two-state solution.”
O’Rourke, who has attracted substantial funding, has been the most outspoken of the Democrats condemning Netanyahu. Speaking in Iowa, the first caucus state, he pointed out that Netanyahu formed an election alliance with a far-right party that has its roots in the teachings of Meir Kahane, the late racist rabbi.
“This is someone, who in a previous election, warned Arabs were coming to the polls,” O’Rourke said. “It’s racism. This is someone who no longer subscribes to a two-state solution and has vowed to annex the West Bank, which will make peace, in the long term, impossible. This is someone who has joined far-right parties who are inherently racist in their speech and the way they want to treat their fellow human beings in that part of the world.”
Sanders, the progressive flag-bearer since his surprisingly strong 2016 run for the presidential nomination, was scathing, too, as he campaigned in Iowa.
“I think that Benjamin Netanyahu is an extreme right-wing leader in Israel,” the Vermont Independent senator told Marc Daniels, a Jewish activist who tracks presidential campaigns. “I do not support his policies, and I think that to speak out against Netanyahu is not to be anti-Israel. And what I believe is that we, in fact, need a two-state solution to the Middle East ongoing crisis and that the United States needs to have an even-handed policy.”
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Another Democratic candidate, Julian Castro, also weighed in against the annexation pledge and criticized the Trump administration for providing the impetus.
“In abandoning our position as a good faith partner in the Middle East peace process, the Trump admin has enabled reckless actions like this from Netanyahu,” the former San Antonio mayor and a Cabinet member under President Barack Obama tweeted. “US support for a two-state solution is on the line in November 2020.”
For moderates like Klobuchar and Buttigieg — as well as Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, who also have strong AIPAC relationships — navigating the territory between criticizing Netanyahu and standing up for Israel will become more difficult should Netanyahu be re-elected and press ahead with the West Bank annexation.
Trump administration officials have suggested that they’re on board with it, even though Pompeo on Monday refused to comment on Netanyahu’s announcement. Speaking at the AIPAC conference, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, one of the architects of the still-to-be-unveiled Trump administration peace plan, said it would keep Israel in security control of the West Bank.
Compounding the problem for moderates is a Democratic base eager for a fighter to give Trump as good as he gets. At the Las Vegas event, Klobuchar was asked repeatedly how she would take on the president’s take-no-prisoners style — with humor, dignity and truth, she said. The Minnesota lawmaker emphasized her record of working with Republicans to get bills passed, but also called herself a progressive.
That might not cut it for Levi Rothman, who owns a local construction business and brought his three children to the Las Vegas event to see Klobuchar, in part because he wanted his daughters — Dassie, 8, Adina, 7, and Benjy, 4 — to see women as role models.
“She’s moderate, middle of the road,” Rothman said. “But I might be in the mood for a blowtorch.”
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Home / News / Children’s theatre matters – Take it seriously!
Children’s theatre matters – Take it seriously!
In the last week there have been articles by two of the top supporters of theatre for young audiences – Lyn Gardner in the Guardian and Susan Elkin in The Stage – questioning why children’s theatre is not taken more seriously.
Lyn’s article was an edited version of a speech she made at the Unicorn theatre in London last week, on being presented with an award for outstanding contribution to children‘s arts by Action for Children’s Arts. It’s worth a read and touches upon whether we place enough importance on the arts in the development of children in this country.
Jake Orr from A Younger Theatre commented;
I can’t help but to feel disheartened that we are still having to fight for children’s theatre as an accepted and celebrated form of theatre.
Please can someone – anyone – give me a valid reason why children’s theatre is so often pushed to one side?
Mike Kenny, who adapted the Olivier Award Winning The Railway Children and regular writer for children’s company tutti frutti, offered his thoughts and pointed out the irony of shunning children’s productions;
The issue has never been the quality of the work for children, or the seriousness of intent on the part of the people who make it. Sadly, with the shining exception of Lyn, the serious cultural reviewers do not pay it any consistent attention.Why this should be so, I’m not sure.
I have always suspected that they fear that their own credentials as cultural commentators will be questioned if they spend time amongst children. Being with infants might tar them as infantile.
The huge irony is that our two national companies are currently sailing on a sea of money generated by shows for children’s audiences. Much of the work reviewed in the broadsheets is subsidised by children and their parents.
High profile work always emerges from a complex theatre ecology. Critical attention is the missing link in that ecology for children’s theatre.
While in The Stage, Susan Elkin carried on in a similar vein to Lyn Gardner;
Why does this industry not take theatre for children and young people seriously? Theatre and live performance is in my view essential – not some kind of expendable add on – to the education and development of children and young people. It also provides hundreds or jobs and masses of invaluable experience for, mostly young, actors.
Susan also wondered if the problem also stems from our future actors not being trained for working on theatre for young people;
I also worry about actor training for this sort of work because it requires pretty specific skills, especially if the show is aimed at the youngest children.
Yes, Rose Bruford has an MA in theatre for young audiences and Birmingham School of Acting has a BA in Applied Theatre which includes theatre for young audiences – and there other examples. But in most drama schools theatre for young audiences gets only a nod in a module if it’s there at all. So I suspect that even some students and young actors come to regard work for young audiences as something peripheral which you do only if you can’t get anything else.
Rose Bruford College students (above) performing in Dig and Delve created with Half Moon Theatre as part of their final year degree courses.
We would love to see more previews and reviews of the shows at Half Moon. If you would like to write about performances at Half Moon for your blog, website, magazine, newsletter or otherwise do get in touch with us!
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Start by marking “Tipping Point (Project Renova #1)” as Want to Read:
We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Tipping Point by Terry Tyler.
Preview — Tipping Point by Terry Tyler
(Project Renova #1)
Terry Tyler (Goodreads Author)
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B074LSCX5M
'I didn't know danger was floating behind us on the breeze as we walked along the beach, seeping in through the windows of our picture postcard life.'
The year is 2024. A new social networking site bursts onto the scene. Private Life promises total privacy, with freebies and financial incentives for all. Across the wo This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B074LSCX5M
The year is 2024. A new social networking site bursts onto the scene. Private Life promises total privacy, with freebies and financial incentives for all. Across the world, a record number of users sign up.
A deadly virus is discovered in a little known African province, and it's spreading—fast. The UK announces a countrywide vaccination programme. Members of underground group Unicorn believe the disease to be man-made, and that the people are being fed lies driven by a vast conspiracy.
Vicky Keating's boyfriend, Dex, is working for Unicorn over two hundred miles away when the first UK outbreak is detected in her home town of Shipden, on the Norfolk coast. The town is placed under military controlled quarantine and, despite official assurances that there is no need for panic, within days the virus is unstoppable.
In London, Travis begins to question the nature of the top secret data analysis project he is working on, while in Newcastle there are scores to be settled...
This is the first book in the Project Renova series; the second, Lindisfarne, is due to be published in September 2017, with the final instalment in the middle of 2018. A collection of outtake short stories, Patient Zero, is in progress, and should be available around December 2017.
Project Renova #1
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Aug 21, 2017 Whispering Stories rated it it was amazing
This is the fourteenth book by British author, Terry Tyler. This time she gives us ‘Tipping Point’ a post-apocalyptical thriller, set in the UK in 2024. We meet our main protagonist, Vicky and her daughter, Lottie who are living the domestic dream with Vicky’s partner Dex in the friendly community of Shipden, on the Norfolk coast. As a backdrop, this works well however in typical no-nonsense Tyler style, it becomes clear from the outset this happy state of affairs won’t last long. In fact the se This is the fourteenth book by British author, Terry Tyler. This time she gives us ‘Tipping Point’ a post-apocalyptical thriller, set in the UK in 2024. We meet our main protagonist, Vicky and her daughter, Lottie who are living the domestic dream with Vicky’s partner Dex in the friendly community of Shipden, on the Norfolk coast. As a backdrop, this works well however in typical no-nonsense Tyler style, it becomes clear from the outset this happy state of affairs won’t last long. In fact the seeds of malevolence and mayhem were sown long before we join the tale.
The pace builds nicely, ratcheting up the tension as Vicky and Lottie quickly find themselves in danger in the early part of the book. The plot is clever and well-structured, weaving in parallels from the past and giving us a suitable amount of backstory. We watch in horror as society breaks down at an alarming speed with anarchy replacing social cohesion and the urbane turning feral.
Tyler gives us chaos and confusion and counter-balances these with concerns over the trivial and mundane. She also manages to throw in a bit of irony and humour to temper the bleakest of situations. In addition, we witness an extensive range of emotions and value judgements; from hope, love, fear and jealousy to sensitive issues such as bigotry, scapegoating and discrimination.
The depth of the characters allows us to share their thoughts and empathise with their anxieties as they try to negotiate their way through each day and somehow survive to live another. The personalities of Vicky and Lottie complement each other well, with each having a strength that the other lacks. The character of Dex is highly intriguing; we feel we know him through Vicky, only for us to have to re-evaluate our perception as we find out more about the individuals who make up the Unicorn group.
The tempo settles a little as practicalities replace panic with a semblance of order coming to the fore among the small band of comrades gathered together in a safe house in the north. We see the restructuring of a microcosmic new order created by people pulling together, each using their own skills and utilising basic materials and possessions. Although we no longer constantly fear for the lives of our main characters, these chapters are no less interesting.
By piecing together all that they know, the friends form their own theory regarding the origins of the deadly virus. The idea of cynical establishment control and manipulation is not new, however this thought-provoking plot gives us a superb twist on the possibility and I found myself wondering if this scenario could actually happen. Many questions were posed; how would our high-tech, media-dominated world cope with this type of catastrophe? The prospect was highly unsettling.
Whilst this novel is 448 pages long, there is no waffle or padding as Tyler doesn’t waste a word. I was absorbed from start to finish and read it in four days. I’m delighted to see that this is the first in a new series and can’t wait to find out what she serves up next. This is an innovative, multi-layered book and I have no hesitation in awarding Terry Tyler and ‘Tipping Point’ five stars.
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com ...more
Apr 28, 2018 Stephanie Jane (Literary Flits) rated it really liked it
Shelves: fiction-europe, fiction-scifi
See more of my book reviews on my blog, Literary Flits
I so enjoyed Terry Tyler's short story collection Patient Zero in March that I was keen to get on with her Project Renova dystopian series that it accompanies. Tipping Point is the first of what is currently a trilogy (although I understand the series extending to a quartet is a strong possibility!). Two storylines are cleverly intertwined to produce a thrilling science fiction prospect and one which is scarily close to our present day realit See more of my book reviews on my blog, Literary Flits
I so enjoyed Terry Tyler's short story collection Patient Zero in March that I was keen to get on with her Project Renova dystopian series that it accompanies. Tipping Point is the first of what is currently a trilogy (although I understand the series extending to a quartet is a strong possibility!). Two storylines are cleverly intertwined to produce a thrilling science fiction prospect and one which is scarily close to our present day reality. Straight after reading Tipping Point I tweeted:
So I need to get off all social media Now, but then I wouldn't be able to shout about this scary @TerryTyler4 #dystopia novel!#TippingPoint #bookbloggerproblems pic.twitter.com/RxHafJPZ5O
— Stephanie Jane (@Stephanie_Jne) April 28, 2018
And Tyler really did get me so caught up in the Project Renova world! I liked seeing from Vicky's point of view how Britain was swept by the virus, especially how poorly prepared most of us are for even a weekend without popping to the shops - let alone a potential forever. Different viewpoints add depth to the story by giving us added background and helped me to understand how so many people could be duped into effectively sleepwalking into disaster. The North Norfolk coast makes for a great setting and the contrast between such an ordinary seaside town and what happens there adds beautifully to the tension. I recognised aspects of Sheringham in Tyler's fictional Shipden so it felt as though Tipping Point was actually taking place in a town I know well. A thrilling read and I am now looking forward to the sequel, Lindisfarne!
If you liked The Smallest Thing by Lisa Manterfield give Tipping Point a try (and vice versa!). ...more
Aug 03, 2017 Judith Barrow rated it really liked it
I need to say right from the start that a dystopian novel is one genre I have never read. And never intended to.
But then I heard that one of my favourite authors, Terry Tyler, had written such a book and couldn’t resist asking for a copy. I was relying on the fact that, whatever kind of book she produces, this author always has believable characters, great narration, can build a great sense of place and writes dialogue any reader can believe in.
I wasn’t disappointed. True, it’s a tough subject I need to say right from the start that a dystopian novel is one genre I have never read. And never intended to.
I wasn’t disappointed. True, it’s a tough subject (I really am a wimp about ‘end of the world as we know it’ stories. but Tipping Point is a truly good read. It’s obvious the author has researched the reasons, the politics, the societal differences and effects of a complete breakdown of a country. The gradual disintegration of Shipden and the UK as a whole is utterly convincing.
But it’s not only the plot that is well thought out. As usual Terry Tyler has produced well rounded, multi-layered characters. There are the ones to admire, to fear, to despise and to empathise with. The reactions of the protagonist, Vicky, to what is happening is credible, her actions plausible. I liked her; I liked her reasoning, her relationship with her daughter, Lottie, her courage (although she believes herself to be weak). Most of all I like that she grows in strength of character through all the turmoil she faces (and especially that she begins to believe in herself and not to just take the word of her errant boyfriend, Dex) And , in contrast, I would like to mention someone else, Travis; a flat character but one that chilled me with his singular perspective, and is a prime example of the kind of person that those behind Private Life, a new social networking site, aim their propaganda towards. There is one small scene where he takes centre stage.It’s scary!!
And. as always the dialogue, both internal and spoken, portrays the personalities of every character in the book…and, believe me, there are some weird and extreme characters. But there again, I should think such a situation would bring out the most base, and basic, traits in anyone.
The graphic descriptions of settings the details of the deserted towns and countryside feel incredibly authentic; much as I would imagine them to be. It’s easy to envisage the people moving around these places.
I was actually disappointed when I reached the end of Tipping Point; having believed that there would be some reassurance that all would be well for the characters (but probably that’s just me wanting a happy ending! Yes, the world has been destroyed but let’s just make another, less corrupt, more pleasant; one for everyone left…who, of course, will only be the ‘nice’ characters.). But there’s no such reassurance; things seem to be working out but then comes the great spanner in the works (I’ll leave you to find out what… because, of course, unlike me, you won’t be expecting a perfectly ‘sorted out’ denouement, will you? When I reached the end there were still so many unanswered questions; so much unresolved.
Terry Tyler has indeed produced a disturbing story. But it’s brilliantly written and it’s threaded through with hope and optimism; belief in the strengths of the human race. Nevertheless, I doubt I will ever be a true fan of dystopian novels… except the next one of the Project Renova series. As the author tells us, Lindisfarne, is to be published in September 2017. I know I’ll be ordering that… and the final one.
After that, unless Terry Tyler decides to stick to this genre, I ‘ll leave dystopian novels to other readers. But this one I can certainly recommend. ...more
Aug 15, 2017 Cathy Ryan rated it it was amazing
Shelves: post-apocalyptic
Vicky Keating lived in the house of her dreams in the seaside town of Shipden on the Norfolk coast, with her daughter, Lottie, and partner, Dex. The story is set in the near future when ‘privacy’ on social media is fast becoming a contentious issue, and huge numbers of people are closing down accounts and deleting profiles – until a new, supposedly completely safe social networking site takes the world by storm.
Dex and his friends belong to Unicorn, an organisation distrustful of government, be Vicky Keating lived in the house of her dreams in the seaside town of Shipden on the Norfolk coast, with her daughter, Lottie, and partner, Dex. The story is set in the near future when ‘privacy’ on social media is fast becoming a contentious issue, and huge numbers of people are closing down accounts and deleting profiles – until a new, supposedly completely safe social networking site takes the world by storm.
Dex and his friends belong to Unicorn, an organisation distrustful of government, believing the new social media site is part of a manipulative plan for the gathering and analysis of personal data by the National Security Agency. He warns Vicky and Lottie against posting, particularly personal information. Vicky believes he’s overreacting and Lottie can’t imagine not being in constant online contact with her friends.
When news of an impending and deadly pandemic sweeps the country Vicky and Lottie find themselves alone, unable to process the increasing horror as events unfold. When a military presence appears in the town to contain the remaining residents Vicky and Lottie manage to escape and travel, despite the dangers, to the safe house where Dex made arrangements to meet up with them.
Written in the first person, Vicky’s thoughts and reactions are totally convincing and just what I’d imagine to be true to life. Witnessing the progressive break down of society and it’s values and the disintegration of a country is extremely credible. It was actually very difficult for me to imagine how people would cope without all the basics we take for granted on a day-to-day basis, never mind things like the internet and mobile phones, and then having to navigate a new and dangerous world, but I think this storyline is spot on.
Exploration of characters and their personalities, by thoughts, actions and dialogue, is one of Terry Tyler’s strengths and those in this story are no exception. They are all distinct, well defined with depth and portrayed with authenticity, showing the best and worst traits of humanity, with a mix of fear, desperation, lawlessness, decency and the willingness of the masses to believe what they are told. The group at the safe house, and even those who were sucked into working for the project for one reason or another, all of them jumped out, drew me in and kept me reading. Can’t wait for the next one!
The plot is terrific, written and executed extremely well with insight, humour and wit, although it’s quite chilling and thought provoking and made me think seriously about the down sides of social media. I enjoy Terry Tyler’s easy to read and realistic writing style immensely. This is a believable, if disturbing, scenario, very relevant to today’s lifestyle and environmental considerations.
I chose to read and review Tipping Point based on a digital copy of the book supplied by the author. ...more
May 12, 2018 Leonard Tillerman rated it it was amazing
Have you ever truly considered how you would react to an apocalypse? How would you really respond to widespread destruction or disaster? Most human beings pride themselves on their inherent kind and benevolent nature. A unique human ability to live according to a strong sense of morality which has us look out for the welfare and well being of others. However, what if these human beings we once sought to help and protect are now pitted against us in a struggle for survival? Would you still f Have you ever truly considered how you would react to an apocalypse? How would you really respond to widespread destruction or disaster? Most human beings pride themselves on their inherent kind and benevolent nature. A unique human ability to live according to a strong sense of morality which has us look out for the welfare and well being of others. However, what if these human beings we once sought to help and protect are now pitted against us in a struggle for survival? Would you still follow that lofty moral standard? Or would you sink to a new depth as you clash and skirmish for your very life? Neighbor versus neighbor! How do you think you would fare if faced with such a predicament? If such a potential phenomenon intrigues you, then Tipping Point by Terry Tyler is absolutely a must read!
The story begins by introducing us to our main protagonist, Vicky. She is living an idyllic life with her daughter Lottie and boyfriend Dex in the beautiful coastal community of Shipden. Life is quite perfect in Shipden and Vicky describes herself as "the happiest woman in the world," living in a perfectly "grand" community. Unfortunately for Vicky and crew, it is also the ideal setting for impending doom and horror.
From early on in the tale we are able to see that things are not quite right. As an alternative to the popular social media platforms which have continually violated the privacy of their users, a new popular social networking site by the name of Private Life arrives. Promising to protect the privacy of their users, Private Life becomes incredibly popular. However, everything may not be as it seems and this possibility takes Dex away to work for an underground group named Unicorn.
A deadly virus has been discovered and is quickly spreading. The members of the Unicorn Group believe this to be a carefully planned conspiracy. Could this truly be the case? If so...what does Private Life have to do with it? When the virus hits the peaceful community of shipden, we begin to find out. With Dex gone to work for Unicorn, Vicky and Lottie must escape Shipden and fight for their very existence. What they see beyond the coastal community is more horrific than anyone could have ever imagined. Will they find Dex and be able to exist in this new world? Or will they become two more casualties in an operation gone wrong?
I found this novel to be quite brilliant in a variety of ways. While it can be categorized as a dystopian novel, it is far too complex and sagacious to be pigeonholed in such a fashion. The author shows how quickly society breaks down after it arrives at the "tipping point." Anarchy, barbarity and sorrow quickly follow. However, while it would have been easy to simply focus upon the chaos and terror which this societal breakdown brings forth, that is not the case with this novel. The plot clearly concentrates upon the good versus evil theme. It reveals how even in the worst and most horrific of times, good remains rooted in the core of many individuals and cannot be extinguished. As a reader it makes you wonder which camp you would fall into. That is true engagement!
Terry Tyler's writing is beautiful and has a wonderful flow to it. She weaves this craft throughout the novel, providing an excellent pace and explanation to the plot which keeps the reader enthralled and glued to the pages. She also provides a host of characters who are developed in great depth. Presented in the First Person, we are able to gain access to many of their innermost thoughts and fears. We see their bravery and their flaws as they negotiate this new world. Also, many of the characters actually complement one another very well and feed off each other's strengths and needs. The reader will certainly identify with certain characters as they picture themselves in this new world.
Speaking of new worlds, Terry Tyler does an excellent job of depicting the setting. For the reader to be engaged and involved in the tale, it has to be authentic and believable. We have to be able to visualize ourselves in this place. Tyler is able to present the setting in such a way that this is thoroughly accomplished with details that are paced in such a way that they do not risk losing the attention of the reader. In fact, the story has so many parallels with current society that it is entirely conceivable, convincing and chilling. For this to happen in a novel requires a lot of forethought and research. Ms. Tyler has obviously done her homework and has managed to capture and expose many of our own innermost fears and use them to create this world. Well done!
I would recommend this story for a Young Adult and up audience. There is little doubt all ages will enjoy it as it is written so well. There is obviously violence in the novel and some of it sexual in nature so be forewarned.
If you are looking for an exceptionally well written and intelligent story which will engage you from start to finish, then I suggest you consider Tipping Point!
5 out of 5 Convincing and Chilling stars for this one! ***** ...more
Aug 07, 2017 Teri rated it it was amazing
This is the first book I've read by this author, and to my knowledge, the post-apocalyptic genre is a different path for her. I'm thrilled she decided to branch out, as this is a favorite for me.
With a variety of characters operating on various levels of the 'Something's rotten in the state of Denmark' spectrum, the reader is introduced to those who bury their head in the sand, others who believe it's a glitch the government will correct and a happy ending will be had by all, people who thriv This is the first book I've read by this author, and to my knowledge, the post-apocalyptic genre is a different path for her. I'm thrilled she decided to branch out, as this is a favorite for me.
With a variety of characters operating on various levels of the 'Something's rotten in the state of Denmark' spectrum, the reader is introduced to those who bury their head in the sand, others who believe it's a glitch the government will correct and a happy ending will be had by all, people who thrive on total anarchy, and doomsday folks who planned months in advance. Vicki's journey is very credible, from disbelief at what's happening in her world, to eventual acceptance, and how best to survive and protect her daughter.
This is a disturbing story, not only because of the horrific circumstances and gradual breakdown of society, but also, even though an improbable situation, it's quite believable. That's partly because it's obvious the author did extensive research, but it also just makes sense in a twisted governmental conspiracy type of way.
This is the first in a series, and I'm very glad I won't have to wait long for the second book! I'd highly recommend Tipping Point for post-apocalyptic/dystopian fans. Get started now before the next book releases in September.
I received a digital ARC from the author. ...more
Dec 01, 2017 Sally Cronin rated it it was amazing
When I first read books by Nevil Shute in 1964, I was aged eleven and pinching library books from the bottom of my father's stack on his bedside cabinet. The first "What Ever Happened to the Corbetts" was fascinating because it was set in the Solent and Southampton, the next city over to our home in Portsmouth. "On the Beach" and "A Town Like Alice" followed and all three books were clearly not intended for someone of my tender years. But I loved them.
In fact I went on to read all of Nevil Shut When I first read books by Nevil Shute in 1964, I was aged eleven and pinching library books from the bottom of my father's stack on his bedside cabinet. The first "What Ever Happened to the Corbetts" was fascinating because it was set in the Solent and Southampton, the next city over to our home in Portsmouth. "On the Beach" and "A Town Like Alice" followed and all three books were clearly not intended for someone of my tender years. But I loved them.
In fact I went on to read all of Nevil Shute's books more than once. Most of them were set in a time of war or the breakdown of world order, and their protagonists had to find a way to survive. I believe Nevil Shute would have enjoyed Terry Tyler's writing style and her book Tipping Point very much.
Books such as this are essential reading, to shake us out of institutionalised complacency. You do not need to be in a prison or under some form of confinement to be hide-bound by rules and expected behaviour. Not many of us today live under the radar; usually the banks have all our money, our pensions are managed by the government or private investment firms and we pay for everything by debit or credit card, and at some point in the near future we are expected to go cash free. Our phones can be tracked and our calls listened into and for many of us, our lives are open books, laid out for all to read on social media.
We also believe that we live in a democracy and that our freedom to vote means that those in office, chosen by us, have our best interests at heart. Very few of us have a ‘Plan B’ in place should the worst happen. We wouldn’t want to be thought of being one of those crazy ‘Preppers’ who live in the woods in bunkers with canned food would we!
For Vicki and her daughter Lottie, Dex and his conspiracy theorist colleagues, their friends and neighbours, and even those working on the fringes of government, are about to find out what happens when that institution is ripped from under them.
It starts with a little known virus that is reported in the news. It causes some concern, but it is in Africa and it has happened before, hasn't it? It won't happen in England, despite its current woes of unemployment, over-population and trade deficit will it? And anyway, the government moves quickly to put an effective vaccination programme in place. What could possibly go wrong?
Tipping Point illustrates extremely well what happens when the thin veneer of civilisation is destroyed and it is every man and woman for themselves.
You might think to yourself that with all the doom and gloom in the press every day that you might not enjoy Tipping Point. But you will because it is well written by Tyler and has some characters that are so believable, you think you might actually know them. You will experience the loss of all we take for granted through their eyes and their relationships. And you will cheer them on as they take risks, overcome their fears and scrabble to regain some form of a future.
I am really looking forward "Lindisfarne", book two of Project Renova that is waiting for me on my reader. My go bag is almost packed, my larder is stocked with dried goods and my camping stove is at the ready. I am prepared to travel to this Holy Island and see what is to come next.
I have no hesitation in giving five stars to Tipping Point and I am only sorry that Nevil did not have the chance to read it.
Jan 10, 2018 Liza Perrat rated it it was amazing
I am a great fan of Terry Tyler’s books, mainly due to her great storytelling and character development. That’s the reason I tried Tipping Point even though I’m not generally a fan of post-apocalyptic/dystopian stories. And I’m so glad I did! I found this story scarily plausible and realistic, and could totally imagine it happening, especially since it’s set in 2024, not so far into our future.
It all stems from the new and highly popular social networking site, Private Life, something most of u I am a great fan of Terry Tyler’s books, mainly due to her great storytelling and character development. That’s the reason I tried Tipping Point even though I’m not generally a fan of post-apocalyptic/dystopian stories. And I’m so glad I did! I found this story scarily plausible and realistic, and could totally imagine it happening, especially since it’s set in 2024, not so far into our future.
It all stems from the new and highly popular social networking site, Private Life, something most of us are readily familiar with today. Our privacy is ensured, but is that what happens?
When a lethal and rapidly-spreading virus is discovered in Africa, and spreads through the UK, a nationwide vaccination programme is announced. However it soon becomes obvious that not everyone is being offered the vaccination, for example, the ill, old, mentally ill and unemployed are not entitled.
In the roller-coaster ride of this thriller that follows, the author deftly explores the vast conspiracy theory and evokes a sense of real fear into the reader, about gaining data from social media and that information being used against us. It is a worrying scenario, with terrifying consequences, that I can easily imagine happening.
That’s not to say this story is simply a dystopian horror tale, far from it. It also shows us, very realistically, human behaviour: how people behave in both negative and positive ways when society as we know it breaks down.
As in all her books, the author has created some compelling characters with whom I could readily identify and care about.
Tipping Point is the first book in what promises to be an excellent series, the Project Renova series and I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the second, Lindisfarne, which is waiting for me on my Kindle! ...more
Aug 07, 2017 Elizabeth Lloyd rated it it was amazing
How would we cope if all social media disappeared followed by Google and the whole internet, if family and friends fell ill and died and public utilities ceased to function?
“Only Twitter, the domain of conspiracy theorists, anarchists, artists and writers clung on.”
I have always enjoyed Terry Tyler’s character driven contemporary stories about realistic people I felt I knew but I was unsure of how I would react to a post-apocalypse novel, which is not my usual choice of genre. Well, I was blown How would we cope if all social media disappeared followed by Google and the whole internet, if family and friends fell ill and died and public utilities ceased to function?
I have always enjoyed Terry Tyler’s character driven contemporary stories about realistic people I felt I knew but I was unsure of how I would react to a post-apocalypse novel, which is not my usual choice of genre. Well, I was blown away by how compelling I found this story. There are thrilling, edge of the seat events, a very likeable heroine and a convincing plot.
What struck me early in the story, when young mother, Vicky described events leading up to the “tipping point,” in August 2024, was that the book addresses the concerns we have now, of intolerance, reduction of public services and the burden of providing for an increasing population.
Vicky lived in a small Norfolk town on the coast with her partner Dex and teenage daughter, Lottie. Dex, a college lecturer, is concerned about covert Government intelligence agencies and advises Vicky not to give away too much about her private life, online. He belongs to an organisation called Unicorn who distrust government motives and action. As a new social networking site called Private Lives, promising absolute security, replaces the established websites, there is news of a lethal epidemic in Africa, which might spread.
After Dex disappears, Vicky soon loses her naivety and she and Lottie become closer as they escape military forces trapping them in their home. Travelling to a “Safe House” in Tyne and Wear where they hope to see Dex, they find themselves in extremely dangerous situations and have to make judgements as to whom they can trust. In the Safe House, a group of disparate individuals must learn to live together and become aware that twenty first century life is never going to be the same again.
In other chapters, we meet Travis and Aria, who have been working for the government on “Project Renova,” but discover that they too are trapped, partly as a result of the actions of a socially inadequate individual who has deliberately created chaos. There is also Wedge, an escapee from a high security prison who is the last person any of them would wish to meet.
This is a story of how we can stumble blindly into disaster, not just as individuals but also as a nation. It is highly relevant to the present day where we are only concerned about our own small world. It is also a damn good read with the feel of a film script where we are both observers and closely involved in the experiences of Vicky and Lottie. A must read and ….. there will be more to follow. ...more
Oct 01, 2017 Roy Murry rated it it was amazing
(Project Renova Book 1)
TERRY TYLER
Reviewed by Author Roy Murry
How people react to a catastrophe that pits human against human for survival brings out the best and the worst in them. Add to this a devious plot, and you have this gripping novel that Ms. Tyler has given us.
She develops her numerous characters so that you'll remember them going into a short series most will enjoy. The leading character is a mum, Vicky, who wants to protect her teenager, Lottie, from the events surroundi TIPPING POINT
She develops her numerous characters so that you'll remember them going into a short series most will enjoy. The leading character is a mum, Vicky, who wants to protect her teenager, Lottie, from the events surrounding a pandemic.
With the help of her lover Dex, Vicky overcomes a major hurdle that keeps her and her daughter alive in a cruel world where people are fighting for the bare minimum amenities to go on. Having been separated from Dex for a time, Vicky, and Lottie go searching for him at some safe house miles from their militarily controlled hometown.
Their adventure begins, leading to trials and errors that confront them, without the use of our modern gadgets we use today: TV and Internet service, iPhones, Computers, electricity, clean water, etc. You get the point. They find little security and maybe a future.
You'll have to read this book to see if they and Dex have a future together, which I will do in my future.
Mar 02, 2018 Anniek rated it it was amazing
Vicky lives in a small town named Shipden with her teenage daughter and her boyfriend Dex. It's 2024 and when a new and deadly virus is discovered in Africa there isn't immediate reason to panic. Dex and a small group of like-minded people are working for Unicorn. They think the virus is man-made and that it has been spread by the government. They've been preparing for the end of the world. Vicky is not really into Dex's ideas and feels left out when he keeps going to these secret meetings. Wha
Vicky lives in a small town named Shipden with her teenage daughter and her boyfriend Dex. It's 2024 and when a new and deadly virus is discovered in Africa there isn't immediate reason to panic. Dex and a small group of like-minded people are working for Unicorn. They think the virus is man-made and that it has been spread by the government. They've been preparing for the end of the world. Vicky is not really into Dex's ideas and feels left out when he keeps going to these secret meetings. What will happen when this virus, that caused no panic in the beginning, reaches the United Kingdom?
Vicky and her daughter Lottie are in Shipden when the whole town is being put into quarantine. Nobody gets in or out. Dex is out of town at that time, so Vicky and Lottie are on their own. Dex stocked up the house with food and water and packed emergency backpacks for them. He even managed to get them the vaccination for the virus. Vicky and Lottie see their world change before their eyes. People are dying and the army will shoot on sight if they think someone has the virus. Vicky and Lottie are going to try to get to the safe house Dex always talked about. Will they be able to get there in time?
Vicky used to live an easy and relatively happy life. Now that this has changed she has to toughen up to survive in this new world. Lottie is a teenage girl and because the world is falling apart, she has to learn to live without all the comforts of her old life. I admired the way Vicky and Lottie are dealing with everything that's going on. Lottie is a smart girl and accepts the fact that things have changed. She adapts really fast and this also helps Vicky a lot. Vicky is feeling insecure and scared and often wonders if she's doing the right thing. She stays strong and still tries to see the good in people. I was hoping for them to find a safe haven so they could rebuild some sort of a life again.
Tipping Point is a gripping story about how fast the world as you know it could change. A Tipping Point is the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change. The fact that a deadly and very contagious virus spreads so fast and does so much damage chilled me to the bones. New viruses are made and discovered every single day, so the fact that this could happen in real life is incredibly frightening to me. Terry Tyler has taken her time to give the story a perfect and well thought out start. This made me invested in it even more. Tipping Point is the first book in the Project Renova series and I can't wait to find out what happens next in the second book, Lindisfarne. ...more
Oct 01, 2017 Scatterbooker rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 5-stars, dystopia, science-fiction, post-acopalypse
Tipping Point is a fascinating post-apocalyptic novel set in 2024. A new social media platform called Private Life has emerged as the digital place to be, until a deadly virus discovered in Africa swiftly spreads across the globe causing chaos until civilisation as we know it to come to a grinding halt.
The novel focuses on English Mum, Vicky, and her family who live in a small town on the Norfolk coast which is quickly placed under military control when the UK’s patient zero is infected with the Tipping Point is a fascinating post-apocalyptic novel set in 2024. A new social media platform called Private Life has emerged as the digital place to be, until a deadly virus discovered in Africa swiftly spreads across the globe causing chaos until civilisation as we know it to come to a grinding halt.
The novel focuses on English Mum, Vicky, and her family who live in a small town on the Norfolk coast which is quickly placed under military control when the UK’s patient zero is infected with the deadly virus there. Vicky’s partner, Dex, has been a long time member of what she thought was a nutty conspiracy theory group, but she quickly discovers they had been right all along and joins up with the Unicorn group as a matter of survival. But Dex was working on Unicorn business at the time of the outbreak and nobody knows where he is or if he survived.
Tipping Point is Terry Tyler’s first post-apocalyptic novel, but she has slipped into this genre with style and ease. I was very quickly drawn into this novel and love the concept of a social media platform being behind the end of civilisation. I am thrilled to be able to read the next book in the Project Renova series, Lindisfarne straight away as Terry Tyler is not only a brilliant writer, she is also incredibly quick.
Lindisfarne is already available on Amazon and continues right where Tipping Point left off! ...more
Aug 18, 2017 Rosie Amber rated it it was amazing
Shelves: dystopia, post-apocalyptic
Have you ever had a thought or a conversation where you expressed concern about our reliance on the internet?
Have you ever felt isolated and at a complete loss when the electricity fails, the internet crashes or fuel shortages occur?
Have you experienced the chaos caused by an area wide power outage? Where shops can’t open because everything is sold using bar codes, or payment can only be in cash. Cash? Who uses cash anymore?
What would happen if all electronic details about finance no longer exis Have you ever had a thought or a conversation where you expressed concern about our reliance on the internet?
What would happen if all electronic details about finance no longer existed? Poof! Gone, along with online verification details about your identity: passport, driving licence, tax number, everything just gone.
These are just some of the issues faced by those in this character-driven post-apocalyptic novel. I found myself drawn into many of the themes which sit on the cusp of our everyday fears; the ‘what if’ questions that get posed, often during late night alcohol enhanced conversations. What if the world becomes over populated? What if “Big Brother” really is controlling our lives? Do I care? Should I care? Will I still be here to care?
I do care, in fact this book made me want to contact friends who live in Norfolk, just to check they were okay, all well? No feverish symptoms? I know this is fiction, but it felt such a real possibility. I can’t let these characters go, I really need to know what happens to them in book #2. Will those who survive be the fittest? The meanest? Or those who can adapt, learn and re-learn once again?
This is a very thought provoking read, I stepped right off the edge of my genre comfort zone to read this because I know that this author’s books are filled with great characters, so much so that the genre becomes almost secondary to them. I will definitely being reading the rest of the trilogy.
Jan 01, 2019 Alex Craigie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I tend to steer clear of post apocalytic books as they've become rather hackneyed and predictable. This one was recommended to me and I decided to dip into it to see for myself. That dip turned into a full immersion...
This world is so familiar and believable it makes for a terrifying read. The writing is wonderful and the protagonists are people that matter because of their credibility. The characters find themselves in a world without the things we've come to take for granted and their struggle I tend to steer clear of post apocalytic books as they've become rather hackneyed and predictable. This one was recommended to me and I decided to dip into it to see for myself. That dip turned into a full immersion...
This world is so familiar and believable it makes for a terrifying read. The writing is wonderful and the protagonists are people that matter because of their credibility. The characters find themselves in a world without the things we've come to take for granted and their struggles to cope ring horribly true.
This was my first Terry Tyler and it certainly won't be my last - I've already bought the next in the series ...more
Apr 20, 2018 Lucinda Clarke rated it it was amazing
I’VE FOUND A NEW AUTHOR I LOVE
I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend as she told me I would love it – and I did. Written with an underlying touch of humour, despite the catastrophic story, I was held captive from the first chapter. If you’ve ever wondered how man can solve the overpopulation of the planet, this is one way and it is all too realistic and plausible. It was one of those books when the dished are left in the sink and the bed unmade, I couldn’t put it down. I’m off to g I’VE FOUND A NEW AUTHOR I LOVE
I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend as she told me I would love it – and I did. Written with an underlying touch of humour, despite the catastrophic story, I was held captive from the first chapter. If you’ve ever wondered how man can solve the overpopulation of the planet, this is one way and it is all too realistic and plausible. It was one of those books when the dished are left in the sink and the bed unmade, I couldn’t put it down. I’m off to get the second in the trilogy right now.
Aug 31, 2018 Tim Mercer rated it it was amazing
4.5 stars. This is an apocalyptic story that follows a mum and daughter through the collapse of society in the UK in 2024. A virus breaks out and devastates the country and maybe the world. It is a detailed and gritty novel that follows average people trying to survive. From this basic point the story twists through a plot that develops tightly into a thriller. Sometimes you can see what is coming but I grew so attached to the characters that all this did is become the mechanism that increased t 4.5 stars. This is an apocalyptic story that follows a mum and daughter through the collapse of society in the UK in 2024. A virus breaks out and devastates the country and maybe the world. It is a detailed and gritty novel that follows average people trying to survive. From this basic point the story twists through a plot that develops tightly into a thriller. Sometimes you can see what is coming but I grew so attached to the characters that all this did is become the mechanism that increased the dread of what is coming. I can't wait to read the next as the ending leaves you with an idea of what may happen next but you hope beyond hope that it doesn't! ...more
Jun 05, 2018 Brian Kitchen rated it it was amazing
I really enjoy post-apocalypse novels which are based in the UK and have a believable storyline and felt that this novel looked very promising. I wasn't disappointed. The author has used a lot of ongoing UK political situations to construct a very good story and into the mix has added an uncontrollable virus, which decimates populations not only in the UK, but worldwide. I loved the 'Survivors' drama series which was on UK TV some years. Terry Tyler's story similarly tells the story of the apoca I really enjoy post-apocalypse novels which are based in the UK and have a believable storyline and felt that this novel looked very promising. I wasn't disappointed. The author has used a lot of ongoing UK political situations to construct a very good story and into the mix has added an uncontrollable virus, which decimates populations not only in the UK, but worldwide. I loved the 'Survivors' drama series which was on UK TV some years. Terry Tyler's story similarly tells the story of the apocalyptic events from the point of view of the survivors, which in turn makes it more chilling and believable. I look forward to reading the next two novels in the series and recommend this to anyone who likes this genre. I read the novel on Kindle Unlimited. ...more
Sep 21, 2017 Christina rated it really liked it
Shelves: suspense, dystopian
Relationships, paranoia, societal breakdown, and isolation are all explored in this pacy and suspenseful dystopian novel.
Vicky lives in rural Norfolk with her daughter and conspiracy-theorist boyfriend, Dex. When an outbreak of a deadly virus starts to engulf the town, Vicky starts to heed the advice that Dex left her before he went to work for Unicorn, hours away. The town is on lock-down, friends start dying, and the world as she knows it starts to change. But there is more to the story that n Relationships, paranoia, societal breakdown, and isolation are all explored in this pacy and suspenseful dystopian novel.
Vicky lives in rural Norfolk with her daughter and conspiracy-theorist boyfriend, Dex. When an outbreak of a deadly virus starts to engulf the town, Vicky starts to heed the advice that Dex left her before he went to work for Unicorn, hours away. The town is on lock-down, friends start dying, and the world as she knows it starts to change. But there is more to the story that no-one is aware of, and no one is safe...
From the first few pages, the author draws you into a world that seems so natural, so possible, that it triggered my own paranoia. The occasional insights from other points of view also added to the depth of the story. I spent half the book hiding behind my hands (technically one hand, because I needed the other to hold the e-reader) and the other half wanting to help/ punch/ hug the characters. Thought-provoking and entertaining. I'm looking forward to the next installment of the trilogy.
*Thank you to the author for my free review copy. ...more
Feb 20, 2018 Sue rated it it was amazing
I'm a big fan of the post-apocalyptic genre and was pleased to find that established author Terry Tyler had turned her hand to it.
This tale features both the wider picture involving government conspiracies and societal breakdown, and how this affects certain individuals, mostly Vicky and her teenage daughter Lottie who live an idyllic life in an English coastal village. That is, until things fall apart due to a pandemic with a very high mortality rate, a dodgy vaccine programme and armed soldier I'm a big fan of the post-apocalyptic genre and was pleased to find that established author Terry Tyler had turned her hand to it.
This tale features both the wider picture involving government conspiracies and societal breakdown, and how this affects certain individuals, mostly Vicky and her teenage daughter Lottie who live an idyllic life in an English coastal village. That is, until things fall apart due to a pandemic with a very high mortality rate, a dodgy vaccine programme and armed soldiers enforcing a strict quarantine. The plot is very cleverly woven with a strong cast of supporting characters, graphic descriptions and convincing dialogue.
Much of the book takes place during the months in which the spread of the viral disease occurs and the descriptions of the characters' actions and behaviours are frighteningly realistic. There are some interesting ruminations on the way in which social media is used to secretly gather information on almost all citizens to enable the authorities to categorise, analyse and label everyone. I liked the occasional references to zombies - this is definitely not a zombie novel but the zombie metaphor was used to refer to the masses who follow orders, don't question authority and believe that the government will take control and sort everything out.
Scary! Clearly a great deal of thought and research has gone into this book. I'm moving straight on to book two (Lindisfarne) today.
Sep 09, 2018 Sam Law rated it really liked it
Shelves: coming-of-age, fiction, innocence-experience, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, book-series
Set in the very near future, this novel gives a post-apocalyptic vision of the UK, specifically Shipden up on the Norfolk coast.
It relates the story of an everyday working single mum-of-one, living with her partner of six years, before during and after the pathogen that has invaded the UK. Ostensibly from Central Africa, it has killed approximately 90% of the population, and we are in the early stages of the survivors trying to right themselves.
Main Characters:
Vicky: The main character. Summary:
Vicky: The main character. She is more emotional than her daughter, and not as strong in her character. She maybe suffers a little in self-esteem. She comes across as naïve, in the early stages, but this is lost very quickly. She develops more self-reliance as the book progresses.
Lotte: Sixteen years old, she is more pragmatic in dealing with things than her mother (e.g. a quick tear for her deadbeat dad, then never mentioned again), and more adaptable to the new world.
Travis: A somewhat flat character, he was a government employee, and also from a wealthy background. He becomes attached to Aria, more then she is to him, which you feel will lead to trouble ahead.
Wedge: Psychotic escaped prisoner, stereotypical physical giant Hells Angel type, taking what he needs by violence.
Minor Characters:
Dex: Conspiracy theorist who was proven right, unfaithful partner, and someone we only see in flashbacks. Came across as a patronising git, “being patient” with Vicky when explaining things to her, but did his best to provide before he disappeared.
Aria: A colleague of Travis's, she is somewhat manipulative, and thus dangerous in her own right.
Heath: A survivor, he and Vicky meet and over time become closer in their Jarrow hideaway, as part of a larger group.
Private Life. This is a new social network site, set up by two everyday mums, that allows absolute privacy to its users, who remain in complete control of all their data, which is not used for any purpose whatsoever. Of course it's not.
The world signs up to this network in droves, leaving behind the Facebooks, etc. which are now viewed with deep suspicion. However, there are conspiracy theory groups out there like Unicorn, who harbour deep reservations about the service, and allege something more sinister is behind it.
In 2024, news of a virus in Central Africa breaks, and global tension heightens as it seems to be going out of control.
Vicky is living a comfortable middle-class life in Shipden, with her sixteen-year old daughter Lotte, and her partner of six years, Dex. (He is not Lotte's dad).
We open with a scene of her and her daughter trying to escape the town which is under military control, and learn more as Vicky has flashbacks to just a few months before, when all was normal.
We learn that Dex, a college lecturer by day, is part of an anti-government organisation called Unicorn which meet secretly and aim to call out the government on false reporting, etc. They do not believe the global nature of the virus, and have doubts about Private Life.
We watch as the virus breaks upon their little town, and the military move to cordon it off. Dex was away on a Unicorn trip, so cannot make it back, though he had secretly been laying in survival provisions for Vicky & Lotte, should the need arise. He tells her of his preparations in their last phone call, before he turns off the phone.
We see the rather rapid collapse of Shipden society, the run on the supermarkets, the fear that takes hold when it’s a them-or-us scenario, the fact that paper money becomes worthless. As people start dying, unless you can prove you had the “vaccination” (which Dex got for Vicky and Lotte), you are outcast and shunned.
Society turns on itself, and the military operates a shoot-to-kill policy on the infected.
Ultimately, Vicky realises to survive they need to escape, and breaking the curfew they just about make it out of town. Thus begins their long journey to Jarrow, a “safe house” that Dex had told them about, with a few robbings and a few kindnesses along the way. When they finally get there, wiser and more street-savvy than when they started out, they must integrate with the other residents, and find a way all can live together. Slowly over time, the trappings of the modern world are stripped away one by one, the internet, the television, the electricity, and finally the running water fails. The world really has regressed.
Finally, another survivor finds them, and reveals to them the truth behind the pathogen outbreak. No spoilers! The group decide to head to Lindisfarne, for a safer environment.
There are two other stories going on in parallel. Travis is a government employee, who was working on “Project Renova”, but became trapped and abandoned along with his colleagues when the pathogen hit. He and a couple of colleagues (including Aria) slip away from the imploding team, and escape the building. He and Aria then team up. He falls in love with her, an obsessive type of love, even though he realises she is just using him. Their next move, driven by Aria who is bored with Travis and suffering from cabin fever, is to head to Lindisfarne.
Wedge breaks out from a maximum security prison (no security anymore), and goes home to find everyone dead, or disappeared. He runs amok for a while, a little bit of killing and raping, then discovers his girlfriend has run off to Lindisfarne with his biker Lieutenant. Wedge follows them.
- The world building is excellent. You can see the familiar little streets of this northern town, and how British it all is. This makes the societal collapse worse, as you can truly visualise the streets where it is happening.
- Characterisation is strong. These are just normal people, lucky enough to survive, as opposed to having an ex-SAS soldier teaching them all survival-in-the-wild skills.
- There is a good dynamic between mother and daughter, and within the group at large.
- The first person narrative works well, giving us a great insight into Vicky, but of course the downside is we don’t get to see inside the heads of the other characters, whom we see either as a Vicky recollection, or third-person in their own story.
What I Didn’t Like:
- Vicky began to irritate me after a while. She has so much going for her, for example the strength of having brought up her daughter from when only eighteen herself, holding down a job, etc. She has no belief in her own strength, effectively giving control of her life over to Dex, who seemingly made all the decisions thereafter. I would have liked her with a bit more spine. I could not see how her and Dex were a couple, given how completely different they were. She does show signs of growing up near the end, though, and really dealing with her new reality.
- I thought the “Am I abandoned? Does he love me?” aspect went on a bit long, especially when Vicky started “having feelings” for someone else. Despite all she knew, she still could not decide whether to act or not. It is a bugbear for me when I read this in an otherwise pacy book, as for me it just slows things down, as authors tend to dwell on it, to the detriment of the overall story. The decision to be made is clear – it doesn’t need to be dragged out.
Tipping Point is the first in a trilogy, so there’s quite a bit of initial world-building and scene setting, as well as letting us get to know the characters.
It is very well paced overall, and the storylines converge well at the end, setting up what looks to be an excellent second book.
It is a very quick read, as the main story keeps the tension well-balanced, and the moving between time-periods and the other parallel events meshes well, and does not distract from the overall dynamic.
Tipping Point has a great twist on a standard premise, and the familiarity of the setting, and the closeness in time, gives it a real creepy, too close to home feel. The scenario does make you wonder (especially in light of the recent 2018 Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal, which broke after this book was written) what really happens to our data, and what is it being used for. How prescient is Tipping Point??
Definitely an excellent read, and one I would fully recommend.
I received a free Kindle copy of the book from the author, in return for an honest and objective review.
I am part of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team, along with Terry. This also did not influence my review. ...more
Oct 11, 2017 Alison rated it it was amazing
Shelves: read-and-reviewed
‘Tipping Point’ is the first book in the Project Renova series. And I’m so glad this is a series, because as soon as I’d finished this, I was straight onto the second instalment, ‘Lindisfarne’ (review to follow).
Terry Tyler is one of my favourite contemporary authors. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, particularly her family sagas. I wouldn’t call myself a fan of dystopian fiction, but I do love ‘The Walking Dead’ so I may well be a convert, particularly if I can find anything as good as t ‘Tipping Point’ is the first book in the Project Renova series. And I’m so glad this is a series, because as soon as I’d finished this, I was straight onto the second instalment, ‘Lindisfarne’ (review to follow).
Terry Tyler is one of my favourite contemporary authors. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, particularly her family sagas. I wouldn’t call myself a fan of dystopian fiction, but I do love ‘The Walking Dead’ so I may well be a convert, particularly if I can find anything as good as this to read in the genre.
Because it is really, really good. And quite uncomfortably chilling. The build-up to the inevitable spread of the disease and the breakdown of society happens so subtly, so quietly at first, that you realise how horribly feasible it actually is that something like this could happen. And the characters are so believable, so real, that it’s even easier to picture. These people are just like you and me, their lives are like ours – this could happen.
And that’s really what is at the heart of this, and all of Ms Tyler’s books – real people, real lives. She has such a knack of capturing a place, a person, a time that you find yourself completely drawn in, completely absorbed.
Vicky and her daughter Lottie have normal, happy lives. Vicky’s partner Dex is a bit of a conspiracy theorist (justifiably in this case), which annoys Vicky, but she’s happy, loves her home, her town, her job. She’s content. And this makes it so much more gripping and involving when the rug is (very slowly) pulled from under her, and she has to face up to what is really going on.
I like Vicky so much because she doesn’t suddenly turn into a competent, brave, knowledgeable superhero. She’s scared and worried and she misses her hair straighteners! And she’s also terrified for her child and would do anything to protect her. And relationships are really what this book is about – within families and within society as a whole – and what we do to protect those we love and to try to hold on to what makes us feel safe and secure.
This is so well-written and an absolute page-turner.
Nov 01, 2017 Carl Rackman rated it it was amazing
I'll be honest - when I see "post-apocalyptic" in any book description I run the "Zombie 101" program in my head and brace myself for the usual tropes: riots, desperate battles for survival, cardboard cutout characters, contrived action and a lot of brain-eating schlock.
That's possibly why I was so absorbed by this page-turning adventure about the gradual decline of a very recognisable British landscape. (SPOILER: this is zombie-free, at least by the conventional definition.)
Terry Tyler has the I'll be honest - when I see "post-apocalyptic" in any book description I run the "Zombie 101" program in my head and brace myself for the usual tropes: riots, desperate battles for survival, cardboard cutout characters, contrived action and a lot of brain-eating schlock.
Terry Tyler has the most amazing feel for the ordinary - we open the story with such well-observed characterisations and places that the whole premise feels tangibly real. Her characters talk and behave like normal everyday people. This enabled me to completely swallow the premise of the book and live beside the characters as their grip on the familiar becomes increasingly untenable.
The great strength of this book is that the 'tipping point' of the title creeps up so subtly I couldn't help becoming a believer. If the apocalypse doesn't come through something like this, then it isn't going to happen!
The book ends not so much on a cliffhanger but a tantalising glimpse of something new to come, which means it was fine to read as a standalone and makes me very keen to get started on the next one.
I'll give this five stars - good writing, excellent pace, and completely immersive characters and story. Not your standard apocalyptic novel, and all the better and fresher for it. ...more
Aug 16, 2017 Barb Taub rated it it was amazing
A few days ago, I offered in a private message to help someone with his resume. Within the hour, almost every application I opened was inundated with ads for resume editing and assistance. Big Brother might not have been watching me, but big business certainly was.
Terry Tyler starts with a similar premise, and like the excellent writer she is, she pushes into its most extreme potential ‘what if’. What if big brother really IS watching you? What if ‘they’ know every single thing about you, your f A few days ago, I offered in a private message to help someone with his resume. Within the hour, almost every application I opened was inundated with ads for resume editing and assistance. Big Brother might not have been watching me, but big business certainly was.
Terry Tyler starts with a similar premise, and like the excellent writer she is, she pushes into its most extreme potential ‘what if’. What if big brother really IS watching you? What if ‘they’ know every single thing about you, your family, your favorite brands of coffee, chocolate, porn? Nothing new here, right? Well, then what if ‘they’ want to do more with that info than try to sell you more things? What if ‘they’ are going to use that info to decide who gets to live and who will die?
What if those flu vaccinations everyone is urged to get are actually a way to inject you with something far more sinister? And what if ‘they’ are prepared to make that happen?
Is there a point of no return, the tipping point where all the what-ifs add up to an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it shift? Where all the conspiracy theories you’ve laughed about are suddenly not paranoia, not when your friends and family are dying.
[QUOTE] "In the case of a pandemic,” he said, “it’s when there are more cases of infection than can be controlled by isolation—and, later, when there are simply not enough healthy people in authority to keep the basic needs of a society going, or to maintain order. Which is when chaos takes over. The problem is that no one recognises that the tipping point is about to be reached until it’s already passed." [END QUOTE]
Terry Tyler pulls together a dystopian cocktail with a distinctly current recipe: a shot of populism, a dash of Nazi racial cleansing/holocaust, stir in bubonic plague references, and top it with a jaunty paper umbrella that neatly covers all conspiracy theories.
After a rocky start as a teenage mother, Vicky Keating is finally happy with her life. She loves her coastal town of Shipden, her pretty house, her quirky daughter Lotte, and especially her smart boyfriend Dex. She laughs at his conspiracy theories, but reluctantly goes along with his request not to open an account on the new social media site, Private Life. Even as all of Dex’s conspiracy theories begin to come true, Vicky still believes that her world will continue. But as things start to break down, infrastructure topples, and people are dying in ever greater numbers, Vicky sees a corresponding breakdown of the things that glue a society together. Trust. Honesty. Friendship. Love.
Dex has disappeared, her town is under military quarantine, people are being killed by disease and increasingly, by each other. Realizing that her paramount responsibility is to keep her daughter safe, Vicky takes Lotte and flees across England to a safe house Dex had told her about. As social order completely breaks down, a tiny group of survivors has to invent a new reality, one in which you must be prepared to kill if you want to live.
In short, brilliant episodes, Tipping Point also tells other stories. At first they seem unrelated to Vicky and Lotte. Travis is a young worker who begins to realize the sinister implications of the project he’s working on. Scott, a hacker with the Unicorn group working to uncover and expose the conspiracy, is arrested, jailed, and forgotten. And as conventional checks and balances disappear, there are the ones whose violent behavior and self-gratification become their own justification—the criminally insane Wedge who escapes from the prison that no longer functions, the anger-fuelled clerk whose spur-of-the-moment action changes the course of the pandemic, and the many monsters who see the lack of police and government presence as license to butcher, rape, and steal.
As I was reading Tipping Point, I realized that it’s not so much about figuring out the world-ending conspiracy or stopping the forces of evil. (Which is actually lucky, considering that the economics and science involved here are sketchy at best, and ultimately irrelevant.) Instead, it’s the zombie apocalypse. “Dex said that the whole zombie thing was symbolic, that zombies were a metaphor for the masses who believed what they were told, had no nose for danger, didn’t have the survival instinct and believed that the authorities would save them.” As director George Romero said of the 1968 trope-defining classic, Night of the Living Dead, “Zombies don’t represent anything in my mind except a global change of some kind. And the stories are about how people respond or fail to respond to this. That’s really all they’ve represented to me.”
What Tipping Point adds to this are the individual faces and their responses to their new world. With the brilliant writing we’ve come to expect of her, Terry Tyler has created a character-driven story in the best zombie apocalypse tradition. Ordinary people step up to extraordinary deeds, learn how to defend themselves and their little group from the monsters, and try to hang onto the shreds of their humanity. As the various story arcs begin to converge, we realize that (with the possible exception of the criminally insane Wedge) the group of people at the end of Tipping Point are dramatically different from their beginnings.
I’m delighted to give Tipping Point five stars, and I look forward to reading the rest of this terrific new series.
***I received this book from the publisher or author to facilitate an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
Sep 05, 2017 Georgia Rose rated it really liked it
It has always shocked me how quickly a community, of whatever size, can succumb when put under pressure. How neighbour can turn on neighbour when they’d previously lived contentedly side by side, how a population can lose its humanity and atrocious deeds can be carried out in the name of peace keeping or self-preservation. Tipping Point covered all this, and more, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how life in Shipden, and then everywhere else, unravelled.
The story is told mostly from Vicky’s poin It has always shocked me how quickly a community, of whatever size, can succumb when put under pressure. How neighbour can turn on neighbour when they’d previously lived contentedly side by side, how a population can lose its humanity and atrocious deeds can be carried out in the name of peace keeping or self-preservation. Tipping Point covered all this, and more, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading how life in Shipden, and then everywhere else, unravelled.
The story is told mostly from Vicky’s point of view and I have to say that she really grated on me to begin with. Her boyfriend, Dex, was heavily involved with an underground group, Unicorn, who had whistle-blower type connections and were investigating the possibility of some sort of Armageddon like scenario. However, the self-obsessed Vicky was totally dismissive of his warnings being more concerned about the fact that he didn’t want her, or her daughter Lottie, joining the latest social media platform, Private Lives, and she was also convinced he was playing-away.
Lottie was a typical teenager, only interested in the present moment and without the same regard for life that you gain with age. One day, she and Vicky spent the day eating cheesecake and watching DVD’s as the world as they knew it was collapsing around them.
Gradually I started to soften towards Vicky, not because of her whining about Dex leaving them to cope alone but because of her naivety. Despite Dex’s warnings she had the same slow dawning that I think would come across most of us should something like this happen. Things clicking into place as small moments seem unbelievable but eventually enough of them happen to make you wake up to reality.
The rapid breakdown of society was very well covered. I have long been sceptical of online data collection, of being ‘watched’ by social media and Big Brother like surveillance. I was fascinated by the control of the media, of government manipulation over what was aired and I was so involved in the storyline at this point it came as something of a surprise to watch the news and not find some ‘reassuring’ message on there about Shipden as the equivalent of the plague struck it. Even though I knew Shipden was fictional!
Vicky eventually wakes up to the new reality, not a moment too soon, and fortunately for her and Lottie Dex has prepared an exit plan for them. They meet up with others and soon learn a new way of living. This part of the story slowed a little for me as I guess life would and it’s not long before the group start to get restless and look to move elsewhere. But they are not the only ones, and there is a particularly volatile character, Wedge, who could prove to be an interesting person for them to have to get along with. I shall be looking forward to that.
The ending leaves you with a satisfied feeling while plenty of threads remain to be continued in the next book of the series. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys well written character led fiction.
Apr 06, 2018 Laurette Long rated it it was amazing
A sleepy seaside town on the east coast of England. Summer barbecues, drinks at the pub a band playing on the pier. A cottage by the sea with cheerful paintwork and gleaming floorboards, home to Vicky, her partner Dex and her teenage daughter Lottie.
It’s 2024, not too far in the future. Society hasn’t changed that much, and Terry Tyler’s perfectly rendered portrait of ordinary families living in a small village community is instantly recognisable .It’s so reassuringly familiar, so normal, that A sleepy seaside town on the east coast of England. Summer barbecues, drinks at the pub a band playing on the pier. A cottage by the sea with cheerful paintwork and gleaming floorboards, home to Vicky, her partner Dex and her teenage daughter Lottie.
It’s 2024, not too far in the future. Society hasn’t changed that much, and Terry Tyler’s perfectly rendered portrait of ordinary families living in a small village community is instantly recognisable .It’s so reassuringly familiar, so normal, that our sense of shock is all the greater when normal tips into nightmare, society breaks down completely, and the world we believe in is turned on its head.
‘It’s amazing how quickly the appalling can become the norm.’
Also shocking is the suddenness and speed with which things disintegrate followed by the revelation that what is happening is not random, not the result of a terrible accident or a natural catastrophe. It is part of a plan. The idea of a social networking site gathering information to use by an elite group who aim to change society in the most terrifying way–through targeted depopulation– may seem farfetched, but such is the author’s gift for brilliant story-telling that the far-fetched begins to feel uncomfortably credible, particularly in the light of current alarming disclosures about data collection and data leakage.
The main characters – the ‘goodies’, especially Vicky, the narrator, and her daughter- are skilfully portrayed. Little by little we are drawn in, sharing their fears, their struggles to adapt both physically and mentally, their urge to survive, their tentative hopes as new possibilities arise. The ‘baddies’ are utterly chilling, (especially the one who pops up at the end as the books draws to its stunning conclusion). Our unease about what’s going to happen in the inevitable confrontations and clashes becomes a gnawing anxiety. The tension mounts inexorably against a filmic background of sunny pastoral, the English landscapes and villages of ‘before’ and the desolate post-apocalyptic scenery of ‘after’.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and a genre I’m not too familiar with. But I was hooked from page 1 and read it in a couple of days, becoming hyper-stressed whenever real life intervened and I was forced to break off to do the washing up (Hallelujah! We still have water!) or some shopping (Hurray! The shops still have fresh food!).
A great read not just for fans of the genre but for anyone who likes an edge of the seat ride along with a cast of believable and engaging characters. When you’ve turned the last page, you’ll be relieved to know there’s a Book 2 in the series. You may however find yourself closing all your social media accounts, cancelling your Internet subscription and investing in a family of carrier pigeons…
May 29, 2018 Shay Mills rated it it was amazing
In a world of apocalyptic scenarios and the zombie craze, it is impressive when an author brings forth a new concept of the end of the world as we know it. What if you woke up one day and found your life turned upside down from a virus sweeping the world? What if you find out that your sleepy little town was the epicenter and a conspiracy of whodunit begins to sweep across your mind? Would you be ready? Are you strong enough to gather your wits and stay emotional/physically capable of carrying o In a world of apocalyptic scenarios and the zombie craze, it is impressive when an author brings forth a new concept of the end of the world as we know it. What if you woke up one day and found your life turned upside down from a virus sweeping the world? What if you find out that your sleepy little town was the epicenter and a conspiracy of whodunit begins to sweep across your mind? Would you be ready? Are you strong enough to gather your wits and stay emotional/physically capable of carrying on? What is the tipping point when patient zero creeps in and kills off most of the world's population?
Days pass, the virus spreads, and you are trapped to witness the horror of the government and local law enforcement declare martial law, shutting down the world that you know. Internet, water, power, and fuel disappear. Crime runs rampant, death and decay ensue, and everything crumbles. What would you do?
Meet the protagonist, Vicky, a single mother of Lottie (a teen) trying to survive while her boyfriend Dex is caught up in a conspiracy that unfolds throughout the book. Dex disappears but with who? Who is unicorn and what was their purpose?
The book doesn't concentrate just on the devastation of the virus, but the author transports you into a world fraught with danger and trepidation. Follow Vicky and several other dynamic characters as they traverse death and destruction. Vicky goes from a meek homemaker to a survivor and warrior in the chaos of a realistic and scary new world. She must make do with finding food, drinkable water, and other basic things humans take for granted. Forget your favorite face wash and other hygiene products.
Doors are marked to identify the casualties of decay, bodies are piling up, death's odor filters into the air, and the very fabric of Vicky and Lottie's life changes forever. Does she stay put and hope those with evil intentions don't ransack their home and possibly rape, maim or kill her and her daughter? Vicky witnesses many friends and family dying from the viral invasion and at the hands of the military.
The characters are left to pick up the pieces and brave the horrors of survival of the fittest. Factions begin, people take sides, the weak die as the strong move on.
This book scared the hell out of me even though it isn't a horror story. The realism of compassion thrown out the window and the ability to maintain basic needs with a foundation in reality ends. Face it, folks, if a world that Terry Tyler envisioned happens we are all going to have to survive a path of least resistance and hide in the shadows or take charge and survive. There are so many rich, wonderful and not so wonderful, characters that steal your senses dragging you into a chasm of mixed emotions. This is a wild ride!
I loved the dialogue the most, and Terry Tyler brought forth her vision of destruction, the crumbling government, survivors (good and bad), passion, compassion, a love triangle, hope, dismay, and so much more. I felt as if I lived through the eyes of Vicky, felt her emotions, and was caught up in a believable scenario that crept into my bones. I had a rough night's sleep after reading this. This is a must-read for all horror and end of the world fans. Suspenseful and insightful. It makes me want to build a doomsday bunker. Outstanding book!
Aug 13, 2017 Shelley Wilson rated it it was amazing
I’ve read a few of Terry Tyler’s suspense books and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I was delighted when she chose to write a dystopian series as this is one genre I adore reading. One of the things I love the most about this author is how she develops such likeable characters. No matter what situation they are thrown into you can’t help but feel a connection.
Tipping Point is no different. Straight away I was rooting for Vicky and her teenage daughter, Lottie, to survive the horrors of a deadly vir I’ve read a few of Terry Tyler’s suspense books and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I was delighted when she chose to write a dystopian series as this is one genre I adore reading. One of the things I love the most about this author is how she develops such likeable characters. No matter what situation they are thrown into you can’t help but feel a connection.
Tipping Point is no different. Straight away I was rooting for Vicky and her teenage daughter, Lottie, to survive the horrors of a deadly virus that sweeps across England. Set in the not too distant future (2024), Tipping Point explores the terrifying prospect of social media being used against the general populace and the terror that would follow if society crashed around us.
On more than one occasion while reading this book I came close to shutting down my Facebook and Twitter accounts – just in case! Tyler does an expert job of bringing our deepest fears to life in such an accessible way.
The story is told predominantly from Vicky’s point of view as she learns about the spread of a deadly virus and is quarantined within her sleepy seaside town. She escapes with her teenage daughter in tow, and they flee in search of a safe house. Vicky evolves over the course of this novel but her reactions to what she witnesses and copes with are realistic to the situation she finds herself in. I look forward to seeing how she develops over the series.
As with all of Tyler’s novels, there is a wonderful mix of characters, and their unique tales are interwoven as the novel progresses. We are introduced briefly to people who, I believe, will make a larger impact in future books – Wedge!
Although the bigger picture, which is the destruction of the human race, is at the forefront of the novel, I loved the personal stories of the characters as they do what I hope we would all do in their situation – strive to survive!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Tipping Point and think it’s a perfect read for any dystopian fan. I would also highly recommend it whether you like this genre or not – if only to teach you about social media awareness! I can’t wait for the release of the second book in the series.
Sep 15, 2017 Claire rated it it was amazing
Shelves: arc-copy, dystopia, 2017-reads, 2017-top-reads, post-apocalyptica
This review originally appeared on BrizzleLass Books.
Tipping Point is a dystopian post-apocalyptic novel set only a couple of years in the future. Centred around a virus which rips through the country and how social media plays a huge part in not only the fear-mongering but data gathering for targeting those who will be chosen to be saved and those who will be picked off.
This is a terrifyingly real account told from the point of view of Vicky, Mum of teenager Lottie, and partner to Dex. Vicky te This review originally appeared on BrizzleLass Books.
This is a terrifyingly real account told from the point of view of Vicky, Mum of teenager Lottie, and partner to Dex. Vicky tells us about her life as it is just days before the outbreak then guides us through what happens as things escalate, through to her and Lottie travelling to try and find Dex, who at the time of the outbreak is with the anti-establishment group Unicorn, plotting a rebellion.
I found the elements in the book around social media accurate, and terrifying in equal measures. The algorithms in place now can do all of the things Terry Tyler has talked about here and people’s willingness to overshare (I count myself in this) and offer information to the ether that can be used against them is a scary place to be. Seeing how it could be used, almost gave me nightmares.
The relationship between Vicky and Lottie is beautiful, such a great teen / Mum relationship and I loved that there were times when Lottie came across as the adult and stronger more capable person. I also felt like Vicky really struggled with Dex not being around and with the potential reasons for his not being around and each time she gained more information it became a harder pill to swallow. Lottie seemed to find it easier to just move on and wanted her Mum to do the same.
Overall, this is a devastating and strong novel. It’s very character focused and you fly through the pages learning about the devastating effects of this virus on the cast of very down to earth characters. I very much look forward to book two in this series to see how these characters develop and cope with their situation further.
A huge thanks to Terry Tyler for the eARC of this novel. These views are my honest opinion. ...more
Sep 16, 2017 Valerie Poore rated it it was amazing
Brilliant. That's what this book is. Just brilliant. I have read it in just two days. It's totally gripping and utterly compulsive. With immense insight, Ms Tyler has tapped in to what is on many people's minds these days...just what are these big corporations doing with all that information they mine from our social media pages, and just what could they do with it in the worst case scenario? And do we really believe our elected governments and the promises they make? How much are we being duped Brilliant. That's what this book is. Just brilliant. I have read it in just two days. It's totally gripping and utterly compulsive. With immense insight, Ms Tyler has tapped in to what is on many people's minds these days...just what are these big corporations doing with all that information they mine from our social media pages, and just what could they do with it in the worst case scenario? And do we really believe our elected governments and the promises they make? How much are we being duped by the news that they and the controlled media dispense? The author has included possible answers to these in this excellent dystopian novel about a project to settle a few very important world issues that goes horribly wrong. Unlike many dystopian future books I've read, the chilling part of Tipping Point is that its setting is so close to the present day and the world we live in now, it seems completely plausible. The story (see the blurb) focuses on lovable, human Vicky, the sort of decent young woman everyone knows and loves. She makes a very credible hinge-pin for the main plot, but there are several other marvellous characters. Lottie, young, feisty and courageous, is Vicky's daughter. Faced with the collapse of her safe little world in Norfolk, she grows up with lightning speed, but is also true to a teenage girl. Then there's Rowan, the archtypal snob we've all met before; Heath, gentle widower and father; Kara, who is plucky and brave, but perhaps the most worrying is Wedge, ex prison inmate, violent and completely selfish. Terry Tyler has always understood people - all her novels have demonstrated this - and in Tipping Point, she has nailed the reality of human weaknesses and strengths as never before. We know from the outset, this is the first of a series and the climax of this novel sets the scene for the next one, but it is entirely possible to stop here and leave the future to the reader's imagination, so in that sense, it is complete. A fantastic start to an addictive series. A big thumbs up from me, Ms Tyler! I like!! ...more
Aug 30, 2017 Rose rated it it was amazing
I’m a big fan of Terry Tyler’s character-led family dramas, but not really into dystopian/post apocalypse novels, so I was a little unsure what to expect when I started reading Tipping Point. But I shouldn’t have worried. All the hallmarks of Terry’s writing are still present, with the characters just as expertly crafted as in all her other books, although grappling with more pressing issues. I particularly liked Vicky as she endeavoured to come to terms with her separation from Dex, and Lottie I’m a big fan of Terry Tyler’s character-led family dramas, but not really into dystopian/post apocalypse novels, so I was a little unsure what to expect when I started reading Tipping Point. But I shouldn’t have worried. All the hallmarks of Terry’s writing are still present, with the characters just as expertly crafted as in all her other books, although grappling with more pressing issues. I particularly liked Vicky as she endeavoured to come to terms with her separation from Dex, and Lottie who adapted with aplomb to her new life. Rowan and Ozzy were also very recognisable types to me! But on top of all the usual praiseworthy aspects of Terry’s work was the chillingly plausible premise of the book, and the way the detailed research which the author must have undertaken was deftly dropped into the narrative without overwhelming or holding up the storyline. The book ended, as you’d expect from the first in a series, with a surprise development guaranteed to make you want to read the next instalment. And I’m sure I’m not alone in champing at the bit to read Lindisfarne, due out next month! ...more
Science Fiction > Dystopia
Apocalyptic > Post Apocalyptic
About Terry Tyler
I am self-published and proud to be so, and have nineteen books on Amazon. In Autumn 2018 I published Legacy, the final book in the post apocalyptic Project Renova series. The other books in the series are Tipping Point, Lindisfarne, UK2, and Patient Zero, a collection of short stories about some of the characters.
My newest book is Hope, a dystopian/psychological drama set 10-12 years in the futur I am self-published and proud to be so, and have nineteen books on Amazon. In Autumn 2018 I published Legacy, the final book in the post apocalyptic Project Renova series. The other books in the series are Tipping Point, Lindisfarne, UK2, and Patient Zero, a collection of short stories about some of the characters.
My newest book is Hope, a dystopian/psychological drama set 10-12 years in the future. I have several more to-be-written ideas up my sleeve, too!
Earlier books: The Devil You Know is a psychological thriller based around a serial killer, and Best Seller is a satirical tale based on the modern publishing industry. Kings and Queens, Last Child and The House of York are modern day re-tellings of historical periods in the Tudor and Plantagenet eras. The rest come under the general banner of contemporary fiction/family drama/romantic suspense.
I'm a total The Walking Dead addict and also love crime drama/thriller series like "24", "Breaking Bad", "Boardwalk Empire", "Game of Thrones" - the books as well as the TV series. I love watching films, and anything to do with history (reading, watching, or walking round places like Lindisfarne Priory going 'wow'), anthropology, mountaineering and polar exploration.
Favourite writers: Gemma Lawrence, Kate Mary, Blake Crouch, Deborah Swift, Carol Hedges, Douglas Kennedy, John Boyne, Deborah Moggach, Mark Barry, Jon Krakauer, Phillipa Gregory, Robert Leigh, John Privilege, Dylan Morgan, Kate Atkinson, Norah Lofts, Dorothy Parker, Bill Bryson, PJ O'Rourke, Ann Swinfen, Keith Blackmore, Frank Tayell.
Project Renova (4 books)
Books by Terry Tyler
Trivia About Tipping Point (Pr...
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Amazing news for one of our favourite celeb couples!
GoodtoKnow October 13, 2015 11:24 am
Just weeks after revealing their fertility struggles, John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen have announced they are pregnant with their first child.
In a touching Instagram snap shared on Monday evening, the 29-year-old Sports Illustrated model said: ‘John and I are so happy to announce we are pregnant!’
Chrissy’s announcement referred to the problems they had conceiving: ‘As many of you know, we’ve been trying to have a baby for a while now. It hasn’t been easy but we kept trying because we can’t wait to bring our first child into the world and start our family.’
John and I are so happy to announce that we are pregnant 🙂 As many of you know, we've been trying to have a baby for a while now. It hasn't been easy, but we kept trying because we can't wait to bring our first child into the world and grow our family. We're so excited that it's finally happening. Thank you for all your love and well wishes. I look forward to all the belly touching! Xx
A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on Oct 12, 2015 at 4:55pm PDT
Back in September, in her new role as co-host of the American FABLife panel show, Chrissy was visibly emotional as she spoke about her failed attempts to have a baby.
She said: ‘I will say, honestly, John and I are having trouble. We would have kids five, six years ago if it’d happened. But my gosh, it’s been a process!’
Chrissy added that her and John had been to see fertility doctors in their bid to start their family.
And she warned listeners about the perils of asking women when they are going to have a baby: ‘I’m like, ’One day, you’re going to ask that to the wrong girl who’s really struggling, and it’s going to be really hurtful to them.
‘And I hate that. So, I hate it. Stop asking me!’
Clearly no one will have ask anymore after the announcement was made to Chrissy’s 3.4 million Instagram followers and shared by her husband to his legions of fans.
John Legend, who rose to success in the UK in 2004 with his single ‘Ordinary People’ and sung in a campaign video for Barack Obama’s presidency, supported his wife, posting ‘We are pregnant!’ to the social media channel.
Chrissy said: ‘I’m looking forward to all the belly touching’ – and looking at the candid snap, clearly John has wasted no time in getting started!
Natasha Kaplinksy returns to spot where terrifying boat explosion almost killed her family
Morrisons is the first UK supermarket to launch a vegan Cornish pasty
The Duchess of Cambridge paid the sweetest tribute to Diana at baby Archie’s christening
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Press Release: HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO Unveils the General Gordon Statue
Visit of HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO to Gordon’s School, West End, Surrey
HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO visited Gordon’s School on Friday 10th October 2014. The purpose of the visit was to unveil a plaque which marked the recent restoration of the statue of Victorian Hero, General Charles Gordon astride a camel.
Gordon’s School is a State Boarding School for girls and boys aged 11-18 years. Founded in 1885 on the instruction of Queen Victoria as the National Memorial to General Gordon and was originally a Gordon’s Boys’ Home. It changed to Gordon’s Boys’ School in 1942. Girls were admitted in 1990. There are now 745 pupils of whom 210 are residential boarders.
The statue was given to the school by the Government in 1959 when it was shipped from Khartoum. Since then weather had eroded the Portland stone plinth and the bronze statue, causing degradation of the bronze, discolouring and subsidence; tassels were missing from the Camel’s saddle as well as the reins.
Once further analysis was carried out, it was evident that the camel’s front right leg displayed significant deterioration. It was removed by Escar UK Bronze and sent to Canada to undergo a pioneering process supported by English Heritage called ‘Cold Spraying’. This was successfully carried out enabling the original leg to be repaired, strengthened and re-attached, using traditional welding and fettling techniques.
In 2013 the Camel Campaign Restoration Appeal was launched by The Gordon Foundation, a separate charity that specifically supports Gordon’s School. Within 9 months the target sum of £27,000 was raised through donations from organisations and individuals.
During HRH The Earl of Wessex’s visit he unveiled a plaque to commemorate the restoration of the statue and then met students representing various areas of the school’s co-curricular programme including Chinese Music and Mandarin classes, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Combined Cadet Force, music, sports and drama as well as members of the school’s Charity and Eco-Committees.
At the end of his visit HRH The Earl of Wessex inspected the Parade and the school’s well-known Pipes & Drums.
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Abilene college offers 'free ride' contest to incoming freshmen
A short video could win an incoming student a free ride to Hardin-Simmons University for their first year.
Abilene college offers 'free ride' contest to incoming freshmen A short video could win an incoming student a free ride to Hardin-Simmons University for their first year. Check out this story on gosanangelo.com: http://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/education/2016/12/13/abilene-college-offers-free-ride-contest-incoming-freshmen/95372404/
Staff report Published 4:49 p.m. CT Dec. 13, 2016
Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.(Photo: Hardin-Simmons University)
Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene is hosting its third annual “Lights, Camera, Free Ride!” video contest, open to first-year students.
Interested incoming students could earn a free ride to Hardin-Simmons for their freshman year if their video is selected. First-place winner will receive tuition, room and meals for the 2017-18 academic year, with an estimated value of $33,518, according to a Hardin-Simmons news release.
The runner-up will receive an on-campus room for the 2017-18 academic year, with an estimated value of up to $3,900. The remaining top 25 winners will receive a one-time $1,000 scholarship to HSU.
HSU is a liberal arts institution with 50 major and minor academic programs in fields such as business, nursing, education, science, ministry, leadership and music. Part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Division III, and the American Southwest Conference, HSU fields 16 athletic teams and many club and intramural sports teams.
Entrants must create a 30- to 60-second video explaining why they want to attend HSU. In the video, future students will display their talent, creativity and passion for HSU and show how an HSU education will help them achieve their goals, the release stated.
Entries will be accepted through Dec. 31. Online voting will take place Jan. 1-31, and winners will be announced Feb. 18.
Making higher education more affordable is a priority for HSU. In addition to the “Lights Camera Free Ride!” contest, HSU offers a wide range of scholarships to qualified students. Overall, 98 percent of the HSU student body receives financial aid, the release stated.
To learn more about the contest, visit hsutx.edu/lcfr.
Read or Share this story: http://www.gosanangelo.com/story/news/education/2016/12/13/abilene-college-offers-free-ride-contest-incoming-freshmen/95372404/
Officials monitoring anthrax reports from West Texas
Man involved in fatal police chase back in jail
Two-vehicle crash leaves San Angelo man dead
Ballinger PD officer on leave after altercation
City of San Angelo auction features unique items
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PreEnact Indy 2018: Wherein Art Fights Gentrification
PreEnactIndy by Kyle Ragsdale
PreEnact Indy: it’s back by popular demand. This spectacular event returns next Saturday, October 6th to the Monon16 neighborhood. Last fall, the Harrison Center collaborated with theater groups, artists, schools and other organizations to transform three blocks of East 16th Street into a stage for a unique type of performance. Set designers made vacant buildings look vibrant, and actors portrayed business owners and neighbors collaborating to improve their community. For one day in the Monon16 neighborhood, a candy store re-opened, a vacant storefront became a barber shop, and a cafe appeared in the middle of the road, helping to slow down the busy 16th Street traffic. Thousands of people attended the free, all-day public event, playing basketball in the street, listening to live music, watching performances, getting lunch from a food truck, shopping at a handicraft market, visiting a historic library, and witnessing a wedding inside a neighborhood church.
All photos: Chuck Horn
PreEnact Indy is a professional theater event which feels a bit like a street festival, with the goal of envisioning the neighborhood as a just, equitable and economically healthy place. The script for performances is based on the socioeconomic history of the community; it is "a way to understand both the pain of the neighborhood's past and what its dreams are, to build hope for the future," says Joanna Taft, executive director of the Harrison Center. "It's not meant to be just a band-aid or a temporary prettying-up of buildings." PreEnact Indy has been described as an "anti-gentrification project," the first creative placemaking effort of its kind in the country; it aims to serve as a model for other arts organizations and community nonprofits seeking to help struggling neighborhoods and combat gentrification.
How does this event fight gentrification? Instead of economic development at the cost of displacement, PreEnact Indy envisions a dynamic, equitable and healthy neighborhood where everyone is included in economic prosperity. Over the past few years, new businesses have begun to fill long-vacant buildings on East 16th Street, and new developments are being constructed along the Monon Trail, both residential and commercial. After suffering long years of decline, the Monon16 neighborhood is now on the brink of major changes. Residents of Monon16 feel it’s important to help newcomers to the community (or potential developers) understand that they’re not starting over from scratch, or building in a vacuum, or writing on a blank slate; the neighborhood’s history and vibrant past are important to its future and not to be discarded. PreEnact Indy seeks to answer the question, timely and relevant for many urban neighborhoods, of how to restore and revitalize a community sensitively and inclusively, without pushing out its citizens and trampling on its heritage and history. Over the past two years, interns and artists from the Harrison Center have been spending time with longtime residents of Monon16, connecting them to each other, hearing stories of the neighborhood's lively past, and recording their hopes and plans for the future of their community. Abi Ogle, an artist and Harrison Center intern who is responsible for helping coordinate this year’s PreEnact Indy event, had the opportunity earlier in the summer to meet ‘the Greatriarchs of Monon16,’ six longtime residents of the neighborhood who have cared well for their community. She painted portraits of each one as part of a project to honor them and the Monon16 neighborhood, and says it was an incredible experience for her. “I really believe that if you listen to the stories of others, those stories can change you if you let them.” Look for Abi’s paintings next week at PreEnact Indy; the portraits of the Greatriarchs hang on the front of the red brick building just east of the Monon Trail on the north side of 16th Street, across from the Tinker House.
PreEnact Indy will take place next Saturday, October 6th from 10-5 pm, on 16th Street from the Monon Trail to Dr. Andrew J. Brown Ave. In addition to the many dramatic arts and music performances, activities for the day will include: interactive workshops, a pop-up cafe, artisan market, lawn games, food trucks, a pop-up roller rink, car repair lessons (a partnership of the Indianapolis Speedway and NextGen Youth), building tours, a sneak preview of a new pizza place, a musical Gospel Fest, a chance to meet members of the Association of Black Cowboys, and a library-sponsored Scan-A-Thon, where neighbors can bring their old photos of African American community in the Monon16 area to be scanned into the Indianapolis Public Library’s historical archives.
Last year, there was an overwhelmingly positive response to PreEnact Indy from Monon16 residents and neighbors. They were delighted to see visible reminders of the good in Monon16’s past, and a more tangible hope for good in the future seemed within their grasp. As one neighbor said, “Everybody’s coming back together. . .by you all coming here and doing this, you all are bringing people back together again.” We hope and expect that this year’s PreEnact Indy will do as much and even more, reaching neighbors both old and new with the message that a revitalized, inclusive, equitable community with respectful awareness of its past is truly possible.
BlogAmy Sheldrake Eddy September 26, 2018 PreEnactment Theater, PreEnactIndy, #PreEnactIndy, Greatriarchs, Monon16, Monon 16
Head in the Clouds: New Work by Alicia Zanoni
Lorie Lee Andrews October 2, 2018 Alicia Zanoni, plein air painting, First Friday, city gallery
What Caught Donnie's Eye
Donnie Smith September 21, 2018
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Wilson C. "Toby" Hayes, Ph.D.
Wilson C. "Toby" Hayes, Ph.D. is President of Hayes+Associates, Inc. a consulting firm providing expert testimony in injury biomechanics for both plaintiff and defense cases, in both civil and criminal matters. Dr. Hayes routinely qualifies in both state and federal courts both as an engineering and a medical expert for cases involving vehicle collisions, premises safety, slips and falls, products liability, worker safety, sports and recreation, patent litigation and criminal matters.
Until May 1998, Dr. Hayes was director of the Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Maurice E. Mueller Professor of Biomechanics at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard/MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. He received a Ph.D. at Northwestern University in 1970 and then spent post-doctoral years in Davos, Switzerland and Stockholm, Sweden. He taught at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania before joining, in 1979, the faculties at Harvard Medical School and MIT. He was named as the first holder of the Maurice E. Mueller Endowed Professorship of Biomechanics in 1988.
Dr. Hayes has received a number of awards, including the Borelli Award from the American Society of Biomechanics (1995) and the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Zimmer Institutional Grant for Excellence in Research in Orthopaedic Treatment (1996). Dr. Hayes is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed publications, more than 60 chapters, and 3 books. He is perhaps best known for his research on the role of falling in the etiology of hip fracture, work that served to revise the notion that hip fractures result primarily from age-related bone loss, or osteoporosis.
Dr. Hayes served Oregon State University (OSU) as Vice Provost for Research from 1998 to 2001. He continues to advise graduate students and holds Emeritus faculty status in Nutrition and Exercise Science and Mechanical Engineering at OSU.
Erik D. Power, P.E.
Professional Engineer
Erik D. Power, M.S., P.E., consults in the areas of vehicular accident reconstruction and injury biomechanics. He is a Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer in the State of Oregon, and a Fully Accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist. Mr. Power earned his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration on injury biomechanics from Virginia Tech, where he worked in the Virginia Tech Center for Injury Biomechanics Laboratory. He also has prior work experience as a biomechanical engineering contractor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Kristen Lipscomb, Ph.D.
Biomechanical Engineer
Kristen Lipscomb, Ph.D. consults in the areas of injury biomechanics, orthopaedics, fall biomechanics, and motor vehicle collision reconstruction. She is a Fully Accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist (ACTAR # 2896) and is a Certified XL Tribometrist. Dr. Lipscomb earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Davis, and her M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. She has experience conducting research in gait and spine biomechanics, using motion analysis and computational modeling techniques.
Matt Soicher, Ph.D.
Matt Soicher, Ph.D. consults in the areas of injury biomechanics, fall biomechanics, orthopaedics, and motor vehicle collision reconstruction. He is a Fully Accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist (ACTAR # 3035). Dr. Soicher earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. His research, conducted at the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, focused on the mechanical properties of musculoskeletal tissue. His background in biomechanics and biomechanical engineering is now directed toward applying the fundamental principles of engineering and physics toward understanding the forces and motions of the body and their role in injury causation.
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E-cigarettes Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke, Heart Attack, Diseased Arteries and Cancer
This article has been updated on June 2019 and is based on scientific evidence. It contains direct links to the scientific references.
Vaping is touted as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes with fewer health issues. But despite all the hype, vaping is bad for you as it can damage your lungs. Recent study found that people who use e-cigarettes have a 71 percent higher risk of stroke than nonusers. The American Lung Association warns that popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans) is a dangerous risk of flavored e-cigraettes. The Surgeon General in the U.S warns that breathing in vape smoke can increase your risk of developing popcorn lung.
Many scientific studies have highlighted the potential negative effects of vaping cigarettes. Vaping can greatly increase your risk of respiratory disease, and it’s even linked to lung cancer. There is also research suggesting that vaping can also harm your cardiovascular health, increase blood pressure, and affect your brain function.
The American Cancer Society says the “FDA does not currently require e-cigarette manufacturers to stop using potentially harmful substances and, it is difficult to know exactly what chemicals are in an e-cigarette because most products do not list all of the harmful or potentially harmful substances contained in them. Some products are also labeled incorrectly.”
In this article, you will learn about the many dangers associated with vaping (e-cigarettes). You will also find out about the condition called “popcorn lung” and why this could be one of the effects of vaping on the lungs.
What is Vaping?
Vaping describes inhaling and exhaling vapor (aerosol) that is produced by an electronic cigarette or vaporizer. To create the vapor, vape liquid containing many chemicals with or without nicotine is heated and vaporized.
According to the American Cancer Society, e-cigarette vapor contains cancer-causing chemicals, although in lower amounts than in cigarette smoke. (1)
E-juice, contains irritants that affect the lung such as formaldehyde, solvents, and other potentially harmful chemicals. Vaping allows these chemicals into the lungs and can cause inflammation.
Most scientists agree that it is still too early to know all the long-term health risks of vape liquid mist.
E-cigarettes are Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack
In the largest cross-sectional study to date examining e-cigarettes and stroke, researchers found that compared with nonusers, people who use e-cigarettes have a:
71 percent higher risk of stroke.
59 percent higher risk of heart attack or angina.
40 percent higher risk of heart disease.
The researchers looked at 66,795 people who were regularly using e-cigarettes. The control group was 343,856 people who reported having never used e-cigarettes.
“Even as we consider electronic cigarettes as a means of aiding in smoking cessation, we need to be careful about the impact this may have on the health of folks,” said lead researcher Dr. Paul Ndunda. He is an assistant professor with the University of Kansas School of Medicine, in Wichita.
Vapers ‘At Risk of Irreversible Popcorn Lung’ if They Puff on Flavored E-Cigarettes
Flavored e-cigarette contains chemicals that can cause inflammation in the tiny airways in your lungs. E-cigarette vapor can also cause a lung condition called “popcorn lung.”
Popcorn lung is a chronic lung disease also known as bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). This causes scarring of tiny air sacs in your lungs. Popcorn lung causes your airways to thicken and narrow. In serious cases, popcorn lung can cause symptoms similar to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. (3)
A 2017 study into the health risks associated with puffing on e-cigarette found that some vape flavor packs contain a chemical called diacetyl. The American Lung Association says that when inhaled, diacetyl causes bronchiolitis obliterans (popcorn lung). (2 , 3)
The American Lung Association warns that popcorn lung is a dangerous risk of e-cigraettes because their vapor may contain diacetyl. (3)
The “popcorn lung” effect of vaping was termed as it was associated with workers in popcorn factories. The chemical diacetyl was used in popcorn factories to give popcorn a buttery taste. However, doctors found that breathing in vapors containing diacetyl caused serious lung disorders.
One study found that out of 51 different flavors of vape juice, diacetyl was found in 39. In some cases, the amount of diacetyl in the e-cigarette liquid was well above the recommended limits. (4)
According to a warning by Surgeon General in the U.S., there are many negative effects of vaping. Flavorings such as diacetyl in many e-cigarette liquids can increase your risk of developing popcorn lung. Breathing in vape smoke can also increase your risk of inhaling lung-damaging chemicals. (5)
Of course, the e-cigarette industry is now a multi-billion industry and likes to promote the “health benefits” of vaping. Even though diacetyl as a vape liquid ingredient is banned in European Union countries, is vaping really bad for your lungs?
As you will see, even though e-cigarette may be less toxic than regular cigarettes, they are still associated with cancer-causing chemicals.
E-cigarette users show cancer-linked genetic changes
One of the dangers of getting addicted to vaping is that you expose your lungs to carcinogenic chemicals.
According to research published in 2019, electronic cigarettes contain chemicals that can cause cancer. E-cigarette liquids are usually a combination of propylene glycol, glycerin, flavors, and nicotine. Chemical analyses of many e-liquids show that they contain toxic ingredients that are carcinogens. Many of these are also present in cigarette smoke. (6)
Researchers warn that, although levels of carcinogens in e-cigarettes vapors are less than cigarette smoke, they still pose a cancer risk. The research concluded that vaping (e-cigarette use) causes damage to important genes that are connected with smoking-related cancer. (6)
There is also a potential cancer risk of inhaling “second-hand” vape smoke. However, more research needs to be done.
Studies have also shown that vapes can be especially bad for youths and adolescents. E-cigarettes can boost carcinogenic enzymes and increase the number of free radicals. This could have a damaging effect on younger e-cigarette users. (7)
According to information provided by the National Cancer Institute, e-cigarettes contain potentially harmful chemicals. The mist vapor inhaled in the lungs and oral cavity contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals of varying amounts. (8)
Other Harmful Effects of Vaping on Your Lungs
Apart from the negative effects of vaping (e-cigarettes), what does vaping do to your lungs?
Vapers are still at risk of lung problems from inhaling aerosol while vaping. For example, studies show that it is difficult to determine how much chemical residue affects different areas of the lung. Some studies suggest that frequent vaping could result in developing asthmatic-like symptoms due to respiratory irritation. (9)
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reported that vaping can hurt your lungs more than just having popcorn lung. A combination of various chemicals and nicotine can result in serious, permanent lung damage. (10)
One 2018 study found that breathing in vape mist has a similar effect on lung function as smoking regular cigarettes. Some of the effects of vaping on your lungs include decreased respiratory function and negative impact on lung biology. (11)
It is also important to remember that nicotine is an addictive substance and that vaping can be addictive. Other studies have shown that being addicted to vaping can result in chronic exposure to nicotine that can damage lung health. Over time, vapers who frequently vape e-cigarettes may develop symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (12)
Is Vaping Without Nicotine Bad for Your Lungs?
There are still dangers to your lung health if you vape liquid that is nicotine-free.
Research published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology reported that nicotine-free e-juices can still affect lung function. Although the vaping ingredient propylene glycol is generally regarded as nontoxic, flavorings in e-cigarette liquid can cause irritation and inflammation. Certain combinations of chemical flavorings can also result in tissue damage. (13)
Due to dangers to your lung health associated with vaping, the researchers in 2018 study recommended avoiding all forms of vaping until more research has been published. (14)
Other Dangers of Vaping
Ingredients and chemicals in vape juice also pose other health risks apart from lung disease.
A 2018 report on the effects of vaping reported that there is much debate on the benefits and health risks of vaping. For example, some researchers are concerned that you can still get addicted to vaping and that using vaporizers has “re-normalized” smoking. (15)
Vaporized e-cigarette juice also contains chemicals that scientists haven’t yet fully researched. For example, e-cigarette liquid contains ingredients that can cause irritation and inflammation in the lungs. There is a danger that chemicals in vape juice such as formaldehyde and solvents can combine into cancer-causing chemicals. (16)
Although vaping has been promoted as a way to quit smoking, the popularization of vaping encourages many teens and adolescents to start vaping. In fact, there is a debate about whether vaping actually encourages smokers to stop smoking cigarettes. (17)
Let’s look in more detail at more dangers of vaping that e-cigarettes may cause.
Dangers of nicotine in e-cigarettes
Although e-cigarette vaping doesn’t involve burning tobacco to release nicotine, there are still harmful effects of nicotine in vape mist.
The journal Science Reports said that the high temperature in e-cigarettes that generate vapor can be high enough to release toxic chemicals. Some of these toxins are unique to tobacco-related chemicals and not just the toxic flavorings. (18)
There are also potential dangers of inhaling vape liquid vapors due to mislabeling the nicotine content. The Journal of Addiction Medicine reported in 2018 that some nicotine vape juices had 52% more nicotine than the 18mg/mL reported on the label. Even some nicotine-free vaping liquids had traces of nicotine – some as high as 23.9mg/mL. (19)
Vaping is associated with increased cardiovascular risks
Being a regular vaper could put you at greater risk of developing various cardiac-related diseases.
Researchers from West Virginia University reported that vaping can cause your arteries to stiffen. In lab trials, scientists found that long-term vaping can cause a stiffened aorta similar to smoking cigarettes. The concern for scientists is that the negative effects of vaping may only show up in 20 or 30-years’ time. (20)
For example, the vape juice ingredient acrolein can damage the inner walls of blood vessels. Also, inhaling acrolein vapes can affect blood circulation and lead to a buildup of artery plaque (atherosclerosis). (21)
Nicotine in vape smoke is addictive and is also a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease. (21)
Find out more about some of the worst habits that can damage your heart.
E-cigarette vaping may result in narrowed arteries
The long-term effects of vaping every day could also cause other problems to your vascular health.
The journal PLoS One reports that vapers are at more risk of blocked arteries in the legs and blood clots. (22)
Nicotine in e-cigarettes still raises blood pressure
One of the effects of vaping on your cardiac health is that it can lead to hypertension.
Because chemicals in vape mist cause your blood vessels to stiffen, regular vaping can cause high blood pressure. Nicotine is known to cause a rise in blood pressure, especially when taken along with caffeine. (23)
One study involving young e-cigarette vapers found that vaping for 30 minutes causes arterial stiffness similar to that of smoking cigarettes. The rise in blood pressure due to frequent vaping can negatively impact on cardiovascular health. (24)
Quitting smoking and vaping is one way to help treat hypertension naturally.
Studies show vaping can cause DNA damage
One of the reasons why vapes are bad for your health is that they can damage your DNA.
A 2018 report by the American Chemical Society found that vaping e-cigarettes can affect the DNA structure of cells in your mouth. The irritating effect of inhaling and exhaling flavored vapors could increase your risk of cancer. Some of the vape juice ingredients that have a toxic effect are acrolein, formaldehyde, and methylglyoxal. (25)
Scientists also say that comparing the risks of smoking with those of e-cigarettes is not beneficial. Both products cause exposure to toxic chemicals, however the long-term effect of e-cigarette vaping has not been sufficiently researched. (25)
Research suggests that vaping may affect brain function
Vaping doesn’t just do damage to your lungs but can also cause cognitive impairment that causes a stroke.
Vaping chemical-laden juices has the effect of causing inflammation damage in your brain. Some studies have shown that vaping can result in vascular inflammatory responses that can be a factor in suffering a stroke. Vaping may also slow down tissue repair after a brain injury. (26)
E-cigarette vaping is just one of the many habits to avoid if you want to boost your brain potential. You can also improve your brain power by adding some of these foods to your diet.
Is Vaping Addictive?
It is easy to become addicted to vaping because it contains nicotine. As already shown in this article, vape juices may contain higher levels of nicotine than is advertised on the label.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine reported that many of the dangers of vaping are associated with vape addiction. For example, some brands of vape liquid contain more nicotine than regular cigarettes. Also, it is possible to increase the vaporizer’s voltage to increase the kick of nicotine that you get from each vape. (27)
This means that for many smokers, there is the temptation to switch one unhealthy habit for another one. In fact, some reports indicate that smokers who switch to e-cigarettes end up smoking both regular cigarettes and vapes.
How Smoking Affects Your Body & How to Quit Smoking
The Most Effective Foods to Cleanse your Lungs (Research Based)
7 Warning Signs of Lung Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore
E-cigarettes Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke, Heart Attack, Diseased Arteries and Cancer was last modified: July 15th, 2019 by Jenny Hills, Nutritionist and Medical Writer
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Chhattisgarh Election: First Phase Of Voting In Naxal-Hit Districts On 12 November; All You Need To Know
BJP CM Raman Singh is facing Congress's Karuna Shukla, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's niece, in Rajnandgaon constituency.
Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh in a file photo.
With just days to go for the first phase of voting in Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh, political parties have entered campaigning mode. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi held election rallies in the state on Friday.
Apart from the two major parties—Congress and BJP—another political party has also thrown its hat in the ring. The coalition between the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has become a keenly-watched third force.
ALSO READ: Ahead Of Modi, Rahul Rallies, Maoists Kill 4 Civilians, One CISF Jawan
The state is scheduled to vote in two phases. The polling for 18 seats, spread across eight Naxal-affected districts, will be held on 12 November and the remaining 72 seats will go to polls on 20 November. The counting of votes will be held on 11 December.
While 190 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of polls, 1,101 nominees will battle it out in the second phase of the state elections, according to PTI.
Chhattisgarh is an important state for both the BJP and the Congress because Chief Minister Raman Singh is eyeing his fourth consecutive term and Congress is looking to wrest power from the saffron party.
Meanwhile, even Singh has acknowledged that Jogi would impact the BJP as well as the Congress. While Mayawati's BSP is known to attract Dalit voters, Jogi himself is said to have a stronghold among voters from his caste base of Mahars and Satnamis.
In the last Assembly polls, of the total 90 seats, the BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, BSP 1 and an independent candidate 1.
Key constituencies
The first phase of voting will cover Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Keshkal, Chitrakot, Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta, Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji and Mohla-Manpur seats.
The highest number of candidates—30—will lock horns in the Rajnandgaon constituency, while the lowest number of five nominees will fight it out in Bastar and Kondagaon seats each, according to PTI.
Rajnandgaon: Of the 18 constituencies that go to polls in the first phase, six are in the Rajnandgaon district. According to The Economic Times, rising fuel prices and unemployment are a concern in the district.
Rajnandgaon will also be the most keenly-watched constituency because Singh and Congress candidate Karuna Shukla, niece of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, are locking horns here.
Both the BJP and the Congress are trying to garner votes in Vajpayee's name. While the ruling party leaders say the BJP and Vajpayee are "synonymous", Shukla alleged the chief minister was showing his "double standards" by claiming to follow the ideology of the BJP stalwart when the state government was "miles apart" from the former prime minister's teachings, according to PTI.
Bastar: Over 20 lakh voters in the Maoist-affected Bastar are ready to cast their vote in the first phase of the elections, according to The Times of India.
The Bastar region has been a witness to some of the deadliest Maoist attacks in the country, and a recent attack in the run-up to the election, in which two policemen and a Doordarshan cameraman were killed. The incident happened in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.
There are a total of 12 seats in the Bastar region—Bijapur, Dantewara, Konta, Chitrakot, Bastar, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Keshkal, Kanker, Bhanupratappur, Antagarh and Jagdalpur. Of them, eight are currently held by the Congress and the rest by the BJP
MORE: bjp chhattisgarh congress elections 2019 politics
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MOTORSPORT: Railton misses out on Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup podium after tough final round at Assen
Updated: Tuesday, October 3, 2017 (14:13)
Jon Railton aboard his Boast Plumbing Supplies machine during the final round of the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup at Dutch circuit Assen. Picture: NIGEL SHEARING
Jon Railton missed out on a Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup podium place after a disappointing final round of the championship.
The Little Paxton racer dropped to fourth in the overall standings following the closing two races at Dutch circuit Assen last weekend.
Railton, who was suffering from illness, finished 10th in a wet opening contest and then took fifth spot in the second race after conditions improved.
"I came down with a flu bug during last week," said Railton. "It couldn't have come at a worse time in all honesty.
"I didn't feel too bad when qualifying in third place, but the rain certainly didn't help in the first race.
"I'm usually pretty decent in the wet, but I did not feel comfortable at all.
"I found myself 15th on the grid for the second race after it dried up, but managed to climb up to fifth which wasn't quite enough.
"It was an exciting climax with four riders chasing second and third in the championship, but unfortunately it didn't go my way.
"It's a shame there wasn't a more positive end to the season after a big improvement on the previous year.
"The speed was there and I would have comfortably finished second in the championship but for some non-finishes."
Railton is hopeful of stepping up to the National Superstock 1000 class in 2018 and is also eyeing a possible appearance in a World Endurance Championship round.
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Playmaker: Signing For United Just The Beginning
Shinji Kagawa says he always wanted to play for Manchester United
June 25, 2012 16:23 BST
Shinji Kagawa has revealed what made him want to sign for Manchester United, with the young playmaker insisting that it has always been his dream to run onto the pitch at Old Trafford in red and black.
Kagawa has been one of Sir Alex Ferguson's typically early signings in the summer transfer window, and at just 23, the former Borussia Dortmund man is touted for big things and could serve as a long-term replacement for Paul Scholes.
And though Kagawa was a long term target for United, the young star says he always wanted to make the move from Germany to northern England in search of a Premier League trophy.
"First, I went to the training facility [Carrington], then signed at Old Trafford," he told the official United website.
"Though it was a short stay, it meant a lot. It was a memorable day for me. There were many contracts to sign, which made me realise how big the club is.
"What came to my mind was how exciting and tough a challenge this is, and how scoring goals at this stadium would make me so happy.
Shinji Kagawa is delighted to have signed for Manchester United.
"United is a fantastic organisation. For instance, the training facility is very well maintained. It is an environment I had never experienced before.
"I was excited to see the stadium. Having imagined myself playing there as my home stadium, I was impressed.
"Everyone welcomed me warmly and said 'Thank you for signing with us.' I know this is just the beginning but I am glad I have made it to the starting point."
Kagawa will enter into a club that has a lot of pressure on their shoulders next season, with rivals Manchester City only getting better after snatching the title from United last season in the dying minutes.
But with players like Scholes and Ryan Giggs to mentor him, the Japan international has a big chance of coming through with a great deal of success as the Red Devils aim to build on their record 19 titles.
Related topics : Japan Manchester United FC
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Lego Strikes Deal to Buy Legoland, Madame Tussauds
9:03 AM PDT 6/28/2019 by the Associated Press
Courtesy of Legoland
Kirkbi Invest, which owns the toy maker, is joining forces with private equity firm Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to buy British company Merlin Entertainment, valuing it at roughly $6 billion.
The owners of toy maker Lego are teaming up with a group of investors to buy Merlin Entertainment, a British company that operates theme parks like Legoland and the Madame Tussauds wax museums.
Kirkbi Invest said Friday it is joining forces with private equity firm Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to offer 455 pence (60 cents) per share for Merlin, valuing it at 4.77 billion pounds ($6 billion).
Merlin runs eight Legoland parks and 20 Legoland Discovery Centers, as well as other sites like Madame Tussauds museums across the world. It estimates that about 67 million people visit its sites every year.
Merlin said it accepted the deal and its share price jumped 14 percent.
The investors will create a company that will own 50 percent of Merlin. Kirkbi already owns a stake of nearly 30 percent.
The first Legoland opened in 1968 near the Lego company headquarters in western Denmark. Lego sold the Legoland parks to Merlin in 2005.
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Store expansion paying off for Leekes
Independent retail chain Leekes has reported a 5.2% increase in turnover to £53.3m for the year to March 2011.
Gross profit held flat at £20m while operating profit took an 88% dive to £237k due to significant investment made by the company into its existing portfolio and new stores.
Pre-tax profit was halved to £865k.
JH Leeke & Sons' financial director Mike Fowler told DIY Week: "The increase in sales and turnover over the past year has been generated by the addition of three new Leekes stores in the Midlands.
Significant investment was made in improving the existing properties, in particular the Bilston store, which received £3m of capital investment to completely refurbish it. As a completely new brand within the Midlands region, we also invested heavily in the marketing of the new stores, which combined with the expenditure on the stores themselves, resulted in an anticipated decrease in our operating profits."
The retailer is reaping the rewards of this investment however, with sales in the Midlands up significantly, said Mr Fowler. Sales at the Bilston store increased by 60% in the first six months of Leekes' current financial year.
The company has also signed an option to purchase what will be its largest store, relocating its Bedworth store to a former Makro site in Coventry, and is in the process of agreeing a deal to become a tenant in a new £200m town centre development near its Llantrisant store.
The deal would see Leekes move from its existing Llantrisant site to a brand new three-storey department store in a high street location.
Mr Fowler added: "We are very fortunate in that Leekes Limited, the retail arm of the business, is a subsidiary of JH Leeke & Sons, a substantial retail and leisure group that achieved another strong year of profits. Underling profits of £3.2m, coupled with a £62m net asset balance sheet and the support of our bank, Barclays, means that we are able to continue to expand in this challenging economic climate."
Source : DIY Week
www.diyweek.net/news/news.asp?id=15111&title=Expansion+pays+off+for+Leekes
Insight DIY is the only source of market information that I need and they always have the latest news before anyone else.
Neil Anderton - Sales Director, British Ceramic Tile
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Scarborough Woman Charged with Embezzlement from a Health Care Benefit Program | USAO-ME | Department of Justice
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Carrie Caporino, 45, of Scarborough, Maine, was arrested on Tuesday and charged in U.S. District Court by criminal complaint with embezzling from a health care benefit program.
According to court records, from December 2015 to June 2017, Caporino was employed as the office manager for a Falmouth physician. The complaint affidavit alleges that she took about 600 checks totaling about $250,000 payable to the physician or the practice, and deposited them into her personal bank accounts, instead of the practice’s bank account.
She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJs’) Health Care Fraud Takedown announced today by Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., which is the largest health care fraud enforcement action in DOJ’s history.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
[pdf-embedder url=”https://www.hiltzandassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/u.s._v._caporino_-_complaint_0.pdf”]
Source: Scarborough Woman Charged with Embezzlement from a Health Care Benefit Program | USAO-ME | Department of Justice
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A Tale of Two Logos
Posted by Stephen Saito on August 15th
The past two years have been filled with plenty of bad news for the indie film sector, so it was nice to see the introductions of two new companies over the weekend — first in the trailer for the Jamie Foxx-Gerard Butler thriller “Law Abiding Citizen,” the first film from Mark Gill’s Film Department, and then on the press notes for Jane Campion’s romantic drama “Bright Star,” the maiden voyage for Bob Berney’s Apparition.
Sure, they’re just logos, but they also mark the return of two of indie film’s smartest executives. Gill is the former head of Warner Independent who masterminded the release of “March of the Penguins” before leaving the company in 2006 to finance and produce mid-level films — you know, the kind Hollywood has all but abandoned — and sparked much debate when he gave his now-famous 2008 “The Sky is Falling” speech about the state of indie filmmaking. Berney is the esteemed former president of Picturehouse who turned “Pan’s Labyrinth” into a phenomenon and paved the way for “La Vie en Rose” star Marion Cotillard to win an Oscar, not to mention presiding over the record-breaking box office run of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” in 2002.
After the October 16th release of “Law Abiding Citizen,” The Film Department‘s circle F will next be seen attached to the Catherine Zeta-Jones/Justin Bartha romantic comedy “The Rebound” from “The Myth of Fingerprints”‘ director Bart Freundlich, followed by Keira Knightley drama “The Beautiful and the Damned” and 3-D thriller “The Peak” in 2010. Meanwhile, Apparition and its reflected font are getting off to a fast start with release of “Bright Star” on September 18th, followed by the Emily Blunt costume drama “The Young Victoria” and Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” with Sean Penn and Brad Pitt before year’s end.
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Su, Haiyan. "Empirical Likelihood-Based Method for LME Models." Encyclopedia of Business Analytics and Optimization. IGI Global, 2014. 812-823. Web. 16 Jul. 2019. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-5202-6.ch076
Su, H. (2014). Empirical Likelihood-Based Method for LME Models. In J. Wang (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Business Analytics and Optimization (pp. 812-823). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-5202-6.ch076
Su, Haiyan. "Empirical Likelihood-Based Method for LME Models." In Encyclopedia of Business Analytics and Optimization, ed. John Wang, 812-823 (2014), accessed July 16, 2019. doi:10.4018/978-1-4666-5202-6.ch076
InfoSci-Business and Management
Business, Administration, and Management
Empirical Likelihood-Based Method for LME Models
Haiyan Su (Montclair State University, USA)
Source Title: Encyclopedia of Business Analytics and Optimization
Longitudinal data are often encountered in biomedical, epidemiological, social science and business studies. Repeated measurements are made on subjects over time and responses within a subject are usually correlated. The interest of longitudinal study is usually the growth curve over time. Linear mixed-effects models (LME) are widely used for longitudinal data because it allows both the population level fixed effects and individual level random effects to appear linearly in the model linearly in the model (Pinheiro & Bates, 2000). In modeling the fixed effects and random effects coefficients, the normality assumption of the random error terms and the random effect terms are required. Violation of this assumption may yield invalid statistical inference. Since the normality assumption is too restrictive as pointed out by Zhang and Davidian (2001, broader classes of distributions for the mixed models have been proposed by Verbeke and Lesaffre (1997), Zhang and Davidian (2001), Chen et al., (2002) among others. Ma and Genton (2004) relaxed the normality assumption by using semiparametric generalized skew-ellipitical distributions. Zhou and He (2008) replaced the normal distribution with skew-t distributions. Lachos et al., (2009) proposed a Bayesian approach with asymmetric heavy tailed distribution. The generalized estimation equation (GEE) (Liang & Zeger, 1986) approach relaxed this assumption by focusing on population-level effects using the quasi-likelihood method. GEE is a very popular approach researcher use when normality assumption is violated for continuous responses and it is supported by most available software such as SAS and R .
In this paper, we develop an empirical likelihood-based method to get inference for population level parameter of interest in linear mixed-effects models when normality assumption is violated. Empirical likelihood was introduced by Owen (1988, 1990). It amounts to computing the parametric likelihood of a general multinomial distribution which has its atoms at all observed data points. Empirical likelihood provides a good alternative among the nonparametric methods that can be used to make statistical inference when the normality assumption is violated. The advantage of empirical likelihood compared to the bootstrap method and the jackknife method arises because it is a nonparametric method of inference based on a data-driven likelihood ratio function. A thorough summary of the advantages of empirical likelihood over its competitors is given in Hall and La Scala (1990). In this study, we suggest doing a projection to erase nuisance parameters for dimension reduction and then using the profile empirical likelihood principle. We then apply the Bartlett correction method to obtain the adjusted confidence interval. The paper is organized as follows: We give the main results including the model formulation, the Bartlett correction procedures and proofs of the theoretical results in the “Main Focus” section. Then follows results from simulation studies by comparing the proposed method with normal approximation method and the GEE method and a real application study. We then give the conclusion of the paper and the future trends.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Coverage Probability: In statistics, the coverage probability of a confidence interval is the proportion of the time that the interval contains the true value of interest.
Fixed Effects: In panel data analysis, the term fixed effects estimator is used to refer to an estimator for the coefficients in the regression model. If we assume fixed effects, we impose time independent effects for each entity that are possibly correlated with the regressors.
Nuisance Parameters: A nuisance parameter is any parameter which is not of immediate interest but which must be accounted for in the analysis of those parameters which are of interest.
Empirical Likelihood: Empirical likelihood allows the statistician to employ likelihood methods, without having to pick a parametric family for the data. It is described in two articles published by Owen (1988 , 1990 ) and a monograph published by Chapman and Hall/CRC Press (ISBN 1584880716) ( Owen, 2001 ).
Bartlett Correction: A Bartlett correction is a scalar transformation applied to the likelihood ratio (LR) statistic that yields a new, improved test statistic which has a chi-squared null distribution to order O(1/n). This represents a clear improvement over the original statistic in the sense that LR is distributed as chi-squared under the null hypothesis only to order O(1).
Linear Mixed-Effects Models: A linear mixed model is a statistical model that responses from a subject are thought to be the sum of fixed and random effects, which is mixed effects. These models are useful in a wide variety of disciplines in the physical, biological and social sciences. They are particularly useful in settings where repeated measurements are made on the same statistical units, or where measurements are made on clusters of related statistical units.
Confidence Interval: In statistics, a confidence interval (CI) is a kind of interval estimate of a population parameter and is used to indicate the reliability of an estimate.
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IPL 2019 Points Table: Updated team standings after KKR vs MI match
We finally have the four teams who will be on the playoffs.
Debanu Das May 06 2019, 5.34 pm
The playoffs are upon us and we are just a few games away from the conclusion of the Indian Premier League. Match number 56 was a do-or-die situation for Kolkata Knight Riders but Mumbai Indians managed to restrict them to 133 runs at the Wankhede. It was a simple matter for MI to chase down that paltry score. As a result, Shah Rukh Khan’s Knights are officially out of the tournament, and we finally have the four teams who will move on to the playoffs.
After besting KKR, MI knocked Chennai Super Kings off their perch and got the top position on the points table. MI has 18 points in 14 games. Chennai Super Kings has got the same number of points in as many matches, but trail behind MI thanks to a lower net run rate. In the third position is Delhi Capitals, in a similar situation. Their lower net run rate puts them behind the other two teams. They are, however, better off than Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have 12 points in 14 games and are at the fourth spot. The top four teams are the ones which will be playing the semifinals.
IPL 2019 Points Table Update team standings after KKR vs MI match
On the fifth spot is Kolkata Knight Riders with 12 points in 14 matches. KKR missed a spot on the playoffs because of a net run rate that is lower than SRH. Numbers can be very cruel at times. Kings XI Punjab comes up at number six, with 12 points in 14 games. They’re behind KKR because of a lower net run rate. The seventh spot has Rajasthan Royals with 11 points in 14 games. At the bottom of the table, is Royal Challengers Bangalore who has the same points as RR, but is behind due to a lower net run rate. RCB really had a forgettable campaign this year. David Warner of SRH tops the run-scorers’ list with 692 runs. As for the bowlers, Kagiso Rabada of DC leads the pack with 25 wickets.
Chennai Super KingsDelhi CapitalsIPL 2019IPL 2019 Points TableMumbai IndiansSunrisers Hyderabad
nextIPL 2019 Highlights, MI vs KKR: Rohit Sharma shines in Mumbai's 9 wicket win over Kolkata
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Matthew Braverman
Polly Ralph
Jennings Aske
New York-Presbyterian
Sony CEO Slams 'Vicious' Cyberattack
Praises Employees' Actions to Get Studio Up and Running Again Mathew J. Schwartz (euroinfosec) • January 6, 2015
Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai
Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai has praised the actions of his employees in the wake of the "vicious" online attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.
In his first public remarks on the subject since Sony's Hollywood television and movie studio was attacked, Hirai said Jan. 5 he was "very proud" of how Sony Pictures' employees and business partners responded to the "extortionist efforts" of hackers, by working "literally 24 hours a day, sometimes for days on end" to get the studio up and running again, as well as to release the comedy film "The Interview."
Speaking at a press conference at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Hirai thanked everyone who had seen the movie, stating: "I have to say that freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association, these are very important ... lifelines of Sony and our entertainment business."
Hirai also noted that current and former Sony employees were "the victims of one of the most vicious and malicious cyber-attacks we have known in recent history."
The FBI has attributed the Sony Pictures hack to North Korea, and President Obama recently imposed sanctions against 10 individuals and three entities associated with the country's Pyongyang-based government. But North Korea has denied being involved in the Sony hack and has called for a joint investigation with the United States.
A hacking group that calls itself the Guardians of Peace claimed credit for unleashing the Nov. 24 wiper malware attack against Sony Pictures that reportedly compromised 6,000 employees' computers and landline phones, after which attackers leaked high-quality digital copies of unreleased movies, as well as sensitive - and embarrassing - corporate data. Following the attack, G.O.P. said it would stop the leaks if the studio promised to never release "The Interview," which features a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Major movie chains balked at showing the film after G.O.P. also issued a terror threat against any theater that showed it. While Sony initially said it would shelve the film, in the face of criticism from President Obama, it instead released the film Dec. 24 via online channels, followed by it opening in about 330 independent U.S. cinemas on Christmas Day. The film quickly set an online box office record for the studio.
North Korea Slams Sanctions
Responding to Obama's new sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea as a result of the Sony attack, a North Korean government spokesman said that they represent continuing U.S. hostility toward the country. "The persistent and unilateral action taken by the White House to slap sanctions against the DPRK patently proves that it is still not away from inveterate repugnancy and hostility toward the DPRK," an unnamed spokesman for North Korea's foreign ministry said on Jan. 4, reports South Korea's Yonhap News Agency.
Many information security experts, however, continue to question the FBI's attribution of the Sony Pictures hack to North Korea, especially based on the scant amount of information that the bureau has so far released to substantiate that claim.
In fact, based on the publicly available information, Jeffrey Carr, CEO of threat-intelligence sharing firm Taia Global, has warned that there's substantial "conflicting evidence" as to North Korea being involved at all.
Many security experts have also warned that attribution, by its very nature, is typically a lengthy process - for which no solid answers may ever be found - and noted that the FBI's attribution of the Sony hack wasn't to Pyongyang or the North Korean government, but rather "North Korea."
"In many cases, it's easier to point to a region - 'Russians,' 'Chinese,' 'Moldovans' - than it is to say that the hack 'was pulled off by a Mr. George Thomason, who lives at Flat 3, Kipling Mansions, Murray Road, London, West 9,'" says information security expert Nick Selby, CEO of StreetCred Software, in a blog post.
Evidence to Remain Classified
Responding to that type of criticism, unnamed senior U.S. officials have told reporters that independent information security experts don't have access to the classified information that was used by the FBI to attribute the attacks to North Korea, the Associated Press reports.
The White House also continues to back the FBI's analysis. "They've obviously devoted significant resources to this. They have their own area of expertise when it comes to these matters, and they have come to the conclusion, based on the evidence, that North Korea was responsible for this," White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters in a Jan. 5 briefing. "And I don't see any reason to disagree with the conclusions that they've arrived at. If you have questions about why they've arrived at that conclusion, you can direct it to them."
Earnest acknowledged that while there was an ongoing, public debate about whether North Korea was involved in the Sony hack, "a couple of private-sector organizations ... have endorsed the findings of the FBI," although he declined to name them.
Despite calls from the information security community for the White House to declassify more of the information that the FBI used to attribute the hack attack to North Korea, Earnest says that due to the "pretty sensitive" nature of the information analyzed by the FBI, it will not release the information because that might compromise future intelligence-gathering efforts. "The evidence that they [the FBI] have reviewed and obtained, by making it public, does give a pretty strong indication to the North Koreans and, frankly, to other bad actors about the techniques that we use to investigate and to attribute these kinds of attacks," he said.
Sony Breach: Warnings for India
IoT: Do Risks Outweigh Benefits?
Mathew J. Schwartz
Executive Editor, DataBreachToday & Europe
Schwartz is an award-winning journalist with two decades of experience in magazines, newspapers and electronic media. He has covered the information security and privacy sector throughout his career. Before joining Information Security Media Group in 2014, where he now serves as the executive editor, DataBreachToday and for European news coverage, Schwartz was the information security beat reporter for InformationWeek and a frequent contributor to DarkReading, among other publications. He lives in Scotland.
Moving Beyond Perimeter Security: A Comprehensive and Achievable Guide to Less Risk
https://www.inforisktoday.asia/sony-ceo-slams-vicious-cyberattack-a-7753
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By The ITS Crew
Whether you’re an avid outdoorsman or a sunshine fearing cubicle dweller, knowing the basics of navigation can be a life saver. With all of the technology we rely on today, many of us have lost touch with getting ourselves from Point A to Point B. Brush up on your Nav Skills with some of our Navigation articles below.
The Complete Guide to Land Navigation with the MGRS
What if your life depended on your ability to navigate with a map and compass? Would you find yourself more alone than you’d hoped? In this article, we go over the Military Grid Reference System (MGRS), which we feel is not only a better representation of our 3D world on a two-dimensional map, but also simple and easy to use. Click here to learn more about the Military Grid Reference System.
How to Navigate with The Stars and Find Your Way
Most people understand the concept of the earth revolving around the sun and in turn, its own rotation. It’s also important to grasp that here in the Northern Hemisphere, the stars may seem to spin around the North Star, or Polaris, rising in the east and setting in the west, but in reality it’s actually the earth rotating around the other way. Click here for more information on using the stars to find your way.
The Lost Art of Reading a Road Atlas and Hitting the Open Road
We always carry a current version of the popular Rand McNally Road Atlas in our vehicle and like to consider it a backup to electronic Navigation. With nothing more than a mile marker and general knowledge of where we are, we can navigate to just about anywhere in the United States via roads and highways. Not only that, but give you the approximate distance in mileage between where we’re currently at and the next town ahead. All thanks to the indispensable Road Atlas. Click here to learn more about hitting the open road using an atlas.
How to Fold a Topographic Map and Other Techniques
Hopefully many of you are not only familiar with Topographic Maps, but have had some experience folding them. We say this to relate to how much of a pain they can be to manage. In this article, we hope to show you a few new techniques for folding a topo map, or any map for that matter. These are universal and can be used on any map. Click here more information and techniques for folding maps, topographic or other.
Land Navigation: Calculating your Pace Count
In land navigation it’s important to crawl before you can walk, and determining your pace count is fundamental. Every bit of information that you can gather about your location has its place in navigation, so no techniques should be discounted or ignored. A pace count will enable you to know the distance you’re traveling by determining, in advance, the number of paces it takes you to travel a pre-set distance. You’ll then need to give yourself some kind of reminder that you’ve covered that distance, as well as each time you hit your magic number, or pace count. Click here for more information on finding and calculating your pace count.
Still hungry for more information? Click here to view an entire series we ran on Navigation!
Do you have other navigation tips that you use? Let us know in the comments below. See you out there!
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Introduction to Geocaching: What you need to Get Started
Do You Still Care About the Skill of Navigation? Here’s a Few Great Resources to Help You Out
LandNav 101: Introduction to Map Margins
LandNav 101: Introduction to Map Terminology
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The caring and experienced professionals at Jillson Funeral Home are here to support you through this difficult time. We offer a range of personalized services to suit your family’s wishes and requirements. You can count on us to help you plan a personal, lasting tribute to your loved one. And we’ll carefully guide you through the many decisions that must be made during this challenging time.
You are welcome to call us at any time of the day, any day of the week, for immediate assistance. Or, visit our funeral home in person at your convenience. We also provide a wealth of information here on our web site so you can learn more from the privacy of your own home.
The Jillson Funeral Home been serving Whitehall and surrounding communities through three generations.
Starting in 1933, with Stewart Jillson, who opened on South Williams Street to help make death peaceful.
Like all of his descendants, Stewart was a local boy. who graduated from Whitehall High School. After graduating from WHS in 1923, Stewart attended Simmons School of Mortuary Science in Syracuse, which he graduated from in 1938.
Stewart made his first big move in 1938, when he moved the funeral home down the street to its present location at 46 Williams Street.
In 1950, the Jillson Funeral home began its expansion, when Stewart joined Robert Allen in the purchase of the Scott Funeral home. The pair joined the three businesses together into the Allen-Jillson Funeral Homes, with one located in Whitehall and the other in Fort Ann.
The next major milestone was in 1950, when Stewart's son Richard joined the business. Like his father, Richard graduated from Whitehall. After graduating from high school he went on to the Albany Business College, where he earned an associates degree in business administration and accounting. After graduating from the Albany Business College in 1948, Richard attended the American Academy of Mortuary Science in New York City, graduating in 1949.
Nine years later, Richard bought out Robert Allen's interest in the funeral home in Whitehall and it became the Jillson Funeral Home Inc.
The funeral home has also maintained an ambulance service over the years and in 1967. when the Skenesborough Emergency Squad began servicing the community, the funeral home donated their ambulance and emergency equipment to the squad.
In 1969, the Jillson Funeral Home in Whitehall expanded again purchasing the Horton Property at 45 Williams St, This property was turned into a parking lot to create more off street parking on Williams Street. Then in 2002 the property adjacent to the Horton property was purchased. The buildings were raised and the parking lot was expanded to make room for parking for 50.
In 1978, the third Jillson to work in the funeral home business joined his father and grandfather. Jay Jillson. a 1976 graduate of Whitehall and a 1978 graduate of SUNY Canton with a degree in Mortuary Science has been associated with the business since. Jay is still the owner today, continuing the three generations of Jillsons having served the Whitehall and surrounding communities.
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Southlake couple convicted of enslaving African girl for 16 years
The Southlake couple was accused of bringing the 5-year-old girl from her Guinean village in 2000 and forcing her to work without pay in their home.
Author: Associated Press
Published: 11:23 AM CST January 11, 2019
Updated: 11:37 AM CST January 11, 2019
FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal jury has found a suburban North Texas couple guilty of enslaving a Guinean woman for 16 years.
Jurors found Mohamed Toure and his wife, Denise Cros-Toure, guilty Thursday of forced labor. They face up to 20 years in prison, but no sentencing date was immediately set.
Toure is the son of a former president of the West African country of Guinea. The Southlake, Texas, pair was accused of bringing the 5-year-old girl from her rural Guinean village in 2000 and forcing her to work without pay in their home for years. Authorities began investigating after the victim fled the couple's home in 2016.
RELATED: Wife accused in Southlake domestic servant case: "We would not do that to anybody"
“The defendants preyed on a young and extremely vulnerable girl. Their despicable actions included cruelly abusing her, forcing her to work in their home, hidden in plain sight, for years without pay, and robbing her of her childhood,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband in a statement released Friday. “Human trafficking is a disgraceful and unacceptable crime, and this verdict should send the very clear message that the Justice Department will investigate and vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims.”
The defense attorneys said they would appeal the verdict.
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People wait in line to buy televisions as they shop during an early Black Friday sale at a Best Buy store on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Stores usher in Black Friday with easier ways to get deals
They’re offering new ways for shoppers to get deals online and in the store easier and faster in the age of instant gratification.
Retailers aren’t just ushering the official start of the holiday season with the usual expanded hours and fat discounts on big TVs and toys.
Walmart introduced a digital map on its mobile app to make it easier for shoppers to find an item’s exact location in the store. Kohl’s has a new feature on its mobile app that lets customers take photos of products anywhere and find similar items at the department store. And customers, frustrated with long checkout lines, can check out at Walmart and other stores with a salesperson right on the spot.
Shoppers are also facing new free shipping options. Target leapt in front of Walmart and Amazon to offer two-day free shipping for the holidays without any minimum purchases. Online leader Amazon followed, dropping its $25 minimum. Walmart is still sticking with its $35 threshold.
“Retailers are pulling out all the stops to get shoppers earlier with online deals and using online to push shoppers in the store,” said Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at the NPD Group, a market research group. “I think overall spending will be decent.”
Macy’s was pushing such door buster deals as 70 per cent discounts on cookware and 40 per cent off of boots. As of early morning Friday, Macy’s Herald Square, which opened all night, had a steady stream of shoppers, mostly tourists.
“We got here at 4:30 a.m. We couldn’t go to sleep so we went shopping,” said Shane Wilson, who arrived in Manhattan from London on Wednesday. She was buying shoes and boots at 40 per cent off. She said her next stop was Bloomingdale’s.
Nicole Battini, from Bologna, Italy showed up with a friend at Macy’s at 5 a.m. after a night of clubbing. Battini, who arrived in New York earlier this week, was looking for shoes, a handbag and a coat. Then she said she was going to sleep.
“Tomorrow, we go back to clubbing,” she said.
Read more: Going to the U.S. for Black Friday? Here’s what you need to know
Read more: ‘Bait and switch’ warning ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Still, Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. It has morphed from a single day when people got up early to score door busters into a whole month of deals. Many major stores, including Walmart, Best Buy and Macy’s, start their blockbuster deals on Thanksgiving evening, which has consequently thinned out the crowds.
Black Friday is nonetheless expected to be the biggest shopping day of the year, according to ShopperTrak, a technology company. And analysts say Black Friday sales should be even bigger than a year ago. They are expected to hit $23 billion on Friday, up from $21 billion during the same year-ago period, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse, which tracks all forms of payment, including cash.
With the jobless rate at a five-decade low of 3.7 per cent and consumer confidence at an 18-year high, analysts project healthy sales increases for November and December. The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, is expecting holiday retail sales in November and December — excluding automobiles, gasoline and restaurants — to increase as much as 4.8 per cent over 2017 for a total of $720.89 billion. The sales growth marks a slowdown from last year’s 5.3 per cent, which was the largest gain since 2010. But the figure is still healthy.
Adobe Analytics, which analyzes visits to retail websites, predicts a 15 per cent increase in online sales to $124.1 billion for November and December.
Adobe said late Thursday that Thanksgiving should reach a record $3.7 billion in online retail sales, up 29 per cent from the same year ago period. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, shoppers spent $1.75 billion online, a nearly 29 per cent increase from a year ago. It expects $38.0 billion will have been spent online between Nov. 1 through Thursday, a nearly 19 per cent increase from a year ago.
Target said early Friday morning that more shoppers shopped using the Target app, ordering more than double compared to last year. Overall, shoppers bought such big ticket items as TVs, iPads, and Apple Watches. Among the most popular toy deals were Lego, L.O.L. Surprise from MGA Entertainment and Mattel’s Barbie. It said gamers picked up video game consoles like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.
Amazon in the U.S. is expected to outgrow the market and capture up to half of all e-commerce sales by the end of the year, according to consulting firm Bain & Co.
Joseph Pisani And Anne D’Innocenzio, The Associated Press
Feds give formal notice for law to end Canada Post strike
Annual inflation rises to 2.4% thanks to higher costs for gas, airline tickets
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Arab League: “We strongly condemn attempts to link terrorism and Islam”
At the 29th Al-Quds Summit, the Arab League declared:
We strongly condemn attempts to link terrorism and Islam.
Until the Arab League openly rejects the overtly violent texts of the Quran and Sunnah, and condemns its member, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, for its mandate to destroy Israel, its words about terrorism are obvious deceit.
The violence against women and girls, religious minorities (infidels), gays and others is sanctioned in black and white in Islamic law.
“Terrorism has no link to Islam, says Arab League”, by Javed Hamim Kakar, Pajhwok Afghan News, April 16, 2018:
KABUL (Pajhwok): The 29th Arab Summit — Al-Quds Summit — has strongly condemned attempts to link terrorism to Islam, a religion that sets great store by peace.
Leaders and heads of Arab countries, who met in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, issued the call in a unanimous declaration on Sunday
“We affirm the illegality of the American decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We categorically refuse to recognise Al-Quds as the capital of Israel, where East Al-Quds will remain the capital of Palestine.
“We warn against taking any action that would change the current legal and political status of Al-Quds,” they said in the declaration issued at the end of the summit.
The summit welcomed the decision of the UN General Assembly on Al-Quds, commending the states that supported it. They promised continued efforts to re-launch effective Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations on ending the political stalemate resulting from the intransigence of the Israeli position.
The conflict could be ended through a two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the July 1967 borders and East Al-Quds as its capital, the declaration says……
“We strongly condemn attempts to link terrorism and Islam. We call upon the international community … to issue a unified definition of terrorism. Terrorism has no religion, no homeland and no identity.”
All countries were urged to shoulder their responsibilities to combat this dangerous scourge. “We deplore the distortion by some extremist groups of the image of the true religion of Islam by linking it to terrorism, and warn that such attempts serve terrorism itself.”
Source: Jihad Watch
Pennsylvania House Passes Bill Banning Abortions on Babies With Down Syndrome → ← Predestination destroys legalism
Uganda: Church closes after months of Islamic jihad attacks
Imagine if a mosque had been forced to close after months of attacks from Christians. The international outcry would be immediate and prolonged. But no one will take any particular […]
Islamic Republic of Iran sentences 12 Christians to prison for house church, evangelism
This is what actual bigotry and intolerance looks like. But in the West, the guardians of acceptable opinion will say nothing about this, hit Trump for being mean to the […]
Indonesia: Kindergarten dresses children as armed jihadis for parade
“I never meant to teach violence to my students. We only used the props that we already had to cut costs for parents.” Why did he have cardboard cutouts of […]
Massachusetts: Taxpayers sue over anti-Semitic, pro-Islam public school lessons
At last, some pushback against what is a nationwide problem. “Massachusetts Taxpayers Sue Over Anti-Semitic, Pro-Islam School Lessons,” by Adam Kredo, Washington Free Beacon, August 17, 2018: A group of Massachusetts-based […]
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Rebuilding Your Home, Finances After Disaster
Rebuilding Your Home and Finances After Disaster Strikes
Mopping up—and drying out—after the hurricanes was only the first challenge. Now the victims have to struggle through recovery.
By Miriam Cross, Associate Editor and Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance, December 2017
Hurricane Harvey, which pummeled Texas in late august, and Hurricane Irma, which blew through the Caribbean and Florida two weeks later, both took a heavy toll. Harvey caused more than 80 deaths and nearly $100 billion in losses. Irma claimed more than 60 victims and caused more than $50 billion in losses. But in some ways Florida residents got off easier because most of the property damage there was caused by wind and was covered by insurance. In Houston and nearby areas hit by Harvey, most of the damage was caused by flooding from up to 50 inches of rain that poured down on the region for five days—and only about 20% of the flooded homes were covered by flood insurance. (In Puerto Rico, huge numbers of Hurricane Maria victims had neither homeowners nor flood insurance.)
SEE ALSO: 10 Things to Know About Insurance Claims
Damage caused by wind, wind-driven rain and water that comes into your home through the roof, windows, doors or holes in the walls is usually covered by homeowners insurance. But damage from flooding or water that rises from the bottom up—from the overflow of a body of water, for example, or a storm surge—isn't covered. For that, you need a separate flood insurance policy.
Millions of homeowners around the country live in neighborhoods that are vulnerable to flooding from hurricanes, tropical storms and heavy downpours. And as thousands of Houston residents have learned, if you don't have flood insurance, you may not be covered for your losses.
In many Houston neighborhoods, the flood insurance haves and have-nots live (or lived) next door to one another. We visited one quiet cul-de-sac in Conroe, Texas, where Mike and Nichole Bartlow had purchased a home on August 1; their flood insurance policy kicked in on August 16. Their next-door neighbors, Douglas Gana and Diane Gallo, bought their house in 2013—before the area's flood maps were redrawn in 2014 and put their house just barely in the flood zone. They didn't buy a policy because they didn't think they were at risk.
On August 28, the day after the Bartlows and their two daughters evacuated to Mike's parents' home, he returned to his house to retrieve some valuables. Water had just soaked into the yard. But by the next day, "our yard was a big lake," he says, and the water inside his home came up to his waist. Most of the Bartlows' appliances were destroyed or contaminated with bacteria-laden floodwaters, although the toilet still worked and one TV was mounted high enough to survive unscathed. When the water receded, the Bartlows had to act quickly to rip out the bottom 4 feet of drywall and insulation in their single-story home. When they were finished, only the wooden beams remained.
Before they received an advance of $50,000 from the company that underwrote their flood insurance policy, the Bartlows paid for initial repairs using their emergency fund and a one-time bonus from Mike's employer that equaled two weeks' pay. Their mortgage lender allowed them to defer three mortgage payments without harming their credit, which helped free up cash for initial fixes.
The Bartlows expect to move back in by the end of the year. Their insurer assured them they would get enough money to redo their home, as long as they provided proof of costs. "This gave us the confidence to make a down payment to the general contractor without knowing what we will ultimately get," says Mike.
Next door, Douglas Gana, who owns a construction business, is overseeing the repairs himself. He estimates that he and Diane will have to spend at least $90,000, which they'll be able to cover with their savings. When the repairs are finished, they plan to rent out their home and move to an area that's less likely to flood in the future.
Making an insurance claim
After a hurricane, it's important to contact your insurance agent or company right away—even if you can't gain access to your home yet—to start the claims process and get in line to meet with an adjuster. Depending on your coverage, you could end up meeting with several adjusters—one for your homeowners insurance, another for flood coverage and maybe a third if you had to buy a separate windstorm policy (see the box on page 31).
In a disaster the size of Harvey or Irma, adjusters are not only spread thin but may have trouble even getting to homes because of flooding and downed trees. When cell-phone and internet service became unavailable after Hurricane Harvey, insurers set up mobile claims units to meet with homeowners throughout the damaged areas of Texas.
Some insurers even used drones to do an initial inspection of homes that were inaccessible. For example, one homeowner called Chubb and said he knew there was 1 to 4 feet of water in his area, but he couldn't get to his house to verify the damage. "Within a few days, we were able to fly a drone in there, and using the camera we could see the height of the water on the door and how high the water was in the house," says Tim Blake, an adjuster who is vice president and claims leader for Chubb. The adjuster and homeowner couldn't meet at the property until September 16, but because the legwork was done in advance, Chubb was able to pay the claim just two days later.
When the Bartlows were able to get back to their home, they received conflicting advice about whether they needed to hang on to their belongings long enough for the adjuster to inspect them or whether photos would suffice. Here's what insurance experts recommend: Walk through the house with your smartphone and take a video of each room with a running commentary about the damages before you do anything to the house. Open closets and drawers to show the damage to your possessions, too.
Next, take steps to prevent the situation from getting worse. Homeowners should make temporary repairs, such as covering broken windows or holes in the roof, to prevent further damage, says Jerry Hagins, of the Texas Department of Insurance. "But don't make permanent repairs until an adjuster has seen the damage and authorized them," he says. Keep receipts for the temporary repairs, which may be reimbursed by your insurer. Ask your insurer if you can dispose of any destroyed possessions before the adjuster arrives; the requirements can vary.
While you wait for the adjuster, start to gather receipts for valuable items, either from any salvaged files or online. "We don't expect a detailed spreadsheet," Blake says. He suggests asking relatives for pictures of family gatherings at your home in case you see items in the background that you forgot about.
Try to be at the house when the adjuster arrives; it can help if your contractor comes, too. Take careful notes of your meetings with each adjuster. You'll need them if you have any claims problems later, says Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America and a former Texas commissioner of insurance. He recommends documenting all contacts with your insurance companies, starting as soon as you file a claim.
When claims are paid. Depending on the type of insurance you have, you could ultimately get three types of payouts: one for living expenses, one for building damage and one for possessions. The first check you'll receive is usually for living expenses, assuming that's covered by your policy. If the damage is extensive, the insurer may give you an advance payment to cover the cost of a hotel or rental while you're out of your house. As you submit receipts, additional payouts should follow. Some insurers provide debit cards for these expenses, and they may continue to cover such costs for a given time period while you're out of your house—often up to a year, or until the expenses reach 20% of your total dwelling limit.
In the wake of Harvey, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) made advance payments of $5,000 to $20,000, sometimes even before insurance adjusters arrived, with higher payments to people who provided records of a significant loss. Those advance payments will be subtracted from the final payout.
NFIP policies don't cover living expenses while your home is being repaired. There are other limitations as well: The policies cover possessions at their depreciated value rather than their replacement value, and they provide limited coverage for finishing and property in a basement. (For more details, search for the "Summary of Coverage" at www.fema.gov.)
After the adjuster submits the report assessing the extent of the damage, you'll eventually get a payout for the damage to the building (minus any advance payments), based on local building-cost estimates. Those costs may surge after a storm, but not all insurers take that spike into consideration when setting the price.
You'll usually get a separate payout for personal property. "That's the most difficult part to wrap up with the claim because you have to tell the adjuster what was lost," says Mark Hanna, spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas, an association of insurers. Depending on your coverage, the insurer may pay you to replace the items with new ones, or the payout may be for the depreciated value of the items based on their age and condition.
The Bartlows kept good records of their possessions but ran into some snags. A desk drawer containing receipts for big purchases floated away in the flood. Nichole ended up hunting down old receipts online and by calling Apple, Best Buy and other companies she found on credit card statements. In the future, the Bartlows plan to photograph receipts and serial numbers for every major purchase and save them in the cloud—which may be the only safe place in a flood. They will also keep a spreadsheet recording the date of purchase and cost.
It takes longer for insurers to pay claims after a major disaster because everyone is stretched so thin. After Harvey, people with smaller claims weren't expected to know whether they would have claims problems until mid October, says Hunter. Those with larger claims can expect longer waits.
If your insurer offers much less than you expected or denies your claim, ask why. If the type of damage was excluded from coverage (for example, it was clearly caused by flooding but you didn't have flood coverage), there may be little you can do. But if the insurer seems to be lowballing a covered claim payout or dragging its feet, complain to a manager in the insurer's customer relations department, says Hunter.
If that doesn't help, go to your state insurance department (see www.naic.org/map for contact information). The insurance department can contact the insurer with questions, which could help move the claims process along. Many insurance departments also set up special mediation programs after disasters. The Texas Department of Insurance hasn't done so yet for Hurricane Harvey, but, says Hagins, "We'll be flagging any complaints related to Harvey as high-priority cases."
SEE ALSO: Is Your Home Fully Protected?
When insurance doesn't cover you
Many homeowners in Houston didn't think they needed flood insurance—and mortgage lenders didn't require them to buy it because the flood maps were out of date. "The majority of people in Houston were in zones that weren't expected to flood for 100 years," says Teressa Adrian, an independent insurance agent in Spring, Texas.
Cher and Ron Hayes, who live in Katy, a western suburb of Houston, were told not to bother with flood insurance when they bought their home 18 years ago. "This area is not supposed to flood," says Ron. After stanching the trickle of water seeping into their home with towels and fans on August 27, they thought they had dodged the worst. But after authorities released the Barker Reservoir, nearly 2 feet of water surged into their home and they needed to be evacuated.
Hurricane victims who don't have flood insurance may need to raise money from a variety of sources to cover the cost of repairing their homes and replacing their possessions. And even homeowners who have insurance will likely have out-of-pocket costs for living expenses (which aren't covered by the NFIP), deductibles and expenses that exceed insurance payouts, such as for tree removal. Call your mortgage lender and any other financial institutions where you have loans to find out whether you can delay payments or receive any other help.
Where to start. Register with FEMA for disaster assistance at www.disasterassistance.gov, or call 800-621-3362, or visit a FEMA disaster recovery center (www.fema.gov/drc).
You may qualify for a grant of up to $33,000 to repair damage to your home that wasn't covered by insurance. Even if you had insurance, you may qualify for some assistance, such as a small grant to help with temporary lodging. For more information about the procedure for receiving FEMA assistance, see www.fema.gov/individual-disaster-assistance.
You may find other sources of help at a FEMA disaster recovery center—from the Red Cross or Salvation Army, say. The Red Cross, for example, provided emergency-assistance grants of up to $400 for applicants in 39 counties affected by Hurricane Harvey. You can get more information from your state's emergency-management agency (see www.fema.gov/emergency-management-agencies for links).
The Hayeses applied for FEMA assistance on August 28. The inspector didn't come until September 19, but two days later, they received a deposit of $9,000 for home repairs.
Low-cost loans. After applying for FEMA aid, you'll likely be directed to apply for a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration. (Taking a loan doesn't exclude you from FEMA grant money.) You can apply online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela, or you can visit a disaster recovery center. If the idea of taking on debt during a time of financial hardship seems unwise, note there are no application fees, and you can cancel the loan at any time without penalty.
After you apply, a cost estimator or "loss verifier" will call you to discuss damage and lost property, room by room. SBA lends homeowners a maximum of $200,000 to restore a primary residence, plus another $40,000 to homeowners (and renters) to repair or replace personal property. The loan term is typically 15 or 30 years, with the first payment deferred for 11 months. "We try to make the payment fit the borrower's budget," says Richard Jenkins, of the SBA's public information office. There are no fees to originate, close or prepay the loan. Interest rates are fixed at 1.75%, or 3.5% for applicants with higher incomes or significant assets. About 90% of applicants receive the lower rate, says Jenkins.
After the loan is approved, you'll receive an initial disbursement, typically $25,000, to get started on repairs. As your contractor completes work and sends you the bills, you'll receive the money to pay them. (Save receipts of any work you had done before your loan was approved to get that reimbursed, too.) The loan is flexible. You can draw down as little as you need to, or ask your case manager to raise your amount if you find the initial estimate falls short.
Carolyn Cooper (we changed her last name at her request) and her husband, three children and dog floated out of their neighborhood in Katy on the morning of August 29—and found themselves with no vehicle and no place to live. She submitted her online application for FEMA assistance and an SBA loan the next day. It took two and a half weeks to be officially approved for the SBA loan. The damage to their home was assessed at $320,000, so they were approved for the maximum loan of $240,000. They also had to purchase flood insurance.
If you go the SBA route, keep all receipts documenting your repairs because the agency audits some borrowers. Also, note that the SBA never charges for its services, including home inspections.
Tapping your retirement accounts is another option, but that should be a last resort. The IRS has temporarily relaxed rules regarding hardship withdrawals from 401(k)s and other retirement plans. For now, residents of eligible counties (and certain relatives who live elsewhere) can skip the usual red tape necessary to withdraw funds (assuming the plan allows it). You can look up eligible counties at www.fema.gov/disasters. Withdrawals will still be taxed, but Congress has waived the 10% early-withdrawal penalty for hurricane victims younger than 59½. The penalty has also been waived for withdrawals from traditional IRAs, but they're still subject to taxes. You can withdraw contributions to a Roth IRA at any time, tax- and penalty-free.
Taking a loan from your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan is better than a withdrawal, assuming you can repay it on schedule. A 401(k) loan will likely also be quicker and easier to obtain than a disaster loan. You make monthly payments to yourself, typically at a rate of prime (recently 4.25%) plus one or two percentage points.
Carolyn and her husband considered borrowing from his 401(k), but they decided to use the SBA loan instead. Their damage was extensive enough to merit a repayment period of 30 years at a 1.75% rate.
Other sources of help. Some forms of assistance may not have to be repaid. The Greater Houston Community Foundation received more than $78 million for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, which will be distributed to local nonprofits that are directly helping hurricane victims. See www.ghcf.org for a list of relief resources. Go to www.cof.org/community-foundation-locator for links to local community foundations. The United Way of Greater Houston's 211 Texas/United Way Helpline (call 2-1-1 in Texas) and After the Storm disaster resource guide (www.unitedwayhouston.org) help connect people not only with emergency relief aid but also with resources likely to be in demand for a while, such as legal, counseling and financial services. Military families may qualify for emergency disaster grants through their armed forces emergency relief organization for their branch of the service.
In mid September, Cher Hayes, who is a special education teacher in Katy, applied for two grants through the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation. She received one grant of $1,000 at the end of the month. She also received $400 from the Red Cross. Michael Wadler, his wife and his two daughters, whose home in Willow Meadows (a neighborhood in southwest Houston) was flooded, received assistance from the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and Jewish Family Service, including cleaning and packing supplies, as well as a $1,000 grant Wadler could use toward tuition for one of his daughters.
Don't underestimate the kindness of strangers, either. Wadler's younger daughter, Maya, lost a prized makeup collection. After he called an executive of Estée Lauder and spoke with her secretary, the company sent over a box of cosmetics. When Cher and Ron Hayes shopped for new appliances at Lowe's, Cher asked about additional discounts for flood victims. The staffer at Lowe's offered her an extra 10% off.
Flooded cars may be covered
Damage to your car caused by flooding is covered by your insurance policy if you have comprehensive coverage. Many cars with flood damage are declared a total loss by the insurer because of wet electrical systems and computers. The Insurance Council of Texas estimates that about 250,000 insured vehicles were damaged by Hurricane Harvey, and about 80% of them were totaled, says the council's Mark Hanna.
If your car is declared a total loss, you'll usually get the "actual cash value" for the vehicle, which is the value of a car of the same age and condition, minus the deductible. (See 5 Signs You're Buying a Flood-Damaged Car.)
SEE ALSO: 10 States at Most Risk of Disaster
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PwC Vice Chairman and Global General Counsel Javier Rubinstein Joins Kirkland in Chicago
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is pleased to announce that Javier Rubinstein will join the Firm’s Chicago and New York offices on Oct. 1 to help build the Firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group.
Mr. Rubinstein is well known in the legal community, both in the United States and abroad, from his service as Vice Chairman and Global General Counsel at PricewaterhouseCoopers International (PwC) during the past 10 years, and his earlier role as the global leader of the International Arbitration Practice at Mayer Brown LLP. At PwC, Mr. Rubinstein was responsible for handling a broad range of disputes and other legal matters spanning the global network’s 157 territories.
“Javier is a leader in the international arbitration world who brings invaluable experience in handling high-stakes international disputes as both a global general counsel and as outside counsel,” said Jeffrey C. Hammes, Chairman of Kirkland’s Global Management Executive Committee. “His leadership in international and cross-border dispute resolution will greatly benefit our clients and our Firm.”
Mr. Rubinstein has handled international commercial and investment arbitrations, representing clients from North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia in complex disputes before such institutions as the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes, the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce and the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as well as ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL Rules. As a global general counsel, he has been involved in a wide variety of commercial, regulatory and other disputes all over the world, enhancing his ability to bring a multi-disciplinary and client-focused perspective aimed at solving client problems. He also has had an active litigation practice throughout his career, handling trials and appeals in state and federal courts across the United States, including the U.S. Supreme Court, with a particular focus on securities litigation.
“Javier has a unique understanding of the in-house counsel’s perspective because of his experience as general counsel of one of the largest business institutions in the world. That perspective, coupled with his extensive worldwide experience, will help us better serve our clients, who have growing needs for international dispute resolution offerings that match their increasingly complex businesses. We believe Javier will fit seamlessly into the Firm and strengthen our practice,” said Mark Filip, a partner in Kirkland’s Litigation Practice Group and member of the Firm’s Global Management Executive Committee.
“I am thrilled to work at Kirkland and see so much potential to help clients with their international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution needs,” Mr. Rubinstein said. “I hope to extend the dispute resolution offering globally and build upon the work of those already strategically positioned across the Firm. International arbitration is a fascinating, complex area that requires lawyers to look at problems across a broad range of legal, political and cultural perspectives. Kirkland’s multidisciplinary approach and incredible bench strength offer a powerful platform for my practice.”
Mr. Rubinstein is a lecturer in law at the University of Chicago Law School, where he has taught international commercial arbitration and U.S. Supreme Court litigation for 20 years. He is a member of the board of directors at the American Arbitration Association.
He holds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law School; a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan; and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University. Mr. Rubinstein is from Argentina and speaks Spanish and English fluently. Before taking on his global general counsel role, he was rated by Chambers & Partners as a top international arbitration specialist in the United States and globally.
Kirkland's International Arbitration Group has broad experience representing clients before arbitral tribunals around the world. Kirkland’s reputation as a firm that provides the highest quality of advocacy on behalf of its clients both reflects this wide ranging experience and results in prompt, favorable outcomes. More information on the Firm’s international arbitration practice is available here.
About Kirkland & Ellis
Kirkland & Ellis (www.kirkland.com) is a 1,700-attorney law firm representing global clients in complex litigation, dispute resolution and arbitration, private equity, M&A and other complex corporate transactions, restructuring, and intellectual property and technology matters. The Firm has offices in Chicago, Beijing, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, New York, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington, D.C.
Javier Rubinstein
Partner Chicago
13 June 2019 Award Europe Women in Business Law Awards 2019
16 May 2019 Award Benchmark Litigation Europe Awards 2019
30 April 2019 Award Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2019
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Basic Info for Travelers to Lake Toba
Location & Airports
Lake Toba is in northern Sumatra, the most western island of Indonesia. Medan is the lake’s nearest big city, a 1-hour flight north west of Singapore. Two airports serve as gateways to Lake Toba, i.e., the Kualanamu International Airport in Medan (5 hours by car to lakeshore) and the Silangit Airport at Siborongborong (30 minutes to lake shore).
Lake Toba has a tropical rainforest climate with the dry season from April to October and raining season during November to March. The heaviest rainfall takes place between December and March. The local temperature ranges from 17° to 29° Celsius (63° to 84° Fahrenheit), and the average humidity rate is around 85%. Parapat is the biggest town on the lake.
Lake Toba, Indonesia
Weather: Current and Forecast
If you are interested in nature and wildlife, the best time to visit Lake Toba is between May and September, i.e., during the dry season and when the weather is mostly clear. If you are interested in culture, the best time to visit is when there are events that you want to see (for a schedule, see Events on Lake Toba). There are many events between May and September so this time frame should be perfect.
Lake Toba and Medan are 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), i.e., similar to Jakarta and Bangkok. Singapore is one hour ahead. Indonesia and Singapore do not observe any daylight saving time.
Lake Toba is a remote area in Indonesia. It is mostly surrounded by hills and mountains, averaging 700 to 1,250 meters (2,300 to 4,100 ft) above sea level. Road conditions are fair in residential areas, but less than so in rural locations. Minivans should handle the rides to most destinations. A 4-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle or motorbike may be required to access particular points of interest. To the extent we have the information, our pages that discuss the relevant sites will note the requirement accordingly.
Money and Currency
Rupiah is the official currency on Lake Toba. Prominent merchants such hotels and resorts also accept US Dollars, Australian Dollars, Singapore Dollars and Euros but they only convert your money at unfavorable rates. They also take Visa and MasterCard and charge you in the local currency. Smaller merchants such as shops and homestays do not accept foreign money or credit cards. For more details, see Money & Banks on Lake Toba.
Traveling with family to Lake Toba is safe. Beware of pickpockets in crowded areas such as souvenir markets. Airports and hotels have dedicated guards, but other places do not. Avoid traveling alone if possible.
See also Visa & Immigration for Visitors to Lake Toba.
Tuk Tuk Sarapan
Jalan Lingkar Tuktuk, 22395 Tuk Tuk, Indonesia, Toba Samosir
Located in Tuk Tuk, 9.7 km from Parapat, Tuk Tuk Sarapan features a barbecue and views of the mounta More info
Daihatsu Terios for Pick up at Kualanamu, Medan
Car typeSUV
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BUM’S CRUSH : You Want the ‘50s, Dancing on the Table, Wisecracks, Insults, Family? Hey, Go to Bennie’s
By DANA PARSONS
Times Staff Writer
A cool breeze had finally cut through the weeklong Laguna Beach heat, but the action was just warming up on the street.
It was 1:45 a.m., and Bennie the Bum was working the sidewalk outside his all-night diner of the same name, carrying on his usual East Coast banter with whomever happened to be standing around.
Someone pulled up in front of the diner but did a poor job of parallel parking. “He likes to walk to the curb,” Bennie wisecracked.
A buxom young woman approached, wearing a sun dress that was fighting a losing battle with the gravity of her situation. In a less-than-demure manner, she tugged at the dress.
“A little higher, darlin,’ ” Bennie said kiddingly.
The woman adjusted her dress again and then walked over to the overweight Bennie and began massaging his chest through his shirt.
Bennie cooed. “Only at Bennie the Bum’s!” he said.
Hey, it happens.
For the sake of historical accuracy, it must be said that Bennie the Bum’s is not owned by a bum, or even by a guy named Bennie.
The brains behind the diner is Ed Campellone, a 44-year-old Philadelphia native who likes to play the angles and tell a good story. A former executive chef and restaurateur, he was driving through Newport Beach one morning at about 3 and was miffed when he couldn’t find a place to get a cup of coffee.
So 4 years ago, he opened the only 24-hour diner in Laguna Beach, betting that his mutt restaurant with only four booths and seven swivel counter stools could make it amid the city’s pedigreed establishments.
“People said, ‘What’re you going to name it?’ Let me tell you a little story. I said, ‘I don’t know.’ I go home. I’m sleeping, it’s 3 in the morning, I wake up. I’m sitting straight up in bed. I say, Bennie the Bum’s Diner. My wife says, ‘Go back to sleep.’ The next morning, I make a caricature of myself. My wife says, ‘You’re going to have all the bums in town eating there.’ ”
So, Campellone has become Bennie the Bum, at least for the several hours a day that he spends at the restaurant.
“The place took off like a rocket,” Bennie says.
If so, it’s probably because Bennie takes a few liberties with his customers. But it works both ways: The customers are allowed to heap it on Bennie too. “What goes on here would never be allowed at the Jolly Roger” restaurant across the street, Bennie says. “They’d bounce ‘em out.”
But it’s kind of hard to ask for decorum from your customers when you have a waitress who dances on the tables to the ‘60s song “Wild Thing.”
That would be Joyce Monsour, the 48-year-old waitress direct from Central Casting, with the perfect combination of salty tongue and sugary heart.
If Bennie is a funny hat, then Joyce is a whoopee cushion.
She showed up for work one day wearing square-shaped earrings with condoms encased in them.
Pity the customer who doesn’t show her the proper deference. Regular customer John Winston says: “Joyce is in between the New York-style waitress who shows you the indifference of ‘why the hell did you come in?’ and the sophisticated Valley Girl, which she is not.”
But part of being a good waitress is sizing up a customer’s personality and knowing what you can get away with.
“Can we sit anywhere?” a customer asks.
“It ain’t the Ritz-Carlton, but sit,” Joyce retorts as the customer smiles.
“One day, I just got up there and started dancing,” Joyce says. “We get these bums in early in the morning, and they get all depressed. One day the music started, and I just jumped on the table. Now they expect me to do it every day.”
To hear Bennie tell it, the diner’s doing quite well, serving around the clock to a potpourri of customers--from the very rich to the very poor, from the famous to those who are famous only to their friends at Bennie’s.
“Sinatra’s been here,” Bennie says. “Joyce didn’t even recognize him. Next to him were two bums.”
In theory, that is part of the appeal of diner-type restaurants--the notion that somebodies share salt shakers with nobodies. Diners, which have long been fixtures in the East, have become trendy in California in recent years--within the past few months, two restaurants using “diner” in their names have opened in Newport Beach.
Bennie is enough of a restaurateur to know he is selling mood as well as food. That’s why the jukebox is a mix of ‘50s and ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll, as well as crooner classics from Sinatra and Dean Martin. The walls are festooned with framed photos of performers like Sinatra, Joey Heatherton, Sammy Davis Jr. and Ray Charles--many with penned inscriptions to Bennie.
“I think it’s part of the nostalgia thing, part of a desire for things that are a little simpler,” said Stan Kyker, executive vice president of the California Restaurant Assn. Kyker isn’t certain how many diners there are in Southern California, but said there has been a movement toward them in the past 3 years.
“The real trend is more toward basic American foods,” he said. “Quite literally, we’re talking about blue-plate specials, meat loaf and mashed potatoes and gravy; also about sandwiches and hamburgers and food items that are very down-to-earth. It’s like what you used to have at home.”
Indeed, Bennie left Philadelphia for California 15 years ago and saw the future. To his surprise, it was in the shape of a nice, juicy hamburger with pickles.
“I came to California and ate more hamburgers in one year than you could believe,” he says. “I said, ‘I gotta be here.’ We used to think hot dogs were No. 1. They’re not. The hamburger is No. 1.”
However, Bennie opened other specialty restaurants before tapping the diner craze. “You better be right with the numbers,” Bennie says. “You got to work your buns off. A lot of this is the American dream. People want to own their own restaurant. And you can do it. But you better be ready to put in the time to do it.”
It’s 8:17 in the morning and Sinatra is on the jukebox.
You and me, we’re not like the rest
We once were the best; back when we were dumb.
How did we become so smart
And learn to break each other ‘ s heart?
Half a dozen people are eating breakfast when Bennie walks in. “What? Sinatra at this hour? Let him rest. He’s an old man.” Because Joyce loves Sinatra, she plays the song a lot. “Sinatra says that should have been a big tune, but it never was,” Bennie says.
Although it’s early, Joyce has a problem. She tried to dispense some Coke, but the machine turned on her and sprayed her uniform. Like Ralph and Alice Kramden of television’s “Honeymooners” fame, Bennie and Joyce start in.
“What happened to you?” Bennie asks.
Joyce gives him a look, like, “Whaddaya think?”
A minute or two later, Bennie asks Joyce for a Coke. “Get it yourself,” she says. “I ain’t taking any more chances.”
A little after 9, John Winston comes in. Winston is 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds.
“The guy ought to be a football player, but he’s a jeweler,” Bennie says.
Winston thinks the jukebox is too quiet. “Turn that stupid thing up,” he says. “What are we at, a funeral?”
Over in the corner, another regular sits on his stool. He’s wearing lavender shorts and a pink shirt. He first came in a couple of years ago after Bennie had seen him hanging around the street.
“He said he had a small check he wanted me to cash,” Bennie says. “I said OK. He gives me a check for 10 grand. I said, ‘You gotta be kidding.’ But he gives me the check. He said his family pays him to stay away.” Pausing for a moment, Bennie says, “You never know who’s who.”
On this morning, the man looks a little forlorn. “You going to sleep?” Joyce asks.
“I’m so disgusted with myself,” he says. “I dropped a glass of peanut butter on the floor, and there was glass all over the place.”
The man’s friends commiserate with him, and it is obvious that this is the man’s family.
Finally, to no one in particular, the man says, “I’m a little spacey.”
To an outsider, it seems a poignant admission. To his “family” at the diner, it’s nothing new. “I know he is,” Joyce says. “He didn’t take his medication. I can always tell when he doesn’t take it.”
Meanwhile, the playfully bearish Winston has donned Joyce’s apron and frilly headgear and is serving customers.
“Hey, Baby Huey,” Bennie says, himself a comfortable 240 pounds.
“You want the real story on this place?” Winston says, warming to the task. “Half the songs on the jukebox are not what they say they are, so you have to memorize them. I happen to know H-7 is not ‘Walk, Don’t Run,’ it’s ‘Happy Together.’ Also, notice how half the photographs on the wall (with personalized messages to Bennie) have the same handwriting.”
“Ninety-thousand comedians out of work, and he’s trying to be one,” Bennie says.
Thus, the show goes on at Bennie’s--around the clock, interrupted only when either wisecracking Bennie or a wisecracking customer needs to reload the one-liners.
On this, a particularly warm night, a customer comes in, looking for a seat. “You got air in here?” he says.
Bennie: “Yeah. We got air. Breathe.”
In most restaurants, the customer would have been outraged and stormed out. At Bennie’s, they love it.
During the summer rush--with only four booths--Bennie needs to keep the eaters moving in and out quickly, lest lines form outside. Moving customers along takes the proper amount of cajoling, he points out. To make it easier, he used to offer a T-shirt to displaced customers with the wording, “I’ve Been Bounced Out of Bennie the Bum’s.”
All in good fun and with a method to the madness, to be sure. If some high schoolers want to strum guitars outside the diner door, no one minds.
“It’s like a family, really,” Joyce says. “You get to know them and their problems and their hang-ups. And I guess they feel comfortable.”
The real best sellers on Bennie’s menu are comfort and familiarity.
And, of course, the Bennie and Joyce Show. Following one salty exchange that cannot be reprinted in a newspaper, Bennie and Joyce decide to call it a draw, each out-insulting the other.
“Is this any way to run a restaurant?” Bennie says.
And with just the right theatrical pause, he answers his own question: “You bet it is!”
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Title 28. JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
Part I. ORGANIZATION OF COURTS
Chapter 5. DISTRICT COURTS
Section 130. Wisconsin
28 U.S. Code § 130. Wisconsin
Wisconsin is divided into two judicial districts to be known as the Eastern and Western districts of Wisconsin.
Eastern District
(a) The Eastern District comprises the counties of Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Door, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green Lake, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Shawano, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago.
Court for the Eastern District shall be held at Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh.
(b) The Western District comprises the counties of Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Saint Croix, Sauk, Sawyer, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Washburn, and Wood.
Court for the Western District shall be held at Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, Superior, and Wausau.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 894; Pub. L. 87–573, Aug. 6, 1962, 76 Stat. 307.)
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 195 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 114, 36 Stat. 1129; July 24, 1935, ch. 413, 49 Stat. 495).
Provisions for keeping the courts and their offices open at all times were omitted as covered by section 452 of this title.
Provisions for maintenance of offices by the clerk and marshal, and for the appointment and residence of a deputy marshal for Superior, were omitted as covered by sections 541 [see 561], 542 [see 561], and 751 of this title.
Words “All causes and proceedings instituted in the court at Superior shall be tried therein, unless by consent of the parties, or upon the order of the court, they are transferred to another place for trial,” were omitted as unnecessary. Such provision, as to civil cases, is covered by section 1404 of this title, and, as to criminal cases, is rendered unnecessary because of inherent power of the court and Rules 18–20 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Provisions for the return of process, including criminal warrants, at Superior and other places in the western district and for the keeping of records in the clerk’s office at Superior, were omitted, since such matters can be regulated more appropriately by court rule or order. (See Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 4, and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 4(g).)
Changes in arrangement and phraseology were made.
1962—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87–573 inserted reference to Menominee county.
Designation of Judge to Hold Court, Eastern District
Pub. L. 106–553, § 1(a)(2) [title III, § 305(c)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2762, 2762A–85, provided that:
“The chief judge of the eastern district of Wisconsin shall designate 1 judge who shall hold court for such district in Green Bay, Wisconsin.”
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Title 32. NATIONAL GUARD
Chapter 3. PERSONNEL
Section 324. Discharge of officers; termination of appointment
32 U.S. Code § 324. Discharge of officers; termination of appointment
(a) An officer of the National Guard shall be discharged when—
he becomes 64 years of age; or
his Federal recognition is withdrawn.
The official who would be authorized to appoint him shall give him a discharge certificate.
Subject to subsection (a), the appointment of an officer of the National Guard may be terminated or vacated as provided by the laws of the State of whose National Guard he is a member, or by the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, of whose National Guard he is a member.
Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), an officer of the National Guard serving as a chaplain, medical officer, dental officer, nurse, veterinarian, Medical Service Corps officer, or biomedical sciences officer may be retained, with the officer’s consent, until the date on which the officer becomes 68 years of age.
(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 607; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1234(b)(6), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2059; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, § 1057(b)(5), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3441; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title V, § 516(b), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4442; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, § 1075(h)(4)(C), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4377.)
Revised section
Source (U.S. Code)
Source (Statutes at Large)
32:114 (less 1st sentence).
32:114 (1st sentence).
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, § 77; restated June 15, 1933, ch. 87, § 14; restated June 19, 1935, ch. 277, § 4, 49 Stat. 391; July 9, 1952, ch. 608, § 803 (11th par.), 66 Stat. 505.
In subsection (a), the words “shall be discharged” are substituted for the words “shall thereupon cease to be a member thereof” since an official is required to give the officer a discharge certificate. The words “becomes 64 years of age” are substituted for the words “upon reaching the age of sixty-four years”. The words “his Federal recognition is withdrawn” are substituted for the words “When Federal recognition is withdrawn * * * as provided in section 115 of this title”.
In subsection (b), the words “Subject to subsection (a)” are inserted for clarity. The words “as provided by the laws” are substituted for the words “in such manner as * * * shall provide by law”.
2011—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–383 amended directory language of Pub. L. 109–163, § 1057(b)(5). See 2006 Amendment note below.
2008—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–417 added subsec. (c).
2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–163, § 1057(b)(5), as amended by Pub. L. 111–383, substituted “State of whose National Guard he is a member, or by the laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, of whose National Guard he is a member” for “State or Territory of whose National Guard he is a member, or by the laws of Puerto Rico or the District of Columbia, if he is a member of its National Guard”.
1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–456 struck out “, the Canal Zone,” after “Puerto Rico”.
Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, § 1075(h), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4377, provided that the amendment made by section 1075(h)(4)(C) is effective as of Jan. 6, 2006, and as if included in Pub. L. 109–163 as enacted.
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Academics and Courses
Admissions (JD)
Admissions (LLM/JSD)
Research Fellowships Explore this Section
Wagner Fellowship in Law & Business
Professional Fellows
Post-Graduate Fellowship in Law & Business
Joseph Kalmenovitz
Joseph Kalmenovitz graduated in 2012 with a Law and Economics B.A. (double major), magna cum laude, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. During his studies he worked as a research assistant in the Economics Department for Prof. Eugene Kandel and for Prof. Yishay Yafeh. In addition, he worked as a research assistant in the Law School for Prof. Assaf Hamdani. In these positions, he covered topics such as business groups, executive compensation and shareholder voting schemes. He co-authored a joint paper with Prof. Hamdani which explored bond workouts and the restructuring of publicly-traded corporate debt.
Upon graduation Joseph served three years at the Supreme Court as a junior, and later a senior, law clerk to the Honorable Justice Neal Hendel. In this position Joseph had the opportunity to oversee myriad of cases regarding economic policies, regulations and laws. For example, he helped to draft a precedential opinion regarding cross-border insolvency.
Joseph is currently a PhD candidate at NYU Stern Finance Department. His research interests lie at the intersection of Law and Finance. In particular, he wishes to focus his future research on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation.
The center awards research support on an annual basis to NYU students in finance or corporate law. Past fellows have gone on to pursue careers in academia, professional practice, and government service.
Applicants must submit the following materials:
Statement describing academic and research interests
Proposal for the research project during the Fellowship year
Law School or Business School Academic Transcripts
A letter of recommendation
A writing sample, preferably a scholarly paper written in the past two years
Please direct all materials to Stephen Choi and David Yermack, Directors. We prefer that you first e-mail materials to Anat Carmy Wiechman at wiechman@mercury.law.nyu.edu, followed by a physical copy mailed to the NYU Center for Law & Business at 139 MacDougal Street, Room 116, New York, NY 10012.
Please direct inquiries to Anat Carmy Wiechman at wiechman@mercury.law.nyu.edu or (212) 992-6173.
Applications must be received by April 1 and will be reviewed by the Center’s selection committee, which will make a decision by May.
Alexandros Seretakis
Alexandros (Alex) Seretakis holds a law degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has also received an LLM in banking and finance from the University College in London and an LLM in corporate law from NYU School of Law (2011) where he served as a research assistant. He completed his legal training in Greece and has also worked for the Permanent Mission of Greece to the United Nations Office in Geneva. Alexandros is currently a PhD candidate and a teaching assistant at the University of Luxembourg where he is teaching courses in private and corporate law. He is a member of the bar in Greece and has passed the New York Bar. His doctoral dissertation deals with hedge fund regulation and he hopes to return to the US to conduct research for his thesis.
During his stay at the Pollack Center, Alexandros had conducted research on hedge funds and private equity and completed an article titled, “A Comparative Examination of Private Equity in the U.S. and Europe: Accounting for the Past and Predicting the Future of European Private Equity,” to be published in volume XVIII of the Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law. His research interests revolve around hedge funds, private equity, and corporate law and policy. Alexandros is also an academic member of the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI).
Simon Vorburger
Simon Vorburger received his LLM from the NYU School of Law in May 2011 and holds a law degree from the University of Zurich. He has been admitted to the Zurich Bar which allows him to practice in all of Switzerland. He is currently a candidate for a PhD in Law at the University of Zurich, where the title of his dissertation is “International Arbitration and Insolvency—Swiss and American Perspectives.” Simon has been awarded the Swiss National Science Foundation Scholarship for his research. Upon completion of his doctoral dissertation, Simon plans to become a lecturer in international arbitration and litigation at an academic institution.
From 2008 to 2009, Simon was an associate at the Swiss firm Walder Wyss & Partners. He was also a lecturer in law at Rapperswil Business School in Rapperswil Switzerland from 2007 to 2008.
Rosa Comella
Rosa Comella holds her doctoral degree (SJD 2004) and her masters degree (LLM 1996) from Harvard University, as well as a doctoral degree and law degree from the University of Zaragoza. She was formerly an associate professor of law at the University of Zaragoza. In 2005, Rosa was appointed the Emile Noël Fellow at NYU Law. Her work focuses on comparative studies between the US and European Union with a special focus on environmental regulation.
Lise Pedersen
Lise Pedersen received her LLM from the NYU School of Law in May 2004 and holds law degrees from Stockholm University and the University of Copenhagen. She is currently engaged in research focusing on corporate directors’ fiduciary duties as well as the legal and economic aspects of financial contracting, particularly with respect to hedge funds.
From 2000 to 2003, Lise was an associate at Plesner Svane Groenborg, a large Danish firm, working with corporate law, corporate finance, and securities law issues, as well as contracts and litigation. Also, she worked for two ministries in Denmark and interned with the International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Florencia Marotta Wurgler
Florencia received her JD from NYU Law in 2001 and a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Her research and teaching interests include corporate law, contracts, commercial law, economics analysis of law, and bankruptcy. Her most recent research project, “Minding the Gap in Liquidated Damage Clauses: Why Courts Should Stop Insisting on the Penalty Doctrine,” questions the ability of contract law’s penalty doctrine to efficiently deal with the complexities created by unforeseen contingencies. Currently, she is pursuing empirical research on standard terms in Internet contracts.
In 2003-04, Florencia was the Corporate Fellow at the Center for Corporate, Securities, and Financial Law at Fordham Law School, where she taught the Corporations course. From 2001 to 2003, she was an associate in the corporate group at Davis Polk & Wardwell.
Vinay B. Nair
Vinay received his doctorate in finance from the Stern School of Business after completing his undergraduate degree in engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, where he received the Governor’s Gold Medal. Vinay’s research deals with issues related to corporate governance, corporate finance, firm valuatio,n and firm organization. He is currently an Assisant Professor of Finance at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Galya Levy
Galya Levy received her LLM from NYU School of Law in May 2003. She has an LLB from Haifa University in Israel, and an MBA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She currently resides in Jerusalem.
Galya’s graduate studies at NYU focused on corporate law, securities regulation, mergers and acquisitions, and international trade. In addition, she conducted research on the risks involved in financial derivatives trading. During her year of fellowship at the Center, she wrote an article on the uses of ambiguity in commercial contracts to be published in a forthcoming book on contract law by the London School of Economics.
Today, Galya serves as a senior advisor to the Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure. The ministry in in charge of energy and water in Israel, including the oil, fuel, gas, and electricity sectors. The Minister of National Infrastructure, Joseph Partiszky, is a member of the Shinui Party, which is committed to the separation of church and state, the privatization of companies managed by the states, and the promotion of a liberal economy in Israel. Galya’s work focuses on privatization, restructuring, and market regulation. She is involved in the process of the establishment of a new natural gas system in Israel. She coordinates with the Ministry’s intervention with the Government and Parliament, and she oversees the restructuring of the Monopoly of the Israeli Refineries Company.
Olga Filipenko
Olga received her MS in math from Tulane University and a BS in aerospace engineering from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Her research interests include corporate finance, incomplete contracting and structure, and design and boundaries of firms. Her work for the center focused on projects related to the rationale for strategic alliances and joint ventures. While she has conducted both theoretical and empirical research, her empirical research projects have dealt with the optimality of the different contractual features in strategic alliance agreements. She is currently the vice president and senior credit officer of Moody’s Investor Services.
Umut Kolcuoglu
Umut received his LLM from NYU School of Law in May 2001 and has an LLB from Istanbul University School of Law in Turkey. From 1998 to 2000 he was an associate at an Istanbul law firm and focused on cross-border corporate transactions. His research interests include corporate and contractual governance, joint ventures, and equity linkages in strategic alliances. Umut is the co-author of “The New Turkish Banking Law,” published in the Global Banking and Financial Law Review 2000-02.
Michal Gal
Michal received her JSD from the University of Toronto and served as a postdoctoral fellow of the center for two years. Her principal academic interest is optimal competition policy for small economies with a specific focus on merger and oligopoly regulation. In addition to lecturing in some classes and seminars during her first semester as a fellow, she presented her work on the interface between competition policy and intellectual property at the International conference organized by the American Bar Association Antitrust Division and the Israeli Antitrust Authority. Other research interests include a novel solution to deal with oligopolistic markets through the introduction of government-supported maverick firms and a new look at the regulation of essential facilities. She is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Haifa School of Law in Israel.
Yiming Qian
Yiming worked at the center as a research fellow for Professor Robert Daines. Her research interests include corporate finance, corporate governance, and banking. Her work has examined the role of markets and banks in allocational efficiency, bank management compensation structures, and design of management compensation structures that elicit optimal degrees of competition and cooperation in multi-divisional firms. Yiming has conducted both theoretical and empirical research and now serves as an Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Iowa.
Claudia Agostinis
Claudia is a scholar in the field of comparative law from the University of Milan School of Law in Italy. She received her LLM from the NYU School of Law in 2001 and concentrated her research efforts on the law of business finance for small enterprise in common law countries. She is currently an associate in the corporate and commercial law department of Baker & McKenzie in Milan, Italy.
Charu G. Raheja
Charu received her doctoral degree from the Stern School of Business in 2000 and has written on the importance of inside directors in corporate governance. She is now Assistant Professor of Finance at the Owen School of Management, Vanderbilt University.
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Internacional, Paz
Supporting efforts by the Government of Colombia to pursue peace and regional stability.
Whereas, in 2016, the Government of Colombia concluded a historic peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), aimed at addressing the root causes of the half-a-century conflict, including stark economic inequalities, the rural-urban divide, and the his- torical exclusion of Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, women, and poor farmers, and is currently working to implement these accords;
Whereas the Governments and people of the United States and Colombia have forged a resolute bond through a shared commitment to support peace, human rights, de- mocracy, the rule of law, and security throughout the hemisphere and the world, which has been bolstered by the support of hundreds of thousands of Colombian- Americans and their contributions to American life;
Whereas, in 2000, the Government of Colombia achieved an impressive national consensus to build state capacity, and the United States committed to combat organized crime, drugs, and vi ol ence through its foreign assistance pack- age in support of Plan Colombia;
Whereas Plan Colombia and its successor, Peace Colombia, have received steadfast commitments from the adminis- trations of Presidents William Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, and continuously has been strengthened by broad bipartisan support in the United States Congress;
Whereas, while the Government of Colombia contributed more than 95 percent of funds over the life of Plan Colombia, the political leadership, technical advice, military assistance, and intelligence-sharing role of the United States, along with the $11,000,000,000 appropriated by the United States Congress through Plan Colombia and Peace Colombia to combat the illicit narcotics trade and transnational organized crime, advance democratic gov- ernance, promote economic growth, and defend human rights, played a key role in transforming a nation on the brink to an increasingly peaceful and prosperous democ- racy, while also safeguarding vital United States inter- ests;
Whereas the Government of Colombia, throughout the admin- istrations of Presidents Andres Pastrana, Alvaro Uribe, Juan Manuel Santos, and Ivan Duque, has made invest- ments and shown remarkable courageous leadership, often at great cost and sacrifice, to consolidate domestic security, socioeconomic development, and the rule of law that far exceed those contributions made by the United States in Colombia;
Whereas, over the past 20 years, levels of crime and violence have subsided sharply in Colombia, with annual per cap- ita homicide rates declining from 62 per 100,000 people in 1999 to a record low of 23 per 100,000 people in 2017;
Whereas the alignment of improved security and sound eco- nomic policies has translated into steady growth in Co- lombia’s Gross Domestic Product, which increased from $86,000,000,000 in 1999 to more than $309,000,000,000 in 2017, and led to greater Foreign Direct Investment, which grew from $1,500,000,000 in 1999 to one of the highest in Latin America at an esti- mated $14,000,000,000 in 2017;
Whereas the United States and Colombia enjoy a robust eco- nomic relationship with United States goods and services trade with Colombia totaling an estimated $36,100,000,000 in 2016, supporting over 100,000 jobs in the United States;
Whereas the Government of Colombia has made impressive strides in reducing poverty during the last 15 years, with the poverty rate decreasing from 64 percent in 1999 to 27 percent in 2017, according to the World Bank;
Whereas, since 1999, the Government of Colombia has ex- panded the presence of the state across all 32 territorial departments, has contributed to the professionalism of the Colombian judiciary, and has improved the capacity of the Colombian Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Police;
Whereas Colombia is one of the United States’ most con- sistent and strategic partners through its support of United States diplomatic objectives at the United Nations and critical efforts made in the fight against transnational organized crime and increased security and rule of law overseas, including in Central America’s Northern Triangle, Afghanistan, and several countries in Africa;
Whereas Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NATO in 2017 and is the first NATO partner na- tion in Latin America;
Whereas these gains are challenged by an escalating crisis in Venezuela, which has seen an influx of more than 1,200,000 Venezuelans into Colombia and the need for continued financial support to implement the peace ac- cord over the next 8 years;
Whereas the internal armed conflict has victimized all Colom- bians, including women, children, and Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples, and has led to the repeated tar- geting of leading representatives of civil society, including trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, and other community activists who remain at grave risk from guerrilla groups, paramilitary successor organizations, organized criminal groups, and corrupt local officials;
Whereas efforts to achieve lasting peace in Colombia must address the hardships faced by victims of the armed conflict, as exemplified by the Government of Colombia’s Law on Victims and Restitution of Land of 2011;
Whereas the prospects for national reconciliation and sustain- able peace in Colombia rely on the effective delivery of justice for victims of the conflict and the ability to hold accountable and appropriately punish perpetrators of se- rious violations of human rights and international hu- manitarian law; and
Whereas the work of Special Jurisdiction for Peace—the transitional justice mechanism created with the purpose of ensuring accountability in the context of Colombia’s internal armed conflict—is fundamental to the implemen- tation of the accords and the consolidation of peace in the country: Now, therefore, be it
Senate Resolution Peace by Anonymous UeGxFwA on Scribd
Rechazamos la Intromisión del embajador de Estados Unidos en Colombia
La oposición de Colombia rechaza la “injerencia en los asuntos internos” del embajador de Estados Unidos
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Places -- Counties (Remove)
Type of Material (Remove)
People -- Notable Kansans (Remove)
Places (Remove)
Business and Industry -- Occupations/Professions -- Lawyers (Remove)
A photograph showing Vern Miller, Kansas Attorney General. A native of Wichita, Kansas, he was hired as a Sedgwick County Deputy Sheriff and served from 1949-1954. In 1958, Miller was elected Sedgwick County Marshal and served two terms. He was elected Sedgwick County Sheriff in 1964 and re-elected twice. At the beginning of his second term, he graduated from Oklahoma City University Law School. In 1970, Miller was elected Kansas State Attorney General and served two terms. After an unsuccessful bid for governor, he started a private practice in Wichita, Kansas. From 1976-1980, he served as Sedgwick County Prosecuting Attorney.
A photograph showing Vern Miller, a native of Wichita, Kansas, being sworn in as Attorney General. During his career, he served as Sedgwick County Deputy Sheriff from 1949-1954. In 1958, Miller was elected Sedgwick County Marshal and served two terms. He was elected Sedgwick County Sheriff in 1964 and re-elected twice. At the beginning of his second term, he graduated from Oklahoma City University Law School. In 1970, Miller was elected Kansas State Attorney General and served two terms. After an unsuccessful bid for governor, he started a private practice in Wichita, Kansas. From 1976-1980, he served as Sedgwick County Prosecuting Attorney.
Places -- Counties
http://www.kshs.org/km/facets/view/facets:2685,1253,1245,1252,2685,189,183,7151/sidebar:1
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Ohatchee, AL Cremation Services
What to Expect from Cremation Services in Ohatchee, AL
Cremation services in Ohatchee, AL completely understand how you will be devastated by the loss of a loved one and will need help and assistance in arranging a cremation.
One of the main reasons that people regularly choose a cremation over a burial is linked to the cremation costs in Ohatchee, AL. The final bill for cremating a person is usually far lower than the cost of arranging a burial because you do not have to pay for the land, its preparation and then the long-term upkeep.
Across all of America cremations are rapidly increasing as the most popular choice of interment and it is predicted that over 50% of people will choose cremation within the next 20 years or so. An exact and full price list will be passed to the person organizing the cremation so that you fully understand all of the cremation costs in Ohatchee, AL.
Why Do People Choose Cremation in Ohatchee, AL?
When you have experienced standing around a graveside as the body is lowered into the earth, it is an experience that many prefer to forget. The very different, and less dramatic experience of attending a cremation, focuses more on the person who has died rather than the events organized by Ohatchee, AL cremation services.
Some religions will only accept a cremation as the only option for interment and this will be explained by cremation services in Ohatchee, AL. In the past, other religions would not accept a cremation as an alternative, but in modern times, the majority of religions are completely accepting of the cremation method being used.
Were you to cast a survey, you would find that modern cemeteries are regarded as extremely sterile and lacking of great character and if you live in a colder area, a grave is a difficult place to visit because of the weather, especially the snow and even more so in a northern state. This explains why many people look at the Ohatchee, AL cremation costs and choose it as their best option
In the majority of states, you can care for the deceased at your own home, but the majority of people will prefer that cremation services in Ohatchee, AL will undertake the facility.
Ohatchee, AL cremation services will explain that the body of the deceased is placed into a container which can be a coffin or casket, but a simple and suitable container is all that the law requires. At the crematorium, the employees will remove jewelry and medical devices, like pacemakers, to reduce the safety hazards for the cremation process. An efficient tagging system is used so that the individual can always be properly identified.
The individual will be cremated in the furnace at temperatures between 1400?F and 2000?F during the course of 2 to 3 hours, when the body will be reduced completely to fine powder, mostly a grey color. These are the ashes that are then returned to the nominated person as part of the cremation costs in Ohatchee, AL.
All of the options related to the memorial service will be carefully discussed with Ohatchee, AL cremation services.
The Ohatchee, AL cremation costs will detail whether the crematorium will be supplying a standard urn to return the ashes to you or whether you have opted to purchase a model for display which you may decide to use for a number of years.
The individual is always cremated alone, so you can rest assured that the ashes being returned to you are always correct and all of the procedures will be explained in detail by Ohatchee, AL cremation services.
Religious Questions in Ohatchee, AL
Some religious groups will require for a cremation to be completed inside 24 hours after the death of the person. This will be arranged by the funeral director and included within the Ohatchee, AL cremation costs, once all of the legal documentation is complete.
There are so many things that you need to think about after someone has died so you should not be worried about leaning heavily on the skills and experience offered by Ohatchee, AL cremation services.
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John Cecil Stephenson (1889-1965):
The End of a Doodlebug, Hampstead Heath, 1945
Signed and dated, Inscribed by the artist on the reverse in pen and ink: ‘End of a Doodlebug Hampstead Heath.
Chalk and pastel over pencil and pen and ink
10 x 14 in. (25.5 x 35.5 cm)
See all works by John Cecil Stephenson chalk ink pastel pen and ink pencil Abstract Art still lives topography war World War II Paintings by British Artists
Provenance: The Artist’s family
Exhibited: WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Morley College London, 28 October -23 November 2016, cat 39.
Literature: Simon Guthrie, John Cecil Stephenson, Cartmel Press Associates, 1997, p. 148. WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Edited by Sacha Llewellyn & Paul Liss, July 2016, cat 39, page 77.
Oil of this picture shown at Royal Academy 1945 & selected by British Council for exhibition in the provinces.'
The V-1, developed by the German Luftwaffe during the SecondWorldWar, was the first guided missile used in war and the forerunner of today’s cruise missile. Between June 1944 and March 1945, it was fired at targets in London and Antwerp. The simple pulse-jet engine pulsed fifty times per second, and the characteristic buzzing sound gave rise to the colloquial name of doodle-bug (after an Australian insect).
This picture depicts the remnants of a doodlebug, which Stephenson (whose Hampstead studio was damaged during the Blitz in 1940) saw on the Heath in 1945.The picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy that year (cat. no. 96)
and subsequently went on tour with the British Council.
Stephenson made his first abstract paintings around 1932. In 1934 he exhibited with the 7 & 5 Society, along with Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Ivon Hitchens, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and John Piper. Though not today as well known as many of his contemporaries he was one of the key figures in the development of abstract art in Britain. Indeed Herbert Reed noted that Stephenson 'was one of the earliest artists in this country to develop a completely abstract style' and credited him with being the father figure of the 'gentle nest of artists' (Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore) who occupied the Mall Studio's in Hampstead. At the beginning of WW2 Calder and Mondrian counted amongst his friends and were frequent visitors to The Mall Studios.
Piet Mondrian photographed in a Hampstead garden by John Cecil Stephenson 1939
Estate of John Cecil Stephenson/Tate Archive
During World War Two, as preparation for larger works (materials being in short supply), Stephenson worked on a series of small studies in oil on card. They were stimulated by the devastation resulting from the bombing of London (also recorded figuratively by Stephenson during this period). In the following decade some of the designs were later realized as larger oils.
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Wheatgrass Vs. Chlorella Vs. Spirulina Vs. Barley Grass
Holly Klamer
Holly Klamer began writing in 2010. She works in the health field as a registered dietitian and personal trainer. Klamer specializes in weight loss, sports nutrition and disordered eating articles for various websites. She received her Master of Science in nutrition from Colorado State University and her Bachelor of Science in dietetics and health fitness from Central Michigan University.
Wheatgrass, chlorella, spirulina and barley grass are all plants that can be taken as supplements, pills or in juice form. Incorporating these foods in the diet can be part of a healthy diet, but the purity of ingredients in supplements are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. These plant supplements may have certain health claims that do not have scientific evidence and are not supported by the FDA.
Wheatgrass, chlorella, spirulina and barley grass are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. (Image: Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images)
Certain health claims of wheatgrass include helping the immune system fight off infections and colds, improving joint pain, skin disorders and constipation. The American Cancer Society points out that almost no human clinical studies support claims made for wheatgrass or wheatgrass diet programs, and there is no scientific evidence that wheatgrass can cure any diseases. Wheatgrass is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. It can be used as a serving of vegetables, and it is commonly juiced to a drinkable liquid. It can also be sold in pill form, juice or liquid extract.
Chlorella is also called green algae and is commonly used in Japan to treat a variety of health conditions including cancer and strengthening the immune system. Chlorella is a single-celled alga that contains a high amount of chlorophyll, which is used by plants to convert light to energy. The American Cancer Society states that currently there is no significant evidence in humans that chlorella fights cancer, but limited animal studies show that chlorella may help inhibit growth of some cancer cells.
Spirulina is a blue green algae that is available in pills, powder or flakes. Spirulina is high in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and protein. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, spirulina may help boost the immune system. Use caution with choosing spirulina supplements, as this blue green algae can be contaminated with harmful toxins and heavy metals. Consult a medical professional for proper amount to take and before taking supplement, as it can interfere with medications. It is also contra-indicated in certain medical conditions such as phenylketonuria, a rare birth defect, and autoimmune diseases.
Barley grass is made from the young green leaves of the barley plant. Barley grass may assist in lowering cholesterol, as it is rich in fiber. There is insufficient evidence for claims of barley grass aiding in cancer prevention. Barley grass should not be consumed by people with celiac disease or in hyper-sensitive people. Consult with a medical professional before taking supplement.
American Cancer Society: Wheatgrass
American Cancer Society: Chlorella
Drugs.com: Barley Grass
How Much Spirulina Should I Consume?
What Are the Benefits and Side Effects of Spirulina?
Spirulina & Blood Pressure
Chlorella Vs. Chlorophyll
The Benefits of Wheatgrass for Diabetes
Natural Ways to Cleanse the Liver, Kidneys & Colon
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Fuel From Thin Air
Dr. F. Jeffrey Martin is a Senior Advisor at Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Courtesy of Los Alamos National Laboratory)
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientist Dr. F. Jeffrey Martin talks with host Steve Curwood about capturing carbon dioxide from the air to make gasoline.
CURWOOD: Scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory believe they can solve two global problems with one electro-chemical solution. The researchers have come up with a new concept that they say can turn greenhouse gases in the air into gasoline for our cars. William Kubic and F. Jeffrey Martin have dubbed their idea: “Green Freedom.”
CURWOOD: Dr. Martin joins me now. You say the first step requires capturing huge amounts of carbon dioxide. But how?
MARTIN: Well, we absorb it out of the air using very large cooling towers. And once we absorb it, now we have the perfect ingredient for making gasoline.
CURWOOD: When you capture the CO2 you put it in a potassium carbonate solution?
MARTIN: That’s right.
CURWOOD: So, now you’ve captured the CO2 in the cooling tower. What happens next?
MARTIN: Now it’s stuck in solution and so the trick is to get it back out of solution and so you use an electrolytic process to liberate the CO2 out of the solution. So now you have a pure CO2 gas. It’s done in two steps. You can make methanol by taking it up to high temperatures and pressures, and under a catalytic process, then you dehydrate it. A second step, you do the same thing, you take it up to high temperatures and pressures and dehydrate it some more and then you end up with gasoline that you can use in your car.
CURWOOD: You must be very excited about this.
MARTIN: This is great. This is great, because it doesn’t have many, if any, downsides to it and it tends to solve all the problems instead of just moving the problem to another place.
CURWOOD: This takes a lot of energy, but as I understand it you’ve developed a process that takes comparatively less energy?
MARTIN: Yes. The roadblock that’s always been there before is the amount of energy that’s required to get very dilute amounts of CO2, or carbon dioxide, out of solution once it’s been captured. But we’ve been able to lower that by 97 percent.
CURWOOD: It’s got to take still a vast amount of energy to do this process. Where do you get that energy?
MARTIN: Well, we can get it from nuclear power. We can get it from wind. We can get it from geothermal. We can get it from solar. The most available one would be nuclear power in terms of being able to crank out the amount of energy to do this. But if other sources of electricity become more economical, we can use them as well.
CURWOOD: How many nuclear power plants would we need to say get all of our gasoline from your process?
MARTIN: Well, we being the United States?
CURWOOD: Yes.
MARTIN: About 500 to get all of it. That’s a very ambitious goal.
CURWOOD: That’s a lot of power.
MARTIN: It is, but we consume a lot of power. That’s the magnitude of what we do in this country. A more modest goal would be just to stabilize the U.S. domestic production. In other words, make up for the loss of production we see now every year. And that would be nine plants per year. Right now each plant would generate about six cubic meters of nuclear waste. And we have to get a process for disposal of that, which has not been solved up to this point in time.
CURWOOD: If the government officials were to come to you right now and say ‘okay, this is a terrific idea, we’d like to build this out,’ how much would it cost?
MARTIN: Well the cost of a full demonstration plant, one that’s producing at full capacity would be about five point two billion dollars, and we’re talking about 750,000 gallons a day. And that would take care of a small city.
CURWOOD: So what’s the nut you have to crack now?
MARTIN: Technically, it’s going to be very straight-forward. Just getting public acceptance and getting investment into the concept. We see this thing as low risk, and if anything in the future with new technology these costs and the risk will reduce even further.
CURWOOD: So let’s fast forward now. You go through these various steps and you come out with a gallon of gasoline. What would that cost?
MARTIN: Right now our best estimate is five dollars a gallon. This is at the pump, fully burdened with taxes.
CURWOOD: Now you say that your work has taken this from speculation to a viable concept. What happens next? What happens now?
MARTIN: Oh well, right now we’re going to demonstrate the technology and that will take about another year. And then we expect that in about five years the technology will now be available for commercialization.
CURWOOD: Dr. F. Jeffrey Martin is Senior Advisor at Los Alamos National Laboratory and co-creator of the “Green Freedom” concept.
The other day we got a letter from a listener who asked us to stop using the phrase global warming, and say “climate change” instead. The warming of the earth, she notes could lead to a slow-down of the Gulf Stream, and that would actually make parts of the East coast of North America and the West coast of Europe much colder.
We’d like to agree, but the phrase “climate change” has problems as well. For one thing, it doesn’t convey whether such changes are good or bad. And in my view, underplaying the perils of climate change is an exercise in denial and irresponsible journalism.
Woods Hole Research Center director John Holdren proposes “climate disruption” - which seems more accurate. In fact the climate is getting put so far out of whack that Rocky Mountain Institute co-founder Hunter Lovins suggests we call it “global weirding.”
But since human activities have tipped the balance, and given our planet a fever, how about a phrase that has us taking some responsibility, although “human induced global catastrophe ” doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.
What do you think? Email us: the address is comments at loe.org, or call our listener line at 800 218-9988. That’s L-O-E dot O-R-G, or 800 218 99 88.
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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HBO’s “Ice on Fire” Offers Climate Solutions
Air Date: Week of July 5, 2019
Ice on Fire is available for free through HBO. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
The Earth is warming and changing faster than many climate scientists had predicted, and at times the future looks impossibly grim. Yet practical and accessible solutions to climate change are already at hand. The new HBO documentary “Ice on Fire”, produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, focuses on these solutions as well as the dangers and on the scientists who are tackling climate change. Director Leila Conners joined Host Steve Curwood to discuss the making of the documentary and who it aims to reach.
CURWOOD: It’s Living on Earth, I’m Steve Curwood.
[EXPLOSION SOUND]
CURWOOD: You might think you’re hearing a jet engine, but it’s actually methane leaking from the melting tundra in the Siberan Arctic that’s been set on fire. This ominous sign of global warming is also the title of a new documentary about climate change, narrated by Hollywood movie star Leonardo DiCaprio. In contrast to many climate documentaries, Ice on Fire not only issues a dire warning, but it also seeks to inspire people to follow proven, safe, and sustainable pathways available right now that can reverse global warming. Leila Conners directed and edited Ice on Fire, and we’ll speak with her shortly, but first here’s a preview of her documentary, which you can watch for free, simply by going to the HBO website.
[FILM MUSIC]
DICAPRIO: Over the last 250 years we have in effect conducted the largest science experiment in history. The melting of the world’s snow and ice has now triggered multiple climate tipping points, threatening the very existence of life on earth. Yet this disturbing future need not be set in stone. But the clock is ticking. Scientists say we must implement these solutions immediately.
BENYUS: These natural disasters are so common now that people know it’s going to happen to their community. It's not a matter of if but when. It is a wake-up call to everyone that climate change is here and that you need to plan for it.
Ice on Fire took two years to make and features scenes taken from around the globe. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
MANN: In short you're looking at a world with less food, less water, and more people. And that's a recipe for a national security disaster.
DICAPRIO: Science tells us that our current climate crisis is a problem we’ve created. But it is also a problem we can fix. Climate change can be reversed if we act now.
BENYUS: Climate change gives us an opportunity to really behave differently on this planet. We see what we can do at our worst, and now the question is, if we were to consciously be a part of the healing it will unleash, I think, our creativity. You realize, oh my gosh, I have a backyard. Oh my gosh, I have a park near me. If we were to see ourselves as helpers, who could help the helpers heal the planet, that is so much better than seeing ourselves as disruptive toddlers with matches. You begin to realize that all of us are somehow connected to little bits of the solutions.
HAWKEN: Where do we stand? Is it possible? Is it game over, or is it, in fact, game on? Which is, we have, at hand, the ability, capacity, and solutions, that can reverse global warming...not mitigate, not reduce, not stabilize, but reverse…
DICAPRIO: We are the first generation to see the advance of climate disruption and the last with a chance to fix it. It is time to end the delay, to listen and to implement the solutions at hand. Time is running out. The ice is melting. Decisive action must be taken now. There is no other option. This moment is within our reach, let us grasp it. It is up to us, each one of us, to save this unique blue planet for generations to come.
CURWOOD: We just heard excerpts from the documentary Ice on Fire, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio and directed and edited by Leila Conners. Leila joins us now from Santa Monica to talk more about the film, available for free now on HBO. Thanks for joining us, Leila!
CONNERS: Hello, and thanks for having me.
CURWOOD: Describe for us the opening scene, we're looking from a drone and we see?...
CONNERS: A snowcat climbing the mountain. And, we're not sure where we're going quite yet, but we see a female driving the snowcat in a blizzard white out. And, the first thing we finally hear is she says, you know, we have to come up here every Tuesday to collect the sample. And, you're thinking, what is that and all of a sudden, she pulls up to the shack in the middle of this mountain. We're at 11,000 feet, there's wind blowing, it's very cold. And, basically, she goes inside, and she pulls gas out of the air and into these canisters. And what she's doing is taking the weekly measurement of the atmosphere. And we find that this is how we've known about the carbon in the atmosphere for the last 50 years. And in fact, we were there on the 50th anniversary of sample taking that very day, and then we didn't even plan it was just coincidence. So, NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been conducting these sample tests for 50 years in the same locations every week. And they also do it in 60 places around the world. For example, in Mongolia, there's a woman that takes these canisters and takes a train ride for 10 hours, and goes up a mountain to take the sample and come back. So, these are dedicated people, everyday people with science backgrounds that helped take the samples, and they're all sent back to NOAA in Boulder, Colorado for measurement. So, the reason why we started the movie like this is that we really wanted to say, look, you know, this is, this is a person that you and I can recognize. A hardworking person. And these are not liars. These are people who are gathering the data, gathering the evidence, so that when we say carbon’s in the atmosphere, this is not a debate. It's like taking your temperature, right? And, we go on to explain later that, you know, the carbon that they're measuring, is specific to fossil fuel burning. So it’s C-13 carbon, natural carbon is C-14. And so they know exactly that it's human caused, it's never been a question.
Fossil fuel burning is one of the leading causes of excess CO2 in our atmosphere. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CURWOOD: And, of course, when you mean by C-13, is a carbon that's been sequestered in the earth for millions of years is no longer radioactive. And, the stuff that's out with us right now does have a little bit of radioactivity.
CONNERS: Precisely.
CURWOOD: Now, you and Leonardo DiCaprio have collaborated in the past, you did The 11th Hour back, what, in 2007? You were a codirector on that doc, what inspired you and your team to make this film?
CONNERS: Well, as you know, things have not improved. And, we were very, very concerned about... Leonardo specifically, was concerned about methane, and what was happening in the Arctic, and the spike in methane readings in the atmosphere. So, he wanted us to investigate that, and let people know about it, because as you know, it's a tipping point that we don't want to cross. And, alongside that, as you know, there's also innovation coming online, as well as more knowledge about how nature works. So, we just felt that there were a lot of new things that were occurring that we did not see in the general press. So, therefore, we decided to make the film!
Ice on Fire earnestly attempts to persuade its audience that if they take action now then climate change can not only be halted, but reversed. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CURWOOD: Your film is huge. You cover a lot of territory, you cover a lot of things. You yourself personally, were there in the editing booth to make it all come together. At the end of the day, who are you trying to get to with this movie? Who are you trying to reach?
CONNERS: We're trying to reach people that are ready to step into this transformation. And, we know that could be almost anybody. We also know that there are people that are able to step into creating community gardens, step into planting trees, step into innovating, those were our primary targets. But, we also wanted to reach everyone through the beauty of it. And, that's what we concentrated on. We also had this idea that we wanted to show people the world from a human level. So, a lot of climate docs, and I've done a few, have very distant vantage points, often. Satellites, and very high, distant. And we flew the drone, purposely at the level of a human being, at the height of human being. So, it was really bringing people into the world into the spaces where we were. And we felt that if we did that, and if we talked to people that work every day on this, that it would have more connectivity. And we're actually finding that that's actually the case, it is connecting.
Urban farming is a great way to capture CO2 while creating healthy foods for a community. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CURWOOD: So, what I'm hearing, you perhaps say, is that for folks who have a level of concern, who have some familiarity to this, that this is a shorthand guidebook for them to look at the possibilities, as well as the problems.
CONNERS: That's exactly it. It's sort of the update, it's like, here's where we're at. And, also, here's how the world works. And, this is how you can plug into it. I think when you diagnose a problem more completely, people can naturally step into the solution on their own, they don't need to be told what to do, they can see it. So, what we tried to do is say, look, the carbon cycle is really the problem here. Because what we've done is disrupt the carbon cycle with fossil fuels. And, so, once people understand that, in the film we explain how it works, we understand oh, okay, well, we can remove carbon from the atmosphere. You know, nature is our first line of defense, and also innovate and find other ways to do it.
Renewable energy, such as wind power, has been in existence for a long time. Ice on Fire urges their audience to further implement these renewables to halt climate change. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CURWOOD: Tell me about the scene where you show these carbon sequestering machines. They're big, shiny things with pipes, and they're making what? Coal, they're making diamonds, what are they doing?
CONNERS: They're making basalt rock in Iceland. So, basically, these carbon sequestering machines are made in shipping containers, just take a shipping container, put these pieces inside. So, it sucks atmospheric carbon out of the air, and then you can use it for stuff. Now, obviously, we need to turn some of it into stone. And, that's what they're doing in Iceland, so that it never comes back up again. You can also use the carbon from the sky to turn it into fuel. So, interestingly, direct air capture basically disrupts the fossil fuel industry. So right now, the fossil fuel industry is going around the world digging up stuff, you know, fracking and drilling. And that's just old news, now. You just have this little tiny machine, you can pull it out of the sky. Obviously, that is not reversing the load in the atmosphere, but at least it's not adding to it. So, you know, it's something else that I've been talking about where you know, people are innovating, people are declaring a climate emergency. And I'm very excited about that movement, and Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion, all this stuff. I mean, you really feel people are rising to the occasion. And a lot of climate scientists look at direct capture and say this is something very passive, it's reversing something that we've done. So yeah, a lot of climate scientists, as you see in the film, actually support it.
CURWOOD: It's very interesting in your film, you are quite subtle about making the point that keeping the rise to one and a half degrees Centigrade is just the beginning of the long term game for humanity. Because we have to draw carbon back down even further so that we can refreeze the Arctic, and have the ecosystems that people used to live in, here on the planet.
CONNERS: Well, yes, and I think what we're coming to understand, and that's why we had Daniel Rothman from MIT in the film, he's been studying carbon cycles over millions of years. And, as he said in the movie, you know, when carbon dramatically spikes in the atmosphere, the web of life collapses. And, so we have the Permian mass extinction, the PTM. And all of those, there's five mass extinctions that they have studied that all have the same signature of a high spike in carbon. So, what we need to do, you know, is draw that carbon down, like we said. 1.5 is the limit, where we are now as little over one, and that is result of the 400 parts per million. And like Jim White says, we're headed to 600 parts per million. That is just an untenable situation. I mean, that melts all the ice in the world. And that's happened in the past, in terms of other ages. I mean, there has been times where there has been no ice on the planet, but humans didn't live at that time.
CURWOOD: [LAUGHS] No. So, tell me about one of your most inspiring moments for you, when you were out on location.
CONNERS: The most inspiring thing was consistent across a lot of what we did, which was the earnestness within which these people do their work. And I think that's what comes across. I think that the hope that everyone's searching for, if you want hope, just go talk to the people that are dealing with this problem, because they're actively taking this on every day. And it gives you a sense of purpose and purchase on this. And that, to me is very, very heartwarming and inspiring.
CURWOOD: So, what was one of the most disheartening things that you encountered?
Ice is melting at record rates, causing sea level rise. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CONNERS: The sound of the dripping of the glacier in Iceland was the most haunting, and I still hear it in my mind. And, basically, when you're standing next to a glacier that's melting, like that, it's the sound of millions of tiny drops. So, it's not this crash and bang and whoosh. And, I'm sure it is that way, in some places. But, on a day to day basis, if you're standing next to a melting glacier, it’s just millions of tiny little drops that are adding up to a little river that adds up to a wider river. And, that's the sound of the end of that glacier. And, that to me is horrifying.
CURWOOD: What some call the tears of the Arctic.
CONNERS: Yeah.
CURWOOD: Leila, how hopeful are you? What are the odds of our civilization, utilizing the solutions that you talked about quickly enough to turn things around before we wind up with the hot house earth?
Leila Conners is the editor and director of the documentary film Ice on Fire. (Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
CONNERS: I think I'm hopeful because we actually have the solutions at hand. It's not a problem that we don't know the answer for. We have the answer. We just have to do it. And, so that's why the denial industry in the United States is so lethal, because it's slowing us down. We have to move on from fossil fuels and really, you know, mobilize to pull carbon out of the sky and stop putting carbon up into the sky. And I think we can because we have the solutions.
CURWOOD: Leila Connors is the director and editor of the documentary film, Ice on Fire. Thanks so much for taking the time with us today, Leila.
CONNERS: Thank you.
Watch "Ice on Fire" for free here
Learn more about Leila Conners’ other work here
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Secret Border Patrol agents’ Facebook group exposes vile racism, sexism
By Marcos Lugo
Active and former members of the U.S. border patrol belonging to a secret Facebook group joked about migrant deaths, throwing burritos at and sexually assaulting members of a visiting contingent of Latino congress members.
The secret Facebook group contains close to 10,000 members, or roughly half as many as currently serve as border patrol agents in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. This story comes on the heels of a study exposing racist Facebook postings by police officers across the country. In Philadelphia alone 72 officers were placed on desk duty for racist or otherwise offensive posts uncovered by the study. The Plain View Project “sought to compile posts, comments, and other public activity that could undermine public trust in the police and reinforce the views of critics, especially in minority communities, that the police are not there to protect them.” The research showed that of the officers who could be identified on Facebook, 1 in 5 of the current officers and 2 in 5 of the retired officers made comments that met the criteria of “typically by displaying bias, applauding violence, scoffing at due process, or using dehumanizing language.”
The secret CBP Facebook group called “I’m 10-15,” was founded three months prior to Donald Trump’s electoral victory. “10-15” is Border Patrol code for “aliens in custody.” The agency, which patrols both the northern and southern boundaries, has come under greater scrutiny lately for its treatment of detained children under the Trump administration. At least seven migrant children have died in the last year after almost a decade in which no children had been reported to have died while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The practice of separating children from their families has been especially condemned.
Leaked posts and commentary from inside the “I’m 10-15” group reveal an online environment with special indifference and hatred towards migrants and their suffering. Migrants are often referred to by dehumanizing terms and even photos of dead children are lampooned. A scheduled tour by members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar, to a Border Patrol facility near El Paso drew an especially venomous reaction in the group. One member recommended Border Patrol agents throw a “burrito at these [B-words.]” In one posted meme Ocasio-Cortex is portayed engaging in oral sex at an immigrant detention center with extremely vulgar accompanying text. A staffer for Escobar described the posts on AOC and Escobar as “vile and sexist.” The staffer stated: “Furthermore, the comments made by Border Patrol agents towards immigrants, especially those that have lost their lives, are disgusting and show a complete disregard for human life and dignity.” (ProPublica)
This is only the latest incident to reveal law enforcement personnel’s connections to facsist and reactionary tendencies. Juxtaposed, the consistent xenophobia and uniform culture of indifference to the suffering of Brown people across various law enforcement agencies reveals a stark reality, that for people of color, every town is a potential border town.
immigration, prisoners' rights
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Learning to Live in Apocalyptic Times: How Climate Despair Can Save (or Destroy) the World
On World Population Day: How Climate Change Could Make Us Go Extinct
Billionaire Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking
Make Way for Kamala
Eden Gordon
Hating Robocalls, and Other Things that All Americans Can Agree On
We live in a divided nation—but there some things will always bind us together.
Very few people seem to be getting along in America right now. Countless relationships have ended, and families have broken apart because of political and ideological differences, which have only grown more extreme following the 2016 election. The divide between Democrats and Republicans, pro-lifers and pro-choicers, climate-change deniers and believers, and many more have become unfathomably vast.
Image via the Seattle Times
But amidst all the chaos, violence and noise, there are just some issues that are decidedly non-partisan; some topics that are so unanimously agreed on that for a moment, it almost seems like we're all only human. In a time of rage, here are the few points of commonality we have.
1. Robocalls Should Stop Forever
There are so many contentious issues being debated in Congress today—from the Green New Deal to bathrooms to anything even remotely connected to the president; it's safe to say that there are very few things everyone in the House and Senate agree upon. But recently, two bills were introduced in the spirit of stopping robocalls—those awful telemarketer messages that constantly interrupt our day with health insurance scams or calls from the Chinese consulate—forever. One is the proposal Stopping Bad Robocalls, from Senator Frank Pallone of New Jersey. The other is Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey's Telephone Robocall Criminal Abuse Enforcement and Deterrence Act. Both of these proposals will make it much harder for telemarketers to call and force their wills upon unsuspecting constituents. According to Markey, "If this bill can't pass, no bill can pass."
AI support centre Image via Ars Technica
2. Voting is Important
Now, though the issue of who to vote for is one of the easiest ways to turn an ordinary Thanksgiving dinner into a full-on screamfest, most Americans do agree that as citizens of this country, we are responsible for performing our civic duty and making our political opinions heard. Starting way back with the Founding Fathers, this has been an American ideal that nobody except for the staunchest anarchists or most apathetic among us is resistant to. Even so, only around 58.1% of America's voting-eligible population voted in 2016, although 67% of Americans believe that not voting is a huge problem, according to a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute. Maybe the disparity lies in the fact that the people who do not believe in voting also probably wouldn't be too likely to respond to a random political survey.
3. The News Is Fake
No matter where you prefer to get your news, most Americans agree that the media has serious issues—namely the abundance of falsified information plaguing and distorting everything from our elections to our dating lives. The issue isn't only a problem among journalists; politicians themselves are also widely distrusted, and for a good reason. In 2010, Senator Jim McMinn proclaimed that 94% of bills in Congress are passed without issue (it was found to be about 27.4%—although who knows if that statistic is true, though it did come from a Pulitzer-prize-winning political fact-checking organization). Since then, things have spiraled more and more out of control. There's no legitimate way to check how much fake news is out there, but according to one survey, most viewers were suspicious of 80% of the news they saw on social media and 60% of what they saw online overall. Though if you're like the majority of Americans, you won't be taking this article's word for it.
Image via Vox
4. We Should Have Healthcare
Although there is certainly not a clear consensus, most Americans do support healthcare for all. According to a 2018 poll, 6 out of 10 Americans believe that the government should provide healthcare for everyone; another survey from The Hill found that 70% of Americans support Medicare for all, and even a small majority of Republicans are in favor of the idea.
5. The Nation Is Divided
We can all agree on one thing: disagreeing. 81% of Americans believe that we are more divided than at any other time in our nation's history, according to Time. (Remember, there was this thing called the Civil War). Americans can't even agree on what exactly the nation's most significant points of disagreement are: most Democrats believe gun control is a huge issue while most Republicans consider it unimportant; same with climate change and income equality, according to surveys from the Pew Institute.
Although contention and chaos might be the laws of the day, at least we'll always have a shared hatred of telemarketers to bind us all together.
Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City.
Meg Hanson
How Rarely Does Congress Overrule a Veto?
Historically, fewer than 10% of all presidential vetoes have been overturned, or 106 in total.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted 245-182 to overrule Donald Trump's declaration of national emergency regarding immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump declared a national emergency on February 15 in hopes to redirect up to $8 billion from military funds and the Treasury to fund a border wall. While unprecedented, the tactic could theoretically manipulate the Constitution's funding laws to successfully bypass Congress and allow a sitting president to reallocate funds without congressional permission. Even though the House passed the resolution to terminate the declaration of emergency, Trump has vowed to veto the resolution if it should make it to his desk. So how can Congress overrule a veto, and how rarely is it done?
When a president vetoes a bill, Congress can only override the veto by taking a second vote in both chambers and passing the bill with a two-third majority in both houses. Historically, fewer than 10% of all presidential vetoes have been overturned, or 106 in total. The last time Congress over-ruled a veto was October 11, 2000, when Bill Clinton's bill Energy and Water Development Appropriations.
The rarity of a veto override is attributed to the bipartisan conflict of each chamber of Congress. For example, in 2000, the Republicans held a majority in both the Senate and the house when they overruled the sitting Democrat president. The current Congress is divided between a Democrat-lead House (235-199) and a Republican-led Senate (53-45). Achieving a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress is simply unlikely when they are led by separate parties.
As for the resolution to overrule Trump's national emergency, the Senate is set to vote on the resolution before March 18. Since it's a privileged measure, no filibustering is allowed; only a majority will pass or defeat the resolution. The crux of the matter is whether enough Republican Senators can be swayed to vote with the Democrats. As of Friday, three Republican Senators have vowed to to do so: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Only four more would be needed to send the resolution to Trump, assuming all Democrat Senator voted with their party. According to Five Thirty Eight, if Trump vetoes the measure, then both chambers of Congress are short of the votes needed to override (50 short in the House and 20 short in the Senate).
Thom Tillis wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post explaining his position to vote against party: "As a U.S. senator, I cannot justify providing the executive with more ways to bypass Congress," Tillis explained. "As a conservative, I cannot endorse a precedent that I know future left-wing presidents will exploit to advance radical policies that will erode economic and individual freedoms."
Prior to the House vote, Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed House Republicans, "Is your oath of office to Donald Trump or is it to the Constitution of the United States? You cannot let him undermine your pledge to the Constitution."
Meg Hanson is a Brooklyn-based writer, teacher, and jaywalker. Find Meg at her website and on Twitter @megsoyung.
There's a Green New Deal on the Horizon, and It Just Might Be Our Only Hope
This week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey will be proposing the most ambitious plan to fight climate change yet.
Recycle. Take shorter showers. Turn the lights off.
Over the past several decades, most of us have heard these diatribes repeated over and over, and have perhaps become numbed to these mantras, which promise that tiny droplets of collective action could potentially save the planet from environmental ruination.
It's true that small changes are important, and that each person contributes to the growing levels of waste and pollution that are killing our ecosystems and raising the planet's temperatures so dramatically that Manhattan-size gaps are forming in Antarctic ice. But it's also true that 71% of carbon emissions come from just 100 companies. It's also true that the scale of the crisis has grown unmanageable, and poses an unprecedented threat to human life.
That's where the Green New Deal comes in.
Image via The Intercept
"It's the only plan that matches the scale of the crisis," said Naomi Klein of the proposal, speaking on livestream yesterday night to thousands of activists tuning in across America. The livestream was hosted by the Sunrise Movement, a millennial-founded organization dedicated to supporting and fortifying the Green New Deal, especially as it's proposed in Congress in the coming week. Klein is the author of This Changes Everything, a book that argues that impending climate catastrophe actually presents an extraordinary opportunity to revamp the world's economic systems for the better. "I believe we were born for this moment," she told viewers.
Named after FDR's New Deal—which revolutionized the entire country on a tremendous scale, planting three billion trees and establishing hundreds of national forests in addition to catalyzing widespread economic, agricultural, and social reforms—the Green New Deal seeks to implant reforms on an equivalent scale in a time when it seems like there is no other option.
Image via Vice News
The plan has gone through several phases, but the one that's being proposed in Congress this week focuses on several fundamental points. First: achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, and transition to renewable energy on a huge scale through initiatives like the creation of a nationwide electrical grid. Second: institute a living wage for all, in tandem with the creation of unlimited numbers of green jobs. These are the plan's main tenets, but its ideological aspirations stretch much further. It hopes to generate thousands of jobs in the form of start-ups and maintenance, and to start a wave of international trade in the renewable energy sector.
The original plan focused on a switch to 100% renewable energy by 2030, but a recent five-page draft obtained today by Bloomberg didn't mention this point, perhaps as a nod to moderates, though the omission is still subject to change. The draft proposes large-scale investment in green technology, the restoration of threatened lands, waste removal, and "massive growth in clean U.S. manufacturing, removing pollution byproducts and greenhouse gas emissions from that sector as much as technologically feasible."
The term "Green New Deal" is not a new one, though it has been going through different iterations since its inception. It was coined in a 2007 column by Thomas Friedman, and Barack Obama included it in his 2008 platform. Britain also took note, but a surge of Republican/Tory victories stymied its momentum.
Image via theintercept.com
The GND has found new life in Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Bronx electorate whose rise to political success has been accompanied by widespread social media fame. Ocasio-Cortez showed up in person to support a Sunrise Movement sit-in in Nancy Pelosi's office, demanding the creation of a committee dedicated to developing and pushing the GND, and since then she has become one of its biggest proponents. Now she will be proposing it in Congress this week, alongside Massachusetts senator Ed Markey. The plan has also garnered support from Rep. Ayanna Pressley, as well as 2020 presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and Bernie Sanders.
The Sunrise Movement began in 2015, when it was founded by climate activists Sara Blazevic and Varsini Prakash, and quickly gained momentum, taking notes from the heady drive of the 1963 civil rights protests of Birmingham, Alabama. Its founders gathered activists, reached out to politicians, and pulled together the finer points of the Sanders campaign and other recent social movements; the successful Pelosi sit-in was the product of months of organizing.
The movement is appealing in a narrative sense: the vision of young people fighting against bloated fossil fuel behemoths has a definite draw to it. There's also the fact that science says the fate of the entire world requires unprecedented global change over the next few years, otherwise catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy and the California wildfires will become the stuff of the everyday.
Image via theinsurgent.com
But the GND is still just an idea, and it could remain that way. Its lack of specific policy has been subject to criticism, though an official draft has yet to be unveiled, and conservative news sources have labeled it as a hoax, an amorphous idea without policy to back it.
While the GND might seem like an impossibly ambitious proposition, humans have revamped and reshaped the world before a hundred times over, and we are nothing if not creative and adaptive. We've created technologies that connect the globe and turned empty landscapes to highway-lined cities in a matter of years. Now—unless you like the idea of joining Elon Musk's exclusive Mars colony—it's time to turn all of our collective energies towards the future of the home we share.
70 leading Democrats have signed on in support so far, and momentum is building for its official proposition. The Sunrise Movement is planning on facilitating office visits to congress people across the country this week, as well as a rally in Washington on February 26th.
In an age of doomsday threats and constant headlines about plastic oceans and refugee crises facilitated by environmental droughts, the idea of a Green New Deal—something that could actually, genuinely make a difference that touches every aspect of life—seems like a light at the end of the tunnel. Now it's just a matter of getting there.
Image via radioopensource.org
Environmental crisis affects the poor and vulnerable at disproportionate levels; it catalyzes mental and physical illness, economic decline, and overall devastation. Irreparable damage has already been done—but the fight is not quite over yet, though time is running out.
Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City. Follow her on Twitter at @edenarielmusic.
What Happens When the President Declares a State of Emergency?
The President can take control of your home, your money, and—worse—your internet in the event of a national emergency. Well, sort of.
In the past, Donald Trump has threatened to declare a "national emergency" in order to forcibly move forward with his plan for a $5.6 billion border wall. A state of emergency, designated for times of crisis and national instability, is meant to accelerate the government's political process in order to restore stability. When presidents declare national emergencies, the law provides hundreds of provisions that endow the commander-in-chief with "extraordinary authority" to make executive decisions without asking congress for approval.
After the National Emergencies Act of 1976 (NEA), presidents must identify which specific powers they're asking to activate in order to address the designated emergency–which means selecting a few out of approximately 130 laws that grant special authorities to the President. Barack Obama invoked those powers 13 times over his eight years in the White House; similarly, George W. Bush did so 12 times over his two terms. One major dilemma with the NEA, however, is that it does not create a time limit within which a state of emergency must be resolved, allowing for various national emergencies to remain ongoing simultaneously (in 2017, there were 28 concurrent active emergencies). This, of course, allows the sitting President to hold "extraordinary authorities" for an indeterminate period of time.
Another yet greater shortcoming of the NEA is that it doesn't define what constitutes an "emergency," allowing a President to interpret current events–and the laws–in his own way. Alarmingly, the President doesn't operate under many limitations when it comes to defining and declaring a national emergency. Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, says, "There aren't a lot of legal limits on his ability to do that, frankly, even if there isn't a real emergency happening."
Over the course of Trump's first two years as President, he declared three events to be national emergencies, including the H1N1 influenza epidemic and a series of cyber-hacking activities that still technically constitute a national emergency to this day. Recently, Trump has openly called the US-Mexico border a crisis situation, saying, "We have a crisis at the border, of drugs, of human beings being trafficked all over the world, they're coming through . . . criminals and gang members coming through. It is national security. It is a national emergency."
So what happens when a President does declare a national emergency?
According to the Congressional Research Service, there are hundreds of specific provisions codifying what the president is allowed to do–and those powers are far-reaching and invasive into daily American lives. While "the vast majority of them are of the stand-by kind — dormant until activated," a state of a national emergency allows the President to: "seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens."
What It Means:
1. Presidents can control funding
Trump could declare a national emergency in order to fund his wall. As Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor at the Center for Human Values at Princeton University, told Vox, "It could be that by putting together a lot of different sources of emergency authority, the president could tap a lot of different funds and at least start." With the above powers to seize property and commodities, as well as regulate means of production and private enterprises, the President could re-direct government funding away from ongoing military projects to fund the border wall. Last Friday, Trump told reporters, "I can do it if I want."
Technically, he's right. If Trump's administration can prove that the border wall is a "military construction," then using military funding would fall under the U.S. code for "Reprogramming During National Emergencies," which states that a President may "apply the resources of the Department of the Army's civil works program, including funds, personnel, and equipment, to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works, military construction, and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense."
2. Presidents can control the internet.
Seizure and control of transportation and communication includes controlling all internet traffic, restricting access to information deemed security risks. Today, that could mean "impeding access to certain websites and ensuring that internet searches return pro-Trump content as the top results."
3. Presidents can deploy troops to your neighborhood—easily.
4. Presidents can confiscate your property.
5. Presidents can forcibly relocate Americans.
Among the most notorious and regretful instances of Presidents declaring states of emergency is Franklin D. Roosevelt's use in 1941, months after Pearl Harbour was attacked. The above powers endowed the President to forcibly relocate more than 110,000 Japanese-Americans to internment camps. To retell it simply, the President instituted martial law along the east coast, forcibly transported U.S. citizens to the camps, confiscated their property, and restricted them from leaving or communicating with the outside world. Meanwhile, Roosevelt deployed the U.S. military overseas to enter World War II. 30 years later, the NEA was designed to prevent sitting Presidents from abusing declarations of emergencies, but with its vague language, much of the law remains to be tested in court.
In total, lack of clarity in the NEA gives Trump the legal grounds to argue for emergency powers over the country. However, legal experts, as well as passionate congressmen, have been outspoken about fighting against the president if he were to push that agenda. After all, congress reserves the right to overrule a president's declaration if they can pass a resolution to do so in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, the President would need to sign the resolution; otherwise, congress would need a second majority vote to override his veto.
President Trump is due to give a national address Tuesday night at 9PM. While he is not expected to declare a national emergency, he is expected to urge the American people that the southern border constitutes a "humanitarian and security crisis" that urgently needs to be addressed. To Trump, that means building a border wall, even if it means prolonging what is already one of the longest government shutdowns in history, or perhaps even abusing executive powers.
Trump's Border Wall Causes Government Shutdown
Nine federal departments will shutdown at midnight on Friday due to Congress' inability to settle funding disputes, including Trump's demands for $5 billion for his border wall.
With Trump predicting that "chances are probably very good" that the government will shut down at midnight, he's reneged on his proud claim that he'd "totally be willing" to "take the mantle" of a shutdown. Instead, he said on Friday, "Now it's up to the Democrats as to whether or not we have a shutdown tonight."
Congress has been unable to pass funding packages for seven federal agencies, mainly due to Trump's stubborn demands for $5 billion to build his border wall. With funding deals expiring at midnight tonight, hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be either out of work or expected to work without pay until the government resumes full function in 2019.
Among those affected are more than 420,000 employees required to keep working through the shutdown, including those in the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the DEA, and Forest Service firefighters. With dozens of federal agencies expected to close down, national parks, museums, and zoos may be shuttered, with housing agencies warning that loan processing and approvals may be significantly delayed.
Aside from disrupting government services, shutdowns worsen deficits with financial losses in productivity. The longest government shutdown took place under the Clinton Administration, lasting 21 days and costing approximately $1.4 billion. The 2013 shutdown under Barack Obama lasted 16 days and cost about $2 billion.
Trump took to Twitter to blame Democrats for their refusal to offer more than $1.3 billion to fund the border wall. He posted, "If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time." After Congress voted and Trump still did not receive his inflated amount of $5 billion, he followed up with, "The Democrats now own the shutdown!"
As of early Friday evening, Congress had made no progress in settling the border wall dispute. Government agencies had been alerted on Thursday to prepare to freeze their functioning for an indeterminate amount of time.
"I hope we don't [shut down]," Trump told the press on Friday afternoon at a bill signing event at the White House. "But we are totally prepared for a very long shutdown and this our only chance that we'll ever have in our opinion, because of the world and the way it breaks out, to get great border security."
Nancy Pelosi Wins Nomination for Speaker of the House
In a closed vote House Democrats spotlit Pelosi with overwhelming support, 203-32.
Nancy Pelosi secured the Democratic nomination on Wednesday, regaining her position as Speaker of the House. Pelosi, 78, ran unopposed on a secret ballot when the House Democrats cast a 203-32 vote in a closed door meeting.
Still, Pelosi was opposed by a small faction who charge that the Californian lawmaker is too divisive a figure to represent the party. Rep. Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) was an initial detractor, but he turned to voice his endorsement of Pelosi last week.
Higgins told reporters, "Democracy is a sloppy mess. ... There are a lot of differing views, even within the Democratic Caucus. The ability to pull that together is not clean and efficient all the time, and everyone has laid on the table what they are looking for." He added, "Everyone here, 435 members in the House, has one legislative tool and that is their vote."
The House of Representatives will elect a new speaker on January 3. Even with Democrats holding a majority of the 435 seats, it's still possible for Pelosi to lose the final vote; those 32 opposers are enough to tip the scales if Republicans unanimously reject her. Pelosi has until the new year to win over more representatives like Higgins.
Cindy Hyde-Smith: First Female Mississippi Senator, Segregation-Enthusiast
The conservative Republican made history when she won a seat in Congress, despite backlash over recent racially-charged comments.
In the last Senate race to be called, Mississippi has elected its first female Senator. Cindy Hyde-Smith will hold one of the Republicans' 53 seats to Democrats' 47 seats, setting a new record of 24 women in the Senate next year. However, the victory as a mark of social progress is tainted due to Hyde-Smith's history of racially-charged comments and sheltered background.
Leading up to the election, Hyde-Smith received backlash over a video of her joking with a supporter that if she were invited to a "public hanging," she'd be in "the front row." Following public outcry, she released an apology, stating, "For anyone who was offended by my comment, I certainly apologize."
At the same time, however, she dismissed the criticism as "ridiculous." Claiming that she possessed no ill intentions, she framed the comment as nothing more than banter with a supporter, stating, "In referencing the one who invited me, I used an exaggerated expression of regard, and any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous."
The conservative Senator has the public divided over whether Mississippi is heading towards a more inclusive future or embracing a troubled past. Hyde-Smith's "public hanging" comments evoke the state's ignominious history of mob lynchings, Jim Crow, and legally-enforced segregation. On Friday, the Jackson Free-Press uncovered that the 59-year-old graduated from a southern private school established in the '70s to eschew desegregation orders after the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education.
Mississippi has been criticized for allowing segregated private schools as recently as 2017. Hyde-Smith's alma mater, Lawrence County Academy, hosted a mascot dressed as a Confederate general and displayed a Confederate flag. The Senator elected to send her daughter to a similar "segregation academy."
CNN also looked into Hyde-Smith's past and reported that she's advocated a revisionist view of the Civil War and backed a measure to honor a Confederate soldier's efforts to "defend his homeland." Additionally, the Senator's Facebook page displays pictures from 2014 in which she's posing with Confederate artifacts during a visit to Beauvoir, the hometown of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The photo's caption reads, "Mississippi history at its best!"
On Tuesday, Hyde-Smith credited her win to the state's dedication to "conservative values." In her victory speech, she said, "The reason we won is because Mississippians know me and they know my heart. This win tonight, this victory, it's about our conservative values, it's about the things that mean the most to all of us Mississippians: our faith, our family."
Hyde-Smith received her strongest support from Mississippi's rural and predominantly white counties, according to The New York Times. CNN also attributed the win to Donald Trump's last-minute trips to the state. During a Monday night rally in Biloxi, Trump told the crowd, "She is respected by all. Some long-term senators, they've been down there, they told me, this is a woman that gets it. She's smart, she's tough, and she loves you." He went on, "She produces like few produce. This is a very, very special person."
After a race that was closer than anticipated, Democrat Mike Espy conceded to Hyde-Smith on Tuesday. He offered hopeful regards to the new Senator, stating, "[She] has my prayers as she goes to Washington to unite a very divided Mississippi."
Border Wall or Bust: Trump Would "Totally Be Willing" to Shut Down the Government
Trump's demands for $5 billion to build a border wall stymies Congress' ability to fund government in 2019.
Just nine days ahead of the December 7 deadline, Congress has made no progress towards passing the seven appropriations bills needed to avoid government shutdown. At the center of the deadlock are President Trump's demands for $5 billion to fund his border wall. In an Oval Office interview with Politico on Tuesday, Trump affirmed he'd "totally be willing" to shut down the government if Congress doesn't allocate the funds.
In September Democrats and Republicans agreed on a long-term funding package for the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education for 2019. However, they only reached short-term compromises for the remaining agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Justice Department, and the State Department. Even then, Trump was threatening to shut down the federal government if he didn't receive multi-billion dollar funding for his wall, but Republican leaders expressed doubt over his conviction.
Now, with those short-term deals expiring next Friday, Congress is more wary than ever of losing government function. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) spoke against the prospect in an interview on Sunday, "I hope that we can avoid shutting down the government. We have a lot of departments that do a lot of good for our citizens, so we need to make sure that we're funding them properly through Congress."
That's not to say Trump doesn't have Republican support, with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) stating from the White House on Tuesday, "I'm glad that President Trump is following through on his commitment to keep this country safe. He needs $5 billion to make sure he can follow through on that promise and we need to be there for him and see that this gets done."
Resistance from Democrats is the main obstacle to appeasing Trump, with Scalise even posing the deadlock as a failure of the party's values. He asked if Democrats are "going to shut down the government because they don't want to keep America safe?"
The closest piece of compromise is the Democrats' concession of $1.6 billion in funding for border security. They've showed no sign of budging towards Trump's demands for triple that figure. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer spoke for the party on Tuesday, affirming, "If there is any shutdown, it's on President Trump's back. Stick to the $1.6 billion."
As for Trump, he told Politico he "was in no mood" to compromise on using federal funds to construct a border wall (despite initial and unfeasible claims it was to be funded by Mexico). He told Politico, "I will tell you, politically speaking, that issue is a total winner. People look at the border, they look at the rush to the police, they look at the rock throwers and really hurting three people, three very brave border patrol folks – I think that it's a tremendous issue, but much more importantly, is really needed. So we have to have border security."
Trump was referring to a confrontation at the border on Sunday in which he claimed three border patrol agents were "very badly hurt." While multiple migrants were harmed by tear-gas unleashed by border officials on Sunday, Trump's claim remains unsubstantiated.
Negotiations between Democrats and Republicans continue to take place this week, as a possible funding package is still in nascent planning stages. The odds of avoiding government shutdown are grim, with only nine days to draft a deal, gain sign off from House and Senate leadership, and win over a president who is "in no mood" to compromise his own agenda.
Getty Images - New York Post
Dan Escalona
Four Legislative Priorities House Democrats Should Push
Democrats have control of the House for the first time in eight years. Now, they have a mandate to push for a bold agenda on infrastructure, healthcare, immigration, and voting rights.
After months of warnings, the "Blue Wave" finally came to shore. Democrats took back control of the House, gaining 32 seats, a number that could increase to 38 or 39, depending on the results of the uncalled races. With the party back in charge of the lower chamber, much of the discussion around what their priorities should be has revolved around investigating the president and his myriad of financial and political scandals. House Democrats have a clear mandate to fulfill their constitutional duty to provide oversight of the White House, but Democrats also have a mandate to address a number of major legislative issues. Though it's unlikely Democrats that will get any of these priorities pushed before the president and a Republican Senate, it's crucial that they signal to their voters what they want to done should they win the presidency and the Senate in the future.
As a candidate and in the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump promised to tackle the nation's crumbling infrastructure. That, of course, has gone nowhere and every "Infrastructure Week" ended in some scandal, quickly becoming an ongoing joke. But the state of America's infrastructure is nothing to joke about. Infrastructure spending has long been a Democratic Party priority before Trump attempted to co-opt it. Democrats should push that issue once again, proposing a bold infrastructure plan to repair crumbling roads and bridges, modernize public transportation systems, expand access to high-speed, fiber-optic Internet, and invest in green energy projects like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.
Such an infrastructure plan would signal the party's commitment to investing in neglected communities and funding renewable energy projects such as a broader plan to combat climate change—not to mention open the door to the many economic benefits of infrastructure spending. It would also establish a clear contrast with Trump's previous infrastructure plan that's been criticized as a giveaway to private contractors. The president has said he is willing to work with Democrats, so why not press him to keep his word? Democrats would be wise to pressure the president and his Republican supporters to prioritize infrastructure, or face political consequences.
No other issue played a bigger role in the Democrats' midterm success than healthcare. Their electoral message on healthcare was simple: Protect people with pre-existing conditions, expand coverage and stop proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Now they must deliver on these promises. House Democrats can immediately pass legislation to protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, pressuring Trump and other Republicans who have vowed to do the same to keep their word. With a full repeal of the Affordable Care act now temporarily off the table, Democrats should push to expand coverage and address the limitations of the ACA. These can range from introducing incremental policies that get support from more moderate Democrats, like legislation to stabilize insurance markets, to bolder policies that attract the progressive wing of the party, like allowing Medicare more power to negotiate drug prices and proposing a Medicare buy-in for 55 to 64-year-olds.
While the long-term goal for the party should be to push for a Medicare for All system, these are positive steps toward a goal that still has a lot of opposition from within the party. Finally, any budget proposed by House Democrats should reverse any funding cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Democrats have an ideal opportunity to push for a positive vision on healthcare and continue to have the upper hand on the issue heading into 2020.
Bitter political battles over immigration, especially over funding for the border wall and the fate of DACA, will be a prominent feature of politics the next two years. Democrats are right to be alarmed over the administration's immigration policies like family separation and ending DACA, but now it's crucial they advocate for an immigration agenda in contrast to the Republican agenda. With the fate of DACA likely in the hands of the Supreme Court, Democrats must push for a long-term legislative solution. The most stable solution is the passage of the Dream Act. It would also be politically beneficial for the Democrats to bring it to the floor cleanly, without a compromise on funding for the wall. Furthermore, Democrats should schedule hearings about the family separation policy and Trump's pre-election decision to bring troops to the southern border in response to the migrant caravan. Democratic voters have become more liberal on immigration, and it's important the party signal to its base that they are willing to find solutions on the issue without compromising its core values.
Much of the post-election analysis has focused on the effects of voter suppression, notably in Georgia, North Dakota, and Florida. These voter suppression efforts have only increased since the Supreme Court struck down the section of the Voting Rights Act, which required states with a history of racial discrimination to get permission from the Department of Justice when enacting any changes in voting laws. In response, states around the country immediately passed strict voter ID laws. Fortunately, the Supreme Court decision left the door open for future legislative action. House Democrats can immediately take action and strengthen the Voting Rights Act. They would also be wise to propose legislation to make Election Day a federal holiday, or move Election Day to a Sunday, as it is in most places around the world. While Republicans are busy spreading conspiracy theories about voter fraud, Democrats should take the opposite path and make it clear they will fight continuing discrimination in voting. For strategic and moral purposes, the party has an obligation to extend democracy in every way when voting rights are under tremendous pressure.
Dan is a writer, thinker and occasional optimist in this random, chaotic world. You can follow him on Twitter @danescalona77.
Melissa Kay
A Farewell to John McCain
Gone at 81, his legacy will live on
Thoughts and prayers are ringing in with harmony at the news that Senator John McCain lost his brave battle with brain cancer. A life well-lived, filled with strength and struggle, wins and losses, and ups and downs, McCain's 81 years on Earth have left a mighty legacy, one that his family will forever cherish, politicians from both sides of the aisle appreciate, and Americans admire.
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Photo Credit: Britney Berrner
Camilla d'Errico
Painter, Illustrator, Character Creator & Comic Artist
Camilla d'Errico is an urban contemporary painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist residing in Vancouver, Canada. With roots in comics, Camilla’s beautiful work is seen on toys, clothes, accessories and more. She has been published by Random House, Boom! Studios, Image Comics, Webtoons and Dark Horse, with self-publishing roots for her literature-inspired series, Tanpopo. Camilla has distinguished herself as one of the breakthrough artists in Pop Surrealism's New Figurative movement through her ability to seamlessly weave manga and western styles with surrealist elements, wrapping it together with an extensive emotional palette. She has a unique style, bridging cultural and geographical boundaries, while remaining totally relevant to today’s varied audience. Ever the prolific artist, Camilla lives the double life of comic artist/creator and New Brow painter, while expanding her horizons to include fashion, merchandise and customized collectible art toys.
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Pope defrocks Chilean priest at center of abuse scandal
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has defrocked a Chilean priest who was a central character in the global sex abuse scandal rocking his papacy, invoking his ‘‘supreme’’ authority to stiffen an earlier sentence because of the ‘‘exceptional amount of damage’’ the priest’s crimes had caused.
In a statement Friday, the Vatican said Francis had laicized 88-year-old Fernando Karadima, who was originally sanctioned in 2011 to live a lifetime of ‘‘penance and prayer’’ for having sexually abused minors in the upscale Santiago parish he ran.
On Plane, Pope Discusses Sex Abuse, Corruption of Cover-up, China pact
On: 9/25/2018, By Cindy Wooden , In: World
ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT TO ROME (CNS) -- The Catholic Church has grown in its understanding of the horror of clerical sexual abuse and of the "corruption" of covering it up, Pope Francis said.
Returning to Rome from a trip Sept. 22-25 to the Baltic nations, Pope Francis was asked about his remarks to young people in Tallinn, Estonia, when he said young people are scandalized when they see the church fail to condemn abuse clearly.
Cardinal O’Malley tells priests to keep the faith despite the crisis facing the church
Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley acknowledged it’s a tough time to be a priest as he spoke to a record crowd at the 10th annual Celebration of the Priesthood dinner Tuesday night in Boston.
Before introducing keynote speaker actor Mark Wahlberg, O’Malley made a point to give a pep talk to the clergy gathered in the room as the church deals with the ongoing sex abuse crisis.
President & CEO of Catholic Charities Announces Upcoming Retirement
Deborah Kincade Rambo
Conclude 40-Year Career at Service Agency
BOSTON, Mass., September 20, 2018—The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston’s Board of Trustees today announced Deborah Kincade Rambo’s intention to retire after 40 years of service to the agency’s clients, including the last eight years as its president and chief executive officer. To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Ms. Rambo’s retirement will be effective the earlier of June 30, 2019 or upon the appointment of her successor.
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Administrative Committee Statement on Sex Abuse Scandals; Committee Releases Actions to be Taken Within Its Authority
WASHINGTON--The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Administrative Committee has issued the following statement today in response to the recent sex abuse scandals. In the statement, the bishops say they pledge to “heal and protect with every bit of the strength God provides us.”
Turning to the Lord
Spirituality 'We recommit our Church in Boston to work for healing'
'We recommit our Church in Boston to work for healing'
Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley
Bishop Vásquez, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Migration Releases Statement on the Setting of the U.S. Refugee Limit for the Year 2019
WASHINGTON—The United States Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, announced yesterday that the Administration will set the Presidential Determination, the level of refugees allowed into the United States, at 30,000 refugees for 2019. This is the lowest number set in the history of the U.S. refugee admissions program which was formally created in 1980.
Most Reverend Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop of Austin, Texas, Chair of the of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, issued the following statement:
Pope to meet with Cardinal O'Malley, USCCB Officers, as abuse crisis continues
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis will meet Sept. 13 with Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and with Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, the Vatican press office announced.
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the USCCB, and Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield, general secretary of the conference, also will participate in the meeting, said Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office.
Clear response to abuse crisis is urgently needed, Cardinal O'Malley says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Responding quickly and appropriately to the problem of abuse must be a priority for the Catholic Church, said Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
"Recent events in the church have us all focused on the urgent need for a clear response on the part of the church for the sexual abuse of minors" and vulnerable adults, he told Vatican News Sept. 9.
Cardinal Sean O’Malley Meets With 300 Priests Amid Catholic Church Scandals
Filed Under:Cardinal Sean O'Malley, Local TV, Mike LaCrosse, Mitchell Garabedian
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German hackers say government Skype spying tool is full of holes
An eavesdropping tool allegedly used by the German government to intercept Skype calls is full of security problems and may violate a ruling by the country's constitutional court, according to a European hacker club.
By Jeremy Kirk , IDG News Service | 11 Oct 11
The Chaos Computer Club obtained several versions of a program that has allegedly been used by German law enforcement in possibly hundreds of investigations to intercept Skype calls, said Frank Rieger, a member of the club.
It has long been rumoured that the German government was interested in developing an application to intercept Skype. Three years ago, documents released by WikiLeaks purported to show a proposal by a Bavarian company, DigiTask, offering to develop such a tool.
Press officials contacted on Monday morning at Germany's Interior Ministry were unable to immediately answer questions. On Sunday, Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for Germany's Federal Press Office wrote on Twitter that the Interior Ministry said it did not use the programs examined by the Chaos Computer Club.
Seibert wrote on Twitter on Monday morning that federal and state governments were expected to issue a statement about the controversy.
Quellen-TKU
The tool, called "Quellen-TKU," was developed ostensibly for wiretapping Internet phones calls, the Chaos Computer Club said. It is a lighter version of a more encompassing surveillance tool conceptualised by the German government to spy on computers in Germany, but banned by the country's constitutional court in February 2008.
The court left room for the government to develop a tool specifically for wiretapping, but the Chaos Computer Club found that the versions in circulation are far more powerful than the boundaries set by the constitutional court, Rieger said.
"We got our hands on it and found it is doing much more than it is legally allowed to do," Rieger said.
DigiTask's lawyer, Winfried Seibert, said that the company is investigating whether the application examined by the Chaos Computer Club was developed by the company and should find out within a day or so. He said DigiTask has developed such programs for public authorities in Germany.
"In general, it fits," Seibert said. "We are trying to find out what it really is. We can't be 100 percent sure."
The Chaos Computer Club explains on its blog that Quellen-TKU can activate a computer's microphone and camera, which could be used for room surveillance, and take screenshots. The program can upload other applications to a computer, which could export files from the machine.
"This is clearly in violation of the constitutional court," Rieger said.
Skype intercept
Basically, Quellen-TKU is a call recorder. It can intercept Skype calls by recording the conversation from a computer's sound card before it is encrypted by Skype. Skype's encryption has led to widespread fears in countries such as Germany and India that law enforcement would be shut out from monitoring plotting terrorists.
"It's quite hard to intercept Skype calls at the operator level because it's encrypted," said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for the Finnish security company F-Secure. "It's fairly easy if it [the interception program] is running on the computer itself."
The club reported other disturbing findings about Quellen-TKU's security: although the data transmitted by the program is encrypted, the commands transmitted to control the program are not. Those commands are also not authenticated to prove the directions are coming from an authorised source, making it possible for an attacker to impersonate law enforcement.
"Not only can unauthorised third parties assume control of the infected system, but even attackers of mediocre skill level can connect to the authorities, claim to be a specific instance of the trojan and upload fake data," according to the Chaos Computer Club's writeup. "It is even conceivable that the law enforcement agencies' IT infrastructure could be attacked through this channel."
The Chaos Computer Club provided samples to F-Secure, which found Quellen-TKU also had keylogging capabilities to intercept data entered into applications such as Firefox, and the instant messaging programs MSN Messenger and ICQ.
Bizarrely, Quellen-TKU has a hidden reference to the movie Stars Wars, F-Secure found. A text string that is used to start data transmission reads:"C3PO-r2d2-POE." F-Secure decided to name the program "Backdoor:W32/R2D2.A."
"I can't confirm the source who wrote this trojan, but I have no reason to doubt what CCC is saying," Hypponen said.
Logger logged
Now that is has been detected, it's unlikely Quellen-TKU will be of any use now to law enforcement. F-Secure said it had added a signature to its database to detect the program, and other major antivirus vendors such as Symantec and McAfee have as well.
But many antivirus programs have other methods for detecting malicious software. Hypponen said F-Secure's software, while not knowing exactly what Quellen-TKU was, would have blocked it once it executed one a computer as far back as a year ago because the program meddled with low level parts of a computer's operating system. Other security vendors may also have been capable of stopping it as well, he said.
Even if law enforcement had been recently using Quellen-TKU to monitor someone planning to do violence, Hypponen said the company decided to continue to detect it. F-Secure has a policy that it will not modify its products for law enforcement within respect of European Union laws.
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609-492-6363 lorrys@lorrysmotel.com
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History of Long Beach Island, NJ
Long Beach Island, NJ History
Long Beach Island has been continuously settled since 1690, initially being a destination for hunters. Barnegat Inlet, to the north of the island, was an important path for freight shipments and whaling from the 17th century through the 20th century. Due to the inlet’s importance and its turbulent waters, a lighthouse tower was constructed in 1835 to guide shippers through the area. Erosion problems destroyed the tower in 1857, two years before the current Barnegat Lighthouse was completed in 1859.
Barnegat Lighthouse was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers under the supervision of George Gordon Meade, famous for leading the Union forces to victory four years later during the Civil War at the Battle Of Gettysburg. The United States Life-Saving Service built Station #17 in Barnegat Light (then known as Brownsville) around 1872, which continues today as a United States Coast Guard station.
A developing tourism sector prompted a railroad connection between the mainland and Long Beach Island, which was completed to Barnegat Light in 1886. The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 included a fatal attack in Beach Haven, killing University of Pennsylvania student Charles Vansant in July 1916, which partly inspired the book Jaws. A severe winter storm in 1920 destroyed most of the beaches along the island as well as several hotels.
A storm in 1923 further diminished the tourism sector, resulting in the discontinuation of train service to Barnegat Light between 1923 and 1926. In 1935, the railroad bridge to the mainland washed out, leaving the entire island without rail service. Several storms throughout the island’s history have resulted in the island being split in two, with the division occurring at the island’s narrowest point in Harvey Cedars.
Most famous of such storms, however, was the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, which split Long Beach Island into numerous pieces and nearly destroyed the island in its entirety. The storm caused the destroyer USS Monssen to run aground in Beach Haven Inlet, Long Beach Township. The existing Route 72 Causeway was erected in the late 1950s which replaced a low-level two-lane automobile bridge which in itself had replaced the previously destroyed railroad bridge.
The Above LBI History Courtesy of www.ask.com
Museums & Historical Societies On & Near LBI, NJ
There are 12 Museums & Historical Societies on Long Beach Island, NJ (LBI) and the nearby mainland:
1) LBI Historical Association on LBI, NJ
2) Maritime Museum on LBI, NJ
3) Barnegat Light Historical Society & Museum on LBI, NJ
4) The Edith Duff Gwinn Gardens on LBI, NJ
5) LBI Foundation Of Arts & Sciences on LBI, NJ
6) Tuckerton Historical Society on the nearby mainland
7) Berkeley Twp. Historical Museum in Bayville, NJ
8) Ocean County Historical Society in Toms River, NJ
9) Toms River Seaport Society & Maritime Museum in Toms River, NJ
10) Colonel Charles Waterhouse Museum in Toms River, NJ
11) The Noyes Museum Of Art in Oceanville, NJ
12) Atlantic City Art Center & Museum
LBI Historical Society
Engleside and Beach Avenues
Beach Haven, NJ 08008
www.LBImuseum.org
The Long Beach Island Historical Association’s museum building was originally an episcopal Church built in 1882. It was purchased in 1976 by the LBI Historical Association. The Association incorporated in the State of New Jersey as a non-profit organization, maintains the building and grounds and oversees all activities.
Exhibits include artifacts of early life on Long Beach Island, a Victorian parlour, a kitchen with its many utensils, decoys by a local woodcarver, a bridal gown collection, and scale models of some of our historic buildings. There is also a children’s area plus a large collection of scrapbooks containing pictures of local events on the island.
The Long Beach Island Historical Association produces many events, including walking tours through the historical area, historic trolley tours, craft shows, concerts and a victorian Tea to name a few. They also host free weekly programs throughout the summer on historical topics of interests from historic preservation, shipwrecks, the Pinelands, the Civil War, lighthouses, etc. Visit the website for the schedule of events.
Museum Of NJ Maritime History, Inc.
Dock Road And West Avenue
www.MuseumOfNJMH.com
New Jersey’s Premier Maritime Museum
* Free Admission
* Free Wireless Internet Access
* Largest Collection Of NJ Maritime Artifacts
* Public Lending Library
Barneget Light Historical Society & Museum
West 5th Street & Central Avenue
Barnegat Light, NJ 08006
The Barnegat Light Historical Society Museum proudly displays the original Fresnal lens that once graced the top of the LBI Barnegat Lighthouse. It also has many photographs of Barnegat City (Barnegat Light) during the first half of the twentieth century.
The Museum building was originally the schoolhouse in which early town children received their elementary education from its construction in 1903 through the last class on June 15, 1951.
The building was opened as a museum for the town of Barnegat Light in 1954.
Members of the Barnegat Light Historical Society maintain the exhibits and staff the museum, while the Garden Club of Long Beach Island lovingly cares for the Edith Duff Gwinn Garden.
The Edith Duff Gwinn Gardens
Surrounding the Barnegat Light Museum is one of the most delightful gardens on Long Beach Island. Several years ago, Edith Duff Gwinn and Frances Selover joined forces to beautify this corner of Barnegat Light with a unique and beautiful LBI garden. While both women passed away a few years ago, their successors, members of the Long Beach Garden Club, continue their work today. Here are lovely flowers bathed by the sun and shaded nooks just right for curling up with a book on a warm LBI summer day.
The Edith Duff Gwinn Gardens are a special LBI treat, tucked away in this seaside resort town.
LBI Foundation Of Arts & Sciences (LBIF)
120 Long Beach Boulevard
Loveladies, NJ 08008
The Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (LBIF) was established in 1948, as a non-profit institution by artist Boris Blai. It provided arts and educational opportunities for the quiet island community. He felt that through exceptional art classes, exhibits and other activities the LBIF could engage summer visitors and residents.
Over the years, the organization has developed through the generous support of its memberships which includes 600 families from the MidAtlantic states.
The organization is a vibrant community resource dedicated to providing arts, science and recreation programs to the members, residents and visitors to the area. Including After School Arts Education Program for 9 area schools, an Artists Residency and Retreat Program for NJ Artists, Visiting Artists in Ceramics during the summer season, and special ceramics scholarships and residency opportunities.
Tuckerton Historical Society
35 Leitz Blvd.
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
Since 1982, the Tuckerton Historical Society has been located in the Giffordtown Schoolhouse, an 1884 schoolhouse with a stove, model of the Tuckerton Wireless (1912-1955), antique tools and many other artifacts that pertain to the school.
The museum showcases many artifacts from the early Quakers, Tuckerton, Little Egg Harbor areas, Tuckerton Railroad and Tucker’s Island. In September 2002, the museum received a donation of the “Osborn Papers” from William Birdsall, a descendant of Richard Osborn, a collection of interesting historical documents. The Tuckerton Historical Society produces many events, including Rocking Chair gatherings, historic craft demonstrations, antique flea markets and picnics to name a few. They also host programs throughout the spring through fall on historical topics of interests from local Native American culture, environmental history, Christmas exhibits, etc. Call the Society for the schedule of events.
Berkeley Township Historical Museum
The Berkeley Township Historical Museum is located in the 1890 original Township Hall, and features the private collections of area families and a circa 1900 kitchen. The museum offers guided tours and permanent exhibits. In addition, the museum will be featuring the Al Leitter baseball memorabilia collection.
Ocean County Historical Society
26 Hadley Avenue
The Ocean County Museum is located in the historic Victorian period Pierson Sculthorpe House, built in stages bedtween 1820 and 1866. Their permanent collections depict the life-styles and occupations of early Ocean County families, while changing exhibits help bring to life the many stories of Ocean County.
Exhibits include well-appointed Victorian period rooms, including a kitchen, dining room, music room, kitchen, parlor, bedroom and schoolhouse. The Museum also showcases the history of Lighter-Than-Air aviation at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, local Revolutionary War and Civil War memorabilia, fossils and Native American artifacts, and Barnegat Bay duck decoys.
In addition to books, the library and archives hold a large collection of historic documents, maps, newspapers, cemetery & census records, family artifacts, vital statistics and much more! The Museum also has files on over 500 Ocean County families that are available for genealogical research.
The Ocean County Historical Society produces many programs and events, including bus tours to many historical sites in New Jersey, an Annual Victorian May Fair, Civil War Living History Day, Model Train Display, Antiques and Collectibles Faire to name a few.
Programs such as Founding Fathers Chat and The Thomas W. Middleton Civil War roundtable meet monthly at the Museum to present historical programs.
Visit the website for the schedulr of events: www.oceancountyhistory.org
Toms River Seaport Society & Maritime Museum
78 East Water Street
The Toms River Seaport Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the rich maritime heritage of the Barnegat Bay in New Jersey. Founded in 1976 to preserve where possible and recreate when necessary, the unique history of those bygone days when schooners, catboats and special purpose small craft sailed New Jersey’s coastal waters.
The Barnegat Bay area and the intracoastal waters of New Jersey have produced a number of significant boat types indigenous to the shallow estuaries and bays that provide haven for the feisty blue crab, the flat faces flounder, the elusive bay scallop, and the sweet cherrystone clam.
New Jersey craft such as the Class “A” catboat, Barnegat Bay sneakbox, gunning skiff, and the Egg Harbor Melon Seed are part of the evolution of watercraft which include the Jersey sea skiff, numerous garveys, hay scows, and Sneakboxes that are such an important part of this area’s history.
The Seaport Society sponsors an Annual Wooden Boat Festival in July. This 24 – year old event is one of the largest events of its type on the East Coast and draws over 8,000 visitors. The Society provides off-site presentations on the museum and maritime history throughout the area. They have active educational programs, including special programs for scouting groups, special education students and internships. Hands-on restoration of watercraft is also featured. Their website is: www.tomsriverseaport.com
Colonel Charles Waterhouse Museum
17 Washington Street, 2nd Floor
The Colonel Charles Waterhouse Museum is a non-profit, charitable 501(c)3 organization created to preserve, perpetuate and display artist Colonel Charles Waterhouse’s lifetime body of historical artwork on a visual and experiential endowment to the American public.
Their beautiful 3,000 square foot facility houses a collection of over 300 original paintings, pen and ink illustrations and sculptures, which span our history from Revolutionary times to the present. The museum offers guided tours, a museum store and outreaches to schools and the community.
The Noyes Museum Of Art
733 Lily Lake Road
Oceanville, NJ 08231
Directions: Garden State Parkway South Exit 48 to Route 9 south. Continue south on Route 9 for approximately 6 miles, passing Smithville. After the Great Creek Road intersection, turn left onto Lily Lake Road.
The Noyes Museum of Art (NMA), the only fine arts museum in southern New Jersey, is filled with treasures of American art, especially folk art and crafts. Located just fifteen minutes from Atlantic City and adjacent to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, The Noyes Museum makes the perfect stop for out-of-state visitors or New Jersey residents who are inspired by art and culture and appreciate its beautiful natural setting.
The Museum’s permanent collections, educational programs, and changing exhibitions serve as a local and national resource for schools, colleges, social and civic organizations and for individuals who are interested in expanding their understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of American culture through its fine and folk arts and crafts.
Each year, the Museum hosts an eclectic lineup of exhibitions, public programs and gallery lectures designed to appeal to a wide audience. The NMA’s children’s programming ranges from hands-on creative art classes and special appearances by children’s book authors and illustrators to concerts and seasonal festivals. Established in 1983 by entrepreneurs Fred and Ethel Noyes, the founders of The Towne of Historic Smithville, a once dilapidated 1787 stagecoach stop transformed into a Williamsburg-style tourist attraction—The Noyes Museum today houses a portion of the Noyes’ massive collection of working decoys (originally over 3,500) and examples of fine art. In addition, it showcases contemporary and traditional folk art forms, including works by artists Daniel Garber, Dale Chihuly, Marcia Wilson, Malcha Zeldis, Minnie Evans, Albert Hoffman and Victor Joseph Gatto.
In envisioning their museum, the Noyeses hoped to foster greater public awareness and appreciation of the American arts and crafts movement and to emphasize works created by New Jersey artists, past and present. They saw the tradition of American decoy carving as a natural part of this artistic heritage. This vision largely originated from Fred Noyes’ interests which centered around his personal training as an artist at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the famed Barnes Foundation, and predilection for duck decoys, which he had begun collecting at an early age.
Atlantic City Art Center & Museum
NJ Avenue & The Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Located on Garden Pier overlooking the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk. Free Admission and Parking
Open 10am – 4pm, 7 Days a Week,
Closed on National Holidays
Lorrys Island End Motel
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Seniors awarded at annual Recognition Ceremony
The evening included the announcement of the Class of 2019's Hall of Fame recipients.
On Friday, May 17, the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) held its annual Senior Recognition Ceremony to honor the Class of 2019. The ceremony celebrated personal character, academic excellence and development of skills in each academic disciplines.
Senior Lecturer of Mathematics and Computer Science Dave Andersen served as Master of Ceremonies, Senior Class President Rachel Judson of Lake Charles led the Pledge of Allegiance and Student Government Organization (SGO) President William Heitman of Baton Rouge delivered the welcoming address to his fellow classmates.
“Tonight is a celebration of those who have never stopped asking and never stopped doing,” said Heitman. “Tonight is a celebration of the spirit of our school.”
At the end of his speech, Heitman was given an honorary gavel plaque for his leadership and service to SGO.
Six seniors were inducted into the Robert Alost Hall of Fame. This award, named after the school’s founding director, is considered the highest honor bestowed upon LSMSA seniors, with students being hand-picked by a committee of faculty and residential life staff members.
The six seniors were Marlies Carter of Madisonville, Colt Crain of Zachary, Jayaditya “Jojo” Deep of Natchitoches, Daniel Metzger of Slidell, Casey Tonnies of Bossier City and Benjamin Walker of Mandeville.
Two students, Juan Cecchini of Denham Springs and Esther Seo of Bossier City, received the Spirit of LSMSA award. This award recognizes students whp best exemplifying the pillars of LSMSA school spirit, demonstrating hand-work, perseverance, service, involvement and camaraderie.
Judson, along with Hadley Hines of Baton Rouge, received the Sharon Sturdivant Williams Praecellemus Award. Named after one of the founding members of LSMSA’s administration, these two seniors were selected as best representing the school’s motto, “We Shall Excel.”
The Marvin Lockhart Work Service Award, which was developed in memory of one of LSMSA’s charismatic former employees, was presented to Manjistha Lakhotia of Lafayette and Ishika Patel of Many. Students who receive this are seen as illustrating selflessness, dedication, dependability and an unrelenting desire to help out their peers and those in their community.
Lakhotia was also the winner of the Eric Candell Excellence in Physics Award. The award, created in memory of a 1987 graduate, is granted to a student who has developed considerable mastery in the subject of Physics. In addition to a plaque, she received a $100 check gifted by the Candell family.
Collin Serigne of Cut Off received the Caroline Dorman Scholar Award, which is gifted to a student who demonstrated excellence in biology and related disciplines. The award was named after a local iconic conservationist and journalist who helped establish the Kisatchie National Forest in Central Louisiana.
A new award, the Executive Director’s Above and Beyond Award, was presented to Caroline Adkins, who, among other accomplishments, was responsible for applying for a grant to bring an indoor observation hive to campus. It is one of only a few hives located on a high school campus throughout the state.
Each major discipline—Creative and Performing Arts, Math and Computer Science, Humanities, Languages and Science—granted Excellence Awards to seniors who best epitomized those individual departments. Each department also introduced a chosen Gonfaloniere, or “flag bearer,” who was deemed to embody excellence in that discipline. These students were privileged to carry the Gonfalon for their respective department at the Commencement Ceremony procession.
Christopher Comeaux of Covington received the honor of being the Gonfaloniere for the Creative and Performing Arts Department. Lily Orgeron of Lockport was chosen to represent the Humanities Department. Judson was selected to hold the Languages Gonfalon. Jordan Byrd of Denham Springs was chosen to represent the Math and Computer Science Department. Lastly, Crain was chosen as the Sciences Department’s Gonfaloniere.
Following all of the awards, each senior presented their college choice on stage. Altogether, 56 percent of the Class of 2019 will attend universities in-state, 44 percent will attend schools across the country, two students will study abroad and one student, Ryleigh Scott of the Shreveport, elected to serve in the United States Marine Corps.
The ceremony concluded with a hilarious and heartfelt closing speech by Amaya Young titled “The Start of Something New,” in which she compared her experiences at LSMSA to the popular TV movie “High School Musical.”
“Yes, it’s the end, but it’s also the beginning. In High School Musical 3, their time at East High is over, but now they can look forward to college—new people, new experiences. That’s what I want for you all. Sure, I’ve never met a Troy Bolton that’s a basketball player, singer, actor, dancer, popular, rich and able to get into the best colleges without even trying, but I met some of my closest friends, made some pretty fantastic memories and we all got into some pretty good colleges. Thank you all for contributing to some of my best years, and remember, we’re all in this together.”
LSMSA is still accepting applications for the 2019-2020 school year. To apply, visit www.LSMSA.edu/apply.
Hall of Fame recipients Casey Tonnies, Benjamin Walker, Marlies Carter, Daniel Metzger, Jayaditya Deep and Colt Crain.
Juan Cecchini and Esther Seo hold their Spirit of LSMSA plaques.
Hadley Hines and Rachel Judson stand with their Sharon Sturdivant Williams Praecellemus Awards.
Ishika Patel and Manjistha Lakhotia hold their Marvin Lockhard Work Service Awards. Lakhotia also received the Eric Candell Excellence in Physics Award.
Colligne Serigne received the Caroline Dorman Scholar Award for excelling in Biology.
Caroline Adkins with Executive Director Dr. Stephen Horton. Adkins received a new honor called the Executive Director's Above and Beyond Award.
Gonfalonieres Lily Orgeron, Colt Crain, Christopher Comeaux, Jordan Byrd and Rachel Judson.
Casey Tonnies reveals her Yale University shirt, signifyng that she will be attending the Ivy League school in the fall.
Martel Papillion proudly shows off his LSU gear. He plans to major in Mechanical Engineering when he begins college in the fall.
Amaya Young delivers her closing address 'The Start of Something New.' Her speech received a standing ovation from audience members.
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Rachel Marx
Email: RMarx@mapc.org
Rachel joined MAPC in the fall of 2018 as the administrative assistant. A part of the Operations team, Rachel provides administrative support and manages office procedures to bolster the work and physical space of the agency.
Prior to MAPC, Rachel worked as the Development and Communications Associate at the Philadelphia School Partnership, a Philadelphia-based education nonprofit. There, she assisted in donor stewardship and database management, as well as handling all in-print and online publications for the organization. Before that, Rachel served in various capacities as a City Year AmeriCorps member at a middle school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and as a project leader for a sustainable development and public health initiative for MOCHE, a nonprofit in northern Peru.
Rachel graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a dual degree in creative writing and urban studies.
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Fox News Ignores High-Profile Police Shooting Of Unarmed Latino
Blog ››› March 2, 2015 9:31 AM EST ››› JESSICA TORRES Versión en español
Despite coverage from many major media outlets, Fox News has not reported on the killing of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, who died after being shot at 17 times by police officers in Pasco, Washington. The New York Times has dubbed the shooting a "'Ferguson' moment" for Latinos, given the racial dynamics in Pasco, "a city of 68,000 that is 56 percent Hispanic."
Zambrano-Montes was killed on February 10 after having thrown rocks at passing cars and police. As the Associated Press reported, "Video taken by a witness shows the man running from officers. As the officers draw closer, he stops and faces them. Multiple pops are heard, and he falls, twisting, to the ground as the pops continue."
In contrast to Fox News, MSNBC's Jose Diaz-Balart covered the Pasco shooting on February 20 and February 26, as did CNN host Chris Cuomo on the February 27 edition of New Day.
Huffington Post recently called attention to the continued lack of coverage of police shootings of unarmed Latinos, noting that "Michael Brown and Eric Garner are now household names in the United States. Antonio Zambrano-Montes? Not so much."
Latinos have largely been siloed off from the black community throughout discussions of excessive police force, despite being heavily affected. While it is true that black people are more likely than whites or Hispanics to experience the "threat or use of force" by police, as Mother Jones reported, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) says there were almost 1,000 "arrest-related" deaths of Hispanics from 2003-2009. And even though the BJS and other agencies keep some records on the topic, there is still a "remarkable lack of knowledge about a seemingly basic fact: how often people are killed by the police," according to FiveThirtyEight.
In addition, Fox News has not covered the death of Rubén García Villalpando, another unarmed Latino fatally shot by police officers in Grapevine, Texas, on February 20.
A Media Matters search of Nexis transcripts and internal video archives for "Grapevine," "García Villalpando," "Pasco," "Zambrano-Montes," "Ernesto Javier Canepa Diaz," and "Santa Ana" shows that Fox News has not covered the shooting in Pasco since February 10, the shooting in Grapevine since February 20, or the shooting in Santa Ana since February 27.
UPDATE: Following the shooting deaths of Zambrano-Montes and García Villalpando, a third unarmed Latino was fatally shot by police officers in February. Ernesto Javier Canepa Diaz was killed by Santa Ana, CA,police officers on February 27. As of March 9, Fox News Channel has yet to report on any of these shootings.
Diversity & Discrimination, Inclusion Matters
Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN
Jose Diaz-Balart
Hispanic Media Project, English language version
Our blog section features rapid response fact-checks of conservative misinformation, links to media criticism from around the web, commentary, analysis and breaking news from Media Matters' senior fellows, investigative team, researchers and other staff.
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Drug-Coated Balloon Catheter Approved
News By -- Scott Roberts
MONDAY, Oct. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The first drug-coated balloon catheter designed to clear narrowed or blocked arteries in the thigh and knee has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The Lutonix 035 Drug Coated Balloon Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty Catheter has a balloon coated with the drug paclitaxel, which may help prevent re-narrowing of the affected artery after the clearing procedure, the FDA said.
The device is approved to clear vessels clogged by Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which causes hardening and narrowing of the arteries and limits distribution of oxygen-rich blood. Symptoms may include leg pain, skin ulcers or gangrene.
The device was evaluated in clinical studies involving more than 500 people. In one study after six months, about 72 percent of those treated with the Lutonix device did not require additional treatment for PAD, compared to nearly half of those who had a conventional artery-clearing procedure, the FDA said.
Reported adverse reactions to the device included leg and chest pain, abnormal tissue growth, and patients who required additional treatment.
The device should not be used among people with bleeding disorders, allergy to the drug paclitaxel, breastfeeding or pregnant women, or men intending to father children.
The FDA said that it has ordered that the manufacturer, Lutonix Inc. of New Hope, Minn., conduct two post-marketing studies of the device.
Visit the FDA to learn more.
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Ebola Vaccines May Be Deployed in West Africa by January, Officials Say
TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A pair of promising Ebola vaccines could be deployed against the outbreak ravaging three West African nations by January, experts say.
Rival American and Canadian vaccines are being prepared for possible use in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, but first they have to pass expedited human safety trials in the United States, manufacturers say.
If all goes well, inoculation of frontline health workers in West Africa could begin in early 2015.
On Tuesday, a top official from the World Health Organization (WHO) said it's possible that tens of thousands of doses could be available for "real-world" testing in West Africa by January, the Associated Press reported.
Dr. Marie Paule Kieny, an assistant director general for WHO, said preliminary safety data on both vaccines should be available by December.
Twenty human subjects have already been injected with the American vaccine in one of the safety trials, and by the end of November or early December researchers will know whether it is safe, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The agency is developing this vaccine with drug maker GlaxoSmithKline.
"I don't know if that's going to be the best one, but that's the one farthest along in terms of development," Fauci said.
At the same time, Canada has started shipping its own experimental vaccine to WHO, sending 800 vials for possible use in West Africa.
Those vials are expected to arrive in Switzerland on Wednesday for testing among volunteers in Geneva, Hamburg, Germany, and the African nations of Gabon and Kenya, according to the AP.
"These data are absolutely crucial to allow decision-making on what dose level should go in the efficacy testing in Africa," Kieny said. "We expect, we hope, to have a go-ahead by the end of the month."
That would allow the vaccine to be shipped for use in West Africa immediately afterward.
The Canadian vaccine is being produced by the Public Health Agency of Canada and NewLink Genetics, a U.S. firm that holds the license for the vaccine.
The Canadian vaccine has also entered the human testing stage in the United States, with about 40 volunteers at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Maryland receiving a dose, according to Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose.
The American and Canadian vaccines appear to be the most promising, in that they are far enough along that they might be put into use during the current Ebola epidemic, said Dr. Craig Smith, medical director of infectious diseases at University Health Care System in Augusta, Ga.
"Both of these vaccines are the top choices for availability and production," Smith said. "They're not ready for prime time if it wasn't an emergency situation, but they are the ones the World Health Organization is supporting."
The two vaccines both aim to create immunity to Ebola through the use of a simpler, less harmful virus into which Ebola genetics have been spliced, Smith said.
The American vaccine uses a chimpanzee cold virus, called chimp adenovirus type 3, to deliver Ebola genetic material to human cells. The Canadian vaccine uses a virus common to cattle and horses called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), which is in the same viral family as the rabies virus but causes only flu-like symptoms in infected humans.
The goal of both vaccines is to trigger an immune system response that creates antibodies that will defend the body against Ebola infection. Both have shown promise in animal trials.
There are several other Ebola vaccines in development. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have developed an Ebola vaccine that piggybacks on the established rabies virus vaccine, for example.
But the other vaccines are not likely to be ready in time for this epidemic. "It's not that they aren't good, it's just that they aren't farther along in development," Fauci explained.
It's an open question whether any of these vaccines will be available in time and in large enough quantities to do any good.
Alan Barrett, director of the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said that even with a revved-up testing schedule, "having a vaccine that would have an effect on this epidemic is unlikely. It's just not going to be ready in time."
But if the epidemic is still raging into early 2015 and the vaccines prove safe, Barrett said health care workers likely will be the first people in West Africa to receive inoculations.
"Clearly, you want your health care workers immunized, because otherwise they can't help those who are ill," he said.
Which people next receive the vaccine will be a matter of both scientific and ethical debate, Barrett said. The vaccine must be used in a way that can prove its clinical effectiveness, but with thousands dying it may be difficult to stick to such standards.
WHO likely will use a technique called "cluster randomization" to test the effectiveness of Ebola vaccines, Smith said.
"As the vaccine becomes available, you vaccinate everyone in one village, and then compare their progress to that of other unvaccinated villages," he said. "That way, you're not using placebo. If you go in to vaccinate a village, they know that they are all going to get the vaccine."
Smith said this type of clinical trial is not commonly used "because placebo control studies are the gold standard," but it would likely need to be used in the face of a deadly epidemic.
More than 4,500 people have already died from the Ebola virus, and public health experts have said there could be 10,000 new cases a week by the end of the year if stronger measures to fight the often deadly virus are not taken.
Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on the Ebola virus.
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As you can imagine, the federal audit was a huge job. The auditors spent thousands and thousands of hours at the U.S. Government Records Facility, which is a 1,400-foot-long shoebox containing an estimated 139 billion receipts and what are believed to be George Washington's original teeth. When the auditors were finally finished, they released a report that contained a number of alarming findings, including these:
--It turns out that both ''Lewis'' and ''Clark'' were actually the same person, and he never got farther west than New Jersey.
--Although, according to the U.S. Constitution, there are supposed to be nine members of the Supreme Court, a detailed search of the premises, including under all the desks, turned up only five.
--In one three-month period, the Task Force on Reinventing the Government spent, without any formal authorization or supporting documentation, $141 million on party hats.
--North Dakota is missing. ''We think Canada took it,'' stated the auditors, ''but every time we called up there to ask about it, they just laughed and hung up the phone.''
Now I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, I made up the preceding audit findings. The bad news is, the real audit findings are worse. I am NOT referring to the finding that the government has no idea what happened to billions and billions of dollars.
That is totally understandable. When you're sucking in and spewing out money as fast as the federal government, you have to expect that here and there a billion dollars is going to fall between the cracks. I bet if federal employees took just a few minutes out of their work schedules to look around, they would quickly find a lot of this so-called ''lost'' money.
FIRST FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: OK, I'll just check behind the cushions of this federal employee's lounge sofa here and ... Hey, here's some! Looks like a total of, let me see, two ... three ... four ... Wow! It's $17 million!
SECOND FEDERAL EMPLOYEE: So THAT'S what happened to it!
So I'm confident that the money is around somewhere. What has me concerned is the auditors' finding that the federal government apparently also has lost track of some fairly large items, including -- and I am not making these missing items up -- a $1 million Army missile launcher, two $4 million Navy engines for fighter aircraft, two large Navy tugboats costing $875,000 each and a $460,000 floating crane.
Now, in any organization you're going to have people stealing pens, paper clips, etc. But security has to be pretty darned lax for somebody to walk off with a tugboat.
GUARD: Hey, what's that gigantic bulge under your overcoat with a smokestack sticking out?
THIEF: This? Nothing.
GUARD: OK, then.
What concerns me is, what if we have a defense emergency, and we need these missing items? Are we going to scare the enemy if our fighter pilots have to sit on the runway in engineless planes and make fighter-plane noises with their mouths? Also, if the government doesn't know where its crane is, what ELSE doesn't it know? For example, I was in Washington, D.C., recently, and I walked past a huge building that said ''Department of the Interior''; then a short while later, I walked past ANOTHER huge building that said ''Department of the Interior.'' This has to be a mistake. Why would we need TWO Departments of the Interior? We only have one Interior! Unless we've lost THAT, too.
So I think the government should stop whatever else it's doing until it finds all this missing property. I think a good place to start looking would be my garage. There's a LOT of stuff in there, and I have no idea what most of it is; it would not surprise me one bit if there was a missile launcher in there somewhere. So I say to the government: Come and get it! And while you're here, please take these Supreme Court justices, because they're starting to smell.
Dave Barry’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
Dave Barry's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide
Dave Barry: Democrats arrive and Miami’s climate changes. It’s policy pollution!
By Dave Barry Special to the Miami Herald
It wouldn’t be a presidential election campaign without Dave Barry’s perspective. After the Democrats’ Miami primary debate, he has his own analysis of candidates, their policies and what it means for Florida.
MORE DAVE BARRY
Classic ’00: Dave on speed
Classic ‘00: In Lamaze technique, my power tools are tragically useless
Classic ’00: Safe to come out now
Classic ’99: How I was laid low in the red-light district
Dave Barry’s Year in Review: Is there anything good we can say about 2018?
Dave Barry: Sorry, I'm not feeling funny today — my heart aches for slain journalists
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Purchase Miss Minnesota Tickets Now
It's time! Miss Minnesota and Miss Outstanding Teen competition tickets are on sale now!
Miss Minnesota and Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Pageant - Night 1
Eden Prairie Performing Arts Center
17164-17198 Valley View Rd, Eden Prairie, MN 55346
Doors at 6:30 PM, Show at 7:00 PM
Miss Minnesota and Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Pageant - Night 2
Miss Minnesota and Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Pageant - Final Night
Cara Mund, Miss America 2018 to attend Crowns and Gowns Ball
You are invited to spend a magical evening at the Crowns & Gowns Ball, honoring the 70th anniversary of the crowning of Minnesota's first Miss America, BeBe Shopp in 1948. The event will be held at the Radisson Blu at the Mall of America, on Friday, June 15, 2018, on the eve of the crowning of Miss Minnesota 2018!
Sister to Sister, Miss Minnesota Alumnae, is honored to welcome Cara Mund, Miss America 2018. Also in attendance will be Miss Minnesota 2017, Brianna Drevlow; Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2017, Emily Schumacher; candidates competing for Miss Minnesota 2018 and Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2018; former Miss Minnesotas; and visiting former Miss Americas. Guests will also enjoy the classic sounds of our 40-piece Big Band Orchestra under the direction of Tom Morris.
This will be an exciting evening of pageantry, music, memories, gowns, and crowns fit for a queen! Social hour begins at 6PM with dinner, program, music and dancing to follow.
This event is expected to sell out, so reserve your tickets today!
Update: TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT
2018 Quality of Life Finalists at Miss America - Miss Minnesota
Atlantic City, NJ (September 6, 2017) – On Wednesday, August 31st, the 2018 Miss America Contestants gathered in front of Historic Boardwalk Hall to celebrate the Miss America Competition’s 97th Anniversary. The Miss America Organization is proud to announce the continuation of AtlantiCare, a member of Geisinger, as an Official Sponsor of the annual Miss America Arrival Ceremony for its fifth consecutive year.
Welcoming the contestants to Atlantic City included MAO partners, sponsors, and government dignitaries, including: The Hon. Don Guardian, Mayor of Atlantic City; Mr. Chris Howard, Executive Director, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority; Dr. Marilouise Venditti, MD, Chief Medical Officer, AtlantiCare; Sam Haskell, III, Executive Chairman & CEO, Miss America Organization; Lynn H. Weidner, Chairman of the Board, Miss America Organization; and Josh Randle, President & COO, Miss America Organization.
After each of the 51 contestants took the stage to make their introductions, the Miss America Foundation announced the finalists for the Jean Bartel Quality of Life Scholarship Award, the STEM Scholarship Award, and the Women in Business Scholarship Award on stage.
The 2018 Jean Bartel Quality of Life Award was introduced in 1988 to recognize contestants who excel in their commitment to community service. The winner of the Quality of Life Award will receive a $6,000 scholarship, the first runner-up will receive a $4,000 scholarship, and the second runner-up will receive a $2,000 scholarship — a total of $12,000. The Quality of Life Awards are awarded and funded by The Miss America Foundation, Inc.
The finalists for the 2018 Quality of Life Awards are:
Miss Alabama Jessica Procter
Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey
Miss Kansas Krystian Fish
Miss Minnesota Brianna Drevlow
Miss Mississippi Anne Elizabeth Buys
Miss North Dakota Cara Mund
Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts
The 2018 STEM Scholarship finalists were also announced on stage. The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) scholarships will empower more women to pursue careers in STEM-related fields to lead successful lives. The three recipients of the STEM scholarships will each receive $5,000 each — a total of $15,000. The STEM scholarships are awarded and funded by The Miss America Foundation, Inc.
About The Miss America Organization
The Miss America Organization, a 501(c) 4 non-profit corporation, awards millions of dollars in annual college scholarship assistance making it the largest scholarship program for women in the United States. MAO is comprised of 51 organizations, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia. MAO contestants contribute over 500,000 hours of community service annually and have raised over $16 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals since 2007.
Miss America Serves 2017 is April 8
Atlantic City, NJ (February 23, 2017) – Saturday, April 8th will mark the third annual Miss America Serves event sponsored by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The impact of last year’s efforts succeeded in surpassing the previous year, as our state titleholders and contestants blanketed the country, touching lives everywhere with kindness and dedication. Those efforts made a significant difference to the people residing in our cities and towns across the country, while raising funds to continue the compassionate work of CMN Hospitals. And, as we recognize and acknowledge that success, this year we are determined to increase the commitment to the children the CMN Hospitals serve.
Led by Miss America 2017, Savvy Shields, contestants and volunteers will perform countless acts of kindness and ask their friends, family, and social networks to donate to the Miss America State Scholarship funds and to local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Watch below to see Savvy as she officially opens the 3rd Annual Miss America Serves Donor Site for all!
Help Madeline During Miss America Serves!
Just click the button below!
Make a donation and help us reach our goal of $5,000 for Children's Miracle Network!
This is a tremendous event for all involved with Miss America and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. We can’t wait for the day and know that you share in our excitement.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals across North America. Every year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals treat more than 10 million kids – that’s 32 million hospital visits annually. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through corporate partners and fundraising programs. These donations support research and training, purchase equipment, and provide charitable care, all in support of its mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn why member hospitals rely on community support at CMNHospitals.org.
About The Miss America Organization
The Miss America Organization, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, is the nation’s leading advocate for women’s education and the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women in the United States, awarding millions of dollars annually. The Miss America Organization is comprised of 52 licensed organizations, including all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Miss America contestants contribute tens of thousands of community service hours annually and have raised over $15 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Miss America scholarships since 2007. For more information, visit www.MissAmerica.org.
Miss Minnesota: Kindness is Not a Weakness
Photo by Sarah Morreim Photography
This letter originally appeared in the Minnesota Star Tribune. To view the full article, click here.
A week ago Sunday, I was not crowned Miss America. As it turns out, however, I received an award that I consider to be an honor personally, and maybe it will turn out to mean something to you, my Minnesota family, as well. I’m talking about the Miss Congeniality award. The one that is not televised, or given much hoopla, but is respected enough by the Miss America Organization to be accompanied by a $2,000 scholarship.
Don’t get me wrong. I know Miss Congeniality has a reputation. Kind of a bad rap, really, as the prize that goes to the “nice” girl — the one who has no chance of winning, and as such, is pretty much OK with everyone else. I think kindness is mistakenly seen as weakness, something that lacks pluck and ambition.
But kindness matters. Kindness matters because it is the one thing that brings us closer together as humans. It’s a choice we make in response to the needs of others, and also in response to the knowledge in ourselves that we need kindness, too. We seek connection, experience and community.
Kindness is not about weakness. It’s about strength. Kindness means acknowledging that difficult differences exist — in opinion, in race, in religion, in experience, in culture — and being able to see, as Maya Angelou so beautifully stated, that we are more alike than we are unalike. To act with kindness says “I see you as a part of my tribe. I see your need. I want to help” and that’s hard sometimes. But the hardest things are also the most fulfilling.
We live in a crazy, unpredictable world. These days more than ever, we have the opportunity to close off into our all-too-busy personal lives, to feel overwhelmed by the scope of our differences. It’s easy to look away, to look down at our phones, to ignore the call inside each of us because we are don’t know how to begin.
I am thankful to the Miss America Organization and to the 52 women whose lives touched mine. I am proud to be Miss Congeniality. I hope that we all can strive to be that person who responds to the world with an open gesture of kindness. It’s as simple as a smile, and the opportunities are endless.
Let’s begin here.
Madeline Van Ert
Interested in competing?
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Bill Pollock Show
Missourinet
Your source for Missouri News and Sports
You are here: Home / Sports / Cards home winning streak snapped
Cards home winning streak snapped
Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome celebrated his 32nd birthday with a home run and five RBI as the Cubs snapped the Cardinals nine game home winning streak with a 10-3 win on Sunday.
Todd Wellemeyer, starting against his former team admitted he may have been a bit too jacked up for the start of the game, as he gave up three runs in the first inning. Wellemeyer gave up three straight singles and a double to Derrek Lee before retiring an out. He also gave up a run in the second when he walked in Micah Hoffpauir. That inning included Wellemeyer plunking Alfonso Soriano in the head who would stay in the game. (photo courtesy of Bill Greenblatt, UPI)
Yadier Molina would hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but the Cubs added two more in the fourth. Wellemeyer finished up five innings giving up six runs, five earned. Rick Ankiel also homered off Cubs starter Rich Harden who gave up two runs in six innings, but struck out nine.
The Cardinals remain a game and a half ahead of Pittsburgh as the Cardinals head to Atlanta for a series starting on Monday night.
Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: Baseball, St. Louis Cardinals
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Across Our Wide Missouri
Opinion/Editorials
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Sports Eagles
Vick and Foles to split first-team QB snaps for Eagles
EMILY ROBSON, THE MORNING CALL
Quarterback Michael Vick (7) practices a snap and pass off. The Philadelphia Eagles held their second open Training Camp practice at Lincoln Financial Field Monday afternoon.
Quarterback Michael Vick (7) practices a snap and pass off. The Philadelphia Eagles held their second open Training Camp practice at Lincoln Financial Field Monday afternoon. (EMILY ROBSON, THE MORNING CALL)
Nick Fierro, Of The Morning Call
PHILADELPHIA — Michael Vick tonight begins in earnest the much-anticipated full-contact portion of his quest to re-claim the starting role for the Philadelphia Eagles.
So, however, does Nick Foles.
In what was an explanation that head coach Chip Kelly might have consulted with the country's top lawyers to produce, Vick getting the starting nod at home against the New England Patriots (7:30 p.m., Channel 6) had nothing to do with performance.
"It's his day in the rotation," Kelly said after Thursday's mock game against Patriots, who have been guests of the Eagles since Tuesday. "So Nick started today. We've just been rolling those guys. ... The easiest thing for us was Mike was up in the rotation.
"But we'll make sure the rotation fits next week when we come back, so when we play Game 2 [against Carolina next Thursday night], Nick will be up and he'll start in the second game."
Kelly said the goal is to get Vick and Foles an equal amount of snaps with the first-team offense throughout the first two preseason games.
"We'll try to balance them as much as we can," Kelly said. "Sometimes that doesn't always work the way you want it. Ideally ...we'll split the number of snaps, but we'll do it by series."
Vick opened the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the starter, but Foles was handed the job by former coach Andy Reid late last season, after Vick was sidelined by a concussion. However, Foles suffered a hand injury that kept him out of the season finale, forcing Vick back into action and the leaving the quarterback situation in limbo.
Kelly's arrival in January did nothing to clarify that. In fact, it muddled it more with the subsequent drafting of USC star Matt Barkley and the signing of one of his former quarterbacks at the University of Oregon, Dennis Dixon.
Barkley is expected to play the second and third quarters, with Dixon and G.J. Kinne entering in the fourth.
Kelly has repeatedly said it would do him no good to name a starting quarterback until the staff can properly evaluate both in game situations, meaning it's unlikely Kelly will make a decision until at least Week 3 of the preseason.
As for the plan heading into these first two preseason games, Kelly said he didn't have one heading into camp. It's just that no leader has emerged yet.
"We were going to let it all play itself out," he said. "Right now we felt as a staff, this is the best way for us to go right now."
All of this is new to Vick, the oldest player on the team at age 33, but he's rolling with it.
"You can't complain about the amount of plays that you're going to get," he said. "You have to go out there and try to be efficient with all of them.
"I relish the opportunity I have in front of me. I came back here for a reason, and that was to get better as a football player and to keep driving and to become a consistent quarterback in all areas of the game."
The rest of the first-team offense will have a slightly different look. Left tackle Jason Peters, their top offensive lineman, is still not recovered from a hamstring injury. Starting in his place will be journeyman Allen Barbre, who is playing for his fourth NFL team since entering the league in 2007.
Meanwhile, Dennis Kelly, who showed to be a serviceable backup as a rookie last season, had back surgery and will miss the rest of the preseason, according to the team.
"I thought [Barbre] competed very well the last two days against a pretty good front for the Patriots, so hopefully we'll get a chance to see him," said Chip Kelly, who insisted the decision had nothing to do with any kind of disappointment in guard Danny Watkins, the team's first-round pick in 2011 who not only lost his starting job last season but wasn't even activated for the final five weeks.
With Peters out, Kelly could have moved Todd Herremans out to tackle and plugged Watkins in at guard. But Herremans likely would have had to play the right side, with rookie Lane Johnson switching over to the left side.
Kelly didn't feel comfortable with that many changes for the first game.
"It's about developing depth at tackle," he said. "We know Todd Herremans can start at tackle. With Dennis being out ... that was a concern for us. So we're trying to see if we can develop that and see where that's at ..."
Wide receivers Damaris Johnson and Russell Shepard, who are each dealing with hamstring strains, also could miss the opener, along with running back Felix Jones (hamstring).
The starting defense will have a different look due to injury as well.
Cornerback Cary Williams (hamstring) is not expected to play. Brandon Boykin would start in his place, opposite Bradley Fletcher.
Kelly and Patriots counterpart Bill Belichick on Thursday kept their teams on the field unusually long for a mock game — two hours instead of the usual one.
"Usually the day before a game, it's different," Kelly admitted, "but we felt this was a great situation for us. As we get closer in the preseason and get to the second, third and fourth preseason games, we'll start to mimic the game week that will occur for us as we go through preseason."
nick.fierro@mcall.com
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION
Here's five things to pay particular attention to tonight, when the Eagles open their preseason schedule against the New England Patriots.
1. Receivers. Will Riley Cooper continue to play at the level he's displayed since returning from a leave of absence? What does the team really have beyond Cooper, DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant? If Damaris Johnson and Russell Shepard are too hurt to play, it will create more opportunities for Ifeanyi Momah and Greg Salas.
2. Outside linebackers. Conversion projects Trent Cole and Brandon Graham will be tested in pass coverage by the best in New England QB Tom Brady as they continue to make the transition from defensive ends in the team's former 4-3.
3. Brandon Boykin. The second-year CB and undisputed star of training camp will be playing full-contact football for the first time this summer. If he continues at the same level, it will be awfully tough to deny him a starting spot.
4. Danny Watkins. A struggling guard whose career could be on the line. Was a first-round pick two years ago. Now he's running with the second team. He will go one way or another by the end of the summer, but he won't stay the same.
5. Matt Barkley. Forget about the starting QB competition between Michael Vick and Nick Foles. That won't be decided for some time anyway. But third-teamer Barkley is expected to play two full quarters against a defensive mastermind in New England coach Bill Belichick, which would give him way more live repetitions than he gets in a typical practice.
Eagles draft target: WR Kelvin Harmon of N.C. State
Eagles draft target: DT/DE Christian Wilkins of Clemson
Eagles draft target: OL Cody Ford of Oklahoma
Matt Barkley
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National Theatre Live / Shakespeare's Globe
National Theatre Live is the best of British theatre, performed in London and presented in Wisconsin Rapids by McMillan Memorial Library. Though each broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre, cameras are carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the ‘best seat in the house’ view of each production. Where these cameras are placed is different for each broadcast, to make sure that cinema audiences enjoy the best possible experience every time.
March 15 - Julius Caesar. Recorded before a live audience at The Bridge Theatre, London. Presented as part of ARTiGras 2019. Ben Whishaw (The Danish Girl, Skyfall, Hamlet) and Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) play Brutus and Cassius, David Calder (The Lost City of Z) plays Caesar and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead) is Mark Antony. Caesar returns in triumph to Rome and the people pour out of their homes to celebrate. Alarmed by the autocrat’s popularity, the educated élite conspire to bring him down. After his assassination, civil war erupts on the streets of the capital. Nicholas Hytner’s production will thrust the audience into the street party that greets Caesar’s return, the congress that witnesses his murder, the rally that assembles for his funeral and the chaos that explodes in its wake. Yes, we know its the Ides of March.
October 22 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Based on the novel by Mark Haddon. Christopher, fifteen years old, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world. This play won five Tony's and seven Olivier awards. More...
March 15 - The Merchant of Venice. Filmed before a live audience at the Globe Theatre in London. Portia, a wealthy heiress of Belmont, is forced to set her suitors a challenge. The winner will win her hand in marriage; the losers will lose her hand and much more. In Venice, the epicentre of consumption, speculation and debt, Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio to finance his attempt. Antonio, in turn, takes out a loan from the moneylender Shylock. The loan will be repaid when Antonio’s ships return to the city. But if the ships fail to return, and the money cannot be repaid, Antonio will give to Shylock a pound of his own flesh. And they do fail. And Shylock will have his ‘bond’. In some of his most highly-charged scenes, Shakespeare dramatises the competing claims of tolerance and intolerance, religious law and civil society, justice and mercy; while in the character of Shylock he created one of the most memorable outsiders in all theatre. Double Olivier and Tony award winner Jonathan Pryce plays Shylock in his first appearance at Shakespeare’s Globe.
October 28 - Peter Pan. Captured live at the National Theatre, a recorded performance of JM Barrie’s much-loved tale. When Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, loses his shadow, headstrong Wendy helps him to reattach it. In return, she is invited to Neverland, where Tinker Bell the fairy, Tiger Lily and the vengeful Captain Hook await. A riot of magic, music and make-believe ensues. A delight for children and adults alike, Sally Cookson (NT Live: Jane Eyre) directs this wondrously inventive production, a co-production with Bristol Old Vic theatre.
May 8 - Twelfth Night. Tamsin Greig is Malvolia in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity. A ship is wrecked on the rocks. Viola is washed ashore but her twin brother Sebastian is lost. Determined to survive on her own, she steps out to explore a new land. So begins a whirlwind of mistaken identity and unrequited love. The nearby households of Olivia and Orsino are overrun with passion. Even Olivia's upright housekeeper Malvolia is swept up in the madness. Where music is the food of love, and nobody is quite what they seem, anything proves possible. More information at the National Theatre website.
April 17 - Saint Joan. Joan: daughter, farm girl, visionary, patriot, king-whisperer, soldier, leader, victor, icon, radical, witch, heretic, saint, martyr, woman. From the torment of the Hundred Years' War, the charismatic Joan of Arc carved a victory that defined France. Bernard Shaw's classic play depicts a woman with all the instinct, zeal and transforming power of a revolutionary. Sponsored by the Library Endowment. More information at the National Theatre website.
March 16 - Amadeus. Music. Power. Jealousy. Lucian Msamati (Luther, Game of Thrones) plays Salieri in Peter Shaffer’s iconic play, broadcast live from the National Theatre, and with live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia.Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a rowdy young prodigy, arrives in Vienna, the music capital of the world – and he’s determined to make a splash. Awestruck by his genius, court composer Antonio Salieri has the power to promote his talent or destroy his name. Seized by obsessive jealousy he begins a war with Mozart, with music, and ultimately, with God. Sponsored by the Mead Witter Foundation. More information at the National Theatre website.
January 23 - Les Liaisons Dangereuse. Former lovers, the Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont now compete in games of seduction and revenge. Merteuil incites Valmont to corrupt the innocent Cecile de Volanges before her wedding night but Valmont has targeted the peerlessly virtuous and beautiful Madame de Tourvel. While these merciless aristocrats toy with others’ hearts and reputations, their own may prove more fragile than they supposed. Sponsored by the Library Endowment. More information at the National Theatre website.
The National Theatre in London is dedicated to making the very best theatre and sharing it with as many people as possible. In fulfillment of its mission, it has launched a service to broadcast live and recorded performances to cinemas and other venues around the world. McMillan is one of only three public libraries internationally to participate in this program.
Each broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre, with cameras carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the ‘best seat in the house’ view of each production. Where these cameras are placed is different for each broadcast, to make sure that cinema audiences enjoy the best possible experience every time. Due to the time zone difference and to best fit within the Library's schedule, showings at McMillan are delayed from the original broadcasts. As with all Library events, admission is free. Seating in the theater may be limited. Doors will open 45 minutes before show time. These programs are sponsored by the McMillan Memorial Library Endowment Fund.
“The Library has expanded its weekly film series to incorporate a once-a-month film festival of regional, documentary, limited release and foreign films” said Library Director Andy Barnett. “We wanted to build on that by presenting the best of British theatre to our community.”
For Educators - The National Theatre has created PDFs, lesson plans and video learning resources which can be freely used by anyone. You can find them at https://nationaltheatre.org.uk/schools - just click on the relevant production and scroll down to the video and document links. You won’t need to be logged in to access these, but some video content is not available in the U.S. The National Theatre also has a variety of other free learning resources linked through their main website. Go to https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/backstage and on the bottom of the page are links to YouTube, iTunes U and SoundCloud accounts with multimedia content. Their Learning page - https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning also has lesson plans and packs for a number of past productions.
September 29 - The Audience.
November 3 - Frankenstein.
December 1 - Hamlet.
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State to better track guns used in crimes as violence soars
by: Janay Parrott
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office launched an effort Thursday to improve the use of firearms databases, so law enforcement can better track guns used in crimes and, ultimately, clamp down on gun violence.
The move comes amid a surge in such violence in Philadelphia. The city’s rate of homicides this year is about the same as it was in 2018, when Philadelphia recorded 349 of them, the most since 2007.
Speaking at a news conference in Erie, Attorney General Josh Shapiro called gun violence a “public health epidemic.”
To attack it, he wants police departments to enter serial numbers from every gun used in a crime or seized by police into a federal law-enforcement database, so its original seller can be identified and the information shared with other law enforcement agencies.
“Because this information is not shared, we actually have no idea how many crime guns were recovered in Pennsylvania last year, and that makes us all less safe,” Shapiro said.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and criminologists say tracing the source of every gun used in a crime can provide leads to gun traffickers or illegal sellers and purchasers. But law enforcement analysts say that not every police department in the U.S. traces all such firearms.
Pennsylvania law requires guns used in crimes to be traced, and information can be submitted various ways to the ATF.
About 433 out of about 1,100 law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania are using eTrace, an internet-based system that allows law enforcement agencies to submit traces to the federal agency, the attorney general’s office said.
Of those, just 63 allow other police departments to see what they submit to the tracing system, the office said.
David Chipman, a retired ATF agent and now senior policy adviser for the Giffords Center, said Pennsylvania is following in the footsteps of New Jersey , when it became the first state to require police to trace every gun seized and to share that information with the state attorney general.
That should be a baseline requirement of police departments, Chipman said. But he acknowledged that some don’t have the resources while others may simply not understand the value of sharing information.
“Being able to see the big picture of what everybody is seeing allows you to see the whole pie as opposed just to your compartmentalized slice,” Chipman said.
Most guns used in crimes change hands multiple times, and a small number of firearms are used in a large number of crimes, Shapiro said.
Shapiro also said his office wants retailers to submit gun-sale records electronically to get rid of a police backlog of paper records that are waiting to be entered into a database.
That will allow law enforcement to more quickly trace guns used in crimes, Shapiro said.
One source of the guns is the theft of legal guns from homes and vehicles, and part of the initiative will be to emphasize safe gun storage, Shapiro’s office said.
In the meantime, Shapiro said his office is helping assemble an investigative team to target illegal gun trafficking that includes federal agents, some county prosecutors, and the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh police departments.
CHICAGO (AP) — Police say an expert from Florida has captured an elusive alligator in a Chicago public lagoon.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi (goo-lee-EHL'-mee) says the Humboldt Park gator was caught humanely early Tuesday and is in good health.
Top Stories / 12 mins ago
Forecast Discussion 7/16/19 AM: Warming up with shower and storm chances returning
Forecast Discussion / 2 hours ago
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Home Classified Ads Business Directory Photos of the Day Contact Us
By Will Fritz
Murrieta honors retiring city planner
Last updated 7/28/2018 at 4:20pm
Murrieta City Planner Cynthia Kinser is retiring, and the city council paid her tribute with a presentation at their July 17 meeting.
Kinser’s career in public service began in high school, when she helped draft plans for a local water district.
After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in urban planning and development, she went to work for the city of Rancho Cucamonga.
Over the years, she moved from Rancho Cucamonga, to Moreno Valley, to Cathedral City, then back to Moreno Valley, working her way up from planning technician to a full-fledged city planner.
She was hired in Murr...
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What Churches Can Do About Educational Inequality
Nicole Baker Fulgham President of The Expectations Project
https://media.blubrry.com/todaysconversation/p/content.blubrry.com/todaysconversation/TodaysConversation-e3-111515-Baker-Fulgham.mp3
In Today’s Conversation with Leith Anderson, Nicole Baker Fulgham talks about her work helping faith communities close the academic achievement gap in public schools.
In this podcast, you’ll hear from an education policy expert on:
What the term “education inequality” means and looks like;
The achievement trend lines in American classrooms;
Her personal background growing up in Detroit; and
How churches are uniquely positioned to respond to education inequality.
Read a Portion of the Transcript
Leith: I have a whole list of questions that I want to ask you, but I’m going to dive into the deep end, and that is “education inequality” and “academic achievement gap.” So these are big concepts, so help us who are not official educators to understand, what do these phrases mean? What does it look like?
Nicole: Sure. What it looks like is that we essentially in our country still have — despite, you know, decades now past school desegregation, we still have — two separate and pretty unequal school systems in our public schools. And so that looks like kids in a wealthier community — a suburban community often — are going to fantastic schools. The buildings are bright and shiny. They’re well resourced. The teachers have graduate degrees. And they have advanced placement classes for the students. And not surprisingly many of those kids are going on to college and becoming very successful. And you contrast that with schools in low income communities where families are struggling financially and the schools are very different. They physically generally look different. But beyond that, the expectations are often lower for kids in those communities and in those schools. And they may not have the resources, and the advanced classes, and supplies, and everything that we know is necessary to make sure that kids achieve. And not surprisingly in low income communities, about half the kids don’t graduate from high school, and only about 10 percent will graduate from college. And we see this in city and city across the United States where you can literally look at an income background for a particular zip code — the average family income — and there is a pretty direct correlation to the number of kids that are graduating and going on to college. And that is a massive inequality in our school system, and that’s what many of us refer to as “inequality” and the “achievement gap.”
Leith: And we’re talking big numbers here. I think there’s something like 16 million children who are growing up in poverty. Is that right?
Nicole: There are 16 million as last count. And the poverty line, as I think we all know, is very low in this country, right? So we’re talking families that are very much struggling economically, and half of those kids won’t graduate from high school. And so it affects those 16 million kids who are living in poverty, but also millions more who are living sometimes just above the poverty line and are the working poor in our country, and their schools are often struggling as well.
Leith: And is there a trend line here? Is it stable? Is it getting better? Is it getting worse?
Nicole: You know it’s actually been pretty stable since we started collecting this data a few decades ago, and in some cases the gaps have gotten wider, actually, between either racial groups or income groups. And there are a few pockets of places where we see things starting to improve in certain districts around the country. And in schools we certainly see improvement where schools in low income communities are exceeding all of those expectations. So we know we have examples all around the nation of things that are working, which really proves the potential, right, that kids in every community have. But the challenge is getting those examples of success to scale and having more people that are invested in ensuring that that happens for all of God’s kids.
Leith: What I personally find both sobering and sad is that if you’re talking 16 million children, the consequences of this for our society — a generation out — are significant, but it’s sad for children whose lives are completely going to be impacted by what they didn’t get when they were preschoolers or elementary school students.
Nicole: Absolutely. And these academic disparities start — as you said — literally in preschool, where we see kids who don’t have access to a preschool at all, compared to parents who were blessed and fortunate to be able to send their child to the best preschool in the local area that may cost you $15,000 a year or $20,000 in some cases. So those kids end up going to kindergarten incredibly well-prepared, and some kids end up in kindergarten who have never learned how to hold a pencil or can’t identify letters. And so the disparity starts so young. And it’s heart breaking, because we know as Christians that we’re all made in God’s image and we have potential and a purpose and a plan. And I believe our education system is one of the ways that God helps all of us identify a part of our purpose, right? When it’s good, you can sort of identify, “Oh goodness, look, I’m gifted in math, maybe I’ll be an engineer.” Or “I’m a really strong writer, perhaps I’ll be a journalist.” But when you can’t tap into that, it really does potentially change the path for millions of kids, and it’s heart breaking.
If you enjoyed the program, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That will help get the word out and raise the visibility of the show.
Nicole Baker Fulgham is the founder and president of The Expectations Project, a nonprofit organization that develops and mobilizes faith-motivated advocates who help close the academic achievement gap in public schools. She previously served with the national staff for Teach for America where she held several key leadership roles, including vice president of new site development, vice president of teacher training and support, and vice president of faith community relations. She received an Ed.D. from UCLA with a focus on urban education policy and teacher preparation.
Declaration for Public Education
Update: Moss v. Spartanburg County School District
Moss v. Spartanburg County School District
Update: Morgan v. Plano Independent School District
Morgan v. Plano Independent School District
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Google and Facebook Ads for Small Business
Date : September 12, 2016
Our recommendation to small business: Invest in Google and Facebook Ads. Clicks and lead generation are paid but Top of Mind Awareness is free.
Google and Facebook are the Internet advertising leaders. In 2015 Google revenue was $ 75,000 million and more than 95% of this revenue came from Google advertising product called AdWords. Facebook revenues in 2015 was USD $ 18,000 million and more than 95% of this revenue came from Facebook advertising product called Facebook Ads. There is an oligopoly in the Internet advertising industry. These two companies control the business, and small business can take advantage of this reality.
The Google advertising product is called “AdWords” and it has two categories, Google AdWords Search and Google AdWords Display. Google AdWords Search is the advertisement that appears on the first page of Google search results highlighted as sponsored. Google AdWords Display is the advertisement that appears at the websites we browse; in text, image or video format; and segmented by age, sex, interests, topic, keywords, and websites addresses. AdWords is an advertising model that is called PPC (Pay Per Click), that is, the advertiser pays Google for advertising only when the user clicks on the ad, otherwise the advertiser does not paid Google for displaying the ad. Top of mind awareness is free. In traditional advertising top of mind awareness is paid.
Google advertising allows companies to be at the top of the search results in their countries when users search for your products or services on Google.
Facebook advertising product is called “Facebook Ads” and it is the advertisement that appears in the Facebook profile pages highlighted as sponsored. It is also a PPC advertising (Pay Per Click), the advertiser pays Facebook for advertising only when the user clicks on the ad. Displaying the ad is free of charge. Top of Mind Awareness is free once again as in Google AdWords.
Facebook advertising allows small businesses to present their products and services to users on their pages or Facebook profiles. Ads campaigns can be segmented by users according to demographic, personal, social, and psychographic variables such as country , city, sex, age, specific interests, language, level of study, workplace. It is a very effective and efficient advertising for small business, overall for B2C small businesses.
Google AdWords and Facebook Ads investment amounts are very low compared with investment needed to advertise in traditional media such as radio, TV, and print media.
Both Google and Facebook offer advertisers the campaign statistics for advertisers to know all the metrics and measure the return on investment in advertising campaigns.
Our advice to small businesses is to maintain throughout the year two digital advertising campaigns, one in Google AdWords and the other on Facebook Ads, and thus may reach out to their target audiences with their messages with a low budget.
Google AdWords and Facebook Ads are probably nowadays the most efficient and efficacy advertising available in the market for small businesses.
Thanks for reading and sharing this article. We will meet you again in our next article.
This article was written by Julio Sanoja Rial, CEO & Founder at LeAds, a Digital Marketing Agency for Small Business that you can visit at www.msalesleads.com
https://www.msalesleads.com/inbound-marketing-for-b2b-small-business/
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Home›Reviews›Photo Blog Show Reviews›Documentary about legendary Cavern Club premieres in Los Angeles, CA
Documentary about legendary Cavern Club premieres in Los Angeles, CA
Photo Blog Show Reviews, Reviews
by Alex Kluft
During Brit Week in Los Angeles, CA, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills hosted the world premiere of the documentary The Cavern Club: The Beat Goes On. To most people, the Cavern Club is best known for being the venue where the Beatles got their start. There’s much more history, however, to the Cavern Club than most realize.
The documentary takes viewers from the opening of the club in 1957 all the way to present day. The Cavern Club’s roots began with the club Le Caveau de La Huchette in Paris, France. Le Caveau opened post-World War II in 1949 — almost a decade before the Cavern Club opened. It was that very club that inspired original Cavern Club owner Alan Synter to create his own venue of similar nature. The Cavern Club originated as a jazz club and transitioned into a rock club as rock n' roll dominated the industry.
The Beatles' history began at the Cavern Club in 1957 with John Lennon’s original band the Quarry Men. Less than six months later, Paul McCartney joined the Quarry Men. Two years after that, Rory Storm and The Hurricanes, along with their drummer Ringo Starr, played the club. By 1961 The Beatles performed for the first time as Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best. The Cavern's story doesn't end once the Beatles take America by storm with their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Its legacy still lives on as it is still an active venue to this day. Once the British invasion led by the Beatles began, rock legends like the Rolling Stones and Yardbirds went off to play at the Cavern. The documentary discusses every era of the club and each owner’s contribution up to the present day. The popular location has hosted artists of nearly major genres.
From bankruptcies to the original Cavern meeting demolishment, nothing stopped the club from making a come back. In 1973 the club moved just a few yards away and later the original was demolished. There was even a protest by the club's fans to save the original venue. After more ownership changes, the Cavern Club finally returned to its original home after the arches to the club were discovered and the basement where this legendary club once stood was restored back to its glory days. The original bricks found after the demolition were also used to bring the club back to life.
Paul McCartney returned in to play the cavern once again in 1999, but with a band including Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Deep Purple's Ian Paice. Featured in the documentary are members of the groups that played there in the early days such as the different owners/ family of owners. Following the screening was a performance by the Liverpool Beatles, which is the Cavern’s resident Beatles Tribute band.
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Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band at the Greek Theatre
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Home / Events / Pre-Valentine’s Day Chocolate Primer at Whaling Museum
Pre-Valentine’s Day Chocolate Primer at Whaling Museum
Michael Silvia February 2, 2013 Events Leave a comment
The “Chocolate Primer,” which was slated for Saturday, February 9 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum has been rescheduled to AHA Night, Thursday, February 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The free public event will feature talks by two chocolate historians and sampling of authentic colonial chocolate beverage recipes.
Impress your Valentine with your knowledge of chocolate at the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s “Pre-Valentine’s Day Chocolate Primer,” on Saturday, February 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The free public event features talks by two chocolate historians and sampling of authentic colonial chocolate beverage recipes in the Jacobs Family Gallery.
Chocolate became a highly regarded addition to ship’s fare on whaling and merchant vessels according to “Chocolate: History Culture and Heritage,” a definitive 1000-page reference on chocolate and its development as a global industry. Two of the book’s contributing authors will talk in the Cook Memorial Theater. The book is available in the Museum store.
Christopher Kelly will present: “Chocolate at Sea: Use Aboard Whaling and Merchant Ships in the 19th Century” at 11:00 a.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.
Timothy D. Walker, Ph.D., will present “A History of Chocolate in early New England: Where does cocoa come from and how was it made?” at 1:00 p.m. in the theater.
Christopher Kelly is a writer musician, and filmmaker. A graduate of UMass Dartmouth’s History program, he conducted research on the use of chocolate aboard nineteenth century New Bedford whaling voyages.
Dr. Walker is an Associate Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he is also the Fulbright Program Advisor for faculty and students. He has served as Associate Director of the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture, is a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Portuguese Studies, and is an Affiliated Researcher of the Centro de História de Além-Mar (CHAM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. A New Bedford resident, Dr. Walker is a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow.
The program is sponsored by American Heritage Chocolate® – part of the historic division of Mars, Incorporated – which manufactures chocolate products using authentic colonial recipes made only from ingredients available during the 18th century, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, orange and vanilla. American Heritage Chocolate products will also be available for sale, with demonstrations and free samplings at 10:00 a.m. and noon.
Admission is free to the Pre-Valentine’s Day Chocolate Primer. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Regular admission rates apply to the Museum galleries.
Photos from last year …
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. For a complete calendar of events: www.whalingmuseum.org.
About Michael Silvia
Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Owner of New Bedford Guide.
@NewBedfordGuide
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New Bedford Festival Theatre is proud to host acclaimed actress Taylor Schilling as its Guest …
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Read handy guide for everything you need to know about this year's festivals
We Are FSTVL. Picture: Paul Underhill
Copyright © Paul Underhill 2014
With the music festival season almost upon us, we've launched an online guide to help you navigate the many on offer.
Our Summer Festivals Guide features handy previews to more than 30 fantastic festivals in London and beyond, from the larger well established events, such as Wireless and Bestival, to the lesser known, smaller offerings.
Over the coming weeks the site will also include festival news, keeping you up to date with all the latest line-up announcements, and interviews with leading and breakthrough artists, as well as the people who work behind the scenes to make it all happen.
That’s not all – we’ll look at which festivals are best for families, feature on-trend festival fashion and share our festival memories, from watching Bob Dylan at Blackbushe in 1978 to waking up in a flooded tent at Glastonbury.
Festivals are about much more than just the music, and the guide will take a look at the host of other attractions on offer, from theatre and comedy to paint fights and spas.
And of course our reporters will be reviewing the events, letting you know who wowed the crowds, and who made the one hour-long queue to the toilets seem more appealing.
To mark the launch of the guide we’re offering readers the chance to win tickets to the Isle of Wight Festival, held in Newport from June 11 to 14.
To read our guide and to enter the competition click here. You can also find our guide by clicking on the festival logo on our home page.
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Trump opens up
(Jim Cole, AP)
Trump taps Nikki Haley as US ambassador to UN
Dalai Lama has 'no worries' about Trump's election
Trump not interested in further Clinton probe
Washington - Donald Trump signalled Tuesday his campaign trail dismissal of the threat of climate change may have been hot air after all, saying he was "open minded" on supporting global accords.
The US president-elect emerged from cabinet-building talks in his Trump Tower headquarters and travelled ten minutes across town to The New York Times to give a wide-ranging interview on his plans.
He disavowed "alt-right" activists who hailed his election as a victory for white supremacy, distanced himself from calls to prosecute Hillary Clinton and defended his global business empire.
And he appeared to soften his pledge to pull the United States out of accords such as last year's COP21 Paris Agreement, that binds countries to national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"I'm looking at it very closely. I have an open mind to it," he told New York Times executives and journalists over lunch at their headquarters, according to the paper's own account.
Campaigning ahead of November 8, Trump repeatedly told crowds of rust belt and southern voters - factory workers, coal miners and oilmen among them - that he would tear up international climate agreements.
As far back as 2012 he had tweeted: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive."
Now elected and due to become president on January 20, when he was confronted by Times columnist Thomas Friedman he admitted there may be a link between human industry and global warming.
"I think there is some connectivity. Some, something. It depends on how much," he said, adding he would nevertheless remain concerned about how much green measures would "cost our companies."
Nazi salutes
The New York Times sit-down, which followed a reportedly hostile off-the-record clash with TV network chiefs on Monday, appeared to represent a perhaps temporary truce with the hated media.
Trump regularly - as recently as earlier Tuesday - insults the "failing New York Times" in tweets, but distanced himself from threats to toughen libel laws and engaged cheerfully with the paper.
"I do read it. Unfortunately," he admitted. "I'd live about 20 years longer if I didn't."
He also, under repeated questioning, denounced the so-called alt-right, after leaders of the movement met in Washington at the weekend and celebrated his victory with Nazi salutes.
He insisted, somewhat controversially, that his sprawling global business empire does not represent a conflict of interest for a president - at least not according to lawyers he has consulted.
"The law's totally on my side, the president can't have a conflict of interest," he told the paper.
Trump also said that he was reconsidering his position favouring the authorisation of torturing detainees after sitting down with retired general James Mattis over the weekend to discuss naming him as secretary of defence.
He reported that he would "love" to clinch a deal to end the intractable conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, but on the bloodshed in Syria, Trump was more vague, saying "we have to end the craziness that's going on."
Trump gushed in his admiration for President Barack Obama, whom he will replace in the White House, telling the paper, despite the aggressive tone of his campaign, he had been honoured to meet Obama. And he stepped back from threats to prosecute his defeated rival Clinton.
During the campaign, Trump had accused Clinton of illegally destroying email records to cover up wrongdoing and alleged fraud at her charitable foundation - as his fans chanted "Lock her up."
Special prosecutor
Trump was asked by The New York Times whether he stood by a threat, made to Clinton's face in their second debate, to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate her.
"I think it would be very, very divisive for the country," the president-elect admitted.
In common with his predecessors, the Republican billionaire has been in no hurry to name a cabinet, leaving the reporters gathered under Trump Tower chasing after rumours as he holds court above.
And if the Washington political class was expecting the populist provocateur of the campaign trail to hire a top team from the institutional mainstream, it could well be disappointed.
His picks include a chief strategist who is a self-described "economic nationalist" and a national security adviser who -- eased into retirement by Obama - went to dine with Vladimir Putin.
And why would Trump, a 70-year-old tycoon and reality television star whose defiance of political norms led him to win the world's highest office in his first foray into an election, change now?
According to two opinion polls published Tuesday, a majority of voters are optimistic that his efforts to "make America great again" will lead the nation to a brighter future.
According to data from Quinnipiac University, most voters think he should stop tweeting but, by a margin of 59 to 37, most "are optimistic about the next four years with Donald Trump as president."
A similar CNN/ORC poll found a narrow majority, 53% of voters, thought Trump would do a good job.
Late Tuesday, Trump arrived for a family Thanksgiving break at his golf resort in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where onlookers lined the street, taking pictures and cheering as his motorcade pulled in.
Read more on: donald trump | us | climate change
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Generation Trainspotting: Why heroin and crack use is soaring among the middle-aged
By Aimee Stanton
Monday, 06 May, 2019, 18:00
“I’m quite lucky to still be around,” says ex-heroin and crack cocaine user Les Chandler.
Les began taking drugs at just 13 years old and by his fifties he was on five different substances, had tried rehabilitation six times, had two marriage breakdowns and had spent time in prison.
“I was close to death,” he says.
Now aged 62, he has now been clean for more than five years.
He said over the years he had tried rehab numerous times but “often walked out after a few weeks”.
“The crossing point came when the agency I was at in London asked if I would like another go at detox and rehab.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t really want to but I had a partner at that time who seemed more concerned that I did, thankfully, and she kept nagging me to go."
‘I sort of realised I was getting old’
“Once I came off this time, my thinking got clearer and I looked at what I had done to myself. I thought, I’m lucky to still be alive. It all sort of hit home.
“I sort of realised I was getting old as well. It crept up on me. When you’re using opiates you’re living in sort of a deluded world and you don’t take anything on.
“It was a bit of a shock and I think that was the turning point. If I had carried on much longer I would have died.
“You’re living in sort of a deluded world and you don’t take anything on," says Les Chandler. Image: Addaction
“And my thinking when I was still using was, I’m going to die anyway, why stop now? That was how my thinking was before I went into detox.
“When I came out I asked myself, ‘Do I really want to die?’
“Luckily there was an answer inside that said no. That little flame has grown over the past five years as I’ve nurtured it.
“There’s more to Les Chandler than drugs and dying.”
Britons are having less sex than a decade ago - with fewer than half getting it once a week
His story is not an isolated case.
Analysis of official data by the JPIMedia Data Unit shows a large rise in the number of middle-aged opiate and crack cocaine users in Britain.
Experts say people’s struggles to overcome drug problems from the heroin and crack epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s is behind this rise in the number of users in their forties, fifties and sixties, often referred to as the ‘Trainspotting generation’.
Although Les has stopped using drugs, they have left him with a number of health problems, such as deep vein thrombosis in his legs caused by needle use. He also has a pacemaker.
Charities and health professionals warn that the risks of drug abuse heighten with age.
‘We can’t be fatalistic about this group’
“These statistics reflect a group of people who started using heroin or crack cocaine in the 1980s and 1990s,” explains Steve Moffatt, of drug and alcohol charity Addaction.
“Many of them have struggled to leave the drugs behind and have had really tough lives.
“They face higher risks of overdosing alongside health issues like lung problems and Hepatitis C.”
Moffat said that heroin and crack cocaine users are more likely to also have an alcohol problem, smoke cigarettes and have poor nutrition.
“We can’t be fatalistic about this group - and we need to do better,” he says.
“People can make a change at any point in their lives if we make sure we’re there for them with the right kind of support. That’s why it’s really important that people know where to go for help if they need it.”
Elinor Dickie, a public health adviser at NHS Health Scotland, says Scotland is seeing a rise in drug-related deaths and each one is a tragedy.
“No-one chooses to become drug-dependent,” she says.
“Deprivation and inequality create difficult conditions in which people live, and problematic drug use is commonly a sign of these complex social circumstances.
“The evidence shows that our first line of defence against drug-related deaths should be to reduce harm – accessing support and entering effective treatment is a key component of this.”
Hundreds of thousands of middle-aged drug abusers
There is now estimated to be more than 200,000 opiate and crack cocaine users aged 35 to 64 in England alone.
The number rose by 39 per cent in the six years to 2016/17, JPIMedia analysis of Public Health England data shows. In contrast, the number of 15- to 34-year-olds using the drugs fell by 27 per cent, to 113,785.
In Scotland, the number of people aged 35 to 64 hooked on opiates or tranquillisers rose by 45 per cent to 36,500, in the six years to 2015/16, while the number of younger users fell.
However, the same trend was not found in Northern Ireland which, health experts say, was far less affected by the heroin epidemic.
Davis Turkington, of Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency, says: “We wouldn’t have seen much heroin use in the ‘80s largely because of the Troubles.
“People who used heroin were at risk of being targeted by paramilitaries. Many of them would have moved across to England or Scotland.”
Analysis of official data shows only one in five people (20 per cent) seeking treatment for heroin use in Northern Ireland in 2016/17 were aged 40 or over.
No data was available on the use of heroin and crack cocaine by different age groups in Wales.
‘There’s still life in you’
Les, from London, now volunteers with Addaction as a mentor for others and is about to finish a degree in counselling.
He plans to study for a masters degree in trauma.
His advice for others is that while it’s never too late to quit, “don’t leave it any longer”.
“A lot of people [aged] around 50 to 60 have resigned themselves to that life now and think, ‘I don’t need to come off, I’m nearing the end of my life anyway,’ and you just carry on.
“There’s still life in you, you can still turn it around with the right support and make something of the rest of your life,” he says.
“Support is the most important thing for anyone. I’ve tried so many times to stop and stay stopped alone but the only reason it’s worked this time, looking back, is the support I’ve got around me.”
If you would like to find out information about drug addiction support services visit, Addaction, NHS (England only) Drug addiction support services, Drugs and Alcohol NI or The Scottish Drug Services Directory.
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The top 10 resolutions being made by workers this year
Thursday, 11 January, 2018, 07:52
Many of us view the New Year as the perfect chance to make a fresh start. In fact, almost half (45.6 per cent) of the nation’s professionals admit that they have made New Year’s resolutions for 2018.
What’s more, more than three- quarters of those (77.2 per cent) revealed that they have made career or work-based resolutions.
That’s according to CV-Library, whose survey of 1,200 professionals sought to explore what workers want to achieve from their careers in 2018.
From the data, it’s clear that UK professionals are feeling confident about their ability to achieve their goals, with 91.5 per cent believing they will stick to their resolutions.
Workers were asked to share the changes they wanted to implement to their working life this year – and the top 10 include:
Look for a new job – 69 per cent. Exercise before or after work – 31.4 per cent.Change career – 24.3 per cent.Take a packed lunch every day to save money – 18 per cent.Get promoted by the end of the year – 14.5 per cent.Leave work on time – 14 per cent.Make a career out of their hobby – 13.6 per cent.Go back to education – 11.3 per cent.Take a lunch break everyday – 8.5 per cent.Be more social with their colleagues outside of work – 6.2 per cent.
Shuttersctock
The data also explored the effect these resolutions can have on morale, with the majority (82.8 per cent) of professionals stating that having career-based resolutions makes them feel more motivated.
What’s more, over one in four (28.7 per cent) workers have shared their goals with their colleagues, and of those that have, 82.7 per cent said their colleagues are supporting them in achieving their aims.
“With many looking for a new start in January, it’s unsurprising to see that looking for a new job tops the list of resolutions,” says CV-Library founder Lee Biggins.
“It’s also encouraging to see that such a high percentage of workers are confident they will be able to achieve their aims this year.
“January is the perfect time to set yourself career goals, as you return to work after the festive season and get ready for the year ahead.
“These resolutions can be the motivation you need to take the next exciting step in your career, so if you haven’t thought about yours yet, there is still plenty of time to set yourself resolutions for 2018!”
For more career advice, visit www.cv-library.co.uk
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John Oliver Breaks Down the Disturbing Truth of Congressional Fundraising
By Ryan Bort On 4/4/16 at 11:16 AM EDT
John Oliver focused Sunday night's episode of "Last Week Tonight" on how much time lawmakers spend raising money for re-election. YouTube
Culture John oliver Last week tonight
On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver spent just over 21 minutes appalling viewers with statistics and testimony detailing the obscene amount of time, energy and resources lawmakers spend raising money. The segment points out the ways in which the needs of constituents only come into focus if there's time left over after fundraising goals have been satisfied. Sadly, Oliver said, this is to be taken literally.
The Time Spent Fundraising
Lawmakers spend way more time raising funds than most Americans realize. Oliver pointed to a 2011 report by The Hill that estimated that between 25 and 50 percent of politicians' time is occupied with soliciting donations. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in 2014 said that in the two years leading up to an election, money-gathering efforts make up around two-thirds of a lawmaker's schedule. Two. Thirds.
There are more statistics. During the 2014 election cycle, candidates for the House and Senate raised an estimated $1.7 billion. The Sunlight Foundation estimates that during this same cycle, members of Congress held more than 2,800 fundraisers. Toward the end of last night's segment, Oliver spoke with Representative Steve Israel, a Democrat from Long Island, New York, who is retiring partially because he didn't think he could "spend another day in another call room making another call begging for money." Israel told Oliver that in his 16 years in office, he held 1,600 fundraising events. That's one every three days. For 16 years.
These unbelievable testaments to time spent on the phone and glad-handing potential donors are the result of what is essentially a mandate from the parties to churn up money, if not for the lawmaker's own re-election then for dues owed to the party itself. A leaked PowerPoint presentation from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) revealed that an ideal daily schedule consists of four hours of time spent on the phone. Oliver highlighted a 2014 video clip of retiring New York Representative Carolyn McCarthy talking about how, when she was a rookie, she was pulled out of her first committee hearing and told she needed to get on the phone and start raising money.
Oliver summed all of this up: "Washington is like Rod Stewart's haircut: party in the front, party in the back…frankly, too much party and no business anywhere to be found."
How the Money Is Raised
Because lawmakers have to hold so many fundraisers, they have to get creative about the ways in which money is gathered. Building this machine of events and solicitations within their administration is, in terms of time allotted, the biggest part of their job.
Oliver highlighted representatives who have held fundraisers in honor of everything from their birthdays to their wedding anniversaries. There are golf and fishing outings; there are breakfasts, lunches and dinners; there is even the co-option of arena concerts. When Taylor Swift's 1989 tour came to Washington, D.C., lawmakers took it as an opportunity to bring in some sweet cash. Tickets were sold for thousands of dollars.
But the most significant and most time-consuming method for making money is as old-fashioned as it gets: picking up the phone.
The Call Center
Because federal law prevents lawmakers from asking for money from within the confines of their own offices, each party's headquarters features a call center where potential donors can be solicited without repercussions. These call centers are not glamorous. In fact, they sound no different from where you might imagine people are calling about your cable bill. As Israel explained:
You have a bunch of cubicles set up with those cheap fabric dividers. You sit at a little desk, and you have a phone, and you have an assistant next to you and you have a call book. And the call book has sheets of every donor, past donors and their records. And the assistant gets a supporter on the phone and gives the phone to you. And then you engage in polite conversation. And then you get to the point. And then you hang up. And then you flip the page to the next donor. And then you make another call. And you continue doing that until you have the resources in order to get re-elected.
"Oh my God, that's depressing," said Oliver after a few seconds of staring blankly.
But as Oliver pointed out, the most disturbing part about the amount of time lawmakers spend soliciting donations—other than that they're not spending that time, you know, making laws—is that because the people lawmakers are calling are those well-off enough to afford forking over $1,000 or more to a representative, those people's concerns inevitably become the concerns of the lawmakers. As Oliver said, all this time on the phone placating the elite "cannot help but affect the way you see the world."
It's clearly time to call for some reform. Unfortunately, the people capable of enacting those changes have another call to make first.
John Oliver Breaks Down the Disturbing Truth of Congressional Fundraising | Culture
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Bernie Sanders Breaks Fundraising Record
Ben Carson Sees Spike in Fundraising After Muslim Presidency Comments
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Nelson showcases knack for creating offence in Isles series sweep
Chris Lomon
Brock NelsonNew York Islanders
He was once a tall, lanky kid looking to add some size and skill to his game. Mission accomplished for Brock Nelson.
For two seasons at the University of North Dakota, men’s hockey associate head coach Dane Jackson watched the kid from Warroad, Minnesota work tirelessly to develop his on-ice abilities.
These days, Jackson is seeing how all that hard work has paid off.
“It’s fun to watch him and see him playing so well,” said Jackson of the New York Islanders centre, who along with his team is enjoying a stellar start to the 2018-19 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“He’s always had a great stick and he’s a smart player. He’s always been the guy who has had an offensive knack, that’s for sure. We only had him for two years and we were hoping we’d have him for one more, but for him, it was just a matter of getting bigger and stronger. He was really dedicated to doing everything he could to make himself a better player. He’s done that.”
In those two seasons at North Dakota, Nelson, a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award, given to the top Minnesota high school hockey player, jumped from 21 points in 42 games in his first year to 47 points (28 goals) in 2011-12, his final collegiate campaign.
Drafted 30th overall by the Islanders in 2010, Nelson, after making his NHL debut in the 2012-13 postseason, appeared in 72 games with New York the following year, when he scored 14 goals and recorded 26 points.
This season, the 27-year-old reached the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in the past five seasons. His 53 points was a career-best mark.
“He’s strong on both sides of the puck,” said Jackson. “He has great offensive instincts and has the ability to find offensive pockets in the zone and to find space. He can make plays, too. He’s not just a guy who can score goals. He’s got great spatial awareness, in knowing what’s going on around him. Brock is just one of those guys that knows how to create offence.”
Just like he has in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Nelson scored the eventual game-winner in the Islanders' 4-1 win in Game 3 of its Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against Pittsburgh. In Game 4, he once again scored the winner, to help give New York a sweep of the Penguins. In four games, he’s produced three goals on 12 shots.
Averaging 18:45 of ice time in the post-season, the 6-foot-3, 212-pounder has been a factor at both ends of the rink.
Jackson is impressed, but hardly surprised with Nelson’s performance.
“Not at all, actually,” offered Jackson. “He is one of those players that can do so much anywhere on the ice. And he’s so genuine and down-to-earth. You wouldn’t know he’s an NHL star. He’s got such a laid-back demeanor. He’d be one of the first guys to talk to your kids at the rink.”
It turns out hockey isn’t Nelson’s only strong suit.
“We’ll definitely book a time,” said Jackson of their annual golf outing. “The last few years we’ve met in Minneapolis and played. He’s a good player, a very solid golfer. He’s got that great hand-eye coordination. But we’d be happy to wait for him, though. We missed (T.J.) Oshie (also a North Dakota alum) at our golf reunion last year when the Capitals won the Cup, so hopefully 'Nels' will be playing just as long too.”
Mental health, conservation causes at the heart of Ladd family efforts
There’s no question Andrew Ladd’s annual fishing charity event will make a big difference for two worthwhile charities. The only question mark? Seeing if he can convince a former teammate to get up close and personal with a sturgeon.
My Top 5 | Anders Lee
He’s an offensively gifted forward and respected leader who celebrates his 29th birthday on July 3.
Mental health, art intersect for long-time friends Lehner and Gunnarsson
David Gunnarsson knew the mask he was painting for his friend Robin Lehner was deeply meaningful for the goaltender – but the artist never expected it would have the same effect on him.
Lehner's storybook season, leadership earns team and league's respect
Who’s the most vocal player in the New York Islanders? Lehner’s storybook season recently added a couple of other chapters.
My Top 5 | Mat Barzal
Here are a handful of cool facts about the Islanders' talented young forward. And as you’ll see, five is a perfect number to note when you talk Barzal.
What made Lee a difference maker on and off the ice? Former coach Jeff Jackson offers up his thoughts in this week’s edition of My Top 5!
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Business Day|As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Flock to Small Cars
As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Flock to Small Cars
By BILL VLASIC MAY 2, 2008
Dave Strom of South Boston, Va., bought a Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe, which he says is getting 45 miles a gallon. Credit Karen Tam for The New York Times
DETROIT — Soaring gas prices have turned the steady migration by Americans to smaller cars into a stampede.
In what industry analysts are calling a first, about one in five vehicles sold in the United States was a compact or subcompact car during April, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when sport utility vehicles were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car.
The switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles has been building in recent years, but has accelerated recently with the advent of $3.50-a-gallon gas. At the same time, sales of pickup trucks and large sport utility vehicles have dropped sharply.
In another first, fuel-sipping four-cylinder engines surpassed six-cylinder models in popularity in April.
“It’s easily the most dramatic segment shift I have witnessed in the market in my 31 years here,” said George Pipas, chief sales analyst for the Ford Motor Company.
The trend toward smaller and lighter vehicles with better mileage is a blow to Detroit automakers, which offer fewer such models than Asian carmakers like Toyota and Honda. Moreover, the decline of S.U.V.’s and pickups has curtailed the biggest source of profits for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.
Once considered an unattractive and cheap alternative to large cars and S.U.V.’s, compacts have become the new star of the showroom at a time when overall industry sales are falling.
Sales of Toyota’s subcompact Yaris increased 46 percent, and Honda’s tiny Fit had a record month. Ford’s compact Focus model jumped 32 percent in April from a year earlier. All those models are rated at more than 30 miles per gallon for highway driving.
Dave Strom of South Boston, Va., recently bought a tiny Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe, made by Daimler, the German automaker.
Mr. Strom also owns a pickup truck, which he uses mainly to haul his boat. When he runs errands, he drives his Smart, which he says is getting 45 miles a gallon.
“I had to smile the other day when I filled my tank for $18 and the guy next to me had a Ford Explorer and the pump was clicking past $80,” said Mr. Strom, a 66-year-old retired manager of a Chevrolet dealership.
Previous spikes in sales of smaller cars were often a result of consumers trading down during tough economic conditions or gas-price increases. When the economy improved or fuel prices dropped again — as they did after the oil-price shocks in the 1970s eased — buyers invariably went back to bigger vehicles.
But with oil prices expected to remain high for years, auto industry executives are seeing a turning point.
“The era of the truck-based large S.U.V.’s is over,” said Michael Jackson, chief executive of AutoNation, the nation’s largest auto retailer.
Sales of traditional S.U.V.’s are down more than 25 percent this year. In April, for example, sales of G.M.’s Chevrolet Tahoe fell 35 percent.
Full-size pickup sales have fallen more than 15 percent this year, with Ford’s industry-leading F-Series pickup dropping 27 percent in April alone. Sales of pickups, though, are expected to strengthen with the economy, because of their use as commercial vehicles.
The rise in sales of more fuel-efficient vehicles occurred during one of the industry’s worst months in more than a decade. For the month, G.M. sales dropped 23 percent and Ford slid 19 percent, while Toyota fell by 5 percent. The figures were adjusted for the fact that this April had two more selling days than a year ago.
Another bright spot in the numbers were sales of so-called small crossovers — which look like little S.U.V.’s and are based on car underpinnings.
Like small cars, they also accounted for about 20 percent of the total industry sales for the month, according to the research firm J. D. Power & Associates.
The analysis by J. D. Power also showed that 42 percent of all vehicles sold in April were equipped with four-cylinder engines, compared with 38 percent for six-cylinder engines.
How the downsizing of America’s vehicle fleet will affect fuel consumption is still largely unknown. When gas prices rise, as they are now, many drivers simply drive less to save money.
But there are some indications that the trend toward smaller vehicles will reduce the nation’s fuel use. In California, motorists bought 4 percent less gasoline in January than they did the year before, a drop of more than 58 million gallons, according to the Oil Price Information Service.
“That is an incredible year-over-year drop,” said Tom Kloza, the organization’s chief oil analyst. “Some of it clearly has to do with changes in the vehicle fleet.”
Small cars have traditionally been favorites of young, first-time buyers attracted by their low prices. But sales have been creeping up since 2005, particularly among older baby-boomers whose children have grown.
Crossover vehicles have also drawn in empty-nesters who have less need for a large car, S.U.V. or minivan.
“The first of the baby boomers turned 62 this year, and they’ve started downsizing,” Mr. Pipas of Ford said.
The latest crop of small cars and crossovers also feature the creature comforts and safety features once found only in more expensive models.
Factor in the economic benefits of fuel-efficient engines, and small cars have not only become practical, but trendy as well.
“This shift appears to be a permanent situation,” said Jesse Toprak, chief industry analyst for the auto information Web site Edmunds.com. “These new products have become more fashionable, just like small, fuel-efficient cars are in Europe.”
The low prices on small cars are also luring consumers who are tightening their belts in an economic downturn.
“We wanted to have good fuel economy, but we were equally concerned about the price of the car,” said John Shelby of Phoenix, who recently purchased a Honda Fit for $15,600.
Smaller vehicles, though, mean smaller profit margins for automakers. The drop in pickup sales, because of the slowdown in the housing and construction industries, has been particularly painful for Detroit’s Big Three.
“It’s just a difficult truck market for everybody, ourselves included,” said Mark LaNeve, G.M.’s head of North American sales. “By and large, people are just staying out of that market.”
Automakers ignore the move to smaller vehicles at their own peril. G.M., for example, is playing catch-up by introducing a dozen new cars and crossovers in the next few model years.
With federal fuel-economy regulations increasing to 31.6 miles per gallon by 2015, car companies have another incentive to speed development of smaller vehicles.
“If you look at where the automakers are putting their resources into now, just about everything is going into small cars,” said Tom Libby, senior market analyst for J. D. Power.
A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: As Gas Costs Soar, Buyers Are Flocking to Small Cars. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
How the Industry Fared FEB. 24, 2015
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Middle East|In Jerusalem Unrest, Signs of a ‘Run-Over Intifada’ for the 21st Century
In Jerusalem Unrest, Signs of a ‘Run-Over Intifada’ for the 21st Century
Palestinian youths and Israeli police officers clashing Thursday at the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.CreditCreditIlia Yefimovich/Getty Images
By Jodi Rudoren
JERUSALEM — One cartoon circulating on social networks on Thursday depicted a car as the barrel of an automatic weapon, captioned in Arabic, “Revolt and resist, even by your car.” Another showed an odometer with the slogan, “Oh, revolutionary, use more gasoline, so we can have Palestine back.” A third simply had a vehicle in the red, white and green of the Palestinian flag hitting two men with Jewish stars on their black hats.
The new campaign called for a “run-over intifada,” apparently inspired by episodes Wednesday and last month in which Palestinian drivers plowed into Israeli pedestrians, killing three and injuring more than 20. It intensified discussion of whether the violence that has gripped East Jerusalem in recent weeks, fueled by a struggle over a site in the Old City sacred to both Jews and Muslims, amounted to a third intifada, or uprising, by Palestinians against the Israeli occupation.
Most Israeli and Palestinian leaders and commentators deny there is a new intifada, because the current unrest lacks the coordinated leadership, momentum and mass participation of the stone-throwing protests of the late 1980s or the suicide bombings of the early 2000s. But others say the whole question of whether it is or is not an intifada distracts from the roots and dynamics of a new generation’s rage and hopelessness.
“We are sometimes using the tools of the 20th century to analyze a phenomenon of the 21st century,” said Shimrit Meir, the Israeli editor of an Arabic news site, The Source, who monitors Palestinian social media. “The way I see it is kind of a postmodern intifada. So we might see periods of intense violence followed by long periods of containment and calm.”
The literal meaning of intifada is “shaking off.” Khalil Shikaki, a Palestinian political scientist, defined it as a way “to reject the status quo and to seek to change it through concrete and meaningful steps,” and he said it has come to stand for “a history-making event, a turning point.”
“Could the current conditions escalate to become a ‘turning point?’ I do not see it yet taking that route,” Mr. Shikaki said in an email interview. “For it to become that, it needs a major spark. Is the ground fertile for a ‘turning point?’ The answer is yes.”
The Area That Was Closed by Israel in the Old City
The holy site in Jerusalem’s Old City, which Jews call the Temple Mount and Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary, has long been a flash point in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
The spark that lighted the first intifada came on Dec. 8, 1987, when an Israeli military truck hit cars carrying Palestinian workers returning to the Gaza Strip, killing four. Funerals that night exploded into a huge demonstration, and within days a new organization, the Unified National Leadership of the Uprising, was issuing leaflets calling for general strikes, civil disobedience and boycotts.
Most experts say the second intifada was set off by a visit to the holy site by Ariel Sharon, then a candidate for prime minister, on Sept. 28, 2000. The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, is the same revered plateau at the heart of the current conflict. The ensuing years of violence were directed by the Palestinian Authority president, Yasir Arafat. About 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis had been killed by 2005, a trauma still raw in both societies.
There have been several potential inflammatory episodes in recent months, including the July 2 burning alive of a Palestinian 16-year-old from East Jerusalem, a revenge attack for the abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank. But Ingrid Jaradat Gassner of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem said the underlying conditions had fundamentally changed.
Former grass-roots leaders are now entrenched in the Palestinian Authority or nongovernmental organizations, Ms. Gassner said, with mortgages and other middle-class trappings that make them less willing to take to the streets. Political parties are disconnected from the populace. The separation barrier Israel built after the second intifada, and security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, hamper mobilization.
“People are not willing to take risks and to sacrifice and to leave their daily lives if they do not think that they can accomplish something,” Ms. Gassner said. “It’s more like an outburst of frustration and anger than really an uprising that at the end has to have some coordination and some leadership, which we don’t have right now.”
President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority said clearly in an Israeli television interview last week, “We are not interested in an intifada.” But Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s central council and a leader of the first intifada, issued a news release the next day saying the third one had already begun.
“To me, when I say intifada, I mean a general status of public opinion and public readiness to engage in resistance actions,” Mr. Barghouti said in an interview on Thursday. “If we follow that definition, we are definitely at a new stage.”
The Dome of the Rock, on a site sacred to Jews and Muslims.CreditAmmar Awad/Reuters
Analysts on both sides agree that the most dangerous accelerant is the tension around the holy site, which is revered by Jews as the place where ancient Jewish temples once stood, and by Muslims as the site of Al Aqsa Mosque and the golden Dome of the Rock.
Right-wing Jews — including several Parliament members — have been agitating against Israel’s prohibition of non-Muslim prayer. Muslim worshipers have clashed frequently with Israeli security forces around Al Aqsa Mosque, a focal point of the “run-over intifada” social-media campaign.
“This is the one thing that could change the analysis,” said Ehud Yaari, a Jerusalem-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and co-author of a book on the first intifada. “In order to have an intifada you need scale, you need it to be spread, you need to see participation of many, many sectors of the population. Al Aqsa, because of its sensitivity, it could propel wider sections of the population into a cycle of violence.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel reiterated Thursday that he would not change the status quo at the site. At the same time, Israel continued its crackdown on East Jerusalem, where Palestinian residents have complained about roadblocks to their neighborhoods and an increase in parking tickets and other fines.
The authorities on Thursday added concrete barriers around light-rail stations, two of which were the sites of the deadly vehicular attacks. The Palestinian driver of a van that injured three Israeli soldiers on Wednesday night in the West Bank turned himself over to the Israeli authorities on Thursday; officials said they had not determined if the crash had been an accident or an attack.
An extra 1,000 officers are patrolling Jerusalem’s streets, and observation balloons now hover over Arab neighborhoods where about 800 youths have been arrested since July for throwing stones, gasoline bombs and fireworks. The Israeli cabinet this week increased the punishment for such offenses to 10 or 20 years in prison.
Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist for the Israeli daily Haaretz, said these measures might well contain the violence but would do nothing to address Jerusalem’s deep challenges. Israelis and Palestinians both claim the city as their capital. Of its 800,000 residents, a third are ultra-Orthodox Jews who mostly do not work or serve in the military, and a third are Palestinians who, to protest Israeli annexation of their neighborhoods, refuse to vote in municipal elections.
“It’s a symptom of the dysfunctionality of this place, people don’t have any hope here, this is the most poor and intolerant city,” Mr. Pfeffer, whose five siblings have all moved out of Jerusalem, said of the unrest. “We don’t have a viable group of people who actually are invested in the city’s future, getting together and saying how can we build a city that our kids can live in.”
Majd Al Waheidi contributed reporting from Gaza.
A version of this article appears in print on , Section A, Page 9 of the New York edition with the headline: In Jerusalem Unrest, Signs of a ‘Run-Over Intifada’ for the 21st Century. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
Israel Pledges to Restore Security at Religious Site
2 Drivers Plow Into Israelis, Fueling Fears of New Palestinian Uprising
For a Packed Part of Jerusalem, Expansion Plans Have Built Mostly Outrage
Jews Challenge Rules to Claim Heart of Jerusalem
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Why Attend NATPE Miami
Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards
Broadcasting Industry Legend and NATPE Founding Member Lew Klein to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
NATPE to Begin Student Membership Tier as New Initiative of the NATPE Educational Foundation
Los Angeles, CA – January 12, 2017 – A legend of the television industry, Lew Klein, NATPE Foundation President will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by NATPE the organization he helped create over 50 years ago. The award will be presented to Mr. Klein during the annual NATPE Miami Conference and Marketplace, which takes place Jan. 17-19, 2017 at both the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc Miami Beach resorts.
NATPE, the leading global marketplace and resource of television and platform executives also disclosed the launch of NATPE Student Membership.
“Lew Klein is a legend in broadcasting who had the vision, compassion and relationships to found both NATPE and The NATPE Educational Foundation. It is an honor for me to present the Lifetime Achievement Award this year to Lew, who paved the way for so many in our business,” said Andy Kaplan, NATPE Chairman and President, Worldwide Networks, Sony Pictures Television.
The world of broadcast television would be a different place without Lew Klein, who started his career in the 1950’s in the programming department of WFIL (now WPVI) in Philadelphia. From 1984 to 1993, Klein served as president of Gateway Communications Inc., which owned four CBS affiliate stations in New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He was the executive producer of the popular dance show “American Bandstand” and of the award-winning series “Frontiers of Knowledge and College News Conference.” Following his passion for teaching a new generation about the industry, Mr. Klein has held the position of Adjunct Professor at the School of Communications at Temple University in Philadelphia for 64 years. A full biography of Mr. Klein’s storied career can be found HERE.
The new Student Membership tier will provide college students nationwide access to NATPE’s resources for young professionals looking to establish a career in the broadcast and content industries. It will operate through the organization’s Educational Foundation. The NATPE Educational Foundation was founded by Mr. Klein to promote the educational activities on behalf of NATPE, including its successful internship program which provides an extension of the classroom for students. Mr. Klein currently serves as the Foundation’s President. The interns who volunteer at NATPE this year will be given a one year membership to the new tier. More details on the year-round benefits of NATPE’s Student Membership will be revealed in the coming months.
About NATPE:
Celebrating over 54 years of service to the ever-evolving global television industry, NATPE continues to redefine itself and the services it provides to meet the needs of its members and the industry. What has remained constant is NATPE’s commitment to encouraging the growth and supporting the success of video content development, creations, production, financing and distribution across all platforms. For more information, please visit www.natpe.com.
Kevin Broderick/Megan Levy
The Lippin Group/LA
kevin@lippingroup.com
megan@lippingroup.com
Debbie Lawrence
The Lippin Group/London
dlawrence@lippingroup.com
NATPE Partners
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Demand for acai berries may help save the rainforests
Thursday, December 21, 2006 by: Jerome Douglas
Tags: acai, superfoods, Amazon rainforest
https://www.naturalnews.com/021331_acai_superfoods.html
(NewsTarget) The acai superfruit from the Amazon rainforest is shaping up to be one of the most potent antioxidants available to the health conscious. But not all acai is ethically equal, according to one distributor.
The Brazilian government estimates that the Amazon forest will have lost 25 percent of its original area by 2020. While this is a large problem for the acai, a change of that magnitude would be disastrous not only for the ecosystem of the region, but for the world's climate as well.
Large pieces of the Amazon rainforest have been disappearing for quite a while due to the practice of logging and unsustainable farming that leads to more logging. Cattle ranching and soybean farming are the two main industries for which trees are cleared.
Unless there are financial and social incentives to keep the Amazon rain forest standing, no amount of rules and regulations can stop the destruction of the home of superfoods like acai, according to officials. The growing demand for acai and other fruits like it could turn that around.
The açai started its appearance in North America due in large part to trendy juice bars and nutraceutical beverages, and by all accounts these trends are continuing and even expanding.
In addition to the acai fruit, the World Wildlife Fund estimates the Amazon rainforest holds approximately 30 percent of the world's plant species. In addition, the Amazon River is the world's largest water basin, with a flow volume equal to 20 percent of the joint volume of all rivers on the planet.
"The Amazon rainforest is filled with healing superfoods and medicinal plants. The more we recognize and promote these plants in North America, the more valuable the Amazon rainforest is alive rather than dead," explained Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and author of Superfood Smoothies, a book that uses Amazon rainforest ingredients in blended smoothie recipes.
"Conventional medicine and the FDA are trying to shut down the supplements industry, using censorship, intimidation and propaganda to tell consumers that supplements are useless or dangerous, but the truth is that the Amazon rainforest contains all the medicine we really need, and the medicine of the Amazon makes conventional medicine obsolete. That's why modern medicine is so afraid of allowing food and supplement manufacturers to tell the truth about what their products can to do prevent or even reverse chronic disease," says Adams.
Acai at FETCH.news
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HONEST MONEY
Nobody understands money, least of all economists. Too sweeping a statement? Perhaps. But every analysis of the workings of monetary systems that I have ever read has been seriously in error at one or more crucial points. This is true not only of the supposedly impartial opuses of academic economics, but also of the writings of Marxists, socialists, Keynesian dirigists, free-marketeers, anarcho-capitalists, libertarians and utopians of every flavour.
On important issues of monetary policy, then, and whether a free market in money is either workable or desirable, the protestations of the experts must be considered unreliable. In particular, the claims of libertarian-leaning economists, such as Ludwig von Mises, that the operation of "free banking" would be both stable and superior to the system of government monopoly called "central banking" need to be treated with scepticism; they have not proved what they think they have proved.
Here I intend to give a description of certain aspects of the creation and use of money free of major error; it is conceivable that I may not entirely succeed. I shall argue that free banking, as it is usually understood, may be liable to gross instabilities and inefficiencies, especially in a free-market environment, and that a centralised fiat currency has definite advantages. However, I shall then describe an alternative form of free-market banking that appears not to suffer from these deficiencies and into which the current system of state control could be metamorphosed. I shall argue that it is the innate honesty or dishonesty of the banking method that most distinguishes good money from bad; and that it is of the greatest importance to ensure that the laws under which banking takes place are able effectively to restrain all dishonest forms of banking, including those in which the dishonesty is most subtle.
2. What is Money?
So what is money? A deceptively easy question, that. Answers from the past include "gold", "silver and gold", "a medium of exchange", "a promise to pay", "a store of value", "a measure of demand", "just another commodity". Such answers hold a germ of truth, but only lead to controversy, because they miss the essential point. All along we've been asking the wrong question. Instead, let us ask a new one:
What is the function of money?
The function of money is to keep track of who owes what to whom. In a world in which there is division of labour and in which we obtain diverse satisfactions by the voluntary exchange of goods and services we have need of an accounting device to permit this exchange to take place at minimal cost and without undue coercion or confusion. This accounting device we call money. Simple barter is not enough, because the goods I want are seldom held by the person to whom I can render service.
Imagine a central register, detailing every transaction entered into by each and every person, and containing a list of all the favours owed by each and every person to each and every other person. That would do it. It would be hideously complicated, but it would work. Fortunately, though, we needn't go to such lengths, because in a market economy most of that data is redundant. All we really need to know is the current balance to the account of each person — how much the rest of the world owes him or how much he owes the rest of the world — and even that need not be centrally recorded.
In a market economy, then, the function of money is to reduce the transaction costs of honest trade (including gifts and bequests other than those directly in kind) by reliably and efficiently registering the indebtedness resulting from previous transactions. The details of those previous transactions no longer matter; only the present net position counts (except for incomplete transactions, such as when you have bought an item but not yet paid for it).
So, if the function of money is to keep track of honest trade, can we now answer the original question in a more enlightened and constructive way? I think we can.
3. Money is Information
What is money? Money is information. Specifically, it is the information necessary to determine the entitlements of persons and organisations to obtain goods and services on the market. It tells me how much I can consume before I have to go out and produce some more (or beg, or be given, or promise to produce, or otherwise obtain some more). In short, it is a number.
Thus gold, bank notes and other forms of currency are not in themselves money. Rather, they are the embodiments of monetary information, much as a book is the physical embodiment of a story. And just as the same story can be printed in a book or magazine, read out over the radio or television, stored on an audio cassette or CD or transmitted digitally down the telephone lines and displayed on the screen of a computer, yet remain that selfsame story, so can the information that is money be embodied in notes or coin, held as a balance on a bank account, or transmitted electronically from person to person or bank to bank, yet remain that selfsame money.
What we loosely call "money" is not truly a medium of exchange, for the physical exchange could in principle take place without it. This "money" (currency might be a better word) is more correctly described as a storage medium, upon which the information that is money is impressed.
It is unlikely that we could successfully restrict the use of the word "money" to the monetary information itself, nor would there be much to gain by doing so. After all, we are quite happy to use the word "book" to refer either to the paper-and-ink object or to its informational content, and seldom get confused between the two meanings. Yet in continuing to use the word "money" in this conventional way we should always remember that this is merely a verbal shorthand for "monetary information embodied in the form of this currency" and that the true money is the information itself; and we should avoid using the word "money" when we are considering the properties of the form of currency as distinct from its monetary application. Gold miners don't mine money. And money doesn't grow on trees — not even paper money!
Money is not wealth. It feels like wealth, but it isn't wealth. In fact, when money changes hands, the real wealth moves in the opposite direction. Or, better, when real wealth changes hands, we find it convenient for accounting purposes to move monetary counters in the opposite direction, rather like double-entry bookkeeping.
4. Simple Embodiments of Money
There are many embodiments of money, of which one of the most popular and ancient is gold. With good reason. For gold embodies the monetary information with high reliability and convenience. Because gold is gold, every ounce worth the same as every other, the data gold carries are secure and all but incorruptible. As Archimedes famously demonstrated, debased gold coinage can be unmasked simply by weighing the coin itself, then weighing the water it displaces; only gold is that heavy (with the exception of a few noble metals like platinum, osmium and iridium, which cost about as much as gold and are much harder to work). Because gold is a commodity valued for its own sake, its market price is not easily manipulated; distorting the monetary information to any great extent is therefore difficult (though not entirely impossible), even for governments.
Moreover, since gold is so rare and costly it is (perhaps paradoxically) cheap and convenient in use; a considerable amount of money can be carried in a small purse, and huge amounts stored in quite a small vault. Gold can be transferred from bank to bank, or country to country, at minimal cost. In olden days a wagon load of gold was a week's wages for a million men. Indeed, if anything, gold is overqualified for everyday money, and silver and copper have often been pressed into service as small change.
Yet gold is not without its disadvantages. If it is easy to carry, it is also easy to steal — which has the effect of falsifying the monetary information and suggesting that the world owes a debt to the thief instead of to his victim. However, this is a problem common to all bearer instruments, with the possible exception of those whose transfers can when necessary be traced back through the chain of legitimate owners.
Sometimes even gold is not as convenient as one might wish; merchants have long been in the habit of depositing their actual gold with the goldsmiths or bankers in exchange for gold certificates or bankers' notes, which represent the gold held for safekeeping in the bankers' vaults. The monetary information is unaffected by these arrangements — so long as the gold really is in the vaults where it's supposed to be.
Sometimes merchants don't even want the bother of carrying around bank notes, especially since notes can be stolen just as easily as gold itself. In this case they deposit their gold with the bank on account; they are then free to withdraw cash on demand (either as gold or in notes) or write cheques against the account in favour of third parties; deposits can also be made in the form of previously issued gold-certificate bank-notes, or by transfer from other deposit accounts. These demand deposits embody money just like the gold they represent, with the added security of being safe from pilferage.
5. The Economic Costs of Commodity Money
All these embodiments of money (coins, notes, deposit accounts) share one failing; they are inefficient. Though inexpensive to circulate or hoard, gold is necessarily expensive in production; a significant fraction of the productive effort of the economy must be diverted to gold-mining and refining. How big a fraction? A little thought shows that the annual cost of producing gold for monetary use can be expected to equal the product of the growth rate and the total value of the gold in circulation as money (deposits plus cash). I assume that the rate of loss of gold in use is negligible, but if not, we should add this rate to the growth rate.
In the latter half of the twentieth century an economic growth rate of 2.5-3.0% pa and an M3 of 30-40% of GDP would be typical of the industrialised nations; if we still used gold as commodity money about 1% of GDP would have to be devoted to its production. This is hardly an excessive price to pay for a secure monetary system, but any savings would surely be welcome.
Now prior to the industrial revolution, economic growth rates were small, so the cost of commodity money was also small; but in a free market, growth rates could be expected to rise far higher, in excess of the 20% pa typical of the less heavily regulated but still far from free "Asian tigers"; gold production would then consume more than 10% of GDP. Furthermore, the demand for a money not subject to inflation and devaluation would probably be much greater than today's M3, perhaps as much as a full year's spending, or even more. If the free market achieved a growth rate of 100% pa (and, astonishingly enough, this might prove a conservative estimate) the cost of gold production would then rise to an impossible 100% of GDP!
Is there a cheaper way? What about reducing the cost of gold mining through improved technology? Useless. That would merely reduce the value of gold so that correspondingly more gold would be needed to embody the same amount of money. The total cost would stay the same. What about using more plentiful metals like silver? Same problem. A correspondingly greater quantity needs to be mined; the total cost stays the same. What about using both silver and gold? No. The total cost is unaltered, and we have the added difficulty of dealing with two currencies at once.
Indeed, the production of any commodity currency whatsoever costs the same amount in total. This is true even for currencies based on sophisticated baskets of industrial and agricultural commodities or retail items. To be used as true commodity money the contents of those baskets must either be circulated as cash or stored by the banks; they cannot be put to other use. In general, the continuing storage and transaction costs for such currencies will be very much higher than for gold. Imagine if the Bank of England had to store £20 billion worth of wheat in its vaults! It would need a building a million times as big.
A small caveat is in order here. I have implicitly assumed that the commodity supply increases in proportion to general production, whichever form of currency is chosen. This is not necessarily true. Growth is not necessarily uniform across the economy. Thus if the costs of mining happen to fall faster than other costs, the price of gold will fall relative to other prices and as a result more gold will be required as currency. The annual cost becomes (the total value of the commodity in circulation) multiplied by (the economic growth rate plus the difference between the rate of increase of productivity for that commodity and that for the whole economy). It is however unlikely that this would differ significantly from the simpler formulation over the long run, unless we attempted to base a currency on human slaves (whose reproductive growth rate of perhaps 5% pa would evidently imply major cost savings for a rapidly growing economy, albeit at the expense of some ethical ambiguities!).
To be really pedantic, we ought also to add to the growth rate term the rate of change in the total value of commodity in circulation as a fraction of GDP. To be even more pedantic, when growth rates are high we should use instantaneous rather than annual figures in order to avoid compound-interest-like nonlinearities.
In principle, the production cost could also be eliminated by employing a currency based on a commodity of fixed supply (original paintings by Constable, say); but the total market value of such pseudo-commodities is far too low to back a general-purpose currency. The bottom line is that when it comes to commodity money, gold is nearly always best.
6. Fiduciary Money and Partial Reserve Banking
What use is gold just sitting in the vaults? It seems such a waste. So why doesn't the banker take the gold from the vault and either lend it out to other customers or spend it himself? The simple answer is that the depositors may want their gold back. Fundamentally, it belongs to them, not the bank. The bank is only taking care of it. Anyone who keeps a deposit account with the bank, or holds a valid cheque against such an account, or holds bank notes issued by that bank, has a right to full and immediate payment on demand in gold. If the bank fails to pay, it cheats both its customers and the general public. Even if it pays, but pays late, it is still cheating them, because it promised to pay on demand. Whether we call this theft, fraud, or oath-breaking, or employ some weaselling legalism or euphemism like bankruptcy or suspension of convertibility, is immaterial; it is not how an honest man behaves; and it is not something the law should permit without punishment.
However, bankers long ago realised that in practice only a small percentage of note and deposit holders will actually demand repayment on any given day. A much smaller reserve of gold will suffice to meet this day to day demand. The rest can safely be reused. Well, fairly safely. There's always a risk. The holders may suddenly take it into their heads to demand all their gold back right now. They have that right. Fortunately for the bankers they seldom exercise it.
Partial reserve banking creates fiduciary money (that is, money embodied in notes and deposits not fully backed by gold), so called because you have to trust the banker not to rip you off, even though he's doing something that on the face of it seems decidedly dodgy. There's no longer enough gold in the bank for all the money, but pray God there'll never need to be!
Can an honest banker behave this way? Can he legitimately take that risk — with other people's money? And if he does, how is he different from the man who bets on the horses with money he hasn't got, knowing that if he loses he won't ever be able to make good, but hoping to win and collect his winnings before the other chap finds out he's broke? The insolvent credit gambler is a fraud and a cheat. So too is our banker. The only difference is that the banker is less likely to be caught out, but does far greater harm when he is.
Many people think that's the end of the story. Partial reserve banking is dishonest and shouldn't be allowed. A con trick on a massive scale. Well, yes. But let's look at it from the other side. Partial reserve banking saves a lot of unnecessary expense mining useless metal; it reduces the cost of the monetary function by as much as a factor of ten. The bankers don't keep the extra profits to themselves — in a competitive market they can't. Everyone who uses their fiduciary money benefits, and keeps on benefiting as long as the bubble doesn't burst. Cheaper banking is in everyone's interest. In other words, so long as the public doesn't realise it's being cheated, it isn't! But if it wises up and demands its money back . . . pouf! The banks go bust and the economy takes a nose-dive. Is this crazy, or is this crazy?
What are we saying here? That honesty isn't the best policy? It certainly looks that way. After all, if partial reserve banking can be relied upon to work we'd be fools not to go with it. Wouldn't we? But can it be relied upon?
7. How Banks Fail
If the demand for repayment were statistically independent from day to day and person to person, partial reserve banking could be made, not absolutely safe, yet as safe as we wished. Spread over a million customers, demand would fluctuate from day to day by only one part in a thousand; fluctuations would reach the 10-sigma level of one in a hundred only once in 3x1021 years, billions of times longer than the current age of the universe. We could afford to sweep our residual ethical qualms under the carpet.
Unfortunately, that's not how things work. Customers are anything but statistically independent; their behaviour patterns are highly correlated. When Mrs Jones takes her money out, Mrs Smith does the same. The history of banking is replete with "runs" on the banks, when every man and his dog wants his money at the same time. All it takes is a rumour in the pub that Clodhopper's Bank is shaky and the next morning the whole town is camped outside the door, waiting for the bank to open.
There are basically two sorts of "run", the differential mode run and the common mode run. The first sort is not so bad. People lose trust in Clodhopper's Bank and take their money out; but they re-deposit that money in other banks almost at once. In these circumstances the bank in trouble can usually borrow sufficient gold from the other banks to meet its obligations, perhaps even to stop the run.
The common mode run is more worrying. Trouble at one bank leads people to distrust them all. Those depositors and note-holders who get to the banks in time take their gold home and bury it in the garden; they do not re-deposit it in other banks, and so the banking system as a whole suffers a drain on its reserves. Those depositors and note-holders who only get to the banks after the banks have run out of gold get stiffed; and unless they're all wimps, they riot.
In undeveloped rural economies, differential runs are likely to predominate; but to the extent that banks learn to protect themselves from such runs, by means of mutual guarantees and options against each other's reserves, they become ever more interdependent, and the common mode response becomes stronger. In a modern economy, where banking is highly integrated and rumours are instantly broadcast across the entire country, the danger of common mode runs (under a system of partial reserve private banking) would be considerable. A single ill-timed television programme on (say) the international debt crisis could bring the whole banking system crashing down.
8. Dishonest Partial Reserve Banking
Before we consider whether it is possible to ameliorate the effects of banking runs, or to avoid them, we should first distinguish six types of partial reserve banking, in decreasing order of dishonesty.
In the first type, the banker dissipates most of the gold in his care on riotous living or, what comes to much the same thing, the bank's employees embezzle it; this is a flagrant fraud on the public and no halfway decent court would have any hesitation in pronouncing it an offence (though whether such behaviour can always be detected and prosecuted in time to avert catastrophe is another matter).
In the second type, the banker pays for his fun not with his depositors' gold but by issuing additional bank notes or crediting deposit accounts; here the fraud comes from securing more than one IOU on the same lump of gold (like taking out two mortgages on the same house at the same time).
In the third type, the bank uses the gold to purchase real assets, such as shares or property; in such a transaction the net assets of the bank remain unchanged and, so long as market prices remain constant, the bank can always repay its debts by reselling those assets for gold. There may be a slight delay in selling the assets, or borrowing against them, but this is a minor problem. Much more serious is the possibility of a fall in their value, a possibility that becomes near certainty in the event of a run, when the increased demand for gold pushes up its price, and the bank must sell or mortgage more and more of its assets in exchange for less and less gold. To escape default the bank might need assets of several times its liabilities; and even that is likely to prove inadequate in the case of a general recession or a common mode run, when the price of gold relative to other assets may go through the roof. The lower the reserve ratio of the economy as a whole the bigger the problem.
In the fourth type, the bank issues bank notes or credits instead of spending the gold itself. This leads to the interesting possibility of the bank's using its newly issued bank notes to buy gold for its reserves, in itself a blameless transaction, but one which may enable the bank improperly to expand its note issue and market share at the expense of other market participants.
In the fifth type, the bank lends the gold out again to other customers; the bank's assets are then denominated in the same units as its liabilities; so long as the loans don't go bad, the bank will always be able to pay all its debts eventually (though not necessarily when they are due).
In the sixth type, the lending is in the form of bank notes or credits. The bank retains a reserve of gold to cover day to day demand, but still falls short of being sure of meeting all its obligations on demand.
9. Honest Partial Reserve Banking?
As we have seen, partial reserve banking is something of a racket. Is there any way of making it honest?
Suppose the bank tells its depositors that it will always honour cheques drawn on any one of its accounts in favour of any other of its accounts, and will always supply cash on demand in the form of its own bank notes, but that although it hopes to make payments on demand in gold, or in transfer to other banks, it cannot ever guarantee it. If despite this a depositor is still willing to risk being stuck with potentially worthless notes and losing some or all of his money, he accepts the bank's terms with his eyes open.
But what of third parties? People who are asked to accept payment in the bank's notes are not in any direct contractual relation with the bank; they have not agreed to the risks. When bank notes were used principally by wealthy merchants and corporations, who knew the ins and outs of the banking world and could reasonably have been expected to have been alive to the dangers, this objection might not have been morally or legally decisive; but when bank notes are intended as a general purpose currency, it is patently unfair to impose such risks upon members of the general public without their consent, and unreasonable to expect them to scrutinise each note in detail or accurately discount its value according to the issuing bank's reputation for trustworthiness.
If a currency is to be accepted for day to day transactions, we have to be able to take it "at face value". Otherwise, third parties (members of the general public) are being conned. At the very least, the issuing bank must print up its notes with a clear and unambiguous disclaimer, in big bold letters, thus:
NOT REDEEMABLE
(except at the discretion of Clodhopper's Bank)
Anything less is dishonest. It is very doubtful whether the public would be willing to accept bank notes on such risky terms, unless they had no alternative; this is a consequence of the underlying dodginess of partial reserve banking.
Even if such potentially irredeemable notes are generally accepted, the arrangement may still not be morally watertight. What about the harm to fourth parties? I mean those persons who refuse to accept the notes, but who will suffer along with the rest if the failure of the fiduciary banking system brings about a failure of the wider economy and the collapse of law and order. They may end up suffering not merely loss of prosperity, but also major violations of their rights, as a result of the reckless behaviour of the banks and their customers.
Perhaps there are other ways of plugging the moral holes in fiduciary banking. For example, we might follow the former practice of certain Scottish banks of granting themselves the option of postponing the redemption of their notes for a period of up to six months, thereby gaining a breathing space in which to realise the bank's assets. Provided that full interest is paid in compensation for the delay, in theory the bank's customers do not suffer, because they can either buy on credit or borrow the gold they need from someone else.
Unfortunately, this won't quite work. Firstly, in a differential mode run it's not necessary, because a solvent bank can borrow, against its assets, all the gold it needs to redeem its notes; for an insolvent bank it merely postpones the crunch. Secondly, in a common mode run there can be no guarantee that the bank will ever be able to redeem its notes, with interest or without, however long the breathing space; its assets may simply fetch too low a price. Furthermore, although the payment of the market rate of interest is normally a just compensation for delay (with an extra dollop for the inconvenience), in a common mode run note holders may need liquid cash immediately; the promise of interest in six month's time is unlikely to repair their loss.
Another approach is for banks to take out insurance against a run on their reserves. This merely shifts the problem to the insurers, who need to hold reserves of their own against the possibility of a common mode run, when they will be called upon to bail out the banks; in their turn they may call upon their reinsurers and underwriters. None of this helps; unless the gold reserves of all the players together add up to 100% they cannot guarantee always to meet their liabilities in full. Since the banks will have to pay for these back-up reserves, through their insurance premiums, there is unlikely to be any net benefit to justify the extra expense and complexity.
As we have seen, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to make the practice of partial reserve banking entirely safe or honest, even under strict regulation. Unless the public can be forced to hold irredeemable notes, common mode runs can destroy any fiduciary system.
9. Instabilities in Partial Reserve Banking
The ethical difficulties described above are not unrelated to the practical problem that has most occupied the minds of both apologists and critics of partial reserve banking; that of the overissue of bank notes.
The basic idea is that a general overissue of bank notes is impossible, because if the banks attempt to issue more notes than the public is willing to hold the excess must inevitably be returned to the banks for redemption. With a few minor caveats, such as the maintenance of full convertibility, this appears to be correct; and if there were only one bank, with a monopoly of note and credit issue, that would be the end of the matter.
However, where several or many banks compete, it is conceivable that an overissue by one bank may take place at the expense of the rest. In other words, differential overissue is not excluded.
The standard free-banking argument states that such differential overissue is effectively prevented by the interbank clearing mechanism. Normally banks will make over-the-counter payments in their own notes only, but accept deposits which include the notes of other banks; these alien notes will be returned to their issuing banks for redemption. Any bank that overissues will suffer a net drain on its reserves, because more notes will be returned to it than it returns to the other banks. Hence overissue will not occur.
There are various formulations of this argument, some more rigorous than others. Without going into unnecessary and confusing detail, I may say that none of them has won universal acceptance; indeed, all are hotly contested. The whole argument is controversial. It is clear that interbank clearing tends to act as a check on overissue; but it is far from clear whether it is an adequate check. If you care to analyse in detail the arguments of von Mises and others you will find an abundance of logical slips and non sequiturs, many of them minor, but others potentially fatal; unfortunately, their opponents' logic is unreliable too.
Throughout this debate it appears to have been accepted without question that overissue takes the form of excessive bank lending. Even here I do not find the argument for stability convincing. But as described in section 8 above, this is not the only way a fiduciary bank can act; it can also spend the new issue on other assets including gold.
Let me give a concrete illustration. Suppose the reserve ratio for all the banks is 10% and that one bank has a 5% market share (5% of the notes in circulation were issued by this bank). The bank decides to double its note issue, spending just 10% of the new issue on buying gold (the rest goes on buying property and on shareholders' dividends). Its reserve ratio stays at 10%. The total circulation of notes has gone up to 105%, more (we assume) than the public wants, so the excess 5% is returned to the banks for redemption. But the general public has no reason to differentiate between the notes of the various banks and will return or deposit notes more or less at random, in proportion to each bank's current share of circulation. Thus only about (5%+5%)/105% or 9½% of the returned notes belong to the issuing bank, leaving most of the new issue still in circulation. The market share of the issuing bank has increased to about 9½%, while its reserve ratio has fallen to 5½% (if it wants to preserve its reserve ratio unchanged at 10% it need only spend an extra ½% of new issue on gold, bringing its total issue up to about 10%). The other banks have each lost about 5% of their circulation and half of their reserves!
Happy days! Verily, it is a licence to print money, says the issuing bank. And does it all over again. Each new issue leaves the bank healthier and stronger, with a bigger market share. The other banks get weaker, and when their reserves are exhausted, go under.
Obviously, the other banks won't take this lying down; they'll retaliate by expanding their own issue the same way. The result is a mad scramble to hurl new notes into circulation as fast as possible, every bank for itself and devil take the hindmost. What happens in the end is anybody's guess — victory for the strongest or most reckless bank or a common mode run that bankrupts them all.
This is a much more drastic instability than those usually discussed in the literature. In effect, what is happening is that the expansionary bank is purchasing goods and services with the other banks' gold. Since this implies that the rest of the public ends up owning more gold than before, it is likely that some or all of this additional holding will be deposited with the banks; in practice, then, some overall increase in circulation may occur, with fewer notes returned for redemption than we assumed above. However, this would appear a minor complication, actually increasing slightly the incentive to expand.
Can this instability be averted? It is hard to see how. Suppose the government imposes a statutory minimum reserve ratio, thereby ruling out unrestricted note issue or credit expansion. In some circumstances this might instil a beneficial if arbitrary discipline into a competitive banking system; but not in this case, because the issuing bank can easily hold its reserve ratio unchanged throughout the expansionary process.
What if the issuing bank can't buy the extra gold because the other banks won't sell it? This can only work if the banks hold the economy's entire stock of gold. But this is improbable in the extreme. The issuing bank can always buy gold from abroad, or from the general public, or direct from the producers; it could even buy its own gold mines or open new ones. Even if the bank were only able to purchase gold at a premium, the problem would still remain as long as the backing for new currency cost less than the currency itself was worth.
Furthermore, it is entirely possible for a bank to expand its note issue even without buying gold; its reserve ratio falls, but the other banks' reserves fall faster. A bank starting from a sufficiently strong position can drive its competitors into bankruptcy before its own reserves run out.
Perhaps we could try and prevent banks from spending their own notes, by law; but it is hard to see how this could be justified or enforced. We can hardly stop banks from spending money altogether — they have their expenses like any other business. We'd have to make them pay their staff and shareholders in gold; but what prevents the re-deposit of that gold in exchange for notes? We'd have to ban that too — not just for the bank's own people — for everyone. We'd also have to prohibit borrowers from paying off a loan in gold; otherwise the bank could lend its notes to some accommodating merchant on the understanding that he'd buy gold to repay the loan with. Even honest banking would become impossible.
Now I'm not saying that partial reserve banking is necessarily and invariably unstable. It is conceivable that stabilising mechanisms can be found to ameliorate or eliminate these and all other potential or actual instabilities; and it is also conceivable that in a free market such mechanisms would inevitably operate, and operate both effectively and reliably. I do however claim that in the present state of knowledge such stability cannot be guaranteed — indeed, it appears unlikely.
10. Historical Evidence and Partial Reserve Banking
What can history teach us about partial reserve banking? Not as much as either free banking or central banking apologists would have us believe. Certainly, history can teach us how easily things go wrong; beyond that the evidence is unclear.
First we should realise that although authors present a wide variety of examples of so-called free banking (especially 18th & 19th century Scotland), genuine free-market partial reserve banking is notable for its historical non-existence. Banking has always taken place under severe constraints, both legal and religious; and fiduciary note issue has laboured under particularly onerous restrictions, such as the widespread prohibition on issuing bank notes in small denominations (for a long time the smallest note permitted in England was for £10 sterling, more than a working man earned in a year).
Next we should note that circumstances now are quite different than they were then, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Early banking had very little to do with the everyday currencies of ordinary people. Even if we could prove that partial reserve banking worked (or did not work) back then, it would not prove that partial reserve banking would work (or would not work) either now or in a free-market future.
Most authors tend to extrapolate from the historical evidence in a way that mirrors their prior prejudices. Thus one author commends a system of free banking in America because it worked for a whole ten years without disaster (and might have worked longer if it hadn't been changed). Ten years! Even a hundred years is too short, a toss-up whether or not you lose your life savings; but banking systems have seldom survived that long without major upheavals. The lesson of history is that banks do fail — often catastrophically.
The problem with all the evidence is this. Some people say the failures were caused by too much government regulation. Some say they were caused by too little regulation. And some say they were caused by the wrong sort of regulation. Similarly, the comparative successes are put down to less regulation, more regulation, or the right sort of regulation, according to taste. In the absence of an analytically sound and generally accepted theory of money, such explanations are of little value. The truth of the matter is that we simply do not understand the dynamics of banking well enough to give a definitive exposition. One day that may change; but so long as money is such a political football the prospects seem less than bright.
11. Fiat Money and Central Banking
The fundamental problem with partial reserve or fiduciary banking is that it makes promises it may not be able to keep. Fiat money gets around this by promising nothing. Fiat money can be considered as the limiting case of fiduciary money as the reserve ratio tends to zero, with this important distinction, that fiat money cannot be returned for redemption. It is by definition irredeemable, backed only by custom, the good name of the bank, or the power of the state.
Objectively, fiat money seems little more than worthless paper; and for this reason free-marketeers and other theorists have been apt to treat it with contempt. Yet it has proved eminently suited to the modern world; every country on Earth now employs a fiat currency. Whatever else we may say about it, the system works in practice and is not intrinsically dishonest in theory. If the monetary authorities are both competent and honest (a big if ) fiat currencies are stable, reliable and economically efficient. Fiat money costs next to nothing to produce; no gold need be mined or wastefully stored in vaults.
Fiat money has one major drawback; it must have a monopoly. Suppose there are two competing general-purpose fiat currencies within the same economy; for the sake of argument let's give them equal market shares and an exchange rate at par. Now, allow random fluctuation to boost demand for one of the currencies over the other; in accordance with the law of supply and demand its price goes up, it's worth more, and, by symmetry, the other is worth less. The public will then naturally prefer to hold on to the currency that has risen in price rather than the one that has fallen. Positive feedback drives price and demand spiralling upwards for the former and downwards for the latter, which quickly becomes a "hot potato" everyone is desperately trying to unload. Soon only the one currency remains in active circulation; the other is wallpaper. This is the phenomenon of hypertransfer.
Fiat money, because it has no intrinsic value, is highly vulnerable to hypertransfer. Its use therefore effectively mandates a central bank, a de facto if not de jure branch of government. It is true that other banks may be permitted to issue their own notes, but in a fiat system they will be required to denominate them in the national currency and back them 100% with the notes of the central bank (or other claims upon it). Thus, in the UK, Scottish bank notes are secondary issue backed by the Bank of England's primary issue of fiat notes, themselves designated legal tender by statute law; the "promise to pay" on Bank of England notes is a leftover from the days of commodity and fiduciary currency and no longer has any real significance.
The system of fiat central banking is largely immune from catastrophic runs, precisely because the note issue is not redeemable. If too many account holders withdraw their savings at the same time, a "note run" can still occur; however, unless the central bank deliberately abrogates its responsibilities as the "lender of last resort", solvent banks can always borrow sufficient note issue to meet their current obligations. Normally, banks will borrow what they need on the market; however, the central bank guarantees to meet any liquidity shortfall, usually at a premium above the market rate, a premium intended to discourage private banks from over-reliance on the central bank. The security of this system is absolute, because the liabilities and responsibilities of the central bank are denominated in a currency it has the unconditional right to create in unlimited quantities by fiat. It can never run out of money, because it can always print more.
A caveat must be added here. Central banks acting under political motives may not always fulfil their financial responsibilities. The American Federal Reserve is an example; it exacerbated the crisis of the early 1930s by monetary tightening at the very time the banks were most in need of increased liquidity; yet on other occasions it has not hesitated to approve damaging and inflationary expansion at the politicians' behest.
Inflation is the bugbear of fiat money, because the state-protected monopoly of the central bank gives it the ability to expand note issue at will, while its role as a branch of government subjects it to all the temptations of politics. Acting as lender of last resort is not of itself inflationary, so long as the lending is not made permanent; all that happens is that money on current account is changed into the form of notes. However, few if any central banks can be trusted so to limit themselves, even those that are nominally independent.
By printing fiat money governments can increase their spending power without the unpopularity of explicit taxation; the gain to the monetary authorities through inflation, known as seigniorage, is equivalent to the revenue of gold producers under a system of commodity money, except that here it is almost pure profit, limited only by the danger of hyperinflation. Ordinary inflation is proportional to the increase in currency supply (usually, but somewhat misleadingly, called the money supply) over and above the increase in national product; double the quantity of notes in circulation and, other things being equal, the price of goods will also double. Hyperinflation is different. It is the single-currency equivalent of hypertransfer. It occurs when inflation is eroding the value of a currency sufficiently rapidly to make people unwilling to hold more of it than they need for their immediate spending; the quantity of notes in circulation cannot fall (remember, fiat notes cannot be redeemed), but in trying to get rid of them the public spends them faster and faster, in a grand game of pass-the-parcel. The value of the currency plummets, or, to put the same thing another way, prices soar. Hyperinflation is prone to set in above an inflation rate of around 2% a month or 25% pa. The opposite effect, hyperappreciation, is a speculative ramp we might expect to set in at a negative inflation rate of similar magnitude — by no means impossible in a rapidly growing free-market economy.
We should not exaggerate the economic costs of inflation. Although there were teething problems during the changeover from fiduciary to fiat currencies, by now most governments are quite capable of keeping inflation within reasonable bounds. Contrary to many predictions a moderate and predictable rate of inflation does not lead inescapably to runaway prices or boom-and-bust, and in practice causes little economic harm (indeed, within a "mixed" economy, in which trade-union power and government regulation makes wages and prices "sticky", it may even be modestly beneficial). Moreover, it is doubtful whether government expenditure would be significantly reduced in its absence; the deficit would simply be financed by borrowing instead (which because it draws on savings that might otherwise have been invested is actually more damaging than the inflation it replaces).
Where governments have lost control and hyperinflation has set in, it has not been the fault of fiat central banking per se; their economies have already been in dire straits on account of war, revolution, corruption or gross economic mismanagement across the board. For example, Hungary after the communist take-over, Germany after World War II, Russia after the fall of the USSR. Even then, stability has usually been restored to the currency within about five years.
Nevertheless, state control over the monetary function is at best a necessary evil. Politicians just can't stop meddling. So central banks distort the market rates of interest and the rates of foreign exchange, intervene in the money and commodity markets, fiddle with the stock market, and conspire with other central banks abroad; they facilitate excessive government borrowing, impose stultifying regulations, block free competition yet obstruct co-operation. In countless ways they interfere in the economy for political ends. They can't be relied upon even to stick to their own ever-changing rules, and despite all their sound and fury frequently fail adequately to perform even their most basic monetary functions.
12. Fiat Money in an Ultraminimal State
The problems of fiat money and central banking are political rather than economic in nature; they are not intrinsic to the monetary function. Let us consider then how and whether a fiat currency could operate in a just ultraminimal state (technical note: a minimal state defends a monopoly of law and order; an ultraminimal state allows any person to opt out of state protection). We shall assume that the monetary authorities are honest in themselves, or kept honest by subjection to an honest court of law.
In the first place the monetary authorities might issue a fixed quantity of fiat currency and leave it at that. Whether that currency takes the form of fiat notes, electronic cash or bookkeeping entries is secondary, and the central bank should allow the balance of the various components to change in accordance with changing demand. As lender of last resort, the central bank will also make available to the banks whatever extra liquidity they require, or are willing to pay for, at a standard premium above the market rate. If the central bank charges on loans and pays on deposits an interest rate equal to the nominal market rate multiplied by the ratio of the current issue to the authorised issue, this will permit temporary expansions and contractions as the banks require, but will stabilise the supply of currency in the long-term. If the central bank doesn't know what the market rate should be, no matter; all it has to do is guess; the market rate and circulation will automatically adjust themselves to the correct value.
In a stationary economy there will then be no inflation, whilst in a growing economy prices will fall and the fiat currency will appreciate in value (negative inflation). There is no necessity to increase the currency supply in line with economic growth, though notes and coins of smaller denominations may have to be issued as time goes on.
Here we have a secure, honest and efficient fiat currency well-suited to a minimal state. But there's a snag. In a free market economic growth is likely to exceed the 25% pa above which hyperappreciation might be apt to set in. If so, the resulting speculative ramp, sending the value of the currency through the roof, may be followed by a crash, overshooting into hyperinflation, then bouncing up again from the floor; the system may be driven into wild oscillations or full-blown chaos. Once such instability is manifest, the central bank may be powerless to stop it.
On the upward ramp, the interest rate at which the central bank will lend is far below the rate at which the currency is gaining value, so speculative borrowing from the central bank will greatly increase the currency supply, tending to slow and then reverse the rise in value. Conversely, on the downwards slide, previously-issued currency comes rushing back to the bank, where the positive interest rate at least offsets some of the losses; again this tends to slow and then reverse the fall in value. Will this damp out the oscillations and restore stability? It is hard to be certain, but it seems not, because the borrowing is out of phase with the value; the restoring force is not linearly proportional to the displacement; instead there are lags and nonlinearities and enormous amplification factors, conditions known to be conducive to chaos.
The central bank might also attempt to offset any tendency to hyperappreciation by expansionary purchases of assets on the open market (followed by contractionary sales). However, central banks have proved notoriously bad at stabilising currencies in the past; more often than not they make matters worse. Unless the behaviour of the central bank can be controlled by a mathematically rigorous and unquestionably stabilising formula, the almost inevitable lags, nonlinearities and amplifications will themselves tend to induce chaotic fluctuations in the value of the fiat currency.
A possible solution is for the central bank to expand its fiat issue at a rate that holds prices steady or at least one that keeps currency appreciation safely below 20% pa. This averts instability, but creates several new problems instead.
The first problem is a moral one. Expanding the currency supply transfers wealth to the central bank; if the fiat national currency is the only sort of legal tender permitted this is a form of coercion or taxation, and thus morally unacceptable in a just ultraminimal state. The solution to this is fairly simple; lift the prohibition on competing currencies. The national currency will still retain its effective monopoly, because of the economic efficiency of fiat currency and the overwhelming advantages of standardisation. Any individual who wishes not to use the national currency is at liberty to use any other currency available, or to create his own; and no doubt gold or silver will be employed in some transactions; but most people will in practice be happy to continue using the fiat national currency. There is then no longer any valid moral objection to the government's receiving revenue from its issue of fiat currency (though we should note that if it takes too much the competitive advantage will revert to the private currencies).
The second problem is a practical one. In a rapidly growing free-market economy the amount of currency that needs to be issued to keep prices constant may correspond to a large fraction of GDP; the analysis parallels that of section 5 and will not be repeated here. However, whereas the production of commodity money imposes real economic costs, with fiat money the wealth is transferred to the government as pure profit. But a minimal or ultraminimal government has by its very nature few expenditures, and is therefore likely to be swamped by excess money it doesn't know how to spend!
If the central bank restricts its issue, so that the currency appreciates by say 20% pa it will make the currency even more attractive than a stable one; consequently the public will choose to hold an even larger fraction of GDP in this currency, its value will be that much greater, and the net revenue to the government may end up even higher — and even harder to get rid of. And people worry where an ultraminimal state is going to get its money from!
It will also be important to ensure that industrial investment provides a markedly higher return than simply holding cash; otherwise real investment will fall and the economy will fail. However, so long as the central bank issues enough to avoid hyperappreciation this problem should not arise.
13. Ownership of Fiat Currency Issuing Rights and the Central Bank
Anyone can print "notes" to his own design; and as the copyright holder he is entitled to print as much of this "money" as he wishes, and to prohibit others from "counterfeiting" it. The intrinsic value of these notes may be next to nothing, but once the public starts accepting them as fiat currency, this copyright becomes a valuable asset; considerable wealth may be transferred to its owner. In the case of a single national currency the copyright holder is of course the central bank.
Now in essence the central bank may already belong to the citizenry through the underlying common ownership of state and country. Is there any way we can make this ownership more explicit? If every citizen held a single share in the bank, every citizen would receive the same dividend; indeed currency issue would take place through the distribution of that dividend. This would seem to impose an egalitarian pattern upon the whole economy, guaranteeing everyone a income not very far below the average income, for so long as the economy continued to grow. Would this constitute an unjust redistribution of wealth? In some circumstances, perhaps so; but not if the citizen's share were an asset initially purchased from the central bank at the capital value of this income.
There are a few points to note here. If citizenship entails ownership of certain rights and assets it ought not to be conferred as an automatic privilege of birth; both immigrants and infants (or their parents or guardians) should (one way or another) pay the market price for those entitlements; and upon death or emigration their residual value should revert to the estate or emigrant. The difficulty with applying this principle to ownership of the fiat currency is that the capital value of the dividend income increases in proportion to the net revenue the bank obtains from the sale of citizen's shares (positive if the number of citizens is increasing, negative if it falls); in the absence of any secondary market in those shares, their exact capital value may be hard to define.
Furthermore, since central bank ownership covers only part of the entitlements of citizens we may question whether an ultraminimal state can justify bundling it all together. Why cannot persons chose to purchase citizenship without membership of the central bank and the income this entails? Yet in de-bundling this membership we revert to private ownership of a national fiat currency, without real assets, whose profitability depends upon growth in the rest of the economy; the stability implications are unclear but worrying. The same applies a fortiori if we allow unrestricted share ownership, as in an ordinary joint stock company, instead of the co-operative device of one member one share. Once ownership is concentrated in the hands of only some of the citizenry, opportunities arise for manipulating the value of the fiat currency to the benefit of the owners at the expense of everyone else (this is why government control over the central bank is also undesirable, since the interests of the government are seldom identical with the interests of the general public).
I have my doubts as to the long-term viability of such arrangements, which in the end come up against the fact that fiat money has only a customary not an intrinsic value. With this in mind, I now proceed to the consideration of an approach to the issue of currency that focuses more realistically upon the underlying wealth of the economy.
14. Share Money
Share money is a proposed form of currency consisting of bearer shares in the issuing bank. A bearer share is simply a share in a company — one that can be passed from hand to hand without notifying the company of the change in ownership. In this respect it is like a bearer bond, but where a bearer bond recognises a specific monetary debt, a bearer share grants an equity stake in the issuing company itself. If all the shares in a company are bearer shares, the holders of those shares own the company and all its assets.
Bearer shares may carry similar entitlements to ordinary shares, such as the right to vote in General Meetings and elections; but the payment of dividends is a little tricky, since the current holder has to collect them in person from a branch or agent of the company. This is less of a problem than it might at first appear, since there is no necessity for a firm ever to pay any dividends at all; retained profits merely increase the capital value of the shares. If the holders of bearer shares wish to spend some of their profits they need only exchange some of their shares for cash.
I must make the point that although bearer shares are an entirely honest and viable form of ownership, government regulations may make them illegal or impracticable in most countries at present. I here assume a more liberal regime.
Bearer shares can clearly be used as the basis of a currency. An existing bank seeking to issue share money ("money embodied in the form of bearer shares") need only replace its existing shares with bearer shares. These will be issued in the form of certificates like bank notes, denominated not by monetary value but as a certain number of shares. Demand deposits, credits and loans will also be denominated in share units. The bank promises nothing it cannot deliver.
The value of a bearer share is proportional to the value of the assets owned by the bank. These assets can take any form. They could include land, property, commodities, market positions, other currencies, bonds and securities, loans and liens, stocks and shares, industrial plant and machinery, firms and corporations — anything at all. The bank is not limited to assets like gold that must be stored unused; indeed, it will presumably wish to keep most of its assets actively invested as capital yielding profits or interest at the market rates.
It does not matter if the value of these assets rises or falls, since all the liabilities of the bank are denominated the same way, as a specified proportion of the assets of the bank. Even the debts owed to the bank by borrowers are included in the assets, so if those debts go bad it only means that the shares of the bank will be worth less than previously thought. Nobody guarantees how much the bearer shares will be worth at any time, only that they will be a specified fraction of whatever the bank then happens to be worth. It all comes out in the wash.
The value of the shares will be set at all times by the market. There can be no run on the bank against the share holders because the note holders and depositors are the share holders. It is true that depositors may wish to take charge of their shares themselves, instead of leaving them on account in the bank, by withdrawal from their accounts; but this changes only the way the shares are held, not their number or value. The very same bearer shares may be held indifferently as notes or electronic cash or on account, and converted from one form to another at will.
The bank should be prepared at any time to state the total number of shares currently extant, but there is no overriding reason either to expand the issue at any particular rate or to keep it fixed, though following a consistent and publicly declared policy may be desirable. The bank may be happy relying upon the organic growth of its existing capital to increase the value of its shares in line with the general performance of the economy, altering neither its total share issue nor its relative size. Its bearer shares will then appreciate at approximately the normal rate of return on capital, typically a few percent above the economic growth rate (given a reasonably balanced portfolio of assets).
But suppose the bank wishes to expand its operations further. It may, at its discretion, purchase assets on the open market by means of new bearer shares issued for that purpose. The new shares are indistinguishable from the old. Assuming stable market prices, the value of each share is unchanged, because the bank's assets have increased by the same proportion as the total number of shares in circulation. The bank may also expand by making additional loans, crediting new shares to the borrowers' accounts. Good loans are assets too. In neither situation is the bank expanding illegitimately at anyone else's expense (in sharp distinction to the case of partial reserve banking).
How big can we expect the bank to grow? Basically, the market decides. People would like to hold a certain proportion of their assets in the form of bearer shares. If the bank has issued too few to meet the demand, each share will be valued at a positive premium or, to put the same thing another way, the public will value their other assets at a slight discount relative to bearer shares. Thus the bank will benefit by purchasing additional assets in exchange for new issue. Conversely, if the bank is too big, it will benefit by selling off some of its excess assets and contracting its issue.
How would share banking work in the hypothetical equilibrium economy, in which the growth rate is zero? Would the rate of return drop to zero too? In fact, share money would still appreciate in value, so long as the bank's invested assets continued to yield a profit, which, returning to the bank, would permit the bank continually to contract its issue, thus generating a steady negative inflation rate and positive real interest rate. From time to time, bearer shares would then have to be subdivided or lower denominations issued.
In a real economy, we would expect the total demand for share money to be much greater than is usual for other types of currency, ultimately subsuming a large fraction of the entire capital stock. Why? Because share money is not only liquid currency; it is also a highly convenient yet secure and profitable form of investment. No savings scheme can match it for simplicity; to save, and to receive the full market rate of return on your savings, you need only leave your money unspent in your pocket or in an ordinary bank account. For most people, simply putting some share money into a separate savings account for their old age would be far better than subscribing to today's complicated pension schemes. But if pension or trust funds are required, share money is the ideal depository for them, since returns are good, whilst management costs are negligible.
One curious feature of share money is that nominal interest rates are zero. No interest or dividend is paid on either loans or deposits — perhaps the old religious prohibitions against usury weren't so misguided after all! Instead, real returns arise from the gain in capital value of the shares. Thus, borrowers make repayments with shares worth more than when they borrowed them; depositors make withdrawals of shares worth more than when they deposited them.
So how does the bank make its profits? The simple answer is that it doesn't; it is a mutual organisation owned by its customers, the holders of its share money; the usual conflict of interest between a bank's owners and its customers is lacking. However, even a mutual bank has expenses. How should they be met? Perhaps the fairest and most straightforward way would be by means of a modest annual fee for maintaining an account, plus a specific charge for each transaction, covering its actual cost to the bank. Unless the bank is hopelessly inefficient, these charges should be small.
Admittedly, it is usual today to charge borrowers a higher rate of interest than is offered to savers. But this is to conflate interest payments with fees, expenses and premiums that really have nothing to do with interest at all. Arranging a loan is a valuable service that costs time and money, and so should naturally command a fee up-front. Borrowers may want their loan insured against death, disability or unemployment, and lenders will want the loan insured against the borrower's default, so appropriate premiums should be levied to cover these risks. Maintaining a mortgage account and making payments also involve costs. However, none of these charges is strictly equivalent to a fixed rate of interest and in general ought not to be subsumed to one; it is better to make the charges explicit and allow them to find their market level. It should be noted in passing that in a just ultraminimal state there will be very little risk of default for most loans, since the courts will provide effective and cost-free enforcement of all debts.
15. Competitive Share Banking
So far, in this discussion of share banking, I have implicitly assumed that there is only one issuing bank. What happens if there is more than one? Each bank issues its own bearer shares, granting an equity stake in the assets of that bank. Each bank's loans and deposits are denominated in the shares of that bank. Thus each bank's shares comprise a competing currency. Each currency is freely valued by the market. That is, it has an exchange rate (against each other currency) set by the market value of that bank's shares (against the value of the other banks' shares).
Although each bank account is denominated only in that bank's own currency, there is nothing to prevent the competing banks from accepting each other's shares for exchange at the prevailing rates. Interestingly enough, the banks can themselves continue to hold each other's shares as assets; they don't have to send them back to the issuing bank. They can also spend or sell them. This is quite different from the case of partial reserve private banking.
Now each competing currency can be expected to appreciate at approximately, but not exactly, the same market rate, depending on the profitability of their respective asset portfolios. A currency that outperforms its rivals has a competitive advantage; demand for that currency will increase, adding a further premium to its value. The bank in question can then profitably expand its issue by purchasing additional assets. This is the mechanism, discussed in section 11, that leads to rapid hypertransfer among competing fiat currencies. Here the effect is much weaker and transfer occurs without subjecting any share holders to more than marginal loss; nevertheless, the tendency is towards a single dominant currency within each territory.
This tendency is strengthened by the natural desire of the public for a uniform general purpose currency. Multiple currencies within a single economy are clearly inconvenient for the consumer, who will consequently be inclined to obtain his cash only from the market leader, just as retailers will mostly prefer to mark their prices and take payment in the market leader's currency. A (near) monopoly should result. This is not to say that other banks and businesses will not continue to issue bearer shares, but that outside specialised circles they will lose liquidity and cease to have widespread circulation as currency. For practical purposes, then, they will cease to be thought of as "money".
This monopoly should not cause us any loss of sleep. First, because mutual ownership removes the dreaded conflict of interest between monopolist and customer. Second, because potential competition from other banks or businesses should keep the dominant currency reasonably efficient (or risk losing its dominant position as the public transfers savings to the bearer shares of those other organisations). Third, because of the background competition from the share currencies of foreign countries (already dominant in their own territories) to which the public can turn if their local currencies prove unprofitable.
Given an effective monopoly of issue, is it possible for other banks to offer competing banking services based on the dominant bank's currency? So long as each bank retains 100% reserves against all liabilities (demand deposits, secondary note issues or electronic cash) in the form of bearer shares in or on deposit with the dominant bank or fully insured loans denominated in that currency, there can be no objection. Since reserves of bearer shares yield real returns (unlike reserves of commodity money) this is no great burden. Such banks will normally be unable either to charge interest on loans (because borrowers would go elsewhere) or offer interest to depositors. However, they will be free to compete with the dominant bank on transaction charges, service and convenience, all the banks thereby keeping each other efficient. They might also gain custom by supplying other financial services as well.
16. From Fiat to Share Money
How can we get from the present use of fiat money to a currency based upon bearer shares? Consider the following scenario:
The government ceases to draw seigniorage from the central bank, which then proceeds to spend large amounts of new fiat money on the purchase of a portfolio of assets, including a network of branches throughout the country. The expansion of the currency supply leads to its progressive depreciation, until the value of the newly purchased assets matches the value of the currency in circulation, which will obtain once the cumulative inflation has reached 100%. If all the purchases could be put through simultaneously, this would mean a fall in the value of the currency by a factor of two; in practice, later purchases have to be bought with partially inflated money (that is, after prices have already started to rise), so more fiat money must be printed and its value will fall somewhat further (by an overall factor of 2.7321). I here assume that the initial assets of the central bank are negligible.
Once the bank's assets and issue are matched, its fiat rights are abolished and existing notes and deposits are exchanged at par for bearer shares in the newly independent national bank. The country's legal tender now takes the form of shares in a mutually owned institution. Since these shares will progressively appreciate in value over time, demand will exceed the previous demand for fiat currency; the bank will meet this demand by purchasing further assets with additional bearer shares. Once the transfer is complete and demand has stabilised, the government lifts the prohibition on competing currencies, whilst ensuring that the courts are given the necessary powers to preclude all dishonest forms of private banking.
The disadvantage of this scenario is the substantial inflation the changeover entails. There are several ways of avoiding this. First, the assumption that the central bank has no significant assets to begin with is likely to be false; foreign currency and gold reserves may be considerable; asset purchases can then be on a correspondingly smaller scale. Second, the government can transfer public assets to the bank prior to the changeover. If sufficient publicly owned assets are available the inflationary currency expansion can be eliminated (though this may not always be politically or economically desirable). Either way, it is clear that changing from the existing system of government-controlled fiat currency to one based upon privately owned bearer shares presents no insurmountable obstacles.
17. Share Money and Electronic Cash
In the past, economists considered cash as consisting of notes and coins passed from hand to hand. However, as money becomes embodied more and more in electronic form, the definition of cash needs to be extended and the workings of electronic cash considered. I say "electronic cash", or "e-cash" for short, but any method of transferring the numerical information that is money would work. It doesn't have to be electronic, or even electrical; we could also use semaphore, pneumatic pipes, telepathy, men on horseback, trained bees, or even printed writing on pieces of paper or metal disks. The key is the reliable transfer of a unique number.
Bearer shares will be issued in the form of certificates like bank notes, denominated not as "money" but as a certain number of shares. Each share will have its own unique serial number. Thus, a Clodhopper's Bank 1 clod note might have a serial number 1,234,567,891 while a 10 clod note might own all the serial numbers between 1,432,765,980 and 1,432,765,989 and be labelled with the former; 5 clod notes would have serial numbers ending in 0 or 5; and so on. Smaller denominations could add a decimal point; a tenth clod note or coin might have the serial number 243,657,109.8 for instance.
Counterfeiting by unlawful duplication of serial numbers is comparatively easy for banks and other organisations to detect by cross-checking; with N notes in circulation and a fraction f duplicated, examination of on the order of (N/f)1/2 notes should detect the duplications. With say a billion notes of one denomination, a million of them counterfeit, about a million must be checked to spot a duplication, but the bank will take in ten times as many over the counter every day.
When it comes to electronic cash there is an apparently inescapable conflict between security and anonymity. Gold and silver are intrinsically costly, and bank notes have traditionally proved difficult to counterfeit, but since e-cash is simply a number it is highly vulnerable to fraudulent reproduction. A dishonest person can copy and spend the same item of cash many times over. The use of special sealed hardware that automatically deletes the information during transfer might seem a possible solution, but unless we can somehow make use of an intrinsic quantum indeterminacy whereby detection at the receiver necessarily destroys the information at the transmitter (and I am not at all sure that this is possible, even in principle), reverse engineering can always produce a version of the hardware which does not delete the cash, and which will therefore appear an attractive investment to criminals. If e-cash is to be secure it must be possible to refer back to the issuing bank for confirmation of its validity and to trace unlawful duplications; absolute anonymity cannot then be guaranteed.
Here I describe a system of electronic cash using public key encryption. It is well suited to private share money but could also be used for fiat or fiduciary money. I will not describe the various mechanisms of public key encryption in any detail here; all you need to understand is that we can generate a private key K* which by means of an essentially irreversible "trapdoor function" can easily be transformed into a public key K, but that someone who knows only the public key K cannot get back to the private key K*. If we encrypt a message with one of the keys it can then only be decrypted with the other (we can write this as KK*P=K*KP=P, where P is the plaintext).
The bank, which has a private key KB* and public key KB, issues an element of e-cash with serial number N. It also calculates KB*N and attaches it to the data-packet, thus: (N,KB*N), before sending it out to a customer, who verifies that KBKB*N=N. Only the bank can issue a valid packet, because only the bank has the private key KB*.
Suppose a person P wishes to pay this packet to a recipient R. He sends out the encrypted packet KRKP*(N,KB*N). Only R can decrypt it, thus: KPKR*KRKP*(N,KB*N) =(N,KB*N), before verifying that KBKB*N=N. If R trusts P and wishes to preserve anonymity that may conclude the transaction. Otherwise, R checks the continuing validity of the cash packet by sending the bank an encrypted query KB(KR,KR*N). The bank decrypts this and checks its records to see whether N is still valid or has been cancelled. If N is invalid the bank warns R with the false packet KR(N,KB*E), in which the verification KBKB*E=N fails and E may contain information on how and when the cash was cancelled. But if N is valid the bank cancels it and sends R a new cash packet KR(N',KB*N'), which R decrypts with KR* and stores as (N',KB*N') after verifying that KBKB*N'=N'. If R is satisfied he can then send P an encrypted receipt KPKR*(N,KB*N), which P decrypts as KRKP*KPKR*(N,KB*N)=(N,KB*N), before storing the receipt KR*(N,KB*N) and deleting the spent packet (N,KB*N).
In communicating with the bank, R can remain anonymous by including a session specific public key KR in his query (unfortunately, no two-way Internet communication can be truly anonymous, since there is always an electronic trail back to the source). R and P each have the option of using either publicly posted keys (identified at least by pseudonym) or nonce keys generated specifically for that session. However, the bank's public keys must be publicised permanently at trusted sites.
R may prefer to deposit the cash in his account. Even here it is not essential for the bank to know his identity; an anonymous numbered account may be created and accessed as follows. The customer generates a private account key KA* and a public key KA, which he sends to the bank as KBKA. The bank decrypts and retains KA, then sends back the account number A, encrypted as KB*KAA. The customer decrypts with KA*KB to obtain his account number A. To access the account he sends KB(A,KA*A); the bank decrypts with KB* then verifies that KAKA*A=A.
There are other features and other more subtle uses. For example, if P finds he has been defrauded by R or believes his cash has been wrongfully copied, he can revalidate the packet or trigger an alert by sending the bank the encrypted query KB(KP,KP*N). R may also ask the bank for change by sending KB(KR,KR*(N1,N2,N3...;D1,D2,D3...)), where D1,D2,D3... is a list of requested denominations, receiving back KR((N1',KB*N1'),(N2',KB*N2'),(N3',KB*N3')...). The system can also be used to seal documents, or to send and validate signatures.
There is one less than elegant feature — the necessity for the bank to maintain a record of every cash packet issued. This is a lot of data, which will normally need to be kept centrally at the head office or communications centre. If a hundred million people hold about ten units each of about twenty denominations with serial numbers 512 bits long the validating computers will need some 1013 bits of RAM (hard disks are too slow, except as backup) costing around £1 million as of 2000 AD. Not negligible, but acceptable for a national currency (and of course the price should fall with advancing technology).
However, the demand for very small denominations (less than a penny) for on-line micropayments (say a tenth penny or less per accessed page, or as little as a thousandth of a penny per second of low-priced TV) may be much larger, perhaps hundreds or thousands per person, and may end up dominating the validation traffic, though it may be possible to develop mitigating protocols. For example, your television set could download one micropayment a second from your bank account, just in time to upload it to the programme provider in exchange for the next second's programme decryption; since the programme provider promptly deposits it in his account only a few units of e-cash are needed at any one time. Moreover, it should be possible to set up anonymous nonce accounts with a bank or a trusted escrow agent, or simplest of all directly with the programme provider, by depositing e-cash of larger denominations and drawing out micropayments as required.
More worrying is the dependency upon a single central site. Fortunately, the e-cash will remain useable even if the bank's validation site goes down or cannot be contacted, though the risk of fraud is increased. It may also be possible for local branches to take over some of the validation work (especially if most transfers take place within the locality) and to issue replacement packets flagged with the issuing branch's identity. Alternatively, it may be possible to hold the data in distributed and redundant form across a network, so that no single-point failure could disrupt the system.
Before leaving the subject of electronic cash, I should point out that of the various proposals and e-cash experiments to date, most fail to meet acceptable criteria for security, anonymity and non-reproducibility. It is important that we scrutinise carefully any form of electronic cash introduced by today's multinational companies, major banks or governmental organisations. They are likely to have agendas that conflict with the interests of individual customers; it is particularly likely that personal privacy or anonymity will be compromised unnecessarily.
Having devised a system of electronic cash, we can see that bank notes can easily be fitted into the same scheme. The first 64 bits (or 16 hexadecimal digits) of N can constitute the ordinary serial number, visibly printed on each note or stamped on each coin. The remaining 448 bits, say, may be randomly chosen, unique to each packet, providing the necessary cryptographic security. A magnetic stripe in each bank note (like the present aluminium strip) could then hold the full 512 bits of N and 512 bits of KB*N. When the bank note is passed through a reader at the point-of-sale terminal, a validation message can be sent to the bank in the usual fashion and the returning (N',KB*N') loaded back onto the magnetic stripe.
Coins could be manufactured with an embedded chip fulfilling the same function as a magnetic stripe, but for small change it probably wouldn't be worth the bother; occasional checks on the ordinary serial number stamped on each coin would be sufficient to make counterfeiting uneconomical. Trying to shift a bagful of bad pennies would be very hard work indeed. However, if ever we decided to replace flimsy bank notes with hard-wearing coins of high denomination, embedded chips could provide the necessary security.
18. Conclusions
We have seen that money is the information that mediates the exchange of goods and services on the market, and that currencies are embodiments of that monetary information. We have seen that commodity money is economically inefficient but otherwise sound, that fiduciary money is basically untrustworthy and unstable, that fiat money is necessarily monopolistic and liable to government abuse. We have seen that neither central banking nor private banking can be guaranteed to provide honest money unless the courts are willing strictly to enforce the law against fraud and to hold the bankers fully liable for all risks and losses wrongfully imposed upon other people.
We have seen that bearer shares can provide the basis for an efficient and honest currency that offers not only full liquidity and ease of use, but also the opportunity for effortless saving and profitable investment. We have seen how the existing system of fiat money under state control could be transformed into a system of share money under the control of the note holders and depositors. And we have seen how share money can be issued in the form of electronic cash utilising cryptographically secure transactions and a high degree of privacy. In short, bearer shares are the ideal embodiment of money in a free market.
© Paul Birch, 20th Oct. 2000
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SERAP drags Buhari, State govts to court
Posted by Odey Owojela on March 03, 2019
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Federal Government and state governments to ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja over, “the frequent and repressive application of the Cybercrime Act to harass, intimidate, arbitrarily arrest, detain, and unfairly prosecute anyone found publishing views or facts perceived to be critical of the government at the federal and state levels and government officials, Owojela's Blog reports.
In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/09/19 filed last week at the ECOWAS Court, SERAP is arguing that: “The Federal Government and several state governments and their agents have trampled on the rights to freedom of expression and information of bloggers, journalists, activists, and social media users through the repressive use and implementation of the vaguely worded provisions of the Cybercrime Act.”
The suit filed on SERAP’s behalf by its Solicitor, Femi Falana, SAN states:
“The fundamental question for the court is whether the federal and state governments, by using and applying the Cybercrime Act and other similar laws on cyberstalking and sedition to prosecute journalists, bloggers and activists over perceived critical views, violate the rights to freedom of expression and access to information. SERAP submits that, under international freedom of expression jurisprudence, the answer is YES.”
The suit read in part: “The idea of a democracy is that the people are encouraged to express their criticisms, even their wrong-headed criticisms, of elected government officials, in the expectation that this process will improve the process of government. In circumstances of public debate concerning public figures in the political domain and public institutions, the value placed by legal principles and jurisprudence upon uninhibited expression is particularly high.
“The systematic and persistent use of the Cybercrime Act and other similar laws on alleged cyberstalking to prosecute and imprison journalists, bloggers and activists for their criticism of public officials runs afoul of freedom of expression principles, namely: that criminal prosecutions against journalists and bloggers is never an appropriate remedy for alleged defamation of government officials, and that news reporting about government officials are matters of public interest, which should be accorded heightened protection.”
“Sanctions for defamation should not be so large as to exert a chilling effect on freedom of opinion, expression and media freedom; penal sanctions, in particular imprisonment, should never be applied. This implies a free press and other media able to comment on public issues without censorship or restraint and to inform public opinion. The public also has a corresponding right to receive output.”
“Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act which provides for the offence of cyberstalking has been severally used and applied by the Defendant and its agents and several state governments across the country in molesting, intimidating, harassing and witch-hunting anyone found publishing views or facts deemed critical of government and/or government officials.”
“The vaguely worded offence of cyberstalking as stated in the Cybercrime Act is accorded a wide interpretation that extends to factual and true reports by activists, journalists, social media users and bloggers, thereby leaving a chilling effect on the rights to freedom of expression and information and media freedom and on citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption.”
“The abusive and repressive use of the vaguely worded provisions of the Cybercrime Act to stifle and muzzle perceived critics, journalists, bloggers and other media practitioners is an affront and it is dangerous to the rule of law and protection of the human rights of people.”
“Stories published online have been deemed ‘offensive’, ‘obstructive’, ‘insulting’ or ‘annoying’ with actionable consequence under section 24 of the Act even when the stories are true, correct and factual. Some stories published through traditional media outlets (print and electronic) that were never sanctioned by the government have been sanctioned by the same government upon being republished through online platforms.”
“SERAP chronologically highlights in this suit some of the high-profile cases of harassment, intimidation, arrest, unlawful detention, prosecution and imprisonment of journalists, bloggers, and activists for alleged cyberstalking.”
SERAP is seeking the following reliefs:
1.A DECLARATION that the actions of the Defendants and its agents and several states of Nigeria in arbitrarily enforcing the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 particularly its section 24 to harass, intimidate, arrest, detain, prosecute and imprison journalists, bloggers, and social media users, violate the rights to freedom of expression, information, opinion and privacy and media freedom, guaranteed under Articles 6,8,9 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; Articles 7,9,17 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party
2. A DECLARATION that the provisions of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention, etc) Act 2015 are entirely inconsistent and incompatible with international human rights standards and infringe on the rights to the freedom of expression, information and opinion guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
3. A DECLARATION that the continuing use and application by the Defendant and its agents and several states in Nigeria of the Cybercrime is illegal and unlawful, as it amounts to breaches of obligations to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression and information and media freedom
4. AN ORDER directing the Defendant to immediately repeal and/or amend the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 in line with Nigerian obligations under international human rights law
5. AN ORDER directing the Defendant and/or its agents and several states of Nigeria to provide effective remedies and reparation, including adequate compensation, restitution, satisfaction or guarantees of non-repetition that the Honourable Court may deem fit to grant to human rights defenders, activists bloggers, journalists and other online and off-line media practitioners that have been harassed, intimidated, unlawfully arrested, detained, and unfairly prosecuted by the Defendant
6. SUCH FURTHER orders the Honorable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this suit.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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